Davenport House 7: Hard Times

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Davenport House 7: Hard Times Page 1

by Marie Silk




  Cover art by SelfPubBookCovers.com/Fantasia_26286

  Copyright © 2017 by Marie Silk

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  ISBN: 978-1946413048 (ebook)

  ISBN: 978-1946413-05-5 (paperback)

  Marie Silk Publishing

  P.O. Box 873

  Hayden ID 83835

  MarieSilk.com

  Contents

  Davenport House Books by Marie Silk

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  From the Author

  Davenport House Books by Marie Silk

  PREQUEL

  Davenport House

  Debutante

  BOOK ONE

  Davenport House

  BOOK TWO

  Davenport House

  A New Chapter

  BOOK THREE

  Davenport House

  A Mother’s Love

  BOOK FOUR

  Davenport House

  Heiress Interrupted

  BOOK FIVE

  Davenport House

  For the Cause

  BOOK SIX

  Davenport House

  House Secrets

  BOOK SEVEN

  Davenport House

  Hard Times

  Chapter 1

  “I think we should make up the ballroom for an indoor wedding, just in case the weather turns on us,” Clara Davenport said decidedly at the dinner table. “What do you think, Joe?”

  Clara’s fiance, Joe Blake, turned to look at her as if he just snapped out of a daze. “What was the question, darling?” he asked.

  “I said that I think we should set up the ballroom for our guests, in the event the weather makes an outdoor wedding impossible,” Clara repeated. “We don’t want to be rained out like poor Fiona was at her spring wedding.”

  Fiona, the housekeeper of Davenport House, was clearing dishes from the table just then and smiled to remember. “It was only a typical Irish wedding, Miss Clara,” she joked. Everyone at the dinner table laughed—except for Mary Hamilton, who instead seemed to be staring curiously at Fiona.

  “Always good to have a backup plan,” Joe said in answer to Clara’s question.

  “Always,” Clara said with a smile. “I only hope that Abigail arrives in time for the dress fitting tomorrow. You’ll be ready for your fitting in the morning, right Mary?”

  Mary glanced away from Fiona. “Of course I will,” she answered distractedly.

  Clara looked back and forth between Mary and Fiona and waited until Fiona had left the dining room to ask. “Mary, what are you up to? Do you and Fiona have a surprise planned for my wedding? If so, you must tell me now. I don’t want any surprises that day!”

  Mary laughed. “We are not up to anything.”

  “Let them have their secrets, dear,” Joe said to Clara. “Otherwise it won’t be a surprise.”

  “It’s nothing like that,” Mary said, exchanging a knowing smile with her husband, Dr. William Hamilton, who sat across from her at the table. “I just think you may need to look for a new housekeeper soon.”

  Clara’s face fell. “Has she mentioned something to you about leaving?”

  Mary shook her head then leisurely sipped from her water glass. “She has not said a word to me about anything, Clara. It’s just a feeling I have.”

  Clara gasped when she understood her meaning. Mary had worked as a midwife in the past and could usually detect when a woman was expecting. “Do you think she is…already?” Clara asked, but was interrupted by Fiona entering the room with dessert plates.

  Everyone at the table was silent as she served the dessert. When she realized that all eyes seemed to be on her, Fiona stood up straight and smoothed her uniform. “Is there something I’ve forgotten to go with the dessert, Miss Clara?” she asked.

  “No, the dessert is fine,” Clara replied. She paused before she continued carefully, “Mary just seems to think you might be leaving Davenport House—for some reason—in the future.”

  “Clara,” Joe scolded quietly. “You’ll embarrass the poor girl.”

  Fiona’s face did turn red, but at the same time she felt relief that she need not bring up the subject herself. “I—I wasn’t going to say anything until after your wedding, Miss Clara. You have so much to think about already.”

  Mary grinned and told her, “We are very happy for you and Sam.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton. We are very happy too,” Fiona grinned back.

  Clara forced a smile. “You will be sorely missed here, but I am at least glad you will be happy.”

  “Thank you, Miss Clara. If I may be honest…we haven’t told Abigail yet…we wanted to surprise her with the news when she comes tomorrow,” Fiona explained.

  “Of course,” Mary replied. “Your secret is safe with us!”

  Fiona blushed again and returned downstairs to the kitchen while the others finished their dessert.

  After dinner, Mary and William excused themselves from the table and walked up the grand staircase of the stately mansion. “I hope Violet went to sleep this time,” Mary sighed as they went up the stairs. “She did not sleep at all last night. I don’t know what I’d do without Serena here to help me.”

  William looked at her apologetically. “I’m sorry I haven’t been home much lately.”

  “I understand that your patients need you too,” said Mary. “I should be fine with Serena’s help.”

  “There’s something I wanted to tell you, but I wasn’t sure if I should say so at dinner,” William said.

  “What is it?”

  William took a deep breath. “There are rumors of a new doctor setting up his practice in town.”

  “Oh?” Mary said, raising her eyebrows. “Does it mean you might be able to come home more often?”

  William smiled. “It’s why I mentioned it. The only thing is, no one knows who the new doctor will be. It’s still rumor at this point. But do you remember the mercantile that was closed recently and how I said it would be a fine building to expand the clinic? It’s just been taken off the market and there is talk of it being converted to a hospital. I don’t know what this will mean for the clinic.”

  “I see,” Mary replied thoughtfully. “I haven’t heard anything about a new hospital, just that poor Mrs. Spencer lost her income when she closed the mercantile. Who told you about the new doctor?”

  William cringed. “I’m ashamed to admit that I read about it in the paper’s new gossip column.”

  Mary’s mouth fell open. “William, I never would have guessed you read that silly thing! The rumor probably isn’t true, then. I would hardly call anything that comes out in that column newsworthy.”

  “And how would you even know whether anything it says is newsworthy?” William teased her.

  “I don’t read it on purpose,” she assured him with a laugh. “Clara forces me to listen every morning at tea. She was out of town with the florist this morning so that must be why I never heard about the rumored doctor.”

  They reached their bedroom door and Mary gently pushed it open. Serena Valenti, the neighbor who helped care for their baby, was crocheting in a rocking chair near the fireplace. The quiet room was lit only b
y firelight. Serena stood up from the rocking chair and motioned to the cradle. “Violet has been sleeping all this while,” she whispered.

  Mary put her hand over her heart and breathed in relief. “Oh, I’m so glad. Thank you, Serena.”

  Serena nodded and gathered her crocheting supplies. “Goodnight, Mary. Goodnight, Dr. Hamilton.” She left the room and closed the door.

  William and Mary stood over the cradle, gazing upon their baby sleeping peacefully before them. “I will never tire of watching her sleep,” said Mary. “She is so perfect and innocent. Sometimes when I look at her, I have this strange buildup of feelings…it almost feels like a rage.”

  William chuckled. “I don’t understand how looking at our precious daughter could invite such feelings.”

  “It just makes me so angry to think that someday, someone might hurt her. The rage comes from thoughts of what I would do to anyone who tries.”

  “It must be your maternal instinct. I feel the same way, Mary. Heaven help the man who stands between us and our child.”

  While William and Mary were retiring to bed, Clara spoke with Joe in the gardens behind the house. Joe’s cottage was located on the neighboring estate and he usually walked home through the gardens after dinner. “I will miss you,” Clara said to him as they embraced. “I can’t wait until you never have to leave again. We can simply retire upstairs like William and Mary.”

  Joe smiled and kissed her cheek. “You only have one more week to wait, my darling.”

  Clara sighed thoughtfully. “And now I must think of where to find a new housekeeper. Can you believe that Fiona is with child at a time like this?”

  “It happens, Clara,” Joe said with a chuckle. “I’m certain it will be us soon enough.”

  Clara was suddenly nervous. “Joe, there is something I need to tell you, only I haven’t known how to say it.”

  “All right, I’m listening.”

  Clara looked down at the ground. “I went to the doctor for some problems I was having many months ago. I was too embarrassed to ask William or Mary about it, so I went to a clinic in Philadelphia instead. The doctor told me that I might be past my time to have children.”

  Joe looked at her sadly. “I didn’t realize. I’m sorry, Clara.”

  “But we can still be happy, can’t we? Just you and me together,” Clara said hopefully. “This doesn’t change your mind, does it?”

  Joe smiled down at her. “Of course not. With as many friends as you have, I’m sure the house will always be full of children anyway.”

  Clara hugged him tighter. “I was hoping you would understand.”

  “Clara,” he whispered. “It’s getting late. I should be going home.”

  She backed away from him and smiled. “I suppose you’re right. See you at dinner tomorrow?”

  Joe shook his head. “I have to go to Harrisburg to settle some business. I don’t know how long it will take, but I may miss dinner.”

  “Oh that’s right,” Clara remembered. “But I will see you at dinner the day after?”

  “Of course. Goodnight, darling.”

  “Goodnight, Joe.”

  The next morning at Davenport House, the maids prepared a room for Abigail and Ethan Smith, who were coming to visit with their toddler boy. Abigail was going to be a matron of honor in Clara’s upcoming wedding, along with Mary, Clara’s best friend.

  It was about the time that Abigail promised to arrive for the dress fitting. The seamstress was already in the house and had the bridesmaid dresses laid out on the beds. Mary heard the sound of a car coming up the drive and went outside to see if it was William. Her mouth dropped open when she realized that the car parking in front of the house had Ethan behind the wheel and Abigail smiling beside him.

  “Whose car is this?” Mary exclaimed.

  Ethan laughed as he walked around the front to open Abigail’s door. “It’s mine.”

  “I don’t believe it! I thought surely you would come riding in with the carriage. I even had Sam prepare the stable for your horses,” replied Mary. “Good morning, Abigail. Oh! Here is my darling nephew!”

  Abigail held little Patrick on her hip as she approached Mary. “Good morning,” she greeted cheerfully. “Can you please take him while I get some of my things out of the back?”

  Mary hesitated. “Um, is Patrick walking yet? I could hold his hand and take him into the house.”

  “Yes, he is walking now,” Abigail said, setting the toddler down on the grass.

  “I’ll take our things inside,” Ethan told them. “You go on ahead and get reacquainted. I’m sure Clara has plenty for you to do anyway,” he added with a wry grin.

  Just then, Clara stepped outside in a fluster and began speaking very fast. “Oh good, you’re here Abigail. The seamstress is inside with the dresses and ready to see them on you ladies. I was just now going to tell Serena that the dresses are here. Oh Ethan, since you are here, you can go tell Serena. I have to make another phone call to the florist.” Clara disappeared back into the house.

  “I knew she’d put me to work with wedding stuff as soon as we got here,” Ethan mumbled while he collected the luggage.

  “And you’re such a good sport about it,” Mary said, putting her arms around him and kissing his cheek. “It is good to see you, dear brother.”

  “It’s good to see you too.” He followed the ladies inside with the luggage, then left the house to visit the Valenti family who lived in a farmhouse nearby.

  “Hello,” Phillip Valenti greeted. He was working in the garden when he saw Ethan approaching. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”

  “Just got here,” Ethan replied. “Clara sent me over to get Serena.”

  “Then it must be regarding the big day,” Phillip chuckled.

  “I suppose. She said something about dresses.” Ethan looked over the sparse vegetable garden that Phillip was working in. “Did you have trouble with the crops this year?”

  Phillip shook his head in frustration. “It’s been so dry, and I’ve been out in town looking for work so I guess I didn’t tend to the gardens as much as I should have.”

  “What kind of work are you looking for?”

  “Anything, really. Most jobs are taken as soon as they come available. I’m not the only soldier looking for odd jobs,” said Phillip. “I might need to go to the big city to find something permanent.”

  “I’ll send word if I hear anything open up in Philadelphia, but the situation is similar there,” said Ethan.

  Phillip nodded and stood to his feet, wiping the dirt from his hands on his work pants. “I sure would appreciate if you could let me know. I’ll go inside and tell Serena that Clara needs her.”

  Back at Davenport House, Mary and Abigail were looking at their new dresses laid out on the bed in Mary’s room. “I’m afraid that mine will be too tight,” Mary said quietly. “I don’t think it will fit.”

  Abigail looked at Mary’s dress and then at Mary. “It looks about right. I’m sure it will be no trouble to alter if it needs more room.”

  But Mary seemed reluctant to even touch the bridesmaid dress. “Why don’t you try yours on first?” she said.

  Abigail nodded and changed into the pink ruffled dress. She looked at herself in the full length mirror and cringed. “It certainly has a lot of bows,” she said quietly. She turned around to face Mary. “How do I look?” Mary was frowning. “Is it that awful?” Abigail questioned, pulling at some of the pink bows.

  “No, it’s not that. I’m just worried about this part here,” she said, pointing below Abigail’s waist. “I think it will be too painful for me to wear—against my scar.”

  Abigail looked at Mary compassionately when she remembered that she had birthed by a Cesarean operation. “Oh I’m sorry, Mary. I had forgotten about that. You are still in pain?”

  Mary became downcast. “Sometimes the pain is so bad that I can barely hold Violet in my arms. It pains me to lift anything. I feel helpless most of the time.”
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  “That’s why you seemed hesitant today when I asked if you could take Patrick,” Abigail said.

  “Yes, I was afraid to lift him. Serena comes to the house to help me daily. If she did not, I don’t know what I would do.”

  “What does William say about it? Is there anything that can be done?”

  “No. I mean, I haven’t said much to him about it. Honestly Abigail, I think something must have gone wrong during the operation and I don’t want William to feel badly about it.”

  “I see. I will help you into the dress but I’ll be very careful about closing the back. You can tell me if it starts to hurt. Should we try it?”

  Mary agreed and let Abigail help her into the new dress. She gasped in pain when she felt the dress against her waist. “Stop! It’s too tight!” she cried while quickly stepping out of the dress. Tears began streaming down her face.

  Abigail was in disbelief. “Mary, I hadn’t even begun to close the dress in the back. Are you worried I might pull it too tight? I promise I’ll be careful.”

  “You don’t understand,” Mary whimpered. “It was already too painful.”

  Abigail frowned. “Then I’m worried you might have an infection. The incision should have healed by now. Will you let me have a look?”

  Mary covered her face with her hands. “I’ve seen it in the mirror. It looks terrible. I certainly don’t want William to see me while I look like this.”

  “Please, Mary. You have me very concerned now,” Abigail persisted.

  Mary lay back on the bed and pulled up her slip to reveal the scar under her belly. Abigail appeared perplexed as she examined her. “I told you it looks terrible,” Mary said.

  “It’s not infected, and that’s the important thing. I just don’t understand why the bruising doesn’t appear to have healed by now. Your birth was so many months ago but your healing is not making the progress it should. No wonder you are in so much pain. You should speak to William about it as soon as you see him again.”

  Mary carefully put her slip back down and sat up on the bed. “What will I do about the wedding? Clara will be upset if I can’t wear the dress.”

 

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