by Becky Lower
Her mouth quirked up on one side.
“I’m not the least bit tired, Mr. Morgan. In fact, I think we should give our horses more exercise than walking them through the park. I’ll race you to the clock tower.”
As she watched his mouth open in surprise, she laughed and kicked her horse into a trot, then began to move faster. She weaved around the slower moving horses and their riders, and didn’t bother to look back to see if Blake was following. She knew he would be. Her hat blew off and the wind whipped the pins from her hair. She exulted in the wind teasing her hair and her heart galloped at the same pace as her horse’s hooves. She was alive for the first time since she had returned to New York.
All too soon, the clock tower came into her sights. Sighing softly, she pulled on the reins of her horse, slowing it to a walk as she arrived at her destination. She dismounted, and walked her horse to cool him off as she waited for Blake to come into view.
He arrived several minutes later, trotting his horse along the path. As he vaulted from his horse’s back, he joined her and they walked their horses side by side.
“You continue to surprise me, Miss Fitzpatrick. Just when I think I have you figured out, you present another side of yourself.”
“I just wanted to have some fun, Mr. Morgan. I feel as though I haven’t had a minute of enjoyment since this season began. I’m sorry if I placed you at a disadvantage by waiting until you were dismounted to throw down the challenge, but it was so exhilarating!”
Blake threw his head back and laughed. “You must give me fair notice next time, so it will be a true race. Shall we go back the way we came and see if we can retrieve your riding hat, Miss Fitzpatrick?”
Heather took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair.
“Oh, I must look a fright.”
“Quite the contrary, my dear. I’ve just seen another, more sparkling, side of your personality, and I’m now trying to figure out how many layers there are to you. You’re a puzzle, and I’m more than willing to spend more time trying to fit your pieces together. You are a most intriguing woman.”
“As long as you promise we can have fun,” Heather said as she remounted for the ride home. Her mother was right — Blake Morgan was a most handsome man with a lovely cultured accent. And it had been a long time since she had enjoyed herself. She was willing to take the long way home.
• • •
Heather, Jasmine, and Amanda were lounging in Jasmine’s room, playing a game of whist and discussing the events coming up in the next few weeks before the summer exodus from the city. Soon, everyone who was anyone would head out to the Hamptons for the Independence Day celebration in an attempt to escape from the oppressive summer heat.
But before the Hamptons, there were two theatrical productions, a masquerade ball, and a musical to get through. And that was just the scheduled events. Such outings as rides in the park, teas and private dinners, or carriage rides through the city were additional items on the list. Heather and Amanda compared invitations to make sure they attended the same events, and made notations on their calendars between now and the first weekend in July. Jasmine sighed dramatically as she glanced enviously at the two of them.
“Damnation, I wish this year was over with. Or I wish I was out of this cast and able to stand on my own again.”
“It won’t be too much longer, Jas. According to the doctor yesterday, he will be cutting your cast off in just a bit longer, and you’ll be able to begin your therapy to get the full use of your ankle and foot back.”
Jasmine threw a dark glance at her sister. “I seriously doubt I’ll be dancing my feet off in the Hamptons this year, even if the cast is off by then. No, I’ll look like an old, tottering lady with a limp. No one will want to dance with me, least of all someone as stylish and handsome as Blake Morgan.”
“Ooh, yes, Blake Morgan,” Amanda said dreamily.
“Speaking of Blake Morgan — we went riding yesterday, in the park.”
“You did not!” Both Jasmine and Amanda countered at the same time.
“Yes we did. It was a lot of fun. We raced each other, and I lost my riding hat and all the pins from my hair. I haven’t felt so good in a long time.”
Jasmine hit a pillow. “So I suppose this means Mr. Morgan has declared his interest?”
“Well, not officially, but I had his interest yesterday, that much is certain,” Heather answered with pride in her voice as she glanced at the two ladies.
“This is so unfair,” Jasmine wailed. “First, it’s David and now Blake. You are not supposed to have more than one man per season. Blake Morgan should be mine!”
“And how many men would you have had by now, if you hadn’t broken your ankle? Remember, dear sister, it was your own mischief that put you into this predicament.”
Jasmine shot her sister another dark look. “That is irrelevant, since I have not been able to have any fun or to entice a man to pay me attention this year. And don’t deny your part in my misfortune. I’m just saying that it’s not fair.”
“Well, fair or not, that’s the way it is. I’m beginning to think Blake Morgan will do quite nicely.” Heather jumped up from her chair and walked across the room, allowing herself to preen in the mirror as she watched the faces of the two women who were closest to her.
“But what of David?” Amanda asked quietly.
Heather stopped fussing with her hair and turned to face the women. “David is no longer a part of my life. He belongs to a culture that I’ll never understand, but it’s where he belongs. So I must forge ahead. I’m not looking for a husband right now, only someone with whom to have a good time. If Blake Morgan fulfills that mission for the rest of the summer, it may evolve into marriage. But right now, I’m just content to be happy.”
“But we want to be happy, too,” Amanda countered with a frown. “Jas is right. It doesn’t seem fair that you get two men this season and we get none. Maybe Jasmine has to wait until next year to have a season full of men, but I’m here right now, going through the season with you, Heather, and I demand that you turn Blake over to me!” Laughing, Amanda threw a pillow at Heather.
Heather tossed the pillow back to Amanda. “Feel free to try and pry Mr. Morgan from my side, Amanda. I’ll fight you for his attentions.”
“What prompted this change in your outlook? Last week, you didn’t care to even talk to the man.”
“Last week was last week. This is now. I’ve decided to lift the veil of melancholy that I have surrounded myself with since coming back from Savannah, and truly enjoy life again. I grew weary of myself, and I’m sure you two have, too. David is part of my past and I will not waste any more time thinking about him, or talking about him. We must take a vow right now to never speak his name again.” Heather plopped down in the chair again beside Jasmine, and nodded her head emphatically.
Amanda and Jasmine exchanged a look, and then glanced at Heather. “I’ll be,” Jasmine finally said. “I think she’s serious, Amanda. Blake Morgan has just been taken off the market.”
• • •
If Blake Morgan’s accompaniment of Heather to the musical during the week caused speculation, his appearance in the Fitzpatrick family pew on a third consecutive Sunday raised a collective eyebrow. Heather had a sparkle in her eyes and laughed often when at his side. Perhaps all the scandal sheet reports about her falling in love with a slave owner was mere gossip after all. Blake’s appearance with the Fitzpatrick family certainly created a low buzz of excitement among the parishioners as they turned their heads to get a look at the new couple.
Jasmine had accompanied the family to the service as well this particular morning. Out of her cast at long last, she now seemed to be the woman around whom the men were swirling. Heather was quite content to stay in the background with Blake by her side and let Jasmine have her moment in the spotlight. As one young eligible man after another bowed before Jasmine and exchanged pleasantries with the family, Heather sighed contently. Perhaps Jasmine could yet
succeed in her mission to find a husband this year.
Heather spent the past week setting up her school, in the basement of a church near Blake’s haberdashery. Jericho arrived every afternoon, after the horses in the livery were taken care of, to continue his studies. And the announcement of her school in the window of the church had generated some excitement as the staff of the wealthy homeowners in this part of town did their shopping. She now had one nanny and a maid as students, with hopes for more next week. She had thought carefully about how her school should operate, and decided the best time for her to be open was in the late afternoon and evening, when her students would be free from their chores. Blake had appeared each night to take her to dinner and then walked her safely to her home. She had come to expect his kisses each evening as he left her at the door to her home.
They had settled into a pleasant routine. Blake’s shop was doing well, as more men adopted the silk top hat in place of the warm beaver hats that had been the rage for years. Especially as the hottest months of summer approached, the new silk top hat was achieving wide success. He shared with Heather his vision of expanding the shop into the selling of ladies’ wear as well, since his brother in England had access to bolts upon bolts of the finest silk fabrics. It did make sense, and Heather was sure Blake could present his idea to her father at the bank and procure a loan for his project. Yes, things were going well. She did not think herself out of line at all to expect his offer for her hand to come soon.
Heather brought her thoughts back to the present as she watched Jasmine use her limp as an excuse to hang on to the most attractive man who was near her. She smiled. The gentleman didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, she listened as he offered to take Jasmine walking in the park the next day, to help build up her muscles, of course. Heather got a small grin on her face as Jasmine feigned surprise at the offer and then graciously accepted. Heather was glad her place next to Blake was secure, and she didn’t need to compete with Jasmine for anyone’s affections.
Chapter 33
Savannah, Georgia, June 1856
David took a deep breath before he climbed the stairs to the Beaufort mansion named Summerville. He had hoped Simon Beaufort would come to him first with an offer to buy Bellewood. David had not seen much of either Simon or Blanche since the passing of David’s father and the events with Heather, but he knew Simon was not happy about having his plans for blending the two plantations into one ripped asunder. Everyone living within fifty miles of Savannah had known for years that his daughter, Blanche, and one of the Whitman boys would eventually settle down together. Now that was not to be. David supposed Simon was righteously angry with him for being the impetus to these changes and, even with the interest in Bellewood expressed by William Douglas, David knew he was in for a battle. He squared his shoulders and walked briskly up the steps.
Summerville was a very attractive house, built from imported gray limestone, giving it a cool, inviting look that stood up even despite the withering summer heat that was now upon them. The floor plan was similar to Bellewood’s, but even if it had not been, David had spent as much of his youth in this house as he had in his own, so he knew where to find Simon Beaufort. “Hello, Simon,” David greeted his neighbor as he moved into the library.
Simon shook David’s hand and motioned to a seat across from Simon’s massive desk. Not exactly ideal bargaining conditions, David thought. The desk between them might well have been a chasm. Well, he’d make the best of it. He took the offered cigar, waited for the ritualistic lighting and first puffs of fragrant smoke and then talked about the weather, waiting for Simon to begin negotiating.
David quickly tired of their verbal chess game. “How’s Blanche?” He asked, as he checked his opponent.
Simon gave David a hard look, and then made a large sweeping motion with his hand. “She’s fine, David. Engaged to be married.”
Checkmate. David’s heart sank a bit. “Really? To whom? And when did this happen?”
Again Simon glared at David for a moment as he took a large puff of his cigar. “Well, I suppose it happened while you were dawdling with that trifle from up north, and breaking my dear daughter’s heart in the process. She went looking elsewhere for a man worthy of her attentions and found one. Where is your little bleeding heart abolitionist these days? Still rotting in jail?” Simon grinned.
David’s temperature, which had been rising, now reached a full boil. But, he knew, if he was to successfully negotiate his way to freedom, he needed to maintain his composure. He had the impression of being as shackled as his slaves with the responsibility of the estate around his neck. He borrowed deeply from his military training now and kept his demeanor serene as he faced his neighbor.
“Miss Fitzpatrick is back in New York. She has called off our engagement.”
“Really? Blanche will be amused by the news.”
David controlled his impulse to smash Simon’s face. “So tell me, who’s the lucky man who won Blanche’s favor?”
“It’s Robbie Johnson.”
David’s gaze flickered across Simon’s face, to see if he was joking. He looked dead serious. “Robbie Johnson is a good choice. He’s a solid, hardworking man.”
“He’s a pauper and you know it.”
David again glanced at Simon, whose mouth had now taken on an edge.
“So you don’t approve of this marriage?”
Simon finally stood and moved away from the desk. “This was not the way it was supposed to be, David, and you know it. From the day your parents and I moved side by side, we decided that our children would one day unite these two plantations.”
David sighed. “Look, Simon. I know that’s what my mother and your wife decided when they began to have children. It would have been most convenient if it had panned out that way. But what no one asked was whether the children were in agreement with that decision.”
“Jacob was her first choice, you know.”
David bowed his head. “Yes, Simon, I know. And I know she was devastated when he died. We all were. He lived and breathed Bellewood.”
“And you don’t.”
There it was. Not even a question. David looked up. “No, sir, I don’t.”
“That’s why you’re looking for a buyer for your land. How could you unseat your mother? What kind of selfish man are you?”
“I’m not being selfish. If I were thinking only of myself I never would have come back here and made an effort to take over the plantation. Mother doesn’t want to stay here any longer. She has wanted to move to Charleston for some time now, to live in a city and to be near her sister. I want her to do that, and to be able to live out the remainder of her days doing what she wants. She’s always hated being so isolated, and she hates everything about plantation life. I think her isolation is part of the reason she was so hateful to Heather.”
“Listen, boy. I don’t really care what you do with your life, but I do care about your mother. She’s been a good friend to my Blanche since her mother passed. I’ll ask her if Susan has ever said anything to her about this move to the city. We’ll quickly see if you’re telling me the truth. Jasper!” Simon barked to his house servant.
The aging Negro poked his head into the open doorway. “Yes, Master?”
“Find my daughter and tell her I want to see her immediately.”
“Yes, sir.” The man moved quickly out of the line of sight to do his master’s bidding.
Simon sat quietly behind his desk, leaving David to ponder the lit end of his cigar, and to think of Blanche with Robbie Johnson. They make a good couple, he thought. A bit unusual for Blanche, but he knew Blanche would refine Robbie’s hard edges, and Robbie would take Blanche off her high horse and put her to work. Yes, a good match. David smiled, and hoped Blanche would find true happiness and passion with Robbie — the kind he found with Heather. One of us at least deserves to be happy.
David extinguished his cigar and rose to his feet the moment he sensed Blanche’s light footsteps in the
hallway and heard the swish of fabric across the polished wooden floor. Blanche entered the room hastily, coming to an abrupt halt when she spied David. She turned, almost as if to leave, then stopped herself and swiveled back to him.
“David, I didn’t realize you were here. How nice to see you.”
“Likewise, Blanche. And I guess congratulations are in order for you. Robbie’s a good man. I hope you’ll be happy.”
Blanche gazed over at her father, then back to David. “So Daddy told you my big news. I am happy, David. Thank you for your support of my decision. It means a lot to me. And what of you? We’ve been hearing all kinds of gossip about the state of your engagement. Or lack thereof, I should say. And of the situation with Bellewood. But I’m dying to hear the truth.” Blanche sat in the chair opposite David and across from her father. The gentlemen returned to their seats.
“Heather has returned to New York, as I’m sure you are aware. And the Army has contacted me about re-enlisting. They’re dangling a promotion to captain in front of me. Since John Brown’s uprising in Kansas, they need help on the border to maintain the peace between the opposing forces. I’m tempted, since I have a fondness for that part of the country.”
Simon cleared his throat at that news. “Your plan then is to find a buyer for Bellewood so you can spend the next four years in the military?”
“Yes, sir, that’s my intent. I’ll sell to whoever makes me an offer.”
Simon Beaufort turned to David, his expression livid. “Son, I haven’t become successful in business without having a well-developed system of gathering information about what’s going on around me. I know you’ve been in talks with William Douglas about taking over Bellewood. Did you think I wouldn’t find out that you are attempting to place my sworn enemy at my doorstep?” Simon banged his beefy hand on the desk.
