Regency Romance: A Duchess in Disguise (Historical 19th Century Victorian Romance) (Duke Fantasy Billionaire Romance)

by Sarah Thorn

  “She is, thank you.”

  The ladies continued to talk in low tones, whispering to each other about their lives and their pasts and their hopes for the future. Cathy was happy to have Hannah there and felt a little sad that she would be leaving soon to go back to her Amish community.

  While they talked, they didn’t notice that Victor was standing just outside the door, watching them through the crack. He watched Cathy, thinking how the moonlight brought out her beauty much more than the day and deciding that he would speak to his brother in the morning about switching brides. During dinner, he had spent more time chatting with Cathy than Robin, but Joe hadn’t minded because he spent his time talking to Robin. Ben and Joy were in their own world.

  He got an idea and moved away from the doors before the women noticed he was there.

  The sun had just come up, and Joe was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the family. He was cracking eggs when the door opened, and Robin came through wearing a long robe; her hair pulled back in a tail. She stood at the door and smiled at him.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  “Good morning, Robin. Did you sleep all right?”

  “I did, thank you. And you?”

  “I did. Would you like to help me prepare breakfast?”

  “Yes, I would. I can prepare biscuits and fry up some bacon if you would like.”

  “That sounds wonderful. We also have sausage if you would prefer that, or any of the ladies would like it. I know it is one of Ben’s favorite breakfast items.”

  “I’ll make both if you want me to. I’m afraid the girls and I didn’t discuss our breakfast favorites when we met yesterday.”

  Joe chuckled. “I guess that might not have come up in the conversation, would it?”

  She smiled wider. “No. It’s not a common subject among strangers.”

  “Do you think you will get along with all of us all right?”

  Robin was already at the icebox, getting out a slab of bacon wrapped in parchment paper and was bent over searching for the sausage. Joe came up behind her and bent over next to her, pointing to it. They looked at each other, and Robin’s heart jumped. His eyes were kind and loving. She could see that he was much more interested in her than Victor had been. They had talked all the way through dinner. She pulled in a breath, and he smiled. “There it is,” He said in a gentle tone.

  “I think I will get along with everyone.” She breathed softly.

  Everyone except Victor was seated at the table an hour later. They waited patiently, chatting until he swung the door open and came through. All of them stood up to greet him.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  “Good morning.” They all responded to him.

  “Have you been waiting long?” He asked.

  “No, it’s only been a few minutes since we all sat down,” Cathy responded. The others had all seated themselves again, except for Robin, who had volunteered to serve the family breakfast. Victor’s eyes were directly on her. The room fell silent as they all watched Victor curiously.

  Instead of going to his chair, Victor approached Cathy. No one spoke.

  “Cathy,” he said, holding out his hand to her. He was holding something. “I…I made something for you last night.”

  Cathy looked down at what he handed her, taking it and turning it over in her hands. “Thank you, Victor!” She moved her eyes back up to his handsome face. “Umm, what is this?”

  He pressed his lips together and stepped closer to her. “It’s…it’s a boot lift. I hope I got the height correct. It’s…it’s so you…I hope you aren’t offended…I just thought you could use it for your…your…”

  Cathy’s heart thumped hard in her chest. Her eyes filled with tears. “So I won’t look strange when I walk,” She whispered.

  “I don’t want to offend you, Cathy. I just thought…”

  She stopped his words when she threw her arms around him in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close as she cried softly. No one had ever even thought to make her something like this before.

  Joe and Robin looked at each other with soft smiles. Joe held out his hand, and Robin took it.

  “I think we will all get along just fine,” Joe whispered, squeezing her hand in his.

  Victor looked at the two of them and smiled, holding Cathy close to him even tighter.

  *****

  THE END

  MAIL ORDER BRIDE - An Orphaned Baby for Unsuspecting Bride

  Chapter One

  She sat alone, her head down, her eyes closed.

  “Elizabeth?” She heard her name and lifted her head, opening her eyes to see who was speaking. It was her neighbor from two doors down. Few people had attended the funeral. Catherine was one of them who had been kind enough to come. She sat down next to Elizabeth and put one hand on Elizabeth’s folded ones in her lap. “Elizabeth, dear. You have my condolences on your loss.”

  Elizabeth just nodded. Her parents had few friends, and she herself had even fewer. It would have been different if they had not just moved to the small Virginia town. Their family had not been a happy one, and everyone had known it almost immediately. The result was isolation and now, destitution for her. She foresaw a life of hardship and strife for herself. She was dreading it.

  The neighbor speaking to her was named Catherine Vogel. Elizabeth had only spoken to her a few times in passing over the last several months since she and her parents had moved to Virginia. Her father had been a politician as part of the Whig party for many of his years. He had been one of the advisors to President Lincoln before his death. After the president was assassinated, he had lost his position on the staff and was disgraced in front of everyone they knew. She didn’t know the details. She just knew that after a life of privilege and wealth, they were suddenly thrust into a small shack in a different state, amidst strangers who still seemed to know of her father’s bad business dealings. She had not been able to rid herself of her grief over the changes that had already occurred for them financially. It had only been two months. When her father and mother died in a wagon accident, the destruction of her life felt complete.

  At nineteen, she was completely at a loss as to what to do and felt alone in the world. She looked for sympathy in Catherine’s eyes but did not see any, despite the woman’s kind words.

  “Thank you,” she said, flatly.

  “What will you do now?”

  She suspected Catherine was fishing for gossip. She knew the type. There had been plenty in Washington D.C. when they had lived there. She had grown up amongst some of the wealthiest, snobbiest people in the nation and she knew it. She didn’t want to be like them.

  “I’m not certain,” she responded in a quiet voice, dropping her eyes again.

  She was surprised when Catherine patted her hand sympathetically and squeezed it again. “I have a suggestion.”

  Elizabeth raised her eyebrows, looking at the woman once again. “You do?”

  Catherine nodded. “There is a man in the West that worked with my husband when he was out there. They worked on the railroad together. His name is Tyler Creek. He has been alone for some time now. It’s probably been some years since Tyler moved there. He has a farm now, and I know he is looking for help. Perhaps you would like to write to him?”

  Elizabeth felt a sharp pain of fear stab through her. She was going to have to work very hard on a farm. She was going to be a farmhand. The thought made her shudder. She remembered the parties, the pretty dresses, the fancy jewelry. She had none of that now. She was starting all over again from the beginning. With nothing to her name but a few dresses, shoes and stockings that were much too fancy for anything she would ever be doing on a farm.

  She sighed and reluctantly nodded. “Yes, I will take his name and address. I will write to him.”

  Catherine nodded. “You really don’t have much of a choice, do you, my dear?”

  Elizabeth wished she could hear a bit of kindness in Catherine’s voice, instead of th
e underlying sneer she heard instead.

  She unfolded the letter from Tyler as the train sped along the tracks, aware that she was being looked at by the other passengers on the train. She had worn the only dress she had left after selling off everything she owned. She carried with her one small bag with her personal items. She hadn’t been able to part with some of them though they would have brought her a little more money if she had sold them. Especially the gold hand mirror her mother had given her, a Christmas present from several years back. She didn’t know when she would use it again. She didn’t like to look at herself in the mirror. It reminded her of her past just to look at her own sad eyes and persistent frown.

  Happiness was far from her, and she didn’t see it coming anytime soon. She kept herself from crying, steeling herself against her depressing thoughts.

  Dear Miss Elizabeth, the letter said. I would be very happy to have you come to my farm and help me. I am glad Catherine suggested that you write to me as I have been seeking someone and do need the help. I have enclosed a ticket so that you can come. I appreciate you writing and telling me about the loss of your parents. I am sorry that you are going through such a hard time. I will try to help you find some happiness here.

  I spend most of my time on the farm, working to repair it after a recent storm that caused a lot of damage. There is still much work to be done, but my home is cool and comfortable. I employ two young men from the nearby town. They are helping me with the daily chores and with some of the repairs. I know it may sound like I am looking for a housekeeper, but I am not. I am seeking a woman to be a companion to me to bring some happiness and a womanly touch to the farm and my life. I have not been married before. I am 24 years old. I came here with my parents and bought my farm about four years ago.

  I hope that you will find me acceptable and that we will be friends right away. If you are very unhappy when you get here, please tell me right away. I don’t want to be unhappy, and I don’t want you to be unhappy.

  Thank you for writing to me. I look forward to meeting you. You mentioned that you only had a short time left in the home you were in, so I have set the ticket up for ten days from now, to allow you to get this letter and pack your things.

  Sincerely,

  Tyler Creek

  His name sounded like a place, rather than a name, although she thought it sounded like a pleasant place to be. She thought of her name with his at the end. Elizabeth Creek. Still sounded like a place. But a prettier place.

  She smiled.

  She stepped off of the train and looked to the right and to the left. She was stunned that there were so few people around. In fact, she only saw one person getting off with her and no one met him. He walked to the right as soon as he got off the train, looking like he had somewhere he needed to be and he knew exactly where it was.

  She was alone. Again.

  This seems to happen a lot these days, she thought. She clutched her bag between her slender fingers, tugged at her skirt with the other and walked to the door of the train station. The building looked weather-beaten and damaged. She scanned the worn, broken pieces on the side of the building, the two windows (one was broken) and the battered door she was about to go through. She was almost afraid to take the handle, feeling as if splinters might just jump off the tattered wood and embed themselves in her fingers.

  It was a poor dreary town; that was for certain.

  Just like me, she thought.

  She sighed and turned the knob reluctantly.

  There were more people inside the building, which didn’t really surprise her. The atmosphere was hot and dry in Nevada. So different from the cool, moist air in both D.C. and Virginia. It was cooler inside the building than it was outside.

  Elizabeth wasn’t sure whether she needed to speak to the clerk or not. He probably wouldn’t know Tyler. Or maybe he would. She looked at him. He was busy with a customer. She looked around the room. It took only a moment to realize she was the only woman. She swallowed and walked slowly to a bench sitting near the door. It looked new and out of place in the rickety building. She could feel the eyes of the men following her and tried to tell herself that it was just her paranoia kicking in. Tyler wouldn’t have a hard time picking her out from the crowd, at least.

  She sat down and put her bag on her lap, folding her hands over the top of it as if she would be able to hold on to it if someone grabbed it. She wasn’t a big woman and had delicate features like her mother.

  It felt like she waited forever. None of the men approached Elizabeth as she sat patiently and quietly, becoming more nervous as the minutes passed. Had he forgotten about her? Had there been an accident?

  She wondered what she would do if he never came for her. No one would tell her that something had happened to him. They probably wouldn’t even realize she had come. He might not have told anyone what he was doing. She didn’t even know if he had any family.

  Elizabeth pondered how long she should wait before asking the clerk if he might have any information about where she could find Tyler. She was incredibly uncomfortable in her long dress, layers underneath, and tall boots. She wanted to get out of the dress as soon as she was able. It was not something she should have been wearing in the heat of Nevada, even if it was approaching dark.

  Chapter Two

  The door opened beside her, and a rush of cool air blew past her. She hadn’t realized it had cooled off outside and immediately stood up to take a seat on the bench outside the building, instead of inside it.

  The man who had come in looked directly at her. “Elizabeth?” He said.

  She stopped and looked at him. He was half a foot taller than her and had a deeply sculpted face with even deeper brown eyes. His dark wavy hair fell to his shoulders, and he whipped the hat off his head, holding it in front of his chest. He bent at the waist slightly in a quick bow.

  “I’m Tyler. I am so sorry I was not here sooner to get you. I can’t apologize enough.”

  She blinked and bit her lips together. He was very good-looking. She felt a bit of the weight on her heart lifting. At least, he had that going for him. She was annoyed that he had made her wait so long by herself in a room filled with strangers. For much of her life, she had been protected at all times, in case someone tried to kidnap her. The men her father dealt with were often sneaky and desperate to be like him. She’d been told they would go to any lengths to get him in a bad position and that she needed to always be on her guard.

  It was a difficult feeling to let go of. Tyler’s late pickup did not endear him to her. She frowned. “It was very hot. I would like to get out of these clothes. Do you have a dress I will be able to wear? I didn’t bring anything else. I had sold all of my things before I left Virginia.”

  Tyler nodded and reached for her bag. She tightened her grip on it and pulled it closer to her chest. “I can carry it,” she said.

  “Oh, of course. This way.” He nodded again and held out his hand so that she could go in front of him. He liked her appearance, although her fancy dress was a bit much, as she had pointed out. But if it was really the only dress she had left, he understood why she’d had to wear it.

  “Were you able to get any extra clothes for yourself with the money from selling your items?” Tyler asked once they were outside and walking down the platform lit by gas lamps. The sun was casting different colors through the sky as it dipped behind a far-away mountain.

  Elizabeth breathed in the evening air. It smelled surprisingly clean and fresh. She lifted her head and enjoyed the breeze blowing past her cheeks. She was aware that Tyler was watching her. All men watched her. She was used to it.

  He took in her beauty as soon as he saw it, her slender figure in a beautifully woven dress with embroidery designs throughout and lace adorning its edges. She walked like a lady. Her soft light brown hair was held back with barrettes and pins, and her dark green eyes flashed when she looked at him. Her voice was slightly haughty when she spoke to him. He could see that she was used to bein
g a lady. She hadn’t mentioned in her letter that she was raised wealthy, but her appearance and demeanor gave her away immediately.

  His heart sank a little. He didn’t want to regret his decision to invite her. He was hoping for someone to laugh and have fun with, as well as work to make the farm comfortable and happy again.

  She shook her head in response to his question.

  “No,” She said. “My father…my father owed a lot of people very large amounts of money. I was not able to keep anything that was brought in from the sale.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry.”

  She shook her head and followed him down the steps to the ground where he had parked his small two-person carriage. “Don’t be. You had nothing to do with it, did you.” She wasn’t asking.

  He didn’t respond.

  She stood next to the door to the carriage and waited for him to pull it open for her. He came around to pull down on the handle and pushed it open so that she could get in. He held out his hand, which she took, even though she needed no help stepping up on the extended stair. He smiled at her, but her return smile was quick and did not reach her eyes.

  He stifled a sigh. He hoped more than anything she would adjust and become a more considerate young woman. He hoped he hadn’t made a mistake with the whole thing.

  She was quiet most of the ride to the farm. It was a twenty-minute ride, and they had to pass through the town of Dunnam first. To Elizabeth’s eyes, it looked dreary, dry and dirty. The people looked poor. She felt completely out of place. She knew her cheeks were burning red the entire way through town.

  Even when they left the town, she still felt uneasy. He hadn’t looked pleased when she complained about the heat.

  “Are you uncomfortable?” He asked at one point. She tried not to reply with a haughty tone but failed.

  “I am still in this dress.” She immediately regretted her sarcasm and licked her lips. “I apologize for being rude. I am still very new to…everything. My…life has changed a lot in the last few months.”