Ana Seymour (9 page)

When Harriet came out looking only mildly annoyed at having to leave the gathering early, Kate
gratefully followed her to the Flaherty carriage without speaking and stayed quiet all the way home.

It was the wrong moment for Sean to decide to take off for another of his nights at the gaming tables. He’d left a tender message for her, along with a bouquet of flowers, and that should have been enough. The note said that he was joining Charles Raleigh since Kate herself would be occupied with Charles’ mother and sister It was logical. She had no reason to be resentful. But it was just that she’d
needed
Sean tonight. She needed to feel his arms around her and hear him telling her that he loved his wife, even if she was “unconventional.”

But Sean was gone, and if his past evenings on the town were any example, he wouldn’t be back until the wee hours of the morning. She decided to seek out her other two sources of comfort, Caroline and Nonny.

The great-grandmother and the baby had become almost constant companions since Kate’s arrival on Nob Hill. It was an arrangement that seemed to work well for everyone, even though Harriet had been urging the hiring of a “real nurse” for the baby. “It’s not seemly for a member of the family to be caring for her,” she’d said, which Kate had taken as a prime example of the absurdity of her new life.

As it turned out, Caroline was already sleeping and Nonny had retired to her own bedroom. But the door was ajar and Nonny was sitting in a chair reading, so Kate knocked softly.

“She went down without a peep,” the older woman
said immediately. “I know you ended it reluctantly, but she doesn’t seem to miss the nursing.”

Kate nodded. “I don’t miss it either, surprisingly enough. For one thing, I’m fitting into my dresses better,” she added, looking down at her chest ruefully.

Nonny laughed. “I’m sure you’re much more aware of that than anyone else. You always look lovely, child.”

Kate bit her lip. “I’m afraid Harriet’s fancy friends wouldn’t agree with you.”

“Oh, dear.” Nonny pulled the page marker down in her book and set it aside. “It didn’t go well at the Raleighs’ today?”

Kate shook her head and suddenly the tears that had been brewing ever since she heard the nasty remarks in the solarium burst forth. “Penelope said I was unconventional,” she sobbed.

Nonny frowned. “Penelope did? I’m surprised. She’s usually such a sweet thing.”

Kate tried to explain through her tears. “No, I mean, yes. She was perfectly sweet. She wasn’t the one.it was the others. They said horrible things, that I grew up wild in the mountains without a family. They made me sound like some kind of forest creature.”

“Come in and sit here on the bed, Kate. Don’t bother about the tears. I’ve shed plenty myself over parties just like the one you went to today. That’s why I don’t go out so much anymore. I prefer to stay home with my books and my son and grandson. And, of course, nowadays with my granddaughter and greatgranddaughter.”

Kate sat on the edge of the bed where Nonny had
indicated. Her sobs were gradually subsiding as Nonny continued to speak in her soothing, slightly crackling voice. “Why would you cry?” Kate asked finally, her curiosity quelling the last of her tears. “You’re one of them.”

“Heavens, child. I’m just a poor Irish immigrant who’d never eaten from fine china in her life until Patrick started making money hand over fist. Of course, a lot of these other women started out life just like I did, but woe be to the one who tries to remind them of it.”

“I don’t care if they think Sean married me only because of the baby. The only thing that’s important is that I know the truth.”

Nonny looked at her sharply. “The truth…?”

“That he didn’t know anything about Caroline when he came back to Vermillion looking for me.”

“Ah.” She was thoughtful a moment, then said, “So anyway, you don’t care what those ladies think, which is why you burst into tears a few minutes ago.”

Kate smiled wanly. “I suppose I must care something about it. I wish I didn’t.”

“It’s only human nature, child. We all want to be accepted by the people we live with and socialize with. But I think you’re being too pessimistic. You have more brains and more beauty than any of those ladies and their insipid daughters.”

“I found Penelope quite animated.”

“Well, there are exceptions. But the point is, one of the main reasons they’re talking about you is that they’re jealous and they may even be worried. You’re a beautiful woman. Once they get to know you better
and see that you’re really interested in Sean and none of their sons or husbands, that will fade.”

“But…” She hesitated.

“Well, what is it? Spit it out.”

Kate didn’t know how to articulate the different feelings that had run through her today as she saw herself through the eyes of the Raleighs’ guests. Finally she said simply, “They said my dress was cotton.”

Nonny laughed merrily. “I’m sure they noticed every detail of how you looked in it, too. I think your frocks are enchanting, but if you want to play their game and wear their clothes, what’s stopping you?”

Kate plucked at her skirt with both hands. “Oh, Nonny. Didn’t you see how I looked in the dresses Harriet picked out for me?”

“Oh, pooh. Harriet couldn’t dress a turtle. I’ll help you, if you like. We’ll get you a wardrobe that will have those peahens positively green.” She leaned back in her chair and gave Kate a critical glance. “An updated hairstyle, some new gowns, a bit of instruction on the silly etiquette they set so much store by in these circles. In a week you’ll be indistinguishable from the most aristocratic Nob Hill belle. That is, if you’re sure that’s what you want.”

The words from the solarium danced in Kate’s head.
True gentlemen don’t marry the unsuitable mothers of their by-blows.
If it took some learning and a new look to show the Nob Hill world that she was not unsuitable and that Caroline was most certainly not a by-blow, then that was what she would do.

She set her face and gave a determined nod. “Yes,
Nonny. If you would be so kind as to help me. That is
exactly
what I want.”

The following week was a flurry of activity. Nonny accompanied her to the seamstress, the shoemaker, the glove maker, the jeweler, the milliner. They practiced dining with the confusing array of dishes and silverware currently in fashion. They even spent a merry afternoon with Nonny teaching Kate to dance, an activity she’d never tried in Vermillion.

“You’ll be the belle of the ball, Kate,” Nonny assured her.

And Kate had laughed and shaken her head, but secretly she’d hoped that Nonny’s words were true, because all the activity and new discoveries of the week could not cover up the fact that Sean was once again spending his evenings out at the gaming halls. She hadn’t seen him for the past four nights.

When she’d go to his room in the morning, hoping for some explanation of his renewed distance, he’d apologize and flatter her with one of his charming sallies, then say that he had to hurry or he’d be late to work.

Often the statement was coupled with a sarcastic comment such as, “I wouldn’t want to arrive tardy. Today might be the day that someone remembers I work there and gives me something to do.”

Kate knew he was unhappy at Flaherty Enterprises. Occasionally she thought of discussing the matter with Patrick Flaherty. But she found Sean’s father as difficult to approach as evidently Sean himself did. And when she asked Nonny about it, the wise old woman
said, “It’s a battle Sean has to learn to fight himself, child. If you or anyone else tries to do it for him, it will never work.”

So she’d kept silent and tried to concentrate on the new image Nonny was helping her achieve. Saturday night the entire family had been invited to a dance at the Wellingtons’. After her experience at the afternoon tea, Kate had been reluctant to accept the invitation, but as the week progressed, she began to feel more and more confident.

It was possible, she finally let herself believe, that she
could
prove to be the belle of the ball, just as Nonny had described. That would show them, she thought with a smug little smile. By Saturday she was not only ready, she was actually looking forward to the moment when Sean would enter the Wellington ball with his “unsuitable” wife on his arm.

“H
e knew we were due at the Wellingtons’ at eight o’clock,” Patrick said, looking at his pocket watch for the fourth time. “We’ll just have to go on without him.”

“Don’t be silly,” Harriet said. “Kate can’t go into the ball unescorted.”

“You and I will be escorting her. That’s more than enough escort for any girl.”

Harriet looked over at Kate and shook her head. “For a
girl
yes, but not for a
wife.
A wife goes to a dance with her husband. Any other arrangement implies some sort of scandal.”

They’d been sitting in the front parlor for the better part of an hour waiting for Sean to arrive so that they could leave for the dance. Kate’s face was white and unhappy.

“I just won’t go,” she said in a low voice. “You two please go on without me.”

“Nonsense,” Patrick barked. “You’ve got your fine new dress they worked so hard to get ready, and
Mother’s been fussing over your hair all afternoon. Why, she’d have a fit if we didn’t take you.”

“I was hoping she’d be going along,” Kate said wistfully.

“Mother never goes to these things anymore,” Patrick said. “Privilege of age, she calls it. Can’t say as I blame her.”

“Nonny’s never been exactly social,” Harriet observed with a little sniff.

“Well, I’d be happy to stay right here with her. And you’ll be dreadfully late if you wait any longer. Please don’t worry about me.”

Harriet stood up. “She’s right, Patrick. We have to go. When Sean gets back, he and Kate can come along later.”

“What if he doesn’t get back? I’m not leaving her here, Harriet.”

Kate had the impression that most of the time Patrick found it easier to avoid confrontations with his wife. Generally she was the one who directed how things would operate around the house. But the few times he did take a stand, it seemed that Harriet was quick to give in. “Oh, all right,” she said. “But it will look quite strange.”

Strange was the last thing Kate had wanted to look, but she didn’t want to start an argument over whether or not she would attend. And, besides, Patrick was right. Nonny had put in a lot of time getting her ready for the event. She knew that she looked good, and that was a help. She would just go, endure the whispers of speculation behind her back as to where her husband was, and try to get through the evening without tears.

It proved to be much easier than she had anticipated. Harriet’s opinion that a wife had to be paired with a husband did not seem to be shared by many in attendance. Most of the people she met did not even inquire about Sean’s whereabouts. Some of the young men who were presented to her flirted outrageously, as though the fact that she had a husband was not particularly relevant. After the initial butterflies upon entry, Kate relaxed and found that she was actually beginning to enjoy herself.

Penelope came over to her side instantly, exclaiming on her new dress and hairstyle. She introduced Kate to a circle of young ladies much like Penelope herself—pretty, friendly, and much more accepting of Kate than their condescending mothers.

By ten o’clock when the waiters passed among the guests with tall glasses of champagne, Kate had almost forgotten the hurt over her husband’s absence.

The Wellingtons had been the first Nob Hill home to have a formal ballroom. It had a recessed alcove for the small orchestra that was playing the newest waltzes for the elaborately dressed guests.

Sean leaned against the wall to one side of the string ensemble in the alcove shadows. He’d arrived several moments before, but when he’d spotted Kate across the room whirling around in the arms of Harold Wellington, he’d ducked into the hidden refuge. She was so graceful and beautiful that it took his breath away. Of course, she was
always
beautiful, but tonight there was a special radiance about her. Her hair was different and her gown, but it was more than that. She
looked self-confident and blooming. There was something in the look that reminded him of the Kate he had first met, before she’d been weighed down with the cares of motherhood, a weight that
he
had been responsible for putting on those slender shoulders.

It twisted a worm of jealousy inside him to see Harold’s hand so firm and possessive against the back of her waist. They were dancing, of course. It was nothing untoward. But the worm twisted nonetheless. He pushed away from the wall and strode across the room. The waltz was just ending, and before another could be struck up, he quickened his pace to reach her side.

Harold saw him first. “Flaherty! So you decided to put in an appearance after all.”

Kate turned in surprise. She didn’t speak, but her look of reproach said enough.

“How are you, Harold?” Sean asked, his eyes on Kate.

Harold’s smile faded at Sean’s sober expression. Harold took Kate’s hand, which he was still holding from the dance, and handed it to Sean. “I guess I’ll have to return her to you. You were wise to come back and stake your claim, my friend. If I were you, I’d not leave a discovery like your beautiful bride unattended.”

Sean took her hand and drew it through the crook of his arm, forcing Kate to move next to him. “She’s not unattended,” he said stiffly.

“Not anymore, it appears,” Harold said lightly. “Well, then. I’ll leave you newlyweds alone. Thank you for the dance, Kate.” He spun around and walked
away, leaving Kate and Sean standing in the middle of the dance floor as the orchestra began another waltz.

“Are you tired?” Sean asked. “Or would you like to dance?”

Kate shrugged. For the past several days she’d pictured just this moment, when Sean would proudly take her in his arms in front of all his fine friends. But now it didn’t seem to matter anymore. She’d already made her entrance, seen the admiring glances of the men and the reluctant approval of the women. She’d faced it alone. She hadn’t needed Sean.

He took her silence as affirmative and swept her into his arms to the lilting rhythm of the music. “You’re the most beautiful woman here tonight,” he told her.

“Thank you.” The compliment did nothing to soften her hurt. “I’m also the only married woman to arrive without her husband, if your mother’s to be believed.”

Sean sighed. “I was afraid she’d give you a hard time about it. I tried to send word to the house, but you’d already left.”

Kate remained silent. She was becoming immune to his excuses.

“I’m sure Charlie caught it from his family, too. That’s what kept me. I was trying to get him sober enough to be presentable.” He nodded across the room to where Charles Raleigh had joined Penelope. Even from this distance Kate could see that the handsome young man looked unsteady and red eyed.

“Oh.” Now this was an excuse with a bit more meat to it, as her mother would have said. But should she
forgive him for choosing the needs of his friend over his wife?

“Aw, Katie, don’t put that stern face with me. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to walk in with you and watch every other man’s face in the room turn green with envy. You
are
the prettiest, you know. I wasn’t just saying that.”

In spite of herself, Kate felt her coldness begin to thaw as his voice took on the low, cajoling tone. Without smiling but with a touch of humor, she asked, “Does that mean you’ve looked at all the others?”

He gave a relieved grin. “Only briefly. A couple of seconds each, just enough to establish that I’m the luckiest man here.”

Finally she smiled, but a little sadly. “I was looking forward to coming with you. This is my first dance. I even practiced with Nonny this week.”

“Practiced dancing?”

She nodded.

Sean laughed and gave her an extra whirl and dip in time to the music. Kate followed his- movements perfectly. “Sweetheart, you absolutely float. You’re a natural dancer.”

“I just wanted everything to be perfect.”

Sean frowned and pulled her closer to him. “It will be, starting now. I’m not going to leave your side the rest of the evening. The rest of the
night,”
he added more softly with a suggestive note to his voice.

“That would be nice,” she said, beginning to melt in earnest as the music swelled to a crescendo close. The dance ended and there was a smattering of applause.
Sean’s arms were still around Kate as they stood staring into each other’s eyes.

“Where in the world have you been, Sean?” Harriet’s voice broke into their reverie.

Sean dropped his hold on Kate, and they moved apart. “Good evening, Mother,” he said with a tinge of exasperation. “I’m sorry I was late. I was unavoidably detained.”

Harriet, as usual, didn’t seem interested in dwelling on her son’s transgressions. “Well, never mind. I’ve been waiting to introduce you to the Russian ambassador. He’s here with the Canfields tonight. And, Sean.he’s a duke. Or a count or something.” Her voice rose with excitement.

“I suppose Father has already taken care of grilling him over the shipping rights,” Sean said. “Which leaves nothing for me to do other than shake the man’s hand and offer to fetch him another drink.”

“Don’t be silly, Sean. How often do you get the chance to meet a real live duke? It’s such a coup for the Wellingtons to have him here. Come on before he decides to move on to another party.”

Sean gave Kate a wry smile, then offered her his arm. “Shall we go meet a real, live duke, sweetheart?”

Harriet looked at her daughter-in-law with surprise, as if she had forgotten about her presence. “I suppose Kate can come, too,” she said. “But we should hurry.”

The ambassador-count had not spoken a word of English, so after a round of polite nods from all sides, Kate and Sean had drifted off to join some of Sean’s
younger friends. They were a lively group and seemed to accept Kate without reservation. In fact, the young men at times appeared to be vying for her attention, a detail that was not lost on Sean. He stayed close by her, as he had promised.

For the first time since her arrival in San Francisco, Kate felt as if she might, after all, be able to adapt to this new life. Except for the fact that a few were drinking more than she thought acceptable, she felt comfortable with Sean’s friends. She may not have grown up in a mansion and taken a tour of Europe at age twenty-one, but she was the one Sean had chosen for his wife. And that gave her a layer of self-confidence that allowed her to relax and be herself.

“I’m so glad you’ve come to live here, Kate,” Penny whispered as midnight approached and some of the older members of the crowd began to leave. “We’ll be fast friends, I know. It’s nice to talk to someone who can think about something other than mansion building and husband hunting.”

“The girls I’ve met have been very nice,” Kate protested, even though she was pleased at Penny’s declaration.

Penny waved her hand. “Nice enough. But some of them have bubbles for brains. I’m happy to see Sean was smart enough to pick someone with beauty and a sensible head on her shoulders, as well.”

Sean overheard the last part of their conversation and stepped between them. “I finally did something right, didn’t I, Penny? Now we need to get your brother to follow my example.”

“I wish you would,” Penny said more seriously.
“He’s had too much to drink again, Sean. And if I couldn’t see that you’re using control tonight, I might put part of the blame on you.”

Sean held up his hands. “Oh no, you don’t. I’ve plenty of sins of my own to take the blame for. I’m not about to start taking it for Charlie’s behavior.”

Penny sighed. “I guess you’re right. Still, the two of you are trouble when you get together.”

Sean looked at Kate. “Well, Charlie’s going to have to begin working out his own problems, because I intend to be spending a lot more time at home.” His voice lightened. “I’ve a wife and daughter now, Penny, in case you haven’t heard.”

Penny laughed and went up on tiptoe to give him a light kiss on the cheek. “I know—a beautiful wife and daughter. And I hope that means you’re going to start acting like a good husband and father.”

Sean put his arm around Kate. “That’s my plan.”

Penny gave a satisfied nod. “I should go say goodnight to my parents. Don’t you two leave. Harold says that once all the old people have left, we’re going to have a light supper.”

Kate gave an inward groan. They’d already had an elaborate feast earlier in the evening and the rich food had been sitting heavily in her stomach as Sean whirled her around the floor. But he appeared eager to stay longer, enjoying the company of his friends.

“Perhaps we could get a bit of air out on the terrace first?” she asked him in a low voice.

Before he could answer, his mother called to him from halfway across the room. “Sean, your father wants you to say goodbye to the ambassador.”
Sean looked uncertain. “Do you want to come with me or should I join you on the terrace m a couple of minutes?”

Kate looked longingly at the louvered doors that were now open to let cool air into the room of overheated dancers. “I’ll wait for you out there,” she said.

He nodded. “I won’t be long.”

She made her way through the crowd and out the nearest door to the stone terrace that ran the length of the Wellington mansion. It was empty except for one couple at the opposite end. They were locked in each other’s arms. Kate smiled at the romantic sight. Perhaps Sean would kiss her when he came out.

But it wasn’t Sean who appeared in the double doors. It was his friend, Charles Raleigh. She had met him briefly in Vermillion when he and Sean had been prospecting together. He had given up and gone back to San Francisco before she could really get to know him, and this evening they’d had little chance for conversation, though she’d seen his eyes on her more than once.

“It’s the fair Kate,” he said with a smile that made his teeth flash m the moonlight.

“Hello, Charles,” she answered, feeling unaccountably nervous remembering Penny’s words about her brother. Kate wasn’t used to dealing with inebriated people. “I’m waiting for Sean.”

Charles sauntered over to where she was leaning against the stone balustrade. “Waiting for Sean You waited for months and months, didn’t you, poor lass? Ah, fair Kate, you deserved better than that.”