Groom Wanted (13 page)

She quickly finished taking care of the milk, set the table and helped her mother finish dicing the ham and onions. Thankfully this time they wouldn’t be adding any bacon or eggs to the pyttipanna or it would take them even longer to finish. Leah could hardly stand it now. She couldn’t wait to head into town.

“Those babies are so cute,” Abby said, bursting through the kitchen door. She flopped down into one of the chairs with her legs sprawled in front of her and her arms draped at her sides. “I can’t wait until I become a mother.”

Leah couldn’t picture her baby sister a mother, although Abby was growing up fast and becoming a beautiful, outgoing woman. When had that happened?

“That’s the last of the chopping.” Mother stood. “Shall we put this up and get ready to head into town?”

“Yes.” Leah jumped up and loaded her arms with bowls of chopped food. “Abbs, would you go down to the barn and see if Jake is still there? If he is, would you ask him to get the phaeton that seats four people ready, not the buckboard one?”

“Sure.” Abby breezed out the door as fast as she’d breezed in.

That night, after a long day of shopping, Leah wrote about the events of the day in her Mr. Darcy diary. She read the new letters she’d received in response to her post. Not one of them intrigued her like Mr. Barrington’s had. She slid them in the drawer and readied herself for bed, praying the nightmares wouldn’t come. She needed sleep. Tomorrow would be another long day of preparations to meet Mr. Barrington.

Chapter Eleven

T
he day before had gone by in a blur of activities, including attending church. Today Mr. Barrington would arrive.

Leah studied her reflection in the mirror.

“You look beautiful, Leah.” Mother stepped up behind her.

Leah glanced in the looking glass at her mother’s reflection. “Thank you, Mother. And thank you for helping me finish this gown. It’s beautiful.” Leah turned her attention to the soft-pink satin gown.

The gathered, short sleeves and swooped neckline made her cameo necklace stand out against her sleek neck. She and mother had made a sash that hung below her waist and swept around to form a bustle in the back with a row of pink roses holding it together on the sides. Underneath the sash in front were layers and layers of delicate white ruffled lace that ended about a foot from the bottom hem of the dress. Directly underneath the lacy ruffles they’d sewn a four-inch-wide piece of pink lace all the way around the dress and bustle, leaving the last foot of the gown to match the top. Long, white gloves finished the ensemble.

Earlier, Mother had helped her sweep her hair back, leaving Leah’s long curls flowing down in the back. She had even woven beaded ribbons through her blond tresses.

“I haven’t lost my touch,” Mother whispered.

“What do you mean?” Leah peeled her eyes off of her reflection and onto her mother’s.

“Back in New York, we used to dress like this all the time. There was always a grand ball somewhere. Or someone was hosting a party. You remember going to them, don’t you?”

“Yes.” She turned to face her mother. “Do you ever miss it? I mean New York and the balls?”

“Sometimes yes. Most times no.”

“What do you miss about it?”

“I miss being able to wear beautiful dresses once in a while. Not the corsets, though.” They laughed. “I especially miss feeling feminine and pretty.”

“But you are pretty, Mother.”

“That’s what Charles, I mean, Mr. Barker, says.” At the mention of his name, especially his first name, Leah stiffened. “If he and I do marry, I’ll be able to wear more gowns again. You know how elite his establishment is. Almost everyone who goes there dresses up,” Mother continued, oblivious to Leah’s discomfort. She was trying to be happy for her mother, she really was, but she couldn’t help but wonder if anyone even cared about her father anymore except for her.

“Well, enough of that. You need to go or you’ll be late meeting...” She paused. “What was his name again?”

“Fitzwilliam. Mr. Fitzwilliam Barrington.”

“Oh, that’s right. Well, run along now. I’ll be praying for you.”

“I’ll need it. My insides are shaking so badly. I just hope I don’t faint.”

“You won’t. Just remember to breathe.”

“Who can breathe with one of these things on?” Leah squirmed in the uncomfortable corset that Rainee had loaned her, saying she didn’t care if she ever got it back. She’d only worn the thing two or three times before. No wonder Rainee refused to wear them. Corsets really were the most uncomfortable contraptions ever made.

Mother walked her downstairs and out the door. Standing on the porch, she pulled Leah into a hug and then let her go with a smile and an unshed tear.

With the grace of a lady, Leah stepped down the porch stairs. At the grass, she turned and waved at her mother, then she raised the pink parasol that matched her dress and glided toward the barn, feeling prettier than she’d ever felt before.

Her heart skipped when her eyes landed on Jake, standing near the phaeton with the fringed parasol top, dressed in the same suit he had worn to Phoebe’s wedding and looking every bit as handsome as he had that evening.

She strolled over to him, and he removed his black cowboy hat, pressed it over his midsection and, with a slight bow, he made a sweeping gesture toward the carriage. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.”

She laughed at his antics, then cocked her head and eyed him. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m your driver.”

“My driver?”

“Yep. You don’t think your brothers were going to let you meet this man without a chaperone, do you?”

“Well, no. We discussed it the other day, so I knew that someone was going with me. I just didn’t know who. I figured it would be one of them.”

“Well, Michael asked if I would take you. I told him I’d be happy to.”

Truth be known, she was happy he was taking her, too.

“By the way. You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” The compliment meant a lot coming from him.

“Shall we?” He stood at the backseat of the carriage and offered her his hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Can’t have you sitting up front with the chauffeur, now can we?”

“You’re not my chauffeur, Jake. You’re my friend.” She snapped her parasol shut, brushed past him, stopped at the front seat and perched her gloved hand toward him. “Now, I’ll take that offered hand up if you don’t mind, kind sir.”

His smile of approval caused her heart to flip.

He reached for her gloved hand and steadied her as she rested her foot on the step and climbed aboard. She gathered her skirt inside and placed her parasol next to her.

Jake ran around and climbed in on the other side.

Although she knew it wasn’t proper for her to be seated next to him like this, she didn’t care. She was proud to be sitting next to him instead of in the back like some spoiled rich girl, treating her friend like a hired servant. As for what the townspeople would think when they saw them riding into town together like this, well, she didn’t care about that, either. Nor did she have to worry about it. After all, she was going to pick up her future husband, so that should keep the tongues from wagging about her and Jake.

* * *

Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to let Leah sit next to him on the way to town. All the way there, Jake struggled with her intoxicating scent of roses and soap. Not only that, Leah looked even more beautiful than she normally did. However, seeing her dressed like that reminded him once again of how different their lifestyles were and how it was a good thing she had turned down his proposal. The two of them marrying would be like mixing fire and water.

Leah squirmed in the seat for what seemed like the millionth time.

“Pretty nervous, huh?”

She nodded and sighed.

“Try not to get too worked up. You’ll make yourself sick.”

“I know.”

The train depot came into sight at the edge of town.

“Jake, could you stop here a moment?”

“Sure. Whoa.” He halted the perfectly matched black and white spotted horses. Lines firmly in hand, he gave her his undivided attention. “What’s wrong?”

“I wondered if—” her eyelids lowered, then rose back to look at him “—I wondered if you would pray with me now.”

She looked so hopeful there was no way he could refuse her. “Sure.” He reached for her hand. They bowed their heads, and when he finished praying, he realized his prayer hadn’t only been for her benefit but for his, too. He knew this was going to be hard, but he hadn’t realized just how hard until that moment. If Leah and this Barrington fellow got along or, worse, fell in love, then he would lose the best friend he ever had. Pain clawed at his heart. If only she would have said yes to him before. But knowing it was a good thing she had turned down his proposal and living with that decision were two very different battles.

“Thank you.” Leah’s voice was soft.

Jake nodded, clicked the lines and headed into town. In the distance, the train wheels clacked against the iron track. Within minutes it would be here. Now it was his turn to be nervous. But, for Leah’s sake, he wouldn’t let it show. He needed to not only be strong for her, but also for himself. His sanity depended on it.

At the front of the depot, Jake helped Leah down. Their boots tapped side by side against the wooden planks as they walked down the plank board platform to meet the train.

The train whistle pierced the air. Smoke billowed from the black stack, and the clanging of the wheels grew louder as it neared.

Leah’s hand touched on his arm. A range of emotions battered across her face.

“Relax. Everything will be okay. You’ll see.” Brave words coming from a man who was as nervous as she was.

They turned their focus to the passengers now disembarking. The conductor helped a lady wearing a green dress every bit as fancy as Leah’s from the train. Behind her was a man in a tail suit, holding a cane in one hand and gloves in another and wearing a top hat. A proud peacock showing off his feathers came to mind.

That dandy had to be Mr. Barrington and the lady with him, his sister.

The man stepped beside the woman, stopped and looked around.

Jake decided to take matters into his own hands. “Wait here,” he said to Leah.

She nodded.

Jake strode over to the couple. “Excuse me. Are you Mr. Barrington?”

The man turned dark, condescending eyes and surveyed Jake with disdain.

Jake pressed his shoulders back. No man, rich or otherwise, would make him feel bad about himself. He’d suffered that sting enough to last a lifetime. “I asked if you...”

“Yes. I heard you. And yes, I am Mr. Barrington. Who might you be?”

“Jake Lure.” Jake offered the man his hand.

All the fellow did was glance at it as if it were poison.

Jake let his hand fall to his side. What he really wanted to do with it was rearrange the haughty man’s face.

“Jake.” Leah’s confused voice sounded from beside him.

He glanced down at her, then shifted his attention to the Barrington fellow. “Leah, this
gentleman
is Mr. Barrington.” Gentleman. Ha.

Barrington’s face brightened. “Ah. Capital. I see you’ve received my post.”

Capital? What was that supposed to mean?

The rascal removed his hat and bowed. Then he fastened his hand onto Leah’s fingers, raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. When he straightened, his eyes raked up and down Leah’s body approvingly.

Jake’s fists clenched at the audacity of this man. To avoid embarrassing Leah, he restrained himself from ramming his fist in the man’s eyes for disrespecting her like that.

“You are every bit as lovely as I had imagined. Quite striking, actually. It is a real pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Bowen. I am sure we will get along quite famously.”

A smooth talker this one was. Jake was determined to keep his eye on this fellow who portrayed himself to be a gentleman but was nothing more than a shed snakeskin.

* * *

Heat rose into Leah’s cheeks at Mr. Barrington’s compliment. Judging from the admiration on his face, his study of her must have met with his approval. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Mr. Barrington.” Leah gave him a small curtsy and a smile, relieved that she remembered the social graces from her childhood.

He returned her smile. His teeth, although white, were slightly crooked. His brown eyes, hair and long sideburns reminded her of the chocolate squares she indulged in every now and again.

“Miss Bowen, may I present my sister, Miss Elizabeth Barrington?”

The woman, who looked identical to her brother, curtsied, and so did Leah. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Barrington.”

“Please, call me Elizabeth. May I call you Leah?”

“Yes. Yes, you may.” The woman’s silk, royal-blue bustle gown must have cost a small fortune. As had her matching parasol, reticule, ribbon sash hat and matching slippers.

Those slippers won’t last long out here
.

“May I call you Leah, as well? I know it is highly improper unless we are courting, but I feel it is just a matter of time before we shall be.” Mr. Barrington smiled.

“Of course. Leah’s fine.”

“Capital. And you may call me Fitzwilliam.”

“Thank you, Fitzwilliam.” Leah loved listening to his British accent. The man was extremely handsome. And tall, too. Not as tall as Jake, but taller than she at least. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve made arrangements at Mr. Barker’s hotel. It is the finest hotel in town.” Leah had done that the day she, Mother and Abby had gone to town to get the material for the dress she was now wearing.

“That was most considerate of you, Miss Bowen. I mean, Leah.” He hooked her arm through his.

Leah looked at their linked arms, then over at Jake.

Jake shrugged.

“You, sir. Get our bags.” Mr. Barrington’s tone boasted with authority aimed at Jake.

Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened. “You mean Jake?” Leah asked.

“Jake? You address your servant by his first name?”

“Servant? Jake is not my servant.” Annoyance rolled inside her at that, but she would not let her face show it— She’d let her voice instead. “Jake—” she emphasized his name “—is my friend. A very dear, very close, very special friend.” She smiled at Jake.

“I see.” Mr. Barrington’s eyes narrowed at Jake, and he looked like he’d just tasted sour milk.

“Brother, I’m sure Mr. Lure or Leah might know someone we may hire to take our belongings to the hotel.” Elizabeth smiled at Leah and Jake with a hint of an apologetic smile if Leah wasn’t mistaken. Elizabeth’s eyes lingered on Jake rather than on Leah, a fact that Leah did not miss. She found her own gaze going to him and sticking, too.

“No need, Miss Barrington. I’ll see to them,” Jake said, swinging a large bag to his hip.

“Jake, you don’t need to do that.” Leah slipped her arm out of Mr. Barrington’s and stepped beside Jake. “I’ll see if Mr. Barker will send someone over to get them.”

“I don’t mind.” He shrugged.

“
You
may not, but
I
do.” She sent him a look to let him know she really didn’t want him carrying them.

He stared at her for a moment, then set the bag down. Leah sent him a smile, letting him know how relieved she was he’d followed her silent request.

Another nod from Jake. She turned toward Fitzwilliam. “If you’re ready, we can take you to the hotel now. If you haven’t eaten, we can eat lunch there.” Leah’s attention slid to Elizabeth. “You must be exhausted from your long journey.”

“I am.”

“If you’d like, you can have a hot bath and rest awhile.”