Tangled Betrayals (14 page)

Chapter T
hirty

Baltimore 

James had been
kept busy between horse auctions, meeting with other horse breeders and trying to spend time with Susannah and Andrew.

He
was surprised when Susannah announced she was expecting another child. He knew both sets of parents would be thrilled to have another grandchild on the way. However, Andrew would not quite be one when the new baby arrives. They’ll certainly have their hands full.

But the best surprise had been when Thomas and Anna announced they w
ould be having a child a month after them. Anna had peppered Susannah with all kinds of questions about child birth but Thomas had said nothing regarding that subject. James knew Thomas thought he already knew what to expect after watching him go through the birth of Andrew.

James chuckled to himself
thinking Thomas had no idea what feelings he would be going through once Anna started her labor. He knew he was going to enjoy being the one doing the teasing this time around, yes indeed!!  

For the next
few months everything seemed perfect for the families of James and Thomas, even though they had heard nothing about Mary.

Chapter
Thirty-One

America—Mary’s Arrival

Spring
1832 Baltimore

Mary took
a long, deep breath as she stepped on the land called America. It had taken her a little less than two years to save her fare. She’d managed to pay her passage and with Minnie’s help, have enough left for a down payment towards a dress shop, at least she hoped so.

Minnie had told her
repeatedly how happy she’d be if Mary would accept her off of giving her money. Mary loved Minnie as deeply as she’d loved her own mother and was grateful for her generosity, although it was made clear this money would be just a loan. For Mary, the hardest part of leaving England was the knowledge she’d never see Minnie again. They both cried when they said their last goodbye, and Mary continued to cry the first few days at sea.

Once she left England,
her father would no longer be a part of her life and Mary was relieved. She didn’t care if he lived or died after his evil treachery. Although, she was sad to think her mother was buried in England and she would be buried in her new country, America. But deep down, Mary knew she’d see her mother again, in the after-life, at least she hoped so.

After much thought
during her voyage, Mary decided she’d make her way to the city of Washington. It would be there, she hoped, to open her dress shop, once she found a suitable place and received a note from the bank to get her started.

S
he felt certain she wouldn’t run into the Parkers or the Balls, at least she hoped not. She knew she wasn’t ready to see Thomas, and she certainly didn’t wish to run into James or his family, ever again.

Mary wondered if James and his wife had
more than one child. Gosh, Mary thought, Thomas and Anna might even have a child of their own. She would then be an Aunt! All of a sudden, Mary felt better. She realized she’d love to have a niece or nephew to spoil. Someone to treasure and be able to leave any wealth she might accumulate, after she repays Minnie.

S
he smiled thinking she wouldn’t have much to leave any heirs, but maybe enough to help them get a start in life and make things a little easier for them as Minnie had done for her.

*****

Six months had passed since Mary arrived in Washington and she couldn’t believe how much she’d accomplished. She’d quickly found a reasonable place to rent that offered living quarters above the shop. The arrangement was almost identical to the layout Minnie had in London. The shop was located on a side street close to the better shops in Washington. It was the perfect location.

Mary knew sh
e could price her dresses lower than the elite shops, yet, offer the same or better quality of gowns and still make a nice profit. Once she got some customers into her shop, she was hoping to have many referrals. She planned to open in the next couple of months. She needed to hire a seamstress to help make the dresses and gowns she needed to start with.

She
was able to get a small loan from the bank on the opposite corner where her shop was located. The banker had promised he’d have his wife be one of her first customers. If she liked her store, he was sure she’d give Mary a high recommendation.

A few days after Mary hired Bitty Mayfield
, a woman in her twenties raising two small children alone, they were interrupted in their sewing by a pounding on the shop door. Mary looked out to see a well-rounded woman who appeared to be a servant. Her gray hair was in a bun with a white cap adorning her head. She thought she might be about fifty and wondered why she came to her door when the sign stated clearly the shop wasn’t to be open for a few weeks.

Mary slowly peaked
outside. “Hello, may I help you?”

“
Pardon my intrusion, my name is Agnes. My mistress, Mrs. Nettie Powell, noticed Hope’s Dress shop was to open in a few weeks and she has sent me with a request. Would you be willing to pay her a visit? She has a plantation just outside of Washington. She’s confined to a chair and it’s difficult for her to get around, whenever you find time to break free from your work would be fine.”

Mary was startled
by such a request. She wasn’t sure how she should respond. It seemed more like a command than a request, she thought. If she said she’d make this special visit, how much time would that cost her when she desperately needed to be working on dresses for sale and display for her opening. However, if she refused, she could lose not only a potential customer, but also a referral.

“
My name is Mary Ball, I’m the owner. I’m afraid we aren’t quite ready to open. I’d be willing to see Mrs. Powell if she could wait for three to four weeks. My assistant and I need time to have our dresses and gowns finished. Would she mind?” Mary asked, but already had her answer when saw the frown on Agnes and could tell she was perturbed.

“Well, she won’t be happy about it, but I
’ll explain your situation the best I can. She can be rather grumpy about things. She has an abundant amount of money and enough power to intimidate most folks around here. But, trust me, she’s a good person. If she wasn’t, I wouldn’t be working for her. Could I check back with you in about three weeks to set a time for your visit?”

Mary took her time to ponder that last request. She
knew she was being pushed into a visit to see Nettie Powell and she didn’t like it. Yet, she couldn’t afford to upset someone of Mrs. Powell’s standing.

“That would be fine
. We can choose a date then, I’m sorry I’m too busy at the moment to see her.”

“I understand, believe me. I
’ll make sure Mrs. Powell understands, too. Thank you for your time. If the quality of the clothes you make is anything like what you’re wearing, I think things will work out well for you.”

“
Why, thank you. Goodbye, Agnes.” Mary said. She thought over that last comment. She was wearing a simple mint green dress she had made for her trip over. Yet, she’d added a few extra touches like the lace trim on the sleeves and neckline, and the pockets she placed on the skirt.

Thinking over what had transpired, Mary realized
Mrs. Powell couldn’t be any worse than some of the women she encountered at Miss Minnie’s. She thought it odd the servant seemed quite attached to her employer. But, from her short stay in the colonies so far, she found Americans had their own ideas of how to treat their staff.

Chapter T
hirty-Two

Nettie Powell

Mary
soon learned how fortunate she was when she hired her assistant, Bitty Mayfield, when she turned out to be an excellent seamstress and a pleasant woman. Bitty was raising two young children alone while her husband was spending time in prison, charged with stealing. Bitty was on the plump side with mousy brown hair and a round face that held hazel eyes. She kept her hair pulled back in a long braid that hung down to her waist.

Mary
liked the fact Bitty listened closely to instructions and did exactly as told. But when Mary told Bitty she was going to pay a visit to Mrs. Nettie Powell, Mary saw her look of concern.

“Mary,
Mrs. Powell is a woman few people like. I’ve always heard she was a nasty old woman who’d been that way since the death of her husband. Yet, she does wield a lot of power in Washington, plainly due to her wealth. She’s been crippled for many years.”

“What happened to her?” Mary asked.

“Don’t know. Never did hear the story of how it happened. It was some kind of accident shortly after her husband died at sea.”

Mary nodded. She needed to have this consultation
, especially now, after hearing how influential she was in the community.

T
hen, the day arrived when Agnes returned. “Hello, Agnes. I can’t believe three weeks have passed already!” Mary said, as she noticed Agnes was looking around at the numerous dresses hanging on the racks. Mary and Bitty had completed two ball gowns, six everyday dresses, two riding outfits, and a wedding gown.

“
My, you’ve been busy! What lovely work. Mrs. Powell is anxious to meet you. She was hoping you might be free tomorrow, being Sunday and all, and said noon would be fine for her. She thought you might like to stay for lunch.”

Mary smiled and bit her lip
as she carefully answered. “Noon would be fine.”

“
Great! I’ve drawn you a map. You’ll find the plantation when you turn down the first lane you come to, once you leave Washington. It’s the main road towards Baltimore. There’s a marker that says Powell Plantation and you’ll see a long line of oak trees on each side of the lane. You can’t miss it.

You
’ll come to a lovely stone cottage as you enter, from there you can see her plantation home on the hill. In fact, you’ll see the plantation house from quite a distance before you spot the lane where you turn onto her property.”

“
It sounds lovely. Thank you for the directions. I’ll try to arrive at noon sharp.”

“See you then.”

Mary watched as Agnes got into the carriage and noticed it was being driven by a young man. Mary wondered if he, too, worked for Mrs. Nettie Powell.

*****

Mary took
great care in what she wore to see Mrs. Powell. She chose a blue skirt that was fitted at the waist and flared out at the bottom. She wore a white blouse with pearl buttons and a jacket that matched her skirt that came just to her waist.

She
also wore a pair of black boots, since she would be taking a rented buggy from the livery stable. She wanted to be prepared for anything she might encounter along the way. She wore a simple white bonnet to protect her face from the sun. Mary was thankful Bitty had taken the time to show her how to drive a buggy the last couple of days. She found she was enjoying this outing alone very much, especially once she learned how to handle the horses.

As Mary
turned to go down the tree-lined lane to the plantation, she was shocked at the sight of Mrs. Powell’s home. The cottage Agnes described was not a small cottage, but a large lovely stone home that was larger than any of the cottages Mary had seen in England. It had lovely flowers blooming out front and a hitching post close to the walk going to the door. There was laundry hanging on the line to the side of the home that included some clothes for a young boy and girl. Mary smiled. How nice it must be to live in such a lovely home.

Mary
struggled with the fact she’d never have a husband or children. She realized she was just feeling sorry for herself and quickly turned her thoughts to the business at hand. She knew she must save those moments of self pity for night, when she was in bed alone and could cry herself to sleep.

She
thought the plantation house was beautiful. There was a second story with verandas on the front and back of the home. The house stood three stories tall with a widow’s walk on top, which seemed odd to Mary, since there was no ocean in sight. The verandas made her think about the home James had once described. They had to be similar, she thought sadly.

The barns and other buildings
on the property were immaculate. She couldn’t help but wonder what she’d gotten herself into as she went up the steps to the largest home she’d ever seen and found Agnes waiting to greet her.

Mary felt
out of place. She’d never been inside a home that held so much elegance. Looking back, she realized she’d never minded waiting on the ladies who came to Miss Minnie’s shop, for she felt at ease being surrounded by the dresses she’d help make. She knew she was capable of making any alterations needed or to choose the correct color or style to please Minnie’s customers.

But now,
she was out of her element. She had no business entering a home that was far above her station in society. Yet, she was excited to see this home of grandeur. This was her first time to see how the wealthy lived so she decided she’d make the most out of this opportunity. 

“Good Afternoon, Miss Ball. Mrs. Powell
is pleased you’re able to attend her needs this day. She’s waiting for you in the library. Please follow me.”

As
Mary entered the foyer, she knew her eyes were wide with wonder as she studied the lovely art that decorated the walls. One particular picture that caught her eye was that of a lovely woman seated on a chair with a dashing man standing behind her, with his hand upon her shoulder. She wondered if this was Mrs. Powell and her late husband. She knew this was larger than any painting she had ever seen. She was mesmerized by it.

Expensive vases adorned the small
mahogany tables placed along the foyer walls. Mary felt uneasy. She wondered what made her think she could please such a wealthy woman. She was now sure she’d made a mistake on accepting her invitation. Mary realized how very, very wealthy Mrs. Powell actually was.

But
Mary couldn’t help but admire this beautiful, elegant home. She wanted to see everything possible since she felt her chances of returning were slim. It was obvious this woman only shopped at the elite places of Washington. Mrs. Powell was just trying to see what Mary would be offering in her shop.

Mary was surprised at the size of the
library. The shelves were full of books stuffed from top to bottom on three of the walls. The fourth wall, which faced the front of her home, was taken up by a huge fireplace with floor to ceiling windows on each side. Mary knew that later this night she would write Minnie a long letter, giving her all the details of today’s adventure.

There were several chairs and settees in the middle of th
e room. Not far from the fireplace was a beautiful mahogany desk where Mrs. Powell was seated. Mary noted the furniture pieces were all very expensive, the likes she’d never seen before. She couldn’t begin to imagine what the rest of the home must be like.

Mrs. Powell was sitting in her chair
that had a high back which Mary thought made her look like a queen. She was wearing a lovely purple dress that appeared a little too large for her, in Mary’s opinion. A smug look was on her face. Her hair was pure white and fixed in a bun atop her head. Mary noted she held her nose in the air looking disgusted at what she saw before her.

This reaction by Mrs. Powell
unsettled her. Mary was hoping her composure remained intact and she didn’t show the displeasure she felt inside. She wasn’t happy having to deal with the high and mighty Mrs. Powell.

Mary
knew Mrs. Powell had sized her up and dismissed her as one would a gnat on a sleeve, before a word had exchanged between them. This angered her immensely and she decided she wasn’t about to put up with this arrogant woman no matter how wealthy she was.

“Well, Miss Ball, you seem a trifle young to have your own dress shop
, especially one that would hold the type of dresses I’m looking to acquire. I doubt you’re capability of being a fine seamstress at your age.

“
Why are you unattached, might I ask? And how did you manage to own a dress shop so young? I should think you’d have a husband to attend to and children in your life. Did you leave London during some scandal you placed yourself in the middle of? Maybe you were a well paid mistress and no longer needed for your services.”

Mary
couldn’t help but notice how amused widow Powell seemed with her cruel remarks regarding Mary’s respectability. Mary was not amused. In fact, that last statement was uncalled for from any decent person. Mary was furious at the gull of this woman. Who did she think she was to speak to her in such a manner?

She
replied quite coldly, “Mrs. Powell, I can see there’s no need for this conversation to continue. I’m obviously wasting my time and I certainly would be wasting yours, if I stayed any longer. I’ll see myself out.” Mary turned on her heels and headed for the door feeling quite flush and biting her lip to contain her anger.

“Please wait, Miss Ball. Please. I
’m sorry, if my sharp tongue offended you. I truly had not meant to sound so mean and uncaring.”

Mary turned
with a look to Mrs. Powell that said she didn’t believe one word she’d just spoken. Yet, it surprised Mary when she thought she may have caught a glimpse of regret on Nettie Powell’s face, but Mary found she could only glare at the arrogant woman.

“Really,
Miss Ball, I’m sorry. I have forgotten my manners, to be sure. After seeing the look on your face, I could tell I upset you. I’m used to being made light of by any and most all who come here. I never stopped to consider you might be kind of heart.

“You see,
I thought I needed to strike first. Most women who come here find a way to put me down with their carefully chosen barbs. It hadn’t occurred to me I might actually meet someone who could be nice. Surely you’ll give an old lady a second chance?

“
Most people are afraid of me. They fear my power and my money. Yet, I noticed you show no fear. Are you always so strong and brave? You appear to be a person who doesn’t care that I have the means to make life difficult for you. Most folks think I’d do something nasty to them if they didn’t cow down to my demands. So, they seldom go against my wishes. But you, you don’t seem to care, one way or another.”

Mary took a deep br
eath and studied Mrs. Powell. She couldn’t possibly know how frightened she was inside knowing this woman could ruin her before her shop ever opened.

Looking closely at
the old women’s eyes, Mary sensed some sadness. Maybe Mrs. Powell was hiding her loneliness in her anger, where Mary was hiding hers in her work. She decided to give Mrs. Powell one more chance.

“Maybe we could start over,” Mary suggested
, praying she wasn’t making a mistake. “I understand you may wish for me to make a dress or two. I’m willing to show you a couple of sketches. Whether you decide to purchase one or both of the dresses, is up to you. I’ll survive either way. I’m not someone who has to have more than I need to live. I can manage without your money, Mrs. Powell. I’m sure to have a few clients in Washington, no matter what you might have to say about me.

“
And to answer your previous question as to why I left England, I left on my own terms. What those terms were is not now or at any time your business.” Mary prayed she hadn’t made an error in making those statements too bluntly.

Mary saw
Mrs. Powell smile slightly and nod her head in agreement. Mary knew she’d surprised her with her spunk. But Mary wasn’t about to take orders from anyone. America was going to see a new Mary Ball.

Nettie Powell
had been shocked at the boldness of this young woman. The only other person who’d stood up to her before today was Agnes. Nettie found she truly felt bad when she saw the response given by Miss Ball regarding her rude comments and suggestions she’d made so carelessly.

For the first ti
me in years, Nettie met some she admired. She realized she’d almost forgotten the feeling of remorse. What had happened to her?

But
Nettie knew what had happened. Once she’d lost her husband, and then the use of her legs, she’d not only become bitter, she’d become determined to hurt anyone she feared would treat her unkindly.

“Mary, I think I could come to like you very much. And given a little time, you might come to like me
, as well. I’ll prove I can behave much better from now on. Many years have passed since I’ve had the chance to make a friend with someone I find may be kind and honest.

“If you could sketch some
dresses for me, I’d be very pleased. I know how this is going to sound, especially after how I just performed, but I’m looking for something that will make those mean women who act as my friend, feel envious. I haven’t found an outfit or dress in years that I feel good about wearing.