In His Eyes(20)

The muscle in his jaw ticked and Westley rested his head against the back of the chair. As his father and grandfather before him, he wanted to make a name for himself in the military. Soon he would be able to leave here, and when he did, he would rid himself of the lands that no longer held anything for him.

Satisfied that it would be a good plan, Westley allowed himself to relax and think through his course of action. Moments later, footsteps at the door alerted him to Mrs. Preston’s return, but he kept his eyes on the rafters above.

“Here,” she said, thrusting a thick volume at him. “I believe you were right. Reading is just exactly what you need.”

Westley accepted the book without glancing at it. “I thank you.”

“I’ve marked a place for you.” Without awaiting his response, she patted his shoulder and scurried from the room, no doubt heading to bake something or other.

When she had closed the door on his solitude, Westley looked down at the book in his lap and groaned. Then he tossed the Bible on the floor and stared at the hearth’s ashes once more.





Ella pulled the curtain aside and watched horses plod toward the house, the carriage behind them ambling slowly. Each pound of the hooves, though barely heard, sent shudders through her heart. One week. Not nearly enough time to learn all that she must know in order to be a lady. Sibby had altered the two dresses from Cynthia’s valise, and the woman had worked a miracle to fashion an appropriate dress out of the blue gown.

Ella glanced down at the smooth sapphire silk with bits of white lace donning her tea bodice. She looked a bit more respectable, but still….

“Get away from that window. You want them to see you watchin’ for ’em?”

Ella’s breath caught and she dropped the lace curtain, returning it to its place to keep the insects from freely flitting through the open window. “Is that bad?”

Sibby groaned. “I’s never gonna make a lady out of you.”

Ella ignored the comment and took Lee, smiling as he made little cooing sounds. “I don’t see why you let them come anyway.” And without her consent, no less. “You know I’m not ready.”

“Too much talk.” Sibby straightened the starched apron around her waist. “We can’t keep nosey neighbors away for too long without them gettin’ suspicious.”

“I’ve just had a baby. Certainly that warrants more than a week’s reprieve?”

“Hmm.” Sibby scrunched her nose. “You’s right about that.”

Ella’s heart quickened, and a smile of triumph nearly bowed her lips.

“We’ll have to say he’s about three weeks, then.”

Ella’s hope shriveled.

“That gives you the time.” Sibby gave a matter of fact nod that Ella had come to recognize meant the woman had said her piece and expected no arguments. “See? I done thought of everythin’.”

Ella bit back her retort. In the one week she had made this her home, there had been several rules pressed upon her. Primarily that Sibby was in charge. Like nothing more than a convenient marionette, Ella did as instructed while Sibby pulled the strings. She tried not to let resentment take hold. Had she not been under the same control at the Buckhorn Inn? At least here she got to wear nice things and sleep in a comfortable bed.

“I fed him and then he had his nap, so he should be content,” Sibby said, pulling her from her thoughts. “Nat brought down the rocking cradle, so you can lay him down and rock it with your foot. If he gets fussy, I’ll take him.”

Ella bobbed her head to each instruction, focusing on the little face that depended on her to pretend to be what she was not. A life as a marionette would be worth it if he could grow up secure.

“Now, you remember the story you’s supposed to tell?”

A knock pounded on the door, startling them both. Had anyone on the porch caught their words through the open window? “Yes,” she whispered, moving toward the entry. Sibby would open the door, but she would be there to greet the guests, just as instructed.

Sibby offered what Ella assumed to be a reassuring smile and went to answer the door. Ella positioned herself in the doorway to the ladies’ parlor, bouncing Lee and hoping that these neighbors would neither stay long nor ask too many questions.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Martin, Miss Martin. Right good to see both you ladies back out at Belmont.”

The two women fluttered in like a flock of plumed birds, neither of them acknowledging Sibby. The older of the two, a tall, gaunt woman wearing a dress so deep navy it bordered on black, plucked gloves from her long fingers and thrust them at Sibby, oblivious to Sibby’s glower.

The younger of the two turned light brown eyes on Ella, the look on her face indicating she expected something. Ella smothered her fear and focused on her role. Stepping forward, she plastered a friendly smile on lips that preferred to stay closed and spoke words she’d practiced earlier this morning.

“Hello, ladies. I am Mrs. Westley Remington, and this is my son, young Master Westley the fourth.”

The younger woman glided across the floor in that practiced gait ladies had and peered down at Lee. “Oh, what a sweet little thing! Isn’t he just precious, Mama?”

The other woman sniffed, and the younger one’s eyes widened. She took a small step back. “Pardon me, Mrs. Remington. I forgot myself.” Her fingers pressed into her yellow dress as though she consciously restrained them from reaching for the baby.