No One's Bride (Escape to the West Book 1) (22 page)

Amy started awake and grimaced, placing a hand to her aching head. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep.

She was lying on the settee in the parlour, beneath a blanket she didn’t remember fetching. Across from her, Adam was rising from the armchair.

“How long was I asleep?”

“A couple of hours, more or less. The knock must have woken you.” He walked towards the door leading to the post office.

“Knock?” Her groggy brain finally roused itself. “Mrs Courtney! I must look a mess.” She scrambled to untangle herself from the blanket, sit up, and smooth her hair and clothing all at the same time.

“You look perfectly fine,” he said, glancing back. “I’ll go let her in. Just relax, she’s not your employer any more, remember?”

She folded the blanket quickly, listening to Adam answer the door. Mrs Courtney may not have been her employer, but she still made Amy nervous. Other than when Amy had first arrived from the orphanage she’d never interacted much with Mrs Courtney, with her being away so often. Amy wasn’t sure what to expect. The fact that she’d come all this way to help her indicated she was a good woman, but being married to Mr Courtney said otherwise. How anyone could want to marry such a scoundrel, Amy couldn’t imagine. Mrs Courtney’s actions confused her no end, but it was very likely she had been part of the reason Amy had her freedom now, so she couldn’t be all bad.

“Thank you so much for the wonderful afternoon, Mr Parsons,” Mrs Courtney said as she walked into the room, George following. “I had so much fun. Perhaps we could do it again?”

His hat clutched in his hands, George was smiling in a very un-George like fashion. “I’d be right pleased if we did, Ma’am.”

Mrs Courtney beamed at him and Amy watched, fascinated, as his ears turned a vibrant pink.

He swallowed and moved his attention to Amy. “How you feeling, girl?”

“Much better. I’ll be back to work tomorrow.”

“There’s no rush, whenever you’re ready.” He nodded to Mrs Courtney, said, “Ma’am,” and turned to leave, almost bumping into Adam behind him.

Amy couldn’t help smiling at his flustered behaviour. It was so thoroughly out of character.

“Would you like something to drink?” she said to Mrs Courtney as Adam walked George out.

“A glass of water would be wonderful,” she said as she removed her hat and fanned herself with it. “It’s certainly warm here. But so beautiful. Mr Parsons took me on a buggy ride into the country and the mountains took my breath away.”

“I thought the same thing when I arrived,” Amy said, gesturing for her to sit.

She went to fetch the water as Adam walked back in.

“I’ll give the two of you some privacy,” he said, heading for the stairs. “If there’s anything you need, Mrs Courtney, just ask.”

“Thank you, Mr Emerson.”

He smiled at Amy and left the room, closing the door behind him. Amy brought two glasses of water to the settee, handing one to Mrs Courtney.

“What a lovely young man,” she said after taking a drink. A sparkle lit her eyes. “And so handsome.”

Amy lowered her gaze, fighting a blush. “Yes.”

Mrs Courtney placed her glass onto the small table next to her and folded her hands in her lap. “I want to thank you for agreeing to see me. I wouldn’t have blamed you at all if you hadn’t wanted to come anywhere near me ever again.”

Amy wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she kept silent.

“I know that I was lax in my duties to look after you and the other girls who worked in my house and you will never know how sorry I am for that. I should have known what was going on. I should have taken responsibility.” She breathed a deep sigh, shaking her head. “I had so many dreams. At the beginning I just wanted to help, to give girls like you an opportunity to work and learn and have a better start in life.”

She seemed genuinely distressed. Amy felt a twinge of sympathy.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

“My marriage happened,” she answered, her voice tinged with bitterness. “I married Franklin rather late in life. I was engaged once before, when I was young and very much in love, but he was killed in a carriage accident and I thought I would never love again. Then when I was thirty-eight and had long since resigned myself to a life of spinsterhood, Franklin Courtney came along and swept me off my feet. I had thought I’d grown beyond such things, but it turns out infatuation is no respecter of age. He was charming and exciting and I thought I was in love. But starting a few months after we were married he began to show his true colours. As it turned out, he was more in love with my money than he was with me, if he ever loved me at all. Over the years he indulged in wine and gambling and women and I spent as little time as possible around him, staying with friends or family to avoid the man I’d married in too much haste and was too much of a coward to leave for fear of the scandal and shame.” A tear slid down her face. She wiped at it and moved her gaze to Amy. “I wouldn’t have even known you were out here and Franklin was coming after you if I hadn’t returned when I did. I hadn’t planned to go home, but I woke up with an irresistible urge to do so, thank the Lord, and when I found out what had happened I got on the first train I could. I neglected my duty of care to you and for that I am truly sorry. I hope one day you can forgive me, even though I don’t deserve it for leaving you with that despicable man.”

Amy knew what it was to be blamed for something that wasn’t her fault. There was no way she would do it to another. “Of course I forgive you. It seems to me we were both his victims. But what will you do now?”

Mrs Courtney sighed and sat back, wiping at her eyes. “The first thing I’ll do is something I should have done a long time ago; get a divorce.”

“What about the other girls in the house? Won’t he just go back there?”

A smile stole across Mrs Courtney’s face. “Oh, Staveley House doesn’t belong to him. My father, bless him, never liked him. When he gave us the house when we married he made sure the deeds were put into my name and could never be altered, as well as assuring it would return to him should I pass on. Franklin doesn’t have a penny of his own to his name.” Her smile grew. “Even if he gets out of jail, he will be utterly destitute when I throw him out. Perhaps one of his friends at his precious gentleman’s club will take him in. Of course, he’ll have to drop his membership since he won’t be able to afford the fees.”

She clapped a hand over her mouth, her shoulders quivering, then collapsed back against the settee and burst into laughter. Amy stared at her in surprise, feeling a giggle welling up inside her. It was only a few moments before she was laughing along with Mrs Courtney.

“Oh my,” Mrs Courtney gasped, wiping at her eyes, “I haven’t laughed like that in so long. I feel so much lighter. Thank you, Amy. This is the best thing that could have happened to me. I think you have truly set me free.”

“The praise goes to God, Mrs Courtney,” Amy said. “He brought me here. Looks like He was helping you too.”

“I believe you are right. And please, call me Millicent.”

Amy smiled. “Millicent.”

“Oh, goodness, I mustn’t forget the reason I came.” She dug inside her reticule, pulled out a bulging envelope and handed it to Amy. “It’s everything you are owed for all those years of service and I also added a bit more. I know it can’t make up for everything you went through, but hopefully it will help you make a new start here, whatever you choose to do.”

Amy gaped at the thick mound of banknotes inside the envelope. She’d never seen so much money in her life. “I... I don’t know what to say. This is so much.”

“Not a penny more than you deserve,” Millicent said. “Now, I won’t take up any more of your time. I’m going back to the hotel to rest a little, then I hope you and Mr Emerson will join me for dinner in their wonderful restaurant? My treat, of course.”

Amy looked up at her from the envelope, her head still spinning. “I... yes, of course. Can I walk you back?”

“Oh no, it’s not far, I can make my own way. Um... I was wondering if you’d like to invite Mr Parsons, if you wouldn’t mind and if you think he’d like to, do you think that he would possibly care to join us for dinner?”

Amy felt like laughing all over again. “I think there is a very good possibility he would.”

~ ~ ~

Adam sat in the chair by the window in Amy’s bedroom, staring through the glass at the distant mountains. A book lay unopened on his lap.

He wasn’t certain why, but Mrs Courtney’s visit was making him nervous. He was grateful for what she’d done for Amy, but he wasn’t certain of her motivations. What if she wanted Amy to go back to New York with her? With Mr Courtney no longer an issue, what if that was what Amy wanted?

He glanced at the door behind him. Staying down there with them would have been intrusive, but he couldn’t help wishing he had. He badly wanted to know what was going on.

Turning back to the window, he gazed out at the mountains again. “Father,” he whispered, “please work this all out. You know my heart, how much I love Amy and how much I want her to stay. I know You brought her to me and thank You for giving me the opportunity to help her and, once again, thank You for what You did at the trial. If it’s Your will that she should be somewhere else, then I guess I need to accept it, but Lord, I don’t want to lose her. So while I’m saying Your will be done, I’m also asking You to please make her stay.”

“Adam?”

Hearing footsteps and the creak of the stairs, he drew in a slow, deep breath and rose from the chair, pasting on a smile when Amy appeared at the doorway.

“I hope you don’t mind.” He indicated the window. “I was just enjoying the view.”

“Of course I don’t mind. This was your room.”

Before she arrived. Before colour and joy and light entered his life. “Has Mrs Courtney left?”

Amy nodded. “So you can come out of hiding now.”

He followed her back down the stairs to the parlour and immediately noticed the envelope lying on the table. It made his gut twist.

“It turns out she was as trapped by her husband as I was, in a way,” Amy said as she cleaned a glass at the sink. “She seems much happier than I’ve ever seen her. I think she might be developing a bit of an attraction for George too. I know they’ve only just met, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if they ended up together? After what she’s been through with that unfaithful cad of a husband, Millicent needs a good man. And George needs someone too.”

Adam lowered into one of the chairs at the table, unable to take his eyes from the envelope. It was bulging, as if it contained a lot of... something. “They would certainly make an interesting couple.”

“I never got the chance to really know her when I was in New York. Turns out I like her. I think I’d enjoy having her here.”

It took a few seconds for her words to sink in.
I’d enjoy having her here.
Did that mean Amy would be staying? Maybe the envelope didn’t contain what he thought it did.

He had to know. “What’s this?” He tried to keep his voice light. He wasn’t sure he succeeded.

She placed the dry glass upside down in its place on the dresser shelf and came to join him at the table. She slid the envelope across to him. “Take a look.”

Swallowing against his suddenly dry mouth, he opened the envelope and looked inside. His heart dropped at the sight of all the money.

“Isn’t it amazing?” Amy said. “She said it was all the pay I’m owed for the past seven years, plus more. I don’t even know how much is in there.”

Having worked in the bank for so long, Adam had a reasonable idea of how much there was. Too much. Far too much.

She took the envelope from his hands, withdrew several notes, and handed them to him. “This is for the train ticket and my board for the past three weeks.” She took out a few more. “And this is to cover the pay you’re losing from your job at the bank and just to say thank you.”

He tried to hand the money back to her. “Amy, I don’t want this. I didn’t do any of it expecting any kind of payment, you have to know that.”

She took his hand in both of hers, leaning forward and staring into his face. “I know, but I will never be able to repay you for what you’ve done for me. You had every right to just send me away after I tricked you into bringing me here, but instead you became my best friend and gave me more support and comfort and happiness than I could ever have wished for.” Tears shimmered in her luminous eyes and he watched the slow track of one as it overflowed and rolled down her cheek. “Please take it. I want you to have it.”

He reached out his free hand and gently brushed at the tear with his thumb. He hated to see her cry, even if they were tears of joy.

A touch of pink coloured her cheeks and she let go of his hand to wipe at her eyes. “Sorry, it’s been a long few days. I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

“I know,” he said softly. “Believe me, I know.”

She pushed her chair back from the table. “Millicent invited us to join her for dinner at the hotel. You don’t mind, do you?”

Adam sat back, drawing in a deep breath. “No, I don’t mind. Two meals at the hotel in one day. We’re living the high life.”