Secrets of Sloane House (36 page)

“Of course nothing could have happened,” she said, a bit shocked. “I’m only a maid.”

“Miss Rosalind, let me tell you a secret. You’re a right help, you are. But you aren’t all that good of a maid or kitchen helper. You’d probably make a better wife for him.”

Rosalind was so shocked, she laughed. “Don’t tell Mr. Armstrong that!”

“Too late, I’m afraid. I overheard,” he said from the doorway of his office off the foyer.

This time, both she and Cook turned beet red.

“I didn’t know you were standing there, sir,” Cook retorted.

“I hope not. I’d hate to think my staff had decided to start telling me what to do with my life to my face.”

Cook pulled back her shoulders. “Never that, sir.”

With a wink, he held out his arm. “Rosalind, are you ready to go? My mother said to tell you that she’ll write to you. She’s
something of a watering pot right now. She didn’t want to cry all over your new dress.”

This time, Rosalind wasn’t sure if Reid was joking. At his urging, his mother had sent her shopping with Eloisa two days ago. Though Rosalind protested, Mrs. Armstrong paid for two ready-made dresses, a lovely felt bonnet, a new pair of kid gloves, and a beautiful pair of black boots. She’d enjoyed spending time with Eloisa, and now she was dressed in a fashionable blue gown that fit her almost perfectly. On her head was her new bonnet. Its brim framed her eyes just right, and the ribbons that decorated the brim made her feel feminine and pretty.

“Every woman needs a new dress now and then, dear,” Mrs. Armstrong had remarked when Rosalind tried to protest that it was too much.

Just as importantly, she couldn’t deny that she felt pretty and, for once, attractive. She looked like a young lady, not someone’s servant. And after a lifetime of living in Miranda’s hand-me-downs, followed by these months of working as a housemaid, Rosalind felt a real need to be seen as herself.

Now, looking at Reid, seeing his appreciative gaze, she felt herself blush. “I wouldn’t have minded if your mother dampened my dress. I will miss her.”

“I’ll let her know you said that.” Escorting her out the door, he lifted her into the carriage and away from the best home she’d ever had.

CHAPTER 37

T
o her surprise, they took his family’s big carriage, not the smaller one he usually used. He sat in the seat next to her while Charley drove them.

Never before had they been alone in the enclosed space. She was aware of everything, the way the ends of his brown hair curled at the edges, the way her sapphire-blue dress brushed against his suit.

Even his scent drew her notice. He smelled of soap and pine and horses, as if he’d gone to their carriage house for a bit before greeting her.

Closing her eyes briefly, she hoped and prayed that she wouldn’t forget a second of their last few minutes together. She knew she’d hold these memories tight to her heart for the rest of her life.

He seemed to notice her expression. “Everything all right?”

“Oh. Yes.” There was no reason to lie. “I was simply trying to make this moment last. It’s a good memory.”

His gaze drifted over her face, as if he, too, was hoping to imprint each last second they had together in his brain. “Because you’re finally returning to your family?”

Did she dare tell him that it was much more than that? “Partly,” she allowed.

There was traffic on the street. Through the windows, which were cracked open, they heard Charley yell at a pair of boys running through the street and greet the driver of a lumbering milk wagon. The carriage lurched, then darted forward in a rush.

Rosalind gripped the seat and laughed. What used to feel so foreign and scary now felt almost exciting.

Reid winked. “Before you know it, all the sights and sounds of Chicago will be a distant memory.”

That was what she was afraid of. “I hope not a memory for too long. I want to come back here one day.”

“I hope that happens.”

“I do too.” She took a chance and met his gaze, thought about being completely honest with him, then remembered her place. Forcing her voice to brighten a bit, she added, “I’m going to miss many things here.”

A new, bright interest filled his gaze. “What are you going to miss?”

You.

“The farmer’s market. The grip cars.”

You.

“Is that all?”

“Oh no.” She tried to giggle, though the noise came off sounding a bit like a braying mule. “Believe it or not, I’m going to miss the noise of the trains. The flower sellers, the newsboys.”

“Anything else?”

You.

“All the people.” And because his gaze was so intent, she added quickly, “And the fair, of course.”

“Of course.” Leaning a bit closer, he picked up her hand. Rubbed a thumb along her knuckles. “Will you miss anything else? Anyone else?”

“Yes.” She swallowed. “I’m going to miss Eloisa. And your mother. And even most of the servants at Sloane House.”

“You’ll even miss them? In spite of everything that’s happened?”

“In spite of everything, I’ve learned that most people will go out of their way to help others. Even a coarse country girl like myself.”

He shook his head. “That’s never been you. You’ve been a pleasure to get to know.”

“Thank you, Mr. Armstrong.”

“You call me Reid now, remember?”

“I haven’t forgotten.” No, she hadn’t forgotten a thing.

The carriage was moving steadily down the street now. In no time, Rosalind realized, they would be at the train station. And their relationship would be at an end.

She changed her mind. It was time to thank him properly. There was no way she was going to leave him without being honest. She owed it to him.

But even more importantly, she owed it to herself.

“Reid, before I leave, I wanted to be sure I said something.”

“What is that?”

“I—I wanted to let you know that while I will miss so many things about Chicago, and I will always remember the many friendships I’ve made, I will miss you most of all.” She felt her face flame, but she held his gaze steadily.

His body stilled. “Why is that?”

Her words were forward. Not at all in keeping with their relationship. Not at all in keeping with the things her mother had taught her,
for that matter. But perhaps her mother and society had never imagined the things she and Reid would go through together.

Taking a deep breath, she began. “From the first time I met you, you’ve always made it seem like I was more to you than a mere maid at Sloane House. You made me feel like I was a real person. Like I was Rosalind.”

“You were real to me.” He rubbed her knuckle again. “Rosalind, from the first moment I saw you standing in the hallway of Sloane House, I knew I’d never forget you.”

Her heart started beating faster. Her pulse raced. Here, at last, was everything she was dreaming of . . . but of course, he was merely being kind.

She swallowed. “Also, uh, Reid, you’ve helped me in so many ways. You’ve given me your time. You’ve listened to my troubles. And no matter how outlandish everything sounded, you believed me.” She looked down, then peeked at him from under her lashes. “At least, it felt that way to me.”

“I did believe you. Your story was fantastical. But it was also something that could happen.”

“In addition, you helped me with Douglass, and you even gave me shelter when I had nowhere to go. I owe you so much, Reid. I doubt I’ll ever be able to repay you.”

Now that her little speech was over, she smiled. If nothing else, she’d be able to leave knowing that she’d done her best to be honest with him. Almost.

Still looking at their joined hands, Reid slid his palm so their fingers linked. “Is that what you thought I wanted? You thought I wanted to be repaid?”

His tone sounded faintly accusing. It stung, though she wasn’t sure why. “I didn’t know what you wanted.”

“It wasn’t repayment. I never thought of you as a job or an assignment, Rosalind.” Releasing her hand, he leaned his head back against the velvet cushion, then chuckled softly. “You know, if you are going to be completely honest, then I suppose I had better be too.”

She couldn’t reply. All she seemed capable of doing was sitting next to him and breathing.

Yes, that was good. Inhale. Exhale.

“Rosalind, haven’t you figured it out yet? I did feel sorry for you, and I did want to help you. I did. But that was never why I wanted to spend so much time with you. I never stayed away, because I liked you, Rosalind.” At her wide-eyed stare, he laughed. “Come now. You had to know.”

“I knew that I cared for you. I know that I do care for you.”

“So we care about each other. And you know that I like you.” He smiled softly. “I feel as awkward as a foolish teen. But perhaps that’s not a bad thing. I need some brashness, all the sudden.”

But the tables had turned. Now he was leading the conversation and she was the listener. “What are we going to do, Rosalind?”

“I think that is something for you to decide.”

He grinned. “What if I told you that I want you to stay here? In Chicago. What if I told you that I want to have you here with me always?”

“I . . . I . . .”

He cut her off. “What if I told you that I don’t just ‘care’ for you, Rosalind? That I don’t just ‘like’ you? What if I told you that my feelings are deeper, more intense?”

“Um . . . intense?”

“I love you, Rosalind. It was all I could do not to tell you that a couple of weeks ago, to take you in my arms and kiss you. I love you and I want to marry you.”

“Love? Marry?” She felt like a puppet on a string, echoing his words in wonder.

He grinned. “I am speaking of love and marriage, Rosalind. And of you and me. What do you say about that?”

If she wasn’t surrounded by horns and animals and skyscrapers and dust, she would have been sure she was dreaming. “Reid, your mother—”

“My mother loves you. It’s been killing her these past two weeks that I haven’t made my intentions known.”

“Why haven’t you? Why did you wait until now?” she blurted, then ached to take it back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

“I didn’t want to overstep myself. I didn’t want to rush you, not after you just found out the awful truth about your sister. And truthfully? I was afraid you wouldn’t want to take the chance.”

“Chance?”

“Take a chance on love, Rosalind. Take a chance on doing something new. On being something new.”

She shook her head. “Is that even possible?”

“Of course it is. Haven’t you learned by now that only good things come from taking chances?”

He did have a point about that. Only by stepping out of her comfort zone, only by reaching for something better than she imagined, had she been able to turn her dreams into realities.

Reaching out, he clasped her hand in between the two of his. “Say you’ll think about this. Say you’ll consider everything I’m saying.”

She certainly didn’t need him to explain. Almost everything of worth had happened ever since she’d started taking chances. She’d discovered what had happened to her sister and had even helped some other women by stopping Douglass’s scheming and dangerous ways.

But something unexpected had also happened when she’d started
taking chances. She’d also discovered that she was more than she’d ever imagined.

She was stronger, smarter, and braver than she’d realized.

Which was why, before, she probably would have tried to tell Reid that she didn’t deserve a man like him.

Now she knew that she did.

“I love you,” she said. “I just want you to know that.”

“Because?” For the first time, he looked unsure.

“Because I’m going to say yes,” she said with a soft smile.

“Yes to staying? Yes to Chicago?” His brows lowered. “Or yes to me?”

“Yes to everything, but most especially yes to you.”

Just then, the carriage stopped. It shook a bit as Charley hopped off the driver’s seat, then threw open the door. “Here we are, Miss Rosalind. Union Station.”

Reid grinned as he leaned toward the door. “There’s been a change of plans, Charley.”

“Sir? Where do you want to go now?”

“Rosalind, you want to tell him?”

She took a breath, then changed her life. “Charley, Mr. Armstrong and I would like to go back.”

His eyebrows rose. “Back to Sloane House?”

“Oh no. To Armstrong House,” she said with a smile.

Reid grinned. “We’ve a wedding to plan, Charley. Miss Rosalind Perry has just consented to become my wife.”

Charley looked at Reid, at their clasped hands. And finally, at Rosalind’s smiling face. “Congratulations! It’s back home now, then. For all of us.”

“Take your time, would you?” Reid murmured as Charley started closing the door.

“I’ll do my best, sir.”

When the carriage started rolling again, Reid pulled her into his arms and kissed her tenderly. “I’m so happy, Rosalind. I’m so happy and grateful and blessed. And loved.”

“Me too,” she murmured as he pulled her close and kissed her again.

Then she followed her heart, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him right back.

It turned out that some things didn’t need to be explained at all. Only repeated. Again and again and again.

[Fluffer Nutter]

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. I used the following scripture verse as a guide while writing this book. How does it resonate with you? “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

2. Setting the novel against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair was fascinating for me. Through my research, which included a lengthy visit to the Chicago History Museum, I learned a lot of new things about Chicago and life in the 1890s. Is there something about this time period which you found interesting?

3. One thing I enjoyed about Rosalind’s character is she never shied away from what she knew about her sister. She accepted both Miranda’s good qualities and flaws, which in turn enabled her to uncover everything she could about her sister. What were some of Rosalind’s best qualities? What were some of her flaws?