Interlude in the parlor…
Justin walked over to Carrie and lightly kissed her. “Aren’t you going to welcome me home after a hard day at work?”
She sighed. “Must you persist in keeping this marriage going?”
His eyes widened. “You’re the one who’s going to change this room. I took that as an indicator that you planned to stay.”
“Only for the month I’m required to be here.”
“You’ll spend the rest of your life here,” he replied.
The fact that he seemed so sure of himself made her that much more determined to prove him wrong. She crossed her arms and glared at him.
He ignored her open rebellion. He gently took her by the elbow to lead her to the couch. “Will you have a seat?”
“No.” She didn’t budge.
To her surprise, he picked her up in his arms and sat down. He held her close to him and sat her on his lap. She was too shocked to react in time to stop him from kissing her neck.
She pushed aside the delightful sensations his kissing produced and quickly stood back up.
He had amazing reflexes for he grabbed her hand and said, “If you don’t sit by me, I’ll pull you back onto my lap. Or we could go upstairs and make sure you don’t leave at the end of the month.”
She loudly sighed so he would understand how much this pained her and plopped next to him on the couch.
He chuckled. “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
She refused to look at him. She wouldn’t let him get to her. She wouldn’t fall in love with someone she was forced into marrying.
The Cold Wife
The
Cold Wife
The Revised Version
Ruth Ann Nordin
Ruth Ann Nordin’s Books
Springfield, Nebraska
The Cold Wife - Smashwords Edition
Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords
Copyright © 2010 by Ruth Ann Nordin
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Photo © Copyright Shutterstock Images LLC. All rights reserved –Used with permission. Front cover.
Smashwords Edition, License Notes:
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Dedicated to Aunt Helen. What a joy it is to have gotten the chance to know you!
Thank you, Danielle Watson, April Mitchell, Sarah Pawley, Vanessa Surya, Sara Marie Bodenstein, and Nancy Munson for your help in making this revised edition. Your input is invaluable to me!
Romantic Comedies by Ruth Ann Nordin
An Unlikely Place for Love
An Inconvenient Marriage
With This Ring, I Thee Dread
Romancing Adrienne
Meant To Be
Historical Romances by Ruth Ann Nordin
Falling In Love With Her Husband
Eye of the Beholder
His Redeeming Bride
Loving Eliza
Chapter One
August 1894
Carrie Allen took a deep breath and sat down on the couch in the parlor next to Brad, her twin brother. She knew their father was about to give them bad news. She glanced at Brad who shook his head. He appeared just as shocked as she was that their father had called them into the room. Their father sat in the chair across from them with a serious look on his face. She didn’t want to hear what he would say next but knew she didn’t have a choice. She was aware of the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room as she waited for him to speak.
“Brad, Carrie, this isn’t easy to say.” Their father paused. “I’m bankrupt.”
“What?” She couldn’t believe her ears.
“My business crumbled,” he explained. “I have no more money, and my investments weren’t enough to cover my losses.”
She had a hard time understanding how his tax consulting business went bankrupt when he had just experienced a huge profit earlier that year.
He looked at Brad. “At least you still have your job at the college, and your investments are continuing to do well.”
Carrie knew that Brad found little consolation in that fact. Brad didn’t want to see their father’s business fail anymore than she did.
“I can help you get back on your feet,” Brad said. “We can find a way to get your business up and running again.”
He shook his head. “I appreciate the offer, son, but my reputation has been destroyed in this town. I don’t know why or how, but it has. No one will want to do business with me.” He turned to her. “Carrie, I have to make sure your future is going to be secure so I have arranged a marriage between you and Justin Monroe. He is wealthy and will provide a good future for you.”
She panicked. “Why would you do that? I just accepted an offer to let Harrison court me.”
“I’m sorry, Carrie. I know you were looking forward to getting to know Harrison but his father doesn’t want him to marry you unless I provide his son with a sizable dowry on your behalf, and I can’t do that. I had to find you someone as soon as possible. I’ll be losing the house next week, so I don’t have time to wait. I discussed the matter with Justin Monroe’s uncle and it’s been arranged. You will marry Justin on Saturday.”
“But...but that’s three days from now.” She struggled to make sense of everything her father was telling her.
“I know it’s a shock.” He sighed. “I wish there was something else I could do, but I have to make sure that you will be able to enjoy the same standard of living you are accustomed to.”
“No, you don’t have to do that.” Her mind desperately sought out another solution. “I can manage without the wealth we have had. I can find a job. There are women in our town who work.”
“Even if we did that, there is no way Harrison will court you. His father is determined that he will marry a wealthy young lady. Besides, if you worked, then word would get out that you have no money, and there aren’t many men who will be willing to marry a twenty-four-year-old woman without money.”
“Let me work,” she insisted. “I’ll pull my own weight. I’ve had sufficient schooling to do a decent job. Surely, just because I’m a woman, it shouldn’t mean I can’t find suitable employment. I don’t care if people find out what happened.” It certainly beat marriage to a man she hardly knew.
“You will not be happy as a spinster.”
“I should be the one to decide that.”
He sighed. “I hadn’t considered you would be opposed to this marriage. I’ve already made arrangements with Justin’s uncle. Justin is looking for a wife who has a good reputation. The news of my bankruptcy will be well hidden so no one knows the truth. Neither Mr. Monroe nor I wish for anyone to know the reason for the sudden marriage. The official word is that his uncle and I agreed to this arrangement because in order for Justin to receive his trust fund when he turns twenty-five, he must marry. Justin is aware of the arrangement and will stick to the story.”
She glanced at Brad who looked as overwhelmed as she felt, but at least he wasn’t being forced into a marriage with someone she thought was more boring than watching grass grow.
Brad finally spoke. “You know that Justin and I are friends. I think a marriage between you two will be a good thing.”
“Justin’s a good man,” their father added. “He will make you happy.”
“Why would he agree to marry me?” she wondered. “We don’t even know each other.”
“Apparently, he’s quite taken with you.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
She could barely recall the times when she did see him. She knew he attended many dinner parties. She had occasionally said hello to him but that was the extent of their conversations. She had overheard him talking with her brother and his topics of interest didn’t seem to stray from his investments. She wasn’t even sure he knew how to talk about anything else. She couldn’t imagine that they had anything in common. She and Harrison were much better suited for one another.
Her father looked sympathetic. “I do not wish the spinster’s life for you. It is a lonely and miserable one. I have made an excellent choice for you.”
Brad turned to her. “Justin is fun. You have to give him a chance. He actually has a good sense of humor.”
“Only to someone who understands the lame investment jokes he tells,” she replied. “He also gives the most ridiculous analogies I’ve ever heard. He actually compared a big dog to a horse.”
“It’s true that he’s not the smooth talker that Harrison is, but he is a good friend. He can talk about other things.”
“When?”
“Lots of times. You just never paid him any attention.”
“The only reason he accepted this marriage is because you two get along.”
Their father interrupted them. “Justin is actually better than Harrison. Harrison may seem fascinating but he’s selfish. He will ultimately concern himself with what he wants, and though he might want you today, who can tell what he will want in the future? Marriage is a commitment. It is a choice you make.”
She groaned. “But there should be love too.”
“Love is a decision a person makes. Justin understands that. He is determined to be the kind of husband that will bless you.”
“You’re confining me to a life of boredom.”
“I’ll have to arrange something so you two can have a chance to talk. Perhaps you will find that he isn’t as dull as you fear.”
The knot in her stomach tensed. Her entire world was crumbling down around her and she couldn’t seem to stop it. She fought the tears that welled in her eyes. “May I please be excused?”
“Yes, you may,” her father permitted.
She walked to her bedroom and shut the door behind her so no one would see her crying. Of all things for her father to tell her, this was the last thing she expected to hear. She looked at her many elegant dresses, skirts and shirts hanging in her large closet. Her large bed had a beautiful lacy purple canopy above it, and her jewelry sat neatly in her jewelry box. She loved all her possessions. She enjoyed the things that money could buy. But she didn’t love them enough to marry Mr. Monroe. What good were things if she was going to be miserable? She couldn’t imagine that he would have anything of interest to say to her.
She sat on her bed and ran her hands over the soft purple comforter. She used to take comfort in her bedroom, but as she slowly absorbed everything that was about to happen, she couldn’t find peace in her heart. She hated the fact that she couldn’t make her own decisions. Why did she have to be at the mercy of her father’s wishes? She wiped the tears from her eyes.
She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror over her large oak dresser. Her dark brown hair fell in soft curls to her shoulders. She had deep brown eyes and was of average height and build. Nothing—absolutely nothing—about her stuck out. She was just ordinary. No wonder her father felt he had to arrange a marriage for her.
After she cried for a good hour, she was exhausted and fell asleep.
***
She refused to go to breakfast or lunch the next day. She stayed in her bedroom. It was Thursday. In two days, she would be Mrs. Justin Monroe. She gagged at the thought.
A light tapping on her door brought her out of her misery.
“Carrie, may I talk to you?” Brad asked her.
She sighed and decided to open the door. She was relieved to see that her brother was alone. She definitely didn’t feel like seeing her father who arranged the horrible marriage for her.
Brad closed the door behind him and sat in the chair across from the bed where she sat. “Why does the thought of marrying Justin displease you so greatly?”
“You know why,” she said. “I can’t stand the thought of even talking to him. How can I be expected to marry him? You enjoy those boring investment conversations, so naturally you’re thrilled that he’s marrying me.”
“He doesn’t just talk about investments. He has other interests as well. He enjoys the theater, dinner parties, animals, and the beach. You share the same faith and financial background.”
“Money would certainly do me some good right now. If Father still had some, I wouldn’t be forced to marry him. You may think he’s fun but I don’t. Harrison is a lot more entertaining.”
“You’ve only talked to Harrison twice. You haven’t even officially courted.”
“True but I did have fun talking to him.”
“Give Justin a chance. Maybe in a month, you’ll have as much fun talking to Justin as you do talking to Harrison.”
“Obviously, we don’t agree on this issue.”
“I assure you that he’s going to treat you better than Harrison would.”
“It’s easy for you to say that since you don’t have to marry him.”
“I’m your brother. I want you to be happy.”
She knew he meant well but he couldn’t fully appreciate her situation since he wasn’t in it. He didn’t have to marry someone. He was granted the ability to work, and since he was a man, he was free to marry whoever he wanted and whenever he wanted. Women were not granted the same privilege. Sometimes she resented the fact that she was born a woman. If she had been a man, then she would have freedom.
“I got a chance to speak with Justin today,” her brother began, “and he’s actually looking forward to marrying you.”
She didn’t hide her disgust. “Why? He doesn’t even know me.”
“No but he knows me. He is aware of your reputation in town, and face it, you are a very nice person. You do a lot of good for others. He figures that you will make a good wife and mother. And he is a very influential man with a good reputation that is just as impressive as yours. You will make a good match, both publicly and privately.”
“That is a matter of opinion.”
“It’s a fact.” He stood up. “There is something I must warn you about before I leave.”
She frowned. She already didn’t like the sound of this.
“Justin’s uncle has arranged a dinner party for you and Justin to announce your engagement before our family and friends,” he informed her. “It is tonight at seven.”
“What?” she shrieked.
“Justin’s uncle and Father decided on this earlier today. We will be going to Justin’s house.”
“And if I don’t feel like going?”
“Please don’t do this, Carrie. Justin doesn’t deserve to be made a fool of in front of everyone.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Is that why he’s getting married to me? He hopes I will impress his friends?”
“No. But you will humiliate him if you don’t show up tonight.”
She gritted her teeth in aggravation. No choice. Not one single person was giving her a choice in any of this! And she hated it. Somehow, someway, she had to find a way out of this marriage.
Chapter Two
Later that afternoon, she reluctantly bathed and got dressed for the dinner party since her father made it clear that she didn’t have a choice in the matter. She combed her hair and pulled it back with a popular hair clip that matched the black dress she had picked to wear for the evening. She intentionally wore it because she felt as if she was attending the wake before her funeral, which she considered her marriage to be.
Her father wasn’t amused with her dress. “Carrie, you are acting inappropriately. This is a festive occasion.”
“For you perhaps, but it is a morbid one for me.”
Her brother looked like he wanted to comment so she glared at him. He immediately shut his mouth. He knew when it was time to be quiet.
“Go change,” her father ordered. “Put on something with a lot of color.”
The doorbell chimed. It was one of Justin’s servants who would drive them to his house in his stagecoach.
He groaned. “You timed this so you couldn’t change.”
She crossed her arms and nodded. “I’m not stupid, though this whole arrangement is.”
“I can only hope the Lord will show you the folly in your thinking.” He sighed. “Very well. Let’s go.”
She slowly followed the two men out of the house and to the stagecoach.
“Good evening,” the driver told them. “My name is Franklin Jones.” Turning to her, he said, “After the wedding, I will be your personal driver.”
She simply nodded and entered the stagecoach with her family.
“You see, Carrie,” her father said. “Justin is already treating you very well.”
In two days, my entire life is going to fall apart. Who cared about personal drivers when she was denied the basic freedom to choose her own spouse? She closed her eyes, determined that she wouldn’t burst into tears.
After the driver started the stagecoach, her father continued, “I want you to be on your best behavior tonight. Do not disgrace me and your brother by acting defiant in public. It’s one thing for you to act this way at home, but I will not tolerate such behavior in front of others.”
“What will you do if I am defiant? Marry me off to someone I can’t stand?” she snapped.
“You don’t even know him. How can you detest him so?”
“The very fact that I don’t know him is exactly why I shouldn’t marry him.”
“If you were to marry Harrison, you would end up miserable before the first year is up. You don’t have as much in common with him as you think you do. I know you think he would make you happy but you’re wrong. Marriage is more than attraction and excitement.”
“Both of which Justin sorely lacks,” she bitterly added.
Her father closed his eyes. She knew he was praying because his mouth was moving though she couldn’t hear what he was saying.
“Is Mr. Monroe really an intelligent and good man?” she suddenly asked as an idea formed in her mind.
Her father and brother seemed shocked at her question.
“Yes,” her father said.
“Am I going to get a chance to speak with him tonight?” she further inquired.
“Of course. It’s only right that the engaged couple speak to one another.”
She nodded. Then she would do just that. Perhaps she would be able to reason with Justin. Surely, he would understand why it was a bad idea for them to marry each other. Seeing as how he had as much to lose as she did in the marriage, it made sense that he would listen to her. She felt much better now that this course of action was set. Once she spoke with him, he would tell her father and his uncle that this marriage wasn’t going to happen, and she’d be free to get a job and marry someone she loved.
“What are you planning?” Brad frowned at her.
“I’m going to talk to him,” she replied.
He didn’t look convinced.
“Now Brad, don’t assume that she’s up to something,” their father admonished.
“How am I going to get to know him if I don’t talk to him?” she asked Brad.
“What are you going to talk to him about?” Brad wondered.
“I believe that will be between me and my future husband.” There was no way she was going to reveal that information to him.
“Brad, some things are private,” their father remarked. “I think it’s a good sign that she’s willing to talk to him without being forced to.”
Though her brother kept quiet, she could tell that he didn’t trust her. She didn’t like the fact that her brother knew her so well. She decided she would find a way to avoid him during the evening, which wasn’t so hard to do considering he usually took center stage while she hovered in the background and watched others around her. Except, tonight she would be of particular interest to the people there since she was the fiancée of the host.
When they arrived at his two-story home, she groaned. A lot of people were there. Everyone would know of the engagement after tonight. The hot Virginia August air seemed to push down on her, making it hard for her to breathe. She suddenly felt like a caged animal. She could only hope Justin was as reasonable as her father and brother claimed.
She had never seen his house before. It was in a neighborhood with similar two-story houses, and it was just as immaculate and beautiful as the rest of them. It was light blue and there was a light blue picket fence to match it. A sidewalk led to the front door. The lawn was a beautiful shade of medium green, and two large oak trees decorated the front yard. Obviously, someone in Justin’s position had to maintain an impressive home. And I just happen to be another addition to his impressive house, she bitterly thought.
“You’ll enjoy living here,” her father assured her. “This is one of the nicest homes in Virginia. It has six bedrooms, three bathrooms, two parlors, an entertainment room, a large kitchen and dining room, a basement, and a large veranda out back that overlooks a good-sized lawn. He has a butler, two cooks, a maid, and a stagecoach driver. He plans to hire another stagecoach driver so Franklin can be at your beck and call. He is generous and will provide you with everything you wish.”
She hoped that included a way out of the marriage.
She followed her father and brother out of the stagecoach and into the house. If his house had looked impressive on the outside, it was not nearly as gorgeous as the inside. There were three benches in the hallway. Two benches were on the left and one was on the right. Some guests were seated on the benches. The entertainment room was to the immediate left, and she could see the large circular room where half the guests danced to the music that the live orchestra was playing. There was a staircase on her right that led to the top floor. The hallway on the main floor led to a parlor on the left and the right. The hallway ended at a door that led to a large dining room. The dining room had french doors that led to the veranda where some people stood around and spoke to each other. There were several round tables and chairs on the veranda too.
Justin Monroe stood by the french doors talking to one of the chefs. He motioned to the dining table. He wasn’t a bad looking man. He was clean shaven with medium wavy brown hair and green eyes. He was 5'8" and slender. He maintained himself with an air of confidence that made him appealing. He seemed very secure with himself. He didn’t need a wife to make him look good. Surely, he would see that this marriage wasn’t necessary.
She took a deep breath as she scanned the people around her. She recognized most of them. She noticed that Harrison wasn’t there. She wasn’t surprised.
“Julie Muse and Mary Duff are here,” Brad whispered to her.
She looked to where he motioned and saw her two closest friends in the corner of the entertainment room. They sat on one of the sofas. She and her friends usually sat to the side at these dinner parties and kept mostly to themselves. It was Brad and his friends who dominated the room.
“Good evening,” Justin’s butler greeted them. “My name is Geoffrey Crow. I look forward to serving you in the future, Miss Allen. Mr. Monroe is eager to speak with you.”
I hope you won’t have to serve me after tonight. She smiled, said thank you, and followed her father and brother further into the house.
“Will you follow me?” Geoffrey asked.
She sighed. Did she have a choice? From the look on her father’s and brother’s faces, she knew that the answer to that question was a resounding no. She reluctantly let the butler lead her to Justin who was still talking with the chef. She noted that he wore a dark blue suit. If he wore black, we would match.
As the butler left, she glanced back at her father who nodded encouragingly to her. Her brother was already talking to some of his friends in the entertainment room.
“Jim put salt instead of sugar into the pies,” the chef complained to Justin. “So the dessert is ruined.”
“Is there anything else in the kitchen we can use for dessert?” Justin wondered.
“We might have enough ingredients for ice cream.”
“Go ahead and make that then.”
“Sir, I don’t wish to be disrespectful, but is it wise to keep Jim on the payroll?”
Justin took a moment before answering the head chef. “Louis, I understand your frustrations but Jim hasn’t even been here for three days. He has no experience and is a bit clumsy but he does have a lot of motivation and hasn’t repeated one of his mistakes.”
“The wedding will be a disaster if you let him prepare anything.”
“Perhaps we should have him set out the dishes.”
“He has a tendency to break them.”
“Then have him set out napkins and utensils.”
Louis grumbled but nodded and returned to the kitchen.
Carrie noticed that the backyard was lit up with torches, and there were tables and chairs set up for the guests who wished to eat outside. The dining room table was meant to seat twenty people, and there were more than twenty people at the house. It only made sense that allowances were made for the extra people.
Justin turned his attention to her and smiled. “Miss Allen, it’s a pleasure to see you,” he warmly greeted. “You look lovely this evening.”
They didn’t even know each other well enough to be on a first name basis. What was her father thinking in arranging this marriage? She could only hope that Justin would listen to reason.
“Mr. Monroe,” she began, “there is an important matter that we must discuss.”
He seemed concerned by her words. “What is it?”
“Sir,” a maid called out as she ran up to him. “Forgive me for interrupting, ma’am,” she quickly told Carrie. Turning back to Justin, she continued, “Mr. Hunter and Mr. Leroy are arguing. They are disrupting some of the guests.”
He frowned. “I’ll be right there.”
The maid nodded and ran off to take care of another matter.
“I’m sorry, Miss Allen. Mr. Hunter and Mr. Leroy don’t get along but I had to invite both of them. Can we discuss whatever is on your mind after dinner?” he asked.
“Yes,” she reluctantly agreed.
“Thank you.”
She rolled her eyes as he ran to one of the parlors where the two men were shouting. She noticed that several guests had stopped talking to stare at the argument. She passed by the parlor, aware that Justin was calmly talking to the two men, and walked into the entertainment room where she saw her friends still sitting on the couch.
“Good evening, Julie and Mary,” she greeted as she sat in the chair across from them.
“Good evening, Carrie.” Mary smiled at her. “We had no idea you were entertaining romantic thoughts for Mr. Monroe.”
“I’m not. My father and his uncle arranged this marriage.”
“Really? Why?” Julie asked.
“You promise not to tell anyone?” Carrie looked at them. She knew she could trust them to keep her secret.
They nodded.
She quickly made sure no one was listening to them before she said, “Father went bankrupt and is determined that I should marry Mr. Monroe since he’s rich.”
Mary’s eyes grew wide. “All we heard was that your father and his uncle arranged the match. No one knows exactly why. We assumed it was because your father and his uncle get along very well.”
“Yes. They are friends.”
“I’m sorry to hear about the engagement then,” Mary replied.
“What a dreadful fate,” Julie agreed. “Mr. Monroe is so dull.”
“I’m hoping he’ll let me out of the engagement,” Carrie said. “It looks like I won’t be able to talk to him until after dinner.”
“That would be a blessing if he agreed that this marriage is wrong,” Mary responded. “We shouldn’t be forced to marry someone against our will. It’s 1894 for goodness’ sakes.”
“How is Harrison taking the news?” Julie asked Carrie.
“I don’t know. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him. All I know is that his father isn’t willing to let us marry since he wishes for him to marry a woman who comes with a dowry. Since my father is going bankrupt, I have become unsuitable.”
“I wonder if he feels the same way,” Mary said. “Perhaps, he would be interested in courting you anyway. After all, he did just ask to court you.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know if I can even get out of this engagement. Though I hope I can, I’m not sure what Mr. Monroe will do. My father surely isn’t going to let me out of it since he adores the man.”
“What father would wish to confine his daughter to a man that she doesn’t want?”
“One who wants his daughter to be rich,” Julie replied.
“What if you and Harrison eloped? Wouldn’t that be romantic?” Mary mused.
“It would be foolish,” Julie argued. “He would be disowned by his father and Carrie would be as poor as she is now.”
“But at least she could be with someone she wants to be with.”
Carrie thought over the idea. What if Harrison did want to marry her? Maybe he would be willing to leave his wealth behind and be with her. It would certainly be much nicer to be with him than Mr. Monroe. She decided that she would visit Harrison the next day and discuss the possibility with him if Mr. Monroe still insisted on the marriage.
Chapter Three
Justin had wished to speak with Carrie but he knew the situation between Nathan Hunter and George Leroy could get serious if left uninterrupted. He found the two men in a heated argument.
“May I ask what the problem is?” Justin quickly intervened before Nathan threw the first punch.
Justin ignored the onlookers who had crowded the parlor.
“I’m sorry, Justin,” Nathan apologized as he cooled down. “I let my emotions get the best of me. I didn’t intend to cause a scene.”
“You really should be more careful when you’re inviting people to your dinner parties,” George remarked.
Justin turned to George. One look at George’s date notified him of the problem. George had brought Linda Hunter despite Justin’s request for him not to. Linda had married Nathan three years ago but was recently discovered in an adulterous relationship with George. Upon discovering his wife’s infidelity, Nathan divorced her, and there had been tension between him and George ever since.
“May I speak with you gentlemen in private?” As private as possible considering the many guests. Justin led them out of the parlor and onto the veranda where there was a secluded spot. The three men stood silently for a moment as Justin thought of how to begin. Finally, he said, “I can appreciate the sensitivity of this issue.” He turned to George. “Mr. Leroy, I specifically asked you not to bring Linda here tonight.”
“I know you did, Mr. Monroe,” the twenty-three-year-old man replied. “She assumed I was with another woman, and in order to reassure her that I wasn’t, I had to bring her. She’s insecure. I can understand her feelings.”
“What would either one of you know about insecurity?” Nathan spat. “She was my wife and both of you dismissed the marital vows.”
“If you had treated her better, she wouldn’t have sought comfort in my arms,” George argued.
“I treated her just fine!”
“You constantly put work first. A woman needs to be appreciated.”
“Please, gentlemen,” Justin intervened, aware that their emotions were running high. “Mr. Hunter, you are having dinner in the dining room with me. Mr. Leroy, please eat out here with your date. In the meantime, please find separate rooms to be in. I am sorry but this is the best I can do given the circumstances.”
George turned to Nathan. “Will you be dancing tonight?”
“No. You know very well that I came alone,” Nathan pointedly responded.
“I will be in the entertainment room,” George told Justin before he left to go back into the house.
Justin breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m sorry, Nathan. I did tell Mr. Leroy to come alone or bring someone else. I had to invite him because he’s Conrad’s son and my uncle does business with Conrad on a regular basis.”
“I don’t fault you for this,” Nathan assured him.
Geoffrey announced that it was time to eat. Justin was relieved that the emergencies from earlier had finally been resolved.
“Which seat would you like at the table?” he asked Nathan as they went into the house.
“Since I’m the best man, I suppose I should sit across from Carrie. You’ll be at the head of the table and she’ll sit at your right, correct?” Nathan asked.
“Yes. That’s the plan. Do you feel up to being my best man?”
“As long as George isn’t at the altar on Saturday, I’ll be fine.”
“There’s no danger of that. George is sitting in the back of the church.”
“I hope that Carrie is good to you.”
“I don’t see why she won’t be.”
“Well, good luck.”
Only the immediate family and friends of the bride and groom were seated at the dining table. The rest of the guests were outside. Justin had to hire additional servers for the event but he wanted to make everyone comfortable so it was worth the expense. The wedding and reception on Saturday would be even more elaborate. His uncle was paying the bill for that event since Mr. Allen went bankrupt. Since no one knew of his bankruptcy but a select few, Carrie was spared the humiliation of people knowing her father couldn’t pay for the wedding.
Justin supposed that most men in his economic class would be dismayed to marry a woman who came into the marriage without a cent to her name, but he had secretly entertained romantic notions for Carrie since her family moved to town when he was fourteen. Though he knew Brad very well, he never got up the nerve to have more than a two sentence conversation with his sister. Usually, he managed to tell her hello and asked her how she was doing or what she thought of the weather. He was too nervous to figure out what else to say.
She was beautiful. He often stole glances her way when they attended the same dinner parties. They usually sat on opposites sides of the room. It seemed that the more he saw her, the more beautiful she got. He supposed other men didn’t find her as attractive as he did, but they weren’t in love with her either. She was shy, so it was no wonder that more men hadn’t taken notice of her.
Before the dinner, he stood up and gave the official engagement announcement. Then he sat down as the guests started eating. He couldn’t help but notice that Carrie wore a black dress. It was the same dress she wore at her mother’s funeral. He wondered why she chose that particular dress to wear when he had seen her in more festive colors in the past. He dismissed his questions and tried to think of something she might find interesting to discuss.
Currently, she was quietly eating her meal. Her father sat next to her on her right. Her brother, who was the groomsman, sat next to Nathan on the opposite side of the table. They talked about automobiles. Justin had recently acquired an interest in motorized transportation, so he had to fight the urge to join the conversation.
Instead, he turned to Carrie. He cleared his throat before he began to speak. “Do you wish to discuss the issue that was on your mind earlier?”
She seemed to be surprised he spoke to her. She glanced at her father who looked over at her. “Perhaps later,” she replied, barely looking at him.
He cut another piece of his steak as he tried to think of another topic. “I heard you enjoy going to the beach.”
“Yes,” she responded.
“I was wondering if you would like to spend a week there for our honeymoon. My uncle owns a house on the beach and he has offered to let us stay there if we wish, but I thought I would ask you first. I won’t be able to take time off work for another two weeks. Being that this engagement happened so suddenly, I didn’t have time to make arrangements for a vacation until today.”
She looked startled. “A honeymoon?”
His cheeks grew hot. Perhaps such a discussion wasn’t appropriate in a room full of people. “We can talk about this later if you prefer.”
“That would be best.”
He nodded. He took a couple of awkward bites of his meal before turning back to her. “So, what are some of your interests?”
She hesitated to respond.
He figured that she had to think over his question. He patiently waited for her to speak.
To his shock, she said, “We don’t have anything in common.”
Her father nudged her in the side and looked sternly at her.
She took a deep breath and explained, “I’m sorry. It’s just that we don’t know anything about each other.”
“I know,” Justin acknowledged. “It’ll be fun to learn about each other. I think of it as an adventure.”
She sighed before turning back to her plate.
He noticed that she hadn’t eaten much. “Do you wish for something other than the steak and potato plate? I can have the chef make something else.”
She looked back at him. “Oh, this is good. I just don’t have much of an appetite.”
“I’m nervous too,” he softly admitted.
“Justin,” Nathan spoke up.
He turned his attention to his friend. “Yes?”
“Do you think that automobiles are a good investment?” he asked.
“Actually, I do. I think that we’re moving away from horses. Trains are just the beginning in horseless transportation.”
“Are you going to invest in them?”
“I already have.”
“But aren’t horses more practical?” Brad inserted.
“At this point in time, they are. I suspect that improvements will be made to automobiles and before long, they will become more practical. Currently, they lack room for storage, but that is a simple modification. I like to think of them as miniature trains that don’t need railroad tracks.”
Carrie softly chuckled.
He glanced at her. Was she laughing at him?
“I have heard great things about automobiles as well,” her father quickly said. “I suppose I should look into those particular stocks.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” Justin agreed. “I can show you my investment portfolio if you wish.”
“I would very much appreciate it,” her father agreed. “Carrie is in good hands with you.”
He was pleased by the man’s kind words. “Thank you, sir.”
The ice cream treats for dessert turned out well. Louis looked greatly relieved to have the earlier catastrophe resolved. Justin hoped that the new chef would work out. Jim seemed unsure of his ability to succeed at his job, though he showed a great desire for cooking when Justin interviewed him. He wanted to see Jim realize his dream to eventually open his own restaurant, and being his chef would give him much needed experience for that.
He decided to try to engage Carrie in conversation again. “Do you like to dance?”
She looked up from the ice cream which she had been absentmindedly stirring with her spoon.
He wondered when he would be able to get a moment to talk to her without others listening in. Whatever was on her mind, it was serious. It had been distracting her all evening.
“I’m not good at it,” she finally stated.
“She hasn’t had much practice,” her father inserted. “I’m sure that given time, she could master it.”
She closed her eyes and slowly opened them. She continued to stare at the bowl.
He assumed that she was embarrassed by her poor dancing skills. He leaned closer to her so that no one else could overhear him. “I’m not very good at it either. Maybe if we dance together in-between dinner parties, we’ll get better at it.”
She sat straight up and her face grew bright red.
He didn’t think his comment was unsuitable before they got married. “Am I being too forward?”
“Please, Mr. Monroe, I don’t feel very well.”
He immediately grew concerned. “Do you to need to lie down for awhile?”
“Yes, actually I do.”
He stood up and found Constance Miller, his maid, and asked her to escort Carrie to a guest bedroom so she could lie down until she felt better. He knew it wouldn’t be appropriate to show her to the room himself until after they were married. He was just as inexperienced as she was in regards to intimacy, but he didn’t understand why talk of where to spend the honeymoon or dancing should upset her.
“Come back down here when you’re ready to talk to me,” he told her before she headed upstairs with Constance.
She nodded and followed the maid.
It was half an hour after dinner when his uncle came up to him. “There’s an emergency meeting regarding the Burgess Account. We have to go to Richmond right away.”
“But Uncle Jonathan, I can’t just leave in the middle of my engagement party,” he said. “Besides, Carrie said she has something important to discuss with me. I need to be here so she can do that.”
“Justin, your father and I didn’t earn our wealth by dismissing important business meetings. Whatever she wants, it can wait.”
“I don’t feel right about that. Can’t you go without me?”
“Harrison Grant Sr. and Jr. will be at this meeting. If you’re not careful, they’ll take over our firm just like they took over Mr. Allen’s firm. Come along. The train arrives in half an hour.”
“Why do I have to be there?”
“Because you need to watch how I am going to deal with the Grants. You’ll be going head to head with them in the future. This experience will give you the edge. They are after the Burgess Account, and that is a very profitable account for us.”
“Can I at least tell Carrie good-bye before I go?”
He sighed. “Make it quick. Remember, you can talk to her all you want to after the wedding.”
Could he? It seemed as if he was dragged from one business meeting to another ever since he turned eighteen. He hadn’t had time to court a woman because of that. “After I get married, am I still going to have to run off to emergency meetings?”
“Not as often as you do now. I understand you’ll have responsibilities to your wife and children.”
“Alright. I’ll see her and then join you at the front door.”
He hated to leave but knew it would be pointless to argue with his uncle. He found Constance and asked her to take him to see Carrie.
Carrie was on her way down the stairs when he and the maid reached the bottom of the staircase. He was struck by how wonderful she looked. But she looked overwhelmed too. Since people were mingling around them, he allowed Constance to leave.
He waited for her to reach him before he spoke. “My uncle has informed me that I have to attend an urgent business meeting in Richmond, and the matter can’t wait until tomorrow so I have to leave now. I’m sorry to do this to you, Carrie. Did you want to tell me what’s been bothering you? I can spare a couple of minutes.”
She looked upset by his announcement. “This isn’t something that we can discuss in a few minutes, Mr. Monroe.”
“Then I suppose it’ll have to wait until after the wedding.”
“What? Why can’t we discuss it tomorrow?”
“I still have business appointments that I need to attend. I also have to get ready for the wedding. There’s a lot of details involved with the whole thing. You’ll spend the day getting ready as well. I know we don’t really know each other. I can understand this isn’t easy for you. I do want you to know that I’m looking forward to marrying you.”
“Don’t you see that the fact that we don’t know each other is a big problem?”
“Well, I admit it’s not ideal. I haven’t had the proper time to court you. I’ll try to make up for that.”
“How?”
“We’ll have a full week to ourselves during our honeymoon.”
“One week?”
“It’s a start. Of course, there’s the time we’ll get to be alone after we’re married too, but we’ll still have servants around. At least on our honeymoon, we’ll really be alone. I think that will be a good time for us to get to know each other.”
“Justin, it’s time to go,” his uncle called out.
He sighed. “I’ll see you on Saturday.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized, realizing she wished to continue talking to him. “I don’t wish to upset you but I don’t have a choice. Being in my line of work, others pretty much dictate my life for me.”
She didn’t respond.
He knew that she wasn’t happy but as his uncle called out for him again, he knew he had to leave. He wished her a good evening and followed his uncle out the door.
***
By the time Justin and his uncle reached Richmond, it was almost half past ten in the evening. John Burgess was an important client at the Monroe Investing Firm, but why couldn’t he hold off on this meeting until the next day? Why did it have to be late at night?
Justin was exhausted. He was up before six that morning to prepare an outline for an investment plan that Larry Martin wished to discuss. He had to skip lunch so he could attend a meeting. Then there was the stress of the engagement dinner party, and now he learned that something was bothering his fiancée. He didn’t know how he was expected to keep going. He fell asleep on the train and was only half-awake for the buggy ride to John Burgess’ home.
By the time they reached Burgess’ front door, Jonathan instructed Justin to comb his hair and straighten his suit jacket. “Appearances are everything in this business,” his uncle commented.
As soon as Justin was done, his uncle knocked on the door of the large three-story home.
Mr. Burgess’ butler opened the door. “Good evening, gentlemen. May I tell Mr. Burgess who is here?”
“Yes please. Tell him that Jonathan and Justin Monroe have arrived,” his uncle replied.
“Come with me.” The butler nodded and led them to a parlor. “I will notify him that you are here.”
After he closed the door, Jonathan turned to his nephew. “Good. We got here before the Grants.”
As Justin sat in the parlor, he reviewed the client’s portfolio and how much they had accomplished during the past two years of doing business with him.
“It’s important to stick with facts and figures,” his uncle instructed him. “The numbers never lie.”
Justin nodded.
“You have to be careful when dealing with the Grants,” he continued. “They don’t exactly adhere to ethical standards in their business dealings. Sometimes, they can be underhanded. You have to keep a close eye on your things around them and watch how they manipulate people around them.”
Justin hadn’t had any personal interactions with the younger Harrison in the past, so he wasn’t sure what the man was like aside from what he witnessed from across the room when they were in school together.
The butler opened the door and Mr. Burgess entered the parlor.
Justin and Jonathan stood up to shake hands with him.
“I appreciate your coming by on short notice,” the sixty-year-old man said.
Jonathan smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet with you. You know my nephew, Justin Monroe.”
“I believe we met a year ago,” the man said. “The reason I called and asked for you to come tonight is because Mr. Grant wants to introduce me to a new investment plan. I will give you a chance to explain your plan for me again. I confess that with the time I spend with my grandchildren, I don’t have time to review these things. I have to decide on which plan to go with tonight since tomorrow, my money will be available to move around, if I wish.”
Justin stopped himself from telling the older man that he had his own personal life to attend to as well and his future bride was just as important to him as the man’s grandchildren were to him. Instead, he waited for Mr. Grant and his son to arrive.
When they did arrive, they shook hands and went to Mr. Burgess’ den where they sat at a table. Jonathan and Justin sat on one side while Harrison Sr. and Harrison Jr. sat on the other side. John sat at the head of the table.
Harrison Sr. presented his proposal before Jonathan proposed his. Justin watched both men as they competed for Mr. Burgess’ business. He didn’t understand why he had to be there. Even Harrison Jr. didn’t have to be there. They remained silent the entire time. At one point, he glanced at Harrison Jr. and saw him smile at him, but it wasn’t a friendly smile. It was as if he was secretly laughing at a joke, and the joke was Justin. Justin shifted uneasily in his chair. He could hold his own against competitors, but none of the competitors had ever looked at him with a mixture of humor and disgust.
I don’t even know him and I already don’t like him, Justin thought.
After the presentations were done, Mr. Burgess sat silently for a minute as he reflected on what he just heard. Finally, he turned to Jonathan. “I’ll stick with your plan,” he decided. Turning to the Grants, he said, “I appreciate your making the trip, but I am more comfortable with a more conservative investing approach at my age. I don’t want to risk my children’s inheritance this late in life.”
Mr. Grant nodded. “I understand, sir. Thank you for the opportunity for us to present it to you.”
The men stood and shook hands. When Justin shook Harrison Jr.’s hand, he thought the man squeezed his hand harder than necessary.
As they stood outside the house, Harrison Jr. leaned over to Justin and whispered, “Enjoy your uncle’s victory. It’ll be short-lived.”
“We’ll see, won’t we,” Justin snapped, not appreciating the way his competitor had been treating him for the past half hour.
Harrison Jr. raised an eyebrow. “You’re a little touchy, aren’t you?”
“And you’re a little rude, don’t you think?”
“I’m not rude. I’m just self-confident.”
“Or proud.”
He shrugged. “Call it what you will.”
“You’d better be careful. Pride goes before a fall.”
The two buggy drivers arrived at that moment, and Justin breathed a sigh of relief. He followed his uncle into their buggy. Once the driver urged the horse forward, his uncle spoke up.
“Now you can understand why I brought you along,” Jonathan remarked. “Mr. Grant and his son remind me of a snake. I just haven’t decided what kind.”
“The son seemed better when we went to school.”
“Maybe that’s just how he appeared on the surface. His father is a shady character so I expect he is as well. You’re going to be facing him a lot in the future since Mr. Allen is no longer one of his competitors.”
“How did the Grants bankrupt Mr. Allen?”
“Mr. Allen isn’t exactly sure how it happened. He doesn’t even know they were behind it. As you know, he was a tax consultant, and he had considerable influence in how his clients invested their money. He used to recommend stocks and bonds he thought looked promising, and that led business our way. Mr. Allen and I have been friends for years, so it was a friendly gesture on his part to do that. Well, about a month ago, his clients realized that he had given them poor tax advice. He claims that someone broke into his office and purposely changed the information on his clients’ records, resulting in them losing a lot of money. His business was hit hard but he had enough money to stay afloat. However, his personal accounts show that he transferred his money into unstable stocks that lost all of their value. He says that he didn’t put his money there, but there’s no proof he didn’t.”
“Do you believe him?”
“I have no reason not to,” Jonathan replied. “He will be moving out west after the wedding. His reputation is destroyed in this town, and he won’t be able to recover in order to get a decent job in town. His best bet is to pick up and start somewhere else. He realized that his daughter’s best bet is to marry now, and he didn’t wish to drag her across the country since he can’t be guaranteed a stable future out there. He would rather have her stay here where she already knows everyone and has her brother nearby. He hasn’t told her that he intends to move as soon as the two of you marry. Her brother will stay in town since he works at the college and still has his assets.”
“It’ll be like she’s losing another parent then, won’t it?”
“In a way, it might be, but you will be there to comfort her.”
Justin silently stared out the window. He couldn’t imagine what kind of shock she would experience at the news that her father would be leaving Virginia.
“You should be aware of something else,” his uncle continued.
Justin looked back at him in interest.
“With Mr. Allen leaving, the Grants will become a more formidable opponent. They have just gained considerable influence in town. You will have your hands full in the near future.”
“Do you suspect that the Grants broke into Mr. Allen’s office and transferred those funds?”
“They either broke into his office or his home. However, without proof, there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Speculation doesn’t solve Mr. Allen’s problem. You can understand why I wanted you to meet both men and see what you’ll be up against.”
Justin nodded. This wasn’t going to be fun. He already dreaded his next encounter with Mr. Grant and his son.
Chapter Four
The next morning, Carrie dressed in her favorite pink dress and pulled her hair back with a pink ribbon. She wanted to look as nice as possible when she saw Harrison. She went out for a walk to Harrison’s house after she got her measurements done for her wedding dress. She could only hope she wouldn’t need to wear it. She was on her way to the florist to select the flowers for the ceremony. She wondered why Justin felt it necessary to give her so many tasks. She also had to choose the colors, the decorations and the music. She was so exhausted from all the running around she was doing that she barely had time to think of how much she was dreading the marriage.
One look at the wedding gowns surrounding her in Mrs. Parker’s shop reminded her that time was quickly running out and if she wished to get out of this marriage, she had to talk to Harrison. When she arrived at Harrison’s house, her pulse was racing. Harrison did seem to care for her. They weren’t close but she had spent more time with him than she had with Justin.
His butler answered the door. “Good afternoon, Miss Allen. How may I help you?”
“Good afternoon,” she greeted, aware that her voice slightly shook, betraying her anxiety. “I would like to speak with Mr. Grant.”
“I will see if he is available. Would you like to come in and wait in the parlor?”
She shook her head. “No thank you. I will wait here.”
“As you wish.” The butler left the door slightly open while he went to get Harrison.
She turned around and examined her surroundings. She was used to living in the wealthy section of town. She didn’t understand how her life would change if she were to live without the comforts of wealth. Certainly, it would be preferable to go without riches than to live with Mr. Monroe.
The butler returned to the door. “He will be with you shortly.”
She thanked him and sat on the chair on the porch. It was early afternoon. A couple of women walked down the street but no one paid her any mind. She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She was still upset that Justin didn’t take the time to listen to her the night before. A business meeting took precedence over her? She suddenly realized that Justin’s opinion of her was poor. She was no more than a means to an end. Married men often fared better in the business world since they were viewed as more stable and loyal than the single men. Justin was merely out to make himself more appealing as a businessman. He had no personal interest in her.
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