Katie Rose (13 page)

He had to admire her audacity, especially since he could feel her shaking beneath his hands. Her chin lifted and she faced him squarely, but her lips trembled and her eyes were as wide as saucers. He looked down, then realized he had made another mistake as he saw her curves, outlined beautifully by her somber costume. She was in his arms, the hellion who haunted him, and he was once more torn between passion and utter exasperation. Without wanting it to, the thought came to his mind: Allison never made him feel this way. Summoning all the restraint he could manage, he spoke quietly.

“Jennifer,” he said, unwittingly calling her by her first name, “you are a friend to my mother, and unfortunately, since I know you, I feel a certain responsibility toward you. Are you aware that several hundred men think you are a prostitute of some kind? I heard them wagering on who will be the first to have you. If such a situation is what you desire, say the word and I’ll leave you to it. Your
only chance is to get out of here before the crowd turns into a mob.”

Her face went white and, like a little girl, she seemed only now to fully comprehend what she’d gotten herself into. Shame washed through her, changing her visage from defiance to confusion. Numbly, she nodded, and only then did he step back, allowing her to move out of his way.

“You are right. I’ll tell Winifred and Penny.” She lifted her face, appearing genuinely contrite. “Thank you for your concern.”

The innocence in her tone sent his senses spinning. She was the most outrageous woman he’d ever met. Pulling her dignity about her, she turned and walked out of the room like a queen. Admiration swelled within him, confusing him even more. In that moment, he knew the truth: Jennifer Appleton would only continue to haunt his dreams.

And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

Penelope smiled, seeing Gabriel haul her sister off to the offices. Everything was going just as planned. No, better than planned, Penelope thought. Jubilantly, she watched Winifred count their earnings. They had made more money in one afternoon than they made in a week of séances.

“Pardon me, miss. Did anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are?”

Penelope turned around, prepared to give the man her ever-present smile. She almost had to laugh at his question. People had been telling her she was beautiful ever since she could remember. But something about this man gave her pause.

He was far older than herself, in his late forties or even fifties, she surmised. His hair was dark, but shot with silver, and craggy lines surrounded his eyes. He was portly,
his face bore a perpetual ruddiness, but his suit was of the finest quality and the Italian leather of his boots shone. Even his walking stick was cut from mahogany, and inlaid with ivory.

Penelope gave him her warmest smile. The man had money; he positively reeked of it. Excitement tingled through her as she realized he was focused on her. If she were to wed someone like him, she would have everything she’d ever dreamed of. Penelope also dimly realized that she would no longer be a burden to her sisters. Why, she could even help them! He extended his hand with a hearty grin and she saw his fingers were covered with diamond and gold rings.

“I would like to make your acquaintance. My name is James McBride. I am a merchant, a wealthy one at that. I’ve been coming to the market every Friday for years, and never saw as fair a face as your own gracing this hall. I must say, it is a pleasure.”

“Penelope Appleton.” Penelope lifted her hand, allowing him to press it with his own. Winifred gave her a disapproving frown, which she ignored. Looking up into James’s eyes, she saw the inevitable interest that followed, as well as speculation. Honing all of her considerable skills, Penelope shyly withdrew her palm when he held it a moment too long.

“If you’ll excuse me, Mr. McBride, my sister is waiting.”

She gave him a wicked flutter of her lashes, while her words were perfectly innocent and polite. He was enchanted, as he was meant to be.

“Miss Appleton, I should like to call on you sometime, maybe take you for a buggy ride. Have you ever participated in the races on Fifth?”

Penelope’s eyes widened. She’d heard of those outings, where Jim Fiske and his carriage full of gorgeous mistresses raced up Fifth Avenue, wagering heavily against the Belmonts and Schermerhorns. Afterward, they dined
on champagne and oysters in Central Park, the losers treating the winners. They were millionaires, all of them, and Penelope’s pulse raced as if he’d kissed her.

“No, I never have.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jennifer approaching with Gabriel, and she quickly withdrew from the man’s engagement. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

“How will I call on you?” The man’s face dropped in disappointment as he watched her turn away.

Penelope glanced back at him and gave him a seductive smile. “You’ll find me.” She winked, then fled toward her sisters.

James McBride watched her go. He would find her, he decided. If it was the last thing he did.

“My goodness, Jennifer, look at this!” Penelope said the following day as she dumped a sack full of cards onto the table.

“What is it?” Jennifer sifted her fingers through the brightly printed cards, frowning when she noticed that they all bore male names.

“Callers. These are all men interested in having a magnetic healing performed for them. Look! There must be forty cards here!” Delighted, Penelope read the inscriptions, and placed the cards into piles.

Winifred shook her head worriedly. “I think our magnetic healing was too successful. Jenny, I don’t think we should do this again. For three young women living alone with our aunt, to have so many male callers could seriously compromise our reputations.”

Reluctantly, Jennifer nodded, remembering Gabriel’s words. “Yes, I’m forced to agree. It was one thing to do this at the stock market in public, and even that was dangerous. It is quite another to take these men into our home. I’m afraid we’ll have to announce that the Appletons have gone out of the healing business, but are quite open to séances.”

“Pooh!” Penelope cried. “Do we really have to forgo it?” Her pretty face crinkled as she saw the cards slipping through her fingers.

“Yes, we have to,” Jennifer said decidedly. “By the way, how did we make out financially? Was it a great success?”

Placing aside her gold pen, Winifred looked up at her sister, a queer grin spreading from one ear to the next.

“We made five hundred dollars.”

“Five hundred … are you sure?” Jennifer asked, nearly dancing around the room in excitement.

Winifred nodded indignantly. “Yes, I’m quite sure, the figures are exact. I am very careful, you know. Our one-day stint at the stock market really paid off tremendously. Imagine, five hundred dollars for laying your hands on a man’s head!”

“Well, it’s a little more involved than that,” Jennifer said, though she was just as pleased. “What shall we do with it?”

“Why, we could put this in the bank and invest it, and we could make one or two percent interest.…” Winifred scribbled furiously. “Why, we could increase our capital by five dollars a year by doing nothing! Isn’t that wonderful?”

Jennifer frowned. “But it’s not enough.” When her sister looked at her in bewilderment, Jennifer shrugged. “It isn’t! Penelope’s going to be seventeen this year. She needs to be launched into society. You need college money. And I need to make sure we have enough to live on, including enough for Aunt Eve. A few dollars is nothing.”

“Have you a better idea?” Winifred asked pointedly.

In response, Jennifer rummaged in her pocket. Retrieving a crumpled paper, she smoothed the note and placed it before her sister. Winifred adjusted her glasses and read the scrawled writing.

“It says ‘Union Pacific Railroad.’ ” She laid it down and stared at her sibling. “What does it mean?”

Jennifer’s eyes twinkled. “The commodore wrote that.
He suggested we invest in stock, and he personally recommended that one.”

Winifred’s brow wrinkled as she stared at the slip of paper. “You do realize the danger. Stocks are not like bank notes. While the potential profit is great, so is the risk. And there is one other difficulty.” She looked over her glasses at Jennifer as if explaining the obvious to one of questionable mental health. “Women cannot trade.”

“Why not?” Jennifer asked forthrightly. “You’re the law student. Is there a law against it?”

Winifred puzzled for a moment. “No, not that I recall. But who could we get to take such an order? Who can we trust? And who will be our broker?”

“I have an idea,” Jennifer whispered, every word brimming with excitement. “Do you remember Justin Caldwell from school?”

“Do you mean that snotty little boy you used to beat up in the schoolyard? The one that called me four-eyes?” Winifred removed her glasses, polishing them against the hurtful memory.

“Yes, the very one. He’s an investment banker now, of all things. He only got the position because of his father, but he’s legitimate all the same. If I use the commodore’s name, I’ll wager I can coerce him into investing for us. What do you think?”

Winifred nodded speculatively. “He’s a wormy little chap, but I don’t think he’d do anything illegal with our money. He’d be too afraid of his father’s wrath, or yours, for that matter. Do you really think you can convince him?”

Jennifer grinned, rubbing her hands together. “Leave that to me. Justin Caldwell will help us, or he’ll be spitting grass in the schoolyard again.”

It was late in the evening when Jennifer returned. She removed her coat, and nodded in response to Winifred’s
questioning look. Passing quickly by her aunt’s room and ignoring Penelope’s chatter, she pulled Winifred into the bedroom and shut the door.

“How did it go?” Winifred asked eagerly.

Jennifer produced a banker’s statement. Winifred quickly scanned the document.

“Why, Jennifer, you were able to buy fifty shares! However did you manage it?”

Jennifer grinned while Winifred read the statement again, certain there must have been some mistake.

“You’re absolutely correct! Not only did I persuade Justin to buy us shares, but I stopped by to see the commodore. He congratulated me for taking his advice, and he told me to hold on to the shares for a few more days. We’re going to do well, Winnie, I just know it! We may not make millions, but we should have enough to pay off our debts and get started on our plans!”

Winifred, usually so reserved, hugged her unabashedly, and Jennifer flushed in triumph.

“You did it! Why Jennifer, you did something very few women have ever attempted! I’m so proud of you! This took not only courage and intelligence, but shrewdness as well! However did you persuade Justin?”

Jennifer felt an absurd sense of pleasure at her sister’s praise. “When I first entered his office, he pretended not to recognize me. He looks as wormy as ever, with his oiled hair parted in the middle and his derby. When I told him what I wanted, he sank back in his chair and patted his belly, and in the most obnoxious voice imaginable, told me that women cannot trade, especially scandalous women like myself.”

“He didn’t!” Winifred’s eyes widened.

“He certainly did. I don’t know why I was surprised, because he always was a snob. In any case, I simply reminded him of our school days and suggested that his silk suit would not benefit from a trip down Memory Lane.”

“You didn’t!”

“I did. Just as he was getting ready to throw me out, I said the magic word: Vanderbilt. I thought he would faint, especially when I insinuated that the commodore and I were on very friendly terms. He’d heard about our stint on Wall Street, and when I told him of the commodore’s fondness for spiritual healing, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. His hand actually shook as he signed the papers, and he wound up begging me to put in a good word for him. Seems his own clients don’t have nearly the collateral that our good friend Vanderbilt has, and darling Justin was just drooling to get his hands on it.”

“Did you promise to help him?”

“Of course not. I told him I would think about it. In any case, he couldn’t buy our shares quickly enough. He placed the order while I waited, and even called his own boy to run it down to the exchange. So we Appletons are now the proud shareholders of Union Pacific, and Justin is my errand boy.”

When they both had laughed so hard they cried, Winifred hugged her again. When she finally released her, she placed her hands on her sister’s shoulders.

“Now, Jennifer, you must promise me one thing. You must take some of that money and do something for yourself. Even if it’s just a gown or a special book, do something special, something just for you.”

Jennifer smiled softly. “Don’t worry, Winnie, I’m not that self-sacrificing. I have something special planned. And I know just the person to share it with.”

“Mr. Forester. There’s someone to see you.” Edward Pershing thrust his head cautiously through the doorway.

“Just a minute, Edward,” Gabriel said. “I am occupied.”

“Mr. Forester will be with you momentarily,” the clerk told Jennifer. He took his seat in the outer office.