Nellie (The Brides of San Francisco Book 1) (13 page)

She had the driver drop her off at the corner, and she walked through the rows of fruit and vegetable stands alone, picking the produce and meat she liked and giving instructions for delivery to the house.

After that she would go to the Russian Tea Room and have tea and crumpets. Just her alone.

The Russian Tea Room was one of her favorite places. Done in soft shades of apricot with crisp white linens on the tables, it pleased her senses. The tea was outstanding. They knew how to make a perfect cup of Darjeeling. The biscuits she ordered with it were light and flaky. It was the perfect place for her to be alone with her thoughts.

That was just what she was doing when Maddie Singer unexpectedly sat across the table from her.

“Hello, Nellie. I wanted to apologize for my behavior the other night. I’d had too much to drink and was out of line.”

Nellie got over her shock quickly. “It’s alright, Miss Singer. I understand that you and Blake had a relationship of a sort before I arrived. That relationship is over and the sooner you realize that the better for all of us.”

Maddie, was wearing what was probably her most demure dress, dark, blue silk creation, with a fitted waist, small bustle and a handkerchief in her neckline to cover her décolletage. She nodded. “I agree. I won’t get over him easily. I confess that I love your husband, but I realize as long as he’s married to you, he’ll be faithful.”

She loves him.
Nellie was a little alarmed by her words, but kept a tight rein on her own response.

“I’m very glad that you understand. The business Blake has plans for is all-important right now. I’m afraid everything and everyone, takes a back seat to those plans.”

“I know. I helped him with his strategy.” She patted the coil of hair at the nape of her neck. “Helped him with his correspondence to Mrs. Selby at Matchmaker & Co. Did you really think I just showed up out of the blue? I didn’t. Blake planned for me to come that first night. It was going to be his way to get away from you. By taking me home we could still be together. You wouldn’t really suspect anything.” Her eyes narrowed to slits. “But instead, he sent me home alone in his carriage. I was surprised to say the least.” She sat back and crossed her arms.

Nellie’s heart soared at the news that Blake changed his mind, but was metered by the fact he intended to keep his mistress even after they married. What if he changed his mind again? A knot grabbed her stomach, threatening to upheave.

“But I intend to rectify the situation.” Maddie leaned forward and softly said, “you won’t be the first person I’ve disposed of. Shocked? I can see by your face that you are. I killed the man my father sold me to. Stabbed him again and again with a kitchen knife.”

Nellie was very alarmed at this. Her heart raced, but she needed to try and keep the upper hand. Keeping her voice level, not letting her fear show, she said, “Do you mean to kill me, Miss Singer? Because I won’t go easily and Blake won’t be happy that I’m gone no matter what you think. Blake loves me.” Nellie knew her bold words were untrue, but hoped Maddie didn’t.

“I think I’d better leave now, Miss Singer. I find that I do not desire your company any longer.”

Head held high, Nellie stood and walked out of the Tea Room. She approached the street and stopped to wait for a passing carriage before crossing. The hard shove from behind surprised her, put her off balance, and she fell into the street in front of the coach. The horses reared and Nellie rolled, putting her arms over her head. The hooves came down just missing her.

Passersby stopped, and one man held the nervous horses while another one helped her to her feet.

“Miss, are you alright?” asked the man who helped her.

“Yes, thank you.” Her breath panted and she held a hand to her racing heart. “Someone pushed me. Did you see them? Did anyone see anything?”

“No, ma’am. I didn’t see anything except the horses rearing up and you roll away in time to avoid their hooves. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Nellie shook her head. “Thank you for helping me. I appreciate it very much.”

Her driver, Otis, was suddenly at her side supporting her arm. “Madam, are you injured? Let me assist you to the carriage. I’ll get you home right away.”

Finally in the carriage, safe, Nellie began to shake. The realization that someone wanted to kill her frightened her to death. And she thought she knew who the culprit was, Maddie Singer. Who else knew she was there? Who else had a reason to get Nellie out of the way?

When she got home, she went directly to her rooms and undressed. She wanted a bath, wanted to get the dirt and filth off her body. She was lucky Blake had money. There was hot and cold running water in their home. She drew a bath, hot as she could stand, and got in. Grabbing a wash-cloth she scrubbed herself as hard as she could without taking off her skin.

Then she laid back in the hot water and closed her eyes, resting.

She awoke to being lifted by strong arms. The water was cold and so was she. Shivering violently, she cuddled into Blake’s warm body.

“Nellie, are you trying to catch your death? That water was freezing.”

“It wasn’t wh…when I g…got in,” she said, her teeth chattering.

Blake stood her next to the bed, turned down the covers, then got a towel and dried her quickly. He wrapped her hair in the towel, picked her back up and laid her in the bed. She couldn’t stop shaking. He quickly undressed, got in bed beside her, and pulled her into his arms, then covered them both with the blankets.

He was so warm. She buried herself in his warmth, cuddling into him.

He covered her as much as he could, putting her legs between his and rubbing her back.

“You’re alright now. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She was warmer and felt better, relaxing into the heat of his body, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

“What am I going to do with you?” he whispered to his sleeping wife.

He’d nearly lost her. Otis told him she’d fallen in front of a carriage and had nearly been trampled to death. The fear he felt froze him, he’d nearly lost his mind when he’d heard. And then he found her in the cold tub. God, what would he do if he lost her?

I just found you. I can’t lose you now.

*****

Nellie awoke and reached for Blake. His side of the bed was cold. She sat up and threw off the covers. When she stood, every muscle in her body screamed in refusal. She moaned and sat back on the bed.

“You shouldn’t be up.”

She turned toward the sound of his voice and saw Blake wearing a robe and holding a tray.

“I got breakfast for us to have in bed. I want you to eat and to stay in bed until you feel better. I’ve asked Bertha to keep the children away for today. Told her that you are not feeling well. I also told Otis not to tell the rest of the staff about the accident.”

“Someone pushed me, Blake. It wasn’t an accident.”

His eyebrows shot high. “Why would anyone want to hurt you? Surely it was just a figment of your imagination. Here, have some hot tea. It’ll warm you.”

“I’m not cold anymore. And,” she insisted, “I was pushed. I felt it, a hard shove just before I fell into the street. All my muscles feel like they were run over by that carriage.”

“You’ve got scrapes on your knees and elbows where you hit the ground, and bruises on your back. You’re lucky that’s all you’ve got.”

“I must look a fright.” She reached up to smooth her hair, and found a rat’s nest. “Good grief. My hair.”

He smiled. “You’re right it is pretty frightening.”

“Give me my brush, please.”

“Whatever my lady desires.”

She took the brush he handed her. “Thank you for warming me.”

“What else was I to do? Good grief, I thought you were trying to do yourself in, lying in cold water like that.”

“I fell asleep. I just wanted to get the stench of the streets, of what happened, off of me.” She lifted her aching arms to start the brush through her hair. “I know you don’t believe me, but I
was
pushed and I think I know by whom.”

He snorted. “Who? Who has reason to push you?”

“Maddie Singer. She met me at the Russian Tea Room. She must have been following me. She said she wanted to apologize for showing up drunk the other night. She also told me it was planned for her to show up that first time. That you arranged it with her, so that you and she could be together, even while you were married.” She turned and looked into his face, waiting for a reaction. “Is it true?”

“That’s ridiculous.” He shook his head. “I’ve had no plans to do anything other than be married to you since I met you.”

She glared. “How did she know about Mrs. Selby?”

He ran his hands through his hair. “God, Nellie, she helped me write the letters, that’s all. I wanted a woman’s opinion on what I was asking for. In the end, I just put down what I honestly needed. A widow with children. Luckily for me, I got you.”

Nellie finished getting the tangles out of her hair and brushed it until it was smooth. Then she pulled it to one side, braided it and then lay back on the pillows, stacked so she could sit up in bed.

“I’m glad you feel that way,” she admitted.

He sat on the bed and took her hand in his. “I do. I married you didn’t I? The act wasn’t required, surely you knew that. I could have refused to marry you or anyone that showed up. There was no guarantee.”

“I know. The marriage was a gamble, but one I was willing to take.” Feeling a little spiteful, she said, “I’m told I’m tolerable to look at and since my situation with my in-laws was becoming more unbearable by the day and there were obviously so few women of good standing in San Francisco, I didn’t feel that I would be without a husband for too long.”

She watched him bristle.

“You are beautiful, and you’re right. You wouldn’t have wanted for a husband for long. I’m glad I convinced you to marry me when I did.”

“Why didn’t you marry Maddie?” Nellie knew she shouldn’t talk about her husband’s mistress or ex-mistress, but she had to know. “She obviously wants you and she told me she loves you, has been in love with you since you hired her.”

He ran his hands through his hair and let out a pent-up breath.

“I made a mistake with Maddie. I may have said things that would have lead her to believe our relationship would continue as it was, even after you arrived.”

He took another breath and quickly started talking again.

“But I never made a promise. I don’t make promises very often because I don’t break them. Please believe me, Nellie, when I promise you or the children something, I mean to keep that promise.”

He needn’t have been in such a hurry. Nellie had no desire to interrupt. She wanted the whole story. “So,” said Nellie, still only half-believing him. “Maddie was right, you did arrange for her to come here that first time.”

“No.” he said vehemently before taking her hand in his. “That was the original plan, but I changed it after I met you. She wasn’t supposed to come. I ended it with her before I married you. I promise you Nellie. I did not lie to you.”

After studying his expression for subterfuge, Nellie nodded. She so wanted to believe him, and he did seem so sincere.

“I believe you, Blake.”

“Nellie, I—”

She held up her hand.

“Maddie, obviously doesn’t want to believe you have changed your mind. Whether you believe it or not, she did push me, I just can’t prove it. Too many people were around, so no one saw anything.” She waved a hand. “And, of course, she was long gone, by the time I got up out of the gutter. I’m afraid I tore my new dress. The yellow one you bought for me.”

“I don’t care about your dress. I care about you. I’ll buy you another dress, a hundred dresses, as long as you’re alright.”

That was so sweet and he seemed to be in earnest. Nellie’s eyes began to water.

“Don’t say those things. Your kindness will make me cry.”

“I’m not being kind. I’m trying to make up for my lack of protection. You won’t go to the market again without help. Going there is not safe. If what you say is true, and you were pushed and for the moment we are saying it is, they may try again. Whoever
they
are.” He frowned. “I still don’t believe it was Maddie.”

“I don’t understand how you cannot believe me. I’m telling you the truth. Do you at least believe me when I tell you she followed me? That she came to visit my table while I had my tea and biscuits?”

“I believe you. What was she wearing?”

“The dress was dark, blue velvet.” Nellie waved her hand in front of her chest. “She’d stuffed a white handkerchief down the front so her cleavage wouldn’t be so noticeable. I guess she figured they wouldn’t let her into the tea room dressed the way she normally does.”

“She dresses that way for work. I doubt she has any other kind of clothes. The one you describe is quite demure by her usual standards.”

“So you believe me? You know the dress.”

“Yes, Nellie, calm yourself. Have some tea.” He handed her a cup of lukewarm liquid. “I believe that Maddie came to see you. But that doesn’t mean she pushed you. I don’t believe she’s capable of murder.”