She didn’t stop. Not until she reached her carriage, which Mr. Mortimer had thankfully already brought around. He looked down from the driver’s bench, and she gave him as much of a smile as she could muster. “Home, please.”
Then she jerked the door open and plunged inside. She yanked it shut and collapsed onto the seat, finally letting herself rest.
As the carriage lurched into motion, she leaned her head against the cushioned seat, eyes closed, trying to still the racing of her heart. The jostling of the wheels over cobblestones made her stomach churn again, but she fought it back.
She had to think. To plan.
She couldn’t stay in Savannah, that much was certain. Not with the soon-to-be-evident truth of her condition and the scandal that would follow. And certainly not with Clayton prowling around, forcing his suit at every opportunity. She’d told the servants not to allow him entrance to the house. But Clayton used every public opportunity he could find. He’d even won her parents to his cause.
She had to get away from him. But where could she go?
The letter from Mr. Balfour flashed through her mind. His offer for her to come west, to his ranch in the Montana Territory, to meet him and see if they might suit.
She still couldn’t believe she’d responded to his advertisement in theDaily News and Herald,but the listing had been so unusual.A rancher of noble birth, seeking a wife gently raised.And the bit about preference given if she was from England or possessed familial connections living there. The man must be from that country himself. He would likely receive few responses from women who fit his description and were desperate enough to travel to the wild territories for a husband.
Shefit the description though. Her grandparents still lived in England on their estate in Kent. Mama had met Papa when he’d visited on his grand tour, and they’d been married before traveling to his home in Savannah.
Was it Providence that led her to Mr. Balfour’s advertisement? The thought had prodded her to send him a letter.
At the time, she’d been desperate to find an escape from Clayton’s relentless pursuit and her mother’s pressure to remarry the moment she was out of mourning.
Mr. Balfour’s words had offered a glimmer of hope—a chance at a new life far from the stifling expectations of Savannah society.
Even after mailing the letter, she’d not truly believed anything would come of it.
But his response had been prompt and gentlemanly, expressing his sincere desire to make her acquaintance and explore the possibility of a match. He’d made it clear she would be under no obligation, that she could return home if she found his ranch in the west unsuitable.
That option sounded far more promising than staying in Savannah. Here, so close to Clayton’s clutches. Yet could she trust this stranger to be any better? At least there, she would have choices.
God, is this the right step?
She waited, listening, searching for an internal tug.
Nothing came, but something in her spirit felt a little quieter. Not quite at peace but…settled with the decision.
As soon as she reached her townhouse, Mandie hurried inside, ignoring the concerned looks from the servants. She made her way up the sweeping staircase to her room and latched the door behind her.
With shaking hands, she pulled out the letter from Mr. Balfour and read it again, though she’d nearly memorized every word. His descriptions of the vast mountains and untamed wilderness called to a part of her soul she hadn’t known existed. A place where she could start anew, free from the shame and scandal that would surely follow if she stayed.
A new thought slipped in. When he found out about the baby, would he turn her away? She inhaled another deep breath and straightened her shoulders. If he did, she could simply buy a home there and settle on her own. She had more than enough money from her late husband’s businesses to live on, and she would be free from Clayton’s pressures.
She moved to her writing desk and pulled out a sheet of paper. But as she dipped the pen in the inkwell, she hesitated. If she sent a letter, it would likely reach him at the same time she did.
A telegram would be faster. She would send it today and make preparations to depart on a morning train. Her maid, Abigail, would help her pack in secret. She could trust her to keep this confidence. Abigail had become a good friend these past few years.
Mandie took a deep breath and began to write, choosing her words carefully to fit the telegram’s brevity.
MR. WILLIAM BALFOUR STOP ACCEPT YOUR OFFER STOP DEPARTING SAVANNAH NEXT TRAIN STOPWILL WIRE UPON ARRIVAL IN ST LOUIS STOP RESPECTFULLY AMANDA BEAUMONT FULL STOP
As she read over the words, her heart pounded even harder. This was madness, leaving everything she’d ever known for a strange man in an even stranger land. But also…exhilarating.
What would he be like? Rugged? Hard-edged? His letter made him sound kind.
Her Nicholas had been kind, though distant. If she could find another such man, she’d be thankful.
Whatever this Montana rancher was like, she would learn the truth soon enough.
CHAPTER 3
