“It isn’t fair that you give that doctor a chance to woo you, but you won’t even speak to me.” Arthur moved closer, and Kenzie tightened her grip on the hat pin. “He doesn’t know you like I do. He can’t possibly care for you as I can.”
“I’m not going to discuss Dr. Fisher with you.”
“I can give you anything you want,” Arthur said, standing within inches of her. “I’ll build you a new mansion. I’ll give you furs and jewels. I’ll set you up with your own bank account and fill it with more money than you could ever spend.”
“Those things would mean nothing without love.”
“But we’ll have love too.” He reached out to touch her, but she held up the pin. He stepped back. “I know you love me.”
“Arthur, what has become apparent to me is that I do not love you. I don’t think I ever did—not the way I should have.”
“How can you possibly say that? I remember our time together. I remember our talks. You seemed to like my kisses well enough.” Again he grinned.
She remembered those times too. They now paled when she thought of how Micah made her feel. “Maybe growing closer to God has helped me better understand what love really is ... and what it’s not.”
“If religion is important to you, it’ll be important to me too,” he said, his voice desperate. “I’ll build you your own church—a grand cathedral. It’ll be the most beautiful in the world, I promise. I’ll accompany you there every Sunday. Just say you’ll marry me.”
Kenzie thought of Satan tempting Jesus with the world, if only He’d fall down and worship Satan. “No. I will not marry you, Arthur. Now please, just go.”
His expression grew sad, but there was something else in his eyes. Anger. She’d seen that anger many times when he’d dealt with issues that didn’t go his way.
“Kenzie, just—”
“Good-bye, Arthur.” She turned and walked away. When she reached the stairs, she called over her shoulder, “Make sure you close the door behind you.”
Victoria knew the minute everyone returned to the house from their day of fun, due to the laughter. Kenzie soon joined them, and Victoria heard her telling them how Victoria had refused to go with her to the wedding and then allowed Arthur into the house. No doubt Kenzie would encourage them to lock her up somewhere or get her a nanny who would see that she did no further harm.
It made Victoria angrier than she could say that they held the power to command her. She had thought she’d be rid of them all by now. Hopefully with Arthur Morgan’s help, it would happen, but it didn’t hurt to try to hurry things along. If she could set them all against each other instead of against her, then maybe she could win her freedom. Better still, if she could convince her poor little cousin that Caleb was losing his interest in her and preferred Victoria, then Judith would be desperate to let Victoria leave.
Victoria frowned. “Of course, she could send me away somewhere awful.” There were plenty of schools where people sent their adult children to be rid of them. Finishing schools, like the one in Switzerland where Grandmother had sent her because she knew it would keep Victoria under tight control until her wedding to that fat toad Piedmont Rosedale.
Uncertain of what kind of reception she might get, Victoria stayed in her room, contemplating her situation, until Kenzie came to tell her supper was ready.
Victoria lifted her chin. “I thought maybe you’d have them banish me to my room for allowing your Mr. Morgan to wait for you.”
Kenzie looked at her blankly. “If your conscience is bothering you, perhaps you should stay here.”
“Oh, bother!” Victoria pushed Kenzie aside. “I’ll never understand you—or them.”
Victoria made her way down to the dining room and found the others already seated. Caleb and Patrick stood when she and Kenzie came into the room, and Caleb pulled out her chair while Patrick helped Kenzie.
“I hope you had a pleasant day,” Caleb said.
Victoria nodded. “It was nice to have some time to myself without having to worry about pleasing others.”
She sat and noticed the strange array of food on the table. There was a large sliced ham and several loaves of various breads. Along with this were a dozen or so pastries and fresh fruit.
“What kind of supper is this?”
“We thought we’d keep it simple,” Camri declared. “It’s sort of an indoor picnic.”
“I forgot the mustard,” Judith said, getting to her feet. “I’ll be right back.”
Camri began pouring lemonade into Patrick’s glass. “I wish we had ice, but I’m sure it will be just as delicious without it.”
Patrick took the full glass and handed Camri Kenzie’s glass. Judith returned with a pot of mustard, then took her seat. Once Camri finished seeing that everyone had lemonade, Caleb suggested they pray.
Victoria bowed her head slightly but refused to close her eyes. She watched the others, trying to figure out each person’s weakness. Camri was an intellectual who thought everyone needed education. Her weakness was clearly her feelings for Patrick. Patrick was Irish, so his weakness was probably liquor, although Victoria had never seen him drink. How strange that an educated woman would lower herself to marry an Irishman. Victoria remembered a dalliance she’d had with an Irish stable boy and smiled. Maybe she could understand Camri’s interest after all.
