The man gave a slight bow. “I’ve come with a message for Miss Victoria Whitley.”
She nodded. “I am she.” Victoria glanced back over her shoulder, then relaxed. Thank goodness Judith and her friends were gone.
The chauffeur handed her a piece of paper. The note was from Abraham Ruef. Victoria unfolded the paper and read.
Everything has been arranged. Come with my driver to the office, and youwill be a free woman this day.
Victoria smiled. “Wait here. I’ll get my hat and gloves.”
The driver nodded, and Victoria shot up the stairs in a very unladylike fashion. Freedom! She was soon to be free of Judith and all these horrible people. She was so glad she’d sorted and packed her things back into their trunks. Kenzie thought Victoria had simply taken her advice and picked up after herself. She’d even commended Victoria for her hard work. It had taken all of Victoria’s constraint not to blurt out the real reason she’d tidied the place. Wouldn’t they all be surprised when they learned the truth?
She looked in the mirror. Her hair was a mess. Oh, to have someone to style it again. She took the time to pin up several errant strands of hair, then glanced over her dress. A lady’s maid, that was what she needed more than anything else. How marvelous it would be to have a competent lady’s maid again. She would have to locate one, but that shouldn’t be too difficult. She could call on some of the family’s old friends—if she could find them. The earthquake and fire really had reordered her once perfect world.
There was so much to tend to. Perhaps it would all have to wait until she could get out of this wretched city, but soon no one would be bossing Victoria Whitley around. A giggle escaped her.
“Oh, but this is glorious!” She pulled on her gloves and clapped her hands.
She looked at her various trunks. Should she ask the driver to take them down? No, they would keep, and then she’d have the satisfaction of watching Judith’s stunned expression as she moved out of the house.
Victoria pinned her hat in place and then picked up her small purse. She had no idea if Ruef would actually furnish her money today or just papers to take to the bank. Grandmother seldom handled actual cash. She usually just signed for things or told people to submit a bill.
Victoria frowned. She knew so very little. It was hard to admit she was ill-prepared to face her future. Her brother Bill had once told her she would be better off if she studied the way their grandmother managed the estate and their servants rather than fighting the old woman. Victoria had thought it a waste of her time, however. She had always known she would marry and her husband would attend to such things. Now, at nineteen, she was about to embark on a life of her own, free from the oppressive restrictions of her grandmother and father. The very idea thrilled and terrified her to the core of her being.
“I can’t rely on anyone else,” she told herself. She drew in a deep breath. “I will be my own mistress.” She squared her shoulders. “No one will ever again order me about.”
She gave a curt nod, then made her way downstairs. The driver stood waiting at the door, just as she’d left him.
“Let us be on our way. I wouldn’t want to keep Mr. Ruef waiting.”
Kenzie felt Arthur tense beside her. He shook his head and looked down at her in confusion. “Kenzie, I think you’re mistaken. He’s the one who’s lying.”
“No, Arthur. You are the liar, and I want nothing to do with you. I have no idea what you and your father are up to, but it won’t involve me.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying. You’ve listened to your friends and their lies. I’m the right man for you, Kenzie.”
“Hardly,” Micah said, moving toward them. “You’ve kept me prisoner for nearly two weeks, as best I can tell. You’ve lied to the woman I intend to marry and made plans to kill me.” He looked at Kenzie, and she warmed under his scrutiny.
Morgan scowled at Micah. “You’ll pay for this with your life.” He let loose a stream of curses, then called again for his men. “Ramus! Bardsley!” He looked at the opening behind Micah’s chair. No one appeared. He called out again. “Ramus! Bardsley! Get in here and do your job!”
Kenzie reached into her pocket, causing Arthur to lose his grip on her shoulder. “Goodness, Arthur, who in the world are you yelling for?”
Instead of Arthur’s henchmen, Patrick, Camri, and Judith appeared in the archway that led into another room. “I’m afraid,” Patrick began, “that yer boys are a bit tied up at the moment.”
Arthur stared at them for a moment and then bared his teeth. Shaking with rage, he produced a small derringer and waved it. “Get back! I have a gun.”
Kenzie cleared her throat and smiled. “What a coincidence, Arthur. So do I.” Her hand closed around the butt of the pistol in her pocket as she shoved it against Arthur’s rib cage. “And just so you know, mine is bigger and will cut you in half.”
He paled and lowered the derringer. “So this was all a ruse?”
Patrick quickly stepped up and disarmed Arthur.
“I don’t understand.” Arthur looked at her, shaking his head. “You really don’t love me?”
“No. I thought I did once, but it was never real. Just as your love for me was never real.”
Despite Patrick holding fast to his arm, Arthur turned to Kenzie. “I only did what I had to. You don’t understand.” He sounded desperate. “It’s not too late. Perhaps we don’t love each other, but marrying me will be to your benefit. I can give you anything you want—believe me.”
Kenzie shook her head. “That’s the whole point, Arthur. I don’t believe you. I don’t know why it is so imperative to you that we marry, but it isn’t going to happen. I’m glad you stood me up at the altar. For all the humiliation and shame, I faced—for all the pain and sadness I endured—I’m glad things worked out the way they did. Otherwise I might never have known what real love was all about.”
