Sweet Deception Regency 07 - The Divided Hearts (24 page)

“My stars, Miss Judith! Whatever are you
doing?” Phoebe asked, appalled at the chaos.

The young girl stood with hands on her hips,
goggle-eyed at the disorder of the room she had already
straightened up after breakfast. Her face took on a harassed
expression until she took in her forlorn mistress. Judith stood in
the middle of the disarray, clad only in her chemise. From the
woebegone appearance of her face, it looked as though she might
burst into tears at any minute. Phoebe had been aware of the
subdued air and dark circles underneath Judith’s eyes in the last
few days. Although she had not offered any confidences, the young
girl knew that her mistress was troubled and had done what she
could during the week to smooth her path.

Sometimes Phoebe felt the older of the two
and, if her suspicions were correct, she thought she knew what was
ailing Miss Judith. The gowns spread out around the room seemed to
confirm the girl’s deductions. Since Judith’s arrival she had never
paid over much attention to what she would wear to any gathering.
But Phoebe remembered when her best friend’s sister was courting.
Elsbeth had gotten mighty persnickety about what she wore. Looked
like Miss Judith was in the same kind of turmoil. Having identified
the problem to her own satisfaction, Phoebe grinned and began to
roll up her sleeves.

“Iffen we just deal with one dress at a
time, Miss Judith, I think we might be able to find something that
you’ll like,” the girl said moving purposefully into the center of
the room.

“There’s nothing here, Phoebe,” Judith
answered crossly. “I’ve tried on every one of them. I have nothing
suitable for a rainy day.”

“If you spent a little time lookin’ out the
window instead of clutterin’ up this room, you’d do us both a
favor.” The young servant snapped in exasperation.

Whirling, Judith ran to the window, staring
in amazement at the sun-washed streets. She had been so busy
worrying over what dress to wear that she had never noticed that
the rain had stopped. The evening ahead was bound to be
perfect.

“I’m sorry about the mess, Phoebe,” Judith
lamented. “I wanted to look especially nice today. I’ll help you
clean it up. I promise.”

“Never mind, miss,” Phoebe said, bending to
pick up several woolen dresses that would be wholly unsuitable for
the warm summer’s evening. “My brother Neddy is going to pick me up
later so I’ll have plenty of time.”

“If you listened to Patrick, you’d know
there was no time to spare,” Judith said glumly. “He’s been
screeching at the door every ten minutes.”

“He and Roger have been discussing the food
and the fireworks all week.” Under Phoebe’s organization the room
had begun to take on some order. She picked up a candy-striped lute
string and held it at arms length, her head cocked to the side as
she viewed it with narrowed eyes.

“I wore that to church two weeks ago,”
Judith complained.

Without a word, Phoebe hung it on the peg in
the press. The next dress in the pile was a lavender cotton with
puffed sleeves and a ruffle at neck and hem.

“Too juvenile,” Judith decided before the
girl could ask. “And that goes for the green.”

“Miss Judith, we’re not ever goin’ to get to
the party at this rate,” Phoebe said, her tone still respectful but
firm in disapproval. “Iffen you want my advice on what to wear,
I’ll give it. If not, I’ll just go on downstairs until you decide
and then I’ll come back up with a pitchfork to clean up this
mess.”

“I’m sorry, Phoebe,” Judith replied humbly.
“I really would like your advice.”

The plain girl’s face puckered with
concentration as she looked around the room. Her brown eyes
inspected each dress, occasionally flicking toward Judith as if to
check how the garment would appear on her mistress. Finally she
nodded her head in decision.

“Well?” Judith asked, unable to stand the
suspense.

“The creamy one,” Phoebe announced. At
Judith’s blank expression, the girl narrowed her eyes and her chin
took on a mulish set.

Judith tried the diplomatic approach. “Isn’t
it just a little plain?”

“Did you or did you not ask for my opinion,
Miss Judith?”

“I did,” Judith affirmed, wrinkling her nose
at the admission.

“And do you trust me enough to realize that
I’d never turn my miss out in anything that wasn’t jest
perfect?

“I do trust you, Phoebe, but… .”

“And do you understand that if you don’t
wear that dress I will never fix your hair again until I am old and
grey?”

“I’ll wear the bloody dress!” Judith
shouted, throwing up her hands in defeat.

“Miss Judith!” Phoebe scolded but then burst
into giggles at her mistress’ peal of laughter.

“Forgive me for being such a crosspatch.”
Judith said. Returned to good humor, she hugged the young girl in
apology. “I know I’m a sore trial to you and I promise you can
dress me up any way you want. I won’t say another word.”

“Hah!” Phoebe snorted in disbelief. “Now sit
down and let’s do your hair before that scamp is back up here
caterwauling.”

As if on cue, stomping footsteps could be
heard approaching the door. “Judith?” Patrick called
pathetically.

“Patrick O’Shea!” Phoebe shouted over her
shoulder. “If you want Miss Judith to be ready, you’ll have to
help. Outside in the garden there’s a bush with yellow roses. You
go out there and pick six little buds. Just the buds, mind
you.”

“What if there’s only five?” came the saucy
answer.

“I counted six this morning. And make it
snappy,” Phoebe shouted, delighted by her role of authority.

“Do they have to be yellow?”

“If you don’t hurry, I’m going to tell Nora
Glowen where you and Roger go swimming.” Phoebe’s eyes, flashing
with glee, caught Judith’s in the mirror. “And naked.”

There was the sound of a sharp gasp behind
the wooden panel, then an ominous silence. The two girls waited,
smothering their giggles as best they could.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Patrick hissed, horror
apparent in his voice.

There was a moment of silence and then a
flurry of sound as the boy catapulted along the hall and down the
stairs.

“Shame on you, Phoebe,” Judith said,
laughing until tears came to her eyes.

“When you got younger brothers that are
bigger and stronger, you got to figure out ways to get them to do
what you want,” the girl said. “ ’Course that means listenin’ real
good to everything so you’ll know what works.”

When the pounding footsteps announced
Patrick’s return, Judith was impressed by the graciousness of
Phoebe’s behavior as she opened the door. She accepted the roses
and complimented the boy on choosing the right color and amount.
Then in a low, conspiratorial voice, she told him that if he went
downstairs, she would hurry Miss Judith along. At fourteen, Phoebe
Finney had the makings of a great diplomat.

Standing in front of the mirror, Judith
acknowledged the fact that Phoebe had chosen the perfect dress. The
sheer creamy silk had tiny puffed sleeves and a draped neckline
which dipped to show the soft roundness of her bosom. An antique
gold ribbon tied beneath her breasts and the ends fluttered down
the front of the dress. Although the skirt appeared slim, there
were yards of the soft material which floated around her as she
moved. Her gloves and sandals matched the gold ribbons. The dress
was without ornamentation and Judith wore only a single strand of
pearls and small pearl earrings.

Her hair had been parted in the middle and
fell in soft waves to cover her ears then was pinned in a cluster
of ringlets at the nape of her neck. The roses, furled petals of
dark gold, had been nestled among the curls. Her favorite
broad-brimmed straw hat was tied with a wide green ribbon at the
side of cheek. Judith looked into the mirror for Phoebe’s nod of
approval but the girl was busy removing thorns from the last
rose.

“Thank you, Phoebe,” Judith said, turning
toward the girl.

“One last thing.” Taking the rose, Phoebe
tucked it against the creamy skin in the center of the draped
neckline.

“Dare I?” Judith could feel a warm flush of
color washing up to her cheeks.

“Mama says for catching men, a good bosom is
better than a dowry,” the young girl answered matter-of-factly.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Judith said, her
voice choked in amusement. She laughed and hugged Phoebe once
again, then turned to the door. “Now hurry and get yourself dressed
or you’ll be late.”

Simon heard the soft whisper of silk
announcing Judith’s approach. As she entered the drawing room, he
got up from his chair but made no move to cross to her. The
ethereal glow that emanated from Judith, left him speechless. He
had always been proud of his daughter for her quick mind and her
cheerful outlook on life. Sometimes he forgot what an exquisite
creature she had become. He swallowed a lump in his throat but
could not combat the mist of tears as he admired his golden girl.
If only her mother could see her, Simon thought with regret.

“Well, Father, will I uphold the honor of
the Hallowell clan?” Judith asked.

For answer, Simon crossed the room, lifting
her chin with his enormous hand. The pride in his suspiciously damp
eyes, told Judith all she needed to know. She raised herself on
tiptoe to kiss his whiskery cheek.

“Thank you, Father, for inviting me to
visit,” she whispered.

“I’d hug you, my dear, but I’m terrified of
crushing your outfit,” Simon boomed, his voice returned to
normal.

The front door slammed and feet thudded in
the hallway, then skidded to a stop as Patrick passed the open
door. “At last!” he shrieked as he flung his body into the room.
When he caught sight of Judith, he froze in his tracks, an
expression of wonder clear on his face.

“Oh, Judith. You look just like a fairy
princess Mam told me about once.”

“What a perfectly lovely thought, my dear,”
Judith said, fighting back her tears. She bent down to kiss the
boy’s cheek then ruffled his hair. Her arm through Simon’s, she
held out her hand to the awestruck boy. “Come along, you handsome
gentlemen, or we’ll be late.” Her voice took on an injured tone and
she continued, “And Roger says, we’ll miss just everything!”

The party was already crowded when the happy
threesome arrived. The grass in front of the low farmhouse was
dotted with colorful patches as the light summery dresses of the
ladies mingled with the sober browns and blacks of the men. Simon
handed Judith down from the carriage and she was immediately
surrounded by the gaily-chattering younger crowd. He threw up his
hands in feigned despair as she was borne away. Patrick leaped to
the ground, grinning in anticipation of the treat ahead. Before he
could shoot off, Simon snagged the collar of his jacket.

“Stay out of fights, don’t throw food and
mind your manners,” Simon growled down at the boy.

“Yes, sir,” Patrick said, fidgeting to be
off.

“Don’t pinch any of the girls, don’t lose
your jacket and keep out of the pig pen.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t spit in front of the ladies, don’t
cuss and,” the older man pressed some coins in the boy’s hand, “And
don’t forget to use these if you need them.”

“Yes, sir!” Patrick shouted.

Simon released the boy’s jacket and he took
off at a run. Suddenly his boots slipped on the grass as he skidded
to a stop. He ran back, throwing his arms around Simon’s waist in a
quick hug then spun off into the crowd. Blowing his nose in a large
white handkerchief, Simon grinned fatuously after the boy. This was
going to be a fine day, he thought, as he strode across the lawn to
the chairs set under the trees. Passing the younger crowd, he
saluted Judith who was being offered a glass of lemonade by no less
than four eager young men.

“Why aren’t you all thoughtful,” Judith
said. She was aware of the sudden silence of the group of young
ladies behind her and was embarrassed at being the focus of such
concentrated male attention. She turned, clapping her hands to draw
the other girls’ attention. “Ladies, just look what the gentlemen
have brought us.”

Judith’s gracious gesture was met with
giggles and shrieks and the glasses were snatched from the
outmaneuvered gallants. Amid laughter at their own chagrin, the men
merged with the women and harmony was restored. Judith enjoyed the
chatter of the ladies, who seemed pleased that she had joined them.
The novelty of her visit had worn off and she had become an
accepted member of the younger set. It occurred to her that now she
had decided to remain in America, these people would be her
friends.

She wandered away from the crowd until she
stood alone in the shadow of a tree. She stared around her with a
new appreciation. The grass appeared more lush and the fields more
fruitful than any she had ever seen. Her eyes moved over the faces
of the people and she realized how many were familiar to her now.
She was filled with a sense of belonging so strong that she felt
her chest swell with the sweet pleasure and she closed her eyes in
contentment.

“You look like the sleeping beauty,” a deep
voice whispered in her ear.

Judith’s eyes flew open and she sighed in
pleasure as Nate’s face filled her vision. For a moment her
emotions were unguarded and she could feel the happiness that
stretched her mouth into a smile of welcome. His handsome features
were so close to her that she had only to reach out and caress his
face. Then someone jostled her and she returned to reality. Quickly
she ducked her head, hoping that Nate had not seen the love that,
uncontrolled, had radiated from her.

“Good afternoon, Nate,” Judith said, her
voice hesitant in her confusion. “It’s such a gorgeous day now that
the rain has stopped. Have you been here long? Simon and Patrick
and I just arrived.”