Creighton Manor (19 page)

"I won’t. I'll see what Lotti is up to." Tyler ran down the hall in search of his great-grandmother.

"Now let's get you into your dress
.”
Dora shut the bedroom door. "Where’s your corset?"

"I'm not wearing that thing. I got rid of it."

Dora chuckled and shook her head. "I tell you, I don't blame you one bit." Dora looked Gillian over. "Besides, with that tiny waist of yours, you don't need something holding you in." The older woman went over to where Gillian's beautiful dress had been placed. She waited while Gillian removed her robe, then she slipped the garment over her head. The dress was a deep turquoise with beads sewn around the bodice and there were tiny buttons that lined the back of it. It took Dora nearly ten minutes to button every one. "Now let's take a look at you." Gillian turned around to face her. "Oh, you do look lovely. Now, let's put your hair up." She led Gillian to the vanity table. She talked while she did wonders with every strand of her long auburn hair. She twisted, folded and pinned, adding tiny flowers for added color. Gillian looked in the mirror. She couldn't believe the transformation. She actually looked like a woman who belonged in this time. "Do you like it?" Dora asked.

"You did a lovely job." Gillian lightly touched her hair. She looked at Dora’s reflection in the mirror, her eyes misting with gratitude. "Thank you."

"No trouble at all. When you have someone that looks the way you do, my job is all but done. You'll be the prettiest woman here tonight
.”

Zachary knocked and asked for entrance. Dora did the honor, but before she let him in, she gave him a stern warning. "You’re in for a pleasant surprise, but no messing up your wife's hair mind you. Now move aside. I have to go check on Tyler and make sure he hasn't gotten himself into trouble
.”

Zachary chuckled and moved aside and Dora headed down the hall. Zachary entered the room, shutting the door behind him. He stared as Gillian nervously ran her hand down the length of her dress. His imagination went where it shouldn’t. He remembered how his hands had caressed her body. His gaze wandered over her and lazily appraised every curve. A spike of heat hit him low in the gut and he forgot why he’d been angry with her. All he could think of was embracing her, while he devoured her lusciously, rosy lips.

He covered the spaces that separated them. Now he knew why Dora had made the comment not to mess up her hair. He would have liked nothing more than to ravish her, take every pin out and run his hand through her silky strands. He had to clear his throat before he could manage to articulate what he wanted to tell her. "You are absolutely breathtaking." The huskiness of his voice had to have given him away. She must know he wanted her.

“May I say you look rather dashing yourself?" Her cheeks flushed, only heightening her beauty.

He smiled. "Compliment accepted. You know, I have missed you." He couldn't resist touching her cheek with the back of his hand. "So many times I have tried to apologize to you for my behavior. Forgive me for not doing so sooner." He met her gaze, beseeching her to accept his apology.

"I’ll forgive you, only if you do the same for me."

“Fair enough
,” Zachary said as he leaned down and gently brushed her lips with his. He heard the little intake of her breath. He wondered why she continued to deny them being together when he could sense she felt the same strong attraction that he did. “I have something for you.” He pulled out the item from his coat pocket. “My father gave it to my mother on their wedding day." He opened his hand and she saw that he held an exquisite flowered broach. "I would be honored if you would wear it
.”

Her eyes misted and her throat seemed to grow thick. “It's so beautiful." She turned the broach over and read the inscription on the back: To my love, Creighton.

"May I?" Zachary asked indicating he would like to pin the broach to her dress. She nodded and he fastened the broach to the material of her bodice.

The task completed Gillian raised her hand to tenderly touch the elegant piece of jewelry. Her eyes brimmed with tenderness. "Thank you, Zachary."

He was about to kiss her again, but Lotti walked in. They both immediately took a step back from each other.

"I didn't realize you'd be in here, Zachary. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything
.”
Lotti’s brows lifted slightly in question as she eyed both of them.

"No Lotti,” Zachary answered. “You weren't interrupting anything."

"Hmm.” She shook her head and then turned her attention to Gillian. “You do look fabulous in that dress. The other women will be green with envy
.”
Lotti’s eyes sparkled with her obvious pride.

"You look wonderful too." Gillian returned the compliment.

Lotti was indeed a striking woman. Her gray hair was loosely pinned into a bun and she wore a light colored dress that flattered her baby blue eyes. Gillian noticed she had her cane with her, polished and gleaming gold in the light.

"Come on. We must go downstairs and greet the guests. They'll be here any moment," Lotti urged as she headed out of the room.

Zachary took Gillian’s hand. He was ready to follow his grandmother, but Gillian didn’t budge. He looked at her questionably. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm just a little nervous, you know . . . meeting everyone."

"Well don't be. Believe me, they'll all be enchanted." She met his reassuring gaze and forced herself to settle down. She could do this.

Luckily, for Gillian, the first guest to arrive was Ellery. His gregarious laughter would put anyone at ease. "Why Gillian, you look ravishing." He always knew what to say. He took her hand in his and kissed it. Then he went to Lotti. "And you are stunning as usual."

"Be gone with you, now. Flattery will get you nowhere. I'm too old for your Tom Foolery." Nevertheless, she could tell that Lotti was pleased by his compliment.

They went into the large decorated room and waited for everyone to arrive. Within minutes, four other guests walked through the door, followed by the arrival of Cyrus and Josephine Locke.

"Married life has treated you well, Mrs. Creighton." Cyrus bowed.

"I can't believe the transformation," Josephine exclaimed as her gaze traveled the length of her.

"I’ll take that as a compliment." Gillian chuckled. She realized their first meeting had left them with a poor image of her.

"Oh, yes indeed. You are quite fetching and . . . "Josephine touched the delicate broach Gillian was wearing. “What an exquisite piece. Wherever did you find it?”

Gillian smiled. “It was a gift from Zachary.”

“Well, I say it is . . .” Josephine was unable to continue her conversation for another couple came in and began to monopolize Gillian’s attention.

"T
his is the angel of the night?” a
tall young man exclaimed as he pushed his way through to be introduced, skepticism ringing in his voice. "You are such a little thing. How in the world did you ever manage to pull Zachary out of the river? It couldn’t be possible.”

The man had drawn the other's attention and they gathered around. Gillian looked at the eager faces that were ready to hear more. She looked to Zachary for help, but he had moved away and didn't know what was happening. She stammered at first, but then she saw Ellery. He winked and held up a glass of champagne as a salute. She regained some of her composure and cleared her throat. "I did what any other person would have done. I just jumped into the water, after him. I couldn't very well let him drown, could I?"

"Nobody in his or her right mind would jump into the river in the dead of night,” another man argued. “Don’t you know what lurks below the depths?”

“It was a foggy night, too. I remember that night well,” someone offered his rendition.

Everyone around murmured their agreement and waited anxiously for Gillian to defend herself.

Ellery decided to come to the rescue and broke through the crowd. "Now, I was there. It was a foggy night just as you have said, Daniel.” He nodded his head toward the man who stood at Gillian’s right elbow.

Zachary realized how quiet the room became and moved closer to hear.

“Gillian saw, as did I,” Ellery continued, “that Zachary, after his struggles with an unsavory sort had tumbled backwards into the roaring water below. I, at the time was preoccupied with one of the hooligans that had decided to jump me. I saw Gillian run toward the edge and dive into the deep waters below. I’ll tell you, I thought it was over for the both of them. Now by this time, others heard the commotion and yelled for help. So desperate was I to get to the water’s edge that my attention was not on the man that attacked me. Unfortunately, he escaped unnoticed.

“We searched the water through the drifting fog. Thinking that we wouldn’t find them, but there they were bobbing up and down in the water with the current threatening to overtake them. Gillian held onto the unconscious Zachary. We hurried to the lower embankment and tossed the rope to them, reeling them in.

“Even with all Gillian’s heroic attempts, it looked as if Zachary would succumb to his death anyway. But again, the angel of the night came to the rescue and breathed life into him
.”
Here Ellery deliberately paused. He took a sip of his champagne and watched over the brim of his glass as if to see how the people of the room responded to his tale. The crowd turned to her. She blushed at their admiring looks. Ellery smiled smugly and continued, “I for one am still baffled why Gillian would risk life and limb to save Zachary. He can be such a dour person at times.” Ellery teasingly grinned at his childhood friend. “The best thing, he has ever done in his life was to marry this angel of the night." He lifted his drink. "Hold on to her, my friend. She'll save your soul, dear boy." He purposely emptied his glass as if he had made a toast.

Zachary spoke though it was barely above a whisper, "She already has."

Gillian
’s
gaze riveted to his, but before she cou
ld decipher
what he meant by his comment, he had turned away.

"Come on, this is a party. Enjoy yourself.” Zachary had spoken loud and clear for all to hear.

Gillian could still make out the murmuring of a few as they talked about her heroic deed. The doubt was not there, only respect thanks to Ellery.

***

Violet Ellsworth made her grand entrance:
H
er gown sweeping around her in a stream of lavender. She didn't wait to be introduced. Once her gaze landed on Zachary, she headed straight toward him.

Ellery intercepted. "Violet my girl, don't you look lovely tonight." And indeed, she did. Her dress fit her slim figure perfectly. Her reddish hair actually sparkled in the light with her ringlets falling loosely down her back. Unfortunately, her pretty face held a definite scowl, ruining her refined and delicate appearance.

"I'm not your girl," Violet snapped. "So kindly move out of my way."

"Tsk, tsk. You better pull in your claws." Ellery took her arm and intentionally moved her in the opposite direction of where Zachary and Gillian were standing. Under his breath, while all the time smiling sweetly, he threatened, "You behave yourself or—"

"Or what?" she said with contempt and tried to wiggle free from Ellery's grasped.

"You'll leave me no other choice than to escort you home."

"You can't do that," she stated with more confidence than she felt.

"I can, and I will, even if I have to drag you out kicking and screaming. This is a party for my best friend and his wife."

"Your best friend, the heel was supposed to marry me. Not some street urchin," she cried.

Ellery put a comforting arm around Violet and led her out onto the verandah. "I know you feel like you have been wronged, but think about this, will you? Did Zachary ever say he was going to marry you?"

"Well
… he…
he
…" She stomped her foot. "No, he didn't exactly say he would, but I assumed it. Why did he allow me to hang around if he was never going to marry me? That woman in there bewitched him, is what.” She pointed behind her as if she was fingering the accused for trial. “I know Zachary still loves me."

"He proclaimed this to you?"

"Of course, he did!  How dare you!" Violet lifted her hand to slap Ellery, but he grabbed her arm. "Unhand me you cad," she seethed, her eyes flashing with anger.

Ellery let go of her arm and she pushed him aside. “I refuse to take any more abuse from you Ellery Livingston.” She started back into the house, but stopped at the entryway when Ellery called to her.

"Just remember what I said: Behave yourself or suffer the consequences
.”

Violet’s back stiffened, but she didn’t turn around. Without a word, she gracefully sashayed back into the house.

After dinner, the men congregated to the far side of the room. They were busy arguing over politics. Ellery stood on one side of the group discussion and Zachary stood on the other. They nodded to each other and the plan was put into motion.

"So who is placing a bet on the impending race between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee?" Ellery opened the floor for the flood of comments.