Sadie's Secret: 3 (The Secret Lives of Will Tucker) (38 page)

“I’m glad you could join us, Sarah,” Daddy said. “Unless you object, I’ll be offering the blessing now.”

Goodness, he was cranky. She bowed her head and joined hands with Mama on her left and Aaron on her right. As her father petitioned the Lord for wisdom and then gave thanks, she risked a quick peek at Jefferson across the table.

And caught him watching her.

He seemed amused. Or perhaps his expression was one of confusion. In either case, he had best not mention a word of what happened this afternoon. Surely he understood that this was Pinkerton business and not fodder for a family discussion.

Aaron nudged her and she glanced his way. The rest of the family had said their amens and were passing the plates.

Sadie lifted her head quickly. Too quickly. Blinking from the jab of pain, she accepted the tray of rolls and then handed them to Mama.

The remainder of the meal passed in the usual way. Daddy and the boys talked farming, argued politics, and then debated whether to have one piece of pie or two. Jefferson joined in on most of the discussions, although when it came to pie, he helped himself to one slice and did not go back for seconds.

Because he seemed in no way eager to guide the conversation anywhere but the aforementioned topics, Sadie allowed herself to relax. Depending on whether Julia could be trusted, she may very well have gotten away with the escapade.

By the time coffee was served in Mama’s enormous silver coffee server, Sadie was feeling the effects of the headache powder she had taken. The pain that plagued her had all but abated, but in its absence her ability to remain awake had fled as well.

A swift kick under the table caused Sadie to come awake swiftly. “Mama?”

“Yes, dear?” Her mother looked as innocent as could be, never mind the fact she had just executed a direct jab with her foot to Sadie’s left leg.

Sadie’s eyes narrowed. “Did you want something?”

Mama’s lips turned up in a pretty smile. “Actually, it was Mr. Tucker who was speaking. I merely assisted by getting your attention.”

She turned to look over at Jefferson. “Yes?”

“Well, now.” He placed his napkin on the table. “That is exactly what I hoped you would say.”

“Did you hear that, Seamus?” Mama called across the length of the table. “She said yes.”

A cheer went up as Sadie sat back and watched Ethan clap his hand onto Jefferson’s back. “You were right, Jeff. I didn’t think you were, but you sure were right.”

Aaron leaned over in her direction. “Congratulations, brat.”

She elbowed him and he pretended it hurt. “What is all the fuss? I merely responded to Mr. Tucker. You would think it was the Fourth of July or something.”

Jefferson’s laugh caught her attention. “This is better than the Fourth of July, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve all rolled together.”

She crossed her arms over her waist and shook her head. “If you are all having a joke at my expense, it is not funny.”

“Who’s joking?” Daddy said. “The man asked and you said yes. Your mama heard it. We all did.”

“And that is worthy of celebration?”

“We’re celebrating because someone’s going to take you off our hands,” Cade called from his spot next to Daddy.

“I told you so.” Brent jabbed Cade with his elbow. “And you said she was so particular that it would never happen.”

Slowly the realization of just what they were celebrating dawned on
Sadie. “No,” she said first to Mama and then to Jefferson. “No. That is not what I meant.”

Mama reached over to touch Sadie’s sleeve. “Don’t you go changing your mind now. You’ve answered our Mr. Tucker and that’s that.”

Donovan met her gaze, his expression stoic. Finally, he reached for his butter knife and tapped his water glass until the room fell silent.

“Maybe we ought to listen to Sadie before we celebrate?”

“Thank you, Donovan.” She looked over at Jefferson, who seemed more interested than entertained, and then turned her attention to Daddy. “I wish to inform each and every one of you that I am not amused by your teasing. In fact, I believe I will beg off the after-dinner conversation altogether and claim a headache. If you will excuse me.”

She pushed back from the table and tossed her napkin atop her dessert plate. When she rose, Jefferson followed suit, as did her brothers. Daddy remained seated, his expression grim.

“Don’t worry, Sadie,” Ethan said. “You have a good one. I just wish you had told us about him instead of letting us all find out by surprise.”

“Trust me,” she said as she fixed Jefferson with a glare. “It was a surprise to me as well.”

The man in question winked, and all good sense fled. She picked up the napkin from its resting place atop her uneaten pie and tossed it at him.

As the napkin sailed past, it toppled her water glass and turned the sugar in Mama’s Waterford sugar bowl to soup. Jefferson reached out and caught the linen square, but not before a blob of piecrust landed on his black silk vest.

All her brothers except for Donovan began speaking at once. Cade and Brent shouted advice for Jefferson while Ethan taunted her to throw the entire slice of pie next time. Aaron leaned over to voice disapproval and then sat down as he shook his head.

Mama merely stared, her lips pursed in disapproval and a deep
V
forming between her eyes. Likely the speech from her mother would come later when she’d had time to form it properly. After all, ladies did not air their grievances before company. It was poor manners, and above all, Mama insisted on manners.

Daddy climbed to his feet and then leaned over to pound the table. “That is quite enough, all of you. Sit down and hush.”

This time quiet fell hard and fast. A moment later, Sadie was the only person in the room who remained standing.

“Tucker, what’s your take on this?” Daddy asked.

Jefferson snapped to attention. “My take, sir?”

He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Yes. Did you just offer marriage to my Sarah Louise?”

“I did, sir.” Jefferson shifted his attention to Sadie. “I didn’t expect this would take your daughter by surprise. We have spoken of it.”

“And I told him he was out of his mind.” She headed for the door and didn’t look back even when Daddy called her name.

“If you will excuse me, Mr. Callum,” she heard Jefferson say. “I will see what has her so upset.”

When her false fiancé stepped out into the foyer, she whirled around and fixed him with a look that should have stopped him in his tracks. “See what has me
upset?”

“You are upset.”

Sadie opened her mouth to speak and then thought better of it. A glance at the open door behind him told her that everyone still seated in the dining room was straining to listen.

“I have other things to do rather than take part in any further pointless conversation with you, Jefferson Tucker. Do not follow and do not go back into that dining room and congratulate yourself on becoming my fiancé.” She lowered her voice and leaned toward him. “I know what you’re doing, but there must be another way to do it. I will not pretend to marry you, and that’s that. I will not deceive the people I love. You cannot change my mind.”

Jefferson seemed to consider her statement a moment. “I see your point, Sadie. However, if you will allow me to handle the situation in the proper manner, I believe we can solve any issues that have arisen in regard to your reluctance to wed.” He moved closer, his voice barely a whisper. “And as to deceiving your family, would you not put refusing to tell them that you are a Pinkerton agent in that category?”

She pointed her index finger at him. “Do not move.”

His chuckle followed her as she walked back into the dining room. Sadie allowed her gaze to skip down the table, touching each of her brothers and her uncle and father before landing on Mama.

“While I thank you for your efforts in welcoming me back home, I did not expect you all to take the next step and find a husband for me so I will stay.” Her look challenged Mama. “That is what you’re up to, isn’t it, Mama?”

“Now see here, Sarah Louise,” Daddy said. “Do not be blaming this on your mama. Maybe it’s me who was bent on having my girl back under my roof. Did you think of that?”

She forced her expression to soften. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I must tell you that your efforts will not work. I will find a husband, I promise. But I want it to be when the time is right for me and not when you think it should happen.”

“The Lord works in mysterious ways,” Mama said. “I think it would do you good to remember that.”

“Don’t you think if the Lord wanted me married, He would let me in on the news?”

Her father shook his head. “I sure wish you hadn’t put it that way.”

“It is the only way I can put it, Daddy. He’s just going to have to make it plain who His man is, and then I’ll have no choice but to say yes.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Aaron said. “Although I do like your Mr. Tucker. Seems like a fine man.”

A general murmur of agreement went up. Sadie glanced behind her to see if the man in question had heard. He gave her an I-told-you-so look that caused her to make a face in return.

“I love you all,” she said gently as she returned her attention to her family. “But please let things happen naturally and without any assistance from you. I promise someday I will say yes. No more matchmaking, Mama.”

“Tell that to your Mr. Tucker,” she said. “I’ve never seen a man put up a more compelling argument for helping a romance along. And I don’t think any of us assisted him in making his proposal today. He did that of his own mind and free will. Am I right?”

“You are correct,” he said. “Although, considering we’re going to be family, I do wish all of you would call me Jefferson.”

“I like the sound of that, Jefferson,” Daddy said as her brothers joined in with similar statements.

Shaking her head, Sadie bid her family good night. This time, she brushed past Jefferson without a word.

“If you all will excuse me,” she heard him say, presumably to her family. And then his footsteps echoed behind her.

Had she not been lashed in to the hated corset and hobbled by the ache in her temples, Sadie might have picked up her skirts and run. Her family already thought her the worst sort of heathen anyway given her behavior toward the man they all apparently adored.

Jefferson caught up to her and then trailed a step behind as she walked quickly down the hallway. He stepped in front of her in the foyer. “The plan
will
work if you cooperate, Sadie. However, it will also work if you do not.”

She faced him down, or rather looked up, and then let out a long breath. “How can you worry about that right now?”

“What better time to worry about it? Maybe you don’t feel any sense of urgency, but I have a strong interest in finding a solution as soon as possible.”

He was right, of course. And yet the way he had gone about executing his plan without listening to reason irked her. Like it or not, he had involved her family in his scheme and then left her to deal with the result.

It was all too much. Perhaps tomorrow she would have a reasonable alternative to his ridiculous plan. Or, failing that, she would find the words to explain the situation to her family so that she might leave Callum Plantation unimpeded by concerns that her brothers would follow.

But that was for tomorrow. Tonight, especially in this man’s presence, she could not think straight. She might blame it on the headache powders she had taken or the effects of the willow bark tea, but there was something to be said for a man as ridiculously handsome as Jefferson Tucker standing in close proximity and claiming to want to solve all her problems that made her more than a little lightheaded.

So she would think about it all tomorrow. Sadie stepped around him without comment and went up the stairs.

She didn’t care whether he followed or not. When she successfully closed her bedchamber door behind her without him stopping her, she smiled. And then she spied the parcel atop the armoire.

Had Mama not raised her better, she might have said a few choice words. Instead, she clamped her mouth shut and retrieved the valise, ignoring the paper-wrapped package beneath it. She would see he got the item tomorrow, perhaps. Maybe it would be delivered unopened. Or maybe not.

But tonight she could not consider worrying with it when she had much bigger issues to consider. After today’s fiasco with Sergio Valletta, the time for lingering at Callum Plantation had come to an end.

If Jack could be convinced to take her to New Orleans on a shopping trip, he certainly could be convinced to drive her there one more time. What he would not know until after the journey was well underway was that he would be taking her to the railroad station.

After she dropped a letter for Henry at the post office, of course.

She rang for Julia, still unsure as to whether she would include the maid in her plans. She considered the idea as the girl helped her through her bedtime routine and into her wrapper even though the sun had not yet gone down.

Because Sadie was lost in her thoughts, she noticed Julia’s silence only as she was making her exit. “Is something wrong?”