Spoiled Evelyn (The Mail Order Brides of Boot Creek Book 4)

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v1.01

“
Y
ou told
mother where I was, didn’t you?” I glared at my maid, who blushed a guilty red, her cheeks darkening. We had disembarked in Santa Fe, waiting for the connection to Lamy. I had gone to post a letter, discovering one had been waiting for me. “I’m vexed with you now, Tory. I never thought you’d betray me like this.”

Wearing a serviceable calico dress and bonnet, Victoria lowered her eyes to avoid my pointed stare. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want Mrs. Warner to worry. I hadn’t meant to give anything away.”

“But they know where I am now! Joseph will find me!” Panic drove me to my feet, where I grasped the back of the seat. We were in the Lounge Car with other first class passengers. “He’ll know exactly where to go now. Blast you and your meddling! If I didn’t need a maid, I’d dismiss you at once. All I’ve ever asked is that you see to my needs with competency and discretion. Giving away my secrets is unforgivable.” I glared at her. “I could throttle you.”

“We’re not staying in Santa Fe, Evelyn. We’re moving on. I won’t send another letter, I swear. I only wanted Mrs. Warner not to worry.”

“I’ve already left a letter detailing my decision to leave. I’ve explained myself at length. The last thing I need is for Joseph to know where I am. I know you’re fond of my fiancé—ex-fiancé ”, I amended, “but I’m not!” People had turned their heads, overhearing our conversation.

“Please don’t be mad at me.” Tears appeared in her eyes, glistening remorsefully. “I didn’t mean to cause harm, Evelyn, I swear. I only ever want to serve you. You’re my employer, but I adore you. You’re generous to a fault and fun and beautiful. I couldn’t ask for a better mistress.”

“You mean to butter me up with flattering words.” I gazed around at the passengers, scowling and not caring how I appeared. This was a serious matter, with long-reaching implications. “If he comes here, we’re through! You do realize that, don’t you? The reason I’ve left is entirely personal, but I have no desire to attach myself to a man like that. I don’t care what my father says. I will
NOT
marry that man.”

The porter strolled in our direction, smiling politely. “Good afternoon, ladies. Can I offer you a beverage?”

“I’m going to need a whiskey. A strong one.”

An eyebrow lifted. “Ah, yes, of course, Miss Warner.” He glanced at Tory. “And you?”

“I might need one too, but I’ll take a lemonade. Someone has to remain in control of their faculties.”

Returning to the seat, I folded my gloved hands in my lap. “This is a disaster.”

“Joseph won’t know where you are. You’re not staying in Lamy. We’re going to Boot Creek. Soon you’ll be married to Percy Vanguard. He won’t have a say in the matter. You’ve handed him the mitten. He knows it’s over.”

“But he won’t leave me be.”

Joseph Cardcastle had courted me for a year, showering me with attention and gifts, but I had never felt anything more for him than friendship. My father adored him, as his family came from old money and their businesses rivaled our own, but I cared not for his wealth. I did not need his money or his expensive gifts. I wanted something else entirely. I craved love. I longed for affection, and a part of me wanted an adventure before I committed myself to marriage and motherhood.

“Your secret is still safe. Our tickets are under false names. It would be impossible for him to follow you after Lamy.”

“He’s not daft, Tory. He’ll look for the nearest town and find Boot Creek. You’ve all but ruined my chances of escape. I’ll have to deal with him again.”

“But you’ll be married by then. You’re marrying as soon as we reach our destination.”

I tapped a finger on the arm of the chair. “Perhaps.”

She gave me a look. “But you’ve agreed to the engagement. You’ve given your word that you’re going to marry Percy.”

“I did say that, didn’t I?”

Her frown was pronounced. “Evelyn.”

“Don’t take that tone with me, darling. You’re my maid. Your responsibilities include helping me dress, ironing my clothing, and arranging my hair. You’ve no say in my personal life whatsoever.” I dared her to challenge me.

“I’ve been in your service for many years now. You’d not throw me on the streets, and I know you adore me, just as I adore you. I know you listen to me. I have a bad feeling about this. I thought it questionable from the start, when you told me about writing letters to a stranger. This is going to end in disaster.”

“Bosh.” I sat forward, while a sense of excitement raced through me. “This is an adventure and one that’s long overdue.”

“You’re living in a fool’s paradise, if you think that. Why don’t you read that letter?”

The porter returned with our drinks. “Oh, thank heaven! I’ve a dreadful headache.” I took the glass of whiskey from his hand, while the man in the next seat stared at me. “I’ve got the cure right here.”

“For you, Miss.” He gave Tory her lemonade.

“Thank you.”

The fluid burned a path down my throat, as I coughed. “Oh, that’s marvelous.”

Tory’s frown had grown. “Arriving intoxicated is a fine way to present yourself to your fiancé.” She sipped her drink. “You should read your letter before we go any further.”

“You think her words will sway me, don’t you? Her pleading and crying and begging aren’t going to change my mind. I’ve been thinking about this for a great long time. I can’t stay in Philadelphia, and I won’t marry Joseph. Sometimes a girl has to set out on her own.”

“Please, read the letter.”

Reaching into my skirt, I withdrew the envelope. “Fine.” Tearing open the contents, I read out loud,
‘Dearest, Evelyn. Your father and I are beside ourselves with worry. When I found your note, I never imagined for a moment that you had run away. Whatever quarrel you have had with Joseph can be worked through, my dear. You did not have to distress your family in such a brutal, awful manner. I might never recover from the shock, and I do believe I have suffered some sort of heart malady already, as a result of the stress. I hope you are proud of yourself, my dear, for the agony you have put your mother through.’
” I sighed dramatically. “Oh, for pity’s sake.”

“It was a cruel thing to do.”

Taking a sip of whiskey, I met the stare of the man across the way, daring him to object to my drink of choice. I would imbibe whatever I wished, wherever I wished, and no one need question me on the matter. My quest for freedom would not be ruined by the disapproval of others. “As long as she has smelling salts, she’ll be fine. People who faint at the drop of a hat are tiresome.”

“You are heartless.”

“You need not speak to me in such a manner, Tory.”

“You’re a lousy drunk too.”

I giggled at that. “I’m hardly drunk.”

“You’re willful and arrogant. You may discharge me at the nearest station. I don’t think I can go on like this. I disapprove heartily of everything. I have a horrible premonition that it’s all going to blow up in our faces.”

Now this had my attention. “You can’t leave me, Tory.” I grasped her hand, squeezing. “It’s going to be fine. You mustn’t fret so. You’re ruining my adventure with your scowls and dire predictions. Why can’t I enjoy myself for once in my life? I’ve always desired a taste of freedom and to feel the wind in my face. I’ll be married soon enough and burdened with a clingy husband, but before I commit myself to such suffering, please allow me this one indulgence.”

“That’s the core of the issue. You’ve been indulged too much already. You’re terribly spoiled. You have your way in everything, and, when it looks like you might lose, you change the rules. Then everyone scrambles to right themselves. We’re nothing but chess pieces in your little game.”

“By mighty, the drama! That’s not true.” I lowered my voice. “I cannot marry Joseph, because I could never love him. He’s overbearing and bossy and irritating. I wouldn’t have a say in anything, if I married him. He wanted to know what my dress size was so he could purchase all my clothing. He insisted I only see his sister and her friend for companions, because he loathed my acquaintances. He’d make me live on that horrid estate with those high walls and servants, keeping me a virtual prisoner in a house that’s not of my taste. I wouldn’t even have a say in how it’s decorated. Must I go on?” I glared at her. “He chooses my meals when we’re at dinner. I can’t even look at the menu. He won’t let me discuss politics or worldly events, preferring my silence to any opinions I might have. I can’t live like that, Tory.”

“Most men of his stature are persnickety.”

“Blue blooded, rich men are, but I won’t have that. I want a man who’s a breath of fresh air.” Sitting back, I indulged in another sip of whiskey, feeling warmth spread through me, dulling my senses. “I want a man who’s interested in my opinions. I don’t want meaningless gifts and fancy parties. I want someone who’ll love and cherish me, worshiping me body and soul. I want someone I can’t resist kissing.”

“That’s scandalous,” murmured Tory. “Not only that, but it’s a fantasy. You’ve been reading far too many Ann Radcliffe’s novels. Men like that don’t exist. Given half a chance, you’d feel that way about Joseph.”

I grimaced, remembering how trapped I felt in his presence, my mind screaming for freedom. He was far too similar to my father, and I could never marry a man like that. “We shall see.” I gazed out the window at the view, glimpsing a rugged topography of what appeared to be shorn bluffs and dried vegetation. I could see for miles in all directions, clear to the mountains in the distance.

“It’s lovely here.”

“If you’re some sort of desert creature.”

“I could become one, I suppose.” I smiled slightly. “It’s so vast. I feel like a tiny speck in the big scheme of things. I won’t matter at all out here.” That idea appealed to me. Keeping up with the friends in my set, the parties, the clothing, and, smiling through it all, pretending to be happy was exhausting. I longed for a simpler life, with a man I adored and yearned to kiss. Was that asking too much?

“Won’t you finish the letter?”

“Do I have to?” I gave her a look.

“It might be wise to know what else she said.”

“Very well. I glanced at the paper. “
‘Your father is beside himself with worry. Joseph is devastated. You say you are to marry a stranger you have never met. This decision of yours, to become a mail order bride, is something I have kept close to my chest. If anyone were to know you have done this, they would be scandalized. Your reputation would be in ruins. I have told everyone in your acquaintance that you have gone east for a visit. To be a mail order bride, a woman of your position would never lower herself in such a manner. You should be ashamed, Evelyn. Truly ashamed. You have the world at your feet, yet you persist in throwing it all away on a senseless whim. If you think your father is going to let this pass, you are sadly mistaken. All efforts have been made to retrieve you. You feel rather smug that you have succeeded in this insanity, but you have not. I shall have strong words with you, after you return home—where you belong. Kind regards, your long-suffering mother, Gertrude.’
” A twinge of worry crept along my spine.

“There you have it. Enjoy this reckless freedom while you can. It’ll all be over soon enough.”

I stared out the window. “A person could get lost here, Tory. There’s only space and desert. I could go anywhere, and they’d never find me.”

“But they will. They have limitless resources.”

“As do I.” I had sewn money and jewelry into the hem of my petticoats. “I can run further and further, until I’m entirely free.”

“You’ll hate it. Once you see how primitive things are out here, you’ll be begging for a ride to the nearest station. You’re used to modern conveniences and the distractions of society. You’ll find none of those things here. You’ll be bored stiff in two days.”

I lifted the glass, grinning. “Let’s bet on it. If I hate Boot Creek and want to go home, I’ll owe you a hundred dollars.”

Her eyes widened. “I’d be stupid not to take that bet.” She clinked her glass to mine. “It’s a deal, Miss Warner. I’ll happily take all that money.”