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Authors: Amelia C. Adams
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mouth dropped open, and Elizabeth consciously fought to keep hers from doing the same.
Miss Hampton laughed. “No need to be so shocked, ladies. I’ve lived a very full and interesting life, and there’s much more to me than you might believe.”
“How did you learn to shoot?” Elizabeth asked, finding her voice at last.
Miss Hampton nodded in Mr. Brody’s direction. “Adam gave me a pistol for Christmas a few years back and told me I should learn to use it. He said no woman should be without a means to defend herself. Now, Miss Martin, do you suppose we can put this behind us for one night? Mr. Brody’s bedroom furniture should be here on tomorrow’s train, and then we’ll send Mr. White back out to the barn.” The tone in her voice said that she found the whole conversation silly. Harriet nodded and went back to gathering up the lunch things.
Elizabeth’s eyes strayed over to Mr. Brody again, as if they’d ever really left him since he walked into the hotel that day. He’d taken off his coat and draped it over the back of his chair, and now he stood in his shirtsleeves, a sandwich in one hand, talking to Tom about something or another. She would definitely stop paying so much attention to him—just as soon as she could figure out how.
“Miss Caldwell.”
Elizabeth startled. Had Miss Hampton read her mind and figured out what she was thinking? “Yes?”
“How is your mother? I overheard Adam asking you, but I didn’t catch your answer.”
Elizabeth was relieved that was all Miss Hampton wanted. “She’s been feeling a little tired of late, but overall, I believe she is better.”
“There are some sandwiches leftover from lunch. I invite you to take them home to your mother, if you would. Otherwise, they’ll go to waste.”
Elizabeth doubted they would, but she was touched by the generosity. “I’m sure she’d appreciate that. Thank you.” It was rare that she was able to bring home a surprise to her mother—she’d do it gladly.
Chapter Nine
Adam scowled as he read the letter that had been delivered to Mrs. Dempsey’s that afternoon. It was dusk and he would soon be helping Caroline and Miss Martin carry their things over to the hotel, but he’d taken just a moment to read his mail, and now he was perturbed. He didn’t like being perturbed.
“Aunt Caroline, did you run into Olivia Markham while you were shopping for me in New York?”
Caroline nodded. “I did. We talked about your exciting new venture.”
Adam waved the letter, the paper crinkling in the air. “She’s just written to ask if there’s anything she can do to help. She said she noticed that you only ordered a minimum of linen napkins and wonders if we need more.”
Caroline raised an eyebrow. “Odd that she wouldn’t mention it to me while we were both right there, and I could have done something about it.”
“I don’t find it odd at all. I think she was hoping for something to write me about. She’s always been interested in my inheritance.”
Caroline tsked. “Isn’t it possible that she’s interested in you ?”
“I rather doubt that. She never looked my way until word leaked out that I would be wealthy after Father’s death.” Adam looked at the letter again. “I wonder if she would have been so quick to write if she knew I’d put all the money into this place, with no guarantee of ever turning a profit.”
“Tell me about the napkins,” Caroline said, her voice becoming a bit more pointed. “What other grievous mistakes did I make while shopping?”
“She didn’t mention any. She just said that if we discovered we needed anything else, we should be sure to let her know, and she’d be more than happy to see to it for us.”
Caroline nodded. “I suppose that sounds reasonable. And I suppose I must be reasonable as well and admit that I’ve been making a list of things we still need.”
“But we don’t have to ask for Olivia’s help with them, do we? You just said
Miss Hampton laughed. “No need to be so shocked, ladies. I’ve lived a very full and interesting life, and there’s much more to me than you might believe.”
“How did you learn to shoot?” Elizabeth asked, finding her voice at last.
Miss Hampton nodded in Mr. Brody’s direction. “Adam gave me a pistol for Christmas a few years back and told me I should learn to use it. He said no woman should be without a means to defend herself. Now, Miss Martin, do you suppose we can put this behind us for one night? Mr. Brody’s bedroom furniture should be here on tomorrow’s train, and then we’ll send Mr. White back out to the barn.” The tone in her voice said that she found the whole conversation silly. Harriet nodded and went back to gathering up the lunch things.
Elizabeth’s eyes strayed over to Mr. Brody again, as if they’d ever really left him since he walked into the hotel that day. He’d taken off his coat and draped it over the back of his chair, and now he stood in his shirtsleeves, a sandwich in one hand, talking to Tom about something or another. She would definitely stop paying so much attention to him—just as soon as she could figure out how.
“Miss Caldwell.”
Elizabeth startled. Had Miss Hampton read her mind and figured out what she was thinking? “Yes?”
“How is your mother? I overheard Adam asking you, but I didn’t catch your answer.”
Elizabeth was relieved that was all Miss Hampton wanted. “She’s been feeling a little tired of late, but overall, I believe she is better.”
“There are some sandwiches leftover from lunch. I invite you to take them home to your mother, if you would. Otherwise, they’ll go to waste.”
Elizabeth doubted they would, but she was touched by the generosity. “I’m sure she’d appreciate that. Thank you.” It was rare that she was able to bring home a surprise to her mother—she’d do it gladly.
Chapter Nine
Adam scowled as he read the letter that had been delivered to Mrs. Dempsey’s that afternoon. It was dusk and he would soon be helping Caroline and Miss Martin carry their things over to the hotel, but he’d taken just a moment to read his mail, and now he was perturbed. He didn’t like being perturbed.
“Aunt Caroline, did you run into Olivia Markham while you were shopping for me in New York?”
Caroline nodded. “I did. We talked about your exciting new venture.”
Adam waved the letter, the paper crinkling in the air. “She’s just written to ask if there’s anything she can do to help. She said she noticed that you only ordered a minimum of linen napkins and wonders if we need more.”
Caroline raised an eyebrow. “Odd that she wouldn’t mention it to me while we were both right there, and I could have done something about it.”
“I don’t find it odd at all. I think she was hoping for something to write me about. She’s always been interested in my inheritance.”
Caroline tsked. “Isn’t it possible that she’s interested in you ?”
“I rather doubt that. She never looked my way until word leaked out that I would be wealthy after Father’s death.” Adam looked at the letter again. “I wonder if she would have been so quick to write if she knew I’d put all the money into this place, with no guarantee of ever turning a profit.”
“Tell me about the napkins,” Caroline said, her voice becoming a bit more pointed. “What other grievous mistakes did I make while shopping?”
“She didn’t mention any. She just said that if we discovered we needed anything else, we should be sure to let her know, and she’d be more than happy to see to it for us.”
Caroline nodded. “I suppose that sounds reasonable. And I suppose I must be reasonable as well and admit that I’ve been making a list of things we still need.”
“But we don’t have to ask for Olivia’s help with them, do we? You just said
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