Read Online Scandal on Rincon Hill by Shirley Tallman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shirley Tallman
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slip, I gathered he had a number of younger siblings, an alcoholic father, and an overworked mother who was not in the best of health. No wonder he had embraced Fanny as his surrogate grandmother, as readily as she had adopted him as her grandson.
After bidding Robert a good morning, Eddie and I stepped through Fanny's tidy millinery shop, and out onto the street. Beforewe could ascend the stairs to my office, however, our progress was impeded by a gentleman, who stepped forward to block the doorway.
I started to address this rude behavior, when the rebuke died in my throat. Moving my eyes upward, I was stunned to realize that the interloper was none other than Pierce Godfrey, the tall, enigmatic shipping mogul I had met several months ago when I'd become involved in the Russian Hill murders.
I had forgotten how handsome he was: his tanned face, ebony hair, and midnight-blue eyes nearly took my breath away. He was wearing a dark gray, fashionably cut suit, a white shirt, and had tied a tasteful dark blue and gray cravat beneath his well-muscled neck. If possible, his broad shoulders seemed even more powerful than I remembered, by contrast making his slender waist appear even more taut.
“Mr. Godfrey, I—that is—you're back in town,” I sputtered rather lamely.
My chest seemed bereft of breath, and I wondered why I had suddenly lost the ability to speak coherently. The man who had offered me my first proposal of marriage had left San Francisco some months earlier to open Godfrey Shipping's Hong Kong office.
Naturally, my discomfort did not escape his notice, and his self-satisfied grin did nothing to alleviate my embarrassment.
“Hello, Sarah,” he said, his voice as rich and compelling as ever. “Since you instructed me to send all my correspondence to this address, I thought it best to visit you here, rather than at your home.”
“Yes, ah, of course. I'm glad you did.” Furious with myself, I struggled to get my thoughts in some semblance of order. I'd requested that he direct his letters to my office because my mother, who was increasingly desperate to see me married, tended to become overeager when she spied Pierce's name in the post. Given that I had long since disavowed the married life to pursue a career in the law—and not wishing to cause my mother pointless pain—I did my best to avoid conversing with her on this sensitive subject.
The simple truth was that I could not remain firm in my life's resolve if I permitted a man to gain power over my life. Sad to say, that is exactly the abysmal state I would find myself in if I were to marry. Under our frequently misguided legal system, a modern-day married woman hardly possessed more rights than those allotted to a child. A husband controlled his wife's finances, had the final say on her choice of reading material, the upbringing of their children, and even which church they attended. I could not allow myself to fall into this wretched position.
As Eddie fidgeted restlessly beside me, I realized I had become lost in my thoughts. Recalling myself to the present, I said, “You remember Eddie Cooper, do you not, Mr. Godfrey?”
He stretched out his hand to the lad, taking him by surprise. After a brief hesitation, Eddie wiped his doughnut-sticky fingers on his pant legs and reached out to return the handshake. The boy smiled broadly at this unaccustomed display of adult recognition, especially coming from a person he held in such awe.
“I certainly do remember the lad,” replied Pierce. “How are you, Eddie?”
“I'm mighty fine, Mr. Godfrey, sir.” The boy stared up at Pierce. “Did you really sail all the way here from Hong Kong?”
“I did, indeed.” With twinkling eyes he went on, “Perhaps You'd enjoy going aboard one of our ships sometime over the Christmas holidays, Eddie. I could give you the grand tour.”
For a moment I feared the lad might burst with excitement. “Yes, sir, Mr. Godfrey,” he gushed. “I'd like that all to
After bidding Robert a good morning, Eddie and I stepped through Fanny's tidy millinery shop, and out onto the street. Beforewe could ascend the stairs to my office, however, our progress was impeded by a gentleman, who stepped forward to block the doorway.
I started to address this rude behavior, when the rebuke died in my throat. Moving my eyes upward, I was stunned to realize that the interloper was none other than Pierce Godfrey, the tall, enigmatic shipping mogul I had met several months ago when I'd become involved in the Russian Hill murders.
I had forgotten how handsome he was: his tanned face, ebony hair, and midnight-blue eyes nearly took my breath away. He was wearing a dark gray, fashionably cut suit, a white shirt, and had tied a tasteful dark blue and gray cravat beneath his well-muscled neck. If possible, his broad shoulders seemed even more powerful than I remembered, by contrast making his slender waist appear even more taut.
“Mr. Godfrey, I—that is—you're back in town,” I sputtered rather lamely.
My chest seemed bereft of breath, and I wondered why I had suddenly lost the ability to speak coherently. The man who had offered me my first proposal of marriage had left San Francisco some months earlier to open Godfrey Shipping's Hong Kong office.
Naturally, my discomfort did not escape his notice, and his self-satisfied grin did nothing to alleviate my embarrassment.
“Hello, Sarah,” he said, his voice as rich and compelling as ever. “Since you instructed me to send all my correspondence to this address, I thought it best to visit you here, rather than at your home.”
“Yes, ah, of course. I'm glad you did.” Furious with myself, I struggled to get my thoughts in some semblance of order. I'd requested that he direct his letters to my office because my mother, who was increasingly desperate to see me married, tended to become overeager when she spied Pierce's name in the post. Given that I had long since disavowed the married life to pursue a career in the law—and not wishing to cause my mother pointless pain—I did my best to avoid conversing with her on this sensitive subject.
The simple truth was that I could not remain firm in my life's resolve if I permitted a man to gain power over my life. Sad to say, that is exactly the abysmal state I would find myself in if I were to marry. Under our frequently misguided legal system, a modern-day married woman hardly possessed more rights than those allotted to a child. A husband controlled his wife's finances, had the final say on her choice of reading material, the upbringing of their children, and even which church they attended. I could not allow myself to fall into this wretched position.
As Eddie fidgeted restlessly beside me, I realized I had become lost in my thoughts. Recalling myself to the present, I said, “You remember Eddie Cooper, do you not, Mr. Godfrey?”
He stretched out his hand to the lad, taking him by surprise. After a brief hesitation, Eddie wiped his doughnut-sticky fingers on his pant legs and reached out to return the handshake. The boy smiled broadly at this unaccustomed display of adult recognition, especially coming from a person he held in such awe.
“I certainly do remember the lad,” replied Pierce. “How are you, Eddie?”
“I'm mighty fine, Mr. Godfrey, sir.” The boy stared up at Pierce. “Did you really sail all the way here from Hong Kong?”
“I did, indeed.” With twinkling eyes he went on, “Perhaps You'd enjoy going aboard one of our ships sometime over the Christmas holidays, Eddie. I could give you the grand tour.”
For a moment I feared the lad might burst with excitement. “Yes, sir, Mr. Godfrey,” he gushed. “I'd like that all to
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