Read Online The Abolitionist’s Secret by Becky Lower - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Becky Lower
Ads: Link
and my boy. We are so grateful.”
“Nonsense, my child. I’m just doing what little I can. Come along now, and see to your charge.”
They moved upstairs to Jasmine’s room. She was awake, and full of complaints.
“Oh, Sally, I’m so glad you are going to take care of me exclusively. Could you open a window? I’m so hot.”
“Right away, missy.”
“And then, can you fetch me some lemonade? And find my sister? I need to caution her again on what she’s doing and make her aware she’s going to throw her season away.”
“Yes, missy. I’ze be right back.”
Lord have mercy
, Sally thought as she hurried back to the kitchen.
I’m a’gonna have my hands full with this one.
Chapter 12
David helped hoist Heather onto her sidesaddle and then climbed aboard his own horse in front of the carriage house behind the Fitzpatrick brownstone. He watched as Heather smoothed out the skirt of her fawn-colored riding habit. The fitted jacket with tight sleeves was trimmed in a brown velvet ribbon the same exact color as her hair. Her hair was pulled back from her face and tied low on her neck with a matching ribbon. A cascade of curls fell over one shoulder and a fashionable top hat was placed at a slight angle atop her head.
David smiled as Heather stopped momentarily before they departed to wave at the windows of the townhouse. He looked up to the window and saw Jasmine, her face pressed to the windowpane. She stuck out her tongue at them, placed her fingers in her ears and waggled them at the pair. David grinned at her childish behavior and waved before he and Heather turned in their saddles to walk their mounts to the park.
David had mixed feelings about the season. He was sorry Jasmine’s season had come to such an abrupt halt, but happy that it had not interfered with Heather’s. Now, he had an advantage. His focus would be on Heather until he had to leave New York. He didn’t need to feign interest in Jasmine or offer to dance with her, just to steal a few precious moments with her beautiful and complicated sister. Two weeks, that was all he had to convince Heather of his intentions. Fourteen days in which to steal her heart. He would be with Heather every spare moment , bringing home the fact that his interest was genuine and not simply to help her adjust to a social life without the security of her sister. Of course, by the time he left town, her season would be moot if he had his way. By then, he would have accomplished his campaign for her hand, and they’d be wed in a small, intimate ceremony.
Together, they kept their horses at a walk as they headed toward Washington Square Park, where notable New Yorkers were getting their morning exercise on horseback. David noticed a lot of vacant land in the middle of Manhattan, and turned to Heather.
“What is going on here? You would think that land would be prime real estate.”
“Oh that,” Heather acknowledged with a wave of her hand. “The city has decided to put a massive central park in the middle of downtown. They’ve just finished relocating all the people who had been living there. It was mostly farmland anyway, since the soil is too unstable for tall buildings. Plans are underway to landscape this whole area. Papa is on the board of directors for the project and he showed us the plans of what it will become. I’m looking forward to riding through the park when they get it finished in a couple of years.”
David gazed at the wide expanse of land. “This is a considerable amount of land. How big is the park going to be?”
“I think right now the city has purchased seven hundred acres, but they want even more. Won’t it be fun when it’s all done? What a treat for New Yorkers. It will probably become the crown jewel of the city.”
“Some of our plantations aren’t even that big,” David whistled softly.
As they rode on, Heather grew quiet, so David attempted to draw her out. “How is Jasmine settling in at home? Is she feeling any
“Nonsense, my child. I’m just doing what little I can. Come along now, and see to your charge.”
They moved upstairs to Jasmine’s room. She was awake, and full of complaints.
“Oh, Sally, I’m so glad you are going to take care of me exclusively. Could you open a window? I’m so hot.”
“Right away, missy.”
“And then, can you fetch me some lemonade? And find my sister? I need to caution her again on what she’s doing and make her aware she’s going to throw her season away.”
“Yes, missy. I’ze be right back.”
Lord have mercy
, Sally thought as she hurried back to the kitchen.
I’m a’gonna have my hands full with this one.
Chapter 12
David helped hoist Heather onto her sidesaddle and then climbed aboard his own horse in front of the carriage house behind the Fitzpatrick brownstone. He watched as Heather smoothed out the skirt of her fawn-colored riding habit. The fitted jacket with tight sleeves was trimmed in a brown velvet ribbon the same exact color as her hair. Her hair was pulled back from her face and tied low on her neck with a matching ribbon. A cascade of curls fell over one shoulder and a fashionable top hat was placed at a slight angle atop her head.
David smiled as Heather stopped momentarily before they departed to wave at the windows of the townhouse. He looked up to the window and saw Jasmine, her face pressed to the windowpane. She stuck out her tongue at them, placed her fingers in her ears and waggled them at the pair. David grinned at her childish behavior and waved before he and Heather turned in their saddles to walk their mounts to the park.
David had mixed feelings about the season. He was sorry Jasmine’s season had come to such an abrupt halt, but happy that it had not interfered with Heather’s. Now, he had an advantage. His focus would be on Heather until he had to leave New York. He didn’t need to feign interest in Jasmine or offer to dance with her, just to steal a few precious moments with her beautiful and complicated sister. Two weeks, that was all he had to convince Heather of his intentions. Fourteen days in which to steal her heart. He would be with Heather every spare moment , bringing home the fact that his interest was genuine and not simply to help her adjust to a social life without the security of her sister. Of course, by the time he left town, her season would be moot if he had his way. By then, he would have accomplished his campaign for her hand, and they’d be wed in a small, intimate ceremony.
Together, they kept their horses at a walk as they headed toward Washington Square Park, where notable New Yorkers were getting their morning exercise on horseback. David noticed a lot of vacant land in the middle of Manhattan, and turned to Heather.
“What is going on here? You would think that land would be prime real estate.”
“Oh that,” Heather acknowledged with a wave of her hand. “The city has decided to put a massive central park in the middle of downtown. They’ve just finished relocating all the people who had been living there. It was mostly farmland anyway, since the soil is too unstable for tall buildings. Plans are underway to landscape this whole area. Papa is on the board of directors for the project and he showed us the plans of what it will become. I’m looking forward to riding through the park when they get it finished in a couple of years.”
David gazed at the wide expanse of land. “This is a considerable amount of land. How big is the park going to be?”
“I think right now the city has purchased seven hundred acres, but they want even more. Won’t it be fun when it’s all done? What a treat for New Yorkers. It will probably become the crown jewel of the city.”
“Some of our plantations aren’t even that big,” David whistled softly.
As they rode on, Heather grew quiet, so David attempted to draw her out. “How is Jasmine settling in at home? Is she feeling any
Similar Books
