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Authors: Dorothy Clark
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have Captain Benton arrest him.”
Mary snorted. “You mean if the good captain is not too busy arresting children.” She turned her head and looked forward. The sun rode low in the sky, the bottom of the blazing orange orb hidden by the leafy canopy of a tree atop the rise they were climbing. She lifted her hand to shade her eyes from the glare of light and looked across the street at an imposing two-story brick building with a clock tower, topped by a pillared dome, in the center of the roof. A large park surrounded the building. Mary gave James a sidelong look. “Shall we cross over and see what that building is?”
He nodded and took hold of her elbow. They waited for a buggy to pass, then hurried across the street and walked up the wide brick pathway to climb the steps. The cooler air in the shade of the portico felt wonderful. Mary removed her hat, fanned herself with its wide brim and watched James stride over to a brass plaque on the wall beside the handsome double doors straight ahead.
“This is the courthouse, Mary. Rather small, I should think, for all—”
One of the doors opened and an elegantly dressed young woman stepped out onto the portico, almost running into James.
“Oh!” Light brown, delicately arched brows lifted and big, blue eyes opened wide as beautifully shaped lips parted in surprise. “Forgive me, sir. I was not paying attention to my path.”
James smiled and made a polite bow. “Not at all, miss. The fault was mine. I should not have crowded the doorway.”
“You are too kind, sir.” Long lashes fluttered down over the blue eyes as the woman smiled, revealing dimples in cheeks tinged with a hint of pink.
Mary’s chest tightened. The woman was petite, blond and beautiful. The same as Victoria. Everything she was not. She stopped fanning, raised her hat to her head and settled it a little forward to hide as much of her face as possible. The wide, gauzy ties she formed into a large bow to hide her small, square chin. There was nothing she could do about her height. Or her slenderness.
She glanced down, surreptitiously bunched the fabric of her long skirt at her narrow waist to make her frame look fuller, then looked back toward the woman and froze. So did the tall, blond man holding the door. Their gazes met. The heat of a blush spread across her cheeks, but Samuel Benton did not so much as flicker an eye. He only gave a polite nod, though she knew he did not miss the tiniest imperfection in her appearance, or her pathetic attempt to hide them.
Mary stood rooted in place, acutely aware of the sheen on her flushed face in comparison to the cool perfection of the beautiful, petite blonde. She felt like an ugly giant, but not for anything would she betray her discomfort to the woman giving her a keen, measuring look from under those ridiculously long lashes. Or to the captain, either. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and pasted a polite smile on her face.
Samuel Benton stepped forward. “Good evening, Miss Randolph…Mr. Randolph. May I present Miss Stewart.” He looked down at the young woman. “Miss Stewart, Miss Randolph and her brother are two of St. Louis’s newest citizens. Mr. Randolph has come to town to manage the Mississippi and Missouri steamer line.”
James gave a polite bow. “Your servant, Miss Stewart.”
Mary smiled and dipped her head, wishing she were seated. She was at least three inches taller than the woman. “Good evening.”
Miss Stewart smiled in response, showing her dimples off to good advantage. “I shall have to tell my father of your arrival in our fair city, Mr. Randolph. I am certain he will want to meet with you. He is the mayor of St. Louis and very solicitous of its businesses.” Her gaze shifted, chilled. “And my mother will want to make your acquaintance, Miss Randolph. She heads many of the charity and cultural events of St. Louis.” She turned to Samuel Benton and gave him a dazzling smile. “You were going to see me
Mary snorted. “You mean if the good captain is not too busy arresting children.” She turned her head and looked forward. The sun rode low in the sky, the bottom of the blazing orange orb hidden by the leafy canopy of a tree atop the rise they were climbing. She lifted her hand to shade her eyes from the glare of light and looked across the street at an imposing two-story brick building with a clock tower, topped by a pillared dome, in the center of the roof. A large park surrounded the building. Mary gave James a sidelong look. “Shall we cross over and see what that building is?”
He nodded and took hold of her elbow. They waited for a buggy to pass, then hurried across the street and walked up the wide brick pathway to climb the steps. The cooler air in the shade of the portico felt wonderful. Mary removed her hat, fanned herself with its wide brim and watched James stride over to a brass plaque on the wall beside the handsome double doors straight ahead.
“This is the courthouse, Mary. Rather small, I should think, for all—”
One of the doors opened and an elegantly dressed young woman stepped out onto the portico, almost running into James.
“Oh!” Light brown, delicately arched brows lifted and big, blue eyes opened wide as beautifully shaped lips parted in surprise. “Forgive me, sir. I was not paying attention to my path.”
James smiled and made a polite bow. “Not at all, miss. The fault was mine. I should not have crowded the doorway.”
“You are too kind, sir.” Long lashes fluttered down over the blue eyes as the woman smiled, revealing dimples in cheeks tinged with a hint of pink.
Mary’s chest tightened. The woman was petite, blond and beautiful. The same as Victoria. Everything she was not. She stopped fanning, raised her hat to her head and settled it a little forward to hide as much of her face as possible. The wide, gauzy ties she formed into a large bow to hide her small, square chin. There was nothing she could do about her height. Or her slenderness.
She glanced down, surreptitiously bunched the fabric of her long skirt at her narrow waist to make her frame look fuller, then looked back toward the woman and froze. So did the tall, blond man holding the door. Their gazes met. The heat of a blush spread across her cheeks, but Samuel Benton did not so much as flicker an eye. He only gave a polite nod, though she knew he did not miss the tiniest imperfection in her appearance, or her pathetic attempt to hide them.
Mary stood rooted in place, acutely aware of the sheen on her flushed face in comparison to the cool perfection of the beautiful, petite blonde. She felt like an ugly giant, but not for anything would she betray her discomfort to the woman giving her a keen, measuring look from under those ridiculously long lashes. Or to the captain, either. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and pasted a polite smile on her face.
Samuel Benton stepped forward. “Good evening, Miss Randolph…Mr. Randolph. May I present Miss Stewart.” He looked down at the young woman. “Miss Stewart, Miss Randolph and her brother are two of St. Louis’s newest citizens. Mr. Randolph has come to town to manage the Mississippi and Missouri steamer line.”
James gave a polite bow. “Your servant, Miss Stewart.”
Mary smiled and dipped her head, wishing she were seated. She was at least three inches taller than the woman. “Good evening.”
Miss Stewart smiled in response, showing her dimples off to good advantage. “I shall have to tell my father of your arrival in our fair city, Mr. Randolph. I am certain he will want to meet with you. He is the mayor of St. Louis and very solicitous of its businesses.” Her gaze shifted, chilled. “And my mother will want to make your acquaintance, Miss Randolph. She heads many of the charity and cultural events of St. Louis.” She turned to Samuel Benton and gave him a dazzling smile. “You were going to see me
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