A Surrendered Heart (20 page)

She stepped onto the porch and was immediately besieged by Mrs. Oosterman. The old woman frowned and
tsk
ed several times. She leaned close to Amanda’s ear. “What were you thinking when you chose that gown? This isn’t a costume party, is it?” She touched a bent finger to the necklace. “Although I’m certain this necklace was costly, it looks frightful with your gown. What’s come over you, my dear? You have impeccable taste.”

“Oh, it’s not Amanda who has flawless taste, Mrs. Oosterman. It’s me.” Ellert had silently approached and obviously had heard only Mrs. Oosterman’s final statement. “I chose her gown and jewelry. I’m pleased to hear you approve. Amanda wasn’t quite so convinced.” There was reproach in his voice.

“To be honest, Mr. Jackson, the ensemble doesn’t enhance Amanda’s beauty. It might work for someone else, but her complexion is far too pale for this color. She should be wearing a vivid color. I was, in fact, chiding her for this choice when you interrupted our conversation.”

Ellert appeared momentarily taken aback but quickly regained his poise. “In the future I shall listen more closely to Amanda’s suggestions,” he said. He’d managed to keep an even tone, but his fingers were now digging into the folds of Amanda’s dress. There was little doubt the woman had angered him.

“I do believe I see Mrs. Pullman across the way,” Mrs. Oosterman said. “If you two will excuse me, I want to say hello.”

“By all means.” Ellert glared after the older woman. The moment she was out of earshot, he said, “I detest that old woman. She has a wagging tongue and an evil heart.”

“Truly? I’m surprised then that you didn’t put her in her place.” Everything had changed between Amanda and Ellert after his attack on her. Amanda no longer even tried to pretend she was happy with their arrangement.

“I was not born into wealth, Amanda. Therefore, I lie in wait for people who either take advantage or treat me with disdain. Eventually I have the pleasure of turning the tables, and it always gives me great satisfaction.” His eyes turned dark with hatred. “One day Mrs. Oosterman will be sorry. She doesn’t realize that through my silent partnership in many companies, I control many of her husband’s assets. If she isn’t careful, she may soon discover her husband isn’t nearly as wealthy as she thinks.”

Amanda sucked in a breath of air. How could one man harbor such deep hatred and disdain? Instead of banning Sophie’s idea, perhaps they should have used that final half hour upstairs to formulate a plan to prevent her engagement and marriage to this despicable man.

“I’ve frightened you. I can see it in your eyes.” He pulled her close. “I enjoy the look of fear. It arouses me,” he whispered in a hoarse voice.

Her mother caught sight of them and crossed the lawn at a near sprint. She grasped Amanda’s hand. “The two of you are supposed to be over here to greet your guests,” she said. There was concern in her eyes, but she maintained a smile. “Come along.”

“I’d rather have you to myself,” Ellert whispered. “I shouldn’t have agreed to this large party. None of these people like me.”

“An astute observation,” Amanda murmured while weaving through the throng of guests.

18

While Amanda and Ellert greeted their guests, Sophie returned to the quiet of her upstairs bedroom. The window from her room would provide a good vantage point to watch for the return of the
DaisyBee
. Mr. Atwell had departed over an hour ago to pick up the final guests due to arrive at the Clayton depot. He should have returned before now. Sophie sat down in the floral upholstered chair beside the window. With no sign of the boat, a knot of fear formed in her stomach. Could something have happened? A train wreck or some other mishap back in Rochester before Paul departed? Perspiration formed on her palms, and she uttered a prayer for Paul’s safety. Observing Mr. Jackson’s behavior over the past days had served to deepen Sophie’s love for Paul and his gentle, caring manner.

Only moments before returning upstairs, Sophie had stood in the shadows of the veranda and overheard Ellert issuing angry orders to Amanda. Sophie hadn’t heard the content of his commands, but from his tone of voice and contorted features, there had been little doubt he was enraged. She shivered at the thought of being married to such a man. Although she’d tested Paul’s patience on several occasions, he had never been cruel or unkind. He had steadfastly loved her and Elizabeth. From the moment the babe had been born, Paul had accepted her as his own.

“Elizabeth is his child,” she murmured. “Perhaps not by blood, but in every other way. Wesley Hedrick was never Elizabeth’s father.” She removed the clipping she’d shoved inside the book on her bedside table. All of Wesley’s wealth could never make him a good man or a good father. Having a man like Paul was worth more than all the money Wesley Hedrick could ever offer.

Shading her eyes against the bright afternoon sun that streamed through the window, Sophie recognized the
DaisyBee
cutting across the water toward the dock. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing Paul. She dropped the newspaper clipping to the table and rushed down the stairs. “Paul has arrived,” she called to Fanny while running down the path leading to the dock. Her shoes thumped against the hard dirt, and she slowed her pace a modicum when she neared the steepest portion of the path.

Paul waved his hat overhead as she reached the dock. The moment he stepped off the boat, she rushed to embrace him. “Oh, Paul, I have missed you so much.” She raised on tiptoe to kiss him.

He chuckled and cocked his head to one side. “And here I expected you to be angry with me for my late arrival. What a wonderful greeting.” Pulling her close, he covered her lips with a warm kiss.

“I’ve missed you, and I love you very much,” she replied. “I don’t tell you often enough.”

“Thank you, my dear. Here I have been dreading this engagement party, but you’ve already made my journey worthwhile.”

She took a backward step and stared at the boat. “Is that Blake Carstead?”

“Yes. As a matter of fact it is.”

“What’s he doing here?”

Paul shrugged. “He appeared at the Home just as I was leaving. I told him about Amanda’s engagement party, and he asked if he could come along.”

“Hello!” Blake called while stepping onto the dock.

Sophie tapped her foot on the wood planks. “
Now
you return!” She glanced around to see if anyone was within earshot. “What’s wrong with you, taking off like that? And where’s that Julia woman? Did you marry her?” Her calm demeanor had evaporated at the sight of Dr. Carstead. “Don’t you realize Amanda is about to marry a man she doesn’t love, and it’s all because of you!” She wanted to shake him until his teeth fell out.

Blake ignored her and looked at Paul. “It appears your wife is somewhat disturbed by my arrival.”

“Don’t you take a condescending attitude with me, Doctor. I am
disturbed
because you’ve ruined Amanda’s life. She is going to marry Ellert Jackson. A man she clearly does not love.”

“If she doesn’t love Mr. Jackson, why has she agreed to marry him?”

“She refuses to give me all of the details, but it has something to do with the family. I can’t believe you ran out of town to marry that other woman. You are a disappointment, and had my husband known all of these details, you can be sure he wouldn’t have invited you to join us. Did you not consider Amanda’s feelings? While her father announces her engagement to a man she doesn’t love, you reappear—now a happily married man.”

“
Sophie
, do mind your manners,” Paul whispered. “Dr. Carstead is here at my invitation.”

Sophie didn’t know who appeared more perplexed by her behavior, Paul or Blake. But at the moment she didn’t care if she’d offended the fine doctor. She wanted him to suffer for his abrupt departure with that other woman.

Blake was the first to regain his composure. “Where is Amanda? I need to speak to her.”

“I wish you well with that prospect. I’m not certain of her whereabouts, but you can be sure that if you locate her, Ellert Jackson won’t be far from her side.”

Once Blake was out of earshot, Sophie turned to her husband. “I truly do not understand Amanda’s agreement to marry Mr. Jackson. She seemingly feels a sense of obligation to marry him, but he’s a dreadful man. You should hear the way he speaks to her. He treats her as though she’s a servant who must do his bidding.” Sophie grasped Paul’s arm as the two of them meandered up the path.

Paul frowned. “If what you say is true, something must be done.”

Sophie shook her head. “There’s nothing we can do. Fanny and I have exhausted all possibilities. Even when I attempted to develop a plan, Amanda wouldn’t join in. She said she must marry him or the family will suffer—whatever that means. I’m certain Uncle Jonas is behind all of this. Aunt Victoria doesn’t appear overly pleased by the match, but if Uncle Jonas has made the decision, she’ll have no say in the matter.”

“Then we must hope that Blake will be able to sway her.”

“Why would his words count for anything? He never told me if he married that woman. Did you inquire?”

“I did, but he said he didn’t want to discuss it until he’d first talked to Amanda.”

“You should have insisted.” She yanked him to a stop. “Did you see her?”

“See who?”

“Julia!” How could men be so blind to the important things in life? “Was Julia with him?”

“No, but he did mention he had stopped at home to refresh himself before coming to the Home. Perhaps Julia is at his house.”

“Or perhaps he isn’t married at all.” Would a recently married man return to his home and immediately depart to see another woman? “Did he stop at home before the two of you departed Rochester?”

“No. He didn’t mention the need to do so. Even if he’d wanted to, there wouldn’t have been time. As it was, we had to travel at breakneck speed to arrive at the depot before the train pulled out.”

Sophie weighed the possibilities and then steered Paul toward a secluded grove of trees a short distance off the path. “I think we should pray for Amanda and her future. I don’t believe God would want her to marry a man she doesn’t love.”

Paul cupped her chin in his palm. “You’re absolutely correct. We must pray about Amanda’s future.”

Amanda’s cheeks ached from forcing herself to smile for the past hour. If only she could escape this madness. Ellert had maintained a tight hold on her elbow while they worked their way through the crowd. She didn’t fail to note the women staring at her. Nor did Ellert. He was pleased by the attention, for he thought their stares were in admiration of her dress.

“Look at them. They’re jealous,” Ellert said with obvious delight.

But Amanda knew the unsightly flounces of yellow taffeta had elicited looks of horror rather than envy. The hideous frock had created fodder that would fuel the gossip mill for weeks to come, but she permitted him to gloat over a dress that made her look like a wilted dandelion.

She managed to free herself from Ellert for a moment and glanced over the crowd, hoping to spot Fanny or Sophie. “Blake,” she whispered, her gaze settling on him as he made his way through the crowd and headed in her direction. She glanced over her shoulder. Although Ellert wasn’t far off, Mr. Oosterman had engaged him in conversation. Perhaps he wouldn’t notice if she slipped away. Fear and panic mixed to form a knot in her stomach. Her temples throbbed like beating drums. She must speak to Blake but not where Ellert might overhear.

Taking several determined strides, she reached Ellert’s side and touched his arm. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going inside to powder my nose.”

“Don’t be long or I’ll be forced to come looking for you.” He glanced at Mr. Oosterman. “She’s a beauty, isn’t she?”

His remark annoyed her, and Amanda didn’t wait to hear Mr. Oosterman’s response. Turning, she hurried toward the house. She could feel Ellert’s burning stare until she rounded the corner and was out of sight. Moments later, a strong hand clamped her arm in a tight hold and she let out a gasp. “Ell—Blake!” She swallowed hard in an attempt to remain calm. Instead of Ellert’s cold stare, she was now looking into Blake’s questioning eyes.

“Exactly what is going on, Amanda?”

The sharpness in his voice surprised her, and she took a backward step. “Good afternoon, Blake. I don’t recall having seen your name on the guest list. Aunt Victoria must have added it after I perused it.” She fought to maintain her composure. “I must say that I’m surprised to see you here. I heard that you’d left town with Julia and the two of you wed.”

“I don’t know how you could have heard such a thing because there’s not an ounce of truth in anything you’ve said.”

She arched her brows. “So you didn’t leave town?”

“Yes. I left town, but—”

“Amanda!” Ellert’s voice boomed from alongside the house. Before he could observe Blake at her side, she hurried off. Better to have her questions go unanswered than have Ellert discover she’d been engaged in a private conversation with Dr. Carstead. No matter what explanation she gave, he’d believe the worst. She didn’t want Ellert creating havoc in Blake’s life. Her betrothed had already wreaked enough devastation for a lifetime.

Paul cradled Elizabeth in his arms and carried her upstairs to the bedroom. She’d been awake for most of the afternoon’s festivities, and he’d marveled at her sweet disposition as she’d been cuddled and fawned over by so many strangers. He nuzzled her neck and silently thanked God for bringing Sophie and Elizabeth into his life. Although he’d felt complete in his service to God before he met Sophie, she and Elizabeth had added a whole new dimension that continued to amaze him.

Elizabeth wiggled in his arms. He sat on the edge of the bed, holding her until she once again settled into a peaceful sleep. Carefully he stood and then laid her down in the cradle. Her tiny lips formed a moue. Her whisper-soft snoring caused him to smile. With a gentle touch, he placed the delicate white cover across her tiny form. So young and innocent she was, and he’d been charged with the privilege of helping to shape her into a fine young woman. He touched a finger to her soft cap of hair. “I’ll do my best for you, sweet Elizabeth.”

He straightened, walked to the window, and peered down at the milling guests. The party consisted of the usual food, beverages, and boring conversation. Given a choice, he’d remain up here with Elizabeth. He looked longingly at the bed. A nap would be wonderful, but propriety wouldn’t permit such a luxury. As he turned back toward the window, a newspaper clipping lying atop the nearby table captured his attention.

At first glance the clipping appeared to be no more than the report of social gatherings in New York City, but as he continued to read, his lungs deflated, and a whoosh of air escaped his lips. Wesley Hedrick was the sole beneficiary of Lord and Lady Illiff, who had been lost at sea when a ship went down off the coast of France. There were words of praise for the magnificent parties he’d recently hosted at his home in New York City.

Could Sophie still be in love with Wesley? Paul dropped to the chair. Certainly Wesley could now provide a better life for Sophie and Elizabeth. Yet Sophie had greeted Paul with great warmth and affection only a few hours ago. Had her loving kiss been merely the expected behavior of a dutiful wife? Surely not. But during her months on the island without him, Sophie had certainly proved she missed the parties as well as the expensive clothing that he could never afford to purchase for her. Had her earlier behavior been no more than an attempt to ease her guilt? Without warning, his joy and contentment evaporated like the morning mist.