Chapter 19

Lily stood with her face turned toward the cloudless blue sky and let the sun’s warm fingers caress her cheeks. She knew she shouldn’t. Risking her creamy complexion this way would send Mother into fits—but Mother remained in Charleston and the sun and sky were oh, so mesmerizing.

Besides, no one watched. For once, she managed to prepare for an outing before the others. Well, before Daisy, anyway.

Violet taught today so she left for the schoolhouse almost before dawn.

Lin hurried out right after breakfast, murmuring something about an appointment with a shop owner. She hadn’t gotten the gist of the woman’s explanation, only that it held a place of importance and couldn’t be missed.

She and her young sister were left alone in the snug little house for the morning. They’d tidied up, then she read while the other scribbled in her book. It had been a peaceful time, almost the first quiet moments the pair shared since their arrival in Wylder.

Perhaps they were both settling into this western lifestyle.

If she didn’t find her way here, she had no idea what she would do—or where she could go. Returning to Charleston was unthinkable. Everyone there must know by now why her wedding had been cancelled. For all she knew, Warren had jawed with his cronies and, to increase his own self-esteem, disclosed he’d had his way with her. She didn’t trust him any further than she could heave him. No man who claimed a woman’s virginity before casting her aside deserved trust.

“Well, look at you, keeping your face to the sun and letting shadows fall behind you.” Daisy’s heels tapped on the wooden steps as she descended. She stopped beside her and tipped her face upward, too. A few seconds passed before she said, “You know Mother would have our heads for this. She’d be pouring buttermilk baths for both of us and telling us we’re bound to look like old crones before we reach thirty.”

“Oh, you know our mother well. That’s exactly what she’d say.” She gave in to the surprising impulse to giggle. “Why, right about now she’d be near a conniption fit over this. Well, it’s a good thing she can’t see us. And remember that she always means well, even when she’s dunking one of us in buttermilk-filled bathtubs!”

Her sister met her gaze and grinned. “Yes, that’s a fact. But truly, Lily, you look very content, almost like a cat who’s sipping at the milk itself. Wylder agrees with you, I think.”

They draped their reticules over their wrists, checked their hats were secure, and set off for the main part of town. Violet’s house, set on a residential street, sat near enough to the heart of things that they didn’t need a buggy. A short, pleasant walk on a bright spring day brought a smile to her face.

She mulled over the other woman’s words.

Aside from the persistent queasiness in her belly, she did feel satisfied.

“I believe you’re right, actually. I think the situation in Charleston wore away at me.” She took a deep breath when the memory of Warren’s hateful behavior forced its way into her mind. With a scowl, she added, “That man—it’s good to have some distance between us, at that.”

“He broke your heart, then?”

Of all the childish, fanciful thinking.

“You spend too much time penning wildly romantic stories, sister. Real life isn’t all rainbows and roses, you know. And not everyone who agrees to marry is in love with the one they’ve promised to wed.” She gave a sniff. The closer they got to Wylder Street, the more dust floated in the air. So many horses, too, made breathing deeply impossible. “He did not break my heart, I assure you. He broke a bargain we’d made and that is where the disappointment comes in.”

They passed a number of shops but did not stop in any of them. Monday morning brought out lots of townsfolk. She imagined how it might feel to know some of the faces by name. A few nodded greetings but none stopped them, which suited her fine. No time to talk, anyhow.

“Where do you think this dress shop is? What did Violet call it? Lovely’s or something like that?” Daisy’s head went from side to side, giving her the appearance of an addlebrained mule who couldn’t decide which way to go. “Think it’s on this side of the street, or that?”

She scanned the shops on both sides of Wylder Street and if she hadn’t looked so ridiculous Lily would’ve let her continue to head bob.

“Lowery’s. It’s owned by a widow who Violet says can be a bit nosey, so watch what you say in the place. We don’t want to be the talk of the town, do we?” Watching her sister’s head sway from one side to the other began to make her dizzy so she added, “And stop that! You look ridiculous. The shop is near the mercantile so it’s on this side of the street.”

The other woman raised one eyebrow and glared. In the sunlight, her green eyes glittered like a cat’s. “Hmmph. Interesting that you care so much what Wylder’s gossips will say, given that you put on quite a show on the porch yesterday afternoon. Not a bit concerned then, were you?”

Leave it to the sisters to chatter behind her back.

“Violet shouldn’t have told you anything. And what I do is my business—I’m the oldest, remember?” It would do them good to keep that in mind, that she deserved respect. “You two shouldn’t talk about me behind my back.”

“We didn’t.”

“Then how do you know what went on yesterday?”

They’d reached the dressmaker’s shop. The stores in Charleston put this one to shame, they were so much bigger and grander, but looks might be deceiving. She certainly hoped so. If they couldn’t get a decent dress in Wylder, where would they go?

Her sister paused on the steps leading to the dressmaker’s front door. She sighed.

“I worried about you when you didn’t arrive to Thomas’ house. Violet said to stay with Lin and Alexia, but you’re my sister, too. If something had happened to you, I wanted to be there to help.” She paused, and the corners of her lips pulled up. “But from what I saw, you had all the help you needed, in the form of one very handsome fellow.”

“Shh!” She looked behind them, but the lane stood empty. “I told you I don’t want to start the gossip chain in this place. It’s not like being at home, remember. People aren’t as refined as those we’re accustomed to.”

“I’m sorry, then, for worrying about you.” Her sister scowled, but even with a distasteful set to her lips and storm clouds in her green eyes, she still looked gorgeous. Daisy had been charmed since birth, and now, in this harsh place, she sparkled by comparison to the drabness surrounding them. “I won’t do it again.”

Before the other could stomp inside and cause a scene, Lily placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

“Wait. Thank you for your concern, I appreciate it.” Her sister turned and met her gaze. There were still surges of a storm in the depths, but her eyes didn’t shoot daggers, at least. “I’m really conscious of being an object of ridicule. I mean, after what happened with Warren…”

Daisy softened instantly. A gentle tone and a comforting hand placed upon hers. “That wasn’t your fault.”

“No, but people still talked. I heard the whispers and saw the sly looks. Believe me, I saw how amused people were to see me in such a low state.” Thinking about it made her nauseated. She fought a wave of dizziness as she tried to smooth things over. “I didn’t mean to come down so hard on you, I just want this to be a fresh start. I don’t want to be embarrassed again, or gossiped about, or—oh, no.”

She placed a hand over her mouth.

It couldn’t be happening. Dear Lord, please—not again! Maybe if she took a few deep breaths, she would gain control.

The other woman’s eyes grew. “Lily? What’s wrong?”

She couldn’t speak.

When she most wanted to appear respectable and without reason to encourage gossip, her body betrayed her.

She dashed from the steps to the side of the building. She made it in time to duck her head out of view.

Hiding the retching noises proved impossible, but at least no one witnessed her losing her breakfast to the scrubby vegetation growing against the shop’s side wall.