Grace (The Marriage Market Book 2) by Stevie MacFarlane

Author:Stevie MacFarlane [MacFarlane, Stevie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blushing Books Publications
Published: 2015-07-09T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The train depot was shrouded in fog when they disembarked. Effie took this as a sign the fates were with them. For Grace, it simply meant another leg of their long journey had been completed. The spark of independence and excitement she felt when they began had been snuffed out somewhere between Omaha and the Rocky Mountains.

Effie suspected it had a great deal more to do with Mr. Blackthorn than with being bored and weary of the journey as Grace told her each time she asked. It seemed the Pinkerton detective had broken more than Grace's trust; he'd broken her heart to some degree. How serious it was, Effie didn't know, but she suspected it went quite deep.

Her lifelong friend had never shown an interest in any particular man, other than the normal gossiping between young girls. Grace always felt she was too tall, too curvy, too pale or too something to be truly attractive. It wasn't true of course. She was perfectly lovely, but years of her mother's nagging attempts to tame her wild red hair or bleach her freckles away had done some damage. What a shame that the first man to come along with a real appreciation of Grace's charms turned out to be a first rate imbecile.

"Find us a hack, please," Effie said, snagging the porter's arm as she maneuvered them through the throng.

"Certainly, Miss, follow me."

As soon as they were seated she handed over some bills. "Please keep our bags at the station until I send for them," she ordered. "For now, our valises will be sufficient. Driver, take us to a hotel."

"The Palace is the nicest San Francisco has to offer, Miss. Will that suit?"

"No, somewhere else, please."

"How about the Brooklyn?"

"That will do."

"Why aren't we staying at The Palace," Grace asked, peering nervously through the fog.

"I think we need to avoid any place popular. If they are looking for you, they're sure to start at the best hotel in town. We need to lay low until we can book passage to Seattle."

Grace nodded, apparently content to let Effie make the decisions. She registered them as Ermengarde and Hortense Basenfelder, two sisters traveling to the orient by way of San Francisco. Grace never raised an eyebrow.

"Are you hungry?" Effie asked looking toward the dining room.

"Not really, just tired."

"Perhaps we should call for a doctor," Effie suggested.

"No, I'm fine."

"All right." Turning to the desk, she spoke to the clerk. "Please have someone show us to our room. We'd also like a tray sent up with tea and biscuits as soon as possible. Come along, Hortense," she drawled. She was beginning to wish she had shot Jonah Blackthorn.

* * * * *

The next morning Grace seemed a little perkier as they lingered over breakfast.

"Are you feeling better today?" Effie asked watching her friend closely.

"Yes, much."

"Good, for a while I thought you might be in love with that man, which would be very foolish indeed, especially as he will most likely be in San Francisco tonight. We only have a short time to make our arrangements if we're going to rescue Amelia.

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