Just North of Bliss by Duncan Alice

Author:Duncan, Alice
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: humor, chicago, historical romance, 1893 worlds columbian exposition
Publisher: Alice Duncan

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, Belle was more certain about her gratitude toward Kate Finney’s interruption of that spontaneous and improper kiss. Even as she’d saved Kate’s life a couple of days ago, so Kate had saved Belle’s own life last night. God alone knew to what depths Belle might have sunk had she and Win not been interrupted.

Oh, but his kiss had been heavenly. Beautiful. Just what the doctor would have ordered, if Belle had visited a doctor of low moral character and asked for a strengthening tonic. She heaved a huge sigh.

She was sure there was something wrong with her that she should harbor in her soul a feeling of emptiness and the consciousness of something in her body—indeed, in her life—that remained unfulfilled. Those unsuitable and assuredly immoral feelings were shades of the evil Belle Monroe surfacing. Although until she’d arrived in New York City, Belle hadn’t known that side even existed, it had been given more than enough freedom recently.

She rummaged through her bureau drawer until she found her corset, put it on, then laced it as tightly as she could before going downstairs to breakfast with the Richmonds in the lovely and very expensive restaurant attached to the hotel. In a chastened mood this morning, she appreciated the fact that Gladys and George treated her as if she were a member of their family, and not an outsider merely working for them. Then she wondered if this easiness with the hired help was another Yankee tradition that was being used to subvert all of her early childhood training.

Since her head ached—she hadn’t slept at all last night—she decided to worry about subversive Yankee influences later. At the moment, she appreciated the Richmonds a lot.

“Good morning!” She put on her cheeriest demeanor in order to counteract the misery within her breathlessly corseted body. She hoped she’d be able to fit breakfast between her corset stays and her ribs, because she was sure food would held ease her headache.

“Good morning,” Gladys responded, smiling sweetly.

Gladys always smiled sweetly, Belle thought with a pinch of contempt and the rebellious speculation as to whether Gladys had ever been forced to think for herself. Yet Belle knew Gladys’s sweetness of temper existed because the woman possessed a truly good heart, and she was ashamed of herself all over again.

“We had fun last night, Miss Monroe!” Amalie said, bouncing in her seat. “I wish you could have gone with us. Cousin Fidelia has a real pony!”

“My goodness.” Belle offered Mr. Richmond a smile, but since his head was hidden behind the morning edition, he didn’t see it.

“I want a pony,” said the little girl wistfully.

“I want a horse,” said her brother. He sounded scornful, as he generally did when talking to or about his sister.

Belle smiled at both of them. She enjoyed the children. Even Garrett, although she believed she’d prefer to have girls than boys. Men always wanted boys, though, so she guessed she’d be willing to produce a couple of boys for her husband.

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