you at an inopportune time,” he added, gesturing toward the broom, as if it were the traitorous culprit that had me dressed so offensively.
“Not at all,” I said. “I was just doing some chores.”
“On your birthday?” he said, a grin pulling at his lips. “Surely one of your help could take care of chores today.”
“My help.” I chuckled. Maybe too harshly. “Well, one of them is feeding the animals, and the other is in town to pick up food to feed us, so . . .” I grabbed the broom handle, needing something in my hands. “I’m it.”
He paused, as if about to say something before clearly thinking better of it, placing his other hand over mine on the handle to cover it instead.
“Well, all this will change, I assure you,” he said softly. “You won’t have to do such inappropriate tasks again—”
“I don’t mind,” I said, clenching my jaw. “Cleaning makes me feel productive.”
“Understandable, understandable,” he said, nodding. “But would you like to change and let me take you to lunch for your birthday?”
“Of course,” I said. “After you tell me why you were fired from here several years ago.”
He withdrew his hand as if I’d burned him.
“Excuse me?”
“I couldn’t believe I didn’t remember you,” I said. “Imagine my surprise. Then again, not everyone is memorable.”
His face became a mottled canvas of pinks, reds, and something resembling plum.
“I don’t know what you think you’ve heard,” he said, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “But you shouldn’t listen to gossip, Josephine.”
“There was no gossip,” I said. “I found my father’s notes and ledgers. His shocking revelation right after the big storm that ‘Heavy Lean Deen’ was stealing from him.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. There were notes and ledgers. Maybe not about him, but that was inconsequential. There were also years of teaching me to call a bluff.
The plum color turned positively purple and spread down his neck.
“It was all a conspiracy because Malcolm didn’t like me,” he sputtered. “He spread rumors about me—”
“Actually, he told no one and fired you quietly,” I said, turning to resume my sweeping. “You can go, Mr. LaDeen.”
“Josephine . . .”
“Sorry you wasted your day,” I added.
I heard a huff of breath behind me. “You don’t understand just how profitable our relationship could be.”
Profitable.
I looked back at him over my shoulder.
“I’ll survive the disappointment,” I said. “Goodbye.”
The front door opened as his carriage jerked and sped away like his horse wanted away from him as well. Lila stepped out onto the porch.
“I take it you heard?” I asked.
“I might have,” she said quietly.
I swallowed, gripping the broom handle as I watched the dirt cloud behind the carriage.
“Can you find me something appropriate to wear, please?” I asked, the words thick on my tongue as I shut my eyes tight against them. My heartbeat was loud in my ears. “For a ride into town?”
I felt the pause. “Would you like me to try to ring up Mr. Green?” she asked. “The line may be full today, but I can try.”
I shook my head. “The town will know soon enough,” I said. “I don’t need a bunch of nosy blowhards speculating beforehand.”
“Josie.” I turned at her tone. Firm. Expectant. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We’ll be okay. All three of us. You’re making the right choice.”
The hot tears burned my eyes. “Am I?”
* * *
I arrived at the office of Harris Green, Accountant, at one o’clock in the afternoon, driving solo in the small buggy Malcolm used for supplies. It wasn’t the best we had, but it rode smoother than the silly little carriage, and, also, I didn’t care. I’d dressed appropriately feminine in a simple ankle-length dress with laced boots and conservative gloves, and that was enough. I refused to wear any of the hats Lila put out. Hats didn’t belong on me unless I was riding a horse. For pleasure. Or work. Not for going into town alone on my birthday to sign my very life’s work away. They didn’t deserve me in a damn hat. I conceded to an updo. That was all I could stomach.
It wasn’t really town, per se. The places we frequented—the market, the butcher, the bank, and Mr. Green’s office—these were all in a small subset of Houston proper. All within a two-block radius, and not inside the city itself, which was fine by me. Much less hustle and bustle, and less pretentiousness as well.
The sound of my booted feet on the worn wood of the steps leading to his door sounded ominous. Like