Once Upon a Mail Order Bride - Linda Broday Page 0,99
danced once in my life, and that was on my wedding day, but I’m sure going to try again.” She pressed her friend harder. “There’ll be many single men there wanting to take a spin around the floor. You’d have no shortage of partners. It would do you good.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I will.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” Addie gave her a hug and left with a promise to call again soon.
As she made her way to Ridge’s office, Nora caught her. “We’re full speed ahead for the dance on Saturday.”
“That’s wonderful! I just came from Eleanor’s and we were talking about that. I invited her to come.”
“Good. We’ve tried for a year or more to get her to mingle with us and this will be an excellent opportunity.”
“She seemed excited at first, then it faded. I’ll keep trying.” Addie’s thoughts flew to what she might wear. Maybe her blue dress. No, the red one. Yes, Ridge hadn’t seen her in that yet, and it would be perfect. She could picture his eyes lighting up, and a shiver raced up her spine. “How about we take Charlotte under our wing and spruce her up a bit?”
“Do you think it’ll upset her?” Nora worried her lip. “With a little help, she could be pretty, but I wouldn’t want to cause her to think she’s not good enough.”
“Let’s go see.”
They went straight to the hotel and knocked on her door.
Charlotte seemed happy to see them. She had piled her hair messily on top of her head with two pencils stuck through the heap holding it in place. “Come in, ladies.”
Once seated, Addie took the lead. “Nora and I were wondering about something, and we hope we don’t offend you by asking.”
“Good heavens, I’m sure you won’t.”
Nora took the plunge. “We want to show you a few tricks to do with your hair and clothes.”
“My hair and clothes? I’ve always been plain, and no one expected anything else.” Charlotte glanced from Nora to Addie. “It used to hurt, and I always looked at beautiful girls with envy, but I’ve accepted who I am. My mother is fond of reminding me that beauty is only skin deep, but I know she only says that to make me feel better.”
Addie’s heart broke, and she could imagine how devastated Charlotte had been growing up. “You have such pretty features. You only need a little help with your hair.”
Her thoughts went back to her release from prison and how Josie Legend had helped her feel pretty just by teaching her how to fix her hair and buying a few new dresses. But finding the beauty inside was something no one could help with. She’d had to search for that.
“If you can change me, I welcome it, but I warn you, my hair is as straight as a ramrod.” Charlotte rose and sat on a stool in front of the large dresser mirror. Tears came in her eyes and she began to sob.
Addie drew a chair next to her. “What’s wrong? Did we offend you by offering to help? I hope we didn’t make you uncomfortable?”
“Nothing like that.” Charlotte wiped her eyes. “Can I tell you something?”
“Of course,” Addie murmured. Nora met her gaze and lifted her shoulders in question.
“I met someone last year. He was so handsome and said all the right things, except he never would take me anywhere, always insisting we stay far from people. I truly thought he cared for me until one night I overheard his conversation with a male friend in which he admitted that he was only after my money. The ugly little rich girl, he called me. They laughed.” Charlotte’s voice faltered. “All my life, the people I thought were friends were only after what I could do for them. Never just me. They never saw the person inside, yearning for someone to share things with.”
“Oh, honey.” Addie laid an arm across the banker’s shoulders. “How devastating.”
“By the time we get through, you’ll show all of them the error of their ways,” Nora declared.
Charlotte dabbed at her eyes, her chin trembling. At last she whispered, “I’ve failed miserably at everything I’ve tried. My father sent me here after my failures repeatedly became a source of embarrassment. He gave me a year to prove myself.”
“And if you don’t?” Nora asked.
Charlotte shrugged. “Then I suppose I’ll stay permanently.”
Addie patted her hand, her reply quiet. “I can think of worse places to spend a lifetime.”