Rose garden belles mail.., p.1
Rose (Garden Belles Mail-Order Brides Book 4), page 1
~Rose (Garden Belles Mail-Order Brides Book 4)
Rose
Garden Belles Mail-Order Brides
When dreams and schemes backfire, can love make a way?
Rose is a servant girl for a wealthy woman in Grafton, Illinois. She dreams of finding a wealthy man to marry and goes through the Garden Belles Agency to find a husband. She gets Wyndell’s letter. He’s looking for a woman of high class to marry. Rose can look the part because she works as a servant for a wealthy young woman who gives her gowns after she’s worn them.
Wyndell Harris was a wealthy man until his father died. Because he is the fourth son, he gets a carriage, a fine riding horse, and his great-grandmother’s cottage in Grafton, Illinois, where the Illinois River runs into the Mississippi River. She was a riverboat queen and made a fortune. He dreams of reclaiming his wealth, and marrying a wealthy woman is one way.
Rose
Garden Belles Mail-Order Brides
Copyright © May 2024
Author Patricia PacJac Carroll
Published by PacJac Publishing
Written by Patricia PacJac Carroll and not Ai. No permission is granted to any Ai program to use any portion of this book, review, or sample. My books are for humans only.
ALL rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced (except for inclusion in reviews), disseminated, or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or audio. Including photocopying, recording, or in any information storage and retrieval system, or the Internet/World Wide Web without written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Cover Designer: Nancy Fraser
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
Rose
Garden Belles Mail-Order Brides
By
Patricia PacJac Carroll
Chapter 1
“Rose Douglas!” Katherine Wendt called for her maid. “I need that new gown. The light blue one.”
Putting away the rest of the woman’s freshly laundered clothes, Rose rushed to get the new gown from the woman’s wardrobe and take it to her. It’s not that Katherine was pushy or hard to deal with, but when she wanted something, it was best to take it to her. Immediately.
The blue was the prettiest color. Rose put it on her stand. “It will look lovely on you, miss.”
Taking the gown and holding it up, Katherine modeled before the full-length mirror. “Yes, it will. Do you think it will catch the eye of the new lieutenant?”
Rose smiled and nodded. “You mean Lieutenant Bakersfield? Yes, I do. He already has an eye for you.”
Katherine turned and looked at her. “You think so? I do like him. He’s got the prettiest sandy hair and blue eyes. I swoon whenever I see him.”
“I think most of the ladies do.” Rose grinned at Katherine’s delight in the man. Although he was not what Rose was looking for. She wanted a man of wealth and means and had set her sights on the moon. The lieutenant was, at best, only as high as a hill, but Katherine had enough money to support them both in whatever endeavors they might want.
“Rose, you can have the tangerine gown. I hope you can catch the man of your dreams with it. I think it will look good with your auburn hair and green eyes. Have you found any young man that meets your fancy?”
“Not yet. I’m looking, though.” She wrapped the used gown in a blanket. “The Midnight Ball is this Saturday, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I’ll be sure and make you an invitation.” Katherine giggled. “I enjoy playing this game. You are a beautiful woman and worthy of any man’s attention. I hope you snag a rich one. I know that is your goal.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, I have found none of our wealthier men to my liking. You might.”
“It is my goal. I’m tired of being poor. I thank you so much for giving me your used gowns.”
Katherine stared at her. “I will also loan you some jewelry to go with it. And shoes. You will be my Cinderella, and I will be your fairy godmother. Don’t tell anyone. I like to think I am included in your game.”
Rose smiled at her benefactor, if not fairy godmother. “You most definitely are. Who shall I be a guest of this week?”
Katherine put a finger to her lips. “Let me see. We already did Lady Bennet. How about Josephine Eyre? A distant cousin from England. Oh, let’s say, from Nottingham and a relative of Robin Hood.”
Rose laughed. “Oh, wonderful. You do know that my relations traveled from somewhere in England. Who knows?”
“True. England has a history of deposing royalty, ladies, and gentlemen. You certainly have a flair for the dramatic and can act accordingly. Have you considered what your wealthy young gentleman will think when he discovers you are a maid in my employment?”
Rose sighed. “I believe he will be so in love with me he will not care. Love is blind. Isn’t that what they say?”
Katherine whirled to face her. “Let us truly hope so. Although I believe it must be somewhat cockeyed.”
“The shoes?”
Katherine hung her gown up, went to her lengthy closet, and came back with shoes of just the right color. “It’s a good thing we’re the same size.” Then she went to her cabinet and pulled out matching earrings and a necklace. “These will mark you as a young woman worthy of a man of honor.” She grinned. “And wealth.”
Rose brought out the soap and perfume for Katherine’s bath. “Is there anything else you’d like me to do?”
“No, dear. Thank you. Go on home and think about your prince charming.”
Rose picked up the gown and accessories. “Thank you so much.”
“Be sure and pray for me to find my love. I do think this week it will be the lieutenant. He’s such a handsome and refined young man.” She grinned. “I need to find my love before Mother and Father betroth me to some stodgy, old man that I won’t be able to tolerate.”
Rose looked back. “They wouldn’t.”
“Oh, they would. I have heard mention of Frederick Tallow. He’s nearly forty and round.”
“I will pray that you find the man of your dreams.” Rose blew her employer a kiss and left with her treasure. It was so fortunate that Katherine had taken her under her wing and wanted to help her find a man of means.
Despite their difference in station, they were good friends. Although Rose never sought to take advantage of Katherine and gave her an honest day’s work for her pay. That they were conspirators in their desire to marry the man of their dreams gave them hours of joy plotting and dreaming.
Chapter 2
Wyndell Harris sat in the study and listened to the solicitor read the will. As he figured, he was passed up in any inheritance of meaning because he was the fourth son of Alfred Harris the Second.
Of course, Alfred Harris the Third took the lion’s share of the import business. Robert, the second born, took the railroad, and Charles took the largest portion of the bank business.
The solicitor sighed and looked at Wyndell. “To Wyndell Thurston Harris, I bequeath a carriage and team, a fine riding horse, and his great-grandmother’s cottage in Grafton, Illinois, where the Illinois River runs into the Mississippi River.”
Wyndell matched the solicitor’s sigh. At least he received something. He noticed his mother looked at him apologetically, but her hands were tied. What Father said was law, apparently even in death.
He looked down at his hands. He was no longer Alfred Harris’s wealthy son. Courtney Simons had already told him he could forget taking her to the balls this year. She’d looked sad but had already set her gaze on Robert. She wanted a man with wealth, not a carriage and old house owned by a madam of the riverboats.
Old Granny Shannon had ruled over the riverboats that started out of Grafton and sailed down the Mighty Mississippi. She made a fortune that her son, his grandfather, started with and multiplied. Wyndell stared at his brothers. They all got a good portion of the family inheritance.
Robert looked at him and said Father had allotted a thousand dollars to give to him and get him started in his own business. The
Wyndell took the note and read it.
Dear Wyn, I know you’re going to feel left out. But trust me, I feel deep in my heart this is the best for you. Of all my sons, you have the most promise, but it would only be buried in any substantial inheritance I would give you. I want you to experience the joys of life with all its ups and downs. Go and make your own fortune.
Trusting you,
Father
The letter didn’t help his disposition. So, his brothers would take over his father’s ventures, and he was left to earn his own. Why didn’t his father understand what a precarious position this put him in? Here he was at the age when a man should marry, and by this very act of practically disowning him, Father eliminated him as a worthy catch for the upper-class women. He would have to go to Grafton and live in his cottage and hope he could pass himself off as a well-to-do gentleman and woo a wealthy maiden.
Not that he didn’t plan on working, but it would be easier to start by knowing the boss of the company. Wyndell planned to find just the right woman with just the right connections. Oh, he’d love her and take care of her, but he expected to be taken care of too.
Grafton, Illinois, didn’t sound like a rich city. Wyndell had thought about Chicago or New York City, but it looked as if he’d be starting out in Grafton. Maybe he could sell the cottage for a good sum.
Wyn shook his head. He might not be a wealthy gentleman, but he could sure look the part. All he needed was one woman. He was smart, and with the right kind of money and opportunity, he’d make a go of whatever profession her family was in. He just needed a good start.
Irritated by his father’s will and his family’s attitude, Wyndell made preparations to leave for Grafton. There was nothing keeping him here now. He packed his clothes and, with a smile, acknowledged that at least he would look like a rich man.
Then he went to the livery. He took out his carriage and chose the matching sorrels with white stockings as his team, and then he tied his riding horse, Fagin, to the back of the carriage.
The only thing he lacked was a driver. Once he arrived in Grafton, he could hire a man to drive his carriage when he attended the important events. That is if Grafton had any important events. From what he could gather, the town’s livelihood centered on fishing.
Wyndell patted Fagin. “At least I did get you. You’re not a business or a million dollars, but you’re fast and reliable.” He stroked the sleek black neck. “You can make me money, boy. No horse is faster than you.”
Father had frowned on him racing the horse. Said it was fast money and would go even faster. Wyndell sighed. He could attest to his father’s statement as, more times than not, the money Fagin earned him left in a game of poker.
Mama frowned at his activities. His brothers and father yelled at him. Said he was bringing the family name down. Well, they wouldn’t have to worry about that any longer. Wyndell moved his bags to the carriage.
“Wyn, are you leaving today?” Mama went to him. “I wish you’d stay.”
“There’s nothing for me. I’m going to make my own way in the world.”
Robert happened to walk by and scoffed. “By marrying a rich woman? I know you, Wyn. You’re always looking for the easy way out. That’s why Pa didn’t leave you one of the businesses.”
With a glare at his older brother, Wyn nodded toward the door. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” Robert had no business rubbing it in. Wasn’t it enough he was taking Wyn’s girl? He squared off with his older brother.
To avoid a fight, Mama stepped in between them and hugged Wyn. “I’ll be praying for you, son.”
“Thank you, Mama. I’ll write.” Wyndell glared at Robert before putting the last of his things in the carriage. He climbed into the seat and took up the reins. “Let’s go, horses.” Wyn hadn’t realized how the driver of his carriage had been left out in the weather while he rode inside, covered from the elements. By the look of the gathering clouds, he was going to find out.
If the weather got too bad, he could always go inside the enclosed carriage and wait out the storm. Wyn had persuaded his father to buy the best carriage around. He’d used it on many occasions to court wealthy women around town.
Wyn had never found a woman that he really cared to spend the rest of his life with. It was true that none of the women he courted looked twice at him. They found him lacking. In what? He wasn’t all too sure.
The last woman he’d courted had told him he was light on work and heavy on spending money he never earned. Well, he would prove her wrong. He saw no reason to start from the bottom and thought it smart to marry into wealth and then prove himself.
He wondered what the cottage looked like. It was old. The stories he’d heard about Great Granny were of a riotous nature. The woman made her own rules and forged a fortune out of running a series of paddle wheel gambling boats.
Pa had said she put her money in good companies and soon owned a railroad, a series of general stores, and a bank. His family prospered because of her hard work and wisdom. Wyn considered her for a while.
If she could make it, then he could, too. He just needed a wealthy woman at his side
.
Chapter 3
Wyndell pulled into the drive of the quaint cottage the marshal had pointed him to. He reined the horses to a welcome stop and climbed down. Well, the little house wasn’t much. Someone had taken care of it. Whether or not he could live in it, he’d have to see. It was nothing compared to the house he’d left in St. Louis. Not even as big as the small hut that housed the hired help.
With a frown, he noticed smoke coming out of the chimney. Nobody had said anything about it being occupied. In fact, nobody in his family had said anything about the cottage.
Wyn knocked on the door. As he waited for an answer, he looked around the small house and wondered how he would live in such a humble abode.
After another louder knock and a few minutes, an older man pulled open the door. “Yes?”
“I’m Wnydell Harris, and this is my cottage.” Not that he meant to chase the man out of his house, but what was his was his. He had to live somewhere, and he meant to take possession of all his meager inheritance.
The man had a neatly trimmed white beard and mustache that matched his hair. The smile on his face seemed genuine and put Wyn at ease. “Come in. I’m Dan Payne. Your father hired me to fix up this cottage. I guess you’ve come to take possession of her.”
Wyn smiled at the man. He was maybe fifty and had the brightest blue eyes. “Yes. I have. Is there a barn for my animals?”
“Yes. Around the back. I was just making some tea. I’ll have it ready for you after you take care of your animals.” Dan smiled at him.
Wyn hoped the man hadn’t noticed his shock at being told he was expected to take care of the animals. He wasn’t used to that. Not at all. Seeing it wasn’t going to get done unless he moved, Wyn drove the carriage around to the back and unhitched the horses. He’d never understood all that was involved. Before he’d just go outside and tell Mitchell he wanted the carriage.
Wyn led the horses into the barn and was happy to see there were four stalls. He settled the sorrel team and went back for Fagin. After leading the black stallion into the barn, he found the grain, fed the animals, and made sure their water buckets were full. Wyndell was already homesick.
With a sigh, he walked back to the cottage and opened the front door, feeling somewhat like an intruder. This is mine, he reminded himself. Despite being older than Moses, the little cottage was clean and inviting.
Dan came out of the kitchen and gestured to a nearby chair. “Have a seat.” He put down the tray and offered him some tea.
Wyn smiled. “That was a workout, and I’m more than ready for a cup of hot tea.” He had just taken a sip when he remembered the bags in the carriage. Since he had taken care of the livestock, he reasoned he was the one to haul in the bags. That would have to wait.
He was surprised at the warmth in the little room. The smell of cinnamon tea and freshly baked cookies reminded him of home. “It smells wonderful in here.”
