Mail Order Runaway Page 4

  “Miss Elinor! What happened to your weddin’ gown?”

  “You never saw me, Betsy!” Elinor whispered in a pleading tone. “Do you hear?”

  “Oh, Miss Elinor, you can’t be standin’ up your groom and expectin’ me to lie about it, can ya? I’ll be fired for sure.” Betsy twisted her hands in a worrisome manner.

  The poor, clumsy dear will be fired in a fortnight, either way, Elinor thought. “If Mama finds out that you let me go, she’ll fire you, yes. But she doesn’t need to. I won’t ask you to lie—just say you have no idea where I went. And that’s true, you don’t know where I’m going. Otherwise, I’ll tell her about how you accepted a bribe and let a man come up to my bedroom unescorted.”

  Betsy’s eyes grew big with fear. “Oh, please, Miss Elinor, I knew Miss Adelaide was up there with you, for a chaperone. I just needed that money he offered, and he promised he wouldn’t cross the threshold—”

  “Do you think Mama will care? She’s already furious you let Addie in without asking.” Elinor glanced around furtively, in desperate need to flee before Mrs. Dorrigan heard the exchange. “You tell her exactly what I said—you have no idea where I could be. She can hardly get angry because you were too busy working hard to know anything about where I disappeared to, can you?”

  “As you wish, Miss Elinor.” Betsy nodded miserably, tears shining in her eyes.

  Elinor’s conscience tickled her. “You’re a good girl, Betsy. Just pay more mind to what Mama says, and to her rules, and you’ll be alright. And you start looking for a new job, as soon as you can. Don’t you tell anyone outside the house, but Mama and Papa won’t be able to afford a full staff for long.”

  “Oh! Oh no. I had no idea.”

  “No one does. I don’t want you or the stable boy to be out in the cold—you two will be the first they let go. So find a new place as soon as you can.”

  “Y-Yes, Miss. Thank you so much for tellin’ me!” Betsy hurried over to the kitchen door, holding it open for the two girls to slip through with their burdens.

  Chapter 5

  The McGilvray Home

  Tremont Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts

  “Whew! That was harrowing.” Addie breathed, shutting her bedroom door behind her.

  “Why? What happened? What did Walter say?” Elinor hopped up from Addie’s bed, where she’d been waiting anxiously for her friend’s return.

  “It wasn’t easy getting him alone at the church, but when he heard that I had a message from you, he agreed to it. He took it…very strangely. He wasn’t upset, per se, but rather…perplexed. I don’t think it quite sunk in. He seemed more concerned about what his guests would say, than about his bride leaving him on the day of his wedding.”

  “Hmm…actually, that sounds about right for Walter.”

  Addie winced. “Really?”

  Elinor nodded. “I still feel terrible, though. Mama and Papa went to such expense, and poor Walter doesn’t deserve to be embarrassed like this. It’s not his fault that he’s so unemotional.”

  “Do you deserve to spend the rest of your life married to a man who doesn’t care a whit for you, just because your parents worship his money and social standing?”

  Elinor bit her lip. “I…I suppose not. I’ve just never done anything like this before. So many times I felt like I was suffocating under my parents’ expectations. Before, all I could think was how desperate I was escape…to run away…and now I’ve done it!” She heaved a shaky sigh. “I can’t believe I’ve done it.”

  “Are you having second thoughts, then?”

  “No. I couldn’t go back if I tried. I’m terrified. I could never face them. Especially not now, while they’re still angry.”

  “Alright then, we need to get you out of here. Your mother showed up just as I was sneaking out. I’m quite sure she caught sight of me as I got into my brother’s buggy. No doubt when she hears that I told Walter that you were canceling the wedding, she’ll have her driver bring her out here as fast as possible. We’d better get going, before she shows up.”

  They gathered up Elinor’s baggage and made their way down the stairs, moving aside for two of Addie’s little sisters, who ran up the stairs whooping and yelling as part of some chasing game.

  “I thought Elinor was staying the night,” said Mrs. McGilvray in her clipped British accent. She had just come in from the back from the yard, a heavy wicker basket of freshly-folded laundry balanced on one hip, and a toddler on the other.

  “Uh…she was,” Addie stammered, “but…um…she has to go now.” She nudged Elinor toward the front door with one of the bags in her hand. “Bye, Ma!”

  Mrs. McGilvray uttered a confused “goodbye” as the girls left. They scurried down the street to where Addie’s brother, Neil, waited in the buggy. He leaned forward to help Elinor in, then took the extra bag that Addie handed up to him.

  “Where do we go now?” Elinor asked, casting a worried glance over her shoulder. She was relieved to see no sign of her parents’ carriage.

  “I have an idea—” Neil began.

  “No, don’t say another word!” Addie insisted. “I need to be able to say that I don’t know where Elinor is, when her mother comes around. Wait until you’re gone.”

  “But you’re coming to see me off, aren’t you?” The notion of getting on the train alone alarmed Elinor.

  “Of course, silly. But for now, I have to stay home and pretend everything is normal until the day I’m scheduled to leave for Montana. Don’t forget, Ma is taking my brothers and sisters to my Aunt Biddy’s house in Revere, like she does every August. She postponed this year’s trip to so everyone could see me off. Instead, at the last minute, I’ll tell her I’m staying, and I’ll join the rest of the family on the trip to the shore. No one will know you’ve taken my place but Neil and me. But before I tell Ma, Neil will bring me to pick you up and see you off at the train station.

  “Oh Addie, I wish you could come stay with me for the next few days. I’m going to miss you. Before, I didn’t want to stay. Now, I don’t know if I want to go…not without you.”

  “Oh no, you’re going, and that’s all there is to it. This is your chance at the life you’ve always dreamed of. You have to take it. If we’re meant to live side by side, as we’d always hoped, it will happen somehow, someday. Now, get on with you.”

  Elinor sat back and waved goodbye to Addie, as Neil guided his horse around the children playing in the street. She kept looking over her shoulder…at her friend, and also to watch for her parents’ carriage. But there was no sign of it.

  She turned to face forward again. “So what was your idea?”

  Neil glanced at her with his usual mischievous grin. “My cousin Patrick owns an inn, just a few miles away. It’s neat, clean, and on a safe street. You can walk to a park, or a nearby bakery. Addie said you had a bit of money?”

  She nodded. “I think enough for a room, for a few days. Maybe for meals, too, if the room isn’t too expensive.”

  “Then Healy’s Inn will be perfect for you. Their rates are very reasonable, and include breakfast and supper. My Aunt Siobhan makes a terrible-good fried Boxty, and she’s a fun one—you’ll have a jolly time there! You’ll only have to fend for yourself at lunchtime. I can point out a few places to get an inexpensive lunch nearby, or if you don’t think you’ll have enough, I can sneak you out a little food from home.”

  “No, don’t do that. I’m sure I’ll have enough.” Even if she didn’t, she wouldn’t impose on the McGilvray family any further. She could skip one meal a day, if it came to that.

  “What about your travel expenses? How will you eat on the train?”

  “Addie is going to give me the expense money that Mr. Cartwright sent. But I’m hoping to avoid spending too much of it, so I’ll do what I can to make my own money last.”

  “If you need help…”

  “No, thank you. Really, you’ve done enough.”

  “It’s no trouble. All I’m doing is giving you a
ride. Since Addie had me wait down the street for you both, and never told Ma that I was giving you a ride, I don’t think my mother or yours will give me any trouble. They’ll be too busy trying to drag the truth out of Addie.”

  “Poor Addie.” Elinor knew how it felt to be the target of her mother’s consternation.

  “She’ll be fine. I think she’s just relieved that she doesn’t feel the pressure to go to Montana anymore. She felt very guilty about backing out of the engagement to that Cartwright fellow, but she was really worried that things wouldn’t work out, or that she’d be miserable. I tried to get her to talk to Ma about it, but she thought Ma wouldn’t understand.”

  “I would think your Ma would be happy that Addie didn’t want to go—I know she’s not thrilled with Addie moving so far away.”

  “She’s not. Pa neither. Addie thought they’d pressure her even more to stay, and that wouldn’t help her make a clear decision. Don’t know if she told you, but Pa was fit to be tied about her leaving, mostly because Cartwright isn’t Irish. I know Pa married Ma, and she’s English, but he didn’t want it to become a regular thing in our family. He’s proud of our Irish heritage.”

  “I can see that.”

  “Ma, on the other hand, was happy about Addie’s marrying a non-Irishman, though she wasn’t fond of the idea of Addie going so far. Ma is always worried that one of us will go back to Pa’s old religion, because most Irish are Catholic, and she says people do crazy things when they’re in love. In fact, she’s always been afraid that Pa would go back to his old church, even though he promised her when she married him that he’d never go back and he’d raise us all as Protestants. She says that Catholic guilt is a powerful thing—but Pa has never gone back. He loves Ma too much to consider it, and he knows it would tear apart the family.”

  “I was always surprised that your father married your mother, considering that she’s an English Protestant. I can’t imagine you Pa’s family was happy about that. But I was afraid to be nosy and ask him.”

  Neil laughed. “Half my father’s family won’t talk to him. The other half keeps praying for him. And Nana McGilvray keeps trying to ‘guilt’ him into going to confession and hearing Mass. For me, I’m glad Pa converted. All that kneeling—ugh. Sunday service is tiring enough, without spending half of it on your knees.”

  Elinor giggled, then sobered quickly. “You know, if Addie was so distraught over becoming a mail order bride, she could have talked to me about it.” She looked over at him. “Why didn’t she?”

  “Elinor,” he glanced at her with a condescending look, “from what I hear, you’ve been a little…self-absorbed lately. And she doesn’t get to see you very often.”

  She blushed. “I know. I’m a terrible friend. I should have told Mama how I felt about her forbidding me from seeing Addie. I just…I’m not adept at difficult conversations, or standing up for myself. As a result, I know it may make me an unreliable friend for Addie.”

  “Which is probably why my sister came to me instead of you,” he sighed. “Sometimes I really wish she had an older sister to talk to, instead of talking to me. She’s my favorite sister and all, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear all the girly talk.”

  Neil laughed at his own joke, but Elinor bit her lip and turned to look up at the clusters of children playing as they passed.

  Addie and I used to be like sisters. I guess we’re not anymore.

  Chapter 6

  Friday, August 8, 1890

  Train Station, Boston, Massachusetts

  “Here are the letters Mr. Cartwright sent me—study them, and you’ll know everything that I know about him.”

  Elinor didn’t mention that she already knew them by heart. But she was glad to have them—she knew she’d spend the entire trip reading them over and over. “Is his photograph in here?”

  “Yes, it’s inside the second to last letter—the one it arrived in.”

  “Oh…good.” Her heart skipped a beat, her mind reeling with the notion of getting on the train so she could stare at the photograph for the first time without feeling like a terrible friend. “And you did send him the miniature of you that was taken from a distance, right? The one of you in a standing pose?”

  “Of course! I told you, I didn’t want to use the photograph that showed only my face and shoulders—it was taken too close up. You can see all my freckles.” Addie wrinkled her nose.

  Elinor had always thought Addie’s freckles were cute. As a child, she had always wanted to have freckles, so they would look more alike. But now that she was grown, she was glad to have a clear complexion. “It’s fortunate you chose to send that pose. If you’d sent the other, I don’t know that we could make this work. We look a lot alike, but mostly at a distance. And since I don’t have freckles, he’d have known something was amiss, the moment I debarked. Not to mention that your hair is two shades darker and redder than mine.” Elinor had always wished her hair had the rich copper color of Addie’s locks, instead of her own strawberry blonde hair—though she was glad her hair didn’t curl and frizz in the rain like Addie’s.

  “Yes, but that doesn’t really matter. You’re going to be telling him shortly after you get off the train who you really are.” Addie arched an eyebrow at her. “Right?”

  Elinor shook her head, as if to clear it. Then she nodded vigorously. “Yes! Yes, of course. I don’t know what I was thinking—of course it won’t matter. I suppose I just don’t want him to be put off just as soon as I walk off the train.”

  “Don’t worry—I’m sure he’ll give you a chance. In fact, when he sees how much prettier you are than I am, he’ll probably sweep you off your feet and carry you to the nearest chapel.”

  “Oh, stop! You always say I’m prettier, and it isn’t true. You’re just as pretty, if not more so.”

  “I’m not, but thank you for always saying so.”

  Addie probably would look equally attractive, if she did something more with her hair, and didn’t have to wear spectacles, or dresses that were so plain. But Elinor would never have spoken such thoughts aloud to her dear friend.

  “Oh!” exclaimed Addie, “I almost forgot!” She dug around in her reticule, and pulled out an envelope with a small wad in it. “Here is the expense money Mr. Cartwright sent.”

  “I hope I don’t have to dip into it. I tried not to use more than necessary for food expenditures, and your cousin was generous, giving me quite a discount on his normal rates at the inn, so perhaps I can stretch what’s left.”

  “Ahh! I suspected Neil was hiding you at Patrick and Siobhan’s inn, but I’m glad I didn’t know. I had to slip out the back door twice when your mother showed up. My mother was quite upset when I went back later, demanding to know why I was avoiding your mother, who was aggrieved that I wasn’t there to answer her questions. I’m glad I could honestly say I didn’t know where you were. Fortunately, she didn’t figure out that Neil was involved, or she’d have dragged the truth out of him.”

  “I feel awful for causing such trouble.” She imagined Mrs. McGilvray had given Addie an earful. “I hope my mother isn’t too worried.”

  “I think she was more furious with you, than worried. I’m sure that will change, if she doesn’t find you soon. You did write a letter for me to post, didn’t you?”

  Elinor nodded, pulling it from her own reticule, slightly bent. “Wait two days, and then send it to her. I wrote that I had to go off on my own for a while, but I’m staying somewhere safe, and that you don’t know where it is—which is partly true, because you only know the state, not the exact location of his farm.”

  “That’s true! I forgot—he receives his mail in town. I only know he’s north of town, about ten or eleven miles. But hopefully I’ll be able to sneak out of town with my family, without running into your mother again. You’ll be writing her as soon as you can, won’t you?”

  Elinor nodded. “In a month. That will give me nearly three weeks to get there, and a week or so to get settled. By then, I should
have an idea of how things will go with Mr. Cartwright. And I’ll write to you, at the same time, so you won’t worry about me.”

  “That’s perfect. I should be home from the shore before you even send the letter.”

  “Your baggage is all checked in, Elinor.” Neil came up behind his sister, eyeing the valise in Elinor’s hand. “I hope that overstuffed valise fits under the seat on the train.”

  “Ha, ha. It will fit fine.”

  “Do you have enough money? I mean, enough to last you a while, in case the man rejects you?”

  “Neil!” Addie admonished. “The poor girl doesn’t need you putting ideas in her head.”

  “I just want to make sure she’s taken care of. You never know. I don’t want poor Elinor stranded and alone when—I mean if—the man is put off by your little switch.”

  “I think I have enough.” Elinor swallowed, trying not to think of the possibility that Neil had just proposed. Instead, she mentally calculated what was left of her meager funds. “I hope so. If I’m careful with how much food I purchase on the journey, I might have enough left for a few days at an inexpensive boarding house, without using much of Mr. Cartwright’s money. If I have no marriage prospects at the end of a week, I can try to get a job.”

  Neil shook his head. “That’s poor planning. Even if you found a job right away, they don’t pay you the first day you work.” He dug into his pocket.

  “No! Neil, really, I’ll be fine. I’ll have the expense money from Mr. Cartwright if I need it—”

  “You don’t know that. He could demand it of you as soon as you step off the train. In fact, he could threaten to arrest you, or bring you to court for the expense of the train ticket.” He thrust a few bills at Elinor, and when she didn’t take it, he grabbed her hand and pushed the money into it. “Take it. It’s not much, but it will buy you a few more days in a boarding house.”

  Addie agreed. “Take it. And this as well.” She pulled out some more money from her own reticule, and handed it to Elinor. “Please. I’ll worry if you don’t. If you don’t need it, just send our money back. If you do, please use it, as our gift to you.”