Page 39 of Hank and Elsie
When Elsie exited the church and searched the crowd, finally she saw her family standing together, obviously waiting for her. Relief hit so hard, her chest hurt. Unable to take a deep breath because of her corset, dizzy grayness sparkled across her vision. Her body wavered, and her legs shook. She had a moment of panic.I’m going down.
A firm arm grasped her around her waist. “Gotcha, Elsie.”
Hank, thank goodness!
“Hold her up, Mr. Canfield,” Miss Taylor ordered. “I’ll apply my smelling salts.”
A bitter odor stung Elsie’s nose, and her vision cleared, even if her legs still wobbled and her whole body felt weak.
With anxious expressions, her family hurried forward to cluster around,
“Elsie!” Her mother’s sharp tone belied the relief in her eyes.
“What’s wrong with her?” The concern in her father’s voice would have touched her if she didn’t feel like her head was still hazy.
Miss Taylor placed a hand on Elsie’s arm. “My guess is that when she didn’t see you all in church, she worried herself sick.And your daughter’s not yet experienced enough to manage sudden emotion while, ah…” she glanced at Elsie’s midsection “—fashionablydressed.”
Hank’s arm stayed strong around Elsie’s waist.
Not caring of the proprieties, she leaned against him, inhaling his familiar smell of bay rum soap and horse.
“Should I fetch Dr. Angus?” he asked, tightening his arm.
Oh, no, not Dr. Angus.His views about tight corsets were all too well known, and Elsie had no desire to be scolded in his Scottish brogue, which thickened when he became frustrated.Especially since my parents might agree.
“No need,” Miss Taylor said briskly. “Elsie will be fine.” She tilted her head in the direction of the shop. “But I’d appreciate if you could help her across the street and to our apartment, preferablybeforeDr. Angus spots her predicament.”
Elsie couldn’t help but smile, knowing how those two sparked off each other.Miss Taylor has no wish for another confrontation with Dr. Angus, either.
“If you, sir, would take that arm.” Her father grasped Elsie’s elbow. “I’ll support her from this side.”
“Hank Canfield, Mr. Bailey. I’m a friend of your daughter’s.”
Elsie wasn’t too woozy to miss the speculative glance Ma shot him.Hopefully, she won’t get any matrimonial ideas.She made herself straighten away from Hank.
“Let’s move along,” Ma said briskly, with a sweep of her hand. “We’ve attracted far too much attention.”
Elsie glanced to the right to see the curious and concerned gazes directed her way and quickly looked away again.
“You look so pretty, Elsie.” Mary cast an admiring glance at the pink gown. “Just like a fashionable lady.”
Elsie braced for Ma to say something disparaging aboutprettyandfashionable.
But her mother remained silent.
With Pa holding onto one elbow and Hank the other, Elsie traversed the street, trying to act as normal as possible while still feeling weak and a bit silly. But the closer she came to the Gordon Building, the stronger she felt, although she wasn’t about to say so. Having Hank and Pa’s attentiveness felt too good to shake off.
Why, I’ve experienced my first swoon. Just like a heroine in a novel.The thought perked her up.Now, I’m truly a fashionable lady.
CHAPTER 15
Sitting at the small table in Miss Taylor’s main room and sipping some fragrant tea from a delicately flowered teacup with an elongated saucer on which to set a petite cake or sandwich, Hank’s thudding heart slowed to a normal beat. He couldn’t help thinking this was one time he might have preferred something stronger.
He sent up a silent prayer of thanksgiving that Elsie was fine. He’d been younger, still living with his grandfather, when he’d seen his cousin Edna faint and had been too frozen to react.
She’d been standing near the fireplace and perhaps had been overcome by the heat. He hadn’t known the signs of a lady’s swoon, and no one else was paying attention. So, he hadn’t leapt to her aid when she’d crumpled and hit her head on the edge of the marble hearth.
Thank the Good Lord Edna hadn’t died. She’d remained unconscious for several terrifying days and had taken months to recover. But Hank had carried the guilt ever since.
