Page 11 of His Perfect Bride
The rest of the week became a blur of work. Every inch of the enormous house was in need of cleaning, especially the kitchen, which had to be scrubbed and rescrubbed from top to bottom. Augusta promptly fired Jackson’s servant because it became clear that the fellow hadn’t done anything but cook for Jackson, and even that task had been poorly done.
While Augusta assisted with some of the chores, she spent most of her time organizing her brother’s affairs—especially looking for hired help. Her efforts to find suitable staff were difficult, and Augusta lamented the lack of qualified personnel, which was the opposite of Manchester where so many people needed work.
Augusta not only took charge of Jackson’s affairs, but she also seemed to make it her mission to finish furnishing and decorating the rooms of his house. Sometimes she brought Sage along to help with the shopping at the few stores in Victoria that supplied household goods.
On those occasions, Sage inquired about Willow and Caleb. But no one recognized the names, and no one could give her information about her sister. Although the bride-ship women had stayed at the Marine Barracks when they’d first arrived, now, all these months later, the women had either married or been employed.
Even though Sage had no luck in finding Willow, she knew it was still early and that she would eventually track her down. After all, Victoria wasn’t nearly as big as Manchester, and once she was no longer so busy, she would take more time to investigate Willow’s whereabouts.
While she admired Augusta for her willingness to bring order to her brother’s life and to help him establish his household, Sage didn’t quite know what to make of Jackson or why he was so helpless to take care of himself.
She saw little of him, except in passing. He spent most of his days closed in the dining room, creating a model suspension bridge. If not there, then he was in his study. It was evident from the hallway that both rooms were messy and would need cleaning eventually.
Nevertheless, she made good progress with the rest of the house so that by the end of the first week, the rooms were organized and spotless. Augusta finally found a cook who had been working in one of the restaurants in town but who was more than willing to take the private job with better pay.
With the cook now established and the kitchen stocked with most of the supplies that were necessary for a household such as the Lennoxes’, Augusta made it known that she was determined to have meals together, even if they had to eat them in the smaller and cozier breakfast room because Jackson’s model took up the dining room.
So Sage hadn’t protested Augusta’s request to join her and Jackson for the evening meal.
With as busy as she and Augusta had both been during their first week in Victoria, they hadn’t been able to enjoy each other’s company the way they had during the voyage.
For the meals on the ship, Augusta had asked Sage to accompany her as a companion and friend rather than merely a servant. At first, Sage had felt out of place whenever she took the role of Augusta’s companion. But she’d quickly learned the social requirements, and thankfully, Augusta was kind and never put on airs.
With the waft of their first proper evening meal in the air, Sage helped Augusta dress in a fine gown and styled her hair. Then Sage donned one of Augusta’s tailored castoffs, a lovely pale peach silk with small bows on the skirt and matching bows on the off-the-shoulder collar. She adored the gown more than any others for how it complemented her hair.
When Sage finished, Augusta was waiting in the parlor, and they ambled into the hallway like two friends rather than a lady and her servant.
“I’m told the furniture will come from San Francisco in a matter of weeks,” Augusta said as they approached the breakfast room. “A console, candlestand tables, a waterfall bookcase, and armchairs for the formal parlor.”
As they stepped into the room, Sage halted at the sight of Jackson already sitting at the oval rosewood table. Although he was still shaggy-looking with his overlong hair and unshaven face, at least he’d taken the time to put on a freshly laundered and ironed light-blue dress shirt and matching cravat that complimented his tan suit.
He started to rise from his chair as men did in the presence of a lady. But as his gaze landed on her, he halted halfway up. His eyes widened, revealing the gray-blue more distinctly.
Obviously he hadn’t been expecting her to come to dinner with Augusta, perhaps believed the extra place had been set for a guest. And obviously Augusta hadn’t informed him that guest was her lady’s maid. Why? Because the dear woman knew she was crossing social boundaries by including Sage and guessed Jackson might oppose it?
Sage’s stomach dropped with a sudden thud. She was an imposter, and Jackson would have no qualms in telling her so in spite of Augusta’s kindness.
Augusta didn’t release her grip on Sage’s arm. Instead, she smiled at Jackson, who finished standing. “Thank you for taking time away from your work to join us. Even if we are in the far-flung outpost of civilization, we cannot neglect behaving as civilized people and having civilized meals together.”
Jackson’s gaze hadn’t budged from Sage. He was scanning her simple chignon that she’d hastily fashioned after putting on the peach gown, and then his gaze swept over her face before drifting lower.
She’d drawn the attention of men before. That was nothing new. Even on the ship voyage, men had stared at her and paid her compliments.
But this was Jackson, Augusta’s brother, and she didn’t quite know what to make of his silence, his intensity, and the full focus of his steely eyes. Beside her, Augusta had grown quiet, her brow furrowing as she watched Jackson.
What was Augusta worried about? Jackson showing an interest in her?
Not that he was interested. Such a prospect was laughable. Of course, he might be noticing her appearance tonight. The gown was truly flattering, and she knew she looked especially pretty in it.
But beyond a mere acknowledgement of her beauty, a man of Jackson’s class and wealth would never seriously consider someone like her of an inferior status. It was one thing for Augusta to befriend her, but it was another thing altogether for a gentleman like him to form a relationship.
Unless the relationship was illicit.
Embarrassed heat rushed through Sage at even the prospect. Was Jackson the sort of man who might consider it though?
He hadn’t struck her as such. Then again, she hadn’t spoken more than a few dozen words to him since arriving. He’d been a recluse, and the sadness from the first day she’d met him hovered about him all the time.
Even so, this awkward moment was a glaring reminder that she didn’t belong in the fancy gown, didn’t belong at a formal dinner, and most definitely didn’t belong in either Augusta’s or Jackson’s life.
