Rose: Book One in Suitors of Seattle Read online

  She glanced at the clock. It was already quarter after seven. Where was he? “He’s late.” She couldn’t remember ever waiting for a man before.

  Amaryllis looked at Rose. “You’re usually late. Why aren’t you late?”

  “I don’t want to waste a single minute that I could spend with Dr. Shawn.” She looked down at her hands. She hoped he felt the same way, but what if he didn’t?

  “You’ve got it bad.” Amaryllis got up off the floor where she always laid to read and sat on the sofa beside Rose. “I’ll wait with you.”

  Rose nodded. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re my sister.”

  Amaryllis smiled. “Me too.”

  The butler, Stevens, came to the door then. “Miss Rose? Dr. Henry is here to see you.”

  Rose shot Amaryllis a nervous glance and stood, taking a deep breath. “Thank you, Stevens.” She walked sedately out of the room and toward the front door.

  Dr. Shawn handed her the long-stemmed pink rose that he held in his hand. “A rose for my Rose.” He offered her his arm. “I thought we’d go for a walk through the park and get to know one another. Will that work for you?”

  Rose nodded. He hadn’t apologized for being late, but she never had when she’d kept a suitor waiting either, so she couldn’t say a word. “That sounds lovely.” She turned to Amaryllis, who was watching them with a frown. “Will you put this in a vase and make sure it goes in my room, please?”

  Amaryllis nodded as Rose turned to the door. “Have a nice time,” she called hesitantly.

  Rose smiled up at Shawn as she took small steps beside him toward the park. “How was your day?” Now that they were finally together, she wasn’t altogether sure what to say to him.

  Dr. Shawn shrugged. “It was fine. Busy as usual.” He looked down at her. “What did you do today?”

  “I spent the morning working at the battered women’s shelter my aunt started. I spend most mornings there during the summers. Now that I’ve finished school, I’ll probably go there year round.”

  “What do you do there?” He couldn’t imagine her doing any kind of manual labor.

  She shrugged. “I sit with the women and talk to them. They need people to listen to their stories. I sometimes play with the children. I’m just a familiar face who helps out. Most of the women there are trying to find jobs so they can support their families, so I take care of the children while they go on job interviews. Or I help serve lunch.”

  “That sounds like interesting work.” He was truly surprised she was willing to help supervise the children and serve lunch. That she would sit and talk to the women didn’t surprise him at all. She seemed too self-absorbed to be willing to do any real work, though.

  “It is. My mother insisted Lily and I volunteer there as soon as my aunt opened the house to the public. She said I needed to learn what it could teach me.” She paused for a moment, looking straight ahead. “Amaryllis goes there now, too.”

  “Do you feel like you’ve learned anything working there?” What kind of lesson could a home like that teach?

  “I do. I feel like I’ve learned that people aren’t always what they appear to be. The women there have stories that frighten me sometimes. It never occurred to me that men would hurt their wives the way some of those women have been hurt. Many of them need medical care for broken bones when they first arrive.” She sighed. “And the children are usually afraid of their own shadows. It was hard working there at first, but now I think it is good for me.”

  He shook his head. “Men who beat women need to be beaten themselves.” He’d never personally known a woman who had been abused, but he knew it happened.

  She nodded. “I agree. I guess I knew men sometimes hurt their wives, but I always thought it was something only the lower class would do. Some of the women who come in are of our class. Sometimes they’re people I’ve known my whole life, and the whole time I’ve known them, they’ve experienced this abuse. And hidden it!”

  “Why would a woman hide the fact that she was abused?” He was surprised to hear that a woman would hide it. Why would she hide her husband’s shame that way?

  “I wondered that, too, so I always ask, and the answer is always the same. Shame. The men make them feel like they’ve done something wrong to deserve the way they’re being treated. So they put up with it.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t put up with being treated that way.”

  “What would you do?” He knew there weren’t many options for women who had been abused. He wished there were.

  She shrugged. “I’d go back to my parents, to my aunt’s house, or to the shelter. I wouldn’t let a man hit me even once.” She stared straight ahead as they entered the park, afraid to look at him as she said the next words. “I think that’s the lesson they wanted me to learn by working there. That I didn’t have to stay in a situation like that. That I had the right to get out and should get out.”

  “Every woman should.” He looked down at her, so tiny beside him. He was a tall man and muscular. If he ever decided to hit someone her size, he could do considerable damage. “Do you think you’ll continue to work there after you marry?” He knew it would be good for her to stay busy, but wasn’t sure how he felt about her being so close to abuse.

  She thought about that for a moment. “For a while at least. Maybe not after I have children, but I wouldn’t want to stop going right away.” She looked up at him. “Would that bother you?”

  He shook his head. “Of course not. I’ll be working anyway. You’ll have to fill your days somehow.”

  She frowned slightly at that. She hadn’t thought much about what marriage would be like beyond the wedding reception. She’d somehow pictured living with him and spending all their time together, even going to the office with him on occasion. She realized then that was a silly and childish thought. “I guess you’re right.”

  They walked for a few minutes without speaking. He stopped at a park bench and they sat down. “What do you like to do with your spare time?” he asked.

  Rose thought about that for a moment. What did she like to do? She spent a lot of time practicing just the right face to show a boy in a mirror, but that couldn’t really be considered an interest, could it? She did all the things a young lady was supposed to do. She embroidered and knitted and crocheted. She didn’t like doing them, but she was willing, because that’s what was expected of her. She usually gave whatever she made to the battered women’s shelter. “I like to help others,” she improvised. “I make scarves and hats, and then give them to the children who live at the shelter.” She didn’t add that she only gave them to the shelter because she had nothing else to do with them when she was finished.

  He was impressed. He hadn’t expected that from her. “That’s nice.” Maybe she wasn’t as shallow as she’d seemed. “That’s something else you could continue doing after you marry.” He liked the idea of having a wife who helped others.

  She nodded. She probably would. Because ladies knitted and crocheted, and she needed to do something with the finished product. “I probably will.”

  They got to their feet and finished their slow walk through the park. Rose nodded to several of her school friends, smiling at the envious looks on their faces when they saw who she was with. Yes, marrying Dr. Shawn was exactly what she wanted to do.

  Shawn smiled down at Rose. There was so much more to her than he’d first realized. She would make an excellent wife for him. So what if he had no feelings for her? They’d grow with time, wouldn’t they? And if they didn’t, he’d still have a wife who would keep him company and bear his children. Nothing much mattered beyond that.

  *****

  When they arrived back at her front door, Dr. Shawn stared down at her for a moment, and Rose smiled up at him. She’d let one or two of the boys who had courted her when she was sixteen kiss her, and she’d found it pleasant enough. Would Dr. S
hawn try to kiss her?

  Shawn looked down into Rose’s upturned eyes. She was obviously expecting a kiss goodnight. He wondered if anyone had ever kissed her before, but decided it didn’t really matter. It was obvious she was innocent in the ways that did matter and that’s all he really cared about. He leaned down and kissed her softly, not trying to deepen the kiss, just a brush of his lips against hers.

  She sighed softly and leaned into him, happy he was finally kissing her. She couldn’t wait until they were married and they could spend all their days and nights doing nothing but kissing. She would be in heaven.

  After a moment, he lifted his lips and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Good night, Rose. Sleep well.”

  As he walked away, he thought, “I’ll send her another bouquet of roses tomorrow. She certainly seems to think they’re her due.” He laughed to himself at the silliness of naming daughters after flowers. He wondered if all seven of her sisters would expect the flowers they were named after from the men who courted them. He was glad she was named Rose. He had no idea what a hyacinth even looked like!

  *****

  Lily was already in her nightgown when Rose entered their room. Rose’s dreamy expression had Lily sighing inwardly. Rose was going to want to talk into the wee hours of the morning about her perfect dentist. Again. It would be okay if she didn’t say the same things over and over.

  “Aren’t you going to ask me how my evening was?” Rose asked.

  Lily shook her head adamantly. “I’m not.”

  Rose sighed. “Don’t you care that I’ve finally found the only man in the world that God made just for me?”

  “Not particularly.” Lily said a silent prayer that her sister would get the hint and not talk about Dr. Shawn forever.

  “Well, I have. We went walking in the park, and he was extremely courteous. On the way there, he made sure he walked on the outside of the sidewalk, and he patted my hand where I held his arm.” She sighed. “He even shortened his stride so I wouldn’t have to hurry to keep up with him.”

  “That’s nice.” Lily climbed into bed and closed her eyes tightly, hoping sleep would come quickly.

  “And he kissed me goodnight. I could feel his kiss all the way to my toes.”

  “He kissed your toes?” Lily’s eyes opened in shock as she stared at her sister. “Why did he kiss your toes?” Was that even proper? Why would a dentist, someone obviously worried about oral hygiene, kiss someone’s toes?

  “He didn’t kiss my toes.” Rose’s voice was disgusted. “His kiss was so sweet and loving that I could feel it in my toes.”

  “That’s just strange.” Lily rolled to her stomach and put her pillow over her head.

  “You don’t understand anything!” Rose pulled her nightgown over her head and brushed out her hair. “I can’t wait to be his wife.”

  “You know, no man is perfect.” Lily’s voice was muffled with the pillow over it.

  “Dr. Shawn is. He’s perfect in every way.”

  Lily sighed. “That’s what all the women in the battered women’s shelter say too. That their husband seemed so perfect before they married. I hope he’s going to treat you well.”

  “You know he will!”

  “I know nothing of the sort. Apparently Aunt Harriett trusts him, though, so I guess he’s okay.” She closed her eyes. “Good night, Rose.”

  Rose glared at Lily. “You’re just trying to spoil things for me and it’s not going to work!”

  “It’s not? Oh well. I give up then. Good night, Rose.”

  Rose sighed. “Good night, Lily.”

  *****

  Shawn left his office and locked the door, running his fingers through his hair. He was sick of wasting most evenings courting Rose. Would it be too soon to just ask her to marry him so they could be done with the whole thing? He wandered past the bank where her father worked and noticed it was still open. He’d left work early to go home and change before seeing Rose again. He was supposed to eat dinner with her family. He had met most of her sisters, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to see them all at once.

  He opened the door for the bank and went to the clerk at the counter. “Is Mr. Fred Sullivan in?”

  “Yes, sir.” The man gestured in the direction of the offices and Shawn went that way. He found the office where he’d first met Rose’s father and knocked briefly.

  At the call of “enter” he opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him. “Dr. Henry. Can I help you?”

  Shawn nodded. “May I sit?” he asked. He hoped Mr. Sullivan would accept that he was ready to marry Rose. He just didn’t want to have to waste any more time.

  “Of course.”

  Shawn took the chair across from Fred. “I know I haven’t been courting Rose for very long, but you’re a businessman the same as I am, so you’ll understand when I say that I don’t have time to continue on this path. I’d like to ask for her hand in marriage now.”

  Fred studied his face carefully. “Do you care for my daughter?”

  Shawn was glad Fred hadn’t used the word love, because he wasn’t anywhere close to being in love with Rose. “I do care for her.” He cared for her in the way he cared for most people, but with the positive addition of sexual tension. He’d be thrilled to take Rose to bed with him. He was ready for that aspect of marriage more than most.

  Fred sighed. “I’m worried about her. She’s always had men surrounding her, telling her she was perfect and beautiful and they loved her. You’re not the type of man she’s usually interested in.”

  Shawn shrugged. “Does that mean you don’t think I’ll make her a good husband?” Shawn got angry. Had he wasted the past two weeks on the girl? He hoped not, because he really didn’t want to start the long, tedious process of courtship with anyone else.

  “I’m not saying that.” Fred shrugged. “Yes, you have my permission to marry her.” He said it quietly, with a hopeless sound to his voice. “You’ll treat her well?”

  Shawn nodded. “Of course, I will.” He looked his future father-in-law in the eye. “I know you worry about your daughters being abused, and Rose and I have talked about her work at the women’s shelter. I wouldn’t hurt Rose.”

  Fred nodded slowly. “If she wants to marry you, then you have my permission to marry her.”

  Shawn stood up and held his hand out to the older man. “Thank you, sir. You won’t regret it.” He turned and left the bank. On his walk home, he passed the mercantile and turned to go inside. There was a small display of rings, so he looked over them. He chose the most expensive ring, because he thought Rose would want the best, and had it put into a box, before hurrying home and changing for dinner.

  *****

  Rose was excited about having Dr. Shawn over for dinner with her family, but she was nervous about her sisters’ behavior. You never knew what was going to happen when they all got together. She’d made certain he hadn’t met Jasmine yet, because Jasmine was the real trouble-maker. Lily was embarrassing because she liked to pretend she was a boy, but Jasmine? You never knew what Jasmine would do, but it was going to be something that would shock everyone to the core.

  Rose cornered Jasmine in the parlor before Dr. Shawn arrived. “I need you to be on your best behavior tonight, Jaz.”

  Jasmine grinned from ear to ear. “Why?”

  Rose sighed. “You know Dr. Shawn is coming to dinner and I want to make a good impression on him.” She kept her voice low and even, trying to keep Jasmine from knowing just how important the night was to her.

  “Are you afraid he won’t marry you if I throw a pea at his head?” Jasmine had started a food fight with their youngest sister, Iris, just the previous evening.

  “Something like that.” It was more that she was afraid Dr. Shawn would worry that insanity was a family trait, but she didn’t say that.

  “I promise not to lob any food at him. There
. Feel better now?”

  Rose eyed her sister. “Not particularly. Don’t do anything Mama wouldn’t approve of, okay?”

  Jasmine shrugged. “That I just can’t promise.”

  “Please, Jaz.”

  Jasmine kissed her sister’s cheek. “I love you, Rose.” She left the room before anything else could be said, leaving Rose staring after her in fear. What was she going to do? She knew Jasmine had something planned.

  Dr. Shawn was there a minute later and they sat down to dinner with him on her left. Jasmine had maneuvered her way into sitting directly across from their guest, which frightened Rose to no end.

  The first half of the meal passed uneventfully, with Jasmine showing perfect manners. Rose sat tensely just waiting to see what would happen. Finally Jasmine looked at Rose and said, “Relax. I’m not going to do anything.” She then turned to Dr. Shawn and explained, “Rose is afraid I’m going to do something to embarrass her and then you won’t ask her to marry you. I don’t know why she doesn’t trust me!”

  Rose groaned and tried to sink under the table. By pretending she didn’t know why Rose was embarrassed of her, she’d embarrassed her. Of course. It was just like Jasmine.

  Dr. Shawn choked down a laugh and eyed Rose out of the corner of his eye. She was bright red, and sinking down in her seat. “Is that so?”

  “Oh yes! Rose is absolutely crazy for you, and she doesn’t want anyone to do anything that could jeopardize her relationship with you. Isn’t that sweet?” Jasmine smiled at Rose, a sickeningly sweet smile that made Rose want to throttle her.

  “Very sweet,” Dr. Shawn returned. He looked over at Rose. “Don’t worry. Your sister doesn’t frighten me.”

  “That’s enough, Jasmine!” Rose’s mother’s voice rang out. “You know better.”

  Jasmine hid her grin and did her best to look properly contrite. “Sorry, Mama.”

  Rose didn’t say another word throughout the meal, but she carefully plotted how she’d get back at her sister. She could….she could….she could talk to Lily after Dr. Shawn left and figure it out then. She was so angry, she didn’t even have any good ideas.

  After dinner, she went into the back garden with Dr. Shawn, a huge area overrun with flowers, because her mother loved to plant flowers. There was a section for her and each of her sisters, and she led Shawn to the rose garden and the stone bench there. He stared around him in amazement. “So many flowers!”