The Diary of Jerrod Bently, J.W. Osborn [the false prince series TXT] 📗

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


“Miss Lillie,” the maid said quietly as she lightly knocked on the door of her employers private study. “Mister Brian says he won’t be back till late. The Constable’s mare is going to foal. He said he won’t be here for dinner.”
The door of the room opened and a tall thin woman with her salt and pepper grey hair piled on the crown of her head , glared at the girl. “Essie,” she said in a tone of disapproval “How many times have I told you to deliver a message to me privately, not through the door for the whole house to hear!”
“Sorry, Miss Lillie,” the girl replied “But Doctor Dodge, being over to the Constable’s barn ain’t all.”
Lillie Stevens-Black rolled her eyes “Use proper English, girl!,” she instructed in a critical tone“isn’t all, Not “ain’t all.”
“Yes Ma’am”, the girl replied her blue eyes down cast. “I am sorry.” She hated the constant corrections and criticisms while trying to do her job. She offered a sealed envelope to her mistress. “The postman brought it just a few moments ago,” she said . Lillie took it from her and scrutinize the hand writing through the eye glasses that were perched on the end of her nose. “Texas?”, she said mostly to herself. She had not thought about Texas or the past she had left there for many, many years. “That will be all, Essie,” she said, dismissing the girl as though she did not matter at all. The maid walked away silently promising herself that as soon as her bank account was big enough she was going to tell Mrs. Lillian Stevens-Black to go the blazes and head to California. “The old bat,” she said to herself. The only saving grace of working in this woman’s household was her friendship with Lillie’s nephew, Dr. Brian Dodge. “Horses,” Lillie had hissed in distaste “Always horses, especially with Samantha! I thought I would be the laughing stock of Philadelphia when Brian went to school to become a Horse Doctor!”
Brian Dodge had let his aunt’s disappointment roll off his back when he graduated from the local medical college with honors. Two years later, the young veterinarian was one of the most successful men in his field. He never talked about his past or his heritage, as his aunt would not allow it. Her worst nightmare was having her Philadelphia society friends learn that her nephew was one fourth Blackfoot Indian and that his sister was not in school in Europe, but back in Texas with “the savages”. However, he was making a fine income, and Lillie was happy about that. Her late husband’s gambling debts had nearly left her destitute. These things were far from her mind as she sat down at her desk, the letter in her hand. “Elliot.,” she said to herself. How long had it been since she had heard anything of or from her brother. Now here was a letter from him. They had not spoken, written of visited one another in many years. When Sam ran away to Texas to be with her Grandfather, Lillie had expected Doc to side with her and bring Sam back East. It had not turned out that way. Samantha Ann Dodge was indeed a proper young lady, she was smart, honest, had good manners was educated but that was not good enough according to Lille’s way of life, or how she had hoped to raise her dead sister’s two children. Sam’s life was with her Grandfather in Texas and that was where she was happy. Doc refused to send her back and they had not spoken since. Lillie took her letter opener off the top of her blotter and slit the envelope to pull out Doc’s letter.

Dear Lillie:

It has been a long time. I probably should have written you years back, but I just didn’t. I want you to know that Sam turned out very well. She is a beautiful young woman and a person Sarah and Joe would be proud of. I know I sure am. At times when she looks at me I see our dear sister in her face. I hear Sarah in her voice some times too and it is a comfort to me. I have remarried. My bride is a wonderful woman , Victoria Stevens, we are married six months now. However, sister. I am not writing to tell you about myself, it is about Sam. She is to be married very soon to a fine young man from New York. I thought you might like to know.

Your brother,
Elliot Stevens

Lillie smiled as she folded the letter and slid it back into the envelope. A fine young man from New York. That was good news as she ran over the list of society names she knew from there. Then she frowned. Her brother never mentioned who Sam’s intended was. “Well, if he is a man from New York, he is probably a business man,” she said to herself, “Probably a cattle buyer if he was in Texas. While she waited for her nephew to return home that night, she cooked up a story to tell at her friend’s tea party on Sunday. She could see herself as the center of attention. “Of course you remember my niece, Samantha Ann,” she mused “She is my late sister’s only girl, God rest her soul. She has been away at school these last five years and now she is getting married! Her fiancee is from New York, a cattleman.” It would sound better if she knew a name for the man. It was Lillie’s way to put on airs and stretch the truth, and that was the one thing that Doc could not stand about his older sister. However, she was family and it was only right to let her know that Sam was to be married.
Lillie dozed by the small fire place in the parlor. She was sound asleep when Brian turned his key in the front door and let himself in to the brownstone, where he had grown up. He saw his aunt slouched in her chair, her lace cap perched on top of her grey hair. She was snoring like a drunkard and he had to smile. She was so concerned about manners and being a lady or a gentleman, but here she was snoring like a buffalo. The young man crossed the hall and knelt down in front of her, touching her on the knee. “Aunt Lillie?”, he said quietly. The woman snorted herself awake. Embarrassed she glared back at her nephew’s hazel eyes. “Brian.,” , she said “What time is it?”
“Does it matter?, “ he replied as he rose, pulled off his over coat and slung it over his arm. “The constable’s mare birthed a fine stud colt tonight. That baby was on the ground right at midnight.”
“Thoroughbred?”, Lillie asked.
“Indeed,” Brian replied “This one is going to be a winner, just like his daddy is.”
“Horses.,” the old woman spit “You and your sister, just obsessed with them.” Brian laughed at her grumpy state of mind. He was used to it. “Well, that may be so, Aunt Lillie,” he said, “But because of the equine clients I have, I keep the wolf from to door.”
“I got a letter from your Uncle Elliot today,’ she said to change the subject. That peeked the young doctor’s interest. “Really?”, he said “I hope he is well. Is he still with the Texas Rangers?”
Lillie raised her hand to stop him. “He is fine,” she said as she handed Doc’s letter to Brian.. “Read it. Your sister is getting married.”
‘Well,” Brian declared “That is good news!” He stood in the lamp light and read his uncle’s letter. “The fellow is from New York. Wonder how he ended up in Texas.”
“That dreadful place,” Lillie commented. “I suppose you will want to go to the wedding.”
“I wouldn’t miss Sam’s wedding for the world,” Brian beamed. “I will send a telegraph to Doc in the morning. We can be on the train by tomorrow afternoon.” Lillie waved him off. “You never liked Texas, Brian,”she said “I am sure it hasn’t changed and that your uncle is still hanging around with those, those savages.”
Brian Dodge laughed . “I want to go back to where I was born, Aunt Lillie and see some of those people I remember before it is too late and they all are gone.”
It was only fair. Brian had a right to go back to where he’d come from and she decided not to be selfish. “All right, Nephew,” Lillie agreed “But we will leave Friday. I want to purchase a proper wedding dress for your sister. If I know your uncle and that old Zachariah Dodge, Sam will look like a heathen on her wedding day and I simply will not have that. Oh, what will that poor man from New York think. I will have to be there to keep things civilized.”
Brian laughed “I am going to bed. It has been a long night and I am tired. Good night Aunt Lillie. We will leave on Friday.”

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Scrub Pot and I were on the roof of the barn working on patching a hole when Doc rode in from his trip into town. He did not look happy at all. Taking note of this, Scrub Pot and I looked at each other and went back to nailing the cedar wood shingles in place. “Best we finish here before we learn what is on his mind today,” the old man suggested.