“How could I have stated that Lottie’s a criminal any differently?”
“You could have said that she suffered from an unfortunate past.”
“That would have made it sound like she was beset by misfortune, not that she chose to become involved with members of the criminal persuasion.”
“Lottie was never a true criminal because she didn’t voluntarily work for Frank Fitzsimmons, and even if that hadn’t been the case, can you claim to have never made a mistake?”
“Of course I can’t, especially when it seems I’ve just made a grave mistake by stating that Lottie was a criminal.”
He wasn’t certain, but it seemed as if Camilla’s lips twitched before she inclined her head. “It’s nice to discover you’re willing to admit that, just as I’m sure you’re going to admit you’re wrong about Lottie and Edward having nothing in common after I tell you that Lottie’s father was a tutor and that she’s always aspired to become a teacher.”
“Are you going to get all prickly with me again if I don’t admit I was wrong?”
“Are you going to realize that accusing me of being prickly probably isn’t the best way to avoid me descending into that condition?”
“Ah, so you admit you can be prickly.”
“I didn’t admit anything of the sort.”
“Your tone right now speaks volumes for you.”
She drew in a breath, released it, then drew in another before she finally settled what looked to be a remarkably forced smile on him. “Why don’t we simply agree to allow their romance to unfold without any interference from us, at least for now, and leave it at that?”
He was hard-pressed not to laugh. “If your ‘for now’ is equivalent to your you’ll ‘be back momentarily,’ we probably have a different perception of how long ‘for now’ will end up being.”
She smoothed a wrinkle from her skirt. “I suppose we could agree on an actual timeline, although, considering Edward didn’t balk when I suggested he ride beside Lottie in their carriage, I may not need to interfere at all.”
“Edward didn’t balk because, for one, you told him Lottie’s life might be at risk, which meant she needed a big, strong gentleman to keep her safe. You then made a point of telling him that Lottie is deathly afraid of heights and would surely be terrified to travel over the Suspension Bridge without someone familiar with that bridge sitting beside her, who could convince her that the cables wouldn’t break and hence, she wouldn’t plunge to a watery grave.”
“I thought it spoke highly of Edward’s character when he was more than willing to sit beside her in the carriage, even knowingshe could very well take a death grip on his arm while traveling over the bridge. Those types of grips are notorious for leaving bruises, and yet he willingly offered to take the seat right next to her. He also assured her that even though he didn’t fully comprehend why her life might be at risk, he was more than capable of protecting her.”
“Edward’s been shooting since he could walk, so he knows his way around a weapon, but...” Owen frowned. “It seemed to me that Lottie was rather surprised to learn she was terrified of heights.”
“Was she?” Camilla asked before she turned her attention out the window. “Would you look at that? It’s a department store.”
“A less-than-subtle attempt to change the subject, but . . .” Owen looked out the window. “That’s Stone and Thomas.”
“I wasn’t expecting Wheeling to have a department store.”
“And while I understand my small city enjoys the reputation of being along the lines of a cow pasture, Wheeling is home to many successful industrialists who enjoy having convenient places to shop.”
Camilla pulled her attention from the window and caught his eye. “Forgive me. I fear my words came out rather condescending, but I truly didn’t mean to insult you or your town. I’m simply ignorant when it comes to West Virginia in general. From anything I’ve ever heard about your state—and yes, cow pastures have been mentioned—I never got the impression it was an up-and-coming city of any sophistication.”
“There’s no need to apologize, but to disabuse you of your misimpression of my city, allow me to point out some businesses on Market Street that will hopefully show why Wheeling is a city now worthy of the wordsophisticated.”
For the next few minutes, Owen directed Camilla’s attention to theaters that housed operas, plays, and balls; Hancher Diamond store; Murchendorfer Stogie Factory; as well as a bakery that sold the most delectable pastries.
He then launched into a brief history of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge when the carriage turned onto it, smiling when Camilla pressed her nose against the glass to get a better look at what had been called a modern marvel of engineering.
“Is it my imagination or is the carriage swaying?” she asked right as El Cid started yowling, the yowls having Gladys, who’d been sleeping on the seat beside Camilla, opening one eye before she closed it again and went straight back to sleep.
Owen pulled El Cid’s basket onto his lap, which earned him a hiss in return, suggesting the cat wasn’t in the mood to be consoled. “The bridge sways because of how it’s constructed, the cables moving whenever traffic is heavy, but there’s no need to fear it’s unsafe.”
“Reassuring to know,” Camilla said, returning her attention to the scene outside the window, silence settling over them except for the sound of the wheels clanking against the steel grates of the bridge.
Less than five minutes later, they were turning onto Zane Street, and a moment after that, the carriage pulled to a stop in front of his house.
Glancing out the window, his gaze traveled over his three-storied home. Built in a classical revival style, it was crafted from red brick and sported a full porch that spanned the entire length of the house that had clusters of fluted wooden columns set into the brick, a design feature that was a common sight on many of the houses on Wheeling Island.