The Perfect Wife Read online

  “You’re lucky I’m a lady,” she continued. “Because if I wasn’t, I’d punch you out for what you did.”

  Fine. So she was that upset. “Father said he saw Tony and Velma in town this morning. He said they looked happy together. Obviously, I’m right. The two are well matched.”

  “It didn’t look like they were well matched on Saturday.”

  “They’ve had a day to work things out.”

  “A day isn’t a long time.”

  “You didn’t say that when you were a child. Of all of us, you were the most impatient for Christmas to come so you could open your gifts.”

  “I was a child. Children think time goes too slow when they have to wait for something.”

  “Yes, but you were more impatient than Tony or I ever were.”

  She let out an exasperated sigh. “What does that have to do with Tony and Velma?”

  “You need to wait and see how things develop between them. The fact that they were in town today and looked happy means they’ll adjust to this marriage in time. They might not be declaring their undying love for each other right now, but then, you can’t expect that to happen right away.”

  “That’s not the point. The point is you created this elaborate plan. I know Tony didn’t have anything to do with this. He’s not sneaky and underhanded like you are.”

  “Sneaky and underhanded? I don’t think that’s—”

  “Don’t you try to say it wasn’t sneaky and underhanded,” she interrupted. “It was. Tony would never have done that to you.” She paused then added, “How did you get Ben to go along with it?”

  “What makes you think he had anything to do with it?”

  “Because any time you’re concocting something and he’s nearby, it means you two are in on it together.”

  “Well, just so you know, this was all my doing.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, as if trying to determine if she could believe him or not. The last thing he wanted to do was give her a reason to dislike Ben. He was hoping the two would end up together. But she had a way of studying him that weakened his resolve. After a long and tense moment, he felt himself wince under the weight of her stare.

  “I knew it!” she exclaimed. “You two were in on this together. No wonder he was rushing through the vows. Before the wedding started, he told Mother and me that he had to take care of something important right after the wedding. Mother and I thought he meant that he had to visit a sick family in his parish.” She shook her head at him. “I should have known better. I grew up with you two.”

  In a hurry to get her attention off of Ben, he asked, “What does it matter now? Tony’s married to Velma. There’s no going back and changing it.”

  “It matters a lot. I don’t know how anyone in Omaha trusts you with all the manipulative things you do.”

  “I admit that I have done some manipulative things, but I’m not as bad as you think. You’ve been around some of the clients. You know as well as I do that a lot of them say one thing and mean another.”

  “I agree that a lot of wealthy people are manipulative, and I’ve never been happy about it. I’ve always admired Father because he doesn’t go along with it. He’s willing to walk away from a business deal. But you’re not like that. You’ll do whatever you can to get it because it means more money.”

  Mark gasped. He could accept many things, but this was hitting too low. “You think I’ll do anything for money?”

  She nodded.

  “If that was true, I would have married Velma,” he pointed out. “Even if she came to Omaha because her family lost their money, she knows what it takes to charm people. She’ll say and do whatever it takes to get her way. If I had married her, she would have impressed half the clients’ wives in one afternoon. But I didn’t marry her because I love Natalie. Natalie’s the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. So don’t tell me I’ll do anything for money.”

  She considered his words then said, “Well, I suppose you have a point.”

  “I sure do. And it’s a good one.” He straightened his tie and huffed, feeling somewhat satisfied by her contrite expression. “I didn’t want to lose Natalie. Natalie’s too nice. She loves me, but she probably would have backed down and let Velma marry me if our parents sided with Velma.”

  “Any woman who loves a man will fight for him. But all that aside, I still haven’t gotten a chance to meet Natalie. I was hoping to meet her at the wedding, but,” she shot him a pointed look, “you made that impossible when you whisked her out of there faster than a tornado.”

  “You never were one to let someone off the hook, were you?”

  “Why should I make this easy for you? Even if I think it’s good you picked a wife without any concern for money, what you did was still wrong.”

  “I know it was wrong,” he said. “But that doesn’t change the fact that Natalie is my wife. Do you want to meet her or not?”

  “Of course, I do. I’m intrigued to know what kind of woman can convince you to give up someone like Velma. I rather like Velma. She reminds me of someone fun, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

  He chuckled. “Velma’s a lot like you.”

  “You really think so?”

  “Both of you will do anything to get your way. Fortunately for me, I know how you work. That’s why I figured out Velma as well as I did.”

  Annabelle grew thoughtful for a moment as she considered his words. “I suppose if I really wanted to marry someone, I would try to get his parents’ approval.”

  “See?”

  “But if the man tells me he doesn’t want to marry me, I would accept it. I don’t want to be with someone who’d rather be with someone else.” She pointed at him. “You should have told Velma the truth.”

  He moved her finger aside. “It wouldn’t have worked. I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true. However, all that aside, you’ll get a chance to meet Natalie this Thursday. That’s why I invited you over for dinner.”

  “I’ll be there.” She studied him for a moment. “You really do love Natalie, don’t you?”

  “You didn’t figure that out when I made up the elaborate scheme in order to marry her?”

  She smirked then turned serious. “I can’t recall a time when you looked more alive than you do now. Your face is practically glowing.”

  He cringed. “My face isn’t glowing. Men’s faces don’t ever glow. That’s something that only happens to women.”

  She shrugged. “If you say so…” Then she patted his cheek and left his office.

  ***

  Natalie spent the day exploring her new home. Yes, Mark had showed her the rooms the previous day, but they hadn’t lingered in any of the rooms for long. So she took her time going through the rooms that weren’t dedicated to the servants.

  It was nice to see the things Mark owned. She felt that she learned more about him simply by seeing the things he had. He was an orderly person, she noted, for he had his books organized according to topic. Also, his items were neatly in place on the desk, and his furniture all matched.

  He had chosen to keep the drapes in the rooms open, and while it was silly, she thought it spoke volumes about his willingness to look out into the world. She’d had a cousin who always kept his drapes closed, and her cousin didn’t like to venture outside much. Instead, he preferred to keep to himself. Also, Mark chose brighter colors rather than the somber colors her cousin had selected to decorate his home. It was no wonder Mark loved to be around people and had a natural enthusiasm for life. His home was open, spacious, and comfortable. His home matched who he was.

  As she was browsing his collection of coins that he’d set on a table in the informal parlor, the butler came in to tell her that she had a visitor.

  Surprised, she followed him to the formal parlor. She couldn’t imagine who would be coming by to pay her a visit. Perhaps it was Velma. Her stomach tightened in dread. Was Velma coming over to yell at her? Perhaps she’d had time to think about it and wa
nted to let her know how upset she was?

  But when she reached the room, Velma wasn’t waiting for her. Instead, it was Mark’s mother. Natalie breathed a sigh of relief.

  Mrs. Larson smiled at her. “I thought I’d stop by and see how you’re doing.”

  “I’m doing good,” Natalie replied. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine.” Mrs. Larson led her to the couch and sat beside her. “I remember you said you grew up on a farm. Mark’s father and I grew up in New York. We didn’t have much of anything when we left with his family to come out here. I never imagined that we’d end up living the way we do today, though I always knew Mark’s father was going to succeed because he was passionate about his work.”

  “How long did you know Mark’s father before you married him?”

  “It seems like we always knew each other. We were playing together even before we went to school.”

  “That’s very sweet. I had a friend back home who married her childhood sweetheart.”

  “Well, Mark’s father and I weren’t childhood sweethearts. I didn’t know he was in love with me until after we were married.” Before Natalie could ask her more about it, she continued, “Anyway, I know Mark went back to work today, so I thought I’d see how you’re coping with everything. This kind of life is a lot different from living on a farm.”

  “Mark showed me around and introduced me to the servants.” After a moment, she added, “I didn’t realize Velma thought she was marrying him.”

  “I know. We all know you had nothing to do with it.”

  Well, that was something at least. Natalie should be glad everyone else believed her, even if Velma didn’t.

  Mark’s mother offered her another smile. “What happened on Saturday was a shock. I think it’ll take a little time before things settle down.”

  The butler came in and set the tea, jam, and bread on the small table in front of them.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I asked for these to be brought in,” Mrs. Larson said.

  “No, I don’t mind.” The truth was, Natalie was a little hungry. She hadn’t eaten since early that morning before Mark left for work.

  As the two spread jam on their bread, Mrs. Larson said, “I wanted to stop by so that we could get to know each other better. I know I’m your mother-in-law, but I’d like to be your friend, too.”

  Natalie’s face warmed in pleasure. “I’d like that.”

  “We spent so much time at Owen and Jenny’s talking about Mark and Velma that I didn’t get to know much about you. You seem like such a sweet girl. In some ways, you remind me of a good friend I have named Laura. Both of you have a certain glow about you that says you put others first. I have to admit, it’s a trait I admire in people.”

  Touched by the woman’s kind words, Natalie smiled. “I want to make Mark happy.”

  “I know you do. That’s why I’m happy you’re a part of the family. So, why don’t you tell me more about your life while growing up? I’d love to hear it.”

  “Alright.” Natalie finished putting jam on her slice of bread and then began to tell Mrs. Larson all about her past.

  Chapter Seven

  Natalie still had trouble accepting the maid’s help in getting dressed the next morning, even though she knew the maid was only doing what was expected of her. So many elements of this new life were going to take time to get used to, and apparently, being waited on was one of them.

  “Your mother’s a very nice person,” Natalie told Mark after the maid left the bedroom. “I enjoyed visiting with her.”

  “I believe you mentioned that when I came home from work yesterday,” he teased as he brought her into his arms.

  “I know, but I can’t believe how fortunate I am.” She kissed him. “I have you for a husband, and your family has been very good to me. When I came to Omaha, I didn’t know what to expect. I tried not to give into my fears, but a part of me experienced some apprehension over what was going to happen.”

  “That’s to be expected when you don’t know the person you’re going to marry. Fortunately, you ended up with me.” He gave her waist a playful squeeze then kissed her. “If you like my mother, wait until Annabelle comes over for dinner this Thursday. I think you’ll like her just as much. The two are a lot alike.” Then as if he recalled something, he added, “Well, they aren’t exactly alike. My sister is more outspoken with her opinions. If she doesn’t like something, she’ll let you know. You have nothing to worry about, though. She’ll like you.”

  “I hope so. I’d like to get along with everyone in your family.” She bit her tongue. Velma was now a part of this family, too, and she didn’t know if Velma would ever talk to her again.

  “Everything will be fine.”

  She didn’t know if Mark was referring to things with Velma or if he was talking about the rest of his family, but she decided not to ask. The morning was pleasant, and she didn’t want to ruin it.

  “I have a meeting with Mr. Gordon at ten this morning,” Mark said, “but I’ll be free in time for lunch at noon. Would you like to have lunch with me? You can stop by and see where I work before we go to a restaurant.”

  She hadn’t expected the invitation, so she didn’t hide her enthusiasm. “I’d love to see where you work.”

  “You’d like to have lunch with me, too, right?” He shot her a charming smile.

  She chuckled. “Of course, I would. I love being with you. It’s why I married you.”

  “Good. I just wanted to make sure my office wasn’t the only thing you were interested in.”

  “You’re silly. I want to be with you no matter where we are.”

  “I hope it’ll always be that way.” He gave her another kiss then released her.

  They ate breakfast, and the maid offered Natalie food and came by every so often to fill her drink. This was also going to take some getting used to.

  When it came time for her to meet Mark for lunch, the coachman offered to drive her to where he worked. She didn’t know if wives of wealthy businessmen were supposed to take carriages instead of walking, but she took the carriage to be on the safe side. Mark had told her how to get there. She could have figured it out on her own, but she needed to fit in with this new world.

  She was ready to open the carriage door as soon as the carriage came to a stop, but then she saw a coachman across the street open the door of another woman’s carriage. So she waited for her coachman to open her door. Since he held his hand out to help her down, she accepted it. She turned to him as soon as she stepped onto the sidewalk, not sure if she should expect him to wait for her and Mark or not, but he saved her from having to ask the question by telling her he’d be waiting to take her and Mark to the restaurant.

  The building in front of her was several stories high. She hadn’t thought to ask Mark where his office was. She had assumed it would be right through the front door, but now she could see that wasn’t going to be the case. She took an uneasy breath. The largest town she’d been to up to this point in her life had contained a single general store, a livery stable, a bank, and other small buildings. It was nothing like this.

  She scanned the businesses lining the street. All of the buildings were several stories tall. And it seemed that one carriage after another was going up and down the street. There was the occasional horse rider or wagon, but for the most part, there were carriages. Also, she saw more people gathered together in one place than she’d ever seen before, except for weddings and funerals. This had to be the center of Omaha.

  A few people passed her by, offering a greeting, which she was too stunned to return. She felt as if she had stepped into a world so different from the one she’d grown up in that she didn’t know how to act.

  “Did you forget something, Mrs. Larson?”

  Blinking, she turned to the coachman who was still by the carriage. She cleared her throat. “No, I’m fine.”

  It would be too embarrassing to say that she was overwhelmed by all of the activity around her. Ev
en at the train station, she hadn’t been surrounded by so many people. She had to resist the urge to get back into the carriage and tell the coachman she’d wait for Mark to come to her.

  She squared her shoulders back. If Velma had grown up surrounded by a bunch of people and could go about her business without any problems, then she could do it, too. Ignoring the fact that someone might detect she didn’t belong here, she walked into the building. On the wall nearby, she saw a list of different businesses within the building. Next to the business name was a number and a letter.

  “May I help you, ma’am?” a young man asked from his desk which was by the front door.

  Before she could walk over to his desk, Mark called out to her. She turned in time to see him stepping out of a small space that about only four or five people could stand in at any one time.

  She waited until he reached her before asking, “What is that?” She gestured to the place he’d just walked out of. At the moment, the man who was still in the small compartment was closing the doors.

  “It’s an elevator,” Mark replied. “Most businesses along this street have them, though you won’t find them anywhere else in Omaha. My father was excited when they became viable to put into tall buildings. We still have stairs, of course. Some people don’t trust elevators yet, but I think it’s only a matter of time before they do. The more people get used to something, the easier it is for them to accept it.” He took her elbow. “Do you want to try it? My office is on the third floor.”

  “I don’t know. How does it work?” Even as she asked the question, she felt stupid.

  “There’s a rope that pulls the elevator up and down. It’s really a simple design.”

  It didn’t seem so simple to her. “I think I’d rather walk up the steps.”

  “In that case, I’ll walk with you.”

  His smile eased her nerves considerably. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Why would I? All we’re doing is walking up some steps. It’s not like you’re asking me to let another man court you.”