1905
Atlanta, Georgia
Dorothea Alexander thought a trip to the zoo would be enlightening, refreshing even.
Until she saw her former beau there with another woman.
Her grip tightened on her parasol.
“Miss Alexander, are you all right?” Mr. Ross, her father’s secretary, stopped beside her. His gaze followed hers, and the moment he spied Richard Taylor III, he stiffened. But then he turned to her, his eyes dancing. “Shall we have a little fun?”
“Whatever do you have in mind?”
He winked, sending warmth to her cheeks. “Follow my lead.” Offering his arm, he covered her hand where it rested in the crook of his elbow. “Did I ever tell you about the time Mrs. Lewis caught me stealing a cookie?”
Her brows rose. “You stole a cookie?” This staid man could never do such a thing. Then again, she never thought his eyes could dance either.
He launched into his tale, mimicking her family’s austere cook so perfectly that Dorothea couldn’t help but laugh. And somehow, Mr. Ross had managed to time it as their paths crossed Richard’s.
Richard came to a stop. The woman on his arm sent him a frown. “I thought we were heading to see the elephant?”
“We will in a moment, pet.” Richard patted her hand before scowling at Mr. Ross. “What are you doing here?”
“Escorting a fine lady around the zoo.” In a smooth motion, Mr. Ross pulled out his pocket watch and sighed. “Thea, darling, I’m afraid we must hurry if we’re going to meet your mother at the dress shop. If we’re late, her anger will rival the lioness we just saw.”
Thea? No one called her that, not even her parents.
And she rather liked it.
Before she could think better of it, she stepped closer to Mr. Ross. “Ambrose, let’s see the camel before—”
“I knew it!” Richard pointed an accusing finger at Mr. Ross. “I knew you had designs on her.”
Mr. Ross smiled. The brown eyes she’d once considered dull now looked at her with a warmth that rivaled the hot chocolate Mrs. Lewis made every Christmas. He fingered the lace on her cuff, sending an odd tingle up her arm. “I can recognize a treasure when I see one.”
A treasure? Did he truly believe that, or was he just trying to rile Richard?
Richard snorted. “You see a plain-faced spinster with a large dowry.”
“You think her plain? Then you’ve obviously never seen her smile.” Mr. Ross led her toward the camels chewing complacently and ignoring all the onlookers.
As they walked toward the carriage, she looked up at Mr. Ross. “You were mighty convincing.”
“My aunt was an actress. She said to play a role well, you must base it in truth.”
She studied him. Wasn’t he just a man of surprises today? “And what truth was yours based on?”
A sad smile flickered across his face as he looked at her.
Her breath caught. “What Richard accused you of…is it true?”
With a sigh, he patted her hand. “I’ve long known I’m far beneath you, Miss Alexander.”
Dorothea frowned. She much preferred Thea.
“And your father, though he would never prevail his will upon you, wants to protect you from fortune hunters. He had me investigate Richard, and we discovered his father had disinherited him.”
“So it’s expedient that he marry for money.”
He nodded. “Mr. Alexander confronted him, and…”
And Richard ceased his suit.
Funny how that didn’t bother her so much now. Perhaps she’d always suspected Richard’s motives. Accepted them as par for the course.
The driver spotted them and jumped from his perch to open the carriage door. Mr. Ross helped her up before settling into the seat across from her. When the carriage pulled away from Grant Park, he cleared his throat.
“I meant what I said earlier. You truly are a treasure, and you deserve someone who’s not after your money.”
The carriage hit a rut, sending her forward. He grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. Their gazes caught, and her breath stilled in her chest. Goodness, Richard had never made her feel so…so…fluttery.
“Ambrose?” she whispered, thankful Father had the automobile, requiring her to use the carriage. It provided much more privacy.
His eyes widened. “Yes?”
“Why did you never say anything?”
“I didn’t think you’d want me to. You’ve barely spared me a glance.”
“I never knew you were a choice. I barely knew you at all. I thought you were staid and…well, boring. Not someone who would steal cookies and rile a rapscallion.”
“I was around my employer. I needed to be professional and respectable.”
The carriage hit another rut, and their knees brushed. Ignoring the rules of propriety her mother clung to, she leaned closer. But she was too close to edge of her seat, and when the carriage turned a corner, she tilted into the floor.
“Thea, darling, are you all right?” Ambrose clasped her hand and helped her up.
She collapsed onto the bench beside him and smiled. “I’m perfectly fine.”
He looked at her abandoned seat. “Shouldn’t you sit over there?”
“No. Father always said he found success by determining what he wanted and going after it.”
“Are you saying you think I should—”
“Learn from him? I think we both could.”
He chuckled and lowered his head, and she met him halfway. The kiss was sweet and soft and searching.
And much too short.
The carriage halted, pulling them apart. Dorothea sighed and returned to her seat. “We need a new driver.”
Ambrose chuckled. “Or a proper chaperone.”
Her face heated. A chaperone hadn’t seemed necessary before. But now…
He winked as he helped her alight.
Mother looked up from a pattern book as they stepped into the dress shop. “There you are, Dorothea. How was the zoo? As enlightening as you thought it would be?”
Dorothea looked up at Ambrose and smiled. “Very.”
