together.”
CHAPTER 9
1926
L ONDON
“I think we’re ready. Ingénue’s settled in a car in back.”
Colin nearly had to shout so Rosamund could hear the sound of screeching train brakes and chugging steam engines easing in behind them at the busy railway station.
“You can still change your mind, you know.”
“I know,” Rosamund answered, standing her ground.
“But you won’t, will you?”
At a good ten inches shorter than Colin’s six-foot frame, she had to raise her chin high to meet the question in his gaze. But look up she did, with eyes that would show only brimming excitement.
From the moment she’d awoken before daybreak, Rosamund’s mind was made up: she was going to America.
She didn’t question it while donning her deep-purple fox-trimmed traveling coat and silver-gray frock, nor when she’d fumbled about in the early-morning darkness, fighting to tuck her riot of waves under an ivory satin–lined cloche. And if she hadn’t considered changing her mind when she’d slipped out of the manor, she certainly wouldn’t do it after coming all the way to London.
She peered past the end of the wooden passenger car, then surveyed the long stretch of tracks that met the landscape of the city’s mass of buildings beyond. The brick-and-mortar skyline disappeared behind puffs of smoke from chimneys and steam from departing trains. She clutched the cider leather traveling bag tighter in her gloved hands and gave a confident nod.
“My mind’s made up. I’m going.”
“As if I had any doubt.” Colin flipped the brim of his hat off his forehead, allowing the morning sunlight to cast a glow on a knowing smile. “I’ll just go check with Ward that everything’s as it should be with the accommodations for the rest of the stock. Do you have the ticket for your trunks?”
Rosamund handed over the ticket she’d received from the porter.
“I’ll make sure the porter knows to transfer your trunks at the Crawley Railway Station. We’ll change trains there and ride straight through to Southampton Port. We’ve got a stop or two to make along the way, but we should be in New York in a week and in Florida a few days after that. We’ll head straight in to the Sarasota fairgrounds from there. All clear?” He waited for a nod of understanding.
She complied, biting the edge of her bottom lip over the anticipation that the biggest step of her life was but moments away.
“Good. I won’t be a moment. Stay here,” he ordered.
Rosamund watched Colin walk away, his broad shoulders disappearing into the mist along the side of the train.
Passersby hurried along the busy platform. They brushed by to the right and the left, and she pulled the fur collar up closer to hide her features from anyone who might recognize her there. Her mother’s circles in society and her father’s in business certainly extended to London. Best not to tempt fate by revealing her plan to any of the Easling family friends until they were well on their way.
Colin had offered to speak with her father, but Rosamund knew how that would go—with the great Earl of Denton tossing the Irish-American circus agent from the mansion stoop by the seat of his trousers. She’d declined the offer and instead packed in secret the night before.
She’d taken her travel papers, enough frocks and hats to sustain her for several weeks’ journey, her Bible, and a photograph of their family before Hendrick had gone to France. Everything else she left behind with a note on the fireplace mantel in her bedchamber. The note her maid was likely reading right at that very moment, with sickened heart and trembling hands.
To take in a very deliberate, calming breath took effort, but Rosamund managed it. However, putting the vision of a harried maid and furious parents out of her mind would take more doing. She adjusted her collar once more, then stared through the curling cloud of steam ahead, waiting for Colin to walk back through it.
More than
CHAPTER 9
1926
L ONDON
“I think we’re ready. Ingénue’s settled in a car in back.”
Colin nearly had to shout so Rosamund could hear the sound of screeching train brakes and chugging steam engines easing in behind them at the busy railway station.
“You can still change your mind, you know.”
“I know,” Rosamund answered, standing her ground.
“But you won’t, will you?”
At a good ten inches shorter than Colin’s six-foot frame, she had to raise her chin high to meet the question in his gaze. But look up she did, with eyes that would show only brimming excitement.
From the moment she’d awoken before daybreak, Rosamund’s mind was made up: she was going to America.
She didn’t question it while donning her deep-purple fox-trimmed traveling coat and silver-gray frock, nor when she’d fumbled about in the early-morning darkness, fighting to tuck her riot of waves under an ivory satin–lined cloche. And if she hadn’t considered changing her mind when she’d slipped out of the manor, she certainly wouldn’t do it after coming all the way to London.
She peered past the end of the wooden passenger car, then surveyed the long stretch of tracks that met the landscape of the city’s mass of buildings beyond. The brick-and-mortar skyline disappeared behind puffs of smoke from chimneys and steam from departing trains. She clutched the cider leather traveling bag tighter in her gloved hands and gave a confident nod.
“My mind’s made up. I’m going.”
“As if I had any doubt.” Colin flipped the brim of his hat off his forehead, allowing the morning sunlight to cast a glow on a knowing smile. “I’ll just go check with Ward that everything’s as it should be with the accommodations for the rest of the stock. Do you have the ticket for your trunks?”
Rosamund handed over the ticket she’d received from the porter.
“I’ll make sure the porter knows to transfer your trunks at the Crawley Railway Station. We’ll change trains there and ride straight through to Southampton Port. We’ve got a stop or two to make along the way, but we should be in New York in a week and in Florida a few days after that. We’ll head straight in to the Sarasota fairgrounds from there. All clear?” He waited for a nod of understanding.
She complied, biting the edge of her bottom lip over the anticipation that the biggest step of her life was but moments away.
“Good. I won’t be a moment. Stay here,” he ordered.
Rosamund watched Colin walk away, his broad shoulders disappearing into the mist along the side of the train.
Passersby hurried along the busy platform. They brushed by to the right and the left, and she pulled the fur collar up closer to hide her features from anyone who might recognize her there. Her mother’s circles in society and her father’s in business certainly extended to London. Best not to tempt fate by revealing her plan to any of the Easling family friends until they were well on their way.
Colin had offered to speak with her father, but Rosamund knew how that would go—with the great Earl of Denton tossing the Irish-American circus agent from the mansion stoop by the seat of his trousers. She’d declined the offer and instead packed in secret the night before.
She’d taken her travel papers, enough frocks and hats to sustain her for several weeks’ journey, her Bible, and a photograph of their family before Hendrick had gone to France. Everything else she left behind with a note on the fireplace mantel in her bedchamber. The note her maid was likely reading right at that very moment, with sickened heart and trembling hands.
To take in a very deliberate, calming breath took effort, but Rosamund managed it. However, putting the vision of a harried maid and furious parents out of her mind would take more doing. She adjusted her collar once more, then stared through the curling cloud of steam ahead, waiting for Colin to walk back through it.
More than
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