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won t we?
That seamstress you employ is a wonder, one of
the others added. My daughter s dress couldn t look
Bonnie Dee 209
any finer if it came direct from New York. You must
see her in it.
You wouldn t think I was such a catch if you knew
what the seamstress and I get up to. I look forward to
seeing you all in your finery, he answered. Good
afternoon, ladies.
He beckoned Jeremy and the clerk broke off what
appeared to be an intense discussion with Miss Dodge
to follow him from the room.
Did you get what you wanted? Will she save you a
dance tonight? Alan asked as he drove the wagon
back to the store.
I haven t been invited to attend the event, Jeremy
said bitterly. But Cynthia said I should wait for her
outside at nine o clock. She ll come out and meet me.
A dangerous game for a young lady to play.
Jeremy looked at him. I know you think I m a fool
and that she s only toying with my affections, but
you re wrong. And you ll find out how wrong soon
enough.
Alan had never heard him so serious. Easygoing
Jeremy suddenly sounded very much a man instead of
a boy. Alan held his tongue but prayed his employee
wouldn t do anything so foolish as to elope with the
Dodge girl. Her parents would have his hide.
Back at the store, they found Dora knee-deep in the
Saturday afternoon rush of customers. Although her
nose was swollen and her face bruised, she was a
natural saleswoman, serving people with chatty
friendliness.
Alan barely had a chance to take off his coat. He
served one customer after another until it was time to
close up for the day.
210 Captive Bride
Before he left, Jeremy came over to Alan and
shook his hand. I just wanted to say good-night and
thanks for everything. You ve been a good boss and a
friend.
Are you thinking you might not be back on
Monday?
The man s always ruddy cheeks flushed darker.
I m not quitting, but if things go the way I hope&
Tell me you aren t planning to run off with this
girl. That s not a good idea. He could ve asked how
he planned to keep Miss Dodge in the manner to which
she was accustomed, but the stubborn set of Jeremy s
mouth told him it wouldn t do any good. Good luck,
then, he said instead. Your job will be here any time
you might want to return to it.
After Jeremy left, Alan locked the door and went to
the kitchen where his harem of two was preparing
dinner and setting the table. He d gotten used to his
solitary bachelor ways and felt a little ridiculous sitting
at the table while the women worked around him.
Miss Cynthia Dodge is the prettiest thing, don t
you think? Dora asked. Her skin is so pale and her
manners so fine. She s a real lady. I wish I could be
like that. I don t much like the material she chose for
her gown though. I tried to steer her toward light blue
to bring out her eyes, but she insisted on lime green.
Still, imagine how she ll look at that dance tonight in a
fancy dress we made! She ll be the envy of all the
other young ladies. Men will swoon over her. Oh, I
wish I could see the ball. How beautiful it must be.
Dora stood halfway between the cupboard and the
table with empty cups clasped in her hands, sparkling
Bonnie Dee 211
fairy dust coating her vision of San Francisco s elite
waltzing the night away.
Alan recalled dances he d been to in his youth and
a particular night with a girl he hadn t thought of in
years. She d laughed at the wilted corsage he d given
her, and they d danced until past midnight one hot
August night.
These things are usually hot, smelly, long and
dull, he told Dora. You re not missing much.
Do you have a tuxedo to wear?
No. I ll have to make do with my best suit and
hope they won t turn me away. Not that he d mind.
An evening at home sounded infinitely more
pleasurable than spending time with the stuffy society
set and he hoped to make his appearance there as brief
as possible.
You go dance? Huiann poked at her dumpling
with her chopsticks but her gaze was focused on him
and there was a mischievous gleam in her eye. Dora
show me to dance American.
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