The Dollhouse Society Volume IV: Lucky (Includes Lady Luck, House of Dolls, The Reluctant Bride, A Woman on Top, plus a bonus story!) by Eden Myles
Authors: Eden Myles
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tenderly cupping the side of my head and holding it against the smooth silk of his cravat. “Not truly. And I will never let anyone else hurt you. Do you believe me?”
I thought about his words. My father had made me a similar promise years ago that he would always take care of me, that he would never let anything bad ever happen to me. I knew those were promises that men made to women even though they had no such power over the world. So instead of lying to Tiberius and saying yes, I just kissed him.
***
A week later, I stood on the steps of the cotton mill in my best court gown, took the pair of oversized scissors from Tiberius’s hands, and cut the ribbon tied across the entrance of our factory—our new joint enterprise. Around me, the people of Smithtown gave a raucous cheer and threw their hats and bonnets up in the air. Because of Tiberius’s donation to reopen the mill, at least a hundred men would have work through the winter, and that alone was enough to make the poor, hungry people of my village celebrate. With the mill, other commerce would start up again along the river—inns, grocers, traders. I looked up and saw Tiberius nodding his approval at me even as several children threw confetti in our general direction.
He smiled, and I smiled back, shaking confetti from my hair. He looked very handsome in his dark suit and waistcoat and cravat, very proper. I hardly even noticed his scar for the serenity of his lordly face. He had once seemed so aloof, so angry and untouchable, but ever since I had let him into my bed, something had happened to him, something I never would have believed. Mr. Tiberius Sloan, my ogre, looked happy.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Mr. Van Tassel sitting astride his horse across the street, near an alleyway, and beside him his compatriot, the tattooed Chinaman, and I felt my spirits fall. Mr. Van Tassel ran a similar mill down in Stony Brook, a few miles to the east. I should have known that my father’s biggest competitor would be here—the man who had nearly ruined me! I was about to mention it to Tiberius when I felt him take my hand and lead me up to the lectern to say a few words of dedication.
I tripped as I ascended the dais strewn with paper flowers, but Tiberius was there to catch and steady me, his hand on my elbow. “Are you all right?” he asked with concern.
“ Oh yes. That happens all the time,” I said, straightening my bonnet. “I thought you would have known that by now?”
“ I hadn’t noticed,” he lied as he led me carefully to the lectern. He stood close, almost protectively, over me.
The people settled down and turned their attention on me. I felt a jolt of nervousness but it was quickly overruled by the joy in the glowing faces of my people. I planned on dedicating the new mill to my father’s memory, but before I began delivering my prepared speech, I scanned the crowd, looking for Mr. Van Tassel or his associates. They were nowhere to be found, but that didn’t make me feel any better.
***
The reopening of the cotton mill, one of the main sources of income for our small town, had generated a feeling of carnival from one end of Smithtown to another. All the vendors had turned out, and before long, people crowded the streets, buying paper cones full of street food, listening to musicians, dancing in the town square, having their fortunes told, and waiting impatiently for nightfall, when the Asians promised to set off some fireworks for our entertainment. There were jugglers and mimes, puppet shows for the children, and staged comedies for the adults.
I moved from vendor to vendor, and every one I met offered me something for starting up the mill, be it a trinket or a cone of food. By nightfall, I felt like I was going to burst out of my corset if I ate one more fried, sugary appelflappen! About that time, a tall, blond gentleman approached me and offered me his business card.
I looked at the little card in my gloved hand. It
I thought about his words. My father had made me a similar promise years ago that he would always take care of me, that he would never let anything bad ever happen to me. I knew those were promises that men made to women even though they had no such power over the world. So instead of lying to Tiberius and saying yes, I just kissed him.
***
A week later, I stood on the steps of the cotton mill in my best court gown, took the pair of oversized scissors from Tiberius’s hands, and cut the ribbon tied across the entrance of our factory—our new joint enterprise. Around me, the people of Smithtown gave a raucous cheer and threw their hats and bonnets up in the air. Because of Tiberius’s donation to reopen the mill, at least a hundred men would have work through the winter, and that alone was enough to make the poor, hungry people of my village celebrate. With the mill, other commerce would start up again along the river—inns, grocers, traders. I looked up and saw Tiberius nodding his approval at me even as several children threw confetti in our general direction.
He smiled, and I smiled back, shaking confetti from my hair. He looked very handsome in his dark suit and waistcoat and cravat, very proper. I hardly even noticed his scar for the serenity of his lordly face. He had once seemed so aloof, so angry and untouchable, but ever since I had let him into my bed, something had happened to him, something I never would have believed. Mr. Tiberius Sloan, my ogre, looked happy.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Mr. Van Tassel sitting astride his horse across the street, near an alleyway, and beside him his compatriot, the tattooed Chinaman, and I felt my spirits fall. Mr. Van Tassel ran a similar mill down in Stony Brook, a few miles to the east. I should have known that my father’s biggest competitor would be here—the man who had nearly ruined me! I was about to mention it to Tiberius when I felt him take my hand and lead me up to the lectern to say a few words of dedication.
I tripped as I ascended the dais strewn with paper flowers, but Tiberius was there to catch and steady me, his hand on my elbow. “Are you all right?” he asked with concern.
“ Oh yes. That happens all the time,” I said, straightening my bonnet. “I thought you would have known that by now?”
“ I hadn’t noticed,” he lied as he led me carefully to the lectern. He stood close, almost protectively, over me.
The people settled down and turned their attention on me. I felt a jolt of nervousness but it was quickly overruled by the joy in the glowing faces of my people. I planned on dedicating the new mill to my father’s memory, but before I began delivering my prepared speech, I scanned the crowd, looking for Mr. Van Tassel or his associates. They were nowhere to be found, but that didn’t make me feel any better.
***
The reopening of the cotton mill, one of the main sources of income for our small town, had generated a feeling of carnival from one end of Smithtown to another. All the vendors had turned out, and before long, people crowded the streets, buying paper cones full of street food, listening to musicians, dancing in the town square, having their fortunes told, and waiting impatiently for nightfall, when the Asians promised to set off some fireworks for our entertainment. There were jugglers and mimes, puppet shows for the children, and staged comedies for the adults.
I moved from vendor to vendor, and every one I met offered me something for starting up the mill, be it a trinket or a cone of food. By nightfall, I felt like I was going to burst out of my corset if I ate one more fried, sugary appelflappen! About that time, a tall, blond gentleman approached me and offered me his business card.
I looked at the little card in my gloved hand. It
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