Undaunted Love (PART ONE): Banished Saga, Book 3 by Ramona Flightner Page A
Authors: Ramona Flightner
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with us and is injured. She may require a doctor.” The butler nodded imperiously and made his slow ascent upstairs, refraining from touching the gleaming mahogany banister. Florence entered the front hall, nodding for Jeremy to follow her inside.
Jeremy turned sideways, shielding Savannah from jostling against the doorway and moved into the entranceway. He sat with Savannah on his lap on a chair beside the black walnut hallstand and continued to look around. “I had forgotten how impressive these homes are,” Jeremy said in a near whisper to Florence. “Aunt always made us stay in the servants’ quarters, unless she dragged us out to be seen by friends in an attempt to exemplify her Christian charity.” His glance took in the white wainscoting, the mauve satin wallpaper that covered the upper half of the walls and the fine furniture relegated to the entranceway. He bit his lip from saying anything more as he noted the butler returning.
He motioned for them to follow him. “Mrs. Chickering just returned home and was desirous of a quiet afternoon. However, she will make an exception for you. Please follow me.”
They followed him up the stairs to a sun-filled yellow sitting room, with flourishing ferns sitting in a bow-fronted window overlooking Beacon Street and the Common.
“Florence, what do you mean, Mrs. Montgomery might need a doctor?” Sophronia demanded as she stood near the fireplace waiting for them. She had been staring into the painting of a quiet mountain glen with light sparkling through the tree branches as at dawn but turned toward them at their arrival. “Please, lay her on the settee.”
Jeremy did as he was bid, stroking Savannah’s hair once before he backed away a step.
“I don’t need a doctor,” Savannah said. “It’s not that bad this time.”
“This time?” Jeremy bellowed. “How many times has that man hurt you?”
Sophronia moved toward the settee, pushing Jeremy out of the way. “Mr. McLeod, it’s nice to see you are one male with good sense. I suspected as much when I met you last year at Clarissa’s when you called with your brother, Richard. However, I must insist you let Savannah breathe. Give her some space.” Jeremy backed up a few paces, his gaze never leaving Savannah’s prostrate form on the settee.
“Now, Savannah, you will tell me what he did and allow me to determine what needs to be done,” Sophronia said.
“He gripped my arms, struck my cheek and kicked me in the shin. Nothing that requires a doctor.”
“What has he done in the past?”
Savannah curled into a ball, squeezing her eyes shut. “Nothing that needs to be discussed now. It has no bearing on today’s events.”
“Oh, but I disagree. It has everything to do with today’s events, and our ability to show a court that you left him due to cruelty.”
“Court?” Savannah whispered as she opened her eyes to meet Sophronia’s. She flinched as Sophronia traced the red welt rising on her cheek below her left eye.
“Of course, my dearest Savannah. You wouldn’t think your aunt Betsy or I would have you simply leave and be a scorned woman in society? We want you to be a divorced woman.”
Jeremy hissed and Florence gasped. Savannah watched as Sophronia turned her icy aquamarine eyes on them to silence them. “If you are going to be scandalous, dearest, you might as well be a true sensation. Why allow Clarissa to have all the notoriety?” She smiled tenderly at Savannah as she tucked a strand of hair behind one ear. “And you must be free of that man.”
“What must I do?”
“Never fear. I’ve asked my butler, Poole, to send for my lawyer, and I’m sure he is en route by now. He will know what needs to be done.”
“Mrs. Chickering, thank you,” Savannah said, as tears streamed from her eyes.
“None needed. I had hoped you would come to me, but I had never expected it would be so soon nor in quite so dramatic a fashion.”
CHAPTER 7
Montana, July 1902
THE DRY,
Jeremy turned sideways, shielding Savannah from jostling against the doorway and moved into the entranceway. He sat with Savannah on his lap on a chair beside the black walnut hallstand and continued to look around. “I had forgotten how impressive these homes are,” Jeremy said in a near whisper to Florence. “Aunt always made us stay in the servants’ quarters, unless she dragged us out to be seen by friends in an attempt to exemplify her Christian charity.” His glance took in the white wainscoting, the mauve satin wallpaper that covered the upper half of the walls and the fine furniture relegated to the entranceway. He bit his lip from saying anything more as he noted the butler returning.
He motioned for them to follow him. “Mrs. Chickering just returned home and was desirous of a quiet afternoon. However, she will make an exception for you. Please follow me.”
They followed him up the stairs to a sun-filled yellow sitting room, with flourishing ferns sitting in a bow-fronted window overlooking Beacon Street and the Common.
“Florence, what do you mean, Mrs. Montgomery might need a doctor?” Sophronia demanded as she stood near the fireplace waiting for them. She had been staring into the painting of a quiet mountain glen with light sparkling through the tree branches as at dawn but turned toward them at their arrival. “Please, lay her on the settee.”
Jeremy did as he was bid, stroking Savannah’s hair once before he backed away a step.
“I don’t need a doctor,” Savannah said. “It’s not that bad this time.”
“This time?” Jeremy bellowed. “How many times has that man hurt you?”
Sophronia moved toward the settee, pushing Jeremy out of the way. “Mr. McLeod, it’s nice to see you are one male with good sense. I suspected as much when I met you last year at Clarissa’s when you called with your brother, Richard. However, I must insist you let Savannah breathe. Give her some space.” Jeremy backed up a few paces, his gaze never leaving Savannah’s prostrate form on the settee.
“Now, Savannah, you will tell me what he did and allow me to determine what needs to be done,” Sophronia said.
“He gripped my arms, struck my cheek and kicked me in the shin. Nothing that requires a doctor.”
“What has he done in the past?”
Savannah curled into a ball, squeezing her eyes shut. “Nothing that needs to be discussed now. It has no bearing on today’s events.”
“Oh, but I disagree. It has everything to do with today’s events, and our ability to show a court that you left him due to cruelty.”
“Court?” Savannah whispered as she opened her eyes to meet Sophronia’s. She flinched as Sophronia traced the red welt rising on her cheek below her left eye.
“Of course, my dearest Savannah. You wouldn’t think your aunt Betsy or I would have you simply leave and be a scorned woman in society? We want you to be a divorced woman.”
Jeremy hissed and Florence gasped. Savannah watched as Sophronia turned her icy aquamarine eyes on them to silence them. “If you are going to be scandalous, dearest, you might as well be a true sensation. Why allow Clarissa to have all the notoriety?” She smiled tenderly at Savannah as she tucked a strand of hair behind one ear. “And you must be free of that man.”
“What must I do?”
“Never fear. I’ve asked my butler, Poole, to send for my lawyer, and I’m sure he is en route by now. He will know what needs to be done.”
“Mrs. Chickering, thank you,” Savannah said, as tears streamed from her eyes.
“None needed. I had hoped you would come to me, but I had never expected it would be so soon nor in quite so dramatic a fashion.”
CHAPTER 7
Montana, July 1902
THE DRY,
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