Page 20 of Cloaked in Beauty

Letty’s hand trembled slightly as she reached for the letter that her gut told her would change the course of her life—whether for good or ill.

You promise to give wisdom to those who ask in faith. My faith in you is strong, Lord, but my faith in my ability to understand you is weak. Help me discern what is true.

She collected the envelope and slowly tore the edge off the end. If she took her place as her father’s heir, she’d need to learn how to decipher truth from fiction, wisdom from folly. The only way to do that was to dive into the murky waters of ambiguity herself and gain some experience.

Turning the envelope on end, she bowed the sides and slid the letter free. She steadied herself with a deep breath, then unfolded the page and began to read.

Dear Mother and my most precious Scarlett,

Letty’s chest squeezed. Mama?

She studied the handwriting, searching for something familiar. They had so few things with them that her mother had penned. A handful of letters she had written to Grandmother after her marriage. A recipe for Letty’s favorite strawberry cake. A note written inside the cover of her favorite storybook expressing how much her mama loved her and how she would be counting the days until they saw each other again.

The penmanship looked the same. It felt the same. Yet she wouldn’t simply accept it at face value. It could be a forgery. Or Mama could have been forced to write it under duress. Grandmother had warned her of Uncle Drake’s penchant for treachery.

But, oh, how she hungered to feast on her mother’s words. Her eyes returned to the first line and began again.

Dear Mother and my most precious Scarlett,

I pray this letter reaches you before you mail your final packet. The two of you are in danger of being discovered. Drake intercepted the courier who delivered one of your parcels. While the men he hired were unable to find you three years ago, I fear that if he manages to intercept your final message, he’ll find you, and all of this horrible separation will have been for naught.

That is why I have hired a man of my own, a Pinkerton detective who comes highly recommended for his loyalty and integrity. His name is Philip Carmichael, and I plead with you to trust him. He has vowed to bring Scarlett home to me. Stefan and I have a plan in place to protect her by removing Drake’s power to inherit. My prayer is that once he has no more to gain from her death, he will cease his hunt and turn his scheming in another direction.

He grows more desperate every year. More obsessed with claiming Lowell’s fortune for himself. I believe he has men watching my home. More than once I’ve caught glimpses of strangers lurking in the shadows. I don’t fear for myself, though. I fear for my darling Letty.

The nickname her mother had given her jumped off the page and straight into Letty’s heart. Oh, Mama. The words began to swim on the page as tears misted her eyes and blurred her vision. Letty rubbed them away with a harsh swipe of her sleeve, too desperate to read more of her mother’s words. A forger would not have known to call her Letty—a pet name her mother had only ever used in private. That was why Grandmother had allowed her to keep it when they created their aliases.

My sweet girl—I pray you are well. How I’ve missed you these last years! I cannot wait to see you again, to wrap my arms around you, and to marvel at the amazing woman you’ve become. I love you with an undying love, Letty. A love that no amount of distance can dim.

Mother—Your dedication to Letty is the hope that has kept me sane all these years. No one but you could have been trusted to raise my daughter. I know firsthand what a wonderful mother you are. If I can live with half your selflessness and devotion, I will deem my life a success. I love you, Mama.

I’ve given Mr. Carmichael documentation that will prove he is in my employ. I implore you to listen to what he has to say. I trust him. I pray you will, too.

Leah

Letty lifted the empty envelope and peered inside, searching for the documents that her mother had promised, but there was nothing there. He must still have them. This Philip Carmichael person.

A horse whinny had her lurching to her feet and reaching for her knife. Only it wasn’t the Pinkerton returning to the scene, it was Mr. Darby checking on his wagon and team. Letty released her grip on the weapon and took a few steps toward the cabin. The station agent glanced up, his gaze raking the trees. Looking for her. The doctor might decide to join him outside at any time, so she maintained her cover, but she whistled high and sharp to let Mr. Darby know she was near. His face swiveled toward the sound, then his chin dipped in a slow nod.

Did that mean that Grandmother was all right? Please, God, may it be so.

A few minutes later, the doctor exited the cabin, and the two men climbed into the wagon and headed back to town. Her mother’s missive still in hand, Letty collected Mr. Carmichael’s buckskin jacket along with the fallen envelope and other items and waited until the wagon disappeared from view. The moment it rounded the first bend, she sprinted for the cabin, Rusty at her heels.

She slowed as she reached the door and urged Rusty to stay outside, giving him a good rub both to soothe him and to gain some encouragement for herself before she opened the door and stepped inside.

“Grandmother?” She laid the buckskin jacket over the back of Grandmother’s rocking chair and tucked her mother’s letter into her skirt pocket as she moved toward the bedroom.

“In here, darling.”

Letty quickened her step and broke into a grin when she discovered her grandmother sitting up in bed, her reading glasses perched on her nose and her Bible in her lap. Color had returned to her face, and the twinkle Letty so loved shone in her eyes. When Grandmother patted the mattress beside her, Letty didn’t hesitate to take her up on the offer.

“I’m sorry to give you such a scare,” Grandmother said as Letty sat beside her. “It seems my heart is not quite as stubborn as the rest of me.” She chuckled softly, widening Letty’s grin, yet not alleviating her worry.

“Are you all right?”

“I’ll be right as rain in a few days. The doctor gave me some nitroglycerin tablets. He says they’ll help with my chest pain and make it easier for my heart to do its job. I’ve never been one to go in for all the quackery people try to pawn off as medicine, but I have to admit that I feel better after taking this one.”

Letty clasped her grandmother’s hand between both of hers. “Thank goodness. I was so worried.”