Graciously Ginny
Chapter One
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Thomas Clayton sighed as he read over the letter once more.
Dear Mr. Clayton,
My sister Juliana Wade has decided against moving to Colorado, she is to be married within the week... I however will be coming in her place as the Governess to your two lovely daughters. I have the same experience as Julie does, so I see no problem in it. I look forward to meeting the girls and working for you.
By the time this letter reaches you I'm sure I won't be far behind.
Graciously,
Ginny Wade
It was short unlike the long letters Juliana had sent him. She was right though it wasn't much different, a Governess was a Governess and he needed someone to look after his daughters Wilhelmina and Lorelei, because he certainly couldn't.
His late wife Elsie had taken care of their daughters, not him. He didn't know how too.
Elsie had died only a year and a half ago and the Governess Mrs. Walters had left him recently to live by her family, just as well though she was terribly boring and old, the girls didn't seem to like her much. At the moment he had his maid Mrs. Hastings watching the girls, she seemed to nag him daily to get the new Governess there, so it wasn't like he could dismiss the new Miss Wade simply because she isn't Juliana.
He sighed as he started on his paperwork, owning half the town he had to keep up on his accounts. He looked out the window over to the saloon his desire to drink seemed to increase. It had been at least a full month since he blew off some steam, besides it wasn't like the governess would arrive today.
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Ginny was thankful when she finally got off the train, the ride had been horrific she was deep in the mountains and she about had a heart attack when the train rode over a large bridge it looked to be over 100 feet above the valley below, of course she was completely afraid of heights and could have over exaggerated but too her it seemed to be way to high above the ground for a train.
She already missed her family, and Ariel had told her she would feel very homesick, she just needed to remember why she was doing this. How right her cousin was, she had already thought about turning around and going back home numerous times, but she had to be strong, she couldn't go back home when everything reminded her of Fergus and everyone reminded her of the life that was taken from her.
She was happy for her two older sisters and her cousin, married and happy with children soon to follow but she felt jealous that they got their happy endings and she didn't.
Even though it was summer it felt colder than it had back home. She made her way to the mercantile to ask for directions since no one was at the train depot for her to ask.
The town looked funny to her; it was all nestled into the valley of the mountains that surrounded her some houses set higher up than others, she just hoped he didn't live up higher.
The main street had fancy buildings lining both sides, while a horrid saloon sat right in front of her at the end of the street. She could hear loud music coming from it and bringing the memory of Fergus with it, he was killed in a saloon over a game of cards. She no longer wanted anything to do with anyone who stepped foot inside such a place.
It was called the Silver Nugget she believed it was because the town was mining mostly silver. She made her way to the Mercantile and opened the door trying to escape the sound of the saloon piano and out of control men enjoying themselves.
The bell on the door rang twice as she entered it. Only a handful of women were inside but all of them stopped what they were doing to look at her.
Ginny had always been the most shy out of all her siblings, and being in such a place without Julie seemed odd and unnatural.
She approached the woman behind the counter who wore fine clothing.
"Hello, could you by chance tell me where the Clayton place is?" She asked trying to seem confident.
"Clayton place?" the woman asked studying her closely "What do you want with the Clayton's?"
"I'm the new Governess." She said feeling slightly annoyed the woman was being so nosy.
"Is that a fact?" she asked with a chuckle "Well in that case you'll want to go on over to the livery and hire a horse and carriage as it is quite a ways on foot."
"Thank you." Ginny said turning to leave; hopefully the Livery would be a lot more helpful. She bit her lip when the loud piano music assaulted her ears once more; it wasn't even dark yet, but the men inside didn't seem to notice. She hated that the livery was so close to the saloon. Women wearing clothing that were bright colors and left little to the imagination stood outside the saloon watching her pass from the porch and the balcony.
"Hello... Beauty-full you must n-not be from... from around here." A man slurred as he looked to be having a hard time staying on his feet.
He leaned against the livery doors as he looked at her with glossy brown eyes. His hair was very short, like he had shaved it all off recently and it was just now growing back.
"Please move." she said firmly.
"Now c'mon I was jest makin' conver... station." He slurred again this time barley pronouncing his words.
"I haven't got time to converse with the likes of you, now move." She said surprising even herself as the man actually moved.
"Hello" a man called happily as she came through the doors he had long brown hair "I'm Bucky, what can I do for yaw?"
"I'm Ginny Wade, the new governess for the Clayton's and I need a carriage to take me to their house."
"Right away miss... actually I'll just charge it to Tom's account for yaw."
"No that's not necessary-"
"Sure it is, you're his new employee so I see no problem in it... nor will he, now do you have any other luggage?"
"Yes-"
"Alright, I'll hitch up the carriage and I'll get my brother to watch the place so I can I drive yaw on over to Tom's place."
"Oh...um there's a drunken man outside." Ginny told him in a whisper.
"Oh that happens a lot on Fridays... you can stay in here iffen you'd like."
"Thank you." She said sincerely. She didn't want to deal with drunks or a saloon, as she felt that is the reason her Dear Fergus wasn't with her.
YOU ARE READING
Graciously Ginny (Letters Of Change Series Book 5)(COMPLETED)
Historical Fiction***COMPLETED*** "I need to talk to you." she said in a small voice shutting the door behind her. Her hair fell from her bun in red ringlets around her face; her eyes searched his making his heart race in a very uncharacteristic way. he'd had been wi...
