Graciously Ginny (Letters Of Change Series Book 5)(COMPLETED)

Chapter Four

Dedicated too RoseRedDreamcatcher

Graciously Ginny

Chapter Four


~~


Ginny looked up from shelling peas at Signilda "You mean he didn't buy you or any of the other Governess' welcome presents?"

"No ma'am." Signilda said with a shrug and then she shared a look with Agda. Ginny's eyes widened.

"You don't think...?" She didn't need to complete her sentence she knew what they thought because she thought the same thing "He can't... No it's just a welcome gift between friends..." she said shaking her head.

"Dear," Agda said sitting down next to her at the small table in the kitchen "I think he's smitten with you."

"No" Ginny said throwing the peas into the bowl before standing "That is completely inappropriate!"

She smoothed out her black skirts before marching from the room. She marched to her bedroom careful not to wake Wilhelmina and Lorelei as they were taking a nap.
She sighed as she picked up the box that held her new bonnet Thomas had given her only yesterday as she made her way to his study.

She was so determined that she didn't even bother to knock.

"Ginny what are you-"

"Mr. Clayton we need to talk... I-I cannot accept this gift." She said holding up the bonnet "Nor can I allow you to call me 'Ginny' you need to call me Miss Wade, just as you call the others by their last names." She said putting the hat box on his desk as he simply looked up at her with wide brown eyes.

"If you don't like the bonnet I'm sure I can buy you another-"

"No, it's not that. I mean the bonnet is completely beautiful... it's the fact that I'm engaged... I mean I was... I-I couldn't I mean we couldn't."

"Ginny-er- Miss Wade. I met only to apologize for how we met I just wanted you to feel welcome in a completely platonic way of course."

Ginny's eyes widened, and her cheeks were surely the color of her hair, how could she have miss read everything? Of course, he didn't think of her like that! He was her boss; she was merely raising his children for him.

She looked down at her boots wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"Of course... I'm sorry... I simply jumped to conclusions." Ginny shook her head and turned to leave.

"Miss Wade, the hat is still yours if you want it... I reckon it'll look awfully funny on me."

Ginny smiled despite herself "Of course thank you Mr. Clayton." She said leaving. She couldn't believe she managed to make such a fool of herself. She was never this bold of a speaker before Fergus died and before she left her sister Julie's side.

It had always been Lindy who spoke up so boldly never her; she'd always been the shy one, the one who barely got a word in between Lindy, and Julie. Perhaps she'd always been like this and never had a chance to show it, or Fergus' death had affected her in more than one way.

She put her hand up to her forehead before noticing her ring, the subtle reminder of the promise she made to Fergus, the promise that would never be fulfilled. Before she could stop herself tears fell down her cheeks. She missed Fergus, she missed her family. And a part of her wondered why Thomas didn't like her. Was it because of her hair? It had been more of a blondish red color when she was younger; but it had darkened in color as she grew older and now it was a deep red color.

Maybe it was her eyes- they were colorless, being stuck somewhere in-between the gray of her mother's eyes and the blue of her father's. She shook her head, it shouldn't matter what he thinks. She didn't want anything to do with a man who spent his time in saloons instead of with his daughters.

~~ ~~

Thomas sighed heavily; he'd kept his distance from Ginny and his daughters. He felt like an utter fool, of course Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Hastings would tell her he didn't give them bonnets and of course she'd think he was making advances at her, because if he was at all honest with himself, he was. He liked how she was with Wilhelmina and Lorelei, he liked how she was so kind and sweet and yet she told him exactly what he was doing wrong to make her upset.

She wasn't afraid to be bold and speak her mind and he admired that in a woman.

Lord knows Elsie had never told him what he was doing wrong, she never spoke her mind either, instead she held everything inside giving him the cold shoulder; for months on end she wouldn't even speak a word to him.

He packed up his briefcase planning on leaving before Ginny and the girls and the rest of his help came home from the Sunday services in the neighboring town they only went to once a month when the weather allowed it.

Ginny had asked him to come along so did Wilhelmina. But he told them he couldn't. He simply had too much work to do to take off a full Sunday to listen to some preacher talk on and on

He didn't mind the girls going though, Elsie had always liked to take them too.

He made his way to the front door and he was about to turn the brass knob when a knock sounded at the other end. Opening the door he was surprised to see an unfamiliar face.

"Hello" the man said with a half-smile "is there a Miss Virginia Wade here?" he questioned.

"Virginia?" he asked never hearing her full name before, she had even signed her letter 'Ginny' so he simply assumed it too be her name.

"Yes, everyone calls her Ginny though... is she here?"

"She went to church, should be back any minute. Would you like to come in Mr. um...? I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Just call me Gideon." He said, "and I would like to come in yes, thank you."

Thomas nodded stepping aside so Gideon could come in. He wondered how the man knew Ginny. He was a good foot taller than he was, and a lot more muscular.