Chapter Thirty
NORA VOICING HER FEAR ABOUT hallucinating Winston—or rather Adler, if Ezekiel was right—had stolen some of its power over her.
She still wasn’t certain about her sanity, considering the couple hadn’t acted like they’d seen Adler, but Ezekiel was right.
She shouldn’t be alone until this was sorted.
Thankfully, Flossie had been home and the other Guardians sent for.
While Ezekiel sought answers, they formed a plan on how to confront Father about Mum and Katherine without sending him into a panic or hating Ezekiel for his part in all this.
Once Ezekiel returned, they’d face Father together so Nora wouldn’t be forced to leave everyone she knew behind.
However, when six o’clock came and went without Ezekiel arriving, Nora had no other choice but to return home. Father would be frantic with worry if she lingered any longer.
At Nora’s stoop, she and the Guardians prayed for the confrontation to go well and answers to be found. However, when they entered, Father was not alone.
“There you are, Nora.” Father hugged her and whispered. “Where have you been? I sent a note to expect Mr. Gobel to join us for supper and to make something special.”
Panic and relief warred over the knowledge she and the Guardians could not confront Father with a guest present. She needed answers, but oh, how she feared what they would be.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t get your message, as I was with my friends all afternoon.” Nora peered over Father’s shoulder at the man who appeared more turkey than human.
Surely Father hadn’t brought home another suitor after their discussion yesterday, especially one so .
. . fowl-ish. The narrow-faced man had a beak nose, an abnormally large Adam’s apple, and legs impossibly scrawny compared to the wide girth they carried.
Hopefully the man wasn’t a hunter, because if he wore the wrong clothes, Thanksgiving would be a very dangerous season for him indeed.
When Father pulled back, he addressed the Guardians. “Thank you for bringing Nora home. I apologize that we cannot invite you to stay.”
The Guardians looked at each other, then Theresa stepped forward. “But we made plans to stay the night with Nora.”
“Those plans will have to be rescheduled. Nora will be otherwise engaged this evening.”
A rock settled in Nora’s stomach. He’d really done it. He’d invited a man to woo her after agreeing he would meet with Ezekiel and allow her to have a say in her choice of suitors.
“Nora, what do you want us to do?” Bless Theresa’s boldness to directly ignore Father.
“It’s obvious we cannot proceed as planned. Come first thing in the morning. Father and I breakfast at eight. Tristan will sleep with me tonight.”
Clearly none of the Guardians liked that plan, but they had little other choice.
What was one more night anyway? Father was home, and she’d sleep with her gun under her pillow as an extra precaution.
Although, did she want to risk shooting the wrong person?
Best to stick with her knitting needles instead.
Flossie gave Nora a sympathetic grimace. “We’ll see you in the morning, then. Have a good evening.”
More like a miserable one. As the Guardians left, Nora straightened her posture and fixed her placid countenance in place. She would make it through tonight without a hint of displeasure or madness sneaking through.
“Mr. Herman Gobel, may I present to you my daughter, Nora Davis. She’s quite the singer and adores opera.”
If Nora hadn’t locked her jaw to maintain her countenance, it would have dropped. Maybe Father had been listening to her, albeit partially. He completely ignored the part where Nora was already courting a man and should not be eating a meal with another.
Mr. Gobel leaned over her hand, likely to kiss it with his lips, but his big beak got in the way and pecked it instead. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Davis. Your father has sung your praises for years at the office.”
“He is ever the doting father. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived. I’m afraid I did not receive Father’s message about his plan to invite you to supper. If you will but give me half an hour, I’m certain I can fix us something simple but delicious.”
“We’ll join you in the kitchen while you work, so you and Mr. Gobel can become better acquainted.” Father must be determined to prove himself a capable matchmaker.
Mr. Gobel might have many good qualities to offset his unusual appearance, but Nora already had a suitor who was as handsome as he was caring.
The fact Ezekiel hadn’t immediately ended their courtship, but had set into action a plan to guard her while he searched for answers was completely opposite to how she’d expected him to respond .
. . and yet, she’d still gone to him. At least Mr. Gobel’s presence spared her from confronting Father.
Tristan trotted behind her to the kitchen and yowled for his own meal to be prepared.
Nora plated him some leftover ragout, then set to work preparing a simple meal of beefsteak and onions.
While Nora cooked, Father pulled her into conversation with Mr. Gobel whether or not she had any interest or knowledge of the topic.
She wasn’t unskilled with numbers, but she certainly didn’t find accounting as interesting as the two men did.
When Father finally realized a change of conversation might be prudent, he focused all attention on Nora’s qualities and accomplishments—though she had not quite so many as he claimed.
The way he praised her singing, one would think he heard and enjoyed it on a regular basis.
“Go ahead, Nora. Show Mr. Gobel what a marvelous songbird you are. Sing ‘I’ll Sing Thee Songs of Araby.’”
Nora almost dropped the fork into the skillet as she flipped the meat.
Was he trying to embarrass her or support her?
She knew of the popular song, but not how to sing it.
Why would she, after so many years of being forbidden to sing?
“Supper is ready. A full mouth and song do not work well together.”
“Well then, perhaps after supper. I didn’t see a piano, but if you have one somewhere, I’m fairly proficient.” Mr. Gobel helped her move the heavy skillet to the trivet on the table. “Ah, there is nothing I love more than a delicious meal cooked by a woman with a servant’s heart.”
She bristled. If the compliment had come from Ezekiel, she would have smiled and blushed.
She might have even called him Don Giovanni just to annoy him, but with Mr. Gobel, the words felt full of guile.
“You don’t know me well enough to bestow that compliment.
For one, the food may taste like the leftovers of Tristan’s latest hunt.
For another, I am very selfish.” And I selfishly want you gone.
“Everyone is selfish on some level. For instance, I selfishly chose the seat across from you so I could better admire you.”
Nora dropped the slice of meat on Mr. Gobel’s plate with a splatter. Did Father even hear what his colleague was saying? Shouldn’t he step in and stop this nonsense? But he made no move to say anything, instead forking his own slice of meat and onions onto his plate.
Well, if he wouldn’t speak up, she would. “While I appreciate your compliments, Mr. Gobel, I wish you would stop. Our new acquaintance does not allow you the knowledge needed to bestow them with sincerity, and as such, they feel like the unwanted and slobbery licks a dog gives to any stranger.”
“Nora!” Horror mixed with Father’s reprimand.
However, Mr. Gobel didn’t shy from her sharp tongue.
“Your point is taken. Please accept my apology. Your father has spoken of you so frequently that I feel I already know you. Perhaps it would be prudent to create opportunities for a better acquaintance so I can, in the future, offer compliments you feel are genuine. I know! Mr. Davis says you love opera. There are half a dozen opera houses in the city. Where do you prefer to attend performances?”
Obviously Father hadn’t disclosed where her love of opera stemmed from, or that she hadn’t actually ever attended a performance, to his knowledge, in Cincinnati.
Lucky for him, she’d attended Olivette. If she revealed it now with a guest in the house, Father wouldn’t be free to lose his temper, and it was the perfect opportunity to let Mr. Gobel know she was already being courted by another.
“I recently attended a performance of Olivette at Pike’s Opera House, where my beau works. ”
Father choked on his water, sputtering it down his shirtfront and onto the plate and surrounding tablecloth.
Perhaps she should have waited until after he’d taken a drink.
He fumbled for his napkin, knocking the glass over.
The remaining water shot across the table and onto Nora’s lap.
This was going worse than she’d anticipated.
She rushed to the sink for a towel. Tristan seized the opportunity to utilize her chair as a stepping stone to the table and helped himself to the platter of meat.
“No! Bad cat!” Father grabbed for Tristan, but Tristan made an easy leap from the table with a gravy laden piece of beefsteak hanging from his mouth. He settled in the corner of the room to eat his victory meal. “Why did you not return that beast while you were out?”
Because she’d been too upset to think about it? “Because Ezekiel was working, and Pike’s Opera House is no place for a cat.”
“I was unaware you are attached.” Mr. Gobel’s darted glance at Father made it evident that he felt duped.
And well he should. Father knew when he went into the office today that Nora claimed a courtship with Ezekiel.
What was he thinking to lead on this poor man?
“I gathered, and I am sorry if you were led to believe I was seeking a potential match. I thought I made it clear to Father yesterday that I have a suitor.”