The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden Read Free Book Online Page B

gossip of her broken engagement had not reached Baltimore, or people would not be hurling eligible gentlemen in her path. Whenever a woman was unceremoniously dumped by her fiancé, people looked askance at the jilted woman, no matter who was to blame for the demise of the engagement. “I’ve just returned to town,” Clara hedged. “I’m hoping to get settled and spend some time with my brother before participating in any sort of romantic entanglement.”
    Florence perked up at the mention of Clara’s brother. “Is Dr. Endicott back in Baltimore?” she asked, looking as stunned as if Queen Victoria herself was about to descend upon the town.
    Clara shook her head. “He is here, though not yet ready to be making social calls.”
    “My goodness,” Florence breathed. “Your brother was in town three years ago when he came to testify before a congressional panel in Washington . . . something about the plight of the poor Indians. He garnered quite a bit of attention from our young ladies. Is there any hope he could be persuaded to stay a bit longer in Baltimore? After all, he need not sacrifice his entire life for the heathens. Perhaps it is time he settle down amongst civilized people.”
    Clara was embarrassed to confess she knew very little about Clyde’s intentions these days, but she certainly knew he had a much better opinion of the people he lived among than to consider them heathens. “I think you will have to put that question to Clyde when you see him,” Clara said.
    It was surprising, but the very mention of her brother’s name caused a group of young ladies to cluster about Clara and Florence like honeybees drawn to a particularly delicious flower. “Dr. Endicott? Coming back to town?” The voice belonged to a gorgeous woman with piles of blond hair amassed atop her head. She looked beautiful enough to be a Greek goddess.
    “Clyde Endicott?” another woman demanded. “I don’t believe it! Where is he?”
    A third young lady pushed her way forward to stand directly before Clara. “Is it true? Your brother will be coming back to town?”
    Clara looked at the faces of the half dozen young ladies, all breathless in anticipation of her answer, and wondered how Clyde had convinced them he was anything but the most annoying human being to ever walk on the face of the earth. “Yes, Clyde is back in town, but only for a very short visit.” Clara was beginning to understand Clyde’s instructions to his father that his visit was to remain strictly a family affair. If he inspired this frenzy of delight among his admirers, no wonder he hoped to get in and out of town without notice. Clara was already beginning to feel claustrophobic with the crush of young women breathless for news of Dr. Clyde Endicott.
    “I knew he could not stay away,” the Greek goddess said. “Miss Endicott, you simply must host a tea party to welcome your brother back to town. That poor man cannot be permitted to return to the wilds without a chance to meet some ladies of his own class.”
    Another lady began waving her fan over her heated face. “I declare, it is impossible to look at that man and not want to be the woman who finally tames him. He is the most delicious male specimen . . . or at least he will be when someone finally civilizes him. He must not be allowed to escape again.”
    Now it was Clara’s turn to blush. Her older brother was many things, but delicious was never a word she would have used to describe him. And yet, the mere mention of Clyde’s name was apparently enough to fuel a lengthy discussion of the various eligible young men in Baltimore. The girls clustered around Clara as they contrasted Clyde’s ruggedness with the safety of Joshua McAllister’s comfortable life as owner of a cotton mill. A number of other men’s names were tossed into the mix as the ladies debated the merits of each. Baltimore appeared to possess an endless supply of eligible bachelors who caused rounds of gushing, cooing,