overseeing my business affairs, he will be around quite often, perhaps even daily.”
Callie breathed in sharply, the only outward sign of her discomfort. Her brother Garrett had handled the widow’s business affairs until he’d married Molly and left town for a position in St. Louis. It stood to reason that Reese, as the senior partner in his firm, would take over in Garrett’s absence.
If only her brother hadn’t felt the need to strike out on his own, away from family and the prominent Mitchell name. Callie missed him so much. Molly too, nearly as much as she missed Fanny.
Oh, she was still angry at her sister, but this was the first they’d been apart for more than a few days at a time. With only a year separating them in age, they’d done everything together.
Now Fanny was living in Chicago. And Callie was here in Denver working for Mrs. Singletary. Not alone, precisely, but definitely more lonely than she’d ever been in her life.
“Did you hear what I said, dear?”
Callie started. “Er...no.”
“I said I want you to change your dress before Mr. Bennett arrives.”
Again, she wondered, why the hurry? Yet she didn’t feel comfortable enough to ask the question a second time. “Yes, Mrs. Singletary, I’ll do so immediately following breakfast.”
“Very good. Something in blue would be most preferable.” The widow went back to reading the newspaper in silence.
Left alone with her thoughts, Callie picked up her spoon and gave the egg in front of her a good hard whack. The shell exploded into a hundred little pieces.
Pushing the ruined egg aside, she selected a pastry off the tray. As she ate, she silently reviewed the contents of her closet. She didn’t own anything in blue. In truth, none of her dresses were any more exciting than what she currently wore.
The green one was the most modern in fit and style. However, the color was a sort of drab olive. Better, she supposed, than gray. Decision made, she brought the pastry to her mouth once again.
“Don’t even think about putting on your green dress.” The widow made this announcement without bothering to glance up. “The color is horrid on you.”
Callie dropped the pastry back to her plate. “Surely, it’s not...horrid.”
“Horrid.”
Trying not to feel insulted, Callie pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and thought a moment. “Perhaps the yellow one with the ivory lace collar?”
“No.”
“The soft pink—”
“Not that one, either.” At last, Mrs. Singletary removed her attention from the newspaper and looked up. Her unwavering gaze bore into Callie’s. “You are far too pretty to hide behind pale, lifeless pastels and neutrals.”
As those were the only colors in her closet, Callie frowned. “Which dress would you have me wear?”
“None in your current wardrobe.” The widow placed her hand atop Callie’s. “Those we will donate to charity.”
She jerked upright, working for breath. “But if I give away all my dresses what, then, will I wear?”
A robust smile spread across the widow’s lips. “Leave that to me.”
“I find this conversation so very strange.” She pulled her hand free from beneath Mrs. Singletary’s and placed it in her lap. “You’ve never once said a word about the way I dress.”
“We were still getting to know one another. Now we are friends.”
Callie widened her eyes. Mrs. Singletary considered her a friend?
“And from one friend to another, you need to make smarter choices in your attire. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were deliberately trying to camouflage your natural beauty.”
Callie pressed her hands together in her lap and fought off a strong desire to defend herself. Once she’d attracted the wrong man’s attention and barely avoided disgrace. Better to be safe than put herself on display and risk another mistake.
“Finish your breakfast.” Mrs. Singletary leaned back. “We have much work to do before Mr. Bennett arrives.”
What did Reese have to do with—
Oh, no. Mrs. Singletary couldn’t be thinking of making Callie more attractive for Reese. A match between them was... Why, it was impossible.
Tongues would wag all over town.
The potential for scandal made the very idea ridiculous. Reese’s business would suffer, along with his reputation. And what about Fanny? Callie would never hurt her sister, not for anything in the world. And especially not over a man.
No, Callie wouldn’t dare attract Reese’s attention. Yet she couldn’t allow anyone else to so, either, not before Fanny returned home and made things right with him.
While it wouldn’t be easy seeing Reese and Fanny together again, it would be better than seeing him with someone else. Callie really hoped Fanny would come to her senses soon.
“If you are finished eating, we will begin.”
“Begin?”
“Populating your wardrobe with more suitable gowns.”
Callie could think of no good reason to refuse her employer. She set her napkin on the table and forced a smile. “I’m at your mercy, Mrs. Singletary.”
Thirty minutes later, she stood in the widow’s private dressing room, facing a full-length mirror. Two maids hustled about her, securing buttons, fluffing material in one spot, smoothing out wrinkles in another.
The dress was supposedly one of Mrs. Singletary’s castoffs. Callie had her suspicions. Who could not want this gorgeous silk creation? The color was that of the Colorado sky, a deep, rich blue that somehow brought out the green in Callie’s eyes. The fit was perfection. The silver buttons added just enough elegance without being too much for day wear.
Even with her severe hairstyle, Callie looked beautiful. She felt beautiful. But the woman staring back at her from the mirror was not Callie Mitchell. Not anymore.
Never, never again.
“Let’s have a look at you.” The widow paraded around her, considering her from various angles. “Much better.” She nodded her head in approval. “You were born to wear jewel tones.”
Once her closet had been filled with nothing but vibrant colors, Callie thought wistfully.
The housekeeper entered the room and announced, “Mr. Bennett has arrived for your meeting, Mrs. Singletary.”
“Thank you, Jane. Tell Winston to show him to my office.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The housekeeper turned to go then caught sight of Callie. Her eyes rounded with shock. “Oh, miss. Look at
