The next evening, Eli stood at attention in the dining room of the Walker mansion with Jack, the Walker’s footman. Mr. Timmons had gone to the parlor to announce dinner, and any moment the guests would enter.
Eli took a couple of steady breaths and tried to remember all the details Lucy had given him yesterday. He had hoped to see her before the meal started, but he hadn’t caught a single glimpse of her all day.
Out of the corner of his eye he watched Jack. The man was as cool and composed as ever, but then, why wouldn’t he be? Eli was the only person in the mansion who was out of his element. He hadn’t even met the investors yet, and part of him was disappointed that he’d be meeting them as their servant, instead of their equal. But then, even if he became a successful racer or automobile manufacturer, would he ever reach their level?
The investors and their wives had arrived that morning and been invited to rest and then have a leisurely luncheon that Mr. Timmons and Jack had been able to handle without help. The afternoon had been spent taking a tour of the White Pine Lumber Mill.
Voices drifted down the hall and Eli took in another deep breath. He tried to appear calm, yet his insides were a mess of nerves. He prided himself on being in control of his thoughts and emotions at all times—yet right now he felt like a skittish horse next to an automobile, ready to jump at the slightest provocation.
The dining room was resplendent with crystal, silver, and fresh flowers. Gone was the iris bouquet Lucy had arranged the day before. On the white linen cloth a low-lying centerpiece of delicate flowers and shiny fruit trailed the length of the table. Candles had been lit and they flickered and waved in the still room.
Mr. Walker appeared first with an older woman on his arm. She was tall and slender with a crown of silver hair above a stately face. No doubt she was Mrs. Caruthers, the wife of the most influential and wealthiest man in the group. As such, she would be treated as the guest of honor and her husband would walk in at the back of the group with Mrs. Walker.
The others filed into the room, laughing and chatting about people and places Eli had never heard of. The only person who seemed to notice him at all was Mr. Alexander, who nodded briefly at him and then moved on. No doubt he would wait to introduce Eli later when they were with the Duryea.
Mr. Timmons was the last to enter the room, and his appearance meant that the meal would begin. After everyone found their place cards, Eli left the dining room to bring in the first course.
Lucy entered the butler’s pantry at the same moment, holding a soup tureen, and looked him up and down, approval in her pretty brown eyes. “You clean up very nicely, Mr. Boyer.”
Despite his nerves, he smiled. “Thank you.”
“How are you holding up?” She placed the tureen on the counter and took a ladle out of a drawer.
“We’ve only just begun.”
She smiled, making her lone dimple appear, and opened the lid of the tureen. “Just follow Mr. Timmons’s lead and you’ll be fine.” Steam billowed out as she placed the ladle inside the soup.
Eli picked up the tureen and was about to turn, but Lucy reached out and touched his arm to stop him.
“Here.” She adjusted his bow tie.
He looked down and noticed the charming sprinkle of freckles across her nose.
She glanced up and her cheeks colored as she took a step back. “You’re all set.”
He felt more unsteady now than he had before, but he couldn’t dwell on the feelings Lucy stirred. Mr. Timmons would be furious if he kept their guests waiting.
The meal progressed with little trouble, though Eli made several mistakes. Thankfully, Mr. Timmons and Jack were quick to cover his blunders, and Lucy stood in the butler’s pantry throughout the whole meal to give words of encouragement or instruction.
When the dessert had been served, and Mrs. Walker had risen from the table to invite the ladies into the parlor, Eli felt his first wave of relief. He’d made it through the meal without embarrassing himself or Mrs. Walker.
He entered the dining room after bringing the dessert plates to the butler’s pantry, and the men were sitting around the table in a much more leisurely fashion.
“Ah, Eli.” Mr. Alexander rose and put his hand on Eli’s shoulder. “I’d like to introduce you to our guests. They’ve been eager to meet you.”
So he would be introduced as the fumbling footman, instead of the competent automobile mechanic. No matter. He’d make the best of the situation.
Five gentlemen were seated around the table with Mr. Walker and Mr. Alexander. All of them looked in Eli’s direction with keen gazes and calculating observation.
“Mr. Caruthers,” Mr. Alexander said, “I’d like you to meet Elijah Boyer, the young man I’ve been telling you about.”
Mr. Caruthers rose from his chair and offered Eli his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Alexander has been singing your praises for over a year. He seems to think you’re the man we should be investing our hard-earned money into.”
Eli wanted to look confident, but it was hard to feel like an equal standing in his footman’s uniform. “I’m pleased to meet you, sir.”
Mr. Alexander introduced Eli to the other men, and they all seemed cordial and interested in his driving skills.
“We plan to go out tomorrow and show you what Eli is capable of,” Mr. Alexander said. “He’ll race the Duryea and hopefully beat his personal record, and then he’ll give each of you a ride. Afterward, he’ll show you the improvements he’s made to the original design, as well as the drawings he’s made for his own automobile.”
“I’m most eager to speak with you,” Mr. Caruthers said. “I’ve been looking for a competent man to partner with. I want to invest in automobiles while they’re still young.”
The others nodded in agreement.
“Tomorrow then.” Mr. Walker stood and motioned toward the door. “Shall we join the ladies?”
The others rose and left the dining room, while Eli stayed behind to help clean up.
As soon as they were gone, the pantry door opened and Lucy poked her head into the room. “That was exciting.”
“Either in or out, Miss Taylor.” Mr. Timmons stood with a large platter in hand.
Lucy opened the door all the way and allowed Mr. Timmons to leave the dining room.
“Mrs. Walker said I’m invited to come out and watch you race tomorrow.” She began to clear the silverware from the table. “I’ve never seen an automobile race.”
For some reason, the thought of Lucy being there made Eli more nervous than knowing the five possible investors would be there.
“Do you think I could have a ride someday?” she asked, following him around the table, picking up more silverware.
“It’s not my automobile.”
“If Mr. Alexander doesn’t mind?”
He didn’t think Mr. Alexander would mind—but Eli had no wish to be alone with Lucy. It was hard enough to keep his mind off her when she was in a room full of people. Yet, he couldn’t deny that he wanted to take her on a ride. He saw the way her eyes lit up when she spoke about automobiles. It reminded him of his own passion. Why would he deny her the pleasure of a ride? If he tried hard enough, he could control his growing attraction to her—couldn’t he?
“If Mr. Alexander doesn’t mind, I’d be happy to give you a ride after the investors leave.”
Her eyes sparkled and she clutched the silverware. “Do you think you could take me to my mama’s house? I’d love to show the automobile to my sisters.”
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was so beautiful, it hurt. At the moment, he’d say yes to anything she requested. “Of course. I’ll even give them a ride, if your mother approves.”
Her lips parted and she slowly smiled. “You will?”
His voice refused to work properly, so he simply nodded.
“They’ll be so excited.” She picked up the rest of the silverware, her footsteps light and her face shining. “Thank you, Eli. You’ve made me very happy.”
Her happiness meant more to him than he knew it should.
Lucy held a lacy white parasol overhead, yet she still needed to squint to keep the bright sunshine from hurting her eyes. The day could not be better for Eli’s exhibition. The cloudless blue sky was striking against the thick green foliage of the countryside, and the air was warm, yet not too hot to be uncomfortable.
Mrs. Walker sat next to her on the picnic blanket, while the other wives either stood or sat with them, their pleasant conversation filling Lucy with a sense of well-being. It felt good to be among women she had always considered peers—even if she was there as Mrs. Walker’s lady’s maid.
“Mr. Boyer looks much more comfortable near an automobile than he does at a dinner party,” Mrs. Walker said with a smile in her voice.
Lucy watched Eli, who stood a little ways off with all the gentlemen as they inspected the Duryea. The motor puttered and jumped, causing the vehicle to bounce as Eli pointed out various parts of the contraption. He had driven it out after the picnic ended. Lucy hadn’t had a chance to talk to him, but he’d glanced her way when he’d first arrived, and the butterflies that had filled her stomach made her realize she needed to stay as far away from him as possible. She couldn’t risk falling in love and losing her position with Mrs. Walker. Her job was the most envied position in Little Falls and she couldn’t give it up, especially when her mother and sisters depended on her income.
Eli stepped into the automobile and the other men backed away. After a few moments, it started to roll, and Eli turned it around and drove it down the country road, farther and farther away.
Lucy’s stomach began to fill with nerves as she watched it pick up speed. The landscape all around was flat, with few trees, and it was easy to see the vehicle, even as it grew smaller.
He turned it around again, and this time it went faster and faster as it came near. Lucy stood, speechless, as the car kicked up dust. She’d never seen anything like it. Everyone had become quiet as they watched, but the tension had built up in Lucy’s chest until she wanted to cheer or shout for joy.
The automobile sped by in the blink of an eye, throwing dust in the air, and everyone clapped as Eli slowed and turned back around. He pulled to a stop near the gentlemen again, but this time, the ladies went out to join them.
“Well done, Mr. Boyer.” Mr. Caruthers reached out and shook Eli’s hand. “Your speed was remarkable.”
“It was a new record,” Mr. Alexander said, holding up a stopwatch. “Forty-two miles an hour.”
“Unbelievable,” said another man. “Most automobiles average around twenty-eight in long races.” He drew closer to Eli, his face serious. “Do you think you could maintain your speed over a fifty-mile course?”
Eli’s eyes were shadowed under his bowler as he looked over the Duryea. “I believe I could keep it somewhere in the midthirties over a longer course, but pushing it to the forties probably wouldn’t be wise.”
The men began to talk among themselves. Eli looked up and caught Lucy’s eye.
She couldn’t stop herself from grinning—or walking toward him.
He smiled back, his blue eyes as bright and brilliant as ever. His face shone with joy and the passion he felt for automobiles was palpable.
“That was wonderful.” She felt breathless as she stopped near the vehicle, though whether it was from the excitement of the race, or seeing him look so handsome, she wasn’t sure.
“Thank you.”
“Mr. Boyer will now give all of you rides,” Mr. Alexander said to his guests, drawing Eli’s attention away from Lucy. “Mr. and Mrs. Caruthers, would you like to be first?”
Mr. Caruthers grinned and nodded, but Mrs. Caruthers put her hand to her chest and looked at the Duryea with a bit of fear. “Is it safe?”
“Perfectly safe,” Mr. Alexander said. “I’ve spent hours in this vehicle and have not suffered a single scratch or bruise.”
She straightened her spine. “Very well.”
Mr. Alexander helped them inside and Eli turned to Lucy again. “Mr. Alexander has said I may take you riding on our next day off. Would you like that?”
Lucy held her breath, the excitement more than she’d anticipated, yet she felt a catch in her conscience. She couldn’t deny her attraction to Eli, and feared it would only grow stronger if she spent time with him. But she wanted a ride more than anything. “I would like that.”
He tipped the brim of his hat. “So would I.”
“All set, Eli.” Mr. Alexander nodded at Mr. and Mrs. Caruthers, who were crammed onto the bench seat beside Eli.
Lucy stepped back, her heart pumping wildly as she watched Eli pull away with his passengers. To think that she’d sit beside him and have his undivided attention as he drove her in an automobile seemed too good to be true.
The women congregated as they watched Eli give Mr. and Mrs. Caruthers a ride.
“Your young man is very handsome,” Mrs. Powell said to Lucy with a kind smile. “I’m eager to take a ride in his motorized carriage.”
Heat filled Lucy’s cheeks and she glanced at Mrs. Walker to see if her employer had heard the other lady. “Mr. Boyer is not my young man.”
Mrs. Powell was a pretty woman, not much older than Lucy. She lifted her eyebrows now. “He’s not? I’m so sorry. I just assumed, with the way I’ve seen you two look at one another.”
It was Lucy’s turn to lift her eyebrows. Were her feelings that plain? “Mr. Boyer and I have only recently met,” she said quickly, drawing Mrs. Walker’s attention. “The admiration you see on my face is for his automobile and nothing else.”
Mrs. Walker was now listening intently. “What’s this?”
“I made a mistake,” Mrs. Powell quickly told Mrs. Walker. “That’s all. Please forgive me, Miss Taylor.”
“Of course.”
Mrs. Walker studied Lucy for a moment, though there was no censure in her gaze—just curiosity.
“I hear you’re participating in a sporting competition,” Mrs. Powell said to Lucy, clearly trying to change the subject. “How interesting.”
The ladies turned their gazes on Lucy. A month ago, she would have been completely comfortable with all of them—yet now she wasn’t sure how to behave. Mrs. Walker had been kind and gracious, treating her more like a friend than an employee, and the others had followed her behavior, but it didn’t seem quite right. She wasn’t their equal any longer—at least not socially—and she would be wise to remember that.