Brynne stopped mid-sentence at the look on Richard’s face.
“Richard, what is it?”
For a moment, Brynne feared someone must have died. Richard’s face was set in hard lines, his brow furrowed in anger…or confusion. In his hand, he clutched an old newspaper trimming. Brynne couldn’t see the headline of the article, but she did recognize the illustration. It was a portrait of her brother-in-law, Leo, when he’d been elected sheriff of Bethany Ridge.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Richard asked, his voice low, quiet. Brynne would have preferred that he shouted.
“I was going to tell you everything.”
“When? After we’d married and it was too late for me to change my mind?”
Brynne gasped, all the breath rushing from her lungs as if Richard had slugged her in the stomach. She almost wished he had. It would have hurt less than the anger and accusation in his voice.
“I saw no reason to share everything that happened in my past until I knew how serious you were about me. And then, when you proposed, I was afraid…”
“Afraid of what?”
“Of this! Of you reacting like this. I didn’t want to jeopardize what we had together until I knew for sure that we had a future together. I would have told you everything before we married. In fact, that is what I came here to do. Until this moment, I didn’t truly believe that anything I was about to tell you would change how you felt about me.”
“My feelings haven’t changed, Brynne. But…”
He wouldn’t meet her gaze. Brynne’s heart sank. But she wouldn’t let that miserable woman destroy her happy future without at least trying to get him to understand.
“I love you, Richard.” She didn’t realize how badly she’d wanted to say those words aloud until they passed her lips. It felt so good to at long last tell him the truth. Tell him how she felt. “I love you. And of course, I’ll tell you everything. Anything you want to know. All you need to do is ask.”
Richard bowed his head. Not the reaction Brynne was hoping to get from her declaration. The lump of dread hardened into ice that chilled her through and through.
What if she’d left it too late? She should have told him. At least about Leo.
“I love you, too. At least, I love the Brynne I thought I knew.”
“What is that supposed to mean? I am the same person, Richard. Nothing about me has changed.”
Richard waved the newspaper at her. “Everything I believed I knew about you has changed. You consorted with bandits? Perhaps even rode with them? There were rumors that your own sister was the bandit Blood Blade. Going by your recent activities with the medical supplies, I’m inclined to believe that one, though I’ll admit, it’s nearly impossible to fathom. What did you do, ride the trails robbing stage coaches?”
Brynne could almost laugh at the incredulity on his face. She honestly had no idea how to respond to him. She couldn’t see how admitting that Cilla was Blood Blade, and that Brynne had indeed done her share of robbing and banditry, would ease him any. She shrugged, albeit a bit sheepishly.
Richard huffed and waved the clipping again. “And why didn’t you tell me that you had married again?”
Brynne sighed. What was it about men? Jake he could handle. Jake was dead. But another husband, one who was alive? That was intolerable.
“I would have told you, before we went any further. But I didn’t think it mattered.”
“Of course it matters! Brynne, you’ve been married twice now. Once to a husband who died under very mysterious and brutal circumstances, and then you almost immediately married your dead husband’s brother, while you were still carrying the child of your first husband. And then your second husband divorced you to marry your own sister. How can that not matter?”
Brynne flinched. It sounded so much worse when he spelled it all out like that. “That wasn’t exactly how it happened. I mean…it was but…”
“But what?”
Brynne sighed. She had no idea how to explain this where it wouldn’t sound horrible. “First of all, Leo didn’t divorce me, our marriage was annulled. Which means in the eyes of the law and God—”
“Yes, speaking of the law, was your first marriage even legal? There is supposedly no record of it. Do the Forresters know you bore their son a child out of wedlock? Do they know your marriage to their second son was annulled or do they even know about it? Did you lie to them, too?”
“I didn’t lie to them or anyone else about anything, Richard, and yes, they know everything.”
Brynne didn’t know how the wicked woman had found out about her marriage to Jake not being legal. Then again, with the right amount of money and time it wouldn’t have been that difficult. Brynne wasn’t even sure she cared. She’d planned to tell Richard everything, and while she knew he might have a difficult time of it, his reaction was much worse than she’d imagined.
Brynne glared at him, anger beginning to replace her fear and sadness. “My marriage to Jake was binding in every way that mattered and my so-called marriage to Leo was annulled, which means by all accounts, legal and religious, it never existed. So really, there was nothing to tell you about. The marriage was never real. Never consummated. It was a sham, a protective measure to help me and my sisters. Once the…situation had been taken care of, our marriage was annulled and we both went on with our lives.”
Richard shook his head. “Brynne, you must understand how…how this all looks. Annulled or not, you were married to your brother-in-law, who is now still your brother-in-law because he’s married to your sister.”
Yes, Brynne could see how it would look to him. She’d only come across one other divorced woman since she’d been in Boston. The poor woman had been completely shunned. No one who was anyone would receive her. Her husband and his pretty new wife fared much better. And if one past husband was enough to taint a woman’s reputation, then Brynne was doubly damned.
Brynne’s anger burned hotter and she tried to wrangle it in. The circumstances that had forced her into a sham marriage with her brother-in-law had been extreme and life-threatening, not only for her but for her sisters and the entire town. Richard had no right to judge her for what she’d done to keep others safe. But she tried to be fair. She could see his side, could understand the shock of what he’d learned.
“Richard, I can understand your feelings on the matter. I can, truly. But you must understand as well. I had no choice in the matter. It was literally a matter of life and death and my future wasn’t the only one in jeopardy. I did what I had to do and I won’t apologize for that. As soon as I could, I ended the marriage, and while we were married, absolutely nothing happened between us.”
“But your first marriage…was it even a marriage? You lived with him as man and wife, but if you weren’t legally married then…”
Yes, what then? Then she was a harlot who’d willingly born the bastard child of a man she’d bedded without the benefit of a pastor. Such a foul and unjust epitaph for what had been a pure and wonderful love.
A lump rose in the back of Brynne’s throat. She wouldn’t apologize for or be made to feel ashamed for her short life with Jake. No one had the right to sully that memory, not even Richard.
“I lived as Jake’s wife for less than a month before he was murdered. Life is different out there, Richard. There isn’t a pastor on every street corner waiting to legally join wayward couples in holy matrimony. We were bound before the eyes of God in the only way we were able and Jake was murdered before all the right papers could be signed.”
Brynne took a deep breath and tried to keep her anger in check. Richard had a right to know what had happened in her past, yes. But no one had the right to tarnish even one memory of her past with her first love. “The only ones who have even a modicum of relevance in what occurred between Jake and I are the Forresters. And if they have no issue with it, certainly no one else has that right.”
Richard sighed and leaned against his desk. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
> Brynne took a step closer to him. “I would have. Today. Before I accepted your proposal, I was planning on telling you everything.”
Richard’s gaze shot up, and for a moment he looked happy, before the shuttered look reappeared. He frowned. “I’ll admit this has been hard to take in. And I might be able to understand it, but I would like to hear the whole story from you before we proceed further.”
Brynne’s eyes narrowed, but Richard wasn’t done yet.
“The problem, you see, is that Mrs. Morey is the one who brought this little gem from your past to my attention. Which means by dinner tonight, the whole of Boston will be buzzing with it. Even if I am able to look past it, I don’t know that others will.”
Brynne held her breath. “What are you saying, Richard?”
“I don’t know,” he said, rubbing his hand over his face.
“Do you no longer love me?”
Richard’s head jerked up. “Of course I still love you. This hasn’t changed my feelings for you, though I wish I had heard these sordid little details from your lips instead of Mrs. Morey’s.”
Brynne’s anger spiked. “There are no sordid details, Richard. This wasn’t some shameful incident to be ashamed of. I did what I needed to do to protect those I cared about. A marriage—to a good, kind, respectable man, mind you—that was never truly a marriage was annulled, thereby rendered non-existent, which means there really was nothing to tell. The tittle-tattles can spin this any way they like, but nothing untoward happened, ever.”
“That may be true, Brynne. But the gossip harpies are rarely concerned with the truth.” He took her hands in his. “Perhaps we should take some time and wait for this to pass before we announce anything. Give the rumor mongers time to find something else to feast on.”
“Richard…”
“I’m only concerned about you, Brynne, how this will affect you. And Lucy, and Coraline. The social mills haven’t been too kind to you for lesser infractions than this. No sense in giving them even more meat to chew.”
“Really? Your only concern is for me?” she asked, pulling her hands from his. “You seem more concerned with how everyone else will see this. I’ve told you the truth, Richard. So why does what happened years ago matter now unless you are concerned about your own reputation? Mine wasn’t that great to begin with.”
“Brynne…”
She shook her head, swallowing back her tears. She wouldn’t let him see how badly he’d hurt her. How his “concern” cut through her like a blade. She squared her shoulders and faced him. “I’ll make this easy for you Richard. I am sorry, but I must decline your offer of marriage.”
Richard straightened. “Brynne.” He reached for her, but she stepped back out of his reach.
“No, Richard. You are right. The gossip mongers will be spreading my sordid little tale from one end of Massachusetts to the other. The last thing in the world I want is for my supposed disgraceful past to reflect poorly on you.”
She took another step back. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, Richard. I really am. But I truly didn’t think it would matter to you. You said you loved me. It honestly didn’t occur to me that something from my past, that by all accounts never happened, would make one hill of beans of a difference to you. I’m sorry to find that I was wrong.”
She needed to get out of there before she lost her composure completely.
“Brynne, wait.”
Brynne shook her head. “Goodbye, Richard.”
She turned and fled, not caring that the tears she could no longer keep at bay were flowing down her cheeks. The bastard had made her care about him only to tear her heart to shreds at the first test. Better she find out now that he wasn’t the man she thought he was. She was better off without him.
She wondered how long it would take before she believed that.
Chapter Fifteen
Brynne didn’t want to give up her time at the clinic, but she wasn’t sure how Richard would react if she still came in. She moped around the house for a week until at last Taggart stepped in.
“Ma’am, if I might make a suggestion?”
“Of course, Taggart.”
“Go back to the clinic.”
Brynne started shaking her head but stopped. Why shouldn’t she? There was nothing for her to do around the house. Lucy and Coraline were still gone. Her in-laws had gone back to Maryland and a series of storms had blown in that kept them put. They’d sent a letter saying they’d return home as soon as the weather and roads permitted and assured Brynne that Coraline was having a grand time on the ranch.
That warmed Brynne’s heart, thinking of her daughter playing with the animals and running about in the clean, fresh air. Perhaps Brynne should take Coraline back to California. Cilla and Leo had a child of their own now. It would be wonderful to see their children playing together, roaming the ranch and riding the horses like Brynne and her sisters had done when they were growing up.
And at least in California, she wouldn’t have to deal with the ridiculous prejudice that she faced in Boston. Prejudice that was about to get much worse. She hadn’t ever been the toast of the party, but at least she’d been tolerated. But since Mrs. Morey’s version of Brynne’s past had been spread around to all and sundry, all invitations to Brynne had ceased.
Perhaps she should go back to the clinic. She didn’t necessarily need to see Richard. There were plenty of things she could do that would allow her to help out without bringing her into contact with him. That is, if she could get past the front door.
“What if they won’t let me back?”
“At least you’ll know.”
Brynne pondered that for a second. He was right. No sense in sulking around when there were others with worse difficulties who could use her help.
“Taggart, would you be so kind as to bring me my cloak and tell Charlie to prepare the carriage?”
“Right away, ma’am.”
When Brynne arrived at the clinic, she didn’t allow herself the chance to lose her nerve. She climbed down from the carriage, marched right up the front steps, and opened the door. Mrs. Birch looked at her with surprise and, Brynne was surprised to see, pleasure.
“Welcome back, Mrs. Forrester. We’re a bit busy this morning. We could use your help in the infirmary if you’d be willing to lend a hand.”
“I’d be happy to, Mrs. Birch, thank you.”
The woman gave her a small smile and went back to her work. Brynne was nearly speechless that the woman hadn’t thrown her right out on her ear, but she certainly wasn’t going to question it. She hung up her cloak and got straight to work.
…
Richard went about his work, his mood growing more foul by the hour. He’d been a fool to let Brynne go. Yes, she’d kept her past from him, but she hadn’t deceived him, not really. She was right…what had happened wasn’t nearly as bad as Mrs. Morey had made out. He’d been a fool to let the old biddy color his opinions. But he’d been so taken aback by her revelations that he hadn’t known what to think. And now it was too late.
He could still see the stricken look on Brynne’s face when she’d walked out of his office. He’d do anything to take it back, make it right between them. Every day that passed without seeing her was a torture he couldn’t bear. A self-inflicted torture, he reminded himself.
He’d almost decided to march over to her house and demand that she see him when he entered the infirmary and saw her in the back making up a bed. He froze, not sure what to do. He was afraid that if he made any sudden movements he would spook her and she’d be off again.
Richard knew the moment she realized he was in the room. Her body stiffened and she darted a glance at him. Their gazes locked for a moment and he would have given anything to have her run across the room and throw herself into his arms.
But he’d destroyed any chance of that happening. Perhaps he should go to her. He took a step in her direction, but Brynne shook her head. It was a slight, almost imperceptible motion, but glaringly obvi
ous nonetheless.
She’d come back to the clinic, not to him.
He turned around before she could see the smile that spread across his lips. She might not be willing to forgive him yet, but she had come back. Back to his clinic, his home. It was only a matter of time, he hoped, before she’d come back to him as well. And he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she did.
When his messenger boy came running in, it took a second for Richard to realize what the boy was saying.
“What? What did you say? Slow down, boy.”
“Your warehouse, sir. It’s burning. The fire brigade is trying to stop it, but it looks bad.”
Richard stormed into the foyer and grabbed his coat from the hook. If that warehouse burned, it could ruin him. He housed much of his family’s heirlooms there, treasures and antiques that he’d cleared out of the house in order to make room for his clinic. The truly valuable stuff was kept at the bank or in the vault in his bedroom, but to lose the warehouse would be a tragedy of epic proportions, as well as a sizable blow to his assets.
He hurried out the door after the lad, catching Brynne’s eye as he did. He had no doubt she would be right on his heels.
Again it struck him how much he had truly missed her. How wonderful it had been to always have her at his back, no matter what the situation. He needed her, in the good times and the bad.
He was going to get her back. But first, he had to find out how much of his future had gone up in flames.
Richard watched bleakly as the fire brigade did their best to extinguish the flames tearing through his warehouse. Luckily, they had been alerted quickly and had lost no time in getting to the scene. The last thing anyone wanted was for the flames to spread to other buildings. The whole city could be ablaze in a matter of minutes. But Richard’s warehouse stood near the water in a space all on its own so the dangers of the fire spreading were slim. And the fire hadn’t been large to begin with.
In fact, by the time Richard and Brynne had arrived, the flames had been mostly contained. Apparently, Richard’s enemies wanted to merely warn him instead of decimating him. Which made sense, Richard thought as he looked at the note in his hand. A boy had delivered the note while the flames devoured a large chunk of his family’s wealth. If the bastard thieves had reduced his fortune too much, he wouldn’t be able to pay the exorbitant amount of money they wanted in exchange for the medical supplies they’d stolen.
Blood Blade Sisters Series (Entangled Scandalous) Page 35
