For the Love of Annie

by Sabrah Huff Agee

  Thoughts of Annie reminded Cooper of his other dilemma and he wondered if he'd been successful in his attempt to create a child with Weezie. God, he hoped so. Just one more child was all he asked, one child of his own flesh and blood.

  AFTER SEEING Cooper off, Mary Louise returned to her room where she lay in her bed and stared at the underside of its canopy. For the first time since agreeing to marry him, Mary Louise allowed herself to think of her future with Cooper. With all that had happened in the last two weeks she hadn't really taken the time to explore the ramifications of the life she was embarking upon. She hadn't honestly taken into account all that she would be giving up once she and Cooper were married. She wouldn't be losing that which most women lost when they married— she wouldn't lose her independence. No, she'd made quite certain that she was safe in that respect. But now, the way things stood, she wasn't sure the sacrifice she was making wouldn't be greater than losing her independence. Was preserving her independence worth giving up the wondrous experience of making love? Was it worth never again knowing that ecstasy, the sensation of hurdling into space and then shattering into a million pieces? She frowned. Did she really want to spend the rest of her life like that? She loved Cooper, and it appeared she would always love him. So did it matter that he didn't return that love? He'd said he cared for her, and she believed him. He wouldn't have said it if he hadn't meant it. Cooper may have been guilty of a great many things, but he never lied to her. Of that Mary Louise was certain. He could have lied about loving her and saved himself a lot of grief. After all, if he'd simply lied, he could have gotten everything he wanted. Their marriage would have been a real one instead of this sham she was insisting upon— and for what? For the sake of her damnable pride, that's what!

  Mary Louise abruptly sat up. Oh my God, she thought. I can't do this. The contemplation of her future as it stood made her physically ill. She couldn't go though with it. But how could she tell Cooper? Good heavens! What was she going to do?

  A WEEK later Mary Louise received a wire from Cooper:

  "ALL SET — STOP — ARRANGEMENTS FOR WEDDING CEREMONY COMPLETE FOR FIFTEENTH — STOP— TELL ANNIE I LOVE HER — STOP— COOPER."

  To which she wired a reply:

  "CHANGE IN PLANS — STOP— BRINGING ANNIE HOME ON THIRTEENTH — STOP— ANNIE SENDS LOVE — STOP— MARY LOUISE."

  Chapter 20

  THE DECEMBER afternoon was mild and pleasant, the air felt almost Spring— like as Cooper paced the platform outside the train depot. For the third time he looked at his pocket watch and sighed.

  "Lookin' at your watch ain't gonna make that train git here no faster," Lizzie teased from where she stood near the squatty, red— brick building.

  Cooper grinned sheepishly. "So I've discovered."

  "How many folks is you expectin'?"

  "Not sure. I'd guess ten or twelve at most. A few close friends of the Markham's."

  "What 'bout Weezie's fambly? Ain't they gonna want to see her get married?"

  Cooper stared up the tracks again. "She doesn't have much family. Her only brother is dead. Most of Angus Markham's family, a few cousins and such, remained in England. And I believe Erik Knudson is all that's left of Weezie's mother's family. I guess that's why Mary Louise said she wanted to keep the wedding small."

  Lizzie snorted. "Huh, ain't no way to keep this weddin' small, leastwise not in this town."

  "I know, that's why I said I'd make the arrangements."

  "What you think she's gonna say when you tell her where the weddin's gonna be?"

  Cooper glanced at Lizzie and grinned crookedly. "I'm not sure how she's going to react to the news. She could turn around and hightail it back to Belle Rive for all I know." Then, remembering her ambiguous wire, he said, "For that matter, she may have already decided to call off the whole thing."

  "Naw, she ain't changed her mind. I'm as sure of that as I am my own name," Lizzie said emphatically. Then she nodded toward a street vender parked next to the depot. "I'm gonna git me some of them roasted peanuts. Want some?"

  Cooper shook his head. He wished he were as certain about Mary Louise as Lizzie appeared to be. He reached for the telegram in the inside pocket of his coat and read the cryptic message again. A change in plans? What change? Which plans? Cooper sighed heavily and replaced the telegram in his pocket.

  He glanced across the platform and saw Lizzie having what appeared to be a serious discussion with Eli Davis. Cooper heard Eli say what sounded like, "All right, I'll wait another month, but then I'm confessing everything." What could that be about? Cooper wondered absently. The distant train whistle blew away any further thoughts of Lizzie and Eli. He glanced at his pocket watch again and nodded in satisfaction. Right on time. Within the next few minutes, Annie and Weezie would be home.

  Cooper smiled when he saw Mary Louise alight from the train with Annie in her arms. She returned his smile as she set the child on the platform and pointed him out to her.

  "Papa!" Annie squealed.

  Cooper dropped to one knee and held out his arms as Annie rushed toward him. In her excitement, Annie swung "Gawgie" and smacked Cooper across the face.

  He chuckled and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Ow, Annie. Is that anyway to treat your old papa?"

  "I sawee Papa," Annie said, but she giggled all the same.

  "Yeah, I can see you're all torn up about it," Cooper teased. Then he looked up at Mary Louise and touched the brim of his hat. "Mary Louise." he said soberly as he rose to his feet.

  "Is that any way to welcome your bride, Cooper Matthews?" Lizzie whispered sternly from behind him. She poked him with a gnarled finger. "Folks is watchin'. At least give her a peck on the cheek."

  A covert glance around told him Lizzie was right. People were watching, and they were expecting their Sheriff to greet his bride like a love— struck groom. He cleared his throat and bent to place a light kiss on Mary Louise's cheek. "Welcome back, Mary Louise," he murmured.

  She flushed and looked at her shoes. "Thank you, it's good to be back."

  Cooper looked behind her and then, perplexed, asked, "Where is the rest of your party? What happened to your father and Erik? Didn't they come with you?"

  She shook her head. "They're both arriving tomorrow morning. Papa had a slight fever and Erik thought it best that he wait another day before making the long trip."

  "Nothing serious, I hope."

  "No, Erik assured me that it was just a slight case of the grippe."

  Cooper studied her for a moment. "You look a little flushed. You're not coming down with it are you?"

  "No, I'm just tired."

  He looked at Annie. "How about my girl? Are you tired?"

  Annie shook her head. "I not tired."

  "She slept most of the way," Mary Louise said. "She was so excited about coming home she didn't sleep much at all last night."

  Cooper grinned. "I know the feeling. I couldn't sleep much either." He hugged Annie. "Just look at you. You're healthy as a horse. If I hadn't seen it myself I'd never have believed you'd been sick at all— you don't even have any scars."

  "She has a tiny one behind her left knee." Then Mary Louise laughed. "Cooper, not here in public!"

  Cooper, ever the concerned father, had quickly turned Annie over his arm and pulled down her stocking to inspect the place behind her knee. He touched the small pink scar with the tip of his finger and shrugged. "Looks like a beauty mark to me." Then he righted the laughing child and kissed her flawless cheek. "Lord, I missed you, Angel— face."

  Annie held Cooper's face between her pudgy hands and stared at him from serious blue eyes. "Ah— nee stay wid Papa, now?"

  "You bet, Sweet— pea."

  "What about me? Ain't you got a hug for your ol' Lizzie, Shuga— Boo?"

  Annie's face broke into a grin when she saw her old nurse. "ZeeZee! Take!"

  Lizzie laughed as Annie fell into her arms. "That's my lil' Shuga— Boo. Lawd have mussy, I is glad to see my baby." She looked at Cooper. "Why
don't y'alls drop me and Annie by your place whiles you take Weezie straight to the hotel. She look like she could use some rest."

  "That's a good idea." He took Mary Louise's arm. "I've got the buggy over here."

  COOPER was glad that he'd have a few moments of privacy with Mary Louise so that he could ask her about the enigmatic wire she'd sent. He was still mulling over it when stopped the buggy outside the jail. While Mary Louise waited in the carriage, Cooper saw Lizzie and Annie inside, then hurried back down the stairs. "What's this about changing your plans?" he asked as soon as he'd climbed back on the buggy.

  She hesitated. "I'm really tired, Cooper. Would you mind terribly if we waited until I've rested to discuss the matter? Perhaps we could meet for supper?"

  He frowned as he guided the buggy down the busy street. "Just tell me this, does it have something to do with our marriage plans?"

  She avoided his gaze and didn't reply for several seconds. Finally, she said, "Yes, of course it does, but I'd rather not talk about it, yet."

  The tension in his shoulders tightened. "That's what I was afraid of," he sighed.

  They didn't speak anymore until Cooper drove the buggy to the front of the Hotel Victoria. As he helped Mary Louise alight, she tottered as if she were about to swoon. Cooper wrapped an arm about her shoulders to steady her. "Are you sure you're all right?"

  She touched her brow. "I have a little bit of a headache, that's all."

  "Maybe I should fetch Dr. Morrison."

  "No, don't, Cooper." She smiled, but to Cooper it seemed forced. "I assure you that as soon as I've rested, I'll be fine."

  Cooper wasn't convinced, but he didn't argue as he guided her inside the hotel. Then, after seeing her to her rooms, he hurried back to his quarters. When he arrived, he heard Lizzie and Annie's voices down the hall, followed the sound, and found them in Annie's room.

  "Oh, Lawd, what's the matter?" Lizzie asked the moment she saw his drawn features.

  Before he could reply, Annie ran to him and wrapped her arms around his knees. "Tory, Papa?"

  He lifted the child in his arms. "Sure, Punkin, I've missed our reading time." Over Annie's head, Cooper mouthed to Lizzie, "We'll talk later."

  "Before you all's get started readin', let me put this baby's nightgown on," Lizzie interrupted. "She been yawnin' so much she done made me sleepy. So I knows she gonna go straight to sleep soon as you start readin'."

  "You do that and I'll wait in the parlor." Cooper went to the parlor and sat down to wait for Annie. There was a small fire burning in the grate and, lost in thought, he stared into the flames. Mary Louise was going to call off the wedding. He suspected as much when got her strange wire, but he was certain of it when he saw she'd come alone. He'd bet his last paycheck that Angus wasn't suffering from a slight case of the grippe at all. More likely, Mary Louise had insisted he stay home while she came alone to break off their engagement. She probably plans to return to Belle Rive first thing in the morning.

  He sighed. The thought of Mary Louise's leaving Hollisburg left him feeling empty. Furthermore, the notion that she was going to break their engagement was unexpectedly painful, producing an ache in his chest had nothing to do with Annie and everything to do with Mary Louise.

  Cooper frowned. Good Lord, had he done the unthinkable? Had he actually gone and fallen in love with the headstrong, independent, vexing, and...entirely wonderful Mary Louise Markham? Then he laughed and it was a joyful, unconstrained laugh. Why hadn't he realized the truth before— it had been staring him in the face since he returned from Belle Rive. He'd been miserable because he'd missed not only Annie, but Mary Louise, too. Jesus, he'd been a fool. He'd been in love all this time and had been too blind or, more likely, too stubborn, to admit it.

  He stood up and begin pacing the room. He would tell her tonight. He would come clean, he would admit that he'd fallen in love. The idea made him smile in anticipation.

  At that moment Lizzie brought Annie in and handed her to Cooper. He sat down and set the child in his lap and glanced up at Lizzie. "Everything's going to be all right," he said mysteriously.

  Lizzie studied him. "That so?" she mumbled, obviously puzzled by his remark.

  Cooper picked up the book and opened it. Then just before he began to read, he looked back at Lizzie. "I just realized I'm in love," he said.

  Lizzie stared— then she gasped. "Do you mean...?"

  Cooper grinned and nodded.

  "Well, now, ain't that fine," Lizzie said, her face alight with happiness.

  MARY LOUISE met Cooper in the lobby. She smiled and said that her headache was better, but to Cooper's mind she still appeared flushed. "Are you hungry," he asked when he took her arm to lead her into the dining room.

  "Starving. I didn't eat on the train and it's been hours and hours since I had breakfast with Papa at Belle Rive."

  "Then we'll order the beef stew. It's the best thing on the menu."

  "I remember," she murmured. Then without warning, Mary Louise sagged against him.

  "Weezie!" Cooper caught her and swung her into his arms. "Lead the way to Miss Markham's rooms," He barked to the hotel's night clerk. "And take a key so you can unlock the door."

  "Yes, sir," the clerk replied and hurried ahead of Cooper. When he'd unlocked and opened the door to Weezie's suite he hovered in the doorway , watching anxiously as Cooper carried Mary Louise across the room and gently laid her on the bed.

  "Weezie?" Cooper said, rubbing her hands. "Weezie, can you hear me?"

  She opened her eyes and blinked. "Oh dear, what happened?"

  "You fainted."

  She frowned. "I never faint."

  He chuckled softly. "That's what you said the first time we met— right after you fainted."

  "That was different," she said petulantly. "It was hot and sultry that day and I became overheated."

  "I remember. But it isn't hot today, and you still fainted," Cooper insisted.

  From the doorway, the clerk asked nervously, "Shall I send for Dr. Morrison?"

  "No," Mary Louise replied quickly.

  "Yes," Cooper said simultaneously.

  "Cooper, I'll be fine after I eat. I swear it."

  Cooper hesitated. Then he looked at the clerk. "Don't call the doctor, just send up a tray of food— tell them to prepare a bowl of the beef stew. Miss Markham hasn't eaten since early this morning."

  "Yes, sir. Right away sir."

  "Can you sit up?"

  Mary Louise carefully pushed herself to a sitting position. Then she smiled. "There, I'm all right, now. See?"

  "I see that you're still flushed and there are dark circles under your eyes."

  "I'm certain it's nothing. I'm just tired from the trip. Besides, if you call Dr. Morrison he'll probably want to bleed me. Bleeding appears to be the good doctor's cure— all, and if you don't mind, I'd like to keep what blood I have."

  Cooper chuckled. "All right, I won't call him. But if you're not better by tomorrow, I'm going to insist that you see him."

  "Agreed." She looked around and her eyes grew wide as if she'd just realized where they were. "My word, Cooper, you're in my bedroom. What will people think?"

  He shrugged. "We're getting married in two days. Who cares what people think."

  Mary Louise looked at her hands. "I want to speak with you about that."

  Uh oh, Cooper thought, here it comes. "Weezie, I think I know what you're going to say, but before you say anything, there's something I've got to tell you."

  "B— But— "

  "Please, it's important."

  "All right, I'm listening."

  He eased down to sit on the edge of the bed. "I realized something today."

  She gazed at him, confusion in her eyes. "Go on."

  He picked up her hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb. "I love you." He heard her soft gasp and he glanced up at her astonished face. "I think I've been in love with you for a long time and was just too obstinate to admit it." He dropped to one knee b
eside the bed. "Will you marry me, Weezie?"

  She stared at him. "What? B— But we're already— "

  "What I'm saying is that I don't want this marriage to be a business contract. I'm asking you to let this be a real marriage. I love you, Weezie and I want you to be my wife in every sense of the word."

  Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "Oh, Cooper, I don't know what to say."

  "Say yes. Say that you'll marry me and be the mother of my children— to Annie, and all the children to come."

  She dashed away the tears. "Yes. Absolutely, yes!"

  He rose from his knees and sat down on the edge of the mattress. He searched her face and then smiled. "You won't be sorry, Mary Louise. I'll be the best damned husband anyone's ever seen. And I won't touch your money. What's yours will remain yours— I'll sign whatever agreement you want about that. And I won't stifle your independence, I swear I won't."

  "That's an awfully big promise, Cooper."

  "I mean every word. I don't want to change you. I think your independent nature was one of the first things that I found attractive about you— your strong sense of self. I want Annie to grow up to be just like you— strong and independent and— "

  "Hardheaded and opinionated?" She finished for him.

  He laughed. "That, too." He leaned over and kissed her softly. Then, when he kissed her the second time, the kiss was ardent and filled with longing. His slid his hands to her breasts and stroked them through the fabric of her dress. "Oh, God, Weezie, I'm so hungry for you, I can hardly— "

  "Sheriff?" came a muffled voice from out in the hall. "I've got Miss Markham's supper tray."

  Cooper sighed and closed his eyes. "Jesus," he murmured. "Now he brings the food."

  Mary Louise laughed softly as he rose to answer the door. Cooper glanced at her, saw her nod, and then opened it. "What took you so long?" Cooper growled as the young clerk brought in the heavy tray of food. Then, from behind the clerk, he winked at Mary Louise. "I was just telling Miss Markham how hungry I am."