The only thing Marshall had to report was that both Frank and Ted had become increasingly defiant since Mr. Morley’s departure. They came and went at will, never seeking permission or telling Marshall where they were going. Even his admonitions that they must report their whereabouts to him went unheeded. Marshall wrestled with the possibility of firing Ted but worried that such action would cause Frank to stir further disruption among the men. And he couldn’t fire Frank.
Mr. Morley clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s good to be back, Marshall. I’m sorry I was gone so long, but much was accomplished. After learning the costs involved due to the explosion and rebuilding, the investors are adamant that the culprits be captured. Had the rebuilding not been so extensive and if the problems at the work site had ceased, they might have overlooked the incident, but that’s not the case. However, I believe we’ve developed a plan!”
The older man’s excitement was contagious. If they had a workable idea, he wanted to help. “I’m eager to hear what you’ve come up with.”
“During supper this evening, I’m going to tell all of the foremen that the investors have decided to change the plans. That we are going to expand the clubhouse beyond anyone’s expectations. New plans—false ones—were drawn while I was in Atlanta. Plans that indicate Bridal Veil is going to outshine any resort in the country.”
Marshall frowned. “And how is that going to help us discover the criminals?”
“If there is intent to cause our investors financial difficulty by destroying or slowing our progress here on Bridal Veil, someone will want to steal the plans. If they simply want to outdo us, they’ll want the plans, as well. However, the investors believe there may be several men in collusion to destroy those who invested in Bridal Veil.” They continued along the path to the house. “I realize you may not understand the competitiveness that exists among wealthy men, but trust me, they can be your best friends one day and your enemies the next.”
“So the Bridal Veil investors believe the Jekyl investors are involved?”
Marshall still thought Frank Baker was the primary suspect, but it didn’t sound as though anyone else agreed.
“We’re not saying it’s the men from Jekyl. But given the incidents that have occurred from the outset—the explosion and the continuing mishaps—we don’t believe this is simply a group of hoodlums from the mainland.” Mr. Morley tapped his suitcase. “We’ll try this and hope it works.”
Marshall nodded his agreement but couldn’t help wondering what he would do if the plan didn’t work. Since Boyd’s death, his time at the island had been a test of both his faith and his patience. Audrey continued to maintain her distance, and Marshall wondered if he would ever have an opportunity to penetrate the invisible barrier she’d placed between them. Each night he prayed God would soften her attitude and give him an opportunity to explain, but so far his requests had gone unheeded, and God seemed only to encourage Marshall to wait.
As all of the men gathered at the supper table a short time later, Marshall watched for reaction among the foremen. Harry appeared annoyed by the idea of changes while Ted and Frank asked numerous questions, both of them eager to have a look at the plans.
“For now, Marshall needs to be the one to study the plans. It’s more important he have a clear understanding of what’s to be done. I’m certain his orders to each of you will be quite clear.”
Frank reared back in his chair. “You saying we don’t know how to read plans?”
Mr. Morley frowned. “I’m saying that I want Marshall to have time to go over the drawings—nothing more and nothing less. And if you have a problem with my decision, we can talk about it in private after dinner.”
Frank didn’t take Mr. Morley up on the offer. Instead, he pushed away from the table and went outdoors. Shortly thereafter, the rest of the foremen excused themselves.
Mr. Morley tipped his head to one side. “Now all we have to do is wait and see what happens. Frank and Ted appeared disturbed by the announcement, but it may mean nothing. Make certain the foremen see you take the plans to the work site tomorrow, and I’d suggest you leave them in the cabin you’ve been using as an office.” He glanced toward the windows to see if anyone was within earshot. “I want the plans left there, and we’ll stake out the cabin to see if anyone makes a move to either review or steal the drawings.”
“I’m willing to give anything a try. I just want all of these problems to end.” Marshall wasn’t convinced the plan held much merit, but he did believe Mr. Morley and the other investors had far more experience when it came to planning such strategies.
“Let’s take the drawings to the parlor and look at them. If anyone is watching, it will appear more realistic that we’re reviewing them.” Mr. Morley picked up his empty coffee cup. “Why don’t you ask Audrey if she’ll bring us more coffee while I get the drawings from my room.”
Marshall didn’t say that he’d count himself fortunate if Audrey would stay in the same room with him for more than two minutes. “I’ll see if Irene is in the kitchen. I imagine Audrey wrote and told you Thora isn’t well.”
He nodded. “Yes. I arranged for a young woman from Biscayne to help Audrey and Irene, but I plan to speak with Audrey to see if she wants me to hire some additional help or if she’d rather wait. From her letter, I wasn’t certain if Thora would be able to resume any of her duties or not.”
Marshall detected a question in the tone of his voice. “I seriously doubt that Thora’s future will include being able to assist Irene and Audrey anymore. I believe Audrey would feel at ease speaking to you about any needs they may have.”
Instead of Irene, Audrey was in the kitchen when Marshall entered. “Mr. Morley asked if you or Irene might have time to brew another pot of coffee.” Marshall carefully couched the question as a request from Mr. Morley, in case Audrey might ignore the appeal—or tell him she didn’t have time to give him any special treatment.
Audrey stepped toward the sink. “Tell Mr. Morley that I’ll bring a tray as soon as I’ve prepared the coffee.”
His shoulder muscles tightened at her formal tone. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be certain to give your message to Mr. Morley.” He turned on his heel and strode from the room, his jaw clenched as tight as a boxer’s fist.
When he arrived at the parlor door, Mr. Morley was already at work spreading out the drawings on the library table. A look of expectation shone in his eyes. “I hope you’ve come with good news regarding the coffee.”
Marshall nodded. “Yes. Audrey said she’d bring a tray in shortly.” He crossed the room in four long strides and stood beside Mr. Morley.
“Here we have it,” Mr. Morley said, tapping the drawing with his finger. “I believe anyone reviewing these would find the changes believable. We haven’t altered the main portion of the clubhouse. Rather, we had the architect add two long additions to the building that will house more luxurious suites, as well as a glass-enclosed dining area. He’s also noted all of the changes to more luxurious amenities and decor in the main building.” Mr. Morley pointed to a notation that indicated orders had been placed for items that would rival the most lavish hotels in Europe.
Marshall stared at the drawings, not totally convinced by Mr. Morley’s idea. “I still fear this may not work.”
“I believe Frank is careless and greedy enough that he’ll make some sort of move to get these drawings.” Mr. Morley arched his brows. “If he’s the kind of man we think he is, I doubt we’ll have to wait long.”
The following day Audrey managed to take some precious time away from the house and Aunt Thora to enjoy a visit with the Wahler twins at the beach. She had hoped it might clear her head and help her to refocus her heart. Audrey had just begun to relax when she spotted several men further down the beach. They were pulling a small boat toward a secluded marshy area not far from the shore. Where had they come from and what were they doing? Though occasional visitors came to the island, they didn’t approach from this marshy area and they didn’
t hide their boats.
Sensing something amiss, she hurried toward the twins. “Come along, girls. I think we need to return home.”
“Aw, not yet.” Julie looked up to Audrey with a frown. “I want to find some more shells.”
“Now! Come along. We need to get back to the house.” She hadn’t meant to sound strident, but fear had taken hold.
“I’ve got a lot of shells to take back,” Josie declared.
“Gather them quickly.” She tried not to seem as though she were watching anything in particular as she looked down the beach.
“I don’t know why we have to go,” Julie grumbled.
The hairs on Audrey’s neck prickled to attention. What if those men heard them and approached? If they intended any harm, she’d never be able to protect the girls. Only Sadie and Dr. Wahler knew they’d come to the beach today. If the men had been out on the water and seen the three of them alone, they would appear easy prey, wouldn’t they?
After hastily gathering the girls’ treasures and tucking them inside the picnic basket, she folded the blanket and patted Josie’s back, hoping to hurry her along the wooded path. Audrey’s actions had little effect upon the girl, for she dawdled at every opportunity, stopping to bend down and examine first this rock and then another. The sound of brush crackled in the distance, and she hesitated before urging the girls forward.
“We still have a ways to go, and I need to get home to help Irene with supper.” She didn’t want to frighten the girls, but her pleas to hurry were meeting with little success. Once again, Josie spied a shiny pebble along the side of the path and stooped down to examine the prize.
She looked up at Audrey with pleading eyes. “Help me get it, Miss Audrey. It’s beautiful.”
Unable to resist, Audrey bent forward to pry the pebble from the hardened dirt. “I think we’ll need to use a stick to loosen it, and there isn’t—”
She held her breath and rose to a stand. Placing her index finger over her pursed lips, she signaled the girls to be quiet. Once again, she heard crackling brush, this time followed by the thud of heavy footsteps. Taking a backward step, she peered down the path, spotted a man in the distance, screamed, and dropped the picnic basket. Pushing the girls behind her skirts, Audrey shoved them back against the trees. Head bowed low, the man came toward them at a rapid pace.
Increasing to a trot, he raised his head and his features became distinguishable. “Marshall!” Audrey exhaled his name in a giant whoosh of relief and clasped a hand to her chest.
Chapter 24
“You scared the life out of me, Marshall!” The girls moved from behind Audrey’s skirts as Marshall drew nearer.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to frighten you.” He smiled at the girls. “To tell you the truth, I was surprised to see the three of you out here in the woods.” The twins rushed forward and attacked him in unison, one taking to his left side and the other his right.
“We had a picnic and got some pretty shells. Wanna see?” Josie asked.
“Maybe later,” Marshall declared.
Audrey went back for the picnic hamper, and Marshall whispered something to the girls. They quite happily danced down the path, glancing back over their shoulders. Audrey returned with their things and started after them.
“I’m surprised I caused you such a fright. You know these woods like the back of your hand,” Marshall said as he stepped in beside her.
Audrey nodded. “Under usual circumstances, I wouldn’t have startled at seeing someone out here, but something strange happened down at the beach.” While continuing to keep an eye on the girls, she went on to explain what she’d observed only a short time earlier. “I don’t know what those men were doing, and when I saw you—”
“You thought I was one of them.”
“Exactly. And having the girls with me made it all the worse. I don’t know what I would have done if someone threatened them harm while they were in my care.”
Marshall grasped her elbow. “I’m truly sorry I added to your concern, but I have a feeling those men you saw are up to no good. I think they may somehow be involved with the problems at the work site. Mr. Morley has developed a plan that may reveal who’s behind everything or what is going on, and we’re hopeful it won’t take long before we meet with success. Until we figure it out it’s probably safer if you and the girls remain close to Bridal Fair. I don’t think these men have plans to harm anyone, but if they thought they’d been seen and could be identified, who can say what might happen.”
Audrey’s arm shivered beneath his fingers. Maybe he shouldn’t have told her. He didn’t want her to startle at every shadowy image that crossed her path, but he was determined to keep her safe. Better to have her frightened than to have her wander into harm’s way.
“You need not worry. I plan to be much more cautious about where I take the girls.” Disappointment shone in her eyes. “I never thought I’d have reason to fear walking the beaches or wooded paths of Bridal Veil.”
“I don’t think you’ll need to worry for long. If Mr. Morley’s plan works, this will be settled in short order.” When her lips curved in a slight smile, he decided she’d been encouraged by his remark. He inhaled a deep breath. This might not be the perfect time, but he needed to speak his heart and didn’t know when they’d be alone again. “There are a couple of things I’d like to clear up between us, Audrey.”
She peeked from beneath the brim of her hat. “Clear up?”
“Something I feel God would have me share with you, and I hope you’ll hear me out.”
“I can’t imagine,” she said softly.
There was no doubt she knew exactly what he was talking about. He detected a hint of reluctance in her tone, but he needed to state his case. “First of all, you need to know that I never promised your father I would marry you. I promised only that I would look after you. To die in peace, your father needed assurance you were going to be all right. To him, that also meant having a man around to help or protect you when needed.”
“I don’t—”
He held up his hand to stop her protest. “Let me finish. I know you may not think you need a man’s help. I didn’t set this plan in motion. It was your father’s doing. I told him I didn’t know if you’d permit me to help, but I would do my very best.”
He stopped in the path and took her hands in his. Although they were much smaller than his own, he could feel their strength. With one finger, he lifted her chin and was struck by the vulnerability he discovered in her eyes. She was an intriguing mixture of meekness and defiance—perfect for him in every way.
“I love you, Audrey, and I’m asking that you give me a chance to prove my love for you. I don’t want to marry you for any other reason than love, and if it takes forever . . . I guess I’ll have to be patient and wait it out.”
She tilted her head to the side, the brim nearly hiding the faint smile that curved her lips.
“Forever is a terribly long time.”
He nodded. “I feel like it’s been forever since you would even speak to me.”
She grew quite serious. “You know I’ve come to care for you, but I won’t build a life on promises you made to my father. If we are to build a future, it has to be formed from our love and from a belief that this is God’s design for our lives. I know my father’s motives were pure, but they weren’t the basis for a strong marriage.”
Marshall chuckled. “I keep repeating that I never promised your father I would marry you. Would you please erase that thought from your mind? The only promises I want to build our life upon are the ones I make to you—starting with this: I promise to love you forever.” He lowered his head as he took her in his arms and captured her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. Lifting his head, he looked deep into her eyes. “Do you believe me?”
She remained in his arms, the softness of her body resting against his own. “I do.”
“The next time you say those words to me, I hope it will be in front of a preacher.”
The twins shouted in the distance, and the embracing couple jumped apart as if they’d heard a gunshot. Audrey laughed and took hold of his arm. “I believe we’d best check on the girls.”
“And I owe them each a piece of candy for permitting me time to talk with you.”
Audrey let loose of his arm and turned toward him with a look of mock horror. “Marshall Graham! You bribed them?”
“I prefer to think of it as a reward for good behavior.” He tipped his head back and chuckled, pleased when she joined in his laughter.
A little later they all gathered around the dining table. Even Audrey sat with her guests. Irene had been adamant that a hostess should dine at the table when she’d invited special guests, and Sadie had agreed. In fact, Sadie had insisted upon taking over Audrey’s kitchen duties for the evening.
Audrey peered down the table and was struck with a pang of melancholy for the days when the dining chairs would have been filled by family members and valued friends who had come to partake in a festive meal and would then join her family in the parlor to be entertained with a musical performance or a poetry reading. Tonight the faces that peered back at her were boarders and acquaintances, not dear family friends—except for Marshall, of course, and the twins. They had become dear to her heart. Though the girls had wanted to sit next to Audrey, they’d lost the battle. With their hair neatly combed and their faces scrubbed clean by Sadie, they flanked their father at midtable.
Mr. Fenton craned his long neck around Jim Parks. “Glad to have such pretty young ladies with us this evening. You girls been studying with Miss Audrey today?”
Julie eyed him suspiciously, but Josie scooted to the edge of her seat for a better look at Mr. Fenton and his beaklike nose. “We studied nature today. It was lots of fun because we picked up shells.” She turned her attention to her father. “I found a special one for you, Papa.”
To Have and To Hold Page 24
