Marshall reached around Audrey’s waist and tucked her behind him. “If you’re smart, Doctor, I believe you’ll give up this idea. The island is swarming with local authorities and members of the militia from Biscayne. By this time, I’m sure they’ve already taken all of your cohorts into custody.” When the doctor didn’t appear convinced, Marshall continued. “I doubt you want to make matters worse for yourself. If you don’t care about yourself, think about your daughters.”
The doctor’s derisive laughter echoed in the stillness. “I am protected by a friend who is powerful and far-reaching. He won’t let anything happen to me. As for my daughters, you need not concern yourself. I plan to be at their side within the next hour. We’ll be gone from this dreadful island by morning, and our lives will be much richer.”
“If the friend you speak of is Johnson Radliff, you should know that he is already being dealt with and can provide you with no help at all.”
Audrey nudged Marshall. “Johnson Radliff? Is he one of the Jekyl Island investors?”
“He isn’t any longer.”
Audrey gasped as she tried to peek around Marshall’s shoulder. “I’m confused. Have the investors in Jekyl Island been involved in this attempt to ruin the clubhouse on Bridal Veil?”
He shoved her back. “No. I understand Radliff attempted to convince them that another resort would be the downfall of their investment in Jekyl Island, but they didn’t agree. In fact, they were pleased with the construction here and even encouraged the new hotel that’s being constructed in Biscayne. They decided competition would be good for everyone. The Jekyl investors are not enemies of Bridal Veil Island. Mr. Radliff was acting solely on his own. His part in this was based upon an old grudge he holds against Mr. Morley, while Dr. Wahler’s part was purely financial. Isn’t that correct, Doctor?”
Dr. Wahler continued to point his weapon at Marshall. “If you think all this talk is going to change anything, you’re sorely mistaken. You underestimate me if you think I believe your story about the authorities coming over from Biscayne. I’m intelligent enough to know that you’re simply trying to save yourselves. Unfortunately for you, it won’t work.”
The words had barely passed his lips when Stuart Griggs appeared behind Dr. Wahler. The doctor waved the architect forward. “I’ll make it worth your while to help me. Get that piece of rope lying over there in the bushes and tie up these two.” Dr. Wahler waved the gun in Marshall’s direction.
“Unfortunately for you, Dr. Wahler, I’m loyal to Victor Morley.” As the doctor started to turn, Stuart knocked the weapon from his hand. Hitting the ground with a thud, the pistol discharged. Audrey screamed as Marshall pulled her to the ground, while Mr. Griggs grabbed Dr. Wahler around the neck and secured him in a chokehold.
Suddenly the woods were alive with the sound of pounding feet and shouting men. Uniformed militia appeared, with Mr. Morley following close on their heels. In no time, they’d taken Dr. Wahler into custody.
Marshall helped Audrey to her feet and steadied her. She was trembling, and while a part of him wanted to offer comfort, another was furious that she’d once again endangered her life. Would the woman never learn? Maybe taking her to Colorado wouldn’t be a wise decision. Just thinking of all the trouble she might get into gave Marshall a headache.
“This is all a mistake. I’m not the one responsible for anything that’s happened on this island. Where are Baker and Uptegrove?” Dr. Wahler shouted.
An officer stood on either side of the doctor, holding his arms. “No need to worry about those two. They were both arrested at the work site, carrying cans filled with kerosene. We got there in the nick of time, or that place would have gone up in blazes.” The officer nodded toward Mr. Morley. “We found Mr. Morley’s pocket watch in Uptegrove’s jacket. Apparently they planned to leave it at the site so that he’d be blamed for the arson.”
Dr. Wahler’s eyes shone with panic as he looked over his shoulder at Audrey. “Tell them I have small children who need my attention. I can’t go to jail.” When she didn’t respond, he attempted to wrest his arm from the policeman. “Tell them, Audrey!”
The doctor’s voice ricocheted in the stillness, and Marshall pulled Audrey close to him. “She can’t help you, Dr. Wahler. You’ve made your choices, and now you and your daughters will suffer the consequences.”
“But it’s not fair that they must suffer.” The doctor turned his attention to Mr. Morley. “You have children; surely you’ll show some compassion. Tell them this is Johnson Radliff’s doing, not mine.”
Mr. Morley shook his head. “I feel great compassion for your children, but your crime can’t go unpunished. You were willing to harm others without any thought for their future or their families. It will be up to a judge and jury to decide your fate. Save your arguments for them.”
The doctor settled his frantic eyes on Audrey. “Please tell Sadie to take the children back to Atlanta. Would you help her send word to their mother’s cousin in Charleston? Sadie can’t write and will need help with the letter.”
Audrey bobbed her head. “Yes, of course. I’ll help the girls in any way that I can.”
Mr. Morley gestured to Marshall. “I’ll accompany the authorities back to Biscayne and return in the morning. I trust that you’ll see Audrey safely home after you stop by Dr. Wahler’s to speak with Sadie.”
“You can count on it,” Marshall said.
After breakfast the following morning, Marshall entered the kitchen and drew close to Audrey. “I wonder if I could speak with you outside for a few minutes before I head off for work.” Samson curled around Marshall’s legs and purred.
“Our Samson has truly proved himself to be an excellent judge of character.” She swiped her hands down the front of her apron and glanced toward the other room. “Give me a moment to tell Irene.” A few minutes later she returned from the dining room. “I promised Irene that I wouldn’t be gone for long.”
“I understand. This will take only a few minutes.” He walked her to the door and held it open. “Why don’t we walk down to that live oak you love so much.”
She grinned. “You want to push me on the swing?”
“That might be a possibility, but first I want to discuss your inability to follow instructions.”
Her smile faded. “What do you mean?”
He grasped her hand and guided her toward the huge tree. “We were both very tired last night, so I didn’t want to bring this up. But as I recall, I distinctly told you to remain in the house and not take matters into your own hands. Isn’t that correct?”
“Yes, but you didn’t tell me what I should do if you weren’t in your room when I needed your help. And Mr. Morley was gone, as well. What else was I to do?” She looked at him as if that resolved the entire topic.
“Well, I certainly wouldn’t have advised you to go risking your life in search of me.”
She assumed a frustrated expression. “I went to Dr. Wahler, seeking help, but he tried to convince me that you and Mr. Morley were involved in a scheme to collect insurance money. That the two of you were the ones attempting to set fire to the clubhouse.”
“And what did you say to that?”
Her eyes shimmered in the morning light. “I told him I knew you were an honorable man and innocent of any wrongdoing.”
Some of his anger melted away. “I’m glad to hear you came to my defense. Perhaps I should thank you properly.” He stopped in front of the swing and drew her into his arms, enjoying the warmth of her body next to his. Lowering his head, he slowly captured her lips in a sweet, prolonged kiss.
“I believe that’s the very best thank-you gift I’ve ever received.” A smile lingered on her lips.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, but there’s one more thing we need to resolve.” He grasped her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. “I promised your father that I would take care of you, and I intend to keep my word. But, if you ever pull something like this again, I’m going to turn you over my knee an
d give you the paddling of your life. And that’s a promise!”
Her mouth formed the shape of an O as she stared back at him in surprise. Marshall would have laughed had the moment not been so serious. He reached up and smoothed back her errant curls.
“I can’t lose you, Audrey. You’ve come to mean entirely too much to me. If you won’t heed reason and follow instruction from those who know more than you, how can I take you to Colorado?”
She assumed a very proper stance and nodded. “I can be most obedient.”
Marshall laughed. “I have yet to see that, but I suppose you can endeavor to prove it to me.”
To his surprise, she moved in to stand very close. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled his head closer. “I promise you I’ll be a most obedient wife. I’ll even seal it with a kiss.” She rose up on tiptoes, and Marshall touched his lips to hers. She kissed him most ardently and then pulled back with a grin.
“You learn quite quickly,” he said, feeling rather breathless from her touch.
She threw him a sly grin and started back toward the house. “I’ve always been a fast learner. I just hope you can keep up.”
During lunch, Mr. Morley returned from Biscayne. After they’d finished the meal, he asked Marshall and Audrey to join him in the parlor. “I hope the two of you managed to get a little sleep last night.”
Audrey smiled. “I slept much better knowing that those men were in jail. I still can’t believe Dr. Wahler was involved. He seemed such a gentleman when he first arrived. And the girls—my heart broke when I went to the cottage this morning to pen a letter for Sadie. They’re so young and have already suffered the loss of their mother. To now have their father taken from them seems too great a loss for little children to bear.”
Mr. Morley nodded. “Indeed. I only wish the doctor would have considered his daughters before agreeing to close ranks with Radliff, Baker, and Uptegrove.”
Marshall leaned forward. “And what about that money clip? Did you discover who that belonged to?”
“Frank Baker. It seems what we thought was an R or P was a damaged B. Frank admitted he’d admired Johnson Radliff’s money clip, so Radliff gave Baker a money clip of his very own—an expensive gift to further entice Frank.”
“I still don’t understand why Johnson Radliff was so determined to ruin the resort here on Bridal Veil.” Audrey scooted back into the cushions of the overstuffed chair.
“Unfortunately, it all ties back to me and an incident I wasn’t aware of until all of these events unfolded last night.” Mr. Morley leaned forward and rested his forearms across his thighs. “Years ago I learned of an opportunity to invest in a mining project out West. I spoke to several wealthy bankers and investors about the possibility of getting involved, but none had any interest. The opportunity faded away—or at least I thought it had.” He inhaled a deep breath and slowly released it. “I’ve now learned that one of the investors I had talked to mentioned the idea to Benjamin Radliff, Johnson’s father. Benjamin took it upon himself to heavily invest in the mining project. He lost everything, and took his life. I’d heard that Benjamin had died but had never known the details. In any event, Johnson held me responsible for his father’s death and was determined to bring me to ruination.”
Audrey slowly digested what Mr. Morley had revealed. “But how did Baker and Uptegrove become involved in all of this?”
“Frank had previously met Johnson Radliff through his uncle Thaddeus. Johnson played on the fact that Frank’s uncle expected him to work as a laborer when he could have simply supported him. Frank’s greed and emotions took hold, and he was willing to betray his own uncle. It was the same with Dr. Wahler—they were all interested in a monetary payoff. It seems they thought we wouldn’t rebuild when the explosion and collapse occurred, but when I convinced the investors that we should continue, Mr. Radliff became even more incensed. Thinking I’d give up if we couldn’t meet our construction deadlines, he then convinced Baker and Uptegrove to use every opportunity to impede progress—which they did.”
“And when that didn’t work, he decided to go even further and completely destroy the project and frame you, certain the other investors would then give up,” Audrey said.
Mr. Morley nodded his agreement. “I’m sure the others would have withdrawn. To begin anew would have been more of a delay than most of them would have accepted. I’m thankful the plan was thwarted. Otherwise, all of our work to build this area into a luxurious resort would have been in vain.”
Audrey looked back and forth between Marshall and Mr. Morley. “How did the militia appear at the very time when they were needed?”
Mr. Morley raked his fingers through his hair. “We have Captain Holloway to thank for that. When Frank sent Ted Uptegrove into Biscayne on the pretext of locating another woodworker, Captain Holloway happened into a pub along the waterfront for a bite to eat. He spotted Ted talking to Radliff. When he overheard the two of them making plans, he remained out of sight and overheard their entire scheme. Had it not been for Captain Holloway, they might have succeeded.”
Audrey shook her head. “All of these men were driven by their greed, but Dr. Wahler’s part in this has proved the most disheartening.” The two men listened as Audrey revealed the remainder of what Dr. Wahler had divulged to her the night before.
Mr. Morley closed his eyes. “It’s sad to realize how far men will go in order to settle grudges.”
Marshall clasped his hands together. “And also sad to see how easily they will betray those who trust them in order to line their pockets. These men thought money and power would make them happy. Others, like my father, look to alcohol. I’m thankful I discovered the Lord was what I needed to fill the longing in my heart. We can only pray that they’ll see what is truly needed before it’s too late.”
Mr. Morley leaned forward. “Now, do I understand correctly that there is to be a wedding?”
Audrey held up her hands. “There has only just been an engagement. Marshall tells me that he’s much too busy to have a proper honeymoon, so we will wait until the completion of your resort.”
Morley considered this for a moment. “Then I should probably bring in more workers. There are houses to complete along with the clubhouse. We want to have everything in order for the grand opening date of January twenty-first.”
“Then we can set the wedding for the twenty-second,” Marshall declared with a smile. “That’s just a few months away. Will that give you time to make all of the arrangements?” he asked, looking to Audrey.
She grinned. “I believe it will, Mr. Graham.”
“I hope you will allow me to help,” Mr. Morley interjected. “I know that you are at a disadvantage with both your mother and father gone. If you wouldn’t be offended, I would like very much to offer my support—at least for the financial side of this affair. I’d be most pleased if you would agree to hold the wedding at the clubhouse. I will furnish you with the finest wedding meal and give you a send-off to rival that of any society affair.”
Audrey’s eyes widened and Marshall chuckled. “I think she likes the idea.”
“I’m . . . I don’t . . . well, I don’t know what to say.” Audrey shook her head. “I’m quite amazed.”
“It’s settled then. I’ll notify Mrs. Morley and Mattie. I’m certain they can make arrangements for Mattie to come and help you in this endeavor.”
Marshall grinned and could see that this pleased Audrey very much. He got to his feet. “Well, I’d best get to work if we’re going to get this finished by the twenty-first of January. I have a feeling I’ll be very busy after that.”
Chapter 31
January 22, 1888
Her wedding day dawned as beautiful as any day Audrey had ever known. She hurried to her bedroom window and gazed out on the grounds below. The live oaks were resplendent in their expanded and gnarled branches, dripping Spanish moss in the same bridal veil fashion Audrey’s grandfather had once discovered. Soon, Audrey would be veiled in a simil
ar manner. She would walk down the aisle and pledge her life to the man who held her heart.
With a sigh, she leaned back against the window and smiled at the dress form that even now held her wedding gown. The dress, a gift from the Morleys, had arrived with Mattie—her dear friend. The gown’s foundation of crisp white satin had been overlaid in many areas with the finest of Belgian lace. The bodice of the dress, although modest in cut, was extravagantly trimmed with seed pearls and intricate weavings of ribbon and lace. Audrey couldn’t help but finger the neckline one final time. This was a gown intended for a princess, not a former boardinghouse owner.
She smiled and glanced to where a framed daguerreotype of her grandmother and Aunt Thora graced her dresser. The dear old woman had given Audrey the keepsake shortly before her death. It touched her that Thora, cantankerous and difficult as she could be, had thought of Audrey in her final moments.
The picture showed the two women much younger and happier. It had been taken before the war had stolen their innocence.
“I wish you both could be here,” Audrey said, picking up the frame. She had been surprised to see how much she favored her grandmother in appearance. Audrey couldn’t help but wonder if she’d also gotten her determined will from the woman. The thought brought a smile to her face.
“Maybe I inherited just a bit of my stubborn determination from you, Aunt Thora. Even if we weren’t related by blood, we were surely related by spirit.”
A knock at the bedroom door tore her thoughts from the past. “Come in,” Audrey called and replaced the photo on her dresser.
Mattie came in carrying a tray. “I thought I’d bring you a bit of something to eat, and then we’ll start dressing you.”
A morning wedding was the tradition in these parts, as well as along much of the eastern seaboard. In fact, there were places where it remained illegal to marry after sunset. Still, in the warmth of the South, morning weddings were preferred.
To Have and To Hold Page 29
