Twice Blessed

by Jo Ann Ferguson

  “Good morning, Emma,” Reverend Faulkner said as she reached the church’s door. “How are you faring today?”

  “As well as can be expected.” She wished she could tell this man she trusted every bit of the truth. Maybe he would have some counsel to ease the chasm that had opened this morning between her and Noah.

  “Hold on to your faith that it will all work out.”

  “I’m trying to.”

  “Noah seems to be holding up very well under these difficult circumstances.”

  She followed his gaze to where Noah had paused as Kenny ran up to him. The telegraph operator handed him a slip of paper, and Noah opened it. The message must have been short, because he folded it quickly and put it beneath his coat, nodding his thanks to Kenny. Belinda still had her hand in his, and Sean …

  Emma smiled through her sadness. Sean was standing on the other side of the green and talking with Jenny Anderson. The sight of the two friends was comforting, because not everything had fallen apart since she had said her vows with Noah and their lives had been thrown into a jumble.

  “If you need me,” Reverend Faulkner said, taking her hands in his warm ones, “don’t hesitate to send for me.”

  “Thank you.” She had meant few words as sincerely in her life.

  Emma hurried down the steps, again noting that everyone seemed to be busy with other conversations as she approached. Yet, she felt their curious glances on her back when she passed.

  Noah held out his arm to her as she reached them. She gazed into his dark eyes while she put her hand on it. How could she ask him to forgive her? He already knew she had not meant this to unfold as it had. She was unsure how she could ask him to forgive her for falling in love with him.

  “Did you get good news about a lawyer?” she asked softly.

  “Lawyer?”

  “I saw Kenny deliver a message to you. I assumed you have sent to Chicago for legal help.”

  “This isn’t the place to speak of such things.”

  His tone was so cold that she recoiled. His voice had been this icy the day he had accused Sean of stealing from his buckboard. He had forgiven Sean, but the rage tightening his face suggested he could not forgive her, too. His fingers over hers on his arm kept her from running to the house, where she could hide from him and everyone while she let her tears fall.

  When a hand tugged on her skirt, Emma looked down at Belinda. The little girl was holding a bunch of dandelions.

  “For me?” Emma asked as she bent to run a finger over the flowers.

  “Aren’t they pretty?” She shoved the blossoms into Emma’s hand.

  She nearly dropped the dandelions, which had been picked so near the yellow petals there were barely any stems remaining beneath the flowers. “Very pretty.”

  “Can we put them in a vase?”

  “Maybe a glass would be better, because then you could look at them more easily.” She did not want to tell Belinda that the flowers, with their short stems, would fall out of the vase or sink into the water.

  “A glass would be better,” Belinda said with a grin at Noah.

  “Emma knows all about these things,” he replied. “You can trust her.”

  Was there a thaw in his voice? Emma did not dare to press, for his tone might be only because they stood on the green where the other villagers seemed reluctant to leave. Her anger threatened to burst forth.

  “Let’s go home.” When Belinda regarded her with dismay, Emma knew her cheerful voice had been too artificial. She gave up all attempt to pretend nothing was wrong as she added, “We want to get these pretty flowers in water right away.”

  Belinda giggled and began to skip across the green. Right past where Gilson was coming out of the hotel, Emma realized. Would he try to snatch the little girl in front of all these witnesses?

  Noah tightened his hand over hers before she could give chase. “Wait,” he murmured.

  “For what?”

  “For that.”

  She relaxed when she saw Sean race to catch up with Belinda. Grasping her hand, he twirled her about, leading her away from where Gilson had paused at the bottom of the stairs on the narrow front porch of the hotel. Gilson was staring at Belinda, frowning. Belinda’s giggles filled the shockingly silent green as Sean shouted a challenge for her to try to beat him back to the house.

  Gilson walked along the main street in the direction of the river. Emma wished he would go to the railroad station and buy a ticket for the next train north.

  “Let’s go,” Noah said in a hushed voice. “We need to get those flowers in water.”

  She saw he was smiling, and she tried to do the same as she went with him toward her house. When Lewis fell in behind them like a well-trained soldier, she heard the buzz of whispers. The rest of the churchgoers began to scatter away from the green.

  “The show is over,” Emma said, not hiding her frustration.

  “Show?”

  “Noah, don’t be obtuse.”

  “Again?”

  She fisted her hand on his arm. “This isn’t the place, as you reminded me, to speak of such things.”

  “Point well taken.” Again his voice eased from its frigid fury. “So what show are you talking about?”

  “The confrontation between you and Gilson. Right here on the green in front of them.”

  “Do you think they’d prefer a duel with pistols at ten paces or just fisticuffs?”

  “Which would you prefer?” she asked, knowing that she was moving the conversation into perilous territory. She feared she had little more to lose.

  “Neither. I’ll meet Gilson in court and trounce him legally.”

  “I’m not speaking of him now.”

  Noah stopped on the steps to the house’s front porch. As Butch bounded out, followed by Belinda’s puppy, he moved aside while they chased some hapless squirrel toward a tree in Alice Underhill’s yard. “You’re speaking about you and me, aren’t you? Why?”

  “You’re shutting me out, Noah. I know you believe you have no reason to trust me now, but you must. I’m your most ardent ally. I’d do anything to help you keep Belinda.”

  “I know.” He sighed and put one foot on the lowest step. He halted and, turning, pulled her into his arms. “I know you’d do anything to help us.”

  She pressed her face to his chest, not caring if everyone within a dozen miles of Haven was watching. “I wondered if you’d ever hold me again.”

  “What?” He tilted her face back. “Why would you think that?”

  “After I told you about what happened in Kansas, you walked out and slammed the door. Then you said nothing all morning.” She felt the most peculiar yearning to laugh as she asked, “What was I supposed to think? You are so angry.”

  “My anger isn’t focused on you.”

  “It seems to be.”

  He ran his finger along her cheek. “I have to admit I was upset that you had never told me about … about what happened seven years ago, but I’ve spent this morning trying to decide how to defeat Gilson in court.” His gaze became a gentle caress. “Sweetheart, I was so lost in my thoughts I didn’t notice your distress.”

  “I thought you were so furious with me that you couldn’t forgive me.”

  “Sweetheart, you have to trust me more. I wouldn’t shut you out if I was angry.” A hint of smile tugged at his lips. “I would let you know.”

  “Instead of saying nothing?”

  “I forget that you don’t know I become very focused on solving a problem and fail to notice most of everything else until I have a solution.” He paused as he heard Belinda laughing inside the house. “I’m so used to Belinda and Gladys knowing that I never considered you’d think I was furious with you.”

  “You have every right to be.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I have complicated matters.”

  “I agree. You have.” He caressed her cheek. “But you have nothing to be sorry for. If my past hadn’t intruded, you would never have needed to worry about what happened t
o you causing problems.”

  “Don’t worry that he can find out more than I have told you, because there’s nothing else.”

  “He will introduce your past at the hearing.”

  “If he has found out the truth.”

  “I suspect he has or will by the time the hearing begins a week from tomorrow.” He pulled out of his pocket the piece of paper Kenny had given him. “This is a listing of all the messages your buddy Atherton telegraphed during his brief stay in Haven.”

  “Kenny gave you his messages?” she asked, astounded. The telegraph operator guarded the confidentiality of incoming and outgoing messages as zealously as she had her past.

  “No, just where he sent them. Most of them are to Chicago, but there are several to Kansas.”

  “Noah, I’m so sorry.”

  He put the page away and tipped her face up to his again. “I told you once that the past is the past, and we have to learn to deal with it. I learned to handle the grief in mine. Now we have to figure out a way to put yours to rest.”

  “I was doing well with that until you came to town.” This time, she did not resist laughing.

  “Make me a promise.”

  “Of course.”

  “Promise me you’ll let me handle this. I have some ideas of how to halt Gilson.”

  “Tell me what I can do to help.”

  “Watch over the children, stay away from Gilson, and put up with my silences through this.”

  “I will.”

  “Promise me, sweetheart. You’ll stay away from Gilson and will watch over the children.”

  “I promise.”

  As he kissed her, she wondered how long she could go on pretending as if she believed they could defeat Gilson when he had the law on his side. How much longer could she act as if she feared only for Belinda? She knew the answer. They would pretend as long as they must, for otherwise she would have to admit how much she feared her second husband would meet his end in a noose, as her first had.

  Noah reread the message he had written at the table in the bedroom where Emma had delighted him last night with her sensual touch. Here he could work without the chance of Belinda coming in. She was eager to test her new reading skills on everything. Although she might not understand these words, he must keep her from asking Emma or Sean or Gladys to explain one of the words or phrases when Gilson might overhear.

  The message was not a short one, but Noah had to make himself very clear. These telegrams he had been sending were costing far more than a small fortune. The next one needed to go to his brother so Ron could arrange to have more funds sent to Haven. He was not asking for more than a few hundred dollars. He doubted if he would need more. Gilson’s plan could not have included bankrupting the factory, because Gilson wanted to control Belinda’s one-third share of it and reap the profits of the Sawyer family’s toil.

  Setting the message aside, he picked up the one that had been delivered to him while they ate lunch. His face, which he could see in the mirror above the table, became pensive as he reread it. He understood why Gladys had insisted he should read it, for it was signed by Gilson.

  He tilted the paper to see it better. This message was unquestionably clear. Gilson wanted to meet with him to discuss a compromise which would benefit both of them.

  His lips tightened. It was as he had expected from the beginning. Gilson had no interest in Belinda. All he wanted was to be paid off the amount of her inheritance from her father. Noah knew that, by this time, Gilson knew what the exact value of Belinda’s share of the business was and would want every penny that he could obtain quickly. Gilson could not afford to go to court, where public sentiment might easily turn against him. Noah would gladly pay him, but this would not be Gilson’s only demand. Gilson would not be satisfied until he had control of the business and Belinda.

  Noah folded the note and put it in an inner pocket of his coat so Emma would not see it. By Jiggs! He had not guessed he was hurting her this morning. He had been furious with her when he had stormed out of the parlor, but one look in the direction of the hotel where Gilson was staying had been enough to cool that anger. Emma could not be blamed for a mistake she had made when she fell in love with the wrong man.

  That pinch of jealousy returned. He did not like to think of that worthless crook holding Emma and kissing her and making love with her. But she could change her past no more than Noah could change his. What mattered was now. She had promised him to keep a watch on the children so he could concentrate on finding a way to stop Gilson.

  Picking up the messages he needed telegraphed, he walked down the stairs. He smiled when he saw Gladys by the door. Standing guard? He would not add to her distress by teasing her now.

  She turned and regarded him with red-ringed eyes. Dabbing at one, then the other with the hem of her apron, she said, “Forgive me, Mr. Sawyer.”

  “For what? For caring so much about Belinda?”

  “And you. If that man has his way, you will—”

  He held up his hands. “Let’s not talk about that. Belinda is the only one who should be on our minds.”

  “I’m worried about both of you, and so is Mrs. Sawyer. She took all the rope in the store and hid it beneath the hay in the barn.”

  “Did she?” Noah chuckled. “However, that’s not the only rope in town.”

  “If I know Mrs. Sawyer, by the time that court is called to order next week, there won’t be a length of rope found in this town long enough to go around your neck.” She shuddered and looked away.

  “It still may be possible to stop Gilson.”

  Gladys’s head snapped up, her eyes filling with hope. “Thank heavens, but how?”

  “How else? By giving Gilson what he has wanted from the beginning. Money.”

  “That’s what I figured.” She reached beneath her apron and pulled out a handful of money. “I have nearly fifty dollars here. Take it.”

  “You’ve been saving to buy a ticket to visit your brother in Buffalo.”

  “Take it, Noah.” She held out the money. “’Tis two lives we must save.”

  Although Noah wanted to refuse the generous offer, he took the money. It might take days for his brother to get money to him. He needed to pay for these telegrams today. Quietly he said, “Thank you, Gladys. I’ll repay you as soon as I can.”

  “Just keep Belinda away from that man!”

  “I shall!” He added nothing else as he went out the door and along the street toward the telegraph office.

  The sunlight was glorious, and birds sang as they flitted from tree to tree. He could hear children’s excited voices as they played some game. Someone was singing the first hymn that had been played in church this morning. Everything was exactly as it should be, and all wrong.

  A gunshot echoed through the bucolic afternoon. Birds scrambled with strident squawks up into the air, and the singing and children grew silent. He froze, then realized the sound had come from behind the livery stable. Anderson must be shooting at the rats which got into his feed. He had been complaining about that at the Smiths’ wedding.

  Continuing along the street as the birds settled back into the trees, Noah opened the door to the telegraph office. Kenny came to his feet and held out his hand. Without a word, he began tapping the messages into the wire that followed the train tracks north.

  “All sent,” Kenny said as he handed the pages back to Noah. When Noah nodded, but did not move, the telegraph operator asked, “Anything else?”

  “I need to wait for an answer to that first one you sent.”

  “Sometimes it takes a few hours to get a message delivered.”

  “Someone should be waiting for this one. Either we’ll get an answer fast, or there won’t be any answer.” Noah stared at the telegraph, willing it to begin tapping.

  It did, and he leaned forward as if he could pull the very words out of the air.

  Kenny frowned. “This isn’t the answer you’re waiting for, Noah. It’s from New York City.” The telegrap
h ceased, and the telegraph operator began tapping on it.

  “What is it?” Noah asked.

  “I didn’t get any of the message. Something must be going on along the lines. I’m telling them to resend the message.” He lifted his finger away from the key and watched the telegraph, waiting with patience.

  Noah pushed away from the low wall. As the minutes ticked by on the large, round clock on the wall and the telegraph remained silent, he began to fear, for the first time, that there was no way to save any of them from what could happen next week at the hearing.

  “Will you play hide-and-seek with me, Emma?” Belinda asked as she followed Emma down the stairs.

  “I’m busy gathering the laundry for tomorrow.” She looked over the pile of bedding so she did not bump into the little girl and send them both tumbling down the stairs. “Why don’t you play with Sean?”

  “He isn’t here.”

  Emma tossed the bedding into a pile on the hall floor. Taking Belinda’s hand, she asked, “Are you sure? He told me he was going to stay here and play with you all afternoon.”

  “He isn’t here.”

  She frowned. Sean had promised her he would stay by Belinda’s side and watch over her while Emma and Gladys did the chores that needed to be done this afternoon. If Gilson or anyone else Sean did not know came into the yard, Sean was supposed to alert her right away.

  Had she expected too much of the boy? No, for he had offered to play with Belinda and keep the little girl from suspecting anything was wrong. When Emma had hesitated, he reminded her he had taken care of his little sister for the past three years until he was caught trying to steal some food and was taken to the Children’s Aid Society. Carted off had been his exact words, which still seethed with his anger that no one had heeded his pleas to let him go so he could take care of his sister.

  From the corner of her eyes, Emma saw Gladys at the top of the stairs, but she continued to look at Belinda. “Do you know where Sean went?”

  “He told me to come inside and ask you to play with me.”