Fern

by Greenwood, Leigh

  Madison would rather George hadn't asked him that, at least not in front of Jeff. He certainly wasn't comfortable discussing his most personal concerns in front of him, especially since Jeff disapproved of his bride even more than he disapproved of him.

  "I'm not sure yet, but I've been talking to Freddy about opening a branch of the firm out here."

  "Where?"

  "Chicago. New Orleans. Maybe St. Louis or Kansas City."

  "Could you be happy living so far away from Boston and New York?"

  "I'd be a hell of a lot unhappier than living in Boston without Fern," Madison said, his temper short. "There are trains, George. I can be in New York in a matter of hours."

  "Have you ever considered helping her run her farm?"

  "Yes," Madison answered, and stunned both his brothers. "But though the idea of working out here has a strong appeal, I don't see myself as a farmer. Besides, I still like Boston. Maybe I ought to look for a place that's half city, half wilderness." He grinned. "What about Chicago?"

  Madison didn't tell his brothers that he'd been thinking about this for some time now. His career wasn't tied to Boston. He didn't owe Freddy and Samantha the rest of his life.

  Neither did he say he'd been wondering if the tightly-knit, well-ordered Virginia society hadn't strangled their father. He might have lived an ordinary, possibly even a praiseworthy, life if he'd been born in the West.

  "Would you consider working for us?" George asked.

  Madison's eyes narrowed. "What are you proposing?" Madison was also aware Jeff had tensed alarmingly.

  "Jeff doesn't like all this traveling. He'd like to settle in Denver. I thought you might be willing to take over part of his job."

  Madison was relieved to see Jeff relax. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have considered George's offer, not even for a minute.

  "Are you saying you want me to be part of the family?"

  "Isn't that why you came back?"

  "In part. Mostly," Madison admitted reluctantly, "but I don't want to take away Jeff's job."

  "I don't like meeting people any more than I have to," Jeff said. He raised his stump as though it were all the explanation needed.

  "How are the twins going to feel?"

  George motioned Hen to rejoin them. "What would you think about asking Madison to work for the family?"

  "I thought you already had."

  "What do you think?" Madison asked. He was going to get an answer from Hen one way or the other.

  "I'm not marrying you," Hen said. "I probably won't even see you more than a couple a times a year."

  "That's not what I'm asking," Madison said.

  "I'd rather have you here than in Boston," Hen said before turning away.

  "That's as much of an invitation as you're likely to get from Hen," George said. "What do you think about it?"

  "I'll have to talk it over with Fern, but I think it would be better if I kept on working for Freddy. I could gradually start working for the family," Madison explained when George started to object. "I'm a very expensive person. I don't think the family could afford me just yet."

  "Then it'll be your job to make us rich enough so we can."

  "I'm pretty good, but I'm not Midas," Madison said.

  "Don't worry. George is," Jeff said. "Everything he touches turns to gold."

  "If we had that payroll Pa is supposed to have stolen, none of us would have to work any more," George said.

  "Is there any way we can stop that story?" Madison asked. "I don't want to have to keep getting Hen out of jail."

  "I doubt it. People will always prefer to believe they can find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow rather than have to work for it."

  But Madison knew he'd found his pot of gold in Fern. He could hardly wait to get home. He was also anxious to become part of his family again. He couldn't believe how good it felt just to be sitting with his brothers. Even with the tensions that still remained, he felt he had come home.

  * * * * *

  "I'm going to move to the farm," Fern announced. She and Rose were sitting at breakfast. She hadn't gone to sleep again that night. She sat up till dawn trying to figure out why Sam Belton had killed Troy.

  And she did believe Sam Belton was the murderer. Using bits of information she'd gleaned from Madison and what she knew of Troy, she'd pieced together what she thought happened.

  "I thought you were going to stay with us until Madison returned," Rose said. She had been helping William Henry, but now she let him feed himself. "Madison gave me strict orders not to let you out of my sight."

  "I know. He told me the same thing, but I really must get back. I've been here too long."

  "You know I enjoy having you. Even William Henry asks about you when you're away."

  "I'll miss both of you, but I've got to go."

  Rose subjected Fern to a searching look. Fern hated it when that happened. Rose could always discover the very thing she most wanted to keep secret.

  "Does it have anything to do with figuring out who tried to rape you?"

  "Yes."

  "Who is he?"

  "I can't tell you."

  "Why?"

  "Because I think he's the same man who killed Troy."

  Rose sat very still for a moment. "Are you sure?"

  "As certain as I can be."

  "How could that affect me?"

  "If he thought you knew his identity, you might be in danger."

  "Does he know you know who he is?"

  "No."

  "What do you plan to do?"

  "I don't know."

  "How can you be sure he's the same man?"

  "I wasn't at first. It was too dark to see, and I was too surprised and frightened to think about getting a look at his face. I didn't even think about him again because Troy told me he had left Kansas and would never come back.

  "At Mrs. McCoy's party I saw a man I'd seen once but never talked to. I couldn't figure out why it made me uneasy to talk to him.

  "When the man attacked me, he talked the whole time in a soft, whispery voice. He kept telling me how pretty I was, how he liked each part of my body, what he was going to do to me. It was so horrible I shut it out of my mind. I guess hearing his voice dredged it up again. Every time I had the dream, I could hear him more clearly. Last night I knew was the voice of the man at the party."

  "I think you ought to wait until George and Madison return," Rose said. "You have no proof. If he's an important man, I doubt anyone would believe you."

  "They wouldn't believe me if he were a buffalo skinner," Fern said angrily, "but I know he's the man who tried to rape me. I'm also convinced he murdered Troy."

  "Will you be safe at the farm?"

  "Safer than here. I'm afraid I can't meet him without giving myself away."

  "Okay, if that's what you think is best," Rose said, "but I want to hear from you every day. And don't give me the excuse that you were too busy or forgot. If I don't hear from you, I'm coming out to the farm."

  "Don't you dare!" Fern exclaimed. "You'd have that baby before you got there."

  "Then you remember that. If I find myself delivering what I'm convinced is going to be another male Randolph behind a clump of brush, it'll be your fault."

  * * * * *

  Rose stopped outside the land office to catch her breath. It was getting more and more difficult to carry her swollen body from Mrs. Abbott's to the center of town. She settled onto a bench and patted the seat next to her for William Henry to sit down.

  She guessed she was going to have to give up her walks until after the baby came, but she hated to think of being cooped up inside the house all day. She didn't think she could stand that much of Mrs. Abbott's chatter. Besides William Henry looked forward to their walks. He was a good child, but he needed to get out as well. He had grown up with more than sixty thousand acres for his back yard and five uncles and a full crew for his playmates.

  Here he was confined to a town lot and Ed. Rose found herself looki
ng forward to being home again. The spacious home George had built after the McClendons burned their dog trot would be a welcome relief from the cramped quarters of Mrs. Abbott's house.

  "Are you all right, ma'am?" The man had come up to Rose without her being aware of it.

  "I'm just a little winded," she said. "I'll be fine if I just sit here for a few minutes."

  "Are you certain? I could send for a buggy to take you home."

  "Would you mind?" Rose asked, grateful she wouldn't have to walk back. The way she felt now, she wasn't sure she would make it.

  "Not at all. Why don't you come inside and wait?"

  "I'll be fine here," Rose said. "I wanted a chance to get some fresh air."

  "I'll be back in a minute," the man said and disappeared inside the land office. He returned shortly. "It'll be here soon."

  "I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," Rose said, turning so she could see him. "I feel terribly foolish."

  "It's perfectly all right."

  "I know you're thinking a woman in my condition shouldn't be out, and you're right," Rose said. "I just get so tired of staying at home. And William Henry enjoys the walk too."

  "He's a very handsome young man," the man said. "I'm sure you're very proud of him."

  "Haven't I met you somewhere before?" Rose said. "I can't recall your name, but your face seems familiar."

  "I'm Sam Belton. We weren't introduced, but you probably saw me at the McCoy's party several nights ago."

  "That's where it was," Rose said, glad to have that question answered. "I should have remembered."

  "You didn't have much time to look around. You were occupied with two of the most beautiful women Abilene has ever seen," Sam said, "certainly at one party."

  "Yes, there were a lot of introductions to be made."

  "I want to meet Miss Sproull. I understand she's about to marry your brother-in-law. Surely a young woman moving to Boston wouldn't want the worry of such a large farm. You wouldn't happen to know if she's interested in selling, would you?"

  "No," Rose answered. "You'll have to ask her, but she's at the farm every day."

  "I guess I'd better go see her soon. I'm in a hurry to bet back home to Topeka." He looked thoughtful, almost like he was seeing something in his mind's eye. "She's such a beautiful woman. I hate to think of her lovely white skin being ruined by the Kansas sun."

  Rose felt the conversation had progressed beyond the point of propriety and was relieved to see a buggy pull up in front of the land office. It took all her energy to climb inside.

  "Now you take care of yourself, Mrs. Randolph. I would hate for anything to happen to you while Mr. Randolph is away. And if you see Miss. Sproull, ask her if I might come out to see her."

  "I will," Rose said as the buggy pulled away.

  An hour later, Rose had gotten up from her nap and had begun to brush and reset her hair. Suddenly her hand paused mid air.

  Sam Belton was the man Fern was talking about. He had to be. Rose had made sure Fern's gown covered the skin below her tan lines. He couldn't know her skin was white unless he had seen her with her shirt off. And the only man who'd done that was the man who tried to rape Fern.

  Rose told herself she might be jumping to conclusions. She had no more proof than Fern. She would be relieved if she was wrong, but suppose she was right? What about his going to see Fern? He might just be interested in buying the farm, but could she take the chance?

  Fern wouldn't be coming back tonight. She would sleep at the farm. She wouldn't know Belton meant to visit her. George and Madison were due back tonight. Rose would tell them and let them decide what to do.

  But the more Rose thought about it, the more uncomfortable she became. There was no point in thinking about the possibility she might be wrong. What worried her was the possibility she might be right.

  Belton would probably wait until tomorrow, but he had said he wanted to get back to Topeka. Suppose he went today. Fern wouldn't be expecting him and might betray herself. Rose couldn't wait for George to get home. Even now Belton might be riding toward the Sproull farm.

  Rose's first impulse was to ask Mrs. Abbott to help her, but she decided against that almost at once. Mrs. Abbott would never let her leave the house unless she knew exactly what she intended to do. She couldn't be trusted to keep a confidence. Within an hour, half the town of Abilene would know Rose suspected Sam Belton of killing Troy and trying to rape Fern and that he must be headed out to the Sproull farm right now.

  Rose went in search of William Henry. She found him playing rancher with Ed. William Henry was the owner and Ed the ranch hand. Just like his father, Rose thought, as she brought the boy back to her room.

  "Now listen very carefully to what I'm going to say," she told him after she had made certain Mrs. Abbott was occupied in the kitchen. "Mommy has a very important task for you to do. Do you remember where the livery stable is?"

  The boy nodded.

  "Do you think you can go there by yourself?"

  He nodded again.

  "Okay, but you can't take Ed with you. You must go by yourself, and you must not tell Ed or Mrs. Abbott where you're going or what you're doing. Understand?"

  He nodded.

  "Now, I want you to ask for Tom Everett. You're not to talk to anybody except Tom. Tell him to hitch up a buggy and bring it to the corner of 2nd and Buckeye. Can you remember that?"

  He nodded again.

  "Tell me what you're going to do."

  "Tell Mr. Tom to bring you a buggy."

  "Where?"

  "Down the corner so Mrs. Abbott can't see."

  Rose hugged her son. "Now hurry. It's very important. And when your father comes home, you tell him exactly what I've done."

  "I want to go with you."

  "Fern may be in danger. I may have to stay with her. You have to stay here so you can tell your father where to find us. Tell him we know who killed Troy Sproull. Can you do that?"

  He nodded.

  "One more thing. Tell Mr. Tom it's a secret. He's not to tell anyone."

  Rose tried to relax on the front porch while she waited, but she was too nervous to remain seated. Maybe she shouldn't have sent William Henry. He was so young he might not remember what he was supposed to do. But she couldn't have gone herself. After this morning, she knew she would never have made it across town to the livery stable.

  "There you are," Mrs. Abbott said, coming out on the porch. "Ed says he can't find William Henry. I thought he was with you."

  Rose wasn't one to curse, even silently, but she felt like it now. Mrs. Abbott was a good-hearted soul, a conscientious woman. At any other time Rose would have been grateful she had noticed William Henry's absence so quickly. Today she wasn't glad.

  "I sent him to the hotel with a message for his uncle."

  "You should have sent Ed with him. A little boy like him shouldn't be wandering about town by himself."

  "He's not wandering about," Rose said, "and if he doesn't come back in a few minutes, I'll send Ed after him."

  "I'll send Ed to sit with you" Mrs. Abbott offered. "Then he'll be handy in case you need him."

  "I'd rather be alone," Rose said. "My nerves are a little thin today."

  "It's because your time is so close," Mrs. Abbott said, sympathetically. "I'd come sit with you myself, but I've got a cake in the oven and some bread rising."

  "I'm fine. I don't mind being along. The day is so peaceful."

  "Well, holler if you need me. I can have Ed here in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

  "I will," said Rose, hoping Mrs. Abbott wouldn't linger. She had caught sight of the buggy down the street. She didn't want Mrs. Abbott to see it as well.

  She waited until Mrs. Abbott had been inside for a couple of minutes, then she hurried down the steps, across the yard, and down the street.

  "You shouldn't be out driving in your condition," Tom Everett said when she reached the buggy.

  "I know, but I don't have any choice. Now you make
sure you don't tell anybody about this except my husband or his brothers."

  "Is there some trouble, Mrs. Randolph? 'Cause if there is, I'll be happy to be of use."

  "No trouble, I just don't want everybody in town knowing my business. And the same goes for you, William Henry. When Mrs. Abbott asks where I've gone, you tell her you don't know."

  But Rose hadn't been more than five minutes on the road when she felt the first pain. She was going into labor.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  "And you make sure they don't go anywhere near Claxton's place," Fern told Pike. "I don't want that man on my back just now."

  "Something bothering you, ma'am?" Pike asked. "You been nervous as a hen at a coyote reunion."

  "I'm just not settled yet," Fern said. "Too much has happened to me lately."

  "I hear tell you'll be getting married and moving to Boston."

  "Now who told you that?"

  "Everybody knows Madison Randolph has asked you. Ain't nobody thinks you're likely to refuse."

  "And just who is everybody?" Fern asked.

  "Mostly Betty Lewis. Folks are saying she says that wasn't you that went to the party. That you hired someone to pretend to be you so he would ask you. She says he's sure going to be disappointed when he finds out who he's marrying."

  "And what does everybody else think about that?"

  Pike laughed. "They think Betty is so mad she's acting crazy. Seems she figured if there was anybody in Abilene that could catch a fancy man like Mr. Madison, it was herself."

  "And what do you think?"

  "It ain't none of my business what you do, but I sure would hate to see you go to Boston. There's no way they would appreciate you like we do."

  "I don't remember being appreciated very much before."

  "You didn't give nobody a chance. We figure that since you broke down enough to wear a dress one time, you might do it again. Folks said you was so pretty they didn't believe it."

  "Well I might, and I might not, but I do know you'd better be getting out to the herd before Reed decides to come looking for you. Then there'll be nobody keeping those cows from old man Claxton's fields."

  Fifteen minutes later Fern stepped out of the house to see Rose coming down the lane driving a buggy. Before Rose reached the house, Fern could tell something was wrong. Rose was bent over in the seat, barely holding on to the reins. She ran forward as fast as she could go.