Sweet Memories

by Marie Higgins

  Murphy didn’t speak. He continued to stare at Cole with that hostile gleam in his evil eyes. Obviously, the man wasn’t going to tell him.

  Cole grumbled a sigh. “I don’t have time for this. I need to find Vicky and bring her back. However, you will be staying here as soon as I get my servants to bring me ropes to tie you up. Then I’ll have one of them ride into town to fetch the constable.”

  Murphy tightened his fingers around the walking stick as if he were going to attack Cole. Lifting the pistol higher toward the man’s head, Cole stayed firm.

  “Don’t you think I’m going to pull the trigger? I assure you, I’ve killed many ruthless men while in the military. I won’t bat an eye with you.”

  Murphy’s arm relaxed, as did the muscles in his face.

  Keeping his gaze on the man, Cole called to his servants. Several of them came running.

  “If you value your employ at Grand View, I need you to bring me some rope to tie this lowlife to a chair,” Cole instructed without taking his eyes off Murphy. “I also need Jensen, immediately.”

  “I’m right here, Sir.”

  Cole didn’t dare take his eyes off Murphy, not for one second. “Ride into town posthaste, and bring back the constable.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  The valet’s footsteps echoed on the floor as the servant left the house. The other servants’ footsteps scrabbled on the floor as well, sounding as though they all headed in different directions.

  “Tell me,” Cole finally broke the silence, “by what form of means did this other person have to offer you more money? Do you not realize how wealthy I am?”

  Murphy shrugged one shoulder, nonchalantly. “The person who made the offer told me she was taking over Grand View, and that she would hire me to be her overseer.”

  She? Cole’s mind tried to piece together what the other man was saying. What woman would have confidence to say something so ridiculous? Cole was the only one who owned the estate. Not even Rebecca’s family could make claim...

  Rebecca’s daughter!

  Cole’s mind halted. He’d invited Victoria to the estate to be the housekeeper. He’d thought Vicky was the woman. Was the real Victoria still out there? She would be the only person to have the gumption to make such a faux claim. If he were one of Rebecca’s children, he would have been upset for not receiving an inheritance. Indeed, this crazed person had to be Victoria. She would want the estate all to herself.

  His thoughts jerked to a stop, again. Victoria would know about Vicky. He had no doubt. And if Rebecca’s daughter could coerce Murphy to work for her, Cole was certain Victoria had convinced Adora to work for her, as well.

  “Tell me, Mr. Murphy,” Cole said slowly. “Is Mrs. Hampton watching the estate now?”

  The man shook his head. “She expected me to handle things here so that she could take care of other business this morning.”

  Cole’s heart sank. Vicky was in danger.

  The shuffling of feet echoed on the floor as the servants rushed to Cole with ropes. He motioned his head toward the single wooden, high-back, chair leaning against the wall. “Fetch me that chair.”

  The servant did as requested, bringing the chair to Murphy. Cole motioned his pistol toward the chair. “Sit. You aren’t going anywhere now.”

  Clearly displeased by the grunts coming from the other man, he sat in the chair. Cole assisted the servants in tying the man’s burly hands behind him to the chair, and then his feet—each foot to a chair leg.

  When Cole felt as though the situation was under control, he lowered his pistol, still glaring at Murphy. “I’m sure you think Mrs. Hampton is going to come through on her promise, but I assure you, she’s not. I will not allow her to take over Grand View.”

  Murphy shrugged again. “I believe she will. She will have a very good bargaining tool.” He chuckled.

  Cole fisted his hands. Vicky! That would be the only thing she could hold against him, and win. “Then I suppose I will have to remove the bargaining tool before Mrs. Hampton can do anything about it.”

  Slowly, Murphy shook his head. “Not when she’s obtaining it at this very moment.”

  Cole swore, turned, and darted out of the house. His leg throbbed, making him limp harder. But he couldn’t allow that to slow him down. He must find Vicky. But where would Adora have taken her?

  One of the laundry maids stood outside, chatting with the cook. When their gazes met Cole’s, their conversation ceased. He stopped quickly, and faced them. The maid’s eyes widened. He knew Adora was a good friend to her.

  “Tell me now,” he said in a rush, “where did Adora take Vicky?”

  The young woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties, shook her head, but before she could speak, the cook cleared her throat. The fifty-year-old woman with brownish-gray hair, lifted her chin as she aimed her attention at Cole.

  “I overheard Adora telling Miss Owens that she was not safe here. Adora is taking the young lady to your mother’s estate to start her position as a housekeeper.”

  Cole wanted to sigh with relief, but although he knew where they were going, Mrs. Hampton was still out there somewhere, and he had no clue to what she looked like.

  FOURTEEN

  “Help me!” The frantic woman pointed toward the ravine. “My carriage fell over the edge, and my children are hurt.”

  Vicky gasped and grasped Adora’s arm. “We must stop and help her.”

  Adora blinked with wide eyes as she slowed the single horse pulling their own vehicle. “But, I don’t know what we can do.”

  Vicky pulled her gaze away from the petrified woman on the road, long enough to give Adora a pitiful glare. “Really? You don’t know how to help people?”

  “Of course, I do. But what if she wants us to do something laborious? I’m not strong, and I don’t think you are, either.”

  Vicky arched an eyebrow. “That’s not going to stop me from being a Christian and trying to help her regardless.” She snatched the reins away from Adora, and brought the horse to a stop.

  Vicky jumped from the wagon, but Adora was more reluctant to follow. Vicky rolled her eyes. What a pathetic woman. How could she not even want to help this poor, distraught, stranger?

  As Vicky studied the worried expression on the other woman, familiarity sparked in her memory. And yet, she knew she’d never met this lady before. So why did she look familiar?

  “Madam? Are you all right?”

  The woman, who looked to be in her early thirties, released a small sob as she kept glancing down the ravine. “Oh, please help me. My children are down there.”

  Vicky moved off the road and onto the weeded area leading toward the ravine. The other woman had a hard time holding Vicky’s stare, almost as if the woman didn’t want to look at her. Another thing that seemed odd was that the woman’s right arm stayed behind her back as if she was hiding something.

  Nearing the woman, an uneasy feeling washed over Vicky. She had seen this woman somewhere before. Immediately, her mind flew back to when she and Cole were at the docks, trying to find someone to talk to about the day of the accident. This lady had been at one of the vendor carts. She had glanced at Vicky and Cole, but then quickly looked away.

  But there was something else. It wasn’t just at the docks...

  Her mind flashed with another memory. Cole’s servant had brought in a miniature painting of a woman, Rebecca, when Vicky had thought she was her daughter. But now as she studied the strange woman by the ravine, Vicky could see the similarities between the two women. This was Rebecca’s daughter!

  The realization stopped Vicky and she sucked in a quick breath. Finally, the other woman looked at her, curiously.

  “I know you...” Vicky shook her head. “I mean, I know who you are.”

  The other woman scowled. “You don’t know who I am.”

  Vicky nodded. “You are Rebecca’s daughter, Victoria Hampton.”

  From behind Vicky, Adora’s voice squeaked in surprise. Vicky glanced at the maid.
Her eyes were wide and her fist was to her lips.

  Vicky looked back at Mrs. Hampton. “This is Adora, she was your mother’s personal maid.”

  During the awkward silence, Vicky’s mind collected more thoughts, and she realized something else. If Mrs. Hampton had children, why didn’t Cole know about it? Not once when he thought Vicky was Rebecca’s daughter, did he mention anything about children. And yet, this woman acted as though her children were in the carriage that rolled off the ravine.

  Prickles of awareness spread all over her as eeriness settled in her chest. The woman was lying. In fact, the woman looked very suspicious, as if she knew something that they didn’t.

  “You are Victoria Hampton, correct?” Vicky asked again.

  “My name is Tori.”

  Disgust shown on the slightly older woman’s expression. Seconds later, she jumped toward Vicky, withdrawing her right arm—and the thick stick that she held. The woman screeched as she came toward Vicky.

  Fear sliced through her and she darted away just as Tori swung the thick branch at her. The heavy object connected with Vicky’s shoulder, making her stumble. Quickly, she righted herself and dashed in the opposite direction. She glimpsed at Adora, standing on the ground, frozen with wide, watery eyes. Her fist was still up to her lips as if she was holding back from crying.

  Vicky kept running, knowing the crazed woman was close behind. There was one thing in Vicky’s favor – she was more fit to run than Tori. The other woman’s body weight almost doubled Vicky’s. With any luck, the woman would grow tired of running soon, and become out of breath.

  Tears stung Vicky’s eyes and she kept running up the road. She was closer to Cole’s mother’s house, according to what Adora told her, anyway. Hopefully, one of the Baroness’s servants would hear the commotion and come to help.

  Suddenly, something hard struck her head. Vicky winced as she touched the sore spot. She glanced over her shoulder. Rebecca’s daughter was picking up rocks and throwing them at her. Blood coated Vicky’s fingers, but she kept running toward the Baldwin’s estate.

  “Don’t just stand there blubbering,” Tori yelled at Adora. “Help me catch her.”

  “No!” Adora sobbed into her hand.

  “Listen, girlie,” Rebecca’s daughter’s tone turned harsh. “Soon enough, Major Baldwin will be unfit to own my mother’s estate, and I’ll be in charge. If you help me, I’ll make you my lady’s maid.”

  Vicky peered over her shoulder toward Adora. The woman actually appeared as if she was considering the offer.

  “But...but...” Adora shook her head. “I want Cole. I don’t care about my position at the estate. I want to marry Cole.”

  Surprise washed over Vicky. Was the woman insane? Cole would never marry someone like her.

  “Fine. I won’t kill him, I’ll just lame him. Then you can marry him and leave the estate and live happily ever after.”

  “Leave the estate?” Adora’s voice rose higher in a fit of anger. “And ruin everything I’ve done to make that place a haven for me and Cole? I’ll have you know, I didn’t kill Toppy or Rebecca just to leave the estate. I did what I had to do to make him mine... To make Grand View mine!”

  Vicky held her breath, not believing Adora’s confession. Cole wasn’t the one to blame for his wife’s death—or the overseer’s. All this time it had been Adora. How could Vicky have believed the woman in the first place? If she’d only had one inkling of doubt earlier about the maid, she would have never left the manor.

  Tori froze as she narrowed her glare toward Adora. The older woman’s chest lifted and fell quickly. “You killed my mother? You are the reason I’m penniless?”

  Vicky’s heartbeat hammered as her limbs shook from exhaustion. Would Rebecca’s daughter focus her murderous intent on Adora now? But no matter who Tori was after, none of it was right. Killing people was not the answer!

  Adora’s face blanched. Vicky wondered if the maid might lose the contents of her stomach at any minute.

  Finally, after a few silent moments, Adora sobbed and ran toward the wagon. She jumped inside and quickly snapped the reins, urging the horse into action. She whipped the reins so hard, Vicky feared for the safety of the poor horse. When Adora tried to turn the sharp corner, the wagon tilted. One of Vicky’s satchels fell to the ground and rolled a few feet before stopping. Vicky held her breath, waiting for the moment the wagon would tumble down the ravine. Thankfully, the vehicle righted itself, and continued speeding back up the road.

  Tori hurried after the wagon, screaming and waving the thick branch in her hand. Slowly, her steps failed her and she stopped. The branch fell from her hand, and her shoulders sagged in defeat.

  Vicky didn’t know what to do. Did she keep on running until she reached Cole’s family estate? Or did she try to convince Tori that killing was the wrong thing to do?

  She made a move toward the direction of the Baldwin estate, but paused and looked back at Tori. The other woman looked at her with anger in her eyes. Vicky’s heart raced, and she prayed she would be able to convince the woman not to harm her—or anyone.

  “Major Baldwin shouldn’t have my mother’s estate.”

  “Why do you think that?” Vicky asked in a tight voice.

  “Because he didn’t love her when he married her. He only married her for her money.”

  Vicky nodded. “Yes, I know.” She shrugged. “Most of London’s marriages are like that. My uncle’s wife was forced to marry him because of money, too. For years I blamed her, but I realized she was the real victim.”

  “You think my mother was the victim?”

  “Yes.” Vicky wrung her hands against her middle. “Just as Major Baldwin was. I believe people should marry for love.”

  Tori frowned. “I wasn’t in love with Mr. Hampton when I married him, and I was miserable.”

  “I’m sorry you weren’t happy. And I sympathize with you that you lost your mother. We have something in common.”

  “But...did your mother love her money more than she loved you?”

  Vicky shook her head. “My mother was poor. We worked for the horrid man, Barclay Murphy.”

  Tori stepped closer. “My mother sent me to boarding school. She didn’t want her children around, especially after she married a much younger man.”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

  “When my mother died, that money should have been mine.” She glanced in the direction Adora had guided the out-of-control wagon. “The estate should have been mine.”

  “I understand your plight. Unfortunately, in all marriage contracts, the woman’s money goes to her husband.”

  Tori nodded. “Now do you see why I need to kill Cole?”

  “No, I don’t. Because if you kill Cole, you will get arrested and hang for your crimes. You won’t be able to live in the estate at all. Don’t you see?”

  “What do you want me to do?” She raised her hands in surrender. “Give up? I’m not the type of woman who gives up so easily.”

  “Over the past week or so, I’ve gotten to know Major Baldwin’s generous side. Especially last night when Barclay Murphy made an untimely appearance at the manor. For a little while, the major thought I was you. But he knew about Miss Owens because of my uncle, whom the major loathes. The major disliked me before even meeting me because of my uncle’s ruthlessness. But yet, last night, when Cole learned that I owed money to Mr. Murphy, Cole still offered to settle my debts so that Mr. Murphy would leave me and my sister alone.” She took a deep breath and slowly released it. “The point I’m trying to make is that if you would just talk to Cole, I’m sure he would give you some of your mother’s money.”

  Vicky waited for the other woman’s answer, praying that her tactics had worked. She had always been able to calm out-of-control horses. But people were a different matter altogether.

  For the longest time, Tori stared at something—or nothing—down at the ground. Vicky tried to read the woman’s expressions, but it was diffic
ult. Obviously, the woman’s heart had been broken by her mother’s rejection. But violence was not the answer. And unfortunately, although Tori felt that her mother’s estate should have gone to her, the laws in England didn’t work that way.

  Slowly, Tori’s face grew taut and she fisted her hands by her sides. She lifted her glare, resting it on Vicky. Gulping, Vicky tried not to let the fear rushing through her dictate her actions. And yet, Vicky knew she would have to start running again very soon. This time, she knew she wouldn’t get very far. Her limbs were exhausted, and she just didn’t have the strength to outrun Tori.

  COLE RACED HIS HORSE toward his family’s estate. He prayed he’d get there on time, but doubt twisted his heart, and he feared the worst.

  Up ahead, dust filled the air. Curious, he slowed his horse until he could determine what it was. As he turned a corner, he noticed a single horse standing in the middle of the road, still with the reins around him. But there was nothing else that proved the animal had been pulling a vehicle. Immediately, he recognized the animal as one of his own.

  Pulling the reins tight, he slowed his horse down. He scanned the surrounding area, especially where the dust was the heaviest—which was toward the ravine. His heartbeat plummeted.

  He jumped down and darted toward the ravine, stopping at the edge. Down below was a wagon. His wagon lay on its side. One wheel continued to spin. The accident had just recently happened.

  “Vicky!” he shouted as he carefully made his way down the slope.

  He surveyed the perimeter, looking for clothing or anything that might point him in the direction of an injured person. Finally, he saw a woman’s hand sticking out from underneath the wagon. Pain sliced through his heart and he blinked back tears. No! This couldn’t be Vicky...

  He quickly moved toward the area, searching for a place to stand as he tried to lift the wagon. The ground was uneven. Lifting this heavy vehicle wouldn’t be easy.

  “Vicky, please hear me. I’m going to get you.”

  He gripped the sides of the wagon and lifted with all of his might, praying the Lord would give him the strength to save the woman he loves. The wagon moved slightly as it lifted. Cole’s arms shook from the effort, but he continued.