Bluebonnet Bride

by Colleen Coble

  “Thanks.” Nathan waved as the automobile pulled away. He glanced at Elli. “Shall we go in?”

  “Oh yes. Please.” She followed him toward the porch steps.

  A loud bang startled her, and she whirled to face the street with her hand to her throat and her pulse galloping. “Was that a gun?”

  He took out a key. “Just an automobile backfiring. You’re mighty jumpy.” He fitted the key in the lock and twisted it, then stepped aside. “After you.” He turned back to check on Hannah. “Stay in the yard.” The little girl nodded.

  She stepped into the dimness of her new home. Moving through the entry, she stepped into a room on the right. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw a sweet parlor with a brown sofa and chair. A rocker sat by the side window. The fireplace held not a smudge of soot, and a new rug patterned in browns and blues covered the rough wooden floor. A fresh vase of daisies sat on the table beside the sofa.

  He stood with his hands behind his back. “I hope you like it. Belle offered me some of Butterfly Palace’s furnishings to make it more comfortable.”

  “It’s homey.” She went back to the small hall. A doorway opened at the back wall. “Is that the kitchen?”

  “Yes. It’s not much.”

  She stepped past him into the kitchen. It held a big coal stove, a dry sink, a wooden table with four chairs, and a pie safe. Everything sparkled with cleanliness. “It is quite lovely. I will enjoy cooking here.” She went back to the entry. “The bedrooms are down this hall? How many?” She held her breath waiting for his answer.

  “Three.”

  “Very good.” Her breathing returned to normal. He hadn’t lied to her at the train station.

  Nathan turned back toward the front door. “I’d better check on Hannah. She’s not apt to wander off, but if she did, no one would know who she belonged to. Go ahead and check out the bedrooms.”

  She wandered down the hall to the first room. It held a full-size bed and a small cot, and the space was only half the size of her bedroom at home. The plain blue coverlets appeared new. A picture of a young blond woman sat on the chest of drawers. There was something of Hannah in the young woman’s face. Her mother, Jane? Poor baby, to be motherless so early. Elli’s heart warmed at how Nathan had taken in the mite.

  She backed out of the room and continued on to the bedroom at the end of the hallway. The room held a big bed, a dresser, and a chest of drawers. She touched the blue-and-white pitcher and bowl.

  “Like it?”

  She turned to see Nathan standing in the doorway with Hannah in his arms. “Oh yes. You’ve made it so homey. I’ll be safe here.”

  He lifted a brow but didn’t comment on her statement. “I thought I’d get you a rocker to set there in the corner. Hannah loves to be rocked and read to in the evening. Would you like that?”

  She nodded. He had such nice lips when he smiled. Elli found herself lingering over his strong jawline and the way his hair curled at his nape. He’d taken off his jacket, and his short-sleeved shirt showed off muscular arms that were used to the sun. En route he’d told her that he managed the pink granite quarry so he was used to lifting heavy things. He stared back, his gaze roaming from her hair to her face. The air felt like a lightning storm about to strike.

  The darkness of the room pressed in on her, especially with him so close. “Should I make you some tea? Or are you hungry? I have not looked to see what supplies are in the kitchen, but I could find something.” She could only hope there was bread and butter. What could she make? She wasn’t used to cooking.

  He shook his head. “Not after that wedding feast.” Her eyes closed, Hannah sagged against his shoulder. “I think Hannah’s ready for bed.”

  “I’ll turn down her cot.” Elli hurried past him to Hannah’s room and pulled the covers back on her bed. The sheets smelled of starch and sunshine.

  Nathan laid her down and unbuttoned her shoes, then eased them off. “Her nightgown is in the bottom drawer if you don’t mind getting it.”

  Elli pulled out a pink cotton gown. He undressed Hannah and put it on her with practiced efficiency. The little girl didn’t open her eyes. He covered her and moved toward the door. “I think I’ll turn in too. When you’ve unpacked, set your suitcase outside your door, and I’ll put it in the crawl space under the house in the morning.”

  She blinked and bit her lip. “Of course.”

  As soon as she stepped into the hall, he shut the door behind them and went to his room. She stared at his closed door. Having arrived at last with her new husband and a young child sleeping close by, how was it that she felt more alone than she had all her life.

  Nathan thumped his pillow and rolled over on the hard bed. His new bride slept in the other bedroom. What had Elli thought of the house? He couldn’t tell if the cottage had taken her aback or if she was used to such a humble dwelling. It seemed especially mean and plain when compared to the Butterfly Palace where they’d been married.

  He sat up and rubbed his head. Was Elli awake? He sensed another alert presence in the house. The thought of her brought a vision of her appearance to mind. Her pale skin was flawless, and her eyes were such a clear, dark blue, like the deepest water. Was her blond hair down on her shoulders in the other room? He’d like to see its color in the sunlight. The glimpse he’d caught of it under her hat had been like sunflowers.

  The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention, and there was a waiting in the air. Surely she must be up. Was she ill? This would have been a traumatic day for her. She’d met and married him all on the same day.

  He swung his feet to the floor and rose from the bed. First he peeked in on Hannah. She slept soundly in her cot. In five steps he was at Elli’s door with his ear pressed against the battered wood. Was that a muffled cry?

  He rapped his knuckles against the door. “Elli, are you awake?” Something thumped, and he heard a stifled scream. He twisted the doorknob. “Elli?” The door opened, and he nearly fell into the room but caught himself.

  It took a moment for him to absorb the scene. Two figures struggled in the moonlight. A man pressed Elli against the wall, his hands around her throat, choking her. Nathan grabbed the lamp by the door and swung it over his head, then brought the edge of the lamp down on the man’s head. The ceramic shattered when it struck him, and the intruder crumpled under the blow. His hands fell away from Elli, and he dropped to the floor where he lay unmoving.

  Elli sagged against the wall. Nathan leaped forward and caught her before she could hit the floor. He half carried her to the bed and eased her onto the mattress. “Elli, can you talk?”

  Her eyes rolled back, and she gasped for breath. Her hand went to her throat. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

  He grabbed the pitcher on the stand by the bed and poured some water into a glass, then held it to her lips. “Drink.”

  She managed to get a swallow down. “Good.” The word was barely audible.

  Her breath seemed to be moving easily. A noise came from behind him. He turned to check on her attacker but saw only the shattered lamp. A flutter of movement from the window caught his attention, and he sprang to look out. A figure ran through the moonlight, then disappeared into a copse of trees.

  He turned back to Elli. “I’ll call for the doctor.”

  “I . . . I am all right.” She massaged her throat.

  He knelt by her side and held the glass to her lips again. “Have another drink.”

  She complied, then coughed as she swallowed. “He got away?”

  “Unfortunately. I’ll call the police. I didn’t get a good look at him. Did you?”

  She shook her head. “I heard a noise at the window. By the time I got up to check on it, he was inside. It was so dark and I was quite shocked.” She shuddered. “He was blond and clean shaven. I was fighting to breathe.”

  “Blond. You didn’t recognize him?”

  Her gaze flickered away. “No.”

  Nathan studied her downturned face and frowned. Was
she hiding something? “You’re sure?”

  She looked up. “Quite sure.” She opened her mouth, then closed it again. “I am just so tired. If you’ll close the window, I will go back to bed.”

  He rose from his crouched position. “Not yet. I’m going to put on some clothes and call the police.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t.”

  “They should know a predator is in the area.” He went toward the door.

  She followed him into the tiny parlor. He lit the lamp and then he caught a glimpse of her golden hair spilling over her shoulders. It was even more beautiful than he’d imagined. Her bare feet peeked from the hem of her nightgown. He suddenly realized he wore only a nightshirt himself.

  And he was staring. He quickly averted his eyes. “I’ll call the police.”

  Hannah had been his sole priority for several years, but things were shifting. He’d do anything in his power to protect this beautiful creature he now called his wife.

  THREE

  Elli rubbed her sore neck. The man had nearly choked the life out of her. In spite of her exhaustion, she felt a rush of adrenaline. Was she guilty of bringing danger into Nathan and Hannah’s home?

  Having taken her statement, the policeman went to the door. “This is so strange. We’re a peaceful town. It’s unusual to have an attack like this. If you remember anything else, contact us.”

  “We will.” Nathan closed the door behind the officer.

  We. Warmth settled in Elli’s center. She’d been on her own so long, and that small pronoun of togetherness heartened her.

  The golden glow of the lamp touched Nathan’s face. He wore a frown, and something in his stare made her look away.

  His hand closed gently around her forearm. “I think we need to talk.”

  Feeling sick, she let him lead her to the sofa. “I am really tired, Nathan. It’s been a long day.”

  His expression soft, he sat beside her. “Several long days for you, and I’m sorry for that. But you heard the policeman say crime is rare here, yet on our first night, an intruder breaks in and tries to choke you. I think you know more about this than you’ve been willing to admit. Did you recognize him?”

  She met his gaze. “I did not.”

  The certainty in his face faltered, then sharpened again. “But you know something. You can trust me, Elli. I made a vow to protect you. Help me do that.”

  Biting her lip, she tried to decide how much to tell him. “I suspect that man was an enemy of my late father.”

  “Your father?”

  She stared into his steady gaze. She sensed he was a man who would do the right thing always. What choice did she have but to risk it?

  She wet her lips. “I grew up in Helsinki on a rather grand estate, but it had fallen into some disrepair in the last few years as my father’s health declined. Our neighbor, Henri Laine, offered to buy it. If I would have agreed to marry Laine, it would have been ideal. He had the money to repair the estate, and Father’s influence would have afforded him entry into the Young Finnish Party and politics.”

  “But you refused?”

  She shuddered and clasped her arms around herself. “My father wanted me to, but I couldn’t. He was unkind, Nathan. That much was clear to me. My father went to meet Laine to turn down his offer. He never came home. I am sure Laine killed him.”

  Nathan winced and covered her hand with his. Her pulse leaped at his touch, but it was only her fatigue reacting to his kindness. Of course that was all. There was so much more to tell him, and she could see the questions in his eyes.

  “Did they ever find the men who killed him?”

  She shook her head. “But I am certain Laine had him killed.”

  “For what purpose?”

  “Laine sent his lawyer with a document proclaiming him sole heir to my father’s estate. The signature appeared to be genuine, though I could not fathom how or when my father might have signed such a thing. I appealed to our attorney to help contest the will, but he refused to help me. Who knows? Perhaps Laine bribed him. In any case, Laine moved into our family home. There was nothing I could do. Then his, well, his advances became quite odious.” Her eyes shadowed, she shuddered. “The servants were loyal to me, but no one could protect me from him, and I had nowhere to go.”

  “A neighbor or relatives?”

  “The neighbors were afraid of him. My father had no siblings, though I have a cousin in Sweden. I do not know him, but I was desperate, ready to plead for his charity. Then I saw the advertisement about coming to America. It seemed appealing.”

  He removed his hand. “For all you knew, I could have been as odious as this Laine.”

  “The thought of a new life, far away from Laine’s power, seemed compelling.” She hesitated. “You said you wanted a Christian wife, and that was what drew me. I had a sense God was telling me to go. To throw myself on his mercy and see what my step of faith might bring. So before I could change my mind, I applied for a berth on the Baltic.”

  Something in his expression lightened. “Why would this Laine want you dead now? He has possession of everything he wanted.”

  “I don’t know. But before I left, my maid overheard his solicitor tell him it was imperative to get my signature agreeing to the transfer of property. Finland just became the first country to adopt the female vote. My claim to the property became stronger once the law went through. So fearing that he would increase his pressure on me, I slipped away in the night.”

  Nathan frowned. “If you were dead, Laine would have the property, free and clear.”

  “I suspect that might be true.”

  “Was there an attempt on your life aboard the ship?”

  “No, but to be honest, I often felt observed. Perhaps it was all my imagination.” She tried to laugh, but it came out like more of a sob.

  His arm came around her, and she found herself against his chest. His shirt smelled clean—and male. She felt no inclination to pull away from the comfort of his embrace.

  “We’ve both experienced some hard knocks.”

  She raised her head to look at him. “I would like to hear your story. Can you tell me?”

  His arm dropped away. “Jane and I grew up with a drunkard for a father. Our mother died when I was born. Jane was just a few years older, but she was like a mother to me when I was little. I worked in the quarry with our father all day and he treated me fine. But at night, he was a beast. Jane did her best to protect me from our father’s brutality. He died in a quarry accident when I was fourteen. Jane got a job in the kitchen of a manor house, and I worked in the quarry. Then she got another job, and we both went to Austin.”

  “You have done well for yourself, even with such a harsh upbringing. I am sure Jane was very proud of you.”

  “She was killed before I received this job offer. I wish she had known.”

  She took his hand in hers. “She knows, Nathan. And I intend to take very good care of you and Hannah.” His smile drew her in, made her want so much more than a mere friendship between two people sharing the same house.

  A coating of pink granite dust covered Nathan’s desk when he entered his office and shut the door behind him. The place hadn’t been cleaned since the last foreman left, and he hadn’t taken the time to do it himself in the month he’d been here. He blew a coating of pink off the pile of papers on the desk and swiped another thick layer from the chair before he sat in it.

  He swiveled in the chair and watched the men working in the quarry outside his window. For years, when he closed his eyes, he saw this sight. He’d worked with his father in this quarry from the time he was ten. It felt strange to be back in his father’s office, sitting in his chair, though many other men had sat here in the intervening years. He intended to do everything he could to show Everett Marshall his trust hadn’t been misplaced by giving him this opportunity.

  He rose when Marshall entered. “Good to see you, sir.” He shook the older man’s hand.

  Senator Marshall cut a sharp figure
in his three-piece gray suit and neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. He owned many businesses, but his real passion was politics. He’d bought the quarry three years ago, and when the last foreman absconded with a month’s worth of payroll, he’d learned of Nathan’s experience. No one had been more surprised than Nathan when he gave him the job.

  Marshall pocketed his hands. “I’ve been hearing good things about you, Nathan. I made the right choice.” His gaze swept the room. “I apologize for the pigsty. I meant to have it cleaned before your first day. Maybe your pretty wife will help you get it in order.”

  “I’m sure she would be happy to.”

  Marshall lifted a brow. “Though I’m not necessarily a good judge of the inner workings of a woman’s mind, I think you picked a good one there.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Nathan considered telling the older man about Elli’s problem. The senator knew a lot of people. “Elli was attacked last night.”

  “Attacked, you say? She’s all right?”

  “Yes, I heard the struggle and broke in to stop him. The intruder was choking her.” Too late he realized his statement revealed they had separate rooms.

  “This is most disturbing.” The senator’s gaze drifted away. “I had hoped that foolishness would have ended by now.”

  “Foolishness?”

  “The workers have formed a union and are demanding more pay. They’d harassed my last two foremen right out of town. Break-ins at their homes, families threatened, vandalism here at the quarry.”

  Nathan frowned. “You never mentioned any of this.”

  “What’s to tell? I gave them what they wanted—raised their pay by five cents, and things have been quiet for months.”

  Could the attack on Elli be related to his job? The thought that he might have put her and Hannah in danger tightened his gut. He couldn’t afford to ignore what Elli told him last night though. “It may have nothing to do with the union.” Nathan told him how Elli came to America. “I wondered if you might investigate an incident that happened in Finland.”