The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.)

by Marnie Perry

  She arched her brows, ‘you? To see the minister? In town? What will the gossipmongers say?’ He gave her a warning look, ‘oops, I feel a lesson coming on.’

  He pursed his lips but amusement danced in his eyes, ‘I think the best punishment would be not to give you a lesson.’

  At her disappointed expression he chuckled, ‘enough. I have to go or the animals will be fretting and Dante will sulk all night. You know, I still can’t get over the way he’s taken to you. I have to admit to being a little jealous.’

  ‘Of me or Dante?’

  He grinned, ‘both.’

  She laughed merrily, ‘I know. That was one of the things that endeared you to me.’

  He shot her a puzzled look, ‘you looked so annoyed that your dog could feel affection for someone else, it proved that you did have feelings, even though you tried to hide them behind that gruff exterior.’

  ‘I still find it hard to express my emotions; it’s been so long since I had too.’

  Her voice was soft, ‘you know, I think you’re doing really well so far.’

  Her reward was another kiss, gentle this time. Presently she said, ‘I’ll go see the minister tomorrow and arrange for our nuptials as soon as possible, for both our sakes.’

  He smiled but she could see he was glad that she had offered. He stood up and helped her to her feet then pulled her towards him. He kissed her deeply and when he ended the kiss he moaned and said, ‘but, honey, do what you have to do, threaten him, blackmail him, offer the guy ten million dollars give or take if you have to, but for God’s sake, get him to give us a date as soon as humanly possible.’

  She gave a happy and contented smile, ‘you got it.’

  He ran his fingers through her hair and down her neck to her breast he gave a groan of frustration and without another word turned and left the cabin.

  Adela stood where he had left her feeling as though part of her had gone with him, a vital part, one she could not live without and she knew she would never be whole again until he returned to her.

  CHAPTER 50.

  And so it was that five days later on a beautiful sunny Wednesday afternoon and without bribery, blackmail or threats Adela Anne Faraday became Mrs. Jonas Lando. The five days leading up to the big day had been thankfully busy, almost chaotic. Thankfully, because it kept her mind from the ache in her, for his closeness, for his arms around her, for his hard, muscular body next to hers.

  They had spent time alone together of course. They had taken long walks in the woods, but despite her requests he had not taken her to find the traps, thinking it would be too much for her soft heart to see an animal in pain, on this he had been firm. He also gave her some driving lessons, which strangely enough caused no arguments between them, only a lot of eye rolling and murmurings of “women,” on Lando’s part. But more laughter than anything else.

  They had sat and talked in his cabin or on the porch until the sun went down. Afterwards he would walk her home and kiss her goodnight almost chastely, which left them both as frustrated...as Lando put it...“all get out.” They had embraced and hugged and kissed, but good as his word he had not attempted to make love to her. But every time they parted he went away muttering something Adela could not catch, but was sure there were curse words in there somewhere.

  As she threw herself into the arrangements to keep her mind occupied, Lando too had been busy putting the finishing touches to the cabin and caring for the animals. Dante had been very excitable as though he knew something was going on, or maybe he sensed a change in Lando. The first time he had heard him laugh at something Adela said he cocked up his ears and looked at him in surprise causing Adela to fall about laughing at Dante’s as well as Lando’s expression.

  Adela had been stunned when two days before the wedding she had called at his cabin to ask his opinion on the flowers for the church when she had been met by a woman who threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly and enthused about how pleased she was to meet her. How overjoyed that at last Jonas had found someone. She was as happy as it was possible to be.

  Lando had stood looking uncomfortable and slightly impatient, but Adela knew him well enough to know he was deeply moved that his sister was here and that she had greeted Adela so joyfully. Adela herself was overcome that he had sent for her.

  To hide his emotions he said sarcastically, ‘oh, by the way, this is my sister, Jennifer.’

  Jennifer had looked at him and stuck out her tongue. Adela had laughed and the two women had gone off into the bedroom talking about flowers and table settings.

  Lando had rolled his eyes and muttered, ‘women.’ But there was no scorn in the word this time.

  Jennifer had opted to stay at Adela’s cabin that night rather than the one of the two small hotels in town much to Lando’s chagrin and concern. He was pleased that Adela would have company yes, but he feared that his sister would regale her with stories about his childhood, at least the part they had shared for nine years. That she would give away embarrassing secrets about him.

  Jennifer had assured him that she wouldn’t but his fears grew as she had winked at Adela. Adela had bitten her tongue to keep from laughing.

  In fact Lando had told her something about his sister in the days leading up to her arrival, about their childhood and how hard it had been to be separated. How he had not replied to her letters or let her visit him in prison. He explained that he had not wanted his sister to see him humiliated. But more than that, he had not wanted her to be associated with a convicted killer. Jennifer later told Adela she had been very upset by his rejection but had understood.

  Adela had invited David and Sally and their children and Daniel too of course, to the wedding, but none of them were coming. Sally had been so shocked she had dropped the phone and David had picked it up and asked Adela if she had gone quite mad. She told him that yes, she was mad, mad with love and he had been silent so long she thought he had hung up on her. He had tried to convince her to come home first, bring her…friend…with her, let he and Daniel assess him, make sure he was trustworthy et…cetera.

  Adela had almost choked trying not to laugh. What they would do if she told them the truth about her husband- to -be didn’t bear thinking about.

  Daniel had laughed when she’d told him and said, “Fucking yanks” and told her he couldn’t make it as he had prior engagements, he didn’t say what they were and Adela didn’t ask, mostly because she didn’t really care. As it turned out none of them came to the wedding and strangely enough Adela didn’t feel the least bit guilty about being relieved that they hadn’t. That life was behind her now, she was about to start a whole new one.

  The next day Jennifer’s husband Tom and their two children Devon and Dominic arrived.

  Lando of course had been very uncomfortable with so many people in the cabin, but had been somewhat mollified when the kids had taken a real liking to the animals and had helped feed and clean them out. Dante, who had at first been as nervous and on edge as Lando, soon got used to the attentions lavished on him by the kids.

  But they had respected Lando’s privacy and elected to stay at one of the hotels in town.

  Of course everyone in town was by now aware of the forthcoming wedding between Lando and the English woman. Some had expected it, Lomax for instance, and according to her, Rose Hosewater too. No one pointed out that she always seemed to know everything after the fact. But most were shocked, they had never completely discovered what had transpired at Lando’s cabin only that Lando had been a hero that day.

  Jill the waitress and Sammy Know it All were amazed and delighted especially as they had probably been amongst the first people to actually speak to the prospective bride, not to mention the two bad guys who it was rumoured tried to kill her and Jonas Lando.

  The town talked of little else but the wedding, in the diners, in the café’s and of course in Rose Hosewater’s hardware store.

  The odd person said that they hoped the English woman knew what she was getting
herself into; after all he had killed one wife already. But they were given short shrift by the other customers and evicted from Rose’s shop with a warning not to come back until they could keep their tongues in their heads and their heads outta their asses.

  The romantics amongst them said that it was so lovely that she had come here for her first vacation overseas and married the first available man she met. They said that Jonas Lando had been alone too long and that wasn’t good for a man.

  That with her soft smile, her bright mischievous eyes and warm friendly personality, she had done the impossible and tamed the wild man in the woods. She had brought him out of his pit of despair and into the light.

  The less sentimental amongst them, all men of course, said that the thick mane of luxuriant hair and those muscular tanned legs, not forgetting those sweet plump breasts must have gone a long way in causing Lando to see the light. But these cynics were mostly ignored.

  On the whole there was much happiness and excitement in the town of Alban at the prospect of a wedding and not just any wedding either. Mostly because they all without exception had been invited. They didn’t know it, but strangely enough it had been not Adela’s, but Lando’s idea.

  Adela had been completely knocked for six when Lando had somewhat reticently suggested it as she had been that he had opted for a church wedding. He said he had his reasons and she did not push him on what they might be.

  On the day of the wedding the little church had been filled to overflowing. The reverend Hugh Richards had never seen his church so full and had joked that he wished Lando and Adela could get married every day, at which the congregation had laughed heartily, Adela included, but mostly at the look on Lando’s face.

  As for Lando, he had been uncomfortable and very nervous as she walked down the aisle towards him. But as she got closer to him his fear seemed to evaporate as he took in her happy, smiling, joy filled face. She looked beautiful in her simple but elegant wedding gown. She wore no veil but had small white flowers woven into her hair which hung down her back standing in for the veil.

  As she passed some people actually gasped and some older ladies had tears in their eyes, the younger ones looked on with envy in theirs.

  The emotions that rose in him left him breathless and light headed as did the vision that walked towards him. How could anyone have ever thought her plain?

  At the alter she smiled a soft smile so filled with tenderness and love that he felt his throat constrict.

  The odd thing was he had been nervous, frightened even, but of being surrounded by so many people. The last time he had been with so many folks in one room had been in prison and he had never liked crowds, big or small. But he had felt no fear of what was about to happen, even thoughts of his first wedding did not intrude upon this day. It just felt so right standing beside this woman who was smiling and happy and radiant.

  As for Adela she had worried about him all day, she knew he must be remembering his wedding to Adrianne and the subsequent tragedy and hoped he would be all right. She had offered to have the wedding in the next town in a civil ceremony, but he had been insistent that he wanted her to have a proper wedding. But looking at him now, so handsome, so fine in his black suit with a black shirt and dark blue tie, she knew he was okay. So yes, he had been nervous but it was the usual apprehension experienced by any groom on his wedding day. There was no apprehension in his eyes, no fear, only love.

  Surprisingly, considering she was uncomfortable in crowds of people too, she wasn’t in the least nervous. Jennifer who was her matron of honour, (her daughter Devon was a bridesmaid and Dan Rivers who had contacted Lando a few weeks before, Lando’s best man), had remarked on her calmness.

  But Adela was not surprised, why should she be nervous? She was marrying the man she loved, the best and finest man in all the world. Jonas Lando.

  Minister Richards had talked about marriage being the coming together of two people who desired to share their lives together. He talked about them individually, about how Lando had been a decorated police detective.

  Adela glanced at Lando as he tensed but the minister skipped over his incarceration and went straight to the fact that Lando had come back to his roots, to the very home in which his grandparents had begun their married lives and lived in until they died many years later. And now their grandson would be starting his married life there with the woman who had come to Alban for a week’s vacation and now would be staying to share her life with the man she loved.

  Lando visibly relaxed and even smiled at the minister who looked somewhat relieved.

  Then came the vows and Lando’s voice was rather hoarse and raspy as he spoke and Adela’s heart went out to him, then it gave a lurch in her chest and her eyes filled as he slipped on her wedding ring and said, ‘I, Jonas Greyford Lando, take thee,’ he paused and looking into her eyes said with deep feeling, ‘Adela Anne Faraday to be my lawfully wedded wife.’

  He had deliberately waited to call her by her name until now, now when it meant something, to him, to her. He never wanted to say her name until he knew she belonged to him. And now she did. Her heart was so filled with love she could barely say her own vows. But say them she did, clear and distinct and with great feeling. As she slipped the wedding ring onto his finger, something he had not had in his first marriage, she said, ‘I, Adela Anne Faraday take thee Jonas Greyford Lando to be my lawfully wedded husband.’

  She had told the minister that she would like to add some words of her own. So now she looked into her almost husband's eyes and said softly, “Jonas, I want you to know that, ‘“Whither thou goest I will go, where thou layest I will lay, and thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. And I shall love thee and honour thee all the days of my life.”’

  It was his eyes that now misted and he had to blink repeatedly to bring her back into focus.

  The minister beaming, now pronounced them husband and wife together and told Lando he could kiss the bride. Which he did with alacrity.

  Then the congregation rose as one and applauded the happy couple as they walked down the aisle. Lando looking awkward and self conscious, Adela smiling and thanking them as they passed.

  At the reception later Adela discovered why her new husband had invited the whole town to the wedding. When it was his turn to make a speech he stood and loosened his tie and fidgeted with his wine glass. He had no notes so his words came from the heart as he said, ‘I’m glad that most,’ he looked around the room, ‘if not all of y’all were able to be here today.’ This got a hearty laugh but did nothing to relax him. He went on to say that he was happy as could be that the lady sitting next to him had been brave enough, or maybe if what he’d heard around town was true, crazy enough to take him on.

  More laughter this time even louder ensued. He took a moment to look once more around the room then his voice low but very sincere said, ‘I’m glad so many of you are here for two reasons, one, of course to help us celebrate this very happy occasion. But also because it gives me the opportunity to say something I should have said five weeks ago but didn’t,’ he looked at Sheriff Lomax, ‘'cos I’m an idiot. And it’s, thank you, thank you for everything y’all did for us. For saving my…our home. For saving our lives. For being there when we needed you.’

  There followed a profound silence in which Lando looking distinctly uncomfortable sat back down. Adela, tears now running unashamedly down her cheeks, took his hand and squeezed it tightly as she looked at him with pride. Suddenly someone began to applaud then the whole room rang with applause and cheers. Then someone shouted, ‘hey, are we dancing tonight or not?’

  Everyone laughed and looking at the newly married couple took up the chant, ‘dance, dance, dance.’

  Since he had no choice Lando got to his feet, helped Adela to hers and escorted her onto the dance floor.

  Adela followed Lando’s lead as he very self consciously led her around the floor. As it turned out he was really rather good, much better than Adela anyway. He very quick
ly forgot his nervousness and saw and felt nothing but the woman in his arms.

  Towards the end of the reception Adela was talking to her new husband, Jason Berringer and Ellis Leyton, who had fully recovered from his ordeal, physically anyway. Earlier he had shook Lando’s hand and told him he was a lucky S.O.B. Lando, still suspicious and jealous of the man, managed to hide it. Just. She suddenly stood and said, ‘I won’t be long, there’s something I have to do.’

  Lando frowned because Adela had looked nervous and uneasy something she had not been all day. He watched her walk away thinking she was headed to the bathroom. But his eyebrows shot up when instead she climbed up onto the stage where the band consisting of two local brothers and their friends had been playing, very well indeed as it turned out.

  She said something to the singer who smiled and nodded then to Lando’s, not to mention everyone else’s amazement, she stepped up to the microphone and from where she stood looked down on the crowd. Adela now wondered about the wisdom of doing this, but she was here now and there was no going back. The last time she had sung in public had been to Hennessey, for Hennessey, and more than anything she wanted to erase that night from her mind, and she could only do that by replacing it with another memory.

  She stood nervously at the microphone before saying, ‘um, ladies and gentlemen.’ There was silence in the room as she continued, ‘I would like to sing a favourite song of mine, a song which for me has real meaning tonight and will continue to have all the rest of my life. This is for the man whom I love more than anything in this world,’ she smiled now, ‘and he’ll be relieved and happy to know that I mean my new husband.’

  Everyone laughed and she began to feel better. Lando knew why she was doing this and was at once concerned and honoured.

  Adela nodded to the boys in the band and they began to play. Whatever those present expected it wasn’t what they got. Adela took a deep breath and began to sing, “When I am down and oh my soul so weary, when trouble comes and my heart burdened be.” She sang from her heart Josh Grogan’s beautiful song to her husband never taking her eyes from his. As for Lando he could barely contain his emotions. He recalled Hennessey saying she had a beautiful voice; for once he had to agree with him. He couldn’t help but think proudly, that’s my wife up there.