Forever in Love (Book One of the Armstrong Series)

by Rita Hestand

  "Does he ever speak of it now?"

  "No…and he never will again. We both know our places. And he's too old to need me now. Although, every now and then he'll catch my hand, when no one is around, squeeze it, and smile into my face, and I know he still remembers, and in his way, he still cares for me."

  Joe bent before her and looked into her eyes.

  "So I guess we all have our secrets, don't we Ole Jen."

  "Yes we do. Do you hate me for it?" Ole Jen looked up at him with pleading eyes.

  "How can I? I love you like my own mother…You know as crazy as it seems, it's almost befitting that you were his only mistress."

  Her eyes lit and she leaned the distance to kiss his cheek. Ole Jen nodded and a tear slipped down her cheek. "Will you keep my secret for me?"

  "If you'll keep mine."

  Ole Jen nodded, and stood up to hug Joe to her. "Of course I will. Until the end of time, if need be. I know how happy you have made Miss Melanie. I see the love in her eyes and I wouldn't do anything to hurt that little gal or you. But please don't tell her about me and your father. I'm afraid she wouldn't understand and I don't want to lose her love over it. Confession is good for the soul, I had to tell someone. I just chose you to tell."

  "I'd never say a word to anyone."

  "Not even Sam?"

  "Maybe Sam, but that's all."

  "Thank you. And I wouldn't say a word to Melanie about you. You do make her happy."

  "We're very happy…"

  "I knows that. I surely do. You'll make a beautiful family, I just know it."

  Joe glanced through the glass window and saw Melanie arriving with her mother. "We should join the others now, Melanie's mother is here, I must greet her. But…thanks for sharing that with me, Ole Jen. And remember, I love you too!"

  "You and Sam are my white babies, Ben is my black baby. I love you all…."

  "And we feel the same…" Joe took her arm and escorted her outside to join the party.

  Chapter Twenty

  "Confound it," his father was muttering as he paced the study. He'd poured himself a drink and sloshing it in his hand as he twisted about.

  "Something wrong father?" Joe asked as he came into the study and glanced about.

  "Yes somethings wrong. Sam won't be back for another two weeks. I just read this letter from Carmen." George boomed.

  The letter lay out on the desk.

  Joe frowned, "You read my mail?"

  "I did." When he saw Joe's expression, he waved his hand in the air and dismissed it. "It's addressed to this house; I felt I had the right. I am anxious about your brother." George continued to bellar. From the look on his father's face, Joe knew he was upset. The one thing George didn't realize was exactly how sick Sam had been. To temper their fears, he'd not told them just how sick Sam had been.

  "Father, Sam is a grown man. He's been very sick and he has to get his strength back. I'm sure that was in the letter too, wasn't it?" Joe inquired.

  George shook his head. "She's no nurse. How would she know? I wouldn't believe a thing she told me. She's just keeping him there, under her wing, until he surrenders to her charms."

  "Actually, she's studied under a doctor, so I'd say she has more experience than many others might have, father. And she wouldn't lie to me…."

  "Is there something between you and Carmen, again?" George turned on his son.

  Joe banged his fist on the small table where the letter lay open. "How many times do I have to answer that question? Of course not father, I'm totally in love and infatuated with my wife, in case you haven't noticed."

  "You better be. I need to be rid of this…commoner…"

  "Sam and Carmen are in love father." Joe announced. "I think you have some time to adjust to that. And adjust you must, because you know how stubborn Sam can be when he gets an idea in his head."

  "In love? Deliver me from that. First it was you, now it's him. She won't be happy until she has one of you totally under her control. She wants to be an Armstrong so bad. She'd marry either of you to accomplish that."

  "You can't believe that! You don't want Sam to be happy, father?" Joe asked.

  "Of course I want him happy, without her!" George insisted, pacing the room.

  "That will never happen." Joe affirmed staring at his father. "I talked with him for a long time when I went to visit him at the hospital. I wanted to find out for myself just how infatuated he was. He's very happy with her and his intentions are serious, father. There's nothing you can do, but accept it."

  "It's that serious?" His father's eyes bulged he was so angry.

  "Their feelings for each other are…yes." Joe nodded.

  "I won't permit it!" George banged his hand on the same table and it hobbled this time.

  "You have no choice! Sam is no child to order about." Joe fumed, his voice booming at his father for once. "For once there is something you can't control." Joe laughed.

  "If you don't love her, why do you protect her so?" George boomed his fist coming down on the glass table hard enough to make a resounding sound.

  "I'm sure Sam would do the same for me, if you were attacking Melanie…"

  "I'd never attack Melanie…and you know it." George scoffed.

  "That's good to know father…" Melanie waltzed into the room and reached for Joe's arm. "What's got you in such a stir...Father George?"

  "I'm afraid father won't be happy until he's broken Carmen and Sam up." Joe chuckled and leaned to kiss her on the cheek.

  "Are they that serious about each other?" Melanie turned to look at Joe her face clouded with some confusion of her own.

  "Yes, I think so." Joe smiled. When he saw the frown on Melanie's face his brows knitted. "Are you upset about them too?"

  Melanie raised her eyes to him and swallowed hard, "No, of course not. You know I want Sam to be happy."

  Joe saw the same spark of jealousy in Melanie's eyes as he had before. He wished he could put her mind to ease, but short of telling her the truth, he couldn't.

  Melanie had come to mean so much more than a wife to him. She was his reason for living now. To see her distraught was painful.

  "Once and for all, I want the two of you to understand, there is nothing between me and Carmen. But I am overjoyed that Sam is happy with her. I wish them as much love as we share…darling."

  "Of course," Melanie toughened herself.

  George was still flustered. "The house won't be finished in time; he'll have to stay here, at Golden Manor…"

  "Is that a problem?" Joe frowned at his father once more.

  "If it means entertaining Carmen, it could mean a lot of trouble." George fussed. "I don't want her in this house."

  "She's not only going to be in this house, but a part of our family. You don't know how ill Sam was. You weren't there to see. He nearly died father. I wanted to keep that from you, but it's true. When I went to see him, he could hardly finish his own sentences. If she hadn't given him the care she did, he probably would be dead by now. She was his constant companion. You have her to thank for your son's life."

  "I'll be damned if I thank her for anything."

  "I thought you a bigger man than that, father." Joe frowned.

  Melanie didn't look any more pleased with that news than his father did. How was he going to get through this without hurting someone?

  "We'll just have to manage for Sam's sake…" Joe explained.

  George shot him a frown. Melanie squashed her frown and tried bravely to smile. "Of course…"

  "Have you mentioned to Carmen that Sam is to have his own residence on the south end?" George asked, pouring himself a drink. "Maybe she'll rethink her 'love' when she hears that."

  "Of course not. Why would I tell either of them? That's your job, not mine." Joe watched his father swallow the whole drink in one gulp.

  "Good, for now, I don't want her knowing of his inheritance." George affirmed, his cheeks turning rosey red. "Maybe it will be enlightening having her here. Maybe Sam w
ill come to see her as the gold-digger she is."

  "You think she means to steal from him?" Joe chuckled.

  "This isn't funny. I'm going to my room, I'm tired. Your defense of your brother and that woman are intolerable."

  "But father, it's only ten in the morning…" Joe frowned.

  "I can tell time, too." George stomped out of the room, grumbling.

  "You really shouldn't laugh at him, Joe." Melanie cautioned. "He's an old man, set in his ways."

  "Somehow I must make him understand that she is no threat to this family. Her family owns more in Mexico and Spain than we ever owned. She's not after Sam's money." Joe assured her. "I know the depth of her love for Sam, and I welcome her here."

  But in his eagerness to defend his brother, he saw he was overcompensating from the look on Melanie's face.

  "Why do you defend her so?" Melanie's frown looked sad.

  Joe turned to hold Melanie's arms and look into her eyes. "Because no one else will…"

  Melanie couldn't stop the smile…"You sound so much like Sam right now…"

  Warnings shot through Joe's mind. He had to be careful.

  "Well honey," He grabbed her to him and smiled, "what can I say, we are twins you know."

  "Yes, more so now than when you were younger." She chuckled.

  He took Melanie into his arms and kissed her passionately, and then cradling her back to him, he snuggled against her neck. "I don't want you to be afraid of her coming into our family. My love is right here in my arms. You must know that by now."

  Melanie stiffened a bit. "I do…I really do. You've been so attentive to me, how could I not. And I don't want to sound like a shrew. Maybe her coming here will be a good thing, for all of us."

  "Then will you at least welcome her into this family?" Joe asked turning her to face him.

  She searched his face, for reassurance, "If that will please you, yes."

  "If you can accept her, father has to see it!" Joe concluded. "Melanie…"

  "Yes?" She glanced up at him.

  He took her hand and kissed it. "I only love you…you have to know that."

  "Do you think Sam is thinking straight, though?" Melanie asked.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean, she's been his nurse, of course he is grateful. And sometimes being grateful looks and feels like love…but isn't." Melanie explained.

  "I know my brother, he loves her."

  Melanie nodded slowly. "Alright then, I'll do my best to see that she is welcome in this house. I want Sam to be happy."

  "Thank you my love. That pleases me greatly. Sam has been through a lot, he doesn't need a ruckus when he comes home."

  "You're right of course. You know, I didn't realize until just now, how bad Sam actually was." Melanie countered. "But I understand why you kept that from us."

  "We almost lost him. I never…never saw him look so weak and pale as in that hospital. It scared me. I didn't want to alarm everyone when I came home from Galveston, but I was worried whether he would make it home. I only knew that if it was possible, Carmen would bring him home, herself."

  "Then we should do everything to make him and her content."

  "You've never even met Carmen have you?" Joe asked forgetting for the moment how distraught she had been earlier.

  Melanie floundered, "No…I haven't."

  "She's a very charming and gracious woman." Joe still wasn't watching Melanie's reactions. He didn't see her shoulders tense, and her smile become still.

  "I'm sure she is." Melanie barely uttered.

  "Fine, I'm glad this is over. In time father will come to see how suited they are for each other and begin to accept her." Joe affirmed.

  "Will he?" Melanie questioned.

  "Naturally, he loves Sam…"

  "Of course…I need to see Ole Jen. She's going to teach me how to make those fluffy biscuits," Melanie said softly, keeping her tone light, and trying her best to smile.

  "She's the best teacher there is, darling. I must check on Chester, he's new with the barnyard job I want to make sure he knows his duties. Call when supper is ready."

  "Of course." she whispered under her breath.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  It started out as an ordinary day, as the workers were lining up pumpkins for the Armstrong annual giveaway. Signs had already been placed in strategic places in town. By noon, the pumpkins would be gone, George told Joe as he watched from his window.

  "I enjoy this every year father." Joe told him.

  George glanced slyly at his son. "It's a community service, one that's needed this time of year. After the war stripped people of their homes, and they spent their savings trying to rebuild, it has been nothing but struggles for people. It will be Christmas soon, and giving away a few pumpkins is the least we can do. We've also started a savings to help the hungry during the holidays."

  "I don't like the looks of that sky, father." Joe told him. Ole Jen was just carrying the last of the dishes from the table, as they spoke. Joe smiled at her.

  "You worry too much, Joe. You know I've noticed you've taken on your brother's personality, whether you realize it or not." George chuckled.

  Old Jen shot Joe a quick look.

  "Have I father? I hadn't noticed." Joe defended himself quickly. "When a man grows up father, he puts away frivolous things."

  "Yes, of course, Sam always fretted about the weather, as if he could do a thing about it." George shook his head and smiled. He poured himself a drink and offered one to Joe. Joe refused.

  "Isn't it a little early for that, father?"

  "Nonsense, helps me get through my day." George quipped. "You'll understand that as you get older. The body begins to wear out in places, makes it more difficult, more painful."

  "You seem to be partaking of it earlier and earlier, are you ill father?"

  "A man of my age has aches and pains you know nothing of. It eases them…"

  "Perhaps you should see a doctor."

  "I need no doctor to tell me I'm aging, son. Besides, this is good medicine for what ails me."

  Joe shrugged. "Very well."

  "I wish Sam were here…"

  "He will be soon, father. Be patient. He really has been ill. He's lost a considerable amount of weight too."

  "So why are you so concerned with the weather, a thing you cannot possibly control?"

  "Perhaps it is because now I worry about the crops and the people…" Joe defended; he cast a grim look out the window as the white clouds began to darken.

  George crooked his head. "Responsibility can do that to you too, I suppose. But only God can control the weather son, not us."

  "That's true father, but he does send warning signs so we may prepare for it." Joe glanced at his arrogant father. "All we have to do is be aware."

  "And how do we prepare for a bad storm or a tornado even?" George asked good-naturedly.

  "We protect our crops and our people as best we can father. We can batten down the shutters, store up the crops in the barn, and warn our people of impending bad weather." Joe defended.

  "Should we also stop working on a day to day basis?"

  Joe whirled around and looked at his father; he had to calm his temper, for his father had a way of irritating him that he had tried to hide for a long time.

  "I'm not suggesting we stop working merely that we prepare ourselves. It's been unusually hot this fall and we've hardly had any bad weather at all. We are due father, in case you haven't noticed."

  "What would you suggest?"

  "As soon as the pumpkins have been divided among the people, we should store as much as we can in the barn and secure it. And it wouldn't hurt to let everyone go home to make their homes safe for the weather either." Joe suggested.

  "They live in shacks, not homes. There is nothing to secure."

  "Father there is a philosophy that the better you treat your people, the harder they will work for you."

  "Very well. This one time, I will indulge you on this. Se
e that it is taken care of. But I'm sure by tomorrow I can prove to you that we've lost a half day's work by doing so." George bellowed with a hearty laugh.

  "Thank you father, I'll see to it now. And I'd rather be safe than sorry, father."

  George watched Joe practically run out of the house and watched through the window as he stopped to give instructions to some of the field hands. They nodded and half of them went into the fields with wagons to gather part of the crops up.

  Melanie came downstairs and saw George standing at the window. She came up to his side, kissed him gently on the cheek and asked. "You look perplexed."

  "A little I suppose. But you are a ray of sunshine." He turned to look at her and admire the beautiful pink dress she wore.

  Melanie smiled. "Wish I felt like a ray of sunshine." Melanie muttered under her breath.

  "Feeling a little puny today, my dear?"

  "A little. I don't know why, but the smell of that bacon from the kitchen nauseates me. Perhaps it's gone bad." Melanie wrinkled her nose.

  "I ate some of that bacon, it was delicious. Perhaps you should see a doctor."

  "I'll be fine. I'll ask Ole Jen for some soda water to settle my stomach." Melanie smiled. "Where's Joe this morning?"

  "He's batten down the shutters so to speak. He thinks a storm is coming." George chuckled.

  Melanie stared out the window, "The clouds are dark this morning."

  "Simply means a little rain, that's all. Joe is getting more like his brother day by day." George commented.

  "You've noticed it too?" Melanie glanced at her father-in-law, her brows knitting. "The war has changed his attitude about a lot of things, I suppose. But frankly I like the changes."

  George turned his attention on Melanie, "I suppose twins become more like each other as they age, is all. But I'd rather Sam be more like Joe, than the other way around."