Too Far to Whisper

by Arianna Eastland

  Shadow attempted to pull Rosalind’s arms from his neck, but she hung on to him with a strength he never imagined she possessed.

  She turned defiant, tear-filled eyes toward Nathaniel. “If your intent is to kill Shadow, then I beg you, kill me also…for without him, I do not wish to live!”

  A chorus of shocked gasps echoed from the doorway as Nathaniel’s mouth fell open in disbelief. “You are distraught! You know not of what you speak! Return to your chamber, at once!”

  Rosalind released her grip on Shadow and took several steps toward Nathaniel. “I know exactly what I am saying! Shadow is guilty of naught! He did not kill Jonathan…I did!” Her statement incited a second round of gasps and murmurs.

  “Rosalind, do not do this,” Shadow warned. “There is no need. Please, say no more.”

  “Jonathan’s death was not intentional, I assure you,” she continued, ignoring Shadow. “The man was intoxicated and attempted to force himself upon me. I had little choice other than to defend myself.” She turned to look at Elias, then added, “And Shadow did not take me hostage. I helped him to escape because I knew he was innocent. I went with him of my own free will!”

  “You are insane!” Nathaniel shouted. “For what purpose would you utter such falsehoods?”

  “I am perfectly sane!” she shot back. “The only insane thing I have done of late is allow you to blackmail me into marrying you! ‘Tis Shadow I love! He may be naught but a savage in your eyes, but I assure you, dear Captain, he is more civilized than you could ever be!” Her eyes filled with hatred. “Unlike you, he has never smashed my head with a rock nor beaten me for denying him pleasure!”

  Elias glanced at Nathaniel, whose face clearly displayed his guilt. The magistrate released a long breath and looked up at the ceiling, as if praying for strength. He then looked back at Rosalind. “You spoke of blackmail?”

  “Aye,” she said. “Nathaniel informed me of the large debt my father owed to you upon his death, and he threatened to take away all of my family’s property as payment for it…if I did not wed him.”

  Elias’s head snapped in Nathaniel’s direction. “There is no such debt!” he said. “Andrew Chandler owed me no money! Why would you invent such a story?”

  Nathaniel stared at the floor and remained silent.

  Never had Rosalind felt so much rage. No debt? Nathaniel had been lying to her all along and had put her through hell for naught? So strong was her urge to grasp the musket and use it on him, she had to clench her fists and take several deep breaths to calm herself ere she did something she feared would send her straight to the gallows.

  “How do I know you now are speaking the truth about the Indian?” Elias asked Rosalind. “In your deposition, you swore he took you at knifepoint after he murdered Jonathan. It could very well be you are speaking of his innocence now because he has threatened you in some way.”

  “I speak the truth,” Rosalind said. “I gave a false deposition because I feared Nathaniel would make good on his threats to my family if he knew I had gone with Shadow of my own free will.”

  “’Tis against the law to falsify a deposition,” Elias said, frowning at her, “and to aid a prisoner. I could bring you up on charges.”

  “Fine,” Shadow calmly interrupted. “And seeing you are suddenly so determined to uphold the law, may I suggest that you charge your own son with assault?” He narrowed his eyes at Nathaniel. “Or is attempting to rape a woman not considered a breach of the law if you are a Corwin?”

  “Why are we standing here listening to this heathen?” Nathaniel exploded, visibly distressed by the turn in which the conversation was taking. “I did not even know he could speak ere tonight! He is evil! Inhuman! Is not the fact he has risen from the grave proof enough?” He once again aimed the musket at Shadow, his fingers twitching nervously on the barrel. “Step aside, Rosalind!”

  “Do as he says, Rosalind,” Shadow ordered. “His battle is with me, not you.”

  “There would be no battle if it were not for me,” Rosalind asserted, stubbornly maintaining her stance. “If you are so eager to shoot someone, Nathaniel, then you are welcome to take aim at me. After all, I am naught but a murderer!”

  “Stop it!” Nathaniel demanded. “Why do you insist upon protecting this savage? For God’s sake, Rosalind, speak the truth!”

  “She is speaking the truth,” Abigail’s voice calmly stated from behind him. Both Elias and Nathaniel turned to stare at the woman as she slowly came forward. “Shadow is innocent of the crimes of which you have accused him,” she said.

  “Good Lord, woman!” Elias said. “What are you babbling about?”

  “When Rosalind was recovering from her injuries,” Abigail explained, avoiding Rosalind’s bewildered gaze, “I overheard a conversation she had with her brother in her chamber. She told Ben, in some detail, how Jonathan had come to die, and how the Indian had gone to great lengths to protect her…and our family…from scandal.” Hesitantly, she turned to look at Rosalind. “She also confessed to her brother that she and the Indian had fallen in love.”

  Elias’s expression was one of outraged disbelief. “Why have you never spoken of this before, Abigail?”

  “Shadow was dead...or believed to be,” she said. “What purpose would it have served to reveal the truth then? Furthermore, the truth might have hampered my efforts to see Nathaniel and Rosalind wed. I truly believed Nathaniel needed her…just as much as I needed her.” Her eyes pleaded for understanding as she looked at Rosalind. “Forgive me, child. I knew the pain you were suffering over the death of your beloved Shadow, yet I hastened the wedding plans for my own selfish reasons, caring naught about your feelings.”

  “I do not understand.” Elias looked directly at Shadow. “My men reported they had delivered your body to Adam Stoddard, to be returned to your people. For what purpose would they lie to me?”

  “Oh, indeed a body was returned,” Shadow said tersely. “But it was not mine, it was my cousin’s.” His steely gaze settled on Nathaniel. “I suppose it is not difficult to mistake one ‘savage’ for another if you look only at his back.”

  Nathaniel’s eyes flashed, but he remained silent.

  Abigail turned to her husband. “So, pray tell, what do you intend to do now?”

  Elias released a long, exasperated breath. He looked at his wife, who stared unblinkingly at him, and then at Rosalind, whose pale, bruised face was filled with such innocent hope, he had to look away. Several long moments passed before he finally spoke. “In light of all I have just heard,” he said, rubbing his chin, “I see no reason to hold the Indian.” He turned to look at Shadow. “But heed my advice and leave here posthaste…ere I change my mind.”

  Nathaniel’s head snapped in his father’s direction. “You cannot allow him to go free!” he protested. “He tried to kill me! You yourself witnessed it!” Defiantly, he lifted the musket and took aim at Shadow.

  “I shall take that,” Elias calmly stated, as if he were speaking to a small child. He clamped his hand over the barrel of the weapon and jerked it from Nathaniel. “Now do as I say, Shadow, and be on your way.”

  “Gather your things, Rosalind,” Shadow instructed her, his eyes still fastened on Nathaniel. “You are coming with me.”

  Without hesitation, Rosalind obeyed, brushing past Elias, Abigail and Nathaniel.

  “You lying whore!” Nathaniel lashed out at her back as she disappeared through the crowded doorway. “You worthless, conniving little bitch! Mark my words, you will pay for doing this to me, even if I have to rot in hell for it!”

  The flame of anger that had been steadily burning within Shadow for weeks, suddenly exploded into a roaring inferno. He lunged at Nathaniel, knocking him to the floor, then roughly grasped a handful of his hair and jerked his head up. Nathaniel caught a frightening glimpse of the murderous look in Shadow’s eyes before the Indian’s fist slammed into his face.

  “Now you know how Rosalind felt when you did the same to her tonight!” Shad
ow raged. He stood and walked out of the chamber.

  * * * * *

  Carrying a sack of her belongings, Rosalind swiftly descended the stairs. Heavy silence hung over the Corwins’ house as the guests who were gathered in the sitting room parted to allow her to make her way to the front door, where Shadow stood waiting for her. When she reached him, he took the sack from her, then slipped a protective arm around her waist and pulled her against him.

  Rosalind turned to face the Corwins’ guests – her wedding guests. “Please believe that I am truly sorry for all that occurred here this eve,” she said.

  Her apology was met with closed expressions and continued silence.

  Heaving a sigh, Rosalind grasped Shadow’s arm and turned to leave.

  “Godspeed, child,” Abigail’s voice broke the silence. She walked toward Rosalind and embraced her. “I shall never forget you or all you have done for me. Be happy, Rosalind. That is all I wish.”

  Tears sprang to Rosalind’s eyes as she returned the embrace. “Farewell, Abigail. I shall never forget you, either.”

  Hand in hand, Shadow and Rosalind silently walked down the path that led away from the Corwins’ property. When they reached the edge of the woods, Rosalind turned to look back at the house. The sun was just beginning to rise from behind it and the faint buzz of voices could be heard from inside. She knew that tongues would be wagging about this night’s shocking turn of events for weeks to come.

  Taking a deep breath, she tore her gaze from the house. From this moment on, she thought, her life as she had known it, no longer would exist. She was about to enter an entirely new world – Shadow’s world – where nothing would be familiar to her – where she might always feel like a stranger.

  First, however, Rosalind decided, it was imperative that she and Shadow visit her mother and explain everything that had occurred – most especially that her wedding to Nathaniel was not going to take place – before she heard the news from someone else. Rosalind also was eager for her mother and sisters to meet the man who had won her heart.

  She felt Shadow’s hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. “Having second thoughts?” he softly inquired.

  Rosalind’s eyes swept over his dark, inquiring eyes and his perfectly formed mouth. Her heart thumped in her chest and her pulse quickened as a wave of the most intense love and desire she had ever felt coursed through her.

  She smiled up at him. “None whatsoever.”

  # # #

  COMING SOON!

  Part 2 of the Corwin-Chandler trilogy

  Too Near to my Heart