Virgil’s eyes flashed anger. “Listen fellow, I was here first. Go find your own gal.” He doubled up his fists and shoved Hugh.
Hugh wobbled and he steadied his feet before raising his dukes. “You wouldn’t want to make a scene in front of her, would you?” he said through clenched teeth.
“We’ll settle this matter outside then.”
“Do you really want to do that?” Hugh’s eyes glared, his tall body leaning over the whippersnapper of a man.
The man shook. “You haven’t heard the end of this.” He took a step backwards then stomped toward the bystanders seated near the room’s entrance.
Hugh returned his gaze to Winifred. “Sorry I didn’t get here earlier, but we didn’t finish our harvest until late. Forgive me?”
She nodded and studied his brawny frame and bulging muscles. Her heart raced as she remembered his kisses by the lake and his marriage proposal.
He examined her countenance then moved to her dress and smiled. “You look lovely tonight, my betrothed.”
Winifred’s face grew warm. “I wondered if this neckline was too low. It’s not indecent is it?”
He chuckled. “You’re always the worrier. It’s fine, especially since the prettiest girl in the room is wearing it.” The fiddler plunked out a new song. Hugh took her hand and they bounced around the circle.
Goosebumps formed on her arms. Oh, she could live in his grasp forever and ever.
Hugh lifted his arm and led her into twirls after twirls. Her skirt swished around her ankles. He laughed and whispered, “You’ll always be my beauty. I love you.”
Ecstasy filled her being. Never had she enjoyed a dance this much.
The music stopped. The Master of Ceremonies spoke into the horn. “We’re going to take a twenty minute break so everyone can wet their whistles. And give Abe’s fingers time to rest.”
Everyone clapped. “You’re the best, Abe!” shouted a middle-aged gentleman dressed in a pinstriped suit.
“You got that right,” yelled another.
“Yup, but I still want to know if you got you a gal, yet.” Hisses and boos permeated the barn.
Winifred and Hugh stood there a moment before he guided her to the punch table. He got them each a glass. She fanned herself with her right hand. “You hot?” he asked.
“Yes, it’s stifling in here, especially after doing all the swings, swirls, and dos-a-dos.” She giggled.
“Let’s get out of here, then.” Hugh led her outside. He scanned the area and guided her to a secluded place underneath a large oak tree. He pressed his spine against the bark.
She stood beside him, nesting her body as close to him as proper standards would allow.
He presented Winifred her silver cup.
Winifred rubbed the cup’s rim before taking a sip of the apple-cider punch. The moon’s rays glimmered around them. An owl hooted. Turning her gaze to him, she flickered her eyelashes at him. She couldn’t believe she did such a thing. Her heart escalated.
Hugh smiled, glanced around him, leaned over her, and fondled her hair strands.
His hot breath took her breath away. Her knees weakened. She steadied herself and looked up at him. They stood there in tranquility a second when the snapping of a twig broke the moment. Heavy footsteps rushed toward them. She stared at the approaching figure and gulped. No, this man could not do this. He just couldn’t.
Chapter Fifteen
“This man told me you were out here,” Archie said. He pointed to Winifred’s pungent former partner earlier on the dance floor. The man stood next to Hugh’s boss.
“Yup, I’ve been watching your movements since you cut in on me,” Virgil said with a sneer.
I’m not letting you get the better of me. Hugh straightened himself upward and glanced over at Winifred’s white face.
“What are you doing out here with her? Where’s Maybell?” Archie barked.
Hugh cleared his throat. “I don’t know where Maybell is. We all rode together, of course, but I haven’t seen her since we arrived.”
“Well, she’d better not be with Jack,” Archie snapped.
“I really have no idea.”
Archie’s cheeks puffed out. “But you should’ve been with her. After all, you’re promised to my daughter.”
Winifred shrieked. She inched away from Hugh.
Hugh reached for her trembling-cold hand. “You don’t understand. I’ll explain everything later.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want to see you again. You asked me to marry you and yet you’re already …” She paused. “You’re already taken,” she continued, her voice breaking. She pulled her hand from Hugh’s, lifted her skirt above her ankles, then bolted toward the barn.
“Archie, I’ve been trying to tell you I don’t love Maybell. You can’t force people to fall in love.” He directed his attention from Archie to Winifred. “I can’t lose her.” He ran after her, his heart splitting in two with despair. She’s got to understand. I love her, not Maybell. He stepped inside the barn. The fiddler once more plied the strings. The hammering of feet pounded the floor. He scanned the dancers. Not seeing her, he scooted left then right. He scoured the room for Alex or Opal. She could not leave without them. Fear engulfed him, his pulse racing. He dashed to the bystanders and stood beside them and looked around. Where is she? He hurried out the doors to hunt for her then rushed to the parked rigs. She wouldn’t leave without finishing the dance, would she?
A horse neighed. He caught sight of Alex. Hugh sprinted toward the advancing cart. “Winifred! Winifred! Please let me explain.” The steeds galloped. Hugh studied the disappearing carriage. His heart had not ached like this since his ma’s death.
Although the music and roar of voices filtered outside, he tuned out the noise to stare at the blackness around him for a long time. A coyote howled in the distance, breaking him from his trance. He turned around and lumbered toward the festivities. However, they meant little to him now. Somehow, he had to see her again and explain everything. How he would do that he did not know, but he must.
***
Winifred sobbed and sobbed. Her lace handkerchief became so damp she did not know if it was of any use to her. Betrothed to someone else. How dare he? What kind of man was he? And to think she had fallen for him and would have married him. Her stomach tightened into knots. Her dreams had shattered. Thank God Opal understood and gathered everyone together to leave. I know she’s as disappointed in Hugh as I am. No, I’m not disappointed. I’m mad and hurt. She brought the cloth to her eyes once more. She had made herself vulnerable to a man with these vile intentions: his hot kisses, his warm embraces, and his words of love. How could she have been that acceptable to his charms? But she knew why. Her body responded to all of these with passion.
Opal cleared her throat. “Are you all right?” she whispered.
“Oh, I’m fine.” In fact, she wasn’t fine at all. Winifred could not wait to get home, close her bedroom door, and grieve in private.
Opal patted her sister’s knees. “You get a good night’s sleep and we’ll discuss this in the morning. Everything is darker before the dawn. You will see things are not as bad as they seem at this moment.”
She nodded but did not agree. How could everything be better in the daylight? The facts did not change. Hugh was engaged to another while asking for her hand in marriage. That was the reality of the situation she faced, and that would not change no matter whether it was today, tomorrow, or a week away. Alex pulled the rig into the carriage house. The children jumped from the wagon. Her brother-in-law came over to them and assisted the sisters down.
He studied Winifred’s face. “I’m sure there’s an excellent reason for this. I’m a good judge of character, and I believe Hugh’s a man of integrity.” He stroked his chin with his thumb. “There’s more to this than we know right now.”
Winifred shrugged. “I don’t believe that. He sure knew he was already betrothed. There’s nothing that would make that any different.” She headed towa
rd the wooden-planked house. If they think they can talk me out of my assumptions, they’d have to think again. Several steps later, she pushed open the entrance door, ran up the stairs, and went to her room. Lying down on her bed’s fluffy coverlet, she curled up on her side. Morning could not come soon enough.
***
Hugh went back to the dance. His heart sank at the festive environment, in which he no longer played a part. He searched for Archie, but he did not see him. Right now, he did not want to run into him. He would rather face him in the morning where, hopefully, they could work out their differences. Focused solely on Winifred, he had not noticed Maybell and his brother’s whereabouts since they arrived. Now, not able to stand another minute in this place, he wished to leave. He scanned the area for them. Where are those two? He exited the wide-planked building to find them. Stepping around the premises, he did not see them. That’s strange. He reentered the barn to search again for them before he stood in front of the fiddler. Abe laid down his instrument on a wooden bench.
The Master of Ceremonies addressed the crowd. “This concludes the harvest dance until next year.” He turned to the fiddler. “Let’s thank Abe Brown for picking out those lightning-speed tunes with ease.”
“Wahoo,” shouted many in the gathering followed by rounds of applause.
“Get you a lady next time,” yelled the same balding man who spoke before the dance.
People exited. Children cried at having to leave.
Abe laughed. “We’ll see, Jim. We’ll see.” He placed his fiddle and bow inside his case and looked up at Hugh. “Where’s that gal you danced with earlier?” he asked.
Hugh’s jaw clenched. “I don’t know.”
“That’s a shame.” He clicked the wooden case’s locks and grabbed it before rising to his feet. “Well, that’s one you wouldn’t want to lose.”
“Yes, and I’m afraid I have.”
Abe shook his head. “If I were you, I would do all in my power to win her back.”
He nodded. “I will. By the way, have you seen Maybell or Jack?”
“No, but the preacher said they got hitched.”
“They what?” Hugh asked.
“Just found out.”
“Alright.” He shook his head. This was not like his brother. He used to tell where and what he was doing, but lately he had become … what was the word … more self-reliant. “Does Archie know?”
“Preacher’s talking to him now.” He pointed to Archie and the preacher, who were on the other side of the room.
With a heavy sigh, Hugh left for home.
Chapter Sixteen
Winifred slammed the lid down on her trunk. She wiped her tears with a fresh handkerchief. Her heart ached. How did she let herself be deceived by Hugh? Shaking her head, she knew how he lured her into his trap. It came with sweet words, such as you are pretty; his warm embraces and those sizzling kisses, which sparked desires in her which she never before had experienced.
She picked up that blue hat he bought her. She would like to crush it, but practicality did not allow her to do that. After all, it cost too much to destroy something that beautiful. Leaving here was the most difficult decision she’d ever made, but staying here with Hugh pledged to someone else would be even more unbearable. Opal had agreed to send Pa a telegram to have him meet Winifred at the train. A series of raps on the door broke her thoughts.
“Come in.” Alex and Teddy marched into the room. Her brother-in-law faced her.
“I don’t like doing this,” Alex said, pointing to her trunk. “I remember last year when your sister did the same thing. Thank God, the good Lord intervened and Opal stayed.” His eyes pleaded with his sister-in-law. “Winifred, can we talk you out of this? I’m sure this is some sort of misunderstanding.”
Puzzled, Teddy peered up at his aunt. “Please don’t go. Whatever we did wrong, we’ll try to do better.”
Winifred went to him and patted the top of his head. “Oh Theodore, I’m not returning home because of you. There are other reasons, reasons involving a woman’s heart.”
Teddy’s countenance brightened. “I’m glad we didn’t do anything wrong.”
A giggle escaped her lips.
“Are you sure?” Alex asked.
“There’s no other way.”
She clutched her hands together to keep them from trembling. It took all her strength not to give in to their pleas, but she could not. Her mind was made up. She would return to her life in Charles City and protect her father’s honor by marrying Hamilton Flavell. Her shoulders quivered at the thought of Hamilton. However, she must fulfill her father’s courtship promise. Alex and Teddy grasped the box’s ropes then lifted it to carry it out the door.
Winifred scanned the room and shook her head. When she first arrived, she would have described this room as primitive, but now she found beauty in its simplicity. In fact, she would love to have a room of her own like it. Taking a deep breath, she stepped to the hallway before going down the stairs.
Opal met her in the foyer. “Oh, please don’t go. I beg you to reconsider. I’m sure what happened last night was not as it appeared.”
Winifred bit her lip. “I must go. It’s the right thing to do.”
Opal clasped her sister’s hand. “It’s not the right thing to do. It only seems like it at the moment.”
Abigail rushed into the room. “Aunt Winifred, please don’t leave us. I’ll – I’ll miss you. We’ll all miss you.” Her round face contorted into a frown. “Please.”
The little girl’s words broke Winifred’s heart.
Opal released her hand from her sister’s. “If you leave, it’ll be a long time before you or Pa will have the money for you to return.”
Winifred gulped before uttering the words she hated to say. “But Hamilton has wealth. I believe he would allow me to visit.”
Opal studied her sister. “I’m not sure if he’ll let you come. Don’t you know how he treated his ma before she passed away?”
“No, I don’t,” Winifred said, racking her memory to recall what her sister was talking about. Her brow furrowed.
“All the family gathered around their ma’s deathbed, except for him.”
Her sister’s words jogged her memory. “Perhaps something delayed him,” Winifred said as Alex opened the door.
Opal hugged her sister then released her. Turning her gaze from Winifred to her husband, she said, “She’s determined to go. See if you can talk her out of it.” Pulling out her handkerchief, she dabbed her eyes. “You keep in touch.”
Winifred nodded.
Alex cleared his throat. “We’ll find the funds if you decide you made a mistake.”
Tears bubbled once again to the surface. Winifred shifted her attention to Opal.
“You ready then?” Alex asked.
“Yes,” she mumbled. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. The grandfather clocked chimed nine. Alex took her arm and led her out the door toward the carriage house. They passed her sister’s flower garden. She inhaled the moist air, which blew around them. Her heart sank, wondering if she would, indeed, ever be back.
Her brother-in-law assisted her onto the wagon. The horses neighed. Alex snapped the reins. The steeds moved forward.
Winifred glanced at her sister’s rustic home with the geese honking and strutting around it. She gripped her hands tight on the buckboard’s plank to give her resolve. Anger raged inside her. How could Hugh have bamboozled her this way? She never wanted to see him again. Never. A man who played with her affections did not deserve a second chance.
***
Bending over Vivian Louise, Opal inserted the last straight pin. Diaper on, she reached for her flower-etched perfume bottle. She pulled off the container’s yellow glass stopper and dabbed a couple of the rosemary-scented drops on the baby’s chest before sprinkling some behind her own ears. The infant squirmed.
“Now, you stay still,” she whispered. She grasped the child’s white cotton gown and put it on the baby before slipp
ing on the infant’s socks. Vivian Louise stared at her and smiled. “Oh sweetie, you blessed this day with your smile.” Pressing the child to her breast, she stroked the baby’s back. Footsteps approached. Alex entered the room. “How did it go?”
“It went fine. I think Winifred is making a huge mistake.”
“Me too, but we did our best. There’s more to this story about Hugh’s betrothal to Maybell. I feel it in my bones.”
“I know. That’s why I didn’t want her to make this decision in haste.” She sniffed. “Oh Alex, what are we going to do?”
“The only thing we can. We’re going to pray.”
“You’re right, that’s all we can do at this point.” The soft body cuddled in Opal’s arms. “Winifred deserves a baby like this, and a man who loves her, not that Hamilton Flavell. He’s no good, Alex.”
“I believe you.”
Alex wrapped his arms around the two of them and gave them a gentle hug. “You’re the best thing that happened to me.” He kissed Opal’s forehead then released them.
“And you’re the same for me. Winifred deserves the best. Dear Lord, do you hear me?”
“He does, sweetheart.”
“I know.”
***
Pushing the covers off of him, Hugh glanced at his brother’s empty bed. He grabbed his clothes and as quick as possible he put them on. Confident that Archie would be awake, Hugh hastened toward the house. Maybe they could finally settle everything. The sun warmed his neck as he approached. His eyes grew wide at the woman standing outside on the porch stoop.
He raced to her. “Maybell, where did you spend the night?”
Her cheeks a rosy pink, she grinned at him. “At a hotel with your brother. We got married.”
“I heard. Congratulations.”
“You’re not disappointed?”
“No, I’m happy for you. I knew you loved each other. I saw it in your eyes and the way you acted around each other.”
A Groom's Promise Page 29
