Bluebonnet Belle

by Lori Copeland

  Chapter Sixteen

  The hands on the clock slowly moved to five. Datha was still unconscious. It would be dawn soon, and April knew she had to let Flora Lee know what had happened. When she woke and found her granddaughter gone, she would be beside herself with worry.

  Gray lay back in his chair, dozing, his feet propped on the desk.

  Getting up, April stretched, then moved to the window to look out on the deserted streets. In another hour people would be going about their business, unaware of the drama taking place inside the building with Dr. Gray Fuller painted on the window. Many, like her, took his skills for granted. After tonight she would never take anything about him for granted.

  She thought he was sleeping until he spoke quietly from the corner, where his head rested heavily against the wall.

  “Let me ask you something. What did you see in Henry?”

  April kept her gaze trained on the deserted square. “Does it matter?”

  “A little. As a man, I can’t see the attraction.”

  “You know, I don’t care about Henry anymore. I just want it over and Henry out of my life.” Drawing a ragged breath, she let the curtain drop back into place. “Do you have any coffee?”

  He motioned toward a battered-looking white metal cabinet. “In there.”

  He got the water, and she slid a pot of coffee onto the wood stove.

  “Beulah says it’s like Henry’s too big for his britches. More dream than talent to achieve it.”

  “Henry wouldn’t like hearing that. He fancies himself an entrepreneur.”

  “I know, but it’s true. When we were in school, he always had all these grand ideas about life. Which is fine, but they weren’t doable. Working with the Pinkhams gave him the opportunity to think big. And, it seems, it gave him the opportunity to play me for a fool with Grace. To think he could see two women at the same time, even if they lived in different towns, is a little absurd, don’t you think?”

  “Personally, I think he’s the fool.”

  “And he got away with it for a while, didn’t he?” She returned to the window, angry now. “He isn’t what I thought he was. I believed he loved me, wanted a life with me. Marriage, children, a home.”

  “Maybe he does. Men can do some foolish things sometimes.”

  The tone in his voice puzzled her. He sounded as if he was talking about himself now.

  “I was hurt at first, but I soon realized only my pride was wounded. Had I married him, he would have wanted to move, and I couldn’t live in Dallas, or Austin or San Antonio. I like Dignity. It’s my home.”

  Silence fell between them. After a while, April cleared her throat. “He betrayed me for a woman who works in a brothel, for goodness’ sake!”

  When he didn’t say anything, she realized she was being much too forward.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be telling you these things. I’m just…angry. At Henry. Rotten Henry.”

  They were both quiet for several minutes.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be there Saturday morning.”

  Gratitude flooded her. She was terrified of what might happen Saturday, but if he was there beside her…well. Having him beside her meant a lot.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He rose and poured them each a cup of the brewed coffee. His gaze met hers over the rim of his cup. “You want me there?”

  “It gives me a great deal of comfort to know you’ll be there, yes.”

  As the sun came up, Datha’s color improved slightly. Gray bent over her, listening to her heart, gently lifting one eyelid to check that she was not too deeply under with the laudanum.

  “How is she?”

  “I can’t say for certain that she’s past the crisis, but there is some improvement. You can go get Flora Lee now.”

  “Thank you…I didn’t want to bring her here to watch her granddaughter die.”

  Gray smiled, absently rubbing the back of his neck. “You know, Miss Truitt, in spite of your prickly nature, you’ve got a soft heart.”

  She grinned. “You’re not so tough yourself, Doctor.”

  April hurried to the mortuary, wondering how she was going to tell Flora Lee what had happened to her granddaughter, and why, and that Datha wasn’t out of the woods yet.

  The quarters behind the mortuary were quiet, but when she knocked gently at Flora Lee’s door, the response was immediate.

  “Come in.”

  April gently pushed open the door. Flora Lee sat on the edge of her bed, dressed and obviously surprised to see her instead of Datha.

  “Miss April? It’s scarcely dawn. What you doin’ up at this hour?”

  “I’ve got some disturbing news, Flora Lee.”

  She crossed to the bed and knelt down beside the aged black woman who had practically raised her, taking a wrinkled dry hand in her own.

  Flora Lee looked scared. “Bad news?”

  “Datha—”

  “Datha? What that girl up to! She run off with that no-account Jacel?”

  “No, she hasn’t. I’m afraid she’s ill. Very ill.”

  “Sick? What’s wrong with her? She was fine last night.”

  “She…I think she went to see old Mrs. Waterman—”

  The woman frowned, then her eyes widened with comprehension. “That girl went to get rid of a baby? Is that what you’re tellin’ me?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “And something went wrong,” Flora Lee guessed.

  “Yes.”

  Flora Lee drew a deep breath of resignation, her face seeming to age before April’s eyes.

  “Is she gone?”

  “Gone?” Now it was April’s turn to be slow to comprehend. “No, she’s alive. But she’s gravely ill. She’s at Dr. Fuller’s. He’s been with her all night.”

  “God bless that man.” Flora Lee closed her eyes a moment in prayer. “I know you don’t think much of doctors—”

  “I’ve changed my mind, Flora Lee. I know I blamed all doctors for Mother’s death, and I know now how wrong that was. Gray worked all night to save Datha. No one could have done more for her. It’s because of him that she’s still alive.”

  “I want to go to her.”

  “I’ll tell Grandpa what’s happened, then come back for you.”

  “Go, go. I’ll get my cane and start ahead. It takes me a while.”

  “I’ll hurry.”

  April told Riley what had happened. Still in bed, he shook his head in disbelief.

  “Don’t know what these young girls think they’re doing. God’s a loving God, but he sets rules and there’s always a consequence to broken rules. If folks would believe that it’d make life so much simpler. You don’t worry about me. Take Flora Lee to see about Datha. Do you need some help?”

  “No, it’s not very far. If we walk, she can get herself under control. Right now she’s very shaken.”

  “I can imagine. I’ll come down soon as I get dressed and see if I can help. If I come now, she might think my professional services are needed.”

  April managed to smile. “I love you.” She kissed his round cheek fondly. “I love you a lot, Grandpa.”

  “And I love you, missy.”

  April walked Flora Lee slowly down the street, holding the woman’s thin arm, talking to her all the while. She told her about how she’d found Datha, how she’d run to get Gray.

  The old woman hobbled along stubbornly, leaning on her gnarled cane, listening and nodding. When they arrived at the doctor’s office, Flora Lee hesitated at the door as if gathering her courage before going in.

  Gray met them in the doorway of the examining room.

  “Good morning, Flora Lee.”

  “Doctor.” Flora Lee nodded. “I understand I have you to thank for savin’ my girl. I appreciate that.”

  “She’s doing better,” he said, glancing over the woman’s head at April. “But she has a way to go, Flora Lee.”

  She’s all right, April mouthed to him, knowing he was concerned abo
ut Flora Lee’s fragile state.

  April guided the older woman toward the wooden table. “Here’s a chair so you can sit beside her. She’s still unconscious, but touch her, talk to her. I’m convinced that she can hear you. It will comfort her to know you’re here.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Flora Lee said staunchly. “I don’t agree with what she’s done. And it’s that no-good Jacel Evans’s fault she got herself with child and tried to get rid of it. It’s his fault my girl nearly died.”

  “Please, just tell her you’re here. Comfort her as best you can, even if you don’t agree with the choices she’s made. Deal with those after we have her well. Can you do that?”

  “I won’t lie, but I won’t tell her what I think—not yet, leastwise. Let me sit here and look at her.”

  “You sit with her and I’ll be right outside with Gray—Dr. Fuller.”

  Flora Lee fastened her eyes on her granddaughter’s face and sank heavily into the chair. Gray nodded to April, indicating he wanted to see her in the waiting room.

  “Who is Jacel?”

  “Jacel Evans. He works for the Jordans. He’s a fine young man, Gray. My grandfather plans to help him go to law school.”

  “You’d better get him over here and find out what he knows about this.”

  “I doubt he knows what she’s done. Datha said she didn’t want him to know about the baby because it would ruin his plans for law school.”

  Gray looked thoughtful. “So she did it for love.”

  April nodded.

  “Still, you’d better go get him.”

  “Flora Lee won’t like it.”

  “He deserves to know the woman he loves is in trouble.”

  She thought about that for a moment. “Yes, of course he does. I didn’t think of it that way.” She held Gray’s gaze for a long moment. “I’ll go get him.”

  April found Jacel at work, unloading logs from a wagon at the sawmill.

  “Miss April! You’re up early this morning. How can I help you?”

  She hurried to his side. “Jacel, now, I don’t want you to react without listening first. I have some disturbing news….”

  Jacel frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Datha. She’s done something very foolish—”

  “Datha…where is she?”

  “Jacel, did you encourage her to go to Mrs. Waterman?”

  “Waterman? No—where is she?” he demanded.

  “She had an abortion…. Something went wrong. I found her in the pantry, bleeding to death.”

  “No, oh, no.” Jacel brought both hands up to cover his face, turning in a circle. “Datha! Oh…no.”

  “Did you encourage her to do this?” It seemed so unlikely, but surely Datha wouldn’t do this on her own. She was bright, smart! She would never risk her life this way.

  “No! Miss April, I didn’t know for certain she was in the family way! I told her not to worry. I—I have to go to college, to be a lawyer, to support the family, but I told her I would stand by her—she’s not going to die, is she?”

  “She’s alive, Jacel, but only because of God…and Gray. She’s unconscious, but, for the moment, she’s still with us.”

  “Thank You, God! Does Flora Lee know?”

  “Flora Lee is with Datha.”

  Burying his face in his hands again, he started to sob. “She won’t want me there.”

  “I hope the two of you can put animosity aside, because of Datha.”

  Stiffening, Jacel wiped tears from the corners of his eyes. “I won’t stay away because of Flora Lee. Datha needs me—I’m going to her, Miss April.”

  “I’m asking that you won’t let tempers get in the way of your concern for her.”

  “Take me to my Datha.”

  Jacel followed April into the doctor’s office ten minutes later. Flora Lee glanced at him through the examining room door as he walked in, then turned away. Gray came out to the waiting room and greeted them.

  “Gray, this is Jacel Evans.”

  The two men shook hands.

  “How is my Datha?”

  “Still unconscious, but I have hope that she’ll recover.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Jacel said softly, his gratitude evident as he once again shook Gray’s hand. “May I see her?”

  “Yes.”

  Jacel followed Gray to where Datha lay, her grandmother seated beside her. April came, too, bracing for the explosion.

  Upon seeing Datha so still, so pale, Jacel dropped to his knees beside the table, bursting into tears. When he’d regained his composure, he stood up and, careful not to disturb her, clasped her hand tenderly.

  The scene brought tears to April’s eyes, and she welcomed Gray’s embrace when he drew her close to his side.

  “Ain’t you done enough harm to my girl?” Flora Lee asked quietly.

  Jacel didn’t move for a moment, then he slowly turned.

  “I didn’t know she was thinking of doing this, Flora Lee. I hope you believe me.”

  “Didn’t know you was puttin’ my girl in danger? Didn’t know she was in th’ family way? Didn’t know she’d go to that old woman who’d nearly kill her? You a smart boy. Why didn’t you know?”

  Jacel gazed at her, pain evident in his anguished face. “I love this woman. I wouldn’t put her in harm’s way. I know you don’t like me, but that doesn’t change how I feel about her. I love her, Flora Lee. We both love her. Can’t we set our differences aside for the time being?”

  The old woman studied the young man’s face for several minutes. “Sin has its price. You should know that.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I do. And it’s too high.” Tears rolled down his cheeks. “I’ll be remembering that from now on.”

  Flora Lee was silent, then murmured, “Don’t mean I changed my mind. I still think you’re uppity.”

  Regaining his spunk, Jacel countered, “That’s fine with me, ’cause I think you’re uppity. But for Datha’s sake, let’s keep it to ourselves.”

  Eyeing him sourly, she shrank back as he moved to the head of the table, cradling Datha’s face in his hands.

  “She’s my girl,” she reminded him.

  “She’s my woman.”

  “Humph.” Flora Lee glanced away.

  “It’s all right, baby, Jacel’s here. Nothing’s going to hurt my Datha. You’ll see, it’ll all be just fine.” Softly crooning a lullaby, he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, tears running down his cheeks. “No, sir, Jacel’s not going to let anything happen to you, Datha girl. You just rest and get well now, baby. I love you.”

  Looking up, he locked eyes with Flora Lee.

  She stared back, then turned away.

  April shrugged. It was a start.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Hours before dawn on Saturday morning, Gray arrived at the mortuary. Parking his buggy in the shadows, he trimmed the wick on the lantern, then walked briskly to the back of the house, where April was waiting for him.

  Shivering in the predawn chill, she whispered, “Well, I guess this is it.”

  “I’d hoped that sometime during the night you’d come to your senses.”

  “No. I’m going through with it. How’s Datha?”

  “Some improvement. Jacel will come for me if there’s any change.” Glancing up at Riley’s second-story bedroom window, he said softly, “Does he suspect anything?”

  “No, he thinks I’m going to be with Beulah all day.”

  “Then we’d better go. We’ll barely make it as it is.”

  They walked to the side of the house, and he lifted her into the buggy. He was about to climb aboard when he stopped, gazing at her in the dim lantern light, his expression grave. “I don’t want you to do this.”

  Looking straight ahead, she repeated what she’d rehearsed in her head during the short night. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m feeling a little incompetent right now. I need your support instead of condemnation.”

  “That’s hard to give at this momen
t.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve left Grandpa a note on my armoire to be opened in case of my death. In it, I explained that you were adamantly against this. He’ll find the note only if I don’t return. He never goes in my room.”

  Gray’s eyes blazed with a sudden anger. “You think my only concern is Riley?”

  “No…but I know he’s your friend—”

  “I don’t want you to do this, April.” Cupping her face in his hand, he made her look at him. “You, April. My concerns are for you, not Riley.”

  Not for the first time, she envied Francesca, envied her from the very depths of her soul.

  Drawing a warm woolen shawl around her shoulders, she said, “I’m ready if you are.”

  After climbing into the buggy, Gray slapped the reins across the horse’s rump. He was silent now. She could see by the tight set of his jaw that he would like to turn her over his knee and paddle her like an unruly child. But she wasn’t a child. She was a young woman with a mission, albeit an unpleasant one. How had her life come to this? This gray, damp morning could prove to be her last. What if the ruse failed? What if Grace’s second was wise to ammunition and spotted the trick immediately? The blanks would be replaced with live ammunition and April would be…She couldn’t bear to think of Grandpa laying her out in her casket…weeping. Beulah would be so mad she’d never speak to her again—but then, April wouldn’t be able to speak. She would be with God….

  Oh, dear Father, please don’t turn me away.

  Flora Lee’s words crowded her mind: Sin is never without consequence. Datha lay fighting for her life because of the wrong choice. Would April be next?

  Her hands shook as she straightened the lace on the collar of her pale blue dress. She’d purposely not worn jewelry, but she suddenly wished she had the locket her mother had left her.

  The horse’s hooves clopped loudly along the deserted streets. Two hours, and she would be…What would she be?

  Would she be coming back today? Would she ever see Grandpa again? He was unaware that she’d slipped in early this morning and kissed him goodbye.

  “Don’t think,” Gray said quietly, as if he’d read her thoughts. “Remember what we’ve practiced. If you think, you’ll waver.”