Promise Me Forever

by Janelle Taylor

  Dan grasped the bitterness within her, but kept silent.

  “It wasn’t like that, but Mama can’t face the truth. I’ve only seen her once since I left home, and that was by accident. She acts as if she truly believes I’ve brought a terrible scandal on the family name. One day she’ll be unable to ignore the truth, and I feel sorry for her when that happens. The reason I left home was because Earl was mean and evil; he wouldn’t keep his pawing hands off me. If I were going to murder any man, it would be him!” She halted to calm her anger.

  “The older I became and the more I blossomed into a woman, the worse it got with Earl. Oh, he tried to hide his groping behind games, teasings, and affection, but I wasn’t fooled. When I was brave and angry enough to scold him, he played innocent and told me I was the one with a wicked mind. After one incident, he even warned me no Union judge or marshal would listen to the wild rantings of a vindictive southern belle against her devoted and respected Yankee stepfather. He must have thought I was scared of him and that threat, because he became even bolder.

  “William Barlow was a friend of the family and our cotton factor, too. He was a true southern gentleman, kind, and generous. When I was eighteen, he caught Earl trying to ravish me in one of the cotton storage sheds when he came to do business. William was furious; he already detested Earl Starger, so his hatred increased.”

  Rachel shuddered as she recalled that offensive day. “William had always been like an uncle to me and the others. When he witnessed Earl’s lechery and my peril, he asked me to marry him to get me away from the dangerous situation. He didn’t want me as his wife; he couldn’t be a husband to any woman because of a physical problem. He said I could divorce him when I found someone I loved and wanted to marry. In November of ‘72, I became his wife, but it was really more like his daughter. Then, the next month, his only son had an accident. We lived in a large, three-story home in town. His bedroom was on the top floor with a balcony, and he fell from it. I heard a scream and found him. I summoned help, but it was too late; his neck was broken. The doctor said he was sick and possibly feverish and dizzy. He must have gone onto the balcony to cool off and fell over the railing.”

  “Was anyone else present in the house?” Dan had to ask.

  “Not that I know of; William was at work and Lula Mae was shopping, so I was alone with him. When William died two months later, on my birthday, the authorities thought it was strange for a healthy and rich man to die suddenly after three months of marriage and leave his young wife wealthy. The doctor said it could have been a heart attack, but the law wasn’t totally convinced. We didn’t share a bedroom, so I didn’t find him until the next morning after he’d died during the night.” She related how Lula Mae was with her ailing sister from February to April, so she had been alone with her husband.

  Rachel gazed into space as she envisioned that awful scene. “He had a look of terrible pain frozen on his face, but the doctor told the chief that he didn’t detect any almond odor on William’s mouth which would expose a poisoning. They were suspicious of me, but couldn’t find any evidence to charge me with two murders. It didn’t take long before those nasty rumors started about me being a Black Widow. Most people wouldn’t have anything to do with me. I didn’t know the cotton factoring business and I was tormented by vicious gossip. Lula Mae was still at her sister’s taking care of the house and family until the woman got well. I hadn’t seen her since she’d visited the day William died. That selfish woman was so determined to keep Lula Mae around as long as she needed her help that she destroyed all my letters to Lula Mae so she never realized my plight. Without my only friend for comfort and advice, I was completely alone. When the Panic and Depression of ‘73 struck, I was afraid I’d lose everything William had worked so hard to earn. Earl was hounding me to come home, but I knew couldn’t ever return.”

  Rachel shifted her position. As she did so, she noticed Lula Mae observing them from a window. She knew the housekeeper was worried about her and was no doubt wondering what was taking place. She would explain to the woman later. “Craig Newman was a business acquaintance of William’s. He was in textiles and milling. I’d met him plenty of times. He was twenty-four, polite, charming, and almost handsome. I was so vulnerable and frightened that I foolishly allowed Craig to convince me to marry him two months later. It didn’t take long to realize he had married me for my money. Isn’t that a twist, but who would believe it?”

  Dan sealed his gaze to her eyes, and found them honey-colored. If he had gleaned that clue correctly, she was being honest so far.

  “The trouble was, Governor Smith announced that many of the state bonds were fraudulent. He canceled almost eight million dollars in bad ones. People protested, but it didn’t do any good. That’s where William had many of his investments, so half of my inheritance from him was lost, and that made Craig mad. When he died from a fall down the stairs, his will left everything, including William’s money, to his brother; and that was legal. We’d only been married four months, but I had discovered what a cunning and evil man he was; I had no respect or affection left for him at his death. Of course the law was delightfully intrigued and started another investigation of me. I was in the backyard working in the garden and came in to find him dead at the bottom of the steps, his neck broken, like William’s son. They finally had to rule it an accident, because I had no motive and he was drunk. I didn’t tell them I didn’t know I had been excluded from the will.”

  “You were alone with him?” Dan had to ask again.

  “For most of that time, yes. Lula Mae came back to work for me in May, but Craig fired her in July, out of meanness. I did all the chores at home. The law thought it was strange that no servants were employed and present, as if I’d planned his murder and didn’t want any witnesses. They didn’t seem to believe it was Craig’s doing to be hateful. Lula Mae explained to the law that I was telling the truth, so they couldn’t charge me.”

  Rachel didn’t look at Dan as she disclosed, “Craig Newman was a bad man, but I didn’t wish death on him. Lula Mae knew how he was when he got angry or upset. She visited me the day he died, and saw what a terrible mood he was in. He began drinking first thing that morning; that’s why I was working in the garden, to stay out of his reach until he calmed down. When he was in one of those black fits, he became violent.”

  “I’m sure it didn’t help matters you hated him by then,” Dan probed.

  “No, it didn’t, and it was hard to conceal those feelings. I dared not tell the police how cruel he was and give them reason to doubt me.” Rachel felt she should reveal an important fact. “I only slept with Craig a few times as his wife; he had a mistress, and everyone knew about it except me. I never made love to him, Dan. I didn’t even like the act because it was so painful and violent those few times. I realized later that he was being that way on purpose, that it didn’t have to hurt and shame.”

  She hurried on out of modesty. “I won’t go into all the details, but things were worse than ever for me. The gossip was malicious; the jokes were cruel. Even one newspaper carried a so-called fictitious story about a Black Widow who mated and slew after she got what she wanted. Earl was harassing me again. The authorities were keeping a close eye on me.” She revealed her pregnancy, miscarriage, and her vile treatment by Craig’s brother. “When Paul found out I was carrying his brother’s child, he provided support for a while, but after I lost the baby, he was as bad as Craig had ever been. Paul accused me of getting rid of the child and accused me of stalking him as my next prey. He told lies that had people hating me even more than before.” She explained how she couldn’t find a job, and how Lula Mae had helped her. She told him how alone, frightened, humiliated, ostracized, and almost penniless she was.

  “Phillip was Craig’s shipper, so that’s how we met,” she continued. “We became friends. Phillip perceived how terrible Craig was, so he only pretended to be Craig’s friend to be near me; he told me that later. But he was out of town during my worst time aft
er Craig’s death, the investigation, and my miscarriage. When he returned and discovered what had happened to me, he was furious. He hired me to work for him, and he eventually proposed. I couldn’t marry again so soon and make another mistake. I knew the rumors would chew at me and Phillip. He was too kind to be treated as I was. By then, I was wary of most men. I was resentful of all my troubles. But Phillip was so good and persuasive that I agreed to marry him a year after Craig died. I just wanted my life to be peaceful and safe and honorable again.” She took a deep breath to soothe her raw nerves.

  “I loved and respected Phillip, but I wasn’t in love with him. In most ways he was like a brother to me. We did have a real marriage, but only a few times. He knew how I felt about sex and why, so he didn’t press the matter. He hoped in time I would come to love him and be a real wife to him. I hoped the same thing, but it never happened. When he died so suddenly, I knew what would follow; the law would investigate me again, and more feverishly than ever. I knew his death would suggest poisoning, as William’s had. If it was cholera, I needed to bury him fast and sterilize everything. If it wasn’t, I didn’t know who had murdered him. He even implied on his deathbed that I would be blamed.”

  Those words brought Dan to even greater alert and attention.

  “All those deaths are strange,” Rachel admitted, “but I’m not responsible. Every trap I got myself into, I fell into a worse one by trying to escape it in the wrong way. I never want to be incriminated again. When I get my life straightened out, I want to make a fresh start far away from here. I know William and Phillip loved me, but Craig only wanted to use me. Phillip gave me back my courage, strength, and pride; but I panicked when he left me so unexpectedly and mysteriously.”

  She looked at Dan. “Maybe I’m bad luck for men. Maybe I’m doomed to never have a mate or… I know I won’t be in a hurry to risk another man’s life to prove I’m not cursed by an evil force. That might sound crazy, but I have three reasons to convince me I really am jinxed. Earl Starger wants to spite me for humiliating him with William and for spurning his wicked advances. He wants me back home so he can punish me and fondle me again. And there’s Camellia Jones; she had her eyes on Craig first, then on Phillip; she hated me for winning both, so she fans the gossip. I wish she had won Craig; he was evil beneath that boyish charm. But they aren’t the only ones who’ve hurt me. People call me a Black Widow behind my back, and sometimes to my face, the same ones who were nice when my husbands were around.”

  When she halted, Dan asserted, “Even nice people can’t help but be curious and talkative. You must admit, it’s… unusual to lose three young and healthy husbands in such a short span, and under what appears mysterious circumstances. It’s bound to create curiosity and suspicion when such a young and beautiful woman is involved, especially one who inherited a lot of money. Considering your past troubles, Rachel, it wasn’t wise to bury Phillip in secret.”

  “I had to,” she said. “Gossip and another investigation aren’t the only reasons why I did it. Something terrible is going on; Phillip was in big trouble. Maybe he was hoping you could help him when you arrived; maybe that’s what he was mumbling about when he said, ‘He’s coming soon; he’ll help me.’ That’s why I had to rush to Athens to see Harry.”

  In view of his arms-contract story, he couldn’t admit that Phillip hadn’t known if he was alive and on the way, so he couldn’t have been referring to him. “You just implied he was in trouble and danger. From whom? About what?”

  “He refused to worry me about it. After Harry’s visit, Phillip got drunk, really drunk, and talked crazy.” She repeated the story she told the investigators. “When I checked on him, I thought he was still drunk; several empty bottles were lying on the table nearby. He started babbling in half-sentences; nothing made sense and he used no names, except Harry’s. When he died I was numb, and I panicked. I had to see what I could learn about his warnings to me before I subjected myself to a lengthy investigation and possibly prison. I couldn’t allow any needed facts to be destroyed while I was being questioned and harassed. When you appeared, I didn’t know who or what you were—friend or foe. Until I was convinced it was friend, I couldn’t tell you the truth. That story I told you about why I was taking the trip was a ruse to mislead you. I had to come up with a logical motive for what I was doing. It also seemed the only way to pull clues out of his partners. I can’t solve anything until I discover what’s going on. I never expected anything to happen between us; that took me completely by surprise. I wanted to trust you so much, but I knew it would complicate matters until I could be honest.”

  “It caught me by surprise, too,” Dan murmured. “But go on.”

  “Phillip was scared, Dan, very scared and worried. He wasn’t himself for the last few months.” She related her husband’s last mumblings. “He said I would be killed if I didn’t honor some deal or return the money. I didn’t know about the deal, and I don’t know where the money is hidden. I’ve searched everywhere, but I can’t find anything, money or facts. That’s why I didn’t extend my hospitality when you arrived; I had to search the house and grounds. That’s what I was doing in his office in town, but I found nothing there. Where could he hide so much money? If he received that advance George and Harry mentioned, it would be around five hundred thousand dollars. Why wouldn’t he tell me where it was, if not returning it to its owner could get me killed or blamed for theft? I know Harry is somehow involved.”

  Dan couldn’t help but wonder how much the money meant to Rachel, as it offered her a means to get out of her trap and out of the state. Did she know about Phillip’s letters and know his identity and wonder if Phillip had told him where the money was hidden? Rachel wasn’t his only suspect anymore; still, he mustn’t trust her too soon or too far, and he mustn’t expose his identity and motive until later. “Repeat what Phillip said before he died. Maybe there is a clue hidden there.”

  Rachel complied, then asked, “Do they mean anything to you? Do you see why I was distrustful of a stranger who mentioned an arms deal?”

  “I understand.” Heaven help him if she was a superb actress and these were all lies to dupe him into helping her, but it didn’t sound that way.

  “With my past, I also searched the house to make sure nothing was there to incriminate me,” Rachel confided. “I feared that if Harry or the unknown client did something to Phillip to cause his death, evidence might have been placed inside to frame me. With Phillip and me out of the way, that would leave Harry—and George—to earn a big profit from this curious deal. Maybe someone poisoned Phillip; cholera does have the same symptoms as poisoning. Maybe someone figured that with Phillip dead and me inheriting his share of the companies, a woman could be terrified into carrying out their bargain. You heard George and Harry say Phillip tried to back out of the contract, and he told me that on his deathbed. Maybe that’s why somebody had to get rid of him. That’s what my trip and all the bantering were about; we were all trying to see what and how much we all knew. It’s such a hazardous mystery, Dan. I don’t know what to think or whom to trust.”

  She sighed heavily. “I’m going to search the shipping office again tomorrow. I have Phillip’s keys, and Milton never works on Sundays. With luck, which I’ve always been low on, I’ll find a name and destination to enlighten me about this deal. Maybe I overlooked something last time. Don’t you see, Dan; I had to find clues before I exposed his death?”

  Dan nodded. “How do you think the law learned about it? Isn’t it odd they pounced on you today, as if they knew your movements?”

  “I surmised the same thing, and it scared me. I know my servants are loyal, so I trust them. Maybe Earl is having me watched, saw what I did, and he exposed me. Maybe Phillip’s unhappy client is spying on me, killed Phillip, and alerted the law to have me blamed, or to get it into the open so I’d inherit the money and complete the deal. Or maybe Harry knew Phillip was dead, guessed what I’d done, and he sent that anonymous message to get me into trouble and out
of his hair. I’m sorry, but I even suspected that maybe I had misjudged you and you did it.”

  That last statement didn’t shock him. “I didn’t know he was dead, so I couldn’t put the authorities on to you,” he alleged. “Believe that, Rachel. As for Harry, he seemed genuinely surprised to see you there and to hear Phillip was away on secret business. He was worried and angry.”

  “I know, but I don’t know why. The more I learn the bigger this mystery gets.”

  Dan changed the subject for a moment. “One question, Rachel; you said you didn’t love Phillip, correct?”

  She hoped the reason for his concern in that area was his feelings for her. “That’s true, not as a wife should. That’s why I could…do what I did with you. It wasn’t adultery, Dan; he was dead and I was a widow. I’m sorry you didn’t know so you wouldn’t chastise yourself about his betrayal.”

  Dan didn’t know if he should be happy, disappointed, or suspicious that she hadn’t loved his brother. He had to get to the bottom of the truth, no matter how deep and rotten the barrel that held it. He wanted to trust her, but he couldn’t drop his guard, not yet. “Don’t worry, Rachel,” he comforted. “I won’t let anyone harm you. Phillip was my friend; he’d expect me to help and protect his widow. I’m sorry I arrived too late to save his life, even if I intended to steal something precious from him. We’ll solve this mystery together and punish whoever’s to blame.”

  Rachel was captivated by Dan and his words. She yearned to have his help and love. “Are you sure? It could be dangerous and deadly. It might even tarnish both our images of Phillip if he was involved in something illegal. If he was, it could either have been by coercion or by choice. He warned me not to go to the law. I wouldn’t have anyway, because they’d never believe me. You saw how they acted earlier, so you know they would think I was daft or covering myself if I told them I thought Phillip was murdered by an enemy. And, if I mentioned this mysterious, maybe illegal, deal and the hidden money, they’d think I was involved in that crime, or the money was my motive for doing away with another husband.”