Before We Leave (Chronicles of the Maca Book 3)

by Mari Collier

  “First you'd have to go through Mac. As it is, you already have a problem the next time you meet him. He has a very narrow view of anyone who attacks his House.”

  Red stared at her for a moment and left. Words were useless. Worse, she could be right. Lorenz, he knew, he could still take, but Mac? Not a chance. The MacDonald's might decide this was a bad match and prevent an actual marriage, but his own actions were effectively blocked. There would be no telegram to Wooden or Arles. He pulled out a cigarillo and inhaled. Now he would need to console the Senora and hope that her weeping, praying, and incense burning didn't last for months. He'd write a note to Margareatha in the morning for her to transfer to Nevada. Books could be done from there, and the Senora would have one less thing to rail against.

  Chapter 3: The Welcome Home

  Red's hope of MacDonald stopping the marriage matched Anna MacDonald's hopes. Almost one month ago, she had found the note Lorenz left on the table informing one and all that he had gone to claim his bride. In the note, he reminded them that he delayed the wedding only until Papa healed from the gunshot wound and operation. Every day she watched for him to reappear, praying that the young woman would refuse him on religious grounds. Miss O'Neal was Catholic and Catholics weren't permitted to wed Lutherans. Thank God Lorenz had been confirmed by Pastor Wentz two years ago. Surely they would come to their senses, and then Anna remembered what it was to be young and would fear for the worse. Whenever she kneaded the bread, it was with angry blows, and when she did the laundry, she pounded at the clothes in the tubs with a vigor unmatched by the younger Armeda Gonzales.

  Anna was on the last tub of clothes when Mina appeared at the corner of the house, her darkening reddish-brown, sun-streaked curls as unruly as ever. “Mama, two people are coming. I think one is Lorenz.”

  Anna straightened and smoothed the escaping wisps of white curls back from her face with wetted hands. “You stay here with Armeda and watch Roman for her.” She looked at the toddler playing on the blanket shaded by the eaves of the washhouse.

  “Armeda,” she called to the young woman hanging clothes, “these things need to be pounded until they are clean.”

  Rather than go through the gate, she cut through the house before going directly to the front porch. Two of them, Mina had said. Were they mad? Anna stopped in the kitchen and sipped at a cup of water from the bucket while looking out the window. She watched the riders draw nearer. She did not want them to see her outside waiting with hands on her hips and tapping a foot. Confrontation without warning would be more effective. She felt, however, she and Zeb would need to acquiesce to the wedding simply to keep a scandal from erupting. Zeb, Anna suspected, would offer complete support for a wedding, or a bedding. His attitude toward the necessity of the same religion did not match the fervor of hers or the beliefs of others; nor did his thoughts on the need for marriage match the beliefs of this world.

  Anna moved away from the window and stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the main room until she heard them pull up and dismount. She strode out onto the porch without slamming the door behind her and looked into the faces of two handsome young adults coming up the steps and smiling at her.

  “Mama, this is Miss Antoinette O'Neal, and she is going to be my wife. We need you and Papa to go with us to Arles and sign for me to get the marriage license.” His grey eyes were alive with love and determination, his arm wrapped around the young woman's shoulder, completely protecting her from the world. The young woman was about five foot four inches tall, and dressed in a traveling outfit of light, cotton fawn. Her black curls were crowned by that old hat of Lorenz's and set at a rakish angle that somehow added a bit of exotica to her appearance.

  Anna felt her hand go to her throat as she looked helplessly at the young people. If she screamed and yelled, she would lose her son for the second time, and she could not bear the thought. Lorenz was still speaking with that strange, adult authority his voice.

  “Antoinette, this is my mother, Mrs. Anna MacDonald.”

  Antoinette gave a quick, precise curtsy and spoke with the proper courtesy as though there was nothing extraordinary in their arrival in dusty attire, or that her mother-in-law to be was almost as tall as Lorenz.

  “Hello, Mrs. MacDonald. This is such a pleasure.” Her southern accent made each word sound as though sweetness and music were part of her core, and Anna's stomach twisted. This child/woman was a formidable opponent. Anna knew she was left with but one objection to their marriage.

  Anna swallowed and said in a measured tone. “Miss O'Neal, du must be exhausted.” She turned to Lorenz, her fears propelling words from her mouth. “Du haven't ved yet? How long vere du…”

  Lorenz stepped forward. “Mama, nothing happened. I promised you. Of course, we haven't married. It wouldn't be legal without a license. That's why we need to go to Arles, but right now Antoinette needs to get out of the sun and have a nice, cold drink of water.”

  Anna stepped back and opened the door, her mind working rapidly. “The O'Neal's vill have the authorities notified.”

  “Red won't. He doesn't want to put his sister or his mother through dealing with Southern customs and Union control. He has too many other things to worry about right now, and one of them is staying out of Papa's way. Even if he has contacted them, Antoinette is nineteen. She can legally wed.”

  Anna frowned, not sure what Lorenz meant about staying out of Papa's way, but she persisted. “The county officials vill ask for proof that she is old enough before issuing a license.”

  The young people preceded Anna into the room as Lorenz continued to speak. “Antoinette thought of that. She has her baptismal certificate with her.”

  “The Catholic priest vill not marry du and Pastor Heidenstram von't be here again until November.”

  Lorenz turned to her. “Mama, we'll have the Justice of Peace in Arles marry us.”

  Anna fought the impatience in her voice. “Then Miss O'Neal vill not be able to go to Mass.” She saw Antoinette's eyes widen. Good, she thought.

  “Ah didn't think of that.” Antoinette turned to Lorenz.

  “Would y'all mind being married by a priest?”

  Lorenz's eyes narrowed. “I reckon it doesn't matter that much. I can still take communion when der Pastor comes through.”

  “Ja, das ist true,” Anna conceded. “But do du vant to raise your kinder as Catholics?” She was still fighting to control her voice, her accent becoming heavier, the German words slipping into her English.

  “I reckon we'll cross that bridge when it happens.” He smiled at them. “I'll go get us some of that spring water. You all rest a minute and get acquainted.”

  “Der priest vill make du sign a paper dot du vill raise them Catholic,” Anna snapped the words out. Her words stopped Lorenz at the door and he turned back, a quizzical look in his eyes.

  “Is that true, Antoinette?”

  “Why, yes, ah do believe they need to have assurance that the children would be raised Catholic if y'all do not convert. Does that matter?”

  Lorenz was looking at Antoinette and then at his mother. “Y'all knew this. Why did y'all wait until now to say something?” His grey eyes were darkening and his voice was almost an accusation.

  Anna did not allow herself to smile or look satisfied, but felt she was winning. She knew Lorenz, MacDonald, and LouElla had spent long hours in that spaceship and she wasn't sure how much of their science and their philosophy he had absorbed. She was certain, however, that the beliefs of Catholicism were not compatible with Llewellyn's or his mother LouElla's beliefs, and she steadied her voice.

  “I did not believe du vould just go off like du did, and I could not believe that Miss O'Neal vould discard her beliefs. I thought du two vould discuss religion in your letters.” Her words were not exactly a lie.

  Antoinette stepped forward and laid a hand on Lorenz's arm and looked up at him. “Ah believe we can be married by the Justice of the Peace and then settle everything.” Her laugh tinkled
into the stilled room. “After all, my penance wouldn't be more than a few extra Hail Marys.”

  Lorenz bent and hugged her. “I'll get that water.” He spun around to head towards the kitchen when Anna's next objection stopped him.

  “Ve are Lutherans. They vill consider him a heretic.” Anna was glaring at Antoinette. “The penance vill be far more than a few Hail Marys.”

  “Mama, Antoinette is correct. We will need to discuss this between ourselves.” His eyes were like frozen water and his mouth was stiff. “Did y'all want us to leave?”

  “Nein! This ist your home.”

  Antoinette smiled at her. “Why thank y'all, Mother MacDonald. May ah call y'all that?” She did not wait for an answer, but continued.

  “Lorenz and ah love each other, and he is right. We'll need to discuss this by ourselves, but more important, we do need to get married. Ah'm sure y'all see the wisdom of that.”

  Anna could only stare at her. She knew that usually the woman ruled when it came to teaching religion and manners. MacDonald did not interfere with her raising Mina, nor did he object to Lorenz being confirmed. “I know vhat du are doing.”

  “Of course, y'all do. Y'all are a very beautiful, intelligent woman, and according to Lorenz, y'all are married to a very powerful, intelligent man.”

  Lorenz grinned at them both and grabbed the bucket in the kitchen. Anna heard Mina's delighted welcoming whoops and felt her world spinning. Antoinette broke the silence.

  “Mother MacDonald, ah do not wish to be your enemy. Ah know Lorenz loves y'all dearly. Ah have a letter in my purse from Margareatha. Ah hope it will help explain the situation and why ah needed to run.” She removed one of the pieces of paper from her lady's handbag and extended it.

  Anna took the proffered letter, but before looking at it, she tried one more time. “Your mother must be opposed to your marrying Lorenz.” She did not embellish her reasoning with information about Red's parentage.

  “Why ah should imagine she's even more devastated than y'all.” Antoinette removed her hat and smoothed at her hair while Anna read rapidly.

  Finally Anna looked up, her eyes wide, her voice almost a whisper. “Ist Daniel really all right?”

  “Why, yes, he is. Margareatha somehow managed to circumvent all the people guarding me when she brought me this letter for y'all. She assured me he'd be fine. Ah can't imagine why Red thought ah was going to marry Daniel. Ah never, ever, let anyone think that. Ah'd managed to get away once before with the letter for Lorenz when ah found out they were shipping me to that covenant for refusing to marry that disgusting old man. Can y'all believe that? Why the very idea is disgraceful.”

  Chapter 4: Wedding Plans

  MacDonald tried to comfort Anna that night, but she would have none of it. “They are not thinking,” she whispered in German. “Can't you convince him this is madness?”

  MacDonald smiled into the darkness and leaned down towards her. “Anna, my love, they wish to wed and to bed. Ye can see it in their eyes. Tis yere culture that says they must wed ere the latter.”

  Anna put her lips together and turned over, offering a cold shoulder to MacDonald. He sighed and tried again.

  “Anna, let me be yere counselor this eve. They are both set on this. The more we oppose a marriage, the more they twill insist. I dinna wish to lose our laddie. Let them wed and build their home here. They twill be close by. She has already surprised me with her stamina and insistence on staying out of the covenant. Most would assume she would willingly wed a rich, older man rather than risk what she did.” MacDonald admired a lassie that could look at his three hundred pounds of muscle set on six feet nine inches and not blanch or be struck dumb.

  Anna's thoughts were dark. It had been a point of contention between them. MacDonald had advocated taking Lorenz to a high-class brothel for his “first bedding.” She had vehemently protested such sinful behavior, and MacDonald had relented. Why hadn't the woman wed the wealthy man of her own faith? Antoinette's twinkling laugh at the dinner table came back to haunt her.

  “La, they had me all engaged to this sixty-year-old man. Why he didn't even have all of his own hair left on top and the most repulsive, stained mustache y'all would evah want to see.” Anna wanted to believe it was the bald head and stained mustache that repulsed Antoinette, but somehow suspected it was more than that.

  They all planned to leave for Arles within four days. Anna and Antoinette had taken a rushed trip into Schmidt's Corner to purchase enough chambray and linen to make the needed undergarments and dresses. Anna had also managed to cut down an old dress for Antoinette and Lorenz had hired Armeda to wash, iron, and perform other duties for his fiancée. Both young people were discussing plans as to where their first house would be located on the property and who should be hired to complete it.

  Two nights before they left, they were all seated at the kitchen table relaxing after the chore of washing up the dishes when Antoinette smiled sweetly and asked, “Is there a suitable hotel in Arles to spend the night after being married?”

  Lorenz looked puzzled, Anna's eyes widened, MacDonald sat his coffee cup down and looked at Anna before replying. “That twould depend upon what ye mean by suitable.”

  “I would like a certain amount of privacy and decent quarters with clean linens.”

  The amused look in MacDonald's brown eyes grew and the left corner of his mouth tugged. “I fear the hotel in Arles is like too many others in the small towns of this land. Ye twill nay find the lavish accommodations available such as in Hays City, Sedalia, Saint Louis, or San Antonio.”

  Antoinette set her cup down. “Then I believe that all we should do in Arles is get the license and wait for your Pastor, isn't that what y'all call him, to arrive in November. That's only about two months away. Y'all did say it took about ten days to go to Arles and back, didn't y'all? That means it would be just six weeks. We do need to find someone in Arles to design a house and order the materials. Heaven knows when they would deliver everything or how long the building takes.”

  “Why the wait?” demanded Lorenz, his face flushing and the grey eyes beginning to glint. Neither he nor Antoinette noticed the look of satisfaction on Anna's face.

  Antoinette remained grave. “I do not wish to spend my wedding night in some non-descript hotel with dirty sheets and a bunch of carpet baggers listening; nor, do I wish to spend it out under the stars. The alternative is to wait and have the wedding here where we will be living until our house is built.”

  Lorenz looked at her and realized this soft, petite woman was as determined as his mother and a bile taste rose in his mouth. He'd waited for this a long year's time while Papa healed and now it would be wait again.

  “Why don't y'all and Mama just pack the things we'll need? We'll get a room towards the back and Papa and Mama can get the room next to us. Hell, I'll even pay for a d…uh, sorry, Toni, Mama. I'll pay for a room in-between the two or rent the whole floor if it makes everybody feel better. Arles isn't going to be crowded this time of year.”

  Anna was speechless. MacDonald's tried unsuccessfully to keep the silent laughter from shaking his shoulders. The laddie twas ready for his first bedding and nay they could say twould stop it. It twould be best, he thought, to let Lorenz have his way. He looked at his wife.

  “I believe Lorenz has offered a solution.” Laughter edged his words. “Tis an expensive one, but one we can all live with. Now, ere we go to bed, here tis something to consider. It may be best to be wed by the Justice of Peace in Arles as I am nay certain the Pastor twill marry ye when he arrives.”

  “Why ever would he refuse?”

  “Ye are Catholic and ye dinna have yere parents' approval.”

  “I am nineteen.” Indignation rose in Antoinette's voice. “Wouldn't I just be required to sign a paper saying that I agree to raise them as Lutherans? It seems such a simple matter for two people in love.”

  MacDonald smiled inwardly as he noted how quickly Antoinette could switch from a thick drawling, h
elpless Southern lady's voice to a voice laced with decision. He looked at Anna standing by the door.

  “Nein, I mean no. Der Pastor vould have to believe that du are converting by studying to show that du are sincere in vhat du say before he vould agree. There vould be no paper to sign.”

  “Well, how do y'all expect me to study if everything is in German? Ah can't think of a better way to discourage someone.”

  “We twill buy the King James Bible while we are in Arles. That tis a simple matter. Do ye nay agree, Anna?”

  Anna's eyes had brightened and she bit her tongue to keep from saying Deutsch was the better translation and much clearer. “Ja, and I can help her. So can my brother Kasper until he goes back to Austin for the next session of the Texas legislature.”

  “He twas elected and needs to go. The Reconstruction Act requirements must be implemented ere Texas can rejoin the Union. I am nay certain all those nay-reconstructed rebels who are part the Texas legislature wish to do so.”

  Antoinette was wide-eyed. When did men let women hear their political views? This family was a family and they had accepted her as member. She stood.

  “Ah do believe ah'll turn in now.”

  Anna remained at the doorway. Her mind was still on the last conversation.

  “Du love him so much du vould give up your religion?” This time she bit her tongue to keep from saying false religion.

  “We rarely went to mass at a church. Periodically, the priest would arrive at our house and father would always find something else to do. Even before father had the fit of apoplexy and couldn't move or talk anymore, Mother spent most of her time on her knees in front of the Virgin's Shrine praying for more children. Just how they were to have more children when they weren't even speaking to each other was never explained. My parents didn't have a marriage. You all do. I've seen that in the short time I've been here. I don't want to have a marriage and be alone.”

  She moved towards the door for the last trip to the outhouse and Anna stepped aside. “Du are very wise.”