In Times Gone by

by Tracie Peterson

  “I do,” Arthur countered with equal hostility.

  “Look, you two. This isn’t helping.” Camri poured them each a cup of coffee. “Drink this and calm down.”

  Micah ignored his coffee. “This buffoon thinks he can show up months after the fact with a story of how he didn’t leave Kenzie at the altar and just expects us to believe him. I’m telling you it’s a bald-faced lie.”

  “How can you be so sure?” Judith asked.

  “Because what man in his right mind wouldn’t fight for that woman? He just accepted the notion that she was rejecting him.” Micah grinned. “That would never have stopped me, as you both well know. I find it hard to believe any man who was truly in love with her would have let it stop him.”

  “I tried to go to her. Her father refused me.” Arthur put down his cup. “I did my best to see her.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “I do too,” Camri replied. “Kenzie said you never came to explain or offer her any kind of understanding. You simply went abroad.”

  “I was drunk when I agreed to go. My father, the same man who is surely to blame for this misunderstanding, took advantage of my state and all but forced me out of the country. When I returned, I tried again to find Kenzie, but her father told me she had gone.”

  “And you did nothing to find her? You, with all the money and resources in the world at your fingertips, you did nothing?” Micah asked.

  Camri gave Arthur a questioning look. “He makes a good point, Mr. Morgan.”

  “I was . . . well, I was devastated at the loss,” Arthur answered in a hesitant voice. “When I returned, I was determined to forget my sorrow and move ahead with my life. I had no idea that Kenzie thought I no longer loved her.”

  “Again, that would never have stopped me. I would have gone out of my way to woo her back—to convince her that we belonged together.” Micah shook his head. “I don’t believe you, Mr. Morgan.”

  Camri got to her feet. “I want to speak to Kenzie. I expect you two to conduct yourselves in a gentlemanly manner and refrain from fisticuffs. Judith, would you mind staying here to help these two remember who they are?”

  “Of course.” Judith smiled. “I’m sure we can just sit and talk about the weather or the rebuilding.”

  Camri was equally certain they wouldn’t, but said nothing. She made her way to the room she shared with Kenzie and Judith and knocked on the door. She tried the handle, but it was locked.

  “Kenzie, it’s Camri. Please let me in.”

  She wasn’t sure if Kenzie had heard her and was about to knock again when the key scraped in the lock and the door opened.

  Kenzie’s eyes were red from crying and her face blotchy and tearstained. “I don’t know what in the world God has in mind for me, but this seems to be a cruel joke.”

  Camri shook her head. “Let’s sit and talk.”

  “Is he still here?”

  “Yes. Judith is sitting with him and Micah. She’ll keep them out of trouble. At least momentarily. Please tell me what’s going on. Mr. Morgan says he’s here because of the letter I had you write. I feel horrible for it and want to make things right if I can.”

  “It’s not your fault.” Kenzie sat on her cot.

  Camri lowered herself to her own cot opposite Kenzie. “If I hadn’t encouraged you to speak your mind in that letter, you might never have had to deal with him again.”

  “Yes, but if what he’s saying is true, then he believes I’m the one who left him.” Kenzie wiped her face with a handkerchief. “Oh, Camri, I never in my life imagined something like this could happen. I truly never thought that his family would have deceived us both.”

  “Do you believe that’s what happened?”

  “Why should I not? If Arthur truly deserted me as I thought, then why would he come here now? He knows I have no great fortune to settle upon him like Judith. I’m still the same woman he left at the altar. There would be no reason to come here unless he really did love me.”

  “I suppose that’s true. But, Kenzie, even if his family did deceive you both, what’s done is done. You have feelings for Micah now.”

  “That’s what makes this so impossible.” Kenzie buried her face in her hands and cried in earnest.

  Camri slipped from her cot to Kenzie’s and put her arm around her friend’s shoulders. “It’s all right. You aren’t to blame for any of this.”

  Kenzie looked up. “But I’m so confused. I never wanted to hurt Arthur. I was prepared to spend the rest of my life with him. I honestly thought we could be happy together.”

  “It isn’t your fault.”

  “But that doesn’t change the facts. What has happened has ruined everything. I just want to disappear. I can’t bear the idea of hurting either Arthur or Micah. All the pain that I went through, I . . . I can’t willingly do that to someone else.” She slumped against Camri. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Well, for now you should simply rest. I’ll send Arthur away and tell him to come back tomorrow. Or better still, I’ll find out where he’s staying, and when you’re ready, we’ll go to him.”

  Kenzie said nothing, and Camri decided it was best not to press her.

  “You rest now,” Camri said, getting up. She gave Kenzie’s shoulder a pat. “It’ll be all right. I promise you. We’ll sort through it, and above all, we’ll pray. None of this has taken God by surprise. He’ll have answers for us.”

  Camri made her way from the room and rejoined the others. Micah looked furious while Mr. Morgan spoke with Judith. Camri had never known a greater predicament where the human heart was involved. This wouldn’t be easily resolved.

  Stopping beside Arthur, she offered him a smile. “Kenzie is quite upset, as I’m sure you realize. I told her I would send you away. You can tell us where you’ll be, and when she’s up to it, we’ll come to see you.”

  He jumped to his feet, nearly knocking her over. “I will not leave without her. She’s my wife.”

  “She’s not!” Micah said, getting to his feet. “Nor does she want to be.”

  Camri touched Arthur’s sleeve. “Mr. Morgan, it really is for the best that you go.”

  “And I said no.” He turned on her in a rage, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her hard. “I won’t go!”

  “You’d better be lettin’ her go,” Patrick said, appearing at Camri’s side. He towered over Arthur and gripped his shoulder. Micah came to her assistance as well.

  Camri had expected Patrick to come home soon but hadn’t anticipated him being here quite this early. If Arthur didn’t mind his manners, she knew there would be a fight.

  “Now, ye’d be wise to back away,” Patrick said, giving Arthur a push. At the same time, he all but pulled Camri behind him.

  Arthur nodded. “I’m sorry for my conduct. It’s just that I’ve been half mad trying to find Kenzie. I love her, and I don’t want to lose her again.”

  Patrick did nothing but eye the man with suspicion.

  Micah let go of Arthur’s arm and stepped back. “You’ve already lost her,” he said in a way that suggested there was absolutely nothing more to be discussed.

  Arthur’s head lowered. “Please just let me see her. Talk to her.”

  Camri felt sorry for him. He seemed sincere. She stepped around Patrick. “As I said, Mr. Morgan, she’s not able to see you now and wishes for you to go. Let us know where we can reach you, and we’ll make arrangements for a meeting in a few days.”

  Micah didn’t wait for Camri to say more, just started dragging Arthur toward the door.

  When they were outside, Camri turned to Patrick and smiled. “Hello, sweetheart. I’m so glad you could join us.”

  “And for sure I’m glad I could as well. What in the world would that be about?”

  “That is Mr. Arthur Morgan, the man who left Kenzie at the altar. The man who says, however, that he didn’t desert her, but rather his family deceived them both. The man who wants her to marry him as soon as possible.”r />
  Patrick gazed toward the ceiling. “Heaven help us.”

  Judith was about to clear the table of coffee cups and uneaten cookies when Caleb arrived. She was so happy to see he’d returned. Given all the excitement, she wanted nothing more than to sit quietly beside him and listen to him read to her, as he often did.

  She had left the dishes and started toward him when she caught sight of a woman dressed head to toe in black. The woman’s veil concealed her face, but the cut of her clothes and manner of walking left little doubt that she was wealthy.

  “Judith, I have a bit of a surprise for you,” Caleb said. His tone and expression were almost apologetic.

  The woman lifted her veil, and Judith couldn’t suppress her gasp. “Victoria!”

  Her cousin sneered. “Yes. I’ve come for my inheritance, but I’m told you’ve stolen that away as well as the rest of my family’s money.”

  Judith looked at Caleb. “How?”

  “Apparently she convinced the headmistress of the school to arrange her return. She arrived in town this morning, making her demands at Mr. Bridgestone’s office.”

  “Her demands?”

  “Yes, my demands. I want my inheritance,” Victoria said, stepping closer. “I don’t care about the rest of it—although it does sicken me to see you take what is rightfully mine.”

  “I don’t want your money, Victoria,” Judith said, finally gathering her wits. “And I had nothing to do with the arrangements Grandmother decided.”

  “Grandmother.” Victoria’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “You hardly knew her well enough to call her that. I suppose, however, knowing there was money to be had, you could call her whatever she desired.”

  “I’m sorry I had to bring her here,” Caleb said to Judith. “We are in charge of her, however.”

  “No one is in charge of me,” Victoria countered. Her face reddened in anger. “I won’t have it.”

  “I’d rather not have it either,” Judith admitted.

  “As I tried to explain to Miss Whitley,” Caleb began, “the city is in shambles, and none of her old friends are in a position to take her in. Otherwise, believe me, I would happily deliver her to them.”

  “I can stay at a hotel,” Victoria shouted. “I won’t stay here.”

  “I also tried to explain to her that she is underage and no respectable establishment would have her without a chaperone. She doesn’t seem to understand the dangers of being on her own.”

  “I am perfectly able to take care of myself.”

  By now Camri and Patrick had joined them. Judith looked at her friends and shook her head. The situation was more than she could begin to understand. What in the world was Caleb thinking, bringing Victoria here?

  “We can set up a cot for her in our room,” Camri offered. “It’ll be tight, but I don’t see what else we can manage, other than putting her out here with the others. Once we move back to the house, she can share Judith’s room.”

  “I will not!” Victoria said, shaking her head.

  Camri gave her a patient smile. “Well, then you can have my room, and I’ll share with Judith.”

  “I don’t know why you all refuse to listen to me,” Victoria said, stamping her foot. “I don’t want to be associated with you. I will not be forced to stay with any of you.”

  Caleb spoke up at this. “You will, as I told you on the way over here, unless you want me to have you locked up in an institution where you can be dealt with until you calm down and become more reasonable.”

  This caused Victoria to take a step back. “You’re all monsters. You would put me in prison for no other reason than to suit your own desires.”

  “No one wants to lock you up, Victoria.” Judith smiled and tried to reach out to her. “I want to be your friend. We all do. You’ve suffered a great loss. You aren’t yourself.”

  “Oh, I think you know exactly how much those people meant to me,” Victoria said. She was calmer, but her voice was filled with hate. “I could not possibly care less about what happened to them. My father was a fool, my brother conniving, and my grandmother was an overbearing tyrant. I don’t care that they’re gone. I’m neither in mourning nor shock. I simply want my money and to be left to go my own way.”

  Victoria’s acrid words left Judith’s stomach on edge. If she hadn’t known better, she might have believed the girl was simply distraught. But Victoria was telling the truth. She didn’t care about her family dying. She was ruthless and heartless, and Judith could see the hate in the girl’s blue eyes. They would all have to watch their backs until she could figure out how to manage the situation.

  She looked to Caleb. “Whatever are we to do?”

  CHAPTER

  12

  At his sister’s insistence, Caleb went to Arthur Morgan’s hotel to meet him and speak to him about his claim on Kenzie. The lobby of the hotel was crowded as Caleb made his way to the grand staircase. He walked up to the second floor, then sought out Morgan’s room number. He wasn’t sure what his insertion into the matter could do, but Camri had begged him to at least go and meet the man.

  Morgan answered the door after Caleb’s first knock. He was a tall, well-groomed man of thirty or more years, and his demeanor exuded confidence.

  “Mr. Arthur Morgan, I presume?” Caleb held his homburg in his hand.

  Morgan nodded. “And you are Caleb Coulter.”

  Caleb handed him his card. “I am. Thank you for receiving me on such short notice and at such an early hour.”

  “It’s no problem. I want to do whatever I can to convince everyone that I am innocent of wrongdoing in this matter. I want very much for Kenzie and I to be married at the first possible opportunity.” Morgan motioned to the sitting area. “Please have a seat. Would you like me to arrange to have coffee served?”

  “No, that isn’t necessary.” Caleb chose a gilded-frame throne chair and sat. “I’d rather just get to the heart of the matter.”

  Arthur Morgan smiled, and a look of relief crossed his face. “I would like that as well.” He sat and crossed his legs. “What would you like to know?”

  Caleb smiled. He was glad to see the other man let down his guard. “I suppose you realize your arrival here has caused quite an upset.”

  “I do, but I couldn’t leave things as they were. Kenzie thought I had abandoned her—that I no longer loved her. That simply isn’t true.”

  “Then tell me your side of the matter.”

  Morgan nodded and began to explain the details of what had happened the previous September. “I worked so hard to win her over. My parents were appalled that I would marry beneath our social standing, but I told them that Kenzie is perfect the way she is. She is graceful, charming, and kind—even my parents had to admit that much. I love that Kenzie treats everyone with respect and the deepest sincerity. It doesn’t matter if they have money or are begging on the streets.”

  “She is very considerate of others. It’s amazing that you would risk your family’s ire to court and marry someone of whom they disapproved.”

  Morgan shrugged. “I couldn’t allow them to dictate my future. I thought I had convinced them that my choice was a good one and that they would come to love Kenzie as I do. However, that apparently wasn’t what happened at all. When I received Kenzie’s letter, I was mortified. I confronted my father, who admitted to interfering in the matter. I soon learned that my entire family had some part in it. I told them they had betrayed me and that I intended to come here, tell Kenzie everything, and marry her immediately.”

  “And what was their response?” Caleb watched Morgan carefully. If he was lying about the situation, he would surely give himself away at some point.

  “My father threatened to disinherit me, but it didn’t matter. I told them that I would go no matter what.”

  “And you wish to take Kenzie back to live in that atmosphere?”

  “Of course not. I have a house of my own in Missouri—Kansas City. I have my own investments and business dealings, and w
hile being disinherited would rob me of a vast fortune, I would gladly give it up for Kenzie.”

  “Mr. Morgan—”

  “Call me Arthur, please. I feel we can become good friends.”

  Caleb smiled. “I doubt that. You see, the other man who intends to marry Kenzie is my best friend, Dr. Micah Fisher. And I won’t betray his trust in me. I won’t even pretend to be on your side in this matter. I believe Micah and Kenzie love each other very much.”

  “I’m sorry, but I have first claim to her. Your friend must recognize that.”

  Caleb shook his head. “I doubt where matters of the heart are concerned that either of you will listen to reason. However, my sister asked me to come here today and speak to you about the situation.”

  “To what purpose? Are you supposed to convince me to give Kenzie up? Are you here to threaten me and tell me to leave town and never darken her doorstep again?”

  Caleb noted the sarcasm in his tone. “Hardly that. I wanted to hear your side of the story and judge for myself the truthfulness of your statements. You see, I’m a lawyer, and as such, I’ve learned to assess people rather well. I’m also a Christian with a gift for discernment that has yet to fail me.”

  A look of concern flashed in Morgan’s expression and was quickly replaced with a smile. “Then you know I’m speaking the truth. I would never lie about something so vital to my own happiness. You must believe me.”

  Caleb returned the smile. “I find that generally when people demand I believe they are speaking the truth, they aren’t. However, I will reserve judgment for the moment. Kenzie has been greatly upset by this turn of events. I believe you would do well to give her some time. We know how to reach you when she deems the time is right.”

  “But that’s not fair. I’m sure Dr. Fisher will come and go as he pleases. I will not sit by idly while he steals her away. She belongs with me.”

  Caleb didn’t like Morgan’s tone but didn’t react. There was something about Arthur Morgan he didn’t entirely trust. Perhaps it was his privileged upbringing that gave him an air of entitlement and the belief that he could demand his way and people would heed it. It might even be that his love for Kenzie was blinding him to everything else. Whatever it was, Caleb discerned a problem, and he had learned to heed that feeling.