“Chicken? How dare you!”
Mark grinned, and walked slowly from the room, looking back at the woman, smiling knowingly.
Rebecca groaned in embarrassment.
It was shocking how bitterly cold Rebecca’s room felt to her, as she entered to dress for breakfast.
She hurried through her hot bath, the warmth of the steaming water unable to chase the chill from her shivering body. Selecting the warmest of her dresses, she decided that the weather in her new home was frustratingly unpredictable, and hoped it would stabilize quickly before she either melted away or froze to death.
Donning her only wrap, a soft and lacy shawl, she draped it around her trembling shoulders and descended the massive main staircase. Surprised to find the family dining room was vacant, she hastened to the larger dining room while trying to chase off her chill in the warm hall.
“There you are!” Timothy rose from his chair at the head of the table, and walking to Rebecca, pulled out the chair at the opposite end.
Rebecca looked around the room as Mark and Ben Carson rose from their places, the boy’s face dark with concern and the sheriff appearing confused. She lowered herself into the chair, bewildered that it was not the place at the table she ordinarily used, and frowned, concerned with Timothy’s odd behavior. The big man returned to his seat, a peculiar, serious look upon his face.
Immediately the staff filed into the room silently, worried looks on their faces, and lined themselves in an orderly fashion along the wall.
Mark recalled that the last time his father called the staff in such a way was before he released many of them shortly after his mother’s death, and closed down Stavewood to relocate to the hunting cabin.
Both his father and Rebecca had seemed so cheerful, but suddenly his father’s demeanor had changed and he had left the family room and directed them to wait in the formal dining room. The boy fought back tears in confusion and waited, dreading his father’s announcement.
Timothy stood and began.
“Since you all seem to be expecting the worst, I suppose I should explain why I have gathered all of you, including you as well, Ben, together this morning.”
The occupants in the room avoided looking at the man, with the exception of Rebecca who was dumbfounded at what she began to suspect the man was up to.
“No,” he began. “Contrary to what I’m sure you are all thinking I am not closing Stavewood.”
Rebecca could feel confusion and relief flood through the room.
“I merely wanted to inform all of you collectively, lest there be gossip or misunderstand among any of you, since you are all a part of my household, and you a very close friend, Ben,” Timothy continued seriously.
Ben Carson lifted his eyes from the table and felt he should be embarrassed somehow.
“I suppose I have tormented you all enough, and so, my reason why you are all here.”
Every face in the room watched Timothy Elgerson silently, Rebecca drawing in a deep breath.
“To my unbelievably good fortune, Rebecca has agreed to remain at Stavewood. She has also agreed to marry me.”
The room exploded in a collective gasp as Mark rushed to Rebecca’s side in tears and threw his arms around her slender shoulders. Ben Carson, although overcome with curiosity over the turn of events, shook Timothy’s hand vigorously as the staff chuckled and Birget wiped her tears on her generous apron.
“Well, it’s about damn time!” The cook bellowed above the chattering and, overcome with emotion, walked out of the room.
The staff filed out behind her, smiling to Rebecca with warm congratulations, Mark beside them, hopping about and whooping loudly.
Rebecca blushed from the warmth of the compliments and shook her head as the boy danced around, sure that he was perfectly healthy, regardless of his recent ordeal.
“Well, Tim,” Ben sat back in his chair. “I have to admit that this is no surprise. My Missus has been carrying on about the two of you since your party, as well as most of the territory I suspect. I’m sure myself that this is a wonderful match for the both of you, and I’m certain you will be quite happy together.” Ben smiled to Rebecca and nodded appreciatively. “However I have my concerns over your announcement, Tim. I’m sure you must have considered the ramifications this might have.”
“I have.” Timothy smiled reassuringly at Rebecca.
“Well, before we even discuss any of that, I’m all ears man. What happened after I left last night?”
Rebecca cleared her throat and excused herself.
Although it had not occurred to him to relate anything to the sheriff that in any way involved their intimate lovemaking following their conversation in the kitchen, he could see embarrassment plainly in her eyes.
He recalled how he had felt at Ben’s discovery that he had, in fact, ordered a mail order bride himself and understood her concerns.
“Please, excuse me one moment,” he nodded to Ben and crossed the room as Rebecca lifted herself from her chair. Gently he directed her out into the central corridor.
“Rebecca!” he exclaimed. “Why are you shaking?” He had thought his announcement an amusing surprise but now became concerned.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, kissing him softly on the cheek and grasping the warmth of his wrist. “You are so endearing to make your announcement. Although I suspect you took years off Birget’s life.” Rebecca smiled, shaking her head.
“Your hand is freezing!” Timothy wrapped his arms around her and felt that her entire body was chilled.
“My room was so cold when I went back to bathe. I have to say your weather here is quite unpredictable.”
He went to the kitchen after instructing her to wait by the fire in the study and returned with a woolen cape that seemed large enough to cover every inch of the woman and wrapped it lovingly around her shoulders.
“The maids will bring your breakfast in here and they are going up to warm your room now. I’ll come up as soon as Ben and I have finished talking.” He kissed her, drawing her close to him and enfolding her in his powerful arms.
Rebecca wished she could remain there, basking in his love and radiating warmth. She could not possibly tell him that she had chosen her heaviest dress, and nodded quietly.
He kissed her passionately, still fighting the feeling that everything he was experiencing seemed unreal and she looked lovingly into his eyes. He looked into the depths of her emerald eyes and felt her desire for him and he pulled himself away.
“If I linger here any longer, madam, you will no longer be chilled, I’m quite sure, and I may never return to speak to the sheriff. Cease your torment of me and stay here beside the fire.”
Rebecca giggled softly and kissed his firm cheek.
Chapter Forty-Three
Elgerson returned to the dining room contemplating that the girl had only a limited and temporary wardrobe, certainly not what she would require for a Minnesota winter. He tried to resolve how he could possibly take Rebecca safely to town, wishing he was instead driving the chill from her, unclothed beside him in a warm bed.
“Please, forgive me.” Timothy returned to his chair.
“Understandable.” In the big man’s absence, Ben had been presented with a generous and delectable breakfast and had enjoyed a moment alone with the feast while Timothy spoke to the girl. “I have to say, Tim that this is the finest food I’ve eaten in years, with the exception of course of that wonderful spread you put out at the gathering.”
“It’s odd that you should say that, Ben.” Timothy plunged his fork into a gravy smothered steak, temptingly tender beside fresh, fried eggs and mounds of perfectly browned potatoes and golden onions. “It seems since that party most of the meals here have been unusually delicious. I suppose Birget must have improved her skills while I was away.” Elgerson looked toward the kitchen thoughtfully.
Both men enjoyed their meal and sat back satisfied with steaming mugs of richly brewed coffee before commencing with their conversati
on, deciding not to interrupt their fine meal with the business at hand.
“I believe we have resolved a large part, if not all of our mystery, Ben,” Timothy began.
“Any answers would help, Tim.” Carson knew that, based on Tim’s announcement of marriage, there had to be some very interesting information indeed.
“We were completely mistaken about Rebecca.” Timothy struggled for the right approach. “Rebecca is, in fact, the bride I ordered.”
The sheriff gasped, choking on his coffee.
Timothy allowed the man to digest the information and collect himself as he himself had done since the discovery.
“Are you sure?” Carson shook his head bewildered.
“I was a fool not to see it myself. R. Fagan is indeed her name. She was on the train headed for St. Paul to meet with the coach to Billington. She got ill on the train, got off at Hawk Bend, and explained to Finn that she was a mail order bride. She was on the exact train she should have been on, with a very British accent as well. Had she remained on the train perhaps Dianna would never have intercepted her, but she left the train. She disembarked right under the noses of Finn and Dianna. When I showed her those tickets last night there was no question in my mind whatsoever that she recognized them. She knew those tickets, Ben. I had trouble believing it all myself.”
Ben Carson could see that Timothy was making perfect sense.
“Dianna took her up to that shack because it was the closest place she could hold her near Hawk Bend Station,” Elgerson continued. “I’m still not sure if she intended to return for her, or if she left her there to die.
“Finn was not terribly bright, Ben, but he was never a violent man as far as I know. He must have found out what Dianna, and possibly Octavia were up to with the girl and at least one of them killed him. Dianna I expect. Rebecca said Finn was kind to her. He may have been a bit taken with her.”
“Why didn’t she say anything? It’s beyond me why she just didn’t tell anyone who she was from the beginning. I knew all along she was withholding something, but I can’t see why.”
“Somewhere along the line she got it in her head that answering the ad was something she ought to be ashamed of, maybe somewhere in her travels.” Timothy stopped abruptly.
“What is it?” Ben saw obvious concern on the man’s face.
“Damn it, Ben. I hadn’t thought of it before right now. The tickets Rebecca got were the lowest class in almost every instance. How the hell did she ever make the trip? That was months of travel in the worst possible conditions.” Timothy sighed deeply and rubbed his cheek.
“There must have been something that got her here, Tim.” Carson shook his head slowly.
Timothy tried to imagine her lengthy and incredibly uncomfortable trip, only to find herself abducted and left for dead by a madwoman and rescued by a child he himself had left to his own devices. She had never said a word about it. By keeping her secret entirely to herself no one could ever know what she had been through or understand her. It had not occurred to anyone, not even him, what she had gone through to be here. He stared at the door to the room and felt his chest tighten, a lump rising in his chest.
“This brings up my point, Tim. Like I said, everyone who’d laid eyes on the two of you together knew there was something there, long before either of you would admit it to yourselves. From what you’re telling me, that girl had a hell of a trip. But she had an idea in her head she shouldn’t tell anyone? Even after all that happened?”
“Well, Ben, it was more than one idea. The night of the party, that first night I brought her here, Octavia was carrying on about old Freid and his wife there. That’s what sent Rebecca into a faint. A few days later, while Octavia was here, she told Rebecca about the bet the men put together to get Freid’s wife here. I suspect that she neglected to mention that Freid won that bet. I’m sure Octavia let her believe that everyone felt the woman should be ashamed. Rebecca had no idea I was the one who had ordered her. Somehow she never heard my last name.”
“Tim, I doubt that Octavia knew who Rebecca was at that point. Just the same, it’s certainly like her to carry on about Freid. Makes sense she’d never notice that she was upsetting the girl. Octavia has a real talent for insensitivity. We all know that.”
“I believe it will take a lifetime to get this all sorted out, Ben.” Timothy cleared his throat.
“Things are bad with Dianna and Octavia now, Tim. What do you expect could happen to Rebecca when they find out that, even after abducting her and killing poor Finn, you plan to marry her? Announcing it to your staff here and all, I’m sure it’ll be known throughout the territory by nightfall. I’m not sure it was a good plan.
“Don’t get me wrong in saying this, Tim. Obviously that girl’s been through hell and back. My wife would say that the two of you are ‘meant to be’. I’ve known you a long time, what with all the women in half the county tripping over themselves ever since you were a kid. I know you are not a man to take marriage lightly. But I know what you went through after Corissa, and, if my suspicions are right, Rebecca’s probably a lot more right for you. It’s risky is all. I’d hate to see anything happen to her. Or to you either.”
“Then maybe it’s time everyone stops tripping over themselves, Ben. I have found Rebecca, and I will marry her. I want the world to know it. Maybe Dianna and Octavia need to move on.” Timothy Elgerson set down his coffee cup with determination.
Rebecca found her room warmer and draped the cape across a chair before settling down to her knitting while she waited for Timothy. She thought that his room was most likely warmer, but knew that until their marriage she would have to keep to her own room.
Her mind was still overcome with the direction her life had taken. She sat quietly, rhythmically counting off her stitches. Warm tears ran unnoticed down her fair cheeks, wetting her dark lashes. All of her dreams of building a new life had been more difficult than she had ever imagined, yet, as unrealistic as they all had been, she had found so much more.
Had she known that, through the wretched sickness on the ship, the tortured miles on the stifling train, even lying in the dirt of the shack, she’d find herself here at Stavewood loved by such an amazing man she would have still set her slender foot on that first step.
Rebecca sat peacefully alone in her room, as she carefully turned her needles to shape the heel on her first gift to her soon-to-be husband.
Chapter Forty-Four
Rebecca’s handiwork flew from her hands and dropped to the thick oriental carpet beside her and she leapt to her feet as the sounds of horrified cries filled the yard. She took to the stairs, her chest pounding, reaching the door of the dining room as Timothy and Ben Carson burst from the room ahead of her. Timothy turned to her suddenly and instructed her to stay inside and Rebecca followed them to the kitchen, and then stood terrified with the women at the window.
Several of the men Timothy employed were gathered around the frantic Arabian, as the huge, panic stricken beast tore at the reins. While four of the men struggled to keep the animal under control, several other men, upon much smaller horses, pulled at ropes tied to the big black beast.
A panicked rider clung to the animal’s immense back as the horse kicked and reared violently.
When Rebecca saw Timothy rushing suddenly into the path of the maddened stallion she could not contain herself and ran out into the yard.
“We caught him riding up the east path, Tim,” one of the men yelled over the screams of the steed.
Elgerson ran toward the horse and shouted in a loud, commanding voice that made Rebecca stop dead in her tracks. The animal ceased his fighting and circled, agitated and enraged, stomping loudly in the dust. Rebecca felt the vibration of every hoof from several feet away.
Timothy pulled the rider from the massive horse’s back and pushed him upright against the boards of the stable as the other men stepped away. The huge Arabian snorted loudly and paced the yard, free of the rider and the imprisonment of the men.
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Rebecca ventured slightly closer and recognized that the man Timothy held against the rough boards was Jude Thomas, the man who had been so forward with her the night of the party.
“You better have a damn good reason to have been riding that animal, Thomas, and you’d better have it fast, because it will be the last thing you’ll ever say.”
Elgerson held the smaller man fast against the wall, Jude’s feet barely touching the ground. Rebecca could see the large veins pulsing on Timothy’s neck, his face red with anger.
“Go to hell, Elgerson!” Jude hissed. “You can go to hell and take that whore with you!”
Elgerson lifted his massive fist and struck the man violently, the long fingers of his left hand curling around Jude’s throat as the man continued to infuriate him.
“You think you can keep me away from her like you tried with Corissa? This one will come to my bed just as quickly as the last. Now, get your hands off me!”
The men in the open yard stepped back, as if they all silently agreed that what they were witnessing was justified. Ben Carson stood without a word beside the house, watching an event long in coming that no man would be able to stop.
Elgerson struck him again even more violently, and raised his fist for another blow when Rebecca could stand it no more. She ran to his side and grabbed his arm with all of her strength and began shouting.
“Timothy, stop! You’ll kill him!”
“That’s exactly what I have in mind,” he growled, breathing hard.
“No!” Rebecca screamed. “He’s not worth it! He’s just a drunken fool. He’s wrong, Tim. Let him go!”
Elgerson spat against the wall, inches from the man’s face and flung him violently onto the hard packed dirt.
“Ben, get him the hell out of here. He’s nothing but a horse thief! Get him off my property before I give him what he deserves!”
Stavewood (Stavewood Saga Book 1) Page 23
