Bittersweet Endeavors (22 page)

“I didn’t say one way or another
,
f
ather,” she
defended
.  She
nervousl
y
twiddled
at
a loose
ned
thread
on
the hem of
her skirt.

Seth thought she needed
a reminder as to
how the
truth c
ould
damage one’s relationship.  He offered a wide grin when
he stated,
“By the bye, Margaret. I saw Zachary Frederick
son
earlier in town and he sent a message for me to relay.” 

Margaret's thin
red
brows raised,
and
a
n expression
of
shock mixed with fear
crossed he
r face.  The only messages
sent through Seth were that of her and Zachary's time
s
of
clandestine meetings
.

“Frederickson,” his father interrupted.  “How is the fellow?  It’s been
a week since he
last
paid
me
a visit.  Quite strange, too, for a time there,
he
was
death-
on helping me with this
situation
.”

“What
situation
is that,
f
ather?
” Margaret asked curiously.

“This issue with
Myra
, of course
!
” he said flustered.  “
He
asked to buy her bond
.” 
He turned toward Seth and squinted
, his eyes bec
ame
narrow slits
beneath
his
lids
. “A
t the time, I saw no good reason
in doing so
.”

Margaret
and Seth looked at one another and
their
questioning
glances mirrored one another
.  They
both asked in unison,
“He what?”

“Seems he saw her in town awhile back and
took
a fancy to her.  Of course,” his father added, “I believe his intentions
are
completely honorable—even mentioned something of
a
possible
union of
marriage.”
Anvil
sat
next to Margare
t
and
his discomfort
was
obvious by the
awkward
attempt he made
when patting
her hand out of
consolatory obligation.  “I know you
fancied
the man once, Margaret, but it seems from his lack of visits that he
’s
lost interest in you.”

“Lost interest?” Margaret
repeated
in a sorrowful whisper
.

Seth seethed inside but held his tongue.
He wondered what
Zachary was trying to accomplish.
  There were times he took
notice of Zachary admiring
Myra
from afar, but he couldn’t blame him for that
.
  Indeed,
Myra
ha
d
a mesmeri
zing look about her that demanded
attention.  Could he blame him for
observing her beauty
?  Who could
view
a lovely rose
in a garden
and
pass it by
without
admiring
it? 
Yet, he considered her for
marriage?  Zachary ha
d
never shown any more interest in
Myra
than that of appreciation.  In fact, Zachary
hadn’t spoken
a
word to
Myra
when
all four met on their many
secret
outings. 
They
had
n’t
let it known
that
there
was
anything other than a s
ervant and employer relationship
between themselves.  Therefore
, Zachary
didn’t need to
be reserved.  If
in fact, he
truly ha
d
interest
s
in her. 
Certainly his father was
mistaken.

“Well, I have work that I must s
ee to,” his father said.  “But
I bid you take heed to my warning
, Seth
.  I
forbid
you to
any involvement
with that servant. You
shall
marry that of wealth and status, preferably Miss Cassandra, and I'll not see you settle for anything less.  Is that understood?”
 

Before Seth could reply, Anvil quit the room.  Seth
walked to Margaret's side
and
reached
for her trembling hand and offered
a
comforting squeeze
.
  Clearly, his father's words about Zachary and
Myra
cut her deep and
had
upset her. 
Understandably, h
is father’s
declaration
caused him distress
too. 

“There
’s
no truth in it,” he assured
her
.

“But
f
ather wouldn’t lie about him wanting to purchase
Myra
's contract
.  He has no reason.
”

“True,
” Seth agreed,
“B
ut there still
has
to be a
sensible
explanation.
”
  Zachary truly enjoy
ed
his visits with Margaret, and although Seth didn’t particularly care for Zachary initially, he did gain a slight amount of respect for him
when he
believ
ed
his feelings for his sister were hon
orable
and true
. 
Margaret
had
made it
clear that Zachary
hadn’t
take
n
any undue advantage of her. 
Taking
Zachary's roguish reputation under
thought, it
was
nearly unbelievable considering
Margaret’s
continual
need to please
him.
Her gullibility made
her a
perfect mark.
 
A sickening feeling plagued Seth’s stomach.  Actually, he concluded, very odd indeed.  Seth nearly groaned aloud.  Of course, he wouldn't, he thought.  Not if his
true
intention
was
using
Margaret
so he’d get
closer to
Myra
from the beginning.  Damn, he cursed inwardly. 
I’ll kill the bastard!

“I
shall
talk to Zachary on the morrow and find out what this is about
,
”
Seth promised.

“Oh
nay
, Seth.”  Margaret gripped his wrist tightly and wrenched out a sob.  “You mustn't.”

“Why not?  Surely you want
to know
the truth about this matter.”

“
Nay
…
W
ell,
aye
, but
…
W
hat
…
W
hat if—”

“
T
is best we know now.”

Margaret swiped a tear from her eye, and with a reluctant nod, agreed.

*                  *                   *

The stars
twinkled bright
and
Myra
snuggled her head deeper
toward
Seth's chest as she
lay
on the ground within his embrace.  “I wish we could stay like this forever,” she
said
.

Distracted, he hu
mmed an unintelligible reply
that
Myra assumed was his
agreement
.

“Oh, Seth, look,” she said
,
a
nd
pointed
toward the sky
.  “There goes a star soaring across the sky.”  She closed her eyes for a
moment
and gave
ap
preciation for the
magnificent
sight
, b
ut when she opened
her eyes
, she noticed that he
w
as fu
rther away
from her
than the stars
that she
admired
.

“Seth?”

“Hmm?”

Myra
turned in his arms
and
fully face
d
him, and for the first
time
that
ev
ening, it seemed he finally had taken
notice that she
existed
.  “Is there something bothering you?  Have I
wronged you in some way?”

“
Nay
, of course not,
”
he smiled and
caressed the side of he
r cheek.  “
There is
a matter I’
m preoccupied with,
t
is all.”

“Is there a pro
blem with your father?  Has he l
ear
ne
d about us?” 
Myra
sat up quickly and hesitantly looked around
,
as if they were being watched.

“
Aye
, he does suspect something, but that isn’t the matter that co
ncerns me.  Although
,
” he said as he sat upright, “I’ve decided
that I’ll
t
ell my father
everything
about us
.” 

Panic struck
her
and she held a painful breath within her lungs.  She
stood up
, but Seth reached for her and brought her back
by
his side.  “You know how I feel about us
hiding our relationship
,
Myra
.  And by the truth, I’ll not stand for it much longer.”

“You know how I feel, Seth.”

“Why,
Myra
?  What is there to wait for?  I lo—”

Her finger
quickly
went to his lips
and
silence
d
him.
“Please, Seth, just give me some time.” 
She couldn’t bear
hearing
the words
.
Not when she continue
d
lying
about her true identity.  Mayhap one day she’
d
hear his words of love, but she want
ed
them said
to her true self, not the
servant
she
was
forced in
to
being
. 
He captured her hand into
his and placed a soft kiss in her
palm
and
then
on her wrist.
Shivers of delight ran through her
.

“Time for what?”  He closed his eyes and tightened his grasp on her hand.  “I don’t want
us waiting
any
longer
.  I
t bothers me
to know
you go
without so many things that I c
an
easily
afford
you.  You deserve the finest, and I want
the freedom
to give you
everything—everything your heart desires.”

Myra
leaned over and kissed his lips
and softened
his hardened jaw as his anger escalated.  He searched her eyes and a peaceful expression wa
she
d over his face.