Romance: Detective Romance: A Vicious Affair (Victorian Regency Intrigue 19th England Romance) (Historical Mystery Detective Romance) (107 page)

“He would, wouldn’t he?”

“Yes, he certainly would! And our baby! His grandchild. He would be very, very angry.”

“But we need a substantial sum.”

“It won’t matter. The only thing that will matter is that when we have paid what we owe and begin paying my father his money back, you don’t gamble it away. Do you think you can break your habit?”

She rubbed his arm and looked up into his eyes. He was blinking and refusing to look at her.

“Mark, please. Please tell me you love me enough…and love our baby enough to do this for us.”

“I want to, Margie. I do love you and our baby.”

“We will keep praying about it. My papa will help us through this and then we will start again. From the beginning if we have to. But at least we will have our horses and our home.”

“And our baby.”

“Yes.” She smiled wide and he matched it.

“It’s so wonderful to think that we will have a little boy or girl here next year. I hope it looks like you.”

She giggled. “If it’s a boy, I don’t think he will like that.”

He shook his head. “I hope that he or she is healthy. I hope that you are okay through it all and that everything works out good in the end.”

“Ellie is going to help me. She will know what’s going on before I do.”

They both laughed at that.

“I’m glad she is wanting to help you.” Mark’s demeanor had lightened significantly from only moments before. She could see that he felt relief and renewed strength. She wondered if he would really be able to kick the habit. He was so good with money otherwise.

“Do you want me to start helping manage the finances of the track and stables, Mark?” She asked a little nervously. It had always been his job. She didn’t want him to feel that she was stepping on his toes.

He paused and looked at her thoughtfully. “I think it would be wise, yes.” He agreed. He put one of his hands on her tummy and the other on the small of her back. “You won’t be up for all that physical work taking care of yourself for the next year anyway.”

“Silly man, it doesn’t take that long to have a baby!”

“I know.” He laughed. “But you won’t be going back to grooming and cleaning out stables for a long time, honey. You’re going to have my baby to take care of!”

The thought of a happy family in her future lifted Margaret’s spirits back up into the clouds. She threw her arms around her husband and hugged him close. “I love you, Mark!”

“And I love you, my sweet little Margaret!” He replied, kissing her soft lips with a passion she would never be able to resist.

Minnie looked down at the telegraph with great fear in her heart. It was from the army. She hadn’t heard from Tom for almost two months but had been hoping and praying everything would turn out okay for him. That he would return home to her soon and she would hear him playing with their little boy, Billy, in the yard. It was what was supposed to happen.

But it wasn’t what happened. The telegraph was gripped in her hands, the paper curling up around them. She sat in one of the porch chairs and stared down at it some more. He was gone. He really was gone. They had confirmed it, found his…body. She shivered.

“Damn this war!” Her father was storming up and down the porch. “How could this happen? How can he not come home to his wife and baby?”

“Papa, quiet down!” Her mother was soothing her father, trying to get him to calm down some. “You’re upsetting Minnie even more. You must calm down.”

“I can’t be calm!” Her father thundered, making her cringe. She knew he was nearly as upset as she was but she didn’t think she could take it today. She got up and went in the house, making her way to her room on deadened feet. She could hear her father still storming outside, his emotions overwhelming him. He had cared for her husband, too. Even his wife’s tears didn’t calm him. She expected him to burst out in his own tears at any moment. When he quieted down, she assumed that’s what had happened.

Minnie dropped herself on her bed face first. She was glad Billy was asleep in the cradle near her bed. She didn’t have the resolve to do anything for him right now. She pressed her face into the bed and let her tears come. She sobbed for many minutes, her marriage and love for her husband running through her mind over and over and over.

She felt like she would never recover from this. Her dear husband, Tom, had been one of the men killed at the Battle of Averasboro, NC. He was shot by the enemy and left in the field like the rest of the men that had died there. It would be impossible to bring his body home. She didn’t know why. It’s what they told her. She didn’t think Averasboro was that far from her little town but she didn’t question their authority. They weren’t going to listen to her anyway.

He’d died a hero and President Lincoln had even sent her a note expressing his dismay at his loss and that he had been a strong and courageous soldier.

It didn’t ease her pain. The president couldn’t bring him back. No one could bring him back. Not even God. He didn’t do that kind of stuff anymore.

Her emotions peaked, she sobbed for nearly an hour. She didn’t know when she would ever stop. Her tears would eventually dry up and she would have no more to shed. She had never felt such intense sorrow in all her 22 years. Where would she go? Who would she rely on? Her parents?

The thought made her cry harder. She was a married woman who had lived for three years with a man who showed her what love was all about. Now he was gone, ripped from her life abruptly. Her tears were intense and her bed shook as her body did.

“Lord!” She cried out. “How could this happen?”

Minnie heard a shuffling behind her and realized she had probably woken Billy up. She used the sheet on the bed to dry her tears and pushed herself up. She was going to be strong for her little boy. Even if it meant she could not show her sorrow in front of him. He was a year and a half old and wouldn’t understand why she was in such despair. It might harm him to see her so upset. She composed herself and went to his cradle, where he was sitting up, rubbing his eyes.

“Mama!” he called out to her. “Mama!”

“I’m here, sweet one,” she said, reaching into the cradle and picking him up.
He was getting so heavy.
“You’re already wake? Did you get enough sleep?”

“Mama cry.” He was staring into her eyes and she sat on the bed, resting him on her lap. His eyes were huge and blue, gazing at her intently. She brushed his blond hair back from his eyes and kissed his forehead.

“I’ll be okay, little man. I will be. You don’t have to worry.”

“No cry, mama!” Billy wrapped his arms around her neck and hugged her tight. “No cry!”

“I won’t, my son.” She buried her face in his small neck and shoulder. “I won’t cry anymore.”

But she knew she would.

Minnie hadn’t gotten any sleep at all for almost four days. Since the telegraph arrived, all she could do was wallow in her misery. Her mother was still being encouraging and supportive but her father was still upset and sullen. His mood was dark and angry. “He was a good boy!” He kept exclaiming whenever the subject was broached. “He was always a good boy! Good shot, too! Took him hunting! He was the best at it, best young boy I’d taught.”

There were many other things that had impressed him about Tom. He never failed to mention them. Minnie often wondered if he would ever stop talking about her late husband. It hurt every time she mentioned him. She wanted to avoid the subject and not think about it. She would never come out of mourning if he didn’t. The fact that she was now a widow with a fatherless boy was bad enough but to have it constantly ranted on about by her father was more unbearable than she could imagine.

She dragged herself out of bed, pulling on her robe as she did every morning. Billy had a strange schedule but she was glad of it. He slept more often than other babies she’d heard of. Her mother had appeared a little envious of it. Billy slept through the night and often into the next morning, allowing her to do other things before he woke up.

She glanced in his room and then went down the stairs to the kitchen when she saw he was still sound asleep as always. Her father and brothers had left for the day’s work and her mother was still in her bed. She sat listlessly at the kitchen table, unsure whether she wanted to make a cup of coffee or hot tea. Either way, she needed something warm in her body. It was chilly this morning. She didn’t expect it to warm up.

She sat there for a little while, gazing out the window as the sun rose. She didn’t want to go back up and get dressed for the day. She didn’t want to go through the process of brushing and caring for her long brown hair, fitting it into braids like she had done nearly every day of her life. She didn’t want to do anything.

She wanted to be with her husband.

But she had a tiny baby to care for. She wasn’t going to leave him here on his own without his mama or papa. She wanted to keep him safe from harm and not let him understand what was going on until he was much older.

She let her tears come again and wondered how she was going to continue on without Tom. She had no kind of income. She didn’t want to stay here with her parents and brothers forever. She’d had a life before, a very full life before Tom had gone to the war.She missed him every day. She missed him even when he was alive.

Her mother came through the door, surprising her.

“Oh mother. You scared me.”

“I’m sorry, dear.” Minnie’s mother came directly to her and put her hands on Minnie’s shoulders. “I wish I could make you feel better. I know you must be terribly hurt and upset. But it will pass. Time will heal your heart, darling.”

“I am afraid it will take too long. I’m afraid I will feel this way forever.”

Her shoulders shook slightly and her mother leaned over to hug her.

“I love you, Minnie. It will be okay in time.”

“I love you, too, mama.” She didn’t really believe her. But she was glad to have her comforting arms around her. She lifted one hand and wrapped it around one of her mother’s arms, letting her hold her. She pulled her tears in and did her best to stop crying. It was going to take a long time. A very long time.

Two months later, Minnie was sitting in the same place, feeling as lost as she ever had. She didn’t feel strong. She didn’t feel recovered. Time had not healed her heart. Her little boy was almost two now. He was smiling all the time, still saying “dada”, even though dada wasn’t around. It broke her heart every time she thought about it. Every time she heard it.

She sat waiting for Liz, her best friend in town. Liz was encouraging and helpful but nothing seemed to take away her pain. She stared out the window next to the table, watching the road for Liz to be dropped off. She felt a little impatient and pushed the feeling down. She didn’t want to feel that way. She was struggling with being overwhelmed by her strong emotions. Her crying hadn’t stopped. Billy was starting to notice and it made her feel even worse.

Now, she was not only crying for the loss of her husband, she was joining the nation in mourning the loss of President Lincoln. She couldn’t figure out why good men had to die like that. It didn’t make sense to her at all.

She saw a cloud of dust and realized she’d been staring out the window not even seeing that Liz was stepping down from a wagon and would be at the door in moments.

She stood up and went to let her friend in.

“Good morning, Mins!” Liz threw her arms around her as soon as she opened the door, making her take a step back. She couldn’t help smiling and hugging her friend back.

“Good morning, Lizzie. How are you doing today?”

Liz released her from the hug and held her at arm’s length, her hands gripping Minnie’s arms gently. “I am fine, as usual, honeypot. The question is, ‘are you feeling any better’?”

They linked arms and took a few steps to turn into the kitchen, where they usually sat to talk.

“Have you been eating?” Liz asked. “I know you were having trouble there for a long time. How are you now?”

Minnie shrugged, resuming the seat she’d been in before. Liz sat across from her and leaned over to hold one of her hands. “I am eating as normal, I suppose. I don’t have much of an appetite.”

Liz shook her head, lifting her fabric hand bag and placing it on the table in front of her. She put her other hand over the Minnie’s so that she was clasping it tightly. “I can’t continue to see you in this state, my dear. You have been such a good friend to me for all these years and you’ve gotten me through some pretty tough times. I have been blessed to have you as a friend to me.”

Minnie felt a warm sensation slide through her chest. She smiled at Liz. “Thank you, Lizzie. That really does mean so much to me.”

Liz nodded. “I would never do anything to hurt you, you know that don’t you?”

Minnie nodded. “I do know that, Lizzie. I surely do.”

Liz smiled warmly and squeezed her hand.

*****

Joseph lifted the sack, attaching it neatly to the side of the saddle before pulling himself up on the tall Mustang. He patted her side and whispered in her ear, enjoying the brush of the horse’s ear on his lips when she twitched it. There were few things left for him to feel good about, so he relished in it. He lifted back up in the saddle and pressed Sally’s sides with his heels to get her moving.

They slowly made their way over several hills, crossing a field and following the stream on his property as he inspected it. There had been some wandering thieves in town recently and he needed to make sure they hadn’t been camping out anywhere on his land. He liked to keep his property secure but there was little way to do that without the biggest fence in the world and a lot of patrolling time. The land he and his father had purchased here – the land that was now his since his father died – was several hundred acres. There was no way for him to cover all the land and keep it safe.

He reckoned there wasn’t much need anyway, since people needed to get from one place to another, and if they needed to cross his property to get safely to their destination, that was all right with him. He just didn’t want anyone causing any trouble for the innocent travelers who weren’t seeking to harm anyone.

Joe peered out over the long field in front of him. It stretched out at a slant and was dotted with spots where there was no grass, where rocks and sand had taken over and then abruptly stopped as if that was where the ground held more water and could support life. He kept his eye out for any wild animals that might cross his path. Coyotes were sometimes a nuisance but he knew how to deal with them. He kept his rifle strapped across his back and was the best shot in his family. He’d been shooting and hunting since he was a boy and even competed for several years in local competitions and the traveling fairs.
He had won many times as a youth. But as he got older, he was less interested in competition and more interested in hunting for food and raising horses on his ranch.

His mind wandered back to the most recent time he had been in a competition and the memory pierced him like a knife. It was the last time he would ever compete. He had been at the competition when his wife, Annie, whom he adored with all his heart, was thrown from her horse and killed. Right here on the ranch.

She left him and their three year old daughter, Ruthie, behind. It was heartbreaking, a tragic event that with time, had not healed. It was going on seven months. He had tried going into town about a month previous and looking around for a woman that could fill the enormous shoes his wife had left behind. No woman would qualify. No woman was good enough. He felt
strongly
there would never be anyone in his heart and mind that would match the love he’d had for his late Annie.

Ruthie wasn’t the same either. She had been a vibrant, happy child, always smiling and tossing the pretty blond curls that fell down past her tiny shoulders.