Chapter Five
Oklahoma Territory, Early February, 1883
Peter Belden waited for the stagecoach. It was a bad time to be traveling, but the young lady had requested to come early. She was nineteen, had taught three terms already, and was anxious to start teaching out west. The young lady took care of her younger sister, who would be arriving with her; their parents having been killed in a stagecoach accident a few years before.
He kept his hands in his pockets, despite the thick woolen gloves he wore. He was worried. Ben Riker still hadn’t agreed to lease or allow them to use the empty store, though he had promised an answer by tomorrow Peter had asked around. Every empty building was owned by Riker. Apparently Riker had been quietly buying up property around town. Peter had to wonder how many businesses Riker had simply bought out. There were an awful lot of empty buildings now. Had people left of their own accord, unable to withstand the harsh Oklahoma winter, or had they been paid to leave? Riker had pretty deep pockets.
He knew Matthew Wheeler or Win Frayne would finance the new school without question, but nothing could be built right now with the frozen ground and lingering snow. No one lived in town with a big enough space to be used, winter was too dangerous to have students come from everywhere to someone else’s barn or house. Meanwhile, most of the boys stood all day in school, except the small ones who needed to sit. A number of families had settled in the area right before winter, and rather than keep their children out of school, they were all crammed into the small, one building room.
Come spring the bigger boys would head out to the fields, but for now, all of the children were entitled to some education, and the school teacher was simply stretched too thin.
Finally, he saw the stagecoach approaching. It was full, with four passengers, he saw as it pulled up. When it came to a stop, the driver hopped down and opened the door, setting out the step for the ladies, before scrambling up to retrieve satchels.
A petite young lady stepped down, shading her eyes with her gloved hand against the bright winter sun. Her dark hair was under her plain, thin, woolen hat, and he noted that while her clothes were clean, they were simple and of sturdy cloth. Her coat was nowhere near thick enough for the harsh winter.
“Miss Cornwall?” Peter asked.
“Yes,” she turned, smiling, with beautiful deep blue eyes, and delicate features. “Mr. Belden?”
“Yes, hello,” he shook her hand as she curtsied. A smaller girl followed, dressed similarly, but she had reddish blonde hair tucked up under a hat that was too big for her. Her clothes were also simply made and not warm enough.
“This is my sister, Clara,” Adelia Cornwall pulled her forward. Clara Cornwall dropped a curtsy and a quiet “hello”.
“I’m so glad you arrived safely. As soon as we have your bags, I’ll show you to the hotel.”
“Thank you, Mr. Belden,” she smiled. “This is everything we have.”
Peter noted they each had one suitcase. He quickly took them, realizing they were very lightweight . The driver was back on the coach and off they went.
“Your room should be ready,” Peter spoke as they walked. “Once you’re settled in, I do hope you’ll have supper with my family. My youngest son is about your sister’s age, and my daughter is close to your age. I’ll give you a bit of a tour of the town when you’re ready.”
“Thank you,” Adelia said quietly.
A gunshot rang out and there was a loud whoop of excitement. Peter shook his head, as Clara looked around anxiously.
“I apologize for that. Sometimes they get to drinking too heavily and make fools out of themselves. We rarely have problems with the men in the saloons, but still, it’s best if you avoid them, especially if you don’t have an escort.”
“I understand. Every town has a saloon and plenty of fools to patronize it.”
“Unfortunately, we have two.” Peter was interrupted by someone shouting his name. Turning, he waved as Jim Frayne strolled toward him. “Ah, now here is a fine citizen you should meet.”
Jim reached them, and gave the girls a friendly smile. “Afternoon, Mr. Belden. Saw you from across the street, thought I’d say hi.”
“Good to see you, Jim. May I present Miss Adelia Cornwall and her sister, Clara. Miss Cornwall is our new schoolteacher. Ladies, this is Jim Frayne, one of my neighbors and good friends.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Misses Cornwall,” Jim’s smile didn’t lie as he raised first Adelia’s gloved hand to his lips, and did the same with her sister, who giggled.
“Hello,” they said shyly.
“I was just taking them to the hotel to settle in,” Peter said. “Would you like to accompany us?”
“Gladly,” Jim’s eyes, bright with interest, hadn’t left the new school teacher.
Peter smiled. He liked Jim, and he wondered if Miss Cornwall would help Jim get over his loss of Trixie.
As they walked, Peter told her about the town, its development, pointed out a few notable citizens. He knew a few people were whispering about his family. Hallie had been flaunting all over town that she was Ben Riker’s mistress and her cousin, the mayor’s son, had married a whore. Peter ignored the gossip and went about his mayoral business, and being polite and friendly to the town’s citizens.
They stopped by the Marhsals’ office, and Brian’s office, where Peter introduced Brian and Lillian to Jim, Adelia and Clara. Adelia seemed pleased to meet someone of her age, and Peter was confident the young schoolmistress would settle in quickly. He was also confident Jim Frayne would be interested in helping her.
***
Dan chuckled as he ate, listening to his brother. “I think you like her,” he teased.
Jim gave him a shy smile. “Yeah, kind of. She’s awfully nice.”
“And pretty,” Dan laughed.
“Very pretty,” Jim admitted. “I haven’t felt that pulled to someone since, well, Trixie.”
Dan nodded. “Glad to hear there’s someone new that caught your eye. She’s got to be smart too, if she’s the teacher.”
“She seems to be. Very well spoken. Her sister is a cute little thing. I won’t be surprised if Bobby takes a liking to her.”
“He does seem to be noticing girls, from what Trixie says,” Dan answered.
“Remember the first girl we ever liked?” Jim asked. “We were what, eleven or so? And she came in all in ruffles and lace and you fell off your seat?”
Dan chuckled. “I remember. We both brought her sweets the next day, along with half the other boys.”
“Didn’t she take a liking to you eventually?” Jim asked.
Dan made a snorting noise. “She took a shine to all the boys within a few years, Jim.”
The brothers shared a laugh at the memory.
***
Jasper stared at the telegram. He had wired his old friends in the circus, to let them know about his uncle. Their schedule never changed, he knew where’d they be this time of year. Further west, in the milder climate.
The return answer was surprising. An offer for him and Ayla to return to the circus, take up their act again. The pay was good. If Ayla sold the farm, they’d have money in the bank and they could go back to doing what they loved.
But going back meant leaving Madeleine. And Jasper wasn’t sure he wanted to do that. If there was one thing he enjoyed more than flying through the air, it was being around his honey-haired courtee.
***
Matthew Wheeler looked over the report. There was nothing scandalous in the past of Jasper Alexander Malley other than his parentage was questionable, an unknown, Indian father. There was no family money, but no black marks either.
He had been allowing the courtship because his made his daughter happier than he had ever seen her, but he wasn’t sure how much longer it could go on. A formal engagement would be the next logical step; they had spent a lot of time together this winter. Too much to stop the gossips come spring, even though they were always chaperoned.
His wife would have an enormous tantrum if he allowed their daughter to marry a ‘penniless half-breed carnie’, as she had put it in a scathing letter to him. Grace Hart came from old money, while Matthew had rather humble beginnings that he had built his empire on. It didn’t matter the boy was polite, articulate, intelligent, charming and talented. Matthew rather liked him. But Madeleine was heiress to a fortune, and whomever she married needed to be worthy of that. Matthew wouldn’t stand for the empire he had built to be torn apart by bad handling. Grace wouldn’t stand for her daughter to marry beneath her social standing.
He definitely needed to give more thought to this.
***
Ayla shut the barn door behind her, closing out the frigid morning air, and walked to a pile of hay. She sank onto it, willing tears to come, but they didn’t.
She had yet to cry for him. Nothing had come. Some remorse, a sense of loss, but the despair she felt was more out of what would happen to her and William, and Jasper, not for the loss of her husband.
It wasn’t fair, she thought. He had been a good man, took good care of them all these years. Why couldn’t she cry?
Because she had cried all her tears out years ago. When her father almost killed Bill Regan and sent him away. She had cried almost endlessly for months, and not since.
She had been trying not to think about Bill. She tried to think about her husband. But everyday, every time she looked at her son, she thought about Bill instead.
Thom had known she was pregnant when her father arranged the marriage. He was okay with it; his first wife had never been able to bear a live child. He was stern but kind, and never struck her. And he had shielded her from her father.
Which was why she felt so guilty about not really missing him. She hadn’t loved him. She had grown to care for him over the years, but not love him. Ayla had been sure she’d never love again, other than her son.
Until that moment she had seen Bill Regan again, when he pulled her off of the horse. months ago now. Time had spun backwards and she was fifteen again, batting her eyes at the big, strong horse trainer.
And now he was here. He had tried to make arrangements for her, take care of her, even though he didn’t have the right. She should be grateful, not furious but Ayla was tired of men making decisions for her. Her father, her husband, and now the man who impregnated her. No, she thought. She needed to take control of her life, even if the law fought her. But how? She wanted nothing more than to ride to the Wheeler Estate, and find him and throw her arms around him. She wanted to know the man the boy had become.
But her legs wouldn’t move. She couldn’t manage it. She hadn’t worked it all through in her mind yet. She hadn’t really grieved. How could she move forward, until she grieved for the man who had taken care of her for so long?
***
Trixie hated the long winter, and the days at a time when she couldn’t see Dan because no one could leave. The snow piled up, forcing people to rebreak paths to the barn and keeping most everyone at home. Mart hadn’t been able to visit Diana much this winter, nor her Dan, and they were both snappish and grumpy.
***
Jasper closed the barn doors behind him. Silently, lost in thought, he went about his evening chores.
He hadn’t had a chance to get to Madeleine’s for a couple of days, thanks to new snowfall. Ayla’s words had replayed in his head nonstop. Had Madeleine used him, for her cousin’s sake? Jasper didn’t want to believe it. He knew he was in love with her, it was impossible not to be. Once you looked past the pretty face there was a lively, intelligent girl who wanted to be more than a decorative wife. She lent him fine literature books to read. They could discuss what he read, they looked through art books, they talked about New York. She wasn’t a silly, vapid girl, or a scheming bitch like the ones he had known in the circus. Sure there had been a few tumbles, but he had never thoroughly enjoyed a lady’s company the way he did hers. When they were together, he felt warm, comfortable, whole. Secure.
As he milked the cow, he knew he needed to talk to her. Dread hung over him like a wet blanket. What if she admitted to it? What if she admitted to using him, to not really caring about him but simply helping her cousin?
His thoughts went to the offer the circus had sent him. He could always leave, he thought. Ayla would go with him; she wasn’t happy here; she missed their friends. They could return to the circus and their old lives. It was an option.
An option he didn’t really want.
***
Another snowstorm housebound the area, and travel was minimal.
Unable to get to his patients out in the country, Brian paced the small apartment. There were plenty of men coming to him for “hangover cures”, and a couple of pregnant women he was monitoring in town, but he was worried about his country patients.
Brian wasn’t worried about his family. Crabapple Farm was built solidly and there would have been food stocked away for winter. But the saloon was taking dangerous chances, sending people to Claremore for liquor. Lytell had to send someone to pick up his supplies.
In the meantime, there was his wife. He had never even kissed her, other than the night they were married, but the more time he spent with her, the more he felt it. Sometimes he caught staring at him shyly, and she’d blush and look away. Brian wanted their relationship to not be one of convenience, but that was what he had promised her, and he wouldn’t renege. Every now and then he’d catch her staring out the window with fear in her eyes. She would never say if something had actually scared her, but she’d lay closer to him in bed after that. They never actually touched, but took comfort in each other’s presence. Brian wanted more.
*
Finally, Jasper was able to get a horse out and ride to Manor House. It had been weeks since he had been able to leave hte farm, due to another massive blizzard. Regan lectured him briefly on riding the horse in the heavy cold but Jasper hurried inside, where he found Madeleine in front of a fire, stitching quietly, as Miss Trask was writing at the desk.
“Jasper!” Madeleine exclaimed, smiling as she saw him. “I’m so glad you came!”
She dropped her stitching and rose to greet him, but Jasper bypassed the niceties. This had been eating at him for days now. No answers, just more questions.
“I need to talk to you,” he said abruptly.
Madeleine swallowed. Regan had told her what happened with Ayla. “Of course,” she said calmly. “What’s wrong?”
The shift in her attitude and the flicker of fear in her eyes told Jasper volumes. No woman could just pull that kind of mask over her face.
“It’s true,” he murmured, staring at her.
“What is?” she asked.
“You used me to get to Ayla, for your cousin.”
Madeleine’s hazel eyes widened and she shook her head. “No. No, Jasper, I didn’t.”
“Can you deny it all?” he asked, feeling the anger rise. Her eyes were guilty. “That you never once thought about it?”
Madeleine glanced at Miss Trask, who looked worried. Madeleine knew she couldn’t lie to Jasper.
“Did you know Regan and Ayla knew each other?” Jasper pressed, not giving her time to answer.
“Not at first,” she said quietly. “Regan wanted to know if the boy was his. I had already met you by then, and invited you over for tea. It wasn’t until afterwards that I was made aware of the true connection.”
“Did you spy?” he demanded. “Everything we’ve shared—was it to spy for Regan?”
“No,” she said honestly. “In the beginning, I did try to get some information for Regan but?”
“In the beginning? Then you did spy on me,” he whispered. His eyes radiated his hurt, and Madeleine swallowed.
“Jasper, please let me finish,” she said quietly. “I did ask some questions in the beginning, but it wasn’t my main reason for getting to know. I like you, a lot. I’ve come to really care about you and I?”
“Hang on,” he interrupted her. “This started out as a ploy and then something came of it?”
“No, that’s not what I mean! I liked you before it all started, that first day we met when I saw you playing your flute! And then I just tried to help Regan but I didn’t get far and I really do care for you! You were never used!”
Jasper shook his head. “You just said I was, in the beginning.”
“No!” Madeleine said, exasperated. She wasn’t explaining this well at all. “Maybe a little, but not really. I wanted you to come around because I care about you! Regan was going out of his mind with concern so I asked a few questions and yes, I went to see the boy. He has Regan’s nose and ears, you know.”
“And when were you going to tell me?” Jasper asked, only half hearing her as fury coursed through him. “When they came to face to face and you were forced to?”
“I was hoping it wouldn’t come up,” she admitted quietly.
“How the devil did you think we’d avoid it?” he demanded. “It would have come out eventually, Madeleine!” He paced the room. “I’ve been courting you for months, eventually our families would have met!”
Her hazel eyes were filled with tears. “I’m sorry, Jasper, I didn’t mean for this to happen like this. Please sit down, let’s talk.”
“I’m not in the mood for talking,” he snapped. “I’m not in the mood for much at all involving you right now.”
She gasped and he turned on his heel, storming from the house. Madeleine turned to Miss Trask, whose lips were pressed together in a thin line.
“Please tell me I did not hear what I think I did, surmising that you were an instrument of information gathering with Master Jasper,” she said to Madeleine.
Tears spilled from her charge’s eyes.
“Not like you think,” she said sadly.
Sinking on to a chair, Madeleine proceeded to tell Miss Trask everything.
“It didn’t even start out that way,” Madeline said sadly, dabbing at her eyes. “I just tried to help Regan a little bit. Now Jasper is furious and, oh, Miss Trask, he looked so hurt!”
“He is. He is a devastated young man right now,” Miss Trask said quietly. “I must admit, I do not approve of this plan and I daresay that’s why I wasn’t informed of it. I understand Regan’s desire to know about his potential child but involving that young man in a scheme was completely unfair.”
Madeleine nodded. “I know. He looked so angry when he left! Miss Trask, what if he never comes back?”
Miss Trask sighed and reached over to pat her hand comfortingly. “We can only hope that’s not the case, Madeleine. I daresay you’ve fallen in love with him, and whilst I’m quite sure he’s in love with you, this may be too much for him to swallow. Young men have pride, a lot of it, and to find out they were used as an instrument of gathering information on someone they’re related to…it could have serious repercussions.”
Madeleine nodded as more tears streaked down her cheek. The announcement of Brian’s sudden marriage had stung, but it faded quickly as her time with Jasper grew more frequent and more enjoyable.
Now she couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him. Spring wasn’t so far away now, and she had let her head fill with thoughts of buggy rides and walks in the woods with him, all the way to marriage. At last, she had found someone she could truly consider a future with. And she had ruined it all.
Regan came in as she sat staring at the fire. His morose expression brought forth more tears.
“I’m so sorry, Madeleine. I had no idea it was going to blow up like this. Jasper just left. Gave me a good chewing.”
Madeleine wiped her eyes. “I knew it was a risk,” she quietly. “I liked him from the moment we met. But I never thought I’d fall in love with him.”
She turned her head to stare at the fire, as tears spilled down her face.
 
*** Author’s Notes
- A huge thank you to Julie, my editor! As always, she did a marvelous job editing and named the story.
- Word Count, 3,539
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