Chapter Nine
Oklahoma Territory, Mid-March, 1883
Peter stoically counted out the money to Ben Riker, wishing he could punch the arrogant young man and wipe that smirk off his face. The amount he was charging them was astronomical, but it would be too cold to hold outdoor classes for weeks to come. They needed the space. Miss Cornwall was teaching the town children in the parlour of the hotel but it was noisy and disruptive and crowded.
Ben Riker grinned, his cigar between his teeth as he watched the pile of money grow. He knew Wheeler or Frayne had put up the cash, and he didn’t care which it was. But it sure was nice to humble Peter Belden a little, and that was the first goal. The stalwart member of the community had a whore for a daughter-in-law and a niece that was only a step up from that. His daughter was even a bit of a tart, having allowed two men to court her at once and his middle son had faced murder charges last year. Yet Belden still thought he was better than Ben. Ben thoroughly enjoyed bringing him down a notch.
Ben cared for Hallie, but women had no place doing business. She just needed to look pretty, and he made sure of that with expensive dresses and jewelry, and to take care of his needs, which she did admirably. Ben was still mad that Brian Belden had virtually stolen that little morsel of a girl from Swegin. He had enjoyed knocking her around. Hallie wasn’t so easy to order around, her biggest flaw. Well, that and the whining. The constant whining was grating on his nerves and he spent more and more time in the saloon, regretting his decision to rescue her from the convent. All day she went on about hwo she hated her family and wanted revenge, and why couldn’t she help him with his plans?
Ben slowly scooped up the money and tapped it into a neat little stack before he stood, grinning broadly.
“Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Belden,” he tipped his hat. “Here’s the key to the building. I hope it suits your needs.”
“Thank you,” Peter bit off the words and he took the key, spun on his heel and left.
Ben chuckled.
***
Brian let Dan into his office. Dan’s hat was pulled low and he moved indoors quickly.
“Where’s Lil?” Dan asked immediately.
“Upstairs, with the door locked,” Brian replied. “I gave her the message. She thinks her father tracked her down.”
“If he’s a squirrely little man with beady coal eyes and a nasty cigar, yes,” Dan answered. “He showed up this afternoon and I made sure to send the boy, in case he was watching us.”
“I appreciate that,” Brian said.
“You know I don’t pry, Brian, but if I’m lying to a man about the whereabouts of his daughter, I’d like to know why.”
“He beat her,” Brian said bluntly. “Treated her like a slave, arranged a marriage to one of his cronies as part of a business deal. So she ran away and got tangled up with Swegin. You know the rest.”
Dean nodded slowly. “I suspected as much. The old man is in debt, he wants her back as a bargaining chip, I think. He saw a brooch she sold in a store window and got some information from the shopkeeper that she was headed this way.”
Brian ran his hand through his hair. “We’re married. He can’t touch her, right?”
Dan nodded. “As far as I know. If he wants to claim he has some sort of written marriage agreement between him and this other man though, things could get sticky, but I’m willing to bet the man can’t read, let alone write. I suspect he’s a drunk and a cheat. I’ll do some asking around, try to get some information on how protected she is by being married to you. We’ve got a lawyer in town now. In the meantime, keep her out of sight. I haven’t gotten word they left town yet.”
“What about the wedding this weekend?” Brian asked. “She’ll be crushed if she doesn’t get to go.”
Dan thought for a second. “Take her out to my folks’ place the night before. I don’t want her seen in the daylight. If they leave before then, it’ll be fine but there’s no telling how many he might leave behind to spy, or who he might be showing her picture to. And I know your mother is a bit…cool towards her. My folks will take care of her.”
Brian nodded. “Thanks, Dan. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.” Dan flashed a grin before leaving.
***
Adelia stood in front of her closet, staring at her meager choices. There just wasn’t enough cash in her salary for a new dress. There was her pale pink calico. She had re-hemmed it last spring, and repaired a small hole but there was no denying it looked worn. She was working on a plain, cheap blue muslin dress for Clara.
Half the township was going to be at the Belden-Lynch wedding, she thought. And she was going with Jim Frayne, one of the wealthiest men in the territory. She simply couldn’t look like a pauper, even if she was one.
Sinking onto her bed, she wondered if maybe she could make a new dress from two of the old ones. She had time, and if she stayed up late, it could be managed. Some lace edging wouldn’t be enough to hide the age of the dress.
Clara was growing so fast it was impossible to keep her in dresses but Adelia had been smart. She picked out complimentary fabrics so that when one was outgrown, they could be reworked into something new with other dresses. Clara had a suitable dress for the wedding.
There was a knock at her door, startling her out of her reverie. Clara looked up from the small desk where she was doing her homework.
Adelia opened the door a crack, keeping the chain on. There was a boy around fourteen standing there with a large object wrapped in brown paper.
“Yes?” she asked.
“I have a package for Miss Adelia Cornwall,” the boy said.
She unhooked the chain and opened the door. He held it out to her.
“Tip’s been taken care of ma’am,” he said cheerfully and departed.
“What on earth?” she asked. Closing the door and locking it, she set it on the bed and Clara wandered over from where she had been doing her homework.
“Who’s it from?” the younger sister asked.
“I have no idea. Would you bring me a knife?”
She cut the string holding it closed and opened it. There was a note sitting on top of the gorgeous royal blue fabric she had admired at Lytell’s store a few days before. The sisters gasped.
“Oh!” Clara whispered.
Adelia picked up the card with trembling fingers. She might have enough time to make it into a dress before the wedding. Someone had seen her admiring it, obviously.
Opening the note, she felt her cheeks turn red.
Please accept this token of my gratitude at your agreement to allow me to escort you this weekend. I look forward to many more occasions together. Jim.
“Oh,” Clara whispered again. “Addie, I think it’s a dress!”
“What?” Adelia set the note down carefully, and lifted the blue material. She gasped again she realized her sister was correct.
The material fell in soft folds she held it up. It was fashionable, she realized, with white lace and blue silk ribbons on the collar and sleeve, a modest neckline, a newer styled bustle.
“Oh, my,” Adelia had to sit on the bed, her legs feeling weak.
“Are you going to marry him?” Clara demanded.
“I…I don’t know,” she answered, staring at the dress. “It’s never come up. But this is too extravagant! I can’t accept this!”
“Why not?” Clara asked. “It’s a gift. I think he'll be hurt if you return it. It’s gorgeous, Addie!”
“I know,” she whispered.
“Remember when we used to wear such nice things?” Clara asked. “Before Mother and Father passed?”
Adelia nodded. They had had much nicer clothes then, nothing was threadbare and disgraceful. She sighed. She would haven’t had to worry about having a proper dress for a big social occasion.
“Clara, I don’t know that it’s right for me to take this. Should I be offended that he thinks I don’t have anything nice?”
“No,” the thirteen year old said, touching the dress. “He adores you, Addie, and I know you care for him too. He obviously wants to spoil you. He’s always bringing us candy or some small treat and he’s so nice and funny. He’s got nice eyes, and I think he aims to marry you someday. You could do a much, much worse.”
“I know,” Addie murmured. “And I do care for him. I wasn’t sure he was actually courting me until he said something the other night.”
“See? If he’s courting you then he’s interested in marriage.”
“Maybe,” Adelia answered, holding the dress to her and looking at it longingly.
“At least try it on,” Clara encouraged. How she wanted her sister to keep that dress!
***
Regan and Madeleine rode out to the Malley farm twice that week. Both times no one was home. Panic set in momentarily until Regan looked in the window and determined they were still living there.
Saturday moved closer. Mart was nervous, and Trixie spent her free time at Diana’s, admiring the white silk dress from New York. Madeleine joined them often but she was distracted and not paying attention other than to admire the dress. Mart and Diana would live with her family in the house for a few weeks until their house was completed.
Trixie and Diana even offered to ride out with Madeleine to the Malley farm.
“We’ve been twice,” she replied sadly. “They are never there. They might be gone already or it is just a sign that it is not meant to be.”
“You don’t know that,” Diana said sharply. “Madeleine, you’re miserable without him. You haven’t fought near hard enough! If you really think you love him, then go to him. Keep going until he appears and make him listen to you. But don’t give up.”
Madeleine bit her lip, a habit she had picked up from Trixie.
“And if he tells me to leave?”
“Then you leave knowing you did everything you could, and you gave it all you had,” Di said softly. “But if you don’t, then you will always wonder what if. And once he rejoins the circus, you’ll never get him back.”
Madeleine nodded. “I’ll go again Saturday evening, after the wedding, if that’s all right with you.”
“Of course,” Diana smiled.
***
Lillian lay awake in the unfamiliar bed. The Fraynes were lovely people, and didn’t question why she wasn’t staying at the Beldens. Lillian was certain her in-laws loathed her, particularly Helen, so she thought it best to avoid them. Brian wasn’t pleased; he would have rather they stayed with his parents but he gave in to her pleading, and admitted Dan had a valid point. He really didn’t want his parents knowing what was going on with Lillian’s father. He knew his mother forced herself to be polite to Lillian, but no one was comfortable, thus Brian and Lillian didn’t visit Crabapple Farm too often. Winter weather was a valid excuse but now the last of the snow had melted and excuses would be harder to find.
Lillian hated not having Brian next to her that night. The bed felt so empty when he was called away in the middle of the night. They had yet to consummate their relationship, but he had gradually become more affectionate, running his hand over her hair, touching her hand lightly. She found herself wishing he would kiss her more than just a peck on the cheek or forehead. Sometimes, when he thought she was asleep, she would curl up against him, and he would take her hand, and kiss her hair. She hadn’t enjoyed her intimate relations with men, but she knew with Brian it would be different, and she longed to experience it, to touch him. But he seemed content with the marriage of convenience, and to try and seduce him would make her feel like the whore she had been, so she respected his decision. Several months had passed and she was relieved that she had not conceived from any of her former customers.
She tossed and turned, praying her father had left town and continued looking for her elsewhere. While Dan and Fenton assured her they believed her to be safe as Brian’s wife, the thought of him anywhere near her was terrifying.
***
The morning of Diana’s wedding dawned clear and cold, but the sun came out and was soon shining over Sleepyside.
Around the town, folks stirred. Wedding guests eagerly anticipated the afternoon’s wedding and party. Most went about their usual Saturday chores.
Clyde Samoan continued to haunt the town, showing the picture of his daughter Lillian around. Several people confirmed they had seen her, but not for a few days.
Lillian Samoan Belden shared a cheerful breakfast with the Fraynes, and then Jim left to pick up Adelia and Clara, who were accompanying him to the wedding. Lillian would ride over to the Lynch farm with the Fraynes.
Adelia Cornwall woke slowly, still not believing her luck. She had tried to refuse Jim’s lavish gift of the dress but he wouldn’t hear of it, and insisted she keep it. She laid in bed smiling to herself for several minutes as she thought about her beau, before she woke her sleeping sister.
Madeleine Wheeler woke with a sense of dread of in her stomach. She had slept poorly, dreams of running after Jasper keeping her tortured and awake. He wouldn’t hear her, wouldn’t stop, just kept walking as she ran and ran and could never catch him.
Regan woke with an ache in his heart that wouldn’t stop. He knew he had lost her. They would go to the farm again today, but he was sure they had already left. He was tempted to go to New York, track the circus down, and find her. Matthew would support him, he was sure. He doubted the circus changed their route. He would find her. He would find her and their son.
Dan Mangan woke with a smile. His friends were getting married today and soon enough, it would be his and Trixie’s turn. He hoped not more than a few more weeks. After the long, cold winter of recovery from his bullet wound, he was ready to get back to work, and life, and that life included Trixie as his bride.
Trixie woke with butterflies. Diana would officially become her sister today. Soon it would be her turn, to stand with Dan in front of their families and proclaim their love for each other. The thought made her both excited and ill.
Mart Belden and Diana Lynch both woke with beaming smiles. As they prepared for their wedding at their respective houses, both hummed and happily anticipated their new life together.
Brian Belden woke with an anxious stomach. He was worried about Lillian. He hadn’t seen the man both she and Dan described, but he was careful of his movements around town, sometimes ducking down alleys and cutting through back ways to avoid being seen or followed.
As he rode out of town towards his friend’s farm, he saw the Malley widow, nephew, and her son at the coach station. He had been out with the undertaker to retrieve the man’s body a couple of weeks ago from its snow-covered location for proper burial. Nodding to Ayla and her son, he continued on his way. He was disappointed that the courtship of Madeleine by Jasper had ended. Madeleine was such a wonderful girl, and she had seemed so happy with Jasper. Brian had hoped they would eventually marry. He wondered what had gone wrong, and if the difference in social standing had anything to do with it.
Putting the thought out of his mind as he headed towards the wedding, Brian smiled as he thought of his younger brother, about to be married.
***
Brian spotted Madeleine and Regan talking in low voices and wandered over. They both greeted him cheerfully, but Brian could see their tension.
“Is everything okay?” he asked quietly. “Do I need to go shake Mart?”
The cousins shook their head.
“No. We, uh, have to leave right after the wedding,” Regan said quietly. “We need to see the Malley’s.”
Brian frowned. “But they’re gone.”
Madeleine’s fair complexion turned stark white and Brian reached to steady her. “You didn’t know?”
Regan recovered first. “When did they leave?”
“I think they’re on the noon stage. I passed them on my way over. All three of them. Why, Regan, what’s going on?”
Regan looked at Madeleine. They had already left.
“Excuse me,” Madeleine murmured, pulling away from Brian’s hold. She made her way up the stairs, to the room where she knew Diana and Trixie and Diana’s sisters were.
***
Trixie hummed as she twisted Diana’s silky black hair back, pinning it up. Madeleine would be here soon and promised to thread a white silk ribbon through Diana’s hair to match the dress.
Diana looked so pretty, she thought, in her white gown from New York. Fancier than Trixie could ever see herself wearing, with puffs and shirrs and a long train. Trixie had liked the simple ivory dress Helen had worn and Helen was altering to fit her daughter.
Dan didn’t go in for fancy either, she knew that much. He would agree to a small ceremony.
The thought of getting married still terrified her. The little cottage was ready; Dan was waiting for furniture to arrive and be finished. He was pushing for a wedding soon, and she knew she needed to agree. She wanted to be with him, she really did, but the thought was so scary…
The door burst open and Madeleine stumbled in, looking ill.
“Madeleine? What’s wrong?” Diana demanded.
Trixie bolted to her friend to support her and guide her to the bed. Madeleine sank onto it, trembling, her face ashen.
“He’s gone,” she whispered.
“What? Who?” Trixie demanded.
“Jasper?” Diana asked.
Madeleine nodded. “Brian just saw them at the coach station. They left on the noon stage.”
Diana and Trixie stared at each other, brains whirling.
“Go,” Diana said.
“What?” Madeleine asked, dazed.
“Go. Madeleine, take Regan and go. You can catch up to the stage easily. They won’t have gotten that far and you have the best horses in the county.”
“But Diana, your wedding—”
“Will go on. Madeleine, go, please. Don’t let him get away!”
Color flooded into Madeleine’s face as she made up her mind. Jumping up, she threw her arms around her friend and dashed out the door.
“Think she can catch him?” Trixie asked.
“Yes. The better question is will he give them a chance?” Diana asked. “He has to want to be caught.”
***
Madeleine hurried down the stairs and grabbed Regan by the arm. “Come,” she said grimly. “We’re going after them.”
“Say again?” Regan asked.
Brian looked confused. Madeleine gripped her cousin’s arm.
“Regan, now, please. We can catch them.”
Regan stared at her for a few seconds as he processed her words, and then tipped his head to Brian. “Thanks, Brian.”
He hurried out the door with Madeleine leaving a bewildered Brian Belden behind.
***
Jasper stared moodily out the window as the plains raced by. Sleepyside was behind them now, to be nothing but a bad memory. Not entirely bad, he thought, remembering the afternoons with Madeleine, hearing her musical laughter as they danced around her parlour. He missed her charm and wit so much that his heart still ached. Jasper wondered if the ache would ever stop.
They’d take the train in Claremore and eventually to Pennsylvania, where they’d meet up with the circus.
William sat quietly, looking sad. He had liked it here. He didn’t care for the circus, but he was too young to have a say in the matter.
Ayla stared out the opposite window, but Jasper had seen her red rimmed eyes this morning. They were usually red lately. They didn’t talk about it. They didn’t talk much at all this past week. It hurt too much, to be leaving their loved ones behind.
Jasper knew he loved Madeleine. His previous tumbles with girls were nothing compared to how she made him feel, or the deep ache in his heart. He should have forgiven her, he thought. He shouldn’t have stayed in the barn watching when she and Regan came by earlier in the week. Even if she had lied, he didn’t care anymore, he just wanted her back. But it didn’t matter, because she was out of his life forever. He just couldn’t move past his pride to go to her, and by now, he was sure she would have moved on. A marvelous girl like that surely had courtiers waiting in the wings. Rich courtiers that would give her everything she wanted.
Ayla’s fingers played with some blue plastic beads that Jasper hadn’t seen before this week. They were old and ratty but he recognized them as a circus trinket. She had always been a bit fidgety but this was new. As old as they were, Jasper had to wonder if Regan had given them to her. They were worn down, well handled.
Ayla struggled not to let the tears fall. She wouldn’t cry in front of William. This horrible period of their life was over; they’d return to the circus and be fine. She could pretend she hadn’t seen William Regan again. It would be as before.
But she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t dying inside. All those old feelings had almost drowned her; the urge to go to him was so overwhelming she had to sit on her hands to keep herself from getting up and going to him. How many times had she started towards the stable to saddle the horse and ride out to his way? How many times had she bit her tongue as she talked to Matthew Wheeler, refusing to ask about Regan? She had more money than she’d ever need now, and she’d tuck it away in the bank. If the circus didn’t work out, she could at least provide for her son. Jasper would be okay, she thought. He always rebounded.
A faint shouting could barely be heard over the racket of the galloping horses, but Jasper sat up. His hand went to the six-shooter at his waist in case it was a robbery. Ayla pulled William closer to her. The other man in the carriage, a pale man in a suit, clutched his briefcase in fear. Were they about to be robbed?
The stagecoach was slowing down as the driver shouted back to someone. The carriage was coming to a halt. Jasper peeked out the curtain.
“There’s two hor—” Jasper stopped as he recognized those two horses.
Ayla sat up as she heard Regan talking to the driver. The carriage had been brought to a full stop.
Jasper watched as Madeleine, in a dust-covered, otherwise lovely gray dress, ribbons in her wind-blown hair, swung down from Lady. Regan followed suit, hands up. He was wearing his church suit, now covered with a fine sheen of dust.
“I promise you, sir, we’re not here to rob you. We just want to talk to your passengers,” Madeliene said.
“I’m keepin’ this gun here on you anyway,” the driver replied. “Lady or no, you could be bandits.”
“That’s fine, sir, thank you,” Madeleine said.
Jasper opened the carriage door and stepped out, his hand on his gun. “What’s going on?”
“Jasper!” Madeleine’s face lit up at the sight of him. “Is Ayla with you?”
His heart fell. She hadn’t come after him after all. “Yes.”
Ayla stepped down from the carriage with Jasper’s assistance. “What is this?”
“We’re idiots,” Regan said bluntly. “We’ve been trying to talk to you two all week. We were both stupid to do what we did and we can’t apologize enough but neither of us wants you to leave.”
“Please,” Madeleine softly, her hazel eyes pleading with Jasper. “I’ll die if you leave, Jasper. I’ve never felt this way about anyone and I’ve hated being without you these last few months. Please don’t go. Please stay.”
Jasper felt his heart warming and took the few steps needed to reach her, lifting her slender frame in his arms for the longest, most improper kiss of their young lives.
Ayla watched with a faint smile from the doorway, then turned to Regan.
“She’s more eloquent than I am,” he said. “But Ayla, I will get on my knees and beg you not to leave if that’s what you want. It’s been ten years, please, please give me a chance to see if we can try again. Please don’t take William away. Let us be the family we should have been.”
Ayla couldn’t hold her tears back and they scorched her cheeks as they fell. Regan approached her slowly.
“Please,” he said quietly. “Please give me the chance to show you who I’ve become. Please give us another chance.”
Ayla’s thoughts were so jumbled she couldn’t think. All she knew was the boy she had loved had become a man and he was standing in front of her, holding his hand out to her. He had left his friends’ wedding; it was obvious from his good suit and Madeleine’s dress. They had left to chase them down. They had come for Ayla and Jasper.
Unable to speak, she reached for his hand. He lifted her down from the coach and pulled her to him roughly and she buried her face in his neck, the still familiar embrace comforting her as it always had.
 
***
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, 4,350
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