Hallie Belden paced her hotel room. She was tired of the games with Ben. It wasn’t so much fun anymore; she was basically ignored by everyone, including her family. Three of her four cousins were married now, and happily. It wouldn’t be long before the babies started coming and the perfect Belden lifestyle would be golden, except for her.
She paused. Babies. Of course. Even Ben wasn’t heartless. Hallie knew how to get Ben to marry her. She needed to be pregnant.
***
Regan paused in the doorway of the parlour. Ayla stood at the window, staring out. He had been looking for Margery, but he needed to talk to Ayla.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
Startled, she turned, her face flushing red. “Of course.”
Regan walked towards her, stopping a few feet back so as to not scare her. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, why?”
“You’ve been avoiding me since…for a few days.”
Ayla swallowed. “I just needed some time to think.”
Regan nodded. “I can understand that.”
Her hand at her throat, rubbing the hollow at the base absently, she faced him. “I don’t know what to do, Bill. This is…there’s been so much change, so much uncertainty in the past months, I’m just…at a loss.”
“Let me help you,” he walked to her, his hands touching her arms gently. “Please, Ayla. I think we can make it this time. We’re being given a second chance, and I don’t want to lose it. You know how good we are together.”
She swallowed and nodded. “William…”
“Is a great boy. And he likes me. Please, Ayla, let me take care of you and our son the way I should have been all these years.”
“What are you saying, Bill?” she whispered.
“I want you to marry me,” he said softly. “I want to be your husband and William’s father, in all senses of the words.”
Ayla opened her mouth and shut it again, unsure of how to answer.
“Bill, it’s so sudden…”
“It’s not sudden, Ayla,” he said quietly, dropping his hands from her arms. “It’s been years in the making. Waiting.”
“Bill, I just lost my husband a couple of months ago. The scandal—”
“I don’t care about scandal!” he said vehemently.
“But it’s not proper,” she murmured. “Regan, I barely know you now. You barely know me.”
“We’re still the same basic people we were,” he replied.
“Maybe. But we, I need more time. Thom was the biggest part of my life and with him gone; I’m trying to sort through everything in my head. I need to think, and we need time to get to know each other again.”
“I can wait,” he said, turning to her. “I lost you once, I won’t do it again. I will wait until you’re ready.”
“What if I’m never ready, Bill?” she asked softly.
He shook his head. “I refuse to believe that. I know we belong together, Ayla, and I’ll give you as much time as you need.”
Ayla smiled at him. That was the Bill she knew and loved.
***
Dan glanced up when the jail door opened, not hiding his surprise to see Adelia Cornwall. He rose immediately.
“Miss Cornwall,” he greeted her. “What can I do for you?”
“Would you deliver this for me?” she asked, holding out an envelope. Dan took it and slipped it into his breast pocket without glancing at it.
“Of course. Dare I hope?” he asked.
Adelia’s face was impassive. “That’s between myself and your brother.”
He nodded. “Of course. My apologies for overstepping.”
He waited only a few minutes after she left before he turned to Fenton Hardy, who waved him out the door. Dan hurried out to Spartan to take the letter to his brother.
***
“You talked to her?” Jim demanded.
“Yes,” Dan said smugly. “And I hope to Hell it worked. What does she say?”
Jim gaped at his brother. “I can’t believe you did that!”
Dan sighed. “She wouldn’t give you the time of day and we both knew something was going on. Besides, she essentially confirmed it was Riker who started it all. Now open the letter and read it.”
Jim shook his head. Dan had never interfered in his personal life before. Of course, he had never been in this situation before either. And Dan had been more cheerful since his wedding than Jim could ever remember. It was really starting to annoy him.
“You’ve been around Trixie too long,” Jim muttered, opening the cream colored envelope. “Meddling.”
“If you two end up together, you’ll thank me for my meddling.” Dan crossed his arms over his chest.
Jim scanned the note, his lips twitching in a smile.
“Well, come on already!” Dan waved his hand in front of his brother. “Tell me what she said!”
“She says my meddlesome obnoxious little brother set her straight, and she apologizes for her behavior.”
“She called me obnoxious?” Dan demanded.
Jim laughed. “No, I made that part up. But she did say you made a passionate plea on my behalf and brought to her attention the unsavory behavior of Ben Riker.”
“Does she say you can call on her?”
“Essentially,” Jim said. “Not in so many words but the implication is there.”
Dan grinned. “See? When you’re dancing at your wedding, you can thank me. Or name your firstborn after me.”
Jim rolled his eyes as he mentally made plans to call on Adelia Cornwall as soon as possible.
***
Lillian smiled shyly at her mother-in-law. Helen had been much warmer on this visit, actually speaking to Lillian in full, conversational sentences and including her in the conversations.
The Beldens had invited all of their children and spouses to supper that Sunday, and it was a noisy, happy group that convened at Crabapple Farm. The recently married couples were still glowing, and for the first time, Lillian didn’t feel like an outsider.
She hadn’t planned to tell the story of her almost-kidnapping, but Trixie, so proud of her husband, had eagerly told her parents about his daring interference. Lillian braced herself for scorn from Helen but the older woman had gasped in horror, and seemed genuinely concerned when she asked if Lillian was all right. Lillian assured her she was.
Things were looking up with her mother-in-law, she thought.
***
Regan looked up from tossing hay to see Matthew standing in the doorway.
“Hi, Matt,” he greeted him.
“Regan,” Matt nodded. “How’s your schedule looking next week?”
Regan shrugged. “Usual. Empty other than the horses.”
“Do you think Jasper could tend them for a few days?”
“I suppose so, why? What’s going on?” Regan asked.
“I have a prospective breeder in Texas that wants me to come look at some horseflesh. I need your expertise.”
“Sure. When?”
“We need to leave day after tomorrow. Besides, I thought some distance might do you good.”
“Huh?” Regan was puzzled.
“I’m not blind, Regan. It’s destroying you to be close to her and not have her ready to try again.”
Regan flushed red.
“I thought a few days away might help.”
Regan shrugged. “I guess. Can’t force her to make up her mind.”
“That’s true enough,” Matt agreed. “We’d only be gone about a week.”
Regan nodded. “I’ll talk to Jasper.”
***
Margery Trask dismounted from Lady, smoothing down her long skirt. Holding her small bag, she tied Lady’s reins to the post and sailed into the restaurant.
It had taken her days to go over this in her mind. She finally decided the best closure she could get would be to go and meet him in Claremore, let him give his pathetic explanation, and then tell him politely to go to Hell. Marge had never had the chance to have her say, she had been the one left behind, humiliated, devastated. She was left to pick up the pieces and go on with her life.
Word had reached her a few months later that he had been in Virginia, and married a woman who claimed she carried his child. That had been the end of romance for Margery Trask.
Now, it was her turn to kick him out of her life permanently.
She knew him instantly, and to her horror, her heart melted.
Augustus had been watching for her, and rose when he saw her, smiling.
Tall and slender, in a well-made gray suit, his hair had turned silver much like hers, and his face was weathered by sun and age lines. But his dark eyes were bright and his smile big as she approached. He still wore the moustache.
“Margie,” he breathed as she approached.
“Augustus.” There would be no Augie, she thought. Never again.
“You look wonderful. The years have been good to you.”
“Thank you.” She wouldn’t return the compliment; despite the fact his smile still warmed her.
“Please, sit.” He held the chair out for her.
Margery did so, keeping her face impassive. He sat across from her, smiling happily. She tried to ignore the wrinkles around his eyes that made him look wise, the regal bearing, and the teasing glint in his eye. How could it be that time had been so kind to such a despicable person?
“How have you been?” he asked, leaning towards her.
Margery kept her hands in her lap. “Fine, thank you.”
The smile dimmed. “Margie, I’m so sorry.”
“So your letter said.”
“Please, hear me out. I beg of you.”
“The condensed version, please.”
“Do you remember the Williams family?” he asked quietly.
Marge paused. “No, it does not sound familiar.”
“Troublemakers who always seemed to have a lot of ill-gotten cash,” he reminded her.
Margery frowned. “Yes, I suppose so. Always in trouble but never paying for their crimes.”
Augustus nodded. “Yes. Always flashing money around, causing trouble just because they could.”
They had been a family with no known means of income, yet always had money to flash around. They had had a daughter around Marge’s age, a foul mouthed, manner less wild child who had stopped going to school when they were ten.
Marge stared at Augustus expectantly.
“The night I left…I didn’t have a choice.”
Margery looked at him expectantly.
“The Williams brothers…they ran me out of town.”
She stared hard at him. “Augustus, that makes no sense at all.”
“It does if you owe everything you own to them,” he said quietly, looking down.
Margery gasped. “What? How on earth did that happen?”
Those nights when I was at political meetings…they weren’t political meetings, Margie.”
Marge’s eyes widened. What on earth had he been doing?
“I was gambling.”
Margery frowned. “You told me you weren’t involved in any of that.”
“I lied,” he admitted.
Margery closed her eyes and didn’t see the hint of a smirk on his lips.
“The Williams boys liked to gamble too…and they had a knack for it. Cleaning house almost every night. That’s why they always had so much cash. Not just our town, but some of the others as well. Small town, big cities, wherever they could set up their game and take a few people for a ride.”
“And you borrowed from them.”
He nodded. “You know my father had died recently and I took over everything. There was one night…I was desperate, Marge. I knew that I could turn it all around; I just needed the right hand. I put up the horses, then the team. I lost them each, and kept trying to win them back. Finally…I bet the farm.”
“And lost,” she added.
He nodded. “I was in too deep, Marge. And they had my notes, with my promises. I couldn’t claim cheat.”
“Even though they were likely cheating the whole time. You wouldn’t be able to disprove written evidence.”
“They already had the Sheriff in their pocket. That’s why they always got of trouble. They’d just slip him some money.”
“Why did you leave? You left your mother and sister with nothing! They had to leave to go live with her brother’s family, on charity. How could you do that to them?” she hissed angrily. A couple at a nearby table glanced over at them.
“The Williams wanted to move into the farm, so they said. It was a step up from their place. They were going to hurt my mother and sister, Margery, as a way of teaching me a lesson for getting in over my head. There was only one way out.”
“For you to leave?” Marge was thoroughly confused. “Why didn’t you go to my father for help?”
“I couldn’t disgrace my family name, Marge. It was going to be bad enough for my mother and sister to have to leave the farm. I begged them to show mercy but they just laughed at me.”
“So it was better to leave your mother and sister to the poor house, and me to a broken heart, rather than swallow your pride and ask my father for help? My father who treated you like a son, and was going to allow us to marry?”
Augustus looked down. “It seemed like the right thing to do at the time,” he said sadly. He peeked up through his lashes to see Marge looking away, her face twisted in painful memories.
“Why did they hate you so?” Marge asked suddenly. “What drove them to this? They were trouble makers, yes, but I did not suspect them of such illicit behavior.”
Augustus looked down at his plate.
“They said if I left town, and took their sister Harriet with me, they’d set me up with their other family…down in Virginia.”
“But why?” Marge persisted.
“To shame me,” he whispered sadly.
“Shame you for what?” she demanded. “Stop dancing around with the sob story, Augustus, and get to the point. What does Harriet have to do with any of this?”
“She was pregnant,” he admitted.
Margery stared at him, the words sinking in.
“So it was true then.”
He nodded, looking miserable.
Margery felt ill.
“So despite your promises to me and the fact that we were to be married within the month, you were gambling your entire life away, ruining the lives of your mother and sister, and impregnating women behind my back?”
“It sounds awful when you put it that way,” he admitted.
Margery gaped at him. “There’s no way to put it that it doesn’t sound awful!”
People were starting to stare.
“I had to leave with her! They knew there’d be a big fuss because of your family’s status in the town. They were afraid that Harriet that would targeted and blamed. You know they were considered trash.”
“So she wasn’t to blame?” Margery asked frostily. “You pursued her? You pursued the ‘trashy’ girl, the same girl of the family that you weren’t afraid to borrow money from and gamble with, whilst engaged to me?”
Augustus turned red.
Your father never would have allowed us to marry after that, Margie. Even if he had paid off the debt, he never would have let us marry and then your reputation would have been ruined as well. I couldn’t let that happen. But I had nothing. What kind of man would I be if I couldn’t provide for his wife?”
“You provided for Harriet and the bastard well enough.”
Augustus flushed red. “Her brother gave us money. We lived with their family in Virginia, but I never stopped thinking about you, Marge. I dreamed of leaving and coming back to you every day. I slept in fear that her family would shoot me. They told me they would if I even thought about leaving. I married Harriet with a shotgun sticking in my back.”
“And did this cure you of your gambling problem?” she asked coldly.
He shook his head. “No,” he said sadly. “I just…couldn’t stop. I borrowed money from her family and the more I borrowed, the deeper in I was with them…leaving was never an option. And I could never win enough to get out of the hole.”
Margery stared hard at him. She didn’t like this. Augustus had always been prone to fits of exaggerated story telling, and this was just too much to believe easily. Was he telling the truth?
“So why have you come back now?” she demanded.
His eyes lit up, appalling Margery. “Harriet and Charlotte are dead. Her brother said I was on my own now and to get out of his house. The moment I was free, I knew I had to come to you, Margie. I knew I had to set things straight between us.”
Margery studied him. She noticed the fine cut and cloth of his suit, the neatly trimmed hair, the solid build. He was happy that his wife and child were dead? He spent over twenty years with them but…seemed pleased?
“I wouldn’t think you capable of joy at the death of your child.”
He turned an ugly shade of red. “I didn’t mean…of course I miss them, Marge, but not like I missed you. I loved Charlotte-that was our daughter, but I never loved Harriet. She accepted that and we got on all right, but I never loved anyone the way I loved you.”
His hands looked soft, she noticed. His nails were neat and clean.
“When was this? What have you been doing since?” she asked, a cold feeling in her stomach.
“Working up the nerve to come and see you. It happened last year. I took a job on the rails, built up some money, so I wouldn’t be a beggar coming to you. You've done well for yourself.”
Margery smiled and reached to take his hand. He beamed as her hand caressed his.
Baby soft hands, she thought. He wasn’t working on the rails. Or anywhere else. He obviously had more than a “little money” and railroad pay certainly wasn’t generous.
He was running a scam.
“I’ve heard enough,” Marge set her napkin down and rose. “Good night, Augustus."
Panicked, he rose as well. “Please don’t go,” he said quietly. “Please give me another chance.”
Margery walked towards the door, remembering how he had always had an excuse, a story, the words to talk his way out of trouble. This was just another game to him. Her parents had not wanted her to marry him, but finally consented to make their daughter happy. He was beneath her in station, but her father adored her. Bitterly, she thought about how her parents had been right all along; bless their long gone souls.
“Marge, please, don’t go!” he called as she walked briskly out of the restaurant. People stared and whispered.
Augustus returned to his seat, nervous. He had to convince her to take him back. He had to.
Marge mounted Lady and hurried back to the estate. The wind cut the tears into her face as she rode as fast as she could.
***
If you insist upon letting my daughter disgrace our family name by allowing that half-breed to court her, I will return and personally turn him out, before returning to New York with my daughter.
Matthew sighed. Grace didn’t want to step foot back out here. If she were serious, Madeleine would end up broken hearted again. Matthew wouldn’t allow that.
It was time to steer these kids in the right direction, he thought.
***
Spring was in full force, along with the flowers. Young couples were seen out walking everywhere, enjoying the warmer air and the rituals of courting.
Trixie worked in her small garden patch in the mornings and often spent the afternoon helping her mother with hers. William Malley was around a lot with Bobby, and he was quick to help with chores as well.
Hallie was certain she was pregnant. She had a few more days to wait for confirmation. Ben would have to marry her, she was certain. He wouldn’t want a bastard running around. Once she was pregnant, she could lord that over Trixie, and Ben would be nice to her again.
Jim had gone to Adelia’s room at the hotel after receiving her note from Jim. Knocking briskly, he waited until she opened it with a tentative smile. Clara looked up from where she sat doing homework.
Jim knelt in front of Adelia and took her hands, kissing the backs of them gently. “I’m so sorry you were led astray as to my reputation.”
“I should be apologizing to you,” she replied. “I never gave you a chance to explain, and I should have.”
“You’re forgiven,” he said immediately. He stood and drew her into his arms, ignoring the stunned Clara, whose jaw fell open.
Adelia melted into his embrace as he lifted her slight frame in his arms.
When he set her down, her head was spinning and Clara was giggling.
“Jim!” Adelia blushed to her roots at the exceedingly improper behavior.
“Adelia, I need to ask you something.”
“Of course.” Adelia wished her sister wasn’t sitting there giggling.
Jim knelt again, this time taking her left hand. “Will you marry me?”
The sisters both gasped.
“What-are you sure?” Adelia asked weakly.
“I’ve never been so sure of anything,” Jim said. “I need you in my life, Adelia, and I want to take care of you and love you until I’m an old man.”
A smile spread across her face and as he rose, she threw her arms around him. “Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you!”
