Brambles and Thorns

by Jocelyn Kirk

  Willa was silent. Her husband was a man who seemed always to get what he wanted. At the moment, she was what he wanted, but could this last? She must ask Miss Murdoch how best to deal with this situation of being married to such a man.

  “May we call on Miss Murdoch? I’m sure she’s returned by now.”

  “Yes, of course. You must inform her you are no longer her employee. But this visit can be put off for a few hours, can it not? I have other plans for you.”

  Willa could tell by his expression what his plans were, and she was shocked. “You don’t mean—no! Not in the daytime, surely!”

  The Duke of Simsbury laughed. “You are my wife, sweet Willa. And I assure you, lovemaking is as wonderful in the daytime as it is at night.”

  She stared straight ahead, her face aflame. I am a wife now and must obey. She shivered with anticipation. Perhaps obedience would not be as terrible as some women made it out to be.

  When they entered the inn, Willa shrank back, feeling that everyone, from the innkeeper to the maids to the men laughing in the barroom, would know exactly what she was about to do. She blushed to her ears and hung back as her husband pulled hard on the bell. The innkeeper’s wife came scurrying to the entryway, wiping her hands on her cotton apron.

  “Mrs. Smythe, my wife will require a chamber of her own and a maid. You can accommodate her, I am sure.”

  “Your wife, sir!” said the astounded Mrs. Smythe, staring at Willa.

  The duke said nothing, simply waited until the woman remembered the courtesy due to a guest. “Of-of course, Your Grace. Excuse my shock, but I understood you were a single man.”

  The duke remained silent. Mrs. Smythe rang the bell and called for someone named Libby. A very young girl came forward and curtsied. The duke turned to Willa.

  “My dear, will this maid do until we obtain a permanent establishment?”

  Willa nodded, too embarrassed to say a word. The duke addressed Mrs. Smythe. “Send Libby to my wife’s chamber at”—he consulted his watch—“five in the afternoon. The duchess can then explain her duties to her.”

  The duchess! He is talking about me! Good lord, what have I got myself into!

  “Come, my dear,” said the duke. He took Willa’s arm and led her upstairs, and several hours passed before Willa thought any more about her terror of being a duchess.

  ****

  Elena was determined to stay at Ben’s side until he was better. She sat quietly in the chair next to his bed reading a book. Ben said little, but as the afternoon wore on and dark shadows began to spread across the storm-littered lawn, he asked Elena to fetch Rosalie.

  Elena was surprised but complied instantly. She followed Rosalie into the room, only to find that Ben wanted to speak to her alone. Rather dismayed, she exited and joined Megan, who was sewing in the parlor.

  Ben wasted no time. “Rosalie, as my dearest friend, you must get Elena out of my bedchamber and bring in a man to assist me. I will not have her dealing with chamber pots and such; my situation is humiliating enough as it is!”

  Rosalie laughed. “I’ve been trying to distract her and get her away, but she feels it her duty to stay with you.”

  “Where is James Scott? Surely he can take care of me for a few days until I can get out of this bloody bed!”

  “He’s sleeping still, but I’ll wake him. He’d be angry if he learned later that you needed his help and no one roused him.”

  “Thank you! And take your niece out for a stroll or something. Surely she needs to check on the schoolgirls.”

  “I’ll get Megan to take her in the gig. I need to return to the Book & Candle. Poor Willa! She was left alone to face a hurricane.”

  “Rosalie, one more thing. You do understand, I’m sure, that if my blindness continues, I will not, absolutely will not, marry Elena.”

  “Ben—”

  “No, I will brook no objections. I love her too much to tie her to a blind man.”

  Rosalie would not argue with him and left the room to fetch James.

  An hour later, when Megan and Elena were preparing to drive to the school, a phaeton appeared, coming down the drive with its lanterns bouncing as the two horses picked their way through the branches strewn across the lane. As it came closer, it was clear to all onlookers that it was from the livery stable in town. Hostler Jones’s son Robert was on the high driving seat, but the two passengers were partly obscured by the hood.

  James Scott had finished assisting Ben and was in the kitchen with Andrew drinking tea and devouring cold meat and bread. Rosalie was in the barn checking the hooves of her own horse, in preparation for the ride to town. Megan was in her gig and waiting for Elena to climb aboard when the carriage surprised them. They were even more surprised when the passengers alighted—Willa and the Duke of Simsbury.

  “Willa!” cried Elena, hurrying forward to greet her. Willa barely had time for greetings before she began a stumbling narrative as to why they had come.

  “Elena, after we—well, I went to the Book & Candle to see if Miss Murdoch had returned, and what did I hear from Jeremiah Bent next door! He said a boat went down at sea, and Mr. Garrick—I mean, Dr. Garrick—was dead or nearly so and several other men drowned. It cannot be true; I know it cannot, but we hurried here to find out!”

  The duke had hardly had time to finish his bow and kiss the ladies’ hands before Willa had blurted out the story. “My dear,” he said calmly, “pray compose yourself. Miss Bellwood is smiling, so the story must be false.”

  “ ‘My dear?’ ” repeated Elena before she could stop herself.

  The duke bowed again. “I present to you the Duchess of Simsbury. We were married this morning.”

  Rosalie had just reached the group, leading her horse, and the shock of all three ladies rendered them momentarily silent.

  Elena took a breath and gasped, “Married!”

  The duke bowed his assent. “Reverend Ries was not available, and so we drove to North Stonington and were united in marriage by a fine Congregational minister named Josiah Wales. Two of his daughters served as our witnesses.”

  “Good heavens!” exclaimed Rosalie. “I-I am very happy for you both. My surprise is great, I confess, but I wish you the most constant happiness.”

  Elena could not help but smile at this turn of events, so contrary to any sort of logic. The duke had sworn he would not wed without attention to money, and Willa had spent the past eight months being in love with someone else! And yet here they were…how strange life was!

  “Your Grace,” she said with a smile, while Willa was speaking with the others, “this happy event brings to mind our conversation about thunderbolts. I confess I admire your tenacity. Not many men would have persevered considering the predisposition of the lady in question.”

  “Miss Bellwood, your perception is a compliment to us both.”

  Megan, making an effort to recover from her strong surprise, invited them inside.

  “But, Megan,” cried Willa, “please make me rest easy on the score of your brother! He is well, surely.”

  Megan took Willa’s arm and led her up the steps. “He is injured, Willa, dear, but I believe he will soon be well. However, the Gremlin was lost at sea.”

  “And James…?”

  “James is well. He is here; I hope that will not distress you.”

  “No,” Willa replied with a small, knowing smile. “No, it will not distress me, for I ceased to care for him in that way some months ago. He loves someone else, and all I can do is wish for his happiness.”

  Megan stared at her. She knew! Somehow Willa had divined James’s feelings! Willa, the simple country girl who had had to be taught how to speak properly and conduct herself with dignity, had seen what no one else had seen! In future, she would make no assumptions about the abilities of another person.

  James and Andrew joined the others in the parlor, and the conversation flowed back and forth between the storm and Willa and the duke’s marriage. Elena slipped away to check on Ben
and saw that he was asleep, so she found a seat next to Willa and demanded to know how on earth she had come to be wed.

  To Elena’s surprise, Willa blushed bright red. She stammered something about the storm and the duke coming to her rescue and asking her to marry him. Elena asked no more questions. Something had happened between the two newlyweds that Willa did not wish to speak of, and Elena would not attempt to force her to betray it.

  Elena then gave her attention to James, who had risen and was calling for a prayer for Ben’s speedy recovery. They all bowed their heads and joined him.

  “But now,” added James, “we have a wedding to celebrate.”

  Megan poured wine, and the duke made a toast to his bride.

  “I give you Her Grace,” he declared, standing and raising his glass, “the Duchess of Simsbury!”

  Willa looked down, confused by such attention. Elena took her hand. “You will need to inure yourself to such accolades, my dear. Hold your head high; you are a duchess!”

  Willa gazed at Elena, her dark eyes sparkling. “How strange it all is, Elena! Very strange…but very wonderful too!”

  Elena hugged her. She began to express her affection for her dear friend, when a shout from upstairs stopped her. Ben! She leapt to her feet and raced upstairs. The entire company hurried after her.

  Elena ran into Ben’s chamber so fast, she slid on a small carpet and landed on her derriere. Rosalie, who was next, tripped over her. The others crowded into the room and helped the two women to their feet.

  James was first at the bedside. “Ben, what’s the matter?”

  Ben was half sitting and staring straight ahead. “James, James, is it you? James, I see light!”

  Elena and Megan rushed to the bed. They eased Ben back down on his pillows and extinguished the one small candle that burned behind a hooded candleholder several feet from the bed. The room was thrown into darkness, and several confused voices were heard as the others milled about or tried to find the door to return downstairs. Rosalie ushered them all out of the room, and a few minutes later Megan and James went downstairs to give Ben a few minutes alone with Elena.

  “My darling, I am so happy,” Elena whispered, leaning over and kissing his lips.

  He grinned. “Yes, go ahead and inflame me when I’m too weak to do anything about it.”

  “When you are better,” she murmured, caressing his face, “I’ll inflame you again.”

  “You have grown rather bold,” he said, pulling her down onto the bed. “Come here, I want to feel your body next to me.”

  Amazed at her own audacity, she lay full-length against him. Their kisses were gentle at first, but when they became more passionate, Elena pulled herself from his arms.

  “Are you afraid of me?” he whispered, attempting to pull her back on the bed.

  “No, my darling Ben, I’m afraid for you. Dr. Gibbs said you must lie still.”

  He sighed. “You’d better go then, for I’m about to leap out of this bed and chase you around the room!”

  Elena floated downstairs in a cloud of joy, with her mind relieved of the worst of its anxiety. Ben would see! No one yet knew how well, but he would see!

  When she entered the parlor, she went first to Bramble, who was lying next to Rosalie’s feet. She sat on the floor, took the great wolf’s head in her hands, and placed it in her lap. “You, my Bramble, have brought about a miracle. You found Ben in time, and now he will see again. My precious wolf, I will give you cake every day from now on.”

  Bramble whapped his tail and flipped over for a tummy rub.

  ****

  By the time Dr. Gibbs arrived the next day, Ben was seeing foggy images with his left eye. The women would not let him sit up, and he was fretting from his confinement when the weary doctor entered his chamber.

  “So, Dr. Garrick, I understand you’re beginning to regain your sight.”

  “So it seems; in fact, I can see you quite well despite the fact that these hovering women have blacked the windows to a degree that nearly prevents me from using the facility God has mercifully restored to me!”

  Dr. Gibbs examined the swelling on the right temple. “Better,” he pronounced, “but not yet gone. You will need to remain in bed—”

  “Remain in bed! Good lord, Gibbs! This confinement is killing me.”

  Dr. Gibbs did not react. “As I was saying, you must remain in bed today, but you can sit up. Tomorrow, we must get you up and walking about in this room. This room only, with the drapes tightly drawn.”

  Ben sighed. He must not try to get up because Gibbs would give the same instructions to the women and they’d tie him in bed, if necessary.

  Dr. Gibbs looked closely at both eyes. Holding a hand over Ben’s left eye and moving a drape slightly to allow a little light to enter, he asked, “Can you see anything with your right eye?”

  Ben concentrated. “I see a sort of drifting gray cloud.”

  “Excellent. The optic nerve in both eyes is functioning.”

  “Will my eyes be normal?”

  “Difficult to say. You may need spectacles.” With a further admonishment to Ben to “stay in bed,” Dr. Gibbs departed.

  With laudanum to help him sleep, Ben awoke the next morning full of eagerness to get up and with nearly clear vision in his left eye. “My right eye,” he informed the others, “is about the same as the left was yesterday.”

  With Ben doing well, it was necessary for the others to return to their own activities. James agreed to remain at the farm to assist Ben as long as needed, and Elena smiled to see how eagerly he agreed to that task.

  Willa and the duke had of course returned the day before to the Harbor Inn, but Andrew was still in attendance, attempting to assist wherever he could. The others could easily observe he had no intention of being parted from Rosalie. Even Bramble accepted him and allowed a certain amount of ear-scratching and tummy-rubbing from this man who sometimes stepped rather too close to Rosalie for the wolf’s comfort.

  After some discussion, all agreed Rosalie’s gig would carry Elena to the school and then Rosalie and Andrew to town. As they crowded into the tiny carriage, Elena realized with some discomfort she was now to have a tête-à-tête with the two persons who were, in actuality, her parents. With Rosalie, it was not too difficult, for she had loved her as a mother before finding out the truth about their relationship. But Andrew was a stranger. He may be her father in the strictest sense of the word, but she didn’t know him at all.

  However, the ride to the school was easier than she expected. Andrew did not attempt to draw her into conversation; he gave his attention to driving. Rosalie was quiet, but whenever Elena glanced at her, she could see an unmistakable glow of happiness. Being in love herself, she could not but be touched by the enduring love of her parents for each other. She prayed they would have many years of happiness together.

  When the carriage stopped, she hugged Rosalie goodbye. She gave her hand to Andrew and said, “I’m sure we’ll meet again soon, Captain Reed. Thank you again for your brave rescue at sea.”

  Andrew bowed. “Elena, you have a fine man in your Benjamin Garrick. A fine man, and a brave one.”

  “Yes, I agree,” Elena replied. She hurried away before she could express her fear that Ben was no longer “her” man, for this was a subject on which she could certainly not enter with Andrew Reed.

  Rosalie called after her, “Elena, I’ll drive the gig back tomorrow. Do you have supplies enough for tonight?”

  Mrs. Croaker opened the door and hearing the question, replied, “Aye, Miss Murdoch. I’ve a fine stew for tonight and plenty of bread and eggs for the morning.”

  Elena followed Mrs. Croaker into the house, but she went immediately to a window and watched her parents drive away, with Bramble trotting easily along next to the gig. Her heart reached out to them with a profound sense of longing. She already loved her mother very much, but she wanted and needed to know and love her father. She was suddenly determined that she would know him…and sh
e ardently hoped that knowing would lead to loving.

  The various concerns of the school overwhelmed Elena for the next several days. She scarcely had time to call on Megan and Ben; one hurried visit in three days was all she could manage. It was an unsatisfactory visit, for Megan seemed out of spirits and Ben a little distant.

  She was surprised two days later when Ben arrived at the school alone and on foot. He was wearing a wide-brimmed hat to protect his eyes from the sun and a long coat, for the weather had turned dry and cold. As Elena watched him approach the house, her mind filled with trepidation. He did not walk like the Ben she knew. He looked sad and defeated.

  It was rather early for visitors; the girls were still at breakfast. Elena led her guest into her office and shut the door. Ben placed his hat and coat on a chair, but neither of them sat down. They stood still and looked at each other.

  In the seconds before Ben found his voice, Elena realized with a jolt of emotion what was about to happen. She was a bastard, and somehow he had found out!

  “I’m sorry to interrupt your morning,” Ben began, “but I had to speak to you.”

  Elena could not find breath to reply, so she nodded.

  Ben began to pace around the room. He paused by a window and looked out at the late fall day, with its bright sun that provided little warmth. He shivered.

  Elena would not help him. She waited quietly, finally seating herself on a small settee.

  Ben turned and gazed at her. “Elena, I have some concerns about our plan to marry.”

  Elena felt that a knife had cut her heart, and she could not bear to hear more. She interrupted him. “I know. I understand.”

  He took a breath as though feeling that the worst was over. “I’d like to explain the circumstances so you’ll understand that in some future time—”

  “No!” she cried. “I don’t want the circumstances explained. I know very well why you don’t want to marry me! Please, Ben, go away, just go away!”

  “You’re angry, and I don’t blame you. It’s my fault, certainly, and yet what could I do? I couldn’t just leave him there.”