by Dee Jones
He stood and slowly followed her back into the house; he was not anxious for this particular night to proceed and was regretting ever agreeing to Victor’s insistence that he become half owner of Turner Stables. If he had known for a moment that the man’s children were not what he had described, he would never have allowed such an act to occur.
Victor played on his sense of family, his chivalry and he agreed for the sake of Louise alone; she could not lose her home or her only means of livelihood because he was lead to believe her children were spoiled rotten brats who had no interest in being a family. He knew without a doubt, those same children were going to be furious; the friendship they were developing was about to end with a harsh slap from reality.
Right now, he felt the ticking of the clock had suddenly become his enemy; each step was as though he were taking his final walk toward the guillotine and the beautiful Julia was the executioner.
Supper was much less appreciated then it should have been. The steaks were cooked to perfection, the home-style potatoes were as delicious as they ever were, and the fresh corn and biscuits were buttered and eaten, though not really tasted. Nobody seemed to notice if they had eaten the food or oats for the horses.
Dessert was saved for after Harold arrived, though nobody was very interested in eating it. Mrs. Lester had made her blue ribbon peach cobbler, but only he seemed to appreciate the flaky crust and sweet fruit.
Once Louise was certain their guest had eaten his fill, she ordered Thompson to serve the coffee in the library, and to gather the servants together. She knew that everyone of household staff had been listed along with the many distant relatives.
Jeremy followed Harold and Louise into the room near the front of the house, while Daniel lingered behind to escort Julia. He was certain there would be no more friendly communication once the will had been read, so it was his last chance to be alone with her. They walked out of the dining room and down the hall in silence, Julia’s hand inside Daniel’s bent elbow, when he suddenly pulled her into a cloak room across from their destination. He pressed her tightly against the back of the closet, his lips capturing hers without a single spoken word. His actions were filled with passion and desire and a desperation Julia couldn’t quite understand. His tongue caressed her soft lips before thrusting into the sweet cavern beyond, teasing and tasting every inch of her. His large hand moved slowly up to her breast, gently massage it through the thick velvet material of her gown, until she moaned softly. At last he released her lips and smiled down at her, his arms embracing her tightly.
“No matter what the next few minutes bring, don’t forget how this feels, Princess,” he told her in hushed whispers. She smiled back at him then frowned at the serious gleam in his eyes.
“What’s wrong? What is going to happen?” she asked him softly, but Daniel just shook his head.
“Just remember how you felt in my arms and how desperately I want you back in them.” He cautiously opened the door, unseen by those who gathered around the door of the library.
Julia walked beside Daniel through the group of servants, to the vacant chairs in front of the desk Victor would use for his work, holding her hand for as long as he possibly could. Harold pulled out the file from his brown leather case and sat down behind the desk. He glanced up at his friend and smiled briefly, then cleared his throat.
"I wish we could skip this," Julia whispered more to herself than anyone around her, but Daniel heard it. He couldn’t have agreed more. A few short weeks ago, he could only speculate about this moment, but now he dreaded it as much as a convict looked forward to the hangman’s noose.
"Mrs. Turner,” Harold began, clearing his throat. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” Louise nodded her head silently, then smiled softy.
“Congratulations on your new baby,” she added causing the frown to escape his face for a moment as he smiled proudly.
“Thank you ma’am,” he said, then cleared his throat and began again. “We come together tonight for the reading of Victor Turner’s last will and testament,” he said in a tone filled with years of training. He seemed distant as he continued, though his pulse was racing and his palms sweating. He could only await his friend’s reaction to what he was about to say.
"Forget the formalities, Harold,” Jeremy began bitterly. “Just tell us what the old man did." Harold looked to Louise who nodded her approval.
"Yes, alright then; in regards to his many assorted relatives, he has left a cash settlement to each of his two sisters, Margaret and Ellen and to his brother Ralph, as well as his nine nieces and nephews. Each will receive ten thousand dollars as their inheritance. He has further left his assorted cousins and in-laws five thousand dollars, as well as several close social acquaintances. As for his staff here at the stables, Victor was very appreciative of your service and has requested that if you wish to remain here, your positions will be secure as long as each one desires. Furthermore, he left each of his staff a healthy allowance for their service if they do remain, and a gratuity consisting of fifteen thousand dollars each.” A uniformed gasp sounded outside the room when the staff heard this.
“For Bernard Thompson, he has added an additional fifty thousand dollars for your years of loyalty and his apologies for his temperament over the years. He appreciated your friendship more than he ever told you and he wanted you to know that now.
“An account has been set up to take care of the expenses of the stables with an annual amount being deposited into it from the many business holdings that will continue to be maintained by a private organization set up by Victor himself, with consideration to increased living costs and expenses over the next ten years.
“Jeremy and Louise have been given a cash inheritance of five hundred thousand dollars apiece, and a trust of an additional hundred thousand dollars has been established that is to be divided between whatever legitimate heirs Jeremy should produce and awarded to them upon their twenty-first birthdays. Victor knew Jeremy didn’t plan on returning to Kentucky after his graduation, therefore, he has left him the property he owned in South Carolina and West Virginia. The property Louise inherited in Europe and used as her dowry is reverted back to her ownership, with the condition it be divided between whatever grandchildren there may be, at the time of her death." Harold paused taking a drink from his coffee cup.
"Now, as for the stables themselves," he continued, glancing first to Julia, then to Daniel, watching the expression of remorse cross his friend’s eyes. "He divided the property in half, to be shared equally between Julia and Daniel Browning."
"What?" Julia shouted, without thinking; her tone sharp with surprise and etched with the feeling of treason as she jerked her hand away from the man next to her. She had expected to share the land with her brother, not her hopeful lover.
"May I continue?" Harold asked, looking at Julia with authority.
"You have to believe me Julia," Daniel began, ignoring his partner, his voice filled with a regretful plea. "I didn't want it this way. Your father felt he owed me. I swear I tried to talk him out of it."
"You knew about this all along and you never told me?"
"I wanted to, but I gave Victor my word. I promised I wouldn't tell you before the will was read."
"You used me. What were you trying to do, seduce the other half of the stables out of me?"
"Damn it Julia, it wasn't like that. I didn't want your father's property. He convinced me that you would ruin the stables and sell them off as soon as he was dead and buried. He told me all you were concerned with were your parties and your friends in Boston. This land was important to him and he was determined his family be taken care of. I believed him, until I met you; I knew he wasn't seeing you for what you were. You're not like that."
"Oh, but I am Mr. Browning," she snapped, standing up abruptly. "I'll sell this land and go back to Boston the minute I can figure a way out of this mess. I hate this place, I hate Kentucky and I hate the smell of horse shit!" The staff that had remained to hear the r
est of the will stood whispering in the hall outside the room, the echo filled with interest.
"If I may continue?" Harold shouted, bringing a tense order back into the room. Julia continued to glare at Daniel, who was now eyeing her with the same contempt. Reluctantly the two sat down and remained quiet, so Harold could continue with his task.
"Now then, Victor made several conditions in his will regarding the stables."
"Victor never told me about any conditions," Daniel accused his partner.
"He made it, after you turned things over to me. Daniel, I'm sorry about all of this, but he knew you would never agree if he told you."
“Agree to what?” Daniel frowned.
"Get on with it," Julia ordered; her voice still thick with anger and her face red from the heat of it.
"His orders are simple," Harold continued quickly. "Neither of you can sell, trade, or give your half of the stables away. He also made it clear that you cannot, under any circumstances, use them to settle gambling debts or as a gift of charity. It was his intention to keep the stables intact. Along with the horses and land, Julia and Daniel each inherit half of the mansion. How you divide it up, is your problem."
"I don't believe any of this," Julia growled.
"That conniving bastard," Jeremy spit out, standing up from his seat. "I told you Julia. He just wanted to control your life and you allowed him to do it!"
"Jeremy be quiet and sit down," Louise scolded him. She looked at each occupant of the room then back to Harold, who was near out of patience. "Please continue."
“There’s more?” Daniel snapped, his eyes narrowing on the man he called his friend.
"Thank you Mrs. Turner," he sighed, ignoring Daniel’s intent and angry stare. He knew the worst was yet to come and he drew a deep breath to prepare for it.
"Victor does however, offer one way out of this situation, at least for you Julia," he continued, glancing to the man next to her. His turquoise eyes narrowed, as the frown deepened the creased of his brow.
"The only way you can get rid of your half of the inheritance, is to give it to Daniel," Harold told her. Julia glared at Harold then turned an accusing eye to Daniel.
"You said it couldn't be given away," Daniel stated, making note of the conditions Victor had made.
"I don't give a damn. Consider it done," Julia grunted, folding her arms across her chest in an attempt to contain the seething anger building up inside her.
"Not so fast," Harold tried to continue.
"I don't want your damned land, Julia,” Daniel argued. “I never wanted it."
"Daniel please, there's conditions attached to her giving it to you," Harold's own tone warned that he was nearing his breaking point. Once the room returned to silence and the whispers in the hallway ceased, he continued his duty, but not until he drained the coffee from his china cup, completely.
"The only way Julia can give you the land is as a wedding present. She has to marry you in order to get rid of her half of the stables."
"What?" Jeremy snapped, rising from his chair again.
"Never!" Julia growled, standing in front of the desk.
"Calm down, please," Louise pleaded softly.
"Damn it, Harold, why didn't you tell me about this?" Daniel sounded as hysterical and angry, as the woman beside him.
"Don't try and push the blame off on him," Julia snapped, turning her anger back to the man, who only minutes ago was holding her in his arms, begging her to remember how it felt. "You knew my father, as well as anybody. If he intended to play this ridiculous joke, you would have known about it from the beginning. I wouldn’t put it past you to talk him into it."
"Don't you dare accuse me of being a party to this," Daniel shouted back. "If you were more of a daughter to the old man, he wouldn't have found the need to make that ridiculous condition. You should have stayed home and acted like a woman of your social standing, instead of running away before you were barely out of diapers."
"You have no right to talk to my sister like that," Jeremy argued, his own anger matching that of his sister's.
"Shut up kid, you're just as much to blame as she is. You rejected everything your father had to offer, including his love. You can't blame me, when you've done worse than what I'm being accused of."
"Enough!" Louise shouted, over the angry voices. She glared at each of them in turn. "Sit down and shut up; you too Daniel."
"Mother!" Julia snapped.
"You heard me, sit down and shut your damn mouths." Once they did as she demanded, Louise stepped to Harold's side and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Victor didn't intend to cause any problems,” she continued. “He just wanted his children to be happy and his family's land to be cared for. He knew you didn't want to stay here," she said, addressing Jeremy. "That's why he gave you the land in South Carolina and West Virginia. He knew I didn't want to stay here either once he was gone. I couldn't live here, not with so many memories haunting me; that was why he left me the property in Europe. He had no choice but to give you the stables, Julia. He knew you would hate him for it, but this land has been in his family since this country began. He left half the land to Daniel, because your father knew he would be able to keep it floating and he felt he owed it to him for everything he'd done for both of us.
"I don't know what possessed him to make those ridiculous conditions, but it's apparent he wanted his children to be cared for. Daniel had no idea what he planned or the depth of his conditions pertaining to the land. He just didn't want you to marry a man who would take your virginity and your money and then leave you like a homeless tart, while he lived it up with some little whore. He trusted Daniel, he told you that himself. He knew there was no way to avoid you wanting to rid yourself of this property. He only did it, because he loved you. He just wanted you to be happy."
An agonizing silence filled the room and Louise fought against the anguish and pain ripping at her soul. She glanced back to Thompson who was ushering the staff out of the hallway before turning to Harold and smiling sadly.
“Don’t blame Harold for any of this,” she told Daniel. “He had to keep quiet; it was his legal duty to Victor. He told him more than once he didn’t like what he was planning, but Victor refused to change his mind.”
Julia and Daniel remained quiet looking neither at each other nor anything else in particular, while Jeremy stood and quietly left the room. Eventually even Louise and Harold left, allowing Julia and Daniel time alone to deal with all that had just occurred.
Daniel stood and walked toward the veranda doors, before turning to look at the young woman sitting in the chair she had occupied the past several minutes. He could see the pain and frustration on her delicate features and wanted more than ever to pull her to him, to comfort her and offer her some sane solution to this ordeal, but he couldn't do that. Hell, he couldn't even think. He was shocked and full of anger, anger at the old man, anger at himself, even at Julia. He wanted to curse her for not believing him, he wanted to shout at her for accusing him, but the only thing he could do was stare.
She was so beautiful and so innocent and right now she looked lost. Her whole world had just come crashing down around her and neither of them knew how to mend the broken pieces. If only he could bring himself to offer her the only way out her father left for her. He would marry her and cherish her the rest of his days, but he knew she would never allow that. And in all honesty, he didn’t want her like that; not as a bargain. If he couldn’t have her willingly, he didn’t want any of it. It was all or nothing.
Julia on the other hand, didn't want anything to do with Daniel. He had lied to her, used her and made her believe he was only interested in her well-being. He had given her a false daydream of hope and love; but now there was nothing left for her but the feeling of despair. She had thought he really cared about her. She had discouraged and rejected so many men in the past that she was beginning to think she would never find anyone whom she would ever truly care for. Then she met
him; the British born horse breeder who made her believe in dreams, made her feel hopeful, but it was only a game. What a joke! He had played her for a fool and she had gone along with him willingly.
“I’m very sorry about all of this,” Daniel said softly, receiving only a deadly, cold stare in answer. Julia stood and left the room, refusing to respond to the man. She had done enough to embarrass herself over the past few days, she refused to add anything more to her disgrace.
Daniel watched her leave the room, drawing a deep breath to steady his nerves. How was he ever going to convince her that he wasn’t responsible for her father’s actions? How was he ever going to make her believe all he had said to her was real?
He looked up at the portrait of Victor Turner above the desk and frowned.
“Why would you do this, Victor?” he asked the silent room. “How could you do this to someone you loved? She’s your daughter and betrayed her. How is she ever going to forgive either of us?”
Daniel left the room without another glance to the man’s portrait, hoping a good night’s sleep would offer some sense of sanity to this madness his world was just thrown in.
Chapter Eight
The next day proved more difficult to deal with then the heat and humidity. The work was hard, but the stable hands were joyful and happy for their inheritance. It was enough to make Daniel feel like choking the life out of someone. He had managed to avoid going into town to confront his partner, until he had better control over his emotions. He knew Harold’s hands were tied and that he was only doing what he had to do, but it didn’t resolve the feeling of betrayal. If he had known what the old man had planned, he could have tried to talk him out of it, or at least warned Julia.
Two meals had passed him by and Daniel was thankful for the work that had to be done. Victor had purchased two new stallions the day before he died and they arrived that morning, untamed and in desperate need of breaking. He was hungry and tired, and his muscles ached from his hours of trying to control the pair, but it did little to ease his frustrations. He would have to face Julia eventually and he wasn’t looking forward to it.