by Amy Field
Jane nodded, taking in all that Henry had said. “So, we are to be married then?”
“Yes, my love, but I must tell you, the sooner we are wed, the better. Though I know your child is legitimate, many do not, and will care not for facts, and I do not care to have you living here, struggling to take care of you and your home because no one will work for you,” he explained, growing angry at how ill she had been treated. “I could ring that Clara’s neck. She had to be the one who started the horrible rumors about us.”
“Yes, I believe so, but that is no longer here nor there. People talk. If it hadn’t have been Clara, it would have been someone else.”
“True. Now, my dear Jane,” Henry said with a gleam in his eye, “can you quickly ready yourself for a three day’s journey?”
She eyed him quizzically.
“Why, we must elope,” he explained, “to the Scottish borders. We shall be married with no interference. I am not sure if, given our circumstances and your widow status, if we could obtain the proper license from the church any time soon. However, over the border, there will be no impediments to our marriage. And in a twist that my parents will appreciate, they themselves eloped to Scotland many years ago.”
Jane inhaled deeply. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. Hours earlier, she’d been determined to learn the ropes of handling the gritty details of managing her household, and now, her dearest Henry held her hands tenderly promising to love and protect her forever, starting as soon as possible.
“You, you are too much, my dear,” she said softly, brushing back a stray lock of his dark hair that had fallen onto his forehead. “I shall gather my things right away,” she told him.
“I will be back within the hour with a carriage to make the journey more comfortable for you,” he replied before leaning down and kissing her tenderly. She closed her eyes as sweet joy filled every inch of her being.
Chapter Nine
“Henry, what are you about, son?”
Henry froze in the stables at the sound of his mother’s voice behind him. Turning slowly, he saw her standing there, formidable even with her delicate features. Her hands were folded in front of her.
“I am seeing about my future, Mother. The one that I am choosing for myself.”
“Oh? And what does that mean?” She asked, walking towards him.
“I would rather not discuss this with you, Mother.”
“I have not seen you all day, Henry. I’m worried about you.”
“You’ve no need to worry about me. I am quite fine.”
“Even as those terrible rumors about you have been spreading like wildfire? Tell me again, Henry. There is no truth to them, correct?”
Henry waited a beat before answering her, considering what exactly he should say to best purport his cause of wedding Jane. “The rumors that Mrs. Parker is with child and that I am in love with her are true. I will wed her posthaste.”
“Henry!” His mother shouted, aghast. “Truly, you do not have to wed her.”
“Mother—I love her—that is why I have chosen her as my bride. Of course, you would jump to the worst of conclusions regarding our connection. What has happened to you as of late? You are better than this!”
“No, YOU are better than this! She is a young widow! You had no place consorting with her. It is HIGHLY improper.”
Henry placed both of his hands on her shoulders. “All I ask, Mother, is that you trust the son that you raised from birth. I am doing the right thing, and I pray that you will understand. Nothing is as you see it.”
Lady Pendleton’s face softened. She reached up and touched his cheek. “Even in your folly I would not risk losing you. I cannot give you my blessing, and I am sure I speak for your father, as well, but you are always welcome here, new bride and all,” she said, begrudgingly.
“Thank you, Mother,” Henry replied, leaning down and kissing her cheek. “Now, I am away to handle a few important affairs. I will see you soon,” he said in farewell, stepping into one of the family’s carriages. He had determined his course, and no one, his mother included, would convince him to stray from it. Relief, however, did wash over him, to know that his mother loved him enough not to disown him when it came to the matter of his hasty marriage.
Jane watched eagerly from the window, butterflies dancing in her stomach. Her valise sat by the door, ready to go as soon as Henry arrived. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined she would be setting out for Scotland with the Pendleton heir to marry. To say she was happy was an understatement. But beneath her joy, a layer of apprehension loomed.
When she saw the carriage and four horses coming up the lane, however, her heart danced. She scurried to the door, opening it and waving wildly as he approached. The carriage pulled to a stop in front of the cottage and Henry stepped out, all smiles as he caught her eye.
“Are you ready to accompany me on this journey, my love?” He asked, rushing to her, kissing her hand before taking her valise.
“Yes, indeed, I am,” she replied cheerfully.
Within a quarter of an hour, they were headed at a steady clip to the north. Jane idly watched from the window of the sumptuous carriage as the fields and forests passed swiftly by. The only other long journey she’d ever taken was when she and her late husband, Charles, had relocated to the cottage where she now lived.
“We shall stop in Banbury to rest for the night before continuing on as soon as day breaks,” Henry told her.
They traveled the twenty or so miles and reached the small village of Banbury not long after the sun had set. A small coaching inn provided them shelter, and they shared a meal of stew and bread in the rather rowdy pub before retiring for the night. Jane tossed and turned on the straw mattress, uncomfortable in the strange surroundings. Morning did not arrive soon enough. As soon as she had dressed herself in her traveling gown, she ventured down the rickety stairs and found, Henry, freshly scrubbed and chipper, waiting to share a morning meal with her.
“I trust you slept well,” Henry said as they waited for their steaming bowls of porridge to cool.
“As well as could be expected,” she diplomatically replied, her night of discomfort mostly forgotten in the presence of her beloved once more. She only hoped the circles beneath her eyes were not too dark.
“We shall travel all day, stop at another inn at nightfall, and reach the Scottish borders before the dinner hour tomorrow,” Henry told her, trying a spoonful of oats.
Jane nodded solemnly. She did not look forward to the long day of travel, but being married on the morrow was more than worth it.
Chapter Ten
“How do you feel, Lady Pendleton?” Henry asked her as they strolled out of the blacksmith’s shop. Their marriage had taken only a matter of minutes and but a small fee.
“I feel quite fine to be married to such a handsome fellow as yourself,” she answered, holding tighter to his arm as they made their way back to the carriage.
“Are you sure you would not like to stay the night here? There seems to be a rather cozy inn just over the bridge,” he pointed out.
Jane shook her head. “No, it is best we begin our travels and return to Eastleigh as soon as possible. We must pick up the pieces strewn about and start our lives together. No need in postponing the inevitable,” she said resolutely.
“What a brave wife I have!” Henry exclaimed jubilantly, his face glowing with pride.
“You are too magnanimous, dear husband,” she replied, relishing the ability to claim him as her own.
Henry helped her into the carriage before climbing in behind her before the coachman shut the door. He scooted close to her and pulled her in for a kiss. Jane closed her eyes as his lips touched hers, love overwhelming all of her senses. Henry broke the kiss rather quickly.
“Jane? Do you believe you will be well enough to . . .” He trailed off.
Her cheeks reddened, but she nodded vigorously. “I shall be fine for many months more.”
“Good.
I would never hurry you, dearest, but in the matter of eloping, I believe it of the utmost importance to consummate our marriage as soon as possible,” he explained.
“Yes, you are quite right. It must be done. Tonight,” She replied firmly.
They wiled their first day as husband and wife away within the confines of the Pendleton carriage, stopping for a picnic lunch beneath a lush grove of trees by the roadside, where Henry gathered her a fragrant bouquet of her favorite wildflowers. As night fell and the carriage meandered into the bustling town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the coachman pulled up to large, fancy inn just inside the city limits. The inn resembled a small palace or great estate house.
“Oh, Henry! What a treat it shall be to stay here!” Jane cried, glancing out the carriage’s window at the elegant establishment.
“I instructed our coachman to find the nicest lodgings available for the evening, seeing as it is our wedding night. Only the best shall do,” he smiled at his wife of but a day.
Once they were out of the carriage and escorted inside the elegant inn, Henry secured their room for the night, insisting they be given the nicest one available. With Jane on his arm, they ascended the palatial staircase to the third level of the grand home, and down the hall to an ornately carved wooden door.
Opening the door, Jane let out a small gasp of surprise. The room was exquisite! Elegant velvet furnishings in rich shades of blue and red, fancy draperies with silk tassels, and a marble fireplace with a welcoming fire were all held within the spacious room.
“Henry, I’ve never seen such a beautiful room before!” She said as she waltzed into the room, running a hand along the tufted crimson sofa.
“The rooms at Heatherly shall be most surprising for you then. I cannot wait for you to see them,” he told her. He closed the heavy door behind him and promptly pulled her into his arms, kissing her thoroughly.
“Shall we retire early?” He gazed into her eyes and asked her.
“Yes, let’s please do,” Jane replied breathlessly, pulling his lips to hers.
The next afternoon as their return journey came to an end, Jane took a deep breath while the carriage made its way up the long graveled drive leading to Heatherly’s mains. Henry placed a calming hand on her arm.
“No need to worry, Jane. You are my wife now, good and true,” he assured her.
“Yes, but your mother—“
“My mother will love you, I am sure.”
Jane said nothing else, only sighed. She wasn’t so sure of his words. She had not known anyone as of yet, other than Henry, who believed her worthy of loving.
When the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the grand house’s large double doors, Henry helped Jane down. She was a bit in awe of the enormous stone house that so closely resembled a kingly castle. As they took the steps up to the doors, they almost immediately swunh open. The Pendleton’s butler, Knightley, and their housekeeper, Mrs. Bailey, were the first to greet the newlyweds.
“Welcome home, Master Henry,” Knightley said formally.
“Come along, you two. Master Henry, your mother has instructed me to bring you to her immediately upon your arrival,” Mrs. Bailey fussed, leading the way down the grand corridor. Jane walked beside Henry as they followed the plump housekeeper. As she walked down the palatial hall with marble floors and elaborate artwork, she swallowed. Her nerves truly were getting the best of her now.
They entered a drawing room where Lady Pendleton stood, looking exquisite in a gown of ivory, her hair elegantly coiffed. To Jane, she certainly was a beauty and did not look old enough to have Henry as a son.
“Hello, please be seated,” his mother said as they entered the room.
“Mother, this is my wife, Jane,” Henry announced, before anything else could be said.
His mother smiled sweetly. “Hello, Jane. Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, milady,” Jane replied.
“Henry, as you know, I am none too pleased with the circumstances regarding your marriage,” she immediately began once they were all seated. “However, I love you, son, and I like you said before you left, I must trust that I raised you to make the right choices. If you believe Jane is the right choice for you, then I do, too. I know your father will agree with me when he returns on the morrow.”
Jane’s shoulders sank in relief. A burden she had been carrying had now been lifted. “Thank you, dear lady,” Jane said, her voice quivering. “I love your son. Very much.” She could hardly say more, so overwhelmed with emotion.
“Thank you, Mother,” Henry added.
“Now, what say you?” The benevolent Lady Pendleton clapped her hands. “Shall we plan a ball to celebrate your marriage?”
EPILOGUE
Spring of 1827
They walked along the country lane, both holding the hands of a toddling girl, her pink ribbons bobbing happily. Henry held a chubby baby boy on his hip, his gurgling laughter carrying on the breeze.
“Charlotte, dearest, here is where your mummy met her dashing prince,” Jane told the little girl holding her hand.
“And we became a family, the two of us, then you, sweet Charlotte, and a while later, your little brother, Harry,” Henry added as the little girl listened intently. They walked along, taking in the arrival of spring, appreciating the green buds and blooming flowers.
“Daddy picked a pretty bouquet of those flowers for me years ago, and now he brings them to me whenever he rides out and he sees them springing up from the ground,” Jane said, pointing to the budding flowers beginning to fill the meadows.
“Would you like a bouquet, Charlotte?” Henry asked the little girl.
“Yes, Daddy!” The girl exclaimed gleefully.
Henry handed the bouncing boy to Jane and set about gathering a bouquet of flowers for his little princess. Jane looked about her, never imaging those first walks in this country lane, in her black dress with her spirit bleak, that one day she would be the happiest of women. But here she was back in that very lane, surrounded by her little family. Out of great tragedy and sorrow, a beautiful new beginning had been birthed, and she was very thankful for it, indeed.
Historic Western Romances
Book I
Grace
Book Four in the Bernstein Sisters Series
Chapter One: Home Sweet Home
The hills seemed to go on for miles and miles. As Grace sat there on top of River, her horse, she smiled. She could see her family land there on that hilltop over there. It was beautiful as it blended into the horizon further down. This is what made her happy, this landscape and this carefree feeling she felt every time she sat atop her horse in the fields. Hearing something behind her, she turned to see the large black horse make its way to her. Robert smiled at her. He was one of the only ones to know where to find her. Robert was the best hand they had ever hired. Her sister Hope would also agree since she and Robert were now married with a little boy, Alexander.
Alexander was the image of his father with dark brown hair and green eyes. She remembered when he had been born and her mother had cried tears of joy. Grace had left quickly so nobody could see the tears forming in her eyes. Grace refused to cry in front of anyone. She had worked hard to make a place for herself on the ranch, working next to the men and helping her father. This was her home, and no matter what any of them said, she would never leave it. It was her legacy.
“Whatcha doin’ up here lady?” he asked with a smile.
She turned to smile at Robert. They both knew that she was far from a lady. The farthest thing in this part of the state probably, but he continued to call her that since he had been hired years ago. “Just lookin’.” Grace turned her attention back in front of her to see the hills one more time. Every so often she would see an animal come out to graze on the grass. She was glad that the land had plenty of trees to throw off some shade for the animals. It could get pretty hot out there every so often.
“I was going to ask you what you were doing for the next little bit?” He gave h
er a look as he said it that stated he knew what her answer would be already.
“Nothing that I know of.” She sighed, still looking out at the land.
“Good. I was going to see if you wanted to ride into town with me.” His voice came to her again, breaking into her solitude.
“Yeah. I need to get some stuff mom has been asking me to get.” She groaned softly as she thought of the list that her mother would be making. She knew there were a few things like flour and sugar on the list already, but she could only imagine what would be added by the time they got back. Robert was sure to have told her already they were going into town. “Well, what are you waiting for?” She laughed as she took off from beside him.
“You.” His yell reached her ears just as she heard the pounding of hoofbeats on the solid ground. Her laughter floated into the wind as she continued to push River faster. It was beautiful out today, and she was happy to feel the warmth as she pushed to go faster. River, her mare, was her most prized possession. She patted her side affectionately. The mare had been a gift from her older sister.
Ruby, her other sister, had moved away over a year before. When she had, she had left her prized horse to her younger sister. Ruby had been the one to help heir father give birth to the beautiful horse. She had told Grace that she couldn’t’ take the animal with her. A city was no place for the animal. She needed the space to run that was found there at the ranch.
Grace didn’t let many people see her cry. She hated to show any emotion of any kind. She may have had three sisters, but most of her time was spent on the ranch with the hands. Before she had become pregnant and had her son, Hope was also on the ranch with them. She loved the land as much as Grace and the hands did.