Jewel

by Beverly Jenkins

  Cecile could have kissed him but kept her enthusiasm hidden beneath her persona of the dignified widow. “You are a godsend, Mr. Hicks.”

  “Come, let’s see the agent about a new ticket.”

  Cecile took his offered arm and let him lead her to the ticket counter.

  To Jewel it appeared as if everyone she and Eli knew was helping her father and brothers build the new house. The frame was complete and the walls were going up. The Patterson twins were hammering nails; Reverend Anderson and some of the men from the church were using mules and draft horses to remove the stumps of the felled trees; even Miss Edna and Maddie were on hand, adding to the hive of people swarming over the site like ants.

  Jewel was sanding the porch rocker she’d been building for the past few days. It wasn’t a fancy creation; flat slats mostly, but she’d cut the wood and nailed the pieces together herself and she was proud of it, even if it rocked a bit crookedly.

  Abigail, who’d been supervising the lunch wagon, sauntered over with the aid of her beautiful cane. “How’s the rocker coming, dear?”

  Jewel pushed the chair back and forth. “Almost ready to stain. One of the rocker bases is still uneven, but I think I can fix it.”

  “It’s very lovely,” Abigail offered, eyeing the unvarnished wood with admiration. “Not many women have such skill, Jewel.”

  “When you grow up in a house with lumber beasts and carpenters, you don’t exactly learn dressmaking.” She rocked the chair again, then knelt down to determine which of the two curved pieces on the bottom was the problem.

  “Have you seen Eli?” Gail asked looking around at all the people.

  “He and Pa took some logs to the mill. They should be on their way back by now.”

  “Good. Vernon got a message from Calvin Center. Mr. Hicks is at the depot in Niles.”

  Jewel looked up. “Is Vernon going to go fetch him.”

  Gail nodded. “I just wanted Eli to know.”

  “I’ll tell him.”

  “Thank you. Now that lunch is done, I’m going to drive over and check on Anna Red Bird. She hasn’t been feeling well. I’ll be back in a little while. Let your father know, if you would.”

  “I will and you tell Anna I send my love and hope she feels better.”

  “I will.”

  Jewel watched Gail’s departure, then went back to inspecting the rocking chair.

  Eli and her Pa returned an hour later hauling lengths of newly milled oak in the back of a flatbed work wagon. The oak was scheduled to be laid over the rough-hewn subfloor that was temporarily serving as the home’s main floor. She hoped Mr. Wilson hadn’t given them trouble and she was glad they’d made it back safe and sound.

  Remembering Gail’s messages, she walked over to relay them while a small group of the volunteers helped unload the boards from the wagon.

  Eli saw his saucy little wife coming his way, handed his board off to one of the others, and walked out to meet her. “Hello, Mrs. Grayson.”

  “Hello to you, too. How’d it go at the mill? Mr. Wilson give you any problems?”

  “Yes. Tried to make us come back tomorrow, said the place was too busy, but when I politely reminded him of the name on the front of the building and that that same name signed the bank drafts that paid him, he suddenly found an opening in the schedule.”

  “Nice man.”

  “Your father thinks so as well. Anything happen while we were away?”

  “Just work. Your mother’s gone to visit Anna Red Bird, and Vernon went to the Niles depot to pick up your Mr. Hicks. Guess he’s back.”

  Eli was elated. “Now I can see to the Gazette.”

  “I knew you’d be pleased.”

  He pulled a pocket watch out of his old shirt and consulted the time. “If Hicks came in on the afternoon train, they should be here in an hour or so.” He began to mentally list all the things he needed to do first. Now that the additional space had been added to the Gazette’s office, there’d be room for the new printing presses he hoped G.W. would help him invest in. Having his own money to put into the paper now made all the difference in the world because he could expand his dreams in ways he hadn’t been able to do before.

  “Eli?”

  He came back to the present. He’d been so deep in thought he’d forgotten she was there. “Did you say something?”

  Her eyes filled with humor. “Yes. Don’t you hear Pa yelling?”

  “What?” A confused Eli stared, then heard, “Grayson! This house isn’t going to build itself! Jewel! Stop distracting my workers!”

  “Yes, Pa!” She grinned at her husband. “You’d better go.”

  “I think you’re right. See you later.” He stole a quick kiss and was gone.

  Jewel’s wobbly rocker was fixed with a couple passes of a plane, so she spent the rest of the afternoon staining the chair and watching her house take shape. She found it very exciting and the glimpses she got of her husband were even more so. Marrying Eli had been a good thing, she realized. He made her feel special in ways she’d never dreamed possible and just the sight of him made her heart skip and her nipples bloom. Pushing her mind away from the scandalous thoughts, she went back to work.

  She was soon joined by Maddie, Miss Edna, and Gail, who reported that Anna Red Bird was feeling much better. They were in the middle of talking about the next Intelligence Society meeting when they all saw Vernon drive up with Hicks and a veiled woman in widow’s weeds seated beside him.

  “I wonder who the woman is?” Gail said.

  Jewel paused with the varnish brush in her hand and watched the wagon approach. She wasn’t sure where Eli was, so she thought it only polite that she welcome his mentor back to town. “Let’s go find out.”

  Setting the brush down, she wiped her hands on a clean rag, then on her denims, and threaded her way through the workers to intercept the wagon while the others followed.

  When she neared, she greeted Vernon, and Hicks tipped his hat, “Mrs. Grayson. How are you?”

  Jewel swore the veiled woman flinched, but the movement was so slight, she decided it had been her imagination. “Doing well, sir. Welcome back.”

  “Thank you. This is Mrs. Green. I met her in Detroit. She has friends here.”

  By now, Eli had drifted over as had her father. Jewel could see Maddie and Miss Edna looking on with a casual interest.

  Eli, now standing beside Jewel, addressed the widow. “Welcome to the Grove, Mrs. Green.”

  “Thank you, Eli,” she said and slowly removed her veil.

  Jewel heard Gail gasp and saw her clutch Maddie’s arm to keep herself upright. Jewel’s eyes snapped back to the woman in black and saw the sugary smile. Maddie let out a curse.

  Eli stared at Cecile dumbstruck, then asked coldly, “What are you doing here, Cecile?”

  Upon hearing the name Jewel understood everyone’s shocked reactions. She’d been very young when Cecile was married to Nate and so hadn’t recognized her.

  Cecile eyed him slowly, then Jewel. “My doctor suggested I take a trip to the country to restore my nerves, and where is more country than Grayson Grove.”

  “Get back on the train.”

  “Surely you can be more polite after all we shared.”

  Hicks looked out at the angry faces flanking the wagon. “What’s going on here, Grayson?”

  Maddie snarled, “You’ve brought the serpent back to the garden, Mr. Hicks.”

  He stiffened and stared at Cecile, then at the granite set of Eli’s face. “Grayson?”

  “She’s my cousin’s former wife, and not wanted here.”

  “Why? Because I remind you of the adultery we committed,” she asked calmly.

  Jewel stiffened and anger rose inside.

  Hicks’s eyes widened.

  Cecile turned to Hicks, “Yes, he and I committed adultery, but I’ve changed my life. It’s one of the reasons I came back. I’m here to make amends. If I can.” She then met Jewel’s eyes. “You’re his wife?”


  Jewel nodded.

  “I hope the two of you are happy. I truly didn’t return to cause trouble.” She looked around, “Where’s Nathaniel? Is he here?”

  Eli’s voice hadn’t warmed. “He’s out of town with his wife and children.”

  “So, he’s remarried.”

  Eli didn’t respond.

  Cecile smiled a bit sadly, “I can’t undo the past, but I am here on an honest mission. I lost my husband a few weeks ago, and I loved him very much. I’d hoped to come here and gather myself before moving on with my life.”

  Maddie shook her head, “You do that. I’m going home to hide the silver.” She stalked over to her wagon and drove away.

  Eli wanted to do the same. Instead he said, to G.W., “Welcome back, sir.” He then turned to his father-in-law. “Let’s get back to work, Adam.”

  Adam led the men back to the house.

  Jewel met Cecile’s eyes and Cecile smiled ruefully. “Guess it won’t be as easy I as thought it would be.”

  G.W. said to Vernon, “Take us to town, Mr. Stevenson, if you would please.”

  Vernon didn’t look happy, but he snapped the reins and headed the team toward the road.

  Everyone at the construction site watched until the wagon rolled from sight, then resumed their work.

  Later that evening, after the crews had left for the day, Jewel and Eli sat on the edge of the house’s floor and looked out over the bluff.

  “Do you believe she’s here to make amends?” she asked.

  He shrugged. He’d been thinking about that all day. “Anything’s possible, but truthfully, no. My question is how did she happen to be in G.W.’s company?”

  “You’ll have to ask him, I suppose.”

  “He’s such a moralist, he’ll probably pull out on our deal now.”

  “It’ll be his loss, then.”

  He turned his head her way and smiled. “Did you believe what she said about changing her ways?”

  “No.”

  “You say that with such conviction.”

  “Even though I never knew Cecile, I trust Maddie’s instincts, and if she says hide the silver, I start digging.”

  “What could she be after, though, after all this time?”

  “Hopefully, it isn’t you. I’d hate to have to shoot her.”

  “You’d shoot her for me?”

  “Right between the eyes.”

  He put an arm around her shoulder and eased her close. He gave her a kiss on the brow. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  That night as Jewel lay in bed, she realized that she had no intentions of letting Cecile affect her marriage. She and Eli had just gotten everything straightened out between them and there would be hell to pay if Cecile was intent upon tangling things again. Because her father had worked Eli and the other men like mules, Eli was already asleep. Listening to his even breathing, she lay in the dark, her eyes focused on the ceiling above. Why had Cecile come back? It was a question being asked all over the Grove by now, she’d be willing to bet. As Eli noted when they first married, small towns took their amusements where they found them, and this business with Cecile was going to be like the circus come to town.

  The following morning, Eli was in the mayor’s office looking over the mail and transferring the rent payments from the tenants into Nate’s ledger when a knock on the open door caught his attention. Looking up he saw Hicks standing on the threshold. “Morning, G.W.”

  “Eli,” he responded with a chill in his voice. “May I come in?”

  “Certainly. Have a seat.”

  He sat and from the tight set of his lips, Eli assumed something was wrong. Cecile, no doubt, so he decided to get it all over with. “Sir, if you would rather pull out of this partnership, I won’t hold it against you.”

  “Who said anything about pulling out?”

  “You seem very cool this morning.”

  “It’s because I’m having a bit of a dilemma.”

  “About what?”

  “Who and what to believe.”

  Eli understood. “You have my sympathy.”

  “I don’t want sympathy, I want the truth.”

  “As we all do, sir.”

  Hicks seemed to think on that for a moment. “I was taken aback by the blunt reaction of Miss Loomis yesterday.”

  “Maddie doesn’t bite her tongue.”

  “That was very apparent.” He added, “May I be blunt as well?”

  “Sure.”

  “I came back with the intention of attempting to get to know her better.”

  “Maddie?”

  “Yes.”

  Eli stared, searched G.W.’s face, and asked again, “Maddie?”

  “She isn’t married is she?”

  “No.” Eli studied Hicks. “It’s just—” Eli was very confused. What had happened to Cecile? “No one’s ever courted her before, at least not anyone in the Grove.”

  “Do you think she’d be amenable to the interest of a short squat man like myself?”

  He shrugged. “I can’t speak for her.” Eli didn’t have the heart to tell the man that Maddie’s past would probably send him running to the hills; he’d leave that to her. “How about you come have dinner with me and Jewel, and we’ll invite Maddie.”

  “When?”

  “Say, tomorrow?”

  Hicks smiled. “That would be agreeable.”

  Eli nodded and hoped Maddie would feel the same way. In the meantime there was still the matter of Cecile to set straight. “How did you happen upon Cecile? Did you know her previously?”

  G.W. shook his head. “Met her on the platform at the Detroit depot. She’d somehow misplaced or lost her ticket and her coin purse.”

  “Ah. I see.”

  “You sound skeptical.”

  “My apologies. It’s not my place to judge. I was as guilty as she back then.”

  “Would it be improper to ask you what happened.”

  “No, since you’re bound to hear the story anyway.”

  So Eli told him. Everything.

  When he finished, Hicks met his eyes. “That’s quite a tale. I saw her at breakfast. She thanked me for my assistance this morning and said she planned to spend the day doing some visiting.”

  “I can’t imagine who’d she’d be wanting to see. We were both pariahs in those days.”

  “You keep saying we.”

  “I was young, G.W., but I knew what we were doing wasn’t right. I’ve accepted my role in the matter.”

  “And your cousin, Nathaniel, has he forgiven you?”

  “As much as he can.”

  “And have you forgiven yourself?”

  “No.”

  Hicks nodded as if he understood. “And you haven’t seen her in all the years since?”

  “No, which is why everyone is wondering what she’s after.”

  “She said she’s turned over a new leaf.”

  “If she has, I applaud her.”

  “But you don’t believe her.”

  “Honestly, no.”

  “Well, let’s leave that subject for now. I saw you added more room to the office while I was away.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ve also been studying the types of presses we may want to purchase.”

  “We?”

  “Yes. It seems my mother had funds that were mine and she just transferred them to me. It gives me some breathing room.”

  “Good. Let’s see what you’re considering.”

  Eli opened a desk drawer and took out the pictures of the various presses he’d sent away for and the notes he’d penned on them. “I’m partial to these new Curtis and Mitchell’s,” he said.

  G.W. nodded. “They’re out of Boston, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, and with this model you can pause it if you need to feed in more newsprint.”

  “I like that idea.”

  They spent the rest of the morning discussing the advantages and disadvantages of other models Eli had on his list, but in the end, decided
on the Curtis and Mitchell. Eli was pleased. “I’ll wire them tomorrow and hope we can get the press here by the end of the month.”

  “In the meantime, I want you to do an editorial for the papers in my syndicate.”

  “Any particular subject?”

  “The madness being perpetrated in the South. That is of most concern right now.”

  Eli agreed. Death and anarchy were marching hand in hand across the nation’s southern states, trampling the lives and rights of its newest Black citizens. He had a few drafts on the subject already started at home. “When would you like to see it?”

  “As soon as you can complete it.”

  “Okay.” He then studied Hicks for a moment before asking, “Are you truly interested in Maddie?”

  “Unlike any woman before, even my late wife.”

  “And Cecile?”

  “What about her? I’ve no interest in her in that way. I have arranged to pay the bill for her room at the Quilt Ladies’ until the end of the month. After that, she’ll need to make other arrangements. I’d hate to think I’m being taken advantage of, though.”

  Eli didn’t respond.

  “From your silence, I’m assuming you think I am.”

  He shrugged. “Time will tell. I’d be interested in knowing her true motive for coming back. She hated the Grove when she was married to my cousin. Complained day in and day out about the slow pace and the weather.” And night in and night out, he’d shared her bed.

  “Yet she’s here.”

  “Yep.” Bringing back memories he’d rather not have.

  “She’s an attractive woman.”

  “Not nearly as much as my Jewel, though.” G.W. smiled. “On that, you and I are in agreement.”

  Then Eli was curious about what had taken G.W. back east.” Did you find the man who took your money?”

  “Thanks to the Pinkertons, I did.” He paused for a moment, then asked, “Do you think a wire to the Pinkertons might be in order on the widow?”

  “That’s up to you, sir. I won’t influence your decision either way.” But he did think it was a good idea because he was interested in knowing as much as he could, not for his sake but for Jewel’s. He didn’t want her to be hurt in any way. He’d kill Cecile himself if she was back to stir up trouble.

  “Maybe it won’t provide any answers at all, but I plan to mull it over for a while, anyway. I hate to be made a fool of.” He stood. “Thanks for your time, Eli, I’m going to look at some property with Miss Edna. Still considering living here.”