The Shopkeeper's Widow

by Izzy James

  “I like it most of the time. Right now, I am considering removing here.”

  “Indeed?”

  “Yes. It seems we are destined for war. There are threats from every quarter of burning the city.”

  A small group that included Molly and Samuel joined them.

  Delany and Field stepped back to make room.

  “Delany, Molly and I just discovered that we both attended the Braxton School for Girls in Williamsburg.” Hester gushed like a thirteen-year-old girl. Delany was repulsed.

  Molly gave her the same look she gave her daughters when they were overly exuberant.

  “Of course, I was a few years ahead of Hester. We didn’t know each other at school,” Molly said.

  Hester colored at the remark. “Well, of course I never said we knew each other there, but isn’t it a lovely coincidence that we could have?”

  Molly had come from a well-to-do family in Williamsburg, but Delany had no idea that she had attended the prestigious Braxton school.

  “I think Braxton is the epitome of what a school should be. What is your opinion on girls’ schools, Delany?”

  Field stiffened behind her.

  “I’m sure you are right that Braxton is an excellent institution,” Delany answered. “But I have wondered why a girl’s education is deemed to be inferior to a boy’s. I mean, why not have both sexes attend the same school and receive the same education? Female minds are not inferior to male minds after all. We’re just trained differently.”

  Hester’s face went as red as her gown; her blue eyes narrowed. “I myself received an excellent education, and I am looking forward to running a household for my husband when the time comes.” Her gaze left Delany’s for a flash, presumably to cast a glance at Field, who stood behind her.

  Really?

  “I am sure you will,” Delany said, wondering why she was the object of Hester’s ambush. “If you will excuse me.” She exited the group and headed for the door and a cool breath of fresh air. Is this what living in the country would be like? She stepped out onto the porch and wished she’d thought to bring her cloak. At least it was quiet. Perhaps she should rethink her decision to remove from Norfolk.

  “May I join you?” Field came outside.

  She stepped back and leaned against the railing. In the light of the window, his angular features appeared primal. Hair escaped its curlew, jaw cut from granite, evening growth shadowing his cheekbones. His nearness called to her heart, but the reality of their situation had been made very plain by Hester, whether it was her intention or not. Delany did not fit in his world, and she never would. The dreams her heart had woven as they’d danced were just hot air dissipated by the cold reality of her recent confrontation.

  A gracious woman like Molly tolerated her because she was family by marriage. It was not an association she would have sought out.

  “I’m not fit company at the moment.”

  “Fit for whom?”

  “The likes of you.”

  He took a step closer and leaned on the railing next to her. “By the likes of me? Do you refer to me as a gentleman?”

  “Norfolk is made up of business men and women. People who came to Virginia for a chance to make a new life for themselves, to choose their own destiny.” She turned and looked out at the fields surrounding the house. “They were willing to pay any price for their destiny. My father was willing to do anything so that he could own his own land. He dreamed of being a gentleman farmer.” She snorted. “Pretty funny, huh?”

  He turned to face her. “No. Your father was an admirable man. I’ve heard my father say so many times.”

  Delany sought his gaze barely visible in the light of the window. “I don’t have the same education as Hester or Molly, but I own a successful business in the busiest port in the colony.”

  “Some would argue that Alexandria is busier.”

  She could just see the outline of his devastating grin.

  “They’re wrong.” She grinned back.

  “People say stupid things wherever you go, Delany.”

  At the sound of her name on his lips, her breath caught. She longed to take a step closer. “I suppose you’re right. But I think I must take another look at my decision to remove here.”

  Field took a step closer and reached for her hand.

  Her heart rapped a steady beat.

  “I think we have time for one more dance before we leave, if you would care to?”

  Later, they rode back to the farm in silence behind Samuel and Molly. Images from the night played across her memory out of sequence in a blur of confusion. In a shaft of moonlight, she saw Molly rest her head on Samuel’s shoulder. It was the most intimate gesture she’d ever seen between them. She shifted another inch away from Field. She would never know that pleasure. She wrapped herself deeper into her cloak and remembered the softness in his eyes and gentleness of that smile.

  18

  “The only woman I saw anyone fighting over was Hester Morgan,” Delany told Molly the next morning after breakfast when they were alone in the parlor.

  “You’re too close to see what’s going on,” Molly said as she glanced up from her mending. “The only one I saw fighting was Hester. I think she’s got her eye on Mr. Archer.”

  Delany let out a frustrated sigh.

  “Imagine trying to lay claim to me by the Braxton school.” Molly chuckled as she made the next stitch in little Christopher’s shirt. “I hated school.”

  “You did?” Delany couldn’t keep the astonishment out of her voice.

  “Oh, goodness, I tried to get out of it every day.”

  “You? Always correct Molly?”

  “I know. Don’t tell my children,” she giggled.

  “Do you mean that my lack of school doesn’t bother you?”

  “Of course not. God has a plan for each of us. Yours didn’t include the Braxton school, and if I were you, I’d thank Him for it every day.” She laughed again.

  Of course He had a plan; she just wished she could figure out what it was. Should she stay or should she go back to Norfolk? When Delany looked up from her thoughts, she found Molly gazing at her.

  “You should ask Him. He has the answer.”

  “I tried that. I just don’t seem to be hearing it. I don’t know if it’s because He’s not talking or because I’m so jumbled up inside that I can’t hear Him.”

  “I know what you mean. Perhaps the path He has for you is not one you are currently considering.”

  Yes, well that may be, but what am I to do in the meanwhile? I’m in love with a man I can’t have. Like it or not, it doesn’t matter where I live. I’ll be miserable anyway.

  ~*~

  Three days after the dance at Morgans’, Field’s heart still lurched every time he thought of the smile Delany gave him before their first dance, which was just about every waking minute. He would have to be more careful. He’d nearly kissed her on the porch. And while Hester was completely wrong in what she said and did, her opinions were common among his social circle. He didn’t care if Delany had been a servant or not. She was smart, brave, and intoxicatingly beautiful. Like Isaac Harrison, he would choose whom to marry, and he wasn’t interested in anyone’s opinion on the matter. But could he subject Delany to that for the rest of her life?

  This trip was taking much longer than Field had anticipated. First, he thought he’d be home for the tobacco harvest. Now he’d be blessed if he got home before Christmas. The longer it took the more complicated his leaving became. For that matter, the more complicated his staying became, too. He was beginning to suspect that his attraction for Delany Fleet was becoming something more than a passing fancy. He needed to leave before something happened that he could not undo.

  Soon he would deliver the guns to the militia, and once he’d done that, he would leave. He owed it to Samuel to help him repair the damage done by last month’s hurricane. They had a few days more work to do. If the rain held off, they should be done by week’s end. Then
he could go back to Kemp’s Landing. This time he would go alone, and he would find Lawson.

  He was glad Delany had decided to relocate closer to her family. It would make him easier to know she would not be alone when he left. Before he went, he would confirm that there was nothing amiss at Tom’s house.

  “When was the last time anyone occupied Tom’s house, Sam?” Field asked as they rode in the wagon. Today they were going to mend Freewill’s broken fence.

  “Delany asked me that same question a couple of days ago.” He cast a sideways glance at Field. “Last Christmas. Molly’s folks and a bunch of her cousins came to stay, so we put them up out at Tom’s house.”

  That didn’t sound much like a group that would keep the kind of books that he’d found in the library.

  “Did she tell you about the books we found?”

  “No, she didn’t.”

  “Well, that’s not surprising. They were not the kind of thing a lady would discuss—or should even know about.”

  “Did Delany see them?”

  “Not as such, no. I noticed them and carried them back here. They are in my room. I haven’t burned them yet because I wanted to talk to you first.”

  “What would I have to do with them?”

  “Nothing specifically. Delany said she ran across more like that when she was cleaning out Tom’s things after his death.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me.” He took another look at Field. He was quiet for a minute and raked his fingers through his beard. “My brother ran with a pretty wild set. They all disappeared after his death, except John Crawley. I heard he helped Delany out quite a bit when Tom first died. I don’t like to speak ill of anybody, but those fellows were not the kind of people I would like to have around my wife and children.”

  “Well, that doesn’t help with the origins of the books.”

  “No.”

  “Whatever happened to the other slave Delany released?”

  “George?”

  “If that is his name.”

  “I’ve a hunch he’s still around here somewhere. He’s supposed to marry Pauline, but I haven’t heard anything more about that in a long time. I also haven’t seen Pauline crying about it, so I don’t know.”

  “Could he be at Tom’s house?”

  “Don’t think so. I check on the place every week or so, and I’ve never seen him there. Besides, he’s a bad sort.”

  “I don’t think she should go there alone.”

  “She should be all right. Even if he is there, George has no reason to harm Delany. She freed him. He should feel indebted, if anything.” His eyes twinkled with merriment, “Besides which, I’m sure you’ve noticed that Delany is a fully grown woman with a mind of her own. If she wants to do something, she’ll do it, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  Her brother-in-law’s lack of concern troubled Field. Didn’t he see how fragile she was? He could still feel the imprint of her tiny hand in his while they’d danced. He could crush the bones in her finely made fingers should he wish it.

  The flash of Delany’s silver eyes challenging him came to mind. He would have to come up with some reason to accompany her on her visits to Tom’s house. The more time went by, the more he was convinced that someone was hiding there.

  Freewill and Ruben were working on the fence section by a dirt road no wider than a wagon. Sam steered the wagon alongside the boundary. The broken lines ran at least a mile.

  ~*~

  Delany and Molly joined Betsy in the kitchen. Betsy had prepared food for the men repairing the fences, and Molly thought they should bring the children and make a picnic.

  The sun shared the sky with rolling cloud drifts. Delany’s spirits were buoyed by the fresh air. She spent so much time inside her store or her house or here, she’d nearly forgotten how peaceful it was just to be out in a field where one could see God’s creation in all directions.

  The children jostled themselves around in the back of the wagon bouncing more than once into Betsy and the food hampers.

  Delany saw Field first, dressed in a pair of Sam’s brown work breeches and a white shirt open at the throat. Even from a distance, she could see the strength in his biceps and the rest of his lean, hard body as he lifted a large fence rail into place. He wiped his face with a handkerchief and waved as the wagon approached.

  “I hope you brought water,” Sam said as he approached Molly to lift her down from the wagon.

  Field came to Delany’s side and raised his arms. Delany stepped into his embrace. He lifted her down with ease and stood with his hands on her waist. She put her hands together to keep them from reaching into his tousled hair. The warmth in his amber eyes and glad smile made her heart skitter.

  “Of course there’s water.”

  Molly’s statement brought her back to the present. She sidestepped away from him, and he moved slowly out of her way as though he’d been swept away too.

  Field and Delany spread out quilts for everyone and soon sat down to ham and bread and Betsy’s specially made bread-and-butter pickles. Betsy had just sliced the large cake when Delany heard the familiar sound of canteens clinking and the rustling of soldiers marching. Her innards clenched cold. She looked around for the children.

  They clustered around Sam and Molly.

  “Go to the wagons,” Sam said quietly.

  Delany stood and picked up the plates.

  Field picked up the quilt.

  They’d put the first load in the wagon when the sounds stopped.

  “You there,” the soldier in front hollered. “Who’s in charge here?”

  Sam took a step forward still close enough to hold Molly’s hand. “This is my land.”

  Molly kept the children around her waist except for Ben and his older brother David.

  The two boys stood just behind their father’s shoulder.

  “By order of His Majesty’s Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, we seek provisions for His Majesty’s men.”

  Delany blanched. This was a raid. They would take anything they found. Dear God, please keep them out of the barn. There were about ten uniformed men and one dressed in the clothes of a gentleman. He stood just behind and to the left of the leader. Why was Josiah Philips here? Field moved closer and took her hand. The warmth of his strong body soothed her jitters. Longing to slip under the protection of his arm, she took a deep breath and stood straight. Any display of affection could put them in danger. One just didn’t know where one stood when the soldiers came, and Josiah Philips was not an indicator of good things to come.

  “We’ve just finished our repast. You are welcome to the remainder—”

  The man laughed with a voice scraped with gravel. “We aim to come to your farm.”

  Sam and Molly and their children rode in one wagon.

  Betsy and Freewill stayed behind to go to their farm.

  Field drove Delany in the wagon they had used to bring the food.

  Once in the wagon, Field pulled her close to his side. This time she didn’t move away. His nearness gave her comfort. He wouldn’t allow them to hurt her.

  “I’ve never seen a civilian traveling with the Regulars before,” Delany whispered to Field keeping her eyes on the wagon in front of them. Molly must be sick with worry.

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  “What do we do?”

  “We follow Sam’s lead. I suspect they’re just here for food. Didn’t you say they’ve been raiding along the river front?”

  “Yes.” Anger flared. “What about the barn?”

  “They have no reason to go to the barn. There’s no food there. They brought their own wagon.”

  Delany was comforted by his confidence. Short lived comfort, soon her mind was racing over the possibilities of discovery. “Let’s pray,” Delany offered. Field tucked her under his arm. She prayed for the Lord’s protection for each of them, especially the children, and the safety of their cargo.

  The soldiers scurried around them like ants kicked out of an
ant hill.

  Sam and Field placed the wagons in front of the barn and dismounted.

  “Go to the house,” Sam told Molly.

  Molly huddled her brood around her and headed toward the house.

  “Stay with Molly and the children,” Field commanded as he dismounted.

  Delany reached for her rifle with her foot. Brandishing it would likely get it destroyed. She grasped it in her right hand letting it settle in the folds of her full skirt. "I'm staying here."

  Field’s contours hardened. Suddenly weary, Delany stiffened with rage, ready for his argument. It didn't matter what he said, she would do the right thing. Who did they think they were coming down here to take their food? What if something happened to any of them? No, she was staying right here to do what she could to defend them.

  Field grabbed her hand and pulled her into the shade of the barn. "Delany," he lifted her face to capture her gaze, "please". It was so quiet she wasn't sure she heard it. "Please," he said it again.

  Anger deflated. Was the concern she saw in the depth of his brown eyes just for her? Delany turned toward the house.

  The soldiers raided the smokehouse first.

  Delany was halfway to the door when she heard him.

  “We meet again, Mrs. Fleet.”

  “Go on,” she said to Molly. Her rifle hung heavy at her side. Delany turned to face Josiah Philips on horseback.

  “You are too beautiful a woman to be in homespun. You were made for finer things, Mrs. Fleet.” The glint in his eyes was unmistakable and more threatening than anything she’d ever seen in John Crawley. He would enjoy hurting her.

  “What are you doing here, Josiah Philips? Can’t the soldiers find their own food?”

  “Sure, they can, but I told them about your farm out here and what abundance you do have. And they just had to see for themselves. Since they didn’t know where you lived, well, I agreed to show them.” He grinned at her. Evil rolled off him in waves.

  The first one hit her stomach like nausea. Her spirit engaged, and she stood up stronger.

  “Get lost, Philips.”

  Field’s arrival at her side was unexpected and very welcome. Solid and strong. He took a step to stand in front of her.