“Yes, they would never know,” Jamie reiterated.
“No! You mustn’t give them false information,” Rose broke in.
Clayton knew the moment she realized that she might have tipped her hand by speaking too soon. He watched her recover quickly and take a deep breath. “You don’t know how much these men already know.”
“I think Christopher might be right. I don’t know that we have any other option than to mislead them,” Jamie said.
“But, Jamie do you really want to risk the life of your wife and child?” Rose asked. “And Clayton, you are a newlywed. Are you so quick to be done with your marriage?”
Clayton paced the room. “Let me think.”
* * *
Emma laid her four of clubs over the five of clubs and glanced up at Sophie as she paced and bit her fingernails. Emma patted the table. “Sophie, come play. It might help take your mind off everything.”
“I can’t. I want to know what’s going on.”
Emma sighed. “Pacing isn’t going to fill you in any faster.”
Sophie scowled. “I can’t believe you’re so calm! You’re usually worse than I am.”
Emma shrugged. “I’m trying to relax and let Clayton work it out.”
Sophie grunted but kept pacing. A quiet knock at the door had Emma out of her seat and up against the wall within seconds.
“Mrs. Madden, it’s me,” the housekeeper, Mrs. Price, whispered through the door.
Emma pulled the door open. “Is everything all right?”
She nodded and stepped inside with a tray laden with food. “Yes, everything’s perfectly fine. I wondered if you might be hungry.”
Emma smiled. “Starved.”
AS HE CONTINUED to pace, Clayton caught movement upstairs out of the corner of his eye. He tried to divert Rose’s attention—unsuccessfully.
Rose leaned forward and glanced up the stairs. “Clayton? Who’s that upstairs?”
Clayton was surprised when his housekeeper paused at the top of the stairs and called down, “Mr. Madden, I found a few things for the ladies in case they need them.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Price, please bring them down.”
The housekeeper brought the gowns downstairs and laid them on the back of one of the chairs in the parlor. “I didn’t know if Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Madden would need clean dresses, so thought I would gather a few things in case.”
“Mr. Ford, will this work for Mrs. Ford?” Mrs. Price asked.
Jamie walked over and appeared to inspect the dresses. “This was a dangerous move.”
“I had to bring the ladies food,” she whispered unapologetically. “I wasn’t expecting Miss Johnson to see me.”
“Well, that was quick thinking. This isn’t going quite the way we expected.” Then louder, he added. “These will be fine for Sophie. Thank you, Mrs. Price.”
Using the distraction the housekeeper had created, Clayton sent Christopher on an errand. He organized a light meal, uncertain when they would get an opportunity to eat again, and as soon as they finished their repast, Christopher walked into the parlor with a guest.
Clayton heard Rose gasp as Christopher led Gregory Payne, in shackles, into the parlor. Walter and two of Clayton’s men followed, armed with rifles and handguns. Mrs. Price came in to collect the discarded dishes, and Clayton smiled. “Mrs. Price, would you please bring the ladies downstairs?”
“Yes, sir,” Mrs. Price said and left the room.
Rose’s head whipped up. “Ladies? What ladies?”
“Surprised, Rose?” Emma asked as she walked into the room with Sophie.
“You’re supposed to be dead,” Rose snapped.
Emma shrugged. “Sucks for you.”
Rose looked as though she was ready to bolt, but Christopher grabbed her and held her arms behind her back. Walter lifted one of the handguns and aimed it at Rose’s head.
“Mr. Payne, we are prepared to offer you a deal. Tell us what your plan is and we’ll spare her life,” Clayton said.
“No,” Gregory hissed.
Rose’s head whipped up. “Gregory!”
“You had one responsibility, Rose, and you couldn’t even do that right,” Gregory seethed. “You’re useless.”
“You bastard! He’ll hear about this.”
Gregory hissed. “You stupid bitch, keep your mouth shut.”
Christopher squeezed her arms. “Who, Rose?”
“Johnny Booth.”
Clayton raised an eyebrow. “The actor?”
“He’s going to kill the President,” Rose shouted.
She’s insane.
“Shut up!” Gregory bellowed.
“The actor is going to kill the President?” Clayton said patronizingly.
“Not just him.”
“Rose, shut yer mouth!”
“Who else is involved?” Clayton asked.
“I don’t know everyone involved, but I’ll tell you what I do know.”
“All right, Rose. Christopher, take Mr. Payne back to his holding cell and I’ll follow with Rose.”
Christopher left and Clayton put Rose in shackles to deliver her to interrogation. Rose struggled against the restraints. “Is this really necessary, Clayton?”
Clayton nodded. “I believe it is, Rose.”
Emma squared her shoulders and closed the distance between herself and Rose. “One thing before you leave, please.”
Clayton raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
Emma formed a fist, and threw a very impressive right into Rose’s face. Rose’s bloody lip began to swell. “Next time, I won’t be so nice.” Emma stalked out of the room.
* * *
Gwen arrived for an impromptu visit, and Emma greeted her at the door just as the men were leaving.
“I don’t know what has come over you, Gwennie,” Christopher admonished. “It’s unseemly to come and go as you please.”
Gwen squared her shoulders. “Are you saying you want me to tell you where I am at all times, Chris? You’re worse than Andrew!”
“It’s unsafe.”
Gwen let out a quiet snort. “I thought I’d visit my friend. How was I to know you were in the midst of an arrest? You don’t tell me anything. I also had to pass the message on that the dinner party had been canceled. You were not in your office, so it was left to me.”
“I don’t have time to discuss this with you at the present time.”
Gwen removed her outerwear and handed it to Emma. “Why don’t I stay with Sophie and Emma for a time, then? You can take care of whatever you need to take care of while sit here and anticipate your return… and subsequent lecture, later this evening.”
“Gwendolyn.”
Emma bit the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling. So much for the myth of subservient nineteenth-century women.
Christopher stared at Gwen for several seconds before turning and following Jamie and Clayton. Emma led Gwen into the dining room where lunch had been laid out. Sophie greeted Gwen and then handed Emma the icepack the housekeeper had prepared for her.
Emma filled Gwen in on their excitement as they filled their plates.
“Keep that ice on your hand, Em,” Sophie directed.
Emma did her best to eat with her left hand. “As much as this hurts, I have to admit, it was so worth it!”
“I have never heard anything like that before.” Gwen giggled. “It all sounds very exciting.”
Sophie sighed. “Yes, it was. However, I think we’re going to be kept on a tight leash going forward.”
Emma nodded. “No doubt about that one.”
“Mrs. Ford, ma’am?”
Sophie turned to see Jack frantically twist his hat in his hands. “Is it Samson?”
“Yes ma’am. He’s started to kick out at the stall.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Jack left, but she didn’t move. “I don’t know what to do.”
Emma pointed her fork toward her. “Samson will do some real damage if you don’t calm him down. He’s prob
ably still freaked about this morning.”
“Yes, but I don’t want Jamie to worry.”
“We’ll cover for you. You’re only going to the carriage house. Besides, you might be able to get him calmed down before the guys even get back,” Emma argued.
“All right.” Sophie reluctantly left the room.
“Gwen, how long have you known Clayton?” Emma asked.
“Six years.” She took a sip of her drink. “Although, not closely until he and Chris started working together.”
Emma adjusted the ice on her hand. “How did you meet?”
“Chris invited him to dinner a few times before Lincoln was elected, and we kept him.” Gwen smiled. “He became a good friend--actually, more like another brother and spent several holidays with us when he was unable to go home.”
“I understand you have a relationship with Andrew Simmonds.”
“I don’t know that you can call it a relationship.” Gwen blushed. “Although, I love him beyond reason.”
“Then why are you apart?”
“I’m not entirely certain.”
Emma helped herself to more food. “How did you meet?”
Gwen smiled. “I met him when I was fifteen. The saddle on my horse slipped and he saved me from a potentially serious fall.”
“How romantic.”
“Not really.” Gwen blinked back tears. “After his injuries at Shiloh, he’ll have nothing to do with me.”
“His loss, then.”
“Thank you,” she whispered and concentrated on her meal.
Emma let the subject drop.
Gwen laid her napkin on the table. “Should we check on Sophie?”
Emma followed Gwen outside and heard Sophie swear. She wasn’t having a particularly successful time getting Samson calmed down.
Emma rushed into the stall. “Are you okay?”
Sophie groaned. “Not really.”
“Why is he so keyed up?”
“I don’t know.” Sophie rubbed her temples. “I have tried standing outside of his stall, but he keeps whinnying and pushing at my shoulder.”
“Then let him out,” Emma suggested.
Sophie sighed. “I’m afraid he’ll bolt.”
“He never has before.”
“That’s true.” Sophie opened the stall door. “I don’t know where you’re going to go, Sammy. I can’t ride you at the moment, and there’s nowhere for you to run.”
“Sophie?” The girls turned when they heard Jamie call for her.
“Over here,” she called out.
The men walked into the carriage house and Sophie turned to Jamie with a guilty look on a face. “Sorry. I know I wasn’t supposed to leave the house, but Jack was a little frantic and Samson kept kicking at the walls, so I thought I’d come and at least try and calm him, but it’s not working. Can you take him out?”
Jamie shook his head. “No, sweetheart, but you can.”
“Seriously?”
Jamie closed the distance between them and kissed her cheek. “Seriously. I’ve been an idiot. Will you forgive me? I should have told you everything that was going on. I promise I’ll never keep anything from you again. How about we tack up one of the other horses and you and I go for ride?”
“Yes! I’m totally in.” She threw herself into his arms.
They got the horses tacked up and started out for their ride.
“I’m going to take Gwen home.” Christopher held his arm out for his sister. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Clay.”
Clayton nodded. “Thanks for everything.”
Gwen raised an eyebrow. “Monday then, Emma?”
“Yes, Monday. I’m looking forward to it.”
Clayton led Emma to his office at the back of the house. He sat down in his big leather chair and pulled her onto his lap. “Tell me what’s happening on Monday.”
“Gwen’s taking me and Sophie shopping. If that’s all right with you, of course.”
He kissed her. “Yes, sweet, the danger is behind us.”
Emma stroked his cheek. “How did it go?”
“Better than expected.” Clayton kissed her palm. “Sam Powell has Rose over at the prison.”
Emma snorted. “She’s going to love that.”
“Why do you say that?”
Emma gave a cheeky smile. “Because he’s hot.”
“Excuse me?”
“He’s handsome.”
Clayton frowned. “You think him handsome?”
She slid her hand inside his jacket. “Not as handsome as you. Although, he does have incredible eyes.”
“Emma Madden, you should not have noticed his eyes.”
Emma shook her head. “No? Oh, I meant to say, he’s an ugly troll.”
Clayton gave her a squeeze. “That’s better.”
Emma fiddled with one of the buttons on his vest. “What happened to Lewis Payne?”
“He managed to escape before we entered the house to get you, so we aren’t certain where he is.”
“What will you do?”
Clayton linked his fingers with hers. “We’ll find him.”
“What about Rose?”
“She’s currently fuming in a cell.” He put his hand on her knee and kissed her again.
“What will happen now? Will the President still take his trip?”
He moved his hand up her thigh and rested it on a hip. “Yes, we’ll still go to Gettysburg.” He started to unbutton her blouse as he kissed her again. He was pleasantly surprised to see she wasn’t wearing a corset.
Emma’s breath came in short bursts. “When will we leave?”
He slipped his hand inside her blouse. “We leave on the seventeenth.” He slid his hand up her back and unlatched the hooks on her bra.
Emma arched her back. “Mmm and how long will we be gone?” She was having a difficult time concentrating on their conversation.
“We’ll go for about three days.”
“What about Thanksgiving?”
“We’ll celebrate it in Harrisburg.” Clayton kissed her neck. “Are we going to continue conversing, or do something else?”
Climbing off his lap, she removed her blouse and bra. She slipped her skirt and hoops off and revealed a sexy pair of bikinis that matched her discarded ice blue bra. She climbed back onto his lap and straddled his hips.
“I think these might be my favorite.” He ran his hands over her bottom.
“Oh, really?”
“Definitely.” He kissed her as he ran his hands up her hips.
She unbuttoned his shirt and slipped her hands inside to stroke his chest. “Baby, you have too many clothes on.”
Clayton chuckled as she set her feet on the ground. He walked over to the door and locked it as he removed his shirt. After sliding her panties off, she pushed him back into his chair, kissing him as she lowered herself onto his rock-hard length. Clayton gripped her bottom and squeezed, shifting slightly to get a better angle. Emma grabbed the back of the chair and moved against him, her nipples hardening every time her breasts connected with his chest.
Clayton slipped his hand between her legs, running a finger along her clit. She licked her lips as he thumbed her clit while sliding two fingers inside of her.
“Feel good?”
“Feels amazing.” He stood, walking her to his desk where he moved papers aside and settled her on top. Kneeling between her thighs, guiding her legs over his shoulders and lowering his mouth to her center.
Emma sighed, sliding her hands into his hair as he tortured her with his tongue. She dug her heels into his back, lifting her hips to get more of him, when he sat up, taking her with him and lowering her onto his cock. Emma let out a quiet breath as she looped her arms around his shoulders.
Clayton flattened one hand against her back and one against her bottom, carrying her back to the chair. “Ride me.”
She nodded as she straddled him and rocked against him. Using his shoulders as a base, she raised her body and lowered herself slowly, leaning d
own to kiss him as she did. He cupped her breasts, pinching one nipple while he took the other in his mouth. Emma dropped her head and tried to focus on her breathing. “I can’t wait,” she whispered.
“Don’t.”
Her orgasm ripped through her and she fell against him, nestling her face in his neck as she tried to catch her breath. “Do you love me?”
“Of course I love you.”
She bit her lip. “But you were so mad at me.”
“You scared me, sweetheart, but that doesn’t change how I feel about you. Now that I have you in my arms, however, I’m no longer angry…or scared.” He lifted her and slid from between her legs. “Over the desk, sweet.”
She didn’t hesitate and bent over the mahogany as he slid into her slowly. She whimpered with need and he gripped her hips and surged into her a little faster.
“More,” she demanded.
Clayton pulled out and slammed into her again, then faster and faster, building her climax the harder he thrust into her. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out.
“Now, sweet,” he whispered, and she did.
He slid out of her and pulled her to the chair, settling her on his lap again. They stayed like this for a while, their breathing labored as they came down from their high when he whispered, “We’re just getting started, Emma. Don’t fall asleep.”
Before Emma could get too comfortable, Clayton carried her to their bedroom. Their lovemaking ended in their bed well past dinner, so Clayton grabbed a robe and made his way to the kitchen for a tray. He arrived back in their bedroom to find Emma sound asleep, so he quietly set the tray down, undressed, and climbed into bed with her.
* * *
The next week was a bustle of activity as the group prepared for their trip back to Pennsylvania. Gwen and Emma spent more and more time together and were becoming close friends. Sophie spent every waking minute with Jamie, still trying to make up for her earlier actions.
Clayton and Christopher worked diligently to organize Lincoln’s movements to Gettysburg. They had to change the itinerary slightly, due to the fact that they still hadn’t been able to locate Payne and didn’t know exactly how much he knew.
The Thursday before they were due to leave, the couples gathered in the parlor before dinner. Walter stepped into the room just as Clayton sat next to Emma. “Mrs. Hattie Jones and Mrs. Christine Martin to see you, sir.”
The Bride Found Page 27