by Daria Wright
She was grateful to him, not because he left her a huge house on a massive farm, but because he was the only parent she knew. He was everything to her.
Harriet’s parents had passed away so long ago, she hardly remembered them. Uncle Victor had often told her that she was the feminine version of her father. Tall and slender, with bright, hazel eyes and waist-length red hair.
She got almost nothing from her mother. Almost.
“Harriet, dear,” a voice called. “I’m so sorry for your loss. It must be really difficult or you.” Harriet resisted the urge to scowl at the woman. After all, Mrs. Fray was a nice lady, and she did attend the funeral.
“Thank you, Mrs. Fray,” she replied. “I appreciate the condolences.”
“Of course, child. And if you ever need anything, please do not hesitate to let me know. I’d be happy to help.” Harriet’s mouth curved upwards. It was a genuine smile in response to genuine help. Why was she being so bitter and resentful toward these people? They did nothing to her, or to her uncle.
Take it easy, Harriet. You’ll get through this.
More than ten people greeted her before she actually made it to the kitchen. The maids were already inside sharing the meals.
“Where do you think you’re going, young lady?” Hadassah, one of the maids, asked. “Please take your rest. You’ve done enough already.”
“It’s okay, I’m happy to help. Besides, sitting around won’t do much for me.” The room went quiet and all eyes glued to her. Every pair was filled with pity. Harriet despised those looks. She pursed her lips and moved toward the counter to help share the meals. Francine followed suit.
“Did you see that ridiculous hat that Mike was wearing today?” Francine blurted. It was one of her heroic attempts to change the subject in awkward moments like these, which usually resulted in dire failure. Nevertheless, Harriet smiled, grateful for her effort.
“I did,” Harriet replied. “It had no business being on his head, with a suit as sharp as that.” Francine erupted into giggles, but ceased laughing when footsteps approached. The girls turned in unison to see Douglas McIntosh, one of the richest men in all of Baltimore, Maryland. He was also a friend of Victor’s. In fact, the two used to spend a lot of time together, especially at the latter part of Victor’s life.
Harriet didn’t know what to think of him. He was vague with her most of the time, so vague, that she could hardly form an opinion of him.
“Mr. McIntosh,” she said, turning her whole body to face him.
“Hello, Ms. Milestone,” he answered. “I trust you are feeling much better today.” The man’s piercing blue eyes bored through her, though not with much emotion.
“Uh, yes sir, I’m fine, thank you.” She glanced down at the plate in her hand. “Would you like something to eat?” She held out the plate before him. Mr. McIntosh eyed the plate with pursed lips, and then brought his eyes back to her. The sternness in his eyes told her that she’d done something wrong, though she couldn’t figure out what.
“Aren’t you forgetting something, Ms. Milestone?” he asked, his voice deeper than before. Harriet’s mouth fell open, but nothing came out. She could feel her cheeks turning crimson from sheer embarrassment. She glanced at Francine, who looked just as confused as her.
“Ms. Milestone,” Hadassah called. “Aren’t you forgetting? Mr. McIntosh doesn’t eat cheese. He’s lactose intolerant.”
Harriet’s eyes went wide in surprise. How could she have forgotten this? Mr. McIntosh had always drilled it into her head whenever he came over to have lunch with Victor.
“F-forgive me, sir,” she stuttered. “I completely forgot about that.”
“I can see that,” he snapped, much to her surprise. He took a deep sigh before continuing. “But I guess since you’ve just lost your dear uncle, you must be a bit disoriented.”
“Something like that, sir.”
“Very well. I do have a few things to discuss with you, but I will give you some time to get over your grief first.” Harriet locked eyes with the man, curiosity suddenly eating at her.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Like I said, Ms. Milestone, I will not interrupt your time of grieving.”
“It’s no interruption at all, sir. I can handle it, whatever it is.” A million thoughts rushed through her mind at once. She considered that perhaps Victor had entrusted this man with some great news to tell her only when he passed. She was desperate to know what that could be.
A fleeting smile appeared on his lips. “Since you’re so anxious to know, I will tell you, but not right now. Tomorrow I will pay you a visit and discuss things with you.”
“Tomorrow sounds great, Mr. McIntosh!” She grinned from ear to ear, excitement getting the better of her. The man narrowed his eyes at her, though not in a reprimanding way.
“I shall be on my way then,” he said. “Ladies, have a great evening.”
“Will you not eat with us?” Harriet asked.
“Not today. I must be on my way. See you tomorrow, Harriet.” He gave her one last smile and walked out of the kitchen. Harriet watched him go, wondering what his fleeting smiles meant. He’d never smiled at her before.
“I wonder what the big news could be,” Francine mumbled.
“I don’t know, but I guess tomorrow I’ll know what it is.” With that said, the girls added the plates to trays and began serving to the guests.
For the rest of that evening, Harriet’s mind was occupied with thoughts of the upcoming meeting. The unpalatable thought came to her that her uncle had not willed anything to her, however, she slapped it down immediately. There was no way that Victor would leave her high and dry with nowhere to live. He loved her dearly, and wanted only the best for her.
That night, Harriet laid in bed for hours, with her eyes wide open. Sleep was hundreds of miles away from her. When she couldn’t bear it anymore, she threw the duvet from off her feet and stormed off to the room that used to be Victor’s.
She jumped into the center of the bed, just like she normally would when Victor was alive. Since he wasn’t in the room, she took one of the pillows and hugged it tightly, as she would him. It hardly did her any justice. She threw her hands above her head, and that was when she felt some kind of paper lying where the pillow had been.
Harriet sat up immediately and turned on the bedside light. The illumination revealed a sealed envelope with her name on it. The girl grinned broadly as she tore the letter open.
By the time she reached the middle of the letter, she was crying happy tears. Victor expressed how much he loved her, and how he was proud to be her guardian for all these years. It was all so beautiful, so touching, so…wait.
Harriet’s mouth fell open.
“What?” she yelled. “Is this a joke?” She rubbed her eyes and read the most shocking parts of the letter again.
…a merchant…a son who is about your age….is interested in marrying you… take him up on the offer… deserve to be happy… coming for you soon…go with him…
Every drop of blood drained away from her face. “No.”
Chapter Two
Alex Rivers placed the horse back in its stable and strolled into the house, hoping that everyone had retired to bed already. Much to his disappointment, his father and his cousin, Dillan, were sitting in the living room together, having a drink. He forced a smile when they looked up at him.
"Hey son," Alexander Sr. called. "Where have you been? We had to eat dinner without you...again."
"Sorry, dad," he answered, sliding the hat from his head. He strolled to the kitchen and collected a drink before joining the men on the couch. "Aren't you supposed to be asleep? Don't you have a trip tomorrow?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." Alexander stood to his feet and stretched. "I shall take my rest now. I'll see you boys in the morning." He shuffled the two head of dark brown hair before ascending the stairs.
"You know," Dillan started, when his uncle was out of sight. "You should really s
tart to think about your father, instead of moping around all the time."
"Please don't start with that, cousin. I'm not interested." Alex threw himself backward and took a sip of his drink.
"You ought to be interested," Dillan said. "Your father is worried sick about you. You haven't had dinner with him ever since Aunt Verna died. I understand that you're hurting, but you have to realize, he's the only parent you have left. Consider one like me who has none. You should be grateful."
Alex said nothing, because there really wasn't much to say. Dillan was right. He always was. He'd been quite unfair to his father by shutting him out, yet, he could not help it. He'd rather not be at home at all, whether or not it caused his father any hurt.
Dillan stood to his feet. "I'm going to bed myself. Good night." Alex watched Dillan walking away, and he felt this pressing urge to beg him to stay with him a while. How confusing was that? He'd convinced himself that he didn't want to be around anyone, and yet, he was hoping that someone would stay with him.
He drank the last of his drink and strolled to his room, the emptiness in his heart growing with each step.
***
The light of day slowly began to peek through the windows, and Harriet had still not gotten any sleep. She could not believe that her uncle wanted her to go to the west and live with a man she didn’t even know. And the worst part, she was to marry his son. What was Victor thinking? He knew all too well that she had no interest in marriage at such a young age.
Harriet didn’t usually disobey Victor, but this was one time when she would have to do that. She wasn’t going to leave her home and go to the west to live with strangers. She didn’t need a man in her life to make her happy.
She crawled out of the bed and dragged herself to the kitchen. Hadassah was already up and making breakfast. “Good morning, Harriet,” she chirped. “Would you like some coffee?” Harriet nodded in response and flopped down on one of the stools. She threw her head on the counter and groaned in misery.
“Is everything alright, dear?”
“Fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Where’s the coffee?”
Hadassah placed a large mug before her without any further questions. Harriet felt a pang of guilt for dismissing the woman’s concern like that, but she was not going to admit it. Hadassah was only a few years younger than her uncle, which made her old enough to be Harriet’s grandmother. Though she was staff, Harriet had always tried to show her the utmost respect, but sometimes she failed.
“Thanks,” she mumbled under her breath before taking her first sip. Hadassah returned to her post and continued working. When Harriet was through with that mug of coffee, she ordered another, and then another, until she felt strength coming back to her.
She returned to her room, showered, and then sprawled out on the bed, her hands and feet parted. She glared at the ceiling, having remembered what her uncle did. That merchant could show up any time to take her to Oregon.
“What am I supposed to tell him?” she mused out loud. “Reject his offer, of course! Why would I leave my wonderful home to go to Oregon to marry a boy that I don’t know? I’d be crazy! I’m sorry, uncle, but I cannot grant you this wish.”
A knock sounded at the door, and Harriet glared at it. “Yes,” she snapped.
“Harriet, dear, Mr. McIntosh is here to see you.”
Harriet sat upright, with a frown impairing her face. She’d completely forgotten about the meeting with Mr. McIntosh. She didn’t even expect that he would come by this early. Whatever he had to tell her, must have been really important.
“Thank you, Hadassah. Please tell him I’ll be down in a while.”
“Very well, madam.” Harriet jumped to her feet and collected a simple ivory dress from her closet. She dressed as quickly as she could, and brushed out the mess on her head, before going down to greet him.
“Good morning, Mr. McIntosh,” she chirped as she strolled down the stairs. The man removed his hat and offered a solemn bow.
“Good morning, Harriet,” he replied. “You look very lovely in that dress.” She arched an eyebrow at him. He’d never given her a complement as this before.
“Thanks,” she clipped. “Will you be joining me for breakfast?”
“Of course,” he answered. “I would love to.” She offered him a smile and gestured him to the table, where a young maiden served them breakfast. For the first few minutes, they ate in silence. Awkward silence that Harriet did not want to remain in.
“So, what did you want to share with me, Mr. McIntosh?” She could not hold it in any longer. The same cryptic smile spread across his face once more.
“Yes, about that,” he started. “I’m not sure if Victor had informed you, but he had owed me a great deal of money, which has not yet been paid off.”
“Actually, no. I knew nothing of this. How much did he owe?”
“Enough to buy a ranch like this,” he replied, passing a hand over the room. Harriet’s mouth fell open at those words. There was no way he could really mean that.
“That cannot be true,” Harriet said.
“But it is.” The man reached into his jacket and came up with a document. He handed it to her. “If you don’t believe me, read this for yourself.” Reluctantly, Harriet took it from his hands and unfolded it. She swallowed hard at the words that jumped out at her. Her appetite left her that same instant.
“What does this mean for me?” she whispered.
“Unfortunately, Ms. Milestone, in order to retrieve the funds that are owed to me, I will have to claim this property.”
“But that’s unfair!” Harriet yelled, jumping to her feet. “Where will I go? How will I survive?” The threatening tears in her eyes began to fall, which only made her angrier.
“You’re right,” Douglas McIntosh replied with a sigh. “That is unfair. That’s why I’ve come up with a plan that will benefit us both.” Harriet eyed him with some amount of suspicion.
“Say on.”
“You can keep the property under one condition,” he said.
“And what condition is that?”
“Marry me.”
It seemed like the earth had stopped spinning at that very moment. Harriet’s mouth fell open, and she could not find her voice. Had she heard right? Did this man, who was thrice her age, just asked her to marry him?
The man sat there waiting on her to respond. His eyes were searching. It seemed like he wasn’t even breathing. For some reason, she saw more wrinkles on him that she’d ever seen before. And his grey head, with that bald spot in the center. Christ.
“Harriet?” he called.
“I’m sorry, but I’m a bit lost here,” Harriet choked. “Marry you?”
“Yes.”
“You’re serious about this?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I can’t marry you!” Harriet screamed. “I’m nineteen years old and you’re…Oh God.”
“Age is no hindrance, Harriet. We’re both adults, and we can do anything we want. And besides, if you don’t, you’ll end up losing your home. There really is no other way.” She folded her arms and glared at him.
“How dare you, Mr. McIntosh?” she snarled. “How dare you come into my home and threaten me like this? I think you best leave this minute.” The man’s brows shot up in surprise, and he burst into laughter, his head thrown back.
“Oh Harriet, you’re so young and naïve,” he said. “You have absolutely no claim on this property, child, unless of course, you take me up on my offer. I will give you not just this ranch, but all that I own. If I were you, I’d accept this offer while it lasts.”
“You're a monster. I can’t believe my uncle was close to you.”
“Actually, Victor thought I was being ridiculous when I asked for your hand in marriage, in exchange for clearing his debt. He refused to give me what I wanted, and I didn’t like that. Too bad he died before paying me my money. Now I will have to cease everything he owns, until the money is paid
. And of course, you don’t have that kind of money.”
“Harriet, I will give you time to think about this. I’m not a hard man. I just know what I want, and I go after it.” He reached out to caress her face, but Harriet turned her head away, refusing his touch. He smiled, but dropped his hands. Taking one last bite from his pancake, he slid his hat unto his head. “Take care, Ms. Milestone, until we meet again.”
Harriet watched him go with tears streaming down her face. Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse, it did.
Chapter Three
Dillan Rivers grinned from ear to ear when the cashier started hitting on his cousin. Alex was annoyed, and couldn't wait to leave the store, but the woman was cashing as slowly as she could to get as much time with him.
"So, about the bonfire party up street next Saturday, are you going? Do you have a date? I don't have a date."
"Uh, sorry, but I won't be going. I have things to do."
"I'm sure those things can wait. You should go out more often you know. Have some fun."
"I agree," Dillan said. "Don't worry. We'll be there." Alex fixed his flaming pair of brown eyes in Dillan's direction, but the man took up the bag of groceries and walked off.
"See you next Saturday, Alex," the woman said. Alex gave her a small smile that didn't touch his eyes, before stiffly walking out of the store.
"Why did you do that?" he snapped.
"Do what?" Dillan asked, feigning innocence.
"You know what I mean. I'm not going to that party, and especially not with her."
"Calm down, young one," Dillan teased. "We're going to the party, and we're going to have some fun. Uncle A won't be back for now, so we might as well have all the fun we can."
"Your kind of fun is not mine, Dillan. And stop calling me young one. We're only a month apart." Dillan burst into laughter, before riding off toward their home. Alex followed, trying to stifle his grin. He was getting himself worked up for nothing. This was Dillan alright. He was always teasing him.