“I hear you. I felt similar about raising Micah. He’s twenty now, and continuing his education, but he plans on coming here to spend his Christmas holiday with me.”
“I look forward to meeting him.”
“Ellis,” a female voice called.
“Excuse me.”
Ellis left, leaving Matt back to his own thoughts. He too felt that same awesome responsibility to raise Micah. Now, he realized, due to someone else’s sin, he might lose what he thought was as much a part of him as life itself. Matt fisted his left hand, then flexed his fingers. God, I don’t think I can carry this yoke.
Five
“Peg, what happened to your baby?” Bea asked.
Peg’s tears burned a path down her cheek. “Bea, I—I…”
Bea sat down beside her and placed an arm lovingly around her shoulders. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. I just never knew.”
“No one does. Well, except my family.” Peg sniffled and handed the tiny infant back to his mother. For twenty years she’d kept this secret, and now it was out. Peg closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, then slowly eased it out. Peg’s heart tightened again as she watched little James suckle at his mother’s breast.
“My child died at birth. I—I never knew him.”
“Oh, Peg, how horrible for you. What about your husband?”
Peg twisted the handkerchief in her hands and turned away. How could she admit to her friend what kind of woman she had been?
Bea placed her hand on Peg’s. “I understand.”
“I’m glad you do; I certainly don’t. I wasn’t raised that way. I still can’t believe I let Billy… Well, it was my fault just as much as it was his.” Peg got up and started to pace. “We were engaged. Not that it matters any. The minute he found out I was with child he snuck out of town.
“My family had me stay with some relatives once I began to show, but no one could have guessed I would have lost the baby. Dan and I moved to Key West right afterwards. I thought I’d buried my past. But this new stranger to the island, Matthew Bower, something about him—I don’t know, I can’t put my finger on it—but his being here is bringing it all back. Like my entire shame will be brought to the surface. For twenty years no one has known.
“Just look at me rattling off my tongue with you now about it. I’ve never said a word to anyone. I barely even talked with Daniel. God took my son because of my sin.”
“You can’t believe that!”
Peg sat back down beside Bea. “Honestly, I don’t know what to believe any more. I had dinner with gentlemen a few times after we arrived, but I figured it was best to keep men at a distance. I don’t trust myself.”
“Peg, you’re not the same naive girl from the past. I don’t think it would happen again.”
“I don’t know. I don’t even want to find out. It’s best to remain single. Doesn’t Paul say something in the Bible about it being a noble calling?”
“Sort of. But still, God is a God of grace. He died for our sins. He doesn’t continue to condemn us over and over again.”
“I figure God’s allowed me to have a peaceful life, a good business. That’s His grace for me.”
“I’m not going to argue as to whether or not it is God’s will for you to remain single or not. I simply couldn’t answer that. But Peg, you can’t believe God took your son because you sinned. You’re not the first to have a child out of wedlock, and you won’t be the last, I’m sorry to say.”
“Maybe you’re right. I guess it really has nothing to do with Matthew Bower being from Savannah. Maybe it has to do with the fact that it’s the twentieth anniversary of my son’s birth and death. He cried so loudly when he was born. It was so hard to believe he lost his life mere moments later. I don’t know what I would have done if not for the love of my family.”
“God would have gotten you through it. What day was he born?”
“November twenty-eighth at six o’clock in the morning. It was a long night. I started labor early the afternoon before.” Peg went on to explain the long labor, the need to be at the doctor’s home, and the doctor’s face when he told her the news. “He just confirmed what everyone’s opinion was about a single girl having a child. Granted, it was a mistake, and I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get into such a predicament in the first place, but—”
“But one sinner was condemning another.”
“Right. I know I was wrong, but to have people condemning me on top of my own condemnation… It was a horrible time. That’s why Daniel suggested we move here. A new place, a fresh start. No one would know. No one would care.”
“So what does Matt Bower have to do with all of this?”
“Nothing, other than the fact that he hails from Savannah. I’ve avoided contact with folks from Savannah. Didn’t want word to get out.”
“Peg, my lips are sealed. I won’t tell a soul. It’s a matter between you and the Lord. But I’m here if you ever want to talk about it. Especially with the birth date coming up in a couple weeks.”
“Those are my hardest days. Every year I relive what might have been. I know God has forgiven me, but I can’t forgive myself.”
“You must. You need to be free of the past.” Bea squeezed her hand. “Twenty years is a long time.”
“I know. I can’t believe I told you everything.”
Bea smiled. “Guess it’s because you trusted me.”
“Nah, it’s because you caught me with my guard down.”
Bea chuckled. “Probably.”
Peg sniffed and dabbed her nose with her handkerchief.
James finished his dinner, and Bea handed him over to Peg to burp him. The tiny infant seemed so strong in her arms. She placed the cloth over her shoulder and lightly began to tap the baby’s back.
“What would you do if the Lord placed a man into your life, Peg?” Bea asked, making herself presentable.
“Thankfully, I don’t have to wonder about that. I know He won’t. I’ve accepted the fact that I’m to remain single.”
“Hmm, I wonder.” Bea’s eyes sparkled with mischievous intent.
❧
Matt placed his empty glass on a tray and headed for the door. He’d spent enough time at Ellis Southard’s to be able to leave yet still be socially appropriate.
“Mr. Bower,” Nathaniel Farris called out to him.
Not quite fast enough, he inwardly sighed, and put the social smile back up on his face. “Mr. Farris, how nice to see you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine. I heard you were looking to buy some waterfront property.”
Word certainly does travel quickly on this small island, he thought. “Yes, do you know of some?”
“Not really. Jefferson Scott has a piece that he might be willing to rent. Don’t believe he has a mind to sell. At least not yet.”
“I see. And where might Mr. Scott’s property be?”
“Do you know where Southern Treasures is located?”
Matt nodded his head.
“The dock behind the store front. Actually, he owns the building the store is in also.”
Of all the property on this little berg, it had to be Peg Martin’s. “I thought Peg Martin owned it.”
“The store, yes, but the building, no. Of course, she’s a great tenant, and that added income would be helpful for launching a new business.”
“True.” But Matt needed more than just a pier, he needed a building for storage of the goods between shipments. And he’d been inside that storefront more than once; it was too small for what he needed. Of course, he could build a second, and possibly a third floor. Matt scratched his five o’clock shadow. “Where might I find this Jefferson Scott? And speaking of buildings, who owns yours?” Matt added.
Nathaniel paled. “You wouldn’t be—”
Matt chuckled. “No, it’s too small, and too far from the harbor. I heard folks saying you might be asking Peg Martin for her hand in marriage.”
“What?” Nathaniel swayed his head from side
to side. “This island’s grapevine can kill a man.”
“Interesting term to use regarding marriage.” Matt toyed with him. All the same, it was interesting he would mention Peg Martin’s property if he were going to ask for her hand in marriage. Perhaps he hoped to keep his wife at home. Not that Matt could blame him; Esther had stayed at home raising Micah. But she had worked in her own way, arranging their social calendar, hosting dinner parties and endless other social occasions that helped a man’s business grow and succeed.
“Peg Martin is a dear friend, but there is no truth to the rumor.” Nathaniel looked uncomfortable.
“Ah, I see.” And he did. Rumors and rumor mills abounded in small towns, and in large ones, for that matter. If he didn’t know that to be true, then why had he kept his intent for coming to Key West such a secret? Because he knew how gossip spread. And no matter what the doctor had done of his own free will, Matt knew he’d have to live in the shadows of that doctor’s decision for the rest of his life. Folks were bound to talk once the truth was told. And Micah might never have a future here as a result. Perhaps Matt should reconsider. After all, no one knew except himself.
❧
Peg washed her face and dabbed it dry with a hand towel. Bea had left her alone in the nursery to collect her thoughts. In some small way, she felt better to have someone know her secret. Would she tell? Peg nibbled her lower lip. No, not Bea. Someone else, possibly, but never Bea.
Straightening her hair in the mirror, she practiced a smile. It looked fake, but she had no choice. Half the town was here, or so it seemed. Maybe she could sneak out while Bea and Ellis were showing off James. She clutched her drawstring purse and forced herself to leave the quiet walls of the nursery.
Laughter filled the air. Peg clutched the railing. No, she chided herself, they weren’t laughing at her. She stepped down another stair.
Ellis’s voice boomed above the rest, and the house went silent. Folks looked toward the dinning room where Bea stood beside her husband. The happy couple. Had it only been a couple years since Bea arrived to Key West?
Peg’s eyes drifted over the crowd. Folks were paired off. Mo and Lizzy stood proudly in a corner. Lizzy’s swollen belly spoke of the love and new life she and Mo had. Toward the back wall and close to the front door stood Matthew Bower. He looked as out of place as she felt.
His eyes glanced up the stairway and locked with her own.
Peg’s palms began to sweat. She rolled her shoulders back and took another step down.
Matt gave her a solitary nod and broke their gaze. He focused on Ellis.
Peg tried to hear the words, but they were muffled by her own inner thoughts and turmoil. She fought off her fear and took another step down, one step closer to the front door. Did she really want to walk past Matthew Bower? Her hand tightened again on the railing.
The crowd erupted into laughter and cheers. James started to cry, and Bea jiggled her son on her shoulder. The room calmed and folks resumed their conversations with each other in hushed and whispered tones.
Cook stood proudly at the bottom of the stairs as Peg stepped down the remaining steps. “Cook, please tell Miz Bea I’ve an order I just have to finish, and thank her for the kind invitation.”
“Certainly. Are ya feelin’ all right, Child?”
“Fine. Just exhausted getting ready for Christmas orders.”
“I imagine so. I’ll give Miz Bea the message.”
“Thank you, Cook.” Peg sidestepped to the front door.
“Allow me.” Matt Bower opened the door for her and bowed slightly. A gentleman—what’s a man like that doing in Key West? she wondered to herself.
“May I escort you home or to your business?” Matt asked.
No, she wanted to scream. Didn’t he know he was the source of her discomfort? Of course not, he didn’t have a speck of knowledge. And yet there was something in his vivid green eyes. “Home,” she answered.
He held out his elbow for her to slip her hand within its crook. His arm seemed strong and firm below the layers of his clothing. She clasped tighter.
Matt placed his hand upon hers and patted it. “Your honor is safe with me, Miss Martin.”
Honor? He had no idea how little she actually had. Peg bit her inner cheek and nodded her agreement to his escort. They stepped down the stairs and walked out the small driveway to Front Street.
“Nathaniel Farris mentioned that Jefferson Scott might be interested in selling his waterfront property.”
Peg stopped, pulling Matt Bower to a halt. “You’re going to buy my building?”
Six
“I need a pier, but the building is too small for my purposes,” Matt told her.
Peg stayed firmly planted. Matt tried to move her forward, but she resisted his gentle encouragement.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
Her golden hair glittered in the lamplight. “I’m not doing anything to you, as you say. I’m simply looking for a place where I can conduct my business. Your building quite possibly may be the answer to my prayers.”
“But…”
“Look, you have a quaint business. But I need a place to store and distribute my goods from. Personally, the property is too small for my needs, but perhaps I could build upon it.”
“You’d tear it down?”
“Progress, Miss Martin, progress. You must think in those terms.”
“Progress? You can’t be serious. I’ve been in that location for seven years. I’m bringing in a fair salary for my work.”
“I don’t doubt that. You’ve some fine merchandise. But my business would employ folks from the town. Yours simply gives them some extra pocket change every once in awhile. Besides, you don’t need to be located on the waterfront, whereas it is essential for my business to be located there. You could move yours further up Duval Street, no harm done. Mine couldn’t be anywhere else.”
“Is this why you came into my store earlier today? Did you ask me to go out with you simply to tell me of your grand plans to ruin my business?”
“What was in the limeade you were drinking? I’m simply letting you know I will be speaking with Jefferson Scott on the morrow. I certainly didn’t want you to assume I would go behind your back regarding the property.”
She bent her head down. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
Matt calmed his inner thoughts. Knowing the truth didn’t set a man free; it bound him tighter than a bale of cotton. “Apology accepted. And I apologize for any offense I might have caused you. I must say, we have quite a way with each other. The first moment you see me you faint, and now—”
“Correction, it wasn’t the first time. I noticed you after you departed the ship.”
Matt grinned. “Ah, it must have been my captivating good looks. It causes all the women’s heads to turn.”
She shot him a sideways glance, and he chuckled. She giggled and recaptured his arm. “It must have been.”
“But, Madam, you must not swoon at my feet. For, alas, my heart belongs to another.”
Peg released his arm.
“I’m a widower, Peg,” he explained. “I still love my wife. We had many cherished years together.”
Peg recaptured his offered elbow. “Yes, you mentioned that earlier.”
“So you see, your honor is safe with me.” Matt flashed his million-dollar grin. Getting to know this woman would take all the understanding he could muster. Esther had easy been to read. Or so he’d thought. She did manage to keep her illness hidden from him for a year. Looking back now, he saw how she hid the truth from him.
“I have no doubt you are a gentleman, Mr. Bower.”
“Tell me about your island.” Matt hoped if her tongue loosened about something simple, that might help build a bridge to one day allow them to… To what? What did he hope to accomplish by telling this woman anything? He fought the tension rising in his spine.
“There’s not too much to tell. The island was first a part of Cuba and thus a part of Spai
n. It was a gift to Juan Pablo Salas as a thanksgiving for his services. He immediately sold the place to Mr. Simoneton from Connecticut. Prior to that it was a watering hole for ships passing through the region. I’ve been told it’s on some of the oldest maps of the area. Today, cisterns are a major part of most households, but back then there was fresh water on the island. The government is involved with removing the salt out of the water for fresh drinking water. But it’s a costly task. Thankfully, there is a good rainy season, and the cisterns hold us well.”
“How many folks would you say now live on the island?”
“Around four thousand. Back in the thirties John Audubon was here, painting and drawing the birds and animals of the island.”
“Were you here then? You must have been a child.”
Peg’s lips curled upward into a delicate smile. “No, my brother and I arrived about twenty years ago.”
“Esther and I arrived in Savannah about that time. I was bringing my wife home from the North where I attended business school. My father, a true Southern gentleman, couldn’t believe I’d educate myself in the North. But he loved Esther and decided, if for nothing else, my education in the North brought him a fine daughter-in-law.”
“If I’m not imposing, what happened to Esther?” she asked with tender compassion.
“She had an illness that caused her great pain. The doctor said he’d seen it before, but there was nothing to cure her. It was as if her insides were dying before they should. Unfortunately, the pain became so great that her medicine took control of her body. Her last months were exhausting, and with the war in full swing, little could be done. Her suffering tested my faith in a merciful God in ways I never dreamed possible.”
Peg tightened her grip of his arm. “I’m sorry. Losing someone close to you is a terrible pain.”
Matt tapped the top of her hand. “But the good Lord gets us through it.”
“Yes, yes, He does,” she whispered.
Southern Treasures Page 4