Effie

by Stevie MacFarlane

  “Amelia,” Effie croaked, squeezing by the man who filled the doorway.

  Sam watched her fly across the porch and down the steps. Not bothering to dodge puddles, she ran toward the carriage pulled up out front. Hugh was lifting his wife to the ground when Effie reached them hurtling herself into Amelia’s arms.

  Sam and Cole walked out onto the porch and watched the reunion with interest.

  “Oh, Effie,” Amelia cried, pulling the smaller woman into her arms. “I’m so very sorry about that letter. To think you and Grace made the journey all the way out here because I was so hasty in sending it,” she continued with tears streaming down her cheeks.

  “Amelia, I would rather come when you don’t really need me, than not come when you do. Besides, I’ve missed you dreadfully.” Pulling back, Effie brushed a few tears from her cheeks.

  “And I you. Once I knew you were coming, I nearly drove poor Hugh crazy with my impatience. Where’s Grace? Is she well?”

  “Yes, and I believe she’s quite happy she made the trip. You see she got married.”

  “Married?” Amelia gasped, “to whom?”

  “Jonah Blackthorn, it’s a long story. So much has happened I can barely think straight myself.”

  “Well you must tell me everything. Have you met Samuel?”

  “We’ve met,” Effie said sharply, turning to glare at the man on the porch.

  “I see, I was afraid of that.” Amelia sighed. “Well, this is my husband, Hugh. He’s nothing like Samuel,” she whispered.

  “Ah, Aunt Ermengarde, I presume?” Hugh asked with a smile. Bending slightly he took Effie’s hand gently.

  Effie blushed.

  “I’m sorry about that, Mr. Jordon.”

  “I understand completely, in fact it’s comforting to know my wife has friends who would go to such lengths to protect her.”

  “I hope you won’t hold it against us.”

  “Rest assured, Miss Lane. All is well and please call me, Hugh.”

  “All right, Hugh, and you must call me Effie. I hope we’ll be good friends.”

  “I’m curious, why is Cole Hadley here?” he asked as he extended an arm to both women and escorted them toward the house.

  “I’m afraid that’s my fault,” Effie said, unconsciously clutching his arm harder than necessary. “You see yesterday was a very bad day for me. Not only did I shoot out your mother’s heirloom leaded glass window, but I also shot Horace Remington.”

  “Horace Remington is here?” Amelia turned shocked eyes to Effie. “You shot him?”

  “Yes, I’ll explain everything as soon as I get a cup of the honey and lemon tea Tempest promised me. I’m sure the Marshal is chomping at the bit to get the details,” she drawled as they moved by Sam and Cole and stepped into the foyer.

  “How are you, Cole?” Hugh asked as he extended his hand. “Have you met my wife?”

  “I don’t believe so, Hugh. Nice to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Jordon.” Tipping his hat, he moved aside as Amelia nodded to him.

  “Amelia!” Grace cried as she flew down the stairs, her pale green dress nearly tripping her. “Oh, it’s so good to see you,” she squealed, flinging herself into Amelia’s embrace. “Effie and I have been so worried about you.”

  “I’ve been a bit worried myself,” Amelia replied glancing over her shoulder at her husband. “Please forgive me for sending that letter, Grace. You see it was all an enormous misunderstanding.”

  “So you’re happy with your new husband?” Grace asked, looking into Amelia’s eyes.

  “She’s very happy, Aunt Hortense,” Hugh replied stepping forward and draping an arm around his wife’s waist.

  “Who the devil is Aunt Hortense?” Jonah asked descending the stairs and looking around curiously.

  “Jonah, good to see you,” Hugh said, clapping Jonah on the back heartily. “I believe your new bride may have a secret identity.”

  “What?”

  “Grace, this is Hugh, my husband.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Jordon.”

  “I’m delighted to finally meet you too, Miss Wentworth, excuse me, Mrs. Blackthorn. How did you come to meet Jonah?”

  “Well, he chased me halfway across the country,” Grace replied indignantly as she tried to smooth her fiery hair back into order. “When Effie and I made him take off his clothes, it slowed him down some.”

  “I would imagine so,” Hugh laughed.

  “But then he caught up to us again, so I decided I might as well marry him so he’d stop chasing me. Plus we figured Horace would just give up and go home.”

  “Speaking of Mr. Remington,” Cole interjected. “Miss Lane, I really need to speak with you privately.”

  “What about Horace Remington?” Grace asked nervously.

  Sam looked at Effie and saw her shoulders tense.

  “I have a better idea, Cole. There are a whole lot of people here who want the same information you do. Why don’t we go into the dining room and have a bite of breakfast while Miss Lane tells her side of the story.”

  Cole shook his head. “You know that’s not the way it’s normally done, Sam. I think maybe I should take Miss Lane into town with me and question her there.”

  “Well, if Effie is going to town, then I’m going with her,” Amelia insisted, shooting a reproachful look at the Marshal.

  “I’m going too,” Grace said firmly. “I don’t know what this is about, but if it has anything to do with Horace, I should be there. That man is nothing but a snake.”

  “Well, if my wife is going, I’ll have to go along too,” Hugh added.

  “Count me in,” Jonah added. “I don’t want Grace out of my sight until I’m assured Remington and the men he hired are long gone.”

  “I believe I shall go along also,” Tempest said, smiling sweetly at Cole as she entered the room and put her arm through Amelia’s. “It is a shame the délicieux meal will go to waste. I know you are partial to French toast, Cole. You used to ask for it every time you stayed to lunch when you were little. And the ham, it’s all sliced and on the platter. Attendez-moi, I will tell the chef to throw it all away. Oh,” she fretted, “I will have him jeter the bacon and the crepes too. Tsk, such a waste.”

  “Well, I guess I could make an exception this one time,” Cole said as Duncan came into the crowded foyer and wrapped a shawl around Tempest.

  “Merveilleux,” Tempest cried clapping her hands. “Let us go and enjoy our meal. I’m sure you will be satisfait once Mademoiselle Lane explains the circumstances. Come, ma petite,” she said gently as she moved to Effie’s side. “I have your tea all ready.”

  “Thank you,” Effie murmured quietly glancing at Marshal Hadley from under her lashes.

  “Ah, it is nothing. A woman must learn all the ways to tempt a man and use them if she has to. For that one, French toast has always worked,” she whispered conspiratorially.

  “What works on Sam?” Effie whispered back.

  “Sadly, I do not know,” Tempest replied with a sigh. “He is a difficult son and will be a trying husband. The femme who takes him on must be strong willed, oui?”

  Allowing Tempest to seat her, Effie waited for her tea but did not reply. She was surprised when Sam chose the seat next to hers. While she sipped her tea gratefully, Sam spoke.

  “I believe we should let Miss Lane tell her story without interruption. Please, go ahead and enjoy your meal and there will be plenty of time to ask questions when she has finished, providing she’s able to continue. It has been, after all, a difficult time for her.”

  Effie raised shocked eyes to his. Even though he’d been kind last night, he was the last person she expected to come to her aide or defend her in any way. Sam had made it perfectly clear that he couldn’t wait to get rid of her. She didn’t think it much mattered to him whether that meant she went back east or sat in a jail cell, as long as she was gone.

  “Is that acceptable to you, Marshal Hadley?” Effie asked, watching the lawman heap severa
l slices of thick French toast on his plate as well as ham and potatoes.

  “Go ahead and speak your piece, Miss Lane. If I have any questions, I’ll ask them when you’ve finished.”

  Watching his enjoyment as he poured syrup over his whole plate, Effie shuddered delicately.

  “Very well.” Taking a deep breath, she took another small sip of tea before beginning.

  “You are probably all aware that Grace and I were not in favor of Amelia coming west to marry a stranger. Yes, we both enjoyed pouring over the matrimonial advertisements with her, but it was intended as a lark really. We had no idea Amelia would actually answer such an ad, but she did, and before we knew it, she’d agreed to become Mr. Jordon’s wife.

  “At first we tried to talk her out of it and used every argument we could think of to discourage her, but Amelia was adamant. She can be quite stubborn on occasion,” Effie said with a slight smile.

  “You don’t say,” Hugh drawled.

  Amelia turned to him and rolled her eyes.

  “Oh, I do indeed, Hugh, but nevertheless we decided to support her once we realized her mind was well and truly made up. I even helped her get away without her father knowing,” Effie continued.

  “Doesn’t surprise me,” Sam interjected quietly. Effie ignored him and went on.

  “Although we missed her terribly, we hoped for the best and from her letters assumed things were going well. Then we got that dreadful letter.”

  “I’m so sorry about that,” Amelia whispered.

  “What letter?” Marshal Hadley asked.

  “Amelia sent a letter saying she’d made a horrible mistake and that Mr. Jordon was nothing but a scoundrel who was engaged to many other women.”

  “Yes, I heard about that when I got back from Portland,” the marshal said, chewing thoughtfully. “I hear tell you have a whole houseful of brides up at your place. Guess you had a hard time making up your mind.”

  “Not at all, Cole. One of my employees took it upon himself to pass out the letters I rejected to other men in town. Amelia was the only woman I wanted to marry. I had no idea there were other brides coming,” Hugh snapped, setting down his fork.

  “Now, no need to get yourself in an uproar, Hugh. I’m just trying to get the whole picture of what happened here.”

  “Let’s let Miss Lane continue,” Sam suggested, giving Effie an encouraging nod.

  “Thank you, now where was I, oh yes. Once we got the letter I knew I had to come immediately. Grace felt she would have to wait until her parents left for their trip abroad, so I quickly made my plans. I worried Amelia might already be… um… in the family way,” she said, looking at her folded hands. “Time was of the essence.”

  “Then I was attacked,” Grace spoke up, her face red with anger.

  “Attacked by whom?”

  “Attacked by Horace Remington, Marshal Hadley. He’d been after me for quite a while, but I’d always managed to avoid being alone with him. My mother wanted us to marry. She wanted to emulate the Remington’s social standing.

  “The night before Effie was to depart; my parents had the Remingtons to dinner. Later in the evening, I was forced to take Horace out and show him the gardens. I don’t want to go into detail about what happened out there,” she whispered, her head down. “But he hurt me, and frightened me dreadfully. He said if I didn’t marry him, he would come back when my parents were away and-and…”

  “Oh you poor bébé,” Tempest cried, rising to circle the table and hug Grace to her bosom. “It’s good you now have a strong husband to protect you. Cole, must we continue this farce? You now comprehend the kind of man this Horace Remington is,” she demanded.

  “I’m afraid so, Mrs. Jordon. If I’m to have a complete picture of what happened at the hotel last night, I need all the facts. I’m sorry, Mrs. Blackthorn.”

  “What happened at the hotel last night?” Grace’s face paled as she looked from Effie to Sam.

  “Just go on, sweetheart,” Jonah urged her gently. “I’m sure everything will be explained. Right now the marshal needs whatever information you have.”

  “I understand, Marshal.” Grace sniffed, straightening her shoulders. “Horace made me tell our parents we were engaged that night. I was too frightened to defy him then, but as soon as everyone was asleep I ran next door to Effie’s house and told her what happened. I decided that the next morning when she left to find Amelia, I would go with her.”

  “I see, and then what happened, Miss Lane?”

  “We got away all right and didn’t have any trouble until we got to Chicago. That’s when Jonah boarded the train to Omaha. I suspected right away he wasn’t what he seemed, but Grace was quite taken with him. When we were convinced he was, most likely a Pinkerton Agent sent to find Grace and force her to return home, we had to take drastic measures.”

  “What sort of drastic measures?”

  “I’d rather not say, Marshal. I have no desire to embarrass anyone.”

  “Tell me, Miss Lane, did these measures include the use of a weapon?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “Then I insist on knowing the details. It appears to me you’re entirely too free with a firearm.”

  Sighing, Jonah spoke. “Can’t you just take my word for it, Cole? I was never in any real danger.”

  “I’m sorry, Jonah, but I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight without knowing what these two little gals did to you,” Cole drawled, grinning for the first time that morning.

  “Fine,” Jonah barked. “When our train arrived in Omaha, I rented a carriage to take them out to the fort. Miss Wentworth claimed her father was an officer. I knew she was lying, but I wanted to see what she’d do when she couldn’t produce him. We never got to that point. About halfway to the fort Miss Lane pulled a gun on me and forced me out of the carriage. She demanded I strip and hand over my clothes. That’s when they found out for sure I was an agent.” Shaking his head, he glared at Grace and Effie in disgust until they dropped their gazes. “They left me there, uninjured but damn near naked,” he spat. “Worse than that, they took my identification and every cent I had on me.”

  “So they robbed you?”

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “And you walked back into town naked?” Cole asked, the corner of his lips twitching.

  “Not naked, the dear little things left my clothes along the way, but they made me miss my train and delayed me for over twenty-four hours, long enough for me to lose them in San Francisco. Cole, if you laugh I’ll flatten you right here,” Jonah warned. Glancing around the table he could not fail to notice the grinning expressions of Sam, Hugh and Duncan.

  “The interesting part was Horace Remington and his hired guns boarded the train the next day as well. We traveled from Omaha to San Francisco and I learned more than I ever wanted to know about the man. His intentions toward Grace and Effie were disgusting. He planned to beat Grace, rape her and force her into marriage,” he continued, reaching to take his wife’s hand when she gasped. “Miss Lane was going to be handed over to his men for their enjoyment and then most likely sold to a brothel in the city, if she survived.”

  “Why didn’t you arrest them?” Cole demanded, his face vibrant with anger.

  “Come on, Cole. You know better than that. I had no evidence, just a drunken braggart flapping his jaws. I had to wait until he actually did something.”

  Effie was clearly shaken, her face pale as death as she listened. Jonah had never told them these things. He’d only said that Horace was depraved and dangerous. She felt Sam move closer to her and thought for a moment he was going to put his arm around her, but he didn’t. Taking a deep breath she reached for her teacup, barely managing to get it to her lips without spilling it.

  “So how did you manage to find the ladies, Jonah?” Cole asked, seeming much more sympathetic.

  “Pure luck. I came to a dead end in San Francisco and decided to book passage to Seattle on the chance they’d managed to get a ship
out as soon as they arrived. It turned out I’d just boarded when I spotted these two, disguised to the gills, but I heard Gracie giggle and knew it was her immediately. Somehow I managed to convince her to marry me. I told her she would be safe from Remington if she was already married and she agreed, although I hope that wasn’t the only reason she said yes,” he teased as he kissed her hand.

  “It wasn’t,” Grace admitted softly.

  “So now we’re back to you, Miss Lane. How did you come to shoot Mr. Remington last night?”

  “As soon as we arrived and checked into the hotel, Grace and I gave Jonah the slip and hired a carriage. Our most important goal, the reason we came west in the first place, was to locate Amelia. The driver suggested we start here. When we arrived we had him stop at the end of the drive so we could have the element of surprise…”

  “Yes,” Sam interrupted. “They wanted to surprise Amelia, but she and Hugh are staying at my house, Cole. Of course, we offered them our hospitality, promising to inform Amelia of their arrival. Jonah and Grace decided to stay on here, but Miss Lane wanted to return to her hotel.”

  “But I…”

  “Hush, Miss Lane. Mother, pour our guest some more tea. I’m sure her throat is quite painful,” he said smoothly, taking Effie’s hand and giving it a warning squeeze. “Of course I acquiesced to her wishes and escorted her back to the Payne.

  “It was quite late and I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone in unfamiliar surroundings, but she was insistent,” he sighed, frowning. “I lingered in the upstairs hall and had just about made up my mind to fetch her and make her come home with me one way or another, when the shot rang out.”

  “What happened in your hotel room, Miss Lane?”

  “I locked the door and was taking my hair down when I spotted Horace behind me in the reflection of the mirror. He was very angry and pressured me to tell him where Grace was. I refused. Then he began to threaten me. I informed him Grace was already married and that he might just as well go home because he’d never have her now. That’s when he grabbed me by the throat and began choking me.”