by Sondra Grey
“Nic, I wish you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
“I didn’t see you dancing at the Christmas ball last month.” She jeered coming over to his side
“I had hurt my ankle, and it seems everybody in town except you saw the bandage on it.” Nic raised his voice, something he rarely did with his mother.
“I am growing old. I want grandchildren.” she pleaded
“And I don’t think God meant for you to have any.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Stay out of my business.” He said as he exited the door. He heard heavy metal crash into something and guessed it must be one of the last remaining pans on the cooktop getting thrown. He was at least happy he had built the kitchen strong.
As he stepped out he came face to face with Franco, Juan Alvarez’s lackey walking up the path. Juan owned the neighboring ranch and was one of the big ranchers in the region like Nicholas. He was also Nic’s sworn enemy.
“What are you doing lurking around my house? “he said as two of his young wranglers came running to the spot.
“Saw him coming in from the west boss” Jim, a young boy of nineteen said out of breath.
“We had him in our sights but he evaded us.” put in Larry Jim’s younger brother. He was seventeen, the age Nic had started working the ranch. So, he had a special place in his heart for the lad.
Franco snickered. The man was scrawny, short, thin, and had a bad leg. One of his hands was also damaged due to a fall from horseback at a young age, and though he made limited use of it, it usually hung at his side as if it was always in a sling.
“The boss man sent me to get the mare that sauntered into your land yesterday and which you seem to have kept.”
“You have quite the spunk to come into our territory scavenging for that mare, cripple.” Larry took a step towards Franco
The boy would have roughed him up some, but Nicholas stepped forward. He deliberately looked the man over from head to toe then back from his toe up. Then his voice full of quiet threat he said.
“That mare is mine. I bought her with my good money. She was stolen from me before I could brand her. I have already rectified that mistake. Now she is in my stable where she belongs. Tell your boss not to take what is not his next time.” Saying that Nicholas started walking away circumventing the little man.
The man hobbled a little behind Nicholas then shouted so as to be sure that Nicholas who had walked to the end of the path heard him.
“The boss says if you don’t give her nicely he will have to take her. And that won’t be nice at all.”
Nicholas stopped in his tracks, then turned back and walked back to the little man.
“No, it won’t be nice, I will make sure of that.” Saying that he strode off.
Chapter Three
E lizabeth looked up skeptically from the book she was reading as there was a knock at the door. The book was an account of an English doctor and clergyman, Henry Bennet who had traveled the West extensively. It was a parting gift from her good friend and her late father’s assistant, Dr. Martin Westerfield.
Elizabeth thought it was Martin come to take her to the station, and she went to the door readily. But as she pulled back the hard paneled door she was taken aback. Her first instinct was to call one of the servants, but then she remembered she had dismissed them all about a week back. So she straightened her back and decided to face the situation by herself.
“Lord Maclash,” she said tartly.
The old man smiled, and Elizabeth was disgusted to see his toothless grin. His cheeks were hollowed, his chin protruded and the skin of his face loose with age wobbled.
“It is good to see you, Elizabeth. May I come in?” he said, in that sugary tone he used only with her, and she felt her skin crawl.
“As a matter of fact, I was about to walk down to the church for my bible study meeting.”
“What I have to say won’t take long.” He said, and the creepy tone made her wince. Once inside the old man lowered himself in a chair leaning heavily on his cane then looked around, his breaths coming out in wheezes.
“I hope you are comfortable here my dear.” He said once again smiling up at her expectantly. Elizabeth knew it was his way of reminding her that she was staying in his house on his charity.
I am leaving it today, you old cad, she wanted to shout, but instead, she said
“I am immensely grateful you have let me stay here even after father died.”
“I don’t see any servants around,” he asked looking around puzzled
“I had to let them go. I couldn’t afford them anymore.” She said
The old man made a quick move and grabbed her hand. Elizabeth tried to step aside, but he was too quick. Holding her hand into both of his he said
“You will be able to afford all you care to have Beth. I will give you everything a young girl like you will ever need. You will have all good things just like your friend Miss Rutherford.
It infuriated Elizabeth that he should presume that she was somehow jealous of Elenore. The man was sick.
“You have been very kind sir. I would not dream of inconveniencing you any further.”
“Inconvenience? I am talking about having you in my life Beth. Marry me, and I will make you the happiest of women. The only thing I desire is your warmth in my life.”
At least he said life this time. The first time he had proposed, a week after her father’s death, he had said bed. And if Elizabeth had not already been disgusted by the countless times he had proposed marriage to her since then, she actually would have laughed at the old dog’s pathetic attempt at humor.
“You give me too much credit sir. I won’t make you a good wife at all.”
“O sweet Beth, you have enchanted me. Wherever I look, I see only you.” And saying that he slipped from his chair and went down on one knee.
Now Elizabeth had to laugh inwardly. This was something the old Boor was attempting for the first time.
Saw her everywhere he looked, indeed! Elizabeth had a keen mind to advise him to cut down on the heavy dose of opium he was in the habit of taking, to bring down the hallucinations, but she bit her tongue.
As he struggled to get back up into his chair, shaking and wobbling with the effort of the exercise, Elizabeth wondered when he would be moving to the next step of his patterned ritual, threatening. She didn’t have to wait long.
“Elizabeth…remember, the lease on this house will be up by the end of the week. If you do not agree to be my bride by then, I will have you thrown out.”
“I am thankful indeed that you have allowed me to stay here up until now sir.” She said meekly while inside she was seething and eager to kick the old bat out.
The man smiled a sly smile then nodding his head he walked towards the door.
“I will see you soon Elizabeth.” He said and left. Elizabeth had barely gotten back to her book when there was another knock at the door.
She hurried on to open it, already angry at whoever it was going to be. She pulled open the door, and before she was even sure who it was, she shouted.
“And what do you want? To make me your mistress? Marry me and have me warm your bed? Become a scullery maid in your kitchen? Yes, my father is dead but I am still alive, and I have feelings.”
A very shocked Martin stood in the doorway quietly watching her with his dark gray eyes.
“Let’s go in Lizzie.” He said and led her in. He pushed her down onto the chair where she was sitting earlier and was pleased to see on the table the book he had gifted her. He poured her a generous glass of sherry before he spoke again.
“You don’t seem quite yourself. Are you unwell Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth hung her head between her shoulders and shook it. Then she started wiping her tears.
“Elizabeth, what happened?”
“Lord Maclash was here, five minutes before you came in. He proposed marriage…” she could not go on
�
�Again? The old lecher! I should have come a little early, I would have given him his answer.”
“Oh Martin, I seem to be attracting all vultures since father died. He did not mean to die and leave me all alone. But he could not have helped it. And now I am all alone, and I’m scared.”
Martin quickly crouched in front of her and took her hands in his rubbing them to make them warm.
“Of course, you are not alone. I am with you, and so is Elenore. We both love you. And now there will be your husband.”
“And what if he is unkind to me?”
Martin rose from his position and straightened himself.
“Then you holler for me, and I will come and show him who he is dealing with.” He said, and as sure as Elizabeth was that Nicholas Rhymer would flatten poor Martin with his right hand tied behind his back, she was touched by his loyalty.
“I am sorry to have behaved like that Martin. I was distressed.”
“You are a brave woman Elizabeth Price, and I am proud of you. And if I did not consider you my little sister and if I had not bespoken my heart to your best friend, I would have offered you my hand and given you my name.”
“And I would have made your life miserable.” The two laughed then.
“Have you told Elenore yet?” she asked wistfully
“No, but I intend to, soon,” Martin said dreamily smiling to himself
“Don’t wait too long, Martin.” She said, and Martin looked up with a smile. Changing the subject entirely he said
“We have no time to wait, dear one. Your train leaves in two hours, and we have to get you to the station. Come on! Elenore and Lydia will be waiting for you there.”
“Lydia? why is she coming to the station?”
“Hark, I forgot to tell you. She is going with you. Elenore is sending her along with you.” Elizabeth was so stunned she just opened and shut her mouth several times while no word came out.
Chapter Four
“N ickkyyy….” The weak, shrill voice called for him as the carriage sped uphill. Nicholas was following closely on horseback. The animal was tired and was lathered at the sides of its maw
Then as the carriage turned its final turn and came to the top of the cliff, a thin long hand shot out of the window. It was white and pale. Nicholas knew that hand. It had so many times gone around his neck or smoothed his unruly curls over his temple. A silver bracelet hung from it. He knew that one too. In fact, he had put it there just the other day, saying it was his mark on her till he could put a ring on her finger. The hand stretched out and the thin long fingers made as if to catch something from thin air.
“Jessica…I am coming.” He said riding harder. Another hand, muscular and hairy shot out of the carriage and pulled the thin, fair one in. And then he heard that clicking sound. The unmistakable sound of the loops of the hinges coming loose from the hooks. The sound and more than that its implication made him sick to the core of his stomach.
He cried out trying to warn them. But the carriage was going too fast, and the wind was too loud and blowing in the opposite direction. Then he saw the horses rearing as they suddenly reached the side of the cliff. One horse tried to dig his legs but slipped over the slope of the hill taking the other one with him. The carriage had come undone and was hurled in another direction, going over the cliff side. As Nicholas reared his horse, he saw the buggy, hung in the thin air for a split second, before it went hurtling down the valley.
He woke up shouting and screaming as always. He had been flailing his hands at thin air, he was shivering, and his body burned hot and then cold in flashes. Nicholas was bathed in his own sweat and fear, tasting coppery and salt like in his mouth.
“Get a grip buddy.” A steady, reassuring voice said. Strong hands held him by the shoulders and shook him hard once, but did not linger. Nicholas opened his eyes to look into the green gaze of his best friend and lead wrangler Vincent Parker. They were in the barn and apparently, it was the middle of the night.
Vince shook him once hard then let him go. He did not linger nor did he try unnecessary comforting. As soon as Nicholas sat up, he turned away continuing with the work in his hand.
“One of your nightmares again?” he said with his back to his friend, busy winding a rope.
“Man, it wasn’t a nightmare. I relived the whole incident again, just like always. It all happens again and again to me, and it is as real every time as it was that day.”
Once again Vincent offered no foolish solace. He continued to work in the adjoining stall. He lifted the saddle then put it on the side of the stall, then lifted the blanket from the horse’s back and gave it a good shake before putting it next to the saddle.
“Why are you sleeping in the barn?” he asked of his friend disapprovingly. In fact, Vincent was sick with worry over Nicholas’s frequent episodes. But he knew that unnecessary prodding would only make Nicholas draw back into his cocoon and would distance him from his friend. Instead, he tried to sound as nonchalant about it as possible.
“Molly is here. She chewed my head all evening about inviting Elizabeth down. She wants me to marry a girl from around here. She threw pots and skillets at me.” Nicholas said sitting up on the hay bed, scrubbing his face with his hands and threading his fingers through his hair.
Vincent smiled then sat down beside him. He took a long gulp from a flask that he had pulled out of somewhere, then offered it to his friend. He stretched his arms and legs then, while his friend drank his fill.
“I go away for a couple of days, and you cannot handle a stubborn mare.” He said teasingly.
“Man, she is more of a banshee than a mare when she flies into one of those rages.”
“She just likes to put up a show. She is all mushy and sweet inside.”
“Have you been sleeping with my mother, Vince? In that case, I need to call you out.” Nic squinted at his friend.
“No…no…Sir Nicholas…Your women’s virtue is safe with me.” He said leeringly, and Nicelbowed him hard. Then he bubbled up a laugh saying.
“Sir Nicholas…” Then the two friends laughed together once again. As they laughed, Nicholas could not seem to shake off the feeling that Vince had said women, in the plural.
“Is everything okay Nick?” Vincent asked. That was as far as he was ready to go into his friend’s personal life.
“Juan sent a message. He wants the mare back. He sent Franco to threaten me. Said it would become ugly if I refused.”
“Franco, the second dwarf, eh?”
“Umhum…he was, in fact, the third. Doc was second.” Nicholas said taking a swig and waving the flask in Vincent’s face. Vincent took the liquor, drew on it then said
“Man, I always get those two mixed up.” Then he straightened and said.
“Boss, you should not have slept out here alone after Juan’s threat. Someone could have come along to make some mischief.”
“That was exactly why I was out here guarding...” He stopped in midsentence as Vince’s meaning seeped in.
“How was the roundup?” he asked covering his embarrassment.
“Your bed grounds are full. Come spring you will have a big herd to take to the market. But there have been incidents.”
“What incidents?”
“The fences on the north boundary, near the brook were cut in several places.”
“Juan!” Nicholas muttered, and Vincent nodded.
“Old man Alvarez is planning to join the association. If he does that we are going to be the single largest independent ranch in the region.”
“Jim was acting weird besides.”
“Jim? He is a good kid. What’s up with him?”
“He has gotten it into his head this notion of giving up ranching and going off to Boston.”
“Boston?” Nic asked sardonically
“Yeah,…he wants to go to college.”
Nic guffawed.
“Don’t worry, it’s just an infatuation. It will pass.”
“If you were in my place
spending the whole last week listening to him babble endlessly about making it big, you wouldn’t be so slapdash about it.”
“Don’t worry Vince. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“You are right, boss. I will keep vigil for the rest of the night, and you head back to the house now and get your beauty sleep. After all, you are getting married tomorrow.”
Chapter Five
T he long and solemn cooing sound of the train whistle filled Elizabeth with foreboding. It marked the end of her long journey and the beginning of her new life.
Lydia was occupied looking out of the window, reclining on her berth, from across Elizabeth. Her feet curled under her body she leaned out, her elbow resting on the window sill, and her chin resting in the cup of her hand. She was humming a tune under her breath, a habit Elizabeth found incredibly annoying, a sign of an empty, undisciplined mind.
Elenore had thrust Lydia upon her at the last moment. When Martin had told her about Elenore’s decision, Elizabeth had tried to convince him it was a bad idea by giving him at least half a dozen reasons as to why. Poor old Martin had spent the entire journey from Elizabeth’s house to the Cleveland train station agreeing with all that she said.
But in the end, it was Elenore who made the final decisions. And they both knew it. There were only a few minutes left for the train to leave when they had reached the station, and by that time Lydia had already been seated in her compartment. Elenore had bought her ticket and convinced the superintendent to put her next to Elizabeth saying it was an issue of a young woman’s virtue and having her escort with her.
Among her tearful farewell, she had explained to Elizabeth how her father had increased his advances towards Lydia and how she would serve her a good companion.