Promise Me Forever

by Janelle Taylor

  “I think you handled matters in the best and only feasible way.”

  “Thank you, Dan. I need to tell you more about those incidents during our trip.”

  Afterward, she said, “You can see why I couldn’t tell you everything at those times. I still don’t know if those two matters are the work of the same person. It scares me to know somebody can forge my script; it could be used for an incriminating note.”

  “Or for a false confession,” Dan ventured. “You’ve been shot at and threatened. If you were killed and a note left behind in your handwriting, everyone would think it was suicide from a guilty conscience.”

  “Don’t even hint at such a horrible event,” Rachel said, then abruptly changed the subject. “Another thing: when we were at the arms company, I noticed something I’m sure is illegal, and I don’t see how Phillip couldn’t have been aware of it.” She explained about the patents on the weapons she had seen the men making and why she’d said nothing about it. “That isn’t all: the law seemed intrigued by your presence and corroboration. I don’t want to endanger your life by helping me. The authorities might think you aided me in murdering Phillip so we could be together.”

  “We’ll have to be careful how we behave toward each other. If we appear too intimate this soon after his death, it won’t look good for either of us. You keep that derringer close and stay alert, woman. Lock your doors and windows, and watch out for strangers. If someone killed Phillip and there’s that much money hidden around here, you could be in peril.”

  “But I searched every inch of the house and grounds nearby.”

  “It could be buried in the woods, Rachel, or near any one of these trees. It might never be found.”

  “But I’ll be held responsible! No one will believe I don’t have it.”

  “For now, love, all we can do is search the firm’s office tomorrow, then wait for that mysterious client to lay claim to his order.”

  “But I couldn’t find anything in Phillip’s desk or the safe,” she pointed out in dismay, “and Milton’s was locked.”

  “Don’t worry, I can get into most locks.” He might as well confess that talent today, as she’d surmise it later and perhaps doubt him again. “That’s how I got into the office last time when you were there; I wanted to see you again, but I figured you wouldn’t answer the door.”

  “So, I didn’t forget to lock it?” She eyed him with confusion.

  “Nope. I thought about you for two nights and all of Saturday and Sunday morning. When I saw you go into the office, I had to see you again.”

  “You come to town to do business with an old and dear friend; you hear horrible gossip about his wife; you find him mysteriously gone when he’s supposed to be awaiting your arrival; I invite you along on a private trip—so you decided you needed to study me closely?”

  “I told myself I only wanted to get acquainted with the wife of my old friend, a woman who exuded mystery. The truth is, I realized later I was fascinated by you. I never intended to have these feelings for you or to indulge in glorious lovemaking with you; blame yourself for being irresistible.”

  Rachel returned his provocative smile. “That was sneaky. You scared me silly when you walked in that day while I was searching the office and safe.”

  “I can understand why. Sorry, love.”

  His blue gaze was tender and enticing, her heart fluttered. “When I said what I had to confess could change your feelings for me, this is what I meant. Does it, Dan? Do you hate me and mistrust me now?”

  “No, Rachel. When it comes to your fourth and last husband, you’ll promise me forever, won’t you?”

  She gaped at him. He was… proposing! How could a carefree, adventurous bachelor and avowed seaman love her so much this fast? His old and dear friend was barely cold in his grave and she was being investigated for Phillip’s supposed murder; but Dan was wooing her and proposing marriage to the deceitful, recent widow within a few yards of his friend’s final resting place! Daniel Slade did not strike her as being an impulsive person. Perhaps it was only his way of telling her his feelings were serious, but he didn’t expect an affirmative reply today or ever. Her heart could not help but hope and her body warm, but she fretted, “What if I’m bad luck, Dan? I couldn’t bear for you to die. I couldn’t say yes until I’m convinced I’m not cursed by fate.”

  “Give me time, woman, and I’ll prove you aren’t a murderess or a jinx,” he said in a commanding tone. “I’ll stake my life on it.”

  “With my past, that’s exactly what you’d be doing. Don’t rush this, Dan. There’s so much to resolve, and we must protect ourselves from gossip.”

  “As long as I know you love me and want me and you’ll eventually consider my proposal, I’ll wait for you and I’ll help you with this mystery.”

  Joy and relief flooded her. She prayed this wasn’t too good to be true. “I do want you, Captain Daniel Slade. When it’s safe, we’ll become lovers until we’re both convinced we want a long future together.”

  Dan got to his feet, having noticed she hadn’t confessed love in her wary and uncertain state. “It’s time for me to leave before I lose my head and seize you right here and now. Remember, love, spies can be watching you at any time. Don’t do anything risky or foolish. I’ll meet you at the door to Phillip’s office at ten tomorrow.”

  “I wish you didn’t have to go,” she mellowed enough to admit, “but it’s best for both of us. Goodbye, Dan, until morning.”

  “I love you, woman, so take care of yourself while we’re apart.” He walked to his horse, mounted, waved, and rode for town and Luke.

  When Rachel went into the house, Lula Mae rushed to her side to make sure she was all right. “I was ‘bout to bring you ‘freshments, but I thought you didn’t want to be bothered whilst you talked.”

  Rachel had seen the housekeeper gazing out one of the windows several times. She smiled and said, “I’m fine. There’s nothing the law can do to me, because I’m not guilty. But I am thirsty and hungry. Lordy, I’m glad that’s over with; I was dreading that chore Monday.”

  “Why did he stay so long, Miss Rachel?” Lula Mae asked. “Who is that man? Why did he lies for you?”

  “He’s an old friend of Phillip’s; he came to do business with him. I took him to Augusta and Athens with me, so he could place orders with both companies. It looked so bad for me that he wanted to protect me as a last favor to Phillip. I didn’t tell you he was going because I didn’t want you to worry over me traveling with a handsome man at a perilous time like this.”

  The woman frowned and chided, “That ain’t like you, Miss Rachel, to lies to Lula Mae.”

  “I didn’t lie, my friend,” Rachel corrected. “I only kept a secret.”

  Lula Mae’s frown deepened and her tone was stern. “Secrets been gitting you into trouble for years. What if the law finds out he lied?”

  “They won’t, unless you or Burke tell them. I can trust him.”

  “You don’t know the man! He could be tricking you to get you.”

  Rachel was dismayed by the woman’s unusual behavior. “We’re friends, Lula Mae; he’s going to help me solve some business problems. I’ll be careful how I behave around him; I promise.”

  “Is there a reason to be careful?”

  For the first time, Rachel did not like the woman’s tone and boldness. Yet she tried to remain calm and polite, as she thought Lula Mae was probably just upset and worried. “Of course; the law will probably spy on me for a while. I wouldn’t want them misunderstanding our friendship or putting Dan into trouble. I need to ask you one question; did you see anyone hanging around here while I was gone? I can’t figure out how the law learned about Phillip.”

  “I ain’t seen nobody around here. You know it wasn’t Lula Mae or Burke who tawked. Mighty strange goings on, if you aks me.”

  “I agree, but let’s not worry too much about it. With Phillip’s death in the open, I can get on with taking care of his affairs.”

 
“You gonna stay here?”

  “I haven’t decided; there hasn’t been time to think ahead that far. I’ll let you know when I do; I promise.” Rachel couldn’t tell the housekeeper about her love for the sea captain or her hopes of marrying him one day. “Whatever happens, Lula Mae, I’ll take care of you, as you’ve always taken care of me. You’ll never be poor again. Even if they haul me off to prison, I’ll see that you’re provided for first.”

  “I love you, Miss Rachel, like you was my own child.”

  “I know, Lula Mae, and I’m grateful to have you.”

  “When I said I didn’t see nobody whilst you was gawn, I didn’t means nothing happened. I don’t wants to scare you, but somebody searched the house whilst I was at church Sunday. Nothing was stolen, not even the money in the cashbox. Ain’t that strange as can be?”

  “Thank God the culprit didn’t leave anything here to incriminate me today! We’ll keep our eyes open wide for more mischief.”

  After the woman left for the kitchen, Rachel went to her room and unwrapped the painting she had purchased in Athens. She exchanged it with the one hanging over her bedroom mantel. She stepped back, admired it, and envisioned Dan in that scene. He was everything she wanted and needed in a man, in a husband. He wasn’t stubborn; he bent when necessary. He was understanding and forgiving. He didn’t dwell on injured masculine pride. He was caring, tender, and gentle; yet he was strong and confident. Love, she concluded, was glorious; and lovemaking with the right man was sheer rapture. Whatever it took, she would not permit Dan to be harmed in any way or by any one because of her, not even by the cruel fate that might have cursed her.

  Rachel answered the knock at the front door, as Lula Mae had retired for the night. She discovered a knife was used to pinion a note to the jamb. She freed the paper and read it. She stared into the darkness, but saw and heard nothing to indicate the villain was lurking there. She locked the door, relieved only a threatening note had been awaiting her this time.

  As soon as the door to the shipping firm’s office was locked, Dan pulled Rachel into his arms and kissed her. At first it was slow and sweet; then, urgent and swift. His mouth claimed hers many times between treks over her face and nibbles at her lips.

  Rachel returned the ardent kisses and clung to him. Once more those flames of desire danced within her body and tingles raced over her flesh. Her hunger for him was so intense that she was tempted to brazenly sink to the floor and make wild and wonderful love to him.

  Dan had to struggle against that same temptation and to master the emotions she unleashed within him. He groaned against her mouth. “Stars above, I want you so much, Rachel McCandless. You’ve woven a spell over me.”

  She hugged him tightly and replied, “I want you, too, Dan. I ache all over to have you again. I never knew what I was missing until you taught me what lovemaking is. Now, I think or dream about you almost all the time. Will it always be this special way between us?”

  “Yes, I know it will. I wish I could take you here and now, but that’s too dangerous, even with Luke standing guard to sound a warning to me.”

  Rachel looked up into his smoldering gaze. “He is?”

  “I asked him to see if anybody followed either or both of us. If anyone approaches, he’ll whistle a message. We can’t be found locked in each other’s arms if a visitor showed up unexpectedly. They’d never believe our story. It’s hard, woman, but we have to resist those urges today. Soon, we can have each other any time we want.”

  “Lordy, that sounds wonderful. I crave you so much, Daniel Slade.”

  “As much as I crave you, my delicious siren?” he teased.

  “My heart is so full of yearning, I fear it will burst any moment. I feel like a wild animal who wants to claw off your garments and devour you. I can’t be blamed for this new wantoness; you’re responsible.”

  “You don’t know how happy and proud that makes me to be the first man to awaken your passions.”

  “Does it bother you there were two others before you, one your best friend?” she had to ask.

  “I wish I were the first and only man; but, in a true sense, I am. No man has received your passionate response except me.”

  “You are the first and will be the only man I surrender to that way.”

  “Does that mean you’ll make that special promise to me?”

  She playfully nibbled his chin to conceal her reaction to the implied proposal this time, as she had expected him to drop that stirring idea for a while. As if she misunderstood, she murmured, “Yes, I shall sail away to paradise in your arms whenever you desire me. But don’t ask me to honor my word to become your lover until this mystery is over.”

  “What if you can’t solve this puzzle or things get too perilous and you have to give up everything here to steal away with a lowly sea captain? I have money, love, but not the wealth you’re accustomed to. I don’t have a home, except for my ship. Frankly, I don’t have much to offer you but myself.”

  She embraced him and, knowing he needed reassurance, vowed that was all she wanted and needed. “The only time I worried about money,” she said, “was when I was near poverty and people wouldn’t allow me to earn my living. If I found that hidden money, I would return it to its owner and be done with this mystery. He could work out his deal with Harry and George and not involve me. But I was Phillip’s wife and only heir. Is it right to throw away everything he worked for and owned when I’m not guilty of anything?”

  “If you had to lose it all to have me, Rachel, would you?”

  “Are you asking me to forget everything and flee with you? Even if it makes me appear guilty of murder and theft? Even if it causes something to surface that will blacken Phillip’s name without me here to protect it? Just let George, Milton, and that wicked Harry take control of Phillip’s shares? Is that what I must do to prove my desire for you is real? To prove wealth means nothing to me by tossing it all away? In fact, I intend to divide the plantation between Lula Mae and Burke for their loyalty and friendship.”

  He surmised she was testing him about marrying her for her wealth as Craig Newman had done. “Have you already promised it to them?”

  “For helping me to conceal a crime? Is that what you mean?”

  “How could you even ask me such a thing?”

  “The same way you asked me such curious questions. At times we seem to know each other so well; at others, not at all.”

  “What I meant was, if this deal is dangerous and illegal and unsolvable, and you get drawn into trouble with the law over it or over Phillip’s death, would you escape with me to avoid prison and separation? Even if you’d lose everything by not staying to fight a battle you might win?”

  “If it ever looks that bad and threatening, yes, I will. But you have to understand that for years I’ve lived under a cloud of doubt and suspicions and gossip. I want my name cleared, my honor and pride restored. I want people to learn they were wrong, cruel, and unjust. I don’t care if I can never return here; it’s only been pain for me anyway. I just don’t want people saying they were right about me all along. I don’t care what they say about Craig Newman, but I don’t want them joking about William and Phillip being fools in marrying a deadly criminal like me. They were good men, Dan; I don’t want their memories stained because of me.”

  He smiled and hugged her. “You’re quite a marvelous woman. You’re much stronger and braver than you realize. You’ll get through this with me at your side. It’s past time the truth about you came to light; I promise to help you prove it to everyone. I guess I got crazy for a minute. Every time I think about something taking you away from me, I panic.”

  “You?”

  “Why not? I’ve never been in this situation before. I’m learning from scratch, just like you are. Now that I’ve found the woman I’ve waited for, I won’t take any risk of losing her.”

  She caressed his clean-shaven jawline. “You’ve already won my heart, body, and soul. What more do you want?”

&
nbsp; “You beside me every waking and sleeping moment.”

  “Won’t you tire of me if I’m like a chain around your neck?”

  “Never, my love. I’ll hang a pretty ornament on you, right here,” he said, lifting her left hand to motion to her third finger. His gaze settled on the golden wedding band his brother had given her; the realities of Phillip’s loss and his motive for beginning this romance surfaced to haunt him.

  Rachel noticed how her love’s smile faded. “Should I take it off, or wait a while? I am a widow, and it’s probably known publicly by now.”

  Dan stared at the ring as he envisioned his brother placing it there with love and trust for this woman consuming him. Was Phillip dead because he tried, any way necessary, to earn more wealth to lavish on this beauty? Phillip had never been adventurous, never overly brave. His brother had always feared the consequences of mistakes and the humiliation of their exposure. Breaking the law and stealing from clients wasn’t like Phillip. What had changed him? Or was it, who had changed him? Rachel?

  “Dan? What’s wrong?” she asked in concern and alarm.

  “Sorry, Rachel, but I was thinking about Phillip. Everything’s happened so fast and I’ve only been thinking about you, about us. It just struck me that he’s dead, gone forever.”

  If Rachel had any lingering doubts about Dan and his claims, they vanished as she witnessed the grief and sadness in his troubled blue gaze. “You’re right, Dan, but I believe we’ve intentionally ignored his loss to keep from suffering over it. We can’t bring him back. We haven’t betrayed his love and trust by surrendering to our feelings for each other. All we can do for our friend Phillip is to make sure his name isn’t blackened. If there is a crime and a reckless mistake involved, I hope we can resolve it without a scandal to stain his memory. I did love him and care about him.”