Promise Me Forever

by Janelle Taylor

  “I could dress and fetch us a hot meal from downstairs.”

  “Half of this is fine with me. But if you want something else or need more food than this for nourishment, I will get you another tray.”

  “This is plenty for me, too. I don’t want to exercise later on a full belly.”

  Her adoring gaze roamed his tousled black hair and twinkling blue eyes. “Daniel Slade, how brazen you’ve become since ensnaring me.”

  They shared laughter and exchanged smiles.

  As they dined off the same dishes and shared the same drinking glass, Dan announced, “It’s past time you got to know Luke Conner and my crew, and visit my ship to see how I live. That will help you get to know me better. We’ll take care of that matter when we return to Savannah. Unless you’re afraid I’ll take to sea the moment you’re aboard and steal you.”

  She laughed, but retorted, “You wouldn’t do that because you don’t want me to appear as if I’m fleeing crimes because I’m guilty and scared. You don’t want the authorities chasing me down.”

  When Dan finished chewing and swallowing a piece of bread and cheese, he refuted, “But you aren’t guilty of any crimes, my love.”

  “The authorities aren’t convinced yet; and Harry would make another charge against me—theft of that missing money. He’d think I was escaping with it.” She ate a few spoons of canned fruit.

  “How could he report lost money from an illegal deal?” Dan queried.

  “It isn’t illegal,” Rachel disclosed, “or so he claims. George told me Phillip got clearance from customs. Harry has the papers in his office. If customs approved the shipment, it might be legal.” She took a bite of salad.

  “That’s a surprise. It puts a hole in our conclusions.”

  Rachel shrugged. “Maybe, but maybe not. We don’t know what Phillip said or did to get those papers. They could even be forged, like my notes.”

  “You’re right. But you can still visit me on the Merry Wind.”

  “That wouldn’t be smart, Dan. We can’t risk exposure.”

  “Bring Lula Mae along.”

  “That wouldn’t help much; she’s my loyal servant and friend.”

  “Bring Milton Baldwin along then. Tell him you want to visit me and see my clipper, but you don’t want to inspire any nasty gossip.”

  Rachel lowered her salad-filled spoon. “That might work, and I’d love to see your world and meet your friends. Perhaps Milton would like to see such a fine and beautiful ship, too. I’ll let you know when I make a decision.”

  “Has anything else happened since I saw you?”

  Rachel gave Dan the important news. She told him about her stepfather’s visit and about her mother’s illness, which Dan had already known. “I wrote Mama a letter before I left home,” she revealed. “Her answer will determine my next action.”

  “No wonder you had the anger and strength to try to break from me.”

  “I’m truly sorry about that, Dan. I was mistaken and rash. After all that happened last week, I’m surprised I’ve retained my sanity.”

  Dan stopped eating to question her words. “What is it, Rachel? Did your meetings go badly?”

  She didn’t want to reveal her financial condition to him, but Burke might have already told him things were terrible, and she didn’t want Dan to think she was keeping secrets from him. Yet she wouldn’t paint the entire black picture tonight. “Yes, I’m afraid they did. Phillip recently canceled his insurance, and the news from the bank was depressing. That, atop what I’m learning about the finances of the three companies doesn’t look good financially.”

  Phillip left her near penniless? What had happened to his wealth? Gambling, a costly search for him his brother, and bad investments? “Do you need money?” Dan asked. “I can give you or loan you what you need until your problems are resolved.”

  A self-employed sea captain didn’t have the amount she required to extricate herself from her dilemmas, and she wouldn’t accept it even if he did. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine. I have some money at home, and I have future earnings from the sharecroppers. I’ve told all three partners I will agree to sales when they can work out deals, but only after this problem is solved.”

  Sell his family’s business, even if it was tied up with Baldwin’s? “Why not keep the shipping firm for support, in case the crops fail?” he asked.

  She ate two spoonsful of salad. “That isn’t wise or safe. All of them are in sorry condition. When I inherited Phillip’s assets, I also inherited his shares of their debts. I’d rather be free of any future risks of financial ruin.”

  To make his question sound casual and his mood appear calm, Dan worked on the dessert as he asked, “How will you support yourself?”

  She didn’t mention the jewelry she planned to sell to tide her over until better luck arrived. She couldn’t help wondering why he didn’t propose again to get her out of her predicament. Had he decided a mistress would suit his adventurous lifestyle better? “I have land not in use by sharecroppers. I can either farm it or raise cotton or indigo. I do have years of experience and knowledge in that area.”

  “Will it earn you enough to support yourself?”

  “If not, I’ll think of something else later. There’s no need to waste wits and energy at this time worrying about a problem that’s not definite. I have other troubles to concentrate on.”

  “Such as explaining this sudden trip to the authorities?”

  “No, there won’t be a problem there. I stopped by to ask permission before I left town; they said it was all right to come. My case file is still open, but they aren’t getting anywhere with their investigation against me. They won’t either, unless there is faked evidence to frame me.”

  “I don’t like these pranks and threats. Are you locking your windows and doors, and keeping a gun handy?”

  “Following orders as you gave them, Captain Sir.”

  “This isn’t a funny situation, woman,” he chided with tenderness.

  “I know, but I have to keep a sense of humor or cry. Too many times I’ve allowed a group of hateful and cruel people to push me into bad circumstances; I won’t allow that to happen again. I have to believe there are plenty of good and kind people. I merely have to make certain those wicked ones don’t provoke trouble for me.”

  Dan was pleased. “You’ve had numerous bad experiences, Rachel, but look at the strength, pride, and courage they’ve given you. I doubt you’ll fall into another trap trying to find peace and happiness and respect.”

  As they finished eating, they made plans for the next day, then returned to bed to once more find bliss in each other.

  Rachel lifted her hand and knocked on the door of Harrison Clements’ office. She wished Dan were with her, but they had agreed it was best for her to confront Harry alone. She wasn’t afraid; she felt strong and determined. Part of that had to do with Dan’s love and his faith in her. Part of it was the result of wanting to defeat the flaxen-haired man who opened the door and glared at her.

  Harry’s ice-blue eyes were like frozen chips. A scowl lined his rugged face and his square jaw was clenched. His body was rigid, as if poised for a physical attack. None of that dissuaded Rachel from her task and she knew she appeared calm and poised.

  “Get inside and sit down,” he ordered, “so you and I can have a serious talk! What the hell is going on!” he shouted at her as she followed his command.

  Rachel took a seat, arranged her skirt, then met his furious gaze—all without changing her pleasant expression and losing her air of self-control.

  Harry rounded his desk and dropped into his chair. “Phillip was already dead when you came up here and pranced around town as if everything was normal!” he accused, “I saw his obituary in the Southern Banner. What was that sneaky pretense about?”

  Rachel focused on his face as she coaxed, “Calm down, Harry, or we won’t be able to clear up this matter without ill will.”

  “Calm down?” he exploded. “What is this
scheme of yours?”

  “If you’ll relax and listen, I’ll explain everything. Phillip knew he was dying and instructed me to check the company books before I reported his death; but you refused to let me study them. You have no excuse to deny me access now, partner. Why didn’t you respond to my telegrams?”

  He glared at her. “Because they were stupid, and a bunch of lies!”

  “You don’t have to get belligerent and hateful, Harry. I was only carrying out Phillip’s last request. We didn’t know each other well, and I believed it better if you didn’t know at the time I was your new partner. But you were too busy to give me much time and attention. George was nicer and more cooperative than you were. However, he is a little annoyed with me at present for duping him, too. I saw him yesterday and tried to smooth things over, but it’ll take time.”

  “You expect us to believe Phillip used his dying breaths to tell you to check on us, but didn’t have the time or sense to tell you where he hid the advance? I’m no fool, Rachel, so don’t treat me like one! You can’t keep that money; it belongs to his two companies. We’ve both borrowed from banks to invest in this deal of his, so it must be turned over to us or we’re all ruined, including you. Is that what you want? Is that what he wanted?”

  She removed a fabric bag from her wrist and placed it in her lap as she replied, “Of course not. But I don’t have the money. That ‘stupid’ telegram from me told you that.”

  “If the two companies bankrupt because of your greed, you’ll be hurt, too. As our partner now, our debts are half yours. Turn it over, and I’ll forget and forgive you for this little weakness.”

  “That’s kind and generous of you, Harry, but impossible. Phillip was delirious; he didn’t reveal its hiding place. But he did mumble about something being illegal and about trying to stop it.” She saw him tense in dread of the reference to what Phillip had confessed to her. “Was he referring to this big deal that nobody seems to know about?”

  “Don’t be absurd! It is legal. One thing I do have is that clearance paper from Savannah customs. It came in the mail, so Phillip did handle that angle, as I insisted before proceeding further, before he died on us.”

  She faked a look of surprise. “It is legal? Customs will clear it through port? You have a signed paper in your possession?”

  “Why does that shock you?”

  “It’s all been so secretive and mysterious that I assumed…” She left those words hanging for effect. “That’s why I said I’d have to meet with the client first, to make sure before we honored the bargain and got into trouble. If Phillip wasn’t referring to his deal, then to what?”

  “How should I know? You were at his side and didn’t even understand him. Now that you know it is legal, you can stop refusing us that payment. We both need it badly, and today, Rachel. No—weeks ago.”

  Rachel pretended to trust Harry and to be honest with him. She had to convince him she wanted this deal, that she was just as frustrated and baffled as he was. “I don’t have it, Harry, believe that or not. I would turn it over to you and George if I could find it. As you pointed out, my neck is on that chopping block with you two. I searched the house, grounds, and Phillip’s office at the shipping firm, including the safe. I’ve been to the bank, to our lawyer and our insurance broker. I’ve questioned Milton. Nothing. I don’t know where else it could be hidden. It doesn’t make sense. Because of Phillip’s mumblings I feared my life was in jeopardy and that the client is dangerous, and I’ve been getting threats since the day after he died. I was hoping to get answers from you last time, but you claimed you were in the dark. Maybe it was only his illness talking nonsense.”

  “If that client loses his money and doesn’t get his orders, he might well become a threat to you. How would you feel and react if someone stole all that money?”

  “Phillip didn’t steal it! He hid it for safety. He just died before he could pass it along to his partners or reveal its location to me.”

  “He had no reason to withhold it.”

  “Why did he, Harry? Didn’t you two trust each other?”

  He scowled at her. “I trusted him; that’s why I allowed him to keep me in the dark. Obviously he didn’t trust me, or he was using the money to stake his gambling weakness.”

  Rachel put on a look of horror. “Don’t even say or think that, Harry. If it doesn’t show up soon, we’re all in terrible trouble.”

  “Just you, Rachel,” he refuted. “You’re responsible for the missing money. It was in your husband’s possession, and you’ve taken his place.”

  “How am I to blame? Is there a law to say a wife automatically is responsible? I don’t know where else to look, Harry. I’m open to any suggestions you make. If Phillip asked someone to hold it for him, the chance of that person—who is now rich!—coming forward to hand it over to us is nil.” She feigned a look of alarm and pretended she wanted to be helpful. “Phillip told me to honor the bargain, but he didn’t explain how. I was hoping to get clues from you and George during my last visits, but you both claim ignorance. I didn’t even know how much the contract was for until you two told me, and it shocked me to learn it was so large. We must find a way to save it.”

  “How can we do that, Rachel?”

  “Since you don’t know the client, you can’t tell me if he’ll be understanding about our dilemma and be willing to renegotiate. Milton has Haiti recorded as the destination of the cargo, a May fourteenth shipping date, and two sets of initials: C.T. and J.C. But he says he doesn’t know more than that about this mystery. That isn’t much, if any, help to us. We don’t know where to anchor at Haiti or whom to meet there. We have one path still open: the client will come to see me when his order doesn’t arrive, and we can go from there. Or there is another possible angle: the men who go with those initials could arrive on or before May fourteenth to escort the cargo to its owner. If so, we’ll have contacts to work through to get started on saving this deal.” She saw how Harry eyed her differently, as if pondering her honesty and deciding if her speculations had any value.

  “Did you tell all of this to George?”

  She forced a look of embarrassment. “No, you said last time he doesn’t know anything, even about the dynamite. I didn’t want him getting angered and refusing to keep his end of the bargain. We need ammunition to go with our rifles.” She lightly glossed over the fabricated story she had asked George to tell Harry. “Was I right to handle him that way?” She saw how he mellowed a smidgen, and that gave her a heady sense of power.

  “It was smart and for the best, if we hope to save ourselves.”

  To check his reaction to another suspicion, Rachel asked, “If this deal fails, Harry, maybe we can find another buyer for those arms. What about the Indian troubles out west? The Army might need ammunition and rifles. We could offer them a deal by taking less profit ourselves. That’s better than suffering a loss and risking ruin. Or maybe we can find a foreign market where there’s trouble and need. I could ask Dan for suggestions. He’s still in port awaiting his two orders. He sails around the world and keeps up with trouble spots to safeguard his ship and crew.”

  Harry leaned back in his chair. “Those are great ideas, Rachel, but I’ve already thought of them and checked out every potential customer and location, just in case the worst happened. Companies bigger and more important than ours own and control all of them.”

  “All of them?” she echoed and looked distressed.

  Harry nodded.

  “Oh, my, that’s terrible. If we can’t find the advance or another customer, the only thing left to do is make sure we save any part of this deal we can.”

  “How can we take a five-hundred-thousand-dollar loss?”

  “Surely a third of that would have been profit,” she pointed out.

  “But that leaves $333,333 to cover. I can’t do that.”

  “Neither can I, Harry.” She set out to prove she was desperate and sincere by exposing some of her predicament, which he might already know
about from Phillip or his spy. “I’m almost penniless, so I need this deal to succeed. Phillip didn’t leave me any insurance; he canceled it two months ago. All three companies, even if I sold my partnerships, can’t earn me much. Phillip’s bank account is almost empty, my household cash box is very low. The sharecroppers don’t pay off until September, and that’s if nothing drastic happens to their crops. All I have to cover an emergency is jewelry I can sell. I can’t get rid of Moss Haven and have no home. You must help me save this deal, Harry. Please. You need the profit, too, to save the business.”

  “The only reason I haven’t shut down or sold out is because I was waiting to complete this last deal before doing so. Arms don’t make money anymore, Rachel. Phillip was going to get out, too, when this was over. He was damned lucky to find this rich and needy client. I’m already into another business, but I can’t take money from it to save a dying company. It’s in Atlanta, where I’ll be moving when everything here is settled. That’s where I was this past weekend, finalizing the terms.”

  Rachel urged a pitiful look to her face and sound to her voice as she murmured, “What am I going to do?”

  “I don’t know, Rachel, but I can’t be of any help to you. I’m sorry.”

  Presuming he cared little or nothing for her husband, she fumed, “Damn Phillip for getting us into this bind! I’ll bet it’s because of his gambling! How could he be so foolish and weak? I never knew he had such a problem or I would have put an end to it. That’s the only thing that could have gotten him into this financial disaster he dropped in my lap. I’ve told Milton and George to sell out, to make the best deals they can. I’ll tell you the same. But will you give me time to save our selves before you do it?”

  Harry observed her for a moment, then said, “I might as well. The order is almost done. It might be crazy, but I’ll complete it with hopes you can use your beauty, wits, and charms to save us.”