Ruse of Love

by Jerri Hines

  His agreement. Oh, how he wished it had been him. He wanted to in the worst way, but Rory said it was his to finish. The two sworn enemies had come to terms on only one thing—Adam Reed had to die. Rebekah nor Eliza would ever be safe with the madman alive. He had gone well beyond the point of sanity when he had hired Georgie Boy to kill Rebekah.

  Jonathan walked briskly down the street. His horse was tied to the post at the last house. He had a long ride back, but he would wait word. And it wasn’t long in coming. No more than an hour later he could hear bustling activity down the street. One lad came screaming hysterically. Jonathan stopped the boy running madly down the street.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Old Man Reed. They just found him. Murdered! Butchered! Not a drop of blood in him, I heard ’em say.”

  “Don’t say,” Jonathan mumbled. It was done. He mounted and rode off back toward Beaufort.

  * * * *

  On the horizon a bright brilliance blazed, fading into a light pink glow. Dust was settling over the land. Three months had passed since Jonathan last set foot on the farm. Three long months. Jonathan looked over the remnants of the burnt-out house which sat untouched by human hands since that night. He walked along the edge where once the porch stood.

  Jonathan adjusted his hat back off his forehead. The night would be darkening the sky soon. He needed to make this quick. General Lincoln expected him to report to his unit tonight. He glanced back. His horse gazed on the unkempt lawn, tied loosely to a post, but no sign of his appointment.

  Jonathan walked down toward the waterway, taking his mind off his business at hand. Instead, he thought of his wife. He left her in Charles Town still so weak, but she was alive. Thank the good Lord, she survived.

  Jonathan wouldn’t lie to himself. More than once he thought he had lost her. For weeks, she lay on the bed so pale and listless. Thin, so damnable thin. He never would forget the look on her face when he finally told her that Eliza had been sent to Williamsburg. He hadn’t wanted to, but she insisted on seeing her daughter. So insistent.

  She wept. Sadness enveloped her. For days, she lay staring blankly out into space. He worried about her. Moreover, he hadn’t told her the whole of the truth. Eliza was safe, that he knew. Letters had arrived from Williamsburg. Lydia wrote to Rebekah, but as of yet Rebekah refused to read any of them. She would in time Jonathan held no doubt, but she needed time for acceptance. Although if the truth be known, he kept from Rebekah the fact that once she recovered sufficiently he doubted whether she could follow Eliza to Williamsburg. Not yet. She already blamed him for Eliza’s departure.

  His plan was to send her to Philadelphia with the Jenkins. Ruby and Peter left shortly after Adam Reed’s death. He dared not send them to Williamsburg for anyone to make a connection between him and Rebekah; not with the knowledge that Georgie Boy still lived; not with the knowledge that Eliza’s parentage might be revealed. Fear deemed the necessity of the secrecy.

  Jonathan wanted nothing more than to withdraw back North with Rebekah away from all this madness, but that was not to be. General Lincoln, although lenient toward his personal problems, steadfastly refused Jonathan a reassignment. The British had made their presence known with their eyes set toward Charles Town. Plagued by numerous problems, the Southern Army found itself in dire straits.

  Only a couple of weeks before, Charles Town faced a dangerous threat. Only when Moultrie was given defense of Charles Town was the threat squashed for the time being. Why, unbeknownst to Jonathan at the time, officials in Charles Town cowered and began negotiations with the British. If not for Moultrie, he feared what would have happened.

  Jonathan brought Rebekah into Charles Town for her safety. He was beginning to wonder whether anywhere in the Carolinas was safe. He had to get her to Philadelphia. Daniel agreed and waited for the word.

  Daniel turned out to be quite an accomplished runner on the water. His trip to Williamsburg was the first of many. Paul joined the militia after the death of Reed. Jonathan suspected he wanted to have done so for a while. Both boys—men—chose to follow their father’s footsteps.

  Under no illusions, Jonathan realized the British wanted Charles Town in the worst way. Activity mounted from all around. When he left Charles Town in the morning light, rumors abounded of British ships laid on the outside of Charles Town’s harbor. He prayed Rebekah would remain safe until he returned.

  Thankfully, Katy also resided in Charles Town and visited Rebekah. She brought with her enthusiasm few had at the moment. Jonathan suspected Katy’s spirit correlated with her budding romance with the young Lieutenant Sherman. Before he left, Rebekah hinted that marriage may be on the horizon for the two. Rebekah seemed more like herself with Katy’s calls.

  But another fear lived inside him, which had nothing to do with Rebekah’s safety, but her heart. She didn’t say a word about Rory nor did he ask, but the thought gnawed in him. The memory of her words before their marriage…she loved him. Had she not attempted to join the bastard? Only the attempt on her life that all had accounted to Black Rory had kept her from his arms. The burning question lingered in him…Did she harbor regrets?

  My God, I’m jealous! She would never leave him, of that he was certain. He knew her well, but he wanted her heart. He wanted all of her.

  The sounds of horses’ hoofs against the brittle ground made him turn. Black Rory rode up quietly. As agreed, he came alone.

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to make it,” Rory said. He swung his leg across his horse and dismounted. “Hear you Rebs have had a few problems as of late.”

  “I’m certain you did not want to meet with me to interrogate me about military strategy. I’m afraid you would be sadly disappointed with my information. I’m only a mere surgeon in the Continental Army.”

  “That is not what I understand,” Rory said in a significant way. “It is my understanding that you have made more than a few enemies within the British ranks and it had nothing to do with your surgical skills.”

  “It is of little matter to you.” Frowning, Jonathan shrugged. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter. “I want to make short work of this. It seems you made a request which my sister-in-law honored, but,” Jonathan held the letter out to the man in front of him, “this is the last communication. The absolute last.”

  Rory snatched the letter. “She is my daughter. I have a right…”

  “I beg to differ,” Jonathan interrupted Rory. He stepped forward, edged on by an instinctual urge. “I believe we need to come to an understanding.”

  “I understand quite well, Doc,” Rory retorted tersely. His eyes smoldered darkly. “You have what is mine…at the moment.”

  Jonathan resisted the urge to wipe off the cocky smile plastered on his face. “No, you don’t comprehend my meaning. Eliza is safe. Far from this mess. No one knows of your connection, Rebekah’s or mine. It is essential for her safety at the moment. I’m certain you comprehend the knowledge of you being Eliza’s father would do little to ensure her safety, but there is more.

  “Georgie Boy. He has a vendetta against my family. If for any reason, he learns Eliza’s whereabouts, her connection to you, to Rebekah or to myself, her life would be placed in danger. You don’t know this man, this creature…monster.”

  “There is no need to detail the threat this man poses. Eliza is in Williamsburg. Is she not? I will find the devil. He will rue the day he met me. Of that you can rest assured.”

  “On that score, we have a common goal, but little else. This is our last meeting, Rory. There will be no more contact. Know your daughter will be loved and cared for. She will grow up in the warmth of a family who will care for her every need. Know that and accept it, for there will be no more contact. Ever.”

  He smirked. “We’ll see.” He placed the letter in his coat pocket. “I agree, though, there will be no more contact with you.”

  “Or with Rebekah,” Jonathan interjected. “Understand that well. You have damaged her enou
gh. She is weak still. Do not play anymore of your games.”

  “Do you believe my love for her is a ruse?”

  “I believe the whole of your life is a ruse. So yes, I believe what you profess is a ruse of love. You want something that you can’t have. Nothing more.”

  “How dare you surmise my feelings!” Anger exploded forth. “I love Rebekah. I saved her. Did you forget? She would be dead now if not for me.”

  Jonathan didn’t relent. He stepped into Rory’s face. “You had her. She was yours. You threw it all away. You saved her, but in turn used her as a pawn to facilitate your revenge. Revenge was more important and you lost her. Lost her, Rory. She will never be yours again by your own actions. No one else’s.”

  Rory shoved Jonathan’s chest with both hands, glaring at him intently. “I don’t need to justify my actions to you. She will forgive me. She is the one who wanted to escape with me. She would have if that bitch, Fontaine, hadn’t screwed it up. I will give you some advice, Doctor. Do not come between us.”

  Jonathan snapped. He pivoted so quickly Rory didn’t have time to react. Jonathan’s fist found Rory’s chin, knocking him down to the ground. Jonathan towered over him.

  Rory stared up. His expression betrayed his surprise at the intensity of Jonathan’s attack. He rubbed his chin. Jonathan drew the pistol from his belt. He aimed it at Rory.

  “Now listen carefully. I will not say this but once. Stay away from my wife.”

  “Wife?”

  “Wife,” Jonathan reaffirmed his statement. “Rebekah is my wife. We married shortly after that fiasco. I gave my name to her child. I gave my name to her. I gave to her what you could or would not. I will look after my family and see to their safety and needs. You…” He glanced over at Rory’s horse. “Need to mount and leave. If you love them as you profess, then leave knowing I will give to them the life they deserve. But whatever you feel, leave.”

  Slowly, Rory knelt on one knee. Then he stood, grabbed his horse and mounted in one swift motion. “This is not done. Not by a long shot, Doc. She will be mine again.”

  He tethered back. Kicking the side of his mount, he galloped off.

  Chapter Fourteen

  A slight ocean breeze broke the usual oppressive heat supplied by a Charles Town late summer day. Rebekah sat out in the garden she once visited Ian. She thought of him often the last few days. She missed her friend terribly and wished nothing more than a chance to talk with him. That, however, was impossible, but nevertheless, she found a solace of peace she sought within the backyard.

  She breathed in deeply the lush scents that surrounded her: citrus mixed with the grand roses that Esther took such pride and even the ocean, which lay just beyond the Battery’s wall. Most afternoons she enjoyed the quiet the garden offered except for the sounds of a summer eve. However, this afternoon, she found herself entertained.

  Katy swirled around the garden as if she was dancing. Katy laughed an infectious laugh. Hearing laughter lightened her disposition.

  Katy once more had become her inseparable friend. Circumstances had changed dramatically since Rebekah’s abduction; she was sought after in Charles Town society, but she did not often attend. Only when Esther insisted she had no choice, but as of late, Esther began suggesting entertaining guests herself. She shuddered at the thought. She would rather live through Katy’s sparkling eyes.

  At the moment she had received a reprieve, with Esther having been called to care for her great-aunt Old Miss Potter who slipped and broke her leg the week earlier. Esther had even taken the boys with her. Rebekah had the house to herself.

  “I had to come to tell you. I couldn’t stay in the house when I know that Ernie is asking Father for my hand.” Katy whirled around and plopped down next to Rebekah. She took her hands in hers. “Is it so wrong to be so happy?”

  “No,” Rebekah said emphatically. “No. You should grasp the moment and never let it go. You deserve your happiness.”

  “As do you.”

  Katy’s words hung in the air. Did she? Rebekah wondered. Did she deserve to be happy? She had been. She wanted desperately to be so again, but a void lived inside her. Over the last few months, she lived in a daze while her life spiraled out of control. Her heart, her soul ripped from her body. Eliza—her baby, her life—gone from her.

  Eliza lived. From the letters she received and finally read, the babe thrived. The warmth from the letters from this Lydia illuminated the love that encompassed her child. Jonathan had done well in securing a loving environment for her child. In her heart, she comprehended the necessity of all that had happened. Had she not been willing to risk her own life so her child might have such a life? She would do so again, but a part of her had been torn out of her.

  Her memory of that night was foggy. Jonathan told her it was for the best she didn’t remember all of it. She had been sick...so sick for so long. Poor, dear Jonathan. She remembered little, but she remembered him whispering to her to live and his love for her. She clung to his words…his presence.

  For a time, she fell into despair. Her body weakened; she had no strength. Her thoughts surrounded her daughter. Jonathan…she knew well he worried. He himself had been through so much. She realized he tried desperately to make everything right for her, but something changed in him.

  A wall emerged around him, a wall she had yet to break. He treated her as if she was a breakable object: a porcelain vase, a crystal goblet, a china doll. Her heart ached when told Eliza was no longer in Charles Town. She clung to the time when she would be reunited with her, but with that reunion she would be separated from Jonathan. That, too, weighed on her.

  Her uncle was gone, along with him his desire for her demise. Yet new dangers arose around her. A war raged. The British threatened Charles Town. Already the residents had endured a scare that the British were set to siege the city. From her vantage point, support for this war had been lukewarm from the beginning in Charles Town, unlike her experience in Philadelphia. She wondered how the Patriots were supposed to win a war when the heart of the people wasn’t behind the cause.

  “I know Father will give his blessing. Momma said so,” Katy’s voice interrupted her thoughts. She leaned over to Rebekah, her eyes brimming with joy. “Father said that he was most impressive the other day. Impressive! Father seems not to care that he is only a lieutenant in the militia. It is only because Ernest doesn’t take things seriously and does as he wants. I suppose being the only male in a family full of females has caused him to be as he is, but Father feels he’s acceptable. Comes from an old established family, you know.”

  Rebekah returned her smile. She didn’t think her friend had even taken a breath during the utterance. She said, “I hope only you marry before I go.”

  Katy’s face fell briefly. “Don’t say those words. You can’t leave me.”

  “It is not my choice.” Her voice betrayed a building bitterness. “Oh, pray, Katy, pay no mind to me. It is not I you should be thinking of this day.”

  Tilting her head to the side, Katy frowned. “I do wish you would tell me all about what happened. Ernest says he doesn’t even know. I believe him, for I have tried in the most scandalous of fashion to get him to tell me.” She sighed heavily. Her eyes reflected her thoughts. “All is such a shame. But you have Jonathan. Do not think I ever forget you talking of him when we first met.” She reached over and hugged Rebekah. “Give Jonathan a chance to tell you himself before you get so angry with him. Why, Daniel may have it all wrong about the plans for you! It makes no sense, any of this.”

  “All is complicated,” Rebekah answered, but as she did so the wall emerged again, even with her best friend.

  Discretion had formed deeply in her, but also an irritation. If Daniel hadn’t made the slip that she was to go to Philadelphia, she doubted Jonathan would have ever told her. The bravery he displayed on the battlefield, he did not exhibit when the truth was to be told to her…the coward! Not only had he ripped her precious daughter from her arms, but now mad
e plans to keep them apart indefinitely.

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m better than I was. I will be happy when you tell me all about you. I want to know everything whether I’m here or not. Daniel said he was to make another trip in a couple of weeks.”

  “I do so want you to stand up with me. Randa will also. Nothing too fancy. Simple. Ernest doesn’t like too much ceremony, although I fancy his mother does. I believe she is quite pleased if I should admit it.”

  “Why would she not be? A beautiful wonderful woman for a daughter-in-law.”

  “And one with a well-endowed dowry doesn’t hurt,” Katy said plainly. “And I believe Father wants me married quickly. All this war and scrimmages. You know I hadn’t thought much about it until you disappeared and then with Randa.”

  “Your sister? Has something happened?”

  Katy’s eyebrow rose. “You can’t repeat a word of this. I heard Randa talking with Father. It is that husband of hers. William. I told her not to marry him.”

  “But I thought it such a good match. It is what you said at the time.”

  “Well, it should have been, but I suppose your heart cannot bind you as spoken vows,” she whispered. “You have to pledge never to utter a word.”

  “You know I would never.”

  Her lips pursed together before she uttered in a low voice, “My beautiful sister was with child when she married William!”

  “She was? Why so melodramatic, Katy? It happens.” Perhaps at one time she, too, would have been aghast, but not after all that had happened to her.

  “It would not have been so scandalous, for it happens at times Mother says. My parents won’t admit it, but the child wasn’t William’s. I know it had to be Sumner Meador’s. Randa and Sumner loved each other and I know they were lovers.”

  “Then why would she not marry Sumner?” The words escaped before she had time to think.

  “Father would have died! To what end it would have caused. You know that Sumner’s a bastard. It would never have done!” Katy eased off the bed. “And my sister tried to pass the child off as William’s. He found out, of course. And there was a terrible fight, but at the end of her confinement she lost the baby. She and William…Well, there are rumors about William being enamored of Amaryllis Blankenship. Everyone knows she is Sumner’s half-sister, Governor John Rolf Blankenship’s legitimate daughter. There were stories about a raid at Sumner’s estate…all I know is that one is Sumner is looking for William…William has disappeared. Randa has been shamed with his behavior, but I know Randa…”