“Then Robert, I would like it very much if you would act as my family today and walk me down to meet my husband to be.”
“I would be honored, miss.” He visibly swallowed the lump her request had evoked.
“In that case, I think you should dispense with the miss. After all, you are more of a father to me than my own ever was. And besides, soon I will cease to be a miss anything.” She smiled up at her oldest friend and slipped her hand in the crook of his arm.
“That you will…Claudia.” Henderson stumbled over the lack of a title. “I might add that I could not find a better husband for you, if I were to try.”
“I’m not sure if I truly agree with you on that, Robert. But I don’t really have a choice.” As they approached the stairs, she was surprised to see the hall empty. She paused to ask, “I thought the boys said there were guests here.”
“I imagine they have all been seated in the parlor.” Henderson drew her hand through his arm and they started down the stairs.
“Who did Micah invite? I didn’t know he had friends in town. I thought he had been out west for years?”
“Actually, he had me contact several of your father’s former associates in the banking community and Congress. Congressmen Ellis and Thompkins, as well as their wives, are here. Mr. Johnson of First National Bank and Mr. Watts of Columbia Bank along with their wives are also here. And Mr. Staten is going to perform the ceremony.”
“Are the good minister’s wife and daughter here, too?”
“Yes. They are seated in the front.”
They reached the bottom, and Claudia was able to see into the front parlor. She recognized the guests Henderson had listed, as well as both boys. Micah stood at the fireplace talking with the minister and three gentlemen. Two looked slightly familiar, while the third, who was dressed in military uniform, was a total stranger.
“Who is that with Micah, Robert?” Claudia nodded in their direction.
“That’s Mr. Kelly and Mr. Smith, two gentlemen whom I believe you’ve had the good fortune to meet. One was a driver, the other a bartender.” Henderson’s voice held a bit of humor at reminding her where she’d met the men.
“I thought they looked familiar. And the third man?”
“That is Colonel Duncan, a friend of Micah’s here in Washington. I believe he’s an attaché to the Secretary of War.”
She looked the man over. This was apparently Micah’s contact in the war department. Was he here to be sure she went through with her vows?
“Now that I know all the players in this evening’s performance, I guess we should get on with the show.” She brushed her hand over her hair, feeling the combs Micah and the boys had given her for confidence.
“Wait right here while I let everyone know we’re ready.” Henderson left her in the foyer while he talked to Micah, then retrieved a bouquet of flowers from the hall table. Handing them to her with a smile, he again drew her hand through his arm and led her into the parlor.
Who had gotten all the flowers? Not only her bouquet of irises and chrysanthemums, but the baskets of jonquils, roses and dahlias all around her parlor floor. She smiled tentatively at the guests assembled in the room as she passed by them, then looked up to see Micah watching her approach.
The sight of him took her breath away. Dressed in the same suit he’d worn on the first night they’d met, a dark-blue coat with grey walking pants, his crisp white shirt was accented by a blue tie. His hair was pulled back in the queue he liked so much.
The look on his face was hard to read. If she didn’t know better, she’d say he looked proud as well as something else she could only describe as passionate. The same look had been in his eyes the night before in the upstairs room at the tavern. Only then he’d been under much less control.
When they reached where Micah and the preacher stood, Henderson remained at her side holding her arm as the minister began the ceremony. At the point where he asked who gave the bride in marriage, her old friend was joined by Adam and Joey in answering that they all did. She was reminded of a story she’d read in which the men of a family swore fealty to the husband of a Scottish Laird’s daughter at her wedding, thereby giving him their loyalty from that moment on.
Micah was right. By marrying her, he’d gained Henderson’s and the boys’ loyalty as well, without making them feel they had betrayed her trust in them.
Henderson placed her hand in Micah’s larger one then went to sit with the boys.
As the minister spoke about love, honor, and cherishing one another, Claudia looked at the hand that engulfed her own. It had long, tapered fingers with calluses on the palms from many years of outdoor work. It was the hand of a stranger, a man she had met only three days before. Micah squeezed her fingers lightly, causing her to look up at him. He smiled, something she had never seen him do, and was surprised by how much more handsome it made him appear. She gave a tentative smile in return.
The minister pronounced them man and wife. Micah turned her toward him and kissed her lips gently, but even that simple kiss sent shivers coursing through her. The kiss was broken as the minister introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Micah Turner. They were immediately swarmed by their guests.
Micah shook hands with all the men and most solemnly with Adam and Joey. All the guests kissed Claudia as if she were a dear old friend, even though she hadn’t seen many of them since her father’s funeral years earlier. Finally she came to the three gentlemen Micah had invited. Mr. Smith and Mr. Kelly were quite bubbly in their enthusiasm at being included in the events. After exchanging a few words with her, they rounded up the boys and followed Henderson into the kitchen, before leaving for their homes.
“Claudia, this is a friend of mine, Cain Duncan.” Micah introduced her to the colonel at his side. “Cain, this is Claudia.”
“Ma’am.” The tall, handsome man took her hand and lifted it to his lips in the most blatantly flirtatious manner she had ever experienced.
She didn’t care for it in the least and tried to pull her had away, moving closer to her husband. For some reason she much preferred Micah’s orders to this man’s fawning. Her obvious rejection of his attentions only caused the man to laugh before releasing her hand.
“Micah, it would seem your wife prefers only your touch. Ma’am, if you can tolerate this giant recluse, and have convinced him to give up the life of a mountain hermit, you are indeed a miracle worker.” He slapped Micah heartily on the back.
“I don’t think I had much to do with it, sir.” Claudia used her most haughty tone on the man, feeling Micah’s hand slip around her waist.
“Cain, please.”
“Cain, then.” A gentle squeeze from Micah made her lighten her tone a bit. This was, after all, a friend of her husband’s. “He swept me off of my feet and left me no choice but to marry him.” The smile she flashed to Micah was her most dazzling, leaving both men speechless as she walked over to the minister and his family.
“How long did you say you’ve known her, Micah?” Cain asked, watching Claudia move away from them.
“Cain, it feels like I’ve known her forever.” Micah had no question what that scene was all about. Claudia’s reaction to Cain’s flirting pleased him immensely. The man was forever fawning after women and most succumbed quite easily. Claudia’s dislike for the man’s attentions was a tangible thing. But her reply had been as much a warning to him as it was a set-down to Cain.
They might be married, but she wasn’t done fighting yet.
“She doesn’t know your secret commission, does she?” Cain sipped his punch.
“Actually, she does.” Micah continued to watch his bride move around the room.
“What?” Cain sputtered his punch, then stared first after Claudia, then at Micah. “No one was to know about that. You’re our best agent in the west because of your anonymity. Now you’ve blown your cover by telling a woman.”
Micah watched his friend. The jovial rake was gone, replaced by the intelligent cynic that was the
War Department’s scourge. “Cain, the woman is now my wife. I can better control her this way than if she were allowed to run amok in this investigation. In fact, the only reason she agreed to this marriage was because I convinced her I have the power to put her in jail if she didn’t.”
“You used your position with the government to blackmail that beautiful creature to marry you?” Duncan stared at Micah, then at Claudia, then finally once more at Micah before bursting out in laughter. “Why…why didn’t you just seduce the woman?” He finally asked, once he had himself under control.
“Cain.” Micah’s tone warned the younger man he was drawing undue attention to them. “I felt this way was more expedient to getting Claudia’s cooperation.”
“So you have no interest in your bride other than to keep her from harm?”
Duncan’s words grated on Micah’s sense of honor. He wanted to deny any feeling he had for the woman who was his wife for convenience sake, but he also recognized the thought for the lie that it was. So instead of admitting or denying the truth, he held his own counsel, letting his friend and compatriot draw his own conclusion.
“So,” Cain said in quiet reflection. “The mountain-man has taken a bride. Somehow, I think there is more going on here than you are telling me, old friend. I wish you luck.”
Henderson announced that the wedding meal was ready and Micah led Claudia and their guests to the dining room. The two sideboards were covered with lace tablecloths and platters of fancy meats, pastries, fruits and breads. Micah escorted Claudia to a chair at the head of the table.
“Friends,” Micah announced, “We would like to extend to you an invitation to join us in our wedding dinner. As one of our family members, we would prefer that Henderson join in the celebration rather than serve the meal, so please feel free to help yourselves to whatever you wish.” Turning to Claudia, he asked, “On this, your special day, I would be honored to serve you myself, my dear.”
“Thank you.” Claudia was overwhelmed by this statement.
The meal progressed with the enthusiasm of a party and Claudia was surprised how much she liked the company of her father’s friends.
In the years she had acted as his hostess, she’d been too afraid of making a mistake to really enjoy getting to know them.
Mrs. Ellis asked if they would be staying in town, leaving Claudia at a loss on how to answer her.
“Actually, ma’am, we haven’t made plans on how long we will remain in town.” Micah came to her rescue.
“Then you really must allow us to have a ball in your honor. The winter season is almost at an end. A celebration of your nuptials would be a nice finale.” The white haired matron turned to Congressman Thompkins’ wife for confirmation. “We could arrange it for next Friday evening, don’t you think, Miriam?”
“I do believe it would be possible.” Mrs. Thompkins agreed. “And with our connections, no one in this city would dare miss attending it, Edna.”
“Oh, I don’t think…” Claudia started to protest.
“My dear, it would be a wonderful idea.” Micah interrupted her with a squeeze of her hand and a guarded look. “I think with your father’s former standing in the capital we should share our happiness with all of his former associates, don’t you?”
“Of…course.” Whatever his plans were, Claudia would have to wait until later to find out. Now she was as anxious as any new bride for the feast to end, but not because she was looking forward to the wedding night.
After a toast to the couple and a slice of cake around the room, the guests began to depart. There were promises from both Congressmen’s wives to contact her in two days’ time about the ball. Henderson had corralled the boys into helping him clean up the dinner, leaving Claudia and Micah alone for a few minutes.
Nervous at being left alone with the man who was now her husband, Claudia walked over to a basket of flowers, fingering the petals of a dahlia.
“Where did you find these flowers in the middle of winter?”
“We live in Washington.” Micah’s voice came from directly behind her, his breath warm upon her neck. “I simply called up the florist for the President and requested flowers for a wedding at which several heads of state would be in attendance. They were quite willing to oblige.”
“You didn’t,” Claudia laughed softly.
“I most certainly did, and furthermore, the restaurant at the Carlton House was also most willing to provide the food for the same celebration.” His hands came up to rest lightly on her shoulders. “You are only going to have one wedding, Claudia. I thought it should be one you would want to remember always.”
Before she could ask exactly what his plans for their marriage were, they were interrupted by Henderson and the boys.
“I believe you gentlemen have had a long and event filled day.” Micah addressed Adam and Joey, his hands lingering on Claudia’s shoulders, lightly caressing them as he spoke. “Tomorrow we’ll begin making plans to capture our ring of criminals.”
“Aw, couldn’t we do it tonight?” Adam whined.
“Yeah, we ain’t got nothin’ else to do.” Joey added.
“Tomorrow will be soon enough, men. You may not have any plans for tonight, but I do.” Micah looked at Claudia with meaning.
Blushing under his hooded gaze, she pulled the boys out from the room.
“I believe it’s time for all of us to get some sleep, boys.” She pushed the boys up the stairs. “It has been a long day.”
“Is Micah goin’ to go after the crums tonight?” Joey asked.
“Yeah,” added Adam, as both boys stopped where they were on the steps. “We could help him.”
“No, I believe Micah was speaking of another matter.” Claudia turned them back up the stairs. “You two heard what he said, the investigation will begin again tomorrow. And you two gentlemen will be right in the middle of it, I’m sure.” At their door she said good night, securing a second hug from each before leaving them.
As she walked back to her room on the other side of the landing, she saw Micah talking to Henderson in the foyer below. Curious, she stopped to hear what they were saying.
“He’ll be here at noon, so I would like you to take the boys out to get a few supplies just before he arrives. Claudia and I need to discuss the situation with him, and I prefer the boys be occupied with other things at the time.”
“About how long would you like me to keep them out?” Robert asked.
“I’ve a list of things for you to purchase which should take most of tomorrow afternoon.” He handed Henderson a folded sheet of paper and a small packet. “But in case you finish early, I believe there is enough money for three gentlemen to take in some sort of treat.”
The two men laughed. Then Henderson began turning out all the lamps, and Micah returned to the parlor.
Claudia wondered who it was they were meeting in the afternoon. They were meeting. She thought about the phrase. Micah really was planning to keep his word and not exclude her from the investigation. A smile crossed her face. She wondered if he was planning to keep his other promise. With renewed spirit, she walked more determinedly to her room.
A lamp was lit for her on the dressing table, casting light on the neatly turned-down bed. For a moment she paused, wondering if that bed would be put to other pursuits tonight besides sleeping. With anxious fingers, she began to undo the buttons of her silk dress, removing the bodice, then the skirt. Walking over to her armoire to hang up the dress, she stopped. Micah’s valise lay on the floor in front of it, blocking the armoire’s door. She lifted it and found it still full of his things.
Had he not had time to put them away? Or was he giving her the choice of where they went? Setting it aside, she opened the armoire and finished hanging up her wedding dress. Then she carried his bag over to her dressing table and set it down on the seat. Again she paused in her movement. There, lying on the table, was the key to her room tied with one of her own green hair ribbons.
“It’s your key, m
y dear. It’s a gift from me.” Micah’s deep, rich voice spoke from the doorway. “I will never lock you in or out again. I can sleep here tonight or find my own place. The choice is yours, but let me warn you, if I do share your bed, I don’t intend to sleep anywhere else. If you really would like to spend your life alone, then hand me my bag and use that key.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Claudia stood looking at the giant man leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest and one leg crossed in front of the other. The lamplight cast shadows on Micah’s face, not allowing her to see his expression as clearly as she wanted. His tie hung loose while the collar of his shirt was unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
This was her husband.
In all actuality, she’d never thought about having one before. Perhaps in her own mind she equated husbands with her beast of a father, a man who couldn’t be trusted under any circumstances to keep his word or protect her from harm, but was in reality the most harmful thing in her young life.
Micah was not Jacob Davis.
So far in her limited experience with the man, her husband had shown himself to be made from a different mold. In three days’ time, he’d rescued her from two dangerous situations, locked her in a room, forced her to marry him, treated her with great respect in front of virtual strangers and family alike, and even made her feel desirable with his kisses.
Still, Micah wasn’t demanding his rights as her husband. Instead, he was leaving the decision in her hands. If she threw him out now, she knew he’d never again ask her to be a wife in every sense of the word, but live with her in name only. Her life would continue as it had and when the investigation was over, he’d leave her and she’d be alone once again.
But should she choose to be that intimate with—that dependent on—a total stranger? Could she really trust him not to hurt her?
Laura had trusted her husband. Now she was happily married, with a baby of her own.
A baby. What would it be like to actually have a baby? She wasn’t much older than her friend. If she so chose, maybe she could have the one thing she’d never hoped to dream of, a family of her own.
Turner's Vision Page 8