For Noah, it was over too soon. Darcy Lankanal would not hang, but there was still one more thing he wanted, something that he had to do before the hateful, nearly deaf old man behind the table cleared the room.
“Wait!” Noah shot to his feet, swept up by the moment and his lingering outrage. Beside him, Olivia gasped. He felt her tug on his sleeve, but he shook free and crossed the room before she could stop him. Ern was trying to help the judge out of the chair when Noah reached the front table.
Both Richmond and Ern turned to him, the peacekeeper with a question in his eyes, the judge clearly afraid.
“You would not let me speak before, but now I’ll have my say.” Noah felt the hush fall behind him, turned and saw that not one person had left his or her chair.
“What now?” Richmond sighed as he sank back down. Ern let go of the judge’s arm but remained beside him.
“I wish to speak for this woman, and to her. There are things that have to be said, and I refuse to be silenced.”
Noah cursed himself for waiting, but he had to speak now, while nearly the entire town was assembled. He refused to be intimidated by the crowd, so he looked down into Olivia’s eyes, knowing that whenever he did, all else faded away.
“Oh, Noah, what are you doing?” Olivia whispered, and yet he heard her.
All eyes were upon him—a host of strangers, along with Payson and Susanna, Little Pay and Freddie, Molly, Lankanal, the Mathesons, and the judge. The only one who mattered was Olivia.
“I have heard all of you whispering, felt the condemnation in the room as Olivia Bond told her story. The judge would not let me speak before, because when he looks at me he sees only a half-breed. He doesn’t know me, doesn’t know that I am a man of my word. Most of you know of me. You call me the Prince of the Ohio. You feel free to sing songs about me, to tell stories. So now, I’ll ask you to listen. You owe me that much.
“I want to speak for Olivia Bond, for she left out much of her own story to spare her family, but just as she said, they will love her anyway. I want to say what she could not. When I found her, she was afraid of her own shadow. Her eyes were haunted by what Lankanal had done to her. She had been bought and sold like livestock, held against her will for over a year. Her only offense is that she did what she had to do in order to survive. Is that a sin? Did she do anything more or less than any one of you would have done? How can any of you condemn her for that?”
He looked to Olivia again where she sat frozen, like a spring blossom hit by the last frost of winter. Her lovely green eyes glistened with tears.
“She has forgiven Lankanal. She should be forgiven for whatever wrong anyone might think that she committed in order to survive. Today she is going to be my wife.”
“But Noah—” she protested.
He was beyond arguing. He was doing what he should have done long ago, what Hunter had advised he do the minute he saw her again. As if they were the only two people in the room, he spoke directly to her.
“I won’t hear that you are not good enough, because I don’t believe it and I won’t take no for an answer anymore. Enough is enough, Olivia.”
“Impossible.” Like him, she ignored the crowded room of onlookers and her family. The time had come to say what was in her heart. “Do you think I can ever forget what I have done, even if one of these good people finds it in her heart to overlook what I have become?”
“Moment by moment you’ll forget because I’ll be there to help you. I don’t know how to be a husband, certainly not a father, but I promise I will try to do the best I can. I’ll give you all the love that I have to give and I will learn to be a good husband and a loving father to our children, because I love you with all my heart, Olivia. Isn’t that enough?”
“Oh, Noah, it’s more than enough, but I still can’t do this to you.” Her voice broke. She stood up.
He looked over at Payson and thought of something that might convince her.
“You’ve forgiven your father, Olivia. You’ve forgiven Darcy. Can’t you find enough love in your heart to forgive yourself for what happened in New Orleans?”
“What are you saying?” she whispered.
“Forgive yourself, Olivia. Forgive yourself and let me love you.”
He was not about to leave the room before their future together was assured; he turned to Elihu Richmond next.
“You have the power to marry people?” Noah kept his voice even, trying not to shout in order to make himself heard by the old man, but he would yell the roof off if need be.
Richmond squinted up at him. “This just gets better and better.” Then he nodded, “Yes, I can marry people.”
“Good. Then you will marry us.” Noah turned and found that Olivia had taken a step toward him. Ever so slightly she shook her head no when it dawned on her what he was about.
“See here a minute,” Richmond protested. “I’ve done enough for one day.”
Noah turned on him, made use of his greater height by bending over the table, leaning close to the old man until they were nose to nose.
“You’ll marry us now. Today.”
Ern touched the old man’s shoulder. “You can spare another five minutes, can’t you, Judge?”
Richmond grumbled. “I still gotta piss.”
Olivia had stopped halfway between her family and the judge’s table, as if she were afraid to go forward and yet unable to go back. Noah turned and held out his hand.
“Will you marry me now, Olivia?”
Chapter 22
Olivia was shaking like a leaf when Noah took her hand and enfolded it in his. She had survived river pirates, Darcy, and now public humiliation, but Noah’s tender, heartfelt profession of love had almost brought her to her knees. Standing beside him there before the judge’s table, she felt whole and strong and free. Strong enough to hold her head high and ignore the crowd while her family moved up to encircle them. The boys started to argue, vying for the privilege of who would get to stand closest to Noah.
“Well, Judge?” Ern leaned over Elihu Richmond, who was still glowering up at Noah.
“I still gotta take a piss.”
Faye had moved in alongside Ern. “Why don’t we all go on over to the store. There’s plenty of room for the whole family and anyone else who wants to witness the happy occasion and the judge can … take care of his … personal business.”
Judge Richmond smacked the table with the wooden spoon. “Court’s adjourned.” He finally smiled at Olivia. “I’ll be performing a wedding within the hour over at Faye and Ern’s store.”
Ern looked relieved, but not as much as the judge. The peacekeeper helped the old man to his feet, juggled the satchel and the man’s elbow, and slowly led him away from the table.
Susanna was the first to hug and congratulate Olivia, while Payson pumped Noah’s hand and beamed.
“We’ll take the boys and go on over to the store ahead of you, in case there’s anything you want to say to one another in private,” he told them.
“Thanks, Daddy.” As Olivia hugged him, she wished her knees would stop shaking. Then she turned to Noah. He had not taken one step away from her side.
“Thank you, Noah.”
“For what?”
She could see that he had said his piece and had no wish to draw further attention to himself. He was watching Darcy, who was still seated across the room. Her former captor looked as if he were trying to gather the strength to stand and leave the tavern.
“Thank you for standing up for me and for not giving up on me.” She reached up and touched his mouth just below the end of his scar. “For the gift of you, your love, your life.”
“We’ll be happy, Olivia.”
“Very.”
“We’ll have children.”
“Many.”
“We’ll be late to our own wedding.” He finally smiled.
“Do you really think that the judge would have finished his ‘personal business’ by now?”
Noah laughed. Olivia s
lipped her arm through his and was about to turn around to leave when Molly walked up and bid her wait. The girl showed no ounce of remorse or regret for having gone to Darcy’s room alone, or of getting up in front of the whole town and telling everyone about it.
“Can I talk to you alone, Livvie?”
Olivia gave Noah’s arm a squeeze. “Why don’t you go on ahead?”
He glanced at the emptying room, at the remnants of the crowd lingering outside, at Darcy, seated alone, and shook his head.
“No. I’ll wait for you right outside the door.”
As soon as he left the room, Molly took Olivia’s hand.
“I hope ye ain’t mad at me, Miss Livvie.” The girl spoke quickly, in a hushed whisper. “But I was thinkin’, that seem’ as how ye didn’t want Mr. Darcy Lankanal for yerself, that ye wouldn’t mind if maybe I could have ’im? I didn’t think I’d ever see any other way of gettin’ out of here.”
“Oh, Molly,” Olivia took her hands. “You have no idea what you are getting into if you pursue this. No idea at all.”
Molly shrugged. “Maybe not, but I know what I got now and I know I want more.”
“I can’t believe you slipped out and followed Darcy to town that night.”
“I can’t believe it either, but I’m glad the judge did.” Molly’s gaze kept sliding over to Darcy and back again.
“What you do is up to you, Molly. But please, go back to the homestead with my family.” Olivia was more than anxious to put her nightmare behind her, but hated to think she was passing it on to someone else.
Molly hesitated, then shook her head with finality. “Tell them not to wait for me. I want to find my own way.”
“I hope to God you will be all right.” Olivia gave Molly’s hand a squeeze.
Just before she stepped outside, Olivia turned and looked back at Darcy. He was still seated, but Molly was walking toward the empty chair beside him. Olivia turned her back on them, on the past terrible year, looking forward to sharing her joy with her family as she went outside to join Noah.
Olivia found him waiting by the door, just as he’d promised. A knot of people stood close by, watching them, yet unwilling to approach.
“Are you ready?” he asked when she reached his side.
“I wish we were already on the way back to Heron Pond.”
As they started down the street toward Faye and Ern’s store, he asked, “What about your family?”
“Susanna is so much stronger in mind and body that I feel I can leave her now. The smokehouse is well stocked for winter, thanks to you. I hope we can come back to see them often, but I don’t need to stay on here any longer. I can’t let you suffer through any more of either Darcy or this town.”
Ignoring the crowd, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. They walked in step down the street.
“We can stay if you want, Olivia.”
They were almost at the front door of the dry goods establishment when Little Pay came bursting out onto the street.
“Livvie, Daddy says you and Noah gotta get inside right now.” Little Pay leaned over and planted his hands on his knees, making a great show of catching his breath. “Faye said we gotta get the celebration started. She’s even breakin’ out the penny candy for us. Ma already had one whole glass of blackberry wine.”
Noah slipped his hand down to the small of her back and, just before they were about to step inside the door, Olivia looked up into his face and smiled.
“I love you, Noah LeCroix.”
“I know,” he said softly. “And I’m glad.”
“What makes you so certain that’s true?” She smiled. Knowing how serious he was, she wanted him to be sure that she was only teasing. She knew that he did love her. The whole town knew now.
Noah smiled back.
“I’m the Prince of the Ohio,” he said. “How could you resist?”
Darcy had glanced up in time to see Olivia and LeCroix leave, but found himself more intrigued by the serving girl, Molly, who had just slipped into the chair beside him.
“Were you really hiding in that hotel wardrobe?” Darcy lowered his voice to a whisper so their words would not carry through the near empty room. Only the barkeep remained, and he was putting the place in order, pushing tables back from the wall, shoving chairs across the floor.
“Does it really matter to you, Mr. Darcy? You’re not gonna hang now. The way I see it, whether I was or not, ye still owe me.”
He hated owing anyone anything. He much rather people owed him. “What do you want?”
She nearly leapt on him. “Take me with ye. Take me to New Orleans.”
He folded his arms. “How old are you, Molly MacKinnon?”
“Twenty.”
“Liar.”
“Nineteen. Honest.”
“Seventeen,” he said, guessing.
“All right then, eighteen and a half.”
Darcy couldn’t help but laugh out loud, even though it hurt his battered mouth.
“The answer is no.” He started to stand. She grabbed his torn sleeve and easily pulled him back down.
“I’ll go to that old coot of a judge and change my story,” she threatened.
“He’s already found me not guilty.”
“He almost found you guilty. You think he can’t change his mind?”
“Not now. He’s already passed judgment. But you, on the other hand, could be in very serious trouble for lying.”
“Aye, but they wouldn’t hang me, now would they?” She cocked her head and smiled up at him.
“So you want a trip down to New Orleans?”
She shook her head. “No. I want it all. I want everything I heard ye offer for Miss Livvie. The clothes and the jewels and the horses. I want money of me own and I want to live in a fine, grand place. A Palace of Angels.”
Again he had a vision of her dressed in French silk, her hair bound up with pearls, her firm young breasts riding high above the indecently low neckline of a revealing gown. She had pale skin and a dusting of freckles that reminded him of the merest hint of nutmeg. She had spunk and a definite style of her own that showed through her rags. He was beginning to warm to her. So much so that he had to shift around to get comfortable on the hard-bottomed chair. He wondered if one man would ever be enough for Molly MacKinnon.
“I don’t think you understand what working at the Palace entails,” he told her.
“Oh, but I think I do,” she said with a wink.
“Are you a virgin, Molly?”
“Do ye want me to be, Mr. Lankanal?”
For the first time in months the world seemed livable again. The heavy cloud of darkness that had come over him the day he discovered Olivia gone had finally lifted. In a surprising yet comforting way, her forgiveness had moved through him earlier, so much so that he now found himself looking forward to starting over.
He was free again, of both the charge of murder and of his obsession for Olivia. He was master of his world.
But most of all, after one long look into Molly MacKinnon’s adoring eyes, he knew his old charm was back.
Darcy carefully straightened what was left of his coat. He ran his hand over his hair and tried to ignore the throbbing above his eye.
“How long will it take you to pack, Molly? I think we might be able to catch a ride downriver this very afternoon if we hurry.”
She stood up, holding her arms open wide. “Everything I own ye see right here before ye, Mr. Lankanal.” Then she smiled, leaned close and whispered, “But the best part is under me dress.”
With Olivia beside him, Noah stepped inside the dry goods store and waited for his vision to adjust. The afternoon sunlight that filtered in through the front window barely reached the center of the room. Lamps had been lit along the back wall and the oil smell only added to the close, still air filled with the pungent scent of tallow candles, tobacco, and spices.
To his chagrin, the place was almost as crowded with people as the tavern had been ea
rlier. Every inch of floor space was taken up with tables of merchandise, so folks wedged between them into every corner. Those who could not get through the front door were gathered on the street trying to peer through the windows. He had an urge to walk out, until he looked down at Olivia and found her watching him with an apology in her eyes. She squeezed his hand.
“I’m sorry, Prince,” she whispered with a shrug, “but you’re the one who went and proposed in front of the whole town.”
She sounded as if she were teasing, but she looked so concerned that he wanted to raise her spirits, so he smiled for her sake and then sought out her family across the room.
“Follow me,” he said.
The crowd parted to let them through. Most of those in attendance were curious, but others smiled as he and Olivia passed by and wished them luck. He did not see Ern or Judge Richmond, but the Bonds were waiting with Faye Matheson, who beamed from ear to ear as she smiled and nodded at familiar faces in the crowd.
Little Pay and Freddie had their mouths so stuffed with candy that they couldn’t even speak, which greatly relieved Noah. He decided that Faye Matheson knew exactly what she was doing by giving them so much candy.
Olivia’s father stood by looking proud, daring anyone to object to his daughter marrying a half-breed. Noah guided Olivia over to her family and, once there, found himself too nervous to speak. His stomach felt as if the Ohio were churning through it; he took a long deep breath and tried to imagine that he was outside and not in the close confines of the dimly lit store.
Susanna stepped up beside Olivia and smiled, reached out to smooth her hair for her, and then straightened the neckline of the doeskin dress. As the two women started talking in hushed whispers, every so often Olivia glanced around the room at the strangers around them. She looked as nervous as he felt.
“Do you feel all right, Noah?”
He nearly jumped out of his skin when Payson moved in close.
“Just fine.”
“You’re sure about all this?” Payson studied his face intently.
Noah nodded. “Very sure.”
He was sure he wanted Olivia forever, but not quite sure whether he would live through the formalities.
Blue Moon Page 30