Rogue Highlander: The King's Command
Page 63
She had merely wanted to put behind her that part of her life, along with the other bad things that had happened to her and make a fresh start. She wanted to become a rancher’s wife. However, it was too late for that now.
Nicholas was looking at her, his eyes narrowed.
“You are a doctor Miss Price?”
“No.,” she said giving no further explanation. Her eyes strayed involuntarily to the big trunk in which concealed under folds of her dresses was her father’s doctor’s bag. So much for vowing to shed her old life. But Elizabeth had been unable to leave that behind, not so much for its professional value but more for what it represented personally.
Elizabeth remembered having read with her father a story by a man named Edgar Alan Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart, in which the culprit is so overburdened by his guilt that he points out himself where he has buried his victim. But Elizabeth knew she was stronger than Mr. Poe’s madman. She was not going to tell Nicholas where the bag was.
“This girl just called you doctor.”
“As I explained to you Mr. Rhymer, I worked alongside my father as his assistant. So, people back in Cleveland have the habit of calling me that. I assure you I do not possess a medical degree. And this, by the way, is my lady’s companion Lydia” Elizabeth said not going too deep into Lydia’s history, as Lydia bobbed a curtsy.
“Nice to meet you, sir. Dr. Lizzie is telling the absolute truth, sir. She even told me not to call her that in front of you. But I am a fool, and I keep forgetting.” She said sheepishly.
“Well Lydia, to start with, you will do good to heed your mistress’s instruction. Since you are my wife’s lady’s companion, and I appreciate that she had the good sense to bring you along, you will now be in my employ. You will continue to serve my wife in whatever way she sees fit. In return, you will be paid an annual salary and given a set of clothing twice a year. Since you will stay with your mistress, you will be given three meals a day. However, there is something I will make clear to you right now as I do to all my employees. I hate deceit and lies. If you are caught gossiping, chatting unnecessarily or doing any other thing with one of my men, I will send you back to where you came from.” He said pointing to the train.
His speech had silenced Lydia, and she bobbed another curtsy. And though Elizabeth was happy that someone had finally succeeded in shutting Lydia’s mouth she was a little displeased with Nicholas’s high-handedness in dealing with her servant.
Chapter Six
O n Nicholas’s instruction, Lydia rode on the driver’s bench of the carriage with Xavier, whom Nicholas had introduced as one of his caporals. When she had looked at him confused, he had explained it meant a foreman but he also did cattle round ups. Elizabeth had nodded in spite of the fact that she was now more at a loss than before.
Nicholas and Elizabeth got into the back of the closed buggy, and they began to move. It was a spacious carriage with rich leather upholstery. They sat in opposite seats facing each other. Elizabeth wondered how a farmer could afford such luxuries. Then it suddenly occurred to her that it might not be his regular ride but something he saved for special occasions. That he must consider her arrival as special while she was partly deceiving him made her feel rotten inside.
She quietly stole a look at her soon to be husband while he turned behind him to give Xavier some instructions. He was a handsome man. Chiseled features, high cheekbones, broad forehead and a thatch of raven black hair with wayward curls falling across the temple. He resembled some of the marble carvings of Greek gods Elizabeth had seen at the museum in Cleveland. It had been a range of sculptures that were kept in a restricted area, inaccessible to the general public, due to the sensual nature of the art.
However, they had made a trip to the museum as a part of their anatomy class. Elizabeth had marveled at the physical perfection the artist had attained. She wondered now if the rest of this man was as perfect as those statues. The thought shocked her, and a sly smile escaped her lips
“You daydream a lot.” He said with disapproval, and Elizabeth realized he had been watching her. Of course, he had been watching her. She was his new bride, and he would be keeping a close eye on her for some time. She needed to be careful. Besides he had caught her doing something she herself, found intolerable in another person. How could she tell this man that he was the one having that effect on her somehow?
“Taking you home with me before we are married would be highly improper. So, I have arranged for us to get married right away. I understand you are tired and must want to rest. I assure you that the ceremony will be short and very private.”
“I learned in a book I was reading that the people in the west are very particular about matters of honor. It stems from their being secluded on acres of wild land. They feel a strong need to keep up the semblance of civilization.”
“You have been reading a book on the West?” he asked as if she had told him that she had killed someone.
Elizabeth cringed.
“It was a gift from a friend. He gave it to me when he got to know I was coming here.”
“He…?” Nicholas asked with a raised eyebrow, and suddenly Elizabeth realized how inappropriate it must seem to him that she had a male friend back in Cleveland. It looked as if she was getting herself deeper and deeper into trouble. The inside of the carriage suddenly seemed very warm, and Nicholas’ proximity was playing havoc with her nerves.
“Martin is my late father’s assistant. He is also my best friend’s betrothed. He calls me his little sister.” She hastened to explain.
“And so, with the help of this book, Martin gave you, you think you have us all figure out eh?” Nicholas asked, and now Elizabeth seethed inside. He was deliberately making her feel uncomfortable instead of making her feel at ease. The fact that in the closed confines of the carriage the scent of his cologne wafted up to her and his knees kept banging against hers on the bumpy roads was not helping at all.
“The book is actually a compilation of real life experiences of a priest who roamed the west for a long time.” She said confident this time that she had made him speechless.
“You will find my dear, that the views of an outsider are very different from those of the people who actually stay here.”
Since the time, she had arrived she had been archiving all that he seemed to dislike for further avoidance.
Till now the list contained, talking too much, lies and deceit, education of women, and reading. Oh dear, her husband seemed to be disliking practically everything she liked or enjoyed or was in some way related to.
Coming out of her reverie she looked up to see that he was watching her, his eyebrows raised as if waiting for an answer and she suddenly remembered his question.
“The book was just a distraction. I did not take it very seriously.” She said making light of the issue.
“You will not have much time for distractions here Elizabeth. You will have duties just like everyone else. Yours will include cooking meals for my men and me, keeping the house clean, doing the chores and laundry. Doing some easy farm jobs like picking the eggs, milking the cow we keep for home use and maintaining the kitchen garden.”
Elizabeth waited for him to go on and say the rest, doing your wifely duties, warming my bed, satisfying my needs and having my children. She had read enough mail order bride advertisements to know what these men usually wanted and how direct they could be asking for it. But all that never came. Instead, Nicholas said
“One more thing Elizabeth. As your husband, your first loyalty is towards me. Please do not indulge in conspiring with the servants. This is not the east. Life here is harsh, and one wrong move can take your life.
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“I am referring to earlier when Lydia revealed that you have been asking her to keep information from me.” His voice had become sharp now, and a heavy lump seemed to be settling in Elizabeth’s throat.
“You cannot contrive secrets with the servants against your own hu
sband. It reflects poorly on your character and the relationship between us. If you make cracks in the trust we share, others will surely try to widen them. So, we must, each trust the other implicitly.
Elizabeth nodded duly chastised. She was trying hard not to let the tears fall in front of him and give him another opportunity to lecture her, this time on the strength of mind and control of emotions.
Chapter Seven
A s they arrived at the church, Elizabeth once again noticed the crisp freshness of the air as opposed to the stale suffocation of the city where she had lived most of her life. As Nicholas helped her descend from the carriage, she could not help looking around in awe. There was so much land, with so less in terms of manmade structures between her and the far away horizon.
Nicholas asked Xavier and his wife Martha who had come out to greet them to take care of Lydia until the ceremony was over and they accepted joyfully.
“You like what you see?” Nicholas asked, and she smiled at him. It was the bright smile of a child who has been given a treat. It was a smile of genuine awe and amazement that tugged at Nicholas’ heart strings.
“This place is so beautiful.” She exclaimed
“Wait till you see our ranch.” He said, and she did not miss that he had used the term our and not my. It started a flutter inside her heart. They were going to be family soon and together for the rest of their lives. As Nicholas led her to where the church stood on a small incline, Elizabeth did a survey of the place around, and Nicholas took the opportunity of studying his young bride.
He had noticed her the minute she had peeked out of the bogie door with that childlike eagerness which was so characteristic of her. He had watched her and let her eyes find him before he had walked towards her. The woman had made a quick and profound impression on him as she had stood there framed by the door of the train compartment.
The first thing that he had noticed was that she was an attractive woman. She had delicate features, slender arms covered entirely in the long white cotton sleeves of her gown, a lean body and an air of quiet strength. As she had peered outside, long bony fingers clad in lacy gloves that matched her dress had curled around the handle bar of the bogie door, and Nicholas had felt their clutch around his heart.
She had looked around, and even at that distance he had been able to see the array of emotions that had passed across her beautiful face, first shock, then fear, then confusion and a frantic search. And as her eyes had settled on him he could tell she had known him to be the one from the rest of the crowd. A look of relief and attainment had settled upon her. He had felt a primitive urge to possess her at that moment, a surge of pride for his woman for having known him, a sentiment he knew well, he had no right to feel.
He had acknowledged at that moment that she had taken a big leap by coming so far just on the basis of a few letters. He had to prove himself to be the honorable man she no doubt expected him to be. He had stridden in her direction quickly, not wanting to make her wait anymore. There was not much he would be giving her in terms of affection. Jessica had taken it all from him leaving him dry and scorched. But he would generously give her the rest, his name, his respectability, his protection and the honest life he had promised.
Then again in the carriage, he had not been unaware, as he had led her to believe, of her discomfort at being enclosed with him in that small space. She had looked terrified when he had asked her maid to ride with Xavier. But he had to put certain things straight at once, and for that, he needed to speak with her alone. He had tried to keep his instructions as less severe as possible, but she had seemed distressed at being admonished, and Nicholas had hated himself for doing it. But it was his experience that certain issues were best nipped in the bud.
Now as he walked alongside her, a faint scent of lavender and roses wafted towards him, and he brutally crushed a desire to inhale deeply. She was dressed respectably; even her hair was tied in a neat bun and covered with a white lacy bonnet. Not a part of her body was visible except her face and her neck. Around her ears and on her forehead, tendrils of brown silk had escaped her bonnet and were gently caressed by the late morning wind.
As they reached the church steps, a man and a woman approached them with bright smiles pasted on their faces, their eyes aglow with mirth. They were both very tall and finely built with handsome features. The woman was a few months pregnant.
“Elizabeth, meet my best friend and my top wrangler Vincent Parker and his sister, Caroline Parker. They are like family to me. Caroline’s husband Joe owns the mercantile shop in town, and a gorgeous wife besides.” Caroline ribbed him hard with her elbow.
“He doesn’t own me, you boor.”
“Of course, he does. All men own their women folk,” Nicholas said, and it was evident he was teasing her, but Elizabeth wondered whether it said more about the kind of man that he was.
“Well, if you still want to marry this man Elizabeth and I won’t hold it against you if you don’t, let’s get inside. The guests are all here, and Nic’s mother is waiting.” Vincent put in as they started up the church steps
“Nicholas has told us all about your excellent father, and we are sorry you lost him. But if you allow me the honor, I will be giving you away before I take my position as best man.” Vincent said walking beside Elizabeth, and she was suddenly overcome with the memories of her father.
“Don’t worry, he gave me away too, and I have had a good life for the last three years. So, I can vouch for him, he is not unlucky or anything.” Caroline put in. Elizabeth was grateful for the brother and sister’s attempt at making things light for her.
As they walked up the steps of the church, they were met by Molly. She was standing on the topmost step, clad in jeans and a work shirt, a sleeveless denim jacket hanging from her shoulders, her feet spread apart and her fists on her hips. A frown of disapproval was etched on her face, and it reminded Elizabeth of how Nic had looked when she had seen him the first time. There, she was already calling him Nic in her head, she needed to be very careful.
“Elizabeth, Mother…Mother, Elizabeth.” He said, and for the next few minutes, no one said anything. The silence was so loud Elizabeth could practically hear it ringing in her ears. Vincent and Caroline stood a little apart, distancing themselves from the family. Nicholas stood tall and swaggering, looking defiantly at his mother. Molly stepped forward and cupped Elizabeth’s chin, turned her face this way and that then said.
“Hmmm…she is a lovely creature.”
“Do I take it that you approve?” Nic asked
“Of course, I don’t approve. Not to say she won’t last a week.” She said and without looking back at the young people walked straight into the church.
Chapter Eight
A s soon as they were inside, Nicholas went to take his position at the altar, leaving Elizabeth behind. The other three stood just inside the door, concealed from the congregation. Elizabeth looked at the number of people present, and her eyes grew wide in astonishment.
“Nicholas said it was going to be a small ceremony.”
“This is small, compared to a real ranch wedding. When someone of Nic’s position gets married around here, there would be eating and drinking and dancing all day and into the night until dawn. Don’t ask me how much money I lost in Caroline’s wedding.”
“Told you, you should have kept tickets. Who knows, you might have made a profit.” Caroline huffed in exasperation as she fussed with Elizabeth and fixed her veil.
Elizabeth thanked them both for their kindness. She wanted to say more, but it was time, and Vincent was already drawing her arm through his.
Vincent walked her down between the pews and left her facing Nicholas.
The priest whom Nicholas introduced to her as Father Gregory was a tall, lanky fellow in his mid-thirties and Elizabeth had a feeling he would look more at home on horseback than in the pulpit. As Father Gregory was about to start the ceremony, there was a sudden movement behind them, and a man came forward.
Cold sweat ran down Elizabeth’s spine as she turned and looked into the eyes of Dr. Sommerling. He had been a visiting faculty at the University of Cleveland before word got around that he had gone off to live in the west.
Elizabeth curtsied as the man took her hand, patted it, congratulated her and went back to his place in the front row. As she turned to look back at Nicholas bile rose inside her throat, and her legs were ready to buckle.
Nicholas was looking at her with what could only be called undisguised loathing.
“I wish to speak with my wife, Father. It won’t take long.” He said, then holding her by the wrist he started walking away and pulled her along with him.
Elizabeth went gathering her gown in her hands and nearly stumbling on her own steps. She looked at the crowd around her from under her veil. Vincent was standing just behind where Nic had been standing, his face expressionless his hands folded over his chest. It was very clear that for him Nic was beyond reprieve. Just behind him, his sister cupped both her hands on her mouth in horror. Lydia stood between Xavier and Martha. When Nic started pulling Elizabeth along, she quickly moved to come to her aid, but Martha held her back. They passed Molly who was looking after them with an, I knew this would happen expression.
Nicholas pulled her along to a paneled door, pushed it hard and drew her in. He hurled her away from him as she stumbled and took a semicircular turn and stood there facing him, shaking with fear and embarrassment. The room looked like a small office used by one of the church officials.