Fair Play

by Mia Ford

  “Jack needs his dinner.” Wilder’s voice broke them apart, and Celia gasped, hiding her face away from him. He was standing behind her. He had crept up on them quietly. His voice was calm now, accepting and resigned.

  “Sure, let’s go have dinner.” Conrad said with a flourish and she felt his hand on hers, tugging her in his direction. Celia kept her face hidden from Wilder as she was pulled past him into the house. She couldn’t bare to look at him. He had caught her kissing Conrad, mere minutes after she had claimed that she wanted him instead, after she had just tried to seduce him.

  “That smells great.” Conrad said, tugging her gently towards the dining room. Celia smiled quickly and turned her face away from him. She had avoided looking at Wilder successfully, but it also meant that she didn’t know what he was thinking, she hadn’t seen his eyes. He must really hate her now, she thought, now his suspicions were definitely proven correctly. Now Wilder would be sure that she was playing the two brothers, that she was only trying to seduce him for her own gains.

  Celia could barely breathe. She didn’t know how she would share dinner in the middle of these two men.

  They were eating their dinner in complete silence. Not one of them had spoken a word yet, except Celia’s grandfather who was so happy to taste the casserole that he couldn’t hide the glow from his face.

  “This is exactly like my wife’s, your grandma’s. Thank you Celia, my child you have made me so happy.” Jack was happy, smacking his lips as he took each bite of his dinner. Celia pushed the food around in her plate in silence, only acknowledging her grandfather’s compliments with a weak smile.

  Conrad was sitting next to her, not bothering to hide the smug smile on his face. He had just stolen a kiss from her, and had seated himself beside her. In his mind, it was all but accepted that she and him were going to be together.

  Wilder was at the head of the table again, concentrating on his food, not looking at anybody. Celia couldn’t look at him either. She was too ashamed, too upset, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. She wished she hadn’t come here, that she had never met Wilder…then a man like Conrad would have been more than good enough for her.

  Jack finished his food and pushed his plate away from him.

  “I’m stuffed. That was brilliant.” He said, rubbing his stomach energetically.

  “You are a star.” Conrad turned to her, wiping the corners of his mouth with a tissue paper. Celia smiled again, looking at Wilder with short bursts of glances. He had still not finished his food, he wasn’t looking up.

  “You have a talented granddaughter, Jack. She really knows her stuff.” Conrad continued with the compliments. Celia wasn’t blushing, she wasn’t even paying attention to his words.

  Wilder suddenly stood up from his chair, picking the half-eaten plate of casserole from in front of him.

  “I’ll do it.” Celia stood up too.

  “No, I’ll tidy up.” Wilder said, without looking at her.

  “But you haven’t even finished it. Didn’t you like it? Was it too spicy?” Celia asked, wringing her hands together.

  “Don’t be offended by Wilder, Celia. He doesn’t appreciate anything that anyone does for him.” Conrad commented. The two brothers exchanged bitter looks, while Conrad remained seated. Wilder took his plate and his empty glass from the table and disappeared into the kitchen.

  Jack was still clutching belly, and he smiled at his grand-daughter.

  “Why don’t I get you ready for bed instead then, grandpa?” Celia asked him.

  “Before you do that, can we have a private chat first, Celia?” Conrad had placed a hand on hers, and she looked at him. His blue eyes sparkled in their friendliness. His dark hair was brushed back and glistening in the light from the yellow lamps in the dining room.

  “Do you mind, grandpa? To wait a bit?” Celia asked him.

  Jack looked at her, with concern in his eyes. Then he looked at Conrad. He wasn’t sure what to think of the whole thing.

  “Oh don’t look so frightened, Jack! I’m not going to gobble up your grand-daughter.” Conrad stood up from his chair with an accomplished laugh.

  “Of course I don’t mind. But what are you two going to talk about?” Jack asked, turning to Celia again. She gulped, aware that her grandfather had his suspicions. Moreover, there was no way that she was going to tell him about the little arrangement she was discussing with Conrad. What would he think of her?

  “You don’t have to concern yourself with that, old sport.” Conrad said and grabbed Celia’s hand again, leading her out of the drawing room into the living room.

  When they got there, Celia pulled her hand away from his.

  “You can’t behave like that in front of grandpa.” She said, twisting her eyebrows in annoyance at him. She was trying so hard to like him, trying so hard to appreciate his affection for her…but she couldn’t, not when she was feeling the way she did about Wilder.

  “Behave like what?” Conrad asked, standing very close to her.

  “I don’t want him to know about us.” Celia said, looking about her nervously. Conrad smiled and then placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “Does that mean you’re saying yes?” He asked. Celia licked her lips and looked at him.

  “No, not yet. I’m still thinking about it.” She said.

  Conrad’s face darkened immediately. The smile had disappeared and was replaced by a sour scorn.

  “What is taking you so much time to decide? I’m just handing over an easy-going life to you, for almost nothing more in return. I know you enjoyed that kiss. I know you want to sleep with me. Teasing me isn’t working, Celia.” He spoke quickly, harshly and she flinched from the words he was flinging at her. She suddenly wanted to cry.

  “I’m not teasing you. It’s just not easy for me. I feel like a prostitute doing this.” She said and Conrad smiled, squeezing her shoulder.

  “No…don’t think like that.” He said and placed a finger under her chin, lifting her face up at him. “That is not who you will be to me. This is a chance at a legitimate relationship. I need you and you need me.” He said, but she didn’t reply.

  “Make up your mind Celia. I’ll be waiting for you in my room, otherwise we will have to make different living arrangements for you and Jack.” He said and drew his hand away from her quickly. Celia gulped again as she watched Conrad leave the room in a hurry. He was threatening her now! He was going to have her grandfather and her thrown out of their home if she didn’t comply with him. Where would they go? Back to New York? But her grandfather didn’t want to be anywhere else but here. Such a thing would break his heart. She felt like crying, she was growing desperate. What had she gotten herself into?

  She turned on her heels and walked back into the dining room to be with her grandfather. Celia was fighting back tears, keeping them back for his sake.

  But he wasn’t there.

  “Grandpa!” She yelled out, in a sudden fear that something had happened to him.

  Celia ran out of the dining room, towards his bedroom, her feet sliding over the oak floors as she rushed. Celia flung open the door to his bedroom. And there he was, and so was Wilder. Her grandfather was sitting on the edge of his bed, with his feet dipped into a broad bucket of water. Wilder was at his feet, scrubbing the older man’s feet with a coarse sponge. They had both looked up at Celia when she burst in through the door.

  She couldn’t stop the tumult of emotions that rushed into her heart when she saw them there. Never in her wildest dreams would she had imagined Wilder like this, so gentle and caring towards anyone. They were natural in each other’s company. It was evident that Wilder had done this for her grandfather before, that he probably even did it quite often.

  Her hand flew to her mouth as she stared at them. She knew that her eyes were watering.

  “Come in dear, Mr Moore is just scrubbing my feet. I can’t reach them when I take my bath you see.” Her grandfather said kindly.

  Celia was looking at Wilde
r, her brown eyes wide, and he was looking back at her too, innocently.

  “Do you need some help?” She managed to say.

  Wilder turned around, gave the older man’s feet a final scrub and then stood up, lifting the bucket up by its handle.

  “Thank you, but we’re all done here. You can tuck him in if you like. I’ve helped him change already.” Wilder said and walked past her and out of the bedroom.

  Her grandfather silently lifted his feet up on the bed and straightened them. Celia walked over, tugging the covers over him and then tucking them into the sides of his bed. She knelt down by his side and her grandfather reached for her face with both his hands.

  “Thank you dear, thank you for being here. I know what kind of sacrifice it is for you, leaving your life and your job behind in New York.” He said, his voice breaking as he spoke to her. Celia’s eyes were still watery. She was looking into the face of a very sick man. A man she loved dearly, but whom she had ignored for the past few years.

  “I would do it all over again if I had to, grandpa. This is what families do, and you are my family.” She said, touching his hand where it rested on his cheek.

  Her grandfather stared into his eyes for a few moments and then spoke again.

  “I don’t want to interfere in your life, my child, but the Moores…they are different from us. Especially…especially…” He said.

  “Conrad?” She asked, and he didn’t reply. But his silence spoke volumes.

  “But Conrad says that Wilder is jealous of him, that he wants to take away his inheritance.” Celia said. Her grandfather’s eyebrows crossed.

  “What inheritance? Their father left the ranch and all the property to Wilder alone.” He said, flatly, like it was an obvious statement. Celia’s lips had turned dry. She couldn’t understand what her grandfather was saying.

  “Why would he do that? Isn’t Conrad his brother? An equal member of the family? I don’t understand.” Celia said.

  “Conrad was a rebel, the black sheep of the family. He never wanted any part in the ranch. He ran away from home when he was fifteen and went away to New York. His father disowned him. And then he came back when his father died.” Her grandfather explained. Celia licked her lips in confusion. But Conrad had said that he was an equal share holder in the ranch, in the family’s properties…that Wilder would try and steal his inheritance if he left the ranch.

  Her grandfather was studying her closely. They were both silent for a few moments.

  “I don’t know what Conrad has been telling you dear. But the truth is that Wilder is supporting Conrad. He feels guilty…” He was saying, but fumbling with his words. Celia had heard the guilt in Wilder’s voice earlier on the porch.

  “Wilder feels guilty because his wife slept with Conrad. Because he blames himself for his wife’s seduction of his younger brother?” She suggested. Again, her grandfather said nothing, but that was enough for her to understand. She breathed in deeply. Wilder was looking after his disowned younger brother, after everything Conrad had done to the family, to Wilder.

  “Thank you for telling me, grandpa.” She said, patting his hand and straightening back up.

  “I told you because I don’t want you to make a mistake. The same mistake that Katherine made. I’ve seen the way Wilder Moore looks at you, the way you look at him. Don’t let Conrad manipulate you into something that you’ll later regret.” He said.

  “Did Katherine later regret it?” Celia asked. She had never loved her grandfather more, now she was learning the true worth of family. This was the greatest gift that her grandfather had ever given her. The gift of the truth.

  “Of course she did. She was young and foolish and didn’t have the capacity to appreciate Wilder Moore for the man he is. When she regretted it, it was too late. He wouldn’t have his brother’s seconds, even if she was his wife to begin with.” He replied and Celia nodded her head.

  “Thank you grandpa. Now have a good night’s sleep and we’ll talk again in the morning.” Celia said before flicking the light bulb off in the room and stepping back out into the quiet house.

  Celia went looking for Wilder, she needed to speak to him, to tell him that she knew the truth now. He was looking after Conrad, giving him a share of the property because he believed that his brother deserved it as much as he did. And Conrad had lied, he had manipulated the truth to make her believe that Wilder was a despicable man.

  Celia was running down the corridor towards the porch outside in search of Wilder when Conrad’s hands grabbed her waist from behind and she shrieked.

  “Stop screaming! I know you want this.” She heard him breathe into her ears. Conrad’s arms were crossed over the front of her own body and he held her like that tightly. She was breathing hard, afraid now of what might happen. What he might make her do that would push Wilder away from her forever.

  “You are just a simple girl, Celia. You don’t understand the complications of the world.” She heard him say. The laugh in his voice had returned. He was enjoying Celia struggling against him, trying to get free. He held her tightly, facing forward; his hand slowly creeping up her body.

  “I know everything Conrad. Let me go! You’ve been lying to me about all of this.” She shrieked, not afraid of who might hear her.

  Conrad yanked her by the hair towards him, and she yelped.

  “Shut up. I’m not a liar. I told you what you needed to hear. You don’t need to know everything. You’re just our servant’s grand-daughter and that is all you are.” Conrad’s voice was slippery, he was breathing hard through his nose and his hand had now reached Celia’s right breast. She struggled against him, trying to get free but he was holding her tightly.

  She couldn’t kick him or reach him, and now she was growing desperate.

  “If you don’t let me go Conrad I’m going to scream. You can’t do this to me.” Celia blubbered, hot tears pricking the back of her eyelids.

  “I can do whatever I want. I am the master of this house and you have to do as I say.” Conrad said, before giving her breast a tight painful squeeze. Celia gasped and tears had begun to roll down her eyes; when she heard Wilder’s voice.

  “I am the master of this house, little brother and if you don’t let her go I’ll make sure your legs are too broken for you to walk.” Wilder’s voice was the same deep and harsh, brimming with rage and yet he wasn’t yelling. He was much more calm than he was in the past few days. His voice had an immediate effect on Celia, even though she couldn’t see him she felt her blood beginning to pump with excitement into her veins.

  Conrad’s grip on her body relaxed and Celia slipped out of his arms and whipped around to face both the brothers.

  “You need to stay out of this, Wilder. She is not your wife and you have no authority over her.” Conrad’s laugh had gone. He had turned to his brother with clenched jaws and nostrils flaring. To Celia’s surprise, Wilder smiled at his brother. A smile that she had seen so seldom that every time he did it she was too surprised to speak. It was a handsome rugged smile, making his cheeks stretch, his blue eyes glitter.

  “She isn’t my wife, you’re right Conrad. But she isn’t your property either. Just like this ranch isn’t. You are a guest in my house and it’s time you understood that.” Wilder was speaking evenly still, ignoring Celia’s presence and keeping his watchful eyes on Conrad the whole time.

  “She wants this!” Conrad yelled, flipping his head to look at her. Celia backed away into a wall. She was too terrified of Conrad now, of the whole situation, to be able to speak or defend herself.

  When Conrad looked at her, Wilder took a few steps towards him. Conrad was startled, and he nearly ducked, making it clear that he was indeed scared of his brother. He had every reason to be scared of him.

  “Leave her alone, Conrad. I’m telling you this for the last time.” Wilder growled. Conrad didn’t reply, but instead stared back at his brother with rage in his eyes.

  “You’re dreaming if you think that she wants you. None
of them want you Wilder. You have nothing to offer any woman.” Conrad managed to speak up.

  “Shut up Conrad. Don’t put words in my mouth.” Celia found herself screaming. She couldn’t take it any more. She couldn’t remain silent any more while Conrad continued to bruise his brother’s ego. Wilder needed affection, someone to believe in him. And none of Conrad’s words or actions were helping.

  Both the men were looking at her now.

  “I do want him. I never wanted you, but I’m in love with him.” Celia blurted out, and was instantly conscious of what she had just said. She could feel her cheeks flushing, the back of her neck growing hot. The brothers were still staring at her and when she looked up she saw that a small thin smile had started to appear on Wilder’s face.

  “Get out of her Conrad, before I fling you out of the house myself.” Wilder turned to his brother. Conrad looked at them both, ground his teeth in anger and then brushed past Celia to walk back to his bedroom.

  The house was ill lit and she could barely see Wilder’s face except for the silvery light that the moon was splashing in that spot. It had turned Wilder’s face into a bright white, as they stood there in silence. They were looking at each other. Celia’s heart was racing, beating out of her chest as she studied his face, his expression. She hadn’t lied, she loved this man. Everything she knew about him, she loved. She felt safe around him, and she wasn’t afraid. Wilder Moore would never be able to hurt her.

  “I’m sorry for Conrad’s behavior.” Wilder said, breaking the silence after several minutes.

  “You don’t have to apologize for him. It’s as much my fault. I suppose I encouraged him.” Celia admitted, wringing her hands together. She was nervous because she was excited, she had wanted this for so long…just to be able to speak to Wilder. To be this close to him and alone with him again.

  “Why did you encourage him, Celia?” He asked her. She hung her head low and then looked up at him again.

  “Because I was mad at you. Because I thought you didn’t want me. I suppose I wanted to make you jealous, or teach you a lesson…I don’t know. I was wrong, whatever I did.” She replied. Wilder was still looking at her. His blue eyes had softened. He wasn’t wearing his hat, and his sandy blonde hair fell thickly around his neck. His beard was still growing, he hadn’t shaved in days. Celia had crane her neck up to look at him, he was much taller than her.