Zach helped Edward lift the trunk to the table. “Why don’t you put your money in Miss Beecher’s travel bag?” Edward suggested. “It would be less conspicuous than this trunk.”
Cass wanted to protest, but Edward nodded slightly at her and looked at her bag beneath the table. Had he placed it there on purpose? He lifted it and plopped it next to the trunk. She removed her clothing and stacked it on the table.
Seymour waved the Colt revolver toward the trunk. “Open it and make sure the wind doesn’t blow any of it away.”
Edward opened the lid. The bills were a bit messed, but that was expected after the trunk tumbled to the ground. He handed Zach the empty travel bag. “Do you mind holding it open?” Edward transferred the bills to the travel bag in large clumps.
“We’re rich!” Lucia cooed. She grabbed several bills from the bag and tucked them into her bodice.
“Get in the buggy, Lucia.”
Seymour glanced into the empty trunk as he reached into the bag. “Is this all of it?”
Edward nodded and closed the lid to the trunk. “What about my pay?”
Seymour handed ten dollars to Edward and closed the cloth valise. “Thank you for all your help. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Edward examined the single bill. “This is not the price we agreed upon.”
“You can take your payment from what is left of Ravenswood.” He gripped the bag. “I need a hostage to guarantee no one follows.” He waved the gun at Cass. “You’re coming with me.”
Cass looked at Zach and Edward. Was this part of his plan?
Edward threw his arm to block Zach from attacking Seymour. “Put the derringer away, you fool woman. You might hit Seymour.”
Lucia stood in the buggy, the derringer in her hand. Seymour shoved the bag into the buggy. “Do as he says. I don’t need a hole in the back of my head.”
Ford’s Theater. A shot in the balcony. Lincoln assassinated. Cass clutched her stomach, nauseated by the memories. She stumbled.
Seymour grabbed her arm in a tight clench. She struggled to escape. She looked over her shoulder for help.
“Let her go!” Zach lunged for Seymour, who fired the revolver. The noise echoed as the powder exploded, and the man she loved fell back, hit full in the chest.
Edward tackled Zach to the ground. Cass screamed, wrenching her arm free and hitting Seymour in the face. The gun discharged in her direction, and she stumbled backward. Seymour stared in horror as she fell to the ground.
“What have you done?” Lucia slapped the reins against the horses’ hindquarters.
Seymour dropped the gun as he lunged for the moving vehicle and scrambled onto the seat.
Cass watched the buggy fade into the distance. She clutched her burning chest and closed her eyes.
Chapter Thirty-One
Cass didn’t feel dead. The sun was warm on her face. She opened her eyes. The clouds floated overhead in soft shapes against a blue sky. She looked for Zach, who was on the ground nearby. Edward was on top of him pounding on his chest. He jumped toward her, tore off his jacket, and covered her. Why wasn’t she dead? The booms of the shots rang in her ears. She struggled to hear the bits and pieces of conversation around her.
“What are you doing?” Zach shouted.
“Putting out the fire,” Edward said.
“We’re going after them,” Harry said.
“I’ll get the horses,” Ethan said.
“Don’t waste your time,” Edward said. “Bryce, go after them.”
“Are you sure, sir?”
“Go.”
She batted the coat away. Zach knelt beside her. His coat was burned, and a hole was in his vest. “Are we dead?”
“Just singed.” Edward reclaimed his coat. “I needed to put out the flames.”
Cass examined her dress. It had caught on fire, and holes were surrounded by black circles. Her corset had protected her from skin burns, but her gown had several revealing holes in it.
“Seymour shot us. Why aren’t we dead?”
Edward retrieved his revolver from the ground. “When Seymour wanted me to disarm the men, I figured he’d disarm me as well. Vermin are predictable. I loaded black powder in the cylinder but no bullets.”
Zach helped Cass to her feet. He draped his coat over her damaged gown. The wool fabric smelled of sulfur and smoke. “Then we weren’t in any real danger.”
Edward shook his head as he put on his coat. “You forget Lucia’s derringer. I hadn’t counted on that.”
“She still has it.”
“Which is why I sent Bryce to stop your friends.”
Zach looked toward the hillside. “What about your sharpshooters?”
“They were given orders not to shoot unless I gave the signal. I didn’t want a bullet flying if Seymour fired my revolver.” Edward raised his arms in the air, crossed them twice, and lowered them.
Zach picked his hat off the ground. “But if Seymour’s gun wasn’t loaded, why didn’t you stop him?”
“Shoot a man I knew wasn’t armed?” Edward shook his head. “That would be murder. Besides, we want Seymour to run. The coward thinks he killed you. That’s why I knocked you to the ground.” He turned to Cass. His eyes were worried, and his voice shook. “I didn’t expect him to shoot you. I hope you weren’t hurt.”
“Get away from her!”
It was Tyler’s voice. She looked beyond Edward. A carriage had pulled to the spot Seymour’s buggy had vacated. What was her brother-in-law doing at Ravenswood?
Tyler jumped from the carriage and grabbed Edward by his coat collar. “I saw you assault Zach and Cassie.” He pulled back his arm to hit him and froze. “You’re not Seymour.” His blue eyes widened. “You’re Edward Vandal.”
Cass wedged herself between them. “He was saving us.”
Tyler released Edward and backed away. He looked from Zach to Cass. “You smell like smoke.”
“A gun misfired.” Zach brushed at his vest. “I got scorched a bit.”
Cass pulled Zach’s coat around her. “What are you doing here?”
He pointed at Zach. “I received your letter and was worried. I figured I better visit.”
Cass stepped forward. “What about my letter?”
“That’s the one that made me drop everything and rush here.” Tyler frowned. “What has Seymour done that could be criminal?”
“He stole Zach’s money.” She pointed toward the west. “He’s escaping on the train. Ethan and Harry went after him.”
Zach put his arm around her shoulders, offering comfort. “They had a head start, and I heard a train whistle. It’s too late to stop them.”
Tyler turned toward the carriage. “Don’t bother getting out.” It was too late. The boys jumped to the ground, and Cory carried Olivia.
“You brought my sister and the children?”
Tyler removed his hat and brushed his fingers through his hair. “They insisted upon joining me.”
Cass hugged Cory.
“Stinky.” Olivia held her nose.
Cory pulled back Zach’s coat. “What happened to your dress?”
“An accident. I have my clothes on the table.” She turned. Her clothes had blown off the top and were scattered around the yard. “Oh, no!”
“Boys, gather Aunt Cassie’s clothes before they blow away!” Cory ordered.
They watched the boys chase her garments. Olivia pointed at Zach. “Chick pox.”
“Did you catch the chicken pox from Olivia?” Cory examined Zach’s neck.
“Poison ivy.”
She jerked her hand away and turned to Edward. A smile played on her lips. “Edward Vandal. My husband has been looking for you.”
“I know,” Edward said. “I feared you wanted to throw me in jail.”
Zach stared. “But Seymour introduced you as Vance Edwards.”
“I changed my name so Tyler couldn’t find me.”
“Why didn’t you want to be found?” Cory asked.
&
nbsp; “I didn’t know about Jefferson.” Edward removed the photo album from his pocket and turned to Jefferson’s photograph. “Until your sister showed me this, I believed he had died with Regina.”
“Oh, Edward,” Cory said. “It must have been awful to believe you lost both of them.”
Jefferson and Sterling ran toward them, their hands full of clothes. “We can’t hold any more.”
They had dragged several items through the mud. “Let me take those,” Cass said.
Jefferson’s straight blond hair blew in the breeze. He stared at his father. Tears brimmed in Edward’s eyes, and he choked, unable to speak.
“There’s some more!” Sterling pointed toward the corral.
“Race you,” Jefferson said.
“Jefferson!” Cory called as they dashed off.
“Let him go.” Edward watched him run toward the fence. “That’s him.” Edward swiped a few tears away. “My boy.”
“Don’t you want to meet him?” Cass asked.
“How could he possibly remember me? He was so little, and it’s been too long.” He returned her album. “Knowing he’s alive is enough.”
“We spoke about you,” Tyler said.
Edward didn’t look pleased.
“Only good things,” Cory said. “He knows his father is a soldier, and he’s coming home someday, like his mother promised.”
“Regina.” He brushed away a few tears. “The Silver Pheasant is in ruins. What sort of home can I offer him?”
“It isn’t the house or land,” Cass said. “It’s the love that makes a home.” She rested her head against Zach’s shoulder. “That’s why it doesn’t matter about the money.”
The boys returned with the remaining garments. “We found all of them,” Jefferson said.
“Good job, son.” Tyler patted Sterling on the head.
“What about me?” Jefferson asked.
“We have a surprise for you,” Tyler said. “Do you remember we said your father was a soldier?”
“He fought in the war.” Jefferson puffed out his chest. “He was brave.”
“I wrote letters to find him, and I did.”
A smile lit up his face. “You found my daddy?”
“Jefferson,” Tyler knelt to his level. “This man is your father, Edward Vandal. He’s an old and dear friend of the family.”
Edward looked surprised by Tyler’s kind words. They had been enemies most of their lives. He knelt on the ground. “I don’t think you remember me, Jefferson, but I remember you.”
Jefferson stared. “Why are you cryin’?”
Edward choked back tears. “I didn’t think I would ever see you again.”
Jefferson cupped his face with his hands. “Don’t cry, Daddy. I’m right here.”
He pulled his son to his chest. Cass searched for her handkerchief.
Ethan and Bryce returned with a horse in tow. Harry was driving the buggy Seymour had taken. “The train left before we reached them.” Ethan looked at the guests. “Tyler, Cory, what are you doing here?”
“I was worried Seymour might cause trouble for Zach.”
“Did he ever,” Ethan said. “He stole all of Zach’s money and shot him.”
Cory examined Zach. “Are you hurt?”
“Vance, I mean Edward loaded the gun with black powder. No bullets. We have a few holes in our clothes.”
“He shot Cassie!” Cory looked at her sister closer. “What sort of monster would shoot a woman?”
Zach put his arm around Cass. “I’m grateful we’re all alive.”
“There are some horses left,” Harry said.
Zach withdrew the envelope and pulled out the papers. “Edward saved these.”
“I only sold the ones on the inventory list you gave me,” he said.
Zach extended his hand. “Thank you. I’ll have to sell more stock. Maybe even parts of Ravenswood.” He looked at his friends. “But we’ll survive.”
“Well, we better leave.” Bryce lifted the broken strongbox by lifting the bottom. “Leave these folks to their visit.”
“Put it down, Bryce. We’re not taking it,” Edward said.
“But Major, what about the plan?”
“The plan has changed. We aren’t thieves.”
“Thieves? The trunk is empty.” Zach opened the lid and stuck his hand inside. “Hey, it’s shallow.” He knocked on the bottom. “The trunk has a false floor.”
Edward closed the lid and flipped the chest. He opened the bottom which was identical to the other side. Inside were neatly stacked bills. “Here’s your money.”
“I watched as you packed the money into the bag,” Zach said.
Edward withdrew the ten-dollar bill Seymour had paid him with from his coat pocket. “This is what Seymour took.”
Zach examined the bill. He lifted it toward the sunlight. “It’s counterfeit.”
“Oh, he’ll fool a few people, but once the news spreads he’s passing counterfeit bills, he’ll have to hide or go to jail,” Edward said. “Seymour ought to be safely out of the area and your life by the time he realizes he has a bag full of worthless paper.”
“Was this your plan all along?” Cass asked.
“No. The Silver Pheasant was in shambles, and my family dead when I returned after the war ended,” Edward said. “The only thing I had was a trunk of Confederate bills. Payroll for my men that wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.”
“Do I want to know how they turned into Union greenbacks?” Tyler asked.
“Probably not,” Edward said. “We traveled north to pass off the fakes for real greenbacks, but Fred Kettler has a keen eye. He thwarted our plan. Then Seymour offered me a job. He wanted a sale arranged as quickly as possible. We were going to be paid after the horses were sold. That didn’t sit well with me or my men. We’d been double-crossed too many times. So we figured we’d con the con man.”
“What changed your mind?”
“Zach showed up, all bright-eyed and full of dreams for a future,” Edward said. “Even though you were a Yankee, I liked you. It didn’t sit well when Seymour wanted you dead.”
Zach touched the back of his head. “Thanks for saving my life.”
“Then Miss Beecher arrived and unraveled everyone’s plans.” He turned to Cory. “You and your sisters should come with warnings.”
“You were going to collect the money for the sale, let Seymour run off with the counterfeit bills, and leave with the real cash,” Zach summarized.
“But Jefferson was alive,” Cass added.
“A little boy with his mother’s smile made me an honest man.”
“I could use you and your men at Ravenswood,” Zach said.
“We’ll stay long enough to rebuild the barn we burned, but I have to rebuild the Silver Pheasant.” He looked at Jefferson. “I hate to separate the boys, but…”
“He’s your son,” Cory said. “We’ll visit.”
“I was raised in Vandalia,” Tyler said. “I think I can remember the way back.”
“You have to promise to visit Glen Knolls.” Cory turned to Cass. “Did you ever buy a horse for Papa?”
She withdrew her money from her reticule. “No.”
“Black Knight is in the barn,” Bryce said. “Along with the horses your friends chose.”
“Could you ask Mr. Kettler to return and finalize the sales?” Zach said.
Bryce nodded and rode off.
Cass placed her stack of clothes and album inside the trunk on the back of the carriage with Cory and Tyler’s belongings. Ethan loaded the money chest next to it, and Edward helped the boys board the carriage.
“I’ll need to send a telegram warning authorities about the counterfeit bills,” Tyler said.
Zach waved the fake ten dollars in the air. “I’ll show this to Mr. Kettler. He’ll send word.”
“Why don’t I show your guest to Ravens Roost?” Edward climbed into the back of the carriage with the boys.
Cory turned to her sister. �
��We’re full, but we could squeeze you in.”
Cass pointed at the buggy Harry had retrieved. “I have a ride.” She looked around. “Where are Harry and Ethan?”
“Must be in the barn,” Zach said. They stepped into the dark coolness and looked around. Black Knight was in a stall like Bryce had said, but his friends were nowhere in sight.
Cass rubbed the gelding’s nose. “I’ve been thinking about the horses and how your grandfather struggled to pay the bills.”
“Maybe Seymour was a lousy accountant.”
“I have a feeling that was the only thing he was good at.”
Zach looked around the barn. “Do you want me to sell Ravenswood?”
“No, I want you to open a hotel.”
He paused. “What?”
“The railroad is nearby. You have plenty of rooms at Ravens Roost, and it’s grand enough to impress guests. Blake could help you start the business.”
A smile creased his handsome face. “That’s a brilliant idea. Instead of living year to year, the extra income would make Ravenswood profitable. We could rent carriages or horses for those who need to travel. And we could rent rooms in the cabin by the lake.”
“No,” Cass said. “Your mother made the cabin a home.”
“I enjoyed growing up there.” Zach leaned into her, pressing her against the stall door. “And hotels don’t allow much privacy.” He traced the edge of her jaw with his fingertips and lifted her chin. “People coming and going. It’s difficult to find time to be alone.”
“We’ve had little of that with chaperones and mad men.” She poked her finger through a hole in his vest. “Papa expects me to return home with a horse tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” He gently brushed her hair back from her face. “Would he be upset if you returned home engaged?”
Her heart raced, but she steadied her voice before speaking. “Didn’t you bargain two geldings and a carriage for my hand?”
“I could give him all of Ravenswood, and it wouldn’t be enough. I thought I had lost you twice. Once to Harry and then to Seymour’s treachery. You’re my heart and my soul, the very breath that gives me life. I love you, Cassandra. Will you marry me?”
She caressed his cheek. “Yes.”
Impending Love and Madness Page 27