by P. Creeden
When they reached the kitchen, Mrs. Plum still sat at the table while Georgia had finished slicing the apples. Mrs. Plum’s eyes turned wide as she saw them approaching. “Who do we have here, Brienne?”
“Um... Mrs. Plum. Um... This is Henry,” she said as she released his elbow and folded her hands together.
Henry stepped forward and knelt to Mrs. Plum so that they were eye level with one another. He offered that same charming smile he always did to women. “I’m Brienne’s husband. I saw that you signed as a witness to her proxy wedding?”
“Oh! Mr. Miller! How lovely it is to finally make your acquaintance.” Her cheeks pinked as her hand fluttered to her chest.
He nodded. “And yours, but please, call me Henry. Now, my wife tells me that there’s been an accident.”
Brienne’s heart skipped a beat. Even though he’d been introducing himself as her husband this whole time, a title she’d had yet to pin on him, this was the first time that she’d heard him refer to her as his wife. Though it still struck a measure of fear in her core, she liked the sound of it.
Chapter 9
After hearing what had happened and what would be expected of him, Henry nodded and accepted the position of replacement pianist for the day. “As long as you realize that I may make a mistake or two, as my fingers are not yet accustomed to playing again. I haven’t truly played since before I served in the War.”
Mrs. Plum patted his shoulder, a wide smile across her face. “I’m sure you’ll do fabulously. I’m not the best pianist myself, so I’m sure you’ll do better than even me, if I hadn’t injured myself.”
“I’m certain that is untrue,” he said with a laugh, but had to admit that the pastor’s wife had a way of making him feel a little better.
She guided him to the piano and took a seat next to him on the long bench. She set up the sheets of music in order in front of the keys and said with a smile. “I’ll turn the pages as you need and will remain here with you to help you through the day. We’ll start with this hymn. It tells the parishioners that we’re ready to begin.”
He offered her an appreciative smile as his fingers danced along the keys to the opening hymn she pointed to. The music flowed nicely through the piano, though the piano was older and more weathered than his mother’s, and he took note that some of the more frequently used keys got the slightest bit sticky, and the F sharp was slightly out of tune. But as he played, he found the song a familiar, repetitive melody that allowed him to peer at the crowd as they dispersed from their talking circles and took their seats in the pews.
The back doors burst open and a young man about his age or a few years older rushed in. He was a handsome, taller man with wide shoulders and a square jaw. His sandy blond hair fell over his forehead. Several parishioners turned to see who’d entered late, while the gentleman peered down pews looking for someone. The moment he spotted Brienne, the man’s smile widened, and he rushed over to her. She smiled wider and brighter than Henry had ever seen while she rushed over and took the man’s hands in hers and squealed.
Henry missed a note, hesitated, and then returned to the sheet of music in front of him. Mrs. Plum pointed to where he needed to be, and Henry began again. Within two stanzas, the hymn had finished, and the pastor began his welcoming speech. Henry couldn’t help it. He peered over to where Brienne sat in the pew with Cal, Evan, and their families, as well as the new nameless stranger who’d entered the church a bit late. He sat immediately beside his wife. Both beamed, though they looked ahead and paid attention to the pastor as he introduced the choir and nodded toward Henry.
Mrs. Plum cleared her throat and turned the sheaves of paper to the right hymn. Henry read the notes and began to play, his heart sinking toward his stomach. Who was the man in the pew with Brienne? Why was she so happy to see him? The old feelings that Anna had left him with upon her betrayal began to creep up the back of Henry’s mind. He didn’t want to be betrayed like that again. He’d finally left Baltimore and decided to move on with his life in a new state. He didn’t want old problems to resurface. Brienne seemed close to the gentleman who sat next to her. Why hadn’t she married him?
His stomach twisted. He hardly knew his own wife. They had only known each other for a day. It wasn’t possible for him to become attached to her enough yet to become jealous. Perhaps the jealousy he felt was more for what could have been rather than for what actually was. In his imagination, Henry had already begun to consider Brienne his true wife even if their arrangement had been exclusively for convenience at first. The last thing he wanted to do was give up on their marriage. The music came to an end, and Henry peered back over at his wife. She seemed so happy to be with this new man. Henry’s curiosity was getting the better of him as he imagined who the man might possibly be.
But for the moment, he concentrated on the task at hand and played the music as needed throughout the service until it ended. The pastor came up to him to shake his hand and thank him personally for helping out after his wife’s injury. “I don’t know what we would have done without your lovely music today.”
Henry shook his head and bowed it slightly. “My playing was a bit rough but thank you for the kind words.”
“Not at all, you are too humble.” The pastor beamed and gestured toward the crowd of parishioners. “It seemed there was no better way to introduce you to the community than to show off your talents, though. I believe that there are several people wanting to meet you.”
Henry looked toward the crowd and saw the people were lined up with smiling faces, their gazes fixed on him. His eyes widened as the first couple stepped forward to shake his hand. The people gushed over him.
“You have a mighty fine talent for music.”
“Thank you so much for filling in today. You play beautifully.”
“You might even be better than Mrs. Plum.”
“I hope you’ll play again next week.”
“It’s lovely to meet you and have so much talent come to our small county.”
“Are you really Brienne Walsh’s husband?” one woman whispered to him as he shook her husband’s hand.
Henry eyed her for a moment with raised brow. Small towns like this tended to enjoy a good bit of gossip, and this woman seemed just the type to perpetuate rumors. He nodded and leaned in toward her. “I really am.”
She giggled like a school girl as her husband led her away.
And with thoughts of Brienne back in his mind, Henry peered over the remaining people around him and found his wife in a small group with the others who lived at the ranch as well as the young man who’d sat with them all during the service. Cal patted the man on the shoulder. That made Henry furrow his brow. Just who exactly was the gentleman anyway?
Once the last of the parishioners had shaken his hand, he hurried over to the others from Walsh Ranch. “Sorry that took a bit longer than expected.”
Brienne turned to him, the smile she’d had on throughout the service beaming upon him. Somehow, it made his heart soar and sink at the same time. She took hold of his elbow with excitement still on her features. “You must come and meet Edward. He’s just come back from attending a college up north in Pennsylvania at the University of Lewisburg. He’s now a doctor and returned to Plano to start a practice there. He just came by to see everyone in Collin County.”
Henry allowed Brienne to pull him closer to the others.
“Edward Redwood, this is Henry Miller, my husband.” She said it with such conviction, that it made Henry’s heart skip a beat. She’d always hesitated when introducing him in the past. Like a soothing balm, her introduction helped quiet the unrest that had been in him since the arrival of Edward to the church building.
A flicker of confusion distorted Edward’s features—surprise with the confusion. Then the gentleman schooled his expression and offered a hand. “A pleasure to meet you, sir. I didn’t know that Brienne had married.”
“A pleasure.” Henry gripped the offered hand and pumped it twice before
letting it go. “It’s only been a little over a month since the wedding.”
The gentleman blinked, those emotions returning and making his face more difficult to control.
Suspicion ran through Henry’s back. “You’ve been studying at the university in Pennsylvania? Does that mean you did not serve in the war?”
The man’s lips grew tight. “I served the Union as a trainee doctor, helping in the medical tents.”
Henry flexed his jaw as he clenched his teeth. He had little respect for the butchers in hospital tents. “What brings you back to Collin County?”
The tension left the man’s body as he peered at Henry’s wife with affection. “I had returned to my childhood friend with the hopes of earning her hand in marriage, but it seems I’m too late.”
Chapter 10
Brienne’s heart sank. Was Edward serious? He’d never shown her affection of the sort before he’d left for school. In fact, it had always been quite the opposite. He’d made it clear that he loved her as a sister and neighbor and friend but could never have the kind of affection for her to make her his wife. He’d attempted to court two other ladies during their school days, but their families were quick to reject him for his Yankee family ties. No one had been surprised when he’d moved up north to his grandparents to attend university. But this sudden confession caused nothing but confusion for her. Why would he even declare such a thing? He’d never even sent a single letter since he’d left four years ago.
Henry’s face darkened. She couldn’t help but wonder what he might be thinking.
Unsure how to respond, Brienne decided to make light of the situation. She laughed and waved her hand at Edward, dismissing his statement. “Oh, Edward. Always the joker.”
His ears tinted red, and Edward laughed with her, neither confirming nor denying the joke. But it made no difference, for the air was thick with awkwardness after the conversation. It wasn’t long before Georgia invited Edward to head back with them for dinner.
He shook his head. “Not today. I need to return to Plano for some business and a meeting in the morning. But if you’ll allow me to come for supper next Sunday evening, I’d love to return and catch up on all that’s happened since I’ve been gone.”
Georgia beamed. “Of course. That gives me enough time to prepare something truly special for you as well. It will be a pleasure to have you come next week.”
And with a bow, Edward said a few more pleasantries before making his exit. Brienne peered at Henry. The usual soft, jovial expression he’d had since she’d met him had slipped away from his face as he watched Edward leave. She leaned in toward him as they neared the wagon to head home. “I hope you didn’t take what Edward said too seriously, I’ve never known him to be serious about much, and might have said such a thing only to see if he could get a rise out of my husband since we are newly wed.”
At least when Henry returned to her again, a smile graced his face once more, though it seemed a bit tighter than usual. “It’s all right. I’m sure he’s kidding. And besides, it’s not as if we can’t get an annulment if either of us have regrets.”
Then he hauled himself up into the back of the wagon. Brienne’s heart sank. It was the first time either of them had mentioned such a thing. Had Henry been thinking that way the whole time? Butterflies filled her stomach. The last thing she needed was for Henry to change his mind. Watching him on the piano during the service had only solidified her fondness for him. Several of the women in Collin who’d yet to gain a husband had swooned over him as well. He’d made a favorable impression on the people of the county. Not that it was important to Brienne, but it still had made her feel better. Were her feelings premature? He’d been making her feel more comfortable with him, the more time that they spent together. With this new revelation, Brienne couldn’t help but feel sick. And then there was the loan at the bank to think about. She needed for this marriage to last at least until spring.
It was a selfish thought, but she couldn’t help but have it flutter to the forefront of her mind as she hauled herself into the back of the wagon and helped Mabel load the children. She could feel the distance growing between her and Henry, even though they sat near each other in the wagon as they rode back to the ranch. His expression was tighter, colder, and he didn’t seem to want to look at her. She hadn’t done anything untoward that she could think of to deserve his sudden turn of temper. If only she could think of something to say or do to make this right. But her mind did not cooperate. When they returned to the ranch, Henry hopped out first and then offered his hand, to her relief.
Though his face still had tightness around his eyes and lips, his brown eyes searched hers. They looked pained. He wasn’t angry. He was hurt. The look in his eyes made her breath hitch, and she misstepped while dismounting the wagon. With a cry, she fell forward. Henry’s grip on her hand tightened, and he pulled upward, his other arm catching her about the waist. He pulled her to him and held her tighter. His eyes remained fixed on hers while their faces remained close enough to each other that they shared breath. Her heart pounded against her chest. Her ears rang with the sound. Surely, he could hear it—feel it, since her chest pressed against his?
She’d never been this close to any man.
Henry’s eyes went wide as he released her. She stepped back to catch herself at the same time as Cal Junior tugged on her hand while he sat down on the edge of the wagon. “Can you help me down, Miss Brienne?”
She blinked and put her focus back on helping the children down from the wagon, as she did every Sunday. “You boys did very well with staying quiet in the church today.”
“I wanted to hear Mr. Henry play. It sounded much better than when Mrs. Plum plays.”
A smile tugged at her lip. “You shouldn’t say such things in the hearing of others. You might hurt someone’s feelings.”
“But it’s the truth.” The seven-year-old boy’s brow furrowed.
“Even if it’s the truth, there are times when speaking the truth can do more damage than good. Can you think of a way that telling Mrs. Plum that she doesn’t play as well as Henry would help her?” She glanced up at Henry while she spoke, finding his brown eyes still fixed intently upon her. He blinked and nodded to Cal Junior.
“She’s right. I haven’t heard Mrs. Plum play the piano, but I’m sure she tries her best. No one likes to hear that their best isn’t very good, do they?” Henry added, setting a hand on his young cousin’s shoulder.
The young boy stuck out his bottom lip as he considered what they both had said. Then he nodded. “All right. I understand.” And just as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he took off like a shot toward the house.
Cal had arrived to help Mabel down from the cart and then took three-year-old Joseph into his arms. Brienne had always felt that Cal had been a good father to the boys. For a split second her mind wandered, and she wondered if Henry would be a good father, too. She was sure he would be. But the stray thought made more heat run to her cheeks.
Without preamble, she stepped away from the cart, letting the autumn breeze blow against her and cool her face. She’d just imagined Henry, not just with his own child, but with her child—the child they would have together. Emotion filled her chest with tightness she hadn’t felt before. She’d never allowed herself to imagine having a child. She’d never thought that any man would find her an appealing woman to marry. Even now, Henry had stressed that their marriage had been a tenuous arrangement that could easily be dissolved. She needed to get it through her head that he couldn’t feel the same way about her as she was already beginning to feel for him.
Fisting her hands, she started toward the house, wanting to run, much like Cal Junior had.
Henry spent the next week trying to get to know his way around the ranch. He’d not ridden astride a horse more than a handful of times growing up. Cal taught him how to handle the horses and some of the regular chores around the ranch. At first, the work made the pain in his leg flare up and intensify after
ward. He had a hard time sleeping at night from the soreness, but he was determined to grin and bear through it as he didn’t want to feel useless around the farm. But then after the first three or four days, the aching subsided, and his leg grew stronger. The pain began to recede beyond what he’d been living with for the past two years. There were times that he would forget his cane as he walked across the house and found he was fine without it.
Perhaps staying at home in Baltimore and limiting his exercise had hurt his recovery rather than helping it. Or maybe he’d just needed to rest and heal to the point where he could start using his muscle again and work through the pain to become stronger. Either way, his quality of life was improving as well as his health, by just being around the lively ranch, working with animals and spending time with joyful people, like his uncle and his cousins.
With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair as he watched the moon rising in the east. Brienne had been too busy with work around the farm to spend much time with him. They saw each other at supper, but they hadn’t had a moment to talk privately since the first day of his arrival. He wondered if the woman was keeping her distance on purpose. It was possible that she’d had regrets since she’d seen Edward the previous Sunday. The thought of that squeezed his heart. He’d grown quickly fond of the woman on the first two days, and even though they hadn’t spent much time together alone, he’d seen her honest, joyful heart and the way that she seemed to have no guile in her. She suited him well because she was nothing like Anna, not in spite of it. And life on the ranch really suited him. Although he’d mentioned the possibility of annulment to Brienne after church and meeting Edward, Henry truly hoped that they could work together and make this arrangement work.
Dread settled over his shoulders like a blanket. Tomorrow was Sunday again. Edward had already threatened to return the week before and would likely make good on his word. The thought of it tugged Henry’s lips downward. He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. If Brienne would rather have married a different man, he could let her go. He hated the thought of another woman betraying him in such a way, but he couldn’t really fault her. She was nothing like Anna. Brienne had been desperate when she’d married Henry, and she’d never confessed that she’d loved him. It wasn’t her fault, only a bad situation. He picked up his pitcher to put water into his basin, so he could wash his face and hands before bed, but found the pitcher dry. His shoulders fell. He was already in his undershirt and didn’t want to go out into the hallway half-dressed. But he was being a bit too formal, was he not? The only two to ever come upstairs at this time of the evening were himself and Brienne. And it had been at least half an hour or so since he’d last heard movement from across the hall. She’d likely already gone to bed. He could easily slip down the hall and get some water for his pitcher from the bathing area. There was a large barrel there which Georgia and Cal filled in the mornings.