Seven Brides - Fern Part 40

"So you really are going to marry that Sproull woman."

Madison ignored his own anger. He was going to have to spend a lot of time explaining and defending Fern. It wouldn't do either of them any good if he got angry every time someone said something he didn't like.

"If she'll have me."

Fury smoldered in Jeff's eyes and caused his jaw to clench. "I don't suppose it makes any difference that her father was a Jayhawk, not after you spent half the war in the bosom of the Yankees."

"Jeff still likes to fight the war," Hen said, the acid of dislike in his voice. "It gives him something to do when he gets tired of feeling sorry for himself."

"Hen." It was George, and his frown of disapproval couldn't be ignored.

"Well, I get tired of hearing the same thing over and over again," Hen said. "You'd think Rose's being the best thing that ever happened to this family would be enough to shut him up."

Hen got up and stalked away.

"Jeff . . ." George began. "I know. I know," Jeff said, some of his bristling hostility easing now that Hen was gone. I should let the war die. We should try to heal our wounds. But how the h.e.l.l am I supposed to do that with everybody marrying Yankees? Why can't one of you fall in love with a Southern woman?"

"Why don't you?" Madison asked.

"What woman would want a man with only one arm?" Jeff asked. "I'd rather remain single than have a wife who feels sorry for me."

George changed the subject. "Where do you and Fern plan to live?" he asked Madison.

"Boston."

"What's she going to do with her farm? You know she owns half the county, don't you? And the best half at that."

"I want her to sell it."

"How does Fern feel about moving to Boston?"

"Exactly how you'd expect. She's petrified."

"Are you going to make her go?"

"Not if she doesn't want to."

"What will you do?"

Madison would have preferred that George hadn't asked him that, at least not in front of Jeff. He certainly wasn't comfortable discussing his most personal concerns in front of his brother, especially since Jeff disapproved of his bride even more than he disapproved of Madison.

"I'm not sure yet, but I've been talking to Freddy about opening a branch of the firm out here."

"Where?"

"Chicago. New Orleans. Maybe St. Louis or Kansas City."

"Could you be happy living so far away from Boston and New York?"

"I'd be a h.e.l.l of a lot unhappier living in Boston without Fern," Madison said, his temper short. "There are trains, George. I can be in New York in a matter of hours."

"Have you ever considered helping her run her farm?"

"Yes," Madison answered, stunning both his brothers. "But though the idea of working out here has a strong appeal, I don't see myself as a farmer. Besides, I still like Boston. Maybe I ought to look for a place that's half city, half wilderness." He grinned. "What about Chicago?"

Madison didn't tell his brothers that he'd been thinking about this for some time now. His career wasn't tied to Boston. He didn't owe Freddy and Samantha the rest of his life.

Neither did he say he'd been wondering if the tightly knit, well-ordered Virginia society hadn't strangled their father. He might have lived an ordinary, possibly even a praiseworthy, life if he'd been born in the West.

"Would you consider working for us?" George asked.

Madison's eyes narrowed. "What are you proposing?" He was aware that Jeff had tensed alarmingly.

"Jeff doesn't like all this traveling. He'd like to settle in Denver. I thought you might be willing to take over part of his job."

Madison was relieved to see Jeff relax. If he hadn't, Madison wouldn't have considered George's offer, not for a minute.

"Are you saying you want me to be part of the family?"

"Isn't that why you came back?"

"In part. Mostly," Madison admitted reluctantly, "but I don't want to take away Jeff's job."

"I don't like meeting people any more than I have to,'' Jeff said. He raised his stump as though it were all the explanation needed.

"How are the twins going to feel?"

George motioned Hen to rejoin them. "What would you think about asking Madison to work for the family?"

"I thought you already had," Hen said.

"What do you think?" Madison asked. He was going to get an answer from Hen one way or the other.

"I'm not marrying you," Hen said. I probably won't even see you more than a couple of times a year.

"That's not what I'm asking," Madison said.

"I'd rather have you here than in Boston," Hen said before turning away.

"That's as much of an invitation as you're likely to get from Hen," George said. "What do you think about it?"

"I'll have to talk it over with Fern, but I think it would be better if I kept on working for Freddy. I could gradually start working for the family as well," Madison explained when George started to object. "I'm a very expensive person. I don't think the family could afford me just yet."

"Then it'll be your job to make us rich enough so we can."

"I'm pretty good, but I'm not Midas," Madison said.

"Don't worry. George is," Jeff said. "Everything he touches turns to gold."

"If we had that payroll Pa is supposed to have stolen, none of us would have to work anymore," George said.

"Is there any way we can stop that story?" Madison asked. "I don't want to have to keep getting Hen out of jail." "I doubt it. People will always prefer to believe they can find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow rather than have to work for it."

But Madison knew he'd found his pot of gold in Fern. He could hardly wait to get home. He was also anxious to become part of his family again. He couldn't believe how good it felt just to be sitting with his brothers. Even with the tensions that still remained, he felt he had come home.

"I'm going to move to the farm," Fern announced. She and Rose were sitting at breakfast. She hadn't gone to sleep again that night. She sat up till dawn trying to figure out why Sam Belton had killed Troy.

And she did believe Sam Belton was the murderer. Using bits of information she'd gleaned from Madison and what she knew of Troy, she'd pieced together what she thought had happened.

I thought you were going to stay with us until Madison returned," Rose said. She had been helping William Henry eat his breakfast, but now she let him feed himself. "Madison gave me strict orders not to let you out of my sight."

"I know. He told me the same thing, but I really must get back. I've been here too long."

"You know I enjoy having you. Even William Henry asks about you when you're away."

"I'll miss both of you, but I've got to go."

Rose subjected Fern to a searching look. Fern hated it when that happened. Rose could always discover the very thing she most wanted to keep secret.

"Does it have anything to do with trying to figure out who attacked you?"

"Yes."

"Do you know who it was?" "Sam Belton."

Rose sat very still for a moment. "Are you sure?"

"As certain as I can be."

"Does he know you know?"

"No."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I don't know."

"How can you be sure he's the man?"

"I wasn't at first. It was dark, and I was too surprised and frightened to think about trying to get a look at his face. I didn't even think about him again because Troy told me Belton had left Kansas and would never come back.

"At Mrs. McCoy's party I saw a man I'd seen once but never talked to. I couldn't figure out why it made me uneasy to talk to him.

"When the man attacked me, he talked the whole time in a soft, whispery voice. He kept telling me how pretty I was, how he liked each part of my body, what he was going to do to me. It was so horrible I shut it out of my mind. I guess hearing his voice dredged it up again. Every time I had the dream, I could hear him more clearly. Last night I knew it was the voice of the man at the party."

"I think you ought to wait until George and Madison return," Rose said. "You have no proof. If he's an important man, I doubt anyone would believe you."

"They wouldn't believe me even if he were a buffalo skinner," Fern said angrily, "but I know he's the man who tried to rape me. I'm also convinced he murdered Troy."

"If that's true, it makes him even more dangerous," Rose said. "Will you be safe at the farm?"

"Safer than here in Abilene. I'm afraid I couldn't meet him without giving myself away."

"Okay, if that's what you think is best," Rose said, "but I want to hear from you every day. And don't give me the excuse that you were too busy or forgot. If I don't hear from you, I'm coming out to the farm."

"Don't you dare,!" Fern exclaimed. "You'd have that baby before you got there."

"Then you remember that. If I find myself delivering what I'm convinced is going to be another male Randolph behind a clump of brush, it'll be your fault."

Rose stopped outside the land office to catch her breath. It was getting more and more difficult to carry her swollen body from Mrs. Abbott's to the center of town. She settled onto a bench and patted the seat next to her for William Henry to sit down.

She guessed she would have to give up her walks until after the baby came, but she hated to think of being cooped up inside the house all day. She didn't think she could stand that much of Mrs. Abbott's chatter. Besides, William Henry looked forward to their walks. He was a good child, but he needed to get out as well. He had grown up with over sixty thousand acres for his back yard and five uncles and a full crew for his playmates.

Here he was confined to a town lot and Ed. Rose found herself looking forward to being home again. The s.p.a.cious home that George had built after the McClendons burned their dog trot would be a welcome relief from the cramped quarters of Mrs. Abbott's house.

"Are you all right, ma'am?" The man had come up to Rose without her being aware of it.

"I'm just a little winded," she said. "I'll be fine if I just sit here for a few minutes."

"Are you certain? I could send for a buggy to take you home." "Would you mind?" Rose asked, grateful she wouldn't have to walk back. The way she felt now, she wasn't sure she would make it.

"I'll be back in a minute," the man said and disappeared inside the land office. He returned shortly. "It'll be here soon."

I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," Rose said, turning so she could see him. I feel terribly foolish."

"It's perfectly all right."

I know you're thinking a woman in my condition shouldn't be out, and you're right. I just get so tired of staying at home. And William Henry enjoys the walk too."

"He's a very handsome young man," the man said. "I'm sure you're very proud of him."

"Haven't I met you somewhere before?" Rose said. I can't recall your name, but your face seems familiar."

"I'm Sam Belton. We weren't introduced, but you probably saw me at the McCoys' party several nights ago."

Rose prayed her face didn't show the shock she felt at coming face to face with the man Fern suspected of murder and attempted rape. "That's where it was," she said, forcing herself to smile. "I should have remembered."

"You didn't have much time to look around. You were occupied with two of the most beautiful women Abilene has ever seen," Sam said, "certainly at one party."

"Yes, there were a lot of introductions to be made."

Rose felt a powerful need to get away from this man. She glanced up the street, hoping to see the carriage, but there was no vehicle in sight.

"I understand Miss Sproull is going to marry your brother-in-law," Belton said. "Surely she won't want the worry of such a large farm if she's moving to Boston. Is she interested in selling?"

Rose willed herself to an appearance of outward calm. There was nothing unusual in Belton's questions. It was vital that she do nothing to make him suspicious.

I don't know," Rose answered noncommittally, determined not to let Belton know Fern's whereabouts. "You'll have to ask her."