Counterfeit Courtship (21 page)

The place Ellie loved more than any other, the home where she felt comfortable and relaxed, where she'd spent happy childhood days—might have burned to the ground tonight. With no near neighbor to see the fire, her dear Magnolia Grove home would have been gone before help could come.

She ambled to the kitchen dependency and filled the coffeepot with water, then added grounds. It wouldn't be as good as Lilah May's or Miss Ophelia's, but making coffee was the least she could do for the men who'd saved her home.

After she served the workers, she made another pot, carried it to the front lawn, and sat next to Graham and Miss Ophelia in the dew-dampened grass. The torch one of the workers had brought from his cabin cast a pleasant glow on the lawn. She poured a cup for Graham and added a splash of cream as he liked it. Then she gave a heavily sweetened and creamed cup to Miss Ophelia and poured a sugary one for herself.

“I sent Sutton for Sheriff Tillman, and the men back to guard the cotton in the old church, in case the weasel had others working for him.” Graham took a long swig of his coffee.

“You're staying here?” Miss Ophelia asked, laying her hand over her huge yawn.

“For the rest of the night.”

“Can we sleep inside the house?”

“Too much smoke. The fire burned through the downstairs door and into the great hall. Fitzwald was trying to burn the house from the outside in.” His voice sounded husky, probably from breathing too much smoke himself.

“I'm glad you were here to take over. I couldn't have kept pumping water much longer.” Miss Ophelia's fatigue sounded thick in her voice.

“You were a hero as much as the men were, Miss Ophelia.” Ellie turned to Graham. “She not only pumped water, but she also rang the bell and fired Leonard's gun in the air to call you.”

Sugar ambled over and flopped down at the older woman's side. She scratched the dog behind the ears. “We're all heroes—especially Sugar.”

“She sure is. She stood here beside Fitzwald and made sure he didn't wake up and try to escape,” Graham said.

“Yes, and she did more than that. I saw the whole thing...”

As Miss Ophelia related the details of the evening, Ellie lay back in the grass as if she was a young girl again, without a care in the world. However, she wasn't. She was a grown woman with the cares of family and business on her shoulders. With the help of God and her friends and workers, she'd avoided this catastrophe. But now she had the added expense of repairs on the house, and she owed these men a bonus for their part in saving her home.

If only they could get rid of Leonard for good—

She cut off that thought, remembering how she'd felt when she thought she'd killed him. No, she didn't want that. All she wanted was for him to leave her alone. To go somewhere far away...

An idea hit her like a bucket of cold cistern water. “Graham, he'll go to jail, won't he?”

“Leonard? Of course, even with his political pull. That kerosene can has his name on it, and you and Aunt Ophelia both saw him set the fire.”

Her heart raced as fast as her mind. “Can he make me pay the note while he's in jail?”

Graham's head shot up and he hesitated a moment. “He can't initiate legal proceedings when you miss the payment, and he has no relative to do that for him. Joseph is still his attorney, but rest assured that he won't file the complaint.”

“That means I won't have to pay that loan until he gets out of jail.”

“If you have to pay it at all.”

That statement brought all kinds of possibilities to Ellie's mind...

Miss Ophelia made two attempts to get up off the ground before Graham had a chance to come to her aid. He hoisted her to her feet, and she patted her hair. “Everything's going to work out, dear. I think I'll retire to that rocker on the widow's walk where I had a nice nap this evening, before a rude person interrupted it.” She glowered at Leonard.

“Will you be all right by yourself, or shall I come with you?” Ellie asked, hoping she'd decline.

“I will chaperone this party from the rooftop.” She smiled and winked at Graham.

“I'll come up as soon as I've spoken to the sheriff, Miss Ophelia.”

Once they were alone, other than the unconscious Leonard, Graham reached for Ellie's hand. “You're free now. Your home and cotton are safe.”

“Do you think he was going to burn this cotton instead of stealing it?”

“I made a ruckus in town about the stolen crop, so Fitzwald probably thought he was less likely to get caught this way.”

Ellie couldn't help the prayer of thanks welling up in her heart. “What about the cotton in the abandoned house and the outbuildings?”

“All safe. He probably intended to torch the house and the outbuildings at Mill Creek Plantation next—if he knew you had some of your bales there.”

It was over. Leonard had no further hold over her—over them.

“Now that he's out of our lives, I need to ask you a question.” His voice thickened, as if her answer would matter even more than Leonard or the cotton. “Why did you refuse me eight years ago?”

She owed him an explanation. Pulling in a deep breath, she focused on the sight of the burned gallery and the smell of smoke and kerosene. “I've told you about my fear of not being able to feed a child. My mother used to beg for our food. Father was always off somewhere, gambling and drinking. And when Mother died, I was hungry for days. When the police finally found me and sent for my uncle to collect me, I decided I would never rely on a man to provide for me.”

“Not even me, Ellie? Have I ever let you down?”

“I thought I had to live as a spinster, never have a child I might not be able to feed. That's why I spent so much time learning from Uncle Amos. I knew it would be up to me to provide for myself—to run that plantation—when he was gone. And when he took ill, it was time for me to start. I did a good job until Leonard came home and called in that loan.” She sloshed some of the strong, almost thick coffee on her dress as she swirled it around the cup. “I admit that I still struggle with that.”

Graham took the cup from her and set it on the ground beside him. “You're saying you don't trust God to provide for you.”

“I can't see how the two are related.”

“Well, I can. You think this plantation can save you. And for some reason, you think you can't have both it and love. But that's wrong. You can have both.”

It made sense—in a way. Above all else, she did not want to be guilty of not trusting God. But now she could see Graham was right about that.
Forgive me, Lord. Help me to turn from that great sin.

But one thing still bothered her. “Miss Ophelia lost her plantation—and her home.”

“Yes, and unlike you, she did nothing to try to save them. But does she seem happy now? Does she like living with us?”

Ellie had to admit she did.

“Don't you see? She didn't give up anything. She hated living alone in that big house. The only time she was happy was when she was giving parties and having company. All my life I've heard her quote Luke 15. ‘Use your worldly wealth to gain friends.' That's what she did. And she's happy now because she feels we need her, which we do.”

Ellie could have it all—love and security? She ached to believe that.

The rattle of a wagon drew her attention to the drive. “The sheriff.”

With a grunt, Graham stood. “Sutton's riding behind him. Don't take your eye off Fitzwald while we talk to him.”

Ellie sighed but took Graham's hand and let him help her up. Although she could have done it as quickly herself.

Turning reluctantly to Leonard, she realized he could merely be pretending to be unconscious, lying there listening to them until he found an opportune time to escape.

Apparently he was, since he cursed and sputtered as Sheriff Tillman, Graham and Mister Sutton began tying his hands and feet. When they had him in the back of the wagon, Ellie gave the sheriff her story.

The sheriff frowned and shook his dark head. “In the morning, I'm going to remove your plantation from the sheriff's sale, Colonel. I have a feeling Mister Fitzwald won't have any political clout in this state after tonight. I'd sure like to see you pay the taxes and buy that place back.”

Graham gave him a half smile, half frown. “I'd like that too, but I can't because I haven't received my pardon. No buying, no selling of ground until that comes.”

Mister Sutton leaned against the side of the wagon, perhaps to rest his bad leg. “Well, since you're getting married soon, why not put the land in your wife's name? Wouldn't be the same, but it'd be better than not having it at all.”

“In Ellie's name—and plant it right away?” He looked off into the distance, toward Ashland Place. “I never heard a better idea.”

As the sheriff climbed into the driver's seat, Ellie turned to Graham, heavy loads lifted from her mind and heart. “He's right. Now that Leonard can't collect from me, I can pay the taxes and get your ground back for you.”

Watching the wagon pull away, Ellie gave thanks that she'd never again need to deal with Leonard. “Mister Sutton, you'll have a sizeable bonus tomorrow.”

“No, ma'am,” he said with his usual businesslike expression. “You've done more for us than I've done for you.”

“But you helped save my home, my cotton.”

“I did, but you helped save my daughter. That's not even close to a fair trade.” He tipped his hat as he mounted his horse. “We'll always be in your debt.”

As he rode down the drive, Ellie took in all Mister Sutton had said. He was right. A plantation was nothing compared to a child.

“Forgive me for speaking the obvious, Ellie,” Graham said, “but you gave Mrs. Sutton your last gold dollar in order to provide for her child. If you can do that, you'll always be able to provide for your own child. Even if you have to rely on others, as Mrs. Sutton did.”

He was right. She'd provided for little Annie—maybe even saved her life.

“You did it for love, and you received love in return. The Suttons would do anything for you now.”

Then the nearly full moon peeked out from the clouds, and its cool light cast a grim reality on the gallery and what could have happened that night. Graham extinguished the torch and they strolled into the backyard, away from the charred wood and heavy smell of smoke.

They stopped to sit on a bench under a crape myrtle, the moonlight now spilling out around them. Ellie arranged her skirts, then realized how silly that was, considering their wet, dirty condition.

“You're the most generous, loving person I know.” Graham took her hand and brushed his fingers over her wrist, his eyes a deeper green in the moonbeams. “That tender heart of yours is what made me fall in love with you.”

And she still loved him after all this time. Not merely with the love of her former days, a young love that longed for a life of fun and adventure with him. No, the years and hardships had aged and matured her feelings for Graham into a lasting devotion. A sweet blend of the joy of youth and the stability of years. “I've loved you since we met. Since long before that night. But...”

“What is it, Ellie?” He met her gaze, his heart in his eyes as she'd seen it all those years ago. “We've always been right for each other. We belong together.”

They did—he was right. “But what if I rely on you and something happens and I lose you—just as I did when my parents died?”

“Then you'll go back to the way you live now. You'll hold things together as you always have. And you'll have the memory of a happy life filled with love.”

He made it sound so simple. “If things turned out that way and we were together, I could still take care of the plantation?”

“Honey, it wouldn't work if you didn't. It doesn't have to be you providing or me providing. Why can't we be partners instead? Look how well we worked together tonight. Without both of us, this place would have burned to the ground. What's wrong with each of us doing what we do best?”

That made more sense than anything she'd ever imagined. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “That's a great plan.”

“I never thought I would find love again. How could I when I never stopped loving you?” She wasn't prepared for the emotion, the vulnerability, dawning in his eyes. “Maybe I'm fooling myself now, but I thought you might want to...”

“I do, Graham.” She laid her hand over his heart. “I always have.”

His heart pounded under her hand. “We complete each other, Ellie. You give me lightheartedness and fun. As long as we've been apart, I haven't had that.”

“And you bring me stability, solidness. I'm not as flighty as I used to be.”

“You're still flighty enough to be interesting.” He stood and plucked a white myrtle blossom from the tree. A full smile dimpled his cheeks as he handed the flower to her. “Will you marry me, Ellie? Right away?”

She took in his stunning eyes, his strong jaw. And now the dimples. He'd changed, as had she—and she found she liked it. Liked it a lot. She breathed in the bloom's scent. “I will. Right away.”

“Ellie, I'm a gentleman, and I've never broken a promise to a lady. But I'm breaking one now.”

Breathless, she slipped her hand onto his arm. “What promise?”

And then, with his tender touch sweeping away a tiny bit of her fear, he drew nearer. “To keep this courtship a counterfeit.”

Then she kissed him, but not a light, gentle kiss like he gave her in the great hall that evening. No, this was a kiss of commitment, of a deeper promise than she'd thought possible. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and felt him pull her closer. A man like Graham, needing her to complete him—the thought brought tears to her eyes. And she needed him too, more than she'd known before this moment.