Hope Reborn (32 page)

  Finally arriving in Little Rock, Arkansas, he procured two rooms in a boarding house. Sure beat a night in the stage. He wanted to get there, so he could get home, but being stupid about it wouldn’t help.

The next evening in Memphis’s fancy hotel—the exact same one he and Sue spent their wedding night in, though he failed to mention that fact to May—once he finally got to lay it down for the night, his new wife surprised him. In a rather nice way.

She draped her housecoat over the side chair then slipped into bed and snuggled next to him. “I’ve decided I don’t want to go to North Carolina. We can go straight on to New York from here, should save us a few days.”

He rolled onto his side. “Why, I thought you wanted to show us Sea Side?”

She nodded then pressed her forehead against his chest. “I wanted to buy it back.” Though muffled a bit, her words were still understandable.

“Do you know the folks who bought it?”

She rose a bit, tears welling in her eyes. “No, but it doesn’t matter now.”

Women. Would he ever understand them?

“What’s wrong, May?”

“I don’t want to go anywhere near the place.” She sniffed. “I wanted to buy it, so I could burn it to the ground.” She sniffed again. “It was the commodore’s grand achievement, his pride and joy, and I wanted to destroy it, but now.…” She smiled and scooted closer and kissed him.

“Now what?”

Leaning back, she stared into his eyes. “I’ll let the Lord deal with him. I’ve got you and our babies and the best home anyone could ever want. Sea Side is just another plantation.”

“New York it is.” He kissed her back. What was it about this hotel? Maybe he should buy the place? But that thought vanished.

Oh, how he did love his new wife.

Love was on Mary Rachel’s mind the next morning. All night, she had waited for the big clock to strike three. Once it finally did, she slipped the saddle bags from under her bed and tiptoed down the stairs. With each step, her heart rate quickened until she reached her daddy’s library.

She almost knocked, so strong was her desire to follow his rules. But even stronger, her love for Caleb. He said he would come back for her if she didn’t want to go, and they could marry in two years. It sounded like a lifetime. Anything could happen in two years.

No, she’d decided for sure and for certain. She wanted him now.

Once inside, she silently closed the door then lit the lamp and eased into his room. Slowly she spun the dial on the safe in his oversized water closet. When the final number fell into place, and the handle unlatched the door, she remembered to breathe. Excellent, he hadn’t changed the combination.

She retrieved her strong box, slipped the key in, and pried the lid open. Right there exactly as she’d seen the last time, one hundred twenty dollar gold pieces. She carefully counted them out. Then there beneath the gold, bank notes lined the box’s bottom.

Where had those come from?

Pulling out the green backs, she counted them; five hundred and forty-two dollars. With no idea when Daddy had put that in there for her, she decided it made no difference. God sent the money knowing she’d need it. That would buy an extra ton of trade goods, if Caleb had it figured right.

Stuffed the bills and coins in the saddle bag, half on each side under what few clothes she’d managed to pack. Then on second thought, decided to put the bills in her stockings. Maybe she’d hang onto the notes as a reserve. Caleb already knew about the coins, but sure would be fun to be able to produce extra money if the need arose.

Carefully, she locked the safe back then headed to his desk and retrieved the Baby Paterson he kept just behind the middle drawer. Surely her daddy wouldn’t begrudge her the loan of some fire power, would he?

Should she leave a note?

With the pistol carefully stowed in the right hand side of the bag, and the lantern out, and her eyes well readjusted, she eased out the front door.

New Blue stretched and greeted her. She responded giving his ear a good rub then strolled around the house to the barn. He trotted beside her.

Enough moonlight to barely see by, she lit a candle in the barn then blew it out as soon as she’d found what she needed. Shortly, her daddy’s horse stood saddled and ready to go.

She led him to the far end of the barn then east, until out of earshot of the house. After only two tries, she got herself in the saddle.

“Go home, Newly! Go on.”

Been a long time since she sat a horse, but once she got her dress straightened out, she clucked him into an easy trot. Wouldn’t do to spend the animal without reason.

Always best to keep a little in reserve just in case something happened. Rose had taught her that. Goodness, what would she do if Indians stole her? Her heart beat a little faster, and she kept a steady scan on both sides of the pasture.

But nothing happened.

Just like she and Caleb had planned, she beat the stage to Titus’s Trading Post in Mount Pleasant. And of course, no problem; her father’s old friend would be more than happy taking care of The Black until someone came for him.

She hated lying, but no one needed to know her plans, not yet. Soon enough, she’d be Mis’ess Caleb Wheeler, and then, there would not be one thing anyone could do about it.

Praise the Lord that He arranged her Daddy going off to Europe right at the perfect time.

A part of her hated doing things this way, but he would never have agreed. And she could never have snuck off with him there either. Yes, sir, everything worked out just fine.

She couldn’t wait to get to Jefferson!

Caleb looked around the hotel room. All of his cousin’s things were packed in her bag. He extended his hand, Lanelle took it, and he pulled her to her feet. “You best get gone. Your ship’s going to sail without you.”

She put both hands on his chest then pecked him on his lips. “Let’s just wait and see if she’s on the stage first. No need to get all hasty.”

“She will be here, just like we planned.”

She kissed him again, this time with more passion. “You don’t know for sure. A thousand things could happen.”

“I do know.”

“How?”

“She loves me, and you should have seen the look in her eyes when I told her I’d come back in two years to marry her then if she’d wait for me.”

She backed away and glared. “Do you love her?”

“Some. Maybe a little.”

“And how’s your little plan going to work if she couldn’t get to her money, huh?”

“Then she can’t go, but she’ll have it, don’t you worry. All one hundred beautiful gold coins.”

“And when are you going to tell her that I’m coming along, too?”

He smiled. “I’ve thought about that. Not until after we’re married. Sometime between here and New Orleans I figured I’ll mention we’re meeting up with you.”

“I still can’t believe you’re marrying the little princess. And I don’t understand why you think it’s all necessary. We should forget about her once we have her money. That’s all we need to…”

He put a finger on her mouth. “No, we need her compliance; we need her in California, and there’s no way she’d make the trip with me without wearing my name. Quit fretting over it. John swears we can sell about anything a miner needs for five, six times what it’s going for here.”

“Sometimes my brother stretches the truth a little.”

“Sometimes a lot, but I’ve read the news coming out of California; and it’s true. There’s so much gold, the miners have gone plum crazy.” He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, Lanelle.”

She leaned back. “More than Miss Prissy Buckmeyer?”

“Of course, I’ve loved you forever.”

She glanced at the hotel bed. “Show me.”

Taking the train from Memphis to New York convinced Henry he needed to sell The Belle and buy a railroad, or at least some train stock. He still hated traveling, but trains beat stagecoach almost as much as stages beat wagons. New York proved to be nothing like he’d ever seen, a bit like New Orleans, but with more energy.

More dandies and ladies dashing about, bigger homes, nicer carriages, and fancier horses, too, except he still hadn’t ever seen one he’d trade The Black for. And May’s house—right there in the big middle of the biggest town in all of America—did more than amaze him. After such opulence, how could she…? He smiled at her. She was a different woman now.

Pleased him how the Lord had plucked her from the midst of all this and brought her all the way to Texas. And just for him because of His great love for Henry.

He loved how God did things. The Almighty knew exactly the kind of lady he needed, and bless His name, He’d helped her to open her heart, given her the will to accept the Lord’s salvation.

Thank you, Father, for keeping her pure and bringing her to me.

For the first three days in the big city, his new wife avoided going to her publisher’s building. She wanted to show him and the girls all the sights, take in a play on Broadway, eat in all her favorite restaurants, see it all first, then take care of her business. Least, that’s what she kept saying.

And there was some surprise she kept hinting at, but never came right out with what. Women—especially his new wife—remained such a conundrum. Nice in so many ways, but still, a mystery.

And he couldn’t be sure he’d ever be able to solve it either. Sure did love walking those busy boardwalks with her on his arm though.

On the fourth morning there, after his daily trip to the little bakery on the corner—he should have insisted Jewel and Chester come along—May sprung her surprise on him and caught him unaware.

She sat at her big desk, the one she’d written most of her novels on, grinning ear to ear.

He put the sack of sweets down, her obvious joy infectious. “What’s that all about?”

“You. Us. Me.” Her eyes sparkled, and if her grin got any bigger it might split her face right in two.

He laughed out loud. Couldn’t help himself. She was being so adorably cute. Then it hit him like a summer storm on the Texas prairie. “May? Are you?”

“Yes.” A lone tear rolled from her eye. The happiest little tear he’d ever seen. “I am.”

“For sure? You’re certain?”

“Yes, sir. Today is the second month I’ve missed and I never ever miss. I’m sure Houston’s not going to be the Buckmeyer baby anymore.”

In spite of his misgivings, he whooped. Running around the desk, pulled her to her feet and gently wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her from the floor and swung her around. “How wonderful. I love you so, Mis’ess Buckmeyer....”

She hugged him back, her face snuggled into his neck, his shirt soaking in the happy tears. “Thank you.”

He leaned back and smiled, a bit perplexed. “For what?”

“Everything. Just every single thing, but mostly for loving me and holding out until I found the Lord and for giving me this baby. Oh, Henry, my life is so perfect.”

“Yes, mine too. Praise God, isn’t He so good?”

“He is great. I can hardly believe He loves me so, I don’t deserve –”

He put his finger to her full lips again, then kissed them. The elation lasted all the way to Wall Street, then first thing after she introduced him and the girls to her all-business-looking boss, her editor handed him two telegrams. He quickly scanned them. One from Levi, the other, his daughter.

To: Henry Buckmeyer C/O May Meriwether Buckmeyer, 26 Wall Street, New York, New York

From: Mary Buckmeyer Wheeler

Daddy,

I am so sorry it had to be this way. Stop

Caleb said he’d wait, but I couldn’t stand letting him going by himself. Stop

We are going to seek our fortune in California. Stop

I love you and will write soon as we’re settled. Stop

He handed the telegram to May. She studied it a minute then passed it to Gwendolyn who read it with a sister leaning over on both sides.

“She’s married!” All three of his daughters looked up to him.

“Oh, dear. Henry, we can cancel the trip, head out to California instead, talk some sense into her.”

Almost numb, he weighed the situation. Her mother’s sin all over again. How could it be? He blew out all the stale air in his lungs then cleared his throat. “No, there’s nothing we can do now. They’re married.” He closed his eyes.

Bless her, Father. Keep her safe, return her to me.

Had the judge voiced a similar prayer when Sue ran off to Texas?

May placed her hand on his arm. “Are you sure, dear? We can go straight home if you want.”

The editor’s eyes flashed. “But, May, everything has–”

Shutting the man’s mouth with a look, he took his wife’s hand and glanced at his girls, who all still stared up at him. Gazing into the most beautiful, intriguing eyes he’d ever known, he decided.

“No. She’s made her choice. We’re going on.”

“Are you sure, my love?”

He nodded. “Mary Rachel has sown to the wind. Hopefully, she won’t reap the whirlwind.”

THE END