Authors: Connie Mason
Casey’s last thought before embracing sleep was that he should have sold his soul to the Devil before accepting T.J. McAllister’s money.
Belle’s stomach rebelled the moment she lifted her head from the pillow. She was grateful for the slop jar tucked under the bed, for she wouldn’t have made it to the rather modern bathroom McAllister had installed in his mansion. She was still retching when Casey burst into the room. He had pulled on his pants but hadn’t taken the time to fasten them. They gaped open, revealing a tantalizing vee of crisp, dark hair.
“My God, I could hear you vomiting from my room next door.” He knelt beside her and held her
head as she continued to dry heave. “This is serious,” Casey said as he helped her back to bed. “Don’t move. I’m sending for the doctor immediately and for a maid to help you until he arrives.” He was through the door before she could form a reply.
The maid, a young girl with bouncy blond curls and pert features, stared at Belle with consternation. “What can I do to help, ma’am?”
“I’m feeling better,” Belle said. “I’d like to bathe before the doctor arrives.”
“Mr. Casey said you weren’t to get out of bed. I’ll bring water and towels and something to freshen your mouth.” Her blue eyes twinkled. “I’ve seen my ma and sister like this. In a month or two you’ll be right as rain.”
“What’s your name?” Belle asked, liking the little maid on sight.
“Betsy, ma’am. I’m new here. All the servants who worked for Mr. McAllister were let go except for Chen Lee, the cook.”
“How many servants are there, Betsy?”
“Let’s see now. There is Minnie the downstairs maid, Sally and Tia the kitchen helpers, and Pierson the butler. Wan Yo is acting as housekeeper until a proper one is hired. That’s all the servants except for Sterns, who lives in the carriage house and has charge of the carriage and animals. When you’re feeling yourself again you’ll meet them all.”
“I know, but right now I feel like I’ll never be up to meeting them,” Belle groused.
Betsy offered a shy smile as she stripped off Belle’s soiled nightgown and provided her with a clean one. “I’ve never been married, but it must feel
wonderful to be giving a fine man like Mr. Casey a child.”
Belle wondered if the entire household knew she was increasing. Did Casey suspect? She supposed not since he would have said something. Her thoughts scattered when Casey entered the room with Doctor Peabody.
Doctor Peabody smiled benignly down on Belle, took her wrist out of habit, and checked her pulse. “Your husband tells me you’ve been ill. Got me out of bed and rushed me here without my breakfast.”
“I’m sorry,” Belle whispered contritely. “It’s really nothing.” Having a child was nothing unusual. She’d had Tommy and survived.
“Don’t listen to her, Doctor,” Casey countered. “She’s been vomiting regularly. Food doesn’t agree with her. She assumed jail fare was the culprit, but I think it’s more serious than that.”
Casey thought he heard the doctor chuckle but couldn’t be sure. He frowned. This was no laughing matter. “What could be wrong, doctor?”
“I won’t know until I examine your wife, Mr. Walker. And I can’t do that until you leave me alone with my patient.”
Casey sent a lingering glance at Belle then reluctantly left the room. But he didn’t go far. He paced the narrow hallway just outside the closed door.
Doctor Peabody pulled a chair up beside the bed and studied Belle’s wan features. “Well, my dear, let’s see what ails you, shall we? Tell me your symptoms.”
“I know what ails me, Doctor. I’m expecting a child. The symptoms were all there for me to recognize.”
Doctor Peabody gazed at her from beneath bushy gray eyebrows and cleared his throat nosily. “I never believed you killed your father-in-law. I’ve known you a long time, Belle, and you’ve been a gentle and loving young woman. I’m happy to see you married to a good man again. Mr. Walker will make a fine father for Tommy and the new babe. Now, about those symptoms, why don’t you tell me about them?”
Belle spoke in hushed tones, recounting the numerous times in the past few weeks she had been ill in the mornings and lost her breakfast. After a few more pointed questions and an embarrassing examination, Doctor Peabody confirmed Belle’s suspicions.
“Two months along, is my guess,” the doctor said, snapping his bag shut. “I’ll leave a bottle of tonic to build up your strength until the nausea abates. Once it passes I predict you’ll be eating everything in sight, and when it’s time you’ll deliver a healthy baby.”
Suddenly Belle burst into tears. “I can’t have this baby, Doctor.”
“There, there, my dear. You’re clearly distraught. It’s not as bad as all that. I understand your fear. You’ve only been married a short time, but you aren’t the first woman to bear her husband a child in seven months or less. You
are
married and that’s all that counts. I’d best be on my way, I’ve got sick patients to see.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d let me tell my husband in my own way,” Belle said on a tremulous sigh.
She wondered how she was going to apprise Casey of his impending fatherhood and if he would
accept it. They hadn’t discussed children since theirs wasn’t a normal marriage, and she worried excessively about his response. He seemed fond of Tommy. Perhaps she should take it as a sign that he wanted children of his own.
Maybe she shouldn’t tell him, Belle considered. Once he returned to the Pinkerton Agency he’d probably forget all about her. She’d already told Casey she didn’t want to continue this marriage but he hadn’t seemed impressed by her declaration. Damn his guilty conscience. Pity and guilt were no substitute for love. She didn’t want a man who didn’t love her.
Doctor Peabody bustled through the bedroom door, nearly colliding with Casey, who was still pacing the hallway. Casey stopped abruptly and barred the doctor’s way.
“Well? How is my wife? Is her illness serious? Whatever it takes, I want her cured.”
This time there was no mistaking the doctor’s throaty chuckle. “It’s out of my hands, Mr. Walker.”
Casey felt the blood drain from his face. “Are you saying … ? No! She’s too young!”
“Now, now, don’t get excited. Your wife isn’t going to die. She’ll be right as rain in a few months. She wanted to be the one to tell you.” He tried to walk around Casey, but Casey was having none of it.
He grasped the doctor by the collar and pulled him back. “Oh, no you don’t! Tell me what’s wrong with my wife and tell me now.”
Doctor Peabody threw up his hands in defeat. “You’re a determined man, Mr. Walker. Very well,
but you must promise not to tell your wife I told you. It always spoils the surprise and it’s more personal coming from the wife.”
“What in the hell are you talking about? Just tell me what’s wrong with Belle.”
“You’re going to be a father, Mr. Walker. In something less than seven months. But remember,” he said, wagging his finger in warning, “you didn’t hear it from me. Just make sure your wife takes her tonic.”
Dazed, Casey leaned against the wall and took several deep breaths. A father! He’d often thought about having children of his own, but had never met a woman he cared enough about to marry. Until Belle. He wondered how she felt about bearing his child. Was she happy? Somehow he doubted it. At least now there was no question over ending their marriage.
Casey never thought he could feel this happy about anything. He couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off his face. It just grew wider.
“You seem mighty happy for someone with a sick wife, brother,” Mark accused. He had seen the doctor leave and had taken the steps two at a time, anxious to learn from Casey the outcome of the doctor’s visit.
Casey could not stop grinning. “I’m about as happy as a man could be right now, brother. I’m going to be a father.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. I always said you were a lucky stiff. You didn’t waste any time getting Belle with child. Kind of anticipated the wedding night, didn’t you?” His mischievous grin was infectious, and Casey threw back his head and laughed.
“It doesn’t matter when we had our wedding
night as long as a wedding followed. I just hope Belle is as thrilled as I am.” He looked at the closed bedroom door with trepidation. “Wish me luck, brother.”
“You have it but you won’t need it. Go to your wife.”
Belle couldn’t stop crying. A baby. She couldn’t have a baby, not now. She had scant moments left in which to decide whether or not to tell Casey. She could probably keep her secret for another few months, plenty of time for Casey to grow weary of playing at being a husband and move on. She expected him to move on anyway. It was the way men operated. Belle’s dismal thoughts ended the moment Casey walked through the bedroom door.
Casey sat down on the edge of the bed and clasped Belle’s hand, his face carefully composed. The doctor had warned him not to spoil the surprise and he wasn’t going to, even if he had to bite his tongue to contain his happiness.
“How are you feeling, love?”
In that split second Belle made a decision, unwise though it might be. “Did Doctor Peabody say anything to you?” Casey shook his head in a negative manner. “He said I was suffering from stress and exhaustion,” Belle lied. “I should be fine in a few days so you have nothing to worry about.”
Casey stared at her through narrowed lids. “Are you sure that’s all?”
She forced a smile. “Of course. Why would I lie?”
“Why indeed? Your eyes are red, have you been crying?”
“I suppose. It’s a natural reaction to all that’s happened to me.”
Why was she lying? Casey wondered. Her tears clearly weren’t tears of joy. The next thought struck him forcefully and he reeled back in dismay. Belle might as well have thrust a sword into this heart. She didn’t want his child. She needed time to come to grips with the fact that she was pregnant. He wanted to throw her lie back in her face, but decided to play out her little game to the bitter end. How long did she expect to continue this charade? Sooner or later nature would reveal her condition.
Casey was angry and hurt. Everything he’d done in the past several weeks had been for Belle’s and Tommy’s sake. He’d put his entire life on hold while he searched for McAllister’s murderer. He had given Belle his name and pledged his protection, did she expect him to leave just because she thought she no longer needed him? Evidently that’s exactly what she expected. If Belle wanted to play games he would play along as long as it suited him. But the first time she did anything to harm his child the game ended.
“Rest as long as you like, Belle. That’s the best medicine, I suppose. And take the tonic the doctor left. It’s supposed to build your strength. If you need me I’ll be at the winery. I haven’t had time to go out there yet and it’s been more or less running without leadership. The manager is a good man, I understand, but even he needs direction. The trustees of the estate placed me in charge of Tommy’s holdings until he reaches his majority, and I’m not going to let them deteriorate for lack of attention.”
Belle breathed a sigh of relief. Casey believed her. She would wait and see how long he stuck around before deciding if and when to tell him about the baby. Time would tell.
“Casey, before you leave, have you given any thought to what I said last night about Harry Hopkins?”
“If you’re referring to the fact that you don’t believe he’s guilty, as far as I’m concerned the right man is in jail.” He bent down and brushed a cool kiss across her lips. It was difficult to forget that Belle had been crying over an unwanted pregnancy. And even harder to reconcile to the fact that she had deliberately denied being pregnant.
The coolness of Casey’s kiss lingered on her lips and Belle compared it to the heated, passionate kisses they had shared last night. Was he cooling to her already? Perhaps it was best that it happened now, before she learned to love him more than she did already did. If that were possible.
Belle felt so much better that she was up and dressed when Wan Yo brought Tommy home later that morning. Their reunion was poignant, tender, and exuberant. Tommy clung to his mother with a desperation that brought tears to Belle’s eyes. Everything, it seemed, brought tears to her eyes these days. It was a very long time before Belle could convince her small son that she would never leave him again. Once convinced, he allowed Wan Yo to lead him off to play.
Belle was exploring the house that was now her home when Naomi arrived. She appeared in a state of agitation, obviously upset over something. Naomi hugged Belle tightly, then congratulated her heartily.
“Thank God you had the good sense to marry Casey,” Naomi said as she sank into the nearest chair. “If not for him you’d still be in jail. The man
cares for you a great deal, Belle. And for Tommy, too.”
Belle perched on the edge of the sofa, her face a study of contradictions. “Casey was driven by guilt, not love for me or Tommy.”
“For God’s sake, Belle, give the man some credit. He worked tirelessly in your behalf. He’s your husband, do you feel nothing for him? This marriage could be a good one if you let it.”
Belle stared down at her hands. “I doubt that Casey will be around long enough to develop lasting attachments.”
“Still don’t trust him, huh? Are you sleeping with him?” Naomi asked bluntly. Belle’s flaming cheeks was all the answer Naomi needed. “You can’t fool me, honey. I know you. You wouldn’t bed any man unless you loved him. Does Casey know you love him?”
Belle’s head shot up sharply. “No! And don’t you dare tell him. I don’t want his pity. I’ve got everything I need right here. Tommy, a house, and money.” Instinctively her hand splayed over her stomach, arousing Naomi’s curiosity.
“Is there something you’re not telling me, honey?”
Belle looked startled. “No, nothing.” Her answer came quickly, too quickly, Naomi thought. “Well, there is one thing that bothers me, Naomi. I don’t think Harry Hopkins killed McAllister. Casey thinks I’ve lost my mind but I can’t help feeling as I do. I … I’m going to visit Mr. Hopkins in jail today. Maybe he’ll tell me the truth. I met him before, you know. He seemed such a kindly man.”
“Don’t rock the boat, honey,” Naomi advised. “The man confessed, what more do you want?”