A wicked grin lit up her face. “And as your cousin has reminded us, we haven’t had our wedding night yet. Besides, you did promise to kiss me soundly each morning when I wake.”
“Yes. Yes I did. And I can’t very well do that if you are in town and I am at Oak Hill. It just isn’t a way to start a marriage.”
He slowed their pace and turned to face her. “However, as much as I detest the idea of being apart from you, I can wait for our wedding night, if we must. And I can stay at Oak Hill alone tonight if you desire. But if we stay apart I promise to arrive early to keep my word and to bring you home to Oak Hill.”
She smiled. “Darling, there is no need for us to stay apart. I want to be with you tonight and I can bear to be away from Lucas another night to ensure he’s safe from Delaney. I will ask Aunt Josephine to bring him out tomorrow. Besides, we will need time to prepare him a room before he arrives.”
Jared cupped her cheek in his hand. “The nursery is already furnished. It only needs to be cleaned, and I’ll set Mary on it first thing tomorrow, but I think you will find it sufficient for his needs.”
Rebecca blinked and her green eyes glistened. “Oh Jared. The room that was meant for your son? Are you sure you want my Lucas to have it?”
“Our Lucas,” he corrected.
Her eyelids fluttered and a lone tear rolled down her cheeks. “Our Lucas,” she whispered. “I like the sound of that.”
“For now and for always.”
She nodded and he brushed his lips against hers, not caring who might see them. They were married now.
They began walking again. “It’s such a beautiful evening. I wonder what your aunt will say about our news.”
Rebecca laughed softly. “She’ll be pleased. She thought we were eloping and that was the reason behind my going to Memphis so suddenly anyway. I assured her it wasn’t, but you changed that.”
“I’m glad I did.”
It wasn’t long before the Bakersfield Hotel came into view. From behind the doors, gay music could be heard. “They must be having another extravaganza in the dining room,” Rebecca said. “I wonder what the theme is tonight. Aunt Josephine and Doctor Gordon went to Italian night together.”
Jared smiled, recalling the morning after Mrs. Paxton gave birth and the good doctor and Miss Davis drinking coffee at his table. Rebecca had confided in him that the pair had been flirting. “Do they spend much time together?”
Rebecca nodded. “They meet at the corner every day and walk to noon Mass together. They’re both devout Catholics.”
He slowed again, considering her words. “And being such a devout Catholic do you suppose she will mind that we were not married by a priest?”
“We were married by Parson Ben. She will not mind one bit about that.”
As they drew closer to the music, laughter and voices could be heard. Rebecca squeezed his arm. “It definitely sounds like a party.”
Jared pointed at the carriage. “That’s Mitchell’s. Do you suppose he and Elizabeth have returned from their honeymoon tour and have come to call on you?”
“Now
she’ll
be the one cross with us for eloping.” Rebecca picked up the skirts of her dress and hurried up the steps into the hotel lobby. Jared followed.
“Ah, Miss Davis. It’s so good to have you return. You have been missed.”
“Thank you.” The clerk’s greeting surprised her. “Is my aunt in?”
“I believe she is in the dining room with a few other guests.”
“Thank you.” Rebecca turned to Jared and held out her hand. “Shall we go in?”
He took it and felt her hand tremble. He squeezed it to reassure her, but her cheeks paled and she bit her lower lip. Where had the strong woman he knew gone to so quickly? Was she suddenly afraid of her aunt or Elizabeth’s reaction?
As they walked into the room, he spotted Mitchell and Elizabeth seated at a large table with her family and Doctor Gordon, Miss Davis and Charlotte holding Lucas.
“Miss Rebecca!” Charlotte exclaimed. The music stopped and the chatter ended as the people turned to look at them.
Josephine rushed to hug Rebecca. “I’m so glad you are here,” she exclaimed. “I have so much to tell you.”
Rebecca returned her embrace. “I’m glad to be home. I have something to tell you as well.”
Josephine stepped back and looked at Jared. “Mr. Hollingsworth? What brings you here tonight?”
He bowed. “Miss Davis.”
“What do you have to tell me?” Josephine asked, glancing back to her niece.
Rebecca took Jared’s hand again. “We’re married.”
Josephine clapped her hands together, smiling as tears ran down her cheeks. “How wonderful. Simply wonderful news.” She turned toward the group of people. “Ancil darling, did you hear? My Rebecca and Mr. Hollingsworth have eloped.”
Elizabeth squealed and rushed across the room pulling Mitchell behind her. “Eloped? But I had hoped to plan your wedding.”
“Don’t be too upset. We didn’t want to wait,” Rebecca explained. “I’m so glad you’ve returned.
Mitchell shook Jared’s hand. “Congratulations. I heard in town that you found Rory.”
Jared nodded. “Yes and he’s taken care of that matter I spoke to you about.”
“Excellent news. So there was no need to…” Mitchell glanced at Rebecca and smiled. “Yet you did anyway?”
“Did what anyway, darling?” she asked, slipping her arm around his waist.
Jared lovingly glanced down at her and caressed her cheek. “Marry again.”
A chill ran down her spine. Had Mitchell wanted him to marry for the dowry a new wife could bring? She swallowed hard and tilted her head, recalling the carriage ride when he’d first asked her to marry him. He’d told her about how Oak Hill was in ruin and how he had no right to ask her to marry him until he could save the plantation. Thankfully that hadn’t been needed. He’d wanted her regardless of the security her dowry could bring him, even if she had offered to cover Rory’s markers if necessary.
“Yes, Rory is paying his debt to Delaney and Oak Hill will be safe once again,” she said.
Josephine’s happy expression vanished. “Did you say Delaney?”
“Yes, but don’t worry. Jared and I married to give our son protection.”
“Your son?” Josephine’s eyes widened and pulled Rebecca further away from the others. “So you told him? He knows about Mariah?”
Rebecca nodded. “I had no other choice after Delaney mistook me for her. I never thought we looked much alike as sisters. Nothing like Jared and Rory do as cousins, but Delaney saw it.”
Doctor Gordon left the table and joined them. “Congratulations, Rebecca. I know you and Jared will be most happy together.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Rebecca looked past him to where Charlotte stood bouncing Lucas. “How’s my boy been while I’ve been gone?”
“Perfect. He’s been absolutely perfect.” Josephine looked over at him too. “There’s something I need to tell you Rebecca. Can Ancil and I steal you away from the party for a few moments?”
Her aunt had called the doctor by his Christian name twice that evening without blinking an eye. The doctor had also looked at her aunt fondly. Both looked utterly happy together and Rebecca began to wonder what had transpired in her absence. “Certainly. Let me tell Jared…”
“Perhaps he should come too,” Doctor Gordon suggested, slipping his arm around Josephine’s waist.
Rebecca noticed his action and she bit back a smile, wondering what they wanted to speak to her about.
Josephine nodded. “Yes, please ask him to join us upstairs in our suite.”
“If you like. We’ll be right up.” Rebecca waited until the pair left and went to speak to Jared. They made their apologies to Elizabeth and Mitchell before leaving the dining room.
Upstairs Rebecca found her aunt pacing while Doctor Gordon begged her to sit down beside him. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
Doctor Gordon stood and went to stand beside Josephine. “First off, your aunt and I have news of our own to share, Rebecca. I’ve asked her to marry me and she has agreed.”
“Married?” Rebecca gasped. “You’re getting married? Oh Aunt Josephine I couldn’t have hoped for better news. But what is wrong? Why are you so nervous?”
“Congratulations to you both,” Jared said.
“Thank you,” Doctor Gordon replied, leading Josephine to the sofa. “Sit, dearest,” he said gently. “You’re going to wear yourself out.”
She sat, but fidgeted, bunching the material of her skirt with her hand. She shook her head before she finally spoke. “I beg you to forgive me, Rebecca. I beg you to forgive me for what I’m about to tell you.”
Rebecca went to the fainting couch and sat on the edge. Jared moved to stand behind her. “What could you have possibly done that you should beg my forgiveness?”
Tears running down her face, Josephine took a deep breath. “There is something you need to know about Mariah. There is no easy way to say it other than to be blunt. She wasn’t really your sister. Your parents weren’t her parents. She…she was my…daughter. Your parents agreed to take her as their own since I was unwed and alone. They raised her and only gave her back to my care when they died. Yet I failed her again. I wasn’t able to protect her from the likes of Stuart Delaney. I blamed myself. I blamed her, but mostly I blamed me for my weakness.”
“No.” Rebecca shook her head. “This can’t be true. I remember when—”
“It is true, dear.” Josephine cut her off and took another jagged breath. “We were in Europe and you were very young.”
“I remember.” Rebecca stood. “But you blamed Mariah for Delaney. You were so cruel to her. If she were your daughter how could you—”
“Yes. Yes I did. I blamed her for being so foolish that she found herself pregnant and alone just like I did. My Charles took ill and died, but I was still alone and unwed. I sinned and I was punished for my transgression. And in the end I lost my Mariah just like I lost my Charles.”
A heavy silence fell over the room and no one moved or spoke for several long minutes. Finally, Josephine smoothed the wrinkles from her dress. “I can’t change the past. I tried so many years to atone for my transgression. I threw myself into work for the church. But it didn’t cover the sin I had committed. I still carried the guilt inside me until I allowed myself to love again.”
Rebecca slowly sat down again.
“And the hardest part of confessing my past to you is now I find myself wanting Lucas. I want to raise him as my own, but I know I can’t. I have no right to him. He’s yours. You’ve cared and loved him from the day he was born.”
Rebecca swallowed, unable to take her eyes off Josephine. It was several long moments before she was able to respond. “This explains so much. I can understand why you said the things you did about Mariah dying for the sin committed. You weren’t talking about hers, but yours. Don’t you think you’ve punished yourself enough? You were young and in love.”
Josephine broke down crying. “You don’t hate me?”
“How could I hate you?” Rebecca went to Josephine and knelt before her. She hugged her.
“Not even for my wanting Lucas?”
“Not even Lucas.” Rebecca took the handkerchief Doctor Gordon offered and dried Josephine’s face. “He’s your grandson and I understand you wanting him with you now. Just because he will be living with me and Jared at Oak Hill doesn’t mean you can’t visit him or he visit you when he’s older. He needs grandparents as much as parents.”
Josephine gave her a wan smile. “I didn’t think you’d give him up and I didn’t want to ask you to either. I never expected to feel anything for him like I do.”
The suite door opened and Charlotte came in with Lucas. Seeing Josephine, he held out his arms to her. “Ma-ma. Ma-ma,” he called.
“I’m sorry, miss, but he wouldn’t stop asking for you.” Charlotte carried him over to Josephine and she took him. He patted her face. “Ma-ma. Ma-ma.”
Tears ran down Josephine’s cheeks again and she sniffed. “No, darling one, I’m not Mama.”
“When did he start calling you that?” Rebecca asked.
“After you left.” She sniffed again. “I told him I wasn’t, but he wouldn’t stop saying it.”
Rebecca reached for him and he went to her, laying his head on her shoulder. “Ma-ma,” he cooed. “Ma-ma.”
She kissed his head. “I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered.
“I suppose you will be taking him with you tonight?” Josephine asked.
“Actually no,” Rebecca said. “I can’t take him tonight because we don’t know if Delaney is at Oak Hill. I thought you could bring him and his things out tomorrow?”
“Of course I will,” she said with her old spirit. “After all, he’s my grandson.”
“And not just him, Miss Davis,” Jared said. “I want you and Charlotte to come to Oak Hill until you and Doctor Gordon are married.”
She beamed at him. “Thank you, but I think I’ll stay here. Charlotte can go with you to help with Lucas. You don’t need me hovering around your new family.”
“Nonsense. You are our family.” Rebecca got to her feet and walked Lucas to get him to sleep.
“Oak Hill is large enough that we won’t be falling over one another,” Jared added. “You can have my mother’s suite with your own private balcony that overlooks the flower garden.”
“At least think about it before you turn the offer down,” Rebecca suggested, heading for the bedrooms to put the baby down. “Charlotte, I’ll need you to pack our things and be ready when the carriage comes for you tomorrow.”
“Yes, miss.” She followed Rebecca into the room. “Can I pack you a fresh bag for the night?”
Rebecca nodded. “Yes please.”
When Rebecca returned she found the trio chatting quietly. Jared smiled when she entered the room.