Into the Woods (37 page)

She was glad that Arrington had gotten his comeuppance, even though it had not come in the way Declan had hoped.

Matilda had not asked about Declan, did not dare, but Stella had informed her that he continued to reside at the boarding house. There was no reason for him to stay, unless he had more plans for Arrington. Surely he would soon realize that there was nothing more he could do, and he'd move on. Eventually.

What had she given up in her fear? Afraid of what the future might hold, she'd practically kicked Declan, her only chance for a normal life, out of her house. Maybe it had been a mistake, the worst of her life, but she would never know for sure. Declan was too proud to come back, begging her to change her mind, and she was too afraid of what he'd say to walk to Tanglewood and confront him.

Besides, a man as ambitious as Declan Harper didn't need a witch as his wife, he needed a lady. Someone he could be proud of. All they'd ever had was a secret sexual relationship. He probably thanked his lucky stars every day that she'd refused his impulsive marriage proposal.

So why was he still in Tanglewood?

* * *

Gretchen and Hanson arrived right on time, bright and early on this Friday morning.

"What did you make this week?" Hanson asked brightly.

"Toffee, caramels, spiced nuts, dried orange peels, and hard molasses candy," Matilda said, checking the contents of the two baskets on the long table.

Hanson nodded his head in approval. "That's a lot."

She didn't want to explain to the child that she could not bear to sit still, that as long as she kept her hands busy she had less time to brood. "Well, Mr. Fox has been asking me for months to increase the stock. Besides," she laid a hand in Hanson's hair. "I have to make extra to keep you in good supply."

Gretchen stood by the door. "You look very pretty today," she said.

"Thank you."

"Your hair is very pretty, down instead of in pigtails. I wish my hair was wavy like that and not so curly," she added.

"Your hair is perfect," Matilda said with a smile. "Many a woman works hard and long to fashion curls like yours upon her head."

Gretchen actually blushed. Goodness, in a few years she would be a lovely young woman. "That's what Mother says."

They had finally taken to calling Stella "Mother." All would be well in their house in no time, Matilda was certain. Especially once the fall session of school began.

Matilda handed the children their baskets and opened the door. They stepped outside, but before they could proceed, Gretchen spun around, a patently false expression of surprise on her face. "What's this?"

Matilda stepped into the sunlight and turned her eyes toward the road. Shadow, the mare Declan had given her, was tied to the hitching post. Yellow silk ribbons had been woven into her mane, along with a few white flowers. Beyond the mare there were a few red rose petals, arranged in a line on the ground and leading toward the road to town, a trail of some sort. Matilda walked to the mare and laid her hand on Shadow's shoulder. From here she could see that the trail of red rose petals continued down the road.

"I think you're supposed to follow the trail," Gretchen whispered.

"Do you?"

"Yes!" Hanson said.

Only Declan would have left this trail. Who knew where it led, what would be waiting at the other end?

She sent the children on, and they ran toward town. When they had disappeared down the path of rose petals, she went inside her cottage and closed the door.

Declan was waiting at the other end of that trail, she was sure of it.

There was no reason for her to follow the trail of rose petals, no reason to seek out Declan. There was nothing left between them. Right? He needed to move on, and so did she. Right? Maybe he simply wanted to say goodbye.

It took her no more than a few minutes to decide to follow the trail and see what Declan had waiting at the end. He was her weakness, and to see him one more time...

She was not going to meet him in this brown skirt and old homespun blouse! She fetched her yellow skirt, which was wide enough for riding without exposing her legs, and a white blouse with lace around the collar and sleeves.

And shoes! She went to the chest for her bronze shoes, but to her dismay there was only one where the pair should've been. The other was lost. Gone. There was no time to look for it now. She grabbed her new black shoes and decided they would do.

She mounted Shadow with great care, and guided the mare down the road, her eyes on the trail of roses. Perhaps around the bend they would lead her into the woods, and Declan would be waiting there for one last kiss.

She knew she shouldn't be excited at the prospect of seeing Declan again, but she couldn't help herself. No matter what had happened—what was yet to happen—she did love him. She was afraid, she was shaken to her bones with fear, but the love remained.

The trail of rose petals changed from red to peach, and they continued on the road. They did not turn toward the woods or vary in any way. The trail was straight and certain, and it led her unerringly into town. The peach petals ended, and yellow took their place. She could see Tanglewood ahead, as the trail of rose petals turned to white.

On the main street, the rose petals were replaced by wildflowers of every color, whole flowers and different shaped petals in yellow, pink, lavender, and white. Matilda lifted her head, and there ahead, in the middle of the street, stood Declan Harper in his finest suit. A circle of red rose petals in the street surrounded him.

He stood on the street like he owned it, tall and proud, commanding and composed. Today he did not squirm in his suit, but seemed quite comfortable with himself.

Most everyone in Tanglewood stood on the boardwalk and watched as she continued at a slow pace toward Declan. They watched as if they waited anxiously for... for something spectacular. She was afraid to look anyone in the eye. Her heart was in her throat, beating much too hard.

She dismounted in the middle of the street, and Hanson hurried forward to take Shadow from her. She smiled down at him. "What is this? You knew, didn't you?"

He just smiled and led Shadow away.

She walked toward Declan, hesitating only briefly before joining him in the circle. "What on earth have you done?" she whispered, not wanting everyone watching to hear.

"Matilda Candy, a woman like you deserves to be courted, but I am not a patient man."

"Declan..."

He brought his hands from behind his back. Red roses were offered in one hand, a familiar tin containing ginger candy in the other. "Being impatient, I decided to do it all at once. Flowers, candy..." he met her gaze. "Anything you want."

When she did not take the offered items, he placed them on the ground at her feet. "You accused me of some terrible things, the night I left," he whispered, leaning close so only she could hear.

"Declan," she pleaded hoarsely, "we can't have this discussion here."

He was not dissuaded. "It hurt to hear those words, but some of your accusations were too close to the truth. You were right, Matilda. I hid you, like a guilty pleasure I didn't want to share. You were the secret of my heart, my sanctuary in a world I couldn't control. I cherished you, but I did not want to share you or what I felt with anyone."

"When you told me you were taking a tea to keep you from having my baby, I was furious. It was my pride, I guess," he said sheepishly. "I felt rejected, and I took my heartache out on you. About halfway to the Hazelrig place I realized what I'd done." He reached out and touched her face. "So I asked everyone to be here today to watch me do this. No more hiding, Matilda."

He knelt before her and took her hand in his.

"Get up," she whispered.

He smiled at her and shook his head. "No. I'm going to ask you to marry me, and I'm going to do it right." He raised his voice. It was as if he wanted everyone in town to hear, to see.

"Declan," she breathed.

"Matilda Candy, I love you. I'm asking in front of all these people. Will you marry me?"

She opened her mouth to refuse, but he continued, not giving her the chance.

"I must warn you, before you answer, that I don't have much to offer. I foolishly lost almost everything gambling, a vice I have since given up," he added.

"I'm glad to hear it."

"I did once own a number of general stores and saloons out west, but I have recently made gifts of them to my sisters and their husbands."

"Declan! You gave away everything you worked so hard for?"

"All but two saloons, which I sold. I used the proceeds from those sales to buy this." He lifted his free hand and pointed to Fox's General Store, which now sported a new sign. Harper's General Store. "That's all I have," he said. "I've been living in the room upstairs for the last week." He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Where one bronze shoe rests under my bed. I figured it couldn't hurt."

"How did you... you haven't been..."

"The Hazelrig twins have been quite helpful," he added in a low voice.

His face became deadly serious, and his grip on her hand tightened. "You told me once that love is not the end, it's the beginning."

"I did," she whispered.

"You were right. I'm starting over, Matilda. Come with me. Let this be our beginning."

She looked down at him and smiled. This was more than she could've hoped for, everything she wanted.

"How can I refuse an offer like that one?" She did not pull him to his feet, but dropped to her knees and threw her arms around his neck. "Yes," she breathed into his ear. "I love you so much."

Someone on the boardwalk shouted out his approval, and soon others chimed in.

Matilda pulled back slightly so she could see Declan's face. "Your daughters will be witches," she whispered.

He grinned at her as if he wasn't at all bothered by the fact. "Your sons will be stubborn."

"I don't doubt that."

They rose to their feet and, arm in arm, headed for Harper's General Store. "A shopkeeper," she said.

"For now," Declan answered. "As soon as this place is running well and making money, I might buy the saloon. It's a disgrace."

She was not surprised. "The saloon."

"And this town needs proper lodging for visitors. That boarding house is not sufficient, and the hotel is in worse shape than the saloon. When the first two businesses are up and running, I might look into building a decent hotel."

"A hotel."

He led her into the general store. "I might run for mayor, one day," he said absently. "I've always been interested in politics."

"King of Tanglewood," she said, teasing him as he gathered her against him for a kiss.

"Did I ever tell you," he whispered, his lips almost touching hers, "that your grandmother told me I would one day return to Tanglewood and claim everything I wanted, that here I would make all my dreams come true?"

"Did she, now?"

He lifted her so that she dangled before him, lip to lip. "Matilda, my love," he whispered. "That day is today."

Gretchen and Hanson crept into the store. Gretchen held the red roses they'd left in the street, Hanson held the tin of ginger candies.

"I thought you might want these," Gretchen said sheepishly as Declan placed Matilda on her feet.

"And these," Hanson said, offering the tin of candy, then looking down to study it carefully. And hungrily. "Though I imagine you have more than enough candy," he said, his fingers just beginning to close over the tin.

Matilda reached down and took the flowers and the tin. The flowers, the most beautiful roses she had ever seen, she held against her chest. The tin she slipped into Declan's pocket.

"Just in case," she said with a wide smile as he raised questioning eyebrows at her. "Just in case."

The End

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Excerpt from

DeButy and the Beast

by

Linda Jones