Passions in the North Country (Siren Publishing Classic) (11 page)

“I know you’ve been worried about the hotel,” Jenny said, “but everything will work out. I’m sure it will.”

Miriam, apparently eager to get her mind off Terry, seemed glad to change the subject. “I hope you’re right. And I hope you can help us here.”

“I’ll do what I can, but even if I left, the hotel will be a great success.”

“And what if it isn’t?” Miriam cried emphatically, then shook her head. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve got so much of my life wrapped up in this hotel that I couldn’t bear to see it fail. It’s the only thing that never let me down.” Her lower lip quivered. “Even my boy has let me down.”

Jenny had not wanted to get too deeply involved. When she first came, she thought she might stay a couple days and then go somewhere else. But now she was being drawn into the world of the hotel, into the world of its personalities, into the world of Miriam, Terry, Henry…and Devon North. To further complicate matters, Miriam was asking for a commitment, possibly a longterm one. Jenny was confused. But Miriam looked so helpless and in such desperate need that Jenny felt terribly sorry for her.

“Promise me you’ll stay and help us,” Miriam requested.

“I promise, Miriam,” Jenny said, swallowing hard. “I promise I’ll do the very best I can.”

The moment she finished speaking, Jenny realized that when Miriam said “us”, she included Devon North. He was the man that Jenny had just pledged to work with, for better or worse. If he had his way she would not be in Newbridge, but it was too late now. Jenny had given her word. It would not be easy and she would have to fight Devon, yet unless he ordered her to leave, she would stay.

For Miriam’s sake.

At least until the hotel got on solid financial ground. Yes, she would do it for Miriam, for Miriam alone. And when she thought about it, she could work behind the scenes. She did not even have to come into contact with Devon. Once she had done her best, she would be free of her pledge and could get on with her life.

Her life?

What life?

She had no life. She was a fugitive running from the threat of death. She had no real job, no future, no anything except a room and a world full of expectations. Some life that was.

Who would change places with her?

Jenny made tea and sat down at the table with Miriam. They talked for a long time. After a while Jenny leaned against the door and looked out the window. She studied the backyard, smiling at the recollection of Devon clearing it for her. She could almost see the garden now. The glorious flowers, the strategically placed bushes, the bird bath…

The shrill ring of the telephone interrupted Jenny’s thoughts. Miriam was about to pick it up when she began to sway. Jenny rushed toward her as Miriam grasped the table, lost her balance, and fell to the floor with a loud thud.

“Oh, my God!” Jenny shrieked, kneeling at the unconscious woman’s side. She looked absolutely lifeless. “Miriam! Miriam! Wake up!”

Miriam didn’t move.

“Help!” Jenny called frantically, her face frozen in shock. Her mind would not work. “Help!” she called weakly, as if trying to awaken from a nightmare.

“Help!” Jenny called out to no one in particular. She was shaking uncontrollably. “Help!”

Danny Goodwin, scraper still in hand, rushed into the room. “What happened!”

“Miriam collapsed, Danny. Call an ambulance!”

Danny frantically grabbed the phone off the counter and made the call, then he knelt opposite Jenny and looked at Miriam’s face, now an ashen gray. The other painters hurried into the room and Danny told them to go outside and flag the ambulance when it came.

A few minutes later Devon suddenly rushed into the room. The moment he saw Miriam on the floor, a look of terror came over his face. Jenny assured him that the ambulance had been called. He checked Miriam’s pulse and listened to her slow, shallow breathing. “What happened?” he asked, lightly holding the old woman’s hand.

“She just collapsed,” Jenny said with a frightened look. “She looked faint and then it just happened.”

“She’ll be all right,” Devon insisted, though it seemed he was not convinced.

Miriam opened her eyes with a start.

“Miriam!” Jenny said.

“Are you all right?” Devon asked her.

“Did I fall?” Miriam asked weakly, trying to sit up.

“Just lie still,” Jenny said. “We called an ambulance.”

“Don’t be silly,” she said, again trying to get up.

“Don’t move,” Devon said firmly, like an authoritative father who will not be overruled. “I don’t know what happened, but we’re not taking any chances with my number one girl.”

Jenny felt a rush of love—literally felt it—when he said that.

“They’re going to check you over before you move.”

Miriam needed to feel special. And she did feel special. You could see it in her eyes. She laid down and took a deep breath, her arm quivering slightly, the blue veins visible under her wrinkled, frail skin. Jenny held her other hand and smiled with compassion. Devon grabbed a pillow off the couch, then knelt next to Miriam and gently placed it under her head. At that moment he and Jenny looked at each other, their faces inches apart. It was as if Devon was seeing Jenny for the first time, and it was if she was seeing him for the first time.

“The paramedics will be here in a few minutes,” Devon informed Miriam. “Until then, I want you to lie perfectly still.” He winked at her. “I know that for you taking a break will be a first, but that’s how it’s got to be.”

She reached up and touched Devon’s face. “You remind me so much of my husband. So strong. So reliable.”

He lightly rubbed his fingers over her cheek. Jenny got up and paced the floor, walking to the window and silently urging the ambulance to arrive. “Maybe you better go home today,” she told Danny.

“No!” Miriam called, lifting her head. “They’re doing a wonderful job and I want them to finish as soon as possible. I’m fine. Fine, I tell you.”

The painters waved in the ambulance and within minutes Miriam was being transported to the hospital. Devon asked Mrs. Roberts, a neighbor who had been hired to work the desk, to keep an eye on things.

“Ms. Lamb and I are going to the hospital,” he said, obviously worried, “and we’ll be back as soon as we can.” He glanced at Jenny. “Come with me.”

If Ivan had said those exact same words, Jenny would have bristled and felt intimidated, but coming from Devon they had a whole different connotation. He was saying that he wanted Jenny’s support and company. He was upset and he was reaching out to her. Not only was she part of the team and somebody important to the Riverview Hotel, she was somebody important to Devon, too.

Though they drove to the hospital in silence, Jenny never felt so keenly aware of another person’s presence in her entire life. She was still trembling with fear because of Miriam’s fall, but she felt secure next to the big, powerful man. He really did have a presence. His arms were strong, capable. His whole body expressed power and independence. Even his hands stood out. If Ivan tried to hurt her, Devon could make mincemeat of him. And if the situation was ever right, those exact same hands could remove her panties and caress her into an unknown world of pleasure. And those same hands—those big, strong hands—those hands could hold Miriam gently and tenderly, protecting and comforting her.

Jenny looked at him. “She’ll be all right.”

“Yes,” he answered, glancing at her. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

That was all they said. Devon parked in the lot, then hurried inside with Jenny. He called Terry as soon as they entered the foyer. After a few minutes in the waiting room the doctor came out to see Jenny and Devon.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Allen, Miriam’s physician. And before you say a word,” he cautioned, raising his hands in front of him, “let me assure you that Miriam is in no danger.”

“Thank God!” Devon said with a sincerity that touched Jenny to the core.

“What happened?” she asked.

“We’ll do some tests, of course, but I’ve known Miriam for a long time and she’s suffering from a stress
related disorder. She’s always been prone to worrying and anxiety but now it has caught up to her. The problems with the hotel have been weighing heavily on her.” Again he raised his hands slightly. “Even with the wonderful work you’ve done, Mr. North, she hasn’t felt at ease for a long time. And I knew the news about Terry would hit her hard.”

“You mean the long trips?” Devon asked.

“That, and the fact that he’ll be fishing the same water where his father died.”

“I didn’t know that,” Devon said, looking at Jenny.

She nodded knowingly, as if they were sharing a secret code.

The doctor continued, “You can see her for a few minutes, but be careful not to say anything that might upset her. She needs rest and we’ll keep her here for awhile to make sure everything’s all right.”

Jenny and Devon thanked him, then went in to see Miriam. She looked very tired, but was obviously pleased they had come. Terry arrived, rushing into the room, hurrying over to Miriam and kissing her on the forehead.

“The doctor said you’re okay,” he declared, looking deeply into his mother’s eyes. “He told me you have to relax and stop worrying about things.”

She hesitated a moment, seeming to debate whether to talk about what was bothering her, then gathered her courage. “Don’t take that fishing job, Terry.”

“Mom, what can I do?”

“Please!” she begged, tears forming in her eyes. “I couldn’t bear to lose you out there, too.”

“You won’t lose me.”

“I never thought I’d lose your father either, but that ocean claimed him. I can’t stand the thought of you fishing where he died.”

“Mom, let’s not talk about this now.”

“Promise me you won’t go there. I made a pledge to your father on his grave.”

He sighed and shook his head. “I’ll look around, all right. If anything at all comes up, I’ll take it. Okay?”

Miriam pulled Terry to her and kissed his cheek. “You’re a good boy. You’ve always been a good boy for your mama.”

Jenny and Devon, feeling that they were intruding on an intimate moment between mother and son, told Miriam and Terry they would visit her soon and then left quietly.

They talked about Miriam all the way back to the hotel, but once they got there, something suddenly occurred to Jenny. With Miriam ill, the situation had gotten much more serious. The hotel had to succeed! But Miriam was the backbone of the place. She knew everything, ran everything, organized everything. When people had questions, they did not go to Devon, they went to Miriam. Even Devon went to Miriam. But, for the time being, at least, she needed someone to take her place.

Devon parked next to the office. “Thank you for being there for Miriam,” he said.

“She’s a very nice lady.”

“When I first came here, I didn’t know what to expect,” Devon said. “Everything and everybody was new, but Miriam made me feel right at home.”

“Me, too,” Jenny noted.

“Well, I better get back to work.”

“I have some things to do, too,” said Jenny.

She went to her room in the Captain’s House and sat, lost in thought, on the bed. So much had happened in her life of late that now she felt overwhelmed, as if it all came crashing down on her at once. The whole world was topsy
turvy and Jenny felt empty and drained. Everything had changed, irrevocably and permanently. She was obviously worried about Miriam, but was confident that with rest and reduced stress she would recuperate quickly. The reality was that Jenny was alone, completely and utterly alone. She had no family, no past, no bond to her life. Miriam had been a friend, but now even she was removed from the immediate surroundings.

Feeling agitated, Jenny went for a walk around town, then returned in the afternoon just as Devon was leaving for his house down the river. She waved slightly at him and he nodded slightly at her. A short time after he left the driveway, Jenny walked around to inspect the work of the painters. By this time the entire front of the hotel had been scraped and Danny was putting the finishing touches on the window frames, painting them a dark green.

“Nice work, guys!” Jenny exclaimed with a disarming smile.

“Thanks,” Danny replied, pleased by the praise. “How’s Miriam?”

“A little overtired, but she’ll be okay. She just needs a few weeks of rest.”

“That’s good news,” Danny said with genuine relief.

Jenny nodded. “The main thing for me is to make sure everything goes smoothly while she’s gone. I don’t want her worrying about the hotel. Can you come by tomorrow morning, same time?”

“We already told Mr. North we would be here,” Danny said.

“Okay, good,” Jenny responded, wiping that concern off her list. “It’s going to look great when you’re finished.”

“It will,” Danny assured her. “Miriam will be proud to come back here.”

“Thanks, Danny.”

The men finished their work at six and Jenny helped them put the equipment in the shed. That done, she puttered around the office, making sure everything was running smoothly. To her surprise, even though the hotel looked exceedingly drab now that it had been scraped of the old paint, two more rooms were rented. At eight Jenny retired to Maria’s room in the Captain’s House and was amazed at how different it looked at night with the soft lights on. It had a homey, but deeply individual character. She opened the top drawer of a bureau to put in some of her clothes and found a beautiful brush with an ivory handle. She picked it up, found a few jet black hairs in it, and, on the back, the name
Maria
inscribed in gold.

She pulled out a hair and examined it, noting that it was the same color as the hair of the mysterious woman she had seen in the window. Jenny was awed by this as she put the brush back into the same drawer, then put her clothes in other drawers. When she finished putting her things away, she walked around the room carefully examining every object in it. One thing that particularly caught her attention was the pedestal and basin next to the wall. She opened the door to the Captain’s room and light shone into it. A matching pedestal and basin, not even noticed before, were in his room, next to the wall, just as in Jenny’s room. She looked over the surroundings, growing dark now in the fading light of the setting sun.