Tangled Betrayals (2 page)

Chapter
Four

Mary stopped in her tracks
as her whole world changed before her, in fact it exploded!  Her heart almost stopped and her breath seemed caught in her lungs. Her face felt flush and tears blocked her vision.

“
No!
”
Mary whispered ever so softly and desperately. “No!” she whispered again shaking her head as if to change the sight before her. She placed one hand across her stomach and the other over her mouth to stop the silent scream.

This cannot be happening, not now
! Please, God, this has to be a mistake
! Mary was pleading frantically in hopes this was some cruel joke.

“
Why, James? Why?” Mary asked softly as the tears sprang out of her eyes. She stepped back into the crowd and tried to disappear. Quickly she wiped her tears away. She continued to step back but it was difficult since her tears were hard to see through and there were people all around forging towards the other ships.

What
just happened? Why was it happening
? Mary could no longer get her thoughts together. She turned from the horrible sight before her, yet, she found herself being drawn back to look once again to James in hopes she was mistaken, she had to be. Mary felt sick. She prayed that she must have made an error in her thought process.

But to her horror, she
was seeing everything as if it was in slow motion. Her heart ached with sorrow. She felt nauseated and ashamed as if she’d done something wrong. She saw James holding the shorter woman, as Thomas took the hand of the taller one. And then, James leaned down and kissed the lady with child-----the way Mary had longed to be kissed on this day, tenderly, lovingly and showing all who cared to see he claimed this woman as his own.

Mary
, knowing her life had changed forever; faced the fact there would no longer be a wedding and she would not be sailing to America. There would be no children nor would she live on a large plantation. All her dreams and hopes for the future had died in such little time. It was as if she had never existed in James Parker’s life. A whole year and a little more she had spent on her future, which was now wiped away in less than five seconds.

“Miss, are you alright? Can I possibly
assist you in some way?”

Mary looked at the
kind-hearted man who was addressing her. He was old enough to be her father and the look on his face told her he was unsure of what to say next. What could she say to this stranger that would make sense to either of them? How could she tell him her life had been destroyed? She was not prepared for such heartache! Not when she thought just a minute ago she was the happiest person in the entire world.

Mary knew s
he needed to get as far from the docks as possible. She must leave in case James or Thomas would spot her in the crowd. She couldn’t bear the thought of that happening. She had to get away! Now!

Mary realized the
kind man was still standing before her waiting for a response. “I wish you could help me, Sir, I truly do. However, I’m afraid it’s too late for anyone to help me now. Thank you for your kindness,” Mary replied meekly.

Why had she said so much? Why tell this stranger
anything? Why was she being polite? Mary had to get to a safe place. She turned and began to gently but hurriedly make her way through the throng of people who seemed to be swallowing her. Mary thought they were intentionally trying to prevent her departure. Were they really trying to force her to face the evil truth? Would they not let her pass until she was caught sneaking away by either James or Thomas? She had never before felt so foolish or embarrassed.

“Excuse me, I’m so sorry, please let me pass,” Mary repeated
this phrase over and over as she continued to shove her way through as her tears blinded her. Yet, somehow she’d finally made it through the massive crowd to reach the sanctuary of the carriage.

Mary
noticed the driver had gotten down to assist her. He must have seen her pushing her way to him. His face showed his surprise at seeing Mary in such disarray. No, it wasn’t surprise, Mary realized, it was pity. She was sure she saw pity on his face, but he said nothing to confirm her thoughts. Yet, he didn’t need to.

He
gently helped her into the carriage and immediately took his seat. He swung the whip over the horses’ heads to gently prod them ahead.

Mary felt
like it took a lifetime for the carriage to stop at her destination. The driver jumped down to assist Mary to the door. She quickly handed him the money she had promised and without saying a word entered the only place she knew she could find safety to grieve in private, safe from all the cruelty of the outside world that was thrust upon her this day.

She
feared if she went back to the cottage, Thomas might go there looking for her or her father and she wasn’t ready to face him, or anyone, at this moment.

Mary knew her face was streaked with tears but she held her head high as she walked pass Miss Minnie
, who was fitting a customer for a pair of gloves. Mary saw Minnie look to her with a surprised expression but Mary never wavered as she continued her walk to the back room.

She
overheard Minnie explain she was needed elsewhere. Mary knew Minnie would turn the customer over to Alice, the other seamstress, and join her shortly. Yet, she still wasn’t ready to face anyone.

Mary
quickly entered the back room which was the fitting area for their customers. She sat down on the small sofa and finally broke down and sobbed. She was glad the sofa had been placed there for the customer’s family and friends to view the private fittings. She was also glad no one was using it.

She
felt numb. She saw with such sorrow her beautiful wedding dress hanging in the corner. The pearls and lace on the dress had added such elegant features to her gown. Each pearl she had hand sewn on. There were so many pearls that Mary had lost count. Her heart ached more than she thought possible.

She was
now seeing a wedding dress she would never wear. She stared at her beautiful work as the dress seemed to come alive before her. After all the hours and love she had put into her dress, Mary had to face the truth, the dress was going to be put away---forever. The tears flowed once again from despair and heartbreak.

“Mary, are you going to answer me?”

Mary was startled. How long had Minnie been there?

“I’m sorry, did you say something?”
Mary asked.

“I most certainly did
, Mary, I asked you what happened to cause you such duress? Has something happened to James? The pain on your face tells me something terrible happened at the docks. I can’t begin to help you unless I know what transpired.”

S
o
,
she wasn’t in a dream. Minnie’s words confirmed she was in the present. “Yes, Minnie. I am hurting because something awful did happen!” Mary said as she realized she had found her voice.

Mary took a deep breath before she
continued. “I’m hurting, I’m angry and I would like to murder someone!” Mary stood and walked over to her wedding dress she so loved. She reached out and gently touched the bodice of her dress.

“
He loves another! That bastard came back to England not to give me the emerald rings he had promised, but to rub my face in the fact he has wed another, a quite lovely blond hussy.

“
At least I assume he has wed her, for she is certainly with child! James wouldn’t have a mistress. Not him! Not that arrogant American rake. And that isn’t the only bit of news I bring you. Thomas, the one who I thought would have spared me from such humiliation, has returned to England as well, after swearing to me he would never return. He also has a lovely blond with him and as far as I know, he might be married, too!

“
Why, Minnie? Why would James do this? Why hadn’t Thomas written to tell me James no longer wanted to marry me? I’m so embarrassed and devastated! I’m such a fool! All I want to do is crawl into a hole and die. To think of all those hours I worked on my beautiful dress, Minnie, and dreamed of the day James would return to make me his wife.

“
I’d been so happy this past year, until this morning! This morning, Minnie, I thought I was the happiest woman in the world, to now find out I’m the saddest person alive.”

Minnie could hardly stand to hear this awful news Mary had brought. This wasn’t the man she knew.
“Mary, child, what did James have to say for himself?”

“You don’t think I spoke to
the jackal do you? I didn’t dare let him see me. Oh, Minnie, when I finally reached the ship, I found Thomas standing on the dock obviously waiting for James, with those two lovely women. I just assumed he had met those ladies on the ship. The one with Thomas is rather tall and slender with beautiful long blond hair. The other blonde, James’s wife I assume, is much shorter, but very attractive, from what I could tell. In fact, they both looked beautiful and wealthy, much different from me.”

“If you didn’t speak with James, how
are you sure he was with her or that he has taken a wife?”

“Oh, that is the best part
. When James left the ship to meet Thomas and the women, I foolishly was calling to him and waving my arms to get his attention. But the only person he was focused on was this woman standing by Thomas. Once he reached her, he kissed her---on the mouth. No Minnie, I made no mistake! That was a kiss from a man claiming his woman!

“
I nearly fainted right then. I remember putting my hand over my mouth to stifle my scream. But my scream never came. Then, all I could do was back away and try to blend into the crowd praying all the time that neither Thomas nor James would see what a fool I had been.”

“Mary, I don’t understand. How could something as awful as this happen
when you and James pledged yourselves to each other? I wish I had the words that would give you some comfort, Mary. I, too, would like some answers this day.” Minnie said realizing she had worried something was amiss, but never in her wildest thoughts did she think James could be so cruel.

“The pain is so deep
. I can barely stand it, Minnie. Thomas swore he would never return to England after his last fight with father. He swore it! Yet, he did return and he wasn’t even kind enough to spare me this horrible pain and embarrassment.

“Do you suppose they
had a grand time making fun of me? Were they all laughing at the stupid little sister who was foolish enough to think a man of means like James Parker would ever have feelings for a girl who works in a dress shop? Let alone make her his wife!

“
I believed all those beautiful words he told me. I truly thought I was going to live in America, on a plantation, with the most wonderful man in the world. Only to find out he’s nothing but a bastard. As for Thomas, at this moment words cannot express my anger for allowing me to make such a fool out of myself. In a million years, I would never let anyone hurt Thomas if I could stop it. I would have protected him at any cost.

“Father
always told me James was nothing but an arrogant American. All this time, I thought it was father being the fool. I blindly trusted James.”

Mary
then became quiet. She ran her hands over the pearls which adorned the bodice of her beautiful wedding dress. The dress that was the only thing remaining from the life she had dreamed of having---and a wedding gown she would never wear. She couldn’t bear to look at it any longer. Mary sat back down upon the sofa looking at the floor before she spoke.

“It
’s a beautiful dress, isn’t it Minnie? It’s as beautiful as all my dreams once were.” After several seconds Mary once again composed herself as Minnie sat patiently next to her allowing her to take all the time she wanted to talk.

“
I’m so naïve. I’m a simple seamstress who stupidly thought I’d met my prince. You know I was never one who cared if James was wealthy or not. I would have married him no matter what. I loved him for what I thought was a wonderful, sensitive and caring man. Not the bastard he turned out to be! How could I have been so stupid?”   

“Mary, none of this
story makes any sense. There must be some mistake!”

Mary laughed sarcastically. “
Oh, it’s all true, Minnie. Believe me, I wish it wasn’t. I loved James so much it consumed my life. I’ve nothing left but a broken heart and shattered dreams.              

“
My brother was aware I’d be going to greet James. He didn’t even send a letter warning me not to come. No, they both allowed me to continue with my false dream for an entire year. They allowed me to go to the ship with expectations of receiving a ring and to be married in a few days! How cruel! They made a fool of me! I have tried my entire life to be a kind person to everyone; I never knew anyone could be so mean and cruel.”

But
then, Mary had some clarity to her thinking. “No, what I said isn’t entirely true, Minnie, I made a fool of myself, didn’t I? I thought James was madly in love with me. And I am still in love with that bastard!”

Minnie’s heart was breaking
, too. She would have done anything to spare Mary this pain. “I can hardly absorb or understand what you’re telling me. I’m sorry this has happened. I can’t believe James would do such a thing. There must be a reasonable explanation, Mary. There has to be.”