Homespun Hearts (61 page)

Charles kept the pistol pointed at Daniel. “You’re the one who started all this, aren’t you? You couldn’t leave well enough alone.”

Daniel shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Daniel carefully kept his voice and face blank.

“It wasn’t enough for you to get me fired. You had to say that I was stealing and sic the sheriff on me.”

Daniel sighed. “Yes, it was me. Let the others go.” He didn’t want to die, but better just him than both him and Fred. Lily needed one of them to lean on.

Charles laughed. “I don’t think so. It would kill you with guilt to see me kill them, wouldn’t it?” He pointed the pistol at Fred’s head. “Maybe I’ll start with your new father-in-law. Then you can tell your sweet little wife that you killed him.”

Fred stared up at Charles. He’d made them all line up sitting on the floor with their backs to the wall. “I’ll get you all the money from the safe. There’s no reason to kill any of us.”

“You really think they’re going to let me out of here, Pops? I’m not that stupid. As soon as I set foot outside, the sheriff is going to pull that trigger. I’ll take as many of you with me as I can.”

Fred and Daniel exchanged a look. They’d talked multiple times about what to do in the event of a bank robbery. Daniel wasn’t about to risk his life for an idiot like Charles. When the guard hadn’t come in that morning, they should have known something wasn’t right. Charles had already admitted to knocking him out and tying him up on his way to the bank that morning.

At Fred’s nod, Daniel got ready to spring. Fred groaned loudly, clutching his left arm. “Oh, it hurts. I think I’m going to die!”

Daniel wanted to laugh at his father-in-law’s pathetic attempt at faking a heart attack, but he was too busy watching Charles. The man looked down at Fred with a frown, and Daniel jumped up, knocking Charles back.

Fred was on his feet in an instant helping to wrestle the pistol from Charles. The gun went off and shot out one of windows at the front of the bank just as they rolled Charles to his stomach and held his hands behind him. Daniel held him down while Walter ran to get the sheriff.

L
ily flinched at the gunshot
, wondering who Charles had shot. Was it her husband or her papa? Tears streamed down her face as she saw the new man, what was his name? He ran for the sheriff who followed him in. A moment later, he brought Charles out of the building with his hands cuffed behind his back.

As soon as she knew Charles wouldn’t hurt her, she jumped and ran for the bank, her skirts hiked to her knees. Being afraid of being hurt wouldn’t normally have stopped her, but she couldn’t risk the baby.

She rushed into the bank, her eyes searching. Daniel and her father were together in a corner, talking in low voices. She didn’t care what they were saying, because she had to get to Daniel. She threw herself between the two men, holding Daniel tightly. “Are you okay?” Her panicked voice was too loud, she knew, but she couldn’t help it.

Daniel smiled down at her, stroking her hair that had fallen down around her face. “I’m fine. No one was hurt.”

Lily sucked in a deep breath, the tears continuing to fall. “I heard a gunshot!” She looked around frantically to be sure no one was bleeding.

“Just a window as we were fighting the gun away from him.”

She lowered her head to Daniel’s shoulder and cried. “Don’t ever do that again!” She knew she was being unreasonable, but she just didn’t care. She’d never been so frightened in her life.

“It’s not like I planned to do it this time!”

“I thought you were going to die, and I hadn’t even told you about the baby yet!” Her voice was a wail, tears streaming down her face.

Daniel held her at arm’s length for a moment as a smile transformed his face. “Baby? We’re having a baby?”

She nodded, her face glowing with happiness. She turned to glare at Fred who was grinning from ear to ear. “And no telling Mama! I’ll tell her later!” Why had she blurted it out that way? She’d wanted to tell him at home, privately. Couldn’t she do anything right?

Fred nodded. “Why don’t you two come to dinner tonight? She’s going to want to know why I’m so happy after what happened today otherwise.”

Lily grinned. “I think we can do that.” She loved the idea of telling her mama there was another baby coming.

“More grandsons. I need lots more grandsons.”

Daniel shook his head. “This one’s a girl. A pretty little redhead like her mother.”

Lily laughed. “I just hope it’s a healthy baby.” Secretly, though? She wanted a boy. A little boy who would be just like Daniel.

“Well, we’re closing up shop for the day,” Fred told them. “I don’t think any of us need to work again before morning.” He hugged Lily and pushed her toward the door. “I’ll see you at dinner, and you make sure to take good care of my grandson!”

“My daughter will be just fine.” Daniel laughed at the look on Fred’s face as they walked away moving slowly through the streets. “Have you see the doctor?” he asked, his face concerned.

She nodded. “I haven’t had any symptoms at all. No morning sickness or anything.” She patted her flat belly. “It’s kind of hard to believe there’s really a baby in there.”

“But the doctor confirmed it? And said you and the baby are healthy?”

“Yes, we’re both fine. The doctor examined me yesterday morning.” She was thrilled he was so concerned. She’d married a good man.

Daniel looked at her with a frown. “Why didn’t you tell me last night?”

She shrugged. “It just didn’t seem like the right time.” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. Later, she promised herself. Later the two of them would have a long talk and they’d discuss everything they were feeling. They had to.

T
he whole family
gathered at her parents’ house that evening. Even Rose and Dr. Shawn were there with little Freddie. Lily stayed close to Daniel, afraid to stop touching him for fear he’d disappear. It had been a trying day for all of them. She wasn’t sure how she was going to feel about Daniel working for a while. She didn’t want to let him out of her sight.

After dinner, they sat in the parlor, most of the girls on the floor, but Rose and Lily sitting on the small sofas with their husbands. “I’m so glad you were both okay!” Mary exclaimed for the fiftieth time looking between Daniel and Fred.

Fred smiled, touching her cheek. “We’re fine. Daniel and I have discussed many times how we’d handle it if there were ever an emergency or robbery attempt. We just did what we always said we’d do.”

“I’m so glad you thought to have that talk ahead of time!” Mary had never considered that the bank could be robbed. She knew it should have crossed her mind, but she was too busy raising girls to worry about things like that.

Lily looked at Daniel and smiled, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. “I have some news,” she said loudly over the sounds of her sisters talking. The whole family had treated the evening as a celebration. Two of their own had faced a terrible situation and come out healthy and whole. They couldn’t be happier.

Mary’s eyes lit up as they met Lily’s. “Please tell me that news is a grandbaby.”

Lily laughed. “Of course it is, Mama.” She watched as her mother flew across the parlor and pulled her into her arms. How could a woman with eight children still get that excited about a baby?

“I’d like a little girl this time,” Mary announced with a grin, as if she thought Lily could just make that happen.

Lily laughed. “I want a boy. Papa wants a boy. You and Daniel want girls. Maybe we should all pray really hard for what we want and see who God listens to!” She grinned impishly at Daniel.

All of the girls crowded around her to hug her. When it was Amaryllis’s turn, she said, “I’m so jealous, Lily. I’m happy for you, but I’m jealous for me.”

Lily hugged her sister tightly. “Everything will work out for you. I just know it will.” She hated that Amaryllis was so sad about Alex courting another girl, but she knew if it had been Daniel, she’d have been sad as well.

Amaryllis shrugged, not believing a word of it. “How can anything work out with such overprotective parents? They like Alex!”

Lily didn’t have an answer to that, but soon found herself hugging Iris. “I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunt again! I thought I’d be the youngest in the family forever, and soon this place will be crawling with babies!” Iris clapped her hands excitedly at the prospect of more babies to help take care of.

They all laughed, and the tension caused by Amaryllis was gone.

On their walk home, Daniel and Lily clung to one another’s hands. “I’m so happy about the baby.” Daniel squeezed her hand as they walked.

Lily nodded. “I am, too. I want to have a little tiny miniature of you at our house.” She sighed contentedly.

“No, we need a girl just like you. So she’ll be perfect.”

Lily rested her head on his shoulder. “I love you so much, Daniel.”

He looked at her, hoping he wouldn’t upset her by answering before stopping and taking her by the shoulders. “I love you, Lily. I know you don’t believe me, but somehow I’m going to convince you that you’re the most important person in the world to me.”

She stared up into his eyes as her hand stroked his cheek. “You’ve already convinced me.” A slow smile spread across her lips as she said the words.

He let out a whoop and threw his arms around her waist, spinning her in a circle. “Why didn’t you believe me?”

She bit her lip as he set her on her feet. “Can we talk about it when we get home?” She wasn’t quite ready to lay all her fears on the line.

“Of course. As long as you really will talk about it and not just ignore me.” The frustration he’d felt at her disbelief was obvious in his voice.

“I will. I promise.” They were almost home as it was. She had just another minute or two before she’d have to bare her soul to him. She slowed her pace, walking much more sedately than usual, and looking around her.

He sighed and slowed his walk to match hers. “You know, one of my favorite things about you is that you’re not afraid to walk fast and get where you want to go. Of course, I love everything about you.”

She laughed softly. “Even my propensity for wearing men’s pants instead of looking like a lady?”

He grinned. “Especially that. How could I not love a girl who isn’t afraid to do things her own way? It makes you so much more precious in my eyes.”

Instead of going into the parlor when they got home, she led him through the house and out into the back garden. She knew she was being silly, but she didn’t want a bright light when they talked about how she felt. She was afraid he’d see her tears and think less of her.

Once they were in the back yard, she led him to the only bench there. She sat beside him, snuggling her head onto his shoulder. His hand stroked her side and he kissed the top of her head. “Are you ready to talk?”

She sighed. “Not really, but I feel like we need to.” She took a deep breath. “I’m going to take us back several years if that’s okay.” She’d been thinking about how to explain her mistrust of him, and had decided to just tell him the whole truth, and pray that he understood.

“Of course.”

“Do you remember when Rose first turned fourteen? Every boy in school was lined up to be her suitor. Every one of them thought she was the prettiest, most perfect girl in the world.” She stared out into the garden as she spoke. “Even you. I didn’t really have a crush on you then, but when you were one of the boys buzzing around Rose, I kind of lost some respect for you. You’d always been nice to me in a way the other boys weren’t, and I had a lot more respect for you than most.” The words were honest and she spoke without apology in her voice.

“I’m sorry about that.” His voice was low and filled with regret.

“Don’t be. I’m just trying to make you understand.” She kissed his shoulder before continuing. “Then there was the day you and Rose were in the garden and I was in that tree. For a moment, I considered not telling anyone I was there, but if Rose found out about it, she’d have said I was spying on her. Rose wasn’t a pleasant person to be around at fourteen.” She knew it was an understatement, but he really hadn’t seen Rose at her worst, when her voice was shrill and she was throwing things when she didn’t get her way. That Rose had been gone for years, and she didn’t want to color his memories of her sister.

He laughed. “I remember. She seemed to think it was our duty as boys to worship her.”

“And you did it!” Lily shook her head. “Sorry, getting off track. Anyway, I thought about just sitting there, but the idea of her telling Mama I was spying became too much. I was so sick of her and of not being good enough. You know?”

He nodded. “I know.”

“So I took my shoe off and waited until you two were just under the edge of the tree, and I let it fly. I wanted nothing more than to hit my snotty sister in the head with it.” She shrugged. “And I hit you instead. The only boy that was courting her that I had any respect at all for.” She sighed, still regretful that she’d hit him and not Rose.

He grinned. “I thought it was hilarious. Especially when you admitted you were trying to hit Rose.”

“And then I fell out of the tree on top of you. I was mortified. I had never really touched a boy before except to tag someone out while we played baseball. So there I was lying on top of a boy and feeling things that surprised me. I got up and you were so nice about it. Rose ran to tell on me, but you made it very clear you didn’t mind a bit.”

Daniel grinned. “Even at thirteen, you had some nice breasts happening.”

She stared at him in shock. “You weren’t supposed to notice that!” She had always been slim, but her breasts were more than enough.

“I was a boy. Of course I noticed that.” He reached over and cupped one of her breasts. “They’re even nicer now, though.”

She blushed. “Stop that!” She pushed his hand away as she tried to remember what they’d been talking about. “So when you didn’t yell at me or get ugly with me for falling on you, I stood there looking at you and decided you were the only man I’d ever love.” She sighed. “Yes, I know I was thirteen, and I wasn’t about to stop wearing pants everywhere and acting like an absolute hoyden, but I watched you and knew I wanted to marry you.” Her voice was soft as she admitted how she’d felt for so long.

He looked at her in the dark, startled. “That long ago?”

She nodded. “And you spent another four years following Rose around like a lost puppy dog.” The disgust was obvious in her voice. How could anyone have worshiped Rose the way he had?

He shook his head. “To be honest with you? By the time she was eighteen it was more out of habit than anything else. I’d already begun to notice you. Right after she got married, you started wearing dresses more and putting your hair up. The first time I saw you without your braids, I fell and fell hard.”

“You did not!” Her head jerked up from his shoulder and she stared at him in shock.

He nodded. “I did. I knew then I wanted to marry you, but I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.” He sighed. “With your parents’ rule of waiting until you were eighteen to even court, I didn’t feel like I could say anything.”

“You really had feelings for me that long ago?”

“Yes, I did. I waited until about a week before you turned eighteen and I went to your father and asked if I could court you. I was really afraid he’d say no and fire me or something, though.” He shook his head. “But I risked it, because I felt so strongly about you. I was planning on going to your house to ask you if I could court you the evening that I got the letter from your aunt asking me to come to tea. That’s when she told me you wanted me to court you.”

“You really did have feelings for me? You weren’t just asking to court me so you could get in better with Papa?” She still couldn’t believe he’d had feelings for her for almost two years.

“I never could figure out why you believed that. I was head over heels in love with you and you thought I was courting you so your father would promote me. I seriously thought about looking for another job just so you’d believe me, but it’s the only bank in Seattle and I love what I do.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.” Her voice was small.

“I forgive you, but why? What was it about me that made it so hard to believe I loved you?” He made it clear that he truly didn’t understand.

She shrugged. “I couldn’t believe anyone could go from loving Rose to loving me. It didn’t make any sense to me at all. I mean, Rose is beautiful and acts and dresses like a lady at all times. I’m…well, I’m not!” She didn’t list her flaws, because if he couldn’t see them, then she wasn’t about to point them out.

He kissed the top of her head. “You know, I think you’re a lot prettier than Rose. And you suit me so much better than she ever would have. I like spending my days off fishing. She’d have complained every time I wanted to go because she would have thought I needed to spend my time off with her. You just go with me!”

Lily laughed. “I love to fish.”

“I know.” He looked around for a minute before asking. “Can I ask you something else?”

“Sure, anything.” She frowned at the tone of his voice, almost afraid of what he was about to ask.

“Why did you start wearing girls’ clothes all the time and tell me you didn’t want to go fishing anymore?”

“You kept sending me jewelry and perfume and flowers and even fabric!” How could he not know?

“What does that have to do with anything? I thought if I sent you gifts, you’d realize that I married you because I loved you and not because I wanted your father to promote me.”

Lily sighed. “Okay, but why those gifts? They were all so girly that it made me think you wanted me to be just like Rose. So I tried to be just like Rose.” And failed miserably as usual.

He shook his head. “Are you serious? I didn’t know what the right gift to get my wife was, so I went with suggestions from friends.” He looked down at her in wonder. “What did you want? A fishing pole?”

“Yes! A fishing pole would be a fabulous gift. Perfume? Not so much!” She shook her head. “I don’t want to be like Rose. Rose is boring!”

He laughed. “I don’t want you to be like Rose.” His lips dropped to her ear. “Your sister bores me, too.”

“Really?” Her eyes met his in the darkness. Was it possible he was telling her the truth?

“Really.” He stood up, taking her hand and pulling her into the house.

“Where do you think you’re taking me?” She grinned at him, having a very good idea where he’d take her, because he dragged her off to bed at every opportunity.

He laughed. “To bed. I want to show you how boring I don’t think you are!”

She giggled. “I kind of figured out you liked that aspect of our relationship!”

“So you want me to stop showing you how much I like it?” He had pulled her halfway up the stairs before stopping to look at her. “Really?”

She gripped his hand tighter and led him up the stairs instead. “Not at all. You can show me every day for the rest of our lives.”

M
uch later she
was snuggled into his side, feeling very satisfied. “So, what should we name our son? I’d always thought I’d name a baby Fred, after my father, but Rose beat me to it.” She hadn’t thought about names beyond that, so it was good she had a parenting partner.

He stroked her hair, unable to keep his hands off her, as usual. “I want a girl, but if it’s a boy, how would you feel about naming him Bartholomew? For my father?”

She sat up and looked down at him. “I’d like that a lot.” She knew it would mean a lot to him, so whether she liked the name or not, it would be his.

He smiled, gathering her close again. “And if it’s a girl, we need to pick up the flower names where your mother left off.”