Indulgence (171 page)

Albert leaned toward her and took her hand as he reassured
her, “Just a little longer. It’s almost over.” Holding his hand, she took a
deep breath and waited for the trial to begin.

She watched as Ray and Chuck brought in the prisoner, her
father, John Wallace. Anne’s heart quickened as her father’s angry eyes scanned
the courtroom. When father and daughter’s eyes met, they locked in a war of
wills. Determined not to look away, Anne defiantly held his stare. None of this
was lost on Albert.

As the judge began, “Will the court please come to order? We
are here today for the case of the Territory of Nevada versus John Wallace. The
charges are collusion, intimidation, theft, and battery. Mr. Wallace, how do
you plead?”

“Not guilty, your honor,” was the reply.

“The court will now call Anne Wallace to the stand.”

After being sworn in, the judge began with very basic
questions until he asked, “When did you notice a change in your father’s
attitude toward you?”

“About three months ago, your honor, when he began making
plans for me to go to Baltimore to school,” she answered.

“Why do you think something so minor would cause such a
drastic change in his attitude towards you?” Judge Clay asked.

“Because I refused to honor his wishes. I told him I was not
returning to school, and it infuriated him,” Anne explained.

“When did you suspect your father had ulterior motives
concerning you?”

“The day he hired Joe Young. I immediately told him of my
concerns. I explained to Father the problems they’d had at Sky Valley with
Young and that the man made me very uncomfortable,” she replied.

“What was your father’s reaction to this information?”

“He refused to listen, insisting that Young deserved another
chance and that the problem at Sky Valley had all been a misunderstanding.”
Anne had kept her eyes on Albert, but just out of the corner of her eye, she
could see her father glaring at her.

“Tell the court what occurred in your home the evening of
August 20
^th
, Miss Wallace,” the judge instructed.

Breathing deeply, she began, “I had returned home from Sky
Valley. Henry and Benjamin Stuart had ridden back with me, as Mr. Stuart had
insisted they see me home. Upon entering the house, Father called to me from
his study. When I entered the room and took a seat, he began a barrage of
accusations, saying he was disappointed in me, that I had told Mr. Stuart lies
about him. He accused me of all sorts of vile things. He was irrational in his
ranting. I tried to calm him by reassuring him that I had not done any of the
things he accused me of, but that only fueled his anger.”

“Was that all that was said during the conversation, Miss
Wallace?” the judge asked.

“No, but the other details aren’t important,” she replied,
her eyes still held by Albert’s.

“Why don’t you let me decide that,” the judge countered.
“Please, Miss Wallace, in order to make a fair decision, it’s important that
you tell the court everything.”

At this point, Anne made the mistake of glancing at her
father, who sat there with a smug look on his face. Biting her lip, she
continued. “Very well, he accused me of listening to Albert about everything,
disregarding my Father’s wishes. He was irrational, saying Albert and I had. .
.” Here she had to stop. Her eyes full of angry tears as she looked at her
father, she added, “He accused me of improper behavior. He said none of his
actions would have been necessary if I had not been born. That he had never
wanted children, my mother had. That when she died, I was forced upon him, and
that I had ruined his life. He said he had never been able to realize his full
potential due to being burdened with me.”

The court sat in stunned silence as Anne sat there quietly,
drained of all emotion, waiting for the judge to continue. Albert sat fighting
the rage that burned within him for her public humiliation.

“Miss Wallace, did he threaten you in any way?”

“Not directly, no.”

“Thank you Miss Wallace, you may step down.” Anne rose to
return to her seat when she was stopped by her father’s voice.

“Excuse me, your honor,” John spoke up, “since I’m
representing myself, may I question the witness?”

“Yes, Mr. Wallace,” the judge replied. “Miss Wallace, please
remain on the stand.”

Taking his time, a maneuver Anne had seen him use in court
before to make the witness uncomfortable and nervous, she sat patiently until
her father asked, nonchalantly, “Did you ever want for anything growing up,
Anne?”

“If you’re referring to material things, no, I never wanted
for anything.”

“Did you have a home, clothing, food?” her father continued.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Did you receive a good education?”

“Yes, I imagine so,” she answered, staring straight at
Albert.

“Didn’t I send you to college and had plans for you to become
a lawyer, to attend law school?”

“Those were your plans, not mine,” she answered.

This question by John had taken Albert aback. Although they
had discussed their schooling, Anne had never told him what her course of study
had been, and Albert had never asked.

“But surely you can understand my disappointment in your
apparent disregard for my wishes and my anger at you for throwing a promising
career in law away to marry a rancher,” John said disgustedly.

“I didn’t throw anything away,” she declared, adding, “A
career in law was your dream, not mine. My life didn’t begin until I moved here
and met Albert Stuart.”

“If I was such a terrible father, who by your own admission
did all of the things a father should do, please explain to me how you could
possibly think I would do you harm? I’ve provided for and protected you all of
your life, yet here today, you testify against me, calling me irrational,
telling the court lies about me. Isn’t this all because you want your
inheritance now instead of waiting until you turn twenty-one? That you’re
furious with me because I suggested you had fallen under the spell of Albert
Stuart, and he might just be interested in you for your money?”

“You are a liar,” she stated calmly.

Shocked, Albert had never heard her address anyone the way
she was now speaking to her father.

She continued, “I’m here because I overheard you instructing
Joe Young to harm Albert and me. If you had been successful, Albert and I would
be dead. You never said anything about an inheritance to me. Up until that
night when Mr. Stuart told me about it, I didn’t know I even had an
inheritance. You kept that hidden from me for years. If anyone was concerned
about money, it was you. That’s what this is really all about. You had to be
rid of me in order to collect what money there was. You could have had every
bit of it, I didn’t care. I don’t care now, but you tried to have Albert and me
murdered.”

It was at this point that Anne’s resolve faltered, “You’re a
father. A father is supposed to love his child and protect them. You failed
miserably in both areas. Thomas Stuart has been more of a father to me that you
ever were. After today, I hope I never set eyes on you again.”

“Your honor, as you can see, my daughter is overwrought
because of my trial. She’s not herself,” John explained. “Anne is saying things
she doesn’t believe. I never stole from my daughter. Any money I obtained from
the trust was for her support. If I’m guilty of anything, it was loving my
daughter too much and wanting the very best for her. My daughter has enormous
potential and to see her throw it all away to marry a rancher and live in the
middle of nowhere, breaks my heart.”

Anne laughed aloud, and after composing herself, her eyes
took on a hardened look as she declared, “You disgust me, and I meant every
word I said. Do you really believe that the people in this room are so gullible
they would fall for this act of yours? You’re a disgrace to the legal
profession and fathers everywhere.”

“Miss Wallace, that is enough!” Judge Clay told her. “One
more word, and I will find you in contempt. You may step down.”

Disregarding the judge’s warning, anger consuming her, she
continued, “The only thing contemptible in this courtroom is him,” she said,
pointing at her father. “He was given a trusted position, and he betrayed us
all. I hope this court has the ability to see him for what he is and send him
away for many years.”

“Miss Wallace! I warned you. While the court understands the
emotional pressures you have been under, I will not allow you to blatantly
disregard my instruction. Now step down!”

Anne walked right past her seat and continued out to the
street. Albert followed her and asked, “Are you all right?”

“No, yes, now that this is over. I don’t care what they
decide to do with him as long as I never have to see him again after today,”
she replied, holding on to Albert, fighting tears of rage.

“Let’s go home, Anne,” he told her, gently taking her arm.

“I can’t, Albert. I can’t let him win. As much as I want to
go, if I leave now, it’s as if I’m surrendering. I won’t give him that
satisfaction. I have to see this through to the end, no matter what.”

“You don’t have to stay and listen to his lies. We all know
the truth, and that’s what’s important.”

“Albert,” she said firmly, “I’m staying. If you want to
leave, go, but I’m staying until the end.”

“I’m not leaving without you,” he said. “We’ll sit in the
back of the courtroom until it’s finished.”

They remained until the very end. The judge, after taking a
brief break to make his determination, returned to the courtroom and began, “I
agree with all the parties involved that John Wallace is not a good example of
a father. However, from the testimony given here, he did nothing criminally
wrong. There is no physical proof he stole anything, and it’s his daughter’s
word against his that he hired Joe Young for the sole purpose of harming her.
Therefore, this court has no choice but to find the defendant not guilty of all
charges. I encourage him to ask for re-assignment to another territory and he
is not, under any circumstances, to contact or try to see his daughter. Please
release the prisoner. Court is adjourned.”

There was an audible gasp by every observer in the courtroom
as the verdict was read.

Albert took her hand, holding her close as she shook her head
with a sad smile and said, “I should have known. We can leave now, Albert.”

On the ride back, she was strangely quiet until Albert,
although seething inside himself said, “He received something, Anne. He must
leave the territory and can’t contact you.”

“You’re right, at least he received something. I never have
to see him again. That alone, was worth today. Now it’s done, and as far as I’m
concerned, he’s dead,” she said. “Albert, I promise you that our children will
never have a second in their lives that they don’t know how much we love them
and want them.”

Albert pulled the carriage over under a tree. Putting his
arms around her, he drew her to him as she began to cry. He let her rid herself
of the tears she had bravely held inside all of this time. When she had
finished, he gently tipped her face up to him as he told her, “You’ll never
shed another tear because of him. We’re rid of him, forever.”

Friday came, and with it, a bustle of activity on Sky
Valley. The wedding was to be the following day. Anne was busy with last minute
wedding details while Albert spent time with his brothers and father. The
couple had agreed they would dine together that evening then not see each other
until the wedding.

Albert had decided to move his and Anne’s things to the
house, and Thomas, Ben and Henry offered their help. While at the new house,
Thomas brought up the subject of Anne to Albert. “Albert, I know you’re a grown
man and have been with a number of women. However, keep in mind Anne is different.
She’s never been with a man. You’re going to have to be patient with her on
your wedding night.”

Caught off guard, Albert could not believe his father was
talking to him about such a private and delicate subject. He, more than anyone,
knew all of this and was confident he and Anne would be fine. He would be
patient and prepare her for this part of their life together. But he was not
about to discuss this with his father.

“I know, Father. I’ve thought of all of this. Don’t worry,
I’ll see to Anne,” Albert told him.

“I just want you to realize that. . .” Thomas started.

“Sir,” Albert began, “I do realize. Anne and I will be fine.
Trust me. You’ve always said I could handle anything, and I will handle this
with my wife.”

“Albert!” Ben called from downstairs.

“Up here, Ben,” he replied, grateful for the interruption.

Henry and Ben carried one large trunk, and too many garment
carriers to count, up the stairs.

“We got all of Anne’s things from the house; she and George
packed all this up. Told us just to set it out of the way, she’d see to putting
it away later,” Henry said.

“Just set the trunk in the dressing room, and you can hang
the garment carriers in the closet,” he instructed.

“That gal’s got more clothes than anybody I ever seen,”
Henry observed.

“Hey, Albert, where are you and Anne going on your
honeymoon?” Ben asked as he hung a carrier in the closet.

“It’s a surprise, Ben,” Albert answered.

“You can tell us, we won’t say a thing,” he urged.

“I’d rather keep it a surprise until tomorrow,” Albert
explained. “I really think Anne should know before my brothers where we’re
going on our honeymoon. Well, that’s everything, let’s go on downstairs.”

When the four men had reached the lower level, Albert
pausedand said, “I can’t thank all of you enough for everything you’ve done
with the house, for Anne and me. If I can ever do. . .”