Into the Wilderness (51 page)

Nathaniel
had his rifle in his hands and had checked the powder pan and load in twenty
seconds; in another fifteen he was standing in his breech clout and bare feet
with his sights trained on Mrs. Schuyler's kitchen door, at a height of
precisely five feet and ten inches. Five inches taller than Elizabeth; three
inches shorter than Richard Todd.

Sally
Gerlach stood at the board with her hands in a vat of dough, and stared at the
half—naked man before her.

"Open
the door," he said calmly.

"I
need to wipe my hands."

"Nathaniel!"
Elizabeth screamed from outside.

"Open
it now," he said again. "Or I'll shoot through it."

For
her age and size she moved fast. Dipping under his sights, she grabbed the
handle with one floury hand and threw the door back with a crash.

"Mother
of God!" she shouted.

Elizabeth
was turned from them, struggling to pull away from Richard Todd. He had hold of
her upper arm, leaning over her with a look of outrage so bitter that it made
Nathaniel's nerves hum. His finger tightened ever so slightly on the trigger.

She
was looking over her shoulder at him in fear and outrage. Nathaniel sensed
rather than saw this, for his attention was focused, clear and razor sharp,
down the barrel of his rifle to a spot just above Richard Todd's left eyebrow.

"Dr.
Todd," he said without smiling. "Early, ain't it, for a morning call?
I'll ask you just once to take your hands off my wife, and I hope you'll take
heed, man. It would be a shame to make a mess of Sally's floor."

Richard's
expression went suddenly blank and his eyes narrowed. He hesitated for two
heartbeats and then, with a disdainful jerk of his hands, he released
Elizabeth.

She
stumbled into the kitchen, pulling her shawl around herself. With a look
divided between disgust and complete fury, she came to stand, very straight and
still, behind Nathaniel.

Nathaniel
slowly lowered his rifle, but kept his finger on the trigger. At that moment,
Runs-from-Bears appeared in the door frame behind Richard, his tomahawk in one
hand.

Elizabeth
drew in a sharp breath.

"Don't
worry, Boots," Nathaniel said easily. "No harm is going to come to
Dr. Todd today. Unless he puts himself in harm's way. Ain't that so,
Bears?"

Richard
still hadn't spoken. His face, as impassive as it had been, settled even
further.

"Sally,"
Nathaniel said easily, his eyes still fixed on Richard. "I think Mr.
Schuyler would like to know he's got company."

"Yes,
indeed," Richard spoke up. "Tell him we've got a matter of the law to
deal with, and we'd appreciate his counsel."

The
woman hesitated, touching Elizabeth's shoulder. "Perhaps you should come
along with me," she said. "Mrs. Bonner?"

"Don't
call her that!" Richard fairly spat.

"That
is my name." Elizabeth spoke before Nathaniel could. From the corner of his
eye he could see her, her chin up, her eyes flashing with a heat and trembling
anger he had never before experienced from her. But she had control of herself,
and Nathaniel was pleased to see that.

"And
I'll thank you not to interfere in things that are none of your business,"
she concluded.

Nathaniel
watched Richard closely, seeing the way he struggled with his temper, ready to
act if he lost the battle.

"This
is my business," Richard said finally. "And I have no doubt Mr.
Schuyler will agree that the law's on my side here."

"Ja,
and the devil, too, most likely," muttered Sally Gerlach, and she turned
to leave the kitchen.

* * *

They
assembled in the parlor, at Mr. Schuyler's insistence, at eight o'clock. This
gave Elizabeth and Nathaniel time to dress, and Richard Todd time to clean up
and collect himself.

Thus
Elizabeth found herself in almost exactly the same spot where she had stood to
be married, less than a day ago, once again with Nathaniel at her side but this
time with Richard Todd's cold and angry stare to contend with. Elizabeth was
calm, now that there was nothing left to do but confront him. She thought over
what had come to pass, and could not find it in herself to either regret or be
ashamed of what she had done. This gave her the ability to meet Richard's stare
with complete equanimity.

Mr.
Schuyler stood, with his arms at his side, in front of the hearth, and kept his
silence while they took their places. He was stern and closemouthed, his dark
eyes hooded. He had been dressing for travel when Sally had knocked in much
agitation on his door, but he had handled the strange situation in his kitchen
as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. Now, Elizabeth could not tell if he
was angry, and if so, where his anger was focused. In any case, the friendly
and deferential man who had told stories at her wedding party was gone.

"There
is some business that needs to be aired, it seems," he began. He pursed
his mouth, glanced at each of them in turn, and then carried on. "Perhaps
Dr. Todd will tell us to what end he has intruded on the peace of my household
and attacked one of my guests." This was said very quietly, but there was
no doubt that Mr. Schuyler would have an answer.

Elizabeth
saw a flicker of doubt on Richard's face.

"That's
simple enough," he said. His voice was hoarse, as if he had been shouting.
He looked directly at Elizabeth and ignored Nathaniel.

"I'm
here to fetch Elizabeth Middleton back to Paradise, at her father's
request."

"Am
I a sack of flour, or one of your runaway slaves?" Elizabeth began, but
Mr. Schuyler shook his head gently at her. At the same time she felt
Nathaniel's hand at her elbow. She dropped her head to gather her thoughts.

"I
am an adult, in full possession of my faculties," she said, and then she
met Mr. Schuyler's gaze.

"And
as you know, sir, I am a married woman. Dr.

Todd
had no right to order me about before I married, and he has less now."

"You
are not legally married," Richard countered. Elizabeth felt Nathaniel
stiffen beside her, but Mr. Schuyler spoke first.

"I
beg to differ," he said. "Nathaniel?"

Without
taking his gaze away from Richard, Nathaniel took a piece of paper from his
shirt and handed it to Philip Schuyler.

"A
signed marriage contract," he affirmed. "Witnessed by myself and my
lady, yesterday evening in this room. They are legally wed, Dr. Todd, and
pardon me, Elizabeth—Nathaniel, I assume the marriage was consummated? Yes.
Well. So whatever your feelings on this, Dr. Todd, there is nothing you can do
about it." He hesitated, and then spoke quickly. "I might also add
that your behavior this morning shows an appalling lack of manners and good
breeding."

"Miss
Middleton had made a legally binding vow to me," Richard said softly.
"And I intend to hold her to those terms." Elizabeth uttered
something between an outraged laugh and an oath.

"That's
a lie," Nathaniel said. "And he knows it himself."

"I
have witnesses." Richard had gone very pale.

"Another
lie," Elizabeth spat.

"I
see no such witnesses here, Dr. Todd." Mr. Schuyler's calm was now offset
by splashes of red which appeared suddenly on his cheeks and neck. "This
marriage has taken place and is legal. Whatever else you may seek to undertake
in terms of action against the lady—assuming that your evidence does indeed
exist—I would hope that you would be gentleman enough to accept the fact that
her favor has been granted elsewhere."

"I
am man enough to claim what is mine," Richard responded.

"Richard
Todd," Elizabeth said, her voice trembling with a deep, unrelenting anger.
"How can you stand there and utter such an outrageous lie? I never made
you any promise, and I most certainly did not make a public vow."

He
blinked, slowly, his head swiveling toward her in what seemed an endless arc.

"Your
father is in debt to me," he said. "As you know. If you do not honor
your vow"—he continued to speak over her rising protests—"then I will
simply take his property. All of it."

"How
much money does my father owe you?"

"More
than you possess," he said dismissively.

"You
are an arrogant, overblown boor—" Elizabeth began. This engendered a look
of surprise from Nathaniel, one of shock from Mr. Schuyler, and a sudden
shuffling from behind the closed doors. "And as such, sir, you have not
the slightest idea of what I
possess
."

Looking
decidedly uncomfortable, Mr. Schuyler raised a hand. "It was a reasonable
question," he agreed. "How much money are you owed, man?"

"Three
thousand," said Richard. "Pounds." And he threw Elizabeth
defiant look.

Mr.
Schuyler let out a gasp of surprise. Elizabeth, herself unable to grasp what
Richard was claiming, took Nathaniel's arm.

"Over
ten thousand dollars?" Mr. Schuyler said. "How could this be?"

"Not
that I need to explain myself." said Todd.

"But
the judge invested in a questionable land deal down in Ohio country. Against my
better advice."

Mr.
Schuyler was looking at him closely. "Of course," he said dryly.
"Your better advice." He shook his head. "Ten thousand dollars.
That is hard to imagine."

"Well,
it's true," Richard flared. "And all the judge's property together is
worth perhaps three and a half. Our agreement—and you will see that it was a
generous one on my part—was to take the first patent as full payment. Upon my
marriage to his daughter. It was perhaps not completely equitable as far as my
interests are concerned—" He paused, as if to let this insult sink in.
"But it was the only way the judge would agree."

Elizabeth
felt very cold suddenly, thinking of what might have happened, the situation
she might have been in, had she married this man. A wave of nausea washed over
her. She felt Nathaniel's firm grip on her arm, steadying her.

"This
ain't about Elizabeth, it's about Hidden Wolf." Nathaniel said.

Richard
swung around to look at him. "Yes," he said. "It is."

"Hidden
Wolf is no longer my father's, and you cannot have it," said Elizabeth.
"Even if you sue him for nonpayment."

"The
court may think otherwise," Richard said. "I'm sure they would be
willing to hold off the transfer of property until the matter is cleared up, at
any rate. And it could take a long time."

Nathaniel
was looking at Mr. Schuyler. "We have the money he's owed."

There
was a strangled laugh from Richard. "You have ten thousand dollars?"
he asked, incredulous. "Have you been robbing banks in addition to
stealing young women from their families in the dead of night?"

Nathaniel's
hand closed hard on Elizabeth's arm to keep her still.

"You
and I are going to have a discussion about that mouth of yours," he said
slowly. "Someday soon. And when we do I expect you'll be eager to make an
apology."

"We
do have the funds," Elizabeth said, directing herself to Mr. Schuyler.
"From my aunt Merriweather." It occurred to her now that the money
bestowed so generously, which had yesterday seemed like a fortune, was not
enough.

"Your
aunt has gifted you only two thousand pounds, as I understand it," Richard
pointed out. "That leaves three and a half thousand dollars."

Elizabeth's
head snapped up, and she felt herself drain of color. "Well, gentleman
that you are, Dr. Todd, I see you do not scruple to open post addressed to another."

"That
was your father's doing," he said, not discomfited in the least.

"You
are a scoundrel," she said. "And a common thief."

He
smiled, and before she knew what she was doing, Elizabeth felt herself moving
toward him. Nathaniel's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"We've
got the rest of the funds," he said to Mr. Schuyler.

"Oh,"
drawled Richard. "The mythical Tory Gold?"

Nathaniel
did not turn his attention away from Mr. Schuyler. "The money can be paid
out today, in Albany."

"Well,
Todd," said Mr. Schuyler. "It seems that there is a happy end to this
tale, after all. Today you will receive the monies owed you—providing you can
produce the notes, that is. Judge Middleton will retain that property which he
has not deeded to his daughter, and the lands he gifted to her remain her own
property, and her husband's. And our business is settled."

"No."
Richard shook his head, his smile disappearing. "Hidden Wolf was promised
to me as part of the marriage contract, and I intend to sue for it."

There
was a pause in the room, a gathering tension that jumped from Richard to
Nathaniel and back again. Elizabeth knew that she stood outside this flow of
energy. They had come to the heart of the matter now.

"Give
it up, man," Mr. Schuyler said roughly. "Your chances are next to
none, and you'll do nothing but injure your own good name in the courts. And
hers."