The Bride Price (10 page)

“I will,” Clayton whispered.

“I’m really cold.”

Richard gathered her into his arms and held
her against his chest. “Is this better?”

She never said another word.

* * *

Richard woke with a start and swore. Sitting
up, he reached for the bottle and drank deeply, before climbing out
of bed and making his way to his bureau. Sliding open the top
drawer, he noticed the ribbon still sat on top of his pocket watch,
and he pulled it out and lifted it lovingly to his lips. Tears
streamed down his face as he let it slip through his fingers back
to its hiding place. As he turned back to the bed, anger
overwhelmed him.

Once they buried their sister, Richard and
Clayton sold everything off, freed the slaves that hadn’t already
purchased their freedom, and made their way to Pennsylvania. Away
from the south, away from the memories. In the midst of making
their new life, Clayton found God and Richard found rage—and
whiskey.

Richard dragged his pants on, grabbed the
bottle, and stumbled down the stairs back to his office. He stayed
there, barely lucid, until the sun rose.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sophie woke in a cloud.
Too much
champagne, I think.

Easing her way out of bed, she made her way
to the corner of the room and, as promised, Nona had moved what she
considered to be a modern commode into the room. It looked like a
dining room chair with arms, but when Sophie lifted the hidden lid,
she stared down at the porcelain bowl nestled inside.

Still, seriously gross.

She heard Christine speaking with Betty
outside her door, and then a quiet knock.

“Come in.”

“Good morning, Sophie, how are you feeling
after the late night?” Christine asked.

“A little groggy but otherwise fine. How
about you? What time is it?”

“Nine o’clock. Is there anything you’d like
to do? I’m not scheduled to volunteer today, so I can show you
around if you like.”

Sophie slipped a wayward lock behind her ear.
“You know what I would really love to do?”

“What’s that?”

“Ride. I haven’t ridden a horse in a really
long time, and since Nona and Michael’s stables are full of
beautiful equine flesh, it seems a shame not to.”

Christine nodded with a smile. “I’ll have our
groom saddle them for us. I think Elizabeth put a riding habit in
the pile of clothes she brought over yesterday for you.”

Locating the habit in the bottom of the
wardrobe, Christine helped Sophie dress. The girls made their way
out to the stables. As they rounded the corner, Sophie froze.

Dang it! Sidesaddle. How did I forget about
sidesaddle? Of course, women in the nineteenth century wouldn’t
ride any other way. How am I going to get out of this one?

Sophie was a proficient rider, having won
several ribbons in competition, but she’d never tried sidesaddle
before.

“Is anything amiss?”

“I have never ridden sidesaddle,” Sophie
whispered.

Christine frowned. “I thought you were
experienced.”

“I am. However, I ride astride.”

Christine let out a quiet gasp. “Well, you
cannot ride that way here.”

Sophie rolled her eyes and took a deep
breath. “I’m aware of that.”

They stood for a few minutes, Sophie’s mind
racing with what to do, her need to ride superseding her
trepidation of a new saddle. “How hard can it really be?”

“I have never ridden any other way, so I
can’t answer that,” Christine admitted.

Sophie shrugged. “Well, I need to ride. It’s
been too long.”

Christine led her to where a groom stood with
their awaiting horses. Christine mounted from the mounting block
first and then the groom led Sophie’s horse over so that she could
climb on. Standing next to a magnificent chestnut gelding, her
palms sweating and heart racing, Sophie slid onto the saddle,
hooked her leg over the pommel, and arranged her riding skirts as
the groom held her stirrup. Taking a deep breath, she slipped her
foot in and then took up her reins.

“Are you ready?” Christine asked.

Sophie nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever
be.”

They took it slow, riding leisurely over the
vast countryside, Sophie in awe of a land that could very well soon
be ravaged by an unfinished war.

She felt free. To Sophie, there was nothing
like the elation she felt when riding. The troubles of the world
just seemed to disappear when she was on the back of a horse. She
decided she wanted to go a little faster but without “thigh power,”
she wasn’t completely sure how to get the horse moving. She gave it
a good swift kick and nothing happened, so used the crop to get him
moving from the other side.

Bad idea.

All she could think about as the landscape
flew by, was
how the heck do I stop this thing?
She pulled
on the reins, but that didn’t work, and she didn’t want to cut the
horse’s mouth up with the bit. She couldn’t place her rear in the
right position without the use of both of her legs to stop him, so
she just hung on for dear life and hoped the horse would eventually
tire.

Hearing pounding hooves behind her, and
hoping she hadn’t scared Christine’s horse, Sophie gasped when a
very strong arm grabbed around her middle, and she was pulled onto
someone’s lap. Looking back, concerned for the horse, she let out a
sigh of relief when she saw him slow down and turn back toward the
group, reins dragging on the ground.

Once both horses had stopped, the strong arms
gently lowered her to the ground, and she looked up. Into the face
of Richard Madden.

Of course.

She really shouldn’t be surprised.

Christine rushed up, her horse panting with
the exertion used to try and catch her. She quickly dismounted and
came over to check on Sophie. “Are you all right, Sophie?”

“Yes, I think so. I’m really sorry if I
scared you.”

“What did you think you were doing, if you
didn’t know how to ride?” Richard snapped. “Samson is a difficult
horse and you had no business riding him.”

Oh right, he’s still here.

Sophie’s hackles rose. “I
can
ride Mr.
Madden, I am simply unaccustomed to a side-saddle.”

“A proper lady wouldn’t ride any other
way.”

“Well, then I suppose I’m not a proper lady,”
she snapped. “Not to mention, Mr. Madden, if you truly thought I
was, you wouldn’t continue to manhandle me at every turn.”

Richard smiled slowly, a little like a shark,
and stared, fixated on her chest. Glancing down, Sophie noticed the
bodice of her habit, slightly askew and missing a button. She
couldn’t stop the blush stealing her cheeks as she attempted to fix
her clothing.

“Mrs. Ford, perhaps you might want to take a
few riding lessons to help you feel more comfortable on a horse. If
you’d like, I would be happy to oblige.”

The muscles in Sophie’s shoulders crawled,
and she felt as though steam would escape from her head like a
cartoon character as she fisted her hands at her side in an attempt
not to hit the man. “I bet you would, Mr.
I’m-a-Big-Man-and-I-Need-to-Save-the-Poor-Weak-Women-of-the-World.
Well, you know what? You can just take a flying leap off a very
high—”

“What Sophie means, Richard,” Christine laid
a hand on her arm, “is that she is very grateful you came along in
the nick of time. I’m certain that thank you is on the tip of her
tongue, isn’t it, Sophie?”

Sophie’s unladylike grunt received
admonishment from Christine in the form of raised eyebrows.

“Well, Mrs. Ford, the offer stands if you
would like instruction in the equestrian arts. I’m available on
most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and would be happy to
assist.”

At his continued appraisal of her chest,
Sophie turned her back on him and stomped back towards the Wades
house.

“Mrs. Ford?” Richard called.

“What?” Sophie snapped but didn’t break
stride.

“I believe you have forgotten your horse,
ma’am.”

Patronizing, son of a ...

She knew he threw that little ma’am in there
to irritate her. What she really wanted to do right now was throw a
good temper tantrum and perhaps find a doll she could draw his face
on and poke pins into. Turning around, she made her way back to
Richard and Christine, snatched the reins out of his hands, and
stomped back towards the stables as she muttered under her breath.
Richard and Christine followed at a slight distance. She felt
somewhat vindicated when she heard their conversation.

“Richard, is it really necessary to
antagonize her so?” Christine asked.

Richard bowed his head in contrition. “I
cannot seem to resist.”

Christine rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s
unseemly—and entirely unlike you.” She frowned up at him. “Since
when did you become so ungentlemanly?”

Richard sighed. “I apologize.”

Once they arrived at the Wades barn, Richard
spoke with the groom, and asked him to rub down Sophie’s horse. As
the young lad made his way to tend to the horse, Richard cornered
Sophie. “Mrs. Ford, I am truly sorry if I offended you. It was not
my intention. Could we please call a truce?”

Sophie glared at him.

“Mrs. Ford?”

“I’m
thinking
!”

“I see.” Taking a deep breath, he smiled –
less like a shark this time, as he folded his hands behind his
back. “I have an idea.”

Sophie continued to glare at him without
comment.

“Tomorrow is Tuesday, and I happen to have
the afternoon free. Why don’t you and I go for a ride? I promise
I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“Like that is ever going to happen.”

Christine took Sophie’s arm. “Richard, give
us a moment, please?”

Christine pulled Sophie further into the
darkened stables. “Sophie, I don’t want to tell you what to do, but
you will be alone tomorrow afternoon. Richard has been a friend of
our family for years and I have to admit, he’s acting somewhat out
of character at the present time, but I have the utmost faith that
you would be safe with him. You might even enjoy his company.”

“I
highly
doubt that.”

“I know things are confusing at the moment. I
know you miss Jamie, but at some point you have to realize that
you’re here, and I don’t know if that will change.”

Sophie paced the small space. “I know. But
why do I have to spend any time with Mr. Obnoxious? I’d be happy to
read a book and hang out at home.”

Christine clasped her hands in front of her
and let out a quiet sigh.

“What?” Sophie narrowed her eyes in
suspicion.

“Richard would be a great champion,
Sophie.”

Sophie’s stomach dropped. “A champion? Why
would I need a champion?”

“You are a young woman alone. Beautiful, but
without a past,” Christine whispered. “You won’t make it far
without a husband to protect you.”

Sophie’s gasp echoed the rafters. “Are you
saying that I have to marry that horrible man? I’m already
married.”

Christine took her hand and squeezed it
gently. “You must be realistic, Sophie. You don’t know where your
husband is. He could be dead or lost to you forever, and without a
man to protect you, you are at the mercy of someone who may not
treat you as well as Richard Madden.”

Bile rose unbidden. She couldn’t do it. She
could never marry someone she didn’t love, even if she’d not
already married the love of her life. And she certainly couldn’t
marry someone she despised. “I will not betray my husband.”

Christine shook her head. “I’m not asking you
to. I am simply suggesting that Richard would be a great protector.
Will you give him a chance while you sort out your personal
business?”

“I don’t want, or need, a protector. You
don’t have one and seem to be doing fine.”

“I’ve lived here most of my life and have my
family. I also have Andrew. No one would cross my brother or do
anything to offend Peter Martin’s widow.”

Sophie’s eyes filled with tears.

“You have Michael’s protection, Sophie. I
don’t want to suggest he wouldn’t defend you. However, there were
several men asking after you last night, and I think it concerned
Michael.”

Sophie rubbed her forehead, a headache
rapidly approaching. “Why were men asking about me?”

“Because you are beautiful and very young,
Sophie.”

“I’m not that young,” Sophie whispered
frantically. “I’m twenty-six.”

“But you look much, much younger, dear. There
are many lonely men who have been at war for too long. None of whom
are near the caliber of man that Richard is.”

Sophie shrugged. “Just tell them I’m
married.”

“That will work for a time, but I still think
you should get to know Richard. He’s wonderful company.”

“Then you date him—or marry him—or
whatever!”

Christine chuckled. “He has never had any
interest in me.”

“But he has interest in
me
?” Not that
she was surprised. Her stomach roiled and she wrapped her arms
around her waist. She couldn’t understand why the thought upset her
so violently.

Christine slid her arm around her shoulders.
“Sophie, don’t fret. You don’t need to make any decisions right
now.”

“There is something not right about him,
Christine.”

“Whatever do you mean? Richard’s a wonderful
man. If you spend any time with him, you’ll see that as well.”

Sophie wondered if her feelings were due to
her emotional upheaval, rather than fact. She didn’t really know
the man, but Christine did. So she tried to approach the situation
objectively. Perhaps Christine was right and she was overreacting.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her spine and made her way
out of the stables. “All right, Mr. Madden, tomorrow will be
fine.”

“Wonderful, Mrs. Ford. I’ll see you at
two.”

Sophie nodded, and she and Christine made
their way back to the house.