The Right Wife (12 page)

“The hell you say!”

“You need to find Maggie and help her. Bring her back to my house.”

“Find Maggie? Where is she?”

“Her aunt sent her packing,” Thayer said, leading his friend across the street and away from any curious eyes. “Jude and Micah left home to find me and finally tracked me down at Loretta’s. When we went by the Gower place to get Maggie, her uncle said that she had taken her things and gone looking for her brother and sister, worried because they hadn’t come home.”

“Didn’t Gower try to stop her?”

“He wasn’t at home when she left. He was worried about his niece, but he admitted to me that he won’t be able to live with his wife if he lets Maggie stay on there.”

“You take those children home with you,” Aaron instructed. “I’ll find Maggie.”

Maggie was trying to hold back the tears that were slowly choking her. Tired, alone, and frightened for Jude and Micah’s safety, she had walked the dim streets of Tuscumbia at twilight. She had stopped at the Coleman house only to be told that her siblings had been by and had gone. Less than half an hour ago, she had checked her uncle’s store, hoping to find them there. She had walked up Main Street, past the opera house, remembering that Aaron would be there tonight with Eunice.

Eunice Arnold had won. Maggie Campbell had lost.
No! Not by all that was holy,
Maggie decided. She would not give in to self-pity. Somehow, someway, she would get through this horrible night. Everything would be all right, if only she could find Micah and Judith. Where could they be?

She paused in front of the three-story county courthouse and leaned against the fence enclosing the grounds. Finally allowing herself to cry, she prayed for help. Her sister and brother were innocent of any wrong. She and she alone was guilty of lusting after a man to the point that she had shamed herself and her family.

“Maggie,” a male voice called out.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Maggie turned to face Wesley Peterson, who stood a few feet away.

“What do you want, Wesley?” How had he found her? Had he been following her since she left his mother’s house hours ago? Why wasn’t he at the Brush Arbor meeting?

“I’ve come to save your soul,” the good reverend said, walking slowly toward her.

“Please, just leave me alone,” Maggie pleaded, turning away from her cousin.

“You must come with me this very night to the meeting and confess your great sin publicly.” Wesley grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her soundly, his eyes frenzied, his voice quivering with saintly conviction.

“No!” Maggie screamed. “Go away. Leave me be.”

“You’ve given your virgin body in an act of sin,” Wesley railed, shaking Maggie repeatedly. “You must tell me, tell us all, how you allowed the devil to enter your body.”

She pulled free, dumbstruck by the wild look in his silver eyes. When he reached for her again, she started running, Wesley following at a fast pace for a man so fat.

Dear Lord in heaven, is he insane?
She could not let him catch her. She refused to be hauled in front of this congregation to be forced to repent of a wrong she hadn’t committed. She had allowed a man to kiss her, to fondle her, to look upon her naked breasts. Yes, she knew that she had sinned, but, for the life of her, she could not stop loving Aaron Stone, and perhaps that was the biggest sin of all, the one for which God would punish her.

She continued running faster and faster, trying to get away from the tormenting sound of Wesley’s heavy footsteps and his loud ravings of sin and damnation. The worn leather of her shoes offered little protection from the hard ground, scattered with small rocks and rutted from wagon and carriage travel.

After having put a distance of two blocks between them, Maggie crossed the street to the east side of town and stopped in front of the Deshler Female Institute. The light from the cloud-covered full moon made the square building visible, a dome-shaped bell tower dominating the brick structure.

“Sinner!” Wesley preached. “I, the servant of the Lord Almighty, will purge you of evil.”

Maggie shuddered at the sound of the man’s voice, fear enveloping her. A silent scream issued from her mouth just as she heard horses’ hooves and the cling-clang of an approaching carriage.

“Maggie!” Aaron shouted, stopping the cabriolet.

Wesley was almost upon her, his fleshy hands reaching out.

She saw Aaron running toward her, his arms open. Without a thought, except to reach the safety of his strong arms, Maggie turned from Wesley and ran into Aaron’s comforting embrace.

The two men exchanged glances as Aaron held a trembling, sobbing Maggie. His jade eyes issued a warning to the good reverend whose own cold eyes prophesied doom.

“I’m here, Maggie,” Aaron said, picking her up in his big arms and carrying her to the carriage. “I’m here, love. I’m going to take care of you. Don’t cry.”

“Oh, Aaron,” she said, weeping uncontrollably. “I . . . I’ve ruined . . . everything . . . all our lives.”

“Hush, hush.” He kissed her forehead lightly. “It’s all my fault. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“I love you,” she said. “And that is wrong.”

“Oh, Maggie.” Aaron held her close, realizing that he loved her, too.

I
n the white cedar-floored entrance hall of the Coleman town house, Maggie Campbell held out her arms to a teary-eyed Judith.

Propelling her petite body into her sister’s, Judith cried out, “Oh, Maggie. We were so worried about you.”

Maggie hugged the child tightly, stroking the back of her tiny head. “You shouldn’t have run off, Jude. When you and Micah didn’t come back I got scared something had to happened to you all, so I went looking everywhere trying to find you.”

Clinging to her sister, Judith rationalized her actions. “I had to find Thayer. I knew he’d help us. But he wasn’t home, so we had to go all the way over to the place to get him.”

“What place?” Maggie asked, looking over the top of the child’s head to where Thayer Coleman stood in the parlor doorway, Micah at his side.

“It was a fancy place,” Jude said. “With a long bar, and huge mirrors, and lots and lots of painted ladies. Micah said they were fallen angels, but they didn’t look like angels to me.”

Aaron, standing behind Maggie, could not suppress a chuckle. Looking across the foyer at his friend he saw a slight flush on Thayer’s smiling face.

“Micah, you don’t meant to tell me that you allowed Judith to go into a . . . a . . . a house of ill repute?” Maggie glared at her brother.

“I couldn’t stop her, short of killing her,” the boy said. “Anyhow, we had no choice. We had to find Thayer.”

“Thayer?” Maggie asked. “Haven’t you two forgotten your manners using Mr. Coleman’s Christian name so freely? Just because I’m the talk of the town doesn’t mean you two can turn into heathens.”

“It’s all right, Miss Maggie,” Thayer told her. “They’ve been given permission. The three of us have become quite good friends tonight.”

“Come on in,” Aaron said, lifting Judith onto his hip before taking Maggie’s hand. “Let’s go into the parlor and sit down. We have some things to talk about.”

“Indeed we do,” Thayer said. “Come on. I can ring for Ludie if anyone would like something to eat or drink.”

Everyone gave negative answers as they entered the front parlor, a room of understated elegance with flowered silk-papered walls and velvet-carpeted floors. Two brocade sofas flanked the fireplace, a brown marble-topped table between them.

“Please sit down, everyone,” Thayer invited.

Aaron placed Judith at her sister’s side on the sofa and went to stand by an open window, the night breeze blowing softly against the lace curtains. It had been years since he had felt such a sense of confusion and desperation. The realization that he was in love with Maggie had startled him. He had never expected to know this all-consuming emotion.

“I’ve told Micah and Jude that I want the three of you to stay here,” Thayer said, leaning against the brown marble mantel behind him.

“We couldn’t,” Maggie said. “What would people say?”

“Miss Maggie, at this point other people’s opinions should be your least concern,” Thayer reminded her.

“I’m not thinking about myself,” Maggie replied. “I know my reputation is lost. But what of Jude and Micah? They shouldn’t even be with me. They should have stayed at Uncle Chester’s. They have to go back. That’s their only hope.”

“I won’t go back. I won’t!” Judith declared loudly, grabbing her sister around the waist and holding tightly.

“Neither will I,” Micah said. “We’re a family and we’ll stay together.”

“I’m afraid, for tonight, we will all be under the same roof,” Thayer admitted. “But tomorrow I’m leaving for Silver Hill to spend the summer. I’m expecting my mother as well as my sister and her family to join me next week. Aaron is moving to White Orchard to oversee the completion of its renovation.”

“So no one could say there is anything improper going on here when Thayer and Mr. Stone are gone,” Micah told her.

“We can’t accept charity,” Maggie said.

“You are going to need assistance, Miss Maggie,” Thayer said. “I want to help. As a friend, allow me to offer my home. It will be unused the whole summer.”

Maggie’s uncertainty weighed on her heart. She had to think of the children. What was best for them? “If we stay, we’ll earn our keep.”

“My God, woman,” Aaron said, wanting to shake the stubborn redhead one minute and longing to hold her in his arms the next. “Can’t you just accept our help? It’s my fault that your family is in this situation.”

“I’m to blame,” Maggie said, too tired to cry anymore. “Aunt Tilly warned me that we had to keep spotless reputations.”

“To hell with your Aunt Tilly,” Aaron told her. “You’ll regain your reputation. I’ll see to it that everyone knows of your innocence. Any fault in this matter is mine alone.”

“Folks aren’t going to forget that Maggie beat the daylights out of Mrs. Arnold,” Micah said, grinning at his sister.

“I’m not sorry I hit her back,” Maggie said. “She had no right to call me a whore.”

“Eunice called you a . . . a whore?” Aaron asked, astounded at the news. “I’ve never known her to behave like this.”

“What if I bring in a sewing machine for you?” Thayer tactfully changed the subject. “You can earn a living sewing. As for Micah, we will find him a job so he can earn enough for school.”

Aaron eyed his friend, knowing the other man was right to drop the matter of Eunice Arnold. There would be time enough to deal with that situation later. For now, Maggie had to be his main concern. He could probably think more reasonably if his feelings didn’t keep getting in the way. He had never intended to fall in love, most definitely not with a girl who could never make his dream of respectability come true.

“I want to help too,” Jude said, sulking. “Maggie’s going to take in sewing again, and Micah is going to get a new job. What can I do?”

Kneeling before her, Thayer took the child’s hands into his. “Your job will be to help Maggie until school starts, and then your job will be to work hard and learn all the things a proper young lady should know.”

“I guess I’ll have to become a lady,” Jude groaned, her freckled face marred by a frown. “You want me to be a lady. Maggie wants me to be a lady.”

“We all want that,” Micah said.

“Then, it’s settled.” Thayer stood, lifting Jude to her feet. “There will be no charity. The Campbells will earn their keep.”

“And I’ll learn how to be a lady,” Judith said, yawning.

“Bedtime for you, young lady,” Thayer said, laughing. “I’ll ring for Ludie. She can show you all upstairs to your rooms.”

“Don’t disturb her,” Maggie said. “Tell us and we can find the way.”

Aaron put a hand on Maggie’s arm, stopping her departure. “Thayer, why don’t you show Jude and Micah upstairs. I need a moment with Maggie.”

Agreeing, Thayer and the younger Campbells left the parlor.

“I intend to do everything I can to help you,” Aaron told her once they were alone.

“Thank you.”

“I know it may be impossible to undo the damage, but I will try. After all, we didn’t . . . I mean, you’re still a . . .”

“I should go see about Daisy. I’ve been so concerned with my problems, I’d almost forgotten about her,” Maggie said, ignoring his pitiful attempt at consolation.

“Don’t change the subject, damn it!”

“I see no point in discussing the matter further.”

“Maggie . . .” Sensing her determination to end their brief conversation and seeing the wariness in her sweet, sad face, he agreed. “Very well.”

“Thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go check on Daisy.”

“There’s no need. Phineas gave her more pain medication before he drove me to the opera house. He expects her to sleep until morning.”

“In that case, I think I’ll retire for the night.” Thus said, Maggie walked out, leaving Aaron staring after her.

At the top of the stairway, she found Thayer on his way down. He smiled at her.

“I’ve put you and Jude in the first room on the right.”

“Thank you, Mr. Coleman.”

“Thayer. Remember, we’re all friends now.”

Maggie tried to smile as she nodded yes.

Judith squirmed restlessly in the bed. Maggie, lying beside her, longed for sleep that would obliterate the day’s happenings.

“Thayer said that we were all invited,” Jude said, laughing.

“What?” Maggie had been only half-listening to the child’s endless chatter.

“The party. The party.”

“What party?”

“You haven’t been listening,” Jude said. “I’ve been telling you about the big party that Thayer is going to have at Silver Hill. I’ll have to stay and watch from upstairs with his niece, Rachel, because I’m not old enough to go to a formal party yet. But he expects you and Micah to be there.”

“Oh, Jude. We can’t . . .” Maggie stopped midsentence as she looked at her young sister, whose pretty little face was filled with youthful hopes and dreams. “Honey, it’ll be wonderful. We’ll all have such a good time.”

“You’ll have to make yourself a new dress. Something so beautiful that every woman there will envy you.”

Maggie listened as her sister talked on and on about the big party, about Thayer’s family, and about Silver Hill. Finally, after nearly an hour of nonstop talking, Judith succumbed to sleep, but Maggie remained wide awake.

She could hear sounds from outside, insects and night birds, the distant rumble of a train, and the gradually increasing roar of the wind. Going to the window, she tiptoed quietly so that she wouldn’t disturb her sleeping sister. Outside the world was total darkness, huge rain clouds obscuring the moon and stars. A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the Colemans’ yard, the lawn green and well kept, rows of petunias lining the walkway.

Maggie longed for rain. Perhaps it would lull her to sleep and wash away all her worries. She wondered if Aaron was asleep. It was dangerous to think about how close he was, how easy it would be to go to him, how good it would feel to be in his arms. She had to stop thinking about what could never be.

Thunder shook the house and lightning filled the world with its brilliant flash as the wind howled, and tree branches swayed, scraping across the window panes. Then the rain came. Fast and hard and loud.

Maggie’s restlessness increased as the rain poured down. She had tossed and turned until her body ached. If only she could stop thinking about Aaron, she might be able to sleep.

Deciding that movement might help her pass the hours till morning, she opened the bedroom door and walked down the hall. She tried to be quiet, not wanting to awaken anyone fortunate enough to be sleeping. Maybe she could light a lamp downstairs and find something to read. A man like Thayer was sure to have newspapers, even books, somewhere in the house. She had enjoyed reading the
Atlanta Constitution
that Uncle Chester received by mail. She especially liked the Woman’s Kingdom section.

The hallway was so dark that she had to feel her way along the wall, stepping carefully down the stairs, clinging to the railing. Flashes of lightning, visible through the parlor windows, allowed her a brief glimpse of the entrance hall. An open door behind the stairs revealed a dim light. Beckoned by the pale glimmer, Maggie entered the room and found herself in the kitchen, a kerosene lamp glowing faintly in the center of the eating table. Its fuel was almost gone. No doubt one of the servants had forgotten to extinguish it before retiring.

Again thunder boomed and the house trembled. Maggie rushed to the outside door, flinging it open so she could watch the lightning streak across the black sky.

She loved the rain. Pa had always said it was a farmer’s friend. Tonight it was her friend, the sound of the steady downpour crooning to her like a mother to her babe. She watched and listened from the doorway, the strong wind blowing moisture onto her face and body. Although the night was summer-warm, the rain was cool, refreshing her with its touch.

She wondered if Aaron liked the rain. Would he enjoy standing here with her, watching the lightning and savoring the taste of fresh rain on his lips? Was he lying awake upstairs listening to this sweet music? Was he thinking about her? She had told him that she loved him, but he had not responded. Did he love her? He had come to her when she needed him, when her whole world was falling apart. Would the events of this terrible day change things for him with Eunice Arnold?

Aaron Stone stood in the hallway, gazing through the open kitchen door. He could see Maggie at the back door, the pale lamplight silhouetting the shape of her womanly body beneath her sheer muslin nightgown. He had been watching her since she came down the stairs, feeling her presence even before he heard her light footsteps. Unable to sleep, he had been sitting in the back parlor, dulling his senses with a bottle of Thayer’s best whiskey.

His body was hard with need, the sight of Maggie, the memory of her naked flesh, making him sick with longing. Burning desire, coupled with the liquor’s influence, had brought forth the primeval forces within him. He was a male animal driven to mate with the female who had aroused him.

He stepped into the kitchen, his eyes never leaving Maggie’s enticing form.

She knew Aaron was behind her there in the kitchen. She didn’t need to turn around to be certain of his presence. She could feel him.

Hesitating because of some innate knowledge that seeing him would destroy her defenses, she continued to watch the storm, her heartbeat so loud in her ears that it blocked out even the thunder. She was on fire. If she faced him, she would be lost.

Unable to fight the need to see him, she turned slowly, aware that he had moved to within a few feet of her. Just as she looked up, their eyes meeting, the lamplight flickered several times and then died, throwing the room into darkness. She had seen raw hunger on his face, the expression so primitive that it had frightened her.

“Maggie.” His voice was a hoarse groan.

“No,” she whispered.

A clap of thunder echoed through the stillness. Maggie tensed. She felt like a trapped animal. She had to escape. Lightning ripped through the black sky, momentarily lighting the room. Aaron’s jade eyes were wild. She could feel how desperately he wanted her.

Without a thought, Maggie ran out into the stormy night, rain pelting her body as she fled across the yard. Like a hunter after his prey, Aaron followed her, his long legs taking two steps for her every one.