CHAPTER FIFTY
Henry glanced at his calendar, marveling that Halloween was just two weeks away. He shuffled his papers together, put them neatly into the top drawer of his desk, and stood. He had a lunch appointment with Elizabeth. She’d been patient, but now he had a few answers for her. Taking his hat off the rack, he stepped outside to a clear, semi-sunny day. He was halfway down the stairs when Blake and Belle came galloping down the road at full tilt.
Blake saw him first and pulled up. Belle followed suit, having taken to a Western saddle like a drunk to whiskey.
Henry backtracked several steps to avoid the billowing cloud of dust they’d created. “You know better than that, Blake! I’m surprised at you,” he chastised. “You could run someone over.” Still, he couldn’t stop a wide grin. The two look so cute together now that they’ve finally stopped pretending they aren’t head over heels for each other. He glanced at Belle. “How do you like him?” he asked when Belle reached down to stroke Strider’s neck. John’s black gelding had never looked better.
She grinned at Blake, certainly unaware she had a streak of dirt across her cheek. “We’re good friends already. He can run like the wind.”
Henry narrowed his eyes at Blake. “You better not get her hurt.”
Blake shrugged. “You try and stop her. It’s a war all the time, and I’ve already lost. What will she be like after we’re married?”
Belle laughed, her heart in her eyes. She sidestepped her horse closer to Blake and laid her hand on top of his, which was resting on his saddle horn. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” she said in a sultry voice.
Blake actually blushed.
“Where’re you off to, Henry?” she asked. “We came into Eden to have lunch at the café and see Lavinia. That sister of mine has jumped right in. She loves spending time there.”
“Actually, that’s where I’m going as well. I have a lunch appointment with Elizabeth. We have business to discuss.”
“That’s a likely story,” Blake mumbled, then laughed when Belle wiggled her brows at Henry. “You two sure do a lot of ‘business’ together. I’ll ask you again. Is there something we should know?”
If Henry wasn’t such a coward, he’d admit to himself he had enjoyed dancing with Elizabeth at the party. She invoked in him something he’d never felt. Since that night, he hadn’t been able to keep his mind on his work. He shook his head. “Nope, nothing at all.”
“Well, we have several errands to take care of with the rebuilding of the leather shop before we head over. Maybe by the time we get there, you’ll be finished talking business and we could join you.”
“If we are, you’re more than welcome. You know that.”
Blake reined Banjo around. “Come on, my bonny Belle,” he said good-naturedly, smiling at his wife-to-be. “We have things to accomplish so we can eat with a clear conscience.”
Henry watched them ride away with a full heart. Both those young people deserved all the happiness they could find. Arriving at the café, Henry found Elizabeth already there, seated in one of the booths along the wall. He wasn’t a man prone to feeling nervous, but he was at the moment.
“Elizabeth.” He sat and got comfortable. The smile she gave was one he’d grown used to. One he would miss if she decided to leave.
“Henry.”
There’s affection in her voice, or is that just wishful thinking?
They made small talk until Karen came out, took their order, and returned with tea for Elizabeth and coffee for him. They couldn’t avoid the topic any longer.
“Blake and Belle are in town today and may be in soon,” he said quietly. There were a few other diners, and he didn’t want to be overheard. “They’d like to join us if we’re through with business by the time they arrive.”
The Brinkman sisters had gone out of their way to make Elizabeth welcome in town. And even more, it seemed they were friends. He couldn’t imagine how things would play out. It might make this whole paternity business difficult when it came time to break the news.
She set her cup back in its saucer. “I’d like that.”
He nodded, fiddling with the fork on the table. “Okay, then we better get talking. I’ve had a reply from Judge Wesley in Denver. As far as he could, he’s corroborated your story about being in Denver at the time you stated by checking the hotel logs. Same with John. The waiter at the place you had supper had a local customer who recognized John Brinkman and a woman who fit your description. I’m prepared to go forward if you’re ready to tell the family. I don’t know what their reaction will be, but if I had to guess, I’d say they’ll believe you and welcome Johnny as their brother. If that’s what you want, I’ll make an appointment to gather them together.”
She stared at her teacup so long, Henry reached out and touched her hand.
She glanced up. “I’m sorry, Henry. I was just thinking.”
“It looked like more than that. If you’re too nervous to break the news, I’ll do it for you. That is, if you still stand by everything you’ve told me.”
Strange, it’s as if she’s avoiding my gaze.
“I can’t go through with it. And I don’t want you to either.”
Stunned, Henry sat back as if he’d been shoved.
“I’m confused,” he said slowly. “You can’t now? Or ever? What’s going on?”
Clearly rattled, Elizabeth took a sip of her tea, then resettled her cup in its saucer with a shaky hand. “Ever. I lied. Johnny isn’t John Brinkman’s son. As much as I wish he were, he’s not. The Brinkmans have been so kind to me. Taken me in under their wings. I just can’t go through with the deception.”
He looked away, flabbergasted. Sometime during the weeks she’d been in town, he’d come to believe Elizabeth’s story. As much as he wanted to be angry with her, he found that more than that, he wanted to understand.
“All right. How about you tell me what’s really going on? Can you do that?”
“I’m not proud of myself, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“That’s not what I’m thinking at all.” Maybe he didn’t have a right to know, but he felt like he did. He had been prepared to stand behind her and her story.
“I did meet John, just like I said. We had picnics in the park. All that was true. We were attracted to each other, but he was a gentleman. We had dinner, but that was all. I fell in love but knew we didn’t have a future.”
She looked down at her hands, her lips a tight, white line.
“You don’t have to tell me any more.”
“I do. You deserve to know. We left Denver that night in a panic because Mrs. Masters thought her husband had been caught in a compromising position, which later was proven false. Back in Virginia, once things were seemingly back to normal, one of Mr. Masters’s business associates was over. They’d been drinking. Late that night, he found his way to my bedroom.”
Alarmed, he reached over and covered her folded hands with his. “You don’t have to go on, Elizabeth.”
“I want to, Henry.” Her voice wobbled. “Telling the story for the first time to someone other than Mrs. Masters feels good. He forced me. When I found myself with child, everything else played out the way I told you. Everything except for the fact I used to pretend in my mind that John was Johnny’s father. I wished it true with all my heart. Wanting to avoid scandal, Mrs. Masters gave me the funds to move. I chose Denver, because that’s where I had good memories. You know the rest, about me seeing the newspaper with John’s image. I thought perhaps I could make a better life for Johnny by coming to Eden. We had so little, barely scraping by. I know what I did was wrong in every way. I feel so ashamed. I’m leaving town on Wednesday.”
Henry was still trying to digest the turn of events. Leaving? “Where will you go?”
“I don’t know yet. Anywhere. It doesn’t matter. I kept back monies for the stage in case I needed to leave. And thanks to you, I haven’t had to spend much. I can never thank you enough for all you’ve done. You’re a special man.”
In a daze, Henry felt himself shaking his head. “I haven’t done a thing. But I can. I know a lot of people here. Why don’t you stay in Eden, where you have friends? I can help you find work and housing.” And more.
“I can’t ask that of you.”
“Then do it for Johnny. Don’t go off into the unknown again.”
Too many men waiting to take advantage.
She shook her head. “Still, I just don’t think I—”
He reached across the table and picked up her hand, intent on changing her mind. “Then stay because I want you to, Elizabeth. Right now we’re friends, but I’d like there to be more.” He held up one hand when she opened her mouth to speak. “You don’t have to respond. Just know you’ll always have a friend in me, if that’s what you want.”
Karen approached with their plates, arranged the food, and left. After his emotional speech, Henry had no idea what else to say. He finally dared a look to find her staring at him. He didn’t know what to think.
“You’re sure?” she whispered.
“With all my heart.” Her face fell, and if he didn’t take action quickly, he knew she would dissolve into tears. “Belle will be here soon and want to know why you’re crying.”
Her eyes opened wide. “You’re right. We can’t have that.” Taking her napkin, she blotted the corner of each eye. A pretty smile blossomed. Without the strain of the unknown, she looked like a young girl.
Is Elizabeth my destiny? He didn’t know, but looked forward to finding out.