Undaunted Love, page 25
Rafe grimaced and nodded. “Thanks,” he said. “I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much trouble.”
In response, the Kinneys just waved and smiled. Madeline put her arm around her husband’s waist and laid her head on his shoulder, smiling as the Colton family trotted off, down the drive.
Jeb was thrilled to see Livvie and meet Gabriel, and insisted that the little family accompany him to his house so that his wife could say hello, as well. When it was discovered that the train had already left, and that the Coltons would have to spend the night, the Greenes insisted they stay with them. As always, their hospitality and caring was second to none, and the young family left early in the morning with Jeb driving them to the station. He took the baby from Livvie and said, “I’ll be praying for you, that this confrontation with your father won’t be too terrible.”
Livvie hugged him, and they waved as he steered the horse away. Putting her arm around her husband’s, she said, “I don’t see how it can possibly go well.”
Rafe squeezed her hand and picked up his rucksack, heavier now with the addition of both Livvie’s and the baby’s things. “All we can do is pray. There’s nothin’ he can do, besides yell. Worse comes to worse, we just go back to the Kinney’s, deal with the sheriff, and go.”
They bought round trip tickets to Columbia, and waited for the train in a small coffee shop in the station. Gabriel was fascinated by the noise and the bustle of the people, and sat happily on Rafe’s lap. Rafe couldn’t help but kiss his head and smell his hair every few minutes, still amazed by this little bundle of life that would call him Daddy.
The train ride was uneventful, but, being Livvie’s first, she found it thrilling. She waved at everyone they passed, exclaimed about every new town, and pointed out farm animals to Gabriel while holding him up to the window. Rafe, having ridden on trains during the War, watched her rather than the scenery, and said many a prayer of thanks that he was back with this lively, beautiful woman.
They disembarked in the early afternoon, found a buggy driver who knew where Hampton Street was, and who recommended an inn several blocks away. On the train ride, Rafe and Livvie had decided that, whatever happened, they did not want to be beholden to Hugh Byrd in any way, and that they would have a quiet, safe place to go before and after their conversation with him.
They rode in silence, not really noticing the brick and clapboard buildings, the people hustling down the street, the children playing with balls and hoops in front of their houses. Rafe was thinking of his experiences with Hugh Byrd, of how he took advantage of his mother, of his helping the dead Mr. Monighan take his house. Try as he might, he could not dredge up one positive memory of the man, although he’d known him all his life. Livvie was well familiar with her father’s stubborn streak, his temper, his emotionless dealings with everyone in his life, including his family, and had no illusions that Hugh would welcome Rafe into their family as he had Gardner. Rafe had nothing anymore, thanks to his own maneuverings, and Hugh would see that as both weakness and stupidity.
The driver waited while they secured a room at the Magnolia Inn. Rafe carried their bag upstairs to the spacious room, feeling like he was walking in the bogs they’d found in Virginia during the fighting. Livvie fed Gabriel, changed him into a fresh diaper and clothes, ran a damp towel over his face, and snuggled him into her shoulder. This was her child, Rafe was her husband, and no matter what happened next, those two things would never change. She took a deep breath and smiled at Rafe.
“Ready?” she asked.
He laughed. “No, not really. I’m dreadin’ it, truth to tell. But I am ready to be done with all this, so the sooner we go, the sooner it’s over.” He reached out, took her hand, and they walked together back to the buggy.
When they arrived at house of General Chestnut and his wife, they could see that a small party was going on inside. Asking the driver to wait for them, Rafe took the baby, helped Livvie down, and straightened his shirt and jacket. It was a hot, still, stifling day, but he’d worn his best clothes. He knew it wouldn’t impress Hugh Byrd, but it wouldn’t insult him, either. The best Rafe hoped for was a neutral reaction to the whole situation.
They climbed the steps and stood at the leaded glass door. Rafe glanced at Livvie, then knocked. He shifted Gabriel to his other shoulder. The baby had fallen asleep, and Rafe prayed he wouldn’t wake up screaming halfway through the meeting. A young black woman dressed in a maid’s uniform answered the door.
“Is Mr. Hugh Byrd here?” Rafe asked.
“Yes, suh,” the maid answered. “But he be in a meetin’ with the General right now. These other gentlemens are waitin’ on him, too.” She gestured to a half dozen men who were talking in small groups in the front room.
“Could you please tell him that his daughter is here?” Livvie asked.
Surprise flared briefly in the woman’s face, but she smiled and nodded. “Come on in, I’ll tell him.” She waved for them to join the men in the parlor, and hurried down the hall. She returned a moment later, a strained expression on her face.
“He say he cain’t see you right now, that he be busy…” She was embarrassed at having to deliver this message.
“Can you tell him that Livvie is here. With her son.” Livvie looked at Rafe and smiled at his raised eyebrows. “He’ll find out soon enough, anyway,” she said.
The maid scurried off again, and when she returned she motioned for them to follow. She took them to a small back parlor, told them to take a seat, and said she would bring them tea. She hadn’t been gone a minute when Hugh barged in the room, already speaking.
“What’s the meaning of this?” He stopped when he saw Livvie and Rafe standing together, the baby still asleep on Rafe’s shoulder. He stared, open mouthed, for a long moment, then snapped his mouth shut and scowled.
“Olivia?”
“Daddy,” she said. “You remember Rafe Colton, from Byrd’s Creek.”
“Sir,” Rafe said, inclining his head and awkwardly holding out his right hand. The baby fussed and Rafe pulled back his hand to rub his back.
“That’s Madeline’s baby. What do you mean by coming here and saying it’s yours?” Hugh demanded.
“He is mine, Daddy. Mine and Rafe’s. We…”
“We’re married, sir. We got married five years ago, before the War.” He moved closer to his wife and put a protective arm around her shoulder.
Hugh stood immobile, dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to speak several times, but he couldn’t say all he wanted to say at once, and he didn’t even know where to begin. “Married?” he finally said, his face nearly purple with rage. “You’ve been married for five years and didn’t see fit to ask my permission, nor even inform me?”
“Sir, we didn’t know the War would start, or go on for so long…”
“You took my daughter to wife, that much, at least, you knew!” Hugh was livid, rigid with anger. “What will I tell people? This… this boy,” he spat out derisively, “is not a suitable husband for you, Olivia.”
“Why, Daddy? Because he doesn’t have a farm and money? You can thank yourself for that. And what you tell people is that your daughter married a soldier, a brave man who fought the whole war for the 1st South Carolina, with honor and courage.”
“A soldier?” Hugh asked incredulously. “A penniless soldier?”
“I’m not exactly penniless, sir…” Rafe began, but Hugh cut him off.
“Enough!” He paced the floor. “And your sister obviously knows.”
“And Mama, and Emmy,” Livvie said, beyond caring, just wanting this to be over. “And everyone is happy for me, because I have a husband who loves me.”
“Loves you?” Hugh laughed. “Where has he been, this husband who loves you? He got you with child, that’s plain enough. But isn’t he wanted for murder? Didn’t he run away?”
Livvie started to speak, but Rafe shook his head. “Yes, sir, I did. I ran away. I was with Livvie the night of the murder, but we hadn’t told you of our marriage, and yes, I was afraid. Of you, and of the sheriff. Even after fighting the War, I hadn’t grown to be a man.”
“And I suppose you’re a man now because you’ve managed to father a child,” Hugh said with disdain.
“No sir, I’m a man now because I’ve set things right with God, and I’ve come back to set things right with Livvie, with you, and with Mr. Gingras. I’m back for my family, sir, and there ain’t nothin’ on God’s green earth that’s gonna keep me from them.”
Chapter Fifty-Three
HUGH BYRD KICKED THEM OUT of the house, never seeming to mind that it wasn’t his house to begin with. As they walked down the steps to the waiting buggy, Livvie found herself smiling. She felt as if a bale of cotton had been lifted off of her back. She hadn’t realized how much keeping the secret of her marriage had weighed on her until that weight was no longer there. She didn’t care that Hugh Byrd had all but disowned her. He was not the kind of father one was close to, and she had friends, her sister, her husband, and her son. That was more than enough.
Rafe took her hand and looked at her with concern. When he saw her smiling instead of crying, his brow creased in confusion. Livvie laughed.
“We’re free! Don’t you see? The secrets, the lying, it’s all over now. We’re free to do as we please, go where we please, together. Always and forevermore, together!”
He handed her up into the buggy and gave her Gabriel, a grin slowly spreading across his face. He climbed up and sat beside her, telling the driver to take them back to the inn.
“You’re right! I still held out hope that he would welcome me, or at least welcome Gabriel. But I guess I always knew he wouldn’t. And now we’ve owned up, and you’re right – no more lying!” He turned her face to his and kissed her, deeply and passionately. She returned the kiss, blushing at the brazenness of it, but realizing it was a sign, a symbol, to all the world. They belonged to each other.
They returned the next day to Charleston, and, by way of Jeb’s rig, to Wadmalaw and the Kinney farm. Madeline was kneading dough when they entered the house, and came out of the kitchen smiling and covered with flour.
“I can sure guess how it went,” she said. “But don’t you pay Daddy no mind. Even if he never comes around, honestly, it’s no great loss.”
“Mad!” Livvie exclaimed, laughing.
“Well, it’s true. Since Mama died – since the War, really – he’s not even been around. And truth be told, we haven’t missed him a bit. He doesn’t even know my children’s names most of the time!” She put her hand on her burgeoning belly. “But Gardner’s mama’s a gem, and I’ve got you… God makes His own families, doesn’t he?”
Livvie hugged her. Gabriel was fussing, so she excused herself to feed and change him, and put him down for a nap. Madeline went back into the kitchen, and Rafe trailed behind her.
“Sheriff Gingras come yesterday?” he asked when she was back at the table, kneading a large blob of dough.
Madeline nodded. “Aye. Talked to Gardner out on the steps. Gardner wouldn’t let him in the house.” She grinned. “He told the sheriff that you didn’t kill that man, and asked what proof he had that you had done. The only thing he said was that you’d run away. Gardner allowed as how that wasn’t proof of a thing.”
Rafe sat down at the table and smiled ruefully. “Don’t look good, though. But now Livvie’ll tell him the truth, and then we can be on our way home.”
“I hope so. He seems pretty determined.”
“God knows I didn’t kill that man. I never even saw him! He’ll protect us.”
Madeline smiled and kept kneading. In her experience, bad things happened despite the truth all the time, but she didn’t share that with Rafe. She just prayed that he was right, and asked God for wisdom. What they needed was for the real murderer to get caught.
Sheriff Gingras returned late that afternoon. He was surprised to see Rafe back at the Kinney’s house, sure that he’d run again. Gardner stood on the porch between them, keeping Gingras from arresting Rafe and carting him off to the small jail in Byrd’s Creek.
“Sheriff,” Rafe said, holding out his hand. When Gingras didn’t shake it, he nodded instead. “I’m sorry for the confusion. I came back for a few things, and one of them was to clear things up with you. I didn’t kill that man. I never even met him.”
Gingras spit off to the side, into the flowerbed at the base of the porch. “I don’t believe that for a skinny minute, Mr. Colton. You come back to town, the man that bought your house and turned your mama out winds up dead that same night, and you think I’m gonna believe it weren’t you?” He laughed.
Livvie opened the door and walked out, going over to Rafe and putting her arm around his waist. “Do you know who I am, Sheriff?”
Gingras was confused, but answered. “Aye, you’re Livvie Byrd.”
She shook her head. “I’m Livvie Byrd Colton. Rafe and I got married, April 23, 1861. I was at Mrs. Hauser’s house after Rafe came home that day. And I was with him all that night. We didn’t sleep much.” She looked Gingras straight in the eye.
“That ain’t possible,” he said. “I didn’t see you there.”
“You didn’t see me because we hadn’t told my daddy we were married, and only a few people knew. Mariah Colton, Nackie, Mrs. Hauser, my mama and sister, Emmy… I shoulda come out that day and told you, but I was scared of Daddy. So I didn’t, and I lost Rafe for another year. But we told him yesterday, and now there’s no more secretes. And I’m not afraid.”
“You weren’t there! We woulda seen you,” Gingras insisted.
“You didn’t go in the house,” Rafe reminded him. “You can ask Mrs. Hauser, or Nackie. They were both there. Nackie’s here now, if you want to ask him.”
The man was furious, that much was plain, but with Gardner standing between him and Rafe, and the daughter of the area’s most prominent citizen vouchsafing for the young man, he had few options.
“I will go on out and talk to Mrs. Hauser, you can be sure of that,” he finally said, stalking down the steps and climbing on the cart he’d brought in anticipation of arresting young Rafe Colton. “This ain’t over.”
“Find the real murderer, Sheriff,” Gardner said. “Then it’ll be over.”
Gingras spit again and flicked the reins hard, startling the horse, who began cantering across the yard. Gingras swerved onto the drive, and left a dust cloud in his wake.
Gardner turned to them. “This ain’t over.”
Livvie shrugged. “I told the truth, and Mrs. Hauser will tell him the same.”
“Maybe he’ll spend some time trying to find who really killed that man now,” Rafe said. “Byrd’s Creek’s got a murderer in it, and he’s feeling mighty big for his britches right about now.” Rafe hugged Livvie closer to him, and kissed her above her ear.
They all turned and went inside, hearing the laughter of children at play.
That night, Livvie and Rafe sat on their bed while the baby slept, whispering about their plans. Looking over Captain O’Donnell’s schedule, they saw that the Fiery Cross would be back in Charleston in five day’s time. If they left Wadmalaw in three, they could spend time with the Greenes, purchase a few pieces of lighter weight clothing for Livvie, and be there when the ship came to port.
Sitting cross legged on the bed, their knees touching, whispering about plans that could now, finally, come to fruition, Livvie felt like she was living in a dream. She’d imagined her life with Rafe so many times before, imagined what it would be like if she knew he was going to be with her forever, and not just for a week or a day… But the reality was so much better than her daydreams, she couldn’t help but smile at him.
“What?” he asked, catching her grinning.
“Nothing. I just love you,” she whispered. “I love that we’re gonna to be together always, that whatever we do from now on, it’ll be together. That we’re gonna be a family, and live somewhere where everyone will know it.” She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips.
As she pulled back, Rafe took the back of her head in his right had and gently pulled her forward. With his left he ran his hand slowly up her thigh. He kissed her deeply, breathing in her scent at the same time, keeping his eyes open to engage all of his senses. She was looking at him, too, crinkles at the corners of her eyes. She moved to sit on his lap, continuing the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. He slid his around her waist, drawing her to him.
Chapter Fifty-Four
RAFE WENT OUT TO THE fields with Gardner early the next morning. He loved the smell of the rich earth, the spicy scent of the cotton and tobacco when the leaves were bent or crushed, the sound of the breeze across the fields. There was dew on the plants, glinting like diamonds in the early morning sun, and the day hadn’t heated up yet. He walked down the rows, pulling weeds and tossing worms into a bucket, remembering the days when he’d done the same thing with his daddy. He smiled at those memories, no longer angry at his parents for leaving him penniless. Now he knew that God had used all those circumstances to bring him here, to the man he was, with the family he’d been blessed with.
“Gard!” he called over to his brother-in-law, who was walking a row ten yards away.
