Page 25 of A Season Beyond A Kiss (Birmingham #2)

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I N THE ENSUING DAYS R AELYNN BECAME MORE AND more involved in discussions initiated by Farrell and Elizabeth as to what fabrics, trimmings, cordings, and other embellishments would go well with her designs. To some degree, the loneliness that assailed her throughout the long hours of night was assuaged during the day by her work. No one knew, of course, how desperately she yearned to see Jeff, yet she was beginning to think he didn’t care to see her. If he had, then surely by now he would have done so. Indeed, the way things were beginning to look, it wouldn’t be long before their marriage was over.

It was on a Friday afternoon when Raelynn glanced up from her work and espied Gustav Fridrich entering the shop with his usual disdaining arrogance. This he liberally bestowed upon the doorman who had stepped in behind him in an effort to question him. After all, Fridrich was well known and unattached, which seemed primarily the cause for the cordial inquiry as to whether he had come to the right establish ment. It was too late for Raelynn to hide, and with seemingly steadfast dedication, she bent her attention to her sketches.

Elizabeth drew Farrell’s notice to the German’s entrance, motivating the couturier to excuse himself forthwith from his customer, Isabeau Wesley. As he approached the doorway, he waved a hand to dismiss the doorman, but by that time, Fridrich had espied Raelynn in the adjoining hall and was already sweeping off his hat as he moved in her direction.

“Your pardon, Mr. Fridrich.” Farrell’s icy tone could have frozen both the Ashley and Cooper Rivers in the middle of summer. “Since this is a shop catering entirely to the fair ladies of our city, I must ask why you’ve come. I certainly hope it isn’t to make trouble for Mrs. Birmingham again. I’d hate to upset my customers by a show of violence.” He smiled stiffly before he added, “But if I must, I must.”

Offended by the man’s intimidation, Gustav peered up at the taller man, a feat that required a definite tilting of his bald head. His eyes were icy hard, his lips tightly compressed, and his nose pinched as if he smelled something putrid. “I do not zee vhy my visit should concern yu, but I vish to speak vith Frau Birmingham. Zhat is vhy I haf come. Now, please step out of my vay.”

The German’s haughtiness sorely nettled Farrell. He had definite limits as to the people he would indulge, and Gustav Fridrich was not one of them. “I’m afraid Mrs. Birmingham is presently working on some designs for a special customer of mine, and I’m reluctant to see her interrupted until they’re finished.”

“Vhat I haf to say to Frau Birmingham vill only take a moment if yu vill permit me to pass,” Gustav stated crisply. Then, because he was himself well-versed in coercion, he warned the couturier, “I haf not come to offend either Frau Birmingham or yu, sir, but I vill make a scene if yu do not let me talk vith her.”

Farrell’s hackles rose. Quite willing to make a commotion himself, he almost caught the stout fellow up by the scruff of the neck and the seat of his pants, but he was brought up short by the realization that aggression of that sort would likely drive the man to seek Raelynn out after the shop was closed, and although Jeff had men watching Elizabeth’s house, Farrell still worried about the time it would take for help to reach the women.

Thoughtfully he glanced down toward the area in which he had ensconced his newest assistant. The burly janitor had moved within close proximity to Raelynn, and though the man had dusted the bookshelves and furnishings in the area earlier that morning, he was presently doing so again. In view of the fact that she had such a capable protector near at hand, Farrell could hardly see her coming to any harm by a one-armed man.

“I’ll give you a moment to speak your piece with Mrs. Birmingham,” he informed the man brusquely. “And then, Mr. Fridrich, I must insist that you make your departure as swiftly as possible.” Inclining his head in a curt nod, Farrell stepped out of the man’s path.

Raelynn had decided that if she had to face Gustav, she would feel much safer doing so behind her desk. When the man halted before the massive piece, she lifted her eyes with deliberate slowness to meet his gaze. Then, without a flicker of an eye or a twitch of a lip, she returned her attention to the sketch she had been working on. “Did you come here with some specific purpose in mind, Mr. Fridrich?”

“Merely to see how yu are faring, Frau Birmingham.”

“Why?”

The blunt question seemed to perplex the German, and he struggled to find an appropriate reply. “I only vished to express my zympathy for vhat happened to zhat young girl on yur husband’s plantation. It iz a terrible tragedy zhat one so young vas killed zhere in such a merciless vay. I vorried zhat yu might come to zome harm, too, until I heard zhat yu had moved into Charleston. I can only commend yur decision to leave yur husband.”

“My husband believes you had something to do with Nell’s death.” Raelynn peered up at the man to view his reaction as she asked outrightly, “Were you somehow responsible for her murder, Mr. Fridrich?”

The blue eyes flared, and for a moment Gustav blustered in hot indignation, “Yur husband iz only trying to cover his own foul deeds by casting zhe blame on me, but I am innocent.”

Leaning back in her chair, Raelynn met his gaze directly. “Frankly, Mr. Fridrich, I believe you’re far more capable of murdering a young girl than my husband is. You see, I haven’t forgotten that you gave Olney tacit consent to shoot me after Dr. Clarence became incensed by the news that my husband was dead and refused to tend your shoulder.”

“Oh, but zhat vas merely a ploy to force zhe good dokter to reconsider. I vould not haf actually let Olney kill yu, mein Liebchen. ”

Tossing her head up with a derisive scoff, Raelynn derided, “If you really think you can make me believe that rubbish, Mr. Fridrich, then you’re fooling no one but yourself. I have no doubt that you meant it.”

Gustav clasped his hat to his breast in plaintive appeal. “I say to yu truly, Frau Birmingham, it vas merely a ploy to bring about zhe dokter’s change of heart. How can I prove to yu zhat such vas zhe case?”

Laying down her quill, Raelynn lifted her slender shoulders in a casual shrug. “You could start by forgetting that I exist.”

“Ho-ho-ho,” Gustav tried his best to make light of her answer. “Yu are not so easily forgotzen, mein Liebchen. It vould be impossible for me to do so.”

“Then there’s no real reason to continue this discussion. I must get back to work,” she stated bluntly, taking up her quill again. She leaned forward over her work and tried desperately to concentrate on the drawing she had been in the process of completing. “Mr. Ives is paying me to work, not to chat with people.”

“Zhen may I haf yur permission to visit yu at yur new residence, Frau Birmingham?”

She never looked up. “I don’t think that would be very wise, Mr. Fridrich.”

“But vhy not?” He chortled and sought to convince her of the rightness of his request. “Yu are lonely, Frau Birmingham, and so am I. Iz it not right zhat zhe two of us should console each other in our solitary plight?”

Raelynn condescended once more to look up at the man. Bracing her elbows on the desk, she rested her chin on the slender fingers she had entwined to form a bridge. “Mr. Fridrich, may I remind you that I am a married woman. It would be highly inappropriate for me to accept a visit from any man as long as I’m wearing this ring.” She fluttered the thin digits of her left hand, drawing his notice to the massive diamond that glittered there. Until Jeffrey asked for its return, she would continue wearing it in the hope that in the not too distant future all would be well between them. “Now, Mr. Fridrich, if you’ll excuse me, I must get back to my work, so I’ll bid you adieu.”

Thus dismissed, Gustav marched irately away from her desk and was just approaching the entrance when the doorman swept open the door again, this time to admit Jeff. That worthy strode briskly into the shop without interruption.

It was a rare occasion for Jeffrey to be out and about in less than natty attire, especially when he came to Charleston, but at the moment he had all the appearances of having been interrupted from work, for he wore no coat or hat, his waistcoat hung open, and the sleeves of his shirt had been rolled up midway his forearms. What was more, ink splotched the second finger of his right hand. Nevertheless, Raelynn was struck by his sun-burnished good looks, much as she had been at their first meeting. She didn’t quite understand the almost imperceptible nod he gave the doorman, but that broad-shouldered fellow reciprocated in kind and gently pulled the door closed behind the newest visitor.

Raelynn realized her heart was gathering speed with a rushing excitement and her cheeks were growing warmer by the moment. She fully expected Jeff to come to her desk, but he seemed much more intent upon claiming Gustav’s attention. Settling his arms akimbo before the man, he lifted a dark brow in an unspoken question.

The German sneered in rampant distaste. “It vas a pleasure seeing yur wife again, Herr Birmingham, but I cannot say zhe zame for yu.”

“The feeling is mutual, Herr Fridrich,” Jeff managed to assure the man through a marked rigidity of his lips. It was the best substitute for a smile he could offer the man.

“Haf yu also come to visit yur vife?”

Jeff swept the man with a derisive perusal, and when his reply came, it was permeated with sarcasm. “If you were about to leave, Herr Fridrich, I wouldn’t want to delay you even if I were to see a reason for explaining my business to you .... Now good day to you.”

Jeff turned his back crisply upon Gustav and, in so doing, deliberately ignored the presence of his wife in the adjoining hallway. Jeff couldn’t remember ever performing a more difficult task. The urge to go to her was so strong, and it was only by dint of will that he faced Farrell as that one came forward to greet him.

Raelynn’s hopeful smile faded rapidly as her husband shook hands with the clothier. Bowing her head in a blend of embarrassment and shame, she stared at her sketch through blurring tears. In an effort to screen her face from the other occupants of the shop, she lifted a trembling hand to her brow, but that hardly helped to halt the flow of droplets that began to pelt her drawing.

Hurriedly rising from her chair, she turned aside and, with bowed head, brushed past the janitor as she hastened toward the back door. Never looking back, she remained incognizant of the green-eyed gaze that turned in her direction and followed steadfastly through the back window until she had gained the privacy of the tall garden hedge behind which the privy was located.

Only in the privacy of that cubicle did Raelynn dare release the flood of grief that nearly choked her. She sobbed harshly in overwhelming misery, feeling as if her life had plummeted into a dark crevice near the pit of hell. She had no idea what had brought her husband to the shop, but it was all too obvious that his business had nothing to do with her. He hadn’t even felt inclined to offer a civil greeting.

Farrell had also witnessed Raelynn’s departure, and he faced Jeff in deepening concern. “Don’t you think you were a bit hard on her, Jeffrey? I may be wrong, but I think Raelynn was crying when she left.”

Jeff released a troubled sigh. Though Raelynn’s tears had caught at his heart and nearly driven him in the garden after her, it had only been by a firm resolve to remember his primary goal that he had managed to steel his emotions against any outward display. Still, watching her scurrying away in absolute misery had been much like having his vitals drawn out. The pain had wrenched him to the very marrow of his being.

“I must allow Raelynn to understand full measure what it will be like if we go our separate ways,” Jeff replied with stoic control. “Quite simply, I have to let that become a reality for her, as painful as it may be for both of us. I’m afraid that a few days of my absence or reticence won’t be as effectual in bringing that realization into fruition as a good fortnight or two would be. If not for Fridrich’s visit, I would never have come here today.”

“You certainly got here much sooner than I expected,” Farrell admitted, having felt immeasurable relief when he had espied his friend. “How in the devil did you find out about that toad’s visit so soon?”

Jeff allowed the couturier a spartan smile. “I have a whole league of men working for me, all the way from your shop to my shipping company. When the doorman signaled the vendor, the vendor whistled to the carpenter working several doors down, and so on and so forth until the livery that I’ve hired for the month came to fetch me.”

“You sure are going out of your way to make Raelynn think you’re taking this whole damned business rather casually, Jeffrey, when nothing could be further from the truth. You may cause her to think there’s no hope for the two of you. Without some assurance, she may decide to sail back to England.”

“Though as fearful as I am of that possibility, it’s a chance I’ll have to take.”

“I swear you’re the orneriest man I’ve ever come across, Jeffrey,” Farrell retorted, and then stretched his own eyebrows upward briefly as he reconsidered. “Besides myself, of course.”

“You can tell Raelynn I missed seeing her.”

“You’re going to leave, just like that, without talking to her?” Farrell asked incredulously.

“Yep.”

Barely had Jeff issued that concise answer and made his departure than the doorman swept open the portal for another male, this one an English lord. Farrell immediately recognized his lordship as the one who had attended the ball at Oakley with Mrs. Brewster, but he had cause to mentally sigh, for he was beginning to wonder if he would ever get back to his customer.

“Good afternoon, my lord,” he greeted graciously in spite of his growing vexation. “May I be of some assistance?”

Lord Marsden inclined his head in a succinct nod. “As a matter of fact, I was hoping you’d consent to offering me some help.”

Farrell was somewhat bemused. “If I’m able, my lord. How may I be of service to you?”

“If you’d be so kind as to share with me the name of your tailor, I’d be most appreciative, sir. I was no less than impressed by the fine clothing you wore at the Birminghams’ ball.” His lordship bounced on his toes as he stretched his chin upward in a museful vane. “Made me realize just how desperately in want my own clothes are. Indeed, sir, I wouldn’t be at all reluctant to the idea of looking like a changed man once I return to England ... in regards to my clothes, that is. Would you be of such a mind to help me, sir?”

“Certainly,” Farrell replied and chuckled softly. Clothes might make a world of difference for the inner man, but they’d fall well short of enlivening the fellow’s bland face.

Half turning, Farrell lifted a hand to claim Elizabeth’s attention and made his request. “Could you please write out the name and address of my tailor for his lordship, my dear?”

The nobleman smiled in appreciation. “This is most gracious of you, sir. I shall never forget it.”

“My pleasure to be of service, my lord.”

Lord Marsden glanced inquisitively about the shop. “You seem to have a thriving business here, Mr. Ives. The ladies certainly seem eager to see your latest creations. I overheard several talking at another table while I was having my lunch today. They were quite profuse with their compliments.”

Farrell was having difficulty hiding his growing impatience. Helping his lordship was not as important to him as assuring a customer that he had not forgotten her. He could only wonder how long it would be before Isabeau Wesley would stalk out in an angry huff, never to be seen again.

Lord Marsden cleared his throat as he begged for another favor. “May I also ask, sir, if the same tailor makes your shirts? I noticed how well-made they are when you shed your coat and waistcoat before entering into an arm-wrestling match with the sheriff at the Birminghams’ ball. Of course, your prowess at such a game impressed me as well.”

“Thank you, my lord. You’re very kind, but I must disappoint you in that respect. You see, Mrs. Dalton makes my shirts, and I’m afraid I keep her far too busy here in the shop to allow her time to make them for other men.”

“Mrs. Dalton, you say,” Lord Marsden’s brows gathered thoughtfully. “Did I hear it rumored about town that Mrs. Birmingham was letting a room from a Mrs. Dalton?”

“Mrs. Dalton is my assistant here,” Farrell replied without appeasing the man’s curiosity and laid an arm about Elizabeth’s shoulders as she came with the tailor’s address. “She is also my fiancée.”

Since no further explanation seemed to be forthcoming, Lord Marsden took the note from the brunette. “I shan’t keep you any longer, Mr. Ives. I know you’re busy.”

“I do have a customer waiting,” Farrell acknowledged, casting a worried glance over his shoulder at Mrs. Wesley. Elizabeth had been keeping the young widow’s interest piqued by showing her the newest collection of sketches. Even so, he felt a pressing need to get back to her.

Lord Marsden lifted his head again to a lofty level and, as seemed his habit, bounced on his toes as he glanced around. “I say, I heard from several sources who know such things that Mrs. Birmingham is working for you in some endeavor. Under the circumstances, she might think me rude if I didn’t pay my respects.”

“I’m afraid Mrs. Birmingham is presently indisposed and won’t be able to talk with anyone at this time. In fact, at this very moment she’s not even in the shop.”

“Then please give her my regards,” Lord Marsden bade courteously and took his leave with, “Good day to you, sir.”

Once the door had been closed behind his lordship, Farrell released a sigh of relief and returned to his earlier discussion with Isabeau Wesley. To his delight, he was informed that the widow had taken advantage of his absence and selected several more gowns from Raelynn’s drawings.

Entirely engrossed in showing off the fabrics that would complement not only the fashions but the widow’s beauty, Farrell remained oblivious to Raelynn’s return. Only later did he notice that her eyes and nose still bore evidence of her weeping. He yearned to assure her of Jeff’s deep concern for her, but in keeping with his friend’s purposes, he could not bring himself to break such a trust. Instead, he strove to keep Raelynn busy and her mind well-occupied throughout the course of the day by urging her to finish several more sketches.

A FORTNIGHT PASSED QUICKLY FOR R AELYNN, MAINLY because Farrell was forever urging her to create more and more gowns, giving her hardly enough time to think about her depressing situation even when she climbed to her small bedroom at night. She had already completed a number of sketches that had elicited his praise and evoked the interest of his customers. This particular morning, after discussing a variety of fabrics that could be used for her newest designs, she had returned to her desk and had become absorbed in finishing another fashion plate when she heard a familiar feminine voice imbued with lighthearted mirth drifting from the front of the shop. Her heart rallied with sudden joy as well as an overwhelming sense of relief that she hadn’t actually been ostracized by Jeffrey’s family, a possibility that she had begun to suspect. Eagerly lifting her gaze, Raelynn found her diminutive sister-in-law almost hidden beyond the couturier’s tall, broad-shouldered form. Despite

her limited view, Raelynn could see that Heather’s condition had been modestly masked by a light cape and that the winsome beauty was wearing a fashionable bonnet, the ribbons of which had been tied charmingly beneath her lovely chin. At the moment, its feathers were moving in a negative direction as Heather declined the man’s hopeful inquiries.

“Absolutely nothing in my present condition, Mr. Ives,” she replied, using the formality of proper names in spite of the fact that he was a close companion of both her husband and brother-in-law. While out and about where ears were wont to listen to every little tidbit and tongues were wont to wag and enlarge upon actual happenings, she had always maintained that it was far better to be discreet. “Thank you just the same.”

“Then should I assume that you haven’t come to engage my talents,” he queried in a tone laced with fond amusement, “but to seek the company of your winsome sister-in-law?” Farrell felt a small surge of regret that lately far too much of his time had been spent dealing with petulant, avaricious women instead of enjoying the company of close acquaintances, at the foremost of which he counted the Birminghams. It wasn’t to say that he didn’t enjoy being around a goodly number of his customers. Had he not been fast friends with both Brandon and Jeff ere they wed, he knew he would’ve still been inclined to enjoy a casual association with their wives. In spite of the gossips who had branded Mrs. Wesley as brazen, he would have accepted her presence any day over Mrs. Brewster’s. At least, Mrs. Wesley didn’t let silly convention stand in her way when she wanted something badly enough. Still, it was a rare pleasure to encounter two utterly beautiful women who cared

far more for their families than for the luxuries of life. In light of that, he wasn’t at all surprised to find Heather Birmingham in his shop.

The petite woman dipped her bonneted head in a pert nod. “You assume correctly, sir, and if I may be so bold, I’d like to have a chat with Raelynn. She is here, is she not?”

Cordially Farrell swept his arm out to indicate the area which had become the domain of his newest assistant while she was in the shop. “She’s there, awaiting your charming presence, madam.”

Raelynn moved forward to greet her guest and was a bit surprised at her own nervousness. Still, she was of a mind to think that Heather bore her childbearing state with both an elegant grace and an unquenchable joy. Indeed, her beautiful face seemed to glow with a radiance that might have aroused more than a fair amount of envy from a number of ladies, not to mention bedazzling a few males who, often intrigued and yet bemused by the effervescence of some pregnant women, would have found it especially difficult not to admire this one.

Laughing gaily, Heather gave Raelynn an affectionate hug and then, upon stepping back, a quick inspection. She sighed, making much of her relief. “Thank goodness you bear no lasting marks after being dragged through the swamp.”

Raelynn almost cringed when she realized her sister-in-law had been informed of her foolish flight. “I wasn’t precisely dragged, Heather. It was a bit more genteel than that.”

The sapphire eyes twinkled back at her. “I can imagine. Jeffrey has always been far more civilized than Brandon. I shudder to think how my husband would have reacted in a similar situation. I once ran away from him before our marriage, but I never got up enough nerve to do so afterwards. If I had ever dared wander off into the wilds like you, why, I have no doubt he would’ve given me a tongue-lashing that would have made a scourging with a cat-o’-nine seem tame.” Heather feigned a shiver, certain her husband’s formidable temper would have literally been torched if she had shown such reckless disregard for her own life. “But I’m curious to know what set you to flight in the first place, Raelynn, and I thought if you’d be of such a mind, we might venture off to a nice, quiet eatery and talk over sandwiches and a spot of tea.”

Though her sister-in-law seemed blithely willing to ignore her status as a paid employee of Ives’s Couture, Rae lynn was hardly able to. “I’d love to go with you, Heather, but I must stay here and finish some new sketches I’m in the process of ...”

“Nonsense,” Farrell interjected, dropping what he had been doing nearby after overhearing her excuses. “I won’t hear of you rejecting my favorite customer’s request. It’s the middle of the day, and as an expectant mother, you need nourishment. Otherwise you’ll be giving your sister-in-law the impression that I’m a slave-driver. Why, my business would be positively ruined.”

Heather’s smile twinkled back at him. “At last, I know I’m appreciated.”

Farrell gave her a roguish grin before jauntily executing a clipped bow. “Madam, may I assure you that you’re always greatly esteemed. Without your beauty and grace complementing my designs, I wouldn’t be where I am today. May I continue my boasting by saying that presently I have within my shop three of the most beautiful women in the Carolinas, each of whom, with their elegant taste in clothes, has attracted a legion of customers to my shop.”

Heather eyed him in a teasingly aloof manner. “I’d feel much more honored by your praise, sir, if I didn’t know you could charm the shoes off the little people. But being Irish myself, I can hardly be offended.”

Chivalrously Farrell clasped a hand to his breast as if to pledge a solemn troth and gave her a clipped nod that sufficed as another bow. “I’m immensely relieved to hear that, madam, but be assured, with you as well as with these other two winsome ladies whom I greatly admire, I would dare make no such claims unless they be true.”

Immediately he took both women by the arm and set himself to the pleasurable task of escorting them toward the entrance. Raelynn barely had time to seize her bonnet and cape before he was whisking the dark green panel open for them. “Enjoy yourselves, ladies.”

“My heavens,” Raelynn gasped as the heavy portal closed behind them. “I’d be of a mind to think he was trying to evict me from the premises if not for his alacrity in making up some of my designs.” She checked the back of her gown, exaggerating her astonishment as she added, “It’s a wonder he didn’t catch my skirts in the door before he slammed it shut.”

Heather laughed in amusement and linked her arm through Raelynn’s as they began strolling in the direction of the tea shop. “I hope you don’t mind if I lean on you a bit as we walk, my dear. I swear this baby is trying to push her way through before I’m ready for her, but I dare not tell Brandon, or he’ll have me confined to bed.”

Raelynn glanced at her worriedly. “Do you think it’s safe for you to be so far away from Harthaven when you’re nearing your time and feeling that way?”

“I may be taking a chance, true,” Heather conceded, “but I had to talk with you about Jeffrey, and after the baby comes, it will be difficult for me to get away.”

“Did Jeffrey urge you to come and speak in his behalf?” Raelynn asked, yearning for reassurances of his regard for her.

Heather was clearly astounded by her question. “Certainly not, my dear. If you knew your husband better, you’d be aware that he takes care of his own business in his own way, in his own time. He doesn’t need me or his older brother to handle such matters for him. He’s quite capable of dealing with his own affairs entirely bereft of any help from others,” she flicked her brows upward in a tiny shrug as she added, “as much as we’d be amenable to offering our services.”

“Then how did you know about my escapade in the woods?”

“Cora told me, dear. She also informed me that you’re with child.”

Raelynn groaned in chagrin and felt her own cheeks warm. “Just wait, she’ll be telling the village crier next.”

Heather’s resulting laughter proved contagious, and soon the giggling women were drawing curious stares from passersby. But then, their passage had already been duly noted by more than a few residents of the city and the outlying area. Lofty matrons seemed overtly shocked and held their chins haughtily elevated at the idea of a woman in the latter stages of her pregnancy appearing in public. Others were cynical, especially after hearing conjectures about a murderer in the lofty Birmingham family being allowed to retain his freedom even in the face of irrefutable proof. A few seemed genuinely bewildered by the amiable dispositions of the pair when everyone was fully cognizant of the fact that Jeff and Raelynn had every intention of severing their marriage. Heather remained amiably unconcerned by the looks they were garnering, but Raelynn found the inquisitive stares far more difficult to ignore. After all, it was her marriage falling apart and her husband people were wont to condemn.

“Surely, Charleston is far too large and busy a place for its populace to have so narrow a range of focus,” she mused aloud, evidencing her irritation as they entered the tea shop.

“Don’t let them fool you into thinking they’ve singled you out, my dear. They’re just as interested in the newly widowed Mrs. Wesley, Farrell and Elizabeth, and a whole host of others, including Brandon and me. Most of the gossips enjoy so little excitement in their own lives, they must enliven others’ difficulties with harsh rumors and vivid conjectures, all of which may be utterly false. You’ll find their sort in every city of the world. As you’ve correctly ascertained, Charleston is unquestionably no exception.”

The proprietress of the eatery greeted Heather in the friendly manner of a favorite patron, and soon they were being shown to a well-screened table in the back. Solicitously the owner offered the available choices and, when the selections had been decided upon, disappeared and, scant moments later, returned with a pot of tea and a small platter of dainty sandwiches.

Heather peeled off her gloves, laid them aside and then poured tea for Raelynn and herself. Choosing a turkey and cress sandwich to nibble, she eyed her sister-in-law with close attention until she could no longer maintain her silence. “If I’m not mistaken, my dear, you seem a bit unsettled about this whole alienation of affection idea. Is there something you wouldn’t mind discussing with one who’d promise not to mention a word of it to another soul?”

Raelynn considered Heather’s invitation a long moment as she took a sandwich onto her own plate. Making no effort to eat, she reflected upon what she should say and, at length, released a pensive sigh. “First of all, Heather, I’d like you to know that I’m very much in love with Jeffrey.”

Heather’s lovely brows lifted briefly. “That’s not at all surprising, Raelynn. During the years I’ve been married to Brandon, I’ve heard rumors which have led me to affirm my suspicions that Jeffrey is now and always has been a favorite among the ladies. They absolutely adore him, old and young alike. Some women trip over themselves to indulge him. Mrs. Brewster gushes in nervous excitement in his presence and has been simply aswoon over the man for untold ages. She seems convinced that he can do no wrong, at least she was before that nasty business with Nell. In fact, I really don’t know how Jeffrey has managed to escape being the most pampered man on earth.” Heather met the other’s gaze with a tender smile. “So tell me, Raelynn, what are you going to do about your state of affairs?”

Raelynn blinked as a sudden moisture blurred her vision. “I’m afraid if things continue the way they’re going, Jeffrey will be asking me for a divorce. I can’t sleep at night fretting about it.”

The black-haired beauty grew a bit perplexed. “Now let’s discuss this matter in more depth lest I become thoroughly bogged down in confusion. Cora said that you had run away from Oakley soon after Nell’s murder, and though she wasn’t aware of the precise details concerning your move to Charleston, she assumed it was your own idea. Now you’re telling me you’re afraid Jeffrey might seek to sever your marriage?” Heather bolstered enough courage to ask, “Under the circumstances, Raelynn, can you hardly blame the man?”

“He was the one who sent me away,” Raelynn admitted in a small voice.

Heather’s heart went out to the woman. Reaching across the table, she laid a hand consolingly upon the one that nervously fidgeted with a fork. “I’m sorry, dear, I didn’t realize Jeffrey had done that. I thought you had left on your own accord. At least, that’s what Cora had been led to believe.”

“Well, actually I did, at first, into the woods, I mean, but that was only because I was caught up in a nightmare wherein I kept seeing Jeffrey stabbing Nell. After Jeffrey found me in the swamp, we took shelter from the rain at Red Pete’s cabin. Olney Hyde held us at gunpoint for a while and claimed he had witnessed Nell’s murder and that the murderer was none other than Jeffrey. What was I to think? After having my own life threatened by the scamp, I certainly had no doubt that Olney was capable of such a deed himself, yet he seemed genuinely convinced that Jeffrey had murdered Nell.”

Heather had anticipated Raelynn’s apprehensions and thought she should share some of her own experiences. “A few years ago, Brandon was suspected of killing Louisa Wells, the former mistress of Oakley. In fact, after her murder, Rhys Townsend actually came out and arrested Brandon. After living with the man for more than a year and coming to know him as a husband and the gentle, caring father of my son, I was sure that Brandon couldn’t possibly have done such a brutal thing, even in a fit of temper. You and Jeffrey haven’t had much time to become properly acquainted, but, for what it’s worth, my dear, I’m convinced that Jeffrey doesn’t have the temperament to kill someone unless his own life or some member of his family is seriously threatened. I know for certain he couldn’t have killed Nell. It just isn’t in the man. He’s too noble ...”

“Aye,” Raelynn agreed dolefully, “and so confounded charming, handsome, understanding and ... and ...”

“So Jeffrey?” Heather suggested sweetly and patted the other woman’s hand consolingly. “My brother-in-law has the most steadfast disposition of any man I know. He’s neither boastful nor bashful, insecure nor arrogant, self-centered nor self-deprecating. If anything, he’s equanimity personified. However,” she added, lifting a slender index finger to make her point, “that’s not to say that he isn’t fully capable of making decisions that could turn us all on our ears. He’s no saint nor, for that matter, a spineless whelp who’ll take the worst of what you give him, contritely beg your forgiveness and coddle you while you’re doing it. He has his pride, and if you can’t bring yourself to trust him, then he’ll let you reap the consequences. He’s a man, after all, and he can be tough as an ill-treated hide, but that only makes me love and admire him all the more.”

Raelynn heaved a glum sigh. “Since we’ve been married, it seems as if I’ve brought him nothing but trouble. I’m ever reminded that all of this started because of me, because I couldn’t bear to become Mr. Fridrich’s little doxy.”

“Nonsense, my dear. Trouble began brewing when Nell slipped into Jeffrey’s bed, and that was long before you ever put in an appearance.”

Raelynn searched the beautiful face of her sister-in-law and felt led to question her about the incident. “Did Jeffrey ever explain how that came about?”

“He explained nothing.”

“Then how ... ?”

Heather smiled. “Cora confides in me quite often, dear. She grew up at Harthaven. Jeffrey needed a housekeeper whom he could trust and who could take charge in his absence, and of course, we had Hatti, reliable as the salt of the earth. As for that particular night when Nell forced her attentions upon Jeffrey, it seems that nearly all the servants were awakened in one fashion or another after he hauled the girl out of his room with nothing more than a blanket draped about her. Kingston was promptly sent out to fetch Cora, who was given the task of finding clothes for the girl and packing her valise. From what I understand, Jeffrey issued a series of orders and returned to his room, from that point leaving his servants to deal with Nell. Kingston helped her into the waiting carriage, and from there, Thaddeus drove her into Charleston where he secured a room for her at an inn with funds Jeff had graciously supplied.”

“Nell’s babe favors Jeffrey to some extent,” Raelynn murmured softly.

“Oh, Raelynn, dear, it’s got to be a coincidence,” Heather argued. “Jeffrey would never have put on such a performance merely for the sake of his servants. Cora swore she had never seen him more outraged by an incident. She said that when she got to the house, Jeffrey was ranting something about ‘that little slip of a girl should still be playing with dolls instead of men.’ The story is that Nell woke him up out of a sound sleep, so there’s no telling what she actually did to provoke his rage after she slipped into his bed, but I rather suspect that she didn’t limit herself to just kissing him.”

Raelynn couldn’t bring herself to even entertain the possibility that Cora had lied to Heather. Indeed, the housekeeper had probably reported the incident just as it happened. Then there was Kingston, whom Raelynn had heard harshly chiding Nell for what she had done close to a year before. The butler had laid the blame solely at the girl’s feet, not Jeffrey’s.

Raelynn also imagined that when a man was as handsome and looked as enticing in clothes as her husband did, a girl like Nell, who had obviously nurtured a deepening obsession for him, might have proven herself quite brazen after launching her seduction. Since it was Jeffrey’s habit to wear no clothes to bed, Nell might have liberally indulged her fantasies, at least until that moment he woke.

Of a sudden, Raelynn felt a sizable measure of regret that she had ever allowed Nell to alienate her from her husband. “I’m ashamed to admit it, Heather, but I haven’t been a very trusting wife. I allowed the girl’s accusations to come between Jeffrey and me, just as I allowed myself to believe he could be a murderer. Now that I’ve had some weeks to reflect back upon that bloody scene in the stables, I realize I never gave Jeffrey a chance to explain anything before I took off. He has a perfect right to feel offended by my lack of trust.”

Heather laid a gently consoling hand upon the other’s. “At one time, I thought I hated my husband. I definitely feared him for a while.”

Raelynn looked up in shock. She had presumed the couple’s marriage had been idyllic from the beginning. When the two seemed so much in love now, it was impossible to entertain any notion that they might have once been dissatisfied with each other. “I had no idea.”

“Even after marrying him, I thought Brandon was no less than a tyrant,” Heather acknowledged, a distant smile curving her soft lips. “But by the time we had sailed from England to Charleston, I was wont to think he was the most magnificent man the world had ever created. Though I was hopelessly in love with him by then, pride continued to hinder us. In fact, it wasn’t until almost a full year after Beau had actually been conceived that we finally let down our barriers. Now, you and Jeffrey are having problems just as serious as we once had. I really hope that this kind of thing doesn’t become a family tradition.” She drummed her fingers lightly upon her distended belly. “If it does, I pity the ones who’ll follow in our wake.”

Raelynn almost shuddered to think what their offspring could reap if their woes were visited upon them. “Let us trust that none of those whom we hold dear will be suspected of murder as Jeffrey and Brandon have been.”

Heather murmured her agreement before moving swiftly on to a less distressing topic. “I truly wish, Raelynn, that you’d consider coming out to stay with us at Harthaven until this rift between you and Jeffrey is mended. You’d be entirely welcomed to remain as long as it takes for both of you to work out your differences.”

Touched though she was by the invitation, Raelynn shook her head. “Thank you, Heather, but I just can’t. I don’t think Jeffrey would feel comfortable visiting you while I’m there. Besides, I’m loath to involve you and Brandon in this matter.”

“But we’re family, dear. We’re already involved.”

“Of course, you are, but it just wouldn’t be right for me to put myself between Jeffrey and his family,” Raelynn argued.

Looking decidedly downcast, Heather muttered dejectedly, “Brandon said you’d refuse, but I just had to try.”