Page 5 of Casting Vows (Hearts of Gold #3)
Chapter
Five
It had been about six weeks since Matty moved in, and he felt only moderate pain from his injuries. His face was back to normal without any bruising. The break in his nose had healed, leaving behind only the slightest crook in the shape of his lovely patrician nose. Both of the young men had been studying Walter’s, and (in Nico’s case) Doc Louis’, books, so not being in school didn’t matter much. Doc Louis and his elegant Marguerite came to dinner often, and Doc Louis quizzed Nico on what he’d been reading. He always seemed happy with their discussions.
Matty continued his challenging conversations with Father Andrew as well, and he and Nico would discuss what they’d spoken about at dinner after they retired. In this fashion, they were both getting a darn good education in science, history, and philosophy. Their school had not managed to rebuild yet because of continued flooding.
Would this weather ever stop? Everyone wondered.
It was during one of their more well-attended dinners that it happened. Since life had been quiet for weeks, the front gate was unlocked to let their guests in, and everyone had their guard down. All of a sudden, the sound of the heavy front door smashing against the wall reverberated through the house and a man’s angry voice hollered, “Where is he?! Where is that good-for-nothing?” His footsteps and voice drew nearer and nearer to the dining room.
“Matty, hide under the table!” Nico hissed. But Matty just stared at him. Whether he refused to hide or was simply frozen in terror, Nico couldn’t tell.
Isaac, Walter, Royal, Jasper, Doc Louis, and the two other Stark-James sons Bay and Warren jumped to their feet. Actually, Doc Louis didn’t exactly jump. He sort of hitched himself upward. He was not about to avoid a fight, even at his age. The men faced the oncoming intruder as a united wall.
Mr. Remington stomped into the room. “Where is that useless son of mine? He’s been hiding out here for weeks now, and he needs to come back and take care of business at home!” The crimson-faced man was shaking with anger.
Matty wondered what business he was supposed to be handling as he’d never had to do any such thing in the past other than make sure his father didn’t kill him or himself. He also wondered what had triggered this outburst .
Just then, Jeb Hawkins appeared behind the intruder. Jeb’s forehead was bleeding copiously into his eye, and Jeb made a smear of it with his hand as he tried to clear his vision.
As shock rippled through the room, Bay took advantage. He whispered to Walter that he was running for the police, and while everyone was staring at a bleeding Jeb, the eldest Stark-James son slipped out of the room and out the front door. Suzette also noticed Bay’s escape, but everyone else, including Remington, seemed distracted by Jeb’s injuries.
Even as he was nodding in acknowledgement of Bay’s whispered words, Walter’s eyes never left Jeb’s bleeding face. His voice shook as he asked, “What happened to you?”
“This bastard was hiding in the bushes outside. When I turned around, he bashed me with a whiskey bottle and ran for the door before I could get to my feet. He could’ve taken my eye out!”
Isaac, looking thunderous, bellowed at Remington, “You brutally attack our friend and barge into our house making demands of our houseguest? We’ll see what the police have to say about this!”
Remington grinned like a madman and pulled a small gun out of his pocket. He pointed it straight at Isaac’s heart and said, “Matty, get up and get out of here. We’re going home. Now !”
“Don’t hurt anyone, Pa. I’m coming.” Matty stood as Nico reached for him and grasped his arm. Matty gave Nico a look, shaking his head slightly, and pulled away. “Let’s go then. Let everyone get back to their nice dinner. We don’t want to interrupt them anymore now, Pa.”
Remington’s anger flagged a bit seeing his son comply with his demands. His chest puffed out and he got a nasty smirk on his face. “Move!” he barked.
As Matty rounded the table, Remington grabbed him by the arm with his free hand. He kept the gun out where he could brandish it at everyone. As they started to leave, Suzette demanded, “You cannot take Matty out in this storm without a coat! Let me go fetch one for him.” She clearly wanted to let Bay get a good head start.
Remington sneered at her. “My son isn’t some weakling like you’ve all been making him out to be. He can make it home in a little rain without harm.” With that, he gave Matty a vicious yank.
Matty gasped in pain and stumbled, but knowing his manners, he turned as well as possible toward Suzette and said in as normal a voice as he could muster, “Thank you, ma’am, and all of you, for your hospitality.” He then looked at Nico with eyes that penetrated into Nico’s very soul. They said what he could not in front of his father. They said, “I love you.” Out loud he whispered, “Don’t worry.” And he was dragged out into the storm by his lunatic father.
Walter turned sharply toward Nico and ordered, “Do not think of following them. You could get yourself or Matty shot. The police will take care of this.”
About twenty minutes later, Bay returned with two policemen, who were given the complete story of what happened. The police looked grim as the details were recounted. They explained that while it appeared Remington had kidnapped Matty, because the young man was his son, he didn’t really. He was definitely guilty of battery on Mr. Hawkins and of brandishing a gun in the Stark-James house, however. The police also acknowledged the possible danger Matty was in being around that man. It was agreed that, at the very least, they would go and speak to Remington. So Isaac and Walter led the police to the Remington house.
Matty opened the door himself and looked mighty relieved to see his friends and the police. He had a swollen, bloody lip. “Thank you for coming. My father is in his study,” he said calmly. “He’s passed out because he’s had too much liquor. Again.” He didn’t mention that after his father smashed him in the face, Matty had cracked the man over the head with a heavy cigar case when Remington turned away to pour himself a drink. His father lay in a puddle of whiskey and vomit but seemed to be trying to sit up.
“We’ll take him to the police station,” one of the officers said. He looked at Matty and asked, “Will you be alright here on your own?” Looking around, they could all see that the house was a wreck. Apparently, more of the household staff—if not all—had deserted their posts.
“We’ll take care of Matty,” Isaac told them quietly. “We have a plan to get him away from this house for good.”
Matty had mixed feelings about this announcement. Did this mean away from Nico too? One half of him felt tremendous relief, and the other half was devastated.
As the police dragged Remington away stumbling, Walter told Matty, “Son, go pack a valise of all your clothes and whatever else you need to have around you for your personal comfort. You’re going to take a trip.”
“May I please see Nico first?”
“Sorry, no. The less Nico knows for now, the better. We don’t want him to have to lie. When things calm down, perhaps you can write to him.”
Matty’s heart shattered. This did not sound good at all. But at least he’d be away from his father’s fists.
Later that night, Walter and Isaac escorted Matty to Father Andrew’s house. The priest did not seem surprised in the least to see them.
He nodded and thanked the men and opened his door wide for Matty. “We’ll get your face cleaned up tonight, young man. Your train leaves in the morning.” He looked at Matty’s sad expression and said, “I know it’s hard right now, my son. But you are setting out on a grand adventure. Don’t look so gloomy.”
Matty turned to Walter and Isaac and dropped his valise. He reached out and embraced first Walter and then Isaac, telling them, “Thank you for saving my life and for raising Nico to be such a fine man. I won’t ever forget this. The time I spent at your house has been the happiest I’ve ever been.” Then he turned to Father Andrew and asked, “Will you hear my confession, Father?”
Father Andrew nodded and answered with a sigh, “If you wish to unburden yourself, of course.” He looked at Isaac and Walter and said, “Thank you and good night, gentlemen. We’ll take it from here.”