River Queen Rose. Shirley KennedyЧитать онлайн книгу.
first two died. The third walked out on me and five children and disappeared. I’d wager he’s dead, too, by now.”
Rose frowned in sympathy. “That’s terribly sad. I can’t imagine the grief you’ve gone through.”
“Piffle.” The old lady sniffed and took a sip of coffee. “I didn’t love any of ’em. I married Murphy, my first husband, because I had to. Tom’s father.” Her eyes twinkled. She brought a finger to her lips. “Shh. To this day Tom thinks he was a seven-month baby, but he wasn’t.”
Rose couldn’t think how to reply. Best to move on. “What happened to Murphy?”
“He was chopping down a tree one day and was dumb enough to be standing in the wrong place when it fell. So there I was, a widow with a young’un, and everyone telling me I should get married again because I was only a woman and how could I make it on my own? So I married Ebenezer, who was the first man I could find who had a clean shirt and no dirt under his fingernails. Five years later, he up and drowned in the Mississippi River. By now I was a widow with four young’uns, so what did I do? You guessed it. Got married again.” Her expression softened. “Don’t get me wrong, they weren’t all bad. It’s just, I never had the kind of love of my life that a girl dreams of. No knight in shining armor, like in the fairy tales.” She cocked an eyebrow. “What about you, missy? Did you love him?”
“Love who?”
“Your husband, of course, unless you had a lover on the side. Don’t let me shock you. It’s my age. I can say anything I want and get away with it because everyone thinks my brain has withered and I can’t help it. Well, it hasn’t.”
“I can see that. As for loving my husband, I…I…”
Dulcee peered over her spectacles. “I thought not. Emmet was a fine man, but at best you could call him sturdy and dependable. At worst, he was a bore, excuse me for saying so. A volcano could erupt in his front yard, and he wouldn’t bother to look. I had more interesting conversations with a tree stump than with Emmet Peterson.”
After a stunned moment, Rose burst into laughter. She looked around to make sure they were still alone. “You’re right. I never loved him. I married him mostly because my parents wanted me to.”
“Thought so.” Dulcee tipped her head. “You’re young and you’re pretty. Did you know there’s fifty men to every woman around here? You won’t have any problem finding another husband, if that’s what you want. Maybe the next one won’t be such a stump.”
Rose hadn’t thought about it yet, but Dulcee’s suggestion made her lift her chin and stoutly declare, “I can tell you right now I’ll never marry again unless it’s to someone I truly love.” She touched the locket at her throat. “I was in love once—weak-in-the-knees in love. It didn’t work out. He broke my heart, but even so, I swear I’ll never bed a man I’m not crazy about.” She sat back in her chair, surprised at herself. She’d never spoken this frankly, but then never had she talked to someone so understanding and sympathetic as Dulcee Bidwell, who brought out the best in her—or was it the worst?
Dulcee’s wrinkled face grew pensive. “I hope you stick with what you said. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t be the wishy-washy woman that I was. I’d stick up for myself. I’d be like a man and not listen to everyone telling me what I ought to do. I’d have the courage to speak up, say what I wanted to say, and the consequences be damned.”
Rose nodded in agreement. “Sometimes that’s hard to do. For years I’ve lived with my in-laws, always looking forward to that wonderful day I would have a home of my own. Now I’m stuck. Not that Ben and Coralee aren’t wonderful people but…” She gave a wordless shrug.
“You’ve sure as heck got yourself a dilemma.” Dulcee got a knowing look in her eye. “You’re not stuck. Nobody’s tying you down. You can do anything you want. Have faith in yourself and you’ll figure out what’s best to do.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“It’s up to you, missy. Don’t underestimate yourself. Now let’s have some of that pie.”
The conversation switched to other, more inconsequential things, but long after her elderly neighbor left, Rose couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d said. Have faith in yourself and you’ll figure out what’s best to do.
But would she? Did she have the courage?
* * * *
In the afternoon, Ben hitched up the coach. Rose gave Lucy a hug. “I’m going into town for a while, sweetheart, but Aunt Drucilla will be here, and Uncle Raymond, too.”
Always full of questions, Lucy inquired, “Why are you going?”
“Grandpa and Grandma and I are going to the lawyer’s office to sign some papers.” She always tried to be honest. “It seems the farm and hotel legally belong to me, so I must sign them over to your grandpa.”
Lucy frowned in confusion. “But if they’re yours, why don’t you keep them?”
“It’s a long story, and I’ll explain later.”
Why indeed? Rose wondered as she and her in-laws drove into town. She hoped Lucy would forget to ask again.
At the law office, Mr. Field greeted them with a smile, announcing the papers were ready for their signature. After they were seated in front of his large, mahogany desk, he remarked, “I’m expecting Mr. Talbot any moment. He will, of course, be bringing you the check for twenty-one thousand as agreed.”
So they were going to meet Emmet’s killer? Rose sensed both Ben and Coralee flinch as they sat beside her. She, too, got a tightness in her stomach. Ben spoke up. “See here, I didn’t think I’d be meeting the man who killed my son.”
“I understand how you feel.” The solicitor’s voice oozed with sympathy and understanding. “But once you meet him, you’ll see—”
“That’s all right, Archer. Let me explain.”
The deep, silky voice came from behind them. Rose turned in her seat. One of the most handsome men she’d ever seen stood in the doorway. Tall and broad-shouldered, he had a thick crop of wavy blond hair, firm mouth, and square-cut jaw. His well-tailored trousers and frock coat, silk cravat and brocade vest made her suddenly conscious of the patched and faded dress she was wearing. What a shame the new dresses she’d ordered weren’t ready. He held an ivory tipped cane and top hat in his large, perfectly manicured hands. With a purposeful stride, he crossed the room, put down the hat and cane, and turned to face them. “Good afternoon. My name is Mason Talbot.” His gaze focused on Ben. “You must be Mr. Peterson. Yes, I’m the man who engaged in a duel with your son, and I want you to know the day doesn’t go by that I…” His mouth set in a grim line. “If there was any way I could have avoided it, I would have done so.”
Ben stood up. Dressed in his plain black Sunday suit, he was no match for the elegantly dressed hotel owner, yet Rose knew he wouldn’t be intimidated by Talbot’s powerful presence. “Tell me why you killed my son,” he said, his voice taut with suppressed anger.
Talbot didn’t appear the least surprised by Ben’s reaction. “The duel was Emmet’s idea, not mine. He did the challenging. I tried reasoning with him, but he wouldn’t listen. When I finally realized I actually might have to go through with it, I appointed Rudy Avery, one of my employees, as my second. I sent Rudy to talk Emmet out of it, but he wouldn’t listen, was hell-bent on going through with it. What could I do? Despite my misgivings, I was honor bound to accept Emmet’s challenge, insane though it was.” Mason’s deep blue eyes gazed into Ben’s. “I’m not presumptuous enough to ask for your forgiveness, sir, but I hope for your understanding.”
A long, tension-charged silence followed. Rose held her breath. Would Ben accept the apology? Punch Mason Talbot in the nose? Storm out? Viewing her father-in-law’s stone-like face, she had no idea what would happen.
At last Ben opened