Indigo (47 page)

Galen confessed with a straight face, "It's mostly Hester, Maxi."

Hester's eyes widened. "Galen?!"

"Well it's true."

Raymond roared with laughter.

Hester used her wooden spoon to smack Raymond across the knuckles just like Maxi had done Galen, and the roar stopped. He looked surprised and wounded. He turned his puzzled face to Galen and said, "She's almost as good with that thing as Maxi."

"Terrifying thought, isn't it?" Galen replied, his eyes glowing at his determined little wife.

Hester narrowed her eyes. "Dammit, ask your question."

Raymond asked in wonder, "She curses too?"

Galen grinned. "In her own fashion. 'Dammit' is about the extent of her salty vocabulary, though."

Maxi was shaking her head and smiling. "Hester, these two are like two playful tiger cubs, and like cubs they will play with you whether you wish it or not."

Hester certainly had to agree. "Are you two finished?"

Both men stared back innocently.

She took a calming breath, then smiled at her mustached husband. "Now what did you want to ask?"

"When is your birthday?"

Hester turned back to the biscuit dough. "I—don't know."

Galen peered at her stiff back and felt his heart twist. He felt absolutely stupid inside. A thick, uncomfortable silence hung in the air. Maxi and Raymond exited quietly, correctly sensing the couple needed to be alone.

Galen came to stand behind her and said sincerely, "My apology. I wasn't aware you didn't know."

She replied softly. "Don't fret. There's nothing to apologize for. After all, it is a question a husband would ask his wife."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and she savored the strength and safety his embrace always seemed to imbue. "My aunt was never sure about the actual date, so instead every year we celebrated the day I came north, the fourteenth day of October." She leaned back into her husband's strong chest and the memories of that first day rose vividly. "I thought Michigan was the coldest place on earth. When my aunt explained that it was only autumn, and that the winter would be much worse, I thought she was fooling. She wasn't though."

Galen chuckled, then kissed the top of her hair. "How about we celebrate your birthday on Christmas Day?"

She turned in his arms and smiled. "Why that particular day?"

"So that I may give you double the amount of presents."

She shook her head. "What else in the world is there left for you to buy?"

"It doesn't have to be something purchased."

"I know that, but do you?"

His provocative moustache lifted with his smile. "Touché,
petite."

He kissed her on the forehead. "Do you think Maxi and Raymond will stay away long enough for me to make love to you?"

Hester's eyes widened. Then she grinned and whispered. "In here?! No. Take your insatiable self off before you embarrass us both."

But in exception to her words he was already undoing the tiny buttons of her blouse. "I'll just take a tiny boon then."

Her camisole was lowered, then he proceeded to slowly tease and suckle her breasts until she purred.

"I'll have the rest of you later," came his hot promise.

He raised his head. Seeing her passion-lidded eyes, his brilliant gaze sparkled.

In moments he had her buttoned up and proper again. Grinning he touched his mouth to her lips, and departed.

Christmas day dawned with a blowing snowstorm. Luckily there was no need to go outdoors.

Galen had purchased so many presents for his wife and unborn child, Raymond cracked they'd have to put a new wing on the Folly just to store the haul. Hester received jewelry and gowns, bath salts and a new crystal flagon of vanilla; there were juggling balls and a beautifully carved crib that put a sheen of happy tears in Hester's eyes. Galen opened his gifts and smiled over the crystal dragon Hester had purchased for him as well as the new globe she'd given him for his study. Raymond's presents to Hester were a new set of wooden spoons and a delicately carved music box.

The meal was glorious: there was goose and turkey and pies, winter vegetables, gumbo, and Maxi's special jambalaya. Hester could barely stand when the last of the dishes were taken away. Galen ushered her into the parlor where they sat cuddled together before the fire.

Hester sat there basking in his nearness and wondered about the future. "You know, next Christmas there will be one more at the table."

"Yep, I can hardly wait to see this new little Vachon."

He reached over and gently caressed the small roundness that was his still forming child.

Hester placed her hand atop his and felt their combined love flow into the new life she harbored. "Will you still love me when I'm fat?"

"I'd love you if you grew as large as the Sphinx."

Hester cuddled closer, happy with the reply.

"Are you ready for birthday cake?" he asked.

The thought of more food almost made her groan. "Galen, neither I nor your child can eat another bite."

"Just one bite. For me?"

She turned her face up and said, "For you, anything."

He hopped up. "Good. Now close your eyes."

"Galen—"

"Contrary woman. Close your eyes."

She giggled and obeyed.

"And don't cheat. Keep them closed."

"Okay."

There was silence a moment, then came the rustling of feet.

From behind her hands she asked, "Galen, what are you doing?"

"Be patient,
petite,"
Galen called.

Galen looked around the room to make certain everyone in attendance was in place.

"Okay,
petite.
Open your eyes."

The first thing Hester noted was the tall, beautiful, white-iced cake being carried her way. Atop it were lit Chinese sparklers. She grinned around at Maxi and Raymond, then paused to stare quizzically at the unfamiliar woman bearing the cake. Hester was certain she'd never seen the woman before yet she experienced a very strange sense of familiarity.

The woman drew nearer. Hester noticed that although she was smiling, there were tears in the woman's eyes. Hester stood, seeking to help in some way, but the woman set the cake down without a word.

Terribly confused, Hester stared over at Galen, who answered with a shrug.

The woman began to speak in a voice thick and soft with tears. "Christmas Day really is your birthday..."

Hester went stock still. She ran her eyes slowly over the aging but still lovely face, saw the dark skin, the black eyes, and her heart began to pound. The only person in the whole world who could claim to know that date for certain would be—

Luckily for Hester she was standing by the settee because when she fainted dead away, it kept her from hitting the floor.

When her eyes flickered open again, she was lying down while everyone in the room stood above her. She heard Raymond say, "You didn't say she would faint,
mon frere."

Galen replied, "How was I supposed to know?"

"Well, tell her not to do it again. Scared me to death."

"How do you think I felt?"

Maxi gave them both a look, then she gently eased Hester up. "Are you all right,
chiquita?"

Hester stared into the eyes of her mother and realized that this was not a dream. "Are you really Frances Wyatt?"

Nodding gently, her eyes watery, she said, "It is Wyatt Donaldson now, but yes, I am your mother."

The tears ran down Frances's face. She wordlessly held out her arms and Hester let herself be enfolded. For endless moments they rocked one another and cried over the separation, the pain, the joy.

When they were able to turn each other loose, Hester held onto her mother's hand and looked over at her husband. "Since you are truly the most extravagant man on this earth, I will assume you are responsible for this so very precious gift."

He bowed. "It was purely by chance that I met her, believe me. It was on the trip Raymond and I took to Charleston for the John Brown trial."

Frances took up the tale. "I run a boardinghouse and diner in Charleston. Your man and his friend over there came in one day during the trial and ordered a meal. They kept staring at me as if they knew me. I ignored them, but noticed it went on during the whole time they were there. They didn't say anything that day, but when they returned the next day, Galen approached me. He told me I looked just like his wife, Hester. I told him I once had a daughter named Hester but she'd been sold away as a baby."

Galen continued at that point. "Then I asked her her name. When she told me her name was Frances, I didn't dare even think she might be Hester's mother for fear it would not be the true Frances."

"When he asked my full name and I responded, he went so still I began to fear he'd suffered some type of fit."

Galen replied with a smile, "I thought I had. My heart fairly froze in my chest when she told me her name was Frances Wyatt Donaldson."

Hester asked, "So do you have to return to Charleston?"

Frances glanced over at Galen, then back. "I really don't know. Thanks to your extravagant husband I am no longer in bondage. For the first time my life is my own."

Hester could not contain her tears as she met her husband's misty eyes. Frances explained. "The Master Donaldson and I had an agreement. If I could make enough profit to buy the building, I could also buy my freedom. Of course, he set the price near the moon, but evidently your man buys items from the moon quite regularly. He met Donaldson's price, threw in a bit more as a sweetener, and what could the master say? He certainly wasn't going to turn down all that gold just so he could keep a middle-aged woman like me in slavery. He agreed. I woke up that morning a slave and by luncheon I was free. My head is still swimming."

Hester said, "Galen does have that effect, especially when he is shopping."

Her mother smiled.

"Please Mother, say you will stay and live with us. We've more than enough room."

Galen said, "I've already extended the same invitation,
petite."

"Did you agree, Mother?"

"Hester, I can't just barge back into your life after all these many years. Suppose we find we don't like each other?"

Raymond pointed out helpfully, "I don't like Galeno but he's allowed to live here."

Hester dropped her head and shook it slowly. Maxi did the same.

Galen was grinning.

Hester said, "My baby will need a grandmother. You must stay."

Frances's eyes widened. "What baby?"

"Galen didn't tell you we have a baby coming?"

Frances stared over at Galen with narrowed eyes. "No, he did not."

Galen raised an eyebrow and replied, "Merry Christmas."

Frances smiled a smile very reminiscent of her daughter's and said, "He is a devil, that one."

Hester agreed, "Yes he is, but as Raymond said, we allow him to live here anyway."

After the laughter faded, Frances turned to Maxi and asked, "You would be amenable to my coming to live here?"

Maxi smiled. "I have already raised one generation of Vachons. I am getting old. If the young one is anything like his sire, I will welcome all the help I can get."

Everyone laughed.

So it was agreed. Frances would stay.

Hester lay in bed that night the happiest woman in the world. She had a husband who loved her, her mother had been found, and her baby inside her continued to grow and thrive. What else could a woman like herself want from life? The end of slavery would make the picture complete, but until it occurred she would be thankful for life's smaller joys. She looked over at her husband sleeping at her side. Through him all blessings flowed. Who else would be so extravagant as to give someone their mother for Christmas? Only Galen Vachon, the Black Daniel, the dragon—her love. She leaned over and kissed him softly. He stirred.

"Something the matter?" he asked sleepily.

"No," she whispered. "I just love you. Go back to sleep."

He gently pulled her in against his body and promptly did just that.

Content, Hester cuddled closer, then closed her eyes to sleep safely in her husband's loving arms.

***

To learn more about the novels of Beverly Jenkins, please visit:
Beverly Jenkins

The Vachons were first introduced in my second Avon historical novel,
Vivid,
but there Galen's character was named Caleb. In the process of writing
Indigo,
I felt the name Caleb no longer fit. The character needed a name with more elan. I came across the name Galeno while trying to help my first fan, Rochelle Hardy, with names for her soon-to-be-born son. When I read that it was Spanish for "the light one," and that Galen was the English derivation, I knew I'd hit it. So to all the readers of
Vivid,
my apologies. I hope the name change didn't throw you too much.