Over the Misty Mountains (22 page)

“It’ll hurt your mother terribly.”

“Not as bad as if Will married the minx and they found out what she was later. Besides, Mother is very protective of Father. When she finds out what they’ve tried to do to him . . .”

“Well, maybe we can stop her from scalping the Van Dorns. Really, I think I see the hand of God in this. That young girl has saved our good name, Elizabeth. We really don’t have to leave here now, you know.”

“Yes, we do!” Elizabeth said firmly. “Ever since we’ve talked, I’ve been praying, and God has showed me more and more clearly that we need to leave and be on our own. Just you and me and the children. Sometimes,” she added, “I think it would be best if all young married couples would get a thousand miles away from every in-law and relative. Far enough away so that they’d only have each other to cling to.”

Patrick grinned suddenly, looking very young in the amber lamplight. “Not a bad idea,” he said. “We’ll do the best we can. We’re starting a little late, but it looks like the time has come.”

“When will we tell my parents?”

“Today. As soon as possible.” He paused and thought about it. “Without this letter, it would never have worked. Do you know Charlotte’s handwriting?”

“Yes.” Elizabeth took the letter and nodded. “This is it, and she’s signed it. It’s enough evidence to hang her if this were a hanging offense.”

“I doubt if we’d go that far, but the Van Dorns are going to have to find other victims to restore their lost fortune. Well, let’s go back to bed, but I doubt if I can sleep.”

They went back to bed, and for a long time lay there quietly. Finally, Elizabeth reached over and put her hand on his arm. “It’s going to be good, isn’t it? Just you and me and the children.”

“Yes, it will be very good, wife.” He reached over and pulled her toward him. She moved against him and felt like a bride again, even after all those years.

****

Later in the morning, Elizabeth went to her parents first, and without revealing the secret, she said, “We must have a family meeting at once.”

“About what?” her mother asked, eyeing Elizabeth sharply.

“I won’t tell you now, but it’s something important that we need to handle as a family.”

After Elizabeth left, having asked her parents to bring the Van Dorns and Charlotte and Will to the library as quickly as possible, Anne said, “I think I know what it is.”

Her husband looked at her cautiously. “What do you think it is?”

“I think they’ve finally realized there’s no hope, so Patrick’s decided to make a clean break of it and throw himself on our mercy.”

“If he does, he’ll certainly have it!” William said.

“Well, of course, we’ll have to be forgiving. The Scriptures teach us that. But at the same time, a certain amount of retribution should accompany wrongdoing of this nature.”

“What are you thinking of, Anne?” William said wearily. “I think he’s had punishment enough just having to bear the awful gossip that’s gone around about him. I can’t imagine how he must have felt at Charlotte and Will’s engagement ball, knowing everyone was talking about him.”

“We’ll talk about it later. In the meanwhile, I’ll go down and get the Van Dorns and Charlotte and Will. You go on to the library.”

Fifteen minutes later, the library seemed very small. Will was there, standing beside Charlotte; Anne and William were ranked on the other side of the room; and Mr. and Mrs. Van Dorn stood slightly back toward the line of books against the far wall. Patrick and Elizabeth came in last, and Anne said at once, “Very well! What’s this all about, Elizabeth?”

“I’ll let my husband tell you,” Elizabeth said calmly. She looked at Patrick, nodded slightly, and then held his arm, squeezing it to give him assurance.

“I never desired to be the bearer of ill tidings,” Patrick said slowly. “When I tell you what I’ve discovered, you’re going to think that it’s because I’ve been mistreated, that I’m angry and want revenge. I assure you that’s not the case.”

“What do you mean
discovered?
” Will said. “What are you talking about, Patrick?”

Patrick looked over at Will and felt a great wave of pity. He was about to shake this man’s life to the very foundation, and it was not pleasant. “Will, I’ve loved you like a brother, and the news I’ve got is going to be most unpleasant for you.”

Will’s face paled. “What are you talking about, Patrick? Get down to it! You’ve called us all in here. I assumed you wanted to tell us you were guilty and ask for pardon.”

“No. I’m not guilty. I never have been, Will. But there are guilty people in this room.”

Anne Martin had a sudden feeling of fear—something about her son-in-law’s face frightened her. Although she had always looked down on him, she had been well aware of a steadiness and a strength to his character that was a rare find. She had never admitted it to him or to Elizabeth or to the grandchildren, but now as she watched him, his firm lips drawn into a tight line, she suddenly knew that he had some awful news to deliver. In a voice not entirely steady, she asked, “What are you talking about, Patrick?”

“There’s been a conspiracy to take over the Martin Shipping Company,” Patrick said in an even voice. “I might as well state the accusations right now. Mr. Van Dorn, you and your daughter have been involved in a scheme to blacken my name, and you plan to take over my father-in-law’s company. You’ve played on his ill health, upon your relationship with my mother-in-law, and you’ve been completely dishonest. In fact,” he said, his voice getting stronger, “you’re nothing but a pair of crooks and thieves!”

Charlotte cried something incoherent. Her face went suddenly pale, and she grasped Will’s arm strongly. “Will, don’t let him talk to me like that!”

Stepping forward, Will clenched his fist. “I won’t have you talking about my fiancée or her family that way!”

“I’d think less of you, Will, if you felt any differently,” Patrick said. “I know what I’d feel like if someone accused my wife of being dishonest, but I have hard evidence of what I’m saying. Charlotte, I have a witness who heard everything that you and your father said in the library last night.”

Mr. Van Dorn’s face turned ashen. He tried to speak, but his throat seemed to be clogged. Finally he managed to wheeze, “I . . . I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Who is your witness, Patrick?” William asked. He seemed to have gathered strength and was now staring at his son-in-law with a strange light in his eyes. He gave the Van Dorns one look and did not like what he saw. Mrs. Van Dorn looked merely shocked, but guilt was written plainly across the faces of Charlotte and her father. “Who is this witness?”

“I’ll bring her in, Father.”

Elizabeth stepped to the door, opened it, and said, “Will you come in, Rebekah?”

As Rebekah came in, Elizabeth said quietly, “It was very difficult for Rebekah to come to us with what she had discovered. I hoped to keep her out of it, but she insisted on telling what she heard. She’s been a faithful servant in this household, and she’s hated every lie and bit of evil gossip that’s been spread about Patrick.”

“That girl hates me because I have not tolerated her!” Charlotte cried out at once.

“Be quiet, Charlotte!” William spoke with authority, and his strength seemed to have returned. He came over and stood before the servant, who looked back at him fearfully but with her chin held high. “What is it that you’ve seen, Rebekah?” he asked quietly. “Don’t be afraid. Just tell the truth.”

Rebekah began to speak, falteringly at first, but when she saw the encouragement on the faces of Patrick and Elizabeth, and the kindness in Mr. Martin’s eyes, she grew steadily stronger. She told the story from beginning to end—how she had seen the two and heard the secret conversation in the library.

When she had finished, William Martin turned to say, “What do you two have to say for yourselves?”

“It’s all a lie,” Mr. Van Dorn blustered. “You’re not going to take the word of a servant girl over that of a gentleman, are you? Why, she’s nothing but a maid!”

Patrick spoke up. “I knew that her word would not be enough. However, I think this will be. You know Charlotte’s handwriting, do you not, sir?” He handed the letter to his father-in-law.

The room grew absolutely still, and the sound of the clock ticking sounded very loud as he calmly read it. Finally, he raised his eyes and put them on Charlotte. “I’m ashamed of you, Charlotte! And for you, sir,” he said, turning his eyes on Mr. Van Dorn. “If I were a younger man, I would call you out for this. As it is, I will tell you to take yourself, and your family, out of my house and never be seen here again!”

Mrs. Van Dorn’s face was as pale as paper. She evidently knew nothing of all of this, and Elizabeth felt a great compassion for her. She went to the woman at once, saying, “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Van Dorn. Could I get you a glass of water? You look faint.”

“No,” Mrs. Van Dorn whispered. “I . . . I really don’t understand any of this.”

Charlotte was watching Will’s face. She did not take her eyes off of him. He had lost his color also, and there was a trembling in his lip for a moment. “Will,” she said, “what about . . . what about us?”

Will reached over and took the paper from his father’s hand. He scanned it, then handed it back to his father. “There is no
us
,” he said briefly. “I hope I never lay eyes on you as long as I live!”

It was a terrible moment, and it was Elizabeth who said, “Mr. Van Dorn, I think it would be best if you’d take your family away from here immediately. If you’ll come with me, Mrs. Van Dorn, I’ll take you to your room. Will, would you see that the carriage is called for the Van Dorns while they get ready to leave?”

“Certainly,” Will said and left the room without another word.

The Van Dorns shuffled toward the door, all of them moving as if they were in a daze. As soon as they were gone, Anne turned to her husband, her knees very weak, and whispered, “William, it can’t be true!”

“Here’s the letter.”

Anne took the letter and tried to read it, but she could not seem to focus. She stood there and looked very helpless. Patrick, who had moved slightly away as if disassociating himself from the pair, started to leave the room, but then he came over and stood before his mother-in-law. “I know this is hard for you, Anne,” he said, calling her by her first name, which he had not done since he had been married to Elizabeth. “It’s always hard to be disillusioned, but believe me, it’s better for you and far better for Will that this came about before they were married.”

Anne raised her eyes to look into the face of the young man that she had so despised. She expected to see hatred and triumph in his countenance, but instead she only saw compassion. Her eyes filled with tears and she whispered, “Patrick, I’m . . . I’m so
sorry
!”

He interrupted her and put his hand out. When she groped for it blindly, he took her hand with both of his and said, “I don’t want you to feel any guilt about this. We’ve all been deceived by people at one time or another. You have a good heart. You just put it in the wrong place.”

“Patrick—” William had come to stand in front of his son-in-law. “I can’t think of what to say,” he said lamely. “No, don’t interrupt me. All my life I’ve prided myself on being faithful to my friends. Even if you had done what you were accused of, my behavior has been unforgivable.” He put his hand out and said, “I’m sorry. That’s little enough, but that’s all that a man can say.”

“Thank you, sir. We’ll say no more about it,” Patrick said. “I’m just happy the real tragedy has been averted.”

Patrick turned and left the room, and instantly Anne turned to her husband. “How could we have been so wrong?”

“Nobody ever knows how he makes a fool of himself. We’ll look back, and for a long time we’ll be remembering that there were signs that we were headed the wrong way.”

“How can Patrick and Elizabeth ever forgive us?” Anne moaned.

“It’s not that. They’ve already done it, I think. But how can we forgive ourselves?” William said. “That’s the hard part. It always is.”

****

For two days after the Van Dorns hastily departed, the Martin household was strangely quiet. People seemed to speak in a whisper until Sarah and Andrew finally looked at each other and Andrew said, “It’s like somebody died. I don’t see what everybody’s so sad about.”

“I don’t either. Now Will doesn’t have to marry that old Charlotte woman!” Sarah said.

The adults seemed oblivious to their conversation, as the Martins were still struggling through the difficult time. The marriage was off, which meant that Anne Martin would have to spend a great deal of time explaining the reasons to her friends. “We can never tell the truth,” she said to her husband.

“I think we should. Patrick deserves it.”

Anne shook her head. “I mentioned it to him. He said there was no point in harming that family anymore. I think he feels sorry for Mrs. Van Dorn. I don’t think she knew anything about any of this.”

“No, she seems to be a sweet woman. I feel sorry for her, with that scoundrel she’s married to and that daughter of hers. I fear it will be hard on Patrick too. People will always remember that he was accused. And they’ll think that Charlotte broke her engagement because there were thieves in the family.”

“I doubt if she’ll be saying a great deal. From what I understand, the Van Dorns are pretty well broke.”

“How’d you find that out?”

“I’ve made some discreet inquiries of a few of my business friends in New York. It seems the Van Dorns are in debt over their heads and have borrowed from everybody they could.”

“Why didn’t we hear any word of this before it all happened?”

“Would we have believed it?” William said. “In any case, I think Patrick is right. It’s hard now, but think how it would have been if Will had married Charlotte. They would never have known a moment’s happiness.”

That evening at supper, everyone’s spirits seemed to be somewhat better. At least Elizabeth and Patrick were almost boisterous, and their ease and apparent happiness brought Will out of his depression. Finally, at the end of the meal, Will spoke up. “I don’t know how to say this, Patrick. No man likes to admit he was a fool, but I was. I was wrong about you, and I’m sorry.”