Savage Destiny (The Hearts of Liberty Series, Book 1) (35 page)

"You don't even see what you're doing, do you? If you wed a man to give Christian a father, you'll be repeating Melissa's mistake. You saw how bitter Ian was when he realized how he had been used. Your poor husband would soon feel exactly the same."

"I'll not listen to any more of this."

With her arms full, she couldn't move with her usual agility, and Graham had no difficulty blocking her way when she tried to get past him. "No, you'll listen to every word I have to say," he argued. "I love you, Alanna, but I can't go on hoping and praying that you'll come to love me, if that love is dependent on my willingness to raise another man's child."

"I'm thoroughly confused, Captain. Just what is it that you expect me to say, that should I fall in love with you, Christian wouldn't be part of our family?"

"Yes!"

"Now who's making unreasonable demands in exchange for promises of love? This whole conversation is ridiculous! Elliott's written another letter. Perhaps Hunter didn't receive the first. He could arrive any day."

"You can't possibly expect that renegade to come for his son."

"And why not? You only saw Hunter briefly the first night he was here last spring. How can you presume to know what he may or may not do?"

"He's an Indian!"

"I fail to see how that fact disqualifies him for fatherhood."

"If you think so much of Hunter, then why don't you marry
him?
He'd be the one-man in the world who wouldn't resent the attention you lavish on Christian."

Aghast at that bizarre suggestion, Alanna simply stared at Graham for a long moment. Then she remembered the sweetness of Hunter's kiss, and her cheeks flooded with a bright blush. "I think the less said about Hunter the better. Now if you'll kindly step out of my way, I'll carry these things out to the carriage. Would you check to make certain there's nothing left to pack?"

Graham was too angry to respond, but he did move aside, and with grim determination he searched the house, but found nothing that did not belong to the owners. "God damn," he murmured under his breath. He had finally told Alanna that he loved her, and her only response had been to ask him to move out of her way. He stormed out of the house, thinking that was precisely what he ought to have done several months ago.

* * *

While she was sorry they had quarreled that day, when Graham Tyler did not call on her again, Alanna understood his reasons and wasn't insulted. He had finally accepted what she had always known: that they simply hadn't been meant for each other. Always eager to gossip, the Frederick sisters kept her informed of the young women he escorted to holiday parties, until she finally convinced them that she really didn't care.

The holidays held such little joy for Alanna that year, that she left the Christmas service at church feeling as depressed as when she had entered. Elliott had helped her buy presents for Charity and her children, and they had delivered them earlier that morning, but that her aunt and uncle had not sent anything along for Christian, nor gone to see him, broke her heart. When the pair started toward the cemetery to visit their daughter's grave, she thought them hypocrites and didn't follow.

"Merry Christmas," Randolph O'Neil called to her.

Alanna recognized his voice, and smiled as she turned to face him. "Merry Christmas, Mr. O'Neil."

"I was hoping I'd have a chance to speak with you. Do you remember last spring, when your aunt asked me to find something special for Melissa and Ian's first Christmas?"

"Yes, I do, but sadly, they weren't able to celebrate it."

Randolph nodded. "I did find something, however, but before I could show it to your aunt, Melissa was gone. Then I couldn't decide if it would be unnecessarily cruel of me to mention it to Rachel, or if perhaps she wouldn't treasure the item even more. I wonder, would you have time to come by my shop next week? I'd value your opinion, and perhaps you can help me resolve what has become something of a dilemma."

"I come into town every day to visit with the woman who's keeping Christian, and see how he's getting along. I'll be happy to stop in to see you, too."

"Thank you. I'd hoped you wouldn't think this insensitive of me. I'm not concerned about the cost of the item. I'd be pleased to give it to Rachel as a gift, if you think she'd like it."

"That's very thoughtful of you."

Randolph smiled slightly. "You've changed since our last conversation."

That had been at the wedding. It had been such a happy occasion, and now, Alanna couldn't bear to think of how greatly her family's circumstances had changed. "You're right. Nothing is the way it was last spring."

"For some things, that might not be bad."

Randolph's parting smile left Alanna wondering just what he meant, and she found herself thinking of him throughout what proved to be a long and solemn day. Byron and Elliott were as morose as their parents, and Alanna was grateful when they excused themselves right after supper and provided her with an equally fine opportunity to slip away. She went up to her room and began to read the copy of Henry Fielding's
Amelia
that Elliott had given her, until it was time to get ready for bed.

Alanna went to see Randolph O'Neil at her first opportunity. There were several customers in the shop, but he summoned clerks to see to their needs and escorted her into his private office. "How is your little cousin today?" he asked.

Randolph's expression was devoid of the hostility Graham had shown over her devotion to Christian, and Alanna was delighted to find his interest sincere. "He's very well, thank you. He's growing so rapidly, if I didn't visit him every day, I'm sure I'd miss something."

"Yes, I remember when my daughter was small. Unfortunately, we had no other children, although we both wanted them very badly. Do you remember my daughter? I realize Karen is several years older than you, but I thought perhaps you might know her."

"No, I'm sorry I don't recall meeting her. I seldom came into town before last spring, so there are a great many people here in Williamsburg whom I've not met."

"I'm sure that will be remedied in the near future," Randolph predicted with an inviting smile. "Now let me show you the gift." He leaned down to open the bottom drawer of his desk and withdrew a leather box. He then removed the lid with care. "I know how much your aunt admires crystal, and this angel with silver wings is one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever seen."

He placed the angel on the corner of the desk where Alanna could appreciate it, but while she was equally impressed with its beauty, she had no idea how to advise him. "It's exquisite," she murmured.

"Yes, it most certainly is. The only question is: Would your aunt think it a fitting tribute to Melissa?"

The angel, who was glancing down at her demurely clasped hands, projected an air of serenity that Melissa had certainly never possessed while alive, and Alanna was afraid that should the name of Christian's father ever become common knowledge, her spirit would not be generally regarded as residing in heaven. As for the silver wings, they were highly polished, and yet so detailed, the softness of the feathers looked real. If not tended properly, those beautiful silver wings would tarnish, and knowing that symbolism would not be lost on her Aunt Rachel, Alanna decided against it.

"Truly, she is lovely, but my aunt is heartbroken over Melissa's death, and I fear any reminder of the life she and Ian should have had, or even of an angel, would be unbearably painful for her. Thank you so much for showing her to me, but I think you should keep her for someone else."

Randolph frowned slightly, and for a moment he looked as though he wanted to argue with Alanna, but he apparently thought better of it. With the same care he had shown earlier, he returned the angel to her box and replaced it in his drawer. "I don't think I'll display her until next year. She's a Christmas angel, don't you think?"

"Yes, someone is sure to treasure her and see that she's passed down for generations. Perhaps she would make a nice gift for your daughter."

Randolph broke into a wide grin. "She has two little boys, so I don't dare give her anything that delicate, at least not for a while yet."

Thinking her visit had come to its natural end, Alanna rose from her chair. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful."

Randolph moved between her and the door. "You needn't apologize. You gave me precisely the help I required. There is one other thing I'd like, though."

"Yes?"

"I'd like to see Melissa's little boy. I don't have much opportunity to be around my grandsons, and I'd just like to hold a baby once in a while."

Randolph O'Neil didn't fit Alanna's image of a grandfather any closer than she knew Christian would fit his expectation of Melissa's son. "I'm sorry, but the Barclays don't permit visitors."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

He made no effort to hide his disappointment, which made Alanna feel all the worse. "If it were up to me, I'd take you to see him right now, but when my aunt and uncle forbid it—"

Randolph raised his hands. "No, forget that I asked. It's just that I'd heard Captain Scott went home to England, and I thought the babe might enjoy an extra hug or two."

"Yes, I'm sure that he would. He's an adorable child."

"He would have to be."

Alanna waited for him to add a comment about Melissa, but he was regarding her with a sly smile that made it plain he was thinking of her. "Please, you're embarrassing me."

"Why, because I think you're pretty? Any man would."

"Thank you, but really, I must go."

Randolph reached for the doorknob, but hesitated to turn it. "If you're in town often, will you come to see me again? I should have offered you tea. I'll promise to have some ready the next time you're here."

Alanna's first impulse was to say no, but Randolph had such a warm and sympathetic manner, she really did want to see him again. "I don't want to become a pest."

"That will never happen."

"All right then, I will stop by again soon."

"Good." He walked her to the door, and again urged her to visit him soon.

Alanna found herself smiling all the way home. Randolph O'Neil was such a nice man, and he even liked babies. Would he like Christian, she wondered. Somehow, she thought that he would. Graham had insisted that she would be repeating Melissa's mistake, if she married a man simply to make a home for Christian, but what if the man knew exactly what she was doing, and did not object? What if he were a kind and gentle soul who would love Christian? Wouldn't the greater mistake be in
not
marrying such a man?

Then a truly horrible thought occurred to her: What if she were to marry Randolph, or someone like him, only to have Hunter appear later to claim his son? Then what? What a horrible mess that would be. After all, she was only a cousin, and he was the boy's father. Wouldn't that be the deciding factor?

"Damn it all, Hunter," she moaned. "Where are you?"

After dinner that night, Alanna waited until Elliott went upstairs to his room, and then she followed him. "We need to talk," she announced.

"Really, about what?"

"About Hunter."

Elliott ushered her into his room and closed the door. "I really thought he'd come as soon as he received my first letter. I don't know what to make of him now. Perhaps we expected too much."

"That's possible. I think we ought to go see him."

"You don't mean it."

"Oh, but I do. I think we need to confront him and settle the issue of who's to raise Christian once and for all. If he has no more interest in him than your parents do, we need to know it now, so that we can make arrangements for him to have a permanent home."

"Wait a minute. It's possible that Hunter has been away from the trading post trapping the last month or so, and that my letters haven't reached him."

"It's also possible that he just doesn't care."

"Yes, that's true, but I'd rather not go tramping through the wilds of New York in the dead of winter looking for him. Christian isn't even two months old. He's doing well with Charity, we can afford to wait awhile longer to hear from Hunter."

"And if we never do?"

"Well then, I'll go up to the trading post in the spring."

"I want to come along."

"My parents will never allow it."

Alanna lifted her chin proudly. "They don't want me visiting Christian, and I do that, don't I? I don't see why I should have to get their permission. I'll be eighteen by then. That's plenty old enough to make decisions for myself."

Amused by the fiery gleam in his once painfully shy cousin's eyes, Elliott had to laugh. "All right, if we don't hear from Hunter in three months' time, then we'll pay him a visit. Agreed?"

Alanna let out a joyful whoop, and then, fearing she had disturbed the rest of the house, she hurriedly adopted a sedate pose and shook his hand. "Agreed."

Elliott watched her practically skip out of his room, and shook his head in wonder at how much his dear little cousin had changed. When he had first brought Hunter home, Alanna wouldn't even talk to him, and now she was prepared to go all the way to New York to see the brave. Well, he was certainly looking forward to seeing Hunter, too, but for an entirely different reason. He knew the Indian was tough, but one of the Barclay men had to give him the thrashing he deserved, and by spring, Elliott thought he just might be able to do it.