The Governor's Daughter (Winds of Change Book 1) (24 page)

Shouts emerged. Cathryn froze when she heard a loud slap followed by a blood curdling scream. She found it…the pistol. Gathering up her courage, she ran to Mary’s room.

The man held Mary up by her hair. Tears flowed down her face. She looked at Cathryn in a pleading manner.

“Go,” she whispered. “Before he harms you.”

Cathryn shook her head. “I’m not leaving. He is.” She pulled the pistol out from the folds of her skirt.

He laughed a loud malevolent laugh. “Put that thing away. You aren’t going to use it. Mary is coming home with me. I am her guardian.”

He released his hold and Mary fell onto the floor. He kicked her. “Disrespect me! I think not. You will pay when we get home.”

Mary screamed as he kicked her again. The babies awoke. Startled and scared, they too added their own cries.

Nervous and distracted with her babies’ shrill cries, her hands trembled; her voice shook. “Don’t go near her. Mary, run.”

Chelton bolstered a harsh grin. “Do you think I’m gonna listen to you?”

Refusing to move, Cathryn watched Mary crawl to her feet with her eyes as big as saucers from fright, reminding Cathryn of the night she had helped deliver her dead baby.

Cathryn took her eyes off of Chelton for a moment— He lunged at her, knocking the pistol to the ground.

Cathryn fell to the ground. Mary ran. She grabbed at Chelton’s leg as he rushed by, knocking him down to the floor.

Disturbed momentarily by the sound of her children screaming, Cathryn scrambled to her feet. She looked back as terror gripped her. Chelton regained his footing and chased Mary down the stairs, seizing Mary before she could make an escape out of the house.

“Did you forget, Mary? There are rules. You have broken them.” He pulled Mary down by her hair.

Screaming madly, Mary clawed and scratched at her assailant, but to no avail.

Chelton uttered in a deep threatening voice, “I told Henry it was useless. You would be back. You belong to me! I refused to believe the rumors. Had to see for myself. But it’s true you have returned…to me.”

Mary screamed and he slapped her across the face.

“Now, you will be punished.”

“Let her go!” Cathryn jumped upon him. He pushed her off hard against the wall, but when he turned around, he met one stronger and younger than he.

In one stride, Sumner came in between Chelton and Mary. Cathryn felt her face. Blood! She had cut her forehead.

“How dare you come into my home and assault the women of my house!” Sumner shouted. His fist landed Chelton against the floor.

“She’s not your concern. She’s my ward!” Chelton countered and crawled to his knees. “I will do what I want. She is mine.”

“Tell that to me one more time! With all I heard you did…you think because your brother-in-law forgave you, the child would?”

Chelton caught his breath. His hand pushed his body forward off the ground. Cathryn saw the look in his eyes.

He was fool enough to challenge Sumner further.

“Sumner!” Mary’s frightened voice shrieked a warning.

Cathryn struggled to her feet. Her eyes took in the scene. Juriah had returned from retrieving Sumner and rushed to Mary. Her gaze met Cathryn’s. Mary stood in a trance-like state. Cathryn helped Juriah usher Mary back up the stairs.

“Go see the little ones. I’ll take care of Mary,” Juriah ordered.

Cathryn nodded, refusing to look back. The sounds of the fight echoed throughout the house.

She scurried into the nursery and picked up Lucy first. Quieting her as well as she could, her hands still trembled.

She had seen a look within both men that terrified her. Comforting her babies with a lullaby, she sang until she didn’t hear another sound…until the house lay in an eerie silence.

Suddenly, Cathryn heard hurried footsteps. Her heart caught in her throat. Juriah opened the door and motioned for Cathryn to follow her.

“Carreen is here to care for the young ones. You need to come downstairs,” she said. “Mary is lying down upon her bed.”

Cathryn followed silently. At the foot of the staircase, Chelton’s body lay face down, lifeless upon the foyer’s floor. She fought back the revulsion that came over her.

Sumner glanced up at her as Cathryn raced over to his side. She bent down on her knees and took up her brother’s scraped and bloody knuckles. His clothes were soaked in the intruder’s blood. Cathryn comprehended in quick order that the wrath of Sumner had exploded upon the lecher.

“Cathryn, we need to act quickly,” he said in a calm manner. “I didn’t mean to kill him. I only wanted him out of my home. He was as a wild man. When he was down, he said vile things about Mary. How a man could say…” He looked away. “It is no matter. I have only one choice. We have to hide the body.”

“But, Sumner, someone will know he was coming here.”

“What if the Negroes talk? Oh, Sumner, won’t they understand?”

“You tell me, Cathryn,” Sumner stated emphatically. “Who would they believe? A highly respected lawyer or a bastard son?”

“I’ll take care of the Negroes. Israel was injured. He’ll say nothing. I know of no other that was here that would,” Juriah answered. “But we need to get rid of the body.”

“In the garden,” Cathryn said quickly. “I was planting bulbs there yesterday. The ground is soft. I’ll move some plants over the body. It’s close to the house.”

“What of the horse?” Sumner asked.

“Ride him off tonight. Ride down southwest, where the scrimmages have been occurring,” Cathryn added. Her mind raced with details to cover. “Let him go wild close to the river. People can either take it he got ambushed, or was drunk and fell into the river.”

“It’s a long ride,” Sumner said. “We need to hurry.”

* * * *

Sumner wrapped the body and hid it in the waiting room. Cathryn prayed they had no more visitors this day. In broad daylight, Sumner rode off on Chelton’s horse with his in tow. No one would give him a second glance, thinking he was going to sell the horse.

Juriah and Cathryn waited with bated breath. Cathryn watched from the nursery window as dusk fell and her brother returned on his horse.

The twins fussed awfully. For once Cathryn had no patience with them. But Carreen, the wet nurse, soothed the tiny ones.

Waiting until darkness fell, the three worked in unison. Sumner started to dig a deep hole. A moment later, Israel appeared with shovel in hand. He didn’t say a word, but helped Sumner.

After the body had been placed and the hole filled, Juriah and Cathryn worked feverishly, transplanting bushes and bulbs that Cathryn had planted. Fallen leaves were sprinkled over the grave. The garden looked as if it had never been disturbed.

Tired and exhausted, Cathryn prayed it had been enough. The day would dawn and someone would come looking. That she knew well.

* * * *

A day passed and then another. Cathryn began to hope that they wouldn’t have anyone to come to question about Chelton’s disappearance. Sumner acted as though all was normal, but Juriah and Cathryn carried with them a fear of discovery. Sumner had been correct in his assumption. Charles Town was no different than England. So they waited.

* * * *

A group of horses descended upon them almost a week after the incident on a beautiful, Indian summer day. With not a cloud in the sky, Cathryn watched from the upstairs window while the babies cooed in their crib.

She looked down upon them before she exited the room. Philip had found his foot and thought it the most wonderful thing. They were content. A knock disturbed the peace.

“A group of gentlemen have requested your presence, Miss Cathryn. They’re from Charles Town,” Tacy uttered.

Tacy wrung her hands tightly; Cathryn sighed. Tacy wasn’t supposed to have known. Too many had knowledge that Chelton had been here.

“Tacy, get hold of yourself,” she said, annoyed. “Don’t come downstairs again. Do you understand? Just stay with the twins.”

* * * *

Cathryn entered the drawing room where Juriah had placed the gentlemen. She greeted the group of seven with a warm smile. She recognized a couple, but most were strangers to her. Henry Peterson, a silver-haired older gentleman, stood upon her appearance.

“Gentlemen, welcome to Elm Bluff, but I have to apologize that I wasn’t prepared for visitors. Since my return, I’m afraid I haven’t been able to be social.”

“I see you are in mourning?” Henry Peterson asked.

Cathryn stared at him for a moment. Who wore mourning clothes without being in such? She took a breath to control her emotions. She could ill afford to lose control.

“My husband in England,” she replied. “You know, gentlemen, why don’t we go out to the veranda. As I’ve said, I haven’t been able to socialize, but it doesn’t mean I have lost my manners. I’ll have Juriah bring out refreshments.”

Cathryn studied the men from the window as Juriah had the refreshments served. Juriah walked around the corner.

She grabbed Cathryn’s hand. “Are you sure about this?”

“I will show them I have nothing to hide,” Cathryn whispered. “Do you see their arrogance?”

“Please be careful.”

Cathryn joined the men. She took a seat that overviewed the garden, eyeing especially the final resting place of the man whom they sought. She turned her attention back to the men.

“It’s a beautiful day. I so missed the gardens. I have always loved them so. While I was in England I longed to see this again. Can you not blame me?”

“I didn’t realize you had returned home until yesterday. Pardon me for asking, but don’t you have Mary Montrose as your companion? She is my niece and I was never informed of her return to the colonies, much less she was back in Charles Town.” He made no effort to hide his impatience.

Cathryn tilted her head to the side. “You are correct. Mary is my companion and will remain so. She is like a part of my family now. And why, sir, would she have contacted you?”

“Because, Miss Blankenship…” he uttered.

Cathryn eyed him intently. Obviously, he didn’t believe she had married for he intentionally called her by her maiden name.

“She isn’t your family, but mine. It was never meant for her to—”

“To what, sir? Do you really want to get into the details? For if you continue being incisively rude, I will have to ask you to leave. I believe I have well looked after your niece, given the circumstances I found her in.” She met his stare with her own.

“Pardon, us, Miss Blankenship,” another stated. He reminded her of her father, older, distinguished. “Josiah Parker, the local magistrate in Charles Town. I knew your father well—”

“It’s Lady—” Cathryn froze. She almost spoke her name, a fatal mistake. “It’s Mrs.—”

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the room. Cathryn bit her bottom lip. How stupid could she be? She had never come up with a cover name.

“Torrington.” Juriah entered again with a tray of sandwiches. “It has been a trying last few months for Cathryn. To lose her husband so early in her marriage.” She set the tray down on the table. “Do you have need for anything else?”

“No, thank you, Juriah.” Cathryn regained her composure. “Yes, Mr. Parker?”

“I’m sorry for your loss and imposing upon you, but we are seeking Franklin Chelton. He has gone missing. We are trying to trace the last footsteps that we think he took,” he said plainly, but respectfully. “We have reason to believe he may have made his way out here. Have you seen him?”

“Is that all you want? Yes, the dreadful man was here. Let’s see.” She gave the appearance of remembering. “Last week, perhaps. When was it, Juriah?”

“I believe almost a week, Cathryn,” she replied matter of fact.

“I believe you are right, Juriah. Time goes by when one is taking care of a baby. Do you not think?”

“I suppose, Mrs.—” Henry Peterson hesitated upon the utterance, “Torrington. But back to Franklin?”

“He banged upon the door early one morning as I was visiting my parents’ graves.” Cathryn relayed the story they had agreed upon, staying as close to the truth as possible. “He scared me to death. He abused my houseboy, Israel. I was frightened, for he entered my home without being invited. He frightened poor Mary, physically trying to restrain her and drag her from the house. Thank goodness Sumner appeared!”

“Pardon me, Mrs. Torrington, for doubting your story, but I can’t believe Franklin would behave in such a manner,” Henry Peterson interrupted.

“If you don’t believe me, why ask?” Cathryn stood. “I don’t know why you are here. I can assure you we threw the bastard out the door. That’s what he is, Mr. Peterson. A bastard! I believe you can leave now.”

“You haven’t answered any of our questions. We need to find Franklin,” Henry demanded.

“Uncle, why are you questioning Cathryn in such a manner?”

All eyes turned upon the utterance. Standing in the doorway, Mary looked vulnerable. Her long dark hair down, she had on Cathryn’s old lavender dress which flattered her coloring. Her dark eyes illuminated pain from within.

Henry Peterson ran to her side. “Oh, Mary. It’s so good to see you.”