Thurston House (21 page)

My mother says it takes a while sometimes, Jeremiah. Just don't think about it. But he was growing impatient. And talking about it made her uncomfortable. She didn't want a baby yet. She was eighteen years old, and they had a magnificent house, and she wanted to give lots of parties, not get fat and feel sick and stay home and die in childbirth.

And all through the spring months, as she ensconced herself in San Francisco's social scene, Jeremiah did not get his wish, but she had never been happier in her life. She had reached the status she wanted so badly and they gave parties and balls and dinners and went to operas and conceits. She gave a beautiful picnic in their enormous gardens in May, and she rapidly became known as the city's most glittering hostess. The balls she gave in their ballroom rivaled those at Versailles in Paris, and Camille was ecstatic at their life. Jeremiah was slightly less so. He was commuting back and forth to Napa as much as he could, and most of the time he was exhausted. She teased him when he fell asleep at one of her sumptuous dinners, and she insisted that they go out every night when he was in town, and when he wasn't, went out without him. It was a constant social whirl, and she almost went into mourning when he reminded her that on the first of June, they were moving back to Napa.

But I wanted to give a summer ball, Jeremiah, she wailed sadly at him, can't we go in July?

No, we can't. I have to spend some time at the mines, Camille, or there'll be nothing to support all your parties. But he was only teasing, he was still the richest man in the state, and they had no financial worries. But he did want to spend more time at the mines, and in summer he liked being near his vineyards, and he had lived long enough in the city. They had been there since February, and he was ready to go home to his valley. He had told Hannah as much when he'd spent the night there the week before.

And no baby yet, Jeremiah? she had asked. She had agreed to humor Camille and call him Mr. Thurston within her hearing, but when they were alone, she still called him Jeremiah, and always would.

Not yet. He was disappointed about that too, and hoped that when he got her away from the city and her constant parties, she would get pregnant. She needed another taste of country life, he told himself, but Hannah pursed her lips with disapproval.

Well, we know it's not you. And then she frowned. Maybe she can't have babies.

I doubt that. It's only been five and a half months, Hannah, give her time. He smiled at the old woman. Give her some good St. Helena air, and she'll be pregnant in a month's time. And then his brow clouded as he remembered Mary Ellen. How is she? he asked Hannah. He hadn't been to see her again since the night their baby died. Somehow, he just didn't want to. It didn't seem the right thing to do considering Camille, and she was far too intuitive for him to lie to her very often.

She's all right. It's taken her a long time to get back on her feet though. I'd say she's fine now. And she decided to tell him the rest too. He had a right to know after all, he'd been decent to her. No one could say he hadn't done the right thing. Jacob Stone at the bank had told everyone how generous Jeremiah had been. She's seeing some man who works at the spa, he looks nice enough, works hard, Hannah shrugged, but I don't think she's too crazy about him.

I hope he's a nice man, Jeremiah said quietly, and turned the conversation to other things. They would be moving up to Napa soon, and there was plenty to keep Hannah busy, getting the house ready for their arrival.

But when Camille arrived in St. Helena, with all her bags and trunks and belongings, she did nothing but find fault with what Hannah had done, and the old woman was so frustrated with Jeremiah's shrewish young wife that she turned to her one day with a gust of passion and suggested that it was a damn shame he'd married her, and not the woman he'd been seeing in Calistoga before she came along, and that only infuriated Camille further. She began a campaign to try to find out who the woman was, but neither Jeremiah, nor Hannah, who was filled with remorse for her indiscretion and clammed up at once, would tell her who the woman was, or confirm that what she'd said was really true. And the more she dug, the less she found out, until one day, for the fun of it, she went to the spa in Calistoga with a group of her friends who were staying there, for the mudbaths. She had agreed to meet them for lunch at the hotel, and as she waited for them, she saw a man in the spa's white uniform stroll along with an attractive redhead in a green dress that caught Camille's eye. There was something about the girl that held Camille's attention. She held a lace parasol carelessly resting on one shoulder and she was laughing up into the man's eyes, and as she did so, something in the distance seemed to catch her attention, and she instinctively turned toward Camille, feeling her gaze upon her. The two women's eyes met, and Mary Ellen instantly realized who Camille was, she looked exactly as she'd been described to her by Hannah and others who had seen her, and at the same moment it was as though someone had shouted in Camille's ear or put a sign up over Mary Ellen's head. She knew instantly who she was and what she had been to Jeremiah. She half rose in her seat and then sat down again, feeling flushed and breathless, as Mary Ellen walked quickly away on her friend's arm, but for the rest of the day, Camille was haunted by her. She was the prettiest girl she had seen in the Napa Valley, and she instinctively knew now that this had to be the woman Hannah had inadvertently referred to ' and with all of Jeremiah's trips back and forth to the mines during the winter and spring months, who knew if the liaison hadn't continued. She stewed about it all the way home in the carriage, and when Jeremiah returned from the mine office that evening, she pounced on him with a venom that both alarmed and amazed him.

You haven't fooled me for a minute, Jeremiah Thurston. He was totally taken by surprise, and at first thought that she had to be teasing, but it was clear very quickly that she wasn't. All those trips up here this winter ' I know what you were up to ' you're just like my father with his mistress in New Orleans. Jeremiah almost gasped. He hadn't looked at another woman since he married Camille, and had no desire to, as he attempted to tell her. I don't believe you, Jeremiah. What about the redhead in Calistoga? Oh my God, Mary Ellen. His face went pale. Who had told her? And had someone told her about the baby too? But all that Camille observed was his obvious shock. She sat down with a look of frigid satisfaction. I see by your expression that you know whom I refer to.

Camille ' please ' there has been no one since we've been married, my darling. Absolutely not a soul. I wouldn't do that to you. I have too much respect for you and our marriage.

Then who is she? He could have denied it, but he didn't dare. She would never have believed him.

Someone I used to know. It was honest and his face showed it.

Do you still see her?

Her question angered him and that showed too. He was not accustomed to being interrogated by an eighteen-year-old girl. I do not, and I consider that a highly inappropriate question, and I consider this entire subject most unladylike for you to discuss, Camille. He decided to hit a grand slam. Your father would not approve of your behavior. She blushed at this, knowing full well that he would be horrified if he thought she knew about, and, worse yet, discussed, his mistress.

I have a right to know. Her face was beet red. She had gone too far and she knew it.

Not all men would agree with you, but as it so happens, I do. And let me assure you, before we close this very distasteful subject, that you have nothing to fear from me, Camille. I am faithful to you, have been since the day we got married, and intend to stay that way until my dying day. Does that satisfy your concern, Camille? He spoke to her as a stern and disapproving father, and she was genuinely embarrassed. She only brought it up again once, in bed, later that evening.

She's awfully pretty, Jeremiah. '

Who is? He was already half asleep.

That woman ' the redhead in Calistoga '

He sat bolt upright in bed and glared at her.

I will not discuss that with you again.

I'm sorry, Jeremiah. Her voice was very small as he lay down again and closed his eyes and she put a tiny hand on his shoulder, and a little while later she mollified him with the passion that always enthralled him. It had been an ecstatic six months for him in their marriage bed, and he knew that Camille was happy in that regard too. The only disappointment for him was that she continued not to get pregnant. But Hannah shed fresh light on the subject for him in late August, as she stood in front of him at breakfast one day, before he left for the mines, while Camille was still asleep upstairs.

I have to talk to you, Jeremiah. She sounded like an angry mother hen, and he looked up from his eggs and sausages in surprise.

Is something wrong?

Depends on how you look at it. And then she glanced upstairs. Is she up yet?

No. He shook his head and frowned. Had there been another altercation between the two women? He didn't attempt to deny anymore that there was no love lost between them and he no longer tried to sing either one's praises to the other. It was a hopeless venture. What is it, Hannah?

She locked the kitchen door from the inside, something she had never done, approached Jeremiah, and dug a hand deep into her apron pocket, bringing out of it a wide gold band, rather like the rim of a small dresser knob, or something one would use to hang curtains except that it was smoother, and fine and exceptionally well made. I found this, Jeremiah.

What is it? The mystery did not seem particularly interesting to him, and he was irritated to have to play games at this early hour of the morning.

Don't you know what it is, Jeremiah? She seemed surprised. She had never seen one quite this fancy, but she had seen simpler ones. But he shook his head now, both mystified and bored, and she sat down across the table from him. It's a ring.

I can see that.

You know ' a ring ' And suddenly she was embarrassed to explain it to him, but she knew she had to. He'd been had. Women use these contraptions so ' so ' She got red in the face, and went on, for his sake, ' so they don't get babies, Jeremiah. ' The full portent of her words took a moment to sink in, and then hit him with the impact of the entire building falling on his chest.

His voice instantly shook as he grabbed at the offending object. Maybe the old woman was just making it ail up, to cause trouble for Camille. It was unlike her, but anything was possible, given the two women's hatred for each other, and Camille had tried to get her fired more than once. Where did you get that? He stood up as though he couldn't bear to sit down any longer.

I found it in her bathroom.

How do you know that's what it is?

I told you ' I seen them before. ' And then, blushing again, They say they work real good, Jeremiah. As long as you're careful with it. It was wrapped up in a handkerchief, and I took it to wash it, and ' it just fell out. ' She suddenly wondered if he was angry with her, but she knew better than that. I'm sorry, Jeremiah, but I thought you had a right to know.

He glared at her, unable even to reassure her, he was so furious with Camille, and hurt and disappointed. I don't want you to say anything to her. Is that clear? His voice was still harsh and she nodded, and then he strode to the door, unlocked it, and went outside to saddle Big Joe. And a moment later he took off for the mines, at a gallop, with the offending object still in his pocket.

WHAT Jeremiah had learned from Hannah that morning troubled him all day, and he couldn't concentrate on his work for a moment. The ring in his pocket burned through his heart like a torch, and finally in the middle of the afternoon, he left, and went to seek out the doctor who had delivered Mary Ellen's baby in Calistoga. He showed him the ring and wanted him to explain it. And when the old man did, Jeremiah almost shuddered.

I gave her one myself. She didn't tell you that? The doctor looked surprised and Jeremiah looked shocked.

My wife? Now it was the doctor's turn to look shocked, he didn't think that Jeremiah and Mary Ellen had gotten married, but you never knew with rich men like him. They did what they wanted and they moved quickly.

Didn't know you'd married her. ' His voice trailed off and Jeremiah understood.

No ' And then he explained. This was in my wife's bathroom.

Is she pregnant now?

No.

Slowly the old country doctor understood. I see ' and you've been wanting her to get pregnant. Jeremiah nodded honestly. Well, she's not likely to with that. They work pretty well, as well as anything. He shrugged, and then looked pointedly at Jeremiah. It makes sense in some cases though, like Mary Ellen. She has no choice but to use that. Might as well shoot herself in the head than try again and I told her as much. Jeremiah nodded quietly, it wasn't his problem anymore, but he didn't tell the old man that. He was only interested in Camille. Did your wife tell you she was using this? The doctor was intrigued now.

No.

There was a long silence as the doctor soaked it all in and Jeremiah sifted through his own thoughts. Not very nice of her, was it? the doctor said, and Jeremiah shook his head and stood up.

No, it wasn't.

He shook hands with the old man and returned to St. Helena, where he found Camille sitting in her chemise and pantaloons, fanning herself in her bedroom. And without further ado, he dropped the gold ring in her lap. She just glanced at it at first, not sure what it was, and hoping it was another piece of jewelry, and suddenly when she saw what it was, she recoiled as though from a snake, and her face grew pale. She had been looking for it for days and was afraid that she'd lost it. It was one of those she had brought from Atlanta. Her cousin's doctor had gotten it for her.