Diamond Duo (23 page)

The lead man nodded. “We are. We’re paying guests over at the Commercial Hotel.”

The sheriff nodded then leaned forward on his saddle horn. “The Commercial Hotel, you say? Well, tell me this, didn’t I see you three get off the
Maria Louise
when she put into port not an hour ago?”

Griswald opened his mouth to answer but closed it again when Sheriff Vines held up his hand. “Since I know right well I did see you crawl off the
Louise
, I’m wondering how you found time to negotiate purchase of a rig, manage to lose it again, book a room, find the livery, and hire these horses, then track down this man to accuse him. That’s a busy hour, my friend. It just don’t sound reasonable.”

Sheriff Bagby interrupted before the black-hearted scoundrel had a chance to answer. “If you don’t mind, John, I have a couple questions of my own. First, your name isn’t Griswald at all, now, is it? Fact is, you’re Jack Thibeau, a two-bit gambler out of New Orleans. You stole the Griswald name just like you were about to steal from this man. . .after murdering him and his wife in cold blood.”

Sarah tensed as the three scoundrels started to fidget, but they stilled when Sheriff Vines lowered his rifle. Sheriff Bagby unsheathed his own gun and lifted the business end in their direction. “Before you boys start lying and denying, what say I escort you into town and lock you up for attempted murder?”

B
ertha slid a satin ribbon around her neck and pulled it up into her hair then wove it through the tied-up curls and fashioned a pretty bow in front. The dusky green fabric against her black hair set off her eyes to perfection. Leaning closer to the looking glass above her dressing table, she ran her finger back and forth over her two front teeth. The resulting squeal sounded loud inside her head. Twice since dinner she had scrubbed her teeth with tooth powder until they gleamed.

She picked up the container of Sozodont and read the label. “
For relief of impure breath caused by catarrh, bad teeth, or use of liqueur or tobacco
.”

Catarrh? Bertha glanced at her reflection and sniffed. No runny nose.

Bad teeth? She drew back her lips to check. Not yet, thank the Lord.

Liquor? No, thank you.

Tobacco? Never!

Still, the powder promised sweet breath and pearl-like teeth. With Thad coming soon, she wanted her breath as sweet as possible. She ran her finger across her mouth again and listened, grinning at the satisfying squeak.

She crossed the room to her wardrobe and threw open the doors. As she thumbed past her everyday frocks to find her favorite green dress, the lyrics to the song she hummed came to her mind.

Oh! why am I so happy,

Why these feelings of delight?

And why does gladness cheer me?

Why everything so bright?

To say things were bright would be false. The very gloomy fact of Thad’s leaving hung around her neck like a millstone. But she couldn’t mourn today, not when Papa had given permission for Thad to come for supper and stay as long as he liked. A dangerous offer, considering the two of them had so much time to make up.

Bertha sang aloud as she slipped into the lacy dress.

“Why am I so happy,

Why these feelings of delight?”

Why? Because at long last Thad admitted his love for her. After the many times she had thought of it, prayed for it, daydreamed about it, Thaddeus Bloom would stand on her doorstep, come to court. She wouldn’t allow herself to think beyond tonight.

Bertha checked herself in the looking glass. Though she had taken extra care getting ready, the image staring back surprised her. Her hair never looked so glossy or her eyes so bright, as though the joy churning in her heart had oozed its way to the surface.

Only one thing missing–jewelry to accentuate the plain, high bodice of the gown. She reached inside her collar and found the chain around her neck. A few years past, Moses Pharr had found the beautiful silver necklace by the docks and given it to Bertha, an act of generosity Rhodie had never forgiven. With two fingers, Bertha pulled the necklace free, kissed the filigreed cross, and centered it on her chest. Perfect.

Perfect necklace, perfect dress, perfect night.

“Perhaps I should change me mind. If Thad sees you like this, he’s bound to carry you off, and I’ll never see you again.”

Bertha smiled at Papa’s reflection in the glass then turned to where he stood in the doorway. “Oh, Papa, thank you for letting Thad come.”

“Allowing such a fine boy to court you is easy. Telling your mother he’ll be staying past respectable was the hard part. Well, that and sitting up half the night playing chaperone. I admit I don’t look forward to it.”

“You, Papa? You’ll be my chaperone?”

Papa lowered his head. “Aye. ’Tis a woman’s place, I know. I might as well don a skirt and corset.” He lifted pleading eyes to Bertha’s. “But what can I do? Your mama refuses. Will you be very ashamed of me?”

Bertha put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “Ashamed? I’m glad. You’ll make a much better chaperone than Mama.”

When he made a face, she laughed. “Comfort yourself with knowing tonight is the first and last time I’ll be courted.”

He pushed her to arm’s length. “What folly is this?”

She squeezed his shoulders. “I mean it, Papa. If Thad leaves tomorrow without proposing first, I’ll live out my days a spinster.”

He flashed a roguish grin. “Then I’ll keep you to meself forever? So much the better.” He cupped her chin in his hand. “But I fear it’s too much to ask for with a daughter as lovely as you.”

Warmth crept up her cheeks. “I only want Thad, Papa.”

“Aye, and from what you told me this morning, I suspect he wants only you.”

“Then why is he so stubborn? We’ve wasted too much time already, and he refuses to ask me to wait.”

Papa pulled her down on the bed beside him. “We men are complicated creatures, me love. Matters you can’t understand consume our hearts, but these things nurture traits you will someday find of great value. Traits like honor, self-sacrifice, and commitment. Thad loves you, and you love him back. This is the foundation of
a good relationship. The rest are minor details. Can you trust God with the details, Bertha?”

He wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned her head against his shoulder. “Your words encourage me, Papa. Until now, I’ve been afraid to hope.”

He patted her head. “Never fear hope, me girl. Not with the Great Hope in your life. He’s well able to work out the details of a surrendered life.” He took hold of her shoulders and raised her up to face him. “The cantankerous man in question will arrive any minute. Are you ready?”

Bertha grinned. “Oh, Papa, I’ve been ready for months.” Then she held up her finger. “Except for one last thing.” She picked up the Sozodont powder from the dressing table and held it up for him to see. “I need to clean my teeth.”

He covered her hand with his and pushed the bottle down. “Your teeth are fine, Bertha. Too much of this stuff will eat away at them.”

Groaning, she set the can aside. “I just want everything to be perfect tonight.”

“
You
are perfect, dearie, and the only thing old Thaddy Boy will notice.”

Mama leaned inside the door. “Francis? Here you are, for heaven’s sake. I’ve been calling until my ears rattled.”

“If you’d rattled the windows instead, I might’ve heard you. I take it you’re ready to go?”

Bertha sought Papa’s eyes. “Go? You can’t go. Thad will be here any minute.”

Mama unfolded and pulled on her gloves. “Don’t fret, Bertha. We’ll be back before he arrives. I promised Dr. Eason I would look in on Mrs. McKenzie and her new baby. Supper is ready to serve, and we’ll return before Thad comes. Set the table while we’re gone, would you?”

“Yes, ma’am, I will.”

“And remember. . .should Thad happen to get here before we get back, serve him hot tea on the veranda.”

Bertha pointed toward the window. “But it’s cold out there.”

“Just do like I say. Don’t dare take him inside the house. Understand?”

“No, ma’am, I won’t.”

Papa grinned past Mama at her. “Heaven forbid I should have to shoot the poor lad the first time he comes calling.”

Bertha herded them toward the door. “If you’re going, then go. I won’t leave Thad to languish on the porch until he dies from exposure.”

When they left, she turned back to the mirror for one last check of her appearance. Satisfied with how she looked, she ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth and glanced at the tooth powder.

Papa’s reflection appeared in the glass, peering around the doorpost behind her. “Ah, ah, ah! Leave it alone, now.”

She burst into giggles and tossed the Sozodont container. He dodged it then disappeared, but she heard his hearty laughter until the back door slammed.

On the road to Bertha’s house, Thad made up his mind. Considering the situation in which he found himself, maybe, just maybe, the trait his mama often cautioned him about had waylaid him again. She claimed Thad had a habit of deciding too soon about the expected outcome of a situation and, once he decided it would turn out one way or the other, lacked the flexibility to consider a different end.

Might self-imposed blinders have blocked his sight? If he could wait however long it took to be with Bertha, why shouldn’t he believe the same applied to her? And Francis Biddie’s willingness to receive him tonight, knowing full well he’d be leaving tomorrow, cast new light on whether the man would be agreeable to a long engagement for his daughter.

Thad allowed the decision to settle around his heart. He would ask Mr. Biddie for Bertha’s hand in marriage. He wouldn’t leave
their place tonight without the man’s blessing and a promise from Bertha to wait.

The murky clouds had folded back in the last couple of hours, allowing sunshine on Jefferson soil for the first time in several days–not that it warmed things up any. Thad approached the turnoff to Bertha’s just as the sun settled onto the horizon and began its slow ride down. An orange haze spread over the western sky, and Thad entertained the pleasing notion that it was the last sunset he would see before he and Bertha were betrothed.

He turned down the lane, leaving the painted sky at his back. Up ahead, the Biddie place sat back about a quarter mile off the road. In the fading light, the house and tall trees surrounding it stood out in sharp relief, like black cutouts on a gray background. Excited and impatient, he gave the mare a light tap with his heel to speed her along. As he neared the yard, he noticed the Biddie wagon approaching from another direction.

“Hail, Thad!” Mr. Biddie called.

Thad raised his hand in greeting. “Evening, sir.” He nodded toward Bertha’s mama, who sat straight and proper on the seat. “Mrs. Biddie.”

The woman nodded back but waited until her husband helped her down and Thad joined them on the front walk before she spoke. “Good evening, Thad. We’re ever so glad to have you tonight. I hope you’re hungry.”

Thad took off his hat. “Yes, ma’am. And thank you for the invitation.”

Mr. Biddie shook Thad’s hand then motioned toward the gate. “Come inside out of the cold. Bertha’s waiting for you.”

Mrs. Biddie nudged him and frowned. Mr. Biddie lifted his shoulders at Thad and grinned. She turned and offered her arm to Thad then nodded toward the horizon as they made their way up the walk. “How pleasant to see a sunset, no matter how unexpected and brief. I do detest wet weather. I like the snow, mind you, but not the rain. Have you ever witnessed the sunset on a snow-covered hill, Thad?”

The Louisiana boy ducked his head and grinned. “Can’t say that I have, ma’am.”

“Well, it’s a sight to behold.”

“Yes, ma’am, I imagine it would be.”

Mr. Biddie ducked around them to open the door. Thad allowed Bertha’s mama to pass through; then he followed her inside. His stomach jumped as he entered the hall, and he couldn’t corral his searching eyes.

Mrs. Biddie touched his arm. “Show our guest to the parlor, Francis; then summon Bertha from her room. I’ll bring in hot tea. We’ll relax a bit and get acquainted before we eat.” She fixed a bright smile on her face. “If it’s all right with you, Thad.”

“Oh yes, ma’am. That’ll be fine.” As long as they hurried to the “summon Bertha” part, everything about the evening held promise.

Mr. Biddie left Thad perched expectantly on the edge of a high-backed chair. He sat alternately drumming on the arm then gripping it, crossing and uncrossing his legs, and biting his lower lip until it hurt. The door finally opened and he jumped to his feet.

Instead of Bertha, Mrs. Biddie came in alone and set a tea service on the low, claw-foot table. She glanced around, surprised. “They haven’t returned?”

He shook his head. “No, ma’am. Not yet.”

“Well, goodness.” Pulling her anxious gaze from the door, she smiled at Thad. “We’ll just have to start without them. I’m sure they’ll be along directly.”

When Mrs. Biddie served him, he wished she hadn’t. His hands shook so much, the delicate cup clattered against the saucer until he braced it on his knee. Thankfully, she pretended not to notice. But he caught her casting worried glances at her china when she wasn’t staring nervously at the door.