I'll See You In Your Dreams (21 page)

“You have a cute butt for a driver,” Anne said slyly.

“Thank you, boss. I hope to ‘work under you’ for some time to come.” Colton said grinning.

“Well then, take me to ER Higgins, the photographer friend of Sam’s. I need a picture of you.”

As they left the ER Higgins studio with Colton’s picture, Anne turned to Colton. “Now, when the time is right, I’ll have this picture to give to the newspaper, announcing our engagement, then our marriage.” She smiled brightly at Colton.

“And at the birth of each of our ten children you can look at the picture to see who’s the most likely father,” Colton teased.

“Ten children!” She feigned fright. “That means we would have to do the, uh, nasty thing at least ten times?” she asked mockingly as she gave him a sideways glance.

“I was hoping for ten times, just today!” he rejoined.

“Silly boy, not until we’re married.”

“There’s a justice of the peace only blocks from here,” Colton replied as he approached the carriage.

“Silly and impetuous!”

Colton took her arm and helped her up into the carriage. He snuck a glance at her butt.

“Stop looking at my derriere, you bad boy, Mr. Impetuous,” Anne teased without looking around.

“Oh, you have eyes in the back of your head, hmmm.”

“Yes, and don’t forget it!”

“I believe you started it. You looked at my butt first!”

“Okay, we’re even. Let’s change the subject.”

“Buuuutt why?” Colton grinned.

“It’s not ladylike to discuss derrieres in mixed company, so we should end it!”

“Is that hind end of it?” Colton added.

Anne laughed out loud.

“What am I in for if I marry you? Don’t answer that. Shush, let’s take a ride to Roeding Park.”

“Roeding Park?”

“Well, not a real park yet, but a wealthy member of the German syndicate, a Mr. Frederick Roeding, has donated seventy acres for a park. I love to watch the construction. Frederick’s son George is a much respected nurseryman and is overseeing the plantings. I chat with him often, and he gives me delightful ideas for our own house. There’ll be a lake at the park and boat rides and many other wonderful attractions. I’d love to go there.”

“Then Roeding Park it is. I remember it well from, umm, another time.”

Anne’s eyes widened. “Oh, that’s right. How did it come out?”

“Beautifully, but, compared to today with you adorning it, it pales.”  Colton smiled.

“Oh, stop it, you silver-tongued devil. You are just trying to weaken my defenses to take advantage of me!” She laughed.

“Not only beautiful, but psychic as well.” Colton chuckled.

Anne snuck glances at Colton as he guided the horses along the sometimes bumpy road to the park. He talked to them gently as they rode.

Finally they arrived at the park, and Colton expertly maneuvered the carriage to the side of the road, near a grassy area. They could see a beehive of activity farther into the park as construction workers turned a dream into a reality.

There was a moment of silence as Colton turned to Anne. Time seemed to stop. Colton looked deeply into Anne’s hazel eyes. Anne also seemed to melt into Colton’s universe that transcended the physical universe.

“I love you, Colton, so much it hurts.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. Colton leaned to her and slowly and softly touched his lips to hers. He could taste the salt of her tears, which seemed the nectar of love itself. Her full lips were soft and warm as he lightly kissed them. Anne closed her eyes and seemed to drift into a magical dream. In her dream she was unable to move or open her eyes. She was only aware of Colton holding her hand and talking to her softly. In her dream she fought desperately to escape the dream and yet she feared the reality, for it may not contain Colton. 

She cautiously opened her eyes, and Colton’s lips were on hers. Her dream had not come true, but this wonderful reality had. Colton pulled back and looked at her with an affection she could feel. They continued to simply look into each other’s eyes as though words would be crude and break this spell of love turned up to a level where words were not necessary.

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“Alright, move along. Oh, hello, Anne.” A policeman on a bicycle has pulled up behind them.

“Hello, Mr. Sullivan,” Anne replied, now embarrassed.

“How is your mother? God bless her.” Sullivan asked with a bit of an Irish accent.

“She’s doing better. Thank you for asking.”

Sullivan turned a suspicious eye toward Colton. Anne interjected, “have you met Colton, our groomsman?”

“No, can’t say we’ve formally met.” He nodded toward Colton in a silent hello.

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Sullivan.” Colton nodded back.

“So, you’re rumored to be partnered with the black man with the horses, downtown. Is that so?”

“Yes, I’m a partner of Sam Novak, the black man of which you speak,” Colton replied quizzically.

“He talks a bit uppity, don’t you think?”

“His accent is English,” Colton replied calmly.

“Well, he should speak American like the rest of us,” Sullivan added nastily.

“He’s working on it.” Colton knew better than to reason with the unreasonable.

“I saw your father on his rounds this morning. He seems well.” The policeman had now turned his attention to Anne.

“Yes, thank you. He is,” Anne replied.

“He wants only the best for you, young lady.” Sullivan cut a glance toward Colton.

“I want the best as well, and we both shall have it, the good lord willing,” Anne agreed.

“Yes, well, best be moving on before you get hit by some flying debris from one of these ruffian construction workers.”

“Thank you, Mr. Sullivan.” Colton made a kiss sound and lightly popped the reigns and the horses lumbered forward.

A few minutes later Anne snuck a glance back to see Mr. Sullivan disappear into the soon-to-be park. She turned to Colton. “I wonder if he saw us kissing.”

“By his timing, I would say so.”

“He’s a friend of father’s. I wonder if he’ll tell him.”

“You must assume he will,” said Colton.

“He is also a friend of Paul’s father. So, I think we must assume Paul will know of our relationship, soon.”

“Yep!” said Colton.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Judge Hawthorne stared into the fireplace hearth of his parlor. John Sullivan stood beside him.

“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Harold.” He shifted his weight uncomfortably from one leg to the other.

“No, please, John, I appreciate the report. Truth and loyalty can be painful.”

John Sullivan crossed his arms on his chest, looked down at his right foot, and played with an imaginary object. He said nothing. Finally, after several minutes’ contemplation Harold Hawthorne broke the silence. “I mustn’t delay telling him. He can take it. He must move on. Please John, wait a moment while I call him down.”

“Sure.”

Judge Hawthorne walked across to the bottom of the stairs that led to Paul’s bedroom.

“PAUL,” the judge yelled up the stairs. After a few moments the sound of Paul’s footsteps preceded his entrance into the parlor.

“Yes, father.” He looked from Harold to John and observed their obvious mood.

“Why the somber faces?”

“Well, Paul, John here has just reported that he came across Anne and her groomsman kissing by the Roeding Park site.

It took a moment for him to take in the significance of what his father just said.

“THAT FUCKING SLUT! That whore, fucking women are genetically inferior, no self-control. God damn her to hell!”

Paul stepped to the fireplace, the veins in his neck pulsating with anger.

“That fucking bitch!” Paul screamed as he looked feverishly from one face to another.

“Easy, son, it’s better to know now than later,” his father said in a reassuring tone.

John Sullivan walked over to Paul. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, Paul. I just thought you should know.”

“You should have fucking shot them both!”

Paul’s father spoke. “Paul, Paul, get hold of yourself.

I know you loved her dearly.” 

“I will get even with that whore if it’s the last thing I do,” Paul said with determination.

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Paul turned and stormed up the stairs to Ludwig, the only person who would understand.

When Paul got to the top of the stairs, Ludwig was holding the door open. “I heard.” Ludwig gestured him in. Paul’s anger subsided a bit as he entered his own domain.

“I can’t believe that whore deceived me. That fucking bitch!” He spit for emphasis.

“And with a lowlife horse shit shoveller at that. What a scum bag.” Ludwig spoke calmly, a small smirk on his lips.

Ludwig continued, “Paul, Paul, let the little whore fuck her horse trainer. Paul, we have untold wealth to amass. There will be many little whores to amuse you. Let this one go. The small inheritance you may have collected is trivial compared to our current endeavor.”

Paul whirled around. “No little whore is going to get away with deceiving me!” Paul’s nostrils flared and his eyes filled with such hate that he looked as if he was the devil himself. Even Ludwig was momentarily taken aback. Paul became suddenly calm.

“I’ll get even with that treacherous bitch.”

“Think of how your prosperity will create envy in her as she sees what she lost. That is the ultimate way to get even.” Ludwig said reassuringly.

“I have a more painful way in mind!” Paul laughed wickedly.

CHAPTER THIRTY

“I’m sorry, Sam, I didn’t intend to create a hopeless scenario in your mind. That is, however, the specific point of my concerns,” the Duke said seriously.

“I’m sorry, I don’t follow?” said Sam.

“You’re proud of your new country, are you not?”

“Of course.”

“Why?” the Duke inquired bluntly.

“Because of the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence, and all the freedom they stand for,” Sam responded confidently.

“Do you have them on you?”

“Of course not, they are in Washington DC.”

“Well then, they don’t belong to you, do they?” The Duke crossed his arms in amusement.

“They’re in my mind, and I agree with them,” Sam replied with mild indignation.

“Exactly!” the Duke exclaimed with a relish. The Duke continued, calmly looking at Sam, a look of wisdom and patience on his face.

Sam dutifully sought the realization he knew the Duke waited for. “Forgive my ignorance, but I still don’t understand.”

How did they get into your mind?” said the Duke.

“I read them in school,” responded Sam.

“Okay, so what medium was used to deliver the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights to your mind?”

Sam thought for a moment. “Words!”

“Very good, and a word represents what?”

“Hmmm.” Sam thought for a moment.

“It represents an idea.”

“Outstanding, Sam! Whose idea fathered the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights?”

“Our forefathers,” replied Sam confidently.

“I’m afraid not, Sam. That would defy all science and wisdom.”

“What do you mean?” asked Sam.

“There’s always only one father. There may be many lovers, but there is only one true father.”

“I would say either Jefferson or Adams. I know Jefferson penned most of it, if my history lessons serve me correctly.”

“If the holder of the pen is the father, then you make many secretaries quite prodigious in their contributions to mankind.”

Sam went to deep thought. “Oh, yes, yes, I see your point. Of course, it’s the, uh, thinker, the idea. Actually it’s the thinker of the thought that is the father.  Yes, yes, I see, so in this case, probably John Adams was the father, even though Washington gets the credit. Yes, I would say Adams is the father of the United States of America and the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.”

“Good, however, it could be that his wife planted the seed in his mind that America should be a free country. After all, it is the original planter of the seed whom science and philosophy recognize as the father, although it may take many others to bring that seed to fruition.”

“So why do we discuss this fascinating subject?”

The Duke smiled. “I only wish to make the point that an idea is the most powerful force in the universe. It has creative or destructive power, depending on the user, and there’s only one creative medium that allows an idea to move from the universe of thought to reality!”