Indulgence (170 page)

“Anne, I’ve never doubted your love for Albert. I see the
way you look at him and he at you. I have never seen two people more in love
that you and Albert, other than possibly Elizabeth and me,” he said, smiling at
her.

“Father, what are you doing giving my fiancée brandy without
offering me one?” Albert asked, joining them.

Going to Anne, he kissed her, whispering, “You are beautiful
tonight.”

Anne admired Albert in his black suit and pristine white
shirt. “You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever seen,” she said, caressing his
face, as her ring glistened in the light from the setting sun.

Thomas handed Albert a brandy and asked him, “Albert, did
you see to that punch for the ladies as I asked you to?”

“Yes, sir, I did.”

“You made the punch, Albert?” she asked.

“Yes, but Father thought the one I made with brandy was a
little too strong for the ladies.”

“May I try it?” she asked.

“I don’t think you should, Anne,” Thomas told her. “It’s far
too strong.”

“Yes, sweetheart, it is strong,” Albert added.

“Nonsense, Albert. May I please try it?” she asked.

“All right, but you were warned,” he told her, winking at
Thomas.

Albert went to get her a cup. Returning, he handed it to
her, and said, “Sip it slowly.”

Shaking her head at both men, she took the first sip and
thought her throat was on fire. Her eyes watered, and she couldn’t catch her
breath.

“Albert,” she coughed. “That is stro. . .”

“Strong?” he added, handing her his handkerchief. “I tried
to tell you.”

As Anne was struggling to catch her breath, Henry and Ben joined
them. With just one look at her face, Ben asked, “Hey, you didn’t let Anne have
Albert’s punch, did you?”

“I warned her,” Albert told them.

“Well, I don’t believe I want any more,” Anne coughed,
handing it back to Albert.

“Albert’s punch is known county wide. The men line up for
it,” Henry boasted. “No lady has ever tried it. You’re the first, Anne.”

“Hopefully, the last,” she said. “You are not serving this
at our wedding.”

“Aw, Anne, it’s a tradition,” Ben told her.

“Not at our wedding,” Anne declared.

Albert gave his brothers a wink over her head, and then
turned toward the sound of approaching carriages. “Our guests are arriving,” he
told her, putting an arm around her shoulders. Anne and Albert together greeted
each guest as they arrived, Albert taking care to introduce her to the people
she didn’t know.

After everyone had arrived, and before dinner was served,
Thomas made his announcement. “Friends, thank you for coming tonight. This is
no ordinary Sky Valley party. We are here tonight to celebrate a momentous
occasion. As all of you know, I’m extremely proud of all of my sons. My eldest
son has recently made me prouder yet. It is with great pleasure that I announce
the engagement of my son, Albert, to Miss Anne Wallace.”

Those in attendance were not surprised; everyone in Carson
City had been expecting an engagement announcement for months. What they didn’t
expect was Albert’s next announcement.

“Friends, thank you for coming tonight to help Anne and me
celebrate this wonderful occasion. We would also like to announce that we have
set our wedding date. It will be one week from tonight, here at Sky Valley.”

With Anne by his side, smiling, the young couple accepted
the congratulations of their guests. Anne was invited to join the women, while
a group of men whisked Albert away to the punch bowl. Doctor Martin asked, “Not
wasting any time are you, Albert?”

“No, Peter, I’m not. I don’t want to give Anne a chance to
change her mind,” he said, laughing, as he accepted another cup of punch.

The rest of the evening was spent visiting with their guests
and laughing. Anne was given unsolicited advice from the older women of what
marriage would be like. “Young lady,” the widow Bennett began, “prepare
yourself for the duties of being a wife, and I’m not talking about cooking and
cleaning. It’s a wife’s duty to allow her husband liberties. From what I hear,
that Albert Stuart is some powerful man, so he will be wanting those liberties
often.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’ll remember that,” Anne responded, fighting
the urge to blush. Seeing Albert, she excused herself and went to join him.

“What was the widow Bennett bending your ear about?” he
asked, slipping an arm around her waist.

“Telling me what my wifely duties would be after we were
married,” she told him.

“Widow Bennett,” Albert whispered, holding her close, “has
no idea what your wifely duties will be with me.”

“Albert, you best hurry on that house. I don’t know how much
longer I’m going to be able to listen to all these ladies giving me advice on
marriage. I would rather find out for myself, first hand,” she told him.

“One more week, sweetheart, one more week,” he said, hugging
her. As he finished telling her this, the musicians began playing. With his
hand at the small of her back, he led her to the dance floor that Henry and Ben
had set in place at the center of the courtyard earlier in the day. Going into
his arms, she relaxed as her fingers toyed with his hair at the nape of his
neck.

“Anne, you have no idea what that does to me,” he told her
as he kissed her cheek. “You’re making it hard for me to remember that I’m a
gentleman.”

“I’ll be glad when you don’t have to remember to always be a
gentleman,” she laughed.

Pulling her closer, he whispered, “That time is very near,
dear. You may regret that statement after we’re married. You’ve never seen that
side of me.”

“I love all sides of you already. The ones I don’t know, I
look forward to discovering,” she said with a playful smile. “You know Albert,
you just might be surprised in me. Don’t forget I wasn’t hidden away in a
convent all my life. I promise you, our life will never be dull.”

“I never thought it would be,” he replied.

Ben and Henry took turns dancing with Anne, much to the
disappointment of their dates. After a while, Thomas rescued her and told his
sons, “You two have young ladies to attend to. You’ve both been remiss in
seeing to their needs. Now go on and let me have a dance with my new daughter.”

“Are you having a good time, Anne?” Thomas asked after he
shooed his sons away.

“Yes, sir, I am,” she replied. “It’s been a beautiful night
and a beautiful party.”

“Anne, now that you’re going to be my daughter, do you think
you could call me something other than Mr. Stuart? Perhaps, Thomas or Father?”

“Yes sir, I would like that, although I could never call you
Thomas. Is Father all right?”

“Father is just fine, Anne,” Thomas said, kissing her cheek.

With the party being such a happy occasion, most of the
guests stayed until almost midnight. Somehow, despite the late hour, the Stuart
family managed to attend church the following morning. At the service, Albert
and Anne’s wedding plans were announced. The couple spoke to the minister after
the church service, arranging for him to perform the ceremony the following
Saturday.

As they left the church, they found Ray waiting for them,
“Morning, Anne, Albert,” he said removing his hat. “I wanted to catch you
before you left. The trial is set for Wednesday. Anne, your father still wants
a trial. He refuses to cooperate and plead guilty. I’m sorry, Anne, but it
should be a fast one.”

“Thank you, Sheriff, for letting me know. I’ll be there.”

On the ride back to the ranch, Albert began, “I am going
with you. I hope the judge will make short work of this trial. Your father
doesn’t have a leg to stand on.”

“I know, I just hoped that he would take a plea and not go
to trial,” she mused. “But then I knew he wouldn’t.”

Albert hated that she had to go through with this trial. He
would do his best to make it easy on her, and after the trial, they would be
finished with John Wallace, finally. He would see that no matter what the
outcome, her father would never have access to her again.

After they returned from church, they changed, and Albert
took her riding on Mariah. Albert knew that riding always made Anne relax and
that this would be the only time he would have to go riding with her until
after their wedding.

“Anne, don’t take her out alone for a while. I would prefer
to be with you the first few times you ride her. She’s high strung,” he
explained.

“Albert, I can handle her,” she said as they rode through
the pasture. “You should know that by now.”

“Sweetheart,” he said reining up Diablo. “I don’t want you
riding alone and not just because Mariah is high-strung. You forget Joe Young
hasn’t been captured yet.”

“You said yourself he is most likely hiding out in
California. He wouldn’t come back here, everyone knows him,” she said
confidently.

The next two days were filled with activity. Albert finished
the house on Monday. After his father and brothers left, Albert took his time
checking every detail. He first walked around the exterior of the house,
including the porch and balcony. Then the interior. Entering the foyer of the
silent home, Albert was rewarded with the pleasant smell of wood and fresh
paint. Running his hand over the burled oak walls, he stood admiring the hand
polished oak floors. Entering their bedroom, he delighted in the beautiful view
of the lake and mountains through large windows.
Anne and I can lie in bed
and enjoy this every morning,
he thought. Opening the French doors leading
to the balcony, he stepped out as contentment washed over him.
I hope Anne
loves this house as much as I do. Once we move the furniture and our personal
effects in, it will be our home.

Mrs. Rogers had brought Anne’s wedding gown to Sky Valley while
the men were away working on the house. As she fitted the gown on her, she
congratulated herself that only minor adjustments were needed. “Miss Wallace, I
just need to take the waist in a bit. I can do that right here.”

“Mrs. Rogers, you’ve done a beautiful job,” Anne told her.
“It’s perfect. Did you bring the other items I ordered?”

“Yes, Miss Wallace. I brought the rest of your order. Mr.
Stuart is a very lucky man to have a wife with your taste. Miss Wallace, with a
wedding gown this elegant, may I suggest you wear your hair up, something a
little more formal?”

“Thank you, Mrs. Rogers, I’m so happy you approve of my
choices,” she replied with a touch of sarcasm. “However, I resent your
informality. The other day in your shop, you embarrassed me, and if my wedding
was not in just a few days I would cancel this gown right this minute. As to
how I wear my hair, that, ma’am, is none of your business. Furthermore, should
you ever make a remark like you made to me the other day, I will never order
another item from you. Whether or not my husband-to-be appreciates my figure is
certainly none of your concern. I detest gossips. The only thing I detest more
is someone who gives unsolicited advice.” With this, Anne paid the woman and
saw her out,taking care to hang the gown in the corner. If Albert entered this
room, he would not be able to see it.

She heard Thomas and Ben return. Meeting them downstairs,
she asked where Albert was.

“Albert is triple checking everything. He’ll go back there
again and again before you two move in to be sure everything is just so,” Ben
laughed.

“Leave your brother alone, Benjamin. Albert is a
perfectionist. This house is very important to him and he wants everything
perfect for his bride,” Thomas said, smiling at her.

Albert moved all of the furniture he had ordered into the
spacious house on Tuesday, returning home at dinnertime. Anne knew he was
physically exhausted, and by the way he walked, she knew that his back was
bothering him. She told him to go to his bedroom, lie on his stomach, and she
would give him a back rub. Helping him remove his shirt as he lay on his
stomach, she kneaded his shoulders and told him, “You’ve done too much. Now
will you take it easy?”

“Mmmm, a little lower, please,” he told her. “Yes, I can
slow down. I have the most important details completed.”

Moving her hands down his spine, across the broad expanse of
his back, to his waist and hips, she gently kneaded and rubbed the tight
muscles. “You need to get a hot bath and soak for a while,” she said, admiring
the handsome back and then kissing his shoulder. “That will help relax your
back muscles. I’ll go see that George has hot water for you.”

Her touch, though light, sent a current coursing through his
body. As he stood up and his shirt on, he told her, “Thanks, Anne, but we had
better stop this. It’s very hard not to. . .you’d better stop now. I appreciate
it, but I’ll go talk to George.”

Smiling, she asked innocently, “Did I do something wrong,
Albert? If you tell me what I did wrong, I can correct it.”

“Anne, that’s the problem. You did everything right, and
being this close. . .” It was here that Albert realized Anne knew exactly what
he was talking about.

“You have only three more days to toy with me, missy! After
Saturday, you will see, first hand, what your little teasing will bring.”

Running her hand across his broad shoulders, she gave him a
soft whisper, “Promise?”

Early Wednesday morning, Albert, Anne, and Thomas left for
Carson City. Anne appeared calm, but Albert sensed underneath all that
self-control, her nerves were on edge.

“Just keep your eyes on me, everything is going to be fine,”
he told her confidently. “Remember, this is the last time you’ll have to be
subjected to him.”

Walking into the courtroom together, they saw most of the
seats were already taken except in the front row. Reluctantly, they sat there.
It was not long before Circuit Judge Henry Clay took his place on the bench and
called the court to order, explaining that John Wallace had declined a trial by
jury. Instead, he requested the tribunal decide his fate, a risky move on his
part, but completely within his rights.