Train Station Bride (21 page)

Jake patted the distraught woman’s arm. “No need to worry over Julia. We’re going home.” Jake walked to the wide double doors and stopped, his hand on the knob when Eustace spoke.

“She doesn’t think you love her no more. I told her a smart man like you would know a gem like her doesn’t come along every day.” Jake turned back to Eustace. “She loves you something awful.”

The maid hurried to the back of the house as the shouting escalated. Jake heard Jane Crawford’s shrill voice clearly. “Tell me Julia. Where is your farmer now?”

Jake pushed open the door of the room. “Had to catch a later train, Mrs. Crawford.” His eyes found Julia in an instant.

Jake walked across the room staring at his wife. Her face was pale, and he saw her fingers twisting nervously in her lace hanky. His sweet, brave wife appeared as fragile as the clear glass figurine sitting on the table beside her. Jake knew she was strong, but the combination of forces in this room had her near shattering. Jake thought she was magnificent. Yellow hair and white skin against the dark velvet blue of her stand-up collar. He held out his hand to her as he stood behind her. She clasped it, and Jake felt the cold sweat of fear on her palm. He leaned down, kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. “Where’s Jillian?”

Julia’s voice came out in a throaty whisper. “She’s upstairs. I told her to pack.”

Jake nodded and looked around the room. His head turned to the mannequin of a man in front of the fireplace as he spoke.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Turner asked.

Jake’s eyes darkened. This could only be the bastard responsible for Julia’s predicament. “Who are you?”

Turner straightened his jacket. “I’m Turner Crenshaw III. What business do you have here? This is a family matter.”

Jake took his time walking slowly to Crenshaw. He hooked his thumbs in his jacket and stared down at the lowly piece of shit now glancing nervously to his father-in-law. “Turner Crenshaw the third, huh. Mighty big handle.” Jake looked Crenshaw up and down. “I’m Julia’s husband. Everything that concerns her is my business.”

“Julia is in over her head this time. She’s spouting nonsense about raising Jillian and working as a washwoman.” Turner gathered courage in his words. He looked Jake up and down. “Although that may suit a man like you.”

Jake had promised himself as he rode the train to Boston he would not resort to violence. He broke his own vow in the next instant. Jake’s hand snaked out, grabbed Crenshaw by his fancy silk tie and lifted him off the ground til he was eye-to-eye. “Don’t you ever imply my wife’s anything but a lady.” He could feel everyone in the room jump to their feet. It didn’t stop him from growling, “Especially you.”

Turner Crenshaw fought for air and his dignity. “I had nothing to do with this.”

Jake roared. “You had everything to do with it.” He dropped Crenshaw unceremoniously and watched as the man stumbled to get his bearings. “You’re the low down piece a shit that got her in this mess. Then turned around and married the sister.”

Crenshaw’s hand held his throat as he digested the words. He looked from Jane Crawford to Jolene to Julia. “They told me she had no idea who the father was,” he whispered.

Jake’s eye twitched and his fists clenched. “Are you saying my wife was with more than …” Recognition dawned in Jake. “They never told you, did they?”

“What are you implying, Shelling?” William Crawford shouted. “Just what are you implying?”

Jake turned his wrath on Julia’s father. “You should have killed this son of a bitch. Or stuck a shotgun in his back til he married Julia. Instead you gave him another daughter.” Jake could hear Julia crying softly. It was breaking his heart. He turned to Jane Crawford and her daughter, Jolene, sitting side by side. “You never told them.”

“There was no cause,” Jane Crawford said. “We had no idea which man it might have been. Certainly no use in causing any disruption to a very successful match.”

Julia jumped from her seat, tears streaming down her face. “I told you. I told you both. I’d never been with anyone other than Turner,” she screamed.

Turner Crenshaw and William Crawford stared open-mouthed at their wives. Jolene looked away.

“Julia would’ve never been able to take advantage of the opportunities I knew Turner presented. Jolene was the better-suited partner,” Jane Crawford said.

Suddenly Jake needed to be far away. He wanted no parts of this sick scheme. He reached Julia as she stumbled back to her chair. Jake picked her up and looked around the room. William Crawford stared at him. “Get our daughter. She’s coming with us right now. I don’t want Jillian in this house for one more instant,” Jake said.

“She’s not your daughter,” Crenshaw whispered. “She’s mine.”

Jolene shook her head. “Really, Turner. Exactly how would we explain that away?”

“She’s got your balls twisted in one grand knot there, Turner,” Jake said.

Julia was weeping against his shoulder when he realized a young girl stood in the open doorway of the library holding another woman’s hand.

“Jillian?” The stunningly beautiful child nodded. “Are your things packed?” She nodded again, and he smiled. “Good girl. You’re going home with your mother and me. I’m your father now. We’ve a long train ride ahead of us.” Jake walked calmly to Jillian. “Your mother’s all tuckered out. Stick your hand in my pocket so I don’t lose you.”

Jake looked at the young girl as she scanned the room. Indecision, fear and a multitude of other emotions Jake had no idea of. “This is your mother. I’m your father. I live on a big farm in South Dakota. You have two, no, now three cousins waiting to meet you. Plus two aunts and two uncles.”

* * *

Jillian stared up at the giant telling her he was her father. He was holding Julia tight and kissed her forehead. Her mother, no, her grandmother, was red in the face, and her stare bored into Jillian’s stomach. Jolene sat quietly as if no one was shouting. Her father was pouring whiskey in a glass. Turner was looking at her with the strangest expression. Julia was going with the giant that she was sure of. Jillian didn’t understand all that was said when Jennifer opened the library door, but Jillian knew it was bad. And it was about her. She glanced back up at the giant. He smiled and held Julia as if he had all the time in the world. Jillian stuck her hand in the soft fur-lined pocket of the giant’s coat.

* * *

Jake sighed with relief. He didn’t want to stay in this house, in this town one more minute than he had to. But he figured he needed to give the girl a little time to get comfortable considering the ugly scene now erupting around him.

“I’ll have my attorney after you,” William Crawford shouted.

“Jillian,” Jane Crawford said. The girl stopped and looked over her shoulder. “If you go out that door, don’t expect to come back. There will be no fine clothes and carriages. No opportunities like your father and I can give you.”

“I’m going to go live with Julia and her new husband, Mother.”

Jake knew Julia heard what Jillian had said. Her cries renewed, and she was shaking all over. She hadn’t lifted her head from his chest, though. “Come on then, Jillian. I’ve got a buggy out front, and we’ve got a train to catch.”

“Won’t you come visit, Jennifer?” Jillian asked. Jennifer nodded and swiped at her cheeks.

Eustace handed Jillian her black leather bag and motioned Tom to carry the trunk to the waiting carriage. “You take good care of your mother, girl, you hear?”

Jillian hugged Eustace. “I will. And tell Mary I like the dolls you made. I’ve got mine packed in my trunk.” She stuck her hand back in Jake’s pocket and led the way out the door.

Chapter Eighteen

Jake carried Julia down the steps to a waiting carriage. She felt blissfully safe in his arms, smelling his scent. He was dressed up in his best shirt and string tie. Julia touched his chest.

“Put me down Jake. I can walk from here,” she said. He was staring at her expectantly and Jillian still had her hand in his pocket. She’d never been so grateful as when her husband walked into her parent’s home. “Thank you, Jake. I could never repay you for coming all the way from home and putting yourself in the middle of that horrid scene.”

“You’re my wife, Julia,” Jake said. “I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself knowing you were facing them all alone. Come on now. Let’s see if we can make it back to the station in time to catch the evening train back home.”

Julia looked at the house of her youth. She pictured Jake’s house with its red front door. She had come and gone so very far from both. As much as she wanted to put her hand in his and step into the waiting carriage, she could not.

Julia was done with tears and self-pity. She was her own woman with a child to raise and another one on the way, and she could not live her life on someone else’s terms any longer. How could she look the man she loved in the eye, everyday, knowing he didn’t think she was fit to be a mother? How could she live with Jake, loving him as she did, knowing that he didn’t love her?

“Jillian and I will be catching the train to Delaware. I’m not sure when a western bound train will be leaving.”

“You’re both coming home with me,” Jake said. “Now get in the wagon.”

“No, Jake, we’re not,” Julia said. “My Aunt Mildred has offered Jillian and I a home until I find something for us.”

“You’ve got to be funning me,” Jake said. “This is the Aunt that lives in Delaware?”

“I wouldn’t make light about something this serious,” Julia said.

“What are you going to do to support yourself?” Jake asked.

“I’m not a child, Jake Crawford,” Julia said. “I came here on my own, got Jillian on my own and intend to continue with my plans.”

Jake yanked his hat from his head and slapped it on his leg. “Damn it all, Julia. Are you waiting for me to say I want you to come home? I want you to come home. Are you waiting for me to say I’ll raise this child here as if she were my own, guard her as if she were my own? She was my daughter from the day I married you, Julia.”

“I’m not waiting for or expecting anything,” Julia said. “You’re welcome to share the carriage with us if you’d like. Get in please, Jillian.”

Julia climbed in behind her daughter, settled her skirts and looked at Jake. “The Delaware train is due to pull out in less than an hour Jake. I’d rather not stay the night in a hotel.”

* * *

Jake climbed into the carriage and wedged himself beside Julia. He shouted to the driver and turned in the seat to face his wife. “I’ll be damned if you’re not coming home with me. When did you get this crazy idea in your head you were moving to Delaware?”

“Perhaps when you told me you were glad I wasn’t expecting. Maybe when I realized what a mess I’ve made of my life,” Julia said.

“You haven’t made a mess of your life, Julia,” Jake said. “I never said that.”

“And the other Jake?” Julia said. “Do you deny it?”

“No. I don’t deny it. I was mad, Julia. Furious you’d lied to me. I still don’t understand it,” Jake said.

“Then I think it’s best I continue with my original plans,” Julia said. “At least for now. You and I both need time to sort out what we think.”

“Your original plans were to move to South Dakota and get married,” Jake said. “And marriage means for better or for worse.”

“I don’t want to live with Aunt Mildred,” Jillian said.

“Children need a mother and a father, Julia,” Jake said.

The carriage pulled up at the train station and Julia and Jillian gathered their bags while a porter loaded their trunks onto a cart and Jake paid the driver. Julia read the chalk board signs and found the platform the south bound train would be leaving from. The crush of passengers and the smell of hot metal against metal assaulted Julia’s senses and reminded her of another train she’d disembarked from over six months ago. The conductor helped Jillian onto the step; and Julia turned to Jake.

“They need a mother and father that love each other enough to forgive each other,” Julia said and pressed a note with her aunt’s address scribbled on it into Jake’s hand. “I don’t think you can forgive me, Jake. I never wanted to lie to you. But I’d never met anyone like your family before. So giving and kind. I love you more than life, Jake, but I’m not certain you love me.”

Jake was staring at her and she took in every detail of him possible. Tall and strong and handsome. Kind and gentle and hardheaded. She loved him so desperately.

“But I won’t ever keep something from you either,” Julia said and took a deep breath. The whistle was blowing, and the conductor was motioning for her to board the train. “I’ll be having a baby late next summer.”

Julia reached up, kissed Jake’s cheek, grabbed Jillian’s hands and turned and boarded her train.

* * *

Jake stood at the edge of the train platform till Julia’s train was long gone and another one had pulled in it’s place. Passengers were bumping him as they queued up to board and for his life, Jake couldn’t get his feet to move. For a fleeting moment he considered boarding the train in front of him. It didn’t really matter where he went. His family had left him.

But two long, dirty days later he pulled into the station at Cedar Ridge. Jake got his horse from the livery stable and rode home. The winter wind was biting at his face and his hands were near numb when he topped the ridge only a quarter mile from his spread. The first thing he spied through the blowing snow was a red front door. And Jake couldn’t kid himself any longer that the tears on his cheeks were just from the wind in his eyes.

* * *

Julia and Jillian’s train pulled in late in the evening to Newark, Delaware. Jillian was long asleep on her shoulder. Julia, however, did not sleep a wink. Every time she closed her eyes, she envisioned Jake’s face. The station master found them transportation and Julia finally stepped onto the porch of her Aunt’s home near eleven o’clock at night.

Aunt Mildred’s butler, Richard, cracked open the front door, dressed in his nightshirt and cap.

“Miss Julia!” Richard said. “Come in!”

“Who is it Richard, at this ungodly hour,” Julia heard from behind the butler.

“It’s Miss Julia, Mrs. Delacroix,” Richard said.