Grace for a Drifter Page 6

  She broke off, shaking her head. “No, the Lord has reunited us. I won’t think about it. In fact, I’ve decided to consider your father as the loser in all of this.” Pulling away from him, she squared her shoulders and flashed him a triumphant grin. “Not only did you not marry the woman he chose, but we are together and have a family.”

  The warmth of her smile along with the contentment that came from being with her and the children dulled the anger he felt. Wanting to reason the situation out, he welcomed her insights. “I don’t want to burst in on my father in a fit of anger. How do I approach him?”

  Sadness clouded her eyes and pulled at his heart. “Remember that we aren’t there to confront him. After all, we’re going to St. Louis to ask about his reasons for being in Evergreen. He might have clues to my aunt’s disappearance.”

  She didn’t say it so Errol did. “Or he might have caused it.”

  Bethany interlaced their fingers and brought his hand to her lips. The gesture encouraged him since it showed how far they’d come since the barn dance in Belle. “No more false accusations. We had enough of those three years ago.”

  He grudgingly nodded. “My Christian beliefs and the Holy Spirit tell me to forgive, but I admit a little part of me wants my father to suffer.” He turned away from her after admitting this, ashamed that he’d bared his sin.

  Both children looked away from the book to watch the adults. He smiled at them, reassuring them. It worked as they went back to the book Liza now held. He noticed it was one of her favorites—The ABC of Animals.

  He stared at the bent heads so like his own. The black, curly hair on each even had a double crown like his own. It was one of the reasons no one questioned Liza being his child. She resembled him, except for her eyes.

  Liza had tried, for the last year, to find a wife for him and a mother for herself at the many towns they visited. Perhaps that explained her easy acceptance of Bethany and Robbie into their small family. Whatever motivated the girl, she enjoyed having a brother.

  As he watched something wonderful happened. Robbie touched his finger to the book whispered, “What?” With that hushed word, he heard his son’s voice for the first time.

  The boy felt his stare and looked up. Seeing Errol’s intense gaze on him, he turned his face into Liza and cuddled close to her. “Daddy’s nice. Don’t be scared.”

  Robbie pulled back and looked up into her face. Evidently what he saw comforted him. He whispered, “Book.” Picking it up, he handed it to Liza, all fear forgotten.

  A pressure on his fingers which were still intertwined with Bethany’s brought his focus back to her. Her face beamed. “He can speak. I felt sure of it, but hearing him makes me feel much better.” The joy in her voice wrapped around him. The family scene created an intimacy that shocked him. It seemed to him that the moment was even more intimate than when they’d created their child. He was stunned by the thought.

  Realizing Bethany spoke to him, he focused his attention on her. “Throughout these last few days, the eighty-sixth verse from Psalm 119 keeps running through my head. ‘All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.’”

  She frowned. “I think the Holy Spirit brought this verse to my mind. We have to remember that commandment to honor fathers and mothers, even when they don’t deserve it.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t disagree, but I can’t see my way to giving into the plans my father has for me.”

  Shaking her head, she pulled back to meet his eyes. “No, that’s not what the commandment means. It’s about authority and honoring it. Respect your father in the way you speak to him to recognize that he is your parent. You don’t have to obey his every command.”

  Chuckling, though nothing seemed the least bit funny at the moment, he teased her. “I had no idea I’d married a bible scholar.”

  Quickly denying that, she explained. “I read my bible, but that idea is one I remember from Pastor Elkins. He taught about each commandment.”

  Errol searched his mind but couldn’t remember the name. “Who is Pastor Elkins?”

  “He’s the preacher in Belle. A very interesting thing I remember him saying was about the parents’ role. He reminded the congregation that each time this commandment was mentioned in the old testament parents were told how to treat their children.” She stopped and looked at him, as if to see whether he found that as interesting as she did.

  Nodding his head, he gave her a tight smile. “Unfortunately my father isn’t a godly man and hasn’t studied what the bible says about raising children.”

  Without thinking long, she responded, “All the more reason to respect him. You’ll be showing that you’re a part of the family of God and perhaps, one day, he’ll ask you about your faith.”

  “I suppose that is something we could pray about.” Black hair met auburn as he bent his head and brought both of his hands around hers. Right there on the train, he said a prayer about the visit with his father.

  Chapter 7

  His father’s house intimidated her. Made of brick, the front had been painted white and columns that extended to the roof of the house formed a portico under which her family now stood.

  Family! God had restored what she’d lost. Robbie would come around. As yet, the boy hadn’t allowed her to hold him, except for the times when he’d sat on her lap in the carriage to and from the boarding house. That closeness would come, especially if he watched her hugging and holding Liza. He seemed intent on imitating whatever she did.

  Before coming to his father’s home, Errol took his family to a small hotel not far from the depot. There, they dropped off their few bags. He’d tried to insist that she and the children stay at the inn, but she reasoned around that by telling him she needed to be there to hold his father to the truth of what the man had done years ago as well as to learn why he’d stayed in Evergreen the previous week.

  He’d given in, telling Liza to bring her tea set so she and her brother could have a tea party while he spoke with her grandfather. Excitement filled her face as Liza fished it out of her bag. She grabbed Robbie’s hand and both looked expectantly at him. With a sigh, Errol had ushered them out of the room and down through the humble but clean lobby of the finest hotel he could afford.

  Now Bethany stood before this grand house and wondered at the down-to-earth man she’d married. How had he escaped being spoiled by this wealth?

  An apple-cheeked older woman opened the door for them. Errol boomed out a happy greeting in response to her amazed expression. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Haggerty.” He turned to Bethany to explain. “Haggerty is Father’s housekeeper.”

  The woman returned the greeting as Errol introduced each member of his little family. She stared in awe at Robbie. “Just like yourself at that age, Mr. Errol. What a wonder to see!”

  “Is Father home? We’ve come to speak with him.” If the woman noticed that he didn’t say that they’d come to visit the man, she gave no evidence of it. She merely nodded her head and said, “Yes, in his study.”

  Bethany watched Errol glance from the housekeeper to his wide-eyed children. Liza seemed especially in awe of the elegant surroundings and had fixed her interest on a particularly nice Gainsborough that hung in the entryway. He gestured to them as he asked for help. “Could you or one of the maids give the children cookies in the kitchen while my wife and I see him? Since the weather is nice, perhaps a maid could take them into the back garden to play if our conversation takes a while.”

  Mrs. Haggerty bobbed her head and directed Liza and Robbie down a hallway. She’d tried to take each of their hands, but Robbie clung stubbornly to Liza’s hand and hid his face away from the older woman. The woman ignored the young boy’s snub and mumbled something about, “Just the way of children,” before telling them to follow her.

  The separation from the children tugged at Bethany’s heart. She begrudged any time away from Robbie as she tried to form a bond with him. Still, Errol had been right. They didn’t need t
he little ones there while they confronted his father.

  Following Errol across the foyer, they passed two closed mahogany doors. He knocked softly on the third and, taking her hand, smiled at her as they waited.

  “Enter,” came a gruff command. Bethany remembered that voice. He’d been as gruff when he’d presented her with evidence to prove that her husband had lied to her.

  Stepping aside, Errol allowed her to enter first. The silver-haired man behind the desk showed alarm and fear as he looked at her. That changed quickly to joy when Errol entered the room behind her.

  “My boy! You’ve come home. Welcome!” Robert Marsden rose quickly and moved around his desk to embrace his son. That show of affection surprised Bethany. She’d expected a coldly ruthless businessman rather than a happy father.

  The man continued speaking without allowing either of them to return his greeting. “I see you have your wife with you. I thought for a moment I was seeing a ghost.” She absorbed those words and realized that was as much greeting as she would receive. “Glad to see she’s alive.”

  Anything Errol or she might have been about to say changed at those words. Errol exchanged a confused look with her before questioning his father. “Why would you think Bethany was dead?”

  The man waved his hand dismissively. “Idle words I heard from someone. Doesn’t matter who, especially as I can see she’s in fine form.” The man gave her what he probably believed to be a warm smile. It came across, though, as a tight-lipped grimace.

  Without allowing time for them to consider that and ask for more information, he continued. “I hope this means you brought the boy. He belongs here, after all, as do you.”

  Errol glanced at Bethany and raised his eyebrow in question. She didn’t know what his look meant and simply shrugged in response before he turned his gaze back to his father. “Both Liza and Robbie are enjoying a treat in the kitchen right now.”

  An almost greedy light came into the man’s eyes. “Glad I’ll be able to see my grandchildren. Wasn’t sure if you still had Sandra’s girl with you, but she is also very welcome.”

  Wanting to take control of the conversation, Errol took a step back from the man and folded his arms across his chest. “Father, we’ve come to—”

  “And I am very glad you have come. Now, do you need to fetch baggage from the train station? I expect you to stay with me, of course.” As Mr. Marsden regained control of the conversation, Bethany glimpsed that ruthless businessman she’d expected.

  Shaking his head, Errol narrowed his eyes and frowned. “No, we’re staying at the St. Louis Inn, near the train station. It’s comfortable enough for us and the children might be too much for you if we stay here.” To her ears, it sounded as if Errol made excuses rather than told his father what they would do.

  Marsden held his hands out, pleadingly. “Please, this is your first trip home in more than three years. Honor this old man’s request that you stay in his home.”

  Pulling Errol aside, Bethany whispered into his ear, “We’d have more of a chance to search for evidence that he was involved in Aunt Milly’s disappearance if we stay here.”

  Straightening, he stepped back to his father and laid a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Don’t expect me to obey everything you say, but I do want to honor you. We’ll stay if you can send Bethany in your carriage to get the bags. I don’t want to leave the children here without one of us present.”

  With a smile that threatened to split his face into a canyon, the man moved to the embroidered bellpull. When a maid appeared in response, he gave rapid instructions and then asked Bethany to go with the young woman to wait for the carriage. Errol quickly kissed her cheek before moving across the room to settle into one of the armchairs in front of the cold fireplace.

  Sighing, Bethany moved back into the foyer and waited by the front door for the carriage. She hoped Errol didn’t allow the man to get away with his lies while she was on her errand.

  Settled comfortably in one of the dark green button-back armchairs, Errol steepled his fingers and stared at his father. The dark-haired father he remembered had been replaced by a silver-haired and aged man. If the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth were anything to go by, he’d paid dearly for alienating his children.

  Robert Marsden sighed before speaking. “Truly, I’ve waited daily to hear from you. Not one letter in all these years!” He moved his head from side to side and seemed amazed by the lack of contact. “I expected better, even though you married just to flout my hopes of joining my business with the Simpson family.”

  When Errol didn’t bother to give an excuse, he continued. “I even went to Evergreen recently to discover if anyone there knew your whereabouts.”

  The mention of the town gave Errol the opening he needed. “Mrs. Cowley told us that you’d stayed there. In fact, you were there the day before Bethany’s Aunt Milly disappeared—” He let the idea hang in the air between them.

  “Hmmm,” his father considered that for a moment. “Don’t know anything about her aunt. Didn’t see the woman.”

  This seemed to be one more of his father’s lies. Doubt was clear in his voice as he confronted his father about it. “I can’t believe you would travel to the Ozarks for information about me and not speak with my wife’s relatives. Admit it, Father. That doesn’t seem probable.”

  Wincing, the man visibly struggled for a response. When it came, his cajoling tone didn’t fool Errol. “I didn’t want to have any contact with the woman. After all, the last time I saw her was unpleasant. We had to tell Bethany about your perfidy.”

  Errol jumped up at that statement. “You know very well that you lied to Bethany. I was with Sandra, not some other woman!” He stalked to the door of the room, intending to reclaim his children.

  “Son, please stop.” There was no cajoling to his father’s voice now. The man pleaded apologetically with him. As if the Holy Spirit urged him, Errol dropped his hand from the doorknob and returned to his chair.

  His father ducked his eyes and tightly gripped the arms of his chair. “I wanted to know what was going on. The Pinkerton I hired gave me a report that proved you were keeping two wives.”

  Anger and remembered grief flooded Errol and made his voice sound rough. “That’s all well and good, but four years ago you allowed me to believe that Bethany was dead.”

  Without pausing to think, his father quickly answered that accusation. “It didn’t seem right to doom that poor girl in Evergreen to a bigamist husband so I told her about the detective’s report.” He raised his eyes to look into Errol’s face. “It was just a misunderstanding and I’m sorry. You’ve got to see that.”

  Not ready yet to forgive and forget, Errol pushed for an answer about another thing. “So, you didn’t pay for a tombstone with Bethany’s name?”

  Shocked, his father denied that. “Of course not. Who told you that?”

  “Never mind.” After all, he hadn’t wanted to have this conversation without Bethany present. As it was, his father had managed to separate them—with their cooperation, even. It would be best to leave talk of the past until she was with them.

  Mentioning something near and dear to his father’s heart, Errol changed the topic. “So tell me how your business interests are going.”

  His father spoke about real estate investments and the shoe factory. Errol nodded his head and listened with half an ear while he considered the Pinkerton report his father mentioned. Could the detective had made the huge error his father had reported to Bethany years ago?

  After an hour or so passed, he heard the front door open and Bethany’s musical voice in the hallway. He rose and suggested, “Perhaps we could spend time with the children in the parlor. I remember that as being a brighter room. Liza loves sunshine and light colors.”

  Before he opened the door to leave, a knock sounded softly on it. He pulled it wide and smiled at his wife who stood there. “Hello, sweetheart. Did you have any problems at the hotel?”

  “Not at all. When
I mentioned your father’s name, they returned our room fee quickly. Almost fearfully.” She’d looked at his father as she spoke, but he didn’t seem displeased by the mention of fear. Errol noticed him smile in response.

  This was the same Robert Marsden who had thrown his pregnant daughter out on a December night.

  Errol offered his arm to Bethany and led her to the parlor. The children joined them soon after, walking quickly to their mother with excited smiles on both of their faces.

  “Mama, they have cookies with jam inside them! We got two each and Robbie didn’t want the rest of his second one so I ate it.” Liza rushed through her story and giggled as she mentioned the neighbor’s dog that came across the back lawn to visit her.

  Listening patiently, Bethany waited until the girl finished telling about her adventure. Then she directed the children’s focus to his father. Errol watched the man, curious to see if he would shun Liza.

  As Bethany made the introduction, his father moved to Robbie and made as if to pick up the boy. With the stranger’s arms outstretched toward him, Robbie screamed and hid his face in Bethany’s skirts. Sobbing, for the first time the boy allowed Bethany to pick him. Hugging him, she looked curiously at the older man. “He doesn’t react that way to people usually. I’m sorry, but evidently something about you frightens him.”

  Stiffening, Robert Marsden ignored her words and stared at his grandson. Then he focused instead on Liza. “Are you going to cry or will you sit on your grandpa’s lap?”

  Always outgoing, Liza smiled and happily settled herself on his lap. When he asked her what she liked best in the room, Liza began to talk about the landscape hung over the fireplace. Neither man stopped her, listening to her happy chatter that contrasted with Robbie’s soft sobs still coming from the far corner where, minutes before, Bethany had carried him.