Seeds of Love: Prequel to Lily in Bloom Read online

  “How should I know, I only…” she stopped talking because the man on the ground moaned. Her eyes rounded as she peeked around James. He ground his teeth together, trying to be patient with this fluff of a girl.

  “People are getting hurt, please tell me the truth.” He stepped closer to her and she attempted to look anywhere but him. “Look at me,” his voice ground out. He was losing his patience.

  She started at the rough sound of his voice. Good, he thought to himself.

  “Mr. Stillwell told me to get Regina alone.” He heard Regina gasp. “But he said he only wanted to talk to her to convince her to marry him and then I could be alone with…” her voice died off.

  “Do you know how dangerous that was?” His voice was ragged. His breath coming in short gasps.

  “You wouldn’t pay attention to me!” she huffed.

  The sound of wagon wheels on the dirt path snapped James’ head up. “Come on, all of you.”

  “I don’t have to…”

  “Go,” he snapped. He didn’t care if he lost the Worthy contract anymore. He couldn’t bear another word out of her mouth.

  James grabbed the kidnapper by the arm and dragged him along as the women walked ahead. Regina looked back at him several times and he tried to tell her with his eyes that it would be all right. Charles hopped out of the carriage door and hustled back over to James. Then he grabbed the assailant’s other arm. Together, they tossed him into the carriage. “I will take him to the Lafayette house. Bring Miss Worthy to her hotel and then follow me back to the Lafayette home.”

  “James, I am so…”

  “We will talk about it later.”

  Charles gave a quick nod and then raced off again to procure a hansom. James turned to look at Regina. Clarissa was holding her sister’s hand, stroking it as she murmured. Clarissa looked positively tortured.

  “Miss Lafayette, don’t look so distressed. It wasn’t your fault,” he tried to soothe her.

  “But it’s mine,” Abigail spit out.

  He sighed. Abigail was guilty of being a silly, selfish, thoughtless girl. But he doubted she knew Regina would be hurt. “Of course not, it is Mr. Stillwell’s.”

  Abigail gave him a glowing smile. He bit back the need to tell her she was a little fool.

  He walked back over to Regina. “We will work all of this out, I promise.”

  Regina finally spoke. “You don’t think Obediah really tried to…” her voice broke.

  “I don’t know but we will get to the bottom of it.” He took her in his arms again kissing the top of her head. Her floral scent filled his nostrils. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”

  Charles returned with the hansom and James ushered the ladies inside. He handed Regina and her sister in but Abigail pulled her arm away. “I can’t believe you kissed her.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Good day, Miss Worthy.” It was a good thing he didn’t believe in violence towards women.

  He climbed into the other carriage to see the assailant had woken up. The man stared at him. “Let me go or I’ll scream.”

  “Scream and I will turn you immediately over to the authorities.”

  The man closed his mouth. After a few moments he spoke again. “Can you at least put me up on the seat?”

  “You’re fine on the floor.”

  It was a short ride to the Lafayette home and he peeked out the window as they started up the drive. Mr. Lafayette must have been alerted to their approach because James saw him step out the doors and climb down the steps to greet them.

  As the carriage came to a halt, James didn’t wait for the door to be opened, he launched out. Mr. Lafayette caught sight of him and the man lying on the floor. “What—”

  “Allow me to explain.” James then told him everything that had happened that afternoon in less than one minute.

  “You were wise to bring him here. Get him out of the carriage, I want to speak to him.” Mr. Lafayette turned to the butler. “Mr. Rothberg, please fetch Obediah for me. Make it clear that this is an invitation he had best not refuse.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Take mine.” James waved towards his carriage.

  “Most kind of you.”

  James grabbed the other man off the floor and dragged him towards the house. Mr. Lafayette took up his other side and together they brought him through the front doors.

  “Where is my daughter now?”

  “My friend, Charles Baker, was bringing Miss Worthy to her hotel and then bringing your daughters here.”

  “You trust him?”

  “Yes,” James responded simply. Mr. Lafayette nodded.

  They carried the man to the study. “Sit him in a chair, we want our guest to be comfortable,” Mr. Lafayette murmured.

  The man looked at him wearily. “What are you going to do to me?”

  Mr. Lafayette sat across from him. “That depends on how truthful you plan on being. Let’s start with your name.”

  “Crocker. Tim Crocker.” He cleared his throat.

  “Well, Mr. Crocker, who hired you to kidnap my daughter?”

  “Now I wouldn’t call it kidnapping, I was just to bring her for a chat, that’s all.”

  “Who hired you?” Mr. Lafayette’s voice had hardened considerably. The other man blinked several times.

  “A man named Stillwell. Said the lady was to be his wife but she got cold feet. Said that he needed to reassure her.”

  “How much did he pay you?”

  The other man paled. “I…I…was just going—”

  “How much?” Tom Lafayette’s voice was razor sharp.

  “Five gold coins sir. Please, I know it ain’t right but I got a little one and she needs to be fed.” He trembled.

  “What did he tell you to do?”

  “Just wait till she was alone and bring her to his house.”

  “Address?”

  “Seventy-five Irving Street, sir.”

  James looked at Mr. Lafayette with a question, “Is that his address, sir?”

  “Call me Tom.” He stood and moved behind the desk. Tom opened a drawer and pulled something out. Crocker paled even more but it was a bag of coins. “Did he pay you yet?”

  “No sir, he said he would pay me when I delivered her. I meant what I said, I have a daughter, she’s countin’ on me to return.” Silently, Tom Lafayette grabbed a letter knife from the desk. He moved behind the man and swiftly cut the bonds on his hands. Then he bent and cut his feet as well. He stepped back around and pulled out some coins. “Here are the five he owes you. If you stay and speak in front of him, I will give you five more.”

  Crocker’s hand shook as he took the money. “Thank you, sir. I swear I never did nothin’ bad. I just can’t find a job and we ain’t had nothing to eat. I don’t know how to thank you for not involving the police.”

  Tom nodded and James shook his head. He couldn’t believe that Tom Lafayette had shown this man so much compassion. The man sounded sincere and James had a suspicion that he deserved his empathy.

  A noise from the hall had both men turning their heads. Tom went to the door and opened it. Clarissa came in first, throwing herself into her father’s arms.

  Regina stepped in next and James moved to her in two steps, wrapping her in his arms. She looked beautiful and vulnerable and he wanted to hold her and kiss her and never let her go.

  She glanced at the man in the chair. James gave her a little squeeze. “It’s all right. Your father has it well in hand.”

  “Thank you, James,” her father replied.

  “Mr. Lafayette…”

  “I already told you, son, call me Tom.”

  “Tom, this is my friend, Charles Baker. He is from Kennebunk but is currently studying business at Harvard.”

  Charles stepped up next to Clarissa. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  Tom’s eyebrow’s raised the merest fraction of an inch. “Mr. Baker.”

  James felt the corners of his mouth pulling up, b
ut he tried to keep his expression neutral. He had been where Charles stood now and he was glad to have made progress with Regina’s father. He should study Mr. Lafayette. The man had built a business empire, and he could teach James a great deal about running a successful business.

  Another noise in the hall had everyone turning. Obediah stood in the doorway, shaking slightly. He was even paler than normal. In stark contrast, his cousin stood behind him looking an alarming shade of red.

  “What is this all about?” she blustered.

  Tom Lafayette stood a little straighter. “As I am sure you know, Regina is no longer promised to Obediah.”

  “I did not know.” She crossed her arms over her beefy chest.

  “Obediah hired this gentleman here to take Regina from the park and bring her to his home.”

  “I would never!” Obediah proclaimed. “This man is a miscreant and I would never associate with such a fellow.”

  The man started to speak. Mr. Lafayette help up his hand. “Then how is it that he knew your name, address, and where to find Regina?”

  Obediah looked stricken for a few seconds then his eyes swung to James. “He is framing me. He wants Regina for himself and he has set all of this up.”

  James shook his head, “Miss Worthy implicated you as well.”

  Obediah paled even more. He shook slightly but then straightened his shoulders. “She is in love with you. You put her up to it.”

  “Enough,” Tom’s voice sliced through the room. “I cared about you. I would have helped you even after what you did to my daughters. You will never darken our doorstep again. Get out of my house.”

  “But the business. I came all this way—” Margaret stuttered.

  “That is the fault of your cousin. Good day.” Tom turned to the butler. “See them home.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  James watched the thin man walk away. He hoped that was the last he ever saw of Obediah Stillwell.

  SEEDS OF LOVE

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Regina watched Obediah walk away. To think, she had almost married him. He had tried to hurt her and now kidnap her. She trembled and James pulled her closer. Her father was watching them intently, she could feel it but she didn’t care. In her mind, he had lost the right to an opinion. He might have a great business mind but he didn’t seem to know the first thing about what she needed in a husband.

  “It has been a trying afternoon. Girls you should go rest.”

  “Oh Papa, how could we possibly after everything—”

  “Enough Clarissa. Upstairs with you both. Gentlemen, if I may have a word.” Her father had dismissed them.

  Regina looked at James. “Call tomorrow.”

  He gave a single nod and, feeling better, she left.

  Upstairs, she changed out of her dress that was ripped and dirty and lay down on her bed. At dinner tonight, she would speak to her father about the marriage. She refused to wait any longer. With that in her mind, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Her last thought was of James’ handsome face and his strong arms around her.

  That evening the family sat tensely around the table. Her father had barely said a word. Her mother was pale, only Clarissa talked. She couldn’t say enough good things about Mr. Baker.

  “He is so handsome and Papa, he sprang to action in the crisis. We ought to invite him for dinner.”

  Her father gave a halfhearted nod. “Of course. Business school at Harvard, no less. Perhaps we should consider him as a suitor for Regina.”

  “Regina! No! Papa, I was talking about me.”

  Regina sat up straighter. “You said you would consider James.”

  “I am considering James. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t consider others. We must do what is best for you but also the entire family.”

  Regina looked at her father. She had once seen him play cards. He kept his expression exactly the same. When he had a good hand or a poor one his face never moved. It was one of the traits that made him successful. She loved her father, but she already knew her heart and she knew she would marry James. Her father didn’t need to know that. She would keep her face neutral. She would not give him the slightest hint of her plans. It was time to take her own future in her hands.

  “I see,” she replied.

  “Regina, you can’t possibly marry Charles. That isn’t fair. Papa, I will never speak to you again—”

  “Hush child. No one has planned anything yet.”

  Regina’s mother looked over at her and her eyes grew wide with understanding. She knew that Regina was feigning complicity. “Clarissa, listen to your father.”

  Both Tom and Clarissa looked surprised at her mother’s support of her father. Clarissa began to cry at the table.

  “Should we have him over for dinner tomorrow?” Her father asked, looking pleased at the cooperation.

  “If you don’t mind, Papa, James leaves on Wednesday. It will be easier after he has left town.” Regina kept her eyes down and her voice neutral.

  “Of course, Regina. That makes perfect sense.” He nodded his approval. Regina clenched her fist in her lap. She had no intention of being here on Thursday.

  The next day James came as promised. Her father greeted him and thanked him for his help. By all outward appearances, her father seemed to favor James. But Regina knew the truth. Her mother sat on the other side of the library to chaperone their visit.

  “How are you this morning?” he asked in a low voice.

  She shook her head. “My father is considering other suitors. James, I think we should run away.”

  His eyes looked stricken but he shook his head. “I will marry you, Regina, but I want to do it with your father’s permission. I don’t want to estrange you from your entire family.”

  “He is talking about Charles, James. My family will be ripped to pieces if that happens and so will you and Charles. We have to stop this,” she whispered.

  “I will convince your father. I have to go home and get these contracts I have procured started. I have men counting on me for work and,” he gave her a soft smile, “a soon-to-be wife I need to take care of. But I will come back in a week and convince your father that I am the man you should marry.”

  “I don’t want to wait that long. My father can be tricky, he is stubborn about getting his way.”

  “Regina, he will not marry you off in a week. I promise to take care of it.” His hand touched hers. She sighed inwardly. Apparently James could be as stubborn as her father. Well, she was finding her own stubborn streak and she was not going to wait for either of them to act. She knew what she had to do.

  Over the course of the next three days, Regina began stashing clothes in a sheet. Nothing fancy. She packed serviceable clothing only. James visited her every day. She knew he was worried by her silence but she couldn’t help it. If she told him what she was planning, he might try to stop her and she wouldn’t have that. It was going to be her way now.

  He came on Wednesday and instead of inviting him into the library, she brought him to the music room. She played several pieces of music on the piano to avoid talking. Finally, his hands covered hers on the key board. “You are angry with me.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “You still want to marry me?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Then why do you grow more silent with each passing day?”

  Regina looked into his eyes. “Now is not the time for words. It is the time for action.”

  His pierced back into hers, “What do you mean?”

  “Regina,” her mother called. “We must leave for tea soon.”

  “When does your ship sail?” She could only hope it was later. That would make it easier.

  “Ten tonight, so that we might catch the tide.”

  “When will you return?” She looked away then.

  “A week from today. Try not to worry.” His hand brushed hers.

  She grabbed both his hands and gave them a squeeze. “I’m not worried. Have a sa
fe journey.”

  “Regina, you will wait for me won’t you?” Worry tinged his voice.

  “I’ll marry no one else, I swear it.”

  He smiled then, relief relaxing his face.

  He left shortly after and Regina went to tea with her mother. She ate dinner with her family and played the piano before retiring at eight o’clock.

  Her maid helped her undress and then braided her hair. Regina dismissed her saying she was tired. Quickly, she shimmied into a pair of breeches and a shirt she snitched from the stable that must have belonged to one of the stable boys. Regina crammed a hat on top of her head. She fastened the bundle of clothes around her back and headed out onto the balcony. She climbed down the lattice, finding it exceedingly easy in the pants. She headed for the back alley, nerves fluttering in her chest. She had written to a hansom company, offering a double wage to have a carriage waiting for her. If it wasn’t there, she would have to try to flag one on the street. She didn’t want to miss the boat.

  She breathed a sigh of relief when the carriage stood waiting at the back gate. She handed the driver the normal wage. “I’ll give you the rest when we reach the docks.”

  He gave her a suspicious look. She had tucked her hair in her shirt and pulled the hat low but he must still suspect she was a woman. But she climbed in, and he snapped the reins.

  They reached the boat in less than fifteen minutes and she handed the driver the rest of her fare. Now she needed to get on the ship unseen.

  She climbed up the plank just behind four other sailors. The ship was a bustle of activity with cargo being loaded and sails being rigged. It was far easier than Regina expected to slip through the crowd. No one noticed one small woman dressed as a boy.

  She saw James standing, talking with the captain. Her heart fluttered wildly. What would he do when he found out he had a stowaway? The question now was where to hide? She stood out of the way and watched the scene for fifteen minutes before one of the sailors called. “Take that there to Mr. Carter’s quarters.”

  Regina smiled to herself. She knew exactly where to hide. She followed the men at a distance and watched as they brought the small crate below deck and then to a room at the end of the hall. She doubled back down to other end of the hallway and pressed herself against the wall to not be seen until they left. Then she zipped towards his room closing herself in the darkness.