A Civil Affair

Chapter 23: (madeline's POV)

The summer months have gone and the cool breezes of the autumn days have come again. Our town is in uproar as General Braxton Braggs has been seen in parts of Kentucky and there is fear he is stirring up trouble with the Union to the north and south. Our state is almost surrounded now as word has come that Sherman is approaching South Carolina and Grant has sent troops into parts of western Virginia and northern North Carolina. It is only a matter of time before our state becomes another casualty of war and we are left in ruins like so many others.

Every day I visit the cemetery on my way to work and the old Yellowwood before I go home. It's become a routine for me and it helps put my mind at ease with everything going on around us. All hostile takeover of the bookstore has ceased due to family altercations—it seems there have been many domestic disputes between Will and Rachael-Lynn, some of which ending violently with her throwing something at him. Will even had to have stitches when she tried to shoot him in the leg with a pistol—it only grazed his skin but was deep enough to warrant the stitching.

I have not had the pleasure of seeing her around the bookstore, but I know she has spies since I've seen both Savannah Parker and her brother Rex around, asking questions about this and that. Even though it hasn't been confirmed by the gossipers yet, I have inkling that Rex and Rachael-Lynn have been seeing a lot more of each other than previously thought. It's quite alright if she has another lover since I've been spending a lot more time with Will.

I see him approach the tree from a distance and my heart begins to flutter. It still amazes me to this day how he can do that to me. He virtually makes me melt when he opens his mouth to speak or kisses me goodbye. Today though, before he speaks, he picks me up and holds me close and spins me around like a child.

"I've missed you today," he replies after putting me down gently.

"Pretty soon you're not going to be able to do that to me," I laugh.

"And why is that?" He has a twinkle in his eyes that I hope will not fade.

"Will, I'm pregnant," I breathe out, staring straight into his eyes.

"What? Really? Are you sure?" I can't tell what emotion is winning in his voice.

"Yes, I'm sure. I went to see Doc Parker the other day and I am about two months along." I'm smiling from ear to ear just thinking about the baby I'm carrying.

Before I can protest, he lifts me into his arms and kisses me soundly. "I can't believe it! When are you due?"

"Sometime in May, possibly around my birthday," I answer, unable to hide how happy I am.

"I love you, you know that right?" he asks.

I place my hands over my stomach instinctively and gaze into his eyes. "Yes, that's how I know things will be ok. Our baby was conceived out of love, regardless of the circumstances of our lives," I repeat his words from once-upon-a-time.

"This is the best news I've heard since this morning!" he exclaims, kissing me quickly again.

"What happened this morning?"

"My father is officially handing over the business as a birthday present!" he smiles proudly.

"And this is a good thing?" I'm confused.

"It's a wonderful thing! Now I won't have pressure from him to work the plantation to his expectations and standards! I can finally till the land my way!"

He is elated but I am still skeptical, knowing his father almost always has a secret agenda. "So he's giving you the business, just like that? With no arguments?"

"That's what he said. He feels I've made enough of a difference with the expansion of the plantation that it's mine if I want it!"

"That's great." Unfortunately my enthusiasm isn't present in my voice.

"What's wrong?" I hate how he knows me too well.

"Just didn't think you'd be this happy to take over the business, that's all."

"Something else is bothering you. What is it?" He's playing with my hair now and I love when he does that, but it's very distracting.

"I just... I want to make sure you're not going to get too involved in the plantation and forget about us," I pout, looking down at my stomach.

He pulls my chin up with his fingers. "I will never forget or neglect you or this baby. And the plantation will give me enough money to buy or build a house."

"A house for you and the wife you're forgetting you have," I pull my chin away but he moves his head to face mine.

"No, a house for me and the wife I intend to marry."

"Will, please don't marry me out of obligation because I'm carrying your child. And by state law don't you have to divorce one wife before you can marry another?"

"I will. She just won't go away quietly, that's all."

"Maybe you can settle it by paying her enough money to go away," I smile, knowing how ridiculous it sounds.

"She's using me for my money anyway. If I divorce her now, she'll take every cent I own! I just need to make sure the crops bring in enough to build a house and then you and the baby will have—"

"I'm staying with my mother, Will."

"What? Why?"

"Will, she's all I've got left! I can't just leave her by herself to play house with you! Besides, I won't let you marry me just because of this baby. You are obligated to stay in your marriage unless you can prove there isn't a reason to."

"But I love you. I love our child!" he protests.

I sigh and cup his chin in my hand. "I know you do but in the eyes of the state, your marriage to her outweighs our illicit affair."

"Your mom can live with us! Wouldn't she want to be close to her only grandchild?" he ignores my logic.

"Of course she wants to be there. That's why I'm staying with her! And you still need to get rid of Rachael-Lynn!"

"Did someone say my name?" we hear behind the tree.

Will looks like he's beginning to panic, as if she has no clue what's been going on with us. I simply smile and walk around the tree, seating myself on the swing that still hangs from its branches. Her eyes dart from me to him and back to me before she speaks again. Her words are full of spite but I don't allow her any room to bask in them.

"Shouldn't you be working in the store today? I'm quite sure there are people wishing to buy books."

"They can wait until tomorrow. One more day isn't going to change their purchases."

"But they could go to other stores and you could lose their business," she attempts to argue.

"The closest bookstore to here is in Frankfurt so it would benefit anyone to wait the twenty-four hours," I counter.

She draws her attention to Will. "Shouldn't you be counting the money we've made from this year's harvest?" She is incredulous when it comes to his money.

"The money is all accounted for and in the bank already," he answers her, not fully looking her in the eyes.

"Good. I was thinking of going into Frankfurt tomorrow to buy a few dresses."

"You don't have access to that account and you already spent your allowance for the month. It's high time you learned what saving money is all about." I try not to laugh as he looks down at her sternly.

"That money is just as much mine as it is yours, William!" she stomps her foot like a petulant child.

"That money needs to be used for other things, such as food and supplies for the winter. It is not to be used nonchalantly whenever you see fit to spend it!" Sometimes, I find marriage quarrels amusing.

"I will get that money even if I have to go to your father to get it!"

"My father doesn't control the finances of the business anymore. Whatever I say goes now and if you don't like it, you know what you can do."

Realizing she's lost the battle, she turns her attention back to me. "You're trespassing on our property. Leave now or I will get someone to arrest you."

"You are taking a page right out of Mr. Hutchinson's book, aren't you? You have no idea what you're talking about either. This tree falls directly outside of the plantation acreage and my grandfather was the one who planted it as a wedding present to my grandmother! I have more of a right to be here than you do!" I retort.

"William," she averts her attention back to him, "your mother wants you home and I am going out tonight so don't wait up."

As she bounces down the path, I get an idea in my head. "How badly do you want to divorce her?" I smile deviously when he finally turns to look at me instead of her retreating back.

"What are you scheming?"

"Rumor has it you're not the one in this marriage who has another lover."

"You mean someone in this town actually wants her?" I laugh as I get down from the swing.

"Leave everything to me," I smile again.

*   *   *   *   *

"How can you be sure? They've only been seen together twice around town."

Will has come into the bookstore to help me unload a new shipment of books. I am so glad the North hasn't stopped all import completely or my store would never run. We are in the storeroom discussing how to prove Rachael-Lynn's infidelity when we hear the bell over the door chime. I glance up at him with a roll of my eyes, knowing a customer means we'll get nothing done today. We walk to the front of the store and are greeted by Mrs. Parker.

"Hello dears, how are you doing today?" She is exceptionally happy and that worries me greatly. I never trusted her before and I certainly don't trust her now.

"We're fine. What can we do for you today?" Will answers for me.

"I'd actually like to speak to you about a rumor I've been hearing and I hope for your sake it's true!"

I'm instantly worrying. I'm afraid someone has said something about us. "What have you heard?" I swallow hard.

"I heard that your wife is going to have a baby and I wanted to see if it was true and offer my congratulations!" she smiles.

"I don't think you heard right, Mrs. Parker. She is not having a baby at all." Will can keep a better straight face than I can so I busy myself behind a bookcase.

"Are you sure dear, because according to my son, she is."

That's when I realize how rumors start in our town and it gives me a great idea. If we can somehow link Rex Parker to Rachael-Lynn, then her pregnancy claims can be misconstrued as infidelity. I walk back to them and simply smile at Mrs. Parker, ready to give her my full attention.

"What exactly did your son say to you, Mrs. Parker?" I begin my line of questioning.

"Well, he said she was talking to him the other day and blurted out she was pregnant. Since you're her husband, William, I wanted to congratulate you in person." Her smiles are getting faker by the minute.

"Thank you," he replies, keeping up his demeanor.

"I must go but wish her well for me as well!" she waves happily as she exits the store.

"Well, that makes two of us," I say, looking straight at him and placing my hands on my stomach.

"You think I did this?" he questions, clearly taken aback by my non-verbal accusation.

"No, but the only way you're going to prove otherwise is to either get her to admit it's not yours or get the man who impregnated her to do it."

"So what do you suggest?"

"An ambush approach always works best." He chuckles as I smirk at the thought.

"Can you close shop early tonight? I'm sure my wife isn't expecting me home early."

"Of course. You are invested in the store and if you feel we should close, then we close."

Putting away a few more books, I lock the money box in the safe and lock both the storeroom and front doors. Together we head to the mansion. It's not as scary here anymore and if it weren't for its current occupants, I'd be alright coming here on occasion. We creep up the back stairs and enter the second floor quietly. We hear talking from one of the rooms and listen in at the door, suspecting to hear the usual gossip conversations.

"Are you sure it's Rex's?" a woman asks.

"I haven't been with my husband since we were married. It's definitely Rex's," we hear Rachael-Lynn reply.

"What are you going to do?"

"Pretend it's William's so that no one will find out or know the difference."

"And what about Rex?"

"What about him? Just because his father is a doctor doesn't mean he is as well. He doesn't have as much money as William does to take care of me and junior here."

I glance up at Will, stunned. She really is taking him for his money. He nods his head and walks into his room without a word. Taking a piece of paper out from his desk, he begins to dip the pen in the ink well and write furiously. I can't see what he's writing until he hands it over to me. The paper is a document declaring infidelity on the grounds of a pregnancy that cannot be claimed by him.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" I ask, skeptical of the document.

"I'm not getting her to sign it," he declares. "I'm going to persuade Rex Parker to sign it!"

He quickly folds up the paper and grabs my hand, pulling me out the door and down the stairs. We walk briskly towards the Parkers house only to find that Rex is not home. Without giving up the chase, Will drags me into an old saloon. The minute we enter the establishment, all eyes are on us. I feel very exposed but with Will's hand gripping mine and determination in his eyes, I know I'll be ok as we approach the bar.

"Afternoon, Rex," Will says, voice unwavering.

Rex looks up from the bar and glares at Will, disregarding my presence completely, which is fine with me. "What do you want?"

"I want you to read this and sign it," Will states, gritting his teeth and slamming the paper onto the bar.

"I don't have to read or sign anything!" Rex retorts.

Before I can blink, Will has him pinned up against the bar and a pistol planted on his back. "I would highly suggest you read and sign it, Rex."

Rex lowers his head towards the paper and reads the words carefully. "This is insane!"

"Not as insane as it is true! You got her pregnant and I am not going to take care of your bastard child for you!" Will growls, trying not to draw attention to us.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to sign it, making me no longer legally bound to her or her unborn child!"

"But she's your wife!" Rex tries to protest.

"Yes, but the child she carries is yours!"

"How do you know? You can't prove anything!"

"I have my ways of getting proof. Besides, Raelynn said it herself. Now sign it and take responsibility for my pregnant ex-wife!"

"And if I don't?" Rex challenges.

"You'll find a bullet in your back!"

I have never seen Will this way. The only other man I have ever known him to raise his voice to was his father and after gaining control of the business, that seems to have quieted down a bit. I gaze around the saloon and everyone is staring at us, making me nervous beyond capable reason. Will makes one final demand with a jab in the back with his pistol as I turn my attention back to them. Rex reluctantly signs the paper, sealing the deal for legal divorce papers on the count of infidelity and pregnancy by another man.
 

continue to the epilogue