Chapter 3 #2
The long sleeves felt good today, Elizabeth thought as she adjusted the slit at her wrist. She was tired of winter already.
While Sally brushed her hair, Elizabeth sipped the hot chocolate Annie had sent up. “Just pull my hair up on the sides. I don’t have the patience for you to fuss with it this morning. I want to see Jonathan.”
“You sure have pretty hair, Miss Elizabeth. There are times I swear it’s so black, it’s blue.”
“One of these days I’m going to cut it all off,” Elizabeth teased as she pulled her long hair above her head and motioned with her fingers.
“You do, and I’ll be tannin’ your hide for sure.”
“Now, Sally,” Elizabeth said as she rose and started for the door. “I’m going to see to Jonathan.”
Elizabeth hurried across the hall to Jonathan’s room. The door stood ajar, so she slipped into the room unannounced. She’d expected to see him awake and sitting up, but what she found was Jonathan sound asleep and Annie holding a cloth over his forehead.
Annie turned at the sound of the door creaking open. “Ye look much better this morning,” Annie greeted. “Did ye sleep well?”
“For part of the night,” Elizabeth answered as she placed her hand on Jonathan’s forehead. “What’s the matter?” Her eyes darted from Jonathan to Annie. “Is he worse?”
“Dinna ye be a-frettin’. The lad’s had a bad injury and this fever is his body’s way of fightin’. ’Twill take time.” Annie patted Elizabeth’s hand. “I’ll pull him through this just like I always have with ye and Adam, and then ye’ll be havin’ plenty of time to be nursin’ him back to health.”
Two weeks passed slowly. Jonathan refused company, preferring to be alone. Elizabeth wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to help, to do something. Anything. A few days later when she tried to see him, Annie met her at the door.
“I must see Jonathan,” Elizabeth insisted.
“I’m sorry, lass, but he doesn’t want to see anyone,” Annie said gently. She took Elizabeth by the elbow and steered her away from the door. She leaned over and whispered, “Just give him some time.”
“Are you sure I shouldn’t stay with him?” Elizabeth asked. “I feel so helpless.”
“What ye can do is help Jewel. This will be her first day out of bed, and she mustn’t overdo. Ye know how bullheaded she can be. That’s one young lady that doesn’t know the meaning of the word no.”
“Where is Adam?”
“He and Derek have gone to the docks. Something about the sails being replaced on the Windjammer. ”
Elizabeth sighed, hating to leave Jonathan, but realizing that Annie had everything under control. “Promise me you’ll call if he changes his mind.”
“Ye know I will. Now shoo,” Annie said, motioning with her hand as if she were waving away flies.
Reluctantly, Elizabeth left, then proceeded down the hall to Adam’s room. She’d been so wrapped up in Jonathan, she’d ignored her sister-in-law. But on the other hand, she knew Jewel needed the time to rest and recover. Elizabeth knocked softly on the door.
“Come in,” Jewel called.
Elizabeth saw her sister-in-law across the room as Jewel turned away from the window. Jewel’s long black hair swung freely about her shoulders, and her rose-colored gown brought a soft glow to her face. The gown completely covered the bandage, and she didn’t look hurt at all.
“Jewel.” Elizabeth moved swiftly and embraced her, but drew back when Jewel winced. “I’m so sorry, but you look so well it’s easy to forget about your wound.” She held Jewel at arm’s length. “Are you in much pain?”
“Yes.” Jewel took a deep breath and adjusted her smile. “But I will live.”
They looked at each other for a moment before they both laughed. “It’s so good to see you. I had my doubts the last time we parted that I’d ever see you again,” Elizabeth admitted.
Amusement flickered in Jewel’s eyes. “That thought ran through my mind as well.” She looped her arm through Elizabeth’s.
“I don’t want to talk about those dreadful times.
Let’s walk outside. I’ve been cooped up here much too long.
I need fresh air even if it is cool. How do cafe au lait and beignets in the gazebo sound? ”
“Excellent.”
“Good. I’ve made arrangements to have them sent out for us.”
The day was crisp, so they had to bundle up in their long cloaks.
The sun had risen high in a bright blue sky, but did nothing to warm them.
They were quiet for a while, each lost in thought as they walked through the garden, which looked bare now, but in the spring there would be lilacs, purple Japanese maples, magnolia, and jonquils.
The air would be filled with the fragrance of honeysuckle.
The birds even seemed silent today as if they sensed the two women needed some time alone.
Jewel thought back, remembering how scared she had been when she found out Captain Lee had kidnapped Elizabeth....
Elizabeth had promised Jewel that she wouldn’t ride far. When the sky had grown dark and Elizabeth hadn’t returned, Jewel had paced the floor, reprimanding herself for not accompanying her sister-in-law.
That’s when a noise in the distance had stopped her. She listened. The sound of a horse galloping out front got her attention. Thank goodness, Elizabeth had returned.
Jewel had run to the front door and pulled it open. Her smile faded instantly. It wasn’t Elizabeth, but a young boy with a package in his hand.
“I have a package for Mrs. Trent.”
“I am Mrs. Trent.” Something was wrong. She felt it. Her hands shook as she took the package. Looking up, she found the boy was still waiting. “Is there something else?” she asked before reading the attached note.
“I was instructed to wait for a reply, ma’am.”
“A reply?” Jewel gave him a blank look. “A reply?” she questioned again.
Who in the world was the message from? She wasted little time reading the note.
Instead she tore open the package. “No!” She shook her head.
This just couldn’t be possible. It must be a nightmare. The color drained from her face.
The innocent boy reached out and touched her arm. “You all right ma’am?”
“Y-yes,” Jewel stammered, trying to gather her thoughts. “If you’ll come in and wait I will pen my reply.”
Captain Lee had Elizabeth in his possession. So that Jewel would not think he was making idle threats, he had sent a small token—Elizabeth’s chemise. The pink “E” embroidered on the front let Jewel know that it was indeed Elizabeth’s.
Captain Lee had come back to haunt Jewel. She prayed Lee wouldn’t harm Elizabeth, even though he had threatened to in the letter. Then it dawned on Jewel: Lee wouldn’t hurt Elizabeth; she was the one Lee wanted ... because only she could take him to the treasure.
So Jewel had traded places to free Elizabeth.
Jewel felt someone squeeze her arm and she turned, trying to focus on the present “Did you say something?”
“You must have been deep in thought,” Elizabeth commented with a half-smile.
“I said, was it bad?” She repeated the question as they strolled toward the gazebo.
She couldn’t help feeling responsible for Jewel’s injury.
If she hadn’t wandered away from Four Oaks and gotten herself kidnapped, things might have been different.
“It was a nightmare, but at least Captain Lee is dead. He’ll not bother either of us again!” Jewel’s curt voice lashed out before she caught herself and turned to her friend, placing her hand on Elizabeth’s arm. “How are you doing?”
Elizabeth blushed. “You know, don’t you?”
Jewel nodded. “It was the first thing Lee boasted about. I would have killed him myself if I’d had a weapon.” Her lips thinned with anger. “I’m so sorry you suffered because of me,” she said in a low voice taut with anger.
“It was my own stupid fault for riding too far from Four Oaks. You warned me, but I wouldn’t listen. However, I didn’t deserve that kind of punishment,” Elizabeth said as they walked along. “I’m not sorry Lee’s dead.”
“I agree. But you still haven’t answered me,” Jewel reminded Elizabeth in a quiet voice. “Are you all right?”
Elizabeth stared at her feet. A tumble of confused thoughts and feelings assailed her, but her pride concealed her inner turmoil. “I’ll be fine. If only I could make the nightmares go away, then I’d be free.”
“This, too, will pass in time,” Jewel said softly. “Trust me.” She drew a long breath and changed the subject. “I’m worried about Jonathan—he’s refusing to see anyone.”
“How well I know.” Elizabeth frowned. “It hurt at first, but then I decided he needed time. The question is, how much time?”
Jewel poured the cream-rich coffee into fine china cups. “I don’t know that I’m the one who can give you that advice, but don’t let Jonathan withdraw into himself. He has such inner strength and has helped me so much with Adam. I owe him a lot.”
Elizabeth took a beignet and placed it on her plate. “What should I do?” she asked, brushing powdered sugar off her fingers.
“Adam said the people of New Orleans were giving a victory celebration for General Jackson and we are all invited. It would be the perfect time to get Jonathan out of the house.”
“First we have to get him out of his bedroom.” Elizabeth laughed bitterly.
“You can do it,” Jewel encouraged and patted her friend on the hand.
“But how?”
“Demand that he talk to you now,” Jewel said as she leaned back against the blue cushions.
Elizabeth thought about Jewel’s suggestion as she sipped her coffee. “You’re absolutely right. Jonathan has felt sorry for himself much too long.
He’s going to get out of that bed if I have to drag him!”
Elizabeth smiled and took a bite of the sugary treat.
She was through being nice.