Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Minnie didn’t realize how hard she was gripping Tommy’s hand until she noticed his wince, one that had nothing to do with the rough bench beneath them, nor the rather abrupt stop of the train as it pulled into the station.
This was it. They were coming home.
“It will be all right,” Tommy said, reading her nervousness. “There’s nothing anyone can do to us now.”
Perhaps not. But that didn’t mean she was looking forward to the confrontation that was sure to come.
As Tommy helped her down the steps from the train, she noted the glint from the sun on his band of metal that matched hers.
How could it be that she could hardly know the man, and yet still be so intricately bound to him for life?
“What do we do when we see him?”
“Who?” he said, returning his gaze to her. “Your father?”
“Yes.”
“I suppose we introduce me as your new husband,” he said with that rakish grin that never failed to tug at her heart — and a few other places that she probably shouldn’t mention.
She nodded mutely, even though she already knew just how that confrontation would go.
She couldn’t avoid it forever, although hopefully it would come sometime in the future, after she’d had time to get used to being Tommy’s wife.
She felt guilty for falling asleep last night before he returned to the room, but perhaps it had been for the best, as she had no idea what she would have done had Tommy crawled into bed beside her and they both had been awake.
And then this morning… she prayed that he hadn’t realized what she had done, although she had a feeling that he hadn’t been as fast asleep as he had pretended to be.
It was more than embarrassing, even though he had been a gentleman about it.
She had become a wanton, her hands roaming all over him.
Yes, he was her husband, but what would he think of her now?
He likely wondered just who he had married.
At the time, she had thought she was dreaming, but apparently her dream had become reality.
It must have been after all that had occurred during the day. She had been overcome, that was it. She would be sure it didn’t happen again.
All she needed was a few more days to settle in and then—
“Get your hands off my daughter!”
As Minnie whirled around, Tommy released her hand, but it was only to wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her in close to his body, shielding her from the storm that was her father. She could admit that she enjoyed a man protecting her as he was. And not just any man. Tommy.
Her father was stalking across the train platform toward them, mustache twitching, arms pumping, legs firing as he stomped toward them, his face red as he held a finger out toward them, uncaring of the commotion he was creating.
“Minnie Draper, step away from that man!” he shouted, causing quite a few startled gazes from passersby.
“Minnie Ward now, actually, sir,” Tommy said, holding Minnie even closer as he stepped forward slightly in front of her, enough to cause Minnie’s father’s frown to deepen.
“Pardon me?” he stormed out.
“Father,” Minnie said, not wanting to play the damsel in distress any longer and attempting to lessen his anger, “this is my husband. Tommy Ward.”
“Oh, I know just who you are, Tommy Ward,” he said, leaning in. “Learned all I could when my men discovered you were seen fleeing with my daughter. Heard much about you, and from what I’ve learned, I don’t want you to have anything to do with her.”
“Father!” Minnie interjected, but he was having none of it.
“A blacksmith,” he said in disgust. “A good-for-nothing football player. What were you thinking, Minnie?”
“I was thinking,” she said slowly, evenly, “that Tommy has and will treat me far better than any man you would sell me off to. With him, I know I have a husband who is kind, compassionate, and will look out for my best interests, regardless of what it means for his own. That he is a man I can trust, unlike most others in my life.”
She had taken slow, steady steps as she spoke, until she was standing just before her father.
“Can you say you have done any of that for me? Have you arranged any of that for me? No. I didn’t think so.”
“You will not speak to me like that!” he said, fisting his hands at his side.
“You do not have any say over me anymore,” Minnie said, crossing her arms over her chest as her father sputtered.
“I will have this marriage annulled!” he said, thrusting a finger in the air. “What is it? A Scottish handfasting? There is no way it can be legal. You were gone less than two days, and I can hardly see you obtaining a license.”
“It is very legal, sir,” Tommy said, far more politely than Minnie had. “I have the certificate right here.”
He held it up but out of Mr. Draper’s reach, as though he knew it would be in jeopardy if he brought it any closer.
“Besides,” Minnie said with a forced yet smug smile, “no one else would ever marry me now.”
“You don’t know that. We can cover this up. Pretend it never happened.”
She shrugged. “Is it worth risking?”
“Do you know,” her father said, leaning in, finally lowering his voice, although the ire remained, “what this is going to cost me?”
“Yes, I am more than aware just what I am worth to you,” Minnie said. “Fortunately, I am worth much more than money to my husband.”
“Good,” her father raged. “Because you are getting nothing from me. Not one pence!”
“I cannot believe I ever thought that you cared for me,” Minnie said, blinking away the tears in her eyes. “Did I really mean so little to you?”
Mr. Draper shifted back and forth before he answered, some hesitancy glinting in his eyes. Perhaps at one point, he had cared. But that had fled along with his desperation to save his business. Save himself.
“I will make you pay,” he said, pointing to them. “Both of you. I have the authorities out looking for you. Now I know where to send them. Tell your employer that he should be waiting for a visit, Ward.”
With that, he stomped off, his hands in fists beside him, whistling for his carriage to come fetch him.
“Think he’ll give us a ride?” Tommy said in her ear, and when Minnie glared at him, he sobered.
“Sorry, luv. Too soon.”
Minnie instantly let her ire fall, knowing that she was directing it at the wrong man. “I’m sorry, Tommy,” she said. “And I’m sorry that he confronted you like that. It isn’t right. Especially if he tries to hurt you in any way. Then it will be all my fault, and I—”
“We are facing this together, remember?” he said sternly. “Now, are you ready to go home?”
Home. With Tommy.
“Ready,” she said, forcing a smile on her face. She was. She couldn’t wait to start this new life together.
Small as his home might be, it would be theirs.
No matter what.
“This is… cozy,” Minnie said as she looked around the room with what he was sure was supposed to be disguised horror.
“It’s home… for now,” Tommy said, standing at the doorway with his hands in his pockets. He wished he’d had more time to prepare, and he could only imagine what she was thinking.
The house she had run away from was one of the grandest houses in Manchester.
This was… well, it was a room.
“Once my apprenticeship is finished and I take over the shop and hire my own apprentice, we will find something better,” he promised. “A house, perhaps. It still won’t be what you’re used to, but it will be better than this.”
She turned to him, her features now settled into a small smile, even if her eyes showed her hesitancy.
“It’s comfortable and it’s safe, Tommy. That’s what matters to me most.”
He nodded, even as he continued to look at the room through her eyes.
In front of the hearth sat his one chair, which had seen better days, as the cushions were worn through and the wood chipped.
He had a small cookstove in the corner, but he ate most of his meals out.
Tucked into the other corner was his bed, just big enough for him, with an armoire to the side to hold his few changes of clothing, a small tub and washbasin, and in the middle sat a round, chipped table with two chairs.
That was it.
“Where are, um…” Minnie began, twisting her hands together. “The facilities?”
“Oh, the outhouse? It’s ’round back. You just have to go down these stairs, which are separate from the shop.”
Her mouth dropped, then closed, then opened again as though she was about to say something, and he worried she was about to run right out of the building and back to the marriage her father would have sold her into.
“All right,” she finally squeaked out.
“I’ll talk to the blacksmith tomorrow,” he finally settled on. “See what can be done.”
“No, no, Tommy, it’s fine,” she said quickly. “There will be furor enough already if my father attempts to say anything. Let’s leave it be for now.”
“But—”
What was he supposed to say? He could see that this would make her miserable. He knew she would never be happy living in a space like this with him, even though she would never want that put out into the open like that.
“Are you all right after the confrontation with your father?” he settled on instead.
“Yes,” she said, her shoulders dropping. “I keep wondering just how it came to this. How desperate he was. The lengths he was willing to go to in order to keep his name and reputation intact. There must be more to it.”
“I’ll see what I can find out.”
“No, Tommy, I do not want you to put yourself in danger.”
He shrugged. “I’m at the docks often enough that I can overhear things without being too obvious. This Blackwood is involved in one way or another.”
She nodded, although she seemed tired, as though all that had happened was finally settling in, weighing on her shoulders.
“When do you play next?” she asked.
“Tomorrow morning,” he said, brightening at the thought.
“I’ll be there,” she said.
“I cannot wait.” He grinned before sobering. “I should tell you that I did come to a decision. I’m not going to take the bribe. At least, not yet.”
First, he would talk to his employer. See if he could find a way around this without sacrificing his integrity.
Her expression softened, and as much as she had said she understood whatever he chose, he could tell that she approved of his decision, which meant more to him than he would ever have guessed.
“Good for you, Tommy,” she said, looking down for a moment. “I was thinking I should find work as well. I just… I don’t know what I should do. I have no significant skills.”
“Not to worry, Min, I’ve got this,” he said with more confidence than he actually felt. “I’ll take care of you. I promise. Now, I have to go finish the day in the shop and explain everything that’s happened to Jack. Are you all right up here?”
He saw the momentary panic in her eyes, but she quickly subdued it. It killed him, knowing he would be leaving her here alone, but he didn’t have much of a choice.
“I’m fine, Tommy,” she said softly. “I’ll see you soon.”