Destiny's Embrace (21 page)
“I’ll be sure to let her know.”
She opened her arms and he stepped into the hug without shame. They embraced fiercely with a love for each other that had begun when he was six years old and she fifteen.
She whispered, “Since the day we met, you’ve always had a special place in my heart. Thank you for making me so happy, not just today but all these years. May God continue to bless you, my eldest.”
“I love you, too, Alanza.”
When they parted she wiped her tears. “Oh my. My heart is so full.”
“So’s mine. I’ll head home now. Going to see if I can’t convince Mariah to go to Sacramento in the morning, so we can get a few more things for the house. Do you want us to bring you anything back?”
“No. Your news has given me all I need.”
“Good. See you when we return on Tuesday.”
“Travel safe.”
Outside, he mounted Diablo, and as he turned the stallion’s head toward home, he heard Alanza back in the barn scream out happily, “Yes!”
When he entered the house the place was dark. It wasn’t very late but he assumed Mariah was in bed asleep. He saw a faint light beneath the door to his bedroom. Easing the door open as soundlessly as he could so as not to disturb her, he entered and stopped at the sight of her in the tub.
“Good evening, Logan.”
His manhood instantly returned her greeting in its own lusty way. “Evening.”
“I think I’m in love with this tub.”
“I think I’m in love with the sight of you in that tub.”
“Care to join me?”
He was already undressing. While his eyes slid ardently over her dewy body and the way it glowed in the turned-down lamp, he wondered how he might convince her to greet him this way on a regular basis, but once he joined her and the kissing began, all his questions were forgotten.
L
ogan didn’t have to do much convincing to get Mariah to agree to a trip to Sacramento, so early Monday morning, they set out.
When they arrived, although the city was smaller than Philadelphia, Mariah enjoyed the many buildings and the traffic and the semi-crowded streets because in a way it reminded her of home. They spent the afternoon looking at furnishings and each purchase was loaded into the back of the wagon. When Mariah was first hired as the housekeeper, she’d resigned herself to furnishing his home for whomever he might marry in the future, but now that the future had come and he was marrying her, the choices would be for her home.
He spared no expense, which caused a few quiet arguments due to her efforts to be frugal, but he was having none of it.
“We can afford it,
querida,
so just buy the damn dining table, please.”
She bought the dining table. And the matching chairs.
By the end of the day, the wagon was loaded down with her beautiful dining table and chairs, a couple of arm chairs, a curio cabinet, tableware and glasses made of fine crystal.
They spent the night at a small boardinghouse, and in the morning, the shopping resumed.
“Now, we shop for you,” he told her.
She started to balk but the look on his face made her close her mouth and walk beside him quietly. He escorted her down the crowded walks to a shop he’d obviously patronized before, because the proprietor, a short, plump, older woman who appeared to be of Spanish ancestry greeted him enthusiastically. “Logan! How are you?”
“I’m well, Celestine. I want you to meet Mariah Cooper. She’s from Philadelphia.”
“Oh, she’s so beautiful. Look at those eyes. Welcome to Sacramento, Mariah.”
“Thank you.” Mariah took a quick look around the shop and saw dresses and hats and other finely made female attire.
“Mariah and I will be marrying in October, so she needs nightwear and a few other things.”
Mariah’s eyes widened.
Nightwear!
She was more than a bit embarrassed by his request. Men didn’t shop for nightwear for their wives, did they? “Logan, I—”
His eyes gave her that amused look again, so rather than argue in front of the beaming Celestine, she let him have his way.
“Such a lucky lady,” Celestine told her. “Let me show you what I have.”
The nightgowns brought out for her to inspect were thin gossamer pieces of confection that would never keep her warm on a cool California night, but it occurred to her that warmth wasn’t the objective. Seduction was. Each beautiful piece was designed to entice and tempt the eye.
Logan asked, “Do you want to choose the ones you like?”
Mariah was speechless for a moment.
“Then I will.”
While she looked on, he chose so many she wanted to protest wasting so much money on such frivolity, but remembering Alanza’s words, she again kept quiet.
By the time he was done, she had more gowns than there were stars in the sky, and Celestine totaled up the bill with a smile.
“Is there anything else you want?” he asked.
She couldn’t imagine she did, but walking around the shop, she saw bath salts. She picked up a small tin that held a lavender-scented variety and added it to the purchases.
The seamstress in her was impressed by the dresses on display. “Celestine, do you do your own sewing?”
“No. I buy them ready-made from a woman in San Francisco. I just wish she were closer, so that my customers wouldn’t have to wait so long for their dresses to arrive.”
Mariah shared a look with Logan before asking, “Would you be willing to look at some of my sketches?”
“You sew?”
“Yes. In fact, what I’m wearing I sketched and made myself.”
Celestine evaluated her gray suit and hat and appeared impressed. “If your other sketches are all as beautiful as the costume you have on, I know a number of seamstresses who’d pay a good price for your creations.”
They spent a few moments discussing the ins and outs, and Mariah agreed to return in a week or so to show her some of her work.
With that decided, Logan turned over the money for their purchases. Offering their good-byes, they left the shop.
“Now, one last stop and we can head home.”
The stop turned out to be one of the city’s finest jewelry establishments. Mariah stared up at him. “Who are you buying something for from here?”
“Diablo.”
“Diablo?”
He shook his head as if she didn’t have a lick of sense and opened the door so she could enter ahead of him. Inside, the shop’s quiet atmosphere seemed to make all the beautiful gems on display and in the cases even more stunning. She saw emerald necklaces, diamond bracelets and lots and lots of pieces made of gold.
The salesman approached. “May I help you folks?”
“Looking for some things for my wife.”
The man nodded a greeting to Mariah before resettling his attention on Logan. “What do you have in mind?”
“She’ll need something for everyday. How about a solitaire on a chain?”
“We have an excellent variety.”
“Earbobs, a few necklaces for special occasions. A bracelet or two, and oh, a wedding ring.”
Mariah almost fell on the floor.
Logan told her, “Take a look around,
querida.
If you see something you like, let me know.”
Look around!
Mariah couldn’t even move. While the salesman went to get his keys to the glass cases, she confessed, “Logan, I don’t know the first thing about jewelry.”
“Then let’s look together, and no fussing about prices, okay?”
She nodded.
So for the next hour, a very stunned Mariah watched as the man she’d agreed to marry showered her with so much beauty that when she left the store carrying the bag of boxed jewels, tears were streaming down her face.
“What’s the matter?” he asked softly. “And please don’t ask me if I can afford it.”
She shook her head. “It’s not that. You are so incredibly kind to me.”
He smiled. “Jewels for my jewel.”
“But?”
“But, what? You are my love and my life, Mariah Cooper. And because you are, I’d give you the moon should you ask for it. I’m going to spoil you for the rest of your days, so get used to it.”
Then she really started to cry. She dug a handkerchief out of her handbag.
An elegantly dressed woman passing by them on the walk stopped and peered into Mariah’s face. “Are you all right, miss?”
“I am. Thank you.”
“Saw your tears.”
“They’re happy tears. This is my intended and he’s so wonderful.”
The woman smiled kindly, and upon giving Logan a quick once-over, said, “Honey, if he was my man, I’d be crying tears of joy, too.”
With a nod, she moved on, and a happy Mariah hooked her arm into Logan’s so they could walk to their loaded-down wagon to start the long journey home.
A
lanza was in her sitting room reading the newspaper when Bonnie entered. “You have visitors, senora.”
“Who is it?”
“The woman claims to be Mariah’s mother.”
Alanza was speechless for a moment. “Really.”
“There’s a younger man with her—a Tillman Porter.”
“Is he kin, too?”
“I don’t know. I left them at the door. Shall I show them into the parlor?”
“Yes, and I’ll be right down.”
Alanza wondered if Mariah knew her mother would be coming. Heading for the stairs, she hoped the woman had come seeking reconciliation, because if not, she and her companion would be back on the train before nightfall.
When she entered the parlor, a storklike woman was standing in the center of the room looking impatient and the man was staring at the vase he had in his hand.
“Sir, that vase has been in my family for generations. If you drop it, I hope you have the necessary funds to replace it.”
He jumped. Seeing the cool anger on her face he quickly but carefully set it back on the shelf.
The stork looked her up and down and asked skeptically, “Who are you?”
“Alanza Maria Vallejo Yates, the owner of this house. Who are you?”
Once again Alanza was given a slow once-over. “I’m Bernice Cooper.”
Alanza settled her attention back on the now very uncomfortable-looking man. “And you?”
“Um. Tillman Porter.”
“Why are you here?”
Bernice answered. “To get my daughter Mariah and take her back to Philadelphia, where she belongs.”
Tillman asked almost apologetically, “Do you know where she might be?”
“Sacramento.”
“I was told she lived here,” Bernice countered coolly.
“She does, but she’s away on a shopping trip.”
“When’s she coming back?”
“Sometime today.”
“Then we’ll wait.”
“Be my guest.”
An hour later, Alanza eyed the two visitors with a barely veiled dislike. As far as she was concerned, she’d had to endure their presence in her home an hour too long. Knowing what she did of Mariah’s pain-filled relationship with her mother, it took all Alanza had not to grab a shotgun and chase them both away. As it stood, she’d had very little to say.
But, because Alanza had been raised by a gracious mother, she’d had Bonnie bring out tea and a tray of macaroons.
“You have servants?” Tillman asked.
“Yes. I’ve had them most of my life.”
Bernice glanced around at all the fine furniture and paintings. “And you own all this?”
Alanza sipped her tea. “I do.”
“And you own this ranch?”
“Along with my sons, yes.”
“And our Mariah works for one of your sons?” Tillman asked.
“That was the original arrangement.”
“So what’s changed?” Bernice asked.
“They’re going to be married.”
Bernice’s eyes widened. “Since when?”
“I’m sure Mariah will explain when she returns.” And Alanza hoped it would be soon, otherwise Logan might be forced to scour the bordellos of Yerba Buena in order to find Andrew so she could be bailed out of jail.
Mariah and Logan arrived home tired from the long ride. All she wanted was a bath and maybe a short nap. The day had been one of the happiest in her life. “Thank you again for all the lovely gifts.”
“You’re welcome.”
They left the wagon parked out front and wearily climbed the two steps to the porch. There was a note stuck in the screen door. Logan took it out and read it.
By the look on his face, Mariah knew something was wrong. “What’s the matter?”
He passed it to her and when she was done with the reading, her features matched his. “I suppose I have to go and see them.”
“But not alone.”
She was grateful for his support. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t take them more than a few minutes to grasp the meaning of the word
no
.”
Sighing, she joined him on the wagon seat for the drive to Alanza’s.
Bonnie ushered them into the parlor, where the closed-faced Alanza sat on a chair facing Bernice and Tillman seated on the beautifully embroidered settee.
“It’s about time,” Bernice snapped.
Mariah saw Alanza’s dark eyes flash angrily before she asked, “How was the trip?”
“Very pleasing,” Mariah replied.
She turned to the unwanted visitors. “Hello, Mother. Tillman.”
Tillman smiled widely in response and rose as if to approach her, but he must’ve seen something in Logan’s stormy face because he stopped and sat down again.
Logan took the opportunity to walk over and place a kiss on his mother’s cheek but there was no welcome in his eyes for the people on the settee.
Mariah made the introductions. “Logan Yates, this is my mother, Bernice Cooper, and Tillman Porter.”
He offered a nod, nothing more.
“You the one she’s supposed to be marrying?” Bernice asked while looking him up and down in the same way she’d done Alanza earlier.
“Will be marrying. There’s no ‘supposed to be’ involved.”
“Pretty uppity.”
“Thank you.”
Mariah saw Tillman viewing Logan with what appeared to be nervous fear. “Tillman, I received your letter, but sadly, you’ve come all this way for nothing. I won’t be returning to Philadelphia.”
Bernice countered, “Yes, you will. Get your things so we can leave.”
“Did you not hear me?” she asked coldly. “I won’t be returning.” Mariah looked over at Tillman. “And how dare you lie to my aunt about your intentions so she’d send me your letter. After the way your mother treated me, you must be addled to believe I’d go back and help make her anything, least of all a gown for your wedding.”
He looked down at his shoes.
“So both of you, get your things and go.”
Bernice stood. “Do you remember what happened the last time you smart-mouthed me?”
“I do. You slapped me and knocked me down, but it won’t happen again, believe me.”
“Get your trunks!” Bernice demanded.
Mariah kept her voice evenly toned. “Mother, you may rant and rave all you like, but I won’t be going. This is my home now, and these people are my family.”
“What do you know about them? A bunch of foreigners, the lot of them. You been here less than two weeks.”
“And I’ve been given more love in these two weeks than I received in the thirty years I lived with you.”
Bernice crossed the room with fury in her eyes. She raised her hand and Mariah snatched her arm and held. “As I said, you will never strike me again.”
Bernice was taller and weighed more, but Mariah was angrier and that anger gave her strength. She leaned in to her mother’s face. “For the last time. Go home!”
And she tossed her free.
Bernice looked at Mariah as if she’d never seen her before. “I’m your mother! You will obey me!”
“Or what? You’ll make me get the strap, or send me to bed with no supper?” You may be my mother, but I’ve seen dogs treat their puppies better than you treated me.”
She slapped her.
Mariah slapped her back.
Bernice’s eyes went wide as the moon.
Logan was across the room in a flash. Mariah stopped him. “It’s okay. She’s leaving, aren’t you, Mother?”
Apparently, Bernice finally grasped the meaning of the word
no
. She eyed Mariah malevolently for a long moment, then snapped at Tillman. “Let’s go.”