Riverbreeze: Part 2 (59 page)

Evelyn then quickly exited the room, leaving them alone.

Slowly he turned his head to see his wife standing in the doorway, staring at a spot on the wall off to the side of him. He had hoped that maybe she would have left with Evelyn, but no such luck.

He didn’t know what to say. What could he say? He was guilty; caught in the act, although it had been an honest mistake. Maybe she would understand that and forgive him.

Elizabeth remained in the doorway, surprisingly calm. But he deduced it was a good act on her part. Underneath that undisturbed façade, there was a woman about to break down and she had good reason.

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth.” He said earnestly. “I’m truly sorry.”

She nodded jerkily, not making a sound, still holding herself together. She wouldn’t look at him and Robert didn’t blame her either.

“I have no excuse…” He said, sitting up, but the movement sent a sharp pain through his side. He let out a cry, grabbed his side and fell back onto the bed. He lay there trying not to move, his panting breathes hissing through his teeth.

Elizabeth rushed to his side.

“What did you do?” She finally spoke, but she still wouldn’t look at his face.

“I think I tore my stitches.” He said, pressing his hand over his wound.

“You deserve every torn stitch. What were you thinking?” She demanded. “Take off your shirt.” She ordered.

He laughed then, but it was a short laugh because the movement sent more sharp pains through his side. He gripped his side, his fingers turning white. “Now she wants me to take off my shirt.” He said under his breath.

The joke fell flat. She slapped his arm. “That’s not what I meant, you fool! Sit up if you can and I’ll help you take off your shirt. You’re probably bleeding and I do not want blood all over the linens.”

“Yes, sweetard.” He said docilely, wiping the smile off his face.

He slowly raised his arms, trying not to stretch the skin over his ribs too much and she pulled his shirt off over his head.

His bandage was stained with fresh blood.

“Look what you’ve done!” She scolded him, her eyes directed at the bandages. She lost all her composure as she berated him. “You are the biggest fool; the most reckless, the most foolhardy man I have ever known. I’m going to have to rewrap you with fresh bandages now.”

She started to step away, presumably to get more linen from the chest, but Robert caught her hand. “Elizabeth!” He tugged on her hand, trying to make her look at him; all this time she had been avoiding his gaze. “Forget about my wound for the moment. Aren’t you angry at me for what I’ve done? I almost made love to your sister!”

She finally looked at him. Her eyes were filled with tears and one escaped to roll down her cheek. Very softly, in a voice that quivered, she said, “Do you know what it is like to never be recognized as yourself? Do you know what it is like to always be questioned…?” She altered her voice to sound like someone else. “Are you Elizabeth or are you Evelyn? Which one are you? I can never tell you two apart!” Her voice was her own when she ended, “I do not blame you, Robert…”

His mouth dropped open. “What!”

“Honestly, I do not.”

“But…” He started to protest. He couldn’t understand how she could be so forgiving. He felt awful. He was just as bad as all those other people questioning her.

She put her fingers on his lips. “Let me change these bandages. We’ll have to leave the wound as it is. I daresay Evelyn won’t want to sew you back up again and I believe she’s the only one who might be able to do it.” She said, wiping the tears from her face. She was all business again and he didn’t know how she could ignore what he had just done.

“No, she probably won’t.” He said, very softly, watching her concernedly, as she went to the other side of the room where the chest was. As she opened the lid and looked through the contents, he asked, “Where were you this morning?”

“I was with Abby and Robin down by the river.” She answered without looking up. “We took a break from the laundry. We found some lovely little shells.” She turned back to him, holding up a sheet. “Is it all right to tear this one up?”

“That’s fine.” He said. Then he added, smiling to himself, “Robin enjoyed that, didn’t he? He loves collecting shells and all sorts of little pebbles and bits of debris.”

She smiled also. “Yes, he’s with Abby now going over all his new treasures.” Instead of returning to Robert which he expected her to do, she closed the chest and placed the sheet on the top, then she went to her trunk and rummaged around for something. He wondered what she was looking for, but he remained silent.

“You know my own
papa
couldn’t tell Evelyn and me apart.” She said conversationally. “Do you see these ribbons?” She held up two pastel pink ribbons for him to see.

“Yes.” He answered, shocked by her revelation. He also felt extremely sorry for her although he was certain she didn’t want his pity just like he hadn’t wanted her pity when he had told her about him being beaten by his older half-brother. But what must it have been like for her to grow up with a father who couldn’t even distinguish between his own twin daughters?

“From now on I will always wear one, either in my hair, or tied into a bow and pinned to my collar, or fashioned into a rose and pinned at my waist, or tied around my wrist…”

Now he finally understood. “You shouldn’t have to do that!”

“You’re right; I shouldn’t, but every day of my entire life, from the time I was only an hour old, I’ve been wearing one of these pink ribbons somewhere on my person. It was how my
papa
and the servants and perhaps even my governess knew it was me—I got to wear the ribbon because I was the first born.” She untied her hair, took the pink ribbon and put it with the yellow one she was wearing and retied her hair with both.

“I know not what to say.” Robert stuttered.

“You need not say anything.” Then she smiled in fond remembrance. “Evelyn became quite jealous of me, you know. She wanted to know why I always got to wear the pretty pink ribbons. Of course
Papa
got her all sorts of ribbons in every other color of the rainbow, beautiful buttercup yellow, peacock blue, emerald green, lilac and rose pink, not pastel pink, but a shocking, bright rose pink. But she was never satisfied; and I was angry that I couldn’t wear her ribbons…” She laughed a little to herself. “We were quite the spoiled children, but then we grew up and came to understand the need. We learned to live with it.” She shrugged her shoulders and picked up the sheet. She wasn’t finished speaking though. “I am the fool, Robert.” She said, returning to his side. “I should have never stopped wearing the ribbon, and I should have never suggested that first day we met that we test your powers of observation. That was foolish… and rude of me.”

He remembered that conversation and how she had said that she and Evelyn should wear the same color gowns to test his powers of observation, and like a fool, he had said he would love the opportunity. Well, he got that opportunity and had failed miserably. “Was this the test?” He asked, frowning. “Evelyn is wearing your blue skirt and bodice.”

“No, it wasn’t the test. We never thought about it. We share clothes sometimes and didn’t think. I’m sorry, Robert. This would not have happened if I had been more careful.”

“Ah, Lily, it shouldn’t have happened anyway. I do apologize again.”

“I had hoped…” She stopped short suddenly, then lowered her gaze. “I guess I should have never hoped.” She said in a very low voice.

But he heard her and what she said made him angry. “Damn it, Elizabeth! Yes, you should have hoped. I’m your husband…”

“Of only two weeks!”

“That doesn’t matter. I should have paid attention; I should have seen; I should know you by now!”

“My father never knew me and he had seventeen years to observe me and Evelyn!” She shouted. She spun away from him, hugging the sheet to her bosom. She stood like that for several moments, trying not to cry.

Robert was stunned by her outburst. He had never heard her talk like that about her father and he had never seen her so upset. He thought her father had adored her and she him. Obviously she felt some resentment towards her father that he didn’t know about. And if he thought about it further, she had probably felt abandoned when her father had committed suicide and that alone would have caused feelings of resentment and betrayal.

Her delicate shoulders shook with her silent sobs and he wanted to go to her, to enfold her in his arms, to pull her against his body and offer her comfort, but he was bleeding and he didn’t want to ruin her clothing with his bloodied bandage. So he remained where he sat and softly called to her.

“Lily, come here and sit beside me…but only if you want to.” He added, leaving it up to her.

She took a shaky breath, calming herself. “I do want to.” She said in a small voice, turning back to him.

“Come.” He held out his hand, his voice gentle and consoling. He waited patiently while she decided

Wiping her nose on the sheet in an unladylike manner, she returned to Robert’s side and climbed onto the bed.

She settled next to him and he put his arm around her, pulling her close. He nuzzled her hair and smelled the sweet scents of almond and apricot. “I am such an ass.” He said.

That brought a small smile to her face. “Well, to some extent I agree with you…” He smiled at that. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and he liked that about her. Actually he almost wished she had been the one to call him an ass.

“…but what brought you to that conclusion?”

“You smell like almond and Evelyn smelled like lavender. I should have heeded my instincts, but I was too greedy. I was only thinking of myself. I am so sorry, Lily. I swear to you, I will pay more attention and pray that this will never happen again.”

“I do forgive you.” She said, looking directly into his eyes. “And I’ll always wear the pink ribbon, so remember to look for it.” She ended, her voice scolding.

“I will. Thank you for being so understanding.” He hugged her closer to his side. He kissed her temple, the corner of her eye where a residual tear had escaped. “You know…” He said soft and low, cupping her face and gazing into her eyes. “I still want to touch your hair…” And he did so. “…I still want to kiss your lips and your cheeks and your eyelids.” And he did so, very gently. And she allowed him, remaining soft and pliable for him. “I still want to slide my hands down your arms and over your breasts. I want to smell your perfume; I want to feel your warm, soft skin next to mine. And I want to bring you pleasure so that we can make the child you want so much.”

She let out a breathy laugh. “Not now, surely! You’re bleeding.”

“You’re right.” He agreed ruefully. “But later tonight, when Robin in fast asleep and we’re warm and cozy in this bed, I’m going to lie beside you and kiss you all over your body…”

Suddenly, there were loud and angry footsteps coming up the stairs.

“Oh hell.” Robert cursed.

Elizabeth looked at him with wide eyes. “Do you think ‘tis Jamie?”

Robert had just enough time to answer, ‘yes’, when Jamie came storming into the room; Evelyn following behind, panting heavily while trying to keep up.

Jamie headed straight for his brother, his face flushed with anger. Body rigid, his fists were clenched by his sides. He smelled of the outdoors and freshly chopped wood and his hair and clothes were covered in wood chips and shavings. In a very controlled voice he said to Elizabeth, “If you will please leave Robert and me alone.”

Elizabeth looked at Robert, the silent question on her face was should she leave them alone?

Robert nodded, giving her a reassuring look. He didn’t think Jamie would do anything to hurt him.

She got up then, and made her way to her sister who had stayed just inside the door. Together they turned and left the room, but not before Elizabeth took one more worried look at the two brothers.

Jamie glared at his brother. He was breathing like a provoked bull.

“Calm down, Jamie.” Robert said.

“Calm down! Calm down!” Jamie yelled, clenching and unclenching his fists. He jabbed a finger at Robert. “You assault my wife and you have the nerve to tell me to calm down!”

“’Twas a mistake, an honest mistake.”

Obviously Jamie didn’t believe it was an honest mistake. Without warning, he stepped in and punched Robert right in the mouth. “Keep your filthy, lecherous hands off my wife, you hear!” He yelled. “And use your own damn servant to chop your own damn wood. I’m taking Dolnick with me right now to map out a site to build my house.”

He turned on his heel and stalked out.

Robert rubbed his jaw. Jamie had a good arm on him; he had to admit that. And he had to admit that maybe it was time for Jamie to start building his own house. He had thought that they could have waited a few months or at least until spring. He knew the girls didn’t mind living together at all and until now, he hadn’t minded having Jamie and Evelyn living here either, but now…

He sighed, thinking that this was all his fault. So, what else was new?

Chapter Thirty-five: Visitors