The Royal Secret

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After the reception James took her back to the Davis’ to pick up her things. He sat in the sitting room while she went upstairs to get her things. Mark had taken the children and moved in with his brother and Holly. The Davis’ were still at their shops.

He stared around the room. He noticed that the Davis’ kept their house tidy and clean. He also noticed the curtains. He got up and walked over to them. As he looked at the stitches he realized that Scarlet had made them.

He glanced up and saw a painting. It was of a baby. He knew it was the Davis’ one and only child.

“James?” Scarlet asked.

James walked out of the room and to the stairs. She was standing at the top of the stairs. Her satchel was next to on the floor. She had changed into a dark blue dress. Her slightly rounded stomach shown.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “Will you carry my satchel for me?”

“Of course,” he said as he started up the stairs. “Go on down.”

She nodded and hurried down the stairs. He picked up the satchel. It was heavier then he thought. He smiled.

“Come on, James,” she said.

“Right behind you,” he said.

They reached the carriage. He opened the door and set the bag inside. He then helped her in. He was about to get in when he saw a man coming toward them. James saw the gun the man held.

“James?” she asked.

He jumped inside and slammed the door. He rapped quickly on the ceiling. The carriage lurched forward. He then turned to look at her.

“Sit on the floor,” he said.

“What?” she said. “Why?”

“Please, Scarlet,” he said. “Just do as I tell you.”

“All right,” she said, sliding to the floor.

“Stay down,” he said. “I don’t want you hurt.”

“What is it, James?” she asked.

“I’m not sure,” he said. He looked out the window. The man was keeping pace with them and was still holding the gun out. “Damn him!”

James slid down next to her. She looked up at him.

“Say it, James,” she said. “Please.”

“Lemon wedge?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “My stomach is upset and you are scaring-”

The rest of her sentence was cut off by a loud bang from the gun as the man fired. Scarlet screamed as James grabbed her close.

“It is fine,” he told her.

“You all right?” the driver, Henry, asked.

“Fine!” James yelled. “Just keep going!”

“James?” she asked.

“Just stay down,” he said. “Everything will be fine.”

“Who’s trying to kill you?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he said. “But you are in danger now too.”

“But you’ll protect me,” she said. He helped her up onto the seat. “Won’t you?”

He put his arm around her shoulder. He said, “Everyone knows I had problem with Amerna. Everyone knows the reason I married her was because of the baby. I never loved her. But I love you. We could marry next week. With a special license.”

“Do you want to marry me because of the baby?” she asked.

“Partly,” he said. “It would be easier to protect both of you. I love you. I bet you don’t believe that.”

“Are you sure you want to marry me?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “Will you?”

“Yes,” she said. “Next week we will marry.”

“Good,” he said. “And I will try to find out who that man is.”

She nodded.

They were married the next week. She wore a light blue dress. He knew she would have to gain some weight. He wore his black suit. He had had his boots shined to polish. Henry, John and his wife, Merg, were witnesses.

“Thank you, sir,” James told the minister as he left.

“No problem, James,” the man said. “Let me know if there is anything else you need let me know.”

“Of course,” James said.

After the man left, they sat down on the settee. John brought them two plates with cake.

“Merg made you two a wedding cake,” John said as he handed them the plates. “She knows how much Scarlet likes blueberries.”

“Thank you both,” Scarlet said.

“Of course,” John said. He left the room.

Scarlet took a bite of her cake. “This is wonderful,” she told James. “I haven’t had blueberries since before I left here.”

“I want you to gain more weight,” James said.

“What?” she asked.

“Now that we are married you can gain more weight,” he said. “I want to show off you and our baby.”

“Oh,” she said. “You sure?” She took another bite of the cake.

“Yes, Scarlet,” he said. “I’m sure. I want everything to be fine while you are having this baby. Okay?”

“Sure,” she said. “Fine. As long as Merg keeps making food like this.”

He smiled as he said, “Fine. Do you want my cake as well?”

She smiled at him and said, “Sure.” she set her plate on the table and took his. “I’m going to the blacksmith soon and have him make you a wedding ring.”

“Oh,” he said as he stood, “That reminds me. Do not go anywhere.”

“Okay,” she said.

He went up the stairs. She finished the cake as she waited. She then stood and walked around the room. She heard a knock on the front door. She went into the hall as John opened the door.

“Where is James?” Beth Royal asked.

Beth and Smith stood there together.

“In the sitting room, Mrs. Royal,” John said.

“Oh, good,” Beth said “We had hoped he hadn’t left for the shipping yard yet.”

Scarlet hurried back to the sitting room. She looked at the stairs to see James coming back down.

“I found it,” he said. “I forgot that I moved it.”

She met him at the bottom of the stairs. She said, “James, your parents are here.”

“Then I had better make this fast,” he said. He held out a velvet box to her.

“James?” she asked.

“Go on,” he said. “Open it.”

She took the box and opened it. She gasped.

“Where did you get this?” she asked.

“I got it when I was in London,” he said. “It was one of the reasons I went. I was going to ask you to marry you. I just didn’t work out that way.”

“This is so beautiful!” she said. “It is more than beautiful!” She slipped the ring on to the third finger of her left hand. “It fits!”

“Of course,” he said. “I tied a string around your finger. Do you remember?”

“Yes,” she said. “You told me that it was to tie me to your house!”

“It worked,” he said.

“Mister James?” John asked. “Your parents are here to see you.”

“Oh, good,” James said. “Show them in here.”

“I am going to change,” she said.

“Go on,” he said. “Hurry up. I don’t want to be alone for too long with my parents.”

“Of course,” she said.

He watched her go up the stairs.

“James!” Beth said. He turned. “I have some bad news.”

“What is it?” he asked.

“Your mother was looking at that letter from Jerry Freeman,” Smith said.

“He will be here next month,” Beth said.

“What?” he asked. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Beth said.

Both of his parents sat down. He noticed his mother notice the plates.

“Are you celebrating something?” Beth asked.

“Yes,” he said.

Before anyone could say anything more, Scarlet screamed. He ran up the stairs. He opened the door. She was standing on the bed.

“James!” she gasped. “There is a snake by the closet!”

He turned. Sure enough there was a snake.

“Stay there,” he told her. He went to the door and yelled, “Dad, bring up a poker from the fireplace!”

“James,” she said.

“How did it get in here?” he asked.

“The window was open,” she said.

“Here, James,” Smith said. He handed James the poker.

“Thank you,” James said. “Here goes nothing.”

Scarlet watched as he killed the snake.

Smith looked at her. She only wore a chemise and her garters. He saw her rounded stomach.

“It must have been whoever is trying to kill you!” she said.

“Come on,” he said. “Get dressed now.”

“Will you stay with me?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said. He turned to his father. “Go wait with mother. We will be down in a minute.”

“Sure,” Smith said. He went back down stairs.

She jumped off the bed and hugged him.

“I promised to protect you,” he said.

“I was so scared,” she said.

“Come on,” he said. “Get dressed.”

She nodded and hurried to dress. She put on a jade colored dress. It was tucked under her breasts and then fell straight down. Her rounded stomach was visible.

“How’s this?” she asked.

“Prefect,” he said. “Let’s go downstairs.”

He took her hand and they left the room.

“Are you sure?” Beth was saying to Smith.

“Yes,” Smith said.

“Well, maybe you were mistaken,” Beth said.

“No,” Smith said. “I know what I saw! She is having a baby! I want to know whose.”

“Well, I’m sure James will be able to explain,” Beth said.

“Explain what?” James asked.

Both of his parents turned to look up at the stairs as they came down. His mother gasped and then sat down quickly.

“I want you to explain why Scarlet is having a baby,” Smith said. “I want to know who the father is so that she can marry him.”

Scarlet looked at James. She said, “Tell him James. They have the right to know.”

“Dad,” James said, “Please sit. I don’t want either of you to yell.” His father sat. “Well, it started when I went to visit Hunter with the two of you. I had planned to stay a few weeks and then return here. Only something didn’t go as planned. I met Amerna and she became pregnant. I came back here with her. A few weeks before the party I was out and was attacked. When I came home Scarlet was up. She took care of me. At the party, Scarlet and I argued. I followed her up to her room. There we… I… Um…”

“We had s*x,” Scarlet said.

Beth gasped and Smith turned red.

“As Scarlet’s father is not here,” Smith said, “And I am yours, I demand that the two of you marry at once!”

“Smith,” Beth said.

“I’m already married,” Scarlet said.

“What?” Smith yelled.

“To who?” Beth asked.

“Someone I love,” Scarlet said. “The father of this baby.”

“James?” Smith asked.

“Yes,” James said. “Before the two of you came over we were married. I got a special license last week.”

“Why didn’t you tell us, Scarlet?” Beth asked.

“I was scared,” Scarlet said. “I know that what we did was wrong. I never meant to hurt anyone.”

Beth stood. She looked around the room. She sighed heavily.

“How could you?” Beth yelled. “After all we’ve done for you! Helping you! Loving you!”

“Beth,” Smith said.

“No,” Beth said. “This time he has gone too far! I have tried to overlook certain things. This I cannot!”

“I’m sorry,” Scarlet said.

“No,” Smith said. “It’s not your fault that this happened. You only did what you had to.”

“Oh, God!” Scarlet said. “I feel like a w***e!” She put her face into her hands and began to cry.

James hugged her to him. He said, “It is okay, Scarlet. Everything is fine. You are safe with me.”

“We never would have said you were a w***e,” Smith said.

Scarlet just continued to cry.

“Go on now,” James said to his parents. “Leave.”

“James,” Beth said.

“Go,” he repeated.

His mother nodded. She told Smith, “Let’s go.”