The Royal Secret

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Even though Mrs. Davis told him not to return, James did just that two months later.

Before he could raise his hand to knock, the door opened. An Indian stood there. He stared at the man.

“Mrs. Davis is not home,” the man said.

“I am here to see Scarlet,” James said.

At that moment she appeared at the door. She held the hand of an Indian child.

“James,” she whispered.

“May I come in?” he asked.

She turned to the man and said, “Mark, can you take the children into the kitchen and feed them?”

“Sure, Scarlet,” Mark said. “Come on, Cin.” He took the girls hand.

They both watched until the man and child were in the kitchen.

“Come into the sitting room, James,” she said.

James, surprised by changes in her, followed her. She seemed to glow.

“I have some news,” he said once they were sitting.

“Is it Belle?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “She is getting married next month and wants you to come.”

“Of course I will,” she said. “Who is she marring?”

“A general,” he said.

“Oh, good,” she said. “I had hoped so that-”

“Damn you, Scarlet,” he yelled suddenly angry. “I wanted to come here to tell you of Belle getting married and another thing. Amerna killed Katie as well as our baby.”

Her stomach lurched at that. Cin appeared with a lemon wedge.

“Thank you,” Scarlet whispered.

The girl nodded and went back to the kitchen. Scarlet sucked on the lemon wedge.

“She is also crazy,” he said. “At first she wouldn’t sleep in our bed. Then she wouldn’t talk to me. Now, she will not come out of her room.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I wish I could help, but she is your wife.”

“Damn you, Scarlet!” he yelled. He stood. “I thought you would care! I guess I was wrong.”

She threw the lemon wedge at him and started to cry. It only made her need to vomit.

“Damn you, James!” she whispered. “This is your entire fault! If you had not pushed me that night none of this would have happened!” She stood and ran from the room.

He followed after her. It was what he heard that disturbed him. She was throwing up! He threw the door open. It banged against the wall. She gasped as she turned to look at him.

“When did you plan to tell me?” he asked. He was angry and hurt with her.

“I didn’t plan to,” she whispered. “You have Amerna to give you babies.”

“I just told you she killed our baby,” he said. “She threw herself down the stairs. It was a miracle that she didn’t kill herself as well. The doctor told us that she could never have children.”

“So now you want mine?” she asked.

He bent down beside her. He said, “No, Scarlet. I just would have liked for you to have told me!”

“Will you help me up?” she asked.

He stood saying, “Sure.”

He helped her up. With his arm around her waist they walked back and sat down together.

“James?” she asked.

“Yes?” he said.

“I wanted to tell you,” she said. “It is just that you are married and there is nothing you can do. If I become known as a w***e, then so be it. I will not do anything to endanger you or your reputation. You are my best friend.”

He hugged her to him. He kissed the top of her head.

“I am sorry too,” he said. “I love you, Scarlet. You are my best friend as well.”

She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“I want to be with you and Belle again,” she said.

“Hey,” he said. “You want to hear something funny?’

“Sure,” she said.

“The thread you used on me was the same silver that you used on your gown,” he said.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“I’m sleepy,” she said.

“Well, why don’t you take a nap?” he asked.

“That would be nice,” she said. She snuggled closer to him.

Before he could say or do anything else the front door opened and closed. Mrs. Davis came into the room. She gasped at the sight of them.

“What, James, are you doing here?” Mrs. Davis yelled. “I told you never, never, to come here! Get out!”

“No, Mrs. Davis,” Scarlet said. She lifted her head from his shoulder. “He knows.”

“What?” Mrs. Davis asked. “How?”

“I became sick and he guessed,” she said.

“What do you plan to do, James?” Mrs. Davis asked.

“Whatever Scarlet wants,” he said. “I am married to Amerna.”

“I think I should tell you that Amerna is in the hospital,” Mrs. Davis said. “She fell out a window. She was leaning out of it yelling for all to hear. Some people were walking by. They heard her calling Belle a whore.”

“She called Belle a w***e?” Scarlet asked.

“Yes,” Mrs. Davis said. “I am sure the General has heard by now.”

“I have to go to Belle,” Scarlet said as she stood.

“No,” James said. “You are going to go see Amerna.”

“What?” both women asked.

“You heard me,” he said as he stood. “You are going with me to see her and you are going to make her admit to stealing your gown, your home, and me! She knew all about you before I went to London! She didn’t become pregnant by accident! She did it on purpose! She heard about you and your mother after your father moved back there!”

“Sure,” she said. “Right after I tell her that I am going to have your child!”

“You don’t have to do that,” he said.

“Yes, I do,” she said. “Let me get my coat.

Thirty minutes later they were at the hospital. James led her down the hall to Amerna's room. Amerna lay on the bed. Her arm was in a cast.

“Amerna,” James said.

“What are you doing here?” Amerna asked.

“I want to know why you stole Scarlet’s gown,” he said.

“Because you love her!” Amerna said. “Uncle John came back and told how my cousin had seduced him. She became pregnant and runaway! She was a w***e like Belle!”

“Belle is not a w***e,” Scarlet said as she stepped into the room.

“James,” Amerna said, “What is she doing here?”

“She came to stick up for Belle,” he said. “I have come to realize a few things about you, Amerna. One of them is that you are a liar. We are going to get a divorce!”

“But we can’t,” she said with a smile. “You have no reason.”

“Yes, I do,” he said. It was his turn to smile. “I can and I will!”

Scarlet suddenly left a flutter in her stomach. She grabbed at his arm. “James, I felt it! It moved!”

He turned to her with a smile he said, “Can I feel?”

“Yes,” she said. She put his hand on her slightly rounded stomach. She smiled. “You feel it?”

“You cheater!” Amerna yelled. “You w***e son!”

“If anyone is a w***e it is you,” Scarlet said, “It is you! You screwed James just to get pregnant so he would then marry you!”

“And you did it why?” Amerna asked. “Because you love him?”

“Yes,” Scarlet said. “That is why. I have loved him since he found me. The day my mother died.”

“Come on, Scarlet,” James said. He took her arm before turning to face Amerna. “I will send you the papers.”

They got as far as the hall before there was a crash. It was followed by Amernas’ scream. Then a nurse and doctor ran down the hall and into the room.

“Stop that at once,” the doctor said.

“We need to stop the bleeding,” the nurse said. “She is losing too much.”

“We can’t stop it!” the doctor said.

“I can’t,” the nurse said. “She has lost too much.”

“Yes,” the doctor agreed.

“James?” Scarlet asked.

“Will you move back?” he asked. “I miss you there. Belle misses you.”

“Sure,” she said. “And then we can get married. We can even pretend that you never married Amerna. Or that you must have believed something of what she told you in London!” She sighed. “Will you take me back now?”

Belle was married the next month. While Belle and the General said their vows, Scarlet stood next to Belle. James stood next to the General. Belle and James’ parents were at the wedding as well. Their ship had followed James’. They had heard that James planned to marry and had wanted to meet his bride. They had been shocked to learn that he married Amerna only because she was pregnant. They told James that Amerna couldn’t have children, which had left him wondering.

“You may now kiss the bride,” the minister said.

Scarlet wanted to press her hand to her stomach to help calm it. She didn’t want anyone to see though. She didn’t show much yet, but knew that it would be obvious soon.

“Scarlet?” Belle asked.

“Sorry,” Scarlet said. “My mind was wondering.”

“It is okay,” Belle said. “I know that you probably don’t want to sit next to James, but you have to. You will be with both Mother and Father.”

She kissed Belles cheek. Then she said, “I’ll see you later.”

At the reception she tried not to think about the food. She started to count people.

She only made it to one.

James.

“Are you all right?” James asked.

“My stomach is a little upset,” she said. “Nothing big.”

“Would a lemon wedge help?” he asked.

“That doesn’t help,” she said. “But could you say it again?”

“Lemon wedge?” he asked.

She giggled. He looked at her, as did his parents.

“Sorry,” she said.

His parents went back to their talk.

“And I had to say ‘lemon wedge’ why?” he asked.

She smiled as she said, “Can I have that piece of roast on your plate?”

“What?” he asked. “Isn’t your stomach upset?”

“No,” she said. “You saying it seemed to help. And, James, I’m sorry for what I said. I would like to move back in. I miss living with you and Belle.”

“Belle is moving out,” he said. “I have that house all to myself. I would like it if you would move back in. But we also have the… lemon wedge to think of.”

“So that is what you want to call it?” she asked.

“Why not?” he said. “It likes lemon wedges.”

She smiled. Then said, “Maybe I will move back in. I love you. We should be together. I’m sorry I have been so mean to you.”

“I forgive you,” he said, “If you will forgive me. I have been a jerk to you.”

“Good,” she said. “Now, are you going to eat that piece of roast or not?”

“No,” he said as he laughed. “You can have it.”

“Thank you,” she said. She stabbed it with her fork and set it on her plate. She took a bit. “This is good.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he said. “Look, here comes Belle.”

Belle smiled at them as she stopped near Scarlet. She said, “Scarlet, I just wanted to thank you. If it hadn’t been for you I would never have married the General.”

“Of course, Belle,” Scarlet said. “And remember: all you have to do is lie there.”

Belle laughed softly as she said, “I cannot believe I told you that. What had I been thinking of?”

“Bill,” Scarlet said.

“The General is nothing like him,” Belle said. “He doesn’t drink or go whoring.”

“I’m glad for you,” Scarlet said. “I think you had best get back to your husband. He looks lonely.”

Belle looked at James as she said, “Thank you both. I’ll come by the house sometime this week to pick up my things.”

“Of course,” James said. “Whenever you want to.”

“Thanks, James,” Belle said before she turned and hurried back to her new husband.

“Did you bring your own coach, James?” Scarlet asked.

“Yes,” he said “Why?”

“Will you take me back to Mrs. Davis after this?” she asked.

“Sure,” he said.

“James,” his mother, Beth, said. He turned to look at her. “I got a letter from Jerry Freeman, Scarlet’s uncle. He heard that you had married his daughter.”

“I imagine that he did,” James said.

“Anyway, he will be out here in two months,” Beth said. “He also said he was bringing someone for you to meet.”

“Beth,” his father, Smith, said, “Leave the boy alone.”

“I just thought he should know,” Beth said.

“Thank you, Mother,” James said.