The Royal Secret

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

For the next two weeks they would find time to be alone and just talk or be together. Scarlet understand that he had no choice, but to marry Amerna. As each day passed and the wedding came closer, Scarlet became unhappy. Then came the day before the wedding day.

It was that day that Scarlet moved out. There was no way that she was going to stay for the wedding. There was no way she was going to watch them marry.

Only James wouldn’t let her go.

“I have to go!” she finally yelled at him.

“No,” he said. “You can stay here.”

“James,” she said, “I cannot stay here! Don’t you understand? I love you. I love you too much to watch you marry her. Please, understand, James. I have to go!”

“Fine,” he said. “Go on, Scarlet. Just remember one thing.”

“What, James?” she asked.

“You don’t have to sell yourself,” he said. “Sell your sewing and live with Mrs. Davis. Remember to be happy.”

He had held her as she cried. She had then kissed him on the cheek and left.

Once at the Davis’, Mrs. Davis had held her as she cried. To make her feel better, Mrs. Davis had given her a lavender candle for her room. Scarlet had smiled at her and then thanked her.

The paper the day after the wedding reported that it had been beautiful. Amerna, it said, had looked like a fairy princess. Scarlet had gone to her room and cried again.

A month later Belle came to visit. She told Scarlet that Katie had had an accident and fallen down the stairs. She was dead. Belle asked her to go to the funeral.

Scarlet agreed.

The next day Scarlet went to the funeral and then returned to James’ house with Belle.

“Scarlet,” Belle whispered as they sat in the library. “I am so glad you came.”

“How are you, Belle?” Scarlet asked.

“I feel awful,” Belle said. “If you had been here it would never have happened.”

“It could have happened at any time,” Scarlet said. “You know Katie was always running.”

Suddenly Amerna appeared in the doorway.

“Belle,” Amerna said.

“What, Amerna?” Belle asked.

“How long are you going to morn that brat for?” Amerna asked.

Scarlet looked at her and noticed her belly. It was huge.

“For as long as it takes her,” Scarlet said.

“What are you doing here?” Amerna asked.

“Being with my friend,” Scarlet said.

Amerna left the room with a “Hmm”.

Scarlet stayed for a few more hours. She then returned to her new home. She ate the dinner Mrs. Davis made. She then went to her room and cried herself to sleep.

It was four in the morning when she woke. Quickly rolled out of bed. She vomited and then lay back in her bed.

A sudden thought hit her as she lay in bed. It had been over to months since her last monthly. She started to cry.

She would have to leave town. It would be the only way she could keep her baby.

“Mrs. Davis?” she whispered the next morning.

It was ten in the morning and she was hungry again.

“Yes, dear?” Mrs. Davis asked.

“I am going to be leaving soon,” she said.

“What?” Mrs. Davis asked. “Why?”

“It happened at the engagement party,” she began. “James and I got in an argument. One thing led to another and we ended up in bed together. I should have put a stop to it. Only, I really didn’t want to put an end to it. I didn’t want it to end. I should have!”

“Scarlet, what are you trying to say?” Mrs. Davis asked.

“I think that I am going to have a baby,” she said.

“Oh, God!” Mrs. Davis said. “Well, we will wait another month. If we are sure by then, Mr. Davis and I will take care of you. All right?”

“Thank you,” she said.

After lunch she became sick again. She then lied down and fell asleep.

She dreamed that James came by and that Mrs. Davis wouldn’t allow him in to see her.

James stared at Mrs. Davis. He couldn’t believe that she wouldn’t let him see Scarlet.

“She is not feeling well,” Mrs. Davis said.

“Is she sick?” he asked.

“Yes,” Mrs. Davis said.

“Well, can you give her a message?” he asked.

“Yes,” Mrs. Davis said.

“Tell her that Amerna had an accident and lost the baby,” he said.

“Is that all?” Mrs. Davis asked.

“Yes,” he said. “And tell her that if she needs anything, all she has to do is ask.”

“Of course,” Mrs. Davis said. “Oh, by the way, James.”

“Yes?” he said.

“Next time send a messenger,” Mrs. Davis said. “Scarlet does not need to hear about your wife. I – and most others- think that you have put her though enough. You have also done enough. Leave her alone.”

“Tell her what I told you, please,” he said. He left.

Mrs. Davis told her what James had said. She just nodded and then went to her room. Once there she vomited again. She couldn’t keep anything down. However, if she drank tea with a lemon wedge the food would stay down. She couldn’t eat big meals. Only small meals.

“I’m sorry she lost the baby,” she told Mrs. Davis that night at dinner. “I truly am. However, they’ll have more.”

“But you are having his first,” Mrs. Davis said.

“Yes,” she said. “And the sad thing is he will never know.”

“Yes,” Mrs. Davis agreed.

“I’m going to bed,” Scarlet said and stood.

Mrs. Davis watched her go up the stairs.

James turned to take Amerna into his arms. The spot next to him was empty and cold.

“Amerna?” he asked as he sat up.

“James,” she said.

He looked over to where the sound of her voice was coming from. She stood near the window.

“What are you doing over there?” he asked.

“I want my own room,” she said.

“Why?” he asked.

“I can’t have children,” she said. “Why pretend? You don’ love me. I don’t love you.”

“Then why did we marry?” he asked.

“Because I had become pregnant by you!” she yelled. “We screwed and I became pregnant! You didn’t grow fat or throw up! I did! I hate you!”

“I will have a room made ready for you in the morning,” he said. “I want to sleep now. Goodnight!”

He pulled the covers over his head.

Scarlet woke with a start. She heard the noise that woke her and realized that it was the wind. It had started to snow. She stared out the window for a minute. She loved snow.

Her stomach lurched.

“Tea time already?” she asked. She pressed her hand to her stomach as she rolled out of bed.

She pulled on her robe as she went down the stairs to the kitchen. She filled the kettle and then set it on the stove. Then she heard a rustle outside the kitchen door. She picked up the fire poker Mrs. Davis kept in the kitchen as she walked over to the door. She opened it a little.

“Hello?” she asked. “Is there someone out here?”

“Help me,” the reply came.

She gasped as an Indian came forward. He was bleeding. She dropped the poker.

“Oh, my,” she said. “Come in here.”

She opened the door and he came inside. She settled him in a chair at the table. She looked at him. His hair was black and he was about James’ height.

“Can you help?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said as she walked over to the cabinet where Mrs. Davis kept her sewing supplies. “What happened?”

“I was coming back from the bar,” he said. “I had gone to bring my brother home. I was attack outside this house.”

“You live near here?” she asked as she set the needle and thread on the table.

“Yes,” he said. “My brother comes here once a week. He goes to the bar to drink and then sleep with one of the girls there. I think her name is Holly Molly. He went tonight to buy her. She is pregnant.”

“How far long is she?” she asked as the kettle began to whistle.

“Four months,” he said as she took the kettle off the stove. “He loves her.”

“Why don’t we go in the parlor?” she suggested. “It will be easier to sew the wound in there.”

Thirty minutes later she had sewn his wound and fell asleep on the floor. Her hand rested on her stomach. He watched her as she slept.

Then he too slept.

In the morning Mrs. Davis learned of him and that his parents had both not been Indian. His father had been white. His name, he told them, was Mark. When Mrs. Davis learned that his parents were dead and that there were seven youngsters she told him to bring them.

His brother came by and told him that he and Holly, whose last name was Lewis, were getting married. Both men left.

When Mark returned he had seven children with him.