It certainly would be if she had acted upon those dreams; the feelings, the tender moments she had imagined, the soft touches and gentle promises—yes that would be wrong on every level if she acted upon it! But the temptation was too sweet, and was it truly a sin to be tempted?
Wyoming
May 1900
“MissBennet,therewillbe no official charge of murder,” the sheriff announced later that morning.
Elizabeth received the news with relief, it was true, but not so much as she might have expected to feel. In her own heart, she was accountable. It had all seemed so clear in the moment, but now, with the luxury of hindsight and the burden of the truth pressing in upon her, she could not be so certain that she would do it again.
“So, that is all, Sheriff?” her father asked beside her. “Lizzy has nothing to worry about?”
“Not… precisely.”
They all paused, waiting with suspended breath on his next words.
“Mr Silas Bryson was adamant that I press charges, as you must know. It would be a lesser charge, as determined by the courts, but it could still result in imprisonment.”
“Imprisonment? A woman?” Gardiner sputtered. “Nonsense! Lizzy’s actions were entirely justified. She had no choice!”
“I would agree with you, Mr Gardiner, but Mr Bryson is naturally grieved over his son, and is not persuaded that events played out as reported. He is intent upon seeking corroboration for his claim that Miss Bennet is a…” He stopped, cleared his throat, and adjusted his tie. “Well, he is convinced that Miss Bennet met his son of her own accord, and was not at all coerced.”
“Preposterous!” Elizabeth exclaimed, speaking for the first time in some while. “Anyone with eyes would have seen my conduct around him for the last two years! I tolerated him for civility’s sake, but never encouraged him.”
“Of course.” The sheriff held up a hand to soothe her. “My advice to you, Miss Bennet, is to take measures to protect your reputation against any slights, for they will come. People like repeating gossip, and you can be assured that Bryson will be cultivating it.”
“Even so, what possible charge could be brought against me?”
“It might be a manslaughter charge. Be assured, Miss Bennet, I feel it is unwarranted and inappropriate in this case, but if enough complaint is made, and enough people believe Bryson’s claims, then I would be forced to bring you to trial. And if I refused to do it, I would be replaced by one more willing. So, you see, it might be advisable for you to secure your good standing as a proper lady before anything else happens.”
She drew a long, shaking sigh, and stared at the floor.
“But Elizabeth already has a sterling reputation,” her father assured them all. “You do ride out alone, but everyone knows you only come to see me.”
“Or anyone else who might be at the corrals,” the sheriff suggested quietly. All eyes turned to him. “My recommendation, Miss Bennet, is to find someone to marry you. Quickly.”
Richardtoreopenthetelegram brought up to his room and read it three times before he could make any sense of it.
New orders. Needed on the front. Report to General Roberts next month in Africa.
He allowed the telegram to fall and gazed unseeingly at the bed in his room. So! Someone at Whitehall had managed to work his cause, after all, and he was bound for the front. Perhaps his father had come through with his connections.
He spun about his rented room, assessing what must be done. Packing would be a matter of moments, as it should be for a military man. The next batch of remounts were due to board a train the following day, so he would simply accompany them himself rather than sending Denny.
He hated to own the thrill that shot through his body at the notion of going. Finally, a real task, somewhere he might do his men some good! A bloody shame he had already wasted so much time here… and a pity that something seemed to tug at his conscience, dragging at his heels even as he kicked the Wyoming dirt from them.
If he were a man of leisure… but there was no use pursuing that notion. Magnificent as this country was, it his was not his place. There was no purpose, no future for a soldier here. His duties would fall to another as easily as they had become his, so there was no more to do. And there would be nothing else he could do for that spirited, sleepless girl at the other end of town.
“I’llmarryyou,Lizzy!”
Elizabeth yawned, blinked, and tried to determine if she had heard properly. She had rested only a few hours at home before begging her aunt for some employment. They all decided that she should not be in the store today, so she was behind the house, watching over her young cousins when Billy Collins pedalled up on his bicycle, panting and sweating.
“What did you say, Billy?”
He dropped his bicycle, then nearly sprinted towards her until the latch on the yard gate defeated his hurried efforts, and he doubled forward over the pointed wood with a grunt. He managed to jerk it open at last and came to her. “Mr Gardiner said you should marry someone to keep your name clear. I’ll marry you, Lizzy.”
“Billy, I—”
“Now, you know I just got my license, but I think I had better go talk to the reverend. Tomorrow should suffice.”
