Page 54 of A Treacherous Treasure

But now was not the time to think of that. She was young. She still had plenty of time to find a husband and have children. Besides, she would rather never have children than be married to someone like Arthur again. She could be her nieces’ and nephews’ favorite aunt, the best and most loving aunt who ever drew breath.

Caroline was staring at her with such concern and compassion, it made tears sting her eyes. She forced herself to smile.

“Are you well?” Caroline said.

“Yes, of course.” She drew in a long, deep breath, trying to dispel the tears. How silly of her to lose herself in her thoughts, to the point of forgetting where she was. The others were talking amongst themselves, thankfully, and did not seem to notice.

“You will never need to marry, if you do not wish to,” Caroline said softly, coming to sit beside her on the sofa. “My brothers and I will always be your neighbors and will look after you. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you to think of marrying again. You will always have me for a friend, and when you’re ready, I’m sure you will be adored by the man you marry, for you will marry an equally virtuous man who could hardly help himself.”

“Thank you, Caroline. You are so kind and understanding.” The tears swimming in her eyes made Caroline’s face blurry. “And you shall marry a wonderful man as well. Never settle for someone who is simply handsome. But I know you are much too clever to make that mistake.”

She took a few more breaths and got her emotions under control while Caroline talked of the treasure. And Rebecca said a silent prayer that Benjamin would not be hurt or angry, but that he would redirect his affections elsewhere.God, send him a good and kind woman his own age to marry.

Thomas seemed to avoid looking at her the rest of the visit. Was he embarrassed by her eyes obviously tearing up? Or was he offended on his brother’s behalf by her obvious attempt to put him off? There was no way to know. She couldn’t read his thoughts, but her own thoughts about him thinking ill of her was enough to make her feel quite low when they left, and she went up to her room to lie down.

“I just need an hour to rest,” she told her mother and Margaret. But Margaret, who was far too clever for her age, gave her a shrewd look but, thankfully, said nothing.

~ ~ ~

Rebecca gazed out the window the next day at the sunny garden, which looked so inviting.

“Let us go for a walk.”

Mother and Margaret looked up at her from their breakfast plates.

“I thought it was too dangerous for us to go out alone,” Margaret said in her challenging way.

“I will take a gun.”

Mother gasped. “Whatever do you mean? A gun?”

“I shall take a loaded pistol to make sure we are safe on our walk. I know how to use it.”

“Guns are dangerous. What if you mistakenly shoot one of us?”

“I know how to be careful. I won’t shoot one of us. Besides, I need to practice shooting.”

“Oh my.” Mother laid a hand over her heart. “Oh dear. This does not sound safe.”

“You will be perfectly safe. I am tired of staying inside out of fear. And we need some fresh air and sunshine, so go get some walking clothes on and meet me downstairs in half an hour.”

Margaret said, “I agree with Rebecca. If anyone comes trying to harm us, Rebecca will shoot him.” She smiled gleefully.

“Let us hope I don’t have to shoot anyone. The most likely scenario is that we will not encounter anyone dangerous, but it is best to be prepared.” She made sure to look confident as she winked at her little sister.

They were ready and waiting for her half an hour later.

“You walk ahead,” Mother said, frowning at Arthur’s pistol in Rebecca’s hand.

Rebecca kept the dueling pistol pointed at the ground as she walked slightly ahead of Mother and Margaret. They took their time moving through the garden, and she tried not to think about the man who had been there a few days before, or the fact that Gilbert Heywood wanted this place, or that if she didn’t sell it to him and sold it to someone else, the Heywood name would eventually become disassociated with this estate.

She would think, instead, about the way the hedgerows smelled, the faint scent of flowers in the air as the first flowering bushes came into bloom. She would think of how crisp the air felt, with the promise of warmer weather whispered in the slight breeze. She would enjoy the blue sky above and the budding leaves on the trees. The long, dark winter was over and life was springing up everywhere. The world felt new and alive, and she felt new and alive with it. She was taking control of her own life by learning how to run the estate efficiently and with accuracy in her accounting for expenses and income. She was taking control of her own safety by her willingness to use a gun, while refusing to live as a prisoner in her own home.

The birds sang as if they were genuinely happy, and the wind caressed her cheek and playfully tossed her skirt against her calves. This was her home, and she would enjoy it.

After they’d taken their walk, including a turn around the rocky area where it had been suggested the map showed the treasure was buried, they went back toward the house.

As they neared the back door, Rebecca heard some faint noises from the front of the house and got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Was someone there? If so, they were making more noise than a caller would normally make.