Reed stayed near the door. Half the hour had gone by the time the woman returned.
She dropped a curtsey. “Thank ye for ye kindness to me last night.”
“How came ye to be in the old Johnson cabin?” Griff asked from his stance by the fire.
She kept her focus on Reed. “I have come seeking Mr. Hugh Pollard.”
Reed’s hopes for her crashed. “May I ask ye name and from where do ye hail?”
Calm, as if she’d rehearsed a speech, she brought her hands together at her waist. “My name is Janet Jefferson Pollard. I have come from Fredericksburg to find my husband, Mr. Hugh Pollard.”
Relief punctured the weights sitting on his shoulders. He sent a grin to Griff who grimaced.
“Hugh Pollard. Married.” Sarcasm dripped from the staccato words.
Reed felt the weight return.
“Mr. Hugh Pollard of Wildwood Plantation.” Janet responded, never once taking her gaze from Reed.
“Griff.” Reed summoned. He bowed to Mrs. Pollard. “Ye are welcome to stay here until ye can make other arrangements for ye and the child.”
Mrs. Pollard curtsied.
~*~
Reed sat with a cup of tea waiting for Ann at the breakfast table.
Ringing footsteps stopped at the door. “At last, Reed. I have had the very devil of a time trying to talk to ye.” Betsy clumped into the room pulling on a riding glove. “Mr. Carson says we have to leave after that astonishing explosion last night, but I couldn’t leave without seeing you.”
Frustration rose to the edges of his civility. He’d studiously avoided any private conversation with Betsy for the length of her visit.
She remained in the doorway blocking his escape.
“We can have nothing to say to each other, Betsy.”
“Don’t be silly, of course we have.” She waved her gloved hand. After pouring herself a cup of tea, she sat across from him.
“Ye are married.”
“Of course I am. Why do ye keep saying that? Do ye think I forget?” The crease between her eyebrows deepened. “Anyway, it is precisely why I must speak with ye.”
“Proceed.”
“Hugh is up to something—isn’t he always?” She released a giggle. “I believe he is trying to sabotage yer chances with Miss Wright—or anyone else for that matter.”
“What has that got to do with ye?”
“Nothing. He tried to include me in his shenanigans. It told him I was married woman, and it was time he grew up. He said something foolish about he wouldn’t be governed by a skirt.” She laughed the same tinkly laugh of early girlhood. “Imagine a skirt governing anything. Anyway, Mr. Carson says he’s the kind of man that’s just no good.” She leaned into whisper. “He even wonders if Hugh is actually Christian. I told him that was silly. He’s been attending church as long as the rest of us.” She giggled again, and Reed wondered how she’d ever turned his head. The giggling stopped, and she sobered. “I thought ye should know. It cannot be a good thing to have someone out to do ye a mischief underfoot.”
After last night he was inclined to agree with Carson. He’d have to spend a little time getting to know Betsy’s husband. “Thank ye for telling me.”
“I would have told ye sooner if ye would have given me the chance.”
“Ye have my sincere apology.”
She gave him generous smile. “Apology accepted. Ye will always have a friend—is that the time?” A gloved hand covered her cheek. “I will be late, and Mr. Carson hates it when I’m late.” She rushed from the room in time to nearly topple Ann.
The look on Ann’s face caused him to cross the room. “Ann, are you all right? I have never seen ye look so…”
“I did not sleep well.”
“That makes two of us. May I get you something? Coffee? Tea?” He added with a smile, “Eggs and bacon?”
“Nothing, thank ye.” She proceeded into the room, and selected a piece of toast and a cup of tea.
“Will ye sit?”
She sat in her usual chair, but was so downcast that he dared not tease her to another.
“I shall go for a ride.” She left the toast on the plate. “Alone.”
A cold wind blew up his spine from the storms in her eyes. “Why?”
“Everything appears to be fine in yer world, Mr. Archer.” She placed a finger on the edge of the bread and quickly removed it. “I have come to a decision.”
A foreboding descended on the room.
She stiffened her back and focused her stormy eyes on him. “Our experiment is over. I will not marry ye.”
