Author's Note: The exchange rate between the US Dollar and British Pound fluctuated between $4.89 and $5.08 per one (1) GBP in 1878. This information is from the website 'measuring '.
This chapter has an 'M' rating, due to suggestive imagery.
Title TBD
Once the sheriff left Zack decided to get Emily upstairs, and alone. She had been feeling calmer after Richard Edwards had left, but now, seeing the official looking documents was upsetting. If they stayed in the study, they would end up rehashing everything Richard had said. Zack excused them, and putting his arm around Emily's shoulders they walked upstairs.
Entering the room he shut the door, and then locked it, smiling at Emily as he did so. Zack then took her in his arms and kissed her, while pulling the pins out of her hair. He wanted her distracted, not thinking about what was going to happen tomorrow.
"I know I've told you before, but you have the most amazing hair, Honey." He informed her, as the pieces fell loose. Zack had her in the dressing room and out of her clothes before she even realized it. He then swept her into the bedroom, where he spent the next hour showing her how much he loved her. When they were done Emily curled against him as she fell asleep, and Zack was not far behind her.
The next morning, a little before 5:00am Zack stirred, waking up from force of habit. He tried to be careful as he detached himself from Emily, but she stirred at his movements. Zack looked at her with love, taking in her tousled hair, and sleepy pansy eyes. She was too adorable, and he liked the idea that she was in bed with him.
"Heading to the barn?" Emily asked in a soft voice, sighing as she let her hand run down his muscular, naked chest.
"Yes, Hon, I need to go. Ranch work has to be done sooner, rather than later." Zack offered, hoping she would understand. Her low laughter reassured him, as did her next question.
"You are happy to be home, aren't you? You've missed the work?" Emily remembered him telling her about the ranch, on the train, and the pride that she could hear in his voice.
"Oh Em, yes I am happy to be home! Monterey was wonderful, because of you – I love you so much – and we will have to go back there. However, the bulk of my life – ah, I mean our life, is here on the ranch. Thank you for seeing that." Zack had heard the understanding in Emily's voice, as she asked her questions, to which she already knew the answer.
"Zack, I knew that when we talked on the train; but you know, I don't think a couple of minutes will matter to the cows." Emily purred, as her hand, which had been resting on his chest moved lower down his body. When it found his manhood, already slightly hard, the fingers were soon busy, and Zack heard himself emit a low growl, followed by a moan. He decided she was right, and a few more minutes wouldn't matter, as he started kissing her.
JR looked up when his brother entered the kitchen, twenty minutes late, and in other circumstances would have given him a hard time about it. The pleased look on Zack's face though stopped him, because JR had no doubt why he was late. The young man found himself, before he could stop the thought, of trying to figure out how many times his brother had been with his wife. Even as he admitted it was unseemly, JR still found himself counting in this mind.
The number he came up with both impressed, and embarrassed him, which made him wonder if he was going to be able to look his sister-in-law in the eyes. JR realized that some of what was bothering him was the knowledge that a lady like Emily was having passionate relations. In his mind there were only two kinds of women – fallen, or virtuous; the latter in his mind would not engage in the behavior the former would. He sighed, took a sip of his coffee, and decided that there was a whole side to women that he knew nothing about.
He also found it interesting that Pa had not said one word about Zack being late; rather he greeted him pleasantly before launching a discussion about some cows that had escaped. The plan was to round them up before breakfast, and the best way to do it. His father was not the least bit perturbed about Zack's behavior, acting like nothing was out of the ordinary. JR thought about how the man usually acted if they were late rising, being severe and unforgiving. He wondered if Zack was being treated differently because he was married now. Of course, Pa was acting differently anyway, because of Emily.
"Ruth, when Miss Emily comes down, she's going to want tea, rather than coffee." Zack, rising from the table, informed the woman who'd been working on the stove, getting setup to make breakfast later. Ruth turned away from the stove, to smile happily at the young man.
"Mr. Zack, don't worry about that! I've already talked to Silas, about what Miss Emily likes. I'll take good care of her!" She replied, going on "I'm glad that you married such a nice young lady, Mr. Zack. You men need the influence of a good woman!" Rufus laughed in agreement at that sentiment, while Zack's smile turned into a grin.
"What do you mean, she doesn't drink coffee?" JR asked, being intrigued both at Zack's solicitousness with his wife, and the idea of not having coffee in the morning. He needed at least two cups of strong coffee, and a cigarette before he felt ready to face the day.
"She's English, JR. Emily drinks coffee sometimes, but in the morning she likes tea." Zack replied starting to wonder what was going on with his brother's behavior. It was more than just a little off-putting to look up and see JR staring at him like he had two heads, before averting his eyes in almost embarrassment. Last night he'd not even looked up from his drink when he said good night to the couple. It reminded him of his thought from yesterday, of how different things were going to be between him and JR. Zack hoped that with time they would get close again, once his brother was used to the changes.
"Thanks Ruth – for everything! It means a lot!" Zack went over and hugged the older Negro woman who had held the household together for the last ten years. He was relieved that Emily would be welcomed, and not treated like an interloper. At the back of his mind he was still concerned about how Emily was going to deal with what her life would be like from now on. So far, based on the morning interlude, she at least understood what his workload was. Of course, there was still the whole ordeal that would happen later in the morning, but then it would all be over with.
Just a little after 8:00am Emily headed downstairs, having gotten dressed to go into town. Waking up with Zack had been wonderful, and then she'd fallen back asleep while he got dressed. When she woke up again, she had spent some time trying to figure out what to wear. The thought of facing her aunt didn't bother that much, she realized, and knew it was because of Zack and his family. She could only imagine how Rufus had dealt with her aunt and Arthur.
Entering the kitchen she saw Ruth at the stove, and paused, waiting to see what reception she received. Zack had told her that the woman had been hired by his mother, and then had taken over running the household after Diana had died. Emily wasn't sure how Ruth would feel about having a mistress in the house, and she didn't want to rock the boat, so to speak.
"Miss Emily, good morning! I have some water all set, to brew a proper pot of tea!" Ruth regarded the young woman standing in the door, looking pretty and feminine. She also noticed the hesitation in the large eyes, as Miss Emily surveyed the kitchen. It reinforced Ruth's opinion that Mr. Zack's wife was a kind woman, as well as an understanding one. The Negro could think of several young women who would have been glad to stride into the kitchen and lay down the law, as seen by them.
"Ruth, thank you so much! Zack has told me about you, and all that you do!" Emily enthused, as she walked into the kitchen. Ruth indicated a place at the table, covered in a red checked table cloth. She could already see a dish with butter set there, as well as a crystal pitcher with a ruby glass rim, filled with orange juice. Zack had said that they ate breakfast in the kitchen, but would take the other meals in the dining room; she'd been glad for that information.
Emily soon had a pot of tea, along with a small pitcher of milk which cheered her greatly. The next half hour was spent with Emily asking questions about what the men liked, as well as general house information. She was very concerned about stepping on any toes, having been brought up with touchy British servants, Indian ones, and the relations between the two. Rufus had made it clear that this was now her household, but she had seen on more than one occasion how petty servants could be, and she knew that men didn't like to be disturbed by domestic arguments.
Just a little after 8:30am Zack, along with his father and brother came into the kitchen. Zack was in great spirits, having enjoyed being back in the saddle, doing what he loved, working alongside his father and brother. Seeing Emily sitting at the table, in a bright dress of a bluish-purple fabric, trimmed with ruffles made him smile even more. Quickly he strode over to her, and sitting in the chair next to hers, put his arms around her and kissed her passionately.
"Good morning again, Em. How are you?" Zack asked, in a low voice, when they broke off the kiss. She looked beautiful in the early morning, her skin creamy, offset by the deep red hair that was put up neatly. Small pearl drop earrings hung from her dainty ear lobes, and he thought about the reaction he received when he sucked on them.
"Zack, good morning too! I'm fine. Ruth and I have been talking about domestic matters." Emily replied, before she turned her head "Good morning Pa, and JR." She didn't want them to think she was rude, even if she had been distracted by Zack. He did it so well, and she'd known exactly what he was doing last night. It had touched her that he'd been so concerned about her feelings.
Rufus beamed happily at her as he wished her good morning, while JR mumbled something before he went over to get coffee. Emily wondered what was going on with him; she'd thought they were becoming friends, but JR had been very standoffish since she and Zack had returned. She hoped he wasn't upset that Rufus had given her and Zack the large bedroom, and wondered whether she should try to talk to him or Zack about it. Deciding that it could wait until after today was over with, she put the thought aside.
Breakfast was scrambled eggs, sausages, and fried potatoes with onions and peppers in them. It was all good, and Emily made them laugh by telling how sausages were called bangers in England. Privately she was glad that her mother had insisted that they didn't just eat traditional British foods when they lived overseas. Rather, they tried local foods and Emily had found that the experience came in handy when she came to America. She thought she'd done a good job adjusting to the types of food Americans ate, but she still craved a kipper for breakfast at times.
"We should probably change, so we can get into town. Richard will meet us at the courthouse, to talk to us before the inquest." Rufus announced, looking at Zack and JR. Emily sighed and felt her shoulders sag – she was the one Richard would be talking to. She was glad that Pa had waited until after she was done eating to say anything, otherwise it would have been hard to eat.
"I'll come upstairs with you Zack; I need to get my hat and gloves." Emily really wanted to get Zack alone, to tell him what she needed to. She wasn't going to let him distract her, which based on the look in his eye he would probably try to.
In fact Zack had picked up that Emily was worried, and it made him mad that aunt had stirred up all this trouble. He took her hand as they walked upstairs, and once they were in their room Zack had her in his arms, all set to kiss her.
"We need to talk Zack, really." Emily's voice had a tremulous note to it, and he felt so bad for her, as he led her over to one of the window seats. They sat down together, and Zack pulled her close in a loving embrace, just wanting to comfort her.
Emily felt better with his arms around her, and she nuzzled gently into his neck, inhaling his scent and the faint whiff of horses and sunshine too. Zack was warm and strong, and she thought about how she'd always felt safe with him, even when they first met. The thought of losing him made her almost cry, and she put her arms tightly around him.
"Richard is right; my aunt can't get our marriage annulled?" She questioned in a scared voice, thinking about the petition her aunt had filed. Zack looked at her, with her pansy eyes moist and worried and sighed. Removing his arms from her shoulders, he took both of her hands in his, clasping them tightly.
"Honey, we were married in church, before God. The bible says that 'no man can put that asunder' and our court respect God's law." Zack reassured her, smiling as another thought came to him. "There is also the fact that we have been together for over five days – you could already be carrying our child." He watched Emily's pretty eyes get wide with awe, as she moved their hands to rest against her abdomen.
"I hadn't thought of that before, but I will be very happy if that is the case. Zack, I want to have your children – lots of them! I didn't like being an only child growing up." Emily couldn't think of anything better than bearing and raising babies with Zack. He saw that she was feeling better, and stood up to go change his clothes, kissing her on the forehead. It was tempting to kiss her other places too, but they would end up being late.
"Wait Zack, I have something I need to tell you! Before we get to court." Emily wanted him to know, so he wouldn't be blindsided if her aunt said something.
"Can you tell me while I change my clothes? And behave yourself too? I mean I would love to carry you over to the bed, but we don't have enough time right now for that. Of course, after we get back this afternoon.." Zack let it hang out there with a grin, as he took her hand and led her into the dressing room. Emily watched him take his clothes off, admiring his body, and wishing they did have some time.
"There is something you need to know Zack. I wanted to tell you last night, but didn't want to say anything in front of Pa or JR. You are my husband, and should know first; I will let you decide what you say to your family." Emily walked over to where her gloves were stored, and spent some time looking for the pair she wanted. In truth she was trying to gather her thoughts, and hoped he would understand why she'd not said anything before.
"Em, what is it? It sounds serious." Zack was buttoning his shirt, while wondering if she was going to tell him about the money that Arthur had referenced. He had waited for her to say something to Richard last night, but when she hadn't he came back to his original thought that maybe she didn't know about the funds.
"You remember me explaining that the set of diamonds was made from the jewels the Maharaja gave my father?" Emily asked, and when Zack nodded his head she went on. "There were actually a large number of them, but my father only kept enough to make the set for my mother. The rest he sold, and invested, to provide for us. He was a great deal older than my mother, and wanted her to be taken care of after he died."
"You are telling me that you have money of your own?" Zack wasn't surprised by her revelation, but wasn't going to tell her that Arthur had been the one to tell him. Her explanation too, of why she had not said anything last night made sense. He was glad that she respected him enough to only discuss the matter in private, and it reminded him of her honor and integrity that he had noticed before. Emily was a well bred lady, and Zack was both glad of that fact, and that she was his too.
"I'm not an heiress, Zack; well I guess it depends on how you look at it." Emily paused, before going on. "The money is the reason why my aunt wants the marriage annulled. As long as I live with her, she gets the income from the trust, to care for me. In reality she took it all for herself, and made me do all the housework." Her mouth tightened as she thought about how she'd been treated, and hoped that Zack wouldn't ask too many details. She didn't even want to think about what he would do to her aunt if he knew how many times the woman had slapped her.
"Now this is making sense, Honey. I was really confused as to why the woman was putting up such a fuss about us." Zack went over and put his arms around Emily, as he smiled at her. "However, you are my wife now and she won't be able to do anything about it." He kissed her lightly, as she snuggled against him happily.
"Em, how much money are we talking about?" Zack was really curious, even as he wondered what 'a lot' of money was to her, compared to his view of it. He knew that she'd been brought up with servants, and her clothes were well made in expensive fabrics. However, he didn't know if some of that was because her father had been a high ranking army officer, and the servants had come with the government quarters she lived in.
"It was around 5,000 pounds two months ago, before I left England. I managed to meet with the solicitors without my aunt knowing, to get an advance on the money for the trip. They let me see the statements, as well as what they had paid to my aunt." Emily admitted, biting her lip. "I didn't say anything to them about how my aunt was treating me, because I wanted to make sure she took me to America." She explained, wanting to him to understand why she'd done what she had.
"Honey, I don't blame you for what you did, because if you had not come to America I would never have met you." Zack kissed her again, relieved at the sum she had said. "Emily, I'm glad that it is not a great deal of money; I've never wanted a rich wife. Rather, I believe that a husband should provide for the family, but do understand that you will enjoy having some 'pin money'." He informed her, before another thought occurred to him.
"You said it was 5,000 British pounds, but what is that in American dollars?" Zack was curious about what it worked out to. He then thought that she probably wouldn't know, so he said "I imagine the rates are similar."
Emily breathed a sigh of relief that he had not followed through with his question, about American dollars. Zack had made it clear that he thought the man should be the provider, and not rely on someone else's money. She knew that two months ago, when she first arrived in the country the exchange rate was about $5.00 to the pound. Doing the math that made her fund worth $25,000 which sounded like a great deal of money to her. She didn't know what Zack would think of that, and really didn't want to deal with it today.
"We'll talk to Richard about the money, when we get to the courthouse. You can give him the name and address for the lawyer in London, and he can take care of it." Zack's words interrupted her thoughts, making her glad. "Now Emily, why don't you put on one of your pretty hats, and we'll go deal with your aunt!" He hugged her, and she hugged him back, before she went to do her hat. There was a spring in her step, because after today she wouldn't have to deal with her aunt ever again.