CHAPTER TWNETY-EIGHT
You could smell the tannery before you could actually see it. The putrid smells of rotting animal carcasses, alcohol, and turpentine filled the air.
"That smell!" Connie exclaimed.
"The tannery stinks," Felicity admitted. "That would be one nice improvement Andy would make if he had the property. He'd tear the tannery down."
They approached closer, the smell becoming stronger.
"Felicity I think I am going to be sick," Connie moaned.
Felicity turned around as best as she could on the horse to face Connie.
"No!" She shouted. "Don't you do that to me Constance Davidson Fellows! The last thing I need is you getting sick and fainting. You want both of us killed?"
Connie gave Felicity a pathetic, forlorn, look and then turned her back to Felicity, and vomited off to the side.
Oh God, thought Felicity. It was stupid to bring Connie along. She can hardly walk to Father's store without fainting, let alone go out to the tannery to visit a drunk, old, man.
Felicity felt cold and numbness throughout her whole body, her heart felt heavy, even though it was racing inside her. Not only did she have to worry about herself, but Ben's sister, his only relative as well. She slid off of Patriot, and began to tie him to the hitching post. Connie began to shimmy down off of the horse. She had made a mess on her cloak, a few trickles of vomit still on her chin.
"Give me your gun. You can wait out here," Felicity ordered.
"No! I am going with you," Connie said adamantly, clutching the gun to her nonexistent breasts.
"Here," Felicity said coldly as she took out her handkerchief and cleaned off Connie's chin. "You are worse than an infant," she spat.
Felicity took one more deep breath to calm her frayed nerves before she knocked on Jiggy Nye's door.
"Who the hell is on me property at this hour?" They heard a voice roar. Connie whimpered as the door flew open. They were standing face to face with Jiggy Nye. He towered over them, his hair was a rat's nest of unkempt wisps and tangles. His rough face was blemished with redness, and pockmarks. Alcohol reeked off of his breath. His eyes were utterly savage with drunkenness, and filled with loathing towards his unwelcome visitors, however behind all the wildness, they were the same deep striking shade of blue as Andy's. Felicity let out a gasp. Why anybody could see the resemblance in their eyes, though it would be hard to think a disheveled drunk like Jiggy Nye, could ever have a dashing, handsome, son like Andy.
Jiggy Nye hadn't even had an old, crusty, barmaid at his tannery in years, let alone two beautiful young women. He was as shocked as they were.
"What brings ye here?" He growled.
"Mr. Nye," Felicity said in a business like voice. "I have a little bit of business to discuss with you."
"I have no business with you mutton-headed wenches," he sneered. Women were never up to any good. Business ha! What did women know of business?
"Please," Felicity said in a much sweeter tone. "It will only take but a minute." She flashed him a sweet smile. It was the smile that could melt the heart of any man, the smile that was a woman's secret weapon. The smile that had melted the heart of his own son.
Jiggy Nye eyed her up and down. The red headed broad looked familiar. He couldn't exactly place where he had seen her, but it was her face, and the vivid redness of her hair he remembered. She was a pretty thing, with bright green eyes, and a few cute little freckles. He wondered what she looked like under that heavy cloak.
"All right ye lassies," he muttered and he let them in,
The place was dark except for one lit lantern. The place was a mess. Felicity definitely knew where Andy got his untidiness from. She had never seen so many empty rum, scotch, wine, and cider bottles all in one place in her life. They littered the floor, the table, and the chairs. A gutted deer carcass sat draped over a huge washtub over in the corner. It did little to help the smell of the place. Felicity saw more greenness creeping into Connie's face.
"What business do you damsels have with me?" He demanded, and took a swig of something from a tin cup.
Felicity took out the paper she had made and the quill.
"It concerns your son Andrew," she explained.
"I got no son!" Jiggy roared. In one motion he moved over towards Felicity, and held the cup up to her lips. "Drink this," he hissed. "Then you won't speak nonsense!"
"Mr Nye," Felicity said as she steered the cup away with her hand. "Andrew wouldn't take ownership of the property until after your death. What's the difference if you will it to him? What's the difference admitting that he is your son? He's a grown man, he has made his own. You don't have to take any responsibility for him."
Jiggy Nye gazed at her and broke out into laughter. He reached out with a finger and tickled her chin. Felicity pulled away.
"You are an amusing lass," he laughed. He took another drink. "I don't want no boy butting into my life."
"He's not a boy Mr. Nye," Felicity retorted. "Trust me. I know Andrew. He can be a bit antisocial. If you sign the papers I promise you that he will leave you alone. He despises you as much as you do he. He won't come around and bother you. You will never see him."
"Then what's the point of signing the blasted papers at all?" Jiggy exclaimed and for kicks he hurled his empty cup across the room, causing Connie to whimper. Jiggy Nye took notice of Connie. He eyed ogled her rudely.
"Do you speak?" He asked as he marched right up to her, so close that she could see his rotted out teeth. "Or are you one of those silent wenches? I like the silent ones."
"You have a very handsome son," Connie stammered. "I think you should give him some dignity and declare him yours."
"Tis sweet," Jiggy laughed. "She thinks my boy is handsome! I should sign the blasted paper just because my son is handsome!"
Connie is so stupid. Felicity thought as she groaned. Looks like Ben got the brains of the family.
"If you sign the papers you can be done with it," Felicity cut in. "You won't have to deal with Andrew coming and bothering you."
"Aye," Jiggy agreed. "He's a cantankerous lad. I hate him!" He picked up and read Felicity's contract. Felicity's heart soared. They had pulled it off!
Jiggy Nye threw the contract down.
"Hogwash!" He muttered. "I ain't signing this!"
"Why ever not?" Felicity demanded. "I told you, if you sign it you don't have to be bothered with your son again."
"I hate his mother," Jiggy bellowed as he poured himself some more cider. "Woman was a wretched whore! Ruined my life and my name, by claiming her bastard was mine. She was quite the jezebel, had half the town in her bed, and she tries to pawn her bastard off on me!"
"His mother isn't around anymore," Felicity said. "She got rid of him. She has nothing to do with this, and won't get any of the property."
"Good," Jiggy snorted. He went up to Felicity and ran his hand across her cheek. "She wasn't half the woman that ye are. I don't want that tramp getting any of me property."
"Well she won't," Felicity said. She closed her eyes. She couldn't stomach the sight of Jiggy Nye caressing her cheek. "Now will you sign?" She held out the quill pen. Jiggy eye balled it and shook his head.
"Never! I don't want to give no bastard of hers any dignity."
"But he's yours too," Felicity cried. "He's your blood, your only blood. Wouldn't you like to at least give him a good name, so your name can also pass on and be good? Wouldn't you like the name Nye associated with a brilliant doctor?"
"Brilliant?" Jiggy asked. "I don't trust doctors."
"Well most people do," Felicity retorted.
Jiggy looked at her with much amusement.
"You are a fiery little chit," he laughed. "I like you."
"Good," Felicity said flatly. "Now sign the contract." Once more Jiggy Nye eyed the pen. He took it into his hand and read over the paper. Felicity held her breath. She was expecting Jiggy Nye to come up with another belligerent reason for not signing. To her delight he signed the papers. Bingo! She had won! Andy would be so relieved and surprised. Now she had bait, bait for Andy. If he was going to use Penny as bait, to get what he wanted, then she would use his property as bait to get what she wanted. She was quite pleased with herself.
"Thank you Mr. Nye," she said.
"I don't get many visitors," Jiggy rambled. "Tis awfully sweet of you lassies dropping in on a sick old man as I!"
"Twas a pleasure," Felicity replied.
Jiggy Nye lunged himself at Felicity, pinning her back against the table. Felicity shrieked. With one hand Jiggy Nye unhooked her cloak, and it fell to the ground. He began savagely kissing her face and neck. Big. Sloppy, booze-smelling, kisses. Felicity tried to pull free, but Jiggy was much bigger than Eli Merriweather. He was also drunk, and more out of control. He ripped the bodice of her dress open, and began to strip her down to her corset.
"Leave me alone you sick pig!" Felicity yelled. Jiggy Nye slapped her, and began to hitch up her skirts and petticoats. Eli Merriweather hadn't gotten that far. Felicity caught Connie's eye. Connie was standing there frozen with terror.
"Connie! Do something!" Felicity shrieked only to have Jiggy smack her again.
"Quit you stupid lass," he sneered. "Ye dumb women always jabbering!"
By now Jiggy Nye had a good hold on Felicity. She was down on the table, he was on top of her, the weight of his body was over her arms so she could not use them. He began tearing off his breeches.
Out of the corner of her eye, Felicity saw that Connie had the gun out and pointed at Jiggy Nye, but she was trembling so. There was no way she could aim accurately!
She's going to wind up hitting me instead, she thought.
Jiggy's breath was vile and foul. He breathed into her ear
"I haven't ever had a woman like you."
Felicity closed her eyes and prepared herself for the worst. Just then there was a piercing BANG! Connie let out a shriek. Felicity began to feel dizzy. She felt nothing, but she should be raging with pain by now. All she could feel was the weight of Jiggy Nye's body on top of her, and then she saw the blood.