A/N: So I figured I'd stop this chapter where I did for a reason. There's a lot more coming and I didn't want to make you wait longer while I wrote another monster chapter that covered several months to an entire year as I haven't really decided just how long they'll be in Charleston. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and I apologize for not responding privately before now.
Inferno96: I'm not quite sure even she knows what all she has planned yet.
Rossi's Lil Devil: That would be explosive for sure, but he'd have to know what she was up to to stop them. Or would he? An actress of Lotta's caliber could potentially go anywhere to perform ...
As always I own nothing but my OC and unique plots. Until next time!
Charleston, South Carolina, May 5, 1871
"You've got a lot of faith in my acting, sweetheart," Candy breathed in her ear as they descended from the train. The air was soupy and thick despite the fact it was barely May. A welcome breeze blew off the ocean, ruffling stray wisps of hair that refused to stay put with the rest of her false hair piece. Annie batted them away – along with the feather on her hat – and glanced around at the bustling crowd in the station.
"You said you could have pulled it off when Endicott tried to kill Pa," she whispered back with a sweet smile plastered on her lips for the benefit of anyone nearby. She looped her hand through the crook of his arm, a tiny thrill racing through her veins at the ability to publicly claim her husband as hers for the first time in their marriage.
"I wasn't trying to pass myself off as someone in his own hometown," he hissed back. "I ain't ashamed to admit I'm worried."
"This is insane," Griff whispered as he and Teddy came up behind them.
"No more insane than Legare himself," she hissed back.
"We seem to be attracting attention," Candy added and Annie glanced around. Sure enough, people were beginning to stare. She raised her chin and snuggled closer to Candy's side.
No matter what they might think, she had thought about it – actually thought about nothing else from the moment Legare rode away to the moment they found her – and she was convinced this crazy scheme would bear fruit. Hudson had given them all the information he had on the Legare family and coached them as well as he could with the short time frame. He and McPhail would be their warning system, coded wires telling them when Legare finally figured out what she'd done and was headed home.
"Bo?" A man about their age approached them with a frown on his face. "How did you get here so soon?" His gaze raked over Annie from feathered hat to dainty kid leather boots. "And who's this?" Confusion clouded his face.
"I'm his wife," Annie said to shocked gasps. Furious whispers buzzed like a swarm of bees through the station, the news spreading out to the streets faster than a storm could roll in. She smiled again and laid her head along Candy's arm.
"How could you do this?" The first man looked them both over again as though he'd never seen them, looked behind them at Griff and Teddy. "Have you gone mad, Bo? What – you're … ma'am – uh, miss – um … he can't be married to you, his wife is out at the plantation with the rest of the family for the burial."
"Burial?" Candy frowned. "Whose burial?" The man swallowed hard and looked around at the buzzing crowd, seemingly unable to meet Candy's eyes.
"Your father," he finally said, and they looked at each other in shock. "He passed near on a week ago and the rest of your family is still out at the planation."
"Take us there," Candy snapped, somehow able to hold on to his faked accent despite the situation. "Griff, bring the horses and have someone send the bags after us." He tugged her along as he hurried from the station. "Is there a buggy we can borrow?"
"You can't take her out there!" Candy stilled, a dangerous light glowing in his eyes.
"I'll take my wife wherever I please," he said in a voice like stone. "Especially at a time like this."
"But she can't be –"
"The buggy. Now." The other man snapped his mouth shut and looked between them.
"Your mother is going to have a fit," he finally said, before he brushed past them and headed for a buggy tied at the hitch rail outside the station. "Here." He untied the horse and Candy helped her settle into the plush seats before he climbed in and took the reins to the bay mare. "Bo." The man paused, seeming to stumble for words. "I'm sorry."
"So am I," was all Candy said before he backed the horse. They drove out of Charleston accompanied by stares and whispers. Had Annie been the blushing sort, she'd have been cherry red before they'd gone a block. Once on the road heading northwest, she allowed herself to relax a fraction.
"One down," she murmured. "From what Hudson told us, I think that was Will Morgan."
"Probably."
"Now we just have to fool your mother and your 'wife'."
"Not to mention all the servants who've known him since he was born."
"Some may not have stayed after the war, I sure wouldn't have."
"They may not have had much choice."
"We'll deal with it when we get there. I can ask all the questions I want and no one would think it strange."
"I hope this works, sweetheart."
"We cause enough trouble for him, he won't be able to stop himself from coming at us head on, and then everyone will know." The Legare plantation was fifteen miles northwest of Charleston, giving her plenty of time to think. It was too late for any doubts she may have harbored. They'd been seen and there was no turning back now. "I hope Griff and Teddy can keep their mouths shut."
"Like you said, they can only hang us once." She smothered a snort. "I think that's our turnoff up ahead. Get ready for the performance of a lifetime." Annie clung to his arm as the carriage rolled up a road lined with live oaks on either side, the curling branches forming an arch over head. The trees continued for maybe a mile or so before a clearing spread out ahead, a massive brick mansion in the middle. Candy whistled softly and Annie found herself gawking. As a Cartwright, she was no stranger to wealth and luxury, but this was something else entirely. Candy guided the mare around the circular turnaround and stopped in front of the imposing, three story structure.
A young black man hurried out the front door, down the gleaming white porch steps, and collected the mare's reins. "Mist' Legare, sir. It's a right shame you had to come home to this, sir." He offered a small bow. "Missus." She nodded, feeling more than out of place.
"Where is everyone?" Candy climbed out of the buggy and offered his hand to help her down. The young man's face shadowed.
"Inside, sir. Your pa, he already buried, no one knew you were comin', sir, and your mother said they couldn't wait no longer." Candy waved off the implied apology.
"You had no way of knowing." The young man nodded slowly, his gaze flicking to her, but he was too polite – afraid? – to ask. Then again, he didn't have to. She could read every thought he had, just from the look in his eyes and the hard swallow that caught in his throat.
He knew trouble had arrived.
"See to the mare, Will should be along soon to reclaim his buggy." Candy offered his arm and she took it gratefully in an effort to hide her trembling hands. Now that the moment had arrived, she was inexplicably afraid. So much depended on what came next, and not just a few minutes, but hours, days, weeks … perhaps even months if it took Legare a while to get wind of what was going on back home.
Sure they'd fooled Fillmore, and Whitney, but those hadn't drug out for more than a couple weeks. Those men hadn't known them from the cradle, hadn't shared memories, bonds, an entire lifetime. They could so easily make a mistake and never even know they had until it was too late and they were facing down whatever passed for the law in Charleston.
Annie picked up her skirts as the climbed the ornate staircase to the spreading front porch crowned by a columned balcony overhead that she suspected opened off the master of the house's bedroom. The carved front door swung open and another young man in stiff clothes offered a small bow as they walked inside. "Mist' Legare. Missus." She bit her tongue to keep her jaw from dropping at the ornate chandelier hanging from the center of an exquisitely carved plaster medallion almost thirty feet up on the ceiling. A twin mahogany staircase dripping with carvings curved gracefully up to the next floor. She glanced sideways and noticed Candy was doing a remarkable job of hiding his shock.
Unreadable dark eyes flicked between them both, but the young man didn't say a word in question. His throat worked and she figured he was calculating his odds of avoiding the family argument that was all but inevitable.
"Where's my mother?" The young man swallowed hard.
"She and Missus Caroline are in the drawing room, your brother is out inspecting the fields, and your sister is visiting the Reynolds." His gaze slid up the staircase, then back to Candy.
"Best not keep her waiting, I suppose. Have someone bring us refreshments." He started up the stairs and Annie followed, clutching his arm tight, her heart racing. It was her idea, but now that the confrontation was here, it didn't seem as easy as she'd initially thought. A door closed below them and she barely caught the sounds of stairs creaking. Was the kitchen downstairs?
Rounding the corner of the staircase, she felt like she could almost reach out and touch the chandelier looming in the middle of the hall. The Rococo base gleamed with polish and there wasn't a speck of dust on a single one of the dozen ball globes sprouting from the base. She found herself wondering how anyone refilled that with kerosene without setting anything on fire. Did they have a giant ladder hanging around somewhere?
The drawing room doors were open, and voices drifted out into the stairwell. They walked into the room and within seconds, it was as silent as the grave. Probably a bad choice of words, there. Annie fought the urge to giggle at the looks on the women's faces as they stared. A maid, perhaps in her early twenties, had a tea pot in her hands, amber liquid continuing to flow into the delicate cup resting in the frozen hands of a woman close to her own age, maybe a little younger. The older woman's nostrils flared and her eyes burned with bright blue fire as she looked between them.
"What is this?" Elizabeth Legare rose gracefully from the plush settee, and the maid jerked the teapot upright just in time to prevent the tea from running over and spilling onto the women's skirts. "Leave us, Julia." The maid murmured a reply, set the teapot on the silver tray with the rest of the tea service on a heavily carved sideboard and hurried from the room. "Have you no shame?" A thin hand rose to the bodice of her black mourning dress. "If your father knew –" her chin quivered slightly. "How dare you bring that hussy into my house? And in front of your wife!"
"It's my house now, Mother," Candy said smoothly, the arrogant confidence dripping from his tone magnified by the Southern drawl. "And I'll bring my wife wherever I please." The teacup hit the fine carpet, tea splashing everywhere as the younger woman fell back against the sofa with a moan.
"Caroline, cease that foolishness." Mrs. Legare turned back to them with a sneer. "I see it didn't take you long to tire of Maybelle. Where did you find this one?"
"My affairs are none of your concern, Mother." He nodded at Caroline slumped on the settee. "See that her things are packed, and send her back to her father's house, I won't have her under my roof a moment longer." Candy guided Annie to the settee opposite and settled her comfortably, moving to stand at her side, his hand resting on her shoulder.
"You've wanted to say that for years, haven't you?" Candy shrugged, the hint of a smirk playing at his mouth. He wasn't kidding when he'd told Hudson his act would be perfect. If she didn't know better, she'd believe he was Legare.
"You should know, Mother. After all, you and Father forced me into that sham of a marriage. Well, I make the decisions around here now. I could sell every acre of land and speck of furniture in sight and you couldn't do a thing to stop me." He turned to Caroline. "Take whatever you want, I have all I need right here." He squeezed Annie's shoulder and she smiled up at him. Legare's real wife drew herself up, and rose from the settee without a word, cold brown eyes glaring daggers. She swept from the drawing room and disappeared through a doorway at the other end of the room on the left side of the house.
"Have you no care for your family name? Do you hate us so much you'll destroy your brother and sister's chances?"
"Money talks." Candy had spotted the decanter on the sideboard and made his way over to pour himself a glass of whiskey. He turned the glass around, studying the amber liquid. "If enough money is offered, she can still marry whomever she pleases." Mrs. Legare's eyes narrowed. "I understand the phosphate deposits on the property are returning excellent profits." Candy sipped at his whiskey with a smirk. "If you say nothing about my return, just who is going to bring it up? Charleston can talk all it likes but if you keep silent … how many other scandals have been swept under the rug?" A knock came at the door. "Enter," he called, and the door swung open, admitting a different maid carting a tray of thin sandwiches, scones, and small cut glass bowls of brilliant red strawberries sprinkled with sugar. "Tea, Samantha?"
"Yes, please." He nodded at the silver teapot and the maid set the tray on the parlor table between the settees and hurried to pour her a cup.
"Sugar or cream, Missus?"
"Both please." The middle aged woman brought the cup over and Annie accepted it with a smile. "Thank you." Mrs. Legare smothered a sound of annoyance and shook her head.
"Forty years ago, her brother would have already challenged you to a duel."
"Even ten years ago he might have, but this is 1871," Candy reminded the scowling woman as he picked up a scone and ate it in three bites. "I'm sure he has more important things to worry about right now." If rumors could be believed that is, though Hudson had certainly thought it was true. Considering the legislation that had passed the previous month, her brother may not even be in the state anymore …
"Hattie!" Legare's wife appeared in the doorway. "Have Ben carry my trunk downstairs," she spit through clenched teeth.
"Use Will's carriage if you like," Candy said with a shrug. "It has to go back anyway." The woman fixed him with an icy glare before she turned away without another word.
"I'm ashamed to call you my son."
"War changes people, Mother." He downed the last of his whiskey and snatched up another scone. "These are delicious by the way, send my compliments to the cook."
"Yes, sir." Hattie hurried to the door, a wary look in her eyes that Annie didn't like. Had she noticed something off? Had they already made a fatal mistake? Or was it simply a reaction to the shocking turn of events? Candy had already mentioned selling the land, what if she'd thought he was serious?
Annie set her tea down and reached for a bowl of berries and a delicate silver fork and began to nibble the sweet fruit. At the weight of eyes on her, she looked up, one brow arched as she deliberately put another berry in her mouth. Mother Legare looked like a cat about to spit. "That's my mother's silver."
"Am I supposed to be afraid you're going to call me a soiled dove or something else unsavory?" Annie ate another berry, enjoying the angry flush rising in the woman's face. She may not be able to bait Mrs. Smith but Elizabeth Legare would do just fine as a substitute. "I've found that names are just that: names. They can only hurt us if we allow them to." She nipped another sugared berry off the fork's tines with a small smile. "I haven't listened to such talk since I was a child."
"Who are you?"
"Samantha Legare."
"You have no claim to that name."
"My husband says otherwise." The woman bristled.
"He's not your husband."
"We were married in California last year."
"He's been married since 1865." Annie shrugged.
"My husband said he wasn't and it's no concern of mine." She looked around. "His home is lovely and I do wish I could have met his father, too." She let an appraising gleam light her eyes, hoping the woman read her as out for money. If they could keep attention on her instead of Candy they might avoid people looking too closely and seeing differences that shouldn't exist. "Are those real silver?" She let her gaze linger on the heavy candle sticks on the mantel and the hint of a particular accent to color her tone.
"Of course they are, we're not all stricken by poverty around here, no matter how hard certain people in the government try to make it so." The woman's skirts swished violently as she spun around, eyes widening. "Dear God, you – she's a Yankee! How could you after we lost Nathan at Cold Harbor?"
"Only half, Mother," Candy said dismissively. "Her mother was from Louisiana, I believe. Besides, it's been ten years." For a split second, her face crumpled, then it hardened to flint.
"I knew you'd changed when you came back, but I never would have believed it could come to this." She swept from the room in a whirl of skirts and heady anger. Annie would have bet money the woman dearly wanted to slam the door but her proper upbringing held her in check.
The man they'd met downstairs arrived just as Mrs. Legare returned from her room. "Take my trunk out to the Morgan buggy."
"Yes'm." He collected the heavy trunk and left them alone. Mrs. Legare tugged on her lace gloves and tilted her feathered hat before raising her chin and stalking over to Candy. She slapped him hard enough to leave a red hand print and kept going out the doors, heels clicking on the hardwood as she descended the stairs in silence.
"She deserves better than him," Candy said under his breath.
"I want to throttle her and respect her at the same time." Annie sighed heavily. "Stupid bastard can't see that he already had what he was looking for."