Ben looked dumbstruck. Although my behavior had been unusual, this obviously hadn’t crossed his mind. “The Devil you are!” he said, his voice hot enough to boil water.
I glared at him, in no mood to be contradicted. “I’ve already decided, and you’ll not try to stop me.”
“This is madness. You don’t even know the man. How could you think about...about making him your husband?” Ben didn’t have to say anything else for me to understand his real concern.
“Don’t worry,” I reassured him. “It is going to be a marriage in name only. Once Mr. Crowley is out of the way, I’ll release Henry from the contract. He intends to return home, but if this changes, he has agreed to live at least three hundred miles from Hopewell. When the time comes, we need only to circulate a story about his visiting family, and a month or two later he can die of the palsy all over again.” I pursed my mouth. “I do have some concern for his accent, so we’ll just have to tell folks that he was educated in England.” At least there I could stay with the truth.
Ben stared silently into the empty hearth, his brows creased much like Henry’s had been earlier. “You’ve given this a lot of thought,” he said after a minute.
“Yes, I have,” I admitted, feeling rather clever for my efforts. “And if we keep our wits about us, no one need be the wiser.”
“Hmm.” Ben shifted his gaze back to me. “You know of course, that once you’re married it will be almost impossible to enforce his contract for indenture. I’m sure it won’t be a problem, though I can’t help wondering what would happen if Henry changed his mind. After a year or two as master it may be difficult for him to simply walk away and start over. As Samuel Kilbrid he can claim Brighmor as his own, and the only way you can stop him is by admitting you broke the law and lied about his identity.”
My confident smile fell away as my stomach churned over the few mouthfuls of tea I had recently swallowed.
“And I’ve no doubt if he has a mind to claim Brighmor, he’ll also be claiming you for his wife in more than just name. How long do you think a young man will wait before taking what is legally his?” If not for the worry lines on his forehead, Ben would have sounded like he was speculating on wheat prices instead of my imminent downfall. “Or, I guess he could get rid of you altogether and have Brighmor to himself.”
“He wouldn’t do that,” I said with as much conviction as I could muster.
“Well, if he doesn’t want Brighmor, what’s to stop him from stealing your mother’s jewelry and leaving for England on the next ship? You tell folks he’s anyone other than Mr. Kilbrid, and you’ll both end up in the stocks.”
Blasted! There it was again, that word. Stocks. I had used it in jest with Henry. Now I would surely have nightmares about the horrible contraption for a week.
“But since you’ve thought this through and are so well acquainted with Mr. Alan’s character, we’ve nothing to worry us.” Ben was the one smiling, or rather smirking, now, and I glowered at him in return.
“What else would you have me do? Marry a man I hate? At least this way there’s a chance for me to be happy. Henry has agreed to the terms, and being indentured doesn’t automatically make him a rogue. You should know that better than anyone.” So, maybe I hadn’t thought of everything. This didn’t mean I was ready to tuck tail and run. Despite his concerns, I remained determined to get my way. Fortunately, Ben possessed a certain weakness. Willing tears into my eyes, I allowed one to roll unhindered down my cheek. “Please don’t make me marry Nathan.”
Ben shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “There’s got to be another way,” he said. “Your father would never approve.”
My father had made his choice, and now I had to make mine. And that didn’t involve submitting to the likes of Mr. Crowley. “This is the only option I have left.”
“Your father trusted you to my care until you were married. How can I let you do something so foolish?”
Another tear rolled down my cheek. “Please, Ben, you have to help me.”
His eyes softened, and I knew he would no longer deny me. “Your plan may get us both into trouble, for I swear I’ll kill any man who tries to hurt you.” Ben sighed and pushed up to his feet. “I’m going along with this against my better judgment, Selah Kilbrid.”
“Oh, Ben!” I leapt from my chair and threw my arms around his neck. “Thank you.” Even if every other man in the world proved a scoundrel, Ben would keep me safe.
“You can be saving your thanks for when this is through,” he said, pulling free from my arms. “Now, what would you have me do?”
So much needed doing, I almost didn’t know where to begin. Glancing at the clock, I saw we both had to work fast if there was any chance of leaving as planned. “First you need to find a magistrate who will come to Meredith House tomorrow morning to officiate the wedding. Offer enough incentive for him to come early and to keep things quiet.”