The Apothecary's Daughter (Romance/Mystery/Suspense) Read online

  I knew what she was saying made sense. I was an orphan just like her, but I was old enough to understand. Poor little Sophia had no idea what had happened to her family.

  “Won’t it confuse her to let her think I’m her mother?”

  “I can’t answer that for sure. And I don’t know that she’ll actually think you’re her mother. All I do know is that your presence here has brought her out of her shell and caused her to speak for the first time in three months. I don’t really think she believes you’re her mother, but that she identifies with you as a safe person.”

  Ben offered his assistance as chauffer, so I agreed to return the following day. I knew I was making a very big commitment, and I worried we would both become attached to each other in our quest to work through our newfound title as orphan.

  Sister Mary Ellen thanked me for my generosity, then, allowed Ben and me to finish touring the orphanage. The Nun was too young to answer any questions regarding my mother’s stay, but she pointed out the woodwork in the ward where my mother had proudly carved her name. It had been painted over several times, but each letter was still very visible. I ran my fingers over the letters, trying to feel what my mother must have felt as she made the carving. If I knew her as much as I thought, I supposed she’d made the carving just before she left as a way of leaving her mark and bidding the orphanage a final farewell, knowing she’d never look back.

  At the end of the tour, I was officially drained of most of my energy. Ben offered to take me into town and show me around while we picked up some lunch. Lunch was all I heard from him as I sat in the car beside him, my thoughts whirling back to Sophia.

  The town was quiet and small, but equipped with a fair-sized diner that promised good coffee and fresh pie.

  “Fresh pie and a good cup of coffee is all I need,” Ben joked.

  I nodded, remaining quiet.

  “Are you really okay with visiting with Sophia?”

  I told him of the promise that Emily and I had made when we were teenagers, just after we’d discovered boys. We had our whole lives panned out, complete with what kind of man we would marry, and our firstborn child would be named after each other’s middle names. She had followed that dream with having Isabelle, but I had chosen another path. When I got old enough to realize how much my mother had struggled to raise me on her own, I shied away from the thought of having children until I was financially stable enough to care for a child without having to do the sort of back-breaking labor that my mother had. I knew she enjoyed her work, but I supposed I hadn’t really understood how much until finding out about the inheritance she willingly gave up for me. For her to sacrifice taking the easy road and living off her inheritance for my sake, she had to have loved her job more than I thought, or else she’d bore the burden only for my sake. I preferred not to think about the latter, feeling selfish for always wanting more as a child.

  “Did Sophia make you wonder if you’d missed out on your chance to have a child along-side Emily?”

  “I have to admit I felt left behind when she got married, and then again when she had Isabelle. But I’ve had more than two years to come to terms with the differences in our life choices.”

  “Do you wish you would have chosen to have the husband and the child the way your friend did?”

  I looked at Ben, not knowing if I wanted him to know so much about my personal life, but he’d been right about one thing; he was indeed a very good listener.

  “It was never an option for me. I’ve never had a relationship that was serious enough to consider marriage. Especially none I’d consider having children with.”

  He looked at me more seriously. “What are your thoughts about Sophia in all of this?”

  “She’s a mixed up little child. But if honesty is what you’re looking for, the thought of adopting her crossed my mind for about a nanosecond. Any longer than that and I might have seriously hurt my brain. I’m not prepared to raise a child on my own.”

  Ben sipped the coffee that the waitress refilled for him. “What if you didn’t have to raise her alone?”

  I shifted nervously in my seat. “I’m not even dating anyone, if you must know. By the time I get married Sophia will be grown.”

  “If you want her, I would be willing to marry you.”

  Heat rose up in my cheeks. “Thanks for the great compliment.”

  He cleared his throat. “I didn’t mean it as a put-down. I would willingly marry you. Maybe that’s not right either. Claire, I’d really like to marry you. I’d like to help you raise Sophia, if that’s what you want to do.”

  I choked on my water. “Are you crazy?”

  Ben smiled. “Maybe. But at least I’m fun-crazy.”

  “How can you offer such a thing when I don’t even know you, and neither of us knows that child?”

  “Haven’t you ever heard of an arranged marriage? At least this way we would arrange it ourselves.”

  I looked deep into his eyes for any sign that he might be joking.

  “You have to be joking.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just thinking out loud. But I think people never say what’s really on their minds. I think you’re funny and smart, and very beautiful.”

  I looked away shyly. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  “Then marry me. You can’t tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing or something similar when that nun thought we were a couple looking to adopt.”

  I couldn’t look him in the eye. It had crossed my mind. But this was too crazy to even consider.

  “Okay. I’ll give you that one. It did cross my mind. But what about a date first?”

  “We’re having it now.” He grinned so wide I could see his dimples.

  “Well then if this is a date, then you are paying. And I want the biggest cheeseburger they have on the menu.”

  “Oh yeah? You’re the one with all the money.”

  “I see. Now the truth comes out. You want to marry me for my money.”

  He looked seriously into my eyes and took my hand in his. “If I was lucky enough to get you to marry me, I’d sign a prenuptial agreement. I would never want you to worry I’d take anything away from you.”

  His comment struck a nerve. But in a good way. I glanced out the window at the courthouse that was taunting me from across the street, and wondered if it would be too impulsive to take Ben into that courthouse and marry him now before he changed his mind.

  Ben cleared his throat to get my attention. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

  “I don’t know. All I do know is that Emily would probably have me committed if she knew what I was thinking right now.”

  “Then you are thinking what I’m thinking.”

  I smiled at him as he took a bite of his pie.

  “How can you be so sure of yourself?”

  “Because I think you are just as impulsive as I am or you wouldn’t be thinking what I’m sure you’re thinking. Life is short and I think we should make a future for ourselves, and we should consider including Sophia.”

  “Is that your idea of a proposal?”

  Ben shook his head. “It wasn’t a proper one.”

  He stood up and knelt before me. My heart caught in my throat as I realized what was happening.

  He took my hand in his and looked solemnly into my eyes. “Claire Mayfield, will you marry me right now?”

  I looked him in the eye. He was right about me. I’d always been impulsive, so why should this be any different? I was certainly attracted to him. And what was dating really? Just a way of trying someone out and then giving up at the first disagreement. I liked the idea of being able to bypass all the awkward waiting and wondering if the one I was dating was the one because if I married Ben he would be the one no matter what.

  “Right now? We haven’t even kissed yet?”

  “Yes, right now. And we will have our first kiss after we say I do.”

  Oh, how romantic is that?

  “Then, yes. I will marry
you right now.”

  Customers in the diner who had witnessed the proposal now cheered for us. We laughed and he hugged me tightly.

  It was an exciting thought to be marrying a stranger that I’d never even kissed before, but there were plenty of cultures who still married someone they’d never even met before the ceremony. Ben was right. We’d done our own choosing, and I don’t think I could have made a better choice.

  

  Ben made a few phone calls and arranged to have his father’s office fax a copy of the prenuptial agreement that he’d just dictated to the assistant on the other end of the conversation as soon as possible. Then, he pulled up a few things on his Blackberry. He left a very large tip on the table and we exited the diner; the customers sending us off with one last cheer.

  In the car, Ben punched in an address into his GPS and off we drove to an unknown destination his GPS told us was ten minutes from where we presently were.

  The next stop was a jewelry store. I panicked momentarily, wondering how I would get through this with my sanity intact. I recalled how crazy Emily was for months while she planned her wedding, but in the end, she gave up and they eloped. I couldn’t imagine her attempting to do it all in less than two hours like I was about to do. Together, we chose rings that matched. I thought they were a little too pricey, but Ben pulled out his credit card without blinking an eye. Suddenly, I realized I would have a fancy ring, but what about the dress? I looked down at my jeans and pulled at the sleeves of my long, tweed jacket. Even though I wore a white blouse, it wasn’t my first choice of what to get married in.

  Ben seemed to read my mind because the final location punched into the GPS turned out to be a bridal shop. Ben left me to pick out a dress and shoes while he went to the other side of the store to look for a tux. When he was out of sight, I walked straight over to a dress that had caught my eye while he punched my number into his phone so he could call me when he was finished. Then, he handed me his credit card and went about his business.

  The dress was a perfect fit. I admired the dress from every angle and wondered what my mother and Emily would think of it. I asked the attendant to take a picture with my phone, then, sent it to Emily. Within seconds my phone rang, and of course it was Emily.

  “What are you doing trying on wedding dresses? I thought you went to look at your mother’s estate.” She sounded sleepy.

  “Are you sitting down?”

  “Why do I need to sit down Claire? What are you up to?”

  I paused to catch my breath before answering.

  “I’m getting married. In an hour.”

  Emily screamed ‘what’ so loud I had to hold the phone away from my ear.

  “To who?”

  “To Ben. The lawyer.”

  “Are the two of you crazy? You’ve only known each other for five hours.”

  “Emily calm down. You only knew Steve for a week before you decided to marry him. Technically I’ve known Ben for almost a week.”

  “Okay, Claire. But what do you really know about him?”

  “I know that he’s kind and smart and handsome. And he’s a lawyer, so there’s no need to worry about a criminal background.”

  “Very funny, Claire. What about your inheritance? Money can turn even a kind man into a greedy one.”

  “Not to worry. He’s having a prenuptial agreement faxed over to the courthouse so he can sign it before he marries me. I didn’t ask him for it—he offered. He’s a good man, Em. And when I tell you about the day we’ve had so far, you will understand.”

  “I wish I could be there with you, but since Steve and I eloped instead of having a big wedding, I understand. But I will be the best friend ever and plan a party for you just like you did for me.”

  “Thanks, Em, but it will have to wait until his parents get back. They’re on a month-long cruise. We have a lot to talk about, but I have to go or I will be late for my own wedding.”

  “The dress is beautiful, Claire. Your mother would have loved it. Good luck.”

  “Thanks, Em. I knew I could count on you.”

  I hung up the phone feeling more confident about my decision. The dress was carefully zipped up in a white garment bag so Ben would not see the dress before it was time. I pulled up my soon-to-be-husband’s number and pressed send.

  “Yes my dear,” He answered.

  “I’m ready.”

  Everything was paid for and we were out the door and on our way to the courthouse to get married. On the drive over, Ben asked me a million questions. When was my birthday? What was my taste in music and movies? For every question he asked, he gave an equal answer for my information. Every answer to every question proved we had more in common than I’d thought we did. Everything from our favorite band to our favorite color, and even our favorite television show. The list went on until we reached the courthouse. I stepped out of the car feeling confident of my decision, and walked up the courthouse steps on Ben’s arm.

  Inside the courthouse, the fax was waiting for us. Ben pulled aside another attorney that had just exited the courtroom and asked him to explain the terms of the prenuptial agreement to me. It was a nice gesture of trust on his part, and I was certainly impressed with his gentle nature.

  When all was signed and notarized, a court reporter assisted me to the judges’ locker room so I wouldn’t have to change in the public bathroom. When I was ready, the Magistrate handed me a bouquet of flowers, claiming that Ben had had them delivered. Surprised and happy that he’d thought of everything, I exited the locker room and walked into private chambers where Ben waited for me. I was so nervous I had trouble concentrating, but when it was time for Ben to say ‘I do’, he said it with fervor. After the rings were securely in place, the Magistrate pronounced us as husband and wife. Ben pulled me into his arms and kissed me like I’d never been kissed before in my life. I could feel the love that I already had for him rise up in me as I kissed him back with the same enthusiasm.

  Since Ben had asked one of the guards to take our things to his car during the ceremony, we were on our way to the hotel that he’d made a reservation for while we were at the diner. When we pulled up to the Wellington Suites, a valet parked the car while we checked in to the honeymoon suite. As we rode in the elevator to the seventh floor, Ben kissed me passionately. The doors swung open and we walked to the end of the hall to our suite. Ben swiped the keycard in the door, then, scooped me into his arms and carried me into the room. A knock at the door alerted us to room service of champagne and fresh strawberries. The room consisted of a sitting room, a very high four-post bed in the sleeping area, and a large Jacuzzi in the bathroom.

  We kicked off our shoes, and Ben pulled the room service cart over to the bed so we could celebrate our marriage. He poured two glasses of the champagne and placed the silver bowl of strawberries on the bed.

  He raised his glass. “To a marriage that will last one hundred years.”

  I clinked my glass against his and we sipped the bubbly drink. Ben picked a fresh strawberry from the bowl and pressed it to my lips. I bit into it as he pressed his lips against mine and bit into the other side. He kissed me as we chewed on the fruit, and I giggled at the fun of the moment. He kissed my lips gently, then, swept his lips across my neck, then to my breasts, sending shivers of desire through to my very core. He unbuttoned his shirt as he continued to kiss me, and I gestured to him to assist me out of the wedding dress. He gently removed the dress, and then his tuxedo pants. Then he picked me up and placed me on the bed where I gave in to his passion for me.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  In the morning, I woke up in my new husband’s arms. I stared at the ring on my finger, then, looked up into Ben’s face. I jiggled him slightly, causing him to stretch to wakefulness.

  He smiled at me and pulled me close to him. “Good morning, my beautiful bride. How did you sleep?”

  I didn’t have to think about my answer. I’d slept more soundly than I had in weeks. Maybe months. I felt comfortable in his
arms. A sort of comfort that made me feel as though we’d been married for a lifetime already. He admitted he’d slept just as soundly as I had. We kissed and cuddled until a knock at the door interrupted.

  I instinctively pulled the sheet up to cover myself. “Does anyone know we’re here?”

  “Relax, my dear. It’s just room service. Yesterday when I reserved the room I asked them to serve us breakfast this morning, just in case we had an awkward first night together. I thought it would give us a chance to recover with a little conversation. Food somehow always brings people together, don’t you think so?”

  All I heard was awkward first night. “You don’t think it was awkward, do you?”

  He kissed me gently before grabbing the hotel robe to cover himself as he walked toward the door.

  “Of course not. It was the best night of my life.”

  I blew him a kiss before he disappeared into the sitting area to open the door.

  It wasn’t room service. It was a strange man with papers in his hand, asking for me!

  “I’m her husband. What can I do for you?”

  “Are you Benjamin Avery?” The man was asking.

  He pushed the papers into Ben’s hands and mumbled something about a lawsuit. I couldn’t hear from where I poked my head from around the corner of the sleeping area of the suite.

  Ben came back into the room and showed me the papers. It was a lawsuit against both of us by my father. He was asking for 75% of the estate, and demanding I take a paternity test.

  “He must have followed us to the courthouse because he knows we got married. But what I don’t understand is why he would include me in the lawsuit since he knows about the pre-nup.”

  Ben flipped through the pages and found a copy of our prenuptial agreement and a copy of our marriage license. The back page revealed a local lawyer Ben wasn’t familiar with, but the papers had been filed just minutes after we were married.

  “That con artist was at the courthouse while I was getting married, and all he could think of was to have his lawyer file a lawsuit against me to steal from me?”