A Gamble On Love
Miss. James walked around the Capital looking around and thinking of the long trip on the train.
All the half baked letters and ways to tell her father about Johnothan.
"Stop over thinking it Freya. You worry too much. Now sit back and enjoy the view." Ceillia said, fanning herself with one of the letters Freya threw out.
As the group walked to the hall of records the lady of the house wondered how her vagabond friend got tickets for the train.
Her cousin sat on a bench with Nick trying not to throw up from the ride.
"Just take a couple deep breaths in through the nose out the mouth. Or is it the other way around?" Nick said to Ayden.
Ceillia took the letters out of the box and put them in her bag.
"Here you go Mr.James in case you need it. Just don't throw up on the streets. You'll get a fine for littering. Don't think your daddy will like that very much." Ayden put the box to his face and dry heaved into it trying not to throw up.
Freya looked around more, trying to read the street signs and the map to find the hall of records.
"How nice of you to let me have your box to throw up in Miss. Swan. How did you get those train tickets anyhow? No, don't tell me, I don't want to be part of your crime spree."
Ceillia gave him a huff and walked around the bench Nick and Ayden were sitting on.
"It is not a crime to buy tickets Ayden. And why must you be here anyway? I wasn't aware Freya wanted a stick in the horse crap cousin to come with us. Now if you don't mind I have to think of a way to get money to buy the tickets home. It's cheaper to buy one way."
Freya's cousin looked at Ceillia like he was trying to figure out how to throw up on her.
"Here is an idea, why don't you try to be honest for once and get a job or something and earn the money. Maybe then my uncle William would like you spending so much time with Freya."
The two of them kept fighting while Miss.James was turning the map this way and that.
"WILL YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING? YOU HAVE BEEN GOING AT EACH OTHER SINCE WE LEFT JASPER!! NOW BE QUIET!!" Freya yelled at them, finally finding the street for the hall of records.
Nick walked over to Freya and whispered "Thank you, those two were giving me a headache."
They started towards the main street looking at all the shops as they went along the road.
As a group of men wearing Confaderate soldier uniforms went by, Freya gave a little bit of a laugh to herself.
A thought came to Freya's head. (Did I remember to hide the letters under the loose floorboard before I left?)
"Would you look at that? They are just closing shops left and right here. I thought the Capital was supposed to be full of them. Just hope the dress shop is still open because that is my next stop after the hall of records." Freya said to the others.
The group got the hall of records and started trying to find a way in.
"Now I say we spilt into teams, Stick in the horse crap... I mean Ayden can go with Freya, Nick can come with me. Unless you want other teams?" Ceillia said, folding her arms in a boss-like manner.
Ayden eyed her up and down then looked at his cousin gave a huff and opened the door for them.
They all walked into the hall, thanking him.
"I was only teasing to get you to smile Ayden. At one point you used to tease me back, we even pulled a joke on the twins remember? Putting salt in their lemonade instead of sugar." Freya's cousin laughed at the memory.
"Fine, I'll stop having a stick up my butt if you try to get money for our tickets back the honest way." Miss. Swan didn’t say anything but patted his face and walked into the hall of records.
The four of them went to the desk in the middle of the room and waited for the clerk to notice. They stood there looking around the place looking all the way up.
“That has to be at least twelve sets of stairs. Meaning six floors. That is a lot of records. You sure you want to do this Freya? I mean we don’t have a lot of time.” Nick said, still looking up and turning around, making herself dizzy.
Freya walked up the the counter and rang the bell to get a clerk but they kept doing their job.
“Hello we need help please here. “
One of the clerks put a finger up to say one minute. The four of them kept standing there for another few minutes.
“Screw it, let’s just go upstairs and work our way down. Come on ladies.” Ayden said, leading them to the stairs on the far end of the hallway.
One of the clerks finally looked up at them and called them back. “You can’t just go and look through the records. You need a clerk to show you. Those records are property of the state of Alabama. Now wait there and someone will be with you shortly.”
They sat down on a bench and waited for a few more minutes. Miss. James tapped her foot waiting for the clerk.
“We need to get what we need and leave soon as possible. Any ideas in how to get them to move faster then a slug on a Sunday?” Miss. Swan looked at Freya’s cousin with a may I look on her face.
“Fine, but after this we are going to go get a good drink and some food. The stuff we had on the train just ran right through me.” Miss. Swan went to the desk and hit the bell.
“I told you someone will be with you shortly. We are backed up here on the work here. Now go over there and sit.” Ceillia looked her up and down trying to read her.
“Do you know who this woman is?'' Miss. Swan pointed at Freya. The clerk looked at Freya and shook her head no.
“You know the Governor of Alabama is right? This is his niece, she is about to get married but before she does; the Governor wants a background check on the young man in question.
Now are you going to help her or do we have to go back and tell the Governor that one of their clerks isn’t doing her job?”
The clerk cleared her desk and waved Freya and the rest over. “Who are we doing a background search on Miss? I’ll need their name and birthday and other information.” Freya grabbed the paper from her bag and handed it to the clerk.
“Give me a few minutes. I’ll be right back.” Freya nodded her head thank you and went back to sit down with the rest of them.
“What did you say to her to get her moving faster? I thought I would be spending my honeymoon here waiting to see a clerk. Then again, if I have to honeymoon with Mr.Myer I would rather be here then with him. So what did you say to her? Please tell me.”
Miss. Swan looked over to her friend and said “Well, let’s just say your uncle just got a big promotion. In other words I told her that your uncle was the Governor of Alabama.” Ayden looked at her in a bit of shock.
“Do you know who the Governor even is Miss. Swan?” Ceillia flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “How would I know who the Governor is? He isn’t my uncle.” Freya laughed while Ayden crossed his arms angry at her lies.
They sat there for over thirty minutes waiting for the clerk to come back. She had at least eight different files tied neatly.
“Here is everything we have on one Mitchell Randle Myer. I copied all of them for you. Enjoy! I hope you find everything you may need.'' The clerk said with a smile on her face. Each of them took two files and left the hall of records.
They walked the street reading the files and trying to find a good place to eat. “Listen to this one, Mitchell Randle Myer was expelled from many schools for, well the list is long from fighting to well not very gentlemanly acts towards women.” Nick said, reading the file.
Freya started reading more of the files on her betrothed getting more worried by the word. She kept on reading until the name Lavender Rose Conners-Myer came up. Miss. James read and reread the file repeatedly walking into the street.
“FREYA!!! STOP!!”
The other three grabbed her by her skirt and pulled her back.
“We should find the food place soon before one of us gets ran over.” Ayden said, somewhat dragging his own cousin back onto the sidewalk.
The group found a bar on the corner and went inside. “Oh no you don’t, get out now. The rest of you can stay, but that blond has to go.” Nick, Freya and Ayden looked at Ceillia with a what did you do this time look.
“I have never been here before. Why kick me out?” The bartender came out from behind the bar and tried to tower over the group.
“Oh we have heard about you from all over. The men in here aren’t looking to get robbed by some prissy little blond girl. Unless you give me your word you won’t be gambling then you must leave.”
Ayden stepped between them and tried to push her back. “She gives her word, good Sir, now can we sit down and eat? I’ll have your best scotch and some kind of steak.” The bartender eyed him up and down and nodded.
“Hey now, I can speak for myself and give my word I won’t gamble. Last time I checked a woman’s word is just as good as a man’s. Now please get me a four leaf clover with a hint of mint. Thanks.” Ceillia said stepping in front of Ayden looking the bartender right in the eye.
The four of them sat down and went back to reading the files. As Freya read her smoking gun for the twenty first time, Ayden started reading out loud.
“Mitchell Myer went to William and Mary college in 1854 at sixteen. Shortly after he was accused of cheating and abusive behavior. In 1856 at eighteen, Mr.Myer was expelled from college for trying to have relations with a young teacher and when she tried to stop him; Mr.Myer twisted her arm so far back it pulled it right out of the socket. Mitchell Myer was thrown out of the college later that day. “
An hour later they slammed the flies closed, sick to their stomachs from what they read.
“I need a break from all this stuff. Maybe we can play a friendly card game. No gambling don’t lose your hair over it. Just a little game of cards. Nothing fancy.” Ceillia said shuffling the cards really fast.
Freya stacked the files neatly and put them in her bag.
“Hey bartender man I would like a drink, the stronger the better. Better yet a round of them for the table.” Freya said, picking up her cards.
Then they started playing whatever card games they could think of.
“I can’t believe that is the man that your father wants you to marry. Tell me? how long has your father been insane? Had he been inhaling his cigars getting light-headed or has Theodora slapped him in the head with her broom by mistake.” Nick said, fixing her cards in her hands.
“Can we not talk about that right now? Just play cards and drink? What are we playing anyway? Someone tell me that.” Ayden said, eating a piece of steak.
“We could make up a game or just play a friendly game of poker? I promise I won’t count the cards. Give you the friends and family respect I won’t count the cards.” Ceillia said, taking a drink of her drink. After about forty-five minutes of playing cards, three of them quit the game.
They ordered some more food and more drinks. “You think you could teach me how to count cards? I want something to keep my mind off that man. Come on teach me what the great Brandon James taught you. Please, the twins never taught me anything when they were alive. You can make up for their mistakes.” Freya said in a guilt trip voice.
Ayden looked at his cousin as if she was crazy. “You know your father won’t like that you know how to count cards. You will get into trouble with him. Don’t you remember what he did to your brother?” “Come on don’t be a stick in the mud dear cousin there is no life without risk. And he won’t know that I can count cards if no one tells him. Hint, hint.”
Ceillia threw back her drink then started shuffling her cards. “I’ll teach you how to count cards if you make me the maid of honor when you marry anyone but the abusive, can’t keep his hands to himself Mr.Myer. Deal?” Freya extended her hand to shake Ceillia’s.
Twenty minutes later, Freya was double checking the card number making sure she understood the rules of counting cards.
“I think I am ready to try my new skill on some card games. Going to need to have money when I get married. I doubt I’ll have any spending money.”
The lady of the house looked around the bar and spotted some men in the corner playing cards. “I’m going to see if I can join the big boys in their little game. Bartender, get me a white wine. I'll be over here.''
She joined the table and started playing the game already going on.
Two hours later, Miss.James had won the pot twenty times. A lot of the men left the table angry that a sixteen year old girl took them for all their worth. A young man sat down across from her in a nice suit and tie.
“Can I have a round or two with you?'' Freya shuffled the deck making sure she was doing it right.
“Depends if you have a cigar because I could really go for one right now.”
“Really Southern Fire? gambling, drinking wine, and now smoking cigars? What is next, you going to be showing off your bare legs in the streets?''
Freya looked up and saw those sea-like eyes looking at her smiling. She gave him a sly smile, biting her bottom lip.
“What kind of woman do you take me for Mr.Rosemen? Are we going to play cards or not?'' They play a hand or two of poker while trading puffs of a cigar. “Half the black lung for both of us Miss. James."
What brings you to the Capital on this fine day? Taking in the sights or did you just come to see me?''
Freya layed down her cards showing all four queens over his pair of sixes.
“I have some things I had to do in the capital that are for me to know and you to figure out.”
Just then, Ayden walked by the table and saw them being flirtish with one another.
“If we don’t leave now Freya, the dress shop will be closed. And I know you want your mother’s wedding dress to be fitted for you. Unless you are planning to get married in whatever is in your wardrobe."
Freya put down her cards and looked at Ayden with fire in her eyes. He slowly walked away and back to the others.
“Tell me Miss. James, is that wedding dress for my eyes or Mr.Myer’s? I hope it’s my eyes I still have to ask your father that question I want to ask.”
Freya stood up and brushed her hand against his chest wearing his ring. “A little tip for getting on my father’s good side. Bring him a bottle of the best Bourbon aged about fifty years. And to get on my good side, don’t give him cigars.”
Mr. Rosemen reached out, grabbed her hand and kissed it.
“Oh trust me I know better not to get on your bad side. Then again your kiss is filled with more passion when you are angry.” He stood up pulling her close to him. “Like right now, your eyes are full of fire they almost match the stone about your neck. Tell me, what would your cousin and friends say if I were to kiss you right now?”
Freya got on her tiptoes and kissed him, putting both hands on his face. For the brief second, they almost forgot they were in a bar filled with people. They stopped kissing to look around at the crowd.
“How soon do you want to get married Mr. Rosemen? Because I saw a little church down the road.”
The Union Soldier felt her forehead to see if she caught a fever from the kiss.
“What about Mr.Myer? What about your father?” Nick asked, stepping closer to them.
“Mr.Myer can go to hell for all I care. And I’ll tell my father when we get home. Now Mr. Rosemen go get your uniform on and meet me at the little church in an hour’s time.” Freya said, getting back on her tiptoes to kiss him.
She stopped the kiss as fast as she started it. “The little church on Grace Ave. and Cherry blossom Street. I’ll be there.”
Freya grabbed her stuff and set off for the dress shop to get it fitted.
“What are you going to tell uncle William when you get home Freya?”
The lady of the house gave it a quick thought. “Well truth be told, but I have a whole dress fitting and train ride home to figure it out. Now come on, let’s go get ready. Ayden walk me down the aisle, please?” He gave her a nod.
As they got closer to the dress shop Freya’s heart raced knowing she was about to do something wild and crazy about to marry a man she had only known a short time.
She was about to marry the enemy of the war.
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