Chapter 34 — At Last

An hour later, the couple slipped away, more than ready for some alone time. Richard’s attentiveness made Tess wish they had a romantic spot to go, something more than the cottage. She had kept the master bedroom for her personal use during the reception and suggested they might stay there, but Richard had declined. “I will not have ghosts and clanging pipes on our wedding night,” he declared.

“This isn’t the way to the cottage,” Tess said as Richard turned down an unfamiliar, isolated country road.

“I know,” Richard said as he pulled into a gated driveway.

Tess watched perplexed as Richard clicked the remote and the gate swung open, revealing a freshly paved drive. He clicked the remote again, and floodlights lit up a sprawling brick Georgian style carriage house in the distance. Tiny candles glowed in four large white sash windows over the garage doors.

“This is lovely,” Tess said. “How did you find such a place? Did you rent it for the night?”

“This is our home, Tess. All two hundred acres and Daniel is going to sell me three hundred more. His estate begins on the other side of the trees.”

Tess was speechless. “Richard, how in the world…?”

“I had the plans drawn up, and the workmen started as soon as they deeded the property to me,” Richard said. “The crew has been working twenty-four seven. I didn’t want to take you back to the cottage even for one night. It will be a comfortable place for us to live until they built our house. We won’t have to rush.”

“It’s beautiful,” Tess said, aware that Richard was thrilled with the estate. And it was, but she was a bit put out that Richard had not consulted her about where they would live, and more to the point, how the carriage house was furnished and the kitchen designed. She didn’t want to appear ungrateful and spoil Richard’s mood. 

“I can’t take all the credit. I had lots of help. I hired a decorator, and my mother helped with the decorating. The cabinets are from Fritz and Thomas, and Thomas already knew what you like. I was afraid someone would let it slip; that’s why Bradley stuck close to you all evening.”

Tess felt a guilty twinge for thinking Richard domineering. Bradley had a reason to be by her side all evening. The fog lifted in her mind. Even when she’d faltered, Richard had held fast to his dream for their future. Her eyes took in the large carriage house. It was pristine. She could tell he’d sunk a lot of money into it. It would hold a lot of cars, and Richard had a lot of vehicles. 

“This is a huge carriage house…” she said even though uncharitable thoughts were running through her head—she couldn’t get past the idea of her house being decorated by Richard’s mother. She would not like it, and she knew it. It had also upset her that Marsha had planned their honeymoon to Scotland and Ireland, and hadn’t asked her about the slightest detail. Since it was their wedding gift to them, Tess hadn’t objected. She hid her displeasure with a forced smile. 

The floodlights lit up the grounds. They got out of the car and stood with their arms around each other, admiring the grand estate. Tall spruce trees adorned the property, as well as huge oaks. The best part of all was the night sounds: the chirping of crickets and the croaking of frogs. She thought they must be near a body of water.

Tess breathed in the smell of the pines. “I never expected anything as regal as this.” She wondered if Richard would expect her to sell her log cabin. It was humble compared to this, but she loved her old homestead.

Richard seemed to have read her mind. “Later, we can move your log cabin here. There’s a clearing in the woods. It’s not far from the creek.”

“I won’t move the cabin.” Her voice held resolve. Her emotions raw from leaving Sawyer, and she hadn’t forgotten that she’d offered the cabin to him. The orchard was there and the creek. It would not be the same if they moved the cabin.

 Tess felt Richard’s warm lips cover hers, and she let herself bask in his love as the sounds of the night surrounded her. And then a familiar sound came out of the darkness.

Hoot, Hoot, Hoot…

“Oh, Richard, did you hear Owl? He sounds sad.”

“Owls all sound the same. I’m not going to feed your overactive imagination that has been tinctured with champagne,” Richard said, sternly taking her hand and leading her down a path lined with tiny twinkling lights.

 “Now get your mind out of the clouds and listen to me. I had to have this land for you. This is where Owl Creek begins. It’s the largest creek—the others are tiny tributaries. I’ve brought you home, darling.” They walked hand in hand to the creek. The moon shone brightly, reflecting white ripples in the willow-colored water.

Maybe Tess should have been happier, but she couldn’t help thinking that she would miss her log cabin even if parts of it were downright shabby. But most of all, she would miss her freedom. She was determined to come back and help Sawyer. And she would help Stephanie as well. She had made promises, and she resolved to keep them.

 She had seen a side of Richard tonight that she didn’t like. Until now, she had only found a trifle of faults with him, but now she realized how controlling he was. She loved him, but she also knew she would not be cheated out of her dreams. She had things she wanted to do—even she didn’t know how far she would go to accomplish them. This was her wedding night, and it wasn’t the time for negative thoughts. 

Tess drew her thoughts back to the present and squeezed Richard’s hand as she smiled up at him, holding on to the fact that he loved her as they walked hand in hand back to the carriage house. It was a comfortable feeling with an underlying excitement. When Richard hummed, At Last, she laughed, and it cleansed her soul. His tender kiss dispelled all but the faintest of reservations.

“Are you tired, Mrs. Cooper?” he whispered, his mouth near her ear.

“Not at all,” Tess whispered. “I feel rejuvenated, as if the evening has just begun.”

“In that case, can I interest you in a glass of champagne, some soft music, and silk sheets special ordered from Paris?”

“Silk sheets?” Tess murmured. “You never cease to amaze me. You think of every little detail.”

Richard buried his head in the hollow of her neck, his voice husky. “I feel like the luckiest man in the world to have you as my wife. Every day of our life should be special. The first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one. We have to let go of the past, and from this day forward, it’s ‘us’ as if nothing else existed. Can you do that, Tess?”

 Richard had utterly captivated her. “Yes, I can,” she said, her heart bursting with love for him. Even when she had doubts, he had never faltered, and that in itself was enough for Tess to put her complete trust in him. 

Richard unlocked the door. “Let the night begin.” He swept Tess up in his arms and carried her over the threshold. The click of the lock resounded. 

The grounds went dark.

The night came alive: the owl hooted his mournful song, and the full moon shone down upon Owl Creek, the rippling willow water winding towards the river pushing away nettles and obstacles.

A ghostly mist rose above the water, and shadows of dancers, and a man standing with a pitchfork, reflected against the trees in the moonlight. 

The great horned owl spread its massive wings in the dark of the night and followed the winding creek home. It flew high up on a branch of a gnarled oak tree and continued his mournful hoots calling out to Tess.

 A flickering light from a kerosene lamp in the window of Tess’s log cabin cast shadows up the wall. A man’s boots stood just inside the door. Sawyer lumbered out on to the porch and looked out into the night.

He sat in the creaky porch swing listening to the chirping of the crickets and the croaking of the frogs. He closed his eyes, reliving the sweet memories he’d had with Tess. His sorrowful whispers joined in with Owl’s mournful hoots, calling Tess… Tess…

 Calling Tess of Owl Creek home.