Masterful Trickery

XL. Game of Masters

"I'm not comin' home with ye," she snapped. "Not after what ye and yer brothers have done."

Ralph slowly whirled to keep her from seeing how he rolled his eyes. His father-in-law was staring at him with a look that said, 'I did warn ye, didn't I? Ye still married her.' Composing himself, Ralph faced his wife once more.

"No one forced anyone to marry anyone, Alex," he said in an exaggeratedly calm tone. "It was Emma's decision." Alex continued to glare at him, taking a bite from her apple, but Ralph saw that she was surprised. "I did not want a marriage, to be honest. I wanted a burning ritual." When she did not say a word, he sighed. "And they are not married yet. They are merely on a long engagement—a secret long engagement we recommended until they both sort matters on their own."

"If ye didn't force her, then she said yes te protect the man from getting' killed by ye!"

"We have talked about this, Lex. Emma made her choice, one which was not provoked from her by any of us. You know she would not have made the decision if she did not want to. You and I both know that."

His words seemed to finally have sunk into his wife's brain for he saw her shrug. But he knew the fight was far from over. "Then why did ye hide Siege from me! Ye think Emma's the only reason why I left?"

"Ye hid the horse?" Gustav's voice boomed from the kitchen. He, too, was now angry. Ralph groaned and rubbed his face with his hand. "Why did'ye hide me daughter's horse?"

"Because he's bein' mean!" Alex gritted out.

"Bloody hell, Alex, you are with babe! Of course I would hide the horse from you! Do you think me insane to keep the bloody horse at your disposal when you are at such delicate state?"

"She's what?" Gustav asked, surprised.

"Ah, bleedin' hell! I want some quiet!" Alex shouted, jumping to her feet. She threw the apple aside and started toward her bedroom door but her father was already blocking her path, hands on his hips and eyes glaring.

"And yer carryin' me grandchild and ye didn't tell me?"

"I wanted te make it certain." She pointed at Ralph and added, "He's simply guessin'."

"No, I am not!" Ralph insisted, walking up to them.

"How certain are ye?" Gustav asked Ralph.

"Very certain," he replied without hesitation.

He saw Gustav's face lighten and his lips twitch along with his beard. His father-in-law motioned with his head. "Ye take her home now."

"Nae, I'm not goin'—" Alex started but her father cut her off by lifting a hand.

"Ye and yer husband's been a pain in the arse. Tis yer third time runnin' away from Beechworth. The last time, yer mother-in-law thought I abducted ye! Which reminds me—that woman hasn't yet apologized fer the accusation! I won't have 'nother of this. Ye go home." Alex opened her mouth to argue again, but her father pointed a finger and ordered, "Make up yer mind. Ye go home with yer husband or ye stay here without 'im fer good."

Alex scowled, opened her mouth and closed it again, seeing that Gustav was utterly serious. "Why can't he stay here with me?"

"Why can I not stay here with her?" Ralph repeated.

Gustav turned and walked back to the kitchen. "Not until ye give me grandchildren! Now, off ye go and don't come botherin' me with yer useless banters! Tis me last warning, ye two! Me last warnin'!"

*****

"Ye think he was serious?" Alex asked hours later as they rode back home to Beechworth.

"Who?" Ralph asked, eyes closed. He had been traveling all day to get to her. Having quite a vast experience of his wife running away from him in the past, Ralph had made certain that before he rode his horse to Meriwether, a carriage was also on its way to bring them back home.