Chapter 12 #2
Jesse laughed. “That must have been what we heard.” He told them of the incident yesterday. “I wondered if someone was shooting at me.”
“Who would be shooting at you?” Sadie’s voice conveyed disbelief.
“Seems nobody was,” Jesse said. “But there are three men running around robbing people and not minding if they kill someone in the process. Emily survived one incident. We also met some ruffians on the trail. Wouldn’t care to meet them again.”
Emily and Jesse had discussed the trio, and she had told him she was certain they weren’t the same ones who robbed the stagecoach. This meant there was more than one set of unsavory characters to be concerned about, though Jesse believed the three who stopped them on the trial had left the area.
“You haven’t captured them yet?” Grandfather demanded of Jesse.
“I lost their trail in the mountains.”
“I thought you could track over rock or ice.”
Jesse laughed. “I never claimed that.”
Grandfather studied him a moment. “I assume you will continue to look for them.”
“Certainly. You don’t need to ask.”
Emily squirmed. “It’s my fault he isn’t out there.” She hung her head to think she was keeping him from his work.
“Part of my job is to protect Emily.”
All eyes shifted to her. Mr. Morrison spoke, perhaps for them all, “Aye, lassie, and are you in danger from these scoundrels?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see any of their faces, but perhaps they don’t know that. I’m waiting until I hear from the Newmans regarding Mikey before I make any plans.” And then what? She would go home, except she didn’t know where home was.
Annie sat back, disappointment in her eyes and her words. “I had hoped you’d stay here.”
Grandfather turned to Emily. “You’re a single woman. You couldn’t do better than to settle here in Bella Creek. We need more young ladies like you.”
Gram flicked her fingers at him. “Allan, you old scoundrel. What would Annabelle say to your interfering?”
He looked around the table. “See these fine young families? They can all thank me for interfering. Except for Carly and Sawyer, but they had her father to interfere on her behalf. I think Annabelle would be pleased with what I’ve accomplished.”
Gram shook her head. “You’re incorrigible.”
“If that means I’m successful in what I do, I have to agree.” He laughed at the scolding look on Gram’s face.
Emily kept her attention on the top of the table, hoping Grandfather would not return to his suggestion that she should stay in Bella Creek.
More and more, she longed to do so.
Many days had passed since Emily wrote to the Newmans.
She knew it would take time for the letter to cross the mountains and reach them and then for a reply to come.
In the meantime, she kept busy, finding solace in work.
She helped Gram with her sewing. She made supper.
She spent time in the garden, and she played with Mikey.
Her love for the child grew. It would be a terrible wrench when the Newmans came for him.
Today, she left Mikey to play with Evan and headed to the store to buy Gram more pink thread.
The warm sun shone in a sky as blue as the bluebells she’d admired on their trip to find the Newmans.
The air carried the scent of flowers and trees and the songs of happy birds.
Dogs barked as she passed their yards. Peaceful town life.
The sound of a horse approaching from behind her brought her to a standstill, and she pressed to the side of the road.
For the most part, she’d gotten over her wariness of strangers.
She was learning to recognize more and more people, and that helped.
Still, she was cautious until she could identify folks.
The rider wore dusty clothes as if he’d been on the trail a long time or was simply careless about his appearance. The man looked at her with bold eyes. She drew in her breath. Had she seen him before? If so, where and when? She searched her brain and could not come up with an answer.
The man’s dark eyes remained on her as he passed. Something about those eyes—
Horse and rider continued down the street.
She remained frozen at the side of the road.
Those dark eyes—
With a frantic cry, she lifted her skirts and rushed past the church, and without looking either way, she crossed the street and flung open the door to the sheriff’s office.
Jesse sat at his desk, looking through his mail. When he saw her expression, he bolted to his feet and came to her side.
“Emily, what’s wrong?”
“I saw—” She gulped. “I saw a man. I don’t know who he is but—” She wobbled her hand, indicating she didn’t know anything. “I have this awful feeling.”
“Describe him.”
“Dirty. Very dark eyes. A bold stare.” She shivered.
“His horse?”
“Black with a narrow white blaze.”
“Was he one of the stagecoach robbers?”
“I can’t say for certain, but there was something about those eyes.” She couldn’t stop shivering.
He drew her away from the windows and hugged her briefly, then pulled the hard-backed chair to her side. “Sit here. Stay away from the windows. Don’t open the door. I’m going to look around.”
He slapped on his hat and hurried out, pausing to lock the door behind him.
She rocked back and forth over her knees. Why was she so frightened by a stranger? She closed her eyes and let the sight of those bold, black eyes fill her thoughts.
Had she seen him before she lost consciousness at the stagecoach accident?
Or was it simply an overreaction to her strange situation? Not knowing when and of whom she should be afraid.
Jesse returned a short time later. “He must have left town right after you saw him. There is no sign of him in Bella Creek, and he didn’t stop at the store.” He pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her.
She welcomed the shelter of his arms, a place where she felt safe. And perhaps more. She felt valued.
“I’ll see you home.”
With no concern for who might see them and wonder at her behavior, she clung to his hand as they hurried home.
Gram took one look at her and exclaimed. “Are you ill?”
“She’s had a fright,” Jesse explained before he released her and stepped back to observe her. “Are you going to be okay if I leave?”
She sucked in air and straightened her shoulders.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. I overreacted again.
It is becoming the theme of my life. I’m sorry.
” She gave her bravest smile, hoping it would convince him she was over her silly behavior.
“You go back to whatever you were doing. I’ll slip out and get Mikey in an hour.
” How she managed to say those words without shivering she didn’t know.
“You stay here until I’m certain you’re safe. I’ll bring Mikey back with me.”
“That’s not necessary. I was frightened, but I’m over it now, and realize there was no cause for concern.”
He grew fierce. “Promise me you will stay here and let me get Mikey.”
They had a brief, silent argument. She felt the weight of his determination and hoped he felt her determination, as well. She’d spent too many days being afraid of going out and had grown to despise her weakness. She had no intention of becoming a prisoner.
“Emily, promise me. Your reaction was very real, and I can’t help thinking either he’s someone from your past that you have reason to fear or he’s one of the murdering robbers.”
Gram gasped. “I’ll make sure she stays put.”
Jesse and Emily looked at each other. She started to smile, and so did he. Then they both laughed.
“I don’t see what’s so funny,” Gram said with a hint of exasperation.
Jesse grinned at her. “It’s just the idea that you could stop her. You’re smaller and, well, older.”
She huffed. “I got a lot more grit in these old bones than you give me credit for.”
Jesse and Emily grinned at each other.
“I’ll stay here until you bring Mikey back,” Emily said. “I have no desire to have Gram tackle me to the ground and chain me to the kitchen table.”
Gram shook her head. “I wouldn’t go that far...unless, of course, I had to.”
The three of them laughed together, recognizing the humor of the situation.
Jesse went to the door. “I have a few things to take care of. I’ll get Mikey when I come home for supper. And you’ll be here?”
She held up her hand as if making a vow and said most solemnly. “I will be here.”
He left, and with him went all her bravado. The man on the black horse had frightened her. Thankfully, he’d left town. Or, at least, appeared to have. She shivered and hoped Gram wouldn’t notice.
Needing a diversion, she turned her attention to making supper. “Do you mind if I make a raspberry dessert?”
“Child, you make whatever you want. I have to finish a shirt this afternoon.”
Emily went outside and picked enough berries for the dessert she had in mind. She knew the recipe in her head. Had she learned it from her mother or someone else? She straightened, closed her eyes, and thought of a mother who didn’t know where her daughter was. Or was Emily even missed?
She needed to stop feeling sorry for herself, to stop wondering why no one had come looking for her. It was foolish and a waste of time. Besides, if they expected her to stay to get Mikey settled, no one would realize she was missing...in her own mind.
The dessert was ready and cooling on the counter, and the meat, potatoes, and gravy were done. There was an abundance of fresh vegetables from the garden. She had chosen green beans and beet greens.
Mikey and Jesse came in through the back door, and Mikey ran to her. She bent over to receive his hug.
“Did you have a good time playing with Evan?”
“Me did. Me catched ball.”
Either he was speaking more clearly, or she was understanding him better.
Mikey ran to greet the dog and Emily met Jesse’s eyes. She stilled at his seriousness. “What is it?”
“Remember I sent inquiries down the line trying to learn where you started your journey?”
She nodded.
He pulled a letter from his pocket.
Her heart froze. “You got a reply?” she whispered.
He unfolded the page. “It seems a Miss Emily Smith and a young boy boarded the train in Alliance, Nebraska. There is little information apart from that. But I took the liberty to write back and ask if there was an orphanage nearby and did he know who Aunt Hilda might be. I wondered if Mikey was from an orphan’s home. ”
She stared at him. “May I?” She held out her hand for the letter.
He gave it to her, and she read the words. They said nothing more than what he’d told her, but she read them over and over, hoping something would trigger her mind to remember. Finally, sighing, she gave the letter back to him. “It’s a start, I suppose.”
“I’d say so. First real information we’ve had yet. We should hear back in a week.”
A week. How long was she to keep treading water, wondering who she was?