Chapter 24
Cody gave the new fence in his south pasture a firm shake.
It didn’t budge. Satisfied, he plunked his hands on his hips and looked around.
Cows munched on the growing grass, their happy moos interspersed with the bleats of calves.
So far, fifty cows had given birth. While their numbers were still much lower than before the harsh winter, he thanked God for the growth in his herd.
His thoughts wandered to his wife. Heart warming instantly, he grinned. How had he been so blessed? A few short months ago, he’d been so sure his life would never be the same—and he was right…just not for the reasons he expected.
Hank laughed beside him. “You’ve got that dopey look on your face again, Boss.”
“That so?” Cody chuckled. “A common occurrence these days.”
“It’s good to see ya happy,” Eddie said from the other side of the fence. “You were too serious before.”
“Yeah,” Joey chimed in. “If that’s what family life does for a man, I should think about gettin’ a wife. You’re a changed man.”
Another chuckle shook him. “Glad you’ve noticed, boys.” He clapped Joey’s shoulder. “I highly recommend marriage, my friend.” Looking around at his fellow cowboys, he winked. “For all three of you, in fact.”
Hank held up his hands. “Oh, no. Ain’t no woman gonna tie me up. I like the freedom of bein’ by myself.”
“Ya might change your mind someday,” Eddie said. “If the right woman comes along.”
“Nah. I’m good.”
The cowpokes continued their good-natured teasing. Cody turned back to the fence with a smile.
A gunshot reverberated in the air. Cody’s body tensed. All humor fled. His gaze shot in the direction of the house. Moments later, another gunshot sounded.
Ella!
“Hank, take charge!” Cody jumped onto his horse. He galloped off, urging Preston ever faster.
The ride to the house felt like ages. When he finally reached the front yard, Cody was out of breath. He swung down. Strong relief coursed through him when he saw Ella on the porch, rifle still in her hands. He ran to her, taking the steps two at a time. “Darlin’, what’s the…”
He halted dead in his tracks. The woman on the porch wasn’t Ella. She looked like his wife, but there were distinct differences. Instead of a beautiful green, this woman had deep brown eyes. Her brows knit in a frown, the V reaching deeper than Ella’s ever did.
The stranger pointed the rifle at him. “You’d better be my sister’s husband.”
“Tori?” Cody blinked. “What’re you doing here?” He looked over her shoulder. “Where’s Ella?”
She lowered the weapon and swallowed hard. “I don’t know. Miss Hattie told me about the two-shot signal. I have a bad feeling something happened to Ella.”
Hattie bustled onto the porch. Her face tightened. “There you are, young man. Ella went to town this morning. She should have been back two hours ago. I’m doin’ all I can to keep the kids from worryin’, but Isaiah is right scared. It’s rubbin’ off on the other two.”
A horse whinnied. Preston returned the greeting. Cody looked over his shoulder. Travis raced toward them, a cloud of dust kicking up behind him. He jumped from his horse before the stallion stopped moving. “Cody! You need to come with me. We found…” He stopped, mouth gaping. “Tori?”
With a little cry, the newcomer threw herself into his arms. “Travis! You’re here. Thank God.”
He steadied her as he pulled back after a brief hug. “What brought you here, Tori?”
Her spine straightened. “Howard went mad. I’ve never seen him in such a state.
He and my father had a horrible argument.
It seems Ella was meant to be insurance for some deal they made.
I didn’t hear all the details, but I do know that Howard isn’t as wealthy as he likes people to think.
And Travis…he’s obsessed with Ella. He caught me listening outside the door and screamed with a wild look in his eyes.
He said he’d get Ella back if it was the last thing he did.
That’s when I got scared. I had to come here, to warn her.
Mail travels too slowly.” Her throat bobbed. “Am I too late?”
“I don’t know.” Travis rammed his fingers through his hair.
He turned to Cody. “Cassie came running into my office a little while ago. She said after lunch, Ella headed home, but your wagon is hitched to a post by the stables. I looked but couldn’t find Ella anywhere in town.
” His jaw briefly clenched. “A bystander said they saw a well-dressed man carry an unconscious woman into a fancy carriage, one they’d never seen before.
He said the woman had red hair and was wearing a blue dress. ”
Cody’s heart plummeted. Fear clutched him in iron talons. He could barely force words past his tight throat. “Ella wore blue today.” He’d told her how lovely she looked when she came down for breakfast this morning. And she was one of just three redheads in Harmony Springs.
“Let’s ride. We can discuss next steps in my office.”
Cody started for his horse, then stopped. He turned to his sister-in-law. “I wish we could’ve met under better circumstances, ma’am. I promise you I’ll do everything I can to bring Ella home.”
Tori stared at him for several beats of his heart. She slowly nodded. “I believe you.”
His eyes rose to Hattie. “Would you mind…”
“Of course, I’ll watch the young’uns. You go get that wife of yours.”
The children. Cody ran into the house. He found them huddled in a circle in the parlor.
Isaiah saw him first. “Papa!”
Cody had no time to enjoy the new title. He knelt and gathered all three children into his arms. “I have to go find your mama. Miss Hattie will stay with you until I get back.”
Isaiah’s lips trembled. “You’ll bring Mama back?”
“Yeah.” No hesitation faltered his words. He’d bring her back. End of story.
He rushed back outside. By the time he and Travis reached town, Cody’s nerves were shot. He soon paced Travis’s office like a caged animal. “Did your witness see which way the carriage went?”
“North.” Travis unrolled a map of the territory. “Assuming the kidnapper is someone working for Howard, he’d probably head to Helena.”
“Why a carriage? Why not the train?”
“Next train doesn’t leave for the East until noon tomorrow. There are more trains running in Helena. The perpetrator wouldn’t want to remain in Harmony Springs that long, not when he could get to Helena tonight and catch an early-morning train.”
And Ella would be lost to them. Cody refused to think on that. He’d travel to Boston if necessary to find his wife. “How far to Helena?”
“Forty miles.”
A pregnant silence grew. The kidnapper had a several-hour head start on them, and forty miles was a long journey for a horse. They would have to ride hard into the night to catch up. Cody exhaled. “Let’s go. We can figure out a plan as we ride.”
Blinking open heavy eyelids, Ella groaned. Her head throbbed. A burning sensation assaulted her nose and throat. Her hands tingled with sharp numbness. She tried to relieve the pain, but something kept them bound.
She struggled to see in the dim light. Where was she?
Why couldn’t she move? As her eyesight came into focus, more awareness trickled in.
She lay on her back, arms raised above her head.
Her hands were tied together and fastened to a bedpost. Terror took her.
She thrashed her legs and pulled hard at her bonds.
Taunting, familiar laughter came from the corner of the room. Ella stilled. Her panic intensified. No! Not him.
Howard rose from a padded chair and walked in a deliberate manner toward the bed.
“Good evening, Ariella.” Reaching out, he ran a finger down her cheek.
She flinched away. He sighed. “It seems you did not miss me as much as I missed you. I’m disappointed.
” He lifted one perfectly groomed, dark brow.
“You married a rancher instead of me? Your standards have lowered, my dear.”
Something sparked inside of her. “Don’t call me that. I’m not yours.”
Both brows hiked. “My, we’ve grown some confidence, have we? Can’t have that.”
She knew what was coming well before his hand hit her cheek. The slap bit hard, stinging pain radiating down her face.
Howard leaned toward her with a hiss. “I need my meek Ariella back.”
Ella swallowed a retort. If he got angry, he might beat her. She needed to think of her baby, protect the little life within as best she could. She schooled her features into a blank mask. “I’m sorry.”
His lips curved into an evil grin. “Not yet, you’re not. You caused me quite a bit of trouble, my dear. You owe me.” His eyes raked over her. “I’ve a mind to finish what I started the night you ran off.”
Ella recoiled. “I’m a married woman.”
“Not for long. When we get back to Boston, you will file for an annulment and send it to your rancher. It will be a minor inconvenience while we wait for it to go through, but once it does, we’ll marry immediately.”
“What makes you think I’d agree to such a plan? I love my husband.”
Howard’s eyes glittered. “You will marry me because your family will be ruined and disgraced if you don’t. Including your precious sister.”
“Tori doesn’t care about status.”
“You’d reduce her to poverty and shame for your own happiness?” He shook his head. “And I thought you cared about her.”
Ella lifted her chin. “You don’t have that kind of power over my family. My father…”
“Cheated the wrong people. Oh, they might not know that yet, but I do. I have the documents to prove it. If he doesn’t pay out a handsome sum to refill my unfortunately low coffers, I will release the information to the authorities. Your father will be jailed and your family ruined.”
“Low coffers?” Her mind spun. “You have more money than most families in Boston combined.”
Howard chuckled. “Appearances are a beautiful thing. I picked up a little gambling habit a few years ago. The games didn’t go my way. Hence my need for money.” He loomed over her. “Marrying you assures I’ll get that.”