Chapter One #2
Cautiously, she slipped out of the empty stall and made her way to the front of the barn. The shotgun remained at her side, though her grip was looser and the barrel remained pointed downward. As she approached the door, Maeve curled her free hand into a fist and knocked twice.
Four erratic knocks came in return.
Relief flooded through Maeve as she set the gun off to the side.
Her hands flew across the locks, undoing each with a growing, frantic energy.
Soon the door swung open, revealing an orange-bled sky to pair with the violence of that afternoon.
Two familiar faces stood in the barn’s doorway, and the sight pulled a sigh of relief from deep within Maeve.
“Oh, Samuel. Sadie.”
“Maeve!” Sadie sprang forward, catching Maeve in a tight embrace.
Strands of strawberry-gold hair had long since broken free from her messy updo, and when she finally pulled away, her dark eyes frantically inspected Maeve from head to toe.
“Are you alright? Samuel said the bandits ran off toward your property! They didn’t find you, did they? ”
Maeve opened her mouth to try and answer.
“Did they, Maeve?!”
Samuel set a hand on Sadie’s shoulder. He wore the duds of a well-seasoned ranch hand, a swirl of blonde locks escaping out from under his brimmed hat. “Give her a chance to reply, Sadie. You near squeezed the life outta her just now.”
A blush tinged Sadie’s face, and she took a healthy step back, tucking her hands behind her back. “Sorry.”
Maeve offered a weak wave of her hand. She then turned her attention to Samuel, her expression hardening. “Sounds like they hit McCullen’s farm. Everyone alright down there, Sam?”
“Joshua and his deputy came ‘fore anyone got majorly hurt.” Even with what sounded like good news, Samuel still let out a heavy sigh. He removed his hat, running a bandaged hand through his sweat-soaked locks.
“Feels like there’s a ‘but’ in there,” Maeve said.
Samuel nodded, setting his hat back on his head. “Bandits got a few good hits on Mr. McCullen. Nearly nailed Joshua in the shoulder, too.”
“You got hurt yourself, you know,” Sadie scowled, gesturing to Samuel’s wrapped hand. “Are all you Wrights so reckless?”
“Runs rampant in our family, I’m afraid,” Samuel replied with a weak smirk.
Maeve was almost afraid to ask, but she had to know the answer. “What happened to their cattle, Sam?”
Whatever positivity Samuel was attempting to show vanished at the question. Sadie’s expression fell as well, leaving Maeve to assume the worst.
“I wanna fill you in,” Samuel began, “but I gotta get back to the McCullens. Joshua wants me to help with the report, what with me being involved an’ all.”
“Thank you again for walking me over here,” Sadie said.
Samuel offered both ladies a wave as he started back down toward the main road. Maeve stared off after him, seemingly rooted in place. She watched Samuel until well after the top of his hat vanished behind the hill, and for a moment, only songbirds filled the silence between her and Sadie.
“So…” Sadie finally broke the silence, having begun to rock back and forth on the heels of her feet. “What do you think about my idea now, Maeve?”
A groan escaped before Maeve could stop it.
“I’m serious, Maeve! These attacks are only going to get worse as things warm up. And with Mr. Bennet-”
Maeve’s gaze met Sadie’s, whose voice petered out. It took her friend a moment to find it again.
“With…with Sam’s ranch so far away, and me living in town…” Sadie let out a huff, frustration winning out over her concern. “Oh, Maeve! You need someone here with you!”
“I ain’t got time to be getting married,” Maeve said.
“You haven’t got the time to so stubborn, either!
” Sadie snapped back. “What if your ranch had been the target instead of the McCullens? Joshua barely managed to get to their place in time, and they have two grown sons! What are you going to do if we’re late, Maeve? What–what am I going to do if…if…?”
Sadie hastily wiped her face, and a squirm of guilt ran through Maeve.
“I’m not going to bury another Bennet this year. I refuse to.”
The guilt tightened in Maeve’s stomach.
“Do you hear me, Maeve?” Sadie asked.
Maeve nodded.
“Do you?”
Maeve nodded more emphatically. “Yes, Sadie! I hear what ye’re saying.
I–I can’t be by myself no more.” It physically pained her to admit it.
Things had been hard, yes, but she’d done it all for the sake of her father.
To prove to him, and to Ma, that she could handle things on her own.
That they wouldn’t have to worry about her.
Sadie crossed her arms tightly against her chest. “Then you’ll let me write an ad for the paper? And I won’t hear an ounce of fussing from you while I do so?”
Maeve most definitely wanted to fuss. But the look on Sadie’s face made it clear her friend wasn’t in the mood for any sort of funny business. “I promise not to make a fuss ‘bout it,” Maeve promised, if begrudgingly.
“Good!” Sadie nodded matter-of-factly, taking Maeve’s hand as she led her toward the house. “Then you go and scrounge up some paper and a pen. I’ll put on the kettle and get to work right away. I’ll stay up all night if I must!”
Maeve couldn’t help but grimace, knowing full well that when Sadie Whittaker made a promise, she fully intended to keep it.
The idea of finding a husband still tasted bitter in the back of her mouth…
but there was no other way around it. Bandits only needed to get lucky once, and for the sake of her family’s legacy, Maeve couldn’t–wouldn’t–risk those odds.
The world had no obligation to play fair, after all.