Chapter Thirty-Two
Daniel’s heart pounded in his chest, his pulse roaring in his ears as he watched Edith take a step toward her father, her shoulders slumped as though the weight of the world had crashed down on her.
The sight of her so defeated, her spirit crushed, tore at his soul, and his chest tightened painfully.
The air between them felt impossibly thick, laden with words they hadn’t said, fears they hadn’t voiced.
“Edith, no,” Daniel said, his voice raw with desperation. He reached out, his hand trembling as he tried to pull her back, tried to stop this from happening. He couldn’t let her go—not like this. Not into the hands of the man who had done nothing but hurt her.
“Please, Edith, don’t do this,” he begged, his voice breaking. The fear in his heart was overwhelming, a choking, suffocating thing that made it hard to breathe.
Edith turned to face him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, and gently placed a trembling hand on his cheek. The warmth of her touch sent a wave of anguish through him, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if trying to memorize the feel of her hand against his skin.
“Daniel,” she whispered, her voice soft but filled with a quiet determination. “You have to let me go.”
He shook his head, his jaw clenched tightly, his eyes brimming with emotion. “I can’t, Edith. I can’t let you go. I won’t let him take you. I won’t—” His voice cracked, and he swallowed hard, trying to steady himself.
Her hand remained on his cheek, her eyes never leaving his, and Daniel saw the love there but also the resignation.
“You gave me something I never thought I’d have.
You gave me freedom,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.
“You taught me that I’m more than what he made me believe.
You showed me what it feels like to be loved, and I’ll never forget that. ”
Daniel’s throat tightened as her words sank in, as the truth of what she was saying cut through him like a knife.
He couldn’t—wouldn’t—accept it. He couldn’t lose her now, not after everything they had fought for.
He tried again, his voice trembling, “You don’t have to do this. I’ll fight him. I’ll protect you—”
But Edith shook her head, her tears finally spilling down her cheeks.
“You’ve fought for me in ways I can never repay, Daniel.
You gave me more than I ever dared to hope for.
You opened up a whole new world for me. You taught me to read, to dream beyond the life I thought I was trapped in.
” She choked on a sob but continued, her fingers brushing softly against his scarred cheek, her touch tender.
“And for that, I’ll always be grateful.”
Daniel’s chest ached, his heart shattering with every word she spoke. He struggled to find his voice, his emotions threatening to choke him. “I love you, Edith,” he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper, the words raw and filled with everything he felt for her.
She took another step toward her father, her heart breaking with each movement away from Daniel. “Edith,” he called again, his voice strained, filled with desperation. “You don’t have to go with him. We’ll find another way. I won’t let him take you.”
Edith stepped closer to him, her hands coming up to cup his face, her fingers trembling slightly as they brushed over his scars.
“Daniel,” she whispered, her voice breaking, “I can’t stay.
I won’t forgive myself if you get hurt because of me.
Or if Mary or Sam get hurt.” Her gaze flicked briefly to where Mary and Sam stood, their faces pale, their eyes wide with fear and helplessness. “I couldn’t live with that.”
Daniel shook his head, tears welling in his eyes as he took a step forward, his hands wrapping around her wrists, holding her hands against his face.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said, his voice rough, thick with emotion.
“We can stand together. I don’t care what happens to me, Edith. I can’t lose you. Not now. Not ever.”
Edith’s expression softened, but there was a firmness in her eyes that broke his heart. “And I can’t lose you, either,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “Please, Daniel. Don’t make this harder. I have to go with him. It’s the only way to keep you safe.”
Daniel opened his mouth to argue, to beg her to reconsider, but the look in her eyes silenced him.
She was resolute, her decision made, and there was nothing he could say to change her mind.
The realization hit him like a blow, and he felt his heart splintering, the pieces breaking apart inside his chest. Despite the pain, he felt in awe of her for making such a brave choice, sacrificing her future for their safety.
Before he could say anything more, Edith leaned up, standing on her tiptoes as she pressed her lips gently against his.
The kiss was soft, filled with all the love she had for him, but there was also an undeniable finality in it.
It was a goodbye, and Daniel knew it. He felt the tears spill over, rolling down his cheeks as he kissed her back, his hands cradling her face, trying to hold onto this moment for as long as he could.
When she pulled away, Daniel’s hands lingered on her face, his thumbs brushing away her tears even as his own continued to fall. “I love you,” he whispered again, his voice breaking. “I love you, Edith. Please, don’t go.”
Before she could respond, William’s bark cut through the moment like a whip. “Enough of this! We don’t have all day. Hurry up, girl!”
Edith flinched at the sound of her father’s voice, and Daniel’s blood boiled with rage. He wanted to grab her, to pull her back to him, but she stepped away, her hands slipping from his chest as she turned toward William.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered one last time before walking toward her father, her back straight but her steps heavy.
Daniel’s heart shattered as he watched her go, the pain nearly unbearable. But what could he do? She had made her choice—to protect him, to protect the others—and it was tearing him apart to let her walk away.
Daniel stood frozen for a moment, watching Edith walk away with her father, her small figure shrinking against the horizon as she moved further and further out of his reach.
His hands clenched into fists, his heart pounding in his chest. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to run after her, to pull her away from the nightmare she was willingly stepping into, but he knew—he knew why she had done it.
She thought she was protecting him, protecting all of them.
Daniel stood frozen, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he watched Edith walk away with her father. His heart hammered in his chest, every step she took tearing at him, shredding his resolve. He couldn’t let her go, not like this. Not into the hands of a man who had done nothing but break her.
Just as William jerked the reins of the horse-drawn cart, pulling it sharply away from the clearing, Pastor Lucas appeared at the corner of the church, his weathered face creased with concern. He hurried toward them, his brow furrowed as he took in the tension still crackling in the air.
“What’s going on here?” Pastor Lucas asked, his voice calm but firm, his eyes darting between Daniel, Sam, and Mary. “I heard shouting.”
Mary, pale and trembling, was the first to speak. “It’s William,” she said, her voice shaking. “He’s taken Edith.”
The pastor’s gaze sharpened, his normally composed demeanor giving way to alarm. “Taken her? What do you mean?”
Sam stepped forward, clenching his fists by his sides. “He dragged her away, Pastor. She didn’t want to go. He—he’s forcing her back home.”
Daniel barely heard the conversation as panic roared through him, louder than the voices around him, louder than the pounding of his own heart.
His thoughts raced, colliding with one another as his eyes followed the cart growing smaller in the distance.
What now? What could he do? He couldn’t let Edith disappear over that horizon—he knew what awaited her, and he couldn’t stand by.
His hands trembled as he struggled to breathe, trying to steady his racing mind. Edith had asked him not to follow, had pleaded for his safety, but he couldn’t stand here helpless. He wouldn’t.
“Daniel.” Pastor Lucas’s voice snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts, and Daniel blinked, refocusing. The pastor’s concerned eyes searched his face, waiting for a response.
Daniel swallowed hard, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He turned to Sam, his voice tight with urgency. “Sam, go. Get the sheriff. Now. Tell him everything—tell him what William’s done.”
Sam nodded quickly but hesitated, glancing down at his coat. He pulled out his revolver and held it out to Daniel, his hand shaking. “You’ll need this.”
Daniel eyed the gun for a moment before shaking his head. “Keep it,” he said, his voice low but firm. “You’ll need it to protect Mary.”
Sam frowned but slipped the revolver back into his coat. “Just be careful, Daniel. You know what William’s like.”
Mary’s eyes widened with fear as she grabbed Sam’s arm. “Daniel, please,” she said, her voice trembling. “You can’t face him alone. William won’t go easy on you.”
Daniel clenched his jaw, his mind already racing through what he needed to do. “I can’t let him take her. Not after everything.”
Before he could turn away, Pastor Lucas stepped forward, his hand coming to rest gently on Daniel’s arm. “Daniel, listen to me,” he said, his tone measured but urgent. “Let me go with you. William’s more likely to listen if there’s a witness, and you don’t have to do this alone.”
For a brief second, Daniel considered it. Pastor Lucas was a good man, respected in the town, and maybe his presence could offer some protection. But William wasn’t the kind of man who cared about witnesses, and Daniel knew that dragging the pastor into this would only slow him down.
“No,” Daniel said, shaking his head. “I need to move fast, and this—” He gestured in the direction the cart had disappeared, his voice thick with urgency.
“This isn’t about talking anymore. It’s about stopping him.
Besides, it’s not your fight, Pastor. I’d hate for a man of faith to take up arms and risk getting hurt.
Your congregation needs you more than I do. ”
Pastor Lucas’s expression hardened, but he nodded, understanding. “Then I’ll pray for you, Daniel.”
Mary took a step forward, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’ll pray, too,” she whispered. “Please, just—don’t get yourself killed.”
Daniel managed a tight nod, his mind still whirling, but the time for hesitation was over.
He turned on his heel and sprinted down the road, the dust kicking up beneath his boots as he ran.
The cart was still visible in the distance, and he pushed himself harder, his breath coming fast and harsh as the gap between him and William closed.
Every muscle in Daniel’s body screamed with exhaustion, but he couldn’t afford to slow down. He had one chance to stop William, to get Edith back before it was too late. The weight of his love for her, the memory of her hand on his cheek, the promise in her eyes—they fueled him, kept him running.
He wasn’t going to let William win. Not this time. Please, Lord, let me find her in time, he prayed.