“Daddy, Mama is home!” Becca scrambled to him.
With wet eyes, he nodded. “It’s a miraculous day.” He helped Sheila up and kissed her forehead. “Welcome home.”
“I thought you were in heaven, Mama…” Becca’s bottom lip trembled. “Did you meet Jesus?”
“I prayed to him all the time, and now I’m here with you. There were a few times I thought I was going to heaven, but it wasn’t my time, and thinking about you strengthened me. You kept me going, and now I’m here with you.”
Sheila took a step and stumbled a bit. Sullivan instantly lifted her into his arms and smiled at her when she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was light as a feather, and that was the truth. She weighed barely more than Becca.
She smiled back.
“Our room? Becca’s room? Or the sofa?” he asked as he climbed the steps to the porch.
“Sofa will be fine. I’m sure everyone will want to get a look at me.”
He grimaced. There wasn’t much to see. A frail, too-skinny woman. The love of his life.
“Of course, our family will want to welcome you home.” He set her on the sofa, and Becca sat by her side. It was as it should be, but he didn’t believe it would be easy.
Gail walked in and halted. “I didn’t know we had guests.” She cocked her brow at him. And that didn’t sit well with him. Her tone was haughty.
“This is my wife, Sheila. It’s a miracle she’s alive, and we’re filled with happiness that she has returned,” Sullivan said as he gave Gail a hard stare.
Gail put a hand to her mouth. “I had no idea. Of course, this breaks our engagement. I’m sorry, I’m… it’s a shock. This changes so much. I’m sorry; this isn’t about my broken heart, it’s about celebrating your return.” Tears streamed down her face.
He wished he cared enough to say something comforting to her.
“Many things have changed,” Sheila said. “There were too many underhanded misunderstandings. I’m still trying to figure out how people could lie the way they did, and yet even when some told the truth the judge still put me in prison. The lies piled up after that, too. So many people were hurt by the deceptions. I know you and my husband were engaged, and I know you must be… heartbroken. I can’t say that I’m sorry to be back though.”
“What if there’s a child?” Gail turned to Sullivan.
Shock went from his head to his toes. “Excuse me?”
“I’m so embarrassed. What you must think of me.” Gail went to the window and gazed outside.
Teagan and Gemma entered the room and instantly flanked Sullivan.
“The engagement was to be a long one. Why say you’re with child now?” Gemma asked.
Gail turned around and frowned. “What are you saying, Gemma? You know you show the world how perfect you are, but I’ve seen you weeping a time or two lately. Your husband and girl are too much for you. Teagan deserves better.”
Teagan took a step forward. “Gail that is enough. I’ll have Angus go to town and see about getting you a job. You should pack now.”
Gail’s stare touched each of them before she walked to her room.
Gemma ran to the sofa and hugged Sheila. “What a happy surprise! I’m so very glad you’re here. Now we can all have a piece of our hearts restored.”
“Tell me, what did you name your child?” Sheila asked.
Gemma’s expression was one of love. “Lacey. She looks just like Teagan.”
“I have so much catching up to do. For now, I want to spend time getting to know Becca and Sullivan again.” Her voice was weary.
“I think a nap is in order,” Sullivan said.
“I don’t take naps, Daddy.”
He chuckled. “I meant your mother. You can come if you like. I’m thinking about a nap too.”
“That sounds like fun!” Becca ran upstairs ahead of them.
Sullivan leaned down, kissed Sheila’s cheek, and then lifted her close to him. “I don’t know how long—”
“I’ll make sure no one disturbs you,” Dolly said. Sullivan hadn’t seen her this happy in a while.
Becca decided whose bed they would nap in, and she chose Sullivan’s. Not that he minded one bit. He laid Sheila down, and she spooned with Becca. Then he got onto the bed and he spooned her from behind, able to put his arms around both of the females he loved. Sheila groaned as everyone shifted to get comfortable. Her thinness broke his heart. Had he known, he would have petitioned to get her released early. He should have done better by her.
* * *
She woke and was tempted to scream, not that anyone took any notice of screams. Where was she? Then it came to her that she was safe in Sullivan’s arms and Becca was with her. She never thought it would happen. Love pushed out much of her anger. Staying still, she enjoyed the warm feeling of sleeping next to Sullivan. It was the first time she hadn’t been chilled to the bone in three years.
Becca had grown so very much. What a beautiful young girl she’d become. Pride filled Sheila. Becca attended school, and she had friends on the ranch. Well, actually the people on the ranch were family. It would take some doing, getting used to others helping her. She hoped Angus found Gail a job, not that it would stop Able, but she had already decided in prison she would tell the world about how he’d attacked her. His threats against her didn’t matter any longer. He’d run before wanting everyone to know what had really happened between them. Becca was some sort of prize for him to win, but no longer. Her inner strength surprised and delighted her. There were bound to be too many changes on the ranch for her not to get overwhelmed. She needed to concentrate on Becca and Sullivan.
Chapter Fifteen
It was two weeks later, and Sheila felt very close to her daughter, but it was still painfully awkward with her husband. Slowly, she was getting to know the whole family again. They all tried to feed her at every turn, and they meant well, but she only could eat so much. She didn’t know where Gail was working, and she didn’t ask. She waited anxiously each day for Able to show up.
Living in fear took a lot of energy. There were times she wished she could just get a shotgun and hunt him down. She was tense all the time. It was hard to allow Becca out of her sight.
Finally, one sunny afternoon Dolly convinced her to go on a picnic with her husband. As much as her thoughts were often of him, she felt awkward around him. They slept in the same bed, but she clung to her side. There wasn’t a reason for her to be afraid, but she was.
Sullivan took the basket in one hand and held her hand in his other. They were going near the stream. That way, Sheila could still run to the house if trouble came. Sullivan gave her hand a quick squeeze.
“I’m glad we will have time together alone. Don’t worry, you don’t even have to talk if you don’t want to. I just want to gaze at you without everyone around. I want to figure out how to make you comfortable with me again. I know I let you down and I failed to protect you and I stupidly believed you were dead. I want you to trust me.”
He stopped and put the basket down. Then he took the blanket from the top and shook it out flat for them to sit on. “I still can’t believe you’re here. Sometimes I wake in a panic that you being here, is a dream. I know you’re still afraid that Able will come and take Becca, and I share in your fear, but he can’t get to you or Becca. His lechery goes beyond any I’ve known. Trying to have Gail wed me to steal our daughter…” He shook his head. “I too have learned that trusting too easily can lead to disaster. I never felt toward her like I should and I never should have proposed to her.”
“Yet you did,” Sheila whispered as emotional pain speared through her.
He stared at the ground. “I knew I’d never have a love like I had for you ever again. I didn’t want the pain of looking for a wife, and for some reason I felt that marrying again was expected of me. I thought Becca needed a woman in her life, but she already has the most amazing women in her life in Dolly and all her aunts. I buried any love I had when I thought they buried you. W
e never did have enough time to be together. We married one day, and they took you away the next.” A shudder rippled through him, and he swallowed hard. “I had nightmares of you dying in that place. I tried to visit, and I heard the screams of women and I saw many laboring in the quarry and although it near killed me, I told myself I was glad at least you weren’t experiencing what those women were.”
“You wouldn’t have thought there’d be so many women in prison,” she said softly. “I know I was surprised. At first, I made a few friends, but they all kept dying. My heart needed to be protected, so I didn’t make friends anymore. I kept my own council. I rarely talked. I just did what was needed to live through the day. The last year was the hardest. I reconciled myself with the fact you no longer wanted me. I felt utterly hopeless, but God was there. Who would have thought He’d be in such an awful place? But I held His hand many times. During beatings He was there, when it was almost too cold to move, He was there. When I was in despair, He was there. Even while we starved, I could feel the Lord with me. I do believe a few thought of me as touched in the head. I recited Psalm 23. I chanted it over and over, and it brought me a measure of peace. I do know without my faith, I’d be dead. It was much easier to lie down and die than it was to survive.”
She sighed and then took a bite of her sandwich. “I too feel guilty for not trusting you. I should have known you wouldn’t have left me. I’m very sorry.”
“You don’t need to be sorry.” He touched her hand. “We were both deceived. I also found God while you were gone. I would have gone crazy if not for my ability to pray. And now we have a second chance. We should throw away the deceit and rejoice about the miracle that we are a family again. I have too many blessings to count. Will you come to church with me on Sunday?” He popped a berry into his mouth.
With one hand, she waved half-heartedly at her body. “I look pitiful.”
Sullivan reached up and caressed her cheek. “You are so beautiful to me. You just remember your soul might have been bruised, but it was never broken. You stood strong. Few people can say they’ve done the same.”
Hope washed over her, along with pride. “I will go with you.”
He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Now for the awkwardness we’ve been feeling. I know we never consummated our marriage. I won’t push you, but I want to at least hold you at night. I need to know you are safe and with me. The rest will come in time.”
Her face heated, and she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. “I thought with all my bones jutting out it would be hurtful for you to hold me. You don’t know what it means to me that you are taking my feelings into consideration. I lived like an animal, and the niceties and attention you have shown me touch me deeply. I feel as though I’ve taken so much for granted, but I feel blessed to realize what I have in you and Becca. Your family is wonderful, too. I would like to live in our own house, eventually. I don’t know that I’m ready yet. I’m still on edge about Able and Gail. Plus, the Wrens were out to get me, and I don’t know why. Even though they seem to have left the area, I think staying at the ranch house for now is the best. You can better protect us there.”
His smile blossomed in her heart. God was truly with her. How could a person feel such love? It was almost too much.
“I don’t know that I’ve enjoyed a time better than this,” Sullivan said as he stood.
Sheila packed up the last of the items and folded the blanket. She tripped over a corner and Sullivan steadied her. They gazed at each other and the next thing she knew she was being kissed with such sweetness it almost made her cry. Blessed, she was indeed blessed.
* * *
They walked hand in hand back to the house. Sullivan felt better about their relationship than he had since Sheila’s return. He helped her up into bed. She’d been taking a nap each afternoon; she was still very weak, but she’d been eating and helping around the house a bit. Becca, who until this point had sworn off naps, now snuggled with her mama each day.
He tucked them in and kissed them each on the forehead before heading back down the stairs. Sheila would never feel safe unless Able was gone. He needed to see what he could do about that.
Hoofbeats sounded from outside, and he peeked through a window to see Teagan and Quinn just riding in. As soon as they were off their horses, they walked straight to the house.
“We found some interesting information in town today, well actually Donnell did,” Teagan said as he hung up his hat and then sat down. “There’s a wanted poster for Gail. Sheriff Moore showed it to us. Apparently, she stole a lot of valuable jewelry from her previous employer,”
“And we were able to track her family. She and Ed Wren are brother and sister,” Quinn added.
“How does that even play out? I can’t even think of a scenario that fits,” Sullivan said.
They all sat down and stared at one another. Dolly brought a pot of coffee and sandwiches.
“This all starts as far back as when Able raped Sheila?” Sullivan asked, as he furrowed his brow.
“Quinn, Donnell and I discussed it, and the only thing we could figure was that opportunity is the key. Able didn’t know the Wrens very well, if at all. Ed Wren didn’t start out to call Sheila a witch. He was distraught. Some say he promised his wife he’d bring Jenny back home alive. He couldn’t bear to hold the blame when that couldn’t be done, so he shifted it to Sheila.” Teagan made a face. “Once she was in jail and the town was all fired up, he didn’t dare tell the truth.”
“Where does Gail fit in this story?” Sullivan asked.
Quinn cleared his throat. “Ed paid off the warden to tell you Sheila was dead. But somewhere along the way, it seems he believed his own lies. Mrs. Wren never did get well. She was institutionalized and died of influenza. After that, Mr. Wren made a will that gave everything to Becca. Seems he thought Sheila was really dead and he needed to make up for his misdeeds. When he died Gail came to town to find Becca and see why the girl was to get the whole inheritance. She was upset and puzzled about the whole thing. She needed the money and the attorney who drew up the will lives right in town.”
Sullivan ran his hand down his face. “When did she meet up with Able?”
“From what we heard it was from the first. She stayed at his place for a week or so and then came here asking for a job,” Teagan explained.
“Stayed with him? What woman would put her reputation in jeopardy that way?” Sullivan asked.
“It’s all about money,” Teagan said in disgust.
“And that was when the plot was formed,” Donnell said as he came inside. He took a seat and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Becca wasn’t to inherit until her eighteenth birthday. Able concocted a plan where Gail married Sullivan, he’d be killed and they would take Becca. I’m not sure what they planned next, but they would have a legal right to Becca. I’m sure they would have left town for a few years.”
“Or,” Sullivan said as the truth dawned on him. “If she married me, she’d get Becca, the inheritance and part of the ranch. I bet she planned to double cross Able.”
“But why bother with Able at all?” Quinn asked.
“If I was killed, who better to pin it on than Able?” Sullivan added.
Teagan cocked his head to the right. “Why was Able all set on getting Becca? Gail didn’t come out here for nearly two years after Sheila went to prison.”
“Wait. So, let me get it straight,” Sullivan said, holding up one hand. “Wren promises his wife he’d bring a live Jenny back even though she was dead. Sheila is blamed for Jenny’s death, and mass hysteria puts Sheila in jail. Able makes threats to take Becca, and I marry Sheila. Sheila is sent to prison thanks to Ed Wren, who paid the sheriff and the judge off. Then he paid the men at the prison to tell us Sheila was dead. Since most women don’t make it out alive, he thought he wouldn’t be found out. The Wrens move away and Mrs. Wren dies. So, Ed Wren had a change of heart. He writes a will giving Becca everything and then he ends up dead. Gail finds out
she isn’t going to inherit the Wren money, but Becca was to have it. Gail then comes here and somehow meets Able. They hatch their plan, but it all hinges on me marrying Gail. The only reason I can figure Gail needed Able was she needed someone to kill me.” He glanced into the faces of everyone in the room. “What if I didn’t marry Gail?”
“You’d probably have ended up with a shotgun wedding for something you didn’t do,” Brogan said from the doorway.
“But why did Able want Becca so badly?” Quinn asked again.
“He probably never did. I think at the time he was trying to keep Sheila quiet about who attacked her. Later it became all about the money,” Teagan said, frowning. “This is getting complicated.”
“You’re not kidding, but things are making more sense to me,” Sullivan remarked. “Now how do we get them arrested so my family will be safe?”
“I went to the next town over and sent for a Texas Ranger friend of mine,” Donnell told them. “He should be here tomorrow.”
Brogan grinned. “You seem to know a lot of people, Donnell.”
Donnell grinned back and shrugged his left shoulder.
“We need to keep my wife and daughter safe.”
“They have been. Where do you think Murphy, Fitzpatrick, Angus, Rafferty, and Shae have been? They’ve been swapping out guard duty with the hired men. I have to say, I’m glad nothing happened during the picnic. You are quite the gentleman.”
Heat swamped Sullivan’s face, and he took a deep breath. He didn’t need to be in constant control of everything; he had his brothers. They had been there all along, but it was a strange revelation to him.
* * *
Donnell’s Texas Ranger friend arrested Gail first, which made Able run. Two days later, he was caught too.
Sheila could finally breathe.
“You can go to the jail to see them behind bars if you like,” Sullivan told her.
Sullivan: Cowboy Protector: The Kavanagh Brothers Book 4 Page 10