by Joyce Alec
The man hesitated for a moment. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he said doubtfully. “The trail back to town can be dangerous at night, what with the wolves about. I can take you there at first light, if that’s any good to you. I’ve got a place where you can sleep until then.”
Fear clutched at her heart, and Jessie instinctively began to scramble away, her heart pounding. She wanted to scream but found herself unable to do anything more than draw a breath. She knew what this man wanted, what he’d do to her if he got her back to his ranch.
“Hold up there!” the man exclaimed, hurrying after her. Putting out his hand, he caught her arm and hunkered down beside her. Jessie let out a small cry of fear, trying to pull herself away, only for him to catch her other hand, holding them with a gentle strength.
“Something sure ain’t right with you,” the man murmured gently. “Listen, miss; I swear I won’t lay a finger on you. I’m still trying to work out what you’re doing out here on your own, but I’m guessing there’s a bad reason for that, given how frightened you are.” His voice softened, and Jessie felt her heart slow its frantic pace. “There’s a key to my ranch house. I’ll give it to you and you can lock yourself inside. My barn’s more than comfortable.”
“No,” she whispered, her mind still screaming at her to run away. “I can’t.”
“You don’t have anywhere else to go,” he reminded her gently. “Come on now, miss. I’m not gonna hurt you. You’re in a bad way, I reckon, and you can’t go on by yourself. Not in the state you’re in. Here.” He pulled something from the side of his belt and placed it in her hand. Cool metal touched her fingers, and she jerked her hand away.
“You can throw it away,” he said coaxingly. “It’s my gun, the only one I’ve got with me. Throw it out into the sand. That way, you’ll be sure you’ve got nothing to be afraid of.”
She tried to take it from him but found that her hand shook too badly. Putting every ounce of strength she had into the effort, she took it out of his hand and threw it away from her, into the darkness. It wasn’t far enough, she knew, pathetic and weak in her attempt, and she dropped her head, letting her hand fall uselessly to the ground. Just the gesture had helped her feel a little more at ease, although terror still tugged at every part of her.
“I guess I’ve got no other choice but to go with you,” she said hopelessly, as he let go of her other hand, rising steadily to his feet.
“Come along, then,” he said with such gentleness in his voice that she suddenly found herself wanting to cry. “You’ll be safe soon, miss.” He paused, helping her to stand with one arm flung about her waist, then supporting her so she could walk without falling. “What did you say your name was?”
What does it matter? she thought to herself, despair clouding her heart and mind. “Jessie,” she replied dully.
To her surprise, she felt him stiffen, coming to a dead stop for a moment.
“Jessie?” he repeated, looking down at her. “Jessie Richmond?”
“Yes,” she replied, wishing she could make out his expression in the dark. “Why?”
His breath came rattling out of him. “I know you,” he replied through what sounded like gritted teeth. “Jessie Richmond, or as you are now, Jessie Jackson. You were meant to be my bride.”
3
Martin didn’t want to reveal his inner struggle, helping Jessie up the steps towards the door of the ranch house. She’d stayed with him as he’d put the horse into the stables but hadn’t spoken a word to him since she’d agreed to go with him. As they reached the door, he felt her hesitate and forced himself to stop, his hand tightening about her waist just a fraction.
“I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said again, feeling as though he had said those words a hundred times to her already. He had no idea what it was that had brought her so much fear but the agony of it was clearly displayed on her face. It was something to do with Adler, clearly, but he knew he couldn’t ask her now, not when she was so afraid.
Her eyes slowly traveled up to his face. The lanterns alight by the porch let him see her expression, lines of tears tracking down her dusty face.
She was trembling visibly, and he stepped back from her, letting her lean on the porch rail.
“I’ll stay right here if you want,” he said softly. “The key’s inside. You can help yourself to whatever you need. The only thing waiting for you is my dog, Rusty.” He let his mouth quirk into a smile, seeing her shoulders slump a little. “He’s friendly, though, really.”
The weakness in her body was obvious. “I don’t think I can walk on in alone,” she breathed, her voice barely louder than a whisper. “But I’m scared.”
“Is there any part of you that can trust me?” he asked, reaching for her, only to hear a few voices suddenly coming out of the darkness. There was shouting, screaming, and the sound of hooves coming towards his ranch. He turned and saw lantern lights bobbing in the gloom, as Jessie let out a strangled cry.
“Come on,” he said, grasping her arm and helping her inside. “It’s either that or waiting out here.”
She clung to him as he threw open the door, helping her into a chair by the stove before turning back around and locking the door. His own heart rumbled with anxiety as he turned back to Jessie, seeing her almost shrinking into the chair, while Rusty came over to him, evidently delighted to see him and ignoring the anxiety that practically radiated from Jessie.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said, ignoring Rusty and bending down in front of Jessie. “They won’t get in here. I won’t even go answer the door if they come.”
“They’re looking for me,” she whispered, her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t tell them I’m here.”
“I won’t do that,” he promised, touching her hand for a moment. “Just stay here and keep quiet. Rusty will stay right by you.”
The dog was there in a moment and, with a word from Martin, lay down by Jessie’s feet. A tiny smile caught her mouth for just a moment, but then it was gone, leaving her pale and fearful all over again.
Moving towards the window, glad that he’d thought to close the shutters, Martin looked out into the dark night and saw the lantern lights move forward. Only a murmur of voices came through the window towards him, disturbing the otherwise quiet night. Keeping himself as still as possible, Martin narrowed his eyes as he looked through the slats of the shutters, almost afraid to breathe. His stomach tightened with tension, a little worried that someone had seen him out that night. There was enough trouble already without someone coming after him, wondering what he’d been up to.
“Armstrong!”
A gruff voice shouted out his name, and Martin shrank back into the shadows, glad he’d only lit a couple of lanterns in the house.
“Armstrong!” the voice came again. “Get on out here!”
Rusty growled but, with a simple click of Martin’s fingers, lapsed into silence. From the quiet that surrounded them, he could hear Jessie’s breathing quicken, and he prayed that she’d remain absolutely still.
“He ain’t here,” someone else said. “We need to get on back and look for her.”
“It had to have been her,” said another, making Martin’s whole frame ripple with tension. “She’s out here somewhere.”
Slowly, Martin let out his breath as the riders moved away, the lights fading again into the darkness.
“They’re gone,” he said, letting himself speak normally for the first time since they’d arrived back at the ranch. “You don’t have to worry, Jessie.”
Walking back to face her, he saw that she’d been crying silently the whole time he’d been by the window. He felt so much pain, so much frustration and confusion, that it was hard to think clearly. He’d spent the last month going between fury and disappointment over what she’d done to him and now that she was here, sitting down in his chair by the fire, looking completely and utterly forlorn, he felt his anger fade away.
“Can you tell me what happened?” he asked softly, looking in
to her face and seeing the fear etched in her eyes. “What are you running from? Is it Adler?”
He hated saying the man’s name but saw the way her expression tensed for a moment. Her chin wobbled, her hands tightening on the arms of the chair, and Martin knew he had to step back. He wanted to ask her a thousand questions about what she’d been doing out there alone but thought better of it, seeing that she was completely exhausted.
“Let me get you something to eat and drink,” he said, getting to his feet, glad he’d managed to buy a few things from the general store earlier that day. “I think I have something here.”
Still, she remained silent, even as he handed her a mug of tea and a plate with a small slice of fruit cake on it and a hunk of cheese. She ate them both without saying a word, drinking her tea slowly. Martin forced himself to wait patiently, seeing some color gradually coming back to her cheeks. Rusty remained where he was by her feet and, eventually, Jessie brought her eyes to his.
“Adler,” she said quietly. “He… he…” Her eyes filled, her throat working hard. “He’s not a good man.”
This was not something that surprised him. “I know that,” he muttered darkly. “He stole my bride, for one.” That was, apparently, the wrong thing to say, for her eyes filled with tears, moisture clinging to her lashes. He felt a twinge of regret and shifted uncomfortably where he stood, letting the tension ripple out of his shoulders. “I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s not a discussion for just now. Why do you want to get to Hettie Drummond? What’s she going to do for you?”
“I don’t know,” Jessie replied miserably. “I don’t know what she can do. I’m just praying she can help me get away.”
“Get away from Adler?” he asked. He saw her nod, her gaze drifting away. He didn’t want to ask any more questions, seeing the pain it was causing her to answer. “You’re afraid he’s going to come after you, I’m guessing.”
Jessie swallowed hard and dropped her chin to her chest, obviously worn out. “I was at his farm,” she whispered, every word an effort. “He’ll be looking for me.”
“Don’t worry about that now,” he said gently, hunkering down beside her. “We’ll get you rested, and I’ll go see Hettie Drummond in the morning. You can stay here with Rusty. No one will come for you.”
She looked up at him, suddenly frantic.
“I swear,” he promised. “You’ll be safe. You’ll have Rusty, and the door will be locked up tight. I don’t have my gun with me, but there’s a rifle in the barn I can fetch for you. I’ll get Hettie to come back here and talk to you. Everything will work out.”
The fear slowly dimmed in her eyes as she looked back at him, her fingers suddenly clutching at his hand. The weariness in her face made him think she might collapse back into her chair at any moment, and he pulled her to her feet with as much gentleness as he could, supporting her as they walked to the bedroom.
“I’m sorry about the mess,” he muttered, but she didn’t even notice. Helping her to lie down, he pulled the blanket all the way up to her shoulders, just as Rusty jumped up onto the bed beside her. A small smile caught her lips as she turned towards the dog, one hand resting on his fur.
“I’ll be sleeping in the barn,” he said softly. “I can lock the door. I—”
“You don’t have to do that,” she whispered, her eyes already closing.
Surprised, Martin touched her shoulder. “Jessie,” he began, intending to check that she was sure about what she’d said, only to see that she’d already fallen asleep.
Walking back into the main part of the house, Martin pulled the door closed tightly behind him. To meet his once bride-to-be in the middle of the plain for the very first time had taken his breath away. He hadn’t known what to do for a moment, when he’d first heard her name. The first time he’d looked into her eyes, the first time he’d seen her face, had been this night. She’d hidden herself away in Adler’s house, only coming out to church and then running away soon after. He’d never even seen what she’d looked like until tonight.
He didn’t know what to make of what had happened; he was struggling with what he himself had done, as well as what Jessie had been through. She had been so completely and utterly torn apart by fear, and that was all to do with Adler.
A spark of anger ignited in his heart, but he extinguished it in a moment. What she had done in choosing to marry Adler had hurt him terribly, but it wasn’t the time to dwell on the past. Regardless of what she’d chosen to do, it was clear that Adler had been filling her life with fear. All he had to do was concentrate on going to town and fetching Hettie Drummond, and then hopefully, he could hand Jessie over to her care and concentrate on what he had to do next. There were things he’d still have to do, things he still had to fetch and bring back home. He couldn’t exactly do that when Jessie was here.
Wincing, Martin rubbed at his shoulder, feeling, for the first time, the pain that laced through him. He’d not managed to do all that he’d intended, but at least the beginnings of his plan were in place. Once Jessie was safe with Hettie, then he could forget all about her and get back to his own plans. Out there in the plains were things that belonged to him, and he fully intended to fetch them just as soon as he could.
The way she’d looked at him pierced his mind, refusing to leave him. Her eyes had been like windows, revealing the depths of her terror. He’d not be able to forget them easily.
Grimacing, Martin rubbed one hand over his eyes, knowing that he wasn’t about to sleep tonight. He had too much on his mind. Sitting down in a chair by the fire, he stared into the flames, his head heavy with his thoughts. He’d wait until the first light of dawn, and then he’d be on his way into town. The sooner Jessie was gone from his house, the better.
4
Jessie woke slowly, her vision blurred as she tried to work out where she was. Her body was stiff and sore, making her groan, and she attempted to sit up in bed. Something shifted beside her and she stilled at once, suddenly afraid that it was Adler.
A quiet bark and a wet nose pressed into her cheek brought everything back to her in a moment. Her breath caught as she pushed herself up in bed, looking all around the unfamiliar room and seeing nothing she recognized.
Martin. Martin Armstrong.
Closing her eyes, Jessie rubbed her hand across her forehead, trying to think clearly. Martin had been the one to find her last night, the man she’d been meant to marry when she’d first come to Copper Peaks. Even now, the shame of it clung to her soul, refusing to let go. She winced inwardly, her face growing hot with embarrassment. This wasn’t what she’d planned on doing. She’d wanted to get to Hettie and had wanted to be away from Copper Peaks by now, but she was stuck here—in Martin Armstrong’s house.
What would Adler do once he found her?
She shuddered violently. No, she couldn’t go back to him—not now. She knew it was a terrible thing to leave your husband, but the truth was, to be looked down on by others was preferable to staying with Adler for the sake of her good name.
And whether she liked it or not, she was not by herself in this any longer. Martin knew about her trouble with Adler, although he might not know all of it. Hettie would have to be told everything if Jessie wanted her help. Regardless of how ashamed she was of how she’d treated Martin, regardless of how afraid she was of Adler, she would have to tell them both the truth.
That was her only way out.
“Jessie?”
She jerked her head up.
“It’s Martin,” the voice said through the door. “Don’t worry, I’m not coming in. I just want to tell you that Hettie’s here. We… she has got something to tell you.” There was something in his voice that made her hesitate as she rose to her feet, something that sent a warning ringing in her ears.
“Hettie’s really there?” she asked, one hand flat against the door as though she was afraid he would suddenly push himself inside.
“I’m really here,” came Hettie’s voice, gentle and fil
led with kindness. “Come on out when you’re ready, Jessie. Everything’s all right, I promise.”
Jessie let out a long, steadying breath, telling herself that she’d have to find some courage from somewhere. Looking down at herself, she took in her dusty, dirty dress and felt embarrassment climb up her spine.
“There’s a washbasin in the corner and a jug of water,” Martin said helpfully, as though he was able to hear what she’d been thinking. “I don’t have a brush or the like, but Hettie can help you if you need that, I’m sure.”
“I’ll be just fine,” Jessie managed to say, moving carefully away from the door while Rusty watched her from his place on the bed. “I won’t be long.”
Carefully, she untied her long, red hair from its plait, seeing how the curls had already begun to spill out from their confines. Brushing it as best she could with her fingers, she retied it and then splashed some water on her face, washing away all the grime that clung to her temples. Her hands were next, her fingers cold in the water, until finally she looked and felt a little better than when she’d first woken up.
“Come on, then, Rusty,” she murmured, brushing her fingers through the dog’s wiry fur before making her way to the door. With a bark, the dog jumped down from the bed and hurried after her, scampering out of the open door ahead of her.
“Jessie,” Hettie said, hurrying towards her, her hands reaching for her. “How are you?”
Jessie swallowed, feeling tears prick at the corner of her eyes at the kindness Hettie showed her. “I had a decent rest,” she said, glancing towards Martin who, to her surprise, was looking at her with a good deal of concern in his expression. She’d not expected to see anything of the sort, not after what she’d done to him. “Thank you for everything you did, Martin. I sure don’t deserve your kindness.”