“Miss Hope received some troubling news yesterday and I simply wanted to make sure she was all right,” Sheriff Owen explained.
“That is mighty kind of you,” Mr. Dalbow told him before refocusing on her.
“What news burdens you, Miss Hope?” He asked with utmost concern.
Hope’s eyes immediately filled with tears. For a moment there, with Sheriff Owen’s help, she completely forgot about her concerns. They returned and with a vengeance, as though furious she dared to ignore them while she caught her breath.
“I learned yesterday that my friend Jessamine is missing. She disappeared the day she was supposed to meet you.”
“Disappeared?" Mr. Dalbow shouted in shock. “Is that true?” He asked the Sheriff for confirmation.
“I’m afraid so,” Sheriff Owen replied simply.
“Oh, dear me, that is some unfortunate news.” He moved like he wanted to give her a hug but looking at the Sheriff, Mr. Dalbow reconsidered at the last second. “Are there any leads?” He asked the Sheriff.
“My deputies and I are working on Miss Reynolds’ case, sadly she is not the only girl that vanished in such a manner. Worry not, we will catch the person responsible.” There was a certain edge in Sheriff Owen’s voice as he delivered that. Hope could not decipher what it meant.
“No doubt, no doubt, we have utter faith in you, Sheriff, that you will catch such a vile person,” Mr. Dalbow said, then sighed. “This world is sometimes too cruel.”
“So true,” Hope replied in a small voice, mostly to herself.
“Come now, Miss Hope, do not lose your spirit, we must believe Sheriff Rundell will be able to find your friend,” Mr. Dalbow tried to comfort her.
And Hope did believe, but is that enough? Hope felt like she needed to be doing something other than pray or hope that everything would turn out to be all right.
“Mr. Dalbow, that reminds me,” the Sheriff started to speak again. “Would you be so kind as to visit the station today or tomorrow the latest?” Despite his words, Hope was certain there was a command there.
“Whatever for?” Mr. Dalbow asked, perplexed.
“Miss Jessamine disappeared the day she was supposed to meet you, correct?”
Mr. Dalbow looked shocked by the Sheriff’s words. “She never came,” he protested.
“If you would be so kind as to come and give your official statement,” Sheriff Owen insisted.
The two men eyed one another for a heartbeat or two. Mr. Dalbow was the first who relented. “Very well, Sheriff, if it helps your case, I will come as soon as I can.”
“Thank you.”
Sheriff Owen hesitated after that, as though wanting something else to say, or do. “Well, I did everything I came here to do,” he said instead. “I bid you a good day.”
They said their farewells. Hope watched him ride away with mixed feelings. Stop that, Hope, she chastised herself.
“Let’s go inside the house, Miss Hope, you look ready to drop where you stand.”
Actually, Hope wasn’t tired at all, simply overwhelmed. She complied nevertheless. Mr. Dalbow insisted on helping her walk and she let him, her mind elsewhere. They walked hand-in-hand until they reached the kitchen. Mr. Dalbow pulled out a chair for her and Hope sat down.
“I shall prepare you some tea,” he announced and busied himself immediately.
Hope wanted to protest, after all, he just got back from his trip. He shouldn’t be waiting on her as if she was an infant.
“Let me do that,” she started to rise. Mr. Dalbow stopped her.
“Nonsense,” he insisted. “I want you to sit back down and try to calm yourself.”
And Hope really tried, to no avail.
“And after you have some tea in you, I want you to tell me everything you learned from the Sheriff.”
“All right,” she replied meekly.
“Maybe together we can solve this problem.”
Hope liked that idea very much. She still felt like weeping, though. Hope, in her entire life, never felt such hopelessness.
No! She rebelled. Have you forgotten everything that Sheriff Owen told you? She scolded. You need to calm yourself because this is not helpful. How are you to help Jessamine if you are acting like this? The war is not lost, merely a battle. The pep talk helped.
Hope brushed away the remnants of tears from her face and opened her mouth. “There isn’t that much to say,” she started slowly.
“Never mind. Tell all, perhaps there is a small detail you overlooked,” he encouraged.
Hope nodded. “Jessamine notified her parents around noon she was to go to town and never got there.”
“Was she on foot?”
“Yes.”
“Perhaps some road ruffian grabbed her on the way,” Mr. Dalbow said, clearly thinking out loud. Then he saw her face. “I apologize if my words hurt you, however, we must look into every possibility.”
Hope agreed. “She never made it to town because it was a lie.”
“I beg your pardon?” Mr. Dalbow replied, clearly not understanding what she meant by that.
“Jessamine merely told her parents she was going to town because she did not want to tell them she was coming here,” Hope explained.
“Mr. Dalbow placed a cup of tea in front of her then sat beside her. “Oh, dear.” His whole face fell. “I feel so responsible,” he confessed. “If that poor girl did not start her journey to my ranch she would still be well and in her parental home.” He looked genuinely distraught by the weight of responsibility which in turn filled Hope with the same feeling.
“You cannot blame yourself. You did not know she was coming.” It was all Hope’s fault at any rate, not that she shared that with him.
There was a moment there when the Sheriff told her the exact date Jessamine disappeared, that a very specific thought crossed Hope’s mind. That perhaps Wyatt Dalbow had something to do with her friend’s disappearance, that he lied that she never came to visit him. She couldn’t help herself, that was a logical conclusion.
It was just a passing thought, though, that she felt immensely guilty for. Looking at him now, she knew he was completely innocent. He was a lovely host to her and he looked genuinely concerned about what happened to Jessamine.
“Thank you for saying that,” Mr. Dalbow replied, placing his hands over hers. “I promise I will do my best to help you find Miss Jessamine,” he offered and his eyes were so sincere, Hope was reassured, without a doubt, he was not to blame. Hope’s fears about Mr. Dalbow were unfounded and she was relieved because of it.
She wouldn’t dare think what could have happened to her if she ended up in a house of someone who kidnapped girls. That made her shudder. Mr. Dalbow misinterpreted that as her being cold. He took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. “I will get you your shawl,” he offered, and before she could decline, he went away.
Mr. Dalbow couldn’t have hurt Jessamine, she thought. He couldn’t have hurt anybody. Mr. Dalbow was too gentle of a soul for something like that and once again, Hope felt ashamed for entertaining the notion of him being the guilty party for even a second.
There must be another explanation, she thought with conviction. Mr. Dalbow returned with a shawl and taking his jacket off from her, offered it instead.
“Thank you,” she said, accepting the wrap. “And thank you for your offer to help, Mr. Dalbow, it means a great deal to me.” She should forever be in his debt for all his kindness.
“Please, call me Wyatt.”
“Wyatt,” she accepted with a small smile.
“Together we will find her, have faith in that, Miss Hope.”
Since he was so good to her, Hope decided to share something else with him. “I made arrangements with Sheriff Owen as well.”
“What kind of arrangements?”
“I am to go to the Sheriff’s Office whenever I can and assist him with the case. As you said, perhaps he missed something and I could help uncover it.”
Hope could
not quite believe how easily Sheriff Owen let her participate. It was yet to be determined if he would be true to his word. Something was telling her that he would. And that was close to a miracle as far as she was concerned. If she were back home, that would never occur.
The chief of police was Father’s good friend and he would have a good laugh if she offered her help in some case. Then he would have an aneurysm if she insisted. Simply put, he would never take her seriously, and why should he when her own father never did either? In their minds, young ladies such as Hope were not suitable for that kind of business. Sheriff Owen was different in that regard. Thank God, or she wouldn’t know what to do with herself.
Mr. Dalbow made a face hearing her say that as though he just swallowed something unpleasant and Hope braced herself for what he had to say. She was positive more bad news was coming her way.
16
Hope did not like the look on Mr. Dalbow’s face once she told him she was to assist Sheriff Owen in the investigation. Based on her experience, she could only assume he agreed with all the men she grew up surrounded by, agreed with her father, that she had no business getting involved with the Sheriff for she had nothing of substance to offer.
I will show them all what I'm capable of. And she was right that he disapproved, just not in a way she thought he would.
“What is the matter?” She prompted, not being able to withstand the silence that stretched between them any longer. “You do not approve?”
Mr. Dalbow leaned in his chair and deeply sighed, and Hope braced herself for what was to come. “I have something important to say to you, caution you, if you will. And I hope you will heed my advice,” he started carefully.
Hope frowned. She did not understand why he was saying all this to her. She was prepared to listen, though.
“In order to find your friend, it is logical for you to seek the Sheriff’s help. And you definitely should.”
Here we go, Hope braced herself for the but part.
“However, apart from using his skills and connections, do not put much trust in Sheriff Owen Rundell,” Mr. Dalbow warned.
What? Hope was dumbfounded. This was not at all what she expected to hear. His words made her pause with her prepared reply; it was no longer usable.
She could not understand what was going on here. Hope simply wished to find Jessamine, yet everything was entangled for no apparent reason.
First, it was the Sheriff who warned Hope of Mr. Dalbow, cautioning her to be careful around him. And not once, twice. Now Mr. Dalbow was doing pretty much the same, warning her not to put her trust in the Sheriff.
What happened between these two men to act in such a way? Hope had to wonder. They did not trust one another, that much was clear. Why?
No matter what their reasoning might be, Hope decided to reply to Mr. Dalbow the same way she did to Sheriff Owen. “I will be careful,” she said simply. “I promise.”
That seemed to reassure him. On the other hand, Hope was anything but. This apparent rift between the two men worried her. They acted so civilly when together, so why was there a problem? And even if there was a problem, should Hope try to find out why and get involved in any way?
This is not my problem. She already had enough on her plate, she concluded.
Hope did not want to get involved in the middle of some conflict if she did not absolutely have to. Especially when someone’s life was at stake.
I have to focus on finding Jessamine and only that.
Besides, she was sick and tired of people telling her what to do or to think. It is time to make my own choices. That was the point of this whole journey to Rippingate in the first place. On the other hand, that did not mean she would completely ignore these men and their warnings. She meant what she said to Mr. Dalbow. She would be very careful and on both accounts. And then she would make up her mind about them based on their merits and behavior.
“I will go and help the Sheriff and I will be careful,” she repeated, mostly to herself. As she would be careful around Mr. Dalbow as well.
“And try not to worry too much. I am sure everything will turn out all right in the end,” Mr. Dalbow said in return.
That was easier said than done, as far as Hope was concerned. She could not stop worrying about Jessamine. The best she could hope for was channeling that worry into something a bit more productive, as in finding her.
Suddenly, Mr. Dalbow slapped himself on the forehead, startling her a little. “I completely forgot,” he explained with a smile.
“Forgot what?” Hope inquired, curious to learn what caused such behavior.
“I brought you something,” he announced, getting up and dashing to the other room, where his traveling bag still stood by the door. He returned and presented her with a small paper bag.
Hope took it tentatively, not knowing what to expect. Peeking inside she discovered sweets. The same ones she used to buy with Jessamine.
“Thank you,” Hope said a bit overcome with emotions. She could just picture them, strolling along the street, eating and laughing, completely carefree. Hope longed for those days to return.
“You do not like them,” Mr. Dalbow misinterpreted her behavior, his earlier good mood instantly gone.
Actually, they were Hope’s favorite. It was just that they were another reminder of her missing friend. That was why she couldn’t stomach them at the moment. She did not share any of this with her host.
Hope took one with a smile and forced herself to eat it. “I love them, thank you for your gift, it was very thoughtful of you,” Hope was honestly touched he thought of her while being away on his business trip, and wished there was some way she could reciprocate.
“It was my pleasure,” he replied.
“How did your trip go?” Hope asked, realizing all too late how rude she was for not asking him sooner. In her defense she was, still am, she corrected herself, a bit distraught.
Hope had to face the fact that her main emotion while dealing with Mr. Dalbow was guilt. He was so good and kind to her and she simply wasn’t feeling the way he obviously did, and that made her feel awful, like she was the most horrible person in the world.
I will do better, she promised. She would double her efforts in order to... What? Force myself to care for him? Hope knew she could not do that. Maybe I’m just tired. Those were not thoughts she wished to have at the moment.
Mr. Dalbow started to speak so she focused on him and not her weird mind. “It was a complete success,” he said, his chest puffing a little in pride. “I managed to accomplish everything I needed,” he paused as though he just realized something. “It was just that it was not as satisfactory as I hoped it would be,” he confessed.
“How so?”
He was looking at her deeply in the eyes while replying. “I found myself distracted,” he confessed reluctantly. “I was constantly thinking about you and your days here, alone.”
“Oh,” Hope did not know what to say to that. Should I apologize? Truth be told, she did not think of him while he was away. And that was shameful. Granted, her mind was a bit preoccupied with more pressing issues. Still, Mr. Dalbow should have crossed her mind in some positive way if she cared about him at all.
It is too early for all that, I just met the man, her mind rebelled. You just met Sheriff Owen, the other part of her pointed out, yet your responses to him are completely different. Hope felt like slapping herself. Oh, do shut up, she snapped.
“Anyway,” Mr. Dalbow continued, collecting himself, and Hope was glad for the distraction. She couldn’t stand the voices inside her head any longer.
“It is all done now, and I am happy to be back home.”
Hope smiled. “I am glad you had such a productive trip,” she summarized.
He nodded. “Yes. It is nice to have someone waiting for me at home after a day of hard work, or a long trip.” He kissed her hands.
Mr. Dalbow was constantly courting her, which was understandable considering that was why she was there in
the first place. Sadly, she was not feeling the same, and his advances were making her feel uncomfortable. Hope simply smiled in return, fearing this was progressing much quicker than she anticipated.
What am I to do? And wasn't that question usable for so many aspects of her life?
* * *
Owen wasn’t that happy getting back into town. On one hand, he really did not need to see Wyatt Dalbow so early in the morning, doting on Miss Hope. On the other, it was good that Mr. Dalbow saw him with Miss Hope. Not because Owen was staking his claim or anything like that. He did not have any right to do that, regardless. It was good he was seen simply so the other man would be cautioned to remember she was under the Sheriff’s protection.
The Redemption 0f A Hunted Bride (Historical Western Romance) Page 15