Wynter's Bride

by Christine Sterling

  “Steak dinner and pie for me,” Seb said.

  “Same here,” David added.

  Charity nodded and left them to their coffee. Seb took a sip of the strong brew and savored the taste, warming his insides.

  “You going to the planning meeting?”

  Seb looked at David with disbelief on his face. “Why in tarnation would I go to the meeting?”

  “Just think it is about time. It has been nearly five years, Seb. Don’t you think that Lacey would want you to start living again?”

  “Don’t,” Seb warned. “Don’t say another word, and certainly don’t mention her name.” He had been the sheriff in town before David returned and accepted the job. He had a hunting cabin in the mountains and went as often as he could to hunt and trap the land. Lacey enjoyed going with him and it allowed them so much precious alone time away from the nosiness of the small town.

  David put his arms back in mock surrender. “I didn’t mean to upset you, but it has been five years.”

  “Might as well have been yesterday.” Seb took another sip of his coffee. He was still not ready to discuss losing his wife. Yes, his friends in town knew that she had been murdered while he was out tracking the Thorpe Gang. Little did he realize their trail would lead him right back to their cabin in the woods and the body of his wife, her blood still fresh in the snow when he found her.

  Christmas had been Lacey’s favorite holiday. She loved partaking in the town’s Christmas Festival. Every year on the Sunday before Christmas the town would gather to decorate the tree in the center of town and listen to the story of the Christmas Bells, the same bells that his grandmother carried across country.

  The town would then partake in a wagon ride with the bells hitched to a horse to remember the fateful journey that brought Clara to the area just west of Fort Bridger.

  Lacey led the committee that was in charge of preparing the decorations. She loved to create paper chains with the children, she would get the elderly involved in stringing popcorn and berry garland, and she helped collect candles that would be passed around while singing carols.

  Each year there was a meeting of the menfolk to discuss the preparations for the festival. Really it was just an opportunity for them to gather around the pot-bellied stove at the mercantile without their wives and talk about spring planting, whose cows were giving the most milk, and the changing politics in Wyoming. The actual planning took less than ten minutes, since the festival hadn’t change in nearly fifty years.

  Seb enjoyed the meetings as it gave him a chance to catch up on the local news with everyone in one spot. But that was five years ago. He hadn’t gone once since Lacey passed.

  David knocked his elbow, bringing him out of his reverie. “Where did you go, Seb?”

  Seb looked down at the plate in front of him and shook his head. He didn’t recall the waitress bring his dinner. “Not sure, David. Was just thinking of Lacey.” David nodded and dug into his dinner. Seb picked up his utensils and sliced into the meat on the plate before him. The steak was crispy around the edges just as he liked it, served with mashed potatoes smothered in gravy with a side of green beans. He made quick work of his dinner, so he could dig into the thick slab of pie waiting for him.

  “Sebastian. David. Mind if I join you?” Sebastian looked up and saw his cousin, Jason Shepherd, Belle’s Mayor next to the table.

  “Of course,” Seb said, wiping his mouth with his napkin. He signaled to Charity who came right over.

  “What can I get you, Mr. Shepherd?” she asked, her blue eyes blinking in a rapid pattern. Was she flirting with him? Seb thought.

  “Just coffee, darlin’.” He looked at Seb’s pie. “And a piece of pie there. Did you make it yourself?”

  Charity blushed under his words. “I did. I’ll bring you a big piece with your coffee.”

  “Thank you, darlin’” he said, placing his hat on the empty chair. Seb cleared his throat. “What?” Seb laughed. If Jason wanted to play innocent, so be it. “I’m actually glad I have both of you here. There is something I need to discuss before the meeting in a few days.”

  “What’s going on?” David asked, digging into his pie.

  Jason looked around the room to make sure no one heard them. “The bells are gone,” he whispered.

  David dropped his fork. “What?”

  “Repeat that,” Seb said, not believing he heard it correctly the first time.

  “The bells are gone. Not the strap, just the bells.”

  “Did you look for them?”

  “Of course, I did. I thought maybe they came loose. That bell strap is at least a hundred years old. I searched the floorboards, but they weren’t there.”

  The bells were on a leather bell strap that hung in the mayor’s office for anyone in town to see. It was a source of pride for the town. They only came off the wall for the Christmas ceremony.

  “You better find them before the ceremony then. There will be a lot of people upset that they are missing.” Seb said.

  “I know.” The mayor took his slice of pie from Charity as she set his coffee cup down. “Thanks, sweetheart, that will be all for now.” She gave a timid smile and scampered back towards the kitchen. “I’m just not sure where they could have gone.”

  “Do you know when they went missing?” David asked?

  “Not really. I just happened to notice they were gone this evening. I don’t always look at them. And the leather strap is still hanging up, so I must not have registered that they were gone.”

  “Who would take the bells and not the strap? It doesn’t make sense.”

  “I know. David, I need to file a formal report that they were stolen but if we can keep this under wraps for now. At least until the meeting. Perhaps we can find them by then.”

  “Don’t look now,” David said in a hushed tone, “but I think that the owner of the newspaper caught wind of what you were saying.”

  They looked over and sure enough, Gerald Partridge of the Belle Gazette was sitting at the next table listening intently and scribbling on the notepad he carried around with him. Jason groaned and slid his hand down his face.

  Seb pushed his empty pie plate back and rubbed his belly. “Well, I for one am glad I won’t be at that meeting. I don’t want to be there when it breaks loose.” He looked at Gerald. “Or before.” Seb reached in his pocket and threw a bill with some change on the table. “I better get going to the mercantile. I know old man Henry has my order ready to go.”

  “What did you bring in?” David asked.

  “Several foxes, about a dozen minks, two beavers and a bear hide. I kept a few ermines because I need to make gloves this year.”

  “What is the rate on bear this year?”

  “Henry was paying 5 dollars a hide; 10 because I tanned it first. I could get more at Fort Bridger, but I wasn’t going to ride out all that way. It gave me enough to cover my supplies, so I’m good. It will take me about an hour to ride home, so I better get.” Seb stood and slipped his arms back into his coat. Placing his hat on top of his head, he nodded to the two men sitting at the table and left the restaurant.

  Henry Stewart had his knapsacks filled by the time Seb walked through the door. Henry even had change from the furs which he gave to Seb. “I meant to tell you, we got some tins of tobacco in stock last week. I put one in because I know you normally get one when you come to town.”

  “Thanks, Henry. I’ll be back after Christmas with whatever I catch next.”

  “Beaver is always in demand. That and those fox pelts. You ain’t coming back for the ceremony? Livvy said she missed seein’ you there.”

  Olivia, or Livvy, was Henry’s wife. They had been sweethearts since they were both children. “Tell Mrs. Stewart, I’m sorry to be disappointing her, but I’m just not ready yet.”

  Henry shook his head. “It ain’t right you up there on that mountain all alone.”

  Seb took his leave without responding. He hoisted one of the knapsacks on his shoulder and carr
ied the other one in his hand. Henry managed to even the weight between the two bags, for which Seb was grateful.

  He quickly walked to the livery, his breath appearing as cold puffs against the chilled air. The livery was warm and smelled of hay, horses and manure.

  “Got him fed for you, Seb,” the gray-haired man said, leading Joker from the stall. “And the lantern is lit.”

  Seb tied off the knapsacks to the saddle horn. “Thanks, Paps,” he said, taking the reins. He pulled himself up onto the horse with ease. Paps handed him a lantern on a crooked stick which Seb would use to light the way back to the cabin. He gave Joker a little kick with his heels and clicked his tongue. The horse lifted his head and headed out into the night.

  Big fat flakes of snow started to fall as he reached the town’s edge. They lit up the sky with a white sheen and cast a halo around the moon. Seb pulled his coat closer, lifting the collar of his coat so it blocked the wind from caressing his neck. He was hoping the wind wouldn’t blow out the lantern before he could get to the wood line. It was dark, and he needed that little bit of light since the moon was covered.

  “Come on, Joker,” he said softly to the horse. “We need to get home before the snow gets too thick.”

  He had just made it to the edge of town when he heard his name called. It was Deputy Will Barges, running down the main street yelling for him. He was a fairly young man, a bit of a klutz, and had recently moved to Belle as a lawman. Seb noticed he didn’t have a coat on and his boots were slipping in the freshly fallen snow.

  Seb tugged on Joker’s lead, pulling the horse to a stop. “You better get back inside, Will. You really need a coat.”

  Will shivered against the cold. “I was told to come get you immediately. There was a hold up of the Central Pacific just outside of town.”

  “What does that have to do with me?”

  “There was a kidnapping. Sheriff Knight told me to come get you and ask if you could help track where they might have taken her?”

  Seb crossed his arms over his saddle horn and looked at the deputy shivering in the snow. “Her? How do you know this?”

  “A man from the train came riding in just a few minutes ago, since we are the closest town. It apparently happened a few hours ago. David knew you would want to take this.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because it was Clyde Thorpe who took her.”

  Chapter 3

  “What do we know?” Seb asked, checking the rounds in his gun. He didn’t want to be caught without enough ammunition. David handed him another box, which he pocketed.

  They were sitting in the sheriff’s office – Jason, David, Will, Seb and Lawrence, the man who came from the train to town to report the kidnapping.

  “They held up the train and took the girl. Dragged her into the woods.” Lawrence was still shivering, taking small sips of coffee in an attempt to warm up.

  “And you saw them drag her into the woods?” Lawrence nodded. “Where were you when this happened?”

  “I was on the train. I was… .I mean I am the trains-man for the last three cars. I could see what was happening out the window. When the bandits came through the car, I sat down in one of the empty benches and hid my hat underneath the seat. We had to make sure they were gone before someone could ride for help.”

  “Did they take anyone else or just this girl?”

  “Just the girl. One of the men kept asking the women their names. They were looking for her in particular.” He finished his coffee, handing the cup back to the deputy. “Why can’t I remember what her name is?”

  Seb dismissed the man’s lamenting. “I need to get to the train and see if I can pick up the trail.”

  “Tonight?” Will asked.

  “Yes. Time is of the essence.”

  “It is dark out there. You won’t be able to see anything.”

  “The snow is going to be covering the trail soon. I need to get going.”

  “Holiday,” Lawrence suddenly said.

  “Holiday?” Seb repeated.

  “Her name was Holiday. Her father was someone important.”

  “Do you know where she was headed?” David asked.

  “Her ticket was for New York.”

  “Anyone know an important person in New York called Holiday?” Seb asked the people in the room.

  David and Will shook their heads. Jason looked up from where he was writing on a pad of paper. “It must have been Wilbur Holiday. He is the Secretary of State for New York. He is up for re-election next year.”

  Seb raised his eyebrow at his cousin. “How do you know that?”

  “I read the newspapers that come through the town.”

  “David, can you send a telegram to New York and see what you can find out? Lawrence, why don’t you ride back to the train with me, so you can show me where they entered the woods.

  “Will, you take care of the telegram. I’m going to go with Seb,” David said to his deputy.

  Seb nodded, grabbing his shotgun from where it was leaning against the wall. “Let’s go.”

  ☐☐☐

  Ivy’s arms were tingling. She was so cold, and her fingers hurt. The cold air was causing her brain to silent scream every time she took a breath. Who turned the heat off?

  She reached for a blanket, only to find her hands empty. It was then she realized that she was lying on a cold, bumpy floor and not her bed. Her cheek was pressed against the cold floor and she could feel the small rocks pressing into her face.

  She slowly opened her eyes and pushed herself up from the floor. She looked around, disoriented at first. She tried to think back at her last memory. She had been on a train, on her way to New York City at her father’s request.

  Images flooded her brain and she tried not to retch. Thoughts of travelling through the mountains, getting a snack in the dining car, the bandits, her name being called out to the passengers and finally, escaping into the snow before strong arms captured her. She didn’t remember anything else after that.

  Panic intensified in the pit of her stomach as she took in her surroundings. She was in a cave of sorts. The stone and dirt walls damp with moisture.

  Shivering, she pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. The damp crept through the bottom of her skirt and she felt the cold against her legs. Rubbing her arms to get the circulation going, she watched her breath come out in white puffs.

  Ivy shifted from side to side to try to remove the rocks that were digging into her posterior, but to also try to cover every inch of her with the skirt and cloak. What she would give for a blanket, a cup of tea and to not be in this situation.

  She didn’t understand why the bandits were looking for her. She was a nobody. A simple teacher on her way home for the holiday.

  “Looks like you finally came around,” said a deep voice to her right. She looked and saw a broad-shouldered man towering over her. He looked like a tree with his feet planted apart as he gave her a leering smirk, showing tobacco-stained teeth behind his curling lip.

  She shrieked and backed away from him, pushing herself into the wall of the cave. He stepped back and yelled to a group of men that were crowded around a fire at the front of the cave. “Boss! She’s awake!”

  There was a murmuring of voices and several men crowded around the first gentleman. They all looked similar; big men with large faces covered in growth and dark eyes. They stood like a mini-mountain range around her and she felt her breath hitch in the throat. She knew the chance of escape was futile with these men.

  As they moved around her, Ivy noticed that there were canvas bags, at least a dozen of them, piled against the far wall. She looked back at the bags, noticing that they must be full of items that they had stolen from the train. She saw a few necklaces peeking from the top and the gold watch that had fallen right before she made her escape from the train.

  “See something you like, Missy?” one of the men asked her. His companion nudged him in the ribs.

  “I see something I like,
” he shared, and his companions burst into laughter. Before Ivy could decide what to do a voice boomed out from behind the men.

  “Move aside.” The men immediately hushed, parting like the sea to make way for the tall, lanky man to stand before Ivy.

  He was dressed completely different than any of the other men. Where they were in leather coats and dungarees, this man was dressed in animal furs from head to toe. He had a large beaver hat on his head, a bear skin coat wrapped around his body and Ivy could see smaller animals attached underneath where the coat didn’t meet. If she had seen him outside the cave, she might consider him conventionally handsome, his dark hair curling out from under his cap. He was clean shaven compared to his companions. Yet, there was something about his smile or the way his eyes looked at her that made her feel uneasy. She tried to swallow her fear, not wanting him to see it.