Robin

by Julane Hiebert

  He squeezed her hand. “I don’t want to let you drive across the prairie this time of night. You needn’t leave, Mrs. Blair. Your help has been invaluable, and I’m sure Emma would agree.”

  Anna’s mother shook her head. “Oh dear boy, you remind me so very much of your mother. Never would she admit to any kind of inconvenience or insult placed on her by others. None of us know what this night will bring for sweet Miss Wenghold. I do hate to take you away, but allow this old lady to leave with some bit of dignity, though she must skip out in the dark to retain it.” Her chin quivered, but her lips curved in a faint smile.

  He put his arm around her shoulders and walked her to the door. “And I must insist on accompanying you. I’ll have Rusty hitch your buggy and saddle my horse. We can leave when you are ready.”

  “It shan’t take long. Come, Anna. I need your help, and I will brook no further displays of your bad manners.”

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  Ty looped Tag’s reins over the hitching post in front of the church. The painfully silent ride alongside the Blair buggy into Cedar Bluff only added to the anger, sorrow, and regret that burned in his gut. A huge question still hung above today. Memories haunted him and the future troubled him. What future? And with whom? Anna? How could they build a marriage upon a foundation of deceit?

  He didn’t bother to light a lamp, but made his way down the aisle and slid into the front bench. A sliver of moonlight beamed onto the small, square table altar and illuminated the open Bible and the gold cross set behind it. Other times he would picture this as God’s finger, showing him the way. Tonight it mocked him.Where’s your faith, preacher boy? Don’t you tell others His Word has all the answers? Don’t you remind them to go to the Cross? Are you saying it works for others, but not for you? Are your problems too big—your God too small?

  He knelt and buried his face in his hands. Not since the night Anna walked away from him had he experienced such anguish—such hopelessness. That night he would have given anything for Anna to come back to him. That night there was not another woman or a small boy to consider. A year ago he promised he’d never let himself love again. A year ago there was not Robin or Jacob. That night he promised he’d never forsake his first love—he would always be there. Tonight, he regretted the promise.

  A draft whispered through the room, and the scent of lilacs announced a visitor. He rose and faced the woman destined to become his wife. “What are you doing here, Anna?”

  She approached his bench. “I needed time alone, away from Mother. I didn’t know you were here until I saw Tag tied outside.”

  “Your mother needs you, Anna. She appeared exhausted. Surely you observed that.”

  She sat on the front bench and turned to face him. “We’ve been home for two hours. I made peace with Mother. Now I’ve come to seek forgiveness from the Lord . . . and from you.”

  Two hours? Had he been on his knees for two hours with no answers? He stood and paced. “I’ve replayed the night you walked away from me over and over trying to find an answer. What did I do? Why did you stop loving me? When did you stop loving me? The same questions day after day, night after night.”

  “Ty, please let me—”

  He raised his hand. “I’m not finished. When no answers came, I begged God to help me get past the questions and learn to live without you. I thought He heard my plea. At last I could go to bed at night and not dream of you. I could wake up in the morning and walk and breathe without every step and every breath packed with memories of you.”

  The moonlight streaming through the windows glistened off the tears on her cheeks, but her tears failed to move him. “Then you came back. Why? I’m finding it more difficult each day to believe it has anything to do with your love for me.”

  Anna gazed into the night. “I left because I was frightened. So deep-down afraid that the only thing I thought I could do was run and hope it would go away.”

  He sat beside her. “Frightened of what? Me?”

  She shook her head. “The love you had for this land, for your ranch, scared me to death. I saw you so weary after a day in the hills that you hardly had energy to climb off your horse. I watched men like your father and John Wenghold grow old and tired ahead of their years. I witnessed your own mother’s red, blistered hands in the winter and sunburned face in the summer, working alongside your papa. I didn’t want to compete with wind and grasshoppers and the terrible storms that rage on this prairie. The Hawk is a demanding mistress. She would always come first—and I’ve never been second in anything.” She lowered her gaze.

  “So what changed your mind? The Hawk is still here. My love for this land hasn’t changed. Yet you’ve insisted on our marriage since the day you returned.”

  Anna twisted the ring on her finger. “Nothing I have to say will endear me to you.”

  He gritted his teeth. “Nothing you’ve done since returning has endeared yourself. But try me. I deserve to know.”

  She took the ring from her finger and clutched it in her hand. “While gone this past year, I met a man. He declared his love for me early in our courtship then hesitated to make any further commitment. Returning to Kansas was my way of forcing him to realize he couldn’t live without me.”

  “Then I’m right in assuming this whole thing was nothing more than a charade? And I was a decoy? At what point did you intend to admit what you were doing? At the altar?”

  “I never planned to deceive you. At least not initially. But then I walked into church that Sunday morning, expecting to see your face light up at my presence, and instead I saw your eyes seek those of a stranger sitting with Henrietta Harvey and holding a little boy on her lap.”

  “And the old habit of always winning grew too strong, right? Is being first so important that you would deliberately set out to cause pain and ridicule to another person? And not only to Robin but also to me? You would marry me so you could declare yourself a winner in a contest not even declared? Why?”

  She shrugged. “I told you, I’ve never been second in anything. It frightens me to be anything else.”

  “And you see Robin as competition?”

  Her gaze met his and she gave a faint smile. “No longer competition, Ty. She’s the winner. And I don’t concede often.”

  He slammed his hand on the bench and Anna flinched. “And what has she won, Anna? Humiliation? Embarrassment? An injury so severe she may not survive?"

  Anna handed him the ring and closed his hand around it. “No, Ty. She’s won your heart. I’ve watched you—oh, how I’ve watched you. Did you know your eyes even change color when she enters a room? And tonight, on the porch—you grieved for her. I’m not sure I ever witnessed your heart so openly as I did when you came back to the house after her accident. Not even the night I broke our engagement. Now, I’m breaking it again.” She loosed her clasp on his hand. “You’re free to declare your love for her. You do love her, you know. And I believe she loves you, too. Only she’s too naive to know it. It will be up to you to tell her.”

  Ty studied the ring in his hand then sought her eyes. “I would have married you. You do know that, don’t you?”

  She laid her hand on his arm. “And how foolish and miserable we both would have been. One too selfish and one too honorable to admit they were wrong. I ask your forgiveness, Ty. I’m sorry I’ve caused so much pain . . . to so many people.”

  He lifted her chin. “You have my forgiveness. Now you must forgive yourself.”

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  The clank of the stove lid roused Ty from fitful slumber. He braced his elbows on the table and wiped both hands across his face, then rubbed the back of his neck. “You rattled that thing on purpose, didn’t you?” He squinted through tired eyes at Doc Mercer who stood with coffeepot in hand. “Is . . . is Robin still . . . ?”

  Doc frowned and waved the coffeepot in the air. “You think I’d be down here having coffee if she was worse . . . or gone? There hasn’t been much change, but she’s still with us.”

>   Ty breathed a deep sigh of relief. “Then would you mind pouring me a cup of that coffee?”

  “Would if I could. You didn’t do a very good job of tending to the fire, and there’s nothing but grounds in this pot. Must have boiled dry. What are you doing down here anyway? By your appearance you haven’t changed clothes since yesterday.”

  Ty stirred the coals, threw on a couple of sticks of kindling, then waited for them to blaze. “I took Florence and Anna Blair back to town last night and didn’t get home until late. Planned to drink one last cup of coffee and rest for a minute, but I must have fallen asleep.” He added more wood and dropped the lid back on the stove. “Shouldn’t take too long before we’ll have fresh brew.”

  “You need a wife. Hear tell Mrs. Blair was about to announce your engagement when all the fracas started. You and Anna have been engaged for a while, haven’t you? Reckon that’s one fire you didn’t let go out, huh?” Doc laughed at his own joke.

  “It’s a long story and not one I care to repeat.” Ty patted his shirt pocket. “Nothing left but what’s in here.” He pulled out the ring. “This, a cold stove, and nothing but dregs in the bottom of the pot pretty well sums it up.”

  “That little gal upstairs have something to do with it?”

  Ty shrugged. “It’s not her doing, if that’s what you mean.”

  “Well, none of my business. To tell the truth, I’m kind of glad to catch you here alone. Something’s been weighing on my mind all night.” Doc made circles on the table with his empty cup.

  “Serious? Does it concern Robin?”

  “Tell me, what do you know about that little fella you call Jacob? He doesn’t belong to Robin, does he?”

  “No. We found him on the prairie the day after the twister.” Ty continued the story, surprised Doc hadn’t already heard it from John. The doctor sat quiet for a long time after Ty finished.

  “I didn’t answer your question, did I?”

  Doc shook his head. “There’s still time. I’m not through yet. How attached to the boy is Robin?”

  “Very attached. If his pa were to show up and want to take him, I’m not sure she would let him go without a fight. At the least, it would break her heart.”

  “And this Benson fella? Does he have any connection to the youngster?”

  Ty shook his head. “No, he’s an old friend from Chicago.”

  “You ever see that dog the boy has with him before yesterday?” Doc retrieved the coffeepot from the stove and filled their cups.

  “You know something, don’t you?” Ty handed Doc the spoon holder and pushed the sugar bowl toward him. “You could use a little sweetening.” He grinned.

  Doc spooned two heaping spoons of sugar into his coffee then methodically stirred, tapped the spoon on the side of his cup, licked it, and put it on the table. “If you had a wife, she’d see to it there was at least a saucer to put my spoon on, and maybe a cookie or two.”

  Ty crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Look, Doc, yesterday was a terrible day. I’ve had a long night, and today isn’t starting out too well, either. Say your piece so I can get on with what has to be done around here."

  Doc frowned and peeped over the top of his glasses. “Son, I took an oath, way back when, that I would do everything in my power to protect the privacy of my patients, as well as use all knowledge I had to diagnose and treat the ailments of any and all who came my way. Right now I’m weighing that pretty blamed serious, because to protect one, I very well could be doing harm to the other. Can you understand my dilemma?”

  “I’m trying. Go on.”

  Doc stirred another spoon of sugar into his coffee. “Three or four days after the twister a man came knocking on my door late one night. A man close to my age, clean, well spoken, but plumb tuckered. First thing I noticed was his eyes. You can tell a lot by a man’s eyes, you know. His were the saddest eyes I ever did see, but they never wavered. No matter what questions I shot him. I trusted him right off.”

  “Why did he come to you? Was he sick?” Talking about the man’s eyes brought back Ty’s first meeting with Sam. He’d had the same thought. Not that Sam’s eyes were sad, but that he had a habit of looking at you straight on like he had nothing to hide.

  “He said he had a heart condition. But the longer we talked, and after I examined him, the more I began to think maybe his heart wasn’t sick, but he was heartsick. Does that make sense?”

  Ty frowned. “Maybe the reason for the sad eyes? What did you do for him?”

  “Mostly I listened and tried to answer his questions. If I’d known then what I know now I could’ve helped him a whole lot more.” He leaned toward Ty. “He asked whether I had maybe treated a young woman for injuries after the storm. Had I seen any signs of a young boy. You starting to see a puzzle come together here?”

  Ty stood, arms crossed. “Did you ever see him again?”

  Doc nodded. “Comes around a couple of times a week. We talk, play a game of dominoes now and then, usually share a cup of coffee, then he leaves. But here’s the clincher—that dog your young Jacob claims is Tripper—it’s been at my table more than you have.”

  Ty pinched the bridge of his nose. Then there was a connection between the stranger and Jacob. But why, if he didn’t intend harm, wouldn’t the man come to the ranch and identify himself? And why was he so willing to help yesterday then take off like he did? If only he’d had this information before Rusty left. “Do you know where he goes? Where he might be now? Two of my good men are out looking for him, and it’d be a mighty big help if I could ride after them and tell them where to look.”

  Doc cleaned his glasses on the front of his shirt. “I know, but like I said—what goes on between me and my patients is private. Not likely they’ll find him until he’s ready to be found. But there’s more.”

  “Doc?” William Benson entered the kitchen. “Sorry, don’t mean to interrupt, but Emma wants you upstairs right away. Robin opened her eyes then closed them again. But she’s very restless.”

  “We’ll have to finish this later, Ty.” Doc scooted his chair from the table. “You get any sleep, Benson?”

  “Enough for now.” William turned to Ty. “If you don’t need me here, I’m going to ride into town and send that telegram.”

  Ty sighed. Had William been with Robin all night? Shouldn’t he be the one with her? After all, this was his home. Instead, he was downstairs sleeping with his head on the table. “Do what you have to do. I’m sure we can handle things around here.”

  “Oh, I wasn’t concerned about you handling things. But Robin calms when I hold her hand.” He turned without giving Ty a chance to reply.

  TWENTY-NINE

  William stepped from the depot, pleased that Mr. Rempel had readily complied with his wish to send the telegram. If everything went according to his calculations, Robin’s sisters should arrive on Sunday.Oh, Lord, please get them here in time. He hadn’t been in Kansas a week, but it seemed a lifetime. The next three days would be an eternity.

  He spurred John’s horse, and the gelding settled into a smooth lope. Anxiety to return to Robin pushed him. The need to sort through his thoughts restrained him. The anguish on John Wenghold’s face since Robin’s accident confirmed the man’s love for his niece. A fact William hadn’t taken into consideration when he began his quest. Nor had his plans included a small, impish boy.

  To do anything other than follow in his father’s footsteps, and his grandfather’s before him, had never been a question nor an option. Though he enjoyed summers on his uncle’s ranch, he was always anxious to return home. He liked living in the city and the amenities it afforded. Besides, it was family tradition.

  But the Feather was Wenghold family tradition. Robin’s father had intimated as much when they’d visited before his death. He lamented the fact that neither brother took the time to stay close. What right did William have to ask Robin to leave now? And how would he explain to his father should he decide to stay?

  William r
eined the horse to a walk. Clouds obscured the mid-morning sun, and the breeze, though quite warm, brought the refreshing scent of rain. Maybe if he got caught in a downpour it would wash the cobwebs from his mind. Though he prided himself on his ability to keep long columns of numbers and facts with precision and accuracy, the tangle of emotional events thus far encountered left him weary and unable to decipher.

  William stopped the horse at the crest of a hill and crossed his hands over the saddle horn. A shaft of rain darkened the horizon across the distant hills and swept the prairie as it advanced toward him. He gulped deep drafts of air and welcomed the sting of expanded lungs. Since Robin’s accident his breaths occurred in shallow gasps of fear as he attempted to fit together the prior chain of events.

  He rotated his shoulders, but the questions refused to slide off. Who was the stranger, and what role did he play in Jacob’s life? How would that change Robin’s decisions? William’s spine tingled as the one piece of the puzzle he very much wanted to ignore, niggled its way onto the table of his mind—

  Exactly where did Ty Morgan fit?

  ###

  A gust of wind blew warm rain through the open window beside Robin’s bed, and she jerked when a drop landed on her cheek.

  Ty smiled. “Was that cold?” He wiped the droplet away. “Maybe I should close the window.”

  It seemed foolish to talk to her when she didn’t seem to be aware that anyone was in the room. But he’d follow Doc’s orders. He glanced at the small bed they’d set up for Emma. Doc had finally convinced her to rest in another room while someone stayed with Robin. He envied Emma. His body longed for the stretch-out sleep he’d missed since Robin’s injury. Though grateful Benson had not yet returned to challenge his position at her bedside, the lengthening shadows in the room confirmed that another long day had failed to produce any change in her condition.