The Ways of Heaven

by Lindsey Barlow

  Now, though, she was alone. In less than an hour the Castles, Rose and Daisy, the workers, Eliza Lampton and her children, all would come to celebrate the birthday of her beloved twins. She had friends now, loved ones whom she admired—and Jonathan.

  Meg rubbed her eyes. In truth, she knew why he’d stopped coming. After all, he was courting her, bringing her flowers and she was…nice, nothing more. Why couldn’t she just tell him how she felt? Sure a little innocent flirting was there on her part, but she knew Jonathan wanted more—and Meg felt more.“I don’t want to be scared any more, dear Lord,” she said out loud. “What do I do?”

  “You come with me,” an all too familiar voice said behind her.

  Meg’s blood froze. Her heart stopped beating, and tears flooded her eyes before she even turned around.

  “No,” she whispered, her throat tighter than a vice. “Dear God, no.”

  A harsh chuckle. “Did you not think I would come for you? That I would let you alone after deserting me?”

  Meg closed her eye, then slowly turned around.

  He was dirty with red eyes and a coat that smelled of sweat. Even still, he held himself proudly with an arrogant smile. He lifted a craggy hand to her face and Meg didn’t even bother to withhold a shudder.

  “My beautiful Meg,” he gripped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, “Why did you leave? I gave you so much.”

  Meg tried pulling back, but his hand slid to its familiar place around her neck. “You gave me nothing,” she whispered. “You beat me—”

  He slid a thumb along her skin. “I had no choice. You have always been both my temptress and my angel. Just like your mother once was. She left, you know, two days after you abandoned me.”

  Meg narrowed her eyes, “You lie.”

  “You will see for yourself. She disappeared like you, but unlike you, I don’t care if I don’t see her again. Her absence only made me see clearer that it was you … always you.”

  Meg felt bile rise in her throat. “You’re mad.”

  He grinned. “When it comes to you, yes.” He yanked at her throat pulling her closer. “Come with me, Meg. We will make the hotel the finest in the world. This time you will be by my side.”

  Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might tear through her flesh. She could not go back with him. Not after what she had experienced, her and her mother— her mother who had left. Which meant her mother was now free and safe from this nefarious man. A sudden weight lifted from Meg’s shoulders. She did not need to protect her mother anymore; she did not need to take the beatings so her mother could escape them. Yes! This was why she stayed, it was not out of weakness or fear. Charles had beaten her mother terribly before his attention turned to Meg, and in some hidden fragment of Meg’s mind she knew that staying protected her mother.

  “No,” Meg said hoarsely.

  Charles leaned in closer. “What that was?”

  His grip tightened, but Meg clenched her fists. “I said no! I will not go with you.”

  She was thrown to the ground and felt her stomach pulse in pain as he planted his foot in her gut.

  He cocked his head. “I am done taking no for an answer, Meg. I should have lived out my desires with you long ago.” He kicked again, this time to her lower back. Meg cried out in pain and tried to scramble up. If she could make it to the door and run she could—but he was on top of her, trying to wrap both hands around her neck. “You won’t come with me? Then you will rot beneath the ground so that no one will enjoy you.”

  Meg saw flashes of light as his fingers wrapped around her throat and began to squeeze. She clawed at his hands, but he held fast. She kicked, but his weight was too heavy.

  She was going to die. What of her boys, her two beloved boys who loved her hot cocoa and fun games? What of Rose and Daisy? What of Jonathan? She could not leave them, not yet.

  The light was replaced with dark splotches scattering her visions.

  “Don’t fight it,” Charles hissed, and that was when she heard the other voice.

  “Mama Meg?” Bill had opened the door and walked in.

  No. No! Dear God, No!

  Charles’s hands released Meg, and he looked over at Bill whose hands were shaking against his chest, his own habit when he was scared.

  “Mama Meg, is this man hurting you?”

  He took another step forward. Meg tried to rise, but Charles shoved her down before standing up.

  “Ah, you are Bill,” Charles laughed. “One of the stupid ones.”

  Bill’s eyes widened, “Mama Meg says we are smart.” He glanced her way, his eyes filling with tears. “Please don’t hurt her.”

  “I am fine Bill, honey,” Meg scrambled to her knees. “Please go… go, please. Please Bill, I am fine.”

  Charles glanced at Meg, his eyes lighting up in sadistic delight. “Do you want me to stop hurting your mama, Bill?”

  Bill nodded.

  Meg began to stand. “No, Bill run, please run and—” another kick to the gut had her falling.

  “Come here,” Charles ordered. “Come here and I’ll stop hurting Mama Meg.”

  Bill did not hesitate as he walked bravely up to Charles and was met with a fist to the skull.

  “You stupid boy,” Charles laughed kicking Bill’s legs out from under him. “Stupid, cowardly, child.” Kicks and more kicks as Bill howled.

  Charles’s eyes were wild, sadistic, and hungry. Violence was his pleasure and fear only encouraged him. Something broke inside of Meg. He was hurting her Bill. Her beloved, innocent Bill. She did not even think nor feel the pain as she stood up and grabbed the heaviest skillet at hand.

  “Leave him alone!” she screamed as she swung the skillet as hard as she could over Charles’s head. “No one hurts my boys.” Charles dropped to the ground and Meg landed the skillet over his back, his shoulders, “No one! No one!” She kept striking him. It had been one thing when he hurt her … but Bill … either of her boys. All fear was gone; she acted on instinct.

  She did not know how long she hit him, or how many times. She only knew she kept hitting him. She wanted to keep him down so that Bill could run, so he could be safe. It was not until strong arms wrapped around her and grabbed her hand with the skillet that she stopped.

  “It is all right Meg,” Jeffries’s tender, soft voice said slowly. “I got you. I got you.” He chanted these words until Meg dropped the skillet. Several other workers had rushed in, some helping Bill while the others inspected Charles.

  Had she killed him? To her surprise the thought did not upset her as much as she thought it would. He was hurting her boy. She did what she had to do.

  “I got you, Meg,” Jeffries said again. Meg looked over to see Bill standing up. He was all right. He was fine. She turned into Jeffries, letting him wrap his arms around her, and sobbed.

  /

  Bill would not leave her side, nor would Frank as Jonathan put ointment on Meg’s cuts.

  “I am fine, boys,” Meg assured them, wincing as Jonathan wrapped her wrist. “Please go and join the party. It is your party after all.”

  Bill was crying, ignoring his own bruises and cuts. “I tried to save you,” he cried. “I really tried.”

  Meg pulled away from Jonathan and walked over to Bill taking him in her arms and rocking him back and forth as she had seen Rose do with Daisy whenever the child cried.

  “You did save me, Bill.” She looked at him and Frank. “You both have saved me.” She did not mean to cry. She did not want to in front of Jonathan, but she was so grateful. The fear was gone, completely and utterly gone. Her greatest fear had happened and she had stood up to it, fought it, and now it was over. The world suddenly seemed brighter; she felt braver and more alive.The twins were the family she never had. They made her feel loved, special, strong, and in turn she would move mountains for them. The Castles were now her parents, Jeffries her uncle, Rose her sister, Daisy her niece. She had a family; she had her place in the world. She had a kind, loving God who was awar
e of her and her every need.

  The door to her room opened and Rose rushed in. “Meg!” She dropped to her knees, grabbing her hands and kissing the bandage. “Are you alright? Mother told me what happened and I—” She bit her lips, her blue eyes blinking rapidly.

  “I am fine,” Meg assured her. “More than fine, actually.”

  Rose cocked her head, looking unconvinced. “He attacked you, beat you, and—”

  “Bill saved me,” Meg said. Rose glanced at Bill who had lifted his chin proudly.

  Rose reached for Bill. “Well, we are so blessed to have such strong men like you two to look out for us,” she smiled warmly. “Two strong men, who have guests and cake waiting for them.”

  “Rose,” Meg nodded to the twins, “would you take these fine men to the party? I need to have a word with—.” She was about to say Doctor McPherson, but with a little smile she said, “Jonathan.”

  Rose looked over her shoulder as if she had just realized Jonathan was in the room.

  He smiled weakly, still looking both stunned and sick. “Hello, Rose.”

  Rose nodded and stood up, “Bill, Frank, will you walk back with me?”

  “We don’t want to leave Mama Meg,” Frank protested.

  “I will be there soon,” Meg promised. “Very soon.”

  They looked reluctant but stood up. Rose linked arms with Bill to help him walk through the door. She looked behind her and mouthed to Meg, “Take your time.” With a wink, and then with a sly grin, she shut the door.

  Jonathan stood up abruptly. “This is my fault.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I was stubborn and upset. I felt I was just annoying you with my courting, my attentions, and so I didn’t come to help with the party. I could have stopped him, Meg.” He shook his head, his voice catching, “I could have prevented you from getting hurt.”

  Meg smiled and looked down at her bandaged hand. “No. You couldn’t have,” she said softly.

  He stopped pacing the floor. “I am stronger than I look.”

  Meg let out a hushed laugh. “I don’t doubt your strength, Jonathan. What I am saying is that I think this needed to happen. I realized something when he was striking Bill. I realized I would do anything to protect those I love, even those who may not deserve it. I was finally able to understand why I stayed for so long: I thought I was protecting my own mother. I felt tainted and weak, but now I see that I was—that I am—strong. I am not a tainted weakling, but a woman who protected the only family I had left.”

  “I see,” Jonathan said wistfully, “you’re protecting me, too, aren’t you?”

  Meg’s brows furrowed into a puzzled frown. “How do you mean?”

  Jonathan inhaled and then held his breath for a pause, hesitant to speak. “Meg, I don’t want you to protect me from the truth, even if I know it’ll hurt.” He paused again, the words stuck in his throat. “Meg, I—I need to know how you feel about me. I know you like me, but is there more to your feelings? I have made it clear that I care for you, and the only thing keeping me back from declaring more is your obvious reserve. I want to be patient, but I am not the type of man to drown my sorrows in whiskey and find another woman as easily as changing a bandage, and I’m going crazy. I’m going crazy because I am so in love with you and I don’t know if I have a chance.”

  Meg looked down. She knew exactly how she felt about him. She loved his voice, his words, his laugh, his service to others, the kind manner in which he spoke. She loved all of him and had loved him since the day she saw him, but trying to get the words out was more painful than the blows Charles had given her.

  “Why?” she whispered. “You already know, as you said, that I care for you. Why can’t that be enough?”

  Jonathan growled, “Because, Meg, I want marriage. I want a family. I want passion and laughter, and I want it with you.” He took off his hat in frustration.

  Meg blinked, feeling stunned. “Marriage? With me?”

  “Yes, Meg!” Jonathan rubbed his eyes. “Is that hard for you to believe? Is it hard to believe that you can be beautiful and so irresistible that it pains me?”

  She swallowed. Say something. Say anything. What should she say? Was he proposing?

  “I—I won’t leave the twins. I need to be near them and they need me.”

  Jonathan frowned. “Is that a condition or a refusal?”

  She lifted her hand and cupped his jaw tilting his head towards her. “Condition. I will marry you on this spot if you want. And before I faint from nerves, I am finally doing what I have wanted to do since the day I first saw you.”

  She leaned towards him, knowing he would not pull away, but also knowing he would let her lead. His lips were warm when she first touched them, soft and inviting. She pressed her own against them tenderly savoring the thrill that danced through her. She kept her hand against his face as she pressed harder, deeper.

  Jonathan’s hands slid around her waist as she twisted to face him full on and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Meg,” he whispered when she pulled back. His eyes glazed with wonder as if he’d found a treasure he’d sought all his life.

  She grinned. “Maybe we should go to the party.”

  His hands gripped gently around her waist as he pulled her in. “In a little bit,” he replied.

  Thirty–Six

  “Mr. Lampton! You don’t have to hold him so tightly. He’s tied up pretty securely,” Cade laughed as the giant baker gripped the arms of Charles Lars who stood smoldering while Cade waited for the sheriff. Rose stood beside him with Daisy on her hip and Eliza by her side.

  “The scoundrel looked at Eliza,” Kyle growled.

  “My love, no one looks at a woman who is seven months pregnant,” Eliza added, rolling her eyes.

  Kyle grinned. “Well, I sure do!” he winked.

  Eliza blushed and looked down at her belly. “This is why I love your father so much,” she told her belly. “I’m going to go see if Anna needs help.” She threw an admiring smile to Kyle before leaving Rose.

  “You can go inside, Rose,” Cade said. “Sheriff Ben should be here, and with this giant gingerbread man here—” he nodded to Kyle who laughed at the description proudly.

  The trot of a horse caught Cade’s attention, and he waved a hand to Sheriff Ben now approaching them.

  “Come look at this, Sheriff,” Cade motioned for him to join them.

  Charles’s smoldering grin fell and his skin turned pale.

  Ben sucked a tooth and frowned at Kyle. “And why is Tall Pine’s beloved baker holding this criminal?”

  “Because I wanted to,” interjected Kyle.

  Cade laughed. “Charles tried to escape at one point and Kyle tackled him to the ground—hence the missing tooth.”

  Kyle shrugged. “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. I needed some way to let out my frustration.”

  Ben chuckled and pulled out his handcuffs. “Well, let’s get this man jailed.” He looked back at Cade. “Jeffries in there?”

  Cade nodded subtly. “It is a party, Ben, albeit one that started traumatically. Perhaps we should wait until your return to talk to him.”

  Ben looked like he was about to disagree but finally nodded. “Very well,” he answered.

  Rose looked curiously at Cade who shook his head and mouthed “Later.”

  “Well, I am starving, so I think I will join everyone else,” Rose announced. She tilted her head at Charles, whose face was so swollen he could not even glare back. “Mr. Lars, I am afraid I won’t be seeing you at the hotel any time soon.” She lifted her brows smugly and walked away thinking about how good it felt to see that cad in handcuffs and how enticing it was to see Cade talk like a detective … so very enticing.

  /

  “What?” Rose nearly dropped the basket of food Meg had sent home with her. Cade turned around with a raised eyebrow. Daisy’s head sunk on his shoulder, her full lips drooping to the side with sleep.

  “I said you’d be shocked.” He turned back to
the house and walked up the porch. The party had gone late, and he didn’t want to tell her of the murders until they were home. “No more details for you; I don’t want you screaming out nightmares and waking Daisy.”

  Rose knew he was teasing, but the comment struck her pride. “Ha! That is rich coming from you who had nightmares for a week straight after reading The Hound of the Baskervilles.”

  Cade paused in the front room and turned around cupping Daisy’s head. “That is because it was about a glowing dog. Who wouldn’t be afraid of a glowing dog?”

  A laugh escaped her lips. “Don’t worry, if we see one I’ll protect you. Unless you would prefer that I cry and tremble and wait for you to defend me.”

  She walked over to her closet, opening the door. It all seemed so normal. Coming in after a long day, teasing her husband, having him watch her as he tucked Daisy into her crib. It was so natural that she did not even realize she was undressing.

  She heard Cade say, his voice unusually low, “I don’t like tame roses. I like them wild and prickly.”

  “Really, Cade?” she turned around, the robe in her hands, still in a teasing tone. “Prickly? How about wild and raw?”

  Cade’s eyes darkened as he stared at her; the muscles in his neck clenched. “Put on the robe Rose,” he said slowly and deliberately.

  Rose looked down at what she was wearing and let out a gasp. “Oh... I, oh,” she quickly put on the robe feeling her skin turn as red and hot as a poker. “Sorry, I um, go ahead and put the food away while I change, if you don’t mind.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment as if contemplating whether or not he should obey. Finally, he looked away and walked towards the door. “Fine, but don’t get scared without me.”