She opened her eyes and stepped further into the barn. Since he hadn’t heard her enter, she cleared her throat to get his attention.
He turned from the horse’s stall and smiled at her. “Hi there, Hazel.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. He didn’t make it a habit of calling her by name, something that made it a lot easier for her to live here. Strengthening her resolve, she pressed forward. “I need to talk to you.”
“Alright. Give me a moment to feed the horses?”
She nodded and watched as he put hay into the trough between the two stalls. When he was done, he set the rake aside and walked over to her.
“You want to talk in the cabin?” he asked.
“No. Gilbert’s asleep and I don’t want to wake him.” In case Al yelled at her. She clasped her trembling hands. “I was thinking outside would be best.”
“That’s fine.” He followed her out of the barn. “Is this about James?”
“Yes,” she slowly began. “But it’s probably not what you think it is.” It couldn’t be. There was no way he suspected she was another woman.
“I gathered that the two of you aren’t friends.”
“No, no we aren’t. In fact,” she took a deep breath, “I hadn’t met him before today.”
His eyebrows furrowed. “You hadn’t?”
Her grip on her hands tightened. “No. I…I’m not Hazel McPherson. I’m Sadie Miller.”
His tender gaze quickly changed to a guarded one so she looked away from him. She couldn’t bear to make eye contact with him, knowing full well the news came as a very unpleasant surprise.
“Please hear me out before you start yelling at me,” she requested.
She waited for him to respond but he didn’t. And that left her with no other option but to continue. Well, she’d come this far. There was no turning back now.
“Hazel McPherson died in Omaha, Nebraska. She was on her way here but had stopped at a restaurant. That’s where I found her. She was sick. She had a fever and was coughing up blood.” Blinking back her tears, she forced herself to continue. “I asked for a doctor, and a couple of men helped me take her to one. The doctor said there was nothing that could save her. He said she had pneumonia. Anyway, I got a chance to talk to her and she told me to come here to marry you in her place. She couldn’t marry you, you see. She died within two hours of me finding her.”
After a minute of silence, he let out a sigh. “I see. And you were afraid that if you told me she died, I wouldn’t want to marry you instead?”
She licked her lips. “No. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid that if you knew the truth about me, you wouldn’t want to marry me.”
“The truth about you?”
Noting the tension in his voice, she debated the best way to tell him. Did she hint at it? Or did she come right out and say it? Either way, he was bound to be upset. “I don’t know what Hazel’s past was like. She didn’t tell me anything about it. But she knew what I had been through. She saw firsthand how life was for me.” Even now, it shamed Sadie to know that Hazel had witnessed Jefferson’s treatment of her. She released her breath. “Hazel told me to marry you so that I could get a new start. She wanted things to be better for me.” In a lower voice, she managed, “I was a prostitute at Madame Eleanor’s Brothel.” She dared a peek in his direction.
His jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide. He moved his mouth a couple of times but no sound came out until he cleared his throat. “If James hadn’t shown up, were you ever going to tell me?”
Blinking back more tears, she turned her gaze away from him. “Why would I tell you something like that?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
“Maybe, but it’s not a pleasant one.”
“I had a right to know.”
“And if you knew, would you have married me?”
He didn’t answer her, and when she dared another look in his direction, she saw the truth on his face. He wouldn’t have. Having been a gentleman who saved himself for his wife, the idea of being with a whore would have been too much for him.
Gripping her skirt so she wouldn’t show him how much the realization hurt her, she said, “Then it was in my best interest to keep silent, wasn’t it? Because if you hadn’t married me, I would have had nowhere to go but back to the brothel in Omaha.”
He winced. Well, whether he wanted to hear it or not, that was all she could do. She had no skills, no means of supporting herself, no one to go to. She had nothing. And now that she had finally come to a place she could call home with a husband and child she loved with all her heart, she didn’t even know if she could keep her fairytale life. Not when she saw firsthand how much her past disgusted him.
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him what he was going to do with her. But honestly, she didn’t want to know. After a long moment, he let out a long sigh then turned back to the house, saving her from having to say or ask anything at all.
She walked to the barn and climbed the ladder to the loft and curled up in the corner. She pulled her knees up to her chest. She tried hard not to think about what he was going to do with her now that he knew about her past. She’d rather stay with him and live in the barn than go back to that horrible brothel. Maybe she could appeal to his mercy and he’d let her stay. He might not want to touch her again. Maybe he wouldn’t even want to talk to her. But maybe he’d let her stay here so she wouldn’t have to go back to that life.
She didn’t realize she was crying until the first teardrop fell down her cheek. After that, it was impossible to stop any of the tears. They just kept coming. She hadn’t cried so hard since the night Jefferson gave her her first lesson in being a prostitute. The monster actually enjoyed her tears. But with him, it was always about control and breaking the will of every prostitute under Madame’s so-called care.
She tightened her hold on her knees and prayed that Al would find it in his heart to let her stay. No matter what happened, she couldn’t go back to that place. She just couldn’t. Next time she saw Al, she’d tell him she’d do whatever he wanted. If she was submissive enough, maybe he’d keep her. He’d never be cruel to her. He might withhold his love, but that was the worst he’d do. He’d never be like Jefferson. Resting her forehead on her knees, she continued to cry softly into the night.
Chapter Sixteen
Al couldn’t sleep. He went back to the cabin, thinking that he should sleep on everything he’d just learned. The last thing he wanted to do was act in haste. It hurt. It hurt to know she had lied to him, that she hadn’t even told him she wasn’t Hazel McPherson. He understood why she wouldn’t have told him she’d been a prostitute. He probably wouldn’t have married her had he known that. Even now, thinking of her with who knew how many men made him sick to his stomach.
He rolled onto his side and stared at the space where Hazel—no Sadie—usually slept. He didn’t know what to do. Yes, he was married to her. Yes, he loved her. Even now, he couldn’t help loving her. But it was too painful to go back outside and talk to her right now. All this time, he’d thought he was married to Hazel, but he hadn’t been. Did that mean everything Sadie said and did was done because she thought Hazel would say and do it? Or was Sadie saying and doing it as herself?
There were so many questions he had, and he wasn’t sure how to ask them. He was married to her. There was no changing that. Somehow, someway, they’d have to work through it. But could he trust her? Could he believe anything else she told him? Would she act like a different person now that he knew about her past? Or would she be the same person he thought he knew?
He rubbed his eyes, unaware that he’d been crying until he felt a teardrop on his fingers. He wished he could go back to yesterday, before James showed up. He’d been happy then. Sadie had been happy, too. They’d been happy together. But now nothing would be the same and he wasn’t sure if they’d ever be happy again.
***
A hard hand pressed over Sadie’s mouth. In an instant she was awake,
but it took her several times of blinking before she saw the silhouette of a man hovering over her. The lamp. Why didn’t she light the wick in the kerosene lamp? At first she thought she was back at the brothel with one of the men on top of her, but then remembered she had fallen asleep in Al’s barn.
“Who are you?” the man growled then released his hand.
She let out a scream, but he quickly slammed his hand back over her mouth.
“If you think Allen Grover is going to come out here to save you, you’re mistaken,” he hissed as she fought against him. “No one cares about a whore from Nebraska.”
She stilled and focused on what he was saying. It took her a moment to realize this was Hazel’s cousin. What could he possibly want with her?
“Yes, I heard you tell him everything,” the man said. “Is it true? Did Hazel really die? And I warn you right now, if you scream again, I’ll slit your throat.”
A cool blade pressed into her neck.
When he released his hand, she struggled not to scream again. It was tempting to, but she’d been around enough men to know he was serious. He would kill her or anyone else if they got in his way. She swallowed then licked her lips to moisten them. “Yes,” she whispered. “Hazel died right in front of me.”
“Good. Then she did inhale the poison.”
Sadie didn’t have time to register what he was saying because, in the next instant, he stood up and forced her to her feet.
“I’ve been careful,” he said, sliding his arm around her waist and then going to the edge of the loft. “I can’t have any loose ends.”
“Wh-what are you going to do to me?” she forced out.
“I can’t have you stay here.” Holding her close to him, he held onto her as he descended the ladder. “You’re a witness, my dear.” When they reached the bottom step, he jumped off and turned her to face him, his body uncomfortably close to hers, making her sick to her stomach. “I have two options for you. I can either kill you and let that be it. Or I can take you to your brothel. I have a feeling no one listens to the silly rantings of a prostitute.” He slid the knife along her cheek. “A prostitute, after all, is only good for one thing. And if you keep silent, I’ll let you live, which is more than what I’ll do for Allen.”
She stiffened. “What did you do to him?”
“Nothing. Yet.”
“No. I won’t let you hurt him.”
Ignoring the knife, she tried to shove him away, but his grip grew tighter. She hated this. Her lack of strength was always her undoing. No matter how much she tried to fight men, they were always stronger. They always overpowered her, doing whatever they wanted. She made an attempt to grab the knife, but he struck her on the head and everything went black.
***
The first thing Sadie became aware of was being rocked back and forth. The second thing she noted was that she was riding a horse, and a man held her around the waist. The third thing she realized was that she’d been gagged so she couldn’t yell for help. Ignoring the pain in her head, she examined her surroundings. She was traveling through the Black Hills forest. She tried to move but her wrists and ankles were tied together.
A cold blade pressed into her neck. “Here’s the deal,” James said. “We’ll be arriving at the stagecoach soon. You’re going to act like you want to be with me. I can’t have anyone asking questions. You so much as give me a single problem, and I’ll slit your throat. I killed that husband of yours. He isn’t coming back. You have nothing to go back for.”
He was wrong. She did. Gilbert. Gilbert needed her.
“And don’t worry about that little brat,” he added. “I took care of him, too.”
She stiffened and tried to ask him if he had been such a monster that he’d kill a defenseless baby, but the cloth tied around her mouth stopped her.
“I can’t have any loose ends,” he muttered. “I know how attached women are to babies. I can’t have you coming back here. You’re lucky I’m letting you live.”
Lucky? Is that what he called it? He was sending her back to a brothel and he said she was lucky? He killed her husband and child and he called her lucky? Lucky would have been if he’d killed her, too. Then at least she wouldn’t have to live without them.
She blinked back her tears the best she could, but they found their way down her face anyway.
***
Al stirred from his slumber, surprised he’d managed to fall asleep at all given everything he’d just learned. He sat up in the bed. Something woke him up, but he didn’t know what. Maybe Sadie had returned to the cabin. If that was the case, it meant she had been cold. He doubted she’d be coming in to see him. But even so, he wanted to see her.
He got up from the bed and glanced at the slit of light peeking through the drapes. Morning had finally come. Now would be a good time to get up and see Sadie, especially since Gilbert didn’t have to be up for another hour. He wasn’t sure how much he could resolve after finding out everything he did, but he was still married to her. They needed to at least agree to be cordial to each other for Gilbert’s sake. He didn’t expect things to get resolved right away. The wounds were too fresh. The pain too real. He just hoped she could understand that he couldn’t go back to how they’d been before. He needed time to sort through everything, to get to a place where he could be at peace with it all.
After he got dressed, he opened the bedroom door, surprised when he didn’t see her. He could have sworn he heard someone out here. Frowning, he went to Gilbert’s room and opened his door. He didn’t think Gilbert could get out of his crib, and he breathed a sigh of relief when Gilbert was fast asleep.
Closing the door, he walked across the room, thinking to go outside and look for Sadie, when he caught sight of a note on the worktable.
His gut tightened as he picked it up.
Dear Allen,
There’s something else I didn’t tell you but feel you should know. I poisoned Hazel so I could take her place. Now you know the truth. All of it. I can’t stay here and pretend anymore.
My sincerest apologies,
Sadie
Al stared at the note for several minutes before it occurred to him what was wrong with it. She had called him ‘Allen’ instead of Al. She wouldn’t have done that.
Which meant she didn’t write the note. Someone else did. But who? Aunt Betty and Bear wouldn’t. They didn’t even know Sadie’s real name. There was only one person he could think of who knew what Sadie had told him last night, and that was someone who had never left his property, even though he pretended to. James. Hazel’s cousin.
It made perfect sense. There was no one else it could be. He was the only logical choice.
Al bolted for the door and searched his property for any signs of Sadie or James, but he didn’t find anything until he got to the edge of the barn door. There was a piece of rope on the ground. He bent down and retrieved it.
It’d been cut by someone who was in a hurry. He frowned. James? Did he bring rope with him? But why?
“Sadie?” Al called out.
The only answer he got was the singing of some birds and bleating of his two goats. That wasn’t good. Something was wrong.
He continued his search, calling for Sadie, but she was nowhere to be found.
James. James took her. But why? Why write a note? The note was probably done in hopes Al wouldn’t come after her, but that led him to another question: where did James take her? There was only one place he could think of, but what good would sending her back to a brothel do?
Wouldn’t it have been easier if he just killed her? If she knew—or suspected—something that James didn’t want to find out, then wouldn’t he be better off killing her and getting rid of any potential evidence?
No, Al decided as he headed back for the cabin. If James killed her and Al found her, he’d come after James. That could get messy. It was a safer bet to write the note. Al had never seen Sadie write anything, but he knew full well if she wrote him a note, she would have address
ed it to ‘Al’.
He entered the cabin and quickly went to Gilbert who was still asleep. The boy was too tired to make a fuss as he quickly changed his diaper. After he was done, he grabbed his money and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he hurried out of the cabin. The ride to Bear and Aunt Betty’s seemed to take forever, and with a young boy in the saddle, he didn’t dare push the horse too hard.
When he got to their cabin, Bear was in the barn. He got off the horse, careful to keep Gilbert securely in his arms. “Is Aunt Betty in the house?” Al called out, sticking his head in the large doorway.
“Sure is,” Bear replied and stood up from where he was milking the cow. “Something wrong?”
“Yes. But I can’t go into it. I need Aunt Betty to watch Gilbert while I’m gone.”
“Gone? Where will you go?”
“Omaha.”
“What about Hazel?”
Al hesitated to answer but finally decided to say, “My wife and I need to go to Omaha. Something’s come up that neither one of us expected.”
With a nod, Bear went over to him and held his hands out. “I can tell you’re in a hurry. I’ll take the boy for you and tell Betty you couldn’t stop to talk. And don’t worry about the animals. I’ll tend to them.”
“Thank you.” Al rubbed Gilbert’s hair affectionately. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He ran back to his horse and headed on out, hoping Sadie wasn’t too far ahead of him. He might catch her before she arrived in Omaha, but he wasn’t counting on it. James had a good head start. Al suspected he wouldn’t see Sadie again until he was in Omaha, if that was where James was actually taking her.
The Mail Order Bride's Deception Page 13