by Tracey Cross
“Honey, your baby need you.” She patted Jane’s shoulder. “Jesus is gwine make a way in de wilderness.”
Despair filled her at the midwife’s refusal. “Will you go to him and give him a message from me?”
Nodding, Mam wiped the cloth across Jane’s forehead again. “I do that.”
“Tell him I want him to pay off Bedlow’s debt. Tell him the only reason I didn’t go with him before is because Bedlow had my son. Tell him about the baby and that Danny is here. Ask him to bring the sheriff and take me away from here.”
“Oh, honey.” Mam’s eyes shone with pity. “I can tell him. But that trashy sheriff ain’t gwine go against Mistah Bedlow.”
Another pain began, stopping the conversation. Forty-five minutes later, another baby boy entered the world. Jane was too weary to even consider what to name him. So she left that for later. Mam set him in her arms while she cleaned Jane and applied herbs. Jane smiled as she looked at her new little boy. He looked exactly like Danny.
When Mam finished her task, she deftly changed the sheets with Jane still in the bed and gathered up the bloody sheets and clothes. “I’ll be back to see you tomorrow,” she promised.
“Thank you for everything.”
“You’re most welcome.”
“Will you ask Mr. Bedlow to bring Danny so he can see his little brother? And Jenny too?”
She had dozed off when Danny crawled into bed beside her. “Ma,” he whispered, “wake up.” She smiled at his sweet voice.
“I’m awake.” The slight weight of the baby cuddled next to her reminded her why Danny was there. She opened her eyes. “Did you see your new brother?”
Danny nodded. “What’s his name?”
She shrugged. “He doesn’t have one yet. What do you think we should call him?”
“Red Cloud?”
A chuckle at the door lifted her head. She smiled in spite of herself as Trent entered the room. “I’m sure Red Cloud’s mother believed that to be a fine name. However, I was hoping for something a bit more traditional.”
Trent walked forward. “May I hold him?”
The last thing she wanted in that moment was for Mr. Bedlow to lift her child in his arms. But there was no gracious way to refuse, and she didn’t want to make him angry, so she nodded.
He frowned. “You don’t want me to hold him?”
“Of course you are welcome to hold him. I’d be honored.” She swallowed down the lie and forced a smile as he bent and lifted the baby from her arm.
“He’s a handsome little lad, isn’t he?”
Jane’s stomach twisted as she remembered Mam’s words. Would he try to use her baby the way he’d been using Danny? She watched him cuddling the infant. Of course he would. “Where’s Jenny?” she asked. “I thought seeing the baby might make her feel better.”
“She’s gone,” Danny said. He was on his knees next to her.
“Danny! Be careful with your ma,” Trent fussed.
“Oh, he’s not hurting me. I love having my boy with me.” She slipped her arms around him and pulled him close.
Trent scowled but didn’t object.
“What do you mean Jenny’s gone?” Jane asked. “Where did she go?” Slowly she lifted her gaze to Trent. Her heart sank as she realized Trent had sent the girl away. “You didn’t want her with me, did you?”
“My dear,” he said. “You have nothing to worry about. No one will touch her until she’s ready.”
“You mean like Molly, who was thirteen years old when she came to you?”
Feeling Danny’s weight in her arms, she stopped. “Danny, why don’t you go to your room and play for a while? Ma needs to rest.” She gathered him close, and he pressed his cheek to her shoulder. Jane smoothed his hair. “You look just like an Indian boy.”
He grinned. “I am an Indian.” Hopping from the bed he gave a war cry and galloped from the room like a brave on a pony.
Once he exited and Jane was sure he wouldn’t hear, she turned her glare on Trent. “Where is she? Trent, you can’t have her for your saloon.”
Eyes hardening, he leaned over and set the baby in the cradle of her arm, but stayed close. So close she could smell the whiskey on his breath. “I’ll make her a wedding gift to you.”
“Trent, please. Why on earth would you want to marry me?”
“Because I love you.” He pressed his lips to hers. The whiskey must have loosened his emotions, for his passion grew. He grabbed her face between his hands and deepened his kiss.
She turned her head. “Stop it!”
He pulled away, and dark anger flashed in his eyes. “Careful, darling. If not for your present condition, I wouldn’t have allowed such an insult.”
“How can you bargain with a child’s innocence?”
The baby woke and started to squirm.
“You best feed him.”
She turned more on her side. “Turn your head.” When she was sure he had, she began feeding the baby and pulled the quilt so that it hid her without suffocating the baby. “What about Jenny? Will you be kind and bring her back to me?”
One of his eyebrows rose. “As a wedding gift.”
Jane turned her head toward the window. There were no bars, but this house was a prison just the same. How on earth had she ever gotten herself into such a wretched position?
Chapter Fifteen
Franklin slung the scattered boxes out of his way and kicked at some loose garments scattered across the floor.
“Casey!” He lifted his foot from a sticky mess and noticed belatedly the molasses pouring from a punctured can.
“I’m right here, Mr. Lloyd.” The boy’s voice rang from across the messed-up storage room, then he appeared, panting, sweat dripping from his chin. He stopped short and blinked at the mess.
“What happened here?”
“I don’t know, sir. It wasn’t like this when I left last night. When I got here, the back door was wide open and the padlock’s broken.”
Franklin tightened his lips. “Bedlow,” he muttered, scraping the molasses off his boot onto a piece of cardboard. He must have found out he was asking about the girl. Or maybe he had just done it out of spite. It didn’t really seem like Bedlow’s way of doing things, though. He’d be more likely to have him beaten up or shot.
The bell on the front door clanged. Great, he’d forgotten to lock the door behind him. Just what he needed. A customer before daylight.
Mam Truman stood inside the door, her wrinkled face still and calm.
Franklin forced a smile as he walked toward her. “Sorry, Mam, we’re not open yet. Can you come back in an hour?”
Her eyes scanned his face. “Ain’t wantin’ to buy nothin’ today. Miz Albright ast me to bring you a message.”
“What’s the message, Mam?”
“Miz Albright, she wants you to know she only with Bedlow ’cuz of her boy. He was keepin’ them apart and threatenin’ her if she didn’t work for him.”
Franklin inhaled sharply. He gave himself a mental kick. He should have known better than to think Jane would willingly stay with Bedlow. “Does she want me to come get her?”
“She had her baby just yesterday. Since you offered, she be wantin’ you to pay off the debt and get her and the babies outta there, but—” Mam shook her head.
“But what? I’ll go right now.”
“Mistah Franklin, that ain’t gwine be doin’ you no good. Her neither. He done made up his mind to have that woman for his own one way or another, and paying off no debt ain’t gwine change his mind.”
“He can’t just keep her there like a—”
“Slave?” The wizened woman smiled around toothless gums. “He been doin’ that to those poor girls ever since we come to Deadwood.”
“We?”
“I is free now. But I’s still Massah Trent’s Mam.”
Franklin paced the floor. “Well, then I’ll just have to break her out of there.”
“How you ’spectin’ to do that with all them men he got on t
he place?”
“I don’t know. I’ll think of something.” Something in her eyes made him pause. “Mam, do you know a way?”
Fear flashed momentarily over her face, but just as soon as he saw it, it was gone.
“I don’ know nothin’ that won’t get me whipped.” She turned toward the door.
“Wait.” Franklin laid his hand on her arm. “I need to get the girl, Jenny, away from him too.”
“She ain’t at the house no more. He done took that girl to the saloon.”
“What?” The rage in Franklin’s heart spilled over into his voice. “That depraved, lecherous—she’s only eleven years old.”
“Now wait a minute, Mistah Franklin.” Mam straightened and frowned. “I knows Mistah Trent have some evil ways, and I grieve and pray over that boy day and night, but he wouldn’t touch no one that young or make her do that kind of work for him. She gwine be servin’ and cleanin’ for now. That’s all.”
“You’d defend him, Mam?”
“Nawsir, I ain’t defendin’ him. I knows what he is. But I know where he draw the line.”
Franklin watched her leave. Was she right? Maybe. But he didn’t trust the man at all, and it was only a matter of time before Jenny would be forced to endure the same thing the rest of Bedlow’s women endured. He had to get her out of there.
Darkness had fallen over Deadwood as Franklin slipped through the swinging doors of the saloon. He’d waited until the place was crowded, in hopes there might be a chance to slip out with Jenny unnoticed. If he could make it outside with her, they would have the cover of darkness and might have a chance to get away.
He moved swiftly away from the door, edging through the crowd, his glance sweeping the room.
“What are you doing here, Lloyd?” Craig Shewmate blocked his way.
Prepared for just such a contingency, Franklin met the man’s stare. “Someone broke into my mercantile last night. I came to see if anyone here had seen anything.”
“Well, I didn’t see a thing.” Craig addressed the crowded room. “Anyone here see who busted into Lloyd’s store?” A chuckle or two lifted from among the patrons, but very few even bothered to look up from their drinks and cards. Craig shrugged. “Guess not. So if you ain’t drinking, keeping company with the women, or playing cards, you best get on out of here.”
His eyes fell on Jenny, dressed in a smaller version of the saloon girl dresses, cosmetics applied to her face, and his anger burned. Just then she glanced up and saw him, spilling the tray of drinks in her hand in her excitement.
She left the tray and darted through the indignant men, throwing herself into Franklin’s arms. “Mr. Lloyd! You came for me.”
“Of course I did, sweetheart.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the door.
“That’s far enough, Lloyd.” Two other men had joined Craig. They blocked the door, their guns pointed in his direction.
Franklin stopped. He couldn’t risk a bullet hitting Jenny. “She’s just a little girl. Let me take her out of here.”
The man in the middle shook his head. “We heard you had her at your house for a while. Mr. Bedlow brung her here for her protection.”
“What does he mean, Mr. Lloyd? Something bad?” Jenny asked.
“I’m afraid so, sweetheart.” He kept his gaze fixed on the men. “These men have been around filth so long they don’t understand decency.”
Craig chuckled. “I’m touched, Lloyd.”
“Don’t any of you have sisters? Or maybe even daughters of your own? Look how young she is.”
Laughter erupted from one of the others. “Don’t worry. She’ll grow up in a little while.”
Craig cut a glance at Big George, who had come to investigate the disruption. “Big George, take the gal. I need to have a few words with our friend here.”
The bouncer looked down at Franklin and shook his head. He released a heavy breath and held out his arms. “Give me the gal.”
Of all the places for Jenny to be in that room, Franklin knew George’s arms were the safest. Franklin handed Jenny over.
“No!” She reached for Franklin as the men grabbed him and hauled him out back.
A blow landed on the side of his head, and before he could defend himself, more blows landed from all sides. Pain speared throughout his entire body.
The last thing he felt was exploding agony on the back of his head, then everything went black….
“Mistah Lloyd, Mistah Lloyd, wake up.” The voice penetrated the darkness of Franklin’s mind and he began to rouse, then blacked out again.
When he came to, the pain was so excruciating, it took a minute to realize he was being carried. Nausea rose up, and he fought to keep it down. With difficulty, he opened his eyes. His vision blurred, and he squinted, finally making out Big George’s face.
“Wh–what?”
“Mistah Lloyd, I wasn’t sure if you was alive. We’re ’bout to your house.”
He felt himself being lowered and swayed as George set him on his feet. The back door of his house loomed before him.
“What happened?” Pain seared his lungs as he spoke.
“They beat you ’bout senseless, then came in to have another drink. I sashayed around back and found you. Thought I bettah get you out of there b’fore they decided to come back and finish the job.”
“Where’s Jenny?”
“Now Mr. Franklin, there ain’t nothin’ you can do for that little thing right now. Best you concentrate on gettin’ yourself well.”
“Where is she?”
George blew out a breath. “Molly took her upstairs. Said she ain’t goin’ downstairs the rest of the night.”
That much was a relief anyway. “Thanks, George. Why didn’t you just put me on my horse instead of carrying me all this way?”
“Horse was in front of the saloon. Didn’t want to take no chances on bein’ seen. I gotta get back.” Without another word, Big George was gone.
Franklin leaned against the door and pounded as hard as he was able. He fell forward as the door swung open.
Cheng grabbed him before he hit the floor.
Jane stepped through the kitchen door that led to the back of Trent’s home. She breathed in the smell of fresh air for the first time in two weeks. She felt strong and capable, but Trent insisted on carrying the baby as they walked down to the stables to see Danny ride his horse. The summer beauty of the hills all around the ranch house was breathtaking. “It’s so nice to be outdoors.”
“I still say it’s too early to bring a baby outside. Two weeks old. What if he gets sick?”
She smiled in spite of herself. It was difficult not to have at least some affection for a man who cared about her child so much. And so far, he hadn’t attempted to get too close. As a matter of fact, he’d kept his distance until Jane was beginning to wonder if he’d lost interest. She could only hope.
A cottage sat between the house and the stable, and Jane’s curiosity got the better of her. “Who lives there?”
He adjusted the tiny bundle to his shoulder. “That’s my mammy’s little house.”
“Mam?”
He nodded. “You seem surprised. Did you expect her to live in my house?”
“I didn’t expect anything, to tell you the truth. I guess I just assumed that she lived in her own house with Big George.”
He shook his head. “Big George has a back room at the saloon.”
“He sleeps in the saloon?” Jane had lived there for weeks and had no idea. “Why can’t he have his own home, or at least a home he can share with Mam?”
He leaned toward Jane and gave her a patronizing smile. “You let me handle my own employees, okay? You have enough decisions of your own to make. For instance, what are you going to name your son? And when are you going to start sewing your wedding gown?”
So he hadn’t lost interest after all.
She cleared her throat. “As far as the baby is concerned, I’ll get around to that. Nothing seems quite righ
t yet.”
“It’s a name. There are thousands of them. Just pick one.” “It’s not so simple. A person is known by his name. He needs the one that tells who he is.”
“I’m not trying to sway you, but I’ve always been partial to Solomon.”
“Why is that?” Her curiosity got the better of her again. “Why is your business in Sidney named Solomon?”
He tweaked her nose. “That is my own affair.”
Her cheeks warmed. “Fine. Then when I decide to name my son and what I decide to name him is my business.”
He shrugged. “Fine, name him whatever you wish, my dear. I give in on that. But what about the other decision?”
She gave a sigh. “How can you force a woman to marry you by threatening a child?” All affection she’d felt a few minutes ago fled as she remembered Jenny. “It’s unconscionable.”
“Be that as it may, my offer stands. If you will marry me and give your sons my name, I will set Jenny free. You may adopt her and raise her as your own. Or, if you prefer, she may serve you as a sort of lady’s maid. Or you may send her away, safe, from my evil clutches. It’s up to you.” He slipped his arm about her waist. “Her fate is in your hands.”
Jane knew she had no real choice until Andy could find a way to rescue the girl and get her to Franklin, but even then, wouldn’t Trent simply go and find the child? He would not allow himself to be bested—especially by Franklin.
The door to the cottage slammed behind them, and they turned to find Mam standing on her front porch, her slight body standing regally with her hands on her hips.
“What are you two jabbering about so seriously?”
“She won’t set a date and marry me, Mam.”
Mam shook her head and puckered her brow. “Well, who would want to marry a man who steals children?”
A shadow settled over his face as she leveled her gaze and stared him down.
“Easy, Mam.”
She sniffed. “You can’t do anything to me,” she said bravely, but her hands visibly shook. “I am a free woman. I can leave here anytime I please.”
“Where would you go?”
“I gots my plans. You don’t know. You don’t know everything you thinks you knows.”