The Hope of Azure Springs

by Rachel Fordham

  Caleb apologized again for the late hour and reached for the door only to have Eliza sneak in by his side. Having her so close, he felt less tired. Reluctant to leave but knowing he should, he said, “Miss Eliza, Amos needs me, but I’ll be looking forward to that dance at the social.”

  Four

  Did you and Caleb make progress on the case?” Abigail asked after breakfast the next morning.

  “We talked about it some. I wish I could help more—I feel so useless. I want it to be over for everyone’s sake, but I don’t know how to fix it.” Em stopped stacking dirty dishes. “There were moments last night when Caleb seemed so upset. Angry that I couldn’t help more. What kind of man is he?”

  “A good man. Once when Abraham promised the farmers a shipment of wheat seed, it came three weeks late. It rolled into town days after the farmers should have started planting. For a week he stormed through the house.” Abigail laughed a little. “The memory of it is so funny now, but back then I worried. I didn’t realize what had come over him. I questioned so many truths I knew about him.”

  Em listened, unsure how the story related to Caleb’s character.

  “What I’m trying to say is that even though it wasn’t right for Abraham to storm about, it didn’t mean he was a bad man. It simply meant he was a man. A man who took his job very seriously. A man who has his own burdens and pain to carry. But Abraham is a good man, and Caleb is a good man too. He can be very serious, especially about this town and keeping it safe. Perhaps he wants to set this right so badly that he forgot himself. But you can trust him. He will help you and he won’t hurt you. You don’t have to be afraid of him.”

  “I’ve so little experience with men . . . with any of this.”

  Abigail took the dirty dishes from Em’s hands and sank them into the water. “Don’t worry. You’ll settle down and life will work itself out. And when you feel overwhelmed by it all, come to me. I’ll answer anything.”

  Accepting the invitation, Em asked, “Do you know where Beckford, Iowa, is?”

  “I believe I’ve heard of it. I think it’s on the east side of the state. Do you know someone there?”

  “I did once. I’ve been meaning to get there so I can find her. I just haven’t had any way of going.” Em had never spoken so much to anyone of her dream of getting to Beckford.

  Lucy was there, or at least she thought she was. The last time she’d seen her was on the train platform in Beckford. Since that day, there had been nowhere Em had wanted to be more than with her sister.

  “We could write a letter, try to find your friend. If it’s been a long time, it might be best to know whether she’s still there before you go. When did you see her last?” Abigail dried her hands and motioned for Em to follow her from the kitchen.

  “It’s been seven years, ma’am.”

  “It’s Abigail, remember?” Abigail brushed a piece of Em’s hair from her face. The gesture was so tender it felt foreign to Em. She flinched but did not run. “Seven years is a long time.”

  Em nodded her head, but her resolve remained firm.

  Abigail pulled a sheet of paper from the secretary desk and offered it to Em. “Write your letter and I’ll see that it gets posted. We’ll help you find her.”

  Em took the paper and held it between her fingers. Then she handed it back. “That’s all right, Abigail. I think I’ll just go and look for her. I don’t have anything keeping me here. Beckford is as good a place for me to go as any.” She continued to hold out the paper as it bent under its own weight. “Do you know how much train passage is?”

  Abigail eyed her suspiciously before taking the paper. “I don’t know how much a ticket is, but we could find out. Don’t be rushing off too fast though. The doctor says you need to take it easy for some time. Plus, Mae and Milly will be heartbroken if you leave and they haven’t heard all your stories.” Then, placing a hand on Em’s shoulder, she waited a moment before saying, “I know we don’t know you well. But you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like. We want you to stay.”

  Em’s throat tightened. “I appreciate that. I may need to stay for some time. I have to earn money for the train passage, and I want to pay you back for your kindness. Once I have enough, I’ll be on my way.” Em did care for these people, more than she had imagined she would. Leaving was best, though, because already her debt to them would be impossible to repay in full.

  The back door slammed shut and footsteps thudded down the hall. Mae and Millicent came bounding into the room.

  “Mama, did you hear? There was a stagecoach robbery, just outside of our town. We were walking with Papa to the store when the news came. The sheriff is heading out. He’s going to get the awful men and bring them in.” Mae was talking fast, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “I can’t wait to see him ride back with the men all tied up.”

  Pulling the two girls to her sides, Abigail said, “Oh dear, we don’t need more trouble around here. You two stay in the house for now. I don’t want you in the store or the yard until I know it’s safe.”

  “Oh, Mama, what will we do in the house all day? Let us go out. We want to see the sheriff when he brings the awful men in. They might have eye patches and peg legs. Please don’t force us to stay in. If we stay in, we’ll never know,” Milly said, speaking almost faster than Em could keep up with.

  “Yes, Mama, let us go and watch for the sheriff. We want to see him bring the wicked crooks in. But there won’t be any peg legs or eye patches. That’s what pirates look like, not bandits,” Mae said, sounding proud that she knew the difference.

  Abigail’s face was marred with lines of worry and fear.

  “It may not be as exciting in the house, but if you will stay in and keep me company, I’ll tell you more of the stories I remember. I may even know a story about a bandit or a pirate.” Em bent down in front of the girls. “Will you stay and listen to my stories while your mama makes sure it’s safe?”

  The two girls looked at each other, silently conversing as only twins do. At last two eager faces turned toward her. “Will you tell us the one about the princess and the toad again?” Mae asked.

  “No, Mae. I want her to tell us a new one we’ve never heard before.”

  “But I love the one with the princess and the toad. Why do you always get to decide?” Mae’s voice rose above Milly’s as she crossed her plump little arms over her chest.

  Em stood and put her hands on her hips, waiting for the two to stop. “If we are in the house all day, I’m certain we will have time for several stories. But I cannot begin if the two of you are quarrelling.”

  Abigail turned from the window where she’d stood watching the street. “Thank you, Em. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with those two.” Crouching down in front of the little girls, she said, “Girls, behave yourselves and be sure that you do not wear Miss Em out. Make it easy on her.”

  “Yes, Mama,” the girls said together. Their argument over, they both smiled at their mother.

  Abigail grabbed a few things and then headed for the door, destined for the store to talk to Abraham. “I’ll be back soon. Thank you, Em, for watching the girls for me.”

  Milly and Mae ran to the window and watched as their mother crossed the street.

  “Who would like to hear the story of the three dwarfs in the woods?” Em asked, trying to distract the girls.

  “Does it have a princess in it?” Milly asked.

  “I’ll tell the story and you can find out! Come on, let’s sit together.”

  Reluctantly, they followed, dragging their feet as they turned from the window. The three sat down together on the sofa. Em pulled them close and began telling them story after story, embellishing each one so they took even more time. During her fifth story, she was startled from the fantasy world of ogres and princes by an urgent banging at the back door.

  “Run upstairs and don’t come down until I tell you to,” Em whispered. “Now!” Without an argument, they went.

  Em grabbed a wooden
walking stick from near the front door and carried it through the house to the back door, where the sound was coming from. Careful not to bump the furniture or step on a creaking board, she moved silently through the house. The knocking grew louder. Her heart seemed to be pulsing with the rhythm of the banging—her heartbeat echoing through her head and ears. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the curtain to the side just a little, all the while reassuring herself with the thought that bandits did not knock on doors. If they wanted to come in, they simply came. Still, she feared for the girls hiding upstairs.

  Through the opening in the curtains she saw a flushed and sweaty Sheriff Reynolds standing at the door, his hand fisted and ready to pound once more. She quickly unlatched the door and swung it wide open for him. His hand stopped midknock. A look of relief washed across his face at the same time that her heart finally started to slow.

  He skipped his usual greeting and good manners and went right into questioning. “Where is everyone? Are they all right?”

  “The girls are upstairs, Abigail is with Abraham at the store, and Eliza left this morning for Olivia’s.”

  “No one was here? No one came to the house looking for you?” He wiped at his forehead with the back of his arm. “You’re all safe?”

  “We’re safe. All of us. We’ve been alone all day.” She leaned the stick against the wall. “No one can come here looking for me. There are little girls that live here. Those men, they’d hurt them. We can’t let anyone hurt them.”

  “Today the stagecoach was robbed. I lost their trail, but I got close and caught sight of one of them. He had red hair and a missing front tooth. I’m sure he’s the man from your place. There was something vile about him. Even from a distance I saw it.” Caleb sat down heavily in a kitchen chair. He took his hat off his head and smacked it against his leg. “I lost them. I lost their trail.”

  Em felt at a loss. Unsure how to help, she stood and just stared at him, watching him struggle to control himself. He ran both hands through his hair and sighed deeply. When the ticking hand on the clock made a complete circle and the silence persisted, she moved from her spot and filled a glass with cool water and offered it to him. He took it and drank.

  “We need to get out to your place.” His voice was steady now but still just as urgent. “We need to know how this all connects. You, George, whatever the men were looking for. I’ve searched and I have nothing to go on. We need to go back out there. Are you able to travel? Can you do it?”

  Em had regained much of her strength in the six days since the bullet had grazed her side. Often, though, she struggled to catch her breath, and even a set of stairs could leave her winded. But if it would help to go, she would. “I’ll be fine,” she said. “I’m feeling much improved. I can’t leave the girls now, though, and by the time I fetch Abigail it might be too late to start out.”

  “I know, I thought the same thing. I’ll come by before first light tomorrow. That way we’ll have the entire day to look for clues. Can you be ready then?” His eyes begged her to say yes. They pleaded with her. “Can you?”

  “Of course. I want to help. I’ll be ready. But the Howells, will they be safe?”

  “I’m posting men throughout town tonight. I’m also spreading the word that you have moved and don’t live here anymore. You can stay tonight, but then I’ll find another place for you until this is taken care of.” He stood, his long legs solid beneath him. He looked directly at her with intense brown eyes. “I’m sorry I stormed in here. I’m sorry about it all. There’s nothing fair about this happening to you. I’ll do my best to make it right, I can promise you that.”

  She felt the strangest sensation when he looked intently into her eyes. Something long dead seemed to come alive. Years of living to survive had taught her to never trust anyone. Now, looking into his eyes, she felt that he truly meant it—that he cared about her safety. She wanted to trust him, to believe his words.

  “Thank you.” She took his glass. “Thank you for helping me. I’ll be ready in the morning when you come.”

  He left and Em returned to the girls. She put an arm around each one and reassured them. “Everything is all right. Sheriff Reynolds is taking care of everything. You needn’t worry.”

  Mae reached both arms around Em and held her tight. “Is Sheriff Reynolds a prince?” she asked, her face tucked into Em’s shoulder. “The Prince of Azure Springs?”

  Five

  Em stood on the front porch, quietly looking heavenward. The sun had yet to rise. The only light came from one lantern and the lustrous night lights that had not yet bowed to the morning sun. Sheriff Reynolds rode toward her, the sound of his horse drawing her eyes back down to the earth.

  “You didn’t need to stand outside waiting for me. I would’ve fetched you.” He tapped the brim of his hat.

  She hadn’t thought of that. She’d only thought of being ready and being silent so she wouldn’t wake her little roommates. “I didn’t mind waiting. Where is your wagon?” As if on cue, the giant horse whinnied in her direction.

  “We’ll go much faster on Amos.” He patted the horse’s side. “Besides, a wagon could hardly get through on those overgrown roads. Come over here and meet him. He’s nothing but a gentle giant. I’ll help you up. I’ll be careful of your side.” He swung himself out of the saddle. “Tell me if I hurt you,” he said as he slowly placed his hands on her waist. “Is that all right?”

  She struggled to breathe. “Yes. My injury is lower than that.” She took a step closer, preparing herself to be lifted onto the animal.

  “Are you sure I’m not gonna hurt you?” he asked while standing with his hands on her waist.

  “It hurts less all the time.” Amos snorted then, making Em’s already racing heart increase its pace. Uncomfortable with the idea of riding the horse and the lingering touch of his hands, she broke free, putting space between them.

  “I can’t ride a horse. I did once when I left George’s place. But I was desperate and even then I fell off. I don’t remember the falling part, only waking in the woods afterward. I just don’t know much about horses. Well, I know that I am supposed to give them hay and rub them down, but I don’t know how to ride,” she said. “I can’t ride on him. I just can’t.”

  Caleb stepped forward and took her hand. “It’ll be all right, Em. I’ll be right behind you. You won’t fall off this time. Who knows, you may even enjoy it. Riding out to your place was a mighty pretty ride. And old Amos is a good, tall horse—you just can’t beat the view from his back.” He reached for her again. She darted back a step. He waited.

  There she stood in the shadows, unsure what to do next. The seconds ticked by. After a long moment of silence, he reached for her once more. “Trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Oh, how she wanted to. She wanted to have someone to trust again.

  Do I dare?

  Can I?

  From inside the Howells’ home she heard the now-familiar sound of Abigail starting a fire in the kitchen. Soon she would fix breakfast for her family. They’d eat together, amiably talking about the coming day, and a verse of Scripture would be read before they parted. For the Howells and their safety, she would do this hard thing.

  She nodded as she stepped close to Caleb and the mighty animal. His hands came around her waist again. He lifted her up a bit, but she winced.

  “I’m sorry.” He set her back on her feet. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  He led her and Amos near the front steps. With Amos close to the steps and them on the top one, he was able to cradle her like a child and set her carefully into the saddle. She fumbled around on the horse trying to find a comfortable way to sit. As she adjusted her dress the best she could, she wondered how one was supposed to sit modestly while riding a horse. Still fixing her skirts, she felt Caleb swing up behind her in one graceful movement.

  She thought she’d been uncomfortable on the horse before, but now, with him so close, she could hardly breathe. Never had she sat
so close to a man, his body touching hers. He took the reins in one hand and put his free arm around her, steadying her and stealing her breath at the same time.

  With a click of his tongue, Caleb commanded the beast forward. Out of town they went, away from Azure Springs, away from the Howells, away from the new life she’d found. Em soon forgot about the arm around her waist and the Prince of Azure Springs sitting behind her. She felt as though she were floating through magical woods. She could almost believe she’d stepped into one of her own stories as they soared across the dimly lit landscape. Wind brushed her cheek and worked its way through her hair. Fresh, cool morning air seeped into her lungs, and with it came life and energy. She sighed, overwhelmed by it all.

  “Riding in the early morning is my favorite,” Caleb said. “There’s something about the world as it wakes and comes alive that I like. When I was small, my brothers and I often slept out under the stars. All the frightening night noises were worth it for this moment at dawn. Did you ever do that?”

  “I was a child in a city that never sleeps. New York is rarely peaceful.” She remembered the morning noises of New York. The milkman, the women yelling, the babies crying. “I don’t remember ever enjoying a morning like this.”

  “Why did you leave the city?”

  The fresh air, the dreamlike landscape, the peace all seemed to disappear as she thought back to those days of desperation that had pushed her from her city. “I left because there was no way for me to stay. Survival demanded it.”

  “Did you run away? Is that how you came to live with George? You can tell me.” His voice coming from behind her sounded so kind. She wanted to tell him her sad tale, but something else pulled at her to keep it all locked up.

  She squirmed in the saddle, feeling like a trapped animal. She thought of Caleb’s outstretched hand and words of trust and forced herself to talk, to fight against the urge to keep her story locked away. “I came by train when I was twelve. Have you heard of orphan trains?”