The wind slammed the rain against the front windows, rattling the panes so hard she feared they might blow out. She turned at the sound of Harry and Minnie scurrying down the stairs, frightened by the storm.
“Miss Elsie, the wind is blowing something fierce!” Harry exclaimed.
“The storm is fast moving, it should blow through soon, I suspect. Let’s go into the kitchen and get some breakfast.” Putting her arms around each of them, she herded them into the kitchen.
While the children sat at the table, she made up some oatmeal and heated the tea water.
“Where’s Uncle Will?” Harry asked, fidgeting with his spoon and napkin.
“He’s working.”
“I tried to wait up for him, but I was so tired after playing outside on our swings. Will the rain hurt the plants in the garden?”
“No. The rain will help them grow.” Distracting him from the whereabouts of his uncle, she asked, “Tell me what you’d like in your oatmeal.”
“Some of those dried apples and maple syrup. Minnie wants the same for hers.”
Taking the dried apples down from the pantry shelf, she said, “Harry, we need to let Minnie start to answer for herself.”
She was surprised to turn around and find a stricken-looking Harry staring back at her.
“No. She needs me to talk for her.”
Setting the container of apples down on the table, Elsie pulled out a chair and sat. Looking at Harry and then Minnie, she explained, “I know you’ve been through a hard time, losing your parents the way you did, and I can only imagine how much the pain has hurt you on the inside.”
Harry’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears, while Minnie hugged Hazel close, making Elsie wish she hadn’t started this conversation. But the fact of the matter was that living here in Heartston with their uncle was their life now. She wanted to help Minnie move through her pain. To show her that life here could be wonderful.
Though she didn’t want them to forget their parents, she did want them to feel loved and nurtured. Reaching out, she covered Harry’s hands with hers, wishing with all her heart that their uncle were here. Will needed to be a part of this conversation.
“Some days I miss my ma and pa so much I feel an ache right here.” Harry pointed to the spot on his chest where his heart lay. “I know they’re in heaven just like you’ve told us. Sometimes I even feel like my mamma is watching over us. Does that sound strange to you, Miss Elsie?”
Elsie felt his heartache. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “It sounds perfectly wonderful to me, Harry. Not strange at all.”
A loud clap of thunder and then a bolt of lightning sent the children straight into her arms.
She reassured them there was nothing to fear. Mother Nature was just making her presence known. She gave thanks for the distraction, even if the noise from the storm did vibrate through the walls of the house.
She thought about Will and where he’d gotten off to. And she hoped he could remain safely out of the storm, because when he did get himself back home, they were going to have a set-to. Never one to stay in limbo for too long, Elsie felt the time had come for them to make a decision about their future. Leaving the children at their seats, she finished putting breakfast on the table. The storm eventually died down, moving on over the mountain peaks.
She had a busy day ahead. She bustled about the kitchen getting the dishes cleaned and put away. Then she ushered Harry and Minnie upstairs to get dressed for church. Once they were set, she left them reading from their favorite storybook in the parlor.
Because they would be making their way to church along the muddy roadway, Elsie decided to wear one of her older church gowns, a light tan. She placed her bonnet atop her head, tying the green grosgrain ribbon underneath her chin.
They set off to Sunday services. As she watched her fellow parishioners enter the sanctuary, she wished for Will to appear.
The service seemed long to her. Elsie had to fight to stay focused. Her mind kept wandering to Will and what he might be doing. After the service ended, she joined her parents out in the churchyard.
“I thought the children and I might accompany you home.”
“Your father and I have accepted a dinner invitation from the postmaster and his wife. We won’t be going back home until later this afternoon.”
“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to take the children out there anyway. I need to pick something up. Besides, I’m sure they’d enjoy getting out of town for a bit.”
“Take our wagon. The roads are still muddy and wet from the thunderstorms. Just leave it at your house, and we’ll pick it up on our way out of town later,” her father said.
“That’s a fine idea. Thank you, Father.” She kissed her mother and father good-bye, then loaded Harry and Minnie in the back of the wagon.
Seeing the puddles in the rutted roadway stretching out of town, Elsie was glad her father had offered to let her take the wagon. They arrived at the house a short time later to find the chickens ranging about the yard, happily clucking and pecking at the ground.
“Miss Elsie, can we go see if there are any eggs?” Harry leapt from the back of the wagon before she could offer to help him down.
“Do you remember where to find the basket?”
“Hanging on the outside of the chicken coop.”
Smiling, she watched as Harry and Minnie ran off toward the barn. She tied the mare to the hitching post and made her way into the main room of the house she’d grown up in. It seemed strange after all the years she’d spent here to be stopping by for visits. Untying her bonnet, she left it on the entryway table. The familiar scent of the lemon-and-herb potpourri that her mother kept in a bowl on the table filled her with memories of another time, when her entire life was here in this house—a house filled with love and affection.
Moving through the parlor, she walked down the short hallway to the staircase that led to the two bedrooms upstairs. Hers was the one tucked up under the front eave of the house. She put her foot on the first step, then paused. The floorboard above her creaked. Bewildered by the noise, she looked up, thinking perhaps the house was groaning from the wind. Gathering her skirts, she continued up the staircase, coming to a sudden stop right outside her bedroom door.
The door had been left half-open. She could hear a scraping sound. Wood against wood. Someone was in her room! She slammed the door open. It hit the wall with a loud thud.
“What on earth are you doing?”
A man spun around.
She gasped. “Virgil!”
“Now don’t be getting upset with me, Elsie. I told you I needed that envelope.”
“And I told you that I would bring it to you later today.” Seeing him standing in her bedroom, knowing that he’d entered her parents’ house like a common criminal, left her spitting mad.
“Get out this instant!”
“I can’t do that.”
Taking two steps into the room, she said, “You can, and you will do as I ask.”
He shook his head, sending long, greasy locks of hair swinging across his shoulders. He wore gloves and the same clothes he’d had on yesterday. Looking down the length of him, she noticed his boots were caked in mud. Of course they would be, she thought, because she hadn’t seen any sign of a horse or wagon outside. He must have walked through the rain-soaked land the five miles from his parents’ place.
Thinking back on it, she realized he hadn’t come by on horseback yesterday, either. What had happened to him over the years? What had made him enter her family’s home uninvited?
“Virgil, let me help you.”
“Where’s the envelope, Elsie?”
She moved toward him, closer, so close she could now see the hardness in his eyes. The first quiver of fear ran along her spine. She could hear Harry and Minnie making their way back from the henhouse. She wanted to warn them to stay outside. She bit back a warning as Virgil took a menacing step toward her.
“Don’t open your mouth, Elsie. I’l
l get what’s mine and be gone before those young’uns even get to the porch. Now where’s my packet?”
“Your stuff is right there in the top drawer of my dresser.” She started toward the dresser. “Virgil, what’s happened to you?”
“Don’t try to distract me with your words of concern. I know how you feel about me. I’ve seen the way you and your man look at each other.”
“You’re talking about Will?”
He nodded. “Get me what I came here for.”
She pulled open the top drawer of her dresser. Lifting a scarf, she felt around underneath the fabric. The envelope wasn’t there. Where could it be? She’d left it right here. Maybe she was mistaken. Perhaps she’d put it in the next drawer. Her fingers trembled as she went to the second drawer.
“Where is it?” Virgil moved toward her.
She saw him reach around his back.
“I need the envelope now!” He pulled out a gun, pointing it at Elsie. “Are you waiting for him?”
She shook her head.
“I think you are.”
She heard the children coming into the house. Elsie was afraid of what Virgil might do to them. She had to keep them safe.
“Miss Elsie!”
She didn’t answer Harry’s call. Instead, she concentrated on the man standing with a gun in his hand. “Virgil, I’m not waiting for anyone. I know I put the envelope right here. Please give me a few more minutes to search for it.”
He waved the gun in her direction, grabbing her by the upper arm and yanking her in front of him so hard her arm twisted in pain. She let out a yelp.
“Miss Elsie? Where are you? Are you upstairs?” Harry sounded upset.
“Let me answer him. I can tell him to wait for me downstairs,” she whispered as fear and a surge of a mother’s protectiveness tore through her soul. “I swear to you, Virgil, if you do anything to hurt those children . . .” Her words trailed off. The glint in his eyes sharpened, slicing through her reserve. “Please, let me give you what you want. Let go of my arm so I can open the dresser drawer.”
She thought he was going to do just that, and then Harry and Minnie appeared in the doorway of the room. She could see their reflection in her vanity mirror. Harry, seeing the gun pointed at her, dropped the eggs on the floor. They rolled out of the basket, their shells cracking and spilling yolk on the hardwood. Minnie’s mouth opened, emitting nothing more than a silent scream.
Chapter Sixteen
Elsie tried to hold back a sob.
Beside her she felt Virgil stiffen as he pressed the gun harder into her side. “Give me those papers! Now!”
Minnie screamed again, only this time Elsie heard her loud and clear. “Don’t hurt Miss Elsie! Don’t hurt her!”
And then the children were gone from her sight. She called out, “Harry! Minnie!” And hoping they could get to safety, she yelled, “Run! Run and get help!”
Will heard the child’s voice and then he heard Elsie yell. He signaled for Lily and John to back him up as he ran across the yard. He’d known the risk he’d taken had been great. After following Virgil here from the homestead, Will had watched him enter the Mitchell’s house. His hope that Virgil would find the bonds before Elsie arrived had evaporated like dew on a warm spring day.
Elsie and the children had shown up shortly after him. Staying out of sight had all but killed Will. He watched as Harry and Minnie ran off to chase the chickens and Elsie walked, unsuspecting, into her parents’ house. Making sure the children stayed put near the barn, Will had crept closer to the front door of the house. He saw Elsie climb the stairs, taking the same path Virgil had minutes before her.
With his pistol drawn, Will tiptoed into the house. He heard the faint sound of Elsie’s voice. Behind him the chickens squawked. Stepping into the shadows of the house, Will waited. And then the unthinkable happened. The children came into the house looking for her. Will raced up the stairs after them. Taking the stairs two at a time, he reached what he assumed was Elsie’s bedroom door, gotten Harry’s attention, signaled for them to come to him, and pulled them out of harm’s way into the hallway. Then he’d motioned for them to hurry back downstairs.
Will’s carefully played-out charade was about to come to an end. He stood in the doorway taking in the scene before him. He’d never shot a man, but seeing the woman he loved being held captive brought out something very primal. He knew that if Virgil harmed one hair on Elsie’s head, he would shoot.
Virgil shook beside her. Following his slack-jawed gaze, she saw Will. His massive form filled the doorway to her bedroom. He had his gun leveled at Virgil’s head.
Clutching Elsie to his chest, Virgil pushed his gun harder against her side.
“I know who you really are, Benton.”
Her heart beat faster. Was Will a part of this scheme of Virgil’s? Was that why he’d been stealing away in the middle of the night? No, she had to be wrong.
“Let her go, Virgil.”
“I can’t do that. I need those bonds.”
“What are you talking about?” Elsie asked. “I don’t have any bonds.”
“I’m afraid you do. See, that envelope I gave you back in Albany is full of valuable papers.”
“Virgil.” Her heart ached for him. “What have you become?”
“Nothing more than who I was born to be.”
“You need to free her.” Will held the gun steady in his hands.
“Will . . . Virgil . . . What is going on here?” Elsie looked away from Will, squirming her body around, trying to get a clearer look at Virgil’s face. “Tell me, Virgil, what sort of bonds are in the envelope? You tell me right now!”
“Railroad bonds. It’s the only way I can get free of my gambling debts.”
“What on earth are you talking about? And what does Will have to do with any of this?”
“Do you want to tell her, lawman, or should I?”
“Lawman?” She swung her gaze to Will. “Will? What’s he talking about?”
“Virgil, let her go and then we can sort this mess out. I can make sure you get a good deal from the judge.”
“I’m going away for a long time, lawman, and you know it.”
“Elsie, you’re going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right. I promise. You just have to trust me,” Will said.
Finally, she stopped her struggle against Virgil’s hold. Looking from one man to the other, she still couldn’t believe what she was seeing or hearing. Will was some sort of lawman? Virgil was a gambler?
“Are you a sheriff?”
“Oh, he ain’t no sheriff, Elsie. He’s a bona fide Pinkerton agent. Isn’t that right? He’s made a life out of slinking around pretending to be someone he’s not,” Virgil sneered.
“Is he telling the truth?”
Will nodded. “Virgil, I’m not going to ask you again to let Elsie go.”
An anger she’d never known existed inside of her exploded. Wrenching her arm out of Virgil’s hold, she spun around and yanked open the middle dresser drawer. Rummaging through her underthings, she found the envelope. Yanking it out, she tossed it to Will, who caught it in midair with his free hand. The other still had his gun leveled at Virgil.
“Both of you disgust me.” She stomped between them out of the room.
Her knees shook in the aftershock of what had just happened. Pausing at the top of the staircase, she leaned against the wall. Once she was certain she could get down the stairs in one piece, she left the top floor of her parents’ house. Behind her Virgil let out a yelp, and then she heard his gun clatter to the floor.
Making her way to the bottom of the stairs, she called out, “Harry! Minnie! Are you in here?” Where are they? She ran through the parlor and out onto the porch.
“Harry! Minnie!” she called into the wind, her words echoing around her.
She jumped when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning, she looked into the eyes of none other than John Oliver. He towered above her. She’d forgotten how tall he was. S
he also noticed that he had a gun in his right hand.
“Mr. Oliver?” Her muddled brain tried to reason why he’d be here. The sun glinted off something on his shirt. She looked away from his eyes and down the length of him, until she found the silver star pinned to his shirt.
“Elsie, are you all right?”
Mr. Oliver was a lawman, too. How could this be? Feeling betrayed all over again, she swallowed hard, forcing down the lump of disbelief in the back of her throat. Her voice came out in a strained whisper. “Where are the children?”
“They are in the barn with—”
She didn’t wait for him to finish. She ran from the front porch, through the flock of chickens pecking innocently in the yard. Sending up squawks of protest, they scattered in front of her in different directions. Pushing open the barn door, she raced to where Harry and Minnie were sitting on a hay bale beside a young woman.
It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the dark interior of the barn. Kneeling before them, she gathered their warm bodies to her. She felt their breath against her neck, felt them hugging her back.
In a coarse voice, she asked, “Are you both all right?”
“Yes, Miss Elsie.”
She gasped at the sound of Minnie’s voice, remembering now how the dear child had shouted when she found Elsie being held at gunpoint. She could only imagine the fear these children must have felt. She wished they hadn’t been a witness to any of this.
“Minnie! You have such a lovely voice.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. She hugged her close, never wanting to let her go. Sending up praise and thanksgiving to the Lord above for giving them this miracle.
Eventually Minnie wiggled, bracing her arms against her.
“You’re squishing me.” Minnie giggled.
Elsie released her but couldn’t resist the urge to hold her loosely to her side. “And Harry.” Reaching out, she smoothed a lock of hair off his forehead. “You were such a brave young man.”
“Is Uncle Will going to capture that bad man?”
“Yes, he is.”
A Changed Agent Page 17