This Side of Forever (Book Five of the Brides of the West Series)

by Hestand, Rita

  "Don't you want me?" She cried, lifting herself on tiptoe to caress his cheek, his lips, as her hands splayed his shirt open and she touched the silk of his chest.

  "God…lady, you don't know how much. But…this isn't the time…" He cautioned.

  "Let's make the time…" She moaned aloud.

  "I've got to go. I don't want to, but I have to." He said seeing the look of his rejection in her eyes. "Remember…I love you and there will be a time for us…I promise." He backed out of the room leaving her there.

  She stood there stunned.

  Why wouldn't he take her? She didn't understand.

  Tears rolled down her cheeks again as she lay across his bed and wept for what might have been. Didn't he realize they might never have that chance?

  She was so afraid, especially after her mother gave her that gun. How could she possibly use it on her father?

  She cried for a long time, and then her mother walked in. "What's wrong dear?"

  "It's Clay…he…he wouldn't make love to me." Amy cried aloud. "I'm so ashamed. I offered myself to him and he refused."

  Her mother laughed softly at her. "Honey, a man can't concentrate on two things that heavy at a time."

  "What two things?" She cried looking at her mother as though she'd lost her mind.

  "Making love to the woman they love, and fighting that same woman's father." Beatrice said sadly.

  "But…father isn't here right now, and we might not have time later. We might never have the time…."

  Beatrice laughed again.

  "Why are you laughing at me?"

  "Because if Clay didn't think he'd have time later, he would have taken you this morning. But like my Joe, he has a sense of honor about him too. He wants to marry you, before. He wants to do things right."

  "But mother, you and Joe…you didn't wait. You were pregnant with me!" She insisted.

  "Because like you, I offered once when my father threatened to kill him, to give myself to him. Joe had a third sense about a lot of things. I think he knew he was going to die…"

  "Mother?"

  "I do. He would never have taken me, if he didn't."

  "You believe that?"

  "Yes, I do, child. He knew we'd never make it down the aisle." Beatrice wept then dried her eyes. "But your Clay doesn't believe that will happen to him. He's determined to defend you, and after all, he's gone through, he's not about to go and die on you. You've got to believe that. Now dry your eyes and let's be some help around here."

  Amy nodded. "I'm sorry. I was wrong…."

  "At least you see that. Now quit your fretting and let's get to work on how we're going to defend our new home."

  "Oh mother, do you mean that, about it being our home?"

  "Yes, I do. Now come on. We have work to do." Beatrice smiled. "A few years from now I'll have grandbabies on my lap to take care of and I'll be the happiest woman in Cross Corners."

  Amy hugged her. "You are a wise woman."

  Beatrice huffed. "Wisdom and age kind of go together dear. The more you go through in life, the more you are able to go through."

  Arm in arm, they walked out and met Becca. "Let's get to cleaning girls." Beatrice smiled.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Martin was close now. He found a boulder he could protect himself from and hid to watch the goings on. He had to make sure that Beatrice and Amy were there. He wasn't at all sure how he'd do that.

  He waited, sipping from his canteen as he watched.

  Clay and his brother were helping his hired men work on some kind of bunkhouse, the best Martin could make out.

  All of them were armed with handguns, but Martin knew he had to be sneaky about the way he did this. He was outnumbered. If he shot his way in, he'd more than likely be killed.

  He couldn't do that. They would expect that.

  What he had to do was find out if the women were there and get a hold of them while the men were busy.

  It was noon before anyone from the house walked out. It was Amy; she was drawing water from the well.

  He watched in fascination. She looked beautiful in the sunlight, with her hair catching fire from the sun. His loins tightened.

  Tempering his own lust, he watched to see if Beatrice was there.

  Now he knew what he had to do. He had to sneak into the house without the men seeing him and get the women out.

  He had from now until sun down to accomplish the feat.

  He moved to get a better look at the back of the house. The house faced the barn and where the bunkhouse was being built, so the back of the house should be clear, he thought.

  If he could get in, he could take them at gunpoint out. It could be easy.

  He moved to watch the back of the house for a while.

  No one came in or out. Whoever was in there, they hadn't come out.

  He worked his way closer now. The men were busy, and no one ventured closer to the house, but stayed between the bunkhouse and the barn. That was good. He could get in, before anyone ever knew they were gone.

  He edged his way down the slight hill in back. He silently tiptoed through the back yard.

  He heard voices. Women.

  Beatrice and Amy were there.

  Without hesitation, he opened the back door, lifted his handgun and moved silently through the back of the house.

  Without a sound, he made his way to the parlor where they were dusting.

  "Hold it; get your hands up, ladies." Martin called to them.

  Beatrice turned slightly to look at him. "Martin?"

  "That's right…who is this?" He pointed to Becca.

  "This is Becca, Billy's wife." Beatrice explained. "Leave her alone, you don't need her."

  "I'm not about to leave her here to tell them as soon as we are out the door. Now, all three of you, move quietly toward the back door, and don't any of you make a sound."

  Beatrice, Becca and Amy moved in front of him toward the back door.

  "Alright, open it slowly and head for that hill yonder. We're going over the hill…and I don't want to hear a peep out of any of you." He ordered.

  "Father…please…don't do this…"Amy pleaded.

  He took her face in his hand. "I won't kill you honey. I've got plans for you and me. But they are baggage and we can't afford to take them along."

  "You'd kill my mother?" Amy shrieked.

  "Oh I aim to kill her…" Martin said with a smile of satisfaction.

  "You can't do this!" Amy shouted.

  "Now hush girl, you want to bring all of them down on me?" Martin asked. He leaned the distance to put his lips on hers and kissed her until she found the strength to fight him to be free.

  "I'm your daughter. How can you do this? I can't believe it. My God. Mother was right!" Amy cried loudly.

  "Shut up I said…"

  "I won't. I'll scream if you don't turn us loose this instant."

  Without another word, he hit her on the chin, knocking her out. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

  "Martin!" Beatrice wailed. "Don't hurt her."

  "Shut up you battle-ax. I don't want to hear another word from you." Martin instructed.

  Becca hadn't said a word.

  "Get moving. Now!" He told them.

  "She'll never love you Martin, she'll hate you. She's in love with Clay…Don't you know that yet?" Beatrice cried.

  "She'll forget him." He insisted.

  He was out of breath from carrying her, but his horse was just the other side of the ridge. He'd be there shortly.

  As he stumbled to his horse, he glanced at the other two. "Well, Beatrice, it's time. I can't take you with me, you'd ruin my plans. So…I'll just have to kill you…" He said and shot her point blank.

  "You've killed her?" Becca screamed at the top of her lungs, and bit his hand as he tried to hoist her up on the saddle. He dropped his gun and she shot him in the arm.

  He fell momentarily. Without thinking, he scrambled to his feet and jerked her off the ho
rse, and then he hit her hard with his fist on the jaw. "You should have kept your mouth shut, I wouldn't mind having you a time or two, but…now I just don't have the time…."

  He threw Amy across his saddle then got on behind her. He rode like thunder.

  Beatrice lay bleeding on the ground, Becca was out cold.

  ~*~

  "Go get the girls, let them decide what color we will paint it." Clay told Billy as the last nail went in the bunkhouse. They all admired their work.

  "It looks nice, and it's so big…" Juan smiled.

  "It could be your new home, if you'd like. I'd sure like to have you work for me. Although, I'm sure Mr. Sanders wants you back. It's something to consider."

  "Si…it is. We will discuss it, and talk to Mr. Sanders about staying. I like it here, and I like this bunkhouse…"

  "Sounds good to me," Clay smiled.

  But Billy no sooner than went in the house than he came running out.

  Clay saw him and the distress lining his face. "What's wrong?"

  "The girls…they aren't there." Billy's eyes were wide.

  "My God…Martin!" Clay turned to look at them all. "He's got them. He didn't even bother with us; he went straight for the women."

  Juan turned to his men and they all began strapping the guns down, without hesitation. "We go after them now, boss."

  "Becca. Would he take her too?" Billy asked bewildered.

  Clay looked at the ground and moved the loose dirt about with the toe of it. "Billy, she was in there. She was a witness, yeah, he'd take her too. We got to mount up and go after them. Now no one saw anything and the only way he could get in and out with them is the back door, so he had to go over that ridge." Clay insisted.

  "Si…that is good thinking."

  Billy wasted no time, he ran got their horses and they mounted and rode.

  It didn't take them long to find Beatrice and Becca. Billy grabbed Becca who was just coming too. "Billy, he's got Amy…," she cried.

  Clay bent over Beatrice.

  "Is she dead?" Juan asked.

  "No, but she's gonna need a doctor right away. One of you ride into town and get the doc. Take her back to the house. I'm going after Martin.

  "Si, we all three are going." Juan said with a big smile and his gun ready.

  Billy nodded. "I'll be back, Becca, take care of Mrs. Clark, will ya honey?"

  "Of course I will, y'all be careful." She looked up at them as they mounted.

  "You're chin's already turning blue, have him look at you too." Billy directed, he leaned down and kissed her tenderly..

  "I will." She waved them a goodbye.

  "I sure hope Beatrice will be okay." Clay muttered tightly.

  "Yeah." Billy nodded. "One thing I can't tolerate is a man that mistreats a woman."

  "Si…" Juan agreed.

  As they tracked him, they found it easy with the extra weight on the horse. Juan looked up at Clay as he looked at the tracks. "He's headed for Mexico."

  "We better catch him before he gets there." Billy hollered.

  "We've got to catch him before that. He's got Amy with him. There's no telling what he might do to her."

  Billy's expression looked grim. "We can't let that happen."

  ~*~

  Amy's ribs began to hurt as she was jostled against the saddle. She woke up.

  She moaned aloud, and he stopped.

  "What's wrong my pet." Martin asked as he pulled her off the horse and into his arms. He carried her to a spring and gave her water.

  She sipped it, but it hurt so bad to breathe. The ride hadn't helped her ribs, they hurt worse now.

  He pulled her against him as they sat down and he took her hand.

  "Everything is going to be alright now, my love…"

  "I'm your daughter, not your love…" She objected and tried to get up.

  He stayed her with a hand. His finger rubbed her hand, and he turned her so she lay across him. He dipped his head to kiss her.

  She fought him like a tiger, but her ribs were so sore she couldn't fight long. Finally, he raised his head. "Fight me all you want. You will soon learn to love me, as I intend to be your husband in Mexico. We will have many good times together now that your mother is out of the picture."

  Amy just realized that her mother and Becca were no longer with them.

  "Where are they?" She stood up and hollered.

  "Your mother is probably dead by now, and the other one…I had to knock her out. I would have brought her along to amuse myself with, but she fought me. I couldn't chance her trying to kill me." He laughed.

  "You killed…my mother?" She barely made a gasp.

  "Of course. She would never allow us the pleasure of loving each other. You are mine now. You must resign yourself to that. I will be your protector, your lover, your master. You will do as I say. I may have to whip you until you accept me as your lover. But that time will come, I am sure of it. I already love you…"

  Amy's eyes widened. Fear ran up her spine. However, she remembered what her mother told her. She had to be strong now. This was not her father, and he certainly wouldn't be her lover.

  Her lips were bleeding again, where he had been so harsh with his kisses.

  Her ribs were killing her.

  She had to best him somehow.

  She saw where he'd wrapped his arm from a wound. She wondered if Becca had managed that.

  She couldn't and wouldn't allow him to touch her. She hated him. The fact that he had kissed her made her ill.

  The sadness of losing her mother and not even realizing it ate at her. How had she become such a weakling?

  Her mother had been right. She had to kill him.

  As night came, he made her lie beside him and put his arm around her. She trembled. She wondered where her courage would come from. She could not allow this. She would kill him, but how?

  She pretended to sleep. He pet her for a while then she heard him snoring.

  She wondered if she could get up without him knowing it. His arm lay over hers now.

  She moved his arm and slid out of the blanket.

  He sighed, but did not wake up.

  She looked for his gun, but he had it by the blanket and she wouldn't go near that blanket again. She decided to run.

  She walked quietly out of the camp and began looking for a place to hide. If she could hide from him, then maybe he would give up and go to Mexico by himself.

  She walked forever, putting distance between them. When she was about to give out, she found a small cave like structure that would hide her for a while. She crawled inside, realizing it had to be the home of some small animal. There was barely room to breathe, but she pulled some weeds and bushes close to the opening so she wouldn't be noticed and waited.

  The sun came out and she heard a horse close by.

  She held her breath.

  The horse passed by her and when she had the guts to look, she saw he was way on the other side now. She let out a breath and closed her eyes.

  She hadn't slept all night. Fear had kept her awake. Now she couldn't hold her eyes open any longer.

  She wasn't alone though.

  Before she knew it, an armadillo crawled up on the bushes just outside and made herself a bed. She had babies with her and they were snooping through the bushes at her.

  "Oh please, go away…," she whispered.

  But a horse passed by once again. This time a shot rang out and the armadillo mom was dead. Another bullet had hit her shoulder and she was bleeding. She opened her mouth to scream, but then realized she'd give herself away if she did. The hot pain of the bullet sent another kind of pain through her.

  She knew if it were her father, he'd find her. She held her breath and suffered in agony until finally the horse moved on.

  She knew she couldn't stay there forever, but it had been a safe haven, and she hated to leave. Now she was shot, the mother armadillo was dead, and would be stinking soon, the babies had scattered all over.

  Barely
able to reach her petticoat, she tore a piece off and stuffed it at her bleeding shoulder.

  She was so tired, and in so much pain, she laid her head down and went to sleep.

  A coyote woke her, feasting on the decaying armadillo. She held her breathe once more.

  But the coyote must have gotten his fill, he finished his meal and left.

  She let out another breath.

  Hunger began to announce itself and the helplessness of her situation made her afraid once more.

  This time, she remembered her mother and stopped the fear. Fear would do her no good, she was still alive and aside from her injuries, healthy.

  She wished she had brought the derringer but it was back at the house, in her bag.

  She refused to think about her mother's death. Until she saw a grave, she would not believe it. She was Beatrice Clark's daughter and Joe Collins was her father. She wouldn't die out here alone on the prairie.

  She wondered how far from a town she was.

  She hadn't bargained for the weakness she felt. She was losing track of day and night and how long she'd been here. How long would he search for her here?

  She tried to pull herself out of the cave. She was half out when a skunk wandered up to her and at a stalemate, they stared at one another.

  "Please…I'm no threat to you…" She cried.

  The skunk must have understood, he wandered off as quickly as he came. She pulled herself out farther.

  She glanced around, only the moonlight lit her way.

  She came out and curled herself up into a ball, it was chilly on the prairie at night and she shivered. Perhaps she should have stayed inside the cave.

  She couldn't light a fire, if her father was anywhere about here, he'd see it and find her.

  She wished it were daylight so she could find herself something to eat. Surely, there were wild berries or something she could eat.

  It seemed everything she thought about caused her more problems. "I have to quit thinking. I'm just like any other animal out here, I’m trying to survive." She told herself aloud.

  However, the skunk wandered back and this time he saw her as a threat as she was all the way out of the cave now. After sniffing, the skunk turned around and sprayed her.