Although she’d wished them all dead a dozen times over, she decided that death was better than they deserved and breaking rocks on a chain gang while shackled to each other for life was perfect. A smugly satisfied smile curved her lips. She didn’t press for more answers, at least not now, since it was obvious Luke didn’t want to upset her with the details. After the rawness of the situation had faded, maybe then. Or perhaps she wouldn’t give them another thought, the pathetic lowlifes undeserving of even that.
Feeling suddenly tired, she took comfort in his arms, knowing that the ordeal was at last over.
“I’m as weak as a kitten,” she admitted.
“That’s understandable,” Janelle answered. “The fatigue will pass in a few days. You were fortunate Luke and Aaron found you as soon as they did. The drugs weren’t given long enough to have many lingering effects. Bessie on the other hand is in for a long battle.”
“Bessie?”
Janelle blanched, seeing Luke stiffen. “I’m sorry. I guess I shouldn’t have blurted that out either.”
He gave a heavy and resigned exhalation, the pronounced rise and fall of his chest sending her head bobbing up and down. “It’s all right, Janelle. She’s staying here at the ranch under your care until her parents arrive. She’d have been hard to miss.”
“Who’s Bessie?”
“One of the other girls at the parlor house,” Luke explained. “She was taken against her will, like you, several months ago.”
“Months?” she repeated in horror. “That poor girl.”
“Yes,” Janelle said, seething with anger. “That awful madame pumped her full of so much of that crap, her body has formed a dependency to it. It will take several days, maybe a week for her to detoxify, I’m afraid.”
Frowning at the dreadful image she painted, Wisteria picked up on something.
“Luke, you said one of the others. There were more?”
“Aaron was aware of two missing girls in Laramie. There turned out to be more from surrounding towns. You and Bessie made seven.” Gaping in shock, her eyes misted over. “This is why I wanted to discuss this later. I don’t want you upset.” Luke’s hands brushed loose tendrils of her hair from her face.
“Please, I need to know. Leaving me to wonder and imagine will drive me mad. How did you find out about the others?”
“Bessie was the one who told us about the drugs and kidnappings going on there. She was very brave to come forward and stand up to her captors.”
Janelle, vibrating with anger, added what she knew. “The bitch used intimidation and drugs to cow those poor girls. And they were all so young; Bessie is only eighteen. Some were even younger when they were taken.”
“I can think of worse words to describe the madame, but we’ll stick with Janelle’s, since it fits. Aaron was there all night, sorting things out. Three other girls were forced into working for her and two that we know of were sold at auction.”
“Auctioned off like an animal! How awful,” Wisteria exclaimed. “And that’s what was intended for me.”
She felt Luke’s arms tighten around her, his gruff voice in her ear. “But it didn’t happen, baby.”
Her hand came up and rested softly upon his cheek. “Because you and your posse of brave brothers saved me.” He didn’t answer, silently turning his head to place a kiss in her palm. “What will happen to the other girls, Luke?”
Janelle echoed her concern. “I was wondering that too. Several of the girls were taken before Bessie and must be worse than she is, which is bad.”
“Doc was called to tend to them while several of the deputies were sent to inform their families. Aaron deputized James Lawson, one of Bozeman’s deputies to head up one of the two posses he formed. They’re out as we speak, tracking down the other two who were sold. The men who bought them could hang.”
“That’d be too good for them,” Janelle grumbled.
Where Wisteria hadn’t felt sick to her stomach before, it churned with revulsion that others had suffered so much worse than she had and for so long of a time. “Madame Josephine needs to be strung up too, by her toes.” Her hand fisted in Luke’s shirt in anger. His hand came up to cover it as she went on, fuming. “No, that’s not an agonizing enough punishment for what she’s done.”
“I agree. As does Aaron, who is seeing to it that she won’t be allowed to abuse innocent young women ever again. She’s in his jail where she’ll remain until Judge Wilson gets here to deliberate. He’s on his way up from Cheyenne on the morning train.”
“I hope she rots,” Janelle said emphatically. “If not for you and Bessie, Wisteria, her despicable illegal sex trade might have gone on indefinitely.”
“What did I do except get myself kidnapped, drugged, and nearly sold at auction? Bessie is the real hero, in this case.”
“Your situation led the law to the problem, honey, and now her horrific operation is shut down for good.”
She didn’t agree, glancing from Janelle’s concerned face to Luke’s stoic one. He ended the discussion on the topic soon enough. “There’ll be time to discuss it more and vent your spleen when you’re better. You need to rest.”
“He’s right,” Janelle readily concurred. “The effects of the opium usually pass quickly, which has me concerned she might have added something else like a hallucinogen.”
“What’s that?”
“A drug that seriously alters the mind’s ability to process and think, often making one see and hear what isn’t there and lose touch with reality.”
“That sounds exactly like what I experienced. Are those dangerous?”
“Not always. The Native Americans—” She paused when both Luke and Wisteria glanced at her in question. “Sorry, future term. The Indian shaman and medicine men use them often for healing and vision quests. I haven’t heard of any lingering effects. We’ll watch and see how you do for a couple of days, nonetheless. Resting up, as Luke said.” She reached out and squeezed Wisteria’s ankle with a soft smile. “I think you are going to be fine, sister. If you don’t need anything from me, I’ll get back to Bessie.”
“I’m sure you’ll help her as you did me, Janelle.”
“Unfortunately, there’s nothing to do, except treat the withdrawal symptoms and hope for the best. Even in my day, there isn’t an easy way to detoxify the body from opium, and there’s nothing to eliminate the risk of relapse after the drug is purged from the system; the craving and compulsion for more will be strong for some time.”
“Will that happen to me?”
“No, sweetie. Your body didn’t have time to become dependent. You should be fine in a day or so.” She eased the door closed after saying, “I’ll check on you a little later.”
“She’s a blessing,” Wisteria whispered into the quiet of the room a moment later.
“Agreed,” Luke replied, reaching for the breakfast tray and setting it across her lap. He also repositioned the stack of pillows behind her back so she could be comfortable while she ate. “Time after time Janelle’s medical knowledge has saved one or the other of us.”
“Letty,” she blurted out, his statement jarring her memory. She’d taken a blow to the head hard enough to knock her unconscious. Was it only yesterday? It seemed like an eternity had passed since then. “How is her head? She seemed all right last night, as best that I can recall, though I was very foggy.”
“She’s fine. Ma wouldn’t let a little headache slow her down.” His lips quirked as he spoke fondly of his mother. “Jenny got up with Micah last night so she could rest, but pa had to insist. This morning, however, a stampede of cattle couldn’t stop her from tending to her grandson.”
“Can I see him?”
“After you eat.”
She wolfed down her oatmeal and bacon, stuffing the buttered toast into her mouth as she reached for her glass of milk.
“Slow down, darlin’, he isn’t going anywhere.”
She nodded, tears reemerging when she realized it was finally over. “Oh, Luke,
when I think what could have happened to him, to any of you because of what I did—”
“Not now, Wisteria. After you’ve recovered, we’ll discuss the secrets and lies, and your wild ride to save Micah all by yourself.” He removed the tray and then shifted her over in the bed. “Until then, you’ll be pampered, cosseted, and cared for, plus every chance I get, I plan on holding you in my arms where I know you’re safe and staying out of trouble.”
“I plan to do that from now on, I promise.”
“I’m going to hold you to that, darlin’, by whatever means necessary. That’s what we’ll discuss when you’re better.”
He crawled in bed beside her, curving his long body around her as he pulled her close. She wiggled until she situated herself in a comfortable spot, her head pillowed on his upper arm, reveling in the strength of his arms wrapped around her, the feel of his hard body curled alongside hers, and the length of his arousal wedged firmly against her behind. She had a feeling the discussion that would come later would end with her bottom paying a price, but she didn’t care. In fact, she deserved every bit of what lay ahead, fully aware her bad decisions and the unnecessary risks she had taken had made matters worse. She was thankful he was still willing to have her, wanting to hold her close, and talk about the future. Relief swept through her as an overpowering fatigue took hold.
“Micah,” she asked drowsily.
“You can barely hold your eyes open, darlin’. Get some sleep and I’ll fetch him as soon as you wake up.”
Too exhausted to argue, she relented and let her eyes shut. While she drifted off, she felt him bury his face in her hair and inhale. He stayed that way, his lips pressing occasional kisses along her shoulder, appearing to have no intention of letting her go any time soon. With a sleepy smile, she savored the peace that settled over her as she fell fast asleep.
* * *
One by one, Luke felt her muscles ease, her breathing became slow and deep, and the hand that had been gripping his relaxed. He wanted to squeeze her tight and never let her out of his sight again, but knew that was unreasonable. But he held her, keeping her beside him as he prayed, giving silent thanks to God for bringing her back to him in one piece.
He also prayed this was the end of the drama in their lives. Since the day they’d met there had been little else. He longed for placid and boring for a change, but would settle for something in between dull and constant chaos. What he had to figure out was how to corral his wild, impulsive, undisciplined young bride without breaking her independent spirit. He could hardly fault her for doing whatever was humanly possible to get their son back. However, he had no problem critiquing how she chose to go about it. If his son inherited a fraction of his mother’s bravery and determination, he had two decades full of angst, frazzled nerves and a head full of gray hair to look forward to.
With her resting soundly, he quietly left the bed, needing some air and space to think. He made his way down to the front porch and sat on the steps enjoying the coolness of the morning shade. It wasn’t long before the door creaked as it opened behind him. A familiar pair of boots appeared next to his as his pa joined him.
“How’s she doing, son?”
“She’s resting. I think the worst has passed.”
“Thanks be for that,” Henry murmured. “How is she doing emotionally? After… Damn, I can’t bring myself to say it.”
“You mean, after she faced down three armed men, was kidnapped, sold to a whorehouse, mauled, bound, and drugged senseless?” His fingers speared sharply through his hair as he pressed the heels of his hands hard against his weary eyes.
“Son—”
“She doesn’t remember anything after they drugged her. Flashes, she said. I worried there was more. They had her a full day and night, pa.”
“She’s safe now. The men and woman who did this are locked up. If there was more and she remembers, you’ll help her through it. With love you can overcome the impossible.”
He would. He’d anguish over it, but he’d help her deal with what she’d endured, the emotional and physical pain. Thankfully, it wasn’t all that he had imagined, but his pa didn’t know that. “There wasn’t,” he said.
“Wasn’t what?”
“More. I couldn’t stand it. Not knowing. So, last night when she slept more peaceably, I went back. Aaron was still there sorting through it and together we questioned the ladies, but they were entertaining and didn’t know anything. Then we came across two of the madame’s personal servants. She put the bruiser on guard at her door and ordered them to care for her. They swore no one touched her—madame’s orders—because damaged merchandise cuts into profits evidently.” His voice shook with impotent rage. He had to rely on their word as truth, or go mad with the murderous fury that seethed inside him.
Unable to sit still, he surged to his feet, slamming a fist into the vertical beam by the stairs. “I was so afraid, seeing the bruises on her skin, that there was more. But they said she arrived with them, on her arms, her face, her breasts.” He turned to his father, anguish ripping at heart. “If they had, I wouldn’t have been able to keep from drilling holes in Sanders and his partners, or the buyers who arrived for the show—Aaron had those perverted scum locked up too—and the three-hundred-pound thug who threw her up in a dark attic, bound and unconscious. And that woman, I’d have killed her, breaking her neck with my bare hands. I swear, I would have.”
“And I wouldn’t have faulted you, son. It would have been justified in my eyes and the law. What they did to your girl, all of those poor girls, for that matter, was unspeakable.”
He sat down heavily, taking his seat on the step next to his father. Looking down, he watched the blood well from the broken skin on his knuckles that were already bruising from the vicious blow. As he did, his father clamped a hand on his shoulder, not saying anything else, giving him his silent support. After a moment of contemplation, he twisted his head and asked him, “How did you do it?”
“What’s that?”
“Live to see sixty after raising three rowdy sons and married to a high-spirited woman?”
He chuckled softly. “Prayer, a stout strap, and even stouter whiskey.”
“Two out of three I can do, no problem. It’s the third I’m having trouble with. How do I paddle the little imp, when she’s been through so much already and all I want to do is hold her close, love and protect her, and make her see that it’s all going to be all right?”
“Ah, there’s the rub. Your chickens are coming home to roost, too. First Aaron, then Heath, and now you.” His hand squeezed before he let go. “I expected any bride you took to keep you on your toes. And, while I often said the hell you and your brothers gave me and your mother growing up would be revisited on you, I didn’t mean with kidnappings, assaults, shootouts, stolen jewels, and the like.”
“I don’t mind staying on my toes, it’s the constant race to stay one step ahead and finding myself lagging by three or four that’s exhausting.”
“It slows down after a few years, son, once they settle in.”
“My heart won’t last that long,” he moaned as he shook his head.
Henry laughed, slapping him hard on his back. “I don’t mean to have all the answers; every couple is different and you two have to learn your own way. So, I’ll tell you what I told your brothers. It’s a long road that doesn’t bend.”
Luke stared in shock at the man who had raised him from the raucous, at times unruly, adventurous boy into the man he was now. He hadn’t bent much in his day.
“I can see the wheels turning in your head, my boy, so I’ll add that women, more important wives, are different than rabble-rousing sons. They need rules, but also kindness. If you want a long and happy marriage, that is.”
“You sure have mellowed in your old age.”
“He has, son,” said his mother through the screen door. “That’s not to say I haven’t as well.” She walked out and sat on the step on his other side. “I don’t agree with abuse of
any kind, you know that. However, a spanking for something reckless like what Wisteria has done, repeatedly, is justifiable, and necessary if I’m being honest. If she was my child, I’d thrash her ‘til she couldn’t sit, then hug her so tight, she had no doubt about how much I loved her. She’d also have a clear impression on her burning behind that such nonsense wouldn’t be tolerated ever again.”
Knowing his ma was all bluster, he let a small smile slip through. “You never thrashed any of us, as I recall.”
“Everyone one of you outweighed me by the time you were ten. Besides, with Henry Jackson as your father, I never had to give a thrashing. I didn’t have time to get in a lick.”
“Woman! I take umbrage at the remark.”
Luke’s ma arched a brow his way and asked, “Am I wrong?”
“No, when we messed up, he didn’t waste any time listening to excuses before sending us to fetch the strap,” he answered frankly, as his pa harrumphed. He admitted more truth. “Although looking back, not a one was unwarranted.”
“That’s for damn certain,” Henry grumbled. “I’m still not over you running my new wagon into a ditch.”
“Let it go, Henry, that was twenty years ago.”
They sat in silence for a moment, Luke considering all that the three brothers had gone through with their new brides.
“Thank heavens, we stopped at three, Henry. I can’t imagine what new trouble a fourth daughter-in-law might bring.” She patted her son on the knee. “Do you love her, Luke?”
“I do, ma.”
“Then tell her. Better yet, show her. After that, with love between you, you’ll find a few rules and an occasional few swats on the behind when merited are more easily accepted.”
“Damned if I didn’t tell Aaron the same thing. Were you eavesdropping that night on the porch, Leticia?”
“After nearly four decades, there’s no need, Henry. I can practically predict what pearls of wisdom will spew forth from your mouth.”
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