Once it was lit and he could see, he unfolded the letter and read it through quickly.
It had been a long time since Bobby’s emotions were so mixed up inside him, intense confusion, anger, sorrow… She’d lied to him about being an orphan?
Bobby lowered the letter to his lap, looking out in front of him to stare blankly at the wall as he thought about this. His chest was tight. He wasn’t angry with Sarah for lying about her past. Sooner or later, she would have trusted him with the truth. She was scared. He understood that. If he were a woman in her shoes, he imagined he would probably be a little frightened, too.
Mitch McKinney, who Sarah called Bruce, came to his mind and he curled his lip in disgust. He’d known something was off with that man.
The incident with Danny and Bart in Comstock had given him some insight into the two brothers. Sarah said she’d always hoped they would turn over a new leaf. Neither young man looked too much like a threat to Bobby.
But they were still with McKinney. Had they come along to keep an eye on their wayward father, or because they were in the game as much as he was?
Bobby’s heart thumped painfully in his chest. He and Sarah had finally bonded in a way a husband and wife should. And now she was leaving.
He was glad Sammy wasn’t there, but his first instinct was to go to the Dyers’, anyway. He wanted to talk to Steven. Maybe Clara would give him some comfort and explain to him what could possibly be going through Sarah’s mind.
Could he forgive Sarah’s lie? After meeting McKinney, he thought she made a good point. He would have run away from a father like that. He felt sorry for Sarah for a moment.
She should have trusted him. Frustration flooded him and he crumpled up the letter when he clenched his fists. The sound brought him back to reality and he looked down at the paper, regretting the action. He pressed it flat on his leg, trying not to let himself be overwhelmed. He didn’t want her to leave. He was a little angry, but he could forgive her. It probably wouldn’t even take that long.
But she was gone. He had no idea how long she’d been gone. She said she was going to talk to her father and brothers first so they would reassure her that Bobby and Sammy would be safe. That meant she had to be heading to town. Or, most likely, she was there already, talking to them.
He shuddered to think of the reception she’d probably received.
For a moment, he debated whether he should go to town and confront the lot of them or go to his daughter and his friends for advice.
He continued to think about it as he got dressed, knowing there would be no more sleep for him tonight and it was less than two hours till daybreak anyway.
By the time he was in the saddle and heading out, he’d decided to go to the Dyers’. He would find comfort in his daughter and his friends would give him needed advice.
Bobby didn’t plan to tell Sammy that Sarah was gone just yet. He was hoping it would work out that she wouldn’t have to know. If Sarah wanted to come back, Bobby would let her. Sammy would never have to know what had happened.
Then again, if he did get Sarah to come home, he could be putting his daughter in harm’s way. His wife… or his daughter…
He couldn’t choose. He didn’t want to choose. Sarah was a grown woman who could take care of herself. Sammy was a child who needed her father. There would be no contest.
But if he decided that, it would mean that Sarah really couldn’t come home. Not until something was done about her father and brothers.
Bobby could try paying them off, but that never seemed to work well for anyone. Not that he knew a lot of people who had been blackmailed. But he’d read stories about it and it always seemed like the person doing the blackmailing never went away. Not until they died or were killed. Usually the latter.
Bobby had a strong suspicion that was what McKinney would do. He would never leave them alone. If he had the gall to threaten a five-year-old girl, he was definitely not a trustworthy character. He would try to drain Bobby and Sarah dry. Getting rid of the man for good meant death. And he didn’t know if Sarah could handle that.
He rode down the dirt path to the main road and turned right, going toward Comstock. The Dyers’ wasn’t far away, so it didn’t take him long to get there. As he rode, he wondered if he could count on some help from Steven. No matter how he thought of it, though, he knew he was putting his friends and loved ones in jeopardy over the bride he’d ordered from the East. Was she worth it?
His chest tightened.
She was worth it.
At least to him. She might not be to his friends. He wanted to keep Sammy out of the loop as much as possible. That would be his target goal. If Sammy went about her life as if nothing bad could ever happen, Bobby would be a happy man.
But would Steven agree to help him find and fight the McKinneys? Would Sarah fight with him or with her father and brothers?
It was an insane question and Bobby couldn’t believe he’d even thought it. She said she loved him. She’d shown him and his daughter all the love expected from a wife and mother and he didn’t believe for a moment she was faking it.
Despite the fact that it hurt his feelings she hadn’t trusted him with the truth before now, Bobby couldn’t help understanding why she’d left him and Sammy abruptly that way. He wanted to go to the hotel in town where McKinney had said he and his sons were staying, just to see if she was there. Just to ask her if this was really what she wanted to do. He wouldn’t hold her back if it was.
It wasn’t what she wanted to do. He knew that already. It was what she felt she had to do.
And maybe it was the right thing to do. She felt he couldn’t protect himself against the three men. That he couldn’t protect her or Sammy.
His chest tightened with anger. How could she think he wasn’t man enough to take care of them and protect them?
He rode up to the Dyers’ just as the very tip of the sun peeked over the mountain in the distance, illuminating the earth with warmth, highlighting the sparkles of the fine mist of dew covering the land.
Bobby tried to calm himself down and enjoy the fresh morning, but it wasn’t the day for that.
He slid out of the saddle, glancing at the house. Was it too early? Would anyone be up? If he knocked on the door, how many of them would he wake? He didn’t want to bother the children.
He went around the side of the house, looking in the windows as he went. The curtains were closed all along the side of the house. But he stepped around to the back porch and looked up into Clara’s eyes. She looked startled for a moment before smiling at him.
“Good morning, Bobby.” Her eyes lifted and searched behind him as she continued. “You two just couldn’t wait to have Sammy back, huh? I hope you had a good night. Sarah has been…”
“She’s gone,” Bobby blurted out, feeling his face heating up, knowing he was flushed with embarrassment and anxiety.
Clara halted her words and stared at him for a moment, her mouth still slightly open. She blinked rapidly, then set her coffee cup on the table next to her and pushed herself to her feet. Planting her hands firmly on the porch railing, she leaned all her weight on them, fear on her face.
“What do you mean?” she hissed. “She’s gone?”
Bobby shook his head, closing his eyes briefly as he went around to the steps up to the porch. “Here. Read this.”
Bobby whipped the letter from the inside pocket of his vest and handed it to her. Clara looked at him, dropped her eyes to the paper and then lifted them back up to his eyes. Her voice was breathless when she spoke.
“Oh no, Bobby. What… what is this…?” Clara took the letter, apparently not expecting an answer and not getting one, either. She slowly unfolded the paper, looking at it like it was a venomous snake. She read through it. Bobby watched her facial expressions. There wasn’t a look of surprise there. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but he wouldn’t say anything. If Sarah had told Clara and asked her to keep it in confidence, Bobby wouldn’t hold it against e
ither of them. Clara wasn’t bound to him. She didn’t have to tell him Sarah’s secrets if she had sworn not to.
It was a little disappointing, though.
Clara looked up from the paper. “Let’s go talk to Steven. He’ll know what to do.”
Bobby was amused by the loyalty Steven’s wife had for him. He had hoped that kind of loyalty would fill Sarah’s heart. And maybe it had.
He couldn’t get past the idea that Sarah had only done what she thought was right, to protect him and Sammy.
Steven, however, was not as understanding. He was livid.
He shook the note in the air, expressing his outrage at the entire family, Sarah included.
“Who do these men think they are, coming here and trying to blackmail you? Threatening Sarah and Sammy? Threatening you, even though you can handle yourself.” He said the last sentence in an almost disgusted voice, throwing one hand up in the air in Bobby’s direction. “I can’t believe she would just leave without consulting you about this problem. What did she think you would do? Assault her?”
Bobby lifted his eyebrows. “I have a feeling she might have thought that. If she was raised by three men who hurt her, I’m shocked she even gave me a chance at all. She must have strong feelings against violent men. And she took a chance on me. Her father has made her feel like a rat trapped in a cage.”
“Well, what are you gonna do?” Steven asked. “You gotta go get her and explain to her that this isn’t how marriage works. You don’t run at the first sign of trouble. You fight, you work it out, you fix it. She shouldn’t have left. She should have trusted you to protect her.”
Bobby felt that way, too, and he nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
“You two men have to stop acting like dunderheads,” Clara exclaimed, moving her eyes between them. “She’s scared to death and thought her sacrifice would keep her family safe. She’s never had a family before, or a man who treated her with any respect at all. She doesn’t mean any harm.” Clara turned her eyes directly to her husband. “And I don’t want to hear you disrespecting her. You two need to go to the hotel or wherever those men are and find out if Sarah is with them. If she is, you need to bring her back—and just make those men know you won’t be intimidated.”
Bobby and Steven shared a glance.
Bobby looked back to Clara. “I don’t know if that’s what she wants. It seems like she’s made up her mind, and I—”
“Nonsense!” Clara exploded. Bobby’s eyes widened. He had a feeling if he didn’t go fetch Sarah, he would suffer the wrath of the small woman in front of him.
“Clara…”
“I don’t want to hear it!” Clara shut her husband down, shaking her head, visibly trembling and upset. “Sarah is scared! Think about what they might be doing to her right now!” Tears were forming in the woman’s eyes. It wasn’t until then that Bobby started to fear for Sarah, instead of question her motives. He took a step closer to his friend.
“You don’t think they’re hurting her, do you?” he asked, his voice tight.
Clara’s narrowed angry, scared eyes moved to him from her husband. “Yes,” she breathed softly. “I think there’s a good chance they are hurting her. If not physically, then mentally. They are hurting her, just like they have been all her life. And you want to just let her go?” She shook her head vigorously. “No, Bobby Huggins. You’re going to get your wife and bring her back to her family and friends.” She spun her head to her husband. “And you’re going with him. Get your guns. Go on. Go get them.”
She tapped her husband on the shoulder in a gentle prodding motion. He looked at Bobby.
“I guess we’re going to town bright and early,” he said before turning away and disappearing down the hallway.
Clara watched him, then looked at Bobby. “She loves you, Bobby. So very much. That’s the only reason she thought she had to leave. She doesn’t have any money, won’t steal it from you, and doesn’t want you and Sammy at risk. It’s best to nip this in the bud and go straight to that man, McKinney. Get rid of him, Bobby. Make sure he never hurts Sarah again.”
Bobby pulled in a deep breath, nodding. “I can’t believe it’s come to this,” he said softly, his eyes on the hallway, waiting for Steven to return ready to go. “You can keep Sammy until this is all over, right? And if anything happens to me, she’s safe with you, isn’t she?”
Clara gave him a direct look. “Of course she is, Bobby. You know she’s safe and welcome here as long as she needs to be. And nothing will happen to you. You are strong, smart, and brave. You’ll be fine.”
“Flirting with my wife, mister?” They both heard Steven and turned to him. He was looking at Clara with the slightest amusement on his face. “You got a lot of compliments for the man.”
Clara gave him a comforting smile, though it wavered. “Yes, he’s everything you are, my husband. You just happen to have an advantage over him.”
“Advantage?” Bobby’s eyebrows shot up. He looked first at Steven and then to Clara. “And what advantage would that be?”
Clara pursed her lips briefly. “Well, me, of course. And right now, you don’t have a woman on your arm, so he has the advantage. Now, go get your woman so that isn’t the case anymore.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Bobby replied, bowing at the waist, topping his head with his hat and turning to the entrance.
Steven followed him after a quick goodbye kiss and a “good luck” from his wife.
Chapter 26
Sarah stared up at the sign of the hotel, dreading going in. She didn’t want to see her father. She didn’t want to go with him anywhere.
Forcing herself to go up the steps to the entrance, Sarah held her breath, still thinking about how to approach this whole thing. Could she fake it? Could she convince her father that she had money and get him to leave?
She chided herself for the dumb idea. How could she fake having money? And once he discovered she didn’t, he’d come after her even harder and angrier.
Sarah placed her hand on the knob and hesitated before turning the knob. With a resigned sigh, she stepped inside.
The hotel was warm already, with a fire built in the hearth. The reception desk was to her left. The entire interior of the hotel was done up in dark cherry wood, angels and creatures of lore carved into the trimmings, the walls, even the stairs going up to the rooms.
Perhaps she could tell him she wanted to come with him. She could make up an excuse, tell him she didn’t want to be a wife and mother anymore. That she wanted to go with him and her brothers and live that life like they always said she should.
The thought turned her stomach. There was no one at the reception desk. The sun had just come up, spreading warmth over the earth. The birds were chirping their early morning hellos and singing bright little tunes. On her way to the hotel, she’d heard several roosters making themselves known, warning everyone that daybreak was nigh.
She couldn’t go with him, though. She’d rather die. Maybe she could say that was what she wanted and then steal money from him and get away from them.
Once more, Sarah had to reject an idea as stupid. Once he figured out she’d stolen from him, he would go after Bobby and Sammy, she had no doubt. Even if she didn’t return to Comstock, he would always pursue Bobby and Sammy.
She felt sick. How could she have done this to the people she loved, even if she hadn’t loved them at first? How could she have done this to anyone?
She moved to the two blue cushioned chairs facing the fireplace at an angle. Feeling melancholy, she sat in one of them and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees. She stared into the fire.
It felt like everything was against her. Getting out of this situation looked impossible. No matter which way she turned, she would end up alone, hurt and without money or protection. Bobby and Sammy would always be at risk. Sarah didn’t know how far her father and brothers would go. Would they kill her husband and daughter?
Daring to Start Again: An Inspirational Historical Romance Book Page 23