His first step, though, would be to stop in town. See if anyone had seen her that day, either at the bank, taking money out; or at the store, stocking up on provisions for a trip down south. After he did that, he would have more of an idea where he should go.
Ben urged Blue into a run, wanting to get to town as quickly as possible. His first stop would be the bank. Then, after that, he would decide how to find his wayward future wife.
* * *
Harmony felt like a thief. She settled into the chair in Ben MacAllister’s cabin, which she knew no one used unless they were going fishing, and thought about what she should do next. When her father had told her to choose from the three men he’d invited to dinner the other night she’d been appalled. First, because she’d truly hoped, no wished, that Ben MacAllister would offer for her hand.
She wasn’t sure why she’d thought that. She’d known him all her life, and they’d been friendly, true, but he’d never once given her an inkling he returned the crush she’d had on him since her early twenties.
Still, a girl could dream, and she had been. But when her father had invited in the three bachelors, then told her after dinner to ‘pick one’, she knew it was time for her to leave Mac’s Crossing. She’d been writing her novels for three years now, and had more than four hundred dollars saved. It would get her to where she was going, set her up in a house and keep her in food while she wrote more.
The only problem was she didn’t know where she was going. She’d thought about Texas, or San Francisco. She’d thought about staying close, in Denver. And she’d thought about just living in Mac’s Crossing. But her father would never allow that.
Even at her ‘advanced age’, she knew Martin Watkins would never allow his daughter to live on her own without a husband. That’s why she needed to find someplace far off. And, she could hide in Ben’s cabin while she decided what she should do. The cabin was about an hour and a half from town, along the creek. Plus, she would be able to see anyone riding up from a pretty good distance. That meant she could sneak out, saddle up Miss Priss and take off before that person got to the cabin.
Her guilt crept back in about making herself at home in a place that wasn’t her own. She’d stopped by Josh’s store earlier in the day, and bought food supplies from Sarah. The newest MacAllister bride hadn’t questioned what the food was for, and Harmony knew she’d probably thought it was for the Watkins’ household. Still, she was using some of Ben’s hay to feed her horse. She reminded herself to leave some money for him to replace the food. She didn’t want him to think her a thief, even if she did think it of herself.
Thinking about the food made her think of her family again, and of her parents. Her father might be happy to be rid of her, but he’d still wonder where she’d gone. He’d ask questions in town, to see if anyone had seen her, or if she’d talked to anyone. When he found out she’d bought a few days worth of food from Sarah, he’d know she was close by, and he would probably come looking for her. She’d given herself two days in the cabin before someone found out she was here. That meant, really, that she could stay tonight, and tomorrow night, and then, after that, she needed to hightail it to wherever she was going.
She thought once again about Denver. It was a nice enough town, and growing by leaps and bounds. If she lived under her pen name, H. Rucker, her father would never find her there.
Of course, now Ben knew about her writing, and he knew about her pseudonym, too. If he was looking for her, he might find her so close to home. She shook her head and traced her fingers over the wood of his kitchen table. He wouldn’t be looking for her. Her father wouldn’t engage his help. His pride wouldn’t let him.
That led her to another idea of what her father would do. Part of her was afraid he’d ignore her leaving all together. Maybe he wouldn’t ask questions of anyone in town. Maybe he’d just let her leave, and think his life would be the better for it.
Maybe her father would be too proud to let people know she’d run away, again. If that happened, Harmony figured he’d probably just make up a story about her having to go back east, to take care of a make-believe relative who was dying. Then, after a while, he’d tell people she’d decided to stay there. She wasn’t the only one in the Watkins’ family with a fertile imagination.
She hated the fact her mother would be so upset. But nothing could be done about it now. Things would work out for the best, she was sure. For now, though, she was hungry. She needed to build a fire in the stove, make some biscuits from the supply of ingredients she’d bought, then eat, and try to figure out what to do with her life.
* * *
“She bought what?”
“Flour. Some baking soda and yeast, and a few eggs. Plus some jerky.” Sarah gently patted her newly rounded belly and Ben grinned at her. Yet another MacAllister baby on the way.
“Did she say what the food was for?”
“Well, I thought it was for the farm,” Sarah said. “But now that you mention it, it did seem strange that she’d bought such small amounts.”
“Did she charge the food to her father’s account?”
“No, she paid cash.” Sarah frowned. “Now that you mention it, that seems strange, too. I should have noticed those things. Is she in trouble?”
“No, Sarah, she’s not in trouble,” Ben said quickly. “Her father just said they’d had a bit of a fight, and he was worried about her. I can trust you to keep that information quiet, can’t I?”
“Of course. I won’t say anything to anyone, Ben. I hope she’s all right.”
“She’s going to be fine,” Ben replied, looking up at his younger brother, Josh, as he brought in a huge sack of flour from the back room.
“Hey, Sheriff, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“I don’t need you telling me what to do, pipsqueak.”
“Yeah, right,” Josh laughed. “If you don’t have anything better to do than bother my wife, you can come in the backroom and help me bring up some supplies.”
“As a matter of fact, I’m busy,” Ben retorted. “Working.”
“Right. The only work you do is going out to your cabin and baiting a hook.”
“You’re kidding, right? I’d love to sit around and fish. As it is the place sits empty most of the time.” Ben put his hat back on and nodded at Sarah, who gave him a slight nod in return.
“What’s up?” Josh edged closer to his wife. “You two up to something?”
“Yes,” Ben said. “She’s telling me how happy she is to be having your baby. And I’m glad.”
Josh beamed, then leaned down and kissed his wife gently. “I’m happy, too.”
Ben winked at them both, then went outside, greeting people on the sidewalk as he walked toward the Sheriff’s Office. He would like nothing more than to go to his cabin and fish for a while. And the only thing better than going alone would be taking Harmony there as his new bride, the way Josh had taken Sarah there.
He thought about what he’d learned during the day. Win had told him that Harmony came into the bank about every three or four months to cash a draft. Win said he’d never questioned the drafts. That wasn’t his place, to question where his customers got their money. She didn’t have an account, and always took the money in cash. Which meant she’d had it hidden somewhere at her father’s farm. A smart thing to do really. That way it was easily accessible.
Of course that meant she had the means to get pretty far away. But if she was going far away, why was she buying flour, and eggs. And jerky. Those purchases made Ben think that she was somewhere close by, settled in for at least a few days, wondering what she should do next.
Marvin had told him that the first time she’d run, she’d gone to Denver. She hadn’t done that this time, Ben knew. So, where was she? He shook his head, then an idea popped into his mind. A preposterous idea, but one that grew in merit the more he thought about it.
There was only one place close by that stayed empty most of the time. Everyone in the
area knew about it, so it really wasn’t a far stretch to think that Harmony had gone to his cabin to sit out a few days, taking supplies to feed herself.
He imagined her at his dining room table, eating dinner, or writing one of her dime novels on a sheet of paper. He wanted to ride out there right now and see if she was there, but that would be too easy.
If she was there, and the more he thought about it, the more he figured she was, she would see him coming during the day. He needed to wait until nightfall, then approach the cabin from the creek side. There were trees there, and it would be harder for her to see him. He’d go tonight, and he’d do exactly what her daddy had told him to do. He’d give her a good, hard spanking, to let her know that no matter how old she was, running away just wasn’t something she should have done.
* * *
Harmony sat at the kitchen table, dipping her pen into the ink and thinking to herself that, after she was settled, she’d see about buying a typewriting machine her publisher had told her about in his last letter, mentioning that writers such as Mark Twain used them.
She’d have to learn how to use it, but didn’t think that would be a problem. She’d always been very good at learning things, and if the typewriting machine could move her into publishing things other than dime novels, she was all for it. More novels meant more money, and she would need it now.
A sound outside caught her attention. It sounded like a breaking branch, as if someone had stepped on it. She listened carefully, and then decided it was probably just the rustling of the wind. She wasn’t frightened to be out here by herself. No one would come by, and she had a pistol that her father had given her. It was safely tucked away in her suitcase, near the bed. If she needed it, it wouldn’t take long to retrieve it.
She bowed her head and went back to her writing. She only had a few more pages left in this chapter, and then only two more chapters to do before this novel would be done, and she could post it to New York.
Before she’d started writing, she’d made the decision to stay in Denver for at least a year. That would give her time to build up a little more money. Plus, she didn’t want to go any further until she’d given her destination serious thought, and done a little bit of research, perhaps taken a trip to her proposed new home to see how she liked it.
The idea of riding on a train thrilled her, as did the thought of meeting new people. That would bring new and exciting characters to her books, she was sure. Living by herself was going to be an adventure, one that excited her to no end.
The door at the front of the house creaked opened and Harmony froze, her pen dripping ink on the page below it. She sucked in her breath and held it. Surely that sound was just the wind, too.
She set her pen down carefully. She wanted to push back her chair, but she was afraid that, if someone were at the door, the noise would give away her position. She glanced toward the open window, seeing nothing but darkness. The sun had gone down more than an hour ago, and she knew at that time she should go and close all the windows, but she’d been too busy writing. Perhaps the creak she’d heard had been an animal, who had come in the open window. If that was the case, she needed to deal with it.
But first, she needed to investigate. Telling herself that Virginia wouldn’t shirk an adventure, she stood as quietly as possible, walking toward the doorway that led from the kitchen to the dining room. She’ barely stepped inside the portal when a hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the room, and against a hard chest.
She screamed out in terror, pushing against the body that held her. Then she looked up at the man’s face, and her eyes widened in shock.
“Ben.” Other words stuck in her throat. What did you say to a man when you’d invaded his house without an invitation?
“Harmony.” He propelled her in front of him, pushing her toward the sofa. She stumbled, but he caught her before she could fall. Then, to her shock, he sat down and pulled her across his lap, lifting her skirts up over her hips.
“Where are your bloomers?”
She tried to wiggle way from him, but he held her close. Embarrassment flooded her at the state in which he’d found her. She hadn’t expected anyone to come to the cabin, so after she’d eaten, but before she’d started writing, she’d taken off her bloomers and her petticoats, loving the feel of wearing just the skirt. It was so free and liberating.
Now, however, it was just one big blunder.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… ow!” His hand came down on her behind, slapping her soundly. “Ow, ow! Ben! Stop!”
He spanked her hard, his hand slapping against her behind over and over as she struggled against him.
“What are you doing here?” More slaps landed.
“Please, I’m sorry.”
A particularly hard slap made her cry out again.
“Answer me. Right now.”
“Please, stop spanking me. I said I was sorry.” Her words fell on deaf ears. The spanking continued, harder than ever. Her behind burned, and the throbbing spread through her body.
“You’d better start answering my questions, or you won’t be able to sit down for a month.” He’d stopped spanking her while he spoke, but once the words were done, he started again, his hand coming down harder this time.
“I’m running away. My…” She sniffled and cried out again. “My father is forcing me to marry, and I won’t do it.”
His hand slapped her upper thigh and she groaned.
“That hurts!”
“So, you thought you’d just help yourself to my cabin, huh?” More slaps landed on that tender spot where her legs met her buttocks. “You planning on living here?”
“No. Ouch! That hurts.” The slaps increased in intensity, and Harmony sobbed.
“What are you doing here, then?”
“I needed a place to think.” She cried out in frustration. “Please stop.”
Her words were met with two hard slaps, one to each cheek.
“Why should I? You broke into my house.” At least he’d stopped spanking her. That was good.
“The door was open!” The spanking started again, his hand landing on alternating cheeks.
“So, it’s fine for you to just go into a house because the door’s open?”
“No, but I…” she sobbed again. “Please stop.”
He surprised her by doing as she asked. His hand rested on her buttocks, which burned with the intensity of his spanking.
“Talk to me.”
“I’m sorry, Ben. My father brought over three very unsuitable men and said I had to choose from one of them. I couldn’t bear it. I can make my own living. I won’t be forced to marry someone.”
She felt him stiffen under her, and she wondered if he was still angry with her over breaking into his cabin, or if he was agreeing with her about being forced to marry. When nothing happened for a few long minutes, she tried to stand, but he held her down.
“I didn’t know you were coming here. I promise. I’ll pay for my lodging. Ow!” He started to spank her again, his hand coming down hard.
“I wasn’t coming, until your father sent me out to look for you. You’re a grown woman, Harmony. You can’t act like a child and run from everything that doesn’t suit you.”
His words angered her and she increased her struggles, bucking against him and trying to get free. If she had to endure a spanking, she would make him uncomfortable in the process. When a loud ‘oomph’, left his mouth, she knew she’d succeeded. Unfortunately, though, the spanking didn’t stop.
His hand continued to torment her until she cried out in frustration. Only then did it stop.
“You have no idea what it feels like to be told what to do! I won’t marry, I won’t!” She pushed off his lap, rubbing her hands against her fiery bottom. “You had no right!”
“I had every right.” He stood and she backed up. The anger on his face was evident, and she was afraid he would start spanking her again. “You broke into my house. I’m the sheriff. You’re lucky I
don’t throw you in jail.”
“I told you, I didn’t know you were coming.” She took another step backwards.
“I wasn’t coming, until your father sent me looking for you. When Sarah told me you’d bought food supplies, I thought to check here first. Pretty smart of me, huh?”
“Brilliant.” She spat the word out at him.
“I’m going to take you home to your daddy.”
“No. I’m a grown woman, and I don’t have to live in his house anymore. I won’t marry. I won’t. You can’t make me go with you!”
“I can, and I will. We leave tomorrow morning for your father’s house. You may be a grown woman, but you’re still his daughter, and you still live under his roof.”
“Not anymore. That’s why I left. Please, Ben, just let me go.” For a minute, she thought he might actually do that. Instead, he shook his head, an unreadable look on his face.
“No. We’ll leave at first light. You can take the bedroom, and I’ll sleep out here. That way I can watch the door and you can’t sneak off again.”
She rushed past him, gathered her things off the kitchen table, and stalked toward the bedroom, stopping when he called her name.
“That spanking was from your father. The next one will be from me, so you’d better behave.”
She stuck her nose in the air and walked into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. How dare he treat her like a child? Still, she was trapped. He would take her back to her father and she’d be forced to marry. She had to think of something, and quick.
* * *
After several failed attempts to get comfortable on the short sofa, Ben opted for the floor. Taking a quilt that he kept on the chair in the living room, he lay down and covered himself, his mind on the woman in the other room.
Just his luck to pick a potential bride that had decided she never wanted to get married. When she’d said that, he’d wanted to say, “What if I were the groom? You said in the barn you’d marry me.” But he’d held back, and when she’d repeated it, he knew he was lost. She would never get married.
Heart and Home: The MacAllister Brothers Page 31