The Devil's Bride

by A. S. McGowan

  The other men nodded and left. He felt a twinge of guilt as he sat alone in his office. His daughter had her heart set on marrying the young man. He hated that she wouldn't get her heart's desire, however, he could ensure she at least didn't get her heart broken before the ball. Matthew, on the other hand, may have changed his mind after this morning’s pleasantries and he would simply have to convince the man to not upset Amelia.

  Chapter 13

  Sarah headed to the general store with the list Doris had given her. She had tried to get one of the other girls to go instead. She had heard the news of what happened at the doctor’s office before daybreak. The men in town spoke of it as if it were an honor. She didn't see the killing of unarmed men as an honor. No, there was no honor in such things. She feared that the Union army would send soldiers to avenge the death of four of their own.

  She entered the general store and could hear a few men at the counter discuss this morning’s events. When she approached the counter, the room fell silent. Good, she thought, at least they had the proper sense to not discuss such things in front of her. It was not that she had those delicate sensibilities that one saw in properly bred ladies. She could discuss the goings-on in the country with another person; she just didn't feel the need to brag about cold-blooded murder. And to hear others do so burned her up.

  She wanted to tell them just what she thought of the whole situation. What she thought of them personally, but to do so would mean consequences she couldn't risk. Instead, she handed her list to the storekeeper without saying a word. She kept her eyes downcast as to not encourage any of them to talk to her.

  "Will this be all that Ms. Doris is needing?" the storekeeper asked.

  She didn't trust herself to speak and keep a civil tongue so she simply nodded. When the storekeeper said that everything would be gathered and delivered, she nodded again and left the general store. Just as she reached the edge of the store, strong hands grabbed her and pulled her into the alley. She started to scream, but a hand clamped over her mouth cutting off any sound. Panicking she stared up into the face of Jacob.

  "If you want out of this godforsaken place," he whispered leaning down close to her ear, "be at the doctor's place at midnight. Go in through the back door. He will be waiting for you."

  Without another word, he released her. Her hand flew up and her fingertips covered her mouth. Her brain screamed for her to run, yet her feet remained unmoving. She watched him walk toward the back of the alley and disappear behind the general store. Once he was gone, her racing heart began to slow. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and left the alleyway. She almost couldn't believe it. Tonight, she would be free of this place and the evil people here. She didn't appreciate one bit the way he delivered the message, though—he could have done it without scaring her out of her mind.

  Chapter 14

  Sarah’s heart pounded in her chest as she pulled her carpetbag from under the bed. She sat on the floor with it gripped in her hands, strained to listen to any sounds from other parts of the house. When she was met with silence, she slid her arm through the straps, reached out and grabbed her boots, then headed for the door in her stocking feet. She turned the knob slowly, waited for a second then slowly pulled the door open. She peered out into the dark hallway, when she saw no one about she slipped into the hallway.

  At the top of the stairs she grabbed the banister and began her descend. The air felt heavy as she took one tentative step after another. A stair creaked as she placed her weight upon it. She froze, her hand tightened on the banister, one foot still in the air. She could hear her blood pounding in her ears. She waited to see if Doris came out of her room to investigate. When Doris never came, she continued down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she moved cautiously to the front door. She slowly turned the knob, slid the door open and slipped through to the front porch. Once outside she moved cautiously still across the porch and down the stairs.

  She rushed across the damp grass to the shadows of the trees, where she stopped and put her boots on. With one last look back at the house, she rushed as fast as her legs would carry her down the street and to the doctor’s office. She remembered she had to go through the back door, so she slipped into the dark alleyway between the doctor’s office and the saloon.

  She raised her hand to knock, then lowered it. She grabbed the doorknob and flung the door open. She rushed inside, turned to close the door, the rushed down the hallway. She peered into each room but found them empty. She headed for the stairs, rushed up them as fast as her legs would carry her. When she saw Matthew, she let out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. Her heart still hammered as she looked at him.

  “I wasn’t sure if you would come,” Matthew said.

  “Of course..I would come..I need out..of this town,” she said as she tried to catch her breath.

  “We don’t have much time to waste. There are a couple of horses tied up on the edge of town. We just have to make it to them,” Matthew said.

  “Do you think we will make it?” She asked. She didn’t want to think about having to walk through town. They would be exposed and she knew from experience how hard it would be to escape this town. People died trying to leave.

  “We will make it.”

  His confidence bolstered hers. She nodded and when the two men started down the stairs she didn’t hesitate to follow them. They slipped out the back door and headed towards the edge of town towards the stagecoach. Sarah stayed as close to them as she could while they kept to the shadows. Every once in awhile the brothers would stop and hold a hand up, stand and listen. When they heard nothing they would continue on. Sarah constantly looked over her shoulder. Her eyes darting around on the look out for anyone waiting to stop them. She wondered what the brothers plan was if someone did in fact try and stop them?

  At the edge of town she saw two horses tied up to a tree. Matthew untied the reins of one horse then motioned for her to come forward. She walked up to the side of the horse and Matthew helped her mount, then swung up into the saddle behind her. When his brother mounted the other horse, Matthew clicked his heels against the horse’s side and off they took.

  A shot rang out.

  Sarah screamed.

  Matthew urged the horse faster.

  “Are you alright?” Matthew asked his brother when he was side by side with him.

  “I am fine. I don’t think it was us that was shot at.” Gage Bryan looked over his shoulder then then back at Matthew. “Might be militia out or Union soldiers retaliating for three of their own that were murdered.”

  “I for one don’t want to stop and find out,” Matthew said.

  Another shot rang out. They rode harder and faster.

  Sarah knew it wasn’t safe to be out riding in the dark. The path from Danielsville to the next town was rugged and in the dark it would be hard to see the large rocks or holes in which a horse could stumble. They had no choice though, so she leaned back against Matthew and closed her eyes in an attempt to block out all the what-ifs.

  ***

  The sun beat down on him as he sat shotgun next to Gage, who was driving the wagon team they had acquired in the next town the morning they left Danielsville. Sarah remained safely tucked away inside the covered wagon. They had been traveling for five days. With any luck, they would reach St. Louis tomorrow. Once there, it would be an easy one-day train ride to Chicago.

  Movement caught his attention. He glanced toward it and saw a buck standing in the tree line. He released his grip on the shotgun.

  "See anything?" Gage asked.

  "No, just a deer." Tired he wished to have rested longer, yet they could not afford to waste time. Nor could he let his guard down. The constant need to be alert at all times kept him tense. His muscles screamed in protest as he readjusted himself on the hard bench. Once adjusted he glanced around at the edge of the forest again.

  "I reckon Mr. Washington didn't care if you or Sarah left."

  "I reckon not. While I
am grateful we were allowed to leave, something just don't sit right." He knew from everything he learned at that anyone that crossed Clyde Washington ended up dead.

  "Just keep a sharp eye, big brother."

  Matthew scanned the tree line for what felt like the millionth time since they headed out from their makeshift camp this morning. He would give anything to know what Mr. Washington was planning. Their getaway had been too easy. Not for the first time, he felt like they were heading straight into a trap.

  As the day wore on, his nerves became more frayed. Every sound drew his attention. He couldn’t wait until they reached St. Louis. They were too vulnerable out here in the open. He would feel even better once they were in Chicago. At the mansion there was no way Mr. Washington or anyone else would get be able to get near Sarah.

  As the sun began to set, they found a river to set up camp next to. Gage tended to feeding and watering the horses. Matthew helped Sarah from the wagon. Together, they worked on getting a fire started. He noticed how pale she looked. Her movements more awkward. In her delicate condition, he worried the trip was taking too big a toll on her. He remembered his mother use to work cleaning houses while heavy with child. Unlike Sarah, though, his mother was conditioned for hard work. He wasn't sure Sarah was conditioned in such a way.

  "Sit and rest. I will fetch the water and get dinner started."

  "I can get the water if you start dinner," she said as she moved to get the canteens.

  "No, no. Go ahead and rest. You've worked hard enough." He reached around her and grabbed the canteens. As he did so, he brushed against her. He wasn't prepared for the rush of desire that shot through him. He grabbed the canteens and jerked away from her. "Sorry," he mumbled as he turned and headed for the river.

  He filled the water canteens and set them down on the riverbank. Looking out across the river, his mind went over the feelings he had when he brushed against her. He found her attractive but wasn't in the market for a wife. After all, when he left Chicago, he vowed he wouldn't end up like his older brothers. No, a wife and kids weren’t in his plans. Yet Sara was in trouble and desperately in need of a husband. She was attractive, intelligent, and had a sense of humor. It wouldn't be too much of a hardship to offer her respectability. He shook the thoughts away and joined her and Gage at the campfire.

  While Sarah and Gage discussed the various aspects of the war, he busied himself with heating up a couple cans of beans. It wasn't much, but their supplies had begun to run low. He wasn't too worried about it since they would be on the train tomorrow and dining way better than they had these last few days. When the beans were heated, they made quick work of dinner. Sarah retired to the wagon, while Gage and Matthew hunkered down on their pallets near the campfire. With Gage taking first watch, Matthew stretched out on his back and stared up at the stars.

  He wasn’t sure how long he had slept before Gage woke him. It had been a dreamless sleep. He rose, took the shotgun from Gage then rose and stretched his sore muscles. He added a few more logs to the fire, then sat down on a log and poked at the fire with a long stick. The flames seemed to die down a little then grew as it devoured the new logs. The flames projected long shadows on the surrounding area. The light danced across the dark trunks of trees, twisting and curling in obscure shapes and providing a small radius of light. The shadows it cast did not bother him. It was the unknown that lie just outside the light that keep him on edge. A wild animal lurking about would be easy to deal with; a man sent by Clyde Washington would be another story altogether.

  ***

  The trip to St. Louis had been a hard one. Six or so days of nausea as the covered wagon bumped and lurched along the rough path. She managed to keep it to herself. She didn't want to come across as a delicate female who couldn't handle inconveniences. After all, they were risking their lives to save her. They could have left her behind in that godforsaken town. She was sure they would have made better time if they didn't have her to worry about. Yet they took her with them. For that, she was grateful and vowed that one day she would find a way to repay them. The nausea wasn't the worst part of it all, she thought. No, the fear was the worst. The whole way from Danielsville to St. Louis, she had feared they would be hunted.

  Standing on the platform waiting to board the train, she reached down and gently touched her stomach. A smile played across her lips as she felt the slight movement beneath her hand. Staring at the train, she felt safe for the first time in a long time. As soon as they boarded, freedom was hers. It wasn't long before the call to board and she made her way onto the train behind the two brothers. They had purchased two sleeping cars—one for her and one for the brothers to share. She was grateful again for their thoughtfulness.

  Once inside her sleeping car, she looked around. There was a round table with two chairs by the window and a bed along one wall. She walked over and ran her hand along the bed. It was soft to the touch and beckoned her. She sat in one of the chairs and removed her boots. She thought to remove her sleeping gown from the satchel but decided against it. Instead, she stretched out on the bed still in her traveling dress. The ache in her back began to ease as she yawned and closed her eyes.

  Her eyes flew open. Lying on the bed, she strained to hear what had woke her. Silence greeted her. Fumbling, she managed to sit up and listened again. All she heard was the sound of the train. She got up, went to the door, and opened it. She peered down the hallway. A man was pushing a trolley cart. She was about to close the door when she noticed a covered tray on the floor.

  She grabbed the tray and carried it to the table. When she lifted the tray top, the aroma drifted up to her. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she needed to eat. She sat down and smiled at the plate loaded with grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, and mashed potatoes with gravy. After the foods eaten on the trip, this plate of simple food looked like delicacies. She took her time and savored each bite.

  When she had finished, she placed the lid back on the tray, then headed to sit it back in the hallway. As she rose from placing it on the floor, the door next to hers opened. Matthew leaned out, placing his own tray on the floor. He looked over and their eyes met and she smiled softly at him.

  "How are you fairing?" he asked.

  "I am doing well, thank you." She found herself drawn to him. There was something in his silver grey eyes that held her captive. Feelings for him stirred in her. She knew it went beyond gratefulness for him risking his life to save hers and her unborn child.

  "They have a viewing car. Would you care to accompany me?"

  "That sounds lovely, thank you.” Her heart kicked up a notch. She had never spent time with a man that wasn’t part of what she did at the saloon. It would be nice to spend time with a man who didn’t place demands on her.

  He stepped into the hallway and offered his arm. She took it and felt him tense. Before she could question it, he patted her hand resting on his arm and proceeded to escort her to the viewing car.

  They never made it to the viewing car. The train lurched and her stomach revolted, causing her to become violently ill. Matthew flagged down a maid, then helped her back to her sleeping car. Once inside her room, he removed her boots and helped her lie down. He pulled the covers over her and then took a seat in the chair closest to the bed. She laid there watching him.

  "I have something that I want to discuss with you." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on top of his thighs. "I was wondering if . . .. Well, I know it’s not conventional, but would you marry me?"

  She pushed the blanket away and sat up. “I beg your pardon.”

  "Well to put it delicately, you are in the family way but without a family. Marriage would give you respectability and the child a name. "

  “I can think of better reasons in which to marry." While she said the words with confidence, she also knew that if she told him no, marriage would never be an option for her. Men did not marry saloon girls who birthed bastard children. He had risked his life to save hers. That spoke volumes to the
character of the man before her.

  "I can, too. Trust me, marriage wasn't something I was looking for. However, I can't stand the thought of that baby being born a bastard and the stigma that would follow him for the rest of his life. I can promise that I will raise the babe as if they were my own." He rose and looked down at her. "At least think about my offer."

  She opened her mouth then closed it. He nodded and left the room before she could bring herself to speak. He had several points, all of which she acknowledged. She had no doubt that he would treat her with respect and provide for her. Yes, he would be a good husband. He was also very handsome. It wasn't Matthew that made her hesitate, though. He came from a large family. What would they think of her? How would they welcome someone like her? She was sure his wealthy family would never accept her. Could she live the rest of her days within a family that rejected her? A rejected family, she mused, would be better than the life I thought I was trapped in.

  She left her sleeping car and knocked on Matthew’s door. When he answered, his eyes went wide and she took a deep breath.

  "Yes. I will marry you," she said and before he could respond, she darted back into the safety of her own car.

  Chapter 15

  Mr. Washington sat staring at the man across his desk from him. He could see the pulse racing on the man's neck. The man was afraid and for good reason. How could the three of them slip out of town so easily? No one alerted him until now and for that, someone must pay. However, Liam Jameson was the town's sheriff and killing him would take some careful planning. For now, he would focus on those who could be punished.

  "Did Doris say why she never noticed Sarah was gone?" he asked. For so long the woman had been loyal to him. Fear was always a great motivator. As was pain. Doris had been very fearful once she learned how much pain he could inflict upon a person. He knew she didn’t come forward out of fear. However her silence allowed Sarah to get a head start and that couldn’t go unpunished. No he had to make an example out of Doris, least the other girls started getting ideas in their heads like Sarah.