by Laura Abbot
On the buggy ride back into Cottonwood Falls, they said little that didn’t concern Alf. Far into the night, lying by his wife’s side, Seth longed to gather her in his arms and convey the feelings he was unable to voice.
* * *
On Tuesday when Lavinia drove the two of them to the building site, Rose had to laugh. From top to toe, her aunt was bedecked as if preparing to call upon royalty. Diamonds glittered from her ear lobes and beneath her fur-lined cloak, her lush royal-purple merino dress highlighted the diamond and amethyst necklace she often wore. By contrast, Rose resembled a sparrow in her plain brown gown and serviceable cloak. “You look lovely, Aunt Lavinia, but hardly ready for the frontier.”
“No matter. I have no place else to wear the finery I brought with me. Besides, it makes me feel good.” Lavinia tapped Rose’s knee. “But you are right. Next year I must invest in a more utilitarian wardrobe.”
They had already dropped Alf at Lily’s where they left the children creating a make-believe hideaway using a sheet draped over the kitchen table. After a cup of tea with Lily, they had set out again. For early November the day was mild, though a stout breeze caused them to gather the carriage blanket around their knees. “I had thought you’d have your man drive us today,” Rose said.
“Sometimes I enjoy being at the reins, and this is one of my few chances before I leave for home at the end of the week.”
“We will miss you.”
“And I, you. Before you know it, though, it will be June and I’ll return.”
When they crested a hill about half a mile south of Caleb and Lily’s house, Lavinia halted the buggy and pointed in the distance. Nestled in a grove of small trees overlooking the hills was the construction site. “What a beautiful vista, Aunt Lavinia! You couldn’t have selected a better spot.”
“I’m very pleased, Rose. Once I am settled as a part-time resident, I intend to discuss a cattle operation with Seth and Caleb. There’s money to be made here, and I’d be a fool not to take advantage of that fact.”
Rose looked at her aunt with fresh eyes. “You would want to be a business woman?”
Lavinia flicked the reins to start downhill. “I would relish it, my dear. One cannot live on bonbons and champagne alone.”
Rose reflected on her earlier reservations about her high society aunt. In recent weeks she had come to regard her as resilient and independent. Who could have imagined it?
“Now then, my dear,” Lavinia said as she stepped from the buggy and tied the reins to a tree, “I wanted to show you the place unimpeded by the workmen, who are at the quarry today with Mr. Devane. So we will have our run of the house.”
Rose was impressed with the progress the construction crew had made. The first story floor was planked and the walls framed. The inviting front porch running the full width of the house seemed nearly complete. Rose turned to take in the panorama. “You will spend many happy hours rocking here and enjoying the view.”
“I will be queen of all I survey,” Lavinia said, nodding in agreement. “Now then, let me show you the house.” They traversed through the suggestions of a parlor, informal sitting room, dining room and butler’s pantry before arriving at the designated kitchen space. “What do you think, Rose?”
The room was large, and Rose took her time studying the placement of the windows and the access to the outdoors.
“I will spare no expense, dear.”
“Very well, then. The sink might go under this window that looks out at the trees. A pleasant prospect. If you put the stove on the wall farthest from the dining room, the heat it puts out should not be a factor for your summertime guests. May I suggest you purchase a stove that has at least four burners and a spacious warming oven in addition to the bake oven? Also, there is room for a large work table to go in the center of the room. Perhaps your carpenters could make one with storage cabinets beneath. And over here, adjacent to the butler’s pantry, I suggest a long counter where plates can be assembled for serving.” Rose paused, then studied the wall opposite the proposed sink. “Perhaps it would be wise to put in another window there for cross-ventilation.”
Lavinia clapped her hands. “My dear, I knew I could count on you for ideas I would never have imagined.”
Rose felt her cheeks redden with pleasure. The kitchen she envisioned would be enviable. “It’s going to be an elegant home.”
“My prairie palace,” Lavinia said, smiling in wonder.
They proceeded to walk around the exterior while Lavinia pointed to the planned location of the second-floor bedrooms and the summer porch extending from her upstairs sitting room. “It will be the talk of the county, and—” Rose started, then laid a finger to her lips. “Did you hear something?”
Lavinia cocked her head. “Nothing besides the wind in the trees and the nicker of our horse.”
“Very well,” Rose said trying to shake the sensation of being observed. “Where will you locate your stable?”
Lavinia led her behind the house and spread her arms. “There,” she said, “just beyond that patch of cedars. Far enough from the house so unpleasant odors will not be a problem, but near enough for practicality.”
Once again Rose’s ears perked up. She could swear she heard twigs breaking. She faced the cedar trees, straining her senses. She could see nothing, yet the hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. “Aunt Lavinia, I think we should leave now to get back to Alf in time to eat and then start for town.”
“I suppose.” Her aunt gazed around the property. “I could stay here for hours, though.”
Rose controlled her impulse to run to the buggy and lash the horse to carry them away with dispatch. Was she silly to let her imagination run away with her? Yet something was not right. Not right at all.
With an irritating lack of haste, Lavinia made her way to the buggy. She had just untied the reins preparatory to climbing in beside Rose, when she stopped in her tracks. Rose followed her gaze and immediate prickles of fear engulfed her body. A thin man with filthy dungarees and muddy boots stood silhouetted against the cedars, a red bandanna covering his face except for his ferretlike eyes. But it was the pistol he held in his hand that terrified Rose. “Ladies, git your hands up.” The man waved his gun to assure their obedience. “Tex, c’mon out. These heifers have got the message.” He cackled in a way that froze Rose’s blood.
Another taller man, wearing a soiled range coat, emerged from the brush, pointing a shotgun directly at them. “Don’t be thinkin’ yer running away. Ol’ Tex don’t mind none dispatching you to your Maker.”
The first man approached Lavinia and jerked the reins from her hand. “Git in.” He poked her with his gun. “We’re goin’ fer a little ride, gals.”
“Now see here, sir.” Lavinia’s lips were clenched in outrage. “There must be some mistake.”
The man used the pistol to goad Lavinia into the buggy. “No mistake,” he said climbing onto the seat beside them, his foul odor further unnerving Rose. “Saddle up, Tex, and follow along to our camp.”
Camp? Reaching for Lavinia’s hand, Rose closed her eyes in frantic prayer. Good Lord, deliver us. I haven’t come this far to leave my Alf...and Seth. Then with a lurch of the buggy, they were off...headed for what? It didn’t bear considering.
* * *
Knowing Alf would be at Lily’s this day, Seth rode out from the ranch after the midday meal in the hope of spending some time with the boy instead of having to wait until the weekend. When he arrived, the children were napping, so at Lily’s suggestion, he prowled around in search of Caleb. He found him in the corral halter-training a colt. “Looks like a dandy,” he said of the horse.
Caleb led the animal through two more circuits, then turned him loose and joined Seth, who was perched on the fence. “You do a fine job, brother, but I wouldn’t expect any less of a former cavalry officer.”
Caleb coiled the rope between his hands. “Nothing more important than a good mount.”
“How old you reckon Alf needs to be for his first pony?”
“If you select a tractable animal, I figure in another year or so he’ll be ready.”
“He’s sure keen to have one.”
Caleb chuckled. “So were we, if I remember correctly.” He made another loop in the rope. “You enjoying married life?”
“Hard to say, living in two different places.” Seth studied his boots. “I reckon it’ll get better.”
“You didn’t have any time for courtship. That’s gotta be hard on you both.”
“It was all suddenlike. You know me, Caleb. I don’t expect much, but if I was gonna get married, it should’ve been for love.”
Caleb clapped a hand on Seth’s shoulder. “Love? You think there’s no love? Thunderation, man, you’ve had your eyes on Rose since she first moved to town. I don’t know what you call it, but I sure call it love.”
“She’s powerful important to me.”
“So there. Enjoy it.”
“I can’t tell her. She just married me for Alf’s sake.” He hurried on. “And that’s all right by me. I mean, we both think the world of that boy.”
Caleb shoved his hat back on his head. “You are one dumb fella.”
Seth cringed. Even his own brother echoed the school-yard taunts. Dumb. “What do you mean?”
Caleb threw up his arms. “The woman is mad for you, Seth. Anyone with any sense can see it. Pa and Sophie see it. Lily sees it. I see it. What’s holding you back?”
Seth twiddled his thumbs between his knees. Could he believe Caleb? He wanted to. But if Rose loved him, why was she holding back? After several moments, he looked at his brother and gave the answer that cost him so dearly to admit. “I’m scared.”
“Scared? You don’t think I was scared when Lily traipsed off to St. Louis after I proposed? Scared when I traveled back there to tell her I loved her and to give her one more chance? Give us one more chance? Scared? I know all about that, brother. But here’s what else I know. That’s what love’s about. Risk, man. You have to risk it all if you want the reward. It doesn’t bear thinking what my life would have been like without Lily, but it didn’t come easy. You gotta risk, Seth.”
Seth had no answer, but Caleb had given him much to ponder. Even if words had been forthcoming, he would’ve been interrupted by Lily who was running toward them, trailed by the children. “Thank goodness I’ve found you close by. I’m worried.”
Both men jumped to the ground. “Worried? About what?” Caleb asked.
“It’s well past four and Lavinia and Rose left here before noon. They should’ve been back before now. I thought maybe they were waiting to return until the children awoke, but that was almost an hour ago. I’m afraid something’s happened.”
Seth started running for the barn before the words were out of his sister-in-law’s mouth. He heard Caleb shouting to her, “We’ll go look for them. Meanwhile, stay inside and lock the doors.”
Both men leaped into the saddle and galloped away, heads bent low over their horses. Seth had never known such fear in his life, even when Alf had been taken. Then he could comfort himself that someone who loved Alf was behind the kidnapping. But now? There was no comfort. If something had happened to Rose... Whether it was the wind or tears that caused his eyes to water didn’t matter, he loved that woman and a life without her...why, he couldn’t fathom such an existence. He spurred Patches, throwing caution to the winds. Right behind him, he heard Caleb’s horse snorting with exertion. Finally they crested the hill above Lavinia’s property and looked down. Nothing.
They raced to a stop by the house and dismounted. Caleb began walking around, studying the ground. “Here,” he called. “See the ruts in the grass. This is where the buggy was parked. I wonder if the horse bolted.”
Seth ran one direction around the house and Caleb the other, all the time calling Lavinia’s and Rose’s names. Only the wind, now picking up, answered, its mournful howl echoing that in Seth’s chest. When they met up again, they looked at one another, grim-faced. “We’ll try to follow the trail,” Caleb said, remounting. Seth could only pray that Caleb’s experience as an army scout would lead them to the women.
* * *
Rose clutched Lavinia’s hand as the buggy went hurtling over the countryside, the horse urged on by the unrelenting whip administered by the ruffian sitting beside her. The man named Tex rode ahead of them, leading a second horse. With every lurch and bounce, Rose was sure they would be tossed out onto the hard ground...and with each turn of the wheels they were being transported farther and farther away from help. Rose’s stomach seized with fear. Would she ever see Alf again? Or have the chance to make a real marriage with Seth?
“Try to keep calm,” Lavinia said. “It’s our only chance.”
In hindsight, Rose recognized how careless it was of them to visit the building site alone, with no menfolk and no weapon. Lavinia was new to the territory, but Rose should have known better. Before this, the talk of desperadoes in the area had been just that—talk. Obviously, talk she’d too easily dismissed. If something happened to her... She bit her lip against the scream threatening to rip her lungs apart. Seth would care for Alf. Lily would help. As would others. But not seeing her boy again? Merely thinking about it was beyond bearing.
“Surely Lily will figure out we’re in trouble,” Lavinia tried to reassure her.
“But their home is miles from the sheriff.”
“Shut your mouths,” the driver snarled at them. “No talk.”
Rose eyed Lavinia with alarm, but the older woman merely shrugged. How could she be so calm, Rose wondered.
After jolting down a rocky cow path, they approached a large rock formation, surrounded by cedars. Finally the buggy rolled to a halt. “Stay put.” The driver aimed his pistol straight at them.
“Lester, I’ll tie up the horses and then we can get on with it.”
Lester. Rose hoped knowing their names might help apprehend them later, if she ever escaped their clutches.
Tex reappeared and unceremoniously lifted Lavinia from the buggy. Rose watched in horror as the man shoved her aunt to the ground and lashed her with a rope to a sturdy tree trunk. Before Rose could call out, Lester jabbed her with the gun. “Git out. No funny business. I’ve got you in my sights.”
Rose’s eyes darted around the scene, but no avenue of escape presented itself. She had no sooner hit the ground than Lester marched her to a tree adjacent to where Lavinia was secured. “You’re next.”
She felt the rough hemp biting into her wrists. This could not be happening. She couldn’t just sit here. “Sir, I pray you, don’t harm us. Take what you want, but leave us be. I have a small child who depends on me.”
Tex chortled. “As if we care.”
“You ladies think yer right fine.” Lester lifted Lavinia’s skirt above the ankle. “Fancy petticoats and all.”
“Don’t want no old woman,” Tex said. “But this here young one—”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Aunt Lavinia lifted her chin. “Take what you want from us, and then leave us be. Harming us will only get you in further trouble when you’re caught, as I’m sure you will be.”
“Oh, we’ll take what we want all right, starting with this.” Tex stepped forward and grabbed at Lavinia’s fur-lined cloak that had slipped from her shoulders when they tied her up.
“And this,” Lester grabbed at the ornate necklace, jerking it over Lavinia’s head.
“You may as well have the earrings, too,” Lavinia said. “Try not to wrench off my ears, sir.”
“What about you?” Tex faced Rose. “What you got?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie,” Tex hunkered beside Rose, then jerked her head ba
ck by her hair.
“Unhand her,” Lavinia shouted. “You have my jewels. If you leave us alone, I will tell you where you can find a significant sum of money.”
“Money?” Tex leaped to his feet. “We had a little something more in mind, but...” He and Lester stepped a few paces away to confer. Rose glanced at Lavinia, who seemed ready to face whatever would happen next.
The two returned and stood over them, Lester brandishing his weapon. “Where?” Tex asked.
“If you look in my reticule, you will find some gold pieces, but there is more hidden inside the well behind my house. Under cover of dark, you should have no trouble lifting the lid and finding the packet attached to the wall about four feet down.” Then she gave them directions to her residence. “Best go now, before we are discovered missing and a posse comes looking for us.”
The two looked at one another, as if debating whether to stay and do more harm or go. Greed won out. Tex doffed his hat. “Have a good night with the coyotes.” Then he guffawed. “All kind of critters come out in the dark.” Then he moved away to roll up their tent.
Lester approached and stood menacingly over them. “You say anything about who we are, we’ll come find you and it won’t be so pretty then.”
With that they unhitched the buggy horse and slapped him on the rump to shoo him off and then mounted their own horses and rode away. When the last sound of hoofbeats died, Lavinia muttered, “Good riddance.”
“Is there really money in the well?”
Somehow Lavinia managed a wry smile. “Certainly not. My hope is that in the effort to reach the nonexistent packet, one of them will fall into the water. Also my man may very well hear them and apprehend them. Anything was better than having them stay here and act on any more nefarious impulses.”
“We’re very far from Lily’s,” Rose said.
“Your sister is no fool. She will surmise something has happened to us and roust the men to come looking for us.”
“Oh, Aunt Lavinia, I pray it may be so.”
“Prayer is a good idea. If ever we needed God, it would be now.”