Mr. Frontz stopped walking. He turned and took her hands in his. “Well, since I don’t have a daughter to give away at her wedding, I’d be honored to give you to Jake Bridges. But I want you to know, I don’t take this chore lightly.”
Leah stared up at him. “I don’t understand, sir.”
“Me and the missus have grown fond of you in the short time you’ve been here and well…” He paused, then released one of her hands and rubbed the back of his neck. “What I’m trying to say is, if I give you away then that will make us family. Jake Bridges will answer to me if he harms one hair on your head.” His eyes misted up.
Leah found she had a lump in her throat. “Thank you, sir.”
He released her other hand and nodded. “Let’s get you ladies out of the cold.”
Agnes beamed as they walked back toward the home station. Leah felt as if someone were squeezing her heart. If she understood Mr. Frontz correctly, he’d just adopted her as a daughter. No one had ever made her feel like family before. She’d always been just another mouth to feed or someone to take care of the younger children in the orphanage.
Was this what it felt like to be loved?
*
Later that evening, Leah handed Jake a small bag with Molly’s things in it. “Are you sure you want her to stay overnight?” she asked for the tenth time.
“If Agnes thought she was in danger and wouldn’t even let her eat with those people, of course I want her to stay overnight.” He took the bag from her hand.
Leah nodded. The idea had been his, and since Jake was Molly’s uncle, Leah really couldn’t say no. Not that she wanted to put the child in danger but this would be the first time they’d been separated since their journey began. Sadness filled her. She looked to the little girl.
Molly seemed thrilled with the idea of having a sleepover at Uncle Jake’s house. She held her rag doll and smiled, showing all her baby teeth.
“All right. I’ll bring breakfast over in the morning. But who’s going to take care of the horses in the morning?”
“Ike said he’d take care of things until I got to the barn.” Jake smiled at her. “Stop worrying, Leah. Everything is under control.”
It didn’t feel that way to Leah. She offered him what she hoped was an unworried-looking smile. “All right.” Leah knelt down in front of Molly. “Promise you’ll be a good girl and go to sleep when Uncle Jake tells you to. Promise?”
Molly drew an X across her little chest. “I promise.” Then she grabbed her uncle’s hand and began tugging on him.
“Leah? Will you be all right?” Jake asked. Concern filled his chocolate-brown eyes.
She nodded. “I’ll be fine. For the first time in a long time, I’ll get to sleep without little feet in my back.”
Jake chuckled at that. “All right. We’ll see you in the morning.” He waved goodbye as he and Molly rounded the corner to go to the old homestead.
Leah climbed the stairs. Her lamp cast shadows on the walls. Everyone had gone to bed. The house seemed quiet. Probably because Molly wasn’t in it, she thought.
Once in her room, an uneasy feeling crept up her spine. Now that she was inside, Leah was thankful Molly would be with Jake tonight. She put her light down on the side table and locked the door to her room.
Leah prepared for bed. The sheets were cool against her overheated body. It felt odd having a whole bed to herself; for as long as she could remember Leah had to share with one child or another. That was just the way it went when you were raised in an orphanage. Her eyes drifted shut and she felt her body relax into the mattress. Leah inhaled but stopped midway when she heard a creaking sound drifting from the stairs. She sat straight up. Was there someone moving about the house?
Leah swallowed and looked toward her bedroom door. A light flickered through the crack at the bottom. She pushed the covers back and on shaky legs walked to the door.
Through the wall she heard Mrs. Watts hiss. “Come on, Michael! Get away from there. We have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in.”
His boots thudded against the wooden floor as he walked away. She exhaled. What were they doing? What could she do to stop them?
She rested her back against the door. If they were downstairs, maybe she could make it up to the third floor and warn Mr. Frontz. Taking a deep breath, Leah unlocked the door. Her hands trembled as she eased it open.
Darkness filled the hallway. For a moment, Leah’s legs refused to move. She said a silent prayer for strength and released the air in her lungs. Trying not to make any noise, she started for the staircase that led to the Frontzs’ living quarters.
Leah placed her hand on the banister and started up the stairs.
A crash below and a man’s yell had her turning around on the stairs. More crashing sounded. Leah looked up the stairs. She couldn’t see anything but darkness. With her heart pounding in her chest she wondered why Mr. Frontz or Agnes hadn’t come down.
Leah started back down the stairs. She heard the preacher come out of his room and run down the first flight of stairs. Just when she decided to follow, Leah felt something hard and cold push against her ribs. Paralyzed with fear, Leah recognized the object in her side as a gun.
“If you don’t scream, I might let you live,” Savannah’s voice whispered against her ear. “Is there another way out of here?” she asked, pressing the firearm harder into Leah’s side.
Leah fought the panic that screamed in her ears. “I don’t think so.” She was surprised that her voice didn’t shake.
“Then I guess we’ll have to take the long way.”
“The long way?” Leah parroted.
Savannah grabbed Leah by her hair and yanked. “Just walk,” she demanded.
Leah stifled a cry of pain. Tiny ants danced about her scalp where Savannah held her head in place. When they got to the next flight of stairs, Savannah pulled her back into the deep shadows.
Michael Watts sat on the floor with his hands bound behind him. His angry voice drifted up the stairs. “You won’t get away with this.”
Jake and Mr. Frontz stood looking down at him. The preacher was carrying a chair from the dinner table toward them. “Where are your mother and sister?” Mr. Frontz demanded.
What was Jake doing at the home station? Why wasn’t he at the cabin with Molly? Her thoughts turned to the little girl. Anger swept over her at the thought of the Watts family hurting the little girl. Reason settled in. Jake wouldn’t be here if Molly needed him.
Ike staggered into the house. Blood ran down the side of his face. Still hidden in the shadows upstairs, Leah thought she might be sick on Savannah’s shoes.
Mr. Frontz pulled the young rider inside and placed him in the wooden chair the preacher held. “What happened, son?”
Ike touched the side of his head and held his hand over the wound that was bleeding. “I’m sorry, boss. Mrs. Watts hit me from behind. She must have known I was there.”
“Where is she now?” Jake asked, looking up the stairs.
Michael laughed. “Ma is long gone.”
Did Jake realize she was still up there? Leah wondered. Did he know about Savannah? Or at least speculate that Savannah might be holding her captive?
Savannah yanked Leah’s head back. “Don’t even think about doing anything. I’ll put a bullet in him and then you,” Savannah hissed in her ear.
Leah’s head exploded in pain. Savannah wrapped her fist tighter in her loose hair. Tears pooled in Leah’s eyes. She listened as Jake spoke again.
“Mr. Frontz, let’s get Mr. Watts on a horse and headed to the sheriff in Julesburg. Reverend, would you help Ike into the kitchen and wait with him there for Agnes?” Jake patted Ike on the shoulder as the reverend proceeded to help him up. “I’m sure she’ll be able to make you feel right as rain in no time. We’ll send her back from my place on our way to Julesburg.”
Jake’s back was to the stairs but Leah felt sure he’d just signaled something to Mr. Frontz. Savannah pulled her back farther
into the shadows as if she’d sensed it, too.
Agnes was at the homestead? Taking care of Molly? Slowly Leah realized that they had all acted together to set a trap for the Watts family. Why hadn’t they included her in their plans? Had they thought her an outsider? Tears pooled in her eyes. She’d foolishly thought they counted her as family.
“Come on, Watts, time for you to meet our local law.” Mr. Frontz pulled Michael to his feet.
Michael came up sputtering, “When Ma gets back with my uncle you will be sorry.”
Mr. Frontz ignored Michael and opened the front door. Jake followed them out. A click signaled that the door had been firmly closed. Leah felt truly abandoned. Ike and the reverend were in the kitchen and the other men had just left, leaving her alone with a crazy woman. A gun-toting crazy woman, Leah mentally added.
Savannah laughed. “Well, they made that easy, didn’t they?”
Leah didn’t answer. Anger at Savannah boiled in her gut. How was she going to get out of this mess alive? Would Savannah really shoot her?
After several moments, Savannah shoved Leah down the stairs, making sure to keep one hand securely tangled in Leah’s hair and the other on the gun pushed firmly into Leah’s side. “Let me go, Savannah. I’ll only slow you up,” Leah said with a confidence she didn’t feel.
A sharp jerk and pain sickened her stomach. Leah gasped for air. Anger and fear warred for Leah’s attention, not to mention the ache she felt every time Savannah pulled her hair and scalp.
“Not on your life and keep your jaw shut,” Savannah hissed in her ear. “We’re going to the barn where you’ll saddle one of those pretty little horses for me. If you do it right, I might not shoot you.” Savannah jerked her head back again for good measure.
They stood in front of the door. Savannah stopped Leah and pressed the side of her face against it. A few minutes later the sound of two horses riding away met their ears. Savannah shoved Leah hard into the wood. “Hurry up and get that door open. I don’t want those dimwits in the kitchen stumbling out here.”
Jake growled behind her. “Too late, Miss. The dimwits have returned. Now release Miss Hollister.”
Leah felt the cold metal leave her side. She started to move away but Savannah still held her securely by the hair. The feel of Savannah’s knuckles bunching up against her scalp had Leah grabbing her hand.
Mr. Frontz stepped into Savannah’s line of vision. He held a rifle aimed at her head. “I believe you’ve been asked to let her go.”
Savannah’s hand relaxed. She straightened her fingers.
Leah used those actions to move out of her grasp.
Chapter Fifteen
Jake flinched inwardly when Leah’s tear-filled eyes glared at him and Mr. Frontz before she headed up the stairs.
Unsure what he’d done, Jake turned to watch her go. Leah held her head high and her shoulders back. Would she break down and cry once she got to her room? He hoped not.
Mr. Frontz tightened the knot in the rope he’d tied Savannah’s hands with. “Come on, Jake. Let’s get Miss Watts and her brother to Julesburg. Jack Slade is probably still there. We’ll let him deal with these two.” The older man’s face looked haggard.
Jake followed Mr. Frontz and Savannah out the door. “Well, if you will help me get them to the horses, maybe Will would be willing to go with me to town. I’d feel better knowing you were here protecting Molly and the women.”
The older man didn’t answer. He seemed to be considering Jake’s words. Trying to sound casual, Jake added, “I know Will has been wanting to see a girl there and I have a Christmas gift for Leah that I’d like to pick up.”
“Then I guess I’ll stay.” Mr. Frontz grinned across at Jake. “Besides, Will wasn’t too happy to be kept out of the action. He’ll regain a little of his dignity by taking these two in, and if that isn’t reason enough I’m sure he’ll be happy to get away from Agnes’s fussing.” Mr. Frontz chuckled at the thought.
It dawned on Jake that Leah may have felt the same way as Will. They hadn’t told her or the reverend that they suspected the Watts family of being up to no good or about the traps they’d set. Now he realized that it could have gotten Leah killed. He’d have to explain tomorrow that the only reason they had been excluded was because he and Mr. Frontz had been trying to protect them.
They arrived at the barn. Michael lay in the corner, hands and feet tied, mouth gagged. He was tied up tighter than a Sunday turkey. His eyes flashed to his sister’s and hardened.
Mr. Frontz shoved Savannah to the ground and proceeded to tie her feet up. She kicked her legs at him.
Jake shoved the gun in her direction. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, miss. This gun might go off.” He knew he’d never shoot a woman, unless she was truly a threat. But Savannah’s eyes widened in fear just as he’d hoped.
Once she was also tied up and gagged, Jake handed the gun to the older man. “I’ll toss her on the horse.”
She wiggled and grunted but Mr. Frontz shoved the gun in her direction again. Savannah stopped moving and became dead weight.
“Thanks,” Jake said as he put her belly down across the saddle and began securing her onto the horse.
Once Savannah was in place and he was sure she wouldn’t fall from the mustang, Jake went to get Michael. He looked down at the young man with derision. What caused a man to turn to a life of crime? Michael had already confessed that they had intended to steal the horses and he’d blamed his mother.
Will came running into the barn. “Aw, man, I missed it all.” He slapped his floppy brown hat against his leg.
Agnes followed with a sleeping Molly against her shoulder.
“What are you two doing here?” Mr. Frontz demanded.
Jake noted that the older man hid his true weariness behind a mask of toughness. Jake motioned for Will to join him. “You take his feet and I’ll take his head.”
“I was worried,” Agnes admitted softly. Her eyes held her husband’s.
Charles Frontz nodded. His face relaxed. A sigh tore from his body, proof that he couldn’t stay angry with his wife. “Everyone is all right. Mrs. Watts escaped but these two didn’t.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder indicating Savannah and Michael.
“What are we going to do about their mother?” Agnes whispered.
“We’ll let Mr. Slade’s men hunt for her. She’s a horse thief now, so I’m sure a warrant will be issued for her arrest.” Mr. Frontz moved to his wife’s side and placed an arm around her waist.
“And Leah?” Agnes’s gaze searched the barn as if she expected her to be there.
Mr. Frontz tugged his wife close. “She’s all right, too. I’ll tell you all about it once we get to the house.”
Jake and Will slung Michael over a horse. Air whooshed from his lungs, giving Jake a small degree of satisfaction. He looked to his niece. She continued to sleep peacefully against Agnes. What was he going to do about her?
As if she’d read his mind, Agnes asked, “Jake, do you mind if this little lamb stays the night with us in our quarters?”
“Thank you. That will be very helpful,” he answered, tying Michael to the horse.
Agnes had yet another question. “What are you going to do with those two?” She frowned.
“We’re taking them to Julesburg. We should be back before Ike rides out in the morning.” Jake turned to look at Mr. Frontz, remembering that his young friend Ike had been hurt. “Do you think he’ll be able to ride tomorrow?”
“What’s wrong with Ike?” Will asked, a look of concern covering his face.
“Mrs. Watts snuck up on him. Took a nasty blow to the head,” Jake answered.
Agnes gasped. “Where is he?”
Mr. Frontz patted her back. “The reverend is seeing to him at the house.”
“Then I need to get in there.” Agnes pulled out of her husband’s embrace and started to leave the barn.
“Agnes.” Mr. Frontz’s strong voice pulled her to a stop. “Hold up, woman.” Sure
she wasn’t leaving, he turned back to Jake. “You two be careful. I want you back here before nine in the morning. Understood?”
Both Jake and Will answered, “Yes, sir.”
“Good.” The older man rejoined his wife.
Will’s young voice called after him. “Sir, if Ike can’t make his run in the morning, I’ll be happy to do it for him.”
“We’ll see,” Mr. Frontz answered. “Agnes, let me have the child. If I know you, you’re in a big hurry to go check on your boy.” With that, he gently pulled Molly away from Agnes and settled her against his own shoulder.
Molly continued sleeping. She curled an arm around his neck. As soon as Agnes was sure her ward was in good hands, she marched from the barn at a fast pace. Mr. Frontz patted Molly’s back and ambled behind his wife.
Jake walked to his horse’s stall and pulled him out. “That was nice of you to offer to take Ike’s run tomorrow, Will.” He proceeded to saddle the gelding.
Will saddled his horse, also. “Ike would do it for me.” There was worry in the young man’s voice.
It was true. In just a few months, the pony express riders, Will, Cole and Ike, had formed a brotherly bond. There were several other riders that came through the South Platte home station but none of them were as close as those three.
Jake and Will rode in silence and at a fast pace to Julesburg. Jake’s thoughts were on Leah and what had almost happened to her tonight. His heart had leaped in his chest when he’d seen her held like that, with a gun pressed into her side. For the first time in a long time, Jake realized he’d allowed a woman to come close to breaking down the wall around his heart. How was he going to keep her out? They were to be married on Christmas Eve. Would she hurt him the way Sally and John had?
He glanced across at Will. The lad had a smile on his face a mile long. It didn’t take a genius to know he was thinking about the girl in Julesburg who had stolen his heart. The young man trusted too easily.
Off-key music was their welcome into Julesburg. A piano played, men shouted and shady characters hid in the shadows. Jake tugged on Michael’s horse’s reins and trotted farther into town with his prisoners. Will followed.
Love Inspired Historical November 2014 Page 66