Faith's Rescue

by Angela Lain

  “Mr. Duncan, I imagine Faith wishes to tell you she doesn’t want to marry Edward Shelton. She is being ridiculous, and behaving like a spoiled brat. She has made no effort to find a husband, what else should a parent do but find one for her? She cannot keep living here. She is an ungrateful hussy, and I hope you won’t allow her to persuade you to bring a halt to this arrangement.”

  She hadn’t actually caught her father’s words, he had growled in a low voice, but she thought she had heard the word ‘ungrateful’ repeated.

  Her step-mother’s next words confirmed her worst fears. “That is good. I am glad I can rely on your support in this matter.”

  She had crept to her bed.

  The whole thing went round and round in her head. It got her nowhere. She had concluded that arguing with her step-mother was pointless. The more she argued the more determined the woman would become, Faith had learned this early in their relationship. It sounded as if speaking to her father would be equally unsuccessful, but if she got the chance she would still try.

  The one real hope she now held was that Edward Shelton was no keener on this match than she was. He had been offered a fait accompli, maybe he would baulk?

  ***

  She rose late; she had slept badly, it had been the small hours of the morning before she had finally succumbed to sleep. She spent a considerable time in her room, dressing herself and her hair, before descending the stairs to sit in the window with her embroidery. As far as she was concerned this was a useless existence. It almost made her hanker for a home and family of her own; almost!

  In truth it was what she had always wanted, but she wanted it along with freedom, she wanted it her way, with a man of her choice.

  After they had eaten a light lunch her step-mother insisted they go to town again to speak with the pastor. Faith could only pray that it was too late to organize things, but she wasn’t holding out much hope.

  Her step-mother’s town visits were frequent, most days would see her ordering the carriage and setting off to see friends, or to browse the store, or to visit the newly established library. It was usual for Faith to be dragged along too. In the first instance she had accompanied her step-mother in the hope of improving their relationship. No-one could say that she hadn’t tried, but it had never built any sort of rapport with Claudia. They were too far apart in attitude to ever be comfortable together. Faith had given up on a relationship, but she had continued to go to town because she appreciated the new library.

  Today’s trip was one she would have avoided if it had been possible.

  ***

  To her dismay the pastor was accommodating.

  “A wedding you say? So our Miss Duncan has finally found a man to please her.” The pastor leaned to confide in her step-mother, saying in a loud whisper. “She has always been a very picky young lady, most particular with her tastes.”

  Claudia smiled in a winsome manner, it was so false it made Faith feel ill. “Indeed she is, but this wedding will be something we can all remember. I hope the whole town will be present at the church for such a delightful occasion. You can oblige us with Christmas Eve? Mr. Duncan will be extremely grateful.” She gave a meaningful nod.

  The pastor looked a little taken aback.

  “Christmas Eve? Well…”

  “Extremely grateful,” Claudia emphasized.

  “Well, yes, I’m sure we can manage that. Earlier in the day would be most appropriate I think. Let us say ten o’clock?”

  Possibly the only time he wasn’t already engaged in some sort of Christmas service, Faith surmised. She felt like screaming at him. He was a nice man, she’d always got on fine with Pastor Jennings, but he was falling under Claudia Duncan’s spell in just the same way as her father did. She was so small, she didn’t look powerful, or impressive, but she had this way about her that seemed to enchant men of a certain age!

  “Who is the lucky gentleman?”

  “Mr. Edward Shelton, son of Mr. Joseph Shelton, the lawyer.”

  “Ahh, I am not sure I have had the pleasure?”

  “No,” Claudia answered smoothly, “He arrives from San Francisco in two days’ time.”

  “San Francisco? So you will be leaving us, Miss Faith?”

  “No, I…” Faith got no further.

  “That remains to be seen. The young couple will make those decisions very soon I am sure. Now, is there anything else you need to know? Anything else to be done? Mr. Duncan will settle up with you shortly.”

  “No, that will be fine. Ten o’clock on Christmas Eve. My felicitations to you, Miss Faith.”

  Faith left the pastor’s house in a miserable daze.

  ***

  The following day was, if possible, even worse. Claudia dragged her to town to help with the collection of supplies and decorations for the Christmas party, to be held on 23rd of December. She kept trilling about it being Faith’s pre-wedding reception, and all her friends and the shop keepers thought it charming.

  As if that wasn’t bad enough, she was obliged to take tea with the Shelton’s once again, Claudia said they needed to visited to confirm the time and date of the wedding.

  Still Edward Shelton had not made an appearance.

  She tried to force the issue by questioning his mother.

  “When is Edward arriving? I really do need to speak with him. All these arrangements which are occurring, they may not suit. Maybe he wishes to do things differently?”

  “Of course he won’t. Christmas Eve will be ideal for us and for him. Edward will always accommodate his parent’s wishes. He understands that we know best in these situations. After all, how can he help to organize when he is so far away? No, Edward will be happy. He will arrive tomorrow morning. I trust you will be here to see him tomorrow afternoon?”

  Faith was well aware that the comments had been aimed to make her feel as if she was somehow inferior, as if she offered defiance to her parents. Much as she didn’t want to meet Edward Shelton, she could hardly wait for tomorrow afternoon. She had to get this stopped, and the only way that would happen was with his help.

  ***

  Another restless night saw her sleeping late and failing to ride her beloved pony once again.

  The day’s she rode she found she could relax a little, the wind in her face and the companionship of her horse calmed her. It made it easier to put up with Claudia and her demands. Missing her ride put her in a terrible frame of mind. As a result she was so tense she was ready to explode, not the best way to feel when she was about to face an unwanted suitor.

  Claudia fussed all morning. Twice she sent Faith back to change her dress because it was ‘unsuitable’. The second dress was deemed satisfactory, only to be reassessed and declared ‘not pretty enough’ almost an hour later. Faith was ready to scream at her step-mother by this time, and they hadn’t even set foot in the carriage.

  Ginette was summoned to put her hair into an elegant style. The woman plaited and curled, and pinned and primped for the best part of an hour. Faith’s tresses were yanked and her head stabbed over and over until she was ready to commit murder. Finally her step-mother decided the ‘do’ was good enough. Faith regarded it in the mirror and thought she looked ridiculous. Her hair was piled unnaturally high on her head, and the pins were uncomfortably tight, but there was nothing she could do about it.

  The ride into town was even more tense than normal. Faith stared from the window while her step-mother droned on and on about how she must behave, how she should curtsey politely, even how she should smile at the man. It was awful. It was almost a relief to pull up outside the Shelton’s house, which Faith disliked more each time she saw it. She had concluded that the place was tasteless and brash, a reflection of those within. Was Edward Shelton also a reflection of his parents?

  They mounted the steps, the Christmas wreath on the door, a symbol of seasonal good cheer, seemed to mock her.

  They were shown graciously into the drawing room, where the Shelton family awaited.


  “Good day to you all,” Claudia’s eyes fixed upon the young man seated by the fireside. “Mr. Edward, I presume?”

  The elder Mr. Shelton stepped forward. “Good day, Mrs. Duncan.” He gestured to the younger Mr. Shelton, who finally rose to his feet. “May I present my son, Mr. Edward Shelton.”

  He took Claudia’s hand and executed a small bow. “Honored to meet you, Madam.”

  As far as Faith was concerned he had already committed a cardinal sin in the presence of ladies. The man should have risen to his feet as soon as they entered, the way his father had done. Mr. Edward Shelton was either ignorant or rude; neither was desirable.

  His eyes had turned to inspect her, the girl to whom he was betrothed, and whom he would marry in five days’ time. His expression spoke of little more than a vague interest, he looked rather as if he had detected a nasty smell under his nose.

  Faith studied him for a moment; she could not recall ever having seen him previously, despite being told he had been present at two summer socials. She was not surprised she’d never noticed him. He was younger than she had expected, possibly only two or three years older than she was. He was also short, a little rotund and not terribly handsome.

  Maybe she was being overly critical, but this mattered. She could not claim to feel any attraction at all.

  He stepped forward to take her hand and greet her in the same fashion he had greeted her step-mother. Despite the cold weather Faith was wearing only light slippers, while he was wearing heeled shoes, and she was very aware that she at least equaled his height. She would hazard a guess that if he too was in stocking feet, she would top his height by a good inch, maybe more. The fact was accentuated by Ginette’s awful hair do, it made her seem to tower over him. It was unexpected, and rather embarrassing, but actually, she realized gleefully, rather splendid!

  Would a man of means, as he so obviously was or would be, wish to be exceeded in stature by his wife? Would that be sufficient to deter him from this awful idea?

  Everyone sat to take tea. Edward, however, insisted he would have coffee. Faith surmised he only did it to establish some sort of notoriety, it had to be seen that he was not going along with the crowd.

  During the next hour she learned a good deal about Edward Shelton’s stellar life in San Francisco. He talked of his successes in business, in brokering land deals, drawing up documents for legal purposes, including divorces and settlements. She couldn’t help but feel it was an awful lot to have achieved at his age, which could not have been more than four and twenty!

  Claudia asked about San Francisco’s social calendar, and Edward launched into an equally sparkling description of all the high class entertainments he had attended. He was apparently welcomed everywhere, and in great demand.

  By this point Faith had labelled him as a braggart, and possibly a liar too. Nothing he had done or said had endeared him to her. Above all, he had asked her not one question, personal or otherwise. There seemed to be nothing he wished to know, either about her or this town.

  It was obvious that he had no intention of building a life here. Whether he had any desire to actually wed her was also in doubt. She needed to speak to him away from the influence of his parents and her step-mother. She was pretty certain if she asked the pertinent question at this moment, they would shout her down and he, Edward, would avoid answering.

  Why did he want to marry her? Was there some clause in some will or inheritance that stipulated he had to marry by a certain age? That seemed the only thing which made any sense at all.

  “Excuse me, would Edward and I be permitted a few moments to talk in private?”

  “Oh, not today, we really must be going,” Claudia returned instantly. “See the light is fading and I really do not wish to be out after dark.” She shuddered delicately. “It’s so uncouth, coyotes howling and wolves and other wild animals prowling everywhere. Maybe even robbers and thieves! No, we must be going.” She rose to her feet. “Maybe tomorrow morning?”

  “Tomorrow morning I will be assisting my father in his office,” Edward Shelton returned. “After lunch would suit. Then Miss Duncan and I can have a private chat and get to know each other.”

  “That sounds ideal,” Mrs. Shelton rose. “Until tomorrow? I am sure you will be very busy preparing for your Christmas party on the following day.”

  Claudia and Faith took their leave, to Faith it felt rather like a dismissal. She was glad to be out of it, but she knew she wasn’t wrong about the Sheltons in general, and Edward in particular. They had an agenda, and she was being dragged into it for some inexplicable reason.

  As they rode home in the carriage, Claudia made some telling observations.

  “When we next visit you really must make more effort to speak with Edward. He seems to have a very successful life, I am ashamed that you didn’t take more interest.”

  “I did try, but he seemed very happy to talk to everyone, you in particular,” Faith muttered.

  Claudia regarded her critically. “Tomorrow I think we will go for a less lofty hairstyle.”

  It was the closest Faith had been to laughing in quite some time. The hair had been an unexpected and, as far as she was concerned, delightful faux pas on her step-mother’s part.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Earlier that afternoon.

  T he town Hawk sought appeared on the horizon, as yet he was undecided if he would visit. The last few miles fell away and he could see that in the two years since he had been here, things had changed. Even from this distance he could see there were more buildings, there were houses set outside the main street. No doubt when spring returned there would be yet more expansion.

  Unlike many small settlements he had seen, this town was a success. Towns on the railroad boomed, often to the detriment of the niceties. They were often dirty, smelly and noisy. In a boom town there was a larger element of hangers-on, wrong-doers, even criminals, the railroad offered a swift exit if so needed. Towns within easy reach of the railroad did well, because they were more pleasant to live in. Broken Ridge fell into that category. The rail track was within a mile of town, he had crossed over it less than thirty minutes earlier; close, but not close enough to be invasive.

  He pulled Storm to a halt and contemplated the buildings for a few moments, before turning away and heading for the wide acres of the CD ranch.

  As he rode he surveyed the land he had ridden and fought over two summers back. He could see distant cattle, but they grazed peacefully, there were no riders to be seen.

  His mind strayed back to that summer, that summer which had changed everything. He had met the man who had become the best friend he had ever had, they had fought side by side to right a wrong, and ultimately to free this part of New Mexico from a vicious tyrant. The Duncan family had been the focus of all the hate, with Craig Duncan injured, and his two children fighting to save their land.

  Faith Duncan.

  He had ridden this trail with Faith, Flynn and the old timer Jim Carter the day they had elected to help out with the fight. He remembered it fondly; Faith had fought him every step of the way, she’d been so sure she was strong enough to lead the fight against Marston, and adamant that they did not need him. He had not chosen the best way to prove her wrong. Putting her across his knee had been degrading for her, on his part it had been foolish, and it certainly hadn’t been tactful, but it had served to prove the point. She had been resentful for weeks, only warming to him after he had rescued her from Marston’s clutches.

  Now here he was, riding to find out if she even remembered him. He was never likely to forget her.

  He breasted the rise close to the ranch buildings, and what he saw came as a shock.

  This had been a prosperous ranch, maybe not elegant or fashionable, but the barns had been solid and workmanlike, while the house had been all on one level, a well-built, warm and comfortable home.

  The house had burned to the ground, he had expected to see it rebuilt in a similar style. What he was faced with was exactl
y what they had seen the day he and his friends had ridden away. The blackened timbers still reached to the sky. Possibly there had been some attempt to clear the debris, but the place was abandoned. The barn still stood, two years would not see it fall into disrepair, but even that looked shabby and unused.

  He sat and stared for several moments. Where had they gone? When they had left Craig Duncan had still been recovering from his not-insignificant injuries. Had he taken a turn for the worse? Had they decided to sell up? After all the trouble the family had gone through to hold this place, finding them gone was far from what Hawk had imagined.

  He turned away, deciding he should head for the town, someone must surely know where they had gone, and why.

  By the time he reached Broken Ridge it was late afternoon. He rode slowly along the main street, viewing the new businesses which had arrived since his last visit. Some business had decorated for Christmas with bright ribbons and greenery.

  He pulled up outside the sheriff’s office. If anyone knew what had happened to the Duncans, it must surely be this man.

  He hitched Storm to the rail and entered the office, the deputy sitting at the desk, looked, then looked again and rose swiftly to his feet.

  “Sheriff Bonner!” his voice was sharp, concerned.

  Hawk stifled a retort; he should be used to it by now. The concern was unjustified, he might be indian dark, but his hair was short and neat, his clothes too were pure Texas cowboy, there was no reason for such a reaction.

  Sherriff Bonner stepped from his office and pulled up short.

  “Well I’m blessed! Daniel Black Hawk! It’s a treat to see you!” He turned to his deputy. “Fenner, meet Daniel Black Hawk, one of the men who helped rid this town of Marston, two summers back.” He turned back to Hawk. “What brings you back to Broken Ridge?”