Last Bride, Last Man (Book Three of the Red River Valley Brides Series)

by Hestand, Rita

  He stared at her. "Right now, I think if I could just be inside you…everything would come right again."

  "You are inside me, always…" She cried.

  She touched his cheek trying to wipe the frown away. "It'll all be alright."

  "I love you!" He whispered, then turned to mount his horse. He tipped his hat to her and was gone.

  She felt the void the minute he left. With the house in ashes, and him gone, she felt more alone than she had in a long time.

  She hoped he didn't do anything foolish.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gabe went to the bank first. He got a small loan, putting his savings up as collateral. Then he went to talk to Harry about the incident.

  Harry shook his head with a frown. "You don't have a clue as to who might have started it?"

  "No Sir. I don't."

  "I'll ride with you out there, and see if I can find anything. We don't want this kind of thing to become a habit." Harry encouraged.

  "Nadine's pregnant. I gotta rebuild the place, the baby will be here in a little over seven months." Gabe announced. "I don't want her having to make do…you know what I mean."

  Harry thought about that and nodded. "Don't fret about that so much. I'll get the town together and see what we can do. If we all pitch in, you'll have your house back in no time."

  Gabe stared at him a long moment, his expression one of disbelief. "You'd do that for a colored man?"

  Harry's expression changed and he smiled. "To me you aren't a colored man, Gabe. You're a man. And a good one at that. You are part of our community. And we're glad to have you."

  "But I'll owe you so much…"

  "No you won't. I'll hire you as a deputy off and on and that way I won't have to pay you but you'll be repayin' the town."

  Gabe considered his words. "I'd be glad to help you, any way I can."

  "Good. Now, don't the two of you fret. This will all work out. Let's get out there and see if we can find anything." Harry encouraged.

  Gabe's spirits were lifted with Harry offering his own help.

  But in the back of Gabe's mind was the fact that someone had set fire to his house. Like a personal affront. And he had someone in mind. Could he prove it though?

  ~*~

  While Gabe was gone though, Martina showed up at the home place.

  Nadine was making a stew on a spit rack with an open fire. She smelled the nice aroma and covered the pot with a lid. She had just finished cutting up the vegetables when Martina walked right up to her.

  Nadine heard someone behind her and thought it was Gabe but was shocked to find Martina standing behind her.

  "Well now, whatever could have happened here?" Martina smiled wickedly.

  Nadine didn't bother with an answer. She stirred the stew once more , then turned to look at her. She needed time for composure. With Gabe's temper, and her depression, she had to weigh her thoughts.

  "What are you doing here?" Nadine demanded to know.

  "I saw the smoke and thought I'd see what happened." Her eyes sparkled at her.

  "Well now you know…" Nadine's voice faded.

  Martina began to laugh. "Know? Are you that naïve that you don't know I set this place a fire myself. Darn good job of it too, don't you think?"

  "You! You did this?" Nadine asked, coming closer. "For God's sake why, Martina?"

  "You will not have him. He will go to the devil himself for not claiming his child. He's my man. Not yours." Martina laughed again. "He always was, and he will be again. As soon as I get rid of you. You bewitched him, that's all. I'd hoped you were in the fire. I honestly did. I want to see you dead. Now do you understand? You see, nothing will stop me from getting Gabe. He is mine."

  Nadine wanted to ignore her, but her admission drove her to slap her face. It wasn't a wise decision, but under the circumstances, Nadine figured she needed to bring her to her senses, for truly Martina was sick in the head.

  Martina's eyes got big and suddenly she jumped on Nadine with all her might. She threw her to the ground and wrestled with her.

  Nadine was shocked by her actions and not well trained in physical abuse, she tried to beat her off her, but Martina turned her around, sat on her and beat her in the belly until Nadine yelled and screamed and finally lay flat against the earth.

  For a few minutes the shock had gotten the best of her and she couldn't move. A black void threatened to consume her.

  She opened her eyes and Martina again beat her as hard as she could with her fist, driving her hand into Nadine's belly as hard as she could.

  Nadine's eyes were closed. Her mind had drifted away and a deep black void held her still on the ground.

  "Get up. I'm not through with you yet. You black hussy. I will kill you for taking him away from me!" Martina shouted.

  Just as she was about to pounce on Nadine once more Gabe came running up behind her. Hearing her words, his eyes narrowed on her and then he saw Nadine lifeless on the ground and he jerked Martina up and then slapped her to the ground.

  "What have you done? You little witch!"

  "She is not good for you. I am the one you love, no?" Martina tried to get up, but Gabe knocked her down again.

  He knew she was a woman, but all respect was driven from him the moment he saw what Martina had done.

  "Don't get up again, I may kill you." Gabe frowned at her as he went to his knees and cradled Nadine in his arms.

  "She's with child, how could you do this?" He aimed his frown at Martina as he held Nadine to his chest and started for the buggy.

  "I am with child too. Your child! Why do you not claim it. I love you so…"

  "You lie, and you know it." Gabe turned on her, grabbing Martina's arms and forcing her in the wagon too. "I've never touched you in that way, and you know it. Whatever you are dreaming up, is all in your head."

  "What are you doing? Where are you taking me?" She yelled at him as he captured her hands and put them behind her, tying her hands with the rope from the back of the wagon.

  "First to the doctor, then to the jail. You will never touch my wife again." Gabe stormed. "Or I will kill you Martina, with my bare hands."

  "I will not go with you…" She screamed and jumped from the wagon.

  But Gabe had none of that. He jumped down after he stopped the horses and ran to get her. He threw her to the ground and then hauled her over his shoulder to the wagon once more. This time he got his gun.

  "You would not shoot me. You love me…"

  "You are wrong. Dead wrong. I love my wife. And if you have done anything to hurt my baby…you'll rot in jail." Gabe declared. "Now sit there and contemplate what you have done."

  "You would worry with her, when you could have me now?"

  "I don't want you Martina. I never did." Gabe announced as he pulled Nadine against him. "Why is that so hard to believe. Why do you think I left here and joined the army. To get away from you and your lies."

  "You lie…!"

  "No, it's the truth and you know it." Gabe said no more. But rushed the wagon toward town. The doc was asleep, but Gabe woke him banging on his door.

  He carried Nadine inside after he tied Martina to the wagon.

  "She's been beaten, and the baby…."

  The doc glanced at Nadine and motioned for him to bring her to a back bedroom.

  "I'll be out in a moment." The doc told him.

  Gabe paced, then he glanced out the window. Martina was sitting there in the back of the wagon, trying to work her hands loose from the ropes.

  Gabe rushed out and whipped the horses down the street to Harry's office.

  Harry was still working on some paperwork and opened the door. "What's going on Gabe? Kinda late for you to be out, isn't it?" He asked as Gabe rushed through the doorway with Martina in hand.

  "I'm pressing charges for assault. Martina nearly killed Nadine."

  "What?" Harry shouted, then looked at Martina who was silently scheming a way out of her predicament.

  "If my b
aby dies, or Nadine is bad hurt. I'll see she never sees the stars at night again, Harry." Gabe shouted, his nostrils flaring.

  Harry took Martina to a cell, when she turned on him and reached for a knife she saw laying on a counter.

  "You will not put me in there. I am not a criminal. She deserved what she got…." Martina shouted wielding the knife at first Harry then Gabe.

  Harry snarled at her now. "Put the knife down Martina."

  "You should not leave the prisoner's things out like that. Now, I'm getting out of here…" she screamed.

  But while Martina was glancing at Gabe, Harry pulled his gun and shoved it into her ribs from behind her.

  Martina dropped the knife.

  She uttered some foul language then turned to face Harry.

  "Now let's try this again. Shall we?" Harry was nearly gritting his teeth as he shoved her inside a cell and locked the door on her.

  "Where's Nadine now?" Harry asked.

  "At the doc's. I gotta get back there, but Martina wouldn't behave so I had to bring her here." Gabe explained.

  "You go ahead. I'll be over to check on her tomorrow. Unless…something else occurs. What started all of this?"

  Gabe shook his head. "I don't know. I was gone to talk to the banker and when I came back Nadine was on the ground, very still and Martina was over her. My place burned down, Harry."

  Harry's face screwed up into frown. "Go on…I'll handle things here."

  "Thanks Harry…" Gabe said and ran out the door.

  When he got back to the doc's he sat in the parlor waiting for the doc to come out.

  It was a long time before he did and his head was hung. Gabe feared the worst.

  "I-is she…"

  "No…she's fine. But…the baby didn't make it. From what Nadine said and what I observed, she was hit repeatedly in the stomach. The baby had no chance."

  Gabe's eyes widened. "Oh dear God." Gabe grabbed his face and tears ran down his cheek without regard to who saw them. His baby was dead. His and Nadine's baby. The baby they both wanted. How could so much happen in so little time?

  Gabe got hold of himself after a minute and the doc placed his hand on his shoulder. "You can go in and talk to her for a minute. But maybe not mention this yet. I need you to get some rest and her too. We'll handle this tomorrow."

  Gabe nodded.

  "Did she say what happened doc?"

  The old doc turned to stare into his eyes. His frown was a sad one. "She said Martina threw her on the ground and started pounding her in the stomach. She said she couldn't defend herself because Martina was sitting on her. Then she blacked out. Thank goodness."

  "Then there's no doubt that Martina did this, is there?"

  "Yes, I'm afraid so. And Gabe, that's not all." The doc put his hand back on his shoulder.

  "What do you mean?" Gabe's eyes widened.

  "Martina burned your house down….Nadine said she admitted it."

  "My God…how can anyone be filled with that much hate? I've been in wars, I've had gunfights. But never have I seen so much hate come out of one person." Gabe shook his head.

  "Maybe you should just reassure Nadine tonight. Let her rest easy, then tomorrow we'll handle the rest…."

  "Okay doc. Whatever you say."

  While Gabe went inside the room to see Nadine, Harry showed up.

  "How is she doc?" Harry asked with real concern.

  "She'll mend, but she lost the baby…." He said with sorrow in his voice.

  "Dear God."

  The doc seemed to compose himself then he looked at Harry. "And that's not all. She's the one that burnt his house down."

  "Are you serious?" Harry asked, his shock made him sit down. "I can't believe a woman would do such a thing…"

  "Nadine said she admitted it." The doc said.

  "Good Lord. She's going to prison then, that's settled. There will be a trial, but with an admission, it's set in stone. How do people get that mad, that upset, that mean, is beyond me. Most men aren't that mean, doc."

  "This is true. Martina has been nursing a grudge with Gabe for years. That's why he took off for the army. He wanted to get away from her before she did some real harm. Now he's back and she's still up to her old tricks, only this time, she got caught." The doc nodded.

  "Small justice for what she's done… Does Nadine know yet?"

  "No, I told Gabe she needed some rest tonight, we'd talk to her tomorrow."

  "Probably best. I'll wait around for Gabe, he can come over to Ma's for tonight so he won't have to come into town tomorrow." Harry offered. "Ma will be glad to have him and I'm sure she'll want to be here with Nadine, her and Jo Ella both."

  "That would be a good idea. Because once she is up and around, she's going to want some answers. It's a sad thing, their first baby…but Nadine is a strong woman and she can have others."

  "Thank God for that." Harry sighed.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The room was quiet. Nadine lay sleeping on the bed. She looked beautiful, lying there.

  Gabe wiped his tears away so she wouldn’t see them.

  Gabe stood over her, watching her sleep peacefully. He wished he had gotten some sleep last night, but he hadn't. The loss of his child was still too fresh in his mind. That and the fact it was such a useless kind of loss. Martina would pay for this. With admission of guilt there was no way she would walk away from her crimes. Still, the death of a child weighed heavy on Gabe now.

  How could he tell her what happened? How could he break his wife's heart?

  What words did he use?

  Ma and Jo Ella were outside waiting to see her too. Gabe sighed heavily and Nadine's eyes came open.

  She grabbed for his hand.

  She glanced about the room, obviously not sure where she was.

  "I brought you to docs. Do you remember what happened last night?" Gabe asked taking her hand and kissing it.

  "Not much. I was cooking dinner, waiting on you to come home, and Martina showed up. She attacked me, I tried to fight back, but she was sitting on me and my hands were under her at the time. I couldn't fight back well enough. I couldn't get her off me."

  "Yes sweetheart, she is in jail now." Gabe said without feeling.

  "You had her arrested?" Nadine almost sat up now.

  "Of course I did. She won't get away with anything. No darling, don't get up yet. You've had a bad time of it. Very bad." Gabe hung his head.

  He couldn't look her in the eye and tell her they lost the baby. He couldn't do it.

  But her expression changed, she stilled and stared at him. "The baby….?"

  "We lost it…" his words were spoken with tears.

  Nadine did raise up now, but to comfort him. "Oh God, oh dear God…" She murmured as she put his head in her lap and let him cry.

  To see a man like Gabe reduced to tears was more than most people could bear. But in her lap he cried openly for their child.

  She wiped his tears away with the sheet and looked at him. "She did not win, Gabe. I won't let her win. I will have other babies, after I heal. I promise you."

  He glanced up at her and took her into his arms and cradled her there for a long time.

  "I love you Nadine, more than anything else in the world. And Martina is a sick woman, but she will pay the price for her misdeed. I promise you that." Gabe said squeezing her against him.

  Nadine nodded against him. "She told me she set fire to the house. I couldn't believe it, she admitted it, as though she wanted me to know it was her."

  "I know. Harry locked her up. The trial will be in a week when the Judge comes through. She'll likely go to jail for a long time. But…he said you might have to testify."

  "Then I will. For our baby's sake, I will." She murmured. Tears flowed down Nadine's cheeks now, as though it finally penetrated exactly how much Martina had done to her.

  "I wish there was more I could do…"

  She kissed him solidly on the lips. "I know my love. I know. We made a baby with our love, our
love is not destroyed we will have another…" Nadine was saying, unaware that tears were streaming down her face now. She couldn't feel them, she couldn't feel anything but the love she had for Gabe right now.

  He clutched her tight. "I'll never let anyone hurt you again Nadine…" He promised.

  For half an hour she wept in his arms, and he too. Then they gathered what control they had and opened the door for Ma and Jo Ella.

  ~*~

  "Oh darlin'," Ma held her arms out to hug Nadine.

  Jo Ella came too and they all cried together. Gabe wouldn't let them all see his feelings. He excused himself telling her he'd see her later. Knowing how he felt made her stronger.

  "Gabe had to leave. He's been crying all morning, with me." Nadine said trying to dry her eyes when Ma whipped out a handkerchief from her dress pocket.

  "Losing a child is one of the hardest things a body has to go through. I should know. I lost two in childbirth." Ma cried out. "You are forced to deal with it, and it is an unbearable burden. You cry all you want honey. You cry for your baby."

  "Oh Ma, I didn't know that you lost a baby, two babies. I can't imagine…" Jo Ella stared at her.

  "I try not to think about it. Harry's dad cried too. God love him. It means there is a strong bond there when they can bare their souls like that. But you be strong girl, for him and yourself. You are young and you can have others. I did."

  Nadine looked at her and grabbed her to her. "Help me be strong for him."

  "We will," Jo Ella cried.

  "When I'm well healed, I will try again. I will not give up trying to give Gabe a child." Nadine promised.

  "Good. Nothing helps heal you better than another one to worry over." Ma agreed.

  "Harry's got Martina locked up good. He says she'll probably get a long sentence even though she is a woman, as she has multiple charges against her. Personally, I think she deserves it. But they won't hang her. Harry's never hung a woman, and he won't this time either, even though she deserves it. She's won't hang because she is with child."