9781631054617HeLovesMeCole

by Christina Cole

  “Della! Come with me!” Emily cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted, trying to make herself heard. At once Della’s expression turned somber, and she nodded.

  “Let’s get inside. Lucille must be frantic.” She rushed across the yard and joined Emily.

  Indeed, when they stepped into the house, they found Tom’s wife near hysteria. Years before, when she owned a small dressmaking shop in Sunset, she’d been trapped in the storeroom during a fire. And only a few months later, she’d watched her husband run into a burning house to save his mother’s life. Calming the pregnant woman at once was imperative.

  “Tom’s all right,” Emily said in a soothing voice, knowing this would be Lucille’s first concern. “They can’t save the barn, but they’re getting the horses out.”

  Tears streamed down Lucille’s cheeks. “Why would anyone torment us this way? Who would do something like this?”

  “I don’t know.” Emily put her arms around Lucille and patted her long, dark tresses with slow, gentle strokes. “I just don’t know.”

  Della snorted. “I think it’s obvious. Someone is trying to frighten you and make you leave.”

  Although Emily turned to the other girl with a curious look, she kept her suspicions in check. The other girl might well be involved, but without proof, nothing would be gained by exposing her.

  “Della,” she said in a soft voice, “please go upstairs and check on the girls.” Although caring for the little ones was Emily’s responsibility, for the moment, she felt her place was with their frantic mother. “I need to stay with Lucille. I’ll fix us all a pot of tea.”

  Lucille shook her head. “Better put on a pot of coffee. It’s going to be a long night for Tom. For Ben, too,” she acknowledged. She glanced toward the stairs, watching until Della had disappeared, then leaned close to Emily. “Have you seen Ben’s father? I know he’s been sneaking around the place. Do you think he’s responsible for this?” Her chin trembled.

  “No, I don’t. He’s got nothing to gain by setting the barn on fire.”

  “He wants the gold.”

  “Maybe so.” Emily busied herself at the stove. She took down the coffee tin and measured it carefully. “It’s clear that somebody wants that gold. They won’t stop until they’ve driven your family away.”

  “Tom refuses to leave. He says only a coward would give in.” Her words were strong, but her voice quavered as she spoke. Lucille was doing her best to put on a brave face, but her struggle was apparent.

  “I’ll take coffee out for the men, and maybe Della and I can rustle up a bit of grub for them, too. Like you said, it’s going to be a long night.” She sighed. The earlier pleasures she’d shared with Ben were no more than fleeting memories now. “You need to rest,” she told Lucille. “Let me help you to bed.”

  “No, I can’t rest. Not until we have answers. I have to know who is behind this. We have to find a way to put a stop—”

  “You can rest, and you will.” Emily cut off the woman’s protests. “You’ve got your baby to think about.” Her eyes went to Lucille’s rounded belly. New life was precious and fragile. “After I take the coffee to Ben and Tom, I’ll fix chamomile tea for you. No argument.” She forced a reassuring smile to her lips. “Everything will be all right.”

  “Thank you, Emily. I don’t know what I’d do without you right now.”

  After settling Lucille into bed, Emily hurried toward the kitchen, stopping just long enough to glance out the window. Thank goodness, the men had the fire under control. She shuddered, for the first time becoming fully aware of the dangers that lurked on the horse farm. While visions of long-dead outlaws and images of ghostly specters danced through her mind, her head and her heart came together to speak the undeniable truth. There was nothing fanciful or make-believe about the terror wrought upon the land.

  Tom burst through the door, his face blackened from soot and smoke. He grabbed a damp dishrag hanging above the dry sink and wiped away the grime.

  “Get Lucille out here,” he ordered. “Where’s Della?” Tom looked around. “She came inside, didn’t she?” His voice held more emotions than Emily could number. She counted not mere anger, but fury. She heard outrage. She also heard the fear.

  “I’m right here, Mr. Henderson.” Della hurried into the kitchen. “I was upstairs with the little ones. They’re all sleeping peacefully,” she added, quickly allaying one concern.

  When his tearful wife joined them, Tom reached for her hand. He turned to Della and Emily.

  “I’m taking Lucille and the girls to Denver. We’ll leave at daybreak.”

  “Why, Tom? You said we wouldn’t run away. You said a real man fights for what’s his.” Lucille broke into sobs, obviously torn between her desire to support her husband and her desperate wish to flee.

  One had only to look to her to understand the reasons for Tom’s change of mind. Day by day, the strain upon his wife had increased. Her nerves had frayed to the breaking point. Both her health and that of the child she carried were at risk.

  “A real man fights for what’s his, yes. He fights, too, for what he loves. Above all, he protects his home and his family. He does whatever he has to do, Lucille.” He placed a hand at her cheek. “Sometimes that means walking away from trouble. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you and the girls from harm.” He wrapped his arms around Lucille.

  “Tom, will you need me to accompany you?” Emily asked.

  Concern showed in his unusually somber blue eyes. “I’m taking my family to stay with Lucille’s mother. She’ll be able to help with the girls. I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to continue paying you. We won’t be needing your services now.”

  “What about Ben?” Della piped up. “Is he staying here? He’ll need someone to cook meals for him, someone to attend to the daily housekeeping chores.” She folded her arms. “I’ve got nowhere else to go, Mr. Henderson. I’ll stay here.”

  What about your sick friend? Emily contemplated throwing that little remark in the girl’s face, but there would be no point to challenging her now. Like most people, if caught in a lie, she’d merely spin a few more tales. Nothing would be gained. Much might be lost, however, if she revealed her suspicions.

  Although she hadn’t put all the pieces together yet, she knew that the recently-hired cook was connected in some way to all the troubles at the Henderson farm. She played the role of innocence, and maybe she had Tom and Lucille fooled, but Emily had heard enough to know better. Della was after the gold—that much was certain—and in some way, she must be behind the attempts to drive the family away. In time, the truth would come out.

  Emily wore a concerned expression. “I’ll stay with you, Della. We can look out for one another.” Not for a moment was she going to leave Della alone on the horse farm without her close by to keep a watchful eye on her.

  “Please, go home.” Lucille rose, crossed the room, and took Emily’s hands in hers. “It’s too dangerous to stay.”

  “That’s a chance I have to take.” Emily bent forward and kissed the woman’s cheek. “Please, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

  Early the following morning, after a night of little sleep, Emily waved farewell as the Henderson family’s farm wagon rolled away. Della stood beside her.

  “You’re not staying with me.” The girl folded her arms.

  Even without turning toward the other girl, Emily could feel her hate-filled gaze upon her. Before she could reply to Della, the bunkhouse door opened, then slammed shut. Benjamin came toward them, his long strides carrying him swiftly forward.

  “What are you doing here?” He eyed them both. “I thought Tom said he was sending everyone away.”

  “You thought wrong.” Della gave him a withering look then gathered her skirts and flounced toward her cottage.

  Emily stared after her, distressed to see that Miss White’s artful flouncing nearly rivaled her own. Her jaw dropped. “Well, of all the nerve.” She fisted her hands on her hips.

 
; Ben put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I asked you a question. What are you doing here? Why didn’t you leave with Tom and Lucille?”

  “And go where? Lucille doesn’t need me in Denver.”

  “You need to go home.”

  “I can’t.” Emily sighed and stared down at her shoes.. “I didn’t mention it to you before because I didn’t think it would matter, but the truth of it is that I’ve had an awful row with Mama. I’m no longer welcome in my parents’ home.”

  “You could stay with Kat and Joshua.”

  “Knowing my sister, she’s probably on Mama’s side. If not, I’d only end up getting her in trouble too. I don’t want that.” She lifted her chin and gazed into his golden eyes. “I want to stay here, Ben. I want to stay with you.”

  * * * *

  A tempting thought, for sure. Ben knew he should stand firm and insist on taking Emily away, but his heart wouldn’t allow it. Better to have her close, he reasoned. Close enough to watch. Close enough to guard. Close enough to touch, to cherish, to love.

  “If you stay, you’ll have to do exactly as I say.” Did he think such words would drive her away? Not a chance.

  “Yes, of course. Whatever you say, Ben.” Her smile held a wicked, seductive promise.

  “All right. Go inside, go to your room, and stay there.”

  “Will you come with me?” She batted her eyelashes, clearly trying to win him over with flirtatious gestures.

  But Ben had other things on his mind.

  “Maybe later. First I have something I need to do.”

  “Can I help you?”

  “Not now. Go on. Inside.” He pointed toward the house, then reached behind her and gave her a playful swat on the rump. “And don’t come out until I tell you.”

  “Is this some sort of game?” Her voice still held a teasing note.

  He shook his head and watched as Emily—obviously still reluctant—dutifully headed toward the house. When the door closed behind her, he glanced around, almost shaken by the unearthly stillness that settled over him. With Lucille and the children gone, the unaccustomed quiet weighed heavily in the frosty January air.

  A few horses had returned to the corral, and they, too, were strangely quiet. He’d learned long ago that animals could sense things of which humans were completely unaware. From the smallest insects to the largest mammals on earth, natural creatures possessed a way of knowing that transcended ordinary perception. He wished he could be so wise.

  Is this a game?

  Emily’s playful words echoed in his mind. Everything in life was a game, according to his father. In this particular instance, the stakes had grown far too high. People could be hurt too easily. The time had come to put an end to this malicious sport. Time now to call upon the law.

  Recalling his brief conversation with deputy Goddard and his father’s violent reaction, Ben knew he must be very careful about how he alerted Sheriff Bryant. If any of the conspirators got wind of his actions, he might well pay with his life. Or worse. It might cost Emily her life.

  He looked toward the house, wanting to rush inside and physically carry her away. Later, he promised himself, he would do exactly that. No matter how much she argued and protested, he would get her as far from the Henderson Horse Farm as possible.

  First things first.

  Moving stealthily, he slipped into the house through the back door. He’d been inside the home only a few times, so he stood quietly for a moment, orienting himself to the layout. Emily’s room was at the front of the house, he knew. Tom and Lucille slept in the big bedroom at the rear. He crept to the back, pushed open the door and stepped inside.

  “Forgive me, but I have to do this.” He glanced toward a small tintype of Tom, Lucille, and the three little Henderson girls, and then quickly set to work. He rummaged through the wardrobe, peeked inside several hatboxes, and dug through the bureau drawers.

  At last, his mission accomplished, he slipped out again and headed into town.

  * * * *

  Too scared to move, Emily sat at the window, her hands clasped in her lap. Where was Ben? Despite his insistence that he had things to do, she’d been certain her come-hither looks had enticed him.

  At the moment, though, lovemaking was the farthest thing from her mind. The fire had shaken her nearly as much as it had Lucille. And then, there was that awful dream she’d had. No matter how she tried to laugh it off, the memory remained. The dream had seemed so real. How could it have been merely imagination?

  What of the sounds she heard now? Mice, perhaps. The horrid rodents always managed to find their way inside during the winter months. Those odd noises she’d heard coming from the back of the house must surely be them scampering about. So spoke her logical mind.

  Logic could oftentimes be a trap, she reminded herself. Things were not always as they appeared. Or as they sounded. Clever individuals made an art of deceiving others, resorting to myriad forms of trickery to cover their hidden acts.

  For at least a quarter of an hour—perhaps longer—she sat rigidly before the window. She’d seen no one come or go from the house. Of course, she could see only the front of the property. Scarcely breathing for fear whoever was inside the house—and by now, she was certain she was not alone—might hear her and know of her presence, she closed her eyes and begged the Lord’s forgiveness for any wrongs she had committed.

  She continued her silent entreaties for a long time, repeating her request over and over as more of her sins appeared before her weary eyes. Almost from the day she’d been born, she’d been a difficult child. Oh, how she’d tormented Kat, slipping into her room, reading her private journals, and then bribing her to keep her secrets. She’d been uncharitable on more occasions than she wanted to recall, and at times, she’d gone so far as to be downright spiteful. Emily sighed. She had a lot to answer for.

  Suddenly her ears pricked up. She listened more intently. Relief washed over her when she realized the noises from the back of the house had stopped sometime during her fervent chat with the Lord.

  Her thoughts quickly returned to Benjamin. Where was he? Whatever little game he was playing, she didn’t like it one bit. She was not about to sit around waiting on him when he obviously had no intention of coming to see her. So, what was he up to? Her thoughts flew to Della. Jealousy flickered at her heart, but then died away. She trusted Ben. Even if Della threw herself at him, he wouldn’t be tempted.

  Coming out of her room, she started for the door, then stopped and walked in the opposite direction, going straight to the bedroom at the back of the house. When she reached the door, she hesitated, then slowly pushed it open.

  “Dear God in heaven!” Emily’s whole body trembled as she stared at the awful mess before her eyes. Clothes were strewn everywhere. Several hatboxes lay opened, and Lucille’s house shoes were scattered about the room. Fighting back a scream of terror, she fled from the house, heading straight for Della’s cottage.

  Della must have heard her coming. She flung open the door, then stood at the threshold, staring at her. “For God’s sake, Emily? What’s the matter with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “You! You did it. You ransacked the bedroom.”

  “What are you talking about?” Della grabbed for Emily’s hands. “You’re talking crazy. Have you lost your mind?”

  “I heard the noises. I thought it was mice. Everything’s torn up!” Emily struggled to pull free, but Della kept hold of her. “It had to be you. You…or that man!”

  “What man? Do you mean Ben? Where is he?”

  “I don’t know. We need to find him. We need to tell him somebody’s been inside the house.”

  Della’s mouth puckered. “Are you sure?”

  “I know what I heard. And I know what I saw.” Or did she? Emily thought back to that vivid dream she’d had. She could have sworn—would have sworn—that John Brooks had come into her room. Maybe Tom was right. Maybe the strain had gotten to her. Maybe she had tot
ally lost her mind

  Della let out a heavy breath. “I’m sure it’s nothing, Emily. I don’t know why you have to make such a fuss over every little thing.”

  “Please, help me find Ben!”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Damn, if that ain’t the ugliest ol’ sow I’ve ever seen.”

  As Ben made his way down Main Street, he heard the guffaws and catcalls coming from the long-whiskered old men standing around outside the mercantile. He nearly turned to look but then realized they were pointing at him.

  Ugly old sow? How dare those gnarly fellows! Granted, he wasn’t very pretty, but he did have his pride, after all. He lifted his chin and held his head high…until he caught sight of himself in the small glass window at the front of the pharmacist’s shop. The image staring back startled him so badly he jumped, nearly falling over his feet.

  Not wanting to take any chance of being spotted near Sheriff Bryant’s office, he’d donned a clever disguise. One of Lucille’s best Sunday-go-to-meeting hats covered his coppery red hair, and he’d painstakingly pinned a few dark hairpieces at strategic points to make himself appear a woman with long tresses.

  Long, uncombed tresses, unfortunately. Worse still, the silken cap sat crooked on his head, exposing one big ear. Perhaps he’d been a bit heavy-handed with the rouge, the face powder, and the lip paint. It was, after all, his first experience at blushing womanhood.

  Taller than Lucille, he’d improvised his garb by wrapping her skirts around his narrow hips, not his waist, leaving the hem to drag over the ground and hide his big brown boots. None of the blouses belonging to Tom’s wife would come close to fitting his broad chest, so he wore one of his own shirts but kept it covered with a dull gray woolen cloak, and he hid his huge hands inside a furry muff. Along with the hat, he’d improvised a veil from a piece of gauzy fabric he’d found. It hung down over his face, hiding his features—and his true identity—from prying eyes.