Rescued by Love (Triple Range Ranch Western Romance Book 2)

by Emily Woods

  The bliss continued all week. Kate regained her health and was able to get up again. By the end of the week, Elise decided it was time to tell the whole truth to everyone. But first, she felt compelled to tell John. This might have been because of how he had suddenly become protective of her, warding off unwanted attention from the others, for which she was very grateful. Thomas had become increasingly persistent in seeking her out for conversation about the future. She'd tried, unsuccessfully, to squelch his interest, but it wasn't until John had a talk with him that he retreated, much like a scolded dog, and now seemed to avoid her as intensely as he'd pursued her.

  “I do not feel sure that I gave you enough thanks,” she said to him one day after dinner. She'd encouraged Marge to spend time with Kate and Lucas while she did the washing up. Tonight, John had stayed after the others had left for the bunkhouse. He'd made it quite clear that he had no interest in their pastimes, which included a bit of drinking and playing cards.

  “What for?” He looked up from the work that was in front of him. As foreman, he'd taken on a bit of the paper work so that Luke could spend time with his family in the evenings, and now he was poring over some figures at the table.

  “You spoke to Thomas,” she replied. “I am grateful. It was hard for me to discourage him. He is so sweet.”

  “Aw, he'll get over it.” He gave her a little grin and then turned his attention back to the papers. She continued washing the dishes, and when she'd finished, placed a second piece of pie in front of him along with a fresh cup of coffee.

  “Thanks,” he said, taking a sip. “It's good.”

  She sat down with a mug of her own. “When you are finished, I would like to talk a little, if you are not too tired.”

  He looked up at her with surprise and pushed the papers to the side a little. “That's fine. This can wait. What's on your mind?”

  Turning the cup around in her hand a few times, she swallowed hard and smoothed her skirt out with sweaty hands. “I want to tell you the whole truth. I can trust you, and you can tell me how much I should tell the others.”

  John held up one hand a little and shook his head, a dark curl falling over his forehead. “You don't have to do that. Your character speaks for you. If you have secrets in your past, they can stay there unless they are important for the present.”

  Blinking a few times, she frowned. “But before, you wanted to know so much. Now you do not?”

  Using the fork to pull the plate close to him, John sighed. “I was worried before, about Luke and Kate and Marge, but I'm pretty sure that whatever is in your past has little or nothing to do with us. Am I right?”

  Linking her fingers under the table, she looked down and thought hard. She'd convinced herself that the lies she'd told were as much for the family's benefit as her own, but that was not so. Although Salvatore was a cruel man to those who double-crossed him, he rarely used violence for the sheer pleasure of it. He always had a reason of some sort, and as far as she could see, there would be no reason for him to hurt this family. Still, she wanted to ask one thing.

  “Did you find out anything about the stranger when you went to town last?”

  He shook his head. “The sheriff hasn't told me anything else.” Now he looked thoughtful. “Are you worried about him? Do you know him?”

  Her heart began to beat faster. “I hope that I do not, but I cannot be sure. It is only a feeling and nothing more.”

  “And what do you feel?” he asked in a low voice.

  He leaned forward, his eyes soft. Her heart continued to race, but for different reasons now. The words she'd been about to say died on her lips, and she found it hard to breathe. His hand rested on the table and she took a moment to examine it. The long tapered fingers would have done wonders on a piano, but of course, he never had such an opportunity. Instead, he’d worked hard his whole life, and the calluses testified to the fact. She nearly reached across and laid her own hand on top of his, but the moment was broken before she could be so bold.

  “Any more pie left?” Luke asked as he came in, completely oblivious to the tension in the room. His eyes sought out the tin, and he nodded happily when he saw a good quarter remained. “Thanks for not eating it all, John. I'm right grateful for all your help delivering the baby and all, but if you'd eaten all the pie, well...that could be grounds for termination.”

  They all laughed, although Elise and John did so awkwardly. As soon as Luke disappeared again, she looked at John but the moment was gone. He was shuffling through the papers again. “If you're worried about that man, you should talk to the sheriff again, but the only reason you'd need to tell me is if you think you're in danger.”

  Was she in any danger? She hoped not, but it was hard to tell. Seeing the concern in his eyes and believing there was something even more than that caused her own worries to melt away. Trusting God, she allowed herself to hope for the best.

  “No, I do not think so,” she said finally. “But thank you for saying that. You are a good man.”

  He looked down at the papers in his hands and shook his head. “No one is good apart from God. I've made my share of mistakes, but that's my burden to bear.”

  “God forgives all, does He not? He will forgive my deceit and the things from our past too.”

  Releasing another sigh, John nodded. “Yeah, I know that in my mind, but my heart still holds onto things. I-I had a different life before I came here, more than one actually.”

  “My life was also very different,” she murmured. “So much different.”

  “Yes, well, we all have secrets and different reasons for keeping them. I don't believe you would keep something to yourself if you thought it would harm the family.”

  Silence fell again, but then Elise forced a smile. “Thank you for your advice. The next time we go into town, I will talk to our sheriff. I do not believe there is danger, but I cannot be sure. And please accept my thank-you for talking to Thomas. The situation was becoming difficult.”

  John nodded again, but kept his eyes down. She couldn't be sure, but he seemed to be avoiding eye contact with her. Her stomach fluttered a little, and she wished he would look at her.

  “By the way, you're the best non-midwife I've ever seen,” he said suddenly, a little smile on his face. “I think Kate and Luke owe you a lot.”

  “And you too,” she murmured. “If you were not there, I could not turn baby and make sure his safety.”

  “I guess we make a good team then.” The words were barely out of his mouth when he looked as though he wished he could take them back. However, Elise just smiled and nodded.

  “Yes, you are right. God used both of us to bring about His will. I was glad to do my part.” It seemed to be a good time to end the conversation, so she stood and hung up the dish towel. “Good night, John. Sleep well.”

  “You too,” he replied softly, looking up to catch her eye for the briefest moment. When he did, she felt as though the ground had disappeared beneath her, and she lost all her senses for those few seconds. He seemed to be looking into her very soul and offering her his own. Then he looked down again, and she wondered if she'd imagined it all.

  Only time would tell.

  John was glad when Elise left because it meant he could breathe normally again. Somehow the air seemed to go out of the room every time she entered it lately. And he could pinpoint the moment that started.

  On the day that Elise delivered Kate's baby, her confession to him about her deception had broken down all the walls he'd built. The mistrust he'd felt dissipated and changed into something else as he watched her do her best for Kate and the baby. She'd still been afraid, but had faith that God had brought her there for that moment. With anyone else, the baby might have been lost. Even the doctor said he'd never done such a thing. While he'd heard of it, he'd never dared to try turning a baby.

  And then her honest relief after the baby had been born, the tears that she had shed were genuine, and he couldn't continue his suspicions. There was s
till the matter of the man, but he couldn’t believe she would conceal anything that would bring them harm. He would solve the issue on his own if it ever came to that.

  A few days before when a package arrived from his former boss, he'd held it in his hands for several minutes before casting it aside, unopened. It wasn't very thick, but it clearly held some information about Elise, information he no longer cared to know. As he'd said to her, everyone had secrets. Not only had he never told anyone on the ranch about his former career, but he also hadn't talked about how he'd given into the vices of alcohol and gambling afterward, hoping to lose his mind and perhaps even his life after the kidnapper had disappeared, leaving behind the traumatized child. At least they'd recovered her, he consoled himself now. God had allowed that, and would use this for His purpose, just as He was now using him.

  He planned to burn the envelope when he had a chance, but it didn't matter. He knew he wouldn't open it.

  Once the paperwork was completed, he placed it all neatly on the table so that Luke could look at it in the morning, and headed for bed. He half hoped that he wouldn't dream of Elise, but the other half of him wished the exact opposite. At least in his dreams, he could hold her.

  Elise woke up in a cold sweat. She'd been dreaming that someone was pursuing her, and no matter how fast she'd run, they kept getting closer. Sitting up, she clutched the blanket to her chest and tried to pray.

  Although she'd heard John when he said the details of her past only mattered if they would endanger people here, and she couldn't imagine that happening. She still felt a pressing need to tell Kate and Luke about her past. She didn't like the lie between them. Even if they sent her away, she would tell them, first thing in the morning.

  Chapter 14

  “What's the meaning of this? What decent person shows up at this hour of the day asking to see a lady?” Elise heard Marge demanding in a loud voice, rousing her out of her sleep. A quick glance at her clock told her that she'd slept in, no surprise considering how she'd tossed half the night.

  The urgency in Marge’s voice had her out of bed and dressed in a flash. She flung open her door, but couldn’t move when she saw who Marge was shouting at.

  In the doorway, looking for all the world as though he had a right to be there, stood Alfonso Moretti, Salvatore DeLuca's man who had escorted her to the ship in Genoa. Apparently, he hadn’t left her after all. Her surprise was so great that she lost her ability to speak for a moment. When she regained it, she nearly charged the man.

  “What are you doing here?” she hissed in Italian, coming close to where he was standing.

  He looked at her mildly. “You're finished your business here, so I've come to take you back to Italy, no expense spared. Come now and no one will get hurt.” The dangerous glint in his eye told her that he had the means and will to inflict harm should she refuse. Of course the others didn’t understand the exchange, because they both spoke in her native tongue.

  Trembling from head to toe, Elise reached out to grab the door frame to steady herself. From the reputation the DeLuca family had in Italy, she didn't doubt his words. But how would she explain this to the all those here on the ranch?

  “I must pack,” she said to them, tears brimming in her eyes. “My family back home needs me. Alfonso has come to take me home.”

  Kate came out of the bedroom, disheveled from sleep and worry in her eyes. “What are you saying? You're leaving now? I thought that you had come to stay!”

  “Don’t go!” Maddie cried, clinging onto her arm. “You live here now!”

  Her heart lurched at the hurt in the little girl’s eyes. The ranch hands stood around helplessly, all except for John. Eyes narrowed, he kept out of sight and observed the situation. Elise spotted him across the room and wanted to speak, but he shook his head and sank into the shadows. She didn't know what this meant, but she hoped he wouldn't do anything careless. If anything happened to him, or indeed any of them, she would be devastated. From the telltale bulge in Alfonso’s jacket, she was sure that he had a weapon there that he wouldn’t hesitate to use.

  Without another word, she headed for her room and, working quickly, she threw her few dresses in a trunk and reemerged from the bedroom. “I am ready, Alfonso,” she told her captor. “My trunk is in there.”

  Alfonso looked satisfied. “You,” he said to two of the hands in English. “Get trunk.”

  The two men, Carl and Thomas, didn't take kindly to be ordered about by a stranger, especially one who was taking Elise away from them, but she forced a smile. “Thank you so much.” To the rest of them, she tried to say a warm good-bye. “I have enjoyed these months here on your beautiful ranch. I will never forget my time here, not for the rest of my days.”

  “No, wait!” Kate cried. “I don't understand! This man shows up here unannounced, and you're just going to leave with him? No explanation? Who is he? Why do you have to go?”

  Maddie continued to cling to her, crying quietly.

  Elise wanted to tell them some comforting lie, but she'd promised God she was done with that. However, she had to tell her something.

  “Alfonso is from my hometown and he is...connected to my family. He has come here because there is a…problem back home. I must go. I wish I could stay longer, but this is my family. I thank you for…everything.. I am so glad I came. We will write to each other like before, yes?”

  Tears began to pour down Kate's cheeks, and her breathing became ragged. “Elise, please. You've become more than a cousin! You're like a sister to me now. Please don't go. Can't someone else help your family?” She turned to the imposing man who hadn't budged from the doorway. “Isn't there anyone else? Please don't take Elise from us. We love her!”

  A flicker of something resembling concern passed over Alfonso's face, but just as quickly as it had come, it disappeared and his eyes resumed their steely look. “No one else. Only Elizabetta.”

  Pulling her cousin into a warm embrace, Elise struggled to hold back her own tears. “I love you dearly, Kate. We are always sisters, and we will meet again. If not on Earth...”

  Her heart wrenched in her chest, but she had to leave now, for their safety. She wouldn't risk the lives of any person there. She'd selfishly endangered them enough.

  “Is the trunk loaded? Let us go. Grazie, my loved ones. Give a big kiss to my dear Lucas for me.” She knelt down to bestow a final kiss on Maddie’s cheek and then pried the child off her. Quickly, she hugged Kate, but then pulled away before she was overcome.

  Vision blurred by tears and grief, Elise stumbled out the door and nearly fell, but Alfonso shot out his arm to steady her. The carriage he'd arrived in proved his earlier words true. No expense would be spared in making sure she arrived safely back in Italy, back to the marriage of the son of Salvatore DeLuca, back to the prison she'd thought she'd escaped.

  Her heart cried out to God, but no answer came. The ride back to town was too fast, and before she knew it, she was on a train back East to New York, leaving the life she'd come to love behind.

  “How can this be?” Kate cried out, watching the carriage disappear in a cloud of dust. “In the blink of an eye, my best friend is taken away, never to be seen again?”

  “Mama!” Maddie cried. “She’s coming back, right?”

  John's heart pounded in his chest. He knew the instant he laid eyes on this Alfonso that he was no friend of Elise's or her family. The man was some sort of thug sent by someone in a position of authority. It didn't take any kind of imagination to connect all the pieces of the puzzle. Elise had talked to the sheriff because of this man, and likely he'd been the one on the ridge with the spyglass and the reason that Elise had hidden her past from them.

  Wasting no time, John saddled Misty and took a slightly different route to town. He arrived long before the carriage and quickly purchased a ticket for the next train heading east. For sure this man was taking Elise back to Italy, but between here and New York, John vowed to find a way to stop him, even if he had to rely on h
is former colleagues to help. It wouldn't be difficult to send a telegram along the way. A conductor could be paid to do it for him.

  By the time the carriage pulled into town, John had secured a spot on the platform that concealed him from unsuspecting eyes. Only a man with his training could have outwitted him at this point. He watched as Alfonso helped Elise down from the carriage and put his hand on her elbow to direct her. There didn't seem to be any rough treatment so far, so the connection between them had to be somewhat familiar, as she'd said back at the ranch.

  But what was this man's job exactly and why was he bringing her back to Italy? Elise's reason had been vague, but he didn't believe it had something to do with her family. Was she somehow connected to a criminal organization back home and had come to America to escape? That seemed to be a likely scenario, but a dozen others flitted through his mind.

  He boarded the train after they did, making careful note of where they were sitting and taking care to sit in the car directly behind them. Thankfully, he'd made sure to purchase a first class ticket as he'd had a feeling that was the car they would be traveling in. It had taken a large bite out of his savings, but money didn't matter to him in the least, not when the woman he'd come to value was in danger of being ripped away from him forever.

  To prevent that from happening, John would give everything he had.

  On the train, Elise did nothing except pray. She refused food and conversation. She had no appetite for the former and saw no reason for the latter. Alfonso was loyal to the DeLuca family and would not be dissuaded from his task for any reason...unless God intervened. She knew in her heart that all things were possible with Him, but she could think of nothing to say or do, so until inspiration struck, she would sit quietly and wait.

  Escape seemed a viable option. She could possibly get off the train when Alfonso slept, but he never seemed to do so. She still had enough money in her skirt to make a new life somewhere if she had to, but she suspected that Alfonso was under strict instructions to bring her back and would spend his life looking for her, sparing no expense.