“Thank you. My attorney says that they can only take her if I agree to it, but I hate that they keep trying. I told them I’ll let Milly visit when she’s older, but Mrs. Garrett seems only to care about having Milly all to herself. Which she doesn’t appear to appreciate during their time together.”
Silas frowned, then looked at Rose, not wishing to hurt her, but knowing she’d find out soon enough. “I found out today that when they have Milly, they’ve also been having Flora Montgomery come to the hotel to help with her.”
“What happened to the French nanny?”
“Didn’t like the climate, I hear.” Silas shrugged. “Apparently, Flora also speaks French, and the Garretts are delighted with her.”
Pain washed over Rose’s face. “Of course they are. I should have never said anything.”
“What do you mean?”
Rose frowned, letting out a long sigh. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was angry, and I told them that if they objected to my time with Milly, then they shouldn’t consider Flora, because as bad as my reputation is, Flora is welcome in even fewer respectable homes. I should have known that they’d use Flora just to spite me.”
“What’s wrong with Flora?”
Sighing again, Rose plopped into her favorite chair. “That’s just the trouble. And why I feel so terrible about saying anything in the first place. I feel like I’m guilty of the same crime we’ve all convicted her of.”
Silas joined her on the nearby sofa. “I won’t judge you. But I would like to know why you don’t want Flora taking care of my daughter.”
Her face softened as she looked at him. “No, you don’t judge me, do you?”
Another expression flitted across her face, but it was gone before Silas could interpret it.
“Flora is the town’s biggest gossip. Or rather, was. She’s the reason everyone knows I ran off with Ben. Had it not been for Flora’s big mouth, no one would have known. Obviously, people would have eventually learned of my downfall given the resulting child...”
She smiled at Matthew, eyes shining. “But she made it very difficult for a while. She was also the one to break the news of Emma Jane and Jasper Jackson’s disappearance, forcing them to wed. I think she meant to humiliate Emma Jane, but Jasper is an honorable man, and because he had compromised her reputation, even though nothing happened, he married Emma Jane. Which only seemed to anger Flora even more, and she did everything she could to verbally tear Emma Jane down. Finally, people got tired of it, and countless others who’d fallen victim to Flora’s tongue came forward.”
Rose’s brow furrowed. “She hurt a lot of people, and the ladies of the church got together and told Flora that if she couldn’t be kind, she wasn’t welcome at our events. Many people took that a step further, and now, no one even wants her in their home. Her mother sent her away for a while, but so far, Flora hasn’t said or done anything to indicate she’s changed. She still makes digs at me every chance she gets.”
Shaking her head, Rose looked at him. “I probably said too much. I honestly don’t wish to tear Flora down. I’m sure there are redeeming qualities in her, but the way she treats me, the way she treats others, I have a hard time finding them.”
“I appreciate your honesty. I don’t want anyone who doesn’t hold you in high esteem to be spending time with my daughter. It’s bad enough that the Garretts are poisoning her mind—I don’t need to add to it.”
Rose nodded slowly. “All the same, at some point, Milly will learn what those words mean, and she will learn that technically—”
“Technically, those words should be out of use, and I won’t allow you to accept them as definitions for you or Matthew.”
He spoke with such force that Matthew started to fuss. Silas rubbed the baby’s back gently. “It’s all right, little fellow. I was just making sure your mama understood that we’re not going to tolerate people saying bad things about you.”
“Yet you can’t erase what I did. No matter what words you do or don’t use, I’m guilty, and that’s all the rest of the world can see.”
“But you’ve been forgiven by God,” he said quietly. “At some point, you have to apply that forgiveness to every aspect of your life. You’ve made your peace with the Lord, so now you’ve got to choose to hold your head up high. When people continue to try to punish you for a mistake that God no longer holds against you, you don’t have to let them.”
Her eyes filled with tears and emotions he couldn’t read filled her drawn brow. His own heart felt heavy. Burdened. For the first time, he understood Rose’s struggle with forgiving him. She’d accepted God’s forgiveness, but society still continued to punish her. As many times as she’d forgiven him, there was a small piece of her still trying to punish him, because, in her world, that’s how it worked.
But that’s not how forgiveness worked.
Until Rose figured that out for herself, there was no hope for a future between them.
Matthew leaned forward and reached for his mother. Rose took the baby and held him close.
“No one has the right to punish you,” Silas said quietly. “But until you stop punishing yourself, and stop accepting the punishment everyone else lays upon you, you’re never going to be free of the shame weighing you down.”
Words Rose needed, but also, words he needed. All this time, he’d been punishing himself because he knew he deserved it after what he’d done to Rose. He’d been carrying shame when he’d already sought and received forgiveness. If there were amends to be made, he’d make them, but he had to stop torturing himself with jumping through the hoops he’d set up to make it right.
Tears ran down Rose’s face. “But I did all the things people said I did. Even the things Flora said. She might have lied about everyone else, but she told the truth about me.”
“None of those things are true about you anymore.” Then he grinned. “Unless you’re sneaking out at night to meet men at saloons.”
“I would never!” A wide smile quickly replaced the immediate horror on her face. “I suppose you’re right. All the things I did, I can’t imagine doing now. Or ever again.”
Silas took a deep breath. Maybe it was the wrong time, and maybe he was asking for too much too soon. But the parallel was too clear for him to miss out on the opportunity.
“I feel the same about my actions. I was wrong to court you when my family was in talks for me to marry another. If I court you again...” He shook his head. “No. Rose, I want to court you. I don’t know if we’ve changed so much that we’re incompatible, but honestly, I don’t know that we knew enough about each other to know that we were compatible. Regardless, I promise you. When you’re willing to consent to being courted by me, I will not court another.”
She stared at him for a long moment. “And in the meantime?”
“You’re the only woman I wish to court. But if that changes, you’ll be the first to know.”
Her posture relaxed, and she smiled at him. “I appreciate that. And you’re right. About me punishing myself. And I suppose I’ve been punishing you, as well. I don’t know how to move forward, and I don’t know how to trust when trust has been broken. But I’m willing to try.”
Matthew giggled and reached for her hair, managing to pull loose a wispy piece.
“You little rascal.” She pried her hair free of her son’s grip, looking more carefree than he’d seen her in a while.
He opened his mouth to ask her what trying meant, but Maddie entered the room, looking around like she’d lost something.
“Is something amiss?” Rose immediately stood, adjusting baby Matthew in her arms as she did so.
“Milly’s not back yet. I thought they should have brought her home by now.”
Silas looked up at the clock. They’d agreed to return by two, but it was nearly four.
�
��I’ll go pick her up at the hotel. Perhaps they just lost track of time.”
Silas’s heart thudded in his stomach as he said the words. The Garretts were the most punctual people he knew. They wouldn’t be nearly two hours late without a good reason. And for the life of him, Silas couldn’t think of a single one other than the unthinkable.
When Frank entered the room, Silas looked at him. “When is the next train to Denver?”
The older man glanced at his pocket watch. “You go to the hotel. I’ll get Will, and we’ll head to the train station. Maddie, you get everyone to praying, will you?”
“Let’s not panic,” Rose said, her voice quivering.
“I agree,” Frank said. “But we also don’t want to lose time. If we don’t find Milly before the Garretts get on the train, it’ll be a lot harder and take longer to get her back.”
Nowhere, in any of his nightmares, had he imagined this. Did he think the Garretts capable of taking Milly? Absolutely. But he’d also thought that they wouldn’t be so sneaky about it. Even when he’d taken Milly, he’d warned them. Told them that if they didn’t stop interfering with him spending time with his daughter, he’d take her and leave. But he’d been letting the Garretts have time with Milly every day.
So how could they do this?
Frank handed him his coat. “It’s getting cold out there. Bundle up good.”
As he buttoned up for the weather, he noticed Rose doing the same.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going with you. I love Milly, too, and I’m not going to sit idly by while everyone else is out there doing something.”
“What about Matthew?”
“I’m sure Maddie can manage.”
The older woman was holding the baby, worry lining her brow, but she smiled down at Matthew. “And we’ll do just fine.”
He, Rose and Frank left the house, Frank immediately turning toward Will and Mary’s, but Rose and Silas heading for the Rafferty.
They seemed to fly to the hotel and arrived before Silas had a chance to realize what was happening.
“Mrs. Rafferty is at the front desk,” Rose said. “I’m sure she can help us.”
She led him to where the woman stood watch over her customers.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Rafferty.” Rose gave her a smile. “I was hoping you could give us some assistance.”
“Rose! Lovely to see you as always. What can I do for you?”
His daughter was missing, and they were exchanging pleasantries?
“We need to know where the Garretts are,” Silas said, ignoring Rose’s pointed glare.
“The Garretts?” Mrs. Rafferty said, her brow furrowed. “They checked out hours ago.”
“Checked out?” Silas knew his voice was loud, but the pain burning his heart wouldn’t allow him to be any quieter.
Rose rested a hand on his arm. “Did they say where they were going?”
Her voice remained calm, gentle, a contrast to the storm raging inside him. He tried to speak, but the pressure on his arm grew stronger.
“No, I’m sorry.” She truly looked apologetic. But it didn’t bring them closer to finding Milly. Silas struggled against Rose’s grip on his arm, but her hand remained firm.
“Please, Mrs. Rafferty,” Rose said gently. “They have his daughter. If there’s anything you can think of that they might have said, or any indication they might have given about their direction...”
The older woman frowned, took off her spectacles, then rubbed her forehead. “They did seem in rather a hurry. Mrs. Garrett acted agitated and kept looking over her shoulder at the door. But it was just the two of them.”
Silas’s gut churned. What had they done with Milly?
Rose, however, remained calm. “Did you happen to see Flora Montgomery with them?”
“No.” Mrs. Rafferty shook her head. Then she brightened. “But Flora was here earlier. And she did have a little girl with her. Flora said she was her charge, and she’d be traveling with the little girl’s family to Ohio. I congratulated her on her new position. Flora seemed most excited to be starting a new life.”
Silas felt like he was going to be sick. If they managed to get Milly to Ohio, chances of him getting her back were next to nothing. Why had they done this? Was having Milly all to themselves so important that they’d destroy all these lives? He’d worked so hard to find a way for them all to work together. So they all could be a part of Milly’s life. But now...
Mrs. Rafferty let out a long sigh, echoing the pain in Silas’s heart. “I know life has been hard for Flora lately. Her own doing, but I’d always hoped she’d find her way. I suppose going to Ohio...”
Then it appeared to dawn on her. “Oh, dear. Flora is a part of this?”
“I’m afraid so,” Rose said quietly. “Is there anything you can think of that might help us find them?”
“Flora mentioned that she was going to say goodbye to her parents before meeting her employers at the livery. I thought it was a strange place to meet since the train is so much faster, but Flora said they were renting a wagon and driving to Buena Vista first. But I suppose, if they’re eluding being caught, it makes more sense to take such an indirect route.”
Then Mrs. Rafferty addressed Silas for the first time. “I am so sorry. I had no idea...but I hope that helps you. I wish I could do more. I’ll be praying for you and the successful return of your daughter.”
“Thank you,” he tried to say, but the words felt stuck in his throat. Rose squeezed his arm again, and though everything in him seemed ice-cold, her touch was the one spot of warmth.
“I appreciate your assistance, Mrs. Rafferty.”
Despite the turmoil in his heart, Silas couldn’t help but notice the warmth passing between Rose and Mrs. Rafferty. The shame Rose felt from others only seemed to be from a select few, but many, like Mrs. Rafferty, seemed to care deeply for her.
As they exited the hotel, Rose turned to him. “Go to the station and tell Uncle Frank and Will what we found out. Have them meet us at the livery. The proprietor is a friend of ours, so I’ll talk to him and see what he recommends.”
Once again, he appreciated the way Rose took charge of the situation and knew what to do. This was a more mature Rose than the one he’d known, and he couldn’t help but be grateful for how she’d grown.
Without Rose, he’d have no chance of getting his daughter back. Even with her, he still had no idea how it was going to happen. Stealing a glance at her as she turned down the street toward the livery, he saw her lips moving. She was praying. Of course.
Once again, her example reminded him of how much he’d fallen short. But in this case, he could do better. Praying silently, he ran to the train station to get Will and Frank.
Chapter Fourteen
Rose walked into the livery, grateful that Wes, the proprietor, was out front, brushing one of the horses.
“Wes! I need your help!”
She quickly explained the situation, watching as Wes’s frown deepened.
“I know the couple,” he said when she’d gotten to the end of the story. “And I gave them a wagon to take back to Buena Vista. Amos Warner had used it to deliver goods last month, but he took sick, and his family came to get him. There was no one to take the wagon home, so I promised I’d keep it safe until I had someone who could bring it back. The Garretts seemed like the answer to a prayer.”
He shook his head. “I never imagined they didn’t have the right to take that cute little girl. I’m sorry. I should have asked more questions.”
“You didn’t know,” Rose said, giving him an encouraging smile. “But I’m sure you can understand our need to get to them as quickly as possible. How long ago did they leave?”
“Their wagon pulled out nearly two hours ago. Should be easy eno
ugh to catch. Those draft horses of Warner’s aren’t very fast. They said they were hoping to reach Granite by nightfall, but I told them they’d most likely be sleeping by the road tonight.”
“That’s good news,” Will said, sounding breathless from having to run all the way from the train depot. “Can you get horses saddled for Silas and me? I’m going to try to round up a couple other deputies to help, but I don’t know which horses they’ll need.”
“What about me?” Rose turned to stare at him.
“You go home with Frank. It’s going to be a long, hard ride. I think we can catch up with them before they reach Granite, but we’ll definitely be spending the night out of doors. It’s no place for a lady.”
She stared at him long and hard. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’ve already lost that label according to society. There is no way I’m going to sit at home knitting while I wait for word of Milly. If you bring a bunch of deputies out to get her, she’s going to be frightened, and more so if the Garretts resist.”
“She has a point,” Silas said quietly. Rose turned to face him. She hadn’t heard him enter, but she should have known he’d have arrived with Will.
Will shook his head. “It could be dangerous, and I won’t put Rose in any danger.”
“Danger? From the Garretts?” Rose shot him another glare. “Both of them have difficulty getting around, and while I suppose they might have guns, I can hardly see them using one around Milly. Their sense of propriety wouldn’t allow it.”
Silas nodded slowly. “She’s right. Mrs. Garrett doesn’t know how to use a gun because she thinks it’s unladylike, and Mr. Garrett is a terrible shot. He’d never risk using a gun around people, especially his wife and Milly.”
“There’s also the long and difficult ride, the fact that outlaws and bandits frequent that road, and the wild animals we could encounter. It’s not safe.”
Will stood with the posture of a lawman no one wanted to mess with. And, Rose supposed, his show of force probably worked with most people. But she’d never been most people.
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