Prospecting for Love

by Barbara Baldwin

  “Sonofabitch.” Jesse swore under his breath, just now realizing his foreman had betrayed him. As she stood so close in front of him, she could feel him twitching, and it took a minute or two for her to realize that he was trying to untie his hands. She had to find a way to help or they’d never get out alive.

  “Keep an eye on those two.” Clayton pulled a pistol from his waistband and shoved it into Elizabeth’s hands. “I’m going to find Carlos.”

  The instant he faded into the darkness, Ellie slid her hands around Jesse’s waist, finding the rope and blindly searching for the knot. To cover her actions, she pretended to cuddle close. When she caught his gaze, she pleaded with her eyes, keeping her voice pitched too low for Elizabeth to hear. “Jesse, you have to understand. I didn’t know--”

  “Who the hell are you two?” He hissed at her, even as his fingers worked with hers to loosen the knots. His gaze darted from her to Elizabeth and back, clearly unable to understand the likeness.

  Ellie glanced over to where Elizabeth paced nervously by the opening where Clayton had disappeared. A pensive frown marred her features as she observed how Ellie crowded next to Jesse, as though locked in a lover’s embrace. Ellie couldn’t begin to imagine what she thought. Right now, she could care less. She had to save Jesse and give him a reason not to think she had betrayed him.

  “You said you loved me,” Ellie whispered, her fingers brushing his as she felt the knot loosen.

  Jesse barked a laugh, not trying to conceal his words. “I don’t think I even know you. A week ago, I couldn’t force you -- one of you--” his gaze flickered between the two women, ”into the mouth of a cave, even after you’d been shot. Now, you come right into a mine shaft without even a lantern to guide you?” He shook his head, and Ellie couldn’t think of a way to make him understand.

  Evidently Elizabeth decided that whatever game she and Clayton played needed some excitement. Ellie watched her come their way, and presumably thinking Jesse’s hands were tied and he was harmless, she shoved Ellie out of the way. Keeping the gun trained on her, Elizabeth circled Jesse’s neck with her other arm.

  “Remember my sixteenth birthday, Jesse,” she crooned next to his ear, but loud enough for Ellie to overhear.

  Jesse stiffened at her touch, but didn’t pull away. “I remember,” he mumbled.

  Ellie’s heart broke. She didn’t know the secrets of their pasts.

  “Do you remember how I let you steal a kiss under that old tree behind the church?” As though to prove her point, Elizabeth proceeded to steal a kiss from Jesse, slanting her lips across his, letting her hips slide suggestively back and forth against him.

  Ellie let out a cry and stepped forward, but just as quick Elizabeth jerked back, raising the gun to point right at Ellie’s heart.

  Elizabeth captured Ellie’s gaze, her eyes glowing with evil light as she proceeded to lie to Jesse. “She’s the impostor, Jesse. She and Clayton are in this together. I’ve just been waiting for the chance to free you; to get us both out of here.”

  If Ellie didn’t know better, she would swear Elizabeth told the truth. Her words rang sincere because Ellie knew she was an impostor. But not when it came to loving Jesse.

  Before she could protest Elizabeth’s bold move, Clayton roared back into the circle of light, grabbing Elizabeth by the shoulder and jerking her away from Jesse. “You whore! You two-timing, back stabbing--”

  He never finished the sentence because Jesse, freed from the ropes, barreled into him and together the two men fell to the ground in a death grip. Fists connected with flesh; one leg kicked out and overturned the lantern.

  Ellie screamed as immediate darkness enveloped her, freezing her against the wall. The struggle continued and she thought she heard Elizabeth’s harsh breathing somewhere close by, but she couldn’t focus. She knew her eyes were open, but she saw nothing. She felt on the edge of an abyss, petrified to move even a fraction of an inch, for fear she would fall into the pit and die.

  A gunshot echoed up and down the mine walls, reverberating again and again inside Ellie’s head. Then, all was silent. She held her breath as a match scrapped against rock.

  The sulfur flame appeared extra bright after the total darkness and Ellie couldn’t make out who held the match aloft. It flared briefly then went out. The mild curse that followed, as though he held on too long and scorched his fingers, made her smile.

  Jesse was alive.

  Another match flared and Ellie saw that Clayton lay not two feet from her, Elizabeth sobbing over his lifeless body. Ellie scooted back against the wall, tucking her legs close to her chest.

  That was when she felt the ground vibrate beneath her. A deep rumbling began, as though a giant animal had been awakened.

  “Oh, dear God, it’s started,” she choked out the words.

  Again the match snuffed out; again the agonizing seconds in pitch black, the earth quaking beneath her.

  When Jesse lit a third match, Ellie felt panic tightening the muscles in her chest, knowing the final moments were at hand. Elizabeth must have sensed the danger also, because at the exact same instant, she and Ellie both held a hand out to Jesse. Silently, they each begged him to choose her; to save her from the destruction they all realized was only moments away.

  Ellie couldn’t fight anymore; didn’t have any ammunition to use against Elizabeth, who had known Jesse most of her life. But no matter what happened, she couldn’t leave without saying the words one last time.

  “I love you, Jesse Cole. Always remember that, even when I’m not here to tell you.”

  His gaze found hers in the last flair of the match, but Ellie could swear his hand reached toward Elizabeth.

  “No, I won’t lose you.”

  Ellie was yanked roughly to her feet as the trembling increased. She stumbled blindly along behind Jesse, heart pounding.

  They didn’t go far before Jesse propped her against the mine wall. “Stay here,” he shouted above the increasingly loud roar. “I can’t leave Elizabeth.”

  He turned to go back to the intersection and Ellie realized she could see him through a blue haze. As he took a step away from her, a strange blue streak appeared to shoot straight down the other shaft, the light of it almost blinding.

  Immediately it was gone. Jesse stepped around the corner, but was back within seconds, his face white as a ghost.

  “They’re gone,” he whispered, “disappeared; both of them.” As though to emphasize his point, a deep bellowing came to them from further down the mine shaft. The earth began shaking beneath them again.

  Ellie reached for his hand, more scared than she had ever been in her life.

  The physical contact seemed to bring Jesse out of his shock. He glanced back down the shaft where Elizabeth and Clayton had been only seconds before. Then, with a squeeze of her hand, Jesse took off running, pulling Ellie behind. Unerringly, he raced up one shaft and down another, all the while the ground shook beneath their feet.

  Ellie didn’t have time to be frightened of the dark. She put complete faith in Jesse and hung on for dear life. A pain shot across her ribs and she grabbed her midsection.

  “Wait,” she gasped.

  Jesse turned, but never really stopped. He slid his arm around her waist and hugged her close to his side. “Come on, sweetheart. I don’t know what the hell’s down here, but we can’t stop now.” As if to emphasize his point, the ground swelled under their feet, the rumblings sending vibrations clear through Ellie’s body.

  When they did stop, it was so abrupt Ellie almost flipped head over heels. She couldn’t fathom how Jesse could see in the dark, but he propped her against the wall, then gave her a quick kiss and didn’t even miss her lips. “Wait here just a second.”

  Ellie heard gears squeak and wheels grind, but couldn’t discern what it was until Jesse grabbed her again, lifting her into some sort of large bucket. The container jiggled when he hopped in with her, and Ellie grabbed the sides.

  “Hold on tight, honey, and le
t’s hope this headframe holds.” Ellie felt Jesse moving beside her; could almost visualize him pulling, hand over hand, slowly raising the ore bucket up through the narrow shaft.

  “They must have set the charges in tunnel A. It’s a good thing we put this headframe above tunnel C. We couldn’t have made it back to the mine entrance without getting caught in the blast.” Jesse grunted in exertion and Ellie held her breath as the contraption swayed back and forth.

  “I don’t know what the devil happened down there, but I hope there’s still plenty of solid rock between us and shaft A to keep the explosion contained until we get out.”

  Ellie cried with delight when she saw stars above them. By the time Jesse had tied off the pulley rope, they could see dozens of lanterns bobbing up the hillside as townspeople apparently came to the rescue.

  Jesse jumped out of the ore bucket and reached for her, but in her anxiety over getting out of the dark mine, she already had one leg out, and they managed to tangle in each other’s arms and go rolling down the side of the hill. Laughing and crying at the same time, Ellie let Jesse pull her to her feet and again they took off running, Jesse waving an arm and yelling for the miners to get back.

  “She’s going to blow!” He shouted as an incredible roar shook the heavens. Everyone hit the ground. Jesse pulled Ellie down, covering her with his body, until the last of the rumbling died and the dust settled over them. Slowly, he let her up, and they turned toward the front of the mine.

  The same eerie- blue light glowed from the mouth of the Nightingale Mine, shrank in on itself, then burgeoned out again.

  “It’s happening all over,” Lucky’s awed whisper sounded directly behind Ellie. She turned and could tell by their expressions neither he nor Zeke knew if she was Elizabeth or plain Eleanor Weaver.

  Thinking of only one way to convince them, she grinned as she spoke. “Damned if we didn’t do it, you old coots! We really did it!” She raised both hands in the air, palms towards them. With a hoot and a holler, Zeke and Lucky each gave her a high five.

  * * *

  In the aftermath of the explosion, the townspeople all said it was better than the fireworks. Then someone noticed Carlos and Clayton didn’t appear to have come to the rescue with the rest of the miners.

  “Carlos is the one who set the charges in the mine, by Clayton Scott’s instructions.” Jesse told the Sheriff as questions began. “I don’t know where they are, but I will definitely press charges when you bring them to justice.” He gave Ellie’s hand a squeeze as he spoke, and she returned the gesture, for neither of them cared to explain anybody’s disappearance, nor what they had witnessed below.

  The sheriff seemed satisfied with his answers, and a few at a time, the people from town drifted back down the hill, lanterns bobbing in the night.

  Ellie had finally caught her breath, calmed her racing heart, and grinned mightily, knowing she had rooked history and remained in 1870 with Jesse. Her hands still shook, no doubt the result of the trauma she had endured. And now that she thought about it, a trauma which could be laid directly at the feet of one man -- the man who couldn’t follow the simplest directions and stay out of the mine for one day.

  She stormed over to where Jesse now stood by Zeke and Lucky, who were congratulating themselves for a job well done. It brought back memories of her transport to Peavine.

  “Damn your hide, Jesse Cole!” She screeched at him across the space. “You scared the hell out of me down there.”

  “Elizabeth! You’re a lady. You shouldn’t swear.” He tossed the comment right back, but she could tell by the twinkle in his eyes he could hardly contain his laughter. That was the last straw.

  Toe to toe, her pert nose lifted in righteous indignation, she gave him the truth that would take the wind out of his sails. “I’ve had it. I’m not Elizabeth, I don’t even belong here and--”

  “I know.” His voice was a whisper against her temple as he settled his hands gently on her hips, pulling her closer.

  “You know? How?” Ellie was really confused now. He shouldn’t have known anything; they weren’t allowed to tell him.

  “It’s your smell,” Jesse said, nuzzling her neck and kissing the sensitive skin behind her ear. “I couldn’t believe two woman could look so alike, and in the dimness of the mine, at first I couldn’t tell the difference. But when you stood close to me, I knew. You’re all fresh air and sunshine.”

  Ellie wasn’t convinced. “But why did you save me? I’m not your fiancée.”

  “Yes, you are. I never loved Elizabeth. In that instant when I saw both of you, I realized you were the one I loved, Ellie. From the moment you dropped into my life, I felt more alive than I ever had. I wanted more, I needed more. Elizabeth never sparked the fires in me that you did.” He smiled at her, that shy, seductive smile that sent her heart racing.

  He lowered his voice so only she could hear. “Besides, in those tight jeans, I’d know your cute little backside anywhere.” For a moment, he scowled. “What didn’t make sense is that you came right into the mine. I thought you were terrified of dark places.”

  Ellie kissed him deeply, snuggling as close to him as she could get, wanting to make sure he understood how much he meant to her. “I’d travel to the darkest pits of hell for you, Jesse Cole. I need you in my life that much.”

  “Oh, bother,” Zeke snorted. “Me and Lucky’s going down to the saloon. Won’t be back for a long spell.”

  “We won’t?” Lucky asked.

  Zeke smacked him with his felt hat before settling it on his head and giving his brother a shove towards town, muttering all the way. “For being ‘round as long as we have, you sure are slow some days.”

  Ellie laughed before turning back to Jesse, wondering how she would make him understand what Zeke had said. Before she could form a thought, he shook his head, placing a finger over her lips.

  “I don’t understand, and someday you can explain.” He paused and stared deep into her eyes, touching her very soul. “When we’re old and gray and all I can do is sit on the porch and hold your hand. But that’s an eternity away; an eternity in which I want to share your life and your dreams and give you my love every hour of every day.”

  “Really? For how long?” She teased him.

  “For always and forever.”

  Epilogue

  “Uncle Lucky, I wanna see my papa”

  “Well, up you go then, Peapod.” Lucky hoisted the dark-haired, little girl to his shoulder so she could see over the platform.

  She giggled. “That’s not my name.”

  “Nope, you’re right, but you was born in Peavine, so you’ll jest have to be my peapod. ‘Sides, you and your brother look jest like two peas in a pod.”

  In answer, Lilly curled a chubby arm around his neck, squeezing, trusting him to keep her safe so high in the air.

  Lucky felt they had done good in the last four years. He and Zeke might be too old to work the mines, but they sure knew how to take care of babies -- especially Jesse and Miss Ellie’s two younguns’.

  Zeke put a hand on Josh’s shoulder as the boy stared at his papa who was just about to finish his speech. Their mama stood beside him all gussied up in ruffles and a huge hat with feathers in it. Sure didn’t look like that cussing, smoking lady they dragged back to Peavine four years ago.

  “Makes a fine Senator, don’t he, Zeke?” Lucky asked.

  Zeke nodded. “Guess that voice was right. Jesse had things left to do on this here earth.”

  Lucky reached up to steady Lilly, who was bouncing around and trying to clap her little hands along with the crowd. “Maybe now as he’s got those mining laws passed, he can sit back and enjoy all that gold.” He chuckled, thinking back to one particular Independence Day. After all the dust had settled, come to find out the explosion in the Nightingale had opened one of the richest veins of gold in the state.

  “I don’t think Jesse’ll have a chance to relax if she’s got any say.” Zeke nodded and Lucky saw Miss Ellie hug her h
usband and wave at the crowd. “I heared her yakking the other day ‘bout en-viron-ment or some such thing, and how Jesse had to go and make sure there was laws ‘bout that, too.” Zeke shook his head and Lucky understood perfectly.

  Miss Ellie made a fine wife for Jesse, and together they made beautiful babies, but she sure enough had some strange ideas about what should be done with this ol’ world they lived in.

  Barbara Baldwin books also published by Books We Love

  Lost Knight of Arabia

  Spinning Through Time

  About The Author

  Barbara was born in California and now resides in the midwest. She loves to travel and explore new places, which usually means each of her novels is set in a different locale. She has been published in formats from poetry and short stories to full-length fiction. She wrote and co-produced a documentary on state history which won state and national awards, but she really loves writing romance, whether it be contemporary, historical or time travel. Just for fun, each year she writes a Christmas short story for family and friends—some heartfelt and others whimsical — but always a gift from her heart. She has an MA in Communication, has taught at the college level and has made over 100 presentations at state and national conferences. She also loves to create art through pottery and fused glass, candles, baskets and quilts. Visit her website at http://www.authorsden.com/barbarajbaldwin.