The Unexpected Bride

by Debra Ullrick

  Ferrin smugly crossed his arms over his chest, and a smirk of satisfaction covered his face.

  Haydon wanted to beat that haughty grin right off of his face. What kind of brute was this man anyway?

  No wonder Rainee had placed an advertisement looking for a husband. Realization kicked him in the head as the full weight of the situation came rushing in on him. Rainee was running away from this no-good scoundrel of a brother. Haydon wondered what else she had suffered at this gutter rat’s hands. He had to find her. To do whatever he could to protect her and keep her safe from these two lowlifes.

  Haydon grabbed a length of rope from a peg by the kitchen door, cut it in four pieces and tied the men up. He stopped by his mother. “How is he?” He kept his voice low.

  “The bullet just grazed the skin,” Mother whispered. “We’ll bandage it up. He’ll be okay.” The color had returned to her cheeks and the wrinkles around her eyes disappeared. Having cleaned the flesh wound already, she tore strips of cloth to bandage Michael’s injury.

  Haydon looked at Michael, then at Jesse. They could handle these two men. The two of them were each as strong as a draft horse.

  “Michael?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Do you think you and Jesse can take these two to Sheriff Klokk and tell him what’s going on while Smokey and I go look for Rainee?”

  Michael skimmed his gaze over his arm, then turned a scathing glare toward the two men. “You bet we can.” At that moment, Michael no longer looked like a sixteen-year-old boy but a mature man. It was one more step on his path. If only their father could see him now. He would be so proud. Haydon sure was.

  He squeezed Michael’s shoulder, then strode across the room to Jesse, who kept his gun trained on the two men.

  “Jesse, you up for taking these two to the sheriff?”

  Jess gave a quick nod, never taking his eyes or his gun off the two men.

  Haydon turned. “Smokey, I want you to come with me. If anyone can find Rainee, you can.”

  “Yes, sir, boss.” Smokey handed his gun off to Michael.

  Haydon shook his head at Smokey, but now was not the time to correct the older man about calling him boss. They had to find Rainee. And fast.

  When she had finally found the river, Rainee followed it until the sun dipped behind the mountain and an evening chill replaced it. Her stomach ached with hunger, and every inch of her body cried out from fatigue. She walked to the edge of the river and dropped down on her knees. Cupping her hands, she scooped the cool water up and drank freely before sitting back on her feet and perusing the area.

  Moonlight reflected in the ripples in the water along with the shadows of trees and rocks that seemed to come to life in the slow current. An eeriness settled in around her. Rainee kept looking over her shoulders, even when she sat down to rest.

  Her body trembled at the thought of being alone in a strange place, in the dark, without food or warm clothing or anything else. Except wild beasts. Both animal and human. Farther travel at this late hour was not wise. All that remained now was to wait until morning came and hope and pray that no one found her in the meantime.

  Exposed by the openness of the riverbank, one could find her easily. That thought terrified her. Not only did she fear Ferrin, but there were other dangers lurking in the darkened wilderness. Were there wild savages nearby? She had heard tell of them from travelers back home. Fear squeezed the breath from her lungs. She hopped up, stumbling and fumbling as she scurried back into the safety of the trees.

  With only the moonlight to guide her, Rainee searched for a spot where no one would see her. Each step she took made her legs threaten to dump her to the hard ground.

  “God, help me find a spot.” No sooner had the words left her mouth than her gaze snagged on a small opening between a boulder and bush. She dropped to her hands and knees and burrowed herself into it.

  She wrapped her arms around her knees, hugged them tight against her chest and rocked herself gently.

  Her thoughts placed her in another time and another place—a situation similar to the one she now found herself in.

  Shortly after her parents had died, when the beatings had started, Rainee found she could no longer tolerate the painful abuse so she had run away, but she had not gotten far before Ferrin and his men had found her. Her brother threw her into the woodshed with no food and very little water for three days.

  If it had not been for Jenetta slipping her tiny scraps of food through the knothole, she did not know what would have become of her. Jenetta had also sneaked out during the night and slept outside the shed, singing Rainee to sleep. Many times, the poor woman tried to break the lock so she could provide Rainee with adequate food and water, but she was unable to do much more than make noise.

  Spiders and bugs had crawled on Rainee’s arms and legs until Rainee thought she would go mad. The sensation that insects were crawling on her even now felt so real Rainee swiped at her arms and legs, brushing away the invisible bugs.

  Jenetta’s words drifted through her mind. “Honey, child, don’t you be frettin’ nun. Jist think of dem bugs as God’s creatures. Dey won’t bodder you none. Besides, ole Jenetta, she done threatened dem and dey knows better den ta hurt you.” If only Jenetta were here now. If only her mother were here now.

  Rainee had never felt so alone or so frightened in her life. She looked over her right shoulder and then her left. She looked behind her, beside her and in front of her. With each turn her fear escalated. Did snakes or any other unwanted creatures share her tiny quarters? The very idea made her tremble. The thought of the bears Haydon had mentioned drifted into her mind and held there.

  Rainee hugged her knees again, only tighter. She rocked harder, fighting the tears coated with fear, but she could not beat them. They slipped over her eyelashes and ran down her cheeks, stinging the open scratches on her face. She blotted the moisture away as best as she could, but it did not take the sting away. Mother used to wipe Rainee’s tears and fears away. “Oh, Mother. I wish you were here.” She sniffed. “I need you so desperately.”

  As if her mother were right there, her words drifted through Rainee’s mind. “Anytime something causes you to be afraid, all you have to do is call on the name of the Lord and He will help you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He lives inside you and is only a whisper away.”

  If she ever needed the Lord, now was that time. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. “God, I am so very frightened. Mother always said You would comfort me and give me peace. And she was right. You always have. Thank You for reminding me that I can come to You when I need help. Wrap Your loving arms around me and hold me close.” A clear image of a painting she had in her bedroom back in Arkansas popped into her mind.

  The little blonde girl in the picture was sitting on Jesus’s lap. His large hand held the girl’s head against his chest, and his other arm encircled her. It was a picture of serenity, of the Lord’s protection. Of His comfort. Of the safety of His arms. A measure of peace enveloped her like a comforting hug. “Thank you. I needed that.”

  Dampness seeped through her dress, sending chills rushing through her body. She rubbed her arms, trying to warm them and trying desperately to ignore the hunger pains gnawing at her stomach.

  Somewhere, not very far away, a twig snapped.

  Rainee’s attention whirled toward the sound. Her body cemented statue-still.

  God, please do not let it be them. I cannot go back there.

  Only with her eyes did she search for the source of the noise. Through the distorted shadows of the trees an outline of an animal appeared.

  Rainee pressed her teeth into her hand to stifle her scream. Pain sliced through her thumb. Her wide eyes followed the animal heading toward her.

  A pig stepped into view.

  Rainee did not know whether to be relieved or more frightened until she remembered Kitty and how gentle and loving the little beast was and how Haydon had said a pig would not bother her.


  When it neared, her breath caught.

  The swine stuck her head in between the gap of the bush and the rock. “Kitty?” she whispered, recognizing the chunk missing from the bottom of the sow’s left ear. Rainee let out a long whoosh, and the fear went with it. “I never thought I would say this, but am I glad to see you.” Who would have thought that she, Rainelle Victoria Devonwood, would be relieved upon seeing a pig?

  With her nose in the air, Kitty sniffed and pushed her way into the thick brush. The small space had just gotten smaller. But Rainee did not mind. She would gladly share her space with Kitty.

  Kitty sat on her rump in front of her. Rainee patted her head and rubbed her behind the ears. Pig odor filled the small space, but Rainee did not care. She felt somewhat more secure with the creature here. With each rub, the tightness in Rainee’s muscles loosened, and she found herself relaxing little by little, until her body shook with another chill. Rainee stopped scratching Kitty behind the ears and curled into a ball, hoping to get warm.

  Her stomach cramped. At this moment, even bark sounded good. Thoughts of wild strawberries made it ache worse. But she did not see any along the way, so she would have to suffer through the pangs.

  The dankness soaked into her bones. Her whole body trembled. Kitty flopped on her side in front of her. Heat drifted from the sow and seeped into Rainee’s body.

  The warmer Rainee got, the heavier her eyelids became until she could no longer hold them open.

  Through the haze of slumber, Rainee heard a noise. Her eyes darted open.

  Darkness surrounded her.

  She tilted her head, straining to listen. Her ears honed in on muffled voices somewhere in the distance.

  She flounced into a sitting position, kicking Kitty in the process.

  Kitty squealed and bolted upright, sniffing the air. Squeezing her rotund body through the opening, the pig waddled away until Rainee could no longer make out her shadow as Kitty disappeared into the darkness.

  The voices neared.

  Rainee pressed her back against the rock, wishing it would crack open and ingest her into its crevice.

  Her overwhelming fear and shallow breaths strangled her.

  She prayed Kitty’s squeal had not captured the attention of whoever was out there and that she was far enough in the thick bushes that whoever was there could not see her.

  Without Kitty’s body heat, she started shivering again. She longed to rub her arms in hopes of getting her circulation going, but she did not, for fear the movement would draw attention to her whereabouts.

  A horse snorted.

  Rainee froze.

  Leather creaked.

  Male voices echoed through the trees, but she could not make out what they were saying. She had a sick feeling those voices belonged to her brother and Mr. Gruff. Dear God, please do not let my brother find me.

  Time crawled at a turtle’s pace.

  Again leather creaked, but this time the sound was closer.

  Pine needles crunched under the weight of someone’s boots as they neared.

  Kitty and two pairs of legs stopped in front of her hiding spot.

  Rainee swallowed the cry welling up inside her.

  Then a man knelt in front of the opening.

  Rainee scarcely drew breath and remained stock still.

  The bushes parted. Leaves rustled and branches crunched. The urge to bolt shot through her like the blast of a cannon, but her body would not move, and there was nowhere to go.

  On hands and knees, the man crawled through the small opening.

  Rainee screamed, but she would not give up without a fight. A strength she never knew she had visited her at that moment. She raised her legs and kicked wildly at the intruder. Strong hands clasped her feet, rendering her powerless.

  Her hands took up the battle.

  In vain she struggled to free herself, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not break his hold on her. “Let go of me, Ferrin. I would rather die than go back with you. I will not marry him and you cannot make me. I refuse to be sold off like a piece of merchandise.”

  “Rainee. Rainee, it’s okay. It’s me, Haydon.”

  Rainee stopped struggling. “Haydon?” Through moisture-filled eyes she saw the blurred image of him hovering before her in the darkness. “Is—is it really you?”

  “Yes, it’s really me.” He released her legs.

  Rainee lunged forward, throwing herself against Haydon. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her against him.

  Pools of tears pocketed her eyes and sobs tore from her.

  Haydon rubbed her back. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

  Rainee wrenched away and shook her head venomously. “No! It is not okay. It will never be okay again,” she cried before melting into the haven of his sturdy arms. Ferrin had found her. She would have to leave the man she loved. Because his life was now in danger, too. Ferrin would stop at nothing to get his way.

  Haydon held Rainee’s trembling form close to him. He needed the connection to her. Almost losing her had frightened him half to death. When he had first discovered she was betrothed, he had been angry until he learned the truth. Now, Haydon refused to let those infidels take her. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here and get you warm.”

  She nodded against his chest and slid from his arms. He crawled out and held the bushes back while she climbed out.

  “It’s too late to try to get back to the house. We’ll have to camp out here.”

  Her chin shot upward. “I—I cannot sleep out here alone with you. It—it is not proper,” she said through chattering teeth as she wrapped her arms around herself. That was one rule of propriety she would never break.

  Haydon removed his jacket and held it out as she slipped her arms through the sleeves. She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes as if relishing the heat his jacket provided.

  “We’re not alone, Rainee.”

  She glanced at Kitty and looked up at him like he had slipped a few knots.

  He smiled. “Smokey’s here, too.”

  Smokey stepped out of the shadows. “Miss.” He gave a quick nod.

  “Smokey, why don’t you…”

  “Get some wood for a fire. I’m already on it, boss.”

  “And quit calling me boss,” he spoke to Smokey’s retreating shadow.

  Haydon placed his arm around Rainee’s shoulder and led her to an opening near the river. Reluctantly he let her go to roll a log over for her to sit on.

  She clutched his jacket tighter. In the light of the moon, her lost, sad eyes pecked at his heart. Haydon wanted to pull her into his arms again and make her forget all of her troubles.

  “Sit down. I’ll be right back.”

  “Where—where you going?”

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. His lips pressed against her hair and he kissed her there. “It’s okay, sweetheart, I’m not leaving. I need to get a blanket from my horse. I’ll be right back.”

  A moment and she nodded her head against his chest.

  He didn’t want to let her go, but he helped her sit down and then walked over to his horse. After securing Rebel to a tree branch near the river, he untied the blanket from his saddle and reached inside the saddlebag and pulled out the sack his mother had given him before he’d headed out the door.

  Smokey was arranging the wood he had gathered into a pile.

  Haydon unrolled the blanket and draped it over Rainee’s legs, then sat next to her.

  The small fire started to crack and pop. Within minutes it grew stronger and warmer, filling the air with smoke, pine and heat.

  “I’m going to gather more firewood.”

  Haydon nodded at Smokey, then reverted his attention back to Rainee. Shadows from the fire danced across her face.

  “Here.” Haydon handed her the bag of food. “You need to get something in your belly.”

  Rainee took the sack from him and wrenched it open. She dove her hand into the bag. Her actions re
minded him of Abby at Christmastime. His little sister couldn’t wait to open her Christmas stocking. When Abby finally received permission, she dove into it and yanked the items out as fast as her little hands would let her.

  That’s what Rainee was doing now. Only this wasn’t a happy occasion like Christmas.

  She yanked out the sandwich and removed the cloth around it. In one bite, a huge portion of the sandwich disappeared. Rainee’s cheeks swelled like a chipmunk’s. She tore off another large portion and then another until the sandwich disappeared.

  Haydon watched her devour the sandwich like a starving animal, and the sight tore at his heart.

  Without saying a word, she rammed her hand into the sack again and plucked out an apple. She opened her mouth wide and bit into it, closing her eyes as she chewed. Within minutes it too vanished.

  All of a sudden, she froze and turned wide eyes up at him. “Merciful heavens,” she spoke through the last bite of apple. “Where are my manners?” She quickly turned away.

  Haydon reached over and gently pulled her chin toward him. Yellow-orange, fiery shadows pranced across her face. Her eyes refused to look up at him. “Rainee.” He tilted her chin up. “It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone.” Humor threaded his voice.

  Her gaze flew to his, and he smiled. After a single moment, her lips tilted upward as well. Haydon stared at her lips, and then his eyes traveled to hers.

  She blinked, and her gaze dropped to his mouth.

  Haydon leaned slowly toward her and gently nudged her chin closer to him. Her soft skin under his fingers was intoxicating.

  Her eyes slid shut, and their lips connected. Rainee’s parted lips tasted like sweet apples. His mouth caressed hers and she returned his kiss with a sweet, innocent passion.

  All the popping and cracking coming from the fire didn’t even come close to all the sizzling and popping going on inside him.

  Suddenly she pulled back and scooted away from him.

  Why did that always feel like such a rip to his soul? “What’s the matter?”