Give My Love to Rose

by Nicole Sturgill

  “I don’t think you will,” Rose snapped, clearly offended that the girl would even think such a thing. “You are part of this family, Kaitlyn, and we’ll make sure you’re taken care of. You can get whatever you want today. A young girl should have plenty of clothes, toys, pretty bonnets—anything you want. You have a rich pa,” Rose winked. “He can afford it.”

  Marston grumbled and flicked the reins. “I guess we better stop after the nugget is born because if you keep carrying on like that I’ll have to open two gun shops.”

  ***

  “Well, what do we have here?” Hester sneered as Marston, Rose, and the children stepped into the H&H Mercantile. “It’s the great Marston Jacob’s and his little family.” Hester sniffed through her hooked nose. “Tell me. Are you still living in sin?”

  Marston instantly felt his temper spark, but he planted that false grin on his face and stepped up to the counter. “I think that our sins are the last thing you need to be worrying about, Hester. Especially seeing as how you commit quite a few of your own.”

  Hester puffed out her scrawny chest. “I’ll have you know that I am the head of the church committee here in town.”

  “And that’d be exactly why I don’t attend the local church,” Marston noted. “I don’t want to be within striking range when the Almighty sends that lightning bolt down to strike you dead.”

  “How dare you!” Hester exclaimed. She swung out her hand and Marston dodged just in time to avoid being slapped in the face.

  Rose gasped and shot forward when Marston’s face contorted with rage. She clutched at his arm when he reached across the counter, but she was nowhere near strong enough to keep him from grabbing hold of Hester by the front of her lace trimmed dress.

  “Do not ever try to lay your hands on me again,” he hissed. “It’s no secret that you don’t like me and it’s even more well-known that I don’t like you, but I tolerate you anyhow. But if you try to hit me again, that ends, and I show you why there are a hell of a lot of people that are scared to death of me.”

  Rose gave Marston a tug, though she might as well have tugged a house for all the good it did her. “Marston, let go of her,” she warned, not for Hester’s benefit but for Marston’. She didn’t want to see him in trouble because of that horrible woman.

  Marston very slowly did just that and took a step back. “Go ahead and do your shopping, Rose, and I’ll wait outside. If I stay in here much longer, I’m going to kill something,” he growled before striding out the door with his fists clenched.

  Rose threw a shaky smile toward Langley and Kaitlyn to reassure them everything was fine before turning her attention to Hester. The bird-faced woman was stuttering, stammering and seemed unable to pull herself together as her entire body trembled.

  “I’ll take care of this, Hester,” Hattie said gently as she waddled over. “Why don’t you go to the back and take a rest?”

  Hester nodded and her stiff legs carried her to the backroom and finally out the back door so she could breathe in a bit of fresh air. Never in her life had she been so afraid! Marston Jacobs had seemed fully prepared to kill her and he very may well have if Rose hadn’t been there.

  Her shaking worsened under her entire body was under attack and Hester decided to go visit Doctor Brinkley and get something to calm her nerves and ease her head.

  The doctor was quick to give her the medication she needed and then he asked her to wait a moment before leaving. He returned with an envelope and placed it in her hand. “This arrived for you this morning.”

  Hester wondered what it could possibly be. “Thank you,” she said distractedly before stepping onto the porch and sitting down in the white rocking chair.

  She opened the envelope and was surprised to find a letter from the Marshal in Millerton. Folded up with the letter was a wanted poster and the name and picture that graced it had Hester nearly crying out.

  Wanted Dead or Alive: Marston Jacobs. Thief, Kidnapper and Cold-blooded Murderer. $5,000 bounty!

  Hester’s lips trembled and her mouth watered. She could become a woman with wealth beyond her wildest dreams and get rid of Marston all at the same time! No more worrying with that troublesome store and no more outlaws gracing her doorsteps. With any luck, even Rose and those brats would move away once Marston was no longer around to protect them.

  Hester rushed back into the doctor’s home and shoved the letter in his face. “What is that?” he asked patiently as he closed the medical book he’d been reading at his desk.

  “We need to send a return wire to the Marshall,” Hester stated, her chest swelling with vengeful pride. “It seems Marston Jacobs is a wanted man.”

  The doctor’s eyes finally focused on the poster in Hester’s hand and he let out a low whistle. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  ***

  “You can’t be losing your temper like that with her, Marston,” Rose scolded sternly as they lay together in bed that night.

  Marston grumbled under his breath. “She needs to know who she’s messing with. I won’t tolerate anyone trying to lay hands on or insult this family.”

  “You’re too protective,” Rose noted with a grumble of her own.

  Marston snorted and held her tighter. “You can’t be too protective when it comes to your family.”

  Rose kissed his chest. “I just don’t want you to do anything that causes me to lose you.”

  Marston sighed. His cheek rested on her red curls. “I’m a different man these days, Rose. No one knows who Marston Jacobs is. No one knows I’m the man who used to do the things I did. No one is going to take me away from you. You’re stuck with me whether you want to be or not.”

  “Lucky me,” Rose replied dryly. Marston tickled her side and she squealed with laughter. “No fair!” she accused.

  “Why not?”

  Rose frowned. “Because you’re not ticklish. A man with no weaknesses can’t go around picking on others.”

  “I don’t pick on you.” Marston poked her nose. “And besides, I do have a weakness, love. A very big weakness.”

  Hunger filled Marston’s golden eyes and Rose felt her own blood heat. “Is that right?”

  Marston’s mouth lowered until their breath mingled and Rose’s eyes slipped closed. “Yes ma’am,” he whispered and then he was devouring her.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “I have to head on into town and get some work done at the shop today,” Marston stated unenthusiastically as came out of the bedroom.

  Rose and Kaitlyn were cooking breakfast together while Langley read a book at the table. He looked up. “Can I come with you?”

  “Sure.” Marston smiled. “It’ll be good for you to learn how to gunsmith so you can help your old pa and I won’t have to do everything.”

  Langley laughed. “You’re not that old!”

  Marston shook his head. “You hear that, Rose? I’m not that old.”

  “Hmmm,” was her only reply. Marston glanced her way and noticed that she was staring out the window and had one hand resting on her stomach as she seemed to be lost in thought.

  Marston went to her and wrapped her up tight in his arms, pulling her back in tight to his chest. He rested his chin on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

  She forced a smile and turned her head to kiss his cheek. “Nothing.”

  Marston growled. “Don’t lie to me. I know you too well to fall for it.”

  Rose sighed. “I just have a bad feeling.”

  “What kind of feeling?”

  Rose’s shoulders heaved with a shrug. “That something bad is going to happen.”

  Marston nuzzled her neck. “What exactly?”

  Rose squirmed in an attempt to get away from him. “I don’t know.”

  His chuckles were muffled in her hair. “Then it’s not a very helpful feeling, is it?”

  Rose sighed. “No, I suppose it isn’t. Just be careful when you go into town today, okay?”

  “Yes ma’am,” Marston conceded. He splaye
d his calloused fingers over her stomach. “I can’t wait until I can feel him move.”

  Rose smiled as she laid her soft hand over his. “You still have a while to wait.”

  “I’ll have to learn to be patient,” Marston grumbled. He kissed her temple and moved away from her. “Come on, Langley. We’ll go out and take care of the critters and hopefully by the time we’re done the womenfolk will have us men something to eat.”

  “Of course your highness,” Rose teased with a roll of her eyes.

  “I prefer your majesty,” Marston countered.

  “Then you should teach the pigs to talk,” Kaitlyn chimed in with a giggle.

  Marston’s eyes widened in her direction before narrowing as he grumbled under his breath and left the cabin with Langley on his heels.

  Kaitlyn watched him go and chewed her lip. “Did I make him angry?”

  “No,” Rose assured her gently as she pulled the biscuits from the oven. “He walks off whenever he can’t think of anything witty to say. It hurts his pride.”

  Kaitlyn sat the platter of bacon and ham on the table and wiped her hands on her apron. “I want to thank you both for giving me a home.”

  Rose smiled as she poured a jar of canned apples into a pot with brown sugar and placed it on the cook stove. “You don’t have to thank us, Kaitlyn. We’re a family.”

  “I’ve never had a family,” the girl admitted, tucking a loose strand of her golden hair behind her ear. “My parents died when I was a baby and I was in that orphanage until Gilliam adopted me nearly a year ago.”

  Rose shivered. “I’m sorry he got his hands on you.”

  “It could have been worse,” Kaitlyn replied, her green eyes haunted. “He only had me for a year… he had you much longer.”

  They both fell silent. Rose swallowed hard against the memories. It was so easy to forget that Kaitlyn was only eleven years hold. Her life, both in the orphanage and with Gilliam, had aged her soul drastically.

  Rose shook off the bad thoughts and offered a smile. “Well let’s get this breakfast finished so that His Highness can have something to fill his stomach.”

  Kaitlyn smiled in return. “Pa does get awfully grumpy when he’s hungry.”

  Rose laughed. “Yes he does.”

  ***

  Marston watched out of the corner of his eyes as Langley grunted to lift a full bucket of water. The boy’s eyes widened as he realized he couldn’t and then he fell backward and water soaked his clothes.

  Marston’s laughter rang out. “It’s not funny, pa!” Langley snapped grumpily. “Now I’m all wet!”

  His whining only made Marston laugh harder. He held out his hand and helped the boy to his feet. “That’s why it’s funny,” Marston assured him.

  Langley glared up at him and scooped the bucket up. “I guess I better go fill it up again.”

  Marston was still chuckling to himself after Langley had left the barn and he went about raking the wet hay.

  He heard a rumble in the distance and for a moment, Marston thought perhaps the weather was going to turn but then the rumbling grew loud. Hoofbeats. Thundering hoof beats were heading for the cabin.

  Langley’s scream filled the air. “Paaa!”

  Marston threw the rake, pulled his revolver and ran from the barn. He saw the men on horseback and saw the glint of metal on their chests.

  Lawmen.

  Everything within Marston, every instinct he’d spent his life honing, told him to make a run for it. But he couldn’t. Marston had a family now.

  These men looked like they meant trouble and they were riding, guns drawn, toward the people he loved. Marston had avoided capture a hundred times before when he’d only had himself to worry about—he wouldn’t be getting away today.

  Marston snaked his arm around Langley’s waist and hoisted the boy off his feet. He leaped over the porch steps and slipped inside, slamming and locking the door behind him.

  “What’s going on?” Rose demanded, wiping her hands on her apron.

  Marston simply shook his head, took Kaitlyn’s hand and shoved both her and a stammering Langley into the water closet. “You both stay in here, understood?” he demanded, his voice rough with fear. The children stared at him with wide eyes and pale faces, but they nodded. “Rose, you get in there too,” he added.

  “I don’t think so,” she replied stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest. Marston sighed. He hadn’t thought she listen, but he’d had to try.

  Marston turned his attention back to his children and felt his throat tighten. “Langley, Kaitlyn, you both listen to your mama and mind her, you hear?”

  “What’s going on, pa?” Langley whispered, clutching at Kaitlyn’s hand held firmly in his.

  Marston forced a smile. “Justice I suppose.”

  He closed the door, knowing he’d just gazed upon his children for the last time and he wasted no time in pulling the large cabinet in front of it. He knew the children could always leave the room through the small window at the back, but he wanted plenty of wood between them and bullets should they start flying.

  “Marston, what’s going on?” Rose demanded as those hoof beats came to a stop outside the cabin and silence reigned.

  “Rose…” Marston shook his head and took her shaking hands in his. “I’m sorry, love. I’m sorry that your fears are going to become reality.” His eyes burned and Marston felt warm droplets sliding down his cheeks. “I let you down…” he croaked.

  Marston had no idea what to say. How did you say goodbye to a very piece of yourself? How did you tell the love of your life that you were going to die? Because Marston had no doubt that he was going to die….

  He’d always said that if escape was impossible, he’d go down in a blaze of glory. He’d said he’d meet the law head on and take down as many of the bastards as he could before they killed him. Now? Now he could only hope they’d arrest him and take him away from here to swing from a gallows. He didn’t want Rose to have to watch him die.

  Rose clutched at his fingers, her grip so tight that it hurt him though he didn’t say a word. “Marston, tell me who’s out there.”

  Marston pulled one hand free of her grip and laid it on her soft cheek, damp with tears of her own. “It’s the law, love. They’ve come for me.”

  Rose’s entire body tensed, her face lost all color and her eyes grew wild. “No! They can’t!” she all but screamed as she threw her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. “They can’t take you from me, Marston. I need you!"

  Marston’s chest ached as he hugged her with desperation and soaked in the warmth of her soft body against his. He put his finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him. He took the time to memorize every shade of blue in her eyes so he could take the memory with him.

  “You’re a good man now, Marston…” Rose whispered. “How did they find you?”

  Marston smoothed her hair from her cheek. “I don’t know, love. It doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that you know how much I love you.”

  Rose broke down in heart-wrenching sobs as she clung to him. Marston held her tight a moment before pulled her face up and swooping low to press a tender kiss to her tear soaked lips. Then he knelt and pressed another kiss to her stomach and the life growing there, knowing her apron would be damp with his tears.

  Marston stood straight and squared his shoulders. “Take care of yourself, Rose, and take care of the children.”

  Somehow Rose managed to nod.

  “Marston Jacobs!” a voice bellowed from outside. “This is United States Marshall Hubert Montgomery! We’ve come to take you in dead or alive!”

  Marston turned his back to Rose. “I’m coming out and I’m coming willingly!” Marston called back. “Don’t you shoot! My wife and kids are in here!”

  “Come out with your hands high then!”

  “I have to go now, Rose,” Marston whispered, swiping at the tears he wished desperately he could turn off.

  Rose came arou
nd him and laid her hand on his wet cheek. She came up on her toes and pressed her lips to his, knowing it would be the last time she ever felt his firm mouth against her own.

  “Please tell me you know how much I love you,” Marston pleaded, his golden eyes searching hers.

  “I know,” she whispered hoarsely.

  Marston pressed a kiss to her hair. “Be strong for me, Rose. Take care of our family and make sure they know how much their pa loved them.”

  Rose nodded. She would be strong if he asked it of her. It would damn near kill her, but somehow she would keep herself together for Marston—for their children.

  Marston walked to the door and unlocked it. He took a deep breath before opening it wide and raising his arms. Much to his irritation, he realized that Rose was coming out behind him. Her hands were gripping the back of his shirt as if she thought she could stop the hands of fate simply by touching him.

  “Put your hands up too!” the Marshall warned, his gun trained on Rose.

  Marston’s blood boiled as he twisted and placed himself between Rose and the Marshall’s gun. “She ain’t got nothing to do with this so kindly take your gun off my wife.”

  The Marshall nodded and motioned toward Marston’s revolver. “I need you to take off your gun belt and toss it to the side along with any other weapons you might have.”

  “Give me your word that you won’t harm my family and I’ll toss every weapon aside and ride out of here without a fight.” Marston wasn’t sure this man’s word would count for much, but it was all Marston had to keep his family safe.

  “A cold-blooded outlaw wants to keep his family safe?” a deputy asked. “What about all the families you have destroyed?”

  Marston growled and squared his shoulders. “Leave him alone, Harold,” Marshall Montgomery warned.

  Marston glared at the Marshall. “Give me your word, Marshall, because I can guarantee that I can get at least one bullet in you before you and your men take me down.”

  Rose gasped behind him, but Marston ignored her. He had to turn off that side of himself. He had to become the cold outlaw once more or he’d turn into a blubbering mess in front of these lawmen and that could prove fatal for those he loved.