“All right, I’m gonna have to ask you both to leave the room. The nurses will watch over her, I promise you, Rayne,” Doctor Adams said.
Tom’s hand touched Rayne and he shook his head. “I need to ask you a few questions, Rayne.”
Once out in Doc Adams’ waiting room, Tom looked at Rayne. “Did Dobson take off out of town or is he layin’ somewhere?”
“Sam’ll find him smack dab in between the bedroom and the living room, blocking the doorway, with a bullet hole in the left side of his chest.”
“Will it look like self-defense?”
“Oh, let’s see, Tom…there’s the black eye I’m damned sure Lisbet will have in the morning, and if you look you’ll see the left side of my face is swollen, and if you need more proof, his gun is in his hand, and his pants are undone. You’ll also see the table on the right side of the bed is knocked over because he threw me into it. Yeah, I’d say that’s proof enough for self-defense.”
Just then, Doc Adams entered the room. “Rayne, can we talk?”
“Sure. Be right back, Tom.”
“That’s okay, Rayne. I need to head out to your place. It might be a good idea for you to stay here in town tonight. I’ll have Bessie hold a room for you,” he said, as he started for the door
“Tom, could I impose on you to feed Delilah and the other animals in the barn?”
“Sure, I’ll make sure they are taken care of.”
“Thanks, Tom.” She said as she turned towards the doc then stopped, “Tom, I didn’t murder that son of a bitch. He had it coming for what he was doing.” She turned back to the doctor.
†
Doc Adams patted Rayne on the arm. “She’s going to be all right. She has a black eye and is traumatized, but near as I can tell he didn’t accomplish his goal. That’s what she is tellin me.
Rayne felt her shoulders relax “Thanks, Doc, can I see her?”
“Of course, she was asking for you.” He motioned to the room where he had examined Lisbet.
As soon as she walked into the little room, Lisbet started to cry. Rayne went straight to her, took her into her strong arms, and just held her tight.
“I’m so sorry,” Lisbet sobbed. “I thought it was you. I know you said not to go out, but I was just so glad you were home…and then when I saw who it was…I couldn’t get away. I couldn’t get away, Rayne.”
“I know. It’s all right. I’m just glad I got home in time. Come on, let’s get out of here. Okay?”
“Rayne, I can’t go back to the house tonight…I just can’t. I’m sorry.” Lisbet’s tears fell again.
“Shhh, you don’t have to. We’re staying here in town tonight. I’ll deal with things at the house tomorrow morning.”
Lisbet looked at Rayne as strong arms surrounded her and Rayne lifted her to the floor. Together they walked out of the small room and across the street, and down to the hotel. True to his word, Tom had indeed arranged for a room for them.
Bessie, who had already arranged things, met them at the door. “I have a warm bath waiting for her and there’s a hot meal waiting for you when you’re ready.” Bessie patted Rayne on the arm. “And, you don’t need to worry about payin’. It’s taken care of.”
†
Rayne kept watch as Lisbet bathed and tried to relax.
Once the bath was finished, Lisbet turned to Rayne. “I don’t think I can bear sitting in the dining room with all those eyes on me. Surely by now everyone knows what happened.”
“I had no intention of having dinner downstairs. It’s all ready and waiting for us in the room.”
All the while they ate dinner, Rayne kept a close eye on Lisbet
“Rayne?” Lisbet said.
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything, Lisbet.”
“Yes, you did. You stopped him from doing something terrible to me. I’m all right now because of you.”
“You’re welcome, but I think had it not been for me, you wouldn’t have been in danger to begin with.”
“Had it not been for you, I’d have been out in the cold, wondering where my next meal was coming from and who I needed to be scared of rather than feeling safe, warm, and secure with a roof over my head and a warm meal in my stomach.”
“Well, okay, I suppose in some way you have a point there.”
Rayne watched Lisbet. Thank God, she is all right. Her eyes misted over and she cleared her throat. “Um, it’s getting late don’t you think? We should try to get some sleep.”
“Sounds like a good idea.” Lisbet stood and walked to the side closest to the window.
Together they got ready for bed, occasionally catching one another’s eyes and dropping them with a blush or smile, before slipping under the blankets.
Rayne didn’t know how to act with Lisbet being in bed with her there in the hotel. She knew that some would draw the conclusion that they were lovers. She also knew that all she wanted to do was protect Lisbet from all the ugliness she’d encountered earlier that evening. She placed her arm protectively around Lisbet’s waist and Lisbet snuggled closer into Rayne, and slowly, sleep claimed them. Just as she was about to fall asleep, Rayne realized for the first time how similar Emma and Lisbet’s lives had been before she found them.
That’s odd. Yet they are so different in other ways.
Emma whispered, Lisbet is her own person and she is not me. Now sleep, Rayne, Lisbet will need you soon.
†
She felt the strong hand holding her, and pushing her down on the bed. She could feel the heavy weight bearing down and no matter how hard she wanted to struggle or get away, she couldn’t move. Her limbs refused to obey her brain, and he had her trapped, she felt the skirt of her dress forced upward and she screamed.
Rayne’s arms tightened instantly around Lisbet. Her voice was soothing as she whispered, “Shhh, you’re safe, it’s just a dream, sweetheart. He can’t hurt you now I promise you.”
Rayne’s mouth gently touched Lisbet’s hair and Lisbet, shaking, slowly woke from her nightmare.
“It felt so real though,” Lisbet replied.
“I can imagine it did, but trust me, that son of a bitch will never touch you or anyone else again.”
Lisbet rolled over and looked Rayne in the eyes. She saw a kindness, compassion, and protectiveness that she had never had anyone in her life show her before. The women that raised her after her mother took off took care of her and protected her to a degree, but the look she saw in Rayne’s eyes was different. She knew Rayne would kill to keep her safe—she had killed to keep her safe.
“Rayne, why did you kill him? I mean…was it because of what he was going to do to me, or because you realized he would always make trouble for you?”
“I killed him because he dared to lay a hand on you. Because he hurt you and intended to do worse.”
Lisbet’s hand reached out and gently touched Rayne’s cheek. Her fingers tenderly brushed the hair out of Rayne’s eyes and she slowly leaned in and gently touched her lips to Rayne’s. Her warm, soft lips brushed against Rayne’s, once, then twice, and finally a third time before she pulled back. “Thank you.” She leaned in once more for what she had decided was going to be one last kiss.
Their lips touched gently at first, and just as Lisbet decided she needed to pull back, Rayne’s hand was in her hair holding her in place as she deepened the kiss with her tongue, teasing Lisbet’s warm lips open, and then cautiously darting in to taste and explore more. The sweetness she tasted made Lisbet groan, and sent a warmth coursing through her to settle at the juncture between her legs.
With a moan of longing, want, and regret, Lisbet broke the kiss and sadly smiled. “No, Rayne, not like this. When we do this I want to know you’re doing it for the right reasons…because you want to, not because you feel you have to, or because you feel sorry for me. I don’t think I could bear it if we did this and you regretted it in the light of day. And more importantly, I need to know I’m doing it for t
he right reasons.”
†
Rayne took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she nodded her head. “You’re right.” God help me, I want her right now.
Slow it down there, speedy.
Rayne mentally shook her head. You really are always with me aren’t you, Em?
Yes, I am. I’ve always been. Thank you for opening your heart again, Rayne.
I’m still scared. I can’t bear to love her and lose her like I did you.
You won’t. You’ll have a long, full life with her I promise you that.
What happens now? Are you going to leave me?
All you ever have to do is ask and I’ll be here. I promise I won’t be too far from you.
Good. Rayne closed her eyes and let sleep claim her as her arm was tightening around Lisbet.
Lisbet snuggled into Rayne, sleep claiming her but not before, she heard the softly whispered words, “I love you.”
Chapter Nine
Rayne paced the room as the rays of the sun shone through the window. She had been up for the past hour, her mind on how things would play out later when she took Lisbet back home. She knew there would be a mess to clean and she wasn’t sure about Lisbet’s mental state. With a sigh, she quietly left the room.
Downstairs she had a cup of coffee and spoke with Bessie. “She woke up a couple of times with nightmares…it’s to be expected,”
“That poor child, she is so lucky you made it back in time to stop that man and his horrible actions.”
“I don’t get it. I did nothing to Dobson.” She moved her tongue in her mouth at the bitter taste saying Dobson’s name produced. “Why’d he hate me so much?”
Rayne hated the fact that she had killed the man. Now for the third time she would have to learn to deal with taking a man’s life. “Anyway, I need to get some coffee up to Lisbet, see if she is up to going to the house today.” Rayne shook her head slightly trying to get her mind off the past.
“Let me bring you a tray for the coffee and you take some bacon to her. You hear? That young lady needs to eat,” Bessie stated as she bustled off to the kitchen. Within a minute or two, she was back with a tray of coffee and a plate of bacon with some biscuits and jelly for Rayne to take upstairs.
“Thank you kindly, Bessie; I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
†
Rayne made her way up the stairs and once she was in the room, she placed the tray on the table and walked over to the bed to wake Lisbet. When she looked down at the blonde and her eyes fell on the deep purple that surrounded the right eye her blood began to boil.
“You son of a bitch I hope you burn in hell, Dobson, you bastard.”
“Lisbet, I have coffee for you. Come on…open those beautiful eyes of yours.”
Lisbet woke to the sound of Rayne’s low voice and the scent of coffee and bacon. The smile that was slowly making an appearance disappeared quickly when she remembered where they were and why, and immediately her hand went up to cover her bruised eye.
“Don’t, don’t hide please.”
“I have to look terrible, he hit me hard,” Lisbet swung her legs off the bed.
“I won’t lie. You’ve got one hell of a shiner. I’m just grateful that’s all you got,” Rayne replied as she stood and walked to the table.
“You’re right, Rayne. In case I didn’t tell you before, thank you for showing up when you did.”
“Hey, uh, I ran into the sheriff downstairs and he told me that he and the undertaker took the body. But I’m gonna assume that there’s a hell of a mess to clean up. I need to go take care of the animals anyway. I was thinking if you wanted, I can arrange with Bessie for you to stay here. Maybe decide what it is you wanna do—stay or go,”
“Oh.” Lisbet hung her head. “I suppose I’ve caused you enough trouble. You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be out of here soon as I can eat so no need to bother Bessie about me staying here.” Lisbet turned so that Rayne couldn’t see the tears.
“Wait, you ain’t caused me any trouble,”
“Please, you shot and killed a man because of me, you…I was staying with you because you felt sorry for me…of course I’m causing you trouble,”
“Yes, I killed him and I’d do it again. He ain’t the first one I killed, for the same reason.” Rayne tried to rein her anger in.
Not knowing how to reply, Lisbet stood up and walked to the table for a cup of coffee. After a sip or two, she put the cup down. “Rayne, I need to go back to the house and face what’s there. If I don’t this is gonna haunt me forever. Then I’ll leave you in peace and not cause you trouble anymore.”
“You going to the house is a good idea, Lisbet. As for leaving, you are welcome to stay with me as long as you like. You’re not a bother to me, Lisbet. I like you being there when I get home after working even if it’s just been in the barn, I like seeing your smile.”
Rayne turned looked out the window at the people below, starting their day. “I don’t want you to leave, Lisbet.”
†
Rayne’s eyes darted toward Lisbet the minute felt her tense as they neared the house. “Lisbet, are you all right?”
“I don’t know. Scared maybe.…”
“I shouldn’t have brought you, I should have come here first and cleaned up the mess then went back for you.” Rayne mentally kicked herself.
“No, I need to face this, get over it, and forget it happened,”
“No, I should have at least thought to clean up the blood first.” Rayne shook her head. “You shouldn’t have to see that,”
“Rayne, I need to. That blood was spilled as a result of him attacking me and I need to see that and be assured that he can never do that again. I suppose seeing all his blood lying on the floor will do that for me.”
“Lisbet…”
“No, Rayne, stop it. I’ll be fine,” Lisbet finally said forcefully.
Chapter Ten
You know there was no other way this could have ended right? Emma asked Rayne as she scrubbed at the floor.
“It was that day with Sprigs all over again,” Rayne said and scrubbed harder.
I know, I also know that neither had intentions of stopping until the job was done. They both had intended on killing. Sprigs would have killed us both and so would have this man. So stop second guessing yourself. You did what had to be done, no one else would have done it, and she is all right because of what you did.”
“I’m glad for that, truly I am and I’m grateful you were able to warn me about him, but what about me…I ain’t all right. I got the blood of two men on my hands three if you count my father. Right or wrong reasons, I don’t reckon God is gonna forgive me that, you know.”
Why, Rayne Mathews, are you saying, after all these years, that you believe in the good Lord?
“Always believed in him, just didn’t have much to be thankful to him for.” Rayne wiped at the wet spot she had been scrubbing.
God will forgive you, Rayne. Lisbet is strong, but had Dobson finished what he started, she would never have been the same. She wouldn’t have gotten over it.
“How did you?” Rayne asked.
I had you beside me. She doesn’t yet, so can’t say that.” Emma responded after a few seconds of silence. “Not like I did. I knew you would be with me and support me after all that happened…Lisbet doesn’t know that.”
“She said she feels like she brought trouble to my door. She didn’t, but how do I get her to understand that?”
She will eventually, my love. You just have to give her time and stand by her. You should go to the barn. Lisbet is there and she is feeling very alone right now. She is worried that you think less of her now, especially since she bolted out the door when she saw the blood.
“Yeah, I suppose I should go talk to her make sure she is all right,” Rayne rolled her shoulders and stood. “Damn I’m too old to be on my knees like that for so long.”
†
“So there you are. You doing all right?” Rayn
e asked as she walked into the barn.
“I’m all right, I’m also very sorry for leaving like I did, and leaving you to clean up things in there.” Lisbet turned to look at Rayne. “So much for facing things.”
“Listen, it isn’t easy dealing with something like that, but you need to face it. I know. I’ve been there.”
“What do you mean, you’ve been there?”
“Remember when I said Dobson wasn’t the first man I’ve killed?”
“I remember. I wasn’t going to ask because I didn’t want to pry.” Lisbet brushed her hands on her skirt nervously.
“When I first arrived here, a man named Jeremiah Sprigs had his eye on this ranch. He was hoping I couldn’t be found and the place would be auctioned off. Well, I showed up, claimed my land, and took Emma away from the bastard. He had a liking for beating women during…well, you know…Em was a saloon gal—much like your ma—and brought up by the girls there and he had his eyes set on her once Hank the owner decided it was time for her to earn her keep and start working upstairs. First time I saw her, she had tears in her eyes and Sprigs was laughing so I walked up to her, grabbed her arm and walked away with her. There was a fight and I knocked him on his ass…oh, sorry for the language there,” Rayne said as she interrupted her story, “Emma went home with me and never went back to the saloon, though it was her decision. For months we had troubles at the ranch, cattle killed or rustled, house torn to bits, anyway one day I was out in the field lookin after the crops, and Sprigs paid a visit. He raped Em then went to town to brag about it, when I came in and found her she was bloody and bruised and I lost my mind with anger. I rode into town, found Sprigs drinking and laughing. When I called him out on his actions at my place, he said Emma enjoyed what he done and that it wouldn’t be my place much longer and drew his gun. I was faster,” Rayne said, her voice cold and her eyes lost in the past.
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