George glanced at Jeremiah. “Your brother is a little too interested in you, don’t you think?” he asked Gloria.
“Son, ‘member that be ya sister over there.” Sue whacked him on the head with the palm of her hand. “Ya behavin’ weird. ‘Member the bigger picture here,” she whispered.
“It’d better work,” he whispered back.
“It will if ya don’ goof it up.” Turning to Brian, she took the mouse out of Luke’s hand and threw it at Jeremiah. “Oh I ain’t tryin’ to upset ya, Misser Daniel. I is a terribly sorra.”
“Just get out of here already,” Brian retorted.
Luke pointed to the window. “Our stop is comin’ up.”
Jake noticed the two horses waiting at the posts at the train station. He recognized Bossy and Trouble. Lassoes hung at their sides.
Sue patted Brian on the back again. “Ya sor has been a good ol’ sport. Much obliged ta make ya acquaintance. Oh, the train stopped.” Sue peered out the window. “Yep. Sonny is right. This be the stop ta take alright.” She glanced at Jake.
He nodded that he understood.
“Hope ya gents have a nice little trip.” She grabbed Luke by the collar and pulled him across Brian’s lap until he was in the aisle. “‘Member ya manners, son. Don’ ga touchin’ strangers. Ya cain’t tell where they’ve a been. Come along, ya’ll.”
“Yes, Pa.” Luke, Gloria and Jeremiah followed her off the train.
Brian patted his suit jacket. “They took my wallet!” He grumbled as he ordered Jake and George to follow him off the train. “It’s just a minor delay. We’ll catch the next train after we take care of that rude family.”
Before they could get off the train, Jeremiah turned around to talk to the conductor in front of the open train door. “Sir, I think I left my wallet on board. Can ya hold the train while I ga back ta look for it?”
The conductor sighed. “I hate to run behind schedule.”
“But all the money I have in the world is in that thang.”
He sighed. “Very well.”
“Oh wait. Whoa!” He pulled out Brian’s wallet. “This ain’t mine. How’d it git in my pocket? It must belong to some po sap back in the train.” Before Brian could grab it, he threw it as far back into the train as he could. “Gotta go!”
Jake watched as Brian cursed and ran back to get it. The conductor sighed and glanced at his watch. Looking outside, he noticed that Jeremiah ran to Trouble and hopped on the horse. Sue was already on Bossy, the lasso in her hands. Gloria had instructed everyone to stay back. Sue’s father and Trevor stood on the platform with two nets.
So her father and Trevor brought the horses.
Luke stood by the train door. He cleared his throat to get Jake’s attention. Jake looked down at him. Luke pointed to himself and motioned to Jeremiah who was ready on his horse and then Luke pointed to Jake and motioned to Sue. Jake nodded his understanding. Luke would run to Jeremiah and lead one of the men after him while Jake would lead the other criminal to Sue. Jeremiah and Sue were the ideal choices for lassoing the two men. Jeremiah and Sue were a good distance from the platform but the speed of the horses would easily make up for the distance.
I can’t believe the Lewises are doing this for me. Sue was right. Her family was loyal to those they cared about. He hadn’t known such loyalty until that moment, and he was pleased they thought so well of him to go to such great lengths to save him.
Brian returned. “Let’s go. I see the woman over there. Her family must still be nearby.”
“It’s Brian Silverman, the thief, and his conspirator George Leroy!” Luke shouted as he ran to Jeremiah’s horse.
Jake ran to Sue’s horse.
He noted that Sue and Jeremiah urged their horses to a run.
“My gun! Where is it?” Brian screamed. “Why you miserable...”
Jake didn’t know who was running after him but someone was close behind him. Ahead of him, Sue, still in her costume, swung the lasso. She’s coming too close. Bossy’s going to run into me!
“Get down!” she yelled at him.
He gladly fell to the station platform.
Before George could grab him, Sue roped him around the waist, but the weight of her costume and Bossy’s sudden halt before she ran into Trouble caused Sue to fall off the horse. She let go of the rope and rolled under horse. George ran over to her.
Oh no you don’t! Jake jumped up and ran after him.
Bossy neighed and bucked back to avoid stepping on Sue. As a result, the horse hit George in the face with her hind end. George lost his balance. Jake quickly slammed him to the ground and punched him in the nose. George pulled out a knife. Jake grabbed him by the wrist so he couldn’t strike him with the weapon. George struggled to get his wrist free. He kicked at Jake’s shin and rolled him over so that Jake was under him. Jake momentarily loosened his hold on George’s wrist. He saw George aim the knife at his chest so he moved aside but the knife pierced his skin. As George pulled the knife out, Jake threw George off of him and punched him again. Then he grabbed the knife from him.
Trevor and his father ran up to George and threw their second net around him and tightened it so George couldn’t break free. Relieved, Jake fell back, suddenly aware of the pain in his shoulder. Sue ran over to him and knelt by him. He noted that her wig had fallen off but her mustache was still in place.
“Be alright. Please be alright. You can’t die on me. Don’t you dare die on me,” she repeated anxiously as she tore open his shirt so she could inspect the wound. When she saw that it wasn’t fatal, she collapsed on him and started crying with relief.
He tried to laugh it off but laughing aggravated the pain in his shoulder. He put his good arm around her and held her. “I wouldn’t dare die on someone who would go through all this trouble to rescue me.”
She laughed and kissed him.
He cringed. “You should take the mustache off.”
“Oh, sorry.” She did so. Her hair was pulled back in a bun so she pulled it out until it fell softly around her shoulders. “Is that better?”
He smiled. “Much.” He never saw a more lovely sight.
She kissed him again.
A cop came over to them. “The doctor is on his way here. You should lie still. You don’t want to aggravate the bleeding. We’re going to need your statement but we can wait until you’ve seen the doctor.”
He nodded as the cop left.
Trevor and Jeremiah came up to them.
“That was better than my story,” Trevor said. “You both will have to tell me what happened on the train so I can revise my work.”
“We can talk about your story later, Trevor,” Sue said. “Let’s just be glad it worked.”
“Sis came home soaked in tears and showed us all the letters and explained what happened. Then Jeremiah stood up and said, ‘Jake’s not dead yet. There’s still time to get him back.’ So we remembered The Kidnapper story and made some modifications since there were two kidnappers instead of one. We went to the train station and Mr. Green recognized you and told us where you were headed so we took our horses to the train station close to the Virginia border where your train was due to arrive on at 2:30. So while Pa and I got Bossy and Trouble over here, Sue, Jeremiah, Gloria and Luke hopped on the train and bumped into you. Well, you know the rest.”
Jeremiah grinned. “We couldn’t let you run off like that, being all heroic and willing to die to save our sister. I still haven’t gotten even with you for bringing that horrible caviar to my home.”
“Of all things to worry about...” Jake chuckled. He winced in pain.
“Well, we’re just glad you’re alright.”
Trevor nodded his agreement.
Gloria, Sue’s father and Luke came over to make sure he was going to be fine. As they talked about how relieved they were, it occurred to him that he might have saved their farm but they saved him from a lonely life. All along he had thought wealth was tied up in monetary possessions, but they were richer than he had ever be
en. And for the first time since his mother died, he was part of a real family again.
***
After the doctor had taken care of his wound, Jake answered the police’s questions, and from the information he provided them, they found Mr. Barnett tied and gagged in Brian’s cabin. Brian had planned to come by for him on his way to Michigan, figuring that between Mr. Barnett and Jake, he would uncover the whereabouts of the jewelry. He had not realized the jewelry had indeed been returned, just as Jake’s father had told him before his death. Jake was relieved to hear that Mr. Barnett was alright. He had feared the lawyer was dead.
A month later, Jake felt well enough to go to the dance with Sue. His shoulder was still sore but it was healing nicely. After he and Sue shared a couple of dances, he went with Justin to discuss business with Mr. Connor, a new man in town. He was glad to see that the other men were finally leaving Sue alone. They simply smiled and nodded to her as she passed by. He liked having her all to himself.
Mr. Edwards came up to them. “It’s official. I’m taking over the Leroy bank. Let the competition begin.”
Jake chuckled. “I don’t know, Noah. Justin and I form a pretty formidable team.”
“We’ll just have to see about that, won’t we.”
Jake always liked the man and wasn’t disappointed to see him take over the other bank in town. At least people could be treated decently no matter where they went.
“You can’t help but feel sorry for George,” Justin commented. “He was consumed with jealousy and bitterness.”
“Maybe jail will give him a new perspective on life,” Noah replied. “I hear he’s talking to the chaplain who ministers there. It might be a turning point.”
Jake was secretly relieved to have Brian Silverman and George Leroy safely behind bars but agreed that there might be hope for George. He glanced at Sue while she talked to Belinda. She is so beautiful and she’s all mine. She looked over at him and smiled. He returned her smile.
“If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I think I’ve done enough business for the night,” he politely excused himself. He walked over to Sue. “Hello, Mrs. Mitchell. Good evening, Mrs. Hawke.”
Belinda greeted him.
“I was wondering if I could steal your friend away so I can dance with her,” he told Belinda.
“I will see you at the library during the children’s story hour,” Sue added.
Mr. Hawke approached them. “Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell. Belinda, would you like to dance?”
Belinda smiled at her husband and nodded.
Jake led Sue to the dance floor and held her close to him. He loved the smell of her perfume. She wore a hunter green dress and the earrings and necklace he had given her on their wedding day. At least, he was able to give her something on that day that she liked. “You know that you’re the most beautiful woman in this room, and to top it off, you’re a wonderful dancer,” he whispered in her ear.
“If you keep talking like that, Mr. Mitchell, I just might fall in love with you,” she softly replied.
“Would that be such a bad thing?”
“No. It just might be pleasant.”
He kissed her neck.
“Jake, people are watching.” Though she protested, he knew she enjoyed it.
“I’ve had enough dancing for tonight. Would you be willing to leave everyone else and go home with me?”
“Every time.”
Her eagerness to go home with him pleased him. They left the building where Henry was waiting for them.
“Did you get a response from the publisher yet?” Jake asked as Sue went inside the buggy.
“I did and he accepted my poems. I don’t know how I can thank you, sir,” Henry replied.
“Just keep up the writing. I’ll have to read your poems to my children someday.” Jake sat next to Sue as Henry closed the door. “Don’t tell Trevor yet, but the publisher had a chance to look over some of his work and he likes what he sees. Henry isn’t the only one who’s going to have a book out soon.”
She smiled at him. “You really are an amazing man. I’ve never seen anyone who cared more about people than you do. You are quite impressive.”
“Now you’re the one who’s going to make me fall in love.” He kissed her. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I have a hard time keeping my hands off of you.”
“You’ll have to show me how hard it is for you when we get home.”
“Or I could show you now.” His hands roamed her body as he kissed her neck. “When we get home, I want you naked on that bearskin rug in the den.”
She giggled and kissed him back.
***
On May 20, Mr. Barnett came by their house to finalize the arrangement of his father’s will. He met with the lawyer in the parlor. Mr. Barnett handed him the rest of the money. “You are free to do what you want now.”
Jake smiled. “In light of Mrs. Mitchell’s pregnancy, we decided to stay married.”
“So marriage is agreeing with you after all,” the lawyer noted.
“It’s nice to have someone to go to plays, symphonies and dinner with. Who knew having a beautiful and kind woman with me could make those things twice as good as before?”
“Perhaps your father knew what he was doing when he wrote the will.”
“Perhaps.” Jake no longer resented his father. It was strange to feel sympathy for the man. He really missed out on a good life. But I’m not going to repeat his mistake. There’s no way I’m ever leaving Sue or our children. If he learned nothing else in his marriage to Sue, he learned that money couldn’t replace the love of a good woman in a man’s life.
“I hear you’re going to Greece,” Mr. Barnett said.
“Yes. Sue and I leave tomorrow. We decided that next year, we’ll check out Egypt. She would like to see the pyramids.”
“So children won’t slow you down?”
“No. We’ll just take them with us. They’ll learn a lot more from seeing these places in person instead of reading about them in a book.”
“I must say, you are a different man from the one who entered my office in December.”
“It just goes to show that miracles still happen, even for confirmed bachelors like me.” He stood up with Mr. Barnett and walked him to the front door.
As Ralph opened the door, Jake caught sight of Sue walking down the sidewalk. He smiled at the sight of her. Once again, he found himself thinking that the future before him was filled with promises of wonderful experiences, and it was all because of Sue. She’s so beautiful and she’s all mine. He couldn’t wait for her to enter the house, so he walked out to the front of their house and kissed her to welcome her home. And if anyone saw them, he was too happy to care.
An Inconvenient Marriage Page 30