Anonymous Bride

by McDonough, Vickie;

  Suddenly, she pulled her hands in front of her and started rubbing her shoulders. “Look, my hands are free!”

  After some finagling, Carly managed to untie her ankles and staggered to her feet. Rachel noticed that both of Carly’s hands and wrists were covered in blood. “Oh, your poor hands.”

  Carly held them up and grinned as if they were a badge of honor. She turned and looked around on the floor, stooped, then plodded toward Rachel. “Now we just gotta get you untied.”

  “Maybe we should just get out of here and worry about that later.”

  “You cain’t run with your ankles bound together.” Carly shook her head, shoved the battered chair away, and squatted behind Rachel.

  “I’m worried about your hands.”

  “They’ll heal.”

  Carly worked for several minutes, and then Rachel felt the ropes loosen, and the tension in her shoulders released just a smidgeon. Suddenly, the ropes broke. Carefully, she swung her arms forward and rolled her shoulders. “My, but that feels good.”

  Rachel made quick work of freeing her feet and stood on wobbly legs. “We’d best get out of here while we can. Did your brother leave any water?” She searched the small room as Carly headed for the door.

  Suddenly, Carly froze. “I hear voices. Quick. Lie back down on the cot and pretend you’re still tied up.”

  Her frantic gaze made Rachel’s heart ricochet in her chest. Had they worked so hard only to have Ty Payton return now?

  Rachel didn’t take time to question her but did as ordered. The putrid scents of the thin mattress almost made her retch, but with no food or water for a full day, Rachel managed to keep from gagging. Reluctantly, she forced her hands behind her still aching shoulders and lay down. Carly seemed to be searching the room for something. She snatched up a leg that had come off the chair and squeezed in the small space behind the door with the weapon over her head.

  Rachel held her breath, praying that Ty Payton hadn’t returned. Tears threatened, but she blinked them back. She wanted to be ready if Carly needed her help.

  A shadow passed by the window, and then a face appeared. Jacqueline?

  Were her eyes playing tricks?

  And there was Ricky’s blessed face.

  Rachel bolted up off the cot so fast, her head swam. Carly spun toward her, looking at her as if she were having a conniption.

  “Ma?” Jacqueline squealed.

  Carly lowered her club, and Rachel yanked the door open. Jacqueline charged in, nearly bowling her over. She grabbed her daughter and clung to her.

  “Ma, I prayed we’d find you. I thought I’d never see you again.”

  Jacqueline’s tears wet the front of Rachel’s dress, and tears of her own streamed down her face. Suddenly, her relief was overpowered by the reality that her daughter was far from home. “Just what in the world are you doing out here?”

  “You smell awful.” Jacqueline pulled away, hurt darkening her eyes. “We were looking for you. Jonesy remembered seeing a stranger at this cabin two days ago and thought we should investigate it.”

  “Oh! I could just blister your backside, but I’m so happy to see you.”

  Ricky entered the cabin, looking shy. He held up a canteen. “Anybody need some water?”

  Rachel held Jacqueline close again while Carly drank. Then the woman passed the canteen, and Rachel savored the lukewarm water, gulping it down.

  “I don’t wanna spoil this family reunion, but it won’t be so happy if my brother returns before we get away.” Carly pressed her lips together, looking like a no-nonsense schoolmarm.

  “She’s right. We need to leave. Now.”

  “Maybe it’d be better if we all went to my house,” Ricky said. “There’s not much cover along the road, and if ’n that stranger returns, we could be in big trouble, even though I do have a gun.” He pulled out James’s old pistol, and Rachel gasped. She turned a stern glare on her daughter.

  Jacqueline ducked her head and then smiled. “Well, you did say a woman should never go far from town unarmed. I was just obeyin’ you, Ma.”

  Rachel grinned at her incorrigible daughter and looped her arm around her. “I’m sure that’s not exactly what I said, but we’ll talk about it when we get home.”

  Ricky led the way, keeping them in the tree line as much as possible. They passed what he said was the Jones farm and continued across a field to a farmhouse in the distance. All of a sudden, they heard horses’ hooves pounding down the lane. With no trees for cover, they bunched together. Rachel shoved Jacqueline behind her, and tried to put on a brave front. It had been one thing to face an outlaw knowing her daughter was safe in her bed, but another thing altogether when her child was in danger.

  “Give me that gun, boy.” Carly faced Ricky, but the kid stepped back.

  Ricky shook his head. “I’ll protect us.”

  Carly stomped toward him and yanked the gun free of his grasp. She winced but held the weapon in spite of her injured hands.

  “You’d shoot your own brother?” Rachel asked.

  “I don’t wanna, but I will if it means saving you and the kids. Get down.” They squatted in the thigh-high grass.

  “She’s gonna have to load it if she hopes to shoot anyone.” Ricky reached into his pocket and yanked out the bullets.

  Carly quickly loaded the weapon and ducked down, turned toward the road, and held the gun outward.

  Rachel hoped in the waning light of dusk that the riders might pass on by and not see them in the field. She held her breath and kept an arm around her daughter. “Please, Lord, make us invisible.”

  Two horses rounded the wide bend in the road at full-gallop. Rachel studied their silhouettes as the setting sun illuminated them. She couldn’t make out their faces, but she recognized the lead rider and bolted up.

  “Get down.” Carly waved her hand behind her.

  Rachel cupped her hand around her mouth and yelled, “Luke!”

  Jacqueline jumped up and took off running, waving her hand. “Luke, over here.”

  Rachel jogged past Carly, half worried that she’d accidentally shoot Jacqueline. Her heart soared with relief to see Luke. He would protect them from the outlaw. Thank You, Lord!

  Luke reined his horse to a stop so fast that it nearly sat down. Someone riding behind Luke flailed his arms and rolled off onto the ground. The second rider’s horse jumped him and skidded to a halt. Luke vaulted to the ground and ran to Jacqueline.

  “What are you doing out here? I told you to stay home.”

  Rachel could see the white of her daughter’s teeth as she smiled. “I found Ma.”

  “Yeah, and you could have gotten hurt.” Luke hugged Jacqueline and then stooped down and kissed her cheek.

  Rachel slowed her steps. She was thrilled to see Luke, but he might not feel the same way. Oh, he’d be happy to find her safe—

  Luke’s gaze captured hers, and all thoughts ceased. He set Jacqueline aside, tweaked her nose, and strode toward Rachel, his eyes smoldering. Her heart leapt at the intensity of his gaze. He stopped and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking both sorry and relieved. “Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head, barely able to breathe. Afraid to allow hope to take wing.

  “I’m so sorry, Rach. Sorry for not forgiving you. It was all my fault.”

  “This wasn’t your fault. Carly’s brother is the one who kidnapped us.”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Luke’s brow wrinkled. “Who’s Carly?”

  Rachel peered over her shoulder. Mark stood next to Carly, relieving her of the gun. Rachel heaved a sigh. “It’s a long story, and we’re starving and exhausted. Can it wait until we get back home?”

  Luke pressed his lips together and nodded. “Rachel, there’s so much I need to say. I—”

  Fast approaching hoofbeats silenced whatever he’d been about to tell her. He shoved Rachel behind him. “Jack, hit the dirt!”

  Rachel tried to see past Luke to find her daughter in the twilight, b
ut all that caught her eye was a lightning bug. Her heart choked. Jacqueline was between Luke and the road.

  Luke shoved Rachel down. “Stay here.” He strode forward, gun in hand.

  Had they been rescued, only to be caught again? Rachel shook her head and prayed hard.

  A rider rounded the bend, and Luke shouted out. “Stop where you are, or I’ll shoot.”

  The horse pulled up, snorted at the quick stop, and pranced in circles. “Luke? That you?”

  Relief surrounded Rachel like the growing darkness as she recognized Garrett’s voice.

  “Yeah, I’m sure glad it’s you, cuz,” Luke said.

  “Well you won’t be glad when you hear my news. The bank’s been robbed.”

  CHAPTER 33

  Though anxious to get back to town and check things out, Luke rode back into Lookout at a slower pace than when he’d been searching for Rachel. He wouldn’t risk injuring his horse by galloping in the dark. Besides, Garrett had explained that the outlaw was secure in Luke’s jail with Dan Howard keeping watch.

  He hated leaving Rachel, but his cousins would see her, Miss Blackstone, and Jack home safely. The two boys were close enough to their homes to walk, so all Luke needed to concentrate on was the robbery.

  But his rebellious mind kept wandering back to Rachel. She was filthy and exhausted, but was that hope he’d seen in her eyes? Did he dare think she felt something more than friendship toward him after the way he’d treated her?

  He’d been such a fool.

  There was so much more he wanted to say to her, but that would have to wait.

  The lights of town glimmered in the black night. He rode into Lookout a few minutes later and headed straight for the bank. The lights were on. Was Ray Castleby still there, or had he decided to go home and left a lantern burning to discourage others tempted to relieve the bank of its funds?

  Luke dismounted, secured his horse, and then knocked on the bank door. “Ray, it’s me, Luke. You in there?”

  He heard the jingle of keys; then the lock clicked and the door opened. Ray Castleby looked more haggard than Luke had ever seen him. Luke studied the serene bank. The wood shone even in the flickering light of the lanterns, and the room smelled of beeswax with the faint hint of gunpowder. One of the floor planks contained a splintered hole where a bullet had been fired into it.

  “I’m sure glad to see you, Marshal. Though all the excitement’s over now, I still can’t quit shaking.” Ray motioned him to come in. The thin man’s clothing was rumpled, and one sleeve had blood on it. Ray pushed his wire-rimmed glasses up his pointy nose.

  “Did you get hurt?” Luke pointed at the banker’s sleeve.

  Ray glanced down and stared at the spot that blemished his snow white shirt. His hand trembled as he reached toward the stain. “Uh ... not my blood. Belongs to that thief.”

  Ray was a high-strung man who looked to be on his last leg. The robbery attempt must have really shaken him up. “Let’s have a seat, and then tell me what happened.”

  Nodding, Ray moseyed back to his office, and Luke followed. Ray owned the biggest desk in town, even larger than Mayor Burke’s. The dark wood gleamed under the fancy lamp. Papers were stacked in neat piles. A picture of an English foxhunt covered a large portion of the wall behind the banker. Luke couldn’t help staring. He’d never had reason to visit Ray’s office and now stared at the largest painting he’d ever seen, with the exception of one he’d glimpsed in a saloon in Wyoming.

  “I was closed, and Gerald, my clerk, had gone home.”

  Luke forced his attention away from the picture to what Ray was saying.

  “I wanted to finish up some paperwork for a local rancher, so I was working late.” He rambled on about the robber knocking then shoving his way in when Ray answered.

  Luke’s mind drifted back to Rachel. He wanted to see her again. To make certain she was all right and unharmed.

  The banker chuckled and shook his head, and Luke realized he’d missed something.

  “Uh ... would you repeat that?” he asked “I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t witnessed it. Bertha Boyd came in the door right on the heels of that thief. At first, I thought she was another gang member. The robber swung around to face her, and she smacked him on the arm with that new cane she’s been using, causing him to drop his gun. He picked it up, and Bertha plumb knocked him on the temple with another swipe of her walking stick. The gun fired, and I guess either the bullet or a wood splinter cut the thief ’s arm. The man collapsed at Bertha’s feet, but she didn’t pay him any mind. She just looked at me and said my clerk had short-changed her when she took out some cash earlier.”

  Ray leaned back in his chair, hands on his belly. “I’ve never been so happy to see that gabby woman in my whole life. I didn’t even question her about the error but took the money right out of my own pocket and paid her. She might well have saved my life.”

  Luke grinned at the thought of the large woman foiling a bank robbery. Jenny Evans would sure have some news to post in her paper this week. “So you didn’t lose any money?”

  “No, we never got more than five feet from the door. It’s nothing short of a miracle.”

  Luke stood, anxious to check on his prisoner. “God works in mysterious ways.”

  Ray let out a belly laugh. “That he does.”

  As he entered the jailhouse moments later, Luke nodded at Dan Howard sitting behind the desk, reading an old Dallas newspaper. Max lay on his blanket in the corner and didn’t even lift his head. Luke walked past the livery owner to the two cells at the back of the jailhouse and stood eye-to-eye with the prisoner. Something seemed vaguely familiar about the man leaning against the cell wall. His dark hair was greasy, and several days’ whiskers covered his square jaw. Piercing blue eyes studied Luke, as if taking his measure. Cleaned up, Luke suspected most women would find him handsome. He glanced at the man’s bandaged arm. “Guess the doc took care of that, huh?”

  The prisoner shrugged one shoulder. Luke spun around and marched back to his desk. Dan stood and stepped away, as if he felt guilty for sitting in Luke’s chair.

  “Thanks for jailing the robber and watching him for me.”

  Luke bent and tugged on the middle drawer as a thought raced through his mind. He yanked out his stack of wanted posters and thumbed through them. He looked at a half dozen before he found the one he wanted. A slow grin tugged at his mouth as he stared at the likeness of his prisoner. Ty Payton, leader of the Payton Gang that had terrorized southwestern Missouri. He handed the poster to Dan.

  He took it and then let out a low whistle. “That’s him all right. Imagine, a real wanted outlaw in our little town.” He shook his head. “What’s this world comin’ to?”

  Luke peeked at the man he suspected was Ty Payton again. The prisoner had slumped down on the small cot and placed one arm over his eyes. Luke stared at him. What had brought the man from his normal hunting grounds in Missouri to Texas? And where was the rest of his gang? “Payton?”

  The man lifted his arm and glanced at Luke.

  “You Tyson Payton?”

  “Maybe.” He lowered his head and turned to face the wall, but not before Luke saw a smirk tug at the corner of his mouth.

  He was Payton, all right. Luke read the information about the gang on the poster. Payton normally traveled with two other men and sometimes a woman. It was suspected that the woman was Carly Payton, Tyson’s sister.

  The hairs on the back of Luke’s neck stood on end, and his gut swirled with uneasiness. Where had he heard that name before?

  Dan stood beside Luke’s desk with his hat in his hand. “Marshal, there’s a woman at the boardinghouse who came in on the evening stage while you were gone. You’re gonna wanna talk to her.”

  Exhaustion made Luke’s brain foggy. He needed to head to bed, but instead, he had a long night ahead sleeping in his jail and keeping watch on his prisoner. Part of the man’s gang might still be around and plan to break him out of jail. “Can
’t it wait?”

  Shaking his head, Dan rolled up the edge of his felt hat. “I don’t think so. You probably should head on down there while I’m still here.”

  Luke sighed and strode out the door. He couldn’t imagine what could be so important that it couldn’t wait until morning. But at least he’d get to see Rachel again.

  He thought about the outlaw’s sister—Carly Payton. Suddenly, he stopped in the middle of the road. Rachel had said something about someone named Carly. As unusual as that name was, she had to be Payton’s sister.

  Luke broke into a run and charged toward the boardinghouse. His heart thundered. Was Rachel in danger again?

  ***

  Rachel thanked the Corbett brothers for helping them to get home and entered the house. She glanced around as if seeing everything for the first time. It looked so wonderful. Miss Bennett and Miss O’Neil both sat in the parlor and jumped up as they entered.

  “’Tis wonderful to have you all home again.” Miss O’Neil hugged Rachel, then Carly and Jacqueline.

  “Yes, we were so worried about you.” Miss Bennett cast an odd look at Carly. “We ... uh ... kept some food warm for you, if you’re hungry, that is.”

  “We’re starving!” Jacqueline squeezed past them and made a beeline for the kitchen.

  “Don’t forget to wash up first.” Rachel said.

  Jacqueline tossed a scowl over her shoulder, but suddenly her expression changed. “Yes Ma.”

  Rachel looked into the surprised eyes of the other women. Maybe her being kidnapped had made her daughter thankful enough for her return that she’d be more obedient. She could hope so, at least.

  “I’m so happy that you’re all right.” Miss Bennett hurried forward and hugged Rachel. She released her and looked at the floor, her hands wringing in front of her. “I owe you and the other ladies an apology. I’ve been so worried about what would happen to me if I lost the competition that I haven’t been very nice.” She looked up at Rachel and then glanced at Shannon and Carly. “I’m sorry. I would like for us to be friends, no matter how the contest ends.”