Next to her, Jim held the reins to the two geldings, his gaze turned forward as they made their way north.
She took a deep breath, steadying her body and her nerves. “Are you sure I should stay with your mother for six months?”
He didn’t bother to look in her direction. “My mother will be a big help to you as you adjust to motherhood.”
“Must you leave me alone with her?”
“Do we have to go through this again?”
“But I don’t want to go.”
His mouth formed a tight line. “Sarah, I’m tired of hearing this. My mother has her heart set on spending time with her grandchild. You’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy. I’m your husband, and I’ve made my decision.”
She clenched the quilt, her hand trembling. “You don’t even want to be there for the birth?”
“I have a lot to do at the factory.”
She wanted to jump out and run back home, but she knew he would pick her up and drag her back onto the wagon. Her mother-in-law didn’t care for her, though she managed to be civil toward her. She dreaded the thought of being with the woman for six long months. She couldn’t seem to do anything to please the woman. It was always, cook this again, you missed a spot on that dish, this is how you make a bed...The list was endless. No matter what she did, Beatrice Donner found a reason to criticize her.
The right front wheel ran over a large rock. She jostled to the side and accidently nudged him. He jerked from her, as if the physical contact bothered him. Apologizing, she quickly straightened. He chose this route along the edge of the farmland to avoid traffic, but she preferred a smooth, well-used road. However, it hadn’t been her decision. She turned her gaze to the back of the wagon. Her large wooden trunk carried her clothes and the baby’s clothes, cloth diapers, and blankets. Daring a glance in her husband’s direction, she wondered if he’d be glad to have her gone, even if it was for a short time.
The cold air around her was nothing compared to the bitter frost cased around her heart. The indifference that had developed over her eight months of pregnancy served to protect her from the pain of rejection, and now it settled into the core of her being. She rubbed her belly. Her love for her child flowed freely through her, and for a moment, she mourned that fact that it felt as if the child only had one parent. No. That wasn’t true. Jim would be an honorable father. After all, he did what was necessary to make the home run smoothly. But would he love his son or daughter?
A gunshot startled her. The horses bucked back, upsetting the wagon and causing her to lose her balance. She tumbled onto the hard ground, her arms instinctively protecting her large belly, and she rolled to her side, barely noting the sharp pain of a rock that probed her hip. The quilt had fallen halfway off her body, tangling around her limbs. She struggled to free her legs so she could stand, but her belly made the task next to impossible. She was floundering around on the ground when two dirty men rode over to them on their stallions.
The dark, lanky one pointed a .45 at Jim. “Give us your money.” His voice came out low and gruff.
Jim didn’t even glance in her direction. “She has it.”
The men turned their attention to her but didn’t make a move toward her.
Jim’s voice shook. “She’s pretending to be with child. She’s carrying our valuables under her dress.”
The beating of her heart seemed to stop in that instant. How could Jim do this to her? When the men urged their horses in her direction, she scrambled back, the quilt preventing her from being able to run. She noted that Jim quietly slid out of the wagon and began unhitching one of the geldings. Before she could reason what was happening to her, one of the men jumped off his horse and hastened over to her.
He tilted his hat and knelt by her, his eyes traveling the length of her body. “Is that true? Or are you really in the family way?”
Her lower lip quivered. She wrapped her arms protectively over her stomach. “Please don’t hurt my baby.”
He shook his head at his partner. “I thought as much.”
His partner pointed the gun in her direction. “Maybe you should check, just to be sure.”
As he reached his grimy hand to her, she tightened the quilt around her, her body shaking with fear. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t!
A male voice shouted out at them. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
The three of them lifted their heads at the rider who rode his horse in their direction.
She choked back a cry of relief.
The thief on the horse hissed through his teeth. “Damn! He’s getting away.” He nodded at Jim who was riding a gelding toward Omaha.
Without another word, the man next to her bolted up and jumped on his horse, joining his partner in pursuit of her husband.
The man who scared the robbers off yelled over his shoulder at two other men who followed him on their horses. “Get them!”
Her nerves were set on edge and her hands shook so badly she couldn’t even wipe her eyes.
He eased down from the horse and approached her in slow, easy steps, as if he was afraid he’d startle her. “It’s all right, ma’am. I won’t hurt you.”
Three shots echoed through the still air, and she had to see what happened. The sight of her husband falling from his horse brought a strangled cry from her throat. The robbers rode past him. The two men who trailed them were gaining fast.
“Those men who attacked you and your husband won’t get away,” the man next to her assured her.
Still twisted in the quilt, she struggled to stand up.
“Here. Let me help.”
She allowed him to take her by the elbow and pull her up. The weight in her belly made her stumble against him, but he steadied her.
“We’ll get you to the house. The boss will see to your needs, and I’ll come back for your things. Cal and Ben will make sure your husband is all right. Don’t worry about any of that over there.”
She finally got the quilt off of her, glad to be relieved of it. Straightening her long wool coat, she cleared her throat so her voice wouldn’t tremble. “Thank you.”
“Ma’am, are you all right? Is the baby all right?”
“I’m a little sore in the hip but I feel fine.” She rubbed her belly, noting the flurry of activity. “The baby’s kicking up a storm, so he must be good too.”
He nodded. “Let’s get you to the house. You get on the horse and I’ll walk. I don’t want to risk the health of that child, so if you need to stop and rest, let me know.”
“I will.”
After he helped her into the saddle and settled the quilt over her legs to preserve her modesty, she chanced another look in her husband’s direction. Cal and Ben managed to apprehend the two thieves. They had their guns pointed at the thieves but seemed to be focused on her husband who hadn’t moved from where he had fallen to the ground. Her heart constricted. What if he was dead? Surely, it wasn’t a good sign that he remained motionless.
The man who rescued her clucked his tongue and led the horse by the reins. “Come along.” His kind brown eyes met hers. “My name is Jacob McGuire, by the way.”
“I’m Sarah Donner.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am. Sorry about that over there though.” He peered at her husband. His brows furrowed but he didn’t comment. Instead, he asked, “Do you have a name picked out for the child?”
Realizing he wished to take her mind off the probable bad news of Jim’s death, she decided to answer. “Luke if he’s a boy and Margaret if she’s a girl.”
“Fine names. Both of them.”
Though he continued to make small talk on their journey to the house, her mind kept drifting back to her husband and what his death might mean for her and her baby.
Neil rubbed his hands together, his fingers practically numb from the cold despite the gloves he wore. Stepping away from the horse he finished shoeing, he led her into the stall. He made his way to the barn door where two of his farmhands were talking
in excited tones.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Jacob said there’s trouble on the northeast corner of your property. He took Cal and Ben to investigate and we heard gunshots.”
He tensed. “Did he say what he saw?”
“A wagon and two men on horseback.”
“Derek, get me Freedom.”
“No need, boss. There’s Jacob.”
Neil tipped his hat up and saw Jacob bringing someone on his horse. It looked like a woman, but from the distance it was hard to tell for sure. Buttoning his coat, he shoved his hands into his pockets and strode past the cattle pen to his head farmhand. As he got closer to them, he realized that the person on the horse was, in fact, a woman.
“We had a couple of thieves on your land,” Jacob said once Neil reached them. “Cal and Ben caught them. Now, they’re tending to her husband. One of the thieves shot at him and he fell off his horse. They’ll bring all of them here.”
By the hesitant tone in Jacob’s voice, it occurred to Neil that the woman’s husband didn’t fare as well as she did. Neil glanced her way, noting her pale face and trembling hands. It was natural that the ordeal scared her, and now she might be a widow. Clearing his throat, he told Jacob, “Get the doctor.”
Jacob helped her down, and Neil blinked when he saw that she was expecting. Jacob tipped his hat to her before he hopped up on the painted stallion and departed.
Neil’s heart went out to her. Praying that her husband survived the attack, he said, “You must be cold. Come. I’ll take you to the house. You can warm up and get something to eat and drink.” He took a couple of steps when he realized that she didn’t follow him. “Is something wrong?”
She tightened her coat around her body. “You’re Neil Craftsman.”
He nodded. “That’s right. You and your husband were traveling on my land. It’s all right. I’ll take care of both of you until you’re ready to go home.” He began to walk but she didn’t move. He frowned. “What is it?”
Staring at the ground, she seemed fascinated with kicking a small rock around.
“Well?”
“I appreciate the offer, Mr. Craftsman, but I’d rather stay out here, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, I mind. You’re my responsibility as long as you’re on my land. I can’t have you getting ill and risking your baby’s life. I’ll see to it that you can warm yourself up by the fireplace, and I’ll get you something to eat and drink. You don’t have to worry about anything. I’ll take good care of you and your husband.” He attempted to walk to the house but noticed that she didn’t budged. He frowned at her. “Why won’t you come into my house?”
She glanced over her shoulder at two of his farmhands who brought a cow to the large barn. Finally, she replied, “I know of your reputation. I cannot be alone with you.”
Careful to hide his sudden flare of anger, he sauntered over to her, only to get more annoyed when she backed up, looking as if she was a mouse caught by a cat. He forced his voice to remain calm and even as he said, “You heard of my reputation. Then you know I am a hardworking man whose wife left him and his daughter. So it is my divorce that has you upset?”
Her pale face and the way she refused to make eye contact with him said more than her silence did.
His mouth formed a tight line. Lowering his voice so his farmhands wouldn’t overhear, he continued, “However, there is more to my history, isn’t there?”
She met his gaze then, her brown eyes wide.
Crossing his arms, he purposely swept his blue eyes up and down her frame. Dark blond hair neatly tucked under her white bonnet. Fair skin, high cheekbones, and delicate pink lips. The coat and her pregnancy did little to hide her curvy figure. She was just as beautiful as his ex-wife. And just as uppity too.
She took another step back.
“Don’t be shy,” he whispered, leaning toward her and giving her a knowing smile. “You’d be surprised at how well I can handle a woman when she’s in my bed. The soiled doves in the saloon can teach men all kinds of interesting tricks.”
Gasping, she tightened her hold on her coat.
He straightened up and snapped, “I haven’t visited a whorehouse in eight years. Give me more credit than that.”
She shot him a piercing look. “That’s not true. There was that night five years ago.”
He stiffened. He had forgotten that particular night. “Oh good. You keep up with the rumor mill. Then you’ll recall that I also visited the pastor and have been faithfully attending church ever since. But it’s funny how no one seems to mention that.”
“You did engage in that foul behavior for many years. I find it hard to believe you changed.”
“Enough! Whether you like it or not, I’ll be taking you to the house, even if I have to carry you.”
“Then I’ll scream for help.”
He shrugged. “Go ahead. My men know what kind of man I really am. They won’t stop me.”
She stomped her foot on the ground. “You’re worse than people said.”
He moved toward her. He grabbed her arm when she turned to flee. Picking her up, he ignored her while she slapped his face and shouted for someone to save her from the beast. A beast indeed! She was the one attacking him when all he wanted to do was help her and her husband. Despite her protests and wiggling, he managed to bring her into his house. He grunted as he pulled the leg of the chair from under the kitchen table.
“Unhand me you horrible, horrible man!”
Then she let out an ear piercing scream in his ear. That was the final straw. He dropped her in the chair. She bolted from the chair but he pushed her back in and pressed his nose up to hers.
“Now listen to me,” he growled. “If you get out of this chair before your husband comes to take you home, I’ll find some rope and tie you in place. Do I make myself clear?”
She gasped, her hand fluttering to her neck. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Wouldn’t I?” He stared at her then, long and hard. His gaze intensely held hers until she looked away. Satisfied, he nodded and stood up. “All right. I’ll go find out what happened to your husband and bring him here. In the meantime, help yourself to some water I got from the well earlier today.”
She sniffed.
“Look, it’s just a suggestion. You do have your child to think about after all.”
“No, it’s not that. My husband might be coming here but your men will be carrying him.”
He shrugged. “He might be injured but Jacob went to fetch the doctor who’ll tend to him.”
“No. A doctor won’t help him.” She put her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. “He’s dead.”
Uncertain, he stared at her. He was used to handling Emily’s feelings but not a woman’s. Cassie hadn’t displayed any form of sincerity. Her tears were faked. But he sensed that this woman wasn’t faking in order to get his sympathy. This caused a tightening to form in his gut as he debated what to do to assure her that her husband was still alive. As he opened his mouth to speak that assurance, he stopped. Could he honestly tell her that? What if she was right? What if her husband didn’t survive?
“We don’t know that for sure,” he finally ventured.
She shook her head and continued to sob.
Shuffling his feet, he glanced around at the large work table and cupboards until he found a hand towel. He snatched it from the shelf and held it out to her, as if getting close to her would burn him. “Here. Use this.”
Glancing up, she accepted the yellow cloth and wiped her face.
He nearly shouted with relief when Cal knocked on the door which was slightly ajar. Turning to his farmhand he motioned him in. “What is it? Did you bring her husband?”
Cal removed his hat when he entered the kitchen, his expression solemn. Shifting his gaze from Neil to the woman and back to Neil, he said, “I’m afraid I got bad news.”
She cried even louder.
Sensing how much Cal didn’t want to be the one to say
it, Neil spoke up. “We’ll make arrangements to take him to the funeral parlor in town.”
“Boss, Ben and I tried to catch up to the robber before he shot him. We got both men apprehended and will take them to the sheriff. Justice will be served.” He looked at her. “We saw the whole thing and we’ll testify to it.”
She didn’t acknowledge his statement.
The poor thing must be overwhelmed with grief. Neil sighed. Though he didn’t care much for her, he did feel sorry for her. After he gave Cal instructions on which funeral director to find, he asked her, “Who should we notify on your behalf?” When she didn’t respond, he tapped her shoulder, “Ma’am?”
She shied away from him. “Please, stop touching me!”
He held his hands up, baffled that she should care when she just received news regarding her husband’s death. “There’s no need to get hostile. I asked you who we need to send for you.”
Her brown eyes widened and she shot him a frantic glance.
“Don’t you have a relative to go to?”
Her lower lip trembled and she shook her head. “No. My parents and sister are dead and I had no brothers or aunts or uncles.”
Placing his hands at his sides, he softly asked, “What about his family?”
She cringed for a moment. “No. They live too far away. I cannot go to them. My home is in Omaha.”
“Then you have enough to sustain you and your child. That’s a relief.” He turned to Cal. “Go ahead and take her husband to the funeral home.” He dared to ask her another question. “What was your husband’s name?”
Taking a deep breath, she replied, “Jim Donner.”
“All right. Cal will arrange the funeral for you. Since you don’t trust me, will you let Ben take you home?”
“I don’t know if I can.” Her voice sounded so low he could barely hear it.
His Redeeming Bride Page 2