An Unexpected Groom

by Nerys Leigh

  She swallowed and managed a shaky nod. “Uh huh.”

  They waited another half hour, as near as Louisa could guess. After twenty minutes Jesse sheepishly asked her to leave his lap because his legs were going numb. She was amazed he’d lasted so long. Pulling her cloak around her, she settled on the ground at his feet and leaned against his legs.

  She was just beginning to doze when he shifted behind her, leaning forward to stare intently into the darkness. Louisa followed his gaze, wondering what had his attention. At first she saw nothing but the vague shapes of the fences and occasional shrub and tree along the street. And then one of the shapes moved.

  Jesse touched her shoulder and she took his hand, not taking her eyes from the dark shadow making its way to Mr Ransom’s house.

  Reaching his door, the shadow paused and looked around. Louisa immediately looked down, hiding her pale face in the folds of her cloak and holding her breath, trusting Jesse was doing the same.

  After a few seconds she carefully raised her head, saying a silent thank You to God when she saw the man at the door raise his hand to knock, apparently still oblivious to their presence.

  After twenty seconds or so a window lit up and the door opened, the light that spilled from inside illuminating Lem’s face.

  Mr Ransom, clearly visible from where they were hiding, frowned and looked past him to the street. “What are you doing here? I told you never to come to either my home or the bank. What if someone sees you?”

  “There’s no one out here.” Lem stepped onto the doorstep. “We need to have a talk.”

  Mr Ransom huffed an agitated breath and stepped aside to let him in, closing the door behind him.

  “Now we know it’s him,” Jesse whispered.

  “We need to know what they’re talking about in there,” Louisa said, looking up at him. “Jesse...”

  “Yes, I know, you’re going over there.” He gently cupped her jaw. “Just please, be careful.”

  She climbed to her feet and kissed his cheek. “I will, I promise.”

  Lifting her skirt, she ran on silent feet to the gate into Mr Ransom’s front yard and slipped in. The light had moved from the window at the front of the house and she crept around a path to the side where another stood out bright in the darkness. At least there were no plants to grab at her as she passed. Although there were no trees or bushes to provide her with cover either.

  Being careful to stay out of the light, she took a brief peek into the room. Mr Ransom stood by a polished dining table, gesticulating at Lem. Neither of them looked happy.

  Muffled voices filtered through the glass, but she couldn’t make out the words. Ducking back into the shadows, she crept up to the window and pressed herself against the wall to one side, hoping to hear more clearly. It didn’t help.

  After several minutes of straining to hear anything, she was about to give up and leave when the voices suddenly grew louder.

  “...getting as much as I can!” Mr Ransom shouted.

  Lem’s reply was too soft to hear.

  “We had an agreement! You said you’d wait. I need time to prepare. I don’t want to lose my job.”

  Again, Lem didn’t speak loudly enough to make out.

  “Well that’s not my problem, is it? He’s your man. Don’t you trust him?”

  “Of course I don’t trust him!” Lem yelled.

  “Keep your voice down! We’ll be heard.”

  Their voices quietened again and the remainder of the conversation was frustratingly lost in the wall between her and the two men. A handful of minutes later she heard the front door open and close.

  Louisa pressed herself into the shadows, listening to Lem’s footsteps walk away. She waited until he was long gone and the light in the house had been extinguished, then she crept from her hiding place and rejoined Jesse amongst the trees along the road.

  “Oh, thank goodness,” he said as she approached, reaching out to take her hand. “I don’t know how much more of seeing you in danger I can take.”

  “I wasn’t in any real danger,” she said, smiling, “but I don’t mind you being worried about me.”

  “Did you hear anything?”

  “Mostly not. The window was closed and they were speaking too softly, but I did hear a bit when they started shouting.” She related the few lines she’d heard.

  Jesse stared at the ground, absently rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand in the most distracting fashion. “So we know for sure that Ransom is working with, or for, Lem. And that Lem and his cronies may be planning something more than cheating the bank’s customers.”

  Louisa dragged her attention from his touch on her hand. “Is that enough?”

  “It’ll have to be.” He looked up at her. “I’m going to Marshal Cade before work tomorrow. Maybe Lem and whoever else is with him are wanted men. Then I’ll talk to Vernon when I get into the bank.”

  “I’ll go with you,” she said immediately. “I can tell the marshal everything I heard.”

  He smiled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Chapter 25

  “What’re we having for breakfast today?” Jesse said, moving back to allow Louisa inside.

  She leaned down to kiss him, and walked into the kitchen, setting her basket on the table. “Freshly baked cornbread and butter with ham. Would you like it warmed up?”

  “Cold is just fine.” He wheeled to the table and lifted the cloth, taking in a deep breath of the delicious aromas that wafted from inside. “You baked this this morning? When did you sleep?”

  She went to the cupboard to fetch plates. “I haven’t been sleeping so well the past couple of nights. Thought I might as well make use of the time rather than tossing and turning in bed.”

  He caught hold of her hand. “Is it because of this whole business with the bank? I don’t want you to be so worried you’re losing sleep. You should have told me.”

  She smiled and touched her fingertips to his cheek. “It’s not because of the bank.”

  He stared up into her blue eyes, searching for the truth. “Is it because you don’t know what to do about me?”

  She sighed. “It’s because I don’t know what to do about myself. Please don’t worry about me. I’ll work it out.”

  He wished he could think of some way to ease her mind. “I’m praying for you, that God will guide you to the right decision.”

  She gave him a small smile. “Not that He’ll guide me to stay?”

  “All the time, but I know He won’t if it’s not His will. But I still pray it. Can’t help myself.”

  Her smile grew. “Glad to hear it.”

  When breakfast was over they went together to the marshal’s office. Marshal Lee Cade was at his desk, chair tilted back against the wall, the local newspaper in his hands.

  He dropped the chair forward onto all four legs with a thud as they walked in. “Good morning, Mr Johnson, Miss Wood. What brings you to my door at this ridiculous time of the day?”

  “Not a morning person, Marshal?” Jesse said, wheeling up to the desk.

  “Never have been, never will be. And yet I still manage to get myself into jobs that mean I have to get up early. What can I do for you?”

  Louisa took a seat beside Jesse. “We may have uncovered a conspiracy. Or possibly a plot. We’re not sure.”

  Marshal Cade’s eyebrows rose. “Sounds like I’m going to need to write this down. Hold on.” He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out several sheets of paper and a pen. “Okay, go ahead.”

  Together, they told him the whole story, from Jesse’s initial suspicions about Ransom to seeing Lem at his house the night before. When they’d finished, Marshal Cade looked over the pages of notes he’d taken.

  “This is interesting,” he said, tapping the end of the pen on the paper. “You know what happened yesterday with Miss Watts, and that I’ve got Ely locked up?” He jerked his head towards the closed door in the back wall of the office that led to the cells.

&nbs
p; Jesse nodded.

  “Now I know he’s wanted for more than one crime, so it’s highly likely this Lem person is also a criminal, if he’s associating with Ely. I know the men the two girls at the saloon were talking about. I pay attention if anyone’s new in town. But I didn’t know for sure they were together. I’m going to have a talk with Ely again.” He pushed his chair back from the desk. “I’m not going to say I entirely condone your methods, especially breaking into the bank, even if you work there. And watching Ransom’s meeting with Lem could have been dangerous. But this is good work. You leave it with me and I’ll let you know what I find out. I’ll also need to talk to Mr Vernon, which should be fun since he and I rarely, and by rarely I mean never, see eye to eye. Take my advice, never become a town marshal.”

  “That was my second choice after accountant,” Jesse said, rolling back to let Louisa out of her seat. “Sounds like I made the right choice.”

  From the marshal’s office they went straight to the bank, it being time for Jesse to be at work anyway. He took Louisa in through the back door and to his office.

  Ransom walked into the room as they arrived.

  “This area of the bank is for employees only, Mr Johnson,” he said, frowning at Louisa.

  “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m Miss Wood.”

  He took her hand briefly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Wood,” he said, sounding like it was anything but. “However, you are not meant to be here. So if you would kindly...”

  “What’s going on out here?” Mr Vernon strode into the room, his pocket watch in his hand. “Miss Wood?”

  Jesse wheeled towards him. “Sir, I need to talk to you again.”

  Vernon heaved a longsuffering sigh. “If it’s regarding the same nonsense you talked to me about on Monday, I don’t have the time. I still haven’t found anyone to replace Mr Emerson so Mr Ransom will be manning the lobby this morning, which means I will have to deal with his duties. So...”

  Jesse had had enough. “Mr Vernon, I’m only here telling you this as a courtesy. We’ve already been to the marshal and he’ll be by to talk to you later. So if you want to know what’s happening in your own bank, you should listen. Sir.”

  A flash of irritation crossed Vernon’s face. He wasn’t used to his employees contradicting him. “The marshal? What would he get involved with? This, whatever it is, is purely a bank matter.”

  “No, sir, it isn’t. There are other factors involved.” Jesse didn’t want to say too much in front of Ransom, but he didn’t seem to be getting anywhere with Vernon.

  He glanced back at Louisa, wondering if it had been a good idea to bring her. She’d wanted to come and he’d wanted the support, but now the situation was becoming contentious he didn’t want her caught up in it.

  Mr Vernon huffed out an annoyed breath. “This is ridiculous. All right, I’ll hear you out, but right now it’s opening time. Mr Ransom, please open the doors. I’ll be in to stock the drawers in a few minutes.”

  Ransom cast a nervous glance between him and Jesse. “Sir, I don’t think...”

  “It’s one minute to nine, Mr Ransom,” Vernon said, pointedly flicking open his watch. “We never open late.”

  Ransom narrowed his eyes at Jesse as if trying to read his mind. “Yes, sir.”

  He walked through to the lobby, casting Jesse a scowl as he left and leaving the door open.

  “This had better be good, Mr Johnson,” Vernon said. “I don’t appreciate flippant interruptions of the bank’s time.”

  Before Jesse could reply, Louisa stepped forward, her eyes flashing with anger. “Mr Vernon, you appear to care about your bank, and yet you dismiss everything Mr Johnson says even though he is a valued employee. Has he ever given you reason to doubt his word or his intelligence in the whole time he has worked for you?”

  Mr Vernon blinked at her, appearing as taken aback as Jesse felt. “Well, no, but...”

  “Exactly. And yet you treat him as if he’s an annoyance. Is it because he can’t walk? Is it your prejudice that’s blinding you?”

  “I...”

  “Because he has spent the past week in turmoil because of what he’s discovered. He cares about this bank and its customers and he has spent many hours of his own time investigating this. So the very least you can do is be civil to him and listen to him with an open mind.”

  “Uh, I, uh, yes.” Mr Vernon cleared his throat and pushed his watch back into his waistcoat pocket. “You’re right, Miss Wood.”

  Jesse couldn’t tell if he really thought she was right or if he was simply embarrassed.

  Seeming to suddenly realise what she’d done, Louisa nodded and stepped back to Jesse’s side, her eyes dropping to the floor. He wanted to reach up and hug her.

  Mr Vernon cleared his throat again. “Well, let’s go to my office and you can tell me what you’ve found, Mr Johnson. Miss Wood, if you’d like to...”

  He was interrupted by angry voices from the lobby.

  “What are you...”

  “Close that door and lock it.”

  “You can’t do this!”

  Frowning, Vernon strode to the door. “What’s going on in here?”

  He came to an abrupt halt and backed up, his hands rising. Lem followed him into the room, a revolver pressed almost casually into Vernon’s belly.

  Behind him a huge man with curly brown hair and beard wrestled a struggling Ransom through the door and threw him away from him with a curse. Ransom spun round to glare at him.

  “Jeb, go and watch the street,” Lem ordered, turning his attention to Jesse and Louisa.

  Jesse pushed his chair forward, moving to where he could roll in front of her if he needed to. His hands felt slick on the rims and he wiped them on his trousers.

  “Well now, seems to me I’ve seen you before, miss. I never forget a pretty face.” Lem’s eyes travelled down Louisa’s body. “Or other things.” He glanced around the room. “Anyone else in the building?”

  “What is the meaning of this?” Vernon growled, with more bravado than Jesse would have credited him with.

  “This here is a bank robbery,” Lem said, grinning. He raised his voice. “Get in here, West.”

  A swarthy man wearing a black bowler strolled in from the lobby. His dark eyes immediately went to Louisa, his mouth twisting into a leer.

  Jesse moved forward a few more inches. West didn’t even glance at him.

  “Check the rest of the building,” Lem said. “If there’s anyone else here, bring ’em out.”

  West gave a sharp nod and headed for the door leading to the back of the building, twisting his neck to keep his eyes on Louisa until he’d left the room.

  She moved closer to Jesse and placed her hand on his shoulder.

  He wrapped it in his own, looking up into her scared eyes. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “Right, this is how things are going to go,” Lem said, gesturing with his gun. “There will be no screaming or doing anything stupid like trying to escape. Do as you’re told, stay quiet, and you’ll all get to go home without any holes in you. Sound good?”

  “You’ll never get away with this,” Vernon said. “The marshal’s office is just down the road.”

  His seemingly relaxed demeanour vanishing in an instant, Lem rounded on him and shoved the gun beneath his jaw. Vernon stumbled back against the filing cabinets.

  “Did I say you could speak?” Lem hissed, his face inches away, twisting the barrel of the revolver against Vernon’s skin.

  “N-no.”

  “Then don’t...” he moved the gun and tapped it against the side of Vernon’s face, “speak.”

  Vernon shook his head. Lem stepped back and he slumped against the cabinets, rubbing his neck.

  West walked back into the room. “Rest of the place is empty.”

  “Good,” Lem said. “You keep an eye on this lot while Ransom and I take a walk.” He looked at Ransom. “Where’s the safe?” />
  Ransom’s eyes darted to Vernon. “Uh... I don’t...”

  A knock from the lobby interrupted him.

  Jeb appeared at the door and hissed, “There’s a woman outside.”

  Lem puffed a sharp breath through his nose and gestured at Ransom with the revolver. “Get rid of her.”

  His jaw dropped. “How am I supposed to do that?”

  “I don’t care,” Lem said through gritted teeth, “just get rid of her.”

  Shaking his head, Ransom followed Jeb back out to the lobby and Lem closed the door behind him.

  Before Jesse could react, he strode to Louisa and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back against him and pressing the gun to her temple. “Anyone makes a sound, I mess up this pretty face.”

  Jesse’s heart hit his throat. He started towards them.

  “That includes you, wheels,” Lem growled. “It may have escaped your notice, but I’m not above killing women or cripples.”

  Jesse stopped, his jaw clenching. “If you hurt her...”

  “Shhh,” Lem hissed as the sound of the front door opening filtered from the lobby.

  Louisa’s terrified gaze found Jesse’s and icy fear clutched at his spine. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

  It’s all right, he mouthed, hoping she understood. I won’t let him hurt you. He had no idea how he was going to keep that promise, but he knew he would. He would do anything to protect her, even if it meant losing his own life.

  Muffled voices came from the lobby, too soft to make out the words.

  Please, Jesse prayed, make whoever it is see something is wrong. Please, Lord.

  For what seemed like an age they waited until finally he heard the main door close again. Jesse didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

  The door opened and Ransom walked in. “She’s gone.”

  Lem released Louisa and she flew into Jesse’s lap, clutching onto him and pressing her face into his neck. He wrapped his arms around her trembling body and glared up at Lem.

  “She suspect anything?” Lem said, ignoring them both.

  “No, she did not suspect anything.” Ransom fixed him with a stare, as if daring him to disagree.