She jumped at the sound of her father’s voice. “What are you doing here?”
“Glover’s here. Before heading to Fort Worth, I came to town for supper when I saw a man with a remarkable resemblance to Glover. Unfortunately, it was more than resemblance. I’ve been following him ever since.”
Her pulse quickened. How long had he been here? “I know. Why didn’t you tell me? If I had known—”
“What would you have done? Worry? I won’t let anything happen to you. Not again.” He took her arm, directing her out of the store.
Once outside, she halted. “It’s too late. I saw Glover last night. He’s promised me that if I go with him, Trent and Lilly will be safe.”
Confusion and worry flitted across his features. “And all of a sudden you trust him?”
“I have little choice. Don’t you see? My family’s life is at stake, and I’ll do anything to protect them.”
He stared at her for a long minute. “You remember what I asked you a few weeks ago, about providing for your family? You are nothing like me, daughter. You’re willing to give up your life for the ones you love.” He cradled her face with his hand. “I’m so proud of you and the woman you’ve become.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. These were the last moments she’d spend with her father, and she would always hold them close to her heart. “I love you, Papa.”
“And I you.” He hugged her tightly. “Let’s go. I heard there’s a telegram waiting for you. We can get it before we head back to the ranch.” He took her arm before glancing back to Glover’s room.
She followed along quickly, hoping she’d finally have a word on Catherine from Oliver. Please, Lord, let today be the day.
Rosalind entered the telegraph office, afraid to hope for a miracle.
The man behind the counter stood taller as they neared. “Mrs. Easton. How may I help you?”
“Do you have a telegram for me?”
“Let me check.” He pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose. “No, I don’t see one, but you do have a letter. Came today.” He held it out for her.
“Thank you.” She took the envelope from his fingers and scanned it. Oliver. She tore into it.
Dear Mrs. Trenton Easton,
I’ve written to let you know Catherine is recover-ing, and we will be on our way to Fort Worth soon. It will take several weeks by train, but please tell Lilly we are coming. Oh, how we’ve missed her.
Catherine sends her regards, but honestly, she hasn’t stopped talking about you. She has tried to convince me to move to Fort Worth for no other reason but for your friendship. And I happen to agree, but let’s not tell her yet, shall we?
Please give your husband our regards as well and tell him how thankful we are to both of you for your kindness. You have our deepest gratitude.
Oliver Hadley
Her father came to her and stood at her elbow. “Is everything all right?”
She wiped her tears. “Everything is wonderful. Lilly’s parents are coming. They should be here soon.” Her father said he’d forgotten something at the general store, but she recalled little after. Catherine and Oliver were coming! How she wished to hurry home and witness the delight on Lilly’s sweet face when she heard the news. She pictured how her green eyes would light up. The joy she felt moments ago vanished.
Rosalind had lied. She’d promised Trent she would never leave, and Lilly that she wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye. But she’d done both.
Lord, please forgive me for not keeping my oath, but I have to protect them. Lilly will be with her family soon enough. She won’t need me anymore, but Trent ... Please heal the pain I’m about to put him through. And Lord, thank you for answering my prayers.
Focusing on the here and now, she glanced around. Her father said something about the general store, but he was nowhere in sight. She stepped outside and glanced at the store, then at the boardinghouse. She knew what she must do.
Be still.
Yet the urging in her heart to do nothing didn’t stop her as she hurried across the street. With a deep breath, she entered the boardinghouse. Stopping at room number twelve, Rosalind could scarcely breathe. She ran her sweaty hands down her dress and took another long breath. She had to protect her family at all costs. Thoughts of Trent skirted her mind, but she pushed them aside. Hardening her resolve, she knocked.
Glover answered right away. “Hello, my dear. I knew you’d come.” He dragged a finger along her jaw, his dark eyes devouring her.
Her skin crawled.
“Come in, will you?”
She froze at the invitation. What have I done? Lord, help me.
He gripped her arm in a painful vice.
She gasped. “Glover, you’re hurting me!”
“Am I?” His lip curled an instant before his maniacal laugh filled her ears and sent a chill skidding down her spine. “You have no idea what pain is.” He wrenched her into the room and slammed the door behind her.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Rosalind opened her eyes at the sound of someone pounding. It took her a moment to remember where she was, what had happened, and how Glover had knocked her unconscious. The pounding sounded again, and Glover yanked her from the floor. She stumbled but caught herself before falling.
“Don’t say a word,” he hissed.
“Glover! It’s Roger. I need a word with you.”
Glover chuckled. He swung the door and pointed a gun at her father’s chest.
Her father drew his gun and reached for the hammer. His eyes shimmered with tears as his gaze roamed her ruffled clothes, settling on her face. “Let her go,” he said, anguished.
Glover sneered. “I’m afraid not, Roger.”
“Then you leave me no choice.”
“But then again, you have two choices. Rescue Rosalind, or rescue her husband and that little girl. If you leave now, you might be able to save them. Oh, I think I’ve forgotten to mention ... Three men are on their way to the ranch as we speak to do my bidding. One of the men you know. Martin.”
Panic seized Rosalind. “No! You came for me. Me alone. You tricked me!”
“Of course. Why would I let the man you love live? So you can pine over him for the rest of your days? No, dear, you belong to me. I will share you with no one.” Glover wrapped his arm around her neck.
Rosalind struggled. “Papa, please. I beg you. Save them. Please. Hurry!” She trembled as Glover’s grip tightened.
A shadow fell over her father’s eyes, and she saw indecision wrestling within him. Nauseating fear shook her to the core.
“What devotion. What love. Yes, hurry, Roger, before it’s too late.” Glover laughed as he hauled Rosalind from the room, using her as a shield as he exited the building.
Her father followed, gun still pointed. He was her only hope to save Trent and Lilly. “Please, Papa!” she begged as Glover carried her behind the boardinghouse.
Rosalind stumbled forward. Hard fingers gripped her arm, steadying her.
“Move it!” Glover barked, pushing her forward toward two men who waited on horses. Both seemed tall. Where one was lean, the other was large. She shivered. These were the same men Glover acquainted himself with in Boston.
Nearing the horses, she scanned the vacant area, her heart frantic. Anguish filled her as she sought for an escape. She would find it. She had to find it. God hadn’t brought her this far only to abandon her now. I was a fool, Lord, for trying to save my family alone. Please. Help me, Lord. Give me a way of escape.
Glover’s hold lightened on her arm as she reached the horses. The thin man leered down at her, then quickly glanced over her shoulder, eyes narrowing.
“You’re a dead man.”
Glover spun, releasing her.
Her father stood several feet away, his gun once again aimed at Glover. “Not another step, Richards.” His voice demanded obedience.
Her pulse raced in her ears. This was it. Her chance. She lifted her skirt and ran.
“Don’t sh
oot her!” Glover’s voice rang out as she sprinted toward Main Street. Her breath came in ragged gasps.
Two shots vibrated in the air.
“Oh, Papa.” Tears blurred her vision, but she couldn’t stop. Lord, save my father’s life.
“Rosalind!” Glover yelled, his obscenities catching up with her.
Only a few steps to Main Street.
When the general store came into view, she pushed harder.
Only a few more steps.
“Help!” she cried, running for the boardwalk. Hooves sounded in the distance and caught her attention. Trent galloped toward her, leading Matthew, Pete, and Blake. She blinked twice.
Trent was alive? Her breath caught as her mind spun. Did that mean Lilly was alive as well? She blinked away the moisture from her eyes.
“Rosalind, look out!” Trent’s voice pierced her thoughts.
A hand clutched the back of her dress, halting her mid-stride. She fell hard against the dirt. Glover’s haunting dark eyes loomed over her. His pistol pointed at her heart. “You will always be mine.”
Save me, Lord!
A gun blasted.
Glover’s face fell, and his body crumbled next to her on the ground.
The sky rumbled and a breeze brought in threatening clouds, and for the first time, Rosalind welcomed it. She released a heavy breath and inhaled the smell of rain. The nightmare was over. Glover was dead.
She shifted in Trent’s arms as Blake exited the general store with a dark cloth and descended the boardwalk. He tossed it over Glover’s body. “It’s over. I’m finally free,” she whispered.
Trent hugged her gently against his chest and kissed the top of her head.
“Are you sure Dr. Parker said my father will be all right?”
Trent intertwined his fingers with hers and brought them to his cheek, his lips, and kissed her hand, her knuckles. She relished the feel of him, his kisses, and thanked God for saving them. “The bullet only grazed him. The doctor said he’d be fine, and he’ll bring him out to the ranch when he’s finished.”
Blake came to them and lifted his hat above his brows. “We’ll find the man who got away. Don’t you worry, Rosalind. Matthew and Pete are out lookin’ for him now. Matthew is the best tracker I know, and Pete ... Well, let’s just say I’m glad he’s on the law’s side. Can’t see anyone getting away from them.” Blake glanced down the street and pointed at the sheriff’s office. “The other man is locked up. I’ll come out to the ranch for Martin when I’ve got everything wrapped up in town, but I don’t expect him to run after what he did.”
Rosalind had forgotten about Martin. She stood to her feet quickly, pulling Trent with her. “Martin, he’s at the ranch? Lilly’s in danger.”
Trent was the first to answer. “It’s all right. Martin warned me about Glover’s plans. He cares for you and Lilly. It was because of you he became a changed man. He’s watching Lilly now and will be at the ranch when we return.”
Rosalind glanced at him, certain surprise registered on her face. It had pained her deeply to see Martin sitting with Glover, knowing he deceived them. On several occasions she had recalled their last conversation in the kitchen, but now it all made sense. He was sorry. He needed her forgiveness. He needed God’s forgiveness. The first she could give easily, but the second was up to him.
“I’m ready to go home.”
Epilogue
The following week, Rosalind and Lilly prepared to travel with Trent and the cowhands to Fort Worth. Their first stop after selling the herd was to visit Martin, who had turned himself in for the crimes he’d committed, then to rejoin Lilly with her parents.
Lilly came running from the house with Mr. Sanders tucked under her arm and a sheet of paper clenched in her hand. “I made this for Martin. Can I take it?” She held up a picture of herself and Martin stirring chocolate in a bowl.
“He will love it.” Trent picked her up and kissed her cheek. He would miss this sweet girl, and the thought of her leaving them brought a deep heartache he and Rosalind rarely spoke of. “Is Rose almost ready?”
“She’s coming, but I think there’s something wrong with her. She keeps laughing.”
He gave her a squeeze. “Do you think it’s because she loves me?”
Lilly leaned into him and kissed his cheek, then pressed Mr. Sanders against the other. “We love you. Can I get in the carriage now? I can’t wait to see Mama and Papa. Do you think they missed me?”
“Of course I do.” He set her on her feet.
Rosalind came out of the house, her rich brown hair cascading down her back and her gray eyes finding his. She bit her lip.
He cocked his head and tipped his Stetson above his brow. “Hmmm, a kiss for your thoughts.”
She blushed.
He drew her close, remembering the softness of her skin next to his and wishing they were alone now. “Are you passing up my kisses?”
“Never.” She looked up at him through long lashes. “My mind is spinning. We’re meeting Catherine and Oliver. I hoped and prayed this day would come. I just never thought it would be so hard. Do you think they will stay and make their home here as his letter mentioned?”
“That’s my hope.” Trent glanced at Lilly, who sat in the wagon and sang to Mr. Sanders.
“I’m looking forward to seeing my father off. I feel the need to thank him again for all that he’s done, because if he hadn’t interceded when he did ...”
“It’s over. They found the other man. You’re safe.” He touched her cheek.
“I know, but it’s not only that... God never left me even when I was standing in that room with Glover. He was working to rescue me as He did before. He’s been there this entire time... through it all. You leaving Boston, Glover, my father, this land, and now ...” Moisture filled her eyes. “I’ve found my joy, Trent. That God is the same no matter what I go through, loving me, helping me.”
“I’m sorry, Rosalind, but you lost me after you said, ‘and now.’ What has God done?”
She smiled. “When we’re in town, I’d like to see the doctor.”
He pulled her back and searched her face. “What’s the matter?”
She caressed his forehead with her fingers, as he would do to her. “No need to worry. God has blessed us with a child.”
Trent lifted her in his arms and swirled her through the air. As he brought her back to his chest, he silenced her giggles with a kiss—one that contained all the love and hope he had for their future.
Author’s Note
I hope you enjoyed The Rescue. This story has always held my heart captive in the fact that it gives us a glimpse of how the Lord works behind-the-scenes in Rosalind and Trent's behalf, directing their paths. In many ways, our Lord does the same for us, even when we can't see Him move or act when we pray.
I'm reminded of scripture when Daniel prayed to the Lord, and He answered Daniel's prayer that same day, but evil hindered the answer from reaching him (Daniel 10). Even though The Rescue is a fictional story, it represents how we—as people of faith—may not see the Lord working on our behalf, but later receive blessings in the end result of His faithfulness and power to work in our circumstances.
Let us never forget that the Lord hears us when we pray. God's plans are to prosper us. Plans to give us a hope and a future.
Blessings, friends! Until we meet again.
Tanya
Acknowledgments
Heartfelt thanks to April Gardner for always being there. Whether it was a quick phone call in the carline, a million questions sent in texts, or countless rewrites, she never missed a beat. Even my spontaneous trip to Texas didn’t faze her! Her endless support keeps me going. And where would I be without my dear friend, Mary Hamilton, my critique partner from the very first word, from the very first novel. Thank you for sticking around! I also want to give a special thanks to Carole Towriss and Laura Hilton for their belief in this story. Your support and friendship over the years is truly a blessing. Lastly, I want to thank
my readers for their enthusiasm and support of my novels. I’m so glad we’re on this journey together!
Read on for an
Excerpt of
BOOK TWO
in the
ALL ROADS
LEAD TO TEXAS
Series
The
Proposal
BOOK 2
Tanya Eavenson
Chapter One
Blake McKenny’s hand rested on the butt of his holstered gun as he leaned against a tree. Sweat trickled down his back—the shade did little good—but he loved it here. Several hundred feet away the tree line stopped, and wide-open prairie stretched straight to the sheriff’s office in Graham, Texas. God’s country, he called it.
His office.
His land. Or it would be soon.
He inhaled and mouthed a prayer of thanksgiving. Seven years ago, he’d promised land to his wife—land he pictured them raising children on, land they’d work until they were old and gray. A promise he’d never been able to fulfill. At least not while she was alive.
He yanked off his Stetson and wiped his brow with his arm, thoughts shifting to the town meeting he left an hour ago in Fort Worth. Reports of men shot and killed while women and children were taken as hostages from stagecoaches to be sold to brothels.
He released a heavy breath. He had to find a way to keep the people in his town safe. But how could he stop outlaws or their schemes, or keep loved ones from dying at the hands of evil men when he couldn’t prevent his own wife’s murder? Images of so long ago flashed in his mind for what seemed like the thousandth time. If only ...
He shook his head against memories and pain as oppressive as the Texas summer heat and tried to refocus on his personal Garden of Eden.
In the distance, a stagecoach rounded a bend at a hazardous pace. His eyes narrowed, tracking its movement. Dust billowed up from the ground around it, nearly obscuring the two horse riders approaching from behind the coach. The muscles in Blake’s body tightened.
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