“From now on I’m going to avoid sitting on the front row.”
Mary grinned. “Would you like a blindfold too?”
Chris chuckled. “It might help. Next time you might warn me.”
“Next time you might arrange to spend time with me.”
He frowned. “Is this punishment?”
Mary gave a snort. “Hardly. Now buck up. You’ll be fine, and remember, don’t move.”
She left him standing there and returned to her firing position. As she loaded her pistol, Henry made his announcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Mary will now be blindfolded once again and fire all five shots from her Smith & Wesson .38 directly at our volunteer. Hopefully he won’t move, because once Mary memorizes the position of her target, she is unable to recalculate.”
Henry signaled the orchestra, and the drummer gave a loud drum roll to draw everyone’s attention. The same drumming usually occurred prior to firing squads. Chris swallowed the lump in his throat and found his mouth had gone completely dry.
Alice secured the blindfold over Mary’s eyes and then gave the master of ceremonies a nod. Henry Adler brought his arm down, and the drumroll stopped. Chris closed his eyes and heard five shots fire in rapid succession. He felt a whoosh of air rush past each ear and heard the paper tear to the right and left of his head. After that he could barely concentrate on remembering to breathe, much less worry about where Mary was firing.
The crash of cymbals was his first clue that the act was complete, and then the audience began to clap and cheer. Chris opened his eyes to find Mary had removed her blindfold and was waving to the crowd.
Henry beckoned Chris to join him. “Young man, give a wave and let everyone know you’re all right.”
Chris did as he was instructed, though he wasn’t completely convinced he was all right. Mary drew him toward the audience. She raised his arm with hers in the air.
“Take a bow with me,” she said as she began to bend forward.
Chris followed suit. Alice appeared with the paper shade. There were five bullet holes, as clear as could be. She handed Chris the paper and winked.
Chris took his seat, still a little dazed. One thing was certain: life with Mary would never be dull.
Jason waited in the wings until Lizzy had left the arena for her costume change. Gertie and Ella were performing a series of tricks for the audience in the meantime. Doing his best not to be seen, Jason made his way around the props to where Lizzy had left Longfellow tied to await her return.
He wiped his sweaty palms against his trouser legs. He’d never been more nervous in his life, but then, he’d never done anything quite so bold. He was convinced, however, that once Lizzy saw the extreme measures he’d taken to win her, she’d fall madly in love with him.
The thought made him smile. It would be quite a story to tell their children one day. He hoped there would be a half-dozen or more of them. He could just imagine Lizzy seated in the beautiful estate he would build for her, surrounded by their children. They would be so happy.
He checked his watch. His men were ready. Two waited outside with his carriage, and two were just inside the performance entrance to the pavilion. One final man waited just outside the dressing room. He had the chloroform and would render Lizzy unconscious when Jason stopped her from returning to the arena.
He positioned himself, and when Lizzy stepped out of the dressing room, he caught his breath. She was incredibly beautiful. Her brown hair was swept up into a waterfall of ringlets that spilled down from the crown of her head. She had changed to a beautiful white lacy gown—her wedding gown. For their wedding. She was perfect.
“Jason. What are you doing here?” She barely managed to ask before the man Jason only knew as Red stepped forward and slapped the drugged cloth over her face.
Lizzy’s eyes went wide as she fought against his hold, and then her knees gave way as she succumbed to the fumes.
“Good job, Red,” Jason said, his heart pounding. “We need to get her out of here unseen and into my carriage.”
“No problem. You scout out the way, and I’ll follow.” Red easily lifted Lizzy and threw her over his shoulder.
“Be careful. Don’t hurt her,” Jason protested.
The big man gave a laugh. “She ain’t hurtin’. Now lead the way.”
Jason moved out of the shadows and started toward the exit. He didn’t get but a few steps, however, before Phillip DeShazer appeared from where he’d been seeing to Longfellow. He smiled at Jason, but then Red appeared carrying Lizzy.
“What’s going on? Is Miss Lizzy hurt?” Phillip asked.
Jason still hoped to leave without trouble. “She just needs some air. She fainted. The excitement was too much.”
Phillip said nothing more, and Jason took that to mean he accepted the excuse. Jason and Red moved toward the exit, and the two men waiting there joined them.
“I think you’d better stay here,” Phillip said, coming up behind them.
“She just needs a little air,” Jason said. “Why don’t you get your brother, if you’re that worried? He can watch over her until she recovers.”
“Wes is already in position on the other side of the arena, as you well know.”
Lizzy started moving, and Red suddenly jerked and yelped in pain. “She bit me!”
“Help!” Lizzy cried.
“Let her go,” Phillip demanded.
Red dropped her to the ground, then swung his fist toward Phillip’s face. The younger man dodged at the last second and only received a glancing blow. He jumped at the bigger man, ramming into his gut headfirst. The two began to fight in earnest.
Meanwhile, Lizzy was getting to her feet.
“Take her,” Jason instructed the other two men.
Lizzy looked at him, and her expression made Jason feel sick. She didn’t understand. She thought he was some sort of monster.
“It’s all right, Lizzy,” he said gently. “I’m doing this for us.”
She shook her head and began to scream as one of the men grabbed her. Red drew a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Phillip, but the wiry young man easily maneuvered out of the way and knocked the pistol from his hands. One of the men standing guard outside looked in to see what the fuss was about.
Jason motioned to him. “Help us! We have to get her out of here.”
But the clumsy oaf managed to trip on his own feet as he started for Phillip and Red. Jason wished he’d thought to carry a gun of his own. He saw Red’s gun on the ground and wondered if he could dodge the fighting men and get to it. He decided against it, however. Nothing else was going right, and that would probably just be an additional disaster. At least one of the men was dragging Lizzy toward the exit.
“What in the world is going on?”
Jason whirled around to find Mary Reichert gaping at the chaos. “It’s nothing. Just go back to where you belong.”
“I will not. Let her go, you brute,” she demanded, heading for Lizzy.
“Get help, Mary!” Lizzy called. “They’re trying to take me!”
Mary pulled out her pistol. “I have help. I said let her go.”
The man froze for a moment, but then someone came up behind Mary and knocked the gun from her hand. The second man threw her across the floor, separating her from her weapon. Then, quick as a flash, he was at her side and trapping her within his arms.
Red finally managed to put his fist in the middle of Phillip’s face. The boy slumped to the ground, mindless of anything else that was happening.
“Take them both,” Jason said to the men. “We can’t leave Mary here to sound the alarm. We’ll turn her loose outside of town.”
“Jason, this is madness,” Lizzy declared. “You’re insane. I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but you’ll never get away with it.”
He walked toward her. Her hair had come unpinned and flowed around her shoulders. Jason reached out to touch a curl. How often he had wanted to run his fingers through her
hair.
Lizzy’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t touch me!” She kicked him hard.
Jason barely felt it. He was so lost in her beauty. “I’m your husband, Lizzy. At least I soon will be. You’ll see. We’re going to be so happy.” He looked at the man who held her. “Come on. We have to go.”
“You aren’t going anywhere, Adler.”
Jason turned to find Wesley still on horseback. His father wasn’t far behind.
“Come on, Red. Let’s get out of here,” the man who held Mary declared. He shoved her to the ground while Red did likewise with Lizzy. All of the hired men headed for the exit and were gone before anyone could figure out what to do.
Lizzy bent down to check on Phillip as he began to regain consciousness. Jason was perplexed. This hadn’t gone the way he’d planned. What was he supposed to do now? He didn’t have a plan. He needed a plan.
“What in the world have you done, Jason?” His father walked toward him.
Jason backed up a few steps. “Lizzy and I, we’re going to be married. It’s a surprise. But . . . now you know, so everyone can come.” That was it. They didn’t need to elope. They could just get married now with everyone watching and celebrating with them.
His father didn’t look pleased. But surely he was. He liked Lizzy, and he had been after Jason to settle down and get married. No, he must just be shocked.
“I wanted to tell you, Father, but we had to keep it a surprise.”
“Son, you aren’t getting married,” his father said.
Jason laughed. “Of course I am. You told me that I should take a wife, and Lizzy is a perfect choice. She’s an American, just like Mother. You’ll see. She’s perfect.”
His father shook his head and looked at Wesley, who was with Lizzy, checking on Phillip. They helped Phillip to his feet and turned their gazes on Jason. Everyone was looking at him like he’d lost his mind. Why couldn’t they understand?
“I love you, Lizzy. I know you love me. We belong together,” he pleaded.
Wes put his arm around Lizzy and pulled her close.
Jason frowned. “Stop it. She’s not yours. She’s mine.”
His father took Jason’s arm. “Come on, son. You need to go now.”
“I can’t go, not without Lizzy. We’re going to get married. Look, she’s wearing her wedding dress.” Jason tried to drink her in, but she had tucked her face against Wesley’s chest. Beyond them, a crowd of people had begun to gather.
Jason pulled away from his father. “No. You can’t do this. You can’t ruin this. Not now!”
He ran for the exit and out to his carriage. He leapt up the side and into the driver’s seat. He had to escape. He couldn’t let them take him.
“I can’t let them have us both. One of us has to escape to save the other.” He urged the horses into a gallop. He heard yelling behind him and a commotion, but he didn’t stop to see what was happening.
twenty-four
The sorrow in Henry Adler’s expression was palpable. “I’m so very sorry,” he said to Lizzy for at least the tenth time that Mary had heard. She was glad for Chris’s presence at her side, as she was still a little shaken up herself.
The show had ended, and the troupe was loading up at the railway station. No one had seen anything of Jason, although Henry had promised to hire men to find him so that he wouldn’t be a further threat to anyone.
“I’ll take him back to England and get our doctor’s advice. Perhaps in time he’ll recover his wits and be sorry for what he did.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Mr. Adler,” Lizzy said graciously.
He gave her a sad smile, bowed his head, then left the station to search for his son.
“Our train is leaving shortly,” Alice said, joining their small gathering. Alice and Carson were headed back to their Texas home but had already signed contracts to return for next year.
“I so enjoyed our part of the show, Alice.” Mary gave her a hug. “I’m glad you’ll be with us again next year.”
“I don’t know what else we’d do. A person in our position can scarcely make a lot of money working elsewhere.”
“Carson, Mother is going to be disappointed you aren’t helping with the ranch,” Lizzy said. “I hope you won’t forget us altogether.”
“Hardly. I told Alice we’d be up there by the first of the year, and we will. No matter what jobs her mother finds for me to do in Fort Worth.”
Alice looked heavenward. “Mama always thinks that if she can get Carson ample employment, he won’t want to go back to Montana or the show. Little does she realize how much fun we have on the road.” She hugged Lizzy. “I wish we could be there for the wedding, though. I’ll want to hear all about it when we return.”
Lizzy nodded and looked at Wesley, who was smiling. “I’m sure there will be stories enough for everyone.” She turned back to Alice. “Did Uncle Oliver give you your pay and tickets?”
“He did. Not only that, but Mr. Adler gave each of us a very generous bonus. I think you’ll be surprised—it’ll make a very nice wedding present.” Alice hugged Lizzy again, then looked up at Wes. “I wish you both the best. I hope your wedding is as beautiful as ours was.”
Carson looked at Wes and shrugged. “All I remember of it was that she said I do.”
Everyone laughed as the conductor called the final board of the Texas-bound train.
An hour later, Mary and the others were settled in the Brookstone commons car, waiting to depart. Mary was glad to be done with the season. There had been many more shows this year and far more focus on her, what with the shooting competitions. It would be wonderful to put it all behind her and have a few weeks of rest.
“I’m heading to bed,” Wesley said.
“And you are too,” Lizzy told her uncle. “In fact, I intend to tuck you in myself.”
“I told you I’m feeling just fine.”
“Yes, but I know how upset you are over the entire affair tonight. You should get some extra rest.” Lizzy helped him to his feet. “Come along, or I’ll be forced to have Wes and Phillip carry you.” She stretched up and kissed his cheek.
Oliver grumbled but nevertheless gave her a smile and allowed her to lead him to the adjoining car.
“I’m going to bed as well,” Ella declared. “I’m completely worn out.” She looked at Mary and smiled. “Good night.”
“Good night, Ella,” Mary and Chris replied in unison.
“I’ll be there as soon as I finish cleaning my rifle,” Mary added. She looked down at the weapon and yawned. “In fact, I might just let it wait for morning.”
Once everyone had gone their separate ways, Mary looked at Chris. “How about you? Are you as tired as the rest of us?”
“Not exactly. I only had to stand and face death, remember?”
She laughed, then pulled the blindfold from her pocket and handed it to him. “You weren’t in any danger.”
He held up the cloth and made a noise of surprise. It wasn’t the same cloth Alice had tied around his eyes. In fact, she knew he could see every feature of her face through the thin material.
“Why, you little cheat. You switched out scarves.”
“I did. If it’s any consolation, I hit the metal targets using the other blindfold.”
He smiled. “So were you unsure of yourself or of me?”
Mary laughed. “Neither. I was just getting tired and didn’t want to take a chance.”
“Well, he’s not happy about my babying him,” Lizzy said, coming back into the car, “but he’ll just have to do as his stepmother used to say, and get glad in the same clothes he got mad in.” She kept walking right past them. “I’ll see you both in the morning. Good night.” She didn’t even wait for their reply but exited out the opposite side of the room to the women’s car.
“She’s amazing,” Chris said, shaking his head. “To have gone through all she experienced tonight and still be in such great spirits.”
“She is. I can’t imagine going through all that.�
��
“Well, as I recall, they had you too. You are just as amazing to sit here and laugh and joke as if you didn’t nearly lose your life tonight.”
Mary hadn’t really considered the danger to herself. “God took care of us all—that much is evident. When I think of what Jason might have accomplished . . .” She shivered. “I’m so thankful that God spared us.”
“Me too.” Chris loosened his tie and pulled it from around his neck. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Mary smiled. “Not at all. Be comfortable.”
He undid the top couple of shirt buttons. “All right, but just remember you gave your approval.” He shrugged out of his outer coat and then began undoing the buttons on his vest. Mary just watched him.
When Chris shed his vest, he leaned back and gave an exaggerated sigh. “That’s much better.”
“You do look very comfortable.” Mary felt a little awkward now that they were completely alone.
“I am.” He ran a hand through his blond hair. “And I think it’s time we talked.”
“Oh, you finally think that, eh?” She crossed her arms. “I ought to go to bed and show you how infuriating it is to be ignored.”
He gave her his lazy smile. “I don’t think you’re going anywhere.”
She looked down at her cleaning supplies and rifle and then back at Chris. “Fine. I’m not going anywhere.”
He laughed. “Mary, you always manage to surprise me, and when you cornered me on the ship and told me you knew all about my father and brothers . . . well, that was one thing. But then you told me you loved me, and that was something entirely different.”
“It couldn’t have been that much of a surprise. You’d already kissed me twice. You knew I was receptive.”
“Receptive and in love are two different things.”
“All right,” she sighed. “You were surprised.”
“I was in shock, and not because of my father, although that did set me back. I would never in a hundred years have expected you to latch on to that newspaper story. When you showed me, I knew God was telling me that I could no longer hide from the past. But He was also telling me that the past couldn’t hurt me anymore. Not unless I let it.”
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