****
On Saturday, Nate didn’t have to go into the brickworks. It was too much for him doing heavy manual labor then trying to do his ranch chores as well. They had slept in, and as they ate breakfast, he said. “I picked up a letter from the mercantile on the way home yesterday. He spread butter on a piece of bread to have with his coffee.
“Who is it from?”
He shrugged. “I’ve no idea, I didn’t read it.”
“Well, you should. It might be important.”
“Oh, all right.” He stood. “Would you make me a sandwich to take with me, I’ll be working down the in the back paddock, so I won’t bother coming back to eat.”
“You will remember we’re getting low on meat?”
“Yeah, you shouldn’t have given Aggie the meat.”
“What could I do? She brought two bags of vegetables over for us, and said she was out of meat.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll get the letter.”
When he returned from the bedroom, he held a grubby envelope in his hand. She stared at it.
“It’s grubby I know, but my hands were dirty.”
“Go on, read it.”
He opened it up and started reading.
“Who’s it from?”
“Mrs. Crenshaw.”
“Who!”
“The woman from the matchmaking service. She’ll be in Laramie on Tuesday and wants to see us.”
Fear shot through Merry with the ferocity of a raging bull. If this woman saw her, she would know she wasn’t Maryanne Baker.” She swallowed quickly. “Why, why would she want to see us?”
“You know, to do a follow up; it was part of the agreement. Surely you hadn’t forgotten.”
“I don’t want to go.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t.” She pushed her shaking hands into her apron pockets so he wouldn’t see them.
“Well, one of us has to go,” he said, pursing his lips. “I can’t get time off from work, you’ll have to go and explain.”
“How do I get there?”
“Take the buckboard.”
“What about the escaped convicts?”
“They’ll be long gone.”
She desperately tried to find a way out of going. There was none. Maybe now was the time to confess her deception. Their marriage had been happy. She had been a good wife to him.
“I can’t go, Nate.” She touched his hand. “I don’t even know this woman.”
“How can you say that? She interviewed you.”
“Not me.”
“What!”
“Don’t be angry, but I’m not who you think I am.”
“You’re talking crazy.”
Briefly she told him what had happened, and she was trembling by the time the tale was done. Amazement registering in his eyes soon turned into blazing anger. He looked like he wanted to murder her.
“You lying….”
“I had to do it, Nate. I was in fear of my life and Maryanne’s betrothed turned up alive.”
He leapt to his feet. “You let me marry you knowing I thought you were someone else?” Rage bounced off him in waves, she could almost feel it. “You, lying cheating ….”
“Nate, please.”
“Get out of my sight,” he raged. “Out of my home and my life.”
“Please, I know I did wrong, but I’ve been a good wife to you.”
“I can’t believe a word coming out of your mouth now. Don’t come near me.” He backed away. “Don’t touch me or I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
“Nate, I love you.”
He gave a loud, bitter laugh. “You expect me to believe that? I sold my grandfather’s dueling pistols to pay the fare of a lying cheat who was prepared to sleep with me to get what she wanted.”
“Can’t we start over again?”
“Never,” he snarled. “You fooled me once. You’ll never get the chance to do it again. I’m going down to the back paddock. Take your stuff and get out while I’m gone.”
“How do I get into town?”
“I don’t care. Walk if you have to.”
“I can’t, not with my belongings.”
“Okay, take the buckboard and leave it at the livery stable. Tell the owner I’ll collect it on my way home from work on Monday.”
“I know you’re angry and you have every right to be. Don’t make me leave.” Should she tell him she was carrying his child? He wouldn’t believe her. Would think it another lie, so he would let her stay.
“You really want me to go?” Her heart was breaking, her dreams of life with the man she loved lay shattered. The shards pierced her side with such intensity, pain ricocheted right through her body.
“I never want to see you again.”
“And how am I supposed to live?”
“I don’t care what you do. You’re good in bed. You could make a lot of money that way.” He turned and strode out of the cabin, slamming the back door so hard the windows shook, leaving her on the verge of collapse.
She couldn’t believe a man would speak to his wife in such a manner. The hatred spewing from his mouth appalled her. Yes, she had done wrong, lied and tricked him, surely all she had given him should count for something?
There was nothing left for it except do as he asked. She would return to Winslow. It would be safe now as Zeke wouldn’t be stupid enough to return there. She had friends there. Blanche would help her, even the Nixons might give her back her job under the circumstances. She hadn’t spent any of her money. Would it be enough to pay for her stage-coach fare?
If she got to Raeburn, Maryanne might even be able to help her. She felt so sick now all she wanted to do was lie down and sleep.
“You can do this, Merry,” she said out loud. “For the sake of your baby. You have to.” She had lied to save her own life and felt despicable about it. For her baby the lies she told Nate were nothing compared to what she would do for the child he would never know about.
Maybe he would come back and apologize for hurling those horrible words at her. She slumped in a chair, holding her head in her hands and rocked backward and forward. Time passed she didn’t know how much. He wasn’t coming back to say he was sorry or to try and sort out this dreadful mess. There was nothing else to do, except be gone before he returned.
Feeling broken and dispirited, she stumbled into the bedroom and started shoving clothes into her bags. She had nothing extra to take with her. The only thing she had now, that she hadn’t brought from Winslow, was her wedding ring. For someone to get that, they would have to hack her finger off.
As she packed, she still hoped Nate would come back so they could sort out their differences. She struggled over to the barn, caught the horse and hitched her up to the buckboard. Driving away, she glanced around for one last desperate time. Nate wouldn’t come back until she was gone.
Chapter Ten
Merry had only been into Laramie a couple of times with Nate, not that it was hard to get to, the road being almost in a straight line. If she had time, and it wasn’t too far away, she might go to the cemetery to try and find her father’s grave before she left. There was every likelihood she would have to spend the night in Laramie.
The trickiest part of the drive into Laramie was crossing the bridge. It didn’t look to be very strong. Slowing the horse down, they started crossing, the horse’s hooves clattering against the wooden boards.
Suddenly, from behind the trees two men jumped out at her. Her heart stopped momentarily before restarting at breakneck speed. Zeke was one of them.
“Well, if it isn’t pious little Merry.” He grabbed the horse’s reigns even as she desperately urged the beast on.
The other man dragged her down from the buckboard and shoved her on the ground. “Haven’t had a gal lift her skirts for me in months.” He fumbled with his pants.
“Stop wasting time.” Zeke pushed the man aside and dragged Merry up. He slapped her across the face with such force her head snapped ba
ck. His eyes were wild and bloodshot, his jaw covered in black stubble while his clothes were dirty and torn.
She had never seen him look anything but flashily dressed.
“It’s your fault,” he snarled, slapping her again. The next thing she knew he was raining blows to her face, swearing as he did so. The other man came up to Zeke who shoved him out of the way.
“Die. Die.” His fist slammed into her face forcing her to the ground. As she lay there, through a mist of pain she saw Zeke’s leg go back. If his kick landed on her stomach Nate’s baby would be gone.
She grabbed hold of his leg, twisting and jerking it until he tumbled to the ground. She tried to get away, but he grabbed her by the hair, then kicked her in the back so hard she became airborne and landed with a thud on her hands and knees.
Like a rabid beast he lunged toward her. She had a split second to make her decision. Lay there and die or roll down the embankment into the river and probably drown if she survived the fall.
Her head was spinning with pain and terror. Blood poured into her eyes making it difficult to see. The water was her only hope of survival. The men had to think she was dead.
She rolled down the embankment and landed in the water. Lying face down and fighting the desire to flail her arms, she let the water take her away.
****
Merry partially opened her eyes and saw tree and grass roots growing in a twisting pattern above her head. She was in a large grave. Someone had buried her alive wrapped in a fur shroud. Trying to move caused such pain, screams were torn from her throat.
“You be awake now.” A female voice spoke from miles away.
“No, I’m dead,” she croaked.
“You aren’t, Mrs. Quinn.”
Her eyes wouldn’t open properly no matter how hard she tried. Everything was fuzzy. It was only when a dirty, grey rat-tail of hair brushed against her face that she recognized Aggie.
“I thought I was dead.”
“You nearly was when I found you. Someone beat you to within an inch of your life.”
“Prison escapees.” She wanted to scream with pain, but it hurt so much she could only groan.
“Here, have more of this.” Aggie shoved a spoonful of foul-tasting liquid into her mouth. “Swallow it, will help with the pain.”
She would have swallowed horse manure if it would help ease the agony. “Where am I?”
“My place.”
Something wasn’t right here. Why was Aggie in the grave with her?
The next time Merry woke she smelled wood smoke. She was still lying on skins in a hole. It obviously wasn’t a grave, because she wasn’t dead. Only a person who was alive could feel such pain.
“You be awake?”
“Sort of.”
“I’ll sit you up. It will hurt, but you need to eat. You been here two days. I made broth from the meat you gave me.”
“I can’t move, please don’t make me move. I can’t bear the pain.”
“If you don’t eat you die and your baby with you. Yell as loud as you like, no-one will hear.” She cackled. “We be the only ones for miles around.”
Merry screamed over and over as hundreds of red-hot blades stabbed frenziedly at her upper body. The old woman propped her up against a bundle of furs. The leathery skin blanket fell away and she was naked, her chest covered in black bruises.
“Is my baby all right?”
“No sign it ain’t. You be lucky.”
“Lucky! Those vicious brutes wanted to kill me.” If Nate’s baby was safe, then yes, she had been lucky.
Aggie left her, returning a few minutes later with a wooden bowl with steam rising from it. Merry didn’t want to eat, didn’t care if food never entered her mouth again. She forced herself to swallow a few mouthfuls.
“Good. Good.” Aggie patted her hand. “I’ve put special herbs in it to help with pain and make you sleep.”
“Thank you. Does Nate know I’m here?”
“No-one knows you be here. You be in such a bad way I couldn’t leave you alone.”
He probably wouldn’t come anyway she thought. He hated her so much now. After she refused to have any more broth, Aggie gently removed the rolled-up furs from her back and slowly lowered her to the ground.
“Thank you.”
“Sleep now, gal. Rest and my herbal medicine is what you need.”
Thankfully, she closed her eyes. She remembered rolling into the river. How had this old woman been able to drag her out and bring her here? Where was Zeke and the other man now? They would have taken Nate’s buckboard and made their getaway.
I hope the devil gets you one day for what you’ve done to me, and everyone else you hurt. Even her mother, the poor gullible woman who had fallen for his false charm, had ended up dead because of him, Susannah too. She was sorry her mother was dead yet wouldn’t mourn her. She had done so many bad deeds and was probably already burning in hades.
What would Nate be doing? Would he regret the angry words he had shouted at her, the horrible names he had called her?
****
The next time Merry woke, she could smell the fire, see flames glowing in the dark. “Aggie.”
“Drink some water. Don’t sit up. I’ll squeeze it into your mouth from this cloth.”
Merry didn’t care where the cloth had been, the feel of cool water trickling down her parched throat was heavenly. The water had a brackish taste or maybe it was the sourness in her mouth. She could still taste blood.
Her eyes could open a little wider now. “Why can’t I see properly?”
“Those evil varmints either kicked or punched you in the face. Your eyes are swollen shut. There ain’t one part of your face that ain’t cut or bruised.”
“What is this place? There are grass roots growing through the roof.”
“I live here. It’s called a soddy.”
“Like Eddie’s place?”
“Yeah. Easy way for me to live, stays the same temperature all year round.”
Eddie’s soddy was a palace compared to this. He had at least lined the walls and ceilings with canvas. Snakes and other creepy-crawlies could drop down on her in here. She didn’t doubt it for a moment.
Aggie had saved her life, but if she couldn’t make it to Laramie and then on to Winslow, she was doomed.
The old woman shuffled over. Even though the mixture being spooned into her mouth was revolting she swallowed it because it had eased her pain. Once it wore off the agony in her chest and back returned. She only wished she had some Laudanum to take.
Chapter Eleven
Nate got up for work on Monday morning after spending a dreadful weekend without Merry. He hadn’t realized how much he would miss her cooking and her warmth in his bed.
Her lies had broken him. The hurt was so bad he didn’t think he would ever recover from such treachery. Taking on another woman’s identity to marry him was despicable, criminal even. Was the wedding even legal? Had they been living in sin? He gave a harsh bark of laughter. Ironic how she had lied to get married, and because she wasn’t who she claimed to be, the ceremony might not even be legal.
You could write away for another Mail Order Bride. Bitterness soured his stomach. He was destined to remain single. Never again would he trust a woman. At least he had his ranch free and clear, all he had to do now was pay Eddie’s place off and he would be able to live a comfortable existence. “And a lonely one,” a little voice whispered inside his head. “Shut up,” he told it.
He shoveled a few mouthfuls of beans into his mouth and washed them down with coffee.
Would Merry still be in Laramie? Why should he care where she was or what she was doing? He hated to think he still cared for her. He had probably loved her, did love her, and was honest enough to admit it now she was gone.
Should he have given her a second chance? Maybe he should have listened to her when she tried to explain. Who would want to kill her? It didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense anymore.
He gulped dow
n the last of his coffee. When he went to pick up the buckboard from the livery, he would buy himself a nice beef steak at the diner for supper. He certainly deserved it, even though he begrudged paying the money out. It dipped into his bank mortgage fund.
He glanced at the empty bracket on the wall where grandpa’s dueling pistols had once been, sold for him to gain a lying, Mail Order Bride. It was his biggest regret, or he told himself it was, even though deep down, he knew it was a lie. The demise of his marriage was his biggest regret. The children he would never sire. The happily ever after which had eluded him for most of his life. Was he cursed?
Although bone weary, he had hardly slept over the weekend, as he had worked from daylight to dusk on his farm chores. Now he had to put in a full day of hard, manual labor at the brickworks. It would kill him if he did to for too long.
Maybe he could ask around town and get something lighter. He didn’t know what he could do. All he knew anything about was ranching and soldiering, and he certainly wasn’t going back in the army.
Merry had always packed his lunch, left over pancakes, biscuits or bread she’d baked; the best he could do for himself was take a tin of beans. He swallowed the last of his black coffee, not bothering with milk, easier to feed it all to the pigs after he’d milked Tilly.
Bringing it up to the cabin now was useless as he had nothing to use it on. Another hot day by the looks of it. The newer men working in the clay pit cursed it, even as the old hands said winter was even worse, with wet clay clinging to their clothes, seeping up over their boot if the rain had been prolonged or particularly heavy.
Nate mounted his horse and rode away, so weighed down with bitterness he had just about given up on ever being able to climb out of this pit of despair he had fallen into. What kind of man would accuse his wife of prostituting herself? He loathed himself for the ugly words. He would never forget the shocked horror on Merry’s face.
If only he hadn’t let his temper get the better of him. Why had her deception hurt so much? “Because you love her, you fool,” he muttered.
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