Pony Express Courtship (20 page)

Rebecca stood. “If you will excuse me, I'll clean the dishes.” She quickly began to gather up the remaining dirty dishes.

“I'll help you.” Fay stood also and picked up hers and Joy's plates.

Once in the kitchen Rebecca realized her hands were shaking. She prepared the dishwater and scraped the food from the plates the boys had left.

Fay added her plates to them and then stepped back to look at her. “What's wrong with you this morning? Are you feeling bad?”

“No, I'm just a little tired. I had trouble sleeping last night.” It was the truth.

Fay nodded. “That explains the dark circles under your eyes.” She began washing the cups.

Rebecca touched the skin under her eyes. Did she really have dark circles? She grabbed a pot and tried to see her reflection in it.

In a low voice Fay said, “I spoke to Martha last night about buying Emma.”

She lowered the pot and walked closer to Fay. “What did she say?”

“Said she wants five hundred for her,” Fay answered.

Rebecca sighed. “We only have four. What are we going to do?”

“I already paid her the five hundred.” Fay smiled over her shoulder at Rebecca. “I had a hundred you didn't know about.”

“Did you get papers?” Rebecca asked, trying to hide the excitement in her voice.

“Yep, and to keep them safe I hid them in your room. But she made me promise not to tell Emma.”

“Why not?” Rebecca didn't like the sound of that. What games was the other woman playing?

Fay passed her a clean plate to dry. “Said she wants to tell her just before she leaves so the girl won't carry on.”

“Do you believe her?” Rebecca put the plate in the cupboard.

Fay shrugged. “I have papers that say Emma Kate Jordan is legally mine. And I have a bill of sale to prove it.”

Rebecca nodded. Something didn't feel right. She thought Martha would have either fought to keep Emma from Fay, or she would have gloated to the girl that she sold her. The desire to talk to Seth about it pulled at her. But she knew he had other things on his mind. Like finding his lost mail-order bride. His conversation with Martha and Emma now proved he'd decided to go look for his future bride. Would she be able to forget him after he left? Or would she forever have a hole in her heart?

Chapter Twenty-Two

S
eth was disappointed that Emma and Martha didn't know any more about Charlotte than what they'd shared with Rebecca. All day he'd tossed their words around in his head. It seemed Charlotte couldn't remember her life before arriving in Sacramento. Emma said she was a sweet woman and very pretty with auburn-colored hair and green eyes.

He knew he couldn't leave the Pony Express station until the road bandits had been captured and his friends were no long in danger. Also, before he left he'd need to contact Mr. Bromley and let him know that he was quitting and why. Then he'd need to wait for his replacement.

The thought of leaving the farm, Rebecca and the boys made him sad. He'd learned to care deeply for the family and wasn't looking forward to saying goodbye, especially to Rebecca. Seth knew he'd fallen in love with the pretty lady.

But he had no intention of telling her. He'd made a promise to his grandmother and he intended to keep it. If he left now, he'd not have to worry about Rebecca breaking his heart or leaving him, like his mother had his father.

Not that she'd given him any indication that she cared or loved him. As a matter of fact, she'd acted as if he didn't exist today. How could she do that? He was aware of her presence even when they weren't in the same room.
Because she doesn't love you.
The thought hurt more than he cared to admit.

He stepped up on the front porch. Deep in thought, he was surprised when the porch swing squeaked. Seth looked to where Rebecca sat waiting for him. “I thought you'd be inside,” he said, walking over to her.

“I needed fresh air. It's a little crowded in there,” she answered, gently swinging.

Through the window he could see Martha sat on the sofa reading a book. Emma, Benjamin and Joy were working on what looked like a puzzle at the table and Fay sat in her rocker by the window sewing what looked like a quilt block. “It does look a mite crowded in there,” he said, leaning against the porch rail.

“Did you learn anything new from Martha and Emma about Charlotte?” Rebecca asked.

He shook his head. “No, other than what they told you, they don't seem to know her.”

Her voice sounded husky when she asked, “Are you going to be leaving soon to find her now that you know she's in Sacramento?”

Did she care about him after all? Or was she coming down with Benjamin's cold? “No, I'm not going until after the sheriff catches those road bandits.”

“What if he doesn't catch them? Are you never going to find her?” Rebecca asked. She sniffled.

“Are you coming down with Benjamin's cold?” Seth asked, moving closer to her so that he could see her face better.

Rebecca touched her cheeks as if checking for a fever. “I don't think so.”

He wanted to reach out and feel her face. Not only to check for a fever, but just to feel her warmth. Seth stared into her beautiful blue eyes. He was going to miss her when he left.

“Seth?”

Mentally he shook himself. “Yes?”

“What if the sheriff doesn't catch the bandits? Then what?”

She dropped her hands back into her lap and searched his face.

He straightened. “They will make a mistake and he'll catch them. Bad guys always make a mistake.” Seth offered her a grin to lighten the mood.

Rebecca stood and pulled her shawl closer to her body. She looked him in the eyes and said, “I hope so.” She reached out and touched his arm, then pulled her hand away quickly. “I think I'll go in now. I'm not feeling very well.”

Seth watched her hurry back into the house. She stopped by Fay's chair, said something in a low voice and then disappeared from sight. Did she really feel bad? Or was she just tired of being with him? Why had she cared so much whether or not he was going to go look for Charlotte? Did she want him to leave? Or stay?

His emotions felt as ragged as frayed rope. Seth turned to go to his room. What he needed was time with the Lord.

The next morning, Seth was still no closer to knowing what to do. Just when he thought that the Lord had assured him that all would be well, he'd worry again about what to do about Charlotte and Rebecca.

He was rubbing oil into his saddle when Jacob sat down on the hay bale beside him. Dust puffed up and Seth sneezed.

In his normal straight-to-the-point way, Jacob said, “You know, Seth, you could always send Miss Charlotte a letter using the Pony Express boys.”

Seth cut his eyes at Jacob. Why hadn't he thought of that? He couldn't send it in the mailbag, but maybe the boys could pass it off to one another until it reached Sacramento. The last rider could hand deliver it to Charlotte. “That's a good idea.”

“Next rider's expected in an hour.” Jacob got up and went to saddle up Clayton's horse. “I'm sure Clayton would be happy to start the letter on its way.”

He set the oil and saddle to the side. “I'll be in my room, if anyone needs me.” Seth walked out of the barn even though he felt like running. The sooner he got the letter on its way, the sooner he'd know what to do about Charlotte, the Pony Express job and, most important, Rebecca. If Charlotte set him free from his commitment, he'd be able to tell Rebecca how he felt about her.

Even as he found paper and a pencil, Seth couldn't shake the fear that if he told Rebecca he loved her she would break his heart. Would she stay with him or, like his mother, would she desert him?

* * *

Rebecca spent the next three days avoiding Seth and fighting Benjamin's cold. She felt worn to a frazzle. Since she'd sold Emma to Fay, Martha hadn't changed much. She still spent her days in the sitting room, reading or complaining. Emma seemed happier than ever. Now that Fay had given her her papers and told Emma she was free, the young woman had blossomed even more. Rebecca had offered Emma a home for as long as she wanted. Even though it wasn't expected, Emma tried to help out as much as possible. She and Fay made sure that Rebecca didn't overexert herself.

Her chest ached but she couldn't decide if it was from the cold or if it was simply her heart breaking knowing that Seth would be leaving soon. Rebecca found herself reliving their one and only kiss and wishing for more time with him.

She stretched and yawned. Thanks to Fay's thoughtfulness, Rebecca had enjoyed a long afternoon nap. She pulled on her shoes and walked into the sitting room. It was empty. The house was quieter than usual. She'd gotten used to lots of talking and laughter.

Rebecca headed to the kitchen, where she found a note propped up next to the cookie jar.

Rebecca,

The stage horses finally arrived and Martha and Mr. Walker left shortly afterward. Clayton agreed to take myself, Emma and Joy into town. Emma is happy to be free and we are going to buy fabric to make her a new dress to celebrate. We'll be home in time for dinner.

Love, Fay

A relieved sigh eased through her dry lips. Martha Ranger had been a thorn in her side ever since she'd arrived. Rebecca was glad to see that she was gone. The house felt warmer than usual so Rebecca opened the back door to let in a cool breeze.

She'd not eaten much for lunch and decided to make herself a fried egg and potato. It wasn't often that Rebecca fixed a meal for herself alone, but today she wanted to celebrate Martha's departure with her favorite meal, breakfast.

Her face and neck felt as if they were on fire and she wondered if perhaps she had a fever. Then she decided that it was probably just the afternoon heat that was making her feel feverish.

Pulling a potato from the bin, Rebecca found her sharpest knife and began to peel it. It wasn't a large potato, but would be the perfect size for one person. She'd just about finished when a hacking cough squeezed through her lungs. The knife slipped and cut a long, deep line through the center of her palm.

Blood poured from the wound. It burned like wildfire and brought tears to Rebecca's eyes. She grabbed a tea towel and pressed it to the wound. Within a few moments the cloth was saturated. She pulled the cloth away but couldn't see how deep the wound was because blood continued to pour from it.

She needed a doctor to look at it. Rebecca grabbed a clean towel and wrapped it tightly around her palm. Without being told, she knew that her hand would need stitches. She walked out to the barn to see if one of the boys could ride with her to town.

Jacob looked up and grinned when she came into the barn. “Hey, Ma, how are you feeling?”

“Better but I cut my hand and need to go let the doctor have a look at it.” Rebecca kept her palm closed so that Jacob couldn't see how bad the cut was. “Is Andrew or Clayton around so they can go with me?”

He shook his head. “No, Clayton took the women into town and Andrew and the rest of the men, except for me and Noah, are out in the back pasture trying to round up calves.” Jacob looked down at her hand. “How bad is it?”

Rebecca put more pressure on her palm. She knew Clayton was with Fay; she'd simply forgotten. “Oh, not too bad. Noah, saddle Brownie for me.” She turned her attention back to Jacob. “I'll just take Brownie and the back road to town.”

Worry etched his young features. “Ma, if you would wait I could go with you. The other rider should be here in a few minutes and then I'll be free to go.”

Noah pulled Brownie toward her. His dark eyes studied her face and Rebecca had the feeling that he understood her urgency to get to town. He held Brownie still while she pulled herself up into the saddle with her good hand. “When you get finished here, you can catch up with me, Jacob. If it's just a few minutes, I won't be in any danger.”

She didn't give him time to argue. Rebecca could feel blood seeping through the thick towel. Her head felt fuzzy. She hated being sick and hoped that the doctor could give her some medicine for her cold, too. “I'll see you soon, son,” she called over her shoulder as Brownie headed to town.

Half a mile down the back road, Rebecca looked down at the cloth. Blood darkened the fabric until she could no longer see the pattern. She felt light-headed and sleepy. A yawn forced its way past her dry lips. With her free hand she felt her forehead. It was hot. Feverish and bleeding, Rebecca welcomed the sound of horse's hooves coming up behind her.

She turned, expecting to see Jacob.

Instead two men with cloth across their faces were whipping their horses to catch up with her. Rebecca put her heels into the little mare's side, prompting her to run. But Brownie was no match for the two younger horses.

One of the men leaned over and grabbed the reins from Rebecca's good hand. “Whoa!” he yelled and pulled on Brownie's bit until she came to a stop.

“Give us your money,” the other barked as he pointed a gun at Rebecca.

She swayed in the saddle. “I don't have any money.”

“That's what they all say, lady,” the second man growled.

His voice sounded familiar. Rebecca squinted at him. “Do I know you?”

The other bandit laughed. “Nope, but we know you. Now give us your money and get down from that horse.” He waved the gun at her.

Rebecca felt foolish. Why hadn't she followed Seth's orders and waited for Jacob to come with her? She swayed in the saddle, but hung on to the horn.

Would she see Seth or the boys again? What would these men do to her? She wished she'd told Seth she loved him. Rebecca had been so concerned about John and the boys' feelings that she hadn't expressed her own. Now it might be too late.

* * *

Seth arrived back at the farm just as Noah and his horse shot off down the road carrying the Pony Express mailbag. The thrill of the ride flashed across the boy's face as he passed him. He raised a hand and prayed for Noah's safety before heading to the barn.

Jacob came running to him and slid to a stop to the side of Sam. His eyes held worry and frustration.

Seth could sense that something was wrong, dreadfully wrong. His gaze moved to the house. Was Rebecca feeling worse?

Fear filled Jacob's voice as he said, “Seth, Ma took off for town alone. She hurt her hand and wouldn't wait for me to go with her to the doctor.”

“How long has she been gone?” Seth asked, trying to control the pounding of his heart.

Jacob's answer sounded clipped and frantic. “About a half hour. The rider was late and I couldn't leave Noah here alone. Someone had to document the time of the rider's arrival. I've already saddled a horse to go after her.”

“No, you stay here. I'll find her, Jacob.” He put his heels in Sam's side. The horse took off like a bullet from a smoking gun. Seth leaned low over Sam's neck and prayed. What had the woman been thinking? He'd warned them all to stay in groups when leaving the ranch.

Seth pushed Sam harder than ever before. He felt that still small voice telling him to hurry. Deep down, Seth knew Rebecca was in trouble. If anything happened to her, he'd be heartbroken. The thought seemed ironic. He'd kept his distance from her to keep his heart safe and now the threat of separation from her caused it to ache anyway.

When he topped the small rise and saw Rebecca trapped between two masked men, Seth pulled his Colt from its holster and aimed for the sky. If he didn't have to kill the men, but could scare them off, he would. He pulled the trigger and pushed Sam to race faster toward the woman he knew that he loved.

The men turned. One ran at the sight of Seth barreling down toward them. The other pointed his gun at Seth and fired.

Seth pressed his body close to Sam's and continued racing forward. He watched in horror as Rebecca went limp and slipped off Brownie's back.

The big man fired again at Seth. Anger seeped from the man's eyes. His stance said that as soon as Seth was in range, he'd kill him.

Seth aimed for the man's shooting arm and returned fire. He hated shooting but had to get to Rebecca. Had the man shot her? Or had she fainted?

His bullet hit true—the bandit grabbed his shoulder and turned his horse to follow his fellow outlaw. They disappeared over the next hill just as Seth jumped from Sam's back to Rebecca's side.