The Anonymous Bride (41 page)

They hadn’t.

Luke’s hand tightened around the porch railing. What was the point of being marshal if he couldn’t protect the woman he loved? Where could she be? Was she injured?

He knew Rachel would be worried about Jack. His gaze flitted to the boardinghouse. Was the kid at home, or had she gone out somewhere with her friends? He was half afraid those two older boys were going to get her into serious trouble one day. Thankfully, he hadn’t seen much of them since school had ended for the summer.

“You ready to eat?” Mark walked past the stage office and stopped in front of Luke, carrying two plates of steaming food.

Luke started to shake his head, thinking he couldn’t eat while Rachel was in danger, but then he caught a whiff of the beef stew and saw the golden corn bread Mark carried. His stomach let him know refusal wasn’t an option. Besides, he needed to keep his strength up so he could keep searching.

Mark set the plates on Luke’s desk. “What will you do if you don’t find her by dark?”

Luke poured them both a cup of fresh coffee he’d just brewed. The inside of the jail was sweltering from the stove, but a man couldn’t function without his coffee. “I’ll keep looking.”

Mark’s blond brows lifted as he buttered his corn bread. “In the dark?”

Luke shrugged. “I don’t know.” He shoved a bite of stew in his mouth, but it tasted like paper. He shoveled in just enough food to keep him going.

“Look, you’d help Rachel better by getting some rest and being fresh in the morning. If you’re overly tired, you might miss something.”

Luke ran his hand across his bristly jaw and shoved the bowl toward the middle of the desk. “I know, but I can’t stand the thought of her being out there, maybe hurt. Maybe alone.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Luke stared intently into his cousin’s eyes. “No, you don’t. I still love her. I want us to have a second chance.”

Mark’s brow rose nearly to his hairline. “Just when did you figure all that out?”

Luke fought a shy grin tugging at his mouth and lost the battle. “Last night. I realized I harbored an unforgiving spirit toward her when what happened was my own fault.”

“How you figure that?” Mark shoved a corner of corn bread into his mouth.

Luke explained how he was responsible for James’s attack on Rachel. Mark leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “You’re not at fault for what James did.”

“But I’m the one who sent him to meet her.”

Mark frowned and shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. Only James is responsible for what he did.”

Luke slammed the desk. “No, it’s my fault. I should have gone and met her myself. It would have only taken fifteen or twenty minutes. But no, I had work to do.”

“You were trying to make money for a home so you and Rachel could get married.”

Luke leaned his face into his hands. “None of that matters now. I need to get out and search while it’s still daylight.”

Quick footsteps sounded on the boardwalk, and one of Jack’s friends skidded to a stop at Luke’s door. He stood, and the boy leaned his hands on his thighs, head hanging down, and sucked in air like a suffocating man.

“What’s going on? Did you find something?”

The boy held up his hand, chest heaving. “Water.”

Luke glanced around the office then handed the boy his coffee. The kid took a big gulp and then spewed it out, all over Luke’s floor. “That’s hot! I said water.”

Mark jumped up, rushed outside to the hitching post where his horse was tied, and yanked the canteen off his saddle. He leaped up the stairs and shoved it at the boy. The kid gulped down several swigs then drew his sleeve across his mouth. Several of the townsfolk who must have seen him running were gathering outside Luke’s office.

Luke took hold of the boy’s shoulders. “Take several deep breaths.”

He did as ordered. “I saw a stranger ... at an old shed ... on our property ... two days ago.”

“So?”

“Jack told me and Ricky ... about some man taking her ma, and they’ve gone ... to see if she’s there.”

Luke tensed. If the man who kidnapped Rachel and Miss Blackstone was at that shack with them, Jack and her friend could be in danger. He tightened his grasp. “Where is this shed?”

“A mile or so past my house. Southwest of town. I can show you.”

Luke glanced at Mark. “C’mon, this might be the break we’ve been waiting for.”

Both men grabbed their rifles and followed the boy out the door. The crowd parted and let them pass. Luke touched the kid’s shoulder. “You’re that Jones boy, aren’t you?”

“Clarence Jones, sir. But most folks just call me Jonesy.”

Luke nodded and mounted Alamo. “Put your foot in the stirrup, and I’ll pull you up.”

Jonesy attempted to do as Luke ordered, but the boy was too exhausted to get his foot up high enough. Mark dismounted and boosted Jonesy up behind Luke.

“You got some news, Marshal?” Dan Howard, the broad-shouldered livery owner asked.

“Maybe. This boy thinks he knows where a stranger’s been holing up.”

“You want some of us to come?”

Luke shook his head. “No, I need y’all to keep searching closer to town. This might be a dead end, and I don’t want all our eggs in one basket.”

Dan nodded.

Luke reined Alamo around. “Hold on tight.”

He kicked his horse, and in seconds, they were on a dead run down Main Street. The boy nearly swerved off as Luke turned Alamo down Bluebonnet Lane and headed out of town, his hope building for the first time that day.

Please, Lord. Let me find Rachel at that shed. And let her be safe.

***

Rachel felt as if she were falling down a deep well, and she jumped. The tiny cabin came into focus as she awakened. Her mouth was as dry as if she’d been sucking cotton, and her head ached. If only she could have a drink.

Carly had also fallen asleep. The heat from the cabin had wilted them both like summer flowers in a drought. Occasionally a hot breeze blew through the holes where the window panes once rested, but that did nothing to cool the room. At least the sun was no longer overhead and was making its western plunge toward sunset. Nighttime would bring cooler temperatures, but she dreaded it. How long could they survive without water?

She tried to work up enough saliva to dampen her mouth and started sawing again. “Carly. Miss Payton. Wake up.” She kicked the table leg, and it screeched across the floor, making the young woman stir.

“Did I fall asleep? Oh, ow. My shoulders are killing me.”

Rachel didn’t voice that hers were, too. “We need to keep working. I don’t know where your brother went or why he’s been gone so long, but we’ve got to get free before he returns.”

“Maybe he just left us here to die.”

Rachel shook her head. “Don’t think that—and even if he did, that’s not going to happen.”

The dullness in Carly’s eyes disappeared all of a sudden, and then she winced. “I’ve nearly sawed through the rope. But I keep cutting my fingers and dropping the glass.”

“I’m sorry. Just do your best. I’m not having much luck here. I broke off the point on the chair leg, so now there’s nothing sharp to cut my bindings.”

Carly looked to be sawing with renewed vigor. She worked hard for a few minutes; then she turned her head to face Rachel. Something she’d said earlier was grating on Rachel.

“Did you tell me that there was a fourth shirt entered in the bride contest?”

Carly blinked and stared at her. “You mean you didn’t enter it?” Rachel shook her head. “No. I decided that if Luke wasn’t willing to forgive me for how I wronged him in the past, there was no chance he’d want me for a wife, so I didn’t enter the second contest.”

Carly rocked back and forth. “That’s strange. There was four entries. If you didn’t enter, then who else could’ve? I’m certain that blue shirt was the same one you kept in your drawer.”

Rachel pursed her lips as the truth dawned. “It was Jacqueline. She argued up one side of the wall and down the other, wanting me to enter that contest. I told her I wouldn’t, so she must have taken the shirt and entered it without anyone knowing.” Rachel shook her head at her wily daughter.

Carly smiled a sad smile. “The mayor said that’s the one the marshal liked best. I bet you don’t get it back—oh!”

The young woman’s shoulders heaved violently, and Rachel’s heart jumped. Was the heat getting to her?

Suddenly, she pulled her hands in front of her and started rubbing her shoulders. “Look, my hands are free!”

After some finagling, Carly managed to untie her ankles and staggered to her feet. Rachel noticed that both of Carly’s hands and wrists were covered in blood. “Oh, your poor hands.”

Carly held them up and grinned as if they were a badge of honor. She turned and looked around on the floor, stooped, then plodded toward Rachel. “Now we just gotta get you untied.”

“Maybe we should just get out of here and worry about that later.”

“You cain’t run with your ankles bound together.” Carly shook her head, shoved the battered chair away, and squatted behind Rachel.

“I’m worried about your hands.”

“They’ll heal.”

Carly worked for several minutes, and then Rachel felt the ropes loosen, and the tension in her shoulders released just a smidgeon. Suddenly, the ropes broke. Carefully, she swung her arms forward and rolled her shoulders. “My, but that feels good.”

Rachel made quick work of freeing her feet and stood on wobbly legs. “We’d best get out of here while we can. Did your brother leave any water?” She searched the small room as Carly headed for the door.

Suddenly, Carly froze. “I hear voices. Quick. Lie back down on the cot and pretend you’re still tied up.”

Her frantic gaze made Rachel’s heart ricochet in her chest. Had they worked so hard only to have Ty Payton return now?

Rachel didn’t take time to question her but did as ordered. The putrid scents of the thin mattress almost made her retch, but with no food or water for a full day, Rachel managed to keep from gagging. Reluctantly, she forced her hands behind her still aching shoulders and lay down. Carly seemed to be searching the room for something. She snatched up a leg that had come off the chair and squeezed in the small space behind the door with the weapon over her head.

Rachel held her breath, praying that Ty Payton hadn’t returned. Tears threatened, but she blinked them back. She wanted to be ready if Carly needed her help.

A shadow passed by the window, and then a face appeared. Jacqueline?

Were her eyes playing tricks?

And there was Ricky’s blessed face.

Rachel bolted up off the cot so fast, her head swam. Carly spun toward her, looking at her as if she were having a conniption.

“Ma?” Jacqueline squealed.

Carly lowered her club, and Rachel yanked the door open. Jacqueline charged in, nearly bowling her over. She grabbed her daughter and clung to her.

“Ma, I prayed we’d find you. I thought I’d never see you again.”

Jacqueline’s tears wet the front of Rachel’s dress, and tears of her own streamed down her face. Suddenly, her relief was overpowered by the reality that her daughter was far from home. “Just what in the world are you doing out here?”

“You smell awful.” Jacqueline pulled away, hurt darkening her eyes. “We were looking for you. Jonesy remembered seeing a stranger at this cabin two days ago and thought we should investigate it.”

“Oh! I could just blister your backside, but I’m so happy to see you.”

Ricky entered the cabin, looking shy. He held up a canteen. “Anybody need some water?”

Rachel held Jacqueline close again while Carly drank. Then the woman passed the canteen, and Rachel savored the lukewarm water, gulping it down.

“I don’t wanna spoil this family reunion, but it won’t be so happy if my brother returns before we get away.” Carly pressed her lips together, looking like a no-nonsense schoolmarm.

“She’s right. We need to leave. Now.”

“Maybe it’d be better if we all went to my house,” Ricky said. “There’s not much cover along the road, and if ’n that stranger returns, we could be in big trouble, even though I do have a gun.” He pulled out James’s old pistol, and Rachel gasped. She turned a stern glare on her daughter.

Jacqueline ducked her head and then smiled. “Well, you did say a woman should never go far from town unarmed. I was just obeyin’ you, Ma.”

Rachel grinned at her incorrigible daughter and looped her arm around her. “I’m sure that’s not exactly what I said, but we’ll talk about it when we get home.”

Ricky led the way, keeping them in the tree line as much as possible. They passed what he said was the Jones farm and continued across a field to a farmhouse in the distance. All of a sudden, they heard horses’ hooves pounding down the lane. With no trees for cover, they bunched together. Rachel shoved Jacqueline behind her, and tried to put on a brave front. It had been one thing to face an outlaw knowing her daughter was safe in her bed, but another thing altogether when her child was in danger.

“Give me that gun, boy.” Carly faced Ricky, but the kid stepped back.