Understanding dawned on Lorinda. That was why he hadn’t taken any of her money. He planned to get rid of her. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she lifted her chin so they wouldn’t leak down her cheeks. “So what are you saying? You don’t want to be married to me anymore? Is that it?”
He whispered a word under his breath, but she heard it. One she’d never heard him use before. But she’d heard it from her father and uncle, and a myriad of bad memories sprang to the surface of her mind, escaping the dark place where she’d kept them shut away. She felt as if a sword had been thrust through her mid-section. She placed her arms protectively across that spot and began to rock to and fro.
“I’m doing a bad job of this.” He huffed out an exasperated breath. “I want to give you the choice of whether you stay with me or not. If you don’t want to, we can quietly get the marriage annulled, since it wasn’t consummated.”
Each word another wound. “So, now that you have someone else for an heir, you don’t want me...or my son.” Her tone rose with each word.
He turned startled eyes toward her. “How can you say that? I love Michael. He’s my son as much as he is yours.”
“No... He. Is. Not.” Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she swiped at them with both hands. “If you don’t want me, you don’t want him.”
“But I do.” He raised his voice. “I’m trying to do right by you, and you’re twisting my words.”
“Oh, I know what you’re trying to do. Get rid of me.” She gave him as harsh of a glare as she could muster. “If I go, so does my son. And who will take care of Andrew if I’m not here to nurse him? Have you thought of that?” She stood and stomped toward the fire, turning her back to him. “Of course, he would be your heir then.”
Franklin jerked as if she had hit him and almost knocked over the lamp on the table beside him. He grabbed it and set it back where it belonged.
Lorinda couldn’t let herself look at his face. She’d fallen in love with this man and hoped he was falling for her. But she was so very wrong. She had known all along that the sham marriage was a lie. Why had she agreed to it? She clasped her hands on her upper arms, trying to shield herself from the hurt, but nothing really could.
As she awaited his reply, she heard his boots beat a staccato down the hallway to the front door. Before she could turn around and follow him, the door closed with a loud thud. When she looked, Franklin’s warm coat and Stetson were no longer hanging on the hall tree.
She considered starting to pack, but she didn’t have anywhere to go. This had become her home, and she didn’t want to leave. Maybe everything would be all right if she just waited and let him think about what he’d said.
A sham marriage was better than loneliness, wasn’t it?
In the barn, Franklin saddled Major. He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew if he stayed in the house any longer, all he would do was hurt her more. Maybe if they both had a chance to cool off, they could come to an agreement about this. He hoped she wouldn’t be gone when he got back.
Each tear that rolled down her cheeks landed on his heart, burning a hole through it. This was not supposed to happen. They should have been able to just talk this out, sensibly like adults.
He wanted to hit something...hard. He gripped his right hand into a fist and smashed it against the barn door. The divider rolled partway open. Thank goodness it did. If it hadn’t, he would be hurt worse. Right now, the sharp pain settled into all the bones in his hand. He shook it and spewed out expletives he hadn’t used since he was a sixteen-year-old kid trying to make the other guys think he was grown up. What he’d just done was every bit as bone-headed as some of the things he did back then. He swung into the saddle and rode outside, controlling the horse with the reins in his left hand.
Why was it so hard to talk to Lorinda about important things? He didn’t have any trouble talking to anyone else. Mrs. Oleson, the ranch hands, Brian Nelson, other ranchers, bankers, businessmen. None of them tied him in the knots Lorinda did. All he wanted to do was give her a choice, all the time hoping she would choose not to leave him.
Deep in his own thoughts, Franklin turned from the lane onto the road leading to town. He tried to shut out the cold weather completely. Before he paid attention, he was over halfway to town. Wishing his father were still alive, he couldn’t think of anyone else he could trust as much. Of course, he had talked to Brian, but he didn’t want to share this with him.
Mrs. Oleson wouldn’t understand how a man feels. And she didn’t know about their marriage pact. So he surely couldn’t talk to her about it. Of course, she might’ve heard a little of that last discussion. It got louder as it went along. He hoped she couldn’t understand the words he and Lorinda exchanged.
He’d made a royal mess of things when all he wanted to do was give her a choice of whether to take the way out he offered her or choose to stay with him because she loved him.
Love. He hadn’t even mentioned the word to her. He slapped his thigh with the end of the reins. Franklin had gotten angry before they reached the place where he could tell her how he really felt. He remembered his father often telling him that he had to learn to control his temper. He did almost all the time. Why not today?
An especially icy wind hit him full blast. A shiver ran through him. What was he doing out here riding in the cold weather when he should be home by the fire? At least his anger had also cooled down, which was the reason he left the house.
The ride back to the ranch would take longer than getting to Breckenridge. He chose to go to town first and warm up. He could stop by Belle Turnbull’s café for a slice of her wonderful Sponge Gingerbread slathered with melting butter and a cup of strong black coffee. That should warm him enough to face the long ride home.
When he stepped into the café, the heat hit him so hard his fingertips tingled, and he felt his face turning red from the strength of it. Rand Morgan and two other ranchers sat at a table near the counter. They waved him over to join them.
Belle came to take his order, and soon he was sinking his teeth into the warm gingerbread that melted on his tongue, awakening his taste buds. Stopping here was just what he needed. Away time with other men, jawing about what was going on at their ranches. The meeting was like an oasis in his desert-dry day.
When he went home, he’d be better able to continue his discussion with Lorinda. They were both adults, and they should be rid of their anger by the time he got there.
Chapter 36
Lorinda stood by the front window and stared at the lane leading to the ranch house. How long had it been since Franklin rode off? It felt like forever. She glanced at the clock. Only an hour.
The heated words they’d flung at each other scorched her soul. Did her words destroy any chance she had for happiness? She had tried to force him to listen, but she hadn’t listened to everything he had to say. Had her words run him off for good? Surely not. This was his ranch. He wouldn’t just leave her and plan not to come back. Her heart sank at the thought. She wanted him back. This time, they needed to have a calm discussion.
She rubbed her sleeves as a chill ran up her arms, raising goosebumps in its path. The temperature outside had to be sinking, because it was becoming harder to keep the rooms warm. She hoped Franklin wasn’t still out in the cold. If so, by now, he could be nearing frostbite. Lord, please protect him and bring him back to me.
When he got here, she’d try to control her emotions and let him finish saying what he meant. Perhaps he hadn’t wanted her to leave. He was just giving her the choice. That’s what she’d always desired, wasn’t it? For the man in her life to let her make her own decisions, instead of controlling her.
“There you are, Lorinda.” Mrs. Oleson came into the parlor. “Where’s Franklin? He didn’t go back out in the cold, did he?”
Lorinda cringed at the thought that their argument had been heard. Maybe their housekeeper hadn’t understood the loud discussion.
“He was in here talking to you when I went up
to take a nap.” The housekeeper sat in a wingback chair and picked up her knitting from the basket beside it.
“Yes, he was. He left.” Lorinda didn’t want to tell another lie, even to keep their secret. “We had a disagreement. He didn’t tell me where he was going.”
Mrs. Oleson studied her for a minute. “That’s unlike him. I hope he gets home soon, so we won’t have to worry.”
Lorinda dropped into the chair across from her. “He’s been gone an hour. I’m already concerned.”
Loud banging sounded on the front door. Lorinda hurried into the hallway. It couldn’t be Franklin. He wouldn’t knock.
She opened the door, and one of the older boys, who often wandered around Breckenridge trying to find some kind of work to do because their fathers had been lost in a mine mishap, stood there. He shivered in his ragged clothes that couldn’t possibly withstand the harsh winter that was already upon them. How did he get all the way out here without freezing?
“Can I help you?” She said through the screen.
“Gotta note fer Miz Vine.” His teeth were chattering. “Ain’t you her?”
She opened the screen and invited him in. They moved into the parlor. The boy headed toward the fireplace and hovered beside it, still shivering. He dug in the pocket of his ragged trousers and brought out a dirty, wrinkled piece of paper and handed it to Lorinda.
“Would you like a hot cup of coffee, young man?” Mrs. Oleson dropped the knitting back in the basket. “It’ll help warm you up.”
“Please, ma’am. I’m half froze.”
She hurried to the kitchen.
Lorinda read the scratchy writing.
Franklin has been hurt. He’s calling for you. Come quickly.
Lorinda turned toward the boy, just as Mrs. Oleson handed him the cup of coffee. “Young man, where did you get this note?”
“A man.” He wrapped his fingers around the warm mug and took a gulp of the hot liquid. “Paid me t’ bring it t’ you.”
“Where is my husband? Is he hurt bad?” Lorinda needed to know.
“I dunno. I never seen him. Just the man.” Fear shone out of the boy’s eyes.
Lorinda handed the message to Mrs. Oleson and began wringing her hands. Had their quarrel sent Franklin into danger? If so, she was responsible for what happened to him. She had to go to him right away.
Mrs. Oleson helped her gather what she might need to help Franklin. Lorinda got blankets, bandages, ointments, and warm clothes. She put on two layers of Franklin’s union suits, then his trousers and a flannel shirt. She had to belt the trousers up tight to keep them from falling off, but she needed protection from the extreme cold.
Mrs. Oleson filled a gunny sack with food items and poured coffee in a Mason jar and wrapped in several towels to keep in the heat. “This will help keep you and Franklin warm.”
By the time they were back in the parlor, the messenger had finished his coffee.
“How am I supposed to find him?” Lorinda hadn’t seen any directions on the note.
“I’ll take you.” The boy pulled on his ragged gloves that didn’t really cover his hands.
Lorinda went to get an extra pair of gloves from a drawer in Franklin’s dresser, and she snagged an older coat. She thrust them at the boy. “Put these on over yours. They’ll help some.”
The boy nodded. “Thank ya kindly.”
Lorinda turned toward Mrs. Oleson. “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
“Just be careful. It’s not really safe to be out there too long.” Worry lined her forehead and darkened her eyes.
“I know.” Lorinda gave the older woman a hug.
She picked up a lot of the things they had gathered, and the boy grabbed the rest. When they went out the door, she noticed a broken-down horse standing beside the gate. “That yours?”
“Yeah. He was my dad’s.”
The boy followed her into the barn. She saddled Golden Boy, who had completely recovered his strength. They loaded saddlebags evenly with most of the supplies she was taking, then rolled the blankets and tied them on behind the saddle. While she was doing this, she found an older horse blanket.
She glanced at the boy. “Here. Wrap this around you. It’ll help keep you warmer.”
His eyes rounded with surprise. “I ain’t never had a blanket just for me.” A smile broke out on his face. “Thanks, ma’am.”
As they left the ranch, Lorinda glanced back at the house with all the windows blazing with light. She hated to leave the babies right now, but her husband needed her...and she needed him.
She followed the boy from the lane onto the road, then off the beaten track toward a tight grove of naked trees. Only a narrow trail made its crooked way between the thick trunks to a small clearing. Lorinda glanced around but didn’t see her husband.
“How much farther?”
The boy glanced at her, then away. “Just a little ways.” He led her between two trunks on the other side of the stark clearing.
A man stepped out from behind one of them. At first, Lorinda didn’t recognize him, then it hit her. He was the drifter she’d run off her property soon after Mike had left her alone. Before she could do anything, he grabbed Golden Boy’s bridle. The horse tried to shy away, but the man held fast.
“I see you brought my horse back to me.” He sneered and jerked hard on the bridle to pull them off the path.
“He’s not your horse. He’s mine.” Lorinda had to grab the pommel to stay on the horse.
“Oh, no, little lady. He’s mine...again.”
Lorinda didn’t like the way he looked, the way he smelled, or anything else about him. He had to be Marvin. So that meant he killed Mike and did the other things Miriam told them about.
Without a word, he pulled her from the horse and tied her to a tree.
“What do you want?” Before she could get out any more words, he thrust a dirty bandana into her mouth and tied it tightly behind her head.
Marvin turned toward the boy. He pulled an envelope and a silver dollar from his pocket. “Wait for an hour, then take this note to the same ranch. Remember, I know where you live, and I know about your mother and sister. If you cross me, you’ll never see them again.”
The boy high-tailed it away as fast as the mangy horse could move...which wasn’t very fast.
“Now, Miz Sullivan, oh that’s right, you’re Miz Vine now. I have you right where I want you. Don’t try to get away. I’m going to untie you and put you on the horse. Don’t try to fight me. You’ll be sorry if you do.”
Chills not associated with the weather scampered up and down her spine like a whole nest of spiders. She started to tremble.
Marvin threw her on Golden Boy. He tied her hands again, this time in front, so she could hold on to the pommel. He led her to a horse he’d hidden among the trees, mounted, and led her horse behind him.
They went a short ways to get out of the grove of trees, then he turned off on a trail that led up and over an outcropping of large rocks. She had to hold tight to the pommel to keep from falling from Golden Boy. She glanced down and saw that they weren’t leaving hoofprints. How would anyone be able to find them if there was no trail to follow?
The farther up the mountain of rocks they went, the more talkative Marvin became. He poured out venomous words and thoughts about Franklin. Lorinda wished she could refute every word he said. He must not know her husband very well. Then he began to brag about all his horrible misdeeds.
Mike wasn’t the only person he’d murdered, but he was particularly angry about her first husband.
“I spent time getting to know Mike, plying him with enough booze to loosen most tongues. He did tell me about the gold and that he was going to take it to Denver to be assayed. But he was a wily one. He told me he was going to take the gold, but he gave me a false date. That’s why I killed him when he didn’t have the gold or the money when I finally found him. Nobody crosses Marvin Pratt and lives to tell about it.”
His last words chilled her
even more. All the layers of clothing weren’t doing her any good. Lorinda was tired of hearing his whiny voice. She wished he was the one with a dirty bandana stuffed into his mouth. She had never thought about really shooting anyone. She had just used the rifle at the cabin to scare intruders. But if she weren’t tied up and had a gun, she wouldn’t hesitate to shoot this man. Maybe not a kill shot, but maim him enough that she could get away.
“I’ll bet those saddlebags are full of things I can use. Good food and all. Probably didn’t bring any booze though, did you?”
How did the man expect her to answer with a gag in her mouth?
After what seemed like an eternity to her, they rode into the mouth of a cavern. She’d never been underground before. The dark dampness felt eerie, but at least they were out of the stinging wind.
Marvin dropped to the ground and picked up a lantern, then led both horses deeper into the cavern until they reached a large chamber. The farther they went, the more the temperature rose. When he stopped in the chamber, it was cool, but a long ways from the biting cold outside. Lorinda welcomed that. Even with her layers, she had almost frozen on the ride up the mountain.
“I’m going to untie you and let you down from the horse, but don’t try anything. I’ll shoot you dead if you do.” His grating tone held a note of promise.
Lorinda believed the man meant every word. She decided to do what he told her to do but also watch for a chance to get away without him killing her. She needed to talk to Franklin again, and the babies needed to be nursed. Because she had been so cold, her milk hadn’t come down when it was time to feed them. She wondered what was happening at the house. Had Franklin arrived at home? Was he even now out looking for her? She hoped so. That might be her only chance to get away from this crazy man.
Marvin struck a match and lit the lantern, setting it beside the cavern wall. The only other light came from the tunnel they had followed to get here, and it was very faint.
A Heart's Gift Page 27
