Ruby: A Western Historical Romance (Old Western Mail Order Bride Series Book 2)

by Amy Field

  They came up to the house a few minutes later and she smiled as her mother walked from inside.

  “Hey, Momma,” she said with a smile. Charity was still a beautiful woman and she took good care of her family.

  “Hey, sweetpea. Robert mentioned something about going into town.” She had a sly grin on her face as she said it. She would never come out and tell Grace to pick up the things for her. She always waited for her to offer.

  “Yeah. You got a list momma?” She kept the smile on her face although she wanted nothing more than to groan as she saw the long list her mother gave her.

  “Here you go, honey. You are the best sweet pea.” She said as she blew her a kiss before making her way back inside the house.

  Grace sighed some time later when they finally arrived in town. Hopping down from the horse, she tied him to the post and made her way into the small general store. Mr. Jacobs would be there waiting. He had a way of knowing when they were going to come into town.

  She walked through the door and smiled. There he stood, looking up a large smile spread across his face.

  “Why, little Grace. I knew you would be coming in soon.” He gave a chuckle. “How big is it this time?”

  She knew what he spoke of and pulling the list from her pocket. She grimaced as she handed it out to him. “See for yourself.”

  She watched as his face went from smiled to seriousness as he began to examine the contents. “I only have two bags of four pounds each, but I expect some more in any day now. You brought the buggy I assume.”

  She nodded. There was a smile on her face then, and she heard his chuckle.

  “You made Robert drive.” It wasn’t a question but rather a statement as he shook his head. A buggy was the last thing that Grace would find herself in if she could help it. She would rather feel the wind in her hair as she took off on horseback instead. “Alright, go on and do what you have to do. Tell Robert to bring it around to the side and I’ll start to load it up,” he said with another chuckle.

  “Thanks, Mr. Jacobs,” she said with more spirit than he had felt in a long time. He would give anything to have just an ounce of the young girl's spirit.

  “Go on with you!” He watched her make her way from the store and smiled again. Grace Bernstein was an extraordinary young woman. She didn’t know it yet but she would when the right man came along. She was the only one of Seth’s girls that weren't married. The only problem was, she was the one that loved her way of life more than anything else. It was going to take a special man to control her spunk and accept her exuberant lifestyle. She was the baby, but she was the most outspoken of them all. Yes, her husband would never have a dull life. Turning back to the list he shook his head as he began to collect the things her family needed.

  Chapter Two: Encouraged Whispers

  Grace made her way from the store with a smile on her face. Mr. Jacobs was one of her father’s oldest friends, and she adored him. She heard something to her right and turning she saw a group of older women. Her sister Ruby calls them the old betties. They were the ones that went around town whispering about everyone else like they were so much better than them. Raising her eyebrow at them, she smiled before giving them a deep curtsy. Shaking their heads they made their way away from her and down the street whispering the whole time.

  “You shouldn’t encourage them to talk Grace.” She turned to see Robert standing beside her. She smiled.

  “Yeah. I know. Ma says one day it just might come back to bite me in the butt.” She said with a laugh.

  “Yeah. Come on. Let’s go get something to eat.”

  “Ok. But first, I want to go talk to Jo. I think River may need some shoes.”

  “Ok. I’ll meet you at the restaurant. You go on and do what you gotta do.”

  She nodded as she made her way away from him and towards the blacksmith. Jo was the best around and had done her right with River. He was the only one she trusted with her - except her Pa of course. She whistled as she made her way inside the large barn-like building. The heat hit her full force as she walked through the door.

  “Jo! You here?”

  A man came from the back and smiled at her as he waved. His sleeves were pushed up past his elbows, and she could see the traces of black on his skin. Jo was a hard worker.

  “Hey, Grace! Whatcha doin’ here?”

  “Well, Jo I was hoping that you could help me out. Seems that River might have thrown a shoe or something. I mean it’s not bad. I wouldn’t have ridden her if it was but something’s up.”

  Jo looked at River. “Let’s go get her and we will see what’s going on then.”

  Grace nodded and turned in the direction of the door.

  Suddenly there was a commotion outside. She saw a horse ride by her at a swift pace, then another. Shots rang through the air, and she felt something hard and heavy hit into her as she went towards the ground. She looked up briefly to see another horse ride by her. As it flew past her, she glanced up for another look. Who was that? She pushed Jo off of her, he'd pushed her out of harm's way and fallen on top of her. She got up, and turning towards the commotion, placed her hands on her hips, her eyes darting from side to side, trying to make sense of what happened.

  She looked over to the store where there was a crowd growing, and back again. River was gone! The rider had stolen her horse! She turned towards the general store to see about getting a gun to go after t!hem. As she got closer, she realized that something wasn’t right. Everyone turned to look at her then.

  Grace’s stomach took on an eerie feeling. There was something in the eyes that looked at her, pity and sorrow. She made her way forward and then heard a scream. It took her a minute to realize that it was herself yelling in shock as she rushed over to the body that was lying on the ground.

  Feeling numb and moving as if in a dream, she slid to her knees beside Robert, lying on the ground, blood slowly coloring the dusty earth around him.

  He looked up and her and grinned faintly.

  “Tried to keep them from taking her.” His voice was soft and weak.

  “Foolish man. Don’t try to talk. You’ll need your strength.” She was unaware of the tears that flowed from her eyes as she rested her brother in law's head on her lap.

  “Won’t matter soon.” She was shaking her head already, denying the truth that he was already trying to tell her. “Listen to me.” She continued to shake her head. “Listen to me Grace!” His voice was harsher and sterner, and she looked over at him as he continued to talk. “Tell Alex to be good and watch out for his momma.”

  “You can tell him that.” She sniffed quietly.

  “You know that’s not going to happen.” He coughed a few times then, and she felt her insides curl when his hand covered in blood. “Tell him I love him. You tell Hope that she has made my life worth living. Tell her don’t stop living. Be happy and find someone that will make her happy.” He continued to cough again. This time, his breathing became more shallow with his words.

  “She did that. She found you. You are the love of her life, you know that.”

  He laughed as he shook his head. “She has a whole life to give. Now stop interrupting me and listen. Promise me that you will see the world and do things that you want to do.” He held his hand up stopping her as she began to talk. “You know what I mean. At least you will soon enough. I know you love the ranch, but there is more out there for you Grace. Give people a chance. Learn to lean a little. Promise me that.”

  She couldn’t do anything as the tears fell freely from her eyes now. She didn’t understand what he was saying but she would let him think that she did. If it helped him, then she would do that. So she nodded wordlessly.

  “I love you all. You have always been my family and always will be. Remember that.” His voice was shallow now and barely above a whisper.

  “We know Robert. You are family and have been since the day you showed up on Pa’s porch. He’s always said that. You know that. You were the son he never had even
before you married Hope.”

  “Everything is as it should be Grace.” He said with another cough.

  Grace shook as she held him. His breath caught suddenly and then she watched as he stared off in a blank stare. He had stopped breathing. She began to shake him then over and over. “Robert! Robert! You wake up now. You can’t leave Hope now. She’s gonna kill you.” She rocked back and forth with her tears flowing freely now. For the first time in her life, she didn’t care if anyone saw her cry. She sobbed as she continued to hold him tightly and rock with his body. She felt someone's hands circle her arms and lift her. Not caring who it was she began to fight until she was enfolded in someone's arms. She smelled peppermint and tobacco and knew instantly it was Samuel Jacobs. He all but carried her away from the body as she continued to cry.

  Chapter Three: Let Them See Me Cry

  Grace sat in the wooden chair nursing a cup of hot tea. She looked over at the covered body beside her on the table. She had made her way to what used to be the doctor's room before he got sick, and sat with Robert’s body until her father got there. She had instructed the boy to go see her dad, and only her him. She didn’t want Hope or Alexander to find out about Robert like that. It had been a few hours, and she still sat in the same position. Staring out the small window, she contemplated on what to do. She was going to go after the fools who took two important things from her life that day - her horse and one of her most cherished family members. If it was the last thing she did, she vowed on vengeance.

  “Grace?” The voice was soft, and disbelief rang through it.

  Looking up, she met her father’s eyes and shook her head. The tears started fresh as he made his way to her and cradled her in his arms. Grace was now twenty-one, but she was still the baby and the closest to their father. He was the only one who had ever seen her cry before today. It had been after Ruby left and she was sitting on the hilltop. He didn’t say a word to her that day just as he didn’t now. He just held her close and let her cry out her sadness on his shoulder.

  After some time, he sat back away from her and looked down into her dark blue eyes. “Are you ok, pumpkin?”

  “I will be.” Her voice held more conviction than it ever had as she spoke. Seth looked hard into her eyes.

  “Grace, don’t even think about it, young lady. I know that look in your eye, and you are staying as far away from those men as possible. You understand me?”

  “But Pa, they took River too.”

  “I understand that honey, but you let the sheriff and he men take care of this.”

  Grace let out a disapproving grunt. "I can out shoot and out ride almost all them except you. You and Robert were the only ones to outdo me. I can help, Pa.”

  “What did I say, Grace? I will not bury you too. Besides that, your sister is going to need us right now. Ruby won’t be able to come, and it will take Faith some time to get here with the little one and her condition.” Her sister Faith was currently expecting her first child with her husband. Although there his daughter Missy, it would be the first with the two of them.

  “I know Pa. I just want to help.” She said with a whine.

  “I know pumpkin and you can. Help your sister. You’re the only sister she has right now. And she will need help with Alexander. Jonesy and Ma will help, but she needs you.”

  She sighed then. She knew he was right. It was just her and Hope left at the ranch. They had become close before, but since having the baby, she spent more time inside helping with the cleaning and cooking and such then she did on the ranch. She also had Alexander, who was a handful. He had just begun to crawl, and he was all over the place and had to be constantly watched. She nodded as she stood up.

  The men had wrapped Robert’s body so that they could take him home and bury him. He was laid in a wooden box, and she knew that he would be the first laid to rest on the land. They would need to build a small cemetery, Mr. Jacobs said, and he had put in the last of the small white fencing he had for them to put up around the plot where he was to be buried. It was something that they hadn’t had to worry about until now.

  Chapter Four: Charging the Guilty

  The ride home was long and quiet. Without River, Grace was forced to sit in the wagon and ride back. Her Pa had his horse hitched to the back of the wagon and rode on the narrow bench beside her. He didn’t say anything as they made their way slowly down the rolling hills on the way home. It felt like they would never get there. Grace’s stomach was in knots. She knew that her mother would be worried, although her father said he had told her that Grace was okay. When news reached the ranch about the shooting, Charity had demanded to go with her husband to town, but he had persuaded her to stay put in case Hope and her baby needed her, saying her that he would reach town faster if he were alone. She had reluctantly agreed, but she stood in the doorway and watched him ride away. He knew she still stood there, way after he was gone as well.

  At last, the gate became visible on the road ahead of them. Grace took a deep breath. The conversation that lay ahead was not going to be easy. She felt her heart break when she thought of Hope and what she was about to go through. Hope and Robert had instantly clicked the moment they met and were a power couple. They loved each other deeply and had what most people spend their lives looking for.

  It was already early evening when the wagon came to a slow stop outside the house. Before they could get down from the wagon, a group of people came from inside the home. Charity ran to Grace, embracing her. "I was so scared something had happened to you," she said with worry still written in her eyes. She watched as Hope came rushing forward, still unaware of what was going on. Unable to meet her eyes Grace looked to her Pa.

  Seth Bernstein walked to his daughter and took her into his arms as he whispered to her. Hope’s screams echoed through the darkness. It was a sound that Grace would never forget as long as she lived. Her sister sobbed openly, and Grace bowed her head as her father lifted her sister into his arms and carried her inside the house. Alexander was apparently asleep already which was a good thing. Charity walked behind her husband and turning she held out a hand to Grace, which she took. She looked at the farm hands who stood there with bowed heads and sighed.

  “Someone please go to let Faith know and send a telegram to Ruby as well.”

  “We will take care of it, Grace. Don’t worry about that.” A few minutes later the hooves could be heard on the ground outside as they went to do her bidding.

  Walking slowly, Grace made her way into the house and seeing that Hope was in her old loft, she climbed the ladder and laid next to her sister. Nothing was said as she hugged her tight. The occasional sniffles and the shaking of Hope’s shoulders told her that her sister needed her as she continued to cry her sorrows. Grace felt tired and worn out but couldn't sleep. She kept seeing Robert laying on the ground and her horse speeding past her. It was early morning before her eyes finally closed and Grace fell into a deep, restless sleep. She awoke sometime during the morning and still wearing dark gray circles under her eyes made her way downstairs.

  Hope was nowhere to be found.

  She walked outside and went looking for Hope. At the barn she heard her sister's voice coming from inside. Looking through the large door she saw her sitting in the wagon. She was talking softly to Robert. Knowing this moment was private, Grace turned and made her way back to the house. Hope would need some time to heal. Some time to adjust. She would be there for her sister.

  Later that afternoon they laid Robert to rest under the tree on top of the large hill. It looked down among the fields and had been one of their favorite spots. It had also been the spot where he had proposed to her sister and where she had told him that she was pregnant. The small white fence Sam had given them had been placed up around the space. It expanded out large enough so that at least ten future graves would fit inside. It seemed the whole town came out for the burial. Her father had sent a farm hand into town to tell everyone it would be held late that afternoon. He knew the faster R
obert was laid to rest, the better Hope would cope with it. Jonesy had gotten up early that morning and helped Charity to start cooking. They knew there would be a large number of hungry people there that day.

  Hope’s face was red, and her eyes were so swollen from crying that Grace was surprised she could even see out of them. She kept to herself that day but nodded at people and thanked them for their condolences. Seeing her sister in such pain only made Grace more determined to find the men responsible. An investigation found it had been a robbery gone bad. Apparently the gang leader had begun to fight with another gangster, who shot Robert when they left. He had stated there were to be no shootings. The other man had laughed and shot his horse as well. The man had grabbed River’s reins and had followed the other men out of there. It was strange that men would disobey a front man like that. The man had said he wasn’t there for the money. At least that’s what the people in the bank said. It sounded more and more strange by the minute.

  As the sun began to set people started drifting off one by one to their homes and back to town. Hope decided to stay in the loft again and carried Alexander up with her. He had slept with their parents the night before. It seemed that Hope wanted her son close to her now. Grace sighed as she made her way to her own loft. She needed to devise a plan. She needed to go after the men responsible and charge the guilty. And then get River back from the scoundrel that took her.

  Chapter Five: The Hunt

  It's been two days since they had buried Robert. Grace's father had gone into town the following day and asked how the search for the robbers was going. Although a search party was sent out, they came up empty-handed. Her father had vowed to find the man responsible, and told her that they would not give up and neither would he. Grace knew he meant well, but she also knew that he had a ranch to run and her mother to care for. And there was Hope and the baby too.