"I think it would be safer at the hotel," said Jeb. "Jake and I will be on Jim's hit list so if it's alright with you Emma, I'd feel happier if Tillie and Millie could stay there overnight as well. I'd like to help Jake this evening, keeping watch on the parsonage and our own homes."
"I'd be pleased to help out, Jeb. We have no shortage of beds and we can easily lock up the hotel so everyone is safe."
"I'd like to organize supper for the Pastor first, it that's OK," said Abigail. "I could come down after that Emma, but Rose could go with you now if you prefer."
"Such a lovely little girl. Of course it's alright, I'd love to have her," said Emma who was obviously looking forward to taking care of little Rose.
Jeb voiced his concern about keeping Rose's presence as secret as possible. "I'll take Tillie and Millie home now to collect a few things, then escort them to the hotel. Emma, I'll come back for you and Rose and maybe bring Jake with me. It might be better if we go via the back lane rather than up the main street ... if its clear of unwanted eyes."
"That's a good idea Jeb. I could bring Abigail the same way after she's done here, then join you and Jake. I might be able to help the town's residents to keep calm," offered Jeremy.
"The main thing will be to make sure all the houses and cabins are locked and secure. You probably noticed the townsfolk have already vacated the street. They know something is going to happen. Same applies here. If there are shutters out back in the barn, you should try and put them on. It'll be safer."
"You make it sound like I'm their main target," said Jeremy.
Jeb replied quickly. "You are. You and Abigail both. Now, Tillie and Millie, let's go."
The women had been quietly listening and while the first part of their visit had been pleasant with lots of girlish talk, the events of the afternoon had dimmed their spirits. So too had the knowledge that the town harbored a man who preyed on young women for his living.
Millie and Tillie left with Jeb while Jeremy took the opportunity to search for shutters, as well as top up the wood box. While he was outside, he took the opportunity to see just how secure the parsonage was. His inspection indicated it wasn't too bad, but as Jeb had indicated, the windows were vulnerable. They looked to have had shutters at some time so he headed to the barn to check if they were stored there.
The shutters were tossed in a pile at the back of the barn and he couldn't figure out why anyone would have taken them off. They were functional items and the house looked bare without them. He started to haul them out of the barn and started to put them back onto the windows where they belonged.
Jake came by to take Emma and little Rose up the street to the hotel and with Jeremy and Jeb keeping a sharp lookout in the back lane, the women were soon on their way. "I'll see you in a couple of hours, maybe sooner... and thank you Emma for taking us in," called Abigail quietly.
Abigail was in two minds about leaving the parsonage. Gossip was one thing but safety was another matter altogether. Of course she needed to be safe, but part of her wanted to stay with the Pastor. He was making the house as safe as could be and had proved yet again by taking action to bring little Rose out, that he was genuinely a man of his word and cared deeply about the well being of people like her and Rose. Once again, her heart was pounding when she thought of him.
~#~#~#~
When Jeremy had all the shutters back on the windows, he took the opportunity to admire his handy work. He was pleased to be able to do what was necessary to make Abigale safe, but wasn't looking forward to taking her to the hotel, gossip or no. Without understanding why, he felt she belonged here with him. She was in the kitchen now, preparing food for him, looking beautiful with her hair up like a lady and that's where he wanted her to stay.
A loud knocking on the front door brought him from his reveries and he wondered who it could be. Jake and Jeb would have called out to him, so he was cautious. "Who is it?" he called out.
I'm Ben Hanson from the One Star Ranch, just out of town. My wife has had an accident with a horse and Doc. Wilton doesn't think she's going to make it. Could you come please?"
Jeremy opened the door to the middle aged man standing on his porch, head hung in grief.
"I've just arrived Ben and don't have a horse yet..."
"I brought the buggy, Pastor. Please can we hurry... She would pass easier if she had your blessing."
"Give me a moment to let my housekeeper know and we can be on our way."
"Thank you Pastor... Margie will be relieved."
Jeremy raced inside to let Abigail know he had to go out to see a dying woman and to lock the door after him and stay inside until he got back.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.
"No, just sit tight until I get back. I'll try not to be too long."
"You should stay as long as you need to, Pastor. The woman needs you more than I do. I won't go outside and promise to keep the house locked up tighter than a drum. You take care now."
"Thank you Abigail, I will." He was touched that she cared about what happened to him.
Neither of them noticed one of Big Jim's thugs hiding behind a tree in the schoolyard in the gathering darkness, or indeed the sneer on his face as he realized Abigail was alone in the parsonage. All he had to do was to create a diversion to draw away the Sheriff and his cronies, get Abigail to open the door, then swoop in and carry her back to where she belonged. Big Jim Olson's saloon.
He waited for full dark before implementing his plan, which to his mind, was foolproof. Jim would be pleased. The first part of his plan fell into place as he set fire to the livery at the northern end of town near Big Jim's place. Everyone would be up there putting out the fire, leaving him plenty of time to fetch out Abigail.
He moved stealthily back to the parsonage, noting the town was in lock-down. He went to the kitchen door and tapped softly, assuming she would be in the kitchen. Disguising his voice when he called out to Abigail, he put the second part of his plan into action. "I've got a message from the Sheriff, Abigail. He and Jeb want you to go up to the hotel now. A fire has broken out and they're expecting some burn injuries. He was hoping you could help."
It was easier than he thought. She opened the door and before she had so much as a chance to scream, he hit her around the head so she was semi-conscious, before he slung her over his shoulder and headed up the street to Jim's place. He'd lost some kudos since allowing her to escape and looked forward to being back in Big Jim's good graces.
~#~#~#~
Chapter Eight
The fire in the livery was put out quickly because the hoped for blaze didn't take and the owner was still on the premises. The arsonist did a bad job and it was over before it properly began. Big Jim's thug didn't realize this however, as his focus was on kidnapping Abigail. All in all, he made a bad job of that as well, because Abigail regained full consciousness and despite having a sore head, realized her only chance to avoid being returned to Big Jim's saloon, was to call for help. She screamed as loud as she could.
The piercing scream brought the townsfolk out of doors and as Clem Williams started running up the street, with Abigail still slung over his shoulder, the Sheriff and Deputy Bobby Mathews ran down the street from the hotel where they'd been finalizing security.
"Hold it right there, Clem. Put the lady down and your hands up," barked Jake Benson.
Clem realized there was nothing he could do now to complete his plan to take Abigail back, so abruptly let her go, angry that he'd been caught. It never occurred to him that his plan failed because he hadn't thought things through properly and perhaps he was destined to fail because God was looking after his flock in Hope Springs.
Abigail fell to the ground, painfully jarring her already injured head. Emma and Millie rushed out to help her and moved to take her with them to the hotel for safety.
"No, I want to go back to the parsonage. Please, it's the only place I feel safe."
Emma soothed her. "We'll talk about it in a little wh
ile when you feel better and when I'm sure that man hasn't caused you any dangerous injuries."
"Alright, just for a short while then, but after that I need to go back."
The Sheriff cut in. "Go with Emma please Abigail and I'll be back to talk to you after we've locked Clem up. Bobby, cuff him and let's put him in the lock up. I think we've got us a fire bug here as well as a kidnapper and I suspect Abigail was being taken back to Big Jim's place. Is that right Clem? You just got yourself into a whole mess of trouble."
The Sheriff and his Deputy took Clem to the jail house for questioning and to hold him in custody until the County Judge came to hear the case and sentence him. Jake Benson was pleased to be able to remove at least one of the town's unsavory characters from circulation and couldn't wait for an opportunity to do the same to Jim Olson.
At the hotel, Emma and Millie sat Abigail on a comfortable seat in the lobby and gave her a few medicinal sips of brandy while checking her for injuries that could need the attention of Dr. Wilton. "I'm alright, really. He only hit me once on the side of my head and I passed out for only a moment."
"Dear girl, you are going to have a black eye I think and a headache," sympathized Emma. "You need to rest and sleep to give yourself a chance to get over it."
"I know you're worried Emma, but I've had much worse than this with far less attention. It probably sounds odd, but I'm used to feeling like this. What really scared me was the thought of going back to Jim Olson. That is something I couldn't do, ever. I've only been out of that place for a day and I felt like a clean person again from the moment I ran out the door. I'm afraid of what Jim will do now Clem is in jail and little Rose and I are gone from his custody."
"That's why it's best if you stay here with us for a while," comforted Milly. "We can look after you here, together. Besides, we can get to know each other better too, without you worrying about anyone trying to kidnap you. Do you mind if I ask where Pastor Jeremy is?"
"Of course not. A man called Ben Hanson called by to pick him up to take him out to his ranch where his wife was dying. Apparently she had an accident with a horse. He should be back shortly."
Emma asked the most obvious question. "But why on earth did you open the door to someone like Clem Williams?"
Abigail looked abashed. "I didn't realize it was him because his voice was different. He said he came with a message from the Sheriff... that there were people with burn injuries here and you needed my help to nurse them. I had to go and help if people were hurt... but I was deceived. I'm so sorry for worrying you."
"I understand," said Emma. "You really are a good hearted young woman..."
Before she could finish, Pastor Jeremy St. John burst into the room. "What's happened? And why aren't you at the parsonage?
~#~#~#~
While Tillie, Emma and Millie answered the questions Jeremy liberally peppered them with, Abigail sat nursing her brandy and looking strangely at peace, considering what had just happened. Her countenance was not unobserved by the other women who sensed there was something between the Pastor and his housekeeper, even if they themselves didn't know it yet. It was as if God was quietly working to bring them together.
"I'm taking Abigail back to the parsonage now where I can look after her properly," asserted Jeremy.
Abigail smiled because that's what she wanted too. She felt safe with Jeremy there. "But what about Emmaline Larson? She'll cause so much trouble... and if it makes things easier for you, I don't minding staying here."
"Never mind about Emmaline Larson. I suspect that like most folks, she doesn't care one way or the other. She just wants to cause trouble for me and plans on using you to do it. I've never known a woman to be so fixated with Pastors. There's something going on here that I don't know about, but it certainly isn't you, Abigail," asserted Jeremy.
The other women in the room looked at each other, before Millie hesitantly filled Jeremy in on Emmaline's behavior.
"I don't want to gossip Pastor Jeremy, but after Emmaline's outburst this morning, I believe you should know a little more about her. She and the Reverend J.T. Miller were behaving most inappropriately together and Emmaline has been out of sorts since he left. I don't know why she didn't go with him because they certainly suited each other."
"Thank you, Millie. I understand and you don't need to say any more. She is a lost soul I think."
"I agree," said Abigail, surprising the others. "I don't hold what she's said about me against her. There must be a reason for it, even though we don't know what it is."
"It's generous of you to say so Abigail but it doesn't give her the right to harass the likes of us," said Emma. "Believe me, she's up to no good and we haven't heard the last of her yet."
"Something tells me you are right, Emma. But we shall wait and see. Well ladies, I thank you for looking after Abigail but I believe she needs to go home now and get some sleep. Come, Abigail. You are safe now."
"Please be careful Abigail and we'll come and see you tomorrow. Just to be sure you are really alright, I might bring Dr. Wilton along to take a look at you. It's always better to do that when you've had a bang on the head."
"Thank you, Emma. That's kind of you. Goodnight to you all and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow."
Jeremy held Abigail's arm as he guided her out of the hotel and down the street to the parsonage. He hoped he was doing the right thing, however the near miss with Clem Williams made the decision for him. Something was pushing him to protect Abigail at any cost.
~#~#~#~
During his time of personal reflection before he slept, Jeremy questioned his motive behind bringing Abigail back to the parsonage when he knew people like Emmaline Larson would question his morals and subsequent suitability for the role of Pastor in Hope Springs. In the deepest corner of his heart, he knew it was a situation that would force Abigail into further disrepute, hurting her fledgling confidence as a decent woman. In his mind though, she had always been a decent woman but the town troublemakers would never see it that way.
There was nothing else for it. He would marry her, for both their sakes. After all, it was the best way to protect them both and finally put to rest any notion that Jim Olson had any claim on her. Besides, he liked her a lot. More than a lot if he was honest with himself and needed her to be with him. Many marriages had succeeded with less to start out on.
The night seemed to fly by and as soon as he woke, knew what he must do. Abigail was still sleeping so he dressed and began to make breakfast for them both. Just eggs and toast to keep things light. He was almost done when there was a knock at the front door and he was surprised to see Emma and Dr. Wilton on the front porch.
"Please, come in," he welcomed them both. "I'm guessing you've come to see Abigail, Dr. Wilton but she is still asleep."
They moved to the kitchen. "Best thing for her. It's unbelievable how she's been treated."
"I was just making some breakfast. Can I offer you tea or coffee and perhaps a little toast?"
Emma stepped forward. "Why don't you let me do that for you Pastor. I'm sure you've got more important things to worry about... and the good Dr. here needs to take a look at Abigail before his other patients."
"I thank you Emma. This is the second morning you've graced my humble kitchen."
"And a good thing too, I'm thinking," quipped the doctor. "I'll gladly take a cup of tea after I've seen Abigail."
The voices in the kitchen had woken Abigail from a healing sleep and when Dr. Wilton stepped into her room, he was pleased to see her eyes were clear.
"I'm Dr. Wilton, Abigail and Emma has explained what happened to you." He sat on a chair beside the bed. "Your eyes are clear. Thats a good sign. Can you follow my finger as I move it around? Good, good. Now let's take a look at your head. Looks like you're going to have a sore head for a few days but there's no damage I can see. He hit you on the side of the head. Is that correct? Well you might end up with a minor black eye on that side but the cut will heal quickly and won't need sti
tches." He stopped at last but Abigail didn't know what to say. The kindly doctor however, did.
"I'm thinking you want to ask me a question or two about things that happened to you during the last few years but don't rightly know the words."
Abigail let out a sigh of relief, not realizing she'd been holding her breath. "Yes." Her voice was rich and controlled. "I've been beaten a lot, but am not damaged. However, as to the other, I cannot tell."
"Well, if you're not averse, I can take look, just to ease your mind. You've been through quite an ordeal. Now let me just take hold of your wrist here and I'll check your heart rate... that's good... and slowly now, I'm going to have a listen to your chest... just relax, it might feel a little cold... that good." Dr. Burns was gentle and Abigail was finally relaxed enough for him to complete his examination.
"You are fine Abigail and you have nothing to worry about. But I want you to come and see me if you ever have any concerns. Promise? You should just focus on having a normal life now and leave the past behind. The Pastor and your new friends will help with that and I'd be honored if you could include me that group. You are a beautiful young woman and I expect to see you snapped up as someone's wife before very long."
"Would that it were so Dr. Wilton, but I can never marry. I can't abide the thought of any man having control of my body ever again."
~#~#~#~
Chapter Nine
A few weeks passed uneventfully and on the surface, life seemed to be running smoothly in Hope Springs but Sheriff Jake Benson wasn't deceived. He was vigilant in keeping a close eye on Big Jim Olson but since his main thug, Clem Williams was safely locked up in the jail house, the heat had lessened in that situation. For the moment at least.
Abigail (Mail Order Brides of Hope Springs 3) Page 5
