“Really?”
Fresh tears sprung to Faith’s eyes as she realized she hadn’t really planned to. Well, at first she had, but not once she’d fallen for Jax. Her heart twisted at how just that very morning she’d planned to bare her soul to him and how hopeful she’d been that they could work things out together.
“I wanted to find another way.” Faith choked out the words and then collapsed in tears.
“There, there. Why don’t you tell me all about it?”
And Faith did. In between sobs, she told Robertson all about Charles and the debt he’d left for her to repay. About Lefty’s threat to her sisters and, finally, about her decision to tell Jax everything.
“But I was too late. I guess he’d already found out that Lefty sent me out here.” Faith blew her nose on the hanky. “He had every right. I was going to betray him and tell Lefty where that gold mine was.”
“I knew it had to be something like that,” Robertson said. “Jax can be stubborn and impulsive. He should have asked you straight out what the story was … but after Mary, well, it’s been hard for him to give his heart and to trust.”
And she’d made it even worse, because Jax had started to trust her before he found out what a liar she was. “What difference does it make now? It’s best I get on the next train and he can forget all about me.”
Robertson pulled the reins in and Buttercup stopped.
Faith stared at him. “What is it? What are you doing?”
Robertson turned to face her. “Getting on the next train is the last thing you should do. I’ve seen the way you and Jax look at each other. He needs you and I think you need him, too. Please give him another chance. Tell him the truth. I know he’ll see things your way.”
“He would?” Nerves gnawed at Faith’s gut. She wanted to believe it could be true, but she didn’t know if she could take it if he didn’t. Should she take the chance?
“I’m sure he would. What have you got to—”
Crack!
Robertson cried out, clutched his arm and toppled over the side of the buggy, landing on the ground with a thud.
Faith’s heart jerked in her chest. She whirled around to see two men on horseback. Lefty Brewster and Cleb Masters … and they were each pointing a gun at her.
Chapter 24
“Going somewhere?” Lefty sneered at Faith.
Buttercup shifted position and whinnied. Faith’s blood froze. She didn’t know what terrified her more—being at the mercy of the horse or having two guns pointed at her.
“Looks like she’s speechless,” Cleb said.
“Funny, ain’t it? ‘Specially after the way she’s been running her mouth at her new husband, telling him all about my quest for the gold mine.” Lefty narrowed his eyes at Faith. “That’s right. I know you’re in cahoots with Blackburn. You doubled crossed me and I won’t let you get away with that!”
“Let’s shoot her!” Faith didn’t like the way Cleb was waving his gun around, but she was too terrified to move from her seat in the buggy. She glanced down at Robertson. He was lying very still.
Good Lord, was he dead?
Faith certainly hoped not. She had no idea what Cleb and Lefty would do to her without Robertson to protect her. Then again, how much protection could he be in his condition?
“We don’t need to shoot her. Can’t you see she’s frozen with fear? She won’t go anywhere.” Lefty snickered at Faith. “Charles told me all about your little fear of horses. And even if you could move, you’d be too late. I know you and Blackburn are conspiring to double cross me, but that’s okay. We’re gonna teach him a lesson he’ll never forget.”
Faith’s eyes grew wide and she managed to squeak out, “What do you mean?”
“I followed the two of you last night. You thought you were so clever not going together. I was sure you’d lead me to the mine, but what did I get instead? A brothel! You and Blackburn got some nerve honing in on Cleb’s girls.” Lefty glanced at Cleb who nodded vigorously.
“That’s right. And we’re gonna get even. That building is gonna go up like dry leaves.” Cleb pulled his horse near the wagon. He was so close that Faith could smell the stench of nicotine and whiskey on his breath. “And your darling husband is sitting right inside.”
Faith’s heart twisted. Jax was in the safehouse? He’d been at the ranch when he sent her to pack, but she didn’t know if he’d still been there when she’d left. He could have ridden out to the safehouse at any time … but even so, what could she do about it?
"No, you have it wrong. I never told Jax—"
"Sure, you didn't. Like we're gonna believe that. Lefty saw the two of you last night so your little lies ain't gonna help," Cleb laughed.
“Let’s not waste time here. She’s no threat,” Lefty said. “Doesn’t even know how to drive a buggy.”
“Sure, we got more important things to do … and once we make sure Blackburn is dead along with all those traitorous whores, we’ll have all the time in the world to find that gold mine.”
And with that, the two men spun their horses around and took off in the direction of Wild Heart Ranch.
* * *
Faith’s heart pounded in her chest. They were going to kill Jax and the saloon girls in the safehouse! If what Lefty had said was true about following her the night before, then they knew the path to the house from Wild Heart Ranch.
Buttercup whinnied and looked over her shoulder at Faith, sending jolts of terror through her. The horse looked wild. She could take off at any moment or throw Faith from the buggy and stomp on her like that other horse had done when she was a child.
She jumped down from the back of the buggy and ran to Robertson. She would never be able to catch Lefty and Cleb on foot—maybe Robertson could do something.
“Robertson, are you okay?” Faith’s stomach churned as she knelt beside him. His arm and side of his shirt were covered in sticky, red blood.
He rolled on his side, cradling his arm to his chest. “I’m okay. The bullet hit my elbow. Hurts like a son of a ‘b’ but I’ll be fine. I didn’t want to let on or they’da probably shot me again.”
“It’s bleeding pretty bad.” Faith tore a strip from the bottom of her petticoat and wrapped it around the top of his arm as a tourniquet. “Hold this. Let’s try to get you in the buggy.”
Robertson pushed her away. “No. There’s no time. I can’t withstand a jostling buggy ride. You have to take the buggy and warn Jax!”
Faith’s heart froze. “What? Me? I can’t …”
“You have to. It’s the only way. You can do it. There’s a shortcut in town. Cut in between the assayer’s building and the apothecary and you’ll be able to beat them and warn Jax! Go! He needs you! You have to save him!”
Faith’s eyes flicked to the horse, then back to Robertson. “I couldn’t … I …”
“Jax’s life depends on you now. Go!”
It hit her like a bolt of lightning. It was all up to her. Robertson couldn’t help and Cleb and Lefty already had a head start.
She leapt up and, without another thought about her fear, ran for the buggy. Jumping into the driver’s seat, she grabbed the reins and flicked them hard, making a sharp clicking noise with her tongue that she’d heard Robertson make.
As if knowing what was needed of her, Buttercup lurched forward at a gallop.
Faith hunched down in the seat, trying to keep control of the buggy and her emotions. She wasn’t sure what she’d find at the safehouse when she got there, but she was sure of one thing—she would not fail Jax again.
Chapter 25
Jax had waited in his office until he heard Faith and Robertson pull away in the buggy. He couldn’t bear to look at her and was half afraid he might call her back.
His footsteps echoed as he walked down the hall to the front door. The house was achingly empty now. Glancing into the library, his eyes fell on the poetry book on the table. He walked over, pushing aside the packet of gold dust and picking up the book.
/>
Faith had made a new cover. The book that had meant so much to Mary and had even symbolized Mary to Jax had been mended and renewed, but his relationship with Faith was over. Tears burned the backs of his eyes, but only for a second. Jax couldn’t stomach feeling sorry for himself.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, in an instant, he snapped off his feelings for Faith and hardened his heart.
He walked out the door, unhitched Indigo and swung up into the saddle. The familiar creak of leather and earthy scent of Indigo gave him little comfort. He needed to get to the safehouse to make sure Faith’s treacherous behavior hadn’t ruined more than just his heart.
He rode at a fast gallop. The speed and power of the horse helped him forget his troubles and cleansed his thoughts. His only mission now was the saloon. He would throw himself into business. That way he would never risk losing his heart again.
He was relieved to see that nothing appeared to be amiss at the safehouse. Lucky thing he had trusted his intuition and not told her about it. And thankfully, Robertson had found out about her when he did—one more day and Jax might have brought her out here.
He rode around the exterior just to make sure before dismounting and heading inside. The smell of freshly baked bread hit him as soon as he opened the door. Laughter bubbled out from the kitchen. Apparently, the women were no worse for wear. Maybe Faith had not had time to give their location away to Cleb or Lefty.
The house was furnished with well-worn hand me downs and leftovers of which there were precious few in Colorado Territory. Out here, everyone had to make things last. Furniture was made by hand and used until it became fire wood. But still, the house was homey. Jax was proud of his efforts to help the saloon girls.
Rosie and Bessie Mae peeked their heads out from the kitchen. “Hi, Jax. I wondered who that was,” Bessie Mae said.
Rosie craned her neck to look over his shoulder. “Where’s Faith?”
Jax’s mouth hardened into a tight line. “Faith wasn’t the person we thought she was.”
“We know. Rosie told us. Poor Faith,” Bessie Mae said.
Poor Faith? Jax narrowed his eyes at Bessie Mae. “You sympathize with her?”
“Of course. We all do.” Bessie Mae covered her mouth as she let out a raspy cough, then turned to Rosie. “Don’t we?”
“Yes, of course. I just wish she’d told you sooner,” Rosie said.
“Told me sooner?” Jax looked at the two women incredulously. Why weren’t they as angry at Faith’s traitorous behavior as he was? “Well, I guess it would have been better if she did. Then I wouldn’t have shown her the saloon.”
Rosie looked at him curiously. “Sure. I guess. So, where is she?”
Jax shrugged. “On her way to Boston, I hope.”
“Boston? Why would she go there?” Rosie asked.
“Well, I can’t have her stay here, not after what she did.” Jax was getting sick of the questions. He wanted to forget about Faith, but that was impossible with Rosie and Bessie Mae’s constant harping.
Bessie Mae grabbed his arm. “Wait a minute, so she told you about Lefty and her sisters and you sent her away? What in tarnation is wrong with you?”
“Wrong with me?” A seed of doubt took root in Jax’s stomach. What were the women talking about? He turned away, not wanting them to see the pain on his face. “She was the traitor. Why, she could have ruined everything if she’d told Cleb about the safe house.”
Bessie Mae fisted her hands on her hips. “Why, Jax Blackburn, I thought I knew you better than that. Even after Faith told you the whole story, you still blame her? You didn’t try to help your own wife?”
Jax stared at Bessie Mae, the doubt quickly sprouting. What did she mean by ‘after what Faith told you’? Faith didn’t tell him anything. Had he acted too hastily? “Help her?”
Rosie gnawed on her bottom lip. “Yes, help her. Just what, exactly, did she tell you this morning?”
Jax thought back to his conversation with Faith. It hadn’t exactly been a conversation. It had been more Jax yelling and Faith shrinking away from him.
He remembered walking through the door, trying to control the red-hot anger cursing through his veins. Faith had been standing just inside the door. She’d looked beautiful. Radiant.
Looking back now, he realized she’d seemed excited and a bit worried, as if she was going to tell him something important and wasn’t sure how he would react. But he hadn’t let her say a thing—he’d ordered her out and never even given her a chance to reply.
What if Robertson had been right and there was an explanation for her alliance with Lefty?
“She didn’t tell me anything. What could she say? Robertson had already discovered that she’d been working with Lefty, from his contacts in Boston. I told her to pack up and leave. Robertson is taking her to the train station right now.”
“You mean, she didn’t tell you?”
Jax almost exploded with anger … and fear. Fear that he had done the wrong thing. Because by the look on the women’s faces, there was more to this than he’d thought. “Tell me what?”
“Faith wasn’t working with Lefty. She was being blackmailed by him.”
Rosie related the story Faith had told her the night before and Jax’s heart sank deeper in his chest with every word.
“She was going to tell you everything this morning. She was going to trust you, hoping the two of you could figure out what to do together.”
Jax’s eyes flicked from Rosie to Bessie Mae. “You mean she was only here because Lefty threatened her sisters?”
“Yes. She didn’t want to betray you,” Bessie Mae said. “She had no choice. You would do the same if it came to family.”
Jax rubbed a hand over his face. He should have listened to Robertson, but he’d reacted without thinking and now Faith was gone.
What had he done?
“Well, if she’s on her way to the train station I say you better get going, young man.” Bessie Mae shoved Jax toward the door. “You better go after her and beg her to come back before you let the best thing that’s ever happened to you get away.”
Jax was on Indigo and thundering down the trail before he even realized he’d reacted. His mind raced … how long ago had Faith left? Had the train already come? If he took the shortcut to town, he might be able to catch her.
He only hoped that if he did, she would forgive him.
He urged Indigo faster and the horse complied as if he knew how urgent Jax’s business was.
They rounded a corner and he saw puffs of dust in the distance. Another rider was coming. No, not a rider, a buggy, and it was traveling dangerously fast for the trail. Jax squinted at the buggy, his blood growing cold when he recognized it as his buggy. Buttercup was racing toward him, pulling the buggy with Faith in the driver’s seat.
Where was Robertson?
And then, as he watched them speeding toward him, his worst fear happened.
The buggy wheel hit a rock in the road.
Buttercup faltered, lurching to the side and bringing the buggy with her.
The buggy almost righted itself, but then two wheels landed in a ditch, throwing Faith from the buggy.
Jax watched helplessly as Faith’s body flew through the air, then plummeted to the ground where it lay motionless.
Chapter 26
Jax's heart crashed into his ribcage. He leapt from Indigo and ran to Faith.
“Faith! Speak to me!” He lifted her limp body in his arms. Was she alive? Her face was so pale, as if no blood ran through her veins. He didn’t see any blood. At least not on the outside, though he knew from what had killed Mary, internal bleeding was even more dangerous.
The buggy wheel lay on the side of the road, the buggy itself lurching cockeyed. Buttercup stood impatiently in front of it, flicking her tail and eyeing Faith nervously.
The horse seemed fine, but Faith … why wasn’t she opening her eyes!
Jax pressed his fingers to the side of her ne
ck, his heart leaping when he thought he detected a faint pulse.
“Faith! Faith!” Were her eyelids moving?
Jax held her to his chest, tears brimming in his eyes. What had he done?
“I’m so sorry,” he murmured as he rocked her still body. “I was such an ass. Please let her be okay and I’ll spend the rest of my days making it up to her.”
Faith’s eyes fluttered open. “Jax?”
“My darling, are you okay?”
She looked around with unfocused eyes, then her eyes zeroed in on him. “Jax!”
“Shhh.” He pressed his finger to her lips. “Don’t try to talk.”
She swatted his finger away. “No, there’s no time! Lefty and Cleb are on their way to the safehouse. They’re going to kill—”
“Well, isn’t this nice.”
Jax jerked his head towards the voice and found himself looking down the barrel of a Smith and Wesson held by Cleb Masters.
Jax shifted his weight, putting himself in between Faith and the two men.
“Who’s your friend, Cleb?” Jax asked, even though he’d already guessed it was Lefty.
“I’m an old friend of your wife’s,” Lefty said. “Too bad you won’t be around long enough for us to get acquainted. Did you know she was a double crosser and a liar?”
“Don’t talk about her that way.” Jax kept his tone even, although he was boiling over with anger. It wouldn’t do to lose his head right now. If he could keep them talking, he might be able to buy some time to overtake them. Even though it was two against one, he still might be able to do enough damage to keep them from harming Faith.
On the side of the path, Indigo flicked his tail. His reins trailed down into the dust, dragging along as the horse sidestepped closer to Cleb and Lefty.
Lefty jerked his head at Cleb and they both slid off their horses. “Now, you’re gonna tell us where that gold mine is or your pretty wife’s gonna get it.”
Jax tensed, pushing Faith even further behind him. No matter what, he would not let them harm her.
Faith (Goldwater Creek Mail-Order Brides 1) Page 13
