by Rye Hart
She didn't care anymore, she just started running; she needed to know that James was safe.
"Hold up there ma'am," one of the men on horseback stopped her before she could get close to the scene. "It would be safer if you went back to the hotel," he told her.
"Back to the hotel?" she exclaimed. "How can I just go back and wait while James is probably bleeding, crushed beneath the wheels of the carriage!"
"Bleeding?" the man looked confused. "We are here to apprehend a wanted criminal."
"A criminal? But James was trying to stop the carriage, he is no —"
The man on the horse shook his head. "No, the famous artist or what have you. He's wanted on fraud charges across the country," he started to explain before his face went white. "Wait," he said hesitantly, "I wasn't supposed to talk about that," he said in a worried rush.
"I'm sure she will be able to keep things quiet," James laughed as he sauntered in between them. His face was covered with dirt, and his hair was in a state of unruly disarray, but his face displayed a satisfied grin.
"James!" Amelia exclaimed. She never thought she would be that excited to see him.
"Amelia," he nodded in her direction.
Amelia moved toward him, and as soon as she was within reaching distance, she punched him lightly in the arm. "How could you do that to me! I almost watched you be trampled to death by horses!" she burst.
James didn't even flinch, instead he shot her one of his infamous cocky smiles. "I knew what I was doing," he said teasingly.
"But I didn't know that! I thought lost you." As she spoke, her voice grew shaky and tears welled up in her eyes. "I truely thought I lost you," she said, softer this time.
James's features softened. He quickly closed the small space between them and enveloped Amelia in a warm hug.
"I don't know what I would have done without you," she confessed.
"I'm sure you would have gotten on just fine," he reassured her gently. "Just like you've done for all these years without me," he spoke.
Amelia felt him pull back, and his hand comes around to tilt her chin up to look at him. In between a few hiccups, she replied, "What if I don't want to get along without you?"
James's gaze grew heated in response. "All I have to say to that," he shot her a cocky grin, "is that it is a good thing we have the rest of summer to get to know each other."
Amelia laughed in response. "You mean if we somehow survive summer without killing each other, we might have a shot?" she giggled.
"That's one way of describing it," he winked at her.
Although Amelia rolled her eyes in response to his statement, she didn't once stop smiling at him. She couldn't believe that he had come back for her and that he had rescued her precious artwork and helped stop the man that had tried to take advantage of her.
"Wait," she said hesitantly. "How did you know Thomas was a fraud?" she raised a quizzical eyebrow.
"Well," James suddenly looked a bit sheepish. He ran his hand through his hair nervously before continuing. "When I left you near the duckling nest, I had decided to confront Thomas and, if necessary, fight him for your honor."
Amelia gasped. "No you didn't," she breathed. She couldn't believe it. A part of her was horrified by what he told her, another part though, was excited by the idea.
"Well, when I found out that he had checked out, I knew that something was off," he continued. "So I went to the authorities, told them what I knew, and after a bit of digging, we realized that Thomas Florian was a wanted man."
"But why would he come here if he was wanted?" she asked "And how would he be able to stay here, in plain site, and no one ever figured it out?"
"Turns out it is a lot harder to keep track of all the wanted individuals across the country, and on top of that, the few people that knew, aren't the type to keep up with art shows," James explained.
"I feel so naïve," Amelia said. "How could I have gotten so caught up in his world, that I didn't realize what kind of person he was beneath the façade?"
"It wasn't just you Amelia, he has done this before," he said gently. "But now he won't be doing it again."
Amelia nodded. "Thank you James and I am truly sorry for how I treated you, you didn't deserve it," she added.
"Don't even think about it," he said with that familiar mischievous glimmer in his eye.
Amelia couldn't help but smile. "What am I going to do with you?" she breathed.
“I might have an idea,” he said and bent down to kiss her.
Amelia sighed as his mouth came against hers.
“Are you amenable to such a suggestion?” he whispered against her lips.
“Yes, a thousand times over. Yes,” she responded.
"Then your wish is my command," he said right before he pulled her closer into an all-consuming kiss.
The End
Rebecca
Chapter One
I wasn’t sure what the West had in store for me, but it had to be better than what I was facing in Charlotte. I sighed and looked out the window as a few of the visiting women went on and on about a man that one of them was marrying. It was moments like this when I wanted out the most.
Charlotte was one of the bigger cities in the South and it was known for its opulence and fashion. Southern Hospitality was alive and well here, though that mostly rested on the shoulders of the women who resided here. We lived in large plantation houses and made sure the children and men were cared for. That was the fate of any woman who lived in Charlotte.
My eyes fluttered closed as I felt a headache pulsing at my temples. It always gave me a headache to sit around and listen to these hens cluck. They were so content with their lives. They were happy to be the wives of men they’d never met before their wedding day. They were content to live in large mansions, fanning themselves and chatting about useless things like the latest fashions from New York. Their lives were far from what I wanted for myself.
I’d grown up around women like this my entire life. My mother had been quiet and mousy with little to no ambition. She loved me, but I was all she had in her life. My father was a strict man and spent very little time at home, though I had some fond memories of playing with him in the fields. He was one of the only people who never went easy on me. He treated me like he would a son. It gave me a strange sense of freedom when he allowed me to do the things the boys did.
As I grew older, this stopped. He no longer allowed me to play like I was a boy since it would make me less desirable as a wife. I traded in fishing and hunting for tea making and baking. I hated all of these mundane tasks and as I learned needle point, I would sit on the porch and long to run through the grass and play in the creek.
There was at least some comfort, knowing my parents weren’t planning to marry me off to some random man who was willing to pay a high enough dowry. I was their only child and so they treasured me. I was going to be allowed to pick my suitor.
This comfort was quickly stripped away when both my mother and father became ill with consumption. I did my best to care for them but even the doctors weren’t able to make them well. They passed on through the gates of Heaven, leaving me in the hands of my money-hungry uncle. As a woman, I could not inherit my parent’s estate, so it all went to my father’s brother. He was happy to have the extra money, but he wasn’t happy that he was stuck with me. He resolved the situation by finding me a husband; a man named Robert Richfield. He was apparently a very wealthy, very old man who had an eye for blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauties like myself.
I wasn’t going to go through with it. I refused to allow myself to be married off and sold like a mule. I was going to fight this, even if I did not have many options available. I knew I had one; I could run away to the West. Many of the men out there were desperate for wives and while I’d be agreeing to enter into a marriage, at least it would be on my own accord and I saw it as adventure.
“Rebecca?” one of the women asked, waving a gloved hand in front of my face.
My e
yes widened and I jumped a little, staring at the women before me. They all looked a bit concerned and confused.
“What?” I asked softly, confused by their concerned looks.
“We’ve been trying to get your attention for a while now. Are you okay?” the youngest woman asked.
I put a hand to my neck and smiled weakly. “Oh. Yes, I’m fine,” I whispered softly, looking down at the plate of untouched finger sandwiches. “Just daydreaming, I suppose.”
One of the older women chuckled and sipped her tea, glancing over at me. “She’s at that age where all she does is daydream about babies and her wedding.”
I forced a smile and nodded, glancing back out the window to the field of wild flowers. “I suppose so,” I agreed. “Just eager to be married and start me new life,” I said, trying to sound convincing.
“Oh! I remember being like that,” another woman commented. “I miss being so young and eager,” she sighed. “That excitement tends to go away after the first few years,” she mused.
I winced at that comment and closed my eyes, putting a hand to my forehead. God, I did not want to feel trapped like these women. I wasn’t going to allow myself to be miserable like them. I just wasn’t going to allow it.
My plan may have been foolhardy and maybe it wasn’t perfectly thought out, but it was going to get me out of here. I stood up with the rest of the women and we gathered our things to head home. I opened my parasol and walked just behind the group, glancing at the train station longingly. With a little luck and a little more time, I would be on that train and escaping this trap of a life. I wasn’t sure where I was going to go or who would be waiting for me on the other side. Everything could be terrible and I might find myself in the clutches of an outlaw. There was a lot of risk associated with the path I’d chosen, but I knew one thing for certain; no matter how bad it was in the West, it could not have been worse than the fate I faced by staying here.
Chapter Two
As the women kept walking I glanced over my shoulder at the post office. There was a small board that hung right outside the door, where people nailed wedding announcements, birth announcements, and a wealth of other news. It also happened to be the place where the post man put ads for mail order brides.
I managed to sneak away from the women without being noticed. I walked over to the board, pretending to be interested in some of the more boring news items before glancing around and making sure no one was watching. When I was sure it was safe, I took down one of the ads and stuffed it in my corset.
By the time I left the post office, I'd managed to snag four or five if the ads without anyone seeing me. I had plenty of ink and paper at home to write the letters. I'd already decided that I was going to have the letters delivered to my uncle’s second home by the ocean. We rarely went there in the winter so it would be the perfect place to receive the letters without drawing too much attention since it was within walking distance.
I hurried home with my prize, struggling to walk at a normal pace. I knew that if I was caught running I would draw attention and that was the last thing I wanted. I managed to make it home without earning any strange glances. It wasn’t too late for a lady to be out on her own and so no one really gave me a second look.
My uncle and his wife rarely paid any attention to me; I was just standing in the way of their money. Once I was married off they wouldn’t have to spend any more of their precious inheritance on me. I would say it was sad, but I honestly did not care much. I disliked them just as much as they disliked me. It made it easy for me to sneak away into the room upstairs. I always had my meals brought to me anyway.
I spent the better part of the night writing letters and sealing them up. I did not bother using an alias since no one in the West was going to know who I was. A few of the ads showed promise. Most of the men were ranchers or farmers who’d moved to the West searching for gold and promising business ventures. There was plenty of land out there and most of the men seemed to be doing rather well for themselves. One of the men, however, was very vague in his letter, though it was obvious he was far better educated than the rest, which held an enormous amount of appeal to me. I was a voracious reader and writer and I’d hoped to marry a man with similar interests; someone who would encourage my own hobbies.
The letters were tucked away in a basket and stayed there until the next morning. My uncle tried hassling me about going out on my own, but I ignored it, smiling and nodding solemnly as if I were truly sorry. I never listened to his lectures because he did not mean any of them. He could have cared less if I was actually hurt or not. If I fell off a cliff it would probably be rather convenient for him.
As much as I hated him however, I ignored it and smiled, not wanting to give him any reason to have me locked away for hysteria. He was looking for any reason to get rid of me at this point and marriage had been the only option so far.
I wandered from the house, under the pretense that I was going into town for fresh flowers and books. My uncle hand rolled his eyes when I told him I needed more books but did not stop me. I did plan on going to the market, though I had to make a quick detour. I waited at the beach house, handing the letters to the postman. I had family all over the South, so he did not ask too many questions about the letters.
After handing the letters over, I knew it was going to be a waiting game. I went to the beach house every day, waiting for any of the men to respond. I knew it might take a while, but the wait made me anxious. Every day that passed was a day I was getting closer to my wedding. I wasn’t ready to give up my life to Robert. I wanted adventure and I wanted a chance to breathe and be free.
It took nearly a month but one of the letters finally came back. I tore into it eagerly, my eyes scanning over the well-practiced pen strokes. It was the educated man. He wanted me to come live with him in Boulder, Colorado. He included enough money to pay for my travel expenses, and would be expecting me within the month.
I stared at the money in my hand and my fingers began to tremble. This was it; this was my life line. I tucked the money away, my heart nearly beating out of my chest. I wasn’t about to hang around here any longer than I had to. This was God’s way of telling me it was time. He’d provided a way out and I wasn’t going to ignore the sign.
Once I made it home I began to pack my things. I could easily hide the suitcases, though I doubted anyone would come up here to check anyway. I only had to make it through a few more days. The next train was leaving in less than a week and I was going to be on it.
My new life was only a train ride away now.
Chapter Three
The train left early in the morning and I had to silently sneak out and pray I did not wake my aunt or uncle. I did not bother leaving a note telling them where I was because, if I was being honest, I did not trust them. I wasn’t completely convinced that they were going to let me live my life. If they knew where I was there was the distinct possibility that they might come after me and drag me back so they could collect the money Richard had offered for me. I could only hope that they would just be happy that I was gone.
I managed to sneak out of the house just as the sun was starting to rise. I knew the train master would be entering into the station and I knew the young boy who sold tickets would already be there. I was dressed in one of my best dresses, wanting to impress my new husband. I wasn’t normally the sort to go out on a limb to impress a man, but I did not want him to send me back. I recognized that I was going to have to put some effort forth, but it was worth it to me. No one was forcing me to do this and it was liberating.
I hummed and set the money in front of the ticket boy. He was idly flipping through a few of the ticket boxes before he stopped and looked at me. His eyes widened a moment as he looked me up and down.
"You're Rebecca Wright. You're marrying Lord Richfield,” he said.
My eyes widened and I stared at the boy who somehow knew who I was. "How do you know who I am?" I whispered, panic running through my body. I had no idea
how this young boy knew me, but it was cause for concern.
"I work in his gardens. I've seen you there," he hummed.
I swallowed thickly and started to pull out a few extra bills, hoping I could buy the boy’s silence. I leaned close and closed my eyes a moment, taking a breath before speaking. I did not want to sound too panicked or desperate.
"Young man..," I played it up a little. "Please do not tell anyone I was here," I whispered softly.
His eyes seemed to spark in understanding when I offered the extra money. He looked up at me a moment. "Are bad people after you?" he whispered back.
I nodded quickly. "Yes. That's exactly it. Very bad people are after me."
He took the money slowly, glancing up at me again as he nodded "Okay, I won't tell anyone," he said with a soft smile.
I allowed him to pull the money from my hand and kissed his cheeks "Thank you, thank you so much," I whispered.
I left him blushing as I took my ticket and quickly walked toward the train, letting out a heavy sigh of relief. I'd managed to clear my first hurdle and I was feeling good. I truly felt like God was leading me through this.
The train took off from the station not long after I boarded and despite the crowded conditions, I felt hopeful for the first time in a long time. The train rocked and I rested my forehead against the cool glass, a smile playing on my lips. It was all going to be okay. I was finally free and it was going to be okay.
The ride took far less time than I assumed it would. We rolled right on through Chicago before making it to Boulder. The train moved faster than I could have ever expected. I’d never seen anything like it. Even though I came from a wealthy family, we mostly traveled by horse and buggy, which took quite a while. On the train, everything blurred by so fast I could barely keep up.
When the train finally stopped in the station, I hopped off and followed the small gaggle of women who I knew were also there to meet their husbands. There was very little direction in the letter than told me what I needed to do once I got off the train. It just said to go to the ticket master and he would help me.
