Love Held Captive

by Shelley Shepard Gray

  Their interaction didn’t go unnoticed. Men eyed him enviously. She didn’t seem to notice. He had, though. He hadn’t needed their approval, but he’d understood their envy. He’d been amazed he had the honor of her company.

  Before they returned to the hotel, Julianne mentioned she needed to go home, at the same time trying to extract from him a promise to fully heal before coming to Boerne to see her. He convinced her to let him pay for her room at the Menger a few nights more. He couldn’t bear the thought of her returning to her house before he had Bushnell taken care of. He’d managed to scare her enough to stay.

  He wasn’t especially proud of that, but he was glad it had served its purpose. He wasn’t going to play the fool again. No matter what, he would make sure she was safe.

  And as soon as he did that, he was going to continue to court her. He still wanted to marry her. More than once in the last two days, he’d offered to marry her immediately. Of course she’d refused, but she looked at him in a way that told him a part of her had wanted to say yes. It had made him gratified.

  When the saloon door flew open again, Devin put down his glass. Tension snaked up his spine as he watched closely for the newcomers.

  When he saw who it was, he grinned. Ethan had entered with Robert Truax and Thomas Baker.

  Tossing his cheroot in the brass spittoon nearby, he stood and strode over to meet them. “You are a sight for sore eyes, gentlemen,” he exclaimed as he held out his hand.

  Robert shook his hand first. “I would hug you, but I hear you’re filled with holes,” he joked.

  “Only two—the bullet went in my shoulder and then out. However, they are sizable.”

  Baker grinned. “I’m sure they are impressive wounds, Cap. I’m just glad that bullet didn’t kill you.” And with that, he wrapped his arms around Devin and lightly hugged him.

  Devin might have been embarrassed by the affection they were showing if these men weren’t his closest friends in the world. In addition, he knew he owed them more than he could ever repay. These men had put their lives on the line for him multiple times and had suffered next to him on Johnson’s Island. Never would he shy away from their friendship. “It’s good to see you both. A nice surprise too. I didn’t expect to see y’all for at least another day.”

  “I told them the same thing,” Ethan said.

  “You know the story. When one of us calls, the others come running,” Thomas said. “No exceptions.”

  “I rode out yesterday after receiving your telegram, Ethan,” Robert said. “And somehow Thomas and I arrived at the same time.”

  “Come on, let’s sit down before somebody decides to take our spot,” Ethan said as he beckoned them back to their table. Devin appreciated that. For the conversation to come, they’d need that corner out of hearing of other patrons.

  The men didn’t need any further encouragement. After calling an order for two additional whiskeys, they settled themselves, each covertly taking stock of the others.

  “No offense, Cap, but you look like death warmed over,” Baker said.

  “I look better than that,” Devin protested.

  “Not by much. Shouldn’t you still be in bed recuperating?”

  “I should not. I got a bullet hole, not an amputation.”

  “Doc say you’re gonna be all right?” Truax asked.

  “He did. So stop staring at me like I’m gonna pass out.”

  Ethan laughed. “The problem is neither of us looks as fit and hardy as these two. Once we get hitched and set up a home, I’m sure we’ll look like we’re in glowing good health too.”

  Thomas smiled. “The major doesn’t lie. Laurel changed my life.”

  Robert smiled. “Indeed. It’s amazing what marriage and a home can do to you.”

  “And how is the lovely Miranda?” Devin asked. They all knew of Miranda because she was once their good friend Phillip Markham’s wife. Phillip had died on Johnson’s Island, and Miranda had mourned extensively. When they’d heard men and women were ruining Phillip’s reputation and making Miranda’s life unbearable, Robert traveled to Galveston to try to help her. While doing so, the two of them had fallen in love and soon after they married.

  Robert smiled. “With child.”

  That news made every jest and ribald comment evaporate from his head. “Many felicitations,” Devin said sincerely. “I hope she is feeling all right.”

  “Mrs. Truax is having to adjust to being a pampered lady of leisure. Between me and the rest of the staff, she’s only allowed to take her daily walks and take care of herself.”

  Ethan chuckled. “How is she handling that?”

  “To my surprise, she simply bats her eyelashes, smiles at me, and says, ‘Yes, Robert.’ Then she does what she wants. Within reason, of course.”

  Devin grinned. “Sounds like the South needed her in the army. She could have taught us all a thing or two about dealing with superior officers.”

  “She could at that,” Robert said softly. When their drinks arrived, he took a sip of his whiskey, then looked at both him and Ethan. “Speaking of officers … What is going on with Bushnell?”

  “He’s the one who shot me,” Devin said.

  Thomas Baker gaped. “I knew he was an idiot and a blowhard, but this doesn’t even make sense.”

  “It caught me off guard too, especially seeing as he shot me in the back.’

  “And he’s still alive?” Truax murmured.

  “If he was here in San Antonio, he wouldn’t be. But he isn’t,” Ethan said. “That’s why we called for your help. We need to go after him and see that justice is served.”

  “I’ll be glad to hand out justice,” Baker said with a satisfied look. “No one is going to get away with shooting you in the back, Captain.”

  “This isn’t just for me, Baker,” Devin said. “It’s for a Miss Van Fleet and Miss Barclay too.”

  Robert looked at them both. “What does Bushnell have to do with them?”

  “Unfortunately, far too much,” Ethan said. Succinctly, he told them about Lizbeth—the fact that Bushnell had both marked and violated her, and then most recently had nearly forced his way with her in a hotel room.

  Then Devin shared how he met Julianne, how she had come to his aid when he was shot, and that she’d been Bushnell’s mistress during the war. He also explained why she’d allowed such a man into her life.

  Both Thomas and Robert gaped.

  “I don’t know what to respond to first,” Baker said. “This Lizbeth, is she all right now?”

  “She is. I’ve got her resting and relaxing at a small inn nearby. She was fired for entering my room uninvited, despite her reasons.”

  Robert’s eyebrows rose. “What kind of an establishment is this? I would string up any blackguard who tried to take advantage of Miranda or any of the staff at our inn.”

  “The couple who runs the place are relatives of Lizbeth’s,” Ethan said tightly.

  “And that’s supposed to help me understand?”

  “Suffice to say she’s under my care now.”

  “And Julianne? Where is she?”

  “She is staying here at the hotel.” Devin hesitated, then decided he might as well come clean about everything. “She’s come to mean a lot to me. I … well, I intend to marry her one day.”

  Silence met his pronouncement. As each of the men digested his news, Devin felt his pulse slow and his body tighten. He knew what was going on—his body was preparing to fight. He had felt much the same way before every battle during the war.

  And that made him realize he was making the right decision. He had fallen in love with Julianne Van Fleet and wanted her to be his wife. He didn’t care what her past was. He didn’t care what she’d had to do to survive. All he cared about was that she had survived.

  Even if these men who meant so much to him didn’t agree, he knew he wasn’t going to change his mind about Julianne.

  But then, to his surprise, Ethan raised his glass. “Here’s to the lovely Jul
ianne, men. May she be loyal, strong, and true.”

  Baker and Truax raised their glasses too. “Yes, here’s to love and marriage and finding women to put up with us,” Robert Truax added, finishing off the toast. “We aren’t easy to live with …”

  “But I reckon one day we’ll be worth the trouble,” Thomas said with a wink.

  Devin raised his glass as well. “And if we aren’t, may they never tell us to our faces,” he said with a laugh.

  “To Julianne!” they called out as they clinked their glasses together.

  Few moments had ever felt so right.

  33

  They had been discussing Devin’s departure for a solid hour. Julianne knew Devin wasn’t pleased with the way she was reacting, but she couldn’t help herself. As far as she was concerned, if Daniel Bushnell was out of sight, he should be out of mind as well. “I don’t understand why you are doing this,” she said at last. “I don’t understand what purpose going after Daniel serves.”

  Devin abruptly stopped his pacing and stared at her incredulously. “Well, first, there is the matter of honor,” he said slowly, as if he were speaking to a small child. “He tried to kill me, Julianne.”

  “But he did not succeed.”

  His eyebrows rose, he snapped his mouth shut, and then, with a mutter under his breath, he began pacing the length of his hotel room. Pacing, just as if he didn’t have two stitched-up bullet holes in his shoulder.

  “Devin, maybe you should sit down for a spell?”

  “I am fine.”

  “Not exactly. Your wound is still healing.”

  He stopped again. Stared at her and smiled somewhat grimly. “Exactly. I am wounded.”

  Maybe they were finally getting somewhere? “That’s why—”

  “Julianne, I’m not the type of man to be shot in the back and turn the other cheek.”

  She knew he was strong. She knew he was a leader. She knew he’d probably killed or maimed more men during the war than he could count. But that was during war, when he was fighting for a cause. Now was different. “You should speak to the sheriff,” she said reasonably. “Then he would take care of Daniel for you.”

  “He’s not going to do anything.”

  “Of course he will. You are well respected—”

  “Don’t you see? That’s one of the problems. It shouldn’t matter who I am or how much influence I have. And that is what it will come down to. Even if the sheriff does bring Bushnell in, he’s not going to bring him to trial.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “I know how things work, Julianne. And you do too.” His lips pursed. “He’s a complete reprobate. He took advantage of you. But he has money, and money is influence.”

  Though it made her skin crawl, she was strong enough to take responsibility for her actions. “I knew what he wanted, Devin. And, while, um, I can’t say my experiences with him were pleasant, I’m not going to lie and tell you he raped me. He did not.”

  But instead of the lines in his expression easing, he looked even more disturbed. “You are not the only woman he took advantage of, Julianne.”

  “I realize that,” she replied, knowing they were both speaking of Lizbeth. “But that was years ago and during the war.”

  “He should still pay.”

  He opened a drawer and pulled out his pistol. “Some deeds are too terrible to excuse, no matter what the situation. He violated Lizbeth and he used you unforgivably.” When she started to protest again, he interrupted her. “I’m not the only one who feels this way, Julianne. The other men agree with me.”

  Watching him carefully inspect his Colt, Julianne suddenly realized what he meant. “I told Ethan I was Bushnell’s mistress myself, and it’s right that he knows. But you told your other friends, didn’t you?”

  “I had no choice. They needed to know.”

  He had no choice? Realizing Devin still wasn’t meeting her eyes, she swallowed hard.

  “And did you tell Lizbeth Barclay too?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Because it would upset her too much?”

  “Because I may not be a gentleman, but I know better than to speak of such things to young women.”

  Because Lizbeth would be scandalized that Julianne had done such a thing, and would hate her because of who that man was. Julianne wouldn’t blame her either.

  Devin walked to face her. Placing both hands on her arms, he held her secure in front of him. “Julianne, I care about you. I don’t care about your past, and I don’t care who knows. You are still the loveliest, strongest woman I’ve ever met in my life. Never doubt that.”

  He sighed. “Now, what I brought you here to tell you is that Robert visited a number of the less-savory gambling establishments in San Antonio late last night, finding men there you would never want to know. Near dawn he discovered that Daniel’s kidnapped one of the maids from the hotel. An hour ago, he also learned where he’s no doubt taken her.”

  Remembering the conversation with Meg in the kitchen, Julianne gasped. “Is it Lizbeth’s friend Cassie?”

  He nodded slowly. “Ethan is about to tell her.”

  And just like that, all her arguments died inside her. “That poor girl.”

  “Robert believes Bushnell is holding Cassie in a house just to the east of here. He’s no doubt terrorizing her. We have no choice. He must be stopped.”

  Devin was right. Daniel did need to be stopped.

  Eying him carefully, Julianne realized this was the man she’d fallen in love with. Devin Monroe didn’t sit idly by while women were abused. He didn’t persuade others to put themselves in danger. He certainly didn’t hope for problems to be taken care of by someone else.

  And now that they knew it wasn’t just a faceless woman in jeopardy, but one of Lizbeth’s friends, well, there was no choice, was there? “I understand,” she said at last.

  Looking as if she’d taken a load off his shoulders, he released a ragged breath. “Thank you. Now, will you still be here when I return?”

  “I’ll be here.”

  What other choice did she have?

  Ethan knew stranger things had happened, but mending the rift with his family had been unexpected and had caught him off guard.

  If he weren’t a believer, what had happened here at the hotel would have made a believer out of him. No other reason could explain the way his family had reached out to him, the way he’d been able to forgive them, or the way they’d all come to an understanding. While their relationships might not ever be the same, Ethan realized they didn’t need to be. They simply needed to exist.

  Wasn’t that how he felt when he was liberated from Johnson’s Island? All the men released had been thin, exhausted by war and prison conditions. They were scarred and weaker than they’d ever been. But in place of muscle and good health had come an awakening of their spirit and a new appreciation for small blessings and true friends. In his more introspective moments, Ethan realized he wouldn’t be the man he was without surviving that imprisonment.

  After gathering his gun, Bowie knife, and ammunition, he prayed. Prayed that the Lord would one day understand why he was joining his three blood brothers to ensure justice had been served to Daniel Bushnell.

  Just as he was rising, he heard a faint knock at his door.

  It was Lizbeth.

  “I was just on my way to find you,” he said.

  “I hope that means you have a few minutes to talk.”

  “I do have a few minutes, but only that. Something has happened. Come in.” As she entered the room, he took a moment to admire her. Lizbeth was wearing a light-blue dress. It was made of a fine wool and was immensely flattering. Her hair was arranged in a mass of curls, framing her face. He didn’t know if he’d ever been more struck by her beauty than he was at that moment.

  If he hadn’t, he was certainly a fool. Her goodness shined through her, and that was what had drawn him to her. Only now he saw things so clearly. It wasn’t that she needed him and he ne
eded to do something good without expecting anything in return. It wasn’t that she was merely pretty. No, it was the simple knowledge that she was better than him. Being around her could make him better. And, he suspected, he could do the same for her.

  It was only a shame that he was coming to this realization just when he was about to leave her.

  She noticed his weapons on the bed. “You look like you’re preparing for a duel.”

  He turned to face her.

  “Lizbeth, we’ve known from the beginning we would need to deal with Bushnell. Devin and I called in two of our comrades from the war, Robert Truax and Thomas Baker, to help us. They arrived last evening, and then Robert discovered where Bushnell is no doubt hiding.” He drew in a breath. “He has Cassie.”

  Immediately tears formed in her eyes. “I … I was afraid of this. From the moment Meg told me Cassie had gone so suddenly, something inside of me knew he had her. He must have forced her to take her belongings, to make everyone think she’d left on her own. How can anyone be so evil, Ethan?”

  He reached for her hand and clasped it in between both of his. Tried to steady her and pass on his strength, though what he really wanted to do was hold her close and promise that everything was going to be all right. “We’re going to find them.”

  Her hand trembled. “He could have other men with him,” she warned when she looked back into his eyes. “You could get hurt.”

  “I know,” he said softly.

  She looked even more worried. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I don’t want anything to happen to me either.” Trying to smile, he said, “We have so much to look forward to, Lizbeth. But I have to do this. How can I not?”

  “You’re right. Cassie needs you. She needs someone to help her.”

  Ethan felt in his heart everything that she wasn’t saying. That she’d needed someone, but no one had been there. That reminder made his insides ache. He realized then that he needed to bring up what had happened to her during the war.