Maggie gasped.
“The old man never saw it coming, and neither did we. Nathaniel scrambled up and began screaming. Mr. Gaetti’s daughter, Maria, ran outside, crying hysterically. She was older than us, but I don’t think she was full-grown yet. She was a beautiful girl. Jasper rushed toward her, told her that he’d witnessed the whole thing. He said some ruffian had tried to break in through the back door of their shop and then had shot her father. Jasper said he tried to stop him.”
“That was beyond despicable,” Maggie snapped.
“It was, but that was Jasper. Don’t forget, I had a hand in it, too. I lured the old man outside.”
Brow furrowed, Maggie shook her head. “You were only a child. You didn’t know what he had planned.”
“No, but I knew something bad was going to happen. I felt like such a coward.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, but the images were still there. “Jasper told Maria he’d help take care of her father, then he told us to get on back to his place. We did. The old man was still laying there in the dirt.”
“Did he die?”
“No, but he was crippled for life. I didn’t know that for a long time. He’s gone now, of course.”
“So you’ve relived that night over and over again,” Maggie said.
“Yes. Why hadn’t I stood up to Jasper? I wanted to hit him, kick him. Tell him exactly what I thought of him. But I left there in silence, same as Nathaniel. Inside, I felt as if I’d aged instantly. Like I was older than Mr. Gaetti. I felt so helpless.”
“So you went on living with him?”
Eli nodded. “For a while. He’d warned us not to say anything to anybody, and not to leave. He threatened to do to us what he had to Mr. Gaetti. But the resentment and hatred kept building in me. Then one night I saw a way to escape—and to see that Jasper was punished at the same time. It wouldn’t be punishment for what he did to Mr. Gaetti, but it was better than nothing.”
She raised her brows. “How did you manage that?”
“Jasper had been in a poker game for several hours. For once, it wasn’t going his way. There were two other men at the table who were better than him, or maybe they were cheating. Whatever was happening, Jasper was losing big.”
“How did he take it?”
“Not well. I don’t remember all the details—a lot has happened in the years since then—but all of a sudden Jasper had his hands up. One of the biggest, meanest-looking men I’ve ever seen was holding a gun on him.”
“I bet it was difficult to feel any sympathy,” Maggie said.
“Oh, I didn’t. Jasper yelled my name and I hurried forward to see what he wanted. He told me to go upstairs and get some money. He told me exactly where it was. The man who was holding the gun on him was making enough threats that I knew it was going to be bad news for Jasper if I didn’t follow his orders.”
Eli leveled a look at Maggie. “I didn’t care if the other man killed him. In fact, I hoped he would. I took Nathaniel that night and we ran as fast and far as we could go, looking over our shoulders for months. We’d been lost and scared before, but we had become almost feral by that point. We trusted no one. It would have been easier to find a place for one of us, but neither of us wanted to leave the other. So we kept on running.”
“I can’t even imagine how difficult and lonely that kind of life had to be.”
No, a girl like Maggie probably couldn’t imagine. And Eli liked it that way. “Like I said, I practiced with that gun for hours at a time.”
“And you became very proficient.”
“You could say that. I got older and replaced it with a better one. People paid attention to me. I used to think that I was a better talker with a six-shooter in my hand. Eventually I realized that the gun made other people better listeners.”
“It’s certainly an attention-getter,” Maggie agreed.
“I never wanted to hurt anybody with it. I only wanted to be able to defend myself and Nathaniel.”
“That’s understandable. So where did y’all go when you left?”
“Everywhere. In some places we found work, and some places only shelter. We scrounged food where we could. And we never, ever let our guard down. If it turned out badly, we always managed to get away.”
She pondered that in silence for a moment. “Did the other gambler kill Jasper that night?”
“You know, I wondered that for years. Then I saw him the other day, and he was alive and well.”
“The other day? I don’t understand.”
“Jasper showed up in Moccasin Rock.”
Maggie’s eyes widened. “He finally caught up with y’all?”
“No, it wasn’t like that. He was as surprised to see me and Nathaniel as we were to see him.” Eli told her about Jasper’s political ambitions.
Maggie gasped. “The man you knew as Jasper is J.L. Slidell? I’ve heard of him. He’s the owner of Benedetto Boots.
“That’s him,” Eli said. “That boot company began as Benedetto Gaetti’s shoe shop. His daughter Maria inherited it. Jasper married her. I’m not sure how much of the success story belongs to her. Jasper’s a bad man, but a good businessman. Apparently Maria never found out what he did.”
“I certainly hope Mr. Slidell doesn’t win that race. I can’t imagine how ruthless he’ll be with some political power behind him.”
“Don’t worry, Nathaniel and I did our best to talk him out of it.”
Thinking back to all those hours practicing with a gun, and the target he’d secretly been hoping for, Eli was amazed that talking was all he’d done when Jasper showed up.
“Even though I want him to pay for what he did, I didn’t draw on him,” Eli admitted. “I’m not sure why.”
“Maybe it was simply maturity.”
“I don’t know about that. I still wanted to beat him within an inch of his life.”
Maggie nodded. “I can’t say that I blame you for that. But I’m glad, for your sake, that you didn’t.”
“I may not be seeking vengeance, but I’m still interested in justice,” Eli said. “What he did, what he’s capable of, just eats at me. It’s unsettling to think that kind of evil’s in the world. But it is.”
She glanced down a minute, and then back into his eyes. “I understand that more than you know. I didn’t tell you everything that guard said to me the night of the fire.”
“Oh?”
“He saw the baby in my arms. Even though I had Lucinda’s face covered against the smoke, he figured it out. He smiled at me—a smile that gave me cold chills—and said that I could either come with him without a struggle, and he’d make sure I got out of there alive, or he would drag me with him.” Her voice broke, “and he threatened the baby.”
Fighting to keep his expression from revealing his fury, Eli squeezed her hand again.
“At the time, my instincts told me to fight and run,” Maggie said. “Now that I’ve had time to think about it, I believe it was the right decision. I doubt that he would’ve taken me out of there, even if I’d done everything he said. I very much suspect that my body would’ve been found in the fire.”
She was right. And Eli realized he wasn’t over his desire for vengeance after all.
Not when he thought about a man that threatened babies and beat on women.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“We should be home in less than an hour,” Eli called out. He had joined Nathaniel on the driver’s seat after they’d stop to eat their supper, and Brody was once again Maggie’s traveling companion.
The boy was chattering away, but it was difficult for her to concentrate on what he was saying. Her mind was still filled with Eli’s story. What a sad life these two men had lived.
The crack of splintering wood rang out, scattering her thoughts and pitching her and Brody sideways.
Something had broken on one of the wagon wheels at the back.
“Whoa,” Eli soothed the spooked horses as he fought for control. “Easy now.”
Maggi
e gripped the side of the wagon, but didn’t say anything. Brody was silent, too, but once Eli had the team under control and had stopped the wagon, the boy had plenty of questions.
It started with “what happened” and continued on through “what now.” Brody didn’t seem scared, only interested.
After making sure that everyone was unhurt, Eli answered the boy’s questions about the cracked wheel. Maggie was impressed with his patience. Only Brody’s “What do we do now?” seemed to give Eli pause.
“I’d rather get on home tonight,” Eli said. “I’m sure Peg will be looking for you, Maggie, and Brody your family will be worried.”
The boy waved away his concern. “It’s okay, Sheriff. They know I’m safe with you.”
“Thanks, Brody.” Eli looked around. “I really don’t want all of us walking either. I’m trying to decide whether to get y’all settled for awhile and go on alone or make camp here. I might be able to fix the wheel.”
Eli conferred quietly with Nathaniel, then reached up and helped Maggie down. “We can at least make y’all more comfortable while we’re figuring it out.”
“Thank you,” Maggie said. “It will be nice to stretch my legs.”
As Maggie walked around, Eli removed several boxes in the back of the wagon, which held everything from bedrolls to a coffee pot and lantern.
“Are we going to need all this?”
“Haven’t decided whether to stay or not, but it’s best to lighten the load as much as possible while we’re working on it. This is standard for me. As I mentioned before, I always believe in being prepared for anything.”
“You should see how much he can pack on a horse,” Nathaniel said.
“He’s one to talk. You should see all he carries in that doctor bag he has.”
The two men teased each other for a minute, and Maggie suspected that their childhood was responsible for many of their cautious ways and habits.
After removing most everything from the wagon and unhitching the horses, Eli handed Maggie a blanket to wrap around her shoulders, then again turned his attention to the damaged wagon wheel.
Even after listening to his and Nathaniel’s discussion, Maggie wasn’t sure what they planned to do. The best she could figure out, Eli was going to attach some sort of skid to the broken wheel that would allow it to be dragged, even as the other three wheels turned. It was something he’d seen an old settler do years ago.
The temperatures continued to drop as they discussed it. Thankfully, they’d stopped in an area where cedars and live oak trees provided a natural barrier of sorts from the elements.
Shivering, Maggie stepped away from the activity around the wagon, taking shelter under a big live oak. Sitting with her back against the tree trunk, she pulled the blanket tighter.
The creaking of the tree branches, the sound of male voices, and the warmth of the blanket had lulled her into almost a sleepy state when she was suddenly pulled up, jerked a distance away from the tree and pressed against a broad chest.
Eli’s voice was a soft whisper, but there was an urgency to it. “Maggie, don’t move.”
Instinctively, she whispered too. “Why?”
“Just trust me.”
“I do,” she said, meaning it sincerely.
He suddenly pressed his left arm around her, but instead of circling her waist, the arm was against her head, covering one of her ears and pressing the other ear against his chest. She couldn’t hear anything but the rapid beat of his heart.
Maggie’s own heart raced out of control. She shouldn’t have let him hold her hand…but it had felt so good.
She pulled back a little. “Eli…you seem to have a mistaken idea about me. I’m not that kind of woman.”
Eli’s arm dropped slightly, and his tone was bewildered. “What?”
“I said, I’m not that kind of… oh well, perhaps one kiss wouldn’t hurt.”
She had a quick glimpse of his thunderstruck expression before his arm flew up again and covered her head and ear, jerking her against his chest. She had no time to respond before a shot split the night.
Maggie realized, when something fell from the tree and landed with a thud nearby, that Eli had been protecting her, not making advances.
Giving her a wondering look, he released her. “You okay?”
Knees weak, Maggie managed to say, “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you,” before she sank straight down to the ground in a little heap. Eli looked almost as startled as he had when she’d offered to kiss him. Grabbing the blanket she’d dropped, he placed it around her, clumsily patted her on the shoulder, and left.
The next few minutes were a blur of activity as all three of the males examined, and exclaimed over, the animal that had been crouched in the tree directly over Maggie’s head.
Again, it was a time where Eli answered Brody’s questions.
“What is it?” the boy asked.
“A panther,” Eli said. “Some people call them mountain lions. Either one is correct.”
Nathaniel whistled. “Look at the claws on that thing. I can’t even imagine what that could’ve done to one of us.”
Maggie closed her eyes, and her mind, against the image that produced. Thank you, Lord, for your protection.
Even though they tried to include her in the conversation, Maggie couldn’t do more than murmur and nod. Even after they’d dragged the carcass away, she was still shaking.
“She may be getting too cold, or she could be suffering from shock,” she heard Nathaniel say.
“I’m fine, everyone,” she assured them. “Just a little unsteady.” And embarrassed.
Eli spoke up. “Perfectly natural and understandable.” He then went into a crazy story about a close encounter he’d had with a bobcat once, and within a few minutes both Brody and Nathaniel were discussing their own wild animal experiences.
He was trying to divert everyone’s attention. Although Maggie was grateful, she still couldn’t look him in the face. But she did look over her shoulder at every sound, worried about another panther.
Maggie was rearranging the blanket for the third time, when Eli crouched down beside her.
“Got a minute?” he whispered.
“Sure.”
“We need to talk.”
He tugged on her hand, pulling her up and over to the far side of the wagon. He led her to a crate and motioned for her to sit, then did the same, shifting a little so they were side-by-side and face-to-face.
“I’m sorry about the misunderstanding earlier,” he said. “I was afraid if I took time to explain what was happening that thing was going to pounce. They’re not uncommon out here, but they will usually high-tail it away from that much noise.”
Crossing her arms in an effort to control her shivering, Maggie nodded. “I understand. Now. I’m just embarrassed about…you know.”
Eli gave her a little smile. “I should probably come up with something real sensible to say here. Something that would make you feel better. But I never have been a smooth talker.”
She waved a hand. “Oh, that’s okay. I’ll recover.” Eventually.
He glanced down at his hands, and then up into her eyes, his expression no longer teasing. “Just so you know, you weren’t wrong,” he said.
“About what?”
“About one kiss not hurting anything.” Placing his hands on her arms, slowly, giving her every opportunity to back away, he pulled her into his arms and lowered his head to hers.
Maggie felt strangely light-headed and breathless. Just before their lips met, she whispered, “You said you aren’t married, but is there a girl out there who’s planning to be Mrs. Eli Calhoun?” There was no way a man this attractive had gone through life unattached.
Eli pulled back, obviously surprised by the question. He appeared to give it thoughtful consideration. “No, although I thought I was in love once.”
“Is she no longer a part of your life?”
“It was years ago.”
“What happened?”
>
“Long story, so I won’t go into detail, but it started with me and Nathaniel getting arrested and ended with us going our separate ways. After he married the girl I thought I loved.”
Whoa. There were so many things that captured her interest in that brief statement that Maggie wasn’t sure where to start. “Arrested? For what?”
“For vagrancy. We’d fallen asleep while waiting to board a ship at Galveston.”
“Where were you going?”
“The ship was headed to New Orleans, and from there we weren’t sure where we were going. Trying to find something better. We’d grown since we’d left Jasper, beyond boyhood, although not considered men by most people. We’d held down steady jobs when we could find them, but they weren’t enough to make a living. Getting arrested was one of the lowest points of my life. When they pulled us in front of the judge, I was terrified. I figured we were too old to be sent to an orphanage, and I’d heard tales of people being sent to poor houses or work farms, and even being sold into slavery.”
How had the Calhoun brothers even survived?
“The judge turned out to be a good, decent man. He and his wife were an older couple with one daughter, a beautiful girl named Tessa. Nathaniel and I both fell in love with her at first sight. But she had eyes only for Nathaniel.”
Maggie didn’t understand that statement at all. Nathaniel was a good-looking man, as was Caleb, but they weren’t…Elijah. She puzzled over that for a moment, and then tried to understand the brief stab of jealousy she felt at Eli’s expression. Whatever he was remembering about this Tessa girl, they were fond memories. He’d stopped talking, and Maggie could tell that he was a million miles away.
“So what happened?” she asked.
“Nathaniel and Tessa married, both too young as I look back on it now. I’m surprised that the judge and his wife even allowed it. I hit the road not long afterward.”
When did you realize you didn’t love her? “Where did you go?”
“I drifted for a long time, doing everything from building railroad, to herding cattle, bounty hunting, logging, and, for awhile, I was a hired gun. That was the most lucrative, but also the most unsettling. I was at a low point in my life when I ended up in Moccasin Rock. I’d missed Nathaniel through those years, but I knew he was happy and that gave me some comfort. I realized not long after I left that I hadn’t really loved Tessa. After a lifetime of running in and out of some of the worst places known to man, she was just so sweet and innocent that it was only logical to be drawn to her. But Nathaniel did love her. And she loved him.”
A Texas Promise Page 15
