by Renee Ryan
“I always knew you were loose, Sarah Crowley.” Flora gave a final humph and stomped off, a couple girls trailing after her.
Sarah started to say something, but Mary finally spoke. “Enough. We don’t know that Emma Jane and Jasper are together. Last I saw Emma Jane, she was going to use the necessary, and that’s been quite some time ago.”
She looked toward Will. “When did you last see Jasper?”
“Near suppertime, I think.” Will tried to think if he’d seen Jasper since, but he’d been too focused on Mary to even think about his friend. Besides, Jasper needed time alone. And with all the kisses it seemed his friend had managed to steal, he’d probably needed plenty of room.
What was Jasper thinking? He hadn’t been so thoughtless in regard to a woman’s reputation in the past. As far as the accusation that he was off with Emma Jane, Will didn’t believe it for a moment. Not only was he clearly not interested, but Jasper wasn’t so mule-headed as to steal away with a woman so blatantly desirous of trapping him into marriage. Jasper was smarter than that.
The weight of Mary’s eyes on Will made him realize that he, too, had made a number of mistakes he was too smart to make. Like being so focused on Mary that he’d not paid attention to his friend or the fact that one of the women had gone missing.
“Did you look outside?” Mary’s voice sounded strained.
“Yes. I searched around as far as I could, and I called both of their names.”
“I wonder if Emma Jane was simply too embarrassed to answer, if she’s in distress of a personal nature. I should go check.”
The firm set to Mary’s jaw told him that it would do no good to argue, even though he’d found the outhouse empty. Plus, such a thing wasn’t mentionable in the presence of so many ladies.
“I’ll walk outside with you.”
“I think it’s best if I go alone. Her pride…” Mary didn’t need to finish her sentence.
“I’ll leave room for you to have some privacy. Besides, I still need to find Jasper.”
They walked out the door, and Will did his best to ignore the giggles of Polly and Mary’s other friend. Such silly girls. He’d had no time for pursuing ladies in the past because he couldn’t get past their giggles and the fact that they all seemed to be more vapid than he had patience for.
And then he’d met Daisy, and for a brief moment, he’d thought that things could be different. But he was wrong. Just because she wasn’t as vapid as the rest of the girls didn’t make her any better. In fact, it made her capable of a heinous crime.
So where did that leave Mary?
He watched as she strode earnestly to the empty outhouse. She made great show of walking around it, calling Emma Jane’s name.
All for nothing, of course.
The furrow in her brow had deepened as she returned to his side. “I can’t imagine where she might have gotten. Perhaps we should put together a search party.”
Will lifted his lantern. “Not only do we not have enough for all of us, but I don’t want to needlessly put anyone else in danger. With the rain, the paths are slippery, the land unstable. It’s best to wait until morning.”
“We can’t leave Emma Jane out here alone all night.”
“She’ll be fine.” Words meant to convince Mary, but even Will knew they probably weren’t true. The woman had gone into hysterics at getting wet. Mary was strong enough to tolerate being out alone all night, but she also wouldn’t have been so foolish as to get lost in the first place.
Who was he kidding? If it were Mary out there, he’d go after her.
Mary wasn’t supposed to be special.
“Go inside with the others. I’ll see if I can get Josiah Haggerty or his sons to help me look.”
“I’m not going to abandon her.”
“You’re not abandoning her. I’m going in your place.”
“But Emma Jane doesn’t trust you. Plus, her reputation will be ruined if she is alone with you.”
He raised a brow. “And your reputation won’t?”
“I don’t care about my reputation. Perhaps if you’re the one to ruin it, then Ben won’t have any reason to continue his pursuit of me.”
“You want me to ruin you?” His words were meant to shock her into reason. The look on her face told him he’d succeeded.
“I can’t just sit around dithering while Emma Jane is missing.”
She barely knew the girl, and yet, Mary was staking her honor on making sure Emma Jane was safe. Unquestioning loyalty. Was that what kept her from revealing the truth about Ben? Would that Ben were so loyal. His loyalty was only in advancing himself, without care to who he ruined in the process.
He needed to be careful. Gaining her trust was one thing. Getting attached was another.
“You won’t be dithering. You’ll be sleeping with the others, getting rest so that you can be of use to us in the morning.”
Mary appeared to consider his words. After all, they were of the kind of logic she was sure to appreciate. Her desire to be useful was something he admired about her. Surely he could find qualities to admire without sinking in too deep.
“I won’t be able to sleep a wink. I’ll be too worried about Emma Jane.”
Compassion. One more good quality that defined Mary. Had he ever noticed that in Daisy? He could hardly remember for the betrayal he’d suffered. He caught himself before he was steeped in memory. Perhaps he needed to not focus on Mary’s finer qualities, but on the qualities he found not so attractive. Like her connection to Ben Perry.
“You’re not equipped for a search in the dark. Sleep or not, you need to go back inside with the others.”
Mary squared her shoulders. “I don’t think you understand me clearly. I categorically refuse to go back inside until Emma Jane is found.”
Stubbornness. Now, that was a quality he could find to be lacking in her character. Only it didn’t bring him closer to solving the problem at hand.
“I can’t put you in danger.”
“If you go without me, I’ll go on my own once you leave.”
Not just stubborn, but downright mule-headed. Worse than mule-headed. Mary Stone was completely daft in her refusal to see sense in this matter.
The look on Mary’s face said that she’d brook no refusal. And maybe letting her search with him was an opportunity to talk to her and get her to open up to him about Ben without giving her the excuses to run off. But he needed to be mindful of her reputation—especially given the biddies in the barn who were already stirring up way too much talk for his comfort.
“If we can get Mrs. Haggerty or another lady to come with us, then fine. But I’m not risking your safety or your reputation to rescue a woman who didn’t have the sense to stay close in the first place.”
His answer appeared to mollify her, and his only hope in succeeding lay in procuring someone to chaperone them and save Mary’s reputation—and his heart.
Chapter Ten
Mary ate the breakfast Mrs. Haggerty provided as quickly as she could, trying to ignore Will’s smug eyes on her. Not only had Mrs. Haggerty refused to chaperone her in the search for Emma Jane last night, but Mr. Haggerty had joined in the discussion and insisted they wait until morning for the search. While they were wasting time eating breakfast, Emma Jane could already be dead—or dying.
None of the other girls seemed to care that Emma Jane was missing. Most of them seemed more put out that Jasper was also gone, and in the minds of a bunch of busybodies who didn’t have any facts, they were all certain Emma Jane had somehow absconded with the catch of the century.
Mary forced herself to take another bite, making exaggerated motions to show that she’d slowed down her pace. “I don’t care what the others say. I’m certain something terrible must have happened to Emma Jane.”
Will’s face darkened into an unreadable expression. “Saying it more often isn’t going to make a difference. We’ll find her. But we’ve got to do it right, or else we risk others being harmed in the process.”
Mary nodded slowly, his words clunking together in her brain. When had she become a ninny, wringing her hands and dithering about when it did no good? She’d done everything she could to get the rescue party moving, yet none of her efforts had done any good.
“I’m sorry. I feel so helpless right now, and Emma Jane must be cold and afraid. I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been, spending the night alone. If she survived…”
She was doing it again. “I should help Mrs. Haggerty clean up.” The first sensible thing Mary had managed to put together since they’d first discovered Emma Jane missing.
Mary walked past Flora and one of the other girls who’d been particularly nasty about Emma Jane’s disappearance.
“I’m sure Emma Jane kidnapped Jasper. Everyone knows she’s desperate to restore her family fortunes. A man like Jasper would never be interested in her.”
Mary’s skin prickled on the back of her neck. Flora had been nothing but nasty, and what did she know of Emma Jane? Certainly nothing to indicate a level of kindness or compassion. Merely mean-spirited gossip.
She turned toward the other two women, screwing a pleasant smile on her face. “We don’t know what happened to either of them. Perhaps if you joined in our efforts to find them, rather than engaging in idle gossip, we’d find them sooner.”
Flora tossed her head. “As if any of us give a whit for Emma Jane Logan. What’s she to us?”
Mary opened her mouth to defend the other girl, but Mrs. Haggerty took Mary by the arm.
“Will said you were on your way to help me. You’re so thoughtful.” Mrs. Haggerty smiled, then looked at the other girls. “I’m sure if you were lost in the mountains, you’d want your church sisters to be praying for your safe return. Perhaps that would be a better use of your time than idle speculation about what might have happened to Emma Jane and Jasper.”
Though Mrs. Haggerty’s words were meant to shame the other two girls, guilt nibbled at the corner of Mary’s heart. In all of her fury at not being able to search for Emma Jane during the night and her fretting over what might have happened, not once had it occurred to Mary that the most useful thing she could be doing was to be praying.
“We could do so now,” Mary suggested, but Mrs. Haggerty shook her head. “Josiah is loading up the wagon. Those going back to town need to gather their things and join him.”
The barn erupted with activity as the others scurried toward the doors. Only Mary and Mrs. Haggerty remained.
“None of them want to help?” Mary didn’t need to ask the question, not really. Her words fell on the empty air.
Polly reentered the barn. “You’re not coming?”
“I can’t leave Emma Jane out there alone. She’s so sensitive that I think having a familiar face will ease her discomfort, having endured such difficult circumstances.”
Polly scowled. “What’s it to you? Emma Jane is an odd woman at best, and she spurned the friendship you offered. You’ve done your Christian duty by her, so shake the dust off your feet, and let’s go home to our family.”
If only Polly hadn’t reminded her of her Christian duty. The truth was, Mary hadn’t done her Christian duty by the other girl. And maybe if Mary could help find Emma Jane and spend time with her, it would somehow help her.
“Weren’t you the one who argued that we needed time away from them when we first left for the picnic?”
But Polly seemed ill-inclined to show kindness toward Emma Jane. “I’m sure Daniel is wearing on Maddie’s nerves, and even my mother hasn’t got the patience to mind him for long.”
“I know. But something deep inside me says that helping Emma Jane is the right thing to do.”
“What of your reputation?” Polly’s eyes narrowed.
“What of it? Mrs. Haggerty will be with us, so no one can accuse me of impropriety.”
Her words didn’t erase Polly’s frown. “Impropriety with Will is the least of your worries. The other girls are spitting mad that you’d take up for Emma Jane when she is clearly—”
“And you would put their good opinion over doing what’s right?”
That, at least, had an effect as Polly winced. “They can make life in town difficult.”
Before Polly’s father had been put in charge of Joseph’s mine, many of the prominent women in town had mocked Polly and her family’s lower circumstances. Mary would think that, of all people, Polly would understand what it was like to be in Emma Jane’s position. Perhaps, though, it was such a relief to no longer be in Emma Jane’s shoes, she wasn’t willing to risk it.
Mary, too, understood that feeling. “When we lived in Ohio with Aunt Ina, the other girls mocked us for being poor. For our scandalous family and no-account father. I could barely hold my head up high walking through town. I had no friends.”
Perhaps that was why she’d so easily fallen into Ben’s trap. He knew that she wouldn’t have anyone to talk to, to find out that he was not the man he claimed to be. He’d made her feel special when no one else acknowledged she existed.
She stared hard at Polly. “The reason I could hold my head up high, though, was that I had done nothing wrong. If I go home without trying to find Emma Jane, the ladies in town will think more of me, but will I be blameless? I let a defenseless woman suffer.”
“You almost make me want to stay.” Polly’s face softened. “But it doesn’t change the fact that someone needs to manage Daniel. I can admit to not nearly being as good a Christian woman as you.”
Arguing that she was hardly the picture of a good Christian woman would mean that Mary would have to own her other flaws. The things Ben still held over her head.
Perhaps someday she’d be able to be so open about her flaws. However, she couldn’t forget that Ben held evidence that could put her in jail. Maybe even… Did they still hang thieves?
“Last call to leave for town.” Will’s voice broke through any decision Mary might have made to be open with her friend.
“You should go,” Mary said.
Polly gave her a quick hug. “I still think you’re crazy, but I respect what you’re doing. I’m sure we’ll get on fine without you.”
As Polly walked away, Mary’s conscience nagged. Surely she was doing the right thing in searching for Emma Jane. Her family could do without her for another day.
*
Will still didn’t like it. He watched the wagon head back to town.
“Can we go now?”
He shouldn’t have minded her forceful tone. He’d already seen that Mary was a doer. But it was starting to feel as if Mary didn’t trust him to do the right thing. He’d already fouled up an important job. If there was anything she could count on, it was the fact that he wouldn’t rest until both Jasper and Emma Jane were found.
But his reasoning? Well, that was something he couldn’t share with her. The good Lord wasn’t going to lend a hand, that he knew already. If something was to be done, it was up to him to do it.
Josiah and two of his sons approached. Mrs. Haggerty had pulled Mary aside, and they were talking quietly. Hopefully, the older woman would find a way to talk some sense into Mary. Even with a chaperone, it wasn’t a good idea for Mary to be wandering the wilderness. Ladies such as she weren’t familiar with the survival skills needed. Even if she was, Will’s heart wasn’t safe around her.
Maybe that was the most dangerous part of the proposition.
Hopefully, this detour in finding Jasper and Emma Jane wouldn’t be a setback in his quest for justice against Ben. At least, since Mary was with Will, Ben wouldn’t have the opportunity to entangle her in any more of his schemes.
“We’ve got the horses loaded with supplies. Britta is helping Mary into some of her clothes. They’re more suitable for the search, and she’s got an extra pair of boots besides.”
At least someone besides Will had a lick of sense.
They began their search on foot. Although Will had poked around the area immediately surrounding the barn and outhouse as soon as it was l
ight, more sets of eyes wouldn’t hurt. He couldn’t imagine Emma Jane going very far. Surely she had to be nearby. If only it hadn’t started raining again during the night. Any hope of finding usable tracks had washed away.
“There’s some broken branches over here,” Josiah called.
As Will headed in that direction, he noticed Mary had eagerly gone ahead to attend the find. He couldn’t fault her in her dedication to her new friend. As much as it pained him to admit, the comparisons he’d been making between Mary and Daisy were not fair. The only thing the two women had in common was their attachment to Ben Perry.
So why would Mary have let herself get involved with a vermin like Perry?
Mary seemed almost terrified of the man. He’d tried convincing her that he could help her, if only she told him the truth. Will had thought all of these things before, but nothing in that thinking had gotten him to a place of figuring out how to get through to her.
“She’s been through here!” Mary held up a scrap of lace.
Will closed the short distance between him and Mary, then took the lace from her hand. “Where was this?”
“Stuck on the tree, there.” Mary pointed to where Josiah was examining the dirt. Will looked around. Less than a furlong from the barn, but in the opposite direction of the outhouse.
What had possessed the girl to come this way?
He shook his head. Probably she’d been so addlepated that she hadn’t even realized she was going the wrong way. But the signs on the ground as well as the torn lace in the tree had indicated she’d been afraid of something.
“Any sign of blood?” He asked the question quietly, addressing Josiah.
Fortunately for the ladies present, Josiah shook his head. Maybe having the ladies on this mission had been a bad idea. Actually, it was most likely the worst idea in the history of bad ideas, but convincing Mary of that fact was almost as impossible as—
“There’s a ribbon here,” one of Josiah’s sons shouted.
Will looked farther up the hill. No wonder they hadn’t found Emma Jane. She’d been going away from the ranch, away from civilization, the entire time.
