by Annie Boone
“It’s about time you were out alone,” he growled, jumping awkwardly off his horse.
James Robinson had never ridden a horse before leaving Boston and staggered before regaining his balance. He was getting used to it, but it still took him a few moments. But it was too late by the time Selina realized that had been her chance to run. Clutching the reins, she could only hear the blood rushing in her ears.
Was she really seeing him? Swallowing, she tried to remember how to breathe. For a moment she recalled the night horrors she’d experienced as a child, but they were nothing compared to this. The man was her nightmares come to life in the worst way. How had he found her? Feeling nauseated, Selina was too stunned to do anything but stare at him.
But he didn’t have time for her confusion and pulled a gun out. “Get out!” She jumped at the sight of the revolver he suddenly began waving around in the other hand. “Down, now! Senseless girl, you thought you could run from me? Is that it? You thought I’d just let you go?”
Selina stumbled down, one hand on the cart. Her gaze dropped out to the open street beside them. He had stopped her taking a shortcut through a backstreet on the edge of town but it was nestled right beside a busy one. Ready to scream, she opened her mouth, but that’s when James’s hand covered it.
“Oh!” She yelped, jerking back, but he gripped her chin hard.
She began to panic as her frightening past flooded back. Frantically, Selina tried to free herself. Forgetting about the gun, she managed to pull his hand from her face and gathered her courage to move. Heart pounding, Selina raced towards the open streets as she gasped for air to call for help.
James snatched her back, yanking on her braid. Immediately she was pulled off her feet. Yelping, Selina fell back and never had a chance to even try to catch her fall. She hit the ground hard and gasped haggardly at the open sky, feeling her fingers clawing into the mud.
Move, she told her body, begging it to do anything. James muttered angrily as he towered over her, and she stared into the barrel of his gun. Selina wanted to cough but was too afraid to move, not knowing whether to look at her cruel uncle or his weapon.
“Get up,” he demanded, grabbing her. Scrambling, she attempted to evade his grasp, but he looped a long arm around her so she staggered and stumbled as he pulled her away from the crowd. Further down the empty street they went, no one noticing what was happening.
Blinking hard, Selina desperately looked around for anything that might help her for she knew what would happen if he had his way. James had already tried to accost her and clearly didn’t believe he had done enough. Trying to force back the tears, she tried not to think of the last time she had seen him as she tried to find an escape. Surely there was something she could do to get out of here.
When she tripped, Selina allowed her entire body to collapse. She became dead weight, hoping he would let go of her. The motion caught him by surprise and he wasn’t prepared, so he let go to keep his balance. “Filthy girl, get back up and—”
Before he could grab her again, she rolled away and tried to turn around.
“Help! Oh, please help me!” She started yelling as loud as she could, turning towards the street. Selina had the slightest hope his gun wasn’t loaded, or at least she hoped he wouldn’t use it to avoid the noise. The last thing he needed was to attract attention.
But then he pulled the trigger, and a loud bang rang through the air. She froze. Had she felt something whip by her ear? For a moment she was thankful she wasn’t hit and then panic took over again. Breathless, Selina couldn’t move or clear her head. She was terrified as he dragged her back towards his horse.
Then her mind cleared, and she knew she had to fight for her life and her freedom. “I’m not going back.” She whimpered and her voice wasn’t as strong as she’d tried to make it. She kept talking and her voice became more confident and resolute. “Please, let me go. Uncle, please, don’t do this. Don’t do this, please!” Digging her feet into the ground, Selina’s body shook as she tried to keep her wits about her, trying anything she could think of to not be taken back with him.
He hit her with the handle of his pistol. It caught her chin and knocked her off her feet. James kicked her hip when she started to get up, and she cried out for it was the same hip he had badly bruised just ten weeks before that hadn’t quite healed yet. She tried to dodge another kick and caught the tip of his boot.
The man muttered under his breath and looked completely undone, terrifying Selina more than ever. Back in Boston, James had been a man who had wanted to take advantage of an opportunity. But now, he had deliberately gone out of his way to get her. The effort he had gone through made her wonder what he had in mind, but she couldn’t worry about that now. She had to save herself from him no matter what his plan was.
He got on his knees beside her and leaned in close. His breath was sour and putrid as he breathed into her face. Unshaven with grimy hands, James was filthy. Clearly he hadn’t bathed in weeks. His disgusting odor was so strong she gagged, trying not to heave.
“You think you can just run out on me, huh? On us? I guess you thought precious Mary would protect you.” He hissed the words out angrily, then he laughed bitterly. “That little traitor got what she deserved, she sure did. She’s a liar and a cheat, but you’re worse than that. Yeah, girl, you’re much worse. You know what you are, huh? You’re nothing. Garbage. You were so lucky to be in my household but you betrayed me. You don’t get to leave me until I say so, do you understand? You ugly good for nothin’ traitor.”
He was leaning on her now, his weight was crushing her. She screamed in terror and pain before he covered her mouth. Tears of frustration spilled down her cheeks and over his hands. Shaking, she tried to breathe but his hands were big and his smell was making her ill. Dizzy, Selina was about to give up the fight when James suddenly jerked away.
She inhaled deeply, wondering why he had suddenly disappeared. Lying there in the dirt, Selina stared up, wondering why the day looked so lovely when everything was going so wrong, Coughing, Selina forced herself to focus and work past the nerves. Anxiously she turned and managed to pull herself up.
As she came to her senses, she heard a scuffle and looked around at two men fighting. James punched the other man hard, and he fell to the ground. They’d moved into the shadows and she could only make out James and couldn’t tell who the second man was or exactly what was happening.
Her heart was still racing, and she had her wits about her again, but she was weak and in pain. Her hip ached terribly and Selina was worried she couldn’t walk. Much of her leg had gone numb, and she tasted blood.
Just as she was trying to get up to get a better view of the fight, a shot rang out. She froze, eyes wide, and she turned just as a second shot followed. Both figures collapsed. Her fingers grasped her skirts, waiting anxiously. But she heard nothing in the alleyway except her own beating heart. Swallowing hard, she forced herself up and looked around.
Her horse and cart were at the end of the alley-way. Surprised it was still there, she turned to go to it. She had to get out while she still could. Taking short limping steps, she started her escape.
Something seemed off, though, and she stopped. She looked back, half expecting James to be up and ready to pounce on her. Her dreams and her reality had been filled with that very scene and she knew it was a possibility. Taking a deep breath, she put her hand to her throat and stared at James. His figure was bigger, and she could see he was the one lying closest to her.
He might have been her uncle, but he was not a good man and had certainly never treated her as family—that was the kindest way to describe him. At the sight of him, Selina shuddered. She couldn’t move for a good minute until she realized he wasn’t moving. His eyes were glassy, and his chest was bloody.
The comfort was short-lived as she leaned back against the wall, relieved he couldn’t hurt her again. He couldn’t hurt anyone ever again. But the relief faded when she noticed familiar a hat in the di
rt and clasped a hand over her mouth. It was a little battered since the last time she had seen it that very morning, but she would have recognized it anywhere as Wyatt’s favorite hat.
Her blood ran cold.
Chapter Eighteen
The kitchen had suddenly grown much warmer, and she felt faint. “What?” Susannah screeched as Lucas finished laying out the details. The blood drained from her face as his words sunk in and she shook her head. Flushed, she waved a hand around her face as she took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. The initial panic faded as he explained everything.
Her husband reminded here there was nothing she could have done. It seemed so unbelievable, but she forced herself to focus as she thought of Selina, wondering how she was doing. To have endured all the terrible things she’d faced before she got here and to have to go through it all over again was unthinkable. While clearly the young woman was strong, she had no idea how strong until now.
Susannah had never been able to find out what happened to Selina in Boston. The little Lucas had learned before returning home wasn’t enough to answer all her questions, but it was enough to fill in the largest gaps.
“Susie darling?”
He wrapped his arms around her, burying her in his embrace. But then all she could think about was how Selina hadn’t had such comfort, and the thought made her sad. Wiping away a tear, she pulled away and shook her head.
“We have to get to her. Now. I can’t believe she went through all this and she never told us. And now this has happened. She needs people who care about her. We need to see her. Perhaps she’s hungry.” Susannah turned and started putting together a basket with bread, butter, and jam. She added dried beef and a jar of sweet pickles. “Did she look all right when you saw her? How was she? Does she need a shawl?”
“She’s going to be fine. She’ll spend at least tonight in the doctor’s office. But I think she’d like to see you.” Bringing her shawl, he calmly wrapped it around her shoulders and picked up the basket of food. She clutched his arm as he steered her towards the front door.
Susannah’s heart raced the whole trip into town. It seemed especially long today. She didn’t speak for the whole journey, her mind on Selina and what she would say to help her.
Parking the cart, Lucas helped her down to the ground as she clutched a blanket and the food basket. Glancing up at Dr. Fitzgerald’s office, Susannah anxiously hurried to the door and marched right in, unable to take it any longer. Lucas hurried after her, supporting her always.
She went through the main door to the hallway. Looking up and down, she was uncertain of which one was Selina’s. There were five options. “I don’t know which door to try. Lucas, which one is her room?” She had hardly finished the question when the doctor and his wife came out of one room and came toward them.
Alice Fitzgerald was carrying several towels and bandages. Nodding, she offered a tight smile and motioned for them to follow her. She opened the door for them.
Then Dr. Fitzgerald looked up and smiled. “Well, well! Good to see you, good to see you. I’m certain Miss Selina will enjoy some company. Step inside, there’s plenty of room for all of us.”
He was wrong—there wasn’t plenty of room. Lucas stood back in the doorway as Susannah stepped in. Lying on the cot against the wall, Selina slowly opened her eyes and looked at them. The right side of her jaw was discolored already, and she was still covered in mud. Besides the shaking hands, she looked better than Susannah had expected and she sighed in relief. She thought there would be much more blood.
“Oh, I’m so glad you’re all right,” Susannah breathed, and sat on the edge of the cot. “When I heard about it all I couldn’t believe it. And, well, I’m horrified.” She shook her head. “How are you feeling?”
Mrs. Fitzgerald helped Selina sit up, stuffing an extra pillow behind her for support. The girl paled but managed to draw a deep breath as she glanced around the room. “I’ll be all right,” she rasped finally. “You didn’t need to come.”
Waving her hand, Susannah frowned. “Nonsense. You need support and no matter what, we’re here for you. Selina, we care for you. Oh, I brought you your shawl. It gets cold at night and since you’re staying here, I thought you might like it. When I return tomorrow, I’ll bring some clean clothes.”
It took a minute, but finally Selina nodded, managing a half smile. But the smile quickly disappeared as she winced and touched her jaw. Mrs. Fitzgerald dipped a cloth in a basin of water and pressed it against Selina’s cheek. “You shouldn’t talk,” the woman murmured quietly.
Nodding, Dr. Fitzgerald peered at Selina over his wife. “Indeed, indeed. Let’s see here. That’s quite the jaw you have there, Miss Carlson. A fine, sturdy one and fortunate it’s not broken. The bruise might last a while. How are your teeth? Did any fall out? No? Well, more good news there.” He went through his check up and added a fourth pillow to the cot to help with her injured hip. Unless there was blood or anything definite broken, there wasn’t much he could do.
Susannah and Lucas stayed there until the doctor finished. He explained the situation to the Jessups and Selina fell asleep before they left the room. “She’ll heal fairly quickly, I believe. No internal injuries.” Dr. Fitzgerald assured them again as they closed the door behind them to let her rest. “After a few days, she should be able to make it back to your house where I think she’ll be much more comfortable.”
Susannah and Lucas looked at each other and nodded as Dr. Fitzgerald continued.
“Most of her injuries aren’t serious, though I’m concerned about her hip. This will take a few months to heal. She’ll have pain for a while as she moves around, but staying active will help. It’s possible this injury might affect her for quite some time.”
Susannah blinked. “Are you saying she might be crippled?”
With a sigh, Dr. Fitzgerald’s cheerful expression faded away and Susannah’s heart beat anxiously in her chest. “I don’t know how bad the injury is yet, and it’ll take a good day or two to know for certain. I don’t think she’ll be able to garden for a while. Otherwise, she is a very strong young woman and I’m hopeful for a complete recovery.”
Nodding, Susannah turned to her husband. “I’m staying here tonight. I don’t care if she sleeps the entire time, but I don’t want her alone. I’ll be here if she needs me.”
“The man who attacked her is dead,” Lucas pointed out with a creased brow. “And you need your rest. I think you should just come home with me and we’ll be back early tomorrow.”
Shrugging, Susannah offered a tight smile. “Dr. Fitzgerald, if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend the evening in Selina’s room. I won’t be a problem. I’ll just take the chair. Lucas, you know I rarely get enough sleep and I’ll be sure to get to bed early tomorrow if you want to be so particular. But Selina will not be alone if I have anything to say about it.”
The firmness was set in her tone, and Lucas sighed. “Fine. Dr. Fitzgerald, we’ll return in a short while, if that’s all right by you?”
The doctor shrugged. “Whatever you like, sheriff. The ladies would be safe enough either way, but it’s up to you. If you don’t mind, I’m going to check on my other patients. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.” He tipped an imaginary hat with a wink and turned down the hall.
“Are you sure, Susannah?” Lucas asked once they were alone. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he led the two of them outside and down the street. “You don’t have any reason to feel responsible and nothing will happen to her tonight. Her attacker is dead.”
Susannah shook her head. “I want to stay.”
He kissed her forehead. “All right.” Leaving the matter there, he took her back to his office where he sent word to the Boston authorities that James Robinson was dead. Susannah thought of what she could piece together of Selina’s difficult past as she settled down in her room. Not far away, Lucas took a seat out front, just within earshot.
Selina slept restlessly, moving often and
groaning at the pain. Susannah dozed, jumping awake each time Selina shifted. “No!” The young girl called out just before dawn. Sweat drenched her forehead, and she shivered as she attempted to get up. Susannah grabbed her by the shoulders and the girl struggled weakly against her. “Stop it, please, let go!”
“Shh,” Susannah whispered, touching the girl’s face tenderly. “Selina, you’re safe. Shh, now. You’re safe, and everything’s all right.” Standing over the girl, she draped the damp cloth back on Selina’s forehead as she panted, looking around in the darkness. “You’re at the doctor’s, Selina, do you remember?”
The door creaked open. “Susannah?” Lucas asked quietly.
She waved a hand behind her. “We’re fine, it’s all right. Selina? You’re safe, I promise. It’s Susannah. You’re doing just fine.”
Her own heartbeat began to slow back down as the girl winced and reluctantly slipped back down onto the cot. Already her eyelids were drooping and within minutes, she was asleep again. Susannah settled back into the chair and prayed for healing and comfort for Selina. Hopefully the long night was nearly over and new hope would come with the rising sun.
Chapter Nineteen
Although everyone had hoped Selina would be well enough to return to her own bed the following day, Selina didn’t have the strength to even sit up. Clearly, she needed more time to heal before she could travel to the Jessup home. She spent her time lying down and staring at the ceiling, trying not to think.
There was a knock on her door two days later, and she rubbed her eyes. “Come in.” She was expecting to find Susannah there since the woman was visiting her daily. It was frustrating since Selina was still upset with her, but Susannah had told her they would talk about their concerns once she was feeling better. And she was too tired to ignore or push away.
But it was Mr. Jessup. He ducked his head in with an apprehensive smile. Hesitantly, he stepped into the doorway. Glancing around, he surveyed the room for a minute before turning to her. The motion made her think of Wyatt Thomas who did this upon entering any new space. She could see the closed door across from Lucas he supposedly was resting. She wondered quickly now he was doing, but put her mind back to Lucas Jessup since he was standing in her room.
