The scent of the baking bread reached her before she reached the Harringtons’ cabin. Her mouth watered of its own accord and she realized she hadn’t eaten anything that day besides half a bowl of porridge in the morning. Betsy walked around to the back of the cabin to enter through the kitchen as she normally did. Susannah was next to the counter, slicing freshly baked bread. She paused in her chore to usher Betsy to a chair and to place in front of her three slices of bread slathered with butter. Despite Betsy’s general lack of appetite, the wonderful scent of cinnamon and raisins was enough to compel her to eat. She made quick work of the snack.
“What do you think of my new recipe?”
Betsy swallowed her last bite. “It’s delicious,” she said, and meant it. “I haven’t been feeling like eating lately, but that was so good I had to eat every last bite.”
Susannah smiled appreciatively, and Betsy noticed, as she often did, how beautiful Susannah was. Even after laboring over a hot stove, she looked like a sophisticated lady, everything Betsy aspired to be and wasn’t. Sadness hit her then, thinking about how Roderick had made her feel beautiful and sophisticated. She’d never find another man who looked at her with the same adoration. Tears sprang to her eyes but, before she could sink further into sadness, Susannah wiped her floured hands on her apron and said, “Let’s go to the dining area, shall we?” She untied the ribbon of her apron and tossed it on the counter. “I’ve fed the kids and put the roast and fixins’ on the table, so supper is ready, just with us adults.”
Betsy nodded and stood from where she sat at the small table. Though she didn’t say so, she was relieved that the children wouldn’t be in attendance. Every time she saw them, she thought about what Johnny had said. She shook her head, trying to free her tortured mind from the memory.
With her face downcast, Betsy followed Susannah through the door to the dining room. She heard the scraping of chairs and looked up to find Adam and Roderick standing to greet her. She froze, and her gaze flitted wildly to Susannah, feeling betrayed at what she realized was a setup to bring her and Roderick together. She was glad she wasn’t holding anything, for she surely would have dropped it in that moment. Her eyes flooded with tears and the whole room became blurry. She was only dimly aware of Susannah’s arm circling her shoulders.
Before when she’d faced Roderick, she’d been prepared and had practiced maintaining a cold, composed countenance. Now that she’d been caught off-guard, her emotions skittered around like a horse with no reins. Roderick was looking at her with love and worry. She couldn’t bear it for another moment. She heard Susannah’s voice. “We’re going to help you, Betsy. We know Johnny scared you.”
Terror shot down Betsy’s spine. They weren’t supposed to know that! She shook herself out of Susannah’s grasp and backed away toward the door. “Please,” she begged, looking at Roderick through tear-filled eyes. “Please forget about me and leave Virginia City. It’s not safe here!”
“Betsy, come sit down and explain to us why it’s not safe,” Roderick said, his voice kind but firm.
She shook her head violently. “I can’t!” She turned and opened the door. She needed to get away. She couldn’t risk Johnny seeing her there with Roderick, so she fled in the direction of her cabin.
Immediately she became aware of Roderick’s heavy footsteps falling behind her. “No!” she screamed.
The ground was flat and barren, and it took no time at all for him to catch up with her. Without speaking, he swooped her up over his shoulder, clamped one arm around the back of her knees, and strode back to the Harringtons’ house.
Frantic and enraged, Betsy pounded on his back with her fists. “Let me go, Roderick! You don’t understand.”
He didn’t speak to her until he’d carried her into the Harringtons’ cabin and set her down on a chair next to the table. Placing a hand on both shoulders to prevent her from standing, he said, “You’re right, darling, I don’t understand. You’re going to explain it to me. To us,” he added, glancing at Adam and Susannah. “Every person in this room loves you and wants to help you, and you don’t need to deal with whatever scared you alone.”
Tears streamed down her face. She shook her head. “You think I don’t want to tell you? I do, more than anything. But it would be selfish of me, just so I feel better. I won’t sacrifice everyone’s safety just so I don’t feel so alone!”
Roderick sat on a chair next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her to his chest, and she couldn’t find the will to fight him. “Darling, it’s not your job to protect everyone.”
“He’s right,” Adam said, his voice lacking Roderick’s patience. “Protecting people is my job, your father’s, and Roderick’s. Now you look here, Betsy. I’ve had just about enough of your nonsense. You tell us what happened while we were away and you were here watching the kids. Caleb saw you talking to Johnny, and I demand to know what he said to you.”
Betsy jerked away from Roderick and jumped to her feet. “Caleb saw it? Oh, God. Where is he? Is he all right?”
“He’s in his room, and he’s just fine. Sit your ass down,” Adam barked, pointing at the chair.
Betsy sank back onto the chair immediately, a reflexive action after receiving the sharp order, and Susannah handed her a glass of milk. Glaring at her husband, she said, “You might be a little patient with Betsy. She needs our understanding and support, not you bellowing at her.”
“She’ll get my understanding and support,” Adam shot back, “just as soon as she tells us what this is about.”
Betsy drank the entire glass of milk, mostly to give her an excuse not to talk during that time, and thought about what she should say. She looked at Roderick, who was observing her with pain in his eyes but also determination. She realized they wouldn’t allow her to leave the cabin that evening before telling them what happened. Though that thought frightened her terribly, she felt a measure of relief. They weren’t giving her any choice in the matter, so she didn’t have to make any more painful decisions; she only had to obey.
She’d apparently used up Roderick’s supply of patience in addition to Adam’s. He leaned over and said softly in her ear so that only she could hear, “Are you going to start talking, or do I need to take you to the barn and strap you first?”
Ironically, the threat actually helped to alleviate more of her fear. Recalling his strength allowed her to hope his strength was enough to solve this problem. “All right,” Betsy moaned. She set the empty glass on the table and folded her hands in her lap. Staring down at them, she relayed the details of her confrontation with Johnny.
Johnny had said that he wasn’t going to lose her to Roderick and that if she didn’t convince him to return to where he came from, everyone would pay. Johnny had gone into great detail about how they each would pay, so Betsy provided them with the same details, starting with Roderick.
It turned out that Johnny had not only been stalking Betsy, but had actually stalked everyone close to her. He knew Roderick’s exact routine and had somehow been able to discover it without once being seen. By the time Betsy got around to telling the room Johnny’s threats again Caleb and Mini, she was shaking. He had detailed everything about the children, from where they did their chores to where Caleb’s fishing hole was to what time they went to bed.
What had terrified her most of all was Johnny’s description about how exactly he would hurt the children, at which point Adam stopped her. “I think we’ve heard enough, Betsy,” he said, his voice much gentler than before. He reached over and took Susannah’s hand in his and squeezed it.
Betsy looked at Roderick, blinking away tears. “I-I didn’t feel I had a choice when I rejected you so terribly. I had to protect you even though it broke my heart.”
Roderick’s gaze was kind and forgiving. “I understand, darling. Come here.” He patted his leg to indicate he wanted her to sit in his lap.
Though Betsy might normally have felt embarrassed at doing so in front of other people,
at that moment she wanted nothing more than for him to hold her. She sat on his lap and curled up against him, still crying as he held her. He murmured comforting words against her hair and stroked her back.
“It’s all my fault,” she cried. “If anything happens it’ll be all my fault.”
“No, that’s not true,” Roderick said. “No one is to blame for this but Johnny, and we’re going to take care of him, don’t worry.”
Betsy pulled away so she could look at him. “That’s what you said before. But after you all visited him, he only seemed to get angrier and scarier.”
Roderick brought her back into the hug. “We’ll put our heads together and come up with a new way to fix this, once and for all. One man doesn’t get to choose whether you and I can be together.”
Susannah stood. The blood had drained from her face, and her voice wavered when she spoke. “I’m going to check on the children and then get Mini to bed.”
“Bring them out for a minute so I can tell them good night, would you, darlin’?” Adam’s voice was strained. Though he didn’t appear frightened like his wife, anxiety could be heard in his voice.
Susannah nodded and left the room. A short time later she returned with Caleb and Mini, who went to where Adam sat.
“I’m going to bed and I’m not arguing,” Mini informed her father proudly.
Adam didn’t smile. He held her face in his hands for a moment, studying her. “You’re my good girl.” He kissed her forehead. “Good night, sweetheart.” Mini gave him a hug before rejoining her ma near the door.
“’Night, Pa,” Caleb said, and gave him a kiss on his cheek.
Adam grabbed him into a bear hug. When he released him, he said, “Son, I need you to help me all day tomorrow at the range.”
A look of surprise crossed Caleb’s face. “But I have school tomorrow.”
“Yes, I know, and I’m sorry about that. But a few things have come up and I could use your help.”
“Sure,” Caleb said, sounding confused.
“Get some sleep. I’ll explain more tomorrow.”
After Caleb and Mini left the room, Adam said to Susannah, “Until this matter with Johnny is resolved, I don’t want Caleb to go off to school alone. As far as you and Mini are concerned, I want you here at home with the doors locked.”
Roderick gave Betsy a squeeze. “I don’t want you anywhere alone either.”
Betsy shook her head. “Same goes for you, Roderick. We’re all in danger.”
“We’ll go to the marshal tomorrow and insist he do something this time,” Roderick said.
“That won’t work,” Betsy moaned. “The marshal won’t help us!”
“She’s right, he won’t,” Adam said grimly. “We’ll have to take matters into our own hands again.”
“What else can you do besides lambaste him?” Susannah asked. “Like Betsy said, it didn’t work last time, and neither did the report to the marshal. Something different must be done.”
“Let’s think about that,” Roderick said. “What do we know about this man, other than the fact he’s obsessed with Betsy?”
Adam shrugged. “He’s a cowboy. Worked for me a month or so before I fired him. He’s lazy and clearly disturbed.”
“What does he care about? What’s important to him?” Roderick asked.
“Money,” Betsy responded. “Doesn’t have any family about, but he cares about lining his pockets. He was enraged about losing his job on account of me.”
Roderick rubbed his chin. “I suppose I could pay him off. Tell him that in exchange for money, he has to leave town.”
“No fucking way,” Adam said, and slammed his fist on the table. “You are not going to reward that bastard.”
“I don’t like the idea either,” Roderick said tersely, “but if it works, I’m willing to go down that route.”
“How about we do the opposite?” Susannah suggested. “Adam, you’re good friends with Mr. Taylor, the banker. Ask him to drain his account, leave him with nothing. Hit him where it hurts.”
“That’s illegal. Taylor would never agree to it,” Adam grunted.
The four of them fell silent and stared at each other, stumped. The only suggestion presented thus far that could work was Roderick’s, but none of them liked his idea. It offended their sense of justice.
After some time, Susannah spoke quietly in a conspiratorial voice. “I know what we can do.”
Everyone perked up and looked at her. Her tone indicated an idea worth listening to. After she explained it, they knew they had found their answer.
Chapter Thirteen
Betsy’s and Roderick’s wedding was a simple affair. Only Betsy’s family and the Harringtons were in attendance. Originally they planned to make a grand event of it and invite most of the townsfolk, but Betsy preferred not to spend time planning and instead to be married right away so that she could move in with Roderick at the hotel. He preferred this as well, since he could better protect her if she lived with him.
They arranged to move to California in three weeks’ time. The two of them were excited to start their life together in their new home, but they wanted to stay in Virginia City long enough to see justice being served to Johnny and to ensure that none of his dire threats came to fruition. Susannah and Adam kept close watch over their children, never letting them out of their sight, and the Blakes hired a man from town to guard the house while they slept.
Betsy apologized multiple times to Roderick for responding as she did to Johnny’s threats. “I’ll never forget the look on your face when I told you I didn’t love you,” she said to him tearfully one evening. “I’ll never forgive myself for causing you that pain.”
Roderick set aside the paper he was reading and directed a stern look at the beautiful woman who was now his wife. He’d told her time and time again she was not the one to blame. Her actions had come from a place of love, as far as he was concerned, and he blamed Johnny entirely for the pain he had felt.
“You were traumatized, darling. What do I need to do so you forgive yourself?”
She threw her hands in the air. “I don’t know! Punish me, maybe.”
“Very well,” he said, straightening in his seat. He placed a hand over each knee. “Come here and I’ll punish you. Then I never want to hear another word about how terrible you feel.”
She must not have expected him to agree to her suggestion so quickly. Her eyes widened and she hedged. “Well, maybe I don’t need a punishment. It was just one suggestion. Weren’t we going to come up with more?”
Roderick laughed. “No, I think punishment is just what you need.” He crooked his finger, indicating she was to come to him.
She stared at him with a concerned look into her eyes, making no move to obey, which caused Roderick’s brow to slowly lift. “Are you going to make me catch you, Betsy? You know that will only add to the punishment.”
She sighed. “You have to promise not to spank me too hard before I go to you.”
He snorted a laugh. “I don’t believe you have any say over that. Besides, who said anything about spanking? There are other punishments.”
The worried expression on her face morphed into curiosity. “Like what?”
He did not respond, instead giving her a hard look that indicated he wasn’t going to debate or discuss it further. She sighed again and walked to him.
“Take off all your clothes,” he said, leaning back and crossing his arms.
A glint of lust and excitement lit her eyes, and she obeyed immediately. He felt his cock straining against his trousers as she revealed every inch of her beautiful body to him. When she was fully naked, he said, “Place your hands on the back of your head and turn around.”
She bit her lip and obeyed. He stood and planted kisses along the nape of her neck and bare shoulders before he ran his hand down her back and over the slope of her bottom. He gave her cheek a crisp spank, causing her to jump and emit a yelp.
“Go bend over the bed,” he ordered.
She did as directed but said in a saucy voice, “I thought you weren’t going to spank me.”
He grunted. “I didn’t say that, and don’t be smart. Reach behind you, take hold of your bottom cheeks, and spread them apart for me.”
She gasped and looked at him over her shoulder. Since she did not immediately do as he asked, he strode to the bed and landed six very hard swats on her bottom, causing her to yelp loudly.
“Do as I say, don’t argue, and don’t delay,” he said firmly. “This is punishment, and I won’t tolerate a moment of disobedience.”
She groaned, but she obediently reached back and parted her now-pink bottom cheeks, revealing to his view her bottom hole and entrance to her womanhood.
“I’m going downstairs and you’re going to stay just like that until I return. Do you understand?”
She whimpered, and he could see the embarrassment heating her face. “Where are you going, Roderick?”
“Was that an answer to my question?” he asked, raising his voice.
“No,” she moaned, and buried her face in the quilt.
Roderick slipped off the thin belt from around his waist and wound it around his hand until only a short strip was free. “When you don’t answer my questions during discipline, you will be punished further,” he informed her. “Now you stay in position for this, keep your cheeks spread.” He first gently tapped the strap between the split of her cheeks. Then he whipped her sensitive little bottom hole four times.
“Oh, god, Roderick!” she screamed, keeping her bottom cheeks spread but jerking her head back and forth, trying to absorb the sting.
He tossed the belt aside. “Let’s try it again. I’m going downstairs and you’re going to stay just like that until I return. Do you understand?”
“Yes!” she cried. “God, yes!”
He reached out to touch her sex, discovering that she was already slick with desire from the humiliation. “Dirty little girl likes getting her bottom hole spanked, huh?” He landed a swat on her pussy. She moaned, and her face flushed even redder. “That’s what I thought,” he said, and wiped her juices off his hand onto her back.
Catching Betsy (Mail-Order Grooms Book 2) Page 12
