by Jill Maguire
Cole Boone raced home on his horse and found his wife at her favorite spot on the rocks by the creek, the same place where they had first shared their feelings for each other. Cole brought his horse to a stop a few yards from her and took a moment to drink in the image of her staring contentedly into the water. The sunlight rippled off the gurgling stream and lit her face with the dance of watery brilliance. Cole sighed and silently thanked God. She was beautiful, and she was his.
Then he shook his head, remembering his urgent errand.
“Mercy!” He called as he rushed to her. Mercy stood to greet him and met him with a warm kiss. Once again, Cole had to shake his head clear to deliver his news. “I just came from town; Adam is in the jailhouse.”
“What?!” Mercy exclaimed, pulling back from Cole. “What happened? What could Adam DeLane have possibly done?”
“Apparently, he was caught thieving with a woman’s necklace in his coat pocket.”
“Adam? No, I don’t believe it. Adam would never do such a thing. Cole, I have to go. I have to see what this is all about. He once helped me get you out of jail -- I have to do something to help him.”
Cole nodded in complete agreement. “I’ll take you.”
Cole and Mercy mounted the horse together and rode back into town. In no time they were halted outside the jailhouse and Mercy leapt from the horse and ran inside, not waiting for Cole.
“Sheriff McCabe, what is the meaning of this?” Mercy demanded. The sheriff pushed himself back in his chair outside the cell where Adam was caged, obviously anxious and pacing back and forth. The sheriff stood.
“Mrs. Boone, calm down please. There was a necklace found in Adam’s pocket while he was working at Delia’s boardinghouse. The necklace belonged to one of the boarders.”
Mercy shook her head emphatically. “I don’t believe it,” Mercy put a hand around one of the cell bars and looked in at Adam. “Adam would never do such a thing.”
“Mercy,” Adam said pleadingly, approaching the bars.
“Adam, I’ll go to the boardinghouse, I’ll look into this. Cole and I will get you out of this dreadful place.” With these words, Mercy turned on her heel and hurried down the street toward Delia’s.
When she entered the parlor, letting herself in through the front door, Mercy found Delia standing toe to toe with a beautiful woman who was obviously expecting.
“Where’s Mr. DeLane? What happened? I saw the sheriff here earlier.” The young woman seemed angry and insistent with Delia Snow.
“He’s done here. I can’t have my employees stealing from my boarders.” Delia smiled slyly and gave the woman a conniving look that made Mercy’s skin crawl. Mercy approached the women boldly.
“Mrs. Snow, I have known Adam DeLane my whole life and there is no possible way that he stole anything from anyone. And I think you know that’s true,” Mercy growled.
“I know no such thing Mrs. Boone.”
“You have wrongfully accused Adam and I fully intend to get to the bottom of this. There is no way Adam is guilty of this crime. He is the kindest, warmest, most genuine person I have ever met.”
The boarder looked at Mercy in mild surprise, her large eyes widening in a fearful manner. She glanced over the scars glazing Mercy’s face with a vague curiosity.
“Mercy Boone, perhaps you need to return to the farm with your outlaw husband and leave this matter to the authorities.” Delia’s eyes turned to slits as she glared at Mercy but Mercy stood her ground. “And just so we’re clear, I will do anything to protect my business. Anything at all,” Delia spat.
“I will get Adam out of jail no matter what it takes, even if it means investigating this matter on my own.” With that Mercy turned her back on Delia and strode toward the door again. She heard a rustling behind her and sensed the small presence of the boarder beside her in a moment.
Chapter 8
“I cannot stand by and watch an innocent man be thrown into prison,” Charity stated, eyeing Delia through her long lashes and showing the stout woman the first bit of gumption she had showcased since arriving in Whistle Stop.
Charity shook violently as she turned resolutely away from Delia to follow Mercy from the house. Charity was scared of everything; it was the same fear that had driven her to Delia’s in the first place. But she hadn’t always been afraid. Before her beloved husband and parents had been ripped from her, Charity had been warm and soft-spoken, always embracing life with open arms. The ruin of everything she held dear had completely shattered Charity’s spirit. That was, until she met Adam. Before him, she had little hope of ever embracing any part of life again. Everything had left her feeling intimidated. Then Adam had come along, with his kindness and his smile, and instilled a seed of hope in her heart.
Though Charity could not stand up to Delia outright, she knew she was being passively defiant by following Mercy. But Charity knew that everything Mercy had said about Adam was true. He was not capable of robbing her. He had no reason or intent to and Charity could only guess at Delia’s own motives for sending Adam to jail. Adam was such a kind-hearted man and it had reassured Charity’s heart to hear Adam praised so highly by Mercy, a woman who had known him for so long.
Charity struggled to keep up with Mercy during the short walk to the jailhouse. The precious life blossoming inside her made everything harder these days. She felt perspiration dot her forehead, but pressed on as the two women burst through the door of the jail, startling Sheriff McCabe.
Mercy could hardly stand the sight of Adam, sitting in the corner of his cell praying for deliverance.
“Sheriff McCabe, you must let Adam go, he’s innocent!” Mercy cried out.
“Charity!” Adam was on his feet and pressed against the bars in a moment. Mercy looked from Adam to Charity with a satisfied smile.
Charity could only imagine what she must look like to Adam, like a wilting flower, fading in the sun.
“What are you doing here?” Adam went on. “You know I didn’t do it, right? I would never steal from you.”
“I know.” Charity gave Adam a reassuring smile. “You couldn’t.”
Charity turned to Sheriff McCabe. “Sheriff, I know this man is innocent. I watched him the whole time he was in my room today, and he didn’t touch any of my things. I’m sure Mrs. Snow must have concocted this story, though I have no notion as to why.”
“I know why,” Adam said with resentment lacing his voice. “Sheriff, Delia wanted to keep me away from Charity. She’s been exploiting the women she boards by promising them suitable husbands and gaining handsomely from the arrangements she makes. She told me all of this herself. She must have taken Charity’s necklace from her room while Charity was out today.”
“Yes, I went for a walk,” Charity recalled with excitement.
“And I was outside washing the windows. I left my coat in the kitchen after lunch because it was such a lovely day.” Adam went on with his explanation, “It was the perfect time for Delia to get the necklace and put it in my coat.”
Sheriff McCabe listened to Adam’s account with interest.
“I’ve known for some time that something was amiss with Delia’s business over there, but to date I’ve never found anything of interest. A robbery and blackmail is something substantial.”
“So you’ll let Adam go?” Mercy asked hopefully.
“Well, I need to go interview Delia now, and hopefully get a confession from her. That would really help Adam’s case,” Sheriff McCabe replied. “I’ll do what I can.”
“When I accused her of unlawfully accusing Adam, she didn’t confirm it, but she also didn’t deny it. I don’t think you will have too much trouble getting the truth out of her,” Mercy said encouragingly. She looked at Adam with a friendly smile. Adam returned her smile appreciatively.
Just then a strange noise issued from nearby and everyone turned to see Charity, looking very pale and steadying herself on a chair.
“Are you alright?” Mercy asked. Charity’s wide blue
eyes fell upon Mercy as she shook her head. She was paralyzed by pain and Mercy sprang into action.
“Sheriff, I need linens and hot water. I don’t care how you get it, just get it straight away!”
“Let me out of here,” Adam demanded, yanking the steel bars. “I need to be at her side. Please!”
Sheriff McCabe threw Adam the keys to his cell as he hurried out in search of Mercy’s requests.
“Charity, hush dear, it’s going to be okay. Your baby is coming,” Mercy cooed.
Adam unlocked his cell and fell at Charity’s side in a moment. He took her small, delicate hand in his and she smiled at him for a moment until pain gripped her again. An instinctual, focused expression came over Charity. Mercy huddled at Charity’s ankles watching the progress, having propped her dress over her knees like a tent.
Very quickly, Sheriff McCabe was back with some clean rags and a pail of steaming water. “I got these at Hayes’s shop. He and Faith are coming to lend a hand and Cole is waiting just outside.”
“Did you tell him we have a situation in here?” Mercy asked. Mercy was a picture of calm, which set Charity, as well as Adam, at ease in the face of the impending birth.
“Yes, I told him. He didn’t seem keen to join us,” Sheriff McCabe replied ruefully. Mercy smiled beautifully, just as a woman does when she thinks of the man she loves. Adam caught the smile out of the corner of his eye and prayed in his heart that someone would smile like that over him.
“Okay, dear,” Mercy told Charity. “It’s almost time to push now.” Charity let out a faint whimper and shook her head. “Yes, you can do this. I know you can.”
Adam put an arm around Charity’s shoulders to better support her. He squeezed her shoulders hard and Charity reveled for a moment in the feeling of having a man’s strong arm around her again.
“Charity,” Adam said softly. She slowly turned her head to him and tried her hardest to focus on his sweet, warm face.
“Adam,” Charity said softly.
“Charity, you can do this,” Mercy urged. “Your baby is coming. This baby is your husband’s legacy, the continuation of the family you lost. I know you can do this.” Charity took a deep breath. Then everything went black.
Adam gasped and held Charity’s limp body in his arms. “Charity!” he screamed.
Chapter 9
“Mercy, Mercy what’s happened? She’s unconscious. Mercy?” Adam beseeched Mercy in a voice laced with fear. Mercy looked up from her crouched position and crawled forward slightly, putting her cheek against Charity’s mouth.
“She’s still breathing, Adam. She’s fine, probably just fainted from the pain and exertion. It happens to a lot of women.” Mercy went back to her post and instructed Sheriff McCabe to lay linens beneath Charity.
“Here Adam,” Mercy tossed a clean, cool damp rag to Adam who applied it to Charity’s forehead. “Try to wake her. I need her to push now. It’s time.” Mercy’s voice came across with authority and finality but Adam’s feeling of fear didn’t leave. He gently shook Charity and squeezed her shoulders again.
“Charity, come on Charity. Wake up,” Adam pleaded softly then sighed with relief as Charity’s eyes fluttered open. “Hey,” Adam chuckled softly in his delight at seeing the dark blue of her eyes again. Adam mopped her moist forehead with his rag.
“Come on, Charity dear, push now,” Mercy commanded in a firm but gentle voice.
Adam went cold for a moment as Charity’s entire body went rigid in the effort of pushing. Her eyes closed again, but she remained conscious. An inward focus came over her and Adam knew his words would fall on unhearing ears from this point on. He could only hold her tightly and support her as best as possible.
Mercy continued a steady stream of encouragement. “Good, good Charity. You’re doing great. Here comes your baby. Yes, yes, one more push.” Mercy was obviously filled with excitement by the process of bringing a new life into the world.
Adam and Mercy exchanged a warm smile. After several weeks without Mercy in his life, it felt good to have her around again.
Then suddenly, in one deft movement, Mercy took hold of the baby and turned it upside down. She patted him firmly on the back and the baby instantly began to cry. Mercy looked triumphantly at Adam.
“It’s a boy,” Mercy exclaimed.
Sheriff McCabe handed Mercy a warm, clean rag in which she wrapped the brand new baby. Adam turned back to Charity who was heaving in deep breaths, her eyelashes fluttering wildly. Adam wiped her face dry once again.
“Charity,” Mercy cooed softly. “Meet your son.” She placed the baby in Charity’s empty arms as tears immediately began to trace down the new mother’s warm cheeks. Adam planted a kiss on Charity’s temple. He couldn’t help himself, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to do at that moment. Charity seemed to pay him no heed; she was so absorbed in the spectacle of her new baby. After a moment she did look up at Adam with the brightest smile he had seen from her yet.
“What will you name him?” Mercy asked. She sat on one side of Charity with Adam on the other.
“Charles,” Charity said without a moment’s hesitation. “After his father.”
“It’s a fine name,” Mercy said, then moved to clean up the mess.
“I’ll be back,” Sheriff McCabe announced. “I’m going down to the boardinghouse to speak with Delia. Hopefully she hasn’t fled town by now.”
Adam looked from the baby to Charity and rejoiced filled his heart as a healthy pink glow returned to her face. A wash of relief flooded Adam.
Mercy continued to bustle around, cleaning the jailhouse. She threw hot water onto the floorboards and scrubbed at them with a brush. Finally, she entered the jailhouse with clean hands, having shed her stained apron.
Cole had decided it was decent enough to join Mercy and exchanged a congratulatory nod with Adam. For a while the four simply stared in awe at the new life, sharing smiles, tears and relieved laughter. Over and over again, Adam had to resist a strong urge to take Charity and her baby in his arms and hold them dear.
After a while the four friends decided it was time to move Charity to a more comfortable place. Mercy ran ahead to the Morgan’s house where Faith was happy to prepare the couch for the new mother. With the baby tight in his mother’s arms, Adam gently lifted Charity from the floor and carried her the few yards across the street to Hayes and Faith’s house where he laid her gently on the couch. Adam quickly situated a chair right next to her. He did not want to leave her side.
Soon, Sheriff McCabe reappeared looking quite satisfied. All eyes turned to him expecting a good report about Delia Snow.
Chapter 10
Sheriff McCabe surveyed the small crowd surrounding the couch before speaking.
“I caught Delia Snow just as she was packing a bag to leave town. I held her there and questioned her about today’s events. It took some pressure, but she finally admitted to taking the necklace while Charity was out, and planting it in Adam’s coat. After that, I had every right to arrest her and bring her into the station. She’s in the jailhouse now.” Sheriff McCabe’s smile fell upon Mercy and Charity. “Thank you for bringing the truth to my attention ladies. I have been trying to bring a stop to Delia prospering from arranged marriages for some time now.” He tipped his hat to them. “I’d better be getting on home to my own wife.”
“What’s to happen to Delia now?” Mercy asked curiously before Sheriff McCabe could turn to leave. “And the boardinghouse? Isn’t it still a necessary commodity for Whistle Stop?”
“I will most likely send Delia out of town as soon as I can find a place for her elsewhere. We don’t need her hanging around town any longer. And I’m sure we can find someone else to run an honest boardinghouse to meet the needs of our town,” Sheriff McCabe winked mysteriously at Adam before turning towards the door.
Faith and Mercy and their husbands began to discuss the day’s events among themselves giving Adam and Charity a little privacy. Charity looked up at Adam,
beaming.
“Would you like to hold him?” Charity asked Adam shyly, looking back down at baby Charles. Adam trembled at the suggestion. He did want to hold the baby. In fact, he wanted to take hold of the baby and his mother and never let them go.
“I would,” the tremble carried through Adam’s voice and he cleared his throat. Charity carefully shifted and passed the baby into Adam’s awaiting arms. Charity leaned back wearily against the pile of pillows that Faith had arranged for her, reaching out her hand to touch Charles as if she couldn’t go a moment without contact with him. Adam’s heart bloomed in an instant as he held the tiny, fragile infant. This was the family he longed for, the blessing he had prayed for. Little Charles was perfect. He had his mother’s long eyelashes and delicate lips and although words escaped him, Adam’s heart was full and a million thoughts raced through his mind.
“You’re a natural,” Charity told him with a faint giggle.
Adam wanted to tell her how beautiful she was, how he loved to hear her laugh and how much Charles looked like her. His heart was expanding by the moment. Charity’s smile slid across her cheeks and assured him of her trust in him, her recognition of his feelings. Perhaps the smile even hinted at her mutual feelings for him.
Suddenly, words flowed from Adam’s heart. He looked down at baby Charles for a moment, then met Charity’s gaze again. In the periphery of his eye, Adam sensed a hush come over the room, as if everyone sat waiting, hinged on Adam’s next words.
“Charity,” Adam forged on. “If you will have me, I will be the most dedicated and honorable father and husband you could ever ask for. You don’t have to marry a strange man anymore. I know I hardly deserve you, but if you’ll have me, I’ll prove my love to you every day of our lives together.” Tears now threatened to stream from Adam’s own eyes as Charity looked at him silently through this speech, her eyes wide, drinking him in.
“Yes, Adam, yes I will have you.” Charity’s answer was breathed out barely above a whisper but it was heard by everyone in the room. Adam put an arm around her shoulders again, the other arm safely cradling the baby.
