by Barbara Goss
“If I tell you, you won’t believe it,” he said.
“Try me.”
“I wasn’t always the person I am today, though I was never a bad person. When I became close to God, really close, I felt different. I felt like I loved everyone, and wanted to be as much like Jesus as I could be. I strived to make my life pleasing in God’s eyes.”
“Well, it sure worked for you. Too bad it doesn’t do that to everyone.” Sarah hopped up into the buggy with his help.
Brock gave Sarah her own horse, and bought her a riding skirt. He thought that would keep her occupied while he was at the bank. She could visit Edna and Elaina, or just shop. He showed her where he kept his cash, and told her to help herself.
He thought they’d be happy together, but he never imagined how happy they actually were. She respected his praying before meals, she allowed him his quiet time to read his Bible and pray—things were going so smoothly. He thanked God for sending him such a prize.
There were only two areas he was uncomfortable with. She didn’t like his house. He knew she wanted them to live in Pete’s farmhouse. She’d told him she didn’t feel at home in his mansion, and she wanted a home where they could put their own personal touches into the decorating and remodeling. He also wanted her to share his faith. He prayed for her salvation harder than he’d ever prayed for anything in his life.
He knew if he preached to her, it would turn her off completely. She was a lovely, sweet person, but she had a stubborn streak, too. He’d have to show her by example, and keep praying that a sermon or the pattern of his life would change her mind.
Brock had resigned as an elder the day before they married. Reverend James Flannery was disappointed, but it was something he had to do, and he could always become an elder in the future. He’d simply told Flannery that he needed to give all his time and attention to his new wife.
Jeb Lowery sat at a table in a saloon, with his new gang: Al, JC, and Bart.
“We’re going to rob the bank here in Hays this week, and then head back to Hunter’s Grove where I have unfinished business,” he told them.
“We was jest there!” JC said. “We didn’t get nothin’ on account of that constable.”
“I have a surprise for that constable. I’m not planning on robbing the bank in Hunter’s Grove. The loot we get from Hays will last us a while. I want the constable’s wife. I promised my cousin and his sons, I’d make her suffer for putting them all in jail,” Jeb explained.
“What’s in it fer us?” Al asked.
“She’s comely and you can torture her anyway you want,” Jeb said.
“What about you, Jeb? You gonna take a turn?” Al asked.
“No, I’m too old, and I promised my woman I’d be true. You guys can have all the fun.”
Chapter 9
Brock returned from work and found Sarah lounging on a chaise in their room. She looked so unhappy.
“Hey, it’s a gorgeous fall day. Why aren’t you outside enjoying it?” he asked.
Shrugging, she stood and wrapped her arms around him. “Welcome home. I missed you,” she said. She rested her head on his chest.
Brock hugged her and then stepped back to look at her. “I missed you too.” He studied her for a moment. “You don’t seem happy, Sarah. What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing,” she said.
“You aren’t happy in this house, are you?”
She simply stared at him and cast her eyes downward. “This house is…is perfect.”
Brock lifted her chin with his finger. “Tell me the truth. Every afternoon when I come home you’re sad and listless. Are you unwell?”
“No, I’m well.”
Brock grew impatient. “What’s wrong, then? What can I do to make you happy?”
“You make me happy the minute you hold me in your arms. Then, I’m ecstatic,” she said.
“I could quit my job, and stay home and hug you all day,” he said with a grin. “Tell me the truth, Sarah. I want our marriage to be based on truth, no lies, and no secrets.”
Sarah went to the window and looked out, as if in thought. She turned, and said. “I don’t like living in this perfect house. I’m bored to tears. I don’t like servants, either.” She walked over to him. “I hesitate to tell you because you’ve done everything you could to make me happy. How can I make you give this all up? You were reared in this type of life so it’s natural for you.” She took both his hands in hers. “I’ll get used to the house after a while, I’m sure. You’ve already given up enough for me.”
Brock pulled her close, and then gazing upward, and silently prayed for help and patience. “Where would you like to live, if not here?” he asked, although he knew the answer.
“The old farmhouse,” she answered excitedly. “I could spend all my time being a wife to my husband. I could decorate and make it our own nest. No servants. I’ll do everything,” she said, with bright anxious eyes. “I’m an excellent cook, and I feel so useless here.”
Brock sighed. Living without servants to him was like cutting off his right arm. He’d always had them, and they were like family to him. Yet, he loved Sarah, and he had promised that he’d make up for the sorrow of her past. Her big blue eyes were also hard to refuse; but there were things to consider.
“If we do that, Sarah, all these servants will be out of work.”
“I’m sorry. I hadn’t thought of that,” she said.
Brock sat down on the bed and patted the spot beside him. When she was seated he said, “I’m willing to compromise.”
Sarah smiled. “We seem to be doing a lot of that, but okay, let’s hear it.”
“You can decorate the old farmhouse and we’ll use it as a weekend getaway,” he said. “That way all the servants will keep their jobs, and you’ll have something to keep you busy all day. Maybe in the summers we can spend a whole week there. It could be our private hideaway.”
Sarah seemed to be thinking, and Brock was relieved to see her smile up at him. “I agree to the compromise.”
“There’s something you should know, though,” he said. “My father and I bought the property for the Hunter’s Grove council to build a school. The house was supposed to be demolished in the spring to make room for a playground.”
“Oh, no. That house is a treasure, you can’t let that happen,” she said.
Brock knew the lot that the house sat on was the perfect spot for the playground, but he was willing to look at the plans again and bring it up for a change with the council.
“I’ll do what I can to relocate the playground—as part of our compromise, mind you.”
Sarah smiled, and threw her arms around him, making him fall backward onto the bed and she with him. She began to unbutton his shirt.
“Sarah! We can’t—it’s not dark,” Brock said with a grin. Sarah kissed the grin away.
From that day forward, Sarah rode out to the old farmhouse where she measured and cleaned. Brock had given her permission to buy whatever she needed in town, and put it on his account. There wasn’t a business in town that didn’t give him credit.
Sarah had used violet wallpaper with small pink flowers for the bedroom. She bought material and made gray drapes. Then, she spread about several pink throw rugs. Standing back she admired her work, and smiled. She couldn’t wait to show Brock.
Usually, she got to the house about eight in the morning and worked until Brock came for her after work. Then they rode home together.
Adjusting the new gray and pink quilt, she fluffed up the pillows. She imagined what the room would look like with the oak bedroom set from the mansion. Then she let that thought drop. After all, Brock was giving up enough for her as it was.
Opening the closet, she frowned at the limited space. Sarah had to admit the closet at the mansion was ideal. Then, she saw just a glimmer of a metal ring on the ceiling. She had always been a curious person, so she stood on a paint can, pulled on the ring and was surprised to see a set of stairs swing down. Cautiously, sh
e walked up the steps and gazed upon an empty attic. It would be perfect for storage, she thought. Closing it back up, she left the paint can inside the closet. She wanted Brock to see the room without seeing the mess. Grabbing the excess wallpaper, she tossed that in the closet too.
Brock walked in just as she finished hanging the drapes.
“Wow!” he exclaimed. “I love this room.”
“Do you really? You aren’t just saying that?”
“No, I love it. Purple has always been a favorite of mine. It’s relaxing and we’ll be sleeping—most of the time.
“I’m not crazy about pink, but since it’s the accent color, I can live with it.” He picked her up and swung her around. It made him happy to see her smiling and excited. “You really are enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“I am!” she said. “I love doing this.”
“What room is next?”
“The sitting room,” she said. “I want you to pick the colors this time.”
“I think it should be mutual. I like blue. Do you?”
“I love it. How about light blue painted walls?”
“Sounds heavenly. What about those scratched end tables and coffee table?”
“I’ll paint them white.”
“You do your thing. As soon as you’re ready, let me know and we’ll spend our first weekend here. I’m actually looking forward to a romantic weekend with no servants.”
“You are?”
He pulled her close. “I love seeing you happy, so whatever you want to do, I’m in agreement.” He kissed her soundly.
Pete was sitting at his desk in the constable’s office when Cole walked in.
“I have news you aren’t going to like,” he said.
“Figures. What now?”
“Barney McKinley says he saw the men who tried to rob the bank a few weeks ago,” Cole said as he sat down by Pete’s desk. “They rode in about a half hour ago. They stopped to rest their horses and went into Rusty’s. They came out after a few minutes and rode off toward the country.”
“How can Barney be sure it was them? Did he see them that day?” Pete asked.
“He was in the bank at the time so he had a good look at them.”
“Jeb Lowery. I wonder where they’re headed? It’s me they want.” Pete said, rubbing his temples.
“They headed south, he said.”
“Jumpin’ catfish, could they think I still live in the farmhouse?” Pete asked.
Sarah began painting the sitting room at the farmhouse, when she heard horses galloping up the path. She was alarmed because—who would come here? Looking out the front window she saw four disheveled men reining in their horses.
She quickly locked both doors, ran upstairs, pulled down the attic stairs in the closet, and hid.
Soon she heard someone pounding on the front door. There was a small vent window near her and she peeked out, but all she could see were their horses tied to the post beside her own horse.
They continued to beat on the door.
Then one man yelled, “We know you’re in there. Your horse is tied in front. Now open up or we knock down the door.”
Sarah shivered in fear. Who were they, and why did they want to harm her?
She heard the door give out, and then the trampling of booted feet on the hardwood floors.
Now afraid to breathe, she held her breath as she heard someone’s heavy steps in the bedroom. She heard the closet door open, and she trembled with fear when a thought suddenly struck her. In her haste to hide, she’d forgotten to pull up the attic steps!
Chapter 10
Brock exited the bank thinking how he couldn’t wait to pick up his wife. He finally had something to look forward to after work: a lovely dinner with the love of his life, and a quiet night of romance, later. He loved being married.
As he was preparing to mount his horse, he looked over and saw Pete, Cole, Garrett, and two deputies all mounted and heading his way. Something was up for them to form a posse.
“What’s going on?” Brock called to them as they rode by.
Pete and the others continued down the road, but Cole stopped to tell him what was happening.
“It’s those bank robbers. They’re in town again,” Cole shouted. “Pete thinks they’re after him and headed for his old house. We’re going to try and capture them.” Cole turned to catch up with the posse, but Brock grabbed his horse by the bit.
Brock’s heart twitched in his chest. “Wait! My wife is at the farmhouse! I’m going, too!”
They both galloped to catch up with the posse.
Sarah quickly looked for a place in the attic to hide and found nothing but a brick chimney. Scampering to it, she crouched down behind it the best she could. Now she felt so scared, she could almost hear her heart pounding. She was worried about two things, her own safety, and the fact that Brock was due here soon, and he’d be hurt as well. And all because she wanted to do her own decorating.
Hearing footsteps coming up to the attic, she trembled with fear…and her ears began to pound.
“I think she’s up here!” a man’s gruff voice yelled.
Sarah stopped breathing and her throat felt too numb to swallow.
The man walked to the middle of the attic and looked all around. She knew he’d see her and she felt faint.
“I got her!” he yelled.
He grabbed her and pulled her roughly down the stairs. Two other rough-looking men ran into the bedroom. “Remember, I’m first,” Al said. “I didn’t expect her to be so comely. This’ll be a pleasure.”
“Wait a minute, who said you’d be the first to have her?” JC said.
“You guys can wait your turn ‘cause it was me who found her. I get her first,” the voice holding her said.
When he began to rub his hands on her chest, she thought she was back in Cuyahoga Falls with her mother’s boyfriend—she couldn’t endure it again—then she felt dizzy, swayed, and then everything went black.
Jeb walked into the room. “What have you done to her? Bart, let go of that woman!”
He did and she fell limply to the floor.
“Nothin’ yet, boss. She fainted on us.”
“Can I start on her now?” Al asked, unbuttoning his britches.
“No!” Jeb yelled. “My orders were to make her suffer. You can’t touch her until she’s fully aware of everything you do to her.”
“No one said you’d be first, Al,” Bart said. “I’m the one who found her.”
“Stop fighting, and we’ll try to get her aware, first. Then you can all take turns and make sure you’re good and rough, too.”
“Hey, boss,” Al said, peering out the window. “I see horses thundering down the lane.”
The constable and his posse halted in front of the house and they all slid from their horses in unison.
“Brock, I want you to untie their horses and slap them to make them run. Then hide our horses in the stable.”
“No! My wife’s in there—that black horse is hers. I’m going to her.”
“You’re not going in there! You’d be too emotional to do a darned bit of good. You have your orders. Now let us get to rescuing your wife,” Pete commanded, then asked him, “You got a gun in your boot?”
Brock nodded.
“Use it if they come racing out.”
Brock reluctantly did as he was told, but he prayed the whole time.
After he freed the bandit’s horses and hid all their own horses in the stable, he fidgeted. What was taking them so long? Was Sarah all right? His heart felt like it had stopped beating and a hot flush of anxiety spread over him—what if they killed her, or worse?
He couldn’t stand out there another moment, he took out his gun, ducked down and ran to the front window. He peeked inside. What he saw made his fear turn to anger. He thought to charge in, but that could be a mistake. He needed to think, and fast.
One of the men held Sarah with his pistol to her temple. The posse did nothing but stand there and try to
talk him into putting her down. Meanwhile, the gang of bank robbers slowly backed up toward the kitchen door, one of them with Sarah. They had no clue their horses were gone. It was clear to Brock, they planned on taking his wife with them as a hostage. He knew what he had to do.
Running as fast as he could to the back door before they came out, he stood beside the outhouse with his gun drawn and waited. It was just a few moments later that the man holding Sarah backed out the door. Now was his chance.
Brock ran forward and stuck his gun in the man’s back. “Give me the woman or I’ll fire.”
The disruption allowed the posse to grab the other men and disarm them. Still the man didn’t let Sarah go.
Brock cocked the gun, and the man heard the click, but rather than hand Sarah over to him, he threw her at the posse to distract them so he and his men could get away.
No sooner had the man thrown Sarah, then the four of them ran out the back door and around to the front of the house. The posse scurried after them, and Sarah was left sprawled on the threshold of the kitchen door unconscious. Brock stooped down and gently picked her up. He held her in his arms and rocked her.
“What have they done to you?” he cried. She had a deep cut on her head where it had slammed the step into the kitchen. Without hesitation he ripped off his shirt and wrapped it around her head to stop the bleeding.
Brock carried Sarah to the front of the house. The posse had all four men tied together.
Pete turned and asked Brock, “Is my old hay wagon still in the barn?”
“Yes.” He answered. “But I need to get Sarah to a doctor, quickly.”
Pete opened the barn door, and he and the men pulled the wagon from the barn. “Cole get the horses from the stable.”
To Brock, Pete said, “We’re taking these scums to jail by using the back of the hay wagon, but it might be faster for you if you rode your horse to town with her. Can you manage?”
“If someone will hold her until I get on my horse, yes,” Brock answered, trying to keep the panic from his voice, but knowing from the looks of the posse, he hadn’t been successful.
