His Redeeming Bride

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “Can you prove it?”

  “Well, she married him.”

  The lawyer shook his head and leaned forward. “Mr. Craftsman, Harry Martin claims that you requested the divorce.”

  “I granted the divorce so she could marry John.”

  Jack placed his arms on the desk and folded his hands. “Cassie married John because you were unfaithful to her. Adultery is one of the reasons a judge will grant a divorce, though most spouses end up leaving and living separate lives.”

  “I didn’t commit adultery.”

  “There are witnesses who saw you enter a prostitute’s quarters at the saloon during your marriage.”

  Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he said, “I was going to but decided not to. Nothing happened. Cassie was the one who had lovers.”

  “That isn’t known.”

  He slowly exhaled. “Because I hid it the best I could.” Suddenly feeling weary, he rubbed his eyes. “I didn’t want Emily to find out.”

  “So there’s no proof. That is why you have to be careful. Judge Richards and Judge Johnson pride themselves on their moral standing. I’ve checked on John and Cassie and both of them have clean backgrounds, except for the fact that she is divorced. However, as bad as divorce is viewed, it fails in comparison with a man who was known for visiting prostitutes. As hard as it is to tell you this, the fact remains that most people judge you based on what you’ve done, regardless of how you live your life now.”

  Neil left the office, wondering if the meeting with Jack was worth half the cost of Sarah’s necklace. He hated having to sell it to Ralph Lindon, but Sarah was right. Emily was more important. With the other half he’d received for the necklace, he made a down payment on the lawyer’s total fee. He had to secure the purchase from Dan Adair to secure Jack Silverman’s services. As long as Dan agreed to the deal, he was set.

  ***

  Neil pushed aside the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he entered the saloon that Wednesday. He hesitated. It was midday but a number of regulars gathered at the bar or around the tables, gambling and drinking. The atmosphere was quieter than it was at night. He spotted Dan Adair, sitting with a group of men, laughing and chugging beer at one of the round tables in the middle of the room.

  I don’t want to be here. He got ready to turn around and go back home but the knowledge that Emily would be gone if he didn’t proceed drove him forward. His feet felt like lead as he dragged them across the hard floor. As soon as he approached the table, Dan lifted his head.

  Dan grinned, and Neil couldn’t tell if it was a friendly smile or a smirk. “I didn’t think you were actually going to show.”

  Clearing his throat, Neil replied, “I gave my word. You said one drink and we’ll go to the bank to do the transaction.”

  “Right. I remember. Sit down.”

  Neil pulled up the chair and sat across from him.

  “Bartender, give our friend Craftsman here a beer,” Dan yelled out. Turning to him, he motioned to the other men at the table. “I’d like to introduce my partners, Grant Hallows and Tim Fields.”

  Though Neil didn’t feel like it, he shook the men’s hands, his unease increasing. One drink. It’s only one drink.

  “Word around town is that you got the best cattle in the area,” Dan commented as he accepted another drink from the bartender.

  Neil joined the other men in taking a mug of beer from the middle-aged man who looked bored. As the man left, Neil took a gulp, wanting to hurry this up so they could get to the bank.

  “What’s the rush, Neil? Sit back and enjoy yourself.”

  Realizing that he had to play by Dan’s rules, he set his drink on the table and leaned back, his heart hammering in his chest. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get rid of the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

  Dan nudged Grant in the arm. “Check her out. She’s a pretty one, don’t you think?”

  Despite his better judgment, Neil glanced in the direction Dan indicated and saw Eliza coming down the stairs from the prostitutes’ quarters. She wore one of her satin red dresses with a low neckline, and the slit in the lower half of her dress ran up to the top of her thigh. Heat rushed to his face, and along with it came an onslaught of shame and humiliation. He recalled the times he used her for his own pleasure, and the memories sickened him. Staring at the half-filled mug of beer, he willed the unbidden thoughts away. Think of Sarah. Their times of joining together were good and satisfying. His face cooled and his heart calmed.

  “Neil,” Dan called out, bringing Neil’s attention to him. “Was that woman any good?” He motioned to Eliza who talked to the bartender.

  Neil hesitated, not wishing to answer the question, let alone remember what it was like to have relations with her.

  “I heard you visited her more than the others,” Grant said, his eyes fixed on her. “With the way she moves, I can see why.”

  Shifting in the chair, Neil replied, “I’d rather not think about it.”

  “Why?”

  His heart skipped a beat. “Well, I’m married, and the only woman I want to think about being with is my wife.”

  Dan smirked. “That wasn’t the case when you were married to Cassie. Word is you went to visit Eliza one night after you spent some time gambling and drinking.”

  He forced himself to stay seated. All he wanted to do was run out of the saloon and never look back. This is for Emily. “I did drink and gamble, but I stopped before anything happened.”

  “Couldn’t get it up?” Grant scoffed.

  “I thought of my daughter, and I realized I couldn’t go around defiling someone else’s daughter.”

  The three men burst out laughing. Tim slapped the table with his hand.

  Eliza turned to them and smiled. Swinging her hips in a seductive manner, she approached them. “Hello there, fellas,” she greeted.

  Neil recognized the overpowering smell of her perfume and swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. He couldn’t look at her. Images of their times together flashed through his mind.

  “Neil was just telling us that he remembers you,” Dan told her.

  Neil’s jaw clenched. What was the man doing?

  Eliza leaned forward, giving them a full view of her breasts.

  Neil quickly averted his eyes, focusing on Dan who sneered at him.

  Eliza winked. “I remember him too,” she told Dan. “He was the best.”

  “That’s because you haven’t me yet, hon,” Grant said, openly staring at her bosom.

  “Eliza, I think it’s best if you get properly dressed,” Neil said.

  “Why?” Grant asked. “This is why she’s here. To give men pleasure, and it certainly is a pleasure to look at her.”

  The other two men chuckled and nodded.

  Dan took a drink of beer before placing his mug back on the table. “Maybe I should get a turn when Grant is done. Of course, that is if Neil doesn’t want a turn at her first.”

  “Aren’t you married?” Neil snapped.

  “Sure. But a wife is for bearing children. A woman like Eliza is for enjoying.”

  “What you mean is that a woman like Eliza is to be used.” Neil looked at her then. “What I did wasn’t right, Eliza, and I apologize for it. You have a good heart, and you don’t need to sell yourself like this when you could settle down with a good man who’d treat you right. Take it from me. It doesn’t satisfy beyond a few minutes. Then it leaves you feeling empty.”

  Her countenance fell and he noticed the uncertainty in her eyes.

  “You can’t know how wonderful lovemaking is unless you find the man who’ll treat you right. Don’t you want better for yourself?” Neil softly asked her.

  Her lower lip trembled.

  Dan slammed his fist on the table, causing the mugs to rattle. “Just as I thought, Craftsman. You’re still as narrow-minded and judgmental as you were a year ago. I’m sick of being around men like you.”

  Just as he stood up, the front
doors swung open, and Grant shoved Eliza into Neil’s arms.

  “Well, what do we have here?” a familiar voice asked.

  Neil jerked to his feet, letting go of Eliza as soon as she was standing upright. “Harry Martin?”

  “I don’t think Mr. Silverman will be able to defend you in court,” Harry said, looking pleased. “How unfortunate it is that witnesses can attest to the fact that you were drinking and ready to engage in other...immoral...pursuits. A little girl needs parents who will demonstrate how to live just lives.”

  Shooting a look from Harry to Dan and his partners, he realized they had set him up. “So, you had no intention of doing business with me,” he told Dan.

  Dan crossed his arms. “Nothing personal. McCarthy gave me a nice sum of cash for my assistance.”

  “I’m sorry, Neil,” Eliza said, tears filling her eyes. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  “Shut up!” Dan snapped. “You’ve done your part. Now go.”

  “You don’t have a right to talk to a woman like that,” Neil retorted.

  “She’s not a woman. She’s a whore,” Dan scoffed.

  “She’s a person who’s been beaten down so much that she’s forgotten she has worth.”

  “I don’t understand you at all, Craftsman.” Dan stood up and sauntered over to him, pushing past her and Grant.

  Neil straightened up, refusing to step back even when Dan was inches away from him. Maintaining eye contact, Neil waited for the man to continue.

  “A year ago, you acted like you were too good for me, but today you defend a whore. You want to know why I won’t buy your cattle? Because I don’t need a holier than thou hypocrite telling me how to live my life.”

  “I didn’t tell you how to do anything,” Neil calmly stated. “It seems to me that you are telling yourself that, and my actions have confirmed it.”

  One moment, Neil was on his feet, and the next, Dan punched him in the jaw. Neil stumbled back and fell onto the empty table behind him, aware that the wood ripped under the force of his weight. He landed on the floor, and before he could get up, Dan leapt on him to punch him again.

  “Stop him!” Eliza screamed.

  Neil took a swing and hit Dan in the nose. While Dan swore under his breath, Neil struggled to stand up. Grant and Tim pushed him down.

  “Now, there’s no need to get violent,” Harry Martin said. “You boys did a fine job and will be paid.”

  Dan wiped the blood from his nose. “You broke my nose, you son of a bitch!” Looking at Grant and Tim, he barked, “Stand him up.”

  They obeyed while Eliza ran to the bartender.

  “Listen here, Craftsman,” Dan hissed. “I’m going to see to it that you don’t get to keep that girl of yours if it’s the last thing I do.” Dan landed his fist into Neil’s gut, doubling him over.

  The bartender ran over to them with a rifle, Eliza at his heels. He cocked the gun and pointed it at them. “I don’t want any more trouble in the bar. Get out.”

  Neil waited in a period of time that seemed to span minutes but probably only took a matter of seconds before Dan told Grant and Tim to release him. His knees buckled under him, but he quickly caught his balance.

  Eliza wiped the tears that fell on her cheeks, her body trembling. The bartender motioned for Dan to back away from Neil.

  Dan obeyed but gave Neil a cold stare. “I’ll be in court on Monday, and Grant and Tim will back me up when I tell them you wanted to take the whore upstairs.”

  “And I’ll tell them he didn’t!” Eliza yelled, though her voice shook.

  Dan smirked. “Who’s going to believe the word of a whore?”

  Harry waved his hand at Dan. “Don’t worry about a thing. The case is closed up.” He looked at Neil. “Jack Silverman won’t defend you once the gossipers in town spread their rumors. If you’re willing to let Emily return to her mother, then we can forget all of this.”

  “I’ll defend myself,” Neil said, displaying a confidence he didn’t feel.

  “Given your past and the witnesses, I don’t see how you have a chance.” Harry sighed. “It’s almost a shame too. You obviously care about the girl as if she were your own.”

  “And it’s a shame that you put money before people,” he replied.

  Dan motioned to Neil. “You see what I mean? Holier than thou. I’ll be in court.” He stormed out of the saloon, Grant and Tim following close behind.

  The bartender lowered his gun and returned to the bar while the lawyer nodded to Neil and left. Neil bent down to retrieve his hat from the floor and placed it on his head.

  Eliza ran up to him. “Neil, I’m sorry. They threatened to tell my son the truth about his birth. I gave him up for adoption twelve years ago, and I don’t want him to know about me.”

  “You don’t have to explain anything to me,” Neil softly told her. “Why do you continue to stay here?”

  Taking a shaky breath, she shrugged. “I’m not good for anything else.”

  His heart ached for her. How many times had he believed the same lie? “Go see Pastor Peters. He gave me a new start, and he can give you one too. I’m sorry I was one of the men who used you.”

  “No man’s ever spoken kindly to me before, Neil. Thank you, and I’ll see the pastor you mentioned.” She wiped her wet cheeks. “I hope you get to keep that precious girl.”

  Neil nodded to her and exited the saloon.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Sarah sat across from Reverend Amos and Beatrice Donner as the preacher informed her of what occurred with Neil at the saloon. She glanced out the window where Emily and Luke played with Neil’s mother. Gwen was trying to teach them how to plant flowers, but Luke kept tossing rocks across the green lawn.

  “We regret to inform you of what your husband is doing,” Reverend Amos said, his expression solemn. “He was found drinking beer and getting ready to sleep with a prostitute at the saloon. Now, this isn’t something I enjoy telling you, but I feel it is my duty to make you aware of what is going on.”

  She shifted her gaze to Jim’s mother who crossed her arms and nodded, as if satisfied that this happened. “I hate to say ‘I told you so,’ but I never approved of your marriage to that horrible man.”

  Unsure of what to say or do, Sarah remained still, absentmindedly rubbing her stomach, aware of the baby bouncing around in her womb. From the open window, she heard Luke and Emily laughing.

  “We don’t blame you, Sarah,” the preacher added. “You were without a husband and living in the same house with Mr. Craftsman. I’m sure you wished to marry him in order to have a secure place and to alleviate any guilt regarding certain activities.”

  “Neil and I didn’t sleep in the same bed until after we married,” she replied, surprised at the intensity with which her words came out.

  Beatrice shook her head and pursed her lips.

  “I don’t care if you believe me or not. What you think doesn’t matter anymore,” she told the irritating woman who gasped.

  “Regardless of whether or not you’re telling the truth,” the preacher began, “we need to decide what to do from this moment forward. You have your son and this unborn child to think about. It’s not wise to have them raised in a home with a father who’s running around a saloon, drinking and sleeping with the soiled doves there. You know how darkness can creep up and slip into people’s lives. Children are the most susceptible. It is your duty as their mother to protect them from an immoral future.”

  Releasing her breath, she pondered how to respond.

  Beatrice clasped her hands together and leaned forward on the couch. “Sarah, my dear, I am not coming in the spirit of malevolence. I assure you my intentions are for the good of you and your children. Jim wouldn’t want this life for you, and we must think of his son.”

  “She’s right, Sarah. Fortunately, we have a place for you and your little one. You won’t have to worry about a place to stay. Of course, this will mean that you are to never marry again. We cannot condone a div
orce. We dare not add one evil upon another, but a permanent separation will do no one any harm and will protect your reputation.”

  “We must look forward,” Beatrice agreed.

  Emily called out a greeting to her father, turning Sarah’s attention back to the window. Emily ran up to Neil and he lifted her up in his arms and hugged her. Even from the distance she was at, she could tell he had gotten into a fight. A bruise was already forming on his jaw and his suit and hair were ruffled. Luke stumbled as he ran to him but quickly got up to continue walking to him. Neil bent down and hugged him too. Gwen struggled to her feet and limped over to them.

  The preacher continued, “Come along, Sarah. Beatrice is staying with Willow Mills. You and Jim used to visit her.”

  “We’ll make sure that Mr. Craftsman never taints you or your children again,” Beatrice added.

  They stood up, as if they had rehearsed this moment, and waited for Sarah to respond.

  Holding Luke in one arm and Emily in another, Neil watched his mother approach him, a worried look on her face.

  “What happened?” she asked, removing the gardening gloves from her hands.

  He shook his head. “I have to talk to Sarah. It looks bad.”

  “What do you mean, Pa?” Emily wondered, her arms around his neck.

  “I can’t get a lawyer, honey. I’m going to have to defend myself in court on Monday.”

  “Why? I thought Mr. Silverman agreed to represent you as soon as your business with Dan Adair went through,” his mother said.

  “There was no business.” He forced the words out, bitterness welling up in his chest. “I need to speak with Sarah before I give you the details, all right, Ma?”

  She nodded. “Of course.”

  The sound of a man’s voice stopped him from approaching the front door. It didn’t take him long to get here with them. For all he knew, Harry Martin had John and Cassie wait for him outside the saloon and followed Neil to the house. A feeling of dread threatened to engulf him when he noticed the deputy with them.