by Annie Boone
The tension eased immediately. While Lucas remained restrained, he locked his guns back into place. “Ah. Well, that’s all right as long as you’re looking for a wife. You can’t have mine,” he added with a smirk. “But I’m sure she’ll be of help. Would you like to speak with her?”
“If it’s all right by you,” Wyatt stated politely.
Lucas put out a hand. “Of course. I’m Lucas Jessup, by the way.”
“Wyatt Thomas.” He accepted the sheriff’s hand and the two men shook.
But Lucas man didn’t let go. “Wyatt Thomas? The bounty hunter?”
He hesitated and nodded. It was a life he owned up to. One that had been as good as it had been bad, but it was mostly rough and unkind memories. He wouldn’t complain since this was the path he’d chosen. “Former,” he added. “I’d like to be done with that life, if you don’t mind.”
The man gave him a long measuring look before stepping away. “I know what you mean. Come along. I’m sure Susannah will be more than happy to talk with you. And you didn’t have supper plans, did you?”
Wyatt raised his eyebrow as they walked out of the shadows together. “No, I hadn’t thought that far yet.”
“Then let’s go on and plan for you to come out to our place. Susannah will likely not have it any other way.” Lucas nodded and then headed toward the pretty blonde who would possibly help change Wyatt’s life.
Chapter Seven
Humming, Susannah Jessup bounded around the kitchen trying to clean up her mess. “At least Lucas won’t be home for a few hours,” she murmured, glancing at the large bowl of berries. “And at least the pie is good.”
She glanced at the plate on the windowsill. The sugar on top sparkled in the sunlight and her stomach grumbled. Frowning, she turned back to her utensils and put everything in the sink. Once the kitchen was tidier, the lack of clutter allowed her mind to focus and she turned to the pork roast. Supper was her priority.
She was stoking the fire in the stove when she heard something in the yard. A cart? Susannah frowned, unable to recall if Lucas had taken the wagon into town. Curious, she peered towards the window but saw nothing.
“He’ll come in eventually,” Susannah decided, and focused on the task at hand. It would take hours to cook the roast at a low heat, and could be easily ruined if she wasn’t careful. Once the meat was in, she went to the sink to wash her hands.
She looked out the window and saw Lucas on his way to the house. But he was moving slowly and had his arms wrapped around someone. Frowning, she squinted and tried to see who was with him.
When they got closer, she realized it was a young woman, struggling to walk on her own. Immediately Susannah jumped into action. Dropping everything, she hurried to them. “Lucas? What’s happening? Is she all right?”
For a moment she had wondered if it was an older woman. But the bonnet hid a face years younger than her own. The girl was injured and clearly in pain. Sucking in a breath, Susannah shook her head and went to the girl’s other side. “Let me help,” she said urgently, and her husband stepped back to open the door for them.
“Thank you,” the woman murmured.
Susannah considered settling her at the table since it was so close. Except it was a mess, and far from comfortable.
“Lucas, take her up to the room next to ours. Just pick her up. That’ll be easier and faster.”
He nodded and picked the girl up and took the stairs two at a time.
Susannah’s mind buzzed with so many questions. She knew she’d get the answers she wanted soon, but now it was time to take care of the girl.
Lucas placed her gingerly on top of the bed. Susannah pulled her boots, cloak, and bonnet off as the girl collapsed beneath the blankets. Her eyes closed even before Susannah tucked the blanket around her.
“Oh, thank you so much,” the girl sighed. “I’ve brought the money to pay you for my room. It’s in… Um, it’s in my bag.”
Lucas stepped forward. “Her bag’s still in the wagon. I’ll get it.” He left hastily.
Licking her lips, Susannah glanced back to where her husband had disappeared, and then to the girl. She was pretty, even beneath the deep scratches and her cut lip. It looked puffy, just like her black eye.
“What shall we call you?” She gave her a tentative smile, wondering if she’d give her real name. Not that Susannah would know the difference, but she was obviously running from someone. Leaning forward, she unpinned the girl’s dark hair and ran her fingers through it lightly.
“I’m sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself. Forgive my poor manners, please. My name is Selina. Selina Carlson.”
Offering the girl a smile, Susannah nodded. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Selina. Don’t worry about a thing. Just rest for a while, and I’ll bring you some porridge, shall I?”
She wanted to say more, but the girl was already fading. Only by letting her know she was safe would Miss Carlson rest easy.
Susannah watched Selina fall asleep. For a minute she stood there, hands uncurling the young lady’s hair, wondering anxiously what had happened. She had seen the broken way the girl walked, and the bandage on her wrist. The girl wore a blouse with a high neck and Susannah worried about other unseen injuries.
Tomorrow, she told herself, she’d see to the young girl. Susannah turned and found her husband standing there with an old carpet bag. For a moment she considered rummaging through it, but finally set it by the bed untouched before closing the door.
“Where did she come from?” She whispered, wrapping her arms around her middle. “Whatever happened to her? How did you come to find her?”
Lucas said nothing as he wrapped his own arm around her on their way back to the kitchen. “I was at the train station. You know how I like to watch people come and go. She was the last one off the train, wearing her bonnet and cloak as if it were winter.” He shook his head and tightened his grip. “She didn’t say much when I asked if I could help her. She just said she needed to find the Jessups. So, I borrowed a wagon so she could lie down and thought it best to come straight home.”
“It was best.” Susannah nodded her agreement with his choice. “You did the right thing. But the poor girl. Do you think someone hurt her or was she in an accident of some sort?”
His chin rested on her head. He waited a minute to respond. “Definitely appears to be scratches from someone’s fingernails. Her lip was probably split when someone hit her.” She shuddered, and he tightened his grip on her. It was a horrible idea. “But she’s safe now,” Lucas reminded her and leaned around to kiss her cheek. “We won’t let anything terrible happen again.”
Swallowing, Susannah nodded. “Do you think someone’s after her? What if they come looking for her?”
“Could be, but there’s no way to know until they show up. I can handle anyone who needs to beat up a woman, though.”
Susannah took in a deep breath. “I know. And I always feel so protected with you. I’m grateful for such comfort, Mr. Jessup. Oh, I mean Sheriff.”
Together, they stood together in a warm embrace for several minutes until they finally returned to their duties. Susannah began to clean up the kitchen, and Lucas needed to return the wagon to Dr. Fitzgerald. When he came home for the evening, they ate the pork roast but were so distracted it was difficult to enjoy.
Perhaps it was a good thing, Susannah decided, she never slept much. She couldn’t imagine resting while this girl was suffering. Twice during the night, she stepped out of her room and went to the young woman. On one trip, she took the uneaten bowl of porridge and brought more water. The second time she placed a cool cloth on her forehead.
The next morning, Lucas headed to town, and she was preparing oatmeal to take to Miss Carlson. As she was serving it up in the bowl, she turned to see her limping into the kitchen. Selina looked exhausted as she leaned against the table and tried to smile. Susannah hurried to her and held out a hand to steady her.
“Oh gracious. I didn’t hear you come do
wn the stairs. Sit, sit, please.” She pulled out a chair. “There you are. Now what are you doing out of bed?”
“It’s already morning.” Selina hesitated as she looked around the room taking everything in. “I’m sorry to be a bother. I didn’t know where to go. I mean just now after I woke up. Coming here to your boarding house was my plan all along. You are Mrs. Jessup, aren’t you?”
Sighing, Susannah sat beside her. “Yes. And you slept fairly well in a boarding house bed last night. You can stay here as long as necessary. But dear, I really don’t think you should be out of bed yet.”
The girl shook her head. “No, that’s all right. I feel much better, truly.” She tried to smile, but the cut on her lip started to tear.
Pulling out a handkerchief, Susannah sighed and dabbed at the blood. “Careful, dear. Are you hungry?” But the girl said nothing, only offering a helpless shrug. Susannah brought the oatmeal and placed it in front of Selina. “Here you are. Eat it all if you can. You need to regain your strength.”
Obediently the girl picked up her spoon, but glanced at her damaged hand and frowned. Susannah watched as Selina gingerly put the spoon in the other hand and awkwardly tried to scoop the food into her mouth. “Oh, this tastes like manna from Heaven.”
“Good, good. Now, Miss Carlson, let’s get things sorted out, shall we? We’ll talk expenses later and I can give you a tour when you feel up to it. Here at my boarding house, we all work together. I’m only assuming you don’t intend to go back to where you came from, so I’ll teach you the skills you’ll need to keep a home. Where are you from? Well, that is, if you’re ready to tell me.”
“Boston, ma’am.”
Selina didn’t volunteer any more information about her home, so Susannah decided to leave it there and learn more later. She nodded and hoped she was being supportive enough to help her talk. “What did you do with your time in Boston?”
The girl talked slowly. It sounded as if she did very little cooking, but could do nearly everything else fairly well. As Selina talked, Susannah noticed she avoided mentioning family or her life. One look at the black eye made her decide not to pry. The girl had been through an ordeal, there was no doubt about that. She would focus on healing and teaching her skills. Talk of marriage could wait until later.
Chapter Eight
At first glance, Susannah Jessup seemed like a confident woman who was kind and caring. When her hair was down, she looked like a princess and when she ran around in the garden, she looked like a mother hen. Selina marveled at the woman who had left that morning to take care of her business in town and then came home to a burned pie and smoke-filled kitchen. She rushed around to clear up the mess.
“She did it! It happened!” She opened the door as she balanced a bulky box of potatoes. The plan was to get them to sprout and plant those in their garden. Selina stared at the unstable box, willing it to steady in Susannah’s grasp. She did wonder what the loud enthusiasm was about and wasn’t sure why Susannah didn’t notice the smoke hanging above their heads.
“Who did what?” Selina was curious and couldn’t contain her question.
Susannah put the box down and twirled over, clasping her hands together. “Olivia! She’s had a baby girl, can you believe it? Oh, I hope the dear child has Simon’s eyes. I wonder if she has dimples. The midwife just came into town since Olivia is doing well. She had the babe late on Sunday last. I knew it was just about time when they didn’t make it to church. I’m so thrilled.”
Her enthusiasm was irresistible, and they forgot the burnt pie for several minutes. Susannah hummed and bobbed her head until Lucas arrived with another box he immediately put on the floor. He chuckled at the sight and shook his head. Though she’d with them for a week, it was the first time Selina saw Lucas smile spontaneously. His eyes never left his lovely bride.
Then he went to her and held out his hand. She took it with a giggle and he twirled her around the room. They made up their own song as Susannah continued to hum. Lucas was a little stiff but Susannah’s fluid movements made it hardly noticeable. Selina’s heart pattered, and she smiled. It hurt her lip, but she could see clearly now and she clapped along to their tune. After two turns around the large kitchen table, Susannah twirled one final time before dipping into a curtsey, and Lucas returned it with a bow.
Sighing joyfully, Susannah took a deep breath and glanced back at Selina, smiling because of her enthusiasm. “Well, next Sunday we’re hosting a supper for them—Olivia, Simon, and the baby of course. I stopped to talk to her before coming home, and she said she’s sure she’ll be fine to come for supper. There’ll be a few more friends, and it’s going to be lovely.” Susannah Jessup was in such a good mood she didn’t even care the pie was ruined.
It had been a happy moment, and eventually they got back to their duties. Life went on, and Selina took things slowly. The Jessups were nice even though she ignored the probing questions. It was hard to explain her past, Selina decided, and thought it best to put it all behind her and focus on the possibilities ahead of her.
Already Lucas had promised to teach her how to ride a horse and how to milk a cow. She worked well enough with the laundry and cleaning, but had little experience with animals and cooking.
Mrs. Jessup insisted Selina prepare the rabbit stew for the supper party. Her hands shook as she butchered the rabbit and put the pieces in the pot.
“Just be slow and steady with your cuts. No need to be in a rush.” Susannah’s voice was calm and trusting, yet Selina wasn’t sure why.
“You know I haven’t ever cooked anything successfully. I did mention that, didn’t I?”
“Yes, a time or two at least.”
“So, why do I need to do this? And for so many people. Can’t we start this part later? I have no doubt it will be a disaster.” Selina continued to cut the rabbit into pieces as she tried to convince her teacher to take over.
“You’re doing wonderfully. I couldn’t do it better, so there’s no need for you to stop. You do want to be able to cook for your family one day, yes?” Susannah tilted her head and raised an eyebrow waiting on the answer even though it was obvious.
“Of course. You’re right. I have to learn sometime.”
“Indeed. Might as well start now. So now chop the vegetables and put them in with the rabbit. After that, we’ll be ready to put it in the oven.”
At last it was Sunday, and Selina was enjoying the festive mood in spite of her recent flight from a family who didn’t care about her. Everyone was happy and smiling, enjoying the company of friends. She looked around curiously, trying to imagine being part of a close group. Sitting by the window, her gaze drifted away towards the setting sun.
“Miss Carlson, isn’t it?”
Glancing up, Selina found Olivia standing there, free once again of the baby. It looked like Eleanor had the child now if she remembered the names correctly. Hesitantly Selina nodded and watched as the woman joined her on the soft seat. Sharing a long sigh of relief, Mrs. James closed her eyes as Selina watched curiously.
“You have the best seat in the house. Truly. I don’t want to ever get up from here.” Olivia’s eyes glazed over as she looked out at the soothing view.
She sighed again and Selina turned her gaze away, embarrassed. Usually she’d been twisting her hands by now, but she’d needed to stop the nervous habit with her still injured wrist. Healing was taking longer than she’d expected and she was growing tired of being sore and physically impaired.
Today they’d been so busy preparing for the party she hadn’t taken a nap. This change in routine since she’d been attacked had made her ill and exhausted. And the more tired she grew, the more the pain made its emphasis on her body. She glanced at her wrapped up wrist and wondered yet again when it would heal.
“You came from Boston, didn’t you?” Selina watched Olivia uncertainly while her eyes were still closed. Was she imagining things? But then she opened her eyes and repeated the question, and Selina took a deep breath.
/> “Yes,” she whispered, watching Jeb and Lucas laugh at something. It must have been something to do with their jobs because both Susannah and Rowena frowned and the men hastily changed the subject. “Boston. The outskirts, really.”
Olivia James shifted her pillow carefully. “I’m from Vermont. Simon is from around Boston as well. He doesn’t dwell on it much these days, but I often wonder if he ever misses it. Do you?”
“No,” Selina shook her head. “Not at all.” Swallowing and trying to breathe evenly, she blinked and recovered. “That is, not really. But I haven’t been gone too long.”
The baby woke up and started to fuss. Eleanor tried bouncing her gently, but Olivia was ready for her. Her exhaustion left behind, the new mother stood up but paused, glancing at Selina. “I didn’t know what to expect when I came here either. But I promise, it only gets better from here. You couldn’t be any safer or better prepared for a new life than here with the Jessups.” She winked and went to check on her fussy, groggy baby. Her husband got there at about the same time she did and hovered over them protectively.
Her husband had a gentle touch, Selina noticed. It was one of the most touching moments she had seen in her life. A lump formed in her throat and she wrapped her arms around herself, watching the new little family as they strolled away to have a moment of privacy. It was touching to see such love between them for their child, and it took all her strength not to burst into tears.
Their little family was so different from what she had known. She hardly remembered her parents, and her grandmother had been good to her but quiet and distant. With her aunt and uncle, it had gotten so much worse. Her bandages and pains were part of her old life and she wanted nothing more than to forget about those days.
Who was she to be surrounded by good and happy people? Selina wanted happiness and comfort, but she’d never had it. Because of her inexperience and awe at these precious moments, this made her wonder if she was pretending to be part of them when she never could be. This should be an opportunity to start over, but how was Selina to change if her past still held her in its jaws?
