“But you are here in Gentle Falls. Did you run away?” Becca asked beginning to feel sorry for Cordelia’s plight.
“No, my step-mother wanted to be rid of me, and my father decided to send me to live with Aunt Alberta and Uncle Morton. Most of the men in town are too old, too young, or undesirable. I met Adam and set my sights on him because I knew if I married, my parents could never harm me. I would have my husband as my protector. I never meant to hurt you. I just can’t go back home. My step-mother wrote Aunt Alberta and said if I was a burden, my step-mother knew of a school for difficult young women of all ages. She would send me away. I fear I’d never return. My aunt assured me I had a home with them for as long as I wish, but I am still frightened of what my step-mother might do. If only I were married. I’d be safe,” Cordelia explained before giving into her tears again.
Becca remembered a young girl from her hometown that had a difficult time learning. Her parents sent her to a special school but when she returned she didn’t seem to have learned anything new. She was quiet, withdrawn, and afraid of most everything. Becca shuddered wondering what happened to her friend and if the same fate awaited Cordelia. She began to understand Cordelia’s fear and desperation.
Cordelia and Becca shared the food Vera packed thankful she sent more than needed and added several sugar cookies. They did their best to get comfortable while the thunder and lightning still rumbled and flashed but soon both slept exhausted from their day.
While they slept, they had no idea a search party waited for the rain to end. Their horses returned home as Becca expected and Winifred’s account of seeing Becca ride off with Cordelia gave Adam and a few of his father’s hands an idea where to search. Morton Willoughby, always the banker, offered a reward to the man who found his niece and Doc Winters needed to give Alberta a sedative.
Chapter Twenty-three
Becca heard the low rumble of thunder and turned over trying to find a spot that was more comfortable. Light filtered in the opening of the cave and Becca heard the rumble again…no she heard a growl. Sitting up and gripping the gun that lay next to her, Becca stared at the cave opening. Although the fire had burned down to embers, she could see the wolf silhouetted clearly in the cave opening. The wolf stared back at her and growled again. She didn’t take time to think, she fired. The wolf yelped and disappeared, but she knew it would be back and bring more.
Cordelia screamed as she woke. “What happened? Did you shoot me? I don’t feel any pain.”
“No, I didn’t shoot you. I shot at a wolf. It’ll be back and most likely not alone,” she explained as she scooted over to sit next to Cordelia. “Listen, I know you said you can’t shoot, but you should be able to aim the gun at the cave opening and pull the trigger. I trust you enough to give you your gun back, but remember I have a gun of my own. If you shoot at me, I will shoot you, and I won’t miss.” Becca’s compassion and trust had its limits when it came to Cordelia; however, she had no desire to become breakfast for a pack of hungry wolves.
Adam heard the gunshot, and he set off around the cherry grove hoping to discover the origin. He said a prayer that it was a signal from Becca and not her trying to protect herself.
A few minutes later, Becca and Cordelia heard the growl that woke Becca, but it was louder, and both women knew more than one wolf was craving their next meal.
“Get ready,” Becca said, “and shoot when I tell you. You may not hit one but I will, and your shot will help scare them off. Don’t waste your bullets, we may need them again.”
The growl reverberated in the cave as one wolf ran toward the women. “Now,” Becca yelled. She shot the wolf before it entered the cave completely and somehow Cordelia managed to hit it, too. The second wolf didn’t stop, and Becca shot it as it leaped at her.
Becca’s ears rang from the sound echoing in the small cave, and the smell of gunpowder filled her nose. Neither animal moved. Becca leaned back against the wall. “We killed them. If there are any more of them, I doubt they will try and climb over these bodies to get to us.”
Cordelia began to cry again mumbling about not wanting a wolf to eat her before she had a chance to live her life to its fullest.
Becca did her best to ignore her and let her cry. Perhaps, it would help calm Cordelia’s nerves.
Adam heard the gunshots, and he raced toward the sound. Finding the stream, he saw two dead wolves lying just inside a small cave opening.
“Becca, are you there?” He called his voice raspy from shouting her name for the last two hours.
“Yes, Cordelia and I are inside the cave. Can you move the wolves? They’re blocking the entrance and Cordelia is a bit hysterical,” Becca replied.
Becca watched as the two wolf carcasses were pulled from the cave. Her heart leaped when she saw Adam crawl inside. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. “I’m happy you found us. I thought we could walk back this morning once the rain stopped. I never expected we’d need to fend off animals. We were able to kill the wolves, but I want to go home. This is one experience I wish I never had.”
“What happened to you? Winifred said you left with Cordelia thinking there was an emergency of some sort with me.” He held Becca tight and glared at Cordelia.
Becca whispered, “I’ll tell you later.” Adam nodded.
Adam helped Becca and Cordelia out of the cave and Becca blinked at the bright sunlight. Her hair hung loose and tangled around her shoulders, and her dress was covered in dirt, but she never looked lovelier to Adam.
Sheriff Ben Clay, who followed the sound of the gunshots, rode up and dismounted.
“Good morning, Miss Rebecca. I’m happy to see you’re well. Now, can you tell me why you rode off with Miss Willoughby and why you didn’t return,” he asked staring at Cordelia as if he knew the story.
Becca thought quickly. She didn’t want Cordelia to be arrested for abduction or any other crime after hearing her sad story. She said a quick prayer asking for forgiveness for the lie she was about to tell and answered the sheriff.
“It’s a simple story of getting stuck in a storm and having our horses spooked by the thunder. Cordelia wanted to get to know me better, and we took a ride. She brought a lunch for us to share, luckily, or we wouldn’t have had anything to eat. She’s not a good horsewoman and fell off her horse. I tried to help her, and the thunder spooked our horses. Fortunately, we saw the cave and were able to get out of the rain. I was able to get a small fire going, and we slept in the cave. This morning the two wolves tried to attack us, but Cordelia and I shot them. That’s all there is.” Becca turned and smiled at Cordelia who stood dumbstruck with her eyes wide open. She was trying to comprehend why Becca told a lie although most of the story was true.
Becca walked over to Cordelia and hugged her whispering, “Don’t worry. No one is going to hurt you or send you away.”
Cordelia just nodded as tears slipped down her cheeks.
Becca turned to Ben and asked him to take Cordelia back to town. “She’s injured and has had a frightful night. Take care of her please.”
Ben agreed and helped Cordelia up onto one of the hand’s horses. “Adam, don’t forget to go into town and get your reward from Willoughby.”
Adam hugged Becca tightly and said, “I have all the reward I need right here. Tell Willoughby to give it to the hands. They were with me when we found the women.”
“All right,” Ben answered and rode off with Cordelia following.
Luke rode off back to Adam’s to get a horse for Cody to ride since he gave his horse to Cordelia. Adam pulled Becca up onto his horse and whispered, “You are not getting away from me again. You worried me. My ma and Winifred didn’t sleep last night, and neither did I. We all waited for daybreak to begin the search.”
“I’m sorry I worried you. We didn’t expect the storm to spook the horses or for the rain to fall in torrents. Everything is fine now,” Becca explained and wrapped her arms tighter around Adam’s waist as they headed back to Mi
randa’s and Roy’s.
~ * ~
Cordelia sat in her aunt and uncle’s parlor with her hands folded daintily in her lap. She appreciated the bath her aunt insisted she take after her night in the wild, but anxiety built in her heart as she waited for her uncle to arrive home. Her aunt’s parlor decorated in deep burgundy and dark woods was both austere and dim. Aunt Alberta sat stiffly in an armchair near the hearth while Cordelia tried to feel comfortable on the settee. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard her uncle’s boot heels clomp on the front porch. The door flew open, and Uncle Morton stormed into the room.
“What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?” Morton yelled at the top of his voice. Vera who had hurried to offer him coffee quickly turned and left the room.
Cordelia couldn’t think of anything to say except to beg her uncle not to send her home. She knew her step-mother would find a way to send her someplace from where she’d never return. The words caught in her throat and tears fell of their own accord down her cheeks.
Morton dropped into a chair matching the one his wife occupied and cleared his throat. “Since you do not have anything to say, I will tell you what occurred in town. Miss Broadmoor claims the two of you became lost while riding yesterday and both of your horses spooked and ran off. She explained that the food you offered her kept her from going hungry. Both of you shot at the wolves that surrounded you last night and ran them off. I had no idea you had a gun, but Ben clay showed me the gun, and I realized you stole it from my office. You are not only a abductor but a thief. Miss Broadmoor refuses to admit that you abducted her but I believe you did to try and get your claws into Adam Greiner.” His face resembled an overripe beet, and he drew in a deep breath to calm himself.
Cordelia’s head shot up ignoring the tears that dropped from her cheeks. “What? No, I am not a criminal.”
“Enough,” Morton yelled. “I wanted to see what you said before I sent a telegram to your father. You will be on the next train home.”
Cordelia began to tremble. Flashes of the beating her step-mother would inflict caused her breath to catch in her throat. She couldn’t just couldn’t go through that again. Trying to calm the tremors wracking her body, Cordelia gripped her hands tightly until they turned white. She couldn’t utter a sound much less ask her uncle to reconsider.
Alberta bolted to her feet. “Morton Willoughby, you will not under any circumstances contact that no good brother of yours or his shrewish wife. Cordelia will stay here with us. If you decide she must leave, then you can pack your bags and be the one to leave. The girl stays with me. You didn’t see her when she arrived, and I never told you.”
Cordelia did her best to shake her head back and forth hoping to quiet her aunt. She still couldn’t form words and embarrassment of what occurred in her past pained her heart.
Alberta continued, “The day she arrived, of course, I insisted she bathe and relax before eating. I walked into the bathing room before Cordelia was finished dressing and I saw the bruises. Her back, chest, arms, and legs had bruises in varying stages of healing. A few looked as if she received them just that morning and some were green and yellow with varying shades of purple here and there. That miserable sister-in-law of yours beat her. She’s beat her since her mother died and her ugliest threat was to ship Cordelia to an asylum. That woman didn’t want Cordelia courted and married where Cordelia might have the opportunity to expose the abuse. She wanted to be rid of her but your brother was more worried about his reputation than his daughter, and he sent her here instead. Thank the Lord he did. You will not send her back.” She crossed her arms across her chest and stared at her husband.
“Well,” Morton said looking directly at his niece. “Is what your aunt said correct?”
Cordelia nodded doing her best to stop the deluge of tears.
“One question, why did you set your sights on Adam?”
“He could save me,” Cordelia managed to whisper.
“Save you? Explain.”
Cordelia wiped her tears and took a deep breath to try and calm herself. “Adam was the only man I knew you and Aunt Alberta would consider me marrying. I needed a husband to protect me from my step-mother. If I was married, she could never try to put me into an asylum again.” Cordelia dissolved into sobs again.
Her aunt hurried to her side and stroked her hair. “No one is going to hurt you, my dear. I promise you that.”
Alberta turned her head toward her husband, “Do you understand now?”
Morton nodded and stood. “I am going to see Horace.”
“The judge,” Cordelia stammered. “Why? Are you sending me away?”
“Absolutely not, my dear. I believe that I can convince your father to allow me to become your legal guardian.”
Cordelia shook her head,” But I am of age, Uncle Morton.”
“That is true, but they are hundreds of miles away. If you were ill or injured, someone needs to make decisions for you. If your father and his wife are as cold as you claim, they will be happy to allow me to take on the responsibility. Once I do, no one will ever be able to send you anywhere. You will be free to live here with us, and once you feel you are ready to wed, I will make sure you find a man worthy of you.”
“As long as they live here in Gentle Falls,” Alberta insisted. “I will not lose this child to any man or distance.”
“That goes without saying, my dear. I will be home in time for supper, and most likely the judge will be joining us.” He said as he strode toward the door only stopping long enough to retrieve his hat.
“There, there,” Alberta said to Cordelia. “Everything will work out fine. Go wash your face, and we will have some tea.”
Cordelia stood and hugged her aunt. “Thank you. I love you, Aunt Alberta.”
Alberta hugged her back and returned the sentiment.
“Do you really, Aunt Alberta?” Cordelia asked stunned by her aunt’s affection.
“Of course, my dear. You are like my own daughter.”
Cordelia wiped some fresh tears from her cheeks and said, “No one has said that to me since my mother died.” She kissed Alberta’s cheek and hurried off to her room.
Alberta balled her fists at her side wishing her sister-in-law stood before her. She’d show that sorry excuse for a woman what a punch felt like. She called out, “Vera, it’s time for tea.”
Chapter Twenty-four
The next few days were a rush of excitement and laughter. Adam’s sister, Elise, arrived with her husband and two children. After less than an hour spent talking to Elise, Becca knew she’d have the sister she always wished for.
Sarah finished Becca and Winifred’s dresses, and although Winifred declined to wear a veil when she repeated her vows to Otis, Sarah decorated a blue hat to match Winifred’s dress with tiny pink and white flowers. Miranda said all the plans were in place and the wedding would be the talk of the county. Becca wasn’t sure she wanted to be the center of attention, but it was too late to back out. The morning of the wedding arrived quicker than Becca expected. While Miranda did everything she could to keep things moving smoothly at home, Minnie and Rachel were in charge of the church.
Grace finished helping Minnie with the wedding decorations and turned to her mother, “I’m going to go home and change my dress before the wedding. Do you need anything else, Ma?”
“No, dear. Rachel and I have things taken care of. Run along and change. Tell your Pa I’ll be along shortly.”
Grace assured her mother she would and hurried out the side door of the little church. She stopped when she heard Trey Ramfeld’s voice coming from behind the church. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound. She planned on marrying him even if he didn’t know it yet. Maybe the wedding today would give him ideas.
“I know I danced with Grace twice at the last barn dance,” Trey said sending Grace’s heart racing. “I just don’t see her as a possible bride. I see her as the little girl in braids that I used to catch frogs with down at the stream. I need a wo
man for a wife.”
Tears filled Grace’s eyes as she bit her lip to keep from letting out the cry she stifled. His voice floated around the corner of the church shattering her heart. “I plan to talk to Adam about that marriage broker he wrote to and find out how I go about ordering a bride.”
“Do you think it’s that easy?” asked a voice Grace didn’t recognize.
“Why not. Women place ads in the paper. That marriage lady just makes sure the woman, and I will suit. I think that makes it easy and maybe I’ll have a wife before winter.”
The two men laughed, and Grace picked up her skirt and ran across the street in the direction of the mercantile and home. Anger coursed through her directed at Trey Ramfeld and his sweet words while dancing with her. He didn’t see her as a woman. Why she’d be eighteen in two months, and that was old enough to marry. Maybe that marriage lady could find her a husband, but could she just take off to somewhere where she didn’t know a soul? Maybe she could write to Rose in Montana. Rose married a rancher and Lucy runs the boarding house. She’d be safe there.
“Yes,” Grace murmured before walking through the back door of the mercantile. “I’ll write to Rose and see if she knows a handsome young man who wants a wife.”
~ * ~
Miranda, Becca, and Winifred arrived an hour before the wedding. Sarah and Molly met them at the church ready to help with any last minute alterations. Both dresses fit perfectly, and Becca looked like a vision in her white gown.
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