Escaped (Intrigue Under Western Skies Book 4)

by Elaine Manders

  The O’Grady sisters considered the Abbeville jail to be theirs since they provided meals for the prisoners—and tried to convert them, if the stories could be believed. Juliette shook her head. “Let me show you your room, and you can help me prepare lunch, unless you want to rest a bit.” She’d put Miss Lydee in the boys’ room. They’d moved their bedding out on the porch.

  Miss Lydee was over sixty, but one would hardly guess it. Not much gray showed in her brown hair, and the spring in her step belied her age.

  “No rest for me, dearie. I want to know all about this stranger you’re nursing back to health.”

  Juliette stopped in her tracks and nodded to the closed door of Jake’s room. “He’s in there. His name is Jake Gresham, and he was scouting the land for his boss who owns a big ranch in Nebraska. He stepped into the bear trap Thad and Corky set down at the boil.”

  “Can I meet him?” Miss Lydee was never shy.

  “He’s asleep now.”

  “I’ll just peep in.” Miss Lydee said, opening the door a crack. After she got an eyeful, she backed out and closed the door softly. When she faced Juliette, she put a hand to her mouth. “Oh, my, that’s a handsome young man—quite a catch.” She giggled. “Though I’ve never heard of catching one in a bear trap.”

  Juliette scowled. Normally she loved Miss Lydee’s prattle, but not about Jake. “This is a serious situation. That young man is hurt badly, and might still lose his leg.”

  Miss Lydee’s fingers covered her open mouth as a look of contrition softened her eyes. “Oh, I’m so sorry, dear. Of course it’s serious, but we’ll pray Mr. Gresham recovers completely. And I can understand why Dr. Kane wanted me to come. I’ll not only help out with the cooking, but serve as a chaperon.”

  Heat having nothing to do with the weather crept up Juliette’s neck. “A chaperon? Jake can barely lift his head, much less get out of bed and chase me around the house.”

  “That’s true, but he is a young man and you’re an unmarried lady. Is he married?”

  “No, but that hardly matters.”

  Miss Lydee inclined her head, a knowing glint in her eyes. “It matters. You know how people talk.”

  Juliette smiled. Enough of this foolishness. “Let’s get you settled.” She opened the bedroom door at the end of the hall. “This is the boys’ room, but they’ve moved out on the side porch.” She set the carpet bag on the bed.

  “I hope that was agreeable with them,” Miss Lydee said. “I could make a pallet in the parlor.”

  “No, actually, they like sleeping on the porch in the summer. They rigged up a mosquito tent over a hammock and the spare cot.”

  “Yes, I recall the whole family sleeping on the porch during the summer when I was a child,” Miss Lydee said. “But after the war, it wasn’t deemed safe, more’s the pity.”

  Juliette led the way back to the kitchen. “The doctor recommended beef broth for Jake. We don’t have any beef, but I found some jerky in his saddlebag and I’ve been trying to concoct a soup from it. I thought if I cut it into strips and add potatoes to thicken it and bacon dripping and onion for flavor, maybe it would be tolerable. What do you think?”

  “I don’t see why not. Mr. Blythe probably has some salted beef. They keep some cows, don’t they?”

  Juliette wiped her eyes with her sleeve while chopping the onion. “That’s an idea. I’ll get Corky to ask Mr. Blythe tomorrow.” She dumped the onion into the boiling pot. “Actually, Dr. Kane said calves liver would be best to help build up Jake’s blood. But he gave me an iron tonic to give him, too.”

  “What are you fixing for dinner for the rest of you? I could get that started.”

  “Thad is picking over the butterbeans and peas. We’re going to have that with ham hocks and a hoecake of cornbread.” She gave Miss Lydee an apron.

  “Juliette.” Jake’s now familiar call floated through the air.

  “Go ahead.” Miss Lydee took the spoon from Juliette’s hand. “I’ll take care of this.”

  Relief made her smile when she found Jake propped up against the pillows, his face relaxed instead of shadowed with pain. “Are you feeling better?”

  “A lot and hungry as a—” He grinned. “I started to say a bear, but that’s a touchy subject.”

  “Miss Lydee is fixing a hearty broth and cornbread.” She moved to his side. “How about some water in the meantime. You can have some laudanum if you need it.” She poured the water from the pitcher setting on the bedside table and held the glass out to him, pleased that when he took it, his hand didn’t shake.

  He drank half the glassful and shook his head. “No, it makes me sleep. I would like to get that letter out to my boss today if you have time.”

  “Oh, of course.” She took the glass. “I’ll fetch the pen and paper.”

  She stopped by the kitchen to ask Miss Lydee if she could spare her for a little while so she could write a letter for Jake. As expected, the saucy lady not only approved, but shooed Juliette on with a flick of her hands and a knowing wink.

  A grin tugged Juliette’s mouth. Miss Lydee just wouldn’t do, but deep inside she enjoyed her helpful neighbor’s teasing. When she returned to Jake’s room, she stopped in the doorway to assure herself he hadn’t fallen asleep. His eyes were closed, and she paused a long moment to admire his handsome face.

  The dappled light coming through the window cast a dancing sheen across his hair. She didn’t think he slept, though his features appeared peaceful, including his slightly parted lips. Heat rose in her cheeks as she wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

  She shouldn’t be entertaining any ideas of attraction to this man. He was a stranger. Passing by. As soon as he recovered, he’d be on his way. Out of her life.

  But she’d have her memories, a face to put to future fantasies. And that was probably all she’d ever have of a man in her life.

  She cleared her throat as she stepped inside. He opened his eyes and favored her with a crooked smile.

  “Are you sure you feel up to this?” she asked.

  His smile widened to a toothy grin. “I feel as fine as any wandering cowboy who’s almost had his leg snapped off.”

  She settled in the chair with the ink pot on the table and paper and pen in hand. He added, “I could write for myself, but I couldn’t think of any other excuse to get you to keep me company.”

  “You don’t need an excuse. I’m dedicated to getting you well. Miss Lydee has arrived to help with the cooking and chores.”

  “Is she a friend of the family?”

  “Oh, yes.” She filled the pen as she spoke. “We see Miss Lydee and her sister, Miss Maybelle O’Grady every time we go to Abbeville. They have a little café called Country Cooking. They started out by furnishing meals to the prisoners, but it was so good folks began breaking the law so they could get jailed for a good meal.”

  He chuckled, and she loved the sound of it. “I ate breakfast there yesterday. Best ham and eggs I ever ate.”

  “I agree.” She positioned the nib of the pen and glanced at him from under her lashes. “I’m ready.”

  “Dear Rhyan and Carianne, I hope this finds you better than I feel.”

  “Are you in pain? You could have another dose of laudanum.”

  “It’s not bad. I just want them to feel sorry for me.”

  She finished writing the sentence he’d dictated. “You’re on a first name basis with your boss and his wife?”

  “Yeah, always have been. By the way, you spell her name altogether, not two words.”

  “I know. I saw that when I was snooping through the letters in your saddlebag.” Realizing she’d spoken to him like she would to the children, she sent him an alarmed look. “You were unconscious at the time and—”

  “And you didn’t know if I’d live?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “That’s all right. I don’t have anything to hide.”

  She drew in a deep breath. How nice to not have anything to hide. She’d had to hi
de things ever since Grace first met Harp. Hide her instant dislike of the man because Grace was so taken with him. Hide her hatred when Grace married him. Hide his behavior to protect the family from embarrassment.

  Jake was speaking again. “Would you repeat that?”

  “Sure. I stepped in a bear trap and broke my leg, but don’t feel too sorry for me. I have the most beautiful lady nursing me back to health.”

  Her cheeks warmed. She let out a puff of air with enough force to cool her face and lift the tendrils on her forehead. She shouldn’t take his compliments to heart. He was used to flirting.

  “I thought you wanted them to feel sorry for you.”

  “Sure I do, that’s why I’m telling them not to. Don’t you know how to be devious, Juliette?”

  He didn’t suspect how well she knew. “I have the part about me nursing you back to health. What next?” Her tone sounded hard even to her ears, and she hastily added, “I’ll do my best to meet your expectations.”

  In slow, careful words, he described the land. “It’s lush down here, with trees and vegetation and lots of streams branching off from a river deep enough to navigate. They call them creeks, not streams. In North Georgia, they call them criks, but in the southern part of the State, their pronunciation is slow and easy to understand. The southern lady’s voice is as sweet and gently flowing as molasses in winter.”

  Juliette couldn’t help rolling her eyes. She lifted the pen and shot him a stare. “What possible reason would your boss care how southern ladies talk?” She exaggerated her drawl as much as she could.

  Jake chuckled under his breath. “Well, anyway, getting back to the subject. The land is going to take a lot to clear for farming, but I’ll know more about that after I talk to Mr. Fitzgerald. The closest bank is in Abbeville. You can send the funds there.” He paused until she’d finished writing. “You can add the name of the bank. I didn’t notice when I came through.”

  “I will, it’s the—” A sharp knock at the open door cut her off.

  She swiveled around to find a worried looking Miss Lydee standing there.

  “Excuse me, Juliette. We can’t find Annie.”

  Chapter 7

  Jake wished he’d let Juliette give him the laudanum when she offered. His leg throbbed and burned like a belching steam engine. He closed his eyes and tried to think of pleasant thoughts to see if that would help. Nothing seemed as distracting as imagining what it would be like to kiss Juliette’s luscious lips.

  She didn’t respond to his flirting, and that had him curious. Normally, only women who already had a suitor didn’t respond to flattery, but he had the impression she had never had a suitor. Had never been kissed.

  Even thoughts of kissing Juliette couldn’t keep the pain at bay for long. He groaned and fidgeted. She ought to be back soon. How long did it take to find a little girl? Although, from what he’d heard, Annie led them on a merry chase.

  He heard a door slam. “Juliette.”

  Moments later, Thad entered the room. “Juliette is still looking for Annie. Can I get you something, Mr. Jake?”

  “Yeah, please. I need a dose of the laudanum, over there on the stand with the water pitcher.”

  Thad brought him a glass of water and filled the spoon with the brown liquid. Jake propped himself on his elbows and gratefully swallowed the nasty stuff, washing it down with a sip of water.

  “Thanks.” He blew out a sigh and relaxed against the pillows. “Where do you think Annie went?”

  “Out in the woods, probably chasing one of her cats. She does that every now and then. Juliette knows where to look.”

  “I hope she doesn’t go down to that spring. A little girl might fall in—or get bitten by a moccasin.”

  Thad sat in the chair. “I don’t think she goes that far. Why do you think Annie’s a little girl? She’s thirteen years old, not much younger than I am.”

  Jake cocked a brow. “Is that so? I’d have thought she wasn’t over five or six. Having to be watched so carefully.” Not to mention, a girl of thirteen should have been helping more with the household chores.

  Something he said riled Thad. The boy shook his unruly mane, the color of ripe corn silk. “Annie wasn’t always like this. Having to be watched. I told you Corky and me set that trap to catch the bear after it almost attacked Annie. It scared the wits out of her. She can’t talk.”

  “Can she hear?”

  “Yes, sir, she can hear, but—” He blew out a sigh. “Sometimes I think she doesn’t want to hear.” He lifted his shoulders. “It’s hard to explain, but…it’s like she stays in her own world.”

  It was clear the subject of Annie’s condition made Thad uncomfortable, so Jake dropped it. But it seemed strange that a girl who’d been frightened witless by a bear would go traipsing through the woods. From what little he’d seen, seemed to him, Annie was more afraid of people than animals.

  Thad slapped his knees and rose. “You need anything else, Mr. Jake?”

  “Nothing right now. Thanks.”

  A commotion jerked their attention to the door. Thad bolted, and Jake heard several feminine voices, including Juliette’s.

  “Where’d you find her this time?” Thad asked.

  “Not far. She was trying to coax her cat out of a tree. I heard her making mewing sounds, so her throat isn’t frozen. Maybe that’s some progress.”

  “I’m sure it is.” This came from a strange voice, and Jake took it to belong to Miss Lydee. “Come with me, Annie dear. I’ll help you get cleaned up while the potatoes cook.”

  Jake saw them pass his door.

  “Don’t baby her, Miss Lydee. She can clean herself, and afterward, she can set the table for you,” Juliette said.

  Moments later, she entered his room and filled the space with her presence. He forgot the pain, or maybe the laudanum had taken effect.

  “I’m sorry for the interruption. Shall we finish your letter?”

  “I’ve said enough. You’ll find the address in that correspondence in my saddlebag. Is everything all right?”

  “Yes, as all right as it ever is. Thad will take the letter when he meets Mr. Fitzgerald and ask the gentleman if he’ll post it at the nearest post office.”

  “Where would that be?”

  “Abbeville, if he’s traveling north.”

  “I forgot to thank Thad for all these errands he’s running for me. He’s a good boy. Polite. Smart. Helpful. A lot better than I was at his age.”

  “Yes, he is all of that and dependable. He’s had to take on the responsibilities of a man too soon.”

  Juliette straightened the items about the room. She liked order and keeping busy, and she’d probably learned that as a child. Must have had good parents to have raised such responsible children, yet Jake already gathered their step-father wasn’t a good parent and pretty much left everything to Juliette. In that case, she had to know what he’d discussed earlier with Thad.

  “I invited Thad to return with me to Sollano and work on the ranch. He’s excited about the idea. Maybe I should have discussed it with you first.”

  “He told me. It would be a good opportunity for him. As you probably already know, we’ve lost the farm land. Harp sold it to Mr. Blythe right after my step-mother died. Neither Thad nor Corky have much of a future here.”

  “What about you and Annie?”

  She lit in the chair and fluffed her skirt. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself and your work at the ranch? If I’m going to let my little brother go there, I need to know what he’ll be getting into.”

  “Fair enough.” He smiled, all pain now gone. “Sollano is a big ranch. I don’t even know how many acres, but a lot. It’s divided into four sections, not including the dairy. North, south, east, and west, and each section has a foreman. I’m assigned to the north section and Decker is my foreman. Carlos is the ranch manager.”

  “What do you do?”

  “Well, I do a variety of jobs, whatever needs done. Driving the cattle from one pas
ture to another, mending fences, branding the new calves, taking cattle to markets all over. Sollano sells thousands of beeves every year. I’m away a good part of the year, if you add it all up.”

  “Is it dangerous?”

  “Nah, not if you know what you’re doing.”

  “Thad won’t know what he’s doing, and he tries so hard to please, he might take chances.”

  “Don’t worry about that. The cowhands take in young fellows like a mother hen. Besides, it’s a rule at Sollano, every boy under sixteen has to go to school, so they just have chores before and after school.”

  “That’s good to know. How old were you when you started work at Sollano?”

  He laughed. “Younger than Thad. I was twelve when I ran away from the man who took me and my brother out of the orphanage.”

  She leaned forward. “When did you lose your parents?”

  “Before I could remember anything. Like I said, my brother and I were brought up in an orphanage. They did the best they could, but we were just two out of fifty. Then this farmer from Illinois took us and pretty much treated us like slaves and used the whip like Simon Legree. I saw him kill my brother. Told the doctor a horse kicked him, but I saw him beat up Wes.”

  He stared up at the ceiling, reliving that time and place he tried to forget. But Juliette had welcomed him into her home, was nursing his wounds. She deserved to know what kind of man he was. “I didn’t even wait for the funeral. That night, I robbed Hatcher of all his cash, a pistol, and horse and lit out. When I got to Chicago, I tied the horse on a busy street with a note in the saddlebag saying who it belonged to. I figured Hatcher wouldn’t come after me for the little cash I’d taken, and the pistol wasn’t worth much, but he’d be after that horse.”

  Silence draped the room as he gathered his memories. “What happened?” Juliette asked.

  “I met two bums down at the train station. I’d been planning to buy a ticket, but they convinced me to stow away with them. And I did. They were full of plans to go to California and pull a robbery. I could hold their horses, they said. I had enough sense to know I needed to get away. When the train stopped in a little town called Westerfield in Nebraska, there was a help-wanted notice for cowboys at a local ranch. I got away and went out there and was hired on. I lied about my age. Told them I was fourteen. I wasn’t but twelve, though.”