New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set

by Hope Sinclair

  “That’s my sister, Emily,” Amanda answered. “She’s come from New York to stay with us for a while.”

  “It’s an honor to meet you, Emily,” Peter smiled through his pain. “I’ve heard a great deal about you, and am happy to have you in—”

  “Enough!” Amanda interrupted. “You can exchange pleasantries later. Right now, I need to know what happened to you, my dear!”

  Peter looked at his wife and reached out his hand, to gently cradle her delicate face. “No surprise,” he said, gazing in her eyes adoringly, “we were ambushed. It was the dead of night, and we were several hours away from our destination, when, out of nowhere, four masked men came at us, to rob us of our herd.

  “Luckily, however, I guess the local authorities were on alert. Unbeknownst to us—or to the bandits—they’d been staking out the territory, concealed in a nearby brush. Once the bandits came at us, the sheriff and his men pounced.

  “A horrible shootout ensued, and I was shot in the shoulder. But, it was a small price to pay. The deputies caught the bandits before anyone else was hurt… And, when their masks were removed, sure enough, our suspicions were confirmed. The four men were four of the Reed brothers!”

  Peter struggled to sit up, then pushed his body forward to embrace Amanda. “You know what this means, don’t you, my sweet wife?” he cooed. “Our troubles are through. The sheriff took the men to the nearest jail, where they’ll be held until they’re brought to Copper Rock to be tried for their crimes.”

  “But what about the other Reed brothers?” Amanda asked, cradling her husband. “And, what about their old man? With only four of the brothers in jail, aren’t you worried that the rest of their family will continue to bother us?”

  “Not at all,” Peter chimed back. “The Reeds may be a bothersome bunch, but they’re not stupid. Once the four brothers are tried, the others will know that they’re under scrutiny and will surely desist, for fear that they, too, will be caught.”

  Amanda squeezed her husband tightly, and her tears of sadness turned to tears of joy. Emily also started crying, as she was so moved by the display. Sawyer, however, stood firm and unmoved, hoping that what his boss had just said would prove true.

  NINE

  Over the next few days, Peter spent most of his time laid out in bed, recovering from his wounds and the fever that resulted—and, naturally, Amanda was steadfast at his side.

  Emily picked up some of the slack around the house and continued to do her outside chores, with Sawyer helping her as much as he could. Indeed, Sawyer’s presence, and authority, on the ranch increased during those days. He took charge of many things that Peter would usually tend to and proved to be a great asset to the ranch, as well as to the family who owned it.

  As Emily and Sawyer continued to work together, the feelings they felt for each other continued to flourish. Emily was continually impressed by how Sawyer stood up to help her family. She was more confident than ever that he possessed the qualities she admired, and wanted, in a man, and had become increasingly smitten with him.

  And, just as Emily became more smitten with Sawyer, Sawyer, too, became more smitten with her. He found her endearing and swooned at her many graces. In his eyes, she was the perfect woman: reserved and sweet, yet occasionally sarcastic and always ready to defend herself and what was right; delicate in features and form, yet strong in character and virtue; and opinionate and self-confident, yet willing to learn.

  Out of respect for the adversity the family faced, Sawyer ignored his strong urges to pursue Emily and request that they court. But, he resolved that, once things settled down and returned to normal, he would follow his heart.

  However, as it turned out, he didn’t have to wait that long.

  The Friday following Peter’s return home, just as their workday was winding down, Emily approached Sawyer.

  “Peter’s fever broke last night,” she smiled. “And, Emily says he’s already showing signs of improvement and is on the mend.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Sawyer cheered.

  “It sure is,” Emily replied. “It’s so wonderful, in fact, that Emily has decided to have a small celebration of sorts… She informed me, just a while ago, that she’ll be cooking a fabulous dinner on Sunday night. She’s invited the men who joined Peter on the cattle run to attend, as well as their families.”

  “How kind,” Sawyer smiled selflessly, not expecting what came next.

  “And, I asked her if you could come too,” Emily added, “as my guest.”

  Sawyer’s heart swelled inside his chest, and his eyed widened.

  “I’d love to,” he replied.

  “Excellent,” Emily smiled bashfully, bowing her head. “Dinner will be served at 6, but you should arrive here around 5 or so.”

  Sawyer nodded and grinned, and, then, the two of them went on to complete a few more chores.

  Once the workday was done, Emily and Sawyer each went their separate ways, though they both went away with the same thoughts. They both looked forward to the dinner part on Sunday evening, and the relationship milestone it marked for them.

  That night, Emily went to bed with sweet, loving thoughts in her head—and, several miles away, Sawyer did as well.

  The next morning brought something unexpected, however—in the form of an unexpected guest and unexpected news. The weekends were usually “rest time” as far as the ranch was concerned, and business was not conducted on those days.

  But, early that Saturday morning, there was a loud, frantic pounding on the door.

  Amanda rushed to the door, to see who was there, with Emily helping Peter as he hobbled behind her.

  “You’ll never believe what happened!” Malcom exclaimed, short of breath.

  “What’s going on? Do tell,” Peter replied as Amanda opened the door to let Peter’s worker in.

  “The Reed brothers were being transported to the jail here in Copper Rock,” Malcom explained, walking in. “Their trial was supposed to begin late next week… But, I assure you, it won’t be happening now!”

  Peter, Amanda, and Emily all looked at Malcom curiously.

  “The police carriage that was transporting them was ambushed,” Malcom went on. “And, all four of the Reed brothers were killed.”

  “Oh Dear God!” Amanda shrieked, covering her mouth with her hand. “The Reeds were loathsome, but no one deserves such a fate!”

  “Well whoever killed them disagrees,” Malcom replied.

  “And, who was it that killed them?” Peter asked. “Were the culprits apprehended?”

  “No,” Malcom answered, shaking his head. “They got away—without so much as a scratch, I might add. The deputies survived unharmed too, and they were unable to identify the men who ambushed them… I guess they didn’t put forth much of an effort to defend the Reed boys or do anything to see that their killers would pay for their crime. Can’t say I blame them though.”

  “Come, sit. Tell me more,” Peter instructed his employee, gesturing him toward the couch. Malcom went over and joined his boss, and Amanda turned to Emily.

  “I don’t need to hear any more of this ugliness,” Amanda sighed. “There are much better ways we can spend our time. I still have a lot of things I must do to prepare for tomorrow’s meal and could use some help.”

  Despite her curiosity, Emily left the room with her sister, and the two of them went on to prepare for the next day. Within just a few hours, all of the “ugliness” seemed behind them, and their conversation returned to more pleasant things, such as Emily’s excitement to have Sawyer attend the dinner as her guest and her indecisiveness over which dress she should wear.

  The rest of Saturday came and went, and much of Sunday passed in the same swift way. Before she even realized it, it was late Sunday afternoon, and Emily was getting dressed for the celebratory dinner.

  Emily put on a lovely navy blue crushed velvet dress and pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, but for a few strands of hair that subtly framed her face.
When the time drew near for the guests to arrive, she smiled a content smile, took a deep breath, and went to the living room.

  One by one, the guests started to arrive. First, it was Malcom and his wife, the Jonathon and his wife. Then, Michael, a bachelor appeared, followed by Jonas and the woman he was courting.

  The house was bustling with activity and cheer, and light food beverages were being passed around in anticipation of the meal. It was a great, jolly time… But, something was wrong.

  Emily gazed at the clock on the mantle as the guests started to move to the dining room and sit down at the table. It was 6:00, but Sawyer was nowhere to be found. He hadn’t showed up, as planned.

  Emily walked into the dining room just as Amanda was helping Peter take his seat at the head of the table. She looked at her sister sadly, but all Amanda could do was shrug her shoulders and sigh.

  The lot went on to eat their supper, engaging in discourse the whole while. Emily, however, barely touched her food and said only a few words. Her head hung heavy, and her heart was in the pit of her stomach.

  Once the meal was over, the guests returned to the living room to chat and await dessert. But, Emily had lost all spirit for the party and decided to retire to her room. She didn’t want her frown and glumness to ruin the others’ good time—and, moreover, she didn’t want to discuss her disappointment with Amanda once the guests were gone.

  As soon as Emily got into her room, she collapsed on the bed and gave to tears. And, sometime, over the next three hours or so, as the party died down, she cried herself to sleep, still wearing her dress.

  Several hours later, in the middle of the night, Emily awoke abruptly, to the sound of something clamoring outside. She sat up in her bed and shook her head from side to side, recalling how Sawyer had awoken her in a similar fashion the week before. She concluded that he must be outside, checking in on them, again, and her conclusion made all of the sadness she’d felt suddenly transform into rage.

  “So he doesn’t have the courtesy to show up for dinner,” Emily growled to herself out loud. “But, he has the audacity to come here at night to check up on things… He must care more for this ranch than he does for me!”

  Emily stood up, rushed to the kitchen, and stormed out the back door. Since she knew it had to be Sawyer out there, and she intended to defend herself with her words, she didn’t bother to grab the shotgun along the way.

  “I know you’re out there!” Emily shouted, stepping out onto the porch. “So, come here, and face me like a man!”

  A split-second later, Emily heard something behind her. She turned toward the noise. But, before she could register it, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head. Then, all things faded to black.

  TEN

  Emily opened her eyes. But, the pain in her head made it difficult to see. Things were very fuzzy, and she felt like she was in a dream.

  “My, my, my, you are a pretty thing,” a man said from a short distance away from her, making her realize that the situation she was dreamlike in no other way.

  Emily strained her eyes to better see the man, but all she could discern was his general form. He appeared large—very round and fat, reminding her of Bessie, though he was nowhere near as nice.

  “I’ll have to keep an eye on my boys when they’re around you,” the fat man went on, standing up and walking toward Emily.

  “But, who’ll keep an eye on me?” he added wantonly, staring down at her.

  Emily readied herself to scream. But, as soon as she tried to open her mouth, she realized that she could not. There was something in it already. Something soft and cloth-like that taste like sweat, blood, and dirt. She went to move her hands up to pull the thing from her mouth, but she couldn’t.

  “You’re bound and gagged, honey,” the fat man laughed. “Your brother-in-law’s men might have killed my four sharpest sons, the other night. By the two who kidnapped you are good at being bad. They tied you up nice and tight, so that you can’t get away.”

  Emily futilely struggled for a moment, then gave up. Just like the man—who she surmised to be Mr. Reed—had said, she was tied up tightly, and she could not break free.

  “Ya’ know,” Mr. Reed went on, turning his back to Emily, “this really is such a shame… Like I said, you are a pretty thing. And, I hate to see you get tied up in all this mess. But it had to be done.

  “When my boys were killed the other night, I knew—I just knew­—that Peter had to be behind it. I knew he’d want the ultimate revenge on me and mind for what we did to him all these years… But, killing my boys? That took things too far! And, now, he’ll have to pay for what he’s done.”

  Mr. Reed wobbled over to the far end of the room, and, as he did, Emily tried to better appraise her surroundings. From what she could tell, she was in some sort of subterranean cellar. The only light in the room came from a small half-window to her right, and the only thing visible from that window was a ground-level patch of land.

  “My two other sons may be good and being bad,” the old man added, laughing as he took a swig from a jug. “But, really, they ain’t that bright. They were supposed to kidnap Peter’s wife, not you. But, eh, I guess having you is better than having nothing. Though, I don’t know that using you to exact our revenge will hit him as hard—and, I gotta say, it’s gonna hurt me something awful to wring your pretty little neck.”

  Emily’s heart raced. She knew her predicament was dire, but she hadn’t yet considered that death might be involved.

  “But, don’t worry, sweetie,” Mr. Reed added, licking his lips. “Before I kill ya’, I’ll make sure to give you a big ole kiss goodbye.”

  Mr. Reed started toward Emily again. But, before he could get much closer, a voice called out from somewhere above.

  “Dad!” an unfamiliar male voice shouted. “You better come here… now!”

  Mr. Reed sighed loudly and winked lasciviously at Emily before turning and walking up a staircase that Emily hadn’t even noticed until this point. Emily watched him ascend the steps as best she could, then listened as his massive body clopped over the floorboards above her head.

  “Look what the cat dragged in!” Mr. Reed boomed. From the sound of his voice, Emily could tall that he was outside, and she took note of the three pairs of feet she could see from the small half-window to her right.

  The man who’d called out to Mr. Reed went on to mumble something Emily couldn’t make out—and, as Mr. Reed mumbled something back, Emily saw this as her opportunity to try and save herself.

  Emily started wriggling toward the staircase. Her body was bound very tightly, but she managed to make it about a yard away from her original spot. But, when she tried to crawl even further, she found that she could not. As she pushed forward, something pulled her back. Emily turned her head around and noticed that there was a chain wrapped around the ropes that bound her, and that chain was attached to a steel ring in the wall.

  Emily relaxed her body in defeat. She knew there was no way she could move any farther, and she lost all hope that she would live another day.

  But, then, just as quickly as Emily lost hope, she gained it again.

  “You’ll never get away with this,” Sawyer shouted from outside. “Everyone will know you are to blame. So, just let her go!”

  Emily’s heart pounded inside her chest, and she started to cry. Glory be, she’d been saved!

  “Just set her free and be done with this mess before it’s too late,” Sawyer added.

  “It’s already too late,” Mr. Reed laughed. The sound of his laughter made Emily cringe, but not nearly as much as what she heard next.

  “That rancher had your brothers killed, Sawyer,” Mr. Reed went on. “And, I plan on taking an eye for an eye.”

  Emily couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. It felt as if her heart had stopped beating.

  “Just hear me out, Father,” Sawyer replied. “This situation isn’t what you think it is… Peter wasn’t responsible for my brothers’ murders. And
, that woman you have in your custody isn’t just his sister-in-law, she’s the woman I plan to make my wife.”

  Fat chance of that! Emily thought inside her head. I’d rather die than marry a liar and good-for-nothing who betrayed my family and their trust!

  “Weeeellll,” Mr. Reed hedged, “I can’t promise you that I’ll change my mind about killing the pretty young thing. But, what you’ve said intrigues me… So, come, walk with me, and I’ll listen to what you have to say.”

  Emily watched as two pairs of the feet walked away from the window, then she rolled over onto her side and wept uncontrollably. She was terrified and couldn’t believe the mess she was in. Her life was on the line. And, what’s more, she felt like a fool. She’d fallen in love with the enemy and hadn’t been able to see him for who he really was.

  Nearly two hours passed, and Emily spent each second of them reviewing everything that had happened since she arrived in Lampasas County. She recalled her initial suspicions and reservations about Sawyer when she first encountered him at the train station. She remembered how snippy he’d been with her at times, and how he always seemed to be lurking around when she least expected him.

  She thought of how he’d said he only recently moved to Copper Rock and had only started working for Peter six months ago after the tragic rustling. She thought of how he bailed on the dinner Sunday night, just over a day after his brothers were killed.

  Ah, everything made painful sense to Emily now. Despite how charming, sweet, and hardworking Sawyer had seemed, he must have been playing her—and Amanda and Peter—the whole time. He was a Reed boy, after all, and his affiliation with her and her family was probably part of a much larger, more sinister scheme.

  Emily could feel her heart beating again. But, it felt heavy and ached. And, then, it jumped.

  At that moment, the door atop the staircase opened, and someone started walking down the steps. But, as the person’s body came into view, Emily realized it wasn’t Mr. Reed. It was someone thinner and more agile… It was Sawyer.