High Plains Heartbreak (Love On The High Plains Book 3)

by Simone Beaudelaire

  “Well, what are you waiting for then? Go get them,” the girl snapped as though she were talking to an imbecile.

  “Now hold on there, Rachael,” Beth urged. “We don't want to pick them too far in advance. When do you need them?”

  “Tomorrow,” Rachael replied. “I know you heard about it. Everyone has heard about it.”

  “Sorry.” Beth shook her head and Addie followed suit. She had no idea what was going on.

  “I'm getting married tomorrow at two. I want a bouquet of flowers.”

  “Of course,” Beth replied. “I'll make up the bouquet and bring it to you tomorrow at the church. Does that sound all right?”

  The girl rolled her eyes. “What else would you do?”

  Beth refused to take offense. “I'll be there at one. Addie, would you please get my account book? It's on my bureau. And when you get a chance, pull out one of the old quilts from the garden shed. We'll need to cover the flowers tonight to be sure they don't freeze. I'm afraid a cold snap is brewing.”

  Nodding, Addie hurried to comply. Brides are insane, she thought to herself. Maybe it's a good thing I'll never be one.

  Planning the raid on the mountain stronghold had taken the better part of a week. But now all the planning had been completed, and the posse, sitting on horses, bristling with shotguns and pistols, shifted nervously in the yard of Anne's boarding house, waiting for the order to head out. Jesse had found the Sheriff of Cañon City more than ready to cooperate, and the two of them had put together a posse. Careful questioning of people who had been involved in various criminal activities had revealed a gang of at least thirty men. Jesse assumed they must be heavily armed, if the knife and gun the bandit had used on Addie were any indication. Thank God my girl is so resourceful. Angrily he pushed the thought away. Addie is not your girl. Just because you stole a taste doesn't mean anything. He didn't want to acknowledge that something had changed the first time she'd put her sweet lips on his. Though when Anne's lush, curvy body had slipped into his bed three nights ago, placing his hands on her generous breasts, he'd failed to rise to the occasion. Focus, West. Losing focus gets a man killed on missions like this.

  “Fall in!” the sheriff called, smoothing his black handlebar mustache. “Remember your instructions, men. Follow me.”

  He spurred his horse and the posse rode for the mountain pass, ready to do battle with an unknown band of murderous criminals.

  Ugh, Addie thought to herself, the mercantile stinks today. Too many unwashed mountain men. The rank stink of sweat and horse, along with the foul odor of a wet dog who sat shivering miserably near the fire assaulted the girl's nose. After delivering the wedding flowers to the church in a chilly downpour, Beth and Addie had decided to wait out the storm in the store, where a cup of hot coffee and a plate of pastries made by the owner's wife provided a pleasant means to pass the time. Addie sipped her coffee and surveyed the motley characters who clustered around the stove, trying to escape the biting humidity. This mountain grows some rugged folk. She spotted a boot with a hole through which the wearer's two toes had escaped, a pair of ragged britches with a hole in one buttock which allowed the man's red union suit to show through, and an unlovely assortment of other torn and faded clothing wrapped around the bodies of equally faded men. Of other women there was no sign. Probably all at the wedding.

  The door slammed open, setting the little bell above ringing with great violence and a huge, shaggy specimen of a man stomped in. Addie's eyes widened at the sight. Great masses of curly black hair streamed from beneath a ragged knitted cap. Wild black brows clustered above equally wild black eyes. The man's nose was broad and flat, his lips completely concealed behind a massive beard that straggled halfway down his barrel chest, ending just where his belly pushed slightly against his belt buckle.

  “Bear!” Someone shouted, and the man with the hole in his boot hurried to escort the new arrival to a spot by the fire.

  Bear? They sure called that one right! As the hairy fellow approached the fire, the stink of too many bodies finally drove Addie out onto the porch. A cold place to wait, but at least the air smelled clean.

  This afternoon, Beth promised to show me how to make a wildflower nosegay. I can't wait. And the chicken and dumplings simmering on the stove seemed to call to her as well. Hurry, Beth. Please hurry. I don't want to be here anymore. At least in the little cabin there would be peace.

  The acrid tang of gunpowder smoke and the thick sweat of stressed, nervous men stung Jesse's nose and caused his eyes to water. Men and horses ran screaming through the melee. Shotguns blasted and pistols roared. To Jesse's ears the sound seemed muffled. His gazed was fixed on the abandoned farmstead which had become home base for no less than forty bandits. Thankfully the posse had discovered the weapons stockpile in a crumbling outbuilding before their adversaries could get there. That meant much fewer guns and bullets in the hands of their enemies, though the criminals were far from unarmed. Off to Jesse's left, two men hid, one behind a decaying wagon, the other on the side of a boulder, occasionally popping out to fire shots at each other. Straight ahead, two men were taking turns kicking the front door of the farmhouse, trying to access the criminals hiding inside. To the right, one of the posse members took a bullet to the leg and fell screaming. But Jesse didn't engage in the action. He constantly scanned the scene, looking for the man he felt would be the boss. Obvious leadership abilities, but not physically strong. An unimposing specimen with an inflated sense of his own value. His eyes touched each man, wondering which one was the culprit. I don't think he's here. Could he have gotten wind that we were coming?

  Jesse pushed forward in a sudden burst, dodging to avoid a knife thrown in his direction, ducking under the swing of a shotgun barrel. The leader would be in the safest place. That would be inside… not the house. He'd be somewhere less obvious. Somewhere he could disappear and wait out the action, while still keeping an eye on things.

  Jesse slipped behind a tree and scanned his surroundings again. Hiding in plain sight. Present, yet invisible. Where can you hide on a farmstead? Anywhere… like there. He zeroed in on a storm cellar, the door standing open. Now I have you. Instead of crossing the danger zone between the fence and the farmhouse, Jesse skirted the scene, keeping to the woods, approaching the cellar by stealth.

  Training a shotgun into the opening, he yelled, “I know you're in there. Come out, and keep your hands where I can see 'em! His words echoed into the cavernous space. That's too much echo for a storm cellar. Could they have expanded it? Do I dare go in there alone?

  A strange movement caught his eyes from several yards distant. Another door like the one standing before him swung upwards, showering concealing leaves in all directions. Two men exited. One was beefy with a head like a melon. Another lackey. Jesse dismissed him instantly. The second figure was small and slight, and walked with a decided limp. He wore what even from this distance could be recognized as an expensive black suit, and a top hat.

  “You there, stop!” Jesse called. The men froze and whirled, the bulky one whipping out a pistol. At this distance, dodging the bullet required little effort, but it did afford the pair enough time to retrieve two horses hidden in the forest and bolt off toward the horizon.

  “Damn it!” Jesse cursed. But he had clearly seen his enemy. “This isn't over,” he muttered before turning back to the farmyard where the posse had clearly overcome the surprised gang and was beginning to round them up.

  Part II

  Chapter 10

  Four months later.

  “Ad-die,” Beth called in a melodious voice. “Addie, where are you? I have news.”

  Huddled miserably in the shade of a large evergreen, Addie gagged, wiped her mouth and tried to will herself to stop vomiting. She did not succeed.

  “Addie, are you here?”

  A hot, dry wind blew over her sweaty forehead and cut through her dress, pelting her with dust.

  “Oh, Addie,” Beth said, placing a hand on the back of her ne
ck. How does she stay so cool in the heat? The touch soothed the girl and at last her gagging subsided. “Come on, honey, get up. Let's get you back inside. I'll make you some tea to settle your stomach.”

  Moving slowly so as not to upset her still protesting guts any further, Addie shuffled into the house. What will happen now? Will she throw me out? Will I have to make my way alone… and not alone? What will become of us? Panic nearly sent her churning belly into open revolt. Swallowing convulsively, she allowed Beth to lead her to the sofa near the window. Addie shivered and took slow, deep breaths, trying to squelch the urge to gag. If you start again, you might not be able to stop. Remember the last time? The last time when she'd gagged and heaved for nearly an hour before she could get control of herself.

  Pushing all thought away, Addie stared blankly into the woods, watching the fragrant pines dance around in a hot, stale breeze while Beth clanked and clattered as she puttered around in the kitchen.

  In a surprisingly short amount of time, not even enough for Addie to stop shuddering completely, a delicate china cup filled with unsweetened black tea landed in her hands. Ignoring manners and finesse, she clutched the cup and lifted it unsteadily to her lips.

  “Don't you think it's about time,” Beth said gently, “to admit you're in a family way, sweetie?”

  Addie squeezed her eyes shut and dipped her chin in a single, miserable nod.

  Beth laid a hand on Addie's back, rubbing up and down. “Try not to panic. I know how scary this is.”

  “You do?” Addie met her aunt's eyes and saw moisture sparkling in the corners. Beth smiled a sad, sad smile.

  “Yes. When I was sixteen, a boy told me he loved me, and then took advantage of me.”

  “He didn't…” Addie interrupted, but Beth held up her hand, asking for patience.

  “When my parents found out, they gave me two choices. I could go to the home for unwed mothers and they would allow me to come back… after. Or I could leave for good.”

  Addie gulped. Was that the choice Beth was presenting her? Her heart clenched.

  “I have no doubt what I would have ended up doing if I'd chosen to leave, and I didn't want that. So I went to the home.” The sorrow in Beth's eyes told the rest of the story.

  “That must have been horrible,” Addie said, biting down on her lower lip.

  Beth nodded. “It was,” she replied. “But it was probably the best option for the child. Now he… or she has a real family.”

  “You don't even know what you had?” Addie gasped.

  Beth slowly turned her head from side to side. “The workers believed not knowing would help us let go, try to live normal lives again. My baby was whisked away seconds after delivery and I was packed off home two weeks later.”

  Addie considered this. The jolt of raw agony that tore through her insides told her what she needed to know about that option.

  “I won't do it,” she said firmly.

  “You don't have to,” Beth replied. “I didn't think you would. But I want to help you think through your options. No matter what you choose there will be hard things to deal with, and you need to know what they will be. The home for unwed mothers is one option. It's painful, but sometimes it's best. I wouldn't fault anyone for going that route. You can also stay here. I'm willing, and the flower and quilt business would probably stretch to provide for one more, now that I have you to help me. But you have to realize, Addie, that everyone will know. That will be hard for you, because there will be gossip. And it will be hard for your little one as well, growing up as the town bastard.”

  Beth paused and Addie took a few slow, deep breaths, taking in the information, trying to make the shattered pieces of her mind form coherent thoughts.

  At last Addie met Beth's gaze again. “What else?”

  “You could leave. Relocate to another town. Tell people you're a widow, try to find work, or create it. You might also find a husband.”

  “That would involve lying for the rest of my life, including to my husband. I don't like lying.” And I don't much want a husband either. Particularly not under these circumstances.

  “I know,” Beth agreed. “But there's no point leaving if you're not willing to.”

  Addie acknowledged that with the tip of her chin.

  “I think the best idea, though, is to contact Jesse and let him know what happened. If it's true he didn't take advantage, that things got out of control, don't you think you should tell him, give him the chance to do the right thing?”

  “What makes you say it was Jesse? How do you know I didn't have a liaison with someone back in my hometown?” Addie challenged, assuaging her pain by lashing out at Beth.

  The woman took no offense. Beth lets everything roll off her. I like that about her. “I know from several things, honey. First, I heard about that terrible bastard you were betrothed to and I know it wasn't him. If you'd met someone else, you'd have stayed and gotten married, not come all this way. Second, I saw how sad you were when you arrived, and the look in your eyes whenever you mentioned Jesse. He's more than a family friend to you, and I'd bet my last piece of peach pie on it. Am I wrong?”

  “You're not wrong,” Addie mumbled, turning to face the window. She no longer felt hot, and the chill in her heart seemed to be spreading.

  “Maybe you should write to Jesse then,” Beth suggested.

  Addie shook her head. “I don't want to be anyone's responsibility.”

  Beth laughed. Addie snapped around to glare at her.

  “Is that what you think? You think you need Jesse to take care of you? Honey, that's not what I meant at all. His responsibility, both of your responsibilities, is to take care of that baby, give it the best possible life. You know what it's like for illegitimate children out there. No child should have to face that if the option is there.”

  “I don't know where he is,” Addie said, tossing up her last objection. “His job takes him all over. He could be in Colorado, Kansas or even Nebraska right now chasing down criminals.”

  “He's about a half-mile down the road, in that old mill that's been converted into a rooming house.”

  Addie froze. Her eyebrows drew together and her jaw dropped. “What?”

  Beth nodded, her lips twisting into a smug smile. “He rented a room there and apart from the odd week or two on the road, hasn't gone anywhere.”

  Addie stared, aghast. “How do you know?” She met her aunt's eyes, making no attempt to hide her disbelief.

  “He contacted me,” Beth replied, looking contrite. “As soon as he got back from… well from taking care of some business in Cañon City, he sent me a note. We've been corresponding ever since.”

  Addie's eyebrows drew together in a puzzled expression. “All this time? It's been months.”

  Beth nodded. “I know. He wants to be sure you're safe. He says it's because he promised your father, but I have my doubts. He knows you're safe with me. He can't let you go, Addie, any more than you could forget him. That's why I think talking to him would be best.”

  Addie shook her head hard, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. The movement caused her unsettled belly to lurch and she groaned.

  “Easy, honey,” Beth urged. “I hope you get past the sick part soon. You should be about done.”

  “I hope so,” Addie replied, clutching her churning stomach. Breathe, Addie. Keep breathing slowly. Focus on the conversation. “Why didn't you tell me about Jesse?”

  “You weren't ready,” Beth replied. “You were still too angry. You think I don't recognize the signs? I know what it looks like when a girl and her lover have a falling out. I know how hard it is to get past the hurt feelings. I planned to tell you soon. But looks like soon has become now.”

  “So you knew all along that Jesse and I had been… intimate?” Addie blushed, but the burning in her cheeks distracted her from her nausea, so she didn't mind.

  “I had a strong suspicion. Especially after I met him. Such a handsome young man. And so kind. And before you
ask,” Beth held up one hand, seeing Addie was about to interrupt, “he asked me not to mention seeing him, or talking to him.”

  “What do you think he had in mind?” Addie asked. “Why on earth would he hang around town here and never say a word to me? What did he want?” The thought of seeing Jesse caused hysteria to flare in Addie.

  Addie laid a calming hand on her niece's arm. “I don't think he knew himself, Addie. He tried to explain his reasoning to me. It sounded like a lot of hogwash, typical male heroism played out all wrong. I tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen. Stubborn as a mule, that one.”

  Addie grinned without humor. You don't know the half of it, Aunt Beth.

  “But yet he can't make himself leave,” the older woman continued. “He loves you. I know he does. He's just being stupid about it.”

  Addie recalled her dream. How her mother had urged patience and persistence. She'd never guessed so much would be required, but if what Beth was saying was true, she'd given up far too soon. Water shaping rock. I walked away at the first sign of resistance. Chastened at her own flightiness, Addie considered seriously, for the first time, telling Jesse about the baby, their baby. The baby he'd planted in her because the thought of her death had overcome his restraint.

  But he humiliated me. He bedded me and dropped me off and left without so much as a backward glance. The memory burned, hot and painful. “I can't go to Jesse, I just can't,” Addie whined, clutching her forehead in one hand.

  “Why not?” Beth demanded.

  “He doesn't love me.” At last letting out the painful truth, Addie was unprepared for Beth's reaction.

  “Bullshit,” the woman exclaimed, and her obscenity arrested Addie's attention. “He loves you. If he didn't love you, he wouldn't be hanging around this town when there are escaped convicts all over the mountains waiting to be brought to justice, with rewards offered. If he didn't love you, he wouldn't have brought you here with everything unsettled. He'd have played smooth and suave with you, and then left without another word. Did he do that, Addie?”