Come the Spring (Claybornes' Brides (Rose Hill) 5)

“You were scared,” Cole said.

“Yes,” she whispered. “And now poor Jessica and Grace have both been dragged into this nightmare. Neither one of them was in the bank at closing time. I know because I was there, and if I had had the courage to speak up sooner, they wouldn’t be living in fear now.”

“You were seen inside the bank earlier that afternoon,” Cole said.

“Yes, I was there, but I went back. I needed to finish some business. I thought I could just run into the bank and…”

A defeated look crossed her face. “I’ll go to Black-water with you and look at the man they’ve captured,” she whispered. “If he’s one of the Blackwater gang, I’ll point him out and testify in court.”

She wiped another tear from her cheek before continuing. “I’m begging you. Let Jessica and Grace get on with their lives. They want to leave town this afternoon, as soon as they can, and I think they should be allowed to,” she added. “They shouldn’t be hounded or punished any longer because of my cowardice. You don’t have to worry that the gang will come after them. I’ve thought about this long and hard, and I think I’ve come up with the perfect solution to ensure they’ll be left alone.”

“And what’s that?” Daniel asked.

“I’m going to tell the reporter for the newspaper that I’m the witness. I’m certain he’ll put the announcement on the front page of tomorrow’s edition. I’ll go over to his office as soon as I leave here.”

Daniel was shaking his head. Cole put his coffee cup down and took a step toward her. “We can’t let you do that.”

“You can’t stop me,” she cried out. “I will protect Jessica and Grace as best I can. It’s my fault they’re caught in the middle of this nightmare. Hopefully, one of the Blackwater gang will see the interview and leave those poor innocent women alone.”

“I can stop you,” Daniel countered. “You are not going to talk to any reporters. Do I make myself clear?”

“But I must let everyone know Jessica and Grace weren’t there. Don’t you understand? They’re being treated like lepers in this town, and they haven’t done anything wrong.”

She sounded on the verge of hysteria. Cole quickly tried to calm her down. “You didn’t do anything wrong either, Rebecca. You were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Do Jessica and Grace know that you’ve come forward?” Daniel asked. “When Sloan locked the three of you in the cell together, did you tell them then that you were the witness? Is that why all of you told us the same story?”

She seemed surprised. “They were both very frightened. I remember telling them exactly what I was going to say to you. Why? Did they say the very same thing?”

Neither marshal answered her question. “Did you tell them you saw the robbery and the murders?” Cole pressed.

“No, I didn’t, but I think they knew. They were protecting me by not telling you what they suspected. They’re both very kindhearted ladies, and they wanted to help me. I could pack and be ready to leave in an hour. I’d like to get going as soon as possible.”

With a tilt of his head, Daniel motioned Cole to step outside with him. They left the door open but spoke in low whispers so Rebecca wouldn’t overhear.

“She isn’t going to get near the reporter,” Daniel muttered.

“I agree,” Cole said. “She’s right, though, about leaving. We better get her out of town as quickly as possible.”

“I wanted to wait…”

“For what?” Cole demanded.

“Marhsal Cooper and a couple of deputies are coming up from Salt Lake City to help. They should be here any time, and I’ll let them take charge of Jessica and Grace, while you and I escort Rebecca to Blackwater.”

“And if Jessica and Grace want to leave Rockford Falls in the meantime? Are they going to be safe?”

“Yes,” Daniel answered. “Cooper and his deputies will go with them to make certain no one bothers them.”

“Do you trust this Cooper?”

“Yeah,” Daniel answered. “He’s a good man. I’ve worked with him on other cases. Trust me. He knows what he’s doing.”

Rebecca drew both marshals back to her side when she burst into tears again.

“They’re going to come after me, aren’t they?”

Cole wanted to lie to her, but Daniel was quicker and was bluntly truthful. “Yes, they’ll probably come after you, but we aren’t going to let them touch you.”

“We have to leave. Now,” she demanded. “I won’t stay here another minute. It’s too dangerous,” she added in a panic.

“Before any decisions are made, you need to tell us exactly what happened from the minute you walked into the bank.”

“No, we must leave now. I’ll tell you everything you want to know on the train when I feel safe.”

“Rebecca, we need to hear the details now,” Daniel insisted.

She was sobbing in earnest now and trembling. Gripping her hands together, she whispered, “It was horrible. I remember I was in a hurry, and I didn’t like having to stand in line again. I didn’t talk to any of the other customers while I waited. The bank was going to close and the tellers were very slow. I worried I wouldn’t get all of my errands done. Oh, God, Franklin helped me, and now he’s dead. I met him at church and he was such a kind man.”

Before she could continue, a messenger from the hotel came rushing inside. He was a tall, lanky boy with pockmarks on his face. “Marshal Ryan? I’m sorry to intrude, but this message I’m supposed to give you is urgent.”

He stared at Rebecca while he handed the sealed envelope to Daniel. “Why’s she crying?” he asked.

No one answered him. “Ma’am, is there anything I can do to make you feel better?” he asked.

She shook her head. He shrugged in response, then asked Daniel if he wanted him to take back a reply.

Daniel read the contents before answering. “Tell Miss Winthrop I’ll be along in a little while.”

“She said it was urgent, Marshal,” the messenger repeated. “She wants to leave town. She told me so herself just before the doctor went into her room to check on her.”

“Go back to the hotel and tell her I’ll be there as soon as I finish up a couple of things.”

“It ain’t Miss Winthrop,” the messenger said as he started out the doorway. “It’s Lady Winthrop. She’s titled,” he added importantly. “The night manager told me so.”

Daniel wasn’t paying any attention to the boy. Rebecca was using Cole’s handkerchief to wipe her tears away. As soon as the door closed behind the messenger, Daniel began to grill Rebecca with questions.

“How many were there?”

“Seven,” she answered. “There were seven men. I didn’t see all of their faces.”

“Start at the beginning and tell us everything,” Cole demanded.

She bowed her head, closed her eyes, and then gave a concise account of what had happened inside the bank. By the time she was finished, she was openly sobbing again and clinging to Cole’s hand.

“Reliving the nightmare is almost as awful as being there…”

Cole patted her. “We know how hard this was for you,” he sympathized.

“You’ve been a tremendous help,” Daniel said.

Cole agreed with a nod. “Do you have any more questions for her?” he asked Daniel.

“No, she’s told us everything we need to know.” Rebecca stood up, took a calming breath, and said, “You will get all of them, won’t you? Promise me you will.”

“We promise,” Cole answered.

Daniel walked her to the door. “Why don’t you take a few minutes to relax before you pack.”

“Like it or not, I’m leaving this town today,” she threatened. “If you have any decency at all, you won’t tell Jessica and Grace that I’m the witness because it would only upset them, and I don’t want them to hate me for not coming forward sooner.”

“I’m sure they would both understand why you kept silent, bu

t don’t worry. Cole and I don’t plan to tell them. And we will leave today,” he promised.

“Thank you, Marshal. I shall be ready in one hour.” The guard was waiting to escort Rebecca back to the hotel. He suggested that they alter their route and take one of the streets parallel to the hotel. He was armed to the teeth with a pair of six-shooters and a shotgun. Daniel noticed the way he watched the street as he walked along and decided that Rebecca was in good hands.

“What does Grace want that’s so urgent?” Cole asked him.

“Her note just says she wants to talk to me at the hotel before she leaves town. She thinks she’s going to get out of her sickbed and drive a wagon. The woman doesn’t have the sense God gave her.”

“She’s got the determination, though,” Cole said. “I’ve got the feeling she could pull it off if we let her.”

“We aren’t going to let her go anywhere alone,” Daniel countered. “Cooper’s going to stick to both women until every member of the Blackwater gang has been captured.”

“That could take a hell of a long time.”

“I don’t think so,” Daniel, said. “If the gang finds out about Rebecca, they’ll be coming after her, and, God willing, we’ll get every last one of them.”

“You’re going to use her as bait, aren’t you?”

“I’m going to get her to Blackwater alive.”

Cole nodded agreement. “I thought Rebecca was the witness, but it was just a guess. No—that isn’t true. I hoped it wasn’t Jessica.”

“I can understand why. She’s got enough on her plate now, raising that baby on her own.”

Cole was staring out the front window. “Didn’t you tell me Grace wanted you to see her at the hotel?”

“That’s what her note said,” Daniel answered. “She’s crossing the street with Sloan hot on her trail.”

“Son of a…”

Daniel ran out the doorway just as Grace came hurrying down the boardwalk. He grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her inside the office.

“What in God’s name are you doing out of bed?”

His concern for her well-being was evident in his expression. He thought she looked like the walking dead, and he fully expected her to faint at any moment. The left side of her face was still slightly swollen. Daniel wanted to pick her up and carry her back to the hotel. He pulled her to his side and looked out at the street beyond. Sloan was lounging against the hitching post.

“I had to see you,” she explained. “The sheriff was eating his breakfast in the dining room, so I slipped out the side door.”

“I saw her going down the steps out of the corner of my eye,” Sloan interjected. “I had to leave a full plate of food to chase after her.”

Grace was trying to hold on to her patience. “Daniel, I must speak to you. I’m sorry if it isn’t convenient, but it’s terribly important. She looked around the office and then asked, “Isn’t Jessica here yet? You did tell us to be here this morning.”

“York walked her over to Dr. Lawrence’s house to look in on Tilly,” Sloan said. “She took the boy with her.”

“What in thunder are you women thinking?” Cole snapped. “Three potential witnesses strolling around town without a care in the world. It’s enough to make the saints scream. I’m going over to Lawrence’s house and take Jessica back to the hotel.” He glared at Sloan when he added, “And if I have to drag her, by God I will.”

The sheriff backed out of Cole’s way and watched him cross the street. Daniel slammed the door in Sloan’s face then, giving Grace privacy for their talk.

“Why is Cole so upset?”

“He’s upset because you and Rebecca and Jessica are making it impossible for us to protect you.”

“You don’t think in broad daylight that someone might try…”

He interrupted her. “I’m taking you back to the hotel.”

“No,” she insisted. “I need to tell you something. It’s important, Daniel.”

She tried to make herself let go of his hand, since she felt it was a sign of weakness for her to cling to the lawman, but she couldn’t pull away. She was so scared, she could barely gather her thoughts. What she was about to do was going to change her future irrevocably, and all of her dreams were going to be crushed. There wasn’t any other choice, though. She had to do the right thing.

He gave in. “All right, Grace. What did you want to tell me?”

“I’m your witness,” she blurted out. “I was the one hiding in the kneehole.”

Aside from the muscle in his clenched jaw twitching, Daniel didn’t show any reaction to her announcement.

“You’re the witness?” he demanded.

“Yes. I’m so sorry I didn’t have the courage to come forward sooner, but I was frightened. Jessica and Rebecca had already left the bank. They were telling you the truth. I wasn’t, and now I’ve caused them all sorts of trouble. You’ll let them leave now, won’t you?”

Daniel didn’t answer her. His gut was telling him she was lying. The longer he stood there the angrier he became.

“How many were there?”

Without a pause, she answered, “Seven.”

Tears brimmed in her eyes, and Daniel suddenly had the urge to comfort her and shake her at the same time. He didn’t give in to either inclination. “All right, I’m taking you back to the hotel, and you can tell me everything.”

“But I’m worried about Jessica and Rebecca,” she cried. “I believe I’ve found a way to make certain that they’ll be left alone.”

Daniel guessed what was coming and let out a loud groan. “Ah, hell, you didn’t talk to the reporter, did you?”

The question surprised her, for she had only just come up with the idea. “No, but I want to,” she said. “I thought I would go to the newspaper office and ask the gentleman there to print the truth in tomorrow’s paper. I’m sure the reporter will be happy to listen to what I have to say.”

“You are not going to talk to the reporter.” He snapped the command and squeezed her hand to let her know he meant what he said.

She was stunned by his burst of anger. He was furious, she realized, for his blue eyes had turned as cold as winter. She bowed her head. “I thought you would be pleased with my confession. I don’t understand your anger, Daniel.”

He took a deep breath. “Grace,” he began. “Are you telling the truth?”

She jerked her hand away from his and tried to get around him. “There’s something else you should know.”

“Yes?” Daniel asked.

“The fire … it wasn’t an accident,” she blurted out. “I remember what happened, and I remember … apples.”

“Apples?” he repeated, clearly not understanding.

She nodded. “I was having trouble sleeping. That isn’t unusual,” she thought to add. “I never sleep through the night. I thought I heard a peculiar noise coming from downstairs. It sounded like glasses tinkling.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You know … when you toast someone and your glass clinks against another glass … It was that sound that I thought I heard.”

“So what did you do?”

“Tilly wasn’t feeling very well, and I didn’t want to disturb her, so I put on my robe and my slippers and went downstairs to investigate. If someone was knocking on the front door, I wasn’t going to open it, of course. I was going to tell whoever it was to come back in the morning. When I reached the foyer, I noticed the dining room window was wide open. The wind was making the curtains billow into the room. I became alarmed because I remembered closing it before I went up to bed, and I was the last one to go up the stairs.”

“What did you do then?” Daniel asked.

“I went into the dining room to shut the window, and that’s when I smelled coal oil.”

“You mean kerosene?”

“Yes, kerosene,” she answered. “I put my hand on the windowsill and it was covered with oil. It was as though someone had only just poured it there.”

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“And then what happened?”

“Tilly had placed a basket of apples on the kitchen table after supper. One of her daughters had given them to her.”

“What do apples have to do with the fire?”

“I could smell apples. I know it sounds crazy, but I think someone was eating one. I wanted to run upstairs and wake Jessica and Tilly, but I was suddenly afraid to move. I could feel the breeze on my arms from the swinging door that connects the kitchen with the dining room, and I heard the squeak the hinges make. I knew someone was rushing toward me. I could feel him coming. I turned and started to scream, but I don’t know if I made a sound or not.”

“That’s when you were struck, wasn’t it?”

“I don’t remember being hit. I just remember turning, and then you were leaning over me, Daniel, and I was outside … in the grass. If Jessica hadn’t found me and dragged me out, I would have died in the fire.

“I’m your witness,” she whispered once again. “I don’t want them to hurt Jessica or Rebecca. They’re innocent.”

Daniel couldn’t resist touching her. He reached out to wipe away a tear from her cheek. “You’re also innocent, Grace.”

They stared into one another’s eyes for a long minute. Daniel was overwhelmed with the desire to keep her safe. He had failed with his wife and his daughter because he hadn’t been there to protect them. He decided then and there that he wouldn’t let Grace out of his sight. Anyone who tried to harm her would have to go through him first.

“Daniel, are you all right?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“You look terribly … angry.”

“I don’t want anything to happen to you, Grace.”

He was gripping her shoulders, his hold fierce, protective. He was hurting her, but she knew if she told him so, he’d feel terrible. She gently pulled his hands away and held on to them. “Nothing’s going to happen to me.”

“I’m going to protect you.”

“Yes, you are,” she agreed. “And I must protect Jessica and Caleb.”