A Love to Last Forever (27 page)

Beth reached into the basket for one of Gwen’s skirts and nodded. “I’ll tell him.”

“Thank you. Sometimes it’s hard to keep going with things like they are, but I want to believe it will be better,” Ellie said, edging away from the clothesline. “I’d best get back to the saloon. Rafe thinks I’m at the privy, and it won’t take him long to send someone to find me.”

“I’ll be sure to give your message to Simon.” Beth reached out to take hold of Ellie. “We’ll just keep praying.”

“I’m so afraid,” Ellie said, her eyes welling. “I can’t bear much more. I don’t want to live if I have to live this way.”

Beth took Ellie in her arms and held her while she cried. “Don’t worry. We won’t let that happen.” The anger that always edged Beth’s emotions when thinking of the abused prostitutes surfaced. She fought to keep her voice even. “I won’t stop looking for an answer, Ellie. Don’t give up.”

Ellie pulled away. “I . . . Simon!”

Beth turned to find Simon slipping around the back of Gallatin House. Ellie ran to his arms. Beth gave a quick glance at the back entrance to the saloon. There wasn’t any sign of Rafe.

Simon ran his hand over Ellie’s blond hair. “I just happened to see you and Beth out here talking. I had to chance it. Are you all right? Has he hurt you?”

“I’m scared, Simon.”

“I know.” He glanced past Ellie to Beth. His expression told her that he was just as worried.

“They watch me all the time,” Ellie told Simon. “Rafe is always threatening me. He tells me he’ll sell me, and I think he will.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Beth heard the back door of the saloon open and spun around. It was Wyman, and he quickly assessed the situation and crossed to where Simon and Ellie stood. Simon put Ellie behind him.

“Leave her be. This isn’t her fault.”

“I don’t care whose fault it is.” Without warning, Wyman threw a punch that landed squarely against Simon’s jaw.

Ellie screamed, and Beth rushed forward to intercede. She grabbed hold of Wyman’s arm. “Stop it!”

Wyman pushed her back and continued to strike out at Simon. “We warned you to stay away from her, Lassiter.” He started at Simon again but was surprised when he countered and blocked the punch.

Simon hit Wyman hard and sent him reeling backward. Wyman staggered and blinked hard a couple of times. Beth took the opportunity to launch her own assault. As Wyman moved forward she grabbed the basket and threw it over his head. It wasn’t much, she had to admit, but it slowed him down and gave Simon an edge.

Wyman growled and tossed the basket aside. He yelled a stream of obscenities and reached out for Simon’s throat.

“What’s going on here?” Dave Shepard asked.

“That’s just what I was going to ask,” Rafe said, coming to where the fight had just halted. He glowered at Ellie. “What are you doing? Get back to your room.”

Ellie paled and Beth stepped forward. “She helped me hang a sheet, Rafe. Simon just happened to be passing by.”

“I don’t care. She has work to be doing for me, not you.”

Rafe pushed back his greasy hair and fixed his gaze on Dave.

Eyes narrowing, he pointed his finger at Simon. “I want you to arrest Lassister.”

“On what charge?”

Rafe looked at the man as if he were crazy. “He’s trying to steal my property.”

“I didn’t witness him doing that,” Dave replied.

“He was attacked by Wyman,” Beth interjected. “Ellie and I were standing here talking, and Simon just happened by. Wyman came storming over and began hitting Simon.”

Dave looked at Rafe and raised a brow. “Sounds to me like Simon could press charges for assault.”

“Then I want to press charges for trespassing,” Rafe demanded.

Beth shook her head. “This is Gallatin property, and he wasn’t trespassing. I fully welcomed him here, just as I welcomed Ellie. If anyone is here illegally, it’s you.”

Rafe’s face turned several shades of red as he balled his hands into fists. He raised his arm as if to strike Beth, but Dave quickly put himself between the two.

“I can take that as a threat to Miss Gallatin’s well-being,” Dave told the man.

Beth strained to peek around Dave’s shoulder. “And I would press charges.”

Rafe shook his head and turned to walk away. “Have it your way. I have other plans for making Lassiter pay for this. He knows exactly what I’ll do.”

Despite Rafe’s threats, the weeks slipped by and everyone was relieved to see that his anger had abated. Instead of sending Ellie away to his friend in Seattle, he kept her under constant guard. Ellie was still in residence, but it was clear she wasn’t happy. The Gallatin sisters often spoke of how pale and thin she looked. No doubt the pregnancy was taking its toll, even though Ellie showed no visible sign of carrying a child.

The other topic of conversation had to do with the ever-increasing trouble from the highwaymen. They hadn’t tried to attack any of the other businesses in the area, but twice they had attacked travelers, causing everyone to feel nervous and watchful.

“I think we’ve had enough gloom and trouble around here,” Hank declared after church one Sunday. “It’s nearly our Independence Day, and I think we should plan a celebration.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” Patience Shepard declared.

Millie put her hand to her swollen abdomen. “We agree.” Gwen and Patience laughed.

“What can we do to help, Hank?” Jerry Shepard asked.

Hank shrugged. “I came up with the idea. Everyone else can plan it out.” He put his arm around Gwen’s shoulder. “I know my wife and her sisters have very little trouble planning these things. We’ll have some fireworks, though—I had already thought of that, and they were shipped to me last week. There’s not much, but we’ll make do and have a great time.”

“Of course we will,” Forrest declared. “Evan and I will play a few tunes, and we’ll have us a right good time.”

Lacy looked up and found Dave Shepard watching her. She wasn’t sure, but she got the distinct feeling he wanted to see her privately. She edged away from the gathering and made her way to the front porch. What did he want? Had she done something to upset him? Lacy smoothed her yellow gown and waited.

Within a few minutes, Dave joined her. He frowned and looked her over as if assessing an adversary. Lacy stiffened.

“I suppose I’ve done something to offend you,” she said, unwilling to bear his scrutiny any longer.

He looked confused for a moment, then shook his head. “There you go again, thinking bad of me.”

Lacy shook her head. “Sorry. What do you want?”

“I’m going to be gone for a couple of days. I want you to keep an eye open for anyone that shouldn’t be around here. You know . . . strangers.”

“You’re asking for my help?” Lacy couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice.

“It’s not because I want to see you doing anything foolish,” he said, looking quite stern. “I figure you might recognize them or at least their voices.”

“And if I do?”

“Just pay attention to who they talk to,” Dave replied. “Nothing else. Just see who they associate with and let me know. That will help me a great deal. It could very well reveal to me the other members of their gang.”

Lacy frowned. “Do you really think they’ll come around here?”

“It wouldn’t surprise me. They know folks will be looking for them on the road. They’ll probably try to lay low for a little while, maybe even come to stay at Gallatin House, if they know I’m gone.”

“All right. I’ll do what I can.”

Dave nodded with a hint of a smile. “Thanks. I hoped you would.”

Dave walked away from Gallatin House feeling a sense of satisfaction. His plan was working. With Lacy thinking it important to stay close to home and observe the people who came and went, he wouldn’t have to worry about her out there on the road, trying to find the highwaymen. With any luck at all, he’d be able to make it over to Bozeman, talk to the sheriff, and get back, and no one would be the worse for it.

He hummed to himself and mounted his horse. Glancing back at the porch, he gave a wave to Lacy.

“I like picking berries,” Justin told Beth. “I like eating them even better.”

Beth laughed and tousled his hair. “You’ll like them even more when I bake them into a pie.”

“My grandmother made pies, but she didn’t let me have but a tiny piece. She said sweets weren’t good for children.” Justin frowned. “She didn’t think much of anything was good for children. She didn’t want me climbing trees or playing in the creek. She just wanted me staying home all the time.”

Beth leaned back on her knees. “She probably wanted to keep you safe.”

“I suppose.” Justin fell silent and turned his attention back to the berries.

“Did you live on a farm in Kansas?”

He nodded. “My grandpa and uncles worked really hard. I wanted to help them, but Grandmother wouldn’t let me. She said it was too dangerous. Grandpa tried to change her mind, but she was always worrying. She didn’t even like it when Grandpa took me fishing.” He stopped and looked at Beth. “I always wished I had a mama.”

“Me too,” Beth replied. Memories of her childhood flashed in her mind.

“How old were you when your mama died?”

“I was just seven.” Beth dusted off her hands. “I think we have enough berries. Why don’t we go back to the house, and I’ll fix you some lunch.”

Justin gathered his things. “How’d your mama die?”

“She was trying to have a baby,” Beth said, knowing that it would strike a chord with the boy.

“That’s how my mama died,” Justin said, his eyes wide.

“Sometimes that happens, and other times it doesn’t.”

“Was she a good ma?”

Beth smiled and took his bucket and poured it into her own. “She was such a good mother. She used to bake me pies like this. She taught me to cook and bake when I was younger than you.”

“I wish I had a ma like that—like you.”

Beth stopped and looked at Justin, feeling her heart swell. “What about a father? Don’t you want him, too?”

Justin lowered his gaze to the ground. “I guess so.”

“You guess so?”

He shrugged. “He didn’t want to be my pa when I was born. He might not want to be my pa now.”

“Justin, have you asked your father why he left when you were born?”

“My grandpa told me he was a no-account.” Justin looked up, his lip quivering. “But Grandpa lied. Now I don’t know what’s right.”

Beth put down the buckets and put her arm around the boy. “Ask your father, Justin. He’s a good man. He’ll tell you what really happened. He deserves to have a chance to tell his side of things.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I know so.”

Justin considered her words for a moment. “Did you have a good pa?”

Beth thought for a moment. “He was good, but I’m sorry to say I didn’t really appreciate him until after I’d lost him. I don’t want to see that happen to you. See, people make mistakes, Justin. Your father, my father—they’re only human. Just like we’re only human. You and I will make mistakes and hurt others, but hopefully they’ll forgive us. Please think about forgiving your father, Justin. Forgive him, and ask him to tell you the truth.”

Nick had just finished hanging up his leather apron when Justin appeared. “You done picking berries already?”