Vow Unbroken (21 page)

“You have not answered my question. What is your business here?”

“Well, you see, I've had time to reconsider, and, frankly, I've come to the conclusion that I really do want your cotton, ma'am, so I've come to get it.”

“I told you before my cotton is not for sale to the likes of you!”

“No, no. Don't you worry, I've come to pay your price. I believe you last offered it at three and a half cents, did you not?”

“You may have changed your mind, but I most certainly have not changed mine! I thought I'd made myself clear. I'd burn it before I'd sell it to you. You wasted your time coming here. Now be on your way.”

“Why, ma'am, you do surprise me. How could you be so inhospitable? And quite un-Christ-like as well, I'd think. But then, I also thought you might say that.”

She stepped in front of Becky. “I owe you no hospitality. You are unwelcome here, and I've told you to go. If you do not, I will blow your kneecap off. If you still don't leave, I give you my word, sir, that I'll put a bullet right between your eyes.”

At that instant, a second man leapt from the rear of the wagon and grabbed her from behind. He knocked the flintlock from her hand and pulled her pistol out, waving it at Littlejohn. “Got it, boss.”

Becky screamed, and Blue jumped on the man's backside, tearing into him.

“Run, Becky! Run into the woods!”

The girl got up and took off. Littlejohn caught her by the arm.

“Get your filthy hands off her!” Sue glared at him.

Becky struggled and slipped out of his grasp.

“Run, Becky! And don't stop!” Sue fought against the man who held her hands behind her back. To her relief, Blue took off after her daughter.

A third henchman strolled in smiling. He had Levi by the collar. “Just like you said, boss. A piece of cake.”

Littlejohn lost his fake smile. “Good job, Skunk.”

The name certainly fit. The man reeked of body odor and only God knew what else. His grin showed rotten and missing teeth.

Littlejohn walked over to her. “Sorry it had to be this way, Mis'ess Baylor.”

She spit on him. “You're despicable!”

Then, like a flash of lightning, Blue Dog reappeared and leapt onto Skunk's back, lashing at his neck. The man let go of Levi and ran screaming louder than Becky had into the darkness with Blue leaping and tearing at him every step of the way.

In the melee, Sue writhed and wiggled to free herself, but Littlejohn grabbed her from the front and whirled her around. He pulled her tight against him. A shot rang out. The man who had been holding her went down. A red stain grew on his shoulder. Littlejohn pulled a knife and put it against her throat.

“Drop your long gun, son, or I'll be forced to slit your aunt's throat from ear to ear.”

Becky came running back into the firelight. “Mama!
Mama!” She ran over and kicked Littlejohn. “You let her go! Let her go now!”

Kicking out to the side, he sent her little girl flying through the air. Sue would kill him with her bare hands if he didn't kill her first.

Levi raised his long gun with a bead on Littlejohn's head. “I am not your son. Now let her go.”

“Why, you're just a kid. You've never killed a man, have you? You know you'll go to Hell for sure if you shoot me, boy. Best drop that gun. I'll not tell you again.”

Henry walked into the light and right toward the thief with his pistol held out. “You are a dead man if you so much as spill one drop of this woman's blood. I promise you. This is over.” He took another step toward him. “I've killed seven men. Shot six and beat one to death with my bare hands. You'll be number eight if you hurt her.” With the blade of the knife pressing against her throat, Sue's heart beat against her chest with such force she thought she'd surely faint. Her eyes begged Henry. She wasn't ready to die!

“Collect your friend there and hightail it out of these parts as fast as you can travel.” Henry's eyes were like steel. “Do it now.”

What Sue could see of the man's arm and pudgy hand glistened with sweat in the firelight. He fidgeted, holding the knife a little way out from her skin. “But, but, the minute I let her go, you'll shoot me dead.”

“No, not in front of this little girl and her mother. But be it known, you best travel far and fast. I ever see your face again, wherever it might be, you're a dead man after what you tried here tonight.”

The one Levi had shot writhed on the ground. “Do it! Let
her go and get me to a doctor, you fool. Only a woman and a boy you said! Chowderhead!”

Levi kicked him. “Shut your mouth, you no-good worm. I hope you die, and that I'm the one who gets to send you straight to Hell. Say another word! Go ahead.” He poked him with the barrel of his long rifle.

Henry held his cocked pistol pointed at her captor's head. “I won't tell you again. Let her go. Now.”

The man dropped the knife and released her. She ran to Henry and held him with all her might. He kept aim on the thief. Littlejohn helped his friend up and half dragged, half supported him, getting into the darkness and disappearing as fast as he could move.

Becky ran to her and hugged Sue's leg with one arm.

She looked down at her daughter, her vision blurred by the tears in her eyes. Her little one's other arm wrapped Henry's leg. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”

Becky nodded, her face glistening with tears as well. “Yes, Mama. It hurt my leg the worst when he kicked me, but I'll be fine.”

Sue realized Henry's arms were around her, again. Oh, his embrace felt so wonderful and safe. She could stay there forever, but she pushed away and looked into his eyes. “Thank you.” She gasped for more breath and to stop from releasing the sobs rising from deep inside. “So much.” She lifted a hand to his cheek. “One more time, you've saved my life.”

T
HAT NIGHT AS HENRY WAITED
for sleep, he stared at the sky, watching shades of gray move past, and replayed the evening's events. Oh, how he wanted to kill that no-count Littlejohn, wanted it bad, but more than anything, he wanted to keep Sue and Rebecca safe. Plus, he'd never want to disappoint either of them by killing a man in cold blood. How things had changed.

It did concern him that she had pushed away so soon. He would have preferred to hold her longer. He did save her life after all. She might have at least given him a longer hug, and maybe even a kiss—on his cheek would have been nice. Some might have expected it. Why had she pushed away? Was it her God keeping her from giving her love, or even showing her gratitude?

Sleep found him before any conclusions regarding Sue's change in attitude. For a while, he dreamed of Littlejohn, but instead of his henchmen, the no-count was teamed with the wolves, and, instead of only three, he traveled with a full pack. Henry shot, and Sue reloaded, but he couldn't kill them fast enough. The beasts kept leaping at him, on him. Finally,
when one had Blue by the throat, the wolves and Littlejohn vanished.

Then Henry found himself back in that Kentucky tavern.

He relaxed, exactly like he had that November night so long ago. Sipping on a beer, he sat against the wall minding his own business. The barmaid didn't flinch when he added the beer to his stew order. She did want to see his coin though. Halfway through his second drink, the front door flew open. At first, he didn't pay any attention to the two lumberjacks who filled the tavern with their boisterous voices.

It was his birthday, and all he wanted was the present he'd promised himself.

The taller of the two men looked around, spotted Henry, and slapped his fellow's arm. “Ain't that the schoolmarm's boy sitting there against the wall sipping beer?”

The other one looked. “You've got an eye, mate. It is him.” He wiped his mouth. “Hey, boy, tell your mama I need some schooling.”

Henry shrugged and took the bait. “Sure, what's your name?”

“What? You don't know your own daddy's name?” The man laughed. “That's what I am, your pap, and that's the gods' truth, son.”

Henry stood, staring at the man. He wanted to tell him that he knew full well who his father was, a respected man of letters, but he didn't say anything. Figured he'd best get on home. He shook his head, spit on the sawdust floor, and walked toward the door.

Footfalls pulled him around. The man ran toward him but stopped short. “Where you going, boy? Just now, I told you a thing. Ain't you going to say otherwise? Or is it you don't know
for sure that I ain't your pappy?” The guy leaned forward, exposing his chin, like he was begging Henry to take a swing. “Maybe it's 'cause you know your mama's honor ain't worth defending. Is that it?”

For a heartbeat, he stared at the man. He clenched his fists but kept them at his sides. No matter how good it would feel, smacking the brute wasn't worth it. He turned away and grabbed the door's latch. An open hand slapped the back of his head. He spun around.

“Where you going, son? I thought we'd share a beer, talk a bit about that handsome mama of yours.”

“Don't hit me again.”

The man stung Henry's cheek. “What about slapping?” He laughed even louder. “Does that count?”

Henry's fists balled. He swung and kept on swinging. The drunk went down. Henry jumped on top of him, pounding on his face. The man's friend joined the fight, pummeling his head and back, but Henry kept on swinging anyway. Inside, he screamed at himself to stop, but he didn't. He couldn't. He jammed his fist into the disrespectful, loathsome man's face time after time.

Until a hand grabbed his arm.

The tavern disappeared. He looked up.

Sue kneeled beside the wagon he and the boy slept under. She stared at him. Her hand still held on to his arm, gently shaking it. “You awake now?”

He shook sleep and the bad dream away and peered into her eyes. “I am. What's afoot?”

“You were shouting in your sleep to stop.”

“Was I now?”

She nodded. “Want to talk about it?”

“No.” What he wanted was to pull her to himself and smother her with kisses. Instead, he played the gentleman's game and only smiled. “I'm sorry I woke you. Let's get some rest. Maybe aim for another early start tomorrow.”

She scratched her ear, nodded, then crawled back under her wagon and the soft piles of his furs.

SUE LAY THERE AWAKE
with her mind going as fast as that storm had blown in. The frogs sang to each other, and if she listened, really listened to their song, she could imagine they were croaking their praise to the Creator. A breeze rustled the drying leaves, and they, too, sent their song to the heavens. The owl joined in with his whoo and made her think he might be asking who was more glorious than God. Could there be any more beautiful a symphony?

She didn't want to think about Henry at all, but that's exactly where her thoughts kept returning. His eyes haunted her; in a good way, but still, she wanted her musings to go somewhere else. That look, though; had there been something there? Like he wanted to hug her and kiss her. But she couldn't let that happen, no matter how she felt.

Besides, she wasn't sure she'd even seen it. Could be that was only what she wanted, all wrapped up in her sinful nature. She'd probably only invented what she hoped to see there in his eyes—or what the devil wanted her to see.

He didn't have to be such a handsome man. Not in a pretty-boy way, but a rugged, manly kind of way. Why he hadn't been around more sure posed a mystery. Especially since every other single man on the Sulphur Fork Prairie had eventually come calling to court her. Young and old alike, from
nineteen to seventy-two years old. She smiled remembering. What an old geezer he was! Probably showed up on a dare.

It was all confusing. None of them had ever made butterflies swarm her belly like Henry though. But him not being a believer . . . She sighed. Maybe he had no interest in marriage and being tied down anyway. What she knew was that she was absolutely not interested in that kind of relationship with any man unless it led to marriage, and that debate—so far as Henry Buckmeyer was concerned—had been settled in her mind after the first hug.

She would never marry Patrick Henry Buckmeyer. She'd never tie him down. And she'd never marry an unbeliever. Besides, he'd admitted out of his own mouth that he was a killer—had killed seven men.

Arriving in Pleasant Mound; that's what she'd think about. Seeing the Foglesongs again and Becky playing with Sassy. And the Howletts; Sue enjoyed Shannan so much, and it would be good to have the long trip to visit with her and Berta and Benny. The women always shared their fresh revelations. Why didn't more men spend as much time in the Word as women?

Henry not being a believer was dreadfully worrisome. How could he have read the Bible through so many times and not have seen the Truth? And her Levi, too, he'd never asked Christ into his heart. Maybe because he'd been forced to grow up way too quick, and even though she'd done her best and truly loved the boy, he just always seemed unsettled.