Linda Ford (18 page)

“Good. Mr. Hayes said I should spend more time with Happy.”

“That’s a great idea.”

Twice in the night, Rebecca jerked awake at Gabriel’s cry, then remembered that someone else was responsible for him and quickly fell asleep again.

* * *

It was strange to be alone with Colton the next morning as they headed to town. One thing worried Rebecca above all else. “How long do you think it will be before Amelia’s husband learns that she’s at the ranch with a baby?”

“I hope he never hears.”

“Is that possible?”

“He sure won’t hear it from me.”

“Or me. But sooner or later he’s going to expect his wife to return and then what? Won’t he find out that she’s not in Kansas and start looking for her?”

Colton rocked his head back and forth. “Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.”

She wished she could so easily dismiss the problem, but she wasn’t confident that Vern Hicks wouldn’t cause trouble in one way or another. This concerned her more and more over the next few days as her admiration for Amelia grew. She was efficient, organized and kind to one and all. It was awful to think that the poor woman was so frightened of her husband that she’d felt driven to abandon the baby she obviously loved dearly. Surely there must be a way she and Gabriel could be protected from Vern. But no matter how much time Rebecca spent pondering the problem, she couldn’t come up with a solution.

On Saturday, Amelia announced, “I wish I could go to church tomorrow. I’ve missed it.”

Colton jumped right out of his chair. “You can’t let Vern know where you are.”

She got a stubborn look on her face that reminded Rebecca so much of Colton that she had to suppress a smile.

“I can’t hide forever. I’m proud of my little man.” She stroked Gabriel’s cheek. “I want to show him off.”

“You can’t go to church.” Colton revealed every bit of his stubborn nature in his words. “You’d be putting yourself and Gabriel in danger.”

Amelia nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

Rebecca knew it was only a matter of time before this argument came up again.

Later in the day, as they enjoyed a leisurely walk without having to keep in mind Gabriel’s feeding time, Colton spoke about the matter. “My cousin will not be put off much longer. I guess she can’t hide forever, either.”

“I wouldn’t expect her to. Why not talk to her and decide how to deal with this situation?”

“You don’t know Vern the way I do.”

She’d seen enough of the man to understand that he was most unpleasant when he’d been drinking. Having never seen him in any other state, she couldn’t judge if he had any redeeming qualities. “There must be something we can do to help Amelia.”

“He’s a vindictive man.”

Rebecca’s breath lodged in her throat. “Would he come to the ranch and hurt people here?”

Colton’s eyes were dark with concern. “I can’t say with certainty that he wouldn’t. We have to be sure he doesn’t find out she’s here.”

Rebecca rubbed her breastbone. “Every day we’ve left them here unguarded. Now I’m worried.”

He squeezed her shoulder. “No need to worry as long as Vern doesn’t know.”

She leaned into his touch. Longed for more. But he hadn’t offered more.

“Someone’s coming.”

Her heart thundered against her ribs. “Vern?” She could barely squeeze the word from her throat.

Colton shaded his eyes and studied the swirl of dust that signaled approaching visitors. “Looks like a horse and buggy. I’ve never seen Vern on anything but an old piebald gelding.” He grabbed her hand. “We’d better hurry back.”

She felt his urgency matching her own and trotted at his side back to the house, arriving as the buggy pulled to a halt at the house.

Colton’s lungs emptied in a whoosh. “It’s Doc Simpson. He said he wanted to visit Ma.”

“He’ll see Amelia.” She urged him to hurry onward.

They dashed for the door, but Doc Simpson had already knocked.

They reached his side. “Doc,” Colton said, his voice revealing only a slight note of strain, “what brings you out on a Sunday afternoon?”

“Promised your mother a week ago I’d visit. I have something I’d like her to try for her heart. Something a doctor from New York sent me.” He slanted a look at Rebecca. “I think you might know something about that.”

Behind the door came the sound of scurrying. Rebecca guessed that Amelia was dashing into her room.

“I asked my father to speak to our doctor,” Rebecca explained. “If he knows of something that will help, it would be wonderful.”

Colton stood with his hand on the doorknob. “She’ll be glad if it does.” He cleared his throat, gave a little cough, then opened the door slowly.

Rebecca saw him relax and guessed that Amelia had disappeared. The gentlemen both stepped aside and allowed Rebecca to enter.

Heidi sat at Mrs. Hayes’s side, her eyes wide. Mrs. Hayes held the baby and smiled, but Rebecca saw the worry in her expression. Only Mr. Hayes appeared completely at ease. The man had a knack for pretense.

“How do, Doc?” Mr. Hayes said. “Come sit a spell.”

“I’ll make tea,” Rebecca said and hurried to the stove. She served slices of Amelia’s cake, as well.

The room vibrated with tension. She wondered how the doctor didn’t feel it, but he drank his tea and ate a slice of cake with no sign of discomfort. “Good cake. Thank you.” Done, he shoved aside his dish. “Mrs. Hayes, thanks to Miss Sterling’s request, a doctor in New York sent me a new medicine I believe will ease your symptoms.” He went on to tell Mrs. Hayes the benefits and how to take it.

“I’ll give it a try,” she promised, taking the powders he handed her.

Heidi watched with keen interest, but her gaze darted often to the door through which Amelia had gone.

“Now let’s have a look at the little one.”

Mrs. Hayes handed him over, somewhat reluctantly, Rebecca thought.

“No one has come forward to claim this little man?” Doc listened to the baby’s chest, flexed his legs and examined his ears as he talked.

No one answered.

Mr. Hayes cleared his throat. “Doc, have you heard of anyone who might be the mother?”

Dr. Simpson bundled the baby up in his blanket and handed him back to Mrs. Hayes. “No, and it’s a shame. He’s such a sturdy baby.”

“He’s mine.”

Everyone turned to stare at Amelia standing in the doorway, her eyes flashing determination.

Chapter Sixteen

C
olton’s throat was as dry and dusty as the road the doctor had recently traveled. He didn’t know if he wanted to muzzle Amelia or shove her into the other room and close the door. From the silence in the room, he knew he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t decide what to say or do.

Dr. Simpson found his tongue first. “Amelia, how are you? I see you’ve lost some weight.” His voice carried a note of humor.

Amelia crossed the room and sat at the table. She looked at each one of them. “I know you want me to hide, but I can’t.”

Colton’s fear and anger boiled over. “How can we expect to keep you safe if you won’t stay out of sight?”

Doc Simpson held up a hand. “I’d like to hear what Amelia has to say.”

She took Gabriel and held him close as she repeated her story. “I can’t hide out here forever. Even if I try, how long before Vern finds me? I want to walk proud and show off my beautiful son.” The fight left her as quickly as it had come. “What will he do?”

They all knew she was referring to her husband.

Doc puffed out his cheeks. “I can’t say for sure what he might do, but I agree that you can’t hide forever.”

Colton balled his hands into fists. “I don’t trust Vern.”

“Nor do I,” the doctor assured him. “Amelia, you have to leave the man once and for all, and live your own life.”

“How can I do that? I have to be able to support myself and my child. Besides, he won’t let me go that easily.”

“True. But once you’ve made the decision, the sheriff will have to convince Vern to honor it. You’ll certainly need a means of support.” The doctor studied Amelia then shifted his gaze to Rebecca.

Colton watched him closely. What did the man have in mind? He didn’t have long to wait for his question to be answered.

“The mayor and the selection committee have been looking for staff for the orphanage.”

“Are you saying I might get a job? I can cook,” Amelia said. “And I like children. But what about Gabriel? I don’t want to leave him with someone else.”

“Are you committed to going through with this? Leaving Vern and not letting his anger make you change your mind?”

Amelia looked down at her son for several seconds then raised her face.

In her countenance Colton saw a depth of determination and stubbornness he’d never seen before.

“For Gabriel’s sake, I must and I will.”

“Then let me look into things and see what I can come up with. You’re absolutely right. Sooner or later you have to come out into the open and confront Vern. But perhaps it’s best if you lie low for a few more days. I’ll check on him and assess his mental state. If we can approach him when he’s sober, we might have a chance at having a reasonable conversation.”

Colton kept his opinion to himself, but he doubted Vern would be reasonable after learning that Amelia meant to leave him—and take his son, to boot. The man had a very deep streak of meanness in him.

He wondered what Rebecca thought of all this.

She didn’t look his way. Instead, her gaze rested on Heidi, who had listened to the whole story, her eyes wide and staring.

He could have slapped himself. The child should not have heard all this, but the adults had forgotten she was there. He reached for her, but Rebecca beat him to it and drew the child to her lap. She wrapped her arms about Heidi and held her tight.

When she finally lifted her head, Colton saw that her eyes were almost as wide as Heidi’s. What was she thinking to look so frightened?

* * *

Rebecca knew Amelia and the doctor were right. Amelia deserved the chance to raise her son openly. They’d just have to figure out how they could make that happen without putting anyone at risk.

A little later the doctor left and Colton went out to do chores, taking Heidi with him.

Mr. Hayes looked around at those who remained in the room. “We will miss the young fella, won’t we, Mother?” Mr. Hayes rose and limped to the stove with very little effort. He filled his cup with tea, then carried it back to the table.

Rebecca watched him. She realized something she’d subconsciously noted before. “Mr. Hayes, it seems to me you don’t appear nearly as crippled when Colton isn’t around.”

He winked at his wife. “I let Colton think I need his help more than I do.”

Rebecca looked at Amelia to see if she understood what he meant, but she shrugged.

“Why would you do that?”

“For Colton.”

Mrs. Hayes nodded agreement.

“He blames himself for my injuries. Helping me is his way of making up for it so I pretend I am worse off than I am.”

Amelia sat across from him and gave him some hard study. “So how bad off are you?”

“I can’t walk very far. Don’t suppose I could ride a horse, which I miss like nobody’s business. But I can get around the house just fine.” He leaned closer as if to share a secret. “When Colton’s in town, I go outside and walk around. It’s helping me get my strength back.”

He could do so much more than Colton knew. Was it really fair to make Colton continue to pay? Again Rebecca sought enlightenment from Amelia.

She lifted her eyebrows in silent agreement with Rebecca’s assessment. “Why is Colton to blame?”

Mr. Hayes let out a long sigh. “He’s not. No more than I am. He called out to the Thatcher girl. The cows were edgy and they stampeded. That much was his doing. But I was adjusting my hatband and didn’t have my mind on the job or I would have been alert and seen the cows getting restless. If I’d had my wits about me, I wouldn’t have taken a nosedive.” He shrugged and looked sheepish.

The look Amelia gave her uncle would have made Rebecca squirm. It had the same effect on Mr. Hayes.

“Don’t you think it’s time to stop such nonsense?”

“But Colton—”

“But Colton is a big boy. Don’t you think he can handle not having to play nursemaid to you two?” Amelia rumbled her lips. “Seems to me you’ve hog-tied him, deprived him of a future.” She blinked as if she’d spoken more harshly than she meant to, then rushed on. “But you’ve done the same to yourself. The only way you can get out and enjoy the outdoors is to wait until Colton’s not here. That’s just plumb foolish.”

Rebecca couldn’t have said it better.

But if Mr. Hayes’s injuries were bearable and if the new medicine helped Mrs. Hayes, then neither of Colton’s parents would need him. And if Amelia took the baby and lived in town...

Seemed there’d be no need for Heidi’s help.

Or the presence of a city gal with little proficiency in farm life.

Talk that evening centered on where Amelia might live. Would she live at the orphanage or elsewhere? How would she take care of herself and little Gabriel and what might Vern do? Thankfully, Heidi played outside with the cats and didn’t hear the conversation. Rebecca wished she could avoid it, as well. Every word was another board nailed to a wall, boxing her in until she felt she couldn’t move.

Except a move was inevitable.

After they went to bed, Heidi crawled close. “Is Amelia going to live in town?”

“She wants to.”

“Will I have to go, too, or can I stay here?”

Rebecca wrapped her arms about the child. She had hoped Heidi had not picked up on the air of change and uncertainty in the house, but she should have known better. Heidi was far too astute to miss it. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m glad Amelia is going to stand up to her husband, though. I don’t know what decisions will have to be made in the next few days, but whatever unfolds, you and I will be okay.”

“I hope I can stay here. I could help Mr. and Mrs. Hayes.”

“I’m sure they’d like that, but we’ll simply have to wait and see.”

“I know we can live here because Colton said we could.” And she turned to her side and fell asleep with Colton’s promise to comfort her.

Rebecca wished she could feel such assurance, but things had changed.

One thing hadn’t changed, though, and that was God’s care.
Show me where You want me to be and what You want me to do.
She added a thought, but didn’t think it was an appropriate prayer.
Help Colton love me.

On the trip to town the next day, Colton seemed interested only in the growing crops beside the trail.

At the orphanage, the work kept her mind occupied. She made note of the final little things she needed to buy for what would be the girls’ dormitory. She needed to be in control of something, if only making notes on a piece of paper.

Done, she went to the store to place her orders.

As she stepped from the store, a man lurched into her path. Vern Hicks. Drunk. He squinted at Rebecca.

“Ya seen my wife?”

She scrambled for an answer. She was no good at lying and he’d likely guess the truth if she tried. “I thought Amelia went to Kansas to see her sister.”

“Yesh.” He staggered away a step then turned, the movement causing him nearly to fall. “When did she go? Shouldn’t she be back by now?” Every word was exaggerated as he tried to form it in his brain and then get it out his mouth.

She backed away from his rank breath. “I have no idea what her arrangement was. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She tried to slip past him, but he fell into her.

“Some wife,” he muttered. “Gotta beat her to keep her in line.”

Mr. Gavin stepped from the store and pulled him off her. “Vern, you need to go home and sober up.”

“I’se sober as a jug—a ju—”

“A judge. I know.” Mr. Gavin guided him in the general direction of the Hicks house.

“She’s avo—vo—” He swallowed hard. “She’s keeping away. If I find her—” He shoved Mr. Gavin. “Leave me alone. All of you leave me alone. Or do you wanna fight? I’ll fight ya. Any day. Come on.” He swung his arm and almost fell.

Mr. Gavin simply stayed out of his reach. “Go home, Vern.”

Vern staggered away, muttering angrily, “When I find her, I’ll learn her a lesson.”

Mr. Gavin shook his head. “I hope Amelia stays safe in Kansas. Vern is one mean drunk. He’s even meaner when he starts to sober up.”

Rebecca hurried back to the orphanage and sank onto the bench Amelia had used just a few days ago.

Colton stepped into the room. “Is something wrong?”

“Vern was outside the store, drunk and making threats against Amelia.” She shuddered. “How is Amelia going to live in the same town as him?”

He sat beside her. “I’d feel better if she stayed hidden on the ranch. But you saw how stubborn she is.”

“What if she moved away?”

“He’d track her down. And in another town she wouldn’t have me and everyone else in Evans Grove to watch out for her and help her.” His fists curled. “No one is going to stand by and see him hurt her or Gabriel.”

Rebecca thought of Mr. Gavin stepping in at the store. She knew he’d do the same for Amelia. But none of them could protect her in the privacy of the Hicks home. “I wish—” She couldn’t even say what she wished for. To wish Amelia hadn’t come back was purely petty. To wish things hadn’t changed was pointless. To hope for Colton to give her a reason to stay—well, that she could wish for.

But only Colton could make her wish come true.

Ted joined them. “Miss, we can build frames for the beds if you show us what you want.”

“I’ll come right away.” She spent the next two hours discussing the size, number and placement of beds in both the girls’ and boys’ quarters, as well as a hundred other details.

They moved on to the smaller room between the two dorms—the room where the director would sleep. Two other small bedrooms separated the boys’ dorm from the girls’. Rooms for additional staff. As they studied the room, a plan began to form.

She went in search of Colton to tell him about it. “If Amelia lived here, she’d be safe.”

“How?”

“The children would warn her if Vern showed up. There are older boys coming from Greenville. I hope they can get an education while they’re here. But educated or not, these are street children, as Miss Ward so often points out. They’re little scrappers. They know how to deal with the challenges of the streets. They’ll know how to provide a modicum of protection for Amelia. When they aren’t here, other staff will be.”

“Children shouldn’t be expected to protect adults.”

“I’m not suggesting that they confront Vern or get involved in a physical altercation, but these kids are wily. I think they can outsmart a drunk.”

Colton still looked dubious. “It’s better than any other idea we’ve come up with.” He popped his fist into the palm of his hand.

Pleased with her idea, happy that Colton seemed ready to consider it, Rebecca said, “Then I’m going to suggest to Pauline that she offer Amelia the position.”

“Do you suppose we can keep her presence at the ranch a secret until the orphanage opens?”

“I think it would be best, but it will take a lot of talking to convince Amelia. She grows more and more restless with each passing day. And she’s a stubborn Hayes.”

He opened his mouth, preparing to argue, then laughed. “Sometimes it’s good to be stubborn.”

She tapped her finger to her chin. “I’m trying to recall a situation where I could agree.” Finally, she shrugged, prompting him to chuckle. “I’m going to check if Pauline is at town hall.”

“I’ll come along and add my support to your request.”

She thought to tell him she didn’t need his help, but in truth, she did. Pauline might well have all sorts of reservations about hiring a woman with a child and a troublemaking husband. So together they crossed through the town square. The hackberry trees filled the square with patches of shady invitations. Beneath one, a bench had been placed. Rebecca would have enjoyed sitting there sharing Colton’s company. But he hurried onward toward town hall.

Pauline sat behind a big desk, Curtis Brooks nearby. A stack of papers lay before them, but their attention did not appear to be on the documents.

If Rebecca wasn’t mistaken, Pauline looked more startled at the appearance of two other people in her office than she would have expected. Did she resent their intrusion?

“How may I help you?” she asked.

Colton pulled two chairs close to the desk and nodded for Rebecca to speak. She explained her idea.