Pioneer Love: Damaged Hearts Head West: Mail Order Bride 5 Bundle (28 page)

Chapter 6

Lauren tried to stop her tears, but she couldn’t. All day she lay on her bed and cried. It was not like her, but somehow she had reached the end of her tether. How could this happen? How could she end up here? All her life she had been a good Christian girl and she had never thought ill of anyone. But it didn’t matter life wasn’t fair. Still, when the tears stopped, she prayed and felt calm, at least for a little while.

Theo knocked the door and entered with a packet which he handed to Lauren. “Ms. Van Percy sent this for you. She says you have to get ready along with rest of the girls and head downstairs when the bell rings,” saying that, he left.

Lauren opened the packet and when she saw the contents inside she threw it away instantly. It was a dress, just like the rest of the girls. Short and indecent. There was no way she was wearing it. “I am not going to wear this, and I am not going anywhere.” She curled her arms around her knees and went further back until she was resting on the hard wall.

Emily gave a scoff as she applied makeup on her face.

Teresa and Hannah were also getting ready. They both had told Lauren all about the place and the more she heard, the more she wanted to throw up. They had told her that innocent girls, ones that had never been with a man, were very special and highly demanded. People paid a lot of money for them and since she was one, Henry would introduce her tonight. But then they had looked at her scarred and burned face, and for the first time in fifteen years she was immensely thankful that she had a monster face. She just hoped that her face would get her away from this place. So she sat there still and quiet feeling as if she couldn’t even move. Even though she wanted to cry, thought she should be crying, she had cried so much in the past hours that she had no more tears left to shed.

Hannah and Teresa asked her to get ready and begged her to come with them, but she didn’t budge from her place on the bed. There was no way she was going to sell herself like that. The bell rang and Lauren sat where she was as the other three rushed out quickly. There were loud voices outside and after a few seconds it all faded away.

Lauren sat still wondering if she could sneak out of there in a few minutes. Maybe once the rush died down she could find a way to escape. As she thought this she stared at the door’s knob and prayed that it didn’t turn. But it did. A few minutes later there were a couple of loud voices just outside and then the door kicked open. Lilly entered the room furiously, and heavyset men stood at the door.

“Don’t you get what’s told to you?” Lilly yelled. She picked up the dress from the floor and threw it in her face. “Get dressed right now.”

“I am not going to wear this,” Lauren pushed it away.

“The hell you are not, I’ll put it on you myself if I have to.”

Lauren protested with silence and ignored the vile woman. Lilly grabbed hold of her arm and twisted it around her back. While Lauren cried, shouted, and struggled, Lilly grabbed hold of her. She was strong and violent. She pulled off Lauren’s tunic dress and made her wear that flimsy short dress that barely allowed her room to breathe.

“I can’t do this. I don’t want to do this. Please let me go,” Lauren cried and begged. But that only earned her a hard smack from Lilly.

“Shut your mouth and put something on this ugly face of yours,” she made her sit before the dressing table and then applied makeup to Lauren’s face herself. She kept mumbling about what a waste of money it was to bring her here, since she wasn’t hopeful that Lauren would be able to get any clients which meant they wouldn’t be getting any money.

Lilly practically dragged her out of the room and took her downstairs.

“What took you so long?” Henry asked as he saw Lilly.

“Your little bride wasn’t willing to leave her room,” Lilly said.

Henry looked at Lauren and then lost his temper. He grabbed her by the neck, “I brought you here to earn me money. Now take your deceitful face on the stage and be a good girl.”

Lauren coughed at the lack of air, but Henry didn’t loosen his grip.

“One slip and I will break your bones. Do you understand?” he said.

She stayed quiet.

“Answer me, woman. Do you understand?” He put more pressure on her neck. When she didn’t answer, he let go of her neck and grabbed her hair to pull her head back and then slapped her face so hard that blood spilled from her mouth. “I am taking her inside. You get the second group ready,” Henry said to Lilly and then took Lauren towards the big hall from where loud piano music could be heard.

Lauren struggled in his arms trying to pull away. That earned her another blow which made her see stars.

The girls were right, she was stuck here, but she would not give up hope for she had the Lord on her side.

Henry opened the door and then stepped inside. The stage had a couple of girls dancing and the hall was crowded with men of all ages. A few more girls were roaming while some were sitting with the men who have paid for them.

“Gentlemen!” Henry’s voice rose, “I have a new treat to introduce to you. This is Rosie,” he said as he brought Lauren forward. His hand was still gripping her neck.

All eyes turned to them and Lauren wanted to be invisible. Heat rose up her body and she felt the ugly scars burn as if they were still licked with flame.

Henry asked them to name their price for her, but no one stood up. There were mumblings about her looks, about her being a beast and she thought maybe nothing had changed. As Henry shook her towards the men, no one wanted to pay for her and they turned away and back to what they were doing.

Lauren kept praying, and for the first time in a long while she thought her prayers had been answered. It looked as if no one wanted her.

But of course, it didn’t last for long. Henry was furious that he wasn’t getting any clients for her and he shook her so hard that she feared for her life. “Dance and strip,” he shouted.

“I won’t do that. Let me go please.” She backed away, but Henry was already staying close to her and his fingers dug into her arm.

“I’ll pay Two dollars for her.” Someone called from behind. It was an ugly old man who was wearing ragged clothes. “Two dollars,” he fumbled in his pockets and came out with two wrinkled notes.

Henry frowned at him and then looked back at Lauren as if making a decision.

“Fine, for just a half hour.” He reached for the notes, but the old man dodged his hand.

“Two dollars, for a full night.”

“Don’t kid yourself old man, two dollars, for a half hour. Take it or leave it.”

“Two dollars, full night.” Again he fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a coin. “Or half-dollar for half hour.” He weighed his hands showing the two dollars and the half dollar. “Take it or leave it, no one’s gonna pay you a shilling for that face.”

The old man gestured at Lauren and she had never felt so humiliated in her entire life. She wished Henry would turn him down. But he didn’t. He took the two dollars and handed her to him.

Chapter 7

Fear was like a physical force. It pushed down on Lauren's chest and squeezed the air from her lungs. She gasped for breath and shook violently as the old man dragged her out of the room.

What could she do?

As he pulled her up the stairs, her knees gave way but he was surprisingly strong and hauled her to her feet. 

“Please,” she begged. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“I ain’t gonna hurt you,” he growled and dragged her along the hallway.

She looked around her, there were rooms ready for such kind of services, and her heart froze in her chest. “Please God,” she begged. “Please help me.” Her words changed to tears and she cried and begged him for mercy. But the man was strong for his age. He threw open a door and pushed her inside. This was it. She prayed silently for strength and for salvation. “Please don’t do this,” she said, her voice cracking with nerves.

“I paid for your service. Now serve me,” he said locking the door.

“Please let me go. I am not this kind of girl. He trapped me, I was supposed to be married,” Lauren pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears. Then she realized once this happened she would never be married, she would be ruined, and the tears fell again. Biting them back she squared her shoulders and showed him the worst side of her face.

But he simply laughed. He wanted what he had paid for. He reached for her, but Lauren shoved him aside and tried to run.

“Don’t you do that.” the man grabbed her neck from behind.

Lauren felt her world stop. She had never, ever, been this afraid in all her life. Even in the heat of the fire there had been hope. For a moment she relaxed and she prayed. “Dear Lord show me a way out of this darkness. Guide me back to your light.” A sense of peace came over her; she had control of her thoughts. As the old man’s rough hands touched her scarred hand, something changed. It was like a thousand bees were buzzing inside her. She gathered all her strength and pushed him back and ran towards the door. As he stumbled backwards, he tripped over the edge of a rug and fell hard onto his back. He lay stunned for a moment, while she struggled with the lock.

“You come back here. I paid two dollars for you,” the man yelled and got up.

The key would not turn and he was getting to his feet. At last the lock gave, and she pulled the door as he ran towards her.

Fueled by fear and faith, Lauren ran from the room. She could hear the man behind her; feel his breath on her neck. Closer he came and she raced from him, but where could she go?

The man was catching her and soon he was just a few feet behind her. Lauren struggled in the tight dress and he grabbed hold of her hair. She was pulled up quickly and spun around to face him. Angry, his fist flailed at her face.

Lauren raised her arms to fend off the blows. “Please Lord,” she whispered. But the blows came one after another. There was nothing to do but she felt calm. As if the Lord were with her and he guided her backward. Back and back she went until her legs connected with the balcony. Then fear filled her --she was stuck, and after all this it had been for nothing.

A grin came over his face as she leaned back against a low rail, barely two feet high. Raising his hand, he struck her again and pushed her into the rail. She fought back and struck out at him. Anger crossed his face and he hit her again and this time pushed her backward. As her legs hit the balcony, she lost her balance and soon she was falling down. Down and down she fell, away from the evil man and the evil place. Maybe she was saved, maybe she would be held in the arms of the Lord, and all her worldly sins would be forgotten.

Something hard and cold hit her back and pain filled her body. As she lay on the ground, she gave a prayer of thanks. The Lord had heard her pleas and was bringing her home, and then it all went dark.

Dr. Troy Ramsey made his way to the ward, after he had heard of a girl who had fallen from the second floor. “What do we have?” he asked the nurse.

“Extreme blood loss and a head injury, it may be more than a concussion,” she told him as he entered the room.

He took the notes from her hand and walked to the bed reading the comments as he did. Then he looked up to see his patient and what he saw, made his heart skip a beat. The girl on the bed was like a sleeping beauty. Her face was half turned away and her dark copper hair covered the pillow like a beautiful curtain. It glinted gold in the lamplight and cast a warm glow on her face. Covered in bruises, her face was still beautiful. With ivory skin, high cheekbones and full red lips. Even though it was marred with blood, it spoke to her beauty.

Troy had never felt like this before. A patient was a patient and women were women, but he had never been in love. No woman had ever turned his head but with her he was mesmerized by that first sight. “What’s her name?” he asked the nurse without taking his eyes away from her.

“Lauren Morley.”

Lauren,
he repeated in his head and he leaned closer to her.

“There’s something you should see Doctor.”

That was when the nurse straightened her face and Troy stopped in his tracks. The other half of Lauren’s face was covered with burn scars. His eyes widened. Not with revulsion, but with wonder. Her face was a statue of complex contrast and each of them complimented the other. He had never seen such imperfect beauty in his entire life.

She needs your help!
An inner voice called and he snapped out of his daydreaming and concentrated on treating her injuries.

Lauren had suffered from a severe cut to the back of her head and a high-level concussion. Quickly he stitched the wound and checked her over. There were other cuts and bruises, but they were mainly superficial. The concussion was the problem and it would keep her unconscious for some time. Troy tended to her and then reluctantly left to continue with his rounds. But after they were finished, he couldn’t help but find his way back to her room again and again, even after his shift was over. For long hours, he would sit and watch her, and found he could not leave her all alone.

During the next morning, a couple came to see her. Troy did not like them instantly and he told them that she was to be kept in hospital for a few days even after she awoke.

“When will that be?” the man asked.

“I do not know,” Troy said. “This is a serious injury.” He wanted to ask how this happened but knew it would do no good. There was no real law in this town. The lawmen were hired by the mine and did as they said. They would not care about one injured woman, and he did not wish to make things worse for Lauren. So he kept his peace and promised her that he would help her all he could.

The man and woman weren’t happy with his answer. They stood over her bed, mumbling about trouble and loss of earnings.

Troy didn’t like the way those two people appeared or talked about Lauren. Especially that wrinkled faced woman who talked in nothing but curses, so in the end he chased them from the hospital. For some reason in this short time span, Troy had felt a strong feeling of protectiveness develop inside him for the scarred girl who laid unconscious on one of his hospital beds. He wondered if these two were the ones to give her those scars. Just the thought of it made him want to strangle them. It was a strange feeling, he had always wanted to heal, and had never felt such feelings before.

After his morning rounds, he came to check on her. Lauren was still unconscious but she was comfortable, and he knew there was nothing more he could do. He wanted to see her eyes, and wanted to hear her voice. As he watched her gentle breathing, he knew he was mesmerized by her, and he wondered how it would be when she would finally woke up.

It was later that day, just after he had finished his rounds when Lauren finally opened her eyes. They were the green of a spring stream, clear and inviting and he found himself falling into them as he waited for her to become fully awake.

Lauren opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the face of an angel.  Then it came back to her. The awful man, the fighting, and then the fall. It was as if she was falling down and down and then she hit bottom and remembered the pain, she let out a gasp of air. She had died. Of course, she had died. How could she have survived after the humiliation and disrespect that she had encountered? And Jesus had mercy on her for she was in heaven, and there she was with an angel.

The angel had a kind face, warm brown eyes, and a smiling mouth. Thick black hair curled on his head and he was surrounded by light. She thought perhaps it was a halo, but she couldn’t quite see. Lifting slightly she tried to get a better view, but her eyes and body failed to comply, and she fell back onto the bed and into sweet sleep.

The next time she woke up, it was like she was burning inside. Was she back in the fire? Voices were all around her and she strained to hear. By what she could make out of there talking she found out that she was suffering from pneumonia.

“Lauren, are you awake?” a soft male voice reached her ear.

She opened her eyes and saw the same angel. His lips were now moving as if he was saying something. But Lauren couldn’t hear him. A fear was building inside her, maybe this wasn’t an angel. Men wanted just one thing from women, pleasure. This angel face was just a veil of evil. She tried to get away. She scooted back on the bed and then tried to step down, but she couldn’t find her feet.

“Lauren, just relax,” that angel face tried to reach her.

“Don’t touch me. Stay away from me,” she kept saying and kept fighting, until something sharp scratched into her arm and she fell into strong arms.

“How much did you inject?” a strong, deep male voice said next to her ear.

“5 mg,” a female voice said. “She should be awake anytime now.”

She was injected with drugs? Oh Lord, this was not heaven. What have I gotten myself into? She asked herself. When she dared to open her eyes, it was white everywhere. She looked around and then her eyes stopped at the man in the white coat. He was looking at her with a strange expression as if waiting for her to jump out of bed. That’s when she remembered it was the face she had seen before. Not an angel, he was a doctor.

“You are in the hospital, Lauren and I am your doctor, Troy Ramsey. This is Sister Jane, your nurse,” the doctor said and gestured at the woman beside her.

Lauren looked around the room, her eyes searching, but there was no sign of Henry or Lilly or that old man. She looked back at Dr. Troy.

“How are you feeling now, Lauren? Are you hurting anywhere?” he asked.