Authors: Ginger Simpson
Jeb laughed but took a step backwards.
Ellie held her ground, praying. The silence that followed
was awkward, but more disturbing was his scanning gaze, head to toe, slowly and
suggestively.
Cupping his chin with his forefinger and thumb, as if
pondering her harmless threat, he finally spoke. “I’ll leave you alone for now,
but don’t think for a minute it’s because of anything you said. I plan to take
my time pleasurin’ you, but time is somethin’ I don’t have right now. I’ve got
to hightail it to the house and be available when the Sheriff calls for
volunteers to search for the poor, lost Ellie Fountain. I’m going to be a good
citizen and help out.” His laughter bounced off the log walls.
Ellie rolled her eyes.
“You, a good
citizen?
You couldn’t be if you tried, Jeb Bryant. You’re scum, and
you’ll never get away with this ridiculous scheme.”
His eyes beaded, piercing her with their heated anger. He
stepped forward, shoved her down on the bed and glared at her. “I’m sick of
your holier-than-thou attitude,” he barked. “Look around. You ain’t goin’
nowhere
. Your fate is in my hands. I’ve got all the shutters
nailed closed, and I have a nice sturdy lock for the door. There’s enough food
to do ya for at least a day or two, until I can get back with more supplies.
Seein’ as how I aim to keep you here even after your Pa signs the papers, I need
to stock up. And don’t think about trying to escape because even if you did
manage to get out, you’d probably freeze to death before you found your way
home.”
He turned, opened the door, and went outside to his horse.
Illumination from the lamp lit a pathway, enabling Ellie to see him pull a
bundle from his saddlebag. He marched back inside and threw a huge wad at her.
“I thought you might need some more suitable clothes.
Although I must say you look ‘
specially
pretty in your
finery, but that dress you’re a wearin’ might not be warm enough for your
current livin’ conditions. There’s a stack of wood there in the corner but I
wouldn’t be too quick to burn it. You wouldn’t want to run out before I get
back, and I’m not sure when that will be.”
Without another word, he spun on his heel and left, pulling
the door closed behind him. The padlock on the other side snapped shut with a
disturbing clank.
Ellie’s didn’t know whether to feel relief or cry as she
heard Jeb ride away. The severity of her problem surged into a headache.
She threw the wadded clothing onto the bed, hugged herself
against the chill and eyed the hearth. With no idea how long she’d be there,
she wondered if she should light a fire. Maybe someone would see the smoke. She
shook her head. Given the distance they’d traveled, the thickness of the trees
and the gray skies, it wasn’t likely.
She glanced around the barren room and shivered. In the
corner, she spied two buckets; one filled with water and the other empty. Her
thoughts turned to her porcelain bowl and basin and the chamber pot beneath her
bed. What she wouldn’t give to be in her own room with its colorful quilt and
lacy curtains. Tears rimmed her eyes. This was beyond torture.
Ellie bent over and picked up the bundle Jeb left her. She
pulled it apart and shook free a pair of denims, a faded checkered shirt and a
heavy pair of woolen socks. Holding them by just her fingertips, as if they
held pox germs, her lips curled into a sneer at the thought of donning
something he had worn.
She reminded herself this wasn’t the time to be picky.
Goosebumps dotted her skin and the air inside grew colder. With a deep breath
and a muttered oath, she peeled her emerald gown off, folded it neatly and
looked around for a place to put it.
Her choices were limited, the bed, the empty bucket, or the
dusty shelf. She clutched her dress to her rumbling stomach and wished she’d
gone to the food table with Ty.
If only she could go back and do things differently.
Her
“humph” summed up her feelings. As usual, she’d created
her own mess. She tucked the dress beneath the dirty mattress.
As she stood nearly naked, Ellie’s teeth chattered. She
started to slip her arms into a shirtsleeve, but glanced down at the corset.
It, like the cabin, was a prison, but this was one she could escape. It wasn’t
ladylike to trounce around without undergarments, but it sure would feel good
to breathe.
She struggled with the laces and let the contraption drop to
the floor. Bared to the cold, her already pebbled nipples turned to stone
beneath her shift. Quickly, she pulled the soft flannel shirt around her and
fumbled with the buttons. She cuffed the sleeves that were two inches longer
than her arms.
“How nice of you,” she muttered, seeing a piece of twine on
the floor. Evidently it was Jeb’s answer to a belt that she hadn’t noticed in
the bundle. She slipped on the pants then holding the extra fabric out to the
side, she sighed. As if being imprisoned wasn’t trial enough. Suddenly, the
short rope seemed a small blessing.
As much as she hated to, Ellie sat on the dusty bed and
pulled the socks onto her frigid feet. It was a struggle to get them back into
her shoes, but looking down at her new outfit, she almost giggled at seeing her
delicate dance slippers peeking out from the drooping pant legs.
What would Pa say if he saw her now? Not an image he would
appreciate, she imagined. She rose and went to the fireplace, knelt and stacked
kindling. Although freezing to death was preferable to dealing with Jeb Bryant,
she wasn’t nearly ready to give up…not yet.
Chapter Eighteen
Joshua waited at the fork in the road, huddled against a
tree in the faltering moonlight. His horse served as a buffer against the
chilling breeze that floated occasional snow clouds through the sky. For a
moment, the sporadic dusting had stopped. He hunched down in his jacket and
wrapped his arms around himself.
“Where’ve you been?” He asked Jeb, when his twin finally
appeared. “I’m about to freeze to death.”
“Well you didn’t. It took a might longer than I thought to
make our guest comfortable.”
“You didn’t do anything stupid did you?” Joshua asked, his
teeth chattering. He almost felt the need to laugh. The whole plan was stupid.
He should’ve put a stop to it. But no one, certainly not he, could tell Jeb
what to do. Joshua learned from an early age, it was better to go along with
whatever his crazy brother said than to waste time trying to change his mind.
This time, however, Joshua questioned his own sanity.
“If you mean did I get a little taste of Miz Ellie, no. I’m
saving that for next time when I can give her my undivided attention.”
Joshua slowly shook his head. He stared up at his brother.
“I don’t feel good about this, Jeb. It ain’t right to hold her against her
will. Miz Ellie never did anything to you. You need to let her go.”
“You need to shut up. This is my plan and it’s gonna work if
you do what you’re told. Right now, we’re gonna go home and get some sleep.
Early tomorrow we’re going pay a visit to Fountainhead, and then ride into
Sparta. When we hear that Ellie is missing, we’re gonna act shocked and very
eager to lend our help in findin’ her. Of course, there’s no way anyone will
suspect that the wheels are in motion for Ben Fountain to sell Pa his land. Got
it?”
“Yeah, I got it.” Joshua hung his head and mounted his
horse. For the moment, Miz Ellie was safe. He had no choice but to do what Jeb
said. Besides it was late and he was cold and tired. Pa wanted Fountainhead and
if Joshua did anything to stand in the way, he’d have more than Jeb to contend
with. He remembered Pa’s temper all too well.
* * * * *
Winter’s early touch had blanketed everything with a thick
coat of snow during the night, and the morning sun yielded a savage reflection,
bouncing off the stark whiteness. A frigid gust blew powder from the pine
trees, dusting Jeb and his brother as they urged their mounts through the
two-foot drifts, toward Fountainhead. Their story had been rehearsed, so all
they had to do was deal with Ben and then return to town, making sure as many
people saw them as possible.
Jeb pulled the brim of his hat down further, blocking the
sun, and nestled down in the warmth of his sheepskin coat. “I don’t think Pa
believed me when I first told him Ben was ready to sell.” His spoken words
floated through the cold air in a foggy mist. “But after I told him I’d talked
with Ben and arranged a meeting, Pa just nodded. I expected him to ask a lot
more questions.”
Joshua slapped clear a tree branch. “Yeah, that surprised
me, too. How do you plan to handle things if Ben decides to spill the beans?”
“He won’t. I’ll make it perfectly clear he’d better go along
with what I say or he’ll not be seeing his pretty little daughter again.”
“You wouldn’t really kill Miz Ellie, would you, Jeb?”
“Hell no!
But it won’t hurt for
them to think I might if they force my hand. I aim to keep her nice and healthy
‘
cause
I have plans for her, and they don’t include
letting her go.” Thoughts of Ellie’s sweet body warmed him inside.
Joshua’s breath escaped his lips in a loud whoosh, turned to
fog and lingered in the air. He kept his eyes trained on the trail ahead, his
shoulders hunched against the cold.
“Don’t worry, little brother,” Jeb said, reaching across to
slap Joshua on the back. “It won’t come to me hurtin’ Ellie. I’m pretty
positive that Ben treasures his baby girl more than his land. Besides, like I
said, I have plans for her.”
“I’m not your little brother.” Joshua
said,
his voice sullen. “We were born on the same day.”
“Yeah, but I came first, leading the way, like always.”
Joshua took a deep breath. “You plan on forcing yourself on
Miz Ellie?”
“Just you never mind.”
Joshua rolled his eyes. “What about Ty?”
“You just let me handle him. Ben will probably keep Bishop
in line, but if he doesn’t this will be a perfect opportunity to take him out.
Somebody needs to remind him of his place. He ain’t even a Fountain.”
Joshua glanced at his brother. “It’s not too late to call
this whole thing off. I think you’re bitin’ off more than you can chew.”
“Will you stop bein’ such a yellow-belly? For once, act like
a man.”
“If being a man means stealing women and forcing old men to
sell their land,” Joshua muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing.
Just
nothing.
It don’t matter what I say anyhow.”
They rode in silence the rest of the way to Fountainhead. At
the gate, a guard pointed a rifle at the two. “Stop and state your business.”
Jeb kept his face buried deep in his jacket, Joshua did the
same. With hats low and faces partly covered, Jeb hoped they weren’t
recognized. Their previous visits to Fountain land hadn’t been what one would
call social.
“We’re here to talk to Mr. Fountain. It’s important,” Jeb
said to the man perched on the fence rail.
The guard kept his rifle trained on the pair. “Who are you,
and what’s so all-fired urgent?
“Do we get to see Mr. Fountain or not?” Jeb spat. “I don’t
suppose he’ll be very happy if you turn us away without his seeing us. How well
do you like your job here?”
“Hey, Pete,” the guard yelled at another approaching hand.
“I need ya to cover the gate while I ride up to the house with these two.”
When Pete was in position at the ranch boundary, the other
hand mounted his horse and fell in beside the twins. They rode in silence
through the compound, and when they reached the house, the man stepped down.
“Wait here. I’ll let Mr. Fountain know he has company.”
Joshua whispered to his brother. “I hope things don’t turn
rough when Ben discovers who his callers are.”
“What’s he gonna do?” Jeb scoffed. “We have the upper hand.”
Ben came out onto the porch in his stocking feet and
coatless. “What’s all the—”
His eyes widened when he recognized the duo. He pointed an
accusing finger at his hired hand. “Damn you, Curly. Why’d you let these two
bastards on my land? You know the Bryants aren’t welcome here.” His breath
vaporized and floated away.
“But boss, I—I didn’t know who—”
“You addle-brained idiot.
You
should have asked.” Ben embraced himself against the cold air.
Jeb waved his hands in the air. “Hold up! We didn’t come
here to start a fight. Matter a
fact,
we’ll surrender
our guns if that’ll make you feel better. We can leave or stay, it’s your call.
But you might want to hear me out.”
Ben scowled.
“You ain’t got nothin’ I want
to hear.”
“Don’t be so sure. I understand your daughter is missin’. We
may be able to help you find her. Let’s talk in private.”
“Curly,” Ben barked, “take their guns. Stay out here and
keep an eye on the quiet Mr. Bryant while I have a word with this one.” He held
the door open. “C’mon in, but you’d better tell me something that will bring
Ellie home, or else.”
Without regard for the floor, Jeb followed Ben into the
parlor, leaving snow and mud in his wake. There was no invitation to be seated
and no formalities. Ben leaned on the mantle and glared. “Okay, we’re alone.
Say what you came to say. If you’ve done anything to my daughter, I’ll—”
Jeb pushed his hat back on his head and held up a silencing
hand. “I’m all for Miz Ellie coming home, but you’re gonna be the one to
decide.”
“What do you mean?” Ben asked, his eyes narrowing.
“You know we’ve had a hankering for your land, and unfortunately,
you haven’t been too eager to do any negotiatin’, so let me spell it out for
you. I have your daughter tucked away where nobody can find her. All you have
to do is agree to sign the papers to transfer Fountainhead over to my Pa and
you get her back.”