Even prostitution is preferable to you.”
“You are not going to anger me. I know that’s what you want. You want to make me angry hoping I’ll make a mistake, but I won’t. Now come with me Sarah. If you don’t, I will hurt MaryAnn. I don’t want to but you will give me no choice.”
Sarah moved toward him knowing that for now she was out of choices. He moved to the side of the door and let her go before him.
“I’ve parked the buggy on the other side of that small shed with the chickens in it.”
“It’s called a chicken coop. You brought a buggy?” She shook her head. “You didn’t bring just a horse but a buggy. Don’t you realize that John will come after you?”
“Why? He can just get another woman the way he got you. Mail for one.” He laughed as his cruel remark.
“I don’t know how many ways I can say it, you’re insane William, totally insane.”
They walked slowly to the chicken coop. Sarah still had hope that John would come.
“What makes you think this man will come after you? Surely you don’t think he’s fallen in love with you. After such a short time? No, don’t be ridiculous. Ah, I understand now. You’ve fallen in love with him, haven’t you?”
“Don’t be absurd.”
“But you have. You can’t even look at me and deny it.”
“So what if I have? I’m allowed some happiness. I’ve been punished for long enough.”
“You will never be punished enough. To let them lie with you…first that Lee, MaryAnn’s father and now this man. You would never let me. As much as I loved you and was kind to you, you never even thought about me, did you?”
Sarah walked slowly, as slow as she could without seeming to. If John or someone saw the buggy or saw him come into the house, then she might have a chance. Otherwise she was going to have to go with him until they caught up but how long would that be and would John come after her at all?
The small voice inside of her that kept her down, said he wouldn’t come. He didn’t love her, he’d be well rid of her. But what of MaryAnn? John would keep her. She was good for Katy and he loved her. At least if she died, she knew MaryAnn would be safe.
The other voice in her said she was strong and wanted. She wasn’t the downtrodden woman that left New York. She had friends here and John may not love her yet, but he cared and he accepted her.
She stopped.
“What are you doing? Keep walking. The buggy is just around the corner.”
“No.”
“What do you mean no? You know what I’ll do? I will do it.” He started to turn away.
“No you won’t. I won’t let you hurt my family.”
“You bitch. All this trouble I’ve gone through for you and you decide now is the time to discover your backbone.”
“If you’re smart, William, you’ll take that buggy and leave. If John finds you before you get back to New York, you’re a dead man.”
She turned and saw John running toward her. William saw him too. He raised his gun to fire. Sarah didn’t think. She just moved in front of the bullet meant for the man she loved. It struck her in the left shoulder and she fell to the ground.
William looked at her with horror in his eyes. He turned, ran around the corner of the chicken coop to the buggy and took off. Then John was there beside her.
“Sarah, honey, are you all right? Sarah. Sarah.”
Strong arms picked her up and cuddled her against his broad chest. John. He’d come for her. She tried to speak. Everything was so hard and she hurt, God, she hurt. Why did it hurt so much?
“John, I didn’t let him take me. I didn’t go with him.”
“No you didn’t. I’m proud of you, Sarah. Sarah.”
Her head fell back. She was unconscious. That may be just as well. The bullet wound looked bad.
Bertha came running. “How is she?”
“Send one of the men for the doctor. If he’s not at his office, find him.”
John carried her inside and up the stairs to their room.
“Bertha, get some towels and put water on
“You are not going to anger me. I know that’s what you want. You want to make me angry hoping I’ll make a mistake, but I won’t. Now come with me Sarah. If you don’t, I will hurt MaryAnn. I don’t want to but you will give me no choice.”
Sarah moved toward him knowing that for now she was out of choices. He moved to the side of the door and let her go before him.
“I’ve parked the buggy on the other side of that small shed with the chickens in it.”
“It’s called a chicken coop. You brought a buggy?” She shook her head. “You didn’t bring just a horse but a buggy. Don’t you realize that John will come after you?”
“Why? He can just get another woman the way he got you. Mail for one.” He laughed as his cruel remark.
“I don’t know how many ways I can say it, you’re insane William, totally insane.”
They walked slowly to the chicken coop. Sarah still had hope that John would come.
“What makes you think this man will come after you? Surely you don’t think he’s fallen in love with you. After such a short time? No, don’t be ridiculous. Ah, I understand now. You’ve fallen in love with him, haven’t you?”
“Don’t be absurd.”
“But you have. You can’t even look at me and deny it.”
“So what if I have? I’m allowed some happiness. I’ve been punished for long enough.”
“You will never be punished enough. To let them lie with you…first that Lee, MaryAnn’s father and now this man. You would never let me. As much as I loved you and was kind to you, you never even thought about me, did you?”
Sarah walked slowly, as slow as she could without seeming to. If John or someone saw the buggy or saw him come into the house, then she might have a chance. Otherwise she was going to have to go with him until they caught up but how long would that be and would John come after her at all?
The small voice inside of her that kept her down, said he wouldn’t come. He didn’t love her, he’d be well rid of her. But what of MaryAnn? John would keep her. She was good for Katy and he loved her. At least if she died, she knew MaryAnn would be safe.
The other voice in her said she was strong and wanted. She wasn’t the downtrodden woman that left New York. She had friends here and John may not love her yet, but he cared and he accepted her.
She stopped.
“What are you doing? Keep walking. The buggy is just around the corner.”
“No.”
“What do you mean no? You know what I’ll do? I will do it.” He started to turn away.
“No you won’t. I won’t let you hurt my family.”
“You bitch. All this trouble I’ve gone through for you and you decide now is the time to discover your backbone.”
“If you’re smart, William, you’ll take that buggy and leave. If John finds you before you get back to New York, you’re a dead man.”
She turned and saw John running toward her. William saw him too. He raised his gun to fire. Sarah didn’t think. She just moved in front of the bullet meant for the man she loved. It struck her in the left shoulder and she fell to the ground.
William looked at her with horror in his eyes. He turned, ran around the corner of the chicken coop to the buggy and took off. Then John was there beside her.
“Sarah, honey, are you all right? Sarah. Sarah.”
Strong arms picked her up and cuddled her against his broad chest. John. He’d come for her. She tried to speak. Everything was so hard and she hurt, God, she hurt. Why did it hurt so much?
“John, I didn’t let him take me. I didn’t go with him.”
“No you didn’t. I’m proud of you, Sarah. Sarah.”
Her head fell back. She was unconscious. That may be just as well. The bullet wound looked bad.
Bertha came running. “How is she?”
“Send one of the men for the doctor. If he’s not at his office, find him.”
John carried her inside and up the stairs to their room.
“Bertha, get some towels and put water on
Similar Books
