Chapter Nineteen

The baby moved in Lucy’s womb. She smiled and put down her knitting so she could touch her stomach. Glancing at the small bedroom, she wondered if she missed anything. It now had curtains, a rug, a small dresser and a crib. She’d spent enough time sewing clothes and blankets, and she was well stocked in cloth diapers. It seemed that she had everything she needed.

The baby moved again and she laughed. “You’re sure anxious to come into the world. It’s not March yet.”

The baby kicked in response, making her smile grow wider. She was looking forward to holding her child. Sighing, she turned her attention to the crackling fire beside her. The parlor was nice and warm despite the pile of snow on the property. As Brian said, the trees did a good job of protecting the house, which made his task of shoveling less burdensome.

Setting aside the afghan she was making, she laid down on the couch and closed her eyes. Soon, she drifted off to sleep. The sound of someone opening the front door woke her. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and saw that Brian was taking off his boots. His face was red from shoveling the fresh layer of snow so they could more easily walk to Eliza and John’s house.

She got up from the couch when she realized John came in behind him, carrying a small toy chest. “You made something else for the baby?” she asked the two men as Brian put his boots down.

“Pa says it’s a gift from him and Ma,” Brian said as he took off his coat and put it on the hook by the door.

“But I thought the crib, dresser, bassinet, rattle, and doll were the gifts,” she replied.

John smiled and set the wooden toy chest on the kitchen table before he signed to her. More gifts.

“You’re going to spoil the child, aren’t you?” she asked him, sensing that he and Eliza weren’t done buying and making things for the baby. “This chest is for more than a rattle and doll.”

Brian laughed and reached for her. “You can’t blame them for being excited. They’ve been looking forward to having a grandchild ever since they found out you were expecting.”

She took his hand. “I suppose so, judging by all these gifts.”

How are you feeling? John signed to her.

“Good,” she said, rubbing her belly. “Tired most of the time. It’s hard to sleep with the heartburn on some nights if I’m not careful with what I eat. Other than that, I feel good. I’m more excited than anything else.”

John nodded his agreement. Tucking his hand under Brian’s he signed.

“Pa says you’re not the only one having trouble sleeping. Ma tosses and turns most nights. Then during the days, she keeps looking out the window because she thinks I’ll come running to tell her it’s time for you to give birth.” Brian laughed. “She saw me earlier today and charged out of the house before Pa told her all I was doing was shoveling.”

“The poor woman,” Lucy said and chuckled. “This baby can’t come soon enough for her.”

“She’ll be thrilled when the time comes for you to give birth,” Brian replied.

“It’ll be good to see her holding the baby,” Lucy said. “Thank you for the toy chest. It was wonderful of you to make it.”

John thanked her and patted Brian on the back before he left the house, shutting the door behind him.

“I should have asked him if he and your ma wanted to come over for supper,” she said. “Maybe I can reach him before he gets too far.”

“Lucy, don’t. You’re ready to give birth soon. You need to rest up as much as you can. Once the baby is born, you won’t get much opportunity to, or at least that’s what I overhear from the ladies at church.”

“I know. You’re right. I should rest, especially during the day when the heartburn isn’t a problem.”

“Right.” He led her to the couch and sat down with her. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he kissed her cheek. “Is the baby moving?”

“A little.” She brought his hand to her stomach where the baby jabbed her. “Here.”

The baby moved again and he smiled. “I like feeling this. The baby seems more real this way.”

“What? My crowding you in bed with my large stomach doesn’t make it real?”

He shrugged. “It’s more exciting this way.” He motioned toward the fire. “Do we need more wood?”

“Not yet. Maybe in another hour.”

Nodding, he settled back onto the couch and she leaned against him, feeling safe and warm.

“Lucy, are you sure you don’t want to write to your parents when the baby is born?” he softly asked.

Staring at the orange and yellow flames which flickered in the fireplace, she once again considered doing that, but in the end, she knew she couldn’t. If Meredith learned where she was, she might come looking for her, and that was the last thing Lucy wanted.

“No,” she finally said. “I don’t want to write them a letter.”

“Alright.”

Thankful he didn’t ask anything else, she settled into his arms and turned her thoughts to the baby.

***

Meredith bid her time while her parents and brother talked to the sheriff. When another family came in, also searching for their daughter, she saw her opportunity and took it. With so many people in the room, her family was so distracted they didn’t notice her slip away. She knew her time was short, so she had to act fast. She ignored the other prisoners who watched her with undeniable interest. Poor men, she thought as she added an extra swing to her hips to show them what they could never have. It amused her. It made her feel powerful to know she could have any one of them with the snap of her fingers.

Well, almost any one of them.

She stopped in front of Mark’s cell and cocked her head to the side. He was lying down on the pathetic excuse for a bed and, for the moment, he had his eyes closed. She cleared her throat and waited for him to look in her direction.

He opened his eyes and turned his head. “I’m not telling you where your sister is.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he closed his eyes again.

“That’s not what I came to ask.” It was a partial lie. She figured it was a matter of time before he had to brag about his clever ploy to get rid of Lucy. But there was something else that bothered her. In a low voice that the others wouldn’t overhear, she asked, “Why Lucy and not me?”

Opening his eyes, he grinned and took a good look at her. “Your sister is missing, and your only concern is your vanity?”

She made a big show of inspecting her perfectly manicured nails. “It’s just a question. Think no more of it than that.”

He rose to his feet and sauntered over to her. “What’s it worth to you to find out?”

Glancing at him, she shrugged. “What’ll it take?”

“I like the way you think,” he said, placing his hands on the bars.

“Well? Are you going to answer my question or just stare at me?”

“Which question is that? You asked two.”

“Then answer both.” She turned her full attention to him and clasped her hands over his. “It’s not that complicated, is it?”

“Fine. Show me something interesting, and I’ll tell you.”

Peering down the row of cells, she was assured the only ones looking their way were other prisoners. “Very well.” She lifted her skirt until it reached her knee.

One of the prisoners let out a low whistle.

Mark, however, didn’t seem impressed. “I was thinking a little higher.”

She assumed as much from a man used to sleeping around with unsuspecting women, but she didn’t tell him that. Instead, she unbuttoned her coat and proceeded to unbutton enough of her shirt so that she could lift her camisole and show him her breasts.

He reached out to touch them, and she let him, knowing soon enough he’d reveal everything she wanted. Men’s brains, she’d learned, turned to mush when they were thinking on things of a more sexual nature.

“So why her?” she whispered while his attention was still focused on her breasts.

“Isn’t it obvious? You wouldn’t have been dumb enough to run off with me.”

She smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” Stepping closer, she continued, “I never did care for her. She was always too perfect.”

“I don’t know. You don’t have a mole on your breasts.”

“Another compliment? Lucky me.”

He let go of her breasts so she could lower her camisole. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not a virgin?”

She buttoned her shirt. “You’re not one either, so spare me the moral lecture on how a lady is supposed to be.”

“I wouldn’t lecture you, honey. It’s a shame I didn’t take you out for a secret rendezvous when I was courting your sister.”

Shrugging, she adjusted her shirt and clasped his hands again. “The fact that you didn’t show the slightest bit of interest in me was to your disadvantage.”

“Yes, it was. I bet you would have let me do anything I wanted just to rub it in your sister’s face later on.”

“I did fancy the idea of getting you before she did.”

He chuckled and slid his hands to her waist and pulled her as close as the bars would allow. “Too bad you can’t come in here and make up for mistakes.”

“Hmm…” She traced his jaw. “Too bad, indeed.” Licking her lips, she peered up at him. “Where did you take Lucy?”

“Alright. I’ll tell you. There’s a small town west of Sioux Falls. It’s about a day’s travel out by buggy. I forget the name of it.”

Her smile grew wider. Perfect. “Thank you, Mark. You’ve been most helpful.”

“Anytime, beautiful.” He returned to his bed and winked at her. “If you ever need more information, you know where to find me.”

She almost laughed. What she needed, she already got. His use had worn out. After she buttoned her coat, she gave him one last seductive look before she returned to the group huddled around the sheriff’s desk. She crossed her arms and watched them from the corner of the room.

Fools. The lot of them were fools. It was so easy to find out where Lucy was, and yet none of them thought she could do it. Well, fine then. It served them well to keep wondering and mapping out towns along the trail to Oregon. Let them do their mindless discussions. Soon enough, they’d settle on some places to investigate, and when they decided to check the town where Lucy was at, Meredith would have everything neatly set into place.

All she needed was a distraction. She needed to get away from them without arousing their suspicions. Glancing out the small window, she tapped her finger on her lips and thought over the possible decoy places she might go. Perhaps, she’d claim distress over Lucy’s situation and visit her Aunt Rachel. Aunt Rachel was on the East Coast. The train ride there would take long enough to give her the time she needed to get to South Dakota.

The more her mind worked through the plan, the better it sounded. There was no reason why it wouldn’t work. By the time they discovered she hadn’t made it to Aunt Rachel’s, she’d be settled into her new life.