The morning light filtering through the small window alerted Lillian that night had finally passed. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed. On one hand, it meant the terrible night of listening to the thunder as it rumbled across the land was over. She’d spent most of the night curled up in the cot, trying not to imagine horrible things lingering about in the shadows of the loft.
Mic and the others had left her alone, something she was grateful for. She didn’t think they would take advantage of her since they hadn’t already, but it was nice to know that of all the things that had happened to her, losing her virtue wasn’t going to be one of them.
But even so, her troubles were far from over. Charles hadn’t paid the ransom. She reasoned Mic could have been lying to her, but the more she thought about it, the less inclined she was to believe it. They only came after her because they wanted Charles’ money. What they were going to do with her now, she could only guess.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If she’d been familiar with the wilderness, she’d take a chance and escape, but she couldn’t afford to leave her trunk behind. The contents of her trunk were the only reason she risked leaving Virginia. And it had been a big risk, even if it was her due. She wasn’t going to let her greedy brother, Albert, or his friend, Robert, get their hands on it.
Her throat constricted and she rolled over in the cot, ignoring the squeaks the springs it made. Her gaze rested on the trunk. That trunk was her whole world now, especially since she had no other means of support. If Charles didn’t want her, if he praised money so highly that he’d leave her in the hands of thieves who’d do anything they wanted with her, then it was better to find out now than marry him and realize the kind of man he was. She’d spend the rest of her life an old maid before tying herself to a corrupt... She stopped herself before she could continue the thought. Her parents brought her up better than that. Of all the things she’d done, swearing—even in her thoughts—would not be one of them.
Easing out of the cot, she quietly set her feet on the cold floor, hoping she didn’t wake anyone. She wasn’t ready to try to figure out what to say to the men so she wouldn’t upset them. It’d been hard to know what to tell Mic during their meal. Maybe it wouldn’t have been as awkward had she opted to eat outside with the others, but she didn’t trust herself around Wade. He brought up too many memories. He was just like her brother. Thinking of himself. Not caring who he hurt in the process as long as he got what he wanted.
She gripped the edge of the chemise Mic had given her last evening and forced herself to relax. Mic wasn’t like Albert, nor was he like Robert. She didn’t know who he was like, but she figured if she could say and do things to appease him, he might protect her from Wade. He’d stood up on her behalf already. That was a good sign. As long as she did her part to smile and be polite and did whatever he asked of her, then she just might make it out of here alive.
She tiptoed across the small space to her trunk and lifted the lid, breathing a sigh of relief when she noticed that all of her clothes were neatly folded and in their proper place. Good. No one had been up here to tamper with her things. She didn’t think anyone had been, but she couldn’t help but be paranoid. Anyone hiding as much money as she was would be paranoid.
She checked the loft. No one was in the shadows. She took a moment to listen for any activity downstairs. Nothing. Good. Everyone was still asleep. Careful to remain quiet, she removed her clothes so the wooden bottom of her trunk was all she could see. Her finger ran along the edge of the wood paneling until she felt the indentation carved into it. She pulled on it and the paneling came up with it. She released her breath, giving a prayer of thanks. It was still there.
She’d evenly distributed the gold and silver coins she’d placed in drawstring purses along the edge of the trunk. She removed a couple layers of petticoats and counted all of the bills in her possession, making sure they were all there.
Good. They were.
It hadn’t been easy to get her inheritance, but she had, and Robert would never see a single penny of the $10,000 she’d collected.
She wrapped the bills in the petticoats and settled them between the drawstring purses. Then she returned the wood paneling, setting it firmly in place so it didn’t budge. She carefully returned all the clothes to her trunk, mindful of the order she was using so she’d know if anyone tampered with it. After she closed it, she shut her eyes and braced herself for the day ahead of her. One day at a time. All she needed to do was take it one day at a time.
Downstairs, she heard someone stirring from sleep and rose to her feet. She’d find a way out of here sooner or later, and when she did, she’d find somewhere else to go. This time she wouldn’t seek out a husband for shelter. The mail-order bride thing hadn’t worked. It’d only gotten her in deeper trouble. What she needed was to live somewhere else, be an old maid, maybe even be a teacher. No one would suspect a teacher out West as being wealthy. That might be her safest bet at this point. But she still had time to think about it. She had options. Money allowed for it. If she was smart, she’d leave the country. Maybe go to Canada. Robert would never find her there.
All of these thoughts went through her mind as she got dressed in Mic’s mother’s old clothes. It felt strange to put on someone else’s white shirtwaist with lace in the sleeves and a dark blue skirt. These had belonged to Mic’s mother, and there was no denying how much he’d loved her when he said her name. The tenderness in his voice had almost broken her heart, making her long for the caring arms of her own mother. She swallowed back her tears and slid her black belt around her waist to hold the skirt up.
She rummaged through his mother’s trunk and pulled out a pair of boots that were much more sturdy than the pair she had. She slid them on and walked the length of the loft. They were a little wide so she stuffed a couple handkerchiefs in them and walked again. Much better.
She heard someone shuffling around downstairs and called out, “Is it safe to come down?”
There was a quick flurry of action and then Mic called up, “It’s safe.”
She proceeded down the stairs, her eyes going immediately to Mic who was quickly tucking his shirt into his britches. She halted in mid-step and averted her gaze. “I didn’t realize you were getting dressed. You should have told me to wait. ”
He shrugged. “All the important parts were covered.”
Her face warmed and she dared a peek in his direction, relieved all of him was fully covered, minus his feet which were bare. She could handle bare feet. Perhaps living out in this area of the country, people didn’t think much of dressing in front of others, but it simply wasn’t done back East. She approached him and saw he was frying eggs. Unable to hold back the joke, she asked, “Are you going to wait until tonight to make the dove?”
He let out a full laugh that filled the room with warmth. “Only if you eat it this time.”
A smile tugged at her lips. He turned, his stormy blue eyes meeting hers, a hint of light-hearted tenderness in them. His dark brown hair was damp and the stubble from the day before was gone. She hadn’t taken the time to notice him before. Really notice him. He was a good-looking man. Tall, broad shoulders, strong. In fact, he would have made her grab her smelling salts from her finger purse so she wouldn’t swoon.
Forcing her mind back to the conversation, she shook her head. “I’m afraid I’ll never be able to eat a dove, though in comparison I realize I would have been better off eating the jerky.”
“Jerky works in a pinch, but I wouldn’t want to live off it. Now beaver is a surprisingly delicious meal that you might enjoy, although I’ve never been able to stomach the tail. Too much fat.”
Her jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious. No one eats beaver.”
He grinned. “Of course they do. Trappers aren’t about to waste all that time trapping them for just the hide. They have to eat too. ”
She studied him to see if he was teasing her. It was hard to tell by the sparkle in his eye and the way a chuckle rose up in his throat. “Next you’re going to tell me that you like porcupines as long as you make sure all the quills are gone. Or maybe you like skunks? I suppose they’re tasty if you don’t mind the smell?”
He opened the oven door and pulled out a skillet of biscuits. “I wouldn’t spend the time on a skunk. No way to get the stink out, but porcupine is tender eatin’.”
Despite herself, she burst out laughing. “No. I just can’t believe it. Those things aren’t edible. They can’t be edible. They’re too disgusting.”
“You didn’t complain last night.” He grabbed the platter of eggs and biscuits, taking them to the table.
She gasped and grew serious. “You didn’t!”
“No, I didn’t. Noah did.”
She placed her hand over her mouth in horror. He probably was telling her the truth. He did eat a dove right in front of her, after all.
He went over to her and patted the small of her back. “You’d be surprised at what you can eat that tastes good. Don’t worry. I won’t tell you what’s in the food from here on out. No need to spoil your appetite.” He gestured to the table. “You’re safe. Those are exactly what they look like. Do you mind calling the others in while I get us something to drink?”
Lowering her hand as he went to retrieve the tin cups, she said, “I don’t even want to know what you drink so don’t tell me.”
He chuckled as she turned to open the door.
She checked the clearing and didn’t see anyone. Well, if she was going to do this, she better get to it. She took a deep breath and headed out to the yard, the breeze still cooling things off despite the warm sunlight. The ground was damp from the thunderstorms the night before, and she was glad she thought to wear the boots she found in the trunk instead of her own. These were much better suited for this type of environment.
She scanned the area and saw Noah in the barn feeding a lamb which had a limp. A horse neighed close by the barn, and she walked further into the yard until she saw Wade saddling his horse, his back to her. Her heart leapt in hope. She hoped this meant Wade would leave so she wouldn’t have to deal with him today.
“Mic told me to tell you breakfast is ready,” she called out.
Wade turned toward her first, and though she tried to look back at Noah, something in Wade’s expression stopped her. His eyes widened as he scanned her up and down, as if he wasn’t sure she was the same person he’d seen the previous day. Then his expression darkened, leaving an ugly scowl on his face.
She stiffened. Her heart raced in a mixture of dread and fear. She’d seen that look before on Robert’s face when Albert introduced them.
He let go of the saddle and stomped in her direction, his mouth forming a thin line. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
She backed up, wondering what she might say—or do—to appease him. Truly, if she knew what she’d done to upset him, she’d know how to respond. With a nervous shake of her head, she said, “Mic told me to get you and Noah.” She took another step back, glancing over her shoulder to make sure she was heading for the cabin. She didn’t think it was possible since he looked nothing like Robert, but she swore they looked just alike when they were angry.
“What are you doing in her clothes?” he snarled.
She turned to run for the cabin but tripped on the loose hem of the skirt and fell, her hand hitting something hard.
Mic raced over to them, hauling Lillian to her feet, and placing her behind his back, positioning himself between her and his brother. “Stop it, Wade! Lillian didn’t have appropriate clothes so I let her borrow them.”
“Who gave you the right to give her Mama’s clothes? What does it matter to you if she walks around here as naked as the day she was born? She’s Charles’ woman. Or have you forgotten?”
“They’re clothes, not a wedding ring.”
“Why is she still here, Mic? Charles refused to pay the ransom! You should drop her off at the nearest train station and be done with her.”
“You know why, Wade.”
“She’s not another one of your lost souls. You don’t have to help her.”
Noah trotted over to them. “Yes, she is, Wade. Michaiah’s going to marry her.” He said with a certainty she didn’t expect from someone so young.
“I’m what?” Mic asked.
“He’s what?” Wade said.
“I don’t understand,” Lillian protested, trying to make sense of everything they were saying. Was Michaiah long for Mic? It was all happening so fast. All she could do was cling to the back of Mic’s shirt to make sure Wade couldn’t get near her.
“Michaiah likes her,” Noah insisted. “He’s going to marry her.”
“Noah,” Mic asked softly, “why do I have to marry Miss Christian?”
Noah frowned. “Abby told me that Charles doesn’t want her now and Wade said she was your woman. You let her ride your horse and live in your house.” As if that explained it all, he nodded. “So now you have to get married. Mama said that’s how it is between men and women. The man brings the woman to his home.”
“But, Noah,” Lillian began, peering around Mic, “Mic and I didn’t do anything. I slept in the cot upstairs and he slept downstairs.”
Wade choked, coughing and laughing so hard tears ran down his face. “Please stop, you’re going to kill me,” he gasped.
Mic kicked at his leg. “Shut up.”
Wade laughed harder, holding his sides.
Lillian edged further from Wade, not sure about the drastic change in his mood.
Noah frowned at her. “You came here to take care of Michaiah. What does it matter where you slept?”
Wade laughed harder.
“It’s not funny,” she snapped, only feeling brave enough to confront him because Mic was standing with her.
He shook his head, chuckling. “Noah’s got a good point, Mic. You’re not getting any younger and one skirt is the same as another. Although I’m thinking the woman she was in the coach with would have been the better of the two. Much more pleasant,” he sighed and looked Lillian up and down, “and all those nice curves. Plus, that pretty face. I could do with a pretty face around here.”
Mic stiffened but she hardly noticed. At that moment, something in her snapped and she couldn’t take it anymore. She didn’t leave Virginia just to be talked to the same way her brother and Robert had. She didn’t care if he pulled out a gun and shot her. She’d had enough!
She bypassed Mic and Noah. “I am not that kind of woman.”
“What type of woman are you?” Wade snarled. “The type that curls herself around a strange man? Who touches him like a trollop? Who sells herself to a monster for money and safety?”
All those years with her brother and then those months with Robert came back to her, and in one instant all she could do was act. She slapped Wade with all the strength she could muster. “You uncivilized barbarian!” She slapped him again. “You will never talk about me that way again.” She raised her hand again. “I am a lady!”
Wade grabbed her hand, holding it firmly, his angry eyes searching her face.
Her hand formed a fist but she wasn’t able to strike him so she kicked his shin. “If I’m such a burden, then why are you keeping me here? I didn’t ask to be here. I didn’t ask to be kidnapped from a stagecoach.”
“Let her go,” Mic said from behind her.
She kicked him again, harder, raking her boot down his leg. “If money is all you care about, Wade, then go find something Charles will actually pay for since I’m so useless.”
“She can’t go,” Noah said. “Caleb said the reward money was too much for anyone to ignore.”
Wade released her with a shove and she fell against Mic. She stepped away from him, glad for the distance between them. “Reward money?” She glanced at Mic. “He meant the ransom, right?”
Mic glanced away from her, looking uncertain. “No. Charles’ answer to our request was to...” He met her eyes and pulled the folded paper she’d asked about that second day from his pocket. “His answer was to make you an outlaw.”
Lillian stared at the paper for a moment before she accepted it, unsure of whether or not she should unfold it since she already knew she wasn’t going to like what she’d see.
Mic continued to talk, his voice low, almost soothing. “Charles accused you of stealing from him and offered a reward of $1000 for your capture.” He motioned to the paper. “If I’d known he’d go that far, I would have thought of another way.”
“What other way was there?” Wade snarled.
“I could have given him what he asked for.”
“No. It’s not an option. Do you have a death wish, Mic?”
She slowly unfolded the paper, the arguing around her drowned out by the sudden rush of fear crashing into her. At the very top was “$1,000 reward for the capture of Lillian Christian, member of the Nichols Boys Gang.” Below that was, “Wanted for fraud, theft, stagecoach robbery.” And below that was a very accurate drawing of her. The face wasn’t bad. She had a common enough face, the kind that could blend into a crowd. Even her name ‘Lillian Christian’ wasn’t enough to draw attention to her since she’d made it up before she hurried out of Virginia. But her hat was another matter. The ‘V’ etched into it next to the rose was a dead giveaway that Robert would recognize. It’d been the symbol in her family, and now it was the very thing that made her an easy target.
She looked between Mic and Wade who were still arguing. “Who will see this?”
“Everyone,” Wade snapped. “They post them at every jailhouse. It’s only a matter of time before the whole area knows. Then the territory. The longer you hide, the farther it spreads.”
Too disturbed by the hat in the picture, she ignored Wade’s tone. Everyone? So it was only a matter of time before people back East would see it? If that was true, then she wasn’t safe anywhere. People all over would be looking for her. Who could resist $1,000? It would only be a matter of time before they took her to Charles, jail or—worse—Robert.
And Robert knew she was worth a whole lot more than $1,000. He was probably already looking for her. With the size of the United States, she had felt safe. He could’ve spent his whole life looking for her and never find her as Lillian Christian. She’d been so careful before she left, making sure she left no traces of her new life. Except for one thing. The hat. How could she have known that something so small could be so important?
“Lillian! Are you coming?” Mic called.
She looked up from the paper, unaware that the three had already made their way to the cabin. She glanced back at the poster and folded it. “Yes, I’m coming.” Later. There was no sense in making rash decisions. She’d decide what to do about this later.