Chapter Thirty-One

A train whistle sounded in the distance.

“The train will be leaving soon,” Lane said. “You want to board or stay here and barter some more?”

“Let’s go.” Edward signaled his chasers. “You and Noah stay here until we’re gone,” he warned Tyler. “That’s part of the deal.”

“I don’t want to go!” Tess cried as she clung to Noah. “I’ll die first.”

“I’ll come for you,” Noah swore.

She glanced at Buck and Clyde and shuddered. “There won’t be anything worth coming for.”

“Get her,” Edward ordered the two men.

Tess screamed.

Cory stepped in front of the two men. She nodded toward the closed courtroom door. “You don’t want to create a scene. If you let me walk with Tess, I can convince her to come peacefully.”

“She’d keep her calm,” Lane said. “You don’t want a hysterical woman in the middle of a town this size. Might create trouble.”

“You can come,” Edward agreed.

Tess ran to Noah, and they kissed. Adam reached for her, and she took him in her arms. “I love you.”

“If she changes her mind and takes the brat, he belongs to me,” Edward said.

Tess handed Adam back to Noah. “I won’t change my mind.”

Cory put a protective arm around Tess, and they headed down the stairs. They exited the courthouse and walked along Broadway Street to the depot.

“You won’t be able to protect her on the train,” Buck reminded Cory.

“I won’t think about it,” Tess whispered to Cory.

“It’s against the law to rape a woman,” Cory said. “If you allow it, you’re no better than them.”

“He’s Cyrus Vandal’s son!” Clyde announced. “He took any woman, any age, any color. He slapped Edward on the back. “It’s about time you followed in his footsteps.”

“All the time you were on the Silver Pheasant I never touched you. I never let any man touch you,” Edward said. “No more.”

“It’s a long ride back to Vandalia,” Clyde remarked. “I bet you’ll be worn out before we reach the Ohio River.”

Cory could feel Tess shudder. She prayed Adelaide’s plan worked.

When they reached the station, Cory saw a familiar face with red hair and blue eyes standing in the depot.

Her cousin Jake was taller and stronger than his siblings, Ethan and Paddy. He had several friends of equal size with him. He nodded and lowered the brim of his hat to cast a shadow over his face. She watched him and his friends move out of sight on the far side of the locomotive engine.

“I brought you to the station without incident,” Lane said. “That ends my role in this drama. I’m going to eat and then catch the northbound train to Darrow Falls. Good bye, Mr. Vandal.” He shook his hand. “Seems like an awful little girl to cause so much trouble. Might be better next time to let her go.”

“I won’t tell you how to do your job, Sheriff, if you don’t tell me how to do mine.”

“Fair enough.” Lane tipped his hat to Cory and Tess and headed for downtown.

Edward bought tickets while Clyde claimed their bags from the storage room. He watched the porter load them on a cart and take them to the baggage car.

“She can’t ride in the passenger car,” a conductor informed them when they attempted to board with Tess.

Edward frowned. “Can she ride in the baggage car?”

“It’s full.” He pointed to a closed car near the caboose. “There’s room in the livestock car.” He led the way. He put a step in place and opened the door. A couple of horses were tethered inside. “Better board,” the conductor said.

Tess turned to Cory. “Tell Noah I loved him.”

Cory didn’t miss the meaning of her words. She didn’t plan on seeing him again.

Cory couldn’t offer any words of comfort. She didn’t want to tip off the Cassell brothers by hinting of a rescue. Tess would have to believe the worst.

“I’m dead once I board this train,” Tess said. “It’s best if he forgets me.”

Her words frightened Cory. What if the plan failed? “Don’t give up.”

Clyde stepped into the livestock car. “It smells like manure and piss in here.”

“You’re smellin’ yourself.” Buck lifted Tess into the car. His hand groped her in the process. “Why don’t you ride in the passenger car, Mr. Vandal? We’ll keep a close eye on her.”

Edward looked at the dirty car. “I’ll be up front.”

The conductor turned to Edward. “Time to close the door. You better hurry to your car.” He slammed the door and shouted, “All aboard!”

Cory heard Tess scream. She chased after Edward. “You’d leave Tess alone with those monsters knowing what they’re planning to do?” she shouted. “How can you let them violate your own sister?”

He turned on her. “She’s no kin of mine. She’s nothing but a whore. She’ll welcome Buck and Clyde to feast on her body, and they’ll give her a whelp to replace the one she gave up.”

Cory was aghast. His words shook her faith in any remnant of decency he may have possessed. Tyler had fought to protect Noah, but Edward had no concept of honor with Tess. Tyler hadn’t acknowledged Noah publicly, but his actions spoke the truth. He loved Noah. Edward, on the other hand, didn’t love Tess. She recalled the violent way he had destroyed Reggie’s vest and shook with fear.

Edward boarded the train.

“Tyler was right!” she shouted above the noise of the locomotive.

Edward paused on the top step and faced her. “When was he ever right?”

“He said Reggie was making a mistake when she married you,” she shouted. “I think she did.”

Edward’s face was etched in granite. “Regina knows the consequences of disobeying me. She won’t make the same mistake twice.”

****

The train whistle echoed beyond the courthouse as the locomotive headed south. “The train is gone!” Noah held Adam against him and wept.

“We’ll get horses and head off the train at the next stop.”

Noah shook his head. “It’ll be too late for Tess.”

Tyler knew what he meant. Buck and Clyde had made their intentions clear. “She’ll need you more than ever then.”

“She gave away Adam.” Noah looked at his son. “I failed to protect her. She doesn’t want me to come for her.”

“If she can survive, you have a duty to rescue her.”

Noah’s voice was cold. “She’s too gentle and sweet to survive those animals.”

The deputy looked at his watch. “You’re free to go.”

“Go where?” Noah remained seated.

Tyler didn’t want to forsake hope. He looked at Sam. “There’s still time to catch the train, right?”

“There’s a livery near the depot,” Sam said. “Go after her.”

“Come on,” Tyler urged Noah to his feet. They turned toward the east door.

“Wait.” Beth Davis hurried down the stairs. The rest of the courtroom spectators followed at a slower rate behind her. She pointed at the west entrance. “You’re heading the wrong way.”

“We’re going to ride after her.”

“If our plan has worked, Tess won’t be on the train,” Beth whispered. “She’ll be on the Irish Rose. Do you know how to reach Mustill Store?”

“I remember.”

Noah stood. “What plan?”

“I only know my part,” Beth confessed. “I’m to make sure you go to Mustill Store to board the Irish Rose.”

“What’s the Irish Rose?” Noah asked.

“A canal boat,” Tyler said. “That’s where we’ll find Tess.” He led the way out the door and downhill along the route he had taken previously with Cory.

Noah hurried with each step.

When they reached the Irish Rose, only Captain Donovan, Ethan, and Paddy were on board.

Tyler looked around. “Is she below in a cabin?”

Captain Donovan shook his head. “No sign of her or news from the others.”

“The train left ten minutes ago.” Noah sat down on a crate, his shoulders slouched. “Something must have gone wrong.” Adam fussed and chewed on his fists.

Tyler wasn’t ready to give up. “We need to get horses and go after the train. Every minute leaves Tess in their hands.”

“I know where you can borrow two fast horses,” Captain Donovan said. “What are you going to do with the baby?”

“Give him to Cory.” Tyler reached for Adam.

“Wait!” Paddy shouted from the deck of the boat. He pointed to the road.

Captain Donovan raised his hand to his brow to shield his eyes. “There’s the Mustill wagon.”

Tyler saw the box wagon coming down the hill at a fast clip. It stopped in front of the store.

Paddy pointed at the driver and the young man next to him. “It’s Jake and Tom Mustill!”

Jake jumped down and opened the back. Out came Adelaide, Cory, and Tess.

****

Tess ran to Noah and Adam. Her dress was torn, but she was smiling. Noah engulfed her in his arms, and Adam squealed. She covered them with kisses. “Let’s get aboard,” Captain Donovan ordered. “It’s a long trip to Canada.”

“Maybe if Lincoln is elected, the Republicans will repeal the Fugitive Slave Law,” Adelaide said. “You can come back to Darrow Falls.”

Cory thought of poor Lou. “We need a blacksmith.”

“How much time do you think we have before the Cassell brothers follow?” Tyler asked.

“Are those the two big hairy fellows?” Jake tossed a pair of knives and guns into the hold of the boat along with a large club.

“What did you do with Buck and Clyde?”

“Gagged and trussed like vermin,” Jake announced. “Appropriate since they were in the livestock car. It won’t be a comfortable ride back to Virginia for them.”

“And Edward?” Tyler demanded.

“He rode in the passenger car,” Adelaide said. “He won’t discover what’s happened to his companions until Noah and Tess are out of his reach.”

Tyler looked at Adelaide. “This was your plan. How did you do it?”

“We paid the conductor to put Tess and the men in a livestock car,” she explained. “Then Jake and his friends opened the door on the other side, overpowered the men, and rescued Tess.”

“Two old men against me and my friends,” Jake bragged. “They never stood a chance.”

“One lesson we learned from Wellington,” Adelaide said. “Don’t attack head on. Sneak in the back door for a quiet rescue.”

“But we beat you here to the boat,” Tyler said. “What took you so long?”

Cory wondered if he would be angry with her. “I sent a telegram.” She stepped toward Tyler. “I wanted to warn Reggie.”

“Warn her about what?”

“You were right about Edward. He didn’t like Reggie helping Tess, and he won’t be happy when he finds out Tess escaped.”

“You think he’d hurt her?”

“I didn’t want to take any chances,” she confessed. “The telegram said Tess free. Edward angry. Be careful. I signed your name.”

“I forgot all about her.” He stroked a stray curl back from her face. “I didn’t think I could love you more, and you give me a whole new reason to marvel at how lucky I am to have met you.”

He loved her.

Paddy tossed the towline to Ethan, who secured it to the Irish Rose. Noah, Tess, and Adam had already gone below and out of sight. Tyler tossed his bag to Ethan.

Cory grabbed his coat sleeve. “Are you going, too?”

“I want to guarantee they reach Canada safely. I couldn’t sleep otherwise. But I’ll be back.” He grinned. “I have a job working with Sam.”

He had said he loved her. How could he be so cavalier? Tears sprang to her eyes. “Is that the only reason you’re coming back?”

Tyler embraced her. She resisted, but he wouldn’t release her. “Don’t look so worried, my love. I’ll see you on Sunday.”

“Why Sunday?”

He chuckled as he tightened his arms around her. “It’s called courting, Miss Beecher. I dress in my finest clothes and bring you flowers and sweets and try to make a good impression.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t think you believed in all that tea-sipping nonsense.”

He rested his forehead against hers, their eyes locked. His mouth was so close she could taste his words. “Depends on whether all that nonsense is worth the reward.”

“Is it?”

“You tell me.” His lips brushed against hers, sending a wave of pleasure through her body. He kissed her, and Cory made sure he had no doubt about the answer.