Page 77 of Montana Lawman Rescuer
He dropped his hat to the floor, reached for her hands, and bowed his head. His heart was so full of gratitude, worries and unspoken wishes that he had difficulty thinking where to start. “Heavenly Father, thank You for Your many blessings, for food, for this beautiful picnic spot, and for love. Grant, I ask, protection and safety for Emily. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” The words did not begin to express the fullness of his heart.
“Amen,” Emily echoed. “I’m hungry.” She took a sandwich. He did the same.
They ate a leisurely lunch and then explored the yard more fully. They lingered for hours. It appeared she was no more anxious to return to the reality of their lives than was he. He couldn’t have asked for a better, sweeter, more promising afternoon.
A wagon rumbled by but didn’t stop. They’d walked, so no one would even suspect they were in the backyard.
She returned to admiring the roses. He stood back a few feet, enjoying her. After a few minutes, he took out his knife and cut three stems. He was jabbed by thorns but ignored the minor pain as he handed her the flowers.
“Thank you. I need to get home and put them in water.”
“We’ll put them in water right here.” He’d pumped water from the well for drinking, pleased at how sweet it was. He hurried into the house, found a jar he deemed to be the right size, filled it with water, and let her arrange the roses in it.
She saw the blood on his thumb. “You’re bleeding.” She dampened her hankie with water and dabbed his thumb clean.
He didn’t know which felt better. The cold water on his puncture wound or her warm touch to his hand.
Thudding horse hooves sounded from the street. The animal slowed as it came abreast of the house.
His heart stalled. Had someone discovered their location? He patted his vest pocket. The little gun wouldn’t stop much. He should have strapped on his gun belt, even if it was Sunday.
He strained toward the sound and let his breath ease out when the horse passed. “We need to get home.”
She nodded, her eyes wide. She, too, had heard the horse slow in front of the house.
He pulled her to his chest and rubbed her back. “I’ll find those men and lock them up. I promise.”
“I wish you could also promise to give me back my memory.”
He couldn’t do that. A part of him didn’t even wish it. He didn’t want to be forgotten by her.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Emily made a point of running errands at various places of business over the next few days, always with Jesse watching from his office or from a nearby post. She made several trips to Marshall’s Mercantile, had tea with Annie at Miss Daisy’s Eatery, and took Mikey to play at the schoolyard. She went for daily walks, always toward the main street. But no one appeared that she didn’t know.
She explained her frustration to Jesse. “I need to go away from the heart of town. No one in their right mind is going to do anything in view of so many people.”
“I don’t like it. It’s too dangerous.”
“I refuse to live in constant fear.” It was unsettling to always wonder if she would encounter danger. The passing horse on Sunday had marred an otherwise perfect day spent in Jesse’s company. It was not how she intended to live her life.
Jesse hemmed and hawed a little, then said, “If you let me know where you’re going ahead of time, I will position myself where I can see everyone coming and going.”
“Fine. Today, I am going to visit Sadie.”
But days later, after several visits to Sadie, several to see Annie, and a walk to the house where they’d shared Sundayafternoon, still nothing...or perhaps it would be more correct to say, no one appeared.
“I’m going to the river. What better place to invite trouble.”
“Exactly. Why must you invite trouble?”
“I didn’t invite it, but I’m stuck with it, and I simply refuse to let it control me.”
Again, he argued against it but finally gave in—on the condition she gave him enough warning so he could be in a place where he could watch her.
The next day, she wandered to the river. It was quiet. Eerily quiet except for the sound of water running over rocks and the birds overhead. She didn’t know where Jesse was, but he’d be nearby should she need him.
If not for the threat hanging over her head, she would bask in the cool air coming from the water and the pleasure of watching the ripples on the river.
