Tracie Peterson - [Land of Shining Water 02] (24 page)

Mother looked up. “Where are you going?”

“After the men who did this,” Father replied. “I wiltnae let any man threaten me this way.”

Mother hurried across the yard to her husband and took hold of him. “Don’t, Luthias. Don’t do this. They are not good men. They might hurt you if you try to—”

“Donnae worry.”

Emmalyne had fully expected her father to turn angry at her mother’s entreaties, but he actually put his hand on her mother’s arm.

“They’ll nae get the best of Luthias Knox.”

“But how will you find them?” Mother asked. “It’s been at least half an hour.”

Her father motioned to the dirt. “One of ’em is ridin’ a horse with a bad shoe.”

Emmalyne looked to the tracks and marveled at her father’s ability to note such a thing. She’d always been amazed at his tracking skills, but this surprised her once more. There were a great many hoofprints in the dirt, yet her father had spied that particular set and knew it would help him to find the perpetrators of this crime.

“Oh, Luthias, please be careful.” Her mother was almost in tears again.

Her father looked at his wife for a moment with a tenderness Emmalyne wasn’t sure she’d ever seen in his face. Father nodded and patted her arm before calling to Angus, “Leave us go.”

The angry expression returned, and Luthias Knox stalked away like a Scottish chieftain of old—proud and regal, ready to do battle on behalf of his clan. Emmalyne came to her
mother’s side. She knew she could say nothing to offer assurance or comfort. Her biggest worry was that this would cause her mother to slip back into her sorrowful state. But to her surprise, Mother took hold of Emmalyne’s arm. “You must get help. Go to the MacLachlans’. Haste ye now!”

Emmalyne wasn’t sure how she managed to mount the bay without help, but she was flying down the road toward the MacLachlan house before her mother said another word. The thought of turning to their neighbors for help had not entered her mind, but once her mother had made the suggestion, Emmalyne knew it was the right one. Robert MacLachlan would know what to do. He could talk sense into her father when no one else could. He’d surely be able to stop her father from doing something foolish.

She crossed the distance in what felt like record time. Throwing herself from the back of the horse, Emmalyne crumpled onto the ground. She wanted to cry out but forced her legs to cooperate and got back to her feet. Hurrying to the door of the house, Emmalyne began pounding and calling for help.

Tavin opened the door. “Em?” he said, his voice full of concern.

Emmalyne took hold of him. “We need help. Some men burned down our barn. They did it when Mother was alone. They told her next it would be the house if Father didn’t convince your father to join the union.”

“What?” Tavin shook his head in disbelief.

“It’s true.” Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Tavin, my father and Angus have gone after the men. You must get your father
and stop them. Those men . . . oh, there’s no telling what will happen.”

“We’ll go.” Robert MacLachlan stepped out from behind his son. “I’ll get the horses.”

Tavin looked at Emmalyne and reached up to wipe a tear trickling down her cheek. “Don’t worry,” he murmured. “Pray instead.”

Emmalyne nodded. “Father was so angry, Tavin. I’m afraid of what he’ll do if he finds those men.”

“I know, but your mother will need you to be strong. Let me help you back on your horse. We’ll ride back with you, then follow the tracks.”

“I’m so sorry, Tavin. I’m so sorry.”

She knew he’d understand that her apology was for everything that had happened in the past and the present. She knew the years meant nothing. They were still two parts of one heart, now joined once again as they always should have been.

He smiled and touched her cheek again. “I know, Emmy. I know. I’m sorry, too.”

Tavin and his father rode hard and fast to catch up with the Knox men. They figured the men responsible for the arson attack would have hightailed it back to St. Cloud, so they stuck with the main roads. They weren’t far from the city when Tavin spied Luthias Knox’s wagon stopped on the side of the road. Three saddled horses grazed nearby, suggesting a rather peaceful gathering. Tavin knew it most likely was anything but. As he and his father drew near, it was obvious tensions were high. Luthias Knox was waving his fist in the face of one of the men.

“Looks like Luthias found his attackers,” Tavin’s father said, slowing his mount. “This could get ugly.”

“They started it,” Tavin replied.

They came up behind the wagon and dismounted. Tavin and his father tied their horses onto the Knoxes’ wagon and stepped forward to hear what was being said. Angus noticed them and gave a nod as Tavin approached. The other men had their eyes trained on Luthias Knox.

“It’s a reckonin’ I want.” Luthias raised his voice and leaned closer to the blond man, who had a good five inches and thirty
pounds on the older man. Tavin had to admire Emmalyne’s father for his fearless nature. He didn’t stop for a moment to consider that the younger man could most likely best him in a fight. He was ready to fight, and Tavin knew they would have to intervene lest the situation get out of hand.

“Ye’ll pay to build me a new bern, or ye’ll answer to the law.”

The man just laughed. He exchanged a look with his friends, who immediately joined him in his amusement. “Ain’t buildin’ you nothin’, old man.”

“Ye destroyed me bern and threatened me guid wife. I’ll nae be standin’ for it.” Luthias drew back his fist.

Tavin stepped forward and took hold of the older man’s arm. All of the men now noticed the MacLachlans. Luthias looked at Tavin and narrowed his eyes. The scowl on his face left Tavin little doubt that Knox would just as soon hit him as strike the blond-haired man.

The tall man’s companions stepped forward, and one of them spoke. “What do you want? This ain’t none of your business.”

Tavin dropped his hold on Knox. “I came to back up our friend here.” Luthias’s expression changed from anger to confusion. Just as quickly, however, he looked back to the trio and glared.

Tavin spoke, his voice even but clear. “Looks like you fellows have been causing trouble. A lot of trouble, the way I see it.”

“Well, I don’t reckon I much care how you see it, MacLachlan,” the tall man sneered.

Tavin smiled. “Ah, so you know who I am.”

“I know, all right.” The man spit and cast another sneer at Tavin.

“And I suppose you are the ones responsible for the mishaps we’ve endured at the quarry?” Tavin asked.

The man shrugged. “Around here, ain’t no way of knowin’ who’s responsible for what. Stuff happens sometimes. Bad things. Good things.” He cocked his head to one side and grinned. “Just like life.”

“Now, I’d never have expected someone like you to wax philosophical,” Tavin said, eyes narrowed.

“I ain’t waxin’ nothin’.” The man looked to his friends. “Sometimes a man needs to think about what’s important. That’s all I’m suggestin’.”

Robert MacLachlan stepped forward. “Well, what I’m suggestin’ is a wee bit different. I donnae ken who put you up to this, but I do ken who will end it.”

“You, old man?” one of the trio asked, his sarcasm unmistakable. The man had dark brown hair and equally dark eyes. He looked as if his nose had been broken a time or two and his fists were the size of hams. “I’ll fight you, and we’ll see how well that goes.” He raised his large hands in a menacing pose.

“It seems like you two could use some help,” the blond man interjected, looking at Tavin. “But just two old men and their lads hardly make an army.”

“You seem pretty familiar with who’s who,” Tavin responded. “But even so, you’d be surprised,” Tavin said matter-of-factly.

The blonde smiled and crossed his arms. “Look here. It’s a pity about the old man’s barn, but he has no way of proving it was us. Same for you and your quarry . . . ‘accidents.’ If you were union members, part of the Granite Cutter’s Brotherhood—why, we’d be more’n happy to help figure out
who was to blame. Better still, folks would know not to mess around with you.”

“That’s right,” one of his companions declared. “Union looks out for its own.”

“I’m sure you do,” Tavin replied. “However, as I heard directly from your union boss, he doesn’t approve of these kinds of . . . incentives.”

The blonde laughed. “Well, we figure what he don’t know won’t hurt him. The way I see it, getting folks to join is what matters. How we get them isn’t really all that important. But, like I said, you can’t prove that we’re anything but honorable men.”

Luthias Knox folded his arms against his chest. “Ye frighten wimen and destroy property and think it an honorable thing. I’d like to talk to that leader of yers and let him know jes what ye’ve been about.”

“Our leader . . . as you call him . . . won’t take your word over ours. He knows we’re loyal.” The blond-haired man gave a knowing smile. “Loyalty means a lot in these parts.”

“So does honor,” Tavin countered. “A man is nothing if he has no honor. The way I see it, you three lack much in that regard.”

Again the tall man shrugged. “You can’t prove a thing, MacLachlan. Go to the law if you want. There’s nothing you can say to prove anything.”

“My guid wife can identify ye,” Luthias said, stepping forward, his hands again balled into fists. “And one of those beasties carries a bad shoe.” He pointed to the horses. “Ye left tracks all around me hoose.”

“Hardly proof, old man.” The blonde elbowed his companions. “Let’s get out of here. I’m bored with this conversation.”

Tavin put himself between Luthias and the taller man, fearing Emmalyne’s father might do something foolish. “You’d do well to listen. Whether or not the men of our quarry join the union will be left entirely up to them to decide. Be forewarned: We’ll have armed guards posted, and if anyone so much as rustles the brush around the quarry, we’ll shoot first and ask questions later.”

The man frowned and narrowed his eyes as he stared hard at Tavin. “I don’t take well to threats, mister.”

Tavin nodded, his lips pulled down at the corners. “Neither do we.”

The four returned to the Knox property and surveyed the damage. Daylight was nearly gone, and it was impossible to make much more than a cursory examination. Some of the boards were still smoldering.

“Good thing there wasn’t a wind,” Tavin said, shaking his head. “Even so, it burned faster’n dried kindling.”

“’Twas an auld homestead,” Robert explained, “and the hoose and bern werenae put together all that well.” He looked to Luthias and slapped his back. “Me and my lads will come on the morrow and see what’s to be done to rebuild.”

Emmalyne was surprised when her father didn’t refuse but politely thanked his friend. Her father’s pride usually would not have allowed him to accept help of any kind. Perhaps the whole event of the fire, the loss of the barn, and neighborly help in accosting the union men had changed her father. She watched him embrace his friend and threw Angus a silent look of question. He shrugged while Mother dabbed tears from her eyes.

Is this an answer to my prayer, Lord? Has Father had a change of heart? Did it take this attack to make him see the truth?
And then, most startling of all, she watched Father reach out and shake hands with Tavin.

“Thank ye for yer help.”

Emmalyne couldn’t suppress a gasp. She tried to quickly cover it with a cough, but she immediately felt Tavin’s gaze upon her. The thought of his kiss caused her to move her hand to her lips. Worrying that Tavin would know what she was thinking, Emmalyne quickly pretended to push back a wisp of hair from her face. She looked away for fear of what his expression might hold.
Is he embarrassed about it, wishing it had never happened?
she wondered.

“Are you sure you won’t stay for supper?” Mother asked Robert and Tavin.

“Nae. Morna had supper ready for us when Emmalyne showed up with the news. We’ll go back to it now,” Mr. MacLachlan replied. “She’ll be worried sick until we return and tell her what has happened.”

“She may be even more worried once she hears the truth,” Mother noted, her gaze on the ground. “I worry they’ll be back. . . .”

“They’ll nae cause ye more harm,” Father assured her.

Emmalyne heard the determination in his tone and knew her father wouldn’t rest until the men paid for their deeds. She still didn’t know the details of what had happened on the road, but she did know her father. He would press this matter with the law officials as soon as he could. And maybe even take things into his own hands . . .

The men walked to the front of the house, where the horses were waiting. Emmalyne and Mother stared at the mess that
had once been the barn. The smoldering wood created a terrible stench. Mother drew her apron to her nose.

“Pray for rain, Emmy. There’s no better way to clear the air and make certain that fire’s no more of a threat to us.”

“Father said he and Angus were going to tend to it after supper,” Emmalyne said, putting her arm around her mother’s shoulder. “I’m sure they’re very hungry, so we’d best get the table set.”

Mother looked to Emmalyne and shook her head. “What manner of man would do such a thing to honest, hardworking people?”

“I don’t know, Mother. Hopefully Father and the MacLachlans were able to reason with them.” But Emmalyne knew her father’s wrath and feared his temper had probably trumped any hope of reason.

It was much later, when Emmalyne was preparing for bed, that she heard a noise outside. Had the arsonists returned? She went to the window to look at the yard below. In the moonlight she could see her father. He was striking a match to light his pipe.

Pulling her shawl around her, Emmalyne felt an urge to join him. She didn’t know why or what she would say, but she was out the front door before she knew it.

“Father?” she said quietly into the darkness.

“Emmalyne, what’re ye doin’ out here?”

“I heard a noise and thought those men might have returned. When I looked out, I saw you here.” She caught a whiff of his pipe tobacco—much different from the odor of the burned barn. The aromatic scent always reminded her of her father.

“Yer brother and I will keep watch, fear ye nae. Nocht will happen while we stand guard.”

“I wasn’t worried,” she said. Emmalyne longed to acknowledge her father’s kindness after the fire, but she didn’t wish to offend him. For several minutes she stood in the darkness with him, listening to him draw on the pipe.

“Yer gonna catch yer death out here. Best ye haste to bed.”

Emmalyne felt such an ache in her heart. She longed to know this man as a loving father. She had always yearned for him to be more like Robert MacLachlan was with Fenella, but he never had been so inclined.

“Father, may I ask you something?”

“Aye,” he said in a barely audible voice.

Emmalyne swallowed her fear and pressed on. “Mother said that you blame her for forcing you to marry her. Is that true?”

He said nothing for a time, and Emmalyne thought perhaps he would refuse to answer her at all. Perhaps she had overstepped propriety, and his silence was her comeuppance.