A Moment in Time (21 page)

Alice found herself watching Robert for most of the evening. She’d been unable to take her gaze from him when he led Jessica Atherton away from the party. However, once she saw him tenderly touch her cheek, Alice knew she had to stop fooling herself. She had fallen in love with another woman’s man. The idea sickened her.

“This is such a wonderful place,” her mother said, coming
to stand beside her. “I can see why you love it so. I have to say it’s nothing like Chicago.”

Alice turned toward her mother. “Speaking of Chicago, Mama, I wonder if I might go with you when you return.”

Her mother seemed surprised but pleased. “I would love for you to come visit Simon and me in our home.”

“No, I meant . . . would you let me come live with you?”

“Well of course,” her mother said, taking hold of her arm. “But I thought you preferred it here.”

Alice shrugged. “There’s nothing to keep me here. I do enjoy it and I love Marty like a sister, but honestly, it would probably be better for all concerned if I were to leave.”

Just then Simon barreled into Alice. “This is the best time I’ve ever had,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Alice smiled down at her brother. “Well, do you suppose you could show me a time like this in Chicago?”

The boy straightened and dropped his hold. “There’s nothing like this in Chicago. I want us to move here.”

Alice looked to her mother, hoping she would set Simon straight. “Why don’t you go on and have some more fun,” Mother told him. “We are talking about something serious just now.”

“But this is a party,” he reminded them. “You don’t talk about serious things at a party.”

Alice felt bad and nodded. “Perhaps he’s right. I probably shouldn’t have brought it up just now; you should be out there with the others.”

“Go on, Simon. I want you to go play,” Mama encouraged. She turned back to Alice and smiled. “It’s all right, Alice. We can talk about anything you want—anytime you want. I am so glad to have you back in my life that I could easily spend all of my time with you and Simon and never speak to
another soul.” Mother seemed to scrutinize Alice for several moments before continuing.

“Alice, you seem troubled about something. What is it?”

“I . . . well. . . .” Alice paused, not wanting to lie to her mother. “Marty and Jake were so kind to take me in when I had nothing—not even references for the job they hired me to do. When the banks fell apart and they lost everything, they still allowed me to stay on with them. I knew it was difficult for them, but they insisted. Now I find myself again having the benefit of someone else’s generosity. I guess I just feel that I’ve overstayed my welcome. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone.”

“I’ve seen the way you help out around here. You aren’t a burden. I think you more than earn your keep. And they all seem to very much enjoy your company.”

“Which is why this is so hard.” Alice glanced at the revelers and saw Robert kiss his mother’s cheek. How she longed for him to kiss her. “I think we should go before we are no longer enjoyed and useful.” She looked at her mother. “But I don’t think we should say anything about our plans. At least not until we’re ready to leave. Otherwise Mrs. Barnett might feel slighted or believe us to be ungrateful.”

“I don’t know why she would. She knows I have a home in Chicago.”

“I know, but she also said we could use the Montoya house for as long as we liked. Mrs. Barnett is generous to a fault. I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

Her mother remained silent for several minutes and then nodded. “If you think that’s best, Alice, then I will go along with you. However, have you considered the matter of your train fare? I was under the impression that you had no money.”

“I don’t,” Alice said realizing the problem. “But I’ll get it.
I’ll figure a way.” She didn’t know how she could possibly make it work, but she was determined to try.

“I wonder if I might have this dance.”

Alice turned to find Robert Barnett standing directly behind her. She wanted to refuse him, but instead she found herself nodding in agreement. She let Robert take her to where a dozen or so couples were waltzing.

She looked at him and shook her head. “I don’t know how.”

He smiled that lazy smile of his and her heart melted. “Then it’s time you learned. We enjoy having our get-togethers, and you’ll just have to get used to dancin’ if you’re gonna be around here.”

But I’m not going to be
around here. I have to leave before you realize that
I’ve lost my heart to you. I have to
go before anyone knows how I feel.

“I have to go,” she said suddenly and pulled away. She heard Robert call after her, but Alice continued to make her way with great haste to the solitude of the house. It wasn’t until she was behind the closed door of her room, however, that she felt she could finally let down her guard. The pain of losing something she didn’t really have seemed such a contradiction, but there was no other way to look at it.

I’ve
lost him, but I never had him. So why does
it hurt so much?

For weeks the men planned their trip to Fort Worth and the cattle sale. Knowing they’d be gone for several days, Alice decided it would be the perfect opportunity to leave without any uncomfortable good-byes.

She had been plotting and planning for their escape, but when the time came, she still felt uncertain. She and her mother had spoken several times, but Alice knew her mother wasn’t convinced she was doing the right thing. For Alice, however, there was no other choice.

Robert had tried his best to get Alice alone. He continually nagged her to go riding with him or to sit and talk with him in the evening. It was getting harder and harder to avoid him. Alice had even given up going to church, because twice Robert had cornered her after services to speak to her. She felt almost certain that he’d figured out or been told of her feelings for him.

The second night after the men’s departure, Alice knew she’d never have a better chance. “We’ll leave tomorrow,
no matter what,” Alice had told her mother. Even now the look of shock on her mother’s face was imprinted in Alice’s mind.

“Are you sure that’s wise? What about money?”

Alice had talked Marty into lending her some money. It wasn’t a lot, but it would be enough for train tickets and maybe some food.

The problem, however, was getting away from Marty and Hannah. She knew if either of them caught wind of her plans, they would do their best to put an end to them.

When Marty and Hannah announced they would be heading out just after lunch to work on Marty’s place, Alice felt confident God had intervened to help her leave. Watching at the window, Alice jumped into action once the buggy pulled away. That would leave the large carriage, which was exactly what they’d need.

“We must work fast,” Alice told her mother. “I don’t want any teary good-byes. I’ve written letters for Hannah and Marty explaining our leaving this way.”

“It hardly seems good manners to sneak out,” her mother replied.

“We’re not sneaking. We’re avoiding a scene. I know these people better than you do. They will fuss and fret and nag us to stay.”

“Your brother isn’t going to like this one bit. He’s quite happy here.”

Alice looked at her mother in confusion. “Did you come here meaning to make Texas your home?”

“No, I bought round-trip tickets. But seeing how Simon has thrived, I’ve begun to think about the possibility. Simon has blossomed while here. You have no idea how it was for him in Chicago. He was so unhappy.”

“Perhaps with me there, we can find a way to better his life. I’ll get a job, and maybe I can earn enough to lavish him with special gifts. Papa used to do that for me.”

“And did it make everything seem right?” her mother asked, giving her a look that suggested she already knew the answer.

Alice looked away. “No. I suppose not.”

“Alice, why are we really leaving this way? I’m your mother, and I want you to be honest with me.”

A lie was on her lips, but one look back at her mother and Alice knew she had to confess her reasons. “I’m in love.”

“With?”

“With Robert.” She reached up and felt the scar on her face. “He has been so kind to me and never made me feel ugly. When I’m with him, I forget I even have this reminder of the attack.” She shook her head, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. “I let my heart get carried away.”

“And how does he feel about you?” Mother asked.

“I’m sure he feels nothing but friendship.” Alice paused, wondering if her mother hadn’t yet heard that he was engaged to Jessica Atherton. “He’s to be married. Do you remember at the birthday party that one girl about my age, very pretty, and most every man there sought to dance with her?”

“The Atherton girl?” Mother questioned.

“Yes. Jessica Atherton.”

“And Robert is supposed to marry her?”

Alice sighed and stopped rubbing her scar. “Yes. They’ve been promised to each other since they were young. Mama, I don’t want to do anything to come between them. I would feel terrible if I caused Robert and Jessica pain. They’ve been nothing but good to me.”

Mother took a seat on the side of the bed. “I see.”

“And I couldn’t explain that to Hannah and Will. They’ve
taken me in and treated me like family, just as Marty and Jake have. I couldn’t tell any of them the real reason, because I’m ashamed of having let things get out of hand.”

Mother nodded. “I suppose you’re right.”

Alice went to the dresser and pulled out the last of her things. “Hannah and Marty will be busy most of the afternoon. They’re going to measure for new curtains and figure out how they want to arrange things when the boys come from Denver. That should give us plenty of time to get to town before the train pulls out of Cedar Springs.”

“But how are we to get there?”

“I will ask one of the men to take us. There’s always a hand or two around here. I’ll tell them that something has happened and you need to return to Chicago immediately. I’m sure it will all work out.”

But she wasn’t. There were a great many things that could go wrong. The men could change their mind and come home early. Hannah and Marty might have forgotten something and need to return to the house.

I might not even be able to
find someone to drive us to the train station. And
then what?

The thoughts worried her, but Alice was determined to make things work.

“I’m glad we’re finished here,” Robert told his father. They walked past several Fort Worth storefronts and made their way to the jewelry store at the corner. Robert had already mentioned his plan.

“I’m gonna find the perfect ring for my bride.” Robert’s grin stretched almost from ear to ear.

“I think I just might pick out a little somethin’ for your
mama. I didn’t have anything special for her birthday, and this will more than make up for that.”

“I’m glad Jake was willing to stay with the others and start the cows for home. I need the time,” he said as they approached the brick building, “to have a word or two with you in private.”

Robert paused before the jewelry store door. “You and Ma love each other a great deal. I’ve always admired that. Even when you argue, I can see the respect you hold for each other. It’s like you two were always meant to be together.”

Father laughed. “You wouldn’t have thought so in our early years. Your mama was the most stubborn woman I’d ever met. She would stand her ground over the silliest things.”

“Like when she went to help the Comanches?”

The older man nodded. “Took nearly ten years off my life. I thought for sure she’d get us both killed, but your mama has a way with folks—even Comanches. She’s stubborn, but she’s also the bravest woman I’ve ever known. Saw her crawl out on a tree limb to rescue a cat for Marty. And it wasn’t on some low-hangin’ branch, either. I’ve seen her kill rattlers with a hoe and face down tornadoes and wildfires like she already knew the outcome.”

Robert had seen it, too. He saw that same kind of bravery in Alice. Maybe that’s why he loved her so much. Despite the attack and all she’d lost, Alice faced life with great determination and strength.

“Alice is like that,” Robert said, meeting his father’s eyes. “I wanna do right by her, Pa. I wanna give her the things she deserves. I was hopin’ you could help me get to work building a house.”

“You wanna build right away? You know you two are welcome to live at the house as long as you like. In fact, I had thought about discussin’ a change of plans with you.”

Robert cocked his head to one side, looking at his father. “Change of plans?”

“Your ma was the one who got me to thinkin’.”

Robert almost hated to ask. His mother was well known for coming up with some of the zaniest ideas. “And what did she get you thinkin’ about?”

“Well, she reminded me that the ranch will one day be yours. Sooner, rather than later, since we’re both gettin’ older every day. It seems kind of senseless for you to build a new house elsewhere. She suggested that you two could take the whole east wing for yourselves—that would afford you some privacy. We could tear down a couple of walls in that wing to open things up a bit, remake it with your own sitting room and such.”

“But
your
rooms are in the east wing,” Robert said, as if his father didn’t already know this.

“Yup, but that’s where your mama has her plan. Since Marty and Jake will be heading back to Marty’s place and Alice’s ma will most likely head home before long, the house will be empty again. But you know your ma. She’s convinced there will be an abundance of little ones once you and Alice marry. So she thinks it’s time to add on again. I thought on it and I like the idea. I can put an addition on the west end of the house for us.”

Robert didn’t know what to say. He’d never really thought of his parents getting old and settling into an easier life.

“Cat got your tongue?” his father asked.

“I can’t imagine you and Ma not livin’ in the east wing. I mean, that’s all I’ve ever known. And I sure haven’t thought much about the two of you gettin’ old.”

“Well, it’s time you did. I’ll be fifty-nine come June. You know as well as I do that I’m slowin’ down. I can’t ride as
long as I used to without causin’ my back a world of hurt. The time is comin’, maybe earlier than either of us would like to see, when you’ll be takin’ over.”

It took some joy out of the moment to consider his parents unable to do the things they loved. He couldn’t imagine his father not sitting on a horse or his mother not gardening.

“Well, we gonna just stand here?” Father asked.

“No, sir.” He reached for the door handle, and Father put his hand on Robert’s arm.

“Don’t go broodin’ over this. Your mama and I like to plan ahead. You talk to your little gal about it, and then we can all sit down and have a discussion.”

Robert nodded. “I will, Pa. I’ll do that first thing.”

Just then gunshots rang out. Robert and his father glanced up to see an armed man on horseback holding two other mounts. The man had his neckerchief tied around his face.

The bank’s being
held up.

Robert looked around to see people scurrying out of the way, taking cover wherever they could.

“Get back,” his father said, pushing him around the side of the building. “Stay down. We need to figure out what we can do.”

“We don’t have any weapons,” Robert said. “Our rifles are back with the horses.”

“I know.” Father looked more than a little irritated at the reminder.

Another gunshot sounded, and shortly after that came the bellowing voice of one of the robbers. “Let’s get outta here!”

The man on horseback waited with rifle cocked as his two confederates mounted. Robert could see his father edging closer to the front of the building.

“Pa, we can’t do anything.” The helplessness of the moment only served to make both men more determined.

But from out of nowhere came rifle fire. Three shots in a row, fast and precise. Each one hit its mark and the men fell from their horses like leaves from a tree. Seeing that, Robert’s father bounded out into the street and took hold of one of the thieves’ guns before he could shoulder it.

“Thanks for the help,” a familiar voice called out.

Austin Todd, the field inspector they’d spent time with earlier in the day, came striding up the street. He wore a determined look and quickly disarmed the other men, who were no match for him. Several armed police officers arrived just then, guns drawn and pointed at Austin.

“Texas Ranger,” he told the first officer. The man seemed to relax at this.

“What happened?” the officer asked, looking at the three who were roiling in pain on the street.

“Bank robbery. I think you’ll find the money in that bag over there.” Austin pointed to the farthest man. Beside him was what looked to be a pillowcase with something in it.

“Anyone else involved?” the man asked.

“I’m guessing the bank personnel. You take over here, and I’ll go check out the bank.” Austin headed for the building, Robert and his father following after him.

“We saw them but had no weapons. Felt like a fool just crouchin’ down there in the alleyway,” Robert’s father told the ranger.

“It was the right thing to do. If you’d been out there, you could’ve been shot.”

“How did you come to be here?” Robert asked, remembering something Austin had said earlier. “I thought you were
headin’ to the railroad station, and by the way, when did you become a Texas Ranger?”

“Last year. They incorporated all of us field inspectors into the Rangers. Makes it a whole lot easier.” Austin paused at the door.

Robert figured he was making sure there was no one pointing a gun at them.

“Texas Ranger!” he called out. “I’m comin’ in, so if you have weapons, put ’em down.”

There was no response. The trio made their way into the bank only to find the bodies of the bank manager and his teller on the floor. They were both dead.

“I was headed for my train,” Austin said, “then I realized I had forgotten to tend to some other business. Guess God just put me in the right place at the right time.” He shook his head at the bloody scene. The look on his face suggested an anger that burned deep and hot. “I should have aimed to kill those murderers.”