Beside Still Waters (7 page)

“Don’t you see? This is your chance to build a life with me. You’ll love Texas, Eva. There’s no place on earth like it. Wild, open country.”

“Apaches,” Eva said flatly.

Jonesy smiled. “Not where we’d live.”

“Oh, Jonesy,” Eva moaned. “Isn’t there any chance you might stay in Oregon? We could build a nice life here. Ranch if you want to. Or we could grow an apple orchard or even farm the way your pa does. I’ve heard you made a good crop. Do you know how unusual it is to bring in a good harvest the first year? You must have a knack for it.”

“The land was already primed and ready for us when we got here. Mr. Winston was preparing to spend another planting and harvest season just in case the place didn’t sell.”

“Still … won’t you consider it? I mean, really, what is the difference between me leaving Oregon and you deciding to stay here? Either you sacrifice or I do. Why does it have to be me?” Eva knew she sounded like a petulant child, but disappointment brought out the puerile attitude. She wanted to marry Jonesy, but she didn’t want to move away.

Jonesy held her hand and pressed it against his chest. Eva could feel the beat of his heart against the back of her hand. He spoke softly. “I’ve dreamed of building my own ranch since I was old enough to pull on my first pair of boots. Ranching is in my blood. Texas is in my blood. I know how to make a good living for a family there. Our family, honey. Ever since I arrived here to help Pa and Ma settle, I’ve counted every day, every hour almost, waiting for harvest to be over so I can go home. The only thing that has kept me from going stir-crazy has been my relationship with you. I love you, Eva. Come build a life with me in Texas. I promise you’ll never regret it.”

“How can you promise something like that, Jonesy?”

He stared into her eyes. “Because I’ll spend every day for the rest of our lives seeing to it.” He drew her close and held her.

Eva could feel his tension. “Let’s go back to the dance. I need time to think.”

He nodded. “I won’t say anything to our parents just yet.”

When they reached the edge of the crowd around the dance floor, Eva hung back. “I’m not ready to face people. W–would you mind getting me a cup of punch? I must have left mine back at the refreshment table.”

A sad smile lifted the corners of his lips. “I’ll be back.”

Eva’s insides churned as nervous energy danced through every vessel in her body. She needed to think, to pace, to move. She glanced up and saw the line of horses next to the water troughs and hitching posts. Patches stood near the end of the row, pawing the dirt as if eager to be on the move.

She’d missed her morning runs with him. Pa had forbidden them since the incident with the thieves on the road. But right now, that’s just what she needed. Determination and a need to dust off some energy overrode her desire to obey her pa.

Besides, she’d be safe. The man who had almost killed her was in jail along with one of the others. They were awaiting trial, which wouldn’t happen until the circuit judge came through in three months. The third man had most likely joined the rest of the horse thieves. They were probably all halfway to Mexico by now.

She was tired of being afraid. Tired of staying close to home. She and Patches needed to run. In a flash of decision, she hurried to her beloved pony and mounted him. She whipped around and left the dance.

She waited until she was out of town before she gave Patches his head. Joyous laughter exploded from her as the wind caught her hair.

By the light of the moon, there was no mistaking horse and rider. He had almost given up. But there she was. This must be a sign that she belonged to him after all. He took careful aim with his pistol.

When Jonesy returned to the tree where he’d left Eva, she was nowhere in sight. Assuming she’d simply gone to take care of nature’s call, he stood there sipping a glass of punch, holding another glass for Eva. But after fifteen minutes, his glass was empty, and he was growing concerned.

He enlisted Mrs. Riley’s help, then came back to the spot beside the pine and waited for a report.

Mrs. Riley returned moments later, shaking her head. “No one’s seen her.” Her troubled gaze scanned the yard and the street, where the wagons and horses had thinned out quite a bit as people left for home. She touched his arm. “Jonesy! Patches is gone.”

“Eva rode to the dance?”

Hope nodded. “Alongside the wagon. She was so upset about having to go alone, I didn’t have the heart to forbid it. Didn’t you say the two of you worked all that out?”

“Yes, ma’am. But I upset her in another way.”

A smile touched her lips. “By asking her to marry you?”

“Mr. Riley told you?”

“Of course. We tell each other everything. Did she accept your proposal?”

“She was very excited, chattering on the way she does. We were headed back to the dance to tell you and Mr. Riley and my folks when we realized we didn’t have the same location in mind to build our life together.”

“She assumed you’d stay in Oregon.”

He nodded. “And I figured she’d know I wanted her to come with me to Texas.”

“Eva loves you.” She said it so softly, he had to lean forward to hear it. When she spoke again, Jonesy recognized the pain in her voice. “She’ll go with you. A woman in love will follow her man to the ends of the earth.”

Faith that Eva might actually say yes surged through him. “Well, she might be all the way at the ends of the earth by now the way she rides that horse of hers. Let me walk you back to the party, then I’ll go after her.”

Mrs. Riley took his proffered arm, and they hurried back to the dance floor. “I wish she wouldn’t go off alone on that wild horse of hers. But that’s her pa’s blood in her.”

He chuckled. “Maybe I ought to put her to work around the ranch. I bet she could run down and rope a steer better than most cowhands.”

“You just let her cook your meals and wash your shirts. Leave the rough riding to your men.”

Jonesy grinned and tipped his hat. “Yes, ma’am.”

“And when you catch up to Eva, will you take her home? Andy and I will be leaving in the next few minutes, so there’s no need to bring her back here.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

It hadn’t occurred to him that Eva might have come to the dance on Patches. Why hadn’t he noticed the pony hitched up somewhere? His stomach churned as he mounted Lady Anne.

He dug his heels into the mare’s flanks and urged her faster as he followed the road out of town. If he knew Eva, she’d take the road as far as her uncle Michael’s property, which extended for several miles, then she’d cut across the field where she could really run Patches.

He’d definitely have to have a discussion with her about her taking off like that. Running a horse at night, even a good horse like Patches, was dangerous. She should know better.

After trotting for a few miles, Lady Anne suddenly pulled back and whinnied. A shadowy form in the road blocked their path.

Bitter panic threatened to choke Jonesy. “Eva?” he called. As he drew closer, he realized the form was too large to be a human. It looked more like … a horse.

Oh, Lord, is it Patches?
He pulled Lady Anne to a halt and drew his pistol, then moved cautiously toward the horse.

As he came close, the light from the moon confirmed his fear. He knelt beside the pony. Patches lifted his neck, then lowered it back to the ground.

Jonesy scanned the area. Eva was nowhere to be seen. She never would have left Patches alone. She knew folks would be coming this way after the dance. If the horse had stumbled and fallen in the dark, she would have waited for someone to happen by.

Acidic fear burned in his stomach. “Eva!” He looked closely around the horse for any sign of which way Eva had gone. A smear in the dust around Patches made him bend for a closer look. Eva hadn’t walked away. Someone—or something—had dragged her into the woods.

Operating on instinct, he gripped his pistol and entered the woods in the direction of the drag marks on the road. Even during the daylight hours, the woods could be dark and foreboding. Able to hide anything that didn’t want to be found. How on earth was he going to find a woman who was most likely hurt and had been dragged away against her will?

Lord, he prayed, I know You have Your eyes on Eva right now. Please lead me to her
.

“Eva!” he called out. “Eva, it’s Jonesy. Where are you?” He pushed a branch away from his face. “Eva! Make some noise so I can find you, honey.”

Branches and leaves crashed in front of him. In the dark woods, he could just make out a human form running in the opposite direction. He knew it couldn’t be Eva. She’d never run away from him. Perhaps it was her attacker.

“Eva!” Panic rose higher. He moved through the woods with no sense of direction, just putting one foot in front of the other.

“Eva!”

Please, Lord. Please
.

“Eva!”

Oh, Lord. Please. Please. Please
.

He tripped with the next step, and even before he hit the ground, he realized what his foot had caught on. A human body.

Jonesy pulled himself up to his knees. When he recognized the still form, fear gripped him with an unrelenting fist. “Eva, sweetheart. Oh, please, God. Can you hear me?”

She moaned, and he thought his heart would stop.

“It’ll be all right, honey.” He smoothed back her hair, and his hand came away slick with blood. The thought of anyone harming his Eva made him nearly insane with anger. But more urgent was the need to get Eva to the doctor.

He lifted her in his arms. She moaned again as he stood.

His heart clenched. There was no time to see if she had any broken bones. No time to worry about whether or not movement would cause her more pain.

He buried his face in the curve of her neck. As he carried her back through the woods, tears flowed down his face.

He couldn’t risk riding with her on horseback. Instead he cradled her against his chest and walked toward town, not caring if his horse became the next in a line of horse thefts. He moved with swift footfalls. His sobs were the only sound on the lonely road.

Wails of agony awakened Eva from deep, nightmarish unconsciousness. When the pain hit her full force, she realized the wails were coming from her own throat. She forced herself to be silent and tried to make sense of the pain. The darkness. Searing pain stabbed her sides, her head, her leg.

A moan escaped her lips.

A door creaked open.

“Wh–who is it?” Darkness engulfed her as if she were entering a cave without a candle.

Ma’s soft voice reached into the darkness. “Darling, it’s all right. You’re safe.” Gentle hands took hers between them. “Ma?”

“Yes, Eva, it’s me.”

“Why can’t I see anything?”

“Your eyes are swollen shut. But Doc Smith says you’ll be able to open them soon.” Her voice caught in her throat, and Eva could tell she was fighting to keep from breaking down. “I’m so glad you’re finally awake. I’m going to send Pa to town. Doc said to let him know the second you woke up.”

Panic gripped her. Eva made a grab for Ma’s hands before she could take away their warmth. “No, wait, Ma. P–please don’t leave me.”

“All right, darling. We’ll wait until Pa comes in from his shop. Then he can go get the doc.”

Relief that she wasn’t to be left alone in the dark flooded her. “What happened to me?”

“You don’t remember?”

Eva shook her head. “Not entirely.” She’d been riding Patches at a run when all of a sudden a shot rang out. Patches fell, and she hit her head. She gasped. “Patches. Is he all right? I remember hearing a gunshot. Did someone shoot Patches?”

“Yes, darling, but it’s only a little wound in one of his hind legs. His running-wild days might be over, but he’ll live. He’s in the barn getting fat on oats.”

Eva nearly wept with relief, but the swelling of her eyes kept tears at bay. “I don’t understand, Ma. Who would want to shoot Patches?”

Feeling a thick wall of hesitation, Eva squeezed her mother’s hand. “It’s all right. I need to know.”

Ma’s breath came in shaky bursts. “Eva. A man dragged you into the woods. He beat you and …”

Eva’s throat went dry. Horror slashed through her mind as more clarity returned. She remembered being dragged through the woods. She remembered….
Oh, dear God
. She remembered it all.