Cora: Bride of South Dakota (American Mail-Order Bride 40) (12 page)

Pierre threw his daughter over his shoulder, stormed downstairs and to the horse he had waiting out front. Cora screamed, kicked and fought, all to no avail.

She was thrown face down across the saddle, the air whooshed from her lungs. He tied her hands together behind her back and shoved a wad of material into her mouth.

“Shut up and stay still.” He mounted the horse, readjusted her position and the horse took off at a gallop.

Her head banged on the side of the saddle. The pain in the side of her face grew stronger each time it connected with the hard leather. Her nightgown and robe did nothing to protect the front of her body from the friction of being jostled. She knew she was being rubbed raw. The ties at her wrists pinched and her hands soon became numb.

She slipped over the side of the horse but, before she could be thrown under the pounding hooves, her father jerked her back into position using the ties on her wrists. The pain throughout her body became too much to bear. She wanted to die.
John, please help me.

It was the last thought she had before darkness rose up and claimed her.

Chapter Eleven

“That didn’t take as long as I expected,” Sam said as they herded the mama cows back to the house paddock. “We’ll be able to get those in the east paddock tomorrow. Hopefully it goes as well as today.”

“Our herd numbers are gonna increase more than we thought when the mama’s drop their calves.” Henry said.

“It’s been a good year.” John agreed. The number of pregnant cows, the cattle prices were higher than ever before and Cora coming into his life. Yep, life was pretty much perfect.

“What’s that?” Sam pointed to movement off in in the distance. Whatever it was moved towards the hills.

John narrowed his eyes in an effort to see the moving object more clearly. “Looks like a rider and horse. Why the hell would a rider be headed that way?”

“Something white is flashing on the side,” Henry said.

The three men watched as the horse disappeared over the horizon.

An overwhelming feeling of trouble gnawed at John’s gut.

“Wonder who it was,” Sam said.

“No idea. Let’s get to the house. Maybe Frank and Cora had a visitor.” John urged Bill into a gallop.

The men dismounted out front of the house.

John looped Bill’s reins over the hitching rail.

Henry asked, “You’re not going to unsaddle Bill?”

“Not until I speak with Frank. My gut’s telling me something’s not right.” The feeling of foreboding grew stronger and John wanted his horse ready to go if he was needed.

Sam and Henry exchanged glances, shrugged and left their horses saddled.

They mounted the steps together.

“Why would the front door be wide open?” John asked no-one in particular. He burst through the door. “Cora!”

The men were greeted with an ominous silence.

“Frank!” Sam hollered. “Where the hell are you?

Nothing.

The men swapped glances, alarm in their eyes.

John dashed for the steps leading upstairs.

Sam and Henry raced for the kitchen being as that was where Frank could usually be found. Their friend lay in a crumpled heap by the stove.

“John!” Sam yelled.

Henry shook Frank’s shoulder. Frank groaned.

John skidded to a halt near Frank. The men were helping him sit up. They propped his back against a cupboard door and checked for injuries.

John crouched. “What happened? Where’s Cora?”

Frank rubbed at a lump the size of his fist on the side of his head. He accepted the mug of water Henry offered and swallowed a huge gulp.

“I was busy getting our meal ready when I heard a noise behind me. I thought it was Cora. I turned to see a man wielding a pan. Next thing I knew, you were here helpin’ me sit up.” Frank groaned.

“Where’s Cora?” John demanded trying desperately not to sound as alarmed as he felt.

“I don’t know. She hadn’t come down. That’s why I thought the noise I heard was her. She must have still been in bed.” Frank gulped down the last of his water.

John stood and dragged his fingers through his hair as he paced. “Where the hell is she? What did this man look like?”

“Dressed all citified. Tall, black hair with lots of grey. That’s all I saw before he thunked me and I passed out. Sorry, John.”

Frank looked so pale, John was worried he was concussed.

“Not your fault. Let’s get you onto the couch,” John said, fighting to keep his anxiety in check.

The men assisted Frank up but his legs threatened to buckle. They carried him into the living room. They settled him on the couch.

“Who do you think it was?” Sam asked John.

“Do you think that flash of white we saw might have been something Cora was wearing?” Henry asked.

John’s heart hit the floor. He must have visibly paled.

“John, you’re as white as a sheet. What is it?” Sam asked.

“I think Cora’s father has her. I think he draped her over the horse and took off with her,” John answered, holding his head in his hands. He couldn’t lose Cora, she was the love of his life.

“Hell on wheels, why?” Henry asked.

“Cora told me, he hates her. It’s the reason she ran off and became a mail order bride.” He gave his friends an abbreviated description of her life.

“For heaven’s sake. She’s so sweet and thoughtful. How could anyone treat her that way?” Sam asked.

“We need to go after her. Henry, can you stay with Frank?” John turned toward the door.

“It’s gonna take more than two of ya to find Cora if they’re up in the hills. I’ll be okay here on my own. I’ve had worse bangs on the head and I’ve barely got any headache.” Frank argued.

“That’s settled. We’re coming with you,” Sam spoke for both himself and Henry.

John swung around. “Are you sure?”

“Yep, go.” Frank urged. “Find that little gal and bring her home.”

The three men dashed from the house.

“We need blankets, lanterns and rope. I know ya wanna race straight into the hills, John but, we need to be prepared.” Sam said.

John reluctantly agreed and he helped to gather the supplies as quickly as possible. They mounted their horses and galloped towards the hills. To where they had seen the horse disappear.

John’s gut turned over. Would they find his beloved Cora? Would she be unhurt, alive? She had to be. He was falling head over heels in love with his feisty, brave and sweet little wife.

He spurred Bill on until he was racing flat out.

***

“What the hell did you do to her? I never agreed to hurtin’ her. I said I’d help ya get her to the train in Sioux City ’cause for some reason ya don’t wanna be seen in Rapid City. But, I ain’t gonna hang if ya kill her.” David rested his hand on his holstered gun.

Pierre straightened to his full height and stood nose to nose with the outlaw he’d hired. “You listen to me,” he snarled. “You’ll do everything I tell ya, exactly as I tell ya.”

“I didn’t agree to this.” David pointed to the bloodied, crumpled heap on the ground. “I warned ya, there’d be no killin’ or hurtin’.”

Pierre glanced at his daughter. “Unfortunate, but couldn’t be helped.”

David stiffened. What kind of man had he decided to team up with? David had witnessed the evil, the insanity in Pierre’s eyes when he’d asked to help bring his daughter home. But, two thousand dollars was too much money to refuse. He was now bitterly regretting his decision.

“We’ll rest here for a day. I need you to go into town and get her a dress, a travelling robe and shoes. We’ll get her other things during the journey.”

“I ain’t never bought a woman’s clothes and I ain’t startin’ now. Why didn’t ya get a dress when ya grabbed ’er?”

“It’s not like I had time to go through her damn clothes and I didn’t expect she’d still be in bed.” Pierre stormed from the cave where they were holed up.

David crouched by Cora’s side and brushed the matted, bloodied hair from her face. She was a mess. The fact she was still alive was a miracle. She wasn’t going anywhere for a very long time. But, if she died, he’d hang, if the law got him.

***

John and his friend’s rode into Gopher’s village and dismounted. Several youths John recognized offered to take care of their horses. The men handed over their reins.

Children swarmed around their legs, tugged at their pants. The men patted their shoulders as they carefully moved through them towards Gopher who stood outside his tipi.

“Iyayekiya (run away).” Gopher shouted at the children. They scattered in several directions.

John shook Gopher’s hand. “Sorry to intrude but my wife’s been kidnapped, and I need your help.”

Gopher shook hands with Sam and Henry before inviting the men into his home. He wrapped his arm around the waist of a pretty Indian woman and drew her to his side. This is Precious Fawn, my wife.

In all the years John had known Gopher, he had never met his wife.

To his wife, Gopher said, “Ayusta” (leave alone). She smiled at her husband, nodded to the men and left the tipi.

“Come, sit.” Gopher indicated animal furs covering a section of the ground and the men sat.

“What’s this about a wife? I haven’t heard you speak of marriage.” Gopher was curious.

John explained. “I placed a notice for a wife in a city paper. A beautiful woman named Cora answered. She married me when she arrived in Rapid City and has been at the ranch for a little over three weeks.”

“What happened my friend? Gopher asked.

John dragged his fingers through his hair. He and Gopher had met when John bought the ranch. Over the years they had developed a close friendship and become familiar with each other’s ways. Gopher knew John was a gentle man who rarely became angry or riled. He enjoyed teasing this white man, but now he could see the worry etched on his face, the fear in his eyes.

“Her father came to the house, almost killed Frank and took Cora. We’ve searched the hills for a few hours but haven’t found anything.”

Concern clouded Gopher’s face. “She did not have her father’s permission to come here and marry you? If she has disobeyed her father’s wishes, he has the right to take her.”

“No, No. You don’t understand. I’m scared he’ll hurt her. He’s a brute. That’s why she ran away from him in the first place.”

“Explain it to me. I don’t understand.”

John explained about Cora’s having been at the mercy of her vicious father. When he’d finished, Gopher sat quietly. Deep in thought.

Sam and Henry had both remained silent. It was a show of respect that the matter was between John and Gopher. But, as the silence stretched out Sam became impatient. He stood.

Gopher glared up at the man who had dared to stand in his home without first being given permission.

“Sit down, Sam” John said.

Sam turned to John. “No. We’re wasting time and if the Chief won’t help us, we need to be out there. The longer it takes to find Cora, the more chance there is that she’ll be dead.” He spun around to Gopher. “We’ve been friends for many days and we hoped you would help. You and your men know these hills better than anyone. John has done a great deal to help your people but when he needs help, you refuse.”

John was stunned with how calm Gopher sounded after being insulted by Sam. “Sit down, Fiery Eagle. I have not refused to help. I was giving thought to which of my braves would be able to find your woman the fastest.”

Sam mumbled an apology and plonked himself back on the furs.

Gopher asked the men to remain as he stood and disappeared outside.

“Sorry, John but I was getting impatient waiting for the Chief to offer help. I can see how much it’s hurtin’ ya not knowing where she is or if she’s okay. It must be killing you,” Sam said.

“I understand and I know Gopher does too. I want to be out there searching but these men know the hills better than we do. They know every canyon and cave. We’ve found nothing. We need their help,” John said.