Home to Stavewood (Stavewood Saga Book 3) (10 page)

Chapter Thirty

    
 
T
imothy Elgerson watched as the porter checked the paperwork. He had observed them loading the coffin into the closed car and his heart sank. He had looked everywhere for his son and found nothing.

      He went through both boys’ belongings and found no clues to give him any idea of what had gone on, except the nagging feeling of anxiety. Everything around him seemed dreary and hopeless.

      He returned to the boarding house and inspected the room carefully. Timothy found an envelope of money concealed under a drawer and was certain that Mark had hidden it there. From the amount in the packet Timothy felt it was likely that the boy did not have much money on him. Sam had a good amount on him when they recovered his body, but Mark had little.

      Timothy had ridden the area where Sam had been found over and over again for days, but found nothing more than a bit of evidence that they had likely been running from someone. Other than a few broken branches though, Timothy had found no indication whether Mark had lived or had died. He did not find his son’s body and he hung all of his hopes on that one fact.

      He’d dream about returning home during the nights when he could sleep, but many nights he could not. Instead he searched the area saloons asking if anyone had seen Mark. It appeared they frequented only one restaurant, but never drank there.

      He thought about Rebecca and the family at home. He knew they were counting on him to return with Mark, and he did not want to go home without him. As the number of days began to rise, he slipped into a deep depression.

      Timothy Elgerson did not know how to give up hope and at sunrise he searched again.

Chapter Thirty-One

    
 
E
mma sat beside the bed at Stavewood listening to the doctor’s instructions. Rebecca was flushed with a fever she had been fighting throughout the night and, at Isabel’s instruction, they had sent for the physician.

      “You need to take the medicine until it is completely gone and you are to stay off your feet. When will Timothy be back?” The doctor washed his hands in the basin beside the bed, listening to Rebecca’s reasons why she would not wire her husband to come home.

      Isabel stood in the foyer and considered the doctor’s recommendation as he prepared to leave. She agreed that it was time to wire Timothy. He had been gone for nearly three weeks and still had no idea where Mark was or if he was alive or dead.

      Isabel had seen Rebecca the day they had picked up the Evens boy. Roland had taken her out to Sam’s home to notify his parents that morning. She knew that breaking the news to them of their only child’s death had devastated them and Rebecca was shaken as well.

      The heartbroken families that stood in the station brought back memories of Phillip for Isabel. Now, as the time passed, the frantic concern for Mark had begun to dissolve into hope of a miracle, and the hope waned with each passing day. Isabel climbed the stairs to Rebecca’s bedroom. She would tell her that she was going to wire Timothy. It was time.

      Rebecca had not the strength to argue with them all, but she was determined to have them wait. “Just a few more days,” she had pleaded. “Once the medicine begins to work I’ll be fine and then we’ll be sorry we made him return home before he could find Mark.”

      Emma, Isabel and Roland all stood at the bedside listening to her pleas. They knew that if Rebecca did not fight this infection it could mean no more children for her, or worse.

      They all assured her they would think about it and left her to get some rest.

      “He left me in charge.” Roland sat in the parlor and ran his fingers through his hair. “If she were to take a turn for the worse I would not have fulfilled my promise. I’ll wait until tomorrow,” he said, “but no longer.”

      “Roland,” Isabel sat down across from the man. “I know Tim. Someone may have to tell him to come home, even without Rebecca being ill. He may never give up looking for that boy.”

      “I know,” Roland sighed.

Chapter Thirty-Two

    
 
C
olleen slipped out into the darkness and hurried along the back side of the barns. She slid the door open as silently as possible, stepped inside and slowly pulled it closed.

      She stood perfectly still and listened. The barn was completely silent. “Mark?” she whispered.

      “Colleen, it’s you. Where is your lantern?”

      She struck her match against the rough boards and lit her lamp quickly.

      “I didn’t know who was coming in here. Don’t do that again.” Mark scowled in the soft light.

      “I was afraid to light it outside.”

      Mark sighed and leaned against the heavy wooden post. “I’m tired of being afraid.”

      “I’m not sure that you are up to traveling yet.” Colleen looked at him with concern.

      “I don’t care,” Mark muttered. “I think that I’ll just go and take my chances.”

      “Go? How will you go? Are you planning to walk to Minnesota?” Colleen scowled.

      “I’ll figure it out somehow.” He rubbed his chin.

      “You could barely stand up after you had climbed down from the loft there. You go out there and they’ll arrest you, or the men from the hills will find you. That could be worse. I’ll not have you running off like a fool with no plan after bringing you back from the brink of death. No, I will not!” Colleen’s cheeks flushed deeply and she leaned towards him as she scolded. “I will get you home Mark Elgerson, don’t you be threating to run off!”

      Mark looked up at her in surprise. Her brow was furrowed and her eyes were on fire. He had only seen her as kind and patient and this was so out of character for her.

      “Colleen,” he threw up his hands. “I’m tired of being in this barn. I can’t even go up to the house.”

      She stomped her foot and began to shake out his bedding aggressively. “I can’t stop you from acting like a fool. I don’t suppose I have the doctoring skills for that!”

      “I can’t just stay here forever!” He faced her and tried to explain himself.

      Colleen threw the blanket to the floor and squared her shoulders, her face inches from his.

      “And you won’t, but you’ll not be leaving until it is safe and you’ll not be telling me that you will!” She gritted her teeth and huffed angrily.

      When her hair fell across her face she shoved it back with her wrist and huffed. Colleen did not move, but leaned closer as if daring him to continue their argument.

      “Fine.” He turned from her.

      “I don’t believe you,” she said angrily.

      “What do you want me to say?” He faced her again and he could see she was furious. “I said I won’t leave.”

      Colleen puckered her lips and tears began to well up in her eyes. She turned away suddenly and continued to fuss with the blanket.

      “Colleen.” He took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. He had never meant to upset her so badly. It was suddenly clear to him that she was not angry, although she had behaved that way. Instead, he could see that she was afraid.

      He looked down at her delicate face and into her eyes. He could feel that she was breathing hard and she looked back at him anxiously.

      Colleen felt lightheaded and terrified. If he left she could not stop him. She wanted him there, with her, and as she stood looking into his eyes she admitted it to herself.

      Mark looked down at her and he could feel that she was trembling, anxious, waiting. He could see her soft skin, sun kissed and smooth. She looked so beautiful.

      “I can’t keep you here. I’m sorry,” she whispered.

      He lifted his hand and touched her hair. It was soft and light against his palm, and he touched her cheek. Colleen held perfectly still and watched him as he searched her eyes.

      He plunged his fingers into her hair and pulled her to him and kissed her hard.

      She tasted sweet and delicious and he kissed her lips hungrily.

      Colleen slid her hands up his shoulders and behind his neck and she felt the silkiness of his hair and the muscles along his back. He pulled her to him and she surrendered in his arms.

      He looked down at her and studied her face. He could feel her close to him, soft in her cotton nightgown and he was very aware of the effect she was having on him.

      Her mind was filled with an entire myriad of reasons why she should stop this. There were obvious reasons that she should say no and leave immediately. She should let him go, she thought, just let him go. Colleen sighed deeply and knew with every ounce of her being that she could not. If he would have her she would not say no.

      “Colleen,” he whispered, his voice husky and deep. “This is probably not a good idea.” He swallowed hard as he felt his desire for her rising.

      “I won’t make you stay,” she whispered, her breath soft and rapid. “But you don’t have to go tonight.” She lifted herself onto her tiptoes and kissed him passionately.

      He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and he could feel her soft breasts pressed against his chest, the curve of her hip against his thigh and he pulled her closer to him and felt consumed with desire for her. And then he stopped.

      He pulled away from her and Colleen swallowed hard and looked down at the floor, her hair falling across her face.

      “This is not a good idea.” He cleared his throat and waited for his excitement to pass.

      “I understand,” Colleen whispered, her voice faltering as she turned towards the door.

      “No.” He turned to her and caught her in his arms.

      “If you don’t want me that way, I understand. I won’t make you stay.” Colleen felt ashamed and humiliated.

      “I do want you. I want you more than anything. I have for a long time. But not like this, Colleen. Not here in the barn, in the straw. I don’t know how, but I will find a way to correct all of this. If we do this I want it to be right.”

      Colleen put her palm against his cheek and kissed him softly and he pulled her close.

Chapter Thirty-Three

    
 
T
imothy Elgerson took the telegram from the delivery boy and dropped a coin into the young man’s open palm. He stepped back into his room at the hotel and tore open the packet. He sat down on the bed as he read the message.

To: Barite, Missouri

Timothy Elgerson

From: Elgerson Mill Station, Minnesota.

Roland Vancouver

Rebecca is ill. Please come home.

Roland

      Timothy rubbed his chin. He knew that Rebecca had been suffering from the morning sickness when he left, but this must be something else. He looked around the room and scowled. If she were more seriously ill he would need to go home, but he had not found his son.

      Again he scoured his mind trying to think of where Mark could possibly be. Where else could he look? Who else could he talk to? Timothy realized that he had found nothing. It was as if his son had just vanished. He could not allow himself to believe that his son was dead and his body had not been found yet. He had to cling to the hope that he was alive somewhere, surviving and waiting, maybe afraid to come out. Still, it did not change the fact that in all the time he had been there he had found nothing.

      Yet, to leave would be to accept that he might never find him. To board that train would mean he was leaving his boy behind. Timothy growled under his breath. He stood up and began to pace the room. He couldn’t do it, he told himself. He just couldn’t leave without him.

      Thoughts of Rebecca crept into his mind and he sat down on the bed again and his shoulders slumped. His wife was expecting and she must need him. She would never allow Roland to send for him if it wasn’t serious.

      Timothy could picture her delicate face, the way it was the morning he had left Stavewood to look for Mark. She looked pale and fragile, although her jaw was set firmly and she stood acting as if she was strong. He remembered how determined she had been in the beginning, when she had first arrived. Rebecca had been ashamed that she had come as a picture bride, until the day she found that he had been the one to send for her. Fate had been on their side then, Timothy thought. If she needed him he had to go home.

      The conflict of the situation tore at him and he felt his chest tighten. Timothy Elgerson put his head in his hands.

Chapter Thirty-Four

    
 
T
he barn was completely silent, but for the soft breathing of Colleen, deep in sleep.

      Mark watched her quietly. He had laid her down beside him in the hay and held her close to his chest. He could smell the fresh soap in her soft hair and he touched her face with his fingertip.

      It had taken every ounce of his self-control not to make love to her as she lay there with him, but it seemed wrong to him somehow, no matter how beautiful and willing she had been. He had looked down into her face, tasted her sweet kisses, felt her pressed up against him, but he couldn’t take her that way.

      He may be hunted like a criminal, but that was not who he was. This woman had risked so much to care for him and she deserved better than to give herself away like this. She had told him a dozen times that her father would not approve of him. If he were to take the man’s daughter this way, on the dirt floor in the barn, there would never be any hope of having any relationship with him.

      They had lain together, wanted each other, and decided that, for now, they would wait together. Colleen had fallen asleep quickly and her gentle breathing had soon lulled Mark into a deep slumber.

      His mind ventured into a vivid dream then. He could feel the breeze against his skin, warm like the first days of summer. Strawberry was trotting beneath him and he slid from her back in the yard at Stavewood. He was hungry and had been riding all day and walked from the stables to the back door and Colleen walked out into the yard. She was smiling broadly and hurried across the yard to him. He put his arm around her shoulder and they walked together towards the house. Then she disappeared and he spun, looking for her. She wasn’t there, not anywhere to be found. Rebecca came out of the back door and asked him what was wrong.

      “Colleen,” he said. “Where did she go?” He felt panicked.

      “Who is Colleen?” Rebecca asked.

      When he woke up it was with a start and he realized he was still in the barn. He tried to slow down his breathing.

      He had waited and planned how he might escape Barite. He’d thought of little else other than returning to Stavewood and never leaving there again. Now Mark Elgerson realized that leaving would be even more complicated. Mark knew he could not go home to Stavewood without Colleen at his side.