Love Inspired Historical July 2015 Box Set: The Marriage Agreement\Cowgirl for Keeps\The Lawman's Redemption\Captive on the High Seas (70 page)

“I guess you'd know more about that than I would.”

Colt snorted. “I suppose you want me to be sorry for what I did. Look, I never stole from no one who couldn't spare the loss, and I never killed a man who didn't deserve killing.”

In some ways, Will could relate to Colt. Not so much in the stealing part, but hadn't Will himself thought Ben worthy of killing? The good Lord had seen fit to remind Will of what was right, before Will had the chance to take the man's life; but as Will looked upon the other man's remorseless face, Will prayed that Colt would understand the love of God for all of His people.

“God loves you, you know.”

Colt stared at him as if he'd gone daft.

“I rightfully earned my spot in the hereafter. I'm not going to get all religious and pretend otherwise. The Lord ain't never had a place for me in His life, and I reckon I ain't never had room for Him in mine. It's nothing personal.”

“I used to think the same thing,” Will said quietly. “But I learned that God loves all kinds. If He could love Paul, who persecuted the early church before becoming a follower himself, then why can't He love sinners like us?”

Colt walked over to his bed and sat down. “I s'pose if you consider yourself a sinner, then that's all good and well. But I didn't choose the life I led. It chose me.”

He stared at Will as though he expected a fight. But this wasn't Will's battle. Given that Colt uttered the same words Mel once had, Will knew the battle was bigger than that. It was waging in Colt's soul, and Will could only pray that, somehow, the truth of Will's words, of God's word, would get into Colt.

Before today, Will would have never believed Colt wasn't a bad person. But seeing Colt's love for Mel, combined with the self-righteousness of feeling as if he'd been acting in some warped form of justice, made Will realize that Colt was just as lost as the rest of them.

“Just remember it's never too late. To let God in, or to tell me where I can find Daisy. She'll have a good, honest life with us. The pastor has promised to help with that.”

“Maybe she likes the life she has.”

With that last defiant statement, Colt lay down and rolled on to his side so his back was to Will.

Will had done his best. Tried talking sense into Colt, but Colt felt too much justification in his actions. All Will could do was leave it in the Lord's hands, and that was enough.

Turning to sit onto his own bunk, he watched as the door to the cell area opened, and Marshal Whitaker entered.

“Lawson. You're free to go.”

He opened the cell, but Will didn't come forward. “Am I going to be back in here in a few days when there's more evidence against me?”

“Is there evidence against you?” The marshal cocked an eyebrow at him.

Colt's bed rustled, and Will turned to see the other man coming to where their cells met. “None that wasn't manufactured.”

“That's what I thought.” Marshal Whitaker nodded and held his arm out toward the door. “A diamond necklace from the Century City bank robbery was sewn into the lining of Ben's coat. Sheriff Rusty Horton has a few stolen items of his own to explain. Between that and some other evidence we've found, I think I can safely say you won't be back in here anytime soon.”

Marshal Whitaker looked over at Colt. “As for you, well, I'm not sure I'll be able to say the same.”

Colt shrugged and went back to his cot. Before Will could say anything, Mary burst into the room.

“I know they said I should wait out there, but I am not waiting another minute to see my fiancé.”

Will held out his arms, and though it was hardly the proper thing to do, he held Mary close. “I am so glad God gave me this chance.”

She smelled of lilacs and summer, even though fall was upon them and they'd soon be knee-deep in snow. Will wasn't a man for fancy notions, but if he had to say what blessings smelled like, this was the scent he'd choose.

Marshal Whitaker cleared his throat. “Speaking of chances, I got word from Mayor Harris that they're looking for a new sheriff in Century City. He feels real bad about siding with Rusty against you, considering it was Rusty all along.”

After giving Mary a final squeeze, he turned to look at the marshal. Just a few weeks ago, this would have been the very opportunity Will would have desired, even though he'd have never believed it possible.

“I appreciate the offer. But I need to stay in Leadville to help my fiancée and her family.”

He held out his hand to the marshal and was given a firm shake in return.

“You ever need a job, you let me know, and I'll put in a good word for you.”

“Thanks.”

He turned his gaze back on Mary, whose eyes were shining more brightly than any silver pulled out of the hills. “I mean that, Mary. I'm here for you. And your family. Especially that rascal Daniel I keep hearing stories of.”

The loving but exasperated smile Mary rewarded him with confirmed to Will that he was making the right decision. As much as the events leading up to this point had made him question his life and his faith, they'd brought him to this place of complete and utter peace.

There was no place he'd rather be than here, now, with Mary.

Sounds of the jail around him reminded him that perhaps here wasn't exactly right.

“Shall we?” Will held his arm out to his bride-to-be.

Arm in arm, they walked out of the jail. Will, a free man, without the stain of his past or the accusations that had once followed him. And Mary, a woman of such strong faith and willingness to face her past that Will could hardly believe himself worthy of such a blessing.

Epilogue

I
t was a fine day for a hanging. Or at least that was what the good people of Leadville kept saying. For Mary Stone, however, there was no joy to be found in this day. As Will put his arm around her, they silently walked away from where the crowd had gathered to watch the vigilantes hang Ben. The warmth of his arm reminded Mary that she did, indeed, have something to be joyful about.

Becoming Mrs. Will Lawson, which she would be in just a few short months. The weather was getting colder, and with his mother's health, they'd agreed to wait until spring so she could attend the wedding.

“This wasn't justice,” Will said as he led her away from the scene. “There should have been a trial, and Ben should have been convicted by a jury of his peers.”

As if to confirm Will's words, an icy wind hurled down the mountains, causing Mary to shiver.

“We should get you home. There'll be snow by morning.” His gentle smile reminded her of the last snow they'd gotten and how, despite everything, it had brought them closer together.

Daniel and Nugget ran past them, but just as Mary started after them, Will pulled her closer.

“They'll be fine. Joseph and Annabelle are up ahead, so they won't let those two get far. Best to let them get all their running out now, before the snow hits.”

Having a man around had helped Mary's younger brother. Though Daniel was still often far too energetic, Will was giving him a fine example of how a gentleman should act. Joseph, too, now that he and Annabelle were back from their honeymoon.

When Mary had confessed all to Joseph, he'd been angry at first, but mostly hurt that she'd tried to do so much on her own. Even her relationship with Rose was improving, now that all of Mary's sins were in the open. Despite everything, they were still sisters, and they still needed each other.

Not perfect, of course, Mary thought wryly as she adjusted her cloak against another gust of wind. Rose had been cross with her for leaving her to tend Bess, who was home sick with a cold. But Will had been asked to come to the sheriff's office today, and he'd wanted Mary to accompany him.

“Are you going to accept the deputy position he offered you?”

Mary looked up at him, and he smiled down at her. “I'd like to, but that's a decision we need to discuss as a family.”

A family. One that Will had gladly accepted as his own when he'd asked Mary to be his wife. He understood about Mary's need to help take care of her siblings; but where she'd once thought she'd have to do it all on her own, now she knew what real family meant. No more carrying their own burdens on their own shoulders. Now, sharing and discussing with one another, it seemed almost inconceivable how they'd managed before.

His eyes twinkled, and again, Mary's heart filled with gratitude that this fine man was going to be her husband.

“I think you'd make a fine deputy.” She gave his arm a squeeze.

The look Will gave her in response made her heart want to burst. How could she have ever believed anything less than this deep love was the real thing?

“I want to be sure it won't be an imposition on Joseph and Frank.”

“But you already have your first case.”

Will stopped, released her arm and turned to look at her. “What do you know about that?”

“If you and the sheriff didn't want me to overhear your conversation in his office, you should have closed the door.” She grinned at him and took his arm again.

“Finding Daisy and keeping your promise to Mel is important. She died helping us save my sister. How could we do less for her?”

He shook his head slowly. “We are not going to do anything. Jasper has already left with a party to follow up on the latest lead.”

After a quick glance at his pocket watch, Will turned his attention back to her. “They should be about halfway there.”

Then he gave her the kind of stern look he usually reserved for Daniel. “And no, we are not following them. You can go help Emma Jane work in the women's home if you need something to do. But you are not putting your safety at risk. Not again.”

The intense expression softened, and he pulled her a little more closely than was proper, especially in public. “You're too dear to me. I love you, Mary, and I aim to keep you safe for the rest of our days.”

A lump clogged Mary's throat as she recalled that horrible night. Her worry hadn't been so much for her own safety as it had been for Will's. The level of anxiety she'd felt for him was far too much to bear again. No, she wouldn't have him have to endure that again, either.

“And I love you. Which means I won't give you cause to worry.” She gave him a reassuring squeeze, then pulled away into a more respectable posture. “I'll go help Emma Jane so she has someone to keep her company instead of worrying about Jasper.”

“I'd kiss you right about now, but we wouldn't want to get the town's gossips wagging.” Will nodded in the direction of a group of women in front of the mercantile.

“I'll take you up on that later.” Mary winked at him as she gave a small wave to the women.

They waved back and tittered among themselves. She could almost hear their words. “That's her. She's the one who burned down that horrible place.”

The citizens of Leadville had agreed that burning The Pink Petticoat down had done the community a great service. Everyone had gotten out safely, and the only harm done was the destruction of the building. While some of the ladies had found work in other houses of ill repute, Frank had opened a women's home that helped the women find other positions that didn't involve compromising their morals. In the end, the true story of what happened did come out, and Mary enjoyed a little notoriety of her own.

No one had cared that it was an accident. Nor that the real culprit was a box of explosive powder Ben had been storing in the room. No, all they saw was Mary Stone, the woman who brought down one of the most notorious houses in the West. She'd been invited to tea with all of the town's most prominent women. But unless those invitations were extended also to Rose and Emma Jane, Mary politely declined.

After all, what was the sense in being notorious if you couldn't use that power for good?

And then, partially out of the confidence of her notoriety and partially because she recognized the impatient look on Will's face, Mary stopped. She stood up on tiptoe and gave the man she loved the kiss he deserved.

Let people talk. Mary's real confidence wasn't in her reputation, but in a man who loved her, and a God who loved them both.

* * * * *

Dear Reader,

When I began thinking about which Leadville character I should write about next, I couldn't let go of the idea of writing about Mary Stone. I kept wondering what was so interesting about a seemingly perfect sister who'd sacrificed so much for her family. After all, perfection doesn't make for a very interesting story. As I dug deeper, I thought about the things a young lady would have had to have given up, like love, and that's when the rest of Mary's story came to me.

So many times, we look at the perfect exterior of another person, not realizing the secrets they carry or the past they may have overcome. Fortunately, the Lord knows all these things, even the darkest places in our hearts, and He loves us anyway. That was a lesson Mary needed to learn—that God loved her, and she didn't have to do anything to make up for her past sins.

I hope you find encouragement in Mary's story. If there's something in your past that you're struggling with, take it to God. He already knows, and He loves you just the same. You're precious to God, and He doesn't want you to have to carry that load.

I love connecting with my readers, so please, stop by
danicafavorite.com
and say hello.

Blessings to you and yours,

Danica

We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Historical title.

You find illumination in days gone by.
Love Inspired Historical
stories lift the spirit as heroines tackle the challenges of life in another era with hope, faith and a focus on family.

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