A Love to Last Forever (19 page)

Hank sat in his office until even after he’d heard the stage pull in. He knew Gwen and her sisters would easily manage Gallatin House and the customers, and frankly, he just needed time to be alone and think.

If the railroad route truly was settled and would go in eight miles to the north, he wasn’t at all sure what they would do. Weiserman was probably right about the stage line changing its stop, as well. No doubt it would be less than convenient to stop both here and another eight miles down the road. Many folks would be happy to change over to the train for the speed and comfort of an easier mode of transportation. Those who couldn’t afford the train could just as easily journey on without ever making a stop at Gallatin House.

He frowned. It seemed to be just one more reminder of how ill-equipped he was to deal with Montana and the life he had here. What would be best? Should they try to get a fix on where the railroad would be and move their businesses north? At least that would get them away from Rafe. Maybe he could even sell a portion of Vanhouten’s land to the saloon owner.

“Lord, I don’t know how to find the answers,” he prayed. “I’m just as new to you and seeking your direction for my life as I am to Montana.” For the first time in a great long while, a sense of failure niggled at the corners of his mind. All he wanted to do was be a good businessman and husband.

He looked at the contract on his desk once again and shook his head. “What am I supposed to do with all this land if we don’t set up a town?”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Ellie is pregnant,” Simon told Nick as they prepared for yet another day. They were alone in the forge area when he blurted out the news.

Nick eyed his brother sternly. “Is the baby yours?”

Simon shook his head. “I’ve never . . . well . . . you know. I haven’t been with Ellie that way.”

“I’m glad. You know what trouble it can cause.”

“Doesn’t much matter. This has caused trouble enough. If Rafe finds out, he’ll make her get rid of the baby. She told me he made Marie do the same thing last summer.”

Nick cringed at the thought. “What are you going to do?”

“Well, I want to get Ellie out of here.”

“Sounds reasonable. Where will you send her?”

“That’s the problem,” Simon told his brother. “I can’t just send her off. I plan to go with her. I want to marry her and take care of her and the baby.”

Nick was surprised by this announcement. He knew his brother was sweet on Ellie, but for him to just pick up and leave was an entirely different thing. “You’d go?”

Simon looked torn by the question. “You know I wouldn’t want to desert you, but . . . well . . . Ellie needs me, and I need her.”

Nick laughed. “I wasn’t worried about myself. I just wondered what you’d do about the business—about your livelihood.”

“I’ll take my share of the tools with me and start over.

There’s always a need for a good smithy.”

“Rafe will come after you. You know that, don’t you? He’ll put the law on you unless you buy out Ellie’s contract.”

“I’ve already tried to do that. He told me even if I had the money, he wouldn’t let me pay off her obligations.” Simon pumped the billows as Nick stoked the fire. “He doesn’t want her happy. Rafe seems to love knowing that people are miserable on his account.”

“I know. No matter what you choose to do, it won’t be easy. You know the problems that come from making the wrong decision.” Nick knew only too well for himself. His mind overran with painful memories based on his poor choices.

“Can you manage without me? You’d be welcome to join us, but I’d hate to run off and leave Uncle Forrest and the others.”

“I can manage. I wouldn’t leave. We’ve got the stage contract, and well, you know how I feel about Beth. I plan to put more effort into our relationship. I don’t know if she’ll be as interested, but that’s my plan.”

Simon smiled. “I think Beth Gallatin is happy for your attention. You need to get in there and stake your claim before someone else does.”

“I’ll take care of things with Beth—don’t you worry. What we need to do is figure out how you’re going to make this work with Ellie.”

“I’ve been thinking on that. We need to be able to leave as soon as Rafe is settled in for the night. That will give us a good ten- or twelve-hour head start. I had thought about taking the stage out one morning, but that would only give us a few hours before Rafe would wake up and know that she was gone.”

“And it would be better if no one could say they saw you leave,” Nick said thoughtfully. “You know, we should probably talk to Hank about this. He’d have a better idea of how to handle the situation. Maybe he could even talk Rafe into letting you buy out Ellie’s contract and then you wouldn’t have to worry so much about it. You could even stay here. With Evan and Millie’s house nearly finished, we’d have the room for you to set up here.”

“It’s worth considering, I suppose. I just don’t know what to do.” Simon ran his hand through his hair. “There are times I want to call Rafe out into the street and challenge him to a fight for her. Other times, I think about what Pastor Flikkema says about turning the other cheek and doing good, even when people mean to do you harm.”

“Yeah, but Rafe is someone who delights in causing others pain. He won’t care that you’ve been good to him. He’ll just find a way to corrupt it and make everyone miserable. Let’s leave this for now and go talk to Hank.” Nick pulled off his leather apron. “The sooner you get this resolved, the better things will be for you and Ellie.”

Hank considered the situation and rubbed his jaw. “I don’t think Rafe deserves much consideration in this matter. Ellie’s the one who needs our protection and care.”

“So you wouldn’t try to buy out the contract?” Simon asked.

“I can’t see that God would want us to give money to benefit Rafe’s evil causes,” Hank said. “Besides, Ellie’s only real debt with him is that he brought her out here and has kept her fed and housed. And even then, it’s been a poorly done job. No, I think you should just take her and go. I’ll even give you money to help your cause.”

“That’s mighty good of you, Hank, but I can’t just take your money,” Simon declared. “I have a little bit set aside and saved. I think it would get us through until I could set up business for myself elsewhere.”

“How soon will you go?” Hank asked.

“The sooner, the better. Ellie’s suffering from morning sickness already. She’s afraid one of the other women will find out.”

“Simon thought they’d maybe head out after Rafe and Wyman go to bed one night,” Nick added.

“Where will you go?”

“I’m not sure,” Simon replied. “I had thought about going west. Maybe California.”

“Then you should head south to Corrine,” Hank offered. “The railroad goes through there. If you were to take the stage south, you could be there in no time at all.”

Nick shook his head in agreement. “That’s a good point, Simon. The weather’s been unseasonably dry, so you could probably get over the mountains without any problems.”

“And if you wait and go on Thursday, you’ll not only have the overnight stage leaving in the morning, but you’ll have the noon stage come through heading north. Once Rafe realizes you’ve taken the stage, he won’t know if you’ve gone north or south. If we plan it out right, we can even make it look like you’ve gone to Bozeman. Maybe Nick could take the wagon and head over there as a diversion.”

“I think Hank’s right. That just gives you one day to make your plans, but it will give you the best advantage for keeping your whereabouts secret. By the time Rafe figures out which way you really went, you should be on the train and bound for California.”

Simon nodded. “It all makes good sense. I’ll get word to Ellie.”

That night as Hank prepared for bed, he felt good about the advice he’d given Simon. He relayed the story to Gwen and waited for her praise and approval. Instead, she frowned and turned away.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hank, I don’t think God would want you to encourage Simon to lie and cheat. Even if it is Rafe to whom he’s lying and cheating.”

Hank shook his head. “I don’t think God wants us to give over good money for bad causes, either. Besides, Simon would buy out her contract, but Rafe won’t let him. He doesn’t want to let Simon have her.”

Gwen faced him. “Hank, the Bible says we’re to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. Jesus said we’re to honor the law and those in positions of authority. Rafe is Ellie’s authority. She placed herself under his care and made a contract with him. He deserves to be paid, even if he does use it for evil.”

With his pride amply pricked, Hank threw his boots across the room in anger. “It doesn’t make any sense to honor men who are evil. I think you’re wrong about this, Gwen. Rafe has made it clear that he won’t let Ellie go for any amount of money. Do you honestly think that God would have us just leave her in prostitution?”

“No, I don’t think God wants that, either.”

“Well, now that you’ve established what God doesn’t want, why don’t you tell me what He does want?”

“I don’t pretend that I know everything God wants or doesn’t want,” Gwen said, her feelings clearly hurt. “I just know that someone could get in trouble for this—even hurt. You surely don’t want that.”

“Leave this to the men, Gwen. We’ll see it handled. Don’t you worry about it.” He punched his pillow and rolled away from Gwen’s side of the bed.

Even after he felt the bed move as Gwen joined him, Hank refused to acknowledge her. He felt foolish and frustrated. Would he never be able to offer advice and solutions that met with her approval?

But it isn’t her approval that’s in question here,
he thought.
She’s
only pointing out the Bible and what Jesus directed
. That bothered him most of all. She knew the Bible better than he did.

Well, whose fault is that? If I spent more time reading the Scriptures,
I’d be able to know these things
. Hank felt his hardheartedness begin to fade. He heaved a sigh and rolled over to face his wife.

“I’m sorry. I have a wonderful education, yet when it comes to God and the Bible, I am so lacking in wisdom and knowledge. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. You didn’t deserve my anger.”

Gwen reached out and touched his face. “I know you’re only trying to help. I’m sorry I made you feel bad.”

He pulled her into his arms, relieved to have the matter resolved between them. “Sometimes I don’t think Montana is the place for me.”

Gwen pulled back just a bit. “I didn’t know you were feeling that way.”

“I didn’t want you to worry about it,” Hank admitted.

“But maybe I could help.”

He hugged her closer. “I don’t know. I can’t figure out how to help myself. It seems the choices I make are wrong and that the ideas I come up with aren’t useful.”

“I certainly don’t feel that way,” Gwen countered. “I find your ideas quite useful. Like the idea that we should be married, and the idea that we never let anything or anyone come between us.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently. “I love you, Hank.”

He sighed and felt the last of his anxiety melt away. “Ah, Gwen. You always seem to know just how to calm my spirit.”