Clean Inspirational Romance: Escape to Paradise (Inspirational Happy Sweet First Love Second Chance Romance) (Contemporary New Adult Love Inspired Holiday Short Stories) (33 page)

“We found one of the cattle,” Tom explains. His voice is deeper than Jacob’s. He’s nearly the same age as Gideon but his tan, weather-worn face and tall stature make him appear a good deal older. “It had the Elison mark on it.”

My heart sinks in my chest and I am tempted to set Tom’s plate aside and sink down in my own seat. It can’t be. It’s not possible.

“You’re positive?” Father asks. As Jacob answers, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I walk over to Tom and set his plate in front of him.

“It may not have been on purpose,” Tom says.

“Don’t see how it could have been an accident,” Jacob says. “Those Cattle had to have been moved to end up all the way over here.”

“Moved?” I ask. “Who could have moved them?”

“It was probably Gideon Elison,” Jacob says with a growl. He is younger than Tom. And I believe, slightly younger than me. He is small but strong for his size, with a fierce disposition. And, he has always had an irrational hatred of cattlemen.

“Why would Gideon do a thing like that?” I ask.

“We don’t know,” Tom answers. “Truth be told, we don’t even know if it was him.”

“No one else had access to their cattle,” Father says. “Everyone knows the Elison's have always kept a close watch on their herd.”

I look at my father, a feeling of terror gripping my heart. He has always liked Gideon and his father. He’s always trusted them. He gave his blessing to me and Gideon just yesterday. I don’t believe, can’t believe he would accuse Gideon of something like this.

But then, I’ve never seen my father like this before. His face is still pale from the shock. His eyes are still brimmed red from the tears he shed when he was alone in his room.

“Pa… it can’t be,” I begin. “There has to be some other explanation.”

“If there is, we’ll find it,” he says, wiping his mouth and standing from the table. He’s hardly touched his food.

“Jacob, finish up here and then you and I will pay a visit to the Elison's. We should return their missing cattle at any rate.”

Jacob nods and stands as well. His biscuit lying half-eaten on his plate.

“Emily,” Pa says, turning to me, “you help Tom mind the farm. We won’t be gone long.”

I open my mouth to speak but realize that I have nothing to say. Slowly, I nod and return my eyes to my plate as Pa and Jacob gather their things. I don’t look up at them as they take their leave. And, almost as soon as they’ve gone, I stop picking at my food as does Jacob, and stand to clear the plates.

I can’t help but think that none of this is right. Even as I finish cleaning the plates and move on to the washing, I keep going over the whole thing round and round in my mind.

Not only do I know that Gideon wouldn’t do a thing like this, I don’t see how he could do a thing like this. It’s a very long way from his ranch to our farm. It would take someone both refreshed and very dedicated to drive the cattle all the way here in the middle of the night. And even more, to get the herd riled enough to trample down a fence and an entire field of crops.

Gideon would have been out with the herd all day. He always is, even though his father tells him time and time again that he doesn’t have to be. They have plenty of hired cowmen to drive the cattle around the range and, latter, to and from town.

But, Gideon prefers to be out on his horse to being indoors and keeping the books. That’s what I’ll do when we marry.

If we marry.

That is the other thing that worries me. Father’s face when Jacob told him who the cattle belonged to. I’ve never seen Pa so upset. I know if he doesn’t believe Gideon’s explanation, he will withdraw his consent from our marriage.

I do not think I could bear that.

But, Pa will believe Gideon. He’ll have to. Gideon has no reason to do us any harm. Especially not after our engagement.

Still, I cannot think of anyone else who would wish such a fate on us either. Who would be so cruel as to destroy the livelihood of a respected old man?

Just then, the answer to my unspoken question sounds from the outside porch.

I move towards the screen door and see Ben Jonson's smug face moving towards me. Jacob and Pa following in his wake.

Pa’s face is red with anger and he’s walking with a purpose I’ve never seen from him. Ben Johnson is wearing that horrible smirk I’ve always despised.

At that moment, I know the true culprit behind our misfortune. And, what is worse, I know that he may have gotten away with it.

*****

“Hello, Emily,” Ben says, as soon as he and the other men reach the bottom steps. “I met Jacob and your Father on the road. I heard what happened, I wanted to express my condolences.”

I do not acknowledge Ben but turn to my Father.

“What did the Ellison’s say?” I ask him. “What happened?”

Pa looks up at me. His eyes are hard and his wrinkled face is as red as it was when I saw him walking down the road. But when he looks at me, he softens slightly, gives me a sad look and shakes his head just slightly.

I know what that means and it’s enough to make my heart stop completely in my chest. Pa’s taken away his consent. Gideon and I will not be getting married.

I open my mouth to speak, to put in some argument. But before I can, Pa turns to Jacob.

"Jacob, take the wagon down into town,” he says. “Seek out my lawyer Mr. Baker. He’ll draw up the lawsuit against the Ellison’s.”

“Yes sir,” Jacob says, before quickly moving towards the stables and out of sight.

Without acknowledging Ben, Pa moves up the steps and makes his way into the house. As he passes me, I grab his arm to stop his progress.

“Pa, what if I spoke to Gideon?” I ask. “If I went to him, I am sure he would clear the whole thing up.”

“Emily,” he says firmly, gently removing my hand from his arm. “There’s nothing more to be done. The Elison’s have made their bed. Now they’ll have to lie in it. I don’t want you anywhere near their property is that clear?”

“But, Pa, I-”

“I said is that clear?” His voice has almost raised now. I have not heard him speak this way in a long while. Especially not to me. I know there is no point in arguing any longer.

I take a step back and bow my head.

“Yes, Pa,” I say quietly.

He nods and looks at me once more. For a moment, he looks apologetic. As though he might open his mouth to tell me that he is sorry for speaking to me in such a manner.

But, the next moment, he hardens his face once more, looks away and heads back into the house.

“This is a difficult day for all of you, it seems,” Ben’s voice causes me to turn towards him once more. I wish I could say that I’d forgotten he was here. I wish I could say that I had not seen him watching our family drama play out with barely disguised glee.

“Losing crops is always difficult,” I tell him coldly. “But, we have come through worse before. I am sure we will again.”

“I do hope the farm is able to survive this blow,” Ben says. “Though, I doubt your courtship with Gideon Ellison will.”

A rage I can barely restrain bubbles through me at his mention of Gideon. I want to slap him in the face. I want to scream at him and order him off our property.

But, I know that as a lady, that would do me much more harm than good. So, instead, I give him the coldest smile I can muster.

“I am certain my fiance and I will be able to weather this storm just as well as my father’s farm will,” I tell him.

I experience a moment of pleasure when I see Ben’s eyes go wide with surprise at my use of the word fiance. He takes a step back.

“I did not realize your relationship had progressed,” he says.

“It is not widely known yet,” I answer. “Gideon only proposed yesterday.”

“I see,” Ben says. “And, may I ask what your father thinks of this arrangement?”

“He gave us his consent before Gideon left last night,” I answer.

My heart sinks again when the smug smile returns to Ben’s face.

“I see,” he says. “Though, given your father’s attitude towards the Elison's at the moment, I gather his position has changed.”

I cannot muster even the coldest smile at this. My face instead forms a steely glare at Ben.

“Regardless,” I say, with as much venom as I can muster. “My position has not changed. And never will. Regardless of what my Father may think.”

“You still think Elison is innocent?” Ben asks with a mocking chuckle, as he makes his way up the steps, closer to me.

I have a sudden urge to move back. To get as far away from him as possible. But, I stand my ground.

“I believe there are others who would sooner see us destroyed and the Elison’s along with us,” I say. I hope the statement is pointed enough. I hope that Ben Johnson understands that I am telling him I know what he is up to. I know that it was he who destroyed our crops and sought to blame the Elison’s.

“That may be,” Ben says. “However, the evidence clearly points to Ellison. I have no doubt your father will win his suit against them. And when he does, I hope you will entertain other offers of courtship.”

He gives me a sickeningly triumphant smile as he takes my hand and brings it to his lips. I want to yank it away from him. I want to run into the house and never have to see Ben Johnson’s sallow-faced grin again.

But I am frozen to the spot, as he slowly releases my hand and looks up at me with that same smirk.

“Miss Porter,” he says, as he tips his hat to me, his voice laced with amusement.

I can do nothing but nod to him before rushing into the house and closing the door. I can’t be sure, but I imagine I can hear him as he walks down the road from our farm. He is laughing at me. Mocking me.

I breathe heavily as I lean against the wooden panels of the kitchen wall. In that instance, I know what I have to do. For the first time in a very long time, I must disobey my Father. I have to see Gideon.

*****

The Ellison ranch stands about five miles away from our farm. It’s a pleasant walk under normal circumstances. The road is lined with large oak trees and the path is steady. Now, the long walk only gives me time to nervously reflect on what I am doing.

Perhaps Father won’t believe the lie that I told Jacob. That I have a letter to mail in town. Perhaps he will know I’ve gone to the Ellison ranch and will come looking for me.

This could be problematic for any number of reasons. Not only will father be angry with me, but it could cause whatever argument that flared up between him and Gideon this morning to rise again.

I know that all-out brawls and violent range wars have been started over more trivial things.

Then there is the question of the argument itself. I do not know what was said this morning to cause my Father to become so angry with the Ellison’s. I do not know what it was that settled his mind about taking him to court.

Perhaps I am wrong about Gideon. Perhaps I have been the whole time. Maybe he will not even wish to see me.

Then again, if that is the case, it is better I find out now, on my own. I would rather Gideon tell me the truth himself than hear it from countless third parties as part of town gossip.

I finally reach a large, iron gate that leads to the Elison’s enormous ranch house. It is a grand structure with marble, Greek columns, a large deck and white stairs leading to the wooden doors. It reminds one very much of the old, grand plantations which used to line the roads of the south.

I close the gate behind me and walk up th grand steps. When I knock on the door, my heart jumps into my throat. It is a moment before it creaks open.

“Yes, Miss Porter?” Able, the old, white-haired, dark-skinned butler says as he answers the door.

“I was hoping to see Mr. Gideon if he is available,” I answer in a small voice.

“Of course Miss,” Able says, ushering me in. “You can wait in the drawing room if you’d like. I’ll fetch Mr. Gideon for you.”

With a word of thanks, I retreat into a smaller room off the side of the grand foyer. This room is no less grand than its larger counterparts. The details along the walls are gilded with a gold covering and the furniture is immaculately set.

It makes one feel as though one is in a fine European castle rather than a ranch in Oklahoma, just south of Kansas City.

It’s not long before I see Gideon emerge through the doorway. My heart begins beating loudly in my chest as I stand to greet him.

“Emily,” he says, staring at me from the doorway. It’s as though he’s in awe. As though he cannot believe that I am truly here.

He enters the room fully and closes the door behind him. Before I can say a word to him, he has moved towards me.

Suddenly, I am caught up in an embrace so fierce I can do nothing but return it. He presses me desperately into his chest and I feel his erratic heartbeat as I lean into him.

It’s as though he is hanging onto me for dear life; afraid that if he lets go, he will lose me forever.

Finally, we break apart and he leads me to sit on the couch.

“Does your father know you’re here?” he asks. “Has he told you what happened?”