Gold Raven (5 page)

“
Well Goldie, perhaps you would like to join me during my meal. I wish to get a bite to eat before I return to my bookwork. W
ould you join me and I will look your words over for you.”

“
Oh thank you! Is this enough, I can bring more?” She asked in gathering excitement.

“
It’s more than enough. As a matter of fact, for the pleasure of your company, I will read your words for free.”

“
No! I will pay you as others do. Where shall I meet you? I will join you once I get the papers and more coin.” She informed him firmly.

Such an innocent young face,
‘What can she possibly be up to? Is this some gypsy scheme? For one so lovely as she, it is worth it to learn the plot.’
He thought to himself. “Turn around...” He directed Hope, taking her by the shoulders to point her in the right direction. Bending low over her shoulder, he pointed to a little bistro down the road. “See the place, Maurice’s. I will be right there, waiting for you.”

Hope smiled looking back at him, with a nod she took off running full force, completely unladylike. Christopher watched her dash off, shaking his head and grinning, he continued on, heading for the restaurant, eager now for the return of the young gypsy girl.

Hope turned the corner of the alley at the mercantile store and ran to the center of the alley where their wagon sat parked at the juncture of a T, dividing the alley into three ways. Immediately she climbed in.

Anna was mending one of Alfredo’s shirts as she went straight to the large trunk. Kneeling before it, she began rifling through in search of the papers.

“
What you search my Goldie?” Anna asked curious. “My papers ma-mah, the ones my real-…my umm, the ones…Lena left me.” Hope recovered, slowing her search as she turned to look back at Anna. Knowing how she felt about Lena and her refusal to forget that part of her past.

Anna felt her heart tighten painfully but attempted to keep her voice steady, hiding her pain. “Oh…I see.” She returned simply.

Hope sighed, she had been right Anna was offended. Slowly, she scooted around on her knees to face her surrogate mother. A woman she had known as mother for thirteen years now. She had not meant to hurt Anna by her actions but she could not give up hope of someday finding her true mother, Lena.

No one would stand between her and her true mother, not even Anna. Whom she loved, but Lena, forever haunted her. As if calling her…pleading with her to know, and understand that she had not just – left her, deserting her as they would have her believe.

With a sigh, she knelt before Anna, who was sitting on a cushioned seat in the small space. Hope’s hand rose and stopped Anna’s in motion from pulling a needle and thread through the partially repaired rip in her father’s shirt.

“
Ma-mah. Please, do not be hurt. I love you, but…I cannot give her up.” She pleaded softly.

“
She giva you up!” Anna shot spitefully.

“
No ma-mah…I do not believe it. Neither do you know if it is so.” She defended Lena gently. “At night ma-mah, when everyone sleeps. I – I hear her voice. I hear her calling for me. I hear her crooning, lulling me…and – sometimes, I can even feel her arms about me. I can remember – her laughter, and … a lot of times, I can… remember her tears, there seemed to be – a lot of tears.” Hope quieted, remembering a rainy night so far off.

Thinking of that night saddened her. She looked up to see Anna quietly watching her. “She lost me somehow. I know this, or, something happened. Whatever happened, she did not leave me…not of her own will.”

Hope knew it was so, felt it in every fiber of her being. “Oh ma-mah, please, please understand, if she still lives, I must find her. Somehow, some way…I must find Lena. Because I do this, it does not mean, I love you less. Nor pa-pah.” She swallowed, feeling her eyes grow moist and with a fist to her heart, she beseeched Anna to understand. “She – Lena…she loved me ma-mah…she loved me. I can feel it here. I must – must know…what became of her. Can you not see why? God as my witness, I will find her.” Hope finished firmly. Anna sighed and nodded her head understanding.

“
If you must, you must. I will try – to understan’ this.” Anna conceded.

Hope squeezed her hand affectionately. “Thank you, ma-mah thank you!” She turned back to the trunk and retrieved the papers. Picking up her reticule, she folded them inside. “Ma-mah… there is a man, he will read the papers for me. I wish to pay him. May I take more coin?”

“
What man?” Anna asked warily, worry creasing her brow.

“
Oh ma-mah…I must hurry…please? May I take more? Please do not say against hiring him. I must know what they say. Perhaps they will lead me to Lena. Please?”

Anna looked doubtful. “Can this not wait until your father and Cornelius return?” She asked.

“
There is no time. I must go now.”

Anna felt her stomach squeeze with unease. She sensed her daughter’s need. The money did not matter to her, but her child’s safety did.

“
Please
, please, please…be careful. Take the money…take what you need but return quickly, it grows late, Goldie. Hurry back.” She beseeched.

“
I will ma-mah, I will.”

Hope stepped out of the wagon, and stopped to re-tie her scarf that was slipping from her head. Shaking it open to refold it, a burst of wind caught the scarf, snatching it from her fingertips, carrying it a distance from her. With a gasp in surprise, she turned and ran after it as it blew along tossed by the current. It reached the junction and just as it was about to softly land, a cross wind blew it further from her reach down an adjacent alley.

“
Oh nooo… I do not have time for this!” Hope exclaimed impatiently. She turned the corner, unwilling to leave it. It was one of her favorites and she was determined to retrieve it.

Running faster, she lost sight of it briefly, and then slowed her pace as she finally took notice of the smiling Mexican who held it out to her. Her gaze was wary, nervously, she stood, biting her lip.

He was dark in complexion with silky ink black hair that hung to his shoulders. His skin was smooth and free of whiskers, having only a thin mustache and gentle alluring brown eyes. He had jovial, pleasant, disarming features.

“
Aah, senorita gypsy. Never had I imagined
you,
coming to me.”

Juan smiled, arching one brow. Hope looked at him and grew agitated that he had the nerve to say such a thing to her, when she did not even know him, especially when it was evident that she had been in pursuit of her scarf.

“
I know not of what you speak! You are holding something of mine! Hand it over!” She ordered bossily and bold. He smiled, flashing sparkling white teeth. Unafraid, she had no time for nonsense or his game. She marched up to him saying, “An’ what you imagine – is correct!” and snatched the scarf from his hand. With no further words needed, she turned to leave and stopped, almost colliding into another, who blocked her way.

This one caused a quick surge of fear. She turned back to the first man she’d encountered behind her…her eyes shooting daggers at him. She put up a brave front, thinking of a way out of her predicament. She was sandwiched between two, and turned back again to the new face. This one was the taller of the two.

His skin was an olive color, like Hope's, with dark brown curly hair and a neatly groomed goatee meeting his narrow trimmed mustache. He was also good looking, although a bit thin. He seemed to be Mexican like the other but it was obvious there was something else mixed in.

She took a deep breath and stepped aside, testing to see if they would just let her pass.

The test proved futile, both followed her move by stepping over as well. The one she faced beamed, causing his dark eyes to twinkle. From behind her, the first spoke.

“
Aaah senorita, you see, like you say…I imagine what was true. I figure, you would not come to me but yet – you are here! This serves us well. We were coming to you now…you see – aye Eugene – is this not so!?” Juan asked.

Eugene grinned with a wink. “This is true little beauty. What he says, is fact. You save us a trip, and we thank you, madam.” Eugene gave a slight bow, the devil himself racing through his eyes.

Hope looked back and forth between them. “What do you want with me? I have no business with you! Leave me be!”

“
Aaah, we cannot. You see, you are to be – a special gift for someone. This is why we come for you, and why you, must come with us.” Juan informed her as he shrugged, maintaining his pleasant smile, at the same time closing the distance between them, Eugene was doing the same.

“
Come closer and I will scream!!” She warned in her loudest voice to shock them.

“
Grab her Eugene!” Juan commanded.

When Hope opened her mouth to yell, Eugene’s hand was swift coming from behind to clamp over it; he yanked her back against him, his other arm encircling her waist. Hope kicked her legs, his hand muffling all efforts to scream, her eyes widening, reflecting her fear, she turned her head back and forth to break free but to no avail. Eugene was pulling her deeper into the alley towards their horses while Juan followed attempting to bend over and grab her legs. Hope twisted and turned trying to punch backward, swinging her small heavy purse with coins hoping to strike Eugene but he ducked her attempts.

“
Leave her and get on your horse! Rope!” Eugene yelled struggling with her.

Hope tried kicking his shins and stomping on his feet unsuccessfully. Juan quickly mounted his horse and reached down for her. She struck out at him and kicked her feet against his horse to keep them from heaving her on its back. The animal tossed its head, snorting and whinnying nervously from her struggle.

“
Turn around with her Eugene, hurry!” Juan instructed quickly, afraid someone would come upon them and spoil his plan to take her. With his back now to the horse and Hope’s back turned as well, Juan dropped a lasso around her shoulders.

“
Pull her arms down! Dios mio – this is not good.”

With her arms swinging, he had to grab one wrist and then the other wrapping the rope tightly about them.
Using her bound wrists, he reached down and pulled her up as Eugene held her legs together while she tried to kick back at him. With her now on the horse, he suffered a kick to the head and ear. Juan had to release her mouth in the transfer and her ear piercing scream lit the air as she delivered another kick to Eugene’s chin.

“
Goddamn Juan!! Cover her mouth!” He ordered through tightly clenched teeth.

“
You just tie her legs! Rapido!” Juan yelled, trying to hide his laughter as she bucked upward in an attempt to fall back to the ground but Juan held on, trying to cover her mouth as she screamed.

“
Cover her mouth!” Eugene bellowed nervously.

“
I am trying! She is quick – this one!” He chuckled, enjoying himself.

“
The whole town will be upon us if you don’t shut her up!” Eugene yelled in sore aggravation, feeling his chin and ear throb where she had kicked him as he tied her legs. Finally, Juan was able to clamp his hand over her mouth, only to have her bite him.

“
Dios mio – She bites!” He cried snatching his hand away, as his captive worked frantically to break free, her screams echoing through the air.

Eugene was now on his horse. “Juan! What are you doing, get control of her! I will not land in jail for this gringa! We must ride – now!!!”

Juan was determined to hold onto her as well keep his seat, with Eugene riding ahead of him, he pulled her wrists down toward his saddle horn, then looped the rope around her arms twice and around the horn, then spurred his horse into action. Hope tossed her head, and busted him in the mouth. Feeling his bottom lip split on his teeth, with a rush of warm blood running, he stopped laughing.

“
That’s it! If you do not wish to die here…you will stop this screaming and struggle, or I will shoot you dead!” His bleeding lip, pulsing with pain, made his voice menacing and deadly. Hope stopped, afraid that he would carry it through. Now that Hope had quieted, he finally got his prancing horse under control. With a signal move from his body, it obeyed, turning about to ride out of the alley behind Eugene.

Alfredo and Cornelius were returning from the livery with the repaired wagon wheel when they heard her screaming, as did Anna who was climbing from the wagon as they approached, panic etched in the few lines of her face.

“
Who is screaming? Where is Goldie!?”

They asked simultaneously. Cornelius dropped the wheel and ran for the alley where the screams had come from, his father close on his heels.

As soon as they turned the corner, it was to see her struggling on the saddle of a Mexican.

“
Goldieee!!” Cornelius yelled as he ran to help her, but Eugene had ridden back to his friend’s aid.

“
Juan!! Ride!!”

“
Pa-pah!! Help meee!” Hope screamed but Juan took off at top speed while Eugene trained his pistol on the two men.

“
Be assured, we will take good care of her. Another move…and I will have to shoot you both!” Using nothing but his legs to steer the animal, he winked at them, made a clicking sound from the side of his mouth, and darted off.

“
No! No! Nooooo!” Cornelius cried out dropping to his knees, just as his mother ran up. Alfredo grabbed her to him, holding her as she sobbed in despair. A few people from the street turned to look at the horsemen riding from the alley with a young woman captive. Her flowing, golden hair was what caught most attention…that and her simple garb. They recognized her as the gypsy girl, no great loss there. She was one of the beggars, thieves, vagabonds…of little consequence. No one was willing to waste their time, nor risk their lives for the likes of them. Even Christopher Mann stood in the courtyard doorway of the bistro, feeling helpless. He longed to give aid, but what good would one man do against obvious bandits. With a sigh of pity, he turned back into the restaurant courtyard as things slowly returned to normal.