AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, no, he won’t be coming here. He has no idea I’m even gone.”
Mamie was baffled. “And what would possess a sweet thing like you to take off from home?” Her green eyes narrowed, “He’s not some bullying brute, is he?”
“No, no, he’s wonderful. He’s a good man, a very good man. I-I’m just
…” she stopped.
“Just what?”
Hannah gulped. Her throat felt tight and she was shivering so badly she could barely breathe. “I’m sorry, I really am. I can’t tell you why I left, but it was the right thing to do. Now I need a place to stay. I’ll do whatever I can. I work hard and I would take men in my room, if I have to.”
Mamie eyed her carefully then warmly smiled, shaking her head in wonder. “Yes, girl, you can stay if you like. Lord knows we need someone to help keep this place clean and cook a decent meal. I have to take a switch to some of the girls to get them off their lazy behinds. You can work in the kitchen. You can clean the floors—I’m sure you’ve done that well enough, but there’ll be no spreading your legs here, or I’ll be taking a switch to you.” Hannah sensed that her word was law, and gave up her objections with a grateful sigh.
“Thank you, ma’am,” she said. Her eyes were filling with tears that she wiped with the back of her hand in a sweetly childlike way.
“Now you call me Mamie, like the rest of the girls do. That’s all the respect I need.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she answered, without thinking. Then she laughed at herself for forgetting so quickly—old habits die hard. It was the first attempt at laughter she’d made in some time.
Now seven days since her arrival at Mamie’s House, her choice seemed like a good one—not that there were too many possibilities for a woman like herself. The memory of her days in Jarrett Cain’s rough hands still stung and would sting for a long time. Yet, already the images of her capture and confinement had shifted. Ideas of herself as tainted, used up and worthless stuck. She had no right to a virtuous life. But she could also see that there was a life for her now, a different life, but something that might be worthwhile enough to suit her.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The wind howled like a banshee screaming out of the north as Daniel approached the farmhouse. Never had he seen a more desolate looking place than his own home. No light in the windows, no sign of anything but a few clucking hens scratching around for food. Maybe Hannah wasn’t there? And Travis, where was he?
Daniel galloped into the yard and slid from his horse in time to see the familiar figure of his friend appear from the far side of the barn.
“You alone?” he asked the man, as his eyes worriedly skirted the immediate property. He knew something was wrong.
“I am,” Travis answered.
“Where’s Hannah?”
He shook his head. “I dunno. I should never have left her, Daniel. I’m so sorry.”
Daniel looked at him alarmed. “Left her?”
“Got word that my sister had taken a bad turn, so I had to go.”
“When?”
“The day after you left. No way to get word to you. Hannah promised she’d stay with Damien and April. I swear she did.”
“Is she there?”
He shook his head. “They haven’t seen her.”
The shock worked its way through the Daniel’s system quickly. “Dammit! Dammit all to hell!” he swore, angrily pacing and frightened; his gut a tight knot of worry.
He let the first feelings pass and came back at Travis for more. “Damien and April haven’t seen her? Has anyone seen her?”
“I’ve made the rounds in town, everyone I could find. No one’s seen her in maybe two weeks. Just before you left. I’ve ridden everywhere, Gosby’s, Martin’s, Hanavan’s. She’s gone. Like she just up and disappeared.” There were tears in Travis’s eyes as he rattled off the disturbing facts. “Figured you’d come back soon; only been back a day myself. We’ll ride out and search where I haven’t. We’re going to find her, Daniel. I’m sure of it,” he swore.
Daniel listened with only half a mind, the other half was thinking of Beau, and of Beau’s enemies—a long list to be sure, and scattered everywhere across two counties. It was just a hunch, but he had the terrible feeling that Hannah’s disappearance had something to do with the reckless boy.
“Yes, we’ll be riding out,” he came back, “soon as I can get someone to stay here at the house. If she should come back…” His voice trailed off at the thought of his beloved Hannah stumbling battered and bruised on some lonesome road, or lying hurt and dying, or taken by pillaging thieves, or anywhere but safely in his arms.
Travis understood his worry. It took just long enough for him to grab some food and the two were on the road headed to town where they’d find a friend to stand guard at the farm, while they began their search. They had no idea where to look first, but Daniel swore he’d find her. He would not stop until she was back with him again.
