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Hannah pondered that idea for a moment. “Would you ever consider the same for me?”
He stared at her wonderingly. “Are you suggesting that you’d do anything so extreme to warrant that?”
“No, sir. I’m just positing the question. Out of curiosity.”
He thought a moment, then said: “No one will punish my wife but me, Hannah. You and Jolie are different. I don’t have the same responsibility to her that I have to you. If she’s going to live in this community, she’ll have to grow up and start acting like a responsible woman not a child. If not, she’ll live with the consequences.”
Hannah sighed. “You must think my family is worthless.”
Daniel shook his head. “Your family lost its anchor when your father died. You have me, but your brother and sister have no one to rely on but you, and that’s a bigger burden at this point than you need to bear. Jolie will be going to your aunt’s. The woman made the offer and I see no reason why we shouldn’t take advantage of her generosity. I’ll take her as soon as I can make time.”
“But you will wait to see if the judge can manage what we have not?”
He considered the idea and finally nodded. “I suppose it won’t take much time to tell if she’s reformed.”
Hannah smiled. This was a small reprieve. She held no hope that Jolie’s behavior would reform enough to satisfy her husband. But at least she might have a few more weeks to enjoy her spirited sister. She’d always been a handful, and up to this point the eighteen-year-old had been fairly easy to corral. Now there were different factors involved, a young woman’s virtue to protect. Even Hannah had to admit that sending Jolie to her Aunt might be the best thing for the vulnerable sometimes reckless young woman. Aunt Grace was kind but firm. Perhaps a chance to live in the city would have more appeal once she was there and could see the advantages compared to their rough and backwards surroundings in this rural place.
Beau, on the other hand, was something else. He couldn’t be sent back anywhere; no one would have him. He was hurt the most by their father’s death, which was why Hannah found it so easy to defy one man while she attempted to rescue another. Regardless of all her vows, she knew her weakness lay in him, and that scared her. What if she was confronted with yet another opportunity to reach her brother? What would she do?
CHAPTER TWO
The courthouse was abuzz with activity and an undercurrent of low whispers. The Noble girl was going to get a beating. Everyone was certain of that now. How odd that Daniel Crowe and Hannah had given her up to the cruelty of a flinty man like Judge Boone. Most thought he was fair, but in the matter of unruly young women he seemed most ruthless. There was little doubt that Jolie’s fair behind would be burning long into the night.
There were a few courthouse hangers-on who clamored secretly for a public show once they heard the news about Jolie Noble’s sentencing. It had been years since such a scene had been enacted for the public’s benefit and the idea stirred their blood. Jolie could be made an example of in their small community—this was their overt rationale, while on a deeper level prurient interest fueled their desire for such justice. In that vein, Jolie was a comely girl, the fair-haired princess daughter of a community icon. Seeing the sweet-faced and obviously naïve girl standing half naked at a whipping post would be talked about for weeks, even months, an apt reminder of what can happen in even the best of families.
However, such a public display would not be taking place, not this time.
Judge Boone slammed the gavel down on pronouncing sentence. “Thirty lashes on your naked behind in the company of six witnesses,” he said with his voice booming so loudly that everyone one in the courtroom shrunk back in fear.
Just six witnesses? The crowd murmured.
Just thirty lashes? Some didn’t think that was enough to pay for the terrible brawl that left three young men lining up for stitches at Doc Devore’s back door.
“And my property? What about that?” the bar owner, Rory, objected loudly.
“She’ll work it off to you—but not in the bar. Washing dishes for a few weeks should help stifle her need to incite a riot.
The entire time, Jolie sat impassively, looking more like twelve years old than eighteen. Her cheeks were pale and her limpid eyes were now dulled from tears and worry. It had been a long two nights in jail. She was sure that Daniel had a hand in that—and a hand in sending her in front of the judge. At this point she would have taken any of Daniel’s beatings as face this embarrassment. The boys that caused the ridiculous fight would get theirs and they wouldn’t care the next day. They’d just snicker a bit and go on while the town would hardly remember that they were just as guilty as she was. How could she go on here, when everyone would have a first…or second hand look at her nakedly taking a cruel beating?
Hannah? She had been no help.
“Maybe you’ll think twice about what silly things you get yourself into,” Hannah had scolded her.
Just like an older sister to say that.
“Why can’t Daniel just… you know,” Jolie had pleaded.
“Daniel is ready to send you to Aunt Grace in Pennsylvania.”
“Oh, no!”
“Oh, yes. You mind your manners from now on, or you’re gone. And I don’t want that to happen.”
Everything seemed like a bad dream now. Would she ever awaken from this misery?
The conversation with her sister got her nowhere. Hannah wouldn’t budge. Daniel was immovable. And now Judge Boone seemed to be taking such an interest in her. It was all because of Beau, she knew that. Had to be. He was the disappointment of the family and they didn’t want her to turn ou
t like her rogue brother. She was paying for Beau’s sins, not her own. They could have easily given her a slap on the hand and ordered her to make restitution. But no, she was Beau Noble’s sister and had to be saved from herself.
