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Prudence felt the blush start under her high-neck collar and creep up to stain her cheeks in flaming red patches. She had not succumbed to the "evils of the flesh," as he implied, but just the thought of standing naked before Zac Stewart was enough to deepen the color in her cheeks and give the wrong impression to the preacher.
Preacher Jacob squeezed his eyes shut a moment and folded his hands in prayer. "Dear Lord, help this lost child of your flock to repent and cleanse her tarnished soul."
Prudence bit on her lower lip, reminding herself why she stood before this man in a cowering manner.
It was necessary because it would bring her a step closer to finding her mother.
Preacher Jacob's eyes shot open, glaring at Prudence like an avenging warrior of the Lord.
She spoke before he could. "I need to get to Alexandria. From there I can reach my older sister, who will take me in and help me."
"And why didn't you turn to her for help before instead of running off with this man?" His look was condemning and his tone disapproving.
"I was foolish," she said slowly, uncomfortable with admitting to something so out of character. Then she quickly added the one reason she thought so many women did foolish things. "I trusted his word, his love."
"It was lust he felt," the preacher admonished.
"And you were unwise to think otherwise. Were you not taught the sin of succumbing to wantonness? Was the significance of the name given you at birth lost upon you?"
"My love blinded me," she defended, knowing full well her name stood for intelligence, which she was certain she possessed more of than the preacher.
"Your love for the Lord should transcend all other love, and it is His laws that must be obeyed. If I agree to take you along, will you pray with me for the salvation of your sinful soul and repent your evil ways?"
Prudence hesitated a moment, wondering if it was a wise choice to accompany a preacher who was so condemning and unforgiving. But the thought of Zac waking to find himself tied to the brass bed like a horse to a post moved her to speak. "Yes, Preacher Jacob, I will pray."
The preacher nodded, satisfied. "Then I shall take you with me and mine. And you will do well to learn from my dutiful wife, Ellie, the ways for a proper woman to act. When you reach your sister, you will confess your sins to her so she may help find you a suitable husband who should use a heavy hand to keep you in line."
Prudence found his last remark hard to swallow. No husband would "keep her in line." She would never entertain such a ridiculous notion, but she had to remember that he was a preacher and held a heavy belief in a woman's subservient role in life. Thanks to her father's lenient upbringing, Prudence thought such behavior nonsense. She would play along to reach her destination, and then she would be rid of him.
"Ellie!" his voice boomed like sharp thunder, causing his wife to jump to his command.
Prudence felt a pang of sympathy for the woman who hurried over to them. She was medium in height and weight, her features sharp to the point of making her appear unattractive. Her brown hair was pulled severely back into a bun. A well-rounded belly proved that Preacher Jacob had succumbed to the "sins of the flesh" about seven months ago.
"Yes, Jacob?" Ellie responded her voice low and her tone obedient.
"Prudence will be joining us on our journey. You will teach her the Lord's way."
"Yes, Jacob," she answered.
"Go, Prudence, and assist my wife in preparations to leave. Later we will pray together and begin to cleanse your soul."
"Thank you," Prudence said softly.
"It is the Lord you owe thanks to for directing you to me. Now go, and, Ellie, pray with Prudence as you work."
"Yes, Jacob," Ellie said, motioning for Prudence to follow.
"Say that again, Sadie," Zac said, his expression murderous.
"She's gone," Sadie repeated her voice a nervous quiver.
"Where?" he asked, standing away from the bar, ready to leave as soon as Sadie informed him of Prudence's destination.
"Don't know," Sadie answered sharply and with a rapid shake of her head.
Zac couldn't help but laugh, although the sound was more like an angry growl. "Sadie," he said, dragging her name out. "You know better than to lie to me."
Sadie downed the whiskey in her glass for courage. "Gave my word and I ain't goin' back on it."
"Your mothering instinct exerting itself?"
Sadie shrugged. "Maybe, but that girl sure don't need mothering. She's one willful gal."
"You don't have to tell me that," Zac said, disturbed by the fact that Prudence had outwitted him.
He reached for his half-filled whiskey glass.
Sadie laughed and slapped the bar, sending a vibrating rumble throughout the saloon. "Don't know why you're chasing her, anyway. She said sharing your bed was uneventful."
