Unbidden, a verse from the last meal they’d had as a family, before Will and Ben came to town, came to mind. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight.”
Mary had made a lot of mistakes leading up to this moment—from the day she’d allowed Ben Perry to walk her home from the mercantile, to the day she’d lied to her sister about running an errand so she could meet Ben and every single moment in between.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The real reason they were all in so much trouble was because of Mary’s poor judgment. At the core was her failure to rely on God. In all of this, she’d trusted her own judgment. She’d thought her ways the best way, and not once had she considered that the Lord would have a better way.
With every bit of strength Mary had in her, she prayed. Help me. Help us. Show us how to bring back my sister safely. Lord, I’m willing to do this Your way. Please, show me.
* * *
Will watched as Mary closed her eyes and murmured softly to herself. Probably praying. Such a virtuous girl should not be caught up in this. He glanced at Jasper, who nodded over his shoulder.
Someone was watching them.
Will turned and glanced behind him. Mad Mel.
“I know her,” Will told his friend. “I’m going to talk to her and see what I can find out.”
He left him with Mary, who’d apparently ceased praying and now watched him with wide eyes. Hopefully, Jasper could get her to understand that this was not the time for her to be involved.
“Mel,” he said as he approached. “Are you looking for me?”
Mel glanced around, as though to make sure she wasn’t being watched. “I saw you from the window. They’re expecting you. Ben figured you’d try coming after Rose, and he’s got men waiting for you. He left orders that he wants you alive, but the men are joking about how alive is alive. They have something big planned, but I don’t know what.”
“What do you know of the situation with Rose?”
“He keeps her locked in a room upstairs. She acts like it’s some kind of game and plays the princess role to the hilt. The other girls are getting tired of her antics.”
Will didn’t know Rose, but from the conversations he’d heard, he could see where this would happen.
“So, is she there as a prisoner or is she free to go?”
Mel shrugged. “If there weren’t a lock on the door, one of the girls would probably sneak in and slit her throat. But when she throws one of her hissy fits because Ben isn’t giving her enough attention, Ben doesn’t let her leave.”
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to focus on saving Rose, when really, he wanted to throttle her for being such a spoiled brat. Her family was worried about her, and she was holed up in a brothel throwing fits because she didn’t get her own way.
“Any chance we’re going to get her out?”
“Not without a fight.”
Will figured. He’d handled his share of fights. Then he glanced over at where Mary stood waiting with Jasper. He’d just never had so much at stake before. “Any idea how we can make the fight go our way? I have a young woman standing over there who would do just about anything to rescue her sister—including walking right into The Pink Petticoat.”
Mel made a noise in the back of her throat. “That’ll just get her killed.”
She looked around him, studying Mary before bringing her attention back to Will. “Maybe not right away. She’s a pretty young thing. Ben would like her.”
“She used to be engaged to Ben.”
The noise around them seemed to stop as Mel stiffened. “She’s the one?” A dark look crossed Mel’s face. “There’s no way Ben will let her out alive.”
Not the best news, but Will could have figured that out for himself. “Mary is determined to rescue her sister.”
As annoying as it was to have her follow him, endangering herself, he couldn’t help but give her respect for being willing to do what others weren’t.
“You like her.”
The intense look Mel gave him made him want to deny it, but he couldn’t. “Yes.”
“They say she helps with the pastor’s ministry.”
“She does.”
Mel’s lips pressed together, hard, as if she was trying to keep from saying more. Instead, she turned her gaze back to Mary.
“Think she can climb a rope?”
If Mary were any other woman, Will would have given an emphatic no. No respectable woman, certainly not one as fine as Mary, would be willing to so scandalize herself. Not to mention not having the kind of strength to accomplish such a feat. But something in Will told him that Mary would do it. If not of her own strength, but of the sheer determination to see her sister safe.
Will nodded.
“Go around the block so you aren’t passing The Pink Petticoat. I’ll lower a rope from one of the upstairs windows of the boardinghouse on the far side. Ben’s men won’t see you from that direction. I’m not supposed to have guests, but if Alma catches us, she’ll be delighted to know I’m associating with one of the pastor’s girls.”
“I’m assuming you’ll get us into The Pink Petticoat via the passageway you took me?”
Mel nodded. “They don’t know you know about it, and as far as I know, it’s not being guarded. I’ll watch and be sure it’s safe, though.”
Will looked up at the building, noting that even with a rope, getting to the second floor of the boardinghouse wasn’t going to be easy. “There’s no way we can go in one of the doors?”
“Not without Ben’s
