My crops were healthy; the harvest would be good. And it would bring in plenty of money. Money I’d earned myself, with my own honest toil. It was a good feeling, earning an honest living. I couldn’t abide liars, cheats and swindlers. I would rather starve than follow my parents down their chosen dishonest path.
But would it be enough for Elise? I hoped it would, but I wasn’t sure. I knew little of her life in Philadelphia, but I knew she had grown up in a home that wanted for nothing. I knew she expected to marry a man who could continue to keep her in the manner to which she was accustomed – that was why she had gone to that elegant school. Shane and I couldn’t provide that. Oh, we could provide for her well enough, but there would be no mansions or servants on our little ranch and life would be far different. Would we be enough for her? Would our modest income be enough for her? Or would she want more, more, always more, just like my mother did? I didn’t know.
Elise stirred in my arms. I had intended for her to ride double with me, sitting behind my saddle, but her voluminous gown proved that to be impossible, so I held her on my lap instead. She sat sideways on me, with her arms around my neck, and I held her tight, keeping my horse at a steady walk. I was afraid a bouncy trot would send her toppling off and I feared she would squeal in terror at a lope. It would take near half the day to get home at this rate, but we couldn’t take any risks with our new wife.
My cock throbbed as her bottom rubbed against me, her body swaying with the movement of my horse. I couldn’t wait to get her home so I could plunge deep inside of her and take my fill. Shane could wait, this time. It was my turn to be first.
I was lost in thought as we approached Bridgewater but I looked up at Shane’s yell.
“What is that?” Elise asked, twisting in my arms to get a better look at the orange glow in the distance, a curlicue of smoke rising from it.
“Fire,” I told her. I tried to keep the panic out of my voice but instinctively I clutched her tighter, kicked my horse into a smooth gallop. We had to get home.
“That’s my blacksmith shop!” Shane shouted, fury and fear tinging his tone. He spurred his horse on, racing desperately for home, with Elise and I hot on his heels.
My bride’s arms tightened around my neck and I held the reins in one hand, keeping Elise close to my body with the other. At any other time I would have enjoyed having this beautiful woman wrapped around me so tightly but right now I had other things on my mind. Fire! If it wasn’t gotten under control soon it would threaten the whole of Bridgewater. Our ranches, our livelihoods, our families.
Elise clung to me, clearly terrified at the speed at which we were galloping, but I couldn’t slow down. She’d just have to hang on.
My mind raced. Elise needed to be safe while we fought the fire. The Bridgewater men would all come and help no doubt, but the womenfolk would stay out of the way and mind the children. Elise needed to be with them. Our small ranch was closest to the smithy; she may not be safe in our cabin. But I didn’t have time to waste, taking her somewhere. She would just have to run to Emma’s. I wouldn’t even have time to unsaddle my horse.
Men were running towards the fire as we approached Bridgewater and Shane was nowhere to be seen. I reined my horse up outside our cabin, hopefully far enough from the fire to be safe, but he tossed his head and snorted in fear. I would have to stable him. He would run away otherwise. I lowered Elise to the ground and leaped down myself.
“Run to Emma’s!” I told her. “Go!” She turned away. “Wait!” I took her face in my hands, held steady in my palms, and looked deeply into her eyes. I pressed my mouth to her lips in a passionate kiss, trying to show her that already, I loved her.
She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me back just as passionately and I smiled. She knew.
“Now go!” I cried. “But stay safe! Help Emma with the children and stay out of the way of the fire! We’ll be back to get you when it’s safe. Run!”
I watched her for just a second as she turned and fled, but I couldn’t watch her for long. I had to quickly sort out my horse, then I had to help the men.
12
ELISE
I ran towards Emma’s house as fast as I could, holding up my skirts so I wouldn’t trip. My heart pounded in fear. Roscoe hadn’t let me get close enough to the fire to see, but it looked to be well engulfed. Smoke muddied the air, making me cough. I kept running.
Just up ahead I could see children, women, all milling around. Was that Emma I could see, shepherding children inside, or was it someone else? A bonnet obscured her face and I couldn’t tell. I was about to call out to her when I was tackled from behind and I went flying, landing heavily, rolling. Something, or someone, was holding my arms, pinning me down. I struggled to get away but they were too strong for me.
“Mr. Yates is waiting for
