“I’ll go with you,” Sam said. “I’ll vouch for his whereabouts all day.”
Greta mounted her horse. Sam was about to get on his when a rider galloped up the lane. They couldn’t see who it was until the person was almost face to face with them.
“Martha!” Greta said, sliding off her horse. She took one look at Martha’s face and knew the truth. Greta watched the woman dismount and walk over to where she and Sam were standing.
“You!” Greta said. “You killed Miles!”
The glow from the porch lanterns made the tears running down Martha’s face gleam. “I’m carrying his baby.” Martha fell to her knees, crying.
Sam helped her up. “Come into the house, and we’ll get you some tea.”
Martha nodded. When they stepped into the well-lit sitting room, Greta noticed Martha’s blood-stained dress. “Tell us what happened, Martha.”
Rhea sent Annie for another tea tray and made everyone take a seat. No one spoke, but Greta gave Martha her handkerchief and patted her back. When the tea arrived, Rhea poured Martha a cup and handed it to her, but Martha waved it away.
“I killed him because he refused to marry me.” She looked up at Greta. “He wanted you. You have no idea what I’ve had to put up with. It was Greta, Greta, Greta, all the time. Even when we made love, he called me Greta.
Martha wiped a few tears away before continuing. “When I heard he’d kidnapped you, I’d had enough. I rescued you, and then I told him to choose; it was either me or Greta, and he said, ‘Greta.’” Martha shrugged. “And so...I shot him.”
Greta tried to keep calm. “Martha, you have to turn yourself in. They’ve arrested Adam for killing Miles.”
“I can’t. What about my baby?” Martha wept harder. “I need to take care of the baby. I can’t go to jail.”
Greta patted Martha’s hand. “Adam and I are going to have a baby, too. I need him, and he’s innocent.” She pleaded gently, “You have to do the right thing.”
Martha took a quick sip of her tea and stood. “I have to leave. She walked toward the door while Greta, Rhea, and Sam exchanged looks of dismay. Then, Martha cried out and bent over, clutching her stomach.
“Oh, no!” Greta exclaimed. She ran over to Martha, and she and Sam guided her back to the sitting room.
Rhea cried, “No. Take her upstairs; she’s bleeding.”
Sam and Greta looked at the pool of blood on the carpet near Martha’s feet. “Hurry,” Greta yelled.
Sam lifted Martha into his arms and ran up the stairs.
Rhea called to Annie, “Our guest is having a miscarriage. I know you were once a midwife—can you help her?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Annie ran up the stairs behind Sam.
“What can we do?” Greta asked.
“Boil water and gather a lot of clean rags.”
Greta returned to the bedroom in time to hear Martha cry, “My baby!”
“I’m so sorry,” Rhea said. “I think you’ve lost it.”
When it was all over, Martha slept. Everyone went to bed. Greta prayed for a long time before crawling into bed and falling asleep. The bed seemed bigger and colder without Adam.
In the morning, Martha agreed to turn herself in, now that she didn’t have a child to worry about. Her miscarriage was at an early stage, but Rhea still gave the tiny remains a burial.
They couldn’t move Martha as she was still bleeding heavily, so Sam rode into town and brought the sheriff to the house.
Sheriff Andrews approached a pale Martha as she lay in bed. “You have something to tell me?”
Martha nodded. “I killed Miles Tanner. I shot him in the chest.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “As soon as I feel stronger, I’ll turn myself in.”
The sheriff nodded. “See that you do. I hope you feel better.” He turned toward the bedroom door. “I’ll send Adam home.”
Because of Martha’s grave condition, Greta stifled the urge to smile or get excited that Adam would be freed. She left the room and ran into Annie, who was carrying more clean rags.
“How is she?” Greta asked.
Annie shook her head. “She’s bleeding so hard. I can’t keep up with the clean rags. I don’t think she’s going to make it unless it lets up soon.”
Greta returned to the room with Annie. While Annie nursed Martha, Greta held the pale woman’s hand. “Martha, do you know God?”
Martha shook her head. “I know of Him, but I’ve never been a church-goer.”
“I’ll pray with you, if you’d like.”
Martha’s eyes opened, and she stared at Greta. “Am I dying?”
Greta bit her bottom lip and prayed silently for the best answer. “Only God knows when a person will die, but we all have to be ready when that time comes.”
Martha’s eyes widened. “Ready?”
“I’m ready.” Greta said. “I don’t know when my time will come, but I’m confident I’ll go to heaven when I die, so I’m not afraid.”
Martha said, “I...I’m afraid.”
“God loves you, and He’ll forgive all your sins if you just ask Him. If you should die, He’ll take you up to heaven in His loving arms.”
Martha lay still for several moments, and Greta feared she was too late, but then Martha squeezed Greta’s hand. “Will you help me pray? I’ve never done it before.”
Greta helped Martha pray. A few minutes later, she died in Greta’s arms.
Annie had sent for Rhea, but when she burst into the room, Greta shook her head sadly. “She’s gone.”
“Let’s pray,” Rhea said.
The three of them prayed over Martha. When they were done, Rhea whispered to Greta, “Adam’s downstairs.”
Greta ran down the stairs and threw herself into his arms. “Thank God.”
Adam squeezed Greta tightly. “I had a lot of time to
