Brave Beginnings (43 page)

Ernest signed the ledger and took the key.
“Thank you.”

“Is your wife alright, sir?” the man softly
asked.

Ernest glanced in her direction. “The poor
thing isn’t well. Days on the buggy has made her ill.”

“Oh, that’s unfortunate. You might want to go
to the general store and pick up something to settle her stomach.
Mrs. Coley has some medicine stocked up over there.”

“That’s a good idea. Thank you, sir. We’ll do
that.” Ernest pocketed the key and looked expectantly at her. “Come
along, dear. We’ll get the medicine for you now so you don’t have
to spend the night uncomfortable.”

With one last look at the innkeeper who
didn’t seem to suspect anything was wrong, Julia joined Ernest and
walked with him to the buggy where he retrieved his carpet bag.

“Don’t worry, Julia. When we get to Canada,
I’ll buy you a wardrobe fit for a queen. You’ll be the envy of all
women.”

She took a deep breath to avoid screaming
that she didn’t want anything he could give her. She just wanted to
go back to Chogan and live her simple life. It might not have been
one filled with luxuries, but she was loved by a man worth
loving.

Ernest took her by the elbow and led her down
the street. “We’ll get something to take back to the room to
eat.”

Julia took note of the businesses, trying to
memorize where each one was in case she needed to run to one and
hide.

He stopped and nodded toward the general
store as they approached it. “Do what you did back at the hotel.
Stay quiet and out of the way.”

She nodded. What else could she do at this
point? The time wasn’t right to act.

He opened the door for her, and she noticed
the clinging of the bell as she walked in. An older woman at the
counter looked up, and though she seemed to wonder about Julia’s
apparel, she called out a polite greeting.

Ernest followed Julia inside and tipped his
hat. “Hello, ma’am.”

“My name is Mrs. Coley,” the woman replied,
still examining Julia. “Is there anything I can help you find?”

“We’ll look around,” Ernest replied.

Mrs. Coley nodded and set aside a catalogue
she was reading. “I need to retrieve something from the backroom,
but I’ll be right back should you need assistance.”

“Thank you.”

Julia bit her lower lip. Did the woman
suspect something? She glanced at Ernest who motioned for her to
follow him down the aisle.

“I’m afraid we’re stuck with simple bakery
items to eat until we’re on the train tomorrow,” he whispered.

Deciding not to comment, she scanned the rows
as they walked through the store.

Mrs. Coley came out from the backroom and
glanced in Julia’s direction. Julia stopped as Ernest inspected the
shelves in front of him. The worried expression on Mrs. Coley’s
face gave her hope. Maybe Mrs. Coley would help her. A young woman
emerged from the backroom and walked over to Julia and Ernest while
Mrs. Coley left the store.

“Good afternoon,” the young woman greeted,
glancing from Julia to Ernest and back again. “I’m Ann
Brothers.”

Ernest turned his attention to her. “Ben
Wilkins.” Putting his arm around Julia’s shoulders, he said, “This
is the little missus, Charlotte.”

Julia wished she could shove his arm away.
Every time he touched her, she thought she was going to vomit.

The bell above the door rang, and they turned
their attention to an older man who hurried over to them. “Sir, is
that buggy in front of the hotel yours?”

Ernest nodded. “Yes. I am allowed to park
there, am I not?”

“You’re fine there, but your horse got loose.
I’ll help you retrieve it,” the man said.

Ernest hesitated and glanced at Julia. With a
heavy sigh, he replied, “Alright.”

As he and the man rushed out of the store,
Julia’s heart leapt. Was this it? Her chance to escape?

Ann reached out and touched her arm. “Do you
need help?”

Mrs. Coley hurried back into the store and
ran over to where they stood. “Is he hurting you?”

Julia nearly cried with relief as she lowered
the scarf and brought the hat up so they could see her face. As
they gasped, Julia said, “That man I came in with tried to kill my
husband and abducted me. Please help me.”

After a second of stunned silence, Mrs. Coley
nodded. “Of course, we’ll help. You can hide in the backroom.”

Julia quickly took her necklace off and
handed it to Mrs. Coley. “Can you put my necklace in the window
display? My husband is looking for me. He’ll recognize this. Oh,
and he’s full blooded Indian. You can’t miss him. His name is
Chogan. He’ll ask for Julia. That’s my name,” she quickly
explained, in a hurry to get as much information to them as
possible before Ernest returned.

Mrs. Coley clasped the necklace to her chest.
“That’s terrible.” She looked at Ann. “We’ll have to tell the
marshal.”

“The man’s coming back,” Ann whispered.

Julia lowered her hat and wrapped the scarf
securely around her face.

Mrs. Coley slipped the necklace into her
pocket and passed the two men as they entered the store.

Ernest didn’t hide his displeasure. “Mr.
Coley, I appreciate your desire to help me but that was not my
buggy.”

Ann snatched an ointment from the shelf and
nudged Julia in the side. Clearing her throat, she said, “This
might help with any aches you have. Mrs. Carson swears by it. She
says it works like a charm.”

Ernest walked over to them and asked Julia,
“What do you need ointment for?”

Julia swallowed. “It’s from the buggy ride.
I’m sore in certain places I’d rather not discuss.”

He seemed hesitant to believe her but sighed.
“Alright. We’ll take the ointment.” He took it from Ann who stepped
back. “We’d like a couple of things to eat. Do you have anything or
do I need to go to the bakery?”

“We have a few items in stock,” Ann replied,
her voice revealing only a slight tremble that Julia prayed he
wouldn’t notice. “Will you follow me?”

Ernest took Julia by the arm. “Yes, please
show us.”

Ann glanced from Ernest to Julia before she
turned around and led them to another aisle. The door opened again
and Mrs. Coley returned to the store. While Ann pointed out the
pastry items on one of the shelves, Mrs. Coley strolled over to
them and stood close to Julia.

“Mrs. Russell makes the best tart you’ve ever
tasted,” Mrs. Coley said.

Ann nodded and picked up the box. “Mrs.
Coley’s right. I can’t do it justice, and believe me, I’ve
tried.”

While Ernest checked out the box, Mrs. Coley
slipped something to Julia. Julia’s hand clasped the bottle and
crossed her arms so she could hide it. Ernest decided on a few
pastries and paid for them, keeping Julia close by his side. As
Ernest and Julia left, she caught sight of Mrs. Coley’s and Ann’s
worried expressions. She took comfort in knowing these kind women
were doing what they could to help her without arousing Ernest’s
suspicions.

“This is a strange town,” Ernest muttered as
the door shut behind him. “Thank goodness we don’t have to live
here.”

Julia walked with him past the store window
and saw that Mrs. Coley was placing the necklace in plain sight.
She smiled at Mrs. Coley but doubted the woman noticed because of
the scarf that covered her mouth.

Once they got to their hotel room, Ernest
took off his wig and beard and put them on the table. Rubbing his
face, he said, “Those things are uncomfortable, but they do the
trick. Take off your hat and scarf and come on over here to eat. I
don’t need you going hungry.”

Julia turned her back to him and took a good
look at the bottle. It was laudanum! Excited, she gripped the
bottle.
Thank you, Mrs. Coley!
She quickly took off her hat
and scarf and set them over the bottle so Ernest wouldn’t see it.
When the time was right, she’d use it. Then she could safely
escape.

~~********~~

Chogan still couldn’t walk fast without
aggravating his wounded shoulder and chest, so Citlali and Erin
slowed their pace. Chogan exhaled and turned his attention to the
street in Jamestown that seemed to be pretty well-trafficked, but
he figured people were getting off work and needed to do last
minute business before the stores closed.

Chogan inhaled and winced. “I have to rest.”
It was painful to admit such a thing. He’d once spent a full hour
in pursuit of a buffalo, but now he couldn’t walk through an entire
town.

Citlali motioned to a bench. “Sit and we’ll
continue down this street and come back for you.”

Chogan nodded as Citlali and Erin headed down
the street. With a long sigh, he carefully stepped forward, not
wishing to irritate his wounds any more than he already had. As he
headed toward the bench, something from a store window caught his
eye. He stopped and walked over to it, his heart beat picking up as
the familiar object came fully into view. Julia’s necklace! She was
here!

He turned to call out to Citlali and Erin,
but they were already a good ways down the street, and he didn’t
have the energy to yell. What did it matter? They would return and
he could talk to them then. Right now he had to find Julia!

He hastened into the store, the bell ringing
above his head to signal his arrival. He was so close. She wouldn’t
leave her necklace here unless she was nearby, perhaps even in this
store!

Two women ran out from the backroom and the
older one clasped her hands over her chest, looking excited. “Are
you Chogan?”

“Yes.” If this woman knew his name, then she
must have talked to Julia! “Is Julia here? She’s my wife, and
that’s her necklace.”

“Not at the moment, but we expect her
shortly. She had to leave with the man who abducted her, but we
gave her some laudanum to put him to sleep so she could get away
from him. She’s coming back here as soon as she can. That was an
hour ago. It shouldn’t be too much longer, or at least we hope not.
They left with some things to eat, so they’ll need to drink
something.”

“Where did they go?” he asked, forgetting the
pain and travail of the past week.

“We’re not sure,” the older woman said.

He groaned.

“I’m sorry, but we have to wait for her to
come here. We gave her the laudanum, so it shouldn’t be too
long.”

He hurried to the window and peered out of
it. Looking at the hotels that lined the street, he wondered if he
had enough strength to go to all of them and ask if anyone saw
Julia or Ernest. Glancing at the necklace, he picked it up and
returned to the women.

“Can I wait here then?” he asked.

“You’re welcome to,” the older woman replied.
“My name is Mrs. Coley and this is Ann Brothers.”

He nodded. “Thank you.” Remembering his
wounds, he scanned the store. “Do you have a place where I can sit?
I was shot recently and have trouble standing for too long.”

“Oh, sure. There’s a chair in the backroom.
I’ll show you where it is.”

Praying the woman was right and he’d be
seeing Julia before the day was over, he followed her.

***

Julia stood over Ernest who had his eyes
closed. He was slouching back in the chair, his head resting
against the back of it. She stared at him for a long moment,
gauging the rhythm of his breathing. It seemed to be even and
deep.

“Ernest?” she whispered.

He didn’t respond.

Taking a shaky breath, she reached out and
tapped his arm and quickly stepped back. When she didn’t see him
move, she nudged him again, this time using more force, but he fell
to the floor. She yelped and took a few steps back. Holding her
breath, she waited for a good minute, afraid it was too good to be
true—that the laudanum had actually worked and he was in a deep
sleep. She glanced at the empty cup that had contained the coffee
and sleeping agent. He drank it all, and that made her hopeful he
wouldn’t wake for a while.

Ernest remained still on the floor. He was on
his stomach and snoring. Breathing a prayer of thanks, she searched
the room for something to tie him up with in case he woke up. The
only thing that seemed like a viable option was the cords holding
the curtains back. She retrieved the cords and tiptoed over to him.
Easing onto the floor, she grabbed the chair leg and brought it to
his wrist. Trying to be gentle so as not to disturb him, she
successfully tied his wrist to the chair, using a knot Chogan had
showed her to use. At the thought she might finally be seeing
Chogan again—and very soon, a surge of adrenaline shot through her.
She extended his other arm to the bed and worked on tying his wrist
up.

Ernest murmured and stirred. Startled, she
dropped the cord before she could make the knot and bolted out of
the room. It was now or never. If he woke up and saw that she was
tying him to the furniture, she’d lose this opportunity to get
away. She hurried down the steps of the hotel.

The hotel manager looked up at her. “Is
something wrong, miss?”

Ignoring him, she ran out of the hotel and
down the street toward the general store. Her feet pounded onto the
road as she darted across the street, not bothering to check if
someone was riding their horse through town or not. She was almost
free. If she could just make it, she’d be with Chogan! The general
store came into view and she made it to the boardwalk. She wove in
and out of the people milling about, sure she looked like a
terrible sight with no hat or scarf to hide her bruises or unkempt
hair, but how she looked was the least of her worries.

By the time she reached the general store,
she was out of breath. She took one glance back, reassured when she
didn’t see Ernest anywhere. As she opened the door, the bell rang
and she slipped into the place. Mrs. Coley and Ann turned from
where they were stocking the shelves, but Julia’s attention shifted
to Chogan who hurried out of the backroom.