There All Along (10 page)

•   •   •

B
y the time he arrived down at the garrison the sun was rising. His muscles were warm and he carried a sense that things would actually be all right.

“They’re still out there. The ones down on the Highway are still there.”

“I think we need to make a move at some point today. We can’t just leave them out there indefinitely. They know by this point that you’re resourceful. That the walls will protect you. That they can’t get over except by that bridge. But that won’t last forever. They’ll be able to cross when the water goes down.”

He and Indigo studied a map for a time.

“Is there a way we can get out where they can’t see? Other than the back route the scouts have taken?”

“What do you need?”

He turned to see Verity standing there wearing trousers, her hair in a tidy braid back from her face. But there was no softness in her features. He’d left that Verity when he’d come down here. The woman who spoke now was strong and canny.

“A military trained scout.” He shot back her way.

She smiled and he knew he was in trouble.

“I know more about the exits and entrances outside the walls than most everyone here. My grandfather designed the walls.” She stepped up to their map.

Indigo snorted a laugh. “Show me, Red.”

She grinned. “There’s a culvert of sorts here.” She pointed. “Tight fit, but you can all get through. There’s a stand of trees here that should give you cover.”

“And a perch for a sniper?”

She thought for a bit and nodded. “Yes. Many of the trees there are older. High branches are thick. Though you’d have to see how high that goes. At the top they’re thinner. Probably could support you, but not if you needed to lay down or stretch out.”

“Fine. Show me.”

He was an expert sniper. Had specialized training and, in fact, several times each annum he led a training back in Shelter City where he taught a class for the military and lawmen corps.

He hated the idea of taking her out of the walls, but he also realized she lived out there on the Highway and hadn’t survived as long as she had by being stupid or taking risks.

“When? Now?”

“Give me a bit. I need to get things dealt with here first. I’ll come up to the mercantile to get you when I’m ready.”

She nodded, holding up a basket. “I brought some food down. Nothing fancy, but it should get you through the next hours.”

Jackson took it with a smile. But his gaze skittered to Loyal for a moment and Loyal knew the other man realized they’d formed a real relationship.

That didn’t stop the appreciation in Jackson’s gaze, of course. But the man had a sense of honor, Loyal knew. He wouldn’t make a move now. Which didn’t mean he wouldn’t jump at a chance later, if Loyal cocked it up.

She waved and went back out.

“She’s one of the best scouts in Silver Cliffs,” Jackson said quietly as he ate. “If you’re looking to get a sniper’s position she’s familiar with the geography around, especially given the time of the annum.”

“I won’t have a lot of time. Once I take out a few they’ll take cover so I want to have people at the ready on the sentry posts on the wall in case they try a frontal assault. Indigo, I want you and Marcus in position as well.” They’d take sniper positions in more than one spot and take as many down while they had the jump as they could.

And hopefully at the end, the brigands would take whoever was left and get the hell out of there.

S
he looked up when Loyal came into the mercantile with Indigo and Marcus before turning to Tobin. “I’ll be back later. Close up at midday. Go home and check on your mother and brothers.”

She grabbed her rifle and strapped it on after tucking the tail of her hair into the back of her dark coat. “Ready?”

Loyal nodded and they all headed outside. “Excuse us a moment,” he said to Marcus and Indigo as he guided her away. “I’m agreeing to this on one condition.”

She sent him a raised brow. “Is that so, lawman?”

“Yes, that’s so. You will listen to me and do exactly what I say when I say it, no questions. You accept my expertise and I’ll accept yours. If you can’t agree, I’ll have someone else show us out.”

She snorted. “I’m not slow-witted, Loyal. I am perfectly willing to admit you know things about this that I don’t.”

“I’m not . . . I don’t think you’re slow-witted. I think you’re headstrong and you want to help and you might make a mistake in that eagerness to protect your friends and family. I can’t . . . if something happened to you I don’t know how I’d survive. So do we have an agreement?”

What could she say to that? To that last admission she knew had been difficult for him to have made? Though to have heard it sent a thrill through her.

She nodded. “Yes, we do.”

She led them around the garrison and behind the buildings on the main street in town. They skirted the wall, climbing up a sharp outcropping.

“The spot is just ahead. We need to go out single file. There’s a copse of trees just outside, and then if you two are looking for other spots, there’s another just up the ridge and you can most likely find cover in some of the rocks just south of where we’ll come out. Keep low and you should remain out of sight.”

“You will come right back through and stay on this side of the wall.”

“I’ll need to remain here to let you back in. There’s a combination on the inner wall that will unlock the mechanism to slide it open.”

He sighed, but nodded. He knocked in a certain rhythm. “That’s the code. Aye?”

“Aye.”

And then she led them outside, sending out a fervent prayer that they all returned safely.

She held the door until they’d all come out and turned. He squeezed her arm but his features were remote, his mind on the task at hand. She did as she promised, heading back to the safety behind the walls.

•   •   •

H
e put her out of his head. He had to. A series of hand signals to Indigo and Marcus and he made his way up a tree, one that was close enough to the edge of the nearby cliff. He had a perfect view of the brigands’ impromptu camp just on the other bank of the river.

They were in closer range than they’d have been at the gates on the wall. Close enough that if he and the others used their shots wisely they could cut that group in half before they had the time to respond. Jackson’s men were already in position on the walls at the bridge along with Trinity and Bren. If the remaining brigands made a move to cross that bridge, they’d be cut down.

One way or the other, it would be over.

He heard Marcus’ bird song and then Indigo’s, signaling they were in position and ready to go.

It all fell away. No fear. No anxiety. Just the job. Each moment fed into the next, over and over.

He breathed out, looking through the scope of his rifle. He centered himself, took aim and squeezed the trigger. Again. Sliding the bolt into place again and taking another shot.

The brigands below fell. Six of them. Loyal took another shot, managing to hit one more as he attempted to take cover. Marcus got another from his position.

Eight down.

Indigo missed a shot and then took out two more.

By the time the brigands had managed to get under cover, the three lawmen had taken out twelve of the brigands and another two or three were wounded.

The remaining brigands shouted, pointing up in their direction. So the lawmen remained still until the brigands shifted their attention to another spot.

When he squeezed back through that narrow slit in the rock wall, Verity was there to open up, her rifle pointed at him until she was sure it wasn’t a trick. Smart woman.

“Head back to the mercantile,” he told her as she slid the door back into place, bolting it. “We’re off to the gates.”

She didn’t question him, though he could see on her face that she wanted to know. But he didn’t have time to explain and they’d be needed so he and the others ran full out to the gates as she turned and headed back to her mercantile.

Once she’d reached the front porch and heard the roar, knew the remaining brigands were charging across the bridge. The horns sounded, announcing a full alert in Silver Cliffs. She ran around back and headed up to her roof, pulling two other rifles along with her as she did.

Tobin was already up there with one of Jackson’s men.

She took the field glasses and scanned the gates and the action on the top.

“I think they took out half of the brigands. Maybe more. I counted the shots. I won’t assume they made every single one, but given the looks on their faces when they got back inside, they were overwhelmingly successful.”

She checked her rifle again and sat, waiting. If they broke through, the rest of Silver Cliffs would rise to the town’s defense. She was nervous, but at the same time certain things would be all right.

“Glad the lawmen are here,” the garrison soldier said quietly.

She was too.

The chaos didn’t last a long time and it wasn’t more than an hour or so before the horns sounded again. Lockdown. But they weren’t under siege anymore.

The soldier on the roof with them nodded. “I’m off to get news.”

She waved, though she remained seated. Once he had gone she looked over to Tobin. “I didn’t expect to see you here. I believe I told you to stay at home.”

“Father is angry at me. I told him I’d been speaking with the lawmen about their training and would be seeking a position at the academy. He kicked me out as long as I’m
insisting on this foolhardy path
.”

She blew out a breath. Tobin wasn’t her son. It would be easier for her to let go than his parents. That was only normal. But he wanted more. And what he wanted to do was good. Honorable. They had three other sons who already worked their farm. Two daughters who would marry and create connections to other families in Silver Cliffs. Her sister would have to let go or lose Tobin entirely. She didn’t envy that choice.

“To be fair, I told them you supported my choice.”

She winced.

“I’ll be hearing about that by nightfall I wager.” Her sister would be angry at her for interfering in their family issues. Even if all she’d done was listen and support Tobin’s desires. She was the younger sister, the widow. It was Verity who should be seeking their advice and support, not the other way around. That’s how Constance would see it.

“I’m sorry.”

She patted his shoulder. “Don’t be. I
do
support your choice. I hope I can persuade them to do the same. They love you. Worry about you.” She understood his position better than he probably knew. She’d had no one when she was younger, she’d be damned if she let a bunch of nonsense keep Tobin from his dreams.

She’d deal with her sister and brother-in-law and hopefully they’d listen to her.

“I know they love me. But I can’t just give up what I want. I’m young, it’s the time for me to try things. It’s not like Silver Cliffs is going anywhere if I change my mind. Can I stay with you? Until things are smoothed over?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll kip in the blip office. There’s a cot in there.”

“I have a spare room. Loyal is . . . he’s in with me.”

Tobin nodded. “I know. I’ll stay downstairs anyway. He’ll be leaving soon, I’m sure you’d like the time. And my parents won’t be as upset if I’m appearing to suffer on a cot instead of in your house where it’s more comfortable.”

She snorted a laugh. That was likely true.

“What are you going to do? When it’s time for them to leave I mean? I guess they have families. Indigo told me some of the lawmen had wives or husbands, children and the like in the garrisons along the Highway as well as in Shelter City.”

“I don’t know, to be honest with you. I don’t know how I’d feel about being with someone I only saw a few times each annum for just days at a time.” And her life was sad, sad, sad that a nineteen-year-old boy was her confidante. “And this isn’t just about me wanting him. Though I do. I want to see the world. Be out there. It’s not enough to have him show up from time to time. I don’t think I’d be satisfied with that.”

He nodded. “Have you told Loyal that?”

“Sort of. We haven’t even really discussed being together after he leaves this time. It’s my assumption we are. There’s a connection I know he feels too. He’s not stupid. We clearly need a conversation. You know, after we’re not under siege.”

He laughed, patting her arm.

They watched down the hill. Eyes on the gates and the men and women who walked their tops, lit the sentry fires.

And hoped it was over.

T
he horns sounded again after darkness had fallen. They were still to remain on alert, still on a modified lockdown at night with a curfew. But it appeared that the immediate threat had passed.

She went downstairs, leaving Tobin up on the roof to keep watch. Jackson had someone come up and send a blip back to Shelter City. He told Verity they’d killed every last one of the brigands who’d attacked their gates. A scouting party had been sent to the Highway to see if the others had left or were on their way up.

She managed to deal with stragglers to the mercantile. She’d need more supplies soon as there’d been some major hoarding during the lockdown. Though people’s pantries would be full, they’d still shop and want fresh goods.

She made some notes for reorders, and when the traders came to town—and they would after word of the siege got out—she’d be sure to restock from them as well.

The expected visit from Constance came not too long after that. Verity had looked up to see her sister come in wearing a frown.

The place was empty, but she didn’t want to have that conversation where anyone could walk in. “Come on upstairs. We’ll have some tea and cake while we talk.”

She pulled the shutters closed over the windows and doors, her sister helping.

She went upstairs, Constance in her wake.

“I’ll put on the kettle. Have a seat.” She bustled around, pausing to look out the space in her shutters at the lane leading down to the gates. Still plenty of activity, but not frenzied. Which was hopeful.

“I think the threat has passed. For the time being at the least.” She moved to the stove and measured out some tea, spooning it into the pot. “There’s some cake there under the cloth if you’d like.”

But Constance wasn’t in the mood for cake. “I didn’t come here for tea and cake.”

“Maybe not, but cake is always welcome, isn’t it?” She poured the water over the leaves and replaced the lid.

“You’re turning my son against his family.”

Verity sighed, turning back to her sister who’d moved to sit at the table. Her mouth a flat, angry slash on her normally pretty face. Verity told herself that her sister was upset and to try not to let the digs she knew would come get to her.

“How so?”

“He wants to leave Silver Cliffs. To be one of
them
. I know he got the idea from you. He told us you supported him in this ridiculous scheme. Just because you don’t have any of your own children doesn’t mean you can take one of mine.”

“That’s beneath you, Constance. I didn’t give him any ideas about being a lawman. He came to me after he had applied to talk about it, to say it was what he wanted. I support that, yes. Not because I’m trying to take him from you. But because I love him. And you.”

“You wander around this town like you’re a visitor. Always looking for a way out.
Of course
he got the idea from you. If you can’t leave, you’ll push him away, live through him. I won’t let you tear my family apart because you don’t have one. Jackson Haldeman would be happy to court you and settle down. If you’d stop opening your legs to the lawman every time he came around.”

As a slap, it was a good one. The kind only someone who knows you very well can deliver. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting your plan to keep him here, where he doesn’t want to be so you can snuff out any dreams he might have that are beyond your ken?”

“Now who’s acting beneath herself?”

“Maybe the sister who just called the other a whore? As for this situation with Tobin? It needs to be said, Constance. He’s your boy. I respect that. I’m not putting ideas in his head. Because he’s a smart young man. Because he has his own ideas. His own vision of his future. And because you can’t punish him for wanting to know what’s out there. Do you think you can just tell him no, put him behind a plow and he’ll forget?”

“That plow puts food on your table.”

“Sure it does. Just like this mercantile puts food on yours. Don’t play the martyr game with me. He came to me to share his dreams. Not because he expected me to supply him with more, but because he knew I’d listen and not judge. I’m not his mother. I’ve never tried to be. I’m his aunt and his friend and I’m glad he has dreams. No matter what they might be. If he wanted to stay here to follow in his father’s footsteps I’d be glad of those dreams too. It’s not the what of the dreams, it’s the fact that he has them. It’s beautiful that even out here on the edge he has them. He’s perfectly capable of his finding own wants and desires. He doesn’t need me to give them to him.”

“You’re giving him a place to stay so he can avoid his parents.”

“No. I’m letting him stay here until his father cools down and realizes kicking Tobin out of his home because he is afraid for his son’s future is an overreaction and a mistake.”

“That’s not for you to decide.”

“You don’t get to tell me how to feel or react to anything. I love you and I respect your family. But Tobin is an adult now. He came to me and asked for my help and I’m giving it to him. I urged him to try to patch things up with you. But I won’t urge him to stifle his wants for other people.”

“Why not? It’s dangerous out there!” Constance burst from her seat and began to pace, wringing her hands. “Can’t you just tell him that? To wait a few years?”

“The world is dangerous. Shelter City is safer than Silver Cliffs. He’d learn to protect himself even better there. He could very well come back here, you know. He could be a garrison officer if he doesn’t want to be a lawman. But if you push him away, what are his reasons to come back?”

“My husband doesn’t want me to speak to you any more. He feels you’re a bad influence.”

That hurt deeply. She licked her lips.

“And what do you think?”

“I think your being unmarried at your age and status is dangerous. It leads the men in town to think things about you that aren’t true. But that you won’t do your duty for the good of everyone around you makes you, as he says, dangerous. Look at what you’ve done to my son.”

“I already got married for the good of everyone around me. It got me years of beatings. Of rapes and abuse. It got me a drunk more than twice my age. That was for
your
good? Because if that’s true, I don’t want you in my life either. If you’d wish me back into that hell so your husband or the other men in Silver Cliffs won’t want to fuck the widow, you don’t deserve me.”

Constance, probably for the first time in her whole life, seemed speechless. She stood, her mouth wide until she closed it with a snap.

“My husband doesn’t want that. He’s a good man. And I didn’t know about the beatings. Or any of it.”

“Lying is a sin, Constance. Everyone in this town knew. Just like everyone knows Loyal Alsbaugh is in my bed. Like everyone knows Shawna Parsons is sweet on Susan Anderson but will marry Susan’s brother, Matian, instead. She’ll bear his children and never act out on her feelings because everyone knows she’s wrong for having wants. Right? Everyone in this town knows Floyd Rodders sneaks in Cesna’s back door and has at her every time her husband goes off on a hunting trip. Everyone in town knows all sorts of things. I’m done living my life for the comfort of everyone else. Now you need to leave. You’ve said your piece. I’ve said mine. Don’t push your son away. Let him have his dreams. Let him fail if that’s what he needs to do. Have joy at the idea that he may find he loves being a lawman. But let the boy have his own heart. Don’t stifle him until that flame he carries inside burns out and he’s nothing but a piece of meat with legs shuffling around this town because
everyone
wants him to.”

She went to her door and opened it.

Constance licked her lips, but said nothing else before leaving. Verity closed the door in her sister’s wake and hoped it wouldn’t be the last thing they ever said to one another.

But it didn’t matter more than not being silent. She was done living her life for what everyone else thought was best for
them
. She’d suffered through a marriage far more like a prison sentence. She did her time and now she had moved past it. Oh yes, she knew some of the people in town felt that an unmarried woman in her circumstances was too big a temptation for the married men. As if it was a woman’s fault a man couldn’t honor his promises to his family.

She did have freedom. More than most. Certainly more than any other unmarried woman in Silver Cliffs. Since her father was dead and she was widowed, she didn’t need a male to tell her what to do. Constance’s husband had tried. He was a good man, she knew. Only trying to do his best in the world he knew.

But that didn’t mean she would show her belly.

Not to anyone.

Never again.

•   •   •

L
oyal came back to her place exhausted, but glad things seemed to have calmed down at last. He noted the light on in the mercantile and went to check, wondering if an emergency blip had come in.

Instead he found Tobin sitting on a cot in the corner, reading.

“I apologize, I thought Verity was down here. Is everything all right?”

Tobin sighed. “Not really. Can I talk to you?”

Loyal moved into the room fully, sliding into a chair near the blip equipment. “Sure.”

“You know I want to attend lawman training. I sent my application in a while back.”

Indigo had told him about that. Loyal had approved. They needed young people with the kind of honor and courage Tobin had shown.

Loyal nodded. “He and I talked about that. I may be able to get the fee waived. Each of us, the commanders, can recommend one student per class to attend on scholarship. You’d have to come to Shelter City, pass rigorous physical and mental tests. But if you do, I’m happy to recommend you for that slot.”

Tobin’s face lit. “You’d do that? Is it because of Verity?”

Loyal snorted. “Boy, you’ll find, one of these days, that women can influence your behavior in many ways. But I’ve watched you grow up over the years I’ve come here. You’re resourceful. Over this time with the brigands outside the gates you’ve been brave and clever. And you’re from out here, from the garrisons. There are plenty of boys and girls from the inner core who attend training. But I think it’s important all of the Highway is represented in the lawmen corps.”

“My mother said some hateful things to my aunt earlier.”

“About?”

“About my plans. Saying Verity put the idea into my head. She didn’t. She just listens. She’s a good listener. And she said she’d give me the credits. To attend the training I mean. She’s letting me stay here. What are your intentions with her?”

“I think that’s between me and your aunt. Did your mother bring that into the argument?”

Tobin nodded. “She’s headstrong. They say that about her like it’s a bad thing. But she’s got backbone, my aunt.”

Loyal pushed himself to stand. “That she does. I’ll speak to her.”

Tobin swallowed. “Thank you. For the recommendation I mean. And the advice. She cares about you. A lot. Don’t . . . don’t ruin it.”

He headed around the back of the building and up the stairs to her place. To Verity’s small home. She was in her front room, looking out the windows. Smoking a cigarette.

He’d never seen her smoke before.

“How are things?” She asked without turning around.

“Better out there than in here I wager.” He moved to her, his front to her back. He took the cigarette from her fingers, drew the smoke into his lungs and gave it back. “Didn’t know you smoked.”

“I don’t. Mostly.”

“I hear you had a set to with your sister. That why you’re smoking?”

“I want to come with you when you leave.”

He paused. “That’s what you and your sister argued about?”

“No. Not in so many words.”

“Why did you argue then?”

She turned, leaning against the wall, looking him over slowly. Heat banked in his belly at this Verity. Bolder than usual.

“We argued because Tobin wants to be a lawman. She accused me of trying to steal him from her. Accused me of not getting married and popping out babies for Jackson because I was too busy whoring it up and being a general bad influence on all the good men of Silver Cliffs. I want to come with you when you leave.”

“Because your sister is a fluffy-headed idiot?”

“Because I’m in love with you. Because I want to be with you. Because I want to see the world outside Silver Cliffs and I want to do so with you.”

“You can’t just toss out that you love me because you had a fight with your sister.”

She rolled her eyes, her movements dangerous as she stalked past him and into her kitchen. “I’m quite exhausted with people pretending they can tell me what I think or what my motivations are.”

“That what you think I’m doing?”

Perceptive eyes looked him over again, dangerously narrowed. His foolish, foolish cock liked it. Liked the air of danger flowing from her, tautening their interaction. He wanted to fuck her so badly his hands shook a little as he fisted them to keep from reaching for her.

“I think I told you several things. First that I wanted to go with you when you left. I’ve been quite clear since you first came to Silver Cliffs that I have wanted to see the Highway and everything beyond the walls. We talked about it before, though you avoided it at the time. I also told you I loved you. And if you didn’t know that, you’re a fool.”

“Why are you telling me now?”

“You’ll be leaving soon. Right? The brigands are gone or you wouldn’t be back here. The threat level would still be on lockdown and it’s not. Your job is out there. You’ve been here a week already.”

He leaned close, taking her cigarette again and handing it back. One of her eyebrows rose slowly.

“I can’t just take someone with me in my escort vehicle. That’s not how it works.”

“
That’s
what you choose to say right now? Do you think I’ll wait around for you to flit around from garrison to garrison? Being satisfied with the small bit of you I get?”

“If I said the first thing that came to my mind you’d kick me in the cock.”

“And what’s that then? I’ll give you amnesty. For now.”

“That you’re dangerous and sexy and you make me want to bend you over this chair, flip your skirt up and shove my cock deep inside your cunt.”