Julie Garwood - Come the Spring

my errands done.

Oh, God, Franklin helped me, and now he's dead. I met him at church

and he was such a kind man." Before she could continue, a messenger

from the hotel came rushing inside. He was a tall, lanky boy with

pockmarks on his face. "Marshal Ryan? I'm sorry to intrude, but this

message I'm supposed to give you is urgent." He stared at Rebecca

while he handed the sealed envelope to Daniel.

"Why's she crying? " he asked.

No one answered him. "Ma'am, is there anything I can do to make you

feel better? " he asked.

She shook her head. He shrugged in response, then asked Daniel if he

wanted him to take back a reply.

Daniel read the contents before answering. "Tell Miss Winthrop I'll be

along in a little while."

"She said it was urgent, Marshal, " the messenger repeated. "She wants

to leave town. She told me so herself just before the doctor went into

her room to check on her."

"Go back to the hotel and tell her I'll be there as soon as I finish up

a couple of things."

"It ain't Miss Winthrop, " the messenger said as he started out the

doorway. "It's Lady Winthrop. She's titled, " he added importantly.

"The night manager told me so." Daniel wasn't paying any attention to

the boy. Rebecca was using Cole's handkerchief to wipe her tears

away.

As soon as the door closed behind the messenger, Daniel began to grill

Rebecca with questions.

"How many were there? " "Seven, " she answered. "There were seven

men. I didn't see all of their faces."

"Start at the beginning and tell us everything, " Cole demanded.

She bowed her head, closed her eyes, and then gave a concise account of

what had happened inside the bank. By the time she was finished, she

was openly sobbing again and clinging to Cole's hand.

"Reliving the nightmare is almost as awful as being there . . . " Cole

patted her. "We know how hard this was for you, " he sympathized.

"You've been a tremendous help, " Daniel said.

Cole agreed with a nod. "Do you have any more questions for her? " he

asked Daniel.

"No, she's told us everything we need to know." Rebecca stood up, took

a calming breath, and said, "You will get all of them, won't you?

Promise me you will."

"We promise, " Cole answered.

Daniel walked her to the door. "Why don't you take a few minutes to

relax before you pack."

"Like it or not, I'm leaving this town today, " she threatened. "If

you have any decency at all, you won't tell Jessica and Grace that I'm

the witness because it would only upset them, and I don't want them to

hate me for not coming forward sooner.

" "I'm sure they would both understand why you kept silent, but don't

worry. Cole and I don't plan to tell them. And we will leave today, "

he promised.

"Thank you, Marshal. I shall be ready in one hour." The guard was

waiting to escort Rebecca back to the hotel.

He suggested that they alter their route and take one of the streets

parallel to the hotel. He was armed to the teeth with a pair of

six-shooters and a shotgun. Daniel noticed the way he watched the

street as he walked along and decided that Rebecca was in good hands.

"What does Grace want that's so urgent? " Cole asked him.

"Her note just says she wants to talk to me at the hotel before she

leaves town. She thinks she's going to get out of her sickbed and

drive a wagon. The woman doesn't have the sense God gave her. "

"She's got the determination, though, " Cole said. "I've got the

feeling she could pull it off if we let her."

"We aren't going to let her go anywhere alone, " Daniel countered.

"Cooper's going to stick to both women until every member of the

Blackwater gang has been captured."

"That could take a hell of a long time."

"I don't think so, " Daniel said. "If the gang finds out about

Rebecca, they'll be coming after her, and, God willing, we'll get every

last one of them."

"You're going to use her as bait, aren't you? " "I'm going to get her

to Blackwater alive." Cole nodded agreement. "I thought Rebecca was

the witness, but it was just a guess. Noţthat isn't true. I hoped it

wasn't Jessica."

"I can understand why. She's got enough on her plate now, raising that

baby on her own." Cole was staring out the front window. "Didn't you

tell me Grace wanted you to see her at the hotel? " "That's what her

note said, " Daniel answered.

"She's crossing the street with Sloan hot on her trail."

"Son of a .

. . " Daniel ran out the doorway just as Grace came hurrying down the

boardwalk. He grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her inside the

office.

"What in God's name are you doing out of bed? " His concern for her

well-being was evident in his expression. He thought she looked like

the walking dead, and he fully expected her to faint at any moment.

The left side of her face was still slightly swollen. Daniel wanted to

pick her up and carry her back to the hotel. He pulled her to his side

and looked out at the street beyond.

Sloan was lounging against the hitching post.

"I had to see you, " she explained. "The sheriff was eating his

breakfast in the dining room, so I slipped out the side door."

"I saw her going down the steps out of the corner of my eye, " Sloan

interjected. "I had to leave a full plate of food to chase after

her.

" Grace was trying to hold on to her patience. "Daniel, I must speak

to you. I'm sorry if it isn't convenient, but it's terribly

important.

She looked around the office and then asked, "Isn't Jessica here yet?

You did tell us to be here this morning."

"York walked her over to Dr. Lawrence's house to look in on Tilly, "

Sloan said. "She took the boy with her."

"What in thunder are you women thinking? " Cole snapped. "Three

potential witnesses strolling around town without a care in the

world.

It's enough to make the saints scream. I'm going over to Lawrence's

house and take Jessica back to the hotel." He glared at Sloan when he

added, "And if I have to drag her, by God I will." The sheriff backed

out of Cole's way and watched him cross the street.

Daniel slammed the door in Sloan's face then, giving Grace privacy for

their talk.

"Why is Cole so upset? " "He's upset because you and Rebecca and

Jessica are making it impossible for us to protect you."

"You don't think in broad daylight that someone might try . . . " He

interrupted her. "I'm taking you back to the hotel."

"No, " she insisted. "I need to tell you something. It's important,

Daniel." She tried to make herself let go of his hand, since she felt

it was a sign of weakness for her to cling to the lawman, but she

couldn't pull away.

She was so scared, she could barely gather her thoughts. What she was

about to do was going to changeher future irrevocably, and all of her

dreams were going to be crushed.

There wasn't any other choice, though. She had to do the right

thing.

He gave in. "All right, Grace. What did you want to tell me? " "I'm

your witness, " she blurted out. "I was the one hiding in the

kneehole." Aside from the muscle in his clenched jaw twitching, Daniel

didn't show any reaction to her announcement.

"You're the witness? " he demanded.

"Yes. I'm so sorry I didn't have the courage to come forward sooner,

but I was frightened. Jessica and Rebecca had already left the bank.

They were telling you the truth. I wasn't, and now I've caused them

all sorts of trouble. You'll let them leave now, won't you? " Daniel

didn't answer her. His gut was telling him she was lying. The longer

he stood there the angrier he became.

"How many were there? " Without a pause, she answered, "Seven. "

Tears brimmed in her eyes, and Daniel suddenly had the urge to comfort

her and shake her at the same time. He didn't give in to either

inclination. "All right, I'm taking you back to the hotel, and you can

tell me everything."

"But I'm worried about Jessica and Rebecca, " she cried. "I believe

I've found a way to make certain that they'll be left alone." Daniel

guessed what was coming and let out a loud groan.

"Ah, hell, you didn't talk to the reporter, did you? " The question

surprised her, for she had only just come up with the idea. "No, but I

want to, " she said. "I thought I would go to the newspaper office and

ask the gentleman there to print the truth in tomorrow's paper. I'm

sure the reporter will be happy to listen to what I have to say. "

"You are not going to talk to the reporter." He snapped the command

and squeezed her hand to let her know he meant what he said.

She was stunned by his burst of anger. He was furious, she realized,

for his blue eyes had turned as cold as winter. She bowed her head.

"I thought you would be pleased with my confession. I don't understand

your anger, Daniel." He took a deep breath. "Grace, " he began.