“Bye, Emma,” she said as she hurried out the door.
Thirty minutes later, Emma’s husbands walked in the door. “Where’s Mattie?” Ian asked, looking around.
“She received a message from Alex saying that her mother was dying and that they were waiting for her at her home. They sent a young man to escort her.”
Her husbands looked at each other. “No, they wouldn’t let any other person escort her. Something’s wrong. She was to stay here and we were to protect her until Alex and Jesse came home. Let’s go.”
13
MATTIE
* * *
She should have been suspicious when she saw the horse was saddled and waiting for her, but she just thought that her men sent her a ride. She should have been suspicious when he called her Miss Byrne, but she wasn’t used to her married name yet.
Thirty minutes out of Bridgewater, the truth came out.
It was a trap and she’d fallen for it.
Frank came riding toward her and she was terrified. She turned her horse and kicked the sides to race back to Bridgewater, but he had too much of a head start on her. Riding up beside her, he grabbed the bridle of her horse and pulled him to a stop.
“Hello, Mattie. Where is your husband?”
She glanced around for the boy who had brought her the note and saw him riding off at a fast pace in the distance. She’d been tricked.
Sometimes it was better not to say anything. So she just stared at him.
“They have the town quite stirred up over some dead cows.”
That had been her idea and somehow it seemed to have come back to haunt her. Her men were away in town and she’d fallen for a fake note. How stupid could she be and now Jesse and Alex would be so angry at her for disobeying them.
“Is mother all right?”
“Your mother died hours after you left. She’s already in the ground.”
Pain stabbed her heart and tears welled up in her eyes. Her mother had died alone and she didn’t deserve that.
“Oh, don’t get all teary eyed. Papa said no one heard her screams. She went peacefully with a pillow over her head.”
Dear God, they had killed her. She should never have left her. While she knew Edward and Frank were heartless, she never believed they would murder her mother.
“You bastard,” she said glaring at him. “She was dying. Why couldn’t you let her die in peace?”
Frank’s face took on an ugly scowl and he glared at her, though lust lurked in the shadows of his eyes. He’d always wanted her and now she understand what he wanted to do to her. Now she understood that she would die rather than let him touch her the way her men did.
“Because the bitch gave you away to total strangers. But don’t worry, I’m here to rescue you from a depraved life of horror. Of course, Papa is working on getting your husbands killed right now, so don’t be looking for them to come rescue you anytime soon. Because they’re going to be in the same grave he dug for your mother.”
A sob escaped from Mattie. Somehow she had to hold onto hope that her big, strong men were capable of taking care of themselves. That they had not walked into a trap like she had. Somehow she had to kill Frank.
“Come on, let’s get going. We’re going back to the house where you belong. You’re not going anywhere, unless you, too, want to join the dead in the graveyard in the back. I bet we could find a spot for you there. But first, we have to marry.”
So basically, the man was already telling her that after they wed, she’d be as good as dead. What better way to spend her inheritance than without her objections? It was a decent plan as long as they killed Alex and Jesse.
But her men were strong and she trusted them to find her. They had promised to protect her, and right now, she was needing their protection.
The sun was on a slow descent in the western sky and she knew that if they didn’t find her before dark, she would be in serious trouble.
Frank took her reins and tied them to his saddle horn. “Can’t have you getting away.”