The Scar and the Star by Mischelle Creager

Author:Mischelle Creager
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 19th Century, Colorado, Inspirational, historical romance, Cowboys, Second chance, family life, forgiveness, unwed mother, justice, starting over, friendship, love, marriage, adoption, trust, vows, betrayal, outlaws, US Marshal, vengeance, women's fiction, inspirational romance
Publisher: Worbly Publishing
Published: 2015-12-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The night’s darkness surrounded Esther while she sat on the wooden swing hanging from the covered back porch. Davey was asleep, but she felt too restless to crawl into bed, knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep. A nightmare had woken her from the nap she’d taken during the afternoon. Not a bad one, not one which caused her to wake screaming, not the one where two men had destroyed the life she’d had before. No, this nightmare had some unknown creature trying to get her. The creature slipped around her, playing with her, tormenting her, but never really harming her. It was just an evil presence that wouldn’t leave her alone.

And now with the rest of the household in bed, the unrest in her spirit kept her from sleep, so she sat out here by herself.

The sound of horse’s hooves striking the ground thudded in the night air. The barn door creaked open. Kerr called out, then held a lantern nudging the darkness to the side. The marshal had returned. He got off his horse and led the animal into the barn. A few minutes later, he came back through the door and walked to the house.

Esther figured if she kept real still, he’d go inside. But she’d forgotten Kerr knew she was sitting out here and probably told the marshal since he stopped at the top of the stairs and looked toward the end of the porch where she sat.

“Mind if I join you?” He didn’t move. He seemed to be waiting for her answer. It’d be so easy not to give him permission, but that seemed a bit childish. She wasn’t afraid of him, not really. He’d shown kindness to Davey, and that went a long way in making her trust him. It was just...just that he was a man. She could almost hear Aunt Bonny’s voice in her ear. Do you really want to live the rest of your life afraid to sit near a man, to shove all of them aside because of what two horrid men had done? Do you want to take the chance Davey will see how you aren’t sure you trust men? How might it affect him as he grows?

He seemed to know she was debating his question, so he asked another. “Is it me or the badge? You don’t seem to have any problem being around my brother.”

Esther clamped her teeth over her bottom lip to keep from laughing. He sounded just like a little boy who was upset that something was being kept from him.

But his question struck a nerve in her as well. “Maybe a little of both—you and the badge. Bad memories about bad times are connected with the badge. You...I’m just not sure about.” She let out a small sigh and decided to take a chance. “The swing’s big enough for two, even three.”

He made a noise, a tired sound that held a bit of humor. “Thanks, but no. The railing’s fine enough for me.”

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