Tangled Paths of Fate: A Historical Western Romance Novel by Elaine Shields

Author:Elaine Shields [Shields, Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2023-06-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

“Oh, very well done, Jack!”

That was what Jayne had said, once Emily stormed away. Really, though, Jack didn’t need to be told that he’d made a mistake. He wasn’t even sure he believed what he’d said.

If the Native tribe had indeed taken Emily to safety and raised her, was it likely that they’d just murdered her parents? If they believed that she’d been murdered by outlaws so near to her own town, why would they risk returning her? After all, they’d likely be blamed for the crime themselves.

When Jack and Jayne had made their slow way back to the house, Emily had already retired to her room. The kitchen was clean, and a lunch pail was made up for him for the next day.

Jayne, who was clearly furious with her son, had gone straight to the parlor.

“You’d better find a way to make up with her, Son,” she said shortly and closed the door behind her with an uncharacteristically bad-tempered bang.

Jack was left alone in the clean, empty kitchen, not sure what to do with the hollow feeling of guilt and misery.

He’d even gone to Emily’s door and hesitated before it, his hand hovering to knock. He couldn’t hear a sound from inside, although a thin band of light seeped out from under the door.

He didn’t knock, in the end. He’d lost his nerve and retired to bed early.

He would make up with her the next day. That would give him some time to think over how he would apologize.

Am…am I wrong about the Natives? Jack thought to himself, lying in bed that night. Mama thinks they’re good people. Bill thinks they’re innocent. Even Sheriff Stevens seems to think that they’re maligned. Have I contributed to all of that?

More to the point, did Pa?

Was…was he wrong, too?

He squeezed his eyes closed, not wanting to open that can of worms. Jayne had spoken so lightly about her husband not allowing her to have friends, and it had shocked Jack. Normally, his mother never really spoke harshly of her late husband, but now Jack came to think of it, he could never remember his mother meeting up with friends. His father had, often and regularly.

Had she been lonely?

A twinge of guilt went through Jack’s chest. His life felt like a box of knick-knacks, slowly but surely upended, so that all the things inside came tumbling out onto the floor, disorganized and confusing.

Emily stood in the center of it all, her face blank but her eyes accusing. Jack’s own words went round and round in his head, and he would have bitten off his own tongue if it would allow him to take them back.

There was time yet, though. He hoped.

Or perhaps I’ll wake up in the morning and find that she’s gone, Jack thought bleakly, and immediately he wished he hadn’t thought about that.

He spent the rest of the night sleeping fitfully, half-expecting to hear soft footsteps and the creak of a door opening and closing.

***

“Good morning,” Jack said, smiling hopefully.

Emily cast him a quick, blank glance.

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