A Blessed Song for Their Love by Olivia Haywood
Chapter Twenty-Six
Thomas strode across the street after leaving his horse at the stable across from the saloon. Pride swelled in his chest when he didn’t feel the slightest pull to go inside. He smiled to himself despite the current circumstances. Thank you, Lord, for bringing her to me. Rosaline was the answer to a prayer he hadn’t even prayed. That in itself was an overwhelming kind of love that restored his faith.
He frowned as he neared the house and noticed that the front door was slightly ajar. It wasn’t usual for any of the doors in the street to be standing open. The people in town respected each other's privacy. He picked up the pace as the feeling of unrest grew in his chest.
“Hello,” he knocked on the door and waited a minute or two.
The house was eerily silent.
He pushed open the door and stepped into the empty hallway. Rounding the corner that lead into the adjacent room, he stopped to check after stepping on something soft.
The coat rack was laying on the floor with the hats and coats strewn about. It looked as if someone had had a scuffle. Stepping over the coats he made his way to the door that lead to the sitting room.
The door stuck as Thomas attempted to push it open. Something seemed to be jamming it from the other side. He tried a few times to push it open before placing his shoulder against the wood and shoving.
The door groaned as whatever was on the other side shifted, making way for the door to swing open.
Thomas stepped into the room and held his breath.
Ezrah Gideon was sprawled on the floor with a trickle of blood running from his forehead.
“Ezrah!” Thomas yelled and leapt to the man’s side, hunkering down he gently shook the limp body. “Ezrah, Ezrah,” he repeated. “Can you hear me?”
There was no response.
He reached over and placed two fingers in Ezrah’s neck. He let out the breath he’d been holding in his chest, there was definitely a pulse. Thomas examined the gash that ran the length of Ezrah's forehead. It seemed like a shallow wound.
He froze as he heard a muffled sound coming from behind him. With the shock of seeing Ezrah on the floor, he’d completely forgotten to check his surroundings. Thomas slowly turned his head to look behind him while reaching for the gun that was still holstered on the sheriff’s hip.
“Oh no!” Thomas exclaimed as he caught sight of Buena tied up in the armchair. Her arms and legs were bound to the chair and her mouth was gagged. Her eyes were panicked and frantically pleading.
He flew to her side and quickly undid the knots that were biting into her wrists and ankles.
Once her hands were free she yanked the gag from her mouth and fell to her husband's side in frantic sobs. “Ezrah can you hear me?” she cried while shaking him gently and cradling his head in her lap.
Ezrah groaned but didn't open his eyes.
Thomas hunkered down beside Buena. “Are you hurt Buena?” He asked gently.
"I'm not hurt Thomas,” she sniffed. Her hair was completely disarrayed and her dress was torn at the sleeves. She looked like she had put up a fierce fight. “Thomas,” she repeated his name as she tried to calm herself. “Those horrid men burst in here and took us by surprise, they...they,” she began to cry hysterically once more.
Thomas placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. “Who came in here Buena? Where is Rosaline? I need to know. Was it Higgs and Diederick?”
The blood in Thomas's veins turned to ice as she nodded. “Did they say where they were taking her?” he asked more hurriedly and shook her a little harder when she began to cry again.
“I can't Thomas, they said they will hurt her if anyone goes after them.”
“Buena please, I have to go after her,” he said as angry tears rolled down his cheeks. “I can't just let her go like this.”
Buena reached over and wiped the tears from his cheeks, something she hadn't done since he was a little boy. “They didn't say, but once they had tied me up I heard that horrid man Diederick out in the hall ask the Marshal if he had the tickets.”
Thomas frowned in confusion. “The Marshal was with Diederick?”
“Yes, they were here on official business to discuss the charges. Oh Thomas I was taken so off guard. The federal marshal was the one who knocked poor Ezrah out. It was such a surprise I didn't know what to do.”
Gripping her shoulders tightly, Thomas sprang into action. “This is what we are going to do now Buena. You are going to stay here with Ezrah and see to him,” he reached up and gently patted her cheek when she began to cry again. “Before I go I'm going to send someone to fetch the doctor for you and Ezrah.”
Buena gripped his hand and held it to her cheek as he stood to leave. “Please be safe Thomas,” she attempted a halfhearted smile. “And bring back our Rosaline.”
Thomas bent down and kissed her cheek, something else he had not done in many years, before sprinting out the door. He quickly his pocket watch as he stepped out the door. It was almost five o’clock, which meant that the evening train would be leaving the station any minute. He had no time to waste.
He ran all the way to the Three-Guns saloon and burst through the doors. His usual poker group were already assembled at the giant table in the center of the room. They looked up in surprise. “There's been an accident at the sheriff's house,” he shouted to the room in general. “I need someone to fetch the doctor and make sure that Buena and Gideon get help.”
The old man with the wide-brimmed cowboy hat hastily stood. “What's happened?”
“There is no time to explain!” Thomas shouted, already halfway out the door. “Just help them!”
Running breathlessly to his horse, Thomas prayed as he jumped into the saddle. Delay the train Lord, let me be in time to save her. Don't let her slip through my fingers now that I love her.
He flung himself up into the saddle and dug his heels into the horse’s sides.
***
Thomas’ heart grew cold as he reached the station and saw the train disappearing into the horizon against the setting sun. The anger was quickly growing in his chest. He had prayed fiercely to God all the way to the station. Was God once again going to take away the woman he loved despite his pleading and trusting?
He bit down hard on his teeth until it hurt as his jaw clenched. “I trusted you!” he shouted to the evening sky.
The horse neighed and shifted under his weight. Thomas shut his eyes as visions of Rosaline sitting on the porch reading to them swam in his vision.
“In (Daniel 9:1-19) We see Daniel struggling with his delayed answer from God. It took some time for Daniel to realize that God had actually answered his prayer the very same day. Daniel was just not expecting the delay and opposition.”
He remembered vividly how she had looked up at him and smiled. “Sometimes God is answering our prayers, it's just not happening how we expected it to. Don't give up before God is even done answering.”
Feeling the hope rise in his chest, Thomas looked at the train in the distance. Lord, I’m going to trust you with this. He dug his heels into the horse's flanks and galloped off towards the quickly vanishing train.
***
Thomas finally pulled up behind the train, thankful that it was still gathering speed as it left the station. He had ridden his horse hard and the poor creature was struggling to keep up. Leaning forward he whispered in the horse's ear as the train sped over the tracks.
“You've been doing great girl, I'm sorry I'm pushing you so hard, we're almost there. Just a little further,” he leant back and flicked the reins.
The horse gained a burst of speed and pulled up alongside the train. Thomas guided the panting mare as close to the side of the train as he possibly could without endangering her.
As soon as he was close enough he let go of the reins and leant towards the bars of the end car. He stumbled and fell halfway out of the saddle as the horse veered away from the train to avoid hitting an oncoming rock. His face missed the rock by a few inches as he hung from the saddle.
Regaining control he swung himself up in the saddle and steered the mare back alongside the train. Reaching for the bars once more he gave it his best and leant in. Praying to God that it would work this time he gripped the bars and yanked himself onto the train.
His feet dangled in the air as his body bumped against the train a few times before he managed to heave himself up onto the platform. Tumbling over the railings he fell headfirst onto the train and lay there for a few seconds while he struggled to ease his breathing.
Pushing himself up he checked to see if his horse was alright. She was slowing down and lagging behind the train. He would send one of the ranch hands to fetch her as soon he got back. There were bigger things to worry about at the moment. Not wanting to waste any more time, he used the railings to pull himself up. Turning, he reached for the handle of the door that lead into the train. He jiggled it a few times to no avail. The door was firmly locked.
Bracing himself against the railings, he raised his leg and kicked the door off the hinges.
Thomas flew through the luggage compartment without caring if he knocked anything or anyone over. His heart was racing, he had one thought on his mind. Reaching Rosaline.
Passengers gawked at him as he pushed his way through, knocking several people over amidst shouts and complaints. Off in the distance, he thought he could hear the nasty sneer of Diederick laughing. Thomas raced towards the laughter near the end of the carriages. Yanking open a door he burst into a closed compartment.
“What the devil are you doing here?” Diederick roared in anger and grabbed Rosaline around the wrist as she sprang to her feet.
The federal marshal who was no longer in uniform jumped to his feet and whipped up the pistol that was lying beside him on the bench. Aiming at Thomas's chest he fired.
Thomas ducked quickly as the bullet raced past his ear. A few inches closer and he would have had a nasty head wound. His ears were ringing as he heard a muffled scream from Rosaline.
Diederick grabbed her around the waist as she kicked and screamed in an attempt to try and gain her freedom.
He was about to go after them when the federal marshal raised his pistol again.
Thinking quickly, Thomas ducked and ran full tilt into the man's abdomen, sending the gun flying across the compartment floor.
The men scrambled and fought each other as they both reached for the gun.
Diederick disappeared around the corner with a screaming Rosaline as a second shot rang out.