Chapter 2

The sun had already heated up although it was early in the morning and the cows and horses had been left unattended on the plains around Beecher's Hope, meaning that the ranch was near silent, even the chickens seemed to sense the tension in the air and were staying in the barn. 'Oh where's Jack? I'm getting worried!' Abigail Marston stood anxiously in front of her house surveying the horizon for any sign of any person.

'Abby, he's fine; I'll get on the phone to Pastor Mayne and see if he stayed there. Oh-ho if only that man knew about Eli…' His voice trailed off as he walked inside and the boy's mother resumed her vigil.

Meanwhile, Jack Marston, only semi-aware of his mother's plight, was sat under the railway bridge just outside of Manzanita Post, slowly bandaging his friend's arm with the sleeve of his shirt.

'Shit, she was totally naked? Just a sheet?'

'Totally naked, and I'm almost totally sure that we…'

'Mother of merciful God! Really? That's crazy.'

'I know; I feel so stupid.' The pair went silent as two men rode past, Jack recognised one, one of his father's poker partners, but the man didn't even look at him, so he was safe. Eli winced as moved slightly and his arm brushed against the wooden pillar.

'You gotta go home Jack, they'll be looking for you now, and when they send people for you, they'll send people for me, and when they send people for me, they'll send people for Jane, and when they send people for Jane… Well, you know what'll happen.'

'You're right, I'm going, your arm gonna be alright?'

'Fine, get gone; I'll wait here for the train.' Jack stood up and left his friend, Jane still running through his mind… He was deep in it now, but that didn't seem so daunting, he felt as though now, after what had happened… It seemed like the perfect excuse to get close to the girl that he had lusted after for so long. The heavens opened just as he climbed the fence onto his dad's land. The rain was nice to dampen the humid, thick air, and cooled Jack's face as it splattered on his cheeks, he took a deep breath, raised his hand and walked into his house .

'Oh my boy!' His mother wrapped him up in a hug then hit him upside the head, 'Where the hell have you been?'

'Where is he?' Jack's father walked out of the kitchen and stormed towards his son, getting so close in his face that Jack could smell his thick breath and feel the little droplets of spittle as he spoke in hushed but angered tones. 'You ever, ever do that to me and your mother again, I swear to God I will beat you so hard you'll be sweeping floors with your tongue for a living, you hear me?'

'Yes sir. Sorry sir!' Jack scuttled off to his bedroom, where he filled the basin with water and washed himself quickly, before getting dressed and taking out a copy of Moby Dick from under his bed. He sat down and began to read when his father walked in, expecting a beating Jack half cowered, but then looked up and saw his dad's face was white.

'Jane's father has been on the telephone.'