Chapter 5

Grant distracted himself by going out to the hen house to collect eggs. Meanwhile, Heath visited the necessary and washed up in the kitchen as soon as he could. "Let me help you get yourself together," he said to Jarrod when Jarrod made it as far up as the sofa and stopped there. "You're not so steady this morning."

"I'll get better as the day goes on," Jarrod said.

Heath didn't comment, but helped Jarrod to the necessary and then sat him down in the kitchen to clean up. They did not shave – even Heath with his light hair looked scruffy while Jarrod's dark beard was more noticeable. Grant came in with a basket of eggs as they did.

That was when Eliza came out of the bedroom, dressed but looking very worn. Her smile was forced but only because of exhaustion, not because of distress. "Everything is fine," she said. "It's a little girl, Hebron. You have a daughter."

Jarrod and Heath both smiled at the news. "Congratulations, Mr. Grant," Jarrod said.

Grant smiled awkwardly, nervously. "Can I see her now?"

"Of course, go on in," Eliza said.

Grant immediately went into the bedroom, while Eliza excused herself to visit the necessary. That left Jarrod and Heath to look at each other. Jarrod said, "Why don't you go have a look at Big Louie before we decide if push has come to shove and we should get out of here?"

The bruise on Jarrod's forehead was beginning to spread. "You've got a black eye and you're about as steady as a carnival ride," Heath said. "You're not ready yet, and it still might be we need a doctor for both you and that baby."

Jarrod said. "I can ride, I think."

"No, you can't, not until I think," Heath said.

Jarrod raised an eyebrow. "Now who's being bossy?"

"Me," Heath said flatly.

Jarrod gave in. "Help me to that sofa. It's more comfortable, and I think in a while I might be better if I just rest some more."

Heath helped his older brother to the sofa. In the background, they could hear little mewling sounds of the newborn. Despite everything else, they still had to smile at the new life that had just joined them.

"What do you think we ought to say to Grant if I have to go for the doctor?" Heath asked.

Jarrod said, "The truth. I'm gonna try to talk to him some more about finalizing those hard choices he has – regardless of whether I'm feeling up to snuff or not. Why don't you go ahead and check those horses?"

Heath headed for the front door, saying, "Good luck," and went out to check on the horses.

Jarrod sat back down on the sofa. More than anything, he wanted to make a decision about Grant and get out of here. He did not want his and Heath's presence to provoke Grant into violence to keep them from talking, but he knew whatever decision he came to, Grant wasn't going to like it. Yet it had to be made, especially if a doctor needed to be brought here, for him or for that baby or both.

Eliza came back in, saying, "I'll get some breakfast together."

Jarrod got himself up and followed her, but sat down in the kitchen area as soon as he was in there. He saw her discomfort when she wouldn't look at him. She knew what this family was up against, but maybe her knowing would help bring Grant around to making some sensible decision. "Mrs. Grant," Jarrod said quietly as Eliza set about getting breakfast together. "Heath and I are as happy as can be that Abagail has had her baby but we have decisions to make. Heath and I want to be going as soon as I'm able, but I may not be able just yet. I may need a doctor – and so may Abagail and the baby, am I right?"

Eliza stopped puttering about, but she still would not look at him. "I think Abagail and the baby will be all right, and I understand what you're really saying, Mr. Barkley, but these are matters for my husband to decide."

"I know that," Jarrod said, "but one thing that's always been clear to me is that he loves you and respects you, and if you had something to say he would at least hear you out."

Eliza didn't answer.

Jarrod went on. "The reality is the same one that faced you in Stockton. You can't go on in a plural marriage. Your husband will go to jail for that, and so will Heath and I if we hide your situation now that we know about it. I did that before until you decided to go to Mexico, but you didn't go there. You violated my trust. I can't give it to you again."

"I know," Eliza said.

"Your husband has shown he is prone to violence when he's pushed into a corner, and believe me, this is every bit the corner you were in in Stockton, maybe even more so," Jarrod said. "I'm asking you, for his sake and yours and Abagail's and the baby's, to encourage him strongly to resist violence this time. I'm asking him to take you all on to Mexico, as you promised to do, or give one of you up."

"And that one would have to be me, now that he has a child with Abagail," Eliza said. She knew exactly what the score was, even if she was reluctant to do or say anything about it. She looked at Jarrod with a sad smile.

Jarrod said, "I'm sorry it's come to this. I'm sorry I got hurt and we ended up here. But that's the way it is."

"And perhaps it's the way God intended it to be," Eliza said.

Jarrod thought he realized something. "You were never comfortable not going to Mexico, were you?"

Eliza looked away and did not answer the question. "My husband makes the decisions for us."

"This time you have to tell him what you really think," Jarrod said. "You don't have to tell me or Heath or even Abagail, but you have to tell your husband. Heath and I may be leaving as soon as I feel up to it and that can be at any time. And we will not let your husband stop us – even if it comes to violence."

Now she turned away.

"I don't want that," Jarrod said, "but Heath and I will defend ourselves in every way we have to. I'm so sorry it's come to this."

Without a word, Eliza left the kitchen and went back into the bedroom.

Jarrod slumped. He had no idea what Eliza was going to say to Grant, and his head hurt worse from the effort of trying to persuade her to talk some sense into her husband. Jarrod went back into the living room and sat down on the sofa. He took his gun out of his holster, and sadly made sure it was loaded.

XXXXXX

When Eliza went into the bedroom, she found her husband sitting on the bed beside his other wife, who was holding their baby. That sweet little girl was sleeping in her mother's arms, smiling a little bit even. Grant looked as happy as she had ever seen him. Abagail looked exhausted, but just as happy. They looked up at her when she came in.

Eliza began to cry, but not from the joy she was seeing in front of her.

Grant said, "She's beautiful, isn't she? A true gift from God."

"Yes, Hebron," Eliza said. Then she was stuck. She didn't know what to say or do.

Grant got up and started for the door. "I suppose I ought to see to the Barkleys."

"Mr. Barkley may need a doctor, Hebron," Eliza said, and she looked at Abagail. "Abagail and the baby may need a doctor too. Abagail is very weak."

"I'll be all right, and the baby is strong and healthy," Abagail said. "But I understand what you're saying, Eliza. I understand everything."

Grant stopped, looking at Abagail, and then Eliza. He didn't have to say he knew what was happening. He looked toward the door.

Eliza knew that look in his eye, that stubborn they are not gonna tell me what I have to do look that forewarned he was going for his rifle. She took hold of his arm. "Hebron, they have no choice, and you have no choice. Sooner or later, they will have to be honest with the law. You can't stop them."

"I have to stop them," Grant said.

"No," Eliza said. "You have a child now. You have to think of that child first, and if you threaten the Barkleys they will fight back. You can't end up dead, Hebron. You can risk that anymore."

Grant understood. He was confused. "We can tell them we're going to Mexico but stay right here."

"No," Eliza said. "That would be lying and we do not lie in the presence of God."

"And they could always come back to check on us," Abagail said. "We can't stay here, as we are."

Eliza and Abagail exchanged looks, and Eliza remembered Emilena with pain in her heart, that last look between them as Emilena made her decision to stay behind and end that plural marriage. Here was that same decision all over again, but there was no way she could allow Abagail to leave Grant. Not with a baby here.

"If we do not go to Mexico," Eliza said, "then I – " Her voice caught. "Then I will have to leave alone."

Grant couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Eliza, how could you make out on your own? No, no, you can't do it!"

"Then we go to Mexico," Eliza said. "This time, we really go."

Grant quickly said, "All right, all right, as soon as Abagail and the baby are able."

But Eliza heard that same resistance her husband had put up in Stockton. "You can't just say that and not do it this time, Hebron. We broke Mr. Barkley's trust when we stayed here and instead of going to Mexico. When you married Abagail, we broke it even worse. We can't do that again, and you can't take up your rifle and stop him and his brother from leaving here and seeing the authorities or sending for a doctor if he's needed. You can't ask them to go to prison for us."

Grant straightened up. He knew all that, and he understood it, but the urge of his religion kept rising up inside him. "I will worship my God as he sees fit to tell me," he said, but his voice was quiet.

Abagail said, "Would God want the Barkleys to go to prison for us? Would God want you to kill them to stop them, for us?"

The baby squirmed and started to cry a bit. Abagail jostled her a little, then looked up at her husband. Both Abagail and Eliza looked at their husband, knowing the decision was his, knowing they had spoken out when perhaps they never would before. But they had to now.

Indecision, anger, resistance, were written all over Grant's face.