Chapter 12
Vin's face was set in a hardened mess. He had only been five minutes too late to save Belle. He was mad as a hornet and he had to figure out a way to sneak onto Connelly's ranch to try to get her back. He approached his comrades, all already on horseback.
Chris had already told them all what had happened before Vin had come back from patrol. They had been sitting in this pattern when he approached. He hadn't seen anyone on his way into town, but only raised an eyebrow and dismounted when Chris had come up to him. Chris had slid his hands in his pockets and nodded toward Nathan's clinic. Vin had followed, fearing the worse, that Belle had been hurt and had been taken to Nathan's and was now barely holding on to life in order to see him one last time.
He had been almost right…similar situation, wrong sister. Instead, the older of the Manning girls was lying there on the table, pale from loss of blood, eyes shut tightly. Vin had snapped his head back to Chris, his eyes asking the question he feared the answer to. Chris just nodded in return and closed the space between himself and Mary, sitting down right next to her.
"Not going then?" Vin had asked, his blood beginning to boil.
"I want to stay with her. Someone has to since Nathan is leaving." Even as he said it, Vin knew it was just a way to make him appear stronger and tougher than he was. With Mary on that bed, Vin knew that Chris had to be losing his mind.
A second later, he was back out with the others, hopping right back onto his horse. He had no idea what to expect when he got to Connelly's; no idea if there would be an ambush waiting for them or not, or even if Belle would still be around to be rescued. He did know that Connelly had no intention of giving her up, if his abduction plan was any indication.
Vin looked over each of his comrades. Nathan's face was somber, his mind more than likely drifting to the patient he hadn't wanted to leave, but only did for Chris's sake. J.D. looked anxious to ride, much as he always did in these situations. Buck met his gaze and tipped his head, acknowledging the fact that he knew how much Belle meant to Vin and he was on his team, no matter what. Josiah was muttering to himself, a prayer of protection, but for who he hadn't the foggiest idea. Ezra looked like he was in desperate need of a drink, his face pale, but resolved; of all of the men assembled, he knew more than any how badly Vin needed to get Belle back safely.
"Let's ride out, scout out the Connelly place and find ourselves a campsite." He was used to taking charge when the situation required it and he knew exactly what he had to do. His desires expressed, he turned back around and rode off into the distant horizon, out toward the Connelly homestead.
After a short, yet brisk ride, the six men rode up to a ridge overlooking the Connelly place. So far, no one had jumped out at them, although there were several people around the door to the building. Vin looked at his companions. "Let's set up camp here. Buck, why don't you take a gallop around and see if there are any scouts?"
Buck tilted his hat and urged his horse off into the distance. The rest of the riders slid off of their mounts, and tied them to nearby branches. Vin, his eyes only seeing Connelly's place, took off some of his gear from his horse, not really noticing what he was doing. Ezra walked up to him, a grim look on his usually calm exterior.
"My dear Mr. Turner," he said, his Southern drawl more somber than usual. "I know it is no consolation, but I do know how you're feeling." The gambler's eyes narrowed angrily. "I will do whatever is necessary to get young Miss Isabelle back in your arms."
Vin nodded his head once in understanding; talking to the almost ex-beau of his girl was not his idea of a good time, especially in the current situation. However, he knew Ezra was good on his word and he'd come in handy when they attacked the outlaws just over the ridge.
Buck raced back up, his horse kicking up dust. He rode right up to Vin and dismounted. "They've got the place pretty much surrounded. Terrence is no where to be found; the youngest one, that pup David is guardin the back door with a long barrel shotgun…thinks he's tough. Everett Connelly busted himself outta jail just to make an appearance at his brother's for this special occasion. Can't find the third brother, that Kenneth fella. They're keepin her pretty well hidden." He hesitated for only a moment before continuing. "Got a preacher all tied up in the back on the porch. I'm thinkin they're gonna make an honest woman of her."
Vin glared at the ranch. He had tried to warn the damn girl about them, but she wouldn't listen. Four Corners wasn't like back East; people weren't always going to think you were foolin around with them. Why did she have to get messed up with these men? Why did she have to get to Four Corners so fast? He knew the answer to that question: to get to him. She had loved him before she had met him and she was excited to see him, to know him. His heart ached. He'd get her back and well before Connelly could do anything with his Belle…he'd make sure of that…
Isabelle looked around the poor excuse for a bedroom. She had been informed when she got there that this would be her room from now on and the information had not pleased her much; it had a dirt floor, walls with numerous cracks in them, dusty windows, little light, and a cold lumpy bed. Over an extremely old chest of drawers hung a mirror with a piece missing; curiosity got the better of her and she decided to look at herself in the glass. She looked horrific; her hair was flying wildly about her head…her cheeks were stained with dirt and tears…her dress was tattered and dusty from the multiple attempts she made to escape on the ride to this horrible ranch…her arms felt bruised from Terrence's tight grip and her lip was split from where the brother, Everett, had slapped her when she tried one last time to flee on foot from the ranch.
Belle felt horrible; she wished she had just controlled her impatience and continued on her route with the stage instead of taking Terrence's horse that first day out West. She kept praying for her sister, who was only recently becoming dear to her. And as for Vin…just thinking of him and the possibility of never seeing him again made her heart break. She knew he had promised to protect her from Connelly, but she was very unsure if he and his friends could beat the four brothers.
Feeling horribly depressed, Belle collapsed onto the bed. If only she could figure out a way out of here…but with David guarding the back door, the evil Everett around front, and Kenneth right outside the bedroom door itself, awaiting further instructions from his brother, there was no way she could get away…at least not right now….
