Purple Heart Ring
Stories similar to this that you might like too.
“I’ll tell you what, Miss Molly,” said the doctor. “It’s a good thing I’m not a superstitious man. You’re lucky that your horse didn’t fall on you.” He patted his patient on her head and left to attend to another.
Molly was grateful for his reassurance but knew it was an act of mercy. It would have been much better if he had taken her seriously when she told him about her vision. But then again, maybe God had decided to test her faith with this incident instead.
She looked up at the sun and realized how late in the day it was getting. If only the doctor could see how dark it was outside; he’d know exactly why she was so late.
She stood up slowly and walked toward the door. When she reached the corner, she saw someone standing there waiting for her. The figure was cloaked by the shadow of the doorway; she couldn’t make out who it was.
For a moment she thought it might be one of the ranch hands or even one of the men from the town. But when the person moved forward into the light, she gasped. It wasn’t anyone from the ranch or the town. Instead, it was David Ralston.
He smiled as she approached him. His eyes were bright, almost glowing with excitement. He stepped aside to allow her entrance to the house, but she stopped short. Her heart began pounding wildly inside her chest, causing her throat to constrict painfully.
This time there was no doubt that Tom Ralston was in love with her. And now he wanted to marry her—in spite of her age and her profession.
For a second she considered running back to the barn, but he followed closely behind. When they reached the parlor where Molly waited for her appointment with Tom, David sat down next to her on the sofa. Before she could say anything, he asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” She forced herself to meet his gaze and keep eye contact. She hoped that her expression conveyed just how disturbed she was over their conversation. Then she remembered that he had seen her vision through his telescope. He must already suspect something was wrong.
“Well, I want you to know that I don’t think very highly of men who lie.” His tone became more serious. “And I think we both know that Tom is a liar.”
She nodded silently and watched his face turn solemn.
“You’re too old for me, Molly.”
The words echoed in her mind, bringing a cold chill to her skin.
David turned away, leaving her alone once again. After a few minutes, he returned with his hat in hand.
“Do you need my help?”
When she glanced up at him, her eyes met his. In that instant, she felt the familiar flutter in her stomach. Why did she feel drawn to him? Was it because he reminded her of Tom? Or perhaps it was because she still loved Tom and wanted him to return to her?
Whatever the reason, she found it impossible to deny that she liked David. As far as she could remember, she’d never desired any other man besides Tom. Yet here she was, thinking of David and wondering if it was possible to truly fall in love after years of marriage.
“No thanks, Doctor,” she finally replied. “But thank you for coming all the way out here today.”
After he left, Molly went to Tom’s study and sat down across from him. They hadn’t spoken since last night. Now that he was alone with her, he seemed nervous.
“I hope you understand that I can’t do this anymore,” she said quietly. “This has nothing to do with our marriage, and everything to do with me being a woman.”
Tom stared at her blankly without saying a word. Then he rose abruptly and walked over to the window. Molly knew he was angry and probably hurt too, but she couldn’t let him know how deeply she cared for him. Not yet anyway.
“Don’t worry about it, Molly. We’ve made peace with each other before. Just promise me you won’t leave. Please, I beg you—”
His voice trailed off as he gazed out the window. Finally, he faced her.
“What are you trying to tell me?”
Her reply came in a rush. “I’m pregnant.”
Silence filled the room until Tom spoke again. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m certain. How many times do I have to take my temperature every morning before you believe me?”
“Three times,” he muttered under his breath. Then he walked back to his desk and took a seat. He ran a finger along the edge of the desk. “Why didn’t you come to me sooner?”
“Because you told me not to tell you. You said your father would kill you if he ever learned what you were doing. What am I supposed to do now? Sit around and wait for the baby to arrive?”
A look of anguish crossed his features. “That’s not true, Molly.”
She shook her head sadly. “It is true. That’s why I’m telling you now. Because if I stay here, it will only cause you more trouble than good.”
As soon as she heard the door close, Molly hurried outside to the barn. It was a cool day, and she pulled the collar of her dress tighter against the wind. The first thing she needed to do was talk to Tom’s doctor friend. She might be able to convince him to go public with Tom’s affair. If they were lucky, they might even find evidence proving Tom’s infidelity.
***
Molly woke up with a start. A strange noise had woken her from sleep. Had she dreamed it or actually heard someone moving around in the house? With a glance toward the bedroom door, she slipped into the kitchen to check on Tom. Her heart sank when she saw that he wasn’t there.
When she opened the pantry door, she caught sight of an unfamiliar object lying on top of some canned goods. At first, she thought it was a knife, but then she realized it was a gun. Curious, she picked it up.
There was no doubt; it was Tom’s revolver. When she looked inside the chamber, she found three bullets. She frowned. Why had Tom brought his weapon home? And where was he now?
Then she remembered the note he’d left behind last night. He must have gone to see his mistress. Perhaps he planned to end their marriage by killing them both.
In a panic, she rushed upstairs and searched for signs that Tom had been there. Nothing seemed out of place except for one small item tucked between the bed and mattress. It was the envelope containing her wedding ring.
His wife must have taken it during the night. But why? Did she plan to pawn it? No, that was impossible. Whoever owned that jewelry store wouldn’t give her anything for such cheap metal.
With shaking hands, she retrieved the letter from his pocket and read it once again. She didn’t think much about it the first time she read it, but now she understood the meaning. This was his farewell. By the time he finished reading, Molly stood in shock, unable to move or speak.
The words kept ringing through her mind: “You’re mine, Molly. Don’t forget who you belong to.”
Was he referring to her? Or did he mean another woman? One whom he intended to marry someday—if he managed to get rid of her first?
After she finished reading, she returned the letter to his pocket. Then she gathered her things and locked the front door. Before leaving, she collected the key to the barn so she could tend to her horse. Once she got away from here, she decided she would never return. Not unless it was to retrieve something important.
But just before she turned to go, she stopped short. Where should she go? West Virginia? Back to Boston? Both sounded like great ideas, but neither would work. They weren’t practical, and she doubted anyone would help her.
So she had no choice but to ride west. To California. Surely there was a place for women like her there. Women who had suffered the worst kind of betrayal imaginable.
Before going downstairs to saddle her horse, she glanced at herself in the mirror. Was she really ready for this trip? Could she handle another round of humiliation and scorn? Would she be safe traveling alone? All these questions whirled through her mind until she couldn’t stand it anymore. She threw open the door and headed down the steps.
Outside, the air was crisp. As she rode along the dusty road, the sound of hooves echoed across the countryside. On impulse, she pulled the reins aside and let her mare walk beside a fence line. Just ahead sat a young man on a horse. For a moment, she froze, unsure whether to continue riding or stop. Shouldn’t she warn the boy about the outlaws?
If she did nothing, Tom’s gang might take notice. Maybe he knew how dangerous it was to travel alone. If not, maybe he hadn’t noticed any danger signs yet. But what if the bandits attacked while she was watching over him? How would she protect him?
All of a sudden, she felt sick to her stomach. Why was she even considering protecting the son of Tom’s murderer? Didn’t she want revenge enough already? What else could she hope to accomplish?
It took everything she had not to turn and flee back to the ranch house. Instead, she forced herself to continue forward. Soon the young man passed by, and she watched him disappear into the distance. Only after the echo of his galloping hoofs faded away did she feel safe enough to resume riding.
She had barely gotten out of town when she came upon two men on foot. Without hesitation, Molly swung off the mare and walked toward them. The older of the pair wore a gray suit jacket with black pants. His hair hung loosely around his head as if he had lost interest in caring for it.
“I’m looking for someone,” said Molly.
One of the younger men laughed. “No wonder you’re confused. We are the only people you’ll find walking on the road today.”
“Are you talking to me?” asked Molly. “Because I don’t know which way to go.”
He grinned. “That depends. Are you an honest woman trying to earn your living or a thief out to rob us blind?”
Molly glared at him. “What do you care anyway? You’re probably the same scoundrels who killed my husband.”
His expression changed. He pointed his gun at her. “Keep your mouth shut and hand over the money you stole from our boss.”
A bullet struck the ground next to her feet.
For a long moment, Molly stared at the stranger, too stunned to react. When she finally realized that he meant business, she looked up and saw another gunman aiming at her.
“Don’t make me kill her!” shouted the other man.
“Why shouldn’t we shoot her?” asked the older one.
“We won’t have anything left to steal.”
Molly backed away from him, keeping her eyes fixed on the man with the gun. “Do whatever you want,” she whispered. “Just leave me alone.”
The younger man lowered his weapon and motioned for Molly to follow. With each step, her heart pounded faster than ever.
When they reached the side of the road, Molly stopped and waited for them. After a few moments, he handed her a pistol and a knife.
“Try not to use either of these against us. Otherwise, you will die right here on this spot.”
As they started walking again, Molly held the gun in her shaking hands. Her gaze moved between the two gunmen and then back to the road behind her.
They soon entered a small settlement where several houses lined both sides of the street. It was a ghost town now, and most likely deserted except for their own band of robbers. Did they plan to attack some unsuspecting travelers? Or were they planning something more sinister?
After passing several buildings, the two men led Molly down a narrow alleyway. Then they pushed her into the corner of a building, leaving her alone in the darkness. No sooner had the door closed than a heavy object fell on top of her. Something hard pressed against her ribs, forcing her to gasp for breath.
Her attacker turned her over, pinning her arms under him. She struggled, but there wasn’t much strength in her wrists and ankles. The man’s face loomed close, and she screamed as loud as possible.
Someone stepped inside the room, and she heard the click of a match striking. A lamp lit, revealing the man’s features. Even though he didn’t look like the kind of person she wanted to see, she gasped. This time it was because she recognized him.
Tom!
***
“How’d you get out of jail so fast?” asked Molly.
“I told you before: I never got arrested.”
“Then why am I pinned under you?”
“You can thank me later.”
“Oh, yes—you always say that.”
Instead of answering, Tom let go of her. As he sat beside her, she rolled onto her stomach. Immediately, he pulled her free, throwing her across his lap. For a second, she thought about fighting him off, but instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“What happened to you?” she asked.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “There is no easy way to tell you this. Let me start by saying that I’ve been released from prison.”
“Where are you going?”
“To collect my things and try to figure out what I should do next.”
“So, you’re coming home?”
He shook his head. “Not yet. But maybe someday.”
“Did you meet someone while you were in prison?”
He hesitated. “Yes, and I need to talk to her.”
“Who is she? Where did you meet her?”
“Let’s just say I met someone who has helped me escape from certain death. And until I can decide whether to stay with her, I would prefer not to discuss it anymore.”
“But—”
“I promise, Molly, I’ll explain everything once we’re safely away from this place.”
Before she could respond, Tom stood up. “It looks as if everyone else has gone to bed. We might as well join them.”
She followed him to the front door and listened to him speak to the men outside. They agreed to keep watch over their prisoners overnight and warned them to be careful when crossing the street.
When the door opened, Tom took her hand. Together, they walked toward the street and then climbed onto a waiting wagon.
In less than an hour, they arrived at a house in a large city. By the time Tom unlocked the door, Molly’s legs felt wobbly. He helped her inside, and after locking the door behind them, he set the lantern on the table.
“Sit down,” he said. “Tell me how you ended up in a jailhouse.”
With her back pressed against the wall, Molly glanced at him. “That’s all right. You don’t have to answer any questions. Just take care of yourself and let me know where you plan to live.”
His brows knitted together, and his expression made her realize that he already knew exactly what had happened to her.
“Molly… What happened to your father?”
She sighed. “We never really saw eye-to-eye. I’m sure you noticed that during our meeting last week. So, one day I left home. When I came back, he had disappeared.”
“Are you sure he died?”
“Why do you ask such a thing? Of course, he’s dead!”
“If anyone knows where your family lives, it would be me. Can I help you find them?”
“No.”
“Is that a fact? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter anyway, since you aren’t coming with me.”
“Of course, I am!”
“You’re not.”
“Listen to me. I’m still in love with you, even if I haven’t shown it or acted on it. Don’t make me regret being honest with you. Please.”
For a moment, he stared at her. Then he reached for her hand and kissed it. His eyes glistened, and he seemed to struggle with himself. Finally, he spoke.
“I want to come with you. But I won’t leave without telling you something important.”
“Go ahead.”
“Don’t ever think I forgot about you, Molly. In fact, I spent every waking minute thinking about you.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Every night too.”
A lump formed in her throat. She didn’t want to believe him. “Just wait here for a few minutes.”
As soon as she stepped into the bedroom, she threw herself on the bed. It was so soft and comfortable; she couldn’t remember the last time she slept in a proper bed.
After dressing, she returned to the living room and found Tom sitting in the same chair. The lamp cast a warm glow over his face.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Now please tell me what happened to you.”
He nodded. “I owe you an explanation.”
“Please start from the beginning.”
Tom cleared his throat and began. “My name is Tom Walker. My mother was a seamstress, and I grew up in a small town near New Orleans.”
“New Orleans?” Molly gasped. “Then you must be related to Jefferson Davis.”
The president of the Confederate States of America.
He laughed. “Yes, we’re distant relatives. Maybe distant cousins were twice removed, but I doubt there is anything to worry about now.”
“How old were you when your family moved to Texas?”
“Ten years old. That’s when my mother remarried.”
“And your stepfather?”
“Gideon Fletcher.”
“Your new father sounds like a real prize. Did he abuse you?”
“Never. On the contrary, Gideon loved us both very much. After he retired, he became a minister, and he served several churches. Our family grew. First, there was Mary, who was only nine months younger than me. Then came John, Joseph, and finally, Susan. There was also a little boy named Peter. Sadly, he died before we moved away.”
“Did you have many friends?”
“Not as many as I should have. Most of the people in town thought I was odd because of the way I dressed and talked.” He paused and then added, “But you probably know by now that I can dress however I wish. And I’ve learned to talk just as I feel like talking. That’s why I don’t mind answering those annoying reporters’ questions anymore.”
“So you decided to run for office.”
“It was my idea. I wanted to give other young men a chance to change things. We could work toward building a better tomorrow instead of worrying about fighting wars between states.”
“What did your father say?”
“Nothing. As long as I stayed out of politics, he wasn’t concerned. I’m sure you understand.”
“Yes, I do. But why did you decide to stay out of politics?”
“Because I didn’t want to fight another war.”
“Wasn’t there some sort of compromise worked out after the Civil War ended?”
“There was. Sort of. But it was nothing more than a temporary truce, which meant we’d end up fighting again. Now I’m sure you know all this history, but I’ll explain it anyway.” He took a deep breath and continued.
“During the war, I was forced to enlist. At first, I hated it. But I got used to it and actually enjoyed serving my country. I made good friends among the soldiers. Some of them are still alive today.”
Molly nodded.
“One day while I was away at camp, one of our horses bolted and ran off. I rode hard after it until I caught up with it. By then, it had fallen and broken its leg.”
She glanced down at the floor and bit back tears. “That horse must have been very special to you.”
“Very.” He sighed and said sadly, “When I tried to put the animal down, someone shot me. When I woke up in the hospital, I knew right away who the shooter was.”
“Why?”
“His name is Frank Pembrook. He was a reporter. I met him during my campaign days and promised not to mention him if he left me alone. He never kept his promise. Every time I turned around, there he was, asking me to make public appearances or meet with him privately. One thing led to another and eventually, I agreed to go out with him. Well, the relationship turned ugly.”
“You mean…you broke up? Or—”
“Frank killed himself.”
“Oh!” Molly exclaimed. “Are you saying you think he might have done this because of something he wrote?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Do you know how Frank felt about you?”
“No, but I’m willing to bet he thought I was a coward.”
Molly shook her head. She didn’t believe that. “Don’t ever say that! You’re not a coward, no matter what anyone thinks.”
“Thank you, Miss Crayne. It’s nice to hear such words from an honest woman. I guess I should tell you that I’m also being accused of killing Frank.”
“You’re kidding!”
“No. The police found him dead in his house on the morning after I arrived here.”
“Oh my God,” Molly cried. “You poor man! How terrible for you!”
“If only I hadn’t gone out with him. If only I’d known…” His voice trailed off into silence.
Molly reached for his hand, squeezed it gently, and waited patiently for him to continue. Finally, she asked quietly, “Were you close?”
He shrugged. “We were friendly, that’s all. In fact, I was going to stop seeing him soon.”
“How did you find out about Frank’s death?”
“The police called me. They told me they suspected foul play, which is why I was brought here. Otherwise, they would have simply arrested me and let the courts sort things out later.”
“But why would Frank kill himself?”
“I couldn’t be certain, but I assumed he was murdered.”
“By whom?”
“Someone who didn’t approve of him writing about me.”
“And you don’t suspect any of the townspeople?”
“They haven’t even hinted at anything.”
“Then I suppose I need to ask myself: Who else has reason to hate you?”
“A lot of people. But I can’t see why anyone would want to harm me.”
“Could it have been someone outside the area? Someone you met when you traveled around campaigning?”
“Maybe.”
“Who are these people?”
“My enemies list is pretty long. And now that I’ve come here, I’m sure there will be new names added. This place isn’t exactly safe anymore.”
“But you won’t leave, will you? Not until I finish my job?”
“Not unless the sheriff decides otherwise.”
“Is that what happened? Did he arrest you?”
“Yes.”
“What does your lawyer have to say?”
“Nothing. He hasn’t bothered calling me.”
“So you just sit here waiting to be charged with murder?”
“Well, I could always try escaping.” He chuckled. “As if.”
“Where do you plan to escape to? There’s nowhere near enough money in your pocket to buy passage anywhere. No train stops here either. You could walk north through the woods—that’s if you knew where you were headed—but it’d take weeks.”
“I’ll figure something out. Just give me some time.”
“There’s nothing I can do to help you.”
“Actually, there is. Would you like to join me here for dinner tonight?”
Her brow furrowed as she studied his face. “What do you mean?”
“It’s the least I could offer since you’re helping me by keeping watch over me. What do you say?”
“All right. We can talk more then.”
“Great. Now I really must get back to work. Can we meet again tomorrow night?”
“Of course.”
The End