Eloise

I tried to scream again as the preacher opened his bible and started talking. He ignored me, like everyone but Gene did. Gene sat down next to me on the bed and held my hand, though I had no circulation in my hand and could hardly feel it.

"I do," Gene spoke up over my sobs.

"She does too, I give my blessing," Papa spoke up quickly.

Gene bent enough to touch his lips to mine, then he was being helped up and I was being untied.

"Help her with the bedpan, then untie her and give her all of this," Papa told the stranger. I have to get Gene back to docs and get back to my shop and open it before Faust wakes up. Make sure every drop goes down her throat! And don't leave her untied, just loosen them a little, you hear me? Do NOT let her get away."

"I understand," the man agreed as everyone but him left.

The man untied my feet, then lifted me enough to put a bedpan under me before loosening my hands and untying the gag.

"Please!" I rasped, trying to turn away from the vial of liquid.

"Don't!" he growled, gripping my cheeks and forcing my mouth open before pouring the liquid in. I tried to cough it out, but he slapped a hand over my mouth and held it until I was forced to swallow so I could breathe.

When he finally let go, I let out another cry. "Please help me! We have money, I can pay you, please! If you get Ben, we can..."

"Shut up! Do you want this water or not?" he demanded heatedly, his face red. Tipping the cup to my lips, it was swallow or choke, but I was grateful for the drink.

As soon as I'd had a few swallows, he shoved the cloth back in and tied the gag in place, though not as tight. When he stood and started cleaning the blood off my leg, I was already feeling sleepy and by the time he was done, I was out completely.

Opening my eyes, it was dark again. The room was dark and there were no lines of light like there had been that morning.

I mewled into my gag, shifting and sobbing as I tried to move.

"She's awake!" someone whispered in the darkness.

"Sit'r up and feed'r some, then I have more of that stuff that'll put her back to sleep. We need her out until he leaves town," Joseph answered.

"He said he wouldn't," the stranger answered, moving close to pull my gag out. "Said he wouldn't go till he found her. Said he knew she was here somewhere and he'd find her."

"Let him look. He won't find her here."

I knew where I was then. I was in the old coal shed next to the blacksmiths. They'd put a bed inside of it and blocked off half of it so it looked like it was still full of coal, but I was behind the false wall. If Ben opened the door, it would just look like a coal shed full of coal and that's all. He probably already opened it to have a look.

When the stranger tried to press food to my mouth, I turned away, trying to work my jaw. Instead, he pressed a cup to my lips and I drank the water thirstily.

"Drink this now too," he told me softly, pressing a bottle to my mouth. "All of it, don't make me have to force it, I don't want to hurt you, El."

Did I know him? I tried to think of his face, then realized I did know him. He was Gene's younger cousin, a young man now though he'd been years behind me in school.

I was so preoccupied in thought, I swallowed convulsively as he tipped the bottle up.

"Good. Good girl. Now try'n eat somethin' before you nod off," he insisted, pressing bread to my lips.

"I'm not hungry. Please, Hugh, you know this is wrong! Can't you please..."

"Shut her up!" Joseph hissed.

"Stay quiet or I put the gag back," Hugh threatened. "Eat this!"

The bread was shoved into my mouth and I tried to chew it as I lay there miserably. As soon as I swallowed I spoke again, already sleepy. "I can pay both of you? A lot. Enough to get away from this town."

"Go to sleep, El," Hugh demanded, pressing fingers to my lips, but not gagging me. "Not another sound."

He kept his fingers there until sleep rolled me again.

When I woke, it was to being jostled and voices.

"...can't do what he needs to, then we'll have to keep'r tied up longer," Papa was saying. "Just take off all'r clothes and look at'r and nature'll take over. Do what needs doin' quick and we can get ya both moved into the shop. I'll have to keep'r chained up there a month or so, likely, but once she gets with child she won't go nowhere. She'll be your wife as soon as you've had her and putting a baby in her belly will seal it up so she can't go nowhere no matter what."

"I'll do it," Gene gritted. "N'I'm capable most days, I just can't move like usual. I'll try. All of you get out. You too, Hugh, everyone out. I'll take care'a this part m'self."

"I cleaned her all up for you," Hugh told him from right next to me. "And she's awake now too. Should I put the gag back on her?"

"Why'd you take it off?" Papa snarled.

"It was cutting in and hurting her and she was asleep anyway. She couldn't yell out in her sleep. She looks like she's hurtin' now, like her head hurts and she cain't hardly open her eyes. She needs water too, and probably food."

"Later! Let Gene do what he needs to!" Papa growled, pulling Hugh out boldly as he glared at me.

Gene sat down on the edge of the bed, looking me over angrily. "Faust finally left this morning," he told me, his jaw still stiff. "Bought a horse and took off up the mountain looking for you. By the time he comes back around, we'll be full married. I aim ta have ya now, El. Take ya to my bed as my wife."

"Please don't," I whispered, tears in my eyes. "I'll say no to Ben, I wasn't sure about him anyway. I'll tell him no and stay here in town and let you court me like you wanted to... I'll even marry you the right way as long as you swear you'll never take me near papa again. I'll be a wife to you on your farm and take care of you in every way, just keep me away from papa and don't let him use me like he wants to. You keep me safe from him and I'll make you a happy man, Gene," I swore, pure hate in my heart for my father.

"How bout... how bout we seal the deal right now, me'n you, then I take you out to my place ta live? Away from your pa. You be a wife to me. Words've already been said, all that's left is us sharin' a bed. Me putin' a baby in your belly."

"You know I can't have kids," I told him quickly. "Papa knows it too, I know Sam told you. I..."

"I still gotta plant the seed," he told me quickly.

"I can tell them you did, we can both say you did, they never have to know!"

"I want to, El," he told me, scowling. "I want this. Even this way, I want it bad," he told me, pulling the blanket back and lifting my shift up to expose my sex.

"Gene, please!" I cried, terrified now.

"Stay quiet or I hafta tie you up again," he managed as he stood awkwardly and unfastened his pants. Letting them fall to his knees, he leaned over me, then moved to climb awkwardly between my legs. "Stay real quiet," he told me again, looking spooked as he trembled with effort. "I... I do love ya, El," he whispered, then pressed his hips against me awkwardly.

I felt his manhood poking and prodding against my pussy lips and he kept pushing his hips like he was trying to make things happen.

I wasn't about to tell him how to do it.

Growling, he moved awkwardly and stiffly and cut my left ankle free, then pulled it high so he could see. Turning, he cut my right ankle free, then pressed both of my legs high before almost laying on me and reaching down to guide his half hard cock against my mound.

"I love you, El," he whispered, his lips on my forehead. "I've always had feelin's for you. You were always the prettiest and sweetest girl and I wanted you. I thought if I had me a piece of land, I could ask you and you'd say yes, see I was a man who was worth it. I want you Eloise..." he grated through clenched teeth. "I love you." His cock was getting harder and the way he was trembling and holding himself, I knew he was in pain. He managed to find my entrance and try to push in, then immediately pulled back and tried again off to the side. After a moment, he reached down and felt around, searching and fumbling between my nether lips and finding my entrance. Grabbing his cock quickly he moved in again.

"Gene, please! You don't have to do this! I'll..." I began desperately, then he shoved his long, slender cock into me with a growl.

"El!" he panted wide eyed, going still. "That's... the most beautiful thing I've ever felt," he breathed, his eyes fluttering shut. He moved slightly, pulling back and pushing back in, then went still again as his cock swelled, then throbbed and spilled into me as he made a whimpering sound of bliss.'

That quickly, it was over as tears rolled down my temples.

Still shaking, he collapsed on top of me and moved down to look at me as his withering cock slid out. "I'll be a good husband," he promised.

"Ben is going to kill you," I promised him, unable to stop tears from falling.

"He won't even know you're still here in town. He thinks you took off. Half the town saw you riding away in the early morning like you were heading south to Livingston. You told Jeremiah you wanted to start over and you were afraid of Ben's temper. You won't be coming down from upstairs at the shop, El, not ever. Your pa already has a chain up there waiting for you."

"Ben will find me. Colt too, and Sam and all the others. You have no idea what family means to them and I am family."

"They won't find you," he shrugged, rolling to get up and pull his pants up. Blushing slightly, he twitched my shift down, looking down at the ground. ""Don't worry, El. I'll make you as happy as I can. I'm done!" he called a little more loudly.

Hugh hurried back in with a cup of water and helped me sip it while papa cut my hands free.

"Get her to the shop as quick as you can and chain her. Make sure the pin is in and use that tool to bend it good so she can't work it out. Hurry up!" he snapped at Hugh and Joseph who slipped in the door to haul me over his shoulder.

"You holler and I'll welt ya heel ta shoulder," Joseph threatened darkly. "Henry was my friend."

He took off at a fast, jarring pace as I worked my wrists, trying to get feeling back into them.

Would anyone see? Would anyone help me?I was too afraid to yell, I knew Joseph would do as he threatened and I wasn't sure anyone here would help me.

Once he got me upstairs, he dropped me roughly to the floor and wrapped the chain twice around my neck before putting a pin in it and using pliers to bend it so I couldn't move it.

"Ought to blister you up good fer what that snake did ta Gene," Joseph sneered as papa helped Gene up the stairs, Hugh right behind them to make sure he didn't fall.

"Get on dinner," papa called to me, scowling. "Everything is where it always was, hurry up," he demanded, helping Gene sit before hurrying back downstairs.

Joseph also left with a last glower at me and a nod at Gene.

Hugh stayed, watching me worriedly. After a moment, he spoke. "You need to do as he asks, El, or he'll have Joseph come back!"

Huffing, I turned away and limped to the stove to start a fire as I worked my hands. Maybe I could get at them with a knife? Hugh wasn't very big, he never was. Always a small and pretty boy, not tall like Gene. He got his mothers size and not his fathers who was as tall as Gene's father and Gene. Gene was hurt, so I might be able to take them both. The harder part would be getting past papa downstairs. No. The harder part would be trying to get free of the chain that was secured to the beam in the middle of the room. I wasn't strong enough to bend the pin straight. Only Joseph was and he'd taken the pliers with him.

"You should drink some more, El," Hugh called. "And get a bite or two in your stomach. You're shaking."

Maybe I could induce Hugh to help me. He seemed the nicest and most reasonable of all of them.

"Gene, you should take that medicine the doc gave ya to rest too," Hugh went on, speaking to Gene now.

"Leave it, Hugh, I want to be awake to watch her cook for me. Be a wife to me."

"You're in pain, anyone can see that. You're breathing too shallow and doc said not to do that."

"I'll be fine in a minute, I just need to rest a little. El will take care of me, won't you El?" Gene called softly.

I didn't answer him or look at him, trying to plan a way out of this. I'd take a look at how the chain was secured to the beam, see if I could pry it off or open somehow. Or maybe break the beam if it was old enough and not very strong anymore. Pull the nails out.

By the time supper was ready, Gene had fallen asleep and Hugh was watching me with huge eyes from the table.

"You want to take a plate down to papa?" I asked softly, not wanting to wake Gene.

"I can do that," he agreed quickly, jumping up and hurrying away with the plate.

I went to the beam and looked at the chain, but it was held in place with a padlock. I would need a key.

Hugh was back in moments, glancing at his still sleeping cousin before making himself and me a plate and sitting down. "Sit and eat, El, you haven't eaten in a couple days," he called softly.

I sat down and took a bite, but mostly I was buying time and trying to think of what to say to him.

Did he like me? Like Gene did? Is that why he was so solicitous and he'd stayed with me? Or was it because Gene told him to?

I could find out.

"Hugh?"

"Yeah, El?"

Can I tell you something?"

"Sure!"

"I never did intend to marry Ben. I was going to find reasons to put it off till I got back, if I went back. He wanted it, but I didn't. I don't want Gene either though, or to be near papa. Papa especially. They both have tempers and I want a man who's gentle and loving and kind. Soft spoken with a soft touch. That kind of man... if he'd take me away from here, get me away from papa... I would go south with him and find a new home. Marry him and make him happy. That's all I really want, to be happy. It was a hard life up there with so many angry men and trying to keep up with all the work, I never fit in. I wasn't as big as the other women and couldn't pull my fair share. They let me know it. That's the real reason I asked to come down and see mama before I said yes to Ben. I really was going to leave and go south. Maybe to a bigger city where I might find a man who could be gentle and good to me."

Hugh swallowed hard, glancing at Gene again as he ate. "You and Gene are married, El," he told me, not looking at me, his cheeks pink.

"I never said yes and that makes a difference. I could leave here and leave him and no one would ever know what he did. I could say I was married to someone else and no one would ever know I wasn't."

"How would that man know you wouldn't just run off first chance you got?" he asked, rolling his shoulders and blushing harder.

"If he's good and gentle... wanted to take care of me like I would want to take care of him, I wouldn't want to run off. It's what I want in a man. Especially if he's handsome and not so big that he makes me feel bad about how small I am. I'd like that in a man."

"How do I know you aren't just sayin' what I want to hear?" he asked, licking his lips hopefully.

"I'd be willing to prove it," I shrugged. "I'd do for him what I wouldn't for Gene and go to his bed willingly. Bind myself to him in my heart and say my vows to him."

"You would?" he asked, whispering now. "And you'd run away with no fuss?"

"Gladly. I'd be happy if I could just get away from papa and how he hits and yells all the time. If I could be with a fine man as well, a loving man who cared about me... I'd want to see him happy and pleased as well."

"You would? Truly?"

"I would," I agreed, getting up and going to him to sit on his knee.

His hands went around my waist quickly and he leaned in to kiss me, a small peck on the lips as if testing the waters. "I'd want that," he whispered, looking at Gene again. "Come on," he told me, getting up and leading me back to Sam's old room and guiding me to lay on the bed.

Immediately he poured water in the basin, then lifted the skirt of my shift enough to slide his hand up and wash between my legs. I blushed, but didn't pull away, since I wanted Gene's seed off of me and out of me.

Hugh didn't seem embarrassed at all anymore as he looked down at me in wonder. Tossing the cloth in the basin, he undid his pants and shoved them low before pulling me to the edge of the bed and hooking his arms under my legs.

That surprised me, that he'd obviously done this before when Gene obviously hadn't.

Looking down, he eased his cock into me, licking his lips as he let out a breath. "That's good, El," he breathed euphorically. "Really good. I'll go slow, try not to hurt you."

"I was married, Hugh, you won't hurt me," I promised. "You can go fast and hard, I like it that way."

"Yeah?" he asked, looking thrilled, then began moving more quickly as he gripped my hips.

I closed my eyes and tried to bring up the pleasure in it and ignore how sick I felt about doing this.

I WOULD get away.

Still, it did feel good. Hugh wasn't too long or too thick and his cock seemed to fit me perfectly as every thrust brought his hips to my ass.

"This is so good, El," he repeated, getting lost in it as he watched himself gliding into me. "I'm close! Should I shoot it on your belly?"

"No," I whispered, getting into it myself now. "I like the way it feels when you spend it inside me."

"Yeah? I like that!" he panted, gripping my hips harder, then ramming in with a grunt before his cock quivered and dumped his cum into me.

I let out a pleased moan, loving that feeling.

Moments later, as he eased out of me, I liked it less, but he quickly cleaned me off again, looking back at the closed door.

"That was perfect, El," he whispered. "I'll have to get the pliers from Joseph, or find another set. I can't bend the pin without them... I'm not even sure I can with them, but maybe I can get them to take the chain off you. Once I get you loose, we can leave? You and I? Go down to Hanover, maybe? I heard it was getting real big, it even has a steam engine stop there and tracks coming through."

"Hanover sounds perfect for us," I agreed quickly. "That was nice for me too, you feel good. Perfect for me."

"Yeah? I like that! We have to go back out before Gene wakes up or you pa comes to check on you."

I was sitting in mama's old chair across from Gene on the sofa bed mama used to sleep in, darning a pair of socks when Gene woke up.

"You fix supper?" he demanded, easing himself up.

"I did, but dinner's in the oven now and almost done," I told him coldly.

"I wanted to watch," he told me petulantly.

"You'll have to watch me being a slave to you another time," I told him.

"Don't be hateful, El. I just like the thought of you as my wife and I been waiting so long! Where's Hugh?"

"Papa called him down to help move something," I answered, then clenched my teeth, not intending to answer any more questions.

"How much longer left on dinner?" he asked, clutching his side and wincing.

I stared at the sock and rocked.

"El? How much longer? I want to take you back to our bed, it's in your old room. El? EL!"

I refused to answer

"I told you not to be hateful with me! This wasn't my plan but I'd rather it was me than Joseph who wanted ta get hands on ya ta punish ya worse than Henry ever would've! Yer pa thought you'd be more willin' to cooperate if it was me than him, and more able since Joseph wanted ta break your ankles ta keep ya from runnin' off. Burn the bottom of yer feet, brand ya with a hot iron'n more. Be glad it's me'n not him!"

"It wouldn't be so bad if we weren't here!" I told him, deciding to play that angle as well since Hugh wasn't here to hear me. "I hate papa and I don't want to be here! If we left, you took me to your place, I'd be more willing to cooperate with you and do as you want. It's being here with HIM that makes me want to get away, not you!"