Katherine

She felt my head and smiled at me again. "You'll be right as rain in no time! Don't you worry. That man has gone on back home it seems like and won't be troubling you any more. You have family somewhere? Fine lady like you must have kin you can write to?"

I managed a smile. "I'm no lady, I'm a farm girl," I told her, then decided on a version of the truth. "Didn't stop a lord from deciding he wanted me though and taking me away from my family. My father couldn't say no... wouldn't have if he could have. They didn't know what kind of man he was, that's why I ran this direction. Away from him and them, they'd only hand me back over."

"Oh, that's just a shame, that is," the woman said sadly. "That's just not right at all, but in this world we live in, sometimes we don't get to say no. I'm glad you were able to get away. You are welcome here as long as needs be! And if you truly are a farm girl, you'll fit right in! Sli could use some help with the chickens and the cows while Ben is gone! My ankle was broken when I was younger and never mended right, I don't get further than the front door."

"I'd be happy to help and I am grateful to both of you for keeping me safe while I recover," I told her with a tired smile.

"Of course! We'd do the same for anyone, we are just happy we could help. Slim's a firm believer in what goes around comes around, so he's always quick to lend a hand and do the right thing. So far it's done good by us, our crops have always done well and sold well, our animals never get sick even when others do. He swears by it, bein' a good person in this world brings grace down on ya."

I managed another smile, feeling like those would be wonderful words to live by. I hoped they were true words. I hoped they weren't tricking me somehow and just keeping me from James so they could sell me to Lord Ellingcort themselves.

Two days later, I was able to get up out of bed and walk around the small room. They moved me to the small second bedroom with a real bed in it and it was much more comfortable than the bench.

By the fourth day, I was able to go out and help with the chickens, smiling as I listened to Slim talk. He showed me where the cows were as well and by the next week, I felt whole again as I went out and milked cows and gathered eggs.

Slim and Liz treated me like I was their daughter, always nice to me, always happy and smiling. They were so refreshing to be around.

During the second week, I was sitting out on a hedge stump, watching the cows drinking at the pond, smiling happily and wondering how long I could stay in this peaceful place before someone found me.

I heard Slim coming up behind me and I smiled again. He loved having someone new to listen to all of his stories and I was happy to hear them.

"Hello wife."

I turned on the stump as I stood and looked up at the young man in shock. He was tall and broad and had an easy smile on his face with shining eyes full of mischief. I had no idea who he was.

"Well, look at you. I was afraid you'd be a fearsome creature, but I lucked out, didn't I?" he asked, still grinning, his eyes shining with mirth. "Still, a man usually gets to lay eyes on his wife before he gets told he has one."

"Ben!" I breathed, understanding him suddenly. I let out a shaky laugh, trying to settle my racing heart.

"You hopin' for someone more handsome?" he asked lightly. "Thought i would be more'n handsome enough for ya till I laid eyes on a, now I ain't so sure. Still, a man wants to hear his wife say he ain't ugly."

I laughed again, shaking my head. "Your mother said you had a wonderful sense of humor," I smiled, sitting back down to watch the cows again. It was almost time to call them back in.

"Sense of humor... is that a way of sayin' I'm ugly? Like sayin a girl is very nice when you can't quite say she's pretty without lyin?"

I laughed again. "I am sure you know exactly how handsome you are, Ben, your mother has told me all about you and the girls you have chasing you from town."

"But a man wants to hear his wife say it," he teased, sitting down next to me on the stump.

"I bet Liz was excited to see you home," I smiled, thinking of the woman and how she had stared watching the road constantly for him.

"Ma hardly let me out of a hug long enough to inform me I was a married man," he laughed. "She also informed me that your name was Beth, but you might not readily answer to it? As your husband, I demand to know what that is about," he demanded teasingly.

I found myself giggling, his good nature washing away all of my wariness. "Slim is out at the old cottonwood," I told him. "He's trying to see how to best fell it alone."

"Is he now? I guess I should go and let him know he won't be needing to do that. Should I come back for the cows? Ma said you've been doing a fine job of it."

"I have them," I nodded, smiling back at him. "And I will feed the chickens once I am done milking."

"I feel incredibly lucky!" he called with another laugh. "A wife who is both beautiful and industrious!"

I grinned as I turned back to the cows, my heart a lot lighter.

I didn't even mind moving back to the little bench with the pallet that night. It was far too happy an occasion as we sat around and listened to Ben talk about his trip and how many men it took to lift the bell off the wagon and how it broke the first pulleys they had set up. Ben told the story in such a way that he had them all laughing all through dinner.

Before going to bed, he paused above her, grinning. "G'night wife."

I laughed at him, but slept lightly that night, for once not fearing anything at all since the night I had first run.

The days passed slowly and they were pleasant days. Ben always teased me and called me 'wife', but he never pressed anything or tried to take it further. I was prepared to leave the moment he did, but he left it to teasing and nothing more. I began feeling like part of the family, happy to help and do my part and they all treated me like I was family.

The winter got cold and kept us all inside more often, but they never lost their good humor. It was pleasant being around people who were so happy and joyous.

Christmas morning came and I hadn't expected that anyone got anyone anything. How could they? Only ben went into town, and he'd only done it twice since he'd been home. I certainly hadn't gotten anyone anything.

I was surprised when Ben put a package on my lap that morning. "Happy Christmas, wife," he grinned, giving me a wink before handing his parents smaller packages.

I stared down at the paper wrapped present in shock. "But I didn't get you anything!"

"It's enough for me that I have such a lovely bride!"

I laughed and threw my pillow at him as I sat up and turned to put my feet under me. Opening the paper, I stared down at the sketchbook and pencils, my eyes filling with tears. "I... Thank you! Thank you so much! How did you even know?"

He only laughed and shrugged. "A man should know everything about his wife, shouldn't he?"

I didn't understand it. I had never mentioned that I loved to draw and my sketchbook and pencils had been left behind at the river. How did he know?

I wiped my tears away and jumped up. "I will go do the milking!" I called breathlessly, then rushed out to the barn so I could cry without them seeing me. I didn't know why I was so emotional over some paper and pencils!

I was milking the second cow when Ben slipped in the door and sat down behind me to milk the next one. When he spoke, there was no teasing in his tone.

"Last time in town... there was a notice up. A girl, a drawing of you. Katherine by name... said you might go by another name, but you loved to draw and sketch. A reward was being offered."

"Are... you going to turn me in?" I asked fearfully.

He chuckled. "Why would I want to go and do that? Lose my lovely wife? If I were going to turn her in, would I have gotten her a gift and kept quiet over it this past month?"

I wiped away more tears. "Thank you, Ben," I sobbed, unable to control my emotions. "I'm sorry, I have no gift for you."

"I would ask a single gift," he said after a moment, the joking gone from his voice again.

"Name it," I answered, trying to smile again. I was fairly certain he was about to ask me to make him some more honey cakes.

"A kiss?" he asked, turning to look at me over his shoulder.

I froze and looked back at him, alarmed. A kiss? I felt my face heating as his eyes searched mine a moment, then he leaned closer, closing the distance and pressed his lips to mine. I didn't move, I sat there completely paralyzed and let him kiss me. When he pulled back and opened his eyes, his look was so full of hope.

I turned back to my milking quickly, my heart hammering in my chest.

He said nothing more about it that day, or even the next, but his teasing was much less than it had been. He no longer said 'wife' in a joking manner. It held a reverence to it when he spoke it. What was worse, Liz began giving me knowing smiles and speculative looks that meant she knew how her son felt.

When spring finally came, I felt like I should be moving on. I should leave and keep riding further west.

Every day I woke up, wondering if this should be the day I say goodbye. There always seemed to be a reason not to.

I was helping Liz in the house one morning, pulling the mattresses off the ebds to air out for the day when Slim came rushing in.

"Hide'r! Get her in the back!"

I didn't question or wait, I ducked into Ben's room and rolled under his bed, panting fearfully as I listened.

It was Ben's voice I heard first. "...told you last fall from what I understand. There's no one here."

"I was told the only new girl in these parts was your new wife," came the return. I recognized James' voice. "I did not see her when I passed through last time, I wanted to meet her."

"She came down from Jericho with him," Liz told James. "She didn't much like it here and went back home up to Jericho."

"Did she now? That is a small bed there, suited to a small young woman. And that sketch hanging there... it surely looks like something my Katherine would draw. Katherine! Come out now! If you make me come and find you, you WILL pay!"

"Here now! There's no call for..." Slim began.

The sound of a sword being drawn made everyone go quiet.

"Now," James spat angrily. "Katherine! You will come out now, or I will dispatch each of these creatures in turn!"

Horrified, I rolled out from under the bed and got up, stepping into the kitchen slowly. Slim had a circle of blood on his arm where he'd been jabbed with the rapier in James' hand.

"And there she is," James sneered acidly. "Look at you! Filthy and your dress in rags! Do you know the problems you have cause me, girl?" he demanded, stepping closer and backhanding me hard enough to sent me to the floor.

"DON'T," Ben screamed, stepping closer.

James spun, putting the point of his sword to Bens neck.

"Don't, please!" I pleaded. "Don't hurt them! I lied to them! They didn't know, please!"

James looked up at Ben, his smile wicked as his eyes calculated. "You LOVE her," he laughed incredulously. "Did you know that, my Katherine? Did you know this dirty farm boy was in love with you?"

"He loves me like a sister and they love me like a daughter. I will go back with you, James, just please leave them out of this!"

"I think not. They lied to me, to my face. Do you know what I would like, Katherine?"

"Please, I'll do whatever you ask, just away from here. Away from these good people."

"Come over here. Get up on that chair and bend over the table. Pull your skirts up. Do it, Katherine, NOW! You. Fuck her," he demanded of Ben.

I was sobbing into the table as I gripped the edge.

"I won't do that," Ben growled down to the shorter man.

"You will. A fool can see you want to. Go fuck her or your mother loses an eye. If you still balk, she will lose the other, then your father will lose both of his."

Ben's hands made fists as he obviously weighed his chances, then he moved, stepping behind me. He started untying his belt, then let his pants drop before patting my bare hip reassuringly. His hands went to the edge of the table as he moved closer, his hard cock pressing against my exposed womanhood. I let out a cry of terror and humiliation, then fear as I was suddenly moving.

Ben was shoving the table hard and fast with a roar of rage as he pinned James to the wall with it. He yanked me back off the table, dropping me gently before turning and ramming the table with his shoulder, making James scream again as he tried to free himself from the table with fumbling hands.

Slim yanked up the dropped blade and shoved it through James' eye, and James went still, slumping over the table that was almost cutting him in half.

I was sobbing hysterically as ben spun and dropped down next to me, fixing my skirt before fixing his own pants. "You're just fine now," he murmured, grabbing a blanket off my bed to wrap around me before picking me up. "You're just fine," he whispered, carrying me back to his room and his bed. "You're fine now, look at me, little wife. That man was never here. You never saw a thing. Calm yourself. I'm going to go help clean up in there and no one will ever speak of it again. He was never here. No one will ever find you here. Do you understand?"

I managed a nod, but I knew he was wrong. He was still looking and that meant Lord Ellingcort was still making him look for me. It was Lord Ellingcort who was offering the reward. Him who had set James after me. I had to get away from Ben and his parents! I couldn't let them get hurt because of me!

Ben stood and hurried out front and I could only tremble. I could hear them whispering and talking and moving things, but I couldn't focus.

Ben had just killed a man.

For me.

He had used a table and almost cut James in half.

What sort of anger and strength was in a man who could do that?

The sort of anger that came from someone he loved being threatened.

I couldn't let him love me, I was too dangerous to be loved. Lord Ellingcort would have more people out looking for me, more people like James.

I was putting people I cared about in danger by staying here.

Liz came in to get me after an hour or so, leading me back out to my bench to sit near the fire. The table was back in place, but there was a small notch in the side and a chunk of the wall missing where Ben had rammed the table into it. I could also see stains of blood on the floor and the edge of the table. I tried not to stare at them too closely as I looked at the fire with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Don't you be sorry! That monster got what was comin' to him, treating a girl that way! What sort of mann even... never you mind any of it. Just forget it happened at all. The men, they are out felling a tree. That's all you know, you understand?"

I nodded quickly, wondering where they were burying the body.

James was dead.

I shuddered, trying not to think of what he had done to me. I should count myself lucky that I had not gotten with child.

Why wouldn't Lord Ellingcort just let me go? Maybe I should just go back to him and just be done with it. Let him kill me if that was what he meant to do. No one else would be in danger if I was in his possession.

"I need to walk," I whispered to Liz as I stood. "I will go and milk the cows and let them into the lower pasture."

"Girl, you..."

"I need to do something besides think about it," I told her quickly. "I need my hands to be busy!"

She nodded, but she looked worried.

I went outside and straight to the barn, peeking back as I went in. Liz was watching me from the door. I shook as I saddled my horse, then led her out the back side of the barn, forcing her to drop her head down to fit through. Tying her off to the post, I went back in and moved the other saddle, hiding it under the manure pile before hurrying back out and mounting my horse.

I took off at a run, knowing there was no way Liz wasn't going to see me. The upside was that she couldn't leave to get the men, she'd have to wait until they came back. It would take them a while longer to find the other saddle. I hoped I could be long gone before they even got back to the house.

I rode through the town with my head down at a slow trot. Not remarkable, just a farm girl with something to do. As soon as I cleared town, I rode hard again for as long as I could. I made the next town that night and I decided as soon as I saw it to take the south road instead of continuing straight. I began doing that at each town I came to with a crossroads. I would flip a coin and go either south or west.

When I was so tired I knew I had to stop or go insane, I took an east road to the next town. It was small and didn't look entirely promising, but I needed to stop for at least a day and sleep in a bed. At least ask after work and see if it was viable.

The innkeeper scowled at me when I asked for a room and his scowl deepened when I asked if there was work to be had. "I'll ask around," he answered finally. "Last room on the end is all I got left. Small but so're you."

I nodded with a tired sigh and went up to the small room, passing out on the cot immediately.

I woke late in the morning with no real way to know what time it was with no window. I only knew it was late because I could hear people below me in the inn, talking and eating. Yawning, I got up and tried to finger comb my hair and tie it back, then went to the door.

It wouldn't open.

I turned the knob, but it was locked from the other side some other way.

Panicking, I pounded on the door and screamed, then stomped on the floor as I kept screaming for help.

The door jerked open and the huge innkeeper stood there, glaring down at me. "You shut your damned mouth, girl. Eat," he demanded, dropping a plate on the single small table. "Sent someone off to see about your reward first thing. Think I didn't see who you was straight off? Think some dirt and old clothes'd fool me? You stay here and stay quiet or I tie you up. You hear, girl?"

I deflated, then nodded. "Yes sir... sir?"

"What?" he demanded.

"May I have some water to wash with, please? A brush for my hair?"

He scowled, but gave her a curt nod before shutting the door and locking it again. A woman brought up a bowl of water and a brush and another woman brought her a clean dress. That evening, another meal was brought up to her.

"Miss?" she asked the woman quickly before she could leave. "Could you ask the man if I could just come downstairs? I wouldn't try to leave, this room is just small and cramped and it will be days before anyone comes for me. I would even help cook and clean if he wanted. Anything but just sitting here being afraid."

"I'll ask," the girl nodded, then locked the door quickly

No one came back and I let out a dismal sigh as I laid down.

The innkeeper opened the door in the morning and looked me over. "You try and take off, I'll hobble you," he snarled, moving out of the door so I could come out.

I nodded and stepped out, then followed him down the stairs. He put me on a tall chair behind the bar and wouldn't let me help with anything, but he proudly told everyone who asked who I was and the reward he was going to get for me. I was a trophy. Something he could show off.

Still, it was better than being trapped in the room as people talked to me and asked me questions. The innkeeper, whose name I discovered was Joel, wouldn't let me say anything bad about Lord Ellingcort or try to plead my case. I could talk all I wanted, so long as I wasn't asking for help.

Four long days passed before two men showed up. They were some sort of personal guard so far as I could determine. They both took a single look at me and nodded to the innkeeper and paid him before one led me out to a carriage and got in with me.