Gray Skies

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Whiskey

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Whiskey

                “Papa, I’m going to go find him,” Jessica told her father defiantly. “He rode toward town and I intend to make sure he’s okay.”

                “You heard him, Jessica, he said to stay away from him,” Fred countered. “And I want you to do just that until we find out what’s going on inside his head. I will take Benjamin into town and see to Matthew. You will stay here.”

                “Papa, Benjamin deserved what he got from Matthew, as terrible as it was,” Jessica rushed to defend Matthew and Benjamin grumbled and glared as he stood up and brushed off his pants.

                “I beg to differ—“ he began, swiping blood from his lip.

                Fred glared at him and had Benjamin’s mouth snapping shut, “You dared to lay hands on my daughter and call her a foul name. You will be speaking to the sheriff when we do arrive in town.”

                Benjamin seemed upset by this development but in too much pain to offer much in the way of argument.

                “Papa, I’m coming,” Jessica spoke up, finding that it was difficult. She had always prided herself on being an obedient daughter and minding her father’s wishes, but just now she was more concerned about Matthew than her father.

                Matthew had a kind and caring soul. They had spent hours each night talking, laughing and getting to know one another. She was not bothered by his attack on Benjamin however the ferocity of it startled her a little. It had seemed almost as if Matthew had been seeing someone else’s face when he’d been beating Benjamin’s.

                And then there was the look in his eyes as he’d pulled away from her and ran. It had been a look of pain, disgust and sadness so profound that it tore at Jessica’s heart.

                She cared about Matthew, truthfully she loved him and had fallen deeply over the time he had spent here with her and her father.

                “Jessica Bailey—“ her father began but Jessica stood her ground and met his eyes pleadingly.

                “I love him, papa. Something is wrong and I want to help him. He won’t hurt me.”

                “You can’t be sure of that,” Fred countered, glancing at Benjamin’s bloody face.

                Jessica nodded and laid her hand on her father’s arm, “Yes I can. He won’t hurt me, papa. He loves me too, I just know he does. I can help him if you’ll let me.”

                He wanted to argue, Jessica could tell but then, after a moment, he nodded and offered her a faint smile, “You are so much like your mother. You see a bird on a cliff with a broken wing and while the whole world shouts at you to leave it be you shake your head and climb on that cliff after it. Go ready two horses and bring a bit of extra rope for our guest.”