Mail Order Bride and The Mix-up (A Western Romance Book)(COMPLETED)

Chapter 14

Ira wasn't worried when he didn't see Belle at the hotel. She had moved in with Anthony the day Gertrude left, so it made sense that he wouldn't see her here. That didn't stop him from hoping she might walk through the front door though. Every time it opened, he glanced in its direction. Every time heels clicked on the stairs, he turned to look. Every time, he was disappointed.

Steven stood nearby with his arms folded across his chest. "You should just go and talk to her," he said. "Tell her you're a fool and that you're sorry."

"I tried that already, remember? I apologized almost immediately. It didn't work."

"So? Try again."

Ira looked at him and drew in a breath. He still couldn't believe he'd confessed everything to him this morning, but he'd had no one else to talk to and had felt the pressure of his situation weighing on his chest. "I lied to her. She hates me."

"She hated you yesterday. Today she's woken up after, hopefully, a good night's sleep, and by now she's gotten her breakfast into her. In other words, she's had time to cool off. Go and find her. Beg for her forgiveness; if she says no, keep trying until you get it."

Ira pressed his lips together but felt his head begin to nod. Steven made a lot of sense. He had never taken "no" for an answer in his business dealings, why should he do so in matters of the heart?

"One day, you'll have to properly introduce me to this woman who's stolen your heart, for I never would have thought it possible. I suppose I can no longer call you a cynic of love. From now on I shall call you a cynic in love."

"And I shall call you a wise man if you get out of my way before I run you down."

Steven stepped aside, smiling, as Ira made his way around the counter and out of the hotel. He went to the only place Belle could be, prepared to do whatever it took to win back her heart. He prayed to God he hadn't lost it entirely.

He knocked on Anthony's door but received no answer. He knocked louder, and when there was still no answer he went to the sheriff's station. Though Belle had objected, the town's doctor had told Anthony he could return to work at his leisure, but that he ought to take it easy for a little while.

Anthony looked up when Ira walked into the station, a scowl already planting itself on his face before Ira had even spoken. One of the cells at the back of the room had a man in it. Ira could smell him from the door. The whiskey coming off the man's breath was wretched. Stanley was seated at his desk, fiddling with some paperwork. His was the only friendly face in the place.

Ira squinted and recognized the man in the cell as Lenny, the town drunk. He was harmless except for he got in people's ways when he began to stumble around. Occasionally, he'd lie out in the middle of the street and go to sleep thinking it was his bed. That was usually when he got himself locked up.

"What are you doing here?" Anthony asked Ira.

"Where's Belle?" Ira said, getting to the point. The way Anthony was looking at him, he assumed Belle had told him everything that had happened yesterday.

"She's not here," Anthony said. His eyes were set like two black rocks in his skull. Ira shivered under the man's gaze.

"Where is she?" Ira demanded. "I need to speak with her."

"She doesn't want to talk to you. She's done with you."

Ira's heart began to beat hard in his chest. "I know I messed up," he said, "but I love her. I might have lied about my name, but I never lied about how I felt."

Anthony just stared harder at him. The man was infuriating.

"Look, you're the one who told me to tell her the truth, so I did. You ought to be happy, not staring at me as though you'd like to put me in one of those cells."

Lenny laughed. "I wouldn't mind the company," he said. Ira ignored him.

"Don't you blame me for your mistakes," Anthony said. "I've got no idea what you said to Belle. I asked her, but she didn't want to talk about it. All I know is she was crying when she came home yesterday, and I know it was your fault."

Ira's breath caught in his throat. "She was crying?" he said. Anthony nodded. Ira tried to inhale and found it almost impossible to fill his lungs. They were too tight to allow the air in. "I told Belle who I am, that my name's Sullivan, not Barton. I told her the truth about everything, and I asked her to marry me."

Anthony's eyes widened. "You did that?'

Ira nodded and withdrew the ring from his pocket. He handed it to Anthony for examination.

Anthony shook his head. "Pretty ring," he said thoughtfully, handing it back to him. "Belle's gone. She left."

"Left? What do you mean she left?"

"As in left town. She's not in Mellow Pass anymore."

"When? Where did she go?" Ira said, panicking.

"I promised her I wouldn't say." Anthony sounded almost sorry for it, but there was also a strength in his voice which told Ira no matter how much he begged, he would be keeping his promise to his sister. Ira couldn't help begging anyway.

"Anthony, you've got to tell me. I don't just love Belle, I need her. I don't know what I'll do if I can't have her."

He saw the man give a little in his eyes, but it wasn't quite enough. "I'm sorry," Anthony said with a final shake of his head.

"I know where she went," Lenny said suddenly.

"Hush up now," Stanley barked, but Lenny went on.

"True love can't be stopped," Lenny said with drunken, misty eyes. "She came in here before she left, said she was going back home."

Ira looked at Anthony. "Angel's Reach?" he asked.

Anthony expelled a heavy sigh, his eyes wavering.

"You're not breaking any promises to her by saying so, you're merely confirming what Lenny said," Ira told him.

Anthony looked at Stanley, who shrugged, then pressed his lips together before nodding and saying, "She left before dawn. She'll probably arrive just after lunchtime."

Ira didn't wait to hear more, he knew everything he needed to know. He ran out of the station, intent on getting to Angel's Reach before the sunset. He would not let Belle get away.

*   *   *