Free Hope Rekindled by Tracie Peterson Page A

them to the far end of the store, catching her skirt for a moment on a rough spot on the wood floor.
    “Oh bother.” She tugged the material loose, not at all mindful of its delicacy. She pulled Deborah behind a stack of barrels. “Stuart is livid. He apparently had a falling out with G.W.”
    “I know about it. G.W. asked Stuart to let Vandermark Logging out of the contract since they aren’t moving ahead to rebuild.”
    “But now Stuart has decided he will rebuild. He figures if he’s rebuilding and your family files for breach of contract, he can get a judge to rule in his favor because . . . well, something about there being a tangible effort to rectify the situation.” Jael rolled her eyes. “It was all rather muffled as I was eavesdropping on Stuart and my father.”
    “So he plans to rebuild?” Deborah questioned. “That’s wonderful news.”
    Jael shook her head. “I don’t trust Stuart to be doing a good thing in this matter. The man still hates you and your family. He even threatened you.”
    Deborah looked at Jael and shook her head. “What in the world are you saying?”
    “I told Stuart that I wanted a divorce. He refused, of course, though I can’t imagine why at this point. He has all that he wants—his inheritance, the ability to hurt Lizzie and your family. He’s extremely wealthy. Anyway, when I mentioned that I wanted a divorce, he told me no. Then he added that if I dared to try to leave him or divorce him, he’d make you pay—with your life.” Jael reached out and took hold of Deborah’s arm. “He means it, too.”
    “I’m not afraid of Stuart Albright,” Deborah replied. How dare he deliver such a threat!
    “Perhaps you should be. Stuart made some comment about having killed before. I don’t know exactly what it was all about, and he certainly offered no details, but Deborah—I’m scared of what he might do.”
    Deborah felt her brows knit together. “He boasted of killing?”
    Jael nodded and glanced around to be sure no one could overhear. “When I asked him if could really kill another person, he said it wouldn’t be the first time or the last. It might well have been nothing but lies—just words spoken in anger to frighten me.”
    Deborah shivered as if a sudden icy breeze had blown into the store. “What an evil man.”
    “I fear if I do not stay with him and cooperate fully, he will carry through his plans to harm you. I couldn’t bear it if that happened.”
    “But if you left him, where would you go? Were you planning to leave Perkinsville?”
    Jael looked toward the floor, then back to Deborah. “I thought I might stay a while with you.”
    Deborah could see what her friend had in mind. “Of course you would be welcomed. You needn’t stay with him because of his threats. I’ll let G.W. and Uncle Arjan know. Christopher, too, when he returns. Perhaps they will speak to the constable.”
    “Stuart probably has the man paid off. I wouldn’t trust anyone but family at this point. Have you heard from Christopher? Do you know when he’ll be back?”
    “There was a brief telegram. He said he’d arrived safely and that his parents’ home had been destroyed by fire, but little else. Certainly nothing about when he planned to return.” She shrugged. “I suppose he will have to see them moved to new lodgings before he can leave.”
    “Stuart talked of us moving back to Houston, at least for the summer. He has no desire to be here, where he believes there is a greater chance of disease breaking out. I’m not sure why he believes this, but I think it would be good to get him away from here and your family. Especially from you. He still blames you for taking Lizzie from him.”
    At this, Jael’s expression changed to one of betrayal and hurt. Deborah wanted to comfort her but didn’t know what to say. Jael continued, however, before Deborah could offer so much as a single word.
    “I knew he didn’t love me when we married. I didn’t love him,