Free The Escape by Susannah Calloway Page A

both you and your child. Think how beautiful you would look on my arm at society functions.” He smiled and there was a gleam in his eyes. “I’m not completely horrible looking, am I?”
    He paused as if waiting for an answer. When Betty didn’t respond, he continued. “I have real affection for you, Betty. As does Mother. She’s getting on in years, you know. So is your grandfather. They need you in Boston. Both of them do. They are so fond of you.”
    Betty’s lips trembled at the mention of her grandfather. But then she remembered his stubborn insistence that she marry Garrett, and a bit of backbone returned to her posture.
    “Think of your sisters. Little Emmalyn and Mae. They were just telling me how much they missed you. How they wanted to be with you when your baby is born.” He gave her a sorrowful glance. “It would be such a shame to deny them.”
    Betty did miss her younger sisters. She missed their silly giggles and their energy and their curiosity for life. She missed their Sunday afternoons together in Grandfather’s parlor—the board games they played and the poems they read. She missed hearing Mae pound out her scales on the piano and Emmalyn’s sweet voice as she sang to Mae’s sorry attempts at accompanying her.
    “Be reasonable, Betty. Come back with me. We can be married within the month, and we can both forget your foolishness in coming here.”
    His words slapped Betty back to her senses. “My foolishness ?” she repeated.
    “Yes, of course. We all know it was foolishness to tear off across the country. And for what? To visit your sister? We could have made arrangements for Louellen to visit you in Boston if it was so vitally important.”
    Betty gaped at him. Foolish to see my own sister? Yet that hadn’t been her compelling reason to come as she knew only too well. Dare she admit the real reason for her journey?
    Garrett shook his head with disdain. “Why would anyone come to this wasteland?”
    Betty staggered to her feet. “Why indeed?” she snapped. “Perhaps to escape your lewd advances!”
    His mouth dropped open. “What?” His face darkened and he stood, towering over her. “How dare you! I can stop your baby from getting anything! And the same with you! You will get nothing! No money at all! When you return, you’ll have nothing! You’ll be destitute. Do you hear me?”
    “Oh, I hear you all right. And it’s you who doesn’t understand. I don’t want to return. I don’t find you attractive. And I don’t want to be with you. You’re conniving, arrogant, and just plain mean ! My baby will have nothing to do with you!” Betty flinched, shocked at her own nerve, but she held her ground. And then, with a steel voice, she said, “I am never going back.”
    Garrett gave her such an incredulous look that in another time or world, she might have felt pity for him. But the notion fled when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her close. “We’ll see about that!”
    Just then, Lou burst through the door. “That’s enough! Let her go!” She dashed at Garrett, and he caught one of her arms with his free hand. “Let go of me!” Lou cried with rage.
    A horse and rider thundered near, dust flying over the porch. Betty and Lou and Garrett all stopped short and stared at the murderous face of Cole.
    Cole leapt from his horse and charged up the stairs.
    With a shocked look, Garrett quickly unloosed both Lou and Betty.
    “I’m going for Jude!” Lou cried, fleeing down the steps and running to the barn.
    Cole faced Garrett, his face full of threat. “You touch ‘em again, and you’re a goner. You hear me?”
    Garrett’s eye twitched, and he pulled at the hem of his jacket. “And who are you to be telling me what to do?”
    “Cole Bronson. And this here is my fiancé,” he said, pointing to Betty.
    Betty sucked air and stared at Cole, her pulse racing.
    “Your what ?” Garrett raged.
    “My fiancé. Now, get out o’ here.” Cole’s hands were fisted, and he took