In His Eyes(96)

Ella turned her face into him and sobbed. “I’m sorry. It’s just so hard when he is the one I can see and touch every day.”

“Love me first, Ella.”

She clung to him. “I’m sorry.”

He stroked her hair. “I love you, and I am with you always.”

“Help me to love you first, and from that love have the ability to love others as you love me.”

He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “What will you do if he never loves you?”

“I will hurt,” she whispered, “but I will love you, and you will be enough.”

He kissed her forehead and drew her close. “Love me first, and never forget that my love is perfect. It casts out all fear.”

Ella snuggled closer, drifting into a peaceful slumber that allowed her soul to find rest. How long she stayed there with him, she did not know.

She awoke with a start when Lee cried. Her eyes flew open, met with the dismal jail cell once again. Murky gray light crept over the darkness, giving her just enough illumination to see that Sibby rose from her place on the other side of the room and moved to take Lee.

Without a word, Ella handed him over and stretched her arms over her head and then arched her back. Her muscles protested every move. How many more nights would she be able to sleep this way?

Lord, I really could use some help with this.

She stepped over to the bars, grasping the cold metal in her hands. “Where do you suppose they are keeping the others?”

Sibby grunted. “How would I be knowin’ that? You think they gonna tell me?”

Ella drew breath through her nose and let it out of her mouth. Patience. A harsh word would only stir up anger. “I think this used to be a vault of some kind for the bank.”

Sibby didn’t respond.

Ella turned and tried to study her in the dark. “Is it true?”

“How you think I know that? I ain’t never been in no bank.”

“That’s not what I meant, Sibby. You know what I’m talking about.”

“What?”

Ella unwound the tension in her jaw and tried to keep her voice even. “Is what he said about the smuggling true?”

It was quiet so long that Ella didn’t think Sibby was going to answer. A noise came from the other side of the door just outside a small vestibule beyond the bars. Ella frowned and turned her ear toward it.

“Miss Ella, you is just not goin’ to understand—”

“Shhh!” Ella waved her hand behind her.

“Now look here, you is the one that done asked—”

“Hush, Sibby! I hear something.”

Sibby quieted and Ella pushed her face against the bars, straining her ears. A man’s voice came from somewhere beyond the heavy oak door that separated the vault area from the rest of the bank.

“What is it?”

“Shhh,” Ella hissed. “I can’t hear when you keep talking.”

Sibby huffed, but didn’t say another word. The sounds on the other side of the door grew louder. It sounded like men arguing. Then something hit up against the door. Ella jumped and stepped away from the bars, her hand flying to her heart.

The door swung open, banging against the stone wall and flooding the room with light. Ella blinked as two forms plunged through the doorway and fell to the floor. They rolled, fists swinging. Ella squinted, but could not make out the identity of either man as they tangled together. One of them landed a punch to the other’s face. He roared with pain. Then he snatched the one who had punched him to his feet. That man, the larger of the two, swung a fist that landed squarely in the other man’s gut. The fellow doubled over as the breath went out of him.

“Enough!” the larger man bellowed, grabbing his opponent by the shoulder and putting him against the wall. “Now where is my wife?”

Westley! She pushed up against the bars and thrust her arm through. “Westley!”

He dropped the other man to the floor and spun around. “Ella!” In two strides he reached her, grabbing her hand and squeezing her fingers. “Are you well?” His gaze roamed over her tear-streaked face, disheveled hair, and dirty dress. His voice deepened and barely controlled rage boiled behind his eyes. “What have they done to you?”

Her heart fluttered at the desperation with which this warrior had come for her. She stared at him, unable to get her foggy mind to garner a response.

“Ella,” his voice softened. “How long have they kept you prisoner?”

“She ain’t no prisoner,” Sibby said with a grunt.

Westley stepped closer. “Then explain to me why she is in a cell.”

Sibby sighed. “Here, Miss Ella. He done eatin’.”

Ella bent and took Lee from Sibby, turning away as the woman fastened her blouse and came to her feet. Ella wrapped Lee tightly in his blanket and came back to the bars. She looked down at the man who groaned on the floor.

“He lets me out whenever I need it,” Ella said, gesturing to the man who must be the soldier they had left on guard.

As her eyes adjusted to the light, Ella could make out Westley’s face as he scowled. “I need you to make more sense, Ella.”

“They arrested me,” Sibby answered, coming to stand by the bars. “They done locked me in here. She in here ’cause of the baby.”