Boldly Chapter Nineteen

 Chapter Nineteen

I'll Always Be Here F' Ye

Lorna didn't get back to Keystone until late that afternoon. She rode in the back way, not wanting to see anyone. Mrs. Sullivan was waiting in the parlor when she walked in, concern written over her kindly face. Lorna shut the door slowly and leaned against it, looking straight ahead unseeingly with a set face. She didn't even notice Mrs. Sullivan until she stood and moved forward.

"Lorna, dearie, I'm so glad you're back. I was getting worried… I heard what happened and I…"

"Where is he?" Lorna interrupted quietly.

"I… I assume he's… in jail?" Mrs. Sullivan said the last words rather quietly, frowning tentatively. "It's… It's at the sheriff's office."

Lorna sighed and moved toward a chair. Sitting down, she buried her face in her hands and didn't move for what seemed a very long time. Mrs. Sullivan sat down again opposite, picking up her darning and fiddling with it, but not actually accomplishing anything. She never moved her eyes from Lorna as she waited nervously for the girl to speak. And at length, Lorna did. When she lifted her face, Mrs. Sullivan was surprised to see no trace of tears, for she had assumed the girl had been crying. But Lorna's face was grim and determined.

"I'll be in the kitchen," was all she said and she rose and walked out, leaving Mrs. Sullivan staring after her in astonishment. Lorna had been allowed free run of the kitchen ever since she had told Mrs. Sullivan, not more than a week after her arrival, how much she loved to cook. It had always made her feel better, happier and productive, she had said. And Mrs. Sullivan supposed that was what she was doing now, for she could hear the clatter of dishes. But she did not intrude. The girl needed to be alone. And so Mrs. Sullivan settled back into her chair and focused her mind on finishing her darning. But while she worked, she prayed. She was of the stock that believed firmly to "pray without ceasing" and she had found that it helped a great deal. Perhaps more than she even knew.

oOo

Lorna was indeed cooking and more than she usually did all at once. She was making another basket and this time, without American interference from Mrs. Sullivan. Had she thought about it, she probably would have added Mrs. Sullivan's American pies and breads and meats. But as it was, her mind was distracted. And so her hands simply did what they had been trained to do. Shortbread, colcannon, crowdie… bridies, scones, and no end of oatcakes. When Mrs. Sullivan came into the kitchen that evening, she found an abundance of leftovers and so treated her astonished boarders to an authentic Scottish meal.

Lorna packed her basket with as much as it could fit, annoyed to find that she could not keep her fingers from trembling. This horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach… would it ever go away? But she remembered, with a small measure of comfort, what she had been told when first she went through immigration on the shores of New York. Freedom and truth and justice prevailed here. Everything would come out right in the end. But still… she couldn't shake that feeling of dread.

When Lorna arrived at the sheriff's office, the deputy was in no good humor, having just had a rather long and frustrating argument with Hank Mulligan. Hank had stormed out just a few minutes before Lorna entered and the deputy growled at her, uncivilly.

"I've come t' see Jason McCulloch," she announced calmly. The deputy glared at her. He wasn't in the custom of allowing visitors into the jail at any time but there was a sudden flash of something in the green eyes that quailed him and his refusal stopped in his throat.

"Back there," he muttered, motioning with a jerk of his thumb toward the door at the back of the office. Western law facilities weren't much… the sheriff often lived in the same building where the office and, consequently, the one or two jail cells were located. And the room at the back of the office was the only jail Keystone had to boast of. In fact, the only jail for fifty miles around.

Walking into that jail was somehow… one of the hardest things Lorna felt that she had ever done. It had been hard enough to see her father and Robbie die. And now, to see a dear friend… one who had saved her life, no less… behind bars… it was a terrible thing and Lorna quaked inwardly. Besides, he did say that he loved her. Even if she had refused him… and was certain she didn't love him in return… the very thought pained her.

He started when she slowly approached the barred door, his eyes wide with surprise. Lorna pressed her lips tightly together, holding back tears as she moved forward.

"Lorna! What are ya doin' here?"

"I came t'… bring ye these." she smiled wanly. "I dinna think I can get this basket t' fit through the bars."

"That doesn't matter," Jason grinned. "Shove 'em through one at a time. I don't need the basket."

Somewhat reassured by his seemingly-careless attitude toward the situation, she did so.

"Man, I remember some of this… from the picnic. Beans and bacon kin sure get dull. This is wonderful… thank ya, Lorna. Have ya seen Hank since this morning?"

"Nae. Was he here?"

"Yup." Jason laughed wryly. "Heard him yellin' at the deputy not more 'n a half hour ago. But he didn't come in here. Surprised the deputy let you in. There's somethin' funny about thet deputy…" he frowned suddenly. "Can't understand why. But I feel like I've somehow seen him before… before he came to Keystone, that is. He's only been here fer a year or so."

"Jason…" Lorna leaned forward and caught his hand through the bars. "I want ye t' ken… there's not much I can do, but I'll fight f' ye… if there's anything I can possibly do. I ken ye're innocent an' I'll tell them so. I'll even witness at th' trial. I can prove Slade was here in Keystone an'… I'd do anythin' f' ye Jason. Really, I would."

"Would you, Lorna?" He looked at her searchingly and she dropped her gaze, feeling the blood rush into her cheeks.

"Ye saved my life." she said softly. "An' ye've been kind t'me. I'm sorry that I canna… love ye… like ye want me to… I wish I could... but I canna. But I'll always be a friend t' ye, Jason. I'll always be here f' ye."

"Thank ya, Lorna… leannan."

The last word he said so softly that she thought she must have imagined it and she shivered involuntarily. It had been just exactly the same way that Robbie had always said it… "Lorna leannan. Lorna, sweetheart."