Thomas’ nostrils flared in anger as Ian spoke about Rosaline.
“It’s not what you think Thomas. I don’t love her. I see her as a good friend.” He paused and looked Thomas straight in the eyes. “Even if she wasn’t married. She’s madly in love with you. Any fool can see that. She never even glanced in my direction whenever you were around. She only sees you, Thomas Stratton.”
Thomas relaxed and stared at Ian. Rosaline might have been right about him all along. There was something good in Ian Summers, even if he didn’t like the man. His heart began to race.Was it possible that Rosaline really did feel the same way that he did?He shook himself back to reality, this wasn’t the time to wonder about feelings, there would be time enough for that after they set her free.
“Will you help her then?” he asked.
To Ian’s credit, he looked like he was genuinely in anguish as he wrestled with the thought. “Where would I go and what would I do if Higgs goes to jail. I am hired help, I don’t have any other skills than doing Higgs's dirty work. I appear and disappear whenever he needs me to.”
Thomas saw an opening and took it. “From what I heard on the ranch you’re a fair hand with the animals. You could get honest work around here if you wanted to. You could even work for me if you wanted to stay.”
Ian seemed to consider the prospect for a moment or two then shook his head. “That’s only if we succeeded in putting them both behind bars. I’m sorry, it’s just too much of a gamble. I’ll lose everything I have, not to mention I’ll go to jail if I confess.”
“The Sheriff is a very good friend of mine,” Thomas attempted to convince him. “I’m sure we could find some way of getting you off the hook if you help us. The man practically helped raise me. The Gideons love Rosaline. If it’s to help her we have a very good chance of keeping you out of jail.”
Ian stood and lifted the kettle off the fire with a long stick. He walked into the tent and retrieved a satchel with cups, returning to the fire he poured them each a cup of coffee. “I know it’s hot out, but I’m sure we could both use a pick me up. I don’t have anything stronger, unfortunately.”
Thomas accepted the cup offered to him.
Ian took a sip. “There’s also the problem that if I speak out against them and the whole thing falls through, I’ll have to go into hiding for the rest of my life. They would hunt me down like a dog.”
Thomas searched for the words to try and convince this man. Rosaline’s worried face loomed in front of his mind as he slowly sipped his coffee to buy himself some time. Everything he loved and wanted depended on this one man helping him. He was asking someone else to risk their entire life to try to secure his own happiness.
In that moment something occurred to Thomas that hadn’t in a very long time. He couldn’t convince Ian on his own, he needed help.
For the first time since his wife had passed. Thomas prayed earnestly with all his heart and soul.Help me Lord, I can’t do this on my own. Give me the words to make this man understand. Show me the way to save Rosaline.
Thomas looked at Ian Summers over the rim of his metal coffee mug, lowering the cup he addressed Ian in an honest tone. “Have you ever been in love Ian?”
Ian shrugged.
“Then you haven't. When you love another person more than you love yourself, you know it. There is no doubt in your mind that that person means the world to you. So I won’t try and convince you by explaining how much Rosaline means to me. I will tell you that she means so much to me that I’m willing to do everything in my power to ensure that you come out the other side of this as a free man.”
Ian listened intently without saying a word.
“I won’t lie to you and promise things that I have no right to promise, there’s a chance that you may go to jail, but there’s also a chance that you can do the right thing and secure yourself an honest life. You can work on my ranch, earn decent pay for hard work, and came out the other side with a new life and a new respect for yourself. I won’t force you, Ian.” He put his cup down and stood. “But I will ask you, man to man, for your help. Rosaline saw something good within you.” He turned to leave before looking back and saying, “it would be a shame if the faith she had in you was misguided.”
Thomas walked towards his horse.
“Wait,” Ian called after him.
Thomas stopped but didn’t turn around.Please, Lord.He prayed.
“I’ll help you.”
Thomas felt like dropping to his knees from relief. Instead, he turned and walked over to Ian, taking his hand and shaking it firmly in his. “Thank you.”
Ian stood and went to gather a few things from inside the tent. He emerged a few minutes later with his satchel flung over his shoulder.
“Should I help you pack up the tent?” Thomas asked.
“What for?” Ian shrugged. “I’m either going to be in jail, dead or living it up on your ranch if all goes as planned. May as well leave it for somebody else.” He passed Thomas on his way to his horse. “Heaven knows why I’m trusting you though. I must be a fool.”
Thomas walked over to his horse and pulled himself up into the saddle, trotting over to Ian as he waited for the other man to saddle his horse.
“You want to ride on ahead?”
Thomas shook his head. “You know these parts better than I do I think,” he lied, not wanting to let the hope he was clinging to slip out of his fingers now that it was so close. “You take the lead and I will follow. We had better move fast. I’ll see you to the ranch and then I’ll ride into town and see what I can do about securing your situation.”
