She threw herself across the carriage to what she feared was Thomas’ dead body, but as she fell to her knees beside him she heard him groan and saw him raise his head and start to push himself up off the floor.
Uncaring of their audience, she flung her arms around his neck and peppered his face with tiny kisses, nearly knocking him back down in the process. She dug her face into his chest and sobbed in relief.
Thomas drew her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest. He pressed his face into her hair and kissed the top of her head. “I've got you now Rosaline. Everything is going to be okay.”
Epilogue
The gavel banged loudly as the judge attempted to bring the court back to order. “Order in the court please!” his deep voice boomed over the room as his powdered wig quivered against his sombre black robes “I will have order in my court,” he turned to Sheriff Gideon and nodded. “Bring forth the witness.”
Thomas watched helplessly from the front row of the court. Rosaline was sitting by herself in a box separated from the rest of the court. Her eyes were puffy and drawn from lack of sleep.
It had been a hectic few days since the incident on the train. As the train had puffed into the next station, the Sherrif in that town had taken one look at the carnage onboard and promptly arrested everyone on sight. Thomas had been locked up and charged with the murder of a Federal Marshal until Ezra Gideon had shown up.
Thomas had been so grateful to see his friend alive and well that he almost missed the import of his visit. By the time Ezra had finished explaining that Voss and the Federal Marshal had beaten him and his wife and left them tied up and kidnapped Rosaline, a rider from the Federal Marshal’s office had burst in. It turned out that Voss’ Marshal wasn’t a real Marshal at all, and was wanted for impersonating a Federal officer.
After the fuss died down, and witnesses from the train corroborated Thomas’ statement of self-defence he was released. Diederick, of course, denied all knowledge of the fake Marshal’s impersonation. Still determined to get his way, he continued to insist that Rosaline was a thief and demanded that she be tried in a court of law. Now they were all forced to live through this farce of a trial, and Thomas was forced to watch his wife stand alone while she was falsely accused.
He clenched his fists as Rosaline's breathing increased from anxiety. Everything rested on the testimony of Ian Summers. Thomas wanted nothing more than to walk across the courtroom and take her into his arms, telling her that everything was going to work out, but he had to wait.
He turned his head to the other end of the court when he heard Diederick snigger. Thomas’ blood boiled when he saw Higgs lean towards Diederick and laugh in Thomas’ direction.
His attention was drawn back to the present as Ezrah brought Ian Summers out and led him to the witness stand.
Ian climbed the steps to his seat and looked straight ahead.
''Place your right hand on the Bible offered to you and raise your left,” the judge instructed. “Do you, Ian Summers, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”
“I do,” Ian said after placing his hand on the Bible. He took his seat without a glance in the direction of either Higgs or Diederick.
Thomas noticed how their smiles drew into a nasty snarl.
“Before we begin with your testimony Mr. Summers. I would like to go over the charges once more and remind you that you have now sworn an oath in front of God.”
Ian nodded.
“Rosaline Stratton, formerly Berry, stands accused of theft against her former employer Diederick Voss, a charge that Mrs. Stratton vehemently denies. Would you kindly tell us of how you came to know Mrs. Stratton and what your knowledge is of her innocence or guilt?”
“I first met Mrs. Stratton after being hired by the Strattons to work on their ranch.”
“What was your first impression of Mrs. Stratton?”
“I thought she was a lovely lady with a kind heart. She later became a friend.”
“And what do you know of these very serious charges against Mrs. Stratton?”
Ian shifted in his seat as Diedrick cleared his throat in warning. Tiny beads of sweat were breaking out on the cowboy's head.
Give him the courage to do the right thing, Lord,Thomas prayed in his heart.
“I knew Mr. Higgs for many years before coming to the Stratton ranch. I confess that I have not been an honest man. My role as an employee for Higgs was to carry out various criminal activities.”
The judge frowned but nodded at Ian to continue.
“So it was not with honest intentions that I went seeking employment at the Stratton ranch. Mr. Higgs had offered me a considerable amount of money to gain Mrs. Stratton’s trust and place a package in her belongings when instructed to do so.”
Thomas smiled to himself as Higgs squirmed in his seat and Diedrick's face grew red with anger.
“What was in this package that you were given to hide?” the judge inquired.
