Page 75 of Colorado Bride

Ben helped his mother to her room.

As soon as he left, Emily sat again and put her head in her hands.

Rory sat down beside her.

“Yer allowed ta cry.You ain’t gotta be strong all the time.”

She sniffled.

“I’m not strong.I cry at the drop of a hat.I just couldn’t let her see me fall apart.Or Ben.I know that he would choose me over his mother, but she needed him now.”

“You’re damn right I’d choose you over her.”

Ben entered the kitchen.

“I took off her shoes, put her into bed and covered her up.She rolled to her side and gave me her back.”

Emily dabbed at her eyes with the hanky she kept up her sleeve.

“Maybe she’ll be better after she rests.”

Ben knelt in front of her.“It doesn’t matter.What I see is that I can’t leave you alone with her any longer.I’m building a room in the barn for her until I can get her a house built.It’s either that or some asylum in another state and I don’t want to do that.She’s still capable of taking care of herself.”

Emily hung her head and studied her hands resting in her lap.

Ben took his knuckle and raised her chin until her gaze met with his.

“You mean too much to me to risk your life.From now on, until that house is built, either I or Rory will be here.”

She slowly shook her head.

“That’s ridiculous.I have work to do and I can’t be having you two under foot all day.I won’t let her near anything sharp.I think I know why she has fixated on you.While you were gone, she referred to you as Joseph.I think she believes you are your father.At least in her less than lucid moments.I don’t understand her mind set.”

“I don’t understand that either.I’ll take her to the doctor tomorrow.Maybe he can make sense of it.”

“I think I know,” said Rory.He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I’m guessing she really changed when Papa began to see my mama.She took all her love for him and turned it to you.She couldn’t stand the thought that you would leave her like he did.The thing I don’t understand is why she would be in cahoots with Melissa.I understand my being in cahoots with Melissa.She wanted to hire me to do a job for her, but what is Miz Doris getting out of it?”

Ben stood, pulled a chair next to Emily and sat.

“I don’t get that part either,” said Ben.

“I think I do,” said Emily.“Melissa was a known enemy, one Doris had vanquished before.I’m new, someone she doesn’t know, and now that I’m expecting I’m even more of a threat to her control—”

“She didn’t control me.”

Emily patted him on the leg.My poor husband has no idea how much Doris controlled him.

“Herperceivedcontrol of you.I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to find that she was behind Melissa’s jilting.If not behind it, she at least knew about it.I’d bet everything that I’m right.”

Ben pounded his fist in his hand.

“Damn!If you are right, then we still have to worry about Melissa and Mother, what they have planned together.”

Rory nodded.

“Melissa definitely wants Emily out of the way.She expects to marry you if Emily is gone.That’s what she hired me to do, but I’m not a killer.I’m really sorry and thankful you both can forgive me.”