Chapter 4 - The Woman Samuel BuriedSamuel couldn't move.
Eleanor stood twenty yards away.
Alive.
Older.
Thinner.
But unmistakably her.
“Sam.”
The sound of her voice nearly destroyed him.
His knees weakened.
“You're dead.”
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted you to believe that.”
Samuel shook his head violently.
“No.”
Eleanor took one step forward.
Samuel raised the rifle.
She stopped.
“Why?”
“Because if Edward knew I survived, he'd kill you.”
Samuel's voice broke.
“You let me bury you.”
“I had no choice.”
“You watched me bury you.”
“I watched from the trees.”
Samuel stared at her.
“For eleven months, I thought you were dead.”
“I know.”
“You let me raise four children alone.”
“I know.”
“You let me grieve every night.”
“I know.”
His rifle trembled.
Eleanor cried.
“I was trying to keep them alive.”
Samuel looked at the children.
“Alive from what?”
Eleanor's eyes went to Daniel.
“From Edward.”
Edward stepped forward.
“Enough.”
Samuel's rifle immediately pointed at him.
Eleanor shouted.
“No!”
Samuel fired.
Edward ducked.
The bullet struck the grave marker behind him.
Men appeared from the trees.
Eleanor grabbed Samuel.
“Run!”
They fled through the cemetery.
Olivia took the children.
Samuel followed Eleanor.
They reached the woods.
“Why did you trust her?” Olivia asked.
Samuel didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
Eleanor led them to an old cabin hidden in a ravine.
Inside were blankets, canned food, medical supplies and weapons.
Samuel stared.
“You've been living here?”
“Yes.”
“With who?”
“Luke.”
Samuel froze.
“Luke?”
“He helped me fake my death.”
“Then why did he betray us?”
“He didn't.”
Samuel frowned.
“Then who was outside my cabin?”
Eleanor looked at Olivia.
“Edward has Luke's brother.”
Olivia's face changed.
“So he was forced.”
“Yes.”
Samuel sank into a chair.
Eleanor knelt beside him.
“I should have told you.”
“Yes.”
“I wanted to come back.”
“Then why didn't you?”
“Because Edward had something I couldn't risk.”
Her eyes moved toward the children.
“Which one?”
Eleanor didn't answer.
Samuel's voice hardened.
“Which child?”
“Daniel.”
The room went silent.
“Why Daniel?”
Eleanor swallowed.
“When I was poisoned, I was already pregnant.”
Samuel frowned.
Daniel was six months old.
“Yes.”
“And?”
“Edward believes Daniel isn't yours.”
Samuel stood.
“What are you talking about?”
Eleanor looked at him.
“Before I married you, I was engaged to Edward's younger brother.”
Samuel's eyes darkened.
“He died.”
“Yes.”
“Daniel is his?”
“No.”
Eleanor shook her head.
“Daniel is yours.”
Samuel exhaled.
“Then why does Edward care?”
Eleanor looked at Olivia.
“Because Daniel has the bloodline Edward needs.”
Olivia stared.
“What bloodline?”
Eleanor opened an old leather book.
Inside were family names.
Whitmore.
Bennett.
Dawson.
Three families connected through generations.
“This land used to belong to my grandfather's family,” Eleanor said.
“Edward believes the original deed was hidden here.”
Samuel frowned.
“And Daniel?”
Eleanor pointed to a symbol beside his name.
“Your son was born with a birthmark.”
Samuel remembered it.
A small crescent-shaped mark on Daniel's shoulder.
“He believes it's proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That Daniel is the legal heir to the silver mine.”
Samuel looked at Olivia.
“Then why did he come for you?”
Olivia's voice was barely audible.
“My father discovered the mine records.”
“And the ledger?”
“I know where it is.”
Everyone turned.
Olivia reached beneath her dress.
She pulled out the leather pouch.
“I didn't bring it because I trusted you.”
She looked at Samuel.
“I brought it because I had nowhere else to go.”
Eleanor opened the pouch.
Inside was a folded map.
She unfolded it.
The markings pointed directly beneath the Dawson ranch.
Then one sentence appeared at the bottom.
Only the heir can open the sealed shaft.
Samuel stared.
Daniel began crying.
At that exact moment, a shadow appeared outside the window.
Someone whispered:
May you like
“They found us.”
The cabin door exploded inward.
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