Letty walked inside the mercantile and decided right away that there wasn’t much in the women’s clothing department. The store had plenty of men’s pants and shirts, and tools, of course.
Maggie had only packed her an extra skirt and blouse and a change of undergarments. “I should have shopped in Sweetwater Springs before we left. But, I thought we’d only be here overnight, and Johnny would take me back with him.”
Hearing the sound of voices, Letty turned to see two women walk into the store.
Paul tipped his hat. “Good morning, Mrs. Tisdale,” he greeted a stocky gray-haired woman. “Nice to see you, too, Mrs. Morgan,” he said to the younger woman with dark hair pulled back into a bun.
She was on the thin side, and her features were rather plain until she smiled and her pale blue eyes brightened.
“Mr. Slater, it’s nice to see you again.”
He nodded. “Mrs. Tisdale and Mrs. Morgan, I’d like you to meet Loretta Drennan.”
Mrs. Tisdale gasped. “Oh, Paul, did you send for a mail order bride, too?”
Letty saw a blush cover Paul’s neck as he fingered his hat in his hands. “No, ma’am. Miss Drennan is Johnny Mac’s sister from Chicago.”
Both ladies smiled brightly, and Mrs. Morgan moved closer and said, “How nice to meet you, Miss Drennan. Will you be living at the ranch? Isn’t it a lovely home? So much room out there.”
Letty liked her right off. “No, Mrs. Morgan, I’ll only be visiting for a short time,” she explained, and saw their smiles fade.
Mrs. Morgan recovered faster, and said, “I hope you enjoy your visit here. And please, call me Prudence.”
“And my friends call me Letty.”
Prudence nodded. “Well, Letty, I would love to invite you to my home. I know it’s short notice, but perhaps you are free tomorrow afternoon?”
Letty was taken aback by the sudden invitation. “No, I don’t have plans.” She smiled. “Thank you. I would love to come by tomorrow.”
“Wonderful.” She looked at Paul. “Mr. Slater knows the way. Say at two o’clock?”
“Of course.”
“I look forward to our visit, Letty.”
“Goodbye, Prudence, and Mrs. Tisdale.”
The two walked to the counter, and the merchant waited on them.
Paul turned to her. “So, you’re going to a tea party.”
“Yes, I am.” She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t have anything proper to wear.”
“I disagree; you look pretty fetching in your jeans.”
She swatted his arm. “That’s not funny. Chicago society wouldn’t allow a woman to wear pants. I’d be the talk of the town.”
Paul leaned forward and whispered, “Then I guess we shouldn’t let it get out about our two nights together in a cabin.”
Letty couldn’t help but blush as she turned and began to look around. Yet it was the memory of their kiss that she couldn’t push aside.
They bought food for supper, more eggs, flour, onions and a jar of pickles. They also purchased a plucked chicken. She was eager to get back to the ranch and make dough for her rolls.
First, she had Paul drive her over to the mining office so she could send a telegram to Maggie. She was leery of sending anything to the house, but she didn’t have a choice. She had to get news to her housekeeper and learn the state of her mother’s condition. Maybe just hearing word of Johnny would improve her health.
She walked inside the one-room cabin. There was a big desk, and she found a good-looking man about thirty busy going through a stack of paper.
He looked up and smiled, then came out to greet them. “Hey there, Slater. Are you giving up on ranching and coming back to work for me?”
“Not hardly, Michael. I’m doing just fine where I am.”
He looked at Letty. “Who is this lovely lady?”
“Michael Morgan, I’d like you to meet Loretta Drennan, Johnny’s sister.”
Michael Morgan arched an eyebrow. “Well, wonders never cease to amaze me.” He took her gloved hand in his. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Drennan.”
“It is nice to meet you, too, Mr. Morgan. I just met your lovely wife in the mercantile. She was gracious enough to have me to tea tomorrow.”
He grinned. “That’s what Pru loves to do, and I’m sorry to say she doesn’t get the chance to entertain much these days, with her helping at the school and the new library. If it was up to her, we’d be building an opera house.”
Letty had trouble seeing the couple together. They seemed so different. “I’m sure she does a fine job.”
He chuckled. “She’s only been here a short time, and she is trying to help the other women in town. What an asset she’s been to Morgan’s Crossing since my bride arrived from St. Louis. I bet you two will have much to talk about tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to our tea.” She glanced around. “My reason for Paul bringing me by was so I could send a telegram home and let my family know I made it here safely.”
Michael Morgan exchanged a glance with Paul. “I’m glad you made it through that bad storm. I hate to say it’s not an unusual occurrence in this part of Montana. We’ve had more than our share of bad weather this winter.” He walked her over to the desk. “Just write down what you need to say, and we’ll send it off immediately.” He pulled out a chair for her, then handed her a pen and some paper.
Both men moved away and talked quietly as she wrote. “Found Johnny. Hope to be home soon. Letty.” She stood and handed Michael the paper. “I appreciate you sending this, Mr. Morgan. How much do I owe you?” She began to open her purse
Mr. Morgan stopped her. “Nothing. My pleasure, Miss Drennan. If I get a reply, I’ll be sure to send one of the men out to the S Bar D.”
“That’s very kind of you. Good day, Mr. Morgan.” She turned and walked out into the cold air.
Paul followed her and took her arm to help her to the wagon. “Is there anywhere else you need to go?”
“Just back to the ranch to try and talk some sense into my brother.”
***
That evening, Johnny eyed his sister suspiciously from across the dinner table. She was up to something. Her pretty face was serene, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t up to something. Those big brown eyes, wide with innocence, but that could be just a ruse. When Loretta Elisabeth Drennan wanted something, she went after it, like a dog trying to get a bone.
And for her to come all this way, he knew the situation at home could be serious. He hated that he resented his mother, but it still stung that she tossed him out as if he weren’t even her blood. Not speaking up for her son was unforgivable.
He glanced at the unopened letter leaning against the china bowl on the sideboard. Letty purposely kept it in full view. Every time he came in the room, he saw it. He was convinced that Elisabeth Drennan was pulling at his emotions to get what she wanted. He had kept in touch with how Drennan Meat Packing Company was doing through one of the loyal men who worked for his father. None of John Drennan’s plans and dreams to expand had come to reality since Jensen’s takeover. He’d heard that the company profits were down. He clenched his fists. Drennan Meat Packing was to be his legacy.
Paul’s voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. “Johnny, I was just telling Letty how wonderful the food is.”
“Yes, thank you, Letty. We haven’t had a home-cooked meal in a long time. If you’ll excuse me, I need to check the stock.” Johnny stood, walked to the back door, grabbed his coat and hat off the hook, and then went out into the night.
Paul leaned back and watched his friend’s departure. He’d known Johnny long enough to see, he was worried. He had no doubt he was conflicted about his family in Chicago.
“Oh, he makes me so angry,” Letty said. “Why can’t he just read the letter? We don’t even know what it says. And what inside might affect my future, too.”
Paul leaned back and watched her. “You two are so much alike, too stubborn for your own good. If you'd just l
et the man adjust to you being here. It’s barely been twenty-four hours since you came back into his life.”
Tears appeared. “I thought he’d be happy to see me.”
“He is. He just doesn’t trust his feelings. I knew nothing about his past, and I didn’t ask. I do know the John McCreary I partnered with the past four years is honorable and trustworthy. Your father would be proud of what he’s accomplished here.”
“What do you mean?”
“Johnny is the brains behind this operation. I know breeding cattle, but he takes care of the business end. How do you think we got this place? He convinced the owner to sell everything to him, and not mess with an auction for his herd and equipment.”
“And here I come and try to pull him away from him building something here.”
She turned those velvet brown eyes on him, and he had to glance away. “It’s true. We both have ideas for making this place special. I wanted to make a name with a sturdier cow to survive the brutal Montana winters. Johnny talked about selling beef to the military, maybe building a rail service to get the cattle to market.”
“What about when you both marry? How do you divide everything up?”
“You’ve seen the town. There aren’t any women to take as brides. In fact, when word gets around, you might have several gentlemen callers, if that’s what you want to call them.” He hated the fact that men would be vying for her attention.
“Couldn’t they send away for a bride? Mrs. Tisdale mistook me for yours.”
“The men have that right. Michael sent for Prudence, and that turned out fine. But not many woman are willing to come to a place that’s barely a town.”
“Like you said earlier, Prudence has ideas how to change things.” She smiled. “I can’t imagine a woman not wanting to live in this home.”
His heart tripped in his chest at the thought. “How can you say that, since you grew up in a grand home with servants, and with the best schools?”
“And because of my stepfather, I was sent to boarding school. My life wasn’t perfect.” She glanced away. “That’s why I need you to help me convince Johnny that he should return to Chicago.”
He sighed. “And just how am I supposed to do that?”
She blinked at him. “Oh, I don’t know, Mr. Slater, you seem to be very good at it. You convinced me to do several things I never thought I would do. Or are you just good at sweet-talking women?”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“At least listen to what she has to say,” Paul said as he leaned over one of the several horse stalls in the barn.
Johnny continued to brush his big chestnut stallion. He’d won him in a poker game, and then renamed him after his winning hand, Aces High. “Why? I already know. She wants me to go back to Chicago with her and rescue our mother. I’m still not convinced the story is true. Elisabeth Drennan didn’t have any loyalty toward her son five years ago. So why now?”
“Because it sounds like she’s in trouble. I know you, Johnny Mac. You wouldn’t walk past a hungry dog and not feed it.”
His friend eyed him closely. “You surprise me, Paul. If I go back to Chicago, what about the ranch?”
“I figure I can handle things here until you come back. Besides, we lost so much of the herd, there isn’t much to do.”
“Yeah, it’s been a rough year.” Johnny arched an eyebrow. “What if I decide not to come back?”
“Then you'd become a silent partner, or let me buy you out. The purchase can’t be for a while, I don’t have the money.”
Johnny was quiet for a moment, then said, “The ranch isn’t just about the cattle. We have other…holdings.”
There was an old mine on the property, and so far there had been a little gold found, but nothing that made them rich. They definitely didn’t want the word to get out, either.
Paul shrugged. “We haven’t had much chance to work on that…project.”
Johnny added, “Michael has questioned me about the mine. I think he’s curious if there’s any more gold to be found.”
“Sounds like Michael,” Paul said. “Always the gambler.” They both knew Michael Morgan was smart and a clever businessman.
Johnny cursed. “I hate to just leave you with everything and go back to Chicago.”
“I said I’d handle things here.” First thing, he was going to search for the missing cattle. Dead or alive, for his own piece of mind, he needed to find them. Damn, he hated to lose any more steers. His friend broke into his thoughts.
“You also know, if I go back, my sister goes, too.”
Paul tried not to react. He couldn’t deny he had feelings for Letty, but no way would he act on them. “Of course, you both need to go. Your mother needs help.”
Johnny draped his arms over the horse’s back. “I’m not so sure. Elisabeth Drennan Jensen is a pretty good actress and plays the part of a tortured victim very well.” He shook his head. “My father adored her, and he gave her everything her heart desired. She’s used to men doting on her, she thrives on the attention.”
“She’s not asking you to dote, Johnny. She’s asking you to save her from her husband. At least read the letter.”
Johnny tossed the curry brush back in the bin and gave the stallion a pat on the rump, then came out of the stall. “I’ll sleep on it.” He latched the gate and walked away.
Paul shook his head. How lucky was his friend to have a family that wanted and needed him? He was still hurt that his parents weren’t as generous with their affection.
He glanced around. He had made a good life here in Morgan’s Crossing and was making a name for himself with his breeding bulls. He’d bred his own hardy steers late last spring, and now he waited anxiously to see some results, praying that his heifers hadn’t dropped the calves during this past storm. The end result could be deadly.
Hopefully, by some miracle, he’d find his lost cows. He’d checked on the herd today. Thanks to Johnny driving them closer to the corral and giving them feed, half of the herd was saved. He walked down the aisle to the last stall to find Simon.
The muscular gelding came to the railing, asking for attention.
Paul had no trouble giving him some, and ran his hand over his muzzle. “A lot warmer here, huh, guy?”
The animal bobbed his head and whinnied.
Paul smiled. “I have to agree with you, except I don’t have the company of the pretty Miss Loretta.”
“So you’d rather be in a cold, drafty cabin?”
He swung around to see Letty. She had on her coat and, surprisingly, underneath she wore the pair of jeans he’d bought her in Sweetwater Springs. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come inside.”
She glanced down at her pants. “I should apologize for my attire. I’m washing out my limited wardrobe.” She walked up to the stall. “I believe you were busy speaking to your friend. Hello, Simon.”
The horse nudged her hand for more attention, and she gave it to him. She raised her dark-eyed gaze to meet his. “Since my brother stomped into the house and went upstairs, I take it your talk didn’t go well.”
Since they’d arrived at the ranch, he’d missed not being close to Letty. He caught a whiff of her sweet scent. “At least he’s upset. If he showed indifference, then I’d worry. He’ll decide what’s the best thing to do. You need to give him time.”
“I’m not sure time is a luxury I have.” She blinked back tears. “I’m sorry, Paul. It seems I’m always crying on your shoulder.”
He drew her into his arms. “You don’t hear me complaining, do you?”
***
The next morning, Letty discovered that Johnny had left before she had a chance to make breakfast. She tried not to be upset that her brother was avoiding her, but every time she looked at the unopened envelope on the sidebar, her worry began once again.
The back door opened, and she put on a smile when Paul came in. “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you, too,” he called, and went to get a cup of coffee. “Johnny told me t
o tell you that he went into town and not to worry about his breakfast. He’ll eat at the boarding house.”
Great, she might never see him again. “Is that where you eat all the time?”
He shook his head. “Not all the time. But, if we’re in town, it seems logical to eat there. Sometimes the place is so crowded you can’t get through the door since Miss Bertha took over as the cook.”
Letty’s eyes widened. “So her food is that good?”
“Yes, but mostly the men go there, because she is a single woman in a town full of men.”
Letty was suddenly a little jealous. “Is that the reason you go there?” Had she spoken out loud?
He smiled. “No, I’m not looking for a wife.”
She felt a strange tingling in her stomach. “Oh, I see.” She went to the stove, scooped up eggs onto the plate and added some bacon. She set it down on the table, and then went back for another.
When she returned, he waited until she was seated, then he took the chair across from her. “Getting married isn’t my top priority right now. I need to make more money before I can think about a wife and family.” He studied her. “If you stayed in Morgan’s Crossing, I don’t doubt you could have a choice of many suitors.”
Letty blushed as she recalled their discussion at the cabin. She'd shared far too many secrets with this man. “I’m not interested in getting married right now, either. Not until everything with my mother is settled.” She shook her head. “I can’t leave her with that man.”
“Since they are married, it isn’t your choice. Your mother has to be the one to leave him.”
Letty sighed. “I know. I also know she’s afraid. I can’t let him continue to terrorize her.”
“I know Johnny doesn’t want that either,” Paul said. “In the end, he’ll step up and do the right thing.”
***
Later that day, Letty had a leisurely bath, thanks to Paul bringing a metal tub into the kitchen. After heating some water, she soaked and even washed her hair, then dried it by the stove in the kitchen. She felt wonderful.
Montana Sky: Slater's Bride (Kindle Worlds) Page 7
