Diantha

by Zina Abbott

  Hank felt a smile of appreciation play along his lips as he watched Diantha consider the matter.

  Diantha turned to Hank, her expression reflecting her resolve. “I do declare, if he enters my property uninvited once again, I will contact one of our attorneys in town regarding taking legal action against him. I know Mr. Reed Shannon has no qualms about confronting Mr. Crane. There must be some kind of court judgement I can obtain that states if he even so much as steps on my land, he will automatically be arrested.”

  “Why wait until he trespasses again? Perhaps you should talk to Mr. Shannon right away.”

  Diantha tipped her head while she thought about Hank’s words. “I believe that is good advice. I will speak with him one day next week. He is the attorney who won the settlement for the widows from Mr. Crane. Perhaps, if Mr. Crane is made to understand he must communicate with me only through my attorney, he will stop his shenanigans.”

  Hank felt his pride in Diantha soar. He wished her to see him as her protector and defender, but he could also see the wisdom in her decision. He desperately wished to pull Diantha into his arms and hug her tight. However, besides the dust and grime coating his clothing—not to mention he had worked up a sweat in spite of the cold weather—it would be disrespectful of him to display that form of affection in public. He suspected from the glow shining from Diantha’s eyes, she felt the same.

  “Mr. Crane’s behavior is also detrimental to my business, not to mention the post office operation, Diantha. I will stand by you, including paying a portion of the legal fees. We’ll talk about it later.”

  Hank glanced over his shoulder long enough to see Buck pat Elmira’s shoulder, and then he turned his attention back to Diantha. Unable to resist, he tugged his dirt-encrusted glove from his right hand and captured one of Diantha’s bare hands. As he brought it to his lips to kiss it, he realized it felt like a chip of ice. “Meanwhile, you need to get back in the hotel where it is warm, and I’ll help Buck finish up for the day. I know Mrs. Dowd looks forward to once again living in her own home and using her own cookstove.” He sighed his regret. “I must admit, I will miss having her cook for us.”

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  Chapter 24

  ~o0o~

  November 1, 1884

  M uch to Hilaina’s delight and, she guessed, Buck’s and Hank’s relief, the men finished the two-room addition to the laundry shed. They not only secured the roof firmly in place, but young Tommy Bridges, under Buck’s tutelage, filled in the gaps with the shingles which Buck purchased so the roof would shed water and snow. Buck weather-stripped the laundry shed building itself to cover any cracks between the boards, making the room more airtight and able to better hold the heat. Of course, it helped that once the word spread around Wildcat Ridge that the marshal’s office had been called in and Mr. Crane ordered to leave, several of the men in town showed up to lend a hand.

  The dilemma arose when it came time to move the furnishings into the rooms. When asked where to put the big double bed, in a show of stubbornness, Elmira folded her arms and clenched her jaw—an expression Hilaina knew only too well.

  “Cookstove and table is in the big bedroom. Rocking chair, too. Ain’t no room for the big bed.”

  “Ma, it plumb ain’t going to fit in that there puny room that was mine. Even if you done pushed it against the far wall, ain’t no room for that and the trunk, too.”

  “Best it go in the laundry shack.”

  Hilaina hesitated as she considered it. “It’d fit right fine in there. Reckon Buck would like it. I can sleep on the rag rug, but my pallet ain’t fit for you to sleep on, even if someone’s willing to turn loose of some straw to restuff it. It ain’t going to be like your good mattress.”

  “Done slept on worse.”

  Hilaina felt herself wither under mother’s intense stare.

  “That man of yours offer for you yet?”

  Hilaina felt like bursting into tears at the question. She loved Buck. She felt pretty sure he also loved her. She kept waiting for him to say something, but he had yet to ask her to marry him. Sniffling, she dropped her gaze and shook her head. “No, Ma. He ain’t said nary a word about it. I’ll allow, it surely would help with the bedrooms if we was married.”

  “Hmm. Best someone light a fire under him. Cain’t be me. Ain’t one to be no interfering mother-in-law.”

  Hilaina knew her ma well enough to know she had her blessing. She did not need to be told twice.

  ~o0o~

  Hilaina hurried around to the end of the laundry building which faced the hotel. There she found Buck, a hammer in his hand, reaching up to nail some wood strips to the top of the boards under the eaves. “Buckley John Kramer, ain’t you about done there? We got us something that needs talked about.”

  “Go ahead and talk, Hilaina. You know I’m used to you talking all the time. It gets to be too much, I know how to hush you.”

  “You ain’t hushing me with none of your whistling this time, Buck. This is almighty serious, and I need me an answer right quick.”

  “To what, Hilaina? Didn’t hear the question yet.”

  “Ain’t we going to get married?”

  With trepidation, Hilaina watched Buck freeze his hammer mid-swing and then turn to face her, an expression of befuddlement on his face.

  “Hilaina, don’t you know you’re supposed to let the man to do the asking? Even I know that.”

  Hilaina blinked back tears. She interlaced her fingers and clutched her hands tight against her stomach as she bounced on the balls of her feet. “You’re taking too long, Buck. Don’t you want to marry me?”

  “Of course, I do. I’ve been planning it all along. I’ve just been waiting for the right time.”

  Hilaina whooshed out a breath of relief. “That done took a load of worry off, Buck. But, why ain’t now the right time?”

  “Just not sure of the work situation, Hilaina. I need to know I can support you.”

  When Buck shook his head and turned to look off towards Moose Creek and the Wells Fargo corrals beyond it, Hilaina stepped around and stood in front of him. “Waiting ain’t going to make things no better. You already done planned on staying here and taking your meals with Ma and me. I ain’t complaining none, Buck, because you done us right proud finding us a new place to put our rooms. But, it’s a mite crowded, what with all the beds.”

  “I don’t need a bed, Hilaina. I can throw my bedroll out on the floor.”

  “You ain’t going to get no good sleep thataway, Buck. We get married, only need two bedrooms, not three.” Hilaina paused, almost afraid of the answer to her next question. “Ain’t you looking to someday marry me and sleep in the same bed with me, Buck?”

  Buck swallowed and his gaze met hers. “About all I can think of, Hilaina. Been real hard keeping my hands off you, but I love you too much not to treat you right. Just don’t want to disappoint you by having to live off you and your ma if things get tight this winter.”

  “If you love me, you ain’t going to disappoint me none, Buck. If work gets scarce, we’ll make do until it picks up again. It’s like Ma done said after we was certain Pa wasn’t coming back from the mine. Even if he come home a cripple and couldn’t lift no finger to help himself no more, she’d of gladly took care of him just to have him with her.” Hilaina sniffed back the tears that threatened at the thought of her pa, how much he and her ma loved each other, and at how she loved Buck the same way. “Same with me. I ain’t got no patience to wait….” Annoyed, Hilaina huffed out a breath as Buck started whistling. “Don’t you go trying to hush me up with no whistling, Buck. This is plumb too important.”

  Buck wrapped his arms around her, which startled Hilaina into silence. With her lips parted, she stared at him.

  “I’m trying to hush you long enough to tell you I want to marry you real soon, Hilaina. And, I want to kiss you right now.”

  With a gasp of excitement, Hilaina reached her up arms and cir
cled Buck’s neck. “Oh, Buck, I been looking forward to us kissing for a long spell. I cain’t tell you—”

  “Just hush, Hilaina, and kiss me.”

  As Buck’s lips met hers, Hilaina could no longer speak, even if she wanted to, which she did not. He agreed it was time they married. In addition, the kiss knocked her breath clean out of her. She molded her body into his and lost herself in the joy of Buck holding her tight.

  The two broke apart at the sound of footsteps crunching across the ice-encrusted dirt. Hilaina looked over to see Hank studying them with a grin on his face. Unable to contain her good news, Hilaina broke into giggles. “Buck and me are getting married. But, don’t say nothing, because I was aiming to tell Ma first.”

  “I won’t say a word until I hear it from someone else. I just wanted to ask Buck if he needed help getting those beds carried inside.”

  “That would be right helpful. The big bed’s going in the laundry shack, and my little one with the straw pallet’s going in the small bedroom. For now, I’ll sleep on the floor until we get married.”

  “And, when will that be?”

  Hilaina glanced at Buck then turned back to Hank. “Don’t rightly know. Best talk to Ma first.”

  Clutching him by the arm, Hilaina practically dragged Buck around the corner of the house in the direction of where she had left her mother. She caught Buck’s shrug as he looked at Hank. She refused to be deterred. Once Elmira stepped out of the door of the former larger bedroom that would now be the kitchen, eating, and sitting area, Hilaina smiled wide. “Ma, me and Buck is getting married.”

  “About time. When you figure on saying the vows?”

  Her lips parted, Hilaina looked up at Buck, who studied her. “Don’t rightly know. We ain’t got that far. Sort of got stopped when Buck done kissed me.” Her face turning bright red as she realized what she said in front of her mother.

  Buck cleared his throat. “I was thinking maybe the end of November.”

  Hilaina focused on her mother, who tightened her lips and shook her head in disagreement. “Clean ain’t practical. Hilaina needs a church wedding. Be too much snow come the end of November for them animals of yours to get through to Curdy’s Crossing where Elijah Stone does his preaching. Figure with them runners on your wagon, tomorrow we can leave afore sun-up and get to the church soon enough to hear the Word. Afterwards, the preacher can do the marrying.”

  Hilaina sensed the unease in Buck’s expression. “Tomorrow? Doesn’t Hilaina need time to get a wedding dress and whatnot together?”

  “She don’t need no new wedding dress—she got herself a right fine winter dress, plus I done sewed her a wedding quilt against the day. It’s all done up in blues and yellows, Hilaina’s favorite colors. Been hid inside an old sheet in the bottom of my trunk all these years. She can wrap up in that going to the church and back. It’ll look right smart on your bed after. Ain’t nothing else my girl needs but a good husband.”

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  Chapter 25

  ~o0o~

  Curdy’s Crossing and Wildcat Ridge, Utah –November 2, 1884

  I t was still dark when Hilaina rose from the pallet she had placed on the floor in front of the cookstove after Diantha insisted Hank and Buck give her mother one of the single beds from the hotel. She barely slept because of the excitement over this being her wedding day. She looked forward to later that night, when she could collapse in the big bed that had belonged to her parents but would now be used by her and Buck. She doubted she would get much sleep on her wedding night, but that did not upset her one bit.

  She had dressed for warmth by using every petticoat she owned beneath her winter gown. It was the same dark peacock blue one she wore to the Harvest Festival. Layered next in her muffler, hat, coat, and shawl, with her warmest gloves on her hands, she sucked in a breath as her mother entered the room carrying a folded quilt. Even in the dim lantern light, she could make out the beautiful blues and yellows on a white background.

  “I done this for your wedding, Hilaina. Liked to have give you more.”

  “Ma, you don’t need to give me no more than what you done already give me.” She helped her mother unfold the quilt to better see the design. “This is slap-fine, Ma, with the three blues and the yellow stars in the middle of each. How’d you do all this without me knowing?”

  “Done worked on it years ago when you was still in school. Hid it away afore time you come home each day. Figured on it being a surprise.”

  “It surely is.

  As soon as they heard Buck arrive with the wagon and team, they gathered up everything, including the food her ma had packed to eat on the way home, and climbed in the wagon. Once they got Elmira settled on a folded blanket to provide her warmth and a cushion, Hilaina looked towards the back of the hotel to see Hank exit the door to his room. He had also bundled up in his new heavy coat he brought from Salt Lake City, plus he carried a couple of thick blankets in his arms. He settled in the bed of the wagon next to Elmira, the two positioned in the best place for the wagon sideboards to block the icy wind that blew off the surrounding mountaintops.

  Hank had accepted Buck’s invitation to join them, so he could stand up for Buck. Of course, her ma would stand up for her. Diantha graciously declined the invitation to come, pointing out her responsibility to look after her hotel, which she did not dare leave unattended for most of the day. Hilaina understood, but she felt disappointed that the woman who had become her closest friend could not witness her and Buck taking their vows.

  Buck knew the way to the church, even though he had not been able to go to the weddings of either his boss from Grassy Fork Ranch when he married Nissa or his best friend, Hal. when he married Birdie Templeton. He also pointed out the hotel where he did get to attend the wedding supper. He wistfully expressed that he would like to take Hilaina there. As usual, her ma settled the matter.

  “Maybe come summer. Clouds coming from the north. Best get you two hitched and back home afore this storm hits.”

  After they arrived, Buck pulled the Reverend Elijah Stone aside before he entered to make his request regarding getting married after church services. Once he settled matters with the preacher, her ma stepped up to talk to him. Hilaina could not hear why her mother wished to speak to the man, because Buck hustled her inside the building to get her out of the weather.

  Hilaina squirmed in the pew, excited to hear a sermon for the first time since Priscilla had stopped reading some of her pa’s old sermons. With no preacher in Wildcat Ridge after he died in the same disaster that took her own pa, she gathered the widows each Sunday until her marriage to Braxton, and they left to live by Angel Hot Springs. Aware of the importance to remain reverent while in church, Hilaina bit her lip to keep from talking. She watched as Elijah Stone walked to the front and turned to face the congregation.

  “Brothers and sisters, we have a special event that will take place today. A couple have come all the way from Wildcat Ridge to be married. After services, you are welcome to stay and witness the blessed event. Due to the weather, they will leave immediately to return home before the roads are closed with new snow. Now, we will start with a hymn requested by the mother of the bride. Please open your hymnals and join us in singing “The Shepherd Will Supply My Need” sung to the tune, “Resignation.”

  Hilaina and her mother did not need to read a hymnal. They knew the words to that hymn. She looked over at Buck who wore a big smile on his face. He did not sing with them, but she could tell he listened carefully to all the words. She suspected it was all he could do to keep from whistling the piece in harmony with the singing and organ music. Once they reached the last line about not being a stranger or a guest, but like a child at home, she felt a comfort wash over her. She had always been a child at home, but now Buck would be part of that home she shared with her mother.

  Before she knew it, church services ended, and those who decided to stay to witness their marriage sett
led in their seats. The four of them—she, Buck, Ma, and Hank Cauley—stood before Reverend Stone as he led them through their vows. Afterwards, the kiss she and Buck shared felt just as sweet as the one he gave her the day before, even though he ended it quickly. She suspected he felt shy kissing her in front of an audience. Several people walked up to congratulate them then said they needed to get home before the storm broke. Reverend Stone hurried back to them with his register, so everyone could sign, confirming the wedding.

  Surprised when Buck signed his name, Hilaina turned to him. “Buck, I didn’t know you could write your name. Can you write anything else?”

  Buck shook his head in disgust.

  “Not a thing, Hilaina. Lucky Hal was able to teach me that much. I can sign my life away but can’t read what I’m signing. Got to trust you to do that.”

  On their way home, Hilaina felt so excited she could hardly keep from bouncing on the bench of the wagon. Even bundled up in her coat, scarf gloves, and hat and wrapped inside the beautiful star within a star quilt, she felt the chill wind brush against her exposed skin. She hoped the storm would wait until evening to blow in, so they could be home and safely inside their new cabin before it hit. In spite of the cold, she felt a warmth in her that had nothing to do with the weather or how well she dressed against the cold. She was now Hilaina Kramer—Mrs. Buckley John Kramer.

  As they approached Wildcat Ridge, Hilaina looked over as Hank called up to her new husband.

  “Buck, take the ladies to the hotel so we can all warm up before you drop your animals off at the livery. You can build up the fires in both of your stoves, too.”

  With Mabel and Charley parked up next to the porch that connected the laundry room—her and Buck’s new bedroom—and the other two rooms belonging to her mother, Buck lifted her down off the wagon while Hank helped her ma to the ground. Shoulders hunched against the wind, the four of them hurried to the front of the hotel to enter the lobby.