by Barbara Goss
“Well, Emma, I’m glad you accepted my offer. You’ve saved my inheritance.”
“What’s in this for me?" she asked. "What will you do with me after six months have passed?”
Logan seemed stunned for a moment. “That’s a good question. I’ll have to think about it.”
Chapter Four
Logan worked in the stables that evening, wondering what would he do with Emma when the six months were up? He couldn’t get her a job in a saloon—that would never do. It would also cause a lot of gossip if someone ever discovered her past. He had to think of something.
He thought it a shame that a genteel woman would have to resort to working in a saloon. She was a lovely woman. Her shiny black hair beckoned his fingers to touch it. Her doe-like eyes spoke of sensitivity and intelligence. What was he going to do with her? He was definitely using her, and that didn’t sit well with him. Logan felt as if he had to give her something in return. He decided to let people believe their marriage had been real and things hadn’t worked out for them. He would lead them to believe they were divorcing rather than having the marriage annulled.
An idea hit him: he’d give her a few acres of land and the hunting cottage at the north end of his property, the one his father had used for hunting deer. It sat in the middle of the woods, but he could clear the land for her. He could also afford to give her a small allowance on which to live.
He went inside when Irma rang the dinner bell and washed up before sitting down at the dining room table across from his new wife as Irma brought out a pot roast with boiled potatoes and carrots. He watched Emma toy with her food. Something was bothering her, and he bet he knew what it was.
“I’ve decided what will happen in six months,” he said. “We’ll tell people we’re divorcing on mutual agreement. Since we’d still be friends, so to speak, I’ll let you live in my hunting cabin on the property, and I’ll give you a fair salary. How does that sound?”
She stared at him for several seconds as he mentally remarked at how lovely she was, sitting there in a violet dress that seemed to deepen the brown of her eyes and emphasize her flawless complexion. Her silence soon made him nervous. “Well? What do you say?”
“I’m considering it,” she said. “Can I see the hunting cabin?”
“Certainly. I’ll take you there tomorrow. It will be December in six months. I’ve stayed there many a winter, and the place is warm and cozy. I’ll make sure you have everything you need, including a horse of your choice. If you later decide not to stay there, I’ll continue my financial support until you remarry.”
“That’s very generous.”
“I want you to know how much I appreciate your helping me. I've worked side by side with my father here, on the ranch, for many years, and I can't lose it.”
“Why would your father make such a stipulation in his will?”
Logan bit his lower lip. He was afraid she might ask that, and he was ashamed to tell her.
“Was it that bad?” she asked. “You don’t have to tell me.”
Logan stabbed another piece of beef. “No, I’ll tell you. You might hear it somewhere, anyway. I was addicted to gambling, and my father had to bail me out a few times when I lost more money than I had. He changed his will with the stipulation that if I didn’t marry within a year, everything would go to my sister and her husband. I quit gambling and worked hard on the ranch. After about eight months, he told me he was ready to change the will and that he was proud of me, but it seems he died before he had the chance.”
“I see. Your sister would have gotten it had you not married?”
“Yes. Prudence and Hugh would have gotten everything. Hugh’s a good man, but he already owns a livery in Hays, and I don’t see how he could handle both businesses.”
“Your sister seems interested, according to what the lawyer said.”
“Prudence was always a tomboy and forever trying to compete with me. I think she wanted to take over the business, though I'm not sure how she would have done that unless she'd planned to leave Hugh.”
“It sounds like you deserved the ranch, and I’m glad I could help.”
“Now, you tell me something. What made you accept such a risky offer?”
Emma set her fork down and sighed. “I guess I hoped for a better life.”
“Was your life so unhappy, then?”
“Yes, it was. I’d just lost my best friend in the entire world before I'd recovered from losing my parents. Then, I found myself in a strange town where I knew no one and had nowhere to go. A saloon woman offered me a job and a place to live. I really didn’t have much choice, but that’s not to say I liked it.”
Logan felt a pang of sympathy for Emma. How sad her story was. He was glad she’d accepted his offer and vowed to make sure she had a better life. He’d never thought about how saloon women became saloon women before. He supposed many of them had similar stories.
“You will have a better life; I guarantee it.”
Tears streamed down Emma’s face. “Excuse me,” she said, pushing away from the table. “Goodnight.” She ran up the stairs and—he supposed—to her room.
Logan left early the next morning to meet with his attorney. He didn’t see Emma until he returned at lunchtime, when he joined her for soup and sandwiches. “Did you sleep well?” he asked.
She smiled up at him. “Like a baby.”
It relieved him to see her happy despite the tears she'd shed the night before. “Are you ready to take a ride out to the hunting cabin?”
Emma nodded. “I went out to the stables this morning and found them impressive. A man named Owen showed me around.”
“Owen’s a good man. He’s been with us for about five years.”
“I chose a horse.”
“I’m eager to hear which one you chose.”
“Owen told me her name is Lady.”
“Lady! Good choice. I named her that for a reason. She’s probably the most polite horse I’ve ever seen. She’ll stop and let other horses by when they tried to maneuver into a tight space, and she has manners.”
“Manners?" Emma giggled. "How does a horse have manners?”
Logan decided that he liked Emma more when she was happy because her eyes sparkled when she laughed. “While the other horses gulp down their food, she nibbles.”
Emma chuckled. “I can’t wait to see her eat, then.”
Logan pushed his plate away and stood. “I’ll meet you at the stables in an hour, if that works for you.”
“Yes, it’ll be fine.”
“Good. I’ll have the horses saddled and ready.”
Emma’s treatment of the horses and how well she rode impressed Logan. “You’re no stranger to horses and riding, are you?” he asked as they trotted to the north end of his land.
“My family owned several horses, and I’ve ridden since I was four.”
“You have me beat. I didn’t ride until I was six.”
“What about your mother?” Emma asked.
“I’d rather not talk about her,” he said. He kicked his horse’s side gently. “Let’s give our horses their heads.”
When they reached a large copse of trees, Logan slowed his horse and Emma followed his lead. “The cabin is just beyond those trees. If you feel too cut off from the world, I could clear a few of them.”
Emma stroked Lady’s mane. “I don’t mind being cut off from the world as long as I have my horse and a gun.”
“You shoot, too?”
Emma smiled. “Yes, of course. My father and I used to target shoot every Sunday afternoon after church.”
Her accomplishments surprised Logan. “Let’s tie our horses and walk from here.”
~~~**~~~
Emma’s first view of the cabin left her uninspired. It was, indeed, small and painted a dark green. Someone had shuttered the windows, giving it a dismal, dark look.
Logan unlocked the door and held it open for her. She stepped inside, surprised at how roomy it was. The kitchen and
sitting room were a single, big room, filling the front of the cabin. A door opened at the middle of the cabin to a bedroom. While tastefully furnished, it lacked a feminine touch like curtains and knickknacks.
“What do you think?” Logan asked.
“I think I see room for improvement and a woman’s touch, but I like it.”
“You can ride here any time you like and give it your personal touch. If you need to buy things, just charge it. I have an account everywhere in town.”
“It seems dark. What does it look like with the shutters open?”
“I’ll open them so you can see.” He did, and she was happy to see the place had brightened up. She envisioned curtains on the windows and matching covers on the settee and chair.
“Would you happen to have a sewing machine in the house?” she asked.
“No, but I can get you one.”
Emma smiled at him. “In that case, I accept your offer. I’ll live here.”
Chapter Five
When she wasn’t riding Lady, Emma was sitting on the front porch, embroidering. Irma had gotten her started on the project, and she found it relaxing. As she slid the needle in and out of the pattern, she thought about her situation. She hadn’t fared too badly. Logan wasn’t the Prince Charming she’d hoped for, but she liked him well enough to stick with the six-month plan. He stayed in his room and made no advances toward her—she’d worried about that part of the deal. At first, she felt his disapproval because he'd thought her to have been a saloon woman, but little by little, he started to treat her better. She could live with the arrangement; it could have been worse.
She glanced up at the sound of a buggy barreling up the lane leading to the house from the main road. Whoever was in the buggy, they were their first visitors. Emma put her sewing aside and stood to watch for who would climb out of the buggy. She was surprised to see a stylish woman step out with the help of the driver. The two women stood and stared at each other for several seconds before Logan exited the stables and walked to the buggy. The woman turned toward Logan and waved.
Logan approached the woman, and they embraced, which made Emma even more curious. Who was she? Her husband led the woman onto the porch, and she met them halfway.
“Prudence, I’d like you to meet my wife, Emma. Emma, my sister, Prudence.”
Emma smiled at the woman who didn’t return the smile at first, but after several seconds, she not only smiled but took Emma’s hands. “It’s such a pleasure to meet the woman who captured my brother’s heart.”
Logan put his arm around Emma which shocked her, but she kept her smile intact. Since Prudence had come for a visit, she had to play her role.
“This is a surprise, Prudence," Logan said. "Where’s Hugh and Billy?”
Prudence’s smiled faded. “I needed time away from Hugh. Billy is with Hugh’s mother.”
Logan frowned. “What’s going on?”
“Hugh and I…well, we need time apart is all. We haven't been getting along lately, and I thought it best if we had some space.”
“How long do you plan on staying?”
“If you and Emma don’t mind putting me up for a while, I think a week or two should be enough.”
“And after that you and Hugh will suddenly be right again?”
“I hope so. I think that after being married for a while, a man and wife take each other for granted. I think the separation might make us realize that we need each other to be happy.”
“Then, you still love him?” Logan asked.
“I do.”
“We only have the one guest room since the others aren’t furnished.”
“That would be my old bedroom across from the master bedroom, right?”
“Right,” Logan said. “Is your driver staying?”
“No.” She turned and yelled to the driver, “My trunk, please.”
Emma watched the man carry the huge trunk up the steps and onto the porch.
“Thank you, Harold. Can you return for me in two weeks?”
The man nodded, returned to the buggy, and sped down the lane in a cloud of dust.
Emma decided it was her duty as the woman of the house to welcome her guest. “Welcome, Prudence," she said. "Logan will take your things up to your room. It will be fun getting to know each other.”
Prudence smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Emma watched Prudence follow Logan up the stairs, carrying the chest on his strong shoulders. His sister was not a damsel-in-distress type, but a positive woman who knew exactly what she wanted. Emma knew her type and inwardly cringed at having to evade her questions for the next two weeks. Was she really there to get time away from Hugh, or was she there to investigate their marriage?
Logan found Emma on the porch, having returned to her sewing. “We need to talk,” he said in a hoarse whisper.
“All right.” She put her embroidery hoop and thread into a small cloth bag.
“Come into the stables. I don’t want Prudence to overhear.”
Emma followed him into the horse stables and he led her to his office in the building's rear. She patted Lady’s head as she walked by her stall.
Logan closed the door to the office and offered her a seat.
“What’s this about?” she asked.
“Where did we meet? How long have we known one another? When did I propose?”
Emma shrugged. “I see what you mean.”
“We need to get our stories straight.”
“I can’t lie, Logan.”
Logan sighed. “Even for a cute cabin in the woods?”
“Even for that.”
“Then I’ll offer the information to Prudence and hope she doesn’t ask you.”
Logan paced the floor. He stopped to snap his fingers. “I went to Springfield, Illinois to breed a horse. It was the only sire I could find that was a registered Appaloosa. That’s where we met. I’ll tell her that I stayed longer than I’d planned so I could court you. Before I left, I proposed, you accepted, and we married. I came back to Hunter’s Grove, and you followed after settling your affairs.”
“It sounds very logical,” Emma said.
“I apologize for putting my arm around you earlier, but we have to act like newlyweds. I might have to do that and more before she leaves.”
“More? What exactly does that mean?”
“You know…hold hands, act lovingly.”
“That wasn’t part of our bargain.”
“If Prudence sees or hears anything suspicious she won’t let it go. And, if she finds out how I got you to marry me and that our marriage hasn’t been consummated, she’ll contest the will, and I’ll lose everything.”
“I’ll try to go along with it,” Emma said as she stood to leave. “Tomorrow’s Sunday. What time does your church service begin?”
“Church? I don’t go to church.”
“Never?” This shocked Emma.
Logan sighed. “The closest thing to a church here in Hunter’s Grove is an Indian mission about ten miles away.”
“You don’t have a church?”
“Not the type you probably had in Springfield. Some residents hold a service on Sunday at the McGregors’ barn. A traveling preacher stops by once a month to do weddings, funerals, christenings, and marriages, as well as a Sunday sermon.”
“Do you go to the services?” she asked.
“A few times, but only after being prodded.”
“Will you take me? I would very much like to attend.”
Logan threw his head back and laughed. “I didn’t think saloon women went to church.”
“This one does.”
Logan grimaced. “All right. I’ll take you. My sister would wonder why I didn’t attend with you, so I'll accompany you for appearances' sake.”
Logan and Emma had a reprieve from Prudence since she begged off having dinner with them. She claimed a headache and had dinner in her room.
Irma served them roast chicken, a favorite of Logan’s. She left a c
herry pie on the table for dessert.
“Irma is such a wonderful cook,” Emma said as she helped herself to a second piece of chicken. “I’ll need to exercise if I'm to eat like this regularly.”
“I agree,” Logan said. “I usually take a walk through the orchard after dinner. Would you like to accompany me?”
“Yes, I would.”
“Owen told me church services start at nine. Can you be ready by eight thirty?”
“I can.”
After dinner, Logan took Emma for a walk around the orchard, the vegetable garden, and the corral.
“This is a beautiful ranch, Logan.”
“Thank you. My father did all the work. I just need to keep it beautiful, functional, and profitable.”
“People come here to purchase horses? Is that how you make money?”
“Yes, sometimes, but the auctions are our money-makers. We have two a year, one in the summer and another in the fall. Since it’s done each year, the regular buyers look forward to it. This will be my first year running it alone.”
“I’ll help you. What can I do?”
Logan shrugged. “I don’t know—wait! You could ride the horses out into the corral by the stands where the buyers sit. Why hadn’t I thought of that? A skilled horsewoman showing the horses would be amazing. I’ll get you a fancy riding outfit and boots.”
Emma smiled up at him. “I’d love to do that.”
“You have yourself a job,” Logan said. “We have a few weeks to practice before the auction.”
Emma’s wardrobe wasn’t enormous. In fact, she had just four good dresses, three everyday dresses and a riding skirt. Irma had pressed them all for her. She’d had more, but Mr. Coulter had told her to keep her bag light for the wagon train journey. Emma had gotten married in the orchid dress, met Logan wearing the green one, so she chose the blue one for church. Since Logan had given her permission to use his credit in the stores she was tempted to buy more, but she didn’t want to feel indebted to him. She’d use it to buy things to make the cabin livable, but not for personal use.
