Dan McCall's Bride

by Barbara Goss

  The doors of the barn had been thrown open. Candled lanterns hung everywhere, making it a bright and cheerful scene. It brought back sweet memories as it had been years since Dan had been to a barn dance.

  A fiddle, harmonica, and banjo were the only instruments, but the men sure knew how to play them. Dan couldn’t stop his toe from tapping to the music.

  “Do you want to dance?” Pearl asked.

  “Can I just watch?”

  “Sure,” Pearl said, but she looked disappointed.

  After watching the dancers for a few minutes, he took her hand and led her into the dancing area. He told himself he could do it. It had been a few years, but he hadn’t forgotten how to dance. He saw Jack and Frank Jr. had also found partners. Pearl laughed as he swung her around. He had to chuckle to himself, a bit. It had been ages since he'd enjoyed himself.

  After the song had ended, Pearl pulled him over to the refreshment table. “Punch?” she asked.

  “I’m supposed to do that,” he said. Dan scooped them each out a cup of the cool, fruit-flavored drink.

  “We can take the drinks outside if you want to get some air,” Pearl said.

  He followed her outside where they sat down on a bench and watched the dancers while they sipped their drinks.

  “Would you like to go for a walk?” Pearl asked.

  “Sure. It feels wonderful and cool out here,” he said, once again following Pearl.

  “This is the creek where my brother and father fish,” Pearl said.

  “It’s a good-sized creek,” Dan said, unable to think of anything else to say, and it was hard to see the creek, since it was so dark.

  “Come on,” she said, pulling his hand, “I’ll show you where the horses race on Saturday nights.”

  Beyond the barn and creek, a dirt track in the shape of an oval came into view.

  “We should get back,” Dan suggested, and he pulled her along in order to get back to the dance, but in so doing, Pearl, who hadn’t been expecting his tug, fell to the ground and pulled him with her. He almost landed on top of her. They both laughed and rolled in the dew-soaked grass.

  “You’ll get your pretty dress all wet,” Dan said. He started to stand, but Pearl pulled him back down.

  “Come on, Dan—live a little.” She laughed.

  He laughed, too, until she pressed herself close to him and looked up into his eyes. He knew she wanted him to kiss her. Though he didn’t feel the urge, he thought it might be a good way to see if her kiss would affect him the same way April’s had. He kissed her and even pulled her closer to try to get the same feeling with her that he’d had with April, but it just wasn’t the same. Her kiss stirred him, but mildly so.

  Somewhat disappointed, he broke the kiss off and said, “I think I’ll call it a night. Thank you for the delightful day.” They both stood and brushed off their clothing. He knew she felt disappointed, but he felt nothing more than friendship for her. Now he knew April had cast a spell on him, and it wasn’t just because he hadn’t been with a woman in a long time. He felt something for April, but he didn’t know what. He’d so hoped his feelings for April had just been due to his over active hormones and his long abstinence.

  On the train ride back to Hays, Dan was concerned by the excitement he felt at the thought of seeing April again. He knew he shouldn’t encourage her, but it was becoming more and more difficult, as since the embrace and kiss they’d shared, she'd been was on his mind constantly.

  “Jack, have you ever been in love?” Dan asked casually as he looked out the window on the train.

  “Yeah, once. I don’t recommend it.”

  “You don’t? Why not?”

  “I got my heart broken, that’s why.” As he talked, Jack played with the crease in his hat that was resting on his lap. “I decided to stay away from romance for a while.”

  “Makes sense. If you’ve been burned, you stay away from fire,” Dan said.

  “What about you?” Jack asked.

  “I’m not the marrying kind,” Dan answered. “I’ve never been in love—at least, not until—well, never mind.”

  “Tell me—it often helps.”

  “The woman—the one I rescued—is infatuated with me, and I…well, I’m sort of attracted to her, too, but I don’t know her age or anything about her.” Dan leaned his head back. “I just can’t get her off my mind, is all.”

  “Uh oh,” Jack said. “That’s the first sign.”

  “Is it?” Dan asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Maybe I just feel sorry for her, you know, the amnesia and all. She has no one and…well, I don’t know.”

  “If it’s just infatuation on her part, she’ll get over it,” Jack said.

  “Yeah, I thought that, too, but after I wired the home office about catching the criminals, they asked me to open a temporary office in Hays,” Dan said.

  “Why Hays?” Jack asked. “What’s wrong with Salina?”

  “They said there's more crime in Hays right now, and I do have Turner taking care of things in Salina,” Dan said. “Now, I just need to find some office space.”

  “Where do you want me?” Jack asked. “Can I stay in Hays with you?”

  “Certainly. I’m pleased with the way you handled things with the Spaulding Gang.” Dan stretched his long legs out. “We make a good team.”

  “We’ll need a place to live,” Jack said.

  “The home office will pay for a hotel room, but we’ll have to share it. Is that all right, Jack?”

  Jack shrugged. “Fine with me.”

  “Can I ask you a personal question, since we’re going to be roommates?” Dan asked.

  “Sure. Fire away.”

  “Do you believe in God? Are you a churchgoer?”

  “Yes to both questions. My father was a Methodist minister in Kansas City,” Jack said. “I don’t often get to services while traveling, but I try and I do pray daily. Why do you ask?”

  “I'd just feel better sharing a room with a believer, is all. I had a feeling you were Godly, since you don’t curse or drink. I wouldn't look forward to rooming with a person who did either of those things,” Dan said.

  Jack grinned. “I bet you surprise people. When they see Big Dan McCall, they probably expect a foul-mouthed cowboy who’d buy them a whiskey and drink them under the table.”

  Dan laughed. “You’re right. I do shock people. I take pleasure in it.”

  Chapter 7

  Kate and Jeremy led April to a pew near the back of the church. Jeremy had always sat in the back during his darker days, and he was so used to it, that he still preferred the rear pew. April slid in beside Kate.

  “It’s a quaint church, and I rather like it,” Leila whispered as she gazed around the nave of the building. Then her body stiffened and she gasped.

  “What is it?” Kate said, swinging around to look at her. “Are you unwell?”

  “Isn’t that Dan?” she asked, still staring at the two men walking toward the front of the church.

  Kate smiled. “It is.” She nudged Jeremy. “There’s Dan.”

  “I didn’t realize he was back,” Jeremy said.

  Kate patted Leila's hand. “He must have come in late yesterday. We’re going to invite him to dinner.”

  Leila smiled. Her heart had begun to pound when she’d seen him. Jack was with him. He was a nice-looking man, too, but no one could compare to Dan.

  She’d become more comfortable with Kate and Jeremy lately. They were such a loving couple, though, that watching them only made her yearn for Dan. But was Dan yearning for her? She doubted it.

  In one of their talks, Kate had suggested she act as if she were disinterested in Dan. Kate feared Leila might scare Dan away with her aggressive behavior. She hadn’t yet decided if she was going to take the advice. It was hard to be near him without staring at him and wanting to be close to him. Was it just hero worship as Kate and Jeremy had both suggested?

  As they walked out of the church after the service, Jerem
y hailed Dan and Jack.

  “Hey, didn’t know you were back. Dinner’s in an hour…both of you,” Jeremy said.

  Leila stood silently, trying not to give Dan more than a passing glance. He didn’t look happy about the dinner invitation and hesitated so long in answering, that she peeked at him again through her eyelashes.

  “Ah, thanks,” Dan finally said, “but we won’t be able to make it today. I’ve orders to set up an office here in Hays, so I’ll need to find office space and—”

  “You’ll stay with us, of course,” Kate said.

  “Actually, the home office is paying for our hotel room, but I’ll come visit often,” Dan said.

  Kate and Jeremy looked disappointed, but they smiled politely in return.

  “You know you’re both always welcome,” Kate said.

  Leila’s heart stopped beating for a few seconds when Dan turned to her. He gazed at her for several moments before asking, “How are you doing, April? You look well.”

  She cast her eyes downward and tried not to blush as she said, “Thank you. I’m doing much better.”

  “Any memory yet?” Dan asked.

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “I’ll stop by when I can. Take care,” he said to everyone, and both men turned to stroll over to the hotel.

  As Leila rode home with Kate and Jeremy in their buggy, she couldn’t stop the tears of disappointment from flowing. Kate patted her hand. “It’s for the best, dear. The world is full of heroes like Dan. I know a few I could introduce you to.”

  Leila shook her head. “Maybe someday. Not yet though, but thanks, Kate.”

  If Dan had felt anything for her other than friendship, he’d have accepted the offer to dinner. He had to eat somewhere, and she'd bet anything he'd eat dinner at the eating house just to avoid her.

  She felt morose for the rest of the day and excused herself after eating a few bites of her dinner, pleading a headache. She knew from the looks Kate and Jeremy had exchanged they were aware the real reason—Dan didn’t feel a thing for her.

  Dan and Jack talked as they ate at Rosie’s. Dan's mind drifted to April as Jack was telling him a childhood story. Dan thought April had looked beautiful when he'd last seen her, after church. He'd badly wanted to accept the dinner invitation—not only was Walker’s cook fantastic, but he enjoyed Kate and Jeremy’s company, too. He also yearned to stay with them to experience April coming into his room again. Of course, that was why he’d refused. If it ever happened again, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to rein in his desire.

  Two men were sitting at the table beside them. Dan and Jack immediately recognized one of them to be Joe Austin.

  “Has your bride arrived yet?” Jack asked.

  “No. I sent her the fare weeks ago. She wired me from Chicago, so I figured she’d be here by now,” Joe said. “I’m starting to get worried.”

  “I’ve heard that some women cash the tickets in, having planned never to arrive,” Dan said. He got a sick feeling in his stomach when he thought about who Joe’s bride might be.

  “I thought that a possibility, too, but she did wire me from Chicago,” Joe said.

  Dan decided to pry at bit, just to be sure. “Where is she from?”

  “Maryland,” Joe answered. “She wouldn’t know anyone between home and Kansas because she’s an orphan, so there’s no family waiting for her.”

  “I’ll keep my eyes open and ask around for you,” Dan said. “In my line of work, I run across all sorts of things.”

  Joe’s eyes widened and he looked excited. “Would you? I’d appreciate it.”

  “Did she by any chance send you an image of herself?” Dan asked.

  “No, but she told me she had brown hair and eyes.”

  Dan asked, “What’s her name?” He held his breath.

  “Leila, ” Joe said.

  “Leila—such a pretty name. I’ll see what I can find out.”

  “Hey, Dan," Jack said, "what about—”

  Dan kicked Jack in the shin. “We’ll do our best, Joe.”

  He and Jack stood to leave the eating house.

  Jack was walking with an exaggerated limp. “What did you kick me for?”

  “I don’t want him to know about April…at least, not yet.”

  “Why? It sounds like she’s his bride,” Jack said as they walked to the hotel.

  “I’m not sure he’s good enough for her,” Dan mumbled. “Let’s keep it to ourselves for now. Besides, what if it’s not her? I don’t want to put her through that. She’s been through enough already.”

  That night in bed, after his nightly prayer, Dan wondered why he hadn’t wanted to tell Joe Austin about April. Hadn't he wanted to break her of her infatuation for him? Joe wasn’t such a bad person—his brother was the crook, not him. Since the train robbers had hidden their loot in their saddlebags, he knew Joe most likely hadn't been in on any of it.

  Wait…Dan sat up suddenly. Maybe there was something in the valuables the bandits had collected from the passengers that could identify April. He’d handed it all over to the authorities in Leavenworth. He’d wire them tomorrow to see if there was any way he'd be able to go through the stash.

  Maybe he should contact Kate to see what he should look for. Another woman would know the type of things a woman might carry with her on such a trip. She must have had a trunk as well. Despite his vow not to go near the Walkers for a while, he knew he had to talk to Kate. He didn’t know any other women in town well enough to ask such a question.

  As usual, Kate welcomed Dan warmly. He didn’t see April anywhere, and he didn’t ask to see her. Kate led him to the sitting room. “What a pleasure to see you,” she said.

  “Likewise. I need your advice,” he said.

  “I’m flattered.” She smiled. “Would you like some tea?”

  “No, I can’t stay,” he said. “If you were traveling to resettle somewhere, what would you take with you?”

  “That’s a strange question. I’ve never gone anywhere to resettle, but if I were to, I’d bring a trunk with all my clothes in it, a valise for personal items—oh, and of course, my reticule. No woman goes anywhere without that.”

  “All right. I just wondered if anything that belonged to April might have been in with the loot we took from the train robbers,” Dan said. “Come to think of it, I saw two or three reticules along with some rings and watches in the mix. Thank you, Kate.” He stood. “Looks like Jack and I are off to Leavenworth again.”

  Dan walked to the door just as April came down the stairs. “Dan?” she called out.

  Dan wasn’t sure if he felt disappointment or joy at having April catch him before he left. He turned and smiled. “Hello, April. How are you?”

  “I’m doing better, thank you,” she said. “Can I speak to you for a moment?”

  What could he do? The last thing he wanted was to be any nearer to her than necessary. She looked so pretty in the gingham blue dress she was wearing and her hair down and held back with combs. He looked into her eyes and they seemed to be pleading. His heart was beating so fast, he thought she’d hear it for sure.

  “Of course,” he answered.

  Leila looked around wearily. “Alone?”

  “We could step outside,” Dan offered.

  At her nod, he opened the front door and led her out onto the front porch. “Is this good?”

  “Can we walk while we talk?” she asked.

  He wasn’t sure he liked the idea, but he couldn’t refuse her. All he could think of when he looked at her was the night she’d come to his room and given him a kiss he’d never forget.

  “Sure. Where would you like to walk to?” he asked.

  “There’s a summerhouse out back by the creek. It’s more private. I have some important news for your ears only.”

  Dan nodded. “Lead the way.”

  She led him down a path that went to the rear of the house. Beyond the garden, in a lovely setting, was a round, wooden, summerhouse. She opened the door
for him, and as he stepped inside, he saw several rocking chairs with padded seats, and a large, chaise lounge chair.

  She sat in one of the rockers, and he sat in the one beside her.

  He leaned back and said, “What’s on your mind, April?”

  “I’ve started to remember some things,” she said.

  “That’s wonderful news. What do you recall?”

  “Everything except for why I was on that train and where I was going.”

  “Do you have family?” Dan asked. He still wasn’t positive she was the same woman for whom Joe Austin was waiting.

  “No, I grew up in an orphanage. The only image I had of my parents was in my reticule. My mother died giving birth to me, and a horse trampled my father a few months later. I don’t know the details, since it’s just what I was told by the nuns. I was eight-months-old when I went to live there.”

  Dan’s heart seemed to sink in his chest. She sure sounded like the bride Joe's been waiting for. “Do you remember your name?” Dan asked. He studied her face and saw that the question seemed to cause her pain.

  Chapter 8

  “Do you remember your name?” Dan asked again. He could tell she didn’t want to answer.

  She nodded. “Yes. It’s Leila, but I really like April better because it's the name you gave me.”

  “You were on your way to Hays to marry Joe Austin, weren’t you?” Dan said.

  Leila quickly blurted, “I think I might have been, but I no longer wish to even see him.”

  “He’s not a bad person. His brother's a criminal, but Joe seems honest enough. His brother and his friends were the men who took you hostage on the train, but Joe has a nice ranch, some cattle, and seems like an upright kind of guy. You could do worse.”

  Dan watched Leila’s eyes fill with tears and roll slowly down her face. “My heart's already spoken for,” she whispered.

  He lifted her chin with his finger and said, “You know I’m not the marrying kind, Leila.”

  He wiped her tears with his thumb and said gently, “I never encouraged you—in fact, I tried to distance myself, for your own good.”