The Ranger's Wife (Hero Hearts; Lawmen's Brides Book 1)

by Natalie Dean

  Cecilia admired Mrs. Lavery. She was a widow with a grown son and managed to run her hotel just fine. There were no defined roles here in Bannack. Cecilia could be a business woman too if she wanted. She didn’t need a man for that.

  Cecilia's tea shop was a success. It was a meeting place for the young wives and mothers who lived in the area. It was isolating living on a farm. Cecilia had noticed that from her brief stint on John's land. The ladies needed a place they could come and socialize with each other.

  In her tea shop, there was always some sound of lively chatter. The environment was harsh, and for many of the women who had worked in service and were now mail order brides, the dust was soul destroying. Cecilia had made a refuge, and it made her happy, but each night when she closed the door, she felt sad at retiring to her little home. There was no one to whom she could say goodnight.

  She was missing female company. She and Moll had been inseparable. Cecilia had plenty of aquaintances here, but they were all married women. She wanted a true friend. While she was grateful for all she had, she prayed that the Lord would send someone her way.

  The Lord replied with the arrival of a new mail order bride, Lottie Cahill. Lottie brought excitement to Bannack when it transpired that her husband to be had been murdered. It had been an adventure in figuring out who had murdered him. It was made better still when Lottie married Hamish.

  So much had happened in Bannack in the last few months. Cecilia and Lottie were sitting at her tea shop talking about all of the recent events when a man rode up. There was something about him that drew their attention, and they walked out as he stopped outside the jail house.

  "It must be the new Sheriff," Lottie said excitedly. She was gauging Cecilia's reaction.

  "Howdy ladies," he said as he tipped his hat at them and Lottie giggled. He was very handsome. He was tying his horse to the post as Lottie nudged Cecilia to talk to him.

  "Are you our new Sheriff?” Cecilia asked coyly.

  “Yes Mam,” answered the sheriff.

  “I'm Cecilia Aikens, and this is Mrs. Lottie McLennon, the doctor's wife."

  "Pleasure, ladies. I’m Sheriff Lance Dexter. Lottie…why does that name sound familiar?" Lance scratched his head as he opened the jailhouse door.

  "Oh, Lottie figured out who killed her husband. Our last Sheriff had no interest in such things. He was too busy running a gang," Cecilia said dismissively. She had to admit that the new Sheriff was very attractive.

  "That's right. Leave the law to the lawmen, Mrs. McLennon. You could have got yourself killed. Women ain't equipped to deal with bandits and the like."

  Cecilia was horrified by what she heard.

  "So what is a woman equipped to do?" she snapped at him. What did he know of her and Lottie to make such assumptions?

  "Well, a woman should make a home comfortable for her husband. Too many independent women nowadays. I see it all over. None seem content to raise a family."

  "How dare…" Cecilia was about to blow when Lottie pulled her away.

  "It was very nice to meet you, Sheriff. We'll see you later tonight at the Lavery Hotel. There's a little get together to welcome you," Lottie said as she pulled Cecilia away.

  "Why did you do that? How could you listen to that nonsense?" Cecilia fumed. Lottie was sure she saw smoke coming out her friend's ears she was so riled up.

  "Simmer down, Cecilia. He's new in town and is telling us how it is. We know the truth and besides, isn't it time you started looking for a husband. He's very handsome."

  "I don't need a man, Lottie. You were lucky with Hamish, and I was lucky with John. That is it. I am very comfortable on my own but to think I'd be interested in someone like him." Cecilia was looking at the new sheriff.

  "Cecilia, I don't think he meant anything by it. Won't it be wonderful having a dance tonight." Lottie continued to chatter about the evening's planned events.

  Cecilia couldn't stop thinking about Sheriff Lance and his comments. She didn't know why it bothered her so much.

  "Cec, you're not listening to me at all. Is Daniel Langton your beau for this evening?"

  "Yes, well he is staying in the hotel. It's been quite nice to be with a civilized man. He lacks the roughness of the men here, but yet his refinement doesn't make him like the city men either."

  Daniel was another newer man in town who Cecilia had been chatting with quite a bit.

  "Do you think he will propose?" Lottie was so in love with her husband and wanted the world to be in love too.

  "No, I don't think so. Daniel moves around so much, and I am not prepared to follow any man, but he has been a very pleasant distraction. I have to say it has been rather nice to have a mature conversation with a man."

  "But doesn't it bother you how he gambles?" Lottie asked. What life could Cecilia have with a man who didn't work for a living?

  "He has business interests, but I understand what you are saying. I don't envision a life with a man who gambles. Mrs. Lavery doesn't approve at all. I think she hoped at one stage I'd marry poor Horace," Cecilia giggled as she spoke and Lottie scolded her. However, despite her best efforts, Lottie laughed too. Horace was too much under his mother's thumb to ever stand up to her.

  "A girl needs to know her man has got her back," Cecilia said as she gave Lottie a slice of cake. Something caught her attention and Cecilia looked out the window. Sheriff Lance was pinning his badge to his vest. He seemed proud of it.

  "Admiring the new arrival?" Lottie teased.

  "Mrs. McLennon, Mrs. Aikens." It was Daniel Langton walking up to them. Cecilia's cheeks flushed as she was caught unaware. Lottie couldn't help but notice it. She knew Cecilia was just in denial that she didn't care about finding love, and she was going to make sure her friend found true happiness.

  "Mr. Langton, good day. I shall see you both later," Lottie said as she made herself scarce. She could see the sheriff standing outside the jailhouse. Was Cecilia watching the sheriff as Daniel sat down beside her? The evening was going to be very interesting.

  "I hope Mrs. McLennon didn't leave on my account," Daniel said as he took Cecilia's hand and kissed it. "However, I'm certainly not complaining about being alone in your company."

  "You flatter me, Mr. Langton. Tea and cake?" Cecilia said giving him a coy smile.

  As other patrons came into the tea shop, Cecilia didn't get a chance to talk to Daniel again. He was very charming. So why were her thoughts on the new Sheriff?

  "Mrs. Aikens, do you mind if I escort you to the hotel this evening?"

  Cecilia agreed. As Daniel left, the other ladies swooned as he passed by them. Cecilia chortled. Daniel no doubt had many admirers.

  "I must fix that curtain rail," Cecilia murmured to herself as she cleared the tables. One of the fixings had come loose when a child had decided to swing off the curtain. Every day she planned to fix it, and every day she forgot. It was almost closing time, but she never rushed anyone out of the tea shop. The less time she spent on her own, the less time Cecilia had to think about her loneliness.

  "Goodbye, Cecilia. We shall see you later. It's very exciting having a new sheriff. I heard he used to be a marshal," Mrs. Patterson said as she left the shop.

  "A marshal," Cecilia mused as she pushed the chair against the wall and got a needle and thread ready to mend the curtain. Even though she was tall, she still had to stretch.

  "I should take it down and do a proper job," Cecilia murmured to herself. “But this is just faster.” She heard the door of her tea shop open, but as she turned around to see who had come in, Cecilia twisted and started to fall from the chair.

  "My goodness, Miss Aikens, you must take care," Sheriff Dexter said as he caught Cecilia in his arms.

  "It's Mrs. Aikens," she corrected him. She was still winded, as he held her in his arms. It was a long time since a man had supported her in any fashion. While she had her flirtation with Daniel, they hadn't even kissed. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked into the Sheriff's eyes. They were chocolate
brown and looked sad.

  "Apologies Mrs. Aikens, I was passing by when I saw your cake on the window sill. I miss a good cake. Good thing I decided to come in or you'd have had a nasty bump on your head."

  "I can stand now, thank you, Sheriff," Cecilia said. Why did he smile at her like that? She didn't like it. It made her feel something she didn't want to feel. He was just like all the other men, bossy and expecting a woman to be in the home. She wasn't some feeble female needing a man's help.

  Cecilia wiped down her dress and then put her hands to her hair. She chided herself for that action. Lance smiled at her.

  "Where is Mr. Aikens? Will I be meeting him this evening?"

  Cecilia didn't answer. She didn't want the Sheriff knowing anything about her.

  "Have this on me," she said as she gave him a slice of cake.

  "Have I done something to offend you, Mrs. Aikens? It certainly hasn't been my intention, but you seem rather flustered by my presence."

  "Not at all, Sheriff," she lied, "I was about to get ready for this evening. If you don't mind, I'd like to shut the shop up."

  "Well I know how you ladies like to get all fixed up," he smiled at her as he spoke. He looked like he was going to say something else, but Cecilia waved dismissively at him.

  Lance chortled as he walked away. Cecilia was annoyed at the effect he had on her. Feelings like these she couldn't control. He looked back, and she was embarrassed that he had seen her looking at him.

  Cecilia usually didn't have to make much of an effort. Her natural beauty did the work for her. But somehow, she felt off. She didn't know why her heart fluttered and it was like her stomach was doing somersaults each time she thought about the sheriff. The audacity of him flirting with her and as far as he knows she’s married. He didn't know she was a widow and yet he openly teased her.

  The knock on her door broke Cecilia out of her thinking. It was Daniel.

  Chapter Four

  "Cecilia tells me that you were in Bozeman recently and Missoula. What business are you in?" Doc said as he spoke with Daniel Langton.

  "A little of this, a little of that. I'm what you call a professional gambler," Daniel said, and then he moved away from the Doc.

  "He's a strange one, isn't he?" the Doc said to his wife, Lottie.

  "At least he's a gentleman from what Cecilia says. I must pry her away from Mrs. Lavery." Lottie went to her friend's side.

  "Sheriff, poor Mrs. Aikens is a widow after a few months of marriage. It was so sad…" Cecilia stiffened as she heard Mrs. Patterson's words. She was hidden by the pillar in the foyer and couldn't help but listen.

  "I suppose it explains her independent streak. Women need to take care of their men folk," the sheriff replied.

  "What about you, Sheriff? Are you married?" Mrs. Patterson asked as she joined Mrs. Lavery to begin their interrogation of the sheriff's personal life.

  "No. My life has been a nomadic one. Ain't conducive to settling down," he said but there was something about the way he said it that made Cecilia wonder if that was the truth.

  "Perhaps, Mrs. Aikens will help you settle in Bannack," Mrs. Lavery said as Cecilia had to hold herself back, but her curiosity was piqued, what reply would he give.

  "I'm afraid Mrs. Aikens would be too independent for me. If you ladies will excuse me, I should mingle and meet the deputies."

  "Cecilia, there you are, my darling," Daniel's words startled Cecilia. She had all but forgotten about him.

  "Oh Daniel, where were you?" she asked, but her focus was on the sheriff. Who did he think he was deciding who and what she was?

  "I needed some air, but I'm feeling much better now. Let's go dance." The music started, and the dance began.

  "She's quite something, isn't she?" Lottie said as she sidled up to the sheriff. The sheriff didn't seem able to take his eyes off Cecilia.

  "She's a widow," he said, but Lottie wasn't sure if he was confirming Cecilia's status or talking aloud.

  "Who’s that she’s with?"

  "That's Daniel Langton. He's in Bannack on business. They make quite the attractive couple, don't they?" Lottie smiled as she noticed how Lance clenched his jaw. He didn't like it.

  The celebration of the sheriff's arrival continued into the early hours. However, the morning brought the sheriff his first case.

  "Sheriff, come quick, we need you," Hank, one of the new deputies, said as he banged on the door of the sheriff's quarter above the jailhouse.

  The sheriff didn't drink so he was already ready for the day.

  "What is it, Hank?"

  "It's the bank. It's been robbed. But that's not all. Harvey, the night watchman, has been killed."

  The men raced to the bank. Mr. Nelson, the bank manager, had arrived to open up only to find Harvey dead and the safe emptied.

  "It looks like they came in through the office window in the back. Get the doctor. See if he can figure out when Harvey died," Sheriff Lance directed as he looked around. To his eye, Harvey was in rigor so the robbery must have occurred while they were at the hotel.

  "Sheriff, I didn't think we'd be working together so soon," Hamish said as he knelt beside Harvey. As he looked at the body, there was a stab wound in the man's heart.

  "I think it occurred during the night. I'll take him back to the surgery and see if there’s anything else poor Harvey can tell us. It looks like there's something in his hand but leave it with me," Hamish said as the men carried the body away.

  "Who are we looking at? Any known gangs or bank robbers in the area?" Sheriff Lance asked.

  "What's this?" he asked as he bent down to pick up a feather. "This looks like it's from an eagle."

  The men looked at each other.

  "What is it?"

  "There's an injun, Johnny Eagle. He wears eagle feathers. But he wouldn't do this. He's harmless," Hank told his new boss.

  "Bring him in. Looks like he's been here, and we need to know what he knows."

  Word spread like wildfire that Johnny Eagle was arrested for the robbery and murder. It didn't help that a witness had come forward. Daniel Langton had been discrete when he went to see the sheriff.

  "I saw him. I didn't pay much heed to him at the time, but with the events of the evening, I felt it my duty to come forward," he told the sheriff. The town was in turmoil. Everyone liked Johnny Eagle, and everyone liked Harvey.

  Cecilia couldn't take any more. She crossed to the jail house and was surprised to see Daniel leaving.

  "Daniel, what were you doing here? You're not a resident."

  "Sorry, Cecilia. Just saying what I saw, that's all."

  "What can I do for you, Mrs. Aikens?" Sheriff Lance said. He was very formal now that a case needed to be solved. Daniel’s presence had distracted Cecilia. What would he have to offer to the sheriff? He didn't know the town. She'd talk to him in a bit. She had to get the sheriff to see sense instead of locking up Johnny.

  "Sheriff Dexter, we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but there's no way Johnny Eagle would do such a thing. He doesn't have it in him. He's…" the sheriff raised his hand to stop her talking.

  "Mrs. Aikens, you're not the first person to tell me that and I'm sure you won't be the last, but I have to follow the evidence. This is why women shouldn't be getting involved in things like this. It's not about what you think the person is like. It's about cold hard facts. It doesn't help that when my men found his camp, some of the money was there."

  "Some, but not all?" Cecilia said, "It was planted. I know it was. Johnny is being made a scapegoat. You can't let him get hung for something he didn't do."

  "To ensure all is fair, I have sent for the magistrate. This isn't the situation I wanted to be in, not when I'm new in town. Please leave it to me and let the law do its job, Mrs. Aikens," the sheriff returned to his writing. Cecilia was about to leave when something caught her eye on the wanted posters.

  "Have there been robberies in all those places?" she asked. Her question caught Lance off guard.

>   "Yes, I put them up yesterday. I guess part of me expected the robbery, but there hasn't been a murder at any of the others. Missoula and Bozeman could be part of a trail to here. I'm checking on where Johnny Eagle has been. But I…. Cecilia, wait."

  But Cecilia was gone. She knew who the robber was, but the sheriff needed evidence. She went to the livery to get her horse saddled. There was no time to lose. But she didn't know if she was being watched.

  Daniel Langton had overheard the conversation. He knew Cecilia was smart but never figured that she'd get involved in this case. She couldn't find anything to link him. He liked her, but this was a matter of self-preservation. He nodded at one of his men. No one would even know they were connected. Strangers were always coming into Bannack. Daniel needed a horse.

  He followed Cecilia's tracks. She must be looking for Johnny's camp. Then he saw a cabin in the distance. He could see her dismount and walk in. There was no smoke from the chimney. Could this be her home? He had heard she used to have a farm.

  Daniel snuck in behind her. Cecilia stood up straight.

  "I wondered how long it would take you to get here," she said. “I figured you’d follow me after you saw me talking to the sheriff.” She lifted the gun and told him to confess to the murder, but Daniel grabbed the barrel and took it off her. He pushed her on a chair and tied her hands and legs together.

  "Oh Cecilia, beautiful Cecilia. How I longed to make you mine. You are too smart for your own good."

  "I wasn't paying full attention, but when I heard what happened, I remembered that you were quite out of breath for someone who had supposedly gone out for air. Plus, there was a dab of blood on your sleeve. You did a good job of trying to hide it, but I noticed it. Why Johnny Eagle? Why not just ride off afterward?"