Blue Moon Promise

by Colleen Coble

  “As you wish.” She turned to flip the bacon in the skillet. “Jed fetched some clean water for you to wash up in.”

  He stared at his hands. “I don’t need the water. I’m reasonably clean.”

  Lucy whirled and pointed a spatula at him. “Nate Stanton, this may be Texas, but where I come from, we wash up for meals. I won’t have dirty hands at my table.”

  “My hands are clean. See?” He held them out for her inspection.

  She didn’t look at his hands but stared him in the eye and pointed to the bowl and pitcher. “The soap is there as well. Your father wants some genteel manners brought to this spread. You’ll wash your hands, or you’ll go without breakfast.”

  His stomach growled in answer. Nate eyed her rigid back, then grinned. Snatching up the cake of soap, he lathered his hands, then poured water over them. “Satisfied?” He held them up.

  She put the plate on the table. “Thank you, Nate. Please sit down and say grace. You’ll want to eat your breakfast while it’s hot.”

  Her voice was composed, but he could see a hint of a smile on her lips. “That’s what I wanted to do an hour ago,” he muttered.

  He caught a glimmer of a grin on Jed’s face. “You have something to say?” he asked the boy.

  “Nope,” the boy said hastily, stuffing a flapjack into his mouth.

  “Jed, what have I told you about talking with your mouth full?” his sister said. “And I didn’t hear either of you pray.”

  Nate exchanged a commiserating smile with Jed. At least he wasn’t the only one in hot water. He bowed his head and thanked the Lord for the good food.

  At the conclusion of his prayer, Lucy glanced at her brother. “Would you quote your Bible verse, Jed?”

  Jed turned scarlet. “Uh, I forgot it, Lucy.”

  “Psalm 51:2,” she prompted.

  “Oh, I remember. ‘Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.’”

  A smile played around her lips and she glanced at Nate.

  “I like Matthew 15:19 and 20. ‘For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.’” He grinned back at her.

  Instead of replying, she lifted a sweet voice in song. “‘I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord; No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.’”

  To Nate’s surprise, Jed’s voice joined in as if he were used to singing every morning at the breakfast table. Eileen’s sweet little voice stumbled along. The song swelled in Nate’s heart too, and he had to sing along with them.

  As the music warmed the kitchen, he found it warmed his heart even more.

  SEVENTEEN

  Lucy felt a little cranky. Maybe she had come off too pushy over the washing up, but she wasn’t about to start off this marriage by letting a man eat at her table without washing his hands. She’d worked for years to get Jed in the habit, and Nate could destroy all her hard training in the blink of an eye.

  She had her work cut out for her. Nate was used to being around only men, and he had no concept of the niceties of life. But she would set such a good spread for him that he would be willing to do whatever he had to do to eat her cooking.

  Lucy heated water on the stove to wash the dishes, then got out the ingredients to make bread. She kneaded it with practiced hands, put it on to rise, then went through the cabin and collected all the dirty clothes. She’d noticed a pile of Nate’s clothes in the pantry, of all places, so she hauled in wood and water to do laundry. She set Eileen to helping hang the clothes up to dry on some string Lucy strung up by the fire.

  Humming as she worked, she baked a raisin pie, then rolled out noodles and left them on the table to dry. What a blessing it was to have chickens and eggs in the backyard. God had truly blessed her. As she’d tossed in the night, she came to that conclusion. Nate was a fine man, a bit rough around the edges, but he just wasn’t used to women. She would be patient and be the helpmeet she was created to be. Nate would be glad for his father’s meddling in the end. She would be everything he needed. She could do this.

  She glanced at the watch pinned to her dress. Ten thirty. She’d gotten a lot accomplished in a short time. What if she went to her aunt’s? It wasn’t that far. She could be back in time to fix the evening meal. She’d made it clear to Nate that she intended to meet her family. Why not now?

  “Let’s go visiting,” she told her sister. She washed Eileen’s face and led her to the door.

  “Where we going, Lucy?” Eileen rubbed her eyes.

  “To visit our aunt.”

  The little girl’s eyes widened. “We have an aunt?”

  “We do.” With Eileen in tow, Lucy went to the barn and hitched the buggy up to the horse. A niggle of guilt stirred her insides. Nate wouldn’t be pleased when he heard she’d gone without telling him. But this was something she had to do. This was her mother’s sister. The closest Lucy would ever come to actually knowing her mother. By the time she reached the end of Main Street, she’d successfully rationalized what she was doing.

  The house was a neat bungalow with a large porch and flowers blooming along the brick walk. The door and shutters were painted green and so was the porch. Lucy tied the horse to the hitching post, then took Eileen’s hand and walked to the door on trembling legs. She knocked on the door and waited. In moments it was opened by a young woman about Lucy’s age. Her hair was dark, but her eyes were the same blue as Lucy’s.

  She eyed Lucy and Eileen. “Hello. Can I help you?”

  “I-I’m Lucy Stanton.”

  The young woman took a step back, then flung open the door. “Cousin Lucy!” She threw her arms around Lucy in an extravagant hug. “I can’t believe you’re here. Come in.” She held open the screen door.

  Lucy stepped inside as a portly woman in a gingham dress rushed out of the doorway on the right, presumably the parlor. The lady wore an apron over her dress. Her arms were outstretched as she rushed forward, nearly stumbling over the tabby that lay sunning itself on the hall rug.

  The woman stopped a couple of feet from Lucy. “Jane?” She rubbed her hand over her forehead. “No, not Jane. But you look so much like her.”

  “You’re my aunt?”

  The woman hugged her. “I’m your Aunt Sally. This is my daughter, Fanny. You two could be sisters. Her hair is darker, but you both have the Larson nose.” She linked arms with Lucy. “Come into the parlor, my dear. Fanny, bring some tea and cookies in if you would. And milk for the little one. Eileen, is it?”

  Lucy kept step with her. “Yes, this is my sister, Eileen.”

  Modest furniture atop a threadbare rug graced the parlor. Though a bit worn, everything was spotlessly clean. Lucy sat in a chair. An ache spread through her chest as she stared at her aunt. A desire for a mother’s love was so sharp it hurt.

  “What is it, dear? You look as though you’re about to cry.”

  “I’m just so glad to meet you. Would my mother have looked like you if she had lived?”

  Sally smiled. “She might not have been so portly. We did look a great deal alike. She was a year younger than I and quite gregarious, while I was much more quiet. Oh my, the men in town followed her!” She smiled at her daughter, who entered the room with a tray of tea and cookies. “Thank you, my dear.”

  Lucy accepted the cup Fanny handed her. “You are about my age.”

  Fanny set the tray on the table and arranged her skirts as she sank onto the sofa. “I’m twenty.”

  “A bit younger,” Lucy said, smiling. “I’m twenty-two. I’m so pleased to meet you.”

  “And I, you.” Fanny sipped her tea. “You married Nate Stanton. Uncle Drew is quite irate about it.”

  Lucy glanced at her aunt. “How has all this affected you? Grandfather losing the ranch land and all.”

  Sally shrugged her plump shoulders. “Not at all. I married before Father died. I was never in line for any
of the land. My husband was my provider. Of course, he is gone now, and if Drew owned the ranch, he could provide for me and Fanny a bit. But we’re getting by. I take in laundry, and Fanny does some sewing to help out.”

  In spite of her aunt’s disclaimer, Lucy squirmed when she realized her own husband had contributed to her aunt’s impoverished condition. She had to figure out some way to help them.

  JED RODE BACK to the cabin. He turned and glanced back at Nate several times. Nate waved and Jed waved back. He’d always wanted a big brother. Anxiety gnawed at his belly. Even after several days here, Jed kept watching. The man was coming. He knew it. No one would let that much money go without a fight.

  He avoided a mama quail and her babies as they scurried away at his approach. Picking up his pace to finish his errand and return to the safety Nate provided, Jed crested the hill and rode toward the barn to pick up the lasso Nate needed. The one they’d taken with them had broken. As he neared the yard, something moved behind the cabin. Couldn’t be Bridget. Though healing nicely, the dog had stayed back with Nate.

  Jed squinted at the shadows. Was Eileen or Lucy outside? When the figure moved again, he realized it was a man peering in the back window. His gut clenched, and he reined in his horse. What should he do? If he rode back to get Nate, the man might harm his sisters.

  There was a shotgun in the barn. He’d seen it hanging on the wall by the door. Crouching low over the neck of his horse, Jed rode to the back of the barn and dismounted. He slipped into the back door of the barn and went straight to the gun. Checking it, he found it was loaded. He exited the back door and crept around the side of the barn farthest from the end of the house where he’d seen the man.

  Studying the landscape, he saw no movement. He darted forward and dove for the cover of a shrub in the side yard. Nothing moved. He heard nothing but the wind and the thundering of blood in his ears. The taste of dust was on his tongue.

  Crawling forward under cover of the bushes, Jed reached the back edge of the cabin. He listened for a moment before cautiously poking his head around the end of the building. A man stood at the open back door. He wore a blue shirt over chambray pants and muddy boots. Under his Stetson his blond hair flopped onto his forehead.

  One foot was already inside. Jed had to protect his sisters. Brandishing the gun, he leaped up and shouted, “What do you think you’re doing?” He pointed the gun at the man. “Step out of the door. Keep your hands up.” The gun wavered in his hand, but he kept his finger on the trigger.

  The man turned to face him with his hands in the air. His handlebar mustache quivered in a smile. “Easy, kid. I’m not doing anything. Just looking for a drink of water.”

  Jed didn’t smile back. “Then why didn’t you go to the front door and knock?”

  Holding out one hand, the man took a step nearer. “Put down that gun, boy, and let’s talk. You’re not going to shoot me.”

  Jed swallowed hard. “I will if I have to.” He jabbed the gun in the man’s direction when the fellow took another step. “Stay right where you are.” His voice squeaked.

  The man laughed. “What’s your name, son?” He sidled nearer.

  Jed backed up. What was he going to do? The man must have seen the indecision on his face, because he rushed toward Jed and ripped the gun away from him. The next thing Jed knew, the gun was pointed his direction.

  “You’re Jed Marsh, aren’t you?” the guy snarled, his easygoing demeanor gone. Jed nodded, his throat too tight to speak. The guy grabbed his arm and pushed him toward the door. “I want the coins.”

  Jed had known the intruder would find them here, but he’d thought they would have more time. “Coins?” he asked, stalling for time. He smelled the strong odor of hair tonic.

  “Don’t play dumb with me, kid. You were with your pa. You know all about the coins.” He shoved Jed through the door into the laundry room. “Get them. Now.”

  Jed struck the wall and the washboard fell from its hook. “I don’t have them.”

  “Where are they?”

  Jed wetted his lips. “Did you check my dad’s shop?”

  The man’s scowl deepened. “You know I did. They weren’t there. You were the only other person in that shop. You have to know where they are.”

  “My dad took care of the business. I just helped him out, back in the storeroom and all. I didn’t do anything with the merchandise but store it.”

  The man poked the barrel of the shotgun in Jed’s chest. “Where did he stash the coins?”

  Jed knew the fellow wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him. He couldn’t tell the man his sister had taken possession of the coins. As he sought for a way out of the mess without lying, a whistle pierced the air, then Percy called from outside.

  “Yahoo, in the house! Anyone home?” Percy’s fist thumped on the door.

  “Don’t say a word,” the intruder growled. He kept hold of Jed’s arm and dragged him back toward the door. “Make a peep and you and the old fellow are both dead.”

  The man must have checked out the situation if he knew Percy’s age. Jed knew he had to do something to save Percy, but what? He was skinny and just a kid. This fellow was big. Massive muscles bulged under his shirt. As Jed was dragged toward the door, he glanced around for anything he could use as a weapon. Nothing but a puny broom that would be no match for a shotgun.

  “Lucy? Nate!” Percy’s voice came again, louder this time.

  Jed prayed the old cook wouldn’t come inside. This fellow would shoot first and ask questions later. He stumbled over the threshold of the door as the man thrust him forward. He lost his balance and fell onto his knees. The man was walking so fast that he was unable to stop his forward momentum. His boot struck Jed’s leg, and he tumbled over the top of Jed’s back and sprawled onto his belly. The gun went flying into the dirt.

  Jed scrambled to his feet and leaped for the gun. He got there first and his fingers wrapped around the barrel. He yanked it up. Rolling to his back, he pointed it toward where the man had been, but the intruder was on his feet and rushing for his horse tethered to a tree in the backyard. Jed rushed toward him, but it was too late. Before Jed could shout, the fellow was riding away.

  Shaken, Jed lowered his gun and went to find Percy, but the cook had left without realizing the danger Jed had been in.

  WHERE WAS THAT boy? Nate glanced at his pocket watch and shook his head. He’d told Jed to hurry, but the lad had been gone over an hour and a half. Nate had gotten the cattle moved to the next field over without the lariat he needed, and it was time to move on to the next field. He didn’t dare do that until Jed returned because the boy wouldn’t know where to find him. He dismounted and waited for Jed.

  “Took you long enough,” he said a little while later when the boy got close enough to hear him.

  “Sorry,” Jed said, his voice strained.

  Nate stared at Jed’s white face. “What’s wrong? Is Lucy all right?”

  “She wasn’t home.”

  Nate mounted his horse. “Did she leave a note?”

  “I—I didn’t look.”

  There was a rip in Jed’s pants at the knee. “Did the horse throw you?”

  The boy’s head came up, and indignation settled on his expression. “No.”

  Nate pointed to Jed’s pants. “You fell somewhere.”

  Jed bit his lip. “I fell in the yard.”

  “You’re rattled. What happened, Jed?”

  His chin trembled. “There was a man there,” he blurted out.

  Nate straightened in the saddle. “Larson?”

  Jed shook his head. “A stranger. He was looking for the coins.”

  “What coins?”

  Jed held his gaze. “I told you someone was after us but that I couldn’t talk about it.”

  Nate was about to shake it out of the lad. “I think you’d better if we have intruders to deal with.”

  “I’m trying to!”

  The boy looked like he was about to cry. Nate quelled his impatience. “
I’m listening. I won’t interrupt again.”

  “Dad told me not to tell anyone, but Lucy found the coins.” Jed heaved a sigh.

  Nate listened as Jed told him a long tale about pawned coins and an accident in the rain. “So you think your dad was murdered?” Jed’s eyes filled, and Nate wanted to embrace him, but since it was impossible on horseback, he settled for reaching over and gripping Jed’s shoulder. “Did you see who ran the buggy off the street?”

  Jed rubbed his forehead. “The doctor said I had amnesia from the accident. I think I’m almost going to remember everything and it goes black. It makes me so mad!”

  The boy must have seen something that frightened him. Nate squeezed his hand, then released it. “So what about the man?”

  “He said he wanted the coins. So he’s tracked us here, Nate. He was big and mean.”

  “You managed to get rid of him. I’m proud of you. You’re sure he didn’t hurt Lucy or Eileen?”

  Jed shook his head. “He was looking in the window when I got there, and they were already gone. I think he was checking to see if the cabin was empty before he searched it.”

  “Then he demanded the coins. Where are they?”

  “I don’t know. Lucy has them.”

  She hadn’t said a word to him about it this morning. Didn’t married people share their problems? She’d smiled and seemed unconcerned about anything when he got up. Surely that wasn’t hurt squeezing his chest. “Do you know how much they’re worth?”

  Jed stared at him as if trying to decide whether to tell him. “Dad said they were worth over a million dollars.”

  “What?” Nate laughed and shook his head. “That’s not possible. For coins?”

  Jed nodded. “They’re rare. Collectors pay a lot for them.”

  “I need to see them,” Nate said, humoring him. “Let’s get chores done, then we’ll talk to your sister.”

  EIGHTEEN

  Meeting you is cause for celebration,” Aunt Sally said. “Shall we celebrate by going to Emma’s for lunch?”