by Kay, Joannie
“For what? I haven’t broken any laws, lady.”
“That’s what you say, but you have earned at least a night or two in jail for frightening the nurse who cares for my grandmother.”
“I’m not going to spend another minute of my life in a cell, bitch.” Malachi’s black eyes glittered with rage, and his fists were balled into fists.
“I’m not a bitch, and you are going to jail. Take off your gun belt.” Darcy wasn’t about to show fear in front of this man. He was dangerous, and he belonged behind bars.
“You ain’t putting me in jail. Back off or I’ll shoot you dead.”
“I have my gun in my hand, and I will use it if you attempt to go for your gun.” The next second or two was a blur to Darcy. Malachi went for his gun with a practiced quick draw! A gun fired, and Malachi spun around, grabbing his shoulder, and falling to his knees. He dropped his weapon from fingers that were bloody, and let out a cry of pain.
“You’re going to jail for attempted murder,” Will told the groaning man. “Get to your feet and start walking toward town.
Malachi struggled to get to his feet, openly weeping, even as he cursed Darcy. “This is all your fault, bitch!” He staggered backwards when Will backhanded him across his mouth.
“My fiancée is not a bitch, and you will keep a civil tongue in your head when you address her. Is that understood or do I need to make it clearer?”
“You come, too, Darcy. You and I are going to have a serious talk.” Will was furious with his fiancée, and he was going to make that fact clear on her backside. She didn’t have a clue how fast Malachi Jones was with a gun, but he did. He’d heard of the man. One of the guards at the prison seemed to enjoy tormenting Jones, and one day Malachi snapped and before they could pull him off the guard, Malachi had nearly killed him. If one of the other guards hadn’t testified that the guard was tormenting Malachi, he would have been in prison for the rest of his life instead of doing an extra six months! Malachi Jones was fearless and wouldn’t back down from a pointed gun, especially one held by such a tiny woman. If he’d been two seconds later checking the livery, his Darcy would be dead! He wasn’t going to put up with her getting into situations she couldn’t handle.
Chapter Seven
Darcy thought the walk to the jail was too short, but she was no coward. She needed to set Will straight and give him to understand that she was now the Sheriff! He was going to need to hand over the badge immediately and let her go about her business without his interference. He might not think her capable of the job, but he had no legal right to arrest anyone at the moment! She was legally the Sheriff, and he wasn’t even a Deputy until he was sworn in, and she didn’t know if she was going to do that after today! Darcy watched as he threw Malachi into a cell, and then turned to look at her, his dark eyes expressing his outrage at her behavior.
“You need to go and fetch Doc, Deputy.” She said the words as firmly as possible. “And you can hand over my badge.”
“Darcy, you are pushing,” Will warned, his temper at the breaking point. He’d hoped that this situation would have shown her that the job was just too dangerous for her to handle. But then, that would be too easy, and Darcy was never ‘easy.’ She was determined to do things the hard way, and she would just have to learn the hard way, too.
“I think you are the one misjudging the situation. I am the new Sheriff. You may remain on as my Deputy, but you are not going to run this office.”
Will struggled with his temper, and then he took off the badge and threw it on the desk. “I am not going to be your Deputy, little girl, but you are my fiancée, and I will be the head of our household. Each and every time you put your life in danger as you did tonight, I am going to take my hand to your backside.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Yes, Darshana Elizabeth Hamilton soon-to-be Davies, I would dare, and I would dare right this minute.”
Darcy put up a fight, but as earlier that evening, her gun belt slid off so easily if was like a betrayal! Will sat on the corner of what used to be his desk, and then he tossed her over his left thigh and started applying the palm of his hand to her backside! Darcy kicked and tried to throw herself off of his lap, but he was simply too strong and Will held her so that her butt remained his target and there was nothing she could do to protect herself from the blows he reined upon her with accuracy, spanking her already sore bottom and sit spots relentlessly until she was sobbing. Only then, did he slide her to her feet, and march her around the desk and sit her on the hard, wooden seat of the chair.
“I suggest you think about wearing this badge, Darcy. If you don’t get yourself killed, you will have one very sore butt to live with, that I can guarantee. As a favor to you, I’ll go and tell Doc you need him over here. Since you don’t have a Deputy, you’ll have to guard your prisoner all night. Say goodbye to sleep. I can’t tell you how many nights I sat in that chair wishing the town could afford to hire a deputy for me. Isn’t it strange that they are willing to hire one for you?”
Will stomped out of the jail, and glanced through the window in time to see her jump to her feet and rub furiously on her backside. He grinned without one bit of humor, and prayed she would be safe until he could get back to check on her. He didn’t like the idea of leaving Darcy alone with a criminal of Malachi Jones’ experience. Prison had done nothing for the man except turn him even meaner than he was already. Locking him up was a favor to anyone who might have the misfortune of coming in contact with him in the future.
“Sheriff, Sheriff!” Norman called out to Will. “There are important telegrams for you.” He shoved the papers at Will. “You’d best look at them right away!”
“I’m no longer the Sheriff, Norman, but I’ll see she gets them,” Will promised.
“That’s just plain wrong, Sheriff. I like Miss Darcy, but she’s a girl, and she ain’t the sort of girl to be a lawman. What was this town thinkin’?”
“The married men were worried about upsetting their wives,” Will replied. “Thanks for your support, Norman.”
“Sheriff, you keep an eye on Miss Darcy. She’ll be killed if you don’t.”
“I know, Norman. Don’t worry, I’m on it.”
“You’re a good man, Sheriff.”
Will knocked on Doc’s door and sent him to take care of Malachi. “Doc, you wait until I get back before you go in. Malachi would kill you in a heartbeat, and Darcy, too.”
“I’ll take my time getting over there.”
“Good. I just need a couple of minutes to reassure Miss Eleanor and Miss Louisa.”
“That poor girl. Malachi used to beat her something awful according to my friend.”
“He’s dangerous, alright, Doc. He would have killed Darcy tonight if I hadn’t gotten there in time. I’ll hurry to get back.” Will hurried and he thought he heard the two women talking in the back of the house, where he’d left them some time ago. He remembered that Miss Eleanor was holding a gun, and he was pretty damn sure she knew how to use it. “Miss Eleanor, Miss Louisa? It’s me, Will,” he called loudly.
“Come in, Will!” Louisa called.
“We put Malachi in jail. You’re safe,” he stated without preamble.
“Oh, Thank God!” Louisa sagged against the post of the bed. “Thank you.”
“We wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, Louisa,” he said softly. “You’re safe now.”
“Is my stubborn granddaughter alright, Will?”
“Yes, except for her backside and I doubt she will be sitting down anytime soon, at least not as long as she persists in thinking she can sheriff a town. I need to get back to the jail before Malachi thinks of some trick to get out.” He hurried off, leaving the two women alone once more.
“That was quite a lot of excitement for one evening, wasn’t it, my dear?” Eleanor said.
“Yes, Miss Eleanor, it was. In fact, it was enough excitement for the rest of my life!” Louisa insisted.
“I would like to ask you a question, dea
r, and I hope you will be honest with me?”
“Yes, ma’am?” Louisa was terrified she was going to be asked to leave, and it would surely break her heart! She loved it here, and she loved this bedroom, too, she realized as she looked around the beautifully decorated space that had become her very own.
“You said you changed your name? Would you rather we called you by your real name, or is Louisa your real name now?”
“I legally changed my name, Miss Eleanor, and I was permitted to pick whatever I wanted. I loved the name Louisa because it was my favorite teacher’s name. My last name is my maternal Grandmother’s maiden name. I truly love my name now. I prefer to use it. It is legal,” she repeated.
“Then we shall be pleased to call you Louisa, Louisa,” Eleanor said with a smile. “My dear, I wish you would have confided in us. We wouldn’t have sold you out for all the money in the world.”
“I trust you implicitly, Miss Eleanor. But Dr. English felt that the fewer people who knew my whereabouts, the safer I would be. I am truly sorry for deceiving you,” she apologized, bracing herself for the worst.
“Well, you are safe now, thanks to Will and my Darshana. I think the excitement of the evening was good for me. I surprised myself with how quickly I could grab my gun and come to the rescue!” She laughed along with Louisa, and then said, “Would you help me to bed, dear? It is getting rather late for this old woman.”
* * * * *
“I timed that just right,” Doc Grayson said with a smile as he and Will approached the jail at the same time. Will opened the door for him and then followed him inside. “Are you alright, Miss Darcy?” the good doctor asked after taking one look at her tearstained face.
“I’m fine, Doc. Your patient has been begging for some pain medication.”
“That will be for me to decide, young lady. You might have been elected as Sheriff, but I will do as I see fit when it comes to treating prisoners. I don’t believe in coddling them for being wounded when trying to commit a crime.”
“Yes, sir,” Darcy replied, feeling as though she’d just had a verbal spanking from the man she’d known since birth.
“These came for you, Sheriff. Norman asked me to deliver them to you.” He dropped the envelopes in front of her, and then shook his head. “Are you just going to stand there when Doc is risking his life to treat this criminal?”
“What should I be doing?” she asked, feeling helpless.
“You should be standing there, keeping guard so you can shoot the bastard if he does one thing to threaten Doc.”
“You know perfectly well I could accidentally hit Doc if I had to shoot like that!” Darcy was shocked at the very idea.
“One more reason you shouldn’t be sheriff, Sheriff,” Will said firmly. “Go and read your telegrams and I will keep Doc safe. I owe him for the times he patched my worthless hide.”
“Your hide is not worthless!” she tearfully whispered, but left him to guard the doctor.
Darcy went to the desk and opened the telegrams. One was a warning that told them Malachi Jones was on his way to town, and considered a threat to Louisa. The second caused Darcy to cry out in pain. Poor Louisa was going to be devastated! She walked into the back where the cells were kept. “U.S. Marshals will be coming as soon as possible to get this son of a bitch!” she said with barely controlled fury. “He killed Doctor and Mrs. English by beating them to get them to tell him where Louisa went to hide from him. When he had the information he wanted, he slit their throats. Doc, as far as I’m concerned, you can let him suffer. Any so-called man who would beat an elderly couple the way he did deserves to suffer.”
“That Doctor was my friend for many years. If he were here he would tell me to doctor you because it is the right thing to do, but I would rather give you medicine to make you very ill and let you die slowly.”
“Doc, please, I’m in terrible pain!” Malachi begged.
“I don’t give one damn about your pain, Jones. I’m not giving you anything. I’ll tend this wound, but that is it.” Doc fished for the bullet in his shoulder while Malachi blubbered like a baby. “I’ve got to go and tell a wonderful young woman that the people who took her in and helped her through nursing school and to find this nursing position are dead because they did help her. You are worse than the worst animal, Jones.”
Malachi winced, cried, and begged Doc for laudanum, but that was denied as he stitched the wound closed. Doc put on a bandage, and then looked at Darcy. “I have no intention of doing anything else for him, Sheriff. He is your problem.”
“I’m sorry you had to treat him at all, Doc Grayson.” She was sincere.
“You have to give me something for the pain!” Malachi begged.
“No, no I don’t!” Doc declared, and then he closed his black bag and marched out of the cell. Will banged the cell door closed after the good Doctor walked out.
“You might as well try and get some sleep, Jones. I’m sure the Marshals are already on their way here to get you. This time you’ll hang.” Will felt no sympathy for the man.
“God no! You got to let me go! I had me every right to come for my wife! Carlotta is mine, and I want her back!” he ranted. “The damn bitch testified against her own husband, and she needs to be punished. That fancy doctor and his prissy wife lied for her. What kind of bitch does that to her husband?”
“The kind who is terrified of her husband because he is no damn good. You shut your mouth or I’ll shoot you myself!” Darcy threatened, feeling sick to her stomach and wishing she could go home and take a bath and wash all of her troubles away.
* * * * *
There was a gentle knock on her bedroom door. “Come in,” Pricilla called out, and then she smiled when she saw that it was Brian.
“I was afraid you might be asleep, Priscilla, but I’m glad you’re not.”
“Papa insisted I stay in bed today and rest, so I am not the least bit sleepy right now,” she insisted, her fingers playing with the satin edging on her blanket. “If you’re hungry, I would be happy to fix you something.”
“Absolutely not! I agree with your father, you needed to rest today, and if your back is still bothering you tomorrow, I recommend you take another day of rest.”
“I will go nuts if I have to remain in bed again tomorrow!” she exclaimed.
Brian chuckled. “You are not a lazy person. I could see that right away, and I like that, Priscilla.”
“Thank you,” she said, and she could feel herself blushing.
“I love your long hair, too. I know this might be hard for you to believe, but I’ve been looking for you for quite a while now.” His smile was warm and tender and his eyes glowed with happiness. “Your father gave me permission to court you, but he wants to be sure that we love each other and can tell him that we want to be together forever.”
“Papa is trying to protect us both. He really likes you a lot, Brian,” she told the young man. “I know it would please him if we were to suit.”
“I’m already sure of my feelings, Priscilla, but out of respect for your father, I’ll go slow and do this his way. I also want you to be sure. Marriage is forever in my family. No one has ever divorced, and I certainly wouldn’t want to be the first.”
“If I give you my pledge, Brian, I will keep it. You are the first man I’ve ever met that I’ve felt I had a chance to love. You are very special to me, and I do believe that you are honorable and are a man of your word. I’ve felt so safe with you, and as if I can tell you anything.”
“Which you can, of course,” he agreed.
“So, did you go to the warehouse today?” she asked of him.
“Yes. Your father has quite an operation. Ours at home is in its infant stages compared to what your father has going.”
“He’s worked very hard to make a go of it,” she replied, pride showing in her blue eyes.
“It shows, too,” Brian said, nodding his head. “I have a feeling I can learn a lot from him to take back to my family.”
“Don’t feel bad, Priscilla. I am thankful he picked me to come first. Really and truly. I met you and my world is righted. My mother is going to be delighted to meet you. She has been after me to get married for some time now. I hope the two of you get along.”
“I will try,” Priscilla promised.
“That is sweet of you, but my Ma is sweet, too. You’ll get along.”
“I think it is time you let Pris get some sleep, young man.”
“I’ve been napping all day, Papa! I am pleased to have company.”
“It’s not seemly for Brian to be in your bedroom, daughter.”
“We are merely talking, Father!”
“Yes, I know, but it is time for sleep now.” Geoffrey was firm and his voice was stern.
“I do not wish to sleep! Why do you not keep us company? Certainly no one can disapprove of that?”
“Ladies do not entertain men while wearing nightclothes!” Geoffrey was adamant and Brian got to his feet.
“Yes sir, you are correct, and I don’t want to do anything that would reflect badly on Priscilla. Honey, I’ll visit with you tomorrow. Feel better soon,” he said, then took her hand and kissed it in gentlemanly fashion before leaving the room.
“Oh, Papa! Why did you do that? I’ve been so bored all day, and when finally Brian came to see me, you tossed him out! I tell you this, I am not staying in this bed tomorrow. I am getting up and taking up my responsibilities again. I hate being treated like an invalid when I am perfectly healthy.”
“Do not pout, child. I am only looking after your reputation. Is your back feeling better? I do not want you doing so much that you experience pain.”
“My back still hurts a good bit, but lying here for hours on end feels terrible, too.”
“I’m sorry, Pris,” he said with genuine concern. “We’ll take tomorrow gently. You are my daughter and I do care about you. Perhaps you can lie in during the morning hours, but rise later in the day and have dinner with Brian and me?”
