Dorthy giggled as he huffed. “What are you talking about Mother, my house is clean.”
His mother patted his cheek. “No honey, it’s not. It’s man clean but that isn’t clean. You’ll see, don’t you worry, your sisters and I will help your wife set it to rights tomorrow. Now take her home and let her get unpacked. I’ll expect the two of you for supper tonight, so we can get to know your lovely bride better.”
Sam nodded. “Nathan said he would bring Grace and the family over too. Seems Rayna’s having her baby today.”
His father cleared his throat. “Welcome to the family, Dorthy. Sam, you need to talk to Rowdy when you have a moment. There’s some trouble with the crops or so he told me. The tenants were talking to him yesterday.”
“All right. Is he out with the herd?”
“No, last I heard he and Elizabeth went to Redemption to do some shopping. If nothing else you can talk to them at dinner, though knowing your sister she’ll be at your house as soon as she hears you got married.”
“Probably. I’m sorry you didn’t get to conduct the ceremony, Father. I felt it was better for us to marry before we traveled together for three days on the train, even with Cindy with us.”
David nodded. “It’s fine, son. I’m glad you were thinking about the young lady’s reputation. You did well. We can all talk tonight. Go get your bride settled into her new home.”
Sam hugged his mother and then shook his father’s hand before taking his wife’s hand and heading back outside. Hanna ran up beside him. “Can I come help, Sam?”
Sam looked at Dorthy who smiled and nodded. “I would love your help, Hanna, and getting to know you a little better. I could use a good friend here since I don’t know anyone but Sam and Cindy, and Cindy is going to be going back to Missouri for a while.”
“Cindy is moving to Missouri?”
Sam nodded at his little sister. “Yes, for a while, she got hired by the Pinkerton agency there.”
“Oh, good for her.”
The three of them climbed into the wagon and drove it across to the house directly opposite the one they just left. “This is our place, love.” Sam set the brake on the wagon and then when Dorthy scooted to the edge of the wagon seat to get down, he scooped her up into his arms. “What are you doing, Samuel Ryder? Put me down.”
“Not this time, Dorthy. I’m carrying my wife across the threshold of our house and that is final.”
Sam carried her from the wagon up the stairs and across the porch. He opened the door and carried her into the house. There he kissed her soundly before setting her on her feet. “Welcome home, Dorthy Ryder.”
Chapter Eight
Getting to know Sam’s sister Hanna was fun. The girl was so full of life and determined to be happy that Dorthy couldn’t help but love her from the first moment. To think this young lady who was just a few years younger than her had started life as an orphan as well was mind boggling.
Unlike most of the women Dorthy knew who all seemed to have some kind of problem associated with being an orphan, Hanna was the exact opposite. Maybe it was being adopted by a loving couple so young or the fact that she was with her brother the whole time, but she was a joy to have around. “Look at this place. We keep telling Sam that his house isn’t clean but like a man he has no idea.” As she talked she stripped the bed and tutted over the state of the sheets. “I’m not even sure he has another set. I’ll be right back. I’m going to get some sheets from Mother’s linen closet.”
Dorthy was appalled. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. I can make do with these.”
Hanna waved her objection away. “No you can’t, these need to be burned. I’m not sure you’d ever get them clean. Sam, when was the last time you changed these sheets?”
Sam frowned. “Changed them? I’m supposed to change them?”
Hanna looked at her and shook her head. “You see what I mean? We’ll go shopping tomorrow and make your husband provide you with proper linens for a household. We should probably see what else you need too, but first I’m going to get clean sheets.” She looked at her brother. “While I’m doing that, big brother, you carry that feather tick outside and lay it over the fence so Dorthy and I can beat the dirt and dust out of it. We should probably order you a new one of those as well, or we could sew one and make him go get us enough pine straw to fill it. But I like a goose down tick on the bed.”
She flounced out of the bedroom and then out of the house heading next door with the dirty sheets in her hand. “Well that’s my sister, what do you think?”
Dorthy smiled over her shoulder. “I think you’d better not spend your time trying to spark up to me and get that mattress outside before she gets back.”
Sam chuckled before becoming serious. “Is the house really that dirty?”
Dorthy turned in his arms and kissed him soundly. “I know you think it’s clean but it’s not. I don’t think the floors have been scrubbed since your brother-in-law lived here, neither has the kitchen, and that mattress tick really does need replacing.”
“So what you’re saying is that it really is that dirty. I guess all this time Mother, Elizabeth and Grace have been right and I needed a wife.”
Dorthy laughed. “Or a housekeeper.”
Sam smiled down into her eyes and she felt their connection deepen before he leaned down and captured her lips with his own causing her to forget everything but the two of them. They were still locked together when his sister bounced back into the bedroom. “Oops, I guess I really should start knocking now that you’re married, Sam. Have you been kissing the whole time I’ve been gone? You need to get that mattress outside for us. How can we clean your bedroom before you and Dorthy are supposed to use it if you don’t help us?”
Sam faked being irritated with his sister. “Fine, I’ll carry out the mattress. Am I going to have to carry out every mattress in the house?”
He started to step around Dorthy when his foot caught on the edge of her dress and he fell towards the bed. He landed in a cloud of dust as a loud crack sounded and the bed tilted toward them as the legs broke off. Dorthy’s face drained of all color. “Sam, are you okay?”
He rolled over and looked up at her. “Don’t Dorthy. This was not your fault.”
Hanna, not realizing what he meant, was indignant for her. “Of course it wasn’t her fault; you’re the one rampaging around like a bull in a china shop. Why would you say that, Samuel Ryder?”
He slowly rose to his feet. “Go home Hanna, Dorthy and I need to have a talk.”
“What? Why are you being like this Sam, it wasn’t her fault, she didn’t even move.”
He stared at his sister. “Go home!”
Dorthy put out her hand and stopped Hanna from leaving. “She needs to know Sam, your whole family does before someone gets hurt or worse.”
He shook his head. “It wasn’t your fault, Dorthy. I tripped. Hanna’s right, you didn’t even move.”
She hung her head. “It doesn’t matter, don’t you see? You tripped because I’m here. The bed broke because I’m in the bedroom. Things like this happen around me all the time. I warned you. I tried to tell you I’m bad luck. It’s a wonder you weren’t hurt and if I stay around someone will get hurt.”
Hanna looked from her brother to Dorthy and back. “What’s she talking about, Sam?”
Sam wrapped his arms around Dorthy and pulled her close. She could feel the peace he tried to send to her but she wouldn’t let it in. He needed to understand that she isn’t safe that if he stayed with her he will get hurt.
“Go home Hanna, I can’t deal with you and my wife, and she comes first.”
Hanna huffed. “Fine, but I want to know what’s going on.”
“I’ll explain everything later but right now Dorthy needs me and you don’t. Tell Mother we need to spend the night in one of the rooms at the hacienda tonight. I’ll get a new bed tomorrow.”
Hanna nodded and left the room. Just a few minutes later the front door shut. Tears flow
ed down Dorthy’s face. “I need a ride into town. I’ll leave on the next train.”
“What are you talking about? You are my wife, you aren’t going anywhere.”
Dorthy looked at this man she loved. Why couldn’t he understand she couldn’t stay? She couldn’t take the chance that her bad luck would cause him or one of his family to get hurt. She tried to pull away from him and he held on tighter. “Stop it, Dorthy. I know what you’re thinking. You’re wrong, you didn’t cause this, I’m okay. It was an accident, not luck, or a hex or your being a Jonah. I tripped because I was more focused on kissing you than on moving the mattress.”
“I know you think that, but I’ve been around too many of these accidents and the only common thread is me. Somehow I make bad things happen. Which is why I need to leave before something bad happens to someone you love and then you’ll hate me.”
Sam looked deep into her eyes. “Something bad has already happened to someone I love. She thinks she causes bad things to happen just by being. Don’t you get it yet, Dorthy? We’re connected. I love you, you belong with me and I belong with you. This connection isn’t going to fade, it just keeps getting stronger.”
She wanted to deny it but his feelings for her were too hard to ignore. He started kissing her, first both eyes then both cheeks, then her lips where he stayed and tarried for a while, then her neck. Then his hands were working on the buttons of her day dress and before she could complain it slipped to the floor and his kisses travelled over her. Then before she could get control of herself and block out the connection, they became one and the full intensity of their connection flared to life and she knew that no matter what she’d never be able to leave him now. Her heart and his had become one.
Supper with his family was just hard for Samuel. All he could think about was getting home and being alone with his wife again, only they weren’t going home tonight because the ancient furniture his mother had begged him to replace for years had finally broken and he and Dorthy had no bed to sleep in. Tomorrow while his sisters helped her shop for linens and other household necessities, he’d be buying new bedroom furniture.
At dinner Grace and Elizabeth had gotten Cindy and Dorthy to relate the story of the first time he’d laid eyes on her. Then they’d asked about the proposal and oohed over the ring. “It’s the perfect ring for you, Dorthy. The sapphire makes your grey eyes even brighter. That should be your color. We need to go to the dress shop and have you a dress made for the dance in sapphire.”
“Oh no, Sam’s already spent too much buying me things already and we have so much to buy for the house.”
Elizabeth looked at Sam. “You haven’t told your wife yet?”
Sam looked at his sister. “I’ve told her, this is just the way she is. Leave her alone, Elizabeth, she grew up in an orphanage. She isn’t used to not having to worry about anything.”
“Yes, but now she doesn’t have to. You should make sure she understands that you have more than enough money for anything she wants, Samuel.”
Dorthy blushed. “I know there’s the money but that doesn’t mean I have to spend it. I don’t need another dress. Sam bought me several in Independence, including the one I got married in. I’ll wear that one for the dance.”
“Nonsense,” his mother interjected. “We want to take you dress shopping, Dorthy. I’ll buy you the dress as my wedding present to you. I may not have gotten to be at your wedding, but this will let me spoil you a bit and David won’t care that I’m spending the money. After all, we can’t take it with us when the end finally comes.”
“I’m not sure I should go into town, it would be too dangerous.”
“Redemption is perfectly safe, Dorthy. I know it looks like a wild western town but Sam and his deputies and Nathan and his keep the place very civilized.” That came from his father.
Dorthy blushed. “Oh, that’s not what I meant at all. Me being in town is dangerous to the townspeople.”
Sam put his fork down and took her hand. “Dorthy, you have to stop this.”
David and Nathan both looked concerned. “What is going on, Sam?”
Hanna jumped into the conversation too. “That’s what I want to know. Dorthy said something like that earlier and Sam made me leave. Why do you think you would be a danger to anyone, Dorthy?”
Sam looked at his brother and father knowing he’d have to explain. “Dorthy is under the belief that she is a pariah to those around her.”
“What’s a pariah?” Hanna asked.
“She thinks she causes bad things to happen to people and their property. I’ve told her that isn’t true, but after the bed incident today she’s more convinced than ever.”
Rebecca waved that thought away. “I’ve been after you for five years to replace that furniture. It’s the old stuff left over from before Nathan and Grace arrived in Redemption. It’s all old and dry rotted; you need to replace everything in that house.”
“I know that Mother, and now that I have a reason to I will.”
David looked across the table at Sam wife. “Young lady, are you telling us that you think you have the power to make bad things happen?”
She nodded and the certainty he could feel in her broke his heart. David slapped his hand on the table. “Well then, aren’t you all powerful. More powerful than God, are you? Know more than He does too, I take it?”
Sam was getting mad now. “Father!”
“You leave this to me, son. Answer me, Dorthy. Is my new daughter-in-law more powerful than God and more knowledgeable too?”
She looked at him shocked. “No, I would never think that.”
“Ah, but you do. You just said that you make bad things happen to others just with your presence. That’s more powerful than God. Yet his word tells us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, meaning bad things happen. The Savior said, “In this world you will have trouble.” So if you are so positive that you are making these things happen, you must know more than God because he says they just happen to everyone, it’s part of living in this world corrupted by sin. Nothing that you do by being here makes them happen, they just happen.”
As if to mock his point, the front door was torn open by one of the ranch hands. “The hay barn’s on fire!”
Dorthy’s face fell into her hands “See, it’s already started.”
No one really had time to respond because they were all on their feet heading to fight the fire that could spread and take out all of their homes and acres of grass as well as the feed for their herd this winter. But Sam knew that his wife was more convinced than ever that she was destroying his life and he didn’t know how to convince her she wasn’t. He grabbed his mother and nodded towards Dorthy. His mother saw what he was pointing to and patted him on the shoulder. “Go! I’ll take care of your wife.”
He headed out but wished he wasn’t one of the ranch foremen, so he could comfort his wife instead of fighting a fire she had absolutely nothing to do with. Now how was he ever going to convince her that things like this happen and they had nothing to do with her? He said a quick prayer as he grabbed a bucket and started hauling water to the hay barn.
He could feel the despair rolling off of her and knew she was once again thinking of running away from him and his family. He didn’t know how to make her see that doing so would be the worst disaster; more than the ones she thought she was causing. Somehow he needed to make it so she’d never try to escape him and his love for her.
“Ask me.”
The thought came to him and he knew instantly that he was being offered an answer. What could he ask of God that would convince Dorthy she shouldn’t run from him or his love? Then he knew. Nate and Penny’s connection crossed all boundaries. They were connected no matter how far apart they were, and according to the diaries Penny had left behind Nate always found her no matter where she was. He smiled. He knew exactly what to ask God for. “Give us a double portion, Lord.”
“Done!”
With those words the connection betw
een them slammed open and it dropped him to his knees. Clearly as if she spoke beside him he heard Dorthy in his head. “What did you do!?”
He sent back. “I made it so you can never run from me, Dorthy. I will know where you are and I will always come for you. I love you now and for eternity.”
“You should have let me go, Sam.”
“No, you should listen to me and my family. You are not at fault. You don’t cause disasters, Dorthy. The only disaster you could cause now is to leave me and deny me your love.”
He felt her resignation, but he would ignore it for now and concentrate on putting out this fire. He’d trust his mother to help settle his wife and when the fire was out he’d clean up and go love her with all his might.
Chapter Nine
Sam walked through Redemption, stopping and talking to everyone he met. Doing his part as Sheriff to make sure everyone knew the law was ever watchful in their town. Many commented on the dinner and dance his family had thrown to celebrate his marriage to Dorthy. Others wanted to congratulate him because they hadn’t been able to make the celebration. He silently passed them all to Dorthy who was home working on cleaning the house. She’d worked at it almost nonstop, only allowing his sister Hanna to help her. The two of them were thick as thieves and were becoming good friends.
The only time Dorthy hadn’t worked on the house was when she was working on not one, or two, but three garden plots. One for vegetables, one for herbs, and one for flowers. She’d allowed Elizabeth and his mother to help her getting the ground ready, and they were already taking the things she was doing and using them in their own garden plots. When they found out she taught botany and gardening at The Wigg School, they had wanted her to teach them how to get the most out of their plots too. In return, his mother promised to help her can and preserve the things they all harvested next year.
The only other time he’d been able to get her off the ranch was the day that Nathan had arranged for her to meet with the school board about expanding the school and covering for Rayna while she took care of her new son. She come home so excited from telling them all about the new ideas she had for making the school all-inclusive. She wanted to add a couple of teachers and two more classrooms so that the students would be taught without the distractions of those both above them and below them in educational levels.
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