A Texas Promise

by Laura Conner Kestner

  And what should he do about Lucinda? Were her grandparents looking for her? He’d tried not to think about it. Should he go see them?

  And what about the kiss that he’d almost shared with Maggie? He wanted it more than he’d wanted anything in a long time. Her words kept coming back to torture him. One kiss wouldn’t hurt. Would it? Could he walk away after one? Would he want to walk away?

  Taking his hat off, Eli ran a hand through his hair. Now that he knew who’d beat Maggie, what would he do about it?

  That was the only question with an easy answer. Sighing, he slapped his hat back on his head and turned his horse towards town. He couldn’t do that. Yet.

  * * *

  “So you still miss your mother?” Brody’s tone was casual, but Eli knew the answer was important to the boy.

  “Yep. It gets easier, though. You still miss them, but it doesn’t hurt as bad when they cross your mind. You’re able to remember the good times, and it makes you smile.”

  Handing a two-by-four to the boy, Eli waited while he tossed it onto a rapidly growing pile of boards destined to be the window frames of his new home.

  He’d invited Brody to go with him to pick up a wagon load of lumber at the sawmill in Boone Springs and help him unload it at his new place. He’d told the boy about his own parents’ deaths, part of it anyway, and encouraged him to talk.

  But Brody wasn’t talking as much as usual. However he was listening.

  Brody reached for another board. “Your mother was pretty special, huh?”

  “Yes, she was,” Eli said. “No matter how bad things got, Mama always figured out a way to make us laugh. Like when we tried to trap rabbits to eat and didn’t catch one. We’d ask Mama what we were going to have for supper, she’d say, ‘I guess we’ll have to get by on wind pudding and rabbit tracks tonight, boys.’”

  Brody, brow furrowed, tilted his head to the side. “I don’t understand. How did you eat something like that?”

  Eli laughed. “We didn’t. Mama was…whimsical. I guess that’s what you’d call it. She would say the most unusual things, and always made us smile. Sometimes she’d say we’d get by on a prayer and a promise. According to her, prayer was the right thing in any situation, and a Texas promise was better than any other kind.”

  Where was all this coming from? How strange that Eli could suddenly remember so much about his mother. Was it because he was letting himself remember? For years he’d tried to block it all out of his mind.

  “I’m not sure what whimsical means,” Brody said, “but she sounds nice.”

  Eli nodded. “Nice fits her, too. Mama loved poetry, songs, and even nursery rhymes. I don’t really remember any of them. Seems like there was one about blackbirds baked in a pie.”

  Brody grimaced. “That doesn’t sound good.”

  Chuckling, Eli pulled off his coat, tossed it over a fence post, and rolled up his sleeves. “No, it doesn’t. About as good as rabbit tracks, I guess.”

  Smiling, Brody took the next board from him and added it to the stack, while Eli recalled other memories.

  Mama must have been worried sick while she waited for Daddy to come home. Scared out of her mind at times. There’d been peaceful Indians in the area, but there’d also been Comanche raids. And yet Mama had never let them see her fear. As he thought back on it now, he could see her eyes trained toward the road. Waiting and watching for her husband. They were both gone forever shortly after that.

  Eli hadn’t lied to Brody. It did get easier, but sometimes, even as a full-grown man, the thought of his folks brought a peculiar, empty ache to his chest. Brody’s pain had to be fresher, more intense.

  “So what did y’all really eat?”

  Brody’s voice pulled him back from the past. Eli shrugged. “Most times we had beans. Sometimes cornbread. Whatever wild greens Mama could gather. Sometimes berries, plums and pecans. And like I said, if we could snare them, we’d have rabbits.”

  “Your papa died, too?”

  Eli kept his answer simple. “Yes, he’s gone, too.”

  “Just like mine,” Brody said.

  “Yep.” Eli tugged off his gloves and shoved them in his back pocket. “Why don’t we take a break? A drink of water sounds good.”

  Eli brought up the pail from the bottom of the well, and handed Brody the gourd dipper so he could have the first drink.

  After the boy finished, he swiped a hand across his mouth. “My mama knew some interesting things, too.”

  “She did?”

  “Yes. She told me one time that a dove will fall to the ground and limp around dragging her wing, even if she’s not really hurt.”

  Eli knew that, but he wanted to encourage the boy to keep talking. “Why would she do that?”

  “To distract people from her nest, to keep them from getting too close.”

  “That’s right smart of the mother,” Eli said. “Nature’s remarkable if you take the time to notice what’s happening around you.”

  They talked a little about their fathers, and Eli was grateful that the bitterness he’d once felt for Amos Calhoun was gone. He felt sympathy for his father now that he understood that he hadn’t intended to leave his family for good.

  They worked in silence for awhile, then Brody said, “I guess I will hang around. If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

  “Don’t mind one bit. I welcome the company.”

  “I’ll work hard, Sheriff. I’ll earn my keep.”

  Eli looked at him. “Brody, I don’t mind having your help because that’s what folks do. Friends and family help each other out. You don’t have to earn anything. I want you to understand that. It’ll be like it is when Nathaniel, Caleb and I give each other a hand. I don’t want to be your boss. I want to be your family.”

  Brody seemed pleased, and a little shy and uncertain, but the wary look was gone.

  “And that means that I’m going to get you some clothes and boots,” Eli said. “Nothing fancy,” he added when Brody opened his mouth.

  After a softly-spoken thank you, Brody said, “Does this mean I can’t help around the jail anymore?”

  “You’re still welcome there any time. And if you want to, you can still work for others in town. But I’ll buy you the things you need.”

  The boy’s expression cleared.

  “I do expect one thing from you,” Eli said.

  “What’s that?”

  “The truth. Always. I understand why you lied to me and why you felt it was necessary, but it’s not necessary anymore.”

  Brody ducked his head. “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m curious about something,” Eli said. “In the past, when I’ve asked you if your parents knew where you were, you always seemed so sincere when you told me yes.”

  The boy glanced away again. “I might’ve been misleading you, but I wasn’t out-and-out lying. I’ve had plenty of churching, and my mother read the Bible to me all the time. I know they’re in Heaven.” He swiped at his eyes, but his voice stayed steady. “I figured they knew everything that was going on with me, Sheriff.”

  Throat tight, he patted the boy on the back. “Why don’t you call me Eli?”

  Brody flashed him a grin. “Yes, sir. Eli.”

  “Let’s wash up, and then we’ll stop by the mercantile and get you something to wear.”

  The boy’s expression brightened. “Can I have a badge?”

  “Nope.”

  “A gun?”

  “Nope.”

  Eli realized with a start that this very scene might be played out a hundred more times before Brody was full grown.

  What if he didn’t do the right thing by the boy? At some point, soon, Brody would need to learn how to shoot, and ride a horse, and how to talk to girls. Eli felt more than competent at the first two, but wasn’t sure if he’d ever feel comfortable with the third.

  Please God, let me do right by him.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  As usual, Maggie stepped further back into the kitchen at th
e knock on the front door. Although her heart no longer pounded at every noise outside, she was still cautious. Eli had stopped by to tell her about his talk with Brody, but now the visitor had interrupted them.

  As she heard Eli open the front door, there was also a tap at the back door.

  Thinking it was Brody, Maggie smiled and opened it.

  Her smile faded when Hollis Anderson stepped into the room. “Hello, Maggie.”

  Heart in her throat, Maggie stepped back and grabbed a cast iron skillet as he stepped closer.

  Anderson’s eyes widened, but he addressed her in a soothing tone. “Now, now, dear, let’s not do anything we’ll regret.”

  “I won’t regret it one bit,” Maggie snapped. “And don’t you call me dear.”

  “You don’t mean that, love.”

  “That’s strange,” Eli said, stepping back into the room from the hall. “There was no one at the front d…” His words trailed off as he caught sight of Hollis.

  From the corner of her eye, Maggie saw Eli draw the Colt from his hip with a speed that astonished her. But when several other men—including the Fair Haven sheriff—entered the room from the back porch and stood behind Anderson, Eli lowered the gun.

  Maggie recognized several of the men. Unfortunately, they were friends of her father’s, not hers, so appealing to them for help wouldn’t do any good. This can’t be happening.

  Eli also seemed to recognize the sheriff. “What’s this all about, Sheriff Clark?”

  Hollis Anderson spoke up first. Nodding his head in Maggie’s direction, his gaze remained fixed on Eli. “You’ve got something that belongs to me. I’ve come to take her back.”

  Maggie bristled. “I do not belong to you, or anyone else.”

  Hollis smiled. “I guess I was being a bit premature. You’re only promised to me, at this point. But it’s only a matter of time.”

  “I am not promised to you,” Maggie said between clenched teeth. “I will not marry you.” She was startled to feel Eli’s hand on her back. The warmth of it steadied her.

  “I’ve gone to a lot of time and effort to find you, sweetheart,” Hollis said. “Detective Patterson here has been looking for weeks.”

  Patterson. The name of the Pinkerton agent who’d shown up looking for her that first day. Hysteria bubbled up inside Maggie.

  “I wish you’d been more honest with me, when we were out at that asylum,” Shiloh Clark said to Eli. “You didn’t let on that your interest was personal.”

  Eli nodded. “Yes, it was personal. Still is. And Mr. Anderson coming here has been a mistake. I don’t want to fight about it, or even talk about it. You see, Miss Radford is marrying me.”

  Stunned silence and opened-mouth amazement met his announcement. Realizing that she was one of those with their mouth gaping, Maggie snapped it shut.

  Forcing a smile to her face, she peeked at Eli from under her lashes. His expression was steely as he eyed Hollis, but his fingers were gentle as they tightened around her waist and pulled her closer.

  Grumbling erupted among the men who stood with Anderson. “I thought you said Maggie Radford was being held here against her will,” Shiloh Clark said to him.

  “Let me have a few minutes alone with her,” Hollis Anderson said. “I’m sure we can get this all straightened out.”

  Maggie tightened her grip on the skillet handle. “There’s nothing to straighten out. I’m not going back to Fair Haven with you. I’m staying here with Mrs. Harmon, so I can be near my fi…fiancé.”

  “She’s right,” Eli said. “What’s to straighten out? Maggie and I are getting married.” He turned to look at her, “As soon as possible, right sweetheart?”

  Maggie blinked. His expression had softened, and even though she knew he was only saying the words to protect her, her heart was behaving most peculiarly. “Yes, that’s right.”

  Shiloh pushed past Hollis Anderson and stepped up to Maggie. “Can we talk somewhere? Alone?” He glared at both Eli and Hollis, daring either one of them to interfere.

  Maggie placed the skillet on the table. “Of course, let’s go into the front room.”

  As soon as they shut the hall door, the sheriff got straight to the point. “Are you here against your will?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Is there any truth to anything that Hollis Anderson is saying?”

  “No, not a bit.”

  “So what is going on?”

  “For some reason Hollis decided several months ago that he was going to marry me, whether I wanted to or not. I didn’t want to then, and I still don’t. Unfortunately, my father not only agreed to Mr. Anderson’s request, he insisted that I accept.”

  Sheriff Clark’s expression tightened. “Am I going to have trouble with your father over this?”

  Maggie stifled her frustration. “I don’t see why you would. I’m old enough to make my own decisions.”

  The man sighed. “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-three.”

  “And you don’t object to Sheriff Calhoun’s attention?”

  Heat filled her face. “Not at all.”

  He leveled a hard look at her, one that Maggie was sure had worked on many a criminal. “Young lady, did you have anything to do with that fire at the asylum?”

  “No, sir.” Now that Maggie knew that the guard who’d beaten her was alive and well, she shared everything with the Fair Haven sheriff. Well, almost everything. He didn’t ask about the baby, and she didn’t volunteer any information.

  Apparently her explanation about Mabel and the woman’s history of arson satisfied him.

  “All right,” he said. “I probably won’t ever know exactly what happened out there, but I’m ready to put this whole thing behind me.”

  “Me, too,” Maggie said.

  “But I’ll tell you the truth, Miss Radford, I don’t like this situation with Hollis Anderson one bit. For whatever reason, he’s fit to be tied about all this. If I were you, I would stay outta his way for awhile.”

  “Don’t worry,” Maggie said, “I intend to do just that. Thankfully, I’ve made friends in Moccasin Rock. As I said, they’ve invited me to stay here while I try to sort it all out.”

  Sheriff Clark stared at her a few moments, then gave a brisk nod and motioned her back toward the door.

  When they entered the kitchen, Maggie smiled at Eli and assured him that everything was fine and the others would be leaving, without her. But she couldn’t quell a flicker of fear when Hollis Anderson pinned her with a cold stare.

  Hollis waited until everyone else had left before saying, “You will regret this.”

  Eli stepped forward and held the door open, waving Hollis toward it. “You lay one finger on Maggie, or cause her grief in any way, and you’ll be the one who’s sorry.”

  The quiet tone, the absolute confidence Eli’s words implied, sent a shiver down Maggie’s spine. Based on Hollis’s expression, he too seemed to realize it was more a promise than a threat. He left without another word.

  There was silence after the sound of footsteps faded. Despite the fact that she trusted Eli to watch over her, Maggie couldn’t help but worry about what would happen once Hollis was back in Fair Haven.

  “Do you think he’ll take it out on my father?”

  “I don’t think so,” Eli said, “but I’ll keep an eye on the situation.”

  She nodded, then they stood there, looking everywhere but at each other.

  “I appreciate you saying what you did,” Maggie finally said. “It certainly set Hollis back.”

  Eli cleared his throat. “Yeah, sorry to catch you by surprise like that.”

  “It was no less surprising than my first betrothal.”

  “Well, hopefully this one will help you, instead of making your life miserable.”

  “I’m truly grateful,” Maggie said, “but what do you think Hollis will do when he discovers that we’ve deceived him?”

  “No reason he should find out for now,” Eli said. “We
can pretend to be engaged for as long as it takes to make sure you’re safe.” He spoke the words casually, but his gaze was sharp as he waited for her reaction.

  Maggie took a deep breath, amazed at the sudden turn of events. “How do we proceed from here?”

  Eli didn’t have any ready answers to that. Maggie made a fresh pot of coffee and they sat at the table and discussed it.

  “We’ll need to tell Nathaniel, Peg and Caleb what’s really going on,” Eli said.

  Maggie agreed. “That’s true. They’ve all been so good to me; I can’t imagine lying to them.”

  Eli snorted. “You sure didn’t have any trouble lying to me.”

  “That’s not true,” she said softly, “it was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.”

  He held her gaze a moment. “I understand. But I hope you won’t feel it necessary to do it again.”

  “I won’t.”

  Suddenly Eli frowned. “Hey, you don’t plan on hitting me in the head with a frying pan, do you?”

  Fighting a grin, Maggie shrugged. “That’s not the sort of thing one plans, Sheriff.”

  His answering smile, perhaps the first full one she’d seen, took her breath away.

  “I’ll consider myself forewarned,” he said. “I’ve slept with one eye open many a time.”

  Flustered by this lighter, teasing side of the sheriff, Maggie had trouble concentrating on their discussion. The man’s smile was nearly as lethal as the gun on his hip—at least to the female heart.

  “Since we don’t want to lie, how about I court you,” Eli said. “If we’re seen together, with me being attentive, everybody in Moccasin Rock will have us married off in no time anyway.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” Maggie said. “People have a way of jumping to conclusions. We probably won’t even need to nudge them.”

  “Right. To tell you the truth, I was worried about Peg’s reputation with me coming in and out of here so often,” Eli said.

  Maggie pushed a plate of cookies toward Eli, and refilled his coffee cup. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “I mentioned it,” he said, “and told her I was sorry if it caused her any problems.”

  “What did she say?”