by Nancy Pirri
“You’re a blessed man, James.”
James came to his feet. “I am.” Tilting his head to one side, he added, “You should try marriage, Simon.”
“You know how I feel about that. I’ve plenty of enemies and refuse to put a family in harm’s way.”
“A body can’t live like that forever, and you know it. There are plenty of judges and lawmen who’ve married and have had no problems.”
“Yes. And there are just as many who have. Have you any idea how many men I’ve put behind bars, and how many of them are now free and possibly looking for revenge?”
“No idea, but like I said, you can’t live looking over your shoulder your entire life.”
“What you say makes sense, but I haven’t changed my mind on the topic.”
“Maybe because you haven’t met the right woman, yet. I was a lot like you, my friend, before meeting Katie. It’s like lightning striking and your life changes. For the better, I might add.”
“You could be right,” Simon said, thinking about Janie Miller.
Chapter 2
January 1891
Bozeman, Montana
“Mrs. Miller? There’s no need for thanks and there’s nothing I can think that you can do to repay me. Simply put, you needed work and I knew of a position.”
Janie nodded and didn’t say another word.
Simon slapped the reins against his horse’ back as he sped down the snow-packed road in his wagon toward Bozeman. Having made the trip several times over the years, he knew they’d be there within minutes. He was tired and cold and annoyed at Janie Miller telling him how much she appreciated his help, for the tenth time this trip. Damn! Hadn’t anyone ever done anything kind for her?
Holding the reins in one hand he managed to button the top button of his coat. He hated Montana’s winters and longed for summer’s warmth. Glancing down he caught her wringing her glove-clad hands again. “Please, stop doing that.”
She frowned. “Doing what?”
Simon met her worried look. “That squashing, wringing thing you do with your hands. There’s nothing to worry about you know. You’ll love the Freemans and they’ll love you.”
“I…well…I was thinking over the job duties. I don’t know much about book keeping, but that’s the only part of the job I’ve never done.”
“No problem. Mrs. Freeman said if you didn’t have any bookkeeping experience she’d do her own books at home. She requires someone to watch over the general operation of Katie’s Palace.” He smiled and added, “Stop it now, you’ll do just fine.”
She gave him a shy smile and his heart lurched. Good grief, this sad, worried, downtrodden woman was doing things to him no woman had ever done before. Yes, she was pretty, but she lacked confidence in herself. Of course, if he’d been treated so shabbily he supposed he would behave much the same way. But then, he was a man, and men were the stronger breed of mankind, therefore a man should treat a woman with the utmost gentleness and kindness. He was curious to hear her story for he had a feeling her husband had been far from kind to her. He’d seen abused animals and women before, and she fit that perfectly.
“Tell me about yourself, Mrs. Miller. How long were you married?”
“Please. I’m Janie.” There was that shy smile again. “You are one of few I can call a friend.” I had been married to Robert for fifteen years.”
“Fifteen!” At her nod he said, “Good grief, you don’t appear old enough to have been married that long. You must have been a child bride.”
She laughed. “If you can call sixteen a child, I suppose I was.”
“We’re you happy with him?” She didn’t reply and when he looked down at her he saw her cheeks had turned pink. He ineffectually patted her hand and said, “I’m sorry. I’ve no right to ask such a personal question.”
“No,” she said, her voice cracking, “I was not happily married. Robert could never control himself and spent most of the years we were married at the gambling tables, which is why I’m in the current sad state that I’m in.”
Simon frowned. “Why didn’t you leave the man?”
“You mean divorce him?” At his nod, she continued, “Because I would have found myself in the same sad state earlier, for one. And, I’m a Christian woman who believes in marriage, not divorce.”
“Didn’t you have any family to call on for help? No men-kin that could have talked some sense into your husband and make him accountable for his behavior?”
“I was an only child and both of my parents are dead. I have an aunt and uncle and a few cousins but they live in New York City. I’ve never met them. Once a month I’d have about a week reprieve. Then I’d squirrel away money from the sale of eggs from my laying chickens, and milk from the few cows we had left, to pay the mortgage and feed myself. I’d also taken in mending and sewing.”
Simon raised his brows. “Reprieve?”
“Yes. Robert would get into a drunken brawl with someone at the tables so the sheriff would toss him in jail for a week to dry out.”
“I see.” Simon had seen so much of this type of behavior during his years as a judge, which sickened him. And the poor woman had had no one to come to her rescue. If he’d known her and her situation, he certainly would have intervened. Apparently, her husband must not have committed any crimes for he’d never come before Simon in a courtroom for sentencing. He wished he had.
“No,” I don’t think you do. Someday, I’ll tell you, perhaps, but not now. I took care of myself as best I could, working our homestead.” She sniffed. “I loved our home and now it’s all gone.”
“To your brother-in-law who coveted you.”
She nodded. “He’s a hateful, awful person, and would do anything—legal or otherwise—to have me.” Her eyes widened. “Heavens! I wouldn’t put it past him to come here and retrieve me.”
“We’ll keep a watchful eye out for him,” Simon promised. Reaching down, he grasped her hand and squeezed it. “I’m sorry your life has been so miserable, but think of this as a fresh new start, hopefully a happy, satisfying one.”
“You are so wise, Judge Hopkins,” Janie said. Her small smile grew larger the longer she gazed upon him.
“If I’m calling you Janie, then use my name, Simon.”
“Simon. I like it.”
His pulse sped up at her sweet, dazzling smile. Looking away, he cleared his throat. “We’re here. Take a look at your new home.”
To Janie, Butte resembled Bozeman as she looked up and down both sides of the street, though Bozeman had decorated their town for the holidays with pine branches tied with velvety red ribbons. And several stores still had holiday decorations in the front windows.
They pulled up in front of a two-story gray clapboard sided building and she read the sign, “Katie’s Palace.”
“This is the place,” Simon said. Then she heard him heave a deep sigh. He seemed satisfied to be here which made her wonder if he was more at home in Bozeman than Butte.
He jumped down from the wagon just as a tall, handsome man stepped out of the establishment. Her eyes narrowed on his coat, opened down the front, caught the flashing tin of a badge on his woolen shirt. The local law enforcement had come to greet them? She wasn’t sure if this was a good or a bad thing.
The man reached out his hand to Simon. “Glad you’re here, Judge. You missed the holiday party, though. And we missed you.”
Simon shook James Freeman’s hand. “Glad to be home, at least for a month or so. Sorry, got tied up over the holidays and couldn’t get here.”
Tied up? Janie felt heat seep into her cheeks as she thought about how Simon had spent Christmas with her—in a jail cell.
Janie slid her gaze from Simon to the tall, dark-haired man, who had leveled his eyes on her. Again, heat slid over her face and up her spine.
After a long moment, the man said, “And this must be, Mrs. Miller.”
“Sorry,” Simon said, “Yes, this is Janie Miller. She’s ready, able, and willing to star
t work whenever you’re ready to have her. Janie, this is James Freeman, our local lawman.”
James tipped his Stetson to her. “Glad to have you here with us, Mrs. Miller. My wife will be happy you’ve arrived.”
“Thank you for giving me the position,” Janie replied, realizing this lawman was the husband of the owner of Katie’s Palace.
Just then a baby’s high screams filtered from inside the saloon.
“Sounds like my wife needs some help with our youngest. Come on in, then, time to meet Katie.”
Simon took her elbow and guided her inside, following the sheriff. Swinging doors led into a kitchen and Janie found herself smiling at the beautiful red-haired woman perhaps a bit younger than herself, stirring something in a big kettle on a stove while holding what appeared to be a newborn in the other arm.
She looked up when they entered the kitchen. “It’s about time you returned. Here.” She settled the baby in the sheriff’s arms. “It’s past his naptime. See if you can get him to sleep. He just won’t settle down for me.” Giving a quick glance at Simon and Janie, she added, “Janie Miller?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Janie replied.
“I’m Katie, and please, call me that. Ma’am makes me feel old.”
Right then and there, as Janie considered Katie Freeman’s twinkling eyes, she knew she’d found a friend in the woman. “I can’t thank you enough for this position.”
Katie shook her head. “No thanks needed. You’ll be doing me a favor. I’ve tried for weeks to find someone already here in town to take the job but no one was available to help. I’ve three children who need me at home, the last born just two weeks ago. Excuse me while I finish this batch of beans.” She grinned at Simon. “Good seeing you, stranger. You missed Christmas with us.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t let it happen again,” she groused.
“No, ma’am.” Simon just smiled at her reproachful expression. Then she turned back to the pot on the stove.
James looked wistfully down at his son. “Isn’t he something?”
He was, for certain, Janie decided. The baby was gorgeous. Janie saw the deep brown hair on the baby’s head and soft, creamy complexion. The little boy had his eyes open and they appeared a bit crossed as they focused on James. Yes, definitely a newborn, Janie decided, and a decided ‘ringer’ in appearance to his father. ‘Daddy’ was smitten.
Simon stroked the baby’s cheek. “He sure is a keeper.” He shook his head and lifted one eyebrow. “Never thought I’d see you father of one child let alone three.”
“Me neither, but being a father and a husband to Katie, is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” James looked over at Katie. “I’d be nothing without them. Lost, you know?”
Simon nodded. “Yeah, you would, for sure.”
“Later,” James said, then left the saloon.
“Let’s have a seat while Katie finishes in the kitchen. I’ll fetch us some coffee.”
After Simon, left Janie looked around. The boarding house was big, beautiful and bountiful, no other way to describe Katie’s Palace. Wood paneled walls gleamed from a recent varnishing. Copper clad decorations, including a huge clock on one wall graced the place. Warmth exuded from every corner, from the checkered tablecloths to the polished wooden chairs. Janie had noticed right off the modern kitchen and looked forward to preparing food there. A deep warmth of contentment settled inside her; she had a feeling she’d be very content here. Maybe even happy.
She settled down at one of the tables and removed her thread-worn coat, glad they’d arrived, apparently, between lunch and supper. Being new in town, not knowing anyone, gave her a sense of ease. Since her reputation was now in tatters in Butte, she was glad she’d left. Besides, too many sad memories… She watched Simon head back to her, a steaming cup of coffee in each hand. He sank into a chair and slid the coffee across the table.
“Thank you,” she said, winding her hands around the cup, the heat warming her. She looked around then met the gentle look in his eyes. “I’m nervous. Sorry.”
“No need to be sorry, or nervous for that matter. You’ll get along well with Katie. She’s a wonderful woman, and a good friend. So is James. They’re good people. The type of folks you perhaps haven’t had much contact with in your life.”
“No, guess I haven’t. I can’t thank—”
He banged his cup down on the table, and she caught the glint of steel in his eyes. “Thought we’d established no more thanks were required.”
She jerked away from him and looked around nervously.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You sound angry.”
“I’m not. Just exasperated with you, that’s all. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“You didn’t, all right, you did, but that’s okay. I’m just not used to people being nice…”
“He hurt you, didn’t he?”
Tears filled her eyes. “Fifteen years I’d been married to Robert. Fifteen years that seemed to last a lifetime,” she choked. “Yes, he hurt me, nearly every day.”
“Why’d you marry him? You weren’t…”
“No. I wasn’t pregnant. The Lord above never did bless us with children, but it was for the best. I married him to escape my home life.”
“Was that so bad?”
“I can’t talk about it. I just can’t,” she whispered. She couldn’t tell a virtual stranger about her abusive father, the reason she’d married Robert at such a young age. She also couldn’t tell him how Robert had abused her as well for he’d think her a fool.
Katie arrived, wiping her hands on her apron. She sat down beside Janie. “Sorry, but my main server, Annie, can’t come in today.”
“Hope everything’s okay with her,” Simon said.
“Nothing that seven more months can’t cure, I suspect, though she should be feeling much better sooner than that.
Simon spewed his last sip of coffee, then apologized, “Sorry about that but are you saying she’s having another baby?”
Katie nodded and smiled.
“But that’s three babies in three years!”
“It sure is, and Cane and Annie can’t be any happier.”
“I worry about her, that’s all. She had a rough time of it having the first two.”
“Let me tell you something, judge; birthing babies isn’t easy for most women, no matter if it’s the first or last baby. She’ll be fine. She’s been experiencing a queasy stomach lately. It’s wonderful Janie has arrived.”
“So, I’ll be cooking and serving by myself?” Janie was worried about handling all of the job on her own.
“Heavens, no! I’ve got two other servers and a full-time cook besides. You’ll be overseeing the three of them, filling in though if one of them can’t come to work.”
Janie nodded. “I can do that.”
“Good.” Katie slapped her hands on the table. “You’ll take your lodgings here, of course.”
“Yes, if that’s all right with you.”
“Yes, I insist. I like having the person who’ll be managing my place staying here. Come upstairs and I’ll show you to your room so you may freshen up before I explain more about the job.” She looked at Simon. “I imagine her bags are in your wagon?”
“Yes. I’ll get them.” He left the saloon and Katie led Janie up the stairs.
Katie paused outside a door at the end of the hallway and opened it. “Come on in. Tell me what you think.”
Janie gasped, “It’s lovely! Oh, and it’s so large.”
Katie grinned and hustled to an armoire, beside it another door. She opened it with a flourish and Janie drew closer.
“Your very own bathing room, too. It’s the only bedroom that has its own, everyone else has to share.”
“Oh, but I couldn’t take this room, Katie. Why, you must keep this for paying guests.”
“Nonsense. My paying guests stay but a day or two at a time. You’ll be staying for quite a while, at least, I hope you w
ill.”
“Of course I’ll be staying, as long as you need me…Katie.”
“Wonderful.”
Just then Simon arrived. They’d left the bedroom door open and he leaned down and set Janie’s two bags down inside the doorway.
“Oh! Look at this room,” Janie said. “Isn’t it the loveliest?”
Simon had eyes only for Janie, though he flicked an inquisitive glance at Katie first. “It’s the best room Katie’s Palace has to offer,” he said. “Better than my room, that’s for certain.”
Janie raised her brow. “You live here?”
He nodded. “I do, when I hold court here, which is about every other month. I alternate between Butte and Bozeman and a couple of other towns as well. Interesting that my room is right next to yours, isn’t it?”
Katie gave him an innocent little smile before sauntering past him. “I’ve work to do. When you’re finished unpacking, Janie, meet me in the kitchen.”
Simon followed Katie with narrowed eyes. The woman looked entirely too happy for his taste. It was obvious she’d set Janie beside him, to tempt him. She was playing the matchmaker again. Since marrying James, Katie believed everyone should be so content and happy and went out of her way to try and match folks up. She’d been successful half of the time.
It made perfect sense that Katie would give Janie the best room in the palace, since she’d be staying indefinitely—living here on a full-time basis.
“Well, then, I’ll unpack. Thank you, Simon.”
Simon turned to find Janie standing in her doorway, the door half shut, an apologetic expression on her face. “Yes, you do that, though you don’t seem to have much by way of possessions.”
“I have enough,” she replied.
He’d heard the cool tone in her voice and decided the woman had more than her share of pride. Somehow, he knew, that pride would sustain her and help her make a new life for herself.
“If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask me. I’m here for the next twenty days or so.” He didn’t wait for her reply but turned away, opened the door to his own room and entered.
