What a difference a few weeks could make in a man’s life. It seemed like such a short time that he was forced to wed and then again it felt like he had known Grace a lifetime.
Of course, that wasn’t true, especially when he thought about Lizzie—and his son. But the pain wasn’t as sharp when he thought of them. The guilt wasn’t as gut-wrenching. And all because of a letter he didn’t write. Perhaps the hands of fate were working on his behalf after all.
Fate. What was it Billy Buchanan had said about fate that day they were getting soused at the Holy Moses? Something about Fate being a fickle con artist. He said, “She manipulates you into thinking she is on your side. She gives you everything you ever wanted and then she stabs you with the truth. You can’t trust Fate. Or women in general. It’s best to create your own fate. It’s the only way you will ever be truly happy.”
That day was not one of his better moments for sure. But, then again not Billy’s either. That whole conversation had been out of character for Billy. That boy never had a serious thought in his life. He had known Billy ever since they were learning in their Primer books in grade school. Billy always joked and teased everyone. He remembered one time Billy had teased Lizzie until she fled in tears. John smiled to himself. That was the day he noticed Lizzie Carmichael for the first time. And that was the day he made up his mind he was gonna marry that girl.
Billy had made fun of him but John remained determined to make Lizzie his wife. And he had done just that. He kind of understood what Billy was rambling about Fate. She tricked him into thinking he had it all, Lizzie, his son, and then she took it all away from him in span of a heartbeat.
Where would he be today if Lizzie and his boy had survived? Would they be happy? Would they still be together? Only God knew the answer to that question.
Shaking the cobwebs from his thoughts, he admonished himself. “You have got to stop looking back. It doesn’t do any good.”
“What doesn’t do any good?”
Grace stood behind him, her cheeks flushed by the cold. God, she was beautiful. And she was a good person. He was damned lucky to have a second chance at a family. He smiled at his wife and then broke into a wide grin.
“It won’t do any good to go back into the house and take you back to bed, Mrs. Malone. We have a full day today so we might as well get started.”
He watched his wife blush at his suggestion. By tonight, they would be tangled in soft sheets on his soft bed with a big picture window framing the mountains in the distance. Thank goodness he had built a new bed to replace the one Lizzie and his son had died in.
And they would talk of nothing but plans for the future. In another few weeks, he would know if Grace was carrying his child. This time, he wouldn’t leave her side—not for one minute.
“Do you think the horses can make it through the snow?”
“What did I tell you? These horses are the best in the...”
Grace smiled. “I know. They are the best in the San Luis Valley and they could pull a locomotive through the pass if need be.”
“Are you mocking me, Mrs. Malone?” John reached out and pulled Grace close to him.
Grace looked up at him with those warm, molten eyes and teased him. “Yes, Mr. Malone. I do believe I am. But I believe by the looks of these giant beasts, you do not boast. They are huge. Are they gentle?”
“They are as gentle as kittens.”
She looked doubtful at him.
John couldn’t help but tease her. “Sometimes, even a lumbering giant can possess the heart of a lamb instead of a lion, don’t you think that possible?”
Grace looked at him and smiled. “I do.”
“So are you ready to go? I have a surprise for you I think you will like. At least I hope you will.”
“I am ready. I have a list of things I need to do in town. I want to send a letter to my sisters and I would love to see Mrs. Hanover. I hope you have no ill will against the Hanovers for their part in our marriage. They were just trying to do the right thing.”
“Believe it or not, I am grateful to them. I would have run for the hills if they had not encouraged to me stay.”
“Encouraged you to stay. Hmm. An interesting phrase for sure. Shall we go?”
John took Grace’s hand and helped her up on the wagon seat. A lot had changed in the few weeks since they had left town as a married couple. He had gone from a self-absorbed miserable human being running from his sadness to a happy husband going home with his new love. It was only a matter of time before they added to their family. The thought both thrilled him and terrified him. But he had turned a corner and he was eager to see what lay ahead for him and his mail order bride.
23
Grace rode in silence on the way back into Creede. But it was a different situation from the ride to her new life just a few weeks ago. It was a silence of contentment. She was taking in everything around her—the snow sparkling in the sunshine, the occasional red fox darting across the road, the mountain sheep clinging to the side of the mountain. And the man that sat next to her, strong arms keeping control of the six draft horses.
She could see why John was so proud of his team. They were beautiful and obviously built for the job they seemed happy to do. High stepping, the bays pulled them through the snow with ease. The brass fittings on the harnesses jingled a merry tune. She was happy. No. That wasn’t exactly true. She was deliriously happy. It was a state of mind she had never experienced before in her life and she loved it.
“What are you thinking?” John’s voice jolted her out of her musings.
“I was thinking how different this ride into town is from the one out of town.”
“Yeah, it was certainly unexpected but I’m grateful for another chance at life.”
John snapped the reins and the bays picked up their pace. It was a beautiful sight to see. John smiled at her and she smiled back. Contentment rained over her like the spring showers that were still several months away. They rode to Creede in companionable silence. Grace content with her own thoughts thinking about the letter she would write to her sisters, her visit with the Hanovers and how pleased they would be at how things had ultimately turned out. A niggle of worry cast a cloud over her enthusiasm when she thought about her visit to the sheriff’s office.
She wondered how to handle that situation. Should she nose around the sheriff’s office looking at wanted posters? But if someone asked, would they believe she was simply curious? What if her picture was up on that wall? Could she rip it off the wall without anyone seeing her do it? What if it was too late? Suppose the sheriff already knew and was just waiting for a chance to arrest her. So many questions and so much was riding on those answers.
“You okay, Grace?” John gave her a worried look.
“Yes, why do you ask?
“You just look…worried, I guess. Troubled about something.”
“I’m fine. I am getting anxious to get to town. I have so much to do.”
She did her best to lighten her mood. It wouldn’t help her situation to make John suspicious, otherwise, she would never be able to separate from him in town to find the answer she desperately hoped was in her favor.
Four hours later, they drove into town and Grace became instantly nervous. It had been long enough for the law in Kansas City to track down her whereabouts. The first place she needed to go was the sheriff’s office. But how could she convince John to let her go around town alone since he was certain to be protective after what had happened to Lizzie.
“Hello, Grace. John. So good to see you two.” Mrs. Hanover waved to them from in front of the general store. Thank God for Agnes Hanover. The woman was a godsend.
“Hello, Aggie. It’s so good to see you too.” Grace turned to John. “Would you mind going on to the feed store without me. I want to catch up with Mrs. Hanover. I can meet you back here, say, in an hour? Will that give you enough time to get your business done?” Grace did her best to feign innocence in front of John. She didn’t want to giv
e him any hint she had an ulterior motive.
“Of course. I’ll be back in an hour.”
John tipped his hat to Mrs. Hanover and gave Grace a kiss on her cheek. It was an innocent kiss but the fire in his eyes made her warm all over. Who knew her wooly husband could be so passionate and he practically wore his heart on his sleeve. She was so grateful for this man and she was going to do everything she could to keep him from getting hurt again.
She and Aggie watched John climb back onto his wagon and encouraged his horses to move forward. They stood watching him until he made it to the end of the street and turned left heading toward the feed store. Grace pushed away any twinge of guilt. She wanted to get this over with so she could start living her happily-ever-after.
“Aggie, how much did Rosie tell you about my situation?”
Aggie looped her arm through Grace’s and began to move down the sidewalk. “Enough to know we should make our way to the Sheriff’s office while we talk about the ‘what-if’ scenario. Shall we?”
Grace let Aggie lead her down the wooden sidewalk and listened to her suggestions if, in fact, there was a wanted posted hanging at the sheriff’s office.
“Mr. Hanover has agreed to defend you. He does think, however, you will probably be required to reside in the jail until the circuit judge comes next month. Unless, of course, there was a very good reason you were unable to stay in the dingy, dank jail cell. A health issue perhaps?”
Grace shook her head. “No, I’ve always had a solid constitution I’m afraid. Nothing that would cause me to become incapacitated enough to escape the jail cell.”
Aggie looked at her as if she knew something Grace didn’t.
“You are certain of that fact, my dear?”
“Yes. Of course.” She couldn’t fathom what on earth Aggie might be hinting at.
“Well, only time will tell. In the meantime, perhaps if there was something you or your husband could put up for bail, and with Mr. Hanover’s assurance you would indeed show up for a hearing and not escape prosecution, I think you could at least be allowed to stay at home while you awaited your hearing.”
“But what happens if I’m taken back to Kansas City? What if they decide I’m guilty, even though everyone knows I’m innocent, we can’t prove it without convicting Faith.”
Grace was scared out of her wits. The realization that she could possibly be wanted for murder, a murder she didn’t commit, and be torn away from the man she had fallen head over heels in love with—it was just too terrifying to even think about. For now, she needed to find out what was true and what she only imagined.
Their shoes made hollow clapping noises on the boardwalk as they walked about the town. Wagons and horses clopped up and down the muddy street. The town felt alive. Thriving. Grace hoped she had the opportunity to be a part of all this.
Aggie changed the subject and Grace was grateful.
“Now, what is going on in your marriage? Has Mr. Malone warmed to the idea of being a newlywed? By the kiss he gave you when he left, it seems he’s not unhappy about the arrangement.”
Grace blushed. Aggie smiled a knowing smile.
“I see. I wondered how long it would take for Mr. Malone to realize what a lovely catch you were. Did you find out his truth? Why he was so dead set against marriage?”
“Yes, he told me about his tragic loss of his first wife. I understand his reluctance but I am so glad he is a kind man. A loving man. He’s open to starting a new life in spite of the ghosts from his past.”
Aggie hugged her and nodded in satisfaction.
“Let’s go see what Sheriff Grayson has in store for your future.”
Grace and Aggie walked into the office of Sheriff Grayson. The office was empty. Checking the wall of wanted posters, there was nothing declaring Grace a criminal. She sighed a huge sigh of relief. She would check back again during the next trip into town, but in the meantime, the coast was clear.
Twenty minutes later, she and Aggie had found their way back to the general store. Aggie said goodbye and invited her and John to stop by the house before they left town. Grace assured her they would be happy to stop and visit her and Mr. Hanover.
Grace wandered inside the general store picking out supplies for the trip home. Flour. Sugar. Soap. Lard. She was thinking about what else she needed to purchase when a man bumped into her.
“Excuse me.” He tipped his hat and apologized.
“No problem at all.” Grace excused the man and went about her business. But then, she noticed the man had begun to follow her.
After a few minutes, the man spoke to her.
“Aren’t you John Malone’s new bride?” He squinted at her as if assessing her person.
“Yes. I am. And you are…?”
He hesitated for a second and then removed his hat.
“I’m Billy Buchanan. I guess you could say I’m a friend of John’s.”
Grace held out her hand.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Buchanan.”
“Call me Billy.”
Grace nodded. “Very well, Billy. Aren’t you the Billy my husband was with the day I arrived?”
He placed his hat back on his head and leaned against the counter.
“Yeah. Me and John had a few that day. I was celebrating the birth of my sister’s baby’s and we got caught up in the celebration. One thing led to another and we had more than we should, but that’s the way it goes sometimes, I guess. So, I heard John went ahead and got married? I never thought John would get married again. After his wife’s death. You know about Lizzie?”
Grace felt uneasy having this conversation with a total stranger.
“Yes. I know about John’s wife and their child’s untimely death. He’s still haunted by their deaths. But, we are doing our best to start fresh. Making a new life. For John. And myself. He’s a good man.” Grace fingered a spool of ribbon on the counter trying to cover her awkwardness.
“How does he feel about having a murderer for a wife?”
John drove his team through town and turned down the street to the feed store. He pulled up in front, securing his horses, and went inside.
Mrs. Croft met him at the door.
“John Malone. Where in the blazes have you been keeping yourself?”
“Hello, Mrs. Croft. It’s good to see you. How’s your husband doing?”
“He’s getting better. His broken leg is mending. Another couple of weeks and he should be good as new.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“It’s been a while since you’ve been in. How’s everything going for you? I heard you got married again. I was very surprised but I am so glad to hear it. I guess congratulations are in order. Where’s the lucky Missus?”
“I left her down at the general store picking up supplies. I’ll be back to pick her up there in an hour or so.”
“I think it’s wonderful you get another chance at happiness, John. You deserve it whether you believe it or not. Everyone knows Lizzie’s death was not your fault. I’m glad you finally realized that too.”
John didn’t agree with Mrs. Croft but he wasn’t in the mood to have this discussion here. He changed the subject and pushed his feelings of guilt back down. He would deal with them as he always did—during the darkest hours. But lately, when Lizzie’s memories hit him in the dead of night, he turned to Grace for comfort. Somehow she made things less hopeless. Less heart breaking. Less home-sick.
“Well, I’m trying to move on. Speaking of which, I need some grain. Give me twenty bags of horse feed. I also need a saw blade, some kerosene and a new buckle for my harness. Make that two buckles. It never hurts to have a spare. And two boxes of shells for my Colt. And two boxes of shells for my long rifle.”
Mrs. Croft took down his order. “Anything else?”
“I think that’s it. I’ll wait outside and enjoy the warm sunshine. Quite a snow storm we had a few weeks back Unusual for this time of year, don’t you think?”
“It happens
every so often. But I’ll take this sunshine over twenty below any day. I’ll get to your order right away. It shouldn’t be more than half an hour.”
John tipped his hat and walked onto the boardwalk, and sat on the bench outside the feed store. And waited.
“Hello, John.”
John stood and shook the sheriff’s hand. “Sheriff Grayson. Good afternoon.”
“Just having a walk around town keeping everybody payin’ attention to the laws. Care to join me?”
John nodded. “Don’t mind if I do.”
John matched his steps in rhythm to the sheriff’s. They walked to the end of the street and the sheriff turned left toward the livery stable and the blacksmith shop.
“I hear you recovered from your last visit to the Holy Moses. And, you managed to get married. How’s that going after such a rough start?”
“It’s going better than expected. Grace is a wonderful woman. I’m very lucky to have her in my life—even though I don’t deserve another wife, not after, you know, Lizzie.”
“Why would you say that, John? I’ve known you and your family for a few years now and I’ve never seen a more dependable, hard-working man as yourself. Why would you think you didn’t deserve happiness?”
John walked in silence for a few steps and then turned to the sheriff.
“I’m responsible for my wife’s death. I mean Lizzie’s death. I cheated her out of a lifetime of livin’ and memories of, you know, stuff that women hold dear—babies, canning fruit, sewing dresses, Sunday socials. All the stuff she barely got a chance to enjoy.”
“I thought your wife went into labor and died of complications. You weren’t even home at the time if I recollect. How does that make you responsible?”
Sheriff Grayson kept walking down the wooden boardwalk, giving the impression he wasn’t listening, glancing left, then right, but it was obvious by his conversation, the sheriff was certainly paying attention. A little closer than John was comfortable talking’ about.
“Well, yes, she died in childbirth because I wasn’t there. But, I should have been there. I shouldn’t have left her alone that day. She begged me not…” John heard his voice crack and he was having’ none of that emotional stuff out here in the middle of town in front of the sheriff for God’s sake.
Grace Page 15
