by Annie Boone
“Well?” His father asked cheerfully when the man returned from the barn. “Are you ready for your first day? Why, I remember my first day of official work… it was bright outside, especially for the dead of winter. I’d only just arrived in Colorado Springs and didn’t know a soul around for miles. But I was determined, you see, to make my way like those who had gone west had done before. With only my briefcase beside me, I—”
His mother tutted, waving her towel at her husband. “Dear, he doesn’t want to be listening to that today. Besides, you’ve told him that story often enough. Being a judge is all well and good, but this is different.”
The large man frowned so deeply that Ethan had to duck his head to hide a smile. His father was the judge for a good portion of the Colorado territory, though he traveled little these days in order to stay near home. He really loved his job in holding the highest regard for the law. Whenever his mother hushed him about anything to do with the subject, whether it was about keeping his books well dusted or disagreeing about a harsh sentence, he had a tendency to take it rather personally.
All the same, Ethan had never seen his parents fight. And within a moment or two, his father chuckled and shook his head before patting his wife’s back when she passed him again. The man grinned at Ethan. “She’s right, I suppose. You won’t have to put those horses through three weeks of questioning in front of witnesses, eh?”
He shrugged. “Probably not.”
“So?” His mother asked with wide eyes, glancing between the two men. “Well, Ethan? Are you ready? Is there anything we can do to help you? Do you need a lunch? Oh, I didn’t think of that. But I’m sure I can find another sack around here for you.” She set her husband’s lunch bag on the counter and glanced around with a frown.
Ethan shrugged. “Nonsense. I’ll be too busy my first day to stop. But I’ll be home in time for supper, I’m sure.” Glancing at his half-eaten breakfast, he sighed and shook his head. “I couldn’t eat anther bite if I tried. But thanks. I’ll see you two later.” He kissed his mother’s cheek, grabbed his bag, and headed out the door.
Chapter Four
“Do you see it?” She peeked out the window beside the curtains and watched him go. Biting her lip, Cynthia Townsend sighed. He didn’t stand as tall as he used to and there was a dark look in his brow these days. Her boy had grown up much too quickly for her liking and for a while she was able to bear it. But she could see Ethan’s pain.
Maybe it was mother’s intuition, but she knew something about him wasn’t the same. He wouldn’t speak much of his time away in New Orleans and she was certain it was because of sad memories. And she couldn’t just stand around hoping for things to get better on their own. She simply had to do something to help her only son.
“See what, dear?” Marcus scratched his nose absently as he read a set of documents at the table. With one hand, he was reading through them voraciously, and with the other he was shoveling eggs into his mouth. Though he did this frequently, she hadn’t managed to teach him to keep the food from falling into his beard.
She stepped over and handed him a napkin before covering his paper with her hand. It forced the man to pull back and give her his attention. They’d been married twenty-five years. Twenty-five good years. And though the man had put on weight and grown more hair since their wedding day, she still saw that glint in his gaze when he looked at her.
No one had ever done that before, given her such a look that told her how clearly and truly he saw her. From the moment he had looked her way, Cynthia Mycroft had known he was the only man for her. Marcus’s gaze softened upon her as he gave her all of his attention and now she knew he wouldn’t focus on anything until she had said all she needed to say. He treated her like she mattered.
As she dabbed at the egg in his beard, she couldn’t suppress her smile. “I’m talking about our one and only son, dear. You see it, don’t you? He’s different now, he’s… he’s…”
“All grown up?” Marcus offered hopefully.
But Cynthia shook her head. “It’s not that. Something is different. Don’t you remember? I know it’s been a few years, but… he was so happy as he grew into a young man. He was practically dancing, and I could hardly get him to say anything since he was so lost in his thoughts. Remember how he danced his last night here? I was so out of breath, but he just kept on going. He’d been really happy about going to school.”
After a minute, he nodded slowly. “I suppose you do have a point. I was in the middle of a big case back then, but I do recall him dancing. Did he ever learn how to stay in rhythm?”
She chuckled and nudged him. “That’s beside the point.” Then her smile faded as she leaned against the table, thinking back to her young boy. He was only twenty-four years old, but he was a man in the eyes of the world. “He’s just so sad. I know he’s trying to hide it, but… I can see it. And I don’t know how to fix it.”
“It’s a girl,” Marcus said promptly. “Problems at his age? It’s definitely a girl.”
Somehow the idea hadn’t occurred to her. Biting her lip, Ethan’s mother tried to consider such an idea. But Marcus had a good point. He was already at the age that Marcus had been when he was born. She’d only been eighteen, and Marcus had been a wonderful young lawyer, and they had been so excited to start their family.
At the mention that her only son might be conflicted over a girl, her heart seized. What had happened that she knew nothing about? There had never been a girl for him here in Rocky Ridge, though she had tried to encourage him to court certain ones a few times before he had gone off to school. Of course, he must have met someone down in New Orleans.
“Oh dear,” she murmured. A moment of hope deflated because if this is what had happened, then things hadn’t ended well. If he’d come back to Rocky Ridge with plans for a marriage, Ethan would have told them. He would be happy now and planning for a future with the young woman he’d be bringing here to marry.
Wringing her hands, Cynthia imagined what might have gone wrong for her son and the woman who had clearly broken his heart. “That’s just terrible. Why, I never thought… dear, we can’t leave him like this. I don’t like seeing him in pain.”
Before he opened his mouth, she already had an idea. Biting her lip, she tapped his shoulder excitedly. “The best way to get over someone is to find someone else. That’s it. He’s found himself a job and now he needs to settle down. Oh, if he found someone and he had children of his own he would be so happy and fulfilled. Wouldn’t that be swell?”
“It would,” Marcus nodded agreeably. “But I’m not quite certain that’s the best idea. There are things in life that we cannot do for our son, no matter how much we love him. Do give that idea some more thought before you act on it, would you?”
She hesitated but agreed before he stood up. The man lived a busy life, after all, and had a case to review for that afternoon. Stepping back, she watched as he reoriented himself and cleaned up his spot at the table before turning back to her. They shared a short sweet kiss before it was time to get on with the daily tasks. He left to finish preparing for court, and she was left on her own.
With that time by herself, as she cleaned the kitchen along with the rest of her house, she thought about the conversation with her husband. And she thought about the conversation the next day as well. Every day she watched her son and every day she saw his struggle more. Ethan attempted to be cheerful for them, but she scrutinized his every move carefully when he didn’t know she was watching. She saw his frowns and sadness when he wasn’t putting on a front. And if he wasn’t going to help himself, then someone else had to.
It didn’t take too long to sort out a plan. After living here for most of her married life, she knew most of the folks of Rocky Ridge and even much of Colorado Springs. Everyone knew the Jessup couple and Susannah’s matchmaking business was no secret. Just the other month they had sat beside Rowena and Jeb Jensen during church who had mentioned Susannah, leaving it fresh on her mind.
/> Her heart hammered as she thought further about what she needed to do, but it was already decided. She went out to the stables and found their sturdy brown horse. Soon he was saddled up and she was headed to pay Mrs. Susannah Jessup a visit. It was a warm day and she loosened her brown curls as she rode across town, hoping she would catch Susannah at a good time for them to chat.
The place was lovely, a little corner of their world that the Jessups had claimed. Cynthia could still recall the day Lucas Jessup had arrived in town. He had taken his role of sheriff seriously and within a matter of months he’d developed a reputation. He tolerated no nonsense and didn’t permit even minor criminals to lay claims in Rocky Ridge. There had been a few safety concerns when he arrived, and the last sheriff had been growing too old to notice. Life had improved since Mr. Jessup had taken on the badge and now the town was thriving.
“Mrs. Townsend? What a pleasant surprise!”
She hadn’t been paying attention. The front door had opened and already the short blonde woman was tugging her inside and helping her with her bonnet. “It’s so good to see you. How are you? How is your husband? And… oh, dear. Is everything all right?” Susannah paused suddenly, the smile immediately fading from her face.
They were the wives of prominent figures in the town, after all, and they both understood that there were risks that came with the territory of those roles. One look at Susannah Jessup’s face told her that’s what she had been thinking, that something had gone wrong. Fortunately by then, Cynthia had caught up to her thoughts and hurriedly shook her head.
“No, no, no,” she touched the shorter woman’s shoulder. “No, everything is well! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you, Susannah.”
The woman sighed in relief, a hand over her heart. “Good, I’m glad. I’m sorry, I’ve been busy and I know there’s been a case lately, and then Lucas came home with an injured shoulder, so I… but it’s nothing,” she cut herself off and took a deep breath. In the next moment, she was smiling again. Cynthia had forgotten how cheerful and bright the woman was. “In that case, is there anything I can do for you?”
“Yes,” Ethan’s mother recalled why she was there. “Yes, I do believe there is. It’s about my son. I don’t know if you might remember Ethan, since he’s been away at school?”
Wrapping an arm around her, the blonde led her further into the house. “Let’s take a seat, shall we? Would you like some fresh lemonade? And yes, he was in New Orleans, wasn’t he? I’m afraid I can’t recall what he was studying to be. A doctor? Or a lawyer, like his father?”
“Your memory is quite wonderful,” she admitted. “He’s a veterinarian, actually. He’s just returned and will most likely be replacing Dr. Winters in a year or so. They’ve already started talking about the future since he wishes to retire. My son is a wonderful young man, so intelligent and kind. But… but there’s something wrong. My husband and I, we think there was a girl in his life at one point.”
The words tumbled out of her mouth even though she had spent a good week trying to look for the right words to use. As she spoke, the blue-eyed woman beside her listened carefully and began to nod. “Ah, I see. And you’re worried so you want to help him. You believe that another woman will help him find happiness again?”
When she put it like that, the woman hesitated. They took a seat in the next room, side by side. It was a lovely little room with some large windows so they could watch the world outside them. Cynthia Townsend looked up and sighed as she twisted her hands in her lap. “I don’t know,” she said faintly. “But I would like to think that if he can find love again, that… that he’ll learn he doesn’t need to be in pain. I simply don’t know what else to do.”
The woman patted her hand. “You’re just trying to do what you can for your son, Cynthia. And he’s one of the good ones. He has stable employment, a wonderful upbringing, and I’m sure he’s always there at church like you raised him. Ethan is off to a good start, and sometimes people just need a reminder that they aren’t alone.”
Cynthia nodded and pursed her lips.
“In fact,” Susannah giggled lightly as her eyes widened merrily, “you may have arrived at the perfect time. I have a young lady here in my home right now. I’ve been looking for just the right suitor for her. I can’t recall if you have met her, but you would have seen her in town or at church I’m sure. A young woman with light-colored hair and big eyes?”
It only took a moment of thinking back. The Jessups lived far enough out of town that they weren’t always able to make it to church, but they did their best especially when they had young women in the house. After a moment, Ethan’s mother nodded thoughtfully. She could recall the girl that Susannah spoke of. She was a thin one, quiet with a pretty smile.
Mrs. Jessup spoke more of the girl, telling her about coming west from Philadelphia and how much she loved reading the Holy Bible. Cynthia Townsend wasn’t very certain she could have found a nicer woman for her son by the way Susannah was describing her. And yet, something bothered her and she found herself hesitating. “Yes, I agree—she does sound lovely. That is, she is. I’ve seen her, and I do think Ethan would agree that she’s very pretty.” She tilted her head and bit her bottom lip, clearly hesitating to continue.
Susannah leaned forward to hear what else Cynthia had to say.
“But I have one request, Mrs. Jessup. Please, he cannot know my hand in this.” Susannah’s eyes widened and Cynthia put up a hand as she took a deep breath. “He’s clearly been through hard times, and for me to not have told him about this before I came to you, why, he’d never look at me the same. He’d surely never forgive me. I can’t let him think that I don’t have faith in him. He just can’t know what I’m doing.”
For a minute, they each just stared at their hands. “Are you certain?” Susannah asked in a low voice looking back up at her guest. “I don’t ask because I doubt you. I ask because I know from experience that honesty is the best policy in every case possible. Are you certain about this?”
Her heart hammered in her chest as if it were trying to escape. But then she thought of her son, the one who used to love helping her in the garden and was so enthusiastic about every horse in town. And then she compared that to the young, absent-minded man who had come back from New Orleans. Clenching the folds in her skirt, Cynthia Townsend nodded. “Yes. Yes, please.”
Susannah touched her hand gently. “All right, then. Let’s get started.”
Chapter Five
Humming, she flipped through the papers. The room was warm with the sunlight glinting in through the windows. It was a large room with tall bookshelves and the desk was covered in documents and books. The papers she was looking at were splayed out as she sorted through it.
Ethan Townsend had grown into a good, young man. Though it had been years since she had seen the boy, she remembered him from before he’d left town for school. He had been quiet and helpful. And he loved animals. That’s right, a veterinarian. She glanced through his papers again.
This was going to be different from her normal way of drawing a couple together. Normally, the couple knew what was going on. So far, she hadn’t set up any relationships without the man being aware of the situation beforehand. In fact, most of the time, the man came to her to find him a wife.
Her brow creased in concern as she thought more about this situation. It made her feel uneasy and even a little underhanded. She shook her head to get that thought out of her mind. She was doing a favor for Ethan. She sincerely hoped the outcome would turn out well in the end and he wouldn’t be upset with his mother when the truth came out. And in her experience, the truth would indeed come out eventually.
Since this delicate arrangement would need to be crafted carefully, Susannah would have to use diplomacy and discretion to persuade Ethan and Delilah to get together. “Keep it simple,” she told herself. “If I don’t push them, maybe they’ll drift to each other on their own if I give just a little nudge.”
After a few min
utes of plotting, Susannah was able to come up with an idea. It was at least worth it to test the waters, wasn’t it? Delilah hadn’t been to town in nearly two weeks and she was certain the girl would enjoy another trip out of the house. If she could sort out a reason for visiting the veterinarian’s office, her plan would be golden. She peeked out the window with a slight frown. Their large red barn sat beside the shady trees.
They had goats in a small corral, and a cow in the back. A few chickens in their coop, and two horses nearby. Susannah stepped over to the window and glanced around. She could take one of the chickens, she mused, but she’d have to get it into a box. Did a veterinarian look at chickens though? Pushing a stray strand of hair away from her face, she thought of other options that might be easier to pull off. If he was any good, he would know in a heartbeat that they were fine. She needed an animal that would give the veterinarian a few minutes of thought at least, that Susannah could claim she didn’t understand.
The goats were rowdy and would be impossible to take into town and back again. As would Bell, their cow. She wrinkled her nose and looked over to Lemondrop. The horse was stepping out from the shade as she ate at a patch of green grass. But her bite was off, and she the way she chewed the hay made Susannah think something might be wrong. Lucas had mentioned it a while ago, but with the recent case, they’d been too busy to worry. Lemondrop was still happy to prance about for an apple, after all, and still nipped at the goats when she was feeling playful.
“But it would be enough,” Susannah resigned herself that the horse was her best option. Lemondrop was a wonderful horse and the Jessups highly valued her. But she hadn’t grown up around horses and they still made her nervous. Besides, they were uncomfortable creatures to ride. Though she and Lucas attempted to go for a ride most Sundays together, she rarely felt comfortable even riding Lemondrop.
