Liam

by Cynthia Woolf

  “I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask. My efforts don’t seem to be working with Lily. But,” he thought about it a minute, “nothing much seems to have changed. You should bring her gifts; flowers, candy or a book. Something you think she’d enjoy.”

  “Does Lily stock those kinds of things in the mercantile?”

  “A few. There’s not much call for that kind of thing in Deadwood. Apparently, not much courting going on here.”

  “Well, how do you court Lily?”

  “Well, mostly I just work for free on Saturdays, but it’s harder for me. Any gift I want to give her, I have to order at Bullock and Starr’s hardware store. They’ve been kind enough to order some books and perfume for me.”

  “Isn’t perfume sort of personal for a courting gift?”

  “Yes, but I’m optimistic.” He grinned. “I think I’m wearing her down.”

  They both laughed.

  “Hey, if you two are done laughing like jackasses, supper is ready,” said Jake. “What are you talking about that’s so funny?”

  “Women,” said Liam and Zach in unison.

  “Don’t even get me started,” complained Jake. “Since Becky got pregnant, she’s been teary eyed half the time and I don’t know what’s wrong or how to fix it.”

  “I know,” said Liam. “But you need to realize there isn’t anything you can do. It’s the pregnancy and it changes them somehow—”

  Zach roared with laughter. “Changes them? Like you understood Becky before she got pregnant?”

  “Well,” said Jake, patting the mare and scratching her behind her ears. “I understand her even less now.”

  “Amen, to that,” said Liam. “I remember when Mary was pregnant. She cried at the drop of a hat and then the next minute she was laughing uproariously over absolutely nothing.”

  “The laughing I can handle,” said Jake, “but the tears. I feel so totally helpless when she starts crying because there’s nothing I can do. Half the time she doesn’t even know why she’s bawling. Speaking of which, we better go before she starts in about us ruining her dinner and begins crying over that. Come on.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Dinner was loud and boisterous with everyone talking and asking questions all at the same time. Jake and Zach wanted details of the talks he had with the governor and general. Becky wanted to know what the city was like and kept thanking Liam over and over again for the beautiful dress he’d brought her back. He’d remembered that she’d nearly fit into Mary’s blouse and so got her a dress one size bigger. He hoped she’d be able to find someone to alter it if she needed. There were drummers that came through Deadwood selling various goods, so she could get some ribbons to go with it from them.

  The kids were the best. They didn’t want to let him go. Clung to him all night until bedtime and even then were loathe going to sleep for fear he wouldn’t be there when they woke up. He sat and read to them both before they went to sleep. But finally, as he was finishing the second chapter of David’s new favorite book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, they drifted off.

  “I feel so guilty,” said Liam. “They’re afraid I’m going to leave forever like their mother did.”

  “They did seem to cling to us while you were gone, especially Jake and Becky,” said Zach.

  They sat at the table, relaxing with coffee after the steak dinner Becky had prepared.

  “I don’t know how to reassure them that I’ll be here for them. That’s another reason I think I should remarry. They need two parents.”

  “So that’s what you and Zach were talking about in the barn. Who’s the lucky lady? Someone you met while you were away?” asked Jake.

  “No, actually someone I met when I got back.”

  “Eleanor Smith,” laughed Zach.

  “What’s so funny about that?” challenged Becky. “Eleanor is a perfectly nice woman, who has been nothing but kind to me.”

  “Whoa,” said Zach, holding his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t mean anything by it. She just seems, I don’t know…not Liam’s type.”

  “You mean because she’s the reverend’s daughter and Liam is angry at God for taking Mary?” asked Jake.

  “Exactly,” responded Zach.

  “I believe it’s an obstacle we can overcome,” said Liam. “I won’t try to change her beliefs and she won’t try to convert me.”

  “If you can work that out, all the more power to you,” said Zach, taking a sip of the strong, hot brew in his cup. “Though I don’t believe you’ll be able to do that.”

  “Once we marry and she moves out here, she won’t have much time for anything but caring for and teaching David and Hannah.”

  “So you would deny all the other children an education and keep Eleanor all to yourself?” asked Becky.

  “She’ll be my wife. She’ll do as I say,” insisted Liam.

  “Jake tried to run my life, and I nearly shot him on several occasions,” stated Becky. “A woman doesn’t like to be told what to do. Asked, nicely, and maybe she’ll agree to your suggestions, but never to your demands.”

  “So Becky, you’re a woman—” said Liam.

  “Thanks for noticing.”

  “—how should I court Eleanor?”

  “Well, if it were me, and Jake didn’t court me, so I can only guess. We sort of put the cart before the horse. He still needs to court me.” She looked over at Jake who had the good sense to look sheepish. “Anyway, I’d start by talking to her father. She takes great store in what he says and if he turns you down, you might as well hang up your idea of marrying her.”

  “Why would he turn me down?”

  “Who knows, maybe he doesn’t want his little girl to get married. She’s not young, you know,” said Becky. “I think she’s in her thirties.”

  “So what. I’m not young either. I turned forty this year,” said Liam. “I don’t want a wife just out of the school room. I think I should approach Miss Smith first and see if she would be open to my suit. If so, then I talk to her father. After all, if she doesn’t want to get married then I should look elsewhere, regardless of what her father thinks.”

  “That makes sense,” said Zach.

  “Good. On that note,” said Liam, “I’m going to bed. It’s been a long day and I’m going to have another long one before me. Luckily, I know where I can find Miss Smith on Monday. I’ll talk to her when I take David and Hannah to school.”

  “She’s actually going to try to teach school while on crutches?” asked Jake. “I thought you said she wasn’t very good on them.”

  “She’s not, but she will have had time to practice so maybe she’ll be better,” shrugged Liam.

  Monday morning Liam drove the kids to camp in the wagon. After this, David would take one of the horses and he and Hannah would ride to school. When they arrived at the preacher’s tent, there were already several children in line to go in.

  Eleanor stood to one side of the tent flap, leaning on her crutches and holding it open with her body. She greeted each child by name as they entered.

  When Liam walked up with David and Hannah, Eleanor beamed. “Why Mr. Anderson, I’m so glad David and Hannah are joining us today.”

  She moved to reposition herself on her crutches and lost her balance. Liam caught her, sweeping her into his arms and away from the ground.

  “Perhaps you should sit inside and wait for the children,” he said, carrying her inside the tent.

  David followed, carrying her crutches.

  Liam set her down on one of the many chairs at the back of the tent, away from where the children were assembling at the front.

  “Yes, perhaps I should. I was doing so well, until you showed up. For some reason, I keep landing in your arms. I can’t seem to keep my balance around you.” She was frustrated and Liam thought she would have stomped her foot if she’d been able to.

  He smiled and sat next to her. “Miss Smith, I’d like to discuss something with you before you start teaching the children to
day.”

  “Yes, Mr. Anderson, what is it?”

  “Miss Smith, I’d like to court you with the end result being marriage.”

  Her jaw dropped open.

  Liam reached over and lifted her chin with his knuckle. “Can I assume by your silence that you would be amenable to my suit?”

  She blinked several times and then nodded her head.

  “Very good. I shall go find your father and speak with him.” He rose and tipped his hat to her. “Good day, Miss Smith. Eleanor.”

  “Good day, um, Liam.”

  Liam left and located the reverend coming out of Bullock & Starr Hardware.

  He walked up to him as he stepped off the boardwalk on to the mud and dung covered street. “Reverend Smith, might I have a word, please?”

  “Of course. Mr. Anderson, isn’t it? I understand you were very helpful to Eleanor yesterday. You have my thanks. What can I do for you?”

  The preacher did not stop but walked toward the tent where Eleanor was now giving lessons to the children.

  Liam fell into step beside him with his hands folded behind his back. “Sir, I’ve come to ask your blessing in my courtship of your daughter. She has already agreed and if we suit, I should like a July first wedding.”

  The reverend did not slow down and said matter-of-factly, “You realize that you should have asked me first?”

  “I thought given Eleanor is a woman of a certain age, that I should discuss it with her first. She is not a child just out of school and is perfectly capable of making her own decisions.”

  Reverend Smith walked on and said nothing, but smiled. Then he stopped short and turned to Liam. “I’m glad you’d let Eleanor make her own decision. She is a woman in full charge of her faculties. As to a July wedding, you realize that is less than four months away?”

  Liam sidestepped some horse dung as he walked. “I do. I’m looking for a wife and mother to my two children. I don’t wish to spend a lot of time in the process. I have not discussed the date of the wedding with Eleanor yet, but I don’t doubt that I can convince her of my rightness in this matter.”

  “I see. You seem quite sure of yourself and, as Eleanor has already agreed, so shall I.”

  They stopped outside the large tent that the Smith’s called home and church. “Thank you, sir. Now that I’ve discussed this with you, I have more arrangements to make. Good day, Reverend.”

  He nodded. “Good day, Mr. Anderson.”

  Liam held out his hand. “Since we are to be related, you should call me Liam.”

  Reverend Smith clasped Liam’s outstretched hand with both of his. “Very good. I’ve always wanted a son, Liam. My dear, Fiona was never able to give me another child after Ellie, though we tried. She died in childbirth when Ellie was ten. It’s been a hard life for my daughter with no mother to teach her. I understand your, er, predicament very well, having been there myself. “

  “Yes, sir. I understand. I’ll take good care of her.”

  “I’m trusting that you will or I’d not be agreeing to let you court her, regardless of what she said.”

  “Understood, sir.” Liam retrieved his hand. “I’ll call on Eleanor tomorrow night if that meets with your approval.”

  “It does.”

  “Until tomorrow then.” Liam left the reverend and went directly to Lily Sutter’s mercantile.

  “Hello, Liam,” she called from the ladder she was descending behind the sales counter.

  “Hi, Lily,” said Liam removing his hat. “Should you be up on that ladder like that? I thought Zach helped you out here on Saturdays.”

  “Oh, he does, but I still need things that are on the upper shelves during the week. I can’t always wait for Saturday,” she said cheerily. “Besides who do you think did all of it before Zach came? I appreciate what he does but the bottom line is this is my business.”

  Liam nodded his understanding. “You’re right, of course. I’m here because I need some chocolates. Do you have any in stock?”

  “Chocolates?” Lily smiled. “Why Liam are you going courting?”

  “I am.” He stood a little straighter, if that was possible. Too many years in the military meant he always stood tall.

  “Anyone I know?”

  “Eleanor Smith.”

  “Oh, Liam,” she said coming around the counter. “I’m so happy for you. Ellie is a wonderful woman.”

  “I believe she and I will do well together.”

  “Well, come see what I have. I don’t get too much call for chocolates after Christmas. But I did just get a couple of boxes in. Sometimes the miners like to give them to the girls at The Gem. Here we are.”

  She walked behind the counter and stopped at the end where two rows of colorful candy jars were displayed. They sat on a riser so the back row was higher than the front. Sticks of peppermint, orange and lemon stood vibrant in the morning sunlight streaming through the clear glass of the window.

  Lily handed him three different boxes of chocolate from one of the shelves behind the counter. They were all cream filled and ranged from a box of a dozen candies to three dozen.

  “What would you recommend? This will be our first outing. I intend to take her to dinner at the Grand Hotel.”

  Lily made a face.

  “What? Am I doing something wrong? Tell me Lily. I haven’t courted a woman in many years. I’m not sure I know how.”

  Lily dusted off her hands on the apron she wore to protect her dress. “It’s just the food at the Grand Hotel isn’t very good. You’d be better off to take her to the No. 25.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t—”

  Lily quickly continued, “I know it’s a saloon but they also serve food and it’s very good. I go there sometimes with Gemma, after church on Sunday.”

  He couldn’t keep from grimacing. “I don’t know. I don’t want to take the preacher’s daughter to a saloon no matter how good the food. Perhaps after we’re married.”

  Lily flushed pink. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. People would perceive it wrong. I’ve gotten used to ignoring what others think.”

  “Your situation has demanded that of you. I understand you’ve rejected my brother’s efforts to court you. I should warn you, he’s only going to try harder. Zach has never had a woman refuse him. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s good for him, but I don’t understand your reluctance.”

  Lily turned away from him and stared out the window. It was getting close to noon. He knew because the sun didn’t shine directly on her face. “I gave my heart to a handsome, charming man like Zach once. He broke it. Used me. But he also gave me Gemma and I wouldn’t trade her for anything.”

  He understood her reluctance, but she didn’t understand Zach. “He’s not like that. Zach would never do anything to hurt you.”

  “Not intentionally, I’m sure, but he’ll have women throwing themselves at him and the first time he takes one up on her offer, I’d be crushed. And it’s not just me anymore, I have to think of Gemma. Loving and then losing a father would be more difficult for her than growing up without one.”

  “I understand better than most how hard it is to raise children alone. It’s one of the reasons I’m going to remarry. Children need two parents. But you’re right losing one…” He closed his eyes and pictured Mary. She was a little fuzzy around the edges. He was losing her more every day, his memory not as sharp as it once was. “It’s devastating.”

  Lily turned back around to face him. “Well, I’m very happy for you. Ellie will make a wonderful mother. She is already good with the children and they all adore her.”

  The bell rang over the door, announcing the arrival of another customer.

  “Be right with you,” called Lily. “So which box do you want?”

  “I’ll take the middle one,” said Liam.

  “Good choice, not too cheap and not too extravagant.”

  “I’ll take the large box for my family. They need to be spoiled a little bit.”

&n
bsp; “Do you want me to wrap them? I’ve got some ribbon you could put around them.”

  “Just the one for Eleanor, please.”

  “Wonderful,” exclaimed Lily. “She’ll be able to use the ribbon in her hair.”

  “Oh,” said Liam. “In that case, you better wrap them both. Hannah and Becky can share the ribbon. They’ll like that.”

  Lily smiled and Liam was sure he’d just been conned into buying the ribbon, but the girls would enjoy it.

  “Very good.” Lily took both of the boxes and wrapped them with butcher paper and tied the one for Eleanor with a bright red ribbon. The large box she tied with a royal blue ribbon that would work for both Hannah and Becky. She handed them to Liam. “Have a good time on your outing with Ellie.”

  He picked up the packages. “Thank you. I’m sure all will go well.”

  As he rode back to the cabin all he could think of were all the things that could go wrong. What if Eleanor hated chocolate? Or the food at the hotel was as bad as Lily seemed to think? What if he was mistaken about Eleanor’s attraction to him?

  No. He wouldn’t think like that. She’d said he must know how attractive he was, so that meant she thought he was attractive. Hopefully, attractive enough to start a marriage.

  And then what? Did he know how to be a husband when he didn’t have the army to fall back on? When it was just him, home every night? He’d have to spend time with Eleanor. He soon wouldn’t have a job. With all the machinery and men coming, soon there wouldn’t be mining or panning for him to do.

  But they’d have to form a company and someone had to manage the managers, so there would be work for him to do. There would be stealing by the miners, it was to be expected, but it couldn’t get out of hand. He’d have to talk with the man they’d hired from the Comstock Mine and see what could be done about it.

  So many thoughts went through his mind that by the time he reached the cabin, he had a massive headache. Mary had always made him a cup of tea when he’d had a headache. She’d also massaged his temples and murmured sweet things to help him relax. His pain had gone away under her ministrations.