“How do you figure that?”
“For one thing, I’m not on that piece of land much. It’s out of the way and I only check it in summer to make sure the grass is right for grazing from summer until fall. I move the cattle again when winter starts.”
“So that’s how you found the squatters?”
“Yeah. They seem like a nice family, but I’m not about to let someone set up homesteading on my land.”
“I sure hope the couple who came in on the stage aren’t planning on making their home around here on your land or on anyone else’s.”
“Why not?”
“She was a mousy little thing. Didn’t say a half a dozen words. He said enough to lead me to believe he’s some kind of preacher who’s come here to save the souls of all our depraved citizens.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Don’t sound like he’d make many friends in town.”
“He may not be staying in town. Said something about the Reesons. I think he might be their kin or something.”
For a moment Wyatt froze.
It can’t be Edwina’s uncle! Surely Thourgood wouldn’t send for him to back up the tales he’s telling.
Pushing his hat back with his forefinger, Wyatt asked as casually as he could, “Did you happen to get the preacher’s name?”
“I think it was something like Hezekiah Thorm or Thorn or some such name.”
“Damn.” Wyatt straightened his leaned back chair. “Do you know where they’re staying?”
“They headed toward the hotel. You going to visit them or something?” Jeff laughed.
“I think I might.”
“Why in hell would you want to do that?”
Wyatt stood and headed toward the door. “Maybe I need saving from the evils of this town.” He nodded and went out, closing the door behind him.
Chapter 24
Edwina nibbled on the cookie Rosalinda handed her.
“Do you think Adam will like them?” Rosalinda asked.
“Of course. They’re wonderful.” Edwina grinned at the housekeeper. “You sure do spoil him.”
“I can’t help it. He’s such a wonderful child and so like his daddy when he was that age.”
“I like cookies, too, Rosalinda,” said Ben artfully.
“Mr. Ben, you like any kind of cookie I make whether they’re good or not. I know better than to get your opinion of anything sweet.”
“It’s because you’re such a wonderful baker. You can’t help but make all good things.”
“Have you ever heard such, Miz Edwina? He always talks to me like that when he comes into my kitchen and wants another cookie.”
“I think you should give him one, Rosalinda. After all, there’s no way Adam will be able to eat the basket-full you’ve made.” Edwina turned to him. “Maybe we’ll take them and eat on the terrace.”
The back door opened and Naomi Kerr came in with a basket of vegetables. “You have a wonderful garden out there, Miz Singleton” she said, setting the basket on the work table.
“The garden actually belongs to Rosalinda. She did the planting and it was ready to harvest when I arrived from Virginia.”
“I’ll be so glad when we can get our homestead started and I can plant our food.”
“I’m sure Wyatt will get things straightened out soon.”
Naomi turned to Rosalinda. “Is there something I can help do now?”
“Why don’t you wash those beans and I’ll cook them for supper? Looks like there’ll be enough that you can take some home for your family.”
“Okay, Ben. Let’s get out of their way. That is unless you want to help them cook supper.” Edwina put her hands on the back of his wheelchair.
“I sure don’t want that, Rosalinda’s too bossy. Get me out of here as soon as you can.”
They were crossing the parlor and headed for the veranda when Wyatt burst through the door. He looked upset. “Edwina, I need to talk to you.”
“Sure. We’re going out on the—”
He took hold of her arm. “I need to talk to you alone.”
“That’s fine, son. I can get outside by myself.”
“Thanks, Dad. This is important.”
Ben nodded and wheeled his wheelchair out the door.
Wyatt turned to Edwina. “Where’s Adam?”
“He’s asleep. Dena’s working upstairs. She said she’d let me know when he woke up.”
“Let’s go to our room.” When she gave him a strange look, he smiled at her and went on, “I feel more comfortable talking there.”
“Then let’s go.” She returned his smile.
* * * *
In their room, he turned to her. In a low voice he said, “Let’s check Adam.”
She nodded and he cracked the door. They peeped in and found him sleeping soundly. Closing the door, Wyatt led her to the sofa in the corner under the window.
When they were seated, he slipped his arm around her shoulder. Though he knew what he was about to say was going to frighten this woman who was his wife, but not his legal wife, he felt he had to tell her. If she were to find out her uncle was in town and he hadn’t told her, it would hurt her more. Rubbing her shoulder with his hand, he began. “Now, honey I don’t want you to get upset when I tell you what’s going on. I know everything’s going to work out all right.”
“You’re scaring me, Wyatt.” She bit her lip. “Are you telling me that you don’t really love Adam and me and you don’t want to be married to me any longer?”
“Don’t you ever think that. I love you, Edwina. I always will.” He did love her and he wanted to be married to her. Someway, somehow he would be, but now wasn’t the time to rectify their marriage problem.
“As long as you love me you can tell me anything. I trust you.”
Wyatt took a deep breath. It made him feel good to know she loved and trusted him so much. He knew he could be blunt with his news and she would be all right. “Your Uncle Hezekiah and his wife arrived in Cool Wood today.”
“Oh, no.” Edwina grabbed her mouth to keep from screaming. “Did they come for us? You’re not going to let them get Adam and me, are you?”
“What have I been saying, Edwina?” He pulled her face around and looked into her eyes. “Nobody is going to take you and Adam away from me. Not now, not ever. If that’s what he has on his mind, your uncle needs to turn around and head back to Virginia.”
“What did he say to you, Wyatt?”
“I didn’t actually talk with him. The sheriff told me he was in town and was staying at the hotel. I went there to confront him and found out that before he got checked in, Thourgood Reeson came by and hurried him and his wife away.”
“Why would he do that?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t stay to ask questions. I was afraid he was headed here so I came home as fast as I could. I didn’t want them to come here and upset you and with me not here to protect you.” He grinned at her. “Since they’re not here, I have to guess Reeson took them to his ranch.”
“Do you think they’ll come here?”
He nodded. “I’m pretty sure they will, unless I can stop them.”
“How can you do that?”
“I intend to go to Reeson’s ranch and confront him.”
“No. Don’t leave me. If you missed him and he came here, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“If you don’t want me to leave, then we’ll face him here together.” He pulled her tighter into his arms. “Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll see that your uncle doesn’t bother you and Adam. You don’t even have to see him if you don’t want to.”
She leaned up and kissed him. “I’ll do whatever you think is best, Wyatt.”
“If it’s all right with you, I want to tell Dad and the Garcias he’s probably going to visit. I don’t want them to be caught off guard when your uncle shows up.”
“I think you’re right. Shall we go tell them now?”
“In a little while.” He smiled down at the woman he love
d. The woman he had to figure out how to make his legal wife. “First, I’d like to sit here for a few minutes and enjoy holding my wife in my arms.”
“I’m not about to argue with you. I like sitting here in your arms.”
“I’m glad. I—”
A cry from the nursery interrupted and Edwina laughed.
“I guess that means I can no longer hold you.”
“Looks like it. You know when he sees you, our little boy is going to want you to hold him.”
“Then, let’s go get him.” He stood and as he pulled her up, he winked at her and said, “I like holding him almost as much as I like holding his mother.”
She gave his chin a quick kiss and they headed to the nursery together.
Chapter 25
Terrence ate the breakfast cornmeal mush his wife spooned for each of them. “Did the Singleton woman want you to come back and help today?”
“She said the maid, Dena, is taking a few days off and she said if I wanted to take her place for a while, she’d appreciate it.”
“That’s good. We’re going to have them paid back before you know it.”
“Are we going to get to go back, too, Papa?” Sam asked. “I like helping Mr. Cleveland. He’s nice.”
“Of course you’re going. We wouldn’t leave you boys alone here.”
“Good,” Zach put in. “I’d be scared out here in the woods by myself.”
“I’d be with you, stupid.”
“Don’t call your brother stupid, Sam,” his mother reprimanded him.
“I’m sorry. You’re not stupid, Zach. You’ve just got a lot to learn.”
“Have I, Mama?”
“Yes, Zach. You and Sam both have a lot to learn. He may be two years older than you, but he’s not grown yet.”
“Ah, Ma.”
“I mean it, Sam. You listen to your father and learn.”
“Eat your breakfast, boys,” Terrence said. “We need to get on the way. We don’t want the Singletons to think we’re lazy.”
“It’s not daylight, yet, Pa,” Zach said.
“It will be by the time we get there. Now, eat up.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes. Pushing back his bowl, Sam said, “Pa, if I do a real good job for Mr. Singleton, do you think I could go to school?”
“I want to go to school, too,” Zach added.
“We’ll see about school later. Right now we have a job to do.”
“It would be nice if the boys went to school, Terrence. I’ve taught them what little I know, but there’s so much more to learn.”
“Like I said, we’ll talk about school later. Now, let’s hurry up and be on our way.”
Naomi washed the bowls quickly and within ten minutes the four of them were in the wagon and on their way across the fields to the main section of the Singleton ranch.
It was a cloudy morning. “Looks like it might rain,” Naomi said. “Will you be working outside?”
“Yesterday, Singleton had me repairing some rafters in the barn. There’s still another’s days work there.”
“Good. I don’t want my men getting sick on me.” She smiled at them.
“We ain’t gonna get sick, Ma.”
“Aren’t, not ain’t, Sam.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Look,” Zach said. “There’s a buggy tied up under a tree.”
“It sure is.” Terrence frowned. “I wonder who would be out this early in the morning in a rig like that.”
“Maybe we should check, Terrence.”
“I agree.” He pulled the wagon up about a hundred feet from the buggy. “Hello there,” he shouted.
There was no sound.
Terrence shouted again.
There was still no answer.
“Maybe we should check to see what’s going on,” Naomi suggested.
“You stay here with the boys. I’ll check it out.” Terrence took the rifle from under the wagon bench.
“Be careful, dear.”
“I will.” He looked at his sons. “You boys be quiet and look after your mother.”
“I want to go with you, Pa.”
“No, Sam. You stay here.”
Terrence eased his way to the buggy with the rifle raised to his shoulder. “If you’re there, you better come out. I have this gun trained on your buggy.”
The buggy was empty. Terrence looked around and his heart began to pound when he saw a woman’s legs sticking out from behind a bush.
With the gun still raised he eased over toward the figure. When he rounded the bush, he almost gagged. The woman’s dress was torn and there was blood all over her legs. Her face was swollen and he knew she’d been beaten.
He glanced around and didn’t see anyone. He lowered the gun and dropped to his knees. The woman’s hand was warm and he thought he felt a slight pulse.
He glanced around again and saw a man lying ten feet away. Terrence knew instantly the man was dead.
* * * *
Mildred Reeson couldn’t sleep. She didn’t care what Thourgood said, Cora Sue wouldn’t have spent the night at the minister’s house after volunteering to help decorate the church for her friend Millie’s wedding the following day. Of course, Reverend Lambert did say if it got too late he’d not let her come home alone. He said he’d send the sheriff’s deputy, Rusty, with her. Like everyone else in town, he knew Rusty Palmer had a crush on Cora Sue and would make sure she got home safely.
Mildred wandered to the kitchen where the cook was making breakfast.
“Good morning, Mrs. Reeson.”
“Good morning, Hilda. Could I possibly snitch a cup of coffee?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll get you one right away.”
“Everyone should be getting up soon. I think I’ll go on into the dinning room.”
“I’ll be right there with the coffee.”
Mildred took her usual seat at the dinning table as the Reverend and Mrs. Thorn came into the room. They were both fully dressed.
“Good morning,” Mildred greeted them.
“Yes, it’s a beautiful day. I can’t wait to get to the Singleton ranch and collect our niece and the boy.” Hezekiah looked pleased with himself. “Of course the Lord wants us to start our day with a good healthy breakfast.”
“It will be ready momentarily. Won’t you sit down? Thourgood should be down shortly.”
As if by a summons, Thourgood came into the dining room. “Good morning, all,” he boomed. “I can tell already it’s going to be a glorious day.”
“That’s right, brother,” replied Thorn. He glanced at Callie. “I like a man who knows how to be thankful for the good days God gives him.”
“We should all be thankful,” Callie muttered.
Hilda came into the room with a platter of ham and eggs. She followed it with potatoes and a basket of biscuits. She then poured coffee for the four of them. She brought in a selection of jellies, butter and a big bowl of fruit. Nobody, with the exception of Mildred, thanked her as she slipped back into the kitchen.
When Thourgood started to pick up the platter, Hezekiah said, “I hope you folks will let me have the pleasure of thanking the good Lord for this wonderful food.”
“Of course,” Thourgood said.
Reverend thorn began to pray. And he prayed and he prayed.
Mildred wondered if he was going to name every person he’d met in his lifetime. Then he started on the state of the world. She admitted it needed praying for, but not for as long as Hezekiah Thorn prayed. Finally, he got to thanking God for the food and the day. This went on for several minutes. Mildred couldn’t help thinking that everything on the table would be cold by the time they started to eat. She knew for sure the biscuits wouldn’t be able to melt the butter. And she did love melted butter on her biscuit.
When the prayer ended, nobody said anything, but they began to pass the food. Mildred wanted to ask Hilda to come back and take everything to the kitchen and warm it again, but she knew that would be rude, so they all
ate cold eggs.
When his plate was full, the reverend said, “I must say, Mr. Reeson, your cook knows her way around the kitchen.”
“Yes. She’s always been good.”
“It is delicious,” Callie volunteered.
“Now, when do you think that daughter of yours will be home?”
“I’m sure she’ll be home soon.”
“I’m surprised you let her stay out all night like this. It’s not seemly for a young unmarried woman to be out alone.”
Mildred joined the conversation. “She’s at the preacher’s house. His housekeeper is getting married today and they were decorating the church.”
Hezekiah gave her a look of disdain. “That’s a waste. Churches shouldn’t be shrouded with flowers and fancy things.”
“Flowers were created by God. I’m sure He doesn’t mind us putting them in His house.” Mildred would’ve said more, but Thourgood’s boot tapped her toe. She didn’t say anything else, but she did give him a sharp look.
“I’d never allow them in my church. It might take the people’s mind off heavenly things. The plainer the setting, the easier to think of the perfect path to heaven.”
“We do keep it clean,” Callie said.
“Of course, we do, woman. God don’t like dirt of any kind. He’s pure. The purer we make ourselves and the place we worship, the better He likes it.”
“It isn’t easy to be pure,” Thourgood said.
“You’re right about that. I tell my flock all the time they must forget worldly comfort and think of their immortal soul, but many of them are like Edwina.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s such a willful girl. Always has been. I kept her out of trouble and didn’t let her have anything to do with men. We wanted her to concentrate herself to God. She could do so much good if she’d only follow my instructions.”
“So she did something you didn’t approve of?” Mildred looked at Callie.
“Oh, yes. Many things. Reverend Hezekiah tried so hard to keep her on the narrow path to heaven.”
“I certainly did, but there was too much of her devil mother in her. Her mother is the one who kept my brother from the Lord. Now, the devil has taken up residence in Edwina. She won’t let that little boy be what he’s supposed to be.”
Edwina's Husband Page 14
