The Homecoming

by Raine Cantrell

  “Bet he didn’t even miss it. And Miz Laine, don’t you ever aim a gun my way. That was mighty fine shooting.”

  “Don’t be so quick to praise, Will. I wasn’t aiming for his hand.”

  Everyone was crowding about them. Rachel full of sympathy, the dog putting himself beneath Matt’s hand, Miller patting his shoulder, and lastly, Law.

  “You still have to go it alone, don’t you?”

  “Law, it’s up to you what to do with them.”

  Tater squeezed between them to hug Matt. “I got it.” He held the wood board.

  Matt took the wood from Tater. “Make sure Royce wears this.”

  Law read it and smiled. “Don’t worry. He won’t run loose again.”

  “This is the fella that sold me those horses.”

  “Mr. Miller, Law is the most honorable man I know.”

  “I don’t know about that, son. You’re mighty honorable yourself.”

  “Enough!” Laine demanded. “Matt, your mouth’s bleeding. And your cheek. You can talk later. Right now you need care.”

  “I, for one, am not riling the little lady.” Miller stepped aside. “Whatever you need, whatever you want, you just ask and it’s yours, missy.”

  Laine thanked him, anxious to get away. She had taken a few steps when Matt whispered he wanted to go to his camp and she changed direction. She didn’t know how badly she shook until Matt slipped his arm around her.

  “Did you really tell me you love me?” he asked in an effort to distract her from what just happened.

  Laine stopped short on the bank of the stream. “Of course I did. Who else would I say it to?”

  “Don’t be testy with me, Laine. I’m hurting.”

  “I know you are. I don’t know why I listen to you. I should have taken you to a hotel or back to the boarding house. I didn’t even think to ask if there was a doctor.”

  “I don’t want or need anyone else, love.”

  When she looked up, he kissed her. Very softly, very gently, for his mouth was swelling and truly hurting.

  “Laine, I never loved anyone else.”

  “Then say the words. I need to hear them. I need to know that you forgive me.”

  “No forgiving, Laine. I admit at first I was furious with you. I didn’t understand you were trying to save me a world of hurt. Like you said, I’m mule stubborn. It takes me a while to sort things out.”

  “I thought you didn’t want me. You barely talked to me. Then, last night at supper, when you told Dan about us getting married …”

  “I’m not letting you get away from me. As for not talking. I was wrestling with what to do about Royce. I wanted to go back and kill him. But I didn’t want to start a new life with you with blood on my hands. No matter how much he earned it. And I do love you.” He cupped her face. “I have loved you, Laine Ellis, since the first time I saw you sitting on a quilt under the big shade tree having a tea party with your dolls. I knew I’d wait for you to grow up. I wanted your smile for my own. ’Cause when you looked at me, I swear I felt my heart turn over.”

  “I invited you to join me,” she whispered, tears blurring her vision.

  “You were a princess, all golden hair in long curls, with a saucy little bow and your pink dress and shiny black slippers. I was a big, gangly backwoods boy who just unloaded firewood for your pa.”

  “No. I never thought that. Saw that. And I was never a princess, Matt.”

  “To me, yes, you were. And I wanted to be worthy of you.”

  “I love you. Love you, Matt.” She pressed tiny kisses over his face, avoiding his bruises. “Come, let me take care of you.”

  Matt sat on his bedroll while Laine made pads from his old shirt that she cut up. The cold stream water helped to take the swelling down. She put coffee on, then sat beside him, resting her head against his shoulder.

  “Laine?”

  “I’m here. Do you hurt …”

  “No. I mean yes, I’m hurting, but that’s not what I want to ask. When did you know you loved me?”

  “Oh, I was much older. All of ten,” she teased. “We had come to bring some of Mama’s rose cuttings to your mother. I wanted to play hide and seek. You kindly indulged me. I ran into the peach orchard and climbed as high as I could. But my hair got caught on branches and I was crying I couldn’t get free. But you climbed the tree and, despite the branch cracking beneath your weight, you untangled my hair without hurting me. You swung me to a lower branch. I was yelling at you to hurry so you wouldn’t fall if the branch broke. It didn’t. You climbed down and lifted me free. Then you held me until I stopped crying.”

  She angled her head to look into his eyes. “I knew then that I loved you. I knew you were the only man I wanted to marry. You were strong, but gentle with your strength. I didn’t care about your reputation for fighting. I knew they goaded you into most of those fights. You were loyal. You never once told on me for all the scrapes I got into.”

  Matt couldn’t look away from the love that shone in her smoky eyes. He hoped, as he lowered his head, she could see the truth of the trust and love he felt for her.

  “I’ll make you proud of choosing me. Proud of being Mrs. Coltrane.” This time when he kissed her, he ignored the hurt, for Laine’s lips held a healing touch that soothed more than she knew.

  Their wedding was not exactly a rushed affair, since Matt insisted on finishing his work with the horses. But according to Ada and Mava, and seconded by a spirited Rachel, there wasn’t enough time to do things properly.

  Rachel cajoled her sister into parting with hard-saved money for new dress goods. She voted down Laine’s choice of gray serge with black trim. Too dour, too practical. She chose a shade of mossy green along with matching ribbon and a silvery braid, pointing out this was pretty.

  Once her measurements were taken, Laine was banished from Ada’s sewing room. She wasn’t idle after Matt came to tell her of Dan Miller’s proposal. He wanted to go partners with Matt, supplying cattle and horses, whatever goods they needed and a guarantee that he would be welcome to visit.

  “But I explained to him, Laine, I already have a partner and we needed to talk this over.”

  “You want to do this.”

  “It would give us a solid start.”

  “After Mava told how his sons were killed in the war and his wife died of a broken heart when he couldn’t bring them home for burial, I felt such sorrow for him. But I realized he’s strong enough to overcome his heartache and make a new life for himself. But I believe he is a lonely man, too. Tater adores him. If you think it best, let’s do it.”

  “But our place stays the E slash C ranch for us.”

  For us. Laine repeated those words more times than she could count as the day of their wedding approached. Dan Miller insisted she buy household goods, foodstuffs, and more than she thought they needed. She lost track of the good things that surrounded them, from Philip offering to host their wedding supper after the ceremony in Miz Ada’s garden to having a room in the Butler House for their wedding night.

  There was Matt’s excitement of finding thirty head of young stock and a breeding bull to start their herd. Miller urged him to buy more, but Matt dug in his heels. Slow and steady was how he intended to build their ranch.

  When Laine approached Dan and asked him to walk her down the aisle, he choked up before thanking her for the great honor. Tater became his sidekick, for as he explained to Matt and Laine, Matt was his brother, but Dan could be his grandpa, and they both liked the idea just fine.

  And fine was a good word, Matt thought as he waited for his bride. The weather was perfect, the flowers in Miz Ada’s garden bloomed in lovely colors. He had Law, Will and the Owens brothers to stand with him. He gave fleeting thought to Claiborne languishing in jail up at the fort, then dismissed him from his mind.

  A spiffed-up Tater escorted Rachel, wearing her finally finished birthday gown, to where the minister waited. Then Laine appeare
d, carrying the roses he had begged and bought from all over town. Roses to remember the mothers who had not lived to see their children joined this day.

  “You take good care of my missy,” Dan warned as he relinquished Laine to Matt.

  Matt nodded. He couldn’t speak for all the emotions welling up inside him.

  There weren’t many dry eyes as each spoke their vows with heartfelt love or kissed to seal them.

  The joy spread as they turned to face those who had come to share their day. Laine blushed at compliments and kisses. Matt endured hearty backslaps. There were threats of coming to get her if he didn’t treat her right, but they were kindly said, and kindly meant.

  Tater garnered laughter when he protested it would never happen. “Matt’s too smart to lose a woman like Laine.”

  When they arrived at the Butler House, Philip as owner had closed his dining room to all but wedding guests. He had also opened an adjoining private room for dancing.

  As Matt took the floor with his bride for a waltz, he whispered, “Another first, Mrs. Coltrane.”

  “Our first dance as husband and wife.” She looked at her simple gold wedding band and smiled. “But not our last.”

  Music played, they dipped and swayed, but Laine only heard his continued promises of love.

  They celebrated Rachel’s delayed fifteenth birthday, a complete surprise for her, before they cut their own cake. Soon after, amid teasing and a shower of rice, they escaped to their room.

  Matt swept his bride into his arms and carried her inside where he kissed her until they were breathless, undressed, and sinking into the softest feather tick mattress.

  “Mrs. Coltrane, I am going to worship you and then ravish you.”

  “Did I tell you the very tantalizing and naughty things Miz Mava told me?”

  “No. Naughty?” He grinned.

  “Oh yes. So, Mr. Coltrane,” she vowed, trailing her hand over his muscular thigh and hip to the prize she sought, “I am going to take you to heaven.”

  There were some guests who tiptoed past, going to their own rooms, who swore they heard laughter, then long silences all through the night.

  And once the groom was heard to exclaim, “Laine! Sweet heaven, woman!”

  “Well, I promised, didn’t I?”

  They were right.

  When the day came that ended their long journey and their small herd spread out in the knee-deep grass as if they knew they were home, Matt turned to his wife.

  “We’re home, Laine. This is where we make our new beginning. But you must know that you and your love are the true homecoming I’ve searched for and finally found for a lifetime.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Dan Miller arrived before the first snow and stayed to celebrate their first Christmas with them. He went with Matt and Tater to cut a tree. Of course, they had to cut another four or so feet from the bottom to make the tree fit inside.

  He gave them all an early Christmas present of a corn popper along with jars of dried corn. With the heavy scent of pine filling the room, they sang and laughed as they strung garland for the tree. Dan produced yards of bright red ribbon, which he confessed his wife tied into bows for every branch. Laine and Rachel snipped and tied as he sat and rocked and watched them with a contented smile.

  They hung cookies they had baked into the shape of stars, and one made by Tater, which he insisted looked like Capt. Tate.

  Matt brought out the wooden star he had made for the top of the tree. He lifted Laine so she could tie it in place.

  Laine wished they had childhood treasures to decorate the thick branches. She glanced over at the mantle where greenery and candles were tucked between their candy tin memory boxes.

  When Matt stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, thoughts of the past disappeared.

  “Another first for us, Mrs. Coltrane.”

  “Soon there will be another.” She took hold of his hand and curved it over her belly. “Our child will be born in high summer.”

  “A child?” he whispered. “Oh, Laine, a child.” The words held the reverence of a prayer. “Our first child.”

  They exchanged their simple Christmas gifts in the morning. Tater, too excited, went first with his leather knife sheath for Matt that he’d cut and sewn with rawhide, a pipe pouch for his Gramps, since he swore he’d give up cigars, and leather pouch purses for Laine and Rachel.

  “And I made them all myself.”

  A hand-sewn neck scarf for Dan, heavy knitted ones for Matt and Tater, and a shawl for Laine were Rachel’s gifts.

  Matt and Laine handed round their presents. New hand-tooled boots for Tater, a floral china dresser set for Rachel, and for Dan, the knowledge that Laine’s showy gray mare, Belle, would present a foal in the spring for Dan to have. That pleased him no end. For each other, Matt gave Laine a pair of fine leather riding gloves and two circles of fur.

  “Don’t frown, love. They’re pulse-warmers. You slide those over your gloves. It’s supposed to keep the cold air from sneaking up your sleeve.”

  She had to try them on and admire them, but was laughing when she finally handed Matt his gift.

  “I guess,” she said as he unwrapped the string and brown paper and held up a fine pair of leather riding gloves, “we think alike.”

  Dan took his turn with a new Stetson and belt for Tater and a ladies fancy sewing box, which put Rachel in raptures. He then removed an envelope from his inside jacket pocket.

  “This here’s for the two of you.”

  Laine took it when Matt didn’t move. She opened and pulled out a deed made in their names. “A deed?”

  “Go on. Open and read it.”

  Laine did, and she read, and her eyes grew wide, then stared in disbelief. Finally she turned to Matt.

  “Did you know about this?”

  “That he did it, no. That he wanted to, yes.”

  “But … but Dan, it’s too much.”

  “No, it sure ain’t, missy. A man with dreams like this one has, well, he needs land to see them come to pass.”

  “But it’s five thousand acres,” she announced in a choked voice.

  “Don’t want neighbors crowding you none.”

  Helplessly, Laine looked at her husband. “I don’t know …”

  “What’s to know, missy. Boy,” he motioned to Tater. “Did you adopt me or not?”

  “Sure did, Gramps.”

  “Well, that answers it. I’m a genuine member of this here family. It’s my money, and I’ll spend it where it’ll do the most good.”

  Laine started laughing, and Matt pulled her onto his lap. In seconds she was crying.

  “Now what in tarnation is wrong?”

  “Well, Gramps,” Matt drawled. “Come high summer, she will make that a true name for you.”

  “I’ll be! Hot damn! We’re growing already.”

  They celebrated with hugs and kisses.

  And grow they did. When the snows melted, Dan came more often with a few head of horses, or cattle and the men to work them. They built a bunkhouse, hired a cook, and built a stable, then three more rooms to the house.

  Dan had a cabin built in a high valley where he could be close to his beloved horses. He also wanted to bring a midwife up from Santa Fe, but Daniel Mathew Coltrane made his appearance before that could happen.

  Laine was in love with her child, thinking her darling little boy gave her an easy time with his birth. Matt, who had appeared calm through it all, escaped the moment she fell asleep, with Rachel to watch. He collapsed and swore to everyone that he would never put her through that again.

  Laine merely smiled when she heard about it. She kept her wishes for daughters and sons to follow and grow strong on the land to herself.

  Dan came in the fall and announced he’d be staying awhile. He was disappointed tha
t Rachel had apprenticed herself to the new seamstress in Farmington, the closest town. She promised to visit often.

  Every few weeks, wagons of goods arrived until Matt swore he’d need to build a whole new house to hold it all. Dan was a generous man; he enjoyed spoiling Laine and Tater, even Matt, but his namesake … he couldn’t do enough for little Daniel.

  “First it was the clothes. So many that baby could be born four times over and never wear them. I swear, Laine, the baby will never play with half of what he’s bought. He’s not even a year and a half. A rocking horse and a Shoo Fly rocker, a sled and a buggy. Not to mention the toy soldiers, balls, horns, tops, blocks and a wheelbarrow. A wheelbarrow, for goodness sake!”

  “Maybe he heard you mention you wanted to plow a few fields and see what would grow.”

  “Laine, you don’t take this seriously.”

  “I do. I believe you should give up your blacksmith shop. After all, you didn’t ask for it. Dan just went ahead and bought what was needed. You can go into town to visit the blacksmith. And I’ll give him back my Acme Royal range.”

  “Laine, you love that stove.”

  “I do. But I know you’re disappointed not to be the one buying these things.”

  “Now you make me sound selfish.”

  “Never! Dan gets so much pleasure in the giving. After all, he adopted us. We adopted him. He loves us, Matt. And you know we all love him. He has no other family. He’s trying to make up for the years he had no one. Is it so wrong for us to be happy without guilt?”

  “No. Lord knows you deserve every happiness.”

  “As you do. Come to bed, love. And don’t worry so. Daniel will have help to play with everything come the fall. I do hope it’s a girl this time.”

  “Come fall? A girl? Are you …”

  “Don’t you want a little girl, Matt? I’ll have another easy time of it.”

  Matt remembered those words. He should, he muttered them often as the months passed, and the E slash C became known as the Easy, after Emily Louise Rose, named for her grandmothers and their love of roses, was born.