“We aren’t in a rush.” Thane settled into a chair across from Tully.
“Where are Jemma and Jack?” Tully expected Jack to be with Thane if anyone accompanied him to the jail.
“Jemma is busy getting ready for Mr. and Mrs. MacGregor’s visit for supper. Jack decided he’d rather ride fences with Ben this afternoon than come into town.”
“You better be careful or you’re gonna turn that boy into a real cowboy.”
Thane leaned back in his chair. “I certainly hope so. The best thing for that boy is a summer spent out in the sunshine learning about the workings of a ranch. However, his mother is adamant he continue with his lessons during the summer months.”
“She’s not making him play the piano, is she?”
“No. I put my foot down on that account,” Thane said. “The poor boy pleaded his case well and suggested fencing as a strong alternative to piano. But Jemma declared he’d either poke his eye out or cause Lily’s demise if we let him pursue that. I’m teaching him how to shoot instead.”
Tully laughed. “I’m sure Jemma approved of that.”
“Not exactly, but she’s coming around. Jack killed a rattler yesterday out behind the barn.”
“How many buttons on the tail?” Tully asked.
While the men continued their discussion, Lily quietly wandered over to the doorway leading to the cells.
Brianna had listened to the dialogue between the sheriff and the youngster. If she hadn’t despised the man so much, the way he interacted with the child might have softened her heart toward him.
As it was, she’d been amused by the conversation between him and the little girl named Lily.
A head full of strawberry blond curls peeked around the doorway. Brianna smiled and waved at the little girl. The child disappeared then peeked back around again. Brianna winked and waggled her fingers. The third time, Lily walked inside and over to the cell where Brianna stood.
She watched the child approach, trying to think when she’d ever seen such an adorable little girl. The head full of curls, springing every which direction, had most likely been combed into some sort of order earlier in the day since a pink satin bow nestled in them. A pink frock, trimmed with a lavish amount of lace, spoke of wealth and elegance.
The lively spark in the little one’s copper-colored eyes and the appealing grin on her rosebud lips endeared her to Brianna.
“Who are you?” Lily asked, standing in front of the cell and staring at Brianna with wide eyes.
“My name is Miss Dumont. Are you Lily?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Lily dipped into a curtsey.
Impressed by her manners, Brianna smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lily. Is your father speaking with the sheriff?”
“Yes. My daddy and Uncle Tully are bestest friends.” Lily gazed at Brianna. “Do you have a bestest friend?”
“Sadly, I don’t believe I do.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Lily appeared lost in thought a moment, then her face brightened. “I know! You can be my friend.”
“I’d like that very much,” Brianna said, squatting down to Lily’s level.
The little girl giggled and latched onto the cell bars, hopping off one foot to the other. “Uncle Tully said there was a wild cat in here. Did you see it?”
“I guess I must have missed it.” If Tully Barrett ever let her out of the cell, she’d show him a wild cat.
“We’re going to lunch with Uncle Tully. Do you want to come?”
Brianna reached through the bars and stroked her hand over the child’s head. “As lovely as that sounds, Lily, I’m afraid I’m stuck here for a while.”
“Why? Only bad mens are supposed to be in here and you’re a bee-you-tee-full princess.” Lily rubbed a finger over the ornate beading on the sleeve of Brianna’s pale yellow gown. “And you smell very nice. My mama and Aunt Maggie always smell like flowers, too.”
Brianna smiled. “I greatly look forward to making the acquaintance of your mother and aunt.”
“You should come to supper tonight. Mama is making all kinds of good things to eat and so is Sam.”
“Who is Sam?” Brianna watched as Lily swung back and forth from the bars of the cell. The child seemed incapable of standing still.
“Sam is the bunkhouse cook and he keeps everyone in line when my daddy isn’t home. He makes the best biscuits. Oh, I mean cookies. We called them biscuits at home, before we moved here.”
“I see. So you lived in England?” Brianna had noticed the child’s accent as soon as she spoke.
“Yep! Then Uncle Thane came and brought us to ‘Merica on a big boat and then he was my daddy.”
“Oh, that must have been wonderful.” Brianna struggled to make sense of the child’s words. Apparently, the little girl was adopted, which meant she most likely was not related to the reprehensible sheriff. In Brianna’s mind, it was impossible to think a child so loveable could be a blood relation of such a horrid man.
“Lillian Jane Jordan! What are you doing?” Thane called to her and the little girl scampered toward the doorway. She stopped and waved at Brianna before disappearing from sight.
Brianna heard Lily talk about the beautiful woman in the cell and then heard the low rumble of men’s voices.
Footsteps thudded across the wood of the plank floor. A man she recognized from the first day she’d arrived in Baker City stuck his head around the door and looked at her. He reached up and tipped his hat. “Ma’am. I hope Lily wasn’t bothering you.”
Brianna smiled. “Not at all, sir. She was a welcome diversion.”
The sound of the outer door opening and another male voice speaking to the sheriff let her know a deputy had arrived.
Lily raced past Thane and back to Brianna’s cell. “I hope you’ll come visit us, Miss Dumont. My mama would be pleased to meet you.”
“Thank you for the invitation, Lily. I shall…”
“Daddy, Miss Dumont has an owie,” Lily interrupted, pointing to spots of blood visible on the cell floor when Brianna moved.
Thane walked over to the cell and took in the blood then stared at the woman. “Miss Dumont, is it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Are you injured?” Thane asked, picking up Lily and settling her on one strong arm.
“I believe I am, sir. I stepped on something, but that occurred moments before the sheriff took it in mind to arrest me this morning.”
Thane turned toward the doorway and yelled, “Tully! Get your worthless hide in here and let this poor woman go.”
Tully sauntered into the room, glaring from Thane to Brianna. “Since when do you get to tell me what to do with my prisoners?”
“Since you locked this one up with an injury. She needs medical attention for her foot.” Thane pointed to the blood on the floor. “I’ve never known you to be cruel, Tully, but this might be pushing it.”
“I didn’t know the dad-blasted woman was hurt.” Tully jammed the key into the lock and swung open the door. “Why didn’t you tell me you were injured?”
“You didn’t offer an opportunity. Besides, I was preoccupied by the fact you slapped those dreadfully heavy iron cuffs on my wrists and dragged me here for no reason.”
“Oh, I’ve got plenty of reason, your highness, but that will wait until later. Let me see your foot.” Tully stepped into the cell, filling the space with his presence and masculine scent. Brianna backed away from him until the wall behind her brought her to a halt.
“Let me see your foot,” Tully demanded.
“No.” Brianna wanted to cower as Tully towered over her, but she straightened her spine and lifted her chin, daring him to force her to comply.
“Have it your way.” Tully bent down and set his shoulder against her midsection, lifting her up like a sack of feed. Her head dangled down his back and her hands thumped against his solid thighs as he lifted her petticoats and grabbed her flailing foot.
Shocked by his crude handling of her, Brianna was further aggravate
d when she noticed how well Tully’s trousers fit him and the unyielding strength of his body as he held her on his shoulder.
“Where in blazes are your shoes, woman?” Tully thundered, tramping out of the cell and depositing Brianna on top of his desk while Thane, Lily, and Dugan observed.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all morning, Sheriff Barrett. Someone stole my shoes last night.” Brianna attempted to push down the skirts Tully continued to lift as he examined her foot.
“How in heck did someone steal your shoes? You aren’t dumb enough to sleep with your door unlocked are you?”
Brianna glared at him. The knowledge that he’d return her to the cell straight away was all that kept her from slapping him again.
“No, sir. I left my shoes in the hall at the hotel for the staff to clean. After someone practically shoved me into a mud puddle yesterday, my shoes were in dire need of a thorough scrubbing and polish. When I opened the door this morning, they were gone.”
Tully rolled his eyes. “What did you expect? This isn’t New York City or whatever fancy place you’re used to staying. If you set things out, most folks assume that means the item is free for the taking. First, you lost your corsets, now your shoes.” The sheriff gave her a look full of reproach. “Use your head, Miss Dumont, or pretty soon I’ll have to throw you in jail for public nudity. As much as I might like to see that, not everyone would be excited if you marched through town like the next Lady Godiva.”
Thane coughed, trying to hide a bark of laughter, while Dugan excused himself outside. When the deputy stepped back into the jail, his chest shook as he worked to contain his chuckles.
“While I haul her to Doc’s office, can you arrange to get her a pair of shoes, Dugan?” Tully turned to the young deputy. “If you run over to see James at his shop, I’m sure he can help.”
“Sure, boss. Do I need to lock her up when Doc finishes with her?”
“Nah. She served enough time today.”
Wisely, Brianna held her tongue. At least until Tully swept her into his arms and headed out the door with Thane and Lily following close behind.
“Put me down this instant, Sheriff! I insist!”
“You can insist all you want, darlin’, but the only place I’m setting you down is at Doc’s office. From there, you can do whatever you please.”
Brianna glared at him. “Never, in my entire life, have I met a man so pretentious, conceited, and altogether overbearing.”
Thane chuckled and looked away.
Tully and Brianna both stared at him. “What’s so funny?” Tully asked.
“Miss Dumont sounds a lot like Jemma did when we first met. She called me so many names that I finally gave up keeping track of them.”
“Did you deserve to be called any of those names?” Brianna asked.
Thane nodded. “I sure did. That woman infuriated me to the point I couldn’t see straight let alone think with a lick of sense.”
Brianna cast Tully a smug look. “So it’s a trait indigenous to the men of Baker City?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that, but Tully and I are quite a bit alike.” Thane smirked at Brianna. “Jemma is the love of my life now, but she didn’t much like me the first month or two we were married.”
Brianna’s head snapped up. “She married you, even when she didn’t like you?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Thane glanced down at Lily as the little girl rode in his arms. “Her sister married my brother and gave us two beautiful children to care for. The only problem was that Jemma and the kids were in England. I didn’t know they existed until my brother passed away and I traveled over there to settle his estate. I needed to bring Jack and Lily back to America and Jemma couldn’t bear to be apart from the children, so we wed for their sakes. Neither one of us planned on falling in love.”
“What a wonderful, romantic story.” Thane’s tale distracted her from the tribulation of being carried through town to the doctor’s office in the sheriff’s arms.
“And it had a happy ending,” Tully said, shifting Brianna in his arms as Thane opened the door to the doctor’s office.
Doc happened to be speaking to his assistant in the waiting room when they walked inside. The man motioned for Tully to follow him back to an examination room, where the sheriff gently deposited her on an exam table.
After he set her down, Tully leaned forward until his face was just inches from hers. “Don’t you dare set foot outside until Dugan comes for you. Understood?”
“Perfectly, Sheriff.” Brianna wanted to scream and shout at the awful way the sheriff had treated her, but she feigned indifference as he gave her one last warning glance then disappeared from the room.
His enticing scent lingered behind and she rubbed her finger beneath her nose, hoping to dislodge it.
The doctor cleaned the cut and wrapped it in a bandage. After helping Brianna back to the waiting room, he was in the midst of warning her to stay off her foot a day or two when Dugan appeared with a man carrying a box full of women’s shoes and ankle boots.
“Miss Dumont, this is James Caldwell. He owns a shoe shop here in town. He can custom make anything, but he had a few ready-made pairs. One of them ought to fit you,” Dugan said, leaning against the wall while James set down the box in his hands.
“Let’s give this one a try,” Mr. Caldwell said, holding up a pair of sturdy ankle boots with a short heel. While still fashionable with buttons up the side, they would also provide more stability than the dressy shoes Brianna had been wearing.
The boots were slightly big, so Mr. Caldwell helped her try on a smaller pair.
She stood and took a few steps around the room, pleased at how comfortable the boots felt on her feet.
“These are perfect. Should I return with you to your store to settle the bill?” she asked, glancing at the shoemaker.
“That’s not necessary, miss. The sheriff took care of the bill.” Mr. Caldwell tipped his hat to her and left with his box of shoes.
Brianna turned to pay for her bill to the doctor, only to discover Tully had taken care of it as well.
Shocked speechless, she stared at the deputy, trying to gather her wits. Why would a man who had been so rude and horrible to her pay her doctor bill and purchase her new shoes? It made no sense. None whatsoever.
“Are you ready to go, Miss Dumont?” Dugan asked, opening the door and waiting for her to precede him.
“Yes, Deputy Durfey. I believe I am,” she said, limping outside. The sun bore down on her and her stomach growled, offering a reminder she’d missed breakfast and it was nearly past time for lunch.
“If you get tired of eating at the hotel, there’s a nice little restaurant just down the street there.” Dugan pointed down the block.
“I value the information.” Grateful, Brianna tipped her head his direction. “It is always helpful to have options at your disposal.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Dugan remained silent as he walked her back to the hotel, holding the door for her as she made her way inside. “Have a pleasant afternoon, Miss Dumont.” Politely, he tipped his hat to her.
“Thank you, Deputy Durfey. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.” Brianna smiled at him then continued inside the lobby.
Rather than go to her room, she made a beeline for the restaurant and indulged in a filling lunch. All the while she ate, her mind played over the events of the morning, starting with the theft of her shoes and ending with the maddening sheriff.
It seemed imperative she conclude her business and leave town before that infuriating man wormed his way any deeper into her thoughts.
Chapter Four
Brianna sat in the hotel’s restaurant, sipping a cup of tea even though most of the other patrons had left. She spent the previous day in her room, allowing her foot to rest, but she couldn’t bear the thought of being cooped up staring at the same four walls another day.
After dressing with care, she made her way to the restaurant in the hotel and
enjoyed a delicious breakfast. A discarded newspaper caught her eye at the empty table next to hers, so she picked it up and read the news on the front page.
Several articles garnered her interest as she worked her way through the paper. The sip of tea she’d just taken spewed out her mouth and she choked as she read the headline over the sheriff’s report of arrests and incidents.
Woman Named Fred Claims Theft, Arrested For Assault!
Based on her continued refusal to share her first name with the high-handed sheriff, he’d informed the paper her name was Fred. From the way the story was written, it made it sound as though she’d invented the incident of her missing bag and shoes then viciously attacked the town’s beloved lawman.
“That man has positively gone too far!” Brianna stood and slapped money on the table to pay for her meal. In her haste to defend her honor, she forgot all about her sore foot as she rushed to the front desk.
“Mr. Isaac, I am in dire need of directions to the newspaper office.”
At the look on her face, the poor desk clerk didn’t even bother to smile or offer good-natured remarks. He pointed toward the door. “Cross the street and go down three blocks, turn right and go another block, you can’t miss it. It’s not far from Mr. Miller’s mercantile. There’s a sign hanging up outside.”
“Thank you.” Brianna gave him a curt nod then marched off in the direction he indicated.
At the newspaper office, an elderly woman sat at a desk facing the door. “May I help you?” she asked with a pleasant smile.
“Yes. I’d like to speak to the editor.”
“I’m terribly sorry, but he’s out of the office. You’re welcome to leave him a note or try back tomorrow.”
“I’ll leave him a note.” Brianna took the paper and pencil the woman slid across the desk to her. When she finished writing the missive, the woman handed her an envelope. She tucked the letter inside then handed it back. “You will see he receives this?”
“I promise I’ll give it to him as soon as he returns to the office.”
“Thank you,” Brianna said, mustering a half-hearted smile just for the sake of attempting to be polite before she stormed out the door.
Corsets and Cuffs: (Sweet Historical Western Romance) (Baker City Brides Book 3) Page 4
