Betsy rose with him. “I’ll go with you. Tomorrow might be another long day when the sheriff starts sorting things out. I’d hate to be in Lang Redford’s boots.”
“Yeah, there’s another one who’s about as sharp as a marble.” Marcus chuckled.
Brett rubbed his hand over his face. “Come, Abigail. I’ll walk you to the cottage. We need to talk.”
Abigail grimaced. “I’m hearing the same worn out lyrics from the same old song, Captain Trumble. But I’m betting we don’t talk.”
“You’re right, darlin’. You’re about to listen to a real lively solo from me.” Brett’s sarcasm was not lost on the group. “Now wish your dear sister good luck, ’cause you’re both going to need it. Tydall has the God awful look like he could strip bark from a pine tree with his teeth.”
When everyone left, Maria shifted nervously in her seat, uncomfortable under Tye’s direct scalding gaze. “You’re angry.”
Both eyebrows shot up, and his nostrils flared with fury. “Oh, please, Maria. Angry doesn’t begin to describe what I feel.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” This time his expression was one of pained tolerance. “For ignoring me? For ignoring a man who was trying to propose? For leaving the festival? For not telling me where you were going? For going off unarmed to face a killer with a gun. Or a killer with a knife? For not telling me someone was threatening you, not once—but twice? Which one, Maria? Just which one are you sorry about?”
“All of them?” She hung her head. A sensation of desolation swept over her. “I couldn’t let the murderer of my uncle get away with it. I just couldn’t, Tye. I couldn’t tell you about the message on the slate board because at first I thought it was a student. It wasn’t until I got the second note, I became truly frightened. Can’t you see? I wanted to try to handle it myself.”
He sat there for a moment, then heaved a sigh, stood, and went to the lanterns, extinguishing them one by one. He walked to the door in the dim light of the moon shining through the kitchen window. “It’s a full moon. Grab your shawl and come take a ride with me. I want to show you something.”
Without speaking, he led her to a buggy tied out back and helped her in. The full moon overhead lit up the night and the roadway as they proceeded through a curtain of pine and aspen. The trees seemed magical, whispering to one another as the night breeze ruffled their leaves.
Before he reached the ranch, Tye turned the horse along a narrow path leading to a grassy rise looking down over a rolling field. The moon’s golden rays made the field glow like amber. He stopped the buggy.
“What do you see, Maria?”
“A field. A beautiful field in the moonlight?”
“Yeah, under a glorious Colorado moon. Amazing, isn’t it?” He tied off the reins and leaned back against the seat. Maria could see the sharp outline of his face. They sat in silence for several moments. Finally he spoke, “I see an orchard with rows and rows of apple trees. Johnathans and Macintoshes. Cortlands from New York. It’s time for me to plant some roots, Why not some apple trees? What do you think?”
“Oh, Tye.” There was hesitancy and resignation in her voice. “If I marry you, I can’t be certain the school board would approve of a married woman teaching their youth. And I haven’t proven myself yet to warrant the board considering such a bold idea. I’d probably lose my position.”
“Depends upon the vote of the board. Times are changing, Maria. Betsy owns a store. Julia has her pottery business. Anna runs her bakery. You saw how excited the kids were today to please you. Do you think the parents of those children would let you leave without a fight?” He paused. “You could always start your own school and tutor adults who want to learn to read and write. There’s a lot of people pouring into the Territory—lots of people who would be eager to learn how to write only their names on a legal document. I figure if you can teach an Indian, you can teach just about anybody.”
“How did you find out?” She was glad it was dark, and he couldn’t see her blush.
“Old Theo Sarowski mentioned to Julia she was helping Two Bears to read aloud from his McGuffey reader. Now, I ask you, how would Two Bears get his hands on a McGuffey reader? I had a deal with that fool Indian to make sure you got safely to school each morning, but I never dreamed he’d sweet talk you into teaching him to read and write.”
Maria smiled. “If the school board will permit me to teach as a married woman, would you allow me?”
“Allow you?” He looked at her in disbelief. “The way you handled that gun today, I don’t think I’d stop you from doing anything you wanted to do. You’re going to be a hero in school on Monday. No child will get out of line once he hears how you shot Emma McNeil’s picture off the wall by its cord.”
“Betsy deserves the credit. She’s a patient teacher and skilled in weaponry.” She felt a warm glow flow through her. She put her hand on his forearm. “Oh, Tye, I don’t want to fight.” Her gaze locked with his, and her mind reeled with a multitude of thoughts. This was the man she loved. Why couldn’t she have everything she wanted? She could chart her own path. She could make choices. She didn’t have to give up her love of teaching, nor her love for Tye Ashmore. She didn’t need to be afraid anymore. “I love you,” she said in a whisper and felt him gather her up in his arms and pull her to him.
“I love you, too, schoolmarm.” He met her gaze and smiled into her eyes, a tender smile that wrapped around her heart. He caressed her back and kissed her gently. “Just say you’ll marry me, we’ll work everything out. I promise.”
“I’ll marry you, and we will work everything out,” she said, feeling relieved and blissfully happy.
“Please say you’ll stay with me tonight.”
“Tye Ashmore, I’ll stay with you forever.”
He kissed her long and deep before he gathered the reins to the horse and sent them on their way…along the moonlit road lined with autumn flowers where only the sound of the buggy wheels crunching on the rocks broke the evening silence. And where an empty ranch house under a starry sky was waiting to be filled with love and laughter and a family.
A word about the author...
Judy Ann Davis began her career in writing as a copy and continuity writer for radio and television in Scranton, PA. Throughout her career, she has written for both industry and education.
Many of her short stories have appeared in various literary and small magazines, and anthologies, and have received numerous awards. Nineteen of them are now collected in Up on the Roof & Other Stories.
Under Starry Skies features the Ashmore family and many of the same characters in Red Fox Woman, her first novel, which was a finalist in the International Book Awards and USA Book News Best Book Awards.
Key to Love, her second novel published by The Wild Rose Press, is a contemporary romantic suspense.
When Judy Ann isn’t behind a computer, you can find her looking for anything humorous to make her laugh or swinging a golf club, where the chuckles are few. She is a member of Pennwriters, Inc. and of Romance Writers of America and lives with her husband in Clearfield, PA.
Visit her at:
www.judyanndavis.com
and
www.judyanndavis.blogspot.com
You can find her on Facebook:
Judy Ann Davis
and on Twitter:
@judyanndavis4
Thank you for purchasing
this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Under Starry Skies Page 25
