“What are you, my momma?” another man yelled. “I ain’t goin’ to jail. Ain’t don’t nothin’ wrong.”
“You’re disturbing the peace,” Knox answered, reaching out to grab the man nearest him. He was afraid he would have a fight on his hands for only a moment before he saw two of his deputies, one of them Baxter, the other a man named Clive Durstin. They were both rushing over, pulling one man each to them and forcing their hands behind their back.
“All right, all right,” one of the fighting men yelled out in exasperation.
“That’s enough, Jonah,” Baxter barked. “You and Buddy just go on down to the jailhouse and get in that cell on the right side, the one I usually gotta put ruffians like you in so you can sober up.”
“I ain’t drunk,” Buddy slurred in a voice that expressed he was indeed drunk.
“Be that as it may,” Baxter replied, jerking on the man’s arm. “You and Jonah go on down there. You know where to go.”
Baxter came over to where the other two men were standing, looking uncomfortable. One of them was still breathing hard, pressing the back of his hand into his bleeding lip.
“I need a doctor,” the bleeding man said in a whiny voice.
“No, you don’t,” Baxter replied, placing his hands firmly on the grips of the guns at his sides. “You need to get to that jailhouse and get in the other cell. And you need to keep quiet. Only thing we want to hear from you is what name you go by. Don’t think I’ve seen ya in this town before. We don’t take kindly to strangers comin’ here and making trouble.”
“We aren’t the ones starting the trouble,” the other man said resentfully. “It was them.” He flung one arm in the direction of the two men who were trudging along the dirt road toward the jailhouse.
“Just get on down there. Clive, be sure they all get where they need to be. Won’t have no disturbin’ the peace here in Shady Forks. You strangers need to keep that in mind, you hear?”
Clive followed after the four men as they went to the jailhouse. Baxter turned to Knox with a sheepish look on his face.
“Sorry to take over like that, boss,” he said. “I just thought I’d make some quick work of this, and we can go and talk to them in the jailhouse. Best to keep this kind of thing out of the public eye if you ask me.”
Knox nodded. “That’s fine. So you don’t know two of these men, huh? What about the other two?”
“Jonah Bell and Buddy Corsack. They pal around together sometimes and occasionally get in brawls with men from the saloon, usually because of money. That’s what it’s always about. Never a woman.”
Knox raised his eyebrows. “Really. Well, I’ll be.”
Baxter jerked his head in the direction the men were going. “Them boys don’t get in too much trouble, but when they do, I like to get them in the jailhouse for the rest of the day at least. No matter how drunk or sober they are. As for those boys who don’t belong here, I think we better find out what they’re here for. That’s what the last sheriff liked to do.”
Knox nodded. “That’s a good idea. You get new people here often?”
Baxter shrugged. “No more or less than anywhere else. We don’t have a whole lot to offer other than some real pretty scenery. We’ve got some mighty fine people here, yeah. But nobody real exceptional. Men don’t come here lookin’ for wives.”
Knox noticed when Baxter looked directly at him when he said that. He decided the deputy didn’t mean anything by it and let it pass.
“So we’ve got Jonah Bell and Buddy Corsack on the one side and strangers on the other side. I’ll take the strangers since neither of us knows them. You take Jonah and Buddy since you know them. Let’s see if we can figure out what they were fighting about.”
Baxter snorted. “Pretty sure it’s gonna be about money,” the deputy repeated.
Knox watched as Baxter went to the entrance of the jail and through the front door. He led his horse around to the hitching rail that ran along the side of the building in the alleyway. When he was done securing Bolt, he went inside and walked directly to the back where the cells were. There was a thick wall in between the ones on the left and the ones on the right. The lower cell on the right side only held one man, one of the strangers. Jonah and Buddy occupied the lower cell on the left. All three men looked dejected and angry.
When he walked in, Baxter pointed to a door in between the cells that led to the back of the building. “Back there. Clive’s got him in there, waiting for you to talk to. I’m just gonna talk to Buddy and Jonah out here.”
Knox nodded. He passed by without a word and went through to the back room. It wasn’t very big, had no windows, and smelled like there might be something growing underneath the floor that emitted a musty scent. The second stranger was sitting on the other side of a rectangular wooden table that appeared to be at least a couple hundred years old.
He was glaring at Knox with the ferocity of an angry animal. He was dripping with sweat as if he’d just been caught committing murder.
“You can’t keep me in here,” he said menacingly. “I ain’t done nothing wrong. It’s them boys out there that started all this trouble. Why ain’t you talkin’ to them?”
“We’re going to,” Knox responded. “But first, let me just introduce myself. I’m Sheriff Knox. Only been here a week. Seems you’ve been here about as long, maybe less, since nobody seems to know you except the men you were fighting. Let’s try to get off on the right foot, what do ya say?”
He held his hand out across the table, maintaining direct eye contact with the man, who was staring back at him through stunned, confused eyes.
When he finally reached out and took the sheriff’s hand, Knox glanced up to see the same questioning look on Clive’s face. The deputy was standing in the corner, his arms crossed over his chest, watching the two men.
“Luke Belcombe,” the man said, pumping Knox’s hand.
“So tell me, Luke,” Knox said, pulling the chair out and dropping down in it to lean over the table, “what could possibly make any man go looking for a fight with a giant like Jonah Bell?”
He saw the look of appreciation in the man’s eyes and knew he wouldn’t have any trouble getting the truth out of him.
9
Lunchtime later that day had Melissa wishing she’d stayed in town at the restaurant. The ranch was bustling with people, the workers, her family, and visitors, along with the many pets running around. Two new dogs had been added to the pack, and although Noah and his cousins were having a wonderful time with the animals, Melissa was anxious for them to be trained. They were still puppies at only a year old.
She stepped down from the buggy and let Jack take it to the stable to be put away. Her eyes roamed all around her, watching as the children ran around with the animals, being followed at a distance by their mothers and Aileen. There were men on horseback in the field and pasture, as well as gathered outside the chow house, getting ready to eat.
On a normal day, Melissa would be happy to have such liveliness around her, such action and energy. It had always made her feel so alive. Today was different. She was having a hard time pulling herself out of her depression and getting back to her old self.
Then again, how can someone expect to become who they used to be when they were still stuck in the situation that made them feel that way to begin with?
Melissa pulled in a deep breath and went into the house. She stopped in the foyer, taking her shawl from her shoulders and hanging it on the tall hat rack by the door. Everyone was outside except the housekeeper and staff, and they were nowhere to be seen. The house was so quiet.
She drank her tea in the silence for a moment, reveling in the sound. She let herself enjoy it for a moment before crossing the foyer to the stairs. She grabbed the railing and propelled herself up, hurrying to get to her room. It was the same room she’d used all her life and provided a great feeling of security for her.
Once Melissa got to the top of the stairs, however, she didn’t go into he
r room. When she looked to the far end of the narrow hallway, she saw a form moving through a doorway, the entrance that led to the attic space. At one time, the rooms above their bedrooms had been used on a daily basis, usually for servants. But none of the staff had stayed in those rooms for so long they were most likely filled with cobwebs and inches of dirt. Melissa didn’t even know if there was furniture up there.
Wondering who it was that was venturing upstairs, she hurried down the hallway and grabbed the thin creaking door before it closed. She stuck her head into the staircase hallway and looked up. At the top of the narrow stairs was another door, and it was slightly ajar.
“Hello?” she called out. “Who is that? Who’s gone up there? Hello?”
With a pounding heart, Melissa slowly made her way up, taking the steps carefully because they were half the size of a normal step.
“Hello?”
Still no response.
When she got to the top, she pushed the door, so it would swing open and was immediately met with the smell of musty air. She wrinkled her nose, finding herself more surprised by the fact that she could see. Light was coming from somewhere.
She stepped into the attic room and turned her head to the left and the right. She’d come into a wide-open room, poles placed carefully around the room to hold up the ceiling. She could see several candles in sconces hanging on the poles had been lit. That’s where the light was coming from.
“Hello?” she called out again, peering around for any light that might move as if someone was walking. “Is anyone there?”
“Miss Melissa?”
Melissa was startled to hear the voice of a young girl floating through the dim light toward her. “Yes. Who is that? Who are you?”
“It’s just me, Miss, Geraldine. It’s me, Geraldine.”
Melissa relaxed a bit, picturing the young maid in her mind. “Where are you?”
“I’m over here.”
Melissa looked in the direction it seemed the voice was coming from and saw the white frock of the young girl appear in the shadows.
“What are you doing up here?” Melissa asked. “I was always told to stay away from here because it’s not safe.”
“I’m up here for Cook. She said there’s a special plate she wants, and I am to come up and get it.”
For a moment, Melissa thought the cook was playing a cruel prank on the young girl. But when she approached and saw Geraldine had lit the candles all around the area of the attic she was searching in, she understood what the cook might have been talking about.
She looked up at the huge China cabinet full of plates, glasses, saucers, mugs, and even more. The silver utensils shined in the light of the candle as if they had just been polished.
“You shouldn’t come up here alone,” Melissa insisted. “It’s dangerous. You could fall and get hurt, and no one would even know.”
Geraldine looked amused, which surprised Melissa until the young girl spoke. “Cook knows I came up here, Miss. She sent me. I don’t think she’d wait too long to come and find me if I took too long. She wouldn’t be very happy about that. She’d think I was lollygagging. And I don’t want her to think I am now, either.”
“What plate did she want you to find?”
“It’s a cake plate, one that’s big enough for her big cakes. She’s making one for the Independence Day celebration in a few days. She wants everything out where she can find it. You know how she is.”
“I do, yes.”
Geraldine gazed at her for a moment before turning, holding the candle up, and running it from side to side until she found the plate she was looking for. She opened the cabinet door and removed the plate carefully.
Melissa was still watching when she turned back around. Geraldine blinked at her.
“Are you all right, Miss?” she asked.
Melissa’s stomach turned. Her eyes misted over, and she was glad it was too dark for Geraldine to see.
“I… I’ll be all right.” She swallowed hard.
Geraldine didn’t move. She studied Melissa’s face until Melissa shifted in place.
“It’s a man, isn’t it?” Geraldine asked softly.
Melissa’s face flushed. She turned slightly away, embarrassed.
“It’s usually a man that makes a woman look like that,” Geraldine said quietly. “They don’t know what they do sometimes. They make it so hard to be a woman. A loving woman who wants to take care of her man and be by his side. They deceive and lie so much. But it’s worth it. At least, that’s what I’ve been told. Once you find the man you were meant to be with, you will know it’s worth it. It’s finding that man that’s the hardest part.”
Melissa blinked at her, assessing her age to be maybe seventeen or eighteen. She tilted her head to the side, giving Geraldine an affectionate look. “How did someone so young get to be so wise?”
Geraldine smiled softly. “I’m repeating what my grandmother told me. She and my grandfather were so in love. They really showed their kids and us grandkids how to treat the person we want to be with forever.”
“Well, I think you’ve actually helped me feel better.”
Geraldine raised her eyebrows. “I didn’t say much. But I’m glad, Miss. Now I better get this plate downstairs before Cook skins me alive.”
Melissa held out her hand to the door. “How gruesome. We don’t want that. Go on ahead.”
Both women laughed as they left the attic room.
10
Melissa heard a knock on the front door just as she closed the attic door. Geraldine looked back at her with a questioning glance. Melissa shook her head.
“I’ll answer the door. You get that plate to Cook. I don’t want you walking around without skin.”
Geraldine made a choking sound that turned into laughter.
Melissa went down the stairs quickly and crossed the foyer. There were so many people outside she was surprised anyone would be knocking. Surely a visitor would be greeted by someone outside first and just be ushered into the house.
She pulled the door open to see a man dressed in a sheriff’s uniform turned to the side, his blue eyes scanning the land and the action around him. He heard her open the door and turned back, his hat held firmly in his hands.
“Howdy,” he stated, blinking as he studied her face. “You are Melissa Winchester?”
Melissa pulled her eyebrows together. “Yes, that’s me. How can I help you?” She couldn’t help being curious why no one in the family was with him. Surely they’d seen the handsome sheriff going up to the front door.
Melissa caught herself thinking the sheriff was handsome and chided herself silently. She wasn’t that kind of girl. She didn’t see a tall man with a sculpted face, bright blue eyes, and black hair and just fall for him like a silly schoolgirl. She was a mature adult. She knew being good-looking didn’t make a man good.
Then again, this man was a sheriff. A law man.
The sheriff turned again, scanning the area around him. “You and your family have a thriving ranch here, don’t you?”
Melissa stepped out, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at the action going on. “Yes, we are very proud of it. We’ve worked hard to maintain what our family started here decades ago. Tell me, Sheriff, is there a reason you visited today? Just here to introduce yourself to me and my family?”
The man smiled in a friendly way, and Melissa was again overcome by his good looks. She forced herself to stop thinking that way and act like a grown-up, no matter how tingly she felt. It was a harmless physical reaction, that was all. Normal for any able-bodied woman should they rest their eyes on a man this attractive.
“We have someone in our cells that might belong to you,” the sheriff said.
His words brought down Melissa’s giddiness like a house of cards. There was only one person in the world anyone could claim belonged to her, and that was Jonah. And he didn’t really. Not anymore.
“You have Jonah?” she asked. She regretted even having to ad
mit the situation to the sheriff. At that moment, she would have given her right arm and leg to be an unattached woman free to marry whomever she pleased, like a handsome new sheriff.
“That’s right. I thought you might like to come and get him. He needs to be looked after for a bit. I figure nobody better to do that than the woman he plans to marry.”
She hated even hearing the words from his mouth. When she didn’t respond, and he didn’t say anything either, she moved her brooding eyes from the people moving around to his face. The look there had changed completely from when he first set eyes on her. He looked curious. Extremely curious.
“I take it you aren’t happy with him then?” he asked, a slight smirk to his tone that intrigued Melissa. She stared at him.
“Would you be happy if a sheriff showed up on your door to tell you the person you were supposed to marry was in his cells? What did he do this time?”
Sheriff Knox raised his eyebrows. “I was told he doesn’t end up in there often. You make it sound like it’s a regular thing.”
“Once is too often, Sheriff,” she responded in a grumpy voice.
“I guess you’re right.” He didn’t seem in a hurry to leave, and Melissa didn’t care one way or another, so she continued to stand there, letting her eyes sweep casually over their surroundings.
She lifted one arm from her chest and pointed into the field where her sisters-in-law and the children were playing.
“So those women there, that’s Annie and Theresa. They are married to my brothers. That one over there, the lady with the red hair, she’s the nanny. She came with Theresa.”
The sheriff grunted, and Melissa glanced at him. He looked amused. “She came with Theresa?” he asked. “What does that mean?”
“My brother, Nate, sent for a bride from the east. Theresa came and brought Aileen with her. Apparently, they were close friends even though Aileen was paid to be her companion. Now she’s paid to watch the children here. It worked out wonderfully. And the children love her.”
A Bride's Dilemma Page 4
