Grace's Dream

by Agnes Alexander

There were tears in Shawn’s eyes, but he shook his head. “I think I can take it.”

  “As you wish.” Sheldon worked on the arm.

  After several screams, some cursing and more tears, the arm was set.

  “Well, young man, that ought to do it,” Sheldon Wagner said as he tied the arm sling around Shawn’s neck to brace the arm. “You’ll need to keep it up like this so the swelling will stay down, and I would advise you to be more careful when you’re clambering around in the barn with your horse.”

  “I will, Doctor.”

  Sheldon handed Rocky a small bottle. “If it gets too painful, you might want to give him a few drops of this. It’ll dull the pain.”

  “I’ll do that.” Rocky took the bottle. “How much do we owe you, doctor?”

  “See my nurse at the desk in the waiting room. She takes care of things like that.”

  After they paid Esther and stepped outside, Shawn looked at Rocky. “I could sure use a drink.”

  “Your pa will be at the saloon by now. Are you sure you want to go face him?”

  “What difference does it make? He didn’t want you to bring me to the doctors, but he knows we’re here. As long as I’m with you, why should he care if I go in the Wildcat for a drink?”

  “I think it’s best to stay away today. He’s in a pretty sour mood.”

  “When is he not in a sour mood?”

  Rocky chuckled. “You’ve got me there.”

  Shawn grinned. “I’ve been with him for a little over four years, and I think I’ve seen him in a good mood maybe twice.”

  “He doesn’t let his feelings show, Shawn.”

  “I think he does. He’s always complaining about having to hustle men in these small towns so he can make a living. I asked him once why he didn’t go to some bigger towns and hustle there, but he knocked me across the room. I never asked again.”

  “He does have a temper.”

  “You’re the only person I know who can question him or make him do something he doesn’t want to. How do you do it?”

  “I’ve been at it a long time.”

  Shawn was quiet for a minute, but as they mounted their horses, he said, “Sometimes I think I’d like to go back to St. Louis even if Mama is dead. I still get upset when I think Pa wouldn’t let me go to her funeral.”

  “I’m sure he had his reasons.”

  “If so, he didn’t tell me. Besides, I don’t like this going from little town to little town every few months or so. I at least have a half-brother in St. Louis.”

  “Do you think he’d welcome you back?”

  “I don’t know. Pa said he wouldn’t want me to come.”

  “Why did he say that?”

  “Said Virgil never liked him because he married Mama or didn’t like me because we didn’t have the same pa. Pa said my half-brother had already took over Mama’s money, and I didn’t have any reason to ever go back to St. Louis.”

  Rocky changed the subject. “Go on home, Shawn. I need to get to the saloon.”

  “I still want to go there and have a drink.”

  Rocky shook his head. “Your pa wouldn’t want anybody asking about your broke arm. It’s best if you go home.”

  “But…”

  “If you feel you have to have a drink, look behind the flour sack in the pantry. I know for a fact Sam McCormick keeps a bottle there.”

  “Well, I guess that’s something. Thanks, Rocky.”

  Rocky nodded and watched the boy ride out of town. There were times he felt sorry for the fellow, always had. He just wasn’t sorry enough to tell him what Nelson had planned for his future. He’d just have to be sure he was around to protect the boy.

  Chapter 13

  The Cramer family sat around the supper table when Juliette put on her pouty smile and said, “Daddy, I want you to run Jed Wainwright out of town.”

  Hal almost choked on a mouthful of cornbread. “What the heck are you talking about, baby?”

  “I saw him and his wife going into the hotel dining room this morning. He looked at me and laughed.”

  “I’m sure he wasn’t laughing at you, Juliette,” Her mother said.

  “I just know he was because uppity Amelia waved at me then said something to him. That’s when he laughed. It upset me because I’m just as important as she is in this town. Maybe more important. After all, I’m not married to a half-breed”

  Hal couldn’t believe his ears. “Jed may be a half-breed, but he’s an important man. You must have misunderstood his laugh, sweetheart.”

  “No, daddy, I didn’t. Now, will you run him out of town?”

  “Juliette, there’s no way in the world I could run a man like Jed Wainwright out of town.”

  “Why not, Daddy? You’re a powerful lawyer in Settlers Ridge.”

  “I might have a little influence here, but I’m not near as powerful as Jed Wainwright. If anybody had the power to run someone out of town, it would be him. Besides that, if Jed Wainwright wasn’t around here Settlers Ridge would become a ghost town.”

  “Who cares if it does? I don’t like this town anyway.”

  “Juliette!” Marjorie Cramer looked shocked. “How can you say such a thing about your hometown?”

  Juliette shrugged. “I only came back here until I decided where I wanted to live. I sure don’t intend to live in Settlers Ridge forever. If I can convince Lance to marry me, I’ll make him move to some place more exciting. Somewhere like Saint Louis or New York or Boston. I’m sure Amelia thinks Boston is a fancy town since she went to school there.”

  Hal couldn’t help chuckling. “Lance Gentry would be as out of place living in New York or Boston as I would.”

  “I don’t see why.” Juliette stuck her mouth out. “He’s handsome and charming and smart. People would soon see that about him. He’d be fine if I just got him away from here.”

  Marjorie looked at her daughter as if she couldn’t believe the things Juliette was saying. “I’m beginning to wonder if sending you to that school in Saint Louis was a big mistake.”

  Juliette threw down her fork. “I hate you for saying something like that to me, Mama! I learned to be a real lady in school, and I’m not going to let some unimportant little western town turn me into an old unimportant nobody like you are.”

  For the first time since she’d returned from school, Hal’s voice was sharp with his daughter. “Don’t you talk to your mama that way, Juliette Cramer!”

  “Well, she is an old woman who doesn’t know what’s going on in this world. She’s as far behind as every other old woman in town. Surely a smart man like you sees that, Daddy.”

  Marjorie didn’t say anything, but tears filled her eyes.

  Hal narrowed his gaze at his daughter. Was this the Juliette the town saw instead of the sweet shy girl they’d sent to that fancy school hoping to bring her out of her shell? Was she the one Lance had told him he’d never be interested in? Was she this rude and know-it-all acting to her old friends? Did she really think she could have and do anything she wanted to do regardless of what others thought? Had he been so unaware of her actions that he’d bent to her every whim, just to try to make her happy? This behavior couldn’t and wouldn’t be tolerated. He was not going to let Juliette, no matter how much he loved her, get away with talking mean to her mother and alienating every person in town who came in contact with her.

  “Juliette,” he spoke in a determined voice. “I love you dearly, but I will not abide you speaking to or about your mother in such a manner. She’s the woman who gave you life, and the one who has loved you through everything. I think you should apologize right now for saying what you did and hurting her feelings and making her cry.”

  “Oh, Daddy, Mama will be fine. I don’t need to apologize to her. Now to get back to—”

  “Shut up, daughter.”

  She glared at him. “How dare you speak to me like that!”

  “I think it’s time I spoke to you the way you seem to be speaking to everyone in town, including
your dear mother.”

  “Hal, I’m—”

  “Don’t interrupt, Marjorie. I think it’s time Juliette faced up to how her actions are affecting others. And I mean for her to start with apologizing to you.”

  “I’m not apologizing to anybody.” Juliette jumped up and threw her napkin down. “I hate you both, and I’m going to tell Lance he has to marry me right away and take me away from the two of you and this awful town.”

  Before they could stop her, she grabbed her bonnet from the hat rack in the hall and ran out the front door.

  Marjorie was stunned. “Oh, Hal. What do you think she’ll do?”

  “Don’t worry, Marjorie. She’ll be back as soon as she sees Lance Gentry is never going to marry her.”

  “You don’t think he wants to marry her?”

  “He told me in no uncertain terms at Oliver Brown’s funeral that he’d never been interested in Juliette and never would be. He said he had no intention of ever marrying her. I told him he was making a mistake, and he repeated it to me. He said I should quit giving Juliette everything she wants and maybe she’d grow up. Maybe he was right.”

  “I’m afraid she thinks Lance will marry her today.”

  “She might think it, dear, but she’s wrong. Unless I miss my guess, Lance will send her right back home.”

  “I hope so, Hal. I really hope so.”

  * * * *

  Grace came into the jail door and smiled. Lance looked like he was about to doze off sitting with his feet up on his desk with his chair leaned back as far as it would go without tipping over. His hat was down over his eyes and his arms were folded across his chest. “Wake up, cowboy. Your supper’s here.”

  He swung around and removing his hat, he grinned at her. “Caught me, didn’t you?”

  “I did. Now if you’ll take your feet off your desk, I’ll put my basket down.”

  He dropped his feet to the floor and sat up straight. “I’ll do anything for you, pretty lady.”

  “Your friend Miss Effie sent the chicken and dumplings you demanded.”

  “I didn’t demand them, but I’m glad she cooked them. I do hope she sent enough for you.”

  “I didn’t notice whether she did or not.”

  Lance slipped his arm around her waist. “If she didn’t, I’ll share with you. She always sends me more than I can eat anyway.”

  “You could be wrong this time. There might not be enough to share. She tells me all the time a big man like you needs all his food.”

  “A little woman like you wouldn’t eat that much.” He winked at her and bent his head to kiss her forehead.

  The door banged open and Juliette looked angry. “What’s going on here?”

  Grace tried to pull away, but Lance kept his arm around her. “There’s nothing going on here that’s any of your business, Juliette. What do you want?”

  “I want you to take your arm from around that woman and come with me.”

  Lance didn’t remove his arm, but he asked, “Come with you to where?”

  “We’re going to Preacher Ellsworth’s and get married this very minute. Then we’re going to leave this place for some town with some decent people and some culture.”

  “Have you lost your mind? I’m not going to Preacher Ellsworth’s with you.”

  “Oh, Lance, don’t be difficult. You know you want me, and we’re going to be together forever. I know I’m rushing it a little, but I’m sure you’ve just been waiting to tell me, so I decided to take matters in my own hands and hurry you up. So come along. I’ll even forgive you your dalliance with Miss Cripple there. Of course, after today you can’t ever look at another woman again.”

  With his arm still around Grace, his eyes took on a dark look. “Juliette, this has to end and it has to end today. Get it through your head that I don’t love you and I never will, and if you think I’m going to marry you, you’re crazier than everyone thinks you are.”

  She batted her eyes at him. “Oh, Lance, you can’t mean that. I—”

  “Shut up and listen. I’m not through. I want you to turn around and get the hell out of my office and out of my life. If you ever come back in here with one of your idiotic notions, I’m going to throw you in jail until you get some sense in your head.”

  She laughed. “You can’t mean that, darling.”

  “I mean every word of it and if you don’t do like I said, I’ll put you in a cell today.”

  She stared at him a moment, and then it was as if a curtain fell from Juliette’s eyes. “You really don’t want me?” Her voice sounded as if she couldn’t believe him.

  “No, Juliette. I don’t and I never have.”

  A tear edged its way down her cheek. “I don’t understand. My teacher in St. Louis told the class that if they wanted something all they had to do was decide what it was then claim it. It’s always worked for me before. Why isn’t it working now?”

  “I’ve never heard of anything so stupid. You can’t go around trying to make somebody love you who doesn’t have those feelings. It takes two people who feel the same, Juliette.” He tightened his arm around Grace’s waist. “And I sure don’t have those feelings for you.”

  “Tell me why you don’t have those feelings, Lance.” She cocked her head and looked into his eyes. “I know I’m beautiful. I know I could make you happy. Please tell me where I went wrong with you. I know you loved me when I came home from school?”

  Lance shook his head. “I don’t know where you got that stupid idea. I didn’t love you when you came home. Furthermore, I’ve never loved you, Juliette, and no matter what you say or do, I never will.”

  “But you looked so happy to see me when I got off the stage the day I came back from St. Louis. I could tell you would soon fall in love with me if you hadn’t already.”

  “I was only happy to see you because your folks were excited about you coming home. Other than seeing someone who had been away for a while and was welcomed back by her family, I had no other special feelings for you.”

  “But when you saw me, you smiled and your eyes were sparkling.”

  He shook his head. “I’m a friendly guy. I smile at a lot of people. Just ask Grace. I smile at her all the time. I can’t say my eyes sparkle when I smile at her. You’ll have to ask her about that.”

  “But she limps.” Juliette’s voice was sounding desperate.

  “What has her limp got to do with anything? Grace is a wonderful person, and we’ve been good friends for years. We’ve grown closer this spring.” He pulled Grace a little tighter to him.

  Juliette shook her head. “I can’t believe you feel that way.”

  “Well, I do.”

  She still looked at him as if she thought he was lying. “I’d have made you a good wife and we could have left this awful town and lived happily in some exciting place.”

  “That proves you’re crazy, Juliette. I have no intention of going anywhere. Settlers Ridge is exciting enough for me, and I intend to live out my life here. If and when I get married, I will raise my children here.”

  “If I said I’d stay in Settlers Ridge, would you marry me and let me give you children?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive, Juliette. You might as well go home now, and unless you have official business, don’t come back here again.”

  She looked at the two of them and without another word, threw back her long hair and walked out of the office.

  Once the door closed, Grace looked up at him with a question in her eyes. “So, you really don’t want her?”

  “No and I hope she finally realizes it.” He squeezed her waist again then let her go. “Thanks for being here. I hope it helped make her see that you’re much more important to me than she is or ever will be.” He grinned at her. “Of course, you could have said something that would have helped me out a little. Instead you just stood there and let me do all the talking.”

  She laughed. “I was afraid if
I spoke, she’d shoot me or something. Besides, you were doing fine on your own.”

  He shook his head, then leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Well, confronting her sure made me work up an appetite. Let’s dig into Miss Effie’s chicken and dumplings.”

  * * * *

  It was almost ten o’clock and Lance had checked the doors on Main Street and had gone upstairs to his small room over the jail. He put his hat on the rack, laid his gun on the small table beside the bed and unbuttoned his shirt.

  He didn’t know why the thought crossed his mind again that this place would never do if and when he decided to take a wife. He couldn’t bring a woman into a one-room apartment over a stinky jail. He’d have to look into the house the town officials offered him as part of his agreement to take the sheriff’s position. At the time he didn’t want the responsibility of keeping up the place, and he still didn’t. But someday he might. After all, the property had a nice little stable, room for a vegetable garden, and a front lawn. The house had a parlor, a neat little kitchen and at least a couple of bedrooms. Maybe three. It’d been a while since he’d gone back there.

  A loud pounding on the outside door of his room stopped his thoughts. He grabbed his gun and moved to flip the latch.

  As soon as the door opened, Hal Cramer yelled, “Is Juliette with you?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then where the hell is my daughter?”

  Lance frowned. “I have no idea where Juliette is.”

  “She said she was coming to marry you.”

  His brow shot up. “As you can see, she didn’t.”

  Hal peered around the room. “She’s not here.”

  “Of course, she’s not here.”

  “Well, where’d she go?”

  “Hal, I don’t know where she went. I haven’t seen Juliette since she came storming into the jail with her foolish idea of marrying me at supper time.”

  “What’d she say when you saw her?”

  “Said she wanted me to marry me.”

  “What’d you tell her?”

  “I told her there was no way in Hell that was going to happen. I think she finally believed me. She left and I figured she went back home.”

  He looked like a defeated man. “She hasn’t been home since running away at supper saying she was going to get you to marry her. I figured she might’ve talked you into since she didn’t come back to the house.” When Lance didn’t answer, Hal sighed and said, “I’ve got to find her, Lance. It’s not safe for a young woman out alone this time of night. Do you have any idea where she’d go?”