Lorna Loves a Lawyer: A Historical Western Romance (Brides with Grit Book 9)

by Linda K. Hubalek

  “You know, I’d like to see your marriage certificate, if I may.”

  “Why?” Maynard questioned, before glancing at Helen.

  “It would clarify your name since Mrs. Jantz disputed it.”

  “Not a problem, I have it in my reticule,” Helen opened her drawstring bag, pulled out the piece of paper, and handed it to Adam.

  The marshal carefully unfolded the paper and read it aloud. “Helen Higby and Maurice Jensen. Yep, married today in Ellsworth.”

  “Lorna, may I see your certificate?” Lorna stepped forward, handing the marshal her folded paper, and then stepped back beside Lyle, standing at the front door.

  “You’re welcome to have a seat, Lorna.” The marshal indicated another chair off to the side of the room. “I’d think you’d want to sit as much as you can in your condition.”

  “I’m fine for now.”

  Adam laid the two certificates side by side on his desk. “Maynard Jantz’s signature is very similar to Maurice Jensen’s. Unusual how the ‘M’ and ‘J’ are almost identical with their swirly letters.” He held the two pieces of papers up to show everyone in the room.

  “That doesn’t prove anything but good and similar penmanship. My name is Maurice Jensen,” Maynard snapped.

  “True,” the marshal agreed.

  “Mrs. Jensen, since you’re a newlywed, I assume you know little about your husband, except in correspondence?”

  “Yes, I’ll confess that’s true. I saw his mail-order bride advertisement, looking for a rancher’s wife, and I accepted his proposal after his third letter.”

  “Did he require you to bring anything into the marriage besides yourself?”

  Lorna watched as Maynard closed his eyes and held his breath.

  “He wanted me to invest in his ranch.”

  “Have you seen his ranch yet?”

  “No, we were going out to see it after lunch. I’m anxious to move in, but Maurice said the home isn’t quite complete inside, so we were going to spend a few nights in the hotel in town before moving out there.”

  Lorna sighed in relief for Helen. Their marriage could still be annulled then.

  “Can I ask how much money you were going to invest in the ranch, Mrs. Jensen?”

  “I object! That’s a personal matter between me and my wife.”

  “Um, he wanted money, but I didn’t have extra cash…so I brought a few pieces of jewelry I could sell instead,” Helen said while glancing sideways at her new husband.

  It was interesting to see Maynard’s surprised look at Helen’s admission. Was the cheat conned by his latest wife?

  Tension crackled between the newlyweds. Lorna wished she’d had Helen’s backbone back on her wedding day.

  “Mrs. Jantz, is there any way you can prove this man is your husband?” Adam turned to Lorna for her turn at Maynard.

  “Yes, besides the marriage certificate listing our ceremony, Maynard is wearing the gold cuff links I gave him as a wedding gift. They have his initials on them.”

  “Yes, they have my initials on them, because they match my name, Maurice Jensen,” Maynard huffed. You could have seen them while we were in the café.”

  “I bought those cuff links for you when I stayed over in Kansas City for a day on my trip here. I have the receipt,” she addressed Maynard as she handed the paper to Adam. “Which also has the instructions to add your initials to the cuff links.”

  Maurice mocked her by shrugging his shoulders. “It’s your word against mine as to where and when I got these cuff links. I’ve had them for years.”

  “You know, I’m seeing a pattern here that’s interesting.” Adam pulled a desk drawer open and pulled out a pile of papers. He shuffled through them a few moments then drew two papers out of the pile.

  “Looking through the wanted ads which circulate through the area, I have a hundred dollar reward poster for a Marion Jones, wanted for swindling money from a woman in Abilene,” then Adam picked up the other paper. “And there is a five hundred dollar reward out for bringing in a Marlin Jackson, wanted for the murder of a banker in Wichita.”

  “Just a coincidence with our initials.” Maynard held out his hand to Helen. “It’s time we leave, dear. They have nothing on me except lies.”

  Helen remained sitting, her hands firmly clasped in her lap. “I want this matter of identity cleared up before I walk out the door with you.”

  “Is it also a coincidence that you, like Marion Jones, stole a thousand dollars from me after our wedding night, which left me with a child?” Lorna’s voice rose as she accused him of his misdeeds to her.

  “You could have been with anyone and now you’re trying to foster your baby on to me,” Maynard folded his arms, after stretching his arms to flash his cuff links. “My name is Maurice Jenson and you’re all upsetting my wife. You have no reason to question me any further.”

  Adam held the two posters up side by side for a few seconds so they could study them, but not have time to read the description below the facial drawings. Adam put the papers back on his desk and studied them again.

  “From this distance, the drawings of the men are very similar, except for the beard on the man wanted for the murder charge,” Lyle commented from behind them.

  “The man has a scar according to the description on the Abilene poster.”

  “Lorna did you see or feel any scars on your husband, whom you call Maynard Jantz?” Lyle questioned her.

  “Yes, I saw a scar on his neck and we even talked about how he received it from a Confederate attack on his person. I could draw it for you…to compare with the poster’s description.”

  Adam set a clean piece of paper on the corner of the desk and Lorna walked up to accept the pencil Adam held out to her. Lorna paused to study Maynard a bit, and then drew what she remembered the scar looked like. It was distinctive and she remembered tracing the smooth white line, which ended with an upside down “Y” on the end of the scar. “It started behind his left ear, and then trailed down the top of his shoulder for about three inches.”

  “Almost every man in a war had scars, so you can’t use that as evidence,” Maynard snapped.

  Lorna handed the paper to Adam, who compared it to the description on one poster. A glance at Maynard showed he was nervous and worried, though. What would Maynard do when he realized he was caught? Did he have a pistol or knife hidden on him? Lorna was staying as far away from the man as possible in the room, but Helen was in easy reach if Maynard should decide to take someone hostage.

  “Helen, maybe we should step out of the office so the men can check on his scar? I’m sure he’d prefer to take off his shirt without a female audience.” Lorna held her hand out to the other woman, trying to get her out of harm’s way.

  Helen quickly left her chair to join Lorna by the door. “A good idea. I’ll…be outside while you clear up this misunderstanding, Maurice.” She addressed her husband but already had her hand on the door handle.

  “No, Helen. You stay with me. The woman is lying!”

  “So there might be another way we can prove or disapprove the man’s connection with the two of you. Women seem to keep love letters. Lorna and Helen, do you still have the letters your future husbands wrote to you?” Marshal Wilerson asked and both Lorna and Helen nodded to confirm.

  “Please place them on the desk so we can compare letters.”

  Maynard’s posture changed from stiff and defiant, to slumping in the chair. He leaned over with his elbows on his knees and his head held in his hands.

  They took the letters out of their envelopes and laid them side by side on the desk. They both had three letters each, and…they were identical in handwriting and wording except for the greeting and signature names.

  “I’d say the same person wrote both sets of letters. Wouldn’t you agree, Counselor Elison?”

  “I’d testify in court that they did, Marshal Wilerson.”

  “So what does this mean?” Helen asked in confusion. “Am I married or not?�
�

  “Mr. Jensen or Jantz, whatever your name is, do you have papers stating you divorced Lorna before marrying Helen? Actually, did you do any other mail-order scams between the time frame of these two marriages, or before Lorna’s?”

  Helen turned white and Lorna grabbed her arm to steady her. Lyle moved a chair over to where she stood by the door. “Why don’t you sit down, Helen, while we figure this out.” Lyle eased her down in the chair while he spoke.

  “What am I going to do?! I spent the last of my money to travel here!”

  Color rose in Helen’s cheeks as she jumped up and hit Maynard in the head with her reticule. “How am I going to take care of my children now? You promised a nice home with this marriage!”

  “Children?! What are you talking about?” Everyone stood stunned as the two verbally sparred.

  “My four girls are waiting at the hotel to meet their new father!”

  “You said nothing in your letters about any children!”

  “And you said you had a large home and ranch so I knew there would be plenty of room for them, too!”

  “Okay, okay, time to sort this out.” The Marshal calmly led Helen back to the chair near the door.

  “Sir, it’s obvious you’ve had a mail-order scam going on and now you’ve been caught. You will be spending time in jail until the judge comes around to hear your case.”

  “You can’t hold me…”

  “Oh yes I can, because I know you’ve broken a law or two, let alone two women’s hearts. Plus, my wife would have my hide if she heard I hadn’t thrown you in jail.”

  “You can’t make up your own frontier rules!”

  “Plus,” the marshal continued, “there’s the matter of two wanted posters with similar names and faces to yours.”

  “I didn’t murder anyone!” Maynard panicked, visibly shaken by the thought he might be charged for that crime.

  “And the other charge of scamming money?”

  Maynard looked at the floor and didn’t answer. Lorna felt sick. How many other women had been taken by this man? How many half-siblings did her unborn child have, for that matter?

  “I’m with child because of our wedding night,” Lorna stated and watched Maynard glance up to her middle a second before looking back at the floor. “Your son or daughter will be born soon. How are you going to support us while you are in jail?”

  Maynard shrugged his shoulders. After all she’d gone through the past year, that’s his only answer?!

  Lorna lost her temper. “Hand over my thousand dollars RIGHT NOW or else robbery will be added to your list of crimes!”

  “Already spent,” Maynard finally looked up and smiled. “I enjoy gambling you see, and I had a wonderful time in Denver spending your money.”

  “So when you’d run out of money, you’d order another bride?” Lyle asked this question.

  “My scheme has worked for years. I’m sure the brides returned home after I disappeared.”

  “Not if they didn’t have money or family to return to.” Lorna was ready to borrow Helen’s reticule to hit Maynard herself. It was a good thing the marshal’s gun case was locked.

  “How many women have you falsely married?” Lyle asked.

  “Oh, I’d guess…maybe a dozen or so over the last five years.”

  “Can’t remember exactly how many? Doesn’t it bother you?...Don’t you have a conscience?” Lyle asked incredulously.

  Again Maynard shrugged, apparently knowing his scheming days were over. “I was raised in a Mormon family. My father had several wives. I decided I’d do something similar, only have one wife at a time.”

  “Plural marriages were prohibited in 1862 with the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act.” Lyle stated. Lorna guessed he’d learned that while studying the laws.

  “But it hasn’t been enforced much in Utah.”

  “Well, it will be here in Clear Creek, Kansas,” Marshal Wilerson opened a desk drawer and pulled out a ring of keys. “Until the judge comes to town, you’ll be single in a cell.”

  Lorna watched as the marshal escorted Maynard into the cell and locked the door behind him. Her missing “husband” had returned to town, but she’d never get her inheritance back.

  “I think we can assume neither of your marriages are valid to the man in question,” Lyle stated with disgust at the man.

  “Helen…what is your last name again?” Lyle addressed the woman in shock standing beside them.

  “I guess it’s back to Mrs. Helen Higby.”

  “Lorna and I will escort you over to our local church. My sister, Cora Hamner, set up a fund for family emergencies and Pastor Reagan works with the families in need. Clear Creek will welcome you to the community if you and your children would like to stay here.”

  “I have no place to go. I spent all my money to get us here.” Helen wiped her watering eyes with her handkerchief before turning to Lorna.

  “Lorna, I can’t thank you enough for spotting Maurice—or Maynard—and speaking up.” Helen gave Lorna a tight squeeze to her shoulders.

  “I’m glad he came back to town so I could catch him. Don’t worry, we’ll help you out, just as others helped me,” Lorna assured her. “Now I can finally move on with my life, too.”

  “So I believe it means you might be back to being Miss Lorna Adams?” Lyle whispered in her ear as Helen proceeded in front of them through the door.

  “I believe it does,” Lorna turned and answered Lyle.

  “So this means you’re free to marry, as soon as possible.”

  She liked the way Lyle’s dimple showed with his words. Oh, how she loved this man.

  Chapter 10

  “Mrs. Higby’s four girls look like they could be a handful of trouble,” Lyle suggested as he and Lorna walked away from the hotel.

  “I thought each one looked adorable and fun, even though I think Ethan Paulson would agree with you, rather than with me.” Lorna then laughed, probably thinking of the man’s reaction when Lyle paid a two-week advance for the Higbys’ room.

  “Well, I’m glad to say Grandfather’s money helped another family. He had his way of making us grandchildren think of how to help others.”

  Lyle squeezed Lorna’s hand in the crook of his arm, thinking of his legacy and how he was ready to fulfill it with the woman he loved.

  “Since it’s now past one o’clock, I’m sure Edna and Dan have taken care of the lunch crowd. How about we walk up to my place for something to drink, a sandwich if you need something to eat? I’m sure you’d like to put your feet up for a little bit.”

  He steered her through his office to use the new inside staircase in the back room which led to the second story. His genuine efforts to fit into the community had worked and he now had clients. Lyle had purchased the building so he could make changes to it.

  Besides the staircase, a carpenter was turning the big room in the back of his lawyer’s office into an apartment, consisting of a bedroom, washroom, kitchen and living area. It was for Lorna to live in if they couldn’t marry, but now they could expand their home into two floors.

  “After you, Miss Adams,” Lyle made a flourished bow for her to proceed up the new staircase.

  “It’s been months since I’ve been called by my maiden name. It almost sounds foreign to me.”

  If Lyle had his way, she wouldn’t be using it for very long either.

  “Please make yourself comfortable in the parlor, with feet up to give your legs a rest. Hot tea or cocoa? Something else?”

  He watched Lorna sink down in her favorite chair, and look around, like she’d missed the room. Lyle already had the ottoman in place to put her feet up on it.

  “I believe tea would settle my nerves best. Nothing else for now, but thank you for offering,” Lorna sank against the back of the chair and closed her eyes.

  Lyle was relieved Lorna finally had closure to her fake marriage, but he could see it was hard on her, too. She had been taken in by a scammer, lost her money and dignity, and had months of worry about
how she was going to survive and take care of her baby.

  He was so happy he had gone with his gut feeling to return to Kansas after completing his requirements to practice law. Lyle had been drawn to Lorna the first time they had met. Did he know then she was the one he wanted for his wife? It was very possible.

  “Lorna, here’s your tea,” Lyle quietly said to awaken her. She was so prone to falling asleep whenever she had the chance now. Between working and the growth of the baby, Lorna was tired most of the time.

  “Thank you, Lyle,” she gratefully replied before taking a sip immediately. Lorna always liked her drinks scalding hot and never waited for them to cool.

  “What are your thoughts now that Maynard, or whatever his name is, has been found and confined for a trial?”

  “It was a shock to see and recognize him. How I thought you were him still puzzles me. It’s not that you look that much alike.”

  “Maybe you were just drawn to me anyway.” He loved to tease Lorna to see her sweet smile.

  “And I’m so glad I did confuse you, Lyle. I don’t know what I’d have done these past months without your support…and your sister’s…and this town…”

  “We were glad to help, and you’ve become an important part of the community and our family.”

  Lorna sighed deep, though, while looking down into her cup. “I hate that he stole my money though. It was my legacy from my grandmother, and I wanted to build a future with it for my family.” Lorna’s eyes filled with tears, probably remembering her grandmother.

  Lyle took the saucer and cup from her hands and placed it on the side table. He moved her feet over a bit and sat on the ottoman facing her.

  “I realize you may think what I’m about to say is due to your situation or mine, but it’s not.”

  Lyle took Lorna’s hands in his and looked directly into her eyes. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I love you, Lorna. I won’t say it was love at first sight, since you were mad and slapping me with a dishtowel, but my love for you grew as we spent time together.”

  He raised her hands to his lips and kissed them both before wrapping them securely together. Lyle smiled when she squeezed his hands and leaned close to his face.