by Annie Boone
Had it been an accident? It could have been a bad fall, or there were some animals who could inflict some serious bruising if she was attacked. But people could also do damage to others. Shaking his head, Wyatt sighed. People were capable of such cruelty. It still pained him to have been surrounded by such violence, and he was grateful to be away from the lifestyle. He’d been a young angry boy, thinking being part of the gang would solve all his problems. Now he knew better and was free of the rough life.
“Is everything all right?” Selina asked.
Wyatt offered a grim smile. He knew the pain she must have experienced, and it frustrated him no one had saved her from it. But Miss Carlson gave the appearance of wanting to keep some things private, and he understood that well.
“Everything is perfect,” he told her softly. Wyatt stole another glance at her and tried to imagine wanting to be anywhere else with someone else. And he couldn’t. “It’s a lovely evening.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right. It is.”
Selina wanted to tell him everything about herself, about her past, about every thought in her mind. The urge didn’t go away, but the fearful side of Selina didn’t allow her to say a single word.
Chapter Thirteen
Sundays were wonderful days in the Jessup household and the main event was the service at church. She’d never been there before, but she knew what it was. She’d longed to go, but knew she’d never be allowed as long as she lived with Aunt Mary and Uncle James.
The pastor at the Rocky Ridge church read from the Bible. It was a passage she knew because her cousin, Ben, had shared this one with her. It lifted her heart, and she suddenly felt blessed to be here. There was a family Bible in the sitting room in the Jessup house and she read that one every day.
When she’d unpacked her few belongings out of the bag Aunt Mary packed for her, the Bible was not there. She was disappointed to lose it, but she was also thankful she had a new place to live and a Bible was available to her. There was nothing like the energy and spirit she felt when she was in the House of God. And besides, Wyatt Thomas was there.
He started to join them at their bench on Sundays, and Susannah suggested Selina invite him over to lunch afterwards. He was quiet, but he began to tell her more about himself. It turned out he was a bright man who had read much, gone far, and done a great deal with his life already.
Sometimes she didn’t have the energy for a stroll so they’d sit on the porch out in the sun, but Selina tried to save her strength so they could at least walk around the barn. With the sun warm on her face and Wyatt beside her, she was happy enjoying their conversations and even the silence.
He made her feel safe though she couldn’t put her finger on why. The man was respectful and careful, all the while never doubting her strength or resolve. Selina had noticed how he avoided some topics of his own as well as never asking about her occasional limp or the fading marks on her skin.
All Wyatt ever had to give was a quick smile and friendship she clung to. She prayed he would continue to remind her men could be good. If so, that would be enough. And that’s why she wanted to tell him. Selina wished Wyatt knew how much good he was doing, the courage he was restoring in her. But if she told him, then he would know everything.
He wouldn’t see her the same, not if he knew the truth. To open her heart after all the pain and tragedy she had faced, Selina would just be asking for trouble.
“Are you all right?”
“Hmm?” Selina jumped at his touch, Wyatt’s fingers brushed lightly against her elbow. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was daydreaming, I suppose. What did you say?”
Though his eyes were dark, they held not a single hint of malice or anger. If anything, only merriment. Wyatt ran a hand through his long hair and smiled. “Just wondering what’s on your mind. I know my stories aren’t great, but I didn’t know I was boring you.”
She flushed though she knew he was joking. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you.” She took a deep breath and shook her head. “Wyatt, do you ever feel like there’s a big knot you can’t untie?” Rubbing her hands together, she down and took several steps before noticing he had stopped in his tracks.
As she looked back, he hastened to catch up to her. The merriment had faded. Selina didn’t notice it at first, but on a second look at his face, she saw a shadow there. “I do.” Wyatt nodded and shifted his weight. “That I do. Why do you ask me?”
Biting her lip, she glanced down at her hands again. The bandage on her wrist was gone, but it stilled ached often. Sighing softly, Selina shook her head. “What do you do about it?”
He brushed his hands against hers before stepping back and placing his hat back on his head. She didn’t recoil at his touch, but waited anxiously to hear if he knew of a secret she didn’t. “The only thing you can do, I’m afraid, is to find something very sharp and cut right through it.”
She couldn’t contain her laughter as she’s expected some wise piece of advice. She shook her head as he chuckled. The tension she hadn’t realized was in the air was immediately gone and she relaxed. The evening went by far too fast and soon it was time for Wyatt to leave.
The following morning, Selina was still thinking about what he’d said. As much as she wanted to consider how it might apply to her, she couldn’t get over his funny answer. It had been an amusing comment, but maybe there was more to it. Cutting away the knot instead of trying to untangle it might be a reasonable approach and she needed to think about how she could do it.
In the meantime, though, she was still laughing. What an idea! She snorted and shook her head.
“What’s so funny?” Susannah glanced over, wiping her hand across her cheek leaving a smudge of dirt. Even with dirt on her face, she was a natural beauty. They were on their hands and knees, digging through the garden pulling weeds before the sun rose too high.
Not sure how to put it into words now, Selina just shook her head. “It’s nothing, I’m sorry. I was simply thinking about something Mr. Thomas was telling me about yesterday. That’s all.” Even then, she couldn’t resist a small smile. Grabbing two weeds, she pulled them from the soft soil and tossed them in the nearby bucket.
“So your Mr. Thomas is good company?” Susannah asked after a moment.
“I think so, yes,” Selina nodded, and turned to one particularly hearty weed. It had been growing in a corner of the garden and had taken advantage of the sun and water to claim a firm hold.
Susannah chuckled. “What a relief, then. I was worried when you arrived, you see, because we never really broached the topic of the matchmaking. You weren’t aware of what I do before you arrived. Coming out west alone is hard, I know. It’s different here. While we haven’t talked much about serious topics, I just wasn’t sure what to tell you. And when Wyatt became my client, I wasn’t sure who to match him with. Since you seem to be getting along so well, maybe that question has an answer.” She looked up at Selina, her smile fading away.
But Selina didn’t notice. She’d stopped weeding though she still held on to the stubborn weed. Suddenly, the air was too hot, and she felt faint. Her vision went blurry and her hands started to tremble. After two tries, she got to her feet.
“Selina?” Susannah asked her cautiously, but she didn’t hear her.
Staggering, Selina clutched her chest as she gasped for air. “What?” She managed to squeak out finally. “What on Earth are you talking about? Wyatt’s looking for a wife? He came to you for that?”
Susannah took her arm before she tipped over. Grabbing one of the girl’s hands, she led her to the porch where she leaned against the steps. “I thought you knew,” Susannah fumbled. “Things were progressing between you and Wyatt and I just let nature take its course. You’re happier around him. And truthfully, I didn’t set this up. Everything fell into place without my intervention.”
Her eyes nearly bugged out, wondering if the woman was telling the truth. “So what? You decided you might as well marry me off since I’m the o
nly girl in your boarding house right now?”
Susannah flipped her hair back and took a deep breath. “Please, Selina, that’s not what happened at all. In all my advertising I’m clear about the purpose of the boarding house. I thought you knew. I was sure your aunt would have mentioned that when she sent you here.”
She tried to think back to what Aunt Mary had told her, but in the heat of the moment nothing was coming to mind. Shaking her head, she gulped in a deep breath and staggered up the steps. Susannah tried to help, but she shook her off. “It doesn’t matter to me who knew what or when. I can’t do this.”
Selina made it to the door though Susannah called after her. The fear hammered in her heart and she flinched as the other woman touched her shoulder. Shuddering, she brushed away her. How could she pretend to be kind when she pushed women into marriage?
“Please,” Susannah asked plaintively. “Selina, let’s talk about this more. I can tell you more and then you’ll understand.”
“No,” Selina shook her head sharply. “I won’t be a man’s prize again. I won’t put myself in that position ever again.”
Her throat closed up, and she marched inside, refusing to look back. Her body shook in anger and frustration, realizing everything she had here been nothing as she had imagined.
Chapter Fourteen
It’s not that bounty hunters were bad people, Lucas reflected thoughtfully, it was that they didn’t work with the law. If anything, they acted like outlaws themselves, bringing in wanted criminals for the money. They did it for their own gain, and not for the sake of justice.
Wyatt Thomas strolled into town and headed into the general store. From his office, Lucas could watch the folks on the street. He strolled around every day through town making sure all was well. He had keen senses that picked up when something was amiss.
As Mr. Thomas disappeared, Lucas looked for something else to attract his attention. He thought about the man a bit as he stepped into the shade on Main Street. Granted, Wyatt Thomas wasn’t a bad man. He was quiet but careful and clearly smart, not like some other bounty hunters he’d known in his lifetime. The young man had to be skilled if he had worked with Luis the Sixer who had the best reputation for success.
But it wasn’t his business. Lucas shook his head, trying to clear his mind. Just because he was of a certain mind didn’t mean he was always right. If he could leave the life of the rangers, others could as well. Wyatt showed no sign of restlessness or boredom, but had adjusted well.
Sure enough, Wyatt came out of the store with his arms filled with flour, sugar, and a few more items Lucas couldn’t identify from this far away. Lucas thought back to his younger days. Shaking his head, he sighed and wondered how the time flew by so quickly. One day he was on his first job with the Rangers, and the next he had been married for ten years to the perfect woman.
After a few minutes of pacing on the sidewalk, he saw a familiar wagon drive down the street and around the corner. “Jeb,” he peeked his head in the office. “Should I go get your mail?”
Jeb glanced up and nodded. “Yes, please.”
Lucas headed out and about to check on things on the street. After catching a stray hoop for the rambunctious children, he rolled it back to them and talked with the pastor on his way. Afterwards, he reached the post office and requested all items for the Harbin’s, Jessup’s, and the sheriff’s office. There were a few scattered items, and he whistled as he took everything back to his deputy.
“Here we are,” he handed over a letter, and put one in his jacket. The letter he tucked away was from one of Susannah’s aunts and he was sure his wife would be happy to get it. He grinned, just imagining his beaming wife dancing around the room. At least, she would as long as the letter was a happy one.
“Thank you,” Jeb mumbled, hardly noticing. At his desk he sat with a biscuit in one hand and a pen in the other, trying to take care of the legal documents. That was the boring part of the job, but it had to be done.
Chuckling, Lucas shook his head. Better Jeb than himself. Running a hand through his hair, he returned to his own desk and started on the paperwork he was responsible for as sheriff. Turning to the filing cabinet, he sorted a few papers regarding arrests and incidents in the area.
He heard a groan and looked up to see Jeb stretching. “I’m going to get something more to eat. Do you want anything?”
Shrugging, Lucas shook his head. “No, not today.”
Jeb nodded, pulling on his hat. “I’ll be back soon.”
Lucas turned to the last mail item, a packed file of recent wanted posters. Sometimes he wondered if the list grew every time and if it would ever end. But he knew the work of a lawman was never finished.
Humming, Lucas started to glance through them, trying to memorize the face sketches and the names. There were only three papers left when something caught his eye. Boston. Frowning, Lucas glanced at the script again. James Robinson, wanted in Boston for assault on women. The last part was just an emphasis on the law’s desire to catch the man, and Lucas didn’t blame them. Any man who hurt a woman was a coward and deserved to be treated as one.
Shaking his head, Lucas held onto that one as he grabbed a few pins from his desk. One by one, he picked a flyer and put it on the board. This time around, Lucas had eight new posters to post. He stepped back, clutching three old papers that didn’t need to be up any longer.
That’s when the children playing on the sidewalk came to see the new posters. They bumped into each other and yelled out as they all hurried over. Raising an eyebrow, he watched as they crowded around the new pictures, getting louder by the minute. He just hoped they couldn’t read—there were details in those posters no child should ever know about.
“He’s got an eyepatch!”
“I’m playing him next time, that one. I get to be him!”
“I want to be Sheriff Jessup!”
“What about me? I want to be Mr. Harbin!”
Lucas couldn’t help but chuckle at their games. It had to be nice to be so young and innocent, to see the world as fun. Part of him wanted to scold them for acting so light about this, but they deserved the chance to have a happy childhood. They didn’t know any better and that was actually good. Let them play Outlaw and Sheriff until it became real. He didn’t get to experience it, but someone should.
“Wait a minute,” a voice called out behind Lucas. Everyone turned to see Jeb walking up to the children with a goofy grin. “Then who am I going to play?”
Most of them burst into giggles. “You can be the horse!” One laughed so hard he fell on the ground. Jeb winked at Lucas and looked down at the fallen boy. Immediately two other children grabbed onto Jeb’s legs, trying to keep him from going back to his desk to work.
“Two sheriffs!” One of the little girls screeched, and she wrapped herself around Lucas’s leg as well, sitting on his boot. The men cried out dramatically, pretending to lose their balance as all the children cheered. With the twelve children on their hands, Rocky Ridge’s lawmen had their afternoon filled up. Lucas briefly hoped nothing big happened because the children would make it difficult for them to hurry out if they were needed.
Finally the afternoon ended and Lucas started for home. He wasn’t far out of town when he heard a familiar set of hoofbeats coming up behind him. Slowing down, he glanced back and saw his deputy headed in his direction. Confused, Lucas pulled his horse to a stop and waited patiently, an eyebrow raised.
“Hey,” the man nodded breathlessly with a sheepish grin. “I nearly forgot something. Something happened when I went out at lunch time. I haven’t got a clue if it’s important or not and you might already know. I thought it best to tell you straight away.”
Impatient with Jeb’s preamble, Lucas shrugged. “Out with it, Jeb. I don’t have all day.”
“Sorry, Sheriff. Anyway, someone was asking about your wife’s guest. Leastways, I’m pretty certain it was about her. Overheard him in the mercantile but by the time I connected the dots, he was go
ne. I checked with the cook the man had been talking to. Someone from back East asking to see if a very pretty woman had come through town in the last month.”
“Hmm. Interesting. Anything else?”
“The stranger didn’t have a picture to show, and the cook wasn’t certain about your boarding house girls so he said nothing. But good or ill, I wanted to let you know. In case you didn’t already.”
Thinking about it, Lucas slowly shook his head. “I didn’t. But thank you, Jeb. I’ll talk to Susie about this.” The men parted and Lucas considered it as he headed home.
Coming from the garden, Susannah waved and was ready with a kiss by the time he entered the kitchen. “It’s about time you made it home,” she commented with a grin. “Just in time to help me finish my cornbread. Tonight, it’s just you and me. Selina was exhausted, so she just retired for the evening.”
Jeb’s words faded away, and he pushed it to the back of his mind. Lucas kissed her cheek. “I’m not complaining.” He could talk to Selina later. Perhaps tomorrow. There were nicer things to focus on right now, like eating his wife’s cornbread and telling her about the children in town and their games.
Chapter Fifteen
A full night’s rest did her a world of good and Selina woke up just before the sun. There were no night horrors, just a darkness that helped her get the rest she had desperately needed. Not only did she feel awake and refreshed, but her mind was clear and she knew what she needed to do. Though her time here had been lovely, several things needed to be straightened out.
Once she’d brushed her hair thoroughly and dressed for the day, Selina pulled on her boots and made her way to the kitchen. There were mixed emotions as she found Susannah already up, humming quietly as she mixed what smelled like berry muffins. While she wasn’t quite ready to speak with her, she would feel better if she actually requested permission before taking anything that didn’t belong to her.
