Merry's Mission

by Margaret Tanner

  “I know, I’ll only take the linen. It must be damp in here as they smell musty.”

  “Okay.”

  “Could you reach up and get the curtains for me? We can take them too. If I rinse them out when we get back, they should be dry enough to hang up tomorrow.”

  He grimaced before reaching up and unhooking the wires they were threaded through.

  “There are some in the bedroom as well. I know you think it unnecessary, but it will make your place look more homely. The woman’s touch.”

  He stared at her without comprehension.

  “For the Land Agency people.”

  “I didn’t think of that.” He strode into the bedroom and retrieved the curtains. All they would have to when they got back to the cabin would be hammer in a couple of nails and hook the curtains up. Only a few minutes work and what a difference it would make.

  She carried the curtains, while he took the heavier linen.

  “I’ll wash everything tomorrow. It’s good quality, I don’t know why they left so much behind.”

  “Naomi will want to buy new stuff I guess, but the ranch house they’re going to is probably already furnished. I wouldn’t put it past her to have plotted and planned this with her mother. She was selfish and spoiled. I couldn’t believe it when Eddie took a trip to Colorado and came back with her.

  “Was she a Mail Order Bride?”

  “No, Eddie was friends with her brother.”

  “That’s nice.”

  “He was a fool to have married her. This place was his dream and she ruined it for him.”

  “Well, he has got a wife and baby on the way, not to mention a large ranch. I don’t think he’s too hard done by.”

  “Men have their dreams, so why should they give them up for the sake of a woman?” His tone was so resolute she knew Nate would never give up his ranch for her. Why did that hurt so badly?

  As they trudged back to the cabin, Merry decided she could easily go back and collect the rest of the things herself. It might mean making a couple of trips. That way, she wouldn’t have to bother Nate if he was too busy. She envied this Naomi for the love her husband obviously felt for her.

  Chapter Eight

  On arrival back home, she washed her hands before placing the chopped vegetables in the stew. Nate went off to do a few chores, promising to return in an hour. She boiled up a pot of water to wash the curtains in. The late afternoon sun still had plenty of heat in it, and the nights were dry.

  While she waited for the water to boil, she dashed out to the barn and retrieved hammer and nails. Standing on a chair she was easily able to hammer the nails in to hold the curtain wire. There were two windows at the front of the cabin, one at the back and one in the bedroom, but only three sets of curtains. The bedroom would have to wait.

  It was unlikely the Land Agent would go into their bedroom. Had there been more time and she could have got into Laramie she could have bought a pretty tablecloth and material to make curtains for the bedroom. If she had a decent sized piece of canvas, she would cover the opening in the washing enclosure and turn it into a room.

  Once the water boiled, she emptied it into a bucket, added cold water and rinsed out the curtains. A pity about the clothesline being in the shade, otherwise the light lace would have been dry before it got dark, as there was a slight breeze now.

  The stew simmered on the stove, sending out a mouth-watering aroma. She had just lifted a tray of ginger cookies from the oven when Nate strode in.

  “Something smells good,” he said, dumping the milk pail on the table.

  “By the time you wash up, I’ll have the food dished up ready for you.”

  He went to pick up one of the cookies and she pushed his hand away. “Only after you’ve eaten your stew.”

  “Ooh, you’re a hard-hearted woman.” Grinning, he stepped outside where she had placed a clean towel, a piece of soap and a dish full of water ready for him.

  ****

  The next morning, they rose early, dressed and ate breakfast. Merry cleaned the cabin, put up the curtains and what a difference it made. Nate was banging away at something in the barn. He was only doing chores near the cabin so she could call him when the Agency people arrived.

  Once more she had spent the night in Nate’s arms, trying to show him with actions instead of words how she was starting to fall in love with him. He was attentive, but not one word of endearment fell from his lips even at the height of his passion. He obviously found her attractive enough to appeal to his male ardor. There again, for a man who had been without a woman for so long, he would be able to perform with any female who wasn’t a complete hag. Tears pricked her eyes. She couldn’t believe how idiotic her behavior was.

  A loud knock on the door invaded her despair. Dubiously, she went to open it. A middle-age man swept off his hat. I’m Charles McTavish from the Land Agency.”

  “Oh, Mr. McTavish, do come in. I’m Merry Quinn, Nathanial’s wife.”

  He smiled as he followed her inside.

  “Nate’s out the back working. Take a seat and I’ll give him a call. Coffee?”

  “Thank you, don’t mind if I do.”

  Once he was seated, she stepped over to the back door and on to the porch. “Nate,” she called out.

  He appeared from behind the outhouse. “The Land Agent is here.”

  When she returned inside, McTavish was standing up inspecting the cabin. He would have to be a fussy man to find fault with it.

  “This is a nice little place, Mrs. Quinn.”

  “We like it. We plan on turning the loft area into another bedroom. Cream with your coffee?”

  “No, black thank you, no sugar.”

  Nate strode in just then. “Howdy, I’m Nathanial Quinn.”

  “I’m Charles McTavish from the Land Agency.”

  The men shook hands.

  “I’m just getting Mr. McTavish a coffee, darling, would you like one?”

  “Thanks, darlin’, I would.”

  Once the coffees were poured and a plate of ginger cookies set on the table she said. “Well, I’ll leave you two men to discuss business, I’ve got a couple of things I need to do outside.” She didn’t but thought it better not to hover around while they were talking. Nate had filled the copper and lit it earlier so the water would be hot enough to wash the linen from Eddie’s place. It wasn’t as if it was dirty, it only needed to be freshened up.

  She had gathered up a few other items that needed washing also. There was an old mangle attached to a concrete trough, at least it would save her wringing out the excess water by hand.

  A broom handle hung on a hook attached to the wall. Obviously, Nate must have boiled the copper now and again. He was quite a tidy man, all things considered. Through the open doorway, she spied the two men strolling over to the barn.

  “Please, God, let the man sign the papers so Nate can keep this place. He’s worked so hard for it.”

  Merry headed back to the cabin once she had pegged the washing on the line. She waited anxiously for Nate to return with Mr. McTavish. To fill in time she started darning. All his socks had holes in them.

  Nate finally strode in, grinning broadly. She leapt up. “Good news?”

  “Yes, the place is mine.”

  She danced up to him and planted a kiss on his lips. As she went to step back, he placed his hands on her back to stop her moving away. He lowered his head and kissed her, long and deeply. Wantonly she returned his caress. His tongue circled inside her mouth, hers tangled with his. Suddenly she was free.

  As he stepped back a tremor shook his body. “I had to stop,” he said huskily. “Otherwise I would have taken you to our bed.”

  “I wouldn’t have minded.” She couldn’t believe she was acting so brazenly.

  He reached out and ran a finger across her trembling lips. “Later,” he promised, passion changing the color of his eyes to navy.

  She nodded.

  “I’ve got too much to do. I have to get a few
things sorted before I go into town to see my friend at the brickworks about a job.”

  “Can I come?”

  “No, they might want me to start straight away, then what would you do? I wouldn’t want you hanging around such a dusty place. Make a list of what you need from the mercantile and if I get time, I can buy it for you.”

  He lifted his hand in salute and was gone, leaving her….Well, she didn’t know exactly how she felt, annoyed, frustrated, hurt, or maybe all three. Now he had got his land officially, maybe he didn’t want a wife.

  Would he cast her out? Her heart suddenly felt weighted down with lead. They had only been married a couple of days and she had been a good wife to him in every respect. Surely that counted for something, even if he didn’t love her.

  ****

  Three weeks after Nate had officially received his land, Merry was outside pegging out the washing. Nate was working at the brickworks. He used to come home in such a filthy condition she had to wash his clothes by hand every couple of days.

  Glancing up, her hand hovered in mid-air. A horse was approaching. Nothing strange about the nondescript looking beast, but the rider was dressed in animal skins. Long grey hair straggled out from under a fur hat.

  “Who you be?” the elderly woman asked.

  “I’m Merry, Nate’s wife.”

  “Didn’t know he be hitched. I want some meat.”

  “He’s not here.” Should she have admitted to being on her own? The woman seemed harmless enough. She was riding bareback and had two canvas sacks dangling on either side of the horse.

  “I got vegetables.”

  “Oh. Would you like to come inside, I was going to have a coffee if you’d like one?”

  “I be thanking you kindly.”

  Merry didn’t know whether to offer to help her down or not. By the time she made up her mind that she would, the woman had already dismounted. From head to toe she wore animal skins. She even had Indian moccasins on her feet. She could have been aged anywhere between sixty or eighty.

  “The name’s Aggie.”

  “Howdy, Aggie.”

  “You be a pretty gal. Nate needed a woman and I be glad he got one.”

  Merry took the bag from the gnarled hands. A rancid smell made her breath hitch and she couldn’t decide whether it came from the woman or her skins. “Would you like to come inside?”

  “I won’t come in,” she said, and Merry hated herself for feeling glad.

  “I can bring it out and a couple of chairs for us to sit on.”

  “No, the porch floor be okay.” She gave a cackle. “Can’t fall from there.”

  “The only meat we have at the moment is salted or dried.”

  “It will do, give me what you can spare. Next time Nate kills tell him to bring some over to me.”

  “Excuse me, I’ll go and put the coffee pot on.”

  When Merry returned outside, Aggie sat cross-legged on the porch puffing on a clay pipe.

  “Are you sure I can’t get you a chair?”

  “No.” She shook her head, causing a shower of tobacco sparks to shoot out. If there was any dry grass under the porch, Merry feared the old woman would set fire to the place.

  Aggie closed her eyes and Merry didn’t know what to do, stay or go inside.

  “I not be asleep.”

  She jumped in fright when the woman spoke.

  “Just resting my eyes. I never sleep proper anymore, even at night. If I sit, I close my eyes. It’s my way of resting them.”

  Merry hovered near the doorway. “The coffee won’t be long as the pot never gets cold here. Do you use eggs?”

  “I got chickens.”

  “I’ve still got dried and salted meat in the root cellar. I could give you that in exchange. Maybe flour or sugar.”

  “Okay.”

  “Do you ever go into Laramie?”

  “No. I hate the place, hate people. I can live off the land. Nate gets me a few things now and again. I shoot game for meat, but I like a change sometimes. Beef or pork whatever Nate give me. He be a good man, only decent one around these here parts. You be lucky to be hitched to him.”

  “I know.”

  “You be in love with him?” Aggie had the strangest way of speaking. Her skin was dark. Did she have Indian blood? It would explain a lot of things about her.

  “Yes, I….I think so.”

  “He be loving you?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “And you be wanting him to?”

  “Yes, but he never says anything about how he feels.”

  Aggie gave an almost demented sounding, open-mouth cackle, showing off her tobacco stained teeth. “He be a showing you, though.”

  Merry felt heat rush into her face. “Why do you say that?”

  “He’s put a baby in your belly.”

  “How do you know when I’m not sure myself?”

  “I can tell, I got the gift.”

  Merry staggered back. She had been wondering whether she might be having baby, not having had her woman’s time since she’d been here.

  “I see things. You ain’t told him?”

  “No, I wanted to be sure first. The coffee should be ready.” She darted off, not wanting the old lady to ‘see’ anything else.

  “You got secrets, Merry Quinn.”

  The words nearly caused her to stumble. Did this old woman really have the gift? She had heard of people who did, but never believed it. Her hands trembled as she poured out the coffee. She placed a few oatmeal cookies on a plate and returned outside.

  Aggie’s eyes were closed again. Her skin looked like dried up leather. Deep pouches of sagging flesh hung under her eyes.

  She had barely taken a couple of steps when Aggie’s eyes flew open, her hearing must be sharp. “Here we are.” She handed over the coffee and set the plate of cookies nearby, before sitting on the porch step as far away from her guest as possible, without making it too obvious.

  The gnarled hand shot out to grab up a cookie and her stained teeth bit into it. “Good. You be a good cook.”

  “Thank you.”

  “The way to a man’s heart is through his….stomach, Merry.”

  This old woman was sharp. What was her story? It was sure to be an interesting one.

  Aggie gobbled up all the cookies. “Good,” she said, wiping her mouth with the back of one hand. “Don’t keep no secrets from your husband.” She stood up with agility considering she was old and stepped over to Merry to stare into her eyes. Picking up her hand she turned it palm up and frowned.

  “Take care, Merry Quinn, you be in great danger.”

  Merry’s mouth dried up and she snatched her hand back. “What do you mean?” The hairs stood up on the back of her neck.

  “I see a dark aura. Take care.”

  After Aggie left, Merry collapsed into Nate’s armchair. The old woman’s words had really shaken her. What danger could she be in out here? It wasn’t as if she took foolish risks with her safety.

  Would she tell Nate about Aggie’s warning? Maybe he was in danger, too? No, it is only me. There was one person who would want to hurt her – Zeke.

  Chapter Nine

  One afternoon, a few days after Aggie’s visit, Merry was doing the ironing when a loud knock came to the front door. She hesitated.

  “It’s Marshal Gregory from Laramie.”

  Nate! Something had happened to Nate. She put the iron down and dashed across the room. What if it wasn’t the Marshal? She skidded to a halt, then dubiously stepped forward to edge the door open. On spotting the tin star she opened the door wider.

  “Come in.”

  “I won’t come in, Mrs. Quinn. I’ve got a couple more places to visit. My deputy and I are warning all the ranchers. Two prisoners have escaped from the Wyoming Territorial Prison in Laramie and could be headed this way. How two such dangerous criminals could scale a twelve feet high front wall is beyond me.”

  “You think they’ll come here?” She started to feel faint.<
br />
  “No, I reckon they’ll get as far away from here as quick as they can. We’re just warning everyone to be vigilant. If you see anyone suspicious, don’t approach them, wait until it is safe to do so and let me know.”

  “Thank you. Would you like a drink?” He looked hot and bothered, not to mention worried.

  “Do you know their names?”

  “Yeah. Abe Smythe and Zeke Webster.”

  Her knees nearly buckled under her with the shock.

  “Do you know them?” He gave her a quizzical stare.

  “I have heard of Zeke Webster. I used to live in Raeburn. I think he was in Winslow.”

  “Yeah. Was selling stolen whiskey and when the authorities went around to check, there was a shoot-out. He killed a Federal Marshal.”

  “How awful.” Merry gritted her teeth and clung to the door.

  “Webster used his wife and another woman, who was said to be his lover, as hostages. The posse found both women murdered, and they picked him up a couple of days later. He didn’t deny what he did, just said he shot the women because they were slowing him down.”

  Merry felt as if a giant hand was squeezing the breath out of her lungs. She swallowed several times and managed to say. “How cold-blooded.”

  “Well, the women were no good. They were helping him run his business and helped him dispose of one of his men who had turned informant. Anyway, I shouldn’t be frightening you like this, Mrs. Quinn. Just be careful and don’t go anywhere without a gun.”

  “Thank you, Marshal, I’ll be careful.” No-one would know better than her what Zeke was capable of. The man was pure evil.

  She watched him ride away, then feeling weak and sick staggered inside. Nate didn’t wear his gun belt to work, but he always took one of his Colts with him. Maybe she should carry the other one if she went outside. She would have to keep the doors locked while she was doing her chores out the back and carry the gun for protection.

  Her head started to ache with the stress. Her mother, her own flesh and blood had turned outlaw because of Zeke. And I can’t even cry for her. The only tears she would be able to shed were for the woman her mother had once been, before falling under Zeke’s evil spell.