Bewildered in Billings

by Lynn Donovan

  Bewildered in Billings

  

  Yours Truly, the Lovelorn Series,

  Book #17

  Lynn Donovan

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Introduction

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Personal Note from the Author

  About This Series

  About the Author

  Appreciation

  Newsletter and a Free Gift for You

  Humble Request

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.

  The book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. All rights are reserved with the exceptions of quotes used in reviews. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage system without express written permission from the author.

  Yours Truly, the Lovelorn Series

  ©2020 Lynn Donovan

  Cover Design by Virginia McKevitt

  Editing by Cyndi Rule

  Beta Reader: Amy Petrowich

  Introduction

  As requested by the readers: Ginger’s story.

  Always a bridesmaid and never the bride. Ginger Houndsman has everything a man could want: A rich daddy, respectable standing in the community, a cute, bubbly personality; so why can’t she find a good husband? Even her dear friend from Boston, Dotty Orchid, got married on the first day she disembarked in Billings. Why can’t Ginger find a decent man who wants her for who she is?

  The Miller’s son, Tatem, has had an eye on Ginger ever since he turned eleven and realized she was amazing. All through school he manages to put himself in situations to partner with her. Painfully shy, he has never done anything to help her catch on that he adores her. Even during the Orchid barn raising she remains oblivious.

  How can he make her notice how much he loves her? Can these two opposites find a balance to make their happy ever after come together?

  Chapter One

  

  Billings, Montana - 1881

  “Whoa!” Tatem Miller’s father shouted as he halted his team of mules. Aidan Orchid walked out of his house to see who had arrived at the copper mining camp. The Miller’s large wagon full of lumber, stacked high and tied down with ropes, was followed by numerous buggies and buck-board wagons filled with the townsfolk. Among them, Ginger Houndsman, the prettiest girl in Billings. The people spilled from their vehicles with a bedlam of chatter, laughter, and baskets of food for a community meal.

  “What’s all this, George?” Aidan asked Tatem’s dad.

  Mrs. Orchid stepped out on to the porch of the schoolhouse, the children all crowding behind her to see the commotion. “Oh, dear me!” She gaped at the load of lumber and then all the people.

  Tatem stood with his dad as he shook Aidan’s hand. “We are here for a good ol’ barn raising, Orchid. The townsfolk appreciate everything you did to help the sheriff capture Theodore Binks and we wanted to help you replace your damaged barn.”

  Mrs. Orchid joined her husband’s side. He put his arm around her and turned to the mass of people who were standing around the lumber wagon waiting to begin. Tatem’s heart ached to hold the gal he loved since fifth grade. But she didn’t realize he existed.

  “Well. Thank you.” Mr. Orchid turned moist eyes to the crowd. “All of you. My wife and I appreciate you coming here to give us a hand and all this lumber. You shouldn’t have, but we appreciate it so much! It’s amazing!”

  Roderick Houndsman approached Aidan. “It’s what townsfolk do, Aidan. We take care of our own. And you and Dotty are definitely one of us.”

  Mrs. Orchid spotted Ginger and rushed to her. Tatem watched out of the corner of his eye as the women talked. Ginger laughed. Tatem loved the sound of her laughter. They visited for some time. Tatem knew he needed to help unload the lumber or his dad would skin him alive, figuratively, of course. He tore his gaze off the ginger-topped beauty of his dreams and started stacking lumber on the ground.

  Mrs. Orchid turned from Ginger and said something the school children. They all cheered at once and poured off the schoolhouse porch. Mrs. Orchid must have given them the remainder of the day off to help with this barn raising.

  Generally, with every able body helping, a barn could get raised in a day. This one shouldn’t be any different. That meant Tatem had all day today to try his best to get Ginger Houndsman to notice him.

  His dad, being the closest thing Billings had to an architect, gave everyone directions. He unrolled a hand sketch of the barn as planned. Mr. Orchid looked it over and gave a nod of approval. Dad rolled the plans up and the townsfolk got to work tearing down the burned structure and organizing the new lumber for the new barn. Tatem kept his attention on Miss Ginger as he worked. Wherever she got assigned to work, he’d do his best to be there, too. Just like in school.

  Unfortunately, Ginger seemed more interested in visiting with Mrs. Orchid than working on the barn, so Tatem worked hard at being within sight of his interest and would speak when he got close enough to say something.

  At last, Ginger walked toward him while he was struggling to hold a slat board in place and nail it at the same time.

  “Here, let me help. You look like you’ve taken on too much. I may be a girl, but I can surely hold the board for you.” She took the slat board and held it against the framing for him to nail in place. “Like this?” She positioned it snug against the previous board.

  He nodded with a smile of thank you toward her and swung his hammer as hard as he could to sink the nail in one blow. He glanced at her, to see if it impressed her.

  Say something. He chastised himself. But nothing intelligible came to his mind.

  She did seem surprised at his one hit to drive the nail completely to the head. Her eyes blinked with the impact of his hammer, then she made a frown-like smile that was adorable. He lifted his brow and drove another nail.

  “My goodness.” Ginger whispered. “You’re so strong. How much does that hammer weigh, anyway? I’d bet if I were doing that, I’d be bending the nails and ruining everything all day long.” She laughed.

  Tatem chuckled, put another nail in place, and drove it in with one hit. “Dad taught me, don’t waste energy.”

  She nodded. “You learned well.” She held the next slat in place. “I would think being the Miller’s son you get a lot of practice driving nails. Who makes your nails? The blacksmith? I’ll bet he can drive nails with one hit.” She looked around as if she were looking for the Smithy.

  “Yes ma’am.” Tatem wanted to say more but words just would not come to his mind. She was so pretty. And the warmer the day’s sun burned down on her, and little sweat beads popped out on her sun-kissed freckles, the cuter she seemed to him. Which fuddled his mind even more.

  She, on the other hand, talked enough for the two of them. He didn’t mind that. In fact, he enjoyed listening to her voice. She was so full of joy and enthusiasm. He could listen to her all day long, he was certain.

  Together they worked their way around the side of the barn. Others worked on the other three sides, and another team built the roof, and interior dividers for storage, stalls, pens, and tack. They even built laying boxes for the chickens. By day’s
end it was a well-built barn. Everyone washed up and sat at tables that had been brought outside.

  Food covered the tables and plates were filled. Tatem sat across from Ginger. But she talked to Mrs. Orchid more than she did to him. As always in his life, she didn’t notice he existed.

  Then again, Mrs. Orchid talked to Ginger a lot, whereas Tatem just couldn’t think of anything to say. He smiled when her eyes met his or he could pass a dish to her. For the most part, she did not realize he had bona fide interest in her.

  Someday, somehow, she would notice him and he would ask her that special question. Maybe he should wait until he got permission from her father. He nodded to himself. That would be proper. He respected her father. Didn’t know him well, but he had dealings with Tatem’s father and Dad didn’t seem to dislike the man. In fact, because of the lumberyard, Tatem’s dad knew everybody for miles around. That wasn’t a bad thing.

  Yep, Tatem Miller decided, someday soon he was going to court Miss Ginger Houndsman.

  Chapter Two

  

  “Oh Mother, it’s true. I’m always the bride’s maid but never the bride.” Ginger Houndsman tossed herself down on the divan and buried her face in a chintz pillow. With no response from her mother, she lifted her head. “Why doesn’t anybody want me?” She paused for her mother to react.

  Nothing.

  “Anybody who is a decent human being, that is. That horrible Theodore Binks only wanted my inheritance. Sometimes, I wish Father wasn’t so successful. That way, a man would want me for me, not Father’s money!”

  Leticia looked up from her cross stitching. “Oh, Ginger, dear, don’t get yourself all worked up. You’re young and beautiful. The right man will come along soon.”

  Ginger huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s what Dotty says. But when? I just don’t understand. I’m completely bewildered—”

  She cocked her head and stared past her mother. An idea simmered. Her friend Dotty had found Aidan by writing to a newspaper columnist in the St. Louis Gazette. “Yours Truly: The Lovelorn.”

  Dorothy Bladdenwart Orchid had shown Ginger the article that Dotty had answered. Apparently, Aidan Orchid had seen the same article and the Lovelorn’s response to Dotty while she still lived in Boston. Ginger rose and slowly walked to her father’s study. The dark room smelled dank with cigar smoke and whiskey. Just like Father. She inhaled fondly and made her way over to his desk.

  Several newspapers from different places were piled on one corner of his desk. He would go through them this evening with a smoke and a drink before he retired to bed. Surely one came from St. Louis. Ginger riffled through the stack and found the one she wanted. She sat down in Father’s huge leather chair and turned the pages until she found the articles. The Lovelorn had sensible answers to every single question written to her. Ginger pulled out her father’s central drawer, took out a piece of stationary and dipped a pen into the ink.

  But what to write? And how to sign her letter. All the inquiries were clever alliterations, like Dotty’s had been Brilliant in Boston. What could Ginger use? All she knew was that she was bewildered…

  “Bewildered in Billings.” Ginger smiled. That was it. Now to write her bewildered lamentations.

  Dear Lovelorn,

  I have no idea why in a western town full of eager men, I cannot find a good one to marry. My father is a successful investor. My family has a good standing with the community. Still, so far, the only men who have sought my hand in marriage were gawking at my father’s pocketbook instead of me. You seem to give excellent advice to those as despondent as I. What shall I do to find the man who will love me for me?

  Looking forward to your reply, I remain,

  Bewildered in Billings.

  Ginger re-read her letter and grinned. It was perfect. Now to get it in the post and wait for Lovelorn to tell her what to do.

  How she wished she could go see Dotty. It would be so thrilling to tell her dear friend what she had done. Dusting the letter to dry the ink, she folded it and slid it into an envelope. Dipping her pen in the ink, she addressed the envelope and hurried to get to the general store before the afternoon mail train.

  Ginger grabbed her hat and gloves as she crossed the foyer. “I’m going to the general store, Mother. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Do be careful, dear.” Her mother called back.

  Ginger scurried down the boardwalk and slipped into the general store.

  “Mrs. Rockford, I’ve got mail!” She waved the envelope. The store owner’s wife, Milly Rockford, nodded.

  “Miss Ginger.” Tatem Miller gestured as if he were tipping an imaginary hat toward her.

  “Oh, hello, Tater.”

  He cringed. “I prefer Tatem.”

  “Oh. I’ve always called you, um… sure, Tatem it is from now on. Good to see you, Tatem.”

  He tipped his head forward. “You as well. What ya out doin’?”

  “Oh…” The last person she wanted to tell her sad story to was Tatem Miller, a boy she’d known for over a decade. They had grown up together here in Billings. Sat in the same bench desk at school and always seemed to get assigned together in activities. Just like out at Dotty and Aidan’s barn raising. Who did she help nail up boards, but Tater Miller? She chuckled to herself mentally. “I’ve got a letter to get in the post before the east-bound train comes through. How about you? What are you out doing?”

  “Dad needed supplies.” He held a brown sack out to her. “Penny candy?”

  She stared at the sack. Had he truly bought the candy for her? How’d he know she was coming in? She didn’t even know she was coming down here until just a little while ago. “What-what kind of penny candy?”

  “Lemon sours.”

  Ginger’s brow rose despite her wish to remain unaffected by the mention of her favorite candy. “Actually, I lo-ike lemon sours. Thank you.” She reached into his bag and took three hard candies. She put one in her mouth and savored the delightful taste, then dropped the other two in her reticule. “I appreciate it, Tater, er, Tatem. You’re very kind.”

  He smiled and jerked a nod. “Take care, Miss Ginger.”

  “You too, Tatem.” She watched him walk out of the store, remembered her purpose, and rushed to Mrs. Rockford. “Am I in time for the east-bound post?”

  “You are.” Milly grinned. “That boy’s sweet on you.”

  “Who? Tater? We’ve known each other since… since grammar school.”

  Mrs. Rockford tilted her head. “All I’m saying is I’ve never seen him share his penny candy with anybody else.”

  Ginger turned and looked at the door, even though Tater was no longer there. She turned back to Mrs. Rockford with a giggle. “Tatem is a really sweet boy, but—”

  “Miss Ginger, I realize you’ve known him a long time, but that Miller’s son is no longer a boy.”

  Ginger stared at her, then turned to glare at the empty door again.

  

  “Oh, Sheriff Guffy, do come in.” Leticia Houndsman stood back to let the sheriff enter her home. “How can we help you?”

  Sheriff Guffy touched his hat as a gesture of thank you. “Is Mister Houndsman home, ma’am?”

  “No, he’s still at his office.” Leticia drew her brow together in concern. “Should I send for him?”

  “Well, I had hoped to tell all of you at once. Is Miss Ginger home?”

  “Oh dear, she’s not—”

  Ginger entered the house, tugging at her hat to remove it. “OH! Hello, Sheriff. What brings you by?”

  Leticia frowned at her daughter’s rudeness but turned to hear what the sheriff had to say.

  “Yes, well. I just wanted to let you know that Theodore Binks will be transferred to the courthouse today for his sentencing. I imagine we’ll be taking him to the Montana Territory Prison afterward. I thought you might want to know, so you can stay off the streets… seeings how your daughter might be… disturbed by seeing Binks out in public.”

  “Well
, that’s very kind of you, Sheriff.” Leticia smiled as she turned to Ginger. “How do you feel about this, dear? Would you rather stay in the house while Mister Binks is being moved about in town?”

  “I don’t know.” Ginger frowned. “I hadn’t thought about him being anywhere but the jail house. Now, you say he’ll be taken to the courthouse and then prison?”

  A memory of Theodore Binks handing her a bouquet of wildflowers on her parent’s porch swirled through her many thoughts. They were beautiful hand-picked flowers and her heart was so lightened by the gift.

  Until a bee flew out of the arrangement and Theodore swatted it. The dead bug lay disemboweled on the floorboard.

  She knew just where it had laid and could still see the discolored spot. Sadness slowly filled her chest. Theodore seemed so sweet at first, but then Ginger learned that he was an arsonist and murderer.

  Ginger shivered.

  “I think I’ll stay in my room, Mother.” Ginger nodded farewell to the sheriff and scurried upstairs.

  Leticia turned back to the sheriff. “Well, there you have it, Sheriff. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “No ma’am. I will stop by your husband’s office and let him know about Binks and what your daughter decided to do.”

  “Thank you.” Leticia opened the door for the sheriff to leave.

  He glanced awkwardly at the door. “Uh, yes. Thank you, ma’am.”

  Leticia waited until the sheriff was on the boardwalk before she closed the door. She pursed her lips and considered her own feelings about Binks going to prison. Heaven help her, she wished the man a more severe punishment. But it was not hers to judge or sentence.

  “Pamy?” She called to the maid.

  “Yes mum.” Pamy rushed into the foyer.

  “Would you bring me some tea in the parlor, dear?”

  “Of course, mum. Biscuits?”

  “Yes, dear. Thank you. And could you check on Miss Ginger to see if she needs anything? She’ll be staying in her room today.”