by Danni Roan
Bear dropped his head, shame washing over him at his earlier treatment of Miss Perkins. “I’m sorry for snapping at you,” he said as she placed two plates on the table and retrieved a mug of coffee.
Taking the seat across from him, Peri carefully moved the deep red box to the far end of the table. “Who were they?” she asked her blue eyes full of compassion.
Bear toyed with a potato on his plate, moving it around like a croquet ball with his fork. He didn’t want to talk about it, but perhaps she had earned the right to know.
“She was my wife,” he said quietly finally meeting her eyes. “Teresa and my son were killed by raiders while I was off looking for glory in the war.”
Peri reached across the table placing her small hand across his. “I’m sorry,” she said, her heart going out to the man. “The war took so much from so many.”
Bear slowly shook his shaggy head. “I should have been there,” he said the confession tumbling from him for the first time. “I shouldn’t have gone. They would still be with me if I had stayed.”
Peri squeezed the man’s hand. “You don’t know that,” she whispered. “Perhaps you would have been killed as well. Quantrill’s riders were vicious, cruel, and ruthless. They didn’t care if you were from the North or the South if they wanted something you had.”
“It doesn’t excuse what I did,” Bear said grimacing as he tried to shake his head. “They were my responsibility.”
“Well me and Peri were Pa’s, and he went got himself killed,” Peri snapped. “At least you were fighting for something you believed in. He was busy selling moonshine and hoarding the money he earned. I don’t know about your past Mr. Bartholomew Cassidy, but looking at that picture it doesn’t look like your wife had to grub out a living in a rocky patch of dirt in the Tennessee hills. We girls never had so much as two pennies to rub together and then I find Pa had hundreds stashed. What kind of man is that who doesn’t care enough to provide for his family!” she sniffed rising and pouring another cup of coffee.
“And another thing,” she started again making Bear look up, “You can sit there wallowing in self-pity if you like, but in my book, you stood for what you believed and that counts for something. Bad things happen to good people all the time and you can’t fix it. All you can do is make the best of it and live for those who are gone.”
Bear looked up at the girl, wondering where the tirade had come from, but before he could open his mouth in reply, Perry sat down again coffee mug held in her hand like a scepter. “Just look at Mama,” Peri spouted. “She’s next door to an imbecile, and she never did one cruel thing in her life. She loved Pa, kept him working, and cared for us girls right up to the time that cow kicked her in the head. We don’t know what’s going to happen, and if we think we can control it, we’re just full of ourselves and don’t see that the Good Lord has His own plans for our lives.” Peri finished taking the mug in both hands and sipping loudly.
“Miss Perkins?” Bear gaped.
Chapter 20
The door of the cabin flew open with a loud bang as Anderson, Jacks, and Prim rushed inside.
“What’s happening?” Prim cried hurrying toward the kitchen. “I heard shouting.”
“I was just educating Mr. Cassidy on a few things,” Peri said. “Now if he doesn’t die a horrible death from infection, maybe he’ll be a wiser man,” she said rising. “Anderson, If you’d please take me home.”
Prim stared at her younger sister then back at the big man sitting at his table, his face ghostly white, a bright purple wrapping covered his wounds in a grotesque parade of color.
“I’ll see to Bear,” Jacks said softly, his dark eyes twinkling with a merry light. “You take Miss Peri home,” he added.
Peri pulled her coat on over her dress and started for the door only to stop when Jacks’ hand fell on her shoulder. “You did real good missy,” the older man smiled. “You were smart to send Sparrow home.”
“I was only doing what you did,” Peri said with a sigh, casting a hard look back over her shoulder at Bear Cassidy. “Keep him alive if you can,” she said. “He’s too pigheaded to die anyway,” she finished, her eyes raking the offending man with concerned blue eyes.
“Peri,” Prim gasped as she followed her sister to the buckboard waiting outside. “The man is injured. You have no reason to say such things.”
“I have reason, and if he’s upset with me, he’ll have to live, so he can tell me himself,” Peri said sagging as Anderson helped her into the wagon. “Now I’m tired, and I just want to go home,” she finished laying her head on Prim’s shoulder as Anderson turned the wagon toward home.
Peri rode the rest of the way home in silence her heart aching for the man she had left in the cabin with Anderson’s trail hardened foreman. She wanted to hit him over the head with a stick and kiss him better all at the same time.
It was always hard to lose someone you loved, but you couldn’t give up living because they were gone. In her heart, Peri knew that somewhere between the meeting at the Hampton House, the incident in the rain, and the returned hairpins, she had fallen in love with the oversized, grizzly bear of a man. Unfortunately, he was too busy blaming himself for the death of his family at another man’s hands to ever have time for her.
“Peri, wake up,” Prim said as the buckboard came to a stop in front of the big house. “We’re home.” Prim’s voice shook Peri from her doze.
“Thank you for coming,” Peri said as Anderson handed her down leaving the wagon for one of the cowpokes to collect. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You did fine,” Anderson said softly, his dark eyes full of pride. “Now go show your mother that you’re alright and then you can get some rest.”
Peri smiled. “You know for a fancy man, you’re all right,” she teased bounding up the stairs on Anderson’s hearty laugh.
Peri crept down the corridor to the next room on the hall and gently pushed the door open.
Bright stars could be seen through the lace curtains on the window at the front of the hall, and tiny crystals of frost painted the glass in shimmering white.
“Mama,” Peri whispered walking to the bed where her mother lay wrapped in a warm quilt. A hand lifted and Peri smiled slipping under the covers next to her mother. She needed someone to talk to and knew Mama wasn’t going to tell a soul.
Reaching out and clasping the wrinkled hand, Peri laid on her back staring at the ceiling. “Mama, I don’t know what to do,” she said. “Mr. Cassidy will probably never speak to me again, and frankly, I don’t want that.”
Peri smiled as her mother started humming softly and she knew that even if Mama didn’t completely understand she knew that Peri needed her. “He’s a good man Mama,” she continued, “and I was harsh to him when he was hurting. Not only had he just survived an attack by a mountain lion, he still has a broken heart from when his wife and son were killed by raiders during the war. I should have been kind,” the young woman sighed. “I’m always too quick to talk, too certain that I’m right about everything.”
The warm hand in hers contracted and Peri was sure that her mother was trying to comfort her. “I don’t know if you can pray inside that head of yours Mama, but if you can, I know I could use some prayers. You always said us, girls,” Peri grimaced as her mother’s fingers squeezed hers hard. “You always said Prim and I should trust that God knew what was best, but can He make up for my mistakes? You can only make a mess so many times before you have to live with it.”
Peri lay awake for a long time listening to her mother softly humming the tune to God will Take Care of You as she pondered the troubles of her heart. She didn’t understand why she had fallen for a lowly furniture maker when she had been determined to remain independent. She barely knew the man, but she was sure of one thing; he owned her heart.
As the pale light of a new day crept over the sill of the east-facing window in her mother’s room, turning the intricate ice crystals on the outer glass to diamond shards
Peri crept from the room, dressed and prepared for a new day.
Chapter 21
“What happened?” Peri asked slipping up next to Daliah as a group of townsfolk huddled in the Hampton House speaking in hushed tones.
“It’s Raul,” Daliah said turning her face to Peri, her dark eyes full of tears. “He’s dead.”
Peri stood staring in disbelief. “What?” she breathed, “What happened? Where’s Rosa?”
Daliah shook her head trying to pull herself together. “Two bounty hunters shot him,” Daliah replied. “They said they thought he was someone else. A Ranger from Austin brought his body back and Spencer has him over at the jail trying to figure it all out.”
Tears prickled at Peri’s eyes as she thought of Rosa and Christina. “This can’t be happening,” Peri said. “Raul said he was saving money, so they could be a family again.”
Daliah nodded, wiping her eyes on a handkerchief.
“Peri, we’re closing up for the day,” Orville said making his way through the press of bodies filling the dining hall. “If you can help us get people movin,’ I’d appreciate it.”
Peri nodded wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Rosa didn’t need everyone standing around like this. She needed to be alone with her grief, to sort it out, and understand what had happened.
“I’m afraid we’re closed for the day,” Peri called loudly as every head turned her way. “If you’ll please make your way to the door, I’ll take your name and let Rosa know you were here to support her. We’ll post information on the funeral arrangements on the wall outside,” she added pulling a paper and pencil form a shelf by the door and moving to the entrance.
After nearly twenty minutes, Peri had the hall cleared of everyone but Daliah and Dan Gaines who paced the back wall in anger and agitation.
“Daliah why don’t you go on back to Rosa, I assume Olive is there, but I know she’ll want to see you,” she added kindly. “I’ll get something cooking, so when people are ready they can eat.”
Daliah nodded, squeezing Peri’s hand as she slipped through the back door to the living quarters.
“Mr. Gaines,” Peri said now turning to the other man, “I think you’ll be most useful over at the jail with your brother,” she said seeing the sorrow and guilt in his eyes.
“I should have kept Raul on the ranch,” Dan Gaines said. “He would have been safe.”
“Did you send him on this trip?” Peri asked curious about the arrangements Raul could have made with the rancher.
“No, but if he said he had other work, I let him go. I could have used him. He was a top hand and a hard worker, but he always seemed to have other things to do.”
“Then you go on over to the jail with your brother, and maybe between you, it will come clear.”
Dan nodded. “I have a few questions about this whole thing,” Dan added placing his hat on his head.
Peri closed the door behind the Mayor of Needful and sagged against the frame. Something wasn’t adding up in this situation, but she was sure it would all become plain in the light of day.
Moving to the kitchen she sorted through the food items laid out for breakfast and quickly began whipping up eggs and pouring them into a baking pan to go in the oven. The simple meal would keep well for when people were ready for it.
***
“Spence?” Dan called walking into the jail and tossing his white Stetson on a peg. “What d'you find out?” he asked looking at his brother who sat behind his desk rifling through wanted posters.
“I don’t know how this will play out, Dan,” Spencer said his light eyes weary. “It seems there are things we didn’t know about Raul; things that are going to be rather upsetting to Rosa.”
“What do you mean?” Dan asked pulling a chair up to the desk. “Raul was a good man, a hard worker, he wasn’t an outlaw.”
Spencer Gaines shook his head, his brown hair showing the outline of his hands he raked his hands through it.
“Raul was not an outlaw, I’m sure of that, but apparently his brother was one and a bad one at that,”
Dan’s eyebrows rose, shocked at what he was hearing as he turned toward the stranger with the shiny star pinned to his vest.
“According to the Ranger, Raul borrowed money from his brother right after Christina was born when things were bad. It seems Raul had been making trips to a hide out along the border to pay his brother off regularly and was in the camp when the two bounty hunters raided it. They mistook Raul for his brother and shot before anyone could ask questions.”
Dan Gaines jumped to his feet, his chair toppling to the floor with a crash. “This can’t be happening,” he said. “This will kill Rosa. Why didn’t he tell us? Why didn’t he ask for an advance on his pay? I would have given it to him.”
“I know you would have,” Spencer said walking around the table to lay a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault Dan. You didn’t know.”
Spencer reached for the chair pulling it upright again and helping his brother sit. “I should have known,” the rancher and reluctant Mayor of Needful said dropping his face into his hands.
Chapter 22
Over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas, Peri moved back into the Hampton House until Rosa was able to return to work.
Every heart had been shattered by the news of Raul’s death and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding it.
Peri watched as Rosa slowly moved from life-shattering shock to anger in her grieving process. It hurt her heart to see her friend like this, but she knew that the petite woman needed time to work through her grief.
Prim came to the house often bringing Mama who seemed thrilled to sit with Christina, who didn’t understand why her mother was so sad. The sweet child would often toddle to her mother squeezing her leg until Rosa pulled her into a warm embrace, where the child wrapped her little arms around her mother’s neck resting her head above her heart.
“Rosa, why don’t you go sit with Mama a while?” Peri asked as she entered the kitchen on the touching scene. “I’ll get the rest of the stew ready, and it’s slow out there, anyway.”
Rosa nodded, not even offering a smile as she walked out of the kitchen her daughter in her arms.
Peri watched sadly, as Rosa slipped into the living quarters at the back of the establishment her heart heavy. She feared like so many others in the town that Rosa was blaming herself for what had happened to Raul.
Outside the door opened and Peri gasped as Bear Cassidy stepped inside. She hadn’t seen him since that night when she left him in the care of Old Jacks, and she flushed with embarrassment at some of the things she had said.
“Miss Perkins,” Bear said with a shy grin as she walked into the dining hall.
“Mr. Cassidy,” Peri said raking his form with her eyes and smiling as he snatched his coonskin cap from his head. “I’m glad to see you up and about,” she said politely.
“You did a good job,” Bear said offering a smile. “I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you.”
Peri shrugged. “I just happen to be the first one to come along,” she said. “Anyone would have stopped to help.”
Her eyes met the big man’s cold bright gaze, and her heart seemed to stop in her chest.
“Miss Peri,” Bear said his voice rumbling in his chest. “Recent events have shown me just how fortunate a man I am. God has chosen to leave me on this earth for a reason and hiding out in that old cabin isn’t it? He hesitated squashing his hat in his hands.
“I’m glad you see it,” Peri said still mesmerized by the intense emotion in his eyes.
“Life’s mighty short,” the man continued. “Like you said none of us are guaranteed tomorrow, but we should live the life we’re given. When I heard about Raul, my heart broke for Rosa and little Christina,” he said looking toward the kitchen as if Rosa might appear. “The thing is though; she had her time with Raul, just like I had my time with Teresa and little Barty. This is a new time and,” he stopped lookin
g at Peri who stood transfixed by his words and the light in his eyes. “and,” he tried again.
Dropping his hat Bear pulled Periwinkle Perkins into his arms kissing her intently as he tried to convey all of the words he couldn’t seem to speak.
Peri melted into the strong arms of the grizzly man, his thick beard tickling her cheeks and tender neck as she surrendered her entire heart to this plain man.
“Ahem,” the sound of someone clearing their throat made Bear release Peri but not before seizing her hand. “I see we may be planning another wedding in the near future,” Mr. Tippert said with a grin “and just in time for the opening of the new church as well.”
Peri felt her face flame, but she didn’t care. Mr. Cassidy wanted her, and she already knew she loved him. From the moment she had seen him, she was lost and it was only a matter of time until they both realized it. Perhaps God had put her on that path those two fateful nights to show Bear exactly what he needed in the tiny town in Texas.