by Danni Roan
Climbing back up into the buckboard, Teddy turned the wagon in the street, driving it and the two horses tied to the back toward the livery. He hoped that this trip to town would bring him closer to his little wife, but now he was worried they would never be on the same page. He was wide-open spaces; she was big towns and shops. Could they ever truly be one?
***
“You look like you’ve been suckin’ lemons,” Darwin Rivers greeted, as he ducked out of the big barn smiling at Teddy. “Somethin’ on your mind?”
Teddy stepped down from the wagon, letting Darwin take charge of the horses and harness while he untied Pepper, and a pretty palomino, called Pal, he’d brought for Amanda to ride.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he growled, giving the black-haired hostler a hard glare.
“Women troubles,” Darwin said, shaking his head. “Only thing that can make a man that surly, is women troubles.”
“There’s no trouble,” Teddy snapped," matching stride with Darwin as they led the horses to the corral. “I just brought Amanda into town for a couple of days to give her a break. She ain’t used to the kind of work a woman has to do on a ranch.”
Darwin nodded. “She’s kind of delicate.”
Teddy paused, running the reins of both mounts through his fingers. “She’s citified, is all.”
“So was Ruth,” Darwin smiled, his eyes sparkling with love. “She didn’t know nothin’ about being a wife, or cookin’ or housework.”
“Yes, but Ruth wanted an adventure. Your wife is bright, cheerful, and interested in everything. Mine is more a delicate flower.”
“Teddy, just because she wasn’t raised on a ranch and isn’t used to this new life, doesn’t mean she can’t grow into it. You’ve only been married a week. You need to give it time.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. Give it time, let her get to know you, love you. Love can overcome a heap of troubles.”
Teddy felt a smile flash across his face. Darwin’s wife, Ruth, had grown up in a fancy house, with pretty things around, and she was content to live in the little house by the big barn. Maybe what the other man was saying was true.
“You think she can love me?”
“She married you, didn’t she?” Darwin offered a cheeky grin. “If she didn’t want to be married and live in Texas, why did she come?”
“She didn’t like her mother’s new husband,” Teddy stated the fact boldly. “What choice did she have?”
“If her Mama has money, and she wasn’t happy here, she could have turned around and lit out on the early stage. She didn’t. She chose to stay and to marry you. You must have made some kind of impression on her.”
“You think so?”
“Teddy, be patient. Give the girl a chance to adjust to Needful. She’ll come around.”
Teddy smiled, feeling hope wash through his heart. Time, he could do that.
“Thanks, Dar,” he grinned, turning to strip the saddle from Pepper’s back. “I’ll do my best.”
A minute later, Teddy had turned the horses into the corral, grabbed the three bags from the wagon, and headed for the Hampton House and his sweet little bride.
***
“Amanda!” Olive greeted cheerfully as the young woman walked into the boarding house. “It’s so good to see you.” The older woman’s dark eyes examined Amanda as if assessing her well being. “Are you well?”
“Yes, thank you.” Amanda’s smile was bright and she was thrilled to see her first friends of Needful. “Theodore is putting the horses up.”
Olive grinned, no one called Teddy Theodore unless they were upset with him. “Rosa said you and Teddy plan to stay here for the weekend. That will be a treat. How are you finding life on the range?” She smiled again this time, waving down Arabela, “Would you mind bringing us tea, dear?” she asked politely.
“I’ll let Ellen know you’re here,” the stately young woman replied. “She’s due for a break anyway.”
Amanda moved to the table where Olive and Rosa were seated, taking a chair and peeling off her gloves.
“Amanda, your hands!” Olive expostulated, grabbing for the girl’s reddened hands.
“They’re fine,” Amanda blushed. “I’m afraid I’m not used to using them the way I need to on the ranch.”
“They will get tougher,” Rosa stated blandly.
“Theo brought some salve, and it has helped tremendously already.”
“Is he taking good care of you?” Olive looked closely at Amanda, demanding an answer.
“Yes, of course.” Amanda blushed, worried that Olive thought Theo was mistreating her in some way. “He’s very attentive and kind. I think he is worried that I was working too hard, and that’s why he wanted to spend the weekend in town.”
“It is good,” Rosa said. “When I married Dan, we went away on this honey-mooning. It did not go well. It is better to stay here, where you have friends if something happens.”
Amanda swallowed hard. So far, she had heard of a kidnapping, arrested outlaws, a killing, and now this. What was wrong with Needful?
“Don’t worry,” Ellen arrived with a tray laden with tea and treats. “Needful is a fairly safe town for the wilds of Texas. Sheriff Gaines works hard to make it a better place for women like us all the time. He does have a vested interest after all, with Daliah and Chad depending on him.”
Amanda felt herself relax as Ellen joined them pouring tea and handing out cookies. With Ellen, she didn’t’ feel like she was continually being assessed for her value. The other woman was kind, simple, and straight to the point.
“So how’s married life,” Ellen teased, shooting Amanda a wicked grin. “Everything I said it would be?”
Amanda blushed bright red but laughed. “There seems to be a good deal of work involved,” she added.
“That’s why I thought you should have given us more time to find someone who would keep you in the style you have been accustomed to,” Olive shot, lifting her cup. It seemed that every time she had a match figured out, the young women did something different.
“But, I like Theodore!”
“Mother, don’t go on about it. Amanda has made her choice, and she’ll adapt. It doesn’t matter who you marry or where you live, there is always an adjustment period.”
“That’s true,” Olive conceded, sipping her tea. “There’s Teddy now.”
“Mornin’, ladies,” Teddy greeted, stripping the hat from his head. “It’s nice to see you having a good time.”
Amanda looked down at her plate, shyly wondering if Theo would want to join them for tea. She couldn’t see him sipping tea and swapping gossip with a group of women.
“Darwin found a side saddle for you,” Teddy beamed. “I’m gonna put it on Pal, and let her get used to it a bit. Will you be alright here?”
“Yes, thank you,” Amanda agreed with relief. “I can’t see you sitting in a side-saddle, though.”
Teddy chuckled. “I’ll put some sacks of feed on the saddle and lead Pal while I ride Pepper. Darwin seems to know what he’s doing with the odd contraption, so we’ll have an idea how the horse takes to it before you have to mount up.”
“Thank you,” Amanda grinned at the man. “I’ll see you later then.”
Teddy returned Amanda’s smile, pleased that he had made his wife happy, then spun on his heel and strode back out of the house.
“He does seem to want to make you happy,” Olive said, watching the young man leave. “That’s got to mean a lot.”
“I’m afraid he worries that because he doesn’t have a fancy house and loads of money, I’ll be unhappy.” The words tumbled out of Amanda’s mouth and she gasped in surprise. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Why not?” Ellen asked. “If that’s what you think, you have a right to speak.”
“It is difficult understanding a man at first,” Rosa grinned, handing Christina another cookie. “I did not understand Daniel for a very long time.”
Aman
da looked at Rosa hopefully, but the woman said no more.
“I hope that Theo and I can come to understand each other better. I don’t need fancy things,” she blushed, “though I do appreciate them and am struggling to fit into this new life, but I had everything back home, and I was not happy.”
“Your family does know you’re here, don’t they?” Olive gave Amanda another look. The girl had indicated that she had gone with her family’s blessing, but she knew too well that some girls snuck out to find a new life on their own.
“Yes, of course. Mother wasn’t happy, but my new stepfather seemed relieved.”
“As long as no one is going to come looking for you and blame me,” Olive said wearily. “I think I need to leave this matchmaking up to Peri.”
Ellen’s giggle was contagious and soon, they were all laughing. It was evident that Olive still believed that what this town needed most were good wives.
“Teddy seems very interested in your well being,” Ellen’s comment pulled everyone back. “I hope you will enjoy your weekend here together. It will be nice for you to have some time together without any responsibilities.”
Amanda nodded, unsure what to say. It would be different spending most of the two days with her husband, without him working and her trying to be of some use around the ranch.
Chapter 12
Amanda spent a lovely couple of hours visiting with Olive and the other Hampton girls when business slacked off. It felt lovely to sit and sip tea with friends, and Amanda felt more at home than she had since her arrival.
Teddy returned around lunchtime as Rosa and Christina were leaving, and seemed delighted at the idea of having a quiet lunch with his wife.
Around them, several men glared, but no one interrupted as the newest couple of Needful enjoyed the excellent food provided by the Hampton House.
“Orville took our bags to one of the rooms,” Amanda explained as she tasted the excellent soup. “It was very nice having a chance to visit with Ellen and her family,” she added with a smile. She wanted Theo to know how much she appreciated this time and the break from the rigors of a life she knew nothing about.
“How about after lunch we take a walk and head to the general store?” Teddy asked. “I don’t want you fussing about money either. If you need anything, you tell me. If it’s too much, I’ll put it on layaway for later.”
Amanda sat up straighter, amazed at Theo’s words. It had always been distasteful to discuss finances in her home. She knew her father had accrued a good deal of wealth over the years, but they seldom discussed it. Her mother simply purchased whatever she wanted. Any whim would do as an excuse for a shopping expedition.
“Thank you,” Amanda said, not sure what else she could say. With her new life, there were a few things she wanted, but she didn’t want to take too much when she seemed able to give so little
The sun was warm as they left the boarding house dining room and started down the boardwalk. Amanda took Theo’s arm, and they strolled slowly along the dusty street as he pointed out more details of the town.
“So, Dan Gaines started the town?” Amanda asked. She had heard so many things about Needful from so many people it was all muddled in her head.
“You could say that. Dan picked this place to build a ranch, and it happened to be close to a trading post. Over the way, there’s a mine for Mikolite, and once we settled here, the trader started doing more business, which drew men from there. Then other men came who wanted some land and the town started to grow.”
“But it wasn’t named until the wagon train with Dan’s brother, Spencer, arrived and the Hamptons built their boarding house?”
“That’s right,” Teddy smiled. “Now it’s Needful, Texas, a town to be proud of.”
Amanda looked down the dusty street at the few false fronted businesses as the tinkle of a player piano spilled out of the saloon. It didn’t seem like much of a town to her, but now it was home. She only hoped it would all turn out well for her. It was apparent from the first moment that they had met that Theodore Lewis wanted her to be his. Amanda hoped that would be enough to overcome their differences.
Teddy ushered Amanda into the store, smiling as they entered, for the first time as husband and wife.
“Hello there, Teddy,” William Scripts grinned. “I take it this is the new Mrs.”
“William, this is Amanda.”
“Mrs. Lewis, it’s nice to meet you. What can I do for you today?”
Amanda glanced at Theo, then met the other man’s dark eyes. “I was hoping you might have some readymade dresses,” she said. “I’m afraid my wardrobe is not well suited to my new responsibilities.”
Teddy’s eyes grew wide. He appreciated the pretty things his wife wore, but on closer inspection, they were not the best thing for helping Rosa at the ranch house.
“I’m afraid we don’t have readymade dresses,” Mr. Scripts said, scratching his head of dark hair. “I could ask Alice, and maybe she knows someone who can make you something.”
Teddy studied Amanda’s disappointed face then took her hand. “Why don’t you look at the fabrics you might like while William checks with Mrs. Scripts, that way, you’ll have an idea of what’s available.”
Amanda nodded. “That sounds like a good idea.” A moment later, she was perusing the calico and gingham on display, wondering what would best suit her everyday needs.
“Amanda, it’s so nice to see you again,” Alice Scripts hustled into the store’s main room with a smile. “William said you needed some dresses.” She looked down at Amanda’s fashionable, yet impractical garb. “I take it you don’t sew.”
Amanda looked up, spotting Theo chatting with Mr. Scripts and shook her head. “I’ve never needed to,” she admitted.
“Well, don’t you worry, I’ll think of someone who might have the time to do something up nice for you.”
The door behind them opened, and a blonde woman in a bright green dress walked into the store.
“Hello, Beth,” Mrs. Scripts greeted. “Have you met Amanda?”
“Only in passing,” the pretty woman smiled, her green eyes bright. “At the wedding as a matter of fact,” she added. “It’s nice to see you again.”
Amanda nodded in acknowledgment.
“Amanda is looking for someone to do some sewing for her,” Alice continued. “Do you know of anyone who might want to pick up a little ready cash for the work?”
Beth’s eyes widened. “As a matter of fact, I’d be willing to do it,” she said, looking at Amanda hopefully. “I’ve always made my dresses.” She furled her skirt lightly, highlighting the workmanship.
“That does look comfortable,” Amanda said, looking at the simple lines and lack of bustle on the practical dress.
“It’s also cool in this heat,” Beth grinned.
***
“You’re a lucky man,” William said, leaning on the counter and watching the women examining fabric. “She’s a pretty thing and interested in fitting in here in Needful.”
“Thanks,” Teddy grinned. “She is kind of special. I think she worries that she isn’t homey enough, but I knew that when I told her I wanted to wed. Out at the ranch, most things are taken care of. Rosa and Cookie take care of the food, the bunkhouse has all the comforts of home, and since we’re out on the range most of the day, I never thought I needed much else.”
“Now, you want to give her the world.”
Teddy nodded. “I’m not sure she’s suited for this kind of life, she’s delicate like.”
“She’ll grow into it,” William said. “Mark my words.”
Teddy prayed that the other man was right and that Amanda would be happy in their simple home. He had big dreams and ideas for building his little house into a larger home when the time was right. “That reminds me,” he said, looking up at the tall storekeeper. “I need a tub.”
By the time Amanda and Teddy had finished their shopping, Rosa had arrived with the wagon for her supplies, collecting the few items t
hat needed to be delivered to the ranch.
“Thank you for everything,” Amanda smiled as she and Teddy bid farewell to Rosa and the others. “Now, what shall we do?”
“I thought you might want to try riding Pal around the corral a bit to see how she takes to the saddle. She did right good with the sacks, but that’s different than a regular rider.”
“Of course. I’ll go and change now.”
“Change?” Teddy looked down at the woman’s pale blue dress. “What do ya need to change for?”