by C. J. Petit
Jake laughed because he knew it was true.
_____
After returning Orville’s horse to the small barn behind the Smith’s home, Jake and Sara stepped onto the back porch and Jake let Sara open the door.
When they entered the kitchen, Jake was surprised to find Kay sitting with her mother at the kitchen table. He assumed she had heard about her sister’s nuptials, so he hoped that Sara’s judgment of Kay’s reluctant acceptance was accurate.
He took off his hat, smiled and said, “Hello, Kay. How are you?”
Kay didn’t even glance at Sara as she stood, smiled and replied, “I’m fine. I was told that you and Sara are going to be married soon.”
Jake nodded then turned to look at Sara as she said, “In about two and a half hours, to be exact. We just left Reverend Faraday and wanted to let everyone know.”
Her mother quickly bounced to her feet and exclaimed, “You’re getting married this afternoon?”
Sara replied, “Mama, I didn’t come home last night, so I would think that you’d be relieved to know we’ll be getting married today.”
Priscilla sighed before she smiled, took Sara’s hands and said, “I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. Do you need me and your father to act as your witnesses?”
“If you don’t mind. Orville and Emmett can watch the store for an hour or so.”
“I’m sure they can. Have you had lunch yet?”
“No, Mama.”
“Then let’s get you and Jake fed.”
As her mother bustled to the cookstove, Sara looked at her older sister and asked, “Who is watching the boys?”
“Oh. After I told Homer that you were getting married, he hired Hanna Marsden as a nanny. She was very happy to get the job and loves our babies.”
Jake was still smiling as he listened but had no idea who Hanna Marsden was. It didn’t matter. What did matter was that Kay did seem at least tolerate his decision to marry Sara.
Sara and Kay then joined her mother at the cookstove and because he was sure that his assistance was neither necessary nor desired, Jake took a seat at the table
As he studied the two sisters, Jake tried to see them through a stranger’s eyes. If he was walking down the boardwalk and they were leaving their father’s store together, would he even think they were sisters? Granted, Kay was older and had a gained some weight, but Jake imagined her as she was when he was visiting her. It was then that he saw the family resemblance. There were physical differences, of course. The younger Kay was more fully figured than Sara, and there was the small difference in hair color and in the shade of their blue eyes.
His lust-driven attraction to Kay had made him blind to her character. Yet because Sara was just a young, thinner sister, Jake was able to recognize her extraordinary inner nature. And now he finally was able to realize that it was their personalities that were so markedly different.
Sara may have described herself as blunt, but Jake saw her as frank and honest. She also had a perfect sense of humor bolstered by a vivid imagination. Sara was insightful and intelligent, which would help him avoid major pitfalls in the future. He’d already made more than his fair share of mistakes.
But of Sara’s extraordinary gifts, Jake appreciated her compassion and understanding the most. It was those same qualities that marked his mother as special.
Soon, the Elk Ranch would be graced by another amazing woman. He only wished his mother could be at their wedding.
_____
Jake wasn’t the least bit awkward having Kay in the church with her husband as he and Sara stood before Reverend Faraday. He didn’t know if she harbored any resentment, but at least she hadn’t even cleared her throat when the reverend asked if anyone had an objection to the marriage.
While Sara hadn’t changed out of her riding clothes, Jake couldn’t imagine any bride looking more radiant. He’d even remembered to bring the ring set he’d bought in Helena.
It was a short, plain ceremony that could have been performed in the courthouse or in the Smith’s home, but its location didn’t matter.
When the reverend pronounced them man and wife, Jake looked into Sara’s deep blue eyes before he kissed her gently. He may not have been able to read her thoughts most of the time, but this wasn’t most of the time. Jake knew that she felt the same flood of emotion that filled his heart and soul.
After accepting congratulations from everyone, including a peck on the cheek from Kay, Jake escorted Sara to the small office in back to complete the necessary paperwork. After her parents signed as witnesses, her father said he had to get back to the store before Orville and Emmett started giving things away to pretty girls.
By the time they finished filling out the territorial forms, they entered an empty church, which was a relief to Jake. He wasn’t convinced that Kay was completely happy about the marriage.
Jake smiled and said, “I guess everyone went home.”
“We should go home too, Mister Elliott.”
“And, so we shall, Mrs. Elliott.”
Sara took his arm before they walked back down the aisle, left the shadows of the church and stepped into the heat of the summer sun.
After they were mounted and riding west, Jake said, “I’ve got to pay the men and appoint a new foreman. I told them I’d meet with them at the chow house before supper, but I have a feeling that they’ll already be there waiting for us. And I don’t believe that the expectation of getting paid is their main reason for being there.”
“Who are you going to make foreman?”
“Jack Parker. He has the most experience and has earned the respect of the other men.”
Sara nodded then asked, “What if Dave Forrest decides to return?”
Jake hadn’t even considered that possibility, so after he thought about it for a few seconds, he replied, “I’d be surprised if he did. You read his letter. He was in love with his sister-in-law and has a son waiting for him.”
Sara had her own opinion but didn’t know Dave Forrest at all, so she kept it to herself. But they needed to have a serious and lengthy conversation about all that Mrs. Kemper had revealed. Sara had barely known his father, and his mother was just a casual acquaintance, so she had to base any theory on whatever Jake told her. Still, she realized that she had the ability to see it objectively and hoped to get Jake to do the same.
But even as he’d answered Sara’s question about Dave, Jake’s mind was being pummeled with questions generated by the visit to the bakery. He desperately needed Sara’s insight to help him find answers, but there were still things that needed to be done. Amazingly, consummating their marriage wasn’t at the top of his list.
_____
As soon as they turned onto the Elk’s access road, Jake’s educated guess about the men’s premature gathering in the chow house was confirmed. He noticed smoke already pouring from the cookstove’s pipe and he spotted Big Tom as he shouted into the chow house.
Jake turned to Sara and said, “Our greeting party is about to leave the chow house.”
Sara grinned as she said, “Then you’d better have their pay ready, boss.”
Jake snickered before saying, “Like I’m really the boss, boss.”
As they exited from the chow house, the eleven men didn’t just coalesce into a disfigured circle, but formed themselves into two lines, almost like soldiers forming for inspection.
Jake laughed at the sight but noticed that Jack Parker stood by himself off to the side like a first sergeant and said, “I guess they already selected their new foreman before I did.”
“They were just confirming your own sound judgement, sir.”
Jake glanced at Sara to see if she was about to laugh but wasn’t able to discern even a hint of sarcasm.
When they pulled up before the two columns of ranch hands standing at attention, Jake had to keep from laughing. But he managed to keep a straight face as he and Sara dismounted.
As soon as he took Sara’s hand, Jack Parker shouted, “Pr
esent arms!” before he snapped a reasonably sharp salute while the others almost seemed to wave from their foreheads.
Jake was grinning as he came to attention, returned his salute then said, “At ease, men.”
Jack didn’t issue the order arms command before the men dropped their hands to their sides and began laughing as they approached the newlyweds.
Jake said, “You boys all know I was only a private; don’t you?”
They were still grinning as they formed a loose reception line. Each man vigorously shook Jake’s hand before shaking Sara’s hand much more gently.
When the queue reached its end, Jake said, “Let me get my saddlebags and we’ll take care of your pay.”
Bill Jackson took Mars reins and Big Tom took Vulcan’s while Jake removed his saddlebags. After the horses were tied off at the hitchrail, Jake took Sara’s hand again and followed the crowd into the chow house.
As the men sat on the benches along both sides of the large dining area, Jake set the saddlebags on the floor before him.
“I appreciate your well-rehearsed welcome, and I’m sure that Sara was just as impressed. She is now Mrs. Elliott and I’m sure that you will all show her the same respect that you gave to my mother. I was going to appoint Jack Parker as the new foreman, but you boys seemed to have superseded my authority and already selected him to run roughshod over you. Is that right, Jack?”
Jack Parker shrugged before he replied, “We were all wonderin’ if Dave was comin’ back or if you even knew where he went.”
“He left a letter for me in the office. He explained why he had to leave but asked me to keep it private. I intend to honor his request. He won’t be returning, so Jack will take over as foreman and can move into the foreman’s house. Maybe he’ll even find a woman to keep his bed warm.”
Bill Jackson was grinning as he said, “At least you won’t be cold tonight, Jake.”
Before Jake could come up with a snappy reply, Sara quickly said, “I’ll do my best to keep your boss warm even in February.”
The astonished ranch hands didn’t react for almost five seconds before Jake laughed then kissed Sara which set off a volcanic eruption of hilarity.
While the men continued to laugh, Jake picked up his saddlebags and walked to Jack Parker who was sitting at the end of the left bench. He flipped open one of the flaps and withdrew a heavy brown envelope.
He handed it to Jack who was now only smiling and said, “I’ve added ten dollars to each man’s pay, and already included your new salary as foreman. I’ll let you pay the boys off and I’ll handle the bookkeeping.”
Jack nodded then said, “Okay, boss. I’ll move my stuff into the foreman’s house tomorrow.”
Then he asked, “Um, do you want me to stop by in the mornin’ to ask what you need done?”
“Nope. You know what the Elk needs better than I do. I know you’ll do a good job, Jack, and I still need to get up to speed. I’ll need everyone’s help to make the Elk even better.”
“We’re all happy for you and Mrs. Elliott, boss. For a while there, things were lookin’ mighty grim for the Elk, but everything is gettin’ better already.”
“Mrs. Elliott and I are now going to return to the house, and she has already promised me that she won’t be adding frilly pink curtains to any of the windows.”
Sara didn’t comment before Bill Jackson said, “We’ll take care of your horses, boss.”
“Thanks, Bill.”
After Jake picked up his saddlebags, Sara took Jake’s arm and pulled him outside.
Once they were on their way to the ranch house, Sara asked, “And when did I tell you that I wasn’t going to do any redecorating, sir?”
“I just made that up to deflect any more friendly suggestions about how to make better use of our bed.”
Sara laughed before saying, “I’m pretty sure that I already ensured that they would keep their ribald comments to themselves.”
“I’ve never seen them quieted so quickly. Even though I know you pride yourself on your candid nature, I’ll admit that even I was surprised. It was funny, though.”
They soon stepped onto the front porch and once inside, Sara was surprised when Jake pulled her toward the office and not down the hall to the closest bedroom.
After they entered the room, Jake set the saddlebags on the floor and walked to the desk. He picked up Dave’s letter and sat on one of the straight-backed chairs then waited for Sara to sit beside him.
He unfolded the letter and just stared at it in silence.
Sara didn’t say a word, nor did she reread the letter. She studied Jake’s face as he looked at the top sheet. She noticed that his eyes weren’t moving, so she knew he wasn’t reading.
They sat without making a sound for more than a minute before Jake folded the sheets and returned them to the envelope. He slid the envelope onto the desktop then stood and waited for Sara.
He took her hand, then took one step away from the desk, picked up the saddlebags and said, “I need to put the rest of the money in the safe. I’ll give you the combination, but it’s pretty easy to remember.”
Sara nodded as she walked with Jake to the corner of the office where he stopped and sat on his heels in front of the safe.
As he spun the dial, he said, “Make two counterclockwise turns and stop on 18. Then one full clockwise turn to 39 before another counterclockwise rotation to 41.”
He turned the handle, opened the door and placed the second envelope of cash on top of the legal papers before closing the door.
When he stood, Sara asked, “Why do you think the combination is easy to remember?”
“My father was born in 1839 and my mother in 1841. So, it’s 18-39-41.”
“Oh. Did anyone other than your parents know the combination?”
“The last foreman before Dave did. But apparently my father must have decided it wasn’t necessary for anyone other than himself and my mother to have access to the safe.”
“That’s interesting. Are you going to give it to your new foreman?”
“I’ll think about it, ma’am. But right now, it’s time for you to be my wife.”
Sara smiled as she took his arm then said, “You want me to cook supper now; don’t you?”
Jake was still laughing as they left the room and soon entered the hallway. He wasn’t convinced that she wasn’t serious about going to the kitchen, but never gave her the opportunity to get that far. He didn’t encounter any resistance when he guided her into his bedroom, so he assumed she had been joking after all.
After leaving the office, Sara just hoped that Jake wasn’t distracted by that letter. She soon discovered that she had his complete attention.
_____
It wasn’t until after sunset that Jake and Sara finally left the bedroom to have their supper. While Sara started a fire in the cookstove, Jake carried the bedsheets into the bathroom and after filling the tub halfway, dumped in some soap chips, then pushed the sheets into the sudsy water to let them soak. He felt it was the least he could do for Sara after she’d made him the happiest man in the territory.
Sara was just as happy as she dropped a lit match into the firebox. When the flames were strong enough, she added the split wood and closed the door. For years, she had been fantasizing about this day, even when it appeared that Jake would marry Kay. But none of them had come close to the thrill she’d experienced. She admitted to a measure of soreness, but that was expected, and she didn’t doubt that it was temporary. But the discomfort wasn’t even noticeable until she’d dressed. The passion and love they’d shared had dominated her heart, mind and soul.
But as she prepared their supper, she did have one minor disappointment. After they’d consummated their marriage, and she rested her head on Jake’s chest and listened to his heartbeat, she was hoping that he’d reveal his thoughts about his parents and the missing foreman. She simply didn’t realize just how much she was now dominating his every thought.
But as he carried
the bedding into the bathroom, Jake had been able to shift his focus away from his incredible bride. After leaving the sheets to soak, he didn’t doubt that Sara would help him find his way through his mental maze that seemed to have no exit.
He entered the kitchen, smiled at Sara, then took the coffeepot from the shelf and began filling it at the pump.
When he set it on a hotplate, he asked, “Are you feeling all right, Sara?”
“I’m just a little sore, but you should be grateful that I am. You know what it would mean if I wasn’t.”
“At least I wouldn’t have had to remove the sheets from the bed.”
Sara laughed as she added some butter to the skillet.
As he watched it melt, Jake said, “I need your wisdom, Mrs. Elliott.”
Sara slid a thick steak onto the skillet then turned and said, “I’m three years younger than you, Jake.”
“You’re also much smarter than I am.”
Sara had to pay attention to the sizzling beef, so she turned back to the cookstove as she replied, “I’m not smarter, Jake. I just have the advantage of not knowing your parents or Mister Forrest. All I know is what you told me and then what we learned from Mrs. Kemper.”
“I notice that you didn’t include Dave’s letter. Was that intentional?”
“It was. Because I never met him, I can’t consider it as evidence.”
Jake rubbed his forehead as he tried to recall anything he knew about Dave that might cast doubt on the letter’s contents.
Sara glanced at him and knew she needed to remain silent for a while.
Jake was just entering his teen years when Dave arrived on the Elk looking for a job. His father needed more experienced cowhands, and Dave was well qualified. But Jake was already at odds with his father, so he never even asked about Dave’s past. Even after Dave became his friend and then mentor, Jake couldn’t recall him ever talking about where he had worked or his family.
He didn’t care at the time, but now it seemed odd. Jake spent far more time with Dave than any of the other ranch hands but knew less about him. It wasn’t as if Dave was an introverted, silent man. His father was much less talkative. Dave just never talked about his past at all.