by Kit Morgan
Lena looked from one face to the other, her own now red with embarrassment. “I'm sorry to say this, but I didn’t.” She looked at Sadie. “Who then, is to be my husband?”
Sadie and Harrison glanced at each other and smiled. “You, my dear,” said Harrison. “Are to be the wife of our town blacksmith.”
“Town blacksmith!” exclaimed Lena. “Oh dear me, but isn't that a rather… common occupation?”
“His occupation doesn't matter,” said Belle. “What does, is his character.”
“And Chase Adams has one of the best characters you could ask for in a husband,” said Colin.
Lena stood in shock and stared at her cousins. “Chase Adams? He's to be my husband?”
“Did you find him not to your liking, sister?” asked Fina. “I found him to be quite handsome, myself.”
“You mean the nice man who brought the news of …” began Imogene in recollection.
“Yes,” said Harrison before she could finish. “He and Levi Stone took care of things, concerning poor Sam.”
“They even helped dig his grave, and after we left Preacher Jo's house, helped to bury him,” added Colin.
Lena sat in the nearest chair. “Chase Adams,” she said to herself. If she wondered what life had dealt his soul before, she had little doubt that she'd soon find out. She looked at Sadie and the others. “What… What do I do now?”
“The only thing we can do,” said Sadie. “We invite Mr. Adams to supper.”
“I don't think it's fair that we only get to invite Lena’s intended to dinner,” complained Fina. “Couldn't we invite mine as well?”
“Wouldn't you like to know who your intended is first?” asked Sadie.
“You mean, you'll tell me now?” asked an excited Fina.
“Of course,” said Sadie. “In fact, you were speaking with him after Sam's funeral.”
Fina's eyes widened. “I was? Well? Which man was he? No! Wait!” she blurted before Sadie could open her mouth. “Let me guess!”
Belle giggled. “Well, this isn't going to be much fun. There’s only one person you can guess at.”
Fina stood, one hand balled into a fist, and beat it against her forehead a few times as she then began to pace around the room. “Well now, let’s see. It certainly isn't the doctor. For one, he's far too old, he's already married, and he hardly paid any attention to me.”
“Is that a requirement?” asked Lena.
“Of course,” said Fina. “You would think any man getting married would pay some attention to his bride.”
“Yes,” agreed Belle. “But that's if he actually knew who his bride was.”
Fina stopped and spun to Sadie. “The tall gentleman with the dark hair?”
Sadie smiled, “Yes,” she said. “Levi Stone is your intended groom.”
“Levi Stone,” said Fina, trying his name out for the first time. “Fina Stone,” she then said. “I like it.”
“The man or his name?” asked Lena.
“Both,” said her sister with a smirk.
Lena was about to fire something back, when Apple came into the room. “I'm terribly sorry, but look at the flowers I found!” She held up two handfuls of wildflowers as she smiled gleefully at the others.
Sadie offered a weak smile in return, one that quickly faded. “They’re beautiful, Apple. We'd best hurry and put them in some water.”
“Not until after you've told her who her intended is!” said Fina. “Mine is Levi Stone!”
Apple's face lit up in delight. “That's wonderful!” She spun to Sadie. “Which one was Levi Stone? Have we met him yet?”
“He was the tall, dark-haired gentlemen at Sam Jamison's funeral,” said Sadie, her voice soft. “But …”
Apple ignored her and turned to Lena. “And yours? Who do you get to marry?”
Lena smiled, despite the fact she sensed something was wrong. “Chase Adams. The gentleman who was speaking with me when you brought me my pie and coffee.”
Apple clasped her hands in front of her and laughed. “They're both so handsome! How lucky you both are! And what about mine?” she asked as she spun back to Sadie.
“Well,” began Sadie. “That's the thing. You see, Apple, there’s a problem with the man we picked for you.”
Apple’s delight-filled face, dissipated.
Sadie looked at Harrison and Colin a brief moment, and then turned back to Apple. “I'm sorry to have to tell you this dear, but … Sam Jamison, the man we buried this afternoon, was your future husband.”
* * *
“My … my …” breathed Apple. “Husband is… dead?”
“Future husband,” corrected Lena. She quickly put her arm around Apple. “Calm yourself, you know how you get when you’re upset.”
Apple swallowed once, twice, her lower lip trembling. “But … I didn’t even get to meet him,” she said in a weak voice. “Or speak to him …” Her tears broke, and she sought Lena’s embrace.
Lena held her, her own mind racing. What were they going to do? How awful to come all this way and find that your future husband was shot! She sent Sadie a pleading look.
“I understand how this must make you feel,” said Sadie. “And I’ve already decided the best course of action.”
“I should certainly hope so!” huffed Imogene. “The poor girl has been through enough just getting here! And now this?”
“Cousin,” began Colin. “Do calm yourself. It’s not as bad as all that. They hadn’t met for one thing, and there are plenty of other eligible gentlemen who’d be more than happy to take Mr. Jamison’s place.”
“Take his place?” said Imogene as she wagged a finger at him. “What are they going to do? Draw straws?”
Harrison shook his head and let out a sigh. “No, they’ll go through the same process as the others, only Colin and I will help Sadie with the matchmaking.”
Apple sniffed back her tears. “Will I … get to read some letters, as with the last … gentleman?”
“No,” said Harrison. “Most likely, in this situation, they’ll just come to call.”
“How are you going to find someone?” demanded Imogene.
“The same way as before,” said Belle. “We have several other applicants to choose from, they just … well…”
“Well what?” asked Fina. “Were they the leftovers?”
“Leftovers?” wailed Apple. “I’m getting leftovers?”
Sadie balled her hands into fists to stay calm. “Not at all. There are more men around here than a woman would know what to do with. Which means there was more than one good candidate for each of you.”
“Couldn’t Apple look them over?” asked Lena. “The actual applications I mean, and go from there? Let her choose whom she wishes to have call on her, rather than all of them descending at once on the poor thing.”
“I would be agreeable to that,” said Sadie.
“Me too,” said Apple. “That way, if I pick another one, and he gets shot, I won’t know what I’m missing!” She pulled out of Lena’s arms, raced out of the parlor and up the stairs.
Lena blew out a shaky breath. “She’s upset, I’ll go talk to her.”
“No,” said Sadie. “Leave her alone, let her have time to process all of this.”
“What’s there to process?” asked Fina. “Her betrothed is dead, and now she has to pick another one.”
“No wonder the poor dear wants to choose from a pile of papers,” said Imogene. “She’s right, one can hardly feel anything from a piece of paper.”
“Oh, but there you’re wrong,” said Belle. “Sometimes words on paper are a very powerful thing. These gentlemen have all written something about themselves, and I’m sure one or more will stand out because of what they’ve said.”
“Perhaps,” said Imogene. “But first things, first. When may we expect Mr. Adams to call on Lena?”
Lena stiffened. With Apple’s sudden predicament, she’d quite forgotten she was first in line to marry. Her eyes again found Sadie�
��s. “If we need to wait until my sister’s choice of betrothed is settled, than I’m perfectly …”
“There will be no need to wait,” said Sadie. “I’ll send word to Mr. Adams first thing in the morning and invite him to supper tomorrow night. I’m sure you’d like the chance to get to know him a little before you marry?”
Lena took a deep breath. “Yes, indeed.”
“Good, then it’s settled.” Sadie turned to Harrison. “Will you see to it?”
“Anything for you, dear wife,” he said with a smile. “I’ll attend to it first thing. I need to go to town anyway. Logan has come up with a splendid idea.”
“What idea?” asked Belle.
Colin smiled. “Ah yes! I’d almost forgotten!”
“What idea?” asked Belle, a second time.
Colin gave her a wide grin. “We’re going to have a barn-raising.”
“A barn-raising?” repeated Sadie with a smile. She turned and kissed Harrison on the cheek. “That’s a wonderful idea!”
“I’m afraid neither Colin nor I can take credit for it,” said Harrison. “But it doesn’t mean I won’t take another kiss.”
Sadie smacked him on the arm instead. “I’m glad Logan thought of it.”
“Might I inquire,” said Lena, “but what exactly is a barn-raising?”
“It’s when folks get together and work to help build someone’s barn,” answered Sadie.
“Or in this case, re-build one,” added Harrison.
“Good Lord!” exclaimed Imogene. “You don’t expect us to build a barn do you?”
“No,” laughed Belle. “The women cook and feed the men. They do the building.”
“Oh, thank Heaven for that,” said Imogene as she sank into a chair.
“Come now, Cousin Imogene,” said Fina. “It sounds like fun.”
“Fun is a broad term, my dear. Slaving in a hot kitchen, cooking for dozens of men, is no more fun than swinging a hammer.”
Sadie and Belle laughed. “You’ll survive,” said Sadie. “And it will be the perfect time to give the girls some cooking lessons.”
“Cook?” gasped Lena. “Us?”
“Yes!” Exclaimed Belle. “If Penelope, Constance, and Eloise could learn to cook, then so can you!”
Lena and Fina exchanged a quick look. “Well, I suppose we shouldn’t let our cousins out-do us,” said Fina. “I can learn if you can.”
Lena took her sister’s hand. “Yes, you’re quite right. We shan’t let ourselves be outdone.”
Sadie studied them. “I had no idea you two were so competitive.”
“Our mother always told us it was a bad trait, but we can’t seem to help ourselves,” explained Lena. “It’s been like this between our two families for as long as I can remember.”
Sadie turned to Harrison to confirm the statement. “Don’t look at me,” he said. “I don’t remember much about it.”
She shook her head at him. “So long as it doesn’t turn into an all out war like the one between Mrs. Dunnigan and Mrs. Upton.”
“War?” asked Imogene. “What the devil are you talking about?”
“Never mind,” said Belle. “We’ll explain later. Suffice to say, the Sayer cousins wouldn’t be the first to have a cook-off around here.”
Harrison and Colin burst into laugher as Lena, Fina, and Imogene stared at them. Any sort of culinary competition between Lena, her sisters, and their cousins was more likely to burn something down, rather than feed a large group of men at a barn-raising.
Lena’s eyes roamed the pretty parlor and tried not to grimace. With their luck, they’d burn the house clean to the ground. She bit her lip at the thought, and watched as Harrison and Colin, continued to laugh.
Five
The next day, Harrison drove his wife and the other women into Clear Creek not only for a few supplies, but so his cousins could reunite with Constance and Eloise. They had yet to get word to Penelope that the women had arrived.
“Aren't we going to stop at the hotel?” asked Lena.
“No,” said Harrison. “It's much easier if we park the wagon in front of the mercantile to get our supplies. You can walk to the hotel.”
“Oh, yes. How silly of me,” said Lena. “I do suppose the exercise will do us good.”
Harrison chuckled. “There are no coachmen or footmen here, cousin. I'm afraid you'll just have to get used to it.”
“And I'm afraid you're right,” complained Fina. “No cooks, no maids, no stable boys, no…”
“Oh, be quiet,” said Apple. “It's not like we haven't figured that out already.”
Fina rolled her eyes as Harrison brought the wagon to a stop. His cousins watched him intensely as he set the break and climbed down, and each wondered if they’d ever have to learn how to drive the wagon.
“Sadie, why don't you get the things on your list while Imogene and the others go pay a visit to Eloise and Constance?” suggested Harrison.
Sadie nodded. “That's a good idea.” She turned to the others. “This won't take me long. As soon as I'm done, I’ll put the supplies in the wagon and come join you at the hotel.”
Imogene stood straight and gazed up and down Clear Creek's only street. “At least there's no chance of any of us getting lost in this town.”
The others laughed at her remark as a lone rider came racing down the street at a gallop. Harrison immediately drew his gun. “Do you think there's trouble?” asked Sadie.
Harrison holstered his gun and let out a breath when he recognized the man. “I certainly hope not, one dead man is enough. Let's hear what Henry has to say.”
Henry Fig reined in his horse next to the Triple C's wagon. “Harrison!” he cried and dismounted. “We found someone!”
“Found someone? Who?”
“We can't be sure, but Sheriff Hughes seems to think it's that Cutty fella.”
“Cutty?!” said Harrison. “Good Lord man! Where is he?”
“Some of the boys from the posse are bringing him. We had to make a travois to transport him. He ain’t in much shape for walkin’.”
“Cutty?” began Lena. “Who is Cutty?”
“From the looks of it,” said Henry “He’s the man that saved Harrison’s wife and the other women.”
Harrison's eyes grew wide. “Are you serious?”
“He's been burned pretty bad, Harrison. Who else could it be?”
“How far out are they?” Harrison asked, his voice now urgent.
“Maybe a couple of miles.”
Harrison turned to Sadie. “I'm going to take the wagon and get him. Run over and tell Doc Waller I'm bringing him in.” He made for the wagon, stopped up short, and spun to Henry. “He’s still alive isn’t he?”
“He was when I left to ride on ahead, but barely,” said Henry. “Looks like he hadn't had any water for quite a while. You know how quick thirst can kill a man …”
Harrison nodded, climbed up onto the wagon, and headed out.
“What should we do now?” asked Lena.
“Go to the hotel and tell Constance and Eloise they've found Cutty.” Sadie told her. “I'm sure they'll want to see him.”
“I don't understand,” said Apple. “If this is the man that saved everyone from the fire, then what is he doing way out on the prairie?”
“That's something we'd all like to know,” said Sadie. “Hurry along now, and I’ll join you as soon as I can.” With that, she quickly headed across the street to Doc Waller's.
“I say,” said Imogene. “But I shan’t ever get used to these Americans and their ways. Why would anyone save a bunch of women from a fire and then run off like a common criminal?”
“Obviously, we don't know everything,” said Fina. “And neither do the others, or they would know.”
“What a wonderful mystery,” commented Lena. “It would make a lovely play.”
“Still your tongues, ladies,” said Imogene. “From the sounds of it, the poor man they're bringing in is half-dead already.”
; “We meant no disrespect, cousin,” said Lena.
“Do remember not to make light of such things from now on,” said Imogene. “The people here will think you care nothing at all about them.”
“But we do care, cousin,” said Apple. “It's just that… none of us have ever dealt with death before other than father and uncle Leonard. Oh, and we mustn't forget cousin Charles…”
“I should say not,” huffed Imogene. “Let's go find Constance and Eloise, and tell them what happened.” The four set off down the street, Imogene in the lead, the others following like ducklings after their mother. When they reach the hotel they entered, and gasped in astonishment. They'd admired the outside only briefly before entering and though the building's exterior was exquisite, none of them were prepared for the lavishness of the interior.
“Can we live here?” asked Apple.
“It's beautiful,” breathed Fina. Why ever is it here?”
“The owner must be an idiot,” said Imogene. “It's the only explanation.”
“Idiot or not, cousin,” said Lena. “You have to admit, the man has taste.”
“I still say he's an idiot. Building extravagance such as this in a town with no one in it!”
Lena ignored her and walked to the front counter. Since no one was about, she rang the bell. The women waited a few moments and then heard footsteps descending the stairs. They looked up. “Eloise!” cried Lena.
Eloise stopped in the middle of the staircase and stared at them. “Lena? Apple? Fina!” She hurried down the rest of the stairs and grabbed the nearest cousin. “Fina! I'm so happy to see you! To see you all!”
Imogene stepped into their midst. “So you’re Eloise? Why, I've not seen you since you were in your nappies.”
Eloise studied the older woman, her eyes narrowed in concentration. “Cousin Imogene? Why, I thought you'd retired to India.”
“Obviously not,” stated Imogene.
“What ever are you doing here?” asked Eloise.
“Someone had to see to the girl’s safety and make sure they weren’t accosted on their journey here.”
“You accompanied them, by yourself?” asked Eloise in disbelief. “Surely someone else came with you?”
“Girl!” said Imogene in a huff. “Any woman capable of bringing down a tiger is also perfectly capable of bringing down a man.”