by Nan O'Berry
“Head up,” Max called and gave a snap of the reins against the chestnut’s rump and the horse leaned into the collar to pull the buggy forward.
“I bet you’re excited to see Rattlesnake Ridge,” Melinda leaned over and whispered.
Callie didn’t say a word, she merely gave a nod.
The wind was blowing from the southwest and it caught the scent of soap from Max’s skin. She breathed deep hoping to keep that as a lasting memory. Winding down the trail from the ranch, they crossed over the stream that fed the big meadow. The trail fed into a wider path.
“This is used by the wagons going up to the lumber operations,” Melinda explained. She pointed to the gap between the rise of the hills. “We’ll go through that and then down to the valley where the town sits.”
As the wagon wound down to the outskirts of town, she could see a flurry of activity. Folks walking along the boardwalks, others riding their horses, still more were in buggies or wagons, yet all were headed in a singular direction. Above the buildings on Main Street, she spotted the tall steeple of the white church.
Bethany turned to speak to her, “Our town seems to be having another one of its growing spurts.” She pointed to the building on the right. “That’s the records office and this house coming up on the left, across from the bank is the boarding house run by Miz May.”
Callie swallowed as they moved closer. It was a nice building, but it wasn’t as homey as the Barringer ranch. A sudden pang of homesickness swept through her. It would be hard to leave the place she’d grown to love. “Can I open an account at the bank?”
Bethany paused. “You can, but keep a good account of your sums. Sometimes they are a little off.”
Her comment made Max give a gruff laugh.
They turned onto another wide street.
“What’s that building on the corner?” Callie pointed to the right.
“That’s the saloon.”
Callie could feel the heat rise in her cheeks. “Oh.”
Max guided the surrey to the front of the church. The ladies waited while Augustus and the others dismounted. Bethany was the first to depart, escorted toward the church by Augustus. Red helped Melinda down and offered her his arm.
Callie scooted to the edge of the surrey and looked up expecting to see the second drover. Instead, Max waited patiently.
For a moment, they stared into each other’s eyes. A multitude of regret surfaced. She wondered if he knew just how hurt this all made her feel.
“Callie.”
Her name rolled off his lips making her heart ache. Be brave, she told herself and held out a tentative hand.
Max reached for it and the warmth of his touch swirled up her arm, creating a desperate need for his closeness. She leaned out and pressed the toe of her shoe against the metal brace. His hand moved to her waist forcing her to place both against his shoulders as Max lifted her down. For a brief moment, she held on longer than necessary, her strength gathered, she pushed away.
“Callie,” he murmured.
The sorrow filled tone of his voice made her ache once more for his touch.
With a shake of his head, he offered her his arm.
She placed her palm upon the sleeve of his jacket and they walked toward the group gathered by the steps.
“Callie, I’d like for you to meet our church leader, Reverend Alistair Brown,” Bethany said as she pulled Callie to stand beside her. “Reverend Brown, this is our guest, Caledonia McBride. She’s traveled all the way from Richmond to be with us.”
“Ah, well aren’t you a bonny lass.” He smiled and shook her hand. “Welcome to Rattlesnake Ridge. I hope you’ll be staying.”
“For a while,” Callie replied.
“My wife, Adeline.”
Callie turned toward the formidable woman standing beside him.
Her grey hair pulled back in a bun at the nape of her neck gave her an austere appearance, however the green eyes that stared back at her carried a hint of laughter. “We are pleased to have you here today, my dear. I hope you enjoy the service.”
“I’m sure I will.” Callie suddenly regained her composure. “I’d love to talk to you in the coming days,” she murmured.
“Oh?” Adeline’s brows arched.
Callie leaned forward. “It is about matters of the heart.”
Adeline glanced back to Max. A bemused expression pulled the edges of her lips upward. “Oh, I can imagine what it might be about. Will you be in town?”
She glanced at Max before looking back to Mrs. Brown. “Yes, I plan on taking a room at Miz May’s.”
Her answer earned her a scowl from the tall man just behind her.
The toll of the bells began and the congregation, including the Barringer’s moved inside the church.
Callie found herself wedged in between Mrs. Barringer and Melinda as they moved down the center aisle.
Midway of the chapel, Mrs. Barringer stopped and pulled her daughter in front of her. “Go down to the end,” she instructed.
Melinda glanced at her mother, then slid into the pew. Mrs. Barringer followed.
Callie moved in and as they sat down, she realized Max was seated next to her, followed by his brother. The other wranglers moved behind them. For a small church, there was a good turnout, nearly every seat was taken. Callie watched as Mrs. Brown moved forward and took her seat in the first row.
“Here,” Bethany pressed a hymnal into her hand.
Callie took it only to find Max balancing the other side. His nearness unnerved her. She tried to concentrate but found her mind drifting back to the man beside her. So lost in thought, she nearly missed the cue to stand. Once again, Max’s steady hand came to the rescue.
I must look at something else.
She gazed between the heads and shoulders and watched the young woman skillfully move her hands across the keys of the upright piano. A group of six men and women stood to the right and began the hymn. Max’s voice was beautiful, bringing tears to her eyes. When the song was finished, they sat down and Callie had to wipe the moisture from her lashes. Someone pressed a white linen handkerchief into her palm. She glanced to her right.
Max gave her a soft smile.
Look at the colored glass.
Callie concentrated on the way the light fractured as it came through the colored glass behind the pew.
Reverend Brown moved through the calls for prayers for the sick, the need for help on ranches and just as he was about to open his sermon a ripple of whispered rocked the congregation. Every head turned, including her own, as a tall man wearing a blue suit, walked in with a beautiful woman on his arm. He spoke to a man three pews behind them. The man scooted down and he allowed the woman to take her seat with his being on the end.
Callie heard Bethany Barringer utter a small gasp.
Max tensed.
“I’m so glad we can all be here together,” Reverend Brown began, drawing the attention back to the front of the church. “I want to bring your attention this week to the words of inspiration found in the book of Ruth. Famine struck the land and many died. One such was the husband of Naomi and her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah.”
Callie felt her heart go still. She’d heard this story many a time in Virginia.
Reverend Brown continued to tell the story, the words that Naomi spoke echoed, “It is better that you return home where you can find husbands and fulfill your destiny. But, as we know, Ruth insisted on staying. It was her courage and loyalty to both God and Naomi that opened up the path for her to find a loving husband in Boaz.”
Callie tried to swallow. The words he spoke seemed to be leveled right at her.
“We’ve had many come from all over this great land to become wives and mothers, for filling their dreams and helping to breathe into this town the gift of life.” Reverend Brown walked around the pulpit, his smile growing. “And ladies, we thank ye, for there is nothing worse than a town which is not grounded in the common decency of a loving hand. Men, look at thos
e who have chosen to give their life to you and remember those vows to love honor and to cherish. Strength in family will settle this land.”
He moved back behind the pulpit.
Yes, I came here to marry. I must be loyal. I must remember why I am here.
Callie felt her feet find firm ground.
“I want to take a moment and recognize our newest citizen.” Reverend Brown smiled. “Most of you know, Seth Nolan.”
Callie’s head jerked. How did he know?
“A fine young man, a few weeks ago he went away on ranch business.”
Yes, yes, just what Max told me. Callie’s heart began a rapid hammer against her ribs.
“Well, it has come to my attention, that he has found his heart’s desire.”
Callie’s hand was on the back of the pew in front of her.
“Dear friends, please welcome the newest member of our community….”
She scooted to the edge of the bench.
“Callie, no,” Max hissed.
She stood.
“Mrs. Ida Nolan.”
Callie gasped.
She turned as all eyes gazed up her, then the woman standing three rows back. Bewildered, she watched as the tall man in the blue suit rose and lifted the woman’s hand to his lips.
“We congratulate you, Seth.”
Her legs gave way. Callie collapsed onto the wooden seat.
“Callie. Callie, I’m sorry,” Max whispered.
Stunned, she turned to stare at him. “You knew. This is why you kept me on the ranch. You knew!”
Max tilted his head as if to shake no, then paused. “It’s not what you think?”
She swallowed. “What am I to think?” Her gaze searched his. “This was all a joke wasn’t it?” Her breath came in quick gasps.
“No, Callie, no,” Max began.
Her gaze searched for a way out. The closest was past Bethany. “You made a fool of me, Maxwell Barringer.” The words came out louder than she intended.
Silence filled the church.
Rising, she shoved past Bethany and her daughter. They reached for her hand and she jerked it free. She had to flee.
The sound of Max rising to his feet echoed.
“Callie, wait.”
But she didn’t. Tears blinded her, but she moved with the greatest speed she could muster.
“Callie!” he called again.
But she had found the door. Pushing with all her might, she flung the barrier open and rushed into the town beyond.
* * *
“Go after her,” Bethany hissed grabbing Max’s hand as he stood staring at the open door to the church. “Don’t stop until you bring her back.”
His mother’s urgings forced his feet to move. “Excuse me.” Max forced his way past his brother and into the main aisle.
He didn’t break eye contact with the door until Seth grabbed his arm.
“Max? What’s going on?”
“Tell you later.” He pushed Seth’s hand away.
Continuing on, Max moved onto the steps of the little church but to his surprise, the street was empty.
“Where could she have gone?” He glanced to the rail; however the horses that belonged to the ranch were still in place.
“Callie,” he called and hurried down the steps. “Callie, speak to me.”
* * *
She wasn’t sure where she was going; only that she had to get away. Tears blinded her. One hand holding her skirt, so she wouldn’t trip, the other grabbing post to post along the boardwalk as she ran along.
“He knew,” she sobbed.
The boardwalk ended and she stumbled as her feet adjusted from the wooden surface the uneven turf of the ground. “Oh, how they must have laughed.”
She paused and blindly glanced around. Where could she go? Who would help her? “I came in from the east. I can go back to Carson City.”
She turned around only to run into a solid object.
“Whoa now.” A kind voice and someone grabbed her arms. “What’s a pretty young thing like you doing running headlong into trouble?”
Callie held fast to the arms that braced her. Blinking to clear the moisture, she focused on the Silver Star displayed proudly on the left side of his vest. “C-can you help me?” she stammered.
“Yes, yes of course, Miss. Come with me.”
Chapter 15
“Now sit right down here,” the man’s voice soothed her as he led her into a building and to a chair before his desk.
Callie sank onto the wooden seat and pressed the linen to her face. “I feel like such a fool.”
“Well now, if you are a fool, you’re the prettiest one I’ve ever seen.”
She hiccuped and watched as he poured a cup of coffee.
“Here now, it’s hot.”
“Thank you,” she murmured and took the thick stoneware mug.
The man was right. The coffee was hot; it nearly burnt her tongue as she took a tiny sip.
“Now, tell me what’s going on.”
“I don’t even know who you are?”
He smiled. “Names Jim McCullough, I’m the sheriff of Rattlesnake Ridge.”
“Sheriff.” She nodded, as the name rang a bell. “I need to make a complaint.”
“All right.”
She waited while he opened a drawer and drew out a sheet of paper. Picking his pencil, the sheriff poised it over the paper and asked. “Now, what is the problem?”
“I’ve been wronged,” Callie began.
The man behind the desk stilled.
“I was brought here to marry Seth Nolan,” she paused. “Or I thought I was.” Callie pressed a hand to her temple. “But it can’t be, you see, he’s already married.”
“Easy now, just start at the beginning and tell me who, what, and where.” He pulled out a handkerchief and held it out to her.
Callie took it and blew her nose, then she took a deep breath. Slowly, she began to relate to the officer of the law what had happened.
* * *
Most of the congregation stood on the steps or gazed back at Max from below the steps.
“How did this happen?” Seth Nolan demanded.
“It happened because your hands think a lot of you.” Max grimaced. “They decided that you needed a wife and set about to find you one.”
Seth Nolan looked around the group and noticed three cowboys, heads bent trying to meander away from the church.
“Lou. Teddy. Dill.”
At the sound of his voice, the three men increased their strides. They would have made it to their horses, except for the tall man with the star who stepped around a wagon.
“Hey there boys, what’s the rush?”
Lou slid to a stop.
The other two men bounced into him unable to halt their forward motion.
“Don’t let them get away,” Seth called out.
“No, no I don’t intend to,” McCullough called back. “Gentleman, if you’ll hurry back to the church.”
Heads down, the three reluctantly moved back toward the gathering.
Seth came down the steps to meet the sheriff. “Jim, it seems my wranglers are in a bit of trouble.”
McCullough gave a sharp laugh. “I’d say, they were in a lot of trouble.”
A second set of boots hurried down the church steps. “Sheriff, I need you to help me find someone. She’s new here and I’m afraid she’ll get lost,” Max rambled.
“Does she stand about five foot two? Have blonde hair and a broken heart?”
Max nodded.“You know where she is?”
“I do.” He looked over to Bethany. “Ma’am.” He touched his hat. “I think you ought to come with Max.” He glanced over at Reverend Brown. “Reverend, since Winthrop isn’t in town today, you too.”
“Certainly.”
With Nolan herding his wranglers, Bethany, Max and Ida followed along with the sheriff and the minister and his wife.
Samuel Langhorne seized the opportunity to join in the procession. “
So tell me, Max, what’s going on?”
“Don’t answer that,” McCullough called back. “You just might perjure yourself.”
Max clamped his mouth tight.
Reaching the sheriff’s office, McCullough opened the door and ushered the main group inside. As Langhorne tried to enter, the sheriff put a hand to his chest. “Not right now.”
“But the public has a right to know,” Langhorne demanded.
“And they will,” McCullough winked. “It will be the story of a lifetime.” Pushing the newspaper man back, he entered and shut the door. “Everyone sit tight for a moment.” The sheriff moved to the front windows and pulled the shades down so that the faces peering in could not see what was going on.
Bethany hurried across the room to where Callie stood her back to all of them and placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “Callie, honey, are you all right?”
She nodded.
“We were so worried when you left.”
McCullough crossed to his desk and picked up a set of keys. “Lou, Teddy, Dill if you’ll follow me.”
The three forlorn cowboys shuffled their boots against the floor as the sheriff led them through the heavy doors to the cells. The keys clanked against the metal locks which squealed when opened. “Go in, have a seat.”
The three walked through and turned to watch McCullough close the doors with a bang.
All eyes were on the sheriff as he moved to his desk and sat down.“Gentlemen and ladies.” He nodded to the women. “We have a problem. This young woman has been brought here under false pretenses. She was under the illusion that she was to be a mail-order bride for one Seth Nolan.”
Lou called from the back. “Sheriff. Sheriff, it was my mistake, Sheriff.” He stepped forward and hung his arms through the bars. With a quick glance at Callie, he began. “We – me and the boys,” he clarified. “We thought if ole Seth got interested in a wife, we’d have a few extra hours off to play hand of cards….or something. We didn’t mean no one no harm.”
“Hmm,” Sheriff McCullough murmured as he sat back in the heavy wooden chair. “So how did you get her here?”