Melinda Heads West

by Robyn Corum

  “Me?” said Mindy.

  “Yes. I’ve heard good things about you, and I have a feeling we’re going to get along famously. Come on in!” She led the way into a comfortable house, and gestured at her surroundings. “It’s not much, but it’s where we live. While you’re here, I insist you make yourself at home.”

  Mindy studied the older woman. She was dressed for company, but in a simple afternoon frock. It was a green on green dress with a large bustle. The sleeves had been rolled back and the front was lightly dusted in flour.

  “I see you’ve found my secret,” Mrs. Boone said, as she followed Mindy’s gaze. “I don’t believe in servants. I do my own cooking and cleaning. As a matter of fact, I’m running a bit late with our meal. Do you cook?”

  “I can find my way about a kitchen.”

  “Good! Then you’ll come help me!” Without another word, Mrs. Boone spun around and headed toward the hub of the house. “We’re having chicken and dumplings — I hope you like them. My broth is calling me; I need to drop in the dumplings. And if you don’t mind, I’ll let you peel tomatoes and pour the glasses.”

  Mindy sighed with relief. Activity! She didn’t know what she would have done if she’d had to sit on a starched sofa making inane conversation!

  Mindy jumped into the work and soon she and Mrs. Boone were chatting like old chums. Becky arrived, carrying fresh flowers from the garden. She gave them a good soak and began arranging them in a vase for the table.

  “Of course, I meant to have all this done before you arrived,” Mrs. Boone said, blowing a stray wisp of gray hair from her forehead. “But the best laid plans … ”

  “I understand,” Mindy said. “My mother is the same way. She tries to make everything perfect for company but ends up forgetting the most important things … Oh! I don’t mean that you … ”

  Mrs. Boone laughed. “You’re exactly right. The house got a good once-over, but here I am asking our company to help in the kitchen!”

  “I love it, actually. These tomatoes look wonderful and the dumplings smell delicious.”

  “Mrs. Boone makes the best dumplings in Marion County,” Becky said with pride.

  The trio made a good team and soon the ladies were seated at the dining table. Mrs. Boone said grace and they began to eat.

  Mindy made yummy noises, and both Becky and her mother grinned. “I told you they were the best dumplings!”

  “The green beans are delicious, too!” Mindy said. “How long have you been here?”

  “Oh, about twenty years now, I suppose. We moved here when Gary was about nine or ten. Becky wasn’t even born then.” Suddenly, Mrs. Boone seemed to realize what she had said and looked up to find Mindy’s curious gaze on her. “Of course. She wouldn’t have been. She’s years younger than Gary. I suppose she would have been … born … later. Don’t you think, Becky?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Certainly. I certainly agree.” Becky coughed. “Would you care for more tea, Mindy?”

  Mindy’s gaze traveled from one woman to the other. Something had made the two strangely uncomfortable all of a sudden. She placed her hands in her lap while they struggled with words.

  “I think Becky was born … near here. Weren’t you, Becky?” Mrs. Boone was saying.

  “Yes. Quite close. Yes.” Becky coughed again, a choking sound, and then said, “Mindy, won’t you have more dumplings?”

  Mindy’s eyebrows arched, but she said nothing.

  The meal passed without further disruptions and afterwards, the ladies adjourned to the living room.

  “Tell us more about you, Mindy,” Becky said. “All we know so far is that you were on the same stage as Gary when it had the wheel accident that left you all stranded. He came in with a head wound but had little to say about what happened or the people with him. You know how men are.”

  “Well, there’s not much to tell. I’m from a small town in Mississippi. I live with my mother and three brothers. I have three sisters who are married and I have three adorable nieces and nephews.”

  Mrs. Boone smiled at Becky and then said to Mindy, “I’ll bet you’re good with children. You have a very pleasant way about you.”

  “Oh! I love children. I’ve always wished for my own, but things have never quite worked out in that regard. I’ve never found a man that was suitable … or that found me suitable.” Mindy laughed. “I’m getting used to my ‘old maid’ status now.”

  “But you’re still a young thing! If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”

  “Twenty-three. Long on the shelf, I’m afraid.”

  “Not at all! As a matter of fact, I think I know someone who may be interested.” Mrs. Boone met Mindy’s gaze. “Someone close to you.”

  “Yes. Lucas seems to be a fine man. We’ve spent quite a bit of time in each other’s company. I like him very much.”

  “Lucas?” Becky and Mrs. Boone said together. “Who’s Lucas?”

  “The man who … ” Mindy paused. “But then, who were you talking about?”

  Mrs. Boone looked at Becky and then straightened her shoulders. “Mindy, there’s something you should know. Becky and Gary are not married.”

  Mindy gasped. She’d heard of these things before, but had never thought to run across it!

  “No, no!” Becky said. “I’m married, but not to Gary. He’s my brother.”

  Mindy glanced from one woman to another. Her red face flushed even more. She felt like the biggest sort of fool. “You mean … ? I’m not sure I understand.”

  Mrs. Boone looked at Mindy with gentle eyes. She stretched out a hand. “I don’t know why Gary would tell you such a thing. But there’s something else you should know. As his mother, I feel I know my boy very well, and I think — ”

  Mindy stood up. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d like to go now.”

  Mrs. Boone stood. “But, Mindy, please let me finish.”

  “I think I’ve heard enough. Perhaps I do understand … Boone is not married to Becky. The child I saw with him is not his own. He lied to me.”

  “But don’t you understand there has to be some reason? Boone — Gary — is not a liar by nature.”

  “I think I understand that, too.” Mindy said. “He didn’t want to tell me that he wasn’t … ” She looked at Becky. “I’m sorry. I’m feeling ill. Could you take me home?”

  “Of course.” Becky stood up and headed for the door. “It’ll only take me a moment to prepare the wagon.”

  Mrs. Boone started to speak, but Mindy cut her off. “I think I’ll wait outside if that’s all right. Thank you for a pleasant lunch.” Mindy held out her hand in a formal fashion.

  Mrs. Boone sighed. “Mindy, this is not at all how I had hoped today’s luncheon would go.”

  Mindy continued to stand with her hand out and Mrs. Boone accepted it. “Thank you for joining us, Mindy. I hope to see you again soon, perhaps under better circumstances.”

  Mindy turned and headed for the front porch. The air there felt stale and hot. She fanned herself with one hand, feeling a bit nauseated. As she waited for Becky and the wagon, she saw a rider approaching and could tell by the way he sat the horse that it could be no one else but her Tormentor.

  Boone stopped the animal in front of the house, slowly dismounted, and took off his hat. “Mindy.”

  Mindy nodded, but said nothing. She stared past his head into the distance, willing Becky to hurry, with her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

  Boone stepped up onto the porch. He held his hat in his hands, circling it. “I came to talk to you.”

  “I have nothing to say to you, Gary Boone.”

  “But Mindy, I didn’t mean for things to get so … ”

  “Well, they did, didn’t they?”

  Becky arrived then, tearing around the house with the wagon.

  “If you’ll excuse me?” Mindy marched down the stairs, lifting her blue skirt as she went. She climbed into the buggy, saying only, “Please take me home.”


  Becky looked back at Boone with daggers in her eyes. He shrugged and then threw his hat to the ground.

  Mindy maintained her dignity until she arrived back in her hotel room. There, she finally broke down, throwing herself on the bed and weeping until she had no tears left to cry.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  When Boone stepped into the house, his mother was waiting. “See what you’ve done!”

  “What I’ve done? She was fine until she came to lunch with you two!”

  “Gary Boone, you will not raise your voice in this house, and you certainly will not raise your voice to me. That girl will go home and cry her eyes out because you lied to her, not because we revealed it.”

  Boone’s shoulders slumped. “Well, what am I supposed to do? She’s being courted by a rich dandy who can offer her anything she wants. What can I give her?”

  “See there. I knew it! You care for her.”

  Boone slapped his hat against his leg. “Heck yeah, I care for her!”

  “What do you intend to do about it?”

  Boone looked up into his mother’s gaze. “Do you think she’d listen to me if I tried to explain?”

  “Probably not. But it sure wouldn’t hurt to try. I like that little girl, Gary. Now, you go get her.”

  Boone’s eyes turned hard. He set his hat back on his head with a determined shove. “Yes, ma’am!”

  • • •

  Mindy had dozed off. She awoke to a loud banging on her door. “What is it? Who’s there?” she called. She wiped her eyes and realized how puffy they were. She was so tired of crying!

  “It’s me, Mindy! Open the door!” It was Boone’s voice.

  “What do you want?” She hollered, tossing her leather journal at the wooden door. “Can’t find any children or animals to torture? You decided to come and torment me?”

  “No! Mindy, I’m not trying to torment you.” There was a dull thump on the door, as if he were leaning his head against it. “I don’t rightly know what I’m trying to do. But I need to talk to you.”

  “Well, talk!”

  “Through the door?”

  “If you’ve got something to say, say it. I’d just as soon not look at your face!”

  “All right then.” There was a long pause.

  “Well? Do you have something to say, or don’t you?”

  Boone exhaled. “Min, are you happy with Lucas?”

  “What?” Did she hear correctly?

  “Does he treat you right? Are you happy?”

  Mindy thought his voice sounded muffled. She rose from the bed and walked nearer to the door. “Yes, he’s good to me. Why?” A small sparkle started in her heart.

  “No reason, I guess. I just wanted to be sure.”

  Mindy jumped as a fist hit the door halfheartedly.

  “I want to know if he ever treats you bad. You deserve a good man, Min.”

  When she opened the door, Boone almost fell in. He looked pitiful and she knew for a fact she didn’t look any better.

  “Oh. Hi there, Min.” Boone took his hat in both hands and started circling it. “I’m sorry to barge over here like this, but I was worried about you. You know, after the way you left the house.”

  “You were worried about me?”

  “Of course I was. I could see you were all upset.” Boone rubbed his head. “I wanted to say that I’m sorry. That I lied to you. At first it was just to shut you up … you being a pain and all on the trail. You understand. But then I ended up with my britches hitched on my own pitchfork. I didn’t know how to fix things without looking like a fool.”

  Mindy crossed her arms and cut her eyes at him.

  “Like now, I reckon.” Boone shook his head. “I ain’t never talked to a real lady, Min. I don’t know the flowery things to say or the right words to use. I’m not like Lucas, all spit-shined and polished.”

  “Why on earth would you want to be like Lucas?” Mindy asked. If she didn’t know better, she’d think Boone was trying to tell her he was jealous. Imagine! Two men. She struggled to keep a smile from her face.

  “Never mind. The thing is … I care for you, Mindy. I’ve never cared for another woman the way I care for you. I’d like a chance to show you.”

  Mindy almost swooned. She stood for a moment with her mouth open. “But … Boone, I thought … ”

  “I told you I’m not too good with talking, Mindy.” Boone stepped forward and placed one hand on either side of her waist. He pulled her toward him, and before she knew what to expect, she was lost in his kiss. A long, dreamy, searching, foolish kiss. When he set her back, she stood dumbly. She couldn’t speak or think. Her eyes had glazed.

  Boone started to grin. “I guess Lucas doesn’t kiss you like that, does he?”

  Mindy drew back, realizing how forlorn she must have looked, now that the kiss had ended. She spat, “It’s none of your business what Lucas does or does not do!”

  “I’d say it is!”

  “Now how do you figure that?”

  “I just told you that I care about you. What else do you want? Flowers? Hard candy?” Boone kicked the doorframe. “I knew it was stupid coming over here like this. I told ma that — ”

  “What?” Melinda paled. “Gary Boone, did your mother set you up to coming over here?”

  “Well, it was her idea, but — ”

  “Then you go back and tell her it didn’t work! I don’t know what pleasure you get in tormenting me, Gary Boone, but I don’t care for it. Not one bit!”

  “I told you, Mindy … ” But the door slammed in his face.

  Mindy jumped again when a loud bang sounded on the other side of the wall. She waited a few moments and then opened the door and looked out. Boone was gone, but there was a huge fist imprint in the wall.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Boone secured one man to help with his mission and tried to think of a second. His thoughts kept coming back to Lucas. Admittedly, part of the reason would be to keep him away from Mindy for a few days.

  He found Lucas in a saloon on Main Street, flirting with one of the barmaids. His temper soared. Before he knew what he was up to, he had Lucas in a headlock in the middle of the dirty street.

  Lucas gave him an elbow to the ribs, and with a great, “Uumph!” Boone lost his hold. The two men circled each other but Lucas jumped first. He grabbed Boone by the waist and threw him to the ground. Boone reacted by throwing a roundhouse punch to Lucas’s jaw. The blow knocked Lucas aside and he lay there panting and holding the side of his face. He started to rise.

  This time, Boone jumped, throwing Lucas back to the ground; he gave Lucas several sharp blows to the face before the two were broken apart by a sheriff who had come running when the commotion started.

  “What in Sam Hill is going on here?” he demanded. “Don’t you two have anything better to do than scare the women and children of this town? I ought to lock you both up for ignorance!”

  Lucas pointed a dirty finger at Boone as he rubbed his jaw. Blood trickled from his nose and mouth. “He started it.”

  “I don’t care who started it. It’s finished now! Go on!” The sheriff was a no-nonsense older man. He had graying hair with a cowlick at the temple. His cheeks were flushed as he chastised the men.

  Lucas eyed Boone with hostility, but Boone shook the dirt off his pants and turned to leave. He gave Lucas a last look. “Treat her right, Lucas, or I swear I’ll come after you.”

  “All right, all right. We’ve said all we need to say. Now, go on!” The sheriff gestured with his hands.

  Boone had taken three steps in the opposite direction when he was tackled from behind. Lucas threw him to the ground and began pummeling his kidney.

  The sheriff stepped in again. “That’s it! You’re both headed off to jail. I can see you ain’t got this out of your system yet. We’ll just give you two little ladies time to think about it.” A deputy arrived, grabbing Lucas, as the sheriff helped Boone to his feet. He was favoring his right side.

  The s
teel doors clanged shut and the boys looked at each other from adjacent cells.

  “Are you happy now?” Lucas asked.

  “Naw, I ain’t happy,” Boone said. “Not when I see you cozying up to some other girl while you’ve been courting Mindy! She deserves better than that!”

  “It’s none of your business what she deserves! That’s between her and me!”

  “I’ll say it’s my business! You’re not the only one who cares for her!”

  Lucas’s mouth dropped open. Then he paused and a smile started, lifting the corner of his lips. “Well, ain’t that just too bad, friend. Because we know who it is she’s spending her time with, don’t we?”

  Boone lunged at Lucas through the bars but the blond man backed away, still smiling.

  “You better watch your back, Lucas. I’m waiting to see how you treat her.”

  Lucas lay back on the cot in his cell and tipped his hat down over his face. “Well, watching it ain’t the same as living it.” He chortled. “I think I’ll just get me some shut eye while you stew on the matter.”

  Boone started to punch the wall, but instead sat down on his own cot and gently tested the side of his stomach. It felt like Lucas had ruptured something!

  • • •

  Mindy heard about the fight at the mercantile later that morning. She marched down to the jailhouse with eyes that sparked.

  The two boys woke when they heard a familiar voice: “I tell you I want to see them, and I want to see them now!”

  The sheriff mumbled something under his breath, but soon preceded Mindy down the hall to the room where the boys were now standing.

  “I just want you to know that Boone here started the whole thing, Mindy,” Lucas said quickly.

  “I don’t give a fig which one of you started it! How dare you both shame me in front of the people of this town! Fighting like dogs over a bone! How’d you think this would make me feel?” She stared at each one in turn. She had her hands pressed firmly to her hips and looked magnificent. “I hope the sheriff leaves you locked up for a week!”