Shannon lifted her chin. “You wouldn’t be marrying Dan if not for the Corbetts bringing you to Lookout.”
“I suppose you’re right.” She leaned her head back and stared up at the ceiling. How could she be so happy when her friend was so miserable? “I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better.”
“There’s nothing anyone can say. I must set aside my feelings and move on. It’s not like I haven’t had my choice of men to marry.”
Leah chuckled. “How many proposals have you had so far?”
“Twelve. An even dozen. Just not the one I longed for.” Shannon sniffled, and the tears flowed again.
Leah tugged her into her arms and rubbed her back. “Everything will turn out fine. You’ll see.”
Shannon pulled back. “But how can it? I can no longer work for the Corbetts. And if I don’t, how will I get by?”
Leah thought a moment and then brightened. “I know! You can come to live with Dan and me. There’s an extra bedroom.”
Shaking her head, Shannon stood. “Thank you, but I’ll not live with a newly married couple, and I’ll not work with a man who’s spurned me.”
“Don’t be hasty. Let’s not make a decision in anger that you may live to regret.”
Shannon ducked her head. “Aye, you’re right. I should pray about these things, but I fail to see how I could ever work with Mark again.”
Jack ran all the way home, threw open the front door, and ran straight to the kitchen. When she didn’t see her ma, she panicked. Where was she? What if the outlaw that had kidnapped her had broken out of jail and come for her again?
Tears blurred her sight and burned her eyes and throat. She dashed into the bedroom, but she wasn’t there. “Ma!” she screamed.
“Jacqueline?” Quick footsteps sounded overhead, and Jack raced for the stairs as her ma reached the top steps. “What’s wrong? Where have you been?”
Footsteps sounded on the porch, and Jack froze. Would Luke be even more angry since she’d run away from him?
If she bolted for her ma, he’d catch her before she could get up the stairs. She turned and ran into the parlor, searching for a place to hide. She was much bigger now than when she’d hid from her other pa, but she dove behind the far side of the settee. Her heart beat like an Indian’s drum she’d once heard.
“What is going on, Luke?” Her ma’s voice sounded closer, as if she’d come down stairs—and it sounded angry.
“I have no idea. I found Jack locked up in my jail.”
“ What? Who would do such a thing?”
Jack took a deep breath and peered around the edge of the couch. Her ma looked madder than the chicken she’d dunked in the water barrel once.
Luke shoved his hand to his hips. “I’m pretty certain it was that Laird boy.”
“Why would he do such a thing?”
“I don’t know, but first thing in the morning, I’m riding over to find out.”
Jack sucked in a breath. What if Butch told Luke what she and the boys did? Would he believe that bully?
Her ma held up her hand. “Hold on a minute. What does that have to do with Jacqueline’s behavior just now? What is she afraid of?”
Luke shrugged. “I have no idea. One minute she was explaining what happened, and when I turned my back, she charged out of the jail like she was runnin’ a race.” He shook his head, looking perplexed, not at all mad.
Jack leaned back. Maybe she’d gotten things wrong.
Footsteps came her way, and she slinked back against the couch. “Come out of there, Jacqueline. You’re perfectly safe now.”
She swallowed hard. Luke was a big man, and if he decided to hurt her, her ma wouldn’t be able to stop him. Why hadn’t she considered that before?
“Let me talk to her, Rach.”
Luke stooped down in front of her. She had nowhere to go. Her breath caught in her throat. “What’s wrong, half bit?”
He reached out for her, but she turned her face away. She didn’t like seeing the hurt in his eyes. “Did I do something that scared you?”
She nodded but didn’t look at him.
“I’m sorry. Truly I am. Don’t you know I’d never hurt you?”
She turned and looked at him with one eye. She’d never been afraid of him before, at least not after she’d gotten to know him. His kind, brown eyes looked pained.
“I’m not like your other pa, and I wasn’t angry at you earlier. I was upset because of what that boy did to you. I love you, Jack. Don’t you know that?”
She did, and now she felt foolish for her behavior. What had gotten into her? “I’m sorry, Luke. I just saw you punching your hand in your fist, and it reminded me of when my old pa would hit me. I just got scared.”
“Come here, sweetie.” He held out his open hand. She stared at it a minute and then took it, and he swung her up into his arms. He nearly squeezed her guts out. Then he set her back down and stared at her.
“I’m telling you here and now, I will never hit you or purposely do anything to hurt you. Ever. So help me, God. Do you believe that?”
She glanced at her ma and saw the gentle smile on her face. Her mother nodded, and so did she.
“Good. I will tell you that there are times I’ll get angry”—he glanced up at her ma—“and maybe even at your mother, but I will never lose my temper to the point of hitting one of you. I don’t hit women, and I never will. Do you understand?”
Jack nodded, and knew he spoke the truth. “Sorry, Luke. I guess I was still upset about bein’ locked up.”
He smiled and stood, lifting her clear off the floor. Then he pulled her ma into his arms, and they all hugged. “We’re a family, half bit, and families stick together. I know that wasn’t how it was before your other pa died, but that’s the way of things now. Right, Rachel?”
“Yes, it is.”
“And whenever you’re ready, it would please me greatly if you’d called me pa.”
Jack scowled. She didn’t want to call him the same thing as her old pa.
“You don’t have to if it bothers you.” Luke’s eyes took on that worried look again. “It ain’t that.”
“Don’t say ain’t,” her parents said in unison.
She grinned. “I just don’t want to call you what I called him.”
Luke smiled and nodded. “I understand that. It’s perfectly fine if you just want to call me Luke.”
She could tell by his expression that it wasn’t really fine to him. “What about Dad? Or maybe Papa?”
“I’d like that…but only if you really want to.”
She nodded. “I think you look like a papa.”
Luke’s smile warmed her insides. “That sounds fine. Just fine and dandy.” He picked her up and swung her around in a circle. Laughter bubbled out of her, and she couldn’t remember ever being so happy.
CHAPTER 22
A knock sounded on Shannon’s open bedroom door, and she glanced up to see Rachel standing there. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“My head is throbbing in tune with that hammering.” She offered a weak smile as she stared out the window and down the street where the men of town were erecting the new store.
“It is loud with so many men pounding, but having a store again will be wonderful.”
“Aye, a town needs a store.” Shannon fingered the edge of the curtain, wanting to talk to Rachel about what had happened, about her feelings for Mark.
The boardinghouse owner crossed the room and joined her at the window. The scent of fresh wood filled the air, and the street resembled a hive of worker bees hard at labor. Someone bellowed out a laugh, and others joined in. They looked to be having a grand time.
Rachel touched Shannon’s shoulder. “I don’t want to pry, but did something happen in Denison? You’ve been down in the dumps since you returned.”
Shannon scowled, unsure what a dump had to do with what she was feeling. Now she felt the fool for having cared for Mark Corbett, and yet her heart still betrayed her. Why didn’t
anyone tell her that falling in love could be so painful?
“Well, I just wanted you to know that I’m here for you if you want to talk. I need to get downstairs. I’m making a mess of sandwiches for when the workers break for the noon meal.”
Shannon turned from the window. “Are you needin’ some help?”
Rachel smiled. “I could use another pair of hands, but that’s not why I’m here. I just want to be sure you’re all right.”
Shannon considered how years ago, Rachel had lost Luke, the man she loved, and married another. Perhaps ’twould help to talk to her. She stared at the older woman. Rachel was probably in her late twenties, a good ten years older than herself. But she had the look of a newlywed in love, not the harried boardinghouse owner and mother to a troubled child like she’d been when Shannon first arrived in town.
Shannon heaved a sigh and gazed at Rachel, wringing her hands. “I fear I have fallen in love with Mark Corbett, but he doesn’t want me.” Saying the words made her chin wobble and tears burn her eyes.
Rachel’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. “Oh dear.”
“Aye, you can see my problem.”
“Yes, but does this have anything to do with your trip to Denison? I thought you and Leah would have a good time shopping for her wedding supplies, but you looked miserable when you returned yesterday.”
Shannon nodded and drifted back to the window. Her gaze immediately located Mark, carrying a long piece of lumber with his brother. Her heart squeezed at the sight of him, and then she remembered he didn’t want her. She ducked her head. What had he found lacking in her?
Rachel took her hand and tugged her over to the bed. “Let’s sit for a minute. Maybe things aren’t as bleak as they seem.”
“I work for the man I’m in love with, and he stated that he’d never marry, so how do I now face him and interact with him each day? If I quit my job, I shall be dependent on the Corbett brothers or destitute. Things seem awfully bleak to me.” Shannon plopped onto the bed and sighed.
“I remember thinking the same thing. Luke had finally returned to town, but he wanted nothing to do with me. He refused to forgive me for past offenses, and then you and the other brides came to town. I was ready to sell out and leave.”
“You were?”
Rachel nodded. “Yes. I came within a hair’s width of selling this place.” Her gaze lovingly roved around the room.
“I can’t imagine anyone else owning this house. I’m glad you didn’t have to do that.”
“Me, too. But let me tell you that I firmly believe the good Lord has a plan for you in all of this. He brought you to Lookout for a reason.”
Shannon was afraid to let hope take wing. “You truly believethat?”
Rachel grinned and shook her head. “What’s hardest to swallow is that He used the Corbett brothers to get you and Leah to town.”
“’Tis a difficult concept to fathom. Why do you suppose He would do such a thing?”
“Because God loves you. He has a plan for your life even if things seem their darkest.”
“And you believe He brought me here to marry Mark?”
A loud cheer rose up outside the window, and the raised voices of happy men drew her attention for a moment. She longed to be part of the community, but so many people still looked at her as a mail-order bride who was found lacking.
Rachel shook her head. “I never said that. It’s possible that God wants you to marry Mark, but He could have brought you here for another man—or another purpose altogether. You need to spend time in prayer and seek God. Try asking Him why you’re here, and see what He says.”
Shannon rose and walked to the window. It took her a moment to find Mark talking to Jack. The girl smiled up at him and nodded her head. Rachel joined her and peered out. “What’s that girl up to now? I told her to stay out of the way.”
“I fail to see how Mark can do much with his hand in that cast.”
“You know, I just thought of something.” Rachel tapped her finger against her mouth. “Mark left Lookout for a time. I don’t know much of what happened because I had my own troubles back then, but I can tell you he was different when he returned. Quieter. More thoughtful and less reckless.”
“Sounds as if ’twould do his brother good to get away, if he’d return the same as Mark.”
Rachel chuckled. “I didn’t say it was a good thing. Something bothers Mark deep down, but I have no idea what it is. He doesn’t talk about it.”
Shannon pondered all that Rachel had said. Could she have truly been brought here for some greater purpose? She remembered her mother saying something similar about their coming to America, but that had tragically ended in her parents’ deaths. Couldn’t they have just as well died back in Ireland? Where would that have left her, though?
There were many more opportunities for an unmarried woman in America, even though life was still difficult. Prayer was what she needed. For too long, she’d been angry at God for taking her parents, but perhaps it had been His will for her to come to this grand country. And if it was, He would provide for her and give her direction—if she only sought Him.
“Well…” Rachel pushed away from the window. “Those sandwiches won’t get made by themselves.”
“Thank you for your time. I’ll be down in a few minutes to help you.”
Rachel smiled over her shoulder and walked out into the hallway. “You really don’t have to, but if you don’t mind helping, I won’t turn you down. A lot of men are out there, working up big appetites.”
Shannon nodded and closed the door. She knelt beside the bed and folded her hands. “Father God, I beg that You forgive me my trespasses. Forgive me for being angry at You and not seeking You as I should. Show me why You brought me to Lookout. And show me, please, if Mark is part of my future.”
The rocking chairs had been moved and makeshift tables set up on the boardinghouse porch. The pounding of hammers and men’s shouts across the street filled the air. Shannon set out a tray of sliced bread, while Leah rearranged the table to make room for the bowls of boiled turnips and buttered grits that the pastor’s wife had brought. One of the local ranchers had delivered a smoked pig, which Rachel and Jack had partially sliced earlier.
Standing back, Shannon surveyed the tables. Every manner of food one could imagine was on one of the four tables. Jack burst out the front door, carrying a large bowl of buns Rachel had baked. The screen door slammed against the house, jarring the tables and making Leah jump.
“Good heavens, girl. You scared a dozen years off me.”
Jack giggled and set the buns by the sliced bread. “You’d better not be wasting any years. You’ll be a wife soon, and they work hard.”
Leah smiled. “I will be married soon, won’t I?”
Shannon nodded, enjoying the lightheartedness after the traumatic events in Denison. Her time of prayer this morning had helped her calm down and focus on the task at hand. Staying busy certainly helped keep her mind off her heartaches. She walked over to the porch rail, lifted her hand to shade her eyes, and looked for Mark. Men hustled here and there, carrying boards, hammering, sawing. There must be twenty men or more, yet they worked as a unified team. How did they each know just what to do?
She shook her head, impressed with their organization. The aroma of fresh-cut lumber scented the air, and the two-story skeleton of the new store was standing, straight and tall. The first story was framed in, and men were already attaching boards to the side walls. She supposed the new owner would be living up above the store.
Rachel strode out the door and walked past each table, surveying everything. The women of the town who had donated food stood in small groups on Bluebonnet Lane, watching the men work and talking. Rachel moved a plate to make room for a last-minute arrival, then clapped her hands. The ladies pivoted in unison and quieted.
“I do believe we are ready to eat. Shall we gather the men?”
“I’ll get them, Ma.” Jack shot off the end of the porch
, not even bothering to use the steps. The girl had begged her mum to let her wear her overalls today so she could help Luke work on the store.
Rachel shook her head. “That girl should have been a boy.”
The crowd chuckled. Shannon leaned on a porch post and watched Jack find her new da in the group. He smiled and patted her on the shoulder, then turned to the men and yelled, “Dinner is ready.”
A masculine cheer rang out. Most men set aside their tools and headed for the women, but a couple finished their hammering first. Husbands found their wives and turned toward the packed tables. Shannon felt left out as she watched a man swoop down and steal a kiss from his beloved. Mark stood at the back of the line with several unmarried men. He said something to his brother, then slapped his shoulder, and the whole group laughed. She was glad they were having a good time.
Leah found Dan among the men and pulled him over to the food line. Shannon heaved a sigh. ’twas such a melancholy thing to watch her good friend find love and prepare for her wedding while her own heart was breaking. She hung her head. How did one get over caring for someone who didn’t care for them?
“Um…excuse me, ma’am. Could I slip past you so’s I can get a couple of those fine dinner rolls?”
Shannon glanced up into the blue-gray eyes of a local rancher who’d attended the Saturday social. “Pardon me.” She scooted back against the porch railing and allowed him to pass her.
He grabbed two buns and laid them atop the mountain of food on his plate. He turned and smiled, then touched the brim of his hat with his fingertips. “Rand Kessler, ma’am. I don’t suppose you’d care to dine with me?”
His unexpected invitation stunned her, but she was in no mood for masculine company. “Well, uh, I need to refill the bread when it dwindles down.”
His cheeks turned a ruddy red, and he ducked his head. “How about saving me a dance at the next social?”
Shannon forced a smile. He was a nice man, and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Her heart wasn’t in dancing at all, especially with someone other than Mark, but what did it matter now? “Aye, ’twould be my pleasure.”
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