“Dianne’s just tired and lonely. She’s told me how hard she’s tried to befriend you all and how you snub her. Why would you do that, Delly?”
Cordelia frowned, clearly irritated at the use of her childhood nickname. “I told you not to call me that, and I’ve done nothing wrong. It’s your wife who refuses to act in a decent manner. Haven’t you even noticed that no one at church can bear her company? Why, you haven’t been invited to any of the important parties, and all because of her.”
“I haven’t even been invited to your house, Delly,” he said, emphasizing her name. “You and Laurel both seem to think yourself well above inviting the likes of a Montana rancher and his family into your homes.”
“Well … you must understand,” she began, “it’s your children. I have expensive pieces in the house; so does Laurel. Your boys are not known for their manners. They are constantly breaking things, and it’s a blessing Mother doesn’t have valuable pieces or she’d be sure to lose them.”
“What have the boys broken? I’m happy to replace anything they’ve been responsible for destroying.” He watched his sister as she darted her glance from side to side. It was clear she wasn’t comfortable with giving him examples.
“I cannot say what’s been broken. Mother was the one who spoke about it. I fear it would only further her grief if you were to mention it, however.”
“Still, you brought it up. There must be something of importance there or you would not have wasted your time.”
“Cole, please hear me out. Dianne is manipulating this situation, and when you aren’t around she is vicious and ill tempered. Mother is quite afraid of her.”
He laughed. “Now I know you’re lying. Mother isn’t afraid of anyone.”
“I’m not lying,” she declared, stomping her foot. “When you aren’t around, Dianne is positively horrid. I fear she’ll one day unleash her temper and then we’ll all suffer for it.”
“If she’s that bad, then I should get her out of here—leave and go home to Montana right away before she does someone harm,” Cole began. Cordelia’s face fell and she opened her mouth to speak, but he waved her off. “But you told me you wanted us to stay. Insisted that it was the only way Mother would keep from falling victim to some state of apoplexy. So now I’m completely confused. Are you demanding we stay or go?”
“I’m simply telling you that your wife is unruly and harsh. She needs to learn her place, and you need to put her in it before she hurts someone.”
“Cordelia, I have work to do. I’ll speak with Dianne tonight and see what she has to say about all of this, but honestly, I think I know my wife well enough to realize she isn’t capable of treating Mother with the kind of brutality you’ve described.”
Cordelia gave a loud huff and turned. “You’ll rue the day you didn’t intercede,” she called over her shoulder. “Mark my words. You’ll see.”
Her skirts swept the dirt as she stomped out of the barn.
Cole watched Dianne throughout that evening. She was nothing but gentle and kind to his mother. But could there be some element of truth to Cordelia’s words? He knew Dianne was unhappy, and in the past he had heard her deliver rather harsh words to his mother. But generally speaking, those were in response to his mother’s pointed comments.
By the time they retired for bed, Cole had tossed the subject around in his mind until he was sick to death of it. He felt like Dianne had changed so much since they’d lost the ranch, and yet who could blame her? Her entire way of living—a way she cherished—was gone. She had no chance to recover that loss because he had been unwilling to risk failure. He sighed and added more guilt to his already growing list of inadequacies.
“You were awfully quiet during dinner,” Dianne said as she came into the bedroom.
“I’ve had a lot on my mind. I wouldn’t mind discussing it with you, if you have a moment.”
“Of course,” she replied, appearing surprised that he should suggest such a thing.
Cole knew the days when they’d shared everything in lengthy discourse before retiring for the night were only vague memories. He missed that closeness and wished they could somehow recapture it. Maybe this was the way to start.
“My sister Cordelia came to me today. She was unhappy about the way you treat Mother yet was determined to talk me into staying here. She wants us to drop the idea of leaving in the spring.”
Dianne appeared to wrestle with her thoughts for a moment. She quietly went to the edge of the bed and sat down. “And what did you tell her?”
Cole was surprised that she didn’t offer any argument. He smiled. She truly appeared to be trying hard to keep her temper in line. “I told her we were going home in the spring.” Dianne smiled and looked to her folded hands while Cole continued. “She told me the doctor feared for Mother’s well-being if we left, but I find that hard to believe. Mother is quite healthy, and I see no reason to fear for her life.”
“They are awfully desperate. I suppose it might have something to do with the fact that you now own the farm,” Dianne said softly.
“But they know they have nothing to fear about that. I think they’ve decided how it should be and now they want me to toe the line.”
She shrugged and looked into his eyes. “I don’t understand any of them. They came to me the other day, angry and snarling about how awful I was to try to take you from them.”
“They did that?”
She nodded. “They told me I wasn’t being a good Christian wife because I wasn’t being obedient. They thought to have a battle of Scripture with me until I unloaded a half dozen on them in response.”
He laughed. “I can well imagine. I’ve never known anybody to memorize more Scripture than you.”
“I held my temper. I offered them cookies, then suggested tea … but still, Cole, they were ugly and rude to me.”
“I’m sorry, Dianne. To hear Cordelia and Mother tell it, it’s the other way around. It really puts me in a bad spot.”
“Why don’t you just tell them you’re going to sell the place?” she blurted out. “It’s your farm now. You own it; the lawyer had all the papers put in order. Tell your mother that she needs to go live with her daughters or even with us, although I can’t say I truly desire that be the case.”
“But you would tolerate it in order to get home to Montana, eh?” he asked with a grin.
“I’d let Satan himself take a back bedroom if it meant going home.”
“You don’t mean that,” Cole said, moving to where she sat. He reached out and gently pushed back strands of golden hair. He’d noticed she was starting to get a few gray hairs—no doubt they were the result of living in such disharmony. “I know you better.”
“Well, perhaps I wouldn’t go that far,” she agreed, “but honestly, Cole, you don’t have a great deal of time. Before you know it, it’s going to be time to prepare the fields. I heard Mrs. Meiers at church say they would begin burning off the fields in late February.”
“There’s no reason I can’t help with that. We probably wouldn’t head back home until April, maybe May. After all, most of the passes would be snowed in.”
Dianne frowned. “Cole, that’s a whole lot longer than I figured on. It’s already October. If we don’t return before May, we will have been here almost a year.” Her voice was edged with such sorrow that Cole could hardly bear it.
“Well, maybe we could try for March. Still, I could help with burning off the fields.”
“But why not just sell it now and go home before the heavy winter sets in? If you could find a buyer in the next couple of weeks, we could still get home before the weather turns too bad.”
He nodded. “Maybe I’ll mention it to Mother. If her health truly is bad, then she definitely should be in town closer to the doctor.”
“Exactly,” Dianne said, smiling again.
Dianne had to admit she liked the Kansas autumn. The trees were a riot of color and the days were such a contrast from the balmy warmth of summer.
Standing outside now, taking clothes from the line, Dianne felt a peace about her that hadn’t been there in so very long.
I don’t know why I let things trouble me so. Surely Cole will make things right. He’ll let his mother know that he wishes to sell the farm, and then we can all go home. Hopefully without his mother in our number. She giggled to herself and managed to drop a clothespin in the wake of her amusement. Bending to pick it up, Dianne was startled to hear the panicked cry of her son John.
“Mama! Mama! Come quick, Mama!”
She pulled up, forgetting the clothespin. “What’s wrong?” she asked her boy as he bolted across the yard.
“Grandma is hurting Lia. Hurry!”
Dianne easily outdistanced her son as they raced for the back door. Whatever is he talking about? Mary might not like the children, but would she actually seek to hurt one of them?
Dianne nearly pulled the screen door from the hinges as she rushed into the house. “Lia! Where are you?”
The girl’s cries could be heard coming from the dining room. Dianne made her way there and found Mary Selby striking Lia over and over. Without thinking, Dianne rushed forward and grabbed Lia’s arm, pushing Mary back as she did. For a split second Mary did nothing but sputter incoherent words. Then without warning she threw herself backward against the wall, screaming as she did. Landing in a heap on the floor, she began to weep.
It was then that Dianne realized Cole had stepped into the room behind her. Dianne could see that he was confused by what had just taken place. No doubt from his vantage point, he thought Dianne had thrown his mother to the floor.
“I can explain,” Dianne began.
“Don’t listen to her,” Cole’s mother said, her sobs now drowning out Lia’s. “I was only trying to discipline Lia for stealing.”
“Stealing?” Cole questioned. “Lia?”
Mary nodded and composed herself a bit. Dianne was certain it was only to make her words more audible. “I found my ruby brooch, the one Laurel and her husband gave me, hidden in Lia’s things.”
“Lia would never steal anything,” Dianne contradicted. “You are lying!”
“Dianne, silence,” Cole commanded. He went to help his mother up from the floor. “Mother, I can’t imagine Lia taking anything, but even so, why would you take meting out her punishment upon yourself?”
Mary moaned and cried out as Cole helped her into a chair. “I fear,” she said, sounding much weaker now, “that I’m injured. Your wife was merciless. Would you call for the doctor?”
John seemed to feel the need to defend his sister. “Lia didn’t take your old ugly brooch. I saw you put it in her things.”
Cole turned to his son. “John, you need to be quiet.”
“They’re all against me,” Mary sobbed into her left hand while her right remained limp in her lap. “I think my wrist is broken, and I’m having double vision. Perhaps I’ll die and then none of you will have to worry about me.”
Cole sighed. “I’ll get the doctor, but first let me help you to bed.”
“Don’t leave me with them!” Mary pointed her finger at Dianne and the children. “You saw what she did—at least in part. She hit me hard before you came and then threw me backward. What’s to keep her from smothering me in my bed? No, you’d best hitch the buggy and take me with you.”
“This is impossible!” Dianne declared.
“Dianne,” Cole warned, but she would not be silenced.
Dianne advanced on Cole’s mother. “I’ve taken all I’m going to take from you. You were beating my daughter. Not punishing or disciplining, but rather taking out your anger toward me on a helpless child. You are never to lay a hand on my children again, so help me.”
“Dianne, calm down,” Cole said in a low stern voice. “You shouldn’t have hit her. She’s just an old woman.”
Dianne threw him a look of disbelief. “I didn’t hit her. I only grabbed Lia away from her.”
“I saw the whole thing … well, I didn’t see the hitting, but …”
She looked into her husband’s eyes. He’d been convinced of her guilt without even allowing her to explain the situation. “If you side with her in this, I swear I’ll take these children and leave within the week.”
“Dianne, be reasonable. I saw most of it.” His voice was sad, almost resigned, and she wanted to scream. “Mother shouldn’t have hit Lia, but you shouldn’t have hit her. You certainly shouldn’t have thrown her backward. I’m going to get the buggy and take her to the doctor. Why don’t you go upstairs and we’ll discuss this when I get home.”
Dianne shook her head. “I’ve lived with this for months now. Her lies and your unwillingness to see the deceit of your family. Children, go upstairs.”
John quickly took hold of Lia’s hand and left the room. Dianne stared hard at Mary Selby for a moment. She could see the older woman’s delight in the way things had played out.
Turning from her, Dianne walked to the door. “Cole, I mean it. I’m going to make arrangements to leave by Friday. Either you come with us or stay here. It’s your choice.”
Dianne could hear Cordelia yelling even from upstairs. Seeking sanctuary in her small bedroom, Dianne prayed for the nightmare to end. Her own husband would not hear the truth. She tried to explain what had happened, but Cole felt he’d seen enough and it didn’t matter that Lia bore a swollen lip and bruised cheek. It only mattered that Dianne had supposedly harmed his mother.
Now Cordelia and Laurel had arrived to sympathize with their mother. Dianne could hear Cole trying to calm them, but they took turns yelling at the top of their lungs about the indecency of Dianne’s actions and how the sheriff should be notified.
Dianne felt especially bad for her children. The boys and Lia were congregated at the foot of her bed, wide-eyed and terrified.
“Mama, will they send you to jail?” John asked. “I can tell the sheriff that you didn’t hit Grandma. Even if Papa doesn’t believe me, the police will.”
“No one will send me to jail,” Dianne replied, not at all certain if she was telling him the truth.
“Will Grandma come and hurt me again?” Lia asked.
“No. No one will hurt any of you. I plan to sleep in your room with you,” Dianne said. “You three boys can sleep together in one bed. Lia and I will sleep in the other. Tomorrow we’ll go to town and get our train tickets so we can go home as soon as possible.”
“What about Papa?” Micah asked.
“Papa is making his choice tonight,” Dianne said sadly. “Papa may not come with us to Montana. If that happens, it won’t be because he doesn’t love you.” For all her anger at the way Cole had allowed himself to be manipulated, Dianne didn’t want the children to hate their father.
“It’s because of Grandmother Selby,” Luke said, his voice tinged with bitterness. “She’s a mean old woman.”
“Luke, that isn’t respectful. We may have had our difficulties with her, but God would still call us to respect her.”
“But she lied about you, Mama,” John said firmly. “I saw her. You didn’t hurt her. You didn’t hit her. You didn’t even make her fall.”
She nodded. “I know, John. And because you know what happened, maybe someday others will know the truth as well.”
“I hope Papa will come with us,” Lia said, slipping from the bed to come to Dianne. “I get sick on the train.”
“I know, sweetheart,” Dianne murmured and drew the child into her arms. “But we can’t stay here. We aren’t welcome anymore.” We were never welcome.
“Don’t try to stop her from going,” Cordelia insisted. “We want her gone.”
“She’s my wife and her place is at my side,” Cole countered. “If she should go, then I should too.”
Cordelia took hold of his arm. “You can’t mean to go now. Not with mother so terribly injured.”
He looked at his mother. She seemed completely without strength and very pale against her propped up bed pillows.
“She’s a dan
ger to Mother,” Laurel added. “You cannot allow her to threaten Mother’s life anymore.”
“I don’t believe she meant to harm anyone,” he said firmly. “To hear Dianne’s side of this—” “I don’t want to hear Dianne’s side of this,” Cordelia proclaimed. “She doesn’t deserve to have a say. I think we should send for the sheriff and have her arrested.”
“Really?” Cole said rather snidely. “You’d put my wife in prison and then expect that I would stay here? You’d best think again. If you do anything to harm her, I’ll take my family and leave now.”
“Please,” his mother said in a low moaning voice. “Please don’t leave. I’ve endured much worse.” She sounded weak, and Cole wondered how much damage had truly been done.
“She plans to leave,” Laurel stated firmly. “I say, let her go. Let her take her gamins back to Montana and let us go on with our lives.”
“Those gamins, as you call them,” Cole said angrily, “are my children. Children I am quite proud of. In fact, the only reason I dragged them across the country and brought them here was because of that pride. I wanted to share them with my family.”
“And you have. We all think they’re wonderful,” Cordelia said, trying to calm him. “But they aren’t civilized. They don’t know how to behave in school or church.”
“I’ve not seen them act inappropriately in church,” he replied. “If you have a report of this, then you should have that person with a complaint come to me—instead of taking it to my sister.”
Cordelia fidgeted. “Cole, the point of this is that Dianne has her mind made up to go. That might be for the best right now. She can always come back at a later date, perhaps after she’s had time to think about what she’s done.”
“I don’t think she did anything purposefully,” he reiterated.
“Well, we certainly can’t take a chance on that, now can we,” Laurel said. “I mean, after all, it could take Mother’s life … next time.”
Chester Lawrence had eaten as much dust as he could stomach while moving the cattle to winter pasture. He’d been glad to see that despite the drought and summer fires, the area he’d chosen for his cattle was in good order with tall, dried, undisturbed grasses. There was plenty of water too, although the river was down considerably from previous years.
Tracie Peterson - [Heirs of Montana 04] Page 16