CantrellsBride

by Suzanne Ferrell

  “The poor thing.” Laura had stopped working to listen to his tale.

  “Apparently Burnside fell in love with April while she recuperated at his ranch. He married her without a thought about Henrietta’s feelings. Henrietta became enraged, even going so far as to start a near war with her former lover’s ranch over grazing rights. To avert the impending bloodbath, her father arranged a marriage for her with an old family friend from back East.”

  “Didn’t it work out?”

  Nathan shrugged. “Depends on how you look at it. They’ve been married a long time. Josiah Tate is a strong and independent man, but he had the misfortune to fall head-over-heels for the domineering and formidable Henrietta, who can hold a grudge longer than the Hundred Years’ War. Because of his devotion, he’s allowed Henrietta to continue the feud.”

  Laura had determined the best way to approach the woman was to convince her that if she supported the school she would be placing a thorn in Burnside’s skin. Once she had her school, she planned to convince the two of them to sit on the school board in charge of hiring the teacher. A feud that had lasted twenty years was long enough for her.

  He’d admired her tactics too. She’d gone in looking completely harmless. She’d gotten Tom to drive her out on Friday and taken a large chocolate cake as her ammunition. He’d wished he could’ve been there to hear the conversation, but Tom had filled him in on how easily Laura had used Henrietta’s grudge to get her support for the school.

  Now they were on their way out to Burnside’s ranch, The Circle B, to get the last name she needed on her petition. This time she didn’t go bearing food gifts. She’d waited until after church to ask him to ride out with her. In her saddlebags she had a fully signed petition to hammer out some sort of agreement with the last obstacle in her path.

  David Burnside—a large man, well over six feet tall and at least two hundred and fifty pounds, with a face worn and weathered from hours spent out in the sun working his ranch—met them at the entrance of his property. “Cantrell.” He nodded at them in greeting.

  “Burnside.” Nathan nodded back and reached out to shake hands.

  “This your new wife?”

  “Laura, this is Dave Burnside. Burnside, my wife Laura.” He inched his horse a little closer, keeping himself between Laura and the crusty old rancher. He’d be damned if he’d let the man insult her in anyway.

  Laura gave him a questioning look, then extended her hand. “I’m very glad to meet you, Mr. Burnside.”

  “I’ll just bet you are, little lady.” He shook her hand briefly, then settled back in his saddle. “Seems you’ve been stirring up half the county over a school. Heard tell you’ve been out to see that old battle-ax Henrietta Tate. But you need my vote on the town council to get the thing built, right?”

  “Yes, I do. I’m glad you wish to get right to the matter. I don’t believe in talking around a subject myself. I do need your help in setting up a school for the children. I already have Mrs. Tate’s support. It would be a shame that your personal feud with the lady would keep you from assisting the town in so dire a need. I believe it’s time for your feud to end, don’t you?”

  Nathan inched his horse forward again. Burnside needed reminding that Laura was his wife and the man would show her respect no matter how much she chose to stick her nose into his personal business.

  “Just ease yourself down there, Nathan. I don’t mean to be anything but polite to your woman.” He held a hand up as a sign of peace. “Little lady, I’d like nothing better than to have this feud come to an end. Never wanted it in the first place. If that means starting a school with Henrietta, then I guess that’s what I’ll do.” He took off his black hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead, then ran his hand through his salt-and-pepper hair before putting his hat back on. “My wife begged me for years to end this thing, but I was too stubborn to listen to her. Last spring she passed away and her last words to me were to make my peace.”

  The older rancher paused a moment. Something passed over his features and Nathan read the sorrow in his eyes.

  “There’s nothing in this world I want more than to fulfill her wishes.” He swallowed back the emotion in his voice and looked over his ranch. “You can count on me to vote in favor of this school at the council meeting on Tuesday, ma’am.”

  Without another word, he turned his horse and galloped away from the stunned pair.

  * * * * *

  “You’re going to do just fine, darlin’,” Nathan said. Adjusting Rachel to his left arm, he tucked Laura’s trembling hand in the crook of his right. He led her up the church steps where the town council held their monthly meetings.

  “I’ve never given a speech before.” She stopped in front of the closed church doors to take a deep breath. “And I’ve never had to address a room full of men.”

  “Remember you nursed half the men in here through the measles. That alone gives you the right to speak in front of them.” He squeezed her hand and winked at her. “Besides, anyone who gets out of line will have to deal with me.”

  She laughed nervously at his words, then nodded. “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

  He opened the door and they were both surprised by the number of people—men, women and children—who’d packed into the pews. Several families stopped them as they walked toward the front of the church, each thanking Laura for visiting them at their farms.

  Sarah waved from the front pew and scooted over to make room for them. Frank sat at the table with the other council members. The council was called to order and began their meeting. After a few minutes, the floor was opened for new business. Laura was recognized to speak and she proceeded to the center of the room so she would be heard by all in attendance.

  “Gentlemen,” she began in a cultured voice. “I wish to thank each one of you for taking the time to listen to our petition. As a wife of a landholder and voter, I ask that this petition that I’m passing around to you, for a community school, be put before the council for a vote. As you can see, many of the voting men in the town have already agreed to support a school. I’ve personally visited many of the families with children and can testify to the great need this community has for such a school.”

  When she first began to speak, there were a few derisive comments by the rowdier single men in the crowd. Nathan stood and glared at each one until they settled down. He seated himself to listen to his wife’s speech. Laura went on to outline the reasons for the school, as well as a tentative spot to be set aside east of the town.

  His pride in her doubled as she stood before the men of the council speaking with a confidence he knew she didn’t really feel. When she’d practiced her speech after supper that evening, she’d thrown up twice, but her desire to aid all the town’s children overrode her own fears.

  She spoke eloquently and passionately about the needs of not only the town’s children, but the farm children and the poor children as well. When she finally finished, so moved were people that there wasn’t a sound in the church.

  After she took her seat next to Nathan, he took her hand in his. She still trembled but she’d faced her fears. He’d never been so proud of anyone in his life. The council thanked her for her speech then began their discussion. Someone argued that the town couldn’t afford to pay a teacher, even if a school was built.

  Laura stood at her seat. “I’ve had an idea how the town could raise money for the teacher. If we held barn dances and charged for everyone to attend, we should be able to raise enough money for the teacher’s travel expenses and salary. We could even invite people in neighboring towns to attend.”

  Bobby Bailey stood from his seat near the church’s rear. “I hope this don’t offend anyone by me mentioning it in the church, but I’d be happy to have a gaming table at the dances. Now before anyone thinks I’d be making any money off of it, I’d donate all the money to the schoolteacher.”

  “Why would you want to do such a thing, Bobby?” Frank asked, and several oth
er council members nodded as if they were thinking the same thing. “It’s not like you have any young’uns who would be going to the school.”

  “Mrs. Cantrell was kind enough to care for me and my girls when we were sick. The best way for me to repay her is to help get this school goin’.”

  The room burst out in applause as Bobby took his seat.

  Mrs. Hillman stood to speak, despite the quelling look her husband shot her from his seat among the council members. “The ladies’ sewing circle will sell off a quilt at each barn dance with all the proceeds to go to the teacher’s salary as well.”

  More applause filled the room.

  David Burnside looked around the other council members to his counterpart, Josiah Tate. “Josiah, what do you say we both supply the beef for a barbecue. We could donate the money from food sales to the school too.”

  Tate didn’t even glance at his wife before answering. “Sounds like a fair idea, Dave. You can count on the Green Valley Ranch for that.”

  Burnside sat back in his seat and winked at Nathan and Laura. He knew as well as Nathan that his wife had gotten what she wanted, a school and teacher for the town. And Dave had made the first overture to peace between the two ranches.

  With the efforts of all the people in the town volunteered, the council had no choice but to vote unanimously to build a school that all the children could attend free. The vote was followed by much shouting, backslapping and hugging as the council adjourned. Nathan waited patiently for Laura to be congratulated by nearly all the people in the room before he could gather her and Rachel off to the farm. He stood silently by watching her blush under all the attention. She even treated the saloon girls in attendance with as much open affection as she did her friends from the sewing circle.

  When the single cowhands began to circle her, he’d had enough. With his powerful frame he cut a path through them to rescue her from their attention. The look of relief on her face made him smile. She’d just challenged the entire town to take responsibility for their children and yet she’d become embarrassed under all the praise she received from the people she’d helped.

  Once they were in their wagon and traveling back to the farm, Nathan glanced at his wife. She sat with her arms wrapped protectively around Rachel and she stared off into the clear spring night. He’d come to appreciate her so much. His first wife never would’ve put herself out for him or his daughter. Laura was capable of giving to remote strangers without understanding how much she’d touched their lives.

  Yes, the good Lord knew what he was doing when he sent this woman to be my wife. He reached over and pulled her closer.

  “Preacher Abernathey volunteered his barn for one of the barn dances,” she said after a few minutes.

  “He probably did that just to be sure no drinking took place.”

  She laughed. “Yes, you’re probably right.”

  They rode in silence for a few moments listening to the sounds of frogs and crickets filling the night air around them.

  “Laura, I want you to know how proud I was of you tonight. No, don’t interrupt me,” he said, rubbing her shoulder as she started to protest. “I gave you a pretty hard time when you first arrived here, but I’ve come to be honored that you chose to stay. The way you decided to go after getting this town its school amazed me. I know I wasn’t very supportive of it at first, thinking you might cause more trouble than it would be worth. I have to admit you handled the entire project with more businesslike efforts than I thought possible.”

  Before she could protest, he leaned over and kissed her with all the tenderness he could. Then he broke the kiss and focused his attention on driving the team, his thoughts on how to convince this woman she was meant to stay by his side for the rest of their lives.

  * * * * *

  “My, don’t you look pretty today?” Laura finished tying the blue ribbon around the braid she’d woven into Rachel’s hair. For the past month she’d carefully coaxed the little girl into bathing every night and letting her comb the years of tangles slowly out of her dark hair. Today she’d dressed Rachel in the blue and white gingham dress she’d made.

  “Now I’ll just get my shawl and we’ll go meet your daddy at the wagon.” She tossed her shawl over her shoulders and nervously patted her hair.

  Tonight was the first barn dance to raise money for hiring the schoolteacher. She’d baked three of the chocolate cakes Nathan loved so much to sell along with the other desserts at the party. She’d never been to a dance so she’d felt a little queasy all day, but this was her idea, and she was determined to see it through.

  “Do you want me to carry you or do you want to hold my hand and walk like a big girl?” She held her breath for a moment waiting to see what Rachel would do.

  When she walked over and slipped her hand in hers, Laura couldn’t stop the tears from filling her eyes. “Sweetie, your daddy is going to be so surprised. Should we go show him how grown-up you are?”

  Rachel nodded and they headed down the stairs and out to where Nathan stood waiting by the wagon. When he turned and saw the two of them exiting the house hand-in-hand, a look of pure shock crossed his features and he swallowed several times.

  “Isn’t Rachel the prettiest little girl?” Laura asked to give him a minute to get over his surprise.

  “Yes, I believe she’s the prettiest I’ve ever seen. I can see I’ll be the envy of all the men tonight.” He took Rachel’s hand, then lifted her onto the buckboard seat. “Two beautiful women on my arms. I don’t think there’s a luckier man.”

  “Why thank you, kind sir.” Laura laughed as he assisted her onto the seat.

  “Believe me, darlin’, there’s nothing kind in my thoughts about you,” he replied, then planted a quick, hard kiss on her lips, making her blush. He swung onto the seat next to his daughter and started the team toward the Potters’ farm.

  The barn was nearly filled to capacity by the time they arrived. Admission for the children was free, but the adults had to pay two bits each. Laura wandered over to the large food table that had been set up for the desserts. Laying down one of her cakes, she asked Billy and Tom to bring in the others.

  “You keep your fingers out of them cakes, boys,” Sarah called after them, then laughed. “I swear you’ve just asked the mice to go get the cheese, Laura. We’ll be lucky to see either cake make it to this table.”

  “It’s the least they can do, Sarah. You and I both know they’ve been saving their money for weeks to buy slices of those cakes. I doubt that anyone else will get a slice.”

  “I’d better get some, little lady,” commented David Burnside, who’d walked up to join them. “Josiah Tate told me how much he enjoyed the one you took out to the Green Valley Ranch.”

  “That’s right, Burnside,” added Nathan as he came to stand next to Laura. “Maybe she’ll make you one when we have the school built and the teacher hired.”

  “Bribery, Cantrell?” Dave gave them a grin.

  “Just taking lessons from my wife.” Nathan smiled down at Laura, his arm around her waist, announcing his territory where she was concerned.

  “Why don’t you let me have the first dance with your little lady, and we’ll consider it even.”

  “I suppose I can let her dance one without me.”

  “Well, it’s not all right with me,” Laura said, her eyes wide with concern.

  “What’s the problem, darlin’?” Had Burnside said or done something to insult her? If so, he was a dead man. Once glance at the other man and knew he was puzzled by her statement too.

  Pink tinged her cheeks and she leaned in to whisper, “Nathan, I never learned to dance.”

  “There ain’t nothing to country dancin, darlin’. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other and do what everyone else is.”

  “If you’re sure.” The smile she gave him lit up her face and warmed him straight to his heart. Suddenly, he wanted to take her away from this crowd and show her a more intimate dance.

 
“You can have her all to yourself later, son,” Burnside said, taking Laura’s arm in his.

  Nathan bit back a response as the old rancher chuckled and led Laura out onto the barn floor for a Virginia Reel.

  As it turned out, she didn’t return to Nathan’s side for the better part of the evening. Many of the men in town wanted to show their appreciation by dancing with her. Finally she begged off any more dances to go and eat supper with Nathan. When she got to his side, he smiled and offered her a seat next to him. He was deep in discussion with Frank, Zeke and Josiah Tate. She ate her beef sandwich and listened to their conversation.

  “Yes, sir, I’m telling you there are strange things happening back East,” Josiah said. “What with the sudden increase in the price of gold and the fall in the price of beef, I wonder just what we’ll have to expect next.”

  “Josiah, you know there’s always fluctuations in prices back East,” Nathan replied between bites of cake. “Those easterners can’t make up their minds about anything.”

  “Then there’s the British.” Zeke sent a stream of tobacco spittle into the brass spittoon on the floor near the table.

  “What about the British?” Nathan finished his cake and laid his fork down.

  Laura stopped eating, her attention caught by the discussion.

  “Heard tell they’s investin’ in American businesses and banks back East.”

  “Speaking of strange things,” commented Frank, “one of the latest newspapers out of Washington says they still don’t know who killed that senator from Maryland.”

  Images of the senator’s limp body lying in a pool of blood in the library filled Laura’s mind. Then she remembered the man standing over the body holding the bloody wire. It seemed ages ago and like yesterday at the same time. Her ears started to ring and the men’s voices sounded muffled. The barn floor seemed to be shifting beneath her.