Annie smiled gently at her husband. "You forget that I am a woman and we have a sixth sense. I can see something is troubling you. Would you care to share your troubles with me before I share my own news with you?"
Richard placed his mug on the table and ran his large hands through his wavy hair. He looked up and she saw a strange expression on his face. "There is something I have been meaning to tell you but I didn't know how to do it."
Annie frowned, fear clutching at her heart. "What is it?" she asked in a husky voice. Maybe the law had caught up with her and somehow Richard had found out and was going to give her up. "What has happened?"
"I'm really sorry Annie," he stretched out his hand and touched hers which were tightly grasped on the table. "I should have told you this earlier," he shook his head. "When I was fifteen I was just learning how to ride, and on one of those days I was not too careful and got kicked in the loins by a horse. It was a really bad injury and the doctor said I would never be able to father any children. That is why I have never married, that is, until Jeremy told me about you and your baby."
Annie could not believe her ears. She pulled her hands away and placed them in her lap. The news had shocked her and she silently pondered the implications of Richard's words. She would not have any more children after this one and she was not really sure how she felt about that.
"Please say something," Richard begged.
Annie shook her head. "I need time to think about what you have just told me." She stood up, her own news forgotten for the moment.
"Annie..." Richard held out his hand which she ignored and he let it fall helplessly to his side.
Annie busied herself around the kitchen, preparing their evening meal. From time to time she threw a furtive glance at her husband who sat with his head bowed, his coffee forgotten. She could feel his fear and helplessness and wondered what he was thinking.
"What if you were the one who was barren, how would you want Richard to treat you?" her inner voice spoke out. "He has been honest enough to tell you before things became more complicated."
"He hid the truth from me and we've been married for over a month now," she argued back. "Can I really trust him?"
"Maybe he was afraid of your reaction - and with good reason too," the voice pointed out. "No man likes to be sterile. At least you have a child of your own; he will never have a child of his own."
"Not unless..." Annie thought and then she smiled. Richard had proved himself to be a good husband, someone she could trust. From the day she came into his house he hadn't hidden anything from her. When he sold the milk from their cows he would bring all the money to her and count it with her. Then together they would go to the small bank in Tipton and bank it in a joint account. At first Annie had been surprised when Richard wanted to involve her in every undertaking.
"You are my wife, and as such my only next of kin. Should something happen to me I want to be sure that you and the baby will always be taken care of," he had said, bringing tears to her eyes. If only James had been that thoughtful and considerate, she would not have been in this plight. But then again, she would not have met Richard, who was proving to be all she desired in a husband.
She thought about the implications of not having a child with Richard and weighed them against the future he promised. Besides, she was brought up in a foundling home and she could always ask Richard to adopt one or two children from any of the orphanages that were quickly springing up in mining towns around them.
"Richard," she began, before looking down at her hands. "I have been thinking."
Richard's heart sank. This was probably terrible news, maybe Annie informing him she had decided to go back East. He braced himself for the news to come.
"If you will have us, then it is okay," Annie said.
"Huh?"
"I mean, if you will accept my child as yours then I am alright about your condition." She was looking down and so did not see the look of delight that immediately drowned his previously despairing look. He stood up quickly and moved to her, and took hold of both of her hands.
"Annie, you have made me very happy indeed. For a moment I was afraid you wanted to return East, which would mean losing both of you," he almost choked on the last words, and that was when Annie realized just how much she meant to Richard, and he to her. "And I promise to love you and the baby," he placed a gentle hand on her stomach and right at that moment the baby kicked. He quickly pulled his hand back, his eyes filled with anxiety. "Does it hurt?"
Annie shook her head, laughing with tears in her eyes. She pulled his hand back and placed it over her stomach once again. "That is just the baby telling us he or she is alive and well, and is glad to meet us."
"Oh," Richard stared at Annie's stomach in wonder as he felt the child within kicking once again. "This one is so active, it must be a girl."
"Or a boy, a playful one," she blushed when she realized just how cozy and intimate their conversation was getting. She pulled back hastily, "I need to finish preparing dinner."
"And I need to make sure the cows are well tethered so they won't stray from the barn."
"You were going to fix the barn door. I hope you remembered. It's beginning to get cold at night and the calves might freeze."
"I promise I'll do that first thing tomorrow morning. In fact, I won't even go out to the range."
~#~#~#~
Annie was choking and woke up gasping, her eyes stinging. At first she couldn't see anything in the darkness but the smoke was almost overwhelming her. Then she heard the cows mooing loudly in the barn and she struggled to get out of bed. A quick glance at the barn through her window revealed flames. She pulled her thick shawl around her and stumbled into the corridor which thankfully had no smoke. She banged on Richard's door.
"Wake up Richard, wake up," she was in a panic.
"What?" Richard opened his door and in the semi darkness she saw that he was shirtless.
"I smell smoke, something is happening to the cows in the barn, I think it's on fire."
"What?" Annie's words roused him fully and not remembering to put on a shirt he dashed outside, Annie hard on his heels. What they saw caused them to gasp in horror. Their barn was on fire and the animals within were quite agitated.
"Quick, fetch me a pail of water," Richard said as he ran barefoot towards the barn, not caring about the stones that were pricking his feet. "I'll try to get out as many of the cows as I can."
"Please be careful," Annie placed a hand over her mouth and bit back a sob. It wouldn't do for her to break down now when her husband needed her. She grabbed the two pails they owned and ran towards the well where she quickly filled them with water and then dashed towards the barn. "Richard, Richard," she cried out as she tried to enter the barn but was restrained by the thick smoke. "Richard," she screamed.
Hands grabbed her and pulled her back from the burning barn but she struggled to free herself. "My husband is in there," she screamed. "Let me go and get him out."
"Missus, we will help you," she heard a stranger's voice and the pails were taken out of her hands. She saw two men rushing into the barn and a few minutes later one of them came out leading two of their cows. The second man came out dragging Richard by one arm and leading out one other cow and two calves.
Richard coughed painfully even as his eyes stung. He could not believe that he was alive. If Jeremy and Paul his brother had not come when they did he would have been a goner, like two of their cows and two of their calves. The chickens had fled and were huddled near the back door of the house.
Annie ran towards her husband, sobbing in relief and she fell to her knees and cradled his head. "I was so scared," she sobbed. "I thought you had died and left me alone," she wept.
Richard struggled to sit up and then he took his wife in his hands. "Annie honey, I'm alright. Just a little shaken but as you can see I am alright."
Annie buried her face in his shoulder and he could feel her trembling. His heart went out to he
r; she had just lost one husband less than six months ago and then this, the poor girl must be terrified. He murmured soothing words until he felt her trembling cease. She sat back but didn't leave the comfort of his arms. They were seated on the grass, oblivious to the dew and cold, just glad to be alive and together.
They lost the barn, two of their cows and two calves. Annie wept at the losses, especially when she saw the downcast face of her husband. Richard was trying so hard and this disaster would set them back many months. She decided to be his strength and support him as they rebuilt their lives once again.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known even though Richard suspected an arsonist had set his barn on fire, but why he could not tell. He was not aware he had any enemies who wanted him to lose his barn and stock, but he kept his thoughts to himself because he didn't want to frighten his wife.
~#~#~#~
Chapter Five
Annie ticked off one more day on the crude calendar Richard had found in the general store and brought home for her. She could not believe she'd already been here for two months. Her living room was looking better every day and she smiled at how pretty it looked. She'd finished the cushions and stuffed them with soft chicken feathers collected from her neighbors, then washed and dried in the rare autumn sun.
She had carefully set aside a small amount of money from what Richard gave her for supplies and then bought cheap, flowered cotton material to make curtains for all the windows. She'd even managed to purchase some soft cotton material in readiness for the baby who was expected in about two months.
Besides the house looking good, Richard was looking healthier and stronger since she had planted her small kitchen garden from which she had already started harvesting young peas and kales. And her chickens had hatched and produced more chicks which were doing well, so well in fact, she counted on having at least twenty to sell in the next six weeks or so. She also had two hens which laid large eggs and she made sure she prepared her husband good meals.
Richard smiled as he trudged home. He was weary but happy and he knew it had to do with the woman who stood at the door of their kitchen looking out for him. Immediately she caught sight of him, she waved and he waved back, a warm feeling in his stomach. What a wonderful woman he'd married. Annie was everything he could have hoped for. She was calm in the midst of disaster and even after they'd lost a number of their stock during the barn fire, she had stood by his side and urged him not to give up.
"It's alright, God knows why all this happened," she told him time and time again when despair threatened to overwhelm him. "We're still alive and have some animals left. By God's grace we will build up our stock again."
"You're right," he agreed on more than one occasion.
Richard hurried to his wife's side and without thinking, he took her in his arms and held her close, careful about her pregnancy. He'd missed her so much, even though he was gone only since morning. "I missed you."
"Richard," Annie hugged him back and then pulled back, her face as red as a tomato. She was surprised at the gesture because up until now, the most he'd ever done was to hold her hand.
"You are a very shy girl Annie," he said and to his delight she blushed even more. "Delightful."
"You're making me blush," she held both hands to her cheeks and pulled away from him.
"I just need you to know that you make me so happy - and I'm glad that you are my wife."
"Thank you for saying such nice things. Now go wash up, dinner is almost ready."
~#~#~#~
Two days later Richard informed her he would be gone overnight because he was going to purchase two calves from someone in Granger. "I know your friend is in Granger and I wish we had someone to leave at home so you could come with me and visit her. I'll try to drive the calves home as fast as I can, so I can be with you."
"Next time," Annie said, hiding her sadness. Richard had never been away from home overnight before and she didn't want him to leave her alone. But she had to be strong because he was counting on her to mind the farm while he was away. She was determined to make a good job of it so he'd be proud of her.
Richard had been so good to her, and ever since the accident they would spend their evenings seated on the couch together, his hand over her stomach while he felt the baby moving around inside. She could already feel the love he had for her unborn child and all her fears were slowly fading. Richard would be with her through thick and thin.
The time for him to leave came all too quickly. "You look sad," he touched her cheek gently. "Maybe I should stay."
She shook her head. "No, you go, I'll be alright."
"Take care of yourself and the baby," he kissed her cheek and left, then stopped at the doorway and came back. "Shut the barn and lock it up early, before dark and be sure to keep all the doors and windows locked."
"Richard, I'll be alright. Besides, I have the rifle you gave me, though I don't think anything out of the ordinary will happen." Her husband had taught her how to shoot because wild animals and snakes tended to stray into their homestead from time to time.
However, she spoke too soon, because at some point in the night she was woken up by footsteps outside her window. At first she thought Richard might have finished his business early and come home so got out of bed to open the door for him.
Then she heard a voice that sent the chills down her spine. It was a stranger speaking and he didn't seem to care if someone could hear him. Someone must have found out she was alone at home and deciding she was no threat, came to rob her. A hard look entered her eyes. No one was going to steal from her and make her go through months of pain while she and her husband tried to pick up their shattered lives again.
This time she was going to fight so she picked up her rifle, loaded it with bullets, then stealthily crept towards the kitchen. She was glad of the moonlight because she could see easily and made out three figures standing by their newly built barn. She'd locked it securely with a padlock and there they were trying to break it.
Opening the kitchen window a fraction, she slowly pointed her rifle, aimed and pulled the trigger. One figure fell. She cocked it once again, aimed and pulled the trigger again, but missed this time. The third time she hit her target. She quickly cocked it, pulled again and hit the third man. She could hear them groaning and waited to hear if there were any more of them. A few minutes later she heard hoof beats and loaded up ready to shoot again.
"Annie, Richard, what's going on? We heard gunshots," she heard Jeremy Paine's voice and smiled. "Please open the door – we're here to help you."
"Check near my barn door," she was not going to open the door for anyone, and if there was any indication of her door being breached, regardless of who it was, she was going to shoot them. She was a woman alone and could not trust anyone.
She heard someone exclaim, followed by laughter. "Feisty little woman," someone said. "She got them all... didn't kill anyone... just shot them in the legs." Annie smiled at the admiration in the man's voice.
"Annie, you're safe now. My men will round up these thugs and I'll leave four of them to stand guard until morning to watch these thieves so they don't get away. Don't open the door for anyone until the Sheriff comes in the morning, okay?"
"Yes sir."
Annie dozed on the kitchen chair for the remainder of the night, waking at the slightest sound. Thankfully there was no further incident until morning when she finally fell into a deeper sleep. She was woken up by a loud pounding on the door and her heart sang when she heard her husband's voice.
"Annie, honey - are you alright?" She hurried to open the door and rushed into her husband's waiting arms. "Everything is OK Annie, please calm down."
"I'm so glad you're home," she avoided looking towards the barn door for fear of what she'd see. Men were gathering out there and she was sure the injured men were still lying where they'd fallen. The Sheriff had also arrived on the scene and she knew he would probably want to speak
with her after he was done questioning the thieves.
"I go away for a single night and my wife fells three of the most wanted cattle rustlers in the county," Richard chuckled. "You're a very impressive woman Annie."
"I just did what I had to do." She shook her head. "We've already lost so much, I was not going to let anyone take so much as a chicken from us."
~#~#~#~
Chapter Six
Richard looked at his wife and smiled. She made a pretty picture in her new pink frock which was let out at the waist to accommodate her growing pregnancy. She had made it herself and he was amazed at the numerous skills she possessed. Annie practically glowed and he was glad he'd thought about bringing her on this picnic on a rare autumn sunny day. Winter would be here soon and there would hardly be an opportunity for them to enjoy the outdoors once it set in. Winters in Tipton could be harsh, as Annie was soon to discover and Richard wanted to make the most of good weather.
Annie went about picking the few remaining flowers that hadn't yet withered in the deepening autumn, humming a little song under her breath. She looked so content that Richard was tempted to go over to her and just hold her in his arms. This woman who was born and bred in town had captured his heart with her gentleness. She was a hard worker too and didn't let her condition hold her back. On most days when he woke up to milk the cows he would find her already in the kitchen preparing their breakfast. She'd learned to churn butter and his meals were tastier than ever.
After the milking was done and breakfast was over, they would both go into the barn to clean it up as she checked her chickens to see if they'd laid eggs and to ensure that the mother hens had not accidentally crushed their chicks during the night. The nights were getting colder, forcing the animals to huddle closely together for warmth. Annie's one regret was that they couldn't light a fire in the barn to keep the animals warm, because of the accident of a few months ago.
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