Her daughters were also doing well at learning how to sew and already Marie had made herself a plain dress which she liked to wear as she was working around the house. Rita hurried towards Tipton and when she got to the store she found Robin in a solemn mood. His face seemed to light up when he saw her though and she smiled back shyly.
When Rita had not showed up for work that morning Robin had feared the worst. Perhaps the gossips had got to her after all and she had decided not to come to work. When he saw her, he was so happy that he almost went over and gave her a hug, but managed to restrain himself.
There was no need to add another stick to the fire of trouble that was already burning. He had to tell Rita what some people were saying. It was amusing to him in a way, that though some cast doubts as to the innocence of their working relationship, others openly encouraged him to pursue the widow.
Foremost was Reverend Matthew Winslow, the same man who had performed the funeral rites for Sarah. He remembered their conversation.
"Sarah is dead and gone Robin, she lived a rich and fulfilled life and her time to leave came and so she went home. You are still a young, healthy man and it's not good to be alone."
"Reverend Winslow, I came because people are speaking ill of Rita O'Malley. They are wronging her, because the truth of the matter is, that it was her coming to Tipton that helped pull me out of the deep grief that I was drowning in. Now they are saying that she wiggled her way into my affections so she can take Sarah's place."
"What is wrong with that Robin? Rita is a widow, you are a widower. No sin there, and if you ask me, it would be a match made in heaven for both of you. You are a lucky man indeed Robin, having two wonderful women to love in your lifetime. Some men don't even find one."
"What should I do because I feel guilty that I am betraying Sarah."
"Let me reassure you that Sarah would be the first to tell you to go on with your life. If you were the one who had passed on first and left Sarah, as young and beautiful as she was, would you have wanted her to grieve for you forever, not moving on with her life, even if she should meet a good man to marry her?"
Robin did not hesitate, he shook his head. "I would want her to be happy and go on with her life."
"Sarah was one of the kindest women I knew and very unselfish. She would want you to move on, so go ahead and make your intentions known to the Widow O'Malley."
He remembered that conversation and how right it had sounded when Reverend Winslow advised him. Now, he smiled at Rita and asked her to sit for a moment before beginning work.
Rita thought she would be reprimanded and waited breathlessly, conscious of a slight feeling of fear rising within her, remembering the past when even the slightest mistake would earn her an earful of abuse with a few slaps and blows to follow. Tom had always smiled deceitfully as though everything was alright, then the hammer would fall.
Perhaps Robin was the same. She moved a few paces back towards the door, getting ready to take off should she need to do so.
Robin was unaware of this and as he approached her he saw the terror in her eyes and immediately understood that she expected severe reprimanding for being late. He casually walked back until the counter was separating them and saw the relief as it washed over Rita's face.
This woman had suffered deeply, even if she never spoke about her past life. Only a victim of violence reacted the way Rita had done just a few moments ago and he was upset to think she had lived her life accompanied by violence and terror.
"It is good to see you this morning," he said at last. "I hope the children are all well."
"They are, it is Mrs. West who was feeling poorly and I went to assist her with the milking, which is why I am late. Samuel and Richard usually do it but they had arranged to ride over to Richard's new land grant and do some tree planting and when Annie wasn't able to the milking, I needed to do it. I am sorry for being late."
"Rita," they were now on first name basis. "You should never apologize for showing kindness to others. Many times Sarah would lock the store and go and sit with someone who had lost a loved one, or help with the sick or just offer comfort to those who needed it. She often told me that kindness precedes us into eternity, while material things are just temporary."
"Thank you." Rita sighed in relief. But Robin's next words stopped her in her tracks.
"We need to talk," he began. "I know that both of us working in such close proximity will likely raise some eyebrows. A widow and widower working closely together can attract attention, not all of it good. People have been talking about you and me, but I want to assure you that I have the utmost respect for you Rita and I know that Sarah would have liked you. However, even though I have eventually managed to move on, Sarah is the only woman I will ever love." He tugged at his shirt collar in discomfort.
Rita frowned slightly and then felt indignation rising up within her. "Robin, let me tell you something that you are not aware of. I was married for twenty three years to a man who brought me nothing but grief and sorrow. Eight living children, four miscarriages, two still births and beatings almost daily was quite enough to put me off taking up with any man ever again thank you." She tightened her lips.
"Living with my children and working towards helping them make a success of their lives is all that I am interested in doing right now. I like my life just the way it is and I am not interested in any man, let alone you Robin. Working in this store is my act of Christian charity but if my presence is causing you trouble because of the scurrilous rumors going around then perhaps I should leave."
"No, no, no," Robin hastened to reassure her. He held out a beseeching hand. "I like having you here Rita, you are the best thing that has happened to me since Sarah died and I did not mean to insult you by telling you what those misinformed people are saying. I just want to protect your honor and reputation and also wanted to be the one to tell you before you hear it from strangers." He took a deep breath.
Ever since Rita's arrival he had found peace within his soul which had been sorely lacking since Sarah died. He knew that he would be lonely without Rita being in the store and he needed her. Losing her would be like losing Sarah all over again and he wondered if that meant that he loved Rita.
Perhaps he did, and he would find time to explore his feelings for the kind and gentle widow, although he'd just told her that Sarah was the only woman he'd ever love. How could he love Rita when he still loved Sarah? No, he liked Rita but loved Sarah. That was it, but he would think about it some more when he had time.
There was an awkward silence as Rita digested what Robin had just told her. He still loved Sarah.
As he thought about the words he'd just spoken, Robin found he was glad it was all out in the open now, there would be no more secrets, he determined. The gossips could say what they liked, he loved his Sarah and Rita wasn't leaving. Life was good.
"I need to go and prepare our lunch," Rita pointed towards the kitchen and he nodded, hoping he had not scared her, but feeling exhilarated because of the great relief he felt after revealing what the gossips were saying. Whistling happily under his breath he walked to the door and put up the 'Closed for Lunch' sign and walked towards the kitchen, straightening one or two things on his way. She had not left, that was a good sign.
The tantalizing aromas made him close his eyes in deep appreciation and he watched as she set the small table and they sat down. They held hands to say the grace for meals as they always did and just as she was ladling some mashed potatoes onto his plate there was a loud crash and they heard glass shattering. Robin jumped up and hurried into the shop and came back running.
"Quick Rita, hide out back, Quickly now." he pushed her towards the back door. "When it is safe to do so, go and get the Sheriff as quickly as you can."
"What's going on?" Rita asked as she hurried outside, noticing the worried looked on his face. "Robin, be careful."
"I will, Now be careful and don't let anything happen to you. Go and get the
Sheriff and tell him that so far there are two men in the store, I don't know if there are anymore outside."
"Yes Robin." Her heart pounding, she ran to do as he bid.
~#~#~#~
Chapter Seven
Robin silently watched the two rough looking men as they pulled things off the shelves, throwing them down and laughing at the mess they were making. They were completely drunk and even from a few steps away he could smell the moonshine on their breaths.
They were dirty and he had seen their type many times before, staggering drunkenly down the streets and harassing innocent folk. Men who were disappointed by the way their lives had turned out and so took to heavy drinking, rarely holding down a steady job and demanding favors where none were deserved. He didn't like to see these types of people hanging about the town.
Most of them were coal miners and other prospectors who had lost all their life's savings in pursuit of riches that were buried in the ground. Men chasing dreams that generally ran out this side of the rainbow. One of the men still had a half full bottle of hooch and kept taking a swig from it.
Robin wasn't usually afraid of these situations as he been through them several times before. Not in the store though, but outside in the open. But there was something different about these two. He suspected they were killers and was afraid. There was a difference between destitute miners and cold blooded killers, particularly in the way they went about their business.
Their beards were scraggly, eyes red and one of the men looked like he was in his thirties while the other seemed barely out of his teens. An unlikely duo at best but then again, men with base instincts generally sought out and found themselves mirrored in each other, regardless of age. He could play for time, that was about all.
"What do you want?" He asked them. "I'd be obliged if you didn't cause any trouble."
They laughed at him and began harassing him. He tried to keep them in the store and not allow them to go out the back because he wasn't sure if Rita had made it down to the Sheriff's Office to safety. The men had guns and he knew there would be more trouble than he had anticipated.
Usually these types of men stuck to the streets and were a nuisance but they never broke into people's premises. In the time he had been in Tipton his own store had never been busted like this and he was afraid that they were completely out of control. He was right.
The older and meaner looking one approached him and Robin almost gagged from the foul smell coming from his mouth and body. His teeth were black, no doubt from smoking or chewing tobacco.
Robin took a step backwards, praying that Rita had reached the safety of the Sheriff's Office. He tried to remain calm, thinking if he did nothing to upset the men, they might get bored and leave. Wishful thinking, yes, but better than imagining his death at the hands of these two.
He didn't want to die yet and join Sarah in the hereafter. Life still had plenty to offer he realized belatedly, and that life included Rita O'Malley. No, he had plenty to live for and realized in that moment that Sarah would want him to carry on and make a life with Rita. He would never stop loving Sarah, but he loved Rita too. No, this was not the time to die.
If only he could get to the rifle that he normally hid under the counter, he might be able to scare them away and stop them from causing anymore damage to his store.
"Take whatever you want and just go before the Sheriff gets here," he told them. "There is plenty on the shelves as you can see."
"You think we will go carrying stuff out of here like fools?" the younger one lurched forward, waving his gun carelessly and Robin had to keep ducking. The man's hand was unsteady and there was no telling what he would do next. It looked as though neither of the two knew what they were going to do next.
"Where is the money?" the older one asked gruffly. Robin pointed towards the till.
"All back there," he said.
"Get it and don't do anything foolish."
Robin nodded and went behind the counter, pulling open the drawer. He looked longingly at his rifle but in the time it would take him to load it, one of the men might shoot him. Regretfully turned to the till and emptied it of its contents. There wasn't much because every evening before closing for the day he would take the day's earnings to the bank for safekeeping, and this morning only one or two customers had come in. Because Rita was late, the customers had stayed away too. It looked like his entire livelihood now depended on Rita, just as it had with Sarah.
"Is that all?" the young man roared, angry at the few dollar bills on the counter. "Get away from there," he waved at Robin who hastily came out from behind the counter. "Bill, go and see if the man is hiding anymore money, I have my gun on him in case he tries something funny."
Robin knew that if the older thug saw the rifle he would react, which indeed he did and the last thing he remembered was feeling a searing pain in his shoulder and leg. Then he blacked out.
~#~#~#~
Meanwhile, Rita ran as fast as she could and almost cried in relief when she reached the Sheriff's office without any further mishaps. There was a small crowd and she heard someone telling Sheriff Edward Williams that there was trouble down at the store. His two deputies Joseph Willington and Peter Sanders were also listening keenly and on recognizing her, Peter beckoned.
"How many men entered the store Mrs. O'Malley?"
"I'm not sure. It was Robin, ah Mr. Watson who went into the store when the door was broken down and he told me there were two men in the store, though he wasn't sure whether anymore were lurking outside."
"Thank you. Now stay here while we take care of business."
The Sheriff ordered all civilians to remain in his office and away from danger as he and his deputies went to check on the trouble at the store.
Rita nodded and watched as Edward and Peter hurried towards the front of the mercantile, while Joseph went towards the back, just in case any other troublemakers had decided to use the back entrance to make their escape. A few minutes later they heard gunfire and Rita found herself praying like never before.
She prayed for Robin's safety and was surprised at the dread that filled her stomach when she imagined him hurt. She clasped her hands tightly until the veins stuck out. "Lord, please keep Robin safe. Please don't let him be hurt."
She was fighting back the tears and realized that the kindest man she'd ever known meant so much more to her than being an employer and friend. No, she was in love with him and the extent of her emotions frightened her.
She had never felt this way before, not even for Tom her dead husband. Earlier in her married life she had loved her husband, or thought she had, but that had soon turned into dread and fear instead of love. Besides, she had been an inexperienced girl, easily swayed by a handsome face and words of love.
To think she had told him differently this morning when he had haltingly told her of the gossip about them doing the rounds. How wrong could a woman be, but she realized she'd been afraid of men in general as a result of her previous experiences and knew in her heart Robin would never hurt her.
She had allowed herself to fall victim to her own fears. Of course Robin would never hurt her. He needed her and she needed him. It really was that simple.
A few minutes later Sheriff Edward came back leading two rough looking men whose clothes had blood on them. He pushed the men into a cell and wasted no time as he locked the door. They cried out for a doctor to be brought to them since they were hurt.
"You should have thought about that before you trashed the store," Sheriff Edward told them. "You don't deserve to be treated at all, seeing as you caused so much trouble. In any case, the bullets only grazed you a little. Sit down and be quiet before I decide to throw away the key."
Rita rushed out of the office and ran towards the store, praying that Robin was alright. She was just in time to see Dr. Reginald Green who was a frequent customer, entering the store and wondered if there was another thug who had been hurt.
Someone was lying on
the floor and Peter tried to stop her from going into the store but she pushed past him and cried out in dismay when she saw that it was Robin and he was lying in a pool of blood.
"Robin," she called out softly, fearing that he was already dead and knowing that she would be devastated if he was. "Robin," she repeated and her legs felt heavy, her feet glued to the floor.
He could not die, he must not die and she was relieved when the doctor said he would be fine, even though the wounds looked nasty. Both were flesh wounds and none of his bones had been shattered so he would heal quickly, being the strong man he was.
To Rita all that mattered now was bringing Robin back to life. He had shown her kindness and was very gentle towards her. She could finally admit that she'd grown to love him.
~#~#~#~
"Could you help me get him up to his bed so I can treat him?" Dr. Reginald spoke to Peter and one of the store's regular customers who touched Rita's shoulder gently before joining the doctor.
The two men lifted Robin effortlessly and carried him upstairs to his bed. He was still unconscious but thankfully the bleeding had stopped. Rita flinched when she saw the wounds on her beloveds body after Dr. Reginald ripped away his pants and shirt. They looked really ugly and she forced herself not to scream in pain and rage.
She knew what to do without being told, having looked after her own husband and three older sons whenever they got into serious brawls so she fetched clean rags and towels, opening a number of drawers before she could get whatever she needed. In all the months that she had worked for Robin she had never been upstairs and was surprised to note that he was a very neat man.
As she heated water for the doctor she also made him a cup of tea which he would need when he was done with his work, and left it simmering in the kettle. They worked in silence and from time to time the doctor threw her a grateful glance.
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