by Starla Kaye
"When the hell are you going to let it go, Adam?" Daniel questioned more forcefully than he'd intended. But he didn't back down now that he'd started this. "Me and your other brothers are sick to death of seeing you laid this low for so long. We nearly lost you to the bottle."
He curled his fingers tight around the chair's armrests. Adam's eyes were both haunted and furious. He sat stiffly, tension rolling off him. Daniel knew he had to make amends of some kind. "I'm sorry. It's just that we--I--care about you. I hate seeing you tormented like this."
It took another minute for Adam to calm enough to say, "I wish you all would just mind your own business. You've all got problems of your own."
He stood and paced the small room. "Caleb needs a wife, but he's too damn picky. Can't seem to find one in town, in the county even." He paced some more in silence.
Daniel understood Adam's frustration with Caleb. Their younger brother had been talking about wanting a wife for over a year now. As the town's preacher, he knew having a wife at his side would make the townsfolk feel better about him. But not a woman anywhere close by satisfied what he wanted in a wife. He and Adam had started talking about sending for a mail-order bride for him. Maybe they'd actually have to consider it before long.
Before he could respond, Adam went on with his litany. "And Ben. He's getting too damn tight with Angelica." He glanced at Daniel and shook his head. "She's a mighty fine singer and dancer. But she owns a saloon."
Daniel watched Adam scrub a hand through his hair. He knew his brother wasn't usually a judgmental man, but Ben was his brother. He felt strongly that Ben deserved better than a saloon-owning, former lady of the night. Daniel did, too, and yet... "It's his life. And I like 'Angelica."
Adam heaved a sigh. "I do, too, but that doesn't make her a good wife for Ben." He looked out the window. "Then there's Seth. Hell, I wish we'd hear from him again. I'm worried to death about him out there in California on his own."
"He writes us every few months. I reckon it won't be long before we hear from him again." Daniel was worried as well, but he didn't want to dwell on it. He had to have faith in his youngest brother.
Now Adam turned back to focus on him and Daniel shifted uneasily in the chair. "Let's not forget about you and your wife. You married a woman you fell in lust with, a woman you know doesn't want to live here. I heard her tell Faith that she's got her heart set on convincing you to move back to Boston with her." He shook his head in disgust. "You know she likes all those fancy parties there, having servants, being part of the upper society. I'm sure she thinks if you would just swallow your pride and go back to work for her father...or ours..."
Daniel lurched from the chair and stood angrily glowering at his brother. Every word Adam had said was true, but he'd hoped things were changing with Jennie. She hadn't mentioned going back to Boston since that first day she'd been here. She had a friend in Dryfork now.
"I still lust after Jennie, but I love her, too. And she's told me she loves me as well. I'm hoping she'll come around to accepting that I won't ever go back there."
Adam nodded. "For both your sakes, I hope it works out. Losing someone you love is..." He swallowed hard. "It's damn awful."
* * *
Daniel had put off heading over to the town council's meeting as long as possible. He really wasn't looking forward to the council and the mayor butting heads with the women of the town. He knew that was exactly what would happen. He was still worried that a picnic would attract the Walton Gang, but chances were they were headed this way sooner or later anyway. The best he could do was to warn all the men to watch after their women. He would damn certain be watching after Jennie!
He stepped out the door of his office and planted his wide-brimmed hat on his head. Drawing in a calming breath, he glanced across the road toward the Tumbleweed Saloon. The hitching rails all along that side of the street were full with single horses tied up and buggies tied up as well. Even from here he heard voices raised in anger and frustration. He really didn't want to go join in the mix.
A pair of rapidly approaching riders coming from the east drew his attention as dust swirled up and around the horses. The first thing he noticed were long skirts draped over the horses' barrels, skirts hitched up enough to reveal the women's lower legs. Something about the one small short boot that he could see closest to him looked familiar. Then he recognized the shapely curve of that one calve. Jennie!
Heart pounding in dread, he lifted his gaze and found his stubborn wife riding the horse he'd given her. She hadn't been all that excited about riding horseback, telling him she preferred using a buggy or the buckboard. But here she was trotting down Main Street to no doubt attend the meeting she had no business attending. Of course, Faith Paddington rode beside her and was surely responsible for this situation. Adam was right: Faith was in need of a good tail warming.
The women rode almost by him now, chattering to one another, not even looking in his direction. He started to call out to them and then froze, gaping in shock. He'd wondered how Jennie could manage to ride at all considering her recent taste of the switch. But there she sat...on a pillow atop the saddle. Well, didn't that just beat all!
"Jennifer Braddock!" he called out, stepping off the boardwalk onto the dirt road. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"
Chapter Four
Jennie jerked at her husband's angry shout, glancing back in his direction. Her heart pounded at his fierce expression.
She had little more than a second to take that all in because the horse beneath her panicked. The mare that had been gentle during the ride to town now rose up on her back legs just enough to surprise Jennie and cause her to lose her grip on the reins. She slid backwards off the mare's rump with a screech.
Then she promptly landed on her very tender bottom on the solidly-packed dirt and the mare trotted a ways further down the road. She sucked in a painful breath and her eyes watered while she glowered up at Daniel and sputtered, "What were you thinking? Yelling at me like that!"
Faith pulled her horse to a stop and looked down at her in concern. "Are you all right?" She noticed Daniel striding over and edged her horse back a few feet, which Jennie thought was a wise move.
Daniel's long legs brought him to Jennie's side in short order. The tight expression on his handsome face told her that he definitely wasn't pleased to see her, yet she saw the worry in his eyes. She bit back the desire to snap at him again and waited for him to speak.
He hunkered down beside her, his jaw tense as he studied her for a second. "Like your friend said, are you all right?" He glanced toward her bottom, where she squirmed uncomfortably. "That little spill had to have hurt."
"Especially thanks to you," she grumbled, watching a furrow appear between his thick eyebrows when he frowned. "And it isn't just this incident that I'm referring to."
One of those expressive eyebrows rose. "Do you really want to go into what happened at home out here in the middle of town?" He stood and held out a large, callused hand to help her up.
Annoyed with him, she wanted to refuse his assistance, but thought better of it. Allowing him to pull her to her feet, she winced at the movement and at the renewed sting to her bottom. "No, I don't wish to discuss that matter. Ever. Thank you very much."
He seemed to draw in a calming breath, looking in irritation from her to Faith and back to Jennie. "You shouldn't have come here."
Jennie tugged her arm free of him. The voices coming from the saloon were getting louder, more angry and caught her attention. She really wanted to get in there and help the women. She gave him an impatient look. "When Faith told me about--"
"What was she doing at our ranch anyway?" Daniel growled.
A boy rushed up, calling out breathlessly, "Sheriff Braddock! Got a wire for you."
Daniel took the piece of paper, grumbled a "Thank you" to the boy, who ran back the way he'd come. But Daniel just tucked the paper into his shirt pocket and went back to frowning at Jennie.
"Vis
iting me." Jennie planted her hands on her hips and faced him down. Lord, he was a persnickety man sometimes!
"Causing trouble is more like it," Adam inserted as he walked up next to his brother. "Like always." He scowled at Faith.
Faith raised her chin and snapped, "I was not causing trouble, Adam Braddock. I went to make sure Jennie was all right. I saw Daniel tearing out of town and I sensed..." She looked away, her cheeks blossoming pink. "I was worried, that's all. You Braddock brothers have all got a temper."
Daniel bristled and jumped at defending himself. "I might get mad at my wife. I might roast her bottom on occasion. But I will never hurt my Jennie."
While Jennie was oddly touched by his declaration, her face heated. She glanced anxiously around to make sure no one was close by listening to this very embarrassing conversation. It was bad enough that Adam and Faith knew Daniel disciplined her. Satisfied, she gingerly brushed off her skirt and hissed, "Can we not talk about this now? I'd really like to get to that meeting."
"A meeting you and Faith don't belong at, I might remind you both." Daniel looked up at Faith, who glanced away uneasily. "Faith's father told her to stay out of this business. He even told me that earlier when I talked to him." Now Faith squirmed in the saddle and appeared to study the saddle horn.
Then he focused on Jennie again. "And I told you, Jennie to leave it be as well. Didn't I?"
Before she could answer, a tall, lanky man stepped out of the saloon's batwing doors. He spotted Daniel and yelled, "Are you coming, Sheriff? The mayor is wanting to..." He stopped speaking and his expression grew worried. "Is your wife coming to the meeting, too? And Faith?" He shook his head. "Sylvester isn't going to be happy to see his daughter here."
"No," Daniel stated grimly. "Neither of these women is coming to the meeting."
"We certainly are!" both Jennie and Faith countered barely letting him finish talking.
Faith slipped from her horse's back and thrust the reins at Adam, who took them but looked hostile. Then she hurried next to Jennie and they both scooted around Daniel and his brother to march toward the saloon.
"Jennifer Braddock, you come back here right now!" Daniel demanded.
Although it probably wasn't the wisest thing she'd ever done, Jennie tromped even faster away from him. She didn't even bother to respond. What could she say that would make a difference? She was going against him, again, but she needed to be at this meeting, she just knew it. Her poor bottom would no doubt pay for her decision, but a person had to do what they thought was best sometimes. And these women were right.
Hurrying beside her, Faith hazarded a glance back at the two brothers. "He looks really upset. Actually, they both look pretty upset."
Jennie's mare had stopped near the other horses in front of the saloon. She glanced at the mare and her face flamed at seeing the pillow she'd tied to the saddle. In truth, it hadn't softened the ride all that much. She could only imagine what someone would think when they saw the pillow. Mortified, she forced the thought of it from her mind. And she didn't want to talk about Daniel being annoyed with her now.
The man who had called out to her husband held the batwing doors open for them to pass through. He gave them a you-shouldn't-be-here look but didn't say a word.
Jennie stopped just inside the long, dimly lit building filled with people and let her eyes adjust. She'd never been in a saloon before and took the chance to look around, as best she could. Men were lined up along the long wooden bar, some standing, some sitting on the stools. Women sat at the numerous tables. And then seated on a row of chairs on the stage were the men Jennie assumed to be the mayor and the town council. She'd thought only the officials and a few of the town's women would be here. She'd been wrong. The place was packed. Everyone appeared furious, and the voice level was loud enough to give her a headache.
Daniel strode into the saloon with Adam. Both men shook their heads in disgust. Her husband raised his voice above them all and shouted, "Everyone shut the hell up! Quiet down! Now!"
Gradually they obeyed, although the men and women continued to scowl at one another.
"Glad you got here, Sheriff," said a rather pudgy man in a black suit from the stage. Jennie assumed from the way he'd stood up and attempted to look superior to the others seated around him that this was the mayor, Sylvester Paddington. Then he noticed Faith standing beside Jennie and Daniel. His eyes narrowed and he snapped, "Faith Paddington, you take yourself on home. You don't belong at this meeting."
Jennie saw Faith stiffen, noticed her clutching the side of her skirt and her teeth clenching. But she didn't move to leave. Instead she raised her chin and said, "I belong here as much as the other women."
He puffed up, clearly annoyed that she spoke against him. "They don't belong here either. Fact is, this meeting was only supposed to include the town council, myself, and the sheriff."
Annabelle Henderson stood up from a table in the center of the room. He'd rubbed the white-haired, grandmotherly woman wrong. She looked directly at him. "This matter is bigger than you, bigger than the town council. The women of this town want that picnic you are trying to keep from happening."
"Now, Annabelle," he said in his best politician's voice, "you ladies just don't understand the situation. You should let us men handle it. Horatio wouldn't have wanted you to worry about such a matter."
An outraged, combined feminine hiss filled the room.
* * *
Daniel had been only half-listening, having taken the wire out of his pocket and quickly reading it. God a'mighty! Just what he needed. He shoved the paper back in his pocket and caught his brother's curious look. Daniel shook his head, not ready to discuss the new problem. Yet. Soon though.
He pulled back to the moment just in time to watch his wife grow tense. The mayor, as usual, was being a stubborn fool and he was ruffling more feathers now than he was soothing. Including his Jennie's. Sensing she was about to open her mouth and make the situation worse--if it could get worse, Daniel put a restraining hand on her arm. He said in a low, warning tone, "Stay out of it, Jennie. I mean it."
Which, of course, only made her more determined. She tugged free of his hold and stepped forward, standing between four men glowering angrily at the closest table of women, who glowered right back. This was getting way out of hand. He didn't like seeing husbands and wives fighting and that was the problem with this particular group of people.
Jennie stretched as tall as she could and was still dwarfed by Daniel and his brother, but she had a powerful lot of spirit. Both he and Adam inched up behind her as she focused on the mayor.
She was all but shaking in frustration as she snapped, "How dare you speak in such a condescending manner to Annabelle and all the rest of these fine women! They certainly have as much say in having a town picnic as any of the men here. Me, too, as far as that goes."
Sylvester ignored her and looked pointedly at Daniel. "Can't you control your woman, sheriff?"
"Control your woman!" Jennie hissed, glancing at Faith, who rolled her eyes in disgust. "I can't believe you actually said that!" She started to take a step forward, bristling.
Daniel thinned his lips in annoyance at the mayor and planted his hands on Jennie's shoulders, fearing she would launch herself at the pompous, balding fool. He muttered under his breath, "Wish I could."
But she'd heard him and she stomped back on his booted foot. "Daniel Braddock..." she sputtered, then stopped when he gently but firmly squeezed his fingers into her shoulders.
He'd barely felt the stomp through his thick boots, but he disliked the fit of temper that everyone around them witnessed. "Behave yourself."
Before she could protest--which he was certain she would have, he said grimly to everyone in the building, "This whole situation has gotten to be a real problem, for the town itself, and, apparently, between couples here. This needs settling once and for all."
When the mayor appeared about to speak, Daniel continued stubbornly on, "No, Paddington. The prob
lem has grown bigger than what a select few--you and the town council--should be handling. It's clear that the townspeople all want a say in this decision."
"I--and the town council--represent the people. We speak for them. We make decisions for them. We..."
He slammed his mouth shut when every one of the ladies stood up.
Now the men along the bar turned in the mayor's direction and none of them looked happy. A few started grumbling amongst themselves. The women were sitting back down, glancing uneasily around the room, but still looking angry. Daniel sensed a whole new problem was coming. Damn. As if there weren't enough problems already.
Wanting to keep his troublesome wife as safe as he could, he shifted Jennie closer to his brother. He glanced at Faith and then tugged her over to Adam as well. Adam gave him a confused look, but nodded. He'd watch after the women.
Satisfied with what he'd done, Daniel strode past the frowning men and toward the stage. He rested his hands on the twin, tied-down guns holstered at his sides. Guns he'd told Jennie he seldom wore because for the most part there weren't any troublemakers in Dryfork. But a gut feeling that he might need them had come over him after he'd left the barber shop earlier. He didn't like wearing them, but he did when necessary. And he knew how to use them.
He gazed at Jennie and found her staring at the guns she'd obviously not noticed before now. He recognized the worry in her eyes, the question. It wasn't that he really expected trouble to break out, but he wanted to show the men that he was prepared to settle a bad situation in a bad way if necessary. It came with the job sometimes. Not that he would have to kill someone here, but he might have to wing someone. He sure hoped it wouldn't come to that.
"I don't want trouble in here, sheriff," Angelica yelled from behind the bar.
He looked toward the striking beauty with long, soft raven-colored curls draping over her shoulders. She wore a red dress with a low-scooped neckline today, revealing a lot of pale skin and the tops of some very full breasts. She was something to look at all right, but nothing in comparison to his Jennie. He liked her and didn't mind his brother Ben courting her. Adam did, though. But Ben wasn't here to protect her now or protect her saloon.