He didn’t sit, but stood and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “We can make plans and laws, but that doesn’t stop men like those. You’d think after all this country has been through, men would be looking for peace now, be happy to go about their lives and not stir up trouble.”
She set a full cup on the table. “I understand your concern, but don’t be discouraged. You’ve worked too hard to let these men undermine what you’ve done—what you and Will and Noah have done together. We’ll pray. You’ll think of something.”
She was still the prettiest woman he’d ever laid eyes on, her gold upswept hair shiny in the lamplight. Her cheeks were pink against her fair skin, and her eyes wide with sincerity. He released a ragged breath and took her words to heart. “Yes.”
A few months ago he’d been living in an empty house, devoted to the development of this town, never letting himself get ahead in his thinking to actually hope or plan for a wife. Whenever he thought of it, he imagined he’d eventually take a bride and make the best of a convenient arrangement.
Marrying Leah might have been a convenient arrangement, but he certainly hadn’t settled for second best. He wasn’t her first choice, but she had always been the woman of his dreams, the wife he’d have chosen had he been given the opportunity. He prayed she wasn’t resentful of her situation or that she didn’t feel forced into a marriage she didn’t want.
Her encouragement meant everything to him.
She smiled and moved forward to hug him, nestling her hand on his shoulder and her head under his chin. Her hair smelled of citrus and she felt small and soft in his arms. The years fell away, and they were friends again, sharing, supporting. He spread his hand on the small of her back. My wife now. Even with the state of conflict in town, he experienced a satisfying sense of optimism. He couldn’t fool himself that she suddenly felt more than friendship or appreciation, but he could hope for more.
She pulled back and offered him a smile. “Sit now. Drink your coffee while it’s hot.”
“Miss Ewing would have done the dishes in the morning.”
“I’m perfectly capable of washing a few dishes, Daniel. I rested with my feet up most of the day.”
His lips quirked, but he sat without further comment. She seated herself across from him, folding a stack of embroidered towels they’d received as a wedding gift into perfect squares. He thought about how he’d taken her in his arms and kissed her after Reverend Taggart had pronounced them man and wife, and then he thought about kissing her again, with no one watching.
It had been a long time since he’d spent time in the company of a woman, and he enjoyed watching her movements. Her shoulders were so narrow he could wrap his arms twice around her. Her hands were small, her fingers long and delicate. She smoothed and folded the towels with impressive precision. She glanced up and found him watching her.
“We’ll be having a town meeting tomorrow to discuss what happened tonight and figure out if there’s anything we can do,” he said to break the silence.
“Will there be women there?”
“You’re welcome to join us. The more heads the better.” He finished his coffee and banked the fire in the stove. He found a pail and dipped water from the reservoir. “I’ll carry water up.”
She stored her towels and disappeared.
* * *
Daniel woke during the night. His room was still dark, the house silent. A sound met his ears and he realized the soft cry was what had awakened him. He stood and pulled on his trousers before padding across the hall to Leah’s door. The muffled sounds of distress and a piteous cry were alarming. He pushed open the door, not knowing what he’d find.
A surprisingly serene sight met his eyes. Through a slit in the curtains, moonbeams danced across the coverlet, outlining the slender figure beneath. He didn’t know what he’d anticipated finding, but it hadn’t been Leah sleeping soundly. What of the sounds he’d heard? But then her unmistakable cries came again.
Her sobs tightened a cinch around his chest. He moved forward, so close he could smell the scent of her hair. “Leah,” he said softly. When she didn’t respond he touched her shoulder. Beneath his hand, her body trembled. “Leah?”
“No, I’m not leaving Mama,” she said on a sob. “I won’t leave her.”
“Wake up. You’re dreaming.”
“Mama! Come on, you can make it.”
“Leah, wake up,” he said more sternly.
She twisted and sat straight up with a start, her tangled hair a silver mass of curls in the moonlight. Tears streaked her cheeks, and her entire body shuddered violently.
He’d seen similar behavior among the soldiers. Men reliving battles and death in vividly cruel nightmares. Even Noah jumped in wild-eyed panic at the sound of unexpected gunfire. No doubt that was why his friend preferred isolation and stayed so far from town, the saloons and all the careless revelers. Daniel had suffered his own repercussions after the war, and then it dawned on him that Leah must have experienced terrible things as well.
She raised an unsteady hand to rake her hair away from her face. “I—I’m sorry I woke you.”
“Shh...it’s no bother.” He found a match and lit the lamp on the bureau. “Want to talk about it?”
She blinked. In the lantern light her flushed face and neck took on an apricot glow. “I was just having a dream.”
He took her hand and felt her body quivering. “Must’ve been a frightening one. You’re shaking.”
“I’ll be all right.”
“Can I hold you?” he asked.
She paused only a moment, and then scooted aside so he could sit and wrap his arms around her shoulders. She rested her head against him and released a quivering sigh. “I feel foolish.”
“No need to feel foolish.” He rubbed her back in a soothing circular motion. Her hair was soft against his chin, her arms warm through the cotton gown. She smelled like lemon and almond. Even someone as lovely and delicate as this woman carried the scars of war, and Daniel knew all about terrors in the night. “I’ve been in this house for months and I’ve only started to sleep on my bed,” he admitted. “I couldn’t get any rest until I put the blankets and quilt on the floor and laid there.”
“Why?”
“The bed was too soft, the stillness of the house too quiet and disturbing. It’s impossible to ignore the thoughts—and the losses at night. I slept on the floor at the hotel, too.”
Sometimes when he woke it took him a minute to remember he wasn’t in a tent with a dozen dirty, hungry men, and it wasn’t until then that the constriction in his chest eased. Mornings were still a surprise. Each new day meant he didn’t have to put on wet socks or stiff boots and march or burn fields or homes or kill anyone. He could lie in bed all day if it suited him. But instead he got up and worked to change things for the better.
Perhaps eventually she would tell him about the memories that woke her and left her trembling. But she didn’t have to. “I understand, Leah.”
She raised her head and released him, studying his face in the dim light. What did she see when she looked at him? Someone who reminded her of home? Someone who made the tragedy more real? A friend, perhaps. Common sense told him this arrangement was based on convenience prompted by his desire to protect his friend, but his heart didn’t seem to understand that logic because it beat a rapid tattoo under his shirt. Yes, he wanted to keep her safe, protect her from the world, erase the hurt and loss, but he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her as well.
Leah was still a beautiful woman, still the girl he’d secretly longed for and still just beyond his reach. She’d lost two babies, her parents and brother, her husband. She had a lot of misery on her plate and she didn’t need him confusing her with his selfish desires. It pained him to stand and take a step away, but he did it. He gestured to the nearby chair. “I
could sit here a while if you like.”
“No, you go sleep.”
He backed away a few steps. “I’ll have my door open. If you need me, call out.”
“Thank you.”
He left, closing her door to give her privacy. In his room he stood in the dark for several minutes, studying the walnut four-poster bed with its thick mattress. Finally he yanked the covers from the bed and folded them in half on the floor, dropped pillows, then lay down and stacked his hands under his head. He racked his memory for a verse to help him relax and sleep, and finally a snip of a Psalm came to him. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
“I am lying down in peace, Lord,” he said under his breath. “And Leah as well.”
Chapter Ten
The following day men and a few women gathered in a private dining room in the Cattleman Hotel, where chairs had been lined up and a table placed at the front for Sheriff Davis, Daniel, Will, Noah and D.B. Leah took a chair at the side of the room where Hannah, Prudence, Dora, Pippa and Opal Godwin sat.
“By now everyone is aware of the incident in town last night,” Will began in a calm, authoritative voice. “We’re here to talk about solutions for the safety of our residents.”
“D.B. recognized a couple of them as Zen and Xavier Murdoch,” Daniel said. “They’re part of an outlaw gang.”
“They caused trouble in Harper, too,” D.B. explained.
“Eight of ’em in total from what I learnt,” Quincy added. “They’re holed up somewhere outside town.”
“Are the ranchers safe?” Walter Frye, the liveryman, asked. “Maybe we need men riding out to alert them so they can be on the lookout.”
“That’s a wise idea,” Noah said. “I’ll let the families on either side of me know. We’ll need a few more volunteers.”
A few men raised their hands and Will took note of which ranches they would travel to.
“Meanwhile we’ve got the town to look out for,” Amos Godwin said. “We can’t have our windows shot out. Nearly the whole south end of Eden Street is boarded over today.”
“Business owners, you keep guns in your establishments?” Will asked.
Floyd Yates, Amos, Walter and others nodded.
“Maybe we need to lift the no-gun policy until this is settled,” D.B. suggested.
Several voices interrupted each other all at once.
“We have that law for a reason,” Noah objected. “We’re promoting Cowboy Creek as the safest little town in Webster County. We’re bringing in womenfolk. There will be more children soon.”
“The school will be opening,” Daniel added.
“We have to keep our women safe,” Owen Ewing agreed. He glanced at his older sister, Valentine, sitting beside him. She held her lips pursed in a line of displeasure.
More arguments of dissension went back and forth before Will raised a hand.
“All right. All right,” Will said, directing attention to himself. “Lifting the no-gun ordinance is the last resort. Until we resort to that, we will be vigilant.”
“We need sentries with guns,” James Johnson chimed in.
“Yes,” Will agreed and Daniel nodded.
“There are plenty of drovers in town,” James added. “I’m willing to take turns, and others will be, too. We’re used to sitting under the stars at night.”
“I’ll make a schedule,” Will offered. “Anyone who is willing to take a turn, sign up.”
“Meanwhile,” Noah said, turning to Quincy. “You and your deputies see if you can find where these fellas are hiding out. According to the papers on them, they’re mostly all wanted for a crime worthy of jail time. The sooner we can lock ’em up, the better. Are we all agreed on this plan for now?”
The men congregated near the front of the room and continued to speak in low voices. Pippa turned to the group of women. “Ladies. I’m glad we have this chance to talk because I have something to ask you. Supplies were replaced and work has begun on the construction of the opera house. This will be a splendid opportunity to bring the arts to our little community.”
The ladies murmured appropriate responses.
“I’ve been asked to be the director, isn’t that positively thrilling?”
“You are the likely person to handle things,” Prudence said with a nod. She was never without her cameo brooch at her throat.
“It will be a very small operation at first, of course,” Pippa continued. “And securing performers who are touring may be difficult until we’ve established ourselves, but I do have contacts.” Today she was wearing one of her feathered hats and a jade dress with an impressive bustle. “But until then, we shall incorporate the local talent and form our own troupe to perform and sing. I’m counting on you ladies to volunteer your talents.”
Opal rested a hand on her protruding belly. “It will be months before I’m able to commit to something like that. Not now and certainly not with a new baby.”
Valentine had joined the gathering. “I sing a little, dear.”
“Wonderful, Miss Ewing.” Pippa beamed with pleasure.
Prudence lifted her chin. “You won’t get me on a stage.”
“I will try my hand at acting and singing,” Dora told Pippa. “I’m good at memorizing poetry and Bible verses, so you can assign me a lead role.”
“Excellent,” Pippa said with a smile.
Aunt Mae joined them then, and Pippa shared her plans.
“Well, you don’t want to hear me sing anything,” she said with a good-natured laugh. “But you know, some of those cowboys can carry a tune and play fiddles.”
Leah left the women discussing the troupe for the opera house and sought out Opal, who had found a seat near the door. “How are you feeling?”
“Exhausted, actually. I’m having trouble sleeping.”
“A lot of mothers complain of that. Keep up your strengths and eat even when you’re not hungry. I’ll ask Valentine if she’ll make a pot of broth for you. Drink plenty of water.”
Opal rolled her eyes.
“I know, I know.” She sat beside her. “You’re already up during the night, but it’s good for you. Rest with your feet up as much as you can. Amos is getting by without you at the store.”
“I feel like I’m letting him down. I am so unprepared for this.”
“It’s normal to feel this way,” Leah said to soothe her. “Your body is going through a lot of changes, and that baby is determining your moods right now.”
“How did you learn so much about having babies?”
“I had a close friend who was a midwife. I learned from her.” She didn’t want to add to Opal’s concerns, so she didn’t tell her she’d been expecting her own child at the time. The anxious young woman didn’t need to hear those stories right now.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
“So am I.”
Opal reached for her hand. “I don’t know your story, and it’s none of my business, but I have a feeling you and Daniel are going to be good for each other.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“The way he looks at you does my heart good.”
Leah looked at her with surprise. “What way is that?”
“Like you’re an exotic flower. His face relaxes and his eyes drink you in.”
A touch of embarrassment brought a flush to Leah’s cheeks. “You must be mistaken.”
“I might be.” She glanced at the gathering of men, where Daniel was already watching them. “If I am, I’ll do a tap dance on Pippa’s opera house stage.”
Leah chuckled and met Daniel’s eyes across the room. He stood tall and handsome, his shiny chestnut hair combed neatly back, and she caught her breath at the sight of him. Her thoughts immediately went
to the night before when he’d come to her room, held her in his strong arms and comforted her. Hannah mentioned she’d cried out in her sleep a time or two on their trip. Even in uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, getting only intermittent sleep, she’d had the nightmares. She’d hoped to not bother Daniel, not let him learn of her private suffering. She had to put the past behind her. During the day she kept those thoughts under control, but sleep made her vulnerable.
“You didn’t mention when your baby is due,” Opal pointed out.
“September.”
“And you’re feeling well yourself?”
Leah nodded. “Very well, thank you.
“Good for you.” She put her arm around Leah’s shoulders, giving her a brief hug. “Our babies will go to school together when they’re older.”
“I guess they will.”
The women smiled at each other.
Valentine joined them then. “Valentine, I thought we might shop for some beef to make Opal a pot of broth.”
“Why don’t you both skedaddle and I’ll do the shopping?”
“If you’re sure. Thank you.” She bid Daniel and the other ladies goodbye before seeing Opal to her door. She then headed for Daniel’s home. Her home now, she reminded herself. The sky was a brilliant blue, with a few clouds skittering across the sky. The wind caught her skirts, and she held on to her hat. It was a beautiful day in Kansas. In the distance a train whistle sounded a long mournful cry. The sound signaled prosperity. Cattle and new residents were arriving. Lumber, glass and all manner of items for homes and new businesses were being delivered.
The steady beat of a hammer echoed across the lot as she passed the schoolhouse where the roof was going on the building. Further down Lincoln Boulevard another new home was in the beginning stages of construction, and she imagined it was one of Daniel’s projects.
The way he looks at you does my heart good.
What way is that?
Like you’re an exotic flower. His face relaxes and his eyes drink you in.
She didn’t have any business misleading herself about Daniel’s true feelings toward her. He was dear and familiar, as he’d always been. A good friend. And she wouldn’t spoil what they shared now with foolish expectations. She’d done that once. She’d chosen Charles because he had a good family and ambition. She’d believed her security depended on marrying a successful man, but she’d also believed that man when he’d taken his vows to love and cherish her. She’d let herself have fanciful ideas about marriage.
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