Partners in Justice and Love: A Historical Western Romance Book

by Lorelei Brogan

  “I can handle that.” Sara filled the feed sack hanging on the stall gate before closing it behind her. She eyed Janie for a moment, still uneasy over their meeting in town. She could still picture the glimmer in Moran’s eyes as he looked at Janie and the boys. The thought of it made her skin crawl. Pushing the idea from her mind for the time being, she went outside to join Charley and Carter. They welcomed her with enthusiasm, showing her the other horses.

  “Aren’t they something?” Charley beamed. “One day, I will have a horse like that grey one for myself.”

  “I am sure of it,” Sara nodded. “And your mother wrote to me saying that you had begun learning to ride. That is quite a feat for a young man your age.”

  “I am four already,” he insisted, poking his chest out a bit.

  “Yes, and a big strong four-year-old you are. I am impressed.”

  The boy beamed at his aunt’s praise, glancing at his brother. “Carter is not old enough to ride yet.”

  Sara shook her head. “No, not yet, but he will begin learning soon I imagine. And I can already see how much of a help you both are to your mother.”

  “And to Papa, too,” Carter insisted.

  “Yes, and to your Papa and Mr. Hodges and Mr. Peterson. I imagine you will know how to run a ranch by the time you are ten-years-old!” The words echoed in her mind after she said them. Could it be the ranch Moran was after? It was far from the largest spread in the area. And surely Moran’s money could grant him any land he set his sights on. The herd itself was struggling, so it could not be that. Things just were not adding up.

  After ensuring that Mr. Hodges did not mind the boys watching him work, Sara set off to pour some lemonade. By the time Janie joined her on the veranda, she had a glass waiting for her. Sitting together, they watched as Hodges pulled Charley into the corral to have a ride on one of the gentlest of the mares. He sat proudly in the saddle while the cowboy led him around.

  “What a childhood they were going to have,” Janie sighed. “They had all the freedoms that the frontier could offer. They had the chance to truly be little boys in a way that they could not in a city. Everything was as we had hoped it would be…until one day it wasn’t. I hate the thought that this might be taken from them.”

  “Now, don’t speak like that,” Sara soothed. “The ranch is still yours, and if I have anything to do with it, Tom will not be spending five years in prison. I don’t care what those men said, I still do not believe that Tom is guilty. There must be more to it than that.”

  Janie shook her head. “I feel the same way, but I cannot allow myself to hope only to be crushed all over again. I can’t take it. Whatever comes of all of this, I am running out of strength to fight.”

  Sara said that she understood. She looked around the place that Janie had turned into a home for their family. Then, it finally dawned on her. Moran was not after a ranch or a herd. He could buy those things with ease. But a woman…specifically a woman out of reach, that was another thing entirely.

  What if it was Janie he was after? It was true that she was a beautiful woman. Her long golden locks draped about her girlish frame. Even after bearing two children, she had a youthfulness about her that caught men’s eyes anywhere she went. Surely even the likes of Levi Moran could not be so wicked as to send an innocent man to prison to take his wife, could he? Still, his leering focus on her at the restaurant seemed to point in that direction.

  Sara decided to keep this revelation to herself for the time being. The weariness in Janie’s eyes evidenced that she had enough to deal with. Still, Sara determined then and there that Moran would not have the chance to hurt her family any more than he already had done. She would make sure of that.

  Later that evening Sara sat down at the dining room table, spreading out her new fabric. She certainly had not had the funds for the most expensive material, but the lovely blue shade was sure to attract a customer’s eye. Stretching the fabric flat, Sara began making her measurements, marking the outline of each piece of the dress to come. If she measured and cut precisely enough, she would have enough material for three dresses.

  Rummaging through Janie’s sewing kit, she found a pair of fabric shears and began cutting. The ever-familiar repetition flowed through her hands with ease. The work pulled her mind back to Baltimore, and she wondered how her mother was getting along in her absence. She supposed that a lack of news from home was a good sign, as Mr. Jenkins knew where to reach her in the instance of an emergency.

  Charley soon approached the table where his aunt was working, eyeing the markings on the fabric that seemed nonsensical to him. Sara glanced over at him, amused by his curiosity. His little eyes darted across the lines, watching as Sara’s shears cut through the fabric with ease.

  “Why are you doing that?” he finally asked. “It seemed a good piece before you cut it.”

  Sara smiled at him. “I am cutting it down to fashion into a dress, much like your mother wears. You see, that piece will soon become the body, with the sleeves attached there,” she explained, pointing along the lines she had marked.

  “Oh…I think I see it now,” he nodded, intrigued by the shapes. “Do you think you could sew other things as well?”

  “I imagine I could. What sort of things did you have in mind?”

  “Mother once sewed a stuffed bear for Carter and me to play with. Do you think you could sew a stuffed dog? One that looks like our new puppy?” he asked hopefully.

  “I believe that I could manage that,” she nodded. “But I haven’t got material for it. Perhaps if you ask your mother, she might let me use an outfit that both you and Carter have outgrown. If she is alright with the idea, I’ll see what I can do.”

  Charley’s eyes lit up, and he rushed off to find his mother. Sara chuckled as she watched him ambush her with the question out on the veranda. He’d soon managed to pull her to her feet, leading her toward the boys’ bedroom.

  “I didn’t mean for him to disturb you right away,” Sara called.

  Janie laughed. “It is quite alright. I’m glad to see him so excited. Are you sure you don’t mind taking on the extra work?”

  “It won’t be much extra,” Sara assured her. “I like keeping my hands busy.”

  Charley pulled Janie into the bedroom and soon returned with two shirts, both too small for even Carter. “Will this work?” he eagerly asked.

  Sara nodded. “They will do beautifully. I’ll have them ready for you in a few days.”

  Pleased, Charley scampered off to join Carter outside with the puppy.

  The following few days passed uneventfully. Hodges checked in with Janie each morning, explaining the duties of the day and running any questions by her.

  Janie and Sara worked in the barn, tending to the chickens and the horses that were not being ridden that day. Of course, Charley and Carter were never far behind their mother. Sara was impressed at how quickly they picked up on things, even at their young ages.

  Each afternoon, once the chores were tended to, Sara sat down to her sewing. The time invested in the dresses would be well worth it if they could bring a reasonable price. The only question would be how long it might take for them to sell.

  Still, Sara remained hopeful that the increasing traffic from the railroad might be of some help. Oakmede was not the tiny settlement it once had been. It was becoming a regular stopping point for folks pushing further west.

  Within a week, Sara was ready to take her new gowns to town. One morning, as she gathered her things together for the trip into town, Mr. Hodges poked his head through the front door.

  “Good morning, ma’am,” he called. “Could I have a quick word with you about some of the work to be done today?”

  Janie motioned for him to come in. “Yes, of course,” she nodded. “Can you spare the time for some coffee?”

  “Oh, yes, ma’am! Thank you!” he agreed, removing his hat and stepping inside. Gratefully accepting the cup from Janie, he sat down at the table.

  “No
w, what was it that you wanted to run by me?” Janie asked, sitting across from him.

  “Well, ma’am, as you know, the fence line on the southern end of the property had a tree fall on it over the spring,” he began, sipping on his coffee. “Mr. Peterson and I have done our best to barricade the cattle away from the breach, but I fear that the storms that tend to plow through here in the autumn will only make the hole worse.”

  “Yes, I understand,” Janie nodded with a sigh. She knew she did not have the funds to cover the repairs.

  Mr. Hodges gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m not asking for money, ma’am,” he soothed. “I know things have been tight. I only wondered if you might be willing to ride out and take a look at it with me. Peterson and I have an idea of how we might fix it without new materials, but I would feel much better about it if you had laid eyes on it before we start.”

  “I would be happy to,” she agreed, relieved at his understanding. “I had planned on riding into town with Sara…”

  Sara held up a hand. “There is really no need for you to come with me. I can handle this, and the boys are welcome to ride along just the same.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind?” she asked, finishing her own coffee.

  “Yes, of course! Go and tend to the fence while I tend to the dresses,” Sara insisted. “Hopefully, both will have things looking up around here soon.”

  Agreeing, Janie went out to saddle her own horse to ride out with Hodges. Sara quickly cleared the table and sent the boys off to get dressed for the day. It had been some time since Sara had hitched a horse team herself, but she managed while the boys watched nearby.

  “Alright, are we ready to go?” she asked, finally loading her things into the wagon.

  Charley and Carter nodded and rushed to her side, waiting to be lifted into the bed.

  “Good. And I have something for you,” Sara smiled, getting them settled. From her basket of things, she pulled two small stuffed dogs, each with dark ears and a lone spot on their sides, just like their own beloved puppy. “What do you think?”

  “They’re even better than I imagined!” Charley gushed. “Thank you, Aunt Sara!”

  “Yes, thank you!” Carter chimed in, holding his new treasure to his chest.

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like them. Now, off we go.” Sara climbed into the bench of the wagon, clacking the reins and pulling out of the yard. She enjoyed the boys’ cheerful giggling in the bed as they played with their new toys. Their joy made every moment of work worth it.

  Once they had arrived in Oakmede, Sara pulled the wagon behind the hotel, not wanting to chance Levi spotting them.

  Though she did not think he would approach her without Janie, she still had no desire to talk to the man. Sara helped the boys to the ground, collecting her things and leading the way around the end of the building. At this time of day, Genevieve was bound to be in the hotel lobby.

  Pushing the door open for the boys, Sara stepped inside after them, finding Genevieve sitting behind the desk.

  “Well, hello!” Genevieve greeted with a smile. “What brings you to town today?”

  “I have brought the first batch of dresses I was telling you about. I wanted you to take a look at them and tell me what you think,” Sara explained, spreading out one of the gowns over the desk.

  “Oh! It is lovely!” Genevieve praised. “You’re a very talented woman. I am sure that these will sell in no time at all.”

  “Do you really think so?” Sara asked, hopefully. “I would like to make a few more, but I think I’d better wait until these few are sold first.”

  “I understand, though I don’t think you’ll have to wait for long. I have a place ready for them where all of our customers will see them.” Genevieve led Sara and the boys over to the large picture window at the front of the lobby. “I’ll pay you a visit as soon as I have a payment for one of them. Will that be alright?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Sara smiled. “That will be wonderful.”

  “Good. And how is your puppy getting along?” Genevieve asked, turning her attention to the boys.

  “He has settled right in,” Charley informed proudly. “And look what Aunt Sara made for us!” He thrust his stuffed dog toward the woman.

  “Oh! How adorable! And it bears a perfect resemblance to your new pet.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he smiled.

  Noticing that there was no wagon out front, Genevieve understood that they were hoping to slip back out of town unnoticed. She led the three of them through the back room of the lobby, which connected to her and Mr. Langley’s own living quarters.

  “Thank you for understanding,” Sara whispered to her as the boys instantly gravitated toward the few remaining puppies.

  “Of course, dear,” she nodded. “I try to avoid Levi, and I haven’t got any reason to! He is just an unpleasant man. Is Janie getting along alright?”

  “Yes,” Sara sighed. “She is still struggling with the idea of spending such a long time without Tom, but I think she has finally pushed away the thought that she might lose the ranch. Working together with the cowhands, I think we’ll be okay.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I know that five years is daunting, but giving up hope won’t help.”

  Sara agreed.

  “As always, we’re happy to help in any way that we can. You always know where to find us,” Genevieve said as Sara finally pulled the boys toward the door.

  “Yes, ma’am! Thank you again for your kindness,” she smiled, leading the boys to the wagon. Riding back out of town, Sara began to plan what she might do for the next batch of dresses.

  By the time they returned home, Janie had just come back from the pasture. They all met in the barn, quickly tending to the horses before going inside for lunch.

  Chapter 6

  Later that afternoon, a knock came at the door. Sara and Janie had just sat down to coffee after sending the boys to play in their room. Their morning errands had been completed, and a few minutes of rest after lunch was welcomed. Then, the front door swung open, revealing the silhouette of a man in a Stetson with a revolver on his hip.

  Janie jumped to her feet and went pale at the sight of him. She stared at the man until he stepped in from the shadow of the veranda. Sara stood as well, caught up in the view of the handsome and mysterious man. His light-brown mustache perfectly met his goatee, framing his mouth beneath a decidedly droopy nose. His hazel-brown eyes shone with gentleness from beneath the brim of his Stetson. Sara found herself breathless.

  “So, you finally decided to come home, did you?” Janie snapped. Her tone was harsher than Sara had known from her before. “A lot of good that will do us now.”

  Sara was surprised by Janie’s harsh greeting. She clearly knew this man, but had not made mention of another cowhand. Sara then recognized a similarity between the man and Janie. There was something about their eyes that brought Sara to the conclusion that this must be the brother Janie had mentioned in her missives.

  Though Sara had never met him, Janie had spoken of him kindly, always suggesting how much he had been there for her over the years. Sara got the feeling that the siblings had stood by one another through a difficult upbringing. To the best of Sara’s knowledge, he had left to fight in the war before Janie had ever met Tom and Sara. Once the war was over, Janie’s brother had never returned to Baltimore. Sara stood by, waiting for an introduction.

  “After all that we have been through together, you broke your promise!” she shouted, stepping forward angrily. “Why would you return to the dangers of bounty hunting when you had made a home here? How could you?” Tears began to well up in Janie’s eyes as she fought back her emotions. “As far as I am concerned, this is all on you! What is going to happen to me now…or to your nephews?”