Thourgood Reeson reached for the potatoes, their maid, Hilda, was setting on the table. “Yes, sir,” he said in a jovial voice, “I’m sure I got things working for you in town, little girl.”
“What do you mean?” Cora Sue looked at her daddy.
“Smiley was leaving Cool Wood today as Wyatt and his pretend wife were coming in. He said people on the street were looking in the other direction and some were even turning their backs on them. That proves it won’t be long until Wyatt sees what a little schemer his so-called bride is.” He put three spoonfuls of potatoes on his plate and sat the bowl down.
“Thourgood, do you think it’s right to smear the woman’s name like you’ve done?” Mildred picked up the bowl of potatoes, dipped out a few and passed them to Cora Sue.
“Damn it, woman, of course it’s right. The crook shouldn’t have come out here saying Wyatt was her husband. She’s only getting what’s coming to her.”
“It’s not up to us to punish her, Daddy. Wyatt should be the one to confront her with what she’s doing.”
“Hell, don’t be like your mama. You women make me sick. You don’t have the stomach to do what needs doing.”
Cora Sue looked down at her plate and muttered, “I was only trying to do the Christian thing.”
Thourgood let out a hearty laugh. “My dear Cora Sue, I don’t believe that at all. You’re a sweet and beautiful child who doesn’t care anything about doing your Christian duty. All you want is to marry Wyatt Singleton and get your hands on his money.”
“Cora Sue isn’t that crass, Thourgood.” Mildred eyed him. “Sometimes she surprises me with the nice things she does.”
“Well, defending the false Mrs. Singleton’s reputation isn’t one of those nice things. She knows the woman has to go as well as I do.”
Cora Sue ignored her father and asked, “Daddy, there are a lot of men around who want to marry me and some of them have money. Maybe as much money as Wyatt Singleton. Why are you so set on me marrying him?”
“Because it’s important to connect his name with mine. You don’t need to know any more than that.” He picked up a chicken leg and bit into it.
“I don’t love Wyatt Singleton,” Cora Sue muttered.
Thourgood frowned. “What the hell does that have to do with anything? He’s handsome, so the women say, he’s rich and he’ll make sure his wife has the best of what can be had in this world. What more could a woman want?”
“A woman wants to love the man she marries, Thourgood,” Mildred said.
“And she wants him to love her back,” Cora Sue added.
“You women are crazy. All you need is to give him a child and he’ll give you everything you can ever want.”
“I’m never having children,” Cora Sue said. “I don’t want to be tied down to a squalling baby.”
“I’ll hear no more of that foolish talk about not wanting to have a baby.” Thourgood stared at her. “You have to give Wyatt a child. Probably two or three of them.”
“I’m not going to.” She sat her mouth in her stubborn little smile.
Thourgood pounded the table with his fist. “Damn you, Cora Sue. What’s got into you? Why are you fighting me on this?”
“If you’re so set on somebody marrying Wyatt Singleton, why don’t you marry him yourself?” Cora Sue jumped up.
Before she could leave the room, Thourgood roared, “Sit back down! I don’t intend to listen to any more of this nonsense.”
After she sat, he went on, saying, “Now get it through your head. You’re going to marry Wyatt as soon as he’s rid of that woman. Not only that, you’re going to give him a child as soon as you can. I need for this to happen as quickly as possible.”
“Why, Thourgood?” Mildred looked at him.
“Because if it doesn’t, my dear wife, you may find we’re leaving this town in disgrace.”
“Why?” Cora Sue stared at him.
“I’ve told you all you need to know. Now, eat your supper and don’t say another word about it. Six months from now, you’ll thank me for making this happen for you both.”
Chapter 22
Edwina was sitting on the porch trying to get Adam to go to sleep for his morning nap. He continued to wiggle and to jabber to her. Of course, she didn’t know a word he was saying until he muttered, “Horsie.”
At first she thought he was talking about the horse he plays with, then she heard the clomps of a horse’s hoofs. Looking up, she watched a buggy pull up to the front steps. She couldn’t hide her surprise when Cora Sue Reeson wrapped the reins around the brake stick and began climbing down from the buggy.
“Good morning,” Cora Sue said as she came up the steps.
“Good morning.”
“I hope you don’t mind me dropping by to talk with you.”
“It depends on what you came to talk about, Miss Reeson.”
Cora Sue bit her lip. “May I sit down?”
Edwina nodded to a rocking chair. Adam began to chatter again.
Pulling the chair to face Edwina, Cora Sue sat. “What is your baby saying?”
“I have no idea. He says a few words plainly, but most of his jabbering is gibberish. I simply agree with him most of the time.”
The door opened and Rosalinda came out. “I heard the buggy and thought you might want me to put Mr. Adam down, Mrs. Singleton.”
“Thank you, Rosalinda.” She handed the baby to the housekeeper.
He giggled and muttered, “Oossie.”
“Well, listen to that. He said my name.” Rosalinda looked pleased. “Come with Rosalinda, big boy. I’ll get you down, then I’ll bring some tea for your mother and her guest.”
“Ma-ma.”
“Yes, dear, your mama.” She disappeared through the door with Adam in her arms.
“The baby requires a lot of work, doesn’t he?”
“Yes, but every second is worth it. He’s such a wonderful baby and he makes us all happy with his little actions.”
“I guess Wyatt likes him, too.”
“Of course, he loves Adam. He plays with him every day, and often takes him for rides on his pony. We usually put him down together at night.”
Cora Sue looked out across the sprawling countryside. “Do you like living here?”
“Yes. Very much.”
“Most any woman would be happy to have a home like this.”
“Yes, she should be.” Edwina looked into the woman’s eyes. She knew Cora Sue had something on her mind, but she wasn’t going to ask.
Dena came out with a tray containing a teapot and two cups. “Rosalinda is getting Adam to sleep and she asked me to serve you ladies.”
“Thank you, Dena. Put it on the table and I’ll serve.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As Dena left the porch, Edwina noticed the glance that passed between the two women, but she ignored it. “What would you like in your tea, Miss Reeson?”
“I like sugar and please call me Cora Sue.”
Edwina nodded, put a generous amount of sugar in the cup and passed the tea to her guest.
Cora Sue sipped it. Lowering her cup, she said, “I suppose you’ve heard that your uncle has sent a letter to my father.”
“Yes, I heard about it in town yesterday.”
“I’m sorry to be so blunt, Edwina, but how can you pretend to still be married to Wyatt when your uncle has said you’re now divorced from him.”
“My uncle isn’t telling the truth. Wyatt and I are as married now as we were the day we said I do.”
“Are you sure? I don’t see any reason why a preacher would lie about it.”
“My uncle has his reasons.”
“What reasons?”
“I don’t want to discuss it with you, Miss Reeson.”
“I said for you to call me Cora Sue.”
“All right, Cora Sue, why are you here? Did you come to see if I knew about my uncle’s letter? Or, did you think I’d run away because your father has been spreading the lies?”
“How do you know my father said anything about you?”
“I heard it in town yesterday.”
Cora Sue sighed. “What did Wyatt say?”
Edwina sipped her tea. “Cora Sue, why are you so interested? Do you think Wyatt and I are going to divorce so you can get your hooks into him?”
“Daddy says I have to marry Wyatt and I want to please my daddy,” Cora Sue blurted. “But I don’t want to marry him. I’m in love with somebody else.”
“Then why don’t you marry the man you love?”
“Oh, Edwina, it’s complicated. I was supposed to come here today and tell you that you needed to get out of Wyatt’s house because you don’t need to be living here in sin. Daddy wanted me to tell Wyatt not to worry and that I’ll marry him and give him a little boy and things will be happy for him again.” Tears formed in Cora Sue’s eyes. “But I don’t want to do that. I know Wyatt doesn’t want me. He’s in love with you and you’re happy together. Daddy won’t accept that. He still thinks Wyatt can’t resist me.”
“You’re right about one thing. We are happy together.”
“What am I going to tell Daddy?”
Edwina couldn’t help it. She felt sorry for Cora Sue. In spite of the woman’s silly ways, she felt they had something in common. Cora Sue was unable to stand up to her father just the way she had been with her uncle Hezekiah.
“I don’t know what you can tell him, Cora Sue, but he’s in for a surprise if he thinks spreading rumors about Wyatt and me in town is going to make us separate.”
“I know.” She shook her head.
“Does he have an ulterior motive for your marrying Wyatt?”
“He keeps saying that we’ll lose everything if I don’t marry him.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I, Edwina. I keep telling him there are other rich men I could marry, but he says that wouldn’t work.”
The woman talked a little longer, then Cora Sue stood. “I appreciate you talking with me, Edwina.”
“I’m glad you came by, Cora Sue.”
“Maybe I can come again.”
“If you wish.”
Edwina watched as Cora Sue climbed back in her buggy and drove off. Shaking her head, she stood, gathered the tea tray and headed into the house to check on Adam.
* * * *
“This place isn’t bad at all, Terrence. In fact, it’s better than the tent we were living in.” Naomi tossed the bucket of dirty water out the back door. “Now you can see out of the windows.”
“It will be fine until we get a home of our own.” He looked up at her from the step he was repairing. “At least this place will be in good shape when we leave.”
“Where are the boys?”
“They’re down at the creek. I told them I wouldn’t mind a mess of fish for supper.”
“That would be good. We’ve got the leftover cornbread from last night. I can cook up some potatoes, too.”
“Sounds good, Naomi.” He straightened up. “I think that about does it with these steps.”
“How much more do you have to do around here, Terrence?”
“I’ve about done every thing that’s needed. I’ll finish shoring up the bunk bed this afternoon. Tomorrow I intend to take the boys and go down to the ranch and see what Mr. Singleton wants me to do.”
“Do you think there might be something I could do in the house?”
“Could be, but why do you want to?”
“I don’t look forward to staying here in the woods alone.”
“If we were on our homestead, you’d be staying along, Naomi.”
“That’s different. If this were our place, I’d keep busy putting in a garden and preserving food and that sort of thing.”
He nodded. “Then make plans to go down with us. From what we’ve seen they have an awfully big house. I’m sure they could use some help around there.”
“I heard them say something about a child. Maybe they need somebody to look after it.”
Terrence smiled. “You’re sure good at looking after children, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I love children.” She rubbed her belly.
“I was hoping we’d be in our own house before that one came along.”
“Keep the faith, Terrence Kerr. We might be in our own house yet.”
“I hope so, Naomi. I really hope so.” He leaned over her and kissed her on the cheek.
Before she could respond, a voice rang out. “We caught six fish, Mama. Two of them are really big.”
“Yeah, I caught two of them.”
Naomi pulled away from Terrence. “Then bring them in and let’s get ready to fry them up.”
Chapter 23
The Reverend Hezekiah D. Thorn ignored his wife and stepped off the stagecoach. Without offering to help her, he stood on the dusty street and looked around the town of Cool Wood. Callie Thorn was helped down from the coach by the driver. When their battered carpet bags were put on the ground, the driver climbed back to his seat on the front and pulled away.
“If we can’t find some Christian family to put us up, I guess we’ll have to stay at that hotel over there,” he said with a frown. “I hope it’s not gonna cost us too much.”
The sheriff stepped off the wooden sidewalk and nodded to the Thorns. “Looks like you folks might be new in town.”
“Yes, we are.” Hezekiah introduced himself. “Looks like this town is in need of a preacher, judging by the many men I see going in and out of that saloon down the street.”
“The Golden Nugget does have a lot of business, but seldom does anyone get out of line. I’ve never had to arrest anyone except on an occasional Saturday night.”
“You ought to arrest them for going in such an awful, sinful, disgraceful place. A preacher should be telling the men to go home to their families instead of spending their time drinking demon liquor.”
“Most of them are hardworking men. They also respect their families.”
“Humph. I assume there are loose women in that place to tempt them.” When Jeff didn’t answer, he asked, “Such establishments are known for that sort of thing.”
“There are a few dancehall girls, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Shame. Shame. Looks like you’re in need of a real God-fearing preacher.”
“We have a preacher and he’s a good one.”
“Then he must not be doing his job or he’d get a place like that closed down.”
Jeff ignored this statement and indicated Callie. “I assume this is Mrs. Thorn.”
“Yes, of course. You wouldn’t expect a man of God to travel with a woman who wasn’t his wife, would you?”
Before the sheriff could answer, Callie said in her usual timid voice, “I suppose we should get out of the middle of the street.”
Without acknowledging her, Hezekiah reached down and picked up his bag. Looking at the sheriff, he asked, “Are there any Christians in town who would put up a God-fearing preacher and his wife, or anywhere else to stay in this God-forsaken town besides the hotel?”
“There’s Miss Sweeny’s rooming house one street over.”
“Which do you think would be cheaper?”
Jeff lifted an eyebrow, but said, “The hotel will probably cost less, but the rooming house does include meals.”
“Then I guess I’ll choose the hotel. I hope to move whenever I find out where a Miss Cora Sue Reeson lives.”
“The Reeson ranch is south of town.”
“How far?”
“I’d guess about ten miles.”
“Humph,” Hezekiah grunted. “I guess that’s too far to walk today.”
“Yes, sir. I would say so. Of course, you can rent a horse and buggy at the livery stable if you like.”
“No thank you, Sheriff. We have to watch our money.” He turned to Callie. “We’ll go to the hotel, then I’ll figure out some way to get word to Miss Reeson that we’re here.”
Callie took her case and followed hi
m without saying anything.
Jeff Bodger walked away, shaking his head and wondering what these strange people had to do with the Reesons and hoping they didn’t intend to settle in Cool Wood. The man was the kind to cause trouble where no trouble existed.
* * * *
Wyatt was sitting in front of the sheriff’s office when Jeff walked up the sidewalk. He stood and said, “I have something I need to talk with you about.”
“Sure. Come on in.” Jeff unlocked the door. “What’s on your mind?”
After Wyatt explained about the Kerrs trying to homestead on his land, Jeff said, “Looks like somebody’s taking a big chance selling off your land. I’d hate to be the one to do it.”
“If I get my hands on him—”
“Now, don’t start that, Wyatt. I know you like to handle all your own problems, but things like this need to be left to the hands of the law.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to start shooting people.” He gave a half-grin. “Not until I catch them, that is.”
“I guess that’s fair.” Jeff turned to the pot-bellied stove. “I think the coffee’s still hot. Want a cup?”
“Sure.”
“I hear you’ve been clearing up those rumors Thourgood Reeson started about your wife.”
“Damn son-of-a-bitch. I’m going to have a talk with him, too.”
“I guess he’s just disappointed you didn’t fall head over heels for that daughter of his.”
“No chance in hell of that.”
“Vera and I were talking the other day. We think it’s time we had you and Edwina for dinner. Vera wants to get her hands on your baby.”
“He’s quite a boy.”
“That’s what I heard. One of these days maybe I’ll know what it’s like to be a father.”
“I’ll be going for a second child soon. Edwina is a good mother and I think she’d like a little girl.”
Jeff handed him a cup of coffee and sat behind his desk. Putting his cup down, he said, “Now let’s see if we can figure out who in this little town of ours would benefit by trying to sell somebody else’s property.”
“Don’t think I haven’t been racking my brain.” Wyatt took a drink of coffee. “I figure it has to be somebody who knows I don’t have cows on the north pasture after the fall until mid summer of the next year.”
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