"Can we go back there now? I have to talk to them."
"We can go back over there after you've had a proper spanking."
Her eyes grew large. "But Austin, I didn't know I was doing anything wrong at the time. Now that I do, I feel terrible about it. I'll never do it again."
"And a good spanking will insure that."
Chapter Nine
"And a good spanking will help you remember this and serve as a good deterrent in the future. But more importantly, Mrs. Barrington, you have to know that I am here, watching out for you, and I will not permit you to do things like that. You not only hurt them, but it hurt you. I know you feel bad, but what if what you had done hurt them to the point they couldn't forgive you? It could damage a good friendship."
Tears started streaming down her cheeks again. "Do you think they'll be able to forgive me?"
"I think they will after you talk to them. They already know you well enough to know you wouldn't purposely be rude to them. But if you had said that to someone you'd just met, someone who didn't know you, it might be a different outcome." She nodded, wiping tears away with the backs of her hands.
Without another word, he took her wrist and led her to their bed, where he sat down and pulled her over his left thigh. He let her body rest on the bed, and put his leg over hers to hold them still. She squirmed a little, and he guessed it was in anticipation of what was to come.
Not seeing any need to prolong this or make her suffer any more than necessary, he pushed her skirts and petticoats up over her back. His little wife had the prettiest drawers he'd ever seen, with little pink lace around the edges. After a quick moment to appreciate the sight before him, he reached underneath her and untied them. Simply pulling them apart wasn't good enough. He wanted them down. He wanted to be able to see her whole bottom and watch as it turned pink, and then on to red. He didn't feel the need to go beyond red to crimson today, since she already understood and accepted what she'd done.
He started the spanking immediately, alternating cheeks and working quickly. It wasn't long before she was crying out, and tears were flowing steadily. He reminded her that the Wagners felt ashamed of themselves for not being able to read, but were very proud people. She had taken some of that pride away by brushing off their offer to somehow pay her. She was crying more, and he knew now all he had to do was help her with her guilt.
"After a good, proper spanking I'm sure you'll remember this the next time you start to say something that could be hurtful to them or anyone else. You're paying the consequences for your actions now, and unless you want more consequences just like this in the future, you'll watch what you say. I will be watching over you, wife, and if I hear something like that again, you'll be right back in this same spot. Do you understand me?"
"Yes. Yes," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry."
"I know you are," he said, slowing the spanking. "I hope you remember this and watch what you say in the future, wife, because I don't care much for causing you pain. But you need to know that I will. I will repeat this anytime you need it. I love you too much not to."
He replaced her drawers, and put her skirts back down. Very gently he picked her up and sat her on his lap and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She cuddled into this chest, and he had to smile. It was as if she was made to do just that, she fit so nicely. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight while she cried. He whispered assurances to her, reminding her that it was over and telling her how much he loved her.
They stayed like that for fifteen minutes, snuggling and cuddling. It was important to both of them to feel each other close, and feel the love they had for each other. He had to know she was okay with him, not angry, and she had to know he had indeed forgiven her and still loved her. It wasn't the few words they exchanged during this time that assured them, but the warmth they felt holding each other, and the looks that went between them. They both felt totally loved, and very happy.
Eventually Austin looked down at his pretty little wife sitting on his lap, snuggled in against him. "Are you okay now?"
"Yes," she assured him. "But can we go back over to their house so I can apologize?"
"Let's talk a minute first. They really want to pay us somehow for what you've offered to do."
"I know that now," she said, looking down. "I really didn't mean to hurt them."
"I know that. But they think if people know they can't read they'll look down on them. I'm afraid they thought you were saying there's nothing they could do that we would want or accept. I know that's not what you meant at all, but let's try and think of something they could do for us. Maybe if we have an idea in mind when we go back over, you can apologize, and we'll tell them we've given it some thought, and there is something we'd love, if it's not too much to ask. I think that would show them we do indeed have respect for them, and would restore their pride by being able to return the favor."
"That's a wonderful idea. Her cherry cobbler was really good."
"It was, and she offered to share their cherries with us when they're ripe."
"That's a very generous offer, but I have no idea how to can them. We could use some fresh, though. I've never made a cherry cobbler, but—"
"That's the perfect idea," Austin enthused.
"What is? That we could use some fresh cherries and I can try making a cobbler?"
"No. You said you don't know how to can them. Maybe you could ask if she could teach you."
Austin loved seeing the big smile that lit up his wife's face. "I would love that. While she's teaching me how to do it, we could work together and get to know each other better. I'd love to have a good friend here. I've never done any canning of any kind. If she teaches me how to can the cherries, I could probably learn how to can other things, as well. Since there's no school over summer I planned to help you some with the horses in the summer, but I also want to raise a garden. It would be wonderful to be able to put up vegetables for the winter."
"That sounds like we've got a perfect idea. Do you want to go talk to them tomorrow?"
"No," she said as she stood up. "Let's go right now. I really have to let them know I didn't mean what it sounded like. And I hope she'll teach me how to can the cherries."
Austin was chuckling as he allowed his energetic little wife to pull him out the door and toward the barn. Hopefully the Wagners would see her enthusiasm and know her apology was sincere and not mind a second visit on the same day.
He started to hitch the horse to the wagon again, but she stopped him. "A wagon takes so long. Why don't I go put my riding skirt on and we can just take the horses? It's so much quicker."
He nodded his head. "You go change and I'll get a couple horses saddled." He had to smile as she ran to the house. When she got excited about something, she could be pretty impatient. He knew, even as he thought about it, though, that her child-like enthusiasm was one of the things he loved about her. It was easy to see her excitement and joy, and it was very catchy.
With that in mind, he saddled two strong geldings. He knew she wouldn't be happy walking the horses. She'd want to hurry them a little so they could get there sooner. He'd seen her ride enough to know she was very good, so he would allow it, without being too concerned. After hearing her background, growing up on a horse farm, he wasn't surprised. She was probably as good or better a rider than most of his ranch hands.
When she came running back out, he had the horses ready. He assumed as little as she was that she would need assistance getting up on the big gelding, but she proved him wrong. Before he had time to offer any help, she was mounted and headed toward the Wagners' farm. Yes, this was one little lady who knew what she was doing around horses.
He mounted and caught up with her, and they rode side by side back to the Wagner farm. A rather stunned Elliott invited them in. The minute she and Austin were inside the kitchen, Georgia addressed their neighbors.
"Mr. and Mrs. Wagner, I'm sorry to bother you again today, but I had to come back today so I could apologize
. I feel terrible about the way I acted earlier. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings at all, but when Austin pointed out how it sounded, I felt terrible. I have nothing but respect for both of you. Running your own farm is hard work. And Ben is such a polite boy. I hate to see him leave the classroom because he's a very good example for the smaller kids."
"Thank you," Elliott said, smiling.
"You're wonderful parents," she confirmed. "When my husband said he was afraid I may have hurt your feelings, I felt terrible. That's the last thing I wanted to do."
Austin stepped in to offer a little insight into his wife. "If you understood my wife and her love of teaching it would help. She genuinely loves to teach, and feels everyone should have the opportunity to learn. If it helps any, I can vouch for her sincerity. She only wants to help you, and is very hopeful that you will accept her help. The thought of getting anything in return for it never occurred to her."
"I like to pay my way," Elliott said.
"I never thought of my helping you as anything requiring payment," Georgia tried to explain. "But when Austin explained how things work out here, it's different from where I grew up, but I like the idea. There is one very special thing you can do, Vera, that I have no idea how to. I would be so happy if you could teach it to me, but I thought it would be rude on my part to ask."
Vera was visibly excited. "I can't imagine what that could be. Whatever it is, I'd be happy to teach you."
Austin was a bit taken back at the shy look on his wife's face. She swallowed before explaining. "You said that wonderful cherry cobbler was made from cherries you canned from your tree."
"Yes. I love having them all year long."
"I would love that, too, but I don't know how to can anything. I would love to get a cherry tree or two, and I'm planning on putting out a garden this summer, but I have no idea how to can food."
Both Elliott and Vera looked shocked, but quickly recovered. Vera took Georgia's hands. "Canning fruits and vegetables is not hard. It takes a little time, but it's worth it to have fruits and vegetables all winter long. I'll be happy to teach you."
"I'd love to have the chance to work with you. I think we'll become good friends."
"I think so, too," Vera said, hooking Georgia's arm into hers.
Both men were smiling when Elliott turned to Austin. "If you'd like a couple cherry trees I can probably help you with that. I started with one and got two cuttings off of it. It takes a couple years, but I have three nice trees now, all producing cherries. I can get a few cuttings for you, if you'd like."
"I would like that very much, Elliott, thank you. I knew it was possible to start a tree from a cutting, but I've never seen it done. Would you mind if I watch when you do it?"
Elliott's eyes lit up. "Not at all. When it gets warm enough, I'll let you know."
The four of them visited another hour, getting to know each other better. They decided Georgia would ride to the Wagner home on Saturday afternoons and work with them. Elliott was not happy about her riding alone and suggested Ben could come get her. Georgia assured them she'd be fine, and Austin added that she was as good on a horse as most ranch hands, and better than most with a gun.
The Wagners both raised their eyes in surprise. Austin said if he or one of the hands was free he'd send him along, but if everyone was busy, he was comfortable with her riding alone, as long as it was the same time every week. Elliott nodded and said if she didn't arrive by a certain time he and Ben would go looking for her. They agreed on the route she would take, and if she wasn't there on time, he would follow that same route back to the Barrington ranch. Both men were happy once that was decided. They shook hands, and Austin stood, saying they had to leave if they wanted to get back home before dark.
Georgia talked pretty much nonstop on their way back to the ranch. She was excited about getting to teach them all to read and write, but she was just as excited about making a new friend. She was anxious to learn to can, and Austin was happy about getting some cherry trees.
***
Everything went well for the first two months. Georgia convinced Austin she would be fine going alone, rather than take one of their hands away from his work. Austin made sure she left on time every Saturday and had her gun and ammunition with her. All three of her students were doing really well. She could tell they practiced during the week, and they were all making very good progress.
On the first nice spring Saturday, Georgia was on her way to the Wagner farm, whistling as she rode. She saw a horse she didn't recognize, and pulled her horse up short. She got her Colt 1855 out, holding it as she looked all around. The horse was saddled, but she didn't see its rider. The horse didn't look injured, so she left it and rode the area, looking for any signs of a person, keeping one eye open for any kind of trouble.
After a few minutes of looking, she saw a man laying face down on the ground. He wasn't moving. She kept her gun at the ready, and slowly approached the man. When she got closer she saw blood. She checked to see if he was alive, and he was, but his pulse was weak. She jumped back on her horse and made her way quickly back to the ranch.
She rode fast the whole way back. She didn't let up as she headed for the barn, yelling for Austin or Cord. Both came running out. Austin was the first to reach her, concern written all over his face. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"
She quickly explained what she'd found, and just as she hoped, her husband quickly took charge of the situation, shouting out orders to round up a couple more men and hitch a couple horses to the wagon. He sent a man to town to fetch Doc Williams and the sheriff. He told Cord and the other three men who came on the run to make sure they had a gun, and they left, Austin riding next to Georgia, leading the way. "Keep your eyes open," he yelled to the group as they were traveling. "We don't know what happened or who may be out here."
Georgia led them to the man laying on the ground. Austin checked him out. He'd been shot, but he was still alive, though barely. Cord and the three men got the stranger in the wagon as gently and quickly as they could, while Georgia and Austin watched the area closely, guns at the ready. When the man was loaded in the wagon, they tied his horse to the back of it, then turned and headed for the house. When they got close enough that Austin felt it was safe, Georgia went ahead to get a bed ready for the injured man.
They pulled the wagon up to the house just as Doc pulled up in his buggy. Austin quickly explained the situation to him as his men carried the man into the house and to the awaiting bed. Austin and Georgia stayed in the room to help Doc, but he told the others to take the man's horse to the barn and feed him, then stay in the kitchen until the sheriff got there and they had a chance to talk to him.
After a quick check of the patient, Doc looked up at Austin. "He's pretty bad, Austin. He's lost a lot of blood and he's awful weak, but he's got a bullet in him that has to come out if he's going to have any chance at surviving this."
"Then we best get it out of him," Austin said.
"I'll try if you want me to," Doc said, "but I can't say he'll live through it."
"It sounds like he won't live for sure if you don't take it out, though," Austin said, "so I think we owe it to him to at least give him a fighting chance."
Doc nodded and started preparing for the procedure. "Georgia, I'll need plenty of boiling water, and any towels or rags you can spare. Put some of them in the boiling water to make sure they're as clean as we can get them. Keep some dry so we have bandages to wrap him in afterward. Austin, I'll need you to help me get him moved so he's laying on his stomach. The bullet went in through his back. It didn't come out the front, so I'll have to go in there and find it and get it out."
They quickly got him turned over and his shirt cut off. Georgia came back with boiling water and towels, and Doc got busy. Austin and Georgia assisted, handing him anything he needed, and wiping blood away so he could see the area better.
Cord stuck his head in the door at one point to announce, "Sheriff Montgomery's here."
Austin nodded. "Georgia, you're the one who found him. He'll probably want to talk to you first."
"We're just about done here," Doc said. "Austin, I'll need you to help me pick him up a bit so I can wrap a bandage around him a couple times, but that's all the help I should need now."
"I'll help you with that, Doc," Austin said. "Georgia, why don't you go on out and tell the sheriff where you found him and answer whatever questions he has. I'll be out in a bit."
She nodded, and left.
When she walked into the kitchen, the sheriff, Cord, and the three men who helped bring the injured man back all stood. Maria was there, pouring coffee. All eyes turned to Georgia. Cord voiced the question they were all wondering. "How is he?"
"He's still alive, but that's about all I know," she admitted. "He's awfully pale."
"Do you know who he is?" the sheriff asked.
"No idea."
"How did you come to find him?"
"I was going over to the Wagners to visit them, and I came across the man's horse. It was saddled, but I didn't see anyone around. So I looked around until I found him. That's really all I can tell you. I came back and got Austin, and we took the wagon out and brought him and his horse in."
Austin came into the kitchen and all eyes turned to him. "He's still alive, but he hasn't woken up yet. Doc says that's good; it avoided a lot of pain he'd be feeling if he was awake. He says he's weak, and there's not much else we can do now except watch him. Doc says it's in God's hands now."
The sheriff nodded. "Has anyone ever seen this man before?" He got a lot of negative head shakes, but nothing more. "How about his horse; ever seen it?"
Austin shook his head. "Not that I know of, Grant, but it's not too unusual. It's a brown horse, no unusual markings."
"Has anything unusual been going on around here, Austin; have you had drifters going through?"
"We always have one here and there, but we haven't had any more than usual, and none that have given me any problems."
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