by Judith Pella
After leaving the jail, Maggie and Evan went to Dolman’s. For once Mama hadn’t given her a shopping list, but Evan wanted to purchase a few things. While Evan made his selections, Maggie admired the yard goods. The clerk pulled out a couple of bolts she was especially keen on. Mama had mentioned she wanted to make her a new dress for Boyd’s wedding. Was there still time? Maybe Mrs. Renolds would let Mama use her sewing machine.
She was debating between two fabrics, a rosy pink floral and a green paisley, when Evan came to the counter with his purchases.
“Let me buy one for you,” he said. When she gaped at his boldness, he added quickly, “I owe you at least one dress for the two I ruined.”
“Absolutely not!” Even she knew such a gift from a man would be unseemly. “Besides only one is ruined. However, you can help me decide which fabric to buy. Mama said I could get a new dress for Boyd’s wedding.”
He probably also realized the impropriety of his making such a gift, for he didn’t argue; instead, he pointed to the pink. “This would bring out the green in your eyes.”
“I always thought green did that,” she replied.
“Yes, but you were wearing a similar color, though darker, when I met you at my welcome party, and you looked quite stunning in it.”
First, it surprised her that he even remembered what she had been wearing when they met. But for him to say she looked stunning, well, she could hardly take that. She blushed as she attempted to laugh off the compliment.
“Hardly that!” she said.
But she told the clerk to cut her a length of the pink and put it on her parents’ account. She was certain her father would not mind the fifty-cent charge for a dress for his son’s wedding.
Then she noted Evan’s items—two plaid flannel shirts like the lumberjacks wore, a pair of denim dungarees, and a felt slouch hat.
Fingering the shirt, she asked, “What’s this?”
“I am a country fellow, so I thought it was time I dressed like one.”
“Does that mean you won’t move to Portland after you marry Tamara?”
He blinked and gave her a peculiar look. “I like it here,” he replied softly.
Carrying their packages, they exited the store only to run into Colby and Able Jenkins.
Maggie was about to smile a greeting when Able spoke first.
“Hi’ya, Maggie,” he said. “Did you come to town to visit your beau?” he asked with a grin.
Taken aback by the comment, she still reacted quickly. “Oh, shut up, Able. You don’t know anything!”
“I know we’re gonna start calling that jail the love nest. Ha ha!”
“Listen here, Jenkins—” she heard Evan start to say behind her.
But Colby broke in. “Able, apologize to Maggie, then get out of here!”
With a shrug Able mumbled, “Sorry,” then strode away.
“Thank you, Colby.” Maggie was pleased that he had so gallantly come to her rescue.
“He had no call to talk to you that way,” he said. Pausing briefly, he went on, “But, Maggie, you gotta know folks are talking. You think it’s wise to keep visiting Tommy?”
“How do you know I was—”
“We saw you go into the jail.”
“I appreciate your concern, but I know what I’m doing,” she replied curtly.
“And you, Parker,” Colby said to Evan, “should not be encouraging her. It’ll ruin her reputation, people thinking she is consorting with a jailbird.”
“No one would ever think such a thing if they knew Maggie was the finest, most decent girl in the whole county!” Evan retorted. “And if you for an instant believe such a thing, you are no friend of hers.”
“Don’t tell me what I believe!” Colby snapped.
“It surely sounds like you agree with the likes of Able Jen-kins—” Evan began hotly.
“Listen here, you two—” Maggie tried to interject but was cut off.
“It’s getting hard not to believe,” Colby retorted.
“Why, you two-faced churl!” Evan spat back, his neck reddening with anger. Somehow he had moved to within inches of Colby, their noses nearly touching.
“Take that back, you four-eyed fop!” demanded Colby.
“I will when you apologize to Maggie.”
“I ain’t got nothing to apologize about,” Colby rejoined.
Maggie thought perhaps he did, but she was so stunned by the suddenness and fierceness of the exchange she could hardly find her tongue.
“You have besmirched Maggie’s honor,” Evan returned. “Even if you haven’t gone so far as to spread the rumors about her. Though I begin to wonder about that, as well.”
“I ain’t taking any more of this! Get out of my way.” Colby gave Evan a shove.
Evan dropped his package and shoved back.
“That’s it!” Colby yelled, taking a swing at Evan.
His fist missed its intended target, probably Evan’s face, but it connected with Evan’s shoulder instead. Evan stumbled back but recovered quickly, raising his fists and charging. His attack had the effect of knocking Colby back a couple of paces, though it might well have been that Colby only stepped back to avoid the attack. In any case, Evan’s attempt hardly fazed his opponent.
Maggie finally found her voice. “Stop it this instant!” she yelled. But they were not listening.
Evan took a couple of swings but completely missed Colby, who only had to jump back a bit to avoid impact.
“Quit while you are ahead,” Colby railed. “Before I make mincemeat out of you.”
Evan swung again, with more success this time, clipping Colby on the chin.
“I’ve had enough of you!” Colby declared as he went on the offensive. He swung his arm, powerful from bucking logs at the mill, baling hay, and plowing fields on the farm. His fist slammed into Evan’s face like an axe against a stout tree trunk. The impact spun Evan around once before he crumbled to the boards of the sidewalk. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth. The force of the blow knocked his spectacles clean off his face, sending them flying onto the dirt road just as a wagon passed. The crunching sound of wire and glass being crushed by the wagon’s wheel was almost as bad as the sound of Colby’s fist crunching Evan’s jaw.
“Colby!” Maggie screamed.
“He asked for it! You saw.”
“How could you hit someone smaller than you and wearing spectacles no less!” she ranted.
Evan was starting to stir. He sputtered and spit blood and what might have been a tooth. “Lemme at ’em,” he mumbled. He seemed to be having a hard time moving his lips. But he clawed at the boards trying to get up.
“Colby, just get out of here,” Maggie implored, “before there’s more trouble.”
“Ain’t gonna be no more trouble from that lily-livered milksop—”
“Go! Now!” Maggie ordered.
At that moment the sheriff showed up. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing,” Maggie said quickly. All she needed was to have three friends tossed in jail. “Evan just . . . ah . . . ran into the post, is all.”
The sheriff looked at Colby for confirmation. Colby shrugged.
“Okay, then. Move along,” the sheriff said.
Colby obeyed, probably satisfied that he’d settled Evan Parker once and for all.
Maggie dropped down beside the still prostrate Evan. “Are you all right, Evan?” She took his handkerchief from his pocket and tried to mop up some of the blood dripping down his chin.
“Huh? D-did he a-ap . . . say sorry?” Evan sounded like he was chewing pebbles.
“Can you walk, Parker?” Sheriff Haynes asked.
“Sure . . . just don’ know if I can stand,” Evan replied. With the help of the sheriff and Maggie, he was able to get to his feet. “Thank you,” he added, swaying a bit.
“Thank you, Sheriff Haynes,” Maggie said. “We’ll be okay now.”
Haynes arched a skeptical brow but no doubt had more important matters to atten
d to than fussing over the bumbling lawyer and the troublesome Miss Newcomb. “Watch them . . . ah, posts, Parker. We gotta keep you healthy at least till I get that trial out of my hair.” He then quickly strode away.
“Can you make it to the carriage?” Maggie asked Evan.
“Gimme . . . give . . . a minute.” Evan tottered back and leaned against the wall. Then in a sudden panic, he cried, “I can’t see! Everything’s a blur!”
“Your spectacles came off,” Maggie said.
His hand shot to his face, and he shook his head foolishly. While his hand was there he rubbed his jaw where a red welt was already turning black and blue.
“Is anything broken?” Maggie asked.
“Don’t think so, but it hurts like everything.”
“What were you thinking, trying to fight with Colby?” Maggie asked.
“Had to defend your honor.”
“That is ridiculous. I can take care of myself, you know.”
“But it’s the man’s place to protect the fair maiden.”
She rolled her eyes. Then it suddenly occurred to her that two men had been fighting over her! She didn’t know whether to be pleased or angry. Finally she decided upon anger, because even if she was starting to like dresses, she did not want to be perceived as a helpless female.
“I can protect myself,” she said unequivocally. “Let’s go home.”
She started to walk toward the carriage and had taken just three strides when she heard some stumbling and then a crash. Spinning around, ashamed that in her anger she had forgotten Evan might still be disabled, she saw him doubled over a barrel that had been sitting on the sidewalk. Several crates, which Evan had probably knocked over, were strewn on the ground. Luckily the crates had been empty. She grasped his arm to help him, but he pulled away.
“I’m okay,” he said stubbornly. “Just get my spectacles.”
“Oh . . .” Maggie groaned. “Evan, your spectacles . . . Well, they are sort of broken . . . truth be told, they got a bit crushed by a wagon.”
“I can’t see much without them.”
“I’ll help you.” She took his arm and then paused to pick up their packages.
This was the cherry on top of the humiliation of being knocked out by Colby. To be led around by a woman—by this woman, no less!—like a helpless babe. Everything Colby had said about him was true. Lily-livered, four-eyed milksop! That described him to a tee. He’d had several tries and hadn’t been able to make serious contact with Colby even once. But only one punch by Colby had sent Evan to the boards!
Aided by Maggie, Evan climbed into the passenger’s seat and slumped dejectedly.
“Do you have spare spectacles?” Maggie asked, taking the reins in hand.
“At home.”
They sat in silence for several moments. He was too numb to speak, not in a physical sense, though his jaw ached and felt as if it was swelling larger by the moment. No, he merely had nothing to say except for self-recriminations, which he was afraid to speak out loud for fear she would agree with them.
He waited for her to drive the horses forward, but they remained still.
Then she spoke. “Evan, I’m sorry for being so harsh with you. I don’t know why I got so angry.”
“I know,” he replied glumly. “It is because I went against Colby. I can’t blame you for defending the man you love.”
“What?” Her brow creased. “No, that’s not why.”
He read her words as a question rather than a statement.
“I guess I thought you understood me better than that, that you knew I don’t want to be treated like some simpering, helpless female.”
“You can’t expect a man to just stand by and watch a woman he cares for be spoken of in such a manner,” Evan replied. He knew she wouldn’t realize how much courage it took for him to admit he cared for her. She would not perceive the depth with which he meant it.
“I am able to take care of myself.”
Bitterly, he replied, “You didn’t seem to mind when Colby defended you against Able.”
“Colby didn’t try to knock his head off!”
“I acted deplorably,” Evan admitted. “But . . . I just couldn’t bear for them to speak such lies about you! I had to defend the woman I love!” The words were out of his mouth before he realized he was saying them. Nevertheless, a huge wave of relief washed over him. He’d finally said it. There would be no more charades.
“You mean Tamara?” she asked, clearly confused.
“No. I mean you!” Let there be no more confusion.
“But—” For a moment her mouth moved, but nothing came out.
“Ah, there you are!” came a new voice, like an otherworldly sound that did not belong to the suddenly inflamed atmosphere in the carriage. Evan saw the blurry figure of a man standing by the driver’s side of the carriage.
“Mr. Cranston,” Maggie said, her voice pitched high with tension.
“I’m glad I caught you before you left town,” said the lawyer.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Cranston?” Evan asked, forcing his voice to sound normal, calm, when his heart was still racing with the emotion of his admission to Maggie.
“What happened to you, Mr. Parker?” Cranston asked. “Walk into a wall or something?”
“Something like that,” Evan replied vaguely. “How can I help you?”
“It is actually Miss Newcomb I wish to see.” Cranston reached into his coat pocket and withdrew something white, a paper of some sort. This he handed to Maggie.
It was an envelope. She opened it and pulled out a paper. Even with his blurred vision, Evan could see the perplexed wrinkle of her brow.
“What’s this?” She handed it to Evan, probably not realizing he was useless to decipher it without his spectacles.
“This,” Mr. Cranston said, “is a subpoena for you, Miss Newcomb, to appear as a witness for the prosecution in Tommy Donnelly’s trial.” There was a certain smugness to the man’s tone that Evan did not like at all.
“Me? Why me?” Maggie’s voice was still unnaturally high.
“I understand that you are one of Tommy’s closest friends,” Cranston said. “I wondered why you were not on Parker’s list of defense witnesses.”
“Because I was loath to place such a burden on someone of Miss Newcomb’s delicate sensibilities,” huffed Evan with quite a bit of conviction, considering it wasn’t the entire truth of the matter. He added irately, “And you should be just as loath, Mr. Cranston. Miss Newcomb is a young girl.” He could see this ruffled Maggie but hoped she had the sense to let it go. It would be worth a wounded self-image if it kept her off the stand.
“She is at eighteen an adult woman and quite able to testify,” Cranston rejoined smoothly.
For a man with a reputation for lazy drunkenness, he appeared quite in command of himself. Perhaps they had misjudged him.
Maggie grabbed the paper from Evan and shoved it back at Cranston. “Well, I don’t want to take this!” she declared. “I won’t witness against a friend.”
“You have no choice,” Cranston insisted. “The subpoena is legal and binding. You must appear in court.”
Maggie turned helplessly to Evan. He thought how moments before she had gone on about being able to take care of herself, but such impudence had fled from her now. He felt no sense of victory but rather wanted to reach out and comfort her, protect her, defend her. He knew what it felt like to be helpless, probably more than she did herself, and he understood how it hurt.
“If that is all, Mr. Cranston,” Evan said curtly, “we need to be getting home.”
The subpoena was still clutched in Maggie’s hand as she took up the reins and urged the horses into motion.
When they were a short distance down the road, Evan asked, “Are you all right to drive?”
“Y-yes,” she replied, a tremor in her voice.
He’d never seen her so shaken. He was desperate to comfort her. “Maggie, the things Tommy told you are not neces
sarily as damning as they appear. We still can make a strong case for self-defense.”
“Okay,” she mumbled, but he knew she didn’t mean it.
“Maggie, we must talk.”
“Not now, Evan.”
“But—”
She shook her head.
He couldn’t imagine spending the two-hour drive back to Maintown in silence. That, however, only proved what a limited imagination he had. Though he tried a couple more times to induce conversation, he was met with silence. He even tried talking about something innocuous like the weather. Even that was ignored. In the best of times they were beyond such mundane topics.
He finally gave up until they pulled into the Newcomb yard. Then, making one last futile attempt, he implored, “Maggie, please talk to me!”
She turned to face him, and even with blurred vision he could almost see in her eyes the myriad of things she wanted to say. He waited hopefully.
“I can’t talk right now,” she said. She handed him the reins and scurried out of the carriage. In her haste her skirt caught on a step. She gave it an impatient tug. He heard a ripping sound, but before he could reach over to help, she had freed herself and was hurrying to the house. He thought how he owed her another dress but could find no solace in that.
She paused at the steps to the porch, turned and said, “Evan, put a mustard poultice on that jaw.” Then she ran up the steps and quickly disappeared inside the house.
Only then did he remember his blurry vision and the reason she had been driving in the first place. But he was sick of his own helplessness, so he grabbed the reins and urged the horses forward, praying he wouldn’t run over the dog or into a fence. He made it home safely because he had come to know well the road between his house and Maggie’s. Would this be the last time he traveled it?
Why had he blurted out his feelings as he had? Before, at least, he’d had the excuse of the scheme to win Colby and Tamara as a reason to see her. Now he had nothing. There was the trial, but he could not let himself be distracted with thoughts of Maggie while he was trying to defend a man’s life. He had to win this trial for Tommy’s sake. But still, he could not let Maggie down again.