by Zina Abbott
“Don’t like bein’ that dependent on a man.”
“But, dear, that is how it is. I am dependent upon my husband, and I assure you, I don’t suffer because of it. I have everything I could ever need. Our family lives quite well.”
“Caldwell Ranch is for Caldwell men. I won’t never get no claim on it, seein’ as how it’s already in the Caldwell family. I reckon once my land is proved up and I got the patent, I can live here and rent my place out, knowin’ Hazel and me always got somethin’ to fall back on if need be. Mayhap someday one of Val’s and my young’uns will want to live there instead of the big house.”
Hazel studied her hands folded in her lap while Rosamond stared at Beth in disbelief. Edwin glared at Beth with disdain.
After a quick glance at her husband, Rosamond Caldwell carefully folded her napkin and placed it next to her plate as she cheerfully announced, “I do believe it is time for us ladies to retire to the parlor so the men may enjoy their brandy and a smoke. Come, children. It is time for you to get ready for bed.”
“But, Mama, we took naps, remember? We’re not tired.”
Rosamond turned to her pouting daughter and calmly explained. “This is the time for us adults to socialize. Remember, without electric lights, you will probably get sleepy sooner. You may read quietly until you are ready for bed.” Rosamond rose to shepherd her two youngest toward the stairs. She turned to her oldest. “Junior, that means you, too, please.”
Eddie straightened and stood up. “If you don’t mind, Mother, I’ll use the necessary outside and look at the stars for a few minutes, then I’ll go right up.”
Rosamond studied her oldest, who was close to being an adult, before she nodded her head in agreement. “Please bundle up before you go out. We’ll see you upstairs shortly.”
As soon as Rosamond left to see to her children, Beth and Hazel also excused themselves and began to clear the table. Beth reasoned people with servants maybe left to sit in the parlor after supper, but in this house, she and Hazel had dishes to wash first.
The two sisters quickly scraped and washed the dishes. Seeing her cooking pot used for the chicken and dumplings full of soaking water, Beth threw a shawl over her shoulders and hoisted the pot in her hands. She stepped outside the kitchen door to empty it out in the yard. She no sooner had dumped the water than she heard a voice in the darkness speak to her.
“You’re right, you know.”
Beth peered in the direction from which the voice came. Young Edwin slowly emerged from the shadows until he stood where enough light from the kitchen window illuminated his face. He wore a heavy wool coat and a cap—not a slouch hat or a Stetson like most men in the region wore, but the kind of cap she expected to see worn in a bigger city.
“It’s smart of you to have your own land and your own house. This…” Edwin unfolded his arms encased in his wool coat long to gesture toward the ranch house and the surrounding land, “…may be where Uncle Val and Uncle Luther live and work, but as far as my father is concerned, he owns and controls it. He even made sure when Aunt Barbara married that she was paid off with whatever my father thought was a suitable dowry so she would have no more claim on the ranch. I know if something happened and she needed a place to live, Uncle Val and Uncle Luther would welcome her back. But, my father…” The young man looked away and tsked “He’d claim Aunt Barbara got her share, and she has no business crawling back here.
“You’ll be all right here as long as you have Uncle Val. But, if something should happen to him, my father may not kick you out, but he would control every penny you spent, just like he does with my mother. I see the way she has to go to him begging and wheedling in order to get what she wants. If he doesn’t think it will benefit him—his image—and his business, he is tight with the purse strings.”
“He’s your pa. Why you tellin’ me this?”
“Yeah, he’s my father. But we can’t choose our parents, can we? I guess I like seeing someone hold their ground against him, is all.”
“Your ma was the one doin’ the talkin’.”
“Yes. And she has to believe what she told you, doesn’t she? Otherwise, how can she accept what she goes through to just get permission to host a party or hire the help she needs?”
“I reckon you don’t think kindly about your folks right now.”
The boy stretched his chin to the sky and surveyed the stars for a few seconds before he looked Beth in the face. “It’s being controlled I don’t like. My father plans on me going to law school and eventually joining his practice. I don’t want to go to law school. All I’ve ever wanted to do is be part of this ranch. Last summer, I begged him to let me come here to work—just until time for school to start again. He said I was too young. I know of at least one hand here who is younger than me.”
Beth softly interjected, “Mayhap that young hand is here because he ain’t got no family. Either that, or they’re so poor they needed to farm him out so they had enough for the rest of the young’uns to eat.”
“He also said I need to stay in the city where I can maintain those contacts I will need when I’m working in his office. Now, what does he expect will happen after I’m away at college for years? Does he think everyone back home will stay the same, just waiting for me to return? His argument is stupid…controlling. I told him, if I’m eventually going to handle the legal business of the ranch, I need to come here and see how the ranch operates. He says I don’t need to know how to run the ranch to take care of legal matters.”
“You don’t much like being called ‘Junior’, do you?”
At the change in the conversation, young Edwin stared hard at Beth. “No. I don’t like being called Edwin, either. That’s my father’s name. I prefer to go by Ed or Eddie. But Father doesn’t think Eddie sounds professional enough.”
“Reckon I’ll call you Eddie, then. After Saturday, I’ll be your Aunt Beth, but you can call me that now.”
Eddie smiled. “It’s a deal. Although, if Uncle Luther marries your sister, it’s going to be hard to think of her as my aunt. You tell Uncle Luther, if lets her go, I just might want to get to know her better, even if she is a year older than I am.”
“Reckon she’s good and spoke for, Eddie. Best you find you a right smart gal in Sacramento or back east.”
Eddie smiled and shrugged. “Maybe.” Then Eddie grew serious. “Just watch out for my father, Aunt Beth. One thing I can promise you, he will try to get your land away from you. He’s fond of saying sometimes controlling wealth is more valuable than ownership. If Uncle Val sides with you, he’ll try to steer Father away from it. But Uncle Val’s pretty easy-going. You marry into this family, you better be prepared to stand up to my father and fight for your land yourself.”
“He ain’t gettin’ my land, Eddie. He ain’t controllin’ what I do with it, neither.”
“Good. I’m tired of him always deciding what everyone else is going to do.” The boy inhaled as he looked regretfully toward the door. “I better go in before Mother comes looking for me. Aunt Beth, I’m going to try again to convince my father to let me come out here this coming summer. I hope you and Uncle Val will speak up for me, maybe tell them I’m needed on the ranch. Please ask my parents to let me come. I promise I’ll work hard.”
Beth silently watched Eddie as he walked around to the front of the house and entered. She slowly rejoined Hazel in the kitchen, noticing her sister had put the last of the dishes away and was wiping down the counter.
“Figured you clean got lost.”
“Had me a right interestin’ talk with Eddie. That’s what his friends call him, but his pa don’t like it none.”
Hazel giggled behind her hand, her eyes alight with mischief. “So, I reckon we’re aimin’ to call him Eddie. What else he say?”
“Tell you later.”
Only ain’t tellin’ you the part about him takin’ a shine to you.
CHAPTER 11
Raised male voices on the other side of the door to the dining
room caught Beth’s attention. She stepped closer to hear the topic that had her future brother-in-law so vocal.
Hazel hissed at her sister. “Beth, you ain’t eavesdroppin’, are you?”
Beth whispered back even as she motioned her sister forward. “Hush! He’s talkin’ about my land. Reckon I’ve a right to listen.”
On the other side of the door, an animated Edwin waved his arm in Val’s direction. “You’re an absolute fool, Val, to put up with this nonsense from that woman. Do you honestly plan to live in some shack on her property just so she can homestead it?”
“It’s important to her,” Val said evenly, “and I don’t see the harm in it. I’ve known her since she came out here, Edwin. After what she went through with her first husband, I understand why she feels the need to have something to fall back on.”
“I knew you were weak, little brother, but it sounds like she has definitely put a ring in your nose. Now, instead of you letting her lead you around, you need to be smart about this. This land of hers along Robinson Creek, it borders the ranch doesn’t it?”
“No. There’s a parcel between us and her place, but it’s not far.”
“Who has the parcel in between? Is it something we can pick up?”
Luther broke out in a laugh. “Nope! Turns out while we were looking over some property for Beth to choose from, after she settled on the one she has, one of our men, Hank, decided to file a claim on the piece between us.”
“Good! From what I recall, that’s good pastureland. Let him live there and do enough improvements to get it proved up. Once he has the patent, we can buy the property from him.”
Luther shook his head. “No, that’s not what he has in mind. He says he’ll still be available to help on the ranch in spring and fall, but he’ll work on his own place the rest of the time. He’s been a muleskinner for years, helped out a lot with the freighting we’ve done on the side. He’s decided to go into business for himself. In fact, we’ve agreed to sell him our team of mules…”
“No.” Edwin cut him off, shoving his finger in Luther’s face. “You will not sell the animals and freight wagon. You’ll lease them to him. That way, you still have a hold over him. If he doesn’t come around and sell the property to us in five years, you don’t renew the lease on the mules and wagon. Force his back to the wall so he has to sell.”
Val sat up straight, a frown on his face. “We don’t operate that way, Edwin. We’ve worked hard around here to develop a reputation for being trustworthy. Hank has gotten us out of more than one scrape. He’s a good man to have as a neighbor. In fact, I like the idea of him being next to Beth’s property where she can go to him if need be…”
“We’re back to her again,” Edwin spat. He shook his head. “It’s a shame that thanks to these Californios who were here before California became a state that we have those community property laws. Keep in mind, you are entitled to half of everything she earns once you two marry, but she is also entitled to half of what you earn—which is why we are going to put most of your income into a trust, and keep your wages low. Where our illustrious lawmakers made their big mistake is when they changed things so that, as her husband, you no longer control all the income. You no longer have a right to all the rents off her property and profits off her earnings as long as you two are married.” He leaned toward Val, spit flying from his mouth as he spoke. “Here’s what you do, brother. You don’t give one bit of help on that property of hers. Nothing! But, you make sure you claim half of anything she makes so she doesn’t have the resources to make any of her improvements the law requires—”
Val leaned back and shook his head. “No, I’m not going to do that to her.”
“Hear me out, Val. Quit acting so spineless. Once she gets to the point she has to have help to make her improvements, you tell her you’ll be happy to let her keep your portion of the income. In exchange, you want your name on the title. From there, it’s a simple matter of eventually pulling it into the Caldwell Ranch. And, if you if you play your cards right, handling your man who is homesteading the piece in the middle, you can pull that in, too.”
Val rose to his feet, but before he could get a word out, the door from the kitchen burst open and Beth barged into the room. She saw the three men still gathered at the table with Eddie standing unobtrusively in the far corner, listening to everything that was said.
“Ain’t no call for Val to do none of what you said to keep peace with his family and prove he’s got backbone. There ain’t goin’ to be no weddin’. You ain’t gettin’ your filthy, thievin’ hands on my land, Edwin Caldwell. Once I tell Hank what you got planned, my guess is you ain’t goin’ to have no luck with him, neither.”
At that point, Rosamond joined the group. “Why are you all still in here? I expected everyone to be in the parlor by now.”
Edwin turned and barked at his wife. “Not now, Rosamond. We’re talking business.”
“Business! Back-stabbin’ and robbery is more like it.” Beth spun around to return to the kitchen.
Val called after her. “Now, Bethie Rose…”
Beth turned back and pointed at Val. “Don’t you ‘Bethie Rose’ me, Val Caldwell. I done said my piece. Hazel can do what she wants, but I’m headin’ back to my place—walkin’. Don’t want to put you money-grubbers out none so I’ll leave your horse and wagon here. Don’t need no help from no Caldwells to get by, and I ain’t goin’ to let no one cheat me out of what’s mine, especially not no slick-tongue big city lawyer.”
With that, Beth marched back into the kitchen passing a teary-eyed Hazel who stood in place with her mouth open. Without a word, Hazel turned toward the kitchen to follow her sister, silently closing the door to the dining room behind her.
Luther jumped to his feet and followed her into the kitchen. “Hazel? Hazel! Where are you going?”
Val watched his brother chase after Hazel. Then he turned to face Edwin. Without even thinking, he raised his fist and slammed it into Edwin’s nose.
Edwin collapsed against the back of his chair, wearing a startled expression. He clapped both hands to his face. Blood dripped between his fingers.
Rosamond’s shrill voice split the air. “Oh, dear! Oh, dear! How could you do that, Val? Your own brother! Edwin, let me help you.” Rosamond grabbed the nearest napkin and pressed it to Edwin’s face.
As he grabbed the cloth and wadded it before he pressed it to his nose, Edwin snarled. “Stop that, woman! Are you trying to smother me?”
Val faced his sister-in-law. “How could I do it, Rosamond? Easy. Although, I will say, I’m sorry you had to witness this.”
Val turned back to Edwin, his face red with anger. “One of your problems, Edwin, is you still think of us as children, too weak to stand up to your bullying. In case you haven’t noticed, Luther and I have grown up. Do you think we’ve been able to take care of this ranch and manage our men by being weak and spineless? I’ve had about enough of your insults. And, if you’ve cost me having that woman as my wife, a broken nose is going to be the least of your worries.”
Val ran out the room to look for Beth.
CHAPTER 12
Luther entered the kitchen in time to see a flash of Beth’s coat being pulled outside the back door just before the door slammed behind her. Hazel stood next to the coat rack. Her knit scarf lay draped around her neck, and her fingers trembled as she unhooked her coat from its hook.
Hazel looked up into Luther’s face, her body shaking and tears streaming down her cheeks. Her eyes darted toward the door to the dining room. She could still hear the angry voices shouting on the other side.
Luther raced to her side and wrapped his arms around her. “Hazel. Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry things got so nasty. But, the worst of it is over now. Please, don’t go.”
“Bethie is planning to walk home in the dark by herself, Luther. I need to go with her.”
Luther shook his head. “No, she’s not walking home, especially in the nighttime. It’s not safe. Val wo
n’t let her.”
Val rushed into the kitchen, rubbing his right fist with his other hand. “Where’s Beth?” Luther nodded toward the back door of the kitchen. Val jerked the door open and raced outside.
“You don’t know Bethie, Luther. If she says she’s walkin’ home tonight, you can count on her doin’ it.”
Luther heaved a sigh. “Oh, yes, I know Beth well enough. She is angry and determined to leave right now, but she will listen to reason. If anyone can talk sense into her, Val can. And I’m sure not going to let you go out there walking around in the dark with only your sister for protection. Who knows what could happen to you two between here and Beth’s place?”
“I ain’t sure we’re welcome here, Luther. I ain’t sure I want to stay no more than Beth does.”
Luther ran his fingers through the top of his hair. “I can’t blame you for feeling that way, Hazel. I probably didn’t do a very good job of warning you about Edwin, although I will admit he outdid his usual self tonight. Now that he knows both Val and I are planning to marry soon, he’s probably worried about the influence our wives will have on us. Still, I can’t believe the things he suggested in there.”
“He’s your family, Luther, like Bethie is mine.”
“What about us, Hazel? What about us as a family? Sweetheart, I didn’t want to take away from Val and Beth’s wedding, so I was going to wait to ask you to marry me. I was gone for a few days last week, remember? I was up in Carson City picking out your ring. I wanted to give it to you and make our announcement on Thanksgiving Day.”
Hazel smiled through her tears. “Truly, Luther? You planned to ask me to marry you?”
“Of course, sweetheart. I love you. If I thought your sister would allow it, I would ask if we could have a double wedding.”