Texas Mail Order Bride

by Linda Broday

  Evidently hearing the door slam back against the wall in her attempt to get Jenny through it, Mabel came running. They tucked her sister, Delta’s best friend, into bed. There was no need for words. Words couldn’t help now. So they silently went about the business of doing what they could.

  “I’ll find the doc,” Delta said, praying it wasn’t too late.

  Mabel nodded. “I’ll stay with her.”

  Throwing on the dress and shoes she’d just pulled off, Delta hurried down the street as fast as she could. Luckily Doc Yates was in. She quickly explained the situation and they lost no time returning to the boardinghouse.

  After gathering more clean cloths and towels to help stanch the blood flow, the two women waited outside Jenny’s door, anxious for the results of the doctor’s examination.

  Jenny’s ashen face and the image of her lying so still and quiet dug into Delta’s mind and refused to leave. Her chest ached for the woman who’d been through so much. It wasn’t fair. Life had kicked Jenny in the teeth and now it sought to steal her baby also. When would her friend receive peace and live her life free from violence?

  At last the door opened. Doc Yates removed his stethoscope and sadly shook his head. “There’s no saving it.”

  “And Jenny?” asked Mabel, wringing her hands.

  “I’ll do my best. She’s hemorrhaging badly and is unconscious.” He rifled around in his black bag and took out a jar. “Will you make some tea with this goldenseal? It might help. Then come back inside. Jenny needs both of you.”

  Mabel took the jar of herbs and disappeared down the stairs. Upon her return, Delta followed her into Jenny’s room.

  “What else can we do?” A thick lump formed in Delta’s throat. She stood by the bed, gripping the iron bedstead tightly. If he told her jumping over the moon would help, that’s what she’d try to do.

  Doc Yates gathered a small bundle wrapped in a towel. “This little thing needs burying. Jenny would want that. It was a girl.”

  Tears welled up. This wasn’t right. Nothing about this was right. Jenny would never hold her daughter in her arms. Never kiss her cheek. Never sing the child a lullaby.

  “I can’t,” Mabel sobbed. “I just can’t.”

  “I’ll take her and arrange for burial.” Delta held out her hands and accepted the tiny life that would never be. “I’ll make sure everything is proper. May I borrow your kitchen, Mabel?”

  Mabel wiped her eyes. “Yes, whatever you need.”

  Downstairs, Delta unwrapped the babe. Her chest heaved with unshed sobs as she tore off a clean piece of cotton sheet and tenderly folded it around the fragile body. Thank goodness Ben was still at Cooper’s ranch and wouldn’t have to see this.

  After laying the infant in a wicker basket that she lined with soft downy cloth, she put it out of sight should anyone enter while she was gone. Then she hurried to the mercantile to find a box of some sort.

  A spring storm blew in, bringing thunder and lightning. Rain soaked her before she reached the darkened store. She pounded on the door until John came to unlock it.

  Quickly explaining the situation, she added, “Preferably a box that has a pretty design on it.”

  “I have just the thing. My heart breaks for Jenny.” John went to the back and emerged with a small box that had gold ornate lettering that read God’s Child on the top. “I think this will do.”

  “It’s perfect.” Delta hugged him tightly. “Thank you. But wherever did you get this?”

  “I made the tiny casket for Granny Ketchum, only the baby lived. When yellow fever claimed the boy five years later, the box no longer fit.”

  “How tragic. The poor dear. She’s seen a lot of heartache in her years on earth.” Delta glanced at the box. “Will you come to the burial?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Midmorning on the following day, she cradled the box that held the baby inside, standing in the pouring rain over a small hole someone had dug. Seemed the entire town had turned out, even Clara Sharp. Rand and Brett stood stone-faced with heads bowed. Like the rest of the citizens, the two waited quietly until someone started an old hymn.

  The biggest surprise of all was seeing Cooper striding toward her, his leather chaps slapping against his long legs. Of course, she knew he’d come if at all possible. Wild horses couldn’t have kept him away.

  As Delta wept, she felt his arm slide around her waist. Leaning into him, she found the strength she needed.

  “Give baby girl to the parson, darlin’,” Cooper said.

  His words barely registered. Silently she handed the small box to the circuit-riding parson who had ridden into Battle Creek only that morning. The God-fearing man offered up a prayer for the baby girl and for her mother who was so gravely ill. Then he lowered the ornate box into the ground.

  “We commit this babe to the ground: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless her and keep her.”

  One by one all the mourners drifted away, leaving only Delta and Cooper.

  “Are you all right?” Cooper’s rough voice cut through her grief.

  She met his steady gray eyes. “It’ll take time. Why, Cooper? Why did this happen? Before Jenny lost consciousness, she murmured Hogue’s name. Did he cause it? Isn’t he still in jail?”

  “Should be. I’ll definitely find out. Darlin’, I have no answers. I just know that justice will be done.” His rumble was as cold and brittle as the stormy day. “Come on, let me get you back to Mabel’s. We need to check on Jenny.”

  “Just a moment.” She took some pretty spring flowers from a basket at her feet. Squatting, she placed them on the tiny soggy grave.

  ***

  Cooper helped her to her feet. He’d never been very good at knowing what to say at a time like this, and it was even worse now. Clearly, Delta’s heart was breaking. She didn’t need him spewing the fury that bubbled inside his chest like a poisonous gas eating away at all that was decent and good.

  He ignored the rain dripping off the brim of his hat and drew her close to him. He paused to collect his horse where he’d left the animal at the cemetery gate, then arm in arm they walked to the boardinghouse.

  Mabel had stayed behind with Jenny instead of attending the hasty service. Delta bustled about the kitchen, helping to prepare a quick meal. Cooper was glad she had something to occupy her. He climbed the stairs to Jenny’s room.

  She lay motionless, the rise and fall of her chest barely registering. He sat down and took her hand in his. Somehow, someway, he had to make this up to her.

  There was only one way he knew.

  He should’ve done this a long time ago.

  Clenching his jaw, he smoothed her hair. “I can’t bring back the life you lost, but I swear on all that’s holy, I’ll exact retribution. I’ll make someone pay.”

  Thirty-five

  The rain had stopped, but a chill wind blew when Cooper slammed the door to the jail. No sign of Sheriff Strayhorn. All the better. No one to stop him.

  He lifted the brass key ring from its usual nail on the wall and opened the door to the row of cells. The hired men Cooper and his brothers had captured from Tolbert Early wore wary expressions.

  But his business wasn’t with them.

  Pausing at Hogue Barclay’s cell, Cooper slid the key into the lock and swung the door open. Barefoot and half-dressed, Hogue backed into a corner, his eyes wide with fear.

  Cooper didn’t say a word. He marched into the stone cell. Grabbing Hogue by his shirt front, he slung him into the narrow walkway.

  “You cain’t do this. I have rights. Strayhorn will have your hide,” Hogue yelled, desperately looking for someone to save him.

  “I’ll gladly pay the cost, whatever it is, to rid the world of you.” Cooper shoved him through the front door and into a good-sized mud puddle in the street. He landed face-first.

&
nbsp; “Help!” Hogue hollered when he got the mud out of his mouth.

  A crowd of men and women gathered to watch, but no one interfered. Cooper didn’t think they stayed back because of the ring of men—Rand and Brett and John Abercrombie—positioned between him and the group. Public sentiment ran with Jenny. In fact, when Cooper threw Hogue onto the back of a horse, the onlookers began to clap.

  Cooper and his prisoner rode until dusk cloaked the hills and valleys. Finally Cooper stopped and dismounted. He yanked Hogue off the horse and slammed a fist into his midsection and delivered several to his jaw. Bone crunched under his fist.

  “You’re going to leave the territory and never come back.”

  “Who’s gonna make me?” Hogue wiped blood from his mouth.

  “I think you know the answer to that,” Cooper spat back.

  “You cain’t keep a man from his wife, his family. I got a right to see ’em. This is all her fault. She’s a willful woman. Wouldn’t listen to a damn word I said. I warned her about bringing another whelp into this world for me to feed. Had to do something.”

  “Tell me who you hired to do your dirty work.”

  “He already left town. Came by the jail after he finished to let me know.”

  “I said a name.” Cooper drew back his fist again.

  “Ezra. Ezra Olden.”

  “How do you know him?”

  “Hitched up with him down in Sonora and we became drinkin’ buddies.”

  “Where can I find him? I’m sure you know.”

  Hogue shrugged. “You ain’t gonna find him. Said he was goin’ down to Mexico someplace, where the liquor’s cheap and the señoritas free. Said he wouldn’t be back.”

  Cooper pulled his Colt from his holster and pointed it at the man he wanted to send to hell. Before Delta came, he would have. “Start walking. If you ever come back, you’ll be taking your life in your hands. I won’t be responsible for what I do.”

  “You won’t shoot. You ain’t got it in you. An’ I ain’t walking anyplace. I’m barefoot.” The man sidled toward the horse.

  Cooper’s finger tightened on the trigger and orange flame spat from the barrel.

  Hogue grabbed what remained of his bloody ear. “You shot me!”

  “I’ll put a bullet between your eyes next. Try me if you think I won’t. Get away from the horse. Start walking.” Hate and anger blazed a hot path through Cooper. It didn’t set well that he could do no more for Jenny and her baby girl. But he was hell-bent on stopping the killing that had destroyed his life. At least he could try.

  When Hogue had limped no more than a few yards, he turned around.

  But Cooper would have none of his stalling. He placed several shots around the man’s toes, watching the dirt kick up. “I catch you back here, my brothers and I will use you for target practice. Forget you ever knew Jenny and Ben. You’re dead to them.”

  Once Hogue disappeared from sight, Cooper slid his gun into the holster and climbed into the saddle. Weariness washed over him in waves. He yearned for Delta. Only she could make his soul whole again.

  Pounding hooves came from behind. Cooper turned in time to see Sheriff Strayhorn galloping toward him. The lawman didn’t appear in the frame of mind to pass the time of day about the weather.

  “Where is he?” Strayhorn demanded. “I know you busted Hogue Barclay out of jail.”

  Cooper thought about denying it, but he didn’t want to insult the lawman’s intelligence. He had too much respect for him.

  “If you’re asking if the son of a packsaddle is six feet under, I’ll relieve your mind, though I came within a hair of putting him there. You can’t tell me he doesn’t deserve to be.”

  Strayhorn relaxed his grip on the reins. “Not saying that at all. After burying Jenny’s baby today and knowing the beating most likely contributed to the death, I have no love for Hogue Barclay.” The sheriff jerked his hat off and raked his fingers through his hair. “But damn it, Coop, you can’t go around busting people out of my jail. You’re not the law.”

  “You going to arrest me?”

  “Nope. You didn’t kill Hogue, at least. More than half the town would give you a medal for what you did. When I heard the gunshots, I wondered if I’d find Hogue dead.”

  “He’s only minus half of an ear. I think I showed uncommon restraint.” The memory of Hogue holding his bloody ear brought a half smile. “I think he got the message he’s not to return to this part of Texas.”

  “I wouldn’t want anyone to know this, but I do like your style, Coop.” The hefty sheriff grinned. “Now, what are you gonna do about Tolbert Early?”

  “Most of his gang is in your jail. It’s only a matter of time until he messes up. I’ll be there when he does.”

  “Folks are jittery, seeing as how he marched right into town and threatened Miss Dandridge.”

  “Don’t think the jackal will try that again. Rand, Brett, and I have kept him on the run. Doubt he’s had a decent night’s sleep in weeks. And we know he’s carrying around one of our bullets in his leg.”

  “Good strategy. You’d make a good lawman, Coop.”

  After saying good-bye, Cooper turned toward the Long Odds. He’d get some food in his belly and check on the ranch. Zeke appeared to have things under control, though.

  But the main thing on Cooper’s mind was Ben. He needed to see how the boy fared without his mama. If homesickness had hit, Cooper didn’t know what he’d do. Jenny was too sick to have her energetic son underfoot.

  ***

  Her body totally exhausted, Delta stretched out on the bed. Though it neared midnight, sleep refused to come. Her battered spirit would not let her rest. She worried for Jenny. The woman had such an uphill battle.

  “Jenny needs plenty of rest and lots of love,” Doc Yates had said before he finally left a few hours earlier.

  Doc hadn’t mentioned prayers in his list of helpful things to do, but Delta had certainly been doing a lot of that.

  Never far from the surface, tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. She swallowed hard and whispered, “God, please take baby girl in your arms and hold her close. If you’ve a mind, sing her a lullaby. Tell her what a wonderful, loving woman her mother is. And if it’s not too much trouble, tell her how much I wanted to know her. Oh, and if she cries, you might try rocking her. Babies love that.”

  After her talk with the man upstairs, Delta felt better. She rose and checked in on Jenny. Surprise rippled through her to see Cooper sitting quietly beside the bed. He looked up when she entered. Seeing tears in his eyes brought panic.

  “Is Jenny…?” The words barely squeezed past the fear.

  “She’s sleeping. Woke up when I got here and drifted right back to her dreams.” He rose and dragged her to him. “God, how I’ve missed you.”

  Delta ran her fingers through his dark hair, drawing comfort from his strength. “We didn’t get much of a chance to talk, and you disappeared after baby girl’s service.”

  “Had to take care of something.”

  “I heard about you busting Hogue out of jail. You didn’t…?”

  “Nope, he’s alive, though I guarantee he’ll not be back. I made sure of that. He’ll pose no more danger to Jenny.”

  Mabel opened the door and entered. If she noticed Delta in Cooper’s embrace, she didn’t say anything. She had an armload of fresh towels and another cup of the healing tea that they had to spoon slowly into Jenny’s mouth. It was painstaking work, but they’d started to see results.

  “I need to change my sister’s packing,” Mabel said. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep? I’ll stay with her until morning.”

  ***

  They turned to leave when Mabel spoke again. “Cooper, I’ll not say a word if you go to Delta’s room. She needs you.”

  Cooper nodded and closed the door. Once inside the room
next door, he took Delta’s face between his large hands and gently kissed her. His chest swelled with a different kind of need. This was a need to take her pain, to let her know that she wasn’t alone.

  Taking his time, he undressed her. Only after he’d tucked her naked body between the covers did he remove his clothes. Lying down beside her, he pulled her soft curves against the hard planes of his body and kissed her hair. She began to sob quietly.

  “It’s all right, darlin’, I’m here. Cry your heart out.”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t help it.”

  “You’re exhausted. You’ve carried a big load on those shoulders of yours.” Cooper tenderly wiped her tears.

  “This is such a harsh, untamed land. I don’t know if I’m cut out for this. What if I move out to my ranch and find it’s too much for me? What then?”

  “Darlin’, it’s perfectly all right to have doubts. Nothing in life is a sure thing. Shoot, uncertainty riddles every day of my life. You simply have to have faith that things will work out for the best and keep plugging along.”

  “So what chance do I have if you—who happen to be the strongest, most capable man I know—face such struggles?”

  He rose up on an elbow. “Here’s what I know. You’re a deeply determined woman. You’re no more able to sit down and give up than to stop breathing.”

  The smile that formed lightened his worry. “You’re right.”

  Tucking her hair behind her ear, he kissed her temple. “I make you these four promises. You’ll never have to walk alone. You’ll never be invisible to me. You’ll always be my forever woman. And finally, I’ll help you blaze the trail only you were meant to travel.”

  Delta brought his hand to her mouth and kissed each finger. “You’re a wise man, Cooper Thorne. I’ve been trying to think of a name for my ranch and now I have the perfect thing.”

  “Pray tell, Miss Dandridge.”

  “The Four Promises.”

  “I like that.”

  “Me too.” She snuggled against his chest, laying her head on his shoulder. Soon her soft breathing indicated she was asleep.