His Prairie Duchess

by Kit Morgan

  Colin sombered. “He’s right, Duncan. And we can all guess who was behind it.”

  “No one’s seen Thackery Holmes for days. What proof do we have?” Duncan asked.

  “True. And a better question is, how did he do it?” Harrison added.

  “If he posioned the well we’d all have gotten sick and nearly died. Same with the food.” Colin pointed out.

  “Indeed,” Harrison began. “So that leaves what? What would Duncan have access to that the rest of us wouldn’t?”

  Duncan suddenly sat up straight. “My canteen...”

  “Is in the barn!” Colin finished for him and ran out the kitchen’s back door. Several moments later he hurried back into the kitchen, Duncan’s canteen in hand.

  Duncan stood and took it from him. He shook it, heard the slosh of what water was left then unscrewed the top. He sniffed the contents a few times then shrugged. “Smells like plain water.”

  “And the inside of your canteen.” Colin took it from him and poured a small amount into his hand. He set the canteen down then sniffed at the water in his palm. He tasted it. Duncan cringed at the action but stayed where he was.

  Colin held his hand out to Harrison who also took a whiff. “Smells odd.”

  “Tastes that way too.” Colin added.

  Duncan picked up the canteen and examined it. A small white finger print was on the bottom. He displayed his find to his brothers. “He used a powder. But we can’t be sure what it is.”

  “There’s one thing we can be sure of,” Harrison began. “Thackery Holmes will undoubtably try again.”

  * * *

  The night was warm, the moon was full, and a delightfull breeze blew across the prairie to make everything for the dance just perfect. Sadie, Belle, and the other ladies whom helped with the preparations couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out. It was beautiful. The perfect setting for a wedding. The women tittered about as they dressed. The Van Zuyn women were there, along with Grandma and Polly. Doc and Cyrus were out in the barn helping to set up tables for the food. They decided to hold the actual dance outside in front of the barn, but have the food and tables inside. Wagons were already beginning to arrive and the women hurried to ready themselves.

  “You have a lovely home.” Mrs. Van Zuyn said. She had a beautiful accent. A lilt that niether Belle nor Sadie could identify.

  Finally Belle asked, “Where are you from Mrs. Van Zuyn. I know Sadie meant to ask you yesterday but we were all so busy decorting.”

  “The Netherlands, my dear. It is not as pronounced as it once was. I have been too long in this country.”

  “And your daughter?” Sadie looked to the pretty young blonde as she worked to put up her mother’s golden brown hair.

  “Madeline? My Maddie has no accent. At least not like my own. She was raised in this country.”

  The girl blushed at her mother’s words.

  “But one day I hope to take her to the Netherlands and show her where she comes from. There is much I wish her to learn about her country and its people.”

  The girl’s blush deepened as she put the final pins into her mother’s hair. “There mama. How do you like it?”

  “You are a true treasure my dear. Now let us help our hostesess. They have enough to do without worrying about their hair.”

  Sadie and Belle happily sat just as Polly entered Sadie’s bedroom with Cozette.

  “Landsakes! Everything looks wonderful! You girls have out done yourselves!” Polly exclaimed.

  “We couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help.” Said Sadie. “Now let’s finish getting ready. Cozette, I have your dress, it’s hanging up behind the door.”

  Cozette nodded and went to the door. She was nervous about tonight, all the people and activity. But as she spied what was hanging on the back of the door, all her fears vanished.

  Vanished because for one, she couldn’t breathe, and two, she was suddenly too shocked to feel anything.

  Cozette was looking at a wedding dress.

  * * *

  “It was my mother’s” Belle explained. “I thought you should wear it tonight. It’s too short for me and would fit you perfectly.”

  “It’s lovely.” Mrs. Van Zuyen commented. “Are you getting married?”

  Cozette immediately blushed.

  “Cozette needed a new dress for the dance and I thought this would suit her. It will look lovely.” Belle quickly explained.

  Cozette touched the pretty fabric. It was white with delicate pink flower petals sewn into the lace that covered much of the dress. It was the most beautiful thing Cozette had ever seen.

  “But is it proper to wear such a dress at a dance?” Mrs. Van Zuyen asked.

  “Out here it doesn’t really matter.” Sadie told her. “It’s pretty, that’s what counts.”

  “I see. I suppose we shall have to get used to the ways of country life.” Mrs. Van Zuyen told her daughter.

  “This is not New York, mama.”

  “In that my dear, you are utterly correct. But I must admit, Clear Creek does have its charm.” She turned to the younger women. “Now, let’s see about getting you ladies ready for a dance.”

  * * *

  Cozette stood at the back door of the kitchen. She couldn’t bring herself to leave the safe confines of the house. She’d thought she might faint when she turned and looked at herself in the mirror in Sadie’s room. She was beautiful. So beautiful she didn’t recognize the woman she saw. It was like looking at someone elses’s reflection. Wearing the dress made everything suddenly surreal and she fought to stay calm. The evening air seemed to be charged with, well, something. Something almost magical and Cozette felt as if she were in some sort of fairytale.

  “You look like a princess.” Polly told her. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Cozette looked at her, one eye brow raised in question.

  “I know this sounds silly, but I’ve come to think of you like a daughter. I feel like I’m about to give you away.”

  Cozette smiled, and lightly kissed Polly on the cheek.

  “Let’s go then, I’ll hang onto you for support. I know this is alot for you but these people are all very nice. You’ll be fine.”

  Cozette offered her a half smile. She then took a deep breath, stepped onto the back porch, and left the safety of the kitchen behind.

  * * *

  Duncan stood near the barn’s wide entrance. He held a glass of punch in his hand and sipped slowly. Mr. Berg stood next to him and spoke in low tones with the Scotsman, Mr. MacDonald. The two giants were getting along famously and Duncan began to wonder what they were talking about that kept them so engrossed when he saw her.

  Duncan dropped his glass.

  Polly escorted Cozette across the barnyard, past the dance floor area, and straight to him. A chill went up his spine and he fought for control. “Good God...” he whipsered to himself. Good God indeed, for the Lord could not have made a better choice of wife for him. If he thought she was beautiful before, nothing compared to how she looked tonight.

  Her wedding night. Duncan smiled.

  “Weel now,” Mr. MacDonald began. “I think ye dropped something.” He picked up Duncan’s glass and handed it to him. Thankfully it didn’t break. Good thing too. It was from his mother’s favorite punch bowl set.

  “Thank you,” Duncan said without taking his eyes off Cozette.

  Mr. MacDonald looked from Duncan, to Cozette, and back again. “Dinna mention it, laddie.” He took one of Duncan’s hands when he didn’t reach for the glass himself, and put the glass into it. He then snorted in amusment, slapped Mr. Berg on the back, and headed into the barn and the food.

  “You take my breath away.” Duncan whispered as he looked down at Cozette.

  Polly silently slipped into the barn after the other two men leaving Duncan and Cozette to themselves.

  “Would you like some punch?”

  Cozette gave a slow nod as she smiled and took in his own outfit. He had on a suit.
A dark coat over a white shirt and black tie. His hair was combed back, he was clean shaven, and he smelled absolutely heavenly. Cozette fought the urge to bury her face in his chest and inhale the sweet, savory, scent of him.

  He took her by the hand and led her into the barn. The women had decorated the barn in flowers from the prairie and linens and lace from their homes. It was beautiful and quaint. Mrs. Dunnigan was there and was obviously in charge of all the food. She fussed and ordered people into a single line by waving her ladle about.

  Cozette squeezed Duncan’s hand as her own hand came to her mouth to stifle her laughter. Laughter that wasn’t there. But Cozette was indeed laughing. Who wouldn’t laugh while watching Mrs. Dunnigan give Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Berg a tongue lashing. For what, Cozette and Duncan had no idea, but to see her bossing around the two giants like they were a couple of misbehaved school boys was hilarious. Duncan finaly burst out laughing, kissed Cozette on the cheek, then led her to the nearest table and the punch bowl.

  Everyone was having a grand time and just as they got some punch, the music started. A cheer went up outside the barn as people began to head for the dance area.

  “Would you do me the honor, Miss Duprie?” Duncan asked as he set down his glass and offered her his arm.

  She stared at his arm a scant second before she turned away.

  “Here now, what’s this?” He said and turned her around to face him.

  Cozette looked from Duncan to the people gathering in the dance area, and back again. She then shook her head. Oh Duncan! I cannot dance!

  He tenderly cupped her face with his hand. “You needn’t worry sweetheart. For one, you’ve never seen any of these people dance.”

  Cozette cocked her head to one side at the remark. He then turned her around to face the dance area. Her eyes widened. He was right. She shouldn’t be worried that she had never danced. From the looks of it, the townspeople of Clear Creek hadn’t a clue how to dance either.

  Wilfred Dunnigan was dancing with Mr. Mulligan. And the Sheriff was dancing with Cyrus Van Cleet. And if what they were doing was considered dancing, then Cozette had absolutely nothing to worry about.

  Children were dancing with each other. Dancing which consisted of simply jumping about to the music. Which was exactly what the men were doing. There was no rhyme or reason to any of it and Cozette physically relaxed at the chaotic sight.

  Sadie and Harrison then went out and moved in a more civilized manner. Something that resembled real dancing. As did Belle and Colin. But the rest of the townspeople were simply moving and having a good time. Most of the couples consisted of men dancing with men as there weren’t enough women to go around. There were even men dancing by themselves off to the side of the dance area, not caring who saw. They just wanted to move to the music. The settlers too, joined in. Mr. Mullmerk danced with a elderly gent Cozette hadn’t seen before, while Mr. MacDonald tried to coax his wife out with him. Her eyes were wide and she looked as if she was having some inner battle with herself. Maybe she felt much the same way about dancing in public as Cozette did. Terrified! But all in all there wasn’t anything to worry about. None of it mattered. The only thing that did was the man leading her out to the dance area. A man she could spend the rest of her life with.

  Fifteen

  The evening happily wore on. The music, the incredible food, (albiet at the cost of facing Mrs. Dunnigan and her ladle) the townsfolk, and Duncan. Nothing could have been more wonderful. Nothing could have made Cozette any happier. And just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, it happened.

  Duncan picked her up and placed her in the back of a buckboard the fiddlers were using as a bandstand. They smiled at Duncan and stopped their playing. “Can I have your attention everyone?” He called to the crowd.

  The people stopped their dancing and chattering and faced the buckboard.

  “Quiet please,” Duncan called. “I want the lady to be able to hear what I have to say.”

  Smiles broke out amongst the people and many elbowed each other in the ribs. Cozette gathered they had a good idea what was coming. Perhaps she wasn’t the only one that knew Duncan was going to declare his love for her. She could feel tears sting the back of her eyes. And even though they were happy tears, she fought to keep them back.

  “Some of you already know what I have to say.” Duncan announced.

  “Tarnation Duncan, I think we all know!” Sheriff Hughes called from the crowd. Everyone laughed at that.

  “Yes, but I’d appreciate it if you would all keep it to yourselves until I pose it to the young lady standing before me.”

  “Stop that fancy talk of yours and get on with it then!” Yelled Wilfred.

  More laughter.

  Duncan smiled, took Cozette’s hands in his own, and went down on one knee.

  Cozette gasped and quickly glanced about. All eyes were on her. Every last one. She swallowed back the lump in her throat and looked down at Duncan.

  “Cozette Duprie,” he began. “You’d make me the happiest man in the territory if you’ll say yes.”

  “Yes to what?” Doc called. “You haven’t asked her anything!”

  The townspeople roared in laughter at that.

  “Shut up, all of you, and let him ask the question!” Mrs. Dunnigan snapped as she waved her ladle at the crowd.

  Everyone immediately quieted.

  Duncan shook his head at Mrs. Dunnigan, then looked up at Cozette. “My sweet darling. My beautiful Cozette. Will you marry me?”

  Cozette slumped slightly as her knees gave way. A declaration of love she expected, and though she’d imagined him asking her to marry him in private, she had no idea he’d do it in front of the entire town. But no matter how Duncan could have asked her, the answer would have been the same.

  Cozette pulled him to his feet and kissed him soundly.

  A cheer went up and Cozette thought she heard someone yell, “Call for the preacher!”

  Duncan broke the kiss. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  She smiled and kissed him again.

  “You two are supposed to wait to do that!” Grandma yelled. “Somebody find Josiah King quick like before the evening plumb turns indecent!”

  Duncan laughed. “No worries, Grandma! Now where is Mr. King?”

  “I dare say!” Harrison called from the back of the crowd. “But I do belive he’s in the privy!”

  “Then you best retrieve him!” Called a voice.

  “You heard the man! Let’s go get him!” Colin yelled.

  A cheer went up as many of the men laughed and began to gather around Colin who quickly became the leader of the ‘retreival party.’ as it came to be known. Even Duncan and the fiddlers jumped down off the wagon to join them. Apparently, from the location of the privy, poor Josiah King wouldn’t have heard all that was going on. The men planned to sneak up to it and surprise the new preacher.

  Cozette slapped her hands on her thighs in amusement as every last man quietly made their way into the darkness and the privy which lay beyond the lights of the dance area.

  Colin signaled to Henry Fig to begin playing his fiddle to make it sound like the party was continuing on. The women too followed, at least to the edge of the lantern light and did their best to stifle their giggles.

  Cozette wished she could go with them but didn’t want to try to get off the back of the wagon without some help. Otherwise her beautiful dress might be torn. But Cozette did get some help off the wagon. Just not the sort of help she wanted.

  * * *

  “Which one of you idiots brought this old crow along?” Jeb demanded as his men deposited their loads into the back of a wagon. The buckboard creaked loudly when a bound and gagged Irene Dunnigan was hefted into the wagon bed next to the other women.

  “But Jeb! She can cook like nobody’s business!” One of the men cried.

  “Oh for the love of... you stupid... don’t you realize she’ll only slow us down?” Jeb yelled.

  “We best make a run
for it before they discover they’re missing! Won’t take em long to figure out theys gone!” Johnny pleaded.

  Jeb sighed. “You’re right. Let’s go. How many we got?”

  “Including the two you wanted, we got away with two extra and the fat one.”

  A muffled grunt came from the direction of Mrs. Dunnigan.

  “We’ll have to share then.” Jeb commented.

  “I wanna know when I’m gonna get payed.” One man asked.

  “You’ll get paid when we get them to the hideout. Take which ever one you want.” Jeb told him.

  “When you asked me and my cousin to help, you didn’t say we was only taking women. I thought you said there’d be gold involved.”

  “And you were right, there will be.” Jeb told him.

  “No one broke into the house and got any, we didn’t rob no townsfolk.” The outlaw’s cousin argued.

  Jeb lit a match. “You Randall boys oughta know we got something worth more than a few coin purses off them townsfolk.” He held the match up high enough to display their evening’s catch. Cozette, Sadie, the two Van Zuyen women and Mrs. Dunnigan lay trussed up in the back of the wagon.

  Jeb blew out the match. “We got some of them Cooke women. One of which is the daughter of none other than Horatio Jones.”

  “The cattle baron?” One man exclaimed.

  “Yep. And she’ll bring more money than any of us have ever seen. Now lets go.”

  “But Jeb, what about finishing the job for that Holmes fella?” Johnny asked.

  “Forget about him. I met someone who convinced me this is better. Much better.”

  And as the Cooke brothers and the townsfolk of Clear Creek were busy poking fun at the preacher in the privy, an outlaw gang rode off with four of their women and a cook. Or rather Mrs. Dunnigan, who for once her trusty hatchet could have come in mighty handy.

  * * *

  “But where could she have gone?” Duncan asked as he searched around the buckboard for Cozette.

  “Well, we know she didn’t go to use the privy!” Colin laughed. Several other men around them laughed as well, including a rather disheveled looking Josiah King.