Rayne's New Beginnings

by Dannie Marsden

  “When are you and he leavin’ town?”

  “Soon as I have my coffee.”

  “I wish you told me this last night or earlier this mornin’. I woulda rode out there myself to warn her.” Bessie poured some coffee into Tom’s cup and walked away without another word.

  Tom walked out of the hotel and saw Mathews waiting for him. He knew Bessie was right and now having to ride an hour with the man would be difficult at best.

  “Are you ready to ride to the Rocking M?” Tom asked. There was no way he would be friendly with the man. He knew what he wanted to do to Rayne and her family and his stomach clenched that he hadn’t warned her. I’m so sorry, Rayne.

  “Yes, I’m more than ready to see my grandson. It has been a while since I’ve laid eyes on him. Until I received my daughter’s letter, I didn’t know if he was dead or alive. I can’t tell you how happy I was to hear he was here just waiting for me to come for him and take him back to his family.”

  “Sir, Ben is with family. Rayne and Lisbet love him as if he were their own.”

  “Who is Lisbet?” Mathews asked as he came to a stop in the middle of the boardwalk.

  Realizing his mistake, Tom mentally kicked himself. “Lisbet is a friend of Rayne’s and she lives out on the ranch and helps Rayne take care of the house and things.” Tom hoped he had given a good enough answer.

  “She is helping raise my grandson, you say? Well, what kind of woman is she? Doesn’t she have a husband or family?

  “No sir, she lost her family when she was young. Rayne found her earlier this year when she caught her rummaging through her saddle bags.”

  “I see. She’s been living out there with my daughter and grandson.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Well, what do you say we go fetch my grandson?” Mathews began walking again. “Come along, Sheriff, times a wasting,” he called over his shoulder when he realized the man wasn’t behind him.

  “Yes sir, right behind you.” Tom said as he started walking again.

  Once on the road Mathews spoke again, “So how long you say this gal Lisbet has been staying out at the ranch?” He couldn’t say he liked the idea of some stranger raising his grandson, especially if that person was living with Rayne. He had a feeling there was more to the story than what the sheriff was telling. He had always had a feeling Rayne was on the wrong side of God, and he would be damned if he let his grandson be raised by her or her friend.

  “Since early this year. I’d guess around about late February.”

  “I see, I see… so tell me, what is she like?”

  “Lisbet? She’s a sweet girl, on the short side, blonde hair with green eyes. Very industrious helps Rayne with pert near everything on the ranch, but mostly takes care for the house hold. You know, the cookin’ and cleanin’, things like that, while Rayne takes care of the animals, the cattle and the fields. They work well together.”

  Mathews grinned. He knew he could milk the idiot sheriff for all the ammunition he needed to get his grandson back where he belonged. “I see and when they aren’t taking care of business, is there anyone special in their lives? You know, like a special fella?”

  Tom already knew he’d said way more that he should and debated what to say next.

  Well here’s where it all comes out, and where it could go bad real fast.

  Clearing his throat Tom looked at the man. “Well now, they are in love and are committed to each other.”

  “So you’re telling me that Rayne and that woman are living together like a man and woman would? And that they’re raising my grandson in that house of sin! Is that what you’re telling me, Sheriff?”

  “Mr. Mathews, Ben is well taken care of and very happy, sir.”

  “Just what kind of man are you that you haven’t stepped in and taken my grandson away from that sin-filled house? What kind of town do you all have here? Don’t you have a minister to see that your souls are taken care of?”

  “Mr. Mathews, you don’t know the people of my town nor do you know the person your daughter has grown to be. Folks around here respect and care about her. You shoulda seen all the folks that turned out for your son and daughter-in-law’s funeral. Near the whole town was there. Whoever Rayne chooses to love it’s her business. Fact is, our minister and Rayne are good friends and grew even closer when Emma passed on. So near as I can figure, I’m guessin’ that any sins Rayne committed our good Pastor Dan has chosen to forgive.”

  “It’s not his to forgive!” Mathews thundered. “God is man’s judge and juror, he decides who to forgive and what sins to absolve. We will arrive at that place and I will take custody of my grandson and take him home where he belongs. I hope and pray he hasn’t been exposed to any damaging influences.”

  “Mr. Mathews, I think you should prepare yourself for the fact that you won’t be leavin’ with Ben today.”

  “Now you just wait a second there, young man. I am his grandfather and I should be the one raising him.”

  “Sir, Rayne is his blood too. Jason, the boy’s father, wanted Rayne to raise him.”

  “Hmm, that’s just what Rayne would say to keep the boy from me. I wouldn’t put much stock in anything she says regarding that,” Mathews snorted.

  “It’s not just her sayin’ that, sir. So as sheriff of this town, I have to tell you that for the time being Ben stays with Rayne and Lisbet.”

  Mathews’ face turned red. “Now you see here, I won’t have you speaking that way to me. I’m Clayton Mathews, a pillar of my community, a man of God and I will not stand by and let that abomination of a woman raise that boy.”

  “Sir, you may be all those things back home, but not here in Willow Springs. Here you’re just another visitor. I don’t think you have a choice in this matter.”

  Tom rode on ahead with a smile cracking through. I may not have warned Rayne, and I am truly sorry for that, but I have the law on my side and have just put that horrible excuse for a man in his place for now.

  †

  Rayne walked into the house to the smell of bacon, potatoes, and eggs frying in the skillet. “Smells good in here, darling and the scenery is mighty pretty too, I might add.” Rayne hung her hat on the wall rack.

  “I figured you’d be real hungry this morning, I know you’ve been using lots of energy.…” Lisbet turned around and let her eyes rake up and down Rayne’s body. Desire flashed in her eyes, turning them an emerald green.

  Rayne walked up to Lisbet, placed her hands on Lisbet’s hips, and pulled her to her body. She placed a hard kiss on Lisbet’s lips. The kiss held remnants of the fire from the night before and fanned the flames.

  The barking of Tucker alerted them to the horses riding up to the house. With a groan, Rayne dropped her hands, backed away, and turned toward the door. Together they walked over to the door and opened it expecting to see a friendly face.

  With a sinking heart, Rayne faced her father again.

  †

  Tom and Mathews rode up to the porch, dismounted their horses, and tethered them to the rail. Tom walked up the steps and was about to knock on the door when it opened. Tucker, the shepherd dog, was in front of Mathews, barking and growling loudly.

  Rayne stepped out of the house and eyed the sheriff. “Tom, good to see you.”

  Her eyes went to her father who hung back, his fear of the dog evident.

  “Tucker, come.” The dog growled at the stranger once more then didn’t hesitate in quickly trotting to Rayne and sitting at her feet. “Figured you’d show up sooner or later. Hoped for later. Guess my luck ain’t that good.”

  “I ain’t here to socialize. I’ll be taking my grandson now. So you’d best bring him out to me.”

  “Now, Mr. Mathews, I already told ya how this was gonna happen. You ain’t takin’ him right now. If ya wanna see him, I’m sure Rayne here will allow that if she wants to. For now he stays here with his family.” The authority his badge gave him crept into Tom’s voice.

  “And I told you, Sherriff, I woul
dn’t allow this,” he pointed to Rayne, “thing to raise my grandson.”

  “Well, the way I see it, Mr. Mathews, you have two options at the moment. You can either ask Rayne to let you see Ben, or you can head back to town and wait for a judge to arrive and decide what happens here.”

  “You know, I am standing right here,” Rayne said. “You can see Ben if you want, but he stays here with me. It’s what Jason wanted and it’s what’s gonna happen.”

  Rayne swallowed hard. She knew only Lisbet would see her hands shaking and hear the fear in her voice. And Lisbet understood what it took for Rayne say what she did.

  “I’ll wake him. It’s time he got up anyway. Tom, Mr. Mathews, please come in, I’ll get you each a cup of coffee.” Lisbet turned and walked back in the house. Her hand briefly touched Rayne as she walked away.

  “I won’t go into that house, it’s filled with sin,” Mathews said loudly.

  “Again, you have your choices. I’d love a cup of coffee, Rayne. How is Ben doin’? Bet he is growing like a weed.” Tom walked up the steps and into the house, leaving the man standing there alone.

  Tucker flopped down in front of the door and growled.

  “Tucker, no,” Rayne said as she held the door open. “You coming or not. Makes no never mind to me what you do, but mark my words I will never let you take Ben away from me. Never, you hear.”

  Mathews rushed up the steps and slid in past Rayne just before she closed the door.

  Rayne couldn’t help but snicker as Mathews rushed by her. She knew she could have growled and made the man jump a mile high.

  “Welcome to my home, sir. I’m sure you never imagined you’d ever have to walk in here again,” Rayne mocked.

  “Never could understand what you and that simple brother of mine found so interesting about this place,” Mathews muttered.

  “That’s easy, Father, we were always able to breathe here, feel the dirt under our fingernails, know when we lay our heads down at night we can sleep the sleep of a well lived day.”

  “Well lived day…Hmm, how can you do that knowing what you are, what you do with her.” He nodded toward Lisbet. “It’s unnatural. God doesn’t condone your life, nor will he reward it. Everything you touch is dirty and disgusting. You and that whore, living here pretending to be God fearing.”

  “My God loves me no matter who I chose to love.”

  “Blasphemer. God thinks you are an abomination and you will rot in hell for what you’ve done. Do you honestly think you can raise my grandson? You think I’ll allow that?” He bellowed at her as he always had.

  “Now, wait a minute there, Mister. You’re out of line.” Tom stood face to face with the man. “You can’t walk in here and disrespect Rayne and Lisbet that way. Not in their own home, when they’ve welcomed you in.” Tom’s eyes dared Mathews to say more.

  Mathews pushed the sheriff aside. “Get out of my way, you fool. I’ll speak to them however I please. I am a man of God and I follow his word. These two are an atrocity and should be hanged to save the rest of us God loving people from having to live with them. Now where is my grandson? I’d like to see him now.”

  Rayne gathered her anger and held it in check. “You speak that way in my home and expect to see Ben. I don’t believe so. Tom, would you please escort this man from my home and off my property.”

  Tom already had his hand around the man’s arm. “Of course. Come along, Mr. Mathews. I don’t take kindly to you pushing me away and I may just have to put you in my jail for doin’ that. I think you are no longer welcome here.”

  Ben started crying in the bedroom. “Your visit has obviously upset Ben. If you are lucky you may be allowed to see him another time. But now is not that time.”

  “Hey now, let go of me. I came to get my grandson and that’s what I aim to do.” Mathews had Tom’s hand tightly around his arm and he was being dragged out of the house.

  Once outside, Tom pushed the man and he landed on the ground.

  “Look here,” Mathews stood up and brushed the dirt off his hands, “I don’t know who you think you are, but you can’t treat me that way.”

  “Sir, it ain’t my fault you couldn’t see the steps and fell. I’ll be sure to tell ya the next time you’re about to take a tumble. I suggest we get back on our horses and head back into town. I am the law around these parts and Rayne has just asked me to escort you off her property. Now I’m not sure about where you’re from, but out here, it’s considered rude if we don’t do as we’re asked. Now, git up on that horse of yours.”

  “Don’t think this is over, I’ll be back for the boy and when I do, I’ll be taking him with me.” Mathews thundered at Rayne who had followed the two out the door.

  “Make sure you have a court order to take him, otherwise don’t bother coming back. Tom, make sure he knows what happens to trespassers around here.”

  Mathews looked at the sheriff with his mouth open and his eyes wide. “She just threatened me. Sheriff, do something.”

  “No, she didn’t. Now git on your horse, Mr. Mathews.” Tom turned to Rayne. “We’ll be seein’ ya.”

  “I’d prefer seeing you without him, just so you know.” Rayne turned around and walked in the house, closing the door behind her.

  †

  “I’m so sorry you had to listen to that, Lisbet. I never should have written him. I knew it was a mistake.” Rayne gathered Ben and Lisbet into her arms.

  “Rayne, you know it was the right thing to do.”

  “I wonder. I’m sorry about the things he said.” Rayne kissed the top of her head. “You know they aren’t true. Him being a preacher and all, he has certain ideas.”

  “Rayne, we both know that is how most folks see us. Not our friends, of course, but well, most people do. I knew it would happen, I knew someone would say hurtful things.”

  “Yeah, so did I, just not in my own home.”

  Rayne let go of Ben and Lisbet, walked to the window, and stared out at the retreating men.

  “Are you all right, sweetheart? It couldn’t have been easy seeing your father after all this time and then to have him be so hateful.” Lisbet walked up behind Rayne and then rubbed her hand over Rayne’s strong back.

  “I knew he’d show up sooner or later, and that he would be just as hateful as he had been when I was younger. I just didn’t expect him to be so vocal with his hatred, and honestly, I didn’t expect it to hurt as much as it did.”

  “I’m sorry. Honey, I don’t want you to hurt. I wish there was something I could do to make it easier on you.”

  “There isn’t. I just gotta remember all that he did to me and I’ll get through it. Look, go ahead and feed Ben. I’ll eat later. I’ve lost my appetite.” Rayne grabbed her hat and walked out the door leaving Lisbet alone with Ben.

  “Come on, handsome, how about we get some breakfast?” Lisbet said as she turned her attention to the boy.

  †

  “What in the heck happened in there, Sheriff? I thought I told you that I expected you to get me my grandson?” Mathews shouted as they road down the road.

  “You did and I recall tellin’ you that, as the sheriff I had to make sure I act in the best interest of the child. And right now, I do believe that’s what I’m doin’,” Tom replied.

  “Now see here, that boy is my flesh and blood and he belongs with his grandfather and not those two unnatural sinners. They are gonna burn in hell and I will not have them take my grandson with them. There has got to be some kind of judge that I can speak to.” Mathews said as he thought about his options.

  Going about it legally is an option, of course there is always the chance that that bitch Rayne will open her mouth about all the beatings I gave her. But no, that won’t matter. I was her father and it was my place to instill discipline in her. Luckily no one knows the things between Jason and me. I can do this. I will get my grandson back. And if the law doesn’t see things my way, well accidents happen and if something terrible happens to Rayne…well so be it. With a s
mile touching his lips, Mathews rode ahead of the sheriff.

  Tom caught up to Mathews. “Funny you should mention a judge; I had a deputy ride out to a neighboring town to see if he can bring the judge back with him. With any luck, they will be back by early afternoon and you can speak to him then. What do you say, Mr. Mathews?”

  “Sounds like a right good idea. I’m sure he will understand the situation and have the boy turned over to me as soon as possible.”

  †

  “Well now see, that’s the great thing about judges, they can see through the bull and make sure things are set right.” Tom stared at the man’s back.

  I can tell he’s plannin’ somethin’.

  For all the anger he’d displayed at Rayne’s ranch, Mathews was now calm and collected and that worried Tom.

  Just keep calm and keep an eye on him.

  Tom tried to imagine all the ways things could go. Something in Mathews screamed not to trust him or turn his back on the man.

  “Ya know, I’m sorry you didn’t get to see Ben. I’m sure it was a disappointment to ya, but had ya not gone off like ya did, I know there is no way Rayne would have kept ya from seein’ him.”

  “Things will be as they should be, I can guarantee that. After all, I got the Lord on my side.” Mathews said. “The Lord frowns on worthless heathens and guides his faithful’s hands.”

  “Well, I’d like to think the Lord is on the side of what’s right.” Tom puzzled over the man’s last words.

  It sounded like he is going to do the Lord’s work and rid the world of Lisbet and Rayne.

  “Not sure how you figure you’d know what is right. I mean you sat back and let those two keep my grandson. From the way it appears, you’re actually friends with them. Seems to me like you have no idea what’s right, Sheriff.”

  “Mr. Mathews, I’m a God fearin’ man. I believe in family, I believe in justice, and the folks of Willow Springs trust me to do what’s fair and right. I don’t think you know me well enough to be able to form any kind of opinion about me.”