“Ah,” Jessi said. “If I can.”
“I give up,” Justiss said. “You’re Reilly’s problem.”
“I beg yer pardon!” Her temper rose by degrees. “And just what do ye mean by that?”
“If I have to tell you, then you’re not as smart as Reilly gives you credit for.”
That took the wind out of her sails and cooled her growing temper. “Himself said I was smart?”
Justiss nodded. “Too smart for your own good.”
“Why that—”
“Save it for later,” Inga advised.
Justiss added, “Millicent can’t be trusted to act rationally.”
Jessi nodded. “Inga’s said as much to me earlier.”
“Then you’ll all be careful.”
“We will.”
“When will that pie be ready?”
“I’ll have Mick bring a slice over to you at the jail.”
He pulled Inga into his arms and kissed her upturned face. “Thank you, Inga.”
She sighed when he released her. “My pleasure.”
“Remember,” he called out as he walked onto the porch. “Stay out of—”
“Trouble,” Inga and Jessi called out.
“Right,” he said, setting his Stetson back on his head.
“He’s a good man,” Inga said, watching him go.
Checking the first pie for doneness, she looked up in time to see Mick walking down the hall, one brimming bucket of water in each hand. “Is it ready?”
“Not quite,” Inga answered.
“Two more trips,” he told her.
“Your pie will be waiting.”
* * *
“How long are you going to beat yourself up over the woman, Reilly?”
He turned and looked at Flynn. “For as long as it takes for this feeling to go away.”
“You’re a beast of man when you’re riled.”
Reilly shook his head, but didn’t answer.
“Are you going to the meeting tonight?”
Flynn was watching him closely. “What did you hear?”
“That Millie Peabody will be calling out Jessi Fahy.”
“Is that it?” Reilly asked.
The redheaded man shook his head. “I also heard that Jessi will be going nose to nose with Millie.” He smiled as he said it.
“What’s so funny?” Reilly demanded.
“Not a thing,” Flynn said rubbing the end of his sore nose. “Just thinking, is all.”
“Is Flaherty going with us?”
His friend stared at him for so long that Reilly wondered if he’d gotten dirt on face. He rubbed at his chin and asked, “What?”
“You just said us.”
“I know,” Reilly said. “You usually go with me into town when something important’s happening.”
“Until Jessi Fahy got off the stagecoach and knocked you on your arse.”
Reilly didn’t rise to Flynn’s bait, knowing his friend wanted to pick a fight with him. “She certainly did.”
“You’ve been following her around for weeks.”
“She’s a friend from home.”
“Admit it,” Flynn said. “You’re so in love with her, your eyes cross whenever she walks past you.”
“You’re dreamin’.”
“No,” Flynn said. “You are if you think that she’s going to marry you.”
“What makes you think she’s not?” Reilly couldn’t believe he was even having this conversation with Flynn instead of pounding the living daylights out of him.
“When was the last time you took the lass out for a ride in the wagon with a basket lunch?”
“When would I have had the time?”
“Masterson had time.”
“Once.” Reilly hated knowing that another man had taken Jessi for a ride on a sunny day without a care in the world. No outlaws to be trailed, no fires to put out, no evil harpies acting out their frustrations.
“The lass is going to marry me,” Reilly told him. “You’ll see.”
Flynn shook his head at him. “If you say so. But I’ll just wait and see what happens after tonight.”
“What’s so special about tonight?” Reilly couldn’t remember Jessi saying anything other than that she wanted Reilly to make sure the men were all there.
“Jessi’s going to face down the committee.”
“It’s been disbanded for half a year now,” Reilly reminded him.
“You and the marshal might think so, but I don’t agree.”
“What do you know that you aren’t saying?”
Flynn shook his head. “I listen—”
Reilly interrupted him, “You gossip more than a woman, Flynn.”
“Fine then,” Flynn snapped. “Go the meeting without me.”
“Aye,” Reilly agreed. “I will.” Watching Flynn stalk over to the ranch house, Reilly realized that something else must be bothering the man. The last time Flynn acted like this was the time he’d lost his head over a woman.
“He’s been spending time in town with the Widow Dawson.” Reilly put away the tools he’d been oiling and checked on the horses. He and Flaherty would ride in shortly. Bridget and Emma had already left in the wagon and were going to stop at the boarding house first.
Visions of Jessi lying in his arms in the front parlor distracted him. “Time enough for that later.” Heading to the house, he stopped at the well pump to fill the bucket, knowing Bridget would be glad of it come morning.
“Reilly?”
“Out here, Flaherty.”
“Do you know what the women are up to tonight?”
Reilly shook his head. “Do you really think they’d tell me if they wouldn’t tell you?”
When he didn’t answer, Reilly asked, “Did ye know that Trouble is Jessi’s middle name?”
Flaherty snorted and walked out to the barn with Reilly.
“Is Flynn coming with us?”
Reilly shook his head. “He’s riding in later.”
Chapter Twenty
“I call this meeting to order,” Millicent Peabody’s voice rang out clear and strong.
“Why are we here?” one of the ranchers called out. “Is there a problem with land fraud again?”
Flaherty stood up and answered. “Not in over a year. Between retired Marshal Turner and Marshal Justiss, they’ve been keeping an eye on rustlers and land-grabbers alike.”
The crowd murmured its agreement.
“Order,” Millie called out. The group fell silent. “Now that everyone is here, I want to ask the marshal what he intends to do about the arsonist being protected by one of our local bleeding hearts.”
Reilly’s hands clenched into fists. When he would have shot to his feet, Flaherty held him back, whispering, “Let her finish.”
“This arsonist should also be called to account for her unprovoked attack on a God-fearing member of this community, Mr. Peter Peterson.”
“Next she’ll probably mention the brawl,” Reilly grumbled.
“Her shameless behavior only minutes after arriving in town ruined the reputation of one of the finest men this town has ever known.”
Reilly looked at Flaherty, who grinned and shrugged. “I’m not going listen to this,” Reilly said.
“If you want to know all of the cards the bitch is going to play, you will.”
Defeated, Reilly sank back onto his chair and waited. It didn’t take Mrs. Peabody long to list the rest of her reasons for the marshal to run Jessi Fahy out of town.
The crowd was growing restless. Reilly looked around but didn’t see Jessi or any of her friends. Where were they?
“Well, Marshal?” Millicent demanded. “What are you going to do about these atrocities?”
Ben Justiss stood and removed his hat. “If this is why you called this meeting, Millie,” he said, “you’ve wasted everyone’s time.”
“Ah,” she smiled. “So you’ve already sent her packing?”
Justiss shook his head and looked at the back
of the building. “I think I’ll let Miss Fahy answer your accusations herself.”
“How dare you?” Mrs. Peabody began, only to be cut off by the marshal. “You’ve had your say. Now it’s Miss Fahy’s turn.”
“I won’t stand here while that woman—”
He’d listened to all he intended to. Reilly shot to his feet and said. “The lass is a guest of Mrs. Swenson’s and happens to be a neighbor from me home in Ireland and soon to be my wife,” he added. “You’ll address Jessi with the same common courtesy she’s shown to you, although for all of her kindness, you attacked her.”
Millie’s face mottled. “That’s a lie!”
Reilly strode to the front of the room until he stood directly in front of Mrs. Peabody. “Ye’ll want to watch who ye call a liar.”
Millie’s eyes widened, but she didn’t speak—whether by choice or because he’d frightened her, Reilly didn’t particularly care.
Reilly looked up and saw Jessi, then held out his hand to her. “Jessi?”
She stood in the open doorway, Inga on one side of her, Pearl the other. When the three of them came inside, he noticed Bridget carrying Emma and Maggie, heavy with child, were right behind them. The five women walked to the front of the room.
Pleased that she hadn’t come alone, Reilly smiled at her.
Jessi smiled back at him. Grasping his hand in hers for a moment, she placed a swift kiss to his knuckles before letting go. “I need to have me say, John.”
When he waited, she asked, “Will ye let me?”
He nodded, but remained standing behind her, should she need him. Marshal Justiss moved to stand behind Inga.
* * *
With her sisters of the heart beside her, Jessi faced down her accuser. “When I first came to this town,” she began, “I thought it was a lovely place filled with wonderful people.” She paused. “And then the rumors started flying.” She continued. “I’ve been accused of lying, setting fires, and doing harm to a very nice man.” She turned and waved to Mr. Peterson, who had followed them inside before moving up to the front row to sit with Mrs. Greene.
“As far as the other accusations, I’m guilty of one. I did indeed strike John Reilly me first day in town.” When the crowd began to murmur, she looked around the room. “The reasons why are between John and meself.” She noticed Michael Flynn in the crowd and nodded to him. “And Michael.”
She turned to face Reilly. “There is one other thing I’m guilty of and very sorry for.” Turning back to him, she looked up and said, “I never meant to stomp on yer pride, John.”
He shrugged and she continued, “I know how important it is to ye, for I’ve a bit of an issue with pride meself.”
When someone chuckled, she turned to see it was Mr. Peterson.
“I let me temper get the better of me. Can ye forgive me for it?”
Reilly held out his hand to her. Their fingers linked, and he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I already have, lass.”
“That doesn’t explain the fire,” Millie shouted. “Or the grievous injuries—”
“Peabody,” Peterson called out. “Can’t you shut your wife up for five minutes?”
Shock stole Millie’s breath. Peabody pulled his wife off to the side and told her to be still while Jessi had a chance to talk.
“Go on, lass,” Reilly urged. “Tell them what ye know, and we’ll see who else would like to speak up and tell us what they know.”
“Yer a dear, sweet man, John Reilly.”
He grinned in response and nodded at her to continue.
“Inga and I were in the kitchen the night of the storm. There was a huge crackle and pop before the bright flash of lightning. Not even a heartbeat later we heard a huge boom of thunder, and then we saw the smoke.”
“Of course they saw smoke,” Millie interrupted. “They set the fire.”
“So now you’re accusing Inga, too?” Justiss stepped forward, and Millie wisely shut her mouth.
“We saw the direction of the smoke and ran to the stable and found Mr. Peterson face down in his barn. The horses were already trying to kick down their stalls.”
“Then what happened?” Reilly asked, although Jessi knew he wasn’t asking for himself. He was giving her the chance to tell the truth to the townspeople gathered in the church.
“Inga grabbed his one arm, and I grabbed the other, and we pulled him out of the barn.” She looked at the women who stood at her back. They all smiled, encouraging her to continue.
“Inga shouted for help while I ran back inside the stable to get the horses,” Jessi explained.
“Do you expect me to believe that you risked your life for a bunch of animals?”
Jessi turned to face her detractor. “Me ma taught me to respect me elders, but I’m sure she’d make an exception in your case.”
“How dare you?”
“And that’s the second time you’ve said that to me face,” Jessi said. “The first time I turned me back on you, and you pushed me. I’ll not do that again. Ye can’t be trusted.”
“You’re lying.”
“I know what happened, and know that me cracked ribs are now broken clean through.”
Millicent’s face paled. “I didn’t push you.”
“I saw you, Mrs. Peabody.” Mick Flaherty walked to the front of the room to stand beside his mother. “Why is she lying, Ma?”
Bridget rubbed his shoulder and smiled up at him. “Because some people are threatened by the goodness of others,” she answered. “As they were when they tried to run us out of town nearly a year ago.”
This time the gasp came from the back row. All eyes turned in time to see Sarah Burnbaum’s face flush a deep crimson.
“Your selfishness nearly cost me my wife, son and daughter,” Flaherty said walking past the former head of the committee to the front of the room to stand behind Bridget and Mick.
“ ’Tis the truth,” Maggie said. Turner moved to stand with his arm around his wife to support her.
“You tried to sell my ranch out from underneath me,” Pearl said. “And would have run me and my girls out of town.”
Everyone turned and stared at Pearl.
Before Millie or Sarah could speak, Davidson Smythe strode to the front of the room. Jessi’s eyes filled with tears. Four brave and beautiful women moved to flank her. Black-haired, gray-eyed Pearl; and Maggie with her fiery hair and bright blue eyes. Auburn-haired, amber-eyed Bridget; and Inga with her silver-streaked, blonde hair and pale blue eyes.
But they weren’t alone. Their men ranged behind them, standing strong, proud and silent, arms crossed, shoulders squared, eyes glittering with the promise of pain to anyone who dared to harm their women.
“Does anyone else wish to speak?” Reilly asked.
“I heard the lightning strike nearby,” someone called out. “The next thing I knew I smelled smoke and ran to the stable and saw Miss Fahy leading a horse out of the barn.”
“Same here,” another man spoke up.
Doc spoke up. “Does anyone know anything about what happened to Peterson?”
“Oh, leave the child alone,” Mr. Peterson rose to his feet. “If she can stand here and let a mean old harpy like Millie Peabody spit venom at her, then I can admit to having the bejeezus scared out of me when lightning struck the roof of my stable. I tripped and fell on my face and must have hit my head, because the next thing I knew I opened my eyes and saw Doc leaning over me.”
Doc nodded. “True.”
“Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?” Millie asked him.
Peterson shook his head. “I usually don’t dream about Doc.”
The rumble of laughter started out low and then grew in volume. Soon everyone was talking and laughing at once.
Marshal Justiss called out, “The committee has been disbanded for the last time,” he said. “Any one of its members caught with the intention of congregating will be slapped in jail and fined five hundred dollars.”
�
�You can’t do that!” Millie cried.
“Watch me,” Justiss told her.
“Are you going to believe a foolish old man and a woman of loose character?” Millie said, trying to rile the crowd.
“Ye’ll watch how ye address me future bride, Mrs. Peabody.”
“But I—”
“And ye’ll apologize for casting aspersions on her good name.”
“But everyone knows what the outlaws did to her before you found her.”
Jessi stood in shock while Inga wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Reilly’s roar of anger filled the church. “Were ye there when we tracked the outlaws after they abducted her?”
Millie shook her head and took a step back. “No, but—”
“Did ye ever have to defend yerself against a group of men?” he asked. Without a word, Justiss, Flaherty, Turner and Smythe moved to stand beside Reilly and as one moved toward Millie Peabody. “How does it feel to be surrounded, by a group of men who outweigh you and could threaten to shoot you if you opened your mouth?”
Millie burst into tears and backed up against the wall. “Help me, Henry!”
Peabody frowned at the men standing in front of his wife until they stepped back. “You made your point, Reilly. Truth be told, I wouldn’t want to have to face the lot of you, and I’m not a female.”
His words broke the tension in the room, but Reilly wasn’t finished. “Do ye understand what it must have been like for Jessi to have to stand against them alone while we searched for her?”
Millie turned to Jessi and stammered, “I’m sorry.”
Reilly hoped she’d say more, but the woman dissolved into tears and had to be led from the church.
Flynn walked toward Reilly and smiled at Jessi. “Well,” Flynn said, “you’ve proven to be everything I thought from the first moment I saw you, Jessi Fahy. You’ve the face of an angel, a sharp tongue, and a wicked right cross.”
She smiled at Flynn. “Ye were the first one to show me kindness. Thank ye, Michael.”
“If for some reason Reilly changes his mind…” Flynn looked over at Reilly and decided enough had been said. He grinned at her. “You know where to find me.”
Jessi was smiling again as the crowd dispersed slowly. Mr. Peterson and Mrs. Greene congratulated them first, and soon the others smiled and either nodded or offered their good wishes. When the last of their well-wishers had left, Reilly bent down and whispered, “Ye won’t change yer mind on me, lass?”
The Irish Westerns Boxed Set Page 98