Sarah's Heart

by Marianne Spitzer

  She leaned over and whispered to Nell. “Why is everyone here?”

  “Two reasons. One, everyone in town loves you and two; there isn’t much to do here. It’s something to watch.”

  “Sort of like hangings, right?” Sarah murmured.

  “No one’s getting hung,” Giles whispered. “Remember, I explained before that the absolute worst thing that can happen is you’ll be ordered to give your shop and money to the other Mrs. Morey.” He gently patted her hand.

  Sarah fought back tears and asked Nell, “Am I supposed to wear my bonnet since we’re in church or remove it since we’re in a courtroom?”

  “Leave it on; it’s lovely, and when I was here for my trial, I wore mine. I think this is God’s house first and a courtroom second.”

  Sarah nodded and felt a hand squeeze her shoulder.

  “Don’t worry,” she heard Molly’s voice whisper. “If you lose the shop, I can go back to work at Underwood’s and help us pay for a room at the boarding house. It’ll be fine.”

  “No,” Nell snapped. “No one is working at Underwood’s. You both will work and live with me at the restaurant.”

  “Cal won’t be happy,” Molly added.

  “He’ll be fine,” Nell winked.

  A hush fell over the church when Judge Magarey, in his formal black suit, entered from the side door. He studied the packed church as he walked to the table in the center of the room. He pondered the idea of building a new courthouse with a proper office and courtroom before he pulled out the old wooden chair and sat.

  He reached into his briefcase and removed a sheaf of papers before setting the case on the floor next to his leg.

  “Good morning,” he addressed the assembled group.

  They returned his greeting with mixed mumbles of, “Morning, good morning, mornin’ Judge, and a few other indecipherable mutterings.”

  He nodded and sighed. It would be a long day.

  Judge Magarey looked up and spoke to Giles. “You’re here with Mrs. Sarah Morey, is that correct?”

  “Yes, your honor,” Giles responded.

  “All right then, we’ll begin.” The judge cleared his throat and said, “We’ll start with Mrs. Morey.” Sarah and Hattie stood. “Mrs. Sarah Morey, please.”

  Hattie blew out a loud breath and plopped back down in the front pew while Sarah made her way to the chair sitting alongside the Judge’s table.

  After Sarah had sworn to tell the truth knowing the full wrath of God befell liars, the Judge addressed her.

  “Tell me in your own words, Mrs. Morey; how you came to be in Gentle Falls and the owner of the new seamstress shop.”

  Sarah took a deep breath and clutching her fingers together to keep her hands from shaking replied, “I lived in Chicago and wanted to leave. I became a mail-order bride and went to Kansas and married Harold Morey. When Harold died, my pastor and the local judge suggested I sell the ranch to my neighbor since I wasn’t able to run it on my own.”

  Hattie leaped to her feet and screamed, “That’s not fair, that ranch belonged to little Jed.”

  The Judge banged his gavel on the table startling the onlookers. “Sit down, Mrs. Morey. I will call you in a while. If you disrupt these proceedings again, I’ll have you removed.”

  Hattie nodded and sat.

  Judge Magarey looked at Sarah, “Please continue.”

  Sarah nodded, “I sold the ranch, and since I didn’t know anyone in town and had no desire to return to Chicago, I moved here to be close to my best friend, Penelope Callahan. I used some of the proceedings from the ranch sale to purchase the building where I work as a seamstress and live in the upstairs rooms.”

  “That seems simple enough. You’re excused for now, Mrs. Morey. Don’t leave the church. I may need to ask you more questions.”

  “Yes, thank you, your honor,” Sarah murmured and walked back to her seat in the pew between Nell and Giles. Her stomach did flips, but she resisted holding her hands against it. She couldn’t let anyone know she was scared. After all she went through with Harold, losing what she had now would break her heart. How could she have misjudged Harold so completely?

  Judge Magarey shifted in his seat. “Mrs. Hattie Morey, please sit here.” He gestured to the chair sitting next to his table.

  Hattie stood, lifted her chin in the air, and strode to the chair. She never blinked when she swore on God’s name to tell the truth.

  “Tell me, Mrs. Morey, why are you bringing this action against the other Mrs. Morey?” Judge Margaery stared at her.

  Hattie paled, “Well, I believe my son, little Jed, is the rightful heir to the ranch owned by my husband, Harold Morey.”

  “Hmm,” the Judge rubbed his chin. “You claim to be married to the man at the same time he was married to Sarah Morey?”

  “Yes, we were married three years ago. Little Jed was born a year later. My husband was a good man until the evils of gambling and drink took him over. He left little Jed and me to be with a harlot from a local saloon. I heard they left town and headed for Kansas. I didn’t have any money, and it took me nearly two years to work and save enough to head to Kansas and find him.” She pulled a lace trimmed handkerchief from her reticule and dabbed at her eyes.

  Sarah leaned toward Giles and whispered, “It’s all a lie, the time is off. If you believe her story, Harold would have been in two places at once.”

  Giles stood and addressed the Judge. “Your Honor, something has just come to my attention. Could we take a short break for me to look into the matter?”

  “Do you need to leave the church? I’d like to know how long to wait,” the Judge inquired.

  “No, your honor, I only need to speak to Mrs. Sarah privately for a few minutes,” Giles answered.

  Pastor Reynolds was one of the attendees and stood. “Judge, they can use my office,” he suggested pointing to the rear of the church.

  Giles nodded and led Sarah to the quiet office. He turned to her and asked, “Tell me what you mean about the time being wrong.”

  Sarah’s hand flew to her mouth and then her hands tapped her upper arms as she walked in a circle around the pastor’s small office.

  “All right, she claims Harold left her after the baby was born. The boy is a little over two. When I was in Kansas, I had to appear before the judge to answer questions for Nell’s trial here. I also spent a short time at the rooming house before Harold and I married. I heard about his previous marriage. He and his wife arrived in Kansas about four years ago. Harold told me he hoped we would have children since he worried that he and his first wife never would because they were married nearly two years before she was with child. She and the child died in childbirth. That was a year before I married him. I know that’s the truth because the ladies around town who thought Harold would be a good catch, told me the same story. Also, when I appeared before the local judge, he said that Harold was a well-respected citizen and the town also considered me one. There was never any talk of drinking. Yes, he did begin drinking after we married, but I believe it was because I couldn’t measure up to the memory of his first wife. She was perfection in his eyes. I can’t believe she was a harlot. I’m not sure where he was from originally, but didn’t Hattie say she’s from South Carolina? Find out what town. I think you’ll find Harold didn’t father Jed, and he may never have married her.”

  Giles, who had been standing in one spot watching her pace in a circle and talk, tapped his chin with his finger. “Let the Judge ask her a few more questions to see how deep her lie goes and then I will ask her a few questions concerning this odd time difference. You’re right; he would have had to be in two places at one time. She may trip herself up. Stay positive.”

  Sarah nodded and said, “Thank you, Giles, for believing in me. I have more faith that it will all turn out now.”

  They returned to the church, and Giles informed the Judge that he finished the business he had with Sarah.

  “Very well, Mr. Bowen. Mrs. Morey, please tell the court how you
discovered Mr. Morey’s whereabouts and why you came here,” the Judge replied.

  “I heard from a mutual friend that Harold went to Kansas. The friend was still in contact with Harold and told me where to find him. I left for Kansas only to discover that Harold was dead and a woman claiming to be his wife had sold his ranch and moved from town. The bank had the name of the town she headed for in case there were any questions concerning the sale of the ranch and I came here to find her. May I have a glass of water, please,” Hattie asked.

  Before the judge could answer, the church doors opened, and a tall, thin man dressed in a dark blue suit strode in.

  Hattie took one look at the man, stood, screamed loud enough to wake the poor souls buried in the graveyard behind the church, and fainted dead away. Her body hit the floor with a loud thud.

  The man strode forward, stepping around Hattie’s still form and asked, “Where is Jedidiah? Where is my son?”

  People began speaking at once. The Judge called for order several times, and Doc Winters and Pastor Reynolds ran to assist Hattie. She was still out cold, and Doc lifted her and placed her on the empty front pew.

  The sheriff was ready to fire a shot to calm the spectators until the pastor ran to him and said, “Not in the house of God, son. Put that away.”

  The pastor stood in the front of the church and lifted his arms. The church quieted rapidly. He glanced at the Judge. “What do you want them to do?”

  The Judge answered, “Send them home. Court is over for the day.”

  Pastor Reynolds made the announcement, and the church emptied amid grumbles of protest and disappointment that they would miss whatever transpired next.

  The stranger asked again, “Where is Jedidiah?”

  Judge Magarey wiped a hand over his face and mumbled, “Nothing is ever easy in this town.” He then addressed the man, “Who are you?”

  “My name is Mason Richmond and that woman, Hattie Tucker, stole my son,” he announced loudly enough his voice bounced off the walls.

  “I knew something was off,” Sarah whispered to Nell.

  “Explain yourself, sir,” the Judge demanded.

  “As I said, my name is Mason Richmond. I live in South Carolina. I’m a widower, and Jedidiah is my son. That woman, Hattie Tucker, is my son’s nanny. She got it in her head that I should marry her since her betrothed jilted her several years ago. She began to act as if Jedidiah was her own and I told Hattie if her behavior continued she would no longer be in my employ. I returned home from work one day to find Hattie and my son gone along with his clothing, several pieces of my dead wife’s jewelry, and some cash I kept in my home for emergencies.”

  The Judge asked, “Her name is not Hattie Morey?”

  Mr. Richmond shook his head, “Not to my knowledge. I believe that’s the name of the man she said left her at the altar. A mutual friend who recommended her as a nanny told me she might have gone looking for him. I found notes in her room about a man in Kansas. The local authorities said he was dead, but I needed to follow her trail and find my son.”

  The Judge was bobbing his head up and down in thought. He asked no one and everyone at once. “Where is the boy?”

  Pastor Reynolds spoke, “He’s with Rachel, but I don’t think it’ll do much good to bring him here. The boy hasn’t spoken a word since we met Mrs. Hattie.”

  “Can you bring him anyway?”

  The pastor nodded and hurried to his house next to the church. He returned a few minutes later carrying Little Jed with Rachel on his heels. The boy pushed against him to get down. Pastor Reynolds set the boy down on the church floor.

  Jedidiah stood and looked around. His eyes locked on Mason Richmond’s. “Papa, Papa,” he called out loud as he raced across the church and leaped into his father’s arms.

  The tall man wrapped the boy in his arms and wiped a tear from his cheek.

  Judge Magarey watched the commotion in the small church. He looked at the pastor and his wife. “Samuel and Rachel, are you able to continue to care for the boy until we sort this out?”

  They both answered, “Yes,” but Mr. Richmond objected.

  “He’s my son, why can’t he be with me? You have no right. That insane woman stole him from me. I have proof he’s mine. I have his birth record and letters from several respectable citizens from my hometown including the mayor and a judge. Please, your honor. He’s been through enough,” Mr. Richmond pleaded holding his son closer.

  Judge Magarey silently thought it was time to retire completely, but answered, “I understand, sir, and I am sure you have the proper paperwork, but I can’t give a child to anyone who walks forward claiming him. Let him go home with Rachel. He’ll be well cared for. I’ll look at your paperwork and send a few telegrams. We’ll work it out. For now, Doc Winters can care for Mrs. or Miss Hattie until she can speak to us again.”

  Doc Winters looked up from the pew and said, “She’s semi-awake. I think she’s in shock. I’ll have two men bring her to my office. She can recover there. I’ll watch over her.”

  “All right,” the sheriff agreed, but he insisted the sheriff post a guard at the Doc’s to ensure she didn’t try to steal away in the middle of the night. “I’ll speak with her as soon as she’s able to communicate.”

  All parties agreed, and Mr. Richmond held his hand to his chest as his son called out to him when Rachel carried him back to her home.

  Pastor Reynolds approached him. “Don’t worry; my wife raised four children. Your son will be safe and well cared for.”

  “I’m sure she is well qualified. I’m concerned for Jedidiah because he must be confused. He was stolen from his home and who knows what happened on the way to Kansas and then here.”

  “For what it’s worth,” Pastor Reynolds assured, “He is in relatively good spirits except he doesn’t’ speak. He eats well, and I’ve watched him play with toys. He seems happy.”

  Doc Winters spoke up, “The boy is confused. If Mrs. Hattie is not his mother, he may not understand what’s going on. Fortunately, he does know her which lessened the fear he may have had. He’ll be all right. Once it’s decided who he belongs to, he’ll be back to his usual routine and do well. Don’t worry.”

  Mr. Richmond nodded, but he still worried about his son. He felt nothing when he watched two young men carry Hattie out of the church. He would see to it she either went to prison or to an asylum where she could receive help for whatever illness affected her.

  Judge Magarey gathered his papers together and said, “It’s time for me to eat. Mr. Richmond, come along. You appear as if you could use a good meal and I’ll examine your paperwork while I eat.”

  He stood and noticed Giles, Sarah, and Nell still in the front pew watching the events unfold. He looked in their direction. “You may leave, Mrs. Morey. You and Mr. Bowen live in town. I can send someone to let you know when I make a decision or if we need to resume court. Until then go about your usual business.”

  Giles stood and thanked the Judge. He then led the two women out of the church. “Having something to eat is a good idea. Nell, what is today’s special?”

  “I made fresh biscuits and sweet cornbread this morning, and Cal was simmering vegetable soup when I left to attend court. This evening’s meal is chicken and dumplings. It’s Sarah’s favorite,” Nell answered. “We thought she’d need a favorite meal tonight.”

  Sarah hugged Nell. “You’re the best friend I could ever have.”

  The three made their way to Callahan’s with the Judge and Mr. Richmond following close behind.

  Chapter 10

  When Nell, Sarah, and Giles arrived at the restaurant, they were surprised that most of the tables were occupied by people who attended court that morning. Nell ushered Sarah and Giles into the kitchen. After greeting and kissing Cal, she told Giles and Sarah to take a seat at a small table Cal kept in the kitchen for personal meals.

  “You’ll be able to eat in peace and quiet here,” Nell explained. “I think we’re going to have quite a
crowd.” She turned when she heard the bell above the door jingle. “Cal will bring you soup and bread; I should see who arrived and begin taking orders.”

  Nell saw Judge Magarey, Sheriff Clay, and a nervous Mr. Richmond standing just inside the door and hurried to greet them.

  Before she had a chance to ask them where they’d like to sit, Judge Magarey asked, “Could you seat us in the private dining room? We have some legal matters to discuss.”

  “Of course,” Nell answered, and walked toward the rear of the restaurant. Cal had designed a private dining room that could hold several people for special occasions separated from the main dining room by a thick navy curtain for privacy. One long table sat inside the room covered with a white tablecloth instead of the red and white checked cloths used in the main dining area.

  “Please take a seat. We have vegetable soup and fresh biscuits or cornbread for lunch. I have coffee and tea, or I can offer you milk.”

  The men all asked for coffee, and the judge and sheriff opted for biscuits with their soup while Mr. Richmond was pleased to know they offered cornbread.

  When Nell left to get their order, the judge asked Mr. Richmond to explain what proof he brought with him.

  Mr. Richmond opened his satchel and pulled out several papers and a small photograph. He handed the photograph to the judge. “This is my son and me in our home.”

  The judge looked at the photograph of Mr. Richmond and a small boy standing in front of a brick fireplace. There was no mistaking the little boy as the one Rachel brought to the church. He nodded and looked at the other papers including a birth certificate and a letter from a judge in Mr. Richmond’s hometown.

  Judge Magarey handed the letter to the sheriff. “Take this letter and go to the telegraph office. Send a telegraph to the local law enforcement in Mr. Richmond’s hometown and ask them to verify if he was given a letter of introduction by the judge listed. You can come back here to eat your lunch while we wait for a reply.”

  Sheriff Clay nodded and walked out of the room. Nell entered and set three cups on the table. She poured coffee for the judge and Mr. Richmond and asked, “Will the sheriff return?”