The Brides Of Tombstone 01 Mail Order Outlaw (6 page)

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Critters! Lizzie slammed her brush down on the dressing table. Where did he learn the word critters? Some of the strangest things came out of Mal’s mouth. And then there was the matter of his suit. Had he really washed it or was it not his suit? If it wasn’t his suit, whose was it? No, he had the money from selling the store with him. Where would he have gotten the money if he hadn’t sold the store? So many questions and not enough answers.

Lizzie woke earlier than normal. Something had awakened her. A noise? She listened. She heard Ed leaving his room. He must need to use the outhouse. Men were so funny that way. They’d rather get up and get dressed to go outside than use the chamber pot. She shook her head and went back to sleep until daylight broke through her window and the rooster crowed.

Stretching, she pulled herself out of bed and washed her face in the basin she kept on her bureau. The cold water awakened her enough and her first cup of coffee would do the rest. After she dressed in denim pants and flannel shirt, she put on her boots and gun belt. Next she checked the load in each pistol. She had one on each hip, so she didn’t get caught with just six shots. If twelve didn’t do the job she was in more trouble than a gun could help her with.

Last she brushed her hair and braided it in one long plait down her back. Ablutions complete, she went downstairs and put on the first fresh pot of coffee for the day. The household went through several of the gallon pots. There were thirteen adults that drank the stuff and Jamie did when he thought he couldn’t get caught. Atina didn’t care if he had coffee as long as he drank his milk, too.

After she put the pot on the stove Lizzie started the bacon in the skillet. The smell of the bacon cooking got her mother up and she came downstairs to finish breakfast while Lizzie went to the barn. She milked the cows and used to feed the livestock too, but now Mal did that.

For the past few days he joined her in the barn with two cups of coffee just as she was sitting down to the second cow.

He pitched hay into the mangers for the horses and cows, tied feed bags on the horses with their grain for the day, and pumped fresh water into the troughs.

By the time he was finished so was she and they would sit on a hay bale, drink their now cold coffee and decide what the day would hold.

“I want to take you hunting. Let’s see how you are with that pistol.”

“I don’t think it’ll bring down anything bigger than a rabbit.”

“It’s a Colt isn’t it?”

“Yeah. So?”

“It’ll bring down a deer if you shoot it right but whether the pistol can bring down a deer or not doesn’t matter. Today we are hunting for rabbit. They’re good eating and I’m tired of beef.”

“You run a cattle ranch.” He crooked an eyebrow. “How can you be tired of beef?”

“Same way as anybody else. I just get tired of eating the same thing again and again.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of steak. Spent too many years eating—”

“I know. Eating the freshest fish you can get. You told me in your letters.”

“Uh, that’s right.”

That was another mistake. He hadn’t said any such thing in her letters. She fought to keep her expression clear.

“What do you like to eat, if not beef?”

“I like pork best. We only get one pig a year, so we don’t have it very often.” She kicked her boot against the bale. “Mama would just as soon that we didn’t get any, she doesn’t like it. But Jamie and I do and Daddy did.”

“How long has it been now since you lost your father?”

She smiled, remembering her father. But she could have sworn she’d written to Mal about her father’s death. Why wouldn’t he remember that? Curious. “Just over a year. I still miss him every day. He and I used to work the cattle together when he was home. We’d go out, ride the fences and stay overnight in one of the line shacks. He’d tell me stories of when he met Mama.”

“I’d like to hear those stories when you’re ready to share them.”

A single tear rolled down her cheek.

Ed reached over and gathered the drop on the end of his fingertip. “I’m sorry you lost him so soon. Of course, it doesn’t matter how old or young they are, we are never ready to lose a parent.”

She shook her head. “No, we’re not.”

He remembered his mother. She’d been young, only thirty. He hadn’t been ready to lose her when but he had. Now he didn’t think about her often, but when he did, the pain was almost as intense as it had been the day she died. He’d lost more than his mother that day. He’d lost his innocence and his chance at a good life. Until now. Until Lizzie.

“Let’s go see how good you are with that pistol. Saddle up. We’re going hunting.”

They both saddled their horses and rode out.

“I thought as long as we’re going to be out here looking for strays anyway, we might as well have some fun and see if we can shoot a couple rabbits.”

“Sounds good to me. I haven’t eaten rabbit either.”

“I didn’t figure you had. Lots of people say it tastes like chicken but I find it more flavorful. Sometimes it’s a little gamy but that’s usually only if it’s an older rabbit.”

They cantered the horses until they got to the north pasture, and then slowed them to a walk, searching the area for movement.

Suddenly Lizzie fired her pistol.

Ed saw the rabbit hop into the air and then he was still. She’d gotten the animal on the first shot.

Grinning from ear to ear, she said, “You’re turn.”

Riding a little farther Ed saw a rabbit, he decided it wouldn’t be good to get the rabbit the first shot like she did. He wasn’t supposed to be that good, so he missed, shot low and behind the animal. He took a second shot and this time was right on target. The rabbit was dead.

“Not bad. Not bad at all for a city slicker.”

“I’m not going to be a city slicker for long. I’ve got the best teacher in the world, according to her brother, and I’ll be as good as you,” he looked Lizzie in the eyes, “before long.”

“You hope.”

“I have faith.”

“So you keep saying. Faith that we’ll marry, faith I’ll teach you properly. Lots of faith you never mentioned in your letters.”

“It’s not the kind of faith that needed to be mention in our letters. We didn’t talk much about what we believed, did we? Am I forgetting something?”

“No, I guess we didn’t.”

I have to get a hold of those letters. I need to know what Mal wrote.

* * *

Lizzie knocked on his door in morning as she always did. She was the first one up and woke everyone else in the house.

Ed was ready for the day this time. Already dressed when she came by, not to go to work but to check Lizzie’s room for the letters Malcolm wrote.

As quietly as he could he slipped into Lizzie’s room which was next to his. He wondered if she’d heard him the other night. He’d been a little noisy leaving his room to check the office for the letters. If she’d heard, she didn’t mention it.

Where would she keep them? He looked under the bed. Nothing. In her wardrobe. Nothing. Finally he checked her nightstand. There in the drawer he found the letters. A quick count told him there were eight letters. He’d read them all tonight and return them to Lizzie’s room tomorrow. He hoped against hope that she wouldn’t miss them.

That night he retired early, going straight up to his room directly after dinner. He made an excuse to Lizzie about not feeling well.

When he got there he sat on the bed and opened the first letter. It was an introduction letter similar to the one Lizzie had sent.

Every one of the letters was dull. Mal wasn’t a very interesting person. He went to church sporadically, liked to play cards, though he didn’t say what kind. Ed hoped it was poker because that was the only game he knew. He didn’t drink, loved beef and pork.

Mal told her he was bored by his life and that was why he wanted a wife. He felt a wife would complete him and together they would start a family to leave his dry goods business to. To Ed he sounded conceited. If he’d been Lizzie, he’d have changed his mind about marrying him, too.

The last letter was like the others. He told Lizzie he was thinking about her and looking forward to meeting her.

In none of the letters did Mal mention eating fish all the time. Lizzie was suspicious and had been testing him, and he’d failed. Well he wouldn’t fail again.

He replaced the letters the next day, with Lizzie, hopefully none the wiser.

* * *

“Lizzie, I need to ride to town and talk to John Peterson. I want him to put a bid on the Abernathy place for me.”

“Are you sure? You haven’t seen it yet.”

“It’s what you want and you’ve already said it’s a good deal. That’s all I need to know.”

“I don’t know about you. I never thought you’d be so accommodating. You’re letters made you seem more, oh I don’t know, conceited, condescending. Everything had to be your way and yet you haven’t been like that at all. Are you sure you’re the same man?”

Ed started to sweat; he tried to think what Mal might have been doing by coming here. “I made a decision when I sold the store that I was starting a new life. I was going to make you my wife and that meant changing whatever I needed to in order to achieve that.”

“I wish you wouldn’t say that.” Lizzie pursed her lips and frowned. “Every time you say you’re making me your wife, I want to run the other way.”

“I can’t help it. I am determined.”

“So am I to not be pushed into anything. You can’t buy me with your money or your gifts to my family or by buying the ranch I want. I can’t be bought. Do you understand?”

He nodded. “I’m not trying to buy you, just make your life easier and keep you in mine. I don’t know how else to do it. I’ve never courted a woman before. Which is why I wanted a mail order bride in the first place.”

“Just don’t push me. You understand?” She stalked off to the house.

Ed went to the barn and saddled his horse. Regardless of what Lizzie wanted, he was buying that ranch. She’d come around and if she didn’t, what then? He didn’t want to even think about that.

CHAPTER 5

July ninth was here and Jamie was no eleven years old. Ed had his present wrapped up and ready for him. He laid it on the table next to Lizzie’s and Atina’s presents.

“You can come in now, Jamie,” shouted Atina.

Jamie came in from the porch. “Wow! This is all for me? Thank you everyone.” He looked at the cake on the table. “Mama you made my favorite cake. Yellow with white boiled frosting. It’s like getting two treats in one.”

He went to his mother and gave her a hug.

“Are you going to open your presents so we can eat that cake?” Ed teased.

“Yes, I am.”

He tore into Lizzie’s presents first.

“New astronomy books! Whoopi!” He wrapped his hands around Lizzie and hugged her tight.

Next he opened Mal’s present.

“A telescope. Oh, my gosh. Mama, can I stay up late and look at the stars?”

“I guess since it is your birthday that you can.” Atina answered. “This time.”

Last he opened the present from his mother.

“A new bridle? But I don’t need a new bridle.” Then he noticed the envelope under the bridle and opened it up.

Jamie, my baby boy who is grown up now. Go look in the second stall in the barn.

Love,

Mama

He ran down to the barn and threw open the door. In the second stall was a beautiful Appaloosa stallion, black with white markings. Very unusual for an Appaloosa which was usually red with white markings.

“Is he really mine?”

The adults had followed at a more sedate pace.

“Yes,” said Atina. “I got him from your grandfather, who says he is sorry he cannot attend today.”

“That’s okay. This has been the best birthday. Thank you.”

He hugged his mother again and then went into the stall with the horse. He petted his nose and scratched him behind the ears.

“I’m going to call you Apache, after my mother’s tribe. Is that alright, Mama?”

“That is wonderful.”

“I think he’s had a great birthday. Jamie, we’re going to go cut your cake,” said Lizzie. “Come with us and you can ride your horse later.”

“Okay.” He came out of the stall and shut it firmly behind him.

Together they all walked back to house.

“Let’s sing now,” Lizzie started “For he’s a jolly good fellow…”

Mal and Atina joined in. After the song, Jamie cut his cake, giving himself the biggest piece.

It was a good day.

* * *

It was the end of July. Mal had been there for two months and Lizzie was ready to check the fences on the north line of the ranch. She knew a portion must be down because they’d been losing a few cattle up that way, and decided she and Mal would go. He’d done really well the past month learning the basics of ranching but needed to learn how to do the fence repairs, as that was one of the many regular jobs on a ranch.