The Secret Bliss of Calliope Ipswich (23 page)

“Let’s you and I make a list of men we know are good shots and keep their heads calm in any sort of circumstances,” Lawson said. “Then might I suggest that those are the men you temporarily deputize or set up as watchmen?”

Sheriff Montrose nodded. “That sounds like a good way to go about it, Judge. I’ll post a sign on the jailhouse door and start spreadin’ the word about the meetin’.”

“Let me know what I can do to assist you, Dennison,” Lawson said. “Anything you need.”

The sheriff grinned a rather anxious grin and asked, “Are you a good shooter, Judge?”

Lawson nodded and said, “Yes. A very good one.”

*

“You feelin’ all right, Rowdy?” Fox asked.

“What’s that?” Rowdy asked in return. His thoughts had been so absorbed in Calliope that he hadn’t really heard exactly what Fox had said.

Fox chuckled and exchanged amused glances with Dex and Tate. “I asked if you’re feelin’ all right,” he repeated. “You seem a little preoccupied or somethin’ today.”

Rowdy grinned. “Well, I suppose I am. I didn’t get too much sleep last night for some reason
, and it’s left me feelin’ a step behind on everything, I guess.”

It wasn’t a lie
; he truly had not slept much. What man could’ve slept much after spending time out gazing at the stars in Calliope Ipswich’s company, let alone having kissed her?

The truth was, Rowdy couldn’t think about anything else! He wanted to walk out of the mill, ride Tucker over to the
Ipswich house, barge right in, take Calliope in his arms, and steal more of her incredible kisses. But knowing such an idea was pure fantasy—and probably a bit loco to boot—Rowdy was simply attempting to work as well as he could when his mind was so entirely elsewhere.

“Well
, you let us know if you need to bed down for a nap sometime today,” Dex said, patting Rowdy on the back. “After all, a foreman oughta be able to do somethin’ once in a while that sets him apart from his workers, right?”

“I gotta tell you, Rowdy,” Tate began
, “I ain’t never worked alongside a boss who works as hard as everyone else. I admire you for that.”

Rowdy arched one suspicious eyebrow. “So…what you want, Tate?” he chuckled. “Seems like you’re butterin’ me up for something
.”

But Tate shook his head. “Nope. Just speakin’ the truth.”

Fox even nodded. “It’s true. Remember when Mr. Mulholland owned the mill? He never worked with us—just stood around shoutin’ orders and makin’ sure we didn’t slow down. Even his son, Sam, didn’t work as hard as you, me, and Dex, Rowdy. But you do work hard.”

“Well
, I guess I’ll thank you boys for the compliment,” Rowdy said, “though it still puts me in mind that you’re up to somethin’,” he said, grinning with amusement.

Rowdy wondered
whether the men who worked at the mill would still be offering compliments to him if they knew the truth about who he was. But they didn’t—so he guessed it didn’t matter a whit.

The men went back to work, and so did Rowdy
, though he did find it a might harder to concentrate on his tasks than he had the day before—before he’d kissed Calliope. Rowdy figured he’d never be the same now that he had. No matter what happened, or whether he ever had the chance to kiss her again, he’d never be the same.

In fact, goose
bumps broke over his arms for a moment as he thought of her—thought of her warm, sweet mouth and the way she’d melted into his arms and against him. He smiled, thinking of the way she’d told him she hadn’t been ready when he’d kissed her the first time. She could certainly be amusing, there was no doubt about that, and it was another thing he’d always admired about her—her ability to make others laugh and feel happy, whether or not it was her intention.

“Good mornin’, boys,” Sheriff Montrose said as he entered the mill.

“Mornin’, Sheriff,” Dex and Tate greeted in unison.

“Mornin’, Daddy,” Fox greeted.

Rowdy nodded his greeting—for the sick feeling that suddenly bubbled up in his gut told him why the sheriff had come to the mill.

“What brings you out here, Sheriff?” Dex asked.

Rowdy watched as Sheriff Montrose exhaled a heavy sigh of discouragement. “I wanted to tell you boys that I’ve scheduled a meetin’ of all the men in town for Thursday night, and I really would appreciate it if you boys would attend. In fact, you boys need to make sure that you do.”

Rowdy glanced around to the men in the mill, noting the frowns that suddenly furrowed their brows.

“What’s goin’ on, Daddy?” Fox asked. “Is somethin’ wrong?”

“No
, no…at least not yet,” the sheriff answered. “I’ll be discussin’ it at the meetin’, and I want to make sure you mill boys are there.”

“Then we’ll be there, Sheriff,” Rowdy stated. “All of us. Ain’t that right, boys?”

“Of course,” Tate agreed. He glanced to Dex and Fox, asking, “We’ll be there, right, men?”

Fox and Dex both nodded.

“Well then, I’ll let you fellers get back to work,” the sheriff said. “You all have a good day now.” And he left.

As soon as Sheriff Montrose was gone, Dex and Tate turned to Fox.

“What’s that all about, Fox?” Dex asked.

But Fox shrugged. “I don’t rightly know,” he answered. “But if my
daddy is callin’ a meetin’…it must be important.”

“Yes,” Rowdy mumbled. “It must be.”

All at once, Rowdy felt a sense of urgency where Calliope was concerned. He wanted her to know how he felt about her—how he’d always felt about her—and he wanted her to know before he missed the opportunity to tell her, for one reason or another.

He felt an increased urgency to ask Judge Ipswich’s permission to escort Calliope to the Tom Thumb
wedding, even if he weren’t around to actually do it. Rowdy had told Calliope he’d ask her father for permission to escort her, and he meant to do it. If nothing else, he wanted her to know that he was serious in his intentions toward her. He’d do it; the moment he had a chance to do it, he would.

As Rowdy returned to the labor at hand at the mill, he wondered if Calliope might go stargazing again that very night. He determined he’d wait by the lamppost at the edge of town and watch for her lantern to begin bobbing around in the grassy expanse behind her house. His time in
Meadowlark Lake might be coming to a forced end, and if it were, he wanted to steal as much time as he could to be in the company of the beautiful Calliope Ipswich.

Once more he thought of kissing her. He figured heaven itself could not be so wonderful as kissing Calliope. Then he wondered if he might know all too soon just what heaven
was like. Yet he took a small measure of comfort in knowing that if he did end up dead, it might just be old Dodger who came to greet him again.

*

Delicious as it was, Lawson could hardly eat his supper. His stomach was churning with worry. As he studied each member of his beloved family sitting around the kitchen table enjoying supper, his worry and anxiety increased. He would not have outlaws lingering in town! He would not see his family subjected to the sorts of danger and influence loitering outlaws spread. He had three beautiful daughters and a beautiful wife—all of whom would capture any man’s notice, but especially an outlaw’s. He had a new baby arriving in November.

Thus, in that moment, Lawson reaffirmed to himself that he would do whatever was necessary to protect his family. Whatever was necessary. He’d always protected them
, of course, but he’d never had to face the reality of killing men in order to do it.

“What’s the matter, Daddy
?” Shay asked, rattling Lawson from his ponderings.

He looked to Shay, forcing a reassuring smile. “Oh
, nothing, sweet pea. Just thinking over things that need to be accomplished tomorrow.”

Little Shay’s lovely dark eyes narrowed. “All right. I’ll believe you…for now.”

Lawson had learned early on that Shay had a sort of sixth sense that was strong enough to almost convince him that she and Kizzy really did own supernatural gypsy powers. He knew that his littlest girl could read his countenance more easily than she could her children’s books.

Therefore, he smiled, swallowing his worry and trying to hide the severity of his thought processes.

Feigning a carefree conscience, Lawson asked, “So? What are all my lovely ladies’ plans for the evening, hmmm?” He chuckled, adding, “More wedding preparations?”

“Of course,” Kizzy answered first. “There’s still so much to do, Lawson
—for our youngest daughter’s weddin’, you understand.”

Shay giggled with pride and delight.

“Amoretta’s invitations are so enchanting, Daddy!” Evangeline offered. “We’re going to go over the guest list and make certain no one has been missed. Then tomorrow we’ll be going over to the Ackermans’ to discuss the decorations for the interior of the barn and to see if Mr. Longfellow has finished building the stage and stairs.”

“Well, I’ll say this,” Lawson began. “You girls really have managed to draw everyone in town into an excitement over this Tom Thumb
wedding of yours.”

“And it was all Calliope’s idea,” Evangeline noted. “I don’t know what inspired you that night we were all sitting out on the porch, Calliope,” she said to her sister
, “but whatever it was, I’m grateful for it! This wedding has all been so much fun for everyone who is involved. I know those who attend will remember it fondly forever!”

Calliope smiled. “Thank you, Evie. I hope everyone enjoys it.” She paused a moment
, and Lawson thought she appeared a little timid suddenly as she inquired, “Daddy…if someone asks you if he may escort me to the wedding, will you give him permission please?”

Lawson chuckled. “Are you asking me because you want me to give this
someone
my permission? Or because, as was the case with Fox Montrose, you wish me to withhold my permission?”

Calliope smiled. “This time I want you to give the
someone
your permission,” she answered. “Please, please, please give this someone your permission.”

Lawson quirked one curious eyebrow. Calliope’s face fairly radiated with joy and anticipation.

“Oh, I see,” he muttered. “And who is this someone who might ask to escort you? I mean, I’ll need to be prepared in case more than one individual approaches me about the matter.”

Lawson watched Calliope as she bit her lower lip—almost as if she w
ere afraid to answer him.

“Rowdy Gates,” she said at last.

“Rowdy Gates?” he asked, frowning. So many emotions sped through his mind that he wasn’t sure at first whether he was glad to hear Calliope’s answer or disturbed. “Rowdy Gates?” he repeated.

“Yes, Daddy,” Calliope affirmed. “You’ve always said he was one of the hardest
-working, most reliable men. In fact, you once said you admired him more than any other man in town. So there wouldn’t be any reason for you to refuse him permission, right?”

Lawson slowly shook his head—even though he was still quickly mulling the matter over. Yet Calliope was right
. Lawson had always admired Rowdy—had always held him in very high esteem. In fact, the only thought that gave him pause at that moment was his most recent experience with Rowdy—the man inexplicably having been a victim of attempted murder by the Morrison brothers and his knowing so much about them. Still, the only explanation for Rowdy’s experience with and knowledge of the Morrison brothers’ gang involved Rowdy having once been a lawman himself. Thus, Lawson felt no trepidation or mental warning when he considered Rowdy’s escorting Calliope.

Therefore
, he answered, “There isn’t. If Rowdy Gates asks to escort you to the Tom Thumb wedding event, I will gladly grant him my permission.”

Calliope squealed with delight, fairly leapt from her chair
, and threw her arms around Lawson’s neck. “Oh, thank you, Daddy! Thank you! Oh, I just hope and pray he really does ask to escort me. I might die if he doesn’t!”

“Oh
, I wouldn’t worry, Calliope,” Kizzy said, smiling. “I’m sure Mr. Gates will be by to talk to you father about it any day now.”

“Really, Kizzy?” Calliope asked, hopefully.

“I’m certain of it,” Kizzy reassured her.

Lawson frowned
, for his young wife didn’t seem at all astonished at Calliope’s revelation that Rowdy Gates might ask to escort her to the wedding. Furthermore, neither Kizzy nor Shay seemed surprised at Calliope’s desperation that Rowdy actually ask her.

Suddenly his dark, worrisome thoughts returned. He and Sheriff Dennison had agreed to inform the men in
Meadowlark Lake of the possible danger from the Morrison brothers and to let each man prepare his own family. It was time to prepare
his
family.

“I do have something I need to tell you all,” Lawson began. Leaning back in his chair and inhaling a deep breath
, he began, “There is a possibility that a gang of outlaws is considering Meadowlark Lake as a place to hole up.”

“What?” all the
Ipswich women exclaimed.