Authors: Angel Wolfe
“Give me a fighting chance for what?” Anna asked confused.
“Marie tends to hold grudges for a short period of time. Normally, if she gets past her bad mood before anything happens; then everything is ok. However, other times she does some really atrocious things.” Frances explained. “Last time I made her good and mad, she shaved off half my eyebrow while I was asleep.”
“No wonder you want to give me a fighting chance.” Anna laughed. “I’ll bet she learned all kinds of pranks like that when she was away at school.”
“Yes, she tends to be quite vindictive when she’s crossed.” Frances added laughingly. “Here, put this on. It will save you getting a bucket full of cold water dumped on you when you walk into her room.”
“Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion.” Anna said as she took the proffered nightgown and quickly changed. “She’s not going to think I’m walking on her toes and stealing her best friend is she?” Anna asked worriedly.
“I would hope she knows that there’s enough friendship to go around.” Frances replied. “But just to make sure, in the morning I’ll talk to her about how we can all be friends without anyone meaning any less.” She added as she snuggled under the covers.
“Morning is going to be here before we know it.” Anna yawned. “And then we’ll meet the men of our future.”
Silently, Frances crossed her fingers while at the same time rolling her eyes in the dark. She was just as hopeful as Anna; she just didn’t want to show it.
~XXVIII~
The late May morning dawned warm and beautiful. Kat stretched carefully, being mindful of her injuries. Her hand searched the bed and still sore, she jumped up awkwardly after finding it empty. Looking at the pillow on the other side, she knew that Rick had slept there even if he was gone now.
Slowly taking off the loaned gown, she folded it neatly and laid it on the bed before picking up her clothes and painfully twisting and turning to put them on. Once that was done, she searched the room looking for her boots and came up empty. Deciding that there was only one way to find them, she slipped out of the room and down stairs to the dining room.
“Good morning Dear.” Josephine said looking up from her breakfast. “I thought you might be down before too long. I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of asking Cook to bring out a pot of coffee and some toast for you. If you’d like something more substantial, please let me know and we’ll have it brought right out.”
“Oh no, this is fine Aunt Josie.” Kat yawned. “I normally only have coffee and a biscuit for breakfast anyway. Do you have some cream or milk though for the coffee?”
“Oh that’s right. Rick said you’d want cream with it.” Josephine answered, nodding her head towards the serving girl that was standing to the side. Slipping back into the room, she brought a small pitcher of cream, a plate with toast, and a small jar of strawberry preserves.
“Thank you.” Kat said as the items were placed in front of her on the table. “Oh my goodness, these preserves are excellent. Please tell your cook I’d like her recipe if she’d care to share it.” she exclaimed, taking a bite of the toast after slathering it with jam.
“I shall check for you.” The girl giggled as she left the room. Several minutes later, she returned with a scrap of paper. “She said to tell you ma’am that you are welcome to any of her recipes that you’d like after sending the sheriff away. He was something awful to her and now that he’s gone she said she can live at peace.”
“Please tell the cook that with any luck on both our parts, he’ll be hung and neither of us will have to worry again.” Kat sat seriously. “I suppose I had better get down to the bakery to see what’s being decided.”
“Ok Dear. I will meet you and your sister at the dress shop after your done there.” Josephine said standing up. “Your boots are by the door in the front room. Thurston had them shined up for you last night.”
“I appreciate it Aunt Josie. I’ll see you in a little while.” Kat replied as she headed for the front room. Finding her boots where they were left; she slid her foot in, stomped them on, and headed out the front door.
“Good morning Miss Kat.” Frank said from the corner of the barn. “I got your horse saddled and ready once I heard you were downstairs having breakfast.”
“I appreciate that Frank. Do you think I could talk you out of a leg up this morning? I wouldn’t dream of telling Rick but I’m still a little stiff when I try to mount up.” She confessed.
“Not a problem at all Miss Kat.” Frank replied. “Would it be easier or better if I hitched a buggy for you? I could drive if you needed me to.”
“That’s quite alright Frank.” Kat declined. “I shall try my best not to fall off. Come to think of it though, you might ought to get a buggy ready for Mrs. Andrews before long. She is going to meet me at the dress shop so we may need someone to carry a couple bags.”
“I’ll take care of it right away Miss Kat.” Frank said nodding his head as he untied the horse.
“Frank, one more thing if you don’t mind.” Kat stopped him.
“What’s that Miss Kat?” He turned.
“Please stop calling me Miss Kat. You can call me Kat or Kaitlyn but please drop the Miss part.” She pleaded.
“Ok Kat; but it sure does seem strange.” He told her as he gave her a leg up into the saddle. “Are you comfortable up there?” He asked as she situated herself.
“It’s the one place that I’m the most comfortable Frank. Dusty takes care of me like a momma does a baby.” She replied, grabbing up the reins and turning the horse in the direction of Main Street.
“I’ll be right behind you in a few minutes Kat. I just have to get my horse and close up the stable after readying the buggy.” Frank said.
“I’ll meet you there then.” She clicked to her horse and kicked him lightly taking off slowly in the direction of the bakery. She rode at a sedate pace enjoying the morning sun for the first time in what seemed like forever. As she turned Dusty down Glory Lane, she could see Lucifer, Warlock and Star all tied to the posts out in front. As she guided GoldDust to the post next to Star, Rick stepped out of the bakery and walked up to the horse to help her down.
“You better mind your manners better today horse.” Rick threatened with a laugh. “Your mistress needs help that you can’t give her unless you’re going to kneel down.”
Kat accepted Rick’s help with a grin. “Remind me later to show you what he can do given the opportunity. Believe it or not, he does kneel down on request. I just haven’t thought to ask him here lately.”
“You can show me after you’re feeling better; how about we go inside and have a little coffee while we discuss everything that’s going on?” Rick replied as he looped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her against his side.
They went inside and as Kat looked around, she noticed the bakery was pretty well packed. Both of her brothers were there as well as Angel, Matt, Mr. Jamison, her attorney Jacob Weatherby, James, Willie, and of course Ruby, the owner of the bakery.
“Who’s guarding the jail?” She asked, worried about the possibility of Henry Fairchild escaping. “I hope you have at least two men on him.”
“Jack showed up this morning and between he and old Doc Applewhite; I think we’re good.” Edward spoke up. “We have him locked in and there really shouldn’t be any worry of him getting out any time soon.”
“He’s a lot more wily then I think any of you realize.” Kat stated. “About the time you think he’s complacent, that’s when he’ll make his move. Do me a favor, keep at least three experienced men on him. I don’t want to run the risk of him on the loose again.”
Looking worriedly at Kaitlyn “We’ll send someone back over there to help them out then Honey; I know you’re concerned, and with reason.” Rick told her soothingly. “Willie, would you mind hanging out over there for a few hours? After our meeting, we will bring you up to date then we have a couple weddings to get ready for.”
“No problem Mr. Jamison. I don’t trust him either after spending last night listening to him.” Willie replied as he headed towards the door.
“Ok Hun, we have that covered now so let’s get on with our meeting so we can get to our wedding.” He said as he kissed the top of her head. “Ruby, can we get some coffee with lots of cream for Kaitlyn?”
“Of course; one coffee with lots of cream coming up.” Ruby repeated as she came out from behind the counter carrying a cup, a pot of coffee and a small pitcher of cream. “Here you are Miss Kat. Anyone need a warm up or another cup?” She asked looking around for confirmations.
“I could use a bit more please ma’am.” Charley said, looking at her closely as she poured him another cup, and liking what he saw. “You make a pretty good cup if you don’t mind me saying so.”
“Ok everyone” Rick said effectively silencing the room. “We are all assembled here to decide what we should do about the previous sheriff of La Plata County. Everyone knows something, if not a lot about what he has done. Cattle rustling alone is a hanging offense; the man has done that and much, much more.”
“I say we hang him.” Matt spoke up. “I know I’m not the judge here but the man has done a lot of things that make hanging seem like the best way to go.”
“We just got back to town but his activities began way before we ever left.” Mark added. “He is not the kind of person that any town would want to have around. If he were to leave here, some other place would have a menace to deal with.”
“I agree.” Charley said. “We have to think of women and children everywhere; not just here. Too many people have already paid the price for his life going on for this long.”
“Before we continue further, is anyone against the hanging of this man?” Judge Jamison asked, looking everyone in the eye.”
“I’m sorry Kat.” Marie’s soft voice came from the doorway. “He’s still my father and no matter what he’s done, I still have to speak in his defense.”
“Why would you defend him Marie?” Kat asked sharply. “He not only made my life hell, but he also attempted to use your best friend as a shield to escape justice.”
“I know what he’s done but I also know him as a loving father. He met all my needs all my life.” Marie stressed. “He’s never been anything but a father to me.”
“Well Marie, at least one of us had that luxury huh.” Kat scowled. “While you were having a wonderful time living out your life, I was scraping by trying to do everything I could to keep my head above ground and counter-act all that he did to try to make me fail. Keep in mind though that while he not only shot my mother in the head years after he raped her, he was also attempting to ruin me when he was my father too. What kind of man is that?”
“I don’t care. He’s still my father and I love him.” Marie said stubbornly. “What would you do if it was your father?” She asked looking around the room.
“I’m not sure.” Charley answered. “He killed my father so I never had a chance to spend a lot of time with him like you did yours.”
“Don’t look to me for help, Charley and I shared a father until yours killed him.” Mark said almost as savagely as Kat had acted earlier.
“Marie, I’m very sorry you have to go through all of this.” Matt started. “But our father wouldn’t do something like that either. Like your father, he is part of the law in this territory but he hasn’t used it to ruin people, take lives, and make life hell for others.”
“James, you haven’t had a single word to say since you got here; what do you think?” Edward asked.
“Sir, after only seeing part of the hell that Kat went through; I’d say that if you don’t hold a hearing where the jury finds him guilty then I’ll make sure he’s out of the way myself”. He answered quietly. “This girl offered Frank and me a new life even though we were involved in the theft of her cattle. She looked past our current situation and into our hearts. After everything she has been though, she hasn’t turned bitter. Since she brought us into her home, she has become like a daughter to me.”
“I’m sorry Marie but after all he has done, I can’t see a way to spare your father.” Edward told her gently. “He has done too many bad things to make us think he’s anything but bad.”
“Doesn’t it matter that he’s my father?” Marie sobbed. “Doesn’t it matter that I’ll be left alone in the world with him gone? My mother passed away when I was born and I have no other family.”
“Pardon me for saying so Miss Marie, but Kat didn’t have a mother or a father at home to see after her well-being and she made it through just fine.” Frank interrupted. “And she didn’t have no man back then to watch out for her either; she did it all on her own.”
“Oh Frank, what do you know about how she lived?” Marie asked sagely. “You weren’t around her all the time back then so how would you know what she did to survive?”
“I used to see her in town Miss Marie. When I did, she was always nice when everyone else was rude or pretended they didn’t see me.” Frank replied quietly. “Every time I saw her, she was always very busy and seemed very intent on making a living by selling or trading some form of goods whether it was food, horses, cattle or skins. She never acted like she was too good for anything.”
“So because she was nice to you when no one else was and she was always selling and trading stuff; that makes her a paragon of virtue?” Marie asked almost in a screech. “She was nice to you when you saw her in town and then she gave you a job after you stole her cattle. I think that makes her stupid, not well off.”
“Enough!” Rick shouted. “This arguing isn’t going to get us anywhere. Dad, my thoughts on the matter are; get your jury together and let’s get this over with. Marie, I’m sorry but I can’t have Kaitlyn looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life wondering what’s coming next. After two separate incidents, I can’t see that the man has even a slim possibility of hope that he could change. I vote we hang him.” He said as he turned away, grabbed Kaitlyn’s hand and walked out of the bakery with her in tow.