Chance at Love Series: Book 2

The

Mistaken

Mail Order Bride

Ruth Ann Nordin

Wedded Bliss Romances, LLC

The Mistaken Mail Order Bride - Smashwords Edition

Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords

Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Ann Nordin

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Coming Soon in the Chance at Love Series

All Books by Ruth Ann Nordin

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Dedication: To Gail Palmere for sticking with me through the years and supporting me. Thank you!

Chapter One

Please Note: This book begins right before chapter 21 in The Convenient Mail Order Bride. (Chapter 21 was when Benny and Gene went to Abe and Phoebe’s property.)

***

Late June 1878

Colorado

Sheriff Eric Johnson twirled the hat in his hand, ignoring the way the tie around his neck made him feel as if he was choking. As much as he wanted to loosen it, he didn’t dare. He had spent a lot of time getting dressed up in his Sunday best, and he wasn’t about to ruin his appearance.

He cleared his throat and glanced at the path shaded with trees. This was it. His mail-order bride was coming in today, and the stagecoach would stop right in front of the general store, which was where he was waiting. His heart pounded so loudly in his chest he was sure the few people loitering around him could hear it.

He brushed away the strands of dark brown hair that fell into his eyes. He should have gotten a haircut. With getting everything ready for his bride, he’d forgotten that small detail. But he’d shaved, and that was better than nothing. At least he hoped so. He wanted to look his best. He sighed. He should have gotten that haircut. Oh well. There was nothing he could do about it now. He’d just have to hope she didn’t mind it.

The sound of horses coming up the path brought his attention to the dusty road. The stagecoach rounded the bend. His heart leapt, and for a moment, he thought it had stopped beating.

He took a deep breath and released it, hoping it would help him calm down. The activity, however, was pointless. He was about to meet the woman he’d be spending the rest of his life with. She seemed like such a nice person from the missives he’d read. He could only hope he’d live up to her expectations.

In front of the general store where Eric stood, a couple of men gathered around him. Across the street, two women stopped with their children to watch the stagecoach, and from the windows in a couple of the buildings, people peered out to see what kind of woman would be coming to marry him.

He should have expected this. Naturally, everyone was curious about his mail-order bride. It was hard enough to meet her in person, but he had to contend with an audience, too. He set his hat on his head and did his best to ignore them.

“You think she’ll be a looker?” Jerry Conner, the middle-aged man who was the school’s superintendent, asked, peering over Eric’s shoulder.

Startled, Eric jerked.

“Leave the poor man alone,” Jerry’s younger brother, Mike, said. “He’s so anxious you spooked him.”

“He didn’t spook me,” Eric argued.

Mike snorted. “Are you kidding? You nearly jumped ten feet into the air.”

“He’s right,” Jerry agreed. “None of the horses ever get as tense as you.”

Eric figured it’d be pointless to argue, so he said, “Fine. I am nervous. It’s not every day a man meets the woman he’s going to marry.”

“Nope, it’s not, thank goodness,” Mike replied.

“Come now, Mike,” Jerry began with a grin, “you were excited when you fell in love with your wife.”

“That was before I realized what a busybody she was,” Mike muttered under his breath.

Jerry snickered. “At least you know everything that happens before the rest of us do.”

“Yes. She’s like a newspaper. She reports everything to everyone.” Mike looked at Eric. “I hope you get a woman who knows when to keep quiet.”

“You still sore your wife told everyone about your rash?” Jerry asked, laughing.

Mike’s chin went up in the air. “That’s all healed now. It was a temporary condition, which is more than I can say for your balding head.”

“I’d rather have a balding head than a rash.”

“The rash was from the new soap your wife made. What ingredients did she put in it anyway?”

“How should I know? I don’t make soap.”

“Well, whatever she put it in, it was bad.”

“My kids and I were fine. You’re the only one with the rash.”

The stagecoach came closer, and Eric turned to them. “You two got anything better to do than argue?”

“Not really,” Jerry said. Then he glanced at Mike. “You?”

“Nope,” Mike replied. “Besides, my wife was insistent I learn more about your bride.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

Eric groaned. He was afraid of that. “Well, don’t make her nervous. It’s bad enough the lot of you,” he gestured to the other ten people who’d gathered along the road to watch the stagecoach, “are watching. I want you to be on your best behavior.”

“I don’t believe you, Sheriff,” Mike told Eric, his expression incredulous. “What do you take us for? Uncivilized folk? Why, we got a preacher who happens to be in town today.”

“Right,” Jerry agreed. “If that won’t make us upstanding citizens, I don’t know what will.”

Eric resisted the urge to grin. If he let them know he found their antics funny, he’d only be encouraging them, and that was the last thing he wanted to do, especially when he was about to meet his bride. It was much better to let them think he meant business. Maybe then, they’d behave.

The stagecoach came to a stop, and the man sitting next to the driver let out a cheer and jumped onto the ground, the dust swirling around his boots. “I didn’t think we’d ever get here,” he said to no one in particular. He stepped toward the door but then stopped and glanced at the men who were watching him. “Which one of you is the groom?”

Eric’s face warmed. “I am.” Then, in case the man couldn’t tell which of them spoke, he waved.

“Good. Last time I brought in a mail-order bride to this place, the intended was nowhere in sight.”

Ignoring the chuckles from the men surrounding him, Eric followed the man to the stagecoach door. No one needed to go into all the mess Carl Richie had caused poor Abe Thomas by posting a mail-order bride ad on his behalf. Though, last time he checked, Abe looked pretty happy with Phoebe. And Phoebe was attractive. With any luck, Eric would be taking a bride much like her home with him today.

But as soon as the man opened the door, Eric saw a woman whose dress was covered in vomit. She was wiping the brow of a young black child in her arms. If Eric had to guess the child’s age, he’d say he was seven or eight.

The man stepped aside and waved his hand in front of his face. “You’d think by now I’d be used to the smell.” He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket, put it over his mouth, and coughed. “This happens more often than you’d believe,” he told Eric.

The woman lifted the edge of her hat and looked up at the man. “My apologies, kind sir,” she said in a southern accent.

Eric blinked in surprise. Well, this was his bride, alright. Allie said she came from Tennessee. She’d even joked he’d know right away she was the right woman when he heard the slow drawl in her words. But she was a lot different from what he’d imagined. Too late did he think it might have been wise to ask her what she looked like. He just assumed she’d be as good looking as Phoebe.

“Caleb will get better now that the stage has stopped,” his bride added.

The child—Caleb—moaned and clutched his stomach.

Eric thought for sure the child was going to vomit again, but there must not have been anything left in his stomach since he only heaved.

“I’m going to lose my lunch if I keep watching this,” Mike whispered from behind Eric. “My wife’s going to have to meet her if she wants to learn anything else.”

Eric glanced over his shoulder and saw Mike scampering away from them, his face pale. Eric shook his head. It was a good thing Mike made tools. He wouldn’t be able to handle half the things Eric had seen in the past.

Remembering his manners, Eric dug out a handkerchief from his suit pocket and handed it to her. “Here. You can use this.”

“Thank you,” she replied, her smile lighting up her otherwise dull face.

Yes, she was on the plain side. There was nothing really pretty about her, nor did she have as generous a bosom as he’d hoped, but there was something sweet in watching her while she wiped the sweat off the child’s face.

“I’m the man who posted the ad for a mail-order bride,” Eric introduced.

“Oh good.” She smiled again. “Then you’re the one I’m going to marry today. I was afraid I wouldn’t know you when I came. There are so many gentlemen gathered here.”

Those gentlemen, as she put it, were slowly dispersing for the same reason Mike did. All probably got just as nauseous from the potent odor coming from the stagecoach. Only those used to binging on alcohol stuck around.

“Yes, I’m the groom.” He held his hand out to her and helped her down from the stagecoach while the man and driver went to grab her trunk. Eric glanced at the child. “I don’t recall you mentioning a child during our correspondence.”

“Oh, I didn’t.” The boy rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes, finally looking as if he wasn’t sick anymore. She rubbed his back then turned her attention back to Eric. “I found him in Kansas on my way out here to meet you. I have no idea who he belonged to. I searched around, but no one claimed him. I didn’t have the heart to turn him away.”

“So he’s not yours?”

“No. I’ve never had a child, as I told you in the missive.”

Yes, she had told him that. But the thought was crossing his mind that perhaps she had lied to him. Granted, she was twenty-one, but he’d heard of girls as young as thirteen or fourteen having children. He studied her expression, trying to deduct the honesty in her eyes. He was still learning to gauge a person’s integrity by looking at them, but he didn’t detect any deception on her part.

“Do you mind taking him in?” she asked when he didn’t say anything. “All I know is that his name is Caleb and he’s seven. He won’t tell me anything else. I think he’s scared.”

“Did he willingly come with you?”

She nodded. “I think he was so hungry he took a chance on me. Of course, after we got on the stage, he wasn’t able to keep anything down.”

Eric’s gaze went back to Caleb. He didn’t detect any similarities between the boy and the woman. For one, she had white skin and his was a deep rich brown color. But if she was his mother, then there should be something, like a facial feature, to indicate they were related. There was nothing there. And that further relaxed him. While he didn’t mind raising a child that wasn’t his, he didn’t exactly want a wife who lied to people.

“Caleb’s welcome into my home,” he assured his bride.

“Thank you,” she said, her expression so grateful he was glad he’d agreed to her request.

Well, this wasn’t quite the fantasy he’d envisioned from their correspondence. He’d entertained ideas of a beautiful woman who’d make his heart race in anticipation. However, she might make a good wife, given her sweet disposition.

“Caleb?” He waited for the boy’s eyes to flutter open before he continued, “Do you feel well enough to change clothes and get a quick bath?”

The boy stared at him but didn’t respond.

Glancing at his bride, Eric explained, “I’d hate to go to the preacher with you two in such a sorry state.” He gestured to their clothes.

“Oh!” She glanced down at her dress as if just noticing her soiled state. “I didn’t even think of how I must look.”

“You won’t look like that for long,” he assured her and picked up the trunk. “You got anything else?”

“No. My family lost everything after the war.”

Considering she came from the South and he’d heard of the poverty many were facing in that area, he had little doubt she’d gone through much more than he ever had. And maybe the same was true for Caleb. Caleb, after all, didn’t even have a trunk.

“You think his parents abandoned him?” he asked her, keeping his voice low so the people lingering nearby wouldn’t overhear him.

“All I know is that no one I asked knew who he was, and he wouldn’t tell me anything,” she replied.

“Well, let’s get the two of you cleaned up. I’ll let the preacher know you’re here, and I’ll get some clothes for him,” he nodded toward Caleb, “while you two clean up. Then we’ll get married. We’ll have the doctor look at him in a day or two. We have enough to do without rushing that one. Besides, he seems to be doing alright now.”

“Yes, he is, and he wasn’t sick at all when I found him in Kansas. It wasn’t until we were bouncing around in the stagecoach that he became ill.”

He carried her trunk to his wagon just in time for the judge to come running up to him. Sensing this was going to be a serious conversation, he hurried to help her and Caleb onto the wagon and then went around the side of the buckboard so he could talk to the judge.

“I didn’t think you’d make it to town for another week,” Eric told the man.

“I finished up everything I needed to earlier than expected in the other town,” Judge Barnes replied. “I hear you have two men in jail.”

“Yes. One was trying to take advantage of an innocent woman and the other watched it happen. I don’t want anyone to think that’s acceptable in this place.”

“Oh, I don’t blame you. You did the right thing. My concern is the length of time you planned to keep them there.”

“Actually, I was waiting for you to judge the matter.”

“How long have they been there?”

“About a month.”

“Did any harm come to the woman?”

“No. She was rescued before anything bad happened.”

“In that case, I think a month has been long enough. I’d like them released today.”

“Today?”

Eric glanced over at his bride and the boy she was softly singing to. He wasn’t familiar with the tune, but he noticed the boy had a small smile on his face. Already, the two had developed a bond, and he thought it was further evidence that, despite her homely appearance, she’d be an excellent wife.

“Sheriff,” the judge spoke, directing Eric’s thoughts back to him.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to get distracted. That young lady is my mail-order bride, and she just came in today. I’d rather wait until tomorrow to release Benny and Enoch from jail. I need time to get her and the boy settled in, and then I need to get the preacher.”

“I’m a judge. I can marry you right now.”

“I know, but I’d rather have a preacher do it. She mentioned it being important in one of her letters. Said it would feel like she had God’s blessings that way since her parents aren’t alive to give it.”

“Who am I to argue with a woman’s logic?” The judge smiled. “Alright. You do what you need to, but I want you to release those men before sundown.”

“I’ll do it soon.”

The judge nodded, and Eric decided he’d better not waste any time. Between getting their bath ready, finding the preacher, tracking down someone who had clothes for a little boy, and releasing Enoch and Benny, he’d barely have time to get married, let alone make sure his new family had something to eat.

He figured having a wife would make things busier for him, but he didn’t quite expect to feel rushed this soon. With a deep breath, he hopped up into the wagon and released the break.

“I don’t want you to take this the wrong way,” he told her as he urged the horses forward, “but after I take you to your new home, I have to head right back out to take care of a few things. You think you can handle getting the bath ready for you two on your own?”

“We’ll be fine,” she assured him. “I’m glad you’re as kind in person as you sounded in your letters.”

His face warming from the compliment, he smiled at her. “I could say the same about you, especially for taking in a little boy. No child should go without the comfort of a good home.”

“No, he shouldn’t.” She rubbed the boy’s back, but she smiled at Eric, and Eric couldn’t help but be glad he ended up with her after all.

Chapter Two

Once Caroline Benton was done helping Caleb wash up, she wrapped him in a clean towel and assured him he’d soon have some new clothes to wear. Then she quickly bathed and put on one of her dresses. It wasn’t anything as nice as what she used to wear when she was on the plantation, but that life went up with the fire the Union soldiers had set to the house. Had her family’s former slaves not taken her in, she didn’t know what she would have done.

Her gaze went to Caleb, who was sleeping on the small couch. He hadn’t been as fortunate as her. Even if she’d chosen to stay in South Carolina, she would have had a place to stay, as poor as it was.

She crossed the distance of the small room of the cabin and tucked the blanket more securely around him. The air was cooler up here in the mountains. While they weren’t all that high up, they were around the base of them. The group of trees that hung over the cabin just on the outskirts of town blocked out most of the sunlight, too.

The man she was about to marry had a nice little place. Before the war, she never imagined she’d end up in a cabin far removed from civilization. But the war had changed everything, and it took so many lives, including that of her parents and older brother.

For better or worse, this was her new life. She didn’t think her soon-to-be husband was all that pleased with her looks. She’d told him in their correspondence she wasn’t as pretty as most young ladies her age. But despite her warning, she’d noticed the flicker of disappointment that crossed his features all the same. It was the same look other gentlemen had given her when her father introduced her to them at balls.

At least her intended had been able to make a quick recovery of his initial reaction. Not all gentlemen were able to do that. Since he was marrying her, he’d give her a chance to show him she wasn’t all that bad. Yes, she had a lot to learn about taking care of a home, but as long as she was willing to do it, that had to count in her favor.

And he’d seemed like he understood the situation when she’d warned him of it in the letters they’d exchanged. She’d taken great care in selecting him for this very reason. She wanted to do everything possible to increase her odds of a happy marriage.

The few young ladies she knew who’d chosen to answer mail-order bride ads rather than live in continuous poverty said they weren’t all that concerned with whether they’d be happy or not with their husbands. Caroline couldn’t blame them. The condition they were in left little thought to the pleasantries they’d once enjoyed. But even as desperate as her situation had been, she still wanted love.

Such foolishness, Caroline, one of the ladies had said as they wrote their letters for the ads they’d chosen to answer. Happiness doesn’t put food on the table, clothes on your back, or a roof over your head. What good is being happy if you’re cold and hungry? I’m tired of it myself, and I won’t go back to this hard life. I’m marrying the richest man I can find.

Caroline couldn’t blame her childhood friend, Matilda, for feeling that way. Nor could she blame the other five ladies who’d agreed with her. They’d all lost loved ones and were forced out of their homes.

Her new home, however, wasn’t so bad. She’d been prepared for a cabin. It had two bedrooms. One was considerably smaller than the other, and it didn’t have a bed yet. They’d have to rectify that soon. Caleb couldn’t spend his life sleeping on the couch or the bedroom floor. To be fair, her intended hadn’t expected her to bring him. But she couldn’t leave him all alone. She’d seen enough people dying to last her a lifetime. She wasn’t going to let the same happen to this little boy if she could help it.

The door to the cabin opened, and her intended came into the room. He hadn’t been what she’d expected. She was sure he’d said he was average height, but he was taller than her by a good six inches. He did, however, have brown hair and a slender frame. She couldn’t be sure if he had mentioned his eye color in the letters, though she had expected them to be gray. They were a deep, warm brown instead.

She was probably thinking of someone else when it came to the eye color. As for height, that was relative. What one person considered tall, another considered average. Besides, he was a handsome gentleman, especially when he smiled. And he’d been willing to take Caleb in, which meant he had a good heart.

“I’m sorry to leave you alone for so long,” he said. “Things took longer to deal with than I expected.”

“You didn’t take long at all,” she assured him, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering around in nervous excitement. It was to be expected, she supposed. Except he didn’t seem the least bit nervous about this whole thing like she was. She cleared her throat and tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “Caleb fell asleep right after the bath.” She gestured to the couch where the boy was wrapped up in a blanket.

“Oh, I forgot to get him some clothes,” he said, lowering his voice. “I had business to take care of with two men, and then I asked the preacher and Lois to come over.”

“There’s a lot happening at once,” she assured him. Then she added, “I washed his clothes and hung them in the second bedroom to dry. But I suppose more would be good, especially at a time like this.”

“I’ll go to Mike and Ida Conner’s and see if they have spare clothes. They have ten children, six of which are boys, so I’m sure they’ll have plenty of clothes on hand.”

Just to make sure she heard right, she asked, “Ten children?”

The corner of his lips turned up. “Not to be crude, but he says the only way to get her to shut up is to take her to bed. Considering they’re in their mid-thirties, you can guess how often he’s had to do that.”

Her cheeks warmed.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to be so blunt. It’s been years since I was back East. I forgot how different things are back there.” He paused then added, “I should warn you that people are more bold in their speech out here. We tend to say whatever’s on our mind.”

“Not everyone back East was careful with their speech,” she replied, her mind unwittingly going to some of the things the soldiers had said before they killed her mother.

“People are people wherever you go, but some places encourage them to watch their tongues better than others.”

“I’ll get used to it.”

He glanced over at Caleb then turned his attention back to her. “The preacher isn’t here all the time. He travels to the towns in the area, and he’s been waiting for your arrival. He plans to head out right after we marry. Do you mind if we exchange vows before I get Caleb some clothes?”

“He didn’t sleep much on the way here. I suspect he’ll be asleep for a while yet.”

“I’ll take him to our room and close the door so we won’t wake him.”

The way he casually mentioned their room made her blush, a fact she hoped he didn’t notice as he carried the swaddled child to the bed.

Once he shut the door, he said, “I should be back soon.”

She indicated she understood and took the time during his absence to get a better look at her new home. It was small, but it was clean and free of clutter. Her husband-to-be was considerate enough to get the place ready for her, and he was a man who wasn’t given to excess. That was a strong contrast to the world she’d grown up in. The days of elaborate gowns and small luxuries were long gone.

But, she’d have more than she did after the war ravaged her father’s land. There was plenty of food, and though she had much to learn about cooking, she was thankful for the fact she’d have food to cook. After going through a year of endless hunger, she didn’t think she’d ever take food for granted again.

The front door opened, and she turned away from the shelves lining the kitchen walls, unaware she’d let her mind drift to the barren land she’d come from. She hadn’t expected that being in her new home would make her think so much of the one she’d left behind. But mixed in with the excitement of having a warm place to live, plenty of food, and a kind husband, she also experienced a wave of sorrow.

The matter of coming out West seemed like such a simple thing when she answered his mail-order bride ad. Now that she was here, a part of her wondered just how well they’d get along. Would this be one of those marriages her friends had mentioned—the ones they were willing to settle for in order to be comfortable? Or might this bear the fruits of love?

Her intended walked into the cabin first, the old preacher following close behind. “It didn’t take as long to find him as I expected,” he told her, gesturing to the preacher. “He was on his way here.”

The preacher came over to her and took off his hat. “Two weddings in one visit,” he said. “This is a good month. Did he tell you I married Abe Thomas and Phoebe Durbin not too long ago?”

“No, sir,” she replied, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress the best she could. “I’m afraid there wasn’t much time to talk, given all the excitement.”

“Oh, well, it’s no wonder. You’re a lovely bride, just as Phoebe was. I tell you, it does this old heart good to see two people united in marriage. Few things are more beautiful.” He took out the handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes. “You’ll have to forgive me. The older a man gets, the more sentimental he becomes. It comes from years of seeing the good and bad, and let me tell you, you appreciate the good so much more as you get older.”

“I’m sure you do.” She knew she already felt that way, and she was only twenty-four. But then, war had a way of making people grow up faster than they otherwise would have. Forcing the thought aside, she said, “It’s very kind of you to wait for my arrival before leaving town.”

“I’m happy to be here.” He slipped the handkerchief back in his pocket and waved her intended over. “Don’t be shy, son. We can’t do this without you.”

“Don’t we need a witness?” Caroline asked.

“I got that taken care of,” her intended assured her. “Lois said she’d be right over.”

As if on cue, an elderly lady came into the cabin. “I got a pie in the oven, so don’t get longwinded, Preacher. I know you can talk a person’s ear off if they give you a chance.”

Despite the exasperation on the preacher’s face, Caroline couldn’t help but be amused. Lois struck her as a fun lady, still full of energy and life. It was like seeing her grandmother all over again, and she was glad for it. Having something, even something this small, that was familiar would help her adjust to her new life much faster.

“I promise not to ramble,” the preacher said then glanced at Caroline’s betrothed and winked. “Alright. Go on and get over to your bride before Lois scurries on out of here for that pie.”

Lois did her best to look offended, but the slight smile on her lips betrayed her.

Caroline’s intended went over to her, and her heart did a sudden flip-flop. Now that the moment had come, she wished she’d brought some smelling salts. It suddenly struck her that she was promising herself to him. Yes, she was well aware she’d be marrying him when she took the train out West, but that knowledge was all in her head. It was something to be done out of necessity, and those kinds of decisions seemed so black and white when she made them.

Now she was standing next to a stranger, and the thought kept going through her mind that she’d overlooked something important. But for the life of her, she couldn’t imagine what that was.

“If you’re inclined, you may join hands,” the preacher began.

Her intended reached for her hand, and she placed her hand in his, realizing—much too late—her palms were sweaty. She offered an apologetic smile and prayed he wouldn’t notice. She should have wiped her hands on her skirt. That would have been the appropriate thing to do. It’s what her mother had taught her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Goodness, but the war had taken so many lessons from the softer world she’d grown up in away from her.

“Marriage is a beautiful thing,” the preacher began, “and it is my pleasure to bring together two people who are in the springtime of youth. Two people, might I add, who have years of love and laughter to look forward to. There will undoubtedly be trying times. All marriages have them. However, I offer a word of encouragement I hope you’ll remember from time to time in the years to come. It’s not the circumstances that define what kind of marriage you’ll have; it’s what you choose to do with those circumstances. Marriage is work for both husband and wife. Yes, some years will be better than others, but if you remember to put the other before yourself, you’ll be much better off than most out there.”

Lois groaned. “I told you I only have five minutes to do this.”

“I’m getting to the heart of the thing,” the preacher told her. With a smile at Caroline and her intended, he continued, “I encourage you to stick with it. The first year is one of the best, but it’s also the one of the hardest. You’re getting to know each other. There’s bound to be fights. Both of you are used to doing things a certain way, and now you’ll have to learn to adapt to each other. My advice is to compromise. Marriage is give and take. It’s not always easy to bring together two lives and make it one, but in marriage, you’ll be seen as one.”

“You’ve been rambling far too long,” Lois interrupted. “Get on with the vows already.”

“Alright, alright.” The preacher shook his head. “I did promise her five minutes. Do you,” he turned to the gentleman, “take her,” he gestured to Caroline, “to be your wife. Will you love her and honor her, keep her in sickness and in health, through good times and bad, for richer or for poorer, all the days of your life, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” her intended replied.

The preacher glanced at Lois, who was looking at the small clock above the fireplace mantel, probably counting the exact minute she needed to bolt for the door. He then turned to Caroline. “Do you promise to do the same with him?” he gestured to the gentleman holding her hand.

“I do,” Caroline replied.

“Great!” Lois cheered. “My work here is done.” She hurried over to Caroline and hugged her. “You married a good man. He’s honest, decent, and easy on the eyes. If I was younger, I’d be fighting you for him. I hate to rush, but I don’t want to burn a pie after spending all morning cutting apples and getting the crust just right. I’ll see you again, and next time, I promise I won’t be so rude.” She ran for the door, calling out, “I’ll see the rest of you another time!”

The preacher’s gaze went heavenward, but the gentleman next to her chuckled. “Lois doesn’t like anything to go to waste, especially food,” her new husband told her. He looked over at the preacher. “That’s all we really need to get married, isn’t it?”

The preacher sighed. “It is. The ceremony doesn’t have to be long. I’d just hoped it would have been more special. It makes for a nice memory.”

“Oh, I didn’t mind at all,” she assured him. “I thought it was lovely.”

“I did, too,” her husband agreed. “The important thing is you were here to do it.”

Though their words were meant to sooth his disappointment, he still didn’t seem satisfied with the way Lois bolted on out of the house. To his credit, he offered a smile and said, “Let me get the marriage license, and we’ll sign it. In all the excitement, I forgot to bring it in.”

Her husband waited until the preacher left before he turned to face her. “I hope you really didn’t mind. Lois is a good woman. It’s just that sometimes her hands bother her, so cooking isn’t as easy as it used to be. There’s a lot more that goes into making pies than the preacher realizes.”

“How do you know so much about pies?” she asked. “Have you made them?”

“No. One time when I broke up an argument between a man and his wife, the wife went into a long list of all the things she’d done for him, and in this list were the pies she’d made for him. She went into detail on those. All I kept thinking was that I’d never take another pie for granted.”

“What about the husband? Did he have any complaints about her?”

“Well, after she went on for a good thirty minutes about everything he’d ever done to upset her, I asked him what he was arguing with her about. He said he couldn’t remember. His mind had gone blank during the whole time she talked. She said they’d been fighting because he refused to move the couch to the other side of the room.” With a grin, he shrugged. “If you’re guessing they started fighting all over again, you’re right.”

“Did you tell them to stop?”

“Nope. I know a lost cause when I see it. I just put my hat on my head and left the restaurant.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “The restaurant?”

“Those two came in when they saw me eating.”

She chuckled but quickly covered up for it by coughing. “I’m sorry. I imagine it must be hard when people think it’s up to you to handle their problems.”

“Unfortunately, people think a sheriff can step in and settle arguments like a judge does.”

Sheriff? She thought he was a blacksmith. Before she could ask him about it, the preacher came back in with the paper.

“I got it,” the preacher said. “Had to get Lois to sign it since she witnessed the blessed event.” He set it on the kitchen table and chuckled. “I didn’t dare ask her to leave her home after all the fuss she made earlier.”

“Well, she does pride herself on her pies,” Eric replied.

“I can’t say it wasn’t worth the trip. She gave me a slice to take with me. She’ll be coming over to bring a couple of slices for you two when it cools.” He dug a fountain pen from his pocket and handed it to Caroline. “I always let the bride sign first.”

Caroline took the pen and signed her name. Then she turned and handed it to the groom. The groom took the pen and pressed it to the line he was to sign on, but he didn’t write his name. She frowned. Had he changed his mind? Did he want to back out of the marriage?

“You wrote Caroline Benton for your name,” he said.

“Yes,” she replied. “Is that a problem?”

“But you told me your name is Allison Jones.”

“No. I said it was Caroline Benton.”

“No, you didn’t. You never once said such a thing. Here. Let me show you.” He went to his bedroom and came back out with a piece of neatly folded paper. When he reached her, he opened it and showed it to her. “This is the last letter I received from my mail-order bride. Does this look familiar to you?”

She had a sinking sensation she wasn’t going to like this. She accepted the piece of paper and skimmed the unfamiliar script. The color drained from her face. This was written by a lady named Allie, and what was more, she had addressed it to a gentleman named Eric Johnson.

Caroline’s gaze went to the gentleman in front of her. “You’re not Charles Dunwick?”

“No. I’m Eric Johnson, the sheriff of this town.” Eric glanced at the preacher, who seemed just as bewildered as Caroline felt. “I’m expecting Allison Jones to come out here to marry me. She was due here today on the stagecoach.”

“I was supposed to meet Charles Dunwick today. He’s a blacksmith.” She hesitated to ask her question because she had the feeling she was about to find out something far more disturbing. “Mister, are we in Georgetown?”

“Georgetown? No, we’re in Idaho Springs.”

Chapter Three

Eric watched as the color drained from Caroline’s face. He’d thought she was pale already, but her face went so white he worried she might faint. He hastened to pull up a chair and helped her sit down.

“We’re in Idaho Springs?” she asked, her voice just shy of a whisper.

The preacher nodded. “Georgetown is west of here. Maybe you got off the stagecoach too soon. What day do you think it is?”

“July 3rd,” she softly replied.

Well, that explained a big part of the problem right there. “It’s June 23,” Eric told her. “But I don’t understand why Allison Jones didn’t come here. That’s the woman I was expecting,” he explained, though it was unnecessary. He’d already shown her the last missive Allie had written him.

“Maybe she made the same mistake Caroline did and got off in the wrong town,” the preacher suggested.

“But what are the chances of that happening?” Eric asked.

The preacher rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “If it happened once, it could happen again.”

“This whole thing is my fault,” Caroline said. “If I’d paid better attention, I would have known better. I’m sorry, Mister Johnson. This is all my fault.”

“First, it’s Eric,” he replied. “We don’t stand on formality out here. Second, it’s not entirely your fault. I didn’t think to ask you your name, nor did I think to tell you mine. I heard your southern drawl and just assumed you were Allie. She was supposed to be coming from Tennessee. It’s been a while since I’ve gone through there, but you sounded like you came from there. I just assumed you were the right woman.” He gestured to his bedroom. “And you were distracted with the poor child over there. I’m sure dealing with a sick boy wasn’t easy. To be honest, if it was me, I don’t know if I could have handled it. I have a lot of admiration for you for doing that, especially for a child you didn’t know.”

“Maybe,” she began, “but I should have listened as the driver shouted out the name of the town.”

“The driver didn’t call out the name of the town,” Eric told her.

“Even so, didn’t you tell that stagecoach driver which town you were going to?” the preacher asked.

Eric nodded, grateful for the man’s quick thinking. “Exactly. The driver likes to know where he’s going. He should have said something when you got out.”

“Unless he was glad to get rid of her and the child,” the preacher amended. “I heard the boy got sick and couldn’t keep anything down.”

“You did?” Eric knew it was a small town, but even he was surprised by how quickly news had spread.

“Yep,” the preacher said. “Mike’s wife was telling everyone about it.”

Eric groaned. “Why can’t Ida keep quiet for five minutes?”

“She also heard the driver had never been more relieved to get rid of a passenger. I think he let Caroline off at this stop though he knew full well she wasn’t in the right place. If anything, I’d place the blame on him.”

Caroline shook her head. “No, it’s my fault. I wasn’t paying better attention to the calendar.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Eric said, hoping to offer her some comfort by patting her shoulder. “This situation happened, and there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

“I could take Caleb and get back on the stagecoach,” she replied.

“No, you can’t,” the preacher argued. “He already took off.”

“So soon?” Eric asked.

“I told you what Ida said,” the preacher said. “That driver was glad to be done with the vomiting child. He didn’t even clean the stage out first.”

Eric sighed as he considered his options. Allie hadn’t shown up. Something, or someone, had delayed her, and it wasn’t like he’d be finding out what that was until the next stagecoach came in a couple of weeks with her on it…or if he received another missive from her before that.

It’d be fair to say Allie might not even be coming. Perhaps she’d decided to stay in Tennessee. He’d heard of both scenarios happening. At the last minute, women got cold feet. Or maybe she met someone and decided to be with him instead. If Caroline came across a small child, what was to say Allie didn’t come across a charming man who’d swept her off her feet?

At any rate, Caroline was here, and there was a child who needed someone to take care of him. It wasn’t the way he expected things to be, but everything happened for a reason.

“Well,” Eric began, “this is the way I see it. Allie never made it here, but you did. You got off here. The stagecoach driver never said anything to stop you, and he’s long gone. He won’t be coming back for another month. Why don’t we stay married?”

Caroline rose to her feet. “You really don’t mind staying married to me?”

“Of course not.”

Even if she wasn’t as attractive as he’d imagined Allie, he couldn’t deny she had one of the biggest hearts of anyone he’d ever met. She seemed like she was the type who’d go out of her way to please anyone, and there was no doubt she sincerely believed he was Charles Dunwick.

“That’s good to hear,” the preacher said.

Eric drew his attention back to the man, surprised when he saw the preacher wiping his brow, as if he’d broken into a sweat by worrying about their decision. He offered her a reassuring smile since she still seemed uncertain about the whole thing.

“Things happen for a reason,” Eric told her. “I’ve always believed that, and I always will.”

“Some people call it fate,” the preacher inserted. “I like to call it something else.”

“As much as I hate to interrupt one of your sermons,” Eric said, “if you don’t leave now, you won’t get as far to the next town as you want.” He glanced at Caroline. “Not that I don’t enjoy his sermons. I do. It’s just they can take two or three hours. Lois was right to urge him along.”

“I have a lot to say, and I’m happy to say it.” The preacher went over to them. He shook Eric’s hand and gave Caroline a hug. “You two have a lot of good times ahead of you. Enjoy each and every day as it comes. When marriage gets hard, and it will at some point, just remember your vows. Till death do you part and forsaking all others. That’s the bottom line.”

“Even when you’re saying good-bye, you can’t help but ramble,” Eric teased him.

“I don’t mind,” Caroline said. “He’s giving us good advice.”

“I like her,” the preacher told Eric, pointing to her. “She’s a smart one. Be sure to listen to her.”

“I will,” Eric replied. “But if you want to get out of town today, you’re better off doing it now. Nighttime isn’t that far away.”

“Your point is taken.” The preacher put his hat on his head and tipped it in Caroline’s direction. “It was a pleasure to meet you. Next time I come through, I look forward to seeing how you’re doing.”

“Thank you,” Caroline replied, offering a curtsy.

Eric couldn’t help but think of how much different she was from others here. Even Phoebe wasn’t as prim and proper as she was. He hoped the townsfolk would accept her.

For the moment, though, he pushed the worry aside. After the preacher left, Eric turned to his new wife. Caroline. He was going to have to get used to thinking that name instead of Allie’s.

“I take it you’ve seen the place,” he said.

“Yes. It’s quaint.”

“I suspect it’s considerably smaller than what you’re used to.”

“It is, but I like it. You keep a clean house, and it’s always a blessing when there’s no mice scurrying around.”

At that, he grinned. “You had that trouble back in…” He paused. “Come to think of it, I don’t know where you’re from.”

“I’m from South Carolina.”

“You had mice scurrying around your home in South Carolina?”

“I did after the war.”

She lowered her gaze, and he sensed some pain behind her masked expression. He’d heard the war had hit women and children the hardest. Taking a moment to think over his question, he ventured, “Is that what brought you out here?”

She nodded, though she continued staring at the floor in front of her. “All of my friends did the same. There are so few men back there. We held on for as long as we could.” She shrugged but swallowed the lump in her throat. “It was a different world from the one I grew up in.”

If he was right, it was too painful for her to talk about it right now. In time, however, maybe she’d tell him more. In the meantime, she needed to get settled into her new home, and he had to do his part to help her with the transition.

Which reminded him…

“I need to get Caleb those clothes,” he told Caroline. “Let me do that now before I forget again. Why don’t you lie down and rest while I’m gone? That trip must have tired you out.”

“I haven’t put my things away yet. Maybe I should do that first.”

“Caleb’s still asleep in our room. I don’t know much about children, but I’m guessing he’ll need someone he trusts nearby when he wakes up. Go ahead and take a nap.”

She glanced at their bedroom, bit her lower lip, and then nodded. “You’re right. I should take a moment to rest. So much has happened. Most of this feels like a dream.”

He couldn’t blame her for feeling overwhelmed. All he did was bring her home, and the reality of it hadn’t sunk in for him yet. “We have plenty of time to take care of your clothes. I’ll be back after I see Ida Conner about getting some old clothes for Caleb. And don’t make anything to eat. You had a long and exhausting trip up here. When I return, I’ll take you and Caleb out to the restaurant. It’s nothing fancy, but it’ll do.”

She seemed relieved, and he was glad he made the suggestion. With a smile, he told her he’d be back soon and headed out.

He wasn’t all that surprised when a few people gathered around him on his way to Mike and Ida’s home. Being the sheriff, they all knew who he was, and by default, that meant they knew his business.

“Is it true?” Daniel asked. “Did you get the wrong woman?”

“Shouldn’t you be minding the general store?” Eric replied, not bothering to slow down despite the growing crowd of ten people around him.

“You let Benny out of jail,” Daniel said, keeping step with him. “You should know the first thing he’s going to do is return to his store.”

“So that leaves you free to follow me?”

“It leaves me free to find out what’s going on. Come on, Sheriff. We’re all curious about her.” He gestured to the others, who voiced their agreement.

Eric sighed. “I’m busy right now. Can’t you ask me about her later?”

“If you make us wait, we’ll be forced to come up with all sorts of stories about her,” Hank said, “and you know if that happens, someone’s likely to think it’s the truth. Then that bride of yours will be tainted by a lie.”

Eric finally stopped and turned to everyone. They were mostly men, though a couple of women made it into the group of busybodies, even one Eric never thought would engage in gossip in a million years. “You, too, Anna?”

The middle-aged woman shrugged. “Sometimes I get bored now that my children are all grown.”

He groaned. “Alright, fine. You want to know, I’ll tell you. But I’m going to make it quick, and I won’t go into details. Deal?”

They nodded and looked at him expectantly.

He resisted the urge to groan again. He really should have reconsidered moving to a small town. In a larger area, it was a lot easier to have some privacy. “The woman who came off the stagecoach wasn’t the one I was expecting. I don’t know what happened to Allison Jones, but Caroline Benton came here instead. Since Allison isn’t here, I figured I’d marry Caroline. That’s all there is to it.” Realizing they might make the wrong assumption about Caleb, he added, “It’s true she brought a child with her. No, the child isn’t hers. She found him all alone on the way here. He had no one to care for him. We’ll raise him as our own.” After a moment of silence, he finished, “That’s all.”

Then he turned and continued walking to the door.

“I heard that new wife of yours isn’t very pretty,” Hank said.

Leave it to Hank to point that out. The man had been so picky in his youth that, at sixty-two, he had a tendency to rehash all the things he regretted, one of them being the fact that he never got married and had children.

“But she’s got a caring heart,” Eric argued. “A pretty face isn’t much good if you’re married to a harpy.”

Relieved he’d finally reached the front door of Ida’s home, Eric pounded on it. He hadn’t intended to use so much force, but it unnerved him the people were still hovered around him. Why couldn’t they all just go home and mind their own business?

Ida opened the door, and Eric was surprised to see even more of the townsfolk gathered in her kitchen. “Sheriff Johnson! Just the man we were talking about. I bet your ears are burning.”

His gaze swept the kitchen, and he counted seven ladies, who were all waiting for him to speak. “Would you mind giving me a couple of clothes that would fit a seven-year-old boy?”

“I heard the wrong woman came,” Ida said, successfully dodging his question.

“Yes, but since the right one didn’t come, we figured we might as well get married.”

“And she came with a child,” Ida said, her eyebrows raised in interest. “Is it hers?”

After a moment, he decided he might as well satisfy everyone’s curiosity. Word was going to spread through town anyway. Might as well get it over with. “He’s an abandoned child she found in Kansas. She brought him here so he could have a home. Unfortunately, he has no other clothes than the ones he wore on the stagecoach, and there’s not enough time for her to sew some. Do you have any clothes you’re willing to spare?”

“Well, sure I do. Come on in, and I’ll get them.”

Ida waved him in, though he didn’t know if he could possibly squeeze in the small space. Yes, Ida and Mike had a lot of children, but they were all crammed in together. It made Eric wonder how the two could possibly manage to find the privacy to conceive them all.

Finally, Eric said, “I’ll wait out here.”

“Alright.” She squirmed past a couple of women on her way out of the kitchen, leaving him all alone to contend with the onlookers.

“There’s really nothing to it,” he told them. “Caroline seems like a kind and decent woman. I think we’ll get along just fine. I just hope the rest of you treat her with respect.”

“Oh, we wouldn’t dream of being anything but respectful,” one of the women sitting on a kitchen chair spoke up.

Seeing the others nod, he reminded them, “You weren’t exactly welcoming when Phoebe Durbin arrived.”

“That’s different,” one of the men, who’d been standing behind him, called out. “Phoebe went to marry Abe. Caroline’s your wife.”

Eric turned to face him. “It doesn’t matter whose wife she is. The fact that she’s a human being should be enough to give her respect.” Then, thinking of the stigma Abe faced in town, he added, “The fact that Abe’s human should be enough to give him respect, too.”

While a couple of people had the nerve to look ashamed, some only stared at him as if they had no idea what he was talking about. He didn’t know whether to be encouraged or dismayed. Some were listening, and others refused to hear him.

“No one is saying Phoebe deserved what Enoch tried to do to her,” Hank said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen around everyone. “What Enoch did was wrong, and yes, I’ll be the first to admit Benny should have done something to stop him. You were right to put them both in jail.”

“Right,” another man called out. “We don’t like lawlessness of any kind. We want this to be a decent town with decent folk.”

Taking that as his cue, Eric asked, “Then why can’t we all get past our differences and take the time to learn more about each other?”

“You can’t expect to change everyone overnight,” Hank said. “It takes time.”

“Too bad it’s not your wife or husband who’s different,” Eric replied. “Then everyone here might be able to offer more compassion.”

Again, an awkward silence hovered over the group. This time, Ida was the one who interrupted it by calling out Eric’s name. He turned back to the doorway in time to see her coming toward him with a couple of clean shirts and pants.

“If they don’t fit, Caroline is welcome to alter them,” Ida told him. “I’ve done it a couple times already. They’re durable clothes. I only sew with the best material.” She glanced at the women in the kitchen and giggled. “You know how children are. They are rough on all their clothes.”

The resulting laughter lightened the mood around Eric, and he didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. He didn’t like conflict any more than the next person, but sometimes he thought some of the townsfolk could use a good shaking up.

Today, however, there was enough for him to worry about. He had to get back to Caroline and help her with Caleb. After that, they’d get something to eat. He thanked Ida. Then, without another glance at the onlookers, he headed back to his cabin.

Chapter Four

Caroline hurried over to Caleb as soon as he stirred from his slumber.

“Caleb, are you feeling better?” she asked, checking his forehead to make sure he wasn’t hot. He hadn’t had a fever so far, but she kept worrying the stress of the trip would catch up to him and make him sick.

Caleb sat up and nodded.

Relieved, she smiled. “Good. The hard part is over. We’re at our new home, and Eric Johnson will take good care of us. Do you feel like you can stand?”

He got off the bed, the shirtwaist she’d lent him reaching his ankles. It wasn’t ideal, but she had nothing for a child, especially a boy. But she couldn’t have put him back in his clothes until they were dry.

“Eric said he’d be coming back with some clothes that will fit you,” she assured him. “You can put them on when he gets back.” After a moment, she added, “You remember Eric, don’t you? He’s the nice man who brought us here.”

Caleb didn’t answer. In fact, he stared at the floor as if lost in his thoughts. Who could blame him? So much had changed in such a short time. She’d been through a hard time, but she had a feeling he’d been through much worse.

With a smile, she patted his shoulder. “You have nothing to worry about anymore. You’re safe here.”

Still, he didn’t respond. He could hear, and he understood what she told him. She knew that much because he had taken the bath and put on the shirtwaist. He’d also stood up just now. But he had shut himself off from the rest of the world.

“I just want you to know,” she began, choosing her words carefully, “whatever happened to you is over. This is a new beginning. I promise everything will be alright from now on.”

He didn’t say anything, and she wasn’t sure what else she could add to what she’d already said except for one thing.

“When Eric returns and you put on your new clothes, we’ll get something to eat.” She offered a smile. “I hope you’ll feel up to eating. You barely had anything during the trip.” And what little he had eaten, he hadn’t managed to keep down. “Even if all you manage is a small portion and some water, it’ll be better than nothing.”

This time, he nodded, and she felt much better. He still wasn’t talking, but he had communicated something. And something was better than nothing.

“Thank you,” she replied.

The door opened, and she hurried to the bedroom doorway in time to see Eric enter the cabin with some neatly folded clothes in his arms. Good. He’d found something for Caleb to wear.

“As I thought, Ida had plenty of old clothes on hand,” Eric said. He put them on the table and sorted through them. “It looks like there are two pants, four shirts, four drawers, and two pairs of socks. Oh, she also added a pair of boots.” He glanced at Caroline. “I’m not sure how these will fit, but she said you can mend anything that needs it.”

Mending? Caroline hadn’t considered that. She wondered if it was much different from sewing part of a quilt.

Eric went over to her and peered into the bedroom. “Why don’t you pick out what you want to wear? Then you can change in that room over there.” He pointed to the small bedroom next to the one they were in.

Caleb looked up at her, and it touched her that the boy wanted to know if she wanted him to do as Eric wished. That meant Caleb trusted her, and since he did that, then he was opening up to her.

She held out her hand to him, and after he took it, she led him to the table. “Did Ida make these herself, or did she buy them?” she asked Eric.

“Ida made them. All the women make clothes for their families,” Eric said.

Trying not to give away her uncertainty as Caleb touched the clothes, she asked Eric, “Are you telling me there are no ladies who provide this service?”

“All of them are too busy,” he replied. “From time to time, Lois might make something, but she prefers to cook.”

Caroline offered a slow nod even as a feeling of despair rose up within her. She’d warned Charles that she wasn’t skilled in the running of the home. Sure, she could throw the best dinner parties and decorate rooms so they were pretty, but tasks like sewing and cooking weren’t a part of her experience.

Caleb selected the clothes he wanted and took them to the other bedroom.

She waited until he shut the door before turning her attention to Eric. “There are some things I need to tell you. I get the impression you were expecting a lady who knows how to maintain a home. Allison Jones probably knows how to cook and clean and sew. Am I right?”

“Actually, I hadn’t thought to ask,” Eric replied, his eyebrows furrowed. “I just assumed all women know how to do those things.”

“Most do.” At least she thought so. “But you see, I grew up on a plantation. There were people who did those tasks for my parents and me.” Before he regretted his decision to stay married to her, she quickly added, “I don’t mind learning how to do these things. Do you know who might be willing to help me learn?”

“Phoebe Thomas. She lives a short ways out of town. I’ll take you over to meet her in a day or two. You’ll like her. She’s about your age. I think you two will get along just fine.”

“I hope she won’t mind teaching me.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. I imagine she’ll be happy to talk to someone her own age. All the other women are either in their mid-thirties or older. In the meantime, I can help you with the cooking. I’ve done plenty of it. The meals won’t be anything fancy, but they’ll do the job.”

“I’m not picky. After the war, a lot of us were just glad to have something to eat. We didn’t care what it was as long as it was edible.”

“Well, that’s good because I mostly do oatmeal and soup.”

The bedroom door opened, and Caleb stepped out. The shirt reached a little past his wrists, and the pants covered most of his boots. His vest was a perfect fit, though, and he seemed to walk without any trouble, so she assumed the boots fit alright.

Smiling, Caroline hurried over to him. “Why, don’t you look dapper? You’re a handsome child.”

However could his parents leave him? Or maybe they were dead. She’d witnessed some desperate men kill for food and clothes. Perhaps something like that had happened to Caleb’s parents, and maybe he ran off before they could kill him, too.

She shook her head. It did her no good to engage in such speculation. She’d just have to be patient and wait for him to tell her. That was, if he ever told her. It was very possible she’d never know.

“I bet you’re both hungry after the long day you’ve had,” Eric spoke up. “Why don’t we go on down to the restaurant before it closes?”

“That is a marvelous idea.” Caroline turned to Caleb. “You won’t have to get in a stagecoach afterwards. We’ll come right back here, so you shouldn’t get sick.”

Caleb didn’t reply, but he did make eye contact with her.

With an encouraging smile, she held her hand out to him. “You can eat whatever you want.”

“You sure can,” Eric agreed. “Lois makes some good pies, but no one does them like Bertha. She puts cinnamon and sugar on the crust before she bakes it, and it makes the pie that much better.” Glancing at Caroline, he added, “Bertha and her husband own the restaurant. Their oldest son runs the livery stable.”

“What do you say?” Caroline asked Caleb, who hadn’t taken her hand yet. “You want to try some pie?”

After a moment, Caleb offered a slight nod and took her hand. She couldn’t help but notice how frail his grip seemed. He was such a thin boy. Too thin for his age. She was in a similar state, but it was easier to cover up how thin she was with her layers of undergarments.

But it was no matter. Neither one would have to deal with hunger ever again. All of that would be a memory. She wasn’t only giving herself a new life. She was giving one to Caleb, too. Gently squeezing his hand, she led him to the door, Eric following close behind.

***

Eric knew bringing Caroline and Caleb to the restaurant was going to mean people would be staring at them, but he had expected them to be subtle about it. But since they did stare, Caleb looked as if he was ready to sink into the floor.

Caroline, however, managed to act as if they weren’t being studied. She rambled on about the towns she’d seen on her way to this one. Whether she managed to maintain the carefree façade because of her upbringing or because she didn’t mind a bunch of onlookers taking in everything she was saying, Eric could only guess. All he knew was that, like Caleb, the stares were getting on his nerves.

Finally, he stopped her while she was talking about the Mississippi River and whispered, “Excuse me, but I don’t think everyone will stop watching us until I introduce you and Caleb.” He glanced at the child who almost seemed to be in a panic. “You don’t have to say anything,” he assured Caleb. “It’s just we don’t get many new people, and they’re all curious about you.”

“Oh!” Caroline picked up the cloth napkin from her lap and dabbed her mouth with it. “I’d be delighted to meet your friends.”

“They’re not friends,” Eric clarified. “I know them, and I like them. I’m the sheriff, so we all know each other. But that’s different from being friends with them.”

“Say no more,” she replied. “My father and mother used to host social engagements. What would you like me to do?”

“Do?”

“In some cases, it was best if I was seen but not heard. I would smile and nod a lot. At other times, I was expected to engage in pleasantries.”

He hadn’t expected such a response. He had so much to learn about her and her past. Though he knew it wasn’t fair to her, he kept assuming her life had been a lot like Allie’s, but as it was turning out, they were a lot different.

“Oh, well,” Eric began, “I think the best thing you can do is be yourself. Do what comes naturally to you.”

“Alright.”

Seeing that as permission for him to introduce them, he rose to his feet and faced the dozen people who’d gathered into the small restaurant, some of which he now noticed had been bugging him when he’d gotten clothes from Ida.

“I assume you all heard I got married today,” Eric said.

Surprisingly, the people’s faces turned bright red from being caught, though there wasn’t much to catch. It was ironic to think they believed they weren’t so noticeable.

Eric cleared his throat to get their attention. When they looked back at him, he shook his head. “If you’re going to take the time to follow us here and eavesdrop on our conversation, you might as well come out and ask whatever questions you have about Caroline.” He gestured to her. “The boy is shy, so I ask that you stick to my wife.”

When no one spoke up, Caroline stood up, clasped her hands in front of her, and smiled. “It’s my pleasure to meet you. My name was Caroline Benton, but after marrying this fine gentleman, I’m Mrs. Eric Johnson.”

Her use of his name in conjunction with the “Mrs.” brought a surge of pleasure through him. The sensation was so foreign that he wasn’t sure what to think of it.

Again, no one said anything. This time, Eric let out a frustrated sigh. “Look, you’re either going to come out and ask, or you can go on home. Don’t expect me to answer your questions later if you don’t ask anything right now.”

After a long moment, Jerry raised his hand.

Surprised by the formality, Eric nodded for him to speak.

Jerry rose to his feet and glanced at his wife and two daughters. After he said his name, he said, “We were wondering what happened to Allison Jones.”

Since Caroline’s face turned pink from embarrassment, Eric decided to answer for her. “I don’t know what happened to Allison Jones. She was supposed to come here today, but she never did. Caroline came instead.” Before anyone could ask why she got off the stagecoach when no one had been expecting her arrival, he added, “Remember when Phoebe Durbin came here and married Abe? Abe wasn’t expecting her, but he married her. I did the same with Caroline.”

Thankfully, the group seemed to accept this, for Jerry sat down and no one else asked further into this particular inquiry.

This time, Jerry’s wife stood up. “I’m Dora, and my daughters are Constance and Stella. Can we ask where you’re from and what brought you here?” she asked Caroline.

“Nice to meet you,” Caroline replied. “And yes, you may ask those questions. I’m from South Carolina. How many of you are well versed on the war between the Union and the Confederacy?”

The group glanced at one another and shook their heads, so Eric said, “They weren’t affected by it all the way out here.” With a shrug, he added, “People concern themselves with things that directly affect them.”

“In the short time I’ve been here, I can see this is nothing like where I came from,” Caroline replied, a thoughtful tone in her voice. “I won’t go into the details. Doing so would only bring up more questions, and we’d be here all night. Suffice it to say the war claimed a lot of lives. The ladies outnumbered the gentlemen, and conditions were so bad for us that we started seeking husbands out West so they could have a home.”

“You didn’t have a home?” Hank asked.

“No, I didn’t. I was dependent on the kindness of others to provide for me, but you can only impose on someone’s kindness for so long.” She paused and glanced at Eric. Giving him a smile that warmed him, she said, “I’m very fortunate someone as kind as your sheriff agreed to take me and Caleb in. I found Caleb in Kansas. He was all by himself and crying. I couldn’t find his parents or anyone else who was willing to take care of him. Fortunately, Eric agreed to help me raise him. Everyone needs a home.”

Noting Caleb’s yawn, Eric said, “I think that’s enough for now. Both Caroline and Caleb have had a long trip up here. Next time you want to ask questions, you need to tell Caroline and Caleb something about you, too. I’m sure she’s just as curious about all of you as you are about her.”

Since no one protested, Eric felt it safe to end things. The poor woman and boy had been through enough already. Right now, the best thing he could do was take them home and let them rest.

After he paid the bill, he guided them out of the restaurant, mindful to open the door for her. He hadn’t realized how genteel she was until she’d stood up and spoke so properly to the group. She was so different from the way Allie sounded in her missives. Allie hadn’t grown up on a plantation surrounded by people to do her bidding, so he supposed he should expect things to be different.

He had thought Allie’s down-to-earth nature would fit in well with the people in this town. With Caroline, however, things might not be so easy. And he couldn’t help but wonder if she was going to be happy here or not.

Chapter Five

Once Caleb was settled in bed, Eric said he’d make Caroline some apple cider to drink. That left her alone for the moment. And she decided she might as well get into her nightclothes.

The task of unfastening the buttons on her boots took a good ten minutes. The buttons were so small she had a difficult time getting the hook in the right slots to undo them. She hadn’t worn such fine boots since the war, but she’d wanted to have something from her past life. There was so little of it left. Everything that came from the world she used to know was in her trunk.

Thanks to Bee, she had clothes better suited for being here, but she had slipped in her favorite gown. Her gaze went across the small bedroom she and Eric would share. Not that she could ever see wearing that beautiful gown in a place like this.

She slipped the boots off and wiggled her toes. Bee was right. The boots were as impractical as the gown. It was hard to walk on the dirt road from Eric’s cabin to the restaurant with them on. The other pair had wider heels and would be much better.

With a sigh, she set them back into the bottom of the trunk next to the gown. She proceeded to remove her stockings and, because Bee had been wise enough to put the buttons on the front of her dress, she took it off without any assistance. Bee would think her foolish to wear a corset, especially on a long trip, but Caroline didn’t know if she could bring herself to not wear it. She didn’t know if she ever would. As it was, she had felt underdressed in only three petticoats.

By the time she was done putting on the cotton nightgown she’d brought with her, Eric knocked on the closed bedroom door. “The cider’s ready whenever you are,” he called out.

It was then she realized what tonight meant, and she froze. With all the excitement over getting a full meal and making sure Caleb was taken care of, she hadn’t given this aspect of the marriage any thought.

“Caroline?” Eric asked.

She snapped out of her shock and cleared her throat. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

“Alright,” he said. “I’ll be in the kitchen. When you leave this room, take a left down a few paces. The table’s on the right. You can’t miss it. It’s the one with the chairs around it.”

Despite her sudden bout of nervousness, she found herself laughing at his joke. There wasn’t much to the small cabin. It wasn’t anything like the place she’s grown up in. Now, that was a home one could get lost in.

“I’ll be right there,” she said once she stopped laughing.

Though she was as ready as she could get, she couldn’t bring herself to leave the safety of the room. Not yet. She needed another few minutes to gather her composure. It was the same thing she had to do before the balls where her parents would introduce her to prospective suitors.

Most of the gentlemen found other—prettier or curvier—ladies to entertain, though she had a couple who’d paid her interest. She often suspected it was her father’s wealth that had attracted them. Out here, though, she had no money. She had to stand on her own merits. She just wasn’t sure she had any. At least not yet. She’d have to learn to cook and sew and do other things wives out here did. Maybe then she’d have something to offer that was worth Eric’s interest.

She released her breath and arranged her dark hair around her shoulders then pinched her cheeks so they’d get the rosy color her mother said gentlemen liked so much. But when she looked at herself, she couldn’t help but think there was nothing she could do to make things any better.

Whether she was dressed in an exquisite ball gown or whether she wore a simple cotton nightgown, the effect was essentially the same. She couldn’t help but wonder if the woman Eric was supposed to marry—the one named Allison Jones—was beautiful like so many of the other ladies back in South Carolina.

What could have come up that stopped Allison from making the trip out here? Did she come across a gentleman along the way who was so captivated by her beauty he had to propose marriage? It had happened to one of Caroline’s childhood friends a year after the war ended. Evelyn had been determined to head out to Texas to marry a widower with young children, and Caroline and her other friends had waited anxiously back in South Carolina to find out if the man Evelyn went to marry was as promising as he sounded in the missives.

But then, when they finally received correspondence from Evelyn, they learned Evelyn met a young gentleman on the train, and the two started talking and the next thing she knew, she’d fallen in love with him. The two got off at his hometown and married. Evelyn had assured her friends she let the man in Texas know what happened. Since they had all read the missives the widower had written to Evelyn, Georgette, who said he sounded like a good person, went out to marry him instead.

Georgette reported wonderful things from her marriage, and it was then the others, Caroline included, sought out gentlemen out West to marry. There were so many to choose from. They had their pick. Caroline had been the last of them to make the journey. It took Bee’s prompting to finally do it.

Caroline wiped a tear from her eye. She missed Bee. After her mother’s death, Bee had stepped in and assumed the role, even though growing up, Bee had been one of the slaves Caroline’s father had owned. The war, naturally, had changed all of that. The war had changed so many things.

A soft knock jerked Caroline out of her memories. Pulling her shoulders back, Caroline went to the door and opened it, wondering if Caleb had woken up and was scared or if the blankets on the floor he’d been sleeping on were uncomfortable.

But as it turned out, it was Eric. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to take so long. My mind wandered, and I lost track of time.”

“You’ve had a long day,” he replied, once again giving her a smile that helped put her at ease. “I thought maybe you’d fallen asleep. It was so quiet in here.”

“No. Would you believe I’m wide awake? I think all the activity of the day is going to make it hard to sleep.”

“Well, come on out here, and we’ll relax with some cider. It always helps when I have trouble sleeping.”

Did that mean he wasn’t planning to be intimate with her tonight? As much as she wanted to ask, she didn’t dare. Not when it was something so personal…even when that personal thing had to do with him.

She gave one last look at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn’t see anything under her nightgown. But then, maybe the kerosene lamp wasn’t as bright in here as it would be out there.

Oh, this was ridiculous! He was her husband. Of all the people to see her immodestly dressed, it should be him.

She stepped out, mindful of the cool floor beneath her feet. He went to the couch where two cups were resting on a small table in front of him.

She had no idea being alone with him was going to be so nerve-racking. Indeed, she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. Well, she knew this evening was going to happen. It wasn’t like this came up as a big surprise or anything. She just had to get through it. Once she knew what to expect, it wouldn’t be so awkward next time.

Eric glanced her way and waved her over. “You can’t see the moon from over there.”

For the first time, she noticed the couch faced a large window. Then she noticed the kerosene lamp in the room was turned down lower than the one in the bedroom had been. That meant she’d be harder to see in the dim light.

Feeling better, she went over to the couch and sat next to him, choosing to leave a small space between them.

He handed her a cup. “Have you had apple cider before?”

She nodded. “Yes. Usually, I drink it when the weather gets cooler.”

He leaned back in the couch and put his legs up on the table in front of them. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him why he did that. No one would dare put up their feet on a table, especially when they had boots on. But this wasn’t South Carolina. For all she knew, all the people did this out here.

“What are you used to drinking?” Eric asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

“When it was hot, I used to drink cool tea or lemonade. When it was cold, I’d take my tea hot or have some cider.” She lifted the cup and took a sip. “It’s good.”

“It’s my favorite drink,” he replied. “My mother taught me how to make it when I was a child.”

“Did you grow up here?”

“No. I came here about three years ago.”

“You don’t sound like I do. I take it you’re not from the South.”

“No, I’m not. I grew up in New Hampshire. I did odd jobs for a while from state to state, but there comes a time when a man wants to settle down, find a permanent job, and get married.”

She took a drink of the apple cider, thinking she hadn’t tasted anything this wonderful in years. It’d been a long time since she’d had anything but cheap coffee or water that couldn’t be all that clean. Forcing her attention back to him, she asked, “Is that why you came here? To get the permanent job and to find a wife?”

“I didn’t think through the marrying part when I decided to come all the way out here. I wanted a position where I could make a difference for the better.” He paused then added, “I didn’t fight in the war, but I helped the slaves escape along the underground railroads. Even then, things didn’t always go smoothly. We’d get caught from time to time, and not everyone made it.” He shrugged. “I guess I feel compelled to do what I can to make things better for those who can’t help themselves. I heard the people here needed someone to step in and protect them, and I couldn’t resist.”

“You mean, bad things happen here?”

“Bad things happen everywhere. Out here, though, one person can make a bigger difference than they could back East.”

She took another sip of the cider, weighing his words and wondering how much she ought to tell him. The last thing she wanted was for him to regret his decision to marry her. But she had to be honest with him. “You know I came from the South.”

“Yes, I recall you mentioning that.”

“I grew up on a plantation where we had slaves. Doesn’t it bother you? We come from two completely different worlds.”

He turned his gaze to her, and she noted the tenderness in his eyes. “You brought Caleb with you. I don’t think we’re all that different.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. After being spit on by several Union soldiers, she hadn’t expected his response.

To her surprise, he scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She’d thought being touched by a stranger so soon would alarm her, but this had the opposite effect on her. She felt comforted. It’d been a long time since she’d experienced anything so nice. She quickly brushed away her tears in case he noticed them. She’d had enough of crying and wondering why things had to turn out the way they had. What she most wanted, more than anything, was to be safe.

“Everything will be alright,” Eric whispered. “Think of this as a new start. Out here, you can have a second chance.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. That was what she had most hoped for in coming all the way to Colorado. Perhaps it was possible. Perhaps this day had marked the beginning of something better than she’d ever dreamed possible.

“I’d like that,” she admitted.

“Then don’t bother yourself with the past. Leave it back in South Carolina.”

He lowered his head toward hers, and it seemed to be the most natural thing in the world to close her eyes and tilt her head back to accept his kiss. Beyond the pecks on the cheek or kisses on her hand at the balls, she hadn’t had a real kiss.

She had no idea what to expect, but the moment his lips touched hers, she felt a spark go right from her head to the tips of her toes. Was kissing supposed to feel this way? To hear her childhood friend, Rachel, talk about the kiss one of her beaus had given her, one would think there wasn’t much excitement in it. Well, maybe that was why Rachel ran off with another gentleman. Maybe she’d known a mediocre kiss meant her beau was the wrong gentleman to marry.

Perhaps, just perhaps, this was a good omen. Maybe she hadn’t made a mistake in getting off the stagecoach when she came to this town. After all, Bee had often said whether people want to admit it or not, everything happened for a reason. It wasn’t up to people to figure everything out. All they could do was trust in the Lord’s guidance.

A series of frantic knocks at the door pulled Caroline down from the heights of the clouds and right back into the small cabin.

Eric put down his cup and rose to his feet. “I better find out what’s going on,” he told her as he crossed the distance to the door. He swung it open, and on the other side was a man who was twisting a hat in his hands. “Enoch?” Eric asked, his tone giving away his surprise. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at home with your wife?”

“I would be, Sheriff, except I got word that Benny is on his way to Abe Thomas’ place,” Enoch replied.

Eric went over to the hooks next to the door and retrieved his holster with a gun in it. “When did he head out there?”

“Probably twenty minutes ago. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen to reason.”

Eric slipped the holster around his waist then grabbed his hat. Looking back at Caroline, he said, “I’ll explain everything later, but I need to get going. Don’t wait up. I don’t expect to be back for at least a few hours.”

“Alright,” she replied, her voice almost a whisper. He had the same urgent look the Confederate soldiers hiding in her home had when the Union soldiers came. She’d known enough to stay out of their way then, and she’d do the same for Eric now.

In the next moment, Eric left the cabin, shutting the door behind him. She waited for a few seconds before curiosity got the best of her, and she ran over to the window to see what he was doing. She watched as Eric and the other man went into town, heading in the direction of the livery stable.

With nothing else to do, she finished her cider then put their cups in the sink. The cabin was eerily quiet once all the commotion from the day had died down. She shivered a moment but then reminded herself she wasn’t back in South Carolina.

Taking the kerosene lamp, she checked on Caleb, who could, thankfully, sleep peacefully in a brand new place. If she had a purpose here, then so did Caleb. There was a reason she’d found him when she did. More than that, there was a reason he’d trusted her enough to go in the stagecoach with her. Some day, she might know the reason. But for now, she just had to trust that Bee was right. And it was easier to do that now that she and Eric had shared such a wonderful kiss.

Feeling better, she went to her new bedroom, thinking too late she already had a kerosene lamp lit in here. She thought of putting the one she was holding back on the table next to the couch, but despite the fact that the cabin was a small one, a lot of shadows crept along the walls. She’d learned to never trust shadows. Too many things could be hiding there, and right now, her imagination played out all sorts of horrible things that could happen to a human being.

She closed her bedroom door, set the lamp next to the other, and decided to keep both lit. Once she was under the blankets, she curled up onto her side. As much as she’d been anxious about being with her husband this evening, she’d much rather go through the uncertainty of a wedding night than be snuggled up with a couple of blankets.

She considered bringing Caleb in so there’d be someone else in the room with her, but she quickly decided against it. Eric would be back, and there wasn’t room for the three of them. She’d just have to bide her time until he returned.

Thankfully, she was no longer in South Carolina. Here, her nightmares were only figments of the past. It was much easier to deal with one’s imagination than reality. After two full hours, she was finally able to drift off to sleep.

Chapter Six

It was well past midnight by the time Eric and Enoch made it back to town with the corpses of Benny McGowan and Gene Carter in the back of Abe’s wagon. Eric should have warned Abe right after he released Benny from jail, but he hadn’t believed Benny would resort to violence. More than that, he hadn’t realized Benny knew Gene.

Eric glanced back at the dead men as they rocked to the swaying of the wagon. Well, he wouldn’t make the mistake of ignoring Abe’s warnings in the future. If Abe said someone was trouble, he was going to take that warning seriously.

“This is all my fault,” Enoch mumbled from next to him.

Eric steered the two steeds into town, careful not to hit a nearby tree along the winding path.

“If I hadn’t tried to hurt Phoebe that day in the general store, nothing bad would have happened tonight,” Enoch continued, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.

“You can’t do anything about the past,” Eric replied. “All you can do is act better in the future. Tonight was a good start.”

Enoch glanced over at him, a trace of hope in his eyes. “You think so?”

“You told me Benny and Gene were on their way to Abe’s home. You risked their wrath by trying to protect Abe. That took a lot of courage.”

“I don’t feel courageous.”

“You don’t have to feel courageous to be courageous. Courage means you do what’s right despite your fear.”

“Maybe.”

Eric pulled the wagon to a stop in front of Benny’s brother’s house. “You stay here while I talk to Daniel.”

Without waiting for Enoch to respond, Eric jumped off the wagon and went over to the small log cabin home. He knocked on the door and waited until he heard footsteps from the other side before saying, “It’s the sheriff.”

The door opened, and Daniel whispered, “Not so loud or you’ll wake the children. What’s wrong?”

“Your brother and Gene Carter went up to Abe Thomas’ place tonight to kill Abe, and probably his wife and her mother. I shot Benny before he could shoot me, and Abe’s wife got Gene. Both men are dead in the back of that wagon.” He pointed to the wagon, and Enoch looked away, as if worried Daniel would be upset with him. “Do you want a funeral for Benny?”

“Just a moment,” Daniel said then closed the door. A minute later, Daniel stepped outside, fully dressed, and walked over to the back of the wagon. “You say Benny’s back here?”

“Yes,” Eric replied, keeping up with him. “I want to make it clear that Benny is at fault here. Abe didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’m not questioning your story, Sheriff. I’m well aware of how much Benny hated Abe. Being put in jail didn’t exactly put him in a better mood.”

“He wouldn’t have gotten put in jail if he hadn’t watched while Enoch tried to take advantage of Phoebe.” Recalling Enoch was within hearing, he quickly amended, “Enoch has seen the error of his ways. He warned me your brother and Gene were going to hurt Abe and his wife.”

“You don’t need to give me all the details,” Daniel told Eric. “Benny came to see me after supper, and he was so mad I thought his head was going to explode.”

“Did he mention anything about Abe?”

“No. He wanted to borrow a gun. My son was out hunting with it.” Daniel took a good look at his brother’s corpse. “It looks like he managed to get a hold of another one. You said you shot him?”

“Yes. When I got to Abe’s cabin, he was coming out of the barn. He pulled out his gun and shot in my direction, so I fired back.” Eric didn’t know whether Benny had been a lousy shot or if being knocked out in the barn for some time had made him miss, but Benny could have very easily gotten him instead. Forcing the realization aside, he added, “Would you like a funeral for him?”

“I know what he did was wrong, but it would help the family move on if we could say good-bye properly.”

“I understand. I’ll take him to Travis so he can get his body ready for the funeral.”

“What will you do with the other man?” Daniel gestured to Gene.

“I’m going to have Travis burn his body.”

Daniel nodded. “Sounds good to me.” He let out a sigh and shook his head. “This won’t be easy to tell Ma. She’s going to be heartbroken, but he brought it on himself.” He gave Eric’s shoulder a pat. “You did what you had to do.”

As Daniel went back to his house, Eric couldn’t help but think of how much grief someone could bring others when they let the desire for vengeance take over. Benny could have turned over a new leaf. He could have let the matter go. But he’d chosen to hold onto his anger, and by doing so, he’d paid the price. Not everyone paid for their choices immediately. Eric had seen men get by with doing wrong for years before they got what they deserved. But in Benny’s case, he’d quickly reaped what he’d sown.

Suddenly feeling tired, he climbed into the wagon. “I’m going to take you home,” he told Enoch. “You must be tired.” God knew he was, and he hadn’t been all tied up in knots over the night’s events like Enoch had been.

“Well, I’m never going to hurt another person for as long as I live,” Enoch murmured, tucking his chin to his chest, seeming far older than he really was.

“If you take this opportunity to change your life for the better, then this will have been worth it,” Eric replied. “It’s not where we’ve been that matters; it’s where we’re going. Benny chose his path. You’ll have to choose yours.”

From there, the two men rode in silence until Eric pulled the wagon up to Enoch’s home. To Eric’s surprise, Enoch turned to him and said, “I’m a new man this night, Sheriff. I’m never going back to who I used to be.”

Sensing Enoch needed the assurance, Eric smiled. “I believe you, Enoch.”

Seeming relieved by this small gesture of faith, Enoch got down from the wagon and went into his small home that had seen better days.

Eric lifted the reins and urged the steeds on to Travis Martin’s property. He made his way up the dark, winding pathway, thankful for the small bit of moonlight that made its way past the tree branches to light his way. The tree-lined path eventually gave way to a small clearing.

On the right was a cottage, which was surrounded by a group of fruit trees, and to the left were the barn and the wood building where Travis did his work. Even in the moonlight, Eric could make out how many repairs this place needed. In many ways, it was as if the world had forgotten all about it and was letting it fade into the past.

Which was a shame, really. Travis had incredible talent but didn’t appreciate it any more than he appreciated himself.

Shoving the thought aside, Eric set the brake and climbed down from the wagon.

He’d made it to the door of the cottage when a voice called out from the building, “What can I do for you, Sheriff?”

Eric turned from the cottage in time to see Travis step out of the doorway, noticing the light from the lantern hanging inside the building for the first time. Travis’ hat tipped forward so Eric couldn’t see his face.

Eric had to admit when it was dark and Travis came out of that building, shoulders slouched and trudging forward, Travis resembled a bear. It didn’t help that Travis was taller than other men. Even Eric only reached his nose, and Eric was six feet tall.

“What brings you here, Sheriff?” Travis asked, finally interrupting Eric’s thoughts of strong bears lurking among the trees.

Eric blinked and shook his head to clear it. “Um,” he went over to the wagon, “there was a shootout at Abe Thomas’ place tonight. I need a coffin for Benny. As for the other man,” he reached the back of the wagon, “Abe wants his body burned.”

Travis lumbered forward and came just shy of Eric being able to see his face. “I can make a coffin for Benny and have it ready in two days. As for the other man, I’ll burn him right away.”

“Thanks.”

Eric slid his arm under Benny to lift him out of the wagon, but Travis said, “I got them.”

Eric backed away and watched as Travis lifted Benny as if he was picking up a potato sack. Big as a bear and as strong as one, too. Eric felt sorry for anyone who’d dare challenge Travis. That person wouldn’t stand a chance.

Travis flung Benny over his shoulder and then picked up Gene and flung him over his other shoulder. Not looking in Eric’s direction, he said, “I’ll have the coffin and Benny ready in two days. Come at noon.”

“Alright,” Eric replied. “As payment, I could have someone come out to do some repairs.”

“That’s not necessary. Just send more of those goodies Lois makes.”

“Lois’ foods don’t add up to the value of the work you’re doing with these men,” Eric argued, gesturing to Benny and Gene even though he wasn’t sure if Travis was looking at him.

“But I like what she cooks, especially her breads and pies.”

“Well, if that’s what you want, I’ll arrange it for you.”

“Thanks, Sheriff.” Then Travis turned and headed back to the building.

Eric wondered if he should say more, but then he decided it was best if he didn’t. Travis was a man of few words, and Eric was better off letting him be. With a shrug, he went back up into the wagon and headed back to town.

***

When Caroline woke up, it was just past dawn. She rolled over in the bed and realized she was still alone. Curious, she got up, put on her robe, and left the bedroom to see if Eric had returned at all during the night. But there was no trace of him anywhere, and his hat and boots weren’t by the door.

Was it often like this? Should she get used to sleeping alone at night? She hadn’t slept alone since the war. In fact, there had been safety in numbers, especially when one didn’t know if the enemy would be coming that night.

Caroline had forgotten what it’d been like to be alone. Well, she wasn’t alone, though. Not really. Caleb was in the other room.

She hurried to get dressed, choosing the same dress she’d put on yesterday after her bath. Then she pinned her hair back. She almost pinched her cheeks to make them a nice rosy color, something she’d often done back for the balls, but then she decided against it. Eric wasn’t here, and even if he was, would it even matter?

Out here, did gentlemen worry about a lady’s cheek color? She had such a simple dress and hairstyle. Everything about her matched the town. Simple. Plain. Ordinary. There was nothing that made her stand apart from the crowd.

But her life was no longer back in South Carolina. She had more important things to focus on now. Keeping her footsteps quiet, she decided to check on Caleb.

His door creaked despite her efforts to be silent. To her surprise, the boy was awake. He was staring at the ceiling, not making a single sound.

“Good morning,” she greeted.

He blinked and then looked over at her.

“How are you feeling this morning?” she asked as she came into the room.

He blinked again, but he didn’t say anything.

She remained quiet for a moment, trying to figure out what she might say or do to make him feel more comfortable with her.

Then Caleb’s eyes filled with tears, and she rushed over to him. She gathered him in her arms and let him cry. Her mother used to shush her when she cried, and she remembered thinking how unfair it was that she hadn’t been allowed to express her feelings. “A young lady always smiles, no matter how she’s feeling,” her mother would say.

But Caroline knew there were times when a smile didn’t make things better. Sometimes, it was necessary to give in and cry. So she decided she wouldn’t tell Caleb it was wrong to cry. She might not know how he ended up in the streets all by himself, but whatever had happened to him had to have been horrible.

Caleb had been crying when she’d found him on the street, curled up against a building in an alley. She tried to find out who his parents were. She’d even gone to the marshal to see what could be done about him, but he’d told her children were left behind when parents couldn’t take care of them. “Usually, we take them to the orphanage. Is that what you want to do with him?” he’d asked.

But something about Caleb compelled her to take him with her. She wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe it was thinking back to Bee, who’d helped her and her friends when they lost everything after the war. Bee hadn’t had anything to her name, but she had the strongest will of anyone Caroline had ever known, and she’d said they would manage to survive. And they had. Bee’s determination had seen to that.

The front door opened, and Caleb grew quiet. She wiped the tears from his cheeks and whispered, “I’ll be back.”

She hurried out of the room. Caleb seemed so shy. She didn’t think he’d like it if Eric knew he’d been crying. For this reason, she closed the door almost all the way before she went over to the man she’d just married yesterday.

“You look exhausted,” she said, thinking too late it did no good to come out and state the obvious.

“It was a long night,” he replied with a weary smile. He hung up his hat and holster. “I had to make funeral arrangements for one man and have the other burned.”

Gasping, she closed the distance between them. “Really?”

“My job isn’t usually that exciting. For the most part, I help settle petty arguments. But, once in a while, like last night, someone will try to harm another person. I’m happy to say the innocent prevailed in this case.”

“Oh, then that’s good.” As much as she wanted to ask him how the men ended up dead, she didn’t. This was his business, and she was better off staying out of it. “You must be tired since you were up all night. Is there anything I can get you before you go to sleep?”

“A glass of water will be fine, thanks.”

Now, this was a task she could do. She hurried to pour him a glass while he took off his boots.

“Aren’t you the least bit curious about how two men turned up dead?” Eric asked.

She glanced over at him. “Well, yes, but I figure it’s none of my concern since I’m a lady.”

“You’re also the wife of a sheriff, and you might as well know what you married into,” he said, sitting in one of the chairs at the small, round table in the kitchen. “Things like this happen once in a while, and you might as well be prepared.”

She didn’t like the sound of this. Turning from the pitcher, she faced him. “Prepared for what?”

“This area of the country can be rugged. Out here, men carry guns for more than just hunting. Sometimes they need to defend themselves. Now, I’ve done my part to clean up the lawlessness that was going on when I moved here. People are allowed to keep their guns in their homes for protection, and they’re certainly welcome to hunt. But if I find someone pulling out a gun in town with the intent to harm someone, I’ll take it from them and fine them. If they insist on this behavior, they lose the gun altogether. Ever since I’ve started doing that, things have gotten a lot better. But, last night, two men went up to someone’s home and tried to kill the people living there. Things got lucky, and the innocent people weren’t harmed. It’s not always like that, but thankfully, last night, it was.”

She brought the glass of water over to him and set it on the table.

He almost drank the entire glass in one gulp.

“I didn’t realize you were so thirsty,” she said. “I’ll get you another glass.”

“No need. This is enough.” He finished the rest of the glass and handed it to her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The glass felt warm from his touch, and for a moment, she was reminded of the feel of his lips on hers. This whole matter of being married was still so new she wasn’t sure how to adjust to it. How much would her life change now that she was a wife?

“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go to sleep,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.

She took a good look at him, finally seeing how tired he was. “No, I don’t mind. Go on and get some rest. I can take care of things.”

To her surprise, when he stood up, he kissed her. It was a short kiss, the kind of kiss a husband might give his wife as a greeting, and it made her skin tingle.

“There’s some left over muffins on the shelf over there.” He gestured to a covered box. “Lois always felt sorry for me since I had no wife, so she made it a point to bake muffins. Feel free to have as many as you want. I’ve had enough to last me a lifetime.” He shot her a wry grin. “I made one comment about loving blueberries, and the next thing I know, she’s been making blueberry muffins every week. I don’t know if I’ll ever eat another blueberry for as long as I live.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle as he made his way to the bedroom, grimacing as if he’d just been forced to eat a whole plate full of muffins. The poor gentleman. Well, she’d have to make sure she didn’t learn how to make muffins.

She was ready to get Caleb when she realized he’d been watching her and Eric from his doorway. The boy was so quiet. If she hadn’t been sure he was alive, she might have mistaken him for a ghost.

Hoping to set his mind at ease, she waved him toward her. “It’s alright. This is your home, too. You can come out.”

After a moment, he took a step around the door.

“Have you ever had blueberry muffins?” she asked.

She hadn’t expected him to respond, but she felt compelled to ask the question anyway, mostly to fill in the silence that hung in the air between them.

However, he surprised her by saying, “Don’t know.”

She smiled. He’d spoken to her. Yes, it’d been two words, but he’d still spoken them, and more than that, he’d said them to her.

“Well,” she replied with all the charm she’d been brought up with, “if you’ll have a seat over here,” she gestured to the chair Eric had been sitting on, “I’ll get some. Then you can decide if you like them. When we’re done, you can put on your day clothes.”

While she gathered the muffins and two plates, Caleb went over to the table and sat on the chair. She offered him another smile before she served them both their first official breakfast in their new home.

Chapter Seven

Later that day after he was rested, Eric arranged for Hank to make Caleb a bed. After that, he and Caroline took Caleb to the doctor, thinking it best to make sure the boy was in good health as soon as possible. He hadn’t expected Caroline to be anxious while they waited for the doctor’s analysis. She kept clasping and unclasping her hands and fidgeting next to Eric the entire time the doctor did his examination. At one point, Eric put his arm around her shoulders, hoping it’d help calm her down, but for some reason, it seemed to make her all the more worried.

“It’s a routine exam,” he whispered while the doctor asked Caleb to cough.

“I know,” she whispered in return. “But I can’t help it. He’s been through so much already. I don’t think he could handle being sick.”

She was sweet. There was no denying it. He didn’t know if she’d always been blessed with a big heart, but there was no doubt having gone through the war had made her care deeply for others. Hard times had different effects on people. For some, it made them bitter. For others, it made them better. And for Caroline, she’d definitely come out better for it, though he thought it was a shame she’d had to go through the war at all.

Caleb glanced their way, but the doctor tapped him on the shoulder. “We’re almost done. Keep your eyes on my finger.” The doctor moved his finger to the left then the right then up and then down. With a smile, he turned to Caroline and Eric. “He looks fine.” He smiled at Caleb. “You did good, young man.”

Caroline visibly relaxed and hurried over to the boy.

The doctor pulled Eric aside, and Eric glanced over at Caroline to make sure she was distracted. If there was anything bad—if the doctor didn’t want to alarm her—then Eric didn’t want her to overhear.

“What happened to Caleb before your wife found him?” the doctor asked.

“I don’t know. All I know is that she found him on the street,” Eric said, keeping his voice low. “He hasn’t said anything except his name and age, and she couldn’t find anyone who knew him.”

The doctor let out a thoughtful sigh. “Something horrible happened to him. He’s too somber and quiet. I don’t see any signs of abuse, so I think whatever occurred happened to someone he cared about.”

“That would explain why he didn’t have a mother or father with him.”

The doctor looked at Caroline, and Eric followed his lead, noting the way Caroline hugged him. Caleb leaned into her and let her rub his back.

“He was obviously raised by someone who took good care of him,” the doctor said. “He doesn’t have trouble trusting your wife. Maybe it’s because she’s a woman. If it was his mother who took care of him, that would explain his attachment to her.”

That was one possibility. Another was the fact that Caroline had had her own share of sorrow and loss, and Caleb might have picked up on it. Or, of course, it could have been a mixture of both possibilities.

“Have you seen him around other children?” the doctor asked.

Eric turned his gaze back to him. “No. He just came in yesterday with Caroline.”

“Well, that’ll come in time. You’ll want to put him in school come September.”

Eric hadn’t thought of that, but the man was right. School would be a good way for Caleb to be around other children, and he’d have a chance to learn the basics of writing and arithmetic.

Eric almost didn’t ask the doctor his next question but knew it would come up at some point with one of the townsfolk so he might as well get it over with. “You don’t think the fact that his skin color is different from the other children around here will disqualify him from going to school, do you?”

“You’re the sheriff,” the doctor replied. “I’d say that’s up to you. As I recall, you came here to make life better for all people.”

Eric should have expected that kind of answer. And the doctor was right. When Eric came here, he was determined to give everyone a fair chance. And no one was going to get it if he waited for others to step in and do the right thing.

“Since that’s the case,” Eric began, “then I say Caleb can one day be a doctor if that’s what he wants to do.”

The doctor smiled. “That’s the sheriff I know.” He gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Don’t let anyone sway you from your principles. A man either stands for something, or he falls for everything.”

Eric nodded to indicate his agreement. The doctor was right, of course. He’d come here to make a difference, and this would be one way of doing it. He returned to Caroline and Caleb.

“How is he?” Caroline asked, her gaze going from Eric to the doctor.

“He’s in good health,” the doctor told her. He picked up a jar full of candy and showed it to Caleb. “Since you’ve been good, you can have some candy.”

When Caleb didn’t make a move to take any, Eric said, “He might still be full from breakfast. I’ll take a couple and then give them to him later.”

“Alright.” The doctor turned to him, and Eric selected a piece of licorice and a piece of peppermint, figuring one should be something Caleb might like.

“The important thing is you’re well,” Caroline told Caleb as she helped him to his feet. “We want you to grow up and live a full life.”

Eric caught the way she choked up on the last part of her comment. Considering she’d probably seen more than her fair share of death during the war, he had no doubt she’d learned not to take the prospect of a long and healthy life for granted. In this life, there were no guarantees.

Eric paid the doctor and then led his new family out of the small building. The dusty road was pretty quiet, though he caught a glimpse of a couple of people who peeked out of their windows as they walked home. Even after answering some questions yesterday, they were still dying to find out more about Caroline and the boy she’d brought with her.

“Do you have to go to work, or are you free the rest of the day?” Caroline asked.

He brought his attention to his wife, doing his best to ignore their audience. He’d had no idea just how small this town really was until now. It was starting to seem like Abe and Travis had the right idea by living further out so they didn’t have to deal with all of this

“No one’s in the jail,” Eric began, “and I think after all the excitement last night, I’m due for a day off.” Though maybe he should check up on Abe and Phoebe to see how they were doing. But if he did that, he’d want to bring Caroline and Caleb so they could meet them. So he should probably wait. “Everything can wait until tomorrow,” he decided. “We should take this as a chance to get to know each other better.” Glancing at Caleb, who was staring at the ground, he added, “I probably know more about you two than you know about me.”

Caroline smiled. “Yes, but everyone is more curious about us because we’re new. It’s no wonder you didn’t have much of a chance to tell us about yourself.”

Eric turned his gaze back to her. So she’d noticed their silent audience as well. He returned her smile with an apologetic one. In a low voice, he replied, “I suppose it’s human nature to be curious.”

“Oh, I don’t mind. When I grew up, my parents had a lot of people over for dinners and balls. My father was a prominent businessman, and I was often the center of attention because of it. I got used to people looking at me. I hardly even notice it. I just worry it’ll make Caleb uncomfortable.”

He couldn’t blame her for that. After everything the boy had been through, the last thing he needed was to be the focus of the town’s gossip, but Eric didn’t see how that could be prevented. Whether it was fair or not, he was different, and that was going to make him stick out from the others. No one knew what that was like better than Abe Thomas.

“Tomorrow, I’d like to introduce you and Caleb to some friends of mine,” Eric said. “But for today, I think we should take time to be together as a family.”

“That’d be lovely,” Caroline replied.

He caught the pleased expression on her face and was reminded, once again, of how sweet she was. Yes, her coming to this town had been a mistake, but he was beginning to suspect it was the best mistake that had ever happened to him.

On impulse, he picked Caleb up and showed him the two pieces of candy he still had in his hand. “Are you sure you don’t want to eat one?”

Caleb didn’t respond for a moment, but then he took the licorice and ate it.

“A boy after my own heart,” Eric said. “I like licorice more than peppermint, too.”

Caroline chuckled. “I prefer peppermint.”

“You do?” Eric asked.

She nodded. “I like the minty taste. I used to slip a peppermint into tea. It’ll melt when the tea is hot enough.”

“I’ve never thought to do something like that, but then, it’s been a long time since I’ve had tea. I only have coffee in the house.”

“I’ve had coffee, too. It’s cheaper than tea. And, yes, I have put peppermint in coffee to add some flavor to it, too.”

Peppermint in coffee? Now he was intrigued. He’d have to try it.

They continued the rest of the way to their home in a comfortable silence.

***

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Caroline asked as Eric added another cut up carrot to the soup he was making. “Being the lady, isn’t it my job to do the cooking?”

“If memory serves, you said you have to learn how to make meals,” Eric replied as he turned to the celery on the chopping board. When she frowned, he offered her a reassuring smile. “Soup is easy. All you do is put broth, water, and whatever you want to eat into a pot. Then you boil it for a while and eat. You can add salt and pepper for extra flavor. Really, there’s nothing else to it.”

“Yes, that’s the way you make it sound.”

Little did he know soup was one of her most miserable failures.

As she watched him add celery to the soup, she ventured, “Does Phoebe Thomas know how to cook things other than soup?”

“Probably. I’m assuming so.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “She grew up in an apartment in Cincinnati, Ohio, so she had to learn how to cook.”

Good. Because if she had to cook soup again, she would panic.

Eric added salt and pepper to the soup and stirred it.

“That smells good.” Already, her stomach was rumbling in anticipation. If this was half as good as the meal she’d had yesterday evening, she was in for a treat. “You make cooking look so easy.”

“I think soup is easy. Don’t ask me how to make something more complicated like fried chicken or pot roast. I can only handle the basics.”

She wasn’t sure she could even handle that, but she didn’t have the heart to tell him that. He had more confidence in her ability to cook than she did. She was certainly willing to learn everything Phoebe could teach her, though there was no guarantee the lessons would do any good.

She glanced at Caleb’s bedroom. On impulse, Eric had gone to the general store after they returned home from the doctor’s, and he’d come back with two toys for Caleb. Caleb had taken them to his room, but he hadn’t come back out in a half hour.

“I think I’ll check on Caleb and see how he’s doing,” she told Eric.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up falling asleep,” he replied. “I know he had a nap yesterday and got a full night’s sleep last night, but it’ll probably take a couple days for him to rest up. Speaking of which,” he turned to her, “you can lie down and rest if you want. The soup will take about an hour to be ready, and there’s nothing to do.”

She debated whether or not she should then decided she might as well. Now that she knew Caleb was healthy, she could better relax. “Alright, but I’m going to check on him first.”

He nodded and stirred the soup.

She, in turn, went to the boy’s bedroom and knocked on the door, which was slightly ajar. When no one answered, she opened it further and peered into the room. To her surprise, Caleb wasn’t playing with his new toys, nor was he sleeping. He was lying on the blankets, which were on the floor. He was also staring at the ceiling, a tear trickling down his face.

She hurried into the room and sat beside him. “Caleb, are you in pain?”

He opened his mouth, and for a moment, she thought he was going to finally tell her something about his past, but then he sat up and went into her arms. At this point, he started crying in earnest. And she let him.

Chapter Eight

Once again, Caroline was putting on her nightgown. She wished she knew what to expect about the marital bed, but she’d never had that particular conversation with her mother. The war came at a time when she was ready to get married, and because of the war, the possibility of marrying had been delayed. After things settled down, her friends all found their husbands by answering mail-order bride ads, and none of them told her what to expect.

To be fair, she hadn’t thought to ask. At the time, her main concern had been finding something to eat and a blanket to keep warm. When confronted with life or death situations, consummating a marriage never crossed her mind. Which was to be expected, really. How could anyone think of such things when they worried about getting their next meal?

But things were different now. She had security she hadn’t experienced since the war. She knew where her next meal was coming from, she was in a cabin with a roof that didn’t leak and windows that didn’t need repairs, and Eric had plenty of blankets to keep her warm.

So she had the luxury of worrying over things like becoming Eric’s wife in more than name only. Her situation had definitely improved for the better. That didn’t mean, however, she didn’t experience some anxiety over this night. Truth be told, it’d been on her mind ever since last evening. Delaying it had been a bit of relief at the time, but now she wished she’d gotten it over with, just so she’d know what to expect.

She took a deep breath, counted to five, then released it. The only way she was going to know what to expect was to go through it. She’d been through a terrible war. She could certainly go through this.

Deciding she wouldn’t wait for Eric to come to her, she opened the door and went to the kitchen where he was making apple cider, once more.

“Do you make this drink every night?” she asked, hoping that by starting a conversation it would help ease her nerves.

“I do on most nights,” he replied. “It relaxes me.”

Well, she could use some relaxing, but there was no way she’d voice that thought aloud.

He grabbed a cup from the hook over the cookstove. “I made enough for two. Would you like some?”

“Yes, that would be nice.” As he grabbed a second cup, she asked, “Will you teach me how to make apple cider? Then I can make it for both of us each night.”

He grinned as he set the cups down. “I know wives are expected to do everything around the house, but I don’t mind doing some of the work around here. You don’t have to feel guilty. Besides, once we have more children running through here, you’ll be glad I’m not making you do all the household chores by yourself.”

Her face warmed as he filled up the cups with cider. He’d said children, implying he expected them to be together intimately many times. It would really help if she knew exactly what it was they’d be doing to get those children. What if she didn’t enjoy it? She supposed if that was the case, she’d do it anyway. Nothing could be worse than what she’d gone through back in South Carolina.

He handed her a cup. “I thought maybe we should drink these in the bedroom. Last night, we drank these on the couch, and I got called away. I know the likelihood that it would happen again is slim, but the superstitious part of me doesn’t want to take the chance.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his joke. “I think everyone has things that make them feel more comfortable. I wore my best boots all the way here, even though they were impractical. I got blisters because of it. I have a pair of comfortable boots. I’m wearing them today. But…I was wearing them when my parents announced they were going to host a ball on my birthday.” Just the memory of that day brought a smile to her face. “It was the best day of my life. They went out of their way to show me they loved me. Anyway,” she shrugged, “I wore those boots in hopes it would lead me to a good marriage.” Suddenly feeling embarrassed by the confession, she let out a nervous giggle. “I know it was silly. A pair of boots has nothing to do with something like that.”

“I don’t know,” Eric began with a smile, “I think we’re off to a good start. Don’t you?”

Despite the way her heartbeat picked up by having to further open herself up to him, she nodded. “When you forget the fact that I came to the wrong town and mistook you for the man I was supposed to marry, I’d say everything’s been going along perfectly.”

He chuckled. “Well, maybe it wasn’t really a mistake. Maybe this was the way things were supposed to be. Maybe those boots brought you to the right town and to the right man.”

“That’s one of the nicest things anyone ever said to me.”

“You’ve got a good heart. I can’t think of many people who’d take on the role of parenting an abandoned child, especially knowing life isn’t going to be easy for him.”

“I don’t know if life is easy for anyone. We all have problems we have to deal with.”

“Yes, but some have more problems than others. I just want you to know I’m going to do everything I can to make sure Caleb has a fair chance in this town.”

“I know you will. You’re every bit a gentleman.” And it was because of that, she was assured that whatever happened between them this night, she would enjoy it. “I don’t mind drinking this cider in the bedroom.”

Then, in a move that made her feel braver than she really was, she turned and went to the room, figuring he’d follow her. And she was right. She heard his footsteps on the hardwood floor. Well, as far as she was concerned, she had invited him to go through whatever they’d be doing tonight, and he had accepted the invitation.

The bedroom only contained a dresser, a bed, and her trunk, so there was nowhere to sit except one place. She settled on the bed, her heartbeat, once more, picking up. The kerosene lamp cast a soft light across the room, which offered a bit of calm. She took a drink of cider. It was just as good as it’d been last night.

Eric closed the door and sat next to her, offering her a reassuring smile. “You look nervous.”

“Do I?” Was she really that apparent?

“It’s to be expected,” he said. “We barely know each other, and we’re both coming to this room to make the marriage official.” He cleared his throat and took a drink from his cup. “If you need some time… That is, if you want to wait until you’re more comfortable with me, I’ll understand. We don’t have to consummate the marriage tonight.”

“To be honest, if I wait, I’ll only be more nervous. It’d be better if we do it now.” Then, to be sure he wanted to do this tonight, she added, “Unless you want to wait. I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready for, either.”

“Oh, I’m ready. I’ve been watching the clock ever since we had supper.”

Catching the hint of eagerness in his tone, her face flushed. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” He let out a hesitant chuckle and took another drink of cider. “But I don’t want to do anything unless you’re ready. You did say you’re ready, right?”

Despite feeling awkward, she smiled. “Yes. I don’t know what to do, though, so I hope you’ll take the lead.”

“Being a sheriff and having come across some interesting situations, I learned a lot more than I wanted to.”

“You did?”

“Drunk men—and women, for that matter—have a way of saying, and showing, more than they should. A word to the wise, don’t go into the saloon. It’s not for the faint of heart.”

She made a mental note to remember that. She had no idea what a saloon even was, but she decided not to ask. If it wasn’t a place for a lady, then she had no business asking about it anyway.

She tried to take another sip of cider, but he put his cup on the dresser, signaling he was done. Which meant he was ready to make her his wife. There was no way she could drink anything now. She started to get up so she could put the cup next to his, but he took it for her and went back to the dresser.

She took a deep breath, held it for several seconds, and released it. Her mother had recommended the technique whenever she wasn’t sure about a situation, saying it would relax her. Well, it didn’t. Not in this case. But then, being introduced to potential suitors was a lot different than being in a gentleman’s bed. All she’d had to do was dance and make conversation with the potential suitor.

Eric returned to her side and took her hand in his. “I meant what I said earlier. I think the fact that you’re here isn’t really a mistake. I think you’re here for a reason, and I’m glad you’re my wife.”

She was about to thank him for the kind words, but then he kissed her. The kiss was soft with a hint of a question in it. He was still seeking her permission to go through with this night, proving, once again, how much of a gentleman he was.

Though tentative, she responded to him, allowing him to proceed with wherever this kissing was supposed to lead. A few seconds passed when he parted his lips. Surprised, she followed suit, not realizing he’d meant to brush her tongue with his. She paused for a second, but only for a second, because the spark that traveled from her head to the tips of her toes was most intriguing. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, except that it was quite pleasant. She leaned into him and accepted him more fully into her mouth. This wasn’t so bad. If this was the kind of thing they’d be doing when in bed, she could actually look forward to it.

Eric brought his hand up to the side of her face and angled her head so that he could kiss her cheek and then her neck. As it turned out, her neck was surprisingly sensitive because more tingles raced through her. Yes, this was definitely something she could look forward to.

With his free hand, he cupped one of her breasts. The touch made her skin warm, partly from excitement but also partly from a sudden wave of shyness that made her want to pull back. It took some effort, but she managed to remain still. Being her husband, he had every right to touch her this way.

And so, she let him continue caressing her. His thumb brushed over her nipple, causing it to harden, which, for some strange reason, made the area between her legs ache in anticipation. In anticipation of what, she wasn’t sure, but there was no doubt it’d made her more aware of that area than she’d ever been before.

He brought his mouth back to hers, and this time, there was a sense of urgency in his kiss. Perhaps the change should have shocked her. She was sure it would have if he’d started out kissing her this way, but in this particular case, something in it excited her. She couldn’t say why. Well, maybe that wasn’t completely true. She suspected it had something to do with the fact that he wanted to kiss her.

He shifted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. Now this, she liked even more. She melted in his arms, and this time, she was the one whose kisses were more insistent than they’d been earlier. He groaned and continued kissing her. She lost track of time as they remained in each other’s arms, content to slowly stoke the fire that was building between them. She was sure he’d become aware of the fire before she did, but either way, it didn’t matter. The fire was something she enjoyed, and she wanted to see where it was taking her.

He encouraged her to remove her nightgown and then pulled back the blanket so she could get comfortable in the bed. As she did, he unbuttoned his shirt. She glanced away. Yes, she was married to him and could look at him, but there was no way she could bring herself to watch him as he removed his clothes.

In fact, she didn’t know if she could continue with whatever it was they were about to do if the light was on. So before he could finish unbuttoning his pants, she asked, “Would you mind if we continue with this in the dark?”

“No, of course not.” Holding his pants so they wouldn’t fall, he crossed the room to the lamp and turned the knob until it was dark.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, that was better. Now she didn’t feel quite so exposed, and she didn’t have to risk seeing him without his clothes on. Maybe in the future, she wouldn’t feel this way, but then, she’d know what to expect and that would make it much easier.

She suspected he’d be naked by the time he got into the bed with her, and sure enough, when he put his arms around her, there was nothing but bare, warm flesh pressing up against her. One part, in particular, was touching her abdomen, and it was hard, though it didn’t hurt her. She just thought it was strange something like that should be on his body. What exactly was it, and was it something she’d have to deal with?

Maybe she shouldn’t have asked him to turn the light off. It’d be nice if she knew what this thing looked like. As it was, she was left guessing. Yes, she could touch it, but there was no way she could do that. It didn’t seem like the kind of thing a lady with proper upbringing did.

He brought his lips back to hers, bringing her attention once more to the thrill of kissing him. Kissing was quickly becoming one of her favorite pastimes. Soon, the fire was back, and this time, it seemed to be sweeping over her faster.

Once again, he reached for her breasts, and without the nightgown, she was much more sensitive to his ministrations. She sighed as he explored her. This was something she could enjoy, regardless of how many times they did this. The strange ache between her legs came back.

He shifted, and his mouth left hers. He left a trail of kisses from her neck to one of her breasts while he continued fondling the other. This was even better than the way he’d made her feel while simply touching her. The contrast between the ministrations with his hand and his mouth sent more shivers through her.

Then his hand descended to the curls between her legs, and his fingers brushed a part of her that was far more sensitive than her breasts. Without meaning to, she let out a moan and lifted her hips so she could feel him brush his fingertips against her again.

Quick to pick up on this source of pleasure, he used more pressure on her sensitive nub, and once again, she instinctively let out a moan. He proceeded to continue touching her, experimenting by tracing the length of her nub and then rubbing his fingers over it in slow, circular motions. She found she preferred the latter of the two and let him know by squeezing his arm.

She lifted her hips and began rocking against his fingers, needing more of this pleasurable act, and thankfully, he was willing to oblige her. The last of her inhibitions drifted away as she gripped the bed sheet underneath her. The only thing she could do was focus on the new sensations coursing through her, all centered in that one part of her body that suddenly seemed like the most important part she had. Truly, she had no idea it was capable of such pleasure. But now that she knew this secret existed, she needed to find out where the mounting pleasure was leading.

She parted her legs further, and he slid a finger into her and then another. Yes, it felt good, but she missed the contact with his fingers. She cried out in protest, too late thinking that, as a lady, she shouldn’t complain.

Thankfully, he hadn’t seemed offended by it, for he brought his thumb to her sensitive nub and resumed his circular movements. “Is this alright?” he softly asked, the underlying tone in his voice indicating his excitement in bringing her pleasure.

“Yes,” she replied, grateful he hadn’t found her bold action displeasing. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him.

But all thoughts to that quickly vanished as he proceeded to stroke her in earnest, and all she could do was rock her hips in time with his ministrations and murmur for him to keep going. Then, all at once, she found herself at the peak, and it was then she knew what all of this had been leading to. She cried out and stilled her movements as her orgasm crashed into her. Wave after wave of pure bliss—bliss she’d never known—consumed her to the point where she couldn’t think of anything but how wonderful she felt.

By the time she relaxed, he pulled his fingers out of her and settled between her legs. He leaned forward and kissed her, his tongue sparring with hers. She barely had the energy to respond to him. Indeed, she was still lightheaded from her ascent into heaven, but she did her best to keep up with him, realizing he must still be in need of the same release he’d just given her.

The tip of the hard thing she’d felt earlier pressed between her legs. So that’s what the thing was for. He was going to put it where his fingers had just been. She ran her hands down his body, emboldened enough by his heightened state of arousal to grasp it in her hands. It was smooth and silken despite its hardness. Curious, she let her fingers trace the length of him, taking care to note what it felt like at the base and then at the tip. She ran her thumb along the slit in the tip, surprised when she felt a drop of moisture there.

He groaned and moved his hips back and forth so the length of him slid in and out of her grasp. On impulse, she grasped him more firmly in her hands to better feel him, and she was rewarded with another groan, this one louder than the first. So he liked it when she touched this part of him. Maybe when she touched him this way, it felt similar to how she’d felt when he’d stroked her between her legs. In that case, she wanted to continue with what she was doing. Maybe she could bring him to the brink of pleasure, too.

But before she could further tighten her hold on him, he stopped thrusting into her hands and pulled himself out of her grip.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked, praying that hadn’t been the case. She was already inadequate when it came to cooking and sewing. She didn’t want to be inadequate in this, too.

“No,” he was quick to assure her. He kissed her, the heat of his passion still as intense as it’d been moments earlier. “You’re doing everything right. I like it when you touch my penis. I just need to get inside you before I release my seed.”

Release his what? Before she could ask, the tip of his male hardness settled at her entrance, and he entered her. A sudden pain shot through her, and she cried out in shock. That hadn’t happened when his fingers were in her. But then, his fingers hadn’t been as thick as his… What did he call it? Oh, right. His penis.

He stilled inside of her, so she looked up at him. In the dim light, she could see his worried frown. “Did I hurt you?”

She waited for a moment to respond, choosing to gauge what was happening and how much it really had hurt. She shifted her hips. His penis was still inside her, but the initial pain had seemed to ebb somewhat.

“Move in me,” she said.

“What?”

Realizing she hadn’t been polite, she amended, “Please move inside of me.”

He did, his movement slow as he slid partly out and then back into her. This time, it didn’t hurt quite so much.

She brought her hands to his hips and encouraged him to move again. He did, and he moved more easily within her. So maybe that was it. There was the initial pain, and then things got better from there.

To test her theory, she wrapped her legs around his waist, the action allowing him to fill her completely—and more easily. “Please keep going,” she whispered.

For a moment, she thought he wasn’t going to, but then he let out a strained moan and moved inside her again. His actions were slow, perhaps even calculated as he slid almost all the way out before sliding back in.

Realizing the pain had, indeed, lessened, she whispered, “It’s alright. I feel fine now.”

And it was after this, he grew bolder in his thrusting. But even so, it wasn’t long before he grew taut and groaned, his penis throbbing within her. Shortly after this, he collapsed in her arms, spent and out of breath. He must have reached his peak. That being the case, she was happy for him.

After a minute, he lifted his head and kissed her. This time, the kiss was much like the first one he’d given her that evening: gentle and uncertain.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, caressing her cheek.

His concern warmed her heart. “I feel fine,” she replied, her voice soft in the quiet room.

“You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?”

“No. I mean it. It hurt at first, but it doesn’t anymore.”

“Good.” With a relieved sigh, he rolled off of her and gathered her into his arms. “I don’t want to do anything to hurt you.”

“I know you don’t.” She snuggled up against him until she got into a comfortable position. “I don’t think it’ll hurt next time. It must be one of those things women have to go through when they haven’t been in a gentleman’s bed before.”

“Did you like what we just did?” Eric asked.

Despite the heat rising up in her cheeks, she said, “Yes, I did. Did you?”

“Yes.” Then, with a chuckle in his voice, he added, “A lot.”

She chuckled. “I enjoyed it a lot, too.”

“Good. I want it to be something you want to do.”

“It is.”

He gave her another kiss, and from there, they fell into a comfortable silence. Before long, he drifted off to sleep. She supposed she should be tired. She’d gotten up early, and it’d been a busy day, what with making arrangements to get a bed made for Caleb, going to the doctor, and consoling Caleb. Then there was the consummation of her marriage. But sleep eluded her.

She’d made a long journey here, not knowing what to expect, and she still had to figure out how she would fit into this new life. There was still so much to learn and do. But she was happier than she’d hoped she’d be when she answered her first mail-order bride ad. She didn’t see how she could have done better than Eric. With a smile, she closed her eyes and, in due time, drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Nine

The next day, shortly after Caroline kissed Eric good-bye before he went to work, she sat with Caleb on the floor and played jackstraws with him. Halfway into the game, there was a knock at the door. Surprised, Caroline put the small stick back down. Who would be coming over here when Eric was at the jailhouse?

“I need to see who that is,” she told Caleb.

She rose to her feet and made it to the window in time for the person to knock again. She saw a lady waiting for her to open the door. The plate of cookies in the lady’s hands indicated she wanted to stay for a while and talk.

Caroline looked back at Caleb, who was watching her. “We’ll have to continue our game later. Why don’t you play with your top for a while?”

Without a word, Caleb picked up the top next to him and began playing with it.

Just as Caroline was thinking Caleb had to be one of the best behaved children she’d ever seen, the lady knocked on the door again. She hurried to the door and opened it.

“Good afternoon,” Caroline greeted.

“Hello. Are you the sheriff’s wife?” the lady asked.

Caroline suspected the lady already knew the answer to the question, but she said, “Yes. I’m Caroline Johnson.” She stepped aside and gestured for her to come in. “Please, have a seat.”

She couldn’t be sure, but she thought the lady’s eyes sparkled at the thought of sitting down and talking to her. The lady went to the kitchen table and put the plate of cookies on it. “I’m Ida Conner. My husband is Mike. He owns the butcher shop. Have you seen it?”

“I’m sure I passed it by yesterday, but I don’t remember it. So much has happened in a short period of time.” Caroline indicated for Ida to sit. “Would you like some tea?”

Ida sat down. “Actually, I prefer coffee. May I have that instead?”

Caroline hadn’t made coffee before, and Eric had helped her make tea that morning because they thought Caleb would like it. She debated whether or not to admit she didn’t know how to make coffee. It was embarrassing to have a guest over and not be able to give them what they wanted. But then, if she couldn’t make it, then what choice did she have?

Clearing her throat, Caroline ventured, “To be honest, I haven’t had a need to make coffee before. I’ve had it, but I don’t know how to make it,” she clarified. “Where I came from, we drank tea more than we did coffee.”

Ida’s eyebrows rose in interest. “Where did you come from?”

“Charleston, South Carolina.”

“I haven’t heard of Charleston.” She smiled and added, “But then, I’ve lived here my whole life. My parents took one of those wagon trains before I was born. They came from Germany. Mike’s family was on the same wagon train. Mike and I grew up together. I think we always knew we’d get married.” She patted her hair with a chuckle and then asked, “I heard you came to the wrong town. Tell me, how did you end up marrying Eric Johnson?”

Caroline glanced at the lemonade and then at the pitcher of water. It’d be terribly rude if she didn’t serve Ida something to drink. But the lady had also asked her a question, and her expression indicated she wanted Caroline to answer right away.

Caleb spun the wooden top on the floor.

“I see you brought a darling little boy with you,” Ida said. “I heard he isn’t yours.”

“Well, I didn’t give birth to him,” Caroline replied. “I found him on the way here. He had no one to take care of him. I could have put him in an orphanage, but I thought it’d be best to give him a home.” She went to the pitcher of water and poured Ida and herself a glass. “I couldn’t see putting a child in a place where he wouldn’t have a mother and father. Since I was on my way to get married, I took the chance my husband would be willing raise him, too.”

“That reminds me, how did you end up marrying the sheriff? I heard you weren’t supposed to get off at this place.”

So they were back to that question. That being the case, Caroline figured she might as well answer it. She gave Ida a glass of water then sat down across from her. “When the stagecoach stopped and the door opened, there was a handsome young gentleman expecting a mail-order bride, and I assumed I was in the right town.”

“Didn’t he tell you his name?”

“No, actually, and I didn’t think to tell him mine. Caleb got sick while on the stagecoach, and my main concern was getting him cleaned up and better so he could finally sleep.” She glanced over at Caleb and smiled. “He’s such a good-natured child.”

“Having ten children, I will say he’s unusually quiet.”

“Oh, well, I think every child is different. I know I was quieter than other children while I was growing up. I especially felt shy around those I didn’t know or when I was in a larger social gathering.”

“You had large social gatherings when you grew up?”

Caroline took a sip of her water. “It was part of growing up. My parents entertained prominent people in society.”

Ida’s eyebrows furrowed. “You’re wealthy?”

“No. Not anymore. The war took everything away.”

“But you grew up wealthy?”

“Yes.”

Ida leaned toward her in interest. “What was your life like?”

Caroline took another sip as she thought over the best way to answer her. “Well, I grew up learning how to present myself as a lady. I learned how to properly greet people, how to host a dinner party, and how to dress in order to make a good impression.” Letting out a chuckle, she added, “All were useless lessons. My life here is nothing like what it used to be. I have so much to learn about living in a place like this.”

“That must be hard for you.”

Touched by the lady’s kind tone, Caroline swallowed the lump in her throat. “I knew there would be some challenges out here, but Eric’s been so patient with me.” Again, her gaze went to Caleb. “He’s been good to both of us. Eric’s a good man. But I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that since you’ve known him longer than I have.”

“No, you certainly don’t. We’ve been very happy with him. The sheriff who was here before was awful. He didn’t care if there were fights at the bars or people shooting at each other in town. And there were other things he did that shouldn’t be mentioned in front of a child.”

Though Ida shot Caroline a pointed look that was meant to send a secret message to her, Caroline had no idea what kind of things Ida was eluding to. But rather than risk sounding stupid, she opted to nod as if she understood what Ida was telling her.

After a moment, Ida motioned to the plate of cookies. “These are for you and the dear boy.”

“Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

“I wanted to bring over something to welcome you to this town, but I wasn’t sure what you liked. I figured a child would love cookies.”

“It’s a perfect gift. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

“Would he like one?” Ida glanced over at Caleb, who seemed to focus in on the top that was spinning in front of him.

“I’ll ask.” Caroline stood up and went over to him. She knelt in front of him and smiled. “Caleb, Mrs. Conner brought some cookies over. Would you like one?”

Caleb looked up at her, but he didn’t say anything.

She bit her lower lip, not sure if she could convince him to eat one of Ida’s cookies, and she worried Ida might think he was rude if he didn’t. “Caleb,” she began, “have you had a cookie before?”

He shook his head.

“It’s a sweet treat,” she replied. “It’s like the muffins we had this morning. Did you like those muffins?”

He hesitated but nodded.

“The cookie will be like that.” She held her hand out to him. “Would you like to try one?”

He glanced at her hand and then looked over at Ida. Turning his gaze back to Caroline, he shook his head then focused on the top.

Well, there was nothing else she could do. Ida would probably be offended her gift had been turned down, but there was nothing Caroline could do about it. She couldn’t make Caleb eat something he didn’t want to. She rose to her feet and went back to Ida.

“I’m sorry,” she told Ida as she sat back in the chair. “I think he’s still full. We had a big breakfast.”

“What did you have?” Ida asked, her tone pleasant.

Relaxing since it seemed Ida hadn’t taken offense to Caleb’s refusal to eat her cookies, Caroline said, “Eric made us oatmeal, and we ate the rest of the cornbread Lois brought him shortly before Caleb and I arrived here.”

Ida’s eyebrows furrowed. “Eric made the oatmeal?”

“Well, he was teaching me how to do it. He’s a wonderful husband, don’t you think? I doubt many gentlemen would have patience for a lady who needs to learn how to cook. It makes me appreciate him all the more.”

“It sounds like you’re happy with him.”

“I am.”

“Will you write to the man you were supposed to marry and tell him what happened? Surely, he must be worried about you.”

In all the excitement over the past couple days, Caroline hadn’t even thought to do that. Ida was right, of course. Caroline owed it to him to write the missive. “Yes, I’ll let him know what happened.”

A moment of silence passed between them, and not knowing what else to do, Caroline picked up one of the cookies and gestured to the plate. “Help yourself.”

“Oh, I made lots more, so I already had some. Children gobble them up so fast it’s scary. I barely managed to get out of the house with these.”

Caroline chuckled at her joke. “Since you have ten children, I can imagine they don’t last long.” She took a bite then added, “It’s good.”

To her surprise, Ida patted her hand and stood up. “I don’t want to keep you. Having children myself, I know you’re busy with Caleb. I just wanted to welcome you here.”

Caroline put the rest of her cookie on the table and rose to her feet so she could walk Ida to the door. “That’s very kind of you.”

“Think nothing of it. Around here, we’re one big family. If you need anything, just holler.”

Caroline opened the door for her. “Thank you, and of course, I’ll be happy to help you in any way I can.”

Ida waved to Caleb and called out a cheerful good-bye before she turned and left.

As Caroline shut the door, she glanced at Caleb and said, “Well, that was nice of her. I didn’t expect someone to come by to welcome us. Would you like to continue our game of jackstraws?”

He nodded and turned toward the sticks.

***

When Caroline opened her eyes the next morning, she saw that the sun was up much higher than she’d expected. She glanced over at the spot next to her and saw Eric wasn’t there. Sitting up in bed, she struggled to get her bearings. From outside the bedroom, she heard Eric talking, and after a moment of listening to him, she realized he was talking to Caleb.

Just what time was it? She got out of bed and put on her dress. She was brushing her hair when there was a knock at the door.

“Caroline, are you awake?” Eric asked from the other side.

“Yes. I’m brushing my hair. You can come in.” Actually, he could come in whenever he wanted, but she suspected he was asking because Caleb was up.

He opened the door, and her gaze went down to the tray he was holding. On it was a vase with a flower, a glass of orange juice, and a bowl of oatmeal. “I thought I’d surprise you with breakfast in bed. Or,” he shrugged, “lunch.”

“Lunch?” she asked. “Is it that late?”

His smile softened. “It’s almost noon. I didn’t want to wake you this morning because you didn’t have much sleep last night or the night before that.”

She caught the sparkle in his eye and blushed at his meaning. Now that she knew what went on between a husband and wife in bed, she found she anticipated nighttime, but there was no way she could say that aloud. It just didn’t seem like the kind of thing a lady would admit.

“Since Jerry agreed to handle any issues that come up in town, I thought I’d let you sleep in and serve you lunch in bed,” Eric said. “After that, we’ll go to Abe’s place, and I’ll introduce you to Phoebe.”

“I’m sure I’ll have a lovely time,” she told him as she finished pinning her hair up. She went over to the bed and settled on it. If he went through all this work just for her, she wouldn’t say no. “Do you really think she’ll be willing to help me learn how to cook so you don’t have to make the meals all the time?”

“I’m sure she will.” He placed the tray in her lap and gave her a kiss. “And if she doesn’t, I’ll ask Lois if she’d be willing to help you. I just think you’ll enjoy spending time with her more than Lois.”

“Well, the people in this town have been very kind. After Ida Conner stopped by, Lois came over to give us those rolls and two loaves of bread. First, I got to marry you, and we have such a sweet boy to raise. Then the people in this town are coming by to make Caleb and me feel welcome. When I left South Carolina, I was so scared. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. So many scenarios went through my mind.”

“Really?” He sat beside her. “What kind of scenarios?”

She shrugged and dipped her spoon into the oatmeal. “Silly things now that I think about it.”

With a playful nudge in her side, he encouraged, “If you can’t tell me, who can you tell?”

“Alright,” she relented. “I imagined all sorts of things, but the one that gave me the greatest pause was the thought the gentleman had lied to me in his missive. I thought, what if he was a lot older? I know some ladies prefer older gentlemen, but I had no desire to end up with someone who could be my father’s age. Then I thought, what if he had a lot of children he didn’t tell me about? I don’t mean just one or two. I imagined he might have ten or more, and he was too afraid to tell me because I wouldn’t make the trip to marry him. And then I thought he might be an outlaw looking for a lady to join him and help him rob banks.”

The last comment made Eric laugh. “An outlaw?”

Chuckling, she said, “It was a slight possibility.”

He leaned toward her and kissed her. “You ended up with a childless sheriff instead. I’d say you’re safe.”

She giggled. “Yes, I am.”

“I’ll leave you in peace to eat your lunch. I promised Caleb I’d show him the livery stable. I have a horse there. Lois said I could borrow her buggy.”

“That’s nice of her.”

“Yes, it is. Lois has always been that way.” After giving her one more kiss, he got off the bed. “We should be back in a half hour, give or take a few minutes.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Smiling, he left the room.

Chapter Ten

Eric caught the sound of metal pieces clanging together as he led the buggy onto Abe’s property.

“What was that?” Caroline asked, instinctively pulling Caleb closer to her.

“Abe set up a warning system so he’d know whenever someone came on his land,” Eric replied. “Don’t worry. You have nothing to worry about. It’s just a safety measure.”

“Why would he need it?” she asked. “There’s not a war happening here.”

“Not a war like the kind you experienced, but Abe has some enemies.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Why?”

Noting her apprehension, he pulled the reins and waited for the horse to stop before he turned to face her. He rubbed her shoulder and gave both her and Caleb a reassuring smile. “Abe’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. The problem is that he’s half-Indian. There are some people who have trouble with that, and they aren’t shy about letting him know it.”

“Oh.” Her gaze went to Caleb.

He could only guess what was going through her mind. She’d grown up on a plantation, and he was aware of how the people in that area viewed people with dark skin. They were no more than property to them. He’d also heard some of the slave owners slept with the slaves, and he imagined the struggles those children faced were similar to what Abe went through.

He rubbed her shoulder. “The more friends Abe has, the better. And he’s a good, honest man. You can trust him.”

She relaxed. “If you like him, I have no doubt I will, too.”

He looked at Caleb. So many times he couldn’t figure out what the boy was thinking, but he was sure the boy had a lot of feelings and thoughts to sort through. He had a suspicion Abe might be able to understand Caleb more than either he or Caroline could.

Turning back to the path ahead of him, he urged the horse forward. Soon, the trees gave way to a clearing with a cabin and barn. Both Abe and Phoebe were in the doorway of the barn, watching for the person who was coming on their land. As soon as Abe saw Eric, he said something to Phoebe then put away the rifle he’d been holding.

Eric glanced at Caroline and Caleb, hoping they didn’t notice Abe’s rifle. He couldn’t blame Abe for being careful, especially given what Benny and Gene had done. But he didn’t want to alarm Caroline or Caleb, either. Neither Abe nor Phoebe were violent people, and he’d hate to give the two people sitting next to him that impression. Fortunately, Caroline and Caleb didn’t seem afraid of them.

As the buggy came up to the barn, Abe and Phoebe came over to them. “Is this your new wife?” Abe asked.

“New? I never had an old one,” Eric joked.

“Oh, you know what Abe meant,” Phoebe replied, a chuckle in her voice. She looked at Caroline. “It’s nice to meet you, Allie.”

“Actually, this is Caroline,” Eric said. “And this,” he patted the boy on the back, “is Caleb.”

Abe’s gaze lingered on Caleb. Eric was sure the man had a lot of questions about him, especially given the fact that Caroline was white.

“Allie never showed up,” Eric told them. “I don’t know what happened to her. But Caroline and I figured it was fate since she arrived instead, and she brought this fine young boy with her.”

“Yes,” Caroline added. “He didn’t have anyone to take care of him, and since he was willing to come with me, I thought I’d bring him here and give him a home.”

Abe’s lips curled up into a smile. “Well, I can’t think of anyone who’d make a better father than Eric.”

Surprised by the compliment, Eric thanked him. It wasn’t often Abe chose to say good things about anyone, so he didn’t take the nice words for granted.

“Does Caleb like pie?” Phoebe asked Caroline.

Caroline looked at Caleb. “Would you like to eat some pie?”

With a nod, Caleb climbed out of the buggy.

Caroline’s eyes widened, and she whispered to Eric, “He wouldn’t eat any of Ida’s cookies. I wonder why he’s in a hurry to eat Phoebe’s pie.”

“Maybe he likes pies more than he likes cookies,” Eric reasoned.

“Maybe,” she replied, but there was an underlying tone in her voice that hinted she wasn’t convinced of it.

He got out of the buggy and hurried over to her side. As he helped her out, he squeezed her hand. He couldn’t resist the urge to be affectionate whenever the chance allowed, and this was one of those simple ways to sneak in a silent message that he was happy he ended up with her. She graced him with one of her smiles, indicating her agreement.

When he first saw her, he didn’t think he’d fall in love with her. She wasn’t the beauty he’d expected. But she had a charm about her that was very attractive.

“Would you men like to join us?” Phoebe asked Eric and Abe.

“Actually, I’d like a moment to talk to Abe, if that’s alright,” Eric replied, glancing at Abe.

Abe nodded. “It’s fine with me.”

“We’ll bring out a slice of pie for you in a bit then,” Phoebe said then gestured for Caroline and Caleb to come with her. “My mother will be happy to meet you,” she told them as they walked to the cabin.

Eric waited until they were out of earshot before turning to Abe. “How have things been since Gene and Benny were here?”

“Good,” Abe replied. “Phoebe and her mother are still shaken up about it, but I don’t think there’s any way out of that.”

“No, I don’t think there is,” Eric agreed. “It’s enough when we have to deal with those types. It’s even worse when women do. You think they’ll be alright?”

“Phoebe’s got the spirit of a Cherokee in her. I have no doubt she’ll be fine. Her mother has inner strength, too. I’ve been teaching them how to use a gun in case they need to defend themselves. When people know how to protect themselves, they don’t have as much fear as those who don’t.”

“I can’t argue that one.” Eric crossed his arms and glanced at the cabin. The women and Caleb had gone inside, leaving them alone. “I had Gene’s body burned as you wanted.”

“Thank you.”

“Benny’s funeral will be this evening. I talked to his brother, and he understands I had no choice but to shoot him.”

Even though Benny was trying to shoot him, Eric still hated the fact that he had to kill him. But it was what it was. Not everyone wanted to live peaceably with others. Eric knew he’d have to make some hard choices when he became sheriff, but he hadn’t realized some of those choices had to be made within a second or two. Everything had happened so fast that night. He was still trying to piece everything together.

“Hopefully,” Eric continued, “you won’t have to go through anything like that again.”

“I’d be more worried about Caleb,” Abe replied. “People around here aren’t open to accepting anyone who’s different.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that, but I came here to make a difference. Maybe the best way to do that is by leading by example. How can I make things better if I’m not willing to be a father to a boy who isn’t like everyone else around here?”

“I see what you’re saying, and it sounds good, but you have to know it’s not as simple as you make it sound. There’s going to be a lot of hardships along the way.”

“That’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you. Is there anything I can say or do to make things easier for Caleb?”

“You’re married to Caroline. That’s a start. It’s harder to face the world when you’re the result of an adulterous relationship.” He paused then asked, “You don’t know anything about his parentage?”

“No. And when Caroline or I ask about his past, he doesn’t say anything. Caroline says sometimes he stares at the ceiling and cries. Obviously, whatever happened to him was traumatic. We’re afraid to push him too hard. There’s a danger he’ll retreat further into his shell.”

“You can’t get him to talk until he’s ready, and there’s a possibility he won’t ever tell you some of the things he’s been through. Some things are too painful to share with someone else. Just accept him as he is and be willing to stand up for him. The worst thing anyone can feel is that they’re all alone.”

Eric nodded. Abe was right.

“If you want,” Abe began in a thoughtful tone, “you can teach him to ride a horse. Maybe it would help him open up if he did something with you. You know, as father and son.”

“That’s a good idea. Do you mind if I bring him out for the first lesson? I think you two have a lot in common, and it might help him to be around someone he has something in common with.”

“Sure. Bring him out, and we’ll do his first lesson.”

“Will do.” Eric glanced at the cabin. “I can help you with any chores. I know the women wouldn’t mind if I went in there, but I think it would be nice if they got a chance to talk alone.”

Abe chuckled. “You wouldn’t be interested in what they’ll talk about anyway. I get tired of listening to Phoebe and her mother go on and on about prettying up the cabin and what kind of patterns to use when they sew clothes.”

“When you put it that way, I definitely want to stay out here. Give me something to do so I have an excuse to avoid listening to them.”

With another chuckle, Abe led him into the barn.

***

“He’s a good looking boy,” Phoebe whispered.

“Yes, and he’s well behaved,” Caroline replied.

She and Caroline washed the dishes while Phoebe’s mother talked to him on the couch. Caroline didn’t know if he was interested in hearing all about the trip she and Phoebe had made from Ohio, but that was the topic her mother chose to talk about.

“I wish we had something for him to play with,” Phoebe said. “Abe and I don’t have any children yet.”

“I think the pie worked just fine. He had no trouble eating it.” Which was strange since he hadn’t bothered eating any of Ida’s cookies. Caroline wasn’t sure what to make of it. Was it really because he didn’t like cookies, or was there something else to it? She accepted the last dish Phoebe washed and dried it with a dishtowel. “Do you have any cookies?”

“What kind?”

“Any kind.”

“We have some with a bit of apples in them.”

“May I give one to Caleb?”

With a nod, Phoebe went over to the cookie jar and took out a couple. “You can have the rest. We didn’t have many left, and Ma and I were thinking of making more.”

“Thank you.”

Caroline was sure Phoebe was wondering why she asked for cookies, but she didn’t know how to explain it to Phoebe. Something gnawing in Caroline’s gut told her the cookies represented something important.

When the Union soldiers came to her home, she hadn’t acted on instinct. She and her mother should have hidden right away. She hadn’t believed gentlemen would harm a lady, even if they were on warring sides, but they came with the intent of harming her. When her mother tried to stop them, they killed her. Had it not been for Bee’s adult sons chasing the Union soldiers off, Caroline knew she’d be dead right now.

So this was one time when she was going to listen to her gut instinct. She approached Caleb and waited for Phoebe’s mother to stop talking before she showed him the cookies. “Would you like a cookie?” she asked him.

Caleb’s gaze went to the cookies, and for a moment, Caroline thought he wouldn’t take one. But then he scooted off the couch and accepted one. He took a bite and then took the other two before he returned to the couch, settling next to Phoebe’s mother.

Huh. Well, that was a curious thing. He didn’t seem to have any trouble with cookies. He hadn’t even asked what kind they were, so he obviously wasn’t picky about which ones he ate.

“I’m afraid the poor boy won’t have much of an appetite tonight,” Phoebe’s mother said, chuckling as she patted his back. “Though you are a growing boy. I remember my son had these spurts where he’d eat everything he could get his hands on. It was hard to keep up with him. Thankfully, Phoebe was a girl. Girls don’t eat nearly as much.”

Phoebe grinned and came over to them. “Caroline, my brother still lives back in Ohio. He has a family of his own now.”

“Yes,” Phoebe’s mother added, a wistful tone in her voice. “Children grow up so fast. We have to enjoy them while they’re still young.” Again, she patted Caleb’s back.

Caroline watched as Caleb ate the second cookie without any hesitation on his part. What was it about Ida’s cookies that bothered him?

“Would you like to see the property?” Phoebe asked Caroline and Caleb.

“I would,” Caroline replied. She’d only seen the barn and garden next to it on her way in, but she was curious about the rest of the place. “Caleb, would you like to come along while Phoebe shows me around?”

Caleb nodded, slid off the couch without dropping the cookies, and went over to them.

“You want to come, Ma?” Phoebe asked.

“No. I’ll let you two take him. I think I’ll get started on another batch of cookies. Seeing as how much Caleb likes them, I want to send you home with some,” she told Caroline.

“Oh, you don’t have to go through the trouble,” Caroline said. “You’ve already given us so much.”

“I’m happy to do it,” her mother insisted.

“She is,” Phoebe assured Caroline. “She misses cooking for her grandchildren.”

“Speaking of cooking,” Caroline began, figuring this was a good time to make her request, “I was wondering if either of you would be willing to teach me how to make meals.” Her face warmed at having to admit her inadequacies, but she had to if she ever wanted to be the kind of wife Eric deserved. “I grew up on a plantation where slaves did it for me. I also don’t have any idea how to make clothes, so if you wouldn’t mind lending me a hand in that area as well, I’d be ever so grateful.”

“Of course, we’d love to teach you what we know,” Phoebe replied.

“We sure would,” her mother added. “If anything, it’d give us an excuse to have you over more often.”

Caroline relaxed. “I’ll have to pay you back for your kindness.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Phoebe said. “We’re just happy Eric got a good wife. Even if it wasn’t the one he was expecting, it seems to have worked out wonderfully, and after all he’s done for us, it’d be our way of thanking him.”

Touched, Caroline smiled. “Thank you.”

Caroline had missed her friends as they left one by one to seek their futures as mail-order brides. There were some things a lady could only share with another lady. While she was thrilled to be with Eric, she was glad he’d introduced her to Phoebe. She had a feeling they would become good friends in the years to come. Again, she was thankful to Bee for encouraging her to take a chance on the unknown by answering a mail-order bride ad.

Chapter Eleven

It wasn’t until the next day that Eric noticed people were looking at him different than they usually did. He became aware of it when he left the jailhouse to go to a man’s house to intervene on behalf of a squabble he was having with his neighbor.

Halfway to the house, he came across Mike and Jerry, who were having another one of their arguments.

“All your wife does is cause trouble,” Jerry told Mike. “If it was me, I’d tie her to a chair and forbid her to leave the house.”

“I don’t appreciate you talking about Ida that way,” Mike replied, crossing his arms. “She happens to be curious, that’s all.”

“Curious? She’s downright nosy. She has no right butting her nose into other people’s lives. Who cares how people want to live? That’s up to them. We have no right to pass judgment on them. Your wife is worse than a snake in the Garden of Eden.”

Mike gasped. “Oh yeah? At least my wife doesn’t sound like a flock of ailing geese when she laughs.”

“Her laugh isn’t that bad.”

“No? Then why do my children want to know if there’s a wounded animal whenever she cackles?”

Jerry let out a huff. “If you weren’t my brother, I’d punch you out for that.”

“Oh? Just like I should be punching you for comparing my wife to the devil?”

It was at this point Eric passed them, and it was then that the two grew abnormally quiet. Eric slowed his steps and glanced their way. Both men quickly looked away from him. Before Eric could ask them what was wrong, they hurried off in opposite directions.

That was odd enough as it was because those two had never stopped arguing just because he was around.

But then when he was settling the dispute between the two neighbors who couldn’t agree on where one’s property ended and the other’s began, a group of kids were passing by, and the kids stopped to stare at Eric.

Eric stopped talking to the men and looked over at them.

One of the boys whispered to his companions. The children all giggled and then hurried off.

Then, as Eric was heading back to the jailhouse, he happened to pass Hank and his friend as they sat outside the general store. Since he was coming up behind them, they didn’t see him coming, and had it not been for the fact that both men were over sixty and had bad hearing, they might not have said as much as they did. But when Eric heard Hank say his name, he slowed his steps and listened to them.

“If it was me,” Hank was telling his friend, “I’d set my wife straight. A woman’s job is to take care of the man. Eric needs to put his foot down and demand she do her part.”

“Come on,” his friend replied. “She just got here. You can’t expect her to do everything all at once.”

“Sure I can. Every woman needs to know the basics. It’s her duty. She wasn’t raised right. I don’t know what’s wrong with the younger generation. They don’t understand the correct order of things. The day a woman can dictate what a man does is the day we’re doomed as a country.”

“Marriage is more complicated than that,” his friend replied. “But you wouldn’t know that since you never married.”

Eric stepped in front of them. They gasped, and Hank put his hand over his heart. “Goodness, Sheriff. You’re going to give an old man a heart attack.”

“Yeah,” his friend agreed. “Why did you sneak up on us like that?”

“I think a better question is why you’re talking about me and my wife,” Eric said. “What do you mean about me needing to put my foot down?”

Hank’s face went bright red, and he bolted to his feet, a surprising feat for a man who claimed to have all sorts of strange illnesses Eric had never heard of. “I just remembered something I got to do.”

“Me, too,” his friend said, unable to get up as fast as Hank had, though it wasn’t from lack of trying.

“Oh no you don’t,” Eric protested, jumping in front of them as they turned to head off down the road. “This involves me and my wife, and because of that, I have a right to know.”

“If you want to know, then go ask Ida. She’s the one who’s been spreading the rumors,” Hank’s friend said.

“Rumors? What rumors?” Eric asked.

Hank pointed at him. “That’s what you’re supposed to ask her.”

“Why do that when I can ask you both?” Eric demanded while they went around him.

“We don’t have time to talk, Sheriff,” Hank called out as they shuffled down the road as fast as their age allowed.

Eric had no trouble keeping up with them. “Make time.”

“We haven’t done anything wrong,” Hank replied. “Talking isn’t a crime. We have a right to express our opinions.”

“Freedom of speech,” his friend agreed. “It’s in the Constitution.”

“And I have the freedom to hear it,” Eric argued.

“Sorry, Sheriff, but we have a right to privacy, too,” Hank replied.

“This isn’t right, and you know it,” Eric snapped. “If someone’s going to say something bad about a man and his wife, that man should know about it.”

“Oh, Sheriff, you sure are naïve about the way the world works,” Hank said.

Eric couldn’t be sure, but he thought he detected a chuckle in Hank’s voice. He stopped following them. They weren’t going to give him an honest answer, and because of that, it was pointless to waste his time. But he could leverage his position in this town.

“Next time either of you need my assistance because one of the children are too loud when they’re playing, don’t come to me,” Eric called out after them. “You’ll just have to deal with it!”

Unfortunately, he didn’t get the satisfaction of having either man respond to his threat. Gritting his teeth, Eric headed on home. Maybe Caroline knew what was going on.

***

As it turned out, Caroline was blissfully unaware of everything as she and Caleb made their way to the post office. Eric had told her it was located in the general store. “Once you get into the store, go to the left,” Eric had instructed. “You’ll need to go past the fabrics, but you can’t miss it.” So she had no trouble finding the little alcove inside the store.

A gentleman came over to her. “Do you have something you need to mail out?”

“Yes, sir,” she said.

She showed him two envelopes. One contained a missive to Bee, updating her on how everything was going. Bee couldn’t read, but one of her sons could, and he’d read the missive to her. The other envelope contained the missive she’d written to Charles Dunwick explaining why she hadn’t made it to Georgetown. Hopefully, he’d understand. At the very least, he’d know she wasn’t coming and could post for another mail-order bride.

“The stagecoach will be here in two days,” he said.

“That’ll be fine,” she replied.

“Do you have the money to pay for this, or should I bill your husband?”

“Do you know who my husband is?”

The corners of his lips turned up into a smile. “Ma’am, around here, everyone knows everything about everyone. And if you don’t, they will soon enough. You’re Sheriff Johnson’s mistaken mail-order bride.”

Was that what people were calling her? She returned his smile, though she wasn’t sure how she felt about being called a mistaken mail-order bride. Yes, coming here had been a mistake, but she didn’t know if she’d refer to the marriage itself as a mistake. Forcing a polite good-bye, she led Caleb out of the general store.

As they headed toward their home, she came across a group of ladies. They all turned their gazes to her, so she offered a polite greeting. One lady scanned her up and down as if she found something wrong with her. Caroline’s steps slowed, but the ladies all turned back to each other and hurried away from her. Only one glanced back, and when she did, she shook her head in disapproval.

Caroline frowned. What was that about?

Caleb wrapped his hand around hers, drawing her attention to him. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she detected sympathy in his eyes. What a curious thing. For a child, he seemed to pick up on much more than a lot of adults did.

“All I know is that I couldn’t be married to her,” came a gentleman’s voice. “I can’t help but feel bad for the sheriff.”

She turned her head in the direction where he’d spoken and saw he was coming out of the boot repair shop, a gentleman following behind. She urged Caleb into the doorway of the next shop and hid from the two gentlemen.

“Maybe the sheriff didn’t have a choice,” the other gentleman said.

“Oh, he had a choice,” the first gentleman replied. “He should have waited for the right woman to come in. I mean, Caroline doesn’t know how to do anything. She sits around all day and lets him wait on her hand and foot. Ida said she won’t even take the time to learn how to do the things a wife ought to do, like she’s better than everyone else.”

“That’s how those people are from plantations. They had slaves, you know. They think everyone exists to serve them.”

“Well, she’s useless out here, and what’s worse, she brought that bastard kid with her. Like we need another bastard in this town.”

The two gentlemen passed by, and thankfully, they didn’t look in her or Caleb’s direction.

“She’s made a fool of the sheriff,” the first one said.

“I don’t know whether to feel sorry for him or not,” the second one replied. “I mean, he comes off as knowing what he’s doing. Maybe he wants this.”

“Or maybe he feels bound to help her. She’s not all that smart if she got off in the wrong town. It wouldn’t be so bad if she was better looking. At least then Eric would have a reason to want to do everything for her.”

From there, they turned down another road, so she was free to step out into the road. She made sure no one else was nearby before she urged Caleb to head on home with her. It wasn’t far away, but it seemed to take forever to reach the small cabin that had become the only sanctuary in the entire town.

When they finally got there, she opened the door and let Caleb in before she slipped into the home. She glanced out the window to see if anyone had seen them. This was foolish. It didn’t matter if anyone saw them or not. They’d still be talking about her in the most unflattering way possible.

She didn’t understand it. She’d thought her visit with Ida Conner had been a good one. What had she said or done to upset the lady?

She ran through the conversation they’d shared, and she couldn’t think of a single thing she’d done wrong. She’d behaved properly, doing everything her parents would have instructed her to do. So why did Ida find it necessary to spread such horrible rumors about her?

“Caroline?” Caleb softly asked.

Turning her gaze from the window, she was surprised to see Caleb standing next to her, looking up at her with compassion in his eyes.

It was then the tears came. She quickly moved away from the window, in case anyone saw her—and knew they could hurt her with their words. Under no circumstance would she allow them to see her break down and cry.

“People only have power over you if they can see they can get to you,” is what Bee had said.

And the last thing Caroline was going to do was let them get power over her.

But that didn’t mean the words didn’t sting. She collapsed on the couch and placed her face in her hands. She’d been raised a lady. She was going to have to act like she hadn’t heard anything. That was the only way she was going to be able to face those people. Otherwise, she’d have to hide in this cabin for the rest of her life, and she knew that wasn’t an option.

She felt a hand touch her shoulder. Not wishing for Caleb to see her cry, she took a couple deep breaths to hold her tears at bay. She had to think of him. Whatever happened to her, it didn’t matter. She needed to be strong for him.

When she trusted herself to remain calm, she looked up from her hands, once again surprised that someone so young should seem older than his years.

“Ida’s not nice,” Caleb said.

Her eyebrows furrowed. Caleb had said so little up to now she hadn’t expected him to say something like this. She thought maybe when he felt comfortable with her, he’d tell her something about his past. But instead, he’d chosen this time to speak up.

Then she recalled the day Ida came over and how Caleb wouldn’t eat one of her cookies. “Caleb,” she began, “did you know Ida was bad when she was here?”

He nodded.

“How?” she asked. Because she’d believed Ida was nice. Nothing had warned her to be wary of her.

“Don’t know,” he said. “Just did.”

“What about Abe and Phoebe? What did you think of them?”

“They’re nice.”

He’d had no trouble eating Phoebe’s cookies, she recalled. “Well, you have a wonderful gift,” she told him. “I wish I knew who I could trust. It’d make life a lot easier.”

“You’re nice,” Caleb said. “Eric’s nice, too.”

This time when her eyes brimmed with tears, it was for a pleasant reason. She wrapped him in her arms and gave him a long hug. Usually, he wouldn’t hug her back, but today, he put his arms around her and returned her hug.

“You’re such a sweet boy,” she whispered. “Eric and I will do everything we can to give you a good life. I promise.”

He didn’t respond, but then, he didn’t need to. He’d already done so much for her. Of all the things that had happened since she got here, this was one of the nicest ones, and it’d happened in a way she’d least expected.

Chapter Twelve

When Eric came home, he found Caroline at the cookstove, the pot boiling over and smoke billowing up to the ceiling. She was trying to pick up the pot with the edges of her sleeves, but this, of course, wasn’t working very well.

Leaving the door open, he ran over to her and took the dishtowels off the hook. “I got it,” he told her.

She stepped away from him and allowed him to take the pot off the cookstove for her. He dumped it into the sink then ran over to the window and waved the smoke toward it. She hurried over to the door and shut it. She collapsed, her back pressed against it. Her face was bright red, and sweat made the strands of hair that had fallen out of her bun cling to her neck.

Once the smoke dissipated enough so he didn’t keep coughing, he went over to her, noting the embarrassed expression on her face.

“I thought you were going to wait until we went to Phoebe’s tomorrow before attempting to cook anything,” he said, making sure he used a gentle tone so as not to embarrass her further.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead, her gaze lowering to the floor. “I know, but I’d already watched you make soup and thought maybe this time I could do it.”

“This time?”

“I wasn’t successful with it back in South Carolina, either,” she admitted.

Despite the situation, he chuckled. “In that case, why don’t I make the soup? You can do everything else. That is, unless there’s something else you’ve been known to burn in the past.” He said the last part as a joke to let her know he wasn’t upset by the mishap.

As he hoped, her lips curled up into a shy smile. “I haven’t attempted anything but soup. I don’t know what will happen when I do something else.”

He took her hand and led her over to the couch. Glancing around, he noticed the door to Caleb’s room was closed. “Is he taking a nap?”

“Yes. I thought I’d take the time to try cooking something while he wasn’t around to see it.” She shrugged. “In case it didn’t work.”

He urged her to sit on the couch next to him and put his arm around her shoulders. “What started this whole thing? You know I don’t mind cooking until you learn, and even then, I don’t mind making meals from time to time.”

“I know. You’ve been very kind to me.”

“So why did you try to make soup?”

She let out a heavy sigh and adjusted the skirt so it spread out neatly around her legs. “Remember what I told you about Ida Conner coming here for a visit?”

He nodded.

“Well,” she cleared her throat, “as it turns out, the visit wasn’t as pleasant as I thought it’d been.”

“Why not? Did she say something to you when she was here?”

“No. She was very nice the entire time she was here. It was what happened after she was here that’s the problem.”

“What happened?”

“She’s telling people all about her visit over here, but she’s adding things I never said.”

“Like what?” he coaxed.

“Oh, she’s saying things like I expect you to wait on me as if you were one of my slaves. She thinks that’s why I let you do the cooking. I told her I was going to learn, and you’ve done me a great kindness in making the meals.” She turned her eyes toward him, her expression pleading with him to tell her the truth, even if she wouldn’t like it. “You don’t think I expect you to do the cooking, do you?”

“Of course not,” he assured her. “I don’t feel like I have to do anything around here I don’t want to do. It’s just going to take you time to adjust to your new life, that’s all.”

“Because I’m too stupid to adapt quickly?”

“No.” Where was this coming from? He’d never once said she was stupid. He hadn’t even thought it. “Why would you call yourself stupid?”

“I did get off at the wrong town, and then I burned something as simple as soup.” She gestured to the cookstove. “And soup is supposed to be one of the easiest things a person can make.”

“I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you just made some mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“Like you did when you married me?”

His eyes grew wide. Was Ida saying that, too?

“They’re calling me your mistaken mail order bride,” she said, looking down at her hands which were folded in her lap. “And they’re right. You were supposed to be with Allison, and I was supposed to be with Charles.”

“Allison didn’t show up. Are they calling her my no-show mail-order bride?”

“I haven’t heard anyone mention her.”

Of course, Ida hadn’t. There wasn’t enough juicy gossip for her to sink her teeth into over that one! No, Ida had chosen another angle. He should have known something was up when Caroline told him Ida came by. It only went to prove how gullible he was when he assumed Ida had a genuine desire to welcome Caroline to the town.

Now all those stares and snickers he’d noticed made sense. The townsfolk were busy making up all kinds of lies about his marriage, and none of it was flattering his wife. She was such a sweet, trusting soul. The war hadn’t hardened her as it might have hardened other women. In fact, the war had made her more compassionate. It was probably why she felt compelled to take an orphan under her wing.

“Caroline,” he began as he took one of her hands in his, “I don’t agree with what Ida’s saying. I think you’re a wonderful wife. Remember when I said everything happened for a reason?”

Her eyes met his, and he detected a spark of hope in them. Maybe she needed to hear him reassure her that he didn’t regret how things turned out. And he didn’t. He certainly didn’t mind telling her that if that’s what she needed to hear.

He brushed her cheek with his free hand. “I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe in fate. I think those stagecoach drivers let you off here in this town because this is where you’re supposed to be. I believe I was there that day waiting for Allison because I was supposed to be there when you arrived. Just as you were there when Caleb needed an understanding and kind woman to give him a home. It all happened because it’s meant to be.”

A tear slid down her cheek, so he leaned forward and kissed it away. “I know this is easier said than done, but try not to let what Ida’s saying bother you. It doesn’t matter what she thinks. What matters is what we think.”

“I know. People will think whatever they want, and there’s nothing I can do to change it. I learned that when the Union soldiers came. I know some people in the North had an unfavorable view of people in the South.”

“People like yourself?” he softly asked.

“Not all of us were the way they made us out to be. In some ways, the slaves were like family, especially after the war devastated our land. I didn’t see them as being beneath me like the Union soldiers thought.”

“Like you don’t think I’m beneath you even though Ida thinks you do?” he guessed.

She nodded. “One of the slaves…Bee…took care of me and a couple of my friends after the war. Her sons protected us. Some people couldn’t understand why they stayed and helped us.”

Her eyes filled with tears, so she took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes.

“Bee said she’d been there when I was born, had watched me grow up with my friends, and felt as if we were a part of her family,” she continued. “She told them it wasn’t the color of a person’s skin that connected people. It was how they cared for one another.” She took a deep breath and continued, “After my parents and brother died, she took over as my mother, and her sons treated me as their sister.”

“What happened to your parents and brother?”

“My father and brother joined the war. They thought the war would be over quickly, and never in my wildest dreams did I think they’d die. My brother was shot in the field. My father lost his leg. He soon came down with an infection, and shortly after that, he died.”

“And your mother?” he whispered.

Again, she had to wipe the tears away. “Union soldiers came. They wanted our food, and when they saw me, they wanted to—”

Her voice choked, and he pulled her into his arms. He rubbed her back. They hadn’t taken advantage of her. That much he knew because she’d been a virgin on their wedding night. “Your mother stopped them before they could touch you,” he said for her.

“And paid for it with her life,” she added. Though her voice was soft, there were tears in her voice.

“I’m sorry, Caroline.”

It seemed to him the world was full of injustice, whether it was the slaves he’d helped to free, or Abe who’d been an outcast in this town for reasons he had no control over, or Caroline who’d had to grow up much too fast because of a war she didn’t ask for, or Caleb who seemed to come out of nowhere.

Well, he didn’t become a sheriff so he could sit by and let people make things worse for those who’d already suffered enough. He came here to make a difference. And he’d do it no matter what it took.

“I’m going to have a talk with Ida,” he told Caroline. “I’m not going to let her go around telling people things about you that aren’t true.” It was enough the woman felt the need to blab the details of the stagecoach dropping Caroline off that day. She didn’t need to be distorting things on top of it.

“I’ve dealt with people like Ida before,” Caroline said as she pulled away from him. She brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes, and he couldn’t help but notice her face wasn’t quite so flushed anymore. “I should have known what I was dealing with when she came here, especially when Caleb wouldn’t eat one of her cookies.”

“I thought we decided Caleb didn’t like cookies.”

“He does like them. He ate the ones Phoebe made.”

Eric’s eyebrows furrowed. “He did?”

“In all the excitement of the day, I forgot to tell you. But that’s not important. What is important is that Caleb didn’t eat Ida’s cookies because he didn’t trust her. I asked him how he knew, and he couldn’t explain it. He said he just knew she was bad. I think he’s an unusually perceptive child.”

“It certainly seems like it.” He offered her a smile. “He came all the way up here with you. I’d say that proves you’re not the kind of person Ida’s making you out to be.”

“I thought of that while I was making the soup.”

“And?”

“And it made me feel better about everything.”

“Good.” He kissed her. “Now, I have to teach Ida a lesson. I think she’s spread enough rumors.”

He hadn’t realized just how harmful rumors could be until today, but he was going to put a stop to this nonsense.

“What are you going to do?” Caroline asked as he rose to his feet.

“I’m not sure yet, but when I do, I’ll let you know.” Noting the confusion on her face, he gave her another kiss. “Don’t make any more soup while I’m away,” he teased.

As he hoped, she chuckled. “I don’t think there’s any danger of that.”

“We’ll have sandwiches tonight. It’s nothing fancy, but it’ll do the job.”

“I think I might be able to handle those.”

“I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we make them together?”

Returning his smile, she agreed.

Feeling better for her sake, he headed back out of the house, his mind already going through the possible things he might do to teach Ida a lesson once and for all.

Chapter Thirteen

Eric strode up the pathway to Ida’s house. A couple of her children were playing in the grass. The nine-year-old ran into him by accident, and Eric caught him just in time to prevent him from falling.

“Sorry, Sheriff,” the boy said.

“It’s alright, Abner,” he replied. “I know you weren’t trying to run into me.” He patted the boy on the shoulder. “Is your mother here?”

“No.”

The eleven-year-old came over to him. “Ma’s at Auntie Liz’s.”

Just as Eric was about to thank him and head on over to Liz’s house, Mike came out of the house, carrying an axe on his way to cut some wood.

“Mike,” Eric called out as he hurried over to him.

Mike turned to face him. “What is it?”

“What has Ida been saying about Caroline?”

Mike’s face went red, and he glanced down at the ground. “Oh, you know how Ida is. She mishears things.”

“Mishears things?” Is that how Mike justified his wife’s tendency to spread gossip—even when it wasn’t true?

“You shouldn’t pay her any mind. No one believes what she says. They know she exaggerates. Really, it’s harmless.”

“Great. Then tell me what she told you.”

Mike glanced at him as if he was daft for even making the suggestion.

“If you think it’s harmless, you won’t mind telling me,” Eric said.

“What’s the point of this? It’s not going to change anything.”

“Oh yes, it will. I’m going to put your wife in jail for one night.”

Mike’s jaw dropped, and this time, he had no trouble maintaining eye contact with him. “You can’t put her in prison for gossiping.”

“Why not? Ida came into my home under false pretenses. Caroline believed she was there to welcome her to this place, and more than that, Caroline thought she’d made a new friend. Never once did Ida let her know she was going to take everything Caroline told her and lie about it. You and Ida might think this kind of thing is harmless, but it’s not. Everything Ida’s been saying has been hurting Caroline’s reputation. That’s defamation of character, and I won’t stand for it in my town. Ida telling people Caroline came here by accident when the stagecoach stopped here is one thing. That’s true, and there were witnesses to attest to it. But Ida telling them Caroline thinks she’s better than everyone else and that she expects me to do all the cooking isn’t true.”

“It’s Ida’s opinion. A person shouldn’t go to jail for having an opinion.”

“Oh?” So that was how Mike wanted to argue his point. Well, Eric could play his game. “I have an opinion, too, Mike. And that opinion is that your wife needs to keep her opinions to herself. Either she sticks to the facts or she keeps her mouth shut. That’s the new rule around here, and since I’m the sheriff, I’m going to enforce it. Now, to teach her a lesson, I’m putting her in jail for the night. Maybe then she’ll stop all this gossiping.”

God knew letting her get away with it wasn’t going to do the trick. Some people needed action. They needed to suffer the consequences in order to understand that what they were doing was wrong.

“Next time Ida does this kind of thing, she’ll be in jail for a week,” Eric added.

“This isn’t fair, Sheriff,” Mike replied.

“What Ida did to Caroline wasn’t fair, either, but guess what? Ida will be in jail for one night, and then this is over. Caroline has to live with the results of what Ida did for years. Once you spread the rumors, there’s no undoing them.”

Mike opened his mouth, as if to protest, and then he sighed. “Alright, I see your point. But just for one night?”

“Unless she keeps doing it. Then it’s a week. From there, we’ll figure something else out.”

Mike indicated he was willing to go along with it. Good. Eric tipped his hat to thank him and headed for Liz Samson’s cabin. Liz and Ida were talking in hushed tones on the porch while Liz’s children played in the front yard.

As soon as one of the children greeted him, the two women stopped talking and sat up straight in their chairs. If Eric had to make a guess, he’d bet the two were talking about Caroline. He was tempted to add another night to Ida’s jail time for this, but he’d told Mike one night, and he’d stick with his word.

He strode up the porch steps in time for Liz to offer a polite, “Afternoon, Sheriff. What brings you here?”

“I came to take someone to jail,” Eric said in a manner that implied he was only there to discuss the weather.

“Jail?” Ida asked, jumping to her feet. “Did one of my boys do something wrong?”

“No, ma’am,” he replied, keeping his tone casual. “This isn’t for any of your children. It’s not even for Mike. You’re the one who’s going.”

“Me?” She pointed to herself, her eyes wide in disbelief. “But why? I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“On the contrary,” he began, “you’ve ruined someone’s reputation by spreading lies about her.” Then, as an afterthought, he added, “Didn’t it occur to you that I might find out what you’ve been saying about my wife?”

Ida, at least, had the good sense to look embarrassed. “It wasn’t my intention to lie, Sheriff. I only wanted to tell people more about her. We’ve been curious about her ever since she stepped foot into this town.”

“Then everyone could have asked me and Caroline to come to the town hall to address your questions. That way, everyone would have been able to hear Caroline’s answers instead of relying on you to tell them your version of the truth.”

“My version of the truth?”

Noting Ida’s incredulous tone, he asked, “Did Caroline tell you she thinks she’s better than everyone else?”

Ida winced. “Well, she might not have said those exact words.”

“Did she tell you that she expects me to do all the cooking for her?”

“She said you’ve been cooking.”

“That’s not what I asked. I asked you if she said she expects me to do that.”

“Not in so many words. But you are doing the cooking.”

“She doesn’t expect me to do it. I offered. I’m willingly doing it. There is nothing she’s expected me to do ever since she came here. Now,” he continued, gesturing toward the jailhouse, “you’re spending the night there for ruining Caroline’s good name. You can walk or I can carry you, but either way, you’re under arrest for the rest of the day.”

She gasped, looked over at Liz who didn’t seem to know what to think of the whole thing, and shook her head. “If Caroline did a better job of explaining things, I wouldn’t have misunderstood them.”

Misunderstood them? He didn’t believe for one second she misunderstood them at all. “Ma’am, you heard what you wanted to hear, and what you heard wasn’t the truth.”

Then, without wasting any more time arguing with her, he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder.

“Oh dear,” Liz murmured, putting her hand to her cheek.

Ignoring Ida’s protests, Eric headed right for the jailhouse. He didn’t bother looking to the right or to the left the entire way there. Yes, people saw him. And yes, most of them stopped to stare. A couple even asked what was going on, but he didn’t answer them. If they wouldn’t tell him about the gossip circulating through town about his wife, what made them think he was going to tell them what he was doing?

Ida cried out for someone to rescue her, saying things like, “I can’t go to jail! I got children to take care of!” and “I’m a woman. I’m too tender for the horrors of the jail.”

Horrors, indeed! There were only two cells in the entire place, and both were vacant at the moment. Her biggest worry was going to be boredom. There was only a cot to sleep on. It didn’t have anything to occupy one’s time. No games. No books. Nothing but endless silence so she could sit and contemplate why she was there.

When he dumped her on the cot, she tried to escape, but he got to the cell door before she did and locked her in. “The tongue is a powerful weapon,” he told her. “It’d do you well to lock it up so I don’t have to lock you in here in the future. Next time, you’ll be here for a week. After that, you don’t want to know what I’m going to do.”

He stared at her, waiting to see if she’d argue with him now, but to his satisfaction, she plumped down on the cot. Good. Maybe next time she’d think twice before going around and spreading her version of the truth to everyone in town.

Without a word, he left her to sit and think about how she might avoid spending another night in jail.

***

“He what?” Phoebe asked the next day, her eyes wide.

Caroline added more flour to the bowl and glanced at her new friend, who was teaching her how to make pancakes. “I didn’t think Eric would make her spend the night in jail. I had no idea what he was planning when he left our cabin. I think he came up with the idea when he got to her home, but I’m not sure.”

Phoebe laughed and handed Caroline the spoon. “Why don’t you ask him?”

Caroline’s face warmed. “Because it’s not my place. I’m not to inquire after a gentleman’s business.”

“Hmm… That’s where you and I differ. I have no trouble asking anything about what Abe’s doing.”

“And he doesn’t mind?”

“No. I needed to learn how to live out here in this wilderness. Back in Cincinnati, all I had to do was go to the general store to get what I needed. Out here, Abe grows his own fruits and vegetables, and he hunts his own meat. I wanted to help him. God forbid anything should ever happen to him, but I have to know how to provide for me and my mother.”

Caroline thought over her words as she stirred the ingredients in her bowl. “I see the wisdom in why you did it. My situation is different. If something happens to Eric, I won’t take over his job of being a sheriff.”

“You’re right. Your situation is different from mine, but I don’t think Eric would mind telling you what he does and why he does it. Especially since he cares for you.”

Caroline stopped stirring the batter and looked up at Phoebe. “You think so?”

Phoebe smiled. “It’s obvious. Anyone can see it.”

Her heart warmed in pleasure. It was one thing to hear him say it, but it was much better hearing it from another person. “He’s a good man. I care for him, too.”

“What was Charles Dunwick like?”

“I didn’t get a lot of information from the missive he sent, but he seemed like a nice gentleman. He said it didn’t bother him that I didn’t know how to keep a home like other ladies. Take you for example. You’re familiar with cooking, cleaning, and sewing.”

“I grew up learning those things.”

Caroline nodded and resumed her stirring. “I’m sure most ladies did, too. But I learned how to host dinner parties and balls, how to sit up straight, and how to conduct myself in all situations. None of those traits are useful as a wife.”

“Not here,” Phoebe allowed. “But I’m sure those were valued things for a wife back where you grew up.”

“They were. A lady had no hopes of securing a husband without them. Appearances were everything. Out here, it’s more about practicality. I was so relieved Charles was understanding about my lack of homemaking skills that I agreed to marry him.”

Phoebe put her hand on her arm.

Surprised, Caroline stopped stirring again and glanced her way.

“You are perfect for Eric. I don’t think it was a mistake you got off the stagecoach to marry him, though I know it looks like it was.”

“Eric says it was fate we ended up together.”

“I think he’s right.”

Caroline was beginning to think it, too, though she was still too shy to admit it.

“Alright,” Phoebe said as she went over to the skillet. “Now that the batter is ready, let’s make some pancakes.”

***

“I want to ride,” Caleb told Eric and Abe.

“Not this time,” Abe told him, his tone pleasant but firm. “You need to get comfortable with the horse before you can ride him.”

Though Eric agreed with Abe, he couldn’t help but sympathize with the boy. Caleb’s first lesson was to lead the steed around the fenced area with a rope. It was hardly an exciting activity.

“What if one of us gets on the horse and lets him ride with us?” Eric whispered to Abe as Caleb led the horse away from them. At least then, Caleb would have a chance to ride the horse, even if he wasn’t doing it himself.

“I see no harm in that,” Abe replied. “Caleb,” he called out as he walked over to the boy.

Caleb stopped and turned toward Abe. Eric couldn’t hear what Abe was telling him, but he gestured to the horse and then pointed between him and Eric. Caleb glanced at Eric and then Abe. Then he pointed to Eric.

Abe nodded and went over to Eric. “He wants to ride with you.”

“Me?” Eric asked, not hiding his surprise. He thought for sure, if given the choice, Caleb would feel more comfortable riding with Abe since Abe had more in common with him.

“Yes, you.”

Detecting the chuckle in Abe’s voice, he shot him an amused look before he went to grab the saddle. When he came over to them, he glanced at Caleb. “Are you sure you want to ride with me?”

Caleb indicated he did.

Abe took the saddle from him and shook his head in exasperation, though a slight smile betrayed his humor. “You didn’t take my word for it? I don’t know whether I should be offended or not.”

“I just wanted to make sure,” Eric told him.

Eric glanced at Caleb to make sure the boy really wanted him. He’d been so sure Caleb would rather take his first ride with Abe.

Abe put the saddle on the horse, and as he passed Eric, he whispered, “Caleb likes having you for a father. Don’t fight it.” Then he gave Eric a pat on the back and stepped away from him. “The saddle’s secure. Go on and get up there. Then we’ll get Caleb up.”

Eric put his foot in the stirrup and swung his leg over the saddle. “One day,” he said, “you’ll do this without even thinking about it, but it’ll take time to master the move.” He held his hand out to Caleb. “Put your foot in the stirrup, and I’ll help you up.”

Caleb reached out and took his hand. Eric waited until his foot was in the stirrup before pulling him up. Caleb’s foot slipped from the stirrup, so Eric put his free hand under his arm and pulled him onto his lap.

“You alright?” he asked Caleb.

Caleb laughed. “That was fun.”

Surprised Caleb laughed, Eric asked, “You liked almost falling?”

“I didn’t fall. You caught me,” Caleb replied.

Well, when he looked at it like that, Caleb was right. With a grin, he put his arm around Caleb’s stomach. “I’ll always catch you,” he told him.

“If there’s anyone you can trust, it’s your father,” Abe told Caleb.

Up to now, Eric hadn’t thought of Caleb as his son, but he supposed when he married Caroline and agreed to take care of Caleb, he did assume the role as his father. So Abe was right. And if Caroline was right—if Caleb had a special gift for being able to tell which people were good and which were bad—then Caleb had given him a high compliment in wanting to ride with him. Touched, Eric encouraged the horse forward, careful to hold Caleb so he’d feel safe during the ride.

Chapter Fourteen

“I ought to tell the judge you arrested me,” Ida said late that afternoon when Eric unlocked her cell.

“Go ahead. He’s due back next month. Of course,” he added as he opened the door for her, “if I catch you spreading lies about anyone in the meantime, you’ll be here for a week. I knew you gossiped, but I didn’t realize you went out of your way to hurt people’s reputations.”

Ida opened her mouth, as if to argue with him, but Mike came around Eric and took her by the arm. “The Sheriff’s right. You’ve been doing this nonsense long enough. It’s not good for anyone. From now on, if you can’t say anything nice, you won’t say anything at all. Is that clear?”

Eric blinked. He couldn’t recall a time when Mike had ever put his foot down with his wife before, and apparently, Ida was just as shocked since she didn’t protest.

Mike looked at Eric. “I assure you, she’ll stop. Come along, Ida. You won’t be leaving me with the children alone all night ever again.”

Well, if Eric had to make Mike uncomfortable for a night in order to get Ida to behave, then so be it. He closed the cell door as Mike led Ida out of the jailhouse. With any luck, in time, people would forget all Ida had said about Caroline.

He did some light paperwork and was just about done when Lydia Richie came into the jailhouse. She slammed the door, clasped her dark blue skirt in her hands, and marched over to him.

“You have another complaint, Mrs. Richie?” Eric asked.

Lydia nodded. “I want you to arrest my husband.”

Of all the things she could complain about, this was the last one he expected. Lydia had made complaints about almost everything from Palmer’s chicken coming onto her property to the Smiths’ two-year-old child who’d been having a temper tantrum in the general store. Whatever inconvenienced Lydia, she made sure he knew about it.

Knowing he was going to regret it, he asked, “What is Carl doing?”

“He’s demanding I go to bed with him.”

He almost laughed at the absurdity of such a thing. “You’re his wife. Being in bed with him is part of the marital arrangement.”

“I don’t see why I should be forced to suffer just because he wants to get a child to inherit that stupid land he wants.”

Eric frowned. “Forced to suffer. Is he rough with you in bed?”

“No, he’s not rough. He’s lousy. He thinks he’s good at it, but he’s not. I don’t feel like staring up at the ceiling and wondering when it’ll be over.”

Eric stared at her for a long moment, not believing what he’d just heard. No man, regardless of whether he really was a satisfactory lover or not, wanted his wife to claim he lacked proper lovemaking skills. He, for one, would be horrified if Caroline ever did such a thing.

“Look,” Lydia said, glaring at him, “you either lock him up or you go out to my place and demand he stop trying to touch me.”

“Mrs. Richie,” he began, choosing to emphasize the Mrs. part of her name, “I just put Mrs. Conner in jail for the night for spreading falsehoods about someone. I don’t care whether you’re happy with your husband’s efforts in bed or not. If I hear that you’re telling anyone in this town what you just told me, I’ll be putting you in jail.”

Her eyes grew wide. “You wouldn’t.”

“Yes, I would. Now keep private things private.”

She gritted her teeth for a moment then let out a low grunt. “I should have expected that response from you. You’re a man, and you men all stick together. Every last one of you thinks he’s great in bed, but only a few manage it correctly. Let’s hope your wife thinks you’re one of them. As for me, I will not spend one more dreadful night with the man my father forced me to marry. And you better not try to make me. I don’t care if it’s my duty or not. I won’t do it.” She paused then added, “Don’t you tell him I’m in town, either. If he tries to talk to me, I just might kill him.”

She spun on her heel and left, slamming the door behind her.

Eric grimaced. Well, that went as well as could be expected, given it was Lydia he was dealing with.

He put his paperwork away and then headed home. Thank goodness Caroline was nothing like her. While Carl had been known to give Abe grief, there were times when Eric couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Carl hadn’t wanted the marriage any more than Lydia did, and it showed. The two had never been happy together.

Whether Abe realized it or not, Carl had done Abe a favor without meaning to. Yes, Carl’s motives weren’t the best, but there was no doubt Phoebe and Abe made a good couple. Eric couldn’t recall a time he’d ever seen Abe happy, but he was definitely happy with her. What a contrast to Carl and Lydia. Two couples couldn’t be more different. And that just went to show when someone did something for their selfish gain, the other person could be blessed for it.

With nothing else to do, he locked up the jail and went home. He had expected to help Caroline make supper, but when he opened the door, he saw Lois helping Caroline make the meal.

Caroline glanced over at him and smiled. “Lois offered to teach me how to make fried chicken.”

Eric closed the door and put his hat on the hook. “That’s awfully nice of you, Lois.”

“Nice has nothing to do with it,” Lois said. “You know I had that old chicken to get rid of, and I can’t eat the whole thing by myself. Caroline’s doing me a favor by taking it off my hands.”

He noticed the way Lois had worded things and thought it was so much like her. Lois was a rare person. No doubt she heard the rumors Ida had been spreading and decided to come over to help under the guise of asking Caroline to do her a favor.

“I just hope it turns out well,” Caroline said as she placed a plate of the chicken on the center of the table. “Lois told me how to prepare it, but I did the actual work on it.”

“I told you my hands aren’t as good as they used to be,” Lois told her. “That’s yet another reason why you’re helping me by cooking it.”

As sweet as it was for Lois to tell the fib with the intent of making Caroline feel good about herself, Eric couldn’t help but tease the old woman. “If memory serves, you made a quilt the other day. Doesn’t holding a needle take its toll on those hands?”

Lois met his gaze head on. “I’ll have you know that’s why my hands aren’t doing so well today.”

He couldn’t be sure if that was the truth or not, but either way, her heart was in the right place, something he admired her for. “Alright. That excuse sounds as good as anything I could have come up with.”

“Sheriff,” Lois said, “you save that suspicious nature of yours for those who need it. I’m a poor, old widow who happened to have a chicken. You can’t fault me for wanting to eat it.”

“You make a good point,” he replied, his lips curling up into a smile.

Recalling Caleb, he glanced around the cabin and saw that he was sitting on the hardwood floor writing the letter A on a small chalkboard.

“I thought I’d teach him how to read and write,” Caroline spoke up. “Lois told me other children his age have already started learning how to read and write, and I can teach him how to do those things since I know how to do them.”

“Now you know how to make fried chicken and potato salad,” Lois added. “The Sheriff likes my potato salad recipe. My mother brought it with her when she left Germany.”

“It is a good recipe,” Eric admitted. “So Lois had you make that, too?” he asked Caroline.

“You make it sound like I was forcing your wife to do these things. I’ll have you know, she offered to do it. Cutting up potatoes isn’t easy on the hands, you know,” Lois protested, though he caught a slight smile which betrayed her indignation.

“Lois has been very kind in teaching me how to make tonight’s dinner,” Caroline intervened.

Eric smiled at Lois. “Well, we like having you over.” He glanced at Caroline. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Just sit and make yourself comfortable,” Caroline said. “You’ve had a busy day.”

So had she. She was the one who made the pancakes at Phoebe’s that morning. But by the excited expression on her face, he gathered she was having a good time with Lois. After the whole thing with Ida, it was nice Lois had stepped in to lend her support.

He went over to Caleb, who seemed to be concentrating on getting the letter A written properly. “I remember when I learned how to write,” he told the boy as he sat next to him. “It took me a couple years before anyone could read my handwriting.” Caleb looked up at him, and, recalling their horse ride, Eric grinned. “I thought learning to ride a horse was easier.”

As he hoped, Caleb returned his smile before returning his attention back to the slate.

Eric watched him, thinking the boy was doing his best. He wasn’t haphazardly writing down the letter A. He was being meticulous about it. Eric had a hunch the boy was highly intelligent. He was quiet and took time to think things through before speaking, which might lead some to assume he wasn’t very smart. But anyone who watched him could tell he was definitely intelligent.

Would Caleb ever tell him or Caroline what had happened to him? What caused him to end up on the streets by himself?

Eric placed his hand on the boy’s back. Caleb looked up at him, and Eric smiled at him. “You’re a smart boy. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. With that head of yours, you can accomplish anything you want.”

Caleb didn’t seem to know what to think of Eric’s words, but that was just as well. He was still young. In the future, though, he might remember back on this moment and believe in himself when others would have him do otherwise.

“Are you ready to eat?” Caroline called out to them.

Without a word, Caleb put the chalk down and went to the table. Eric thought back to what Caroline had said about Caleb not wanting the cookies Ida brought over. Caleb, however, had no problem accepting the food Lois provided. There had to be something different between Ida and Lois, and Caleb was sensitive to that difference.

“Eric?” Caroline asked.

He glanced over at his wife and saw she was giving him a hopeful smile that he’d try the meal Lois had helped her make.

“Come on, Sheriff.” Lois waved him over. “The food won’t stay hot forever.”

“I’m coming.” He stood up and went over to join them.

***

“Did you really like dinner?” Caroline asked later that evening as they got ready for bed.

Eric glanced up from the cider he was making in the pot and smiled at her. “Yes, I did. Just as I liked the pancakes. You did a lot of work today, and your efforts paid off.”

She bit her lower lip. “Caleb ate it, too.”

“Yes, he did.” Sensing she needed more reassurance, he turned to her and put his hands on her arms, giving them a gentle squeeze. “If Caleb ate it, then you know it’s good. Caleb doesn’t do anything unless he wants to. It wasn’t anything like the soup you tried to make.”

She laughed, and he felt the tension leave her body. “That’s true. I still feel bad for burning the food to the bottom of the pot.”

“It was old. I was ready to get rid of it anyway.”

“No, you weren’t. It might have been old, but it was in good condition. You’re only saying that to make me feel better.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but then he realized he should tell her the truth. It was only fair. “Alright,” he relented. “I wasn’t going to throw it out, but it was old. Caroline, you’re more important than a pot. Pots can be replaced. You can’t.” He kissed her. “I am telling you the truth about your pancakes and the dinner you made tonight. Those were good.”

Noting the cider was boiling, he took it off the cookstove and stirred it.

“I want to be a good wife,” she said.

“You are. There’s more to being a good wife than knowing how to cook and clean and sew. The most important quality is your heart. And you have a good one. I know it’s hard not to let people like Ida bother you, but her opinion is just her opinion. It doesn’t change who you are. The people who matter understand that.”

“I’m only concerned about what you think.”

“Well, now that you know what I think, you can relax.” He poured the cider into two cups and handed one to her. “Plus, a little cider will help. You did a lot of work today. Sit on the couch and rest.”

Her lips curling up into a smile, she did as he said. He cleaned the pot and put it on the hook to dry. Then he picked up the cup and went to sit beside her. In the soft glow of the kerosene lamp, he couldn’t help but think that when she smiled, the rest of the world faded away. She really wasn’t so plain when he took the time to study her face. In fact, she was quite pretty.

He set the cup on the table in front of them and then took hers so he could do the same with it.

She chuckled. “I thought you wanted me to drink some cider.”

“I do, but it’s hot. We need to let it cool off.”

He closed the distance between them so he could wrap her in his arms. Lowering his head to hers, he kissed her. She seemed to melt against him, an indication that she enjoyed being with him this way.

As much as he didn’t want to give credence to anything Lydia said, it did bother him to know some women out there would go out and tell someone how lousy their husbands were in bed. Even Ida, for all her faults, hadn’t ever voiced a complaint about Mike in that regard.

Caroline ended their kiss and looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed. “Is something on your mind?”

He almost said no, but then he figured it would be easier if he addressed this issue early in their marriage. That way, if he was doing something wrong, he could change it now while he was still learning what she liked and what she didn’t like.

“Alright, I’ll ask you, but promise you won’t laugh,” he said.

“I wouldn’t laugh at anything you ask me. What is it?”

“When we’re in there,” he motioned to their bedroom, “are you satisfied with the way I do things?”

“Yes. Are you satisfied with the way I do things?”

“Sure, but it doesn’t take much to please a man. The main things are showing up and being happy to be there.”

At that, she grinned. “That’s easy to do.”

For some, perhaps, but according to Lydia, it wasn’t for other women.

“What brought this up? Have I done or said something to make you think I’m not happy in the bedroom?”

“No. You haven’t voiced a complaint about anything since you got here. It was something someone said. I don’t want to be like Ida and give the details, but suffice it to say I discovered some women aren’t happy with their husbands, and I want to make sure you aren’t one of them.”

“I’m very happy with you.” Lowering her voice, she added, “I even look forward to it.”

“That’s good. And just so you know, if you’re ever not happy with anything I’m doing, let me know so I can do things better.”

“I’ll do that if you promise to let me know when something I cook isn’t good. That way I’ll know not to make it again, or I can try making it better.”

“It’s a deal.”

She smiled. “Good. Now, let’s drink that cider so we can go to bed.”

She didn’t have to tell him twice. He gave her the cup, took his, put his arm around her shoulders, and drank his cider.

Chapter Fifteen

Eric couldn’t say he was all that surprised when Carl came up to him the next day while he checked to make sure everything was peaceful in the town.

Carl stopped him just as he passed the saloon. “Hi, Sheriff,” he greeted, tipping his hat. “I was wondering if you’ve seen my wife.”

“I haven’t seen her since last night,” Eric replied, deciding it’d be best if he didn’t say why she’d come to talk to him. “Why? Is there something you need help with?”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s nothing you can do. I just need to talk to her. Will you let me know if you see her?”

“Sure.”

Eric supposed that wasn’t too much to ask. As much as he didn’t like getting involved in these things, he could let Carl know if he saw her.

Carl headed on down the dusty road, so Eric continued in the opposite direction. For the most part, things were relatively calm in the area. When he first got here, there were a couple of shootouts and brawls, but after enforcing the laws, most of the commotion died down. So really, the night he’d had to go up to Abe’s place was the worst he had to deal with in about a year. Not bad, as far as he was concerned.

Of course, around the time one would think such a thing was when something horrible occurred. And that’s just the position Eric found himself in when, a half hour later, Maude and Gretchen came running up to him just after he’d finished talking to Daniel at the general store.

“Sheriff,” Maude told him, her voice shaking, “you have to come with us.”

“Yes, it’s awful, just awful,” Gretchen added, clasping and unclasping her hands.

“What is it?” Eric asked.

“There’s a dead person,” Maude said. “A woman.”

Gretchen put her hands over her mouth to stifle a cry. “It’s awful. Just awful. I’ll never get that image out of my mind for as long as I live.”

“Show me the body,” Eric replied.

Gretchen went to his left and Maude went to his right. On one accord, they wrapped their arms around his and led him down the road and toward the outskirts of town.

“When did you find her?” he asked.

“Just now. We were going out for a walk,” Maude told him. “We do this every afternoon as long as the weather’s nice.”

“And it was nice today,” Gretchen added, though it wasn’t necessary.

“Gretchen was the one who noticed it.”

“It was awful. Just awful.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I saw a bright red color as we passed the ravine south of town.” She gulped and shook her head, as if doing so would remove the image of the body from her mind. “Awful. I’ve never seen anything so awful in my entire life.”

“Did you notice who the body belongs to?” Eric asked Gretchen.

“I have no idea, Sheriff. I’m sorry. I was so scared I didn’t get into the ravine to get a good look at her.”

“Me neither,” Maude added. “We ran to town to find you.”

“It’s alright,” he assured them. “I’ll find out who it is when we get there.”

The rest of the way there, the women continued bemoaning their fate in being the ones to discover the corpse. It was shock that propelled them to ramble the way they were, and Eric couldn’t blame them. He recalled the first time he came across a dead body. It had been when he was seventeen. He’d been delivering supplies to the general store when a shot rang out from behind him. He’d whirled around in his wagon in time to see the black man fall to the ground.

A white man had shot him, claiming he’d robbed him. It turned out the black man had been innocent. Even with that being the case, no one had cared he’d been killed, nor was the white man held accountable for killing him. To this day, that incident still bothered him, though there was nothing he could do about it. The white man went free, and no one knew who had robbed him.

“There it is,” Maude said, once they were a mile out of town. “Down there.”

After he pried them off of him, he stepped up to the edge of the road, surprised when the women didn’t join him since they had pretty much attached themselves to him during the whole way here.

His feet stopped shy of the ravine that was a good ten feet down from where he was standing. His gaze swept the leaves covering the ground until he noticed the color red. The red happened to be the color of her dress. She was lying face down, long curly reddish blonde hair strewn across the leaves, her neck twisted at an odd angle. Her arms were twisted at an odd angle, too, and her hands were an unnatural shade of blue.

Yes, she was dead, alright.

He glanced at Maude and Gretchen. Though he was sure he didn’t have to issue the warning, he still said, “Stay here.”

As he expected, they nodded and didn’t move. He didn’t even think they dared to blink.

Turning his attention to the body, he carefully made his way down the ravine. He didn’t smell any decay, which told him she hadn’t been dead for more than a day at the most.

When he reached her, he carefully turned her over, noting the stiffness of the corpse, another indication she hadn’t been dead for long. He brushed the hair from her face and sharply inhaled. It was Lydia. Yes, there was a bruise-like stain in her face and neck since she’d died face down in the ravine, but there was no denying it was her.

She hadn’t been wearing a red dress when she came to see him yesterday afternoon. He was sure she’d been wearing a dark color. And her hair hadn’t been loose, either. It’d been neatly pulled back into a bun, much like the style most of the women chose. No wonder he hadn’t expected this to be her, even though few women had her hair color.

“Who is it?” Maude called out.

Glancing up at the two women, he yelled, “Lydia Richie!”

From next to her, Gretchen gasped and put her hand up to her mouth.

It really couldn’t be a surprise it was someone they all knew. They were far removed from other places, and only occasionally did a stranger come to town. Which also meant someone they knew had murdered her. Judging by the position of her body and the way the leaves were scattered across the ravine, there was no doubt she’d been pushed over the ravine.

More than that, she hadn’t put up a fight. There was no skin or hair under her fingernails, and when he inspected her mouth, there was no fragment of skin to indicate she’d bitten someone. No blood was on her clothes. No stabbing marks. No bullet wounds. So whoever had pushed her was someone she’d trusted, and she’d gone all the way here willingly with the murderer.

He left her body and climbed the ravine. There hadn’t been rain in days, which was going to make it harder to determine if there were any fresh horse or boot prints. Sure, there would be older tracks, but he needed something new. He studied the dirt road and saw some fresh boot prints, but upon inspecting Maude’s and Gretchen’s boots, he surmised the prints belonged to them. What he ended up finding were some wagon tracks that were close to the edge of the ravine.

After taking in all the evidence he could, he told the women to go to town and get Walt. “Tell him to bring his buckboard wagon and a blanket,” he concluded.

The women nodded and hurried to do as he wished.

Meanwhile, he sat by the ravine and tried to figure the approximate timing of her death and who had the motive to kill her.

***

Caroline opened the door, surprised when she saw Phoebe.

“I hope you don’t mind I stopped by,” Phoebe said. “Abe brought in some furs and food to sell in town. My mother went to visit with Lois, but I thought I’d come here.”

“Come on in,” Caroline invited, stepping aside so Phoebe could enter.

Phoebe turned to someone and waved, and it was then that Caroline noticed Abe. She waved to Abe, too, and he returned the gesture.

“He’ll come get me when he’s done,” Phoebe said.

“I’m glad you stopped by,” Caroline replied as she shut the door. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“I was looking forward to seeing you, too, which is why I didn’t want to visit with Lois today. Lois is nice, and I enjoy her company. But she’s more of my mother’s friend than mine.”

“I understand. It’s easier to relate to someone closer to your age.”

“Exactly. So you know what I mean.” Phoebe looked over at Caleb who was at the table, working on writing the letter B on the small chalkboard. “That looks really good, Caleb.”

“I just started teaching him how to write,” Caroline told her. “We’ll start with the alphabet and then work on the words.”

“You mean this is his first time writing anything?”

“He told me he didn’t know how to read or write.” Well, he hadn’t come out and stated it that way, but he’d shaken his head when she asked him about it. “When he starts school, I want him to be ready.”

Phoebe smiled. “I have no doubt he will with you and Eric for parents.”

Pleased by her kind words, Caroline returned her smile. “It’s a nice day. Would you like to have some lemonade and sit on the porch? I made lemonade from the recipe you gave me, so it shouldn’t taste bad.”

Phoebe chuckled. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. I made some mistakes along the way while I was learning how to cook.”

“Your meals are so delicious. I have a hard time believing you ever made mistakes.”

“It’s true. I’ll tell you all about them while we sip our lemonade on the porch. But first,” she added as she closed the distance to Caroline, “I have some good news, and I couldn’t wait to tell you. That’s why I asked Abe if he’d go into town today instead of waiting until next week like he originally planned.”

Picking up on her excitement, Caroline asked, “What is it?”

“I’m in the family way!”

Caroline’s smile widened. “You are?”

She nodded. “And better yet, Abe is happy about it. You wouldn’t believe what I had to go through to convince him to marry me, so I wasn’t sure he’d be happy about having a child. But now that I know he’s happy, I wanted to come and tell you. Well, that is, after I told my mother.”

“That is good news.” Caroline gave her a hug. “Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?”

“Either one will be fine, but I think it’d be nice if Abe had a son. He never felt close to his father. I think he’d make it a point to be there for his son and teach him everything he knows about hunting and taking care of the land. But if we have a girl, I know he’ll be good to her, too.”

“My father and brother used to do everything together. I did more things with my mother. I think it’s natural for boys to bond more with their fathers and for girls to bond more with their mothers.” After a moment passed between them, she said, “I’ll get the lemonade.” She went over to Caleb. “Would you like to come with us?”

He set his chalk and slate aside and got down from the chair.

Taking that as a yes, Caroline poured a glass for all three of them and led the way outside.

When she sat in one of the chairs, Caleb asked, “Can I sit on your lap?”

“Of course, you can,” she replied.

Phoebe grinned at her. “I suppose boys can be close to their mothers, too.”

“And girls can be close to their fathers,” Caroline mused.

As Phoebe sat in her chair, Caroline wrapped her arm around Caleb and helped him get into a comfortable position on her lap. She wondered if Caleb did this with the person who used to take care of him. Perhaps it was his mother, and they often sat outside together. Maybe they even drank lemonade.

Caroline took a sip of her lemonade and realized it was a little too tart. “I think I didn’t put in as much sugar as you told me to.”

“I think it tastes alright,” Phoebe said. “It’s just like the kind I make. Maybe you prefer things sweeter than I do. In that case, add more sugar next time. That’s the thing about recipes. There is no right way to make anything. Everyone’s tastes will vary. Adjust the recipe to what pleases you.”

At least Caroline knew she’d done the recipe right. And now that she knew she could manipulate the recipe, she didn’t feel quite so overwhelmed with the process of learning how to cook.

Two ladies came running over to them, and Caroline stiffened in the chair. Did Ida say something that upset them? There was no doubt they didn’t look the least bit pleased.

“Are you the sheriff’s new wife?” one asked Caroline.

“Yes,” Caroline said, bracing herself for the worst. “May I help you?”

“We went to the livery stable, but Walt’s taken ill,” the lady replied as she struggled to take a breath. “Walt’s sister said Travis Martin can help. She suggested we go to you since you’re the sheriff’s wife, and the sheriff knows where to find him. Did he tell you where Travis lives?”

“What do you need Travis for?” Caroline asked.

“To help your husband with the body,” the other lady said. “There’s been a murder.”

Caroline couldn’t believe her ears. “A murder?” Surely, she’d heard wrong.

“Yes. Mrs. Richie is dead,” the lady replied.

“Mrs. Richie?” This time, it was Phoebe who asked the question. “Carl’s wife?”

“That’s the only Mrs. Richie around here,” the lady replied.

Caroline didn’t know anything about Travis, Carl, or Carl’s wife, but it was apparent Phoebe did.

“I know where Travis Martin lives,” Phoebe said. “Do you have a buggy so Caroline and I can go out to his place?”

“Yes, I do,” the lady said.

Caroline set Caleb on his feet and stood up. “What about Abe? This could take a while.”

“I didn’t think of that,” Phoebe admitted.

“Tell me where Travis is, and I’ll go to him.” Caroline turned to the ladies. “Where is my husband?”

“The ravine a mile south of town,” one of the ladies told her.

“And where is Travis?” Caroline asked Phoebe.

“Up the road that way. Take a right at the fork in the road and keep going up until you come to the only house up there. He’s terribly shy around women, so you might have to run after him to get him to listen to you.”

Caroline thought Phoebe was joking, but she didn’t laugh. So maybe she was serious.

“Oh, I don’t know if I’d go see Travis all by myself,” the lady warned. “He’s a monster of a man.”

“He’s no such thing,” Phoebe replied. “He’s just shy, that’s all. Abe thinks he’s a good person, and Abe is a good judge of character.”

“You say what you want, but there are things about him that aren’t quite right,” the other lady said. “We wouldn’t go there without our husbands to protect us.”

“Speak for yourself,” the lady began with a shiver. “I wouldn’t even go with my husband.”

Caroline decided she’d listen to Phoebe. “Is there a side saddle at the livery stable?” she asked the ladies.

“Yes,” the lady replied. Then her eyes grew wide. “Are you really going to go out there?”

“Alone?” the other lady added, placing her hand over her heart.

“I’ll be going with Caleb,” Caroline said. “You don’t mind, do you Caleb?”

The boy shook his head.

“Oh, you’re a brave one,” the lady replied.

Phoebe turned to Caroline. “Let’s go to the livery stable and get your husband’s horse. I can put on the side saddle for you.”

Glad for the help, Caroline quickly put the glasses of lemonade away.

Chapter Sixteen

As Caroline led the horse up to Travis’ property, she had to admit the place did seem somewhat spooky. The cottage was hidden by trees, so she could only guess what it looked like. The paint on the building and barn was chipping, and weeds and vines were creeping up along them. It almost seemed as if no one had inhabited the place for years.

“What do you think, Caleb?” she whispered to the boy on her lap. “Do you trust the person who lives here?” She wasn’t sure if he could get a gut feeling without seeing the person who lived here, but it didn’t hurt to ask.

The boy scanned the area and then nodded.

This, coupled with Phoebe’s assurance, helped ease her nerves. She continued leading the horse up the rest of the way. A tall, stocky gentleman came out of the barn, carrying a bucket. She was ready to call out a greeting when her horse neighed.

The gentleman glanced in her direction and bolted for the building, slamming the door behind him.

She stopped the horse. What had just happened? Did he actually run from her and Caleb?

“He’s scared of people,” Caleb told her, as if he knew what she was thinking.

“How do you know that?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I just do.”

It was the same thing with Ida, Lois, and Phoebe. She got him down from the horse and then slid off the saddle. She tied the reins to the post then took Caleb’s hand and walked to the large building.

“Mr. Martin,” she called out. “I’m Mrs. Johnson. The sheriff’s wife.”

She reached the door of the building and waited for him to open it, but nothing happened. She couldn’t even hear a peep from the other side. Well, she couldn’t be surprised. Phoebe did warn her that she might have to chase after Travis.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. “Mr. Travis, my husband asked for you. There’s a lady by the name of Mrs. Richie whose been found dead, and he needs your help with the body.”

This time she heard some shuffling from the other side, and a moment later, reluctant footsteps made their way to the door. When he opened it, she looked up at him, noting he had his hat pulled down to his nose and his head tilted down, making it hard to see his face.

“Mrs. Richie died?” he asked, his voice lower than she’d expected. But, given his large frame, she supposed his voice fit.

She cleared her throat and nodded. Then, not sure he could see her when he didn’t seem to be looking directly at her, she added, “Yes. My husband suspects someone killed her.”

She couldn’t be sure, but she thought his expression grew dark. She gulped and stepped back. Maybe Phoebe didn’t find anything intimidating about him, but she had to admit the ladies were right in being apprehensive about coming out here. The only reason she didn’t bolt for the horse was because Caleb didn’t seem afraid.

“My husband asked if you would bring your wagon and a blanket,” she continued. “He’s waiting about a mile south of town, and he’s at the ravine. Do you know where the ravine is?”

“Yes. I’ll be there.” Without another word, he shut the door and marched to the barn.

Good. Now they were getting somewhere. She led Caleb back to the horse and got on. After Caleb got comfortable on her lap, they waited for Travis to come out of the barn. When he did, he seemed surprised she was still there since he stopped his horses and looked right at her.

It was then she saw the scars on his face and understood why he tipped his hat so low and hadn’t made eye contact with her.

He quickly looked away from her and snapped the reins of his horses so they’d go forward.

In silence, she followed him, figuring it’d make him more comfortable if she gave him adequate space.

“He’s lonely,” Caleb told her.

“Are you sure?” It seemed to her that Travis enjoyed the solitude, given that he chose to live far from everyone else.

“He’s afraid people won’t accept him.”

Because of the scars. Caleb didn’t have to say it. She knew that was why. And maybe part of it had to do with how tall he was. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall, and he had a husky build. In some ways, he seemed as formidable as Stonewall Jackson had been. Unmovable. Strong. Imposing.

But Caleb didn’t see those things when he looked at Travis, and that was a curious thing. Caleb, it seemed, had the uncanny ability to see people as they really were instead of the way they presented themselves to the rest of the world.

“You have a wonderful gift,” she whispered to Caleb. “I hope you always trust it.”

***

By the time Caroline and Caleb returned to town, a group of people had gathered around the jailhouse. She had thought about following Travis to the ravine, but she’d decided against it when she thought about Caleb. He didn’t need to see a dead body.

She tightened her arm around his waist, surprised the urge to protect him from the harsher realities of life was so powerful. She might not have given birth to him, but she was beginning to feel like he was her child. And what mother wouldn’t want to protect her child from the worst life had to offer?

She turned toward the livery stable when a gentleman—Hank, if she remembered right—ran up to her and asked, “Is it true? Was Mrs. Richie found dead in the ravine?”

“Oh, well…” Was it appropriate for her to answer the question without Eric there? He was the one investigating the matter, after all.

“I just got through saying it was Mrs. Richie, Hank,” the lady who’d come to ask Caroline to get Travis said, hot on his heels.

The rest of the group quickly followed her as he turned back to Caroline and said, “Maude’s right. She did say it. I was just making sure it’s true. The last time a woman spread lies around here, she ended up in jail for a night.”

Caroline’s face warmed. Did the town blame Ida’s arrest on her?

“Maybe we should leave this to my husband,” Caroline said. “I only know what Maude and her friend told me. I went to get Travis so he could help my husband. They should be here soon to answer your questions.”

Another man, probably middle-aged, asked her, “You went to get Travis all by yourself?”

Maude let out an exasperated sigh and threw her hands up in the air. “I already told you that, Jerry.”

“But Travis eats animals raw with his bare hands,” Jerry said. “It’s not safe for anyone to go up there without a gun. You could have been killed.”

“Travis is a nice gentleman,” Caroline replied. “As soon as he heard my husband needed him, he left to help him.”

“Didn’t you see anything suspicious while you were there?” Jerry insisted. “Like some bones in the yard? Or animal parts strewn about?”

Oh! He was teasing her. Caroline laughed. “You ought to stop such talk. What if you give someone nightmares?” Then, at once, she thought of Caleb and sobered. “Also, there’s a child present. It wouldn’t do to talk in such a way around him.”

“Someone needs to warn you about him,” another gentleman from the crowd called out. “That way you’ll keep that poor, innocent child away from that place.”

“Right,” a lady agreed from the crowd. “No one’s seen what Travis looks like and lived. They say he keeps his face covered at all times.”

“It’s because he’s a monster,” Hank told Caroline.

Caroline frowned as her gaze swept across the group. “I don’t understand any of you. If you truly believed that, then why didn’t you run and hide when he came through here?”

“We turned our backs to him,” Hank replied. “If you don’t look at him, he can’t hurt you.”

“I’ve never heard anything so silly in all my life.” Truly, this was the strangest bit of nonsense she’d ever heard. “I was there when the Union soldiers came to invade my home, and I can tell you that not looking at them wasn’t going to stop them from hurting me. If Travis wanted to hurt you, he would have done it.”

“Travis isn’t like other men,” the lady said. “He isn’t human born.”

“Of course, he is,” Caroline replied. “He’s a human being, just like everyone here.”

“Then why haven’t we ever seen his parents?” Hank asked.

Caroline blinked. Never before had she heard such a ridiculous question. “I don’t know. I’m new to this town. I barely know any of you.” Before they could say anything, she added, “And even though I don’t know your backgrounds, I am well aware every one of you has human parents. You all came from a lady and a gentleman.”

An old lady came up to her. “That’s the way of it for most, but no one here has ever seen his parents. One day, he was here. It’s as if he appeared out of nowhere, and it happened a year after the strange gypsy passed through this town. She said she heard tales from the Indians that spirits abound in these parts. Some are good, and some are bad. But all can connect with humans. I think one of the bad spirits conceived him with a human parent. That’s why he has the appearance of a monster. Why, I’ve heard it said he’s missing a nose. Another said he has three eyes. That’s why he hides his face.”

To Caroline’s surprise, a few people around the old lady murmured their agreement. “That’s absurd. I saw his face myself, and he looks normal. Why, look at Caleb. He’s a young boy, and he wasn’t afraid of him. You’re spreading lies about him like you did about me, and that’s not fair. The least you can do is get to know people before you pass judgment on them. Quite frankly, after talking to everyone in this group, I don’t blame Travis at all for keeping to himself.”

Everyone grew silent, and Caroline, in her naivety, was beginning to believe they were finally listening to reason. But then Hank said, “Travis has bewitched you,” and everyone was talking at once, as if they were in a panic.

“Could it be true?” one lady asked another.

“It’s not possible for someone to bewitch someone else, is it?” another lady asked.

“It does seem unbelievable, but what if it’s true?” a man asked.

Caroline gave up. There was no speaking reason to a group of people who seemed to entertain superstitious notions some gypsy told them long ago. She led the horse around them and continued on her way to the livery stable.

***

“So you agree that Lydia was murdered?” Eric asked Travis as they inspected her body at the bottom of the ravine.

“You said you found her right here?” Travis gestured to her body.

“Yes. I haven’t moved her except to turn her over.”

He glanced up at the top of the ravine. “There’s no doubt about it. Someone pushed her. And if I’m guessing right, they were either on a horse or in a wagon when it happened.”

“I saw a hint of wagon tracks on the road up there, and the tracks were heading out of town.”

“Then I’d say she was in a wagon, and whoever was with her pushed her off.”

That’s what Eric had been thinking, too, but it was good to get a second opinion. It made the chances he was right even better. “Well, let’s get her loaded into the wagon and take her to the doctor. He might find something we’re missing. You bring the blanket?”

Travis nodded and went to get it.

Chapter Seventeen

It was with tired steps that Eric lumbered down to the stream on Carl Richie’s land. Carl had his back to him, and he was panning for gold. Eric heard the area had gold and silver, but up to now, he hadn’t heard of anyone who actually got anything. The boom seemed to be long over. But from time to time, someone would still make an attempt to find something.

Eric had to bite his tongue so he wouldn’t tell Carl he was wasting his time. He didn’t come here to lecture Carl about fruitless pursuits. His mission was that of a grim nature.

“Carl,” Eric called out as he came up to the stream.

Carl jumped and spilled some water out of his pan. “I think I saw some gold flakes in that one, Eric.” He slammed the pan on the ground and put his head in his hands. “I can’t get out of here unless I have money.”

“You have bigger problems to deal with right now.”

“What problems?” Carl asked.

“Your wife is dead.”

Carl looked up from his hands, his eyes wide in shock. “What?”

“Maude and Gretchen found her lying in the ravine a mile south of town.” Eric studied Carl’s reaction but found nothing in his expression that would indicate he’d already known this.

“She was dead in the ravine?” His voice was incredulous, further indicating his innocence.

“She hasn’t been dead for long,” Eric said. “The doctor’s taking a look at her now and seeing if there’s anything more we can learn about the situation, but at the moment, I’d say the murder occurred late last night.” He paused then asked, “When did you last see your wife?”

Carl jumped to his feet. “Do you think I killed her?”

“I’m not saying that. Right now, I’m not saying anyone killed her. My job is to ask questions and narrow down who might have done it.”

“And I’m one of the suspects?”

“At the moment, everyone’s a suspect.”

“Except for you.”

Eric resisted the urge to laugh. “The last time I saw your wife was at the jailhouse when she asked me to arrest you for trying to get her into your bed. After that, I went home, had dinner, and spent the rest of the night with my wife. The murder happened late last night, probably around eleven or midnight. Maybe even one. The doctor will have a better idea of the exact time of death. But I didn’t leave the house until this morning after breakfast, and that was around eight. There’s no way I could have done it.”

“Well, I didn’t do it. I was asleep last night.”

“I didn’t say you did it, Carl. I’m just trying to get to the bottom of what’s going on. I want to start with you since you’re her husband. Since Lydia asked me to arrest you, it’s obvious you two were fighting.”

Carl rolled his eyes. “When are we not fighting? I’ve been married to her for seven years, Eric. If I wanted to kill her, I would have done it already.”

Eric was ready to remind him he’d already said, multiple times, that he wasn’t accusing him of murder, but then he relented. Carl was in shock. He was bound to think the worst.

“I saw her at about four,” Eric said. “Were you both in town, or was she by herself?”

“She was by herself. I didn’t go with her.”

“What time did she leave?”

Carl shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t look at the clock.”

“You must have some idea. Was it around noon? In the morning?”

After a moment, he said, “She slept in late through the morning again. She came down here to bother me.”

“What did she bother you about?”

“Not finding gold. Her favorite pastime is reminding me that I’m a failure.” He paused then amended, “Or rather, it was her favorite pastime.”

“How did the argument end?”

“It ended with her saying she’d had enough of waiting for the gold. She wasn’t going to stay around here anymore. She said as far as she was concerned, the whole thing was a lost cause. She said she wasn’t going to stick around here until I turn twenty-eight, and she sure as heck wasn’t going to have my child so I could keep panning for nothing.”

“And how did you respond to that?”

“I told her she didn’t have a choice. We made our vows. In the eyes of God and man, it’s her duty to try for the child whether she likes it or not.” Carl shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “It’s the same thing we’ve been fighting about ever since the judge was here to settle the dispute over the will my good-for-nothing father left me.” He kicked the pan across the ground and swore. “Are you sure Lydia’s dead?”

“I saw her with my own two eyes,” Eric replied.

He swore again, waited for a moment, and asked, “Is it possible she killed herself? It would be a surefire way of denying me a child.”

“No, it wasn’t suicide. The way she fell indicates she was pushed out of a wagon.”

“Well, that right there proves I didn’t do it. My wagon’s broken. It needs a new wheel. You can check it for yourself. It’s in the barn.”

“How did Lydia get to town if it was broken yesterday?”

“She took her horse. Go on and check that, too. It’s gone. It was brown with a white stripe along its nose. She usually puts the thing at the livery stable when she stays in town.”

“Approximately, what time did she take the horse out of here?”

“I don’t know. I think it might have been around noon.” He put his hands on his hips. “That was the last time I saw her. She never came home last night. I went to town this morning looking for her. See? That also proves I didn’t do it. Why would I ask you where she was if I was the one who killed her?”

“I’m not saying you killed her. I’m just trying to find out what happened leading up to the murder, that’s all.”

“Are you going to ask Abe where he was last night?”

Eric’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why would I do that?”

“Because of all the people who’d want her dead, he has the best motive. Our father’s will clearly states if I don’t have a child by the time I’m twenty-eight, this stream goes to him. If I don’t have a wife, I can’t have the child.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Our father had the nerve to mandate that the child needed to be legitimate. I mean, sure, he can go off and have a child with his mistress, but I need to be faithful to the wife he gave me. How’s that for fair?”

“What your father put in his will has nothing to do with what happened last night.”

“Are you kidding me?” Carl shrieked. “It has everything to do with it. Abe could have killed Lydia so I can’t hold onto this stream anymore. He’s been after this piece of land ever since our father died. He doesn’t care about the gold that’s here. He only wants the water from it. But I need the gold. Our father died without any money. All he left me is what’s in this stream. The only way I’m getting out of this town is with that gold. Abe can have this stream after I’m done with it, but he’ll never listen to me long enough to understand that. There’s no reasoning with him.” After a pause, he added, “So you can see that Abe has a reason to want Lydia dead.”

Eric couldn’t deny the logic in what Carl was saying. Though Eric knew Abe hadn’t done it, he was going to have to ask Abe where he was yesterday and last night in order to be fair.

“Alright, I’ll talk to Abe,” Eric said.

Carl relaxed, but only slightly. “Good.”

“I’m not going to accuse anyone of murder until I know all the facts. I’ll be thorough in who I ask. I don’t want the wrong person to be convicted of this.”

With a nod, Carl further relaxed. “Alright.”

“Is there anything you can tell me that might help me as I try to find out who did it?”

“All I know is that she slept with different men, but that’s not exactly a secret.”

No, sadly it wasn’t. Eric was aware she’d had her lovers. He supposed after talking to Abe, the next people he’d visit would be those who were known to sleep with her. That would include the doctor who was currently checking her over for evidence. He winced. Why didn’t he think of that before he took her to his office?

“What is it?” Carl asked.

Trying to put the question as delicately as possible, Eric replied, “When was the last time your wife spent time with the doctor when she wasn’t sick?”

“Oh, she hasn’t been to his bed for a while. I don’t know why. I just know she stopped having headaches that needed medicine.” When Eric frowned, he explained, “That was her excuse whenever she went to see him.”

Eric decided he’d take Carl’s word for it. “Do you know who she’s been with besides the doctor?”

“I know she’s been with Hank and Enoch. If she’s had other lovers, I don’t know who they would be.”

“How do you know she’s been with Hank and Enoch?”

“Enoch confessed about it right after he got out of jail. He said it was only once, and he was so drunk he barely remembered it. As for Hank…” He let out a long sigh. “She once said she wished I could be as good as him in bed. She’d been drinking when she said it, so I don’t think she meant for it to slip out.”

Eric had a hard time understanding why a woman would be with a man three times her age, but he decided it wasn’t worth figuring out.

“Thanks, Carl,” Eric finally said. “If I have any more questions, I’ll let you know.”

With a nod, Carl retrieved his pan and returned to the stream.

Eric figured he’d asked enough questions today. He’d continue talking to more people tomorrow.

***

It was in the middle of the night when Caroline was jolted out of a sound sleep. She sat up in bed, trying to figure out what had woken her.

“It’s Caleb,” Eric said, throwing on his clothes.

It was then she realized the boy was screaming. She hastened to put on her robe and followed Eric to the boy’s room.

“Caleb, what’s wrong?” Eric asked as Caroline hurried to the bed and gathered the boy in her arms.

Caleb clung to her. Though he’d stopped screaming, he was crying. She did her best to dry his face, but the tears kept coming.

Eric struck a match and lit the kerosene lamp. He turned the wick so there was sufficient light in the room to dispel all the dark shadows that might have lingered from his dreams.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Caroline asked.

Caleb only continued to cling to her, sobbing into her shoulder.

Caroline glanced over at Eric, who seemed to feel as lost as she did in how to help the boy. Their boy. He was their child now, and that meant his pain was their pain. Eric sat next to her and put his arms around both of them.

She wished she knew what to say to make things better for Caleb. There had to be something she could do. But what? She pulled Caleb far enough from her so she could cup his face in her hands and look him in the eye.

“Caleb, what is it?” she asked, her tone tender. “What can we do to make things better?”

Caleb sniffled and wiped his eyes. “Am I a monster?”

“What?” Eric asked, his tone incredulous. “No, of course not. Whatever gave you that idea?”

“I think I know,” Caroline said with a glance at Eric. Turning her gaze back to her son, she asked, “Is this because of what you heard the people saying about Travis?”

Caleb nodded and wiped another tear away. “I never had a father.”

“You mean you didn’t know who your father was,” Eric clarified. “Everyone has a father.”

Caroline nodded. “They do, Caleb. I meant what I said to those people. Travis has a father and a mother. Just because they haven’t seen them, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”

“Travis came here when he was seventeen,” Eric said. “He was alone when he got here. That’s why no one’s seen his parents. He bought the property from Sam before Sam died. That was six years ago.”

“Do you know what happened to his parents?” Caroline asked.

Eric shook his head. “He’s very private about his life. He doesn’t say anything to anyone about it, and quite frankly, I think we all should respect that. What are they saying about Travis?”

Caroline was ready to answer when Caleb said, “They say he has no mother or father, and it makes him a monster.”

“One lady,” Caroline began, “suggested one of Travis’ parents was a spirit. But Caleb, that isn’t true. You know how people say things about me that aren’t true. They’re doing the same thing to Travis.”

“Unfortunately.” Eric took a deep breath. “I don’t know what to do about Travis’ situation. I didn’t realize it was that bad. I knew people were afraid of him, but I didn’t think they’d say those kinds of things.”

“Does Travis know?” she asked.

Maybe that was why he ran every time someone came onto his property. Maybe he didn’t want to face any of those people. She couldn’t blame him if that was the case. It’d been hard enough for her to face them after knowing what Ida had told them. The only reason she’d managed it was because she had people like Eric, Caleb, Phoebe and Lois in her life. But Travis had no one.

“I don’t know if Travis is aware of what they’re saying or not,” Eric finally said. “I’m sure he knows they’re afraid of him.”

“They all turned their backs to him when he came through town to meet you at the ravine,” she softly told him.

He winced but didn’t reply.

“It was just me and Mama,” Caleb said, interrupting their conversation.

Caroline and Eric turned their attention back to Caleb.

“It was just me and Mama in Kansas. She was sad,” Caleb continued. “She cried a lot. But she loved me.”

“She never mentioned your father?” Caroline asked.

He shook his head. “Lots of men came to see her. None were him. I asked her, and she always said no.”

Caleb was probably too young to understand the implication of what he was saying, but from the brief description he’d just given her, she suspected his mother had had to make money by resorting to prostitution. Caroline had come across two ladies who’d done that after the war because they were so hungry they couldn’t stand it anymore. She didn’t know what she would have done had it not been for Bee.

“Caleb,” Eric began, interrupting her thoughts, “even if she didn’t mention him, you had one. Whatever the people told you today, it’s not true. Travis has parents. Just like you have a father.”

“May I ask what happened to your mother?” Caroline ventured, wondering if he’d be willing to disclose that since he was opening up to them about his past.

“One of the men stabbed her.” Caleb’s voice was so soft she had to strain to hear him. “I told her he was bad. But she let him in anyway. I don’t know why he did it. I don’t know why bad people do what they do.”

“Sometimes we never find out,” Eric said.

“What happened after that?” Caroline asked Caleb. “Did the man try to hurt you?”

He shook his head. “The owner of the building came.” He swallowed as more tears fell from his eyes. “Mama died. Mama had no one. I was sent to a family, but they didn’t like me.”

Caroline brushed more tears from his cheeks. “What makes you say that?”

“They didn’t like my color,” he said.

“Were they mean to you?” Eric asked, concern in his voice.

“No,” Caleb said. “Not mean. They didn’t talk to me much. I was there, but they didn’t care. Then one day they took me out and left me.” He looked at Caroline. “You found me after that.”

Caroline couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “They just left you on the streets?”

“They told me to wait, and they’d be back. I knew they weren’t coming, but I waited.”

“Why?” she forced out when she could trust herself to speak without crying.

“I didn’t know where else to go,” he said.

She brought him back in her arms and held him tightly to her. “I’m glad I found you,” she whispered, allowing her tears to fall.

The poor boy. What a terrible thing to go through. After watching his mother die, he had to go through the pain of rejection.

“We want you here,” she added, stroking his back, hoping the simple action would help soothe him as it’d often soothed her when her mother had done it when she was a child.

“We do,” Eric agreed. “Though we’ll never know what happened to your father, I promise you that he was just as human as we are. Travis is a good man. He’s just the type who would rather be alone. That’s all. He’s not a monster, and neither are you. Caleb, you have a bright future ahead of you if you choose to take it. You’re smarter than any other seven-year-old I know, and you see things in people the rest of us miss. I agree with Caroline. I’m glad you’re here. We’re a family, and we’re going to get through everything together. Alright?”

Caroline smiled despite the fact that another tear made its way down her cheek. “He’s right,” she told Caleb. “We can’t change other people. But we’re not going to let them tell us who we are or what we should do. That’s up for us to decide.”

“Exactly,” Eric said. “Caleb, do you feel better?”

“A little,” he replied. “I still miss Mama.”

“We don’t expect you to get over losing her right away,” Eric replied. “I’m sure there’s a part of you that will always miss her. There’s no getting around it, but maybe someday, when the pain isn’t so great, you can take comfort in knowing she loved you.”

“We don’t want to take her place,” Caroline assured him. “You can talk about her any time you want. She did a wonderful job taking care of you, and I’m sure if she was here, she would say she’s proud of you.”

There was no denying his mother had loved him and did everything she could to shelter him from the harsher realities of life. She suspected the reason his mother never talked about his father was because he’d abused her somehow. She had no proof to back up this thought, but it was there all the same.

“I have an idea,” Eric said. “Why don’t I tell you a bedtime story? My own mother used to do that for me when I was your age.”

Since Caleb indicated he’d listen to the story, Caroline helped him settle back into bed, tucking the blanket around him in a way that would hopefully make him feel protected through the rest of the night. From there, she held Caleb’s hand as Eric began to tell his tale.

Chapter Eighteen

The next day, Eric asked Caroline about the people who’d confronted her about Travis. Once he found out who they were, he gathered everyone together in the town hall.

“I heard what happened yesterday after Travis Martin came through here,” he said. “I know Travis. He’s a good man. He came here when he was seventeen, and he likes to keep to himself. There’s nothing wrong with him. This nonsense you told my wife about him being a monster has to stop.”

“If there’s nothing wrong with him, why won’t he show us his face?” Hank asked.

Eric debated whether or not he should answer that question. Travis was sensitive about the scars. He didn’t think Travis would want the entire town to know about them, especially since he made it a point to hide his face whenever he came across anyone. But after careful debate, he opted for telling them the truth. If he told them the truth about the scars, then maybe they’d believe him with everything else he was telling them.

“Very well,” Eric said. “I’ll tell you. He has scars on his face.” Before they could take that as proof he was a monster, he quickly continued, “I don’t know how the scars got to be there. He didn’t tell me, and it’s not my place to ask. But he hides his face so no one will see them. As for parents, why would you see them? He came here when he was seventeen. He was old enough to be on his own by then.” Then, as an afterthought, he added, “Did any of you even think to ask him about his parents?”

The group murmured to themselves before old lady Wilma said, “Why would we talk to him? He’s frightening.”

“That’s right,” Hank agreed. “We want to protect ourselves.”

The others nodded their agreement.

“Oh for heaven’s sakes,” Eric replied. “He’s not the least bit frightening. Why, my wife went out there with our boy, and she was fine. If she wasn’t scared of him, then why should you be?” He turned to Hank. “Are you telling me a woman in her early twenties has more courage than you?”

Hank look offended. “Just so you know, I’m an old man. I can’t run as fast as she can.”

“Besides, she and the child were on a horse,” Thomas pointed out. “A horse can outrun anything.”

“Do I need to put all of you into the jailhouse for a night to stop this nonsense?” Eric asked.

It wasn’t something Eric wanted to do, but he was beginning to feel desperate. This was getting absurd. It was bad enough they were trying to scare Caroline and Caleb, but it was worse since they did this around him.

Eric glared at them. “I’ve had enough of this! I thought Ida Conner was bad, but you all have her beat. I will have no more talk about Travis being a monster. Whoever keeps this up will spend some time in jail.”

“You can’t do that,” Hank argued.

“I did it to Ida for badmouthing my wife,” Eric pointed out. “And I can do it to any of you who persist in badmouthing Travis. From now on, we are going to treat everyone in this town with respect. Before you speak, ask yourselves if you’d want other people saying the same thing about you.”

Eric waited for someone to protest, but since no one did, he considered the matter closed. With a shake of his head, he stomped out of the town hall. How did people come up with such superstitious nonsense? Did they sit around the table and talk about what kind of things they could do to scare others? Thank goodness Caroline wasn’t the same way, or else he didn’t know how he’d cope in this town.

***

Eric hadn’t meant for the simple kiss he gave Caroline a couple days later to turn into something more. It was bound to be another long and tiring day as he continued his rounds of asking questions about Lydia’s death. But when he woke up early that morning, he felt the pressing need to hold Caroline. No matter what the day brought, he knew he could handle it because he got to be with her first thing in the morning.

Caroline had a silent strength about her. She hadn’t let the rumors swirling about her in town dissuade her from treating people with kindness. She simply went about the town as if nothing was happening. He didn’t know if this was a byproduct of how she’d been raised or if it was just her personality, but it made her all the more attractive to him.

And it was this kind of thinking that compelled him to take her in his arms and give her a kiss. He’d meant for it to be a simple kiss. Just one. But that one kiss soon turned into two. Then three. From there, his hands started roaming her body, and before he knew it, they were entwined in each other’s arms, giving themselves to the demands of their bodies. This time, he wanted to watch her as she made love to him, so he rolled on his back and encouraged her to get on top of him.

She did, and she took him inside her. He groaned. There was always that initial wave of pleasure that swept over him every time the warmth of her flesh surrounded him. Judging by the look on her face, she experienced it, too. She began moving and let out a moan, further letting him know she really did enjoy this. Yes, she’d told him she got pleasure out of their times together. She’d even initiated lovemaking on occasion, but it was always nice to be reassured.

The morning sunlight coming through the window gave him a wonderful view of her. Her hair was down, and it covered part of her breasts. He brushed the hair back, so he could enjoy the full view of them, finding the way they bounced as she continued making love to him that much more arousing.

He lowered his hand, found her sensitive nub, and rubbed it, suspecting it would increase her pleasure. And sure enough, she gasped then moved faster. How he loved the way she responded to him in bed.

In public, she was always a lady, weighing her words before speaking and careful to be graceful in her actions. But in bed, she didn’t hold back. She was completely uninhibited, and that only served to excite him all the more.

So he continued rubbing her sensitive nub until she grew still and cried out. Her core clenched around him, and he shifted so he was deeper inside her. Letting out a groan, he closed his eyes and moved his hips under her.

She, in turn, grasped his shoulders and murmured his name, an encouragement for him to keep going. So he did, and before long, his seed filled her core and his body shuddered as waves of pleasure crashed into him.

After he relaxed, she got off of him and snuggled up to him. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her as he did so, but these kisses weren’t the kind that would lead to more. These were simply the kind that let her know he loved her and couldn’t imagine his life with anyone else. In fact, he didn’t know how he’d managed all of his life without her.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” he whispered.

She smiled, her eyes sparkling. “I love being with you, Eric. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

“Good.”

He kissed her again. She returned the kiss, and soon, he was deepening it, well aware this kind of kissing did have the potential to lead to something more. But he figured it was still early enough where he had some time to spare. And that being the case, he proceeded to make love to her again.

***

A week later, Eric was no closer to figuring out who had killed Lydia than he was the day he found her body. The doctor confirmed she’d been pushed off a wagon, but beyond that, the doctor couldn’t offer anything useful.

“There aren’t any signs of abuse,” the doctor had told him. “Whoever she went with, she went willingly. She didn’t fight him.”

And that put Eric in a more difficult position because this fact alone convinced him Carl was innocent of the murder. Given her intense dislike for her husband, Eric couldn’t imagine she’d willingly go anywhere with him, especially after she made it a point to let him know she wanted him arrested for trying to take her to his bed.

So that left one pressing question: who would she go with?

That particular question was weighing on his mind as Eric went to the jailhouse. Not surprising, there was a group of ten people waiting for him. It seemed that ever since her body was discovered, he had to contend with someone who wanted to know the progress on the investigation.

“Just how long is it going to take for you to find the person who killed Lydia Richie?” Hank asked without even bothering to say hello.

“I’m going to take as long as I need to,” Eric replied.

“It’s been almost two weeks, and you’ve asked everyone in town where they were the night she was murdered,” Mike said.

“Mike’s right,” Jerry added. “It’s been long enough. Find the person who did it and get it over with already.”

The other people murmured their agreement, so Eric held his hands up to silence them. “Look, I’m not going to rush this. It’s important we get the right person.”

“It’s obvious who did it,” Liz called out from the back. “Carl Richie hated her. We all heard him tell her on numerous occasions he wished she’d just go away.”

The people nodded and started conversing amongst themselves about the times they’d seen the couple fight.

“I saw him post a mail-order bride ad yesterday,” Ida said, successfully quieting the group. Eric turned his gaze to her, and she must have sensed a challenge in his eyes for she added, “You can’t get me on this one, Sheriff. It’s the truth. Why, you can ask Daniel. He sent it off to the catalogue company that posts those ads.”

“It’s true,” Daniel replied. “I handled the ad myself.”

“Well, there you go,” Hank said, turning back to Eric. “That was his plan all along. With Lydia out of the way, he’d be free to marry someone who might give him that child he needs to keep that property his father left him.”

“It makes sense,” another man called out. “He hasn’t had a single child with Lydia. It’s obvious she couldn’t conceive. Now he’s looking for a wife who can.”

This created a much bigger stir among the people than the comment Liz had made about Carl and Lydia fighting all the time.

Eric had to yell at them to get them to quiet down. “Listen up,” he said. “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and there’s not enough proof to convict Carl.”

“Well, someone did it,” Mike argued. “You said so yourself that she didn’t commit suicide.”

“Yes, but we have to be careful we don’t go after the wrong person,” Eric said, hoping they were paying close attention to his warning. “I’ve seen an innocent man get shot for something he didn’t do.”

“Who else could it be?” Maude asked.

“I don’t know, but I will find out,” Eric replied. “It’s not going to happen right away. You need to be patient. In the meantime, if anyone steps foot on Carl’s land to give him any trouble, you’ll be dealing with me. Understand?”

After a long, tense moment, the people murmured their agreement and slowly dispersed. Eric released his breath. He had a nagging suspicion one of the people in the group was the murderer he was looking for. He, or she, was probably checking on his progress, to see how close he was in narrowing down the guilty party. But, of course, pinpointing the rightful party was the challenge.

He made a mental note of everyone in the group then went in to the jailhouse to write their names on a list.

Chapter Nineteen

A couple days later, Caroline decided to play jackstraws with Caleb, thinking it’d be nice to take a break from teaching him how to write the letter M.

“Did you and your mother often play games?” she asked as she picked up a jackstraw without disturbing the others on the pile.

“Not much,” he replied. “But she liked them.” He removed one of the jackstraws from the pile and smiled.

She chuckled. “That was a hard stick to pick up without disturbing the rest of the pile. I’m surprised you didn’t take the one from the top.”

He shrugged, but she detected the spark of amusement in his eye. “It’s fun to do it the hard way.”

“You like a challenge?”

He nodded.

“There’s a sense of accomplishment in doing something the hard way,” she replied. “I think it makes winning that much more rewarding.”

After a moment, he looked up at her and said, “Mama would have liked you.”

Pleased by the compliment, Caroline smiled. “I would have liked her, too. She did a wonderful job in raising you. She would be proud of you.”

“I know she loved me.” His gaze went back to the jackstraws, and a tear slid down his cheek.

She retrieved the handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the tear away. “It’s good you’re old enough to remember her.” She paused then asked, “Would you like to record your memories of her?”

His gaze went back to her. “How do we do that?”

“We could write down what you remember about her. It’ll be something tangible you can hold onto.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “Tangible?”

“It means something you can touch. Something real. Like a book. We could get paper and write down everything you can remember.”

“Things like what?”

“Things like how she looked, what games you played with her, the stories she told you… Things like that. It’ll be something of hers you’ll have forever.”

“I’d like that.”

“Then let’s go to the general store and see if we can get some.”

She stood up and checked on the money in her drawstring purse. Eric had given her a few coins in case she needed to get anything from the store, and she figured she had enough left for some paper and a pencil or pen, should the items be at the general store.

She’d used the only paper she’d brought with her to write the missives to Bee and Charles. She hadn’t bothered to check the general store for more yet. It might be that she’d have to order them by mail. For Caleb’s sake, she hoped they had it here so they could get started on recording his memories right away.

She slipped the strings of the purse around her wrist and went to the door to retrieve her hat. Turning to look at Caleb, she was surprised to see he was still sitting by the jackstraws.

“Would you rather wait?” she asked him.

“No, I want to go,” he said.

She wanted to ask him why he hesitated, but he walked over to her and put on his boots.

He straightened up. “I’m ready.”

With a smile, she patted his shoulder. “Even if we can’t get the paper today, we’ll order it. In the meantime, you can tell me anything you want to about her. That might help you remember more things we can write down.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For not making me forget her.” He looked down for a moment then turned his gaze back up to her. “The other people…the ones I lived with who didn’t care for me… They wanted me to forget her. They didn’t like hearing about her.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’re here instead.”

She opened the door and led him outside.

When they got to the store, Daniel came up to them. “How may I help you, Mrs. Johnson?”

“Do you have any paper?” she asked.

He offered a nod. “This way.”

Squeezing Caleb’s hand in excitement, she followed Daniel and purchased some paper and two pencils. Then, realizing she had enough money left over, she bought Caleb a couple pieces of candy.

“I don’t know a single child who doesn’t like candy,” Daniel said, giving her a friendly smile.

Caroline returned his smile and handed the candy to Caleb. It was nice to know not everyone in town thought ill of her after all the things Ida had said about her.

She thanked Daniel and gathered the paper and pencils in one arm. Then she took Caleb’s hand and exited the store.

They’d only taken a couple of steps when an unfamiliar gentleman approached them. “Pardon me, ma’am.”

She stopped. “Yes?”

“I’m looking for someone who lives here. Do you know where I can find Caroline Benton?”

“That was my name before I married the sheriff,” she replied. “What can I help you with?”

“I’m Charles Dunwick.” He pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket and showed her the missive she’d written to him. “I apologize for coming up to you this way. I know you said you were doing alright in the letter, but I wanted to make sure it was true. You know, just in case someone made you write that.”

“Oh, that’s very kind of you,” she replied, surprised he would go through all this trouble on her behalf. “What I put in the missive is true. Everything is fine.”

Caleb squeezed her hand.

Surprised, she glanced down at him and saw him shake his head, a silent warning for her to stop talking to Charles. Her eyebrows furrowed as she turned her gaze back to Charles.

What did Caleb see that she didn’t? Charles seemed pleasant enough. He was smiling, his posture was relaxed, and he was well dressed for a gentleman out in this area of the country. She looked at Caleb again, just to make sure there was something about Charles that bothered him. And sure enough, Caleb enforced his earlier warning by urging her back into the store.

“I was wondering if we could talk,” Charles said. “I’d like to know more about how things are for you. We could take a walk. I came all the way here to make sure everything was alright. It’d be a shame if I didn’t at least find out more about your new life and this boy.” He nodded toward Caleb. “I’d also like to thank your husband for being good to you.”

“Oh, um…”

Caroline clutched the paper and pencils to her chest as she struggled to find a polite way of saying no. She couldn’t come out and tell him something was wrong with him. That might make things worse.

“Actually,” she began, “this isn’t a good time. I promised my husband I’d see him.” She knew better than to head right on home. Then he’d know where she lived. “He’s right over there at that jailhouse.” She gestured to it. “As I said, he’s the sheriff.”

“If now’s not a good time, then what about later?” Charles asked. “I’ll be in town for at least one night since it was a long trip to get here.”

She shifted from one foot to another and scanned who else was in the area. A couple of ladies were across the street, and two gentlemen came out of the barbershop. And, of course, Daniel was in the general store behind her. At least there were people nearby. This gave her an added layer of protection. She didn’t think he’d try to force her to go off with him when others were around.

“I have to pee,” Caleb blurted out. “Right now.”

Thankful for the boy’s quick thinking, she offered a smile at Charles. “I’m sorry, but I must go. I don’t want him to have an accident. Just know that I’m fine.”

Then she led Caleb over to the jailhouse as fast as her boots would allow. Charles called out after her, but she pretended she didn’t hear him. If Caleb thought there was something wrong with him, then she didn’t dare risk finding out what that something was. She wouldn’t knowingly allow the enemy an advantage like she had with the Union soldiers. No, this time she was going to be cautious, even if it meant being rude.

By the time she opened the door to the jailhouse, she was out of breath. She shut the door behind her and Caleb then peeked out the window. Charles was still standing by the general store, just staring in her direction. That, she had to admit, was creepy. She shivered and slipped away from the window in case he saw her.

“I told you I’m not going to arrest Carl,” Eric called out from the back. “I don’t care how guilty you think he is.”

“It’s me and Caleb,” Caroline called out. She set the paper and pencils on Eric’s desk then glanced at Caleb. “Are you alright?”

The boy nodded. “You did the right thing.”

She was about to ask him why he didn’t trust Charles, but she already knew the answer. He didn’t know. He got a feeling about people. He was sensitive to subtle cues people like her missed.

Eric came out from the back and put his coffee cup down on his desk. “It’s nice to see you two.” He went over to Caroline and gave her a kiss. Then he gave Caleb a playful pat on the back. “What brings you two in today?”

“Remember the gentleman I was supposed to marry?”

Eric turned back to her. “Sure. Charles or something.”

“Yes, Charles Dunwick. He’s here.”

“He’s here?”

“Right out there.” She pointed to the window. “He came up to me and Caleb as we were leaving the general store and asked if I knew Caroline Benton. I told him I was the person he was looking for, and he introduced himself. He has the missive I wrote, so I believe it’s him.”

“Is he here because he wants to marry you?”

Noting the jealous edge in Eric’s voice, she smiled. “No. He said he wants to make sure I’m alright, but Caleb,” she glanced at the boy, “warned me not to talk to him. So I came here.”

Eric’s gaze went to Caleb. “You think he’s here to hurt her?”

“I don’t know why he’s here,” Caleb said. “I just don’t like him.”

“I see.” Eric walked over to the window. “What’s he wearing?”

“Plaid red and black shirt, denim pants, a black hat,” Caroline replied. “He hasn’t shaved in a couple days.”

“I don’t see him.” Eric looked over at her. “It’s a small town. He won’t be able to blend in. You can stay here until I’m ready to leave.” He turned to Caleb. “I don’t have any games, but you can practice writing to help pass the time.”

Caleb nodded, and Eric pulled up the chair so Caleb could sit at the desk. After Caleb started working on the letter M, Eric strode over to her.

“Do you believe Charles wants to make sure you’re alright?” he whispered.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. He seemed pleasant enough when I was talking to him. He mentioned wanting to talk for a while. He even said he wanted to talk to you. But Caleb lied and said he had to use the privy, and it’s not like him to lie.”

“No, it’s not.” Eric rubbed the back of his neck then crossed his arms. “Do you think he’s upset you married me instead of him?”

“I don’t know what to think. I never imagined he’d come all the way over here. I sent the missive because Ida suggested it would be good idea to let him know I was doing alright. It made sense to do that since he’d been expecting me. I mean, wouldn’t you want Allison to let you know if she got stuck in the wrong town and married someone else?”

“Yes, I would. As much as I hate to agree with Ida, I can see the wisdom in her thinking.”

She bit her lower lip then asked, “Do you think I made a mistake in writing to him?”

“No. There was no way you could have known he was going to come looking for you.”

“I didn’t ask him to.”

Probably detecting the worry in her tone, he patted her lower back in reassurance. “I know. All you did was explain the situation.”

She nodded, relieved he understood. Never in a million years would she think to ask anyone to take her away from Eric. Now that she was with him, she couldn’t imagine her life with another gentleman. And who knew if anyone else would have been willing to take Caleb?

If she had arrived at the right town, Caleb wouldn’t have wanted Charles to be his father, and if Caleb couldn’t have accepted Charles, then she couldn’t have, either.

As Eric had told her, she came to the right town and married the right gentleman. There was no denying that now that she’d seen the way Caleb reacted to Charles. With a shiver, she put her arms around Eric’s waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

He, in turn, wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back. “Are you alright?”

“Yes. I was just thinking of how close I came to marrying the wrong gentleman. If Caleb doesn’t like Charles, there has to be a good reason for it, even if I have no idea what it could possibly be.”

“I’ll find out what he wants.”

She looked up at him. “How?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I’ll come up with something. Until then, I don’t want you and Caleb to be alone. We’ll stay here while I go over my notes on Lydia’s murder.”

“Are you close to figuring out who did it?”

“No. It’s going to take a while. I’ve watched men who were punished for things they didn’t do, and I’m determined I get the right person.”

Person? “Does that mean you think a lady might have done it?”

“It’s possible. Not likely, but possible. I’m sure a couple of wives weren’t all that happy to learn Lydia slept with their husbands.”

Caroline gasped. “She didn’t!” Remembering Caleb was within earshot, she lowered her voice. “Surely, a lady wouldn’t do such a thing.”

“Men aren’t the only ones who have affairs.”

“Is this a common thing out here?”

“No, it’s not, but one thing I’ve learned from living in several places is that people are people no matter where they live. There will always be someone who breaks the law, whether God’s or man’s. You can’t get away from it. All you can do is what you can to make things better.” Offering a smile, he brushed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “I love you, Caroline. You’re the perfect wife. You have a tender heart for others, and you live the kind of life that honors me as your husband. I don’t know what happened to Allison, but whatever delayed her was for the best—for me and probably even for her. I don’t believe in coincidence. I believe things happen as they’re meant to.”

As much as she wanted to bask in the warmth of his praises, she couldn’t help but note his last sentence. “Do you think Charles’ coming here was meant to happen, to?”

He paused then answered, “I know he’s here for a reason, and I suspect it’s not good. Don’t worry. I’ll figure out what it is.”

She rested her head on his shoulder again, taking comfort in his words.

Chapter Twenty

After Eric came home with Caroline and Caleb, he closed all the curtains, blocking out any view Charles might have of them in case he was lurking outside. Since Charles hadn’t made it a point to come to the jailhouse to introduce himself, Eric gathered Charles’ sole interest was in Caroline. The line he’d given her about wanting to talk to him was probably a cover to get her to lower her guard down.

To be sure he was right about Charles, he pulled Caleb aside while Caroline was trying her hand at a new recipe Lois had given her. He sat with Caleb on his bed and asked, “You remember that man you and Caroline saw today outside the general store?”

Caleb nodded. “Charles.”

“What was it about him that bothered you?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“That man who killed your mother… You didn’t like him when you first saw him, correct?”

Caleb nodded again.

“And you couldn’t figure out why you didn’t like him?” Eric asked, hoping he might pinpoint something tangible he could use to help him figure out Charles’ motives for coming here.

“No,” Caleb replied.

Alright. That avenue was a dead end. Maybe Eric needed to try a different line of questioning, something more specific. “Caleb, are there any similarities between the man who killed your mother and Charles?”

“They’re both white.”

It was getting closer to what Eric wanted, but he needed more. “What about the way they acted or talked?”

Caleb’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Eric thought over a couple good examples he might use before saying, “For instance, did they use any of the same words? Or did they walk the same way? Maybe the man who killed your mother gave her the same kind of look that Charles gave Caroline. Anything like that.”

“Oh, well…”

Caleb’s voice drifted off, and Eric could tell he was comparing the two in his mind, sifting through those subtle details that were important when deducting the good and the bad in people. Eric was beginning to suspect Caleb had a method for picking out such details without even thinking about it. What Caleb needed was for someone to help him become aware of that method so he could willingly use it in the future…and now.

“They were too nice,” Caleb finally said.

“Too nice?” Eric asked.

“They wanted to be trusted.”

“How did you know they wanted to be trusted?”

Caleb stared at his hands for a long moment then said, “Their voices. They sounded different than other men’s.”

“How were their voices different?”

“They were higher.”

“You mean, the pitch in their voice was higher than it normally would have been?”

Caleb nodded.

“Anything else?” Eric asked.

“There was something in their eyes.”

Figuring Caleb wouldn’t be able to explain what that something was, Eric ventured, “How did you feel when you looked at their eyes?”

“Scared.”

So maybe Caleb detected a predatory look in their eyes. “What kind of scared?”

“I wanted to run and hide.”

“Caleb, when Ida was here, did you feel the same things as you did with those men?”

“No. Ida’s different. She had a strange smile on her face.”

“A strange smile?”

He nodded. “It made me think of a stray cat. Mama used to feed him. He scratched her when she touched him. Enough to hurt, but not kill.”

Interesting. “If you were to compare the two men with an animal, what would it be?”

“There was a dog by our apartment. It didn’t have a home. Mama and I passed it when we went outside. It seemed nice. Mama and I petted it. But then white spit came out its mouth one day, and it was mean. Mama said to stay away from it. I learned it killed two people. Then it was shot.”

Eric was surprised the boy could come up with such great analogies to describe Ida and the two men. Just as he thought, the information was there, buried deep down in the boy’s mind. It was a matter of drawing it out to see how he came up with the conclusions he did.

“Well, tonight I’m going to see if I can figure out what Charles is up to,” Eric said. “After we eat, I would like you to pretend to go to bed. Keep your clothes on and sit on the couch with Caroline. I don’t want Charles to have any advantage, and if I know you two are safe in this cabin, I’ll be able to focus on what I need to do.”

The boy nodded, and Eric decided that was a good way to end this particular conversation.

“I’m going to go help Caroline with the meal,” Eric said.

“Can I help, too?” Caleb asked.

Surprised he wanted to spend time cooking, he agreed. But who knew? Maybe Caleb had helped his mother with the meals.

Eric smiled. “It’d be nice to have your help.”

Together, the two went to the kitchen.

***

Charles waited until it was dark before he made his way to Caroline’s new home. He had to get her. Every woman he didn’t acquire was money lost, and he had debts to pay.

From the shadows of the trees, he watched the house. The curtains were drawn, so he couldn’t make out anything she and that new husband of hers were doing. Of all the times someone would end up in the wrong town, it had to be Caroline. If it hadn’t been for the little brat she’d brought with her, she would have been paying attention when the stagecoach driver called out the name of the town.

Oh, who was he kidding? The woman wasn’t all that smart. Only someone lacking intelligence would end up in the wrong town. But it wasn’t her mind he was interested in. And who knew? Maybe her stupidity would be an asset.

He settled on the ground and leaned against a tree, making sure he remained out of sight. He’d wait for as long as it took for her to come out. She couldn’t stay there forever, and her husband couldn’t be with her at all times, either. It was just a matter of waiting. And fortunately for him, he was a patient man.

An hour later, the lights in the cabin went out except for a small one that was near the front door. Another hour later, someone stepped onto the porch.

Squinting, he tried to make out whether it was Caroline or her husband. It had to be Caroline. He caught the bonnet on the person’s head and the skirt that swirled around the ankles. Yes, it had to be her.

She sat on the chair and rocked back and forth, probably trying to unwind after a long day. Charles waited for a few minutes to see if the husband would join her, but he didn’t. Good. Now was the time to act. He removed the bottle of chloroform and the rag from his pocket. After making sure the rag was saturated, he slipped the bottle back into his pocket and rose to his feet, careful not to make a sound.

He tiptoed to the side of the porch so he could come from behind her. The element of surprise was on his side, but he didn’t have much time. That husband of hers could show up at any moment.

He crept up behind the chair, which continued squeaking as she rocked back and forth. Making sure no one was shuffling around in the cabin, he rose to his feet. And just as he was about to slip the rag around her mouth, she turned to him. Except she wasn’t a she. She was a he.

“I knew you’d come for me,” the man said, imitating Caroline’s southern drawl before he punched Charles in the face.

***

Once the man fell into an unconscious heap, Eric rose from the chair and threw off the bonnet and shawl and put them on the chair. Then he unpinned Caroline’s skirt and added it to the pile.

“It’s safe to come out,” he called out to Caroline and Caleb.

The door opened, and Caroline peered outside. “What happened?”

“I got him.” Eric turned the man over and slid the handcuffs behind his back. They were a little tight, but it was better than being loose. At least this way, Charles couldn’t slip out of them. He rolled the man onto his back and glanced at her. “Bring out the light and tell me if this is the right man.”

Caroline hurried to obey and stepped up to him. She held the kerosene lamp up and nodded. “Yes, that’s Charles. What do you think he was going to do?”

Finding the wet rag beside the chair, Eric picked it up and sniffed it, noting the sickly sweet smell. “He was going to put this over your nose and mouth so you’d go to sleep. After that, he was probably going to haul you off to his town.”

“But why?” Caroline asked.

“That’s what I’m going to find out.” He glanced at Caleb. “It looks like your instinct was right. You do well to listen to them.” He turned his gaze back to Caroline. “I want you to stay with Abe and Phoebe while I take Charles to his hometown so I can find out what he wanted with you. Mind if I take the missive he sent you so I know where his home is?”

“No, I don’t mind.” She rushed back into the cabin.

“You don’t mind staying with Abe and Phoebe, do you?” Eric asked Caleb.

“No,” Caleb replied then looked down at Charles. “I knew he was bad.”

“You did, and I’m glad we listened to you.”

“I wish Mama had listened to me.”

Eric placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “As happy as I am to have you here, I also wish she’d listened to you. No one should lose a mother the way you did. I’m sorry, Caleb. I know no one will ever replace her. I just hope you can find some happiness here.”

“You and Caroline are good people,” Caleb said.

“And you’re a good boy,” Eric replied. “Your mother raised you right.” He saw a tear fall from Caleb’s eye, so he hugged him, choked up by the things Caleb had been through at such a young age. When he released him, he asked, “Will you take care of Caroline for me while I’m gone?”

Caleb nodded.

Caroline returned with an envelope. “The missive’s in there,” she explained.

He took it. “Thank you.” Glancing at Charles to make sure he hadn’t woken up, he added, “I’m going to get a wagon. After I take you and Caleb to Abe and Phoebe’s, I’ll head out to Georgetown.”

“But it’s late,” Caroline replied.

“I know, but I won’t be able to sleep tonight so I might as well do something productive with my time.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard. I want you coming back to us,” she replied.

“I will. And when I do, I’ll be able to tell you what he was planning to do with you. Go on and get enough things for you and Caleb for a week then we’ll head out.”

“Alright.”

While she went to do that, he woke Charles up and then led him to the livery stable.

Chapter Twenty-One

Almost two weeks later, Caroline was making soup. She’d been hesitant to do it, given her inclination to burn it, but Phoebe and her mother had promised her they’d stay with her the entire time. Though reluctant, she agreed, adding, “But if this doesn’t work out, I’m never trying it again.”

Since Phoebe and her mother seemed happy enough with this compromise, Caroline worked on the soup. As she finished putting the last of the vegetables into the pot, Phoebe said, “That’s all there is to it.”

“I’ve gotten this far before without any problems,” Caroline told Phoebe before she got her hopes up.

Phoebe smiled. “You need to have more faith in yourself. If you can make pot roast, you can do this.”

“Phoebe’s right,” her mother said. “It’s just a matter of letting the soup simmer for a couple hours.”

“Well, you need to check on it every so often and add water from time to time,” Phoebe added. “I also like to put some salt in for extra flavor.”

Caroline wiped her hands and set the towel on the hook by the cookstove. “We’ll see if your faith in me pays off in a couple hours then.” She turned to Phoebe. “I’m surprised you’re doing so much since you’re in the family way.”

Phoebe glanced at her as she picked up the pitcher of lemonade to refill their glasses. “Why?”

“Well, the ladies I was around would sit and rest as soon as they found out they were with child,” Caroline replied. “They were told to take things easy.”

Phoebe’s mother chuckled. “I can’t remember a time when Phoebe ever took it easy. She’s always been one to work hard from the moment she wakes up to the moment she goes to sleep.”

“I suppose things are different out here from the way they were when I was growing up,” Caroline thoughtfully replied.

Caroline picked up her glass and took a sip of the lemonade. When it was her time to carry a child, she’d probably be doing all the household tasks she’d only recently learned. The war had changed so many things, and the South would never be the way it used to be. She would never be the way she used to be.

While there were times she wished she could have one more day to spend with her family, doing the things she’d once taken for granted, she knew some things had changed for the better.

She glanced at Caleb who was sitting on the couch, quietly working on the letter W. He was such a studious child. Besides her brother, she couldn’t think of anyone as dedicated to learning new things. They’d already started working on recording the memories he had of his mother. No doubt, when he was older, he’d go on to record more things as he encountered more people and gained more experiences.

“Eric’s here,” Phoebe’s mother called out, peering out the kitchen window.

Caleb looked up from his chalkboard, and Caroline encouraged him to join her as she headed for the door. She thought Phoebe and her mother might follow, but they lingered behind, probably wishing to give Caroline and Caleb a few minutes alone with him.

Caroline opened the door for Caleb, and Caleb darted across the yard to Eric. Eric slid off his horse and tied the reins to the post before he turned to Caleb and picked him up.

Caroline’s steps slowed when she saw Caleb wrap his arms around Eric’s neck. It was such a sweet scene, and one she hated to interrupt, but Eric made eye contact with her and smiled.

She picked up her pace and called out, “It’s nice to have you back.”

“It’s nice to be back,” Eric replied.

When she reached him, he put his arm around her waist and drew her to his side. He gave her a kiss that let her know how much he’d missed her.

She’d missed him, too. Missed him so much, in fact, that she’d had a hard time sleeping at night. She hadn’t realized how safe she’d felt with him next to her in bed until she’d slept on the couch. Yes, Caleb had slept on the floor nearby, but she was used to watching over him. With Eric, however, she’d been able to let her guard down and let him watch over her.

She wiped her eyes, surprised welcoming him back should make her want to cry. But these were tears of joy, so she didn’t mind them so much. They were much better than the other kind.

“Did you find out what Charles wanted?” she asked once she could trust herself to speak without crying.

“I did.” He let go of her and set Caleb down. “Will you leave us alone for a few minutes? There are some things you’re too young to hear.”

Caroline was sure the boy had to be curious, but to his credit, he nodded and went over to the porch where Phoebe and her mother were sitting.

Eric turned back to her and pulled her in his arms again. “You feel good,” he whispered, burying his face in the nape of her neck.

“You do, too.”

Something in the way he held her told her his trip hadn’t been pleasant. Not that she thought it would be, but she hadn’t thought it’d be as bad as it’d been.

“What is it?” she asked, pulling away from him. “What did you find out?” He seemed reluctant to tell her, so she added, “I’ve been through the war, Eric. I lost everyone in my family. Whatever Charles wanted, I can handle it. Don’t keep it from me just because I’m a lady.”

And that was yet another thing that had changed recently. While growing up, it was expected that ladies would be sheltered from the harsher realities of life, given their delicate constitutions. But, again, she wasn’t that person any more. Now she wanted to know what was going on.

Taking a deep breath, she took his hands in hers and squeezed them. “Eric?”

“You were lucky you got off in the wrong town,” he told her, his voice soft. “The others weren’t so lucky.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Others? Are you telling me Charles posted other mail-order bride ads?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Caroline, he was posting those ads with the intent of selling the women into prostitution.”

At first, she didn’t think she heard him right, so she asked, “Did you say prostitution?”

He nodded. “He had already tricked three women into coming to him. I was able to track them down and release them from their,” his eyes went heavenward, “employers.” He released his breath. “I found a nice couple who agreed to house them and find real, respectable marriages for them. Charles is now in jail, so he won’t be able to do this ever again.”

It was still taking her time to process everything he was telling her. She’d thought nothing worse could have happened to her when she left South Carolina. She had been uncertain about the future. Maybe even afraid when she contemplated leaving everything she’d ever known behind. But never once did she think Charles was the kind of gentleman who was planning to sell her into prostitution.

“It was bad enough to see the condition those three women were in,” Eric began, “but when I thought one of them could’ve been you…” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m so glad you got off at the wrong town.” He wrapped her in his arms again, holding her tightly, once more burying his face in the nape of her neck. “I love you, Caroline.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered.

The reality of what would have happened to her had she not married Eric was finally beginning to sink in. She closed her eyes and clung to him. What had been a terribly embarrassing mistake had really been a blessing.

And to think if she hadn’t had Caleb with her, throwing up and crying, she might not have been distracted enough to get off the stagecoach when she did. Then when Charles came up to her, seeming to be very much a gentleman, she would have gone off with him.

She opened her eyes and glanced at Caleb, who seemed content to hold a frog while Phoebe and her mother talked to him. Phoebe reached forward to touch the frog, but her mother refused to do it. Caroline’s gaze went back to Caleb. He was smiling and studying the small creature in his hands. It was ironic that the day she decided to protect him by taking him to Colorado with her, she had ultimately been ensuring he’d be there to protect her.

When Eric let go of her, he wiped the tears from her face. “The best day of my life was when you married me. I’m sure Allison will make a good wife to the man she ends up with, but I have no doubt you’re the right wife for me. That’s why I was waiting for a bride when you happened to come here. You were meant to be with me.”

She smiled, even as more tears came to her eyes. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Abe stepped out of the barn and called out, “I hate to ruin this moment, but there’s smoke in the kitchen.”

Caroline looked at the cabin, and sure enough, smoke billowed from the kitchen window. She hurried after Phoebe and her mother as they rushed into the house. Caroline wished she could say she was surprised, but to be fair, she had warned them. Soup was one of those things she’d never be able to make, no matter how hard she tried.

***

Despite the soup mishap, everyone had a good supper, and Eric took Caroline and Caleb home that evening.

The next day, Caroline took Caleb to the general store to check for mail and was delighted to see that Bee had sent her a missive. Well, one of Bee’s friends had written the letter on her behalf, but Bee had told her friend what to write. As Caroline quietly read the missive, Caleb was content to chew on the licorice she’d bought him.

Caroline was glad to see Bee and her sons were doing well. They’d come together with other former slaves to start farming.

It’s slow going, Caroline read. But it’s progress, and progress is all we can ask for. Things take time to get better. We just need to take each day as it comes and be thankful each step of the way. And one thing I’m thankful for is that you got a good man. We’ve all had our share of sorrows. It’s looking like we’re coming into better things. Keep your head up, Miss Caroline. The best is yet to come.

Caroline took out her handkerchief and dabbed the tears from her eyes.

“Why are you crying?” Caleb asked. “You don’t seem sad.”

“I’m not sad. I miss Bee and the others, but their lot in life is improving and that’s good.” Not sure she did a good job explaining why she felt a mixture of joy and sorrow after reading Bee’s letter, she folded the paper and slipped it into her pocket. “Life is complicated. So few things are completely wonderful or horrible. There seems to be a mix of both at any one time.”

“Excuse me,” Daniel said, coming over to them. “I forgot to give you this. It’s for your husband.”

“Oh, thank you.” She took the envelope from him and saw Allie Jones written at the top of it. From the looks of it, it had ended up in the wrong town before finally making it here. She glanced at Caleb. “We should take this to your father.”

Caleb nodded and left the general store with her. Fortunately, Eric was at the jailhouse. Sometimes he wasn’t there. She’d learned he’d walk around town or be asked to break up an argument from time to time. Her curiosity was getting the best of her, and she wanted to find out the contents of the missive right away.

She opened the door and led Caleb in before following him inside.

Eric looked up from a paper he was writing on. “Ah, my two favorite people. To what do I owe the pleasure?” He rose to his feet, circled the desk, and walked over to them.

“Allison wrote to you,” Caroline explained, presenting the envelope to him. “I thought you might like to read it.”

With a nod, he opened the envelope. “I have been wondering what happened to her. I hope she’s alright.”

Caroline hadn’t considered something bad might have happened to her. She held her breath as he pulled the paper out and unfolded it.

He read through the contents of the missive, and she patiently waited for him to tell her what was in it. By the expression on his face, she could tell he was surprised. However, he didn’t seem upset, so that had to be good. At least, she hoped that’s what it meant.

When he finally put the missive down, he said, “She was delayed because she saw a murder.”

Caroline’s eyes grew wide. “She did?”

“It happened on the train, and she was asked to stay in Missouri to testify at the trial,” he replied. “The judge has seen to it that she’ll be provided for the rest of the way here, so she has everything she needs. She’ll be here in a few days.”

“It’s good she’s not hurt.”

“That is good.” After a moment, he added, “It’s a shame she didn’t see who pushed Lydia down the ravine. I sure could use the help.”

“It’ll happen. Just keep your ears and eyes open.” She kissed him.

“You know what I love most about you?”

“What?”

“Your faith in me.”

Pleased, she smiled and gave him another kiss. “You don’t make hasty decisions, and that’s a good thing. It helps when you keep a clear head.” She put her arm around Caleb’s shoulder and told the boy, “Just like you. You’ll do good things, too.”

Though Caleb shrugged, she detected the hint of a smile on his face from the compliment.

“So, what are you going to do about Allison since we’re married?” she asked Eric.

Eric tapped the missive in his hand for a moment then smiled. “I know who’ll make her a good husband. I think she’ll agree to it, but he’s going to be harder to convince.”

Now her interest was piqued. “Oh? Who’s that?”

“Travis Martin. It’d do him some good to have a wife, especially one who’s willing to stay and testify in a trial. She’s the type who does the right thing when the time calls for it, and he could use someone like that.”

“Travis seemed terribly shy when Caleb and I went to get you the day Lydia was found dead.”

“I know, which is why getting him married won’t be easy. But, just because something is difficult, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.” He put the missive on his desk then came back to her and Caleb. “I’m in the mood for a walk. I’ve been sorting through this thing with Lydia too much. I think I need a break. Want to join me?”

Caroline and Caleb nodded, and the three left the jailhouse for a nice, relaxing walk.

Author’s Note

I don’t often leave a loose thread hanging in a story like I did with Lydia’s murderer still free. In this case, however, I felt it necessary for the sake of the series to leave this open. The guilty party will be discovered. (I know who it is, and I have introduced that character in this story.) I believe the killer’s identity will be exposed in the next book, The Accidental Mail Order Bride. I’m not a plotter by nature. I can only know the story as I’m writing it.

Coming September 4, 2016!

The Accidental Mail Order Bride

Eric Johnson’s real mail order bride shows up later than expected, and she quickly learns he is already married. Now Allie Jones is stuck in a small Colorado town with no way to leave. She must either marry the only remaining bachelor or risk being sold to the saloon’s owner to be one of the soiled doves. Seeing she has no real choice, she agrees to marry the bachelor.

Not being much to look at and overweight, Travis Martin is content to live alone, sheltered in the wooded area of the mountainside, free from the town’s endless gossip. So that’s why the last thing he expects is a preacher when there’s a knock on the door. With great hesitation, he agrees to the marriage. He can’t confine her to the saloon, but he knows the marriage won’t be a happy one for her, not when she could have had someone so much better.

Click Here to Reserve Your Copy Today!

***

Coming January 7, 2017!

The Bargain Mail Order Bride

Carl Richie’s wife took delight in making him miserable, often reminding him she wished she’d married someone much more deserving. So when she dies, it's no great loss. His problems, however, are far from over.

His father left him twenty acres and a stream that most likely has gold in it, but in order for him to keep the property, he must have a child. The last thing Carl wants to do is marry again, but he has no choice. So, with reluctance, he posts a mail-order bride ad.

Juliet Gilbert needs to marry someone—and fast. On a whim, she answers the first mail-order bride ad that will take her to a place where her past won’t catch up with her. From the beginning, Carl makes it clear he’s not interested in love. He only wants a child, and then he’ll give her a portion of any gold he finds on his land and leave her alone to do as she wishes.

Since love is the least of her concerns, she agrees as long as he never asks about her past. The two strike the bargain, and she comes out to marry him. What neither expects, however, is that bargains are far easier to make than they are to keep.

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The Convenient Mail Order Bride

When Phoebe Durbin answers a mail-order bride ad, she doesn't realize the groom-to-be didn't post it. Worse, the day she arrives at her destination, she learns he doesn't even want to get married. Having nowhere else to go, she convinces him to give her a chance to prove having a woman cook and clean for him will be the best thing that ever happened to him.

Abe Thomas reluctantly agrees to take Phoebe in, though he doubts they will make a good match. They're much too different. While she sees the best in things, he knows the world is much darker than she can ever imagine. No woman in her right mind would be his convenient wife. He's sure when the stagecoach comes back to town, she'll be the first one on it. After all, two people so completely different can't make a good match, can they?

All Books by Ruth Ann Nordin

(Chronological Order)

Regencies

Marriage by Scandal

The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife

A Most Unsuitable Earl

His Reluctant Lady

The Earl’s Scandalous Wife

Marriage by Deceit

The Earl’s Secret Bargain

Love Lessons With the Duke

Ruined by the Earl

The Earl’s Stolen Bride

Marriage by Arrangement

His Wicked Lady

Her Devilish Marquess

Standalone Regency

Her Counterfeit Husband

Historical Western Romance

Pioneer Series

Wagon Trail Bride

Nebraska Romance Series

Her Heart’s Desire

A Bride for Tom

A Husband for Margaret

Eye of the Beholder

The Wrong Husband

Shotgun Groom

To Have and To Hold

His Redeeming Bride

Isaac’s Decision

Chance at Love Series

The Convenient Mail Order Bride

The Mistaken Mail Order Bride

South Dakota Series

Loving Eliza

Bid for a Bride

Bride of Second Chances

Montana Collection

Mitch’s Win

Boaz’s Wager

Patty’s Gamble

Native American Romance Series

Restoring Hope

Brave Beginnings

Bound by Honor, Bound by Love

A Chance In Time

Virginia Series

An Unlikely Place for Love

The Cold Wife

An Inconvenient Marriage

Romancing Adrienne

Historical Romance Anthologies (with Janet Syas Nitsick)

Bride by Arrangement

A Groom’s Promise

Standalone Historical Western Romances

Falling In Love With Her Husband

Kent Ashton’s Backstory (Prequel to Catching Kent)

Catching Kent

His Convenient Wife

Meant To Be

The Mail Order Bride’s Deception

Contemporary Romance

Omaha Romance Series

With This Ring, I Thee Dread

What Nathan Wants

Just Good Friends

Across the Stars Series

Suddenly a Bride

Runaway Bride

His Abducted Bride

Standalone Contemporaries

Substitute Bride

Bride by Design (under pen name Barbara Joan Russell)

Thriller

Return of the Aliens (Christian End-Times Novel)

Late One Night (flash fiction)

Fantasy

Enchanted Galaxy Series

A Royal Engagement

Royal Hearts

The Royal Pursuit

Royal Heiress

To find out more about Ruth Ann Nordin’s books and upcoming titles, you can go to the following sites:

Her Author Blog: http://ruthannnordinauthorblog.wordpress.com

Her Website:

www.ruthannnordin.com

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Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Coming Soon in the Chance at Love Series

All Books by Ruth Ann Nordin

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