Bittner, Rosanne (51 page)

"I hope you all burn in hell!" Zack Walker suddenly shouted from under his black hood, just before the trapdoor beneath his two nephews and him was sprung, silencing all three of them.

Lettie gasped, as did just about every person in the crowd below. The sound moved through the street almost in unison so that the "Ohs!" went up almost in a roar. Pearl and Lettie stared; both the young Walker men seemed to have died right away, their necks snapping and their heads hanging oddly to the side. Zack Walker continued to kick for several seconds before finally hanging still. Everyone waited breathlessly as each body was dropped under the scaffold, where Dr. Manning waited to check each one. After several minutes Sheriff Tracy came out to climb up onto the scaffold.

"Ben Walker, Jim Walker, and their uncle, Zack Walker, are officially dead," he announced. A cheer went up from the crowd, which began mingling and celebrating again. Luke looked up at Lettie once more, then she turned away from the window, putting her arm around Pearl, who was holding her stomach.

"I'm glad they're dead," the girl told her mother, "but I don't think I want to see something like that again."

"Nor do I," Lettie answered. She left Pearl for a moment to walk over to Katie, who had dropped the knitting in her lap and was just staring at it. "They're dead, Katie. Are you all right?"

The girl shook her head and began sobbing. "They took... part of me with them," she wept.

Lettie knelt beside her and put an arm around her. "Katie, no man can take what a woman doesn't want to give."

Pearl touched her sister's hair. She did not totally understand what had happened to Katie, but she knew it was something horrible and humiliating. "I love you, Katie," she told her.

Minutes later Ty, Robbie, and Luke came back to the room, Ty strutting inside with a manly air. "They're dead, sis," he told Katie.

Robbie timidly walked up to Katie, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Katie. If I had watched you better that night—"

"We'll have none of that," Lettie interrupted. "Nothing that happened was anyone's fault," she reminded him again. She had had several talks with the boy since Katie was taken, assuring him that he was not to blame for what happened, any more than he should blame himself for Paul's death. Both things would have happened whether he was there or not. "The Walkers were out to get us, one way or another," she told the boy. "We're lucky they didn't take you, too, maybe kill you."

Katie reached out and hugged Robbie. "Don't ever blame yourself, Robbie." She sobbed.

Lettie looked up at Luke, saw the agony in his eyes. She rose and walked over to him. "You shouldn't have gotten into that scuffle. How is your arm and shoulder?"

He sighed deeply. "Feels like fire is raging inside my shoulder and down my arm," he answered. He reached out with his good arm and embraced her. "Let's go home, Lettie."

Outside men covered the bodies of the three Walker men and carried them off for burial.

It was four months after the hanging before Lettie could get Katie to come to town again. The only reason the girl had obliged her mother was because Pearl was to play during a special Saturday church service that was to take place just before a church social being held to celebrate harvest time. Luke grumbled that he had no desire to celebrate a farmer's holiday, as he had no use for farmers in general; but he came to attend a cattlemen's meeting, and because he wanted to hear Pearl in her first public piano recital.

Lettie's heart glowed with pride, and she could see that same pride in Luke's eyes as the entire congregation sat spellbound by Pearl Fontaine. She turned simple hymns into something glorious, her fingers flowing over the keys in rich melody that brought goosebumps, the music made more touching and thrilling by the simple fact that the girl playing the hymns was only a child. How much better would she play by the time she was an adult?

Lettie grasped Luke's hand, turning to look at him. He smiled, and she knew she would eventually win the argument she and Elsie Yost had been giving him—that Pearl should study music when she was older. It was obvious each child was going in a different direction, Robbie still talking about wanting to be a doctor, Pearl adamant that she wanted to go to the music school in Chicago that Nial Bentley had told her about. Lettie knew part of the reason Luke had fought the idea was simply because Nial had suggested it; but Nial was no longer a threat to their marriage, and there was no doubt in their minds now that to deny the girl her heart's desire would be a shame.

When Pearl finished playing several hymns in a row, the congregation cheered and clapped and whistled, in spite of the fact that they were sitting in church. Such a performance simply could not be met with silence afterward, and Pearl stood up and curtseyed. The sight tugged at Lettie's heart. Pearl had always behaved like someone older than her real age. She had an elegance about her that no one had had to teach her, and she seemed to welcome an audience eagerly. She was a natural-born performer, with no fear of playing in front of others. Her beautiful young face was lit up with a smile and personal pride, and her red hair was twisted into a tumble of curls that made her look older.

Katie stood up and clapped right along with everyone else, and Lettie was glad Pearl's playing had brought Katie to town. For the moment she seemed to have forgotten her ordeal, and Lettie decided to bring the girl to town more often from now on. The best way to get over the worry of what others thought was to face people and show them she was not ashamed, that she was the same generous, loving Katie she had been before the Walkers tried to destroy her.

The crowd pleaded for more, and Pearl gladly obliged, playing requests for several more minutes before Reverend Gooding reminded everyone there was food waiting outside and laughingly hinted that a lot of the men were getting hungry. The congregation clapped once more for Pearl and began breaking up, and Lettie spotted Nial Bentley talking to Pearl. He embraced her and was obviously congratulating her. He had young Chloris on his arm, and Lettie almost laughed at the proud look on the rather plain girl's face. She had been after Nial for a long time, and had finally snared him.

She had not seen Nial herself since she had sent him away after he had tried to kiss her. He had invited Luke and her to his wedding at Essex Manor, but Luke had made up an excuse for declining. Now Lettie could feel Luke's irritation by the way he held her arm as they approached Pearl. Not only did he not like Nial talking to his wife, he didn't even like the man talking to his children. They made their way to the front of the little church, greeting Nial coolly. Nial reddened a little, nodding to Lettie, putting his hand out to Luke, who shook it reluctantly.

"I was just congratulating Pearl," Nial said, looking at Lettie again. "I have missed hearing her play, and I see she has only gotten better. Have you decided whether to send her to Chicago?"

"Yes, I believe we will," Lettie answered cordially. "It's rather obvious we would be doing our daughter an injustice if we did not allow her to study music."

Nial did not miss the accent on
our
daughter. He looked at Luke. "Yes, well, you must be a very proud man today, Luke. And, by the way, I am sorry about what happened a few months ago. I was in Europe at the time. Chloris and I have been traveling even more since then, just got back only a month ago after visiting my ranch in Wisconsin. I apparently missed quite a spectacle with the hanging and all. I'm just
sorry
for the reason. I truly mean that. If I had been here and more money had been needed, I would have given it to you without ever expecting it back."

Luke was surprised by the sincerity in the man's eyes, but he knew the main reason for the gesture was Lettie and Katie. "I appreciate what you're saying," he answered, putting an arm around Katie, who was looking down. "Katie's going to be all right." He gave her a squeeze. Katie raised her eyes to look at Nial, knowing Luke hated it when she acted bashful or ashamed. Her parents had helped instill a new pride in herself, had smothered her with love and attention, had prayed with her and preached to her, to the point that coming to town today and facing people had not been nearly as unbearable as she had thought it might be. "In fact, Katie baked several of the pies out there waiting to be eaten," Luke added. "She's one hell of a pie maker, and damn smart to boot. Elsie Yost is expecting again and having a hard time of it, so Katie has taken over tutoring Pearl and Robbie in their lessons, as well as several of the other children living at the ranch."

"Well, I'm glad for you, Katie," Nial said with a smile. He put an arm around Chloris. "And I want all of you to know that Chloris and I are very happy. We appreciate your wedding gifts."

Chloris blushed as Luke and Lettie congratulated her, but when Lettie met Nial's eyes, she knew who was still first in his heart. He had only married Chloris because he wanted a woman in his bed, so he had probably figured he might as well pick someone young, who could give him children. Luke shook the man's hand again, and Nial and Chloris left, as did all the Fontaine children. Luke and Lettie lagged behind, Luke watching Nial from the church steps. The grounds around the church were alive with picnickers, tables full of food brought in by the congregation, people laughing. Katie walked to the table that held her pies and began slicing them, and Lettie noticed Ty sitting under a tree with Alice Richards. Alice was such a pretty girl, with blond hair and blue eyes, eyes that always watched Ty with adoration.

Robbie ran up to his brother then and seemed excited about something. Ty jumped up and ran off with him, and Alice stood up and watched after him with a forlorn look on her face. Then she hurried over to where a girlfriend was standing and grabbed her arm, both of them running after Ty. Lettie grinned. The girl's affection for Tyler was so apparent that she almost felt sorry for her, since Ty still was not old enough to realize how the girl truly felt about him.

"I guess the little 'talk' I had with Nial in the alley behind the cattlemen's hall last year taught him something," Luke said, his mind on Nial rather than the puppy love between Ty and Alice. "But I saw the way he looked at you just now. If you were available, it wouldn't be Chloris on his arm."

"Oh, Luke, don't be silly. Walk me back to the hotel. I want to change into a cooler dress before we eat. I had no idea it would end up this hot today." She walked over to tell Katie where they were going, and Pearl joined Katie in helping serve pie, accepting more praise and congratulations from people who came to the table.

Luke watched, proud of his family. In the distance he could see Ty and Robbie had already discarded their hats and jackets and were preparing to join a sack race, which was not going to be easy, since Ty's legs were so much longer than Robbie's. He watched them practice and fall down laughing, and he thought how this gathering was good for the family, good for Katie. He took Lettie's arm when she returned and headed across the church lawn to the street to walk her back to the hotel.

"Maybe things will go right from now on," he told Lettie. "All we have to deal with are some lingering problems with rustlers, and there has been a new influx of sheep-herders this summer. We'll be meeting later
today
to talk about how to keep them out."

"Luke, you can't keep out every single person who wants to do something other than raise cattle. Montana is a big territory."

"Not big enough for sheep and cattle together. We've got enough problems putting up with more and more farmers coming in and losing federal land to them. If we let the sheep come, too, there won't be any grazing land left for the cattle."

"Why don't you just try talking to the sheep men first? Maybe there is a way to work things out. From what I hear, they get kicked out of everyplace they go. We've both read about the awful range wars in Colorado and Wyoming. I don't want to see that happen here, too, Luke." She grasped his arm tighter. "And I don't want to have to go through the hell again of worrying about you out there maybe getting hurt or killed. I'm so tired of it all. I want some peace."

"We'll find a peaceful way to stop them, if that's possible. I'm not out to slaughter the sheep or kill innocent men like some cattlemen have done, but we'll do whatever we have to do to get the message across, Lettie. We own a lot of land, but we still need the federal land for extra grass. We'd have to cut way back if we lost it, and I didn't build the Double L to the size it is just to have to turn around and take a step backward. No sheep man is going to make me do that."

They walked past the Lonesome Tree, and Lettie could not help glancing toward the swinging
doors at
the sound of piano music and laughter that came from inside. Luke led her across the street and down toward the hotel. "She's gone, Lettie."

"Who?"

"Annie Gates. I went into the Lonesome Tree for a drink a couple of weeks ago when I was in town, and she told me she was leaving the next day. She decided to go to Denver to try to start a new life."

They walked quietly to the hotel, each lost in their own thoughts of Nial Bentley and Annie Gates. Luke led her up to the room and unlocked the door. They went inside, and Luke closed and locked the door again. "Why didn't you tell me you had been to see Annie?" he asked. "She told me it was you who convinced her she could change her life if she wanted."

Lettie removed her hat. "I don't know why I didn't tell you. I guess it just didn't seem to matter. It was before you came back from going after those rustlers last year, back when Henny had just died. I guess I needed to hear from the horse's mouth what was going on between you and Annie." She began unbuttoning the front of her dress, turning to face Luke. "Actually, it was because of some things that Annie told me that I decided I wanted to make things right between us."

His eyes moved over her lovingly. "I guess we've both had reminders today of big mistakes we made." He walked closer, grasping the back of her neck and pulling her closer. "I don't ever want anything to come between us again, Let-tie. This thing with Katie was a big test, but thank God it didn't keep you out of my bed. We can't let that happen again."