His Prairie Princess (Prairie Brides 1) (6 page)

A single tear blazed a wet trail down Miss Jones's left cheek.  It nearly tore Harrison’s heart out. “Yes, you have a daughter, and she’s me.  I’m here to take care of you.”

The woman again looked around.  “This sure is a fine looking room. I’m not dead am I?”

Miss Jones gently hugged her.  No mama, you’re not dead.”

Teresa’s eyes widened.  “You ...” she began then coughed.  “You called me ‘mama’.  If’n I’m your mama, then who’s your papa?”

“Horatio Jones.”

Teresa’s eyes widened even further just before they rolled upwards.  She then fell against the pillows in a dead faint.  Everyone looked in shock. 

Doc Waller waved Miss Jones off the bed and began to examine Teresa.  After a moment, he turned to her. “Does the mention of your father always have such an affect on women?”

Miss Jones sighed in relief. “She must have remembered.”

“Just what happened between your ma and your pa, child?” Grandma Waller asked.

“That’s what I hope to find out.”

And Harrison silently vowed to help.  Especially if it meant getting to find out more about the lovely Miss Jones.

Nearly two weeks later there was still no word from the Sheriff or Sadie’s mother.  She’d hardly spoken to anyone since the mention of Horatio Jones.  Sadie sat with her several times a day at first, but let her alone at Doc Waller’s suggestion.  Her mother slept most of the time anyway, something she desperately needed.  But Sadie needed to make her understand everything would be all right. That she wouldn’t have to worry about how to take care of herself ever again.  She couldn’t stand the look of distrust in her mother’s eyes.  But then, what did she expect?

“Give her time, she’ll come around once she feels better.  Must be quite a shock to have her child suddenly turn up.  And you all of eighteen now too.”  Grandma took a loaf of bread out of the oven and set it on the table. “Hand me those pies, will you?”

“Sure Grandma.” Sadie had taken to calling her ‘Grandma’ like everyone else in town. She handed her the apple pies one at a time. They had been baking bread all morning. Pies took up the afternoon. It felt nice to bake and work in the kitchen with Grandma.  It was even nicer to know the meal being prepared today was special.

  Mr. Cooke was coming to supper.  Sadie felt herself blush at the mere thought of h
im.  He’d been over every day, twice a day, to see them but never stayed longer than was proper or stayed to eat with them. Today was a first.  Sadie absently smoothed her dress.  Mr. Cooke - correction
-
Harriso
n
(Grandma had them on a first name basis) had brought her trunk the second day of her stay.  She wanted to look nice for him and ironed her best blue calico. 

“I know she must be thinking about things.  A lot of things.” Sadie said to distrac
t herself from thoughts of her soon to arrive guest.

“Of course she is, child.  Good Heaven’s!  That’s a lot of regret to have to wrestle with.  And she’s doing it alone.  Most folks don’t come out of a fight like that, but I have a feeling your mother will.”

“I know she will.”

Grandma smiled.  “I suspect the good Lord is having a word or two with her.  She asked for a Bible the other day so I gave her mine.”

“Yes, I noticed it on the bedside table.  Thank you.  In fact, thank you for everything.  I promise to repay you for all your kindness.  You have gone far beyond what a lot of people would do.”

“Tsk, now.  Any one would do the same.  Besides, there’s no hotel in town.  Where else would you stay?”

They both laughed, but for only a moment. Sadie suddenly sobered.  “I know of one person who wouldn’t show the same kindness.”

Grandma’s face soured.  “Irene Dunnigan.  Now there’s one that needs either a good dose of Christian charity or a good knock on the head!”

“Maybe we ought to let Harrison have a go at her?”

Grandma looked shocked for a moment before she burst into laughter.
“I hope you haven’t brought that tree incident up again.  Leave it be, child!  The man has his pride after all!”

Sadie smile.  She’d been teasing Harrison all week about knocking her head into a tree d
uring her rescue. “I don’t know it might do Mrs. Dunnigan some good.”

Grandma snorted. “You can’t let things get to you.  You’ve got to be strong.  Especially out here in this wilderness.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean child
is Mrs. Dunnigan let something get the best of her years ago, and now she’s a bitter woman that hates the world and hates herself.”

“What happened?”

“Most folks don’t know this and I’m not one to get wrapped up in gossip, but to hear Wilfred her husband tell it, Irene’s pa got into gambling, drinking and women.  Ruined the family.  Killed him in fact.  Got himself shot in a poker game back in Dodge City.  The mother couldn’t cope well and went and done killed herself.  Drove Irene a little crazy according to Wilfred.”

Sadie poured them both a cup of coffee.  “How did they end up out here?”

“Wilfred was betrothed to Irene,” Grandma began as they sat with their cups.  “Married her to please his family and at her urging, came out west.  She didn’t want to stay where she had so many bad memories.”

Sadie sighed.  No wonder Mrs. Dunnigan was so venomous toward her mother.  “She hates anyone having to do with the vices that dragged her father down and got him killed.” 

“Yes.  And she’s got to always have the last word.  Lord knows we’ve all prayed for her.  But she’s the one that has to want to change.”

“I know what ..
.
coug
h
... what you mean.”

Sadie and Grandma turned to the door.  Teresa was standing in it.  “Is that coffee?  I’d sure like some.”

“Mama,” Sadie whispered.  “Of course!  Come sit with us.”  She got up and pulled a chair out for her mother who sat carefully, still weak.

“Look at you all up and about!  But you best not stay down here long
.  You still need your rest.”  Grandma said as she got up and busied herself at the stove.  She stirred the pot of stew she made for supper, poured Teresa a cup of coffee, and then refilled the other cups.  The three women sat silent for a few moments, the only sound the occasiona
l
pop
from the fire in the cook stove.

Teresa finally spoke. “I wasn’t always the kind of woman I am now.”  She stared straight ahead, her cup in her hands.  She took a slow sip.  “I was a respectable girl. Just like you.”

She looked to Sadie who had to fight to keep quiet. She wanted to tell her mother it didn’t matter, that her old life was behind her now.  She could start over.

“I was betrothed to a man I hated.  He was a good thirty years older than I was.  But he was  rich. Oh, he was plenty rich.  But I didn’t care.  I refused to marry a man I cared nothing about and who repulsed me.”

Sadie closed her eyes at the words.  How horrible!  How could anyone do that to a child?  “Did your mother and father want you to marry because he was a wealthy man?”

Teresa held her cup to her lips again, “Yes.”  She took another sip. “I had to do something. But I wasn’t brave enough to run away.  So I did the only thing I c
ould think of.  I found another man.”

“My father?”

“I figured if’n I was already married, my folks couldn’t make me marry someone else.  But I went about it the wrong way.”  She looked at Sadie, tears in her eyes.  “I’m so sorry ... so very sorry.”

“What did you do?” Sadie asked on a whisper.

“I had to get married quick like.  If’n I got pregnant, then the man would have to marry me.  But I was wrong.”
“What are you saying?”  Sadie asked, though she already guessed.

“I seduced y
our father and my plan worked. Except the part where he was supposed to marry me.  He went back to his ranch and I never saw him again.”

Sadie took the cup from her mother’s hands and held them. They were cold. Very cold.  She rubbed them as she spoke.  “I don’t care what happened.  I’m just glad I found you.   Someone sent word you were sick.  Someone here in Clear Creek.  I had to come.”

Teresa smiled, then coughed. 

Grandma immediately got up and went around the table.  She rubbed her back before she helped her out of the chair.  “Best get you back to bed.”

Teresa stopped her and turned to Sadie.  “Miss Bess.  She must’ve done it.  Before they got run out of town.” She began to cough again.

“No argument this time.” Grandma said sternly.  “Back upstairs you go.”

A knock suddenly sounded at the door.  Sadie got up, went to her mother and hugged her.  “I love you.”

Grandma let go of the woman. Her lower lip quivered as she watched mother and daughter hold onto each other at last. “I’ll just got get the door.  It’s probably Harrison.”

As soon as she was gone, Teresa weakly pushed Sadie from her.  “Don’t make the sort of mistakes I’ve made.  Promise me you won’t.  You’re the only right thing I’ve ever done.”

“I promise, mama.”  Sadie said as her tears began to fall, unable to hold them back.

“Promise me you’ll marry a man who truly loves you.”

Sadie sniffed and nodded.  “If I ever find one, I will.”

“One may be closer than you think.  You see him, you get him.”  Her coughing started again.  Sadie pulled her back into her arms as Harrison and Grandma entered the kitchen. 

“Ms. Mitchell.  So glad to see you out of bed.”  Harrison spoke above her hacking.  He pulled a clean handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her.  She took it gratefully and held it to her mouth. 

“I was just taking her upstairs.  If you’ll excuse us?”  Sadie said as she guided her mother into the hall. 

“By all means.  I’m glad you’re feeling better Ms. Mitchell.”

Her coughing stilled, she nodded to him and let Sadie lead her up the stairs. Once in the bedroom Sadie hugged her again before helping her into bed. 

“That boy down there has taken a shine to you.”

Sadie pulled a quilt over her.  “Nonsense mama.  He’s just ... he’s just looking out for us while we’re here.”

“Mark my words, girl.  He’s got a spark for you.  Trust me, I can tell the difference between a man just lusting after a gal, and one feeling something.”

Sadie tucked the quilt around her and smiled.  If only her words were true. And even if they were what did it matter? It’s not as if she’d completely set her cap for him. Or had she? He was a very attractive man. Yes, that’s it. She was attracted to him. Besides, as soon as her father found them, both she and her mother would be gone.  Whisked away across the Oregon territory to home.

  “You get some rest, mama. I’ll bring you something to eat later.”  She kissed her mother on the forehead and left the room.

  As Sadie descended the stairs she began to wonder.  Would her father ever allow her to marry a poor, dirty pig farmer in a nothing of a town out in the of middle the prairie?  Before she got halfway down the stairs she knew the answer.

Horatio Jones would never let the heiress of his ever-gro
wing cattle empire marry a dirt-poor pig farmer.  No matter how well mannered he was.  It just wasn’t done. 

* * *

Harrison sat in the parlor and held his hat between his hands.  He had on his Sunday best and hoped his ‘best’ was good enough.  The trousers were too short, the jacket patched in several places, and it had taken a good while to find the tie.  He finally did.  It was in the barn of all places and been used to tie a bridle together. Of course he couldn’t remember why he used his tie to temporarily fix a horse bridle, but was sure his stepbrothers had something to do with it.  They often did.  In fact the reason he probably couldn’t remember wa
s
the
y
did it in the first place!  Which meant they took the tie without asking and used it to fix a broken bridle.  It really had been a long time since he’d worn his Sunday best.

But now was not the time to worry about how his tie went missing.  He had more important matters on his mind. One in particular. And he wished she would hurry up and come down stairs.

“Why Harrison Cooke,” Grandma began.  “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were nervous.”

Harrison twisted his hat in his hands then caught himself.  “Not at all, I assure you.”

Grandma eyed him. “I think I’ll just take your hat... before you tear it!”  She held her hand out and continued to eye him.

He returned her stare boldly, and handed her the hat. 

“That’s better.  And I hope you like apple pie.  There’s a little lady upstairs who fussed for hours over the baking ... once she found out you were invited to supper.”  Grandma winked and went to hang his hat.

Harrison suppressed a smile and wiped his hands on his trousers.  Perhaps Sadie Jones felt something more than gratitude toward him.  It would certainly make the afternoon go smoother. He was nervous enough with what he planned and didn’t want any interruptions when it came time to speak with her.
 
Why were his hands so sweaty
?