Mail Order Bride - Westward Justice: Historical Cowboy Romance (Montana Mail Order Brides Book 6) (22 page)

              Over the next two weeks, Sammi avoided Mitch.  She was too ashamed of how she’d treated him to face him.  Sammi knew that it was cowardly and it ate at her because she’d never given in to fear much before.  She waited until he left the house before rising and eating.  Then she would go spend time with Jamie or Lacey.  Lacey was overdue and uncomfortable.  She was also cranky, but Sammi didn’t mind.  She did things to make her laugh and took care of her.

              She also spent a lot of time with Owl.  He was the only one that she spoke to about her marriage issues and that was only if he asked.  It was evident that his injuries were going to heal very slowly.  Using his left arm was very difficult.  Doing simple things was hard and standing was excruciating.

              One day when she went to see him, Owl was very agitated and short with her, which was very unlike him. 

              “What gives, Owl?” Sammi said.  “Why the bad mood?”

              Owl heaved a sigh.  “I not go south this winter.  Too sick.”

              “Oh, damn.  I’m so sorry, Owl,” Sammi said.

              His tone turned darker.  “Don’t start.”

              “Start what?”

              “Do not feel guilty,” Owl said.  “It is bad, but not your fault.”

              Sammi said, “Ok.  You’ve never stayed here over the winter before?”

              “No.  They cannot wait.  They need go now.  Will be bored,” Owl said.  “I hate house,” he said looking around the bunkhouse.

              Sammi knew that Owl was distrustful of houses and he’d told her that he felt like he was living in a box.  “You have your own tipi, right?”

              “Yes.”

              “So set it up on the ranch somewhere,” Sammi said.  “Then you’ll be in your own home.  That’ll make you feel a little better.”

              Owl smiled for the first time that day.  “You smart woman.”

              “I have my moments,” Sammi said. 

              “I talk to Marcus,” Owl said.

              “I’m sure they can do it,” Sammi said.

              The rest of their visit was more pleasant and Sammi was glad that she had been able to lift Owl’s spirits a little.

              While Owl’s spirits may have risen a little, Mitch’s were on a decline.  He missed Sammi immensely and had tried to talk to her on a couple of occasions.  Guilt about her sleeping on the floor down the hall from him ate at the sheriff.  She refused to move back to their room even though he offered to move out of it.  Sammi also wouldn’t hear of getting another bed to put in the room she was using.

              She had resumed working at the Watering Hole, but Mitch didn’t go there at night because he didn’t want to distract her and being near her without being able to talk to her would be torture for him.  With Jessie in jail, Mitch didn’t worry so much about her safety when she walked home after work. 

Some evenings he hung around the sheriff’s office with Jack for a while.  He was impressed with the young man and came to a decision.

              “Jack, how’d you like be a permanent deputy?” Mitch asked one night.

              Jack didn’t answer right away.  He enjoyed working for Mitch, but he also loved running the cookhouse at home.  Looking down at the badge on the vest he’d started wearing, he smiled.  It made him feel good that he was helping the town, but he also had a duty to his family.

              “Can I talk to Pa before I give you an answer?” Jack asked.

              Mitch nodded.  “Sure.  No rush.”  He liked that Jack was so loyal to his family.

              That night when Mitch got home, Sammi was already there, which surprised him.

              “You’re home early,” he said as he entered the kitchen where she was drinking some coffee.

              Sammi’s heart hammered in her chest at the sight of her handsome husband.  “Yeah.  Jake let me off early so I could say goodbye to Black Fox and the others.  They’re leaving before dawn to head to their summer home.”

              “Yeah, it’s about that time.  A little late, actually,” Mitch said.

              “They were waiting a little to see if Owl would be able to go with them, but he just can’t.  He's so upset,” Sammi said.  She brushed a tear from her cheek. 

              “Hey, he’ll be ok.  It’s just one winter.  He’ll be better by spring when they get back,” Mitch said as he pulled up a chair near her.

              “I know.  He’s told me to not feel guilty and I’ve tried, but I still feel like it’s my fault.  I don’t say anything like that around him anymore because it makes him mad, though,” Sammi said.  “They set up his tipi for them and moved him there.  It made him feel more at home, so that’s good.”  Sammi felt more tears coming and got up from the table.

              Mitch blocked her path out of the kitchen.  “Sammi, we can’t go on like this.  I miss you so much and I’m so sorry about coming down on you so hard.  Please can’t we work this out?”

              “Mitch, I can’t right now.  I don’t know what to do,” she said.

              He put his arms around her and held her close.  She felt so good in his arms.  He’d almost forgotten what it had been like to touch her.  Sammi closed her eyes and let him hold her a few moments.  Then the crushing guilt came back and she pulled out of his embrace.

              “Goodnight, Mitch,” she said and ran up the stairs.

              Mitch closed his eyes when he heard her door slam shut.  His temper reached the boiling point and he picked up her empty coffee cup and hurled it against the wall.  Then he sat at the table and tried to calm down.

              “When are you going to make up with your husband?” Owl asked.  He spoke the sentence very slowly, but his English had started to come along.  A week and a half had passed since his tribe had left.  One way he was fighting off boredom was to put his mind to learning more English.

              Sammi smiled.  “That was really good,” she said.

              “Don’t change the subject,” Owl said as his dark eyes bore into hers.

              “What makes you think we haven’t?” Sammi said brightly.

              Owl cocked his head at her.  “You cannot fool me.  I know you too well.”

              All her bravado left her and she shrugged.

              “Sammi, when you gonna get over feeling bad and, uh, fix it?  Life is short.  You need be happy,” Owl said. 

              “I don’t know how to fix it.  I don’t know how to make it up to him,” Sammi said.

              “Figure it out now, Sammi.  You go do it.  Don’t come back until you do,” Owl said.

              Sammi had never seen the stony expression on Owl’s face before.  She could tell that he was serious.

              “You’re kicking me out?”

              “Yes.  You not respect,” Owl said.

              “I respect you,” Sammi said.

              Owl shook his head.  “Not talking about me.”

              “Mitch?”

              “No!  You disrespect you by being…” Owl sighed in frustration.  “Stupid.  Not right word but works.  You being stupid.  Go until you get wise,” he said and pointed to the doorway of the tipi.  “Now!”

              Sammi was stunned and hurt.  She walked out of the tipi and Owl bowed his head and closed his eyes.  It had hurt him to be so harsh with her, but he felt that it was what she needed to get motivated.

              Sammi decided to go see Lacey.  She’d finally had their baby and Joe had been ecstatic that it was a girl.  He loved the baby and held her every chance he got.  Joe had surprised Lacey by his willingness to change diapers.  That had been completely unexpected.  He sang to little Emily Rose Dwyer all the time, too. 

              Sammi heard him singing as she walked up to the front door.  She rang the doorbell and Randall opened it.  Joe’s voice got louder. 

              “Come in, Sammi,” Randall said.  “May I take your coat?”

              The late October weather was chilly and required warmer garments now.

              “No, that’s ok, Randall.  Thanks,” Sammi said.

              “Very well.  The master and Miss Emily are in the parlor.  Lacey is having a nap,” Randall said as he led Sammi through the foyer.

              “Hey, Sammi.  Look Emily, it’s Aunt Sammi,” Joe said.

              Sammi sat on the sofa by them and grinned down at the adorable baby.  Joe gave her to Sammi and said, “So how’s my favorite bouncer?”

              “I don’t know.  Owl kicked me out,” Sammi said.

              “Of the bar?” Joe asked with a perplexed expression.

              Sammi laughed.  “No, out of his tipi.”

              “Oh?  How come?” Joe said as he smiled at Emily.

              “Because things with Mitch and are not good and it’s all my fault and I don’t know what to do about.  I don’t know how to make it up to him.  He’s tried, but I feel like I don’t deserve him and that I’m not good enough for him.  Owl says I’m being stupid and he’s right, but I’m stuck and I don’t know how to get unstuck—“

              “Sammi, breathe,” Joe said.  “Inhale some of that baby smell and relax a minute.”

              Sammi put her nose close to Emily and took in a breath.  She smelled incredible.  Joe was right; it was very relaxing.  Holding Emily’s warm little body was also comforting and she rocked the baby a little.

              “There.  That’s better,” Joe said.  “Now, why don’t you tell me exactly what you’re talkin’ about?”

              The story poured forth in a rambling manner, but Joe was able to follow it.  When she was done, he said, “Owl’s right.  You’re being stupid.  You sound like me in a way.  Are you prepared to fight?  This Sammi that’s just been talkin’ to me isn’t the Sammi I met in Walhalla.  That Sammi would fight.  I’m not sure who this Sammi is, but she’s pretty wimpy.  If you want your husband back, you’ve gotta get rid of that guilt and do something about it.”

              “Easier said than done.”

              “What’s really important to Mitch?  Think now,” Joe said.

              “The truth.  And keeping promises.  And upholding the law,” Sammi said and kissed Emily’s tiny forehead.  Suddenly she said, “Joe, I need a good lawyer.  Who do you use?”

              “A lawyer?  What for?” Joe said.  He didn’t know what she had in mind, but he liked the sudden fire in her blue eyes. 

              “To help me fight,” Sammi said.

              Joe grinned.  “Thatta girl!  I’ll go get his information for you.”

              Jack found Dean in the twins’ room putting them down for the night.  Tessa was finishing a chapter of her book so Dean had told her he’d take care of them.

              “Hey, Pa,” Jack whispered.  “Can I talk to you and Mama?”

              Dean looked at Jack.  “Everything ok?”

              “Yeah.  Meet me in the kitchen,” Jack said.

              While he waited for his parents, Jack looked around at the kitchen.  He barely remembered helping his Ma bake sugar cookies and the songs she would sing to him.  He hadn’t really been old enough to understand what was happening when she passed away.  Jack did remember feeling the void of his mother. 

Then Tessa had come along and he and Sadie had accepted her right off.  Tessa hadn’t wanted them to call her Ma because she felt as if that would mean she was replacing Sarah.  Instead, she’d asked them to call her Mama.  Jack loved his biological mother, but it was in an abstract way.  In all ways that mattered, Tessa had become his mother and he loved her deeply.

He ran his hands over the kitchen table and images of doing school work at it played through his mind.  Jack hadn’t enjoyed bookwork at the time, but he was now glad that Tessa hadn’t let him slack off.  His nerves jangled a little bit as he went over in his head what he was going to say to his parents, but he wasn’t as jittery as he’d expected to be.

Dean and Tessa entered the kitchen and sat down with him.

“What is it, Jack,” Tessa asked.

Jack cleared his throat a little.  “Mitch has offered me a permanent job as a deputy.”

Dean’s surprised expression mirrored Tessa’s.

“What did you say?” Dean asked.

“I said I’d discuss it with you first,” Jack answered.  “I didn’t want to give him an answer until I did.  Being a deputy is fun and I’m helping people. I know it can be dangerous, but Mitch is showing me the ropes.”

“What about your responsibilities here?” Tessa asked. 

“I’ve been thinking real hard about that, Mama.  I don’t know if I could be a full-time deputy because I’d miss the cookhouse too much.  Not to mention that I don’t want to leave you guys in the lurch,” Jack said.

Dean leaned back against his chair and said, “So what are you proposing?”

              “What if I cook breakfast in the morning and still do supper two nights a week?  I can go to the sheriff’s office after breakfast and be back in time to make supper on those two nights,” Jack said.  “Can you guys get along without me that much?”

              Dean thought about it.  Breakfast was the more important meal of the day for them and if Jack was willing to sometimes still do supper, it might work out all right.  He looked over at Tessa who’d started picking at her dress.  “What do you think?” he asked.

              “I think that I am proud that Mitch asked you, but if you take it I’ll be worried all the time,” Tessa said as she looked at Jack.

              Jack put his hand on her arm and Tessa took it and turned it over.

              “I remember how little your hand was when I first met you,” Tessa said.  “You were so cute.”

              Jack and Dean smiled. 

              “The first string of sentences you said to me was, ‘Hi!  I’m Jack.  Boy, you’re pretty.  Can you cook?  I like to eat.’” Tessa said and they all laughed.

              “I don’t remember that.  How did you?” Jack said.

              “Mothers do things like that, Jack.  We know you have to grow up, but it’s still hard to let go,” she said.  “Now look how much bigger your hand is than mine.”

              “Aw, Mama, don’t cry,” Jack said as he watched her get misty-eyed.  “I’ll still always be your boy, but I just think this is something I have to do.”

              Tessa nodded and wiped away the tears.  “I know.  Promise me you’ll be careful and listen to what Mitch tells you?”

              Jack’s blue eyes held Tessa’s gaze as he said, “I promise, Mama.  I promise the both of you that I’ll do my best to be safe.”

              Dean said, “Ok.  We’ll get a schedule worked out.” 

              “Thank you,” Jack said.  He released Tessa’s hand and sat up a little straighter.  “Now, I have something else to tell you.”

              Dean wondered at the slightly hard expression that came over Jack’s face.  “Ok, son.  Go ahead.”

              “As you know, Leanne and I broke up a while back,” Jack said.

              “Yes.  We remember,” Tessa said.

              “I’ve been seeing someone for the past seven months or so,” Jack said.

              Dean’s face went blank.  “That long?  How come we haven’t heard you mention her until now?”

              Tessa smiled.  “Yes.  Who is it?  Do we know her?”

              Jack shook his head.  “No.  Her name is Sparrow.  She’s a Lakota girl.”

              Both of them looked shell-shocked.

              “Pa, if you disown me, you’ll never talk to me again, I swear,” Jack said.  “I love her and I’ve asked her to marry me and she accepted.”

              Tessa’s sharp intake of breath bounced off the kitchen walls. 

              Dean crossed his arms over his chest and his jaw clenched.  He said, “Give me a second here.”

              Jack watched as Dean’s face went through several different emotions.  He smiled because he just realized that sometimes Marcus’ face did that when his emotions were erratic. 

              Tessa was fearful that a repeat of three and a half years ago was on the verge of happening.  When they’d found out about Marcus’ Lakota heritage and that he’d known about it since he was sixteen, Dean had been livid and thrown Marcus out.  That was the same night that they found out that Marcus had a daughter by a Lakota woman who had been killed in a raid.

              Dean closed his eyes and took some deep breaths.  He loved Jack and couldn’t bear to lose him.  Over the last several years and especially the last month, he’d gotten to know Marcus’ other family much better and couldn’t say that he didn’t like them.  He didn’t let on, but when they’d left for the winter, he’d discovered that he was going to miss them.

He opened his eyes and saw the flinty look in Jack’s eyes and saw Jack as a grown man who could make up his mind about such important matters.  After all, he’d been married to Sarah at Jack’s age.  “I’m sorry, Jack,” he said.

“What for?” Jack asked. 

“I’m sorry that what happened with Marcus back then made you afraid to tell us, well, me really, about this girl.  She must be very special if you asked her to marry you,” Dean said.  What’s her name?”

Jack smiled as he said, “Sparrow.  She’s gorgeous and funny and sweet.”

Dean could see Jack’s love for the Lakota girl and felt tears prick his eyes.  His boy was grown and in love.  “When are we gonna meet her?  I mean, we want to meet this fiancée of yours, you know.”

Tessa said, “Yes, we do.  I can’t believe you’re going to be getting married.”

Jack gave them a big, relieved smile.  “Well, I’d love to introduce you to her, but she went south with her family.  They don’t know yet.  They’ll be back around the end of April.”

“Oh.  That’s a shame that she’s going to be gone all that time,” Dean said.

Tessa said, “I’m sure you’re going to miss her terribly.”

Jack nodded.  “I already do.  You’ve no idea.”

Dean said, “I can only imagine being away from your Mama that long.  I’m sorry, son.  How long has Marcus known?”

Jack felt a stab of trepidation.  He didn’t want to reopen the rift between his father and uncle.  “Not long, Pa.  It was by accident, actually.  But it was good he found out because we made sure that she wasn’t related to him.  That would be weird.”

Jack’s statement struck Dean as very funny and he let out a loud laugh.  “Yeah, that wouldn’t be good at all.  Oh, boy.”

“I can’t tell you how much better I feel now that you guys know.  Now we just have to tell her family.  I hope they’re as understanding as you guys are,” Jack said.

Tessa and Dean exchanged startled glances.  It hadn’t occurred to Dean that Sparrow’s family would have objections, but now he saw how they might.

“Uncle Marcus said he would go with me.  He said he would with me when I told you, too, but I wanted to do it myself.  I think I’d rather tell her family by myself, too.  I don’t want Uncle Marcus in the middle if he doesn’t have to be,” Jack said.  “I don’t want to hide behind anyone.”

Dean said, “I honestly hope they don’t have any objections.  Maybe it would be good for us all to meet.”

“Well, when they come back, we’ll set up a meeting.  I need to buy some horses in the meantime,” Jack said.

“Huh?  Why?” Dean asked.

“So I can give them to her family as a dowry.  That’s how the Lakota do it,” Jack said.

“Really?  How many horses do you have to have?” Dean said.

“I don’t know.  I’ll have to ask one of my uncles.  It’s gonna be really fun having Uncle Owl here over the winter.  He’s a hoot.  Think of it as Uncle Marcus times two,” Jack said and laughed.

Tessa smiled. “Oh boy.  I’m not sure what we’re in for, but it’ll be interesting.”

Dean rubbed his hand over his face.  “Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of.  Tell me one other thing?”

“What?” Jack asked.

“When Sparrow gets back, is she going to be making me a grandpa again anytime soon?” Dean asked.

Jack blushed and burst out laughing.  “No!  Not until after we’re married,” he said.

“Thank God!” Dean said.

Mitch came home one night to find a lamp burning in the parlor.  He saw a note on the newel post and ripped from the knife that held it. 

Sit in our chair
, it said.

Mitch was bewildered but figured he’d play along.  He took off his hat and vest and hung them up.  He pulled his shirt out of his pants and unbuttoned it as he walked into the parlor.  He sighed as he sank down into the chair and closed his eyes.  When he opened them, Sammi stood before him dressed in a red satin dress.  She wore her hair loose and it cascaded over her shoulders.

“Mind if I sit down?” Sammi said.

“N-no,” Mitch said as he drank in her beauty.  “Not at all.”

Sammi situated herself on his lap and the memory of the first time they’d sat like that hit her hard.  That was the night she’d told him the first of her secrets and he’d been compassionate and supportive.  She was lucky to be married to a man like Mitch and she was finally ready to fight for him.

“I have something for you,” Sammi said.

I hope it’s you
, Mitch thought as her slightly floral scent reached his nose. 

She handed him a folded document of some sort.  He’d been so caught up looking at her that he hadn’t noticed she’d been holding it.

“Read it,” she said.

He looked into her beautiful pale eyes for a moment and then unfolded it and began to read.  Every so often, he would look at her, but didn’t comment.  He flipped to the next page and kept reading.  When he finished he put it down on her lap and said, “I have never seen a document like that in all my life.”

Sammi smiled.  “It’s a contract, Mitch.  I’ve been so ashamed of my behavior even though I felt justified.  I still do in a way, but I see the bigger picture now.  I broke a promise that I made to you.  I should have come to get you that night.  You were right about that.  Owl and I would have been killed if you hadn’t gotten there in time.”

“Sammi, I understand why you went after those guys.  I do,” Mitch said.

“But it doesn’t excuse what I did and I need to explain to you why I’ve been avoiding you and why I moved out of our room,” Sammi said.  “I felt like you’d made a mistake in marrying you because I wasn’t the right woman for you.  I felt like you needed someone who was gonna make you look good and who wouldn’t embarrass you.  And someone who wasn’t going to do stupid stuff.”

“Don’t you dare say ‘damaged’ goods, Sammi.  If you do, I’ll turn you over and spank you!” Mitch said.

Sammi laughed.  “I’m not going to say it.  This is my solemn promise to you that I will never interfere in police business again unless I’m working at the bar or it’s a life and death situation.  I promise not to take the law into my own hands anymore.  The Watering Hole is my jurisdiction and everything outside is yours.  I’m so sorry that I broke my promise and hurt you so much.”

Mitch hugged her close and said, “I forgive you.  I forgave you long ago and I tried to tell you that.  You wouldn’t listen to me, though.”

Sammi held onto him and said, “Owl told me I was being stupid and he was right.”

Mitch arched an eyebrow at her and said, “He did, huh?  That guy is pretty smart.”

“Yes, he is,” Sammi said.  She slid off his lap and took the contract with her.  “Come out here so you can sign it.  It has to be done in pen.”

Mitch got up and noticed that there was now a table and two chairs in the dining room.  A white table cloth covered it.  Two tall candles provided light.  An inkwell and pen sat on the table.  Mitch walked to the table and looked at Sammi.