Rimfire Bride (33 page)

“I’m so glad we came here. Both of us are going to have such good lives,” Jana said.

“Oh, that reminds me. Guess who came in the saloon the other day looking for you?”

“For me? I have no idea.”

“Reverend Kling and his group from Chicago. He said he was coming in March, and sure enough, he did, but I don’t think he felt too comfortable looking for members of his flock—especially female members—in a bar. He looked relieved when I told him we were going to stay in Bismarck. That is what we’re going to do, isn’t it?”

Jana screwed up her face as if she were contemplating
the question. “Let me decide. What shall I do? Go to New Salem and live in an eight-by-ten tarpaper shack while I pull a plow just to eat, or stay in Bismarck and live in this house with two beautiful children and the most wonderful man in the world? Shack or Drew? It’s such a hard decision. I can’t make up my mind.”

“No matter what happens, don’t ever lose your sense of humor. It’s no wonder Drew Malone loves you so much. I wonder if I’ll ever find a good man.”

“What do you mean? Why, you have at least a dozen men. What about Hank and the others?

“They’re all wonderful, aren’t they? But I’m not likely to marry any one of them.”

“Not even Hank? He’d marry you in a minute,” Jana teased.

Greta laughed. “Yes, he would, wouldn’t he? But if you don’t mind, I’m going to try to land one just a bit younger. And when I finally do find the man I’m going to marry, I hope he’s as good as Drew. Well, maybe that’s not possible. I don’t think there is anyone else as good as Drew.”

“That’s not true, Greta, I know there’s someone. And I know that he’s out there, somewhere, looking for a good woman.” Jana embraced Greta. “He just doesn’t know how lucky he’s going to be when he finds you.”

“Jana, I’m so glad I have you for my sister,” Greta said as the two women embraced.

The next day
Jana received a letter from Drew. In the same envelope was a letter for Sam and Benji.

Jana read her letter first.

My Dearest Jana,

Never has time dragged by so slowly as have these interminable days of our separation. Often, though I may appear to be looking at land for the Marquis de Morès, I am in fact looking just over the horizon where I see your sweet face, calling to me.

I can think of nothing but our wedding to come, and the love that we will share forever after. Keep me in your heart, as you are in mine, and the time will come when, once more, we are together.

With all my love, your husband to be,

Drew

“Sam,” Jana called. “You and Benji have a letter from your daddy.”

Sam and Benji came running into the parlor, where Jana gave them the letter. Sam started reading it.

“Sam, read it out loud,” Benji yelled. “You know I can’t read yet.”

Sam read aloud:

Dear Sam and Benji,

I miss you. But I am not the only one who misses you. I saw Buster and Spotty and they looked very sad. I am sure they miss you as well, and they want you to hurry back to Rimfire so you can ride them again.

Peach made crullers yesterday. She says she will make them every day when you are here. You know the other cowboys want
you to hurry and get here, so they can have some, too.

Be good boys for Jana. I will be home very soon.

Love,

Daddy

“Well, now, wasn’t that a wonderful letter?” Jana asked.

“Yes, but he didn’t say anything about Dancer,” Benji said. “Do you think Dancer misses you?”

“I think Dancer misses you,” Sam said. “Don’t you think so, too, Jana?”

“I know he does because I miss him.”

“When do you think we’ll get to go back to Rimfire and ride our ponies?”

“I’m sure it won’t be too much longer. I heard your daddy talking about the cattle roundup. I know he wants to be there for that, don’t you think?”

“Oh, yeah! That’s my favorite time of the year,” Benji said.

At that moment there was a knock at the door, not a gentle knock, but loud and insistent.

“Goodness, who could that be?” Jana asked.

“I’ll get it,” Sam said.

“Sam, no, wait.” Jana found something about the texture of the knock disturbing. She held her hand out toward the children. “I think I’d better answer the door.”

When Jana opened the door, she saw two strangers, a man and a woman, standing on the porch.

“Who are you?” the woman asked, the tone of her voice anything but friendly.

“Perhaps it would be proper if I asked you that question,” Jana said.

“Where are my grandchildren?” the woman demanded.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Yoo-hoo! Samuel! Benjamin! Where are you?” the woman called.

“Grandmother?” Sam’s voice replied.

“Oh!” Jana said with a broad smile on her face. “Please excuse me. Had I known you were the boys’ grandparents, I wouldn’t have been so curt. Please come in.” She stepped back out of the way.

“I hardly need to be invited into my own daughter’s home,” the woman said as she pushed past Jana

“Daughter?”

“Yes, I’m Addie’s mother. I daresay you’ve heard her name. Come, Eli, we have much to do. Boys, aren’t you excited? You’re coming to live in Evanston with us.”

“What! What did you say? You can’t do that.” Jana went to stand between the children and their grandmother.

“Oh, yes, I can. Tell her, Eli.”

“I am Eli Denton, the boys’ grandfather. We have a court order, authorizing us to take these two children,”

“Why? Their father is a wonderful man who takes excellent care of his children.”

“And where is he now?” Rose Denton asked.

“He’s in Billings County, attending to some legal work.”

“I am told that you are staying here.”

“Yes, I am. I’m looking after the children.”

“I have also been informed that Samuel has been withdrawn from school. Is that correct?”

Jana shook her head. “Not exactly. I mean, he has quit attending the public school, but he hasn’t stopped his schooling. I tutor him every day.”

“You? And what qualifications do you have to do that?” Professor Denton asked.

“I am a certified teacher with a certificate to teach in Illinois. I graduated from McKendree College.”

“Well, there you have it,” Mrs. Denton said. “This isn’t Illinois. You don’t have any legal right to teach this child.”

“Grandmother, I have a pony!” Benji said. “And when Daddy comes back, we’re going to go to our ranch so I can ride him. Sam has a pony, too.”

“That’s sweet, dear,” Rose Denton said, dismissing Benji as she was clearly concentrating on Jana. “I received a letter that says you are cohabitating with the father of my grandchildren. Is that true?”

“Well, I don’t know who sent the letter, or what it had to say, but I wouldn’t put it that way.”

“Is it also true that you display yourself in provocative clothing for the enjoyment of gawking men?”

“That’s not true. For a while I was modeling dresses for Mr. Watson, a very respectable Bismarck
businessman, but there was absolutely nothing untoward about it.”

“Are you, or are you not, living in this house?”

“I don’t deny that because I am living here. But the way you are putting it implies that . . .”

Jana stopped in midsentence. What, exactly, does it imply? She knew that she could not, in good conscience, deny what it implied because she had shared Drew’s bed.

“Mrs. Denton, perhaps I should tell you that Drew and I are engaged to be married.”

“Let me make myself clear. I don’t have the slightest interest in what goes on between you and Drew Malone. I do, however, care very deeply about the moral character of my grandchildren. They will be returning to Illinois with me and their grandfather.”

“You can’t do that!” Jana said.

“Oh, can’t I? Eli, read the court order to her.”

Professor Denton pulled a paper from his pocket and, clearing his throat, began to read: “ ‘Pursuant to the minor children of the late Adelaide Denton Malone, it has been reported that they are exposed to the immoral behavior of their father, Andrew Malone. Therefore I, John Bobe, Federal Judge of the District of Dakota Territory, issue this court order that they be remanded to the custody of their maternal grandparents, Eli Denton, and his married wife, Rose Denton.”

“Jana, what does that mean?” Sam asked.

Rose Denton bent down to be at face level with Sam. “Why, darling, it means that you and your little brother, Benjamin, are going to be going on a
trip. You’re coming back to Evanston where your sweet mother used to live. Now, you tell me what you want to bring with you.”

“We can’t leave,” Sam cried. “Daddy isn’t here. He won’t know where we are.”

“Don’t worry, he’ll know, and he’ll be so happy that you’ll have a good home to live in. Do you remember? We live close to the water and you can watch all the boats. You used to like to do that,” Rose Denton said.

“No!” Benji wrapped his arms around Jana’s legs. “I don’t want to go! Jana, don’t make me go!”

“Don’t be silly. Jana”—Rose said the name with a sneer—“will be happy to have you gone.”

“No! No! No!” Benji cried as he lay on the floor and kicked his feet at his grandmother. “I don’t want to go.”

“A perfect example. No discipline. Stop that this instant,” Mrs. Denton said as she jerked Benji to his feet.

“Please, Mrs. Denton, I beg of you. Drew will be back in a few days. Couldn’t you at least wait until he returns? I don’t feel I have the authority to turn these children over to you.”

“That’s just it,” Rose said. “You have no authority at all, certainly not enough authority to defy a federal court order.”

“I won’t let you have these children.”

“Young lady,” Professor Denton said, “you just intimated that you are an educated woman. If that is true, you know the power of a court order. There’s nothing you can do to prevent us from taking the children. And if you make any attempt to
stop us, you’ll be found in contempt and possibly put in jail, and the children will still be taken. So what will you have gained? My advice to you is to stay out of the way.”

“Jana, are they going to take us?” Sam asked. Unlike Benji, Sam wasn’t crying, but he couldn’t keep his voice from breaking.

“No, not if I can help it. Come on, boys, we’ll go find Mr. Allen. He’ll know what to do.”

Jana grabbed the hands of both boys, and when Rose Denton stepped in her way, Jana pushed her aside.

“You can’t defy a court order,” Mrs. Denton insisted.

“Maybe not, but I’m going to have a lawyer tell me that. I’m not turning these children over to you based solely on your word, court order or not.”

Jana, with both boys in tow, ran out of the house headed for Drew’s office.

When she reached
the law office, it was closed, and then Jana remembered that originally Frank was to have gone with de Morès, but had been called to Jamestown. Her next thought was of Sheriff McKenzie, but she learned he was in Yankton. She went to the Emporium to see if Mr. Watson could help her, but was told that he was at the depot, picking up a new shipment of freight.

Jana hurried to the depot, Sam and Benji in tow, only to learn that Mr. Watson wasn’t there.

But Professor and Mrs. Denton were there, and now they had someone with them. The tall man had a handlebar mustache, a high-crowned hat, and, most important, a star pinned to his shirt.

“There they are, Marshal,” Rose said. “Those are my two grandchildren, and that’s the woman who took them from us.”

“I didn’t take them from you,” Jana said. “I’m trying to keep you from taking them from their father.”

“Young woman, I am Curt Wallace, a duly appointed US marshal. You were informed of the court order granting custody of these children to their grandparents?”

“It was read to me, yes.”

“Then, I’m sure you are aware that you have no choice but to hand these boys over. If you do not, I will personally take the children in my charge and put you in jail.”

“No!” Sam said, as he stood closer to Jana. “I don’t want to go to Evanston. I want to stay with Jana.”

“I want my daddy!” Benji said, now sobbing loudly.

“Stop acting like babies,” Rose Denton said, pulling the boys away from Jana. “Eli, get them on the train.”

“Come with me, boys.”

“No! No!” both Sam and Benji shouted. “We don’t want to go.”

“Sam, Benji!” Jana called, stepping toward them with her arms outstretched.

“Madam, cease and desist your interference now!” Marshal Wallace ordered, stepping in front of her.

The scene was playing out, vividly, before everyone else at the depot.

Jana felt her stomach retching, and she watched
Sam and Benji as the marshal took them onto the train. When all were aboard, the train began to move. Jana ran along the track until she could run no farther. Both boys were at the window of the car, visibly upset as she heard their cries. The train began to gain speed, and Jana could do nothing but stand helplessly on the platform and watch as the engine pulled away, black smoke pouring from the stack.

Jana put her hands over her face and wept bitter tears. How had she let this happen? How could she face Drew?

Slowly, she walked to Charley Draper’s office. Sending this telegram would be the hardest thing she had ever done in her life.

“What did you
say they call this place?” de Morès asked. Drew and de Morès had spent the last several days exploring the land that was to be de Morès’s ranch. Now they were standing in front of the train depot.

“Little Misery,” Drew said.

“It’s an apt name for this filthy place. Medora. That’s what I’m going to call my town.”

“Medora?”

“Yes. I will name my town for my beautiful wife.”

Drew laughed. “Well, now, Antoine, I’m not sure even you can change the name of a town just by saying you’re going to.”

“Little Missouri can stay right where it is, until it withers and dies. I’m going to build a fine town on the opposite side of the river. My workers will need houses, and stores, and a saloon that they
can enter without gagging from the smell. You’ll see. When my abattoir is up and running, Medora will become the most important settlement in the Badlands.”