The Sheriff Wears Pants (16 page)

Will refused to take his bride to the hotel, and his small quarters behind the jail weren’t suitable for a bride.  The Mayor offered to fix it up, but when Eleanor suggested they live at the house, Will could see that was what his wife wanted to do.  He didn’t mind.  It was a huge house, they would have plenty of privacy, and his little wife could still help to care for her Gram.

The couple moved everything of Darcy’s into the master bedroom the next day at Eleanor’s insistence, and Will picked up his belongings from his apartment behind the jail and moved those things to his new home.  The master bedroom was in reality, a small parlor and a large bedroom, and a private bathing/dressing room.  It was nice and cozy, an apartment within a large home, and actually it was a larger apartment than the one he’d lived in behind the jail. 

Making love for the first time was truly special, and Darcy was delighted with Will’s patience and loving touch.  Will was gentle with her, and explained what she didn’t know or understand.  He admitted there would be a little pain the first time, and she learned he was right.  Will had tears in his eyes when she cried out in pain, and he took his time to make sure she was comfortable before he moved on.  Darcy was surprised to learn that there was so much pleasure involved in making love!  It was amazing, and she asked Will if they could do it again.  He assured her it would be his pleasure….

* * * * *

When they came down to breakfast the next morning, Eleanor’s green eyes searched her granddaughter’s face for any sign of distress, and apparently she liked what she saw, smiling and taking Darcy’s hand in hers and wishing her a good morning.  She was equally happy to see Will, and made a special point of telling him that he was at home now and she wanted him to feel free to come and go and do whatever he wished.

A week later, there was a knock at the door, and since Will was home for lunch, he got up from the table and answered the summons.  “Yes?”  Will didn’t know the man, and while he seemed reputable, Will would reserve his opinion until he knew what the man wanted.  He was just glad he was home to greet the stranger instead of a house of women alone.

“Hello.  I am John English.  I am here to see Miss Mays?”

“Come in.  I’m Will Davies, Sheriff of Cactus Hill.”  He realized the man was the son of the English’s that Louisa talked of so often.

“I’m pleased to meet you, Sheriff.”

“We are just having lunch.  Would you care to join us in the kitchen?  My wife fixed plenty and she is a marvelous cook.”

“Thank you.  I didn’t see any place that looked appetizing when I got off the stage.”  John was grinning as he said this, not about to give offense.

Will introduced the man to his family and if John was surprised to see Louisa eating at the table with them, he hid it well.  Louisa was pleased to see him.

“I am so sorry about your father and mother, John.  I feel responsible.”  Louisa couldn’t rid herself of the guilt that plagued her day in and out.  She felt helpless to make amends in any way, and the only thing that gave her any peace at all was knowing that Malachi was locked up and couldn’t hurt anyone else.

“Nonsense. 
You
aren’t responsible, Louisa.  That animal never should have been released from prison in the first place.  It is the prison I hold responsible.  Yes, they warned you, but if they knew he was so volatile and making such horrible threats against you and my parents, they should have done more than send a telegram of warning.  He should have been found crazy and put in an asylum.  You, Louisa, are not to blame, and I do not want to hear that again, please.”  He smiled at Darcy then, and said, “This is the best food I’ve had since leaving to come here, Mrs. Davies.”

“Just call me Darcy.  We don’t stand on formality here.”  She liked the young doctor, and it was obvious that Louisa did too!

“Good.  I’m John.  Louisa, I need to speak to you about some personal matters, if that would be possible?”

“You can talk right here, John.  These people are family to me.” 

Eleanor nodded in agreement, her green eyes studying John English thoroughly.

“Mother and Father would be happy to know that, Louisa.  They loved you, and they added you to their will.  My parents set up a trust for you, and their attorney gave me papers to have you sign to make the money and accounts available to you.”

“Oh no!  That is not necessary!”  The young nurse was shocked.

“This was Mother’s and Father’s decision, Louisa, and I am in full agreement with them.  I can see you are a special young woman, and I know from Mother’s letters that you gave my parents much joy.  You gave them purpose when I was gone, studying what interested me in medicine.  I’m home now, and going to take over Father’s practice.  I came here with the
intention of offering you a position in my office as my nurse, if you would be willing to consider such an offer?”

“Goodness!”  Louisa was surprised by the offer.

“I didn’t know your situation here, and I thought perhaps you were at loose ends in dealing with Mother’s and Father’s deaths.  I thought perhaps we could get through it together, but it is obvious you have made a home for yourself here.  And, of course, with your trust, you won’t need to work at all unless you want to.  You are very wealthy, Louisa.”  It gave him great pleasure to tell her that.

“I am
not
wealthy!”

“I’m afraid you are,” he said with a smile, liking her more and more.

“Young man, how long do you plan to remain in Cactus Hill?”  Eleanor asked.

“A few days at least, ma’am.  I want to visit with Doctor Grayson, and well, I would like to hear the details of Malachi Jones’ arrest.  I have been traveling so much that it will be good to rest a bit before I go home and begin my work there.”

“Would you like to stay here?  We have an extra guest room, and we would love to have you,” Eleanor offered.

“That is very sweet, ma’am, but I don’t want to put you out.”

“If you were going to put us out, I wouldn’t have invited you,” Eleanor said.  “Will, would you help John bring his things here?”

“Yes, ma’am.”  Will knew when he was being dismissed and ordered to do something all at the same time.  “Don’t argue with Miss Eleanor, John.  She meant the invitation or she wouldn’t have offered it to you.”

Once they were gone, Eleanor sent Louisa upstairs to check the room that used to belong to Darcy and make sure it was company ready.

“Are you matchmaking, Gram?”  Darcy asked with a knowing smile once they were alone.

“I hope it isn’t
too
obvious, but did you see the looks those two were giving each other?  We can keep an eye on them if they are right here, and make sure our Louisa isn’t making a mistake.  We will involve Doc, too, and Will!”

“I just want to make sure that John is what he claims to be.  Like he said, Louisa is now wealthy.  Is he jealous of that?”

“Well, we shall have to do a bit of prodding and find out.”

“Your instincts are great, Gram.  If we keep him here, we can watch him and see what he’s up to.”

“I can be nosy because of my age, people expect that!”  Eleanor said with a giggle.

“I love you, Gram.”

“Well, I love you, too, my dear.”  Eleanor smiled at her granddaughter.

* * * * *

“Sir, I’m here to ask you to change your mind.”  Brian faced the stern man in his office in the large warehouse.

“Change my mind about what?”  Geoffrey asked in a distracted manner.  His mind was on the proposal he was reading and he couldn’t imagine what Brian wanted.

“Sir, this is important,” Brian took the proposal from Geoffrey’s hand and put it on the table.  “Priscilla and I would like to be married.  We know how we feel about each other, and waiting is driving us both crazy.  From the moment I met Priscilla, I knew she was meant to be my wife, and she is just as drawn to me.  I give you my word that I have never felt this way about anyone else in my entire life.  Priscilla says it is the same for her.  Sir, I’m begging you to give your blessing so I may ask her to be my wife.  I want this more than anything I’ve ever wanted.  I cannot imagine my life without Priscilla by my side.”

“Does it ache when you are apart?” he asked, trying not to smile or laugh.  His daughter complained of the ache she felt when Brian was elsewhere other than by her side.

“It does, yes, sir.  May I please ask her to marry me?”

“Yes.  I believe you are sincere, and my daughter says that she is through waiting.  I did not ask her what she meant by that little threat because I was sure I would paddle her if I did!”  He noticed Brian’s face was red, but he ignored that fact.  Sometimes it was best to pretend ignorance.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Tell my daughter to plan whatever she desires.  Make sure your family can be here.  I’ll book the hotel for them and for other guests as soon as you and Pris pick a date.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I’m happy to have you for a son-in-law, Brian.  You know that my daughter is an only child, and upon my death, she will be a wealthy woman.”

“I would marry Priscilla if she was penniless.”  Brian was insulted.

“Yes, I am aware of that.  I wouldn’t let you near my daughter if you were after her money,” Geoffrey calmly stated.  “I just wanted you to know that you won’t want for anything… ever.  I can’t abide laziness, and I’ve seen enough of you to know that you aren’t lazy.  Neither is my girl.  I suggest that you make your children do chores, and don’t let them spend money just because it is there.  Spoiling children is so tempting, but you can wait and spoil your grandchildren.  I am looking forward to that, by the way.”  Geoffrey smiled.  “It is my wish that you will accept the offer I made to you before you and my daughter decided to marry.”

“Sir, I am most anxious to accept.  I like this town and the people in it.  I felt accepted and a part of the town when I offered to help the Sheriff when the Simpson Gang was on their way here.  I would love to accept your offer to work here.”

“I am glad to hear that, and I hope your father won’t be too disappointed with your decision.”

“No, sir.  He knew I was coming here with the intention of staying and working for you.  He will be thrilled for me, and happy for the opportunity I have to work with a thriving business on a larger scale than at home.”  He paused and then said, “I would like for my folks to meet Priscilla before the wedding.  Would you mind if I invited them for a visit?”

“I personally think that is a great idea.  I would like to meet your parents, and I am positive they will wish to meet Priscilla, too.”

* * * * *

It was unanimously decided that John English was just as he claimed, a young man trying to cope with his parents’ untimely deaths.  He wanted to take over his father’s practice, but he also wanted the girl his parents loved to come ‘home’ with him and be family.  The looks passing between the two people grew longer and hotter and Gram finally said, “Do you two realize that you are going to combust if you don’t admit your feelings for each other?”

“Miss Eleanor!”  Louisa gasped, and then she blushed a fiery red. 

John’s face was red, too, but he said, “Miss Eleanor, you are quite right about my feelings for Louisa.  I came here hoping to find a sister but instead I found a woman that makes my heart flutter.  I’ve wanted to tell Louisa, but worried she would think I only wanted to marry her to get my hands on the inheritance my folks left her.  I love her for who she is, not for what she has.”

“I haven’t said anything because I have been married before… to the horrible man who killed your parents.  I couldn’t believe you could ever be interested in me in that manner.  I am so ashamed of that part of my life,” she confessed.

“Louisa, I know you married very young, too young, because there wasn’t enough food in your home.  I know that Malachi beat you, and I also know that when you found out how he earned his money, you turned him in.  You did the right thing, Louisa, which took so much courage.  I am proud of the woman you are.”

Louisa blushed again.  “Thank you so much, John.  And, it would
never
cross my mind that you were interested in my inheritance.  I know you so well from the things your parents shared with me.  I know you to be a good man.”

“My mother wrote of you, too, telling me everything she could.  I think they were hoping that I would come home, meet you, and then marry you.  If this tragedy wouldn’t have happened, it might have worked out that way… except, I can see how much you love it here in Cactus Hill.”

“I do love it here.  Miss Eleanor, Darcy, Will, and Greta have become my family, too.”

“They are special people,” John agreed, and then asked, “Would you like to go for a walk with me, Louisa?  That is, provided Miss Eleanor doesn’t need you right now.”

“No, go on and enjoy the evening.  If I need something I am sure Darcy will be right here to help.”

“Yes, I will,” Darcy agreed.  Her beloved grandmother was growing weaker every day, and Gram had called her into her room one evening and they talked openly, both of them weeping at times, laughing at others, and holding hands.  Gram was candid and let Darcy know that she was ready to go home and greet her Heavenly Father, and she wanted to be with her Jonathan again.  She also admitted that Doc Grayson advised her to make any goodbyes she wanted to make.  She let Darcy know her final wishes, and she praised her for selecting a wonderful husband.  Eleanor also asked her to make sure Greta had a home since none of her family survived an Indian raid many years ago.