Montana Snowfall, page 12
part #7 of McCutcheon Family Series
“Hickory, Mrs. Margaret here seems to think you’d do well working on a cattle ranch,” Luke said, watching his face closely. “How would you feel about that? Moving to Y Knot and living with us?” He pointed to Matt and Mark with his mud-spattered hat.
Surprise registered. The boy’s vivid blue eyes quickly searched out the old woman. The nonverbal interplay, a dance between the boy and his benefactor, made Luke’s heart constrict. The old woman’s brow arched with possibility; his crunched down in worry. When she gave an almost imperceptible nod of encouragement, he took a tiny step back.
When Hickory sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and began to chew, Luke was afraid he might draw blood, so he hunkered down to his level. “Before you say anything, let me first tell you a little more about the offer, so you can make a knowledgeable decision. You could pick between living with me and my family, or the ranch’s bunkhouse with the other ranch hands. They’re a nice lot. Mostly older fellas, like myself, but one is not yet twenty.”
Luke looked up at his brothers waiting patiently, then fixed his gaze back on the boy’s face. “Between the three of us, we have three boys and four girls. Age wise, you’d be somewhere in the middle. We live in separate houses on a large home ranch. The children do their book learning at home until they’re old enough to ride into town for school. They do chores, talk respectfully, go to church on Sunday, and you would too. If you lived in the bunkhouse, you’d get paid for the work you do. There’s no lying or stealing, or pelting people with mud. We have rules we live by. And that makes things good for everyone—including you.”
The boy’s stoic face gave nothing away. Even though Hickory had bathed himself clean, the lingering reek of his clothes was off-putting.
Mrs. Margaret came forward, compassion misting over her sunken eyes. She cupped his cheek in her wrinkled hand. “I think you should go, Hickory. As much as I’ll miss you, the McCutcheons are fine men. They have a good reputation. Over the years, I’ve heard many good stories about them and their ranch.” Her hand left his cheek and strayed to his forehead, where she pushed back his still-damp hair. “I believe this is one of those defining moments in your life that will not happen twice. The McCutcheons are offering you something very valuable. I know it may be a bit scary now, but you’ll get used to it just fine. You’re not a little boy any longer. You have to plan a future for yourself that is more than living on the streets.”
Luke stood. Perhaps the boy wouldn’t come along. Surprised at the disappointment he felt, he placed his hand on Hickory’s small shoulder. “Well, Hickory, what do you say?”
Hickory’s eyes narrowed. “Am I still in hock fer three dollars?”
“You better believe it. A man always takes responsibility for his actions, as well as pays his debts. You owe me that whether you come along with us or not.”
Mrs. Margaret’s head jerked up. “What’s this about owing—”
Luke stopped her with a look. “It’s between me and the boy.”
Hickory’s bravado wavered. “I need some time to ponder.”
“That’s fair enough. Meet me in front of the Oyster Hotel today around four, and I’ll give you another chance to work off the rest of what you owe me. I have some parcels to pick up that I’ve been purchasing around town for my family. You can help me take them to the stage office to be packaged for the next stage bound for Y Knot.” He looked at his brothers, who both nodded. “Then if you’ve decided to stay here, you won’t be beholden to me. If you decide to come along, we’re leaving at four o’clock tomorrow morning. You’ll ride with me.”
The old woman’s lips wobbled. “My, that’s early.” She drew the child into a long hug, then stepped back. “If I don’t get a chance to see you before you leave, Hickory, I want you to remember to say your prayers every night—no matter how sleepy you are. I want you to spend a little time each day thinking about heaven, and the wonders that await all of us there when our journey on earth is through, because that’s something we all should do. And your parents, as well. They’re still alive as much as they ever were. They love you and are watching over you. Do you promise me you’ll do that?”
Hickory took a large swallow and then nodded.
“Where is he!” A commotion sounded outside. “Hickory! You’ve gone too far this time, boy! When I get my hands on you—”
“Oh my, that’s Deputy Anderson,” Mrs. Margaret said, her face blanching. “What mischief have you done now, dear?”
“I gotta go,” Hickory said, ducking under Luke’s arm without giving an answer. He made for the back door. “I’ll see you later!”
“Four o’clock,” Luke called to the boy’s retreating back. The door slammed and the sound of boots tromping down the back steps made Luke smile.
Matt and Mark closed the circle. “He’s the spitting image of Colton a few years ago,” Matt said. “But with long hair.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought as well,” Luke replied. “But Colton had Faith to bathe him now and again. I wonder what she’ll think when she sees Hickory?”
Mark removed his hat and fingered the crown. “We’ll know about six o’clock tomorrow evening.”
Matt nodded. “That’s if the little outlaw decides to come along. If I had to guess one way or the other, I’d say he’s staying here.”
The cowboy who’d ordered up the hot water ambled in. He pulled up short when he came face-to-face with a crowd in the bathhouse, a place that was usually pretty quiet. Confusion crossed his face when he saw the woman, and a blush crept up his neck. He all but jumped out of his boots a second later when the deputy stuck his head inside, his angry face resembling a ripe Jonathan red apple.
“Have any of you seen Hickory?” he barked, looking around the room. “That darn boy tests my patience every moment I’m alive!”
Mrs. Margaret’s eyes went wide in innocence. “I see him every day, Deputy. Why do you ask?”
Why the sneaky old lady. Luke cut his gaze to his brothers, who both shrugged and kept their mouths shut.
“Trouble at the undertakers ’bout an hour ago. They was takin’ the postmortem pictures of the Browns’ little girl, had her sitting all pretty in her—” He snapped his mouth closed, exasperated. “Well, someone sneaked in and stole several of their belongin’s while they was busy posin’ and smilin’. It’s darn shameful! No one else would do such a thing except that filthy little scoundrel.”
Her brows rose in censure. “Deputy, aren’t you being a mite harsh? You seem to have a problem with your anger. If I were you, I’d…”
Luke touched his forehead in a mock salute, then pressed past the speechless cowboy who’d just wanted a bath. Luke grabbed Mark and Matt’s arms, bringing them along toward the door. The three exited past the deputy and Mrs. Margaret, sure the cagey widow would keep Deputy Anderson occupied for a good long time.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Snuggled next to her sister on the front seat of Hayden and Heather’s surrey, Sally knew she should feel relieved. She’d made it. After several harrowing days, she would finally arrive in Y Knot in the next few minutes. Morgan rode his horse alongside the conveyance. She glanced over at him and he smiled, but he’d been close-lipped much of the way. Why?
The image of Roady standing tall beside Mr. and Mrs. McCutcheon as they all waved good-bye popped into her mind. He was handsome, to say the least.
“That’s the Biscuit Barrel,” Heather said, then pointed to a white clapboard building on the corner, just as they entered Y Knot proper. The windows of the eatery were trimmed in blue, a bright rectangular banner with the name embroidered on it extended a couple of feet from a porch post on a wooden dowel, adding a happy feel to the place.
“Hayden and I go about once a week for pie.” She laughed and pulled Sally closer with the arm she had around her shoulders. “Chance and Evie meet us there on Wednesdays if Chance can get away from the ranch. And if he can’t, we still go. Living in town does have its advantages.”
Heather’s face glowed with happiness. “Now you can come along also, Sally. When I heard what you’d done, and that you were lost in the snowstorm, I was beside myself. I’ve never prayed so hard in all my life.” She squeezed her husband’s arm. “I think I’m going to cry.”
“No tears,” Hayden said in his deep voice, and then chuckled.
Hayden was everything that Heather had claimed in her letters home. Handsome, kind, funny, and attentive to Heather’s every move. Mother would be very pleased if she could see the two of them together.
“Y Knot’s charming,” Sally replied, trying to keep her thoughts centered on her sister’s excitement, and the new town that would be her home. “The lack of tall buildings lets in the sun, and the air smells nice.” She wanted to get past the sentimentality. If Heather knew the real reason she was here, she’d be crying for a different reason. “Melba made me promise to tell you that she’s coming out next year. She’s determined to come west.”
Heather sucked in a breath. “How is she?”
“Getting stronger every day. It’s a miracle.”
Hayden slowed the horses and pointed. At first, Sally thought he was showing her a group of women strolling down the walkway, until she read the sign of the building they were walking past.
She sucked in a large breath. “Stanford’s Fittings. Oh, Morgan, it’s beautiful. Can we stop so I can take a tour?”
A thrill ran up Sally’s spine. Morgan had been fantasizing of owning his own furniture shop for as long as she could remember. When he was a boy he’d spend hours at the neighborhood junkyard hunting for two-legged stools, broken mirrors, and anything else he could find. He’d cart his treasures home to their smithy, to repair and sell. Nothing was beyond his talent, and he actually made some money. She was happy for him.
“My thimble-sized shop is hardly beautiful, Sally,” he replied. He tried to keep a straight face, but that was impossible. Soon, a handsome smile stretched from ear to ear as he sat a little taller in his saddle. “But it is a dream recognized. And I actually have an order from someone I don’t know.”
She gave him a funny look.
“Hayden here has kept me plenty busy making things for the home he and Heather plan to build come spring. And I’m building a living quarters upstairs. Until then, I’m living at the boardinghouse in town.”
“It all sounds very well planned out.” She leaned into Heather’s shoulder, thankful things had turned out so well for her sister’s mail-order marriage, and now for her brother as well.
“What do you say to stopping?” Heather asked as she looked around.
“Sally’s been through a lot,” Morgan said protectively. “Her getting sick at the McCutcheons’ has me worried. Seeing the shop can wait until she’s rested. I’m not convinced she’s not coming down with something.” He actually rode closer to the side of the surrey and reached out to feel her forehead.
Sally arched her brow. “I’m fine, silly brother. You needn’t worry about me.”
At least, not for a few weeks when you learn the truth. Your thoughts will be a whole lot different then.
He tipped his head. “You tossed up your breakfast.”
“I’m okay,” she said with conviction, wanting to put the subject to bed. She couldn’t look him in the eye. “Tell me more about the town.”
Heather brightened. “Well, that’s Dr. Handerhoosen’s next to Morgan’s. And Lichtenstein’s Provisions next to that. That’s where you’ll collect your mail.” A white-haired man in a brown apron was sweeping the porch. He lifted a hand and smiled as they approached.
“That’s Mr. Simpson. You’ll get to know his forgetful ways. But he’s an angel. Mr. Lichtenstein, the proprietor, just got in the most wonderful supply of nutcrackers, shipped all the way from Germany. They’ll remind you of the store in Germantown Mother used to take us to each year in December.”
“I remember those,” Sally said excitedly. “Mother would line us up shortest to tallest. We were to keep our hands in our pockets and our voices down. Mrs. Hahn would take the nutcrackers down one by one, and tell us a little story about each one.” She gave a heartfelt sigh. “Those were the good old days, all right.”
Heather nodded. “They were the best of times. I never realized we were so poor because Mother made us feel rich with love, knowledge, and understanding. If we went a little hungry at bedtime, she’d tell us it was God’s way of reminding us there were children everywhere who had less than we did—who were hungry as well. And to be thankful for what we had.”
“I remember that,” Morgan said in a hushed tone.
“Enough,” Heather said. She gestured to another building on the opposite side of the street. “Some memories are a little sad. That’s Lou and Drit’s boardinghouse. That’s where I lived before Hayden came to his senses and proposed—and where Morgan lives now.”
Hayden nodded. “That’s right, Sally. She had all the men of Y Knot in a stir.”
“And Mr. Guthrie as well?”
“You betcha,” Hayden said with a laugh. “Especially Roady.”
“That was only to make you jealous, Hayden,” Heather corrected. “He didn’t have feelings for me.”
“Think what you will. When you said yes to me, what else could he say to save face? I can assure you that if you’d picked him, you’d be the wife of a ranch hand right now.”
Sally straightened. “Roady saved my life.”
“I didn’t mean anything bad by that, Sally.” Hayden looked across Heather to catch her eye. “Roady’s one of the nicest men I know. He’s a good friend. But he is a ranch hand, after all.”
“That little man is Mr. Tracy.” Heather pointed out a very short fellow going into the telegraph office.
Hayden’s statement had derailed Sally’s attention. Roady himself had said he’d stepped out with Heather, and tried for her hand. Hayden hadn’t meant any disrespect, she was sure, but the way the statement came out just didn’t sit right.
“Look back over there, Sally, across the street. That tall building is the Cattlemen’s Hotel. For such a small town, it’s actually quite a nice establishment. They have wonderful rooms and a fine restaurant. Don’t look, but across from it is the Hitching Post Saloon. Stay away from that and keep to the opposite side of the street.”
“They have saloons and gambling houses in St. Louis, Heather,” Sally said. “You’re treating me like a baby.”
“Well, you are practically a baby. And I’m responsible for you now. You don’t have Mother here to look after you, so I will. Even out west we have to observe the rules of propriety, be a lady of good standing. Show others we come from a respectable line of people. Most women walk on the opposite side of the street from the saloon.”
She leaned in closer so only Sally could hear her next statement. “But I have to say, I’ve run into the saloon girl, Fancy Aubrey, and think she’s a very nice woman—and beautiful as well. I wish things were different. I feel sorry for her, not having any women friends to talk with. Evie introduced us. She and Evie arrived on the same stage and became friends.” She leaned away again and said for everyone’s ears, “I just can’t wait to introduce you to Evie and Kathryn. You remember me talking about the other mail-order brides?”
“Of course.”
“And Evie is expecting. It’s just too wonderful to contemplate. Everyone’s very excited for her baby.”
A stone dropped in Sally’s stomach. She thought of her little one. People would feel very differently about her child. It would be scorned. When decent women saw her coming, they’d hurry to the opposite side of the street.
Heather patted her leg. “You’ve arrived at the perfect time. Next Saturday is the harvest social. All the young men will be there. What better way to introduce you to the community? And who knows, if you meet that right someone, perhaps you’ll end up staying in Y Knot. Nothing would make me happier. As it is, I don’t think I’m going to let you go home.”
Sally’s smile felt as if it would crack off her face.
Heather pointed. “Oh, and look back to the other side again, that’s Berta May’s sewing shop. I worked there as well, before—”
“Before I wised up.” Hayden shook his head, then snapped the reins over the horses’ backs. The animals picked up their pace. “Will I never live down my errant ways?”
Heather hugged his arm again, something she seemed fond of doing. “I don’t think so.”
He sighed and looked at Sally, his expression asking for understanding. “A man can only take so much.”
Sally looked away, pretending to be curious in the storefronts and townspeople. Her pregnancy would not only affect her siblings, but Hayden’s good name as well. Why on earth had she believed that once she got to Y Knot, all her problems would melt away like snow? Now here, she felt as if they’d grown into an insurmountable mountain of deceit and lies, which would shatter more lives than she cared to think about.
Even though the time was fast approaching when her pregnancy would start to show—and all choices would be taken from her—she still had no idea what her next step should be.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The McCutcheons rode into Y Knot around five o’clock Tuesday afternoon. Luke and each of his brothers ponied two mares by their side. Hickory had shown up at two minutes before four that morning, a small cloth bag in his hand. Luke had handed him some new clothes he’d purchased after their encounter on Monday, telling him to change and throw the others out. As charitable as it sounded, the long ride home would be more pleasant without having to breathe through his mouth the entire trip. Since then, the boy had straddled Luke’s horse behind the saddle, his hands clutched tight to the cantle.
