Keegan's Bride (Mail Order Brides of Texas 2) (7 page)

“He’s not. He used to beat my sister, and he’s hit Peg many times. He even beat me once when I refused to marry him. That’s why I took her and ran. My parents expected me to marry my sister’s husband. It was too much to bear.”

“Your sister died?”

“Yes, she fell down the stairs. Her face was tearstained and bruised. William is a monster.”

Shannon gave her a quick hug and stood up. “Shane, there must be something we can do.”

“I wish there was. Truly I wish there was.” He sighed.

“I need to go tell Cinders and Keegan what’s happening,” Shannon said as she headed for the office door.

“No need to bother Keegan. He doesn’t care.”

“I’ll be back.”

Shane swung the cell door closed. “Sorry, Addy.”

“It’s not your fault.”

****

Clunk, clunk
. Two more pieces of wood went flying off the chopping stump. No matter how hard he tried, Keegan couldn’t get his anger to just go away. He’d been right to leave her at the train station the first time. Now he’d done the unthinkable, he’d gone and fallen in love with both Addy and Peg. Or maybe he should say Adeline and Margret.

He placed another log on the stump and brought the axe down with as much force as he could. Maybe if he wore himself out… His anger boiled when he heard the wagon coming toward him. Damn, they were going to try to talk him into going to see Addy. Well, they just didn’t know how stubborn he could be.

The axe landed with a thunk as he drove it into one of the logs. Then he stalked to the front of the house. Sure enough, it was Shannon and Cinders. If they hadn’t been all smiles and happy, he’d never have sent the first letter requesting a bride. He folded his arms across his chest and swallowed hard. It wasn’t their fault. The blame lay with him.

“Keegan, we got to go,” Cinders said as he stopped the wagon.

“I’m not interested in more lies.”

Shannon stood up in the wagon. “That awful man took Peg away. She was screaming, terrified, and there was nothing the sheriff could do about it. Keegan, he beat his wife, Addy’s sister, he’s struck Peg, and he beat Addy.”

Keegan dropped his arms to his sides and clenched his fists. “He beat Addy and Peg?”

“She refused to marry him, and he beat her,” Shannon explained. “Her parents looked the other way just as they did when her sister showed up with bruises. I know you’re hurt, and that’s between you and Addy, but we have to do something about Peg.”

“There’s nothing we can do.”

“Keegan, grab your horse. There’s got to be something,” Cinders said.

“I need to return the horse I borrowed anyway.” He saw the pleased look Shannon and Cinders exchanged. Why couldn’t it be him and Addy looking at each other that way? He saddled the paint and followed the wagon to town. A feeling of dread filled him and got heavier as they got closer.

He planned to return the horse first thing but there was a big commotion at the jail. A crowd of people stood outside trying to find out what was going on. He jumped down off the paint and shouldered his way through the crowd.

Peg was shrieking while William held her, Addy was crying, Shane tried to comfort Peg and Judge Gleason sat behind the sheriff’s desk leaning the chair back on the back legs with a toothpick in his mouth.

“What in tarnation is going on?” Keegan roared.

“Daddy!” Peg shrieked squirming her best to get down, but William had a punishing grip on her.

Judge Gleason stood and rounded the desk. “That’s enough. Give me the child. A man like you shouldn’t even have children. You obviously don’t like them.”

“What?” William sputtered.

“I’ve sat here and watched the lot of you. This is what we’re going to do until I can get a few telegrams out. Addy, I’m sorry but you need to stay put. Mr. Bartlette, you will hand Peg over to Keegan.”

“No. I refuse!” William turned and headed toward the door but Keegan stopped him.

“He’s the judge in this here parts. It’s best to listen to him,” Keegan said as he patted Peg on the back.

“Here, take her. I’ll get in touch with my lawyers.” He thrusted Peg into Keegan’s arms and stormed out.

Peg wrapped her little arms around Keegan’s neck. Her shrieking stopping but tears rolled down her face. “We’ll be fine, Peg.” He glanced over at Addy who also had tears rolling down her face.”

“I could take her,” Shannon offered.

“No. I want to keep this all within the law, since I’m stretching it a mite. Keegan takes her. I’m assuming you’ll bring her in to see her ma—her aunt daily.” He stared Keegan in the eye until he nodded. “Okay, did I leave anything out?”

“Kooky,” Peg wailed. “I want Kooky home.”

Judge Gleason’s brow furrowed. “Kooky? What’s a Kooky?”

“The puppy she named after Cookie,” Keegan replied.

“Kooky.” Peg nodded.

“Kooky goes with the girl. Now, let me see what I can find out about William Bartlette.” He moseyed out of the office yelling for the spectators to go home.

Cinders cleared his throat. “I’ll have one of the hands bring Kooky by your place.”

Keegan nodded while he rubbed Peg’s back. “Thanks for everything.”

“If you need us…” Shannon kissed Peg’s cheek and squeezed Keegan’s shoulder.

It was silent when they left. Shane sat in his chair and rearranged his desk, and Addy simply stared. He wished he’d never met her. The hurt of his heart was too much to bear. He needed to get out of there before he fell apart. “Come on, honey, let’s get you home.”

“With Mama?”

Keegan closed his eyes before tears fell. “Not today. We’ll come back tomorrow and see.”

“Mama?” The quiver in her voice almost broke him.

“It’s fine, Peg, you go home with Dad—I mean Keegan. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She gave Peg a small smile. “Go on, and be a good girl.”

“Come on, Daddy, we have to do what Mama says.”

Keegan sighed, turned and left. “I’m coming but first I have to return this paint and get Strike back.”

Peg pointed at the horse “Whore?”

Despite the circumstances, amusement tugged at his lips. “Not whore, horse.” He untied the reins and led the horse behind him with Peg shouting “Whore!” at people they passed. He was never so glad to get Strike saddled. “Let’s go home, Peg.” He lifted her up onto the horse’s back and mounted behind her, holding his precious bundle in front of him.

****

Judge Gleason paced back and forth in front of Addy’s cell. “I’m as sorry as can be. They died of a wasting disease.”

A shiver went through her body. “Both of them?”

“Peculiar, if you ask me,” Shane commented.

Judge Gleason nodded. “Very.”

“I haven’t been gone that long. They were fine when I left. My parents were very well off, and I bet money is involved somehow.”

The judge stopped in front of the cell and stared at her. “Keegan isn’t very well off, yet. I have faith in that boy, but maybe you didn’t want to wait. Maybe you wanted a bigger house or new clothes.”

Her jaw dropped. “I know where this is going, and no, I didn’t do anything to my parents. I’m well. I was happy to be away from them and William. Besides, I happen to love the ranch. We have a milk cow now and some chickens.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I never even got a chance to learn how to milk the cow.” She dashed the tears away with the palm of her hands.

“I believe you.” Judge Gleason gave her a nod. “I’ll get in touch with the lawyers and see about the will.”

“The will?” she asked.

“It might be a motive for murder, or the reason Mr. Bartlette is here. If the will provides for the child, it would be reason enough to make the trip out here. Of course, this is all speculation. Sorry, Addy, my dear, but you’ll need to stay put for the time being.”

She nodded. His words gave her hope. Maybe she’d get out of jail, but then what? One-step at a time.

“At least the food is good.” Shane said. “I’m sorry too, Addy. Well I need to make my rounds. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Judge, I’ll walk out with you.” Both men left, deep in conversation.

She glanced around the empty room. It didn’t contain much. Two cells with old mattresses, a desk with a chair, and a stove with a coffee pot on it. There were odds and ends on a shelf near the stove, including drinking mugs. There were no books to read, nothing but a stack of papers on the desk, and most of those looked to be faded with age.

The door opened, and William walked in. He frowned at her, and his eyes were full of fury. “I want my daughter. I know you can fix this, and I expect no less,” he demanded.

“Good morning to you too.” She sent him a sarcastic smile.

“I don’t like to be kept waiting. I thought you’d learned your lesson by now. Wish I had the key so I could come in and convince you to do the right thing.”

“You mean with your fists?” She stood right behind the cell bars. William moved fast trying to grab her, but she stepped back just in time. “You’re nothing but a woman and child beater. I hold you personally responsible for my sister’s death.”

“Think what you want. No one gave her death a second thought, except maybe your parents, but to them daughters were replaceable. They gave you to me. By rights you belong to me.”

She envisioned steam coming out of his ears. “Now, William, I’m not a dog you can order around. I’m already married to a very fine man.”

“That yahoo? Oh please, he is so beneath you. In Boston you wouldn’t have given a man like him the time of day. He’s an uneducated, piss-poor rancher. He couldn’t possibly give you things I could give you. By the way, where did you get that ugly frock you’re wearing?”

“Not so piss-poor. And I believe you owe my wife an apology. She happens to like the dress she’s wearing.” Keegan wandered in. He appeared confident, but she could tell by the slight twitch in his jaw that he was mad.

William cleared his throat and turned toward Keegan. “Well, if you heard what I said then you must know you are beneath her. She married down, and now that I’m here, she can go home with me.”

“I’m married to the little filly. You know, till death do us part and all.”

William turned and stared at her. “You think I equate you to a dog but he calls you a filly? Where does he keep you? In one of those awful sod houses I saw on my trip here?”

“No, William, Keegan built me a fine house. It’s a house to be proud of. It might not be Boston, but I don’t want to live anywhere else but here.”

“In that case, you can go and work for Mr. Hardy at the saloon. I hear he’s looking for mail order brides to turn into one of his ladies.”

Keegan took a step forward. “What do you mean by that?”

“There’s a woman in New York City who sends poor girls out here to be brides but she’s actually sending them to John Hardy. One came in yesterday. He wouldn’t let me have a go with her yet. She needed a day to rest up.”

The memory of Hardy’s beady eyes staring at her, assessing her, gave her shudders, “Keegan, we have to do something. That poor girl.”

Before Keegan could answer, William laughed. “Oh, that’s rich. If I were you, Adeline, I would think about how not to get strung up instead of worrying about some poor creature at the saloon.”

“Peg is with Shannon at the mercantile. I wanted to talk to you first, but I think I need to go get Shane and hurry over to the saloon.”

“Our talk can wait, Keegan. If she needs a place to stay, we could find a corner in the house or something. I know there are no jobs around.” He arched his brow at her and then he left.

“He doesn’t want you back, you little fool. This is rich. You just gave him a solution to his problems. He’ll have a new wife when they put you away. I’m hoping for a hanging, but I heard this town won’t go for it. Looks like a life of hard labor in prison is in your future.”

She sat on the lumpy mattress and faced away from William. Perhaps he was right about the woman from New York. She could easily take her place. Keegan must have thought about the fact they never consummated their marriage. “William, you’ve had your fun for today. Go back to the widow you’re staying with. I bet you’re more comfortable there.”

“She has been wonderfully accommodating. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was wanting me to marry her. I told her I’m promised to you. Which is what you should have thought about before you married that saddle bum!”

“Goodbye. I’m sure you’ll be calling on me tomorrow.” She turned and glared at him.

“You are treating your situation much too lightly, my dear.” He spun on his heel and left.

He was right. She had acted as though she was presiding over teatime at home. Her pride had refused to allow her to cry in front of him. He was up to something. He had no love for her or Peg. Judge Gleason and Shane were right. It must be the money. He could have it all if he’d just go away. Keegan didn’t want her anymore. His wanting to talk really meant he wanted to tell her the marriage was over. Not that she could blame him. Her lies, her fault. She’d never go back with William. Sighing, she realized she might have to in order to save Peg.