“I think I’ll pass,” McKenzie said. Although she no longer wore her fancy dresses, except to church or for other social occasions, the thought of getting her prairie dress wet and possibly ruined didn’t hold much enticement for her.
“You don’t know what you’re missing. We won’t have many more summer days like this one,” Zach said, then took off his hat and ran to the water without awaiting McKenzie’s response.
McKenzie placed the remnants of their lunch in the picnic basket, then leaned back on the rock she was seated upon, watching Zach in the water. She felt so relaxed, so at peace. She stretched out her legs and was reveling in the warmth of the sun on her face when she suddenly felt a cold, wet spray on her arm. She opened her eyes to see Zach standing in the water with a sly grin on his face. “Zach Sawyer!” she admonished him with mock severity.
“If you won’t get in, I’ll bring the river to you,” Zach declared, splashing her again.
McKenzie scooted away from the river’s edge, out of range. “How about now?” she asked.
Zach walked closer to the bank, and, with one gigantic swoop of his arms, sent a tidal wave of water toward McKenzie.
“That’s it, Zach Sawyer!” McKenzie yelled, but she couldn’t help giggling. “It’s time for a water war!” She jumped up from her place on the bank and, not caring about her prairie dress, jumped into the water. Tripping over a polished rock in the river, she tumbled and fell, immersing completely in the water.
“McKenzie? Are you all right?” Zach waded over to McKenzie as she reemerged and held out his hand.
“I don’t know, Zach,” McKenzie answered, feigning worry.
“We can get out now, if you want,” Zach said.
Without warning, McKenzie reached into the water and splashed Zach with all her might, then gave a triumphant laugh.
“Of all the nasty tricks!” Zach exclaimed. He splashed her back, and they continued trading heaps of water until Zach wrapped his arms around her. “Truce?” he asked.
“Truce,” McKenzie agreed. There wasn’t a dry spot on either of them.
Zach kissed her, then tenderly pushed back several strands of hair, which had escaped from her braid. McKenzie reached up and smoothed Zach’s hair to one side, though a few stray pieces remained plastered to his damp forehead. Zach closed his eyes at her touch. Who would have guessed that they would grow so close so quickly?
***
An hour later, McKenzie and Zach were riding back to the ranch, taking their time and laughing about their water war. McKenzie couldn’t recall when she’d had so much fun—especially in one day!
When they got back to the ranch, they stabled the horses in the barn, and Zach took McKenzie’s hand as they walked toward the house. “I enjoyed being with you, McKenzie,” he said, slowing to a stop and leaning down to give her a kiss.
“I enjoyed spending time with you, too, Zach,” McKenzie said, tilting her head upward to receive Zach’s kiss. As she did, she noticed a wagon on the road, approaching the ranch. Who could be coming to visit them? Reverend Eugene and Myrtle? Lucille and Fred Granger?
When their kiss ended, Zach followed her gaze. “It looks as though we have company,” he said, nodding his head toward the road. The wagon continued to make its way slowly toward the house, crossing under the Sawyer Ranch arch.
“Who could that be?” McKenzie asked.
“I’m not sure. I don’t recognize the driver,” Zach said.
As the wagon came closer, McKenzie couldn’t believe what she saw. “It can’t be!” she exclaimed.
“What is it?” Zach asked.
“Why, it’s my mother and our driver, Lawrence!”
What? Your mother? From Boston?”
“Yes—I can’t believe it!” McKenzie tried to sound excited, but she couldn’t help feeling extremely nervous about why her mother had come and what she’d have to say. “I can’t wait for her to meet you!” McKenzie exclaimed, keeping up the façade of delight. She took Zach’s hand and led him toward the wagon, which had stopped just in front of the house.
McKenzie watched as Lawrence climbed down from the wagon, then helped her mother get out. “Mother! What an unexpected surprise,” McKenzie said.
“Ugh! What a detestable ride,” her mother lamented as she smoothed her skirts before giving McKenzie an appraisal and then embracing her briefly.
“What brings you here, Mother?” McKenzie asked, her apprehension mounting. “Is Father all right?”
“Yes, your father is fine,” her mother said flatly.
The awkward silence that followed prompted McKenzie to make an attempt at conversation, starting with introductions. “Mother…uh, this is Zach…my husband. Zach, this is my mother, Florence Worthington, and our butler and chauffeur, Lawrence.”
“Pleased to meet you, ma’am,” Zach said in a reverential tone, extending his hand to her mother.
“Yes, indeed,” McKenzie’s mother said, sounding less than convinced. She didn’t shake his hand, either.
***
Put off, Zach let his hand fall at his side. He’d pictured someone not unlike the woman standing before him when McKenzie had talked about her mother, but he’d expected her to be a bit more eager to meet her son-in-law for the first time. After all, he’d been enthusiastic about meeting her someday, as well as meeting McKenzie’s father, who evidently hadn’t made the trip.
“We’ve come to take you home, McKenzie,” Florence announced.
Take her home? But she is home! Zach thought.
“Mother…?” McKenzie looked nervous.
“You don’t have to pretend, McKenzie. He won’t be able to hurt you anymore,” Florence said, glaring at Zach. What had he done?
“W-what do you mean, Mother?” McKenzie stammered.
Just then, Davey skipped up to the group. “Ma, is this your mother?” he asked McKenzie.
“Yes,” McKenzie said, shooting a quick glance at her mother, who looked enraged.
“‘Ma’? How can you ask what do I mean, McKenzie? Surely, you remember the letter you sent to your father and me.”
McKenzie gasped.
What letter? Zach wondered.
“That means you’re my grandma!” Davey ran toward Florence and gave her a big hug.
“Boy, stop that this instant!” Florence said, pushing him away.
Zach fought the urge to yell at her in Davey’s defense.
“But, you’re my grandma! Don’t grandmas give hugs? Grandma Rosemary does,” Davey said, his lower lip trembling, as if he were about to cry.
“I am not your real grandma. I don’t even know you. Now, get away from me, boy. You’ll soil my dress with your filthy little hands.”
Zach pulled Davey to him in a protective embrace. “Davey, why don’t you go inside and play? I’ll be in shortly,” he said, trying to ignore the pained look in his son’s eyes.
“Okay,” Davey said, then trudged inside.
Without as much as a word of apology for how she’d hurt Davey, Florence continued her tirade. “Now, McKenzie, we are going to return you to Boston while the weather still holds. Go pack your things. We’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
“But, Mother—”
“No arguing, McKenzie.” Florence held up her hand, as if to dismiss her daughter, then turned to Zach. “And you, Mr. Sawyer! How dare you make demands on my daughter? How dare you make her live in this sorry excuse of a home?” She nodded toward the house. “How dare you treat her with anything less than the respect and privileges she deserves? You are a pitiful excuse for a husband. She deserves much better than the likes of you, and had it not been for her determination to rescue her sister, she would not be here. As it is, McKenzie has had to deal with the likes of you for far too long. You are an abusive and hateful man, and the sooner I remove my daughter from you, the better.”
Florence paused long enough to catch her breath. “My husband told me to let it go, like we did with Kaydie—whom she married was her decision, and if she was being provided for, she was no longer our responsibility. But, I will not allow my daughter to be mistreated and lowered like this. I can’t help Kaydie, but I can help McKenzie. I won’t stand to have another daughter stolen from me.”
“I’m not sure I understand, ma’am,” Zach said, deeply confused and hurt. Wasn’t McKenzie here with her parents’ blessing? Hadn’t she come to make a life for herself because they could no longer afford to support her?
“You’re not sure you understand?” Florence fumed. “Are you an imbecile?”
“Mother, please,” McKenzie interjected, but Florence cut her off.
“Hush, McKenzie. Believe me, I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t convinced your father to let me come for you. You are his favorite daughter, you know, and the thought of you living in these conditions was unbearable to him. So, he allowed me to come here, accompanied by Lawrence. I see now that I should have come sooner.”
“But, Mother, you don’t understand—”
“I understand perfectly. Your marriage charade with this boorish stranger is about to end. You said it would be temporary, and the time has come to make good on your plan. Just look at you, dressed like some peasant girl! What type of frock is that? And your hair! Why, it looks a wreck! Your father didn’t work as hard as he did to give you a life of ease just so you could throw it away for an impoverished existence. If marriage is what you want, we’ll find you a suitable match in Boston—a man with a social status and upbringing more befitting to yours.”
McKenzie stared down at the ground and kicked a small pebble. “Mother, we were having a picnic, and we went swimming in the river afterward.” Her voice wavered slightly.
“Of all the unscrupulous things! Swimming in the river? Have you no common sense, McKenzie? Have you no recollection of the things your Father and I taught you? Or has this miserable husband of yours made you forget all proper training and etiquette?”
“Mother, please. I wanted to go swimming—”
Florence put her hand up in front of McKenzie. “Please. I don’t want to hear it.” She reached up and straightened her hat. “Now, then, have you found Kaydie?” The question sounded like an afterthought.
“No, Mother, I haven’t found her yet, but Zach and I were able to find out some information recently in Canfield Falls,” McKenzie said, looking dejected rather than jubilant at the progress they’d made. After a moment, she reached for Zach’s hand. “This has all been a big misunderstanding, Zach.”
Zach couldn’t take McKenzie’s hand until he’d figured out what was going on. He was stunned. What had Florence meant by calling their marriage a charade? A temporary situation? What had prompted her to accuse him of mistreating her daughter? “What did you say in your letter, McKenzie?” he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
***
“Zach, I can explain…” McKenzie began, but then she stopped, not sure of what to say. How could she tell him that she’d meant for their marriage to last only as long as it took her to find Kaydie?
When a minute or two of silence had passed, Zach gave a disgusted sigh and then looked at her mother. “You’re welcome to stay here for the night. There are no hotels in town.”
“That’s a shame,” she said. “I guess we have no other choice, though.”
“Lawrence can stay in Davey’s room, and you can stay in the spare room, Mother,” said McKenzie. Perhaps, if she was able to stay in her and Zach’s room for the first time, she’d be able to explain to him the reason for the unexpected chaos, even if it took all night to do so.
“I’ll stay in the barn tonight,” Zach offered.
“Zach….” McKenzie again reached for his hand, and again, Zach pulled away. She could see the tears in his eyes—tears that she’d convinced herself she’d never see. Her heart felt heavy, and tears stung her own eyes. “Zach….”
***
“How could you, McKenzie?” Zach asked, then lowered his voice so that only McKenzie would hear him. “I loved you.” With that, he turned and, with long strides, set off toward the fields. Never had his heart felt so broken, and never had he been so hurt and angry at the same time.
Zach tried everything in his power to shoulder McKenzie’s disloyalty without the outward appearance of tears. But the betrayal was too much for him to bear. The promise of marriage he had made would now be broken. He tried to convince himself that he didn’t care, that it was for the best, since McKenzie had married him only to use him. But it was hopeless. He did care. He loved McKenzie. Davey loved McKenzie. And, now, they both stood to lose her forever. His anger burned at how she’d manipulated him into believing she cared and wanted to marry him because she had feelings for him. “This is no small thing, Pa!” Zach shouted when he was alone in the middle of the field. “No small thing at all!”
***
After she’d shown her mother and Lawrence to their rooms, McKenzie ran to the barn. If her mother wouldn’t listen to her, if Zach wouldn’t listen to her, then she knew who would. “Jonah, will you please saddle Sugar for me?” she asked.
Jonah looked up from his task. “Are you all right, McKenzie?”
“Yes—I mean, no. Jonah, please, could you just saddle the horse? And could you keep an eye on Davey, too? He was inside, but I think he’s out back, now, playing with his frogs.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
McKenzie watched as he prepared Sugar’s saddle. “Here you are, McKenzie,” he said, handing over the reins. “May I ask where you’re going?”
Without answering, McKenzie put her foot in the stirrup and climbed into the saddle. Nudging Sugar gently in the flank, as Zach had instructed her, she rode Sugar out of the barn and toward Rosemary and Asa’s. As she neared the house, she nudged Sugar to go a little faster and hung tightly to the reins as the horse began to canter.
When she arrived at the house, she dismounted and tethered Sugar to a tree in the yard. “Rosemary!” McKenzie called, walking toward the open front door.
A moment later, Rosemary emerged with a towel in her hand. “Whatever is the matter, dear?” she asked. “It’ll be dark soon. What are you doing out and about by yourself?”
“Rosemary, c-can I p-please—please s-speak—w-with you?” McKenzie struggled with the words and tried desperately not to cry. Like her heart, her language was broken.
“Yes—please, come inside.” Rosemary led McKenzie inside the house. “Asa is still in the field, so we are alone. Please, tell me what’s going on.” She pulled out two chairs at the kitchen table, and she and McKenzie sat down.