Lawfully Matched (Texas Lawkeeper Romance) Read online

  “Well, it should just be another minute,” Iris said as she placed the bread on the table.

  The cabin door banged open and Pauline’s father, Caleb, and her brother, James, entered.

  “You weren’t about to start without us, were you?” James was tall and beefy, and his frame filled the doorway. Pauline’s father was slightly shorter, but nearly as broad shouldered.

  “No, we were waiting,” Pauline said. “I just dished the stew, so it should still be warm.”

  “Yes, come and sit,” her mother said.

  “I’m sorry we’re late,” James said, limping into the large room that served as the main living space. “It takes me longer to finish chores now since my accident.” James had the habit of frequenting the saloon a little too often, and a skirmish one night had ended with shots fired. One had hit his foot, shattering the bone.

  “It looks as though your foot is healing though,” Jesse said as James made it to the table and fell into the chair to his right. Her father took the chair to Jesse’s left.

  “Humph,” James mumbled through a mouthful of soup. He had not waited to pray but had simply dug into the meal.

  “Well, let’s not let the food get cold,” Pauline’s mother said, ignoring James’s slurping and picking up her own spoon.

  Jesse lowered his head to say a silent prayer and then smiled at Pauline, who had done the same. The rest of her family often forgot to pray at meals, but he and Pauline never missed the opportunity.

  Jesse could not wait until they were married, and it could be just her and him at every meal. Though James and her parents served as decent chaperones, they made less than stellar dinner companions.

  The rest of the dinner passed in an uncomfortable silence, and Jesse found himself relieved when it ended.

  After Pauline and her mother had cleaned the dishes, Jesse gathered his things to go, and Pauline walked him to the front door. Jesse reached for her hand, but a cough from James forced him to drop it back to his side. Jesse wanted to take her in his arms and feel her soft lips against his, but if holding hands was frowned upon, that would definitely have to wait a little longer.

  “Goodnight Pauline,” he said with a bow. “I look forward to another meal tomorrow.” Jesse’s family was no longer living, but Pauline’s family had been kind enough to offer him a chair for dinner each night.

  “I do as well,” she said and smiled sweetly at him.

  Chapter Three

  Kate collapsed into the chair behind the desk and sighed. Teaching was a lot harder than she had imagined. There were twenty-three children in her class and most were boys. They had assigned her the primary grades, and although she had a curriculum, she spent more of her time dealing with classroom management than she often did instructing. It was exhausting work, both mentally and physically.

  At least today was Friday. That gave her two whole days to relax before school opened again on Monday. She took one more deep breath and gathered up her papers and books. If she were lucky, she would have just enough time to check at the post office about her response before it closed.

  She had adopted the habit of stopping by the post office on the way home, but tonight the boys had been particularly feisty, and school had run late. Kate locked the schoolroom door and tucked the key in the pocket of her blue cotton dress before setting out.

  Normally, Mr. Prescott, who worked the afternoon shift, would shake his head as she entered the post office, and she would smile and try to hide her disappointment, but today he was waiting for her at the door. As soon as he saw her approaching, his eyes lit up, and he gestured for her to follow him inside. Kate quickened her pace, excited to see what her future held.

  Mr. Prescott was at the back counter when she followed him through the office. He held a white envelope in his hands. “An envelope came today, Miss Kate.”

  Kate was surprised to see her hand shaking as she reached for the envelope. She thought she had made peace with whatever the decision would be, but suddenly her mouth went dry and her heart was beating erratically in her chest.

  She turned the envelope over and slid one finger under the seal. The paper seemed to tear in slow motion, and a folded piece of paper poked out. Kate pulled it out, unfolded it, and scanned the words.

  Dear Ms. Whidby

  I would be delighted to have you come to Lisbon, Texas to be my wife. You sound like a woman who could handle herself in the West. I have enclosed a ticket for the third Friday in April. I look forward to meeting you soon.

  Bill Easterly

  “Did you receive what you were hoping for?” Mr. Prescott didn’t know the entire story, but Kate figured he must be curious about her daily visits.

  “He said yes. I suppose I am moving to Texas.” Kate had thought she would feel excitement at the news, but the only emotion she could pinpoint was shock. Perhaps she should have corresponded more with him, but her uncomfortable living situation had hastened the process. “Thank you, Mr. Prescott,” she said, re-folding the paper and tucking it in her pocket beside the school key.

  “Best of luck,” Mr. Prescott called as she headed toward the entrance in a daze.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  The third Friday in April was the end of next week. She would have just one more week with her brother and four more days with the students. Suddenly, the impending move felt too fast, but there was no turning back now.

  * * *

  Jesse looked up from where he was patching holes in the barn as the thundering of hoofprints approached. What in the world? He wasn’t expecting company, and it was nearly lunchtime, which was an odd time for someone to visit. His hand moved to the hilt of his Colt revolver, but before he had time to pull it out, a shot whizzed by his ear. He dropped to the ground and scanned the area. Why was someone shooting at him?

  Seconds later, three horses carrying masked men flew past him. From his position on the ground, Jesse aimed and fired. The first shot went wide, but he rolled up on his knee and focused for the second shot. It didn’t knock the rider from his horse, but he heard the man’s yelp as they disappeared in a cloud of dust. Jesse wondered if these men were the ones who had been robbing Sage Creek and the surrounding towns.

  He raced to his horse, Molly, who was tied up a few yards away, but before he could mount her, two more horses and riders arrived.

  Pastor Lewis, along with his son, Theodore, approached with sullen looks on their faces.

  “What are you doing here, Pastor?” Jesse inquired.

  “You best come back to town with us, Jesse,” Pastor Lewis stated.

  A feeling of dread like a bucket loaded down with rocks filled Jesse’s insides. “Why? What happened?”

  “They were robbing the bank, Jesse,” Theodore answered.

  Jesse shook his head, still not comprehending.

  “Pauline was in the bank making a deposit for her wedding dress and was hit when Josiah and the men exchanged fire,” Theodore said.

  “Is Pauline alright?” Jesse’s words felt tight, strangled in his throat.

  “She’s at Doc Moore’s,” Pastor Lewis stated.

  Jesse did not wait to follow the other men back. Instead, he gave Molly a swift kick, something he rarely did, and led the charge himself back to town. Jesse had opted to live on the outskirts of town, so he would have more land to ranch, but he cursed that decision now as the minutes ticked by.

  When he finally reached the clinic, Jesse jumped off Molly and threw her reins around the hitching post in one deft movement before mounting the steps and throwing the door to the clinic open.

  Doc Moore—an elderly man with a full head of white hair—looked up as he entered. The doctor sat near the bed, where Pauline was laid out, her blonde hair streaked with red from a wound in her temple.

  “Pauline.” The word was barely more than a whisper as Jesse crossed the distance and fell to his knees before her. He picked up her hand, surprised to find it still warm. Jesse turned his question-filled eyes on Doc Moore.
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  “She’s resting right now,” Doc Moore said. “The wound on her temple was just a graze of a stray bullet. It’s the one that hit her stomach that’s the problem.”

  Pauline’s eyes slowly opened, but they were not the same green Jesse was used to seeing. They had faded to a dull gray and appeared cloudy. She tried to smile, but the effort sent her coughing and a trickle of red ran out of her mouth. Jesse grabbed the handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood away.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Jesse,” she said in a raspy voice.

  “Don’t try to talk,” Jesse said, sniffing back tears as he caressed her hair.

  “I don’t have long,” she said and coughed again, “but I wanted to tell you that one of the men has a scar on the back of his hand. A half-moon.”

  Jesse nodded. “I’ll find him, Pauline. I will.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t look for vengeance, Jesse. Protect the town.” A deep cough shook her body, and another, larger stream of blood flowed out of her mouth. “Remember that I love you.”

  “I love you too,” Jesse said, but his words were too late. He could almost see the life leave Pauline as her eyes turned glassy and remained fixed on a point past his shoulder.

  “No,” Jesse cried out and placed his forehead on Pauline’s forearm. “No!”

  “I’m sorry, Jesse,” Doc Moore said, patting his shoulder. “There was nothing I could do but make her comfortable.”

  Jesse didn’t bother looking up. With his face hidden, he could let the tears flow and the rage build. The doctor stayed by his side another few minutes, but finally he heard the man stand and move to another room to give him some privacy.

  “I will avenge your death, Pauline,” Jesse whispered to the woman he had loved for the last year. “I will find the men who did this, and they will pay.”

  Jesse ran a rough hand across his eyes and pushed himself up from the bedside. With a single-minded focus, he strode across the room and flung the front door open. Sheriff Johnson and one of the deputies stood on the porch, their hats in their hands.

  “Make me a deputy today,” Jesse said, his voice cold and flat. “They will not strike here again.”

  Chapter Four

  Kate stood on the train platform, a bundle of nerves. Her toiletries were packed in her carpetbag, which she gripped tightly in her hand. Her mother’s wedding dress, shoes, her other clothes, and a few other sentimental items were packed in her trunk, which was already on the train.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Robert asked. Worry lines marred his forehead and his hazel eyes were filled with concern. “You can stay with us as long as it takes, Kate.”

  Kate glanced at Abigail who while smiling still had the ability to hold Kate in a cold stare of disapproval. “That is kind of you, Robert,” she said, returning her attention to him, “but I feel this is where God is leading me. I will not deny I am a little apprehensive, but I believe he will protect and provide for me.”

  “You better write,” Robert said as he pulled her in for a fierce hug.

  Kate would miss pieces of Boston, like the library and the stables. She doubted the West would have an expansive library like Boston did, and she would miss riding through the park after church. In fact, the West probably wouldn’t have some of the finer amenities she was used to, but more than those, she would miss Robert. They had been distant growing up, but after the death of their parents, they had become closer.

  She would not, however, miss the insulting comments from Abigail or the cool stares often passed her direction during meal times.

  “Of course I will,” Kate said, emotion constricting her throat. She had not expected leaving to be so hard. Even quitting the school had been more emotional than she had expected. While the older boys had not seemed to care she was leaving, one of the younger boys had run up and hugged her legs. Surprised, she had patted his hair, promising him their regular teacher would be returning soon.

  “All aboard.” The shout from the train conductor ended Kate’s memory of the day before.

  “I suppose I should be going,” Kate said with a sigh. “I will write as soon as I arrive.” Before Robert could say anything further, Kate hurried onto the train. She chose a seat at a window and waved to them. Moments later the train surged forward as it pulled out of the station.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  Kate looked up to see an older woman clad all in black looking down at her.

  “No, it’s available,” Kate said, picking up her bag and holding it on her lap.

  “Thank you,” the woman said as she sat. “I have not traveled by train before, and I must admit I am a little nervous.”

  “Me too.” Kate offered her seatmate a small smile.

  “Oh, wonderful. Then we can try it out together,” the woman said. “I only wish I were traveling under different circumstances.”

  “Oh?” Kate didn’t want to pry, but the woman had brought it up.

  “Yes, unfortunately I am heading out West due to a death in my family. Well, two actually. My husband passed away two months ago, and after my granddaughter was killed in a bank robbery, I decided to move out West to be close to the only family I have left.”

  Kate’s eyes widened, and her hand shot to her open mouth. “I am so sorry for your loss.”

  “Me too,” the woman said. “Charles was older and had lived a full life, but Pauline was so young, only twenty years of age and about to be married.”

  “Oh, that’s awful,” Kate murmured. She felt bad for her seatmate and for the poor woman’s family, but she was also more worried about her own safety now. Kate had known the West might be dangerous, but she had never thought about bank robberies.

  “I am sorry for going on,” the woman said. “You did not ask for my sad story. My name is Ellen by the way, what is your name, dear?”

  “My name is Kate.”

  Ellen smiled at her. “Nice to meet you, Kate. What are you heading West for?”

  “I am heading West to get married,” Kate said softly and then bit her lip. Normally marriage was a happy occasion, but she felt bad discussing hers with this woman as her granddaughter had been about to marry.

  Ellen appeared to take no offense to this statement. “That is wonderful, dear. I know I enjoyed my years with Charles. I wish you the best of luck.”

  As the train chugged westward, the two women continued to chat and share their stories. Kate was glad to have made a friend even if it was only until they reached Texas.

  * * *

  Jesse looked down at the star on his shirt and shook his head. It did not feel very different, and there had been no big ceremony—just the sheriff asking him if he promised to protect the town and him agreeing. The other deputy had stood in as a witness, and in a matter of minutes, the ceremony was over, and Jesse was a deputy.

  “Now can we go after Pauline’s killers?” he asked the other men.

  “No, Jesse,” the sheriff said. “We don’t know where these men are. We must protect the town here, at least until we have an idea of where to go. Then we can form a posse and go after them.”

  Jesse wanted to argue. He wanted to tear out of the room, mount Molly, and go in search of the robbers himself, but as he looked at the other men in the room, he realized they also had people important in their lives—wives and sons and daughters. As much as he wanted to avenge Pauline’s death, he also did not want anyone else feeling the pain he did at this moment.

  “Fine,” he said with a sigh and a mental promise to never stop searching for the men responsible on his own time. “What do we do now then?”

  “We take turns patrolling,” Jeb Greene, the other deputy said. He had salt and pepper streaks through his hair and a weathered face to match. Jeb was one of the Greene brothers who had been part of the original settlement of the town.

  “That sounds fine,” Jesse said with a curt nod. “Where should I patrol?”

  “We have a rotation,” the sheriff said, pointing to a scri
bbled list on the wall. “One person stays here to watch any prisoners and be ready in case anyone in town needs help. The other two patrol the town borders. We lost Josiah yesterday in the bank robbery, but with the addition of you, there are still three of us.”

  Jesse glanced at the other men. In his grief over Pauline, he had forgotten Josiah had been killed as well, and these men were probably upset too.

  “Jeb, why don’t you take Jesse and show him the patrol route?” the sheriff continued. “I will hold down the fort here.”

  Jesse nodded, though he wondered if there were a better way as the patrols yesterday hadn’t stopped the robbery or the killings from happening. He followed Jeb out to where their horses were tied up.

  With a swift motion, he untied the reins and then swung up and mounted Molly, who had been a gift from his mother the summer before she died. Pale and sickly, his mother had never fully adjusted to the rigor of the West and had caught a fever ten years ago and never recovered. While his father had been broken, Jesse had been even more so and when he was old enough, he had left the small town in east Texas and traveled further west, stopping in Sage Creek when he found a job and a possibility of owning his own land.

  After a year of working with a rancher on the outskirts of town, mending his fences and wrangling his cattle, he had earned enough to buy a small piece of land of his own. A year later he had met Pauline. Pauline, who without knowing it, had inspired him to start his own ranch. It hadn’t been easy, but he now had enough livestock to make a decent living. Unfortunately, he no longer had Pauline to share that life with.

  “It isn’t a perfect system,” Jeb said as he led the way out of town, “but we ride in a slow circle around the town, paying closest attention to the road to Lisbon and the road from Belleville as that is where this pack of bandits seems to come from most often. Yesterday, we rode together, but after what happened, I am going to suggest we each take half of the perimeter. Perhaps that will make it harder for them to sneak past us.”