A Moment in Time (13 page)

Alice chuckled and patted Marty’s hand. Just then the conductor swung through the car. “We’ll be in the station in less than five minutes. Remember, this is just a brief stop, so be ready to disembark. We have a schedule to keep.”

The women nodded and Marty could feel the train begin to slow. The grinding sound of metal on metal, coupled with the blasts of the train’s whistle, permeated her ears. Her heart began to beat faster. Jake would be there waiting for her. If the rest of the world forgot all about her or was otherwise occupied, Marty knew without a doubt that Jake would still be there. The thought made her smile, and she lovingly put her hand to her waist.

I know he’ll be happy about
you, too
. She bit her lower lip.
But we’ll
wait just a little longer before we tell him the
news. Just in case . . . just on the chance that . . . that
you can’t stay.

The train came to a halt and Marty noticed the depot sign.
Cedar Springs. Back
where I started. Back in Texas, where I’d hoped
never to return.
She grimaced and got to her feet as Alice moved to collect their smaller bags. Her back ached
from the long hours of travel. She prayed that was all it was. She’d had a backache the last time she’d lost a baby. She frowned. What if . . .

Marty knew she had to get her heart and mind under control. They seemed to be warring with each other at the moment, and that would never do. She needed to put aside her fears and be strong.

I
’m being fretful and silly. I’m just sore from
travel, and I needn’t create a problem where there
isn’t one. I’m going to be happy. I
want to see Jake, and that’s the most important
reason for being here.

Jake would know how hard this was on her. Of that Marty had no doubt. But he wouldn’t know the full reason for her fears.

“Careful now, ma’am,” the porter said as he helped Marty down the train steps.

She glanced for some sign of her family. No one seemed to be around. The entire platform was nearly deserted.

Alice looked toward the baggage car. “I’ll see to our things.” She smiled at the baggage man, who stood not far from his cart. “Would you assist me, please?”

“Yes’m,” the man said, giving her a brief nod. “Pleasure be mine.”

Marty tried not to fret at the absence of her family. She knew that any number of things could have happened to delay their arrival. Her stomach growled again.

“Well, whether they get here or not, I’m going to have something to eat.”

“Talking to yourself, Mrs. Wythe?”

She turned to find Jake standing only a few feet behind her. Without giving any thought to the public display, Marty threw herself into his arms. “I’m so sorry,” she said, break
ing into tears. “I’m so sorry for the way I acted. I’ve missed you so much.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “There now, don’t cry, Marty. You’re here and that’s all that matters.” He lifted her chin and kissed her tenderly. “I missed you, too.”

“I know I’m making a spectacle of myself,” she said, meeting his gaze, “but I don’t care. I don’t like the idea of living in Texas, but I hate the idea of living without you even more. I don’t want to ever be apart again.”

He grinned. “Me either.” He hugged her close and Marty felt her fears give way. Surely God would keep Jake safe. Surely He wouldn’t demand another husband from her—or another child.

Robert had heard a great deal about Alice Chesterfield. He knew about the attack that had taken the life of her father and left her scarred. Jake had told them about the situation and of the man who tormented Alice for property she no longer had in her possession. But now sitting across the table from the blond-haired woman, Robert felt completely captivated by her.

Alice smiled and answered all the questions his mother had for her. She seemed as patient and relaxed as if they’d all been old friends reunited after a brief separation.

“And is the room to your liking?” Mother asked.

“Oh, it’s beautiful and so big. You really didn’t need to give me such a large room,” Alice answered.

Robert’s mother smiled and passed a plate of corn bread in Alice’s direction. “Nonsense. It was one of our daughters’ rooms, and it wants for someone to enjoy it. This house seems so empty sometimes. I’d love to fill it with people again.”

“Well, we’re off to a good start with Jake and Marty and Alice,” Robert’s father interjected. “Marty, I can’t tell you how good it is to see you again. And you look quite fit. Colorado must have agreed with you.”

“It did,” Marty said. “It’s very beautiful there, and the air is dry and fresh.”

“And it snows . . . a lot,” Jake added.

“That’s true,” Marty agreed. “I have to admit I’m no lover of the cold.”

“I’m so amazed at how things are already greening up down here,” Alice commented. “February in Denver is never anything but cold, snow, and ice.”

“Well, we’ve had a mild winter—drier than most, but before you came we had a couple of rains. It did wonders for the land,” Pa told her. “But you wait. In another few weeks we’ll be full of blossoms and greenery.”

“And we’ll be very busy planting gardens,” Robert’s mother announced. “I’m so glad you’ll both be here to help.”

Alice nodded. “I don’t know much about gardening, but I’m happy to learn.”

“Then we’ll have you ridin’ and ropin’ before you know it,” Pa said with a smile.

“I think I’d like that, too,” Alice replied, giggling.

Her amusement only served to make Robert all the more fond of her. She was lighthearted, yet there was something very serious about her spirit.

“Don’t do it,” Marty whispered in his ear.

Robert startled and looked to his aunt for an explanation. She smiled in her knowing way. At the other end of the table the family was already busy chatting about teaching Alice to brand calves, so Robert leaned close to ask. “Do what?”

“Don’t make her your new project. She might bear life’s
wounds, but she’s not one of your injured animals, and I don’t want to see her hurt.”

“Aunt Marty, I have no idea of hurting anyone,” Robert replied quietly and leaned back in his chair with a smile. “You should know me better than that.”

“I do know you,” Marty whispered. “And I recognize that smile on your face. You think you’ve got me fooled, but I can see in your eyes that you’re already making plans.”

Robert said nothing but turned his attention back on the meal. He was making plans, but Aunt Marty didn’t need to know anything about them.

“I usually plant corn over here,” Hannah told Alice as she and Marty followed her from one plot of ground to another. “I’ve had some of the orphan boys you sent us last year work on turning up the dirt for me and getting it ready for planting.”

“I can’t wait to see them again,” Marty said, glancing around. “Where are they?”

“Out on the range. We only have two of them with us now. The rest have found homes elsewhere. Hiram and Nate are working with the cattle. They ride like they were born to it and have taken to their duties with ease. They remind me of Andy when he was first learning to rope and ride.”

“I’m so glad,” Marty replied. She barely remembered the older boys. Her mind however went to thoughts of Wyatt, Sam, and Benjamin. “Those children are so precious. They deserve much more than what they’ve been given.”

“We very much enjoyed working with the orphans in Denver,” Alice added. “And the children were quite fond of Marty.”

“They just loved me for my cookies,” Marty said and laughed. She pulled at the cuff of her sleeve. “I think they’d be glad for anyone who would give them some attention. After all, they’re hardly more than babies. They are frightened and so alone. The folks who should be in their lives are either dead or gone. I just wanted to show love to each of them.”

“It must have been hard to leave,” Hannah said, looking at her sister with great compassion. “I know how attached a person can get to children. Had anyone tried to take you or Andy from my care, I would have protested loudly.”

“As I recall, there was that horrible Mr. Lockhart who wanted to send me and Andy to the far reaches so he could have you to himself.”

Hannah shuddered. “I try to forget about that man.” She turned to Alice. “You aren’t the only one to have tragedy and evil men in your past. Mr. Lockhart was the one responsible for killing our father. He caused this family a great deal of harm.”

“That’s terrible,” Alice said. “I hate to hear that anyone else should have to endure the things I’ve gone through.” The look on her face betrayed her fears.

Hannah reached out and touched the younger woman’s shoulder. “You are among friends here, and those people can’t hurt you anymore. We’ll see to that.”

Alice looked into Hannah’s eyes, and Marty could see that she very much wanted to believe those words. “I feel as if I’m on the run and always will be.”

Hannah hugged her close and then stepped back. “You can let that thought go. You are home now. At least for as long as you want to call it home.”

Home
. Marty looked around her. There wasn’t an inch of this place that she didn’t know like the back of her hand.
She’d had a wonderful childhood on this ranch. Oh, it hadn’t been without its problems and lean years, but they’d had one another, and that had made it all bearable.

Can I
learn to be happy here? Can I call this home
and know in my heart the kind of contentment that
should come from such a place?

She thought of the ranch she’d shared with Thomas. She’d loved her little house. Maybe it would be wise to talk to Will about taking the ranch back. He’d bought it from her—well, he’d agreed to. The paper work hadn’t been finalized, though he had sent her a down payment on the purchase. Perhaps she could work something out with him. She knew that Jake would find the spread she and Thomas had worked ideal—just as Thomas had.

“I don’t think you’ve heard a word we said.”

Marty looked up to find Hannah and Alice watching her. “I’m sorry. I was off in my own thoughts.”

Hannah smiled. “I’m sure it’s a challenge to be back and take it all in at once. Jake seems like a very good man. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him. I was just telling Alice that although you have your own place, I selfishly would like you to stick around for a while.”

Marty was surprised by this turn of events. “Stay here? With you and Will?”

“Yes. What’s so strange about that?”

“Nothing, Hannah. I suppose I hadn’t really thought about it.”

“You should. It’s been over a year since anyone lived at your place. It’s gonna need some attention before anyone lives there again.”

Alice gave her a knowing look. “Maybe it would be a good idea, considering.”

Marty realized what Alice was getting at. She supposed she should come clean and admit her condition to Hannah. After all, her sister had borne three children and had also acted as midwife for a great many women.

“Considering what?” Hannah asked. She looked from Alice to Marty. “What should be considered?”

“I’m going to have a baby,” Marty replied, watching for her sister’s reaction.

Hannah’s face lit up and her smile stretched from ear to ear. She rushed to take hold of Marty and all but gave a yell of approval. “That’s wonderful news! When?”

“Shh,” Marty said with her finger to her lips. “Jake doesn’t know yet.”

“What? But why not?”

Marty shrugged. “I haven’t had a chance to tell him. I was too tired last night. Right after supper I fell asleep. I don’t even remember getting into bed. I think I fell asleep in the wing-backed chair by our fireplace. Jake must have carried me to bed. When I finally woke up this morning, he was already gone.”

“Well, you need to tell him right away. A fella needs to hear that kind of news.”

“But . . . well . . .” Marty heaved a sigh. “I’m afraid to get his hopes up.”

“Why?” Hannah looked at her oddly.

Marty bit her lip and turned away. “It’s hard to get excited when . . . well . . . I could lose the baby. I did before.”

Hannah forced Marty to face her. “You never told me.”

“I know.” Marty shook her head. “I thought it better if you just figured I couldn’t get pregnant. Thomas and I were so saddened by the losses.”

“More than one?”

Marty nodded. “I don’t want Jake to have to go through that. That’s one of the biggest reasons I didn’t want to come back to Texas.”

“I don’t understand,” Hannah said. “Why would that be a problem?”

“Dr. Sutton told me that miscarriage is common here because we’re closer to the equator.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “That old man needs to retire. I was just talking with Carissa about this. It’s nonsense. There’s no such thing as a gravity pull that causes miscarriage. That’s old superstition and nonsense. Women miscarry in the North as well as the South. Some babies just don’t get to be born. It’s sad but true. We have no way of knowin’ why. But I can tell you this, Marty, it has nothin’ to do with Texas.”

“How can you be so sure?” Marty wanted to believe her sister. She knew the doctor in Denver had told her much the same thing, but it seemed that men of science often told people whatever was the most popular theory of the day. “How can you know that I won’t lose this baby, too?”

“I can’t know that, Marty. But I do know that only God can create or take a life and that we have to trust Him. It’s hard, to be sure, but you won’t benefit yourself or the child by worrying and fretting.”

“I want to believe that.”

Hannah smiled. “Then do. This is a time of joy. You need to let Jake know as soon as possible. I won’t stand for you keeping it from him any longer. By the way, when should we expect this little one?”

Marty put her hand to her stomach. “August. Or maybe July. I’m really not sure.”

Hannah nodded. “Good summer months for birthing. And I’ll help you through it all. Alice and I will help you make
baby clothes, and we’ll fix up a nursery, and you can just stay here with us. I don’t want you to overdo it.”

Hannah directed them to start back toward the house. “Now, I want to know everything about your miscarriages. How far along were you? What were you doing when the pain started?”

Marty couldn’t get a word in edgewise as they went back into the kitchen. Alice threw Marty a smile but said nothing. There was simply no chance of it with Hannah’s animated chatter.

Later that day, Jake invited Marty to go riding with him. She asked Hannah if she thought it would be all right, given her condition, and her sister assured her that many women rode well into their pregnancy.

Marty changed into a split skirt for the occasion and made her way to where Jake already had the horses saddled and ready. She’d grown up riding astride, as many women in Texas did, and was pleased to see that Jake hadn’t prepared the feminine sidesaddle.

He helped her into the stirrup and up atop the gentle brown mare before heading over to his own mount.

“I bought this chestnut gelding in Lufkin after getting my first pay. The Vandermarks had some friends who made me a good deal, otherwise I’d still be afoot.” He climbed atop the tall horse and smiled. “His name is Bobbin. Not sure why, but the woman who had him told me he knows his name, and she begged me not to even think of changin’ it.”

Marty couldn’t help but smile. “Bobbin isn’t such a bad name.”

They moved the horses down the lane and headed out toward Marty’s ranch. She had been the one to suggest the destination, and Jake seemed pleased with the idea. She didn’t
know if anyone had bothered to show him the spread or not, but she wanted to talk to him about the baby and about her fears before any more time could slip away.

The ranch house was nearly five miles away, but the day was beautiful, with blue skies that didn’t even hint at rain. They talked about the work Jake had been doing, and Marty could hear in his voice a kind of joy she’d never known him to have when they were in Denver.

“So I suppose you don’t want to ever consider banking again?”

“Banking?” he asked, looking over from his mount. “Seriously?”

“Sure. Texas has banks, too.” She tucked an errant strand of hair back under her hat. “And things won’t be bad forever.”

“My heart isn’t in banking, Marty. I thought you’d understand that by now.”

She did understand it, but that didn’t mean she didn’t hope to change his mind. “You know, the older you get, the harder ranch work is going to be. I look at Will and he’s aged a lot just in the last year.” Marty didn’t bother to add that her brother-in-law only looked better for it.

“I’m trying to keep my focus on what God wants for me,” Jake told her. “I feel His presence in my ranch work. That never happened with banking.”

“Well, one can hardly argue with the presence of God,” Marty muttered.

“Look, I know you worry about my safety, but I’ve been careful. I never was one for takin’ undue risks, anyway,” he said with a grin. “That’s for your brother. Given the stories your sister and Will told about him, I’m surprised he lived to be grown.”

Marty laughed at this. “Andy was always daring. He said
taking risks made him feel alive. He never wanted to be one to die with his boots off.”

“And you can laugh about that in a brother but not in a husband?” he asked good-naturedly. “Honestly, Marty, you gotta let me be a man. One day, who knows, we might have sons, and you’ll have to let them be men, too.”

Marty swallowed hard. They had just reached the ranch, and he’d given her the perfect opportunity to tell Jake the truth about the baby.

“Hmm, would you mind helping me down?” Marty asked. “I’d like to walk the rest of the way.”

Jake quickly complied and all but lifted Marty off the horse. He let her slowly sink to the ground and gave her a quick peck on the nose. “You are a beauty, Mrs. Wythe.” He went to tie the horses off in a grassy patch and then returned to Marty and offered her his arm. “I do need to confess, I came out here with your brother-in-law.”

“I thought Will might have brought you here.” She took hold of his arm and began to walk. “He is usually a very thorough man. However, I’d like to return to something you said earlier.”

“What’s that?” He looked at her with one brow raised.

“You said that I have to let you be a man, and that I would have to let our sons be men.”

“Well, you sure don’t wanna turn boys into sissies. I wouldn’t stand for that. It seems to me that there are already a lot of sissified men—”

“Jake, I’m gonna have a baby,” she interrupted.

He immediately shut up and turned to face her. His expression changed almost immediately from shock to sheer joy. He gave a yell loud enough to be heard in Dallas and lifted Marty in his arms.

“Why didn’t you say so sooner! Wahoooo! This is the best news ever!” He whirled around with Marty in his arms then set her back on the ground. “When?”

“August. Or maybe as early as July. I can’t be sure.”

“But that’s only about five or six more months. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I only found out for sure after you’d gone. Then there were other things . . . fears that kept me from saying anything—especially in a letter.”

He looked at her oddly. “What kinds of things?”

“I couldn’t help remembering the times Thomas and I thought we were going to have a little one. I miscarried and lost those babies. I feared the same might come true this time around. Of course, I also thought a lot of it had to do with living in Texas. The doctor here told me that there were a lot more miscarriages due to the heavier gravity because we’re closer to the equator.”

“That sounds like hogwash,” Jake replied.

“That’s what my sister and the doctor in Denver said, too. But I couldn’t help worry, because the doctor here said otherwise.” She shook her head and raised her hands in surrender. “Call me silly or dim-witted. I’m still not sure what to believe, although this is the longest I’ve managed to carry a child.”

“Oh, darlin’, you aren’t silly or dim-witted. Stubborn, yes. Given to exaggeration? Hmm, on occasion.” He laughed. “You don’t need to be afraid that Texas is gonna cause you to lose the baby, Marty. Lots of women have babies in Texas.” He grinned and the delight was reflected in his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m a papa.”

“We still have six months to get through,” Marty declared.

Jake shook his head. “Nope, I’m already Papa to this little
one.” He put his hand to Marty’s waist. “I can hardly wait. Marty, you’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”

“But you’d be even happier if I said yes to moving back here to the ranch, wouldn’t you?”

He withdrew his touch. “Marty, I can’t lie and say that ranching isn’t what I wanna do. But, I will say this. If livin’ here where you made a home with your first husband makes you uncomfortable, we’ll live elsewhere.”