Bushedwhacked Bride (22 page)
Chapter Nineteen
On Monday, Jessica started her period, and Ma helped her
see to her needs, giving her boiled rags to use. Although
Jessica felt relieved that her lapse with Cole hadn’t pro
duced a child, she was also surprised to find herself feel
ing melancholy. She missed Cole—his arms, his nearness.
Even the prospect of bearing his child filled her with long
ing. But she continued to feel that the price of giving her
self to him was too great.
On Tuesday, Cole took Jessica into town to see the
mayor. In the cluttered back office of the feed store Polk
owned, the mayor greeted the couple warmly, found them
chairs, then began digging in a cabinet for the materials
he’d promised Jessica.
“Ah, here we are—our town’s historical papers,” he de
clared. Carrying a small, crude wooden box, Polk strode
to Jessica’s side and handed her the box. “Actually, we
had a town historian, Mrs. Agnes Agee, but the poor soul
passed away last year. However, the materials she left should suffice for you to write up our history.”
“Indeed.” Jessica sifted through the contents of the
box, which included the town’s original charter, Agnes
Agee’s numerous notes on events over the years, and
even a faded daguerreotype photo of the mayor and Mer
chant Allgood at the ground-breaking ceremony for the
town five years ago.
She smiled at Polk. “These will be fine, and I’ll take
great care with them. What length do you have in mind?”
He waved a hand. “Oh, ten pages or so will do nicely.”
“And when is Founders’ Day?”
Polk took his seat. “The last Saturday in September. That will give you almost a month.”
“That sounds adequate.” If she was even here that
long!
“And would you be willing to read a summary at the
celebration?” Polk asked.
“Of course.”
The mayor leaned back in his chair. “The ladies of the church are already busy making up quilts, canned goods,
and other items to sell at the bazaar. All proceeds will
benefit the school fund.”
“I’d be delighted to help out with the bazaar, as well,” Jessica offered.
“You just write up the history. That will be ample con
tribution.” Polk flashed her an encouraging grin. “Now,
about the schoolteacher position . . . Are you interested?”
“I might be.”
“Splendid. Could you tell me a little more about your
background?”
Having expected this question, Jessica gave Polk a
vague account of having received her degree from a uni
versity in
New Mexico
, and having taught at the college
level in
Greeley
. Luckily, the mayor didn’t press her for details, instead listening with a broad smile.
Afterward, he stated, “Miss Garrett, I’m quite im
pressed, as well as deeply honored that you’re offering
your services to the children of our town. We haven’t had
a schoolteacher in these parts for several years.” He
paused, frowning. “But didn’t Mr. Allgood mention
you’re only here for a visit?”
Jessica glanced uneasily at Cole, but he only raised
an eyebrow as if to say,
This is your pickle, not mine.
She turned back to Polk. “Well, it could be an extended
visit. I’ll be happy to teach the children for as long as I
can. And besides, aren’t you expecting another
teacher?”
“Indeed, we were,” Polk replied, frowning. “My pro
fessor friend in
Denver
promised months ago that he
would dispatch us a suitable graduate—but so far no one
has come.”
“Then it’s possible I’ll be able to fill in until the other
teacher arrives.”
“We’ll hope so. Will you be available to teach every
day?”
Catching Cole’s dark look, Jessica hedged. “Well, I
thought perhaps two days a week to begin with.”
Polk sighed. “I suppose we must be grateful for what
ever we can get. By the way, are you aware that you may
have as many as two dozen students? Do you think you can handle that number?”
“Of course.”
“What did you have in mind for a salary?”
“Well, I hadn’t really thought.”
“The town can afford to be fairly generous. How does
twenty dollars a month sound?”
Jessica had to quash a smile. “Sounds fine to me.”
“Good.” Polk reached behind him, taking down a large
key from a peg on the wall. “I’ll show you folks the schoolhouse—such as it is.”
The three left the feed store and walked several blocks to the tiny schoolhouse, which stood with an abandoned
air, front porch sagging and shutters hanging askew.
Mayor Polk unlocked and pushed open the creaky door.
Jessica sneezed at the dust as the three entered a murky
expanse of rattletrap desks, scattered textbooks, cobwebs,
and bits of debris.
Opening a window, Polk dusted off his hands and
said, “The place needs a lot of work. The roof’s leak
ing, several of the desks are missing legs, not to men
tion the shattered windowpanes and sagging floor
boards. Some refurbishing must be done before students
can be received here—but I’m sure the town will pitch
in.”
Jessica addressed Cole. “Perhaps you and the boys can
help.”
Cole slanted her a skeptical look.
“We can raise the issue at prayer meeting tomorrow
night,” Polk suggested. “You folks will be attending,
won’t you? I’ll have Reverend Bliss ask for volunteers.”
Cole glanced with distaste at the decrepit structure. “I can hardly wait,” he muttered dryly.
***
Prayer meeting on Wednesday night proved a rousing
event, complete with gospel readings and inspiring
hymns. During the service, the four younger Reklaw boys
again made eyes at the Hicks and Holler daughters, who simpered back and waved.
Following the benediction, Reverend Bliss announced,
“Ladies and gentlemen, before we disperse, I’m pleased to inform you that Miss Jessica Garrett has graciously consented to teach the children of our town.”
Applause and cheers sounded out. Jessica blushed.
“Miss Garrett also needs some help fixing up the
schoolhouse.”
Billy popped up. “I’ll help.”
“Me, too,” declared Gabe.
Soon, a chorus of other men volunteered.
“Very good,” said Bliss. “All of you just show up at the
schoolhouse tomorrow morning, and bring what tools
and construction supplies you can spare. I’m sure you’ll
want to speak with Miss Garrett during the ice cream so
cial outside in the pavilion. The Women’s Society is treat
ing us tonight.” He paused, snapping his fingers. “But the Quilting Widows shall remain behind in the sanctuary, to
continue working on their offerings for Founders’ Day.”
As the group dispersed, Mrs. Allgood came up to greet
the Reklaws and Jessica. “Miss Garrett, we’re so glad you’ll be teaching our children.”
“Thank you,” Jessica replied. “It’s my pleasure.”
The old woman turned to Eula. “Mrs. Lively, would
you care to meet the Quilting Widows?”
“Meet ‘em?” Ma declared with a grin. “Why, I’m
ready to join ‘em. Got my best needles and some cloth swatches right here in my reticule.”
Jessica happily watched Ma and Mrs. Allgood walk off
to join the other widows. Glancing about, she noted the boys following the girls outside. Then she turned to see Cole staring at her with amusement.
He offered her his arm. “Ice cream, sugar?”
She smiled and took his arm. “Don’t mind if I do.”
Cole escorted her outside to the pavilion area, where several matrons were dipping ice cream from old-fash
ioned machines, serving church members who trooped
by. Off to one side, an old-timer played a poignant refrain
of “In the Sweet Bye and Bye” on his harmonica.
Cole fetched Jessica a bowl of peach ice cream, then
went off to chat with the men, leaving Jessica to converse
with Mrs. Hicks and Mrs. Holler.
“Miss Garrett, we’re so grateful you’re willing to teach our children,” remarked Wilma Hicks.
“It’s my pleasure.”
“Have you taught school before?” asked Millie Holler,
who was an older, slightly graying version of her three
brunette daughters.
“Indeed I have. Even at the university level.”
“Oh, how wonderful,” declared Wilma. “You know,
much as I love Mariposa, we’ve had to do without so much here. No school, no sheriff. I’ve tried to persuade
my cousin Jedediah to come out here and be our lawman.
I’m sure Mr. Polk would be happy to hire him. But I just
can’t budge my cousin.”
As Wilma spoke, a chill washed over Jessica. Could
“Jedediah” be the Jedediah she’d met on the stage
weeks ago?
“Urn—Mrs. Hicks, are you speaking of Jedediah Lummety?”
Wilma’s face lit up. “Why, yes. He’s sheriff of
Col
orado
City
. Do you know him?”
“I—uh—believe I may have heard someone else mention him.”
Wilma sighed. “The last time we saw Jed in
Colorado
City
, he promised he’d come out for a visit as soon as the
new stage line started up. I worry about him, since he’s a
widower with grown children that have moved away. But
so far Jed hasn’t come—and neither has the stage.”
A new shiver streaked down Jessica’s spine. “Er—
couldn’t your cousin ride out to see you?”
Wilma waved her off. “Jed can’t ride that far, not with
his lumbago. He’s somewhat older than I am, you see.
Thank heaven he has his deputies, or he could never hold
down his job in
Colorado
City
. That’s one rowdy town,
another reason we want him to move out here. I even
wrote him about it—but, of course, like a typical man, he
never answers my letters.”
Thank God,
Jessica thought to herself.
As the two women chatted about ordering some dress patterns, Jessica found her attention wandering. Wilma’s comment had really set her mind to churning. She didn’t know what anything meant—how she had managed to travel across time, and land in Buck Lynch’s stagecoach
with “Sheriff’ Lummety, or why he and the other men she’d ended up with had assumed she was the new
schoolteacher, on her way to Mariposa. There was some
thing spooky about the whole scenario. Would any other
schoolteacher be coming out from
Denver
? Somehow she doubted this. In a weird sense, it was almost as if
she had stepped into someone else’s life. It all defied
comprehension.
Worse yet, Jedediah Lummety, who had seen all five
outlaw brothers on the day she’d arrived here, was Wilma’s cousin and would presumably try to visit Mariposa again at
some point! What then? Would he recognize the “Lively”
brothers as the actual Reklaw Gang and haul them all off to
a certain hanging? Should she warn the brothers?
And risk losing all her dearly gained progress?
Hearing laughter, she turned to watch the boys “spark
ing” their women. Minerva and Luke were sharing ice
cream from the same bowl; Wes and Maybelle stood
close together listening to the harmonica music.
But otherwise, there seemed trouble in paradise.
Dumpling Hicks was trying to flirt with Billy, but he was
ignoring her and conversing with Mayor Polk. And
Peaches had been lured away from Gabe by her old
straw-haired boyfriend. Gabe stood in the shadows, glow
ering and watching the other two flirt.
Jessica went over to join him. “Something wrong?”
Gabe’s jaw tightened. “Looks like Miss Peaches favors
her old flame over me.”
“I’m sorry,” Jessica commiserated. She glanced around
the pavilion, her gaze settling on a lovely dark-haired
young woman in a burgundy-colored muslin dress. “But
you know, I think the prettiest girl here is Beatrice Holler,
and she’s sitting all alone. But she’d be thrilled if some
nice fella brought her some ice cream.”