Jim Frayne stood watching his brother sleep. The color had started to return to Dan's face the day before, and his breathing was deeper and steadier. Transporting him to the Frayne estate had been a slow ride, after he spent over a week at Doc Ferris', recuperating.
In his sleep, his twenty-year-old brother looked much younger, the constant suspicion and the look of alert observation erased from his features.
Stepping out of the room, he hesitated when Dan spoke.
"I'm not asleep, so come in and quite gawking."
Jim grinned. His ornery brother was definitely on the road to recovery.
"Just came to see how the patient is," his said mildly, sitting in the chair next to his brother's bed.
"Between you, Mother, Mrs. Belden, Trixie, Madeleine and Diana, I’ve taken to playing possum as soon as I hear footsteps, so that I can get some sleep," Dan opened his dark eyes to study his fair skinned, redheaded brother.
"They're just worried, Danny."
"I’m stitched up. I'm betrothed. I'm healing. The fussing is annoying," Dan growled, wincing inwardly as he made the second statement. He didn't want to rub his betrothal in Jim's face.
Jim just smiled. "Admit it, you love having that many women fussing over you. You always did. You just smile at Mother and she's acting like you're five again."
Dan chuckled, wincing as the action pulled in his chest. "Okay, so it's nice having food brought to me in bed."
"Uh huh," Jim smiled. "And pretty women fussing over you?"
"And pretty women fussing over me," Dan admitted with a smile.
"Glad to see you're on the upswing."
"I'll be glad when I can get up and move about on my own and get back to work," he sighed. "You know I hate doing nothing."
"That's why I brought you some more books," Jim said cheerfully.
"I'd rather chop a pile of wood than read any more," Dan groaned. "I'm slowly reading through the entirety of Uncle James’ library!"
Grinning, Jim leaned forward. "Well, if you want some fun news, how about this? I think Uncle James has himself a lady friend."
"What?" Dan asked. "Who? How? When did this happen?"
"Apparently he was eyeing Mrs. Vanderpoel at the last social and asked her to dance. The other night he hitched up the buggy and went off without a word, but Father noticed he had combed his hair, and was humming. He smelled distinctly of her windmill cookies when he returned."
"Uncle James was humming?"
"And he was all dressed up. Apparently he's been quite chatty with her in church lately."
"Hasn't she been a widow for a long time?"
"Ten years or so, according to Trix. Apparently she was being courted by Mr. Lytell—the cranky old man who runs the General store, you know— but it ended rather abruptly last summer. Trix said she thought it was because he courted her for several years but never offered marriage. She got tired of waiting on him."
"And you think Uncle James is courting her now?" Dan asked, bewildered.
"Father seemed to think so. Of course when he questioned Uncle James, Uncle James just started waving his cane around and shouting about how it was his house and he'd do whatever he damn well pleased," Jim laughed.
Dan had to grin. Their cantankerous great uncle was often griping about the noise of the house since the younger Frayne generations had arrived, but they knew he was secretly pleased to have his family around.
“I guess even the old folks need company,” he tried not to chuckle, which would hurt.
"I think Mother was preparing for your lunch by the way," Jim said. "She was fixing a big tray a few minutes ago."
"Admittedly, I've eaten better the last few days than normal," Dan grinned.
Jim smiled. "Danny, that's something I think Mother and Father are going to talk you about."
Dan frowned. "I'm a grown man Jimbo, I think chastising me for my eating habits is a bit excessive."
Jim shook his head. "No, I think they want to talk to you about where you and Trixie are going to live after you're married. She can't exactly bunk with you behind the jail."
Dan nodded slowly. "I guess we’ll be getting that cottage on the lake. I haven’t had a chance to look at it."
“I saw the plans, it’ll be really nice.” Jim tried to ignore the pang in his heart.
"Good," Dan chuckled, "because uh, I haven't thought much past the wedding."
Jim had to chuckle, despite the aching pain in his heart. Trixie had chosen Dan, and he accepted that, but damn, it still hurt. He wondered if it ever wouldn’t.
"Leave that stuff to the womenfolk is my advice," Jim chuckled.
Dan nodded. "Good idea."
“How’s Regan?” Jim asked.
Dan half smiled. “Almost as bad as the women for checking on me. But he tells me bits about Mam, what he can remember. Doesn’t seem to like to talk about the circus life though.”
“He must have seen some interesting things,” Jim commented.
Dan nodded. “I think there was a girl, because sometimes he looked like he’s sad when he's lost in thought. But I’m not going to pry, especially with Julianna having just left. He’s crushed.”
Jim shook his head in disgust. “Hallie’s a real piece of work. I thought Trix was overreacting to her in the beginning but now…I think she’s right.”
Dan agreed. “I’ve seen her around town, hanging with Riker. He’s bad news. I don’t want him near any of the Beldens.”
There was a knock on the door and Katje Frayne appeared with a tray of food.
"I thought you boys would be hungry. Jimmy, there's plenty for you too." Her blue eyes twinkled at her older son.
"Thank you Mother," Jim rose and took the tray and Dan carefully began the tiring process of sitting up slightly for more support.
Jim arranged the pillows behind his brother to prop him up so he could eat, before helping him ease up slowly. Through Dan's nightshirt he could see the heavy bandaging where the bullet meant for Jim had ripped into Dan's shoulder, narrowly missing his heart and almost killing the young man. No, he couldn’t begrudge his brother Trixie’s heart.
***
Regan relaxed his hold on Deltan's reins, allowing the big gelding to wander. A large and white animal of pure muscle, Regan was in the final stages of breaking the horse. Deltan was from a solid line of champions, strong and muscular, not unlike Jim Frayne’s horse, Jupiter. Regan hoped at some point to have Deltan docile enough to race Jupiter across the prairie. Right now, he still didn’t like responding to the bit and was still struggling with Regan as to who was in charge.
At the moment, Deltan was cantering through the preserve, and Regan stopped him periodically to mark his path. He hadn't had time to find all of the trails through here, but he knew he’d be coming to the edge of the prairie soon enough. He’d been spending a fair amount of time out here, riding and scoping the land.
Realizing the trees were thinning out, he stayed on the path and then they were at the open prairie. Studying the land before him, he figured he was still on Wheeler property, and should be seeing the markers for the Frayne cattle land anytime.
Dan of course, knew this land, from when he had been pretending to be a cowhand, but Regan hadn't ventured out this way much.
He had needed a break though. With Julianna gone, it was too quiet. She had left to go back east two weeks ago, and Regan missed her terribly. Hallie still came around periodically, batting her eyes but Regan kept his distance. She had cost him enough, and he had seen her flirting with Ben Riker more than once in town. Riker was bad news, and Regan wasn’t about to get mixed up in it.
And then there was her, from the past, creeping into his thoughts more and more. It was harder to not think of her, especially with Julianna gone. There had been some similarities between the two, and the void he felt wasn’t unfamiliar.
With Dan in recovery, Regan had been paying his nephew visits almost daily, where they would just talk. Sometimes Regan told him about Dan’s mother, sometimes Dan told Regan about his childhood, what he could remember. It had been awkward at first, but they were slowly getting used to each other. Dan was tired easily, so Regan found himself doing most of the talking, which was a new experience for the shy, lonesome groom.
But it brought up memories, good and bad. Memories that he had worked hard at forgetting, blocking them out. His memories of his sister were a bit fuzzy, but he tried to remember everything he could, for Dan. He tried not to think too much about afterwards, after he ran from the orphanage, before he located Matthew Wheeler. Because those thoughts led to her. And, he’d never completely be able to forget her, so tall for a woman, her long golden hair and big blue eyes that made him think of the ocean that he saw once. The musical laughter and sharp wit, watching her fly gracefully through the air in her acrobatic routine. Unusually well read for a woman, she loved to quote Shakespeare to tease and confuse him.
And the stolen moments in the tents, fast kisses and clumsy groping.
Regan pushed the thoughts away when he felt Deltan picked up his pace. He slowed the horse down. He knew he needed to focus on the animal, not the past.
There were things he’d never be able to tell Dan about circus life, and she was one of them. Dan would want to try and find her. It had been ten years. Ten long years since he had seen her last, since that fateful night when her father, the ringmaster, caught them together. Ten years since Regan had fled in the middle of the night to save his life, forced to leave her behind.
No, some things were better left unspoken.
***
"Have you thought about when yet?" Di demanded eagerly. Trixie shook her head. The girls were in Madeleine’s parlour, nibbling on delicate finger cakes and sipping tea.
"No. It all happened so fast."
"It's not too cold yet," Madeleine said dreamily. "You could have a lovely late fall wedding."
Diana beamed. "But the snow would be so romantic, and you could wear a white coat, and muff—"
"Stop, stop," Trixie laughed. "Firstly, I don't have a white coat. Secondly, no one is going to tramp their way through the snow and ice for a wedding. Thirdly, Dan isn't even allowed out of bed for at least a few more weeks, probably more."
"That means he probably isn't allowed to do anything in it either," Di said casually, plucking another small cake from the tray.
Madeleine gasped and covered her giggle as Trixie just stared at her friend.
"Lands, Diana Lynch! When did you get such a bold tongue!" she laughed. "More books?"
Di nodded with a smile. "Mart and I wanted to get married right away but Mama begged us to wait until she could order me a proper dress and for the new house to be finished."
"Where will you two live?" Madeleine asked Trixie.
Trixie bit her lip. "I don't know. We haven't discussed all of this. I mean, Dan hasn’t even asked me properly."
Madeleine raised her eyebrow at her friends tone. "Trixie, you do want to marry Dan don't you?"
"Of course," Trixie said irritably. "It's just a lot of... stuff to think about. It’s only been a week or so."
"And Jim?" Di asked. Trixie sighed as she stared into her cup of tea.
"Part of me loves him too. And they both know it. But Dan...when Dan was laying there dying, all I could think about was if he died I'd never see him again, and I couldn't bear it. And I realized how much I loved him. It's not fair to string them both along," she said quietly. "And I've made my decision. Jim is the most wonderful man I know...except for Dan."
"Well, they are brothers," Di smiled. "How is Jim taking this?"
"Surprisingly well," Trixie answered, but Madeleine remained silent. "I know he's hurting, but he loves Dan. They're brothers, regardless of whether or not I marry either of them."
"Can Dan really make you happy?" Madeline asked.
Trixie nodded.
"I think so. He loves a good adventure as much as I do."
"He travels a lot," Madeleine pointed out. "What happens when you have babies?"
Trixie looked startled and nearly spilled her tea on herself. "Babies?"
Diana and Madeleine laughed.
"Well, of course, babies," Madeleine smiled. "Lucky for you Dan has family money. You might need to hire someone to help you if Dan is out of town."
Trixie swallowed. "Well, Mrs. Frayne is here, as is my mother—"
"Have the Fraynes decided to stay then?" Di asked, interested.
Trixie nodded. "Yes. In fact, that’s why Mr. Frayne is buying all that land up, the old land that runs behind their property and yours, Madeleine. His goal is to secure ten full acres. He thinks the land can be turned and used for more crops. He brought some fancy man from New York out here to look at the ground. It would mean work for a lot of local men, too. It would be a huge undertaking, but he wants to expand from just cattle ranching into full fledged farming.”
"When is he going to buy it?" Di asked.
"He's working on it now, actually," Trixie said. "Except Mr. Maypenny's land is right in the middle of it."
"Who's Mr. Maypenny?" Madeleine asked, curious.
"This eccentric old man. He's lived there for ages, and hardly ever comes to town. He doesn’t like people and lives off the land almost entirely. Apparently Madeleine, your father tried to buy that same piece of land and Mr. Maypenny refused. I expect he'll refuse Mr. Frayne as well." Diana told her.
"That must be the day Father was ranting around the house about crazy old men and sentiment," Madeline mused.
"Mr. Maypenny's land is kind of pie shaped," Di told her, "the tip of which backs up against our property. The bigger end must be up against the Frayne and Wheeler estates. Doesn't the Frayne estate kind of wrap around the Wheeler's?"
"Without looking at a map, I'm not sure," Trixie said. "It's kind of confusing to me, but I know all the properties run up against each other at various points. Nothing out here is cut and dried, I don’t really think."
Trixie nodded. "I know Mart was thinking of purchasing some of the land on the other side of the road, with that money he got from your father, Di."
"He's been talking about it. He doesn't want to live with either of our families, he wants his own land."
"Most of the soil is pretty good from what I understand," Trixie answered. "I know a family named Malley purchased some of it already, the old Hart land, I think."
"What about your trousseau?" Di asked.
Trixie swallowed. "Well, um, you know..."
The girls burst into laughter.
"Are you telling me you don't have one?" Madeleine asked.
"You know I hate to sew, Di! Besides, I honestly never thought I’d have a suitor, let alone a husband so I haven’t exactly been keeping up with it. My quilts and sheets are done, they've been ready for a while, despite Mart’s insistence I'll be a spinster. Ma is working on a new dress for me, and I expect she's going to want to make me something to wear for the wedding."
"You know, in New York, the latest fashion is white gowns. They're quite lovely," Madeleine offered.
Di giggled. "Mother sent off for some fancy white material for my dress."
"I said I'd just wear my Sunday best but Ma said absolutely not," Trixie sighed. “She insists I need something newer and more stylish.”
Di and Madeleine exchanged a glance and knowing smile.
"She has a point Trixie. You're marrying a Frayne heir, you do realize," Madeleine pointed out. “Even if his last name is Mangan.”
Trixie froze. "Wait a minute—does that mean I have to attend social parties and the like?"
"If you were marrying Jim, I wouldn't hesitate to say yes," Madeleine said. "But I think Dan escapes most of that aspect of the life. His work, for one, keeps him much too busy, I'm sure."
Trixie nodded. "Can you imagine me at one of those fancy shindigs?" Trixie asked with a giggle. "They'd escort us out! I just know I’d do something stupid and make everyone laugh at us."
Di laughed as Madeleine shook her head with a smile.
"You're underestimating yourself," she chided.
Trixie felt the heat on her face.
"How's Hallie?" Di asked, changing the subject.
Trixie made a face.
"Her usual pleasant self. I expect her to start trailing after Jim, now that he's free and she’s destroyed Regan’s relationship. The nerve of that girl! "
Madeleine raised one eyebrow. "Do you think she will pursue Jim?"
"It'd be more like her to go after Dan, truthfully," Trixie answered. "Pa finally told her to quit her whining and do her chores. She moans and groans about everything. He was furious over the Regan situation. I think he still is, he’s barely spoken to her. But,” she leaned forward, blue eyes sparkling, “I did find out that this isn’t the first time she’s pulled something like this. From what I overheard, she’s been in trouble with men before.”
Her friends gasped.
“Trouble, as in, ‘in the family way’ trouble?” Di demanded.
Trixie shrugged. “I don’t know. But Pa alluded to her past behavior in a similar situation and apparently, Uncle Harold told him to ship her off to the convent in Texas if she doesn’t behave.”
Madeleine covered her mouth with one hand. “How awful! I suppose I shouldn’t dislike her so much but Regan has been absolutely devastated since Julianna left, and that makes it a little harder for me to be sympathetic.”
Di nodded. “Any chance she’ll leave before winter sets in?”
“No,” Trixie said moodily. “The snow will start soon, and I’m pretty sure Father won’t send her off unless she really does something bad.”
“Well, at the rate she’s going, I doubt it will take long,” Di said.
“It can’t come fast enough for me,” Trixie sighed. "I caught her looking in my glass box the other day!"
"The one Dan gave you?" Di asked. Trixie nodded.
"I keep Jim's brooch in it. I kind of yelled at her for it, but I couldn't help it."
"What are you going to do with that brooch?" Madeleine asked.
"I asked Dan if it would bother him for me to wear it, and he said no, that it suited me, and his brother has good taste in jewelry and women," Trixie rolled her eyes but her pleased smile belied the action.
"Pretty understanding," Di mused.
***
Madeleine set her embroidery down in her lap and sighed. Brian Belden had been back for several weeks but she hadn’t seen much of him. He was taking over for Doc Ferris who wanted to retire, and other than an enthusiastic and improper hug when he first saw her upon returning, she had only seen him once. And he had declined invitations for both tea and supper, due to working.
Harvest was over but she wondered if she’d see Nick again anytime soon. She wanted to ride out to his farm to inquire if they’d be at the social this weekend, but knew it wasn’t proper. He hadn’t sent word to her recently, either.
Setting her embroidery aside, she wandered over to the window.
“You look restless,” Regan said as he came in.
Madeleine turned and smiled at him.
“I am,” she sighed.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Madeleine knew her cousin wasn’t a talker, but he was good at listening. And he too, was suffering from an affair of the heart. Julianna Maasden, Jim’s cousin and the young lady Regan had been courting, had returned to New York recently. Having witnessed a compromising moment with Regan and Hallie Belden, the incensed and hurt young woman ended their courtship immediately.
Madeleine fingered the soft red velvet drapes. “I should consider myself lucky, yes?”
Regan nodded slowly. “I would. You’ve had a good life. Never had to worry about food, or where you’d sleep. ”
“Most women my age and social station are married at seventeen, Regan. I’m going to be nineteen in the summer.”
“You’ve had offers though.”
She snorted, a very unladylike gesture she had picked up from her friend Trixie. “From pompous, despicable pigs that would likely use me for babies and wealth and keep their mistresses on the side. Remember my coming out party in New York? All those awful boys just panting and their eyes full of dollar signs at the thought of my dowry!”
Regan raised one eyebrow. It was rare to see her in such a negative mood.
“What’s this about, Madeleine?” he asked.
Madeleine turned to him. “Father’s indulged me enough to let me make my own choice. But I don’t know that it is much of a choice, and I don’t know that I want to make it!”
Regan poured himself a glass of lemonade and sat down. “Roberts and Belden?”
Madeleine uncharacteristically slumped on the settee. “Neither seems to be interested in genuinely pursuing me,” she said softly.
Regan drank his lemonade thoughtfully. “Well, remember one is a rather poor farmer, the other a young doctor with ambition. Sleepyside ain’t known for having New York heiresses hanging about. Maybe they think regular courting rules don’t apply and they don’t know what does.”
“I’m a normal young lady,” she sighed. “Aren’t I? Am I that different from Trixie or Di?”
Regan chuckled. “Quite a bit. Diana has money, but it’s new. They both grew up out here. So did Roberts. I’ve seen his face when he’s here. He definitely doesn’t know how to react. I think he’s just intimidated.”
“And Brian?” she asked sadly.
“Fresh out of medical school, ready to be a great doctor? That’s a lot of pressure. The thought of courting a young lady on top of it? I’m not surprised he’s backed away. But it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you, Madeleine, nothing. Maybe it just means they’re not for you.”
Her big hazel eyes filled with tears. “So who is? What if no one is and I end up a lonely old spinster? Twenty isn’t far off!”
Regan put one arm around his young cousin. “Then I’ll still tend the stables for you. I ain’t exactly lucky in the love department.”
Madeleine wiped her tears with a chuckle. “I thought it would be better out here.”
“I think it will,” he answered. “We’ve only been here a few months. Trixie got lucky with Dan and Jim. And Diana and Mart have apparently had a lifelong thing going. It’ll be your turn soon enough.”
***
Bobby chatted on at supper about school. Now that the harvest was in, the bigger boys were returning to school as the first frost had appeared.
“There’s a new boy, William Malley, he’s got bright red hair like Jim,” Bobby commented. “He’s kind of grumpy. He doesn’t say much, just sits there and watches. I think he’s smarter than he lets on though, and he was drawing horse pictures on his slate.”
“I hope you tried to make friends with him, Bobby. It difficult being new, and seeing how everyone already knows each other,” Helen said gently.
Bobby nodded, his blond curls bouncing. “Me, and Terry and Larry tried to say hi but he just kind of grunted. He’s a couple years younger than us I think, but most of his class is girls.”
Trixie chuckled to herself when she heard the envious tone in Bobby’s voice. Bobby was just beginning to decide that girls weren’t quite as disgusting as he had always thought.
“I don’t think he’s rich but he don’t wear homespun,” Bobby continued on. “I think his father is the grave man.”
Trixie choked on her water.
“Undertaker, Bobby,” Peter corrected him. “Grave man is a bit rude. And no, Mr. Malley is not the undertaker, he’s a farmer. He bought the old Hart place.”
“Yes, sir,” Bobby was unfazed. “Anyways, we asked him to eat lunch with us but he didn’t. So we’ll try again tomorrow.”
Helen nodded approvingly.
“The Malley’s bought the old Hart land,” Peter said absently. “I met them the other day. Pretty young wife, much older man. Didn’t see the boy though.”
“The Hart land isn’t far at all,” Helen said. “I’ll go by tomorrow with a welcome basket.”
Trixie, lost in though about Dan and their future, gave their new neighbors only a brief thought.
Author Notes
- a huge yee-haa! to Julie (Macjest), my ever patient and helpful editor for this universe! All mistakes are mine.
-Word count 4,209
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