Chapter Six
Oklahoma Territory, Mid-February, 1883
Ayla sat mending a pair of pants for William. She needed to make a decision, she thought. She could just sell outright to Mr. Wheeler, go back East. He was a fair man, there should be plenty of money to get them all settled. She could try to teach, if nothing else. She was smart enough to pass a teacher’s exam, if they opted not to rejoin the circus. She was too old to be flying through the air anyway, and well out of practice now. There were younger, smaller, more flexible, prettier girls willing to do anything to be the star attraction.
Would Jasper be willing to leave? She wondered. Ayla suspected he would now. Weeks ago, he had returned from his trek to the Wheeler estate visibly upset, and went to bed. The young man had barely spoken since and he spent most of his free time in the stable, despite the frigid cold. Anger had surged through Ayla as she realized Madeleine Wheeler must have admitted to using Jasper.
Spoiled trollop, she thought, stabbing the fabric angrily. Typical of an heiress, to use people with no regard for their feelings. She must be lacking ‘appropriate’ suitors and be bored out of her mind in this tiny town. How else could she hurt someone like Jasper so callously?
Ayla knew Jasper was madly in love with the girl, and had fully expected him to ask Madeleine to marry him as soon as the ground thawed and they could be married. She had wondered if Mr. Wheeler would object to the pairing, he seemed to like Jasper well enough. Of course, she thought wryly, Mr. Wheeler also seemed like the sort who could separate personal and business feelings.
And then there was Bill Regan. Was it fair to keep his son from him? He hadn’t known William existed for the last ten years, but now that he knew…he would want to know him. Bill had made it very clear that he wanted to be in their lives. He was respecting her privacy right now, not haranguing her for an answer. This was a good thing, because she didn’t have one. She had told him to back off, and he was.
Too many decisions, she thought despairingly. What was best for her and her son? Stay, and get to know Regan again? Sell, and leave, and move far away where they couldn’t be found?
And then there was Jasper. He was a good boy; to have his heart broken this way did not endear Madeleine Wheeler to Ayla. Staying here would be extremely difficult for him, and he could easily leave on his own, once he was sure she’d be okay. Jasper wasn’t the sort to give his heart to just anyone, and there was a big world of adventure out there if he wanted it.
***
To break up the isolation and dreariness of winter, a dance had been arranged. Using the farmer’s almanac as a guide for weather, the event was planned for a clear, cold night.
Ayla and Jasper didn’t plan to attend. Neither was the social sort, and Ayla knew that Regan would be there, probably escorting his young cousin. Ayla didn’t want to confront the young woman and she was sure her temper would get the better of her.
Dan was finally deemed well enough to return to work and travel, to his relief. Brian had him on limited activity still, but the young Marshal was just happy to get back to work, and out of the house.
Brian was summoned to the jail one cold night, to treat some men that had busted each other up in a bar fight. He was stunned to follow Deputy Marshal Hardy back to the jail and find Bill Regan one of them. Dan stood over his uncle, furious at the older man.
“What happened?” Brian asked, as he started cleaning up Regan’s face. The groom was going to have a hell of a shiner come morning. It was already turning dark purple.
“I was just having a drink, minding my own,” Regan replied. “That jackass over there decided he wanted a fight, so I gave him one.”
“You done cheated me at cards last week!” the other man shouted from his cell. He held his bandanna to his face bur Brian could see there was a lot of blood loss, probably from a broken nose.
“Pinch your nose shut and tilt your head back,” Brian replied to him. “You keep losing blood, you’ll pass out.”
The man growled but did as he was told.
“Why were you drinking, Regan?” Dan asked sternly.
Regan just shook his head. “Not your concern, boy.”
Dan knelt in front of his uncle, his dark eyes steely. “Everyone knows you’re my uncle. If you want to drink yourself into oblivion, that’s your prerogative. But I won’t have you coming into town and making an ass out of yourself. You don’t drink regularly; I know that for a fact, so please, tell me what the hell got into you!”
Regan sighed and took the ice from his face that Hardy had brought from the ice house before he went for Brian.
“It’s Ayla,” he said.
The young man nodded. Brian had moved onto the other fellow, to tend the broken nose and give his friends some privacy.
“What about her?” Dan asked.
“She won’t talk to me,” Regan said sadly. “Jasper found out that I asked Madeleine to get some information. He won’t talk to her at all, and she’s crushed. Ayla is furious with me, for asking Matt to buy her land and give her some security. She wanted some space; I’m giving it to her.”
“Drinking’s not the way to solve your problems, Uncle Bill,” Dan said quietly. “I’ve spent plenty of time in saloons and it leads to nothing but trouble.”
Regan nodded.
“It sounds like the egos of those two have been bruised pretty badly. You tried to take control of Ayla’s life. Trust me, that’s not the route you have to take, I’ve learned that from dealing with Trixie.”
“So how do I fix it?” Regan asked.
“Apologize first,” Dan said. “Give her the time she needs.. Then ask her to forgive you, and explain that you were overwhelmed. Ask if you can to know the boy. The key word here, uncle, is ask. Ayla seems like a pretty hardheaded woman. Tread lightly.”
Regan nodded.
***
The four man band played furiously as the couples swirled around the dance floor to the lively tune. Dan, under Brian’s watchful eye, sat watching with a smile, as his betrothed danced with both of their brothers.
Jim had just escorted Trixie back to Dan’s side when Dan noticed his brother suddenly perked up.
“Thank you, Jim!” Trixie dropped into the seat next to Dan, face flushed from the exertion, and blue eyes merry.
Jim didn’t answer, and Dan glanced at Trixie with a knowing smile. They both stood to see who had Jim entranced.
She was definitely pretty, Dan thought. Fair skin, delicate looking, dark hair bound up demurely. Her dress was dark and plain, but she looked around curiously. She was accompanied by a girl almost as tall as her but younger, a strawberry blonde with inquisitive eyes. The sister, Dan thought.
Forgetting his manners to excuse himself, Jim found himself moving towards her. Trixie and Dan snickered.
“Miss Cornwall,” Jim smiled at her and bowed.
“Hello, Mr. Frayne,” Adelia Cornwall answered shyly.
“And how are you, Miss Clara?” he asked, his green eyes twinkling at the younger sister.
“Hoping this is as lively a party inside as out,” Clara replied saucily.
Jim laughed. “Well, I can introduce you to my brother, he’s the Federal Marshal for the territory, and he usually has some excitement pop up in his presence.”
“That would be lovely,” Adelia smiled up at him.
Jim offered her his arm and she took it, and he escorted them towards Trixie and Dan, Clara following behind.
Introductions were made and Trixie gave the girl a warm smile, but she couldn’t help feel a little pang in her heart. Jim used to look at her that way. But she had made her choice and didn’t regret it for a second. She wanted Jim to be happy too.
“Hey, Trix!” Bobby appeared. “Me and Terry and—hello,” Bobby’s blue eyes lit up when they landed on Clara.
“May I present Miss Adelia Cornwall, and her sister Clara. Ladies, this is Master Bobby Belden, Trixie’s brother,” Jim said quickly. “Miss Cornwall might be your new teacher soon.”
“Good. I’m tired of Ms. Pare,” Bobby grinned at them but addressed his question to Clara. “Wanna dance?”
Clara studied him for a brief moment. “Okay.”
Bobby grabbed her hand and pulled her into the crowd. Trixie just shook her head.
“I’ve never seen him act like that!”
“I guess he’s finally decided that girls are more interesting than frogs,” Dan chuckled.
***
Bobby Belden wasn’t the only one who noticed the pretty new girl. It didn’t take long for Terry and Larry Lynch, his best friends, to spot her. All of their friends had been noticing the opposite sex over the last six months, and suddenly finding them very interesting. Their classmates were eyeing Clara Cornwall as well.
As a result, Clara Cornwall never lacked for a dance partner or glass of punch through the night. Or a few dark looks from the others girls her age.
Dan’s foot tapped to the music as he held Trixie’s hand, watching the couples swirl by, including their parents and friends.
“I promise I’ll be dancing by our wedding,” he smiled at her.
Trixie laughed. “I’m sure you will. Brian said a few more weeks and you can return to full duty.”
She waved her sister-in-law over. Lillian joined them shyly, looking around timidly.
“Lillian, I don’t think you’ve my betrothed, Dan Mangan,” Trixie introduced them.
Dan rose to take her hand, smiling at her. He recognized the signs of a woman who had been abused, and was trying to move forward with her life. He had watched her dancing with Brian earlier. While he didn’t pry into his friend’s marriage, he could sense the distance they were keep each other at, and the smoldering heat between them was hard not to notice.
Brian might have married her to save her from a life of Hell, but eventually it would become something more, Dan was positive. It was in the way they looked at each other, the way they moved around each other. Brian’s eyes constantly followed her, but Dan knew it was to give them both peace of mind. She was never far from him, if she was, she was with one of his family. The girl was still terrified, and Dan wondered how much of the threat was local.
*
Hallie Belden had shown up with Ben Riker, dressed like a rich whore. Even Dan had raised an eyebrow at the scandalous neckline of her dress. Despite the stunning purple velvet color of expensive lace and ribbons, she wasn’t admired. Women had dropped their eyes as she sailed past them, on the arm of Ben Riker. Men looked away, not wanting to be accused of indecent staring.
Dan had seen Peter’s face tighten at the sight of his niece. Her audacity knew no bounds. He also knew Ben had been buying up land around the town. Ben wasn’t a fool. Dan suspected he was planning to rent out the empty buildings at exorbitant prices to bleed the town dry. Ben didn’t meant the money but Dan wouldn’t out anything past the snake.
Hallie ignored her family, giving them one cold glance when she first arrived. She had given Dan a look earlier and he stared right back at her, and shook his head slightly. It was a warning if she came towards him, she would be snubbed. Hallie stayed away.
Their appearance had shaken Lillian Belden, and she clung to Brian after that. At one point, Brian was approached to examine an overheated child, and he asked Dan if Lillian could sit with him. The trembling girl seemed relieved at that suggestion, and Dan kept her entertained while keeping one eye on Riker. Riker only glanced at the pretty girl twice. Dan made sure his badge was visible against his dark suit. He wondered if Riker was one of the ones Brian had rescued Lillian from.
Jim Frayne whirled Adelia around the room, making her laugh with stories of New York, and the antics of him and Dan as young boys. He loved the way her deep eyes lit up when she laughed, and her delicate features were so tempting to touch. It had been apparent the day they met by her threadbare clothes that they were miles apart in social standing but that sort of thing had never mattered to Jim, or his family.
For the first time since he had lost Trixie to Dan, Jim was beginning to feel alive again. He hadn’t been able to get Adelia out of his mind since they met two weeks before, and he had made sure to ask Peter to see if she’d be at the social. With some delicate questioning, Jim had fished for information until Peter laughed and clapped him on the shoulder and told him everything he knew about the new school mistress, which admittedly, wasn’t much.
So Jim was determined to find out more about her. He had noticed a couple of other young men eyeing her, and quietly recruited the Belden brothers to help him keep her away from them. It was a tactic that had served them well before. If Adelia noticed, she didn’t let on.
They talked about literature and the South. She was from Georgia and had to work against an accent. Sometimes it slipped through and he found it charming.
At one point, his father broke in for a dance, curious about the young woman who had his son so intrigued. Win was delighted to find a well spoken, educated young woman who had her feet firmly on the ground. He knew her background from Peter, but there was no sense of self-pity or whining. She was determined to take care of her sister and provide the best life she could for her.
Peter Belden managed a stiff nod to Ben Riker. He had to be polite, as they were negotiating a deal for use of an empty store for a second schoolhouse. Ben’s smug, arrogant demeanor infuriated Peter, but Ben had the leverage at the moment. They had decided temporarily to hold the second class in a small store in town.
Spring was still weeks away, and unfortunately February and March could be the coldest months of the year. It would be May before the temperatures would warm enough to hold classes outside, and Peter hoped to have the new building up by then. They would break ground as soon as the snow melted.
Hallie stood near the punch, watching the room. She had expected her family to snub her, but she hadn’t expected it to actually hurt a little. She was sure her uncle had wired her father, but Harold had warned her that if she messed up out here too, he wouldn’t bail her out. It had been weeks since Ben sprung her from the convent, and there had been no word from her father.
That mealy mouthed little whore of Brian’s was here, she noted. Looking like a spring chicken in a fox’s den, she stayed close to Brian, or his father, or Dan Mangan. Now that was a loss, she thought. Dan would never leave Trixie. He could have been fun, she thought. Regan wasn’t here. Of course she knew Regan was Dan’s uncle. She would have liked to have had them both.
Jim Frayne was certainly occupied with a somewhat pretty girl in a threadbare dress. There was nothing special about the girl that Hallie could see, though she had thought the same of Trixie and Trixie had had both boys as suitors for a while. What was it about those plain, simple girls that kept drawing in the suitable men?
Madeleine Wheeler was absent tonight, which Hallie found odd. She had heard Madeleine was being courted by a former circus performer, but she didn’t see anyone that fit that description either. The thought of the heiress being courted by some lowly circus performer had made her laugh, and she had hoped to see what sort of man that was.
Hallie glanced up to see a man staring at her. She winked at him and angled herself so he had a better look at her cleavage. He looked away quickly and Hallie wanted to laugh.
She saw Diana Lynch walk up to the table and pour herself a glass of punch, never once even glancing towards Hallie.
“How have you been, Di?” Hallie asked casually. Diana had always been nice to her.
“They really must be better about removing the trash from here,” Diana replied, taking her cup and leaving.
Hallie clenched her jaw. Apparently they were all against her. That was all right. Once Ben implemented his plan, this town was going to implode and they would all suffer. And Hallie and Ben would have the last laugh.
*
Helen studied her daughter-in-law. Lillian had just started to relax when Ben Riker and Hallie Belden showed up. The girl had tensed and moved closer to Brian, who put one arm around her. Now she sat with Dan, laughing at whatever his story was. Trixie was dancing with Brian.
Helen still didn’t know what to do about her daughter-in-law. She had stiffly invited Brian and Lillian to dinner several times. Each time it had been strained. Lillian answered questions about her family but sometimes vaguely, and clearly she was intimidated by Helen. Helen had tried to make her feel comfortable but the girl obviously wasn’t. She spoke only when spoken to, and seemed to always be at Brian’s side.
She had also noticed her youngest son’s attentions to the new girl. Clara Cornwall seemed a bit overwhelmed by the attention she was receiving from Bobby and the Lynch twins. One thing was clear: the trio of young men were keeping their classmates at bay and away from the young lady! Helen suspected her youngest was also going to end up in a triangle, or quadrangle for the girl’s attention. Something about young Clara Cornwall made Helen think she’d have the boys eating out of her hand in no time. That was going to prove interesting, she thought.
 
*** Author’s Notes
- A huge thank you to Julie, my editor! As always, she did a marvelous job editing and named the story.
- Word Count, 3,111
| 
