Millie Marries a Marshal, Page 5

  Through her tears, Millie watched Adam sharply turn his head when Tate talked, but his eyes softened when seeing her tear-stained face. Maybe Adam had some compassion for her situation after all.

  Chapter 7

  “Sarah, those were both great pies.” Adam actually wiped his finger across the plate to get the very last bit of apple filling. He sucked it off his finger, and then wiped his mustache with his cloth napkin. “I don’t know which one was better, the apple or the rhubarb. I had to have a piece of both.”

  “I didn’t make them, Adam.”

  “Really? Well they sure weren’t Mrs. Clancy’s pies. I avoided them when I saw hers being unwrapped. I’ll eat them in their café, but I know there are bakers in this congregation who are better than her by far.”

  Adam looked across the picnic table, first at his sister and then Hilda as they giggled at his remark. “What?” Then he looked to Millie on the end of the table. She was blushing, but had a funny grin on her face.

  Oh no. Were these the pies I carried from my own kitchen?

  “You know,” Ethan put his elbows in the table and leaned forward to look at Millie, “we haven’t found a baker yet for the new restaurant we’ll have in the hotel. These were excellent pies and I’d like to taste some of your rolls and cakes next. I bet they would be wonderful too. Would you be interested in applying for the job, Millie?”

  “Oh, that’s a good idea, Ethan!” Sarah said beaming at Tate—instead of Ethan—while feeding another spoonful of apple filling into Tate’s upturned mouth. Sarah held Tate throughout the entire dinner, much to Ethan’s chagrin.

  “I’d love to…but what would I do with Tate?” Millie quickly asked as an afterthought.

  “True. He can’t come to work with you,” Ethan admitted, crossing his arms.

  “Why not?” Sarah challenged him.

  “A child in the kitchen would distract the workers, and he’d be in danger of hurting himself on the stove or utensils.”

  “It’s no different than a mother cooking at home,” Sarah shot back.

  Adam watched this volleying of words back and forth with interest. Sarah had never challenged Ethan before, but she did now while hugging Tate. Maybe thinking of children would make Sarah cancel her engagement to Ethan, which would please Adam—and the rest of his family.

  “The hotel’s opening is still a month away, so how about if first, Millie bakes items you and your parents had planned for the restaurant’s menu? She can make them at Adam’s and you can pay for them as the customer would in your restaurant. You can work out Tate’s care after you try her baked goods.” Cate hadn’t sat at their table during the picnic, but had heard the conversation and walked over to put in her suggestion.

  “Pies this good would pull customers away from Clancy’s, so I’m tempted to hire someone to take the kid off your hands.” Ethan winked at Millie, but it didn’t give her any thrill. She was worried enough that Tate would disappear from her watch as it was.

  “Don’t look, but we need to ‘rescue’ Dagmar from Miss Elison,” Hilda said in a low whisper. “Millie, you haven’t met my brother yet, so how about you join me in saving his neck?”

  “But I have Tate…”

  “Go on,” waved Sarah. “Ethan and I can watch him for you.” Adam tried hard to keep from smirking at Ethan’s shocked expression. He was proud of his sister finally finding her backbone. He’d love for Tate to pull one of his “almost two” tantrums to see how Ethan would react.

  Adam stood up, moving around the bench as he said, “I’ll escort you ladies over to their table. I didn’t get to visit with Miss Elison much last Friday evening, so this would be my chance now. And a chance for you two love birds to play ‘family’ with Tate.” Adam tried to be very sincere about his kind gesture, but Sarah gave him a devilish grin and a slight nod of thanks.

  Adam paused when he thought of the main reason he wanted to go along with the women. He didn’t want Dagmar to get too interested in Millie. Why am I feeling possessive of my housekeeper all of a sudden?

  ***

  Cora Elison was gracious and beautiful, Millie thought. Even though the petite, chestnut-haired woman wore expensive clothing, her manner was warm and friendly. Dagmar Hamner had yet to speak a word in the conversation, except to mutter a stuttering “hello” to Millie.

  With ease, Cora explained how her parents bought the Bar E Ranch in Kansas to move her two brothers, Lyle and Carl, out of Boston’s high roller society. They thought running a ranch would be a good experience for their sons—to give them a purpose in life.

  Cora went on to say that last month her father made a surprise visit to the ranch and found the place was being used as a race track and gambling den for his sons and their friends. Mr. Elison sent the sons home and hired Dagmar to manage the ranch. The tall Swedish brother of Rania and Hilda had worked in Texas and was capable of working the Bar E cattle ranch.

  The way the Wilerson family had talked, she expected Dagmar to be an easy-going, talkative man. But Millie guessed that Cora’s arrival had thrown him into a tailspin.

  “I was glad to see you in Clear Creek today, Cora. What do you think of the ranch and town?” Hilda asked.

  Cora smiled and sighed. “I must admit I grew up in Boston’s high society, but I love the open spaces of the Kansas prairie. I’d love to live here permanently.”

  Millie watched as Dagmar stiffened at hearing Cora’s news. Thinking Chicago and Boston would be similar as established cities, she had to ask, “Why, when Boston can offer you so much more than Clear Creek can?”

  For an instant Millie felt a ping of jealousy when Adam smiled at Cora. But it would make sense that Adam would be interested in Cora because she said she liked it here, when Millie had just said this morning she wasn’t comfortable with the open prairie.

  “You wouldn’t think looking at my refined, regal mother that she grew up in a trading post in the Wyoming Territory.” Cora smiled seeing the shocked faces of her audience. “Mother has always told me stories of her days out in the openness of the West. I’ve always longed to see the prairie for myself, and it became possible with the purchase of the Bar E.”

  “How in the world did your parents meet?” Millie asked.

  “My grandparents were in Boston, and decided they wanted an adventure, so they were some of the first who traveled west on the Oregon Trail. The trip wasn’t at all what my grandmother expected. She refused to go past Fort Laramie when she saw the mountain range in the distance. The trading post was their home until my grandmother died when my mother was eighteen. She and my grandfather traveled back to Boston, and my parents met and fell in love.”

  “But what would you do with your time living out on the range?” Millie was still stumped at the appeal of what lay beyond Clear Creek’s boundaries.

  Cora sighed while looking at the prairie that started just past the church built on the edge of town. “Ride, rope and enjoy the view.”

  “Cora, has Dagmar had you out riding the herd yet?”

  Millie turned to look at Hilda when she asked that. Wasn’t that the ranch hands’ job? thought Millie?

  “I’m afraid I haven’t ridden yet. I don’t have an English sidesaddle and will have to wait until the mercantile can order one.”

  Hilda stared at Cora in disbelief. “You’re out in the frontier now Cora, so you need to be riding astride on a western saddle. Just look in the tack room of your barn to find several. Dagmar can match up the right saddle to the horse you want to ride.”

  “But I don’t have the right clothing to ride astride.”

  Millie looked in envy at Cora’s attire. Her rich-looking, maroon dress had a fitted Basque bodice that ended in a crisp flare over her hips. Besides the frilly collar and lacy cuffs, the lower back of the skirt was trimmed with deep pleats and bows. The top of her skirt featured a high bustle which was the latest feature in women’s fashion.

  “Not a problem,” Hilda assured Cora. “You can wear one of Rania’s split
skirts since she won’t be wearing them, or riding—if Jacob has any say about it—for the next seven or so months.”

  “Why won’t Rania be riding?” Cora asked curiously.

  Hilda hesitated a moment and looked down at her hands in her lap. “Jacob and Rania are excited about her pregnancy now, but…she was attacked on the cattle trail up here by one of our cattle drivers. The man, Sid Narker, threatened harm to her family members if she told anyone. Turns out he trailed up to Ellsworth before us…”

  Cora gasped. “I saw his name on the Bar E payroll when I was going through the books!”

  “Yes, Narker worked there a few weeks until your father fired him. We didn’t realize that he was in the area, though, until Rania heard him speaking while she was in town one afternoon.”

  Millie glanced over at the happy newlyweds mingling through their guests’ tables. She shuddered when she thought of what Rania went through. Will I be happy here, or is someone following me, too?

  “Well, what happened? You’ve got to tell us the rest of the story now,” Cora said with wide eyes.

  Hilda shut her eyes and shuddered. “A little over a week ago Narker kidnapped Rania from our family’s homestead and forced her to go with him on horseback. The horses had problems when crossing the flooded river…Rania and her horse Rose, nearly died, but Jacob saved them.” She sighed in relief.

  “What happened to Narker?”

  “His horse drowned, and it was assumed Narker did too, although his body was never found. That’s not unusual when things get trapped in the debris that gets jammed up in a flood,” Hilda said matter-of-factly.

  Millie glanced at Rania again. She thought Chicago could be dangerous, but there could be problems in this desolate place, too, apparently. Was this just the way things were out here?

  “Since you’re from a big city, too, do you ride, Millie?” Hilda asked. Millie shot a nervous look at everyone around the table, hating to confess, when riding a horse was the main transportation in the West.

  “I’m afraid I’ve never sat on a horse, or driven a wagon. I’ve always walked or ridden in a carriage when in Chicago. My trip here was the first time I had been on a train, too.”

  Hilda got a gleam in her eye. “Do you either of you ladies know how to shoot a gun to defend yourself?”

  Cora looked at Millie but answered for herself. “I’ve shot a small derringer, but nothing like the revolvers or rifles I’ve seen around here.” Millie was familiar with her father’s pistol, but had never shot a rifle so she shook her head no. Maybe this is something I should know.

  Millie was taken aback when Hilda clapped her hands. “Wonderful! I can teach you both how to ride and shoot! It will be so fun!”

  Adam said, “I’ll teach Millie how to shoot…” at the exact same time as Dagmar said, “I’ll teach Cora how to shoot…”

  Hilda beamed with satisfaction as if she had planned that. “Fine. You men teach your ladies the proper way to care and shoot firearms, but I’m definitely the best woman to show them how to ride.”

  Adam pointed a finger at Hilda, “You are not going to put Millie on Nutcracker. She has a son to take care of, and Tate doesn’t need to be motherless.”

  Millie’s eyes widened with alarm, thinking about getting on any horse, let alone a dangerous one.

  “My gelding is a perfect gentleman with women. It’s men he hates with a passion.”

  “I suppose that’s true, Hilda, but you have some good mares at your place or your parents’, that Millie and Cora could ride instead of that nutty horse,” said Adam.

  Dagmar had been quiet for most of this conversation but now he spoke up, after glancing at Cora. “I think the ladies should go to Hilda’s homestead, don’t you Adam? It will give them a real taste of frontier living.” Millie wondered why both men broke out in such large smiles.

  Chapter 8

  All in all, things settled down to a routine in his house. Both Millie and Tate were much more agreeable and settled after a week of decent sleep and food. Adam showed up for meals—because Millie’s cooking was always mouth-watering and fabulous—and then he disappeared to the jailhouse or walked around town, occasionally riding out for business or to see his family. He tiptoed into the house late at night, after his final rounds, and up to his bedroom so he wouldn’t disturb—or see—them.

  Millie was getting used to small town life. Now, driving Tate and her out to Hilda’s homestead, Adam couldn’t wait for Hilda’s sod house to come into view. He would bet Dagmar was relishing Cora’s first gasp at the crude house too, as he was driving her out at the same time. Sarah had volunteered to come over to take care of Tate while the women had their first riding and shooting lessons. Adam chuckled to himself, betting his mother wouldn’t miss the “show” either.

  Both his passengers stared, wide-eyed and quiet, at the open scenery. Adam couldn’t figure out why it seemed to bother Millie, but it did. Heck, this way it was hard for anyone to sneak up on you, but she got that “frightened deer” look in her eyes after he mentioned that fact.

  “Here we are, Hilda’s home sweet home,” Adam announced as he pulled the horse’s reins and then set the brake on the buggy.

  “Dirty house,” Tate exclaimed, pointing at the soddie.

  “Yes, Hilda lives in a sod house made of grass and soil layers. There are no trees on the prairie for wood, so you have to make your dwelling out of what is available.” Adam jumped from the buggy and walked around to help the others down. He swung Tate down to the ground and watched as he toddled toward Hilda, who stood outside her home holding a tiny, yapping dog. Hilda’s dog should keep Tate busy and vice versa. That mutt was never quiet.

  Adam automatically turned, ready to help Millie down, but she stayed seated, looking around the place instead of at his waiting hands. “Come on, it’ll be all right. You really do need to learn how to ride and shoot if you stay in Kansas.”

  “Did Hilda dig…or build this house by herself?” Millie asked as she finally rose.

  “No, although I’m sure she’d be up to the task. My other brother, Noah, claimed this acreage and built the house and buildings before he went back East to get his bride.”

  “What happened—since he isn’t here, and Hilda owns the place instead?”

  Adam’s hands tingled in delight at having them around Millie’s slim waist and he hesitated to let go of her after he got Millie down to the ground. “Huh? Oh, Noah’s intended had already married someone else before he got there, and he’s been roaming the West since then. Hilda bought the place since Noah hadn’t proved up the claim yet.”

  Dagmar and Cora pulled up in the ranch buggy, and Cora jumped out and ran towards the house before Dagmar got the startled horse under control. Adam watched Dagmar shake his head and probably say “Dang”. Cora chatted excitedly to Hilda while she patted the sod bricks that made up the house.

  “Looks like Cora’s settling into the Wild West?” Adam asked Dagmar as they walked their horses toward the barn to unhitch the buggies.

  “She has taken to the ranch better than a baby duck to water. First she spent hours roping a fence post. Then she moved on to roping the poor ranch dogs. She caught a running horse yesterday, and about got drug off her own mount until she finally let go of the rope.

  “Cora begged a pair of trousers from a smitten ranch hand and has been riding a different horse each day, going all over the ranch with anybody who is going anywhere. She even spent yesterday afternoon out riding the herd. Riding astride in a western saddle has not been a problem for her. Actually, she’s quite a horsewoman, but don’t you dare repeat that, Adam Wilerson.”

  Adam couldn’t help but tease, “So how’s living together going?”

  “She hadn’t unpacked the first of five trunks that the hands lugged upstairs by the time I moved out of the big house and was settled in to the bunk house. Why would you need so much stuff and outfits for just a visit? Can you imagine what she would have brought along if she was actually moving here
?” Dagmar’s voice rose with each sentence.

  “At least you don’t have to worry anymore about all that fancy crystal in the house that you patrolled watch over every night,” Adam couldn’t resist kidding the tall Swede as Dagmar took a playful swing at him.

  “So you been eating her cooking?”

  “Nope. Been eating with the ranch hands, as has Cora. I must say she’s made herself right at home. Not an uppity bone in her body. Reuben Shepard, our ‘chief cook and bottle washer’ has even warmed up to her.”

  “She trying to take over the ranch management since her father owns it?”

  Dagmar twitched his mouth back and forth before answering. “You know I was worried about that, but so far all she’s done is look through the account ledgers and just politely ask questions. She still hasn’t said a word about her family or why she’s out here by herself.

  “At least you don’t look scared to death of her anymore,” Adam said, and Dagmar hung his head and blushed.

  “Yea, I’m finally feeling more at ease around her. Cora’s okay for a rich, city girl.”

  “Glad to hear you’re getting along. How about we set up a shooting range west of the barn after we take care of the horses? Between ours and Hilda’s variety of guns, the ladies can get the feel of several different types of weapons.”

  ***

  Millie’s hands shook and her breath quickened as she walked out of the dirt house and over to where the rest of the people stood by the corral. She had gone inside Hilda’s one-room house to change into Rania’s split skirt. Even though the dirt floor, dirt walls, and the ceiling, made with limbs and dirt, was made out of….dirt…it still looked and smelled cleaner than most buildings and streets in the part of Chicago where she had lived. Everything was such a contrast from her past life.