Matt (The Cowboys) (17 page)

A snicker from close by sounded loud in the silence that followed.

“It is not the smell from unclean bodies that defiled God’s house,” Wilbur said. “It is your false marriage, the violation of a holy sacrament. You might as well have entered the church with your concubine.”

Matt stood. Ellen’s hand reached out to pull him back down. Shocked at her reaction, she clasped both hands tightly in her lap.

“It’s a good thing you said
might,”
Matt enunciated clearly. “Otherwise I
might
feel compelled to knock the words back down your throat.”

Wilbur puffed up bigger than ever, but he took a step back. “You cannot threaten a man of God!”

“According to the Bible, we’re all men of God,” Matt said, “obliged to follow his commandments, one of which is never to bear false witness. Another is ‘Thou shalt not covet.’”

“Don’t quote the Bible to me!” Wilbur thundered.

“I thought you might have missed that part.”

Ellen couldn’t understand what Matt was trying to do. He might get the better of Wilbur through the law, but attacking him on his own ground was crazy.

“You’re the spawn of Satan!”

Matt actually smiled. “I don’t think I’m that bad, but if I am, I’ve come to church to ask forgiveness.”

“You’ll never get that child! I’ll see that he’s ripped from your clutches and delivered into a Christian home.”

“I think Matt’s home is about as Christian as you’re going to find around here,” Jake said, obviously unable to remain quiet any longer. “What’s more, you’re in no position to judge.”

“You’re not done with me,” Wilbur said to Matt.

“I was afraid you’d feel that way.”

“I’ll see that you don’t keep Orin or those two fatherless children. I’ll see that Toby is run out of Bandera.”

“Go away, Wilbur,” Matt said, sounding tired. “You’re making a fool of yourself. Ellen and I are going to adopt these children and there’s nothing you can do about it. Now, if you’ve come here to eat, sit down and do so. You’re disturbing everybody’s digestion.”

“God will punish you! And I will be his instrument.”

“You’re taking on a lot of people,” Jake pointed out.

Wilbur positively swelled with righteousness. “I have God behind me, and He’s more powerful than anybody, even the Maxwells.”

“What a blowhard,” Jake said as Wilbur threaded his way out of the dining room.

“He hates not getting his way,” Matt said.

“He’s a fool,” Isabelle said, “but he’s a dangerous one. He’s got a lot of people listening to him.”

“Well, I’m not one of them,” Matt said. “Here comes our dinner. Let’s eat and forget Wilbur Sears.”

Everybody else seemed to be happy to do just that, but Ellen couldn’t. She’d seen the fury that burned in Wilbur’s eyes. She knew he would do everything in his power to prevent her from adopting Noah and Tess. The only way she might stop him was to remain married to Matt. An option that seemed more acceptable with each passing day.

“Do the kids like living on a ranch?” Mrs. Ogden asked.

“Noah loves it,” Ellen said. “He idolizes Matt and his brother. He’ll do things for them he never did for me.”

“Boys need a man around,” Mrs. Ogden said. “They don’t much like a woman telling them what to do, even when they’re little.”

Ellen had come to visit her old landlady while Matt and the children visited with their newfound relations. Isabelle had taken Tess. Ellen expected the child would come home with several new dresses. Noah had come right out and asked Matt for a saddle. Jake had said he could have any one he wanted. Ellen had promised to rejoin Matt and the kids when it was time to go back to the ranch.

“What about my little darling?” Mrs. Ogden asked.

“Tess worships Matt. He tells her bedtime stories every night.”

“Does she like his stories?”

“She loves them.” Ellen smiled at the memory. “I don’t know where he gets them.”

“Who would have thought a man could do something like that?”

“Not me. I’m afraid I misjudged my husband badly.” The sound of her words shocked her. She’d never called Matt her husband. She wondered what could have changed.

“People here in Texas expect something different from a man,” Mrs. Ogden said. “They want him to be big, loud, and forceful, a lot like that Wilbur Sears. My Mr. Ogden was a quiet man. He didn’t like fuss. Many’s the time he said to me, ‘Martha, I don’t think we ought to go to this place or do that. It’ll just be a lot of fuss and bother.’ He was a quiet man, but he was solid.”

Unshed tears made Mrs. Ogden’s eyes shine. Her husband, a Texas ranger, had been killed by Comanches. The awkward moment ended when Tulip burst into the room.

“I knew you was in town, but I wasn’t going to show up in church.” She let out a whoop of merriment. “Wouldn’t that have given old Wilbur something to shout about?”

“You should have come to the hotel,” Ellen said. “Matt treated us to a nice dinner.”

“I didn’t want to go bustin’ in when you was with all your fancy relatives.”

“They’re very nice.” Ellen was glad to see Tulip, even though they’d never really been friends. “They came to support me in my first appearance in town.”

Without waiting for Mrs. Ogden to invite her, Tulip dropped down on the sofa next to Ellen. Tell me everything about that gorgeous man you married. If he hasn’t made your eyes cross with ecstasy, you’re not trying hard enough.”

Ellen could have kicked herself for blushing. She had nothing to be ashamed of, no confidence she needed to share with Tulip, yet she felt some answer was required.

“That is not a suitable question to ask a young bride,” Mrs. Ogden said.

“It is when she’s married to a man who looks like Matt Haskins.”

“It’s all right, Mrs. Ogden. Tulip knows our marriage is a business arrangement. She’s just teasing me.”

“Lord, girl, I can’t believe you haven’t let that man come nigh you after sharing his bed for more than a week.”

“We still hardly know each other,” Ellen said, exasperated. “You can’t expect me to jump into bed with a virtual stranger.”

“Maybe he could have evaded me for one night, but I’d have caught him by the second,” Tulip said. “There ain’t another man like Matt Haskins within a thousand miles. I can’t believe you’re wasting him.”

“We’re not in love with each other,” Ellen said.

“I could fall in love just thinking about getting into bed with him.”

“That’s not love,” Ellen said. “It’s lust.”

“Which is something, if what you’re telling me is true, you could use a great big dose of.”

“I don’t have time for a husband and children.”

“You leaving those kids with Matt?”

“No.”

“Then it wouldn’t be much more trouble to add a husband to the heap.”

“If I added Matt, I’d have to add Toby and Orin.”

Tulip grinned. “If you added Matt, I’d bet my best gown you’d be adding more than that right soon.”

Ellen felt herself blushing again. “Your gown is safe,” she told Tulip. “But until I can legally adopt Tess and Noah, I’ll do my best to convince everybody in Bandera we’re a happily married couple.”

“If you haven’t convinced him to stay married to you by then, you’re not much of a woman,” Tulip said.

Ellen and Tulip rarely saw eye to eye when it came to relationships between men and women. But Ellen couldn’t remember when she had disagreed more with the other woman. “I’ve never judged myself by whether I can attract a man.”

“Everybody knows you can attract them, honey,” Tulip said. “It’s throwing away a perfectly good one that’s stupid.”

Ellen had begun to think Matt was a mighty good man, but she couldn’t let herself forget that he had offered a business arrangement. Her feelings about her husband and the marriage might be changing, but she hadn’t seen any sign his had.

“I can’t throw away what I never had,” Ellen said. “You know why Matt married me.”

“If all he wanted was a wife, he could have asked any number of women, including me.”

“He asked me because we have the same problem.”

“That doesn’t have to be the only reason.”

“She’s right, dearie,” Mrs. Ogden said.

“Then why hasn’t he said anything?”

“Why haven’t you?” Tulip shot back.

Ellen was beginning to wonder why she’d ever thought she liked Tulip at all.

“We’ve never been exactly what you’d call friends,” Tulip said, “but I’ve worked with you for nearly a year, seen how you act when a man comes near you. Even after you started wearing makeup so you’d get bigger tips, there was always a look in your eye that said anyone who stepped over the line could get killed.”

“I was never that hard.”

“I heard one of the men say you was like a diamond, beautiful but hard as hell.”

“If I am, it’s men who made me that way.”

“What I’m gettin’ at,” Tulip said, “is you’d never have married a man you didn’t like and trust, not even so you could adopt those kids. Hell, I expected you to pack up and head west when the sheriff said you oughta marry Matt.”

“I thought about it.”

“But you didn’t do it. Why?”

“Because it was more sensible to marry Matt.”

“When did it start being sensible to marry a man you don’t like and want to get shut of in a year? You’re fooling yourself, girl. You just can’t admit it yet.”

“I admit I like Matt,” Ellen said, feeling cornered and angry. “He’s a nice man who’s been wonderful for the kids.”

“He’s done more than that,” Tulip said. “I can see it in your face. You like what’s happening to you.”

“Why shouldn’t I? I don’t have to work in the saloon. I’m a respectable married woman, and I can keep April’s children.”

“You like more than that,” Tulip said, getting to her feet. “I’ll be off now before Mrs. Ogden gets a bad name for entertaining saloon dancers.” She turned back at the doorway. “Catch him if you can. Aside from his looks’, you’ll never find a better man.”

Tulip left an uncomfortable silence behind her. Ellen had been prepared to argue against everything Tulip said, but no sooner was Tulip out of the room than Ellen realized she had put into words feelings Ellen hadn’t allowed herself to admit.

“Is he a nice man?” Mrs. Ogden asked.

“Very nice,” Ellen said, “which is all the more reason I shouldn’t stay married to him for my own convenience.”

“Maybe it would be for his convenience,” Mrs. Ogden said. “He needs a wife for those boys.”

Ellen laughed without humor. “They keep house better than most women I know. He’s got Isabelle hovering around, practically begging to do things for him. I’ve just met his sisters-in-law, but I’m sure they’d be just as willing to help.”

“There’s some things family can’t do for a man.”

Ellen knew that, but so far Matt hadn’t shown that he needed any of those things. More importantly, he hadn’t shown he wanted them from her.

She wondered why he had saddled himself with so much worry. He was a handsome single man who could have been out enjoying life. Instead he had to keep track of one boy who got into trouble any time there was a girl around and another who was afraid someone would steal him. And now he’d taken on her and the kids. And he seemed happy to do it. She didn’t understand. Didn’t he want anything for himself?

Fortunately, before Ellen could become depressed, Noah burst into the room, followed by Tess and Matt.

“It’s time to go home,” Noah said. He took hold of Ellen’s hand and tried to pull her to her feet. “Matt bought me a saddle. He says he knows just the horse for me. He’s going to let me break it.”

“Say hello to Mrs. Ogden,” Ellen said. “She’s been anxious to see you.”

Tess had already thrown herself into Mrs. Ogden’s arms. Noah put his arms around both of them. “I love you,” he said. “I wish you could live at the ranch with us.” Then he dropped his arms and turned back to Ellen. “Can we go now?”

“No. Sit next to me and try to remember you have some manners. If you don’t,” she said when she saw him start to argue, “I’ll ask Matt to keep your saddle in the barn until you learn.”

“Matt wouldn’t do that.” Noah turned to Matt for confirmation.

“It’s as important for a boy to know how to behave well as to know how to ride a horse.”

Noah sat down on the couch.

Ellen smiled at Matt in thanks. Most men wouldn’t care about manners as long as a boy behaved like a real boy.

“We have a cow,” Tess told Mrs. Ogden, “but she doesn’t have a name. I don’t think she likes me very much.”

“Then you ought to give her a name,” Mrs. Ogden said. “Poor dear, she’s probably unhappy at being called cow all the time.”

Tess turned immediately to Matt.

“You can name her anything you like,” he said.

“I’m going to name my horse Thunder,” Noah announced.

“That sounds like a very violent name,” Mrs. Ogden said.

“He’s going to be the fastest horse in Texas,” Noah said.