Another Chance (13 page)

"And now," the doctor said, "We have a basket donated by Miss Silver Adams."

It was mortifying to stand there.  Mortifying to know everyone was staring at her.  She heard the whispers, those hushed words that weren't meant for her ears.  There was nowhere to look that would make standing under their scrutiny and gossip any easier.  But she wouldn't look down, wouldn't look at her feet as though she was ashamed.  And she wouldn't look at Shane, even though she knew exactly where he was standing.

Picking a branch on the tree, she imagined sitting underneath it with Shane as silence stretched over the gathering.  Why couldn't she have simply donated some money to the church rather than subject herself to this scrutiny and misery?  Why did she do this to herself year after year?  Because she was foolish enough to hope that, one day, Shane would bid on it.

"Two dollars."

Silver's stomach sank.  The prick of tears hit her eyes.

"Reverend Donnelly has bid two dollars.  Do we have any other bids?"

As a bid, it was generous since some of the other baskets had sold as low as two bits, but Silver wasn't concerned about how much her basket sold for.  It was whom it sold to that mattered.

The silence was interminable.  The wind slipped its warm fingers over her face, but it wasn't a pleasant feeling.  Instead it only reminded her of how alone she was.  An unhappy baby began to wail.  From the hitching post a horse whinnied.  Nobody else countered the reverend's bid.

"Sold.  To Reverend Donnelly."

Silver drew deep within her heart for the smile.  The Reverend had been kind, and he deserved to see her smile.  Turning, she grabbed her basket from the doctor and waited for the man who'd bought it.

As she followed the reverend to a shady spot next to the church, she heard Melissa's basket being auctioned.

And her heart ripped open at the voice of the man bidding.

***

"He did what?"  Wade asked around a mouthful of buttered potatoes.

"He called a town meeting for tomorrow morning."

Since his ma had already given him "the eye" for talking with his mouth full, Wade waited until he swallowed before asking, "How come we didn't hear about it before now?"

"He said he didn't want you to know," Annabelle answered.

Wade's supper slid greasily in his stomach.  It wasn't a complete surprise that Steven would call a meeting.  The man had been livid when the town had let Doc and Wade search for a vet.  Steven had wanted to do it.  As mayor, he thought it was his responsibility and had taken the town's decision to let Wade and Doc do it as a slap in the face.  So, no, the fact that Steven called a town meeting wasn't a shock.  Neither was the fact that Steven was deliberately trying to keep it from Wade.  That didn't mean it sat well with him, however.

"I'm sure he's just itching to rant about how I messed up."

Annabelle was all but bouncing in her seat, happy to be the one who knew things nobody else did.  "He said it was you who got the town into this mess, but he'd be the one to fix it."

"By running her out?" Scott asked.  "That'd be a darn shame.  I think she's a he-"

Eileen cleared her throat, causing Scott to blush.  "She's a fine doctor," he continued.  "I don't see how any man could be better."

"I agree," James added.  Then with a wink added, "Of course it don't hurt any that's she pretty to look at."

Wade cut into his beef with more force than necessary.  James chuckled.

"I think we should all go tomorrow," his ma suggested.

"Me, too!"

"You have school," Wade countered.

"Awww.  I never get to go to the fun stuff," she whined.

"You won't miss any fun, Button, just boring adult stuff."

"That's what you always say," she pouted.  "May I be excused?"

They waited until Annabelle had thumped up to her room before continuing.

"I mean it, Wade," his ma said again.  "I think we should all go.  It'll be stronger than if only you went."

Wade set his fork onto his half-full plate.  "I can't spare everybody.  I'll go.  And since Annabelle's at school, you can come with me."

"No, I think it has to be all of us."

James laughed around a forkful of asparagus spears.

"What's so funny?" Wade demanded.

"It's inevitable, son.  You know she always manages to get us to do her bidding."

"She does not," Wade grumbled, though he couldn't think of an instance when she hadn't.

Across the table, Scott choked on his supper.  He dropped his fork and thumped on his chest, coughing as though he was going to bring up a steer.  When he'd regained his breath, he scooped up a biscuit and lathered it with butter.

"You agree with him?"  Wade asked.

Scott dished up more food.  "I didn't say anything."

Wade muttered a curse, softly so his mother wouldn't hear, though the look she gave him said he hadn't fooled her.  Ignoring everyone, he filled his mouth.  The beef was tougher than boot leather but the taste of the onions his mother had fried it in came through.  With money as sparse as it was, the only beef they ate was what was too old to be of any value.

Swallowing it down with a tall glass of water, Wade considered his mother's request.  And dammit, had to acknowledge she was right.  There was strength in numbers and if they all went, as well as Letty and John Daniels and Silver, they'd present a stronger defense.  But it would mean losing a half-day's work.  He pushed the food that was left out of his way.

"You gonna eat that?"  Scott asked, his eyes as hungry as Wade had been an hour ago.

Wade shoved the plate to him then both he and his mother watched Scott devour the leftovers.  While his mother looked pleased, happy to cook for an appreciative man, seeing that much food eaten in one sitting turned Wade's stomach.

His ma, not about to let her argument go, speared some asparagus then pointed the loaded utensil at her son.

"She needs work and we all know she's capable.  Besides that, Steven needs to know he represents the whole town, not just his friends."

"I can work later tomorrow night to make up for the morning," Scott volunteered.

"Me, too," James added, spurs jingling as he got up to pour more coffee. Wade ran his fingers through his hair, then dropped his hands to the table.

"Fine," he sighed.  "We'll all go."

Darn it!

There were a dozen horses already tied to the hitching posts alongside the building that acted as both church and schoolhouse. She'd hoped to be one of the first to arrive.  The twitching in her stomach turned to hard shudders.  She hadn't been as nervous going to the individual farms, but knowing she'd be facing everyone at once…

Blowing out a breath, Jillian tied Hope among the other horses and marched straight up the steps before the anxiety that had kept her up and pacing most of the night took over.

The door creaked open.  Apparently nothing about this was going to be easy.  Sure enough every head turned toward the sound.  Seeing who it was, a few of those heads bent toward each other and within seconds hurried whispers skipped over the pews to taunt Jillian.

Well, they could talk and gossip all they wanted.  She wasn't going anywhere.  Hoping to display a bravado she didn't feel, she met the remaining gazes dead on.  She didn't recognize everyone.  That was a blessing.  Maybe those folks weren't already set against her.  But when they didn't return her smile, only turned back to the front without any sign of encouragement, Jillian knew she'd figured wrong.

Steven was already in the front pew and the gaze he shot her over his shoulder hit her with the force of a cold winter wind blowing in off the Ohio River.  Not about to back down, the smile she returned held the same lack of warmth.  She held it long enough to prove her point--he didn't intimidate her--and then took one of the many pews that weren't yet occupied.

It didn't take long after that for the small church to fill.  And as more people filed in, the temperature climbed several degrees.  The small rectangular windows on either side of the wooden structure offered pitiful, if any, relief.

She'd deliberately slipped to the far edge of the pew, leaving plenty of smooth wood beside her for her friends, but so far only Mrs. Hollingsworth dared sit there.  Of course she remained at the opposite end and didn't deign to look Jillian's way.

Had Letty, Eileen and Silver changed their minds about coming?  Eileen had promised she'd get Wade to come, and Jillian knew his presence would make such a difference.  She could, and would, face everyone alone, but it would be so much easier with someone, anyone, on her side when she did.

It didn't help her discomfort any that she felt the stickiness of everyone's stares.  From the women who looked at her over the top of their fans, which worked hard to stir up the stuffy air, to the men who glowered at her as though she'd single-handedly ruined their lives.  A few of those men she recognized.  The blacksmith, the thick-necked man who owned the livery.  Feeling the pull of an especially potent glare, Jillian shifted her gaze to the right.

It was the trapper.  Did she know his name?  She didn't think so.  But his ice-blue eyes raked over her from underneath his thick ruddy brows.  He wasn't covered in blood today, but it was hard not to remember him that way.  Something he must have sensed by the way his mustache twitched.

Jillian took deep breaths, and decided it was time she stopped looking around.  All that accomplished was to stretch her already taught nerves.  She clasped her hands tightly in her lap to try to control their trembling.

The door creaked open; a slight breeze snuck inside.  The air brushed her shoulders, a light caress that was gone as quickly as it came.

"Excuse me."  Silver said, wading through the crowd.

Jillian let out a deep breath.  Thank God, a friendly face!

Mrs. Hollingsworth's lips puckered as she inched her knees to the side, allowing Silver to step into the pew.

"Sorry I'm late."

Though she sounded out of breath there was a look of determination in her eyes.  "I haven't missed the lynching yet, have I?"

"No.  But I'm happy to see nobody is armed."

The door opened again and soon Mrs. Hollingsworth's pucker came back full force.  Eileen and Letty took their places next to Silver.  Though Jillian didn't see Wade, and she couldn't help feeling disappointed about that, she felt better than she had since sitting down.  She had friends at her side; she'd be fine.

"I shut down the mercantile when Eileen arrived.  I see we're just in time," Letty added when Steven took his place behind the lectern.

The crowd shifted with anticipation.  The energy in the room vibrated in Jillian's ears and flowed through her body from there.  Whispers and murmurs escalated until Steven cracked his gavel against the wood.

"I know you're upset, and you've reason to be," he added, his gaze skimmed over heads until it latched onto Jillian.  "But we'll all have the chance to be heard."

Silver grabbed Jillian's hand and squeezed.  "That goes for you, too" she whispered.

Eileen looked to the door.  "He said he'd be right in," she muttered.

"Now, as Doc is no longer here and Wade didn't deem your feelings important enough to show up this morning, I guess that leaves me to settle this matter."

His greedy eyes scanned the church.  Steven was already a tall man, but he seemed to grow taller as he addressed the people of Cedar Springs.

"Now, then.  I've been thinking on the matter and I am prepared, as you'll recall I was prepared to do the first time," he added with a self-serving smile, "to be the one in charge of hiring a new veterinarian.

"I have the advertisement ready.  Robert will send the telegrams out later today.  Harvey," he gestured to the trapper, "will, out of the goodness of his heart, ride to Bozeman and see to it that advertisements are put up around the city."  Steven puffed up like a bullfrog.  "This time we'll get what we need."

Comments erupted about the room.

"Damn right!"

"About time!"

"Shoulda been Steven who hired one to begin with."

"Let's find us a real vet!"

Steven's smile was wide and overflowed with satisfaction.

"Pompous weasel," Silver muttered.

Jillian couldn't agree more.  But he'd said folks would have a say so she came to her feet.  It was past time she was heard.

The gathering erupted again, throwing accusations and insults her way faster than she could absorb them all.  However several words shoved through the melee to be heard: no-good, useless, and the worst, animal killer.   Every time she opened her mouth to defend herself, she was bombarded with insults.

Seeing nothing for it, Jillian grabbed her skirts and, with a hand on Silver's shoulder, stepped onto the pew.  She had a good view from there and the astonished looks on everyone's faces would have been funny if she wasn't so angry.  She did, however, use their temporary shock and silence to her advantage.

"I believe you said everyone would have a chance to be heard," she reminded Steven.  "And I have something I'd like to say."