Bachelor's Puzzle (20 page)

“It surprises you that I applaud the fact that her good-for-nothing husband finally got his comeuppance?”

The ire in Ada Newcomb’s tone was perhaps the most surprising revelation to Zack. He’d known she was one to speak her mind and could be sharp-tongued, but he’d also believed that was mostly show, that she was kind and warm beneath the surface. But the anger she displayed now was uncharacteristically hard-edged.

“Reverend, a man like that would stretch a saint’s Christian virtue. And you know, even Christ overturned the moneychangers’ tables in righteous indignation.”

Zack vaguely recalled a story like that in the Bible. “I can only hope now that some good will come of it.”

“I saw Tommy,” Maggie piped up from the kitchen. “He said he was coming to church again. He said anyone who’d stand up to his pa was worth sitting through the torture of church for.”

“Maybe you should go beat up Angus Willoughby,” Ellie said. “I hear he’s been backsliding.”

“Ellie!” Ada gasped.

Even Calvin had a look of shock on his face at his usually circumspect daughter’s impertinence.

“Now, Ellie, don’t hold back. Tell me what you really think,” Zack said with more than a hint of sarcasm.

“Never mind,” she said more demurely, obviously taken aback by her parents’ reaction.

In spite of Ellie’s words, dinner passed pleasantly enough, though the topic of the Donnellys was studiously avoided. Zack noted that Ellie said not another word during dinner, which could have made for an awkward situation except that the rest of the family kept up a steady flow of congenial conversation. Zack felt tense nonetheless. The fact that the whole town and even Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb supported his actions somehow was not enough approbation for him. He hated that Ellie was in opposition. Was it that he respected her opinion, or just that he couldn’t bear to have one person around he couldn’t seem to charm? Whatever it was, it irked him.

When dinner was finished, the men, including Georgie, retired to the main room with coffee and plates of spice cake. The women cleaned up the dishes.

“William, my wife spoke to Polly Briggs the other day,” Calvin began.

Zack groaned inwardly. He’d nearly forgotten the matter of the wedding.

Calvin continued, “She says you won’t marry her daughter without your proper license.”

“That’s true, Calvin. I feel it wouldn’t be right.”

“Can’t you see your way around it this once? The girl was in tears when she heard.”

Zack would have bet that William L ocklin would have had no problem performing the marriage. There were no doubt countless ministers who operated, especially here in the West, without seminary training or legal documents. But Zack knew that if he performed any weddings and then it became known that he was a fraud, these people would hunt him down far more relentlessly than Beau Cutter ever would. He had to hold a hard line in this, but that was looking less and less plausible given his performance with Tom Donnelly.

“I feel strongly about it,” Zack said. He heard a sudden clanking sound from the kitchen.

“Ellie, watch that bowl,” Ada scolded.

“Well, then, it might be for the best,” Calvin went on. “There’s probably some reason the couple should wait to marry.”

“It shouldn’t be too long,” Zack assured.

“There’ll be some young fellows around here who will be happy to hear that,” Boyd said.

“Are you trying to tell us something?” asked Calvin.

There was sudden silence in the kitchen.

“Well . . .” Boyd paused and glanced toward the quiet kitchen.

“I was thinking it was about time me and Kendra took the . . . you know, the leap.”

There was a delighted squeal from the kitchen. Boyd grinned as his mother came rushing into the main room. Boyd rose to meet her embrace. Calvin rose and shook his son’s hand.

“I haven’t asked her official-like yet,” Boyd said. “I wanted to tell you first, then ask her pa.” Suddenly worried, Boyd added, “He’ll say yes, don’t you think?”

“He just better,” Ada retorted. “You are the finest catch around—” She stopped and glanced toward Zack. “Well,
one
of the finest catches.”

Zack pretended he didn’t see her pointed look.

Calvin looked toward Zack, “I hope you can marry Boyd and Kendra, William. We’d be pleased.”

“That license should come anytime,I’m’m sure,” Zack replied with false confidence.

“The wedding won’t be tomorrow. That’s for sure,” Ada said. “There will be much to prepare. I know Nessa has to make Kendra’s dress, and she’ll want to order something fine for it. And we both have to finish our quilts for the two of you.”

“A proper engagement of three or four months never hurt a marriage,” Calvin added.

“Another season in the lumber camp will pad the nest egg well,” Boyd said.

Zack knew that Boyd was a timber faller and made good money in season. He was also happy to hear of these practical delays. He’d be long gone by then.

Ellie and Maggie came up to congratulate their brother.

Then Ellie said, “I’m going out for a breath of fresh air. The dishes are done.”

As she left, Ada’s gaze followed her with a look of con
_–
“Do you think she is still upset about what happened to Tom?” asked Zack.

“She’ll get over it, Reverend,” Ada said. “But . . . perhaps it would help if you talked to her. I think she is having a hard time understanding it.”

“I’d be the last person she would want to talk to, then,” Zack said.

“Nonsense. You are her pastor and therefore the best person for the job.”

Zack didn’t want to do it. He needed to ignore Ellie if for no other reason than ignoring her was the last thing he wanted to do. For some reason that girl always got under his skin—like a bad case of poison oak or a worse case of infatuation. Both equally onerous.

Reluctantly he rose and headed toward the door. He had barely stepped out on the porch when he realized Maggie was right on his heels.

“I doubt it will do any good to talk to her,” Maggie said, shutting the door behind her. “Once she gets something into her head, she can be very stubborn.”

Zack looked around and was relieved to see that Ellie was not seated anywhere on the porch. Maybe she had walked off to the barn to be alone.

“So you don’t think I ought to talk to her?” Zack asked, looking for a way out.

“That’s up to you entirely. But just don’t let her get to you, Reverend. What you did was a very noble thing.”

“Striking a man?”

“Striking a snake!” Maggie corrected emphatically. “Tommy tells me what his pa does, and someone should have whopped him long ago. Makes me realize what a bunch of cowards there are around here.”

“Don’t you be hard on them like your sister is being hard on me,” Zack cautioned. “People just want to live in peace.”

“No matter, I’m still proud to know you, Reverend.”

Then suddenly Maggie hitched up on her toes and planted a kiss on Zack’s cheek. He staggered back against the door in his surprise. She smiled and may as well have said that she wanted to get to know him better. Maybe he wouldn’t mind that, either, he thought as he gazed down into her large green eyes now focused upon him so adoringly. He had a strong urge to pull her to him and kiss her properly. Only the fact that her parents were just behind the door restrained him.

“I . . . uh . . . better . . . uh . . .” He had momentarily forgotten why he had come outside in the first place.

“You were going to talk to Ellie,” Maggie said in a teasing tone. “But maybe you’ve found someone more interesting to talk to . . . William.”

This raised his brows, her calling him by his given name— well,Locklin’s given name. “Now, now, Maggie—”

“Why don’t you kiss me, William,” she murmured. “I think you want to.”

He’d known saloon girls less forward and wizened old men less perceptive. “I don’t think so.”

“I’m not a child.”

“I know that, Maggie. You are a beautiful young woman, andI’d like nothing more than to kiss you—”

“But?” she queried with a bit of a pout.

“Isn’t it obvious?” But when she responded with a blank stare, he added, “I’m the minister,” as if that was enough.

“Is that all?”

“Let’s get to know each other a bit more. You don’t know me nearly well enough.”

She studied him a long moment before speaking. He had the feeling she could see right through him, that she was far older than her seventeen years.

“I guess I do need to get better acquainted with you, Reverend,” she said, “because I wouldn’t have thought you were one to stand on such old-fashioned traditions—not after what happened with Tom Donnelly.”

“I’ll tell you what,” he conceded, “tomorrow after your brother is done with school, why don’t the two of you show me one of your fishing holes?”

“The two of us?”

“Most definitely.”

Hesitating just a moment, she said, “Okay.” She turned back to the door but paused and added, “She’s over there.” She pointed toward the big willow.

Zack blinked, and it was a full moment before he realized Maggie was talking about her sister. He wanted to follow Maggie back into the house and forget his original reason for coming out. These two sisters were innocent as babes and dangerous as vipers.

He headed toward the willow. Ellie was seated on the swing, her back to the porch. She couldn’t have witnessed any of what had just transpired there, though nothing had transpired, had it?

“Do you mind an intrusion, Ellie?” he asked.

“No, I suppose not,” she replied, glancing up.

She appeared to not be surprised by his appearance, so he plunged right in. “I think we need to talk about what happened between me and Tom Donnelly. You are upset and I ’d like to understand why.”

This did seem to surprise her. Moonlight washed over her, bringing her features and expressions into clear focus. Her beauty, as well.

“I’m touched you would take the time to talk to me, that you seem to care about my opinion,” she offered.

“I believe yours is the only dissenting voice, so of course I’m’m curious.” He didn’t like standing and towering over her, so he sat down upon the grass at her feet. “Tell me your thoughts.”

She was quiet for a time, then simply stated, “Violence is wrong, Reverend.”

“I am no proponent of violence, either,” he said. “But there are times when there is no other choice, or, as your mother indicated, when a righteous violence might be acceptable.I am not saying that what I did yesterday is any of these. But some people only understand the language of violence, and I think Tom is one of those.”

“And that makes what you did right? That Mr. Donnelly deserved it?”

“I don’t know.”

“You should, Reverend. You’ve studied the Bible. Christ speaks over and over again about peace, turning the other cheek, loving one’s enemies. How can you voice confusion over something so clear?”

“Because nothing is ever totally so clear-cut.”

“Even the Bible, Reverend?” she challenged.

“Life, Ellie,” he said, realizing he had slipped out of Reverend L ocklin’s skin and was speaking as himself. “And you would do well to learn some flexibility. There are always two sides to a coin. You can’t be so unbending.”

“I will not bend my principles.”

“But you can’t let them blind you to seeing into a person’s heart or seeing their motives.”

“What was your motive, then, for attacking Mr. Don-nelly?” Again there was challenge in her tone rather than honest seeking.

His dander rose and he jumped to his feet. “I’ll tell you! I looked into the eyes of an evil man.I saw the things he did to his family.I saw a man who would pick on those weaker than himself just because he could.” Zack’s voice trembled with rising passion. “And I couldn’t let it happen again. I wasn’t going to let him push me around anymore, criticize me, and make me feel like—” Zack gasped as he realized he was no longer talking about Mr. Donnelly but rather his own stepfather.

Zack’s gaze skittered toward Ellie. He saw the shock in her eyes, the disapproval.

Tightly he said, “I better go. Please give your parents my regards. I best not go back to the house.”

He spun around, shaking inside, still angry, at himself for so thoroughly forgetting himself, but also at Ellie for sitting there saying nothing, for continuing to stare at him with that look of judgment.

With every step he took to the barn, he hoped she would call after him. He deserved an apology from her. He wanted to know she understood what he was saying. But again, he didn’t understand why it mattered.

SEVENTEEN

Ellie watched Reverend L ocklin ride away. She wanted desperately to run after him and tell him she was sorry, but she knew she’d be saying it just to appease him, and no one wanted that kind of apology.

But she believed what she believed. If you started saying life was not clearly good and bad, that there were gray areas, you opened yourself up for much confusion. Yet what bothered her most was she knew that wasn’t the true reason for her discomfiture. She could be flexible, tolerant, and forgiving to a point. She had only raised these broader issues to cover the one that troubled her most about what Reverend Locklin had done.

If Ellie’s father had beat up Mr. Donnelly under the same circumstances, she might have understood and even applauded him a little. But she held ReverendL ocklin to a higher standard, not only as a minister but—and this truly troubled her—as a candidate for her husband.

Was she too inflexible in the matter of choosing a husband?

Was that why she was nineteen and not yet married or even engaged? Could no man meet her standards?

Realizing her churning thoughts were making her more distraught rather than offering solutions, she finally rose from the swing and returned to the house. She hadn’t realized she’d been out so long. She hadn’t even noted the evening chill in the air. I nside, the house was quiet. Maggie, Georgie, and Boyd had already gone up to bed. Mama and Dad were seated in the rocking chairs, Mama with perpetual sewing in her hands, squinting so as to get a few more stitches put in as the firelight began to fade. Dad was thumbing through his Montgomery Ward catalog.