Cutty (Prairie Grooms Book 8) (12 page)

“What sorts of things?” Irene snapped. “Everyone in town knows Ryder is giving you his old house to live in. There’s plenty of room for the two of you. It’s not like you’re going to have children.”

Cutty opened his mouth, the word “grandchildren” on the tip of his tongue. He bit it to keep from saying anything. “Mmpth.”

The Dunnigans studied him a moment. “Something wrong?” Wilfred asked.

“Bit my tongue,” Cutty said and snatched the sack out of his hand. He dug into a pocket, pulled out a few coins and placed them on the counter. “That should be enough.”

“It isn’t any of my business …,” Irene said as he turned.

“Any chance of keepin’ it that way?” Cutty called over his shoulder.

Apparently not. “Don’t you think it’d be easier to go through life and get things done with someone at your side instead of by yourself?”

“As a matter of fact, no, I don’t,” he grumbled and took a step.

But Irene wasn’t finished, and as the whole town knew, she didn’t stop until she was. “Land sakes, you of all people should know that Imogene Sayer has a bit of money. If I was you, I’d just up and marry her. It’s not like you have to support the woman. She can take care of both of you quite nicely.”

Cutty froze and turned around. “What?” he breathed. “Good grief, yer right. I forgot about that.”

“There ya go, then!” Wilfred said. “Now you can get married right away!”

Cutty paled. “Er … I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. I’d have to talk to Imogene first. Ya know how women are – she’s probably gonna want a fancy weddin’ dress and all the trimmin’s.”

“Then you’d better get busy!” Irene snapped. “Now get out of my store and get to it!”

Cutty tipped his worn hat and headed for the door. “Much obliged for the reminder, Mrs. Dunnigan.”

“You’re welcome!” she called back.

Cutty hurried out and closed the door behind him, mumbling to himself all the way. “Consarnit, once this gets out the whole town’ll expect us to get married right away. Now what am I gonna do?” He sighed heavily. At this point there were three people he really needed to talk to, urgently. Imogene, of course. The Rev. Josiah King.

But most of all, Newton. Nothing would move until that happened.

Twelve

Cutty twisted his hat in his hands and swallowed hard. “So ya see, Preacher Jo, that’s how it is. Me and Imogene wanna get hitched, but there’s obviously a problem.”

The Rev. Josiah King wasn’t easily shocked. But now he sat slack-jawed, staring at Cutty as if he were a ghost. “If what you say is true … why are you still talking like that?”

Cutty glanced around the small parlor of Preacher Jo’s house. “Is your wife home?”

“No, she’s out at the Whites’ place.”

“Very well, then,” he said in a perfect upper-crust English accent. He even sat up straighter. “If you insist.”

Preacher Jo’s eyes bulged. “Well I’ll be. You really are …” He looked away a moment and Cutty wondered if the man was going to start yelling for Sheriff Hughes to come and arrest him. But instead he said, “It’s amazing. I never would’ve known you and Thackary Holmes are one and the same.” He looked Cutty over carefully. “Your hair…”

Cutty unconsciously rubbed his new growth with one hand. “Strange, isn’t it?”

“Not really. I’ve heard of hair growing in a different color after something like what happened to you. Between that, the scars on your face and the eye patch, no one would ever know who you really are.”

“Ya won’t tell anyone, will ya?” he said, slipping back into his Western accent.

“Do you ever get confused?” Preacher Jo asked. “I mean, do you have to think about how to talk?”

“Once in a while. But I’ve talked as Cutty for so long, I don’t even recognize my real voice sometimes.”

“I have to admit, you sound completely different when you speak as an Englishman.” Preacher Jo studied him as he thought a moment. “I understand your predicament, but I also understand that you may have to answer to the law.”

“I know. Though now that I think back on it, did I really break any laws?”

“Only you can answer that. The Good Lord has forgiven you – that is, if you’ve asked Him. His forgiveness is there for you. The Cooke family, on the other hand … well, it’s hard to say what they’ll do. As I understand it, they blame you for a lot of the things that happened to them. You did, after all, have their wives kidnapped.”

“Now that’s where yer wrong, Preacher Jo. I had nothin’ to do with them outlaws takin’ those women. I hired those men to steal cattle, not the Cooke brothers’ wives.”

“Don't forget Irene Dunnigan,” Preacher Jo said with a lopsided smile. “They took her too, remember?”

“How can I forget? I can still hear the caterwaulin’ in my head some nights.”

“Mrs. Dunnigan was screaming? Good heavens, the poor woman must have put up an awful fight.”

“She did, but it wasn’t
her
screamin’ – it was the men she beat over the head with that cast-iron ladle of hers during the big fight.”

Preacher Jo laughed. “That sounds more like Irene.” He suddenly sobered. “You’ve got some decisions to make, I’m afraid. At this point, I couldn’t marry you and Imogene in good conscience. You need to come clean with your son and the rest of the family. Imogene is a fine woman and will make you a good wife. Personally I think you’ve more than redeemed yourself, I’m sure the Lord will bless you for it. What others will do, I can’t say.”

“So you can marry us after I tell everyone?”

“Barring further complications, I’d say yes. Besides, do you really want to live any longer with this hanging over your head? It wouldn’t be good for either you or Imogene. The two of you want to start your life together with trust and honesty between you.”

“Yer right,” Cutty agreed. “I cain’t expect Imogene to keep this to herself if we got hitched now. I don’t want it to come between her and her family.”

“That’s commendable of you, Cutty. When are you going to tell Newton?”

“He just got back. Maybe I’ll speak with him tomorrow … well, at least about goin’ huntin’. I thought it’d be a good way for us to spend time together first.”

“A wise decision,” Preacher Jo agreed. “Let me know if you’d like to have me there.”

“Nah, I’d best do it alone, but thanks.”

“Well,” Preacher Jo said as he stood. “If there’s nothing else, I need to get back to my office and work on a sermon. Keep me informed, will you?”

“I will. Thanks for not bein’ angry.”

“Angry?”

“Yeah, now that ya know who I really am.”

Preacher Jo gave him a half-smile. “For your information, Cutty, I already know who
you
are. That other fellow, Thackary, I don’t know at all – he’s a complete stranger and doesn’t mean anything to me. You, on the other hand, do. And you mean a lot to this town too.”

“Enough to keep people from stringin’ me up when they find out who I was?”

Preacher Jo’s smile broadened. “There, you see? Progress already. You just said
was.
Remember that the man you are today is not the man you were a couple of years ago.”

Cutty swallowed hard and nodded, tears in his eyes. The man was being so gracious to him, he almost didn’t know what to say. “It’s hard. I keep havin’ these thoughts of what happened back then. The bad things I did to get what I wanted.”

“From the sounds of it, what you want now is to see your children happy. There’s no crime in that.”

Cutty chewed his lower lip as he also stood. “Yer right – guess I need to keep remindin’ myself of that. I just hope everyone else in town agrees with ya. ‘Specially the Cooke brothers.”

“They will. You might have to give them a little time, though.”

“Just so long as they don’t hang me from the highest tree while they’re decidin’.”

Preacher Jo put his arm around him as they walked to the door. “If you want, I can be there when you speak with them.”

“I might take ya up on that. But when it comes to Newton, I feel I need to do it alone. Ya understand.”

“I guess so. I’ve never been in a situation quite like yours before, though … well, closer than you might think. But I’m proud of you for wanting to do the right thing.”

“Thank ya, Preacher Jo – that means a lot to me. I’ll let ya get back to work. Thanks for taking the time to listen.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

“Ya gonna tell yer wife?”

“Only if you want me to. You told me everything in confidence, and I’ll hold to that. Annie doesn’t need to know everything.”

Cutty smiled in relief. “Thanks again – I ‘preciate it.” He headed out the door. One down, two to go.

* * *

The next morning, Cutty knocked on the door of Newton’s hotel room.

After several moments he finally answered. “Good morning,” he said with a yawn. “I’m terribly sorry, but I’ve only just dressed – I seem to have overslept. Come in.” He turned and crossed to the other side of the room.

Cutty followed him and sat in the nearest chair. “Ya look like ya didn’t sleep a wink.”

“On the contrary, I shut my eyes yesterday afternoon for a few moments … and woke up not 20 minutes ago. I do hope Mrs. Upton still has something left from breakfast.”

“She saved ya a plate. I wouldn’t worry ‘cept it might be cold by now. How was the huntin’?”

Newton froze and stared at him a moment. “It was … interesting.”

“Willy the stagecoach driver said he saw ya with an Injun huntin’ party the other day.”

“I … met them,” Newton said, his face a mask.

Cutty’s eyes widened. “Were ya with ‘em?”

Newton went to the dresser where a water pitcher sat and poured himself a glass. He drained it, then turned to Cutty. “They are a fascinating people. I plan to spend more time with them.”

“Ya mean yer goin’ back?” Cutty asked in surprise.

“As soon as I can, in fact. I’m only here long enough to gather up a few things to take with me to show them.” He set the glass on the dresser, then went and sat in the only other chair. “Well, that and catch a nap. They’re very eager to learn our ways and I theirs. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow?” Cutty said in shock. “But ya can’t go!”

“Why not?”

“Well, because… what about Ryder’s house? We need yer help.”

“There are plenty of men who want to help – you don’t need me.”

“But I … well, what about Nettie? She was just tellin’ me how she ain’t seen ya for days.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” he chuckled. “Nor the last. She’s gone days without seeing me before – she is married now, after all. Besides, I’ll have more to tell her after this trip.”

Now or never. “I’m comin’ with ya.”

“What?!”

“Ya heard me. I wanna come with ya.”

Newton raised a curious brow. “You do?”

“Course I do. Yer not the only one interested in Injuns.”

Newton rubbed his chin a few times. “I’m not sure if you can.”

“What do ya mean?”

“I had to have an invitation – Ryder procured it for me. You’ll probably have to go through the same protocol.”

“So get me an invitation.”

“That’s not as easy as you make it sound. Ryder or Seth would have to do it, and they’re working on the house for the next few days.”

“Come work with us, then we’ll go see the Injuns,” Cutty suggested.

Newton left his chair, turned toward the window and sighed. “I’ve got to get back,” he said softly. “I’m afraid I can’t wait.”

“Why in tarnation not?” Cutty asked. Really, what had his son so interested in a tribe of Indians?

Newton turned his head ever so slightly in his direction. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Understand?” What was he talking about? Cutty scratched his head. “If’n ya say so. At least come help Ryder out for a day.”

“I’m afraid not, sorry.” He turned around. “I’ve got to get back out there.”

Cutty studied him. His son looked tired yet excited, like a boy who’d just discovered a whole new world. Which, come to think of it, he likely had. But there was a brightness in his eyes that went beyond the look of an explorer. It made Cutty want to share in his son’s excitement all the more. “Are ya sure I can’t go with ya?”

“Not this time. Let me see about an invitation, then you can go. And when you do …” He smiled. “… you’ll love them, I’m sure.”

Nothing for it, then. “Guess I’ll just hafta wait,” Cutty said with a shrug.

Newton nodded and smiled again. “I’m sure you won’t have to wait long.” He headed for the door. “In the meantime, come have some coffee with me. I’d love to share what I saw while I was with them.”

Cutty smiled back. A few more moments with him was better than nothing, and if Newton wanted to spend that time with him, who was he to argue? “Sure, and we can have some cold pancakes and bacon too. At least that’s what it smelled like when I came into the hotel to see ya.”

“Whatever Mrs. Upton managed to save for me will be wonderful. Anything she cooks usually is.”

They went downstairs to the dining room, sat and within minutes had steaming hot cups of coffee and plates of food in front of them. But it was all Cutty could do to concentrate on his food, because Newton’s excitement grew as he talked. Cutty began to wonder what sort of spell those Indians had weaved around his son. Now more than ever he wanted to spend more time with Newton, Indians or no Indians.

“Well, I must be off,” Newton suddenly announced and stood.

“What? So soon?” Cutty watched him turn on his heel and stride off. “Hey, wait for me!” But Newton didn’t – he strode for the lobby, reached the stairs and took them two at a time. Cutty had to run to keep up with him. “What in blazes is yer hurry?”

“I’ve already packed most of what I’ll need,” Newton informed him as he reached his room. He unlocked the door and entered.

Cutty took a second in the doorway to catch his breath. “Ya mean to tell me yer still headin’ out there?”

“I wasn’t quite awake when you came to my room earlier. Now that I have my wits about me, there’s not a moment to lose. I’m leaving right away.”

“Now?!” Cutty said in shock. “Dagnabit, we just talked about this! At least wait ‘til tomorrow. I want to spend …” He snapped his mouth shut.

Newton stopped pulling clothes from the dresser and stared at him. “You want to spend what?”

Cutty looked away. “Ah, it ain’t nothin’. Fine, go ahead and visit yer Injun friends. But when’ll ya be back?”

“Not long – a few days at the most. I’ll see if you can come with me the next time.” He crossed the room and put a hand on Cutty’s shoulder. “You’re not disappointed, I hope?”

“Kinda … I mean, it’d be excitin’ to travel ‘cross the prairie with ya …”

Newton gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Right you are, my good man! They’re a wonderful people. You’ll see.” He grabbed a holster and put it on.

Cutty noticed the Colt .45 in the holster. “Thought ya said they were friendly.”

“They are. But not everyone out there is. Seth and Ryder told me that sometimes cattle rustlers pass through.”

Cutty shuddered. He’d had his share of run-ins with cattle rustlers and outlaws, enough to last him a lifetime. “Then make sure ya got plenty of bullets.”