Liam (6 page)

He’d see to all of her needs and wants in return for her care of his children. That was reasonable. The gold strike would allow him to hire help for her. She wouldn’t have to cook, unless she wanted to, or clean. Surely he’d be able to hire some local women to do those things. Perhaps even the wives of some of the miners that were coming with the equipment, assuming some of them were married. Maybe they’d like a little extra income.

He’d add on to the cabin, turn it into a real house. She could have her own bedroom…maybe he’d think on that a little more. Just because it was a business arrangement didn’t mean he wanted to forgo the marital bed. If he admitted it to himself, that was part of the reason for getting married. A mother for the children yes, but also a bedmate for him. Besides, Miss Smith…Eleanor, would probably want children of her own and she wasn’t getting any younger. He didn’t mind the thought of having more children. He and Mary had wanted a houseful.

“Zach, can I talk to you? In private,” he added when Jake and Becky looked up with interest.

Zach shrugged. “Certainly.”

Liam led the way outside. “We can talk while I take care of the horse.”

There was a small barn behind the cabin where the horses were boarded. Liam led the big bay mare back there and removed the saddle and blanket putting them on the top rail of the first stall. There were four stalls, one for each horse. They’d built a lean-to when they first arrived, but the boys had turned it into a barn when they built the cabin. The horses would be safe for the winter.

Zach picked up some straw and began rubbing down the horse. “So what did you want to discuss?”

Liam rubbed down his side of the mare and then picked up the curry comb. “I understand you’re courting Lily Sutter.”

“I am. For all the good it’s doing me.” He narrowed his eyes. “What business is it of yours? How’d you know anyway? You’ve been away since I started courting her.”

“It’s a long story—”

“We’ve got time.” He patted the mare’s neck and dust flew off. “We still have to finish currying her. So start talkin’.”

Liam sighed. “I found out from Eleanor Smith.”

Zach raised his eyebrows. “The reverend’s daughter? How’d you meet her anyway? It’s not like you go to church.”

“We ran into each other. Literally.” Liam told him the whole story of meeting Eleanor.

Zach laughed out loud, a great booming laugh. “And now you want to marry her? Are you crazy? You’ve just got a bad case of lust. Go slake it at
The Gem
and then tell me if you still want to marry her.”

“I’m not crazy,” Liam said evenly,

“She
is
the preacher’s daughter and I know how you feel about God right now. I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.”

“Religion has nothing to do with this. It’s a business arrangement.”

Zach barked with laughter. “Do you think she’s just going to stop believing, stop ministering to the ladies, to marry you? Why don’t you just go to
The Gem
and take care of that itch you’ve got. You don’t need to get married for that.”

Liam slammed the curry comb a bit harder on the horse than he meant to and she let him know, butting him with her head. “Sorry, old girl,” he said quietly to the mare.” He began to curry her again. “This is more than lust. Although, I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t part of it. I find Miss Smith very attractive.”

Zach laughed again. “Are we talking about the same Miss Smith? Tall, lanky, dark hair pulled up in a bun so tight her eyes slant?”

“They do not. She’s very attractive.” He had to admit, he didn’t know if her eyes slanted or not, since her bun was deliciously disheveled, like the rest of her when they’d met.

“To each their own,” said Zach, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Admittedly she is not as lushly built as Lily Sutter, but then neither was Mary.”

“You can’t replace Mary,” Zach said quietly.

“I
know
that. I’m not trying to replace her, but my children deserve a mother, and not one that’s a gold digger. Those kinds of women are going to start showing up soon enough, as the word of the strike gets out. Jake’s lucky. He and Becky don’t have to worry about that. I won’t either if Miss Smith accepts my suit.”

“So that’s why you’re all fired up to get married?”

“I told you it’s not just that. There are lots of reasons. It’s time. Mary wouldn’t have wanted me to stay alone any more than I would have expected it of her.”

Zach nodded. He didn’t seem to know what to say, or he was measuring his words, which wasn’t like him at all.

Liam continued, “I know this seems sudden and it is, but you weren’t there when she fell into my arms. How she felt so perfect there, so…right.”

“No, I wasn’t there but I still think you should spend some time at
The Gem
. At least take the edge off. Make sure this is really what you want. Who knows? She may actually say yes.”

Liam cocked an eyebrow and rested his arms across the mare’s back. “Have you been visiting
The Gem
since you decided to court Lily?”

“Well, no, that wouldn’t be right to court a lady and then…”

“Exactly. Eleanor is every bit as much a lady as Lily.”

“I never said she wasn’t.”

“I considered she might say no, which is why I need your help and why we’re having this conversation at all. I need your help to court her properly.”

“I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask. My efforts don’t seem to be working with Lily. But,” he thought about it a minute, “nothing much seems to have changed. You should bring her gifts; flowers, candy or a book. Something you think she’d enjoy.”

“Does Lily stock those kinds of things in the mercantile?”

“A few. There’s not much call for that kind of thing in Deadwood. Apparently, not much courting going on here.”

“Well, how do you court Lily?”

“Well, mostly I just work for free on Saturdays, but it’s harder for me. Any gift I want to give her, I have to order at Bullock and Starr’s hardware store. They’ve been kind enough to order some books and perfume for me.”

“Isn’t perfume sort of personal for a courting gift?”

“Yes, but I’m optimistic.” He grinned. “I think I’m wearing her down.”

They both laughed.

“Hey, if you two are done laughing like jackasses, supper is ready,” said Jake. “What are you talking about that’s so funny?”

“Women,” said Liam and Zach in unison.

“Don’t even get me started,” complained Jake. “Since Becky got pregnant, she’s been teary eyed half the time and I don’t know what’s wrong or how to fix it.”

“I know,” said Liam. “But you need to realize there isn’t anything you can do. It’s the pregnancy and it changes them somehow—”

Zach roared with laughter. “Changes them? Like you understood Becky before she got pregnant?”

“Well,” said Jake, patting the mare and scratching her behind her ears. “I understand her even less now.”

“Amen, to that,” said Liam. “I remember when Mary was pregnant. She cried at the drop of a hat and then the next minute she was laughing uproariously over absolutely nothing.”

“The laughing I can handle,” said Jake, “but the tears. I feel so totally helpless when she starts crying because there’s nothing I can do. Half the time she doesn’t even know why she’s bawling. Speaking of which, we better go before she starts in about us ruining her dinner and begins crying over that. Come on.”

CHAPTER 4

Dinner was loud and boisterous with everyone talking and asking questions all at the same time. Jake and Zach wanted details of the talks he had with the governor and general. Becky wanted to know what the city was like and kept thanking Liam over and over again for the beautiful dress he’d brought her back. He’d remembered that she’d nearly fit into Mary’s blouse and so got her a dress one size bigger. He hoped she’d be able to find someone to alter it if she needed. There were drummers that came through Deadwood selling various goods, so she could get some ribbons to go with it from them.

The kids were the best. They didn’t want to let him go. Clung to him all night until bedtime and even then were loathe going to sleep for fear he wouldn’t be there when they woke up. He sat and read to them both before they went to sleep. But finally, as he was finishing the second chapter of David’s new favorite book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, they drifted off.

“I feel so guilty,” said Liam. “They’re afraid I’m going to leave forever like their mother did.”

“They did seem to cling to us while you were gone, especially Jake and Becky,” said Zach.

They sat at the table, relaxing with coffee after the steak dinner Becky had prepared.

“I don’t know how to reassure them that I’ll be here for them. That’s another reason I think I should remarry. They need two parents.”

“So that’s what you and Zach were talking about in the barn. Who’s the lucky lady? Someone you met while you were away?” asked Jake.

“No, actually someone I met when I got back.”

“Eleanor Smith,” laughed Zach.

“What’s so funny about that?” challenged Becky. “Eleanor is a perfectly nice woman, who has been nothing but kind to me.”

“Whoa,” said Zach, holding his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t mean anything by it. She just seems, I don’t know…not Liam’s type.”

“You mean because she’s the reverend’s daughter and Liam is angry at God for taking Mary?” asked Jake.

“Exactly,” responded Zach.

“I believe it’s an obstacle we can overcome,” said Liam. “I won’t try to change her beliefs and she won’t try to convert me.”

“If you can work that out, all the more power to you,” said Zach, taking a sip of the strong, hot brew in his cup. “Though I don’t believe you’ll be able to do that.”

“Once we marry and she moves out here, she won’t have much time for anything but caring for and teaching David and Hannah.”

“So you would deny all the other children an education and keep Eleanor all to yourself?” asked Becky.

“She’ll be my wife. She’ll do as I say,” insisted Liam.

“Jake tried to run my life, and I nearly shot him on several occasions,” stated Becky. “A woman doesn’t like to be told what to do. Asked, nicely, and maybe she’ll agree to your suggestions, but never to your demands.”

“So Becky, you’re a woman—” said Liam.

“Thanks for noticing.”

“—how should I court Eleanor?”

“Well, if it were me, and Jake didn’t court me, so I can only guess. We sort of put the cart before the horse. He still needs to court me.” She looked over at Jake who had the good sense to look sheepish. “Anyway, I’d start by talking to her father. She takes great store in what he says and if he turns you down, you might as well hang up your idea of marrying her.”

“Why would he turn me down?”

“Who knows, maybe he doesn’t want his little girl to get married. She’s not young, you know,” said Becky. “I think she’s in her thirties.”

“So what. I’m not young either. I turned forty this year,” said Liam. “I don’t want a wife just out of the school room. I think I should approach Miss Smith first and see if she would be open to my suit. If so, then I talk to her father. After all, if she doesn’t want to get married then I should look elsewhere, regardless of what her father thinks.”

“That makes sense,” said Zach.

“Good. On that note,” said Liam, “I’m going to bed. It’s been a long day and I’m going to have another long one before me. Luckily, I know where I can find Miss Smith on Monday. I’ll talk to her when I take David and Hannah to school.”

“She’s actually going to try to teach school while on crutches?” asked Jake. “I thought you said she wasn’t very good on them.”

“She’s not, but she will have had time to practice so maybe she’ll be better,” shrugged Liam.

Monday morning Liam drove the kids to camp in the wagon. After this, David would take one of the horses and he and Hannah would ride to school. When they arrived at the preacher’s tent, there were already several children in line to go in.

Eleanor stood to one side of the tent flap, leaning on her crutches and holding it open with her body. She greeted each child by name as they entered.

When Liam walked up with David and Hannah, Eleanor beamed. “Why Mr. Anderson, I’m so glad David and Hannah are joining us today.”

She moved to reposition herself on her crutches and lost her balance. Liam caught her, sweeping her into his arms and away from the ground.

“Perhaps you should sit inside and wait for the children,” he said, carrying her inside the tent.

David followed, carrying her crutches.

Liam set her down on one of the many chairs at the back of the tent, away from where the children were assembling at the front.

“Yes, perhaps I should. I was doing so well, until you showed up. For some reason, I keep landing in your arms. I can’t seem to keep my balance around you.” She was frustrated and Liam thought she would have stomped her foot if she’d been able to.

He smiled and sat next to her. “Miss Smith, I’d like to discuss something with you before you start teaching the children today.”