Chapter 13
GRANT
I was only steps away when I saw Lauren step out of the dress store, her eyes shifting right over me. Smiling, I was just about to call her name when she turned and froze.
Oren, who also did not recognize me, said something to her that I can’t hear, but by the way she’s holding herself, it certainly wasn’t pleasant. Three steps later, I am standing against her back, one hand on my pistol and the other on her trembling waist.
“Did you just speak to my wife, Lieber?”
He runs off like the coward he is because he knows he’s a dead man walking now, but Lauren is my main concern right now. I will deal with him later. Her small body is trembling so hard I can hear her teeth rattling.
It takes me a little while to calm her down and get her back in the dress shop, but then she and Beatrice start rambling about how different I look, and I go along with it just to see Lauren smile, glad that haunted look is leaving her face.
As we walk into the general store, I almost knock old man Harvey over as I’m utterly focused on Lauren and the feel of her ass under my hand.
I reach out, grabbing him before he falls. “Good catch there, youngin. How may I help you two? Lord, is that you, Grant?”
“Yes, … good heavens, I had no idea shaving my beard off and cutting my hair would confuse everyone so badly!”
“You went from a smelly beast to a fine-looking gentleman and usually, those two things can’t wear the same skin. What can I help you two with today?”
“Bread, we need bread.”
Lauren and old man Harvey both laugh at me.
“No really, she wants a stove, and I told her to pick it out. We also need some other supplies. Lauren, look around and gather up whatever you think we may need. I just saw Mr. Kerns walk by, and I need to talk to him about some lumber.”
“You don’t want to help me with the stove?”
“Nope! Harvey, I leave her in your care.”
He nods thoughtfully at me, knowing what I mean, as I walk out hailing the lumber yard owner.
“Mr. Kerns, if you have a moment, can we speak?”
The older gentleman turns my way when he hears my voice. “Good day, sir. What can I do for you?”
It’s me, Grant Hayes.
“My, if not for your size, I may have called you a liar. Most don’t change their appearance much with or without their hair, but that’s neither here nor there. What can I do for you?”
“I am looking to purchase enough lumber to build a nice-sized home, two barns, and fencing. I would like to keep the money locally, but I have a problem with one of your staff, and I don’t want his hands touching a thing I order.”
“I see. … Are you the one who saved the girl Oren had bought? That man has a mean streak a mile wide when it comes to females.”
“Yes, and that girl is now my wife.”
“Even though my staff is typically not up for discussion, in this case, we are in agreement. I let Oren go yesterday after a confrontation at another site. Apparently, he made some very inappropriate comments to another person’s wife.
He was told to leave town on the next stage, but that is not until tomorrow. ”
“In that case, I will place the order with you shortly. I am also looking for a crew to build the home and barn. Can you recommend anyone? I will pay a fair wage, but would like to have the home finished before winter sets in.”
“You’re in luck, since we just finished supplying the last lumber on a big job which should leave several crews available. They may be able to start right away. Why don’t you stop by the lumber office later in the week and we can discuss this further?”
“How does Thursday sound? I have to bring a load of coal in for Harvey.”
“Thursday it is, and I look forward to working with you.”
I’ve just turned and I’m walking past the saloon when I hear a commotion inside.
“You cheat … give me my money back!” The entire place seems to be in an uproar, and the next thing I know, a man is thrown out the door.
He rolls across the ground, but not before he pulls the pistol strapped to his hip.
He fires wildly, shooting all around. I duck down and around the corner as bullets fly amok. People run in all directions as his crazed rants continue. The next thing I know, the man who had been thrown out the saloon door is suddenly facing down the Marshal.
“Put the gun down Lieber, don’t force me to do it for you!”
His eyes are crazy, and I can tell he’s not going to back down. He raises his gun, but not before the Marshal is forced to act. Two shots later, the Marshal is standing over the body, yelling out,
“Shows over folks, you all go on with your day, nothing else to see here.”
Standing, I come around the corner. My only thought is Lauren, and my eyes instantly find her, way too close, standing on the corner, her hand against her mouth, her eyes wide. Old man Harvey has his arm around her as she stares down at the man on the ground, her former abuser … Oren.
Crossing the street quickly, I pull her into my arms. She isn’t crying, but she does clutch me tight. “You with me, Little Mouse?”
“I heard shots, recognized the voice … was terrified it was you he was screaming at. I remember Harvey yelling my name, but I had to find you.”
Looking over her head at Harvey, he motions for us to come back into the store. Picking Lauren up, we walk back in and I sit her in a rocker he has on display while he pours her a cup of coffee. I bend down so that my face is right in front of her.
“Talk to me, Mouse.”
“He won’t hurt anyone else ever again.”
I can barely hear her soft words, but I swear I can see the years of abuse wash over her as she remembers them. “No honey, he won’t.”
Harvey is standing on the other side of her when she starts rocking back and forth in the chair. “You look good in this chair, Mrs. Hayes. You should make Grant take this one home for you.”
Lauren doesn’t say anything, just holds the cup in her hand while she rocks back and forth, completely wrapped up in her own thoughts. “Do you happen to have two?”
“Actually, I do, Grant. We also gathered a couple of crates of supplies while you were gone. Your little Missus strikes a hard bargain.”
Glancing out the window, I see them dragging Oren’s body out of the street. Taking my finger, I tilt her chin up so that she must look at me. “Little Mouse, you ready to head home?”
She shakes her head and smiles up at me sadly. “No, I’m fine, but thank you. I know we still have several things to do while we’re here in town.”
Thankfully, old man Harvey takes that as an opportunity to get her mind off what just happened, at least temporarily.
“If you two would like to come with me into the back room, I just might have exactly what you’re looking for, Mrs. Hayes.
I ordered this for another customer, but they never picked it up. ”
I help Lauren get up before heading into the storeroom with Harvey.
“This stove is the newest thing on the market, an Oberlin. It has some handy features, such as a warming oven and a damper to help regulate the heat. These broiling plates work well with the cast-iron pots most of us use daily. It will run off wood or coal as well. I thought that was a nice feature, especially since you have coal readily available on your homestead.”
Lauren running her fingers across the enamel with pure awe on her features, makes me determined to purchase it. “How much is it?”
“Twenty-six dollars. But that comes with delivery and set up too.”
“We’ll take it! When can you deliver it to the cabin?”
“Tomorrow, midday. I already have another delivery scheduled for early morning.”
“We will have the space cleared and ready for it.”
Lauren grabs my sleeve. “Grant, can I talk to you?”
“Harvey, go ahead and start writing it up and give us a moment.”
The second he’s out of sight, her large hazel eyes pierce mine. “Have you lost your mind?”
“Not that I know of, no.”
“That is a ridiculous amount of money that we don’t need to spend; as long as I have the right ingredients, I can cook whatever we need right over the fire. There’s no reason to purchase that.”
“Summer is coming, Lauren, and an open fire in the cabin is miserable. Will this stove make your life easier and the cabin cooler?”
“I suppose, but …”
“There is no but … now what all do we need for bread?”
“You are incorrigible.”
“Just figuring that out, huh?”
By the time we leave the mercantile, we have enough food to feed ten people for a month, two new rocking chairs, utensils, and seeds to start the garden.
“Harvey, I’ll bring the wagon up so we can load this stuff. We just need to make a quick stop at the Apothecary and I need to pay Beatrice.”
Thankfully, those shops are side by side, and I’m able to slip out one door and into another while Lauren is talking to the clerk about the salve.
“Beatrice, where are you, doll?”
“Coming, you handsome thing and I have all your things ready.”
“Here”, I hand her a twenty-dollar gold piece. “Will this pay for my sister’s silk?”
“And then some, let me get you change.”
“No, keep it. I want you to make a dress for Lauren for Christmas out of it.”
“Anything in particular?”
“I will leave that up to you. I am going to plan a trip for us, and she’ll need several nice dresses, a formal coat, and all the accessories.”
“I will get them started by the end of summer and they’ll be ready by November.”
“Perfect! I’d better get back before she realizes I am gone.”
“Grant?”
“Yes?”
“She’s standing strong right now, but that man was her husband, good or bad. Be gentle, a woman’s heart is a delicately strong thing, but easily damaged.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
I catch Lauren walking toward the door just as I am slipping back in. “My goodness, to be as large as you are, you disappear quite quickly on me, and I really wish you would stop that.”
Kissing her forehead, I can’t help but laugh. My Little Mouse can bite when she needs to.