Chapter 15
It was truly a night of celebrating. Ben had given Jerry and Leanne his recent life history, talked about being a good provider, and how he wanted to get things done before it started snowing, before he got the nerve up to ask if he could marry Miriam.
Jerry laughed while Leanne squealed and hugged Ben. They gave him permission and their blessing.
That night, as they cuddled in bed, they reflected on how good the day was, and how good God was, always, even when they couldn’t understand it at the time.
The week passed by in a frenzy. Miriam and Ben were getting married the following Saturday. The house was filled with chatter and busying about getting everything planned and ready.
Jerry was due in court on Monday. Leanne could tell he was nervous about it, knowing most of it was caused by his embarrassment to go to town. He hadn’t left his house since the accident and he didn’t want to be seen, even though many people had come to visit him. He hated the thought of being a spectacle in a crowd.
Leanne soothed him as much as possible, not knowing what more to say. She assured him she would be by his side the entire time.
The morning of court, Max met him in front of the courthouse as Walt pulled the buggy to a stop. He was ashamed when they had to help him out of the buggy and up the steps, even with Leanne’s encouragement. She sat beside him while Walt retrieved the wheelchair.
When Fred came in and walked past them, he mistook the look on Jerry’s face as one of defeat. The pompous man walked with an air of arrogance.
The judge took care of several smaller matters to clear the courtroom as quickly as possible. When he called Jerry and Fred to face him, he read the dispute claimed by Fred, and had them return to their seats until called.
“I’ve read over everything and have familiarized myself with the case. Mr. Fred Durham, would you take the stand and tell me your side of this?”
Fred placed his hand on the Bible to swear to tell the truth.
Leanne leaned and whispered to Jerry. “I’m looking for smoke to come off the Bible.”
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand.
When Fred began to speak of private, sensitive matters, the judge stopped him.
“This isn’t something to be aired in front of everyone, especially with ladies present.” He asked for both men and their lawyers to join him in the back room he used for an office.
A little while later, the doctor was sworn in and called to join them.
Leanne sat with her three friends and Walt, talking quietly, while everyone else in the courtroom did the same. Every minute that went by, Leanne felt more nervous. She looked at the judge’s closed door again.
“I wish they would hurry,” she complained. “All of this waiting is making me feel a bit sick.” She put her hand on her stomach.
Natalie looked at her and then put her hand on her face. “You look a bit flushed. Let me get you some water.” She jumped up and went toward the deputy in the front of the room.
“Leanne,” Walt took her hand and spoke confidently. “You know how Fred goes on about things. He’s probably talking the judge’s ear off. But don’t you worry, the judge will see right through him.”
She smiled weakly. “I’m sure everything will be fine. I feel silly for worrying so, but it’s just taking so long.”
Natalie returned and Leanne sipped the offered water.
Finally, the door opened and the courtroom was called back to order as Jerry took his place beside Leanne, and everyone settled down.
The judge looked at Fred and told him to stand. “Mr. Fred Durham. This has been one of the worst wastes of time I have ever witnessed in a courtroom. I am appalled at what you have put your own cousin and his new wife through. You have no legal claim to the land. I’m tempted to make you pay court fines for this farce. You are to leave Mr. Jeremiah Durham, his family, friends, ranch, workers, anything and anyone that he is involved in, alone. Do you understand?”
Fred swallowed hard, mumbled as he nodded, and sat down.
The Judge looked at Jerry. “Mr. Jeremiah Durham, you have full, permanent ownership of the land granted to your father and his heirs, in accordance with the legal documents recorded.”
“Thank you, sir.” Jerry gently squeezed Leanne’s hand as he looked at the judge.
“Furthermore, I would like to commend you for your service to your country, as a decorated Union officer. You have paid dearly for your service, and I wish you the best life has to offer in your future.”
Leanne’s head was spinning. She could hear the judge speaking, but she wasn’t understanding a word after he said, “a decorated Union Officer.”
Her stomach rolled with nausea, and she felt as if it was a hundred degrees in the room. Her vision was growing dim, and she couldn’t move or do anything to help herself. She wanted to scream. Surely, she was imagining this because she could never marry a…
“No!” she choked weakly as she started to fall sideways from her chair. Her eyes rolled back in her head as darkness overtook her. Her last thought was about her husband being a despicable Yankee.
I’m married to my enemy!
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Leanne could feel herself being moved. She heard voices calling her name, and felt her face and hand being patted. She struggled to respond but couldn’t move her mouth or open her eyes. The voices were muffled and didn’t make sense…nothing made sense, including the thoughts that her sweet, compassionate husband could be a murderous monster. No, he just couldn’t be. This was some kind of a nightmare that she had to awaken from.
She felt herself sinking into a soft bed, as the voices became clearer. A voice was ordering everyone out of the room, but she felt someone holding her hand. As her eyes began to flutter open, she saw Jerry with her hand to his lips as he prayed quietly. His eyes were closed with tears rolling down his cheeks. Staying perfectly still, she tried to bring her eyes and mind into focus. What had happened? Where was she?
She moved, and Jerry’s eyes flew open.
He leaned forward and rubbed her face with his free hand. “Oh, sweetheart. You gave me quite a scare. How are you feeling?”
Her thoughts became clearer with only one question on her mind. “Are you a Yankee?” she asked softly as her lip quivered.
“Leanne, I’m your husband who loves you more than anything in this world.” He leaned closer and tried to kiss her.
She turned her head and pulled her hand from him. “Are you a Yankee?” she asked a bit more firmly.
He lowered his head and closed his eyes, whispering, “Yes. Sweetheart, I was going to tell you…”
The doctor stepped beside the bed.
“Mrs. Durham, are you feeling better?”
She nodded, refusing to look at Jerry.
“I know the courtroom can cause stress, but if you don’t mind, I would like to at least ask some questions to see if anything else may have caused this. As healthy as you look, and from what your husband has told me, I can’t believe this happened because of stress alone. Do you mind?”
She glared at Jerry, “Please leave.”
Jerry’s chest couldn’t have hurt more if she had run a sword through it. What had he done? Why hadn’t he been completely honest with her before? Why did he wait until she had to find out from someone else, completely by surprise?
He looked at the doctor. “I’ll wait with the others.”
Leanne saw an overwhelming look of defeat on his face, saw it in his slumped muscular shoulders, and heard it in his voice. Her heart broke for him, and for herself. She hated to hurt him, but he had deceived her for months. He knew how she felt about Yankees. Was he planning to keep it a secret forever? But now it was too late… Too late to fix things. Too late to try. But what were they supposed to do now? How could they continue to live ignoring this unforgiveable fact? How could they live…together?
Tears rolled down her face uncontrollably, until she was sobbing and shaking.
Jerry heard her as he rolled his chair through the door, wanting more than anything to go back to her and hold her, kiss away her tears, and promise everything would be okay. He glanced back at her and refrained from turning around. She had asked him to leave. That’s what he needed to do.
Leanne answered a few of the doctor’s questions as she wiped her face and sat up.
“Doctor, thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. I’m just tired, and the stress from going to court didn’t help matters.
“We’ve been busy planning a wedding for my friend, getting prepared for the holidays, and the possibility of being snowed in for the winter. I’ve never been around much snow, so that has me a bit worried too, I suppose.
“I’m sure I just need some sleep.” She stood and refused the doctor’s examination.
He sighed. “I want you to promise you will call me or come see me in a week or so if you aren’t feeling better.”
“I promise. The court case is behind us, Miriam’s wedding is Saturday, and I will be able to rest all winter. I’m sure that’s all I need.”
He walked her out of the room and shrugged to Jerry’s unasked question. “I want to see her in a week or so if she’s not feeling better.”
Jerry reached to help her with her coat, but she shrunk away from him.
The ladies huddled together as they readied themselves for the cold trip back to the ranch. A look of disgust was etched on their faces.
Catherine stepped up to Walt. “I’ll drive all of us girls back to the ranch. You men can ride together.”
Leanne never once looked at any of the men. They had all deceived her and the other girls, even though it was Jerry’s place to say something. But not now…it was simply too late.
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Leanne made up her mind to carry on living normally, with just a few adjustments. There was no way she would put a damper on Miriam’s wedding.
Moving all of her things from Jerry’s room, she cried silent tears behind her bedroom door. She had fallen so deeply in love with him, but she had too much hate for the Yankees. Witnessing and living through the death and destruction they left in their path, would never leave her memory. They made orphans out of children and burned houses that used to be homes. They stole everything of value and destroyed the rest.
All week, the ladies talked to each other, acting like Jerry wasn’t even alive. Any time Walt was around, they ignored him as well.
Leanne busied herself every waking moment that she wasn’t doing housework, with stitching, baking and crafting bows for the wedding. She also spent a lot of time crying when no one was around, but she was too mad to pray.
It wasn’t until the night after Ben and Miriam’s wedding, that Catherine and Natalie approached her with their plan.
“We’ve talked with our bosses and have decided to move back to town. The threat of danger is over, and we’ve been promised enough work to keep us going through the winter.”
“Oh, no, you can’t leave me!” she shrieked.
Catherine took her hand. “We don’t intend to. You need to come with us. Have this so-called marriage annulled, or just outright divorce him. He deceived you about being a Yankee. There’s no telling what else he’s not being truthful about.”
“We can move somewhere else in the spring,” Natalie added gently.
Jerry moved into the doorway. “You two are welcome to stay here, but I won’t have you influencing my wife against me.”
Catherine snarled at him. “You’ve done all the damage yourself. We’re just offering her a choice. We have been through too much together. We won’t abandon her now.”
He nodded at Catherine. “I admire you for that, really, I mean it. But now you’ve made your offer. Don’t try to influence or pressure her.
“Leanne, you’ve spent all week talking to your friends, and I haven’t interfered. Before you make such a drastic decision, I ask for equal time. We need to talk.
“You’re intelligent, level-headed and fair. I ask that you give me a chance to explain. If you still choose to leave, I won’t stand in your way.” He turned and left.
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Leanne knew Jerry was right, she did owe it to him to listen to an explanation, even though she didn’t see how it could make any difference. After a tearful goodbye to Catherine and Natalie, she closed the door and went to find something to keep her occupied in her already clean kitchen.
Tears filled her eyes again. She felt so weak and discouraged, and had cried so much over the past week, she felt on the verge of being sick almost every minute. Where had her strength and stamina gone? When she was in fear of spending the rest of her life with Staley, she had straightened her shoulders and stayed strong.
More tears fell, as she started reorganizing the shelves in the pantry. The difference was that this time, her heart was involved. She had fallen in love with Jerry and vowed to spend the rest of her life with him. The thought of not doing so ripped at her heart.
Another difference came to her as she continued her mindless task. When she was with Staley, she had prayed constantly for the Lord to help her. This time, she had been too mad and upset, refusing to pray. Praying may lead her to forgiving the Yankees, but how could God ask that of her or any southerner?
She fell to her knees in sobs, reaching for a bucket because she felt so sick, and called out loudly to the Lord to help her.
A calm feeling overcame her as she continued to pray a heartfelt prayer for long minutes. God was there with her. He had been the entire time. All she had to do was call out to Him.
She prayed until there were no more tears, feeling too spent and weak to move.