Chapter Eleven
“Howdy, there, ladies,” Micah said as he tipped his hat to Ellie, Callie, and Louisa on the front porch of Rosie’s after lunch. He’d brought Louisa and Ellie into town, but Louisa planned to stay for a few more hours to meet with Florence regarding the Founder’s Day Festival. “Lunch hit the spot?”
“It sure did,” Louisa exclaimed. “I don’t think I’ve ever had such delicious chocolate pie.
The time got away from us, and Florence is expecting me.
Jacob said he’d take me home after he finishes up at the clinic, so you two are welcome to head back to the ranch.
” She winked at Ellie. “We’ve had quite the meeting of the minds. ”
Curious, but preferring to talk to Ellie about their discussion directly, Micah chuckled. “I’m sure you’ve solved all the world’s problems. Callie, I’ll see you Sunday.”
The slightly less gregarious Callie gave him a softer smile. “I’ll see you then.” She pulled Ellie into a hug and whispered something into her ear. “You two travel safe.”
As the other two women split off towards their respective destinations, Micah’s attention was free to focus on Ellie.
She looked beautiful, with her soft green dress adorned with cream colored flowers complementing her blonde curls.
She’d pinned them back today, but a few broke free. “Your chariot awaits, m’lady.”
Ellie giggled, but it was distracted as she took his hand and allowed him to help her up into the wagon. As soon as he took his seat, he pulled the brake and began the trek home. “All right, put me out of my misery. What did you and the ladies discuss which excited Louisa so much?”
She hesitated, and he could see her warring with herself. One day, he vowed, he’d have proven himself so trustworthy she wouldn’t even have to question it. Until then, he’d continue being someone she could count on. “I mentioned to the girls I’ve been feeling a little…purposeless recently.”
Micah nodded, sensing his input wasn’t necessary yet, and Ellie continued. “I’ve enjoyed helping Louisa with the chores and the children some, but you men do so much of the house chores I find myself often twiddling my thumbs and looking for a way to be useful.”
“You’re not comfortable with that,” Micah surmised. He’d be fine if she wanted to sit on the porch and drink tea, as he had plenty to support them, but he respected that she wasn’t interested in that type of life. It would drive him batty with boredom, a feeling he hated more than most others.
She settled back into her seat as they passed the last of the town’s businesses, at least more comfortable for the moment.
“I’m not. I was never allowed to contribute in any meaningful way in Grandfather’s house, and I want to feel useful and productive for once in my life.
I want my presence to ease a burden or add to the joy of others rather than simply draining resources. ”
Micah’s teeth clenched at the way her grandfather had obviously always made her feel, but he couldn’t exactly direct anger at a dead man, at least not in any helpful way.
“You’re not draining resources. I want to hear your idea.
I want you to feel free to pursue anything you want to pursue, but you being on the ranch brings joy in a way I don’t know if you’ll ever understand. ”
Unable to resist a moment longer, Micah pulled horses to the side of the trail to a stop, set the brake on the wagon, and turned to Ellie.
“You’re valuable here, just for being you.
I respect that you want to contribute, but that’s not why you’ll always have a place on the Sutton ranch.
” Lifting his hand, he cupped her cheek and tried to tame the lion roaring in his heart when she pressed her face more soundly into his hand.
Her eyes shut for a moment before she looked up at him.
“Thank you,” she whispered. They stared at each other for a moment before Micah pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and returned his hands to the reins.
He set the team moving again, and Ellie continued.
“I’ve always loved painting and drawing, but once my tutor finished with my schooling, Grandfather didn’t want to waste money on the supplies. ”
Once again, Micah’s anger at a dead man welled up within him, but he pushed it down. “You’d like to pick it up again? What kind of supplies would you need?”
“Oh, not much for the moment. I can fashion an easel out of scrap wood around the ranch, and I’ve always drawn and painted on paper rather than canvas.
I find it more forgiving. I’d need some paints, pencils, and brushes - though I could probably make my own brushes from horse hair if you guys groom the horses anytime soon. ”
She wouldn’t be making her own brushes if he had anything to say about it, already making a mental list of what to get at the general store next time he went into town.
Anything they didn’t have, he’d have them order it.
“That sounds like a great thing to pursue. Would you prefer to pick out your supplies, or could I buy them for you when I go into town next week?”
Her eyes widened, and he hoped he hadn’t overstepped. “Oh, I didn’t mean for you to buy it all for me. Once my trust is released, I could-”
For the first time, Micah cut her off. “Ellie, I’ve told you, your money makes absolutely no difference to me. As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t exist. If my wife wants to paint, I’ll make sure she has everything she needs to do it. I’m curious though, are you planning to sell your paintings?”
As shocked as she’d looked a moment before, she recovered quickly. “Louisa says there are a number of magazines back East publishing art and stories from the West. They’ll purchase them and share them with their audiences in the cities interested in stories from the wilds of the West.”
Micah grinned, a little amused that anyone back East would romanticize the cow pastures and hard work of the West, but he understood it.
There was nowhere else he’d rather be than the wide open spaces of Texas and more specifically on the Sutton ranch.
“I can’t wait to see your paintings, and I’ll help you do anything I can to find someone to publish them for you. ”
The look Ellie gave him then sent that lion roaring once again, and he wished he didn’t have to tell her about what he’d learned before he picked her up. “What’s wrong?” She was always so perceptive, of course she’d seen his face change.
“Mr. Goddard saw me in town today and let me know he’s almost finished with the documents we need to take to California. He said he’d bring them by this week. He’s also determined what judge presides in the area you grew up in, and he’s given us a personalized letter to him as well.”
Ellie tensed beside him, and he hated himself a little for popping her bubble of dreams and hope.
“Hey,” he said as he placed a hand in hers while steering with the other.
“We don’t have to go. You can leave it all behind you if you want.
” Honestly, he wasn’t sure which he’d prefer.
He wanted her to win this battle for her own sake, the only penance she’d ever get for the way her grandfather had treated her.
Still, the way her face went pale whenever she imagined going to California, he’d breathe a sigh of relief if she decided to simply move on. “It makes no difference to me.”
They may have initially married for the sake of the trust, but there wasn’t a bone in his body that would regret it if she chose the latter path.
Ellie looked down at their joined hands, quiet for a moment.
“I want to go. I want this to be over. Grandfather only did this to dangle a carrot in front of my face and snatch it away. He was cruel, his humor sadistic at times. This is the only closure I’ll get, and I want my inheritance. "
Her fire only made her more beautiful, especially after all she’d been through.
“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Unable to resist one more, Micah leaned over and kissed her hair.
She didn’t flinch or shy away, but he knew it was all he could ask at the moment.
“We’ll pray for God’s guidance the whole way. ”
After years of not being sure exactly where he stood with the Almighty, it felt nice to know he could surrender the situation to the Lord.
His brothers had all lived with varying degrees of doubt and anger, but it hadn’t only been their love lives the Lord had worked in over the past six months or so.
No, Isaac had found the ability to trust God cared about the small things in their lives as much as the big things, and he’d begun modeling praying nightly with the children and Louisa regarding those things.
As for Jacob, the weight of anger he’d carried for years after losing Callie had lifted, rendering him able to wrestle with the Lord regarding the hurt he held.
With Truett Sutton as a father, all five Sutton boys had their share of demons to fight, but for the first time in his life, he felt equipped to wield a sword.
Like Pastor Jim had said, the same Hal Day had told him for years, the hope of Christ on Earth was the same for him and his life.
No matter what lay ahead for them, his confidence was growing that the Lord would go with them.