Chapter 4 #2
After Muriel left, Cassie missed the motherly lady.
Except for the gossiping at the grave site, Muriel had been nice to her since Griff had died.
She exhibited none of the cool politeness that had always been between them.
Griff said Muriel and Seth were common, so although Griff had to do business with them, Cassie kept her distance.
But Cassie had leaned on Muriel since she’d come to town for help.
She’d stayed in her rooms above the store, and what bit of food she’d eaten, Muriel had prepared and served.
Those shocking words out at the grave site had revealed that Muriel and Seth actually looked down on Griff. It was such a shift in Cassie’s world that she turned her thoughts away from it.
Without Muriel, Cassie had a long struggle to get changed. It had taken forever to get the black silk dress on earlier today. Cassie didn’t see the dark-blue silk she’d worn to town. Most likely it was mortgaged too.
Finally, she donned the blue calico. It took only minutes. It was far too big, but that was a good thing, or it wouldn’t have fit over her stomach.
Cassie left behind her stylish black hat, the reticule, and her lace handkerchief.
She had several heavy petticoats. She left them, too, keeping only her shoes and her chemise and stockings.
The stockings were silk, but they were the only ones she had, and modesty required she keep them.
Then Cassie remembered the solid silver pins in her hair.
She removed them and left them for Muriel, letting her heavy, dark hair drop into a plain braid down the center of her back.
When she emerged from the back room, pounds lighter in the simple dress, Red and Seth were debating something heatedly. Red saw her come out and fell silent for a moment as he looked at her. Then he shook his head sharply, spoke again to Seth, and turned to her. “Let’s head out.”
Before they could start toward the back door, the bell over the front door rang and drew their attention.
A woman walked in Cassie had never seen before. A strange woman, wearing a riding skirt and a flat-topped black hat with a silver band. She pulled her gloves off as her boots clunked on the wooden floors. Spurs jingled with every step. A woman wearing spurs?
“Howdy, Belle.” Seth moved to stand behind the counter. “I’m mostly done with your list.”
“Thanks, Seth. The wagon’s out front. Sorry to bother you on a Sunday. I appreciate you opening up for me.” Belle tucked her gloves behind her belt buckle.
That action drew Cassie’s gaze, and she realized that the woman was with child. Not as round as Cassie but definitely expecting.
The woman, Belle, looked up, and her gaze froze on Cassie, moved to her belly, and then their eyes met.
Muriel had been standing in the hallway to her living quarters, behind Cassie and Red. Now she squeezed past Cassie and went to Belle. “This is Cassie Dawson. She and Red got married today.”
Belle’s gaze slid between Red and Cassie, and Cassie had the strangest urge to throw herself into Belle’s arms. She had no idea why. The woman was a bit older than she, but not that much. Still, she had the look of a mother, a warrior mother.
“Today?” Belle asked Muriel, but her eyes stayed on Cassie, flickering to her obviously round stomach again.
“Her husband died, just yesterday. Lester Griffin?”
Belle snorted, and Cassie caught way too much meaning from that sound. Here was another person who thought ill of Griff.
Red shifted a bit closer to Cassie as if she needed protection. But there was no danger to Cassie from this woman.
Belle walked straight for Cassie then, spurs ringing.
Muriel gave way like dust in the wind, and Cassie had a shocking urge to smile.
Red held his ground, but Belle ignored him and spoke past his shoulder straight to Cassie. “Was this your choosing? This marriage?”
Cassie was speechless. Her choosing? What did that have to do with anything? “Wh–What do you mean?”
“Belle, it’s done.” Red leaned as if to block Belle from Cassie, but she glared at him so hard, he straightened, shifting so they stood in a circle in the hallway of the store.
This woman had made a man move aside with a single look. Cassie’s heart started pounding. She’d never heard of a woman who could do that.
Belle turned to Red. “Yes, it’s always done, isn’t it? Done to a woman. No one gives us a choice. Look at her. She doesn’t even know what I mean by ‘choosing.’”
Muriel came up behind Belle. “It’s all right, Belle. She had to pick a man. You know that.”
Belle rested her hand on her belly. “I don’t know any such thing.” Her jaw tightened, but kindness was there, along with anger. “You can come home with me.”
Red shook his head. “She’s a married woman.”
“She belongs with her husband, Belle,” Muriel said.
Belle ignored them both and spoke to Cassie.
“You can come home with me if you want. I’ve got a husband who spends most of his time hiding from work and three daughters who would love a big sister.
When that baby comes, I’ll have one more.
We’ll pray it’s a girl. And I’ll help you.
You’ll help me. We’ll get by. What do you say? ”
Cassie almost launched herself at Belle, grabbed her, and clung to her.
Some of that must have shown in her eyes, because Red stepped close and slid his arm around her shoulders. “We were married before God and man, this very day. My wife stays with me.”
Muriel’s eyes snapped with satisfaction. Cassie didn’t understand that.
Cassie nearly shook as she realized she’d bound herself to a man she didn’t know.
A man she’d have to obey. Tears burned her eyes.
This was a way out. If she said the word, Belle could make it happen.
Just as Red was strong enough to snatch her out of Mort Sawyer’s arms, Belle was strong enough to settle things her way.
Cassie marveled at the woman, her strength, her confidence.
Muriel had a glimmer of it, but this woman looked as though she’d stand toe-to-toe with any man and come out the winner.
“Let me talk to her, Red.”
So Red and Belle knew each other? Why had Cassie never seen this woman before? There weren’t that many women. Surely, Cassie wouldn’t have forgotten one.
“You can talk to her, Belle, but she stays with me.” Red’s shoulders relaxed. “If it helps any, maybe you should know Cassie gave me this black eye.”
Belle’s head whipped around to stare for long moments at the purple bruise. “Well, maybe she will be all right.”
Muriel snickered.
Red let Belle come close. Belle rested a work-roughened hand on Cassie’s shoulder. Cassie felt the calluses through her dress. The hand was scarred and brown and so strong, Cassie wondered what Belle could hold on to with that hand.
“I know you took vows,” Belle said quietly, “but just tell me, if there’d been a choice, would you have married again today, a day after…” Belle fell silent, shaking her head. “Lester Griffin, worthless excuse for a man. Dead now. No surprise. How old were you when you married him?”
“F–Fifteen.”
“I was fifteen when I first married.”
“First?”
“William was my first husband. I’m on my third. I tend to marry stupid, and they all tend to die, although Anthony seems to be hanging around so far.”
“She might have married fast, Belle, but she didn’t marry stupid.” Red settled his Stetson on his head, and his voice sounded warm. Considering how tough Belle was, that warmth didn’t make sense to Cassie. It was almost as if he…pitied this woman.
Belle snorted. “I’ve decided married and stupid are the same words. I’ll bet if we had a dictionary, one would define the other.”
Muriel coughed and covered her mouth.
Cassie was shocked and almost smiled at the nerve. What would she give to have the courage to speak so to a man…to anyone?
“What’s done is done. I’ll take care of her. And you should have known better than to marry Anthony, anyway.”
Belle jabbed her thumb over her shoulder at Muriel. “Except I had people like Muriel saying a woman has to have a man.”
“Well, she does, Belle.”
Belle turned around and glared at Muriel. “I didn’t.”
“Cassie does.”
Belle, her back to Cassie now, stood solid, staring at Muriel.
Finally, Belle gave a harsh jerk of her chin as if it was decided.
She turned back. “I reckon she’s right that you needed someone to take care of you, and I live a long way out.
No one would have thought to come for me.
” Belle’s brows formed a straight line, with deep furrows between.
“But I’d have taken you in, Cassie. No woman has to have a man.
But I reckon you needed someone. If you ever need a place to run, come to me.
I live in a mountain valley through the gap worn by Skull Creek. ”
She believed this woman. If Cassie needed a place, Belle would take her in. Tears burned Cassie’s eyes as she nodded. “Thank you.”
Belle fixed her attention on Red. “You treat her decent. I’ll come and check, and I’d better like what I see.” With a deep sigh, she shook her head. “Seth, you got my order ready?”
“I’ll be at it a while, Belle.”
“I’ll leave the wagon out front. I need to talk to the blacksmith, then I’ll stop by Libby’s and see if she’ll feed me on a Sunday.” Belle turned to Red and shot him a look that could have nailed a two-by-four to a fence. “I will stop by. Do you hear me?”
A smile bloomed on Red’s face. “I hear you.”
Belle’s expression softened. “You’re right. I never should have married Anthony. What was I thinking?”