Sadina's Stocking (Strong Hearts, Open Spirits Book 3) Read online

  Mrs. Riley shrunk away from the usually mild-mannered man, extending the papers toward the official that was conducting the ceremony. "Is what he says true?" She asked, jutting her chin like a truculent child.

  "Yes ma'am," the skinny clerk replied, swallowing nervously and making his prominent Adam's apple bob.

  Mrs. Riley squared her shoulders, standing to her full and rather insignificant height of five-foot-nothing. "Well good riddance to bad rubbish then," she spat, curling her lip at Sadie, turning on her heel and exiting the room with a loud echoing bang.

  Sadie turned and pulled Faith to her as the tears began to fall, even while she tried to sooth her daughter. Mrs. Riley had been thrilled when Roger had finally asked her to wed. She hadn't been able to make the new bride more welcome in her home. Now she'd turned away from her own flesh and blood without even an 'I love you'.

  "Sadie?" Ed's voice was soft, gentle, the way she remembered it from years gone by. "Are you alright?" She could hear the worry in his tone.

  Scooping Faith into her arms, she nodded and turned back to the county clerk. "Continue," she managed through her tears.

  The little man looked around the room as if expecting someone to jump out and yell ‘boo’, then cleared his throat.

  "I now pronounce you man and wife," he finished rather unconvincingly. "You may now kiss the bride," he added, still blinking.

  Ed turned to Sadie with a half-smile on his face and pulled her and Faith into a warm welcoming hug, then very gently pulled back and placed a chaste kiss on Sadie’s damp mouth and one on Faith's cheek.

  "Are you ready?" he asked in a low whisper, his hands still cupping Sadie’s face.

  "I am," she answered, feeling like they couldn't leave this town behind fast enough.

  "Well that was about the most interesting wedding I've ever been to," Derek spoke up as he escorted them to the buckboard. "Reckon Mr. Bits will need a little rest after that," he chuckled.

  Somehow, his cheerful voice lifted the spirits of the others and Sadie even managed a slight smile as she climbed into the wagon for the short trip to the depot.

  ***

  The train station was a bustle of activity, noise and steam as porters, passengers and punters moved about their business. Everyone and everything seemed to fade in and out of sight, like ghosts in the wind as the big, black engine bellowed and blew steam across the platform.

  Faith looked up at her mother and smiled as she held tightly to Sadie’s deep wine-colored dress. It was an old dress, but Sadie had used her sewing skills to let it out and add a long matching panel of embossed fabric to the middle. She hated the weight she'd gained over the past few years, hearing again the accusation of "she really let herself go..." whisper in her brain.

  Faith's little hand reached out and stroked the silly white boa she'd draped around her mother's neck that morning. It was one of her favorite things and the little girl was constantly dancing around the house, furling it behind her or ruffling the soft feathers.

  Sadie had felt foolish wearing it to her wedding, but it had made her little girl so happy she couldn't deny that one little concession.

  "You ready?" Ed asked from her side. "Everything's loaded up but our bags." He hefted the two large carpetbags in his hands.

  "Are we really going on the train, Mama?" Faith spoke up, her blue-gray eyes sparkling excitedly.

  "Yes, we're going to ride the train and at the end of the journey you'll have a brand-new home."

  A billow of steam engulfed them, shutting out everything but the three individuals all hoping for a new start.

  Chapter 2

  Faith was sound asleep as a golden sun dipped below the western horizon. Ed pulled a blanket up over her where she sprawled on the narrow bench across from him. On his right, Sadie sat, a small garment resting on her lap. She had been working on it for some time, carefully stitching the ends together.

  “A new dress for Faith?” Ed finally asked, liking the way the rays of the fading sun painted her features in gold, orange and pink.

  In his eyes, Sadie had matured into a beautiful woman, her gently rounded cheeks full of warm color, her blue-gray eyes, intelligent and kind.

  “Yes, it’s nice to have a bit of time to concentrate on things for Faith.”

  Ed wanted to reach over and take the hand that was now plucking, self-consciously, at the hem of the small dress. “She doesn’t look like she’s done without,” he commented.

  A shadow passed over Sadie’s face and immediately he wished he could take the words back.

  “I did the best I knew how. Sewing kept us fed and a roof over our heads, but afforded little more.”

  “It’s not your fault, Sadie,” Ed’s hand had slipped over hers, seemingly of its own will, but he moved it when she twitched.

  “It still feels like it though,” she dropped her eyes, and the shame that passed over her pretty face made his blood boil.

  When he’d first heard that she’d married the Riley boy, and no matter how he tried, he could never think of Roger as anything but a mulling mama’s boy, he’d hoped Sadie would be happy, even if it wasn’t with him.

  That had been the year his uncle had asked him to come to Montana and help on the ranch. He and Sadie had both been seventeen at the time. Ed had planned to work a couple of years on the ranch, earn a little money, then go home to marry her.

  He’d been too late. The Sadie he had known at school had been sweet, kind and always laughing. She was far too serious now, as if some spark had been smothered, or covered with a dark shade.

  “What is the ranch like?” Sadie asked, effectively changing the subject.

  “It was a little rough around the edges last time I was there,” Ed offered with a smile. “My uncle never married so it was a passel of men and not much refinement.” He could see Sadie was truly interested, so kept on.

  “There’s a nice little house, simple, but it has all the necessities. It’s not much to look at, but it is solid.”

  “Did you know you’d inherit the ranch?” Sadie asked, her natural curiosity getting the best of her. “I know your brother has the family farm now, so I thought that was the plan.”

  “Yes, my uncle told me that he wanted to leave the ranch to me.”

  “If you knew, why didn’t you stay there before?”

  Ed studied her for a minute before replying. She had been the reason he’d returned, but how was he supposed to tell her that? Sadie was already married when Ed had come home and Faith had been no more than a toddler.

  “I’d left a few things behind when I went to Uncle Gus’s place. Besides, Derek needed me after Pa passed, at least for a little while.” He smiled and she returned his grin. “I hope you’ll be happy in Montana,” Ed added.

  “I’ll do my best,” Sadie replied, her grin widening, and for a moment he saw that teasing young girl he had eaten lunch with so long ago.

  “Are you hungry?” He asked, not wanting to chance losing her good mood.

  “Oh, I’m alright.” Her answer was simple.

  “You can’t be serious,” Ed said lightly. “You haven’t eaten a thing since we left this morning. Are you feeling alright?”

  Sadie smoothed the panel of her dress. “I’m not hungry,” she said, not meeting his eyes.

  “We’ll I’m famished, and I’m sure Faith will want something when she wakes up.” He stood, brushing her cheek softly with the palm of his hand as he squeezed by. “I’ll be right back.”

  Sadie dropped her head. She still couldn’t imagine what Ed wanted with her. She understood he didn’t want to be on his own, but what good could she be to him? She had nothing; she was no more than a burden.

  With a deep sigh, she smoothed Faith’s hair. She did have her special angel, though. Looking about to see if anyone was watching Sadie slipped her hand into the carpetbag under her seat, her fingers going unerringly to the hard, silky ball at the bottom of the bag, her only security.

  “Here you go,” Ed’s voice made
her jump and she looked up to see him handing her a thick sandwich.

  “Oh, thank you,” she said, taking the sandwich without thinking. “These look good.”

  “Mama?” Faith sat up, rubbing her eyes.

  “I’m here.”

  “Are we still on the train? Did I miss everything?”

  Sadie chuckled, “No, the only thing you missed was dinner. Here,” she finished, handing her daughter a sandwich. “You eat this, then we’ll clean up and you can snuggle up and sleep. It’s dark now and you can’t see anything anyway.”

  Ed smiled at the excitement in the little girl’s voice.

  Over the next few days, even Faith’s enthusiasm for travel was dampened by a steady rain that lasted through nearly a whole day, despite the fact that they were moving. Then on the fifth day, with the sun burning brightly in a perfect sky, they rolled into their destination.

  Chapter 3

  "Who are you?" a truculent voice shouted from the depths of wide, square house that sat like a dark lump on the vast prairie.

  "It's me, Mrs. Crumps," Ed called with a smile. "I finally got here."

  "And not a moment too soon," the voice grew louder as the woman approached, striding to the front door with a heavy tread.

  "Who's that with you, Edward?" Her voice cracked as she opened the screen and squinted at Sadie and Faith suspiciously.

  "Mrs. Crumps I'd like you to meet my wife, Sadie," Ed said placing his hand on Sadie’s back and ushering her into the house, "and…"

  "A wife!" the older woman snapped, "Well it's about time, but you ain't had enough time for this young’un to be yours."

  "This is Faith," Ed smiled, "Sadie’s daughter."

  Faith, remembering her manners, curtsied to Mrs. Crumps.

  "Well, land sakes, you got yourself a whole family in one go," the woman said, but there was no welcome in her voice.

  "Sadie, Faith, this is Mrs. Crumps. She's been my uncle’s housekeeper and cook for..." He let his voice trail off, raising his brow to the woman with salt and pepper hair.

  "Long as most folks can remember," Mrs. Crumps said. "Now come into the kitchen and I'll get you some coffee. None of us had no notion when to expect you, Ed. You should a’ sent word."

  "I came back as soon as I could," Ed said, his eyes twinkling as he sparred with the cantankerous woman.

  "This here's my kitchen now, and don't you forget it, Ed," Mrs. Crumps barked. Her abrupt manner and harsh tone made Faith push in closer to her mother.

  "Have a seat, have a seat." Mrs. Crumps waved her hand impatiently.

  Sadie took a seat at the well-scrubbed table. It wasn't pretty, but it was well-built and the patterns of dark and light in the wood had an artistic flare.

  "You like cookies?" Mrs. Crumps asked Faith.

  Faith looked at her mother, who nodded her permission.

  "Yes ma'am," Faith said in a small voice.

  In a few moments, a plate of thick, chewy oatmeal cookies, full of nuts and raisins, sat on the table.

  "I ain't much of a baker, but the men likes them cookies, so I make up a batch once a week." She plunked two cups of coffee down on the table and poured a glass of milk for Faith, leaving the pitcher on the table.

  Sadie watched as the woman got her own cup of coffee and leaned against the sink shelf drinking it.

  "Aren't you going to sit down?" Sadie invited.

  "Not yet."

  Sadie looked at Ed, wondering what was going on. Mrs. Crumps was obviously a woman who spoke her mind, but for some reason she seemed to be holding back.

  "I 'spose you'll want me ta leave," the woman finally spoke, her face showing no expression, but her eyes troubled.

  Sadie looked at Ed and he looked back at her. Plainly, he had never considered that bringing one woman into another woman's space would be a problem.

  "I didn't think," he admitted, dropping his head a little.

  Sadie closed her eyes. "What do you do over all, Mrs. Crumps?" She asked, sipping her coffee and waiting.

  "I do the cookin' and the cleanin' for the most part. We's got six hands here and they need fed and their things washed. There's another girl what helps with that." The woman's dark eyes were hard.

  "I've never cooked for that many before," Sadie admitted. "Is there some reason you can't stay on?"

  Mrs. Crumps blinked at the young woman sitting at the table. She'd obviously traveled a long way to get here, but seemed singularly unprepared to deal with life on a ranch.

  "No, I ain't got nowhere to go," she said cautiously.

  Sadie turned to Ed. "Is there some reason Mrs. Crumps should leave?"

  "No, I never thought she'd want to, she's been here forever."

  "Mind your tongue young man," the older woman glared at him, making Sadie smile.

  "I think we'll need you to stay on Mrs. Crumps," Sadie finally said. Surely she and the old housekeeper could work out something that would make everyone happy; she just hoped that the ranch was profitable enough to support it.

  Ed looked at Sadie, his eyes bright with appreciation. "Thank you," he whispered making her smile.

  Sadie grinned back at him, feeling that she had done something right.

  "You finish up your coffee and I'll help ya get settled," Mrs. Crumps offered sounding more welcoming than she had before. "You come a far piece and I'm sure you'd like to get cleaned up and such."

  "Thank you, that would be nice."

  "I'm done, Mama." Faith said, setting her empty milk glass back on the table. "Can I see my room now?"

  To everyone's surprise, Mrs. Crumps smiled. "Why don't you come with me and I'll show you your room, Faith. I know right where to put you." She offered a work-roughened hand to the little girl, who glanced once at her mother before taking it and leaving the room.

  Ed reached across the table, grasping Sadie’s hand in relief.

  "Mrs. Crumps is a force to be reckoned with. I'm so sorry I never even thought about the situation. This is your house now and …" his voice faded away as a slow smile spread across Sadie’s face.

  "I've never had any help with things before and I have to say cooking for so many is rather intimidating. I'm sure Mrs. Crumps and I will be great friends, eventually," she added.

  Ed's glance looked doubtful but he didn't say anything. Only time would tell with the irascible Mrs. Crumps.

  "Mama, Mama!" Faith pounded down the stairs excitedly. "Come see my room," she gushed, a wide grin on her face. She raced into the kitchen grabbing her mother's hand and dragged her toward the stairs with a grin.

  "I have a big bed and a dresser for my clothes and there are toys." Her bright hazel eyes sparkled and her mother hurried up the stairs, delighted at her daughter's joy.

  "Toys? Where ever did they come from, do you suppose?" Sadie questioned brightly.

  “Old Mr. Hampton made ‘em,” Mrs. Crumps said, “used ta’ give ‘em to kiddies at Christmas.”

  "I'll just put yer things in the master's," Mrs. Crumps added, grabbing the bags in the hall and headed to the big bedroom at the top of the stairs. Sadie looked back over her shoulder wanting to protest, but not sure how to go about it.

  She and Ed hadn't talked about sleeping arrangements, but he'd told her he wasn't looking for a proper wife, hadn't he?

  Back home she'd managed with her sewing but it was barely enough to keep food on the table or a roof over their head. A new start was a wonderful idea, but could it become a reality?

  "Mama, you are not paying attention." Faith was staring at her, hands on hips, her little face impatient.

  Despite herself, Sadie laughed. The child looked just like her when she scolded.

  "I'm sorry Faith, I'll do better," she replied, putting her thoughts aside. There would be time later to worry.

  A half hour later, she was still sitting on the floor playing with the rough figures of horses, cows and other farm animals.

  “Supper's in an hour.” Mrs. Crumps said, walking past the bedroom. Sadie blushed. Sur
ely, she should be doing something other than playing with her daughter. For a grown woman, she was behaving like a schoolgirl.

  Standing, Sadie brushed off her skirt and kissed Faith on the head. "You enjoy playing, sweetheart. I'm sure Mr. Rabbit is very happy to have some friends." She grinned at the long-eared stuffed animal sitting in the midst of all the others.

  As she walked down the hall toward the stairs, she noticed her things in the big bedroom to the left of the stairs. It was a dark, overbearing room, with lots of brown wood and a large, heavy bed.

  "You don't have to stay if you don't want to," Ed spoke, his voice soft, for her ears only as he moved across the room to meet her.

  "What will Mrs. Crumps think, or the others?" Sadie said with a blush. "I don't want to shame a second husband." Her eyes fell and she did not see the scowl or flash of anger that danced across Ed's face.

  Gently taking her hand, Ed led Sadie into the room and closed the door. "Sadie," he said softly, "you will never shame me."

  She glanced up at him wanting to believe it, trying to read the expression on his face but afraid to interpret it.

  "And another thing…" This time his voice held an edge and she looked up, wondering what she'd done wrong. "Sadie, the way I see it, you did nothing wrong but give your heart to a man who didn't deserve it."

  He placed his finger under her chin, lifting it until she was looking at him. "You never did anything shameful."

  "I wasn't a good enough wife," Sadie said, starting to speak all of the things she had believed for so long. "Why else would he..." Her voice failed her and she turned away.

  "Sadie, you have been hiding for so long from the rumors old Mrs. Riley has been spreading that you never listened to the ones that people whispered about the man you married. Riley was with Ruby long before he ever married you."

  Sadie turned to look at Ed, disbelief on her face. She knew why her first marriage had failed; everyone knew that she had not been a good enough wife and that was why Roger had found comfort with another woman.

  Ed hung his head, turning to look out the heavily draped window; he could tell she didn't believe him.