This Loving Land - Dorothy Garlock [92]
Sadie took Summer’s small trunk from under the bed and started filling it. Without asking, she lifted the bag of money from the bureau and tucked it inside, along with the box that held the hair necklace and the money Slater had given her to buy her wedding dress. It was a large sum of money; more than Sadie would dream of having. She was glad that Summer, at least, wouldn’t have to worry about money for a while.
John Austin and Mary came down from the loft.
“I’m tired of staying up there, Summer,” he complained. Then, seeing what Sadie was doing, he asked: “What are you packing Summer’s trunk for? Slater can’t go to town now. Jack said he couldn’t go for a long time. Jack said that he was going to go to town and drag that preacher out here if he had to scare the sh—” His eyes darted to his sister. “Jack said he’d be damned if he’d . . .”
“Jack said, Jack said!” Impatience made itself known in Sadie’s tone. “Summer’s goin’ to go visit Mrs. McLean. Slater’s goin’ to be laid up for a long time and Summer’s goin’ to go with Mrs. McLean . . . to make her wedding dress.”
“What’s she on the bed for?”
“She’s tired, that’s what for. She’s been up all night. Now skee-daddle and read your books or somethin’. Mary, you come and sit here on the floor and I’ll let you hold Summer’s lookin’ glass.”
Summer lay motionless on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Sadie worked and talked softly to Mary, her own problems forgotten now, in the face of the blow that had been dealt her friend.
When John Austin appeared in the doorway and told her Jesse had returned, the news didn’t make her as wildly happy as it would have done a few days ago, or even one day ago.
“The soldiers are back, too. I wish Jack would let me go talk to them. Do you think he would, Sadie?”
“You’ll have to ask him, but not now. Jack said for us to stay in the house, and that’s what we got to do.” Sadie walked to the door.
Jesse was standing beside his horse, and in spite of herself, she couldn’t control the sudden leap of her heart. Ellen stood close to him, her arms about his waist while he patted her back.
The sight of the two of them together aroused anger in Sadie. Anger at herself for being so stupid as to think that she had a chance with him. She watched them, fascinated, as Ellen worked her wiles. She stroked his cheek, smiled up at him, laughed at what he was saying without taking her eyes from his face.
“Men are dumber than sheep,” Sadie muttered, trying to keep the tears of disappointment from her eyes, “and sheep ain’t got no brains a’tall!” She turned from the doorway in disgust, looked at Summer to see if she had caught the significance of the soldiers being back, but Summer lay as before, still staring at the ceiling.
Jesse and Ellen moved to the porch and their voices drifted in through the open door.
“I want to go home, Jesse.”
“We’ll have to wait, Ellen. Captain Slane is taking his troop out in hope of bottling up that gang before they come in here. I’m to stay here in case some of them get through. They are a bad bunch, Ellen. About the worst bunch this part of the country has known. This is the captain’s chance to get them. So we’ll sit tight until it’s over.”
“I’ve got something to say about that, Jesse. While you were chasing around with Captain Slane, your own men were here taking orders from Slater’s foreman. There are four men here who work for us. Tom has ignored me ever since we got here. When we get home I want you to get rid of him. Travis said he was always a taking too much on himself. And from the way he has been acting, I can certainly believe it.”
“We’ll talk about it later, Ellen.”
“We’ll talk about it now.”
“Later. You’re tired now, and frightened.” Jesse’s voice was firm, then gentle, patient.
“I’m not frightened!” Ellen’s voice rose angrily. “Don’t you be telling me I’m frightened when I’m not! Another thing, Jesse, don’t you forget you work for me, too. You work for me and Travis.” There was a long silence, then Ellen’s voice, soft, wheedling. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that, darling. You know I didn’t.