Pony Express Special Delivery

“Well, doesn’t that answer your question? Sounds like you do have a legal right.”

She shook her head. “No, James has the legal right. Not me.”

Clayton drank the rest of his coffee and stood up. “You know, maybe we should make a trip to town and check with Jack’s lawyer. I think that as long as you are James’s mother, you have as much right to this land as he does.”

She stood also. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask.” Maggie followed him to the door.

Just before leaving, Clayton turned to face her. “Maggie, I’ll do what I can to help you with Gus.” His blue eyes softened into clear blue pools.

Maggie’s heart skipped a beat. Her palms grew moist. She wiped them on her apron. Confusion clouded her mind. What was it about Clayton Young that had her brain turning to mush?

* * *

Clayton walked to the barn. He didn’t understand why he cared so much about this family. But the thought of Gus Fillmore taking advantage of Maggie and the children infuriated him.

Over the last week, he’d tried to keep to the barn and do the job of Pony Express manager but had found himself watching the house and wondering what Maggie and Dinah were doing.

He missed his family and decided maybe that was why he felt protective of Maggie and the kids. Clayton went to his room and picked up one of the medical books Doc Anderson had given him. Flipping through the pages, he couldn’t focus on the book. His mind continued to drift to Gus, Maggie and the turmoil with the ranch.

He tossed the book onto the cot and pulled his coat and hat back on. Not expecting another rider for a couple of days, Clayton decided he needed to get some fresh air.

Bones snorted his greeting.

Clayton chuckled and said, “You miss our rides, too, don’t you, ole boy?” He saddled the horse and led him outside.

Within a few minutes, Clayton was riding the fences of the ranch. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for but felt the need to have a good look around.

The ranch was flat in most places, and after riding about a mile he circled around and came upon the river. It gurgled along, and new green grass and shrubs lined its banks. He continued and was pleasantly surprised to come upon a wooded cove with the river running past and a pool of clear water that had washed out a peaceful inlet.

Clayton dismounted and allowed Bones to drink his fill while he looked about. He inhaled the fresh air and closed his eyes to enjoy the sweet sound of running water behind him. His shoulders relaxed and his thoughts moved to visions of having a picnic with Maggie and the kids in this spot.

His eyes snapped open. What was he thinking? This wasn’t his family. He had no business thinking about family picnics. Still, he liked Maggie and the kids. What would it hurt to have a picnic with them? Who said a man and a woman couldn’t share a meal together and enjoy this wonderful fresh air? As friends, of course. Just friends.

Bones snorted a warning. Clayton turned and saw Gus riding in his direction. Clayton remounted Bones and waited for the ranch foreman to arrive.

“I see you’ve found my favorite spot on the ranch,” Gus said as a greeting. “What are you doing so far away from the barn?”

Clayton leaned on the saddle horn. “Getting fresh air.” He looked about at the new leaves and grass. “This is a nice spot.”

Gus stared at him. He tilted his hat back. “Don’t you have the Pony Express to take care of?”

What was Gus getting at? Clayton tightened his grip on Bones’s reins and answered. “Obviously, you don’t know how the Pony Express works.” He looked about to let the thinly veiled insult sink in.

The other man shifted in the saddle. “Just like you don’t understand the workings of a ranch.”

“It’s interesting that you should say that. I’ve been around a ranch or two, Gus, and I know enough to know that you are short on the amount of cattle that should be roaming these pastures and that your excuse to Mrs. Fillmore is weak.” He sat up straighter in the saddle. “I also know it’s branding season and you haven’t started.” Clayton had the satisfaction of seeing the shock on Gus’s face turn to anger. “Is there a reason you don’t want me out here riding the range?”

Gus shifted in the saddle again and ignored the question. “You are free to roam around as much as you like, Young. Just don’t get in the way of my men and our jobs. As you have kindly pointed out, we have work to do.” He turned his horse to leave and then turned to look over his shoulder. “I suggest you focus on your job and let us do the same.” He spurred his horse and left at a gallop.

Clayton had hit a nerve with the foreman. Gus hadn’t answered his question and had clenched his jaw. His shoulders had squared and he’d tightened his grip on the horse’s reins as if it took all that he had not to ball up his fists and swing a punch. Clayton’s ride had been relaxing until he’d met up with Gus. Man and horse picked up where they’d left off and continued their exploration of the ranch. The Fillmore Ranch was a decent-size spread, but Clayton hated that the oversize pastures were sparse in cattle. Baby James’s inheritance was being underused, meaning less money would be coming into the family.

When Clayton arrived back at the ranch house, he noticed a horse tied to the hitching rail in front of the porch. Dinah played on the porch with a rag doll and some blocks. She looked up and saw him and came running.

“Hi, Clayton!”

He slid off Bones’s back. “Hello, half-pint. I see you have a visitor.”

Dinah looked over her shoulder at the house. “Yep, a man from the bank.”

“I see.” Clayton led Bones into the barn.

Dinah followed, swinging her rag doll by its arm. “Sissy asked me to go outside to play while she talked to him.”

Clayton took off the horse’s saddle. “Well, I’m glad she did. Now you can tell me your doll’s name.”

“Oh, this is Charlotte. Sissy was going to name baby James Charlotte, if he was a girl.” She hugged the doll close.

“That’s a pretty name.” He rubbed Bones’s black-and-white coat. Clayton wondered why Maggie hadn’t had a boy’s name picked out for the baby since she’d already had a girl’s name chosen.

Dinah nodded. “Yeah, it’s Mama’s name.”

He looked at the little girl over Bones’s back. Sadness filled her pixie-like face. Poor little mite.

“Dinah! Clayton!” Maggie called from the house.

“Sissy is calling us,” Dinah said.

They left the barn together. Clayton watched as a well-dressed man rode away toward town. Maggie stood on the porch holding the baby.

Dinah ran ahead. “I was in the barn with Clayton.”

“I saw that.” Maggie rocked the baby. When Clayton got close enough, she asked, “Can you hitch a horse up to the wagon for me? I need to go into town.”

The tremble in her voice tore at him. “Sure. Would you like for me to go with you?”

“Can I go?” Dinah asked.

“Of course you are going, Dinah.” Maggie frowned at the little girl. She then turned her attention to Clayton. Uncertainty filtered through her voice. “I don’t want to take you from your work.”

“No more riders coming in today,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind going, and I can take Doc Anderson back one of his books.”

“Thank you. We’ll be ready in just a few minutes.” Maggie turned to go back inside. “Come along, Dinah. We’ll change our dresses and fix your hair up pretty.”

Clayton grinned as he went back to the barn. If he’d learned anything about Dinah, it was that she liked her hair fixed and her dresses kept clean. He chose a brown mare to pull the wagon. She was an older horse with white socks. He’d worked with her a few times in the corral, and she’d been very obedient. Clayton hitched the horse to the wagon and then pulled it up to the front of the house.

As he waited for them to come out, Clayton wondered why someone from the bank had come to see Maggie. Why did she need to run off to town as soon as the banker had left? Did the trip have anything to do with the ranch or Gus? Whatever the reason, Maggie was shaken up by it. He had so many questions that only Maggie could answer.

Chapter Five

Maggie gently pushed the last comb into Dinah’s hair. The long strands hung about Dinah’s shoulders in soft waves. Then Maggie looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a soft cream-colored dress. It was probably the best she had short of the wedding dress that hung in her closet. Pulling her hair up and back, Maggie pinned it into place. She allowed strands to fall about her face. If she couldn’t talk Mr. Jones at the bank into extending her loan, she might just lose the ranch.

Tears stung the backs of her eyes. According to Lucas Dillon, the man Mr. Jones had sent out, Gus hadn’t paid the bank loan in three months. Mr. Dillon had said that if she didn’t get to the bank and make a payment today, Mr. Jones would have no choice but to foreclose on the ranch. The thought sped her up. It was already early afternoon. They had to hurry to town before the bank closed.

She bundled James up in a blue blanket and hurried Dinah out the front door. Clayton sat on the wagon, waiting. His horse, Bones, was tied to the back of the wagon. Maggie couldn’t help but notice that he was dressed in black pants and a white shirt and he’d traded out his brown work boots for shiny black ones.

“You ladies look very nice,” he complimented, jumping from the wagon. He scooped Dinah up and set her in the bed of the wagon. Clayton handed Dinah her rag doll. “You left Charlotte in the barn.”

“Thank you.” Dinah hugged the toy close to her chest.

Then Clayton turned and held out his arms to take James.

Maggie handed the baby over and allowed him to cradle James in one arm while assisting her with the other. Once she was seated, Clayton returned the baby to her and then climbed back onto the wagon.

He grinned over at her. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think we were headed to Sunday services, but since it’s not Sunday, I’m curious why you lovely ladies are dressed up.” Clayton clicked his tongue, and the mare started toward town. Bones followed.

“I need to go to the bank.” Maggie’s voice cracked. “It seems my foreman hasn’t been making the bank payments.” She looked down at the baby. Thankfully James had managed to sleep during the climb into the wagon.

Clayton’s jaw worked. “You left the bank business to Gus Fillmore?” he asked.

She nodded. “I was sick and the doctor told me to stay home. No trips to town. I trusted Gus to take the payments into town.” Maggie glanced over her shoulder and was pleased to see that Dinah was playing with her doll and didn’t seem to be paying attention to the adult conversation.

He blew air out. “And he didn’t do it?”

She turned back to face forward. “Mr. Jones sent one of the bank tellers to tell me. I don’t know what I’m going to do if he doesn’t give me more time to pay the bank the payments that are past due.” Maggie hated this. She didn’t want to tell Clayton all her problems but needed to talk to someone before facing Mr. Jones.

“How are you going to make those back payments?” he asked.

Maggie sighed. “I could sell a few head of cattle and maybe some of our horses.”

“And what about Gus? And the missing money?” His jaw worked, and Clayton’s blue eyes had turned to blue ice.

She sighed again. “I’ve been thinking about Gus.”

“And?”

“It’s my word against his. I have no proof that I trusted him with the money. I doubt I’ll ever see that money again.” Tears pricked her eyes, and she ducked her head. Gus had stolen her money, and she knew that he’d swoop in and take the ranch, as well.

Clayton nodded. When they arrived in town, he pulled up to the bank. “Would you like me to come in with you?”

Maggie felt like she should say no but heard herself answer, “That would be nice. Thank you.”

After setting the brake, Clayton jumped from the wagon. He helped Dinah down, then reached for James once more. Maggie swallowed hard as she took his hand. Warmth filled her hand and arm. The bank loomed above her, and she wanted to turn around and go home. Women shouldn’t have to face bankers who wanted to foreclose on their children’s inheritance.

Dinah took her hand and Clayton placed his hand at the small of her back. His strength seemed to come through his touch, and she walked into the bank with her head held high.

Mr. Jones was a tall man with wide shoulders, narrow hips and silver in his black hair. He strolled toward her the moment she walked through the door. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Fillmore. I’m glad to see you were able to make it to the bank on such short notice.” He held out his hand for her to shake.

Maggie waited for him to release her hand and lead them into his office before she spoke. As soon as the door was closed behind Clayton, who still held James, Maggie said, “Mr. Jones, I’m sorry that the payments weren’t made on the ranch. My foreman assured me that he’d taken care of them.”

Mr. Jones walked behind a large mahogany desk and sat down. “I trust you brought the payments with you.” He motioned for her to sit down in one of the two chairs in front of him.

Aware that he didn’t care why the payments hadn’t been made, Maggie sank into the soft leather. “No, sir. I didn’t.”

Mr. Jones folded his hands over the papers on his desk. “I trust you have the money.”

Maggie shook her head. “No, sir. I do not.”

“Then how did you plan on making the payments?” He looked from her to Clayton.

Clayton had moved into the room but hadn’t come any farther than the closed door. He held the baby in the crook of one arm and Dinah’s small hand in his other hand. His blue eyes were as hard as ice. Thankfully, Dinah hadn’t sensed his anger.

She cleared her throat to get the banker’s attention focused on her once more. When he looked to her, Maggie said, “Mr. Jones, I need time. Time to collect the money.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Fillmore, but I can’t give you more time. You have ignored my messages in the past and refused to come into town to straighten out the matter. I’ve left word with Gus and told him we needed you to come in. After three payments have been missed, we can no longer carry the ranch. You know that.”

Maggie felt her heart sink. She’d do anything not to break her promise to her late husband, even beg the banker to give her an extension. “Please, Mr. Jones. I need more time. Gus never told me of your requests. This is the first I’ve heard that the payments hadn’t been made, and I haven’t had time to get the delinquent funds gathered.”

He stood. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Fillmore, but if I don’t have the money by closing, we’ll have to foreclose. Maybe you could ask your late husband’s cousin for the money. Gus has shown great interest in the ranch. He’s a good man. I’m sure he’ll be willing to loan you the money.”

Maggie stood. There was no doubt in her mind that Gus could come up with the money. He probably still had it and was waiting until the bank took the deed from her and then he’d pay whatever it took to get the ranch back. Sadly, it was her money that he’d use, but no one would be the wiser. She sighed. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Jones.” Maggie walked toward the door.

The air in the office was stifling. She felt weak in the knees.

“Mrs. Fillmore, I hope you can find a means to pay the loan before the bank closes today.”

Maggie’s stomach turned. She hadn’t needed Mr. Jones’s reminder that she had to make the payment before closing time. Maggie knew she had no means to pay the money back. Where would she go now? What was she going to do? She had two children to take care of and, thanks to Gus Fillmore, no home for either of them.

* * *

Red-hot anger boiled in Clayton’s veins. As soon as they were back outside, he growled, “If I wasn’t a Christian, I’d beat the money out of Gus Fillmore. He has it coming.”

Maggie reached to take baby James from his arm. “I know how you feel, but what’s done is done.”

She sounded beaten. Tears ran silently and swiftly down her cheeks. Dinah watched her sister and soon she too was silently crying.

Clayton hated to see a woman cry. He pulled Maggie to him and let her tears flow into his shirt. Dinah leaned against his leg and also wept. He wasn’t sure if the little girl understood what was going on or if she simply had a tender heart and couldn’t stand to see her big sister so broken.

After a few minutes, Maggie sniffled and looked up at him. Clayton led Maggie to the bench in front of the bank. Maggie sat down with a heavy sigh. Dinah continued to hang on to his thigh. He bent down and picked her up. “Maggie. I’ll loan you the money to make the payments.” He swallowed hard. He’d been saving his money since day one of working with the Pony Express and knew he’d have enough to cover whatever her payments were.

Dinah laid her head on his shoulder and stuck her thumb in her mouth. In the last couple of weeks, he’d never seen her suck her thumb. He hugged her against him, hoping to offer the little girl comfort.

“I can’t let you do that.” She wiped her face with the corner of James’s blanket and then looked up at him.

He knelt in front of her. Dinah continued to cling to him. Clayton lowered his voice so that passersby wouldn’t overhear him. “Why not?”

Her hazel-green eyes stared deeply into his. “For several reasons. One, it wouldn’t look right for a stranger in town to pay my debts. Two, I’d still have Gus Fillmore to deal with, and three, I’m not sure I could ever pay you back.”

“One, no one has to know it was me who gave you the money. Two, you can always fire Gus, and three, I’m in no hurry to get the money back.” He searched her pretty face.

She shook her head. “I’ll know.” Tears filled the depths of her eyes once more. “I promised Jack I’d protect James’s inheritance, and now I’ve let them both down.”

Clayton wanted to protect her and the kids. He didn’t want to fall in love with her and he really didn’t want to do anything foolish, but at the same time Clayton knew he’d never let Gus have James Fillmore’s ranch. His fiancée had taught him that women were fickle and money would set them to running into another man’s arms. Nope, he wasn’t about to fall in love with Maggie, or any other woman for that matter. “No, you haven’t. I’ve got an idea, but you’ll have to agree to it.”

He looked to Dinah, who shivered against him. Clayton tried to shield her small body from the cold wind. He softened his voice and offered the little girl what he hoped was a warm smile. “Dinah, dry your eyes and let’s go to the restaurant and get a big slice of peach pie.”

She rubbed her face on the sleeve of her pretty coat. “All right, Clayton. I like peach pie.”

He turned back to Maggie. “We’ve got a couple of hours yet. We’ll go have dessert and coffee and figure something out.” Clayton expected her to protest but instead she stood up, wrapped James tighter in his blanket and nodded.

Maggie started walking down the boardwalk. “The closest restaurant is at the hotel. I’ve been there a couple of times and they make a pretty good peach pie.”

“Yours is best,” Dinah said. She looked up at Clayton with big hazel eyes.

“Sissy makes the bestest pie crust.”

“I’m sure she does.” He watched the gentle sway of Maggie’s dress. Was it crazy to go to the extremes he was about to, just to help her keep her word to her late husband? Or had God intended this all along?

Maggie pushed through the door of the Grand Hotel where warm air enveloped them. Clayton and Dinah followed. He was curious as to why the hotel was called Grand. It wasn’t all that big and he’d seen fancier ones.

She turned to the right and walked into the small restaurant. Once they were all seated, she said, “I can’t even begin to think of a solution, Clayton.”

The waitress took their orders of coffee, milk and pie. As soon as she left their table, he leaned toward Maggie. “What if I told you I know how to take care of the back payments, get rid of Gus and make sure that James keeps his inheritance?”

Her eyes turned a deep shade of green. “I’d say that would be wonderful.” Maggie tucked James closer to her. She smiled down into the baby’s open eyes.

“You might not like my plan.”

She smiled across at him. A heartwarming smile that made him think his plan might just work. “Well, I won’t know until I hear it.”

The waitress brought their drinks and pie on a large tray. She set Dinah’s milk in front of her before serving the adults their coffee.

Dinah picked up her milk and took a big drink. She smiled with a milk mustache. “It’s cold.”

“And the pie is warm.” The waitress winked at Dinah. She set a dessert plate in front of each of them and then left once more.

Clayton took a deep breath and then said, “We could get married.”

Maggie dropped the pie-laden fork she’d just raised to her lips. “Excuse me?”

He rushed the words past his lips before he lost his courage. “It wouldn’t be a real marriage. I’m not looking for love and I’m not even sure if marriage is fair to you, but it will take care of your current problems.”

Dinah looked from one adult to the other. “You going to marry Clayton?” she asked. Her innocent question reminded them that the little girl was old enough to understand their conversation.

“I don’t know, Dinah. We’re just talking. Go ahead and eat your pie.” Maggie smiled at the little girl.

Clayton tried to read Maggie’s face. What must she be thinking? Was she going to hold out for true love and lose the ranch? Unable to decipher her expression, he took a bite of the dessert. Its sweetness coated his tongue and caused his stomach to churn. Or was it the present topic that had his belly in knots?

Dinah looked to Clayton. Seeing him chewing, she nodded and went back to eating.

He felt Maggie’s gaze upon his face. She asked, “How is it not fair to us? You are the one who would be giving up your freedom. I can’t ask you to do that, Clayton.”

“I believe I was the one who brought up...” He paused, then whispered, “Marriage.”

She frowned. “Yes, but...”

Clayton stopped her. “Look, I’m not giving up anything. My fiancée left me for the banker’s son. Which is fine because I want to be a doctor, and as a doctor, I wouldn’t really have time for a real family anyway. I’m not interested in falling in love, so it isn’t hurting me at all. But you have to realize that love is off the table, and as a doctor, I will be away from you and the kids a lot of the time.”

She swallowed hard, then admitted, “I’m not interested in love either. The only reason I married James’s father was to put a roof over our heads. Don’t get me wrong. Jack was a good man and never mistreated us, but it wasn’t a love match. I answered his mail-order bride ad and shortly afterward came to the ranch. We were married six months and then he died.” She paused. “You should probably know, I really don’t trust men not to leave when the going gets tough, and I have no intention of falling in love either. Not now, not ever.”

Clayton’s impulse was to tell her that as long as she wanted him to be around he’d not leave her. But the hurt in her eyes spoke volumes, and he knew she’d never hear him over the echoes of the disappointments in her past. “So, are you saying a marriage of convenience would work for you?”

“How will it help my situation?”

So, she wasn’t ready to commit to his suggestion just yet. “Well, I could catch the bank up with your payments, and if I’m your husband there wouldn’t be any gossip. You can fire Gus and explain that your new husband is taking over running the ranch until James is old enough to take the reins. And then, we’d make sure that the ranch grows and will be something James will be happy to inherit.” He returned to eating his pie. Maybe if he let her have a few minutes to think about it, Maggie would see that this was her only solution.

Dinah gulped her milk. “Sissy, can I have some more pie?”

Maggie pushed her untouched dessert toward her sister. “You can have mine. I’m not hungry.”