Page 100 of Charlotte's Reckoning
“Are you sure you’re going to be all right out here? I don’t mean safety-wise. You still need practice, but you should now be able to protect yourself. But you look so sad.”
She sighed. “I don’t miss the Red Eye itself, but I miss the people. Fenton was a grumbly old grouch more often than not, but underneath all of that, he was a friend. We argued, but we also laughed a lot. I was with him just about every day for over a decade, and it’s going to take a while for the hole in my heart left by his passing to go away. Then, there are the ladies. Some I would rejoice never to see again, but there were a few who were close to me. I worry about what will happen to them if I don’t get the saloon back.”
“Why don’t you ask them?”
“I’m not going back to the saloon as long as Quentin Sneed is there.”
“You don’t have to. I’ll take you to where they’re staying.”
Confused, she asked, “They left the Red Eye?”
“Sheriff Walker said they didn’t want to stay there with Quentin either, or without you, but had nowhere to go.”
“Seth Walker?” she confirmed.
“Yes,” Wisteria said with a hint of a smile. “The council chose well when they hired him. You know as well as I that Bozeman was useless, and the others who have come and gone since have been ineffective. Sheriff Walker isn’t the most experienced lawman, but he’s a decent, compassionate man. And he can shoot.” She looked at Charlotte and grinned. “I like that in a man.”
“But what does the sheriff have to do with the Red Eye’s saloon girls?”
“He was looking for a place for them to stay until ownership of the saloon is settled. He mentioned it to Janelle and Aaron. My brother-in-law is also a good man. Anyway, they suggested a cabin on the ranch. It’s old and rather small, but no offense, Charlotte, it’s a lot better than this one.”
“None taken. But I have to ask. You Jacksons are so incredibly kind and generous—are you all aiming for sainthood?”
Her laughter resonated throughout the clearing as she shared, “You wouldn’t ask that if you saw the brothers together. At times, they behave like they’re twelve years old, joking, teasing, insulting, and even fighting, but it’s all good-natured.”
Having witnessed scuffles at the Red Eye, she empathized with Letty for the furniture that the three big men must have damaged, especially considering them as roughhousing boys.
Wisteria added, “It’s funny—the older two often team up against Aaron. Can you imagine?”
“He’s bigger than both of them. I bet he holds his own.”
“He does, but they still call him runt,” she replied, chuckling at the absurd misnomer.
“Thank you for letting me know. About the ladies finding a place to stay, not the fighting,” Charlotte clarified. “I was worried where they would go, especially after my experience at the inn.”
“This town is filled with hypocrites,” she grumbled, her amusement quickly replaced by anger. “Some folks claim to be charitable. But I think the money they give to feed the hungry and shelter the poor is to keep them on the other side of town, where they don’t have to see them. Most living in South Town are good, hardworking people who are down on their luck. I should know. I lived there for a time.”
Wisteria had known hardship. That shed light on her compassionate nature and her willingness to help those in need. Charlotte was dying to hear her story. “Would you like to come in and tell me about it over a cup of tea?” She hesitated, trying to recall what was in her cupboards. “I think I have some. I know I have cups.”
“Next time. I need to get back. I left Micah with his grandmother. Since he started walking and getting into everything, he can be a terror.”
“That’s hard to believe. He’s so sweet.”
“Is that an offer to watch him and experience it for yourself?” the young mother asked with a teasing smile, but at the same time, as if she were desperate and meant it. Then she waved her hands while shaking her head. “No. I wouldn’t do that to a friend, or I’d have none. I could bring him for another visit, though. Two on one is so much better than solo.”
“Anytime, provided Luke doesn’t mind us spending time together. All the brothers are so protective, I’m surprised he let you visit alone.”
“Overprotective,” she muttered.
“I think it’s sweet. A lot of husbands wouldn’t care.”
“I guess,” she sighed. “It can also be a nuisance. I ride on the ranch whenever Letty comes to play with Micah. It’s the only time I have to myself, a precious few moments of peace, to breathe the air and regain my sanity.” She angled a sly glance at Charlotte. “Did you know the ranch borders Jenny’s farm, which is only a mile from this spot? It’s as if I never left Silverbend.”
Another rider appeared in the lane, leading another horse. “That’s Sam with Shasta.”
“Will he say you left Silverbend?”
“Yes. But only if he’s asked.”
