Page 18 of The Marshal's Bride
When he arrived back at the livery, his friends were there waiting. Sam leaned against the wall that Justine had vacated earlier.
“Gentleman, I know who is paying the men, now we just have to find them.” Scratching the rough growth along his jaw, he looked from Whit to Hiram and then to Ranger. “Her mother-in-law sent a letter. She’s still angry, grieving and talking about the justice she believes Justine deserves. What we don’t know is how many men she’s paid or what exactly her plans are for Hope.”
“Someone should have warned her that Flat River takes care of their own.” Ranger was the first to extend his hand, “We’ll help you take care of your family.”
“She hasn’t said yes yet.”
“If she says no, is that going to change how you think about her or that little girl?” Hiram’s brow furrowed, and Sam shook his head. The stable master stepped forward and offered his hand. “Then Ranger was correct, we take care of our friends and their families, and we’ll stand with you to take care of this too.”
Justine looked at the pot of ham soup and gave it a stir. The mouthwatering aroma filled the small kitchen, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten all day. She was thankful that she’d taken the time that morning to start it. She couldn’t think of anything but Sam’s kiss, let alone what she would have made for dinner.
Embarrassment colored her thoughts and emotions, as his words flitted back and forth in her mind. She couldn’t believe she’d broken down the way she had, or what had driven her to open the letter after stomping away like a child having a temper tantrum.
After Sam left, she went to her bedroom to wash her face. Something called her to the window, and she spied the small group —Sam, Whitney, Ranger and even Hiram, walking towards Miss Marcy’s. Whatever the men were up to didn’t currently affect her, and when it did, someone would tell her.
Sam.
Sam would tell her.
Hope was in her chair happily chewing on small pieces of buttered bread. Her soup was on the sideboard cooling.
She scooped some soup into a bowl for herself, then buttered several slices of bread. Putting it all on the table, she slid into her seat and quickly said a blessing over the food. Testing the temperature, she fed spoonfuls to Hope, while she waited for her own soup to cool down.
“What do you think about today, darling?” Hope slurped the soup, then shoved a piece of buttered bread in her mouth. “Sam wants to be your papa. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
“Mmmmm.” Hope grabbed the spoon and attempted to feed herself. She managed to get most of it in her mouth, which allowed Justine to feed herself while the words she couldn’t get out of her mind came through once more.
“I could love you too.”
It wasn’t a proclamation of his undying love but hearing him say he loved Hope, it may as well have been.
How on earth did people survive weeks like today? All the days were running together. She had experienced the full range of emotions, and while she felt tired, her brain wouldn’t rest. Hope loved Sam, and apparently, he loved her.
But what if this match was the one that Ingrid Chapman was wrong about? That would destroy Justine and she would have to start over again. It didn’t feel like it was fair to risk Hope’s future like that.
He’s an honorable man,she thought.He wouldn’t have said something if he didn’t mean it.
The voice inside her had Sam figured out. Now if only it would tell her what to do with the letter from the woman who had been a second mother to her. Justine loved Marjorie like her own mother, right until the moment grief changed her and hatred wiped away years of what Justine would have called love.
The fight that had irreversibly changed Hope’s future flashed through her mind’s eye. She could recall the hateful words as clear as if Marjorie was in front of her, yelling them right then.
“Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Hope was not well, and I am not in a position to force my will upon anyone at the moment.”
“He is your husband! You should have stopped him.”
“I couldn’t stop him.”
“Because you were worried about your child!”
“And you are grieving yours.”
“You can still have more children if she had died while you were saving your husband. Instead, you were selfish!”
“Get out! Get out of my house!”
Even now, Justine still wasn’t sure why prioritizing Hope had been the issue. It wasn’t a new issue. Both the McGuthrys had had an issue with her putting Hope first, from the moment they’d found out she was expecting.
