Page 37 of My Heart Will Find You

“Actually, he wants me to sue you to get it. Seems that you were supposed to marry his daughter, who I’ve been told is a real hellion.” He nodded toward the door to indicate Mrs. Ellis as his source. “Kecklin wants you to give him everything you own as a dowry for receiving his daughter. I explained that dowries are usually the other way around. They’re given to the groom.”

“Kecklin didn’t shoot you for that?”

“No, but he wanted to. I turned down his case, which is why I can tell you about it. So what can I do for you, Mr. Lawton?”

“My wife wants you to come to dinner tonight.”

He looked shocked. “This is the wife you married this morning? Don’t you have other things to do tonight?”

Max gave him the look he used to get his men in line.

“My apologies. I would love to come to dinner. Seven?”

Max stood up. “Sure. Whenever you get there.” He left the office.

When he got outside, he stopped on the landing. He’d done all that he was supposed to do. He felt like he’d accomplished feats of strength, endurance, and sheer horror. He was almost smiling until he saw what was sitting on the back of his buckboard. He had no doubt in the world that the woman who had taken over his life had done it. He clomped down the stairs with a frown so deep his eyebrows met in the middle.

Inside the office, Bert watched Max close the door so hard the glass rattled. “Why did Max Lawton ask me to dinner on his wedding night?” he asked Mrs. Ellis.

“He’s got a little sister so hideous he hides her away. Looks like you’ve been chosen for her.”

“If it gets me Lawton’s business, I might do it.”

“Then you’ll make an enemy of John Kecklin.”

“I’ve already done that,” Bert said. “On second thought, maybe I’ll move to Wichita tomorrow.”

Mrs. Ellis snorted. “It’d be better if you chose one of the women sniffing around you instead of loving being the town catch.”

With a roll of his eyes, Bert went back into his office. He could never win against that woman.

Sitting in the back of Max’s wagon were three people. Hank, who he’d brought to get him away from Alice, was flanked by two women. One was Freida who worked at the Red Dog. Max didn’t want to think about his relationship with her. The other woman was Sally who cleaned the saloon. Since they were the women his wife had called “friends,” Max knew she was behind this.

He stood at the end of the wagon and said nothing, but his expression told all.

Hank shook his head. “It’s not my fault. Your wife told me I was to find ’em and take ’em back to your place.”

“To do what?” Max’s meaning was clear. They knew what Freida did for a living.

“I don’t do that,” Sally said rather haughtily.

“I do!” Freida said happily, making Hank laugh.

“Not at my house, you don’t.” Max stepped back and made a sweep of his arm, meaning for them to get down.

Hank and Sally started to comply, but Freida didn’t move. “Yourwife—” she emphasized the word “—wants me to look after her garden.”

“I don’t have a garden.”

“That’s the point.” Freida was glaring at him. “If you go back on this job, I’ll tell.”

She didn’t have to explain who she would tell. Say it to one person and everyone would start saying Max Lawton wasn’t to be trusted, that he went back on his word.

Sally scooted back into the wagon. “I guess your house needs cleaning.”

It did, but he wouldn’t admit that. Every housekeeper he’d hired had run off with a man, so only Esmeralda was left. It took her thirty minutes to put her shoes on.

Max looked at the three of them, all waiting for his decision. That was a joke! He hadn’t made a decision since he got married. He didn’t know how she’d done it, but within hours his new wife had taken control of his life.Just as Cornelia said.

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