“I also stopped by to hear what you think about me asking Mrs. Rushton to mind Lizzie tomorrow while I’m gone.”
Ben gave Lizzie a bounce on his knee. “Why don’t we just put this one in a cell? Even Hitch can mind her there.”
Lizzie’s distress was immediate. “Like Pa?”
“He’s teasing, Lizzie. No one is going to put you in a cell.” To Ben, she said, “She’s heard stories. Don’t tease, not about that.”
Ben’s cheeks warmed with color. “Sometimes I think I know better and then I learn that I don’t.” He kissed Lizzie on the forehead. “Sorry.” His reward was that Lizzie settled more comfortably against him, once again perfectly at ease. He looked at Lily over the top of her daughter’s head. “I’ll arrange it with Mrs. Rushton. If there’s a problem, I’ll let you know. Otherwise she’ll be at your house by the time the other children leave for school. Will that suit?”
“Very well. Will you ask her to stay after school in the event that Roen and I are late returning?”
He nodded. “She’s going to thank me for this, you know. It’s not a secret that she’s hoping for Ridley to announce there’s a baby coming.”
Lily’s gaze dropped to Lizzie and then returned to Ben. “What about you?”
“I reckon it’s the same for me.” He shrugged philosophically. “In the meantime, I’ve got this little one to keep me occupied.” He gave Lizzie another bounce and groaned softly when she giggled. “Though not so little any longer.”
“School next year. Right now she’s playing teacher to her doll. You don’t want to know what things that doll is learning.”
Ben laughed. “Coffee? It’s fresh.”
“No, but I’ll get you a cup.” She stood, picked up Ben’s empty mug, and went to the stove to refill it. “Where’s your deputy this morning? I didn’t see him out.”
“You’re going to find this difficult to believe, but he’s with my mother and Fedora Chen. They’re target shooting a couple of miles south of the station. Ellie asked me to accompany her and Fedora, but I knew—”
Lily finished for him. “But you knew how Hitch feels about Fedora and gave him the assignment.”
“Yes, but how did you know about Hitch and Fedora?” Before she could answer, he responded to his own question. “Oh, Clay. Of course.”
“And Hitch confirmed it when he was at my house helping Roen move.” She set Ben’s mug in front of him and cautioned him not to burn his tongue or spill coffee on her daughter, then she sat down. “Why target shooting? And for whose benefit?”
Ben chuckled. “Probably Hitch’s. Ellie used to be a crack shot when she worked at Twin Star so I imagine the skill will return relatively quickly. It’s because of Fedora that Ellie wanted to do this. She thinks Fedora needs to be able to protect herself, and when Fedora mentioned that her father taught her how to shoot game, Ellie hit upon this notion. Hitch might be the least experienced with a weapon. He hasn’t had cause to draw his Colt once except for practice.”
Curious, Lily asked, “Do you think Fedora needs protection?”
“I do. But she has my mother’s. She has Hitch’s and mine. I don’t know what kind of gun my mother has in mind for her, but if it’s bigger than a derringer, it’s not a good idea.”
“Maybe you can talk her out of it.”
Ben’s eyebrows rose again. “My mother?”
“Oh, well, maybe not, but Fedora might listen to you.”
“We’ll see.”
Lily didn’t think he sounded hopeful. “Fedora’s had threats?”
“Invitations to leave town, I’d call them. Menacing looks almost daily.”
“Is there something I can do? Would it help to invite her to dinner, for instance? Make it known that we accept her.”
“I doubt that she’d come. She, um, she keeps her distance from Roen when she can.”
“Why? Has he done something to her?”
“No. No, nothing like that. It’s his job with the railroad. There’s a history there, not with Roen, not even with Northeast, it’s just that it’s the railroad. Your husband is guilty by association.”
Lily found it odd to hear Roen referred to as her husband. She hadn’t heard it before, not even last night at the Songbird. He was Roen or Mr. Shepard to everyone. She wondered if people avoided it, thinking of Jeremiah. “I’d still like to think about it,” she said. “I’ll discuss it with Roen.”
