“What do you mean too easy? She was crying her eyes out,” Morgan demanded.
“Yes, but out of anger and frustration. There wasn’t a lick of remorse in her. I told you to keep on until the apologies started. If you stop before then, you’re doomed to repeat the same lesson over and over. Next time, take her somewhere private and spank her bare bottom until you’ve done a good job. And do it where there’s light so you can judge how hard you’re spanking and if her tears are genuine.”
“I thought her tears were genuine,” Morgan said, climbing onto the wagon seat.
“They were, just not for the right reasons. You have a lot to learn, big brother,” Mead said over his shoulder as he led his horse down the street to the livery.
Matthew climbed up beside Morgan on the seat. “Women sure are hard to understand, aren’t they, Morgan? If Pa had given me a lickin’ like that, I’d have been breaking my neck to please him for the next week, but with Callie Mae, it just made her behave worse. I sure don’t get it.”
“I’m beginning to wonder if I get it, Matt. Let’s go home and see if there’s any of Ma’s pie left.”
“Sounds good to me,” Matthew replied.
They’d gone several miles before Matthew spoke. “So, what are you going to do, Morg? It doesn’t seem as if Callie Mae and the girls are inclined to listen to reason.”
“I don’t know; any suggestions?”
“Well, I do go to town several nights a week. I could sort of keep an eye on things if you want me too,” Matt offered.
Morgan laughed. “One of those girls catch your eye?” he asked, grinning.
“No, of course not; my heart belongs to Miss Laurie Dixon. I told you that.”
“So, you didn’t think they were pretty?” Morgan teased.
“Sure, they’re pretty. Even Annalise would be pretty if she put on something that didn’t make her look like she was in mourning and fixed up her hair. I bet she’d be the prettiest of the lot.”
“Is that why you’re offering to keep an eye on things, because they’re pretty?”
“Cut it out, Morg. I’m just trying to help you out. It’s Laurie I want.”
“What happens if she doesn’t want you?”
“That’s just it, Morgan. I think she does. Sometimes I catch her looking at me and her eyes are all sort of soft and dreamy. Then when I say something she gets all businesslike, treating me like the hired help or something when I’m doing her a favor. I figure old Floyd didn’t treat her very well. She seems kind of scared, skittish even. You’d think a woman who’d been married and has three youngins wouldn’t be afraid of a man getting too close.”
“Maybe that’s why she acts that way,” Morgan suggested. “It stands to reason if she had one lousy husband, she wouldn’t be looking for another. And maybe other men have been treating her the same way, or being disrespectful, thinking she was easy pickings because she’s already been with a man.”
“I suppose that could be it, but I hadn’t better find any man being disrespectful to Laurie, or I’ll beat the tar out of him,” he stated angrily. “She’s a good woman and I won’t stand for that. Maybe I need to approach this from a different angle. Treat Laurie like I would any other young girl I was wanting to court. You know, take her flowers and candy, things like that. Pick up some treats for the little ones. I know she needs help, but she’s so all fired stubborn about such things. I’ve seen her crying when she thought no one was looking, but when I try to comfort her, she shoves me away and says, ‘go find some pretty young thing to hang all over, I’m done with all that.’ You’d think she was a hundred years old the way she acts, like her life is over and all that’s left is working her fingers to the bone and raisin’ those kids.”
“It sounds like you have a plan,” Morgan said, turning onto the track to the house. “What if that doesn’t work?”
“Well then, I’m going to do to Laurie what you did to Callie Mae tonight, ‘cept I’m gonna do a better job,” Matthew laughed, jumping down from the wagon. “If you hurry getting the team unhitched, I might save you a piece of pie.”
CHAPTER 10
Morgan rode into town early Tuesday morning and stopped at the Marshal’s office, tying his horse to the rail. He’d never met Marshal Riley, but from what he could gather, they’d been quite good friends at one time.
“Morgan,” Hank Riley said, getting up from his desk when Morgan entered his office. “I was wondering when you’d get around to stopping in,” he continued, shaking Morgan’s hand enthusiastically. “It’s good to see you, Morg. Is this a social call or is something on your mind?”
“It’s good to see you too, Hank, and I guess it’s a little bit of both.”
“Well, I was just about to go get some breakfast. Have you eaten?”
Morgan laughed. “Are you kidding? You think Ma would let me leave the house without a meal?”
“I guess not,” Hank replied. “I miss those days, going fishing or hunting and stopping at your ma’s. She sure does know how to put on the feed bag and that’s a fact. Sorry about your pa, though. He was a good man. Walk down to the Blue Bonnet with me and I’ll buy you a cup of coffee. You can tell me what brought you to town on the way.”
“Sounds good,” Morgan answered as he followed the big man outside. They were similar in build, although Hank had him by a few pounds. He had an easy, long-legged gait, that matched his personality, but he could be tough when he needed to be. Matthew said he was deadly with a gun and never drew his weapon unless there was no other choice. Morgan figured he was a good man to have on his side, if push came to shove.
