“What are you talking about?” Morgan asked. “We agreed you weren’t going to be running The Duchess after we were married.”
“I’m not, but I still own it. I’ll still be involved in the management aspect. In fact, after giving it some careful thought, I don’t think we should go away right now.”
“What?”
“Now don’t get all riled up, Morgan,” she said, smiling as she patted his hand. “It’s just not a good time, is all. This is the busiest time I’m likely to see all year and I’m not comfortable leaving the girls there all alone. Why don’t you take Mead to Maryland, and I’ll stay here?”
“Callie Mae, we’ve been over this,” he ground out. “I thought once we were married you would hire someone to run The Duchess.”
“And I will, but I haven’t found them yet and each day I’m closed I’m losing money.”
“I don’t care about the damn money,” he snapped, rising and tossing his napkin down angrily. “Mead’s gone on to Maryland with an escort. I thought we’d take a trip down to New Orleans.”
“Oh, that’s sweet of you, and I promise we’ll go, just as soon as I get things sorted out. That was delicious, Mother Whittaker,” Callie Mae said sweetly, pushing her plate away and picking up her coffee.
“I think you and I had better have a little talk,” Morgan suggested.
“Let’s talk on the way to town. I want to visit Marshal Riley’s office and see if he has any ideas who might be looking for a job, and of course check on the girls. First, I’m going to help your mother with the dishes, so why don’t you go and get the wagon ready.”
Emma had all she could do not to laugh at the skillful way her new daughter-in-law had manipulated her son. Morgan was madder than a wet hen, yet Callie Mae was all smiles as she helped her set the kitchen to rights.
“Is there anything you need from town?” Callie Mae asked when she came downstairs, tying her bonnet under her chin.
“Not a thing dear. Will you be back for dinner?”
“I shouldn’t think so. I expect we’ll eat at the Blue Bonnet, but I’m sure we’ll be home for supper,” she called as she breezed out the back door, meeting Morgan at the wagon.
“I’d liketo know what that was all about,” Morgan growled as he lifted his wife onto the wagon seat.
“Why Morgan, whatever are you talking about?” she replied, smoothing her skirts.
“Don’t give me that,” he shot back, snapping the reins. “I hope you don’t think you’re going to get away with that kind of behavior just because we’re staying at my mother’s. We do have a woodshed you know.”
“Oh, don’t be so grumpy,” Callie Mae said slipping her arm through his. “It’s a beautiful day and I’m relieved we don’t have to rush off and travel halfway across the country. I know you’re worried about Mead, and I understand, but we need to make things right here before we think about taking a trip. Leaving the girls alone never seemed like a good idea to me. Entrusting Lilly to watch out for them is like leaving a fox to guard the hen house. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to come back from our honeymoon and find the girls shipped off somewhere and The Duchess boarded up.”
“Do you really think she’d go that far?”
“I have no idea, but I’m not willing to take any chances. Lilly hates the fact that there is a saloon in town. She has no respect for me and despite her contrition, I don’t trust her. She’s worried that Mead won’t be able to provide for her in the manner she anticipated when she agreed to marry him. I think if she could get rid of Annalise she’d be after Ty Wainwright and his money so fast it would make your head spin, now that she knows he’s of a mind to marry.”
“Ty loves Annalise,” Morgan scoffed. “I can’t see him changing his mind about that and he certainly wouldn’t ditch a sweet girl like Annalise for someone like Lilly. I think you’re overestimating her influence. She could probably intimidate Jane, but Annalise has Ty looking after her, and Marilee seems to have a good head on her shoulders. As far as Fancy, it would take a lot more than Lilly to get her to do something she didn’t want to do,” he laughed. “That girl has a mind of her own.”
“Yes she does,” Callie Mae agreed. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget the sight of her up on the piano knocking people in the head with her cue stick,” she continued with a giggle. “When Marshal Riley told her to get down and she jumped into his arms the look on his face was priceless.”
“I don’t find a damn thing about that night amusing,” he said firmly, giving the reins a quick snap that had her bouncing on the seat.
Callie Mae felt the tension in his body and looked up at his grim expression.
“Of course it’s not amusing. Why Mead’s injury alone is heartbreaking,” she sighed leaning her head against his shoulder. “It’s just that I was proud of the girls, the way they fought back, Marilee and Annalise with their whiskey bottles and Fancy with her pool stick.”
“That may be, but those weapons aren’t much use against a man with a gun who intends to use it.”
“Oh, I wholeheartedly agree and that’s exactly why I think the girls should each get a pistol and learn how to use it,” Callie Mae said enthusiastically. “I’m so relieved that you agree with me.”
“What?” he demanded incredulously. “Are you out of your ever-loving mind? I never said any such thing.”
“Why Morgan, you just this minute said that the girls needed better weapons for defending themselves.”
“Oh, you’re good,” he laughed looking down at her flushed face and confused expression. “I can see now that I will have to stay on my toes if I don’t want you twisting my words until they resemble exactly what you want to hear.”
