Chapter 8

Millie straddled Hank all by herself on Saturday morning, planning to make it to Casden by noon. She and Clayton had figured to take a few breaks every now and then, what with the baby and all. Trey handed Quinn up to her and she placed him in her lap.

“Ya’ll be careful, okay?” Trey said, looking up at Millie.

“Uh, huh” Millie nodded.

Trey seemed hesitant.

“Stop worrying. I’ll see you Sunday afternoon” Millie said, patting his hand that rested on the front of her saddle.

Trey nodded and stood back. “Take care of ’em Clayton.”

“Will do, sir” Clayton replied.

Two hours had passed and Quinn was beginning to fall asleep in Millie’s arms. His little head brushed against her arm as it slowly lowered itself down. It was just as well that he sleep, anyway.

Clayton hadn’t said much since they had left, so Millie decided to do what she didn’t do well and strike up a conversation.

“So how long have you worked for Trey?” she asked.

Clayton looked up as if startled by her question. “Me? Oh, yes. Well, I’ve known him since I was a young man. I worked as overseer for his father, too.”

“So you’ve known him a long time. Do you know what happened to his wife?” Millie asked.

“I do, but I prefer not to say. That’s a question you’ll have to ask Mr. Shannon,” Clayton said.

“Trey is awful secretive” Millie mused.

“He has good reason to be” Clayton said.

Millie fell silent. There were so many questions she had, and all of them asked ‘why’.

Millie was half-asleep when she heard the sound of wagon wheels turning and people talking. Looking ahead, she realized that Casden was in view. Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. She could hardly wait to see everyone and introduce Quinn and Clayton. She made her horse speed up as they entered town.

“Can we stop by the newspaper office first?” she asked Clayton.

“Up to you” Clayton replied.

Millie grinned and resisted the urge to make Hank run down the street.

As they pulled up to the front of the newspaper office, Millie waited while Clayton dismounted and held his hands out to receive the baby. Millie placed drowsy Quinn into his arms and jumped down. She stood back to look at the small building that held so many memories. This was her father’s price and joy.

Opening the door, Millie smiled at the sound of the old, loud bell that hung over the door.

“Be with you in a minute!” A voice said from the back room.

Millie smiled. She would recognize Cameron’s voice anywhere.

“Take your time!” she called back.

All the movement in the back printing room stopped, and soon both Cameron and Texiss appeared in the doorway.

“Millie!” Texiss rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Millie.

Millie giggled and returned the hug. Cameron smiled as he stood behind his wife. “What’re you doing here?” he asked.

“I brought Quinn into town to see Doc Jacobs” Millie explained.

“Is this the little fellow?” Cameron asked, pointed to the doorway where Clayton stood with Quinn.

“Yes, that’s him. This is Clayton, my employer’s overseer” Millie introduced.

Cameron shook Clayton’s hand as Texiss smiled at Quinn.

“He’s beautiful” she smiled, stoking the baby’s hand.

“He’s a sweetheart” Millie smiled.

“So how long are you in town?” Texiss asked.

“I’m leaving after services on Sunday” Millie answered, sighing.

“So soon?”

“Well, Trey doesn’t like his son being so far away from home” Millie sighed.

Yet, he will leave him for days on end while he goes gallivanting…

“Is he okay, Doc?” Millie asked after Doc Jacobs examined Quinn.

“He’s fit as a fiddle. Everything seems normal,” Doc Jacobs said.

“Then why won’t he talk?” Millie asked.

“Some kids are just slow. He might take a little coaxing, but I think he’ll speak” Doc said.

“I hope so”.

“So how do you like your new job out there?” Doc asked.

Millie smiled “I like it real well. I miss everyone a lot, but I manage” Millie scooped up Quinn.

“Good. We miss you around here” Doc put up his stethoscope.

Millie sighed. It was good to be home for a few days.

*****

Trey wandered aimlessly around the house. He didn’t know what to do with Quinn, Millie, and Clayton gone. Life was boring, even if they hadn’t been gone a full day yet. Wandering into the parlor, he plopped down onto the sofa and felt something hard on his back. Reaching behind him to retrieve the object, he felt what seemed like a book. He drew it out and looked at the title.

Pride and Prejudice.

Well, he didn’t have anything else to do, so he might as well see what all the fuss was about over the book. He had heard several people talk about it, but had never read it himself.

But how did it end up on the sofa?

Cracking it open, Trey saw a handwritten note on the first page.

To my Lizzie on her 17th birthday. You will always be the love of my life.

Your Mr. Darcy, Lance.

His eyebrows drew close together. Who was Lizzie? Who was Mr. Lance Darcy?

He involuntarily snarled his nose as he began reading the book. Soon he found out that Lizzie was a character in the story and Mr. Darcy was another character.

Only Lizzie hated Mr. Darcy. What kind of a love note was that?

He continued reading and developed a strong dislike for the entire Bennett family. Immature daughters, annoying mother, lazy father, and no sons. Who would carry on the Bennett name?

“Who wrote this thing anyway?” Trey mumbled as he looked at the cover.

Jane Austen.

Trey sighed and continued reading. Why he sat there for three hours and read the entire thing, he had no clue. After the last page was read, he finally understood the note in the front of the book. The only question now was, how did the book get on the sofa, and who did it belong to? Maybe it was one of Jess’. Or it could be Millie’s. She was always reading something.

Sighing, Trey took the book up the stairs to his study and placed the book on his desk with the intention of asking Millie about the story.

Did he have any Jane Austen books in his library? Trey searched through titles and came across several of Karen’s old books that had the Austen name on them. Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Emma, Mansfield Park, and Sense and Sensibility. Taking the stack of books, he placed them on his desk and plopped into the chair behind it. Taking the top book, he cracked the pages and began reading.

*****

Millie walked into the orphanage later Saturday evening by herself. Clayton was back at her old house resting with Quinn, and she was glad at the chance to talk to Texiss alone.

“Come on in Millie” Texiss called from the kitchen, visible from the door.

Millie walked in and sat at the kitchen table. Texiss’ helper, Page, scurried around with the children and kept them under control.

Texiss put a steaming cup of tea in front of her, sitting across her with her own.

“Looks like you can use it,” she said.

“Do I look that bad?” Millie asked, blowing on the tea.

“You look worn out. Tell me about your employer,” Texiss said.

Millie sighed. Where did she begin? “His name is Trey. Trey Shannon. He’s kind of… strange, I guess”.

“How so?”

“Well, he refuses to tell anyone what he does for a living. Clayton knows, but he won’t talk. He seems to be afraid of being a father to Quinn, like he’s scared of messing up. ’One move and you ruin your kid’s life’ he said” Millie explained.

“Cameron said pretty much the same thing to me the other day. He asked how he was supposed to know he was a good father. I didn’t know. I think it’s like a guessing game,” Texiss said.

Millie sipped her tea. “Papa was good at being a father. Wish he and Trey could talk” she smiled.

Texiss smiled with her. “Your father was a rare man. Tell me more about Trey. Is he handsome?” Texiss asked.

Millie narrowed her eyes at Texiss. “Sort of. He scared me at first. Kind of a devilish handsome, I guess. Really dark looks” she said.

“Like Lance?” Texiss asked.

Millie cut her eyes toward Texiss. “Trey’s nothing like Lance.”

“Well, don’t get all defensive” Texiss put her hands up and smiled. “There’s something you have to know, though.”

“What?”

“Lance is in town.”

Millie gasped. She thought she was rid of him. “When?”

“Yesterday. He came by here looking for you,” Texiss said.

“You didn’t tell him where I live now, did you?” Millie asked.

“No, of course not”.

Millie leaned back and Texiss leaned forward. “You need to face him, Millie,” she said.

“I can’t” Millie shook her head.

“You can and you have to. You’ll never move on unless you permanently get rid of him. Make him regret the day he ever disrespected a Williams.

Millie thought a moment. Maybe she should go and give Lance a piece of her mind. The again, she didn’t want to hurt him.

“If I do go, it will be for no other reason than to tell him I forgive him,” Millie said.

“Then do that. But you have to face him” Texiss said.

Millie thought that maybe she was right. Texiss was older and wiser than she was.

“I need to go check on the baby. I left her with Cameron and he probably let her go to sleep. Softie” Texiss stood and left.

Millie stood and went to the door. “I have to go, Texiss” she called.

“Oh, okay. Well, it was good seeing you!” Texiss came down the hall from the back bedrooms.

She gave Millie a brief hug. “It’ll work out, you’ll see” she smiled.

Millie nodded. She sure hoped so.

*****

Trey felt like a slug. He had done nothing productive all day long and it was wearing on him. It was too late to go for a ride and too early to go to bed. Sighing, Trey walked down the staircase and was startled when the door suddenly opened. Were Millie and Clayton back already? Had something happened?

It was only the stable boy.

“Shannon, you’ve got company. Told me to come get you” Price said.

Trey snarled. “What does he look like?”

“Big and ugly” Price said.

“That’s Wes. Send him up to my study” Trey turned around and went back up the stairs.

Wes entered Trey’s study, his hat in his hands and a nervous look on his face.

“Boss” he said.

“What do you want, Wes? It’s nearly dark,” Trey asked.

“I’ve got some news, Boss,” Wes said.

“Well, tell it”.

Wes sighed and plopped into a chair. “I know who stole the money.”

Trey jerked his head up straight. “Who?”

“Jed”.

Trey didn’t believe it. Jed would never do something like that. “That’s not likely, Wes. You got the barrel fever?”

“No, I haven’t had anythin’ to drink all day” Wes said.

“I’m impressed,” Trey said, though he didn’t believe a word Wes said.

“I’m tellin’ ya the truth! I found the money and Jed was fiddlin’ with it,” Wes said.

Trey sighed. “Fine. I’ll ask him some questions in the morning,” Trey said with no intentions of doing anything.

“Don’t tell him who told you. He’ll kill me,” Wes said.

Well, the world would be less one more idiot that way.

Trey thought.

“Okay, fine. Just get outta here,” Trey said.

“Where’s Clayton?” Wes asked.

“Gone. Now move” Trey said.

Wes walked out of the room and Trey shook his head. How he ever got saddled with a bum like Wes he’d never know.

*****

Millie stood in front of the hotel room 46 and groaned. What was she doing here?

In spite of her nervousness and the fast beating of her heart, she raised her hand and knocked on the door. The sound of something falling caused her to jump.

“Coming! Coming. I’m coming” a voice said.

The door swung open, and there he stood, tucking in his shirt. Lance Conners.

“Lance” she greeted.

Lance’s shoulder-length dark brown hair hung in his face as he stared at her. She had always hated his hair that long. He should have pulled it back or something.

“M-Millie?” Lance swallowed hard.

“Yes, it’s me. Texiss said you were looking for me,” Millie said.

Lance stood back. “Um, yes. Will you come in?”

Millie was appalled at the question. How improper did he think she had become?

“No, thank you” she said.

Lance opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He smoothed his hair out of his face, probably in a desperate attempt to think of something to say. After all, what did one say after breaking a girl’s heart? Millie stood and enjoyed watching him squirm for a moment, then broke the silence out of pity.

“My father’s dead,” she said.

Lance’s eyes grew wide. “I didn’t hear that.”

“Of course you didn’t. One would have to actually be around to hear news,” Millie said.

“How…”

“Murder. There was a bank robbery,” Millie told him.

“I-I’m sorry”.

Yes, I bet you are.

They stared at each other for a moment.

“Wh-What do you want from me?” Lance asked.

Millie sighed. She wanted an apology. She wanted respect from him. Truth be told, she wanted him back.

“I want to tell you that I forgive you. For everything” she said.

Lance said nothing for a moment. “You forgive me?” he said, his words laced with sarcasm.

Millie felt her face grow hot. She would not allow him to treat her so after all he’d done. “Oh, did you expect me to be coming here to beg on my hands and knees for forgiveness for dissolving our engagement? Lest you forget, I had good reasons for what I did. That’s not what I can say about you. Do you have any idea what your disloyalty did to me?” Millie asked, trying to keep her voice low.

“Why can’t you just forget that?” Lance asked.

“One doesn’t just forget adultery, Lance” Millie resisted the urge to yell.

“Adult--- We weren’t even married yet!” Lance defended.

“One day from it!” Millie exclaimed.

Lance groaned.

Millie turned to go. “When I leave this hotel, I’m going to try not to think of you ever again. Don’t come looking for me.”

She turned and left, and Lance didn’t follow her.

*****

Millie slipped into the pew next to Texiss the next morning as the pianist played the introductory hymn. Clayton slipped in beside her and gave her Quinn. He sat straight in Millie’s lap, staring at little Caroline in her mother’s arms. Millie smiled. The poor boy had never seen another baby.

As the pastor got up and motioned for them all to stand, Millie looked around the room. She had missed these people so much. She hardly noticed the words of Amazing Grace as the congregation sang, and just mumbled the words as she looked at each face. Her heart ached at the thought of leaving them again.

At the next song, Millie paid closer attention to the words of “What a friend we have in Jesus”, especially the last verse.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.

Millie found peace in the words. Jesus would bear her burdens if she just gave them to Him.

*****

After service was over, Millie realized that it was time to say good-bye; even it seemed to shatter her heart.

“Texiss!” Millie chased after her friend.

Texiss turned around. “There you are! I was wondering where you’d run off to” Texiss said, slipping her arm through her husband’s, who held their daughter.

“Clayton’s gone to get the horses ready. I’ve gotta go change and then we’ll be heading off” Millie said, situating Quinn in her arms.

Texiss sighed and crushed Millie to herself with her only arm. Millie returned the hug and blinked back tears. She looked up at Cameron.

“Will you bring her to see me for Christmas?” she asked.

Cameron thought a moment. “I don’t see why not. Will Trey Shannon be okay with it?”

“I don’t see why not. I’ll ask him anyway,” Millie said.

“Well, then I guess so” Cameron smiled.

Millie released Texiss. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too. Take care, ya hear?” Texiss said.

“I will” Millie gave Cameron a quick hug and kissed Caroline’s head.

“If that Trey doesn’t treat you right, you tell me, ya hear?” Cameron said.

“I will. You’ll be the first to know” Millie smiled. “Ya’ll are the best friends a woman could have.”

Texiss smiled and gave her another hug.

Half an hour later, Millie, Clayton, and Quinn were on their way out of town. Millie hated leaving everyone behind and all of the sudden her life at the Shannon’s seemed dull.

Except for seeing Trey again, there didn’t seem to be much to be exited about.