Page 5 of Earning Tia’s Trust

FIVE

“Whoa, calm down,” Robert exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Tia and patting her back. “Let’s return to the hotel, where we can talk privately.”

Tia nodded, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

“Stay calm,” Robert said when they entered the hotel lobby. He walked over to the hotel counter. “I’d like to order two lunches sent up to room number eight. Whatever you think is the best.”

“Yes, sir,” the manager said, and when he left to give the order to the kitchen staff, Robert walked Tia upstairs to their room.

She went to the window, looking outward, and suddenly turned to face him. “I have to find Hank and our men. They expect me to meet them this morning to ride back to the ranch.”

“I’ve already talked to them,” Robert said. “They won’t be waiting for us and will leave for the ranch in the morning. We’ll be a couple of days behind them. Mrs. Putney will ensure Sammy goes to school and does his chores until we return. I tried to cover everything so we can have a few days to ourselves.”

Tia turned back to the window. “You could have told me when you arrived. I’m trying to trust you, but...”

“But it’s hard because you’ve been lied to and taken advantage of most of your life. And the person doing it was your father,” Robert said. “Hank bent my ear a while before I decided to marry you. Your father was a sick, hard man. He used you as a ranch hand, bullied you, and tried to marry you off to gain a son-in-law that he could use against you.”

Tia stepped away from the window and went to sit on the vanity table stool but immediately jumped to her feet. “I don’t remember Hayward being unkind to me until my mother died. Then overnight, he hated me, and I became an unpaid worker.”

“From what I’ve heard, he was a miserable person, but he’s gone now. I won’t let you take your leftover frustrations with him out on me.”

“I can do without you walloping me!”

“I don’t think so. Those spankings were earned and needed,” Robert said sternly. “I come from a large family that believes in discipline. My brothers and I were a rambunctious bunch, and so were my sisters. Sometimes, I think the threat of being taken to the woodshed was the only thing that kept us on the straight and narrow! That included my high-strung mother, although her discipline was administered in my parents’ bedroom. We knew about it as kids, but it was never discussed.”

“Your father hits your mother?” Tia whispered.

“He spanked her when he thought she’d earned it,” Robert answered truthfully. “They were both tenacious, and my mother was spanked when my Dad had enough of her stubbornness. Wrong is wrong, whether it comes from a child or wife.”

“And, your mother tolerated it?” Tia exclaimed.

“When you’re bottom up, and your husband is setting your backside on fire, it’s not a matter of tolerating it. It becomes a recognition that you’ve crossed a line, and your husband is teaching you a lesson you shouldn’t forget. If you don’t learn from it, you can expect another! I come from a family that believes in spanking, and you’re going to have to learn to adjust to it! Have I made myself clear?”

A knock on the door interrupted Robert, and he opened it for two women pushing a rolling cart into the room.

“Thank you,” Robert said, tipping the women two bits each as they left. He uncovered the plates to find ham dinners. “This looks good. Are you hungry?” He pulled a table and two ladderback chairs away from the wall and sat down.

Tia was hungry, and she walked over to the table. Robert stood up as a well-mannered man and waited for her to sit, and she did gingerly. They ate in silence for a few minutes.

“Do your brothers and sisters still live close to your parents?” Tia asked.

“Yes, although they are a bit spread out across the property. The Double D Ranch is two hundred thousand acres unless they’ve bought more property since I last saw them. That was about seven months ago. My brothers, my sisters, and their husbands run it now. My oldest sister, Alma, and her family live in the original house with our mother. My father died when I was six years old, and my mother still grieves for him.”

“I’ve heard of the Double D,” Tia said. “It’s supposed to be one of the largest ranches in Texas.”

“Second largest,” Robert said proudly.

“But you don’t have any part of it,” Tia said.

“I don’t work the land or the stock like my siblings do, but if I ever want my share, it’s there,” Robert said. “My path led me in a different direction from ranching. There isn’t much I don’t know about ranching. However, I discovered early that my talent was understanding the law. And I knew it would be more helpful than being a ranch hand or boss. I’ve supported the Double D in other ways. I’ve taken on interlopers trying to break up or take advantage of the ranch twice and won both cases. Those court-ordered settlements provided enough money to keep the ranch afloat during some bad years and still have money in the bank. I’m not bragging.” Robert smiled and chuckled. “Well, yes, I am. I have a reputation as an attorney, and I’m known for taking on the underdog and winning. My association with James Hogg and other politicians precedes me among powerful men. I have a history of winning.”

“How did you wind up in Stone Falls?” Tia asked.

“Well, to tell the truth, I was tired of covering for grown men who couldn’t stay out of trouble. It’s reasonable to help a youngster if they’ve broken the law and didn’t know better. Using the law to cover up the wrongdoing of wealthy, powerful men who think they are above the law is something else. It’s wrong, and I would rather spend my time helping to right what is wrong.”

“What made you come to Stone Falls?” Tia asked.

Robert shrugged. “Rainer Bishop sent me a telegram. We have kept in touch since college, as I did with William Bentley, who climbed the ladder to become a judge. Rainer knew I’d left the Attorney General’s office position and suggested I relocate to Stone Falls. In the case of your uncle, he suspected false paperwork, collusion, fraud, and possible murder. On top of all that, an innocent young woman was losing her inheritance. At that time, he didn’t know about the stipulation in your father's will.”

“But...”

Robert held up his hand. “First, I had to prove the cases of fraud and murder by your uncle, and while I was at it, I indicted Judge Thatcher for fraud and the murder of Leo Mercer. While I was doing that, you intrigued me. You’re as pretty as any young woman I’ve ever met, but you don’t recognize it. A stack of newspapers was left in my office, and when I went through them, I became suspicious of what had occurred after your father died.

“I also discovered a lot of incriminating documents in files that Leo Mercer had left behind before he was murdered. I couldn’t let Raymond or Judge Thatcher get away with their actions.”

“You’re a good samaritan,” Tia said.

“I try, although sometimes it backfires on me,” Robert admitted.

“I didn’t talk to Calvin Byrd, the newspaperman, about what was happening or tell him to write those articles,” Tia said. “I liked Mr. Byrd and was sorry when he left town. He was scared off by Raymond and his men. After Mercer was shot, Mr. Byrd was afraid that he would be next. I had to go into hiding with Sammy because of what he wrote in his newspaper.”

“That’s over now,” Robert said. “You and Sammy are safe, and Leo Mercer paid for his wrongdoings with his life. Your uncle and the former Judge Thatcher are going to be in prison for a long time based on the evidence from their drunken admissions that they killed Leo Mercer. The body was found exactly where they said they had dumped it. Your father’s will was still a problem, but that’s been fixed, and you have gained a husband.”

“That’s what scares me,” Tia said.

“Why?”

“You’ve already hurt me twice!”

“I spanked you because you earned it,” Robert denied. “The swats are a reminder of who is in charge.”

“And, by law now, I’m your chattel,” Tia exclaimed bitterly.

“I didn’t make the state laws,” Robert said firmly. “I am your legal husband, and both of us have to understand what that means for each of us.”

“It means I can’t legally own my own property,” Tia said. “My share of the Kingston Ranch now belongs to you. Sammy can only claim his share of the ranch when he comes of age.”

“Except I don’t want your share of the ranch or your bank accounts,” Robert said. “I didn’t marry you to control your property. I married you to protect your property. There’s a big difference. You may not believe me yet, and that might not change immediately, but I have faith your trust will come with time. Should anything happen to me, I have already written a will that all of my property becomes yours.”

“You’re very sure of yourself,” Tia responded. “What about the other stuff?”

“What other stuff?”

Looking down at her half-eaten dinner, she whispered, “The man/woman thing.”

Robert gave a low bark of laughter. “We’ll grow into that too, as most married couples do. Maybe not right away, and that’s part of the trust issue. We have plenty of time. You’re a beautiful young woman, and I’m a healthy man. When it’s the right time, we’ll know.”

“When are we going back to the ranch?” Tia asked.

“In a couple of days,” Robert said. “We need some time to get to know each other, and Brownsborough has a lot to offer.”

Sharing a bed with a stranger, even if he was by law her husband, was nerve-racking. Tia wore a nightgown she’d purchased earlier at the dress shop. She was covered from neck to toe and went to bed with a blanket wrapped around her.

Robert smiled and turned his back to her in the large four-poster bed they shared. He’d already figured out that finding his way into his wife’s affections wouldn’t be easy. Still, he had no intention of ignoring his husbandly privileges for long. Tia might not be aware of her female allure, but he was.

He had no intention of neglecting his natural responses to her beauty, but he would never force the relationship.

When Tia woke the following morning, Robert was gone. He’d left a note that they would go for breakfast when he returned.

She washed and dressed in the new dress she’d worn the previous evening when they’d gone to the restaurant downstairs for supper. Standing in front of a full-length mirror naked, she inspected her bottom before pulling on her bloomers. There were a few red spots, but the soreness was gone. She would have to remember that Robert didn’t like women swearing.

She’d worn the lavender dress the evening before, and doing so had earned her a smile from Robert.

Wiggling her bare toes on the carpet, Tia couldn’t find her boots. Looking out the hotel window, Brownsborough was already preparing for its day. The store owners dragged their wares out on the wooden sidewalks so the customers could inspect them before buying.

Tia watched as more women than men were out early to do their shopping. Then, she saw Robert carrying a large sack and weaving through the women. She noticed something else, too. Those same women were giving him side glances, and some even turned around to stare as he passed them.

Something Tia didn’t understand rose in her chest, and she turned away from the window. She didn’t want those women eyeing Robert, and the recognition of that made her feel uncomfortable.

There was a knock on the hotel door, and Tia opened it to Robert, followed by the women who had delivered their mid-day meal the day before. The women rolled in another cart and gathered the dirty dishes from the previous evening. Then they went over to the bed and made it before accepting another tip from Robert and leaving.

Robert motioned for Tia to sit down on the fainting couch. “Did you have a good night’s sleep?” he asked.

“Yes, but someone stole my boots,” Tia complained.

“That was me,” Robert admitted. “I needed to know what size you wore.”

“I didn’t need new boots.”

“Then why was there cardboard covering holes in the soles?” Robert asked.

“I already owe you money for the dresses,” Tia exclaimed, walking over to the window again and refusing to address him.

“You don’t owe me anything,” Robert said, following her. With a gentle push, Tia was sitting on the edge of the bed. He knelt down, picked up one of her feet, pulled a sock up and past her knees, and then pushed a boot onto her foot. “Does that feel right?”

“Yes, but I can’t...”

“Be quiet and put the boot on,” Robert snapped, going to the table and pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Tia followed him to the table. “Why are you angry?”

“We discussed this yesterday and last night,” Robert said. “You are my wife. As my wife, you will be dressed appropriately. That includes when working on the ranch or going into town. You do not OWE me anything. If you need something, all you have to do is ask. Understood?”

Tia nodded and stuck her feet out so he could see them. “They fit, and I like them. Why are you cranky this morning?”

“I’m...” Robert started to deny her words but stopped himself. “I apologize. I went out this morning to get a good look at the town. But I ran into an attorney I used to work with. He was angry because I didn’t give him a sterling recommendation, and he didn’t get a job he wanted.”

“Should he have gotten the job he wanted?”

“No, he’s qualified, but he has a reputation for taking advantage of his clients!”

“Then you are not at fault,” Tia said, smiling.

Robert smiled, nodded, and agreed. “Dig into your breakfast before it gets cold.”

They ate in silence, and then Tia asked a question. “As my husband, do you think I have to go along with everything you want?”

“No,” Robert said, stiffening and looking insulted. “Obviously, you haven’t met my mother and older sisters. Although it must seem like that to you right now, I’m hoping we’ll come to trust one another.

“I had a long talk with Hank before approaching you at Kingston Ranch. You may disagree with my impression of your father, but I don’t think I’m wrong. Hayward Kingston mistreated you badly, making a ranch hand of you and then putting that God-awful mandate in his will and trying to control you even in his death! In my own clumsy way, I’ve been trying to make up and undo how badly he mistreated you.”

“You’re not wrong,” Tia admitted. “Hayward was like a lot of Western men. He saw my worth only as what he would gain if I married a man who could step into his shoes. He wanted a husband for me, not to make my life easier, but to keep me pregnant and give him grandsons, who would grow up to be ranch hands.

“As a child, I adored him. After my mother died, he became a different person. Over the years, I honestly grew to despise him. Hank and I have been running the ranch for the last six years.

“Hayward had cancer, and I know he was in a lot of pain, but he tried to cure it with hard liquor. Initially, Doctor Melon gave him six months to live. He outlived that guess by years. Even on his deathbed, Hayward begged me to marry Alfred Dundy.”

“What? The Alfred Dundy that lives out by the lake? He’s in his late sixties!” Robert exclaimed.

Tia shrugged. “He owns a section of land that Hayward tried to buy off of him for years. I’m not sure... Hayward might have been out of his mind when he brought up that idea. Although Mr. Dundy did ask me. I figured out ways to scare most of his potential sons-in-law off. Most wanted the ranch, but I had to defend myself several times at the barrel end of my revolver.”

“Your father tried to make you bend to his wishes,” Robert exclaimed. “When you didn’t comply, he forced the issue with his will. His behavior was vile and shameless. I’m beginning to understand why you are so suspicious and untrusting. Why didn’t you run away?”

“I had to protect Sammy,” Tia said softly. “I’m not sure that I am Hayward Kingston’s daughter. Although he brought Sammy to the ranch as an infant, he is not Hayward’s son. He was so desperate to have a son that he bought Sammy as a newborn and claimed him as his own.”

“Are you sure?” Robert asked.

Tia nodded. “I overheard Judge Thatcher talking with Hayward about it. The two of them were so-called friends. When they were drinking, they both had loose tongues. Sammy and I are not blood relations. The truth of his parentage doesn’t mean anything to me. Sammy is my little brother, and half of the Kingston ranch will belong to him when he comes of age. There is no proof that he isn’t my blood brother, and he will never know that he isn’t.

“That particular conversation included Hayward making remarks about my mother that made me doubt that he was also not my father. You have to promise not to reveal what I’ve told you to anyone. If you do, we are done. I will lie, cheat, and kill to protect my little brother!”

Robert nodded. “I do understand. I feel the same way about my family members. You have my solemn word.”

“Thank you,” Tia said. “After I overheard his drunken confession, I stopped addressing Hayward as my father. I called him by name. He hated me for it, but I never called him father again, no matter what he threatened.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “For some reason, I’m exhausted.”

“You have unburdened secrets that have been weighing on you for years. I think you are amazing for protecting your little brother,” Robert said. “What I’ve seen of him, he seems like a good youngster.”

Tia smiled. “He’s stubborn and won’t make his bed or clean his room except under a threat of punishment. My little brother plays hooky from school to go fishing, and he is sometimes the leader and chief troublemaker among his friends. He has to stand in the corner quite often. His school teacher has threatened to put a permanent plaque with his name on it in the corner.”

Robert chuckled. “It’s hard to be a little boy. Who wants to go to school when there’s fish to be caught and frogs to catch? He wants to go riding and pretend he’s Billy the Kid, even if he’s been told that Billy was a bad guy!

“I remember being ten years old. My mother gave me a whack across the butt every time I walked past her. When I complained, she said it was either for the mischief I’d been into already or the mischief I was planning.”

Tia laughed. “That’s my little brother. When my friend Francine took the teacher’s position, Sammy thought he would get away with all his mischief.”

“How did that go over?” Robert asked.

“Not well,” Tia admitted. “He spent most of the first two weeks of school standing in the corner and cleaning the blackboards after school.”

“She’s a tough teacher then,” Robert replied.

“I owe Francine and the Grovers at the mercantile a lot. They helped me when we were hiding from Raymond and his henchmen.”

“I will personally thank them,” Robert said seriously.

“There were others too. Once the townspeople saw through Raymond’s lies, they tried to help.”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Robert said. “I’m going to help you get things straightened out financially, but then I’ll turn the ranch back over to you and Hank, and we’ll work as a team. We’ll see Rainer Bishop when we get back to town. I’ll be available if you need help, but you and Hank will run the ranch. Now that you’re in charge, you should put your stamp on the ranch. Rename it.”

“It’s hard to believe you’ll be so uninvolved,” Tia said.

“It might take a while to get there, but you will learn to trust again,” Robert said. “If I wanted to be a full-time rancher, I’d be working my share of the Double D. Remember this, Tia. I do not lie.”

Tia looked over to the bed, and Robert followed her gaze. “You’re not ready for that yet. Go to bed and take a nap, my beauty. I don’t think you got much sleep last night. We will have plenty of time to explore the town and get used to each other.”

The following day, Robert had a sit-down talk with Tia. She’d dressed in one of her riding outfits, but he asked her to change into one of the new dresses he had picked up the previous day.

“Why?”

“Because you’re not going riding today,” he said. “I’m rather fond of you dressing like a lady.”

“You don’t have to wear the layers women are expected to wear,” Tia complained. “It’s no wonder women faint in the heat. Between the corsets, the long skirts, and what’s under them, a swim in a horse trough starts looking inviting.”

“I didn’t make up the rules for women,” Robert protested with a laugh. “You’re a beauty, and I like walking around with you on my arm.”

“You’re just saying that to get your way,” Tia complained.

Robert shook his head. He walked over to her, took her shoulders, and pushed her to face the mirror. “I don’t know what you see, but I see a beautiful young woman who happens to be my wife now. I would like to escort my properly dressed wife downstairs for breakfast. I’ll meet you downstairs. Hopefully dressed properly.”

Tia looked in the mirror and started to unbutton her shirt. She didn’t believe Robert’s words but didn’t want to anger him. Choosing a blue skirt and a white blouse, she snarled at the petticoats that Lilly had included in her new clothes. One was enough, and that was as far as she would bend. The recommended three petticoats Lilly had mentioned as ‘proper’ attire might be proper back east, but not in Texas heat!

Robert smiled when Tia came down the stairs, and he offered her his arm as they entered the hotel restaurant together.