Page 78 of Head Room

Okay, if Maggie had to prepare the food for her own wedding, I’d pack away my envy and continue reading.

****

“Isn’t it a shame now that the folks at Bellemont and Ashford Run couldn’t see their favorite getting married this day,” Viess said with dark pleasure.

Ransom maintained his silence, though he felt the slice of Peter’s wounded look, as well as a pain that came from inside himself.

Maybe at the reminder of Ashford Run, the place where his sister raised Peter...and Thomas.Expecting Thomas to continue their father’s family holding.

Bellemont was different.It belonged to the Witherfords, including Laidey — Adelaide — the eldest daughter.Most folks had thought he’d marry Laidey.Maybe he had, too.

Silence didn’t stop Stelmen Viess.

“You probably thought your wedding day would be a good deal different from this now, sir.”The last word came out with a sneer.“To think they once talked of you someday being the master of Bellemont.A far cry from standing on those broad grand stairs taking your vows to this dirt-floored room in a godforsaken wilderness.”

“That shows how ignorant you are, Viess,” Peter burst out before Ransom could quell him with a look.“Weddings at Bellemont are always in the rose parlor, where the likes of you never set foot.But Ransom did.Ransom was there many a time.”

Viess narrowed his eyes at Peter’s words but didn’t turn his stare from Ransom.

“You’ll never set foot in it again, will you?”

He made the words a venomous croon.“That door’s shut tight on you.Barred and locked.They once thought you were a gentleman, but they’d know their mistake if they could see you.No gentleman now...sir.”

Ransom squeezed dry his anger in a fist of control.Stelmen Viess was right on one account — Ransom Fletcher could no longer afford certain luxuries.The luxury of anger, the indulgence of bloodying a cruel mouth.He needed to show Peter and these other men how it would be from here on.And he owed something to one other person who’d silently entered the room.

The still figure of the woman he’d just married.

She’d given no sign of having heard Viess’s words.He wondered if he imagined a notion that she’d grown tense.

“No, no gentleman, now, Stelmen,” Ransom agreed with as much good humor as he could summon.“But that’s the thing of it with the West.I have an idea that most any man can make a gentleman of himself out here — if he has the makings for such a thing at all.”

Others in the room eased, but Stelmen Viess didn’t miss the underlying message that he lacked those makings in Ransom’s view.

****

My phone announceda message.

Tom.

He often messaged at night rather than call unless he knew I was awake, even though I was far more of a night owl than him.He was considerate that way.

Meeting over, he was on his way to the ranch, to get a painfully early start in the morning.His message said he’s connected with the vets and I should come to the ranch in the morning after dropping off Tamantha at the library.

I could have called him.He’d be driving a bit longer.It wasn’t like I’d keep him awake.

I didn’t.

Family history and potentially frazzled brides and grooms could wait until later.

I messaged back that all was well with Tamantha, I’d meet with him at the ranch house in the morning, and wished him a good night.

I began reading again.

****

(Notes: Maggie makes female friend — young wife of an officer.Maggie wary, because ranks don’t usually mix, but the other woman is not constrained.And she’s lonely because other officers’ wives view her as useless...which she mostly is.But she knows it and wants to learn.)

“You don’t know how to mend—.”Maggie stopped herself, realizing how rude she was being.But officer’s wife wasn’t dismayed.