Matt (The Cowboys) (16 page)

“I’m never going back to you!” Orin shouted. “You hate me. You said I was a worthless nuisance.”

Ermajean McCutchen’s sugary expression slipped for a moment but slid right back into place. “I’m sure if I ever said such a thing, it must have been about one of my boys. They do stretch my patience from time to time.”

Orin looked poised to run, but Matt’s hand on his shoulder steadied him.

“Orin won’t be going anywhere,” Matt said, his voice betraying none of the anger Ellen was certain he felt. “My wife and I are going to adopt him.”

Ermajean’s smile vanished in the blink of an eye. She turned on Ellen, her eyes snapping with anger. “Reverend Sears will have something to say about that. You’re not fit to have charge of decent kids, even kids who ain’t got a father.”

“You’d better go sit in the shade, Ermajean,” Isabelle said, coming up behind her. “You look like you’re about to faint from the heat.” She stepped neatly between Ellen and Ermajean. “I don’t think you’ve met my daughter,” she said to Ellen. “This is Eden. She’s a nice child except for being spoiled to death by men falling all over themselves to give her anything she wants.”

“Mother, will you stop trying to prejudice everybody against me?” Eden said, her laugh and smile both charming. “You’ll have her thinking I’m terrible.”

Ellen doubted anyone could think badly about this lovely teenager.

“The others will be along in a minute,” Isabelle said. “Let’s go in before all the seats are taken. I don’t want us scattered all over the church.”

They left Ermajean standing alone with her mouth hanging open.

With a skill Ellen imagined Isabelle had honed on her own brood of twelve, she shepherded them into the church. “I asked Ward and Marina to save us some pews.

“The others will have to fend for themselves,” she said as sixteen people filled two pews to capacity.

“Who’s coming?” Will asked.

“Everybody except Chet,” Isabelle said. “He and Melody have gone to visit Melody’s brothers to show off their little boy.”

Ellen was thankful for Isabelle’s support. It was nice to have Matt to lean on, but Isabelle understood what it was like to be a woman in a situation like this. Matt would have brazened it out alone. Isabelle had rallied the family for support.

“I’m Marina Dillon,” the lovely woman in the pew in front of them said, introducing herself. “This is my husband, Ward, and these are our four boys. I’m glad to welcome you into the family.”

Ellen was familiar with Dr. Dillon, but she hadn’t known he was part of the Maxwell family. He and his wife looked as old as Jake and Isabelle.

“We found Ward and Drew together,” Matt explained. “Drew’s parents had been killed by Indians and Ward wounded. Jake and Isabelle sort of adopted him along with all the rest of us.”

Ellen didn’t have time to organize her thoughts before she was distracted by Sean entering the church, followed by three redheaded boys who were obviously his sons. A beautiful, stately blond woman walked at his side, followed by an attractive teenage girl who smiled brightly at Toby.

“That’s Pearl with Sean,” Matt whispered. “You’ll meet her later.”

They were followed almost immediately by a couple Ellen recognized as Buck Maxwell and his wife. “Drew won’t be coming,” Buck whispered to Isabelle. “Celeste has a bad cold, and Drew has the sniffles. Cole won’t let either of them out of the house.”

“I’m Hannah Maxwell,” the blond woman at his side said with a welcoming smile. “I hope you’ll bring the children over when you get more settled. Sean has a son Noah’s age and Drew has a girl Tess’s age.” She laughed softly. “Among the five of us, we have a boy or girl of just about every age between one and twenty-one. Your children won’t ever be short of cousins.”

They moved away to find a pew three rows in front of where Matt and Ellen sat, but the warmth of Hannah’s greeting remained. There could be no mistake about the cordon of protection the Maxwell family had thrown around her. For the first time in her life she felt completely safe. It was an intoxicating feeling, one she liked very much. It helped her remain calm when Mabel Jackson swept into the church followed by her husband and two children. Mabel entered a private pew at the front of the church. Before she sat down, Mabel turned around and surveyed the congregation with a jaundiced eye. It was clear she didn’t like what she saw. The presence of so many Maxwells was not lost on her, nor the fact that most of the congregation seemed excited to have them present. Mabel took her seat with a decidedly sour look on her face.

Ellen faced Wilbur Sears coming into the church without the knots that usually developed in her stomach. The Maxwell family formed a barrier that helped to shield her from the frowns he threw her way, the frowns that grew increasingly dark. Her feeling of security lasted until he stood up to begin his sermon.

“I had intended to talk to you today on the Beatitudes. But I’ve changed my mind. I will speak about Mary Magdalene.”

Chapter Nine

“That man had a lot of nerve preaching a sermon like that,” Isabelle fumed as they headed toward the hotel. “Some people will think he was speaking of you,” she said to Ellen.

“Everybody knows he was talking about me,” Ellen said.

“It doesn’t make any difference what he says,” Matt said. “It’s not true.”

“Ignore the man,” Jake said. “He’s a fool.”

Isabelle exchanged a look with Ellen that said men just didn’t understand.

“Threaten their property or their family and they’ll kill you,” Isabelle said in a quiet voice to Ellen. “Slander their reputation and you can’t get their attention.”

“I’m hungry,” Noah said. “Are we really going to eat at the hotel?”

“Jake reserved the four largest tables,” Isabelle assured him. “If Drew’s family had come, there’d have been thirty-four of us.”

“Did you count the girls they adopted?” Matt asked.

“Of course. They’re just as much a part of the family as their two girls.”

Ellen decided if this family kept up its penchant for adoption, she’d soon be related to half the people in—she caught herself. She had to stop thinking of herself as part of this family. Her marriage was temporary.

Getting everybody into the hotel and seated required the effort of several generals. Fortunately the Maxwell women proved more than capable of handling the situation. Within short order the children were seated together so they could get to know each other, but with adults close enough to make sure they didn’t get rowdy.

Ellen was delighted to see Sean’s daughter, Elise, and Isabelle’s daughter, Eden, take Tess under their wings. Along with Buck’s daughter, Nita, they laughed and whispered as though they’d been friends forever, forming a tight female enclave against their more numerous male cousins. Ellen’s eyes watered and her heart swelled with thankfulness. Tess was already holding hands with Nita, looking from Elise to Eden with pure adoration in her eyes.

The boys weren’t quite so well behaved. Toby and Ward’s older boy ogled any girls who came into the hotel. Noah and Sean’s two older sons had their heads together giggling within minutes. Buck’s son, Ward’s three youngest boys, and Orin sat together in a group, too young to be interested in girls but too old to be giggling. Ellen imagined they were doing a little bragging about how fine a cowboy they’d be when they grew up. Ellen had never seen Noah look so happy. She couldn’t understand why Wilbur would want to tear him away from such a family.

“We should have brought food for a picnic,” Isabelle said. “This crowd is almost too much for the hotel.”

Ellen was relieved to notice that the townspeople seemed to see her in a new light. The women who came into the dining room continued to whisper when they saw her, but their looks had changed from condemning to noncommittal, even friendly. The men, most of whom had always had a kind word for Ellen, appeared welcoming.

Mabel Jackson was the only person who expressed outright annoyance that Ellen was in the dining room. Some heated words and pointed glances seemed to imply that the Haskinses occupied a table she considered her own. She led her family to an area as far away from Matt and Ellen as possible.

“What are you going to order?” Matt asked Ellen.

“I’ll have the special. What about the children?”

“We ordered the special for all the kids,” Matt said. “I hope they have enough.”

“My boys will eat anything that’s put in front of them,” Ward’s wife said.

“Sean’s eat all the time,” Isabelle said. “They’re trying to be as big as their father.”

Ellen worried Noah would misbehave, but the only one to cause any real worry was Toby, who kept ogling Mabel Jackson’s daughter. It was obvious Tammy Jackson was as interested in Toby as he was in her.

It was just as obvious Mabel was furious. She spoke to her daughter repeatedly, but the girl kept glancing over at Toby and smiling. Once she winked. Ellen doubted Mabel saw it, but she was certain Toby did. He positively beamed, which caused Mabel to have a heated discussion with her husband. Moments later he heaved himself out of his chair and headed toward Toby.

Matt was immediately on his feet.

“Mabel is a fool,” Isabelle said. “If she’d just ignore this, the children would soon forget each other.”

Ellen felt herself tense as Matt approached Tom Jackson.

“It’s good to see you, Tom,” Matt said. “I hope you and your family are well.”

Tom Jackson looked uneasy, but he also looked determined. “We’d be a lot better if that cowhand of yours didn’t keep leering at my daughter.”

“If you don’t want people staring at your daughter, you’d better keep her at home,” Matt said, smiling and genial. “Boys will always stare at girls, especially when they’re as pretty as Tammy.”

Everyone knew Tammy Jackson was the apple of her father’s eye. Praise his daughter and he was your friend for life. He looked uncomfortable now, caught between the desire to enjoy Matt’s compliment and the need to avoid his wife’s anger.

“I know it’s a temptation, but he’s got to stop. It’s upsetting Mabel.”

“Wouldn’t she be more upset if boys didn’t look at Tammy?”

“He’s a fatherless cowhand,” Jackson said. “He’s got no business staring at Tammy.”

“So you’re going to tell all the cowhands within fifty miles they can’t look at your daughter when they come to town? Jake and Sean would like to know how you manage that. They’ve had cowhands staring at their daughters for years.”

Tammy Jackson was a very pretty girl, but not even a besotted father could believe she was prettier than Elise. As far as Ellen was concerned, she wasn’t as pretty as Eden, either.

Tom Jackson was looking very uncomfortable. Nearly everyone in the dining room was doing their best to hear what he said. He had to know it would be repeated over and over before this day was out. He also had to know that except for Matt, not a single male in the Maxwell clan had a smile on his face. To make a scene over something as trivial as this would not only be ill-advised, it would be stupid.

“Young girls are always attracted to boys they consider exciting and a little bit dangerous,” Matt said. “It’s even more exciting if their parents disapprove, but they grow out of it in a few years.”

Matt had given him a way out. Ellen prayed he’d take it.

“We’re thinking of sending Tammy to school in San Antonio,” Tom said. “Her mother thinks it’s time for her to meet more people.”

It was well known that both Eden and Elise attended a fashionable girl’s school in Denver.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Matt said. “I see your dinner has arrived. You’d better go eat before it gets cold.”

Tom Jackson hesitated, but the glances directed at him from all corners of the room appeared to convince him to leave well enough alone. He might own the local bank, but he wouldn’t endear himself to his clients by making a fool of himself.

“Good to see you,” Tom said. “I hear your ranch is doing well.”

“We just got a new herd, so we’re really busy.”

Tom went back to his table. Ellen forced herself to look at Toby instead of Mabel. Matt spoke to him briefly before returning to the table.

“I thought you handled that very well,” Isabelle told Matt.

“His wife made him come over here,” Jake said. “Tom would never say anything like that on his own.”

Ellen thought Matt had handled it brilliantly, but before she got a chance to tell him so, Wilbur Sears entered the dining room and paused to survey the diners. He smiled when he saw Mabel Jackson. That smile vanished when his gaze settled on Ellen.

“Don’t respond to anything he says,” Matt said softly to everyone at their table as Wilbur headed in their direction. “Let me handle this.”

“That man would be smart to let things go,” Jake said.

“He thinks God has sent him to Bandera to save us from ourselves,” Isabelle said. “He can’t let things go without abandoning his mission.”

“You,” Wilbur intoned loudly enough for everyone in the hotel dining room to hear, “have desecrated the sanctity of God’s house.”

“I made all the boys take baths before we came,” Matt said. “If you noticed a bad smell, I can assure you it didn’t come from us.”