Matt (The Cowboys) (24 page)

“A garden this big will mean Toby and Orin will have to help me a couple days each week.”

“Maybe we’d better start a little smaller,” Matt suggested.

“Potatoes don’t need all that much work,” Toby said. “You just plant them and wait for them to grow big enough to dig.”

“The ground has to be prepared, the potatoes planted, the weeds chopped, and the bugs pulled off. After they’re dug, we have to store them so they won’t freeze during the winter.” Matt didn’t appear to be listening to her, but just as she started to ask why, she heard the sound of an approaching rider.

Toby jumped up from the table and ran outside to look.

“I can’t imagine why anybody would be fool enough to ride their horse at a gallop,” Matt said. “They’ll have to walk it all the way back to where they came from.”

“It’s Will,” Toby said when he came back. “What’s he come back for?”

“I don’t know,” Matt said, “but that explains the gallop. Sit down and finish your dinner,” he said to Toby. “We’ll know what he wants soon enough.”

But no one except Matt had any appetite. They waited expectantly as they heard the hoofbeats draw nearer.

“Thanks for cooking,” Matt said. “Everything was good.”

Ellen smiled, thankful for the compliment but worried that Will was returning so soon. He entered the kitchen moments later, eyes bright, his face flushed from exercise and wind.

“Isabelle says the judge is coming to visit you today. He ought to be here within the hour.” He pulled a chair from against the wall and sat down at the table. “That beef looks delicious. Can I have some?”

Chapter Fourteen

The buggy approached with all the solemnity of a funeral procession. It lacked only the black feather on the horse’s head and a drum to beat out the slow clip-clop rhythm of the horse’s hooves.

“That old man is the judge who’ll decide on your adoption request,” Will pointed out. “Isabelle says he’s pretty reasonable, but since he doesn’t live around here, he’s likely to be influenced by Sears and old lady Jackson.”

Living on the ranch with Matt and the children, shielded from the slurs and threats that had made her so miserable before, Ellen had begun to feel optimistic that things would work out. Now all that fled, to be replaced by a fear that hardened in the pit of her stomach like a ball of uncooked dough. She clutched Noah and Tess to her and moved closer to Matt. Toby and Orin did the same.

“Isabelle told me to disappear as soon as I told you,” Will said. “She said my hanging around would ensure that all four children would be carried away for their own protection. I’ll leave by the corrals.”

With his departure, the circle closed more tightly around Matt.

“I’m glad they’re here,” Matt said with a calm Ellen couldn’t share. “It’ll be good to get this over and done with.”

Ellen couldn’t agree. She hoped the judge would be fair, but she was certain Wilbur had done everything he could to prejudice him against their case.

“Is that the man who’s coming to take me away?” Orin asked.

“He’s the man who will approve your adoption,” Matt said.

“Will he take us away?” Noah asked. He was trying to be brave, but years of uncertainty warned him that things could change at any minute.

“He’s not coming to take anybody away,” Matt said. “Everybody should act as naturally as possible. If he asks you a question, answer it truthfully, but it will be best if you let Ellen and me do the talking.”

Ellen didn’t know what she could say to convince this man that she and Matt would be the best parents for these children. She couldn’t understand how Matt could be so calm. Didn’t he realize this man had the power to destroy his dreams as well as hers?

“I don’t care what he says, I’m not going back to Miz McCutchen,” Orin said. “I’ll run away.”

“You won’t have to go anywhere,” Matt said.

“But what if the judge says I have to?”

“If necessary, we can go where nobody will take you away. Now stop worrying.”

Matt squeezed Orin’s shoulder, and he seemed to relax a little. Even Toby appeared more confident. Noah continued to cling to her, but Tess wiggled around until she could hold Matt’s hand as well as Ellen’s.

Ellen felt like a fool. She found herself being comforted by Matt’s words. She was an adult who had experienced the uncertainties of life, yet she couldn’t help but be affected by his confidence. Besides, Matt had never failed to deliver on his promises.

Matt descended from the porch to greet the judge. “Hello. I’m Matt Haskins.” He extended his hand in welcome as the judge climbed down from the buggy.

“Allen Peterson,” he replied. “You know why I’m here?”

“We’ve been expecting you. Let me introduce my wife.”

After disentangling herself from Noah and Tess’s grasps, Ellen moved down the steps to greet the judge. She’d had too much practice in the saloon pretending to be enjoying herself to worry that her expression would betray her nervousness.

“How do you do?” she said, shaking the judge’s hand. “I’m Ellen Donovan.” Hot embarrassment raced through her. “Sorry, Ellen Haskins. I’ve only been married a few weeks.”

Mercifully, the judge smiled. “My wife didn’t stop stumbling over my name until we’d been married more than a year,” he said, taking her hand in both of his. He turned to the four children huddled on the porch. “Considering the size of the task you’ve taken on, I’m surprised you don’t wake up nights dreaming about being single again.”

Smile, Ellen told herself. She wished she’d kept some of the makeup she’d washed off after breakfast. Matt might not like it, but she’d lay odds this judge would.

“It’s been something of a change, but one I’m glad I made.”

“You needn’t try your wiles on the judge,” Wilbur snapped as he got down from the buggy. “He’s here to decide that these children belong in an orphanage.”

“I hope he’s come with a less prejudicial attitude,” Matt said, his voice soft but steely. “I’d hate to think the law made up its mind before seeing the facts.”

“The judge doesn’t know you,” Wilbur said, not the least abashed. “When he does he’ll reach the same conclusion.”

“If you’re through trying to puff yourself up, Wilbur, I’d like to meet the children,” the judge said.

Ellen was relieved to know the judge wasn’t awed by Wilbur.

“They’re rather nervous about your being here,” Matt said. “The threat of being sent away to strangers frightens them.”

Ellen didn’t know how the judge would interpret Matt’s remarks. Western men were often kindly when it came to women and children. But when it came to the law, they could be merciless.

“I’m not here to frighten anybody,” the judge said, “especially pretty little girls. What’s your name?” he asked Tess.

Tess dived behind Orin and Noah.

“It’s Tess,” Noah said, bravely speaking up. “She’s my sister. I’m Noah.”

“And how old are you, Noah?”

“I’m almost six. She’s almost four.”

“Well, you’re a big boy for your age. I’m sure your father is proud of you.”

“I don’t have a father,” Noah said, “but Matt said he would be my father if you let him.”

“Would you like that?”

“Yes. He gave me a horse.”

“Bribery,” Wilbur intoned, as though it were a soul-threatening sin. “I told you this man would do anything to keep these children in his grasp.”

“It seems to me that giving a boy a horse is practical, especially when he lives on a ranch,” the judge said. He turned to Toby. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you, young man.”

Toby’s complexion went a bit pale, but he didn’t pull back. “If you been hearing it from him, you ain’t heard nothing good.”

The judge grimaced. “Clearly something needs to be done about your grammar.”

“That’s what Matt said last night,” Noah said. “He said if Isabelle heard him, she’d be over here every day.”

“She said your grammar was rotten, too,” Toby shot back.

“Who’s Isabelle?” the judge asked.

“Isabelle Maxwell,” Ellen said. “She’s my mother-in-law.”

“She used to be a teacher,” Matt said.

“Is she Jake Maxwell’s wife?”

“That’s the only reason they’ve gotten away with this mockery of a marriage so far,” Wilbur said, interrupting. “Everybody’s afraid to stand up to them because they’re rich.”

“But you’re not afraid, are you, Wilbur?” Matt asked.

“The servant of God is never afraid,” Wilbur announced.

“And you feel you’ve been directed by God to personally see to the welfare of these children,” Matt prompted.

“Any God-fearing citizen would do as much.”

Ellen assumed Wilbur was trying for modesty, but nothing about his personality or his opinion of himself showed even a nodding acquaintance with modesty.

“And you must be Orin,” the judge said.

Orin nodded, but his gaze flew to Matt.

“I heard about your parents,” the judge said. “It’s got to be hard to be without family.”

“Matt says I’m his family,” Orin said. “He said I can be his family always.”

“That’s for the judge to decide,” Wilbur said. “Now it’s time we sat down and got to the heart of this problem.”

“And what would that be?” Matt asked.

“Proving that you’re unsuitable to be the guardian of any young boy.”

“What about me?” Ellen asked.

“Everybody knows those two children you took in would be better off in an orphanage.”

Tess gave out a wail, let go of Noah’s hand, and threw herself at Matt. “You said you wouldn’t let them take me away,” she cried. “You promised.”

Tess having broken ranks, Noah followed suit, rushing over to Matt. Orin trailed him, leaving Toby by himself.

“Why didn’t you run away?” the judge asked him.

“Nobody wants me,” Toby said. “They don’t care if Matt is a bad influence. They say I’m a son of the devil already.”

“Who says that?”

“He does,” he said, pointing at Wilbur.

“God-fearing parents keep their daughters home when he comes to town,” Wilbur said. “Even their sons aren’t safe from him.”

“Three of them jumped me,” Toby barked.

“Those boys wouldn’t sully their hands with the likes of you.”

“I don’t know what ‘sully’ means,” Toby replied, “but they got a couple of black eyes for their trouble.”

“I don’t think the judge wants to hear about your fights,” Ellen said. “Would you like to come inside?”

“Keep close to the house,” Matt told the children. “The judge will want to talk to you.”

“What could they possibly have to say that would be of any importance?” Wilbur asked.

Ellen was relieved to see the judge shoot Wilbur a look that a more perceptive man would have taken as a warning. Wilbur, wrapped in an impermeable blanket of self-importance, didn’t appear able to understand that a person in authority could have an opinion that didn’t agree with his.

“Now tell me something about these children,” the judge said as soon as they were seated around the kitchen table and coffee had been passed around.

“All you need to know is that they’re constantly in trouble,” Wilbur began.

“I meant something of their background,” the judge said. “I’d rather hear from Mr. and Mrs. Haskins, if you don’t mind.”

“But I do mind,” Wilbur said. “Anybody in Bandera can tell you Matt is peculiar.” He turned his gaze to Ellen. “I offered to marry Ellen, but she didn’t have the courage to put herself in the hands of a man of God.”

“I didn’t love you, and you didn’t want my children,” Ellen said. “That seemed sufficient reason at the time.”

“They’re not your children,” Wilbur said. “You’re willful, Ellen Donovan. You should have bowed to the will of God.”

“Save your sermon for the pulpit,” the judge said. “I want to hear about these children. Start with Toby,” he said to Matt.

“Toby doesn’t know his father’s name,” Matt said. “I’m not sure his mother did. If so, she never told him.”

“How can you expect decent people to want the likes of him in their town?” Wilbur asked.

“His mother preferred her career as a saloon singer to being a mother, so she left him with her parents,” Matt continued. “They passed him from relative to relative until they threw him out.”

“Not even his family wanted him.”

“He got into a little trouble in town two years back,” Matt said, ignoring Wilbur. “I’d just bought this ranch and needed help, so I offered him a job.”

“You hired a fourteen-year-old?”

“I was only thirteen when Jake hired me to help take his herd to Santa Fe. So were Sean and Luke.”

“Who are they?”

“His parents adopted eleven orphans nobody wanted,” Ellen explained. “That’s part of the reason Matt wants to adopt Toby and Orin.”

“That still doesn’t make him a fit guardian for a young and impressionable boy like Orin,” Wilbur said.