The Secret Bliss of Calliope Ipswich (27 page)

Again Molly meowed, gratefully brushed up against Shay’s leg, and scurried off into the grasses.

“Molly’s such a good cat,” Calliope noted. “I’ve never known a cat to love her little girl as much as Molly loves you.”

Shay sighed with contentment and smiled when she took Calliope’s hand as they began walking again. “I like it out here a bit out from town,” Shay commented. “It’s more qui
et. Maybe that’s why Mr. Gates lives out here…because it’s so quiet.”

“Maybe,” Calliope confirmed. “It is lovely
—the grass, the trees, and the wildflowers. Of course, you do realize that we just have to step off our back porch and we have a quiet, beautiful space as well.”

“I know,” Shay said. “But nobody could see you kissin’ your beau out here…the way they can from our house.”

“What?” Calliope giggled.

Shay looked up to her sister. “You and Mr. Gates,” Shay began. “I saw him kissin’ you last night
and
the night before from my bedroom window. But if he kissed you out here, nobody’s around to see.”

Calliope blushed and laughed, “You were spying on me and Rowdy?”

Shay shrugged. “No. I just saw you from my bedroom window while I was lookin’ up at the stars.” She smiled, adding, “He sure did kiss you a lot, didn’t he, Calliope?”

“Well, I-I guess so, Shay,” Calliope stammered. “I mean
—”

“Oh look! Look at those wild daisies over there!” Shay interrupted
, however. Pointing to a nice bunch of wild daisies growing not so far from Dodger’s grave, Shay said, “I need those for Dodger today. You go on and give the invitation to Mr. Gates while I take care of Dodger’s flowers.”

In the next instant, Shay was off flouncing through the grass toward the daisies.

Calliope giggled, amused that Shay didn’t seem surprised at all by the fact she’d seen Rowdy and Calliope kissing the two previous nights. In fact, it appeared as if Shay thought less of the kissing she’d witnessed than she did the bunch of daisies she wanted for Dodger.

Still smiling over her amusement when she knocked on Rowdy’s front door, Calliope
felt her eyes widen when Rowdy opened the door to greet her wearing nothing but his trousers and boots.

“Well, my
, my, my,” he said, grinning at her with an expression of something akin to hunger. “What a nice surprise it is to find you standin’ on my doorstep, Miss Calliope Ipswich.”

Calliope held up the invitation she’d brought. “Good afternoon, Mr. Gates,” she began. “I’ve come to officially invite you to
Meadowlark Lake’s very first Tom Thumb wedding.”

“Fancy!” Rowdy said, taking the invitation from her. “But you didn’t have to walk all the way out here by yourself, Miss Ipswich.”

Calliope giggled. “I didn’t,” she told him. Nodding toward the place where Shay was busily gathering flowers for Dodger’s grave, she said, “Shay was ready to burst apart if she didn’t get out here today to tend to Dodger’s grave. She’s working on making a tombstone for him, you know.”

“A tombstone?” Rowdy chuckled.

Calliope shrugged. “Well, a marker, at least. She’s got a big old rock she’s whitewashed, and she’s got some black paint from the general store. She’s just waiting until Amoretta comes for the wedding so that she can have her paint Dodger’s name on the rock with an appropriate amount of artistic flamboyance.”

Rowdy laughed. “She’s a cute little thing, ain’t she? So tenderhearted and all.”

“She is,” Calliope agreed.

Rowdy stared at her a moment
and then said, “Well, thank you for the invitation, Miss Ipswich. And since you did walk it all the way out here for me, I might as well confess that I talked to your daddy today, and he gave me permission to escort you to this weddin’ thing you’ve brewed up.”

“He did?” Calliope exclaimed.

“Yes, ma’am, he did,” Rowdy affirmed.

Throwing he
r arms around Rowdy’s neck, she squealed, “Oh, I’m so excited, Rowdy! How fun it will all be. And me on your arm at the wedding? It’s another dream come true!”

“Another dream come true?” Rowdy asked, holding her securely against him.

The warmth of his skin penetrated Calliope’s bodice, and she reveled in the feel of it—in the soft, smooth contours of his back as she hugged him.

“Yes,” she whispered. “The first dream was that you would kiss me someday…and you already made that one come true.”

“Oh, I’d be willin’ to make that one come true over and over again, Miss Ipswich,” Rowdy mumbled against her ear.

Calliope’s entire body broke into goose
bumps as she felt him press his mouth to her neck. A wave of warmth washed over her, and butterflies erupted into flight in her stomach.

“Mmm,” Rowdy breathed against her cheek. “You taste like honey, Calliope.”

Her mouth was watering for want of his kiss, and she thought she might faint of unquenched desire before he finally kissed her on the mouth. Rowdy’s kiss was warm and driven one moment, gentle and somehow teasing the next.

“I asked your
daddy if I could come courtin’ you too,” he whispered.

“You did?” Calliope asked a moment before he kissed her again.

“I did,” he answered in a low, provocative tone. “And he said that I could.”

“Did you ask him anyt
hing else?” she breathed between kisses.

“See what I mean, Calliope?” Shay said from somewhere very close.

Calliope unwillingly pulled away from Rowdy. Looking to her little sister, she asked, “And what’s that, Shay Shay?”

“That you and
Mr. Gates should be kissin’ out here at his place, where nobody’s likely to see you,” Shay answered. “Well, other than me, I guess.”

Shay smiled
, and Calliope couldn’t help but giggle. “I guess,” she said to her sister.

“And you best put your shirt back on and head into town soon for the meetin’ Sheriff Montrose is havin’ this evenin’, Mr. Gates,” Shay said. “Daddy says every man in
Meadowlark Lake is supposed to be there.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Rowdy said. “I almost forgot about that, Miss Shay.”

Shay smiled at him, patted his arm, and said, “That’s ’cause you were kissin’ on Calliope and didn’t have your wits about you…so it’s all right.”

“Maybe we’ll see you in town, Rowdy,” Calliope mentioned. “I promised Evangeline I’d go with her to check the post at the
general store once I’d delivered your invitation.”

“I’d like that,” Rowdy said. “And I sure am glad you delivered my invitation yourself, Miss Calliope.”

Calliope blushed, and Shay rolled her eyes. “Sappy, Mr. Gates. Purely sappy,” she giggled.

“Well, you ladies have a nice amble home,” Rowdy said. “And maybe I will see you in town this evenin’, Miss Calliope.”

Calliope blushed with delight as he winked at her.

“And thank you, Miss Shay
, for Dodger’s flowers,” he added. “I know he appreciates bein’ attended by a pretty little girl like you.”

Shay blushed then and said, “You’re welcome, Mr. Gates. Now you have fun a
t the meetin’ in town, all right?”

“I will,” Rowdy assured her.

He gave Calliope one final wink before she and Shay turned and headed back toward town.

“Look at them goose
bumps on your arms, Calliope!” Shay exclaimed as she took Calliope’s hand. “That Mr. Gates really tickles your fancy, doesn’t he?”

“Yes,” Calliope admitted, exhaling a sigh of wonder in the emotions that had so quickly flamed between he
r and Rowdy. “Yes, he does.”

“Here you go
, Evangeline,” Mrs. Perry said, handing Evangeline a letter. “I do declare that I’ve never seen two friends exchange letters back and forth as often or as quickly as you and your friend do! You two must be quite close.”

Evangeline nodded. “We are, Mrs. Perry,” she said. “I’ve known Jennie for as long as I can remember, and I’m so glad we’ve rejuvenated our friendship through correspondence.”

“I can imagine,” Mrs. Perry commented.

As Evangeline opened and began to read Jennie’s most recent letter, Calliope held out an invitation to Mrs. Perry, saying, “And here’s
the invitation for you and Mr. Perry to the Tom Thumb wedding, Mrs. Perry.”

“Oh
, I’m so excited for this, Calliope, honey,” Mrs. Perry exclaimed. “I’ve been gatherin’ up little hints and details here and there, and it sounds as if it’s gonna be somethin’ to behold, indeed!”

“I certainly hope so,” Calliope said.

“And just look at this handwritin’ of Amoretta’s,” the woman gasped. “So lovely, just so very lovely! I’m assumin’ she and Brake will be in town for the event.”

Calliope nodded. “Yes! We’re so excited to see them both. I just miss her so much sometimes that I can hardly bear it.”

“I understand, dear,” Mrs. Perry sighed. “I haven’t seen my own sister for near to five years now.” She nodded, saying, “We do exchange letters, but it’s just not the same as a hug.”

“No, it’s not,” Calliope agreed.

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Perry,” Evangeline said then. “I hope you have an enjoyable evening.”

“You too, dear,” Mrs. Perry said. “And you have fun deliverin’ the rest of your invitations there, Calliope. What fun!”

“Isn’t it though?” Calliope agreed with a giggle as she followed Evangeline out of the general store.

As they started for home, Calliope asked, “How is Jennie, Evie?”

Evangeline frowned a little. “I’m not certain, for I haven’t read the entire letter, but she’s not feeling well.”

Calliope frowned as well. “Oh dear! That’s very worrisome. When is the baby expected?”

“October…late October,” Evangeline answered.

“Good evenin’, ladies,” Mr. Longfellow greeted, stepping up in front of Calliope and Evangeline.

“Good evening, Mr. Longfellow,” Evangeline said, forcing a smile.

Calliope could see how worried her sister was about her friend. She knew that Evangeline probably would rather Mr. Longfellow didn’t linger in speaking with them.

Therefore, Calliope asked, “Are you on your way to the sheriff’s meeting, Mr. Longfellow?”

“Yep. Dex is already there, so I best hurry. You ladies have a nice evenin’,” he said.

Calliope did not miss the manner in which Mr. Longfellow’s eyes lingered admiringly on Evangeline.

“You as well,” Evangeline said with a nod.

“He’s sweet on you, Evie,” Calliope whispered once Mr. Longfellow had entered the courthouse where the meeting was to be held.

“Oh
, hush, Calliope, he is not!” Evangeline giggled.

Suddenly the sound of horse’s hooves pounding the ground startled Calliope and Evangeline. They looked up to see Fox Montrose and Tate Chesterfield riding into town.
Both young men were as pale as the moon and winded as they reined in before the courthouse.

Fairly leaping from
his mount, Fox asked, “Have you seen my daddy?”

“I-I think he’s in the courthouse
. Why?” Calliope responded.

“We seen them!” Tate said then, panting with
exertion or fear—Calliope wasn’t sure which. “We seen the Morrison brothers ridin’ straight for town!”

“What?” Evangeline and Calliope exclaimed
in unison.

“I gotta tell my
daddy,” Fox said, pushing past Calliope and Evangeline and heading into the courthouse.

“You ladies best step back inside the
general store,” Tate said. “There ain’t time for you to make it to your house before they get here.”

Calliope exchange
d looks of terror with her older sister. Then, without another word, they turned and hurried back to the general store. Just as they stepped into it, however, Calliope looked back—in the direction from which Fox and Tate had ridden in. There, on the horizon already on the edge of town, were five men on horseback. And one man—the one riding in the middle—rode a chestnut and white appaloosa.

“Rowdy,” Calliope breathed as panic began to consume her.

“What’s goin’ on? I’m on my way out to the meetin’ the sheriff called for this evenin’,” Mr. Perry said as Calliope and Evangeline hurried to the front window of the store. “What’s all that ruckus I’m hearin’ outside?”

“A gang of outlaws has ridden into
Meadowlark Lake,” Calliope answered simply.

“What?” Mr. Perry asked.

“It’s why Sheriff Montrose and our daddy called the meeting in the first place,” Evangeline began to explain. “The Morrison brothers’ gang was recently driven out of Tombstone, and there were suspicions that they were heading toward Meadowlark Lake in search of a new place to hole up.”

Mrs. Perry gasped, and Mr. Perry simply stormed across the room to the sales counter, reached down behind it, and retrieved a shotgun. Cocking it with determination, he returned to the window.

“You ladies best step back if bullets start flyin’, all right?” Mr. Perry said.