Monk's Bride Read online

  Don’t be greedy, Monk Magonagle. You have more than you’d ever imagined would be yours—respectable job, respectable friends, respectable place to live. You never again have to worry about some lawman grabbing you or Nate. Enjoy what you have.

  Chapter Two

  Although Betsie still suffered from embarrassment at Liam’s accident, she couldn’t get over how friendly Sarah was. The woman chattered as if they’d been lifelong friends. At the same time, the muscles in Betsie’s chest tightened and her stomach threatened to reject the food she’d consumed, the same as Liam’s had done earlier.

  She shouldn’t have let Liam eat so much after so many months of short rations. No wonder he’d thrown up. Too late to worry about that now. She hadn’t been able to begrudge her son the pleasure of eating his fill.

  Sarah clicked the reins and the horses turned in a drive.

  Betsie laid her free hand at her throat. “This is exactly the way I pictured the house from Mam’s description. What a lovely place.”

  “Oh, I so agree. I’ve loved this house since the first minute I saw it. My sister and brother and I stayed here when we arrived. Actually, I’ve stayed here more than either of them.” Sarah stopped the horses and set the buggy’s brake. “Don’t be alarmed when you see the size of the man who comes to help us. He’s a kind, gentle soul.”

  As she spoke, the largest man Betsie had ever seen came around the corner of the house. He would have been frightening had Sarah not warned her. The man must stand seven feet tall and was brawny. She judged him to be in his forties. His startling appearance was softened by facial lines that showed he smiled a lot, as he was now.

  He helped Sarah from the buggy then turned and lifted Nat for her. “Little tyke’s growing.”

  Sarah took Nat from him. “Betsie Hirsch, this is Dudley Peacock. Betsie is Fiona’s daughter and her son is Liam.”

  Dudley smiled and took Liam from her arms. Cradling her son in one arm, he helped her alight. “I’ll bring your bag inside after I deal with the horses. Any other luggage to collect?”

  “I have a trunk at the train station.”

  “If you give me the ticket, I’ll fetch that for you.”

  She pulled the claim receipt from her purse and handed it to him. “Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Peacock.”

  He shook his head. “Just plain Dudley, ma’am. Miss Fiona’s gonna be mighty happy to see both of you.”

  Betsie smiled, hoping the large man was correct. In spite of his assurance, her stomach roiled with acid. She followed Sarah inside while Dudley led the horses toward the back.

  Sarah called, “Fiona, Grandpa, you have company and a nice surprise.”

  A man’s deep voice answered, “Your visits are always mighty welcome, Sarah. Bring that boy in here for me to see.”

  Sarah smiled at Betsie before turning into a room. When Betsie followed, she saw it was an office or study. Overflowing bookcases lined two walls. Several chairs invited visitors to linger. Sunshine beaming in from a large window created an interesting pattern and motes danced on the sun’s rays.

  Behind a massive desk sat an imposing man with gray hair, striking blue eyes, and a wide smile. He reached for Sarah’s baby Nat. “Now who is this you’ve brought with you?”

  Fiona bustled in. “Sarah, so good to see you.”

  Betsie knew the second her mother spotted her.

  Fiona let out a cry then rushed to hug her around Liam. “My darling Betsie, you’re here at last.” When she stepped back, tears ran down her cheeks. She pulled a handkerchief from her cuff and dabbed at her face before she lifted Liam from her daughter’s arms.

  Crying herself, Betsie kept one arm around her mother. “Mam, I’ve missed you so. I hope it’s all right with Himself that we’ve come.”

  The Judge stood. “If I’m the Himself you mean, it’s more than all right. I hope you’ve come to stay so Fiona’s mind will be at ease.”

  Betsie still couldn’t hold back her tears. “No wonder Mam fell in love with you. You’re as kind as she said in her letters.”

  Fiona shook her head. “Don’t be telling him that or he’ll be thinking he has a hold over me.”

  The Judge laughed. “I do have a hold over you, Fiona my love, just like you have over me. Aren’t we a pair?”

  Sarah took Nat from him. “Grandpa, meet Betsie Hirsch.”

  He hugged Betsie. “You’re a welcome sight, Betsie. Let’s go into the parlor so we can sit down and visit.”

  She didn’t know what to call him. “Thank you, Your Honor.”

  He sent her a peculiar look. “You call me Grandpa. That’s what friends and family call me.”

  “Thank you, I’ll try to remember.”

  She was in awe in this luxurious home as she followed her mother and Sarah through a hall and into a large parlor. Could she and Liam really stay here? She tried to take Liam from her mother.

  Fiona turned away. “I’m not ready to hand him over yet. If I’m not mistaken, he threw up his lunch.”

  With a sigh, Betsie looked at her son. “I’ll tell you about that.”

  Each of the adults sat. Betsie chose to sit on a couch beside her mother, Grandpa chose a high backed upholstered chair, and Sarah sat on the couch across from Betsie.

  Fiona met Betsie’s gaze. “Let’s hear your story.”

  Betsie sensed a blush on her face and neck as she explained about her son wanting to eat and how Mr. Magonagle’s kindness was rewarded.”

  Laughing, Grandpa slapped his knee. “Poor Monk. Bet he didn’t say a word against the boy. Lots of patience, that Monk.”

  Fiona looked at him. “Rob Kincaid, you’d have done the same and you know it.”

  A servant entered pushing a heavily laden tea trolley.

  Fiona nodded at the woman. “Thank you, Polly. This precious boy is my grandson Liam. He and his mother Betsie will be staying with us.”

  Polly gave a mini-curtsy to Betsie before turning back to Fiona. “Dudley told us before he left for the station to fetch Miss Betsie’s trunk.”

  Betsie laid a hand at her throat. “Mam, Liam’s changes of clothes are wherever Dudley is. I should have asked him to bring in the suitcase before he left.”

  Polly peered at Liam’s front. “I’ll get a cloth dampened in warm water. I imagine we can clean him up quickly without upsetting him.”

  Sarah pulled the tea trolley close to her. “I’ll pour while we’re waiting. My, these tarts look tasty.” She gave Grandpa an impish smile. “I imagine that’s why you’re still in the room.”

  He pretended to be gruff but Betsie had already heard from her mother’s letters that he was soft-hearted and kind. The way he’d welcomed her emphasized that fact.

  “Durn right, otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here with a gaggle of women. You can talk dresses and hair ribbons all you want but don’t think I’m missing out on those pecan tarts.”

  Sarah stood to hand him a cup of tea and a plate holding the dessert. “I sweetened your tea the way you like it.”

  “You’re a good girl, Sarah.” He smirked at Fiona. “Some people could take lessons.”

  Fiona glared at him. “Some people have your health in mind, as you well know. I let Sarah spoil you but don’t think I’ll do the same. When our Sarah isn’t here, you’re sticking to the diet Pearl wrote for you.”

  If Betsie didn’t know better, she’d think they were arguing. Apparently Sarah noticed the confusion on Betsie’s face.

  When she handed her tea, Sarah leaned over Betsie. “Don’t worry, they’re like this most of the time. They love sparring this way. Took me a while to catch on it’s their form of courting.”

  Polly returned with a bowl of water and a cloth. She sat on the other side of Fiona and put the bowl on the floor. She dipped in the rag and wrung out the excess water.

  “Now, let’s see what we can do to make Liam smell better, shall we?” She cleaned his face and hands then wiped at the stains on his clothing. Most of the vomit scrubbed
off.

  Her efforts waked Liam. “Ma? Ma?” He scrunched up his face until he spotted her.

  Betsie took one of her son’s hands in hers. “Liam, this is your grandma.”

  He craned his neck to look at Fiona. “Grandma?”

  Fiona kissed his freshly-cleaned cheek. “That’s right, Liam, I’m your grandma.”

  He looked from Fiona to Betsie. “Grandma, now can we eat?”

  “All the way here I told him when we got to Grandma’s we’d eat.” She smoothed her hand across his face. “I think you had enough to eat with Mr. Magonagle. Do you remember throwing up your lunch on his clothes?”

  He rubbed his stomach. “Tummy hurt-ed but not now. Can’t we eat?”

  Sarah handed Betsie a tart on a plate. “This one looks like vanilla pudding with a dab of raspberry jam in the center.”

  Polly leaned to check. “That’s exactly what it is, Miss Sarah.”

  Fiona took the plate. “That shouldn’t hurt your tummy, Liam. Do you want me to cut the tart into bites for you?”

  Liam picked it up with both hands. “I’m a big boy now, Grandma.”

  Polly stood holding the bowl of water. “I’ll take this back to the kitchen. Should I leave the cloth?”

  Betsie reached for it. “Couldn’t hurt.”

  Grandpa stood and grabbed another tart before he excused himself.

  Sarah also excused herself. “I wanted to stop by while I was this close, but I need to go before the children get out of school.”

  Once she and Fiona were alone, her mother speared her with a solemn gaze. “All right, Betsie, let’s go upstairs and I’ll show you your room. Then you can tell me exactly what’s happened.”

  Chapter Three

  Betsie stood and took Liam from her mother before following her upstairs. She couldn’t believe the room her mother indicated would be where she’d stay. Prettier than anything she’d ever dreamed and she was to stay here.

  Cabbage roses decorated the pale pink wallpaper. Rose damask curtains hung in front of lace sheers. A pale green rug patterned with burgundy and white covered most of the floor. The coverlet on the bed matched the curtains and the two chairs.

  “Mam, this is like a palace. I can’t quite believe I’ll be in this room until I can find somewhere to work.”

  “You’ll not be looking for a job, Betsie. That would offend and embarrass Rob. He’s too good a man to have the needless upset.”

  “If you say so but I’ll feel like a lay about.” She spotted luggage in a corner of the room near the wardrobe. “Oh, my trunk and suitcase are here. I didn’t see Dudley pass through.”

  Fiona gestured to them. “Dudley insists on using the back stairs. I expect Liam will enjoy the nursery. So many lovely toys there to amuse him. Get on with your story.”

  She opened the suitcase and took out Liam’s stuffed dog. “Mam, you were so right about Rolf. If only I hadn’t been so stubborn and could have seen what you saw. He was a terrible gambler. We seldom had enough money for food, always behind on bills. He was angry I’d had the miscarriages at the same time he didn’t want Liam to make any noise and wouldn’t give him a minute’s attention.”

  Fiona crossed her arms. “If he weren’t dead, I’d probably choke him.”

  How Betsie hated to tell her mother the rest. “The worst is to come, Mam. He lost the home Da built you that you so carefully furnished. I never dreamed he could do that, but once we were married, he had control of everything. He lost it in a card game with O’Toole. Fool that Rolf was, the next day he lost it to Downum.”

  An expression of horror settled on Fiona’s face and she dropped onto a chair. “Not Pete Downum? Oh, Betsie, I didn’t say because I’ve no proof. I’m sure he’s the one who killed your Da, my darling Finn. Downum’s a devil, may the saints preserve us from his snare.”

  “When Rolf died over a game of cards, I was suspicious but didn’t tell anyone except Mrs. Murphy. Anyway, O’Toole gave me a week to vacate. Even though the IOU said all the furnishings, he let me take a few things that were special to you and to me because he had a lot of respect for Da.”

  Fiona’s gaze grew wistful. “They were boys together in Ireland. Darling Finn was respectable while O’Toole went the other way and set up as a… well, I guess you’d say a crime boss.”

  “When Downum found out O’Toole’s IOU predated his, he came to me and said I owed the money. I told him I hadn’t even enough to feed my son but he didn’t care. He said he’d give me three days to get the money or he’d drag me to work in one of his brothels and sell Liam.”

  “The monster. You aren’t responsible for your husband’s gambling debts.”

  Betsie shivered with the memory. “You can imagine how frightened I was. I took your money from hiding and left the next day. I’d had to use a bit to feed Liam so that’s why we didn’t have enough to eat on the train.”

  Fiona turned back the cover. “You look that worn out. You and Liam have a nice nap until supper. I’ll send someone to wake you.”

  “Mam, what if Liam wets the bed. He’s very good but he’s had a lot of changes to adjust to lately.”

  “There’s a chamber pot behind the screen. You needn’t worry because we’re no strangers to children here. There’s a canvas cover between the mattress and the sheet.”

  Betsie hugged her mother again. “I am happy to be here. Thank you and Himself for welcoming me.”

  Fiona grabbed Betsie’s shoulders. “And what else would we do?” She kissed her cheek. “Now have a lovely rest.”

  ***

  Once downstairs, Fiona hurried to her husband’s study. Her worry must have shown on her face for Rob stood and came to her.

  His hands clasped her arms. “Fiona love, what’s wrong?”

  She leaned her head on her husband’s broad chest. “I fear we’ve brought trouble to your door.” She explained about Downum.

  “You’re sure he’ll follow?” He patted her back as he did when trying to reassure her.

  “Send someone is more likely, coward and bully that he is.”

  His arms went around her to pull her close. “Don’t worry, Fiona love, we’ll let the family and Bill know. He’s a good sheriff and will spot any newcomer who looks shifty.”

  “You’re the best of men, Robert Kincaid. I’d no wish to complicate your life and that’s the gospel truth. My Betsie’s lout of a husband mixed with the wrong sort before getting himself killed.”

  “She’s our Betsie now and we’ll see she’s not harassed or harmed. You leave the worrying to me. I’ll send those Ainsworth brothers to take notes where needed. They usually check with me about this time each weekday to see if I have any errands for them.”

  “If you’re sure it’s all right then I’ll go see how Polly’s getting on with our supper. Heidi is a big help, but still learning.”

  He turned her and gave her rear a fond pat. “Go about your business, love, and I’ll get on with the notes for Burris and Willard Ainsworth to deliver.”

  After his wife had left his study, Grandpa got busy writing messages for his kin and the sheriff. He had no clue to a description so he told as much as he knew.

  An hour later, Willard Ainsworth rapped on his door jamb. “Your Honor, sir, you have anythin’ Burris and me can do for you?”

  Grandpa motioned him inside.

  Willard’s brother Burris followed him, still limping slightly from an old injury.

  Grandpa tapped the name on the top message. “This is real important. See here, I’ve put the name you’re to take each note to on the outside. Deliver each of them like it was life or death.” He skewered them with a glare. “That means no stopping at the saloon for a drink until they’re all delivered, understand? You’ll have to ride out to Drake’s and Storm’s to deliver theirs. Can I count on you?”

  Willard took the stack. “Yessiree, we can do it, cain’t we, Burris?”

  Burris nodded so vigorously Grandpa wondered he didn’t give himself a headache. “We’
ll do it without stopping until we’ve finished up.”

  Grandpa gave each brother money and sent the men on their way. Then he went in search of Dudley. That man was a treasure.

  Chapter Four

  Monk had no reason to be apprehensive when Willard delivered a note. Grandpa often communicated by sending a message via the Ainsworth brothers.

  Willard leaned close and whispered, “It’s a matter of life and death.”

  That changed everything. Knowing Grandpa had already paid them, Monk still gave the men a dime each. Then, he opened the sheet of paper and sat on his desk chair.

  Monk,

  Betsie’s late husband double-crossed some dangerous people. Someone may be following her intent on harming her or Liam or both. Help us watch for strangers. Sending notes to others, too.

  RK

  Monk folded the message and put it into his inside jacket pocket. He knew more about scum than he wished. Hadn’t he been one of them himself until he and Nate landed here? If it were Monk set on kidnapping Betsie or Liam, he wouldn’t be seen around town. He’d get off the train at an earlier or later stop and ride a horse or walk to Kincaid Springs.

  He wondered which people Betsie’s husband had crossed. She was from Memphis. He believed he’d send a wire to someone he knew there. He’d have to word it carefully to protect her identity.

  First, he’d check with Nate. Monk stood and told his head cashier, Roy Billingsley, he’d be out for a while then strode to Kincaid, Bartholomew & Kincaid to speak to Nate. The three lawyers were in conference when he arrived.

  Nate nodded at the sheet of paper he held. “You got one, too?”

  Monk tapped his pocket and nodded. “We need to talk about this. Who do we know in Memphis who can keep his mouth shut?”

  Gabe and Rafe waited while Nate mulled over the question.

  To hurry his foster brother, Monk said, “I wondered about Deakins. You think he’s still there?”

  Nate shook his head. “Naw, he talks when he’s drunk. What about Cirelli? Never known him to have a loose tongue.”