The Milch Bride Read Online Free PDF

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sound as he cocked it stopped everyone.
    Rafe raised his hands and backed toward the saloon door.
“Come on boys, we’ll visit the little lady later. See if she has time to put us
on her dance card.”
    “No need men. She is going to have all her time taken up
caring for Donna’s and my son. If you want to lay claim to her son, you’re too
late, he’s dead.”  Jackson’s cold voice filled the store.
    Hattie had been frightened and angry before. Now she felt
humiliated. Her father was gone. There was no one left who knew and loved her,
who knew she was not a fallen woman, who knew she was a person, not just a wet
nurse. However, to everyone in Star, she would never be anything else.
    When they were gone, Jackson holstered his gun, and then
turned to examine the woman. She shushed the crying baby and would not look at
him or anyone else. She turned her back and let him settle with the clerk. When
he looked at the invoice, he was surprised at how brief her purchases were. Well,
there were Donna’s clothes that could be made over, a room full of them, if she
needed more.
    “Thanks Thompson, for grabbing the shotgun,” he added as he
paid the bill.
    “Those rowdies, I figured you deserved someone to back you. I’m
sorry about not getting the supplies loaded, but it’s been raining.”
     Jackson knew it was not rain, but the man’s fear of the
dead bodies. He let the man carry out the box, while he lifted and toted the
sack holding flour, dried beans, and corn meal. As Jackson carefully loaded
everything, the storeowner complained, “It seems wrong that Tom’s daughter
isn’t burying Tom in town,” he added, then realized the girl was already seated
on the buckboard.
    “Maybe, she doesn’t care anymore for this town than they
seem to care for her” Jackson said, as he climbed up to sit beside Hattie and
the baby. He had noted her curved back and bowed head as he stepped up, but he
was surprised to hear J.D. slurp loudly as he released the nipple. Jackson
scooted the box out between their feet, and then took the boy.
    Hattie started when he did, then quickly fastened her coat
and struggled to sit upright, her eyes half-closed in weariness.
    Jackson tucked the small boy into the blanket lined box,
surprised when he lay there, staring up at him, opening and closing his mouth. “It’s
all right boy, you can have more when we get home.”  Smiling, he secured the box
and started the team.
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    When he pulled up at the ranch house, it was almost dark. He
moved his shoulder to jostle the sleeping woman leaning against him, and was
startled by the vivid blue eyes staring up at him. “I’m going to unload the
wagon, and then try to drive the team up the hill to the graves.”
    Hattie nodded, and then started to get down when a small
voice began a high-pitched squall. A couple of people came out of the house,
one a woman who started to talk, then froze as he reached under the seat for
the baby. As he pulled him out and up to her, he whispered, “He’s wet again.”
    The cry was growing in intensity. She laid the babe onto the
high seat as Jackson swung down, passing the box and bag of groceries to the
waiting hands. “There’s clean cloth in the top of the bundle of clothes,” she
said.
    The woman on the porch harrumphed as Jackson hurried to hand
her the diaper. “Miss Harriett Stoddard, my housekeeper, Rubye White.”
    Hattie looked past the waving tiny feet at the scowling face
of a tall, angular woman who stood with arms folded across her chest. Before
Hattie could speak, Rubye raised her apron to cover her mouth and nose.
    “Rubye, we’ve got some folks to bury first, before Harriet
can come in. But I know she’d like to clean up and get settled.”
    Another man came out on the porch, and both men uncovered
their heads in respect. Even as Jackson finished giving Rubye orders, the loud
frantic cry changed, and then abruptly stopped as Hattie lifted the