The Bride

Chapter 10 - Things Change

Allison looked up and smiled as Nathan entered the store, removing his hat. "You don't have to take your hat off, Sheriff, unless you want to buy a new one." Amusement covered her face as she watched him fiddle and finally put it back on.

"I just wanted to drop by and see if things are okay . . . Maggie can be a handful sometimes."

"Things are fine. She is such a sweet lady; you'd think she was my mother." She patted the pile of linens she was straightening and brushed her hand over her skirt.

"A common feeling with folks around here." He gave a small wave to Ledger, who came out from the back to see who had come in. "Hi, Edward, your new helper workin' out okay?"

"You'd be first to hear if she wasn't. It was your idea." He disappeared into the rear of the store again.

Nathan laughed and turned back to Allison. "Looks like it's my safety in your hands."

"That might be a nice change," she murmured, straightening some of the linen goods again and keeping her eyes down.

"Huh? Pardon?"

"Nothing . . . are you delivering mail now?" She dodged his query and pointed the envelope in his hand.

"Uh, this- nope. Came to me from Cincinnati." Allison froze, her eyes locked on the item. "It's about Wellman's property. I suppose you had lunch already."

" . . . No, Mr. Ledger said if I worked through my lunch I could leave early." She glanced at the pendulum clock on the wall. "I've got a lot of uh- sorting of clothes and bed things that need laundering at home-- in my room."

He bobbed his head and slapped the envelope against his leg. "So, uh- when are you through?"

"Not for another hour or so . . ."

A few more slaps. "Okay then maybe could I call on you this evening?"

"Well I sup-"

"I'd really like to talk to you about this." He gestured with the envelope. "I have some questions."

"-pose so . . . questions?"

"Great, I'll call tonight then - around seven?"

Allison just blinked an uncertain assent and Nathan tipped his hat and left.

He was envisioning another evening with Allison, even if part of it would be business - at least he hoped only part of it would be. When he heard his name he stopped a turned around to see the young woman hurrying toward him.

"Wren, what are you doing out in the daytime?" His grin faded when she she stopped and gasped a few breaths.

"Jennie sent me to tell you that two men came to the lounge and started asking questions about Corbin Wellman. She also said she recognized one of them, a Trace Banner. She saw him in Abilene a few years ago. She said he's a hired gunman."

"What about the other man- the one in the suit."

"How did you kn-"

"I saw them in the saloon."

"I don't know, she didn't say but he was the one askin' all the questions."

"Thanks, Wren and thank Jennie for me too. It's good information to know."

**********

Ansen and Trace loped along side by side, giving their horses their head. Ansen was laying out how he was going to approach Wellman if he was at the cabin and what he wanted the final outcome to be. Neither noticed the lone rider way back behind them.