The Bride

Chapter 13 - Joining Forces

The group at the corner table in the hotel dining room leaned forward in their chairs listening intently to the speaker. Drinks were left unfinished as appetites waned with the impact of Nathan's news.

"Are you saying Morley Ashbridge has actually forged papers confirming this Playford fella as owner of the Wellman property? How do you know they're forged, Nathan? Willard mopped at the dampness on his cheeks. "They might have come in between the time I spoke to him and when he saw Morley at the bank."

"That was only a matter of minutes, Mayor but never mind that. The stage hadn't arrived and there was nothing from Jepson at the telegraph office," Nathan raised a hand, "I checked."

"I can't believe it," Maggie sat back twiddling the fork on the table in front of her.

"Money's a powerful draw." Nathan said.

"Well what are we going to do?" Willard looked ill.

"I was hoping you might get on to the office and see if they did send any confirmation and maybe contact the Deputy Marshal; he should be interested knowing about Corbin Wellman's killing and the fact that a known gunman, Trace Banner, is involved." Nathan glanced at Allison who had been sitting quietly beside Maggie. "I hope this isn't upsetting you, Allison, all this talk about- abo-"

"Nathan just stop your blatherin'. Allison is fine and a might more compi- comel- able to speak up for herself if need be."

The little Maggie tirade silenced the table and there was a lot of coughing and foot shuffling until Nathan posed his request to Willard once more, receiving an uncertain nod and a hasty departure.

"So what are you going to do now, Nathan?"

"Well . . . without blatherin' too much, I thought I would wait until Willard does his part and meanwhile ask Allison if I could buy her a lunch."

"Damnation! Of course you can and you can have this table right here to yourselves." Maggie stood up frowned at Nathan and gave Allison a sweet smile. "I'll make the lunch myself right away."

"I guess that's settled," Allison chuckled softly. "Thank you, Nathan."

"I wanted a chance to- to discuss the other night. I wanted to know how- what-"

"That was my fault, Nathan," she closed her eyes, shaking her head as he started to object. "No, it was my fault. You have just been so good to me since- since . . . I just did what suddenly felt natural . . ."

Natural. He reached for her hand and they sat silently, each wrestling to find the right words. Nathan wanted to hold her right there and then and his chosen words bubbled up into his throat-.

"Here we go, now dig in and you two just talk things out." Maggie appeared with two plates of food and fresh drink, set them down and stood clasping her fingers together, grinning from ear to ear all the while.

He swallowed his speech and sat back with a sigh, swallowing some lunch so Maggie would be satisfied and leave.

"I think we need somewhere we can talk without Mother Maggie hovering." He laughed and looked after the departing woman fondly.

"We could go to my place . . ." Her voice sounded uncertain and hopeful and very soft.

**********

Deputy Marshal Winston Bates read the letter from the mayor of Parkerville and went through his files, finding two old posters claiming Trace Banner was wanted in two states, one being Winston's. They had been shoved away and forgotten by the previous Marshal along with a number of others; it seemed his predecessor didn't spend a lot of time following up leads.