Chapter 8 – Previously Unknown Relatives Arrive
I never thought I'd be worrying about whether or not I'd be able to keep my kids. Heck, I never thought I'd live long enough to have any kids, but here I was sitting in my office getting very little done and thinking about Kitty and our kids, the two whose adoption we hoped to finalize and the one she's carrying. I found myself wondering whether Judge Brooker would like it if Kitty and I met the Claybornes tonight to try to work things out with them before tomorrow's hearing with Judge Landry. That is, if I could find a way to set it up. There's no way we're going to lose those kids now, not when we've a head start on the family Kitty always wanted.
Fact is, Kitty and I both already think of Nat and Abby as ours and I believe they feel they belong with us. They just kind of grew on us and once we took them into our home, there was no turning back. It was hard for them at first, but the kids are making friends in Dodge and getting used to living upstairs at the Long Branch. I'd hate to see them have to leave us now. Even though some of the kids at the school taunt them for being orphans, claiming Kitty and I only keep them with us because my job requires me to find them a home or send them to the county orphanage if I don't. They tell them we'll send them there if I don't find anyone willing to take them soon. I might even kick them out sooner if they prove to be too inconvenient. Giving them my name probably won't end all the teasing, but being Dillons, along with having friends to stand by them, will make it easier to ignore.
Lester Pruitt was Nat's first and now best friend. Nat reckons it's because Lester lost his first mother, too. Then Sarah, Lester's teacher before she married his father Carl, gave birth to Isaac, suddenly giving him a new brother and creating a whole new family. Abby meanwhile has become close friends with Lucy, the daughter of Millie Pendergast, the widow who owns the ladies' hat shop. Because Kitty's always buying new hats, she and Millie have become friends during the year that passed since they moved here from Abilene.
"Marshal Dillon, I don't mean to disturb you, but I need to talk to you about your ward, Nathaniel," the school principal stated as he stepped inside. "I'm glad you're alone since this is a private matter. He and Lester Pruitt left school right after lunch break and didn't return. I'm sure that's not something you approve of."
"Oh, sorry, Mr. Deckory, I reckon I was deep in thought. What's that you just said - Nat and Lester snuck out of school this afternoon? My mind's been on the murder of a stranger in the alley near the train station," I lied. "I've no idea who he is or where he came from, and so far, there are no witnesses. Since the shooting occurred just about the time Nat and Abby's grandmother and uncle arrived, they might have seen something. The boys probably left school to see them get off the train, you know. Right now I reckon they're hiding in the Dodge House spying on the Claybornes. You're quite right about me not approving, although almost all boys do it from time to time. Still, I wonder how hard it was for Nat to convince Lester to leave with him. Lester's always liked school. You know it was his mother that you replaced. I'll talk to Nat about it as soon as I see him."
"Thank you, Marshal," he said, and then turned toward the door. "Hello, Dr. O'Brien. I'll be leaving now. I'm sure the two of you have official business you want to talk about without the school teacher overhearing."
As soon as Henry Deckory left, Newly began talking about his reason for stopping by. It sounded like he might have a solution to one of my problems.
"I happened to be in town to consult with Doc about a patient and met up with a friend of mine from engineering school, Gil Clayborne. He told me he has business with Bear and so had accompanied his mother and the family lawyer. I invited them all to supper at our place, since Bear and Albert were coming anyway. Paula and I were wondering if you, Kitty and the kids could make it too. Gil and his mother agreed to come, but I made it clear their lawyer is on his own because the invitation is just to family, a colleague, and close neighbors. Gil usually conducts his father's business on friendly terms and then has Mr. Underwood finalize the contract."
"I don't know if Judge Brooker or Judge Landry will think it's ok, but I've been sitting here thinking about getting together with the Claybornes to try to work something out. I just didn't know if we could manage it without Underwood poking his nose into it. When should we be there?"
"We'll expect you around 7. Hello, Nat," Newly greeted my son as he left, "Your family will be joining ours for supper tonight."
"Where have you been son?" I asked as the door closed on Newly. "You and I need to talk about skipping out on school even though I'm pretty sure of the reason."
"I've got to talk to you too, Pa. I'm scared."
"Scared, whatever for? What do you think I'll do to you for skipping out on school for an afternoon?"
"Oh, I'm not scared about that, though I expect you'll punish me for it. I'm scared about what your deputy, Lionel, was asking everyone who came in on the train, including the ones who are trying to take Abby and me from you and ma. Pa, Lester and me are the witnesses you're looking for. The scary thing is the man who gunned that man down saw us. He turned around before we had a chance to hide, but we ran away as fast as we could. Then when he was gone, I went to the Dodge House and Lester headed for home. I came here as soon as our so-called kin went upstairs to their rooms to stay after Doc Newly left them."
"I want you to keep it between us that you and Lester are the witnesses. Don't tell your sister or your ma. Abby's young enough that she might not keep quiet about it and Kitty will only worry. I'd like to spare her that if I can. Just tell me what the killer looks like. I'll tell Festus and Lionel to be on the lookout for him while we're at the O'Briens. Just remember son to do exactly what I say so I can keep you safe."
"I promise Pa. Now that I've told you I'm not as scared, at least about seeing a murder, but I'm still scared about tomorrow in court."
I reassured Nat about the custody hearing, although I wasn't as sure about the outcome as I led him to believe. For a ten-year-old boy, he was taking things pretty well. He was describing the killer when Lionel and Festus walked in.
"Matthew, we talked to near everbody in town, but nary a one saw anythin'. We could've been a talkin' to the killer, like as not."
"Thanks, Festus. Sorry about making you do all that work for nothing. You missed talking to the two witnesses, don't you know, because one of them came to see me while the other went home as if nothing had happened. I'm keeping their identities secret to protect them. Keep an eye out for a man dressed as a drummer. He's a couple of inches below six feet with light, unruly hair that falls out from under his hat, which is dark brown like the brown in his checkered suit. My witnesses couldn't tell if he had a mustache because of the shadows in the alley and his hat. They spotted him just as he shot our victim and watched as he emptied the man's pockets and took his sample case. When he started to leave the alley is when they got a good look at him. However, they think he might have seen them too. That's why I'm keeping them under wraps. If you see the man find out where he's staying, but don't try to arrest him. Just let me know what you've found out after we get back from the O'Briens tonight. We'll plan our strategy from there. Of course, we do have to face the possibility that he slipped out of town while you were looking for witnesses."
"We'll do 'er, Matthew," Festus replied for both of them. "Are Newly and Miss Paula havin' some sort of shindig? If they are, I wonder why they didn't invite me and Doc?"
"Actually, Doc's invited, but it isn't a party. Newly wants to continue comparing notes with Doc over a patient and asked us to come because it seems Newly knows Gil Clayborne from back east and learned he has business with Bear. Since the Claybornes are going out to his place without their lawyer, he thought it would give Kitty and me a chance to work something out and maybe avoid tomorrow's custody hearing. I'll leave you two to your work. Nat and I have to get home before Kitty starts cooking."
I was the first to get to the O'Brien place, seein' as how I live the closest. Doc Newly allowed as I could help greet folks as they came, especially his city friend and his ma. Bear came next, but he don't need to be welcomed. A man tends to come and go at will to his daughter's home. We three was jawin' when the city folk drove up in a rented buggy. The woman was maybe five years younger than Doc and about five and a half feet tall, with her gray hair done up real fancy, even fancier than Miss Kitty does hers. O course, I didn't really see her hair or her dress until we was all inside. They was hidden by her hat and cloak. Both were a pale blue color. The man was Doc Newly's age and was dressed in what I hear is the latest finery for men back east. He had brown hair that was leanin' toward red under his hat and stood just a few inches over six feet, about the same height as my pa. Doc Newly introduced us while Wade took the buggy into the barn.
"Gil, Mrs. Clayborne, let me introduce you to these two men I've been chatting with. The older one is my father-in-law, John Sanderson, but everyone in these parts calls him Bear. Whatever agreement you come to, Gil, you can be sure that Bear will get his fair share and perhaps more. He's a shrewd businessman. The young man lives just over the hill. He's our nearest neighbors' foreman, Albert Goode. Although they'll be here tonight, Albert often eats with us because business keeps them in town and their new house isn't built yet, so he's alone. Albert's more than just a foreman. His father's a close friend of my neighbor and gave young Albert a chance to stretch his wings by running the ranch. Back home he has an older brother who does much of what he's doing here."
"Young man, Albert is it?" Mrs. Clayborne said to me, " I hope you won't take this amiss, but until Dr. O'Brien explained I was wondering why you were included in this gathering. You don't seen to have the education and would probably get along much better with my maid, who I left at the hotel than Mr. Underwood, our attorney, will. I'm learning that society's a lot looser here than in Philadelphia."
"That's all right ma'am, our ways out here on the prairie take some gettin' used to. We all have to rely on each other so most folks just spend time together when they're neighbors, hired hand or not."
I already didn't like this woman. I sure hoped Mr. Dillon and Miss Kitty didn't lose the kids to her, blood kin or not. Nat and Abby deserve better. I was inwardly fumin' when Mr. Clayborne gave me a reassuring wink. He's got to put up with her airs much more than I do. Bear knew how I was feelin' as did Doc Newly, so the four of us went back outside and left Mrs. Clayborne to chat with Miss Paula about women's things until Mr. Dillon and Miss Kitty came with the kids.
We didn't have long to wait. About five minutes later, they drove up in a surrey with Doc. Doc was in the back seat with Nat in the middle and Abby on the other side. I would have thought it would be Abby, what with her being the youngest and a girl, but he didn't seem to mind. Doc Newly waited until we were all in the kitchen before finishing the introductions. He started with the kids.
"Nat, Abby, I'd like you to meet your grandmother and uncle Gil. Gil, Mrs. Clayborne, the gray-haired man is Dr. Galen Adams and the remaining two arrivals are my good friends and near neighbors, Matt and Kitty Dillon. They're the people you want to take Nat and Abby away from. Once you agreed to come here without your lawyer, I invited them so maybe you could work something out before court tomorrow."
I noticed Mrs. Clayborne barely let on Mr. Dillon tipped his hat to her before takin' it off and layin' it on the side table and gave Miss Kitty only the briefest nod, but Mr. Clayborne shook their hands warmly and hugged the kids. I didn't hold out much hope for Doc Newly's plan. Fact is, I didn't hold out much hope of us gettin' through supper without someone stormin' back to town. Bear tried to ease things up a bit by jokin' about how easterners just had too many rules for how to act with other folks, but allowed as he and Mr. Clayborne would get down to talkin' serious business the way we do it out here after the Dillons left. All his remark did was make Mrs. Clayborne give him a cold stare, but Miss Paula callin' for everyone to sit down to eat is what finally eased things up a bit.
Doc Newly had added on to the table so there was enough room for everyone and Miss Paula led us to the seats she'd chosen. Doc Newly sat at the end of the table farthest from the stove with Miss Paula at the other end. Mr. Clayborne was to his left and Doc to his right. Mrs. Clayborne sat next to Doc and across from Bear. I was on the other side of her and Nat was next to his sister Abby, across from Mr. Dillon. Miss Kitty was between Mr. Dillon and Miss Paula. While we ate everyone talked to those closest to them. The real talk began as we finished off the apple pie and cream.
"Gilbert, I feel certain that you and Mr. Sanderson have already begun finding what will be of benefit to your father's and therefore your interests. Now it is my turn to pursue what is of interest to the family, although I find it hard to negotiate with hirelings present at the same table. Marshal Dillon, will you please send your man away. I am sure he has duties to perform on your property."
"Mrs. Clayborne, I have no intention of sending anyone at this table away. I can't tell anyone our hosts invited to leave, nor would I care to unless I wanted to lose them and everyone else here, you and your son excepted, as friends, you know. Doc is as close a friend as I've got. He stood in for Kitty's father at our wedding and Albert's father Chester was my best man. Yes, before you ask, he worked for me at one time, but that didn't mean we couldn't be friends. You can feel absolutely free to say whatever you want about working something out regarding Nat and Abby in front of them. I also won't send the kids away. Everything we say concerns them directly."
"That attitude is one reason why you are an entirely unsatisfactory person to raise my grandchildren. Mrs. Dillon, I don't wish to cast aspersions on your choice in a husband, but I assume he was the best available in this backwater community. I can tell by the way you dress and carry yourself that you weren't brought up in a rough, rural setting. Where is it that your people hail from?"
"I was born and raised in New Orleans and I admit that when I first came to Dodge City I thought it was the ugliest place I'd ever seen. I was ready to leave as soon as possible until Matt walked into the café where I was eating my breakfast to have his. I felt any place that could make a man like him want to live here had to have something to recommend it. I found out I was right. Dodge includes some of the finest people I've ever met among its citizens. Those seated around this table are a fine example."
"You should have remained in New Orleans and not lowered yourself by running a tavern. By doing that, you only give me more proof that you are unsuitable for raising children who will one day take their place in society. In fact, because you lowered your standards and remained here instead of Marshal Dillon marrying some woman bred to the lower classes, you are even less worthy to be their adoptive mother than that imaginary low-class woman."
I could tell that both Mr. Dillon and Miss Kitty were angry and about to say somethin' agin the insults from Mrs. Clayborne, when Mr. Clayborne spoke up. I was beginnin' to like him.
"Mother, I think you owe both the Dillons an apology. They're trying to come to some sort of an understanding with you and all you can do is insult them in front of their friends. We're guests in this house, which happens to be the home of my friend, and in this town. I for one would like to hear what Mr. Dillon thinks would be a fair compromise. It's what's done in business all the time. I wouldn't want to do business with Mr. Sanderson here if he were someone who would accept everything I wanted without negotiating some benefits for himself or be the one to go down without a fight either. The best means to growth of capital is by coming up with a plan that serves both parties. A lopsided agreement only breeds a loss of reputation for business acumen."
"Thanks, Clayborne. You know, after that speech I reckon I can call you Gil instead of Mr. Clayborne if you agree. I do have a plan I'd like to lay before your mother. I think it's a fair compromise, one with the children's best interests in mind."
"I will listen to what you have to say, Marshal Dillon," Mrs. Clayborne answered, "although I feel we were invited under false pretenses so that you could present your own case without my lawyer here to counter your own legal prowess. Even if I find some merit in what you say, I won't agree to anything until I confer with Mr. Underwood."
"Perhaps I might soften your resolve after you hear me out. Nat and Abby have lost a lot in the past few months. Right now more than anything they need some stability in their lives, not to go off with someone they just met to a part of the country where they've never been. However, you are their blood kin, so I think they should continue to have contact with you if you agree to drop your challenge to our adopting them. They could travel east with us if I need to be in Washington or take a trip with Kitty and spend some time with you in Philadelphia. Between visits I expect they would write to you."
"I see what you have in mind. You keep control of the money left to them and then expect me to pay for their hotel and travel expenses. You also would want me to pay for clothes they could wear in society and send them to you as gifts. I find that unacceptable."
"You're the one who's only thinking of the children's money," Miss Kitty responded angrily. "We're perfectly capable of providing them with any clothes they might need and any other expenses they might incur. The facts are you had nothing to do with them until their parents and grandmother died and left a trust fund for them. We, on the other hand, first took the kids into our home when Nat injured his ankle and was told to stay off it for the best part of a week. We felt it would be easier for Clara, who was already losing her strength, and she agreed. We'd already begun to grow fond of them and having them live with us only increased those feelings. That's why we agreed to adopt them when Clara asked. Money wasn't involved. Since they've been with us, their money has remained in the Dodge City bank where Clara deposited it. We intend to provide for them without making use of it. Meanwhile, we'll invest their money so that it grows and they have enough to continue with school beyond what our backwater town, as you call it, can provide or to start out on their own."
"What do you mean, if they continue with school beyond what your backward local school can provide? That goes without saying. Also, they need to be properly groomed so they might assume their place in society as adults. Such things cannot be left up to children or family expectations will fall by the wayside. That definitely cannot be achieved in this pitiful place. Your childhood in New Orleans should have taught you that, but then you most probably weren't a part of society in that illustrious city."
"As a matter of fact, I was raised to take my place in New Orleans society, but circumstances caused me to believe that wasn't what I desired. Matt and I don't believe children should have their lives controlled by their parents once they grow up. All a parent can and should do is teach them how to be responsible, caring people. Somehow your daughter managed to do that and you disowned her for it. I for one, admire her for getting away from the life you had planned for her to lead a far more productive one of her own."
"Susan was a big disappointment to me when she chose to ignore my wishes and left home to wind up married to a man who didn't know what to do with his education and skills. I plan to correct that mistake with Nathaniel and Abigail. That you and your husband don't see that is another reason why you are totally unsuited to raising them. The very idea of children planning their own lives. Nathaniel after finishing at university will join the family business and Abigail will marry a suitable young man who will provide her with all she needs. Only I and their grandfather can ensure that happens."
"Just where is the senior Mr. Clayborne?" Mr. Dillon asked. "I would have thought that he would come out here with you to meet his grandchildren. He could have taken care of his own business negotiations with you. Although I'm sure Newly would have been disappointed to not have a chance to visit with an old friend."
"If you must be so uncouth as to question Mr. Clayborne's absence, I suppose I can ignore my own good manners enough to tell you that he leaves all domestic matters to me. That includes securing our grandchildren and seeing to their upbringing. If I can no longer do it, the task will fall to Gilbert's wife, Adele, under his direction. Quentin, had other business interests to pursue, and it would not have been proper for me to travel alone, except for my maid, with Mr. Underwood. Business pursuits with someone who turned out to be his school friend's father-in-law provided an ample opportunity to also uphold the proprieties. I must say however, that I was surprised to learn Mr. O'Brien is a physician and not an engineer. For that matter, I don't comprehend why he and Mrs. O'Brien choose to live here instead of in Philadelphia where he could provide her with a proper staff."
Young Nat was squirmin' in his chair next to me, tryin' to hold his tongue. His sister Abby had no such problem. She simply spoke her mind before Doc Newly had a chance to answer Mrs. Clayborne.
"I think ma and pa are right. I know you say you're our grandma and that your husband's our grandpa, but we sure never heard from or saw anything of you until now. Why would we want to go with you to live with you and someone who doesn't care enough to meet us?"
"Abby, you may be saying what we're all thinking, but it's not polite," Miss Kitty reminded her. "You were brought up to respect your elders even when what they say is hurtful."
"You should listen to ma Abs," Nat said when he finally spoke up. "I think ma and pa have been saying what we feel all evening about suddenly having a grandma, grandpa and uncle. We really don't need to add anything, although Mrs. Clayborne, or should I say, grandmother, has been doing nothing but insulting ma and pa all evening. She has to be pretending that we didn't notice, but we all did, even Mr. Clayborne, uh, Uncle Gil."
"Young man, you and your sister obviously have not been taught by either your parents or your current caretakers not to speak unless spoken to, although you did mildly reprimand your sister," Mrs. Clayborne replied. "That is a most unseemly way for children to behave, but again, they did permit you to sit at the table with the adults. I've also noticed that you refer to your caretakers as ma and pa. It is a most common way to refer to one's parents and is also improper because they are not your mother and father. That will be determined by a court of law. When Mr. Underwood wins our case for us, beginning with the advantage of a blood relationship, you will have nothing further to do with these people."
While speakin' Mrs. Clayborne noticed that Mr. Clayborne and Bear had left the room. She turned to Miss Paula, who had started to clean up after the meal with Miss Kitty's help, to ask about the privy before anyone else at the table could answer her back. When she came back inside, Bear and Mr. Clayborne was finished with whatever they'd been talkin' about.
"Gilbert, if you are through with whatever you and Mr. Sanderson had to determine, would you please escort me back to our hotel, such as it is. As for the Dillons, I expect we will be seeing them at what passes for a courthouse tomorrow morning."
