"Thanks for the coffee, Bart. How'd you know I needed this?" The question was from Simon Petry; the place was his office. It was a little past six o'clock and Doc Petry was worn out, to say the least. It had been one of those days when everybody in town seemed to have an ailment, even the man that sat in front of him. Only thing was that Bart Maverick's ailment was one of the heart, not the body.
"Now, tell me, what's this all about?"
"I'm not sure how to explain it. It started the day I first saw Josephine Whitlock . . ." Bart tried to clarify everything. His actions toward and with Josephine, Doralice's reactions to his burgeoning friendship with the widow. "I don't know what else I can do, Simon. I've tried my best to help out, the way a real friend would. I haven't done anything improper; I've been a perfect gentleman. When Josephine's needed somethin', I've tried to provide it. I've done my best to be a good husband to Doralice, and a loving father towards the girls. I take Doralice to dinner; I try to help around the house when she needs help. I've done everything I can not to embarrass her. She told me to do what I think is best, and that's what I've been tryin' to do. But no matter what it is, I never seem to think or say the right thing, as far as Doralice is concerned.
"Josephine's all alone. When she has a problem and needs some help, I'm all she's got. I've tried the three of us goin' to dinner or for a buggy ride, even escorted both of them to church. I keep hopin' they'll find somethin' that they both like, that maybe they could be friends, but I don't think it's ever gonna happen. My wife seems to be . . . jealous of Josephine. And I don't know why."
Simon sat back in his chair and studied the man in front of him. Bart Maverick was a good man, a loving husband and attentive father. Maybe he was too good, trying to help the newest Little Bend resident with anything he could. Spending time with her as a friend, trying to ease the burdens of a lonely life. That was just it. Maybe he was spending too much time with her . . . some of the town's gossips had begun to talk. And what they were saying was snide and untrue, and bordering on the downright nasty.
"Bart, did it ever cross your mind that the time you spend with Josephine Whitlock is time you could be spending with Doralice Maverick? Your wife loves you, and needs you every bit as much, if not more, than Josephine. Doralice doesn't have anybody, either. Especially when you're off with the widow instead of being at home with your wife.
"You know this town is full of gossips . . . and some of them have started gossiping about you and the widow. It hurts Doralice to hear those things."
"But they ain't true, Simon! None of em's true! There's nothin' goin' on. And if I back away from Josephine now, it's gonna look like people was right, and I was doin' somethin' I shouldn't have been! Doralice knows there's nothin' goin' on, and she's the only one that matters."
Simon took another swallow of coffee and tried to figure out how to get through to his friend. For some reason Bart just couldn't see the writing on the wall. "Bart, she's not the only one that matters, and you know that. There's Maude, and Beauregard, your brother Bret and Ginny, and you. You think the town council is going to elect somebody the whole place is gossiping about?"
That seemed to get Bart's attention. "You think that would stop me from gettin' elected?"
"Yes, I do. How badly do you want to be a member of the council?"
Is that what it had come down to? His friendship with Josephine or membership on the council? "You sure I'd jeopardize the council membership?"
"From what I've heard – yes, your odds of getting elected drop the longer people see you with Mrs. Whitlock."
"Then I guess I'd better do somethin' about backin' off, hadn't I?"
If only that had been the end of it . . .
XXXXXXXX
Bart should have said something to Doralice. He should have told her he was going to try and step aside from the friendship he and the widow had developed. But he didn't. Instead, he told the widow that there was some unfavorable gossip around town about the two of them and he was going to 'back-off' their relationship for a while. It was the perfect mistake.
Some three days later Pappy had ridden into town to see Maude and found Doralice in her mother's office. Bart had just walked over to the bakery for coffee since the saloon had run out and their supplies wouldn't be in until later this afternoon. Pappy was about to take the two ladies to lunch when Bart and Josephine emerged from the Dandridge Bakery. The saloon manager had just finished telling the widow that it would be best for them not to see each other for a while; that she should call on Pauly Wilcox if she needed something rather than him. Josephine was not pleased. She saw Doralice across the street out of the corner of her eye and made her move.
She leaned over and kissed Bart, just to say 'thank you' for everything he'd done for her. At least that's what she said. Only she missed his cheek and caught him full on the mouth. Bart had his back half-turned to the people across the street, and none of them could see the startled expression on his face. Doralice gasped and ran back into the saloon, Maude chasing after her. Pappy stood on the boardwalk for another few seconds and stared at Josephine. She looked awfully familiar to him, and he tried to remember where he'd seen her before. Needless to say, he wasn't happy with his youngest son. He turned quickly and followed his two lunch companions back into Maude's, he didn't see the look of abject horror on Bart's face as he pulled back from the kiss.
"What are you doing?" he almost shouted at her.
"I'm sorry, I was trying to kiss you on the cheek," Josephine protested immediately.
"Why were you tryin' to kiss me at all? I just told you we had to cut way back on spendin' time with each other, and you do somethin' that foolish. Are you tryin' to get me in hot water?"
"I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for me. I'm sorry if I caused problems."
"I have to go," Bart told her abruptly, and went back to his office in the saloon, where he shut the door and laid his head on his desk. How did he get into these things, and how could he get out of them? What was he supposed to do now? What if someone had seen her kissing him? Simon's words rang in his ears. 'You think the town council is going to elect somebody the whole place is gossiping about?' But what if nobody had seen? Could he be that lucky? All he could do was wait, and pray that his luck held. He had no idea what he was about to walk into, or why someone would want to destroy both his marriage and his reputation. Unfortunately for Bart Maverick, he was about to find out.