Dearly Beloved

Chapter 12

August 1885

They were due to return to Sweetwater on a Monday, but even though they'd both had a wonderful time on their trip, when the opportunity arose to take an earlier connecting train to Sweetwater, both Kid and Lou jumped at the chance. Saturday was always a busy day in town and Kid kept an eye out for anyone from the ranch in case they were there to collect groceries or feed. But in the end he had to borrow a wagon from the livery so they could transport their trunks which were filled to the brim with presents for the family.

Lou was bursting with excitement as they rounded the last bend in the road that led to the ranch. The site of the white timber house peaking out from behind the tree and the top paddock scattered with grazing horses filled her with a glowing sense of pride and relief they were finally home.

"Maybe we should've wired ahead," Kid said, when they saw no one in the corrals or the yard.

"It's better this way, it's a surprise," replied Lou, undeterred.

Kid geed up the horses as the distance to the house closed. The noise of the wagon caused a head to appear out the front door, followed by a yell from Charlie who spied her parents. Lou jumped down from the wagon before it came to a stop as Ethan and Jake emerged from the house at full run, jumping into her arms and almost knocking her over. Charlie followed and greeted first her father then her mother, once the younger boys let her loose.

"We weren't expectin' you for a couple of days!" she cried, hugging them both.

"Well, we just couldn't wait to see you all so here we are."

"Look, Ma," Jake said insistently, opening his mouth to show off five holes where he'd lost more teeth.

"Goodness!" Lou exclaimed as she inspected them, before turning to Ethan. "And look how much you've grown!"

She hugged both boys once more. She hadn't been prepared for how much she had missed all her children. Before long Adam and Beth emerged from the house and Jamie from the stables. After more hugs and kisses and hurried reassurances at how well everything had gone in their absence, they carried the trunks into the house and settled into the parlor to catch up properly.

Jamie had kept things running smoothly at the ranch and business could not have been better. Charlie had kept the boys in line, and Ethan quietly admitted to his mother that he was glad she was back because Charlie was even fiercer about homework than Lou. Adam and Beth had taken over the rooms above the medical clinic in town and, after some redecorating, were due to move into their new home in less than a week. Lou was not terribly enthusiastic about this as she'd been looking forward to spending plenty of time together under one roof, but she didn't let this dampen their happiness.

"You should have told us you were coming early," Charlie eventually chastised them. "Beth and I were planning a welcome home feast."

"Well, we'll still have the party, we'll just have to make do with what we've got," Beth reassured her. She held out a hand to Charlie and both girls disappeared into the kitchen to consult with Mrs. Greig.

Kid raised an eyebrow at the comradeship between them. He turned to Adam.

"I know, don't ask me what happened," he chuckled. "We came home prepared to do battle with the mistress of the house but she and Beth have become firm friends."

"Thank God for that, otherwise we'd have been under Charlie's thumb this whole time," Jamie contributed, wrestling with an over-excited Jake. "That girl sure likes to run things."

"And… Charlie has a beau," Adam reported, the mirth evident in his eyes as he waited for his parents' reaction.

"What?" Lou choked out in surprise.

"Who?" Kid asked, a little less ebullient at this news.

"Dan Lawson. He started visitin' a month or so ago," said Jamie. "I thought he was lookin' for work but apparently he's sweet on Charlie."

Kid looked unhappy, which amused both Adam and Jamie.

"Don't worry, Pa, we grilled him good and proper," said Jamie. "He's half scared one of us is gonna take a switch to him if he looks at her the wrong way."

"Dan Lawson's a nice boy," Lou commented for Kid's benefit, but she was pleased that Jamie obviously had things under control to rein in any overtly enthusiastic intentions Dan might have towards Charlie.

"What are y'all talking about?" asked Charlie as she returned with cool drinks and cookies for everyone.

"Ma and Pa were about to tell us about New York," Adam lied. He knew Charlie was embarrassed about the attentions of the young man, as she was used to being treated like one of the boys. He laid his arm around Beth who took a seat beside him.

The rest of the family started firing questions at them.

"What did you see?"

"What was the hotel like?"

"What did you bring us?"

Lou smiled broadly as she gazed around the room at her children. She had never felt so happy than in that moment.


A week later Kid and Jamie helped move the last of the furniture into Adam and Beth's new home. The three rooms about the doctors' office were hardly luxurious accommodation, but Beth beamed with pride as she set about unpacking their belongings. She had sewed curtains and hooked a few rugs in order to make the place homier. Lou was surprised how little she had brought from her grandfather's house in St. Louis – only a few pieces of furniture and piles of books, the rest had been purchased in Sweetwater or brought from the ranch.

Jamie tramped up the back stairs and entered through the kitchen, his arms full of more books.

"Where do you want these?" he puffed, struggling to see over the stacks.

"Oh," Beth murmured, noticing that the table and one bookshelf they owned were already full. "Just set them down on the floor please, Jamie."

She grinned guilty as he did as she asked, wiping his brow and trooping back downstairs for more. "I didn't realize just how many books I brought," she commented to her mother-in-law.

Lou picked up a couple of them, but she was not familiar with the titles. "What are you going to do with them all?"

"I've been lending some to the school – Mr. Burke even asked if I would take some reading classes with the children."

Lou smiled, impressed. "A school library. We've never had one of those."

"Well, it's hardly a library, but that's not a bad idea," Beth mused. "Some of the children are quite enthusiastic readers."

She set about sorting through the books on the table, humming to herself, while Lou stood back and quietly contemplated her. After a few minutes, Beth realized she was being watched and looked up curiously.

"You seem happy," Lou stated kindly.

"I am," replied Beth, a little color appearing on her cheeks. She looked back down at what she was doing. "Did you expect me not to be?"

Lou sat down at the table. "No, it's not that," she said hastily, not wanting Beth to misunderstand her. "I guess I was just worried that you'd find all of this too, I don't know, simple compared to what you're used to."

"I'm a little more resilient than that, I hope."

"I just wanted you to know… I'm glad that you're here. I'm glad you're part of our family," Lou said with real sincerity.

"Thank you, Louise," replied Beth softly, using her name for the first time.

Lou smiled in response. "Now, what I can do to help?"


Before long Christmas was upon them. A cold snap brought a fierce snow storm a few days before which left the fields covered in white. The weather cleared on Christmas Day, however, and the whole family gathered at the ranch for the midday meal. Ethan and Jake played in the snow, and then Charlie and Beth cheered on from the porch as Adam and Jamie joined in, each teaming up with a young brother for a serious snowball fight. Only Lou's call to lunch stopped the competition, from which Adam and Ethan emerged as the victors.

After a satisfying meal they retired to the living room to exchange gifts. As usual the younger boys were the most vocal in their delight, but Lou was surprised when Charlie's favorite present turned out to be a new bonnet from Beth. She marveled at the change in her daughter, who only a year earlier would have turned her nose up at such a gift. But whether it was the influence of having a woman close to her own age in the family or the fact that Dan Lawson continued to try and win her favor, Charlie was a different, much happier girl, which pleased her mother very much.

"It's your turn to give Beth her present," Ethan informed Adam after most of the gifts had been distributed and opened.

"We already gave our presents to each other this morning," his brother responded.

"See?" Beth said, holding out her wrist so Ethan could inspect the gold bracelet which encircled it.

"It's beautiful, Beth," Lou commented.

"What did you get?" Ethan asked Adam.

"A wonderful book I've been wanting to read."

Ethan was less than impressed with that and moved on to inspect Jamie's new boots that he'd received from their mother.

"Actually, I received another present," Adam said, grinning.

"Adam!" Beth blushed as she knew very well what he was about to say.

"What? We have to tell them some time," he replied quietly, unable to hide his excitement.

"You don't have to make a big announcement…"

"Actually, I do." Adam stood up. "Everyone, Beth is going to have baby!"

The parlor erupted into thrilled cries of congratulations and other enthusiastic utterings. A self-conscious Beth soon forgot her embarrassment and received heartfelt embraces from the whole family, none more so than from her mother-in-law. Though unprepared for the announcement, her past dismay at the idea was immediately forgotten and all at once Lou found she had no problem at all with becoming a grandmother.