Chapter 49 – A Big Celebration After Maria's Christening
Miss Kitty slowly got her strength back so two Sundays after little Maria was born they had her christening at the church. Mr. Dillon sent a telegram to Mr. Reardon as soon as we knew Miss Kitty would be all right to let him know he was the baby's godfather and she was named for his murdered wife. He showed up a week later, just a few days before the christening, on June 11. He had to go off for a bit, but was back in time for the big Saturday night party on June 27 at the ranch.
'Cause Miss Kitty was still weak and had the new baby to care for, Mr. Dillon and Doc thought they should wait an extra week before the big party. Miss Abby did most of the party plannin' and Ma Smalley did most of the cookin'. I reckon I spent more time goin' back and forth to town the day before and the day of the party than I did at home, but somehow my work got done. On the last trip, Mr. Dillon let me take the surrey so I could bring back my ma and pa and Doc, but at the last minute, Doc decided to drive himself. Doc would stay in his usual room so he needn't worry about getting' home with the dawn. Mr. Reardon was in the other guestroom across from Nat's room. My folks was given what would become Adam's room if he wanted to sleep in the same wing as his big brother. The baby's room, which was next to Abby's, would become hers when she outgrew her cradle and slept through the night. For now it was empty, but could sleep a few extra guests if they brought their own bedrolls. Everyone else would just have to make their way home or to the Dodge House.
When I got to the train, ma and pa were talkin' with a man who pa seemed to know and with Mr. Clayborne and a woman and a couple of kids. It got me real curious. The man walked off toward the Dodge House with Mr. Clayborne and those with him before I could be introduced. I wound up usin' the back seat of the surrey for the bags and a few extra crates of glassware and plates for the party from the Long Branch. The three of us squeezed onto the front seat so we could jaw and catch up on things.
"How'd you folks enjoy meetin' up with Mr. Clayborne and the three with him? Are they kin to him?" I asked after we'd been on the road about 15 minutes, it havin' taken that long for me to get around to the subject. "Also, who was that man who went off with them? You seemed to know him, Pa."
I had lots of questions and got lots of answers on our trip back to the ranch where Mr. Dillon, Mr. Reardon, Nat and Adam were waitin' out on the front porch. I went to the barn to take care of the rig and horse while my folks went inside the house. Nat and Mr. Dillon helped carry their bags inside. They'd be stayin' as guests for a spell after the party tonight.
My chores done, I headed back to the house. When I walked through the door, Mr. Dillon was talkin'.
"Chester, did you get a sense of what Russell wants? Somehow we need to get word to Gil that he might try to talk him out of a portion of his money. He might try his charm on his wife and kids. He's got lots of experience with doing just that to society women and their children, you know."
"I can only hope father doesn't try to spoil things," Miss Kitty added. "I thought he was completely out of my life when he didn't show for the wedding or Adam's birth. Matt, like you, I wonder why did he show up now?"
"I thought I'd put enough of a scare into him when he tried to get the money you'd put into buying the Long Branch and take you with him that he'd never come back. He figured out that we'd worked together to force him back to New Orleans. He can't possibly think he can get anything from us now that we have a family together."
"Ma, pa, what are you talking about?" all three Dillon children, who're old enough to talk asked. "Who's this Russell guy?" Nat asked. "Are you saying we have a living grandfather?" Abby added.
"That's just what we're saying," Miss Kitty replied. "He wasn't much of a father to me as I was growing up. I hardly saw him while my mother was still alive, although she never made him out to be entirely bad to me. She told me of his charm and he did give me gifts and send enough money to keep us comfortable. Once mama passed, I saw even less of him and didn't see or hear from him at all after I left New Orleans until that telegram telling me he was coming to Dodge to see me. By the time he left under a not so veiled threat from your father, we thought that I could go back to living as if I no longer had either parent. Your pa and I were very young then and gave him the respect we thought he deserved. At the end, I was still outwardly respectful, but I'm afraid your father wasn't living up to how we've tried to have you kids behave toward anyone older than you, especially relatives. Let's just say, he was less than respectful toward him that last morning and even before that."
"I admit I did act toward him the way your ma says, but in my defense, I had to threaten him to make sure he didn't hurt your ma, but instead went back to New Orleans quietly."
"I know godpa not your pa, mama, but like pretend he our grandpa," Adam said. "Reckon want him be like Uncle Gil."
"That's some pretty deep thinking, son. Are you sure you're only three? The difference between Gil Clayborne and Wayne Russell is that we've come to trust your Uncle Gil means you no harm. We have no reason to believe that of your grandfather. I reckon that's why we've tried to keep him completely out of your lives. Still, he is your ma's pa and we reckon he has kept tabs on her life. Kitty, is there anything else you want to tell our kids?"
"Just before your pa and I married, I left Dodge for a while. During that time I took a trip to New Orleans and visited with old friends and cousins to see if I wanted to move back permanently. I checked to see that my father was still based there, but made no special effort to see him. I left that up to him. I knew he'd learn that I was nearby. That kind of gossip circulates quickly in the social class the Russell family belongs to in that city. I never heard from him during the two months I was there. The fact is, I didn't expect to hear from him when I returned, I thought permanently, to Claire and John Dawson's home in Ballard. I wanted to see how their newborn twins were getting on and to settle in to help them run The Golden Nugget for a bit before returning to New Orleans. I planned, while there, to arrange the final sale of the Long Branch to Hannah Hockett, who was already running it. Ballard was as close as I wanted to get to Dodge because I was afraid I'd lose my resolve to stay away if I spent any length of time with your pa. It wasn't because I didn't love him, it was because I didn't think he could ever bring himself to get married. As it turned out, he came there to tell me he was finally ready to take that step. I know he would have followed me all the way to New Orleans if he had to, so I came back home. Our marriage was announced in New Orleans as was your birth, Adam, and your brother and sister's adoption. My cousins sent gifts and best wishes. Father showed no interest – until now."
Miss Kitty was just finishin' up her yarn when we heard a buggy comin' to a stop outside. It was Doc, but he wasn't alone. The man I now know is Wayne Russell, Miss Kitty's pa, was with him. I reckoned it was my job to take care of Doc's rig and horse and Adam was proud to take his godpa's carpet and medical bags inside. Mr. Russell brought only himself as if waitin' to see what kind of welcome he'd get. When I returned, introductions had been made, but things were a might strained in the main room. Fact is, Doc was apologizin' for bringin' the man along."
"Doc, it's alright. I know you were only thinking of me when you brought my father here with you. It has been a long time and you thought I might be ready to forgive him and let him help us celebrate the birth of his fourth grandchild, Matt's birthday and Matt and my anniversary. Now that he's here, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. However, I'm not ready for him to stay here with us even if all the guestrooms weren't spoken for. I'm not about to ask either son to share his bed with a stranger or to force Albert to share his living quarters with him and it would be too cramped for his folks to share them."
"Kitty, I know I haven't been much of a father to you, but I think you're being a bit too harsh on me. I've changed. I should have realized back then that taking you with me meant splitting you and the marshal up, something neither of you wanted. I do now. That's one of the reasons I didn't contact you while you were in New Orleans. I was afraid you couldn't find it in your heart to forgive me and would refuse to see me. That's also why I stayed away from your wedding, Nat and Abby's adoption and Adam's birth. When I read of Maria's birth, I decided I had to at least try to see my grandchildren and the life you and the man you married have carved out for yourselves. If you've really forgiven me, why can't you leave it up to my grandsons to decide if they're willing to share a bedroom with me?"
"I believe Kitty's made it quite clear how she feels about you spending the night, Russell. Our kids will obey us, not a stranger who happens to be their grandfather. I'm sure you'll have no problem finding someone who's willing to give you a ride back to town after the party tonight. Just remember the warning I gave you the last time – there are folks around here who'll take it personal if someone hurts her even if he is a relative."
I know, from everything my pa has told me and the time I've been workin' for him, Mr. Dillon is given to makin' decisions for everyone. It did kinda stick in my craw that he was tellin' my folks and me who we could share space with. Still, it is on his place where I work and Mr. Russell is his kin by marriage so he should have the most say in the matter. I just don't like bein' treated like one of his kids. Pa's never said, but I suspect he treated him the same way back when they were both not much older than me even though pa's scarcely a year younger.
There was a chill in the air, definitely not from the weather, until more guests began to arrive, startin' with Doc Newly and his family from over the hill. Mr. Dillon and Miss Kitty had to explain to each arrival who the stranger was, but Mr. Russell through it all never did nothin' that made me feel he was anythin' but a man tryin' to get back into the life of his grown, married daughter. For the life of me I couldn't understand why people who treated me pretty near like a son should act the way they were to someone who actually was kin. I'd have to git the full story from pa as soon as I could get him alone. I kinda winked at him and finally he took my meanin' and he and ma followed me outside toward the barn.
Pa and I left ma tut-tuttin' about how poorly I was keepin' my room when it could be as nice or even nicer than my room back home and busily fixin' it up to her standards. It was our chance to talk man to man about what pa knew of Mr. Russell and the last time he came back in Miss Kitty's life. I learned she'd asked Doc and pa, and especially Mr. Dillon to help her face a man she wasn't even sure she'd recognize and didn't even know how to properly address. Beginnin' with the first night, when Mr. Russell took them all to dinner at Delmonico's, he treated her like he was the only one who could protect her from the evils of Dodge City. He even told them it wasn't proper for a woman carryin' the proud name of Russell to have anythin' to do with a saloon even though after her ma passed he sent her to live with a woman what ran a gambling house. He accepted she had to go to the Long Branch that night because her partner Mr. Pence was too drunk to handle the business that night, but sounded surprised when Mr. Dillon told him he'd walk her there. After that, he kept her away from her friends and even asked Mr. Dillon's help to convince her to go back to New Orleans with him, with the money from buyin' the Long Branch as hard cash. Mr. Dillon didn't help, but was willin' to accept it, if that's what Miss Kitty wanted. It was the day before they were to leave when he finally got a chance to learn that she didn't trust her pa neither and they worked out a plan to send him back without her or her money.
We headed back to the house when pa had formed a plan to find out Mr. Russell's real purpose. I'd try to be with whoever Mr. Russell was talkin' to at the party, but a little off to the side so I could hear what they was sayin' without really bein' part of it. He thought the man knew him too well to be able to fool him into thinkin' he wasn't spyin'. Pa warned me to be especially sure to catch the words if he happened to take Mr. Claybourne aside.
"Mr. Russell, you must be quite pleased with how well your daughter has done," Mr. Clayborne said. "She's got a good marriage to one of the most respected men in Kansas, a fine family and is financially secure. I'm glad to have played my part in that financial security, but I can't claim it all for myself. There's also her inheritance from a grateful customer from before she came to Dodge City and her own business acumen. I can't help but believe after our short talk on the way to the hotel earlier today that she takes after you in that regard. By the way, what manner of business are you in back in your native New Orleans?"
"I've got a shipping company dealing mostly with imports and exports. From our talk earlier, I understand you have many financial interests, the kind that make my little business seem like nothing more than that gunsmith shop that Doctor O'Brien used to own. Call me an overprotective father and grandfather if you will, but why are you investing so much in my daughter and her family? You certainly don't deal in the sorts of things a small farming community would need. Just how much have you contributed to their financial security and in what way?"
"Normally, Mr. Russell, I wouldn't respond in detail to your questions, but I've nothing to hide from someone with a strong personal interest in the Dillons. My interest is personal also. I'm sure you're aware that your two older grandchildren are adopted. Well, I'm a blood relative of theirs. My deceased sister was their mother. I could have increased the trust provided by their paternal grandmother and ignored the two younger children, but I'm not that kind of man. I chose to provide for all of them because your daughter and her husband don't make any distinctions between their adopted and their natural children. As a matter of fact, now that I have full control of my family's money, since my father's recent demise, I plan to increase the sum I've already given them. In honor of Maria's birth I want to ensure that each of the children has a trust worth an additional $250,000. I expect Mr. Bodkin, the president of their bank will be here this evening so my deposit isn't entirely a surprise to that worthy man on Monday morning. However, I do wish it to be a surprise to Matt, Kitty and the children, so please don't spoil it for me."
"That is most generous of you. Of course I wouldn't think of spoiling your surprise, but I would like to learn more of your plans so I might emulate your generosity when I bestow my own gift on my daughter and her children even though it will also benefit that man she married. Perhaps, if you would allow me to accompany you back to town later tonight, I might reciprocate and tell you the details of my own business investments. I'd welcome your input. Until then, it's been most pleasant talking with you Mr. Clayborne, but now I wish to spend time getting to know my grandchildren before more guests arrive."
Mr. Russell headed out the front door to where Nat, on a rocking chair, and Abby on the porch swing with Nat's friend Lester Pruitt, were watchin' Adam playin' with Lester's little brother Isaac and young John O'Brien and his little brother Liam. Nat, bein' a well brought up boy, offered his seat to his grandfather and took the straight-backed chair next to it. I turned the other way when I came out the door so they didn't see me and sat on the one remainin' chair, leanin' it back against the wall.
"Who are you, young man? You seem to be quite close to my granddaughter and grandson."
"I'm Lester Pruitt, sir, Nat's best friend and the person who will be taking Abby to the Fourth of July dance if her pa thinks she's old enough. They were just telling me that you're Mrs. Dillon's pa and they just found out about you."
"Are you a trustworthy enough fellow to obtain permission to take my Abby, who's so much like her mother was at her age, to a social event? Her father and I have had some disagreements, but we don't disagree on our duty to protect the women God has entrusted to us. We only disagree on the proper way to do that. If both Nat and Abby vouch for you, I'm willing to learn about these two from someone who knows them. Did Nat confide in you about who he might wish to take to this dance?"
"Grandfather, I don't mean to be impolite," Nat said, "but you hardly have a say in what we can and can't do. You've only come into our lives a few hours ago and from what I gather you didn't bother to concern yourself with ma's upbringing. You're just happy she ended up rich, but sorry she found herself a good man to keep you from getting your hands on her or her money. Given those facts, I don't reckon you have the right to question my friend about who I'm taking to the dance."
"I may have come into your life just today, young man, but I'm still your grandfather. At least you had the courtesy to address me by my proper title. I put that to the influence of your mother, a girl brought up to always conduct herself as a lady. Your impertinence I put firmly at the feet of your father, a man as rough as this town you call home. Therefore, I won't demand an apology, but I will take my leave of you for now."
Mr. Russell wasn't going to get anywhere with Nat or his brother and sister now. Fact is, I reckon if Mr. Dillon has a chance to set him straight, he won't have much luck with Mr. Clayborne neither. Maybe it will make him into a real grandpa to them. If that happens, I know Mr. Dillon and Miss Kitty will welcome him into their family. I tailed after him until the party was windin' down. He talked himself up to everyone, but try as he might, he couldn't get anyone to invest in his business. He also couldn't get them to let slip anythin' that might give him somethin' he could hold over Mr. Dillon, so he could worm his way into bein' more than he ought to be.
It had got quite late. Everyone had all they could possibly eat and drink and all the fun a body could possibly want. Folks was startin' to head home. Soon only those who was spendin' the night or lived real close like Doc Newly and his family remained. Since the Dillon kids looked upon Mr. Clayborne as Uncle Gil, he and his family was also among the last to leave and of course, since he was travelin' with them and is Miss Kitty's pa, Mr. Russell. They was just headin' toward the door when Doc Newly stopped them.
"Wait just a few minutes. I just bought one of those new box cameras and I want to take a few photographs of the family. I managed to get some of the general party and the other guests earlier. Gil, could I start with a portrait of you and your family?"
"Of course, Newly, but then we must be going. Adele and the children are quite tired out and we still have the trip back to our hotel to face."
Doc Newly took their picture and then he took one of Miss Kitty and Mr. Russell. She agreed to it, but didn't seem too happy about it. When it came to includin' him in with the rest of the their family, both she and Mr. Dillon refused. There was nothin' for Mr. Russell to do but head back to town with the Claybornes. That didn't mean Doc Newly was through takin' his pictures. He took one of the Dillon family with Miss Kitty and Mr. Dillon holdin' little Maria between them and one of them plus the two godfathers. Then he took one of Doc, pa, Mr. Dillon and Miss Kitty in honor of all those years they've been friends and finally, one of me and my folks. He promised we could have all the copies we wanted to remember this day by.
I walked out with the O'Briens toward the barn and headed up to my room while they took their buggy over the hill toward home. I was plum tuckered so I didn't look to see how long it took for the lights to go off in the house, but I reckon they probably talked for a bit longer after the younguns was put to bed.
The party was over. Abby and Elsie helped me finish with the kitchen chores while Matt, Doc, Frank, Chester and Nat made the main room look like a horde worthy of the Long Branch at the height of the cattle drive season hadn't been there. Maria was asleep in her cradle and a very tired Adam was tucked into bed and hopefully asleep too. It didn't take long for both Nat and Abby to take themselves off to bed, leaving only Chester, Elsie, Frank and Doc in the room. We sat around for a time and filled Elsie in on what the old days in Dodge were like, then wished each other goodnight. Once we were alone in our bedroom, Matt was quick to pull off his boots and strip off his clothes. I'll admit it didn't take me long, with Matt's help, to get into my nightgown either.
"Come on Kitty, put that brush away and come to bed. You need to get some sleep before Maria wakes us up to be fed."
"I've only a few more strokes. You want me to keep my hair smooth and silky for you, don't you, Cowboy?"
I soon joined my husband in our bed. Even now it gives me a thrill to realize that I'm married to Matt Dillon long enough to have spent tonight celebrating our fourth anniversary and the birth of our second daughter with our friends and neighbors in the home we share. He wrapped his arms around me, but we both wanted to talk before giving in to other feelings.
"Our oldest and dearest friends are in this house with us. I know we only met Elsie at our wedding, at least in your case since you failed to make it to their wedding, but I feel as if we've known her since those early days in Dodge. She's made Chester a very happy man. I only wish Maria was still with us, so she could share in our joy at the birth of her namesake."
"I'm sure Frank wishes that too. I can picture the four of us, along with Doc and Chester sitting at our table in the Long Branch enjoying your beer and each other's company."
"I do believe, Matthew Dillon that you've become quite the romantic sentimentalist since you decided our someday was to become a specific day. I always knew what my heart told me about you was right."
"Since we're agreeing so much with each other, Mrs. Dillon, we should agree on what we feel about your father showing up. He might be a spoiler, but even his presence couldn't ruin our party."
"Let's not talk about my father. I hope he's out of our lives for another 20 years, but I suppose even he deserved the picture Newly took of me with him. Maybe I should have relented and allowed him to take a picture of father with his four grandchildren and their father and mother as well."
"I don't reckon we should be talking about anything more tonight," he said pulling me toward him. "How bout we try a long goodnight kiss and see where it leads us?"
