Chapter 17 The Terms
"Kitty, I'm not leaving until we've talked about this," Matt said.
"What's there to talk about?" asked Kitty. "You've made your decision."
"Kitty, my decision was out of love for you, not love for Sarah," Matt said. "You know that."
"Yes, I do know that," Kitty sighed. "But now I don't see how you're going to get out of this."
Kitty left her office, leaving Matt alone in there. Matt didn't stay in the office for long. He followed Kitty's wake a minute or so later . When he walked out, Kitty was behind the bar, drying glasses that probably didn't need to be dried. Matt knew this was Kitty's way of keeping her mind off things that were bothering her. Whenever Kitty was upset or if something was bothering her, she would make herself busy. This was one of those times.
Matt walked up to the bar. "Kitty, I have to get back to the office, but I'll see ya later."
"Sure, Matt," Kitty said, not really looking at him. "Whatever you say."
Matt turned away from the bar and walked towards the doors. He was going to turn and look at Kitty one more time before he left, but he didn't. He knew she was angry and he hoped she would cool down when he came back to see her. Kitty watched Matt as he left the Long Branch. She put the glass and the towel she was holding on a shelf behind the bar.
Kitty believed that Matt still thought he could show Sarah that being married to him wasn't what she thought it was going to be and that she would want a divorce. Kitty's mind wandered back three and a half years, back to when Amy Slater was trying to kill him. She and Matt were sitting in the Long Branch, and Matt thought that Amy would give up trying to kill him, after her attempt failed. During their conversation, she had told Matt that women don't do things in halves. When they love, they love. When they hate, they hate. Matt's response was that the only thing he knew about women was some of them are pretty and some of them aren't. Kitty really hoped Matt had learned more than that these last several years, but she questioned whether or not he did.
Sarah followed Matt's instructions, and two hours later she went to Moss Grimmick's stable to rent a horse and buggy. Matt told her to rent a horse and buggy, but Sarah decided she was going to ask Mr. Grimmick if he would be willing to sell a horse and buggy to her. She would need a way to get around, and riding horseback was out of the question for a woman in her condition. Cost wasn't going to be an issue. She came from a well to do family and had the money to buy one.
Sarah stepped into the stable. "Excuse me!" Sarah called out, when she didn't see anyone.
Hearing someone call his name, Moss stepped out from one of the back stalls. He saw Sarah standing there. "Hello, ma'am. Is there something I can do for you?"
"My original intention was to rent a horse and buggy from you," Sarah answered. "But now I was wondering if you had any to sell."
"You're in luck," said Moss. "I do sell horses and buggies, when I have them available, and I do have a buggy and a horse available. I'll sell both the horse and buggy for fifty dollars. That's a deal."
"I'm in need of one," said Sarah. "I'll take it." She reached into her reticule, took out the appropriate amount of money, and handed the money to Moss.
"The horse is back there," said Moss, pointing to the back of the stable. "The buggy is out back. I'll bring both to the front for you."
"Thank you. I really appreciate it," said Sarah with a wide grin.
Sarah stepped out of the stable and waited for Moss. Moss took a bay horse from the back of the stable and led it out to the back to where the buggy was. He took the horse and hitched it up to the buggy. Buggy hitched to the horse, Moss climbed into the buggy and rode it around to the front of the stable. Sarah was there waiting for him. Moss hopped out of the buggy and helped Sarah climb in. He was happy to sell the buggy. It was taking up room behind the stable.
Sarah took hold of the reins and gently snapped them to get the horse in motion. Matt told her to head west five miles and she would come across an abandoned cabin. She was to wait for Matt at the abandoned cabin. Sarah wasn't sure exactly what Matt had in mind, just that he wanted to discuss the plans for their marriage.
Marriage. She was going to be married to Matt. Life was going to be perfect. Not only would she be married to Matt, but she was giving him a child. Sarah was confident that she was having a boy. She would give Matt a son. Their boy would be as handsome as his father.
Sarah had been riding for an hour and a half, when she saw a small cabin up ahead. She figured that had to be the cabin Matt was referring to. It definitely looked abandoned. There didn't seem to be any signs that someone was living there. Sarah slowly rode up to the cabin and brought the horse to a halt. She climbed out of the wagon and walked up to the cabin door, grabbing the canteen of water she brought with her. She turned the doorknob and carefully pushed the door open.
Sarah cautiously took a step inside, not knowing what she would find. She didn't think Matt would send her to a place that put her and the baby in danger, but she didn't know the last time Matt was here. Things may have changed the last time he had been out this way. Stepping further into the cabin. Sarah made up her mind that she had nothing to worry about.
It was dark inside the cabin, so Sarah pushed apart the sackcloths that were being used as curtains. Doing that allowed sunlight to stream into the cabin, making it much brighter. Now that it was brighter in the cabin, Sarah looked around at her surroundings. There wasn't much to look at. It was only a one room cabin. There was a fireplace, a bed in a corner, and a table with a few chairs. Sarah came to the conclusion that a single man must have lived here at one point. There's no way a family ever lived here. Sarah decided that Matt would be there soon and sat at the table to wait for him.
Back in Dodge, Matt was getting Buck ready to ride out to the cabin to meet Sarah. He packed his water bottle, mounted Buck, and rode west on Front Street. As Matt rode past the Long Branch, he saw Kitty standing next to the batwing doors. They looked at each other as Matt rode by, mouthing to Kitty that he loved her. Kitty gave him a sad smile and waited for him to ride by. When he was further down the street, Kitty turned and walked away from the doors.
Riding Buck, it didn't take Matt as long to get to the cabin as it took Sarah. Arriving at the cabin, Matt dismounted his horse and tied the reins around a hitching post that was out front. Matt knew Sarah was there. He could see the horse and buggy. Matt approached the cabin door and walked inside. He saw Sarah sitting at the table.
"Matt, I'm so glad you're here," said Sarah. "I want to start discussing our marriage, so we can be husband and wife."
"Sarah, I want you to realize that this isn't going to be your traditional marriage," Matt said as he took a seat across from her.
"Matt, we're going to have a wonderful life, you, me, and our son. I'm sure I'm having a boy," said Sarah. She obviously wasn't paying attention to what Matt had just said.
"Sarah, I need you to listen to me," Matt responded. "This marriage is not going to be like a traditional marriage. I told you before that there would be terms. If you can't accept those terms, there won't be a marriage."
Sarah looked at Matt. She was hoping that he wanted to meet her in a secluded place without Kitty, so he could tell her that he really did want to marry her without any of the terms he had listed the other day. However, that didn't seem to be the case.
"I understand," Sarah sighed. "Let's hear what you have to say."
"The first thing is that you can't live anywhere near Dodge," Matt said.
"Why not?" Sarah questioned. "I want to be near you."
"I've already told you this. We can't let people know we are a couple. If they did, someone might harm you and the baby to get revenge against me."
Matt could see that Sarah was contemplating his words. He took Sarah's hand in his hand. He felt having that physical connection would help him to get Sarah to agree with whatever he had to say. Matt was sure Sarah had been lying and decided to play mind games of his own.
"I need you in my life," Matt lied, rubbing his thumb over Sarah's hand.
"I don't want to risk anything separating us," Sarah replied. "Where do you want me to live?"
"It would be best if you lived near a bigger town, like Garden City. That way you could blend in when you came and went," Matt answered. "Didn't you say that you saw the doctor there? He could continue being your doctor."
"Why don't I just live in Garden City?" Sarah inquired. "Why does it have to be near Garden City?"
"People in Garden City know me," Matt replied. "It would be too hard to keep our marriage a secret. Living in a small house outside of town is best."
"Do you think we'll be able to find a place to live?" Sarah asked.
"I'm sure we'll find a place for you and the baby to live," Matt answered. "I won't be living there. I'll be living in Dodge. But don't worry. I will be making trips out to see you. Now we need to talk about getting married. We can't have a church ceremony. All we can do is have a judge or justice of the peace marry us."
"Where do we go for that?" asked Sarah. "I can only assume that most judges around here know you."
"You would assume correctly," Matt told Sarah. "But there's an old retired judge, Judge O'Rourke, that lives in Mansfield. He marries couples, no questions asked. He even keeps marriage certificates at his house. I've never met him, but I've been told by Judge Brooker that he lives in Mansfield. It works out perfectly because I've never been to Mansfield. I wouldn't be recognized. Plus, this judge's mind isn't what it used to be. He probably wouldn't remember us."
"Where is Mansfield?" Sarah questioned.
"It's about forty miles west of Dodge," Matt replied.
"Forty miles? Why so far from Dodge?" asked Sarah.
"The further from Dodge, the better," Matt answered. "Plus it's not too far from Garden City. After we see Judge O'Rourke, you can get a hotel room in Garden City. You can stay there until we find a house for you and the baby."
"Are we going to Mansfield from here?" Sarah wanted to know.
"No, I need to get back to Dodge and so do you," Matt responded. "Your belongings are at the Dodge House. I'm sure you'd want them."
"I guess I didn't think of that," Sarah said. "You're right. I do want my belongings. So when do we go to Mansfield?"
"We can leave tomorrow," Matt replied. "Maybe Moss will let you rent the buggy for a couple extra days. I'll figure out a way to return it. You'll have to leave before I do. We can't be seen leaving together."
"There's no need for that," said Sarah.
"I already told you we can't be seen together," said Matt.
"I was referring to the horse and buggy," Sarah corrected Matt. "I bought it from Mr. Grimmick. There's no need to return it."
"Good. That crosses one thing off the list to worry about," said Matt. "Why don't you head back to Dodge now, so you're back before dark. I'll leave shortly after you. We can't return at the same time."
Sarah climbed into the buggy and headed back to Dodge. She wasn't too thrilled with the marriage terms so far, but she would learn to live with them. She would do anything to be with Matt. Maybe someday he would change his mind about these terms.
Matt watched Sarah ride east towards Dodge. His plan was working so far. But there was more to his plan and he prayed that it would keep on working.
TBC