Jack

I hadn't heard him right; there was no way I'd heard him right. But if the look on Winters' face was any indication at all, he'd said exactly what I was afraid he had.

"Mister Buckley's son," Winters said again. "I was told you were the man I was to bring him to until Mister Buckley had resolved his affairs out of town."

The roaring in my ears had almost gone away and the room didn't seem to be spinning as much. I kept my grip on the counter however and took a steadying breath before I answered. "I did not agree to that." I'd planned on the words coming out strong and sure, but I'm pretty sure it was nothing more than a squeak. I glanced at the boy, then back to Winters. "I – I can't take him."

"You've been in contact with Mister Buckley recently?"

"Yes."

"And you discussed the matter with him?"

"No."

The attorney looked baffled. "Mister Maverick, we obviously aren't understanding one other."

"He hasn't been sleeping well."

That came from Bret and I gave him a glare. Sleep, or my lack thereof, had nothing to do with this. At least I didn't think it did. I didn't think this would make sense no matter how much sleep I'd had. "No, Mister Winters, I'm afraid we aren't."

Winters took a breath. "This appears to be a shock, Mister Maverick, so I'll explain it as simply as I can. I was Miss Lenora Freemont's attorney; the boy's mother. She was unmarried and had no relations other than her son so, upon her passing, the task of managing her estate fell to me. She was quite emphatic about the point that if anything should happen to her before her son became of age, his father was to be notified before any other arrangements were made for him. The name she provided was James Buckley."

"I'm not James Buckley."

"Yes, I understand that, but he did contact you and make arrangements."

I was starting to understand where Winters was going with this, and I didn't like it. I swallowed hard. "He contacted me."

Winters nodded. "It was no simple task, but upon Miss Freemont's untimely death, Mister Buckley was located and told of the boy and Miss Freemont's wishes. Mister Buckley did not try to deny parentage, he offered no dispute he had fathered the boy, and he agreed to Miss Freemont's request that he assume guardianship of his son. In due time he responded with instructions the boy was to be sent to Little Bend, Texas, here, and left in the care of a Bartley Maverick, you, until personal matters could be resolved and he could assume full guardianship. Do you have a different account, Mister Maverick?"

"Uhhh, well . . . . "

"You agreed to receive the child and assume responsibility for him until Mister Buckley's return, did you not?"

"No," I said finally feeling like I was getting somewhere. "I agreed to receive . . . a package." Even as the words left my mouth it hit me what Jim had done. How carefully he had worded things to get me to agree to keep . . . his son . . . for an undetermined amount of time.

The confusion left Winters and was replaced with sympathy. "Mister Buckley neglected to tell you exactly what his request entailed?"

I sighed, relieved to finally be on the same page as the lawyer. "I'm afraid that's exactly it."

"I see." He glanced back at the boy, whose expression hadn't changed. When he faced me again, he took a step closer and lowered his voice. "This puts me in a rather difficult position, Mister Maverick. My job was to see the boy safely to his guardian. Legally, I have no right to retain custody. I never really had any. Only insofar as seeing him safely from Biloxi to Little Bend."

I ran a hand through my hair. "You're saying there's nothin' you can do?"

"I'm afraid not. You are the man his father specified he was to be left with. To do anything different . . . ."

I looked over at Bret beseechingly. I don't know what I expected him to do, but he was my brother. He's always supposed to have an answer. This time he had no help to offer and all I got was a shrug. To his credit, however, the amusement had left his face.

"Is there anything that can be done?" I asked the lawyer once I realized my brother was going to be no help.

"Yes," Winters said slowly. "There are a couple of options, and I'd be willing to discuss them. However, I think it would be best to do that away from Jasper."

"Jasper?" Winters sort of cut his eyes over to the boy and I realized Jasper must be the kid's name. It probably would be best if the boy didn't hear all this, I realized. He'd likely heard too much already. I nodded. "Of course. I uh, I don't suppose any of these things could be done tonight."

Winters offered me a wan smile. "I'm afraid not."

I glanced over at the kid, still looking at all of us impassively. It was odd seeing a boy his age that quiet and still and something about him pulled at me. Maybe Jim had suckered me into this, but it wasn't the kid's fault. He shouldn't have to stand here and watch strangers argue about what was going to be done with him like he was a piece of property. I finally sighed accepting that, for the moment, I was stuck. I faced the attorney again. "You have something for me to sign, Mister Winters?"

Winters passed me the paper. I glanced over it and found everything was as Winters had said. I quickly signed it and handed it back feeling a little sick. Winters also looked it over and then tucked it back into his bag with a smile. "I'm scheduled to leave on the stage for Houston at eleven tomorrow. I would be available to meet with you anytime before that."

I didn't much care when we met so long as I was able to get this situation sorted out. I suggested breakfast though, hoping my head would be a little clearer come morning. Winters agreed and at long last took me over to formally meet the son of James Buckley.

"Jasper," Winter said when we'd reached him. "I'd like you to met Mister Maverick."

Jasper looked up at me, seeming to study me intently. "The one I'm supposed to stay with?"

So Jasper knew about the arrangements. I wondered what else he knew. I felt a knot settle in my stomach but forced a smile. "For a while," I answered. "I'm Bart. It's nice to meet you, Jasper." I offered him my hand, hoping my easy demeanor would help relax him. Whether it worked or not, I don't know. Those eyes that reminded me so much of Jim Buckley continued to stare at me.

He hesitated for a moment but finally took my hand. "It's a pleasure, Mister Maverick."

I kept smiling but inside my gut was twisting itself into knots. This was a child, and I was taking him home with me. How was I going to explain this to Doralice?

XXXXXXX

After Winters left for the hotel, I decided to take my new charge and go back to the saloon. I wasn't ready to face Doralice yet and hoped that if I could just get by myself for a couple of hours I would be able to think of something to tell her. I hoped so anyway because at the moment I had no idea. I was stuck with a child and saw no way out. I felt guilty thinking about it in those terms, but I didn't know how else to say it.

I tried not to let my dismay show and told myself all the way to the saloon not to say anything negative to or around the boy. None of this was his fault, and he'd had no say in it, but how was I supposed to explain this to my wife? We already had two infants at home, one that cried all the time. Doralice had about all she could handle with them. What were we going to do with another one?

When we reached the saloon, I led Jasper in through the back way. I wanted to avoid everyone else, and so far as I know, it worked. It wasn't that I was hiding him exactly, I just didn't want anyone to see him. At least not until I came up with some explanation for Doralice. I thought she needed to know about this before anyone else, so my plan was to keep him out of sight until I was ready to go home and face her.

"Have a seat," I told him once we were inside my office.

He looked around the room silently before going over to the settee and plopping down.

So far he'd been pretty quiet. He hadn't said anything since our introduction and I wondered if he was always like that or if it was just because he was in a new place with people he didn't know. When he didn't say anything after a minute, I ventured another question. "Hungry?"

He looked over at me and I swear it was like having Dandy stare at me. Of course, I have no idea what Dandy looked like as a child, but I had a feeling it was something like the boy in front of me. "I could eat somethin', I guess," he said softly.

I smiled at him again, once more hoping to put him at ease. Honestly, it was a little unnerving just to have him stare all the time. "Alright. I'll get Bret to go over to the café and bring you something back. Sound good?"

Jasper merely nodded in return.

I slipped out of the office and went to the edge of the barroom. I saw Bret leaned against the bar talking to George. Adam was there too, and between the two of them, I knew I'd get sucked into some kind of issue about the saloon if I went over, so I stayed where I was and waited for Bret to notice me. It took a minute, but I finally caught his eye and he came over.

"Problems?" he asked when he was close enough.

I shook my head. "No, but would you mind goin' over to Sawyer's and getting some kind of snack for the kid?"

"Sure. You need anything else?"

"Somethin' to tell my wife." I was only half joking. If Bret had any suggestions, I'd take them.

Bret smiled. "I can't help you with that, son. But I'll be here as long as you need me tonight. And Maude's at the house with Doralice."

"Did you have to tell her?"

Bret, bless him, had agreed to help me with my mother-in-law. I wanted Doralice to be the first person I told, but I thought I might have to tell Maude something. She would need some kind of explanation as to why I'd suddenly changed the plans we'd had tonight about who was working where.

Bret shook his head. "I just told her you had somethin' unexpected come up with your "package" and you needed to get it sorted out. I also told her it was nothin' serious, you just needed some time."

I guess that was as good as anything. It was sort of serious, but Bret's words would keep the ladies from worrying about anything. "Thanks, Bret. I appreciate it. And pass the word around I don't want to be disturbed will you? You're the man in charge tonight."

"Sure thing." Bret slapped me on the shoulder. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Bret went back over to the bar and said something to George. Whatever it was, George responded with a nod. Trusting that my brother had things well in hand, I went back to my office where I found Jasper right where I'd left him. It didn't look liked he'd moved at all since I'd been gone.

"Bret's gone for the food. He'll be back soon."

"Okay."

I waited for something else, anything else. Nothing came. "You need anything?"

"No, sir. I'm fine."

"Okay." I went back to my desk wishing the kid would give me something to work with. He wasn't being any trouble, but him just sitting there silently didn't help me find out anything about him or what the best way to handle this was. If this was the way he was all the time he certainly wouldn't require much looking after.

Another couple of minutes passed in silence and finally, I decided to start the conversation. So far he'd answered everything I'd asked, so if he wouldn't volunteer any information, I'd just ask. "So, how old are you, Jasper?" I asked as I put away some of the papers and ledgers on my desk.

"Six."

"When's your birthday?"

"May."

I tried to think to when I was that age. It came as a jolt to realize I couldn't remember much about it. I'd been seven when I got Scarlet Fever, but most of that is nothing more than a blur to me. What I do remember I'd just as soon forget. I didn't think that would help me relate to the boy across the room from me anyway.

Jasper suddenly sighed. "I hate it."

"Sorry?" I asked facing him.

"Jasper. I don't like being called that."

Frankly, I've heard worse names, but to be fair, I've never cared for Bartley. I still cringe when Pappy starts using Bartley, so I figured Jasper had the right not to like his name either. "What do you like?"

For the first time since we'd met I saw a smile. "Mama always called me Jack."

"Is that what you want me to call you?"

Jasper seemed to consider that then nodded. "Yes."

"Alright, Jack it is. And I never cared for Mr. Maverick, so how about you just call me Bart?"

He nodded. There was another long pause then he sat up straighter. "Bart?"

I was glad to finally be getting something out of him. I was also pleased he had spoken first. "Yes?"

"Do you think women should vote?"

I wasn't sure I'd heard him right. "What?"

Jack hopped off the sofa and came over to the desk. "Do you think women should be able to vote?"

Yep; I'd heard him right. "Vote? Where did that come from?"

"Some men don't think they should. Do you?"

"Well, I've known a lot of women who have done a lot of things. So far as I can see they can do most anything a man can do, so I guess there's no reason why they shouldn't get to vote."

Jack grinned. "Good."

"Why did you want to know?"

"My mama thought women needed to vote and said any man that said different was a chauvinist pig. I just wanted to know if you were a chauvinist pig."

I chuckled. "I don't think I am. Your mother was a suffragette?" Jack nodded, and I smiled at him again. "Like I said, I've seen women play poker, run ranches, own businesses; Bret even had a run-in with a female deputy once. They've done all that just fine, so I reckon they could vote just fine too."

"That's what mama said." He blew out a breath. "Well, I'm glad you're not a chauvinist pig." With that, he turned around and went back to the sofa.

When he sat back down he once again fell silent and went back to looking around the office. It seemed he was done talking for now. I fought back a smile and pulled out one of the ledgers. If my new charge wasn't feeling chatty I wasn't going to push him, but I had a feeling dealing with Jack was going to be an experience like I'd never had before. On the heels of that thought came the one that had been nagging me since I'd signed Winters paper. How was I going to tell my wife about this?