Dearly Beloved

Chapter 22

By the time summer was upon them, Ben and Charlie had announced their engagement. Neither of them wanted a fuss made, but the nuptials of Kid and Lou's only daughter was never going to be a quiet affair. Charlie and Ben had had to endure a rowdy celebration where the groom-to-be was reminded that his fiancée had a father and three brothers who were very protective of her, not to mention a mother and sister-in-law who were just as fiercely devoted to her happiness.

The wedding date was set for a few months later, and in the meantime Charlie was getting a few lessons in managing a household from Beth. Her trial run taking care of things while her parents were away had been some help, but Beth reminded her she wouldn't have a housekeeper like Mrs. Greig on hand when she was married. Charlie resigned herself to the fact that she would actually have to learn how to cook properly. Unfortunately her patience ran a little thin when it came to such things.

"Your chicken's burning," Beth commented as Charlie was busy packing a picnic lunch to surprise Ben with.

"Oh, shoot!" She rescued the pan from the stove and inspected the damage. She had wanted things to be just right, but Charlie was quickly learning that that was probably an unrealistic scenario when she was in the kitchen. "Oh well, I hope he likes it a little burnt."

Beth grinned at her resignation.

"It's just as well I know as much as I do about horses, and I'm learning about cattle," Charlie continued. "Otherwise I don't know what kind of a cattleman's wife I'd make."

"You'll make a wonderful cattleman's wife. Ben thinks so," Beth replied teasingly.

"Well, he always did have good taste."

The two young women shared a smile as they packed a few final things into Charlie's hamper, including the unfortunate chicken.

"I guess we'll see if he and the other hands like my cooking. Wish me luck."

"Good luck!"

Beth waved her farewell from the porch, then sighed as she watched her drive away in the buggy. She had gotten used to Charlie being around to talk to, but now that she was often at Ben's or preparing for her wedding, Beth spent less and less time with her. She didn't know what it was going to be like not having Charlie living at the ranch anymore. The thought left her with a sense of melancholy.

She wandered back into the house, feeling at a loose end. When school started again after the summer Beth had decided she would go back to taking regular reading classes, now that Hannah was a few months older. In the meantime the long, hot days dragged on and she found herself with little to do. She took a seat in the parlor, the book in her lap unread and of no interest to her, while Lou worked on the ranch accounts at her desk. Beth sighed once more.

Lou looked up and over her reading glasses at her daughter-in-law, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Charlie left?"

"Uh huh."

"Hannah still asleep?"

"Uh huh," Beth murmured, sounding bored.

"Why don't you go for a walk?" Lou suggested.

Beth roused herself from her reverie. "Oh, Hannah will be up soon."

"I can watch her when she does."

"You're busy…"

"It's fine, I'm almost done. Besides, Hannah and I have lots of things to do today." In truth Lou was trying to teach her to say 'grandma' before the girl could manage 'grandpa' to get one over on Kid. He doted on the girl and Lou wasn't about to let him win that friendly rivalry. She was quite happy to get in some quality time with her granddaughter that afternoon.

Beth smiled, seeing right through her. So far Hannah could say 'mama' and 'Jay', and both Jamie and Jake claimed she was trying to say his name. It didn't matter that she called everyone in the house 'Jay'. Beth knew the race was on for which grandparent she'd be able to name first.

"Maybe I will take a stroll," she replied noncommittally, knowing a solitary walk wasn't going to lift her mood.

"Ethan and Jake are down at the creek," Lou said as she went back to her accounts.

Beth brightened at that – she always had fun with the boys. She got up and tossed aside her book.

"Take a hat, it's scorchin' out there," Lou called after her.

She smiled to herself, then wondered if she should wake Hannah a little early to get started on her talking lessons.


Beth could hear the boys before she saw them. She rounded the bend to the swimming hole and found them in the water, splashing away. She called out a greeting.

"Hey Beth!" yelled Ethan.

Suddenly he was lifted into the air with a roar as Jamie emerged from beneath the water and tossed him down with a mighty splash.

"My turn!" Jake demanded.

Jamie took a deep breath before he went under, and saw Beth grinning on the bank.

"Hey," he said, expelling the air in his lungs.

"Hey yourself."

"Come on, Jamie!" Jake cried, jumping on his back and locking his arms around his neck.

"All right, here we go." Jamie launched himself from the sandy bottom and threw Jake into the deeper water.

Beth peeled off her shoes and stockings and waded in up to her ankles. The cool water on her feet felt wonderful, and she envied the boys' ability to strip down to longjohn bottoms and really enjoy the water.

"You're looking a little warm there, Beth," Jamie said menacingly as he moved towards her.

"I'm quite fine, thank you very much."

"I don't know, boys, what do you think?"

"She looks kinda hot to me. Maybe she needs coolin' down?" Ethan replied mischievously.

Beth narrowed her eyes as all three brothers swam towards her. "Don't you even think about it."

"What?" asked Jamie innocently, before crying out, "Get her!"

Jake and Ethan splashed at her like mad but Jamie's long arms sent a veritable flood of water towards her, drenching her from the chest down.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as the cold water hit her, penetrating layers of clothes. Beth glared at them and tried not to crack a smile. "You little…"

"Careful, there are children present," Jamie warned her with mock solemnity.

Beth pulled off her straw hat and tossed it to one side. She waded in a little further now that she was already wet, and bent down to scoop up a handful of muddy silt from the creek bed. She aimed the mud at Jamie.

"You wouldn't," he said.

"Wouldn't I?" Beth retorted, before launching it at Jamie.

He jumped up so it didn't hit him in the face, and instead there was a resounding splat and he found his bare chest covered in silt. Beth laughed at the shocked expression he wore as the younger boys cheered.

"Right, that's it."

Jamie strode out of the water towards her which caused her to shriek and run out of the shallows. Encouraged by Jake and Ethan, he stormed after her, dripping wet, until he caught her. Jamie enclosed his arms tightly around her from behind and, ignoring her cries for help, carried her back towards the creek.

"Don't, Jamie!" she gasped, breathless from laughing and his grip around her waist.

He paused, his mouth at her ear, as he looked to his brothers for instructions. "What do you think, boys?"

"Throw her in!" was their unanimous response.

"Whatever you say!" With a resigned shrug he tossed Beth into the water.

She emerged after only a moment under water, her neatly done hair dripping and falling out of its clasps. She spluttered and wiped at her eyes, trying to find a foothold on the muddy bottom. The look of horror on her face stopped Jamie in his tracks. He feared he had gone too far. It was something he would have done – had done several times – to Charlie growing up, but Beth was not a tomboy like his sister. Beth had always been a good sport when it came to playing with the boys, but he had just thrown her fully clothed into the creek. He opened his mouth to apologize but was caught off guard when she suddenly launched herself at him, using all her weight to dunk him under the water. Jake and Ethan helped for good measure. Jamie struggled to the surface, the air escaping his lungs as he gasped for air and let out a bellowing laugh.

Beth, glowering from embarrassment at being wet but well pleased she had gotten him back, splashed water in his face as she headed for shore. But Jamie wasn't about to let her get away. He got hold of her waist again and was about to pitch her into the water when she turned in his arms to push him off, their faces only an inch apart. She was panting heavily from laughing so hard, as was he, their breathing quickly falling into unison. He found himself entranced by the droplets of water in her eyelashes and the striking blue of her eyes, before he suddenly pulled back from her. Beth watched as a strange look crossed his face and he stepped away even further.

"I win?" she asked cockily.

Jamie held up his hands in defeat. "You win."

She grinned and shook her head at him, then struggled towards the bank in her sodden clothes. Jamie let himself fall back to the water, and was immediately set upon by Ethan and Jake.


After ten minutes or so, Jamie joined her on the grassy bank where she had spread herself out in order to dry off. He retrieved his shirt from their pile of clothes and pulled it on even though he was still dripping wet. He flopped down beside her and they watched the boys continue to play in the water.

"Sorry, I hope I didn't offend you," he said, glancing at her through one eye, the other closed against the bright sun.

"I suppose I forgive you," she replied after a moment's pause. "But my dress may never be the same again."

She picked up the pale blue skirt she wore, still heavy with water.

"That's a shame too. I like you in that color," he commented lightly.

"You do, do you?" she asked in an amused tone.

Jamie grinned as he looked out to the water but it was the truth. Beth had only recently taken to wearing colors other than black and he was glad to see her out of the dour mourning dresses that made her skin look sallow.

Beth thought his comments sarcastic so she just ignored him. She raised her face to the sun, knowing she should retrieve her hat so she didn't freckle, but at that moment she was just happy to feel its warmth. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard, and she liked the feeling it left her with. Beth closed her eyes and smiled, lost in thought. When she opened them again she looked over to find Jamie staring at her, but he quickly glanced away.

"What is it?" she asked curiously.

"Nothin'." Now he looked anywhere else but in her direction.

Beth said nothing more as well, returning her gaze to Ethan and Jake. They sat in silence for several minutes.

"I love it down here," she murmured contentedly. "It's such a beautiful spot."

"Me too. We spent most of our summers down here. Just Adam and me, at first. Teaspoon used to bring us fishing here all the time."

"He told me."

Jamie checked to see if the memory of Adam had upset her, but Beth was still smiling. He looked away again, then indicated with his head at a clearing near the creek.

"I was thinking about building a cabin down here, right in that spot. A place of my own."

"Really?" Beth immediately felt guilty – she had taken over his bedroom at the ranch house, and Jamie was still sleeping in the bunkhouse. "I can always move back downstairs…"

"No, it's not that… I've been thinking about it for a while now. It's about time I had a home of my own."

Suddenly realization dawned on her. "Oh, I see."

"What?" Jamie asked, noting her softer tone.

"How is Sally? I haven't seen her around for a couple of weeks."

Jamie shifted on the ground. "She's fine. Busy with the store, I guess," he said dismissively.

Beth knew he was withholding something, but she said no more, waiting for him to talk. She had learned that was the best way to get Jamie to say what was on his mind.

He played absently with the longs blades of grass at his side. "She's been talking about going to St. Joe for a year to get her teaching license."

"Oh. I knew she was interested in becoming a teacher, but I thought…"

"Well, now she's thinking maybe she shouldn't go," he continued quickly. "She thinks we should get married instead."

Beth didn't answer immediately, steadfastly watching the boys. "Is that what you want?" she asked eventually, even quieter than before.

Jamie shrugged. "I don't know. I like things the way they are."

"Things will always change, you know. They're supposed to."

"I guess."

A small crease appeared on Beth's forehead. She and Jamie had never really discussed his relationship with Sally. He spoke very little of her to anyone, even though everyone knew they were together. Beth just figured he was intensely private about his feelings for her, which she could understand, but that didn't make her any less curious. Especially since she and Jamie could and did talk about everything else. She was as close to him as she was with Charlie, perhaps even closer since Hannah's birth. Beth didn't understand why talking about Sally was so difficult for either of them.

"Do you love her?" she asked boldly, surprising herself as well as Jamie.

He looked down, wondering how to answer. He figured it should be easy to say one way or the other way, but suddenly it wasn't.

"Jamie! Are you comin' back in, or what?" Jake yelled from the water.

Beth was still waiting for an answer, her unreadable gaze turned on him. Jamie swallowed hard and gave her a 'what can I do?' look before getting up and running back to the creek's edge. He peeled off his shirt and jumped into the water without looking back.