The Preacher's Wife
Chapter 4
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
Friday morning
By 5am, Matt had given up hope of getting any sleep. He quietly got out of his cot and removed his long johns, changing into his normal work clothes and slipping outside as Chester slept in the cot next to him. He was exhausted yet wide awake, nerves and adrenaline keeping his mind and body going like a perpetual motion machine. The cool morning air stung his exposed face and hands, though he seemed not to notice as he walked toward Moss Grimmick's stable.
He had no plan, he just needed to go somewhere alone and think. As he tacked up his horse, he wondered if Kitty was asleep or if she had suffered the same miserable night.
Matt Dillon was not ashamed of his relationship with the sexy proprietress of The Long Branch Saloon. On the contrary, he couldn't have been more thrilled that she was his woman. Not that he owned her, of course—Kitty Russell could not be owned. Other women might have accepted being treated like property, obeying orders and living in quiet submission as was expected of them, but not Kitty. Fiercely independent and sometimes too stubborn for her own good, she belonged to a man only if she chose to give herself to him. And she had given herself to Matt—mind, body, and soul.
That he had fallen so in love with such a firecracker said as much about Matt Dillon as any action he had ever taken. A large man with an intimidating presence, he had no desire to dominate a woman. His job, often to his anguish, required him to use his considerable strength and abilities to fight, even kill men. But with the women in his life, those muscular arms, those big hands, had only been used in the gentlest and most loving of ways.
Unlike many men, Matt wasn't looking for a woman to keep house and bear him sons. Truthfully, he had never really looked for a woman at all. His job was dangerous and he had decided long ago that he could not in good conscience risk creating a widow with fatherless children. But he was still a man, the kind of man who was undeniably intrigued by and attracted to strong women who challenged him, both personally and intellectually. There were a few in his past, but none had captured his heart like Kitty Russell.
She too had a past, and she had been completely honest with him about it. The details weren't pretty and she had taken a huge risk in telling him—men like Matt Dillon didn't come along every day. But pretty or not, those past experiences had helped create this amazing woman who had walked into his life three years ago, a woman who still made him go weak in the knees every time he looked at her. Her confession had only caused him to admire even more that she had turned such a difficult journey into the success story she had become. She no longer had to cater to the desires of men she cared nothing about—she was the boss in this new life of hers. And Matt couldn't be happier with his place in it.
He rode Buck for several miles, nowhere in particular, his mind racing as fast as his horse. How did the Reverend know about him and Kitty? They had been so careful, so discreet. What kind of danger would she be in if this man publicized their relationship? What kinds of awful things might he say about her? Matt had spent hours replaying yesterday's conversation in his head, chewing on the information and feeling it sour in his stomach. He didn't care what this self-righteous windbag thought or even said about him, and he knew enough about the War Department not to fear such a useless complaint. It was Kitty he was worried about. He couldn't imagine how, but he was certain she already knew. It was too much of a coincidence that she was this upset on the same day Dodge City's self-appointed guardian of virtue had threatened to expose them.
Daylight had burned for several hours when Matt decided he'd had enough alone time. He was actually getting a little hungry, having not eaten since breakfast the previous day. Besides, nothing was getting resolved out here. He stopped to let Buck get a drink before heading home. When he got back, he quickly tied up his horse before making his way to the office. The door opened just as he was reaching for the knob, and he and Chester nearly collided.
"Oh, pardon me Mister Dillon," said Chester apologetically. "I didn't see you ride up. I've been wonderin' where you could've gone. Miss Kitty came here lookin' for you and I didn't know what to tell 'er. You must've left here awful early, 'cause I've been up a good spell myself."
"Kitty came by? When? How was she?" Matt asked, realizing he sounded more anxious than he cared to explain.
"Oh, I'd say it was 'bout an hour ago," Chester responded. "She looked fine, I mean you know she always looks real nice. She was kinda quiet, though, not like her usual self. I asked her if anything was wrong and she said nothin' I needed to worry about. I said I'd tell you she came by."
"Thanks, Chester," Matt said sincerely. "And, um…about yesterday. I know I was in a bad mood, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry about that. I've just got a lot on my mind."
"That's alright, Mister Dillon," Chester said. "Ain't no need to apologize." Matt smiled appreciatively at the man who had become like a brother to him before briskly making his way to The Long Branch. He found Kitty sitting alone at a table, looking as though she was working on the books but clearly not concentrating on the task. She looked up as the doors swung open and gave him a weak smile.
"Hi Matt," she said softly.
"Kitty, are you OK?" Matt asked, quickly taking the seat next to her and putting his hand on her arm. Her eyes were puffy and she was clearly exhausted. "What happened yesterday?"
"Matt, I know that Reverend Wright came to see you," she said.
"But how?" he asked. "I haven't told anyone."
"Julia," she replied, as she began relaying the details of a fateful visit from her anguished young friend.