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“People are always rude to me, but it’s okay. I’m used to it.”
“It’s a good thing it doesn’t upset you!”
Charlotte laughed. “It did at first, but I came to terms with it.”
He hitched up the buggy that hadn’t been out of the stable in over a year for church that morning, Walt at his side, helping. Well, he wasn’t really helping, but Earl made sure he thought he was. The boy was already precious to him.
As they left for church, Charlotte took a deep breath. “Just promise me you won’t start seeing me the way all the townspeople do.”
Earl frowned at her. “You don’t think very much of me, do you?”
“That’s not it at all,” she protested, worried she was causing problems between them. “I’ve just made a great deal of friends who stopped talking to me once they realized how everyone else felt about me.”
“I’m not going to do that to you. Ever.”
“I hope not.” She hugged Walt closer to her side, fully aware that people’s feelings for her were extended to her son. No one wanted their children playing with him, and it wasn’t just because he couldn’t speak.
Once they arrived at the church, Earl helped her down and then lifted Walt onto the ground. Together the three of them approached the church building which was already filled with people.
Ada Kelso waved to her, and she took Earl’s arm, leading him to her friend. “This is Ada Kelso. Her husband Wade is around here somewhere. She’s my friend.”
“It’s good to meet you,” he said, looking at Mrs. Kelso for a moment. Then his eyes widened. “Wait…You’re Ada Applebottom!” He knew her from Beckham.
Ada smiled. “I am! Aren’t you one of the demon horde?”
He cringed a little. “I was when I was younger. Now I’m an upstanding rancher who is married to your friend here.”
“Which one are you?” Ada asked.
“I’m Earl. I’m the fourth son.”
“Elizabeth saved my sanity by sending me out here to marry my Wade,” she said, smiling at him. The baby in her arms wiggled a little, and she turned her to her shoulder and patted her back. “Here’s Wade now. Wade, this is Earl Miller. I knew him back in Beckham. You’ve heard me talk about Elizabeth? He’s her younger brother!”
“Oh, I’m glad you’re getting to see someone else from home.” Wade held out his hand for Earl to shake. “Good to meet you.”
“And you! I’m glad Charlotte has a friend here, and it’s fun finding out she’s from Beckham just as I am.”
Wade nodded. “How long have you been here? Did your sister set you up to be Charlotte’s husband?” When Earl hesitated, Wade shook his head. “None of my business. Don’t ever be afraid to tell me that.”
“Thanks for understanding.”
“Oh, no problem. I guess you met my little girl?” Wade looked down at the baby Ada was holding with love in his eyes. “That’s our little Sarah. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Earl smiled. “Absolutely the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Truly the baby looked like all the other babies he’d seen, but he didn’t tell Wade that. “You should come for supper some night. I’m sure Charlotte would be thrilled to have another woman’s company.”
Charlotte looked at Ada. “You don’t have to. You don’t want people to start thinking of you the way they think of me.”
Ada groaned. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks of you. I form my own opinions. We’d love to come for supper. You just let us know when.”
“Maybe Saturday night?” Earl suggested. “No one has to be up before dawn for work the next day.”
Ada’s eyes widened. “Did you hire some men then?”
Charlotte smiled. “Earl hired several men yesterday. He’s already fired one too.”
Earl could see Johnny with a circle of men around him across the church. When Johnny caught him looking at him, he shrunk himself down. Earl was pleased to see the man had two black eyes and bruising around his nose. He hoped he’d broken it.
Ada sighed. “And I don’t even have to guess why. What is wrong with the people in this town? I can tell you if something happened to my Wade, I’d be the first to put on britches and start working on the range. I’d probably be terrible at it, but I’d do it without complaint.”
