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"Yeah, sure, if you got some." Ed answered. He watched her every move. He glanced from Willa to Charlie.
Willa went to pour them both a cup and set it before them. She moved away from the table and set the kettle back on the stove.
"What's going on Ed, you don't usually come for visits." Charlie asked, as he sipped his coffee calmly, his glance never leaving Ed for a moment.
"That ain't very neighborly, Charlie. Been your neighbor for twenty years, I'd think by now you could at least be civil to me." Ed added, stirring sugar into his coffee as he eyed Willa over the rim of his cup, and the way he eyed her had Charlie bristling.
"This is good coffee, by the way."
"Thank you," Willa replied. She didn’t sit down. She went to check on the baby once more.
"Laura's dad stopped over the other day and told me you had a woman here." Ed seemed to wait for a reaction from Charlie. "But I didn't believe it. So, I came to see for myself. You've been here a long time without a housekeeper and cook Charlie. What's changed?"
As Charlie sipped his coffee, he kept a tight rein on his temper. "Well hell Ed, I didn't put a notice in the paper about it. I figured that was mine and Clay's business." Charlie told him. "However, if you must know, I'm getting too old to work the field and clean the house too."
"You didn't have to put a notice in the paper, Charlie, everyone in town has heard about your squaw."
"My squaw? Now that's an interesting phrase. Laura sure gets around, doesn't she?"
"Well, Clay's more than likely. Is that his kid?" Ed's brow rose in question as a snide smile drifted over his lips.
Charlie's frown spoke for him. "Your drawing a lot of ugly conclusions Ed. I think you've had enough coffee, don't you?" Charlie said eyeing him with precision.
"Look, I'm your friend Charlie, one of the few you got left. You better think that over. The whole town's in a stir over this lady. I heard shots fired the other day. A lot of shots. What's the matter, they want her back?"
"It's time for you to leave, Ed." Charlie told him. "I'll not ask you again."
"Sure, I'll leave, but I'm warning you Charlie. She brings Indian trouble to us, and we'll come out here with torches and burn you out, Charlie." Ed snarled as he stood up.
"Is that a threat?"
"Call it what you like." Ed got up and walked out.
Charlie followed him, "We've fought before to keep this place, we'll fight again, if we have to."
After the man left Charlie came back inside.
Willa stood shocked. "I have caused trouble for you."
"No, you haven't. He's just a noisy neighbor, that's all. With
idle threats." Charlie tried to laugh it off.
"I think he will bring much trouble. He is not a nice man."
"Well your right about that. Look Willa," Charlie turned to see the concern in her face. "We've never been popular people in Rush Creek. But this is our land, and they will not run us off this land. There are some things worth fighting for Willa, even you should realize that."
"Yes, but I am the cause of the fight."
"No, no you're not. Ed is not our friend, he's just our neighbor. He's hated me since I won a horse race from him twenty years ago and bought this place. He wants my land. Always has. You are just something he can complain about. I want you to quit talking about leaving and start thinking about defending yourself against these people that attack you for no reason. You got to fight in this world girl, or you'll die."
She studied him a long moment. "That sounds like something my father would say. Perhaps you are right. My father fought for what he thought was right. I am his daughter; I will fight too." She smiled.
"Good, now you are talking." Charlie nodded.
Later that day Clay came in to put his tools up and saw Willa kneeling over her father's grave to pray. He watched her, fascinated by her actions. It was odd to see an Indian praying. But then, she wasn't exactly Indian, she was a breed, and he was realizing there was a big difference between the two. His dad had told him what happened with Ed, and he was sure Willa was scared now.
He put the bathing incident away, he had to.
