A Wife in Wyoming. Lynnette Kent
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keeping an eye on the situation.
One of those visits was scheduled for today. But ten o’clock, and then eleven, came and went. Susannah didn’t appear.
“I’m going out for lunch,” Caroline told Randi as noon rolled around. “I’ll be back by one at the latest.”
“Be careful,” Randi said, because she knew perfectly well that eating wasn’t the only item on Caroline’s agenda.
“Will do.”
The Bradley family lived on the outskirts of Bisons Creek in a trailer that had seen better decades. Toys lay scattered in the dirt that passed for a yard, and a beat-up sedan sat in the driveway. Caroline hoped that Mr. Bradley wasn’t home as she knocked on the door.
“Susannah? Susannah, it’s Caroline Donnelly. Can I come in?”
After her third knock, the panel swung in a few inches.
Susannah peeked out, revealing half her face. “I—I’m sorry I couldn’t come today. I’m not feeling well.” Her voice was soft, with an East Coast crispness to her words. She wore dark black sunglasses inside the house.
“No problem. I was out of the office and thought I would stop by.” A little girl appeared at hip level, and Caroline smiled at Nathan’s five-year-old sister. “How are you today, Miss Amber?”
“Good.” Amber played with the ears of the stuffed bunny she clutched to her chest. “But Mommy’s head hurts.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Caroline looked back at Susannah. “Do you get migraines?”
“Yes. Sometimes.” She adjusted the set of the lenses on her face. “The light bothers my eyes.”
Caroline discounted the lie, putting a hand over Susannah’s fingers as she clutched the edge of the door. “Are you okay? Do you want to see a doctor? I can drive you to Kaycee.”
“Thank you, but it’s not necessary. Amber is great, and Nathan is okay. Really, everything is...fine.”
“Do you need somewhere else to live for a while? We have resources...”
Susannah shook her head. “I...can’t. The kids...” She seemed to want to say more, but nothing came.
Dropping her hand, Caroline swallowed her disappointment. “I’ve got some news on that front, actually. Remember the summer ranch program I was hoping to start? I got the go-ahead yesterday, and I’m planning to have everything in place so we can start next week. Nathan will be spending twelve weeks on the Circle M Ranch, learning and enjoying himself.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful.” Susannah lifted the edge of her shades to wipe her eye, and Caroline caught a glimpse of an ugly bruise. “He’ll be so excited. He won’t say so, of course. But I could tell when he talked to you about it that he wanted to be part of the program. As long as...as his dad says it’s okay.”
“I’d be glad to talk to him—”
“Oh, no. No, that wouldn’t be— It’ll be fine. I’m sure it will.”
Caroline couldn’t help trying once more. “You don’t have to stay. I can take you to a safe place.”
Susannah glanced down at Amber and stroked a hand over the girl’s blond curls. “Things will be better. Travis has a chance at a job with your dad, as a matter of fact. If he gets it, we’ll be doing well.”
That was bad news, as far as Caroline was concerned. Her dad was notoriously hard on his employees, especially the ranch hands. But maybe the work would keep Susannah’s husband out of the house more. “I wish I could put in a recommendation, but...”
“I know. Your dad is making a mistake, cutting you off. I hope he’ll regret it, and the two of you can reconcile.” She gave a small wave and withdrew into the shadows. The door shut with a rickety thud.
Driving back to town, Caroline consoled herself with the knowledge that she wouldn’t be losing contact with Susannah Bradley as long as her son was at the Circle M for the summer. And helping Nathan might add some energy to the situation; might inspire Susannah to improve her own security and that of her children. Maybe his father would make more of an effort to control his drinking. And his temper.
“I hope so, anyway,” she told her mom, when they sat across from each other at a table in Kate’s Café. “Or maybe he’ll impress Daddy and keep his job. It’s a possibility, I suppose.” She took a sip of iced tea. “Where’s Daddy off to today?”
“He and Reid flew to New Mexico to inspect some young bull stock. I jumped at the chance to have lunch with you while they’re away.” Linda Donnelly folded her hands together on the table and tilted her head. “I must say, you’re looking very pretty. Something special going on? Besides this summer program you’re so excited about, that is.” Her own dark hair and green eyes were Caroline’s fortunate inheritance. “I can’t believe you convinced the Marshalls to cooperate.”
“Garrett Marshall concocted the plan to begin with and proposed it to me.”
Her mother smiled. “You’ve been talking with him quite a bit, haven’t you? Just business, so to speak?”
At just that moment, Kate herself came over with their sandwich plates. “Don’t let her fool you, Mrs. Donnelly. She was in here yesterday with Ford Marshall. She’s gonna have all four of those boys wrapped around her little finger before the summer ends!”
At her mother’s expectant expression, Caroline groaned. “It’s nothing. And Ford Marshall doesn’t even support the project. We’re all working together for the kids, that’s all.”
“Ford, hmm?” Her mom finished off a French fry. “I remember you had a crush on him in high school.”
“How could you have known that?”
“Sweetie, you talked about him constantly. What else was I supposed to think?” She smiled at Caroline’s appalled expression. “But he went off to school, so I assumed you’d find someone else. Funny that you never have.”
“I’ve had plenty of guys in my life, thank you.”
“No one serious.”
“I don’t have time for serious.”
“Of course not.”
“So,” Caroline said with desperation, “who is Reid dating these days?”
Kate came to pour more tea. “Not me,” she answered.
They all laughed, and the break allowed Caroline to move the topic far away from the Marshall brothers.
As they walked toward the parking lot after lunch, Caroline put her arm around her mom’s shoulders. “Sure do miss you,” she said quietly.
Her mother returned the hug. “Me, too. I hate having to wait until your daddy goes away to talk to you. But...”
“I don’t want him yelling at you.” Caroline kissed her cheek. “Just know I think about you every day. And I wish things could be different. But I just couldn’t live by his rules anymore.”
“I understand. Maybe one day he’ll realize his mistake.” The doubt in Caroline’s mind was reflected in her mother’s face. “I keep praying, anyway. For now though, it was great to see you. Take care.” They shared another long hug. “I love you, Caroline.”
“Love you, too, Mom.”
Back at the office, Caroline worked until after four to finish the last of her appointments and the associated paperwork. She contacted most of the families of the kids she’d picked to participate in the ranch program and arranged for them to visit later in the week to fill out the forms. The parents seemed generally pleased, the teenagers less sure. She had to believe they would enjoy their ranch experience, no matter what doubts Ford might retain.
Keeping