Letters and Love

Chapter Eighteen: Noah

I was a coward.

There. I said it. Even though I knew there was something to what Mrs. Harper had advised, I couldn't bring myself to go to the Burns' place again. Mrs. Burns had threatened to shoot me if I stepped foot on their property, and I fully believed she would do as she said.

Besides, another idea occurred to me. It was so outlandish that I wasn't sure it would work. So, in the interest of staying alive and unharmed for Elizabeth, I didn't ride out that way. I even put off riding into town until I had absolutely no flour left. And since I didn't want to have no supplies on hand when Elizabeth arrived, I forced myself to make the journey into town.

It was no surprise that I was the target of many glares. How quickly I had gone from living in a friendly territory town to an outright hostile one! Was it just my imagination or did Jones, the blacksmith, tight his grip on his hammer when I went past his shop?

Even Collins, who had at least been amiable up to this point, looked a little uneasy when I walked into the store. "Oh. Noah," he said, forcing a smile. "It's been a while. Come to send more letters?"

"Just one," I informed him as I walked to the counter. I laid my single missive down and set my impossible plan into motion. "It's to Cheyenne."

Surprise made Collins' eyebrows go up. "Cheyenne?"

"It's the closest town I know of that has a lawyer."

Collins gave a start. "A lawyer?"

"Yep." I leaned against the counter. "See. It has come to my attention that there have been a whole pack of lies being spread about me this year. I've heard there is such a thing as slander and libel. I'm just curious what a man can do, legally speaking, in that kind of situation."

The storekeeper swallowed. "Libel? Legal?"

"I'm a man who abides by the law. I always have been. So it occurred to me that I ought to consult someone who knows the ins and outs of the law to see what can be done."

"What do you expect him to tell you?"

I spread my hands. "I have no idea. I'm not a lawyer. But I do remember reading some news stories when I was back home about gentlemen who sued people for spreading false stories about him. Took everything they owned. It isn't right to malign a person, you know. Good people shouldn't stand for it."

By this point, Collins was definitely looking pale. "Well, maybe they do things differently in the rebel states."

Never before had he referenced where I was from. I'd always respected him for that. Now it seemed like you never really knew what someone really thought about you.

"I'm also asking him to send the closest marshal or lawman who is available," I added for good measure. "My barn was burned down and my cattle spooked. There was definitely a crime somewhere in those situations. Someone should look into it."

"Now, Noah, I thought we'd settled that as some accident or a vagrant."

"Nope. Say," I said as I leaned in closer, "you haven't heard about this latest lie, have you? It might help the lawyer if I was able to give him names of some of those to blame."

"Y-you know I don't listen to gossip!"

I'd rattled him. Maybe I would have felt sorry about it once, but not anymore. "Well, maybe you could keep your ears open," I told him. "I'd sure appreciate it."

"Uh, right." Collins didn't look at all confident or pleased with the conversation. "So. You don't have any other letters to send? You..." He let out a slight laugh. "Well, you usually have several to send. It's given some people the idea that you're writing to more than one lady back east."