Westbound (Love Travels West, Book 1)

Chapter 13. The New School Teacher

A witty woman is a treasure.

~George Meredith

Chapter 13.

The New School Teacher

 Jake had a million things to do, but first things came first. He reached over and dug into Wild Tom's pocket to retrieve the paper that Dannie had placed there earlier. He had to know what sort of coals of fire she was inviting this outlaw to heap on her once he was free.

Mr. Wild Tom,

It read.

I am sure that after all that has happened today you might hold a grudge against me and want to get even. If you do have this desire, allow me to give you some helpful hints on how you can best go about it.

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. (Proverbs 25: 21-22)

If you are in Hopewing, you can feel free to bring me bread and water. In doing so you will of course rob me of my peace of mind as I will live forever with a guilty conscience. What better revenge can you get?  And, to add to it all, the Lord will reward you. It's really a buy one, get one free sort of deal. 

Sincerely, 

Danielle Preston.

Jake read the note three or four times. Where did Dannie get these ideas from? He'd never met anyone like her in all his life. He looked up at Wild Tom and on impulse pulled the gag out of the man's mouth.

"What did she write?" Tom asked.

Jake read the note aloud to him. Tom scowled. 

"She's darn weird," he said at last. "Just darn weird."

"You tell me," Jake replied. There was a moment's pause before Jake said. "You so much as hurt a hair on that woman's head, and I'll...I'll...I'll...I'll send you to a monastery to spend the rest of yer life living with monks."

Wild Tom frowned at him. "I ain't ever gonna try to hurt the likes of her. If I don't kill her she'll lecture me again, and even if I do she'll turn into a ghost and invade my dreams and lecture me. I won't know rest till I die, and after that my ghost will meet her ghost and that will really be the end of me."

Jake waved his finger as a warning in Tom's face before focusing back on the streets.

"Only, allow me to say," Wild Tom spoke out again. "And not that I know much about the subject of love, but I don't think it's a good sign that she keeps calling you another man's name."

These words had the blood rushing to Jake's face. "Say one more word on that subject and I'll stuff that neckerchief back into yer mouth."

The rest of the short trip to the Sheriff's office was in silence. Jake stopped the horses, tied them to the post, then untied Tom's legs and hoisted him out of the wagon. They stepped into the office together. Inside Jake found Sheriff Jeremiah Grant talking to Mr. Martin. There was no one else.

The two men glanced up when the door opened. Sheriff Grant rose to his feet at the sight that greeted him.

"Jake, you caught Wild Tom?"

"He didn't!" Tom growled as the Sheriff led him to the cell and began untying his hands. "It was a wild woman with a frying pan who caught me. Knocked me on the head so hard I fell down senseless. Never thought such a small woman could have so much strength."