The jostle of the wagon lulled Celeste into drowsiness. She nodded in and out of sleep. Last night, sleep had been slow in coming, her mind whirling as it had. The image of Logan, in his freshly starched shirt stretched tight across his shoulders, refused to slip from her thoughts. Her heart sped each time she considered how much she enjoyed his company. And how handsome he had looked. Then came the other thoughts, the ones that had kept her awake with worry. Miss Bennett’s school had taught her a few things she saw of value, one of those being that a husband needed to be able to provide for his family, no matter how comely his appearance or how kind his heart. That variable could prove to be problematic with Logan. But by the wee hours of the morning, she’d convinced herself that together they could work through that problem.
The sun peeked above the eastern mountains about the time Pa turned the wagon from the main road and onto the rutted lane that led to their ranch.
“Mother, when do you plan on going into town next?” Celeste asked, wanting to see Logan.
“Next Tuesday, a week from today. I have no Thursday appointments,” Ma said. “Why do you ask?”
Celeste shrugged. “No reason, really. It just gets a little lonely out on the ranch. I was getting used to being around people back at school.” She cringed inside at the lie. “And town seems like the next best thing.”
Rob laughed and then slapped Celeste on the back from the bed of the wagon. “Are you sure it’s not ’cause you want to see Logan?”
She turned her head. “Excuse me, I was speaking to Mother and Father. If I had wanted your input, I would have asked.”
“Ah, go easy on him.” Pa chuckled. “He’s just as excited to see his sister hitch up with a nice young man as we are.” He reached over and patted Ma on the wrist. “Right, Ma?”
“That’s correct.” Ma smiled at Celeste. “They don’t come much nicer than Logan.”
“Now, Mother, you talk like you’ve got my future husband chosen and all wrapped up into a neat parcel ready for me to marry. Logan and I are friends. We may choose to court each other, or we may not. These things take time,” Celeste said with a firm jaw, still unsure about Logan. Despite how much he appeared to like being with her, a few memories weighed on her mind. Him rushing back into the livery stable when he first saw her yesterday, for one. And his unwillingness to kiss her, for another. Then there was the matter of the Circle J. That weighed on her in another way. It plain and simple wasn’t fair to Logan, yet he didn’t seem to care.
“Father?” Celeste spoke back up.
“Yes, Lass.”
“What’s going to happen to the Circle J Ranch now that Stanley’s dead?”
Pa blew out a breath. “I don’t rightly know. From what I understand, the ranch is Susannah’s now.”
“I think it’s an awful shame that Logan’s pa left him nothing. What kind of father does that?” Celeste clenched her fists as they rested at her sides on the wagon bench, thinking of how Logan often went without meals. “Are you sure there’s no chance of him getting something? I mean, it’s hardly fair, given the circumstances.”
Ma nodded. “I agree with you, dear,” she said in a voice heavy with hope. “After all, Logan’s sister and brother-in-law are some of the richest folks in the county.”
“Yes, they are.” Celeste’s hands gripped the edge of the wagon’s bench, and she dug her fingernails into the wood. Not entirely because of the unfairness of the Circle J, but now she worried Ma wanted to see Logan come into that wealth. Was that so he would be a more suitable husband for her now-prim-and-proper daughter who’d just graduated from finishing school?
“All’s I can say to that, dear Celeste,” Pa said, “is that life doesn’t always appear fair. That’s because what’s important to us and what’s important to the Good Lord are not always the same thing.”
“That don’t make no sense, Pa,” Rob spoke up from behind.
Celeste agreed with her brother. Yet she knew it was true. It appeared she and Logan would just have to work harder than most if they were to marry and make a home together. She was okay with that. Perhaps she should persuade Logan to take that postmaster position if for no other reason than to keep himself fed right now. Strangely, just thinking about how unfair life had been for Logan made her want to see him sooner. Perhaps because he took it in stride so eloquently. She’d take that kind of eloquence over some guy’s educated tongue any day.
Celeste looked at her ma. “So next Tuesday is the soonest, then?” Her stomach tightened. She really needed to tell Ma the truth about school before it came out on its own. Especially, if by chance, Ma pushed the issue of Logan needing his rightful inheritance.
Pa turned to her with that loving look in his eyes “I think I might need to come back into town on Friday. Pick up a few supplies. I could use some company.”
“Oh, Pa, I’ll come with you. How long do you think you’ll stay?”
“Maybe an hour. But if you care to stay a wee longer, I bet I could find you someone to bring you back home.” Pa smiled his crooked smile. “My good friend Logan Jones is always one to help out when I need a hand.”
“Oh, thank you, Pa.” Celeste could hear her little brothers snickering, but she didn’t care.
Pa winked at her. “What happened to ‘Father’?”
“Oh, Pa, I’m tired of pretending I’m someone I’m not.” Celeste clasped her hands together and let them drop into her lap, determined to take control of her life. “I’m not a prissy girl with more manners than a dog has fleas. I never cared for those fancy parties Grandma made me go to or those etiquette classes I failed in school.” She glanced at her ma. “Yes, I failed a number of my classes. But I’m in Craig now, in the Wild West, as some past acquaintances might call it. And I like it here.”
“Really, now?” Ma’s brow lifted.
“Yes,” Celeste responded, tired of pretending altogether. “It’s time I told you the truth, Ma. I didn’t graduate early. There will be no diploma coming in the mail. Miss Bennett asked me to leave. I failed school. There, I’m glad that’s out. I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you. But I had to be true to myself, and I couldn’t be myself at that school.” She chewed on her lip while she awaited her ma’s response. The creak of the wagon’s wheels sounded extra loud during the long moment of silence that followed.
“Oh, sweetie.” Ma finally turned on the bench and looked Celeste in the eye. “I wouldn’t say you failed school. You’ve grown; you’ve learned so much, both from books and from life. I don’t need you to present me with a diploma to see that.” Ma gave her a hug. “I’m not disappointed with you; I’m proud of you.”
Celeste hugged her back. “Thank you, Ma. I’m only sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”
“It’s all right.” Ma patted her back. “Sometimes good things take time.”
Pa leaned forward and caught Celeste’s eye with his mischievous grin. “Don’t feel like you need to tell your grandma about this though.”
“I quite agree with your pa on this.” Ma chuckled quietly.
“Don’t worry. I don’t feel that need,” Celeste responded. “I’m never going back to New York. I appreciate what Grandma has given me but plan on staying in Craig and settling down here.” And if she married a man with no money, they’d make do, and they’d be happy. As long as they loved each other unconditionally, nothing else mattered.