A wave of emotions flooded Deke’s mind. The young woman’s obvious excitement at meeting him was embarrassing, and anger and frustration coursed through him, knowing that the book had embellished the truth.
“Please, Miss Faith, I’m not the man they write about. There was one man left in the Burrie Gang when I captured him. I did save Amalie, but I have no idea how anyone knew about it.
“I need that book you’re reading. I think it’s time to contact the publishing company. This needs to stop,” Deke insisted, resisting the urge to buy every copy in the mercantile and destroy them.
Before Faith could respond, the marshal stepped out of his office, introduced himself, and explained what Amalie and Faith could expect at the trial in the morning.
~ * ~
After the trial, Deke and Nate spirited the ladies out of town on the afternoon train rather than wait an additional day or two. Both were obviously upset over the threats Rex Horrison had shouted after receiving a twenty-year sentence in the territorial prison for buying contracts to force women to work in his saloon.
The judge ordered Rex’s saloon be sold and the proceeds divided between the four young women who were forced to work for him after he’d bought their contracts from various sources. He also ordered an investigation into the sales of the contracts and their former employers.
For his part, Caldwell—who had been captured and returned to town just a day earlier—broke down in sobs while testifying that he knew nothing about what Rex had in mind. He also said that selling contracts was a common practice. The judge didn’t think Caldwell was that ignorant, and he sentenced him to five years.
~ * ~
Excited at her first train ride, Faith chatted incessantly with Nate until she saw something out the window that caught her interest.
Exhaustion from the stress of testifying had overtaken Amalie, and she snuggled against Deke’s shoulder to sleep. Deke was all too happy to hold his wife close as the train ate up the miles on the way home.
The stage ride from Cheyenne was less exciting, and Faith asked if the roads were always that dusty. She seemed pleased when the stage stopped, and Deke announced that they were home.
Clint met the stage with the ranch wagon, and Deke noticed that Faith had a small, battered carpetbag, just like the one Amalie had carried when she’d arrived in town.
Deke stopped Amalie before she could climb into the wagon and said, “As soon as you’re up to shopping, take Faith into town to buy her everything she needs, the way you did for yourself when you arrived in town. That orphanage certainly didn’t send you off with much.”
Amalie touched Deke’s cheek and said, “You’re a good man, Deke Sperling.”
Deke shook his head and answered, “No. I’m only doing what any person would do.”
Amalie disagreed. “That’s where you’re wrong. Not everyone is as kindhearted as you. I love you.”
Deke kissed his wife gently in front of the mercantile and the entire town and said, “I love you, too.”
When he heard his name being called, Deke thought that someone was about to criticize him for kissing Amalie in public, but then he saw his former father-in-law waving at him.
“Just a minute,” Deke told Amalie. “I’ll go see what he needs.”
When Deke returned a few minutes later, he explained that Laura’s father and the pastor had both thought it best to send Laura to live with her uncle in Ohio until she could better deal with her anger.
“They have a big farm,” Deke said. “She’ll have a lot to keep her busy.”
“But,” Amalie said, “she grew up in town. Do you think she’ll do well on a farm?”
Deke shrugged. “I think Laura can deal with whatever she needs to, and maybe this will help her learn that life isn’t always easy. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but it’s a necessary one.”
“Who’s Laura?” Faith asked.
“That’s a long story,” Amalie answered. “We can talk about it over tea tomorrow when the men are busy working hard.”
Deke laughed. “I had a feeling we worked harder than you did. Now, is everyone ready to go home?”
With a resounding “yes from his three traveling companions, Deke told Clint he could head the wagon toward home.
Epilogue
Ten months later:
Amalie hurried into the kitchen to find Deke sitting at the table, holding a cup of coffee. He did his best to hide his smile when he asked, “Wife, where is my supper?”
“It’s too early for supper. I’ve been helping Faith hang curtains in Nate’s house. We’re having steak and fried potatoes. It won’t take long to make, and if you behave, I’ll make you fresh biscuits.”
“You and Faith have been spending a lot of time working on that house. When Nate had it built, I thought you’d be happy with the way it was,” Deke said. He took a sip of his coffee.
Amalie shook her head slowly. “The house is lovely. Faith loves it, but it needs things—curtains, rugs, linens, pictures on the wall—and we had to unpack all the things she and Nate ordered. They have less than a week until the wedding, and Faith wants the house perfect by then.”
“Maybe when they’re married, you’ll spend more time here with me,” Deke said, winking at his wife.
“We spend a lot of time together,” Amalie countered.
“Maybe, but we seldom have time completely alone. When we came back from St. Louis, Faith moved into the guest room, and Nate
