Both men nodded their agreement and returned to their seats.
The prosecutor called Eliza to the stand and asked her to tell the court what happened the day she was shot. After she explained, he asked if she was aware of Constance’s habit of talking to herself.
Eliza looked at Blake, and he smiled and nodded. “Yes, I have heard her speaking to herself. She is a very private person and prefers to sit in our parlor and read instead of talking to anyone except Aunt Hortense or Blake. When she’s in her room, she speaks quite loudly, and I have heard her several times.”
“Could you understand what she was saying?”
The defense attorney objected before Eliza could answer, but the judge told him to sit down, he wanted to hear the answer and Eliza said she didn’t listen closely but thought Constance was angry because she raised her voice often.
The defense attorney didn’t have any questions, and Eliza returned to her seat beside Blake. Sarah gave similar testimony to Eliza’s, and the prosecutor called Aunt Hortense to the stand.
Before the prosecutor could ask Aunt Hortense his first question, she turned to the judge and said, “I demand that this trial end right now. I don’t like the defense attorney. I sent for my attorney, but he said it would take too long to get here from New York and recommended that man posing as an attorney from Cheyenne. I don’t believe he knows what he’s doing, and Constance will suffer for it.”
“Missus Montgomery, I know Mister Burns by reputation, and I can assure you he is a qualified attorney. Now, please refrain from interrupting this hearing again and answer the questions to the best of your knowledge.”
Aunt Hortense sent the judge a glaring look but nodded her agreement. When she explained that Constance has been withdrawn and speaking to an imaginary friend since her mother’s passing, the judge excused her. He then called the doctor to the stand.
The judge said, “I want to hear the doctor’s opinion of Miss Bradshaw’s state of health before we move on with any more questions. Doc, in your opinion, do you think Miss Bradshaw willfully planned to kill Missus Montgomery?”
The doctor shook his head slowly. “I believe that Miss Bradshaw invented the person she believes she hears to deal with the loss of her mother. The voices she hears may be expressing her thoughts in the form of voices in her head, but she believes they are not her own thoughts. She may very well have wanted Missus Montgomery to leave, and killing her might be the answer, but I don’t believe she planned it in advance. We don’t know much about the mind and how it works. I’m not an expert, but it’s possible a doctor specializing in the sicknesses of the mind might be able to find the answers.”
The judge banged his gavel and said, “continuing this trial is not in the best interest of all concerned. I don’t believe sending Miss Bradshaw to prison would benefit her. I do want her to be placed in a hospital for care until such a time that they deem her healthy and fit. Doc, please make the arrangements. Until then, she is to remain in jail under the special care she has been given by the Sheriff and the pastor’s wife.”
Constance began crying, and Aunt Hortense stood and said, “I want her in a hospital in New York. She can’t get care out here in the wilderness.”
“That, Missus Montgomery, is up to the prosecutor and the Doc. Perhaps if you speak civilly to them, they might be able to work something out.”
The judge banged his gavel and added, “Case dismissed.”
The Sheriff placed the hand restraints on Constance and led her out of the courtroom, followed closely by Aunt Hortense.
Blake held his hand out to Eliza. “Time to go home and live our lives in peace, my dear.”
“Indeed, it is,” Eliza agreed and slipped her hand into her husband’s.
Epilogue
Four months later
Blake and Eliza were laughing when they came through the back door.
“What’s so funny?” Sarah asked.
“My wife. She seems to attract animals. Not only does Barney follow her like a new puppy, but every time she walks past the corral without riding Lady, she whinnies to the point that I think she’s crying. I think I need to keep her away from the cattle, or they’ll be waiting on the back porch for her every morning,” Blake said while sidestepping the playful swat from Eliza.
Sarah looked over her shoulder and said, “Ray came back from town with the mail. I put it on your desk.”
Blake nodded and said, “I’ll go read it, and I’ll be back before the wild animals start knocking on the door.”
“He thinks he’s funny,” Eliza said and picked up a knife to help peel potatoes.
“You do seem to have a way with animals. Do you remember when you first arrived and swore, you’d never ride a horse? Now, you and Lady are inseparable,” Sarah answered.
“She’s sweet and gentle. I don’t think I could ride Blake’s stallion. That horse is much too large and fast. I prefer Lady’s slower pace. She lives up to her name,” Eliza said.
Blake returned, waving a letter in his hand. “I have some interesting news. This letter is from my aunt’s lawyer.”
“Oh, no. Is she causing more trouble?” Eliza asked.
“No. He wanted to inform me that Constance has been successfully transferred to a hospital in New York close to my aunt. I’m sure that makes Aunt Hortense happy because he also informs me that I am no longer her heir, and she has donated most of her estate to the hospital.”
“I’m sorry, Blake, but I do hope Constance will get well. I don’t believe she was in her right mind
