Just then Timmy started crying. Ruby stepped out of the cell and picked up his traveling case. She opened it, then frowned. “I’m out of milk. Timmy eats baby food but I only have one jar of that left.” She grabbed the jar and a small spoon, then moved back into the cell. She pulled Timmy onto her lap and began to feed him.
Seth sucked in a breath, watching the boy eat. Memories of his own son flashed through his mind. He stood up and began to pace around the office.
“I can’t go through that again. I just can’t!” He stomped to the door and flung it open. Before Ruby could ask him what he meant, he slammed the door closed, leaving her and Timmy completely alone. Ruby finished feeding Timmy then placed him on the floor again. He sat, looking up at her. Then with a large grin he uttered, “Mama.”
A flood of tears began to flush down her cheeks. She bent over, picked him up and kissed his cheek. She wasn’t about to tell him she wasn’t his Mama, after all the times she’d been there to feed him, hold him, love him. His own mother had never done that.
Ruby squeezed him against her and whispered, “Yes, Timmy. Mama is here.”
Chapter Four
Seth made his way across the street then down the boardwalk to the trading post. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about the woman, or the child, but for now he wasn’t going to let the child suffer. He stepped into the trading post, grabbed a few cans of powdered milk. His own son had been raised on bottles of it mixed with cow’s milk.
At the checkout, the owner of the store gave him an unusual stare. “You okay, Seth?”
“Yep.”
“You sure this is what you want?” Tom Boyd, the owner of the trading post asked.
“Yep.” Seth didn’t feel like explaining things to the man, although they’d been friends for a while. In fact, his wife was one of the original lady sheriffs. Her name was Jo.
“Just put it on my bill.” He grabbed the cans and stomped out of the store.
Seth hadn’t noticed Abigail Crane in the store. She was the town’s biggest gossip. She rushed up to the counter.
“Mr. Boyd, was that the sheriff buying canned milk?”
The man hesitated. “Yes.”
“The type he used to buy for his boy?” She cocked her head in interest.
Tom Boyd swallowed. He knew the woman too well. He wasn’t going to be able to keep her from finding out anything she wanted to know. “Yep. But, lots of reasons a man would want canned milk.” He offered, unconvincingly.
She placed a hand on her hip and frowned. “Hmm, we’ll just see about that.” She set down the items she’d been gathering and scurried out the door looking both ways. When she saw Seth making his way toward the jail house, she hurried to follow him.
Seth had just stepped into the building and held the canned milk out. He felt a bit surprised at Ruby’s smile.
Before he could speak, the door opened. “Sheriff, Mr. Boyd might not have asked what you wanted with that milk, but I’m not afraid to ask.” Abigail Crane’s voice screeched across the jail. She moved further into the room.
Seth turned. “Mrs. Crane. What is the meaning of this intrusion?” Seth took a step toward the woman. She glanced behind him.
“Who is that woman? Why, she’s, she’s a… well, she’s not a lady.” Mrs. Crane stood up straight.
Seth moved closer to her, grasped her arm and flipped her around. “Mrs. Crane, I’ll have to ask you to leave. This is none of your business.” He pressed the woman out the door gently, but with determination. Mrs. Crane turned to face him.
“I’m the mayor’s wife! I have the right to know what the sheriff of our town is doing with this woman. She isn’t the kind of woman we want more of in this town.”
Seth actually guffawed. “Excuse me, Ma’am, but you know nothing about this woman. Besides, have you looked at the saloon your husband allows to remain open in this town? It welcomes the type of women you are accusing this one of being.”
Mrs. Crane’s stunned expression spoke volumes. Seth realized too late; the woman had no idea her husband had a hand in the saloon. Her cheeks turned pink and her lips pressed together in a grim line. She stared for a long moment at Ruby, then spun on her heels and left.
Seth hoped her expression meant she would deal with her husband; however, to keep her place in society, she might go back to turning a blind eye to her husband’s business.
Seth ran a hand through his hair, then sat down behind the desk. He and Ruby stared at one another.
“Thank you for the milk. How did you know what I’d need?” Ruby’s words broke the silence.
“I had a son.” Seth’s voice dripped with pain.
He met her eyes again. It wasn’t pity he saw in her eyes, just a deep understanding.
***
Ruby prepared a bottle for Timmy. She placed him on the cot in the cell with his blanket all around him. Timmy wasn’t one to roll over, so she felt he was safe enough. As she held the bottle to his mouth, she allowed her shoulders to relax. Aside from his earlier behavior; dragging her to the jail, Seth Miller had been rather kind. He owed her nothing, especially after finding out about Timmy.
Even though she knew her clothes didn’t mean she was a saloon girl, she could very well see how he would interpret her arrival; and now finding he’d lost a child, the addition of Timmy must
