Liam by Cynthia Woolf Page A

Zach.
    “Saturday next. We hope to have dinner with her father. I’ve told her and him that I want a July first wedding.”
    “That’s awfully quick. What’s the hurry?” asked Zach.
    Liam looked down into his cup of coffee, rolling the hot cup between his palms to warm them. “School will be over for the summer and I want her here for the children. Also,” he paused not sure if he should give voice to his doubts. In the end he decided these people were his family and they should know. “I want to get it done before I change my mind.”
    “Ah, now we’re getting somewhere,” said Jake. “You’ve decided you need a wife and don’t want anything to get in your way. Are you actually worried that you’ll decide differently? You’ve already said you find her attractive. Though for the life of me I don’t know why.”
    Liam stared at his brother. “Why does everyone keep saying that? Even Eleanor believes she’s not attractive. She’s lovely. Rich, vibrant hair, skin, clear and kissed by the sun, full bow shaped lips…”
    “My God, you really are attracted to the starched, stiff lady,” said Zach.
    He felt himself blush. Zach was definitely right. He found Eleanor most attractive.
    “She’d not starched and stiff when you get to know her,” said Becky. “She’s a very nice, caring woman. She’s always trying to help the girls at The Gem , even at the risk of Mr. Swearengen’s anger and her father’s as well.”
    “Why would her father be angry at her for helping the girls to find God?” asked Jake. “I thought that was what preachers did.”
    “It’s not just for them to find God. Eleanor goes there to see to their health, see if they need anything, generally just try to be a friend and keep them healthy. I don’t know if she even mentions God.” Becky paused for a breath and then continued. “Anyway, there’s an agreement between Mr. Swearengen and her father concerning the placement of their tent in camp. Mr. Swearengen would give them the corner lot that her father wanted in exchange for his agreement to stay out of The Gem. Eleanor’s argument is nothing was said about her visiting the girls at The Gem . So she keeps going and Mr. Swearengen keeps chasing her out.”
    “I agree with Swearengen. That whorehouse,” Liam whispered, a habit, in case his children could hear, “is no place for a proper woman to set foot unless forced to.” He nodded at Becky. “Like you were with Billy.”
    “So you’re going to forbid her to go?” she asked.
    Liam smelled a trap. If he said what he wanted to, that he would forbid it and Eleanor would stop going, Becky would light into him. “I plan on keeping her busy here with the children, so she won’t have time to visit The Gem .”
    She rolled her eyes as though she knew what he was thinking. “Keeping track of David and Hannah, is not going to keep a woman like Eleanor busy.”
    “Well, hopefully, there will be other children.”
    “Not for a while there won’t be,” said Becky.
    She was right. This was likely to be a sore subject with Eleanor. He’d have to think on it some. He looked at his brothers for support.
    Jake shook his head. “Don’t look at me. I don’t tell Becky what to do. She makes her own decisions or we decide them together.”
    Zach just laughed. “You really think you’re going to have her quit tending to those women? Eleanor has been left to her own devices too long to change. Even her father can’t keep her under control.”
    Liam sighed, afraid they were right. But he said, “I don’t know all the details yet, but she and I will come to an agreement that will include her not going into that whorehouse.”
    Everyone laughed.
    Except Liam.

CHAPTER 7

    Finally! It was two weeks since she’d sprained her ankle. She’d slowly been putting more and more weight on it, while still using the crutches and kept it up as much as she could. But today, she’d walk without the crutches. As a matter of fact, she was