Against Her Will

Chapter Sixty-One

Chapter Sixty-One

The next day found the family all packed up and preparing for the trip back home. Wilma and the other girls had gone to have the wagon prepared and Tanner was attempting to usher his son and wife from the hotel but that was proving easier said than done with Jackson.

The boy was stopping every single person he met along the way and attempting to show them his newly won trophy and tell them all about riding his pony and what it had felt like to win the contest.

"They all cheered and clapped and everything!" Jackson exclaimed to the elderly couple he had cornered in the hall.

"Well isn't that something?" the soft-waisted woman replied with a smile. "You must have been quite proud of yourself."

"I was. My mommy and daddy were too! Weren't you?" Jackson craned his neck to look up at Tanner and he nodded with a grin.

"Sure was, son."

"Me too," Temperance agreed, holding onto Tanner's arm and laying her head against his shoulder.

Tanner was happy the woman hadn't been too upset and angry at him over what had happened with Yancy. Had he gone a bit overboard in his torture of the man by doing everything he'd done before the man had had a chance to bleed out? Yeah, probably. Did Tanner regret it for one damn minute? Hell no. Yancy had stolen so much from Temperance and from countless other girls before and after her.... He had deserved even worse than what he'd been given.

"You must be a proud man," the old gentleman said as he patted Tanner's shoulder. "You've got you a beautiful family."

Tanner smiled down at his son. "I am and I happen to agree with you," he replied. Then Tanner scooped Jackson up and propped the boy on his hip. "I've gotta be getting them home now. Y'all have a good day," Tanner tipped his head and led Temperance down the hall.

They stepped out into the sunlight and Tanner breathed in the scent of the midmorning air. The fair had ended and the streets were surprisingly empty compared to the crowds that had been the norm. Vendors were gone, games were gone and everything seemed deserted despite the vastness of the city.

"Daddy, why don't you wear a hat like mine?" Jackson asked as he adjusted the leather hat on his head hat he'd gotten for his birthday.

"Sometimes I do," Tanner shrugged. "When the mood strikes me."

Jackson grunted. "Well I woke up today and the mood said, 'Put on your hat' and so I did!" A smile split the boys cheeks and Tanner couldn't help but laugh.

"We have to hurry you two," Temperance urged. "Wilma and the others will think we got lost."

"Mama, can we go to the barn and see that horse one last time before we leave? I promised him I'd say goodbye before we left...."

Tanner sighed. Jackson had fallen in love with a large Clydesdale gelding named Big George that was too old to do much of anything other than stand in a stall and graze in a pasture. The boy wanted to take the horse home with him but the owner had said he loved the beast too much and hadn't wanted to sell him.

"Jackson..." Temperance began and Tanner could tell she was going to tell the boy no.

"I don't see what it would hurt, Temp. The barn is on our way to the livery anyhow and that's where our wagon will be waiting," Tanner reminded her.

Temperance smiled and gave an exasperated wave of her hand. "Fine. We'll go see Big George."

Jackson let out a happy hoot of victory and then launched into a ramble about how shiny his trophy was in the sunlight. They entered the barn and the Big George's owner laughed the moment he saw them. "I figured you'd come back at least one more time!"