The Outlaw's Return

Adultery is Punishable By Hanging

CHAPTER 8 - Adultery is Punishable By Hanging

On the way home the next day John didn't speak to me. I was tired and sore from breast feeding. I tried to make conversation but he wouldn't say much of anything. I was getting irritated. I was fully irritated once we stepped into the house. "John! Congratulations!" Landon called from the sitting room. He rushed over to see the baby.

"He's finally calmed down. He's sleepin' now, I'm goin' to put him in his crib." I said without looking at either of them. I put my baby in his bed and stared at him. He was so beautiful but I still couldn't decide on a name. I wanted Cole to be here, as much as I hated to admit it.

"It's not my baby." I heard John say in a low, husky tone. It shocked me. He had always acted as though he would treat my baby as his own. It stung in my heart that he was hurt but there wasn't anything I could do. I was pregnant when I met him. It wasn't like I had been with another man while I was living with him.

"We need to.. um.. the horses need feedin' and we need to pick some corn before the deer eat it all." Landon said. He sounded like he was desperate to change the subject. I was glad, I didn't want to hear anything else John might say.

The doctor let us bring the birth certificate with us so when I decided on a name I could write it in. I decided I would name him Britt. John had done so much for me, and I did have feelings for him. All I knew I could do was to name my baby after him. So I pulled the piece of paper from my pocket and set it on my night stand. I pulled my pen from my suitcase and was in the process of writing my baby's name when somebody started banging on the front door.

"I'm comin'!" I called from my bed room as I stood. I opened the front door to see the sheriff and his deputies. "Can I help you?"

"Are you Cassidy Britt?" the sheriff asked in a sarcastic tone. I simply nodded. He grabbed my arm and pulled me from the door.

"What are you doin'?" I asked in a shrill voice. I was starting to panic when the deputy asked where John was. I answered with a frustrated "I don't know." and tried to pull away.

"Ma'am, you have to come to my office. So does he." He said motioning over to John who was walking towards us. "Get on your horses and follow us to town." He commanded.

"I'll get the horses." John said looking at me. I watched Landon walk inside the house. He looked at me through the window and pointed to the crib. Then he covered his mouth with his finger as if to say, "Shhh." I nodded and calmed myself. Whatever was going on, whatever I did, whatever John did, it was going to be okay because they didn't ask about my baby or where he was.

"Come on." John helped me into the saddle and he swung into his. We followed the sheriff to town without a word said on the ride. I was worried. I didn't know what was going on. John seemed calm. But that didn't mean anything. He always had a calm nature and rarely showed fear or worry. I tried to relax. The saddle hurt and I was uncomfortable, but we made it to the sheriff's office.

"Come inside and sit down. We have some questions for the two of you." The sheriff said as he escorted us inside. He shut the door behind him and sat at his desk. "Mr. Britt, please remove your gun belt and any knives or weapons you may have on you."

John did as he asked without hesitation, and pulled the knife from his boot. That was his hunting knife so that must have been what he was about to do when the sheriff showed up. "There ya go." He said as he slung the gun belt onto the table and set his knife on top.

"Do I need to ask if you have anything?" The sheriff asked me. I shook my head for no, and he began his questioning. "Well, this mornin' Doc came in and spoke with us about a concern he had. He said a couple that had a baby yesterday weren't really married and he heard they were the ones who bought the house outside of town. We did some investigatin' and found that he was right. The law says you can't live in town if you are with child and unmarried. The only excusable situation is for a widow, which I assume you are not." He looked at me with such incrimination that I felt my face burn.