Chapter 17

The Church service was right quiet and peaceful. Izzy wore her new brown dress and put a white ribbon in her hair. I reckoned that the next town we visited, I'd buy her a new bonnet as well.

The last time I'd attended any sort of church services, apart from funerals, was durin' the war. The preachers there was always remindin' us that God was on our side. I was fair certain that the Yankee preachers was tellin' those fellers the same thing.

My relationship with the Lord warn't at its best, and I was fair ashamed to admit that fact to Izzy, so I didn't speak on it.

Chapter 18

Missus Reed looked a might surprised, and I knowed right away what the matter was. "Sorry, Ma'am, we ain't been married long. Izzy's always forgettin' her name's Cullen now." From the corner of my eye, I saw Izzy's mouth fall open in surprise while the grip she had on my arm became almost painful.

She recovered herself right quick though.

"Beg pardon." She said in a soft voice. "It's just takin' some gettin' used to is all." Izzy's eyes was wide, as she answered.

Missus Reed gave Izzy an understandin' smile. "That's quite alright dear. I remember those days well." She looked over to the lawn beside the church, where folks was millin' around, settin' out a spread of food. "Can I convince you to stay a while and have somethin' to eat? Most Sundays, weather permittin', we like to have a picnic after services, gives everyone a chance to socialize."

I turned to look at Izzy, and she was pleadin' with her eyes for me to say yes. "Much obliged for the offer Missus Reed; me and my wife," I gave Izzy a little wink, "would be more than pleased to partake."

Missus Reed and her husband headed over toward the rest of the congregation, but instead of lettin' me follow, Izzy held onto my arm and started pullin' in the direction of the wagon. "I wanna get Jack."

Soon as we was outta earshot of the others, she lit into me. "Ed Cullen, why ya been sayin' that we're married?"

I was afeared that she was angry, but was that surprised to see a smile on her face.

"Izzy," I couldn't find it in me to smile as I untied Jack from the wagon, and I couldn't find it in me to look her in the eye for what I was 'bout to say, "I don't care what folks think of me, but I don't want no one thinkin' badly of ya. If they knowed we was travellin' all the way to Texas and warn't married…" I kept lookin' at the ground, "No one should need to be questionin' your virtue is all."

Again, she surprised me by gigglin'. "Ed, why's ya blushin'?" I put my hand up to cover my cheek, I was that embarrassed. "And why didn't ya just tell folks I was your sister?" She moved closer to me while she was speakin' 'til we was almost nose to nose. Well not exactly nose to nose, 'cause Izzy was right much shorter than me.

I wrestled in my mind whether to tell her the truth, then gived up tryin' to hide it. "For truth Izzy, I kinda liked the thought of ya as my wife." I was back to not lookin' at her again. "But I knowed that ya ran away from home so's ya wouldn't have to marry, and I've gone and fixed it now so ya have to pretend to be married, which is almost as bad…"

"Shh." Izzy had her fingers on my lips again. I liked the feel of 'em. "Ed, I need to ask ya a question." I finally looked back up at her face, she was still smilin'. "Was ya ever kicked in the head by a mule or maybe dropped on your head as a small child?"

"What?"

She giggled again. "I'm only askin' 'cause ya sure get yourself worked up over things when ya could save yourself the trouble by just askin' me. It makes me think that maybe ya ain't quite right in the head." She was full out laughin' by then.

"Ain't nothin' wrong with my head." I scowled at her, which seemed to only make her laugh all the more. I swore that soon them happy tears was gonna make another appearance. "Whenever you're through laughin' at me, mayhap we can get some vittles."

Izzy glanced over toward the churchgoers afore facin' me again. "Just so ya know Ed," she started in a whisper, "I ain't against the idea of marryin', I just ain't marryin' James. Not ever." She laid her hand on my arm. "I reckon ya might be as different from James as day is to night though, and any gal would be proud to be your wife, even if it's just pretend." She whipped around then, grabbin' up Jack's leash and hurried over toward the picnic area.

I stood there a while, just lookin' after the way she'd gone, not knowin' rightly what to think.

Chapter 19

"What ya sittin' all the way over there for?" I asked Izzy. Ever since we left the picnic, Izzy had been actin' kinda strange.

Well, for true she always acted strange… but this was a might different than usual.

She made sure to sit on the far edge of the wagon seat. I was afeared that if we hit a rough patch on the trail, she'd likely bounce right on out of the wagon.

"I'm makin' sure that I ain't sittin' too close to ya Ed."

"Why?" I turned to see if she was teasin'. She warn't smilin' so I reckoned I must of done somethin' wrong. Again.

"Well," She hesitated, so I glanced her way, and saw her cheeks startin' to pink. It was so fetchin' that I almost forgot to turn my attention back to the trail. "I understand why ya telled Missus Reed and them other folks that we was married, but when Mister Reed introduced us to the Pastor," her voice got shaky and dropped to a whisper then, "and ya telled him the same story… For true Ed, when the Lord reaches His hand down to smite ya for tellin' a bold faced lie to a man of the cloth, I don't wanna be sittin' too close."

I couldn't help myself. I laughed out loud, and after a minute or so she was laughin' right along with me.

"Izzy, I'm a firm believer that the Lord's a lot more understandin' than ya think. I was always taught that He could see into a person's heart and know the reasons for the things they do. He knows I warn't tryin' to be a deceitful man; I was just tryin' to protect ya, 'cause I couldn't bear to see no harm come to ya."

She was quiet and still for a bit, afore she slowly began to slide across the seat over to me. She kept slidin' 'til she was a might closer that she usually sat, and then she leaned her head against my arm.

"Ain't ya afeared of gettin' struck down?" I teased.

I could feel her head shakin' against my arm. "I was just thinkin' that if somethin' was to happen to ya, I don't rightly know what I'd do. So, if the Lord's gonna smite ya down, then He can go on ahead and smite me too. But I'm still holdin' out hope that He thinks better of it."

If anyone had seened me then with the big smile that I kept on my face for most the rest of the day, they'd a probably thought I'd gone simple in the head. But like I telled Izzy, there warn't nothin' wrong with my head. I reckon I was just a lovesick fool.

If I'd understood rightly what Izzy was tryin' to tell me afore, then maybe she had feelins for me that was near as strong as the ones I had for her. I was surely countin' on it.

***WYiMA***

"Oh, yes, I am a Southern gal, and glory in the name,
and boast it with far greater pride than glitterin' wealth and fame.

We envy not the Northern gal her robes of beauty rare,
though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair."

I smiled at Izzy's song while loadin' up the wagon. She had a voice made for singin', and I knowed the day would be a good one when it began by gettin' to hear it. I was fast forgettin' what my life was like afore Izzy stowed away in my wagon, and I made sure to give my thanks to the Lord every night for sendin' her to me.

Some days, we sat quiet durin' the ride, other times we'd talk, and then there was those days that Izzy would read aloud from one of the books that belonged to my Pa. I'd read them all of course, but they was new to Izzy, and I couldn't help but smile at her excitement when she wondered aloud what was gonna happen next.

"'I have known him walk with- I have known him walk with Tiny Tim upon his shoulder very fast indeed.'"

"'And so have I', cried Peter, 'Often'."

"'And so have I', exclaimed another. So had all."

"'But he was very light to carry', she resumed, intent upon her work, 'and his father loved him so, that it was no trouble- no trouble'."

"Is ya listenin' Ed?" Izzy sounded as if she was 'bout to break down in tears. "That poor little feller is dead. Tiny Tim died!" She dropped the book on her lap and started in to sobbin' then as Jack nuzzled his head against her hand, tryin' to comfort her.

"Izzy," I patted her other hand. "Ya gotta read on. That part's just a vision of the future that'll happen if old Scrooge don't mend his ways."

She stopped sobbin' and looked at me. "Ya ain't lyin' to me are ya, Ed?"

"No, Izzy." I gave her hand another pat. "Just read on, sweet girl."

Chapter 20

By nightfall, we was as close to Memphis as I would allow. Tomorrow, we would start headin' south. Even if Emmett hadn't of telled me to stay away from the city, I'd heard of the troubles they had a year afore, and warn't about to let Izzy anywhere near that place.

Still, even though we was a couple of miles out, I got a bad feelin' as I pulled the wagon off the trail to make camp.

"Izzy, I want ya to take Jack and lay down in the back of the wagon."

"Why?"

"Just do as I say. Once we stop, ya can come out."

"Alright Ed."

Not a minute had passed after she disappeared into the back afore two fellers hopped up on the wagon on either side of me. "Stop if ya know what's good for ya." One of them snarled just afore I heared him cock his sidearm by my right ear. At the same time, the other one started tryin' to wrestle the reins from my hands.

I didn't have so much as a chance to take a breath afore Jack comed flyin' out the back and sunk his teeth into the feller's arm on my right, forcin' him to drop the gun, and Izzy was beside me pointin' a rifle at the other varmint.

"You and your friend best move away from my husband and my dog afore I blow your head clean off your shoulders." The feller who was tryin' to get the reins, throwed his hands up in surrender and the other one tried to get away, but Jack warn't about to give up the grip he had on his arm.

I pulled my sidearm from my lap, and put the barrel against his head afore callin' off my dog. "Come on, Jack." He let go then, but kept his teeth bared at the scoundrel. "Good boy," I made sure to tell him.

"Please Mister, Ma'am, we didn't mean no harm. We's just hungry and ain't been able to find work," the feller with the dog bite started in to pleadin'.

"So's ya thought to rob me and my Missus, maybe kill us while ya was at it?"

"No sir. And we thought ya was alone," the other piped up then.

"That don't mean ya didn't plan on killin' me."

Neither of 'em would look me in the eye then.

"Let's shoot 'em and throw 'em in the river, Ed" I was right surprised to hear Izzy pert near shout the words, makin' both those fellers start shakin' in their boots.

"Please Ma'am, if'n ya let us go, we promise to get on the right path." The other feller nodded his agreement. They both looked to be in a panic.

"Izzy, I think the Lord would want us to give 'em another chance."

Izzy pursed her lips. "I don't know Ed, I'm not feellin' all that forgivin' at the moment. These fellers have been up to the devil's business, robbin' and hurtin' good people." She paused and took in a shaky breath, it warn't 'til then I realized she was cryin'. "They mighta taken ya away from me forever." She whispered.

"They didn't though Izzy, 'cause ya saved me." I watched as she swallowed hard afore noddin'.

We let those no goods go, but not afore relievin' them of the only gun they had between them. Instead of makin' camp right there, I turned the wagon around and drove back the way we comed for a spell, needin' to put a little distance between us and the spot where we met up with those robbers.

I didn't sleep well; my dreams bein' disturbed by visions of mysterious figures stealin' Izzy away while I stood there helpless to stop 'em. I kept wakin' up and lookin' over to be sure she was still there, afore sighin' in relief and closin' my eyes again.

"Ed," Izzy was whisperin' my name. I opened my eyes, to find her leanin' over me. It was still dark, nowhere near close to mornin'. "Is somethin' wrong?" I started to sit up, but Izzy laid her hand against my chest.

"No, there's no danger," she answered in a quick hurry afore bitin' at her lip.

"Then what's ailin' ya Izzy?"

She let go of her lip and it started quiverin'. "I'm scared Ed. Can I sleep next to ya?"

I was for certain that Izzy didn't know what her words was doin' to me, but she looked so forlorn that I warn't about to refuse her. I just nodded and she crawled up under the covers 'til she was lyin' against me. I took a gander at Jack where he was sittin' by the fire, his eyes alert and his ears twitchin' at every sound, and wrapped my arms around Izzy, just breathin' her in.

I heared her let out a contented sigh at the same time my body relaxed. I closed my eyes and didn't know another thing until mornin'.