Wildest Dreams

chapter 27

The entire Fontaine family sat around the elegantly set table in the dining room of the family mansion. It was Christmas Eve, a time when there would normally be a great deal of talking and celebrating; but everyone was quiet, the younger children all gawking at Brad Tillis. Tyler sat at his father's right hand, scrutinizing Brad with the same possessive, untrusting eyes as his father.

Brad could hardly eat. He had hoped Luke Fontaine would not be the big, domineering man he had pictured; but upon meeting him, he felt his case was even more hopeless. When Luke came to the parlor to meet him after coming in late and first cleaning up, his big frame had seemed to fill the room, in spite of the fact that the parlor itself was huge, with high ceilings. Luke Fontaine fit every picture of the cattle tyrant, powerfully built, a weathered face, piercing blue eyes, a firm handshake, raw power emanating from his very being. He had looked Brad over, then announced he had paperwork to do and that they would "discuss this thing" at the supper table. Before leaving the room, he had announced that "no young man I've met for the first time is going to tell me he's marrying my daughter, nor should he even dare to ask me if he can."

"Brad, would you like some more turkey?" Lettie asked, interrupting the silence.

Brad glanced at the gracious, beautiful woman, whom he already liked a great deal, as he did Pearl and Robbie, who had been receptive and full of questions. If it was only those three he had to deal with, this would be easy, but Luke Fontaine was protective of his daughter, and he could understand that protectiveness was even stronger because of what had happened to her. Her brother Tyler was equally protective, and now Brad was not so sure that it was true Lettie Fontaine could help their situation. When he and Katie had talked to Katie's mother alone earlier and explained that he raised sheep for a living, the woman had at first been aghast. "Sheep!" she had exclaimed. "Katie, it's one thing to ask me to help you convince your father to let you get married; but to a sheep man! Even I might have trouble talking him into that one!" She had not been rude about it, only worried, for she seemed to understand how much Katie loved him, and how important finding love was to her, for more reasons than the average young woman.

Brad glanced at Pearl, who he could see was ready to giggle at the odd silence at the table. The children knew he wanted to marry Katie, but no one except Lettie knew yet that he was a sheep man. He had never been so nervous in his life, and it irritated him that Luke was silently devouring his meal, making him wait for the "discussion" he intended to have. He decided that there was only one way to approach a man like Luke Fontaine, and that was to stand right up to him, be honest and open and take no gaff. At the least, the man would want his daughter to marry someone who was unafraid of challenges, and who was proud of what he did for a living. For the moment the only thing Luke knew was that he was a "rancher." He had hoped Lettie would break the news first, but he realized that that might not be best after all. He didn't need any woman to do his talking for him! He set his fork down and leaned back in his chair.

"Mr. Fontaine, everybody is just about finished eating, and I can't take this silence any longer. Katie told me how this house is always full of good times on Christmas Eve, and there's a big tree in the front parlor where she says you always gather to listen to Pearl play Christmas carols."

Luke swallowed his last piece of turkey and scowled at him. He picked up a glass of wine and took a sip. "Well? You apparently have a lot more to say, so say it." He leaned back in his chair, his handsome blue eyes drilling into him.

Brad looked from Luke to Tyler, holding his chin a little higher, then looked back at Luke. "May I stand, sir?"

Luke nodded. "Go ahead."

Brad took a deep breath and rose, scooting back his chair. Pearl and Robbie stared wide-eyed, and Lettie watched Luke closely. Katie sat staring at her plate, her cheeks flushed. She felt like crying for the hard time Luke was giving poor Brad.

"Mr. Fontaine, it's like your wife told you when you got home. I love your daughter very much and she loves me. We met in town. I work at the livery, but I actually came here looking for land. Since all the good land around here is taken, I'll have to go farther away to find it, so I'll wait till spring because a man can't travel far out here in the dead of winter, and because I wanted to stay close to Katie awhile longer. We want to get married, and I came here to ask your permission. I understand you'd be skeptical because you don't know me from Adam, but I assure you, sir, that I come from a good family. My father is John Tillis, from Iowa. He and my mother and two younger brothers live in Colorado now. I want to strike out on my own. I didn't come to Montana looking for a wife—just land. But when I met Katie—" He sighed deeply. "I kind of ran into her by accident at the library, and then we found out I had taken a room at Stowe's boardinghouse and we eat our meals at the same table, started taking walks, what have you. Anyway, that's how it all got started, and now I'd like to marry her. I'm old enough—twenty-four—and I'm a hard worker. I know she comes from a rich family, and I intend to take good care of her. And don't think I'm marrying her for her money. I couldn't care less if you totally disinherited her, except that it would be pretty unfair to Katie. I just happen to love her for the wonderful woman that she is." He swallowed. Should he say anything yet about the sheep? Why couldn't he make the words come out?

"Pa, I love Brad," Katie spoke up quietly, meeting her father's eyes. "You and Mama know what a special thing that is for me. I never thought—" Her eyes teared then, and she looked back down at her plate. "I never thought I'd feel like this about any man."

Luke glanced at Lettie, who arched her eyebrows. He knew she was remembering their own beginning, and that her situation had been similar to Katie's. He understood that was why Lettie would sympathize with Katie's predicament, but that didn't make her marrying a man they knew little about right. He looked back at Brad. "You know then, about what happened to Katie?"

"Yes, sir, I know, and it doesn't make any difference to me. It sure wasn't her fault. I don't love Katie just because she's the prettiest girl in Billings." Pearl finally giggled, and he felt the color coming to his own cheeks. "I love her for her strength and courage," he went on, "for her intelligence, and because she comes from strong stock, a good family. She understands ranching life, and she knows the meaning of hard work, although I don't intend for her to have to do much of that. I just want her to be comfortable and happy. I can't promise she'd live like a queen right off, but I'd do everything I can to give her the good life she deserves. And I'm not so insensitive that I don't understand her situation. If you think I'd ever hurt her or push her into anything, you're dead wrong, Mr. Fontaine... sir." Was that a hint of a smile he saw at the corner of Luke's mouth?

Luke took another sip of wine. "If I let you marry my daughter, and I ever get one hint that you've abused her in any way or that you forced her or frightened her, I'll break your neck. You understand that?"

Brad swallowed. "Yes, sir. I'd expect it. You wouldn't be asking any more of me than I would ask of myself."

Katie looked at her father. "Pa, I told Brad what a good man you are." A tear slipped down her cheek. "You're embarrassing me by being so rude."

Luke set his wineglass down. "I'll be as rude as necessary when it comes to giving my daughter over in marriage. Once a man is your husband, you're under his control and answer to his whims. I don't take something like that lightly, Katie, and I hardly know this young man."

"Can't you trust my judgment? It's my feelings that matter here," Katie argued. "I've seen Brad almost every day for three months now. We talk about everything. I felt comfortable with him from the very first day l met him. We enjoy each other's company, and he doesn't—" She looked up at Brad. "He doesn't frighten me. He makes me happy." She stood up and moved beside Brad, and he slipped an arm around her waist. "We love each other, Pa. I never thought I could be this happy. Can't you be happy for me?"

Luke leaned back in his chair, studying the two of them. He liked the way they looked together, liked Brad's boldness. He was nervous, and had every right to be, but he wasn't afraid. Luke could smell fear, and there was none in Brad Tillis. He met his daughter's eyes. "Of course I want to be happy for you; but you can understand my protectiveness, Katie. This is quite a surprise you've pulled on me and your mother, you know, coming home for Christmas with a man on your arm, a man you say you want to marry without our ever even meeting him."

"I only waited because I wanted to be sure myself, and because it was only a few days ago that Brad found out the truth about... about what happened. Before I gave my heart away, and before things got serious enough to tell you about him, I wanted to be sure Brad would still want me after he knew. I'm not afraid anymore, Pa. Since I've met Brad I don't have nightmares, and I feel safe and loved."

Luke nodded. "All right. You have my permission to marry, but not until next spring. And I don't like the idea of you going off with a new husband and living so far away we never get to see you and make sure you're all right. I'll break out a piece of land or maybe I can talk Henry Kline into selling the Lazy K. He's already been thinking about it. If you're going to go into ranching, it isn't necessary to do it clear on the other side of the mountains."

Katie felt Brad's hold on her tighten. "Well, sir, we might not have any choice."

Lettie felt her heart pound harder. Now it was coming. She had thought it best that Brad tell Luke himself. Luke liked honesty and courage in a man, and never did Brad need both things more than now.

"Why is that?" Luke asked with a scowl.

"Because, sir, I don't raise cattle. I, uh, I raise sheep."

Pearl and Robbie both gasped, and Tyler slowly rose. "What?" the boy asked.

After that there were just several long seconds of silence, during which Luke's face darkened with anger. He glanced at Lettie and was surprised that she did not look shocked. "Did you know about this?"

"Yes," she answered calmly.

Luke looked back at Brad. "Sheep?"

"Yes, sir. Sheep."

Luke closed his eyes and rose. "Sweet Jesus," he muttered. "I've got to get out of here before I do something I shouldn't."

"Pa." Katie stopped him and breathed deeply to keep from breaking into harder tears. "I'm going to marry Brad, with or without your approval. I would rather you were there to give me away willingly. I want my wedding to be happy. I want my father there."

He only studied her a moment longer before turning and leaving the room. Tyler sat shaking his head. "Pa's been chasing sheep men off his land for years," he told Brad.

Brad let go of Katie and folded his arms. "Yeah? Well maybe he doesn't know everything there is to know about sheep. I do. I know them just as good as you and your pa know cattle, and I know sheep and cattle can graze together with no problem. Cattlemen are just so worried about how much land it takes to graze a cow that they think nothing else should be allowed on the grasslands. Well, wild animals have been grazing together for years. Look how many buffalo there used to be, but the deer and elk and moose and antelope and all the other wild animals still had enough to eat. If your pa would give me a chance, I could prove to him that all the trouble over sheep isn't necessary."

Tyler studied the young man who wanted to marry his sister. For the most part he liked him, except that he was a sheep rancher. More than that, he loved Katie and wanted her to be happy. He would long remember that first day they brought her back home. He never thought she'd ever want to marry and lead a normal life, and he figured Brad Tillis must be something special to make her so happy.

"I'll go talk to your father," Lettie told a dejected Katie.

Tyler rubbed at his chin in a gesture common to Luke. Brad had only just met them both, but he could not help being astounded at the likeness between father and son, not just in looks, but in little movements and the way they walked. "I'll talk to him, too," Tyler told them.

Lettie looked at her son in surprise, sure he would side with Luke. "Ty, that's good of you."

The boy shrugged. "I know how Pa can be, but I've worked with him long enough that he sometimes listens to me now. C'mon. He's probably in the library having a cigar and a shot of whiskey."

"Thank you, Ty," Katie told her brother.

He glanced at Brad again. "You really love her, don't you? I mean, if you ever hurt her, I'd be next in line after Pa to give you what for."

Brad grinned. "I really love her. I'd like this to be a happy Christmas for everybody."

Ty looked at his mother. "You go first. I'll come in a few minutes. I want to talk to Brad about this thing of sheep and cattle being able to graze together."

"Pa says sheep smell bad," Robbie put in.

"That's not true," Brad answered. "They don't smell any worse than cattle. You ought to know what a whole mess of cattle smells like when they're shoved together into a corral on a hot, humid day. It's a smell you just get used to, just like you get used to sheep and horses and anything else."

Pearl giggled again, and Lettie left the room to find Luke. Just as Ty predicted, he was in the library, cigar in hand, a shot of whiskey in the other. He turned away from a window at the sound of the doors sliding open, turned back when he saw it was Lettie.

"If you've come here to stick up for Katie and that... that sheep man—"

"Of course I've come here to stick up for them."

"Why didn't you tell me he raised sheep?"

"I wanted to see if he was man enough to tell you himself. I was surprised, too, at first, but then I thought maybe there is a way to work it out." She stepped closer. "Luke, he seems like a fine young man. He's proud and sure, and he loves Katie. You can see how happy she is."

He sighed deeply and swallowed the whiskey. "She's only sixteen."

"Not a normal sixteen-year-old and you know it. She's no innocent, and yet in some ways she is, just as I was— innocent of the beauty of being with a man. I think Brad will be good to her."

He shook his head. "Sheep. I don't understand what she could be thinking."

"You don't understand? What part about all of this don't you understand, Luke? Love? You certainly know what love is like. You can remember what it was like for us in the beginning, how it felt to want to be together. Maybe you don't understand the fact that she's willing to go far away with him if necessary. Well, that doesn't make sense either. I believe I remember another young man who wanted to take a young girl far away from her family, too—only that was even worse, because he took her to a very dangerous, unsettled land. And I believe that young man and woman also had not known each other for very long, but they knew they were in love, and she was willing to follow her man to the end of the earth, if that was what it took to be with him."

Luke turned to look at her, the anger in his eyes turning to a mixture of love and guilt.

"And maybe you don't understand that Brad has a dream of making it on his own. Is that it? Well, Luke Fontaine, I remember another young man who had a dream, and who dared to risk everything for that dream. He was proud and determined, too, just like Brad is. Don't tell me you don't understand any of this, Luke, because Brad and Katie's situation is no different from ours seventeen years ago. And I understand how Katie feels. She's found a man she thinks can make love beautiful for her. After what she went through, do you really want to take that away from her?"

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed in exasperation. "You know I don't. Lettie, I can't forget how she looked when I found her with those men. What if this upstart doesn't understand that? What if he's just after the family money? What if he hurts her, disappoints her?"

"Luke, do you think my own parents didn't have the same questions about you? We hadn't even known you as long as Katie has known Brad. And you've always been a good judge of people. I feel good about this boy, and I know that deep down inside, you do, too. If he was after family money, he wouldn't be talking about going off someplace else to start on his own."

"Well, that's another thing I don't like. Katie is special for reasons we both know. I don't think it would be good for her to go far from home like that."

"Like when you brought me to Montana, when it was wild and dangerous country?"

He rolled his eyes and waved her off.

"Luke, my parents would have loved it if you had gone on to Denver and got a job there so we could all be together. But you wanted to do something that was just yours. You had an idea, and you were proud and independent. So is Brad. And if you weren't so damn stubborn about this sheep thing, they wouldn't have to go far away. They could ranch right here in Montana, somewhere close to us. Maybe right here on the Double L. You were ready enough to give them some land when you thought he raised cattle!"

Luke set his whiskey glass aside and took a couple of puffs on his cigar. "For God's sake, Lettie, I am president of the Cattlemen's Association. You know how all those men feel about sheep! How is it going to look, me announcing that my own daughter wants to marry a sheep man, let alone offering to let him raise those sheep right here! Katie is an intelligent girl. How in hell could she let herself get mixed up with the very kind of people I've been running off this place for years?"

"Love knows no boundaries and no rules, Luke. She loves him, plain and simple. She wouldn't care if he shoveled horse manure for a living. A man's worth isn't judged by what he does for a living, Luke Fontaine. You know that. Why don't you give him a chance? Maybe he's right. Maybe it is possible for sheep and cattle to range together. Maybe a lot of men have died needlessly in the range wars, and maybe this is a way to keep that from happening here in Montana. This could be just one more way to keep the peace and show the federal government we're on our way to qualifying for statehood. Range wars certainly won't win us any points."

He set his cigar in an ashtray and studied the only person who could sway his opinion on anything. "You're determined to let this happen, aren't you?"

Lettie frowned, stepping closer. "I am determined that Katie will be happy. I'm tired of seeing her cry."

Someone knocked on the door. It was Tyler. When he opened the doors he looked nervous but determined. "Pa?"

Luke shook his head, able to read his son's eyes. "You, too?"

Tyler shrugged. "Pa, I've been talking to Brad. He says his folks come from Iowa, but more and more farming there forced them to come west to graze their sheep. They've been through a lot, Pa, been shot at, had their sheep slaughtered by cattlemen. They finally settled in northeast Colorado, but a drought there has made things real hard. Brad's pa is going to quit, but sheep are all Brad knows. He wants to keep raising them. There's good money in sheep, Pa, real good money. All he needs is a place to raise them, and with all the range wars in Wyoming and Colorado and farther south, and the Mormons taking up all the good land in Utah, he figured Montana would be a good place to come. Brad says—"

"I'll speak for myself," Brad said, walking in behind

Tyler. "I say sheep and cattle can graze together, Mr. Fontaine," the young man said, keeping his voice firm. "I've seen it back in Iowa. You let the cattle graze first. Sheep aren't as particular about what they eat. They come along behind the cattle and eat what they leave behind. And sheep are cheaper to raise. It takes at least seven men to herd a thousand head of cattle. Am I right, Mr. Fontaine?"

Luke frowned, folding his arms and nodding his head. "That's about right."

"Well, sir, one man and a good sheep dog can handle about three thousand sheep. And I've heard of men who herded sheep from New Mexico to California and made ten times their original investment. With the herd I can get from my pa down in Colorado, I can get a good start. Sheep sell for about a dollar and a half a head when they're shipped to market, and like I said, it's cheaper to ship them because it doesn't take so many men to get them there. I'm also thinking that once I build up my numbers, I won't have to bother herding them anywhere. I can hire men to shear them and I'll ship and sell the wool. That goes for eight cents a pound right now. I can take it by the wagonload to Cheyenne to sell back East, and I hear that before long there will be a railroad come right through Billings, probably in another five or six years, so I'll make even more money because I won't have to herd sheep or haul wool so far. My pa has some good, healthy ewes, figures the lamb crop to be real good next spring. I aim to go down there and bring most of them back to Montana. If I have to do it farther west, then that's what I'll do. It will be dangerous herding them through Wyoming, what with the problems there with cattlemen and all, but I'll manage."

The young man put his hands on his hips authoritatively, and Luke glanced past him to see that Katie had also joined them, Pearl and Robbie bringing up the rear. Luke looked at Lettie. "I feel like a damn calf surrounded by a bunch of wolves. I don't like being cornered."

"Neither do I, Mr. Fontaine," Brad answered. Luke moved his gaze back to meet the boy's green eyes. "With all due respect, sir, there isn't a man in Montana who could love or respect your daughter more than I do," Brad continued, "or who will try harder to take good care of her, or be more gentle with her when it's called for." Katie blushed deeply at the words. "And I want to marry her before I leave for Colorado," Brad went on. "Neither one of us wants to wait until spring. I'd just as soon marry her with your permission and your blessing. And I am going to raise sheep, because I'm good at it. I've been helping feed them and herd them and nurse them and shear them since I was five years old."

Luke stepped a little closer, his very presence intimidating. He was taller, broader. "You through?"

Brad swallowed, and Katie moved up to stand beside him. "Yes, sir, I guess that's about it," Brad answered.

Luke looked from him to Katie, saw the pleading and the remaining tears in her eyes, watched her slip her hand into Brad's. He looked at Brad again. "All right. You can get married right here at the house, New Year's Day. Since Katie is running the library and you work at the livery, you can live at the hotel during the week, but you'll spend your weekends here at the Double L for the rest of the winter, weather permitting. We have plenty of rooms, and I intend to get to know you a lot better before you head back to Colorado. I also intend to learn everything I can about sheep. Whenever you're ready to go and get your damn woollies, I'll send some of my men along to help protect them on the way back. They won't be too happy about it, but they'll do what I ask. When you get back, you'll put your money where your mouth is and prove to me that sheep and cattle can range together, right here on the Double L. If it works out, I'll give you some land. I don't want my Katie moving so far away that we never get to see her. If Katie has told you all about this family, you know we have already lost two children. Neither one of us is ready to say good-bye to a third child, and we'd like to enjoy our grandchildren, which is another reason I want Katie right here. I know what my wife went through having her babies alone. A girl ought to have her mother with her in times like that. Do you accept those terms?"

Brad grinned. "Yes, sir. But I won't take land for nothing. I'll pay you for it."

"You just take good care of my daughter and the land will be a wedding present."

Katie hugged Luke. "Thank you, Pa!"

Luke sighed deeply, moving his arms around her. "I just want you to be happy, Katie." He glanced at Brad again. "I hope you know the hell I'm going to go through letting a sheep man graze his woollies on Double L land. You and I are going to the next cattleman's meeting. I might as well prepare them."

Brad reached out his hand. "We can make it work, Mr. Fontaine."

Luke took his hand. "I hope you're right. And call me Luke." Luke finally offered a hint of a smile, and Brad squeezed his hand firmly.

"You have a lot of pull with the cattlemen around here, sir... I mean, Luke. Maybe you can convince them it's time for the fighting to end. There's plenty of room out here for all of us."

Luke glanced at Lettie, who was smiling, her eyes misty. "Maybe there is." He let go of Brad's hand and gave Katie a squeeze. "Let's all go enjoy the Christmas tree and open presents. We'll tell Mae to leave the dishes for now and come join us." He kept one arm around Katie and moved the other around Lettie, leading everyone out of the room. "Sheep," he muttered, shaking his head again. "God help us."





PART FOUR

Memories. We share so many...

Joy, sorrow, pain and laughter,

The light in our children's eyes,

The flowers at a little grave.

In our aging years more memories are born,

And through all that we bear in these

Seasoned years, I see you,

Standing there with your hand reached out

To guide me and give me strength,

As I try to do the same for you.

Life has been hard, but also good.

We conquered all that man and nature put before us,

And we survived to see another sunrise

On this, our home, our Montana.