floor. She flinched.
Her father would be just as mad if she came out with a
button missing, and his ire was nothing to mess with. Now
she had no choice but to wear her gray skirt with matching
jacket. But the traveling suit was highly unsuitable for a day
dress, her father wouldn't approve at all.
Nerves boiled in her stomach. She flopped onto the bed
just as Howard's voice sounded again. "Randi, are you all
right in there?"
"Yes." She tried to keep the sobs from sounding in her
voice.
64
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
The flap opened a touch. "Are you dressed?" he asked
uncertainly.
"Yes." She wiped at her eyes and nose with both hands.
He walked in, took one look at her, and scurried over to
kneel in front of her. "What's wrong?"
It had all become too much. The sobs building in her chest
burst. No one had ever been this kind to her. She was a pitiful
creature with nothing to offer, dependent on the kindness of
strangers. She sobbed again.
He clutched her hands. "Randi?" he asked, softly.
She had to answer, but what could she say? "I—I lost a
button," blurted out her mouth.
"A button?" he asked, sounding dumbfounded.
She buried her face in her hands.
"A button ain't nothing to cry over."
"I-I c-can't go out th-there without a b-b-button," she
blubbered into her palms.
"Well, then put on that yellow dress."
"I-it's w-w-wrinkled."
"Well—what about this other one?"
She peeked through her fingers. Her gray skirt hung from
his hand. "That's a traveling suit," she howled.
"A traveling suit?"
"He'd never approve," she all but wailed.
The bed bounced as Howard sat down beside her. "Is that
what's wrong? You're afraid your father won't approve of how
you look?"
She squeezed her eyes shut.
65
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
"Half an hour ago you were wearing my britches and shirt.
You didn't care then what your father thought."
A frown pulled on her brows. Yes, she had cared, she just
hadn't cried over it. Besides half an hour ago, she didn't know
how upset he was over their wedding. A new sob rolled out of
her chest, making her snort and sniffle. The overwhelming
emotions encompassing her from head to toe ate the last
amount of control she had. Twisting about, she flopped face
first onto the bed and smothered her cries into a pillow.
"Aw, hell!" he exclaimed. The bed bounced again and a few
seconds later he shouted, "Ma? Ma, come here and bring your
sewing kit."
[Back to Table of Contents]
66
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
Chapter Five
By the time she exited the tent both her father and Belinda
were gone. Randi didn't know if the fact made her happy or
sad. While still pondering the thought and gazing at the
empty table near the other tents, Snake arrived at her side.
He informed her Belinda and her father had gone to town to
reserve a hotel room. The news was like a double-edged
sword, for it surely meant they planned on staying in Dodge
for a least a day or two.
At the same time, the information Ma Quinter had shared
in the tent gave her the smallest amount of hope. The woman
had talked non-stop while she sewed. Most exciting had been
the fact that her two older son's had been forced into
marriage. And it appeared all had turned out perfectly. The
woman was convinced things would be the same for her and
Howard.
Stephanie Quinter, or Ma, as she insisted on being called,
sounded rough and gruff, but underneath was kind and had
quickly enticed Randi to dry her tears. Having been alone for
so long, the friendship Stephanie offered filled a strong
craving inside Randi's soul.
"Well, come on now, no dilly-dallyin'. It's been a coon-
dog's age since we had breakfast. We gotta get some lunch
going for these boys. They're bound to be about starved by
now, and there's nothin' worse than a hungry man, he gets
grumpier than a snake in a bag." Ma hooked their elbows and
tugged her toward the other tents.
67
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri
Her father would be just as mad if she came out with a
button missing, and his ire was nothing to mess with. Now
she had no choice but to wear her gray skirt with matching
jacket. But the traveling suit was highly unsuitable for a day
dress, her father wouldn't approve at all.
Nerves boiled in her stomach. She flopped onto the bed
just as Howard's voice sounded again. "Randi, are you all
right in there?"
"Yes." She tried to keep the sobs from sounding in her
voice.
64
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
The flap opened a touch. "Are you dressed?" he asked
uncertainly.
"Yes." She wiped at her eyes and nose with both hands.
He walked in, took one look at her, and scurried over to
kneel in front of her. "What's wrong?"
It had all become too much. The sobs building in her chest
burst. No one had ever been this kind to her. She was a pitiful
creature with nothing to offer, dependent on the kindness of
strangers. She sobbed again.
He clutched her hands. "Randi?" he asked, softly.
She had to answer, but what could she say? "I—I lost a
button," blurted out her mouth.
"A button?" he asked, sounding dumbfounded.
She buried her face in her hands.
"A button ain't nothing to cry over."
"I-I c-can't go out th-there without a b-b-button," she
blubbered into her palms.
"Well, then put on that yellow dress."
"I-it's w-w-wrinkled."
"Well—what about this other one?"
She peeked through her fingers. Her gray skirt hung from
his hand. "That's a traveling suit," she howled.
"A traveling suit?"
"He'd never approve," she all but wailed.
The bed bounced as Howard sat down beside her. "Is that
what's wrong? You're afraid your father won't approve of how
you look?"
She squeezed her eyes shut.
65
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
"Half an hour ago you were wearing my britches and shirt.
You didn't care then what your father thought."
A frown pulled on her brows. Yes, she had cared, she just
hadn't cried over it. Besides half an hour ago, she didn't know
how upset he was over their wedding. A new sob rolled out of
her chest, making her snort and sniffle. The overwhelming
emotions encompassing her from head to toe ate the last
amount of control she had. Twisting about, she flopped face
first onto the bed and smothered her cries into a pillow.
"Aw, hell!" he exclaimed. The bed bounced again and a few
seconds later he shouted, "Ma? Ma, come here and bring your
sewing kit."
[Back to Table of Contents]
66
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
Chapter Five
By the time she exited the tent both her father and Belinda
were gone. Randi didn't know if the fact made her happy or
sad. While still pondering the thought and gazing at the
empty table near the other tents, Snake arrived at her side.
He informed her Belinda and her father had gone to town to
reserve a hotel room. The news was like a double-edged
sword, for it surely meant they planned on staying in Dodge
for a least a day or two.
At the same time, the information Ma Quinter had shared
in the tent gave her the smallest amount of hope. The woman
had talked non-stop while she sewed. Most exciting had been
the fact that her two older son's had been forced into
marriage. And it appeared all had turned out perfectly. The
woman was convinced things would be the same for her and
Howard.
Stephanie Quinter, or Ma, as she insisted on being called,
sounded rough and gruff, but underneath was kind and had
quickly enticed Randi to dry her tears. Having been alone for
so long, the friendship Stephanie offered filled a strong
craving inside Randi's soul.
"Well, come on now, no dilly-dallyin'. It's been a coon-
dog's age since we had breakfast. We gotta get some lunch
going for these boys. They're bound to be about starved by
now, and there's nothin' worse than a hungry man, he gets
grumpier than a snake in a bag." Ma hooked their elbows and
tugged her toward the other tents.
67
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri
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