Massacre at Lonesome Ridge: A Zombie Western by Samantha Warren

thought. It had been six months since she foolishly allowed herself to be pulled into his web. It had been six months since she had become a Banks, a member of the richest family in New York City. And it had been six months since her father-and mother-in-law had packed her and her new husband onto a one-way train headed west, with David's full consent.
    The wealth was still there. She could buy anything she wanted, and she was by far the best dressed woman in that tiny little frontier town. She could order anything she wanted from her catalogs that she had shipped in from back east. But society? Charity snorted and crossed her arms tightly across her chest as she flopped into one of the wooden rocking chairs on the porch. The closest thing Dixonville came to society was the monthly social the local church ladies held, and those women treated her as if she were the scum of the earth. A transplant know-nothing who wasn't worth their time.
    Her heart fell even further in her chest as she stared at her husband. He barely acknowledged her existence anymore. His time was consumed with the ranch. They had not spoken two words to each other in days.
    Her lips pressed together in a tight frown. She did not deserve to be treated like that. She wasn't just an ornament that could be tossed aside when its owner had finished with it. And she did not deserve to be schlepped away to some backwater dirt hole in the middle of nowhere.
    Charity pushed herself to her feet. "David!" She mustered all the sweetness she could and plastered on a smile as she leaned against the railing. When he didn't turn, she called his name again. "David!" This time she put a little force behind the word, using a tone that she was quickly gaining practice with.
    He glanced over his shoulder and raised a hand. "I'll be in a little later, darlin'," he shouted back before returning his attention to the ranch hands.
    Charity's nostrils flared. The anger that was quickly becoming her only friend seethed in her chest and made her insides churn. She clenched her teeth tightly and closed her eyes. After several deep breaths, she opened them in time to see a light blue skirt disappear behind a door to her right.
    A snarl pulled at Charity's lips. The kitchen maid was a weaselly, sniveling young woman who was always after David's affections. When they first arrived, the girl had been the closest thing to a friend Charity had, but as the months wore on and Charity needed a confidant, it became clear where the maid's loyalties lay.
    "Isabelle!"
    The young woman squeaked as she turned. She almost dropped the plate she was holding. It was filled with food.
    The anger in Charity's gut churned and roiled. She took a step toward the girl. "Where are you going with that plate?" she asked as she forced a tight smile to her lips. She already knew the answer, though. They both knew Isabelle wasn't fooling anyone.
    "Mr. David asked me to bring it out. He wants to eat in the barn so he can keep working." The girl refused to meet her eyes. She found the cracks in the floorboards infinitely more interesting than Charity's bright red face.
    "Did he now?" David had been eating out in the barn nearly every night for the last two weeks. He was avoiding Charity, and she was at the end of her rope.
    Charity snatched the plate from the girl. "I will take it to him. Thank you."
    The maid bowed quickly and darted into the small pantry. There was nowhere for her to go in there, but she shut the door behind her and hid until Charity left.
    Charity slammed out the kitchen door. The porch wrapped around the whole house and she stomped soundly the whole way with her boots thudding on the wood. David was still leaning against the fence, chatting and laughing with the hired hands.
    Charity sauntered up to them and smiled sweetly. The ranch hands nodded politely and mumbled a greeting even as their eyes glittered with amusement. They knew what was coming and couldn't wait for the show. She would give them