Turnabout in Fair Play

By DuannaLee Petersen

FAIR PLAY, TEXAS, 1872 Young Jeremy lost his heart to Diana, but now having come of age and being of means to provide for a family on his horse ranch, he pursues winning Diana's heart. Ten years his senior and considered on the shelf, though flattered by Jeremy's attentions and persistence, Diana has resigned herself to spinsterhood. Burdened with childhood traumas and her self-proven feelings of inadequacy, does Jeremy have a smidgeon of a chance? Can he break down her barriers regarding the age difference?

• Language: English
• Publisher: DuannaLee Petersen
• Release date: Jul 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310158773

DuannaLee Petersen

DuannaLee Petersen (pronounced DOO-ahna-Lee) AKA DuannaLee Petersen-Griffin and DuannaLee Post, Dee to friends and family, was born at home in the rural Mother Lode Country of California's Sierra Nevada range. Her own love-at-first-sight romance with a brief engagement and long-term marriage (twice) was the inspiration for some of her novels. Dee feels most at home in the rural Mother Lode gold-rush country of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. She delights in being a mother of two and grandmother of three. An adventurous spirit, descended on all eight lines from pioneering great-grandparents who emigrated from Europe, she has herself twice moved to distant states without a job or a home lined up in order to carve out a new life. Besides her family, Dee's interests lie in family history, church service, outdoor and water-oriented family activities, creative writing, portrait painting, various types of needle-work, reading, and animals (having a small horse ranch for about a decade). She's a NAUI scuba diver and ARRL amateur (ham) radio operator. She served on Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams in California and in Washington and as an officer of a historical commission in Texas. A retired business professional and corporate officer, Dee now finds time to persue writing novels. She is affiliated with Brazos Writers and several internet writers groups. Dee now lives in South Dakota with her husband.

Book preview

Turnabout in Fair Play

DuannaLee Petersen-Griffin

Copyright

© 2012 Turnabout in Fair Play by Duanna Lee Petersen

[AKA DuannaLee Petersen-Griffin]

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1505999642

ISBN-10: 1505999642

This book is a fictional creation. Characters, names, incidents and events are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any historical persons, names, places, organizations, events, and locations are fictionally used with creative license. Similarity to actual people or events is natural and coincidental.

CHAPTER 1

Fair Play, Texas, May 1872

Now was the time. Today was the day.

Jeremy Farnsworth took a deep breath. He liked the freshness of early morning air. The ground was still damp, moisture left over from yesterday. He could feel it though, that today would be another hot one, hotter than hot. Yep, it would be a scorcher. Typical Texas weather, unpredictable––you never knew what the weather might be till it happened. It had rained hard yesterday with warm breezes and lightning. That left the humidity high enough to make him feel sticky, but not so high it took his breath away, not yet anyway.

His azure eyes scanned the trees. He found the treed prairies of the Piney Woods region refreshing; the trees made the prairie not seem so flat. There were no signs of smoke; the lightning had not set the forest afire. He was always glad when there were no fires threatening wildlife and homestead ranches. Every day the trees renewed his love of nature.

He rode on into town. Town. He disliked town, mostly. Not the buildings cluttering up the beautiful prairie that God had created nearly as much as the mean-spirited people who walked it. Not everybody was friendly and fair as the town's name implied, the reason the name had been earned and given. Things change. He preferred open land and solitude. Up ahead, one who was different from the rest, Diana Carter, came out of the boardinghouse where she resided and sat on the bench along its front. A smile pulled his mouth at the sight of her. This would be easier than he'd thought.

He rode up to the front of the boardinghouse. G'mornin', Miss Diana. Do y'all mind if I sit a spell?

She nodded consent. Good morning, Jeremy.

He dismounted, tied his mount to the hitch, and let Alamo drink from the trough. He took off his Stetson hat, looked at it and then slapped it against his thigh, the easiest way to remove the dust and bits of foliage. He then ran his fingers through his hair to loosen his light blond locks. Diana looked at his hair as though she'd never seen it before, like she liked it. He playfully frowned and asked, Somethin' wrong with m'hair?

She shook her head. Your hair is catching the sun real nice like. Her eyes shifted to his horse. She hadn't been this close to the stallion before.

Jeremy was gazing at her bright eyes, green as spring grass. He noticed her looking his Quarter Horse over. Wanna say howdy t' him? His name is Alamo.

Your horse?

He nodded.

Yes. She stood and swept her hands over her skirt, and then stepped down off the boardwalk into the street beside his tall stallion. He is a fine looking steed. He has spirit. Is he new? She stroked the horse's chestnut brown nose, twiddled her fingers in his black mane, and spoke sweetly to him. The charger responded by calmly nuzzling her shoulder.

Nah. I raised him from a colt, breakin' him in slowly t' be a good all-'round mount. He's decided t' be my buddy, so I brung him t' town today as a treat. The one I usually ride is his pa. Y'all like horses, do ya? Sorry he got y'all wet.

It will dry in no time in this heat. Yes, I more than just like horses. I like horses better than people, well, most people, that is.

Same here.

Diana went back to the bench and sat where she had been before. Then she scooted closer to the far end to make extra room and replied, "It is good to see you, Jeremy. Have a seat. How have you been?

Can't complain.

You never do, she stated matter-of-factly.

Y'all look lovely this mornin', Miss Diana. A special day?

Lovely? She looked down to her hands, Thank you. Nobody's ever told me that before. She looked melancholy. And no, this day is just like every other. She sighed as she thought, 'Destined to be lonely.'

He wondered about that. Nobody? Ever? Lovely, an' more! She's beautiful an' don't even know it.

People've thought it, though. I guarantee it, he told her with a cheerful, friendly smile.

I doubt that. But you have always been kind.

Kind? He cocked his head, looking perplexed.

Softly smiling, she explained, "I was thinking of that day, about ten years back, when we had a church picnic by the pond at Wells Park. Remember? You were about ten or eleven, I think. I was still fairly new to town so had tried to look my very best, you know, hoping some fella of marrying age would notice me. Instead, that Smithers boy chose me as a target and tossed a mud-ball at me. It splattered all over my skirt. I was right stunned and trying hard not to cry when you called my name out and started splashing me. You drenched the front of my skirt, but only my skirt, and you did not stop till all the mud was gone."

I meant well.

She smiled at him. Quite distracted by it, he hoped she hadn't seen him gazing at her smile, her enticing lips. She quickly looked away. A muscle by her mouth twitched, almost imperceptibly. Had she noticed? Of course she had, she's one who keeps eye contact, and he'd broken it when tempted by those kissable lips of hers.

I knew you did. She continued, I was so shocked by it all, that I just stood there, a spectacle. Everybody was so quiet at first. Some older boys started heckling me, so I decided it was best to laugh it off – thinking maybe if I laughed first there would be no jokes made about it.

It su'prised 'em fer sure Jeremy told her. Then it dawned on me that others might join in splashin' ya an' git y'all wet clean through, top t' bottom, so I stopped real deliberate like. I was right glad that y'all started laughin'. I was afraid ya'd be mad at me.

"Mad at you? Oh, for getting me wet? No. I wanted to thank you with a big hug. The water was better than the mud, you see. It dried quickly in the heat, remember?"

I knowed that even then. Jimmy throwed th' mud cuz he liked y'all. Did y'all see his face when he seen what a mess he'd made?

No, I was looking down at my muddy dress.

Too bad y'all didn't. He was right sorry. Thought he was gonna cry. Thought y'all would, too. So I tried t' git rid o' that mud b'fore too many people seen it.

I do not think anybody else saw the mud. Nobody ever mentioned it. It all happened too fast, I think. Thanks for that.

He smiled and nodded acknowledgement of her thanks. I never saw y'all wear that dress again. Was it ruint?

No, just a bad memory. You noticed what I wore?

Yep, I was sweet on y'all. To himself he added, 'Still am.'

"Me? I was, am, what, about ten years older than you?"

Yep. I seen y'all as th' perfect gal. I watched ya all th' time.

The perfect old maid, she stated sourly.

Jeremy chuckled. What could he say to make her feel better? He tried by saying, Maiden, yep. But old? Nope.

I am beyond hope of marrying now. Tis a fact.

Nah. Y'all git perdier ev'ry year, Miss Diana. Y'all can't hide that. An' yer th' nicest person in town. Nobody here's good enough fer y'all.

She laughed, Too bad you are not older, Jeremy. Bye, now. Diana rose and went back into the boardinghouse.

Yep. Too bad, he spoke aloud, to himself.

Diana may have left Jeremy on the bench outside, but he was still in her thoughts. He has grown into a right fine young man, and much taller than most fellas around here. He has a sweetness about him, and, mercy, he's downright handsome with that whitish hair and blue eyes. That dimple when he smiles makes my knees weak. And those muscles of his are so powerful looking, even through that nice shirt of his. She sighed. She blushed at the thought of having been so aware of his muscles. She had to admit to herself that she had admired his masculine physique approaching her, all the while trying to hide her gaze. He was a right good looking man now, so tall and lean, but looked solid and strong, a mighty fine looking man. A young man with a sinfully tempting mouth.

Oh, why couldn't she have a man like him of her very own? Sweet. Smart. Thoughtful. Handsome. Dependable. Hard working when helping out folks in town. That was Jeremy Farnsworth. The perfect man. What would he be now, twenty or twenty-one? Nope, the wrong age to her thirty. It could never be. He was not only younger, but nine or ten years younger. Maybe even eleven years. She would soon turn thirty-one.

Why couldn't she just accept the fact that she's an old maid? I'm an old maid, she kept telling herself. She had said it to herself so often she should believe it by now. So why can't she submit to her fate? Why does she still crave a husband and children? Why wasn't there a man for her? She would settle for a being his second wife; she didn't have to be the man's first as long as it was all about love. She just wanted a man of her own who truly loved her. She might be desperate, as she had heard the womenfolk say all spinsters are, but not so hopeless to accept a marriage of convenience, which were the only kind of offers she had received. She wanted to be cherished. She wanted to give her whole heart to her husband and to have children with him, a family. Was that so much to ask? Could it be she was too little to be considered a good worker, that she might not be able to pull her own weight? Did she look too frail?

She went to her room. This is not a good day to be outside. In fact, if she didn't stop frowning––

She stood in front of her mirror, looking for worry lines. Lovely? She smoothed her skirt and turned from side to side. Lovely? What she saw was all right, ordinary, passable. Yes, passable. She had been passed up by every decent guy in the county who hadn't yet kicked the bucket. She confirmed it by speaking aloud, Passable.

She sat with her legs tucked up beside her on her bed, with her back propped against a stack of pillows. This was a good day to read a book, a Jane Austen book. She perused her bookshelf to decide which worn and tattered love story she could escape into. Was she in the mood to love Mr. Darcy or Mr. Farrar or Captain Wentworth? She grasped Pride and Prejudice, albeit deciding on Mr. Bingley instead. Yes, she needed a cheerful person today. She would pretend to be Jane Bennet and ignore that dashing but coldly proud Mr. Darcy. She would picture Jeremy as Mr. Bingley. Let Elizabeth Bennet have that judgemental Fitzwilliam Darcy!

She spent the rest of the day reading, all the while longing for a love of her own. Charles Bingley did indeed remind her of Jeremy. She smiled to herself when she realized that.

Mrs. Everest, the landlady of the boardinghouse, knocked on her door. Diana, may I come in?

Yes, Mabel. Please do. She inserted a homemade paper marker on which she had doodled a fancy 'JF' and put the book down as Mabel walked in.

Y'all can't j'st hole up in here all th' time. That's no way t' live. I see yer escapin' into a book again. What happent?

A young man I know told me I was lovely.

Oh, that's all? So why're y'all takin' t' yer room an' book then?

Melancholy.

Melancholy? Bein' called lovely makes y'all sad?

Yes.

Talk t' me, Diana, more 'n j'st yes 'r no. Why'd that make y'all sad? It should make y'all happy.

When a handsome young fella, two-thirds my age, tells me he thinks I am lovely, well, it makes me want to cry. Why must the only man who ever complimented me be so darn young?

Watch yer tongue now. D'y'all mean t' say that in yer whole life no fella ever once't praised y'all b'fore?

No man, woman, or child. Just him. Today. It is also a lie. But why? Am I so pathetic, so hopeless, that he felt pity on me? Can you see why I am melancholy?

I understand, but I don't agree. Ya see, y'all are a lovely woman. He told y'all th' truth. J'st what young man're y'all talkin' about anyways?

The truth? You say it is the truth? She paused and Mabel nodded. Oh, uh, well, it was Jeremy Farnsworth. Do you know him?

Yep. He's a fine young man. From a good family. He's not a liar, Diana. Why don't y'all trust 'im?

I cannot trust anybody to be honest.

Got some history that destroyed yer ability t' trust people? Yer folks? All right, but d'y'all think you c'n trust me?

Diana nodded. Of course.

Good, b'cause I'll be completely honest. Yer right perdy, but y'all dress dowdy at times. Y'all will speak freely t' kids, but clam up quiet-like 'round th' grownups. An' y'all stick t' this place instead o' gittin' out amongst other folks. Yer shootin' yerself in th' foot! Why, j'st look at yer hair, Diana. It's th' envy of ev'ry woman in town. Did y'all know that?

It's just brown, like dirt. Nothing special. Not like Jeremy's.

It's a rich, chocolate brown. Beautiful. An' y'all got them natural curls that're not too tight an' not too loose. Y'all will never sleep with rags tied in yer hair 'r sit forever heatin' curlin' irons on th' stovetop, tryin' not t' fry yer hair 'r scorch yer scalp or fingers. Haven't y'all seen th' envy in ladies' eyes?

Their expressions look like disdain to me.

Yer wrong. Jealousy, maybe. Think about it. Then Mabel left the room to allow Diana to do just that, think about it.

Instead, her more amiable thoughts kept drifting to Jeremy's eyes and smile and she found herself daydreaming of a life with him. At least she could have that in her dreams.

CHAPTER 2

Several days later, Jeremy pointedly came to town again. He scanned the town from one end to the other for the woman of his dreams. At first, he didn't find Diana anywhere. He strolled by both banks, the hotel, both general stores and both churches. He checked the stable behind the boardinghouse and saw her palomino there, so he sat down on the bench in front of the boardinghouse and waited. After half an hour, he decided to check inside. As was the custom in this quiet little town, he opened the door and called out to announce his presence. Miss Mabel? Are y'all home?

Mabel came out of one of the rooms, probably a sitting room, and cheerfully greeted him. Howdy-do, Jeremy. What brings y'all by?

Hey, Miss Mabel. I j'st wanted t' check an' make sure Miss Diana isn't ailin'. I didn't see her out an' about t'day. Is she well?

She's doin' right fine. We're a talkin' in th' sittin' room's all. Come tell her howdy yerself.

He followed her into the sitting room where Diana sat with some kind of needlework in her hands; what it was he couldn't tell. It was plain to see that both women had been chatting as they stitched things. Diana glanced up, following his tallness up, towering like a tree over Mabel.

We've b'n keepin' ar hands busy whilst we prattled. Miss Diana's earned a break. Can y'all smell her fixin's fer ar houseguest's supper? He's gonna wanna stay fer more after he eats her cookin'. Can y'all stay t' eat with us, Jeremy?

I don't wanna impose.

Wouldn't ask if I didn't want y'all to.

Thank ya, Miss Mabel. Don't mind if I do.

Good. Well, as y'all c'n see fer yerself, Miss Diana's right fine.

Right fine is right. Y'all look mighty perdy in blue, Miss Diana.

Miss Mabel smiled, knowing that he complimented her again and how uncomfortable that must make Diana. Ya know, Jeremy, yer right about that. Blue does look mighty nice on 'er.

You look right nice yourself, Jeremy. Would you like to have a seat? Diana indicated a chair near hers.

That'd be much appreciated. He sat.

Mabel wanted to give them some time alone so offered refreshments. Would y'all like somethin' t' eat 'r drink, Jeremy? Let me go see what I c'n round up. I'll be back in two shakes of a rattler's tail. She left no time for a response from either one of them.

Jeremy chuckled. Miss Mabel scurried off faster than a mouse in th' barn. Y'all doin' okay, Miss Diana?

Yes, why?

I was watchin' fer y'all in town t'day an' didn't see y'all out an' about. I thought mebbee y'all felt poorly.

I am fine.

I see that. He smiled. Did she understand what he meant by that? She is fine indeed.

Why did you come to town again so soon, Jeremy? I do not usually see you about town so of'en. You said you were watching for me?

Yep.

Why?

J'st wanted t' see y'all.

See me about what?

Nothin'. I j'st like t' see y'all. Y' brighten m' day.

I do? She looked doubtful.

Yep.

Thank you, Jeremy. You are very sweet.

I mean ev'ry word I say. Always do.

Mabel returned. I j'st realized how close it is t' eatin' time, so I j'st brung lemonade. That all right? She handed a glass each to Diana and Jeremy. I'll go check on thaings in th' kitchen. Both y'all okay here?

They both nodded. They sat in silence for a few minutes, and then Diana asked, What was it that brought you to town today?

Her. But he couldn't tell her that. He hesitated, thinking. What could he honestly say?

Jeremy? I asked what brought you to town today?

Looking down at this hat as he twisted it round and round in his hands, he answered, I j'st felt like comin' t' town. Sometimes a body feels restless.

You are feeling restless? How come?

Can't say. Won't say is more like it. Can't scare her off.

Well, I am glad you stopped by. For supper, I fixed sweet cornbread and a chicken pot pie. Do you like that? . . .I also snapped some green beans. Like that? . .We have two pies from last night, apple and peach. We have only one guest now, so there is plenty.

He listened intently and nodded in answer as she spoke. He was looking forward to sampling her cooking. Did y'all make it all yerself or did Miss Mabel cook too?

She has other things to take care of, so I made it all. Oh, except for the pies we fixed together yesterday afternoon.

I look forward t' eatin' with y'all. I gotta tell y'all, this'll be th' first time t' not eat at home whilst bein' so close. It feels funny.

When do you eat away from home?

Sometimes we, my pa an' me, go outta town t' buy 'r deliver horses.

Mabel came and stood in the doorway, signaling that the food was on the table in the dining room.

You will have to tell me all about that sometime.

Diana quietly explained, before they left the sitting room, that the boardinghouse guest was a man passing through on his way to Jacksonville from Shreveport.

At the dinner table, Mabel indicated that Jeremy was to sit beside Diana, across from the guest. Let me introduce y'all two gents. Mr. Rhodes, this here's Jeremy Farnsworth. He lives on a ranch outside of town an's a friend of ars. Jeremy, Mr. Rhodes here is from Shreveport goin' t' see his daughter an' meet his first grandbaby over in Jacksonville.

Congratulations on th' new grandbaby, Mr. Rhodes.

Thank ya. You c'n call me Danny, son. Fair Play's a right friendly town. I noticed no saloons. Nice an' quiet. Seems like a good place t' raise a family. Th' school's good sized for a town this size. Lots of young'ns here?

We like it. Th' families 'round here're good sized, I s'pose. Y'all thinkin' 'bout leavin' Lou'siana?

Nah, been there too long. Put down roots, ya know?

Diana asked Mr. Rhodes, How did your daughter end up in Jacksonville?

The man she married was just visiting in Shreveport from Jacksonville. So when they married they made Jacksonville home.

Musta b'n a long visit, Jeremy commented without thinking how it might be mistaken.

It wasn't planned thataway. He stuck 'round t' git t' know my Dinah better.

It sounds like a romantic love story, fit fer a book, Mabel commented. Well, let's tuck into this b'fore it gits cold. Miss Diana made a right fine meal t'night. I always say grace first.

After supper, Diana suggested to Jeremy that he join her on the bench swing strung from a tree branch in the back yard. They ducked out the kitchen door unnoticed. They sat together, gently swinging, without talking for almost half an hour. Diana was watching fireflies and the changes in the sky, the billowy clouds skittering by a bit too quickly. Do you think a thunderstorm is coming? Look at those clouds scurrying past.

Could be.

Will you be safe getting home? I would hate to see you struck by lightning or soaked to the skin in a downpour.

"Yeah,