Lou walked into the school ready for a fight. She'd feared something like this would happen since Rachel married Dr. Sanders while school had been out for the summer. The board had advertised and finally settled on a young lady the paper said had been to school not only back east but in Paris too. Her name was Kathleen Jackson; she was a widow who had most recently taught at a girl's school in St. Louis according to the same article in the paper.
Mrs. Jackson stood at the board writing out what Lou figured was the next day's assignment. Reaching the front of the teacher's desk she said, "Mrs. Jackson?"
As the woman turned around a hint of recognition tingled in Lou's memory but she couldn't quite place the woman. "May I help you?" Mrs. Jackson asked.
"I'm Isaac's mother, he said you wanted to see me," Lou said a bit on edge. She was trying not to judge the woman too quickly but she didn't like what Mac had told her earlier. She had been at the jail to see when Buck was going to be back since she was worried about one of the horses when Mac and the other two children had come in very upset. Belle had done most of the talking telling her what had happened.
A few of the older boys had started teasing Hawk calling him a half-breed and saying how Buck was just living off of Lou. Belle had overheard the teasing and gone to Hawk's defense. When one of the boys pushed her down Mac had hit the boy and had then told the others to leave Hawk and Belle alone or he would see to it that they did. The boy had gone to the teacher and told her that Mac had hit him for no reason. Mrs. Jackson decided, according to Belle, that her children were just lying to protect Hawk who the teacher had insisted had probably started the fight given his heritage. When Mrs. Jackson demanded Mac apologize to the other boy he'd refused and that was when she had told him he couldn't return to school until his parents had spoken with her.
"Ah, yes, Mrs. McSwain," the teacher said and when Lou started to correct her she continued, "I know what you are going to say, Mrs. McSwain," Mrs. Jackson said holding up a hand, "but I must insist that Isaac apologize to both me and Sonny before he is allowed to return to school."
"Mac says he didn't start the fight that Sonny did," Lou said as she crossed her arms and prepared for battle. The hint of recognition became stronger as she spoke to the woman but Lou couldn't put her finger on just who she was.
"I'm sure he sees it that way but he was the one to throw the first punch," she held up her hand up again as Lou started to speak. "I know he thinks he was just standing up for his little friend…who, just between us, I believe he has a crush on from the way he looks out for Annabelle McCloud but he must not start fights. It is no way for a gentleman to behave. And to tell you the truth Mrs. McSwain, I recommend that you speak to him about who he chooses to befriend."
"Excuse me," Lou said, clearly getting the meaning of what the teacher was saying and Lou's dislike for the woman grew by leaps and bounds.
Mrs. Jackson sat down at her desk and clasped her hands in front of her. "I've heard that Annabelle's father was a Confederate solider. Now if that is not bad enough, he has also taken to defending and standing up for James Cross, who if I'm not mistaken is a half-breed." She paused as if to let that sink into Lou's brain then continued, "I know you are a good mother from the fine young man Isaac is, but I'm sure you will agree with me that he must be more careful of who he chooses to befriend."
Lou stared at the teacher befuddled. Was the woman a complete idiot? Sweetwater was still a very small town and she didn't see how the woman hadn't heard about how the three were being raised by her and Buck or that she was Hawk's…James'…mother. "Mrs. Jackson, how long have you been in Sweetwater?" Lou asked only a hint of anger in her voice.
"Only the last few days, my stage was late due to the storm last week," the prim looking teacher replied. "But I have dealt with James Cross's like before. I lived here for a short time when I was younger."
"Oh?" Lou asked looking closer at the teacher she finally recognized the woman and her hate for the teacher grew until she was ready to reach across the desk and slap her.
"Yes, my father once owned the bank but due to some misfortune we were forced to move back east," the teacher replied. "Also, there was a slight indiscretion on my part that caused my father a great deal of pain and embarrassment. That dealing with a half-breed ended with a beloved associate of his getting killed by one that worked for the Pony Express."
"I remember that incident very well," Lou replied, she wanted to call the woman every name in the book but she had other things to attend to first. "Hum, does the school board know of this indiscretion of yours?"
"Well, I did mention it to a few but they assured me it wouldn't be a problem."
"Did you tell them exactly what happened?"
The teacher became very defensive then. "There was no reason to. They assured me…"
Lou laughed. "I know all about your 'indiscretion' as you call it." Finally Lou smiled but it was a cold angry one. "Did you really marry Miss Devlin or did you just assume the name for respectability?"
Kathleen Devlin Jackson drew herself up very straight as she stood. "I will have you know Mrs…"
"Cross."
"Cross?" The color drained out of Kathleen's face.
"Yes, not McSwain, not McCloud…Cross, Miss Devlin," Lou said as she stepped up beside the teacher on the platform where the teacher's desk sat. "As in Buck Cross. You do remember him don't you?" Lou vaguely heard the door shut in the back of the school room. "You know the man you used and then threw away. The man you hurt so bad he almost left because of you. YOU…YOU…" Lou couldn't think of anything to call the woman that equaled what she thought of her, so she settled for, "BITCH!" Her anger grew as she continued, "Mac, is our son, we adopted him when his parents died. Belle is my daughter but Buck has been a father to her since she was born and her pa went off to fight for what was once his home. James Hawk Cross is my son! And no one…NO ONE…calls them names, or degrades them like you have without answering to me!" Lou drew back ready to punch the uppity teacher the way she'd wanted to since that time the woman had betrayed Buck and hurt him. But as she started to swing, a hand grabbed her wrist.
"Louise! I don't think you should be doing this just now," Teaspoon said as he held her wrist.
Lou shot him an angry look that spoke volumes. "You know who she is?"
"I do now, darlin'," Teaspoon replied.
"Then let me at her," Lou said trying to pull her hand out of Teaspoon's grasp.
"No, you head on over to the doc's to get the kids and go home. Buck and the others are due back in the morning and you can sort it out then," Teaspoon said as he lowered her hand and turned her toward the door. As Lou turned back around and started to swing again he said, "Don't make me lock you up unt…"
Lou swung then hitting Kathleen as hard as she could. "Marshal, I insist you put this mad woman in jail for the safety of others," she said from where she landed on the floor, her hand over her eye.
Teaspoon nodded as he turned Lou back toward the door. "I'll be doing that…but not for you, miss." Nodding toward Lou he said, "But for her. She's a good woman but she's got a temper where her family is concerned."
"Well, I never! You can explain to the school board then why I feel it is necessary to resign immediately!" Kathleen shouted.
Lou turned and smiled at the woman. "Be right glad to, ma'am," she said. And she knew at that moment Kathleen figured out who she was.
"You were one of that Pony Express bunch!"
"Yep," Lou laughed, "and I suggest you make a hasty retreat out of town since my half-breed husband, my rebel ex-husband, and Wild Bill are due back tomorrow."
Kathleen paled again as Lou and Teaspoon walked out of the school room, Teaspoon shaking his head.
***********
"That's why my wife is in a jail cell, Teaspoon?" Buck asked as Teaspoon finished relating the events that landed Lou in jail. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as Teaspoon had related the story to them.
"Only for safety," Teaspoon replied. "Besides she's been right fine company."
Lou blushed as Jimmy asked, "She really walloped the woman?"
"Yep, she has a real nice black eye to take with her as she leaves town," Teaspoon said a hint of pride in his voice.
Kid, along with Jimmy and Buck, was having a hard time not laughing. "Which is when?"
"In about ten minutes if the stage is on time," Teaspoon said as he stood and handed Buck the key to Lou's cell. "Take her home and keep her busy until that stage is good and gone. She might not stop at one punch if she sees Mrs. Jackson again." Teaspoon headed toward the door of the jail motioning Jimmy and Kid to follow. "Besides if you're keeping her busy she'll be keeping you busy too and then I won't have to worry about either of you."
Jimmy looked at Kid as they walked out of the jail, grinning he said, "You know we ought to see that the teacher makes it safely out of town without Lou lighting into her again."
Kid's eyes took on a mischievous glint as he replied, "You know we just might ought to do that."
As they passed Teaspoon he shook his head. "Don't you two go causing any trouble!" he shouted after them as they headed toward the stage office.
To Be Continued ……