The Laws of Attraction by Mary Connealy

Author:Mary Connealy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance;Western fiction;Romance fiction;Novels;FIC042110;FIC042030;FIC027100
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2023-04-12T00:00:00+00:00

20

As she stepped outside, Brand caught sight of her just as he was boosting the girls up onto their horses.

He led the critters over and helped the girls dismount. “We never told the girls your big news. Do you have time to tell them, or do you have work to do?”

Nell smiled. “First of all, did your pa tell you where he was going at such a clip earlier?”

Cassie said, “He said Miss Pruitt’s bull was hurt and needed doctoring.”

“That’s right, and your pa was the best of all of us. Four of us rode out from town. Clint from the diner, the doctor, your pa, and me. Miss Pruitt had a lot of cowhands there, too. The bull needed threads put in a whole lot of cuts, but I think he’ll be all right. We did our best, and the big guy was up and eating oats when we left.”

“Pa used to work with the animal doctor who served the folks in the hills and hollers of the Ozarks where we lived.” Michaela beamed at him with pride.

“That’s what we were doing all afternoon,” said Brand, “and we were riding home when Mrs. Armstrong told me some exciting news.”

As the girls stared at her expectantly, Nell realized for just a few seconds she’d forgotten about the murder. She smiled at the girls. “I was appointed to be the new justice of the peace in Pine Valley. Parson Blodgett did the job before me. A justice of the peace serves as judge at a trial. There are other legal tasks I’ll be responsible for, too. I sign the deeds when folks come to the area and homestead. That’s handled at the land office mostly, but the deeds need an authorized signature from the local authorities, and that’s me. I can perform weddings, as well. There are other things, and we can talk about all of it later, but right now I need to get on with something else. What I do want to say is, it’s a huge honor for them to ask a woman to do the job. As far as I know, a lady named Esther Morris over in South Pass City is the only other woman justice of the peace in all of America.”

“So you’re the second one?” Samantha’s eyes grew wide. “The second one in the whole country? Mrs. Armstrong, that’s such an exciting thing.”

“Wyoming Territory is a land of equality, girls. In Wyoming a woman can do any job she’s able to do with no law standing in her way. You’ve come to a very modern place to live. No other states or territories give women so much freedom. I think my new job is a step that will advance the cause of women’s rights all over the country. I certainly intend to uphold the job with as much wisdom and care as any man would show.”

All three girls listened with rapt attention as she spoke, then sighed.

“I’ve never been prouder.” Brand gave a firm nod of his chin.

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