Mabel woke early from a restless night of broken sleep. She climbed from her bed and slipped on her dressing robe stopping to look out the window on her way to the wash basin. The sky looked clear, they would have a sunny day for their wedding. That was the first hurtle of the long and tiring day that awaited them.
Splashing cold water on her face her mind flashed back to the conversation of the day before. Her stomache felt queezy.
Placing the kettle on the stove to heat her morning coffee she decided she had better eat something as well. Opening the tin on top of the warming oven she removed a biscuit and poured a spoonful of molasses over the top. The sight of it made her feel sick.

' How awful could it be? ' she wondered again. ' Just close your eyes and it will be over quickly ' she reminded herself.
Gagging on the biscuit, she gulped down a mouthful of coffee which disagreed with her stomache almost instantly.
' I can't do this, ' she told herself. ' I have to, I promised Jack ' was her next thought.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Marshal Craddock was already beating on the corporal's door. " Clive! Git up! You gonna sleep all day?" he shouted.

Clive Bennett answered the door wearing only his mountie britches, "Go away Jack. It's too early."

" What? It ain't too early. In case ya didn't know I'm gettin' married taday Clive. I gotta get ready."

" The wedding isn't for hours Jack." The corporal observed the clock as he climbed back into bed. "Go home and have a bath."

" Ya don't think she's gonna change her mind do ya Clive?"

" She'd be a fool if she didn't Jack." the mountie replied as he pulled the covers up over his shoulders.

The room fell silent. Clive opened one eye hoping the marshal was gone....he wasn't.

" I'm kidding Craddock. She'll be there. Now go home."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mabel was leaning against the stall door rubbing Abby's nose when Archie Stanton walked through the main door.

"Good mornin' miss, nice day fer a wedding." he smiled as he tipped his hat.

"Hello Archie." she replied solemly. "It's a beautiful day."

"Nice animal that," he nodded towards the horse, "should fetch a decent price."

"What?"

"When the marshal sells her....of course she isn't saddle broke, that'll bring the price down a wee bit.... still, she should fetch a fair amount just the same." Archie replied, as he opened the back door and proceeded to light the forge.

Mabel couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stormed from the livery and made her way through the tall grass behind Marie's house, climbing the back steps she banged on the door.
The doctor was in her kitchen, removing fresh bread from the oven when Mabel barged in.

"Mabel! Good morning." immediately she set the pan of bread on the table and asked "What's wrong?"

"Jack plans to sell my horse once we're married. I told you Marie, I knew he would do this! Men are all the same...when I become his wife, I become his property and my belongings become his...well that's it...I won't do it. The wedding is off!" And she stormed out the door just as angry as when she had come in.

Crossing the street she stomped up each of the steps leading to Craddock's door. Jack was in the tub when he heard the approaching footsteps.

"I ain't decen.." he started to say, but before he finished his sentence the door flew open and Mabel stood before him....mad.

" Mabel!" he shouted as he reached for the towel on the chair.
Covering himself, he waited for her response. She was angry, he knew that by the look on her face. "What in tarnation is wrong now? You look madder 'n a wet hen!"

"Do I?"

Jack was puzzled. The tone in her voice said he had done somethin' wrong, but he had only just gotten outta bed an hour since.

" I am mad Jack! You have no respect for my feelings!... You're a man!... I suppose I won't be able to speak unless I have your permission first? Well I don't want a new hat! I hate hats!" she screamed.

The expression on the marshal's face didn't change, he was puzzled. "Ya know woman...sometimes you don't make a lick a sense."

Mabel put her hands on her hips and drew a deep breath. She felt a little better now, calmer. "Do you intend to sell Abby?"

" Well...I....s'ppose I sorta... thought of it."

"You know I love her Jack!...She's not just a horse."

" It ain't like she's a dog er nothin', 'sides, I got three horses now I gotta stable at the livery. Once yer done workin' I ain't gonna be able to afford ta keep another one."

"So sell one of yours," Mabel insisted.

"I need three...and Abby ain't saddle broke....ya mind turnin' around so's I can git outta this thing and git dressed?"

"I'm leaving Jack, and when you're ready you can come and find me and tell me if I need to put on my wedding dress." she moved towards the door.

" Huh?...now hold up there a minute!...You sayin' you ain't gonna marry me cuz of a horse?"

Turning to face him again she moved towards the tub, bending down so her face almost touched his, she stared into his eyes.
"You don't respect my feelings," she replied calmly," you were going to make a decision that affects me without so much as giving me the opportunity to voice my opinion.... Now tell me Jack, why would I want to marry a man like that?"

" Now look here Mabel...it's the man what does the decidin'!.. That's the law." Jack defended himself.

"Don't go hiding behind your badge marshal, that's an outdated law." her voice stayed calm, she finally felt in control of her temper.
" A woman has as much right to decide things as her husband does, if we're going to share our lives...then we're going to share the decision making too."
With a feeling of victory Mabel walked out the door and eased it shut behind her.

Jack was left to wonder what in tarnation any of that had to do with hats? Mabel was a mystery. Couteau was right, he said Mabel was full of foolish ideas.
Imagine...a woman tellin' her husband what to do.
Jack pulled on his good clothes and combed his hair. Looking at his reflection in the mirror he asked himself a serious question, ' Am I gonna put my foot down like a husband's s'pposed to....or am I gonna let Mabel be the boss? ' He didn't take kindly to the idea of a woman tellin' him what was what. But then again, she had a point, he saw the way Mabel's pa ruled his family, Jack didn't take kindly to that neither.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mabel walked into Marie's parlour in time to see Sally filling the tub by the fireplace.

"Well it's about time you got here...I was beginning to worry." Sally smiled. "Now get undressed and get in."

Mabel did as she was told. "Where's Marie?"

"Wendell needed something from the store, she'll be right back."

Noticing how quiet her friend was, Sally continued, "Marie told me you were angry with the marshal this morning...I hope this won't effect your plans."

"So do I Sally." Mabel said as she slid her head under the water.

"Marshal!" Sally shouted at Jack as he stepped in the room. The woman rushed towards him in horror flailing her arms and screaming "Get out, get out!"

Mabel bobbed her head above the surface in time to hear Jack apologizing as Sally pushed him out the door.

"Imagine! He just walked in like that without so much as knocking! Some people have no sense of common decency."

The front door opened again and this time Marie stepped inside. "Mabel, Jack would like to speak with you. He's waiting on the front porch."

She hurried to get dressed and much to Sally's disapproval, she went outside to talk with her intended.
Jack was dressed in his finest clothes, Mabel felt optimistic.
Holding his hat in his hand, he looked out over the town, as if surveying the land.

"Jack?" Mabel stepped closer and stood behind him... resting her chin on his shoulder and putting her arms around his waist, she hugged him.
"I love you Jack." she whispered in his ear.

"But you ain't gonna marry me." he said sadly, looking down at the hat he held in his hands.

She felt a lump in her throat that seemed to get bigger no matter how hard she swallowed.
"Maybe we can't afford to keep four horses, but shouldn't that be something we both decide?" she said softly.

Turning around to face her, he asked, "If I agree ta let ya have a say....only 'bout certain things..."

"Yes!" she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Marie, who had been watching from the window with Sally, suddenly rushed through the door and grabbed Mabel by the hand, " Now go away Jack! We have a wedding to get ready for."