An Unwilling Husband (22 page)

Maggie wanted to lean around him and tell Anna not to let the door hit her on the backside on the way out. And then possibly bite her. Well-bred women knew the importance of decorum though, and she was a lady. She composed herself and resumed her original straight-backed position as if she were indifferent to his decision.

Garret didn’t even glance her way before he accepted Miss Jennings’s request, the brute! Her heart sank as they headed to the dance floor.

She was smack dab in the middle of the group of eligible females the men were eying for a dance. One rejection was quite enough, so Maggie shuffled to the back of the crowd to lean on the wall. Burke taught Lenny the steps off to the side of the dance floor, and she smiled at his thoughtfulness. Unwillingly, she turned her gaze to her husband and his recently intended. This dance was slower, with simplified steps and more physical contact. Though it required just a touch of the hands here and there, that was still far too much intimacy for the jealousy that sprang up in her heart.

Clint Jennings watched the pair from the other side of the barn, and even if Garret seemed acutely aware of his presence, he still looked to be having fun dancing with the man’s daughter.

The memories of her first meeting with Clint fanned the flames of betrayal, but she had to admit, Garret and Anna made a handsome pair. He was dark, strong and masculine, while Anna was light, fair, small and fragile. A porcelain teacup created only for a hand with the strength to protect it.

She could never compete with a shade such as Anna in their marriage.

By the time she was sure her heart was somewhere between her shins and toes, a man cleared his voice close beside her. She jumped and let out a surprised squeak. One glimpse at the fair haired man had her heart back in place and pounding at a furious pace. What on earth could Wyatt Jennings want of her? Besides a second helping of torture session, naturally.

“I was just noticing what a handsome pair my sister and your husband make.”

Chin lifted, and stifling the urge to stomp the toe of his boot with the heel of hers, she snapped, “Go away.”

“Tsk tsk. Now, is that how you reject all your potential dance partners? It’s no wonder you are still sitting out, then.”

She glared at his face. “Nice claw marks.”

“Yes,” he said thoughtfully, touching his cheek, where four pronounced scratches were etched into his skin. “Ran into a feisty she-cat. No one should ever own a cat without a little fire in them, though. Don’t you think?”

“Wouldn’t know, as I’m not a cat person. Though if you are speaking of a cat as it is a woman, no one would ever own me, sir,” she said in as calm a tone as possible. If only he would grow bored and move along.

Wyatt chuckled. “So how about it, Mrs. Shaw?”

“How about what?”

“A dance? Your husband is taking another woman round the dance floor. Dancing with another man won’t scandalize you any more than he is doing.”

True. It couldn’t get much more embarrassing than the blatant disrespect Garret tossed her way. But oh, she hated this beast of a man so very much! “If I dance with you, will you give me your word you’ll not talk to me for the rest of the night?”

“Not kind, Maggie.”

“That’s Mrs. Shaw to you. Well?”

He gave her a calculating glare. “Done.” Wyatt held out an arm gallantly but she swished around him in her skirts and escorted herself to the dance floor.

No doubt Wyatt Jennings was a handsome and sought after man. With his fair hair, blue eyes and breadth of shoulder which showed incredible strength, not surprising that many a woman’s eyes followed him as he danced with her. She, however, wasn’t impressed in the least. Beneath his handsome exterior slithered a cold blooded snake.

As the first notes of
The Virginia Reel
sang out, Wyatt faced her and said, “I’ve noticed something about you.”

“Oh, and what is that?” She danced toward him and curtsied.

“You lack a certain…how do I say it… Newlywed glow.”

She gave him a disgusted look and twirled away as the dance required.

“What I mean to say is, you and Garret should be happy and caring toward each other. But you seem to dislike each other. It is as if he isn’t connected to you at all.”

Another twirl, and their hands touched while they moved their feet beneath them. Garret, who danced yet again with Anna further down the line, glared back in her direction. At least dancing with Wyatt brought out some sort of emotion from him. It would be completely unfair if she was the only one unhappy.

She jerked her chin up. “That, Mr. Jennings, is none of your business.”

“So I had this thought,” he said, ignoring her. “An epiphany, really. What if you haven’t consummated your marriage yet? Then it can still be undone, you see.”

Lord, how she wished she could leave without causing a scene. A piercing ache had settled in her chest, and she wanted to slap Wyatt. Too many onlookers were watching the dancers, though, so she curtsied and backed up to make room for the first couple to skip down the middle of the two lines.

He lifted his voice over the distance between them. “You deserve better than a man who fails in his marital duties, Maggie. You need a man who will protect you, respect a lady such as yourself.” Wyatt leaned forward and rested his cold, reptilian gaze on her. “You need a man to make you feel things. Touch you.”

“Stop,” she whispered in a ragged murmur. She was close to crying and people were staring.

He pulled back with a hollow smirk. “Let Anna have Garret. You belong with a man of wealth and merit. For God’s sake, at least with a man who’ll bed you.”

Such conversation was wholly inappropriate! She was shocked into silence.

All she wanted was to run, but something needed to be said. “Hear me, Wyatt Jennings. I would never be with a man who kidnaps women at his father’s order. Or a man who has so obviously missed the advantages of a mother’s hugs and is now devoid of empathy for other human beings. You are cruel and dangerous, and I have no doubt in my mind you wouldn’t know what love was unless it speared you through the heart. No, thank you. Not ever.”

As she made to walk away, Wyatt grabbed her arm in a steely grip. She turned around and slapped him across the face. “Unhand me.”

“I’d do as she says, Wyatt,” Garret warned, his voice deep and dangerous. “Or not, but I’ll put a bullet between your eyes. Your choice, I reckon.”

Wyatt laughed cruelly and shoved her away from him. “No need to threaten me, Shaw.” The crowd now gathering around them didn’t deter him from raising his voice. “I was merely pointing out you haven’t bedded poor Maggie here, so your marriage doesn’t seem that real to me, is all. Seems to me she’d do a mite better with a real man.”

With a humorless smile, Garret leaned closer to the man. “This ain’t over, Wyatt,” he said in a soft voice as chilling as ice. “I know it was you who mishandled my wife the other night, and I’ll have my revenge. My lack of retaliation don’t mean I’m weak. Means I’m patient, you hear?”

As Garret dragged her away from the crowd, she couldn’t take her eyes from Anna’s furious face. The enraged woman stood just where she had when Garret had abandoned her on the dance floor.

If looks could kill, Maggie would be dead ten times over.

Chapter 15

Maggie stared off into the dark night with a desperate desire to turn her thoughts off completely. The wagon hit a deep divot in the road and she lurched into Lenny’s shoulder. Garret had requested she sit up front beside him, but she’d graciously declined. Graciously, meaning loudly and borderline rudely.

She was angry, hurt, scared, and above all other emotions, embarrassed. Hearing Wyatt call out their sham of a marriage in front of the town in such a manner was mortifying. To make matters even worse, Garret had thought it necessary to yell at her as they left the barn. He was furious she’d talked to Wyatt, much less danced with him. As if she’d had a choice in the matter. She’d responded that Garret should go back in and finish his night of dancing and fun with Anna, whom he apparently should have married in the first place!

Yes, a petty response, but he had embarrassed her greatly in front of so many strangers, and the words had tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. At least it had made him shut up so she could hear herself think.

The three hour ride home seemed to stretch on for much longer, and the void, filled with an uncomfortable silence. Not even Burke dared to speak, choosing instead to bore straight ahead into the night. The wagon seat creaked whenever Garret looked back at her, but she made sure to keep her head carefully turned away, lest he get the idea to talk to her about the night’s horrid ending in mixed company.

Half way through the everlasting ride to the Lazy S, Lenny put her arm around her shoulders in sympathy, for which she was grateful. Though the person she needed comfort from was so obviously unavailable, at least Lenny’s presence shielded her from dealing with everything alone.

By the time the team reached the entrance to the Lazy S, her blood churned with the slow and steady hum of repressed anger. She slid off the back of the wagon, and Garret pulled the mules to a sudden stop.

“What in the hell do you think you are doing?”

She straightened her dress. “I’m going to walk from here. I know my way.”

“Don’t be like that. Just get in the wagon.”

“Garret, I don’t ask for much. I don’t! But I’m telling you right now, I need to be alone.”

Lenny hopped out of the wagon and said something to Garret in an angry tone.

He sighed in exasperation. “It ain’t safe out here right now. I really wish you weren’t pushin’ this.”

“Well, Mr. Shaw,” she drawled. “You can shit in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up faster.”

Burked barked a laugh and then coughed to cover it up.

Garret glared at her in the moonlight. “Let me walk you, at least.”

“I can’t think of anything that sounds more miserable right now. No thanks.”

“Suit yourself. Don’t come screamin’ to me when you get attacked by a cougar, though.” Garret slapped the reins against the mules’ backs and the wagon disappeared into the darkness.

Unable to see more than fifteen feet in any direction, she glanced around. Perhaps this had not been such a good idea.

Lenny nudged her arm. “He’s just trying to scare you.”

“Great, because clearly he hasn’t done enough,” she muttered in frustration.

She lifted her skirts and ambled along the trail etched into the earth from the countless wheels. It wasn’t a fancy road, but it would do. Lenny fell into step beside her in the other wheel rut.

After a few minutes of silence, Lenny said, “Garret’s wrong, you know.”

“I know, but I still can’t get it out of my head that it’s me. As if I’m not good enough, or pretty enough. No matter what I do, it isn’t enough for him.”

“Has he tried anything with you?”

“Not of his own accord. He lets me know what a thorn I am to him. No one wants to bed a thorn.” The tears finally welled in her eyes. She didn’t want them. “I don’t feel like talking about it anymore.”

Lenny walked quietly beside her until they reached the house and then waved good night and headed for the hands’ cabin. If only she could sneak into the house and go to bed without having to face him. No such luck. He waited at the kitchen table when she came in. Maybe ignoring him would deter him.

It didn’t.

“We need to talk.”

“Fairly sure we don’t. Good night.” She headed for her bedroom but he stood and followed behind her. Though she glared at him, he came into the room without hesitation and sat heavily in the chair in the corner.

“What Wyatt said tonight—” he started.

“It’s true! All of it! He said the words for callous reasons, but he has a point. You have strung me along, and I keep thinking, once he trusts me he’ll give in and care about me. But you won’t, will you? You’ll never care about me. Not the way you care about Anna,” she said, pulling at the laces in the back of her dress. She was tired and hurt and getting ready for bed. He could ignore her indecent body, for all she cared. “Do you even know how hard it is to feel so unwanted all the time? I’m plain and outspoken, but I’m still a person. With feelings, and wants, and those revolve around giving love and desiring it returned. That makes you think I’m a stupid girl, but I’m not. I wasn’t built as cold as you were, Garret. I know you care nothing for me, but surely I don’t deserve to be treated thusly.”