Carolyn Davidson (15 page)

“Oh, Josie! What a time you’ve had.” Cassie shook her head, her heart aching for the young woman. “You know your mother wants you here, don’t you, Josie? This is your home.”

“I always felt kind of left out, even when I was young,”
Josie said quietly. “With three brothers around, my father didn’t pay me much mind, and Ma was always so busy keeping things up…” She shrugged, a lifting of her shoulders that spoke of the futility of her existence here as a young girl.

“Well, now’s your chance to make it right with your mother,” Cassie told her firmly. “And Will is going to be fine, you’ll see. He loves you, Josie. Would you like to see the moccasins he brought you?”

“He brought me something?” Her voice was hopeful, and Cassie stifled a surge of disappointment. She’d give the beaded moccasins to their rightful owner, even though she’d cherished them as the first gift Will had ever given her.

“Moccasins. I think he said he got them in Texas. I’ll run upstairs and find them as soon as we finish cleaning up the kitchen,” Cassie offered. “I had to wear them for a couple of days, so they’re not brand-new,” she cautioned. “But just wait until you see them. They’re so pretty.”

“I gave her the moccasins.” In the silence of repletion her words were soft, barely disturbing the air, whispering across his chest like a spring breeze. She shifted, her leg easing its way across his belly, the inside of her calf rubbing lightly against the dark patch of hair that guarded his manhood. It stirred a bit beneath her touch, and she sighed.

“I thought you said you couldn’t possibly move until morning.” The whisper was seductive this time, but the stiffening of his body, combined with the impotent snarl he uttered, warned her she had not succeeded in warming him to her purpose.

“I gave the moccasins to you.” His hand moved quickly, snatching her ankle, long fingers circling it without the faintest hint of a caress, and sliding her left leg to rest
beside the right one. “When I want you to give Josie a gift, I’ll let you know.”

She snaked an arm across his chest, tucking her fingers in his armpit. “You bought them for her,” she reminded him gently.

“I don’t know why Ma never said anything in her letter about Josie leavin’ Maggie here and runnin’ off with her gamblin’ man.”

Cassie blew a small breath against his chest, stretching up just a bit to brush her lips across his flat male nipple. “Probably because she knew you’d put up a fuss, just like you have ever since Josie came home.”

“I haven’t said a damn thing to her!” His hand against her forehead applied just enough force to move her from the spot she had chosen to tease with her tongue.

“That’s the whole problem, Will. You act like she’s not even here, except for when you growl and give her one of your dirty looks.” Her fingers tangled in the hair beneath his arm and she tugged a bit.

The muscles in his arm tightened, squeezing her fingers in place. “Just cut that out, Cassie. You’re not gonna get around me with your shenanigans. I’m willing to let Josie stay here, so long as she takes care of Maggie and does her share around the place. I’ll probably feel better about it when I see she’s plannin’ on stickin’ around.”

“I didn’t know you could be so hard-hearted, Will.”

His voice growled in her ear, vibrating against the wall of his chest. “I just believe in bein’ up front about things. I guess I was raised to tell the truth, and that’s what I’m doin’ right now. I still feel guilty as hell over tellin’ that sheriff you were my wife. I feel some better knowin’ I’ve made it right, but lyin’ is about the worst sin I can think of. If I can’t trust the people I love, who can I depend on?”

He turned a bit, enclosing her in his embrace and whispering
with an intensity that vibrated throughout her being. “I’ll never be dishonest with you, Cassie, and I expect the same from you.”

Cassie was silent, the almost forgotten specter of death shattering her cocoon of comfort. She’d lied from the first, telling Will she’d run off from Remus Chandler, threatening him with a knife. She’d let him claim her as his wife. She’d allowed him to speak marriage vows with her, and even put a baby in her belly. All with the horror of that night unspoken between them.

Perhaps now was the time to speak the words that might take him from her forever. What would he say if she were to blurt out the facts of that night?
I killed a man. I stabbed him in the back and washed his blood from my hands in the stream.

How could she explain her fear? How could Will forgive the deception she’d tangled them in from the first? He didn’t even love her—why would he be inclined to keep her with him, should she admit to such a crime? Perhaps because of their child?

Cassie’s hand slipped to rest against the soft flesh of her belly where not even the slightest bulge announced the presence of the baby they’d made in this bed. She’d protect that small bit of flesh with her life, if need be. Rotting in a jail cell or dangling from a rope might be a fitting end for a murderer; but her child deserved a life, and if deceit on her part could provide it, she would be forever silent.

“Cassie? You sleepin’ down there?” Will’s deep, rumbling tones stirred her from the frantic thoughts that beset her and she shook her head, wincing as the locks tangled beneath his arm pulled at her scalp.

“Let me loose, Will,” she mumbled. “You’re lying on my hair.” Gone was the playful mood she’d worked hard to create between them earlier. Only a deep sadness remained
to wrap her in its depths. She turned from him, gathering up the length of her hair, quickly plaiting it in a rough braid.

Will waited while she settled herself, then curled his long body behind her, his knees pushing up beneath her bottom, his arm tugging her in place. “You don’t think it’s bad for the baby, me lovin’ you every night, do you, Cass?”

She shook her head. If he took away the joy she found in their hours alone beneath these covers, she’d be bereft of comfort. The love she felt for the man she’d married could be expressed only by the giving of her self into his keeping. She’d told him once aloud, and he’d accepted her declaration without comment.

She closed her eyes, soaking in the warmth of his big body, luxuriating in the feel of his hand cupping her breast. It was all right, she decided with firm resolve. If he never told her he loved her, she’d survive. And the fact was, he’d managed to convince her pretty thoroughly that he enjoyed the warmth of her body and the pleasure he found in her arms.

For now, that would be enough.

E
ben and Louise came right from church, their spankingnew two-seated surrey gleaming in the sunshine. With a great flourish of prancing hooves and bells jingling on the harness, the vehicle halted near the back door and Eben scanned the yard.

“It’s Eben,” Josie whispered from behind the kitchen curtain.

“Well, go on out and tell your brother hello,” Clara told her, standing in front of the open oven door, sliding a pan of biscuits from sight.

“Does he know I’m here?”

“Well, if he doesn’t, he will in a minute, won’t he?” her mother asked practically.

“Hello in there!” Eben called, sliding from the surrey and lifting his arms to Louise. Swinging her to the ground in a flurry of skirts, he gave her a quick kiss, then looked around.

“I saw that, Eben,” came Will’s mocking call from the door of the barn. “Kissin’ in broad daylight, like a newlywed.”

Louise blushed, ducking her head in obvious embarrassment,
and Eben laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist and ushering her to the porch.

“You come over to give me a hand in the barn?” Will asked, his long strides bringing him to the pump.

“Naw, we just thought Ma might have enough dinner cooked for two more,” Eben said with a laugh. “Louise here is always hungry.”

The water splashed into the trough and Will ducked his head beneath the flow, scrubbing at his face, then washing his hands quickly with a bit of soap. He stood up, long fingers combing through his dark hair, and headed for the house.

“How come no one came to church this morning?” Eben asked him quietly, eyeing the screen door. “Is Ma all right? Where’s Maggie?”

“Ma’s fine and Maggie’s out back, lookin’ at the mares and their babies. We ended up with seventeen foals, did you know that?”

“No, haven’t had time to come by lately, what with spring planting.” Eben shuffled his feet. “Uh, look, Will. I heard tell in church that Josie came home. Mr. Hogan’s boy said he brought her out here in a wagon. Said she didn’t have any baggage, and she looked pretty poorly.”

“She’s here, Eben.” Will glanced at the kitchen window. “Probably watchin’ us from behind the curtain.”

“Well, why in hell didn’t somebody tell us? I’ll bet Samuel doesn’t know either, does he?” He took the steps with his long-legged stride, leaving Louise wide-eyed and abandoned.

“Josie?” He was in the kitchen as he called his sister’s name and then there was silence, except for the soft sound of a woman’s tears.

“Josie never did cry very quietly,” Will told Louise,
snatching his hat from his head and swatting it against his leg. “Might’s well come on in, Louise.”

His hand between her shoulders, he opened the screen door and followed her across the threshold. Eben had his hands full, what with Josie crying on his shoulder and both Clara and Cassie looking on vigilantly.

“I’m sorry, Eben, it’s just so good to see you,” Josie managed between sobbing and blowing her nose on the white handkerchief her brother offered.

“I sure am glad you’re not sad about it, Jo, or we’d both be floating away,” Eben said, his voice more cheerful than the somber look in his eyes. He held her away, scanning her slender form. “You need a little fattening up, sis.”

“Well, I’ve been here four days, and between Ma and Cassie, they’ve been feeding me at least six times a day,” she said with a catch in her voice. “I ought to be looking like that fat old sow out in the pigsty any day now.”

“Not much chance of that,” Clara scoffed. “She’s still too spare for Cassie’s dresses, and Lord knows there sure ain’t much to that young’un.”

“Well, it appears Cassie’ll soon be needin’ new ones,” Will said with a knowing look at his wife. “She won’t be fitting into hers much longer. Maybe Ma can take them in and pass them along to Josie.”

Eben looked at Louise and winked. His arm fell from Josie’s waist and he moved to where his wife waited by the doorway. “Would Cassie by chance have the same problem we do?” he asked in a loud whisper, his mouth fully a foot from her ear.

Louise blushed again, her elbow jabbing without a trace of pity into her husband’s ribs.

“Oof…” he grunted. “What’d you do that for, Lou?”

“You don’t have to tell everybody so soon,” she
scolded. “Being in the family way’s sort of a private thing.”

Eben looked around the kitchen, lifting his brows in feigned surprise. “Well, it sure enough looks like we’re surrounded by family here, sweetie. And I didn’t hear Cassie fussin’ at Will when he told her news right out loud.”

“
She’s
going to fuss at him later on,” Cassie put in, glaring at Will for Eben’s benefit. Her mouth wobbled as she frowned her best at him, and then she chuckled, eyeing Louise’s waistline. “I don’t see where Louise is going to need any new clothes for a while, Eben. If anybody gets new clothes, I think it ought to be Josie. She’ll have to eat hearty for a while before she can wear mine.”

“I found a couple of things in Maggie’s room I left here, and they’ll do me,” Josie said, her tears a thing of the past. Her eyes darted to Will as if she sought some sign from that direction. “I wouldn’t think of taking Cassie’s new things.”

Will cleared his throat in a noisy fashion, looking at Cassie— as if for approval, if she knew anything about it. “I was just teasin’, Jo. I thought we might take a trip to town when we take Ma’s eggs in this week and pick up a dress or two for you.”

“I don’t want to be any trouble,” Josie said quietly.

Cassie stepped to her side. “You’re not a bit of bother, so don’t say that again, you hear?” With a cautioning look at Will, she continued. “Will just hasn’t had time to go into town this week. He’s been planning on buying you some new clothes since you got here.”

And if that was a lie, she’d just go right ahead and commit what Will thought was a mortal sin, for Josie’s benefit. But Will apparently was willing to forgive her words of appeasement, and he nodded his agreement.

“Well, at least for a couple of days,” he amended, with a glance at Cassie’s wary expression.

“When’s your baby coming?” Louise asked eagerly, stepping closer to Cassie.

“First of January, Will says,” Cassie answered.

“Will says?” Eben repeated, one eyebrow lifting in mocking query. “You the expert around here, big brother?”

“I’m going to beat you by a month or so,” Louise said quietly, ignoring her husband. “I figure around Thanksgiving time.” Her smile was brilliant as she touched Cassie’s arm. “I’ve been wanting to come over and get to know you better, Cassie. That one day we were here, we didn’t have much time to talk, and you were having a hard time just figuring out who everyone was. But Eben’s been so busy with the new calves and planting and I’ve had four clutches of new chicks hatch.”

“We’ll make time, Louise,” Cassie assured her, her spirits soaring as she stood between the two women who had become her sisters the day she married Will. There was a lot to be said for family, she decided. “Did you ever know Josie?” she asked, reaching to pull Will’s sister closer.

Louise nodded. “We used to go to school in town together. I was a couple of years behind Josie, but I always thought she was so lucky to live in the same house as Eben.”

“Well, you sure got your wish, didn’t you, honey?” Eben said, grinning at his wife. He turned to Josie. “You home for good, Jo? Where’s that husband of yours?”

Josie looked stricken, her eyes seeking Will’s, as if for guidance.

He met her gaze and nodded. “Let’s go on out to the barn, Eben. Got a problem with one of the colts, a sore on his leg I can’t seem to get healed up.”

Eben grinned at the women grouped by the stove. “It’s kinda crowded in here, anyway, Will. These ladies need room to get dinner on the table, and we sure wouldn’t want to hold them up.”

The two men went out the door and across the yard, heads together as they talked, their broad shoulders looking identical, their longs legs eating up the distance to the barn.

“Eben looks good,” Josie said, blowing her nose once more on her brother’s handkerchief.

“Oh, Josie, it’s so wonderful that you’re home,” Louise said, reaching for her own hug of greeting. “Eben really missed you, you know.”

“Where is he?” Eben asked without preamble, his usually cheerful face dark with concern and the beginning of anger as he strode beside his brother.

“Damned if I know,” Will answered. “Probably a good thing he’s not handy or I’d be tempted to go gunnin’ for him.”

“That bad?” Eben asked.

“He faked a wedding, conned Josie into believing a friend of his was a judge.”

“When did she find out?” Eben stopped in the barn door and looked toward the house.

“About the time he decided he didn’t need her hangin’ around anymore. Told her to skedaddle and walked away.”

“She looks pretty puny.”

Will nodded. “I was sore at her, leavin’ Maggie here last year and takin’ off like she did. But Ma reminded me I didn’t have much to brag about myself, and by the time Cassie got done with me, I’d pretty much gotten over fussin’ about it. Just had to blow off a little steam, I guess.”

“She can come to us if there isn’t room here, Will,”
Eben offered with alacrity. “We’ve got an extra bedroom and Louise would be glad of the help.”

“No, I doubt Cassie and Ma would let her go. They’ve been hoverin’ over her like a newborn calf this week. And Maggie’s at home here. She doesn’t even mention Bennett Percival.”

“I’d like to get my hands on that bastard,” Eben growled.

“I get first crack,” Will announced. “You’ll have to get in line.”

“Not if I see him first,” Many Fingers said from the first stall. Backing from its depths, he closed the door behind him and nodded greetings at Eben.

“The man doesn’t stand a chance,” Will muttered. “Especially once Samuel finds out about the stunt he pulled.”

“Does he know Jo’s here?” Eben asked.

Will shook his head. “I’ve been busy. Haven’t been off the place all week.”

“I’ll stop by on our way home later and tell him,” Eben offered. “He’ll want to come by and see her.”

The sun was a red ball falling toward the horizon and the house was quiet. Cassie was curled on the sofa with Maggie, reading to her from a storybook, and Will sat at the kitchen table mending a bridle, his mother offering bits and pieces of news as she mixed a batch of bread to rise for morning.

Josie slipped from the front door, walking around the house beneath the tall maple trees that shaded it from the hot sun during the summer months. From where she stood, she could watch the colts frolicking in the pasture, their mothers standing beneath a cluster of trees, noses to the ground as they fed on the new meadow grass.

A movement caught her eye and she glanced past the
barn to where a tall figure leaned on the fence, watching the small creatures at play. “He’s about as lonely looking as I feel,” she whispered, a sudden impulse tugging her in his direction. His lean strength, his dark, knowing eyes and the innate knowledge that he was drawn to her led her steps.

Many Fingers watched her approach, his eyes hungry as he gazed his fill. “You like the horses?” he asked, his words urging her closer.

She nodded. “They’ve always been my favorite part of the farm. Ma used to send me out to gather eggs and pull weeds in the garden, but I’d rather have worked with the foals.”

“You want to help with them?” he offered, keeping a respectable distance between himself and Will’s sister.

She nodded eagerly. “Do you think Will would let me?”

Many Fingers smiled at her. “I take care of the horses. I’ll tell Will I need your help.”

“What can I do?” Her voice was eager, her eyes sparkling with anticipation as she moved closer to where he stood.

“We’ll fasten a lead rope on them and you can get them used to being handled. They don’t learn a lot, but they need to know a human touch. Mostly they follow, get used to the rope tugging at them.” He watched her closely, his eyes intent on her graceful movements as she moved along the fence.

“Tomorrow morning?” she asked.

“Right after breakfast, if you don’t have work to do in the house.”

“I’m cooking in the morning, so I can come out as soon as I tend to Maggie. Cassie will clear up.” Her mouth lifted in a smile, her face rosy in the rays of the setting sun. “It’s so good to be home.”

“Your brothers want revenge on the man who hurt you,” Many Fingers said quietly. He watched the light fade from her eyes as she looked at him. “I intend to be the one to defend your honor,” he told her. “If he comes anywhere near, he will answer to me for what he did to you.”

“Why?” It was a barely heard sound, whispered through dry lips, confusion alive on her face as she stepped closer to the man who had befriended her.

“You are the sister of my friend. You are a member of Brave One’s family. I would honor him in this way.”

“You’d defend me because of Will?”

He hesitated, perhaps a moment longer than the question merited. And then he shook his head. “Partly, Josephine. Partly because of you.”

“No one calls me Josephine. I’ve been Josie all my life,” she said. “Did Will tell you that was my name?”

Many Fingers nodded. “He told me. I will call you Josephine.”

Her fingertips rose to brush against the heat in her cheeks as Josie watched Many Fingers turn from her.

His hair loose against his shoulders, the Indian walked to where the horses grazed, melting into the shadows beneath the low-hanging branches of the maple trees. With a lithe movement he was astride one of the mares, and without benefit of bridle, with one hand clutching her mane, he rode the sleek animal in a circle, herding the foals and their mothers to the open barn door.

Josie watched in awe as the horses disappeared into the depths of the barn, only an occasional whinny testifying to their presence within its walls. She walked around the big building to the front door and slid it aside, entering the dimly lit interior.

Down the long aisle Many Fingers moved from stall to stall, closing the doors, his low voice murmuring to the
occupants of each stall as he went. His chore complete, he came to where she stood. His dark eyes narrowed as he scanned her slight form, then he lifted one hand to touch her face, his fingers gentle as they cupped her chin.