Hannah's Dream (34 page)

"Smell the pine trees," she said.

"I've grown fond of Colorado," Owen replied.  "At first I didn't care for the mountains, but the air is wonderfully clean."

"I miss the beach," Hannah said.  "I loved the salty air."

"Do you ever think of going back?" he asked.

Adam came to mind.  "My home is where my family is," she said.  "And now they're here."

They stood side by side gazing at the stars.  Hannah was resting her hands on the railing around the balcony and Owen put his hand on hers.  She looked up and smiled.  He turned toward her and she turned, too.

"Hannah," he said.  "I've also grown fond of you."

She felt her cheeks growing hot.  He was standing very close and she wondered if he meant to kiss her.

"I know we haven't known each other a long time, but I think you're a marvelous girl.  I'd like to court you.  I'd like you to consider marrying me."

"Oh," Hannah said.  "You're right.  We haven't known each other long.  Are you sure?"

"The day I spoke to your mother, I wasn't.  But I've had time to think about things and I truly believe, if we don't mention your mother's family, you will be perfectly acceptable to my parents."

Hannah was confused.  Why had he said that about her mother?

"Your father, on the other hand, would be old money and perfectly acceptable to them.  This should quash any concerns they have regarding your background."

Now Hannah was angry.  He was saying she wasn't good enough for him.  She was about to tell him she would never dream of hurting his fine reputation by marrying him when a boy dressed in dirty clothes ran over to him and tugged on his sleeve.

"You gotta come, doc.  It's Ma.  She's sick.  The baby won't come."

"I'll be right there.  You wait outside for me."  He turned to Hannah and put his hands on her shoulders.  He kissed the top of her head and then looked at her.  "I'll talk to your mother after church on Sunday."

As he left her standing alone, she clenched her fists.  The kiss made her feel as though she were a child.  How dare he say such things about her mother?  What was wrong with her family?  His arrogance astounded her.  She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't see Adam emerge from the shadows.

"Are you all right?" Adams said.

Hannah turned toward the sound of his voice.  He came to her and leaned against the railing.

"I'm fine," she said.  She turned her gaze away from his face.

"Don't marry him," Adam said.

"What did you say?" she said.

"I said don't marry him, Hannah.  He doesn't love you."

"How do you know how he feels?"

"I just know it."

"Adam, I appreciate your concern, but..."

Adam grabbed her hand and pulled her into the shadows.  He pressed her against the wall of the house and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I heard what he said about your ma.  He's saying you're not good enough for him."

She moved her shoulders trying to get out of his grip.  "Adam, let go of me."

"He'll always remind you.  He'll use it against you and hurt you."

"You don't know what you're talking about.  Let me go!"

"I lived with two people who treated me that way, like I wasn't fit to lick their boots.  You deserve better than him."

His passion overrode his sense and he leaned down and kissed her.  His kiss was warm yet firm.  She felt herself melting in his arms.  John Liberty's kisses hadn't been like this.  As she was putting her arms around him, he pulled away from her and held her face.

"I love you, Hannah.  I have since the first day I saw you.  If you marry him, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

She stared up at him with tears glistening in her eyes and pulled his head toward her and kissed him.  The kiss lasted longer this time, and when they parted, she smiled.

"I love you, too, Adam."

He put his arms around her shoulders and smothered her in a bear hug.

"Do you mean it?" he said.  "You really love me?"

"I really do."

They held each other for a long time and when they parted, they stood and looked at the stars.  All their doubts were gone.  She leaned her head against his chest, and he drew her close and thanked God for giving him Hannah.

Chapter 58

They were all quiet as they rode home.  Hannah again wished she could ride with Adam, but the seat was too small for two, and as he said, she'd be warmer under the isinglass curtains.  This time, Becky sat next to James and Marian sat next to Evan.  In the dark, they held hands.  Hannah didn't want this night to end, but despite her efforts to try to stay awake, she dozed off, leaning her head on Marian's shoulder.

But Jimmy was wide awake.  He wanted to listen to the adults to see if they mentioned that man again.  Everyone said he was dead, but Evan and James made it sound like he might still be alive, and if he was, Jimmy wanted to be the one to put a bullet in his head.

When they arrived at the ranch, Adam pulled up in front of Marian's house and let everyone out.  Evan lit the torches on each side of the short walkway leading to Marian's house.  Now that they were a couple, James felt he should move back into his house, so he kissed Becky goodnight.  Evan also kissed Marian.  The men left them standing on the porch.

"Don't stay outside," James said.

"Lock the doors," Evan said.

As they walked away, Jimmy turned to Marian.

"They're right," he said.  "You have to get inside."

"We will, Jimmy.  We're just waiting for Hannah."

"I have to tell you something," Jimmy said.

"What, dear?" Marian said.

"That man, the one who shot Uncle James, he and Mr. Morgan think that man killed my mother."

Marian put her hands on his shoulders.

"Who told you that?"

"I heard them talking.  I heard them say her name."

"I'm so sorry you had to hear that."

She expected him to cry, but he stood tall.

"I'm gonna kill him," he said.

His vehemence troubled Marian.  He was too young to talk this way.  She put her arms around his shoulders and held him.

"There'll be no more talk of killing tonight."

She pulled away and looked at him.

"You go on up to bed.  Becky," she said, "help him get ready for bed."

Becky put her arm around Jimmy's shoulders and walked him into the house while Marian walked over to Hannah and Adam.

"Hannah, it's time to go inside."

"I'm saying goodnight to Adam," Hannah said.

"Please, I'd like to speak to Adam alone."

Hannah let go of Adam's hand and went to the house.  Marian hugged herself tightly.

"I'm going to tell her about Pierre," she said.

"I'm keeping her close," he said.

Marian smiled.  "Yes, I've noticed.  You two seem to have come to an understanding."

"I love her, Mrs. Dawes.  She said she loves me, too."

"Then she's in good hands.  She'll be upset when I tell her she can't leave the house for a while.  I'll need you on my side."

"I'll make sure she listens."

"You know how stubborn she can be."

"I'm just as stubborn."

"Be careful, Adam.  If he is alive and thinks you have feelings for her, he may hurt you."

"I can take care of myself."

Marian walked back up the porch stairs as Adam took the carriage to the stable.  She locked the front door and checked the back to be sure it, too, was locked.  She then checked all the windows.  Everything was secure.  She walked up the stairs to Hannah's room and knocked on the door.

"May I come in?" she asked as she opened the door.

Hannah was sitting on the bed.

"Yes, Mama."

Marian went to the bed and put her arm around Hannah's shoulders.

"I have to tell you something."

"Yes."

"The man, the one who shot Uncle James, well, they, Uncle James and Evan, believe it's Pierre Rousseau."

"Mr. Rousseau.  But that doesn't make any sense."

"He stole a picture of you from Louise."

"Oh, dear."

"I thought he would lose interest when we moved away.  It never occurred to me he would follow you here."

"But I never showed the least bit of interest in him," Hannah said.

"You didn't have to.  He must have developed feelings for you and hoped you would feel the same."

 "I wonder how he found me."

"Maybe he found your address on one of your letters to Louise."

"But now he's dead, isn't he?"

Marian rubbed Hannah's shoulder.  "Dear, he may still be alive."

Hannah gasped.  "And you all think he's after me!"

"I've spoken to Adam.  He will stay close.  I don't want you to be afraid.  There's no proof that he's still alive, and I didn't know whether I should tell you or not, but you're not a child anymore."

"I should stay inside," Hannah said.  "I can't go to the hill to paint anymore."

"Not for a while, just to be safe."

"Oh, Mama," she said leaning her head on Marian's shoulder.  "Mama?"

"Yes, dear."

"Adam said he loves me."

"He's a good man.  What will you tell Owen?"

"To go jump in a lake."

Chapter 59

At breakfast the next morning, Evan told James he was going out on the range to tell the boys to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

"They think this man is dead.  If he isn't, he may be in the woods somewhere."

They were at the breakfast table drinking coffee.  James reached for the sugar and winced.

"I keep forgetting not to use that arm all the time," he said.  "If he's in the woods, how's he surviving?  Is he a hunter?"

"He's a thief," Evan said.  "That's how I started chasing him in the first place.  He stole from my brother's house."

"If he's alive, he could be in Small Fork."

"Where's that?"

"About five miles from here.  It's real small, but it's got a dry goods store and a boarding house.  If he has any money, he'd be all right."

"How do you get there?"

"You go through the woods."

"Is there a road through the woods?"

"Nope," James said.  "Just a path that runs to the other side wide enough for a horse to pass.  There's a road on the other side of the woods.  Otherwise you gotta go down the river."

"You're not up to talking to the boys."

"Adam's telling them."

They emptied their cups and James got up and brought the pot to the table.

"More?" he asked Evan.  The lawman shook his head.

"I could be in Small Fork in an hour.  I'd be back in two.  Might be worth taking a look."

"I'm gonna go sit on Marian's porch."

James took his cup and went out the front door.  Evan sat at the table thinking about Pierre.  If he found him in Small Fork, would he be able to bring him back alive?

He stood and took his cup to the sink before heading out the front door himself.  He saw James sitting with a shotgun on this lap on one of Marian's rockers and Becky standing beside him.  Evan walked over to ask James exactly where the path in the woods began.

Hannah and Jimmy were playing checkers and Jimmy was winning.  She couldn't stop thinking about Pierre.  She resented not being able to go to the hill and paint and longed to go, but Marian reminded her it wasn't safe.

"But how will they know it's safe if they don't find him?" Hannah asked.

This prompted Marian to go to the porch and ask James that very question.

"Are you sending someone to the bottom of the cliff to find out?" she asked.

"It's too late.  His body would have gone downriver."

"Then how exactly will you know?  We're all cooped up in the house and we have no idea for how long.  Jimmy has to go to school.  Hannah wants to paint.  It just seems a bit extreme when we have no proof he's alive."

"Would you rather he get his hands on your daughter?" James asked.

"No, of course not, but there has to be some way of finding out for sure.  Perhaps the body turned up somewhere."

"Evan asked Pete last week if any bodies had turned up and Pete said no.  That's one of the reasons Evan thinks he's still alive."

"Why didn't anyone tell me it was Pierre?  Why did it take so long for us to find out?"

"I was shot.  Evan didn't want to tell you because he didn't want to get you all riled up like you are right now."

"I'm riled up because I hate what is happening!" she cried.

"Marian," Becky said.

Marian looked at the porch floor.  "I'm sorry.  I'm just so...afraid."

"That's why I'm sitting here.  When Adam comes back, he'll sit here, too.  Tom's sitting behind the barn with a gun.  He won't get near you if you stay inside."

"And I gotta gun, Ma," Jimmy said.  He was standing in the doorway with a rifle in his hands.  Marian sighed.

"You won't be needing that," she said.  "Please put it away."

"No, let him come and sit with me," James said.  "He has to learn to use that thing."

"I know how to use it," Jimmy said.

"You know how.  I want to teach you when."

The boy grinned as he walked past Marian to the rocking chair next to James.  He sat down and, imitating his uncle, put the gun across his lap.