Harnessed Passions (43 page)

Julia and Margie watched as the woman
slithered off the porch and disappeared down the path leading to
the stables.

"What a unique person," Margie said, with a
snort. "Almost like a python; interesting to look at, so long as
it's locked away." Julia laughed at the description, feeling less
than irritated with Margie on her side.

"She's not so bad once you get to know
her."

"How long have you known her?"

"All our lives."

"Ah, I see; bosom buddies, right?"

"Sure, like Cane and Able." They laughed
with the similarity until Harrison woke and began to whimper.

"So tell me, where did your little vixen
come from? The Bermuda triangle?" Margie glanced back in the
direction the woman had disappeared, expecting her to poke her head
around the corner of the house and yell, 'boo'.

"New York, I think. Her family moved away
right after her sister Heather died. She came home the morning of
my father's funeral."

"Excellent timing," Margie added. The two
women fell into a silence tormented by thoughts of the past until
Harrison's whimper turned into a full blown bellowing cry. Julia
watched the woman unbutton her bodice and remove her breast,
turning her son to her nipple and begin to suckle him.

"What's it like to be a mother?" she asked,
her attention darted away when she realized she was staring.

"It's hard to describe. It's somewhere
between heaven and paradise. Very little sleep and lots of
laughs."

"You're very lucky. I don't think I'd make a
very good mother."

"Why? I think you'd be wonderful."

"I don't know very much about children. I'd
probably do everything wrong."

"Oh Julia, that's silly. I've never known
anyone who's totally prepared to be a parent. It's not something
you can take a class on, after all. It's just something that comes
with experience. Take Maggie, for example. The first three weeks of
her life, I paced the floor wondering why she didn't cry and when
she finally did, I wondered why she wouldn't stop. Now with
Harrison, I've gotten to the point that I can tell when he's hungry
and when he's in need of changing. It's just something you pick up
as you go along."

"If you say so."

"Have you and Daniel discussed having a
family?" Julia blushed at the idea. Having children would first
mean having sex and they hadn't gone far enough down that path to
attempt it. In fact, Daniel had barely touched her since the night
of the fire. He came to bed tired and exhausted, he kissed her
good-night and then fell promptly asleep. She'd have more passion
lying with a dead goat.

"We haven't really thought much about it,"
she replied, softly.

"Well, you'd better start thinking about it.
You've been married what, two months now? If I know Daniel, you're
probably already pregnant. If I were you I'd start making some
plans."

"I'm not pregnant Margie," Julia insisted
with such confidence that the young red-head frowned, looking at
Julia through narrowed eyes.

"How can you be so certain? Unless you've
been using some of those methods, I've heard about; you do realize
contraception is illegal, don't you?"

"I'm aware of that fact and no, we haven't
used any method."

"Then how..."

"Because I'm still a virgin," Julia nearly
choked on the words. She couldn't believe she just blurted it out
like that. She looked at the woman now, hoping to read her
expression.

"Daniel hasn't taken you to his bed yet?"
Margie's red hair spilled across her brow and she eagerly brushed
it away, waiting for her friend's answer. Julia stiffened. She'd
come this far and she did need somebody to talk to. Perhaps it
wasn't so bad; after all, Margie was a friend of Daniel's, perhaps
she could help Julia find a way around her shyness.

"We agreed not to consummate the marriage,"
Julia lowered her lashes, at the shocked look the other woman gave
her. "He didn't marry me for love; he married me for the stables.
My father had a condition to his will. The only way Daniel could
have them, was to marry me. I just couldn't sleep with a man my
father bought for me."

"Are you sure your father bought him? I've
known Daniel for a long time and I know there isn't a man alive -
or dead - who could force him into doing something he doesn't want
to do. Has Daniel told you he doesn't want you?"

"No, in fact he told me he loved me."

"Well then, what's the problem? Start making
some babies."

"But he hasn't said it since the night of
the fire. He barely speaks to me now. It's been two weeks and he
hasn't once touched me. I don't think he wants me anymore."

"That's hogwash. I was here the night he
brought you back from the swimming hole; I know how much anguish
the man went through thinking you would die. He does want you
Julia, don't ever doubt that."

"Then why hasn't he done something? He just
comes home, bathes and goes to bed. He doesn't touch me
or...anything. He treats me like a helpless invalid. He keeps me
locked away in this damn house until I'm quite certain I'll go
insane." Julia was angry now for the way she was being treated and
angry because she was allowing it to happen. Margie chuckled laying
the baby across her shoulder, patting his back.

"Then perhaps it's time you showed him
you're not helpless or an invalid," she suggested, eying Julia with
a strange glint in her ivy green eyes.

"How?"

"If you're serious Julia I'll help you. When
Daniel comes home this evening he'll know just how recovered you
really are." Julia thought about this for a few minutes. She did
want to be with Daniel, she did want something more than just a
good-night kiss and a warm chest to curl up to. With a determined
gleam in her eyes and a stubborn set to her chin, Julia made her
decision.

"What would I have to do?"

"The first thing you have to do is get him
home. When does he usually come up from the trenches?"

"Not until dark, but he does come up for
lunch."

"No, not lunch, there isn't enough time.
This is going to take several hours to plan out. Tell me what he
does when he comes up for the night."

"Well he eats and then he talks with my
mother for a while before he goes upstairs."

"What time is it when he goes up?" Margie
covered Harrison up and handed him to Julia before pulling her
bodice shut and began making notes on a sheet of paper from the
catalogues she had brought with her. They plotted out every sorted
detail, down to the very second Julia would lose her virginity.

When lunch time rolled around Julia found
herself ready to back out of the whole scheme. Her nerves were a
jumbled mass of jitters and she had even begun biting her nails -
which Margie had to remind her to stop more than a dozen times.

The sound of a woman's lilting laughter
echoed through the air and both Julia and Margie turned in the
direction it had come from. They were both startled to see Daniel
and Sharon walking casually toward the house. The woman's arm was
tucked securely inside Daniel's, a smile curled his full lips as he
laughed easily with the woman. They passed by the porch without
noticing the women watching them in silence. Daniel accepted the
kiss on his cheek before helping Sharon into her carriage and
waving as she rode away. He stood there for several seconds before
he turned around and headed back to the house.

"Well hello there Mrs. Leonard," he said
cheerfully, stepping up to the porch. He leaned over and kissed the
woman's cheek glancing down at the baby who had just finished
nursing for the second time that morning. "How's that godson of
mine, doing?"

"He's just fine, thank you for asking."

"You're welcome," he answered with a frown.
"Why so formal?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Liar," Daniel accused, turning to Julia and
leaned down to her, blocking her view from the redhead. "Is
everything alright?" he asked quietly.

"Of course, why do you ask?" Daniel's frown
increased and he narrowed his eyes on the woman.

"What the hell's going on?" his voice was
filled with concern and sharp with curiosity. "I feel like I just
entered the lion's den with a pork chop around my neck."

"Did you have a nice visit with Miss.
Farnsworth?" Julia asked, avoiding the man's eyes.

"We were able to settle some business, if
that’s what you mean. I helped her get a couple of work horses from
Spencer over in Graves County and she's agreed to buy one of our
stallions and a mare for breeding purposes." Daniel eyed his wife
with a steady gaze. "Is that what's bothering you? That she came
here to talk to me? She told me she saw you before she came to the
stables. Did she say something to upset you?"

It was Julia’s turn to frown now. She didn't
know what was bothering her, but she didn't like the way the woman
had been hanging on to her husband, nor did she like the fact that
he accepted her kiss.

"Of course not and she did stop by here
before she went to the stables. That's how she knew where to find
you. I'm just glad you were able to help her."

"Julia," he said, his tone filled with
suspicion and his eyes assuring her he didn't believe a word she
said. Julia smiled, lowering her dark lashes over her eyes.

"Your lunch is ready if you're hungry?"
Daniel sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get anything more out of
her. She was back to being stubborn and just as aggravating as she
always was.

"I have to wash up first." He leaned down
and kissed her gently, glancing across his shoulder to the redhead
pretending not to pay any attention to them. “Where’s Maggie?”

“
Inside helping Mrs. Lester
with the baking.”

"Has Julia invited you to stay for lunch,
Margie?"

"Of course and I'm delighted. Julia and I
have some things to discuss."

"Oh?" The look on Julia's face warned her
friend to keep quiet, but the tone of her voice revealed nothing of
the sudden explosion of nerves erupting inside her.

"Margie brought out some catalogues from the
dressmaker. I thought I'd order a few dresses if you didn't
mind?"

"Not at all," Daniel said, standing to his
full height. He took Julia's hand and held it gently, offering her
his strength and support as she stood from her chair. The look he
gave her said he still didn't believe a word of it, but he was
willing to let it drop until later. "I hope you buy something I'll
be interested in."

"Such as?"

"I don't care really, just make it
accessible," he whispered against her ear, bringing a hot color to
her cheeks. She could see in his actions his patience was about
spent and her time of waiting was nearly over.

Daniel held the door for the woman who
entered the foyer ahead of him, then left them to go upstairs and
wash up before eating. Julia drew a deep breath and turned around
smiling with determination to Margie.

"Okay, I'm ready. Where do we begin?"
Leveling a look on the woman that said it was time to give the man
a run for his money. Margie laughed as she walked toward the dining
room, hearing the laughter of Maggie echo from the kitchen.

“
First we eat lunch and get
your husband out of the house and then we concentrate on getting
you ready."

"What if he doesn't go for it?" Caution was
warning Julia that Daniel may resist her attempts.

"Don't worry. I know Daniel. All you have to
do is appeal to his masculine side, flatter him, pamper him,
pretend to be demure and helpless and then when he's totally
confused, move in for the kill. He'll be putty in your hands."

"I don't know if I can do all of that."

"That's why I'm going to teach you," Margie
assured her with a wicked grin.

Julia sighed as she followed the woman into
the dining room. The fear and anxiety of what lay ahead was as
terrifying as seeing Daniel with Sharon Farnsworth. Whether it was
jealousy or feminine possession that pushed her onward, Julia
wasn’t sure, but she was more determined than ever before to have
Daniel as her husband - regardless of the nerves screaming inside
her soul.

Daniel's routine didn't alter in the
slightest. He stayed at the stables helping with the construction
until the sun began to set, making it difficult to see. Afterwards
he helped settle the horses for the night and checked the feed they
got from neighboring ranches, before he surrendered and came up to
the house.

Supper had turned into a late event and the
family gathered around the table at seven o’clock. Daniel looked
around the room to Louise, noting the empty chair where Julia sat
and frowned.

“
She’s upstairs,” Louise
stated before he had a chance to ask. “She was exhausted after
Margie and the kids left and chose to retire early.” Daniel nodded
his head and sat down. He smelled like sweat and horse shit, but he
knew if he delayed supper any longer his mother-in-law would have a
fit. The smell was one thing, having her schedule interrupted was
another.

Julia had already put her plan into action
by the time Daniel came home. She ate her meal in her room where
she could spend the last few minutes preparing her plan of attack.
Margie had helped her with everything; her hair had been freshly
shampooed and brushed to a soft sheen. The long dark strands hung
seductively across her shoulders, falling in soft natural curls to
her narrow waist. She applied a hint of rouge to her already pink
cheeks and dabbed a drop of cologne behind her ears and between the
swell of her breasts.

The bed had been turned down and fresh
sheets placed on the mattress with a dusting of powder between for
added fragrance. Julia had ordered a hot bath be drawn for Daniel
when dessert was served, then pulled the curtains closed across the
doors to the veranda. Everything was ready, right down the chilled
bottle of her father's finest imported wine. All that was missing
was her unknowing victim.