Mountain Rose (23 page)

Star, sleepy-eyed, was pouring the coffee when Raegan entered the kitchen. She smiled shyly. "Mornin', Raegan."

"Good morning, Star." Raegan gave her arm an affectionate pat as she joined Chase and Jamie at the table. "Did you have a good night's sleep? Did you miss your swinging bed?"

Star blushed an angry red when Jamie demanded, "What in the hell is a swingin' bed?"

She slammed the coffee pot on the stove, her eyes spitting fire. "What do you think it is, breed? It's a bed that swings."

"Now listen, you little hellcat," Jamie blazed back, "you'd better watch that tongue of yours or this breed will cut a piece of it off."

"Try it!" Star's hand flew to the knife nestled at her waist. "I'll slice you into little pieces if you lay a hand on me."

"You wild Indian!" Jamie jumped to his feet, his chair going over backwards. "I ought to take

Norah Hess

that pig-sticker away from you and—" His face suddenly paled beneath his tan. He hadn't seen Star's hand move, but suddenly the knife was in her hand, poised at his heart.

"Come on, breed," she hissed, "take it away from me if you dare to try." She flipped the knife back and forth between her hands, feinting jabs at Jamie, all the time tormenting, "Come on big man, start slicin'."

"Star! Jamie! Stop it, right now!" Raegan pounded a fist on the table.

"I'm not gonna let that half-pint hellcat pull a knife on me and get away with it," Jamie gritted.

"You shouldn't have threatened her," Raegan came back.

"I didn't mean it and she knows it."

"I'm afraid she didn't, Jamie," Chase said quietly. "The part of the hills Star comes from, the people are a different breed. Threatening to slice a person up is taken literally. In the same circumstances, they would act the same way Star did."

Raegan tugged Star down in the chair beside her. "Jamie would never take his knife to you, Star, or to any other woman. But he is deadly when it comes to using it on a man." She looked earnestly into the small face. "Do you understand what I'm saying, Star?"

Star reluctantly nodded her head and muttered, "I reckon."

Raegan patted the small hand clenched in a fist. "It's good that you know how to handle a knife and are able to protect yourself. But be sure it's an

enemy you draw it on. Jamie is not your enemy."

"The hell I'm not," Jamie growled, picking up his chair and plunking himself in it.

Raegan gave him a stern look and he said no more. The four of them drank their coffee in strained silence.

The sun was showing its first streaks of light when the Donlins, Jamie, and Star arrived at the spot where Meg had directed Chase to dig her husband's grave. Chase was shocked to see Meg and young Johnny already shoveling dirt into the hole he had dug.

"She sure is in a hurry to get Henry in the ground," Jamie observed, swinging from the saddle and falling in behind Chase and the girls as they walked up the the grave.

Raegan gasped as she stood beside Chase and felt his body give a start of surprise. Henry Jones had been tossed into the three-foot hole in the same clothes he'd been killed in. He lay half on his side, his eyes still staring as they had when he was carried into the shack. It was quite evident I hat no hand had been lifted to prepare him for a proper burial. The man had lived as an animal, and he would be buried as one.

Meg looked up and nodded a greeting to the only people who had come to her husband's funeral, then continued to shovel dirt on that husband's head. Raegan shivered at the surpreme satisfaction on Meg's gaunt face. How she must have hated the dead man.

When no more of Henry's face showed, Chase and Jamie took over to finish shoveling the dirt.

As Meg stood wiping her face with the hem of her faded dress, Raegan studied her and the children from under lowered lids. She did not see a glimmer of grief in any of their eyes. She noted, however, that there was an avid light in the two older girls' eyes as they watched the rippling muscles moving beneath Chase's and Jamie's shirts.

Would their mother be able to handle her two man-hungry daughters? she wondered, switching her gaze back to Meg. She knew from the woman's hard face that she could. It would be interesting to see how the Jones family fared from now on, Raegan thought.

When Chase gave the long mound a final pat with the shovel and handed it to Johnny, Meg said gruffly, "I'm obliged to you men. It was right neighborly of you to help us out." Then, not even sparing Raegan and Star a glance, she said, "We'll be gettin' on back to the shack now. We got a lot of work ahead of us." She motioned to the children who hadn't taken their eyes off Raegan and Star. "Come on, youngins', time's a wastin'."

The children rushed to do Meg's bidding, but Johnny and little Vera moved more slowly. Each took time to spit on Henry's grave before following after their mother.

Nobody was shocked at the action—nobody except Star who didn't know how vile Henry Jones had been. Puzzlement showed in her eyes. The people from her part of the woods weren't much for carrying-on at funerals, but they always showed respect for their dead.

"You know," Chase said as the four of them climbed back on their mounts, "I think we're gonna see some big changes at the Jones homestead. That boy Johnny doesn't have a lazy bone in his body, and between him and Meg, they're gonna make the rest of that tribe pitch in and work."

"I think you're right," Jamie agreed, "but Meg is gonna have her hands full with Nellie and Fanny. They're both hot, and it won't take the men around here long to discover it."

Star looked her confusion at Jamie's remark, but Raegan had grown used to his rather off-color vernacular and knew exactly what he meant. Seeing Star's bemusement, she hoped the girl didn't ask her what Jamie meant by his remark.

The girl didn't. She asked Jamie instead. Bringing her mount up beside his, she asked, "What did you mean, them two girls are hot? I don't find the weather hot at all. In fact, the air is on the chilly side."

Chase saw Jamie's face grow red and couldn't help teasing, "Yeah, Jamie, explain yourself. I'd like to know too what makes you think Nellie and Fanny were hot this mornin'. Like Star said, It's right cool. I didn't see them sweatin'."

"Nor did I," Raegan joined in, knowing that Chase was ragging his friend.

Jamie slid a look at Star and found her innocent eyes watching him, waiting for an explanation. Damn. He shook his head mentally. A man had to watch everything he said around this ignorant half-breed.

But his thought wasn't indignant, it was more amused than anything else. "Come on." He gave

Star a friendly smile as he jabbed a heel into the roan. "Let's get away from these two smart asses and I'll tell you how I knew."

As Star lifted her stallion into a loping run, easily keeping up with Jamie, Raegan looked at Chase, a frown worrying her forehead. "I'm not sure Jamie is the proper person to tell Star the facts of life."

"Don't worry about it, Raegan." Chase grinned as they followed the pair at a leisurely pace. "He'll spin her some big lyin' tale, like seein' smoke comin' out of the girl's ears, or some such foolishness."

Raegan smiled at Chase. "I expect so. Underneath his harsh manner with Star, I think he's a little smitten with her. At any rate, I'm sure he respects her innocence.

Chase agreed, but added, "I'm wonderin' if that respect might turn into somethin' else later on. I don't want that wild child hurt."

"Wild child?" Raegan laughed. "Is that what you call her?"

"Yeah, to myself. The first time I saw her, that's how she struck me. You've got to admit she's sometimes like a wild little animal, and though she's sixteen, she's still much like a child."

"I guess it comes from the strange way she was raised with that old man," Raegan said. "But if Jamie should try, he'll not find it easy to coax
her
into his bed. The girl may be naive, but she's not stupid."

A companionable silence settled between Raegan and Chase and wasn't broken until they came upon Star and Jamie waiting for

them about a mile from the cabin.

"Well, Star, did you find out how Jamie knew the Jones girls were hot this morning?" Chase asked, shooting Jamie a devilish look.

"Yes I did. Nobody else noticed, but Jamie saw a fine film of sweat on the girl's upper lips."

"Well, do tell." Chase pretended to take the sober explanantion seriously, at the same time hard put not to roar with laughter. "It looks like Jamie has a fine eye for details that most people overlook."

"Yes." Star looked at Jamie with admiration. "I didn't notice them two girls sweatin' at all."

A strangled snort came from Jamie and Chase, and Raegan bit her lip. "Come on, Star," she croaked, "I'll race you to the cabin." The two stallions lunged away, leaving behind two men bent over with laughter.

"You've got to be careful what you say around Star, Jamie," Chase said when their mirth died away.

"I'm findin' that out," Jamie answered, amusement still tugging at his lips.

"For instance," Chase continued, "If you sweet-talk her, she's gonna believe you mean every word you say. Old Daniels gave her over to me for safe-keepin'." He gave Jamie a sharp look. "I intend to see that he wasn't mistaken in his faith in me. So if you get an itch, take it to some female who has a film of sweat on her lip."

An angry red flush swept over Jamie's face. "Now dammit, Chase, I wouldn't take advantage of that girl anymore than you would."

Chase studied his irate friend and knew the man firmly believed what he claimed. But, he wondered, how would Jamie feel a month from now, seeing those lush curves and pretty face every day? Would he still be able to look on her as a child?

Chase said no more, however, and the two rode on in a stiff silence.

Raegan and Star had breakfast ready by the time Chase and Jamie unsaddled all four mounts and turned them into the fenced-in pasture back of the cabin. The early fresh morning had given them all a hearty appetite, and a large quanity of pancakes were consumed. Coffee was lingered over, conversation flowing easily and warmly. When the men rolled their cigarettes and wandered out onto the porch, Raegan and Star set about putting order to the kitchen.

Half an hour later, after the beds had been made, Raegan looked at Star and said determindedly, "Star, I'm sure you'd like to have a bath and get into some clean clothes. I'll have Jamie bring in the tub and fill it with water."

Alarm jumped into Star's face. "Not him, Raegan! He makes me feel so uneasy."

Raegan's lips twitched at the corners. The girl probably didn't know it, but she was physically attracted to the handsome Jamie. No doubt she was experiencing these
uneasy
feelings for the first time in her young life. "I'll have Chase do it then, is that all right?"

Star nodded, and Raegan turned to go talk to Chase and met Jamie coming through the kitchen door. Ignoring Star's scowling face, he said, "Me and Chase are ridin' into the village to see what news there is about the Tillamooks. Do you need anything from the store?"

"I don't believe so, but before you go will you please lift the tub off the wall for us?"

A wicked smile spread over Jamie's face. "If the little breed is gonna take a bath, maybe I'll hang around and give you a hand scrubbin' her up."

Chase arrived in time to grab Star around the waist as she hurled herself at Jamie, her small face working with rage.

"That'll be enough out of you, Jamie." He frowned. "Get the tub down and let's get goin'."

"I was only tryin' to be helpful, Chase." Jamie smiled his rakish grin at Star. "I was just gonna hold the wildcat down while Raegan scrubbed off the dirt."

Raegan saw the tears that glimmered in Star's eyes, and her temper flared. "That is absolutely enough, Jamie Hart! Now take that sharp tongue and get out of here."

"Yes, ma'am." Jamie tried to look repentant but failed as his amusement sparked his eyes.

"Don't pay him any mind, Star," Chase released his hold on her waist as Jamie left the kitchen. "He's just a natural-born tease." He turned to Raegan before following Jamie and cautioned, "Keep Lobo with you and your rifle handy. We shouldn't be gone longer than an hour."

"Don't you like Chase?" Star asked seeing the unhappiness in Raegan's eyes as her gaze followed her husband.

Raegan started to playfully ruffle the black hair, then drew back her hand. She wasn't sure what might jump out at her. Instead she tweaked the pert nose. "What a question, Star. I married him, didn't I?"

"That don't always mean anythin' back where I come from." Star said, following Raegan onto the porch. "When a girl reaches twelve or thirteen, her family marries her off to the first man who asks for her. Usually a cousin. Paw says that's why there are so many feeble-brained people in our neck of the woods. He says it ain't right for cousins to marry cousins, that it thins out the blood."

"Yes, I've heard that said," Raegan answered. "How have you managed to stay single at the ripe age of sixteen? Hasn't any man asked for you?" she teased.

"Yes they have. Lots of them. All the shiftless varmints up there know that I'm a good hunter and trapper and figure that I could provide for them while they sit around swillin' whiskey.

"Paw said I could choose the man I marry, but that I'd mostly likely be better off if I didn't settle for any of them."

"I'd say he's right, if that's the only type of man you have to pick from." Raegan smiled at the serious little face. "Now then," she changed the subject, "while I fill the tub, why don't you go get your clean clothes."

When Star returned, fresh buckskins over her arm, Raegan was adding a pail of cold water to that which steamed in the bottom of the tub. "I think we'll wash your hair first," she said, dropping a bar of scented soap into the water.