My Sassy Settler (Willamette Wives Book 2) (12 page)

His words had her mind flying back to the day before, and her bottom clenched at the memory of that lesson. By the time she'd filled the molds and they'd had time enough to set, her attempt at humor had disappeared, and if she danced, it was only because the plug he'd placed inside her made it impossible to stand still. The moment she'd upended the second mold and carefully pulled it away, leaving another beautiful round of butter with a pretty rose on top, she'd felt as if her insides were on fire.

She'd had no problem begging to be allowed to go to the privy, and when he slowly inspected her work, she'd had to grit her teeth. At his nod, she flew to the door, flung it open and raced around the house. Though it was cold, she felt nothing but heat. It wasn't until she reached to lift her skirts did she realize they were still tucked up into her waistband. After removing the horrid plug, she'd sighed in relief and shook her head. Her husband was constantly surprising her. Whereas she'd learned the hard way that wives did indeed get spanked, she had never expected to learn that there was a wide range of punishments at his disposal.

About to leave the privy, she had lifted the latch when she froze. Had she heard a growl? Slowly releasing the bar, making sure it was secure, she backed away from the door. Though the privy was not the most pleasant place to be, it surely beat being outside in the presence of some wild animal. Minutes passed and she began to feel the cold. Wrapping her arms around her body, she'd tentatively called out Richard's name. A loud snuffling sound answered as something pushed at the door.

Terror had filled her soul and tears filled her eyes. Would whatever it was be able to claw or rip its way through the door? Would Richard wonder why she was taking so long, or had Johnny awakened from his nap and he was tending to him?

She strained to hear every small sound until her head began to ache. It didn't help that she was attempting to remember every wild animal that her husband had warned her about. She remembered the copperhead snake he'd told her he'd killed next to the pond where she'd been swimming, but decided it was too cold for reptiles to be out. Besides, as far as she knew, snakes didn't either growl or snuffle.

Maybe it had just been a raccoon or squirrel. The door hadn't moved that hard. Did they snuffle? Remembering the growl, her heart began to race. Those animals didn't growl but she suspected that cougars, mountain lions or, God forbid, bears… The latch shook and she screamed.

"Anna?"

"Richard!" she screamed again, never in her life so glad to hear her name being called.

"Anna? Honey, what's wrong? Open the door."

"Richard, be careful. There's a wild animal out there. Oh, God, run, Richard. Save Johnny!"

"Anna, honey, calm down. Johnny is fine and, sweetheart, there is nothing out here but me. Now, open the door."

It took her a few tries, but she eventually managed to lift the latch and push the door open. Sobbing, she flew into his arms, climbing up his body and burying her face in his neck. His arms wrapped around her.

"Shhh, Anna, honey, you are fine. I've got you." He carried her back into the house and sat down, cradling her in his lap. He continued to rock her until she began to calm. When she was able, she pushed back a little.

"I swear I heard something. It-it sounded huge and-and hungry." She felt fresh tears slide down her cheeks. "All-all I could think about was what would happen to you and the-the baby!" She laid her forehead against his chest and sobbed for several more minutes.

"I'll go look…"

"No! You can't go out there. Johnny needs a father!"

"Anna, you've got to calm down. Our son has a mother and a father and we are all fine. But, if there is some animal prowling around the house, I need to make sure it's not dangerous. I'll take the rifle."

She considered his words and nodded. "Okay, but be really careful. I don't think it was a cute animal." His smile had her finally able to take a deeper breath and calm a bit more. "You know what I mean; a squirrel or raccoon or something like that. It sounded like it had really big teeth."

"Yes, I remember you saying it was hungry. Well, if it endangers my family, all it is going to eat is buckshot. Now, are you okay?"

Not too sure, but hearing Johnny beginning to cry, she nodded. "Yes. Promise me that if it is too dangerous, you'll come back into the house."

"I promise." He wiped her cheeks and helped her to blow her nose before giving her a kiss. "I'll be back. Latch the door behind me."

"But what if you have to get in fast? What if it's a bear and it chases you…"

"Believe me, you'll hear me hollering way before I get to the door. Just be ready to open it."

He pulled on his coat and took his rifle down. "Come latch the door." She latched the door behind him, said a prayer for his safety, and went to get her son. She needed comfort as much as her baby did. When Richard returned and shook his head, she finally relaxed. She relaxed further when he made love to her, her cries of pleasures banishing the sounds of growls.

* * * * *

"Anna? Honey, are you okay?"

"What? Oh, yes. I guess I'm ready."

Richard helped her into her cloak and tucked Johnny into the crook of his arm. The baby looked more like a bundle of blankets than a boy, but he didn't say a word. He'd heard the wagon pulling up a few minutes earlier and when he opened the door, it was to see Wyatt and Agatha on the wagon seat and Roger on his horse.

"Why don't you drive the wagon and I'll ride Chester?" Wyatt suggested, wrapping the reins around the brake handle.

"No, stay where you are. Let's give Chester another day. His leg looks better than yesterday but is still a bit swollen. I'll ride in the back."

Wyatt still jumped down to help Anna up to sit beside Agatha. Richard handed her the baby and climbed into the bed of the wagon as Wyatt once more took the reins.

"We still stopping at James's?"

"Yes, we need to pick up his list."

"Is that man ever planning on leaving his cabin?" Roger asked.

Richard chuckled. "Yeah, but he doesn't want to go all the way into town with Charity and the girls at home. For now, I think that's best."

Wyatt turned his head to look back at him. "What changed your mind? Yesterday you were all for him returning to work."

"We'll talk about it at James's. No reason to tell the story twice."

It didn't take long to get to the house James shared with Charity. All the cabins were no more than a couple of miles apart. They all wanted their own open spaces but they also wanted a sense of community on the ranch.

"Thank God," Charity said, having opened the door the moment they pulled up.

"What's wrong?" Anna asked.

"Nothing your husbands can't cure. Come on in. I've got a bone to pick with you, Richard Andrews," she said, her hands on her hips.

They all entered the cabin. Richard was about to refuse Charity's offer of coffee when he saw his wife shaking her head. Deciding it was more important to spend at least a few minutes visiting than to get into town faster, he accepted.

"Where's James?" He watched as Charity turned in a circle as if looking for him and then actually pulled her skirts up to mid-calf and lifted first one leg and then the other before dropping her skirts.

Charity looked at Richard, her eyes flashing. "As long as he isn't under my feet, I don't really care," she said with a huff. After pouring them all a cup of coffee, she took a seat on the bench where Agatha and Anna had seated themselves.

"Something bothering you, Charity?"

"Richard, you promised me! You promised you'd convince James to get back to work. And by work, I mean work that takes him out of my eyesight."

"Now, Charity, you know he loves you and is just worried about you and the girls," Wyatt said.

"Don't you dare take his side, Wyatt Wilcox! I know he loves me, and despite the fact that I would actually help string him up, I love him." She turned her gaze back to Richard. "He is driving me insane. Did you see the pile of firewood stacked up outside? I've heard that ax for hours and hours. I'm surprised there's a single tree left standing! And another thing. Did you know the fool actually started to stake out the garden? How stupid is that? Does he not realize that not only is winter coming, but his garden will be buried under tons of snow? I'm telling you—"

"Honey, calm down," Richard said. "I know you are a bit stir-crazy…"

"I'm not stir-crazy, I'm just plain damn crazy!"

"Charity!" Anna gasped.

"What? Oh, don't worry, it seems I can say or do anything I want now. If I want to say damn every other word, I can. James hasn't raised his
damn
voice or scolded me for months. Damn it, to tell the truth, he hasn't laid a
damn
hand on me for at least that long. And, I'm not just talking about spanking my
damn
ass, I'm talking about…"

"I think we get the picture," Richard said, setting down his coffee and leaning forward. "I understand your frustration and I promise I'll talk to James, but, young lady, who exactly do you think taught me to have Anna keep a punishment journal while she was in the last part of her pregnancy and a few weeks after she'd given birth?" He sat back again when her mouth dropped open but for the first time in several minutes, nothing came out.

"That's right. And, let me tell you the truth, it was a wonderful idea. If you doubt how very effective it was, just ask Anna. By the time she'd paid for all those 'forgotten' transgressions, I'm willing to bet she was at least a bit sorry she'd decided that taking advantage of leniency during pregnancy was such a good idea."

He saw his wife shift a bit and wasn't surprised to see Charity shift as well. He almost chuckled to see Agatha looking at the two women and then looking over at her husband. He had absolutely no doubt she was hoping that Wyatt didn't ask for any clarification on what he'd just said.

They all looked up as the door opened and James walked inside, a load of firewood in his arms. "Sorry, I was out back. I just finished stacking a cord of wood."

"No worries," Richard said. "From what I've heard, it takes a great deal of firewood to ensure you can provide warmth to your family over the winter. It's going to be very cold and little children need to be warm." He paused and glanced at Charity. "Wives too, though there are a few additional ways in which that can be accomplished." He was pleased to see her blush but his words seemed to fly right over James's head as he set the wood on the hearth.

"Charity, honey, how about some more coffee?"

Charity nodded and began to rise but her husband put his hand on her shoulder. "No, sweetie, I'll get it. You just rest."

Richard heard Charity's sigh but didn't say anything as James picked up his wife's cup. He brought it back to her with fresh coffee and Richard began to understand the extent of Charity's angst when James not only brought the pot to the table, offering refills, but he then brought a plate of cookies to the table, telling his wife that he'd be back after checking on the girls. Before Charity forgot she had witnesses and actually launched herself at her husband, Richard stood.

"Let Charity do that. I need to talk to you." When James seemed indecisive, he added, "It's important. Let's go outside."

The men went out. Roger walked a few feet away and rolled a cigarette while Wyatt stood patiently next to Richard. James was the only one shuffling his feet and continually glancing back towards the door. Richard and Wyatt exchanged a glance and Richard shook his head before speaking.

"Look, I'm going to be brutally honest with you James."

James's head turned towards his friend.

"You are beginning to worry me."

"Me? What did I do?"

"That's just it, you aren't doing anything but driving your wife crazy. If you don't give Charity some room to breathe and let her do what she loves to do, which is to take care of you and her children, you are going to be a very unhappy man." He didn't let James interrupt. "Yes, you both had a scare but Grace is fine. Hope is fine, but Charity is
not
fine. I thought we'd covered this before but, for God's sake man, you've turned a sweet woman into a foul-mouthed person who is actually contemplating your demise."

James's mouth dropped open and then he sputtered, "What? She wants me dead?"

Wyatt chuckled and Richard shook his head. "Of course not, but I'm beginning to think you might need a good smack upside the head. You know, we talk about the danger of being too lenient with our women, but I think we've all been too lenient with you. It's time for you to get back to work. And, James, it's time you get back to being the husband your wife deserves and desires. If you can't do that, then by all means, put on an apron and play house, but let us have Charity. That woman is a little spitfire, and you two need to be separated before Charity commits murder."

The silence lasted for a full minute before they heard James blow out a huge breath. "I admit I've been a little crazy, but I guess I didn't trust myself to know when enough was enough."

"I'm telling you, that time is now," Richard said.

"Hey, I'm new to this, but I can tell you, I wish I'd been a bit more observant and had trusted my gut myself," Wyatt added. "If I had, Agatha wouldn't have felt so lost and alone when we were newly married. If I'd trusted my instincts, maybe it wouldn't have taken so long to begin to really enjoy the state of matrimony."

James looked sheepishly at them. "Well, if what Richard said is true, it seems that I'm just as guilty. I was just so scared I'd lose both Charity and the baby that I guess I've gone a little overboard. I apologize."

"There's no need to apologize. We all understand," Wyatt assured him.

"Foul-mouthed, you said?"

Wyatt looked unsure as to what to say but Richard nodded. "Yup, seems to have the idea that she can curse, as she put it, 'every other word', and not worry about the consequences."

James finally relaxed and grinned. "Does she now? Well, I assure you, some little woman is either going to change her mind, or find herself warm without the benefit of all that firewood I've been chopping."