Tall, Dark, and Texan (36 page)

The girls hurried out, all wanting to see the baby as soon as introductions were over. When Sage set him down, they surrounded him.

Bethie tugged on his hand, but he didn’t stand.

Emily tried lifting him, but he just sat right back down.

“What’s wrong with him, Aunt Liberty?” Rose asked.

Liberty knelt to her level. “He’s not a year old yet. He hasn’t started walking.” She brushed Bethie’s curls. “He’ll walk by the time he’s as old as his cousin.”

Rose studied him. “I guess I’ll have to teach him. You wouldn’t believe all I have to do around here.” Her long-suffering sigh made all the women laugh.

The sound of a horse coming fast made them turn around in time to see Tobin jump off without slowing and run to Liberty. He lifted her off the ground and swung her around, then kissed her soundly without saying a word.

Liberty laughed. “I’ve missed you too.”

Jessie saw it in Tobin’s eyes. Liberty was the one thing he hungered for. The one thing he couldn’t live without.

Suddenly the house seemed to have doubled with people.

Duck wasn’t like any child Jessie had ever seen. He never said a word, but he climbed and jumped on everything. Travis had found the boy tied up like an animal at a raider’s camp. They’d probably planned to use him in trade. When Travis brought him home, he was far more animal than boy. The McMurrays fell in love with him, and when they couldn’t find his parents, they made him a McMurray.

Rose constantly ran in with reports of what he was doing. She seemed to think him some kind of strange creature she should teach to behave. He obviously had other plans. Unlike the girls, who stayed in and near the house and did what their mother told them to, Duck pretty much did whatever he pleased.

Since Travis and Rainey were not there to keep him in line, no one else took on the task. He ate cookies for breakfast, slept in the rafters, and most days disappeared into the barn for hours. With Tobin’s help, he saddled any horse he wanted to ride and shot out of the barn for parts unknown whenever he wanted.

Martha’s favorite saying became, “I’m going to tell your parents when they get here.”

Tobin and Liberty took long rides in the evening and retired early with the baby to a bed they’d rigged in the study. Jessie could hear them talking when she passed on her way upstairs. Apparently Tobin didn’t have any trouble talking to his wife.

She couldn’t help but envy them a little. Though Teagen had said he needed her, even wanted her, she knew he’d been trapped into marrying her by honor. He’d even told her once that he only helped her because of his friendship to Eli. Would he have felt the same if she’d told him right away that it had been her who wrote the letters? Or would he have left her at Elmo’s Trading Post?

She went to bed wanting to dream of him holding her, but doubts had begun to build like clouds in her mind. She wanted him, she’d always wanted him, but had she manipulated Teagen? She wished, just once in their talks, that she’d asked him if he was happy before she came. In his letters he seemed to be. She’d added so much more responsibility on his shoulders. Finally, she fell asleep wishing she knew what he’d say if she asked him what he truly wanted.

Sims slowly recovered enough to sit on the porch during the day, but he liked to take his meals in his room. Jessie didn’t miss the fact that Martha often joined him. He told everyone who would listen about a dream he had while near death. He swore he dreamed he was laundry being washed and left on the line to dry.

Things seemed to be changing around Jessie, but the longing for Teagen never lessened.

Since the bridge was made of whole logs lined on a sturdy brace, it was built faster then Jessie thought it would be. Three days after Liberty arrived, four long wagons pulled across the new bridge.

Rainey brought lumber and enough men to build a second wing onto the house. They unloaded the wood and went right to work finishing the cabin Travis and she had started last summer and never completed inside. Once Rainey spent a few hours saying hello, she rode down to her cabin to oversee the finishing, and Duck went with her. Rainey had become his mother, and not only did he mind her, the boy seemed protective of her. They’d come back for supper every night, then disappear to sleep in the only finished room of their cabin.

Liberty and Sage wanted Jessie to plan the new wing of the ranch house, but she couldn’t. She and Teagen had never talked of her staying here forever. She couldn’t design a home that wouldn’t be hers. The only time they’d talked about a house was when he said he’d build her one in town.

She found one excuse after the other not to start the project, finally saying she wanted to ask Teagen what he wanted. Her sisters-in-law gave in and agreed to wait. There were plenty of other things to do as fall blew in.

Rose, who’d complained constantly about Duck, was bothered by his absence and talked Sage into taking her to see the boy. An hour later, Sage brought Rose back. The five-year-old announced that she absolutely hated Duck and he should have been named Squirrel.

Jessie felt like she lived in a city. The kitchen was always busy with cooking, children, and talk. She enjoyed Liberty, but she found she identified with Rainey. They’d both come from the streets and known what it was like to be hungry and alone.

Each night, after she put the girls to bed, Jessie sat on the porch and waited for Teagen. She had a hundred things to tell him. Bethie was starting to put sentences together. Mrs. Dickerson left to get ready to start school but agreed to come for Sunday dinner every week. Tobin brought Rose and Duck each a puppy from town. And most of all, she wanted to tell Teagen that she missed him.

By the third week, everyone began to worry about the men, but no one said anything. If she hadn’t had the girls, Jessie felt she would have gone mad. Once school started, she drove the girls into town every morning and returned early enough to check the mail before she picked them up. The long drive gave her plenty of chances to practice her skill with the team.

No mail came, or if it had, it was hopelessly lost in the mountain of papers and boxes Elmo called the mail room.

Martha tried to make Jessie feel better by telling her how Teagen was a man who always did what was best for the ranch, and if he thought finding the man who called himself General was important, all other worries went out of his mind. Teagen would know that his brother was taking care of things at the ranch. He wouldn’t be worried about them, so they shouldn’t worry about him or Travis.

The housekeeper’s logic offered Jessie little comfort.

The fourth week Travis sent word to Rainey, saying he’d be home soon, but Teagen planned to travel to Mexico with several Rangers to testify against the general.

Jessie waited.

September blew into October. Travis wrote for Rainey to meet him in Austin. He said he could wait no longer to be with her. Rainey glanced at Jessie when she read the letter, and Jessie didn’t miss the sadness her sweet sister-in-law felt for her.

No word from Teagen. No hint about how he felt.

One windy afternoon, Jessie left the ranch early to pick up the girls. When she walked into the trading post to pass the time, Elmo yelled, “Afternoon, Mrs. McMurray.”

“Good afternoon,” she answered, loving that he called her Mrs. McMurray.

The storekeeper moved around the counter. “No stage today, so you’ve no mail to go through.” He shook his head. “He’ll be home soon. Your man isn’t one to be gone this long from his land.”

Jessie did her best to smile. “I know.”

Elmo looked like he had something sour in his mouth. “When he gets in, I got something to tell him. He told me last time I saw him to let him know right away if a place in town came up for sale.”

A chill passed over her. “A place?”

“A house,” Elmo corrected. “I didn’t pay much attention to his request ’cause we ain’t got that many houses. This one is brand-spanking-new, but small. That new preacher had it built for his mother, but she can’t stand Texas. Imagine that.”

Jessie didn’t care about the preacher’s mother leaving; neither would anyone in town, she guessed. “Did Teagen say what he wanted the house for?”

Elmo’s face wrinkled like an old piece of rawhide. “I sure hope he wasn’t planning on surprising you. I’d hate to ruin that, but he said he wanted to buy you and the girls a house.”

Jessie fought to hold every emotion in place. “I knew about his plans,” she managed. “He promised me a house on our wedding day.” That day, that promise seemed like a million years ago.

The old man relaxed. “Well, good then. I thought I’d better tell you because a nice little place like this won’t last long. The preacher’s mother is even leaving her furniture. She says it will cost more to haul back than it’s worth.”

“How long ago did Teagen ask you to keep an eye out for a house?”

Elmo shrugged. “It’s been a while. If you want to take a look at the house, it’s tucked in between the church and Mrs. Dickerson’s, so you’d be safe.”

Jessie said good-bye, knowing what she had to do. Teagen was a man of his word. If he wanted her to have a house, she’d move.

She talked to Sage and Tobin about buying the place, and they agreed, with winter coming on, it might be safer for her and the girls to stay in town on school days. Everyone tried to be light, but a sadness hung in the ranch.

With the lumber for the new wing stacked beside the ranch house, Jessie packed her few belongings while the girls were in school. Tobin had taken care of everything. He’d bought the house and set up an account at Elmo’s to cover anything Jessie needed.

Martha stepped out, carrying a load of quilts. “Best take these. It gets cold in town.”

Jessie knew better than to ask her to visit. “We’ll be back Friday.”

“I don’t see why you’re leaving. Wouldn’t hurt to wait another week or two.”

“It’s been almost ten weeks,” Jessie said. “This is what we agreed on when we married.” If Teagen hadn’t told Elmo to look for a house, she might have stayed, but he’d set this course in action, not her.

How many times had he told her he didn’t like being around people or that he hated company?

Though she’d relived his every touch, she also couldn’t help but remember the night he’d turned away from her. She’d thought of it over and over, trying to find some clue. They’d been so happy; he’d said he needed her. He’d kissed her wildly, passionately. But in his letters he’d always written that the ranch came first with him. Had she somehow threatened that?

AFTER A FEW DAYS THE GIRLS LOVED THE IDEA OF having two homes. They hated getting up before dawn for the hour of bumpy road to school, only to have to repeat it again that afternoon. In town they had their friends to invite over, and every Friday they looked forward to going back to the ranch.

Rose kept a list of things she had to do when they got to the ranch each Friday, and by Saturday night, she was making another one for things she had to do when she got back to town. Emily spent her weekends riding and helping Sage with the horses. Martha cooked and spoiled Bethie. The weekends were always fun for Jessie, the weekdays lonely. She filled her time with sewing.

By the end of October, Jessie agreed to help Elmo organize his tiny mail room. She was hard at work one Tuesday morning when a cold wind blew in suddenly along with a tall, broad-shouldered man.

She almost turned away. The man seemed familiar, but he was too thin, too hairy to be anyone she knew.

A moment later she heard a thunderous roar that could have only been one man. Her husband. “Jessie!” he shouted.

He was staring right at her, so she saw no reason to say anything. She moved around the counter to the main room as he took off his hat. He looked more like a mountain man than a rancher. If steam could shoot from a person’s ears, the room would be foggy.

“Yes, dear,” she managed, telling herself Teagen would never hurt her. And somewhere, beneath all his hair and dirt, had to be the man she loved.

Elmo moved to shield her. “Welcome back, Teagen. It’s good to see you.” The old man looked nervous even while trying to be friendly.

“Get out of my way,” Teagen ordered, and Elmo took a step backward. He hadn’t lived to be sixty by interfering in private matters.

Teagen stormed toward her and didn’t slow until he was an inch away. Then, without a word, he grabbed her hand and turned to the door.

“Teagen.” Elmo mustered a bit of courage. “Don’t you think you should at least say hello to her before you drag her off?”

“I’m taking my wife home,” he said between clenched teeth. “Stay out of this, Elmo.”

Jessie looked back at Elmo’s worried stare as Teagen pulled her out the door. “I’ll return after lunch, Mr. Anderson.”

“No she won’t,” Teagen shouted without slowing down.

In the middle of the road, he finally stopped. “Which way is this house you bought?”

Jessie thought of telling him to let go of her, but he didn’t seem in a listening mood. She pointed to the cute little house that sat nestled between the church and Mrs. Dickerson’s place.

He showed no sign of noticing anyone passing as folks bumped into each other to get out of his way. He headed for the house, and she ran beside him to keep up with his long strides.

A minute later, if Jessie hadn’t reached for the handle, he might have kicked the door in. When he hesitated, she almost laughed. “Come in, Teagen.”

He stepped into the frilly room packed with lace and cushions and slammed the door closed. Before the sound faded, he whirled her in front of him.

“You’ve got some explaining to do.”

“Me?” Jessie managed as he began stripping off his coat.

“I thought you said you loved me.” He stopped long enough to point at her. “That better not have been another lie, Jess.” He unstrapped his gun belt and hung it on the nearest chair. “I come home, and you’re gone. You’re not walking out on me without a word.”