Taming Texanna (20 page)

Miranda took a long pause and seemed nervous all of a sudden. “What is it Mir… Mam…? I don’t know whether to call you Miranda or Mama. I think you will hear both from me until I decide what I am most comfortable with. What happened next?”

Miranda gave a small tight smile and then she said, “ In fact, dear, you were born exactly eight months after we married. I told Horace you were early but you were actually a little late. You see, Texanna, I was already pregnant with you when I married Horace. I think he must have figured it out later when you didn’t look like him or much like me or even any shared traits with Ben. I knew you were the spitting image of John.”

Miranda rose to look out of the bedroom window.

Texanna’s voice rose as she jumped to her feet. “What do you mean I was your first husband’s child? Why did no one tell me?”

“You see, I lost John and married your Pa within a month. You could have been early or late or on time, and no one wanted to speculate, but I knew. We were married and starting a new life so you were Horace’s to the world. I’m not sure he even noticed the time difference. You were not a big baby but fully developed. We were happy enough after you were born but it only lasted until it was obvious that you looked like no one and had a temper like your mama.” Her half smile was forlorn and brought Texanna to sit on the bed with her.

“See, your pa was abusive to me but he was never anything but good to you and Ben, so when he had smacked me for the last time for my temper or some other transgression he contrived, I knew if I took you, I wouldn’t be able to take care of you. Ben was so loving toward you and I slowly began teaching him the things he didn’t already do for you.” She grinned at her daughter, “Besides, you were so self-sufficient by four, you just needed someone to use the cook stove or, at least, stop you from trying to use it.” Miranda smiled and then sobered.

“But didn’t you think he would hurt me after you left?” cried Texanna.

“Oh, darling, of course, I didn’t. He didn’t take care of you, that was true, but he left you alone. He let Ben do whatever he wanted and Ben was a good young man. I felt you would be safest without me around and best cared for without me.”

Texanna jumped up and yelled, “Well, you were wrong, weren’t you?”

Miranda gave a horrified gasp. “Oh, what did he do to you?”

“Why ask now? You left me with his anger. It was as though it was my fault. Ben protected me, I’m sure of it now, but he was gone when I turned fourteen. He was sure I could hold my own, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to be daddy’s little girl like the other girls were to their pa’s but he hated me. Now that I look back, once my protection was gone, and my body began to mature, he actually hated me. If it weren’t for Colton spanking me…”

“He what? Colton hurts you? I’ll tell Andrew, that will stop immediately.” Miranda donned the cloak of parental indignation.

“What? No. Colton is wonderful. He loves me. No one has ever loved me before like he loves me. I would guess just like your husband loves you. Like all husbands should love their wives.”

“It isn’t as it should be. A man should not hit a woman. It isn’t the way to show love.”

“He spanks you just like Colton spanks me. Don’t you think I recognize the walk of a woman who had just been chastised over her husband’s knee? Most likely on your way here or just before.”

“The judge does not hurt me, what are you talking about?”

Texanna did not want to be angry but she was almost uncontrollably furious. She wanted to forgive her mother but how could she? How could she forgive the woman who left her to survive a man she couldn’t survive herself without leaving? And then she couldn’t even admit that she had a husband who disciplined her? If she couldn’t admit that, even when it was obvious, how could one believe the rest of her story that was not so obvious?

The urgent familiar feeling to run away from this whole mess was pushing hard through her thoughts. Why did she think this woman would ever understand. She needed to get away from all of this.
Ride, I need to ride
. What was that insistent noise? Knocking?

She needed the river. A place of tranquility so that she could let these feelings float away. The need became desperate, She saw it for what it was. She was trying to run away so she didn’t have to deal with unpleasantness and Colton was right. It wouldn’t do anything but get her a sore bottom. She knew Colt would tell her to learn to face things but she couldn’t.

“I have never been beaten by the Judge.”  Miranda’s voice had a whining quality to it before turning hard and cold by the end of the sentence. She was becoming upset, and Texanna blew out an exasperated breath when the knock on the door became more demanding.

“Hold your damn horses,” she shrieked at the wooden barrier. Then she turned to her mother and said, “Of course not but neither have I and to accuse Colton of hurting me—”

“You told me he did,” responded Miranda, who was visibly trying to calm down.

“I didn’t. I said he spanked me, there is a huge difference that I’m sure you understand,” attempted Texanna to get her mother to confess a similarity in husbands but Miranda sat with a look of disbelief and said nothing.

The knock came again, It seemed to end the whole frustrating experience for Texanna. She forcefully stomped across the floor of the bedroom and yanked the door open only to stare into Pia’s face, as devoid of expression as ever, but Texanna understood the gesture. Pia was protecting her daughter, and right then, she felt Pia was more her mother than her actual mother. Pia was hard and could demand a lot from her but she was also trustworthy. She didn’t lie even when it was painful but that reassuring knowledge didn’t lessen Texanna’s pain.

Storming passed Pia she said, “I’m all right. Please feed my mother and give her free rein of whatever she needs until the judge comes for her. Tell Colton I’m going to the river for a think. He knows where that is.” The door slammed behind her.

Pia stood for a moment before entering into her son and daughter’s bedroom that now housed an overwrought and visibly distraught mother.

Texanna began talking to herself as soon as she was outside for only a few moments. Nature, even before arriving at the river, was soothing her frayed feelings.
I have done it again. I ran off.
Colton is going to be upset that I didn’t work it out but he has a mother who stuck around,
she vehemently exclaimed to her comforter, the river
. He has no idea what it means to not have your mother and then, the only person on your side, left too and left me to that man who might not even be my father.
She wondered if Ben knew before he left.

Texanna had hoped that she would be able to work things out in her mind but she wasn’t. In fact, after a little while and still feeling unable to at least come to some acceptance of things, she decided that she would ride into town. She would confront the man who had emotionally abandoned her too. Did he think that she was not his child? Is that why he was so separate from her? For some reason, she had to know.

Gone from her mind were the admonishments that Colton had left her to stay away from town for this week. Gone were the remembrances of the way her husband refreshed her memory when there were lapses. Her thoughts centered only on the need to have some of the most burning questions answered from the only adult in her life who had stayed physically but left in every other way. She had to know why. She knew there was so much more she needed to know from the woman claiming to give birth to her but right now, it would have to wait.

Walking with purpose, Texanna strode past the house and continued to the stable where Mark was hanging the deer he had shot. Sparing barely a glance, she grabbed bit and reins for the mare she had unofficially laid claim to. She tossed the blanket on her ride’s back and then gave the saddle a jerk before it was lifted from her hands and placed on the horse’s back. Mark reached down to cinch the assembly in place and turned to give Texanna a hard stare.

“Does Colt know you’re leaving to town? I assume that is where you’re going. I don’t want to tell you your business, Texanna, but if he doesn’t know, I would be mighty concerned about his reaction when he did find out. If you know what I mean.”

“I need to see my pa. Don’t try to stop me.”

“No, ma’am, but if you don’t mind, I’ll ride along, just so’s you don’t run into any trouble.”

“You don’t need to do that but I think my husband would be happier if you did.”

“Well, then let’s both make him happy and stay home,” he suggested as he cinched his own mount.

“No, that won’t happen. So I’ll let you come with me but you can’t keep me here at home. Aren’t you afraid Nada is going to have that baby soon?”

“Sure, but she has two other women who have birthed a child living in that house with her and I’m sure both of them have attended births, so I’m leaving her in good hands.” He swung up into the saddle after giving Texanna a hand up. “Aren’t you concerned about your husband finding out?”

“Sure, but I’m more worried about losing my nerve and never confronting my pa.”

“Are you fixing to get us both in trouble, Mrs. McFadden?”

“I sure hope not,” she replied.

***

Colton sat at his new desk and thought about Texanna and Miranda. He hoped mother and daughter would be able to work through some of the past with a look toward the future. That being said, he would support however his wife wanted to deal with things. It was late morning and he had an odd unease about him. Damn if he didn’t have those almost every day since spanking that woman of his after peeking through the hole in that chinking. He wondered how they were dealing with things now that several hours had gone by, and they were becoming familiar with each other.

Colt had ridden in the carriage with the judge but hitched his horse to the back of it for the return trip. He was glad his Texanna was going to stay home today because he had a feeling the next couple of days were going to be rough with the cattle heading out in shifts the next few mornings. His woman’s mouth could get her into trouble fast if he weren’t watching her. He was glad there were other, calmer women in the house with the two redheads. He didn’t want to think how hot the two of them could get if something riled them up. They probably both needed some taming. He laughed and shook his head as he went to the stables to grab his mount before going to check the cattle yards after lunch. He tamped down his uneasiness and tried to distract himself.

There were a few men on the wanted posters that he had some info would be in the area. Signing on as cowpunchers was an easy way to get out of town undetected. If his wife were in town, she would turn heads now that she didn’t try to hide her attributes, namely that mane of auburn hair. He had already experienced the routine enough. Once a man noticed her, Colton could watch his eyes travel down taking in all her attributes. That was when Colt usually tried to show ownership. He thought she was beginning to catch on but she just smiled and let him. Hell, he was taunting his own cock just thinking of her. Sometimes they would sidle up next to her and a couple even said something inappropriate. That is when his Anna turned into Texanna. She would bow up like a rattler on prey. It was at that point she soon became Texanna Rae.

Twice, he had pulled her off a drover unfamiliar with her dislike of fawning men. The second man made the mistake of comparing her to his own crazy wife, and Colton’s firebrand began schooling that unfortunate man on how to treat a lady, his own preferably. No, he had no desire to haul away his wife again as she faced off another.

Besides, he was then obligated to explain to her, once again, that walking without escort or another woman or two was not smart, and that he forbade it. She, of course, told him her thoughts on the subject, and he had had to spank her to punctuate his irritation at her blatant disregard of his admonitions. Right after he threatened to arrest the son of a bitch who dared accost his wife. It was exhausting for everyone.

Colton had spent the late morning and early afternoon working on identifying any men on the posters when a wire came through to the office. The wire that announced Henry “Adder” Rogers was coming their way. That man seemed to be connected to all of the seedy underbellies of Texas’ outlaws. Marshal McFadden was not sure, but he heard it told that Adder was a cousin to John Williams Hastings, the outlaw, and father-in-law of Jim “Shooter” Montgomery. If they could catch this man, it might unravel the criminal faction in Texas, especially cattle rustling. It certainly wouldn’t hurt law enforcers’ feelings none.

Colton had been out surveying the assembling herds, and the stench reminded him why he didn’t go into cattle driving. It was a stinky business. He ran a handful of cattle for milk and his bull was a good one but that was it. They had a rather substantial garden most of the year and plenty of wild food growing on the property but he had seen people in lean times. He kept it in the back of his mind always.

Looking at the sun, Colton calculated the time it would take to finish what he needed to do. He gathered up his gear and reset his hat. He was about to make one last run through the livestock staging area before calling it a day. He pulled his handkerchief from around his neck, wiping the dirt and sweat from his face, and neck before retying the cloth back in place.

Grabbing his reins up, turning the horse to his left, Colton stopped, thinking he heard his name. “Marshal, Marshal McFadden.” It sounded like one of the sheriff’s deputies.

Turning toward the calling voice, Colton shaded his eyes to look into the sun without success. He yelled into the blinding light as he moved to get a better visual. “Here,” he barked as he brought the advancing man in view.

“Marshal, Mrs. McFadden could use your assistance.” Alarm and a cold fear shot up his spine. The deputy looked at Colton’s face and assured him, “She isn’t hurt, Marshal, far from it.” The deputy let out a chuckle as though recalling a joke, but when he encountered the thunderous look on Colton’s face, he quickly disposed of the joviality. “She was having an awful big argument though with her pa and a man named Mark Trenton had to drag her away. Her father jumped at her according to Trenton and—”