The Circle Eight: Nicholas (25 page)

“Shouldn’t you be at the hospital?” Caleb gestured to his appearance. “I mean, the bloodstained shirt and the pale, sweaty face is a clue you left too early.”

“I couldn’t lay there while Winnie went to battle with that son of a bitch.” Nick’s voice sounded like he’d been gargling rocks but at least he could talk. He took halting steps toward the porch. Caleb and Brody rose and walked into the small front yard.

Martha watched him, her expression blank. “Are you my new owner? I thought it was the blonde lady.”

Her words were like a punch to the gut. How a child could even ask that question spoke to the evilness in the world where there should be good.

He made his way to the porch and sat on the step below her, leaning against the railing. “No, I’m not your new owner. No one is. Miss Winnie made sure no one could ever own you again.”

“Oh.” Martha scrunched up her face. “Is that the blonde lady?”

“Yep, that’s her.”

“She’s tough.” A small smile crept across the girl’s lips.

“That she is.” He looked at Caleb. “Is she on her way?”

“She was signing papers with that attorney. Vaughn and Matt are with her.” His older brother rubbed his chin with one hand. He lowered his voice. “That’s one female who could rival Aurora for balls of steel.”

“And Olivia,” Brody added. “She’ll fit right in, this almost
-wife of yours.”

Nick knew he wasn’t fooling anyone by telling everyone they were married.
They soon would be of course.

“We’ll take care of your horse while you get to know her. She’s powerful quiet.”
Caleb smiled at the girl. “We’ll be in the barn, honey. Can you keep an eye on my little brother for me? He got hurt today.” He and Brody left Nick alone with Martha.

She nodded and peered at Nick’s face. “
Your voice sounds bad and it looks like you got beat.”

Nick told himself she was a little girl and didn’t mean to insult his manhood. “I did
, but the law got hold of him.”

“The law gets you if you beat people?” Her eyes were wide.

“Yep. Especially if you try to strangle somebody.” He pointed at his neck. “Miss Winnie and I were trying to get you away from that man. Some people didn’t want us to.”

“You got hurt trying to get me?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“I did, but I’d do it again. Every day if I had to.” He meant every word of it, much to his surprise. This child hadn’t had someone to speak for her, protect her and love her. Now she had two, plus many more on the Circle Eight.

“Why?” This was the first emotion she’d shown.
Confusion and suspicion.

“Because that’s what you do for family.”

She cocked her head. “Are you my family?”

His heart clenched at the hope in her voice. He wanted so much for this child to unders
tand how much Winnie loved her and how much he wanted to. Nick had only seen the girl twice, but he considered her as his own already.

“Miss Winnie and I would like to be. Would you like a mother and father?” The question hung in the air between them, full of promise and the future.

Martha looked at him and then down at herself. She wore the horrid sack dress and shoes with holes in the soles. Her crippled leg was tucked beneath the dress. She touched her ankle and Nick noted the dirt crusted under her fingernails. First thing they’d do is feed the child, then bathe her and clothe her in something more suitable to a young girl.

“I’m a cripple.” Her voice was so small he barely heard her.

Nick knew his response to her confession would determine a great deal of the future with this child. “You know, only the most special people have a bum leg.”

Her head snapped up. “What?”

“God picks the strongest people to give a bum leg to. Because only the strongest can survive and do what other people do with two good legs.”

She scrunched her face again. “Is that true?”

“Absolutely. People who are crippled have to be strong. They’re the ones that show the rest of us how to do it.” He swallowed and his throat caught on fire. If he didn’t stop talking, he might do something stupid like pass out. He closed his eyes for a moment.

“I’m strong.”

Her little voice made him smile. “I know you are. So does Miss Winnie.” For some reason, he decided it was a good idea to stand and find some water to cool his throat.

Then the grass smacked him in the face and everything went black.

Winnie rode flanked by Vaughn and Matt. Everyone was quiet on the ride back to the boardinghouse, but it was a good quiet. A peaceful quiet.

It was the first time in a very long time that she didn’t feel on edge, as though she had needed to be ready to do battle. Surrounded by the Graham men, she felt safe. And with her daughter waiting at the boardinghouse, excitement raced through her.

Things were almost perfect.

As they approached the boardinghouse, she saw Caleb and Brody standing in front of the porch steps looking down. Her peaceful feeling flew away on the breeze. She kneed the mare into a faster gait.

“What’s happened?” she yelled as she yanked on the reins to stop the horse

Caleb looked at her with his hands on his hips. “My foolish brother left the hospital and passed out in the yard.”

Winnie slid out of the saddle and landed with a jarring thump. Her teeth clacked together but she ignored her own discomfort and ran to Nicholas’s side. He was pale as milk and the bruises stood out like purple and red paint on his skin. To her surprise, Martha knelt beside him, worry clearly written on her face.

Winnie looked at the Graham men. “We need to get him inside.” She held out her hand to Martha who shook her head and scampered back on her own. Winnie wasn’t hurt by her daughter’s refusal. Trust would come in time.

The four
men nodded and picked up Nicholas’s limp form.

“Where do you want him?” Matt asked.

Winnie thought through the possibilities. The parlor contained only the settee, which was too small, and the wingback chairs. The sitting room had only comfortable chairs. That meant Nicholas had to go upstairs, which would be nearly impossible given the width of the staircase and the width of the men’s shoulders.

“Wait here.” She moved faster than she thought possible into the boardinghouse and up the stairs. After grabbing the quilt from her bed, she made her way back downstairs and slam
med out the door.

All four men holding Nicholas scowled at her.

“He ain’t exactly light.”

“I think we need to tell our little brother to stop eating so many of Eva’s biscuits.”

“And gravy.”

“And the tamales. Jesus, he scarfs them down like nobody’s business.”

Winnie had no time for their foolishness. She shook out the quilt onto the soft grass. “Please lay him here.” After they set him down, she looked at him again and hoped he hadn’t done permanent damage leaving the hospital too early. She turned to Vaughn. “Can you please get a basin of cold water, a rag and a cup?”

After Vaughn left to do as she bade, she lowered herself to the quilt and pulled Nicholas’s head onto her lap as gently as she could. He was warm but not overly so.
He had dark smudges beneath his eyes and his lashes were impossibly long for a man. She would have to tease him about that when he woke.

Martha sat at the corner of the quilt, her gaze on Nicholas. Winnie didn’t look at her yet. She wanted the girl to feel comfortable on her own without being pushed.
Winnie looked at Caleb. “Can you please go down the street to Dade’s store? It’s three blocks east of here. Ask for crates and sacks for packing. Also—” she glanced at the girl who hadn’t moved an inch, “—if you would please get some clothes and a pair of good shoes for Martha.”

She handed him her reticule. “There is plenty of money in there to pay for whatever you need to purchase.”

He promptly handed the reticule back with a frown. “Grahams take care of their own.”

With that, he sealed her opinion of him completely. He was a good man, no matter the tough
exterior. They were all good men.

“We’ll go get started packing in the barn,” Matt said loudly.

“There isn’t much to pack since I don’t own any horses, but Bartholomew’s things are in what was the tack room.” She smiled at the memory. “He refused to sleep in the house and spent time fixing up his own space.”

“Are there crates in the barn we can start with?” This was from Brody. “I don’t fancy carrying a man’s private things in my arms.”

“There are a few crates in there in the loft.” She glanced at both of them. “Thank you.”

Matt nodded. “Caleb already said it but I’ll say it again. Grahams take care of their own.”

Winnie’s throat tightened and she managed to convey her thanks with her eyes only because she couldn’t speak. Being part of a family was overwhelming but it was also like a warm blanket on a cool night. Comfortable and safe.

Vaughn walked out of the house with the supplies she requested. He set them down and pointed at the house. “I’ll start packing things in the guest rooms.”

“Thank you, my friend.”

He smiled and returned to the house.
Winnie was alone with Nicholas and Martha. A soft breeze rustled the leaves on the trees and the late day sun warmed the air around them. Another silence descended, but Winnie welcomed it. The lack of noise gave her the opportunity to find that peaceful place in her heart again. She wrung out the rag in the water and wiped Nicholas’s face.

“
Thank you for taking care of him.” Winnie finally looked at her daughter.

“He’s a nice man.”

“He’s the best man I ever met.” She cupped his cheek. “I love him more than life.”
And I love you too, little one.

His eyes opened and her heart stuttered. Those beautiful blue-green orbs regarded her with the love she never thought to receive.

“Hi.”

The smile that spread across her face was one of relief and joy. “Hi
, Nicky.”

“My head hurts.” His voice was like sandpaper.

She dipped the cup in the water and held it to his lips, letting some dribble into his mouth. He swallowed then winced. He sighed and closed his eyes.

“I want to tell you a story, Martha.” Winnie knew it was time to be completely honest with her daughter
. “Once there was a sixteen-year-old girl. She became pregnant by a man she barely knew. She was ashamed by her actions but not of the child. Her good friends took her in and helped her through the pregnancy. She delivered a beautiful baby girl and her friend Josie took the baby to a man who would take care of the child. Mr. Fuller is a wonderful man who gave children a home until a family could find them and adopt them.” Winnie heard Martha’s small intake of breath but didn’t stop. “For many years, the girl missed her baby and had a huge hole in her heart. Then she met a man and fell in love with him. Her heart healed but there was still an empty space in her life for the baby she’d given up.”

Nick smiled at her and Winnie drew courage from it, his love and support. Her heart ached with the knowledge she had lost nine years of her daughter’s life. Unforgivable. Almost.

“The girl found the strength to find her baby nine years later, only when she found her, someone held her captive. The girl and the man she loved did battle to free her, to give her a home and a family she deserved.” Winnie finally looked up at Martha. “Now the girl hopes her daughter will forgive her.”

Martha pointed at herself. “Me? I’m the baby?”

“Yes.” Winnie’s voice trembled right along with the rest of her. “Please forgive me.”

Martha looked down at her leg. “I always thought my parents gave me up because my leg was crooked.”

Tears gathered in Winnie’s eyes. “I didn’t know your leg was crooked. I couldn’t look at you or I wouldn’t have been able to give you away. I wasn’t worthy to be your mother, Martha.”

The girl frowned. “How do I know you’re really my mother?”

“You have her face and nose.” Nicholas reached out and tapped said nose. “And her stubbornness.”

“You were born May first
and you have a heart-shaped birthmark on your hip. I named you Grace because you were the part of me that deserved God’s grace.” Winnie let the tears run freely down her cheeks. “You took a piece of my heart with you when Josie brought you to Fuller’s Home. I’m sincerely hoping I can convince you to give it back.”

“Grace is a pretty name.”

“You’re a pretty girl.” Nicholas touched Martha’s foot. “Just like your mama.”

Martha met Winnie’s gaze. “You want to be my mama and be a family with Mr. Nick?”

“More than anything.” Winnie took Nicholas’s hand held the other out to her daughter. Time seemed to stop as the girl regarded the outstretched hand. Winnie’s arm burned but she wouldn’t drop it. Not if she had a breath in her body.

Martha crept closer and put her own shaking hand in Winnie’s. A sob escaped from her throat and she pulled Martha in for a hug. The girl’s scent surrounded her.