Yellowstone Romance Series - Bundle (# 2-5) (43 page)

Kyle and Josh both stared after her.

“What was that all about?” Josh asked.

Kyle’s eyes narrowed. “I have no idea,” he said slowly.

Chapter 11

Kate leaned back against the closed door of the bedroom, her hands clutched to her chest. Her breathing came in quick, spasmodic gasps, and her heart seemed to want to leap out of her throat. An icy sensation, like a cold hand, gripped her throat and squeezed, and the feeling traveled down her trunk, and through her extremities.

It couldn’t be! Her husband had hired Kyle, the one man she’d started to trust, and who could take her far away from Hiram’s clutches, to guide him through this paradise. Hiram would not see these mountains for their spectacular beauty and wonders. He would only see dollar signs. Now she knew why they had come to Montana Territory in first place. He’d always said there was a new business venture he was interested in, to benefit both him and his railroad, and Kate didn’t believe for a second he would hold the same beliefs as Kyle did about the land.

Kate pushed her hands against her throbbing temples, and tried desperately to slow her breathing. The shallow gulps of air left her with the sensation of drowning, and no matter how fast she breathed, she could not suck in enough oxygen to feed her starving lungs.

The impulse to run from the room, from this cabin, and get lost in the woods overpowered her, and every nerve ending on her body tingled with urgency. In her mind, Hiram stood right outside the door. He had her cornered again, and there was no escape. Her punishment for running away would be severe.

A soft knock sounded directly behind her.  Her hand shot to her mouth and she strangled a gasp.  Jumping away from the door, she wheeled around. It would open any second, and Hiram would come bearing down on her.

“Katelyn, are you all right?” Kyle’s concerned voice came from the other side. She sighed in relief. It wasn’t Hiram’s harsh, demanding voice. Her eyes darted around the room. She couldn’t face Kyle right now. He would see right through her lies, and demand answers.  She hastily pulled the covers back on the bed, and doused the lamp on the nightstand, then tumbled onto the mattress, burying herself under the furs.

“Katelyn, I’m coming in if you don’t answer.”

“I’ve gone to bed, Kyle,” she called, hoping her voice sounded steady. She clutched the covers to her neck, and squeezed her eyes shut. Perspiration beaded her forehead. What if he came into the room? “I feel tired. I should be fine come morning.”
Please let him believe me.

There was a slight hesitation. “Okay, Kate. Come and get me if there’s anything you need.”

“Thank you.” She waited, listening for the door to open. It didn’t. Kyle must have left. For the longest time she dared not move. She lay there under the heavy covers, the material of her dress sticking to her as sweat soaked her body. The faint sounds of chair legs scraping against the wooden floor, and the muffled voices of the two men in the main room gave her an odd comfort. When the front door creaked open and closed, she assumed it was Josh leaving to head back to his own cabin. Then all was quiet. Kyle must have retired to his room.

Kate slowly pushed the covers back, welcoming the cool air on her clammy skin. She scooted to the edge of the bed and pulled her legs over the mattress, and bent to unlace her shoes. The action caused her to clutch at her side, and she drew in a sharp breath, the pain a constant reminder of why she’d run away. After removing her dress, and unpinning her hair, she stood in the dark, hugging herself, and let the tears fall.

Her newfound happiness was short lived. What would she do now? She had no escape from this remote valley without a guide. She tried to recall her conversations with Kyle, and things that Josh had said. Kyle planned to take her to Virginia City when he delivered some horses to a customer. Josh mentioned that Kyle was to meet Hiram next month. Meet him where? It sounded as if Kyle would take her to Virginia City first. There was a good chance she was still safe. Unless he was to meet Hiram there! The thought sent a renewed wave of panic through her. She inhaled deeply to calm her racing heart.
You’ve got some time, Kate. Three weeks. Perhaps an idea will come to you.

The cool air chilled her, standing in only her chemise, and she climbed back in bed, drawing a few of the furs over her. Perhaps all was not lost. She would try and find out more about Kyle’s plans in the morning. She might still be able to enjoy some freedom for a few weeks. After that, her future seemed as murky as some of those muddy hot springs they’d passed by on the ride to this valley.

*****

Kate woke from a fitful sleep. She had lain awake for hours, staring into the darkness, her mind racing with thoughts of what she should do. No clear answers came to her. She opened her eyes, and sunlight filtered in through the small window of the room. Kate’s eyes drifted to the photo on the dresser. Kyle’s grandparents smiled softly at her, and her vision blurred. The look of peace, love, and happiness on the couple’s face was in sharp contrast with her own experiences. She wondered what she had done to deserve such misery in her life.

“It is your duty to this family, Kate Ellen, that you marry Hiram Devereaux. He is wealthy and influential, and you should be flattered that he’s asked for your hand.”
 Her mother’s sharp words on the day she had found out she was to be married to her deceased father’s former business partner echoed in her mind. Kate had never liked the man.

Even as a little girl, the way he had looked at her whenever he came by the house, had sent chills of dread down her spine. On her sixteenth birthday, he had sent her a bouquet of flowers. Kate couldn’t even remember what kind they were. She had paid no attention to them. Three years later, she found herself married to him.

He had been rough with her on their wedding night, and Kate only remembered the pain and humiliation. A woman’s first time was supposed to be special, she’d always heard. The beatings had begun whenever Hiram had difficulty completing the sex act. He’d be drunk on those occasions, and he would blame her, and punish her for being, as he put it, undesirable. Over time, he’d found other excuses to hit her.

Kate sighed heavily, and forced the unpleasant memories from her mind. Stretching her body, she quickly got out of bed and dressed. She ran the brush that Kyle had given her through her hair, and was about to pin it up out of habit. Changing her mind, she let it fall freely down her back.

She opened the bedroom door slowly, her heart suddenly beating faster. Kyle would no doubt want to know what had prompted her to leave the table so abruptly the night before. With a heavy sigh, she realized she would have to lie again.

A quick glance around the room told her he wasn’t there. Her eyes darted to his bedroom door, which was closed. She couldn’t imagine he would still be asleep.

A piece of paper on the table caught her eye. She walked over and read the message:

There’s leftover biscuits on the workbench, and fixins for tea.

 Hot water in the coffee pot.  ---Kyle

Kate ran her fingers over the scribbled letters on the paper, a soft smile on her face. His penmanship wasn’t pretty or elegant, but it was legible, and his grammar would have her mother screaming in fits of outrage.

Nothing about this man would meet with her mother’s approval. Not that it mattered. Her mother had given – no, sold - her to Hiram Devereaux, with no regard for her feelings on the matter. Kate had objected outright, but her mother turned a deaf ear on her. After her father’s passing, the money had slowly dwindled, and Kate’s marriage to Hiram would assure her mother a continued comfortable life in style and luxury.

Kate read the note again. How did Kyle know that she’d rather drink tea than coffee? She sighed. Despite his backwoods upbringing, which was so different from her life in Boston, in her eyes, he was perfect. The warm sensations trickling through her veins scared her. She couldn’t allow herself to have such feelings for a man.

She held no affection for her husband, and certainly didn’t love him, but she’d married under the eyes of God, and to be unfaithful to Hiram would mean being unfaithful to Him.

Kate walked over to the workbench. A clay jar stood next to a tin coffee cup, and a plate was covered with a towel. She opened the lid of the jar, and a pleasant herbal fragrance wafted to her nose. Bending down to the hearth, she wrapped a towel around the coffee pot handle, and set it on the counter. She added some of the dried herbs and leaves from the jar to the pot, and closed the lid to allow the tea to steep.

The rumbling in her stomach prompted her to reach for a biscuit from the plate, and she took a bite. Some honey or butter would make it taste less dry. She didn’t think either of these items would be found here, and didn’t dare look around for any. Dipping it in some tea might soften it up some.

Using the towel as a strainer over her cup, she poured tea from the pot.  The door creaked open behind her. Startled, she spilled some of the hot liquid over the counter, and hastily set the pot down. With trembling hands, she wiped at the mess she’d made.

“Mornin’,” Kyle’s cheerful voice greeted her.

Kate turned slowly, her heart rate increasing. Why did his presence make her react this way? Hiram always made her nervous, but the constant threat of a beating was the cause for that reaction. Kyle wouldn’t hurt her, but he still set her nerves on edge with an inexplicable anticipation.

“Good morning,” she said, looking across the room at him, and her eyes grew wide. Her mouth suddenly went dry, and heat crept up her neck. There he stood, in the center of the room, clad in only his britches. A shirt was slung casually over one shoulder, and his wet hair sparkled golden in some spots, the water droplets catching the rays of the sun streaming into the window.

With a mind of their own, Kate’s eyes traveled over his magnificent body. A nude man was nothing new to her, but she’d never looked upon one with such exquisitely honed features. Michaelangelo’s sculptures came to mind. Hiram looked nothing like the man in front of her. Her husband’s body was more a product of excessive food and drink, and a life devoid of physical activity. Thick layers of adipose tissue covered any muscles he did have.

A slow smile spread across Kyle’s face, and Kate quickly averted her eyes. Her face flamed with heat, and she spun around to face the workbench.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked, his voice close behind her. Kate held her breath.

She managed to nod and produce a faint “yes”.

“I hope you like the tea. It’s all I could find. Josh and I drink coffee, but this was in one of my mother’s cabinets.”

Kate turned her head slightly and dared to take a look. He’d moved next to her at the workbench, and she stared at his well-defined arm muscles. Her cheeks had to be scarlet at this point. She wished she had something to fan herself.

“Are you sure you’re all right? You look feverish.” Kyle leaned forward to peer at her face, his forehead wrinkled.

“I’m . . . quite well,” she stammered.

Kyle raised one eyebrow. His warm chocolate eyes held an amused sparkle. “Am I making you uncomfortable? Don’t men take their shirts off in Boston?”

She turned fully toward him, and straightened her shoulders. His chest was at eye level, and her gaze slowly lifted upward to his face, until her eyes met his. If he wanted to display himself, then she might as well enjoy the view. “Men in polite society don’t present themselves in public. Presumably only in the privacy of their home,” she mumbled.

“This is my home, Kate,” he reminded her. “Josh wore less clothing yesterday morning by the river. You couldn’t take your eyes off him.”

Kate glared at him, her lips parting in ire. She’d done no such thing. A wide grin spread across his face. Was he mocking her? Her eyes narrowed, and she raised her chin. “I don’t make it a habit of staring at nude men, Mr. Russell. I barely recall your cousin’s features from yesterday. If you’d care to remember, he gave me quite a fright.”

 ”Turnaround’s fair play, Kate. You showed off plenty of yourself yesterday, and the day before.  I wasn’t uncomfortable with it at all.” He shrugged his sculpted shoulders.

Kate huffed, and her mouth flew open in exasperation. “I . . . I wasn’t flaunting myself, if that’s what you’re insinuating.” She grabbed the towel off the table and wiped at the water stains on the counter, anything to escape his glaring eyes. How could he suggest she was behaving like a wanton! “You assured me I would have complete privacy. And might I also remind you, the day before that, you are the one who insisted I remove my dress!”