Читать книгу Lone Wolf's Lady - Judy Duarte, Judy Duarte - Страница 12

Chapter Four

The next morning, as dawn broke over the eastern hills, Katie woke up stiff and sore. She’d no more than grimaced and tried to stretch out on the quilt-lined wagon bottom when she heard the sound and caught a whiff of coffee percolating on an open flame.

Apparently Mr. McCain had realized he shouldn’t order her to cook all their meals. If so, why hadn’t he backed down the day before? It would have saved them both some unnecessary trouble and anger.

Maybe he’d decided it was time for a truce. After all, they were stuck with each other for the next couple of days. Bickering wasn’t going to do them any good. And it certainly wouldn’t help Sarah Jane feel safe.

After biting back a groan, Katie rolled to her side and carefully climbed from the wagon, trying not to disturb the other woman and the child, both of whom still slept soundly. Then she made her way to the small campfire, where McCain sat upon a large rock, studying the flickering flame.

He hadn’t shaved, and in the morning light, he appeared more rugged, more manly and even more handsome—dangerously so.

She lowered her sleep-hoarsened voice. “Good morning.”

He glanced up for a moment, then gave her a cursory nod. “’Morning.”

She bit down on her lower lip, unsure of how to broach an apology, then swallowed her pride and pressed on. “I’m sorry for being disagreeable yesterday. I’m afraid we both started off on the wrong foot, and I’d like to make amends. We have a common goal, and I think being at odds isn’t going to help matters.”

He seemed to ponder her words, then said, “You’re right.”

She let out the breath she’d been holding. “I think it’s best if you call me Katie from now on. Miss O’Malley is too formal for this type of trip. Besides, if we’re supposed to be traveling as—” she didn’t dare say husband and wife “—as a family, then it’s more believable, don’t you think?”

Silence swirled around them like the steam from the coffee in his tin cup.

Finally she asked, “May I call you by your given name, as well?”

He reached into the wooden box that rested next to him and pulled out a second tin cup. “My name’s Tom.”

Another step in the right direction.

“I may not be one to take orders,” she added. “But you’ll find that I’m not afraid of hard work.”

He filled the second cup with coffee. “I saw you tending Sarah Jane and Erin.”

She waited for him to continue, for him to utter some kind of compliment or recognition of all she’d done to assist Erin yesterday and through the night by wiping the dust and perspiration from her brow, feeding her and changing the chamber pot.

When no other words followed, she supposed that was all he was going to grant her. She’d just have to be happy with that.

He handed the coffee to her, and she took the tin cup from him, being careful not to burn herself.

“Where do you plan to take Sarah Jane and Erin?” she asked.

“To stay with a woman named Hannah.”

“Who is she?”

“A friend.” A slow smile broke across his face, reaching his eyes and softening his expression. “She’s a good woman, the finest one you’ll ever meet. Sarah Jane and Erin will be safe there—and well cared for.”

Katie’s heart tumbled in her chest, although she wasn’t sure why. Surprised by Tom’s obvious respect and affection for the woman, she supposed. And curiosity, too.

Was he courting Hannah? Or was she merely a friend, as he’d said?

Katie took a sip of the hot, bitter coffee and bit back a grimace, wishing she had some cream and sugar to temper the taste. Yet she knew better than to voice a complaint. Instead, she relished the warmth it provided in the crisp morning hour as dawn broke over their campsite and accepted it as the first sign of their truce.

“How will Hannah feel about you bringing a couple of women with you and asking her to keep us until you return?” Katie asked.

“She’s used to me bringing home strays.”

Katie didn’t like being referred to as a stray, and that’s certainly what Tom had implied. She hadn’t led the same kind of life that Erin had, although smudged in dirt and covered in trail dust, they all seemed to be the same—except for the bumps and bruises Erin still bore.

Katie had half a notion to give Tom a piece of her mind for implying otherwise, but she wasn’t about to hurt Erin’s feelings, should she be awake and listening. Nor did she want their fragile truce to suffer a setback. So she kept her thoughts to herself.

Still, she didn’t want to be a burden to a woman she’d never met, although she wouldn’t mind a bit if Hannah got angry at Tom for bringing her a wagonload of trouble.

* * *

By the third day, the wind and sun had chapped and burned Katie’s lips and cheeks. Sitting on the hard wooden slats had given her a backache and a crick in her neck, but she hadn’t uttered a single complaint. The journey hadn’t been easy on any of them, especially Erin, even though she’d managed to sleep through most of it, thanks to the medication Dr. Hennessy had told them to give her.

An hour ago, they’d stopped long enough to eat hardtack, stale bread and apples for the noon meal, then they’d started out once again.

“How much farther until we reach Hannah’s place?” Katie asked Tom.

“Late this afternoon or early evening.”

Katie could hardly wait to be out of the wagon for good. She wondered if Tom was as eager to get there as she was. Most likely. He clearly cared about Hannah and undoubtedly missed her.

Again, she found herself curious about their relationship.

“I suppose Hannah will be happy to see you,” she said.

As Tom flicked the reins along the backside of the team, the wagon swayed, causing his arm to brush against hers again, a warm touch she’d grown used to, an intimacy she’d actually found rather nice and comforting.

“Hannah will welcome me with open arms,” he said.

Katie suspected as much and, if truth be told, she couldn’t help feeling a bit apprehensive at meeting Tom’s lady friend.

As the day wore on, her apprehension and discomfort grew steadily.

By the time the sun had lowered in the west, perspiration had dampened her collar and the fabric under her arms. Dust powdered her skin in spite of the long sleeves she wore, and the sun had no doubt burned her nose and cheeks.

She must be a sight. Yet, in spite of her reluctance to meet the woman herself, Katie looked forward to arriving at Hannah’s house if it meant that she could stretch her legs and, hopefully, soak in a warm, soapy tub.

“How are our passengers faring?” Tom asked.

Katie glanced over her shoulder and spotted the child holding a rag doll while watching over a drowsy Erin, who’d had another dose of medication after they’d had their midday meal.

Sarah Jane turned, smiled softly and gave a little wave. What a sweet child. She seemed to like Tom, which was a bit surprising. Katie would think she’d find him intimidating. Of course, a six-year-old was easily swayed by lemon drops, handcrafted moccasins and the easy smiles that lit his eyes.

“They’re both doing just fine,” Katie said, as she scanned her surroundings.

It would be dark soon, which meant they were drawing near the end of their journey.

Up ahead, just beyond a small orchard chock-full of peaches to tempt hungry travelers, a white clapboard house sat surrounded by a whitewashed picket fence. Bright red geraniums blossomed in a planter beneath a single window in the front.

The two-story structure was clearly a home to someone, and it warmed Katie’s heart to gaze upon it. She could easily imagine a loving wife, handsome husband and happy children living there. The vision was so clear, so strong, that she could almost feel it deep in her soul.

If she were to ever reconsider her decision never to marry, which she wouldn’t do, she could imagine living in a home like that.

“That’s a lovely little house and yard,” she said. “Do you know who lives there?”

“Yes, I do. Hannah.”

The woman’s name rolled off his tongue simply, yet affectionately, and Katie’s heart sank. She had to admit that she didn’t like the idea of Hannah living in that particular house, although she couldn’t say why.

Tom turned the team onto the property. When they reached the barn, he pulled the horses to a stop and surveyed the grounds, where a hen and several half-grown chicks pecked at a small patch of grass.

Four big pots of green plants and two flower boxes filled with pansies marked a walkway and graced the steps of a lovely little porch, where a roughly handcrafted bench and rocking chair beckoned anyone in need of peace and quiet. Yet in spite of the warm and colorful welcome of the house and yard, Katie felt uneasy about the type of reception they might receive.

Tom secured the reins and climbed down. Then he circled the wagon and reached up to help Katie. At one time she’d struggled with his assistance, but after traveling together the past few days, she found his help not only easier to accept but even comforting.

She took his arm and, as she lifted her foot to step over the side, he swung her to the ground, just as he’d done each day of their journey. But today, for some reason, her heart beat a little faster, her breath caught a little deeper.

As he released his hold on her, her legs wobbled a bit, and she reached for his forearm to steady herself, gripping the corded muscle, feeling his strength.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I will be.”

“Good.” He nodded toward the house. “If Hannah doesn’t answer the door, take Sarah Jane inside. I’ll get Erin out of the wagon and put her in the spare room. If you’re hungry, you’ll find cookies in a blue tin box in the kitchen.”

Katie balked at his suggestion to just make herself at home. “I could never enter someone’s house uninvited. If Hannah doesn’t answer, Sarah Jane and I will wait on the porch.”

“Suit yourself. Hannah usually keeps that tin full. I think Sarah Jane would like something sweet to eat.”

The girl nodded and grinned, regaining a wee bit of the spark she’d had before the assault. She seemed to be healing—inside, as well as out. In fact, the bruising along her right arm had begun to yellow and fade.

Of course, the child who’d once been clean and dressed to perfection now had dirty hands and a black smudge across her nose.

“She needs a bath first,” Katie said.

Tom chuckled, and his brown eyes sparked. “So do you.”

He was teasing, of course, and probably didn’t mean anything by it, but...

Katie ran her hands along the skirt of her soiled and wrinkled dress. She’d planned on bathing and changing into clean clothes, but to have Tom point it out left her uneasy and unbalanced.

As Tom untied the two horses from the back of the wagon and led them to the barn, she couldn’t help but watch him go. He was an intriguing man and a formidable opponent. Yet she had to admit that she’d felt safe riding with him and knowing that he’d been watching over them.

As Tom entered the barn with the two saddle horses, Katie felt a tug at her skirts and glanced down at Sarah Jane, who pointed to the small outhouse in back.

“Good idea,” Katie said with a smile. “And then we’ll find the well and wash up outside. We don’t want Hannah to think we’re ragamuffins.”

Again Katie worried about the impression her appearance might make, a concern she’d rarely had in the past.

What was the matter with her? She didn’t care what others thought of her.

You’re a lady, she reminded herself. Not a ragamuffin, a stray or a soiled dove. She was every bit as good and kindhearted as Hannah, no matter what she looked like on the outside.

Besides, Katie had no need of a life like Hannah’s. She was going to Granville, where she would have a small but cozy home behind the school. She would be a fine teacher, an upstanding and respected woman in the community. A happy spinster. Life would be just as she’d always wanted.

So why did her tummy feel so fluttery?

Maybe she’d eaten something that hadn’t sat very well.

After using the outhouse, she found the well and drew a bucket of water. Then she dampened her handkerchief and washed Sarah Jane’s face and hands. When she finished cleaning the girl, she washed herself the best she could, then she led Sarah Jane back to the front porch and took a seat.

Katie chose the wooden bench, knowing Sarah Jane would prefer the rocker.

Moments later, Tom sauntered out of the house, where he must have taken Erin, and stepped onto the porch. Before Katie could question him, he headed for the buckboard, which he’d left near the barn. As he began to unhitch the team, a dog howled in the distance, catching his attention.

Katie turned to the sound and spotted a black buggy approaching the yard with a beast of a dog trotting beside it.

The driver, a stout, gray-haired woman, called out, “Lord be praised. You’re home, Tom!”

Katie watched as the dog, which looked more like a wolf, barked and then raced toward the man.

Oh, dear. Should she grab Sarah Jane and run inside for safety? Perhaps she didn’t need to do anything yet. The house was still a good distance from the barn. And the creature didn’t seem to notice anything other than Tom. So she and Sarah Jane were probably safe enough for now.

Tom laughed, the smooth, easy timbre calming her nerves. Then he started toward the road, bracing himself as the black wolf-dog leaped into his arms and gave him a slobbery lick across the face.

“Hey,” he said to the creature. “How are you doing, boy? Is Hannah feeding you enough?”

The gray-haired woman pulled the buggy into the yard and halted the horse. “That dog eats better than you do, young man. It’s good to have you home. I hope you’ll be here longer than the last time you came.”

“I can only stay for dinner. I need a good night’s sleep, then I’m leaving in the morning.” Tom set the wolf-dog down and ruffled its black woolly head before he strode to help Hannah down from the buggy. “Where’s Trapper? He told me he was going to meet me here.”

“He stopped by a couple days ago. I asked him to go with me when I called on the widow Johnson this afternoon. I took her some chicken stew and peach cobbler for her supper tonight, and he stayed at her place to do a few chores. But he should be back soon. He knew you’d be coming home any day.”

“Good. I need to talk to him.”

Hannah glanced at the buckboard, which the quilts still lined and the canvas tarp still shaded. “What’s that? And where’s your horse?”

“Caballo is in the barn. And that? Well, I suppose you could say that I brought you a surprise.”

“Not another wolf puppy, I hope.” She shook her gray head, chuckling.

“I think you’ll like this one a lot better.” He continued to talk to her, but he lowered his voice to the point it was impossible to hear from where Katie and Sarah Jane sat.

Hannah nodded, then spoke, too, her voice also a whisper.

When Tom pointed toward the porch, Katie got to her feet. While she was no longer concerned about meeting the woman she’d once thought Tom might be courting, she still wondered what kind of reception she would receive.

However, if Hannah held any ill feelings about Tom bringing three houseguests, she masked them with a warm smile on a rosy face.

Katie turned to the rocker, where Sarah Jane watched the homecoming. “Come on, honey. Tom has someone he wants us to meet.”

The child’s big blue eyes implored Katie to participate in the introductions without her.

“You can play on the rocker later.” Katie held out a hand. “I promise.”

Sarah Jane sighed, then stopped the swaying motion with little moccasin-clad feet and reached her small hand into Katie’s.

As they approached Hannah and Tom, the big dog studied them intently. Too intently, Katie realized. She paused in midstep, determined to avoid a quick movement that might provoke the creature to pounce upon them with teeth bared. Katie waited, ready to jump in front of Sarah Jane as a shield, if need be.

“He won’t hurt you.” Tom stooped to one knee and held out his hand to Sarah Jane. “Come here, sweetheart. I have a friend I want you to meet.”

The child made her way to the man and dog, apparently not the least bit apprehensive.

“Sarah Jane, this is Lobo. He’s part wolf, but don’t let that scare you. I’ve had him since he was a puppy, and he’s both loving and loyal.” Tom placed a hand upon the animal’s head. “Lobo, this is my friend. And now she’s your friend, too.”

The child warmed to the dog immediately. Judging by the way Hannah smiled warmly as she watched the little girl and the wolf-dog, Katie seemed to be the only one with any apprehension whatsoever.

“Sarah Jane,” Tom said, “I also want to introduce you to a very special lady. Her name is Hannah McCain, and she used to be a schoolteacher.”

Hannah McCain?

Was she his grandmother—or perhaps an aunt?

With a rather large nose, a wide mouth and a gap-toothed smile, Hannah wasn’t much for looks. In fact, Katie doubted she’d been any more attractive in her youth, but her obvious pleasure at greeting Sarah Jane softened the harsh wrinkles etched on her face.

Hannah slowly lowered herself to her knees, grimacing as she went down, but she seemed to shake off any discomfort as she cupped Sarah Jane’s face and smiled. “I have a cookie tin that never goes empty. And if you like storybooks, I have a shelf full of them. Reading is one of my favorite things to do.”

Tom chuckled. “But watch out for the pianoforte in the parlor. Hannah thinks every child should learn to play as well as she does.”

Books and a musical instrument? Hannah was certainly educated. But if Tom was calling her by her first name, then she wasn’t his mother. Of course, there didn’t appear to be a family resemblance, either.

Curiosity flared, and Katie was determined to learn more about Hannah McCain and how she and Tom had become so close.

The wolf-dog gave Sarah Jane’s face a lick, which triggered one of the smiles Katie had been longing to see.

“Hannah,” Tom said, “forgive me for skipping formalities, but now that Sarah Jane is at ease, I’d like to introduce you to Katie O’Malley.”

The older woman returned to her feet and waddled to Katie, her pudgy hand outstretched. “How do you do, dear? It’s nice to meet you.”

Katie accepted the greeting. “I’m fine, thank you. Tom assured me that you wouldn’t mind having us stay with you.”

“I’m delighted to have you.” Hannah turned to Tom. “Son, will you please put some water on to heat? These young ladies are going to need a bath. In the meantime, I’ll get supper underway.”

“I hate to be a bother,” Katie said.

“It’s no bother at all. Any friend of Tom’s is a friend of mine.”

Tom had said as much, but Katie suspected the kindly woman would have taken in anyone who’d needed a warm meal and a soft bed.

“We won’t be staying with you very long,” Katie told her. “Erin and I have plans to take Sarah Jane to Wyoming.”

Tom’s smile waned, and his expression grew stern. “I thought we had that settled.”

“We did get that settled. You’re going to Stillwater to check on a few details, and my plan to leave for Wyoming merely has been delayed until you get back.”

Tom shot her a glance that suggested their truce might be short-lived, then he clucked his tongue and returned to the buckboard.

* * *

While the women went into the house, Tom unhitched the team and led them to the corral, where he could brush them down and give them some grain and water.

All the while, he grumbled under his breath. He’d lowered his guard when it came to dealing with Katie O’Malley, and now that they’d reached Hannah’s house, she was back in rare form.

Where was Trapper when he needed another man to even things out?

He’d no more than wondered that question when Lobo’s ears perked up and he barked.

A moment later, Tom heard it, too—the sound of a horse riding onto the property. As Lobo made a dash toward the road, Tom placed his right hand over the gun that rested in his holster.

He hadn’t thought they’d been followed, but he couldn’t be sure. A sense of uneasiness had dogged him from Pleasant Valley, and he hadn’t been able to shake it.

Still, he was glad to spot Trapper riding up on his Appaloosa. He released the team of horses into the corral, then met his old friend in the yard.

As Trapper dismounted, he surveyed the buckboard and scrunched his face. “What’s that contraption?”

Tom told him about the assault and why he’d brought Erin and Sarah Jane to Hannah.

Trapper, who’d gotten a shave and a haircut after his return from Pleasant Valley, lifted his hat and mopped his brow. “Something just don’t seem right.”

“That’s the conclusion I came to back in Pleasant Valley. We trailed Caroline from Casa de Los Angelitos in Mexico. And each time she’d settle down in a town and find a respectable job, she’d pack up and move a year or so later. But they stayed in Taylorsville nearly two years. So why didn’t Erin stay put after Caroline died? Why would she take Sarah Jane to live at the Gardener’s House? It doesn’t make sense.”