Peri (Brides 0f Needful Texas Book 3)

by Danni Roan

  Bear turned toward the fire squatting before it as he added another log, and Peri scrabbled into the pants, only to have them drop to the ground as soon as she fastened them. Shaking her head, she pulled on the shirt swallowing a giggle as the edge reached her knees.

  “You done?” the big man asked as she finished buttoning the shirt and grasped the pants that sagged around her pulling them to her chest.

  “Yes, but I need a rope or something if I’m going to keep these confounded pants up,” she said.

  Bear turned around taking in the scene before him as he burst into laughter. The young woman was completely engulfed in his clothes. The shirt itself was more a dress than a shirt, and the trousers covered her feet completely. “Maybe you should just wear the shirt,” he mused getting himself in hand then laughing again as the young woman gasped.

  “Mr. Cassidy that wouldn’t be decent,” Peri said looking down at the outfit.

  Bear walked to the wall by the fireplace and took down a piece of rope measuring it with his eyes then cutting it with the big knife he wore on his belt. “Try that,” he said handing the thing to Peri.

  “Turn around again,” Peri said making that same spinning motion and shaking her head at the man’s grin. As Bear turned his back once more, she pushed the warm shirt up high, threaded the rope through the belt loops on the pants and fastened them just below her bosom. This whole situation was highly irregular, but she would have to make do.

  “All right,” she said a moment later, “You can turn around.

  Bear turned looking at the young woman once more. She was a pretty little thing, and the sassy light in her eyes made him smile, even if at the moment, she looked like a badly dressed scarecrow. The trousers he had given her pooled over her feet, and the shirt covered her from chin to calf, its sleeve dangling below her hands.

  “Let me help,” he said moving forward and taking a knee before her as hi strong hands rolled the pant legs up. “I wouldn’t want you tripping and hitting your head again.”

  Peri shivered as the man’s fingers brushed the bare skin of her feet.

  “Are you cold?” he asked looking up with concern. “I’ll get you a coat.”

  Peri shook her head but didn’t reply. Her throat had gone dry, and she didn’t trust herself to speak.

  “There,” the big man said standing to his full and impressive height. “Now for the sleeves.”

  “I can do it,” Peri squeaked hurrying to roll first one then the other sleeve, while the man smiled down at her. Why was he smiling? She knew she must look ridiculous in this get-up, but what choice did she have? Was she expected to huddle in the bed until someone came for her?

  “I’ll make coffee,” Bear drawled his voice soft and distant. “You move slow now,” he added. “I don’t want you passing out again.”

  Peri nodded slowly, not sure what else to do. She was alone in a strange man’s cabin, with no idea how or when she could get home. The storm outside crashed and rumbled as rain poured onto the sturdy roof above.

  Stepping to the fire and letting its heat burn off some of her worries, she gazed around her at the stout cabin. It was much larger than the one she and her family had shared. The wide fireplace, made of gray stone narrowed toward the ceiling, and the walls on either side were decked in various tools and hunting implements.

  “Do you live here all alone?” Peri asked not sure where the question came from.

  “Yes,” the man said as the coffee pot clattered on the cookstove. “I like things quiet.”

  Peri walked along the far side of the room, her bare feet padding on the smooth hardwood floors. Around her, several well made pieced of furniture graced the space, and she smiled seeing a bentwood rocker on one side of the room.

  “You made Mama’s rocking chair,” Peri mused as she ran her hand along the smooth wood and softly glowing finish of the chair.

  “I made one for Anderson Bowlings if that’s what you mean,” Bear said.

  Peri looked along the length of the cabin to where the man was working in the kitchen. He had filled a pan with water and was adding salt. As he turned, looking over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of Peri he smiled, making her heart flutter.

  “I’m making some oatmeal,” he said. “With that bump to your head, you need something that will go easy on your stomach.”

  Peri lifted her hand touching the back of her head and grimacing at the pain it caused. Her damp hair spilled down her back and over her shoulders, and she realized again just how out of place she was.

  “I’m sorry to be such a nuisance,” she said.

  Walking toward the kitchen Peri stopped blinking at the half-wall that separated the cooking area from the rest of the house. It wasn’t just a simple doorway, but a wall covered in light colored wood and framed out with darker trim, but what caught Peri’s attention was the large bookshelf stuffed full of multi-colored books. Why would a mountain man like Mr. Cassidy have so many books?

  Walking to the shelf Peri ran her hands over the spines noting the titles, many of which she had heard of, but never had the opportunity to read. “They’re beautiful,” she said reverently.

  “What’s that?” Bear asked stepping away from the stove and spying the young woman looking at his bookshelf.

  “Oh,” he said scratching his head. “I’ve had those a while,” he finished lamely not wanting to explain.

  “But why would a man like you have so many books?” Peri said shocked at the flash of anger that crossed Bear’s craggy face.

  “That’s from another lifetime,” the man snapped. “Now come sit down, before you fall down, and drink your coffee.”

  Peri gaped as the big man turned back to the stove grasping two tin mugs and plunking them down on the table in a huff, as he poured coffee for both of them.

  “I don’t keep a cow, so you’ll have to drink it black,” the man continued in the same surly tone.

  Peri’s heart dipped as she slipped into a chair. She had obviously said something to upset Mr. Cassidy, and not knowing what it was she simply kept her mouth shut, taking the coffee and sipping the bitter brew.

  Chapter 12

  Peri sat at the table carefully spooning the hot oatmeal into her mouth. Mr. Cassidy had provided maple syrup and butter for the meal, and the warm rich taste seemed to push the leading edge of her headache away.

  “This is very good,” Peri spoke softly, but the man on the other side of the table only grunted. She wished she knew what she had said to make him so surly, but was afraid to ask. She had never been alone with any man in his own home and didn’t like to think about making this bear of a man truly angry.

  Scooping up yet another bite of the rich sweet meal Peri wondered if Prim would be worried or simply think she had decided to stay at the Hampton house to wait out the bad weather.

  A loud knock on the door made Peri jump and she dribbled the gruel down the front of Mr. Cassidy’s shirt.

  Dabbing at the mess she had made Peri turned watching the big man make his way to the door, pulling it open to see a tall man in a dark slicker, water cascading from his black Stetson.

  “Bear, I’m looking for Miss Perkins,” Jacks voice rolled into the cabin as Peri jumped to her feet.

  “Come on in Jacks. You found her,” Bear growled, opening the door wider and letting the dripping man in.

  “Miss Peri,” Jacks sighed, “am I glad to see you.”

  “Mr. Jacks,” Peri replied as the man stood there dripping on Mr. Cassidy’s hardwood floor.

  “Bear you got a paper and something I can write with?” the other man asked.

  Bartholomew Cassidy nodded turning and moving to the bookshelf before returning with a paper and a wax pen.

  Jacks scribbled something on the paper then opened the door. “Don’t go away,” he said with a smile as he ducked back out into the pouring rain.

  Moments later Peri could hear a horse galloping away through the storm and turned questioning eyes on Mr. Cassidy. She had just open
ed her mouth to ask where the other had gone when the door opened again and Jacks stripped out of his rain gear and headed for the stove. “I sent Buck home with a message, so your family can stop worrying,” the man said, “but it’s no use us trying to get back there in this rain. It’s colder than a …” he paused his eyes going wide. “Well it’s a mighty cold rain,” he finished taking the hot cup of coffee Bear offered.

  “I’m so sorry I scared everyone,” Peri said. “I tried to beat the storm home, but there was a lightning strike and Sparrow panicked, throwing me to the ground where I hit my head.”

  “That’s how I found her,” Bear added. “I was headed home from checking my traps when I saw that old oak along the road light up. Went over to make sure that the ground didn’t take and found Miss Perkins laying on the ground.”

  “I’m just glad you’re alright,” Jacks said. “Are you hurt badly?” he asked taking a seat while Bear dished him up some of the hot oats.

  “I have a terrible headache,” Peri admitted, “but I think I’m alright.” She paused turning to look at Mr. Cassidy as he placed the bowl before the old wrangler. “It could have been much worse if Mr. Cassidy hadn’t found me.”

  Jacks looked between Peri and Bear and nodded. “You must have been soaked through,” he said nodding at her unconventional outfit.

  “Mr. Cassidy was kind enough to give me dry clothes,” Peri said feeling a blush heat her cheeks. “He’s been very kind.”

  Bear’s green eyes turned toward the pretty woman sitting at his table, and the anger her words had brought earlier disappeared. She had been through a great deal and had remained calm, even fighting to keep what was left of her modesty intact.

  “What’ll we do now?” the big man asked returning to his seat. “That storm doesn’t seem in any hurry to leave the valley, and neither one of you have a horse now, anyway.”

  “If you can stand it,” Jacks said calmly, “I think we’ll sit out the storm here. When Buck gets home, everyone will know where we are, and someone will fetch us when the storm breaks.”

  “What if the storm doesn’t break until morning?” Peri asked, shocked.

  “Then we’ll stay until morning,” Jacks said lifting his cup and taking a sip of coffee.

  “What will people think,” Peri said, laying a hand along her cheek. “I’ll have spent the night with not one but two men.”

  “Miss Peri,” Jacks said, cracking a smile, “here in Texas a man does what he has to do. Folks in Needful know me and consider me an honorable man. No one will think anything about you taking shelter here with me and Bear.”

  Peri’s heart slowed as Jacks’ practical words rolled over her. “Thank you,” she said as the drama, and trials of the day seemed to take all of her strength.

  “Why don’t you finish up your meal,” Bear said kindly seeing the young woman sag, “then you can sleep in my bed, and me and Jacks will sleep out here and keep the fire going.”

  Peri looked up meeting the big man’s eyes and feeling their icy depths warm her to her toes. Nodding she finished her meal like an obedient child then walked to the far side of the cabin crawling into a large bed like Goldilocks in Papa Bears bed.

  “You sure she’s not hurt too bad,” Jacks asked Bear as he poured them both another cup of strong black coffee.

  “She took a nasty bump,” Bear said, “but she’s got plenty of spunk,” the bearded man said. “She even managed to keep my cookin’ down,” he added with a laugh.

  “I’m mighty glad you found her when you did then,” Jacks said. “It’s not fit weather for man nor beast out there.”

  Bear nodded sipping his coffee then headed for the extra blankets he kept stored in a cupboard he’d made a few years earlier. He had come to the area now called Needful nearly five years ago after losing everything in the disturbance between the North and South.

  The place had been lonely, secluded, and full of range cattle that he could shoot and butcher at will. When Dan Gaines had settled a little further north, he hadn’t even considered that others would come to the area, but now Needful was a real town.

  On one hand, it was nice to be able to go to town and buy the things he needed, but on the other, he’d managed just fine on his own.

  Now instead of shooting and dressing out a wild cow to last him through the winter, he depended on deer and his traps.

  “I’ll make up a place for myself here,” Bear said unfurling a long-unused bedroll next to the fireplace. “You take the cot,” he finished turning and adding another log to the fire.

  “You’re mighty hospitable for a man no one ever sees,” Jacks teased. “I appreciate it.”

  The man everyone called Bear grinned, his bright smile showing from beneath his thick beard and mustache. “I do what I can,” he said with a ragged laugh.

  ***

  Bear walked into his room on silent feet and pulled open the door of the small heating stove he had there, tucking a few split logs into the dying flames.

  In the bed, Miss Peri slept, her light brown hair spilling about her on the pillow, and he stood there watching her for a long while as the blankets rose and fell with her steady breathing.

  It had been a long time since he had watched a woman sleep, but instead of the scene before him bringing back all of the pain and loss he had suffered, he felt peaceful standing there.

  “I’m glad I found you before that old mountain cat,” Bear whispered. “You need to live.”

  Chapter 13

  A knock on the outer door made Peri stir, and she stretched in the large bed, opening her eyes and trying to remember where she was.

  “Hello,” she called as voices outside her room echoed in indistinguishable tones.

  Swinging her feet to the rich wood floor, Peri looked down at her ridiculous clothing as the events of the night before came rushing back. Looking around her, she spied her dress and petticoats hanging on a peg near the sill warm stove, and she hurried to dress.

  “Peri,” Prim called opening the door and rushing in. “We were so worried,” she gushed.

  “Primrose, close that door and help me get dressed,” Peri snapped. “There’s a house full of men out there, and I’m not walking out in this.”

  Prim smiled feeling a sense of relief rock her to the soles of her feet. “Well if you’re that sassy, I know you’re all right,” she said closing the door and walking around the bed to hug her sister.

  Peri melted into Prim’s arms. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” she said. “It was all an unfortunate accident.”

  “You’re fine and that’s all that matters,” Prim said laughing as Peri took off the oversized shirt exposing the trousers tight around her ribcage. “I see you made do with what was available,” she continued her eyes sparkling.

  “Sometimes you have to do what you have to do,” Peri sassed, slipping into her warm dry petticoat then reaching for her dress. “Help me with this,” Peri said pushing her head into the soft calico gown and turning for Prim to do up the buttons on the back.

  “There, that’s better,” Prim said a few moments later after pinning Peri’s hair up in a respectable knot. “Whatever happened to your pins, anyway?”

  “I have no idea,” Peri said. “I don’t remember anything until I woke up in a cot next to Mr. Cassidy’s fire,” she said trying to hide her blush as the memory tingled through her once more.

  “We’ll have to have Mr. Cassidy over for dinner soon,” Prim said, “and thank him properly. We were all so worried when your horse came home without you,” she said turning and squeezing Peri one more time.

  “Just take me home now,” Peri said smiling at her sister. “I’m not even going to make it to work today at this rate.”

  Together the young women opened the door stepping out into the larger cabin as three men turned to look at them.

  “You don’t look any the worse for wear,” Anderson beamed as he examined his sister-in-law. “You did give Prim and your mother quite a fright though. If Jacks hadn�
��t sent that note back with old Buck, we might have all come out in the storm to find you.”

  “It’s my fault this whole thing happened anyway,” Jacks grumbled turning his hat in his hand. “I was riding another horse out to fetch Miss Peri from work, and it slipped taking us both down. By the time I got back to the ranch and saddled Buck, well you know what happened.”

  “It’s not your fault Jacks,” Peri offered kindly. “I thought I would meet you along the way and was trying to beat that storm. No one could have expected things to go the way they did.”