by Ana Leigh
“I don’t doubt that for a moment. I promised Paddy I’d play a game of chess, so I should be leaving,” Nathan said. “My thanks again for the tour, Clay.”
“I’ll come with you, Father,” Caroline said. “I want to see what Garrett’s up to.”
“You and Caroline have a quarrel?” Clay asked, as soon as they were alone.
“Why do you ask?”
“No body contact. No eye contact. And I could have cut the tension between you with a knife. I noticed it from the time you arrived today, despite a couple of feeble attempts by you to try and show affection toward her.”
“It’s just marriage jitters.”
“Marriage jitters my ass, Jed. If you don’t want to talk about it, fine—it’s none of my business. But when the excitement dies down, don’t think the others won’t notice, too.”
“We won’t be around that long for them to notice.”
“If that’s the way you want it.” Clay turned to leave.
“Hell, Clay, that’s not the way I want it. The truth is…Caroline and I aren’t in love. This is a marriage of convenience.”
“You mean she’s pregnant?”
“No, I haven’t touched her. It’s about Garrett.”
Jed proceeded to tell him the whole truth about his relationship with Caroline and why he’d demanded she marry him. When he finished, Clay was silent for a long moment before he finally spoke.
“That’s not fair to Caroline, Jed. Or to you. You both deserve better.”
“We’re doing it for Garrett’s sake. I love that kid, and I know I can be a good father to him.”
“I’m sure you can, but what kind of husband will you be to Caroline?”
“Doesn’t it bother you that she never tried to notify Andy that he had a son?”
Clay looked at him sadly. “Jed, Andy was dead before any word would have reached him.”
“At least Mom and Dad would have known about Garrett before they died.”
“Perhaps, but does it really matter in the end? How could it have changed their lives in any way?”
“I would think knowing that the memory of Andy would live on in his son might have eased their passing.”
“Perhaps you’re right. But their faith was so strong; I’m sure they were at peace knowing they would soon be joining Andy, and our nephews Joey and little Paul.” He smiled gently. “You know Mom; had she lived, she probably would have fretted herself to death worrying they were up there without her to look after them.”
“Garrett’s a Fraser, Clay! If I hadn’t run into them by chance in San Francisco, he never would have been raised as one.”
“Aren’t you forgetting about destiny, Brother Jed?”
“Destiny! Good God—do you think when Andy was born, he was destined to die on a battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania? Or sixteen-year-old Joey at Sharpsburg; or little Paul, burning up with fever in his crib? Every time there’s no rhyme nor reason for what happens, we cry Destiny or Providence. Oh, yeah, and Fate. That’s another word to fall back on when you don’t have the answers.”
“I believe in predetermined destiny,” Clay said. “Garth was destined to find Uncle Henry’s gold mine, or he wouldn’t have; Becky picking me out of a wagon train of men because she needed a husband was destiny, or she would have picked a different one; Colt being on the same stagecoach as Cassie when it was held up was destiny; and your walking into a restaurant in San Francisco the same time Caroline was there was destiny.
“Providence is just another way of believing God is determining our destiny. Fate is where God and Destiny part company. Whether by choice or chance, our lives often lead us down a different path than He had planned for us. And that’s when Fate gets involved. Sometimes the result can be good, sometimes bad. But don’t blame God for the outcome.”
“So you believe it was Destiny that brought me and Caroline together after all these years?”
“Yes, but I think it was Garrett’s destiny—not yours or Caroline’s. He was destined to be raised a Fraser, no matter what path Andy, Caroline, or you may have chosen. And the final chapter hasn’t been written yet for you. It’s in the hands of Fate now, because the way I see it, you’re marrying Caroline for all the wrong reasons. Are you sure you aren’t forcing her into this marriage for something other than what you’re claiming?”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Maybe you care for her more than you’re willing to admit—even to yourself—and using Garrett as an excuse to get her.”
“That’s bullshit. I’m a grown man. I know what I’m doing when it comes to women.”
Clay grinned. “If you do, then you’re the only man I know who’s been able to figure it out.”
“No matter what you think, Caroline and I agree it’s the right thing to do for Garrett’s sake.”
“But what about love? You have to have that for a happy marriage, you know.”
“We’re both adults and understand what we have to do. We’ve worked out an agreement that shouldn’t be too difficult to honor. I’ll be at sea most of the time, anyway, so that will make it easier.”
“Worked out an agreement? I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you. You’re not thinking straight, Jed.”
“Garrett will legally have the name of Fraser. I felt it’s a matter of family honor. I owe it to Andy.”
“Yeah, that’s great—but what’s honorable about trying to delude Garrett into believing his parents are in love? And not only Garrett; you intend to do it to the whole family.”
“What they don’t know won’t hurt them. I shouldn’t have even told you.”
“They already figured out Garrett is a Fraser. Nobody had to tell them.”
“How did they react?”
“They think it’s great that Andy had a son and that you’ll be raising him. As far as the two of you getting married, they figure it’s the icing on the cake. Of course, it hasn’t entered their minds that you and Caroline aren’t marrying for love.”
“Then don’t tell them differently, Clay. Keep it between you and me.”
“I don’t keep secrets from them, Jed. They’re your brothers and sister, too. If we start keeping secrets from each other, before you know it, the truth gets out and results in bad feelings.
“Becky and I have no secrets between us. A good marriage is all about love and trust. That’s the real agreement in marriage.
“The resemblance between you and Garrett is so remarkable, our wives are probably thinking you’re the father. You think they won’t question us? They’ll be all over us with questions! You talk family honor from one side of your mouth, then tell us to lie to our wives from the other side of it. As long as you’re determined to go through with this marriage, don’t hide from the truth, Jed. That will catch up with you and start eating you alive.”
Deflated, Jed walked to the door. “You’re right; I should tell them the truth. I don’t want any bad feelings between any of us.”
Clay slapped him on the shoulder. “You know that Lissy and your brothers are behind you one hundred percent. But, Brother Jed, don’t ever try to deceive those women we married. Together, they’re a united force, and you wouldn’t have a prayer.”
Caroline found Garrett sitting on a fence railing watching Colt trim the bark off a log.
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you,” she said.
“Mama, did you know Uncle Colt knows Kit Carson? He’s been telling me ’bout the time Apache Indians surrounded their town, and him and Kit Carson faced off with them.”
“That must have been exciting.”
Colt grinned. “Things still aren’t as settled in New Mexico as they are here in California.”
“I understand you’re a sheriff, Colt.”
“Just a deputy now. I turned the job over to Jeff Braden, Cassie’s brother. Sometimes I give him a hand on weekends when there’s a big crowd in town. Cassie and I have our hands full running the ranch, especially since
we’ve had children. Cassie can handle a horse better than most men, but I don’t want her riding yet. She just had Sam a couple of months ago.”
“That’s too bad, cowboy, because I’m not stopping,” Cassie said from the doorway.
He chuckled. “Riding or having babies, Cass?”
“Neither one, Colt Fraser. Caroline, come on inside where we can talk.”
Caroline joined her in the kitchen where Cassie was rolling out a pie crust.
“You feel like peeling apples?” she asked. “I’m making pies for the barbecue tomorrow.”
Grateful for having something useful to do, Caroline said, “I’d love to. I’m used to being the one doing the waiting on not being waited on.”
“Then sit yourself down at the table. You’ve just been hired.” Cassie put a bowl of apples down on the table and rooted through a kitchen drawer.
“This is Rory’s kitchen, so I’m having a little trouble finding things. Aha, here’s one!” She handed Caroline a paring knife.
“Where is Rory?”
“She’s lying down. Her back’s been bothering her. The poor dear had a rough time with her first pregnancy, and she’d barely gotten back on her feet when she got pregnant again. Danny’s only eleven months old, and now this one’s past due.”
Cassie lowered her voice to a whisper. “She told me Garth wanted to abstain until she was healthy and back on her feet, but Rory said she wanted childbearing out of the way so she could enjoy her children while she was still young.”
“I’ve totally forgotten what it was like to bear a child. I was sixteen when Garrett was born,” Caroline said.
“So that would make you twenty-four now.”
Caroline nodded. “How long have you been married, Cassie?”
“Three years. Colt and I were married in ’66; Jeb was born the following year.”
“Did you say Jeb or Jed?”
“Jeb,” Cassie said. “One Jed in the family is enough. Our son’s named after Colt’s hero, General J.E.B. Stuart, his commanding officer during the late war until the general was killed.”
Cassie waved the rolling pin in the air as if it were a saber. “‘The greatest cavalry leader in the whole damn war—Reb or Yankee alike.’ To quote Captain Colt Fraser, that is.”
Smiling, Cassie lowered her arm. “Maybe General Stuart was as great as he said, but I wouldn’t know. Living out here in the West, the war didn’t really affect my life that much. We had to wage our own wars against Nature and marauding Indians. These men all have their heroes, but they don’t realize how much greater heroes they themselves are—to the women who love them.” She paused in deep thought.
“What are you thinking about right this minute, Cassie?”
Cassie’s lips curled in a soft smile. “Colt.”
“How did you meet?”
“He was heading out here to California when he was wounded during a stagecoach holdup. He had to spend a week in Arena Roja, waiting for the next stage to come through. Oh, that man was big and beautiful, and so cocky! He openly declared to me that by the time he left town, he’d have me in the hayloft.” She laughed in remembrance. “And he did. Lord, how I love that man!”
“If I remember, Garth said your son Jeb was two years old,” Caroline said.
“Yes, just last week. And Sam was two months old. They have identical birthdays except for the years.”
“So you have two sons? I thought Garth said you had a son and daughter.”
“We do, our daughter Samantha. But Garth’s already hung the name Sam on her. Caroline, since the wedding’s not until the day after tomorrow, your father wanted to take all of us to town for dinner tomorrow as an engagement celebration. But since poor Rory isn’t feeling well, we thought it better to just spend a quiet day here.”
“You mean a calm-before-the-storm kind of day?” Caroline teased.
“There’s no such thing around here,” Cassic said. “But I told him it would be easier on us if we stay here and celebrate. It’s too difficult to bundle up all the children and take them to town, so we’re going to have a barbecue here.”
“That sounds like work, too,” Caroline said.
“We have to eat anyway, and when we eat outside, the men do all the cooking. Becky and I are making pies, and Garth’s ridden out to invite a few of the neighbors. I know Maggie Palmer will bring her specialty potato salad, and Helena Garson will bring her baked beans. Wait until you meet the Garsons; you’ll love them. They came West on the same wagon train as Clay, Garth, and Becky.
“The rest of the cooking is up to the men, and based on past experience, it will be beef roasted on a spit and potatoes roasted in the fire, apple pies, and Paddy will churn up some ice cream.
“We women will just sit around tomorrow and watch the men do all the work. I can’t wait! So let’s get those apples peeled, Miz Caroline.”
That evening, long after Garrett had fallen asleep beside her, Caroline lay thinking about the Fraser family. If she were to believe them, in the beginning, Becky and Cassie had not liked the men they had ended up marrying. Yet they worshipped their husbands now. Could that happen to her and Jed, too? She couldn’t imagine it; their bitterness toward each other went far beyond an initial wrong impression.
Tomorrow, she would find out what Rory had to say about her first meeting with Garth. She couldn’t imagine not liking Garth; the man was so genuinely charming that it would be impossible not to. In truth, all the Fraser men were.
But unlike the other Fraser women, she wouldn’t allow herself to fall victim to Jed’s charm. It would only complicate the relationship between them even more.
CHAPTER
15
Caroline awoke to a deserted house. No adults, no infants—even Garrett and Buffer were gone. Bewildered, she went outside and saw a turkey and a ham roasting on a spit. Then she saw Rory sitting in front of her house surrounded by net-covered cribs.
“Good morning!” Rory called out.
“Good morning. Where is everyone?”
“Picking grapes.” Rory pointed to the distant rows of grapes.
Everyone was down there, including the three older men. Becky’s three-year-old and Lissy’s four-and three-year-olds trailed at their mothers’ feet as their mothers picked.
“How are you feeling this morning, Rory? Cassie said your back was bothering you yesterday?”
“If I sit quietly, I’m fine. But if I try to move around too much, it starts aching. So unfortunately I can’t help this time because of my condition. And you, my dear, have been designated to watch me, just in case the baby decides to join us today. Since she’s held off introducing herself this long, I prefer she continues to do so until after the wedding.”
“Are you that certain the baby’s a girl?” Caroline teased.
“No, I’m just hoping. I’d like to have a girl with dark hair that I can twist into long curls, and her daddy’s brown eyes and thick lashes.”
“Her mother’s blond hair and blue eyes wouldn’t be so bad, either.”
Rory chuckled. “Now you sound just like Garth.”
“So he’s hoping for a girl, too?”
“He’ll be happy with whatever it is. Garth loves children. He’ll pick up any infant when it cries, just to be holding a little one in his arms. What about Jed? Will you be having children right away?”
So Jed hadn’t spread the truth of their marriage among them. She was glad. She couldn’t believe that any of them would be able to understand the arrangement they had.
“With Jed going back to sea in three weeks, I wouldn’t want to consider it at this time. But he and Garrett get along famously, and Garrett adores him.”
“It looks like the feeling’s pretty mutual, honey.”
Caroline glanced back down to the vineyard, where Garrett was picking the grapes off the lower growth of the bush, while Jed stood over him and picked from the higher vines. “They’ve become quite attached.”
“I’ll be honest with you, Caro
line. We all figured because of the resemblance between them that Jed was Garrett’s father. Garth told me the truth last night. The only thing we were aware of until then was that they had a brother Andy who was killed in the war.”
“That’s my fault, I’m afraid. I didn’t know the Frasers had moved to California, much less the Napa Valley. We’re practically neighbors.”
She went over to a cradle and picked up one of the infants who had started to cry. “Now, which one is this little darling?”
“That’s Sam, Cassie’s and Colt’s daughter. She’s just a couple of months old.”
“I’ll never be able to remember all these little faces and names.”
“Oh, it will come in time. I hope when Jed’s at sea, you’ll come and visit us often. The door’s always open at Fraser Keep. Even though I was an only child, I feel the same as the rest of them do. We want to have our children grow up together. It creates a bond that will remain throughout their lives.”
“So you were an only child, the same as I,” Caroline said. “What about Cassie and Becky? I know Cassie has a brother. Any sisters?”
“She has a twin sister who lives in New Mexico with her father and brother. Becky has a married brother who lives in Sacramento.”
“Do any of the Frasers ever talk of returning to Virginia?”
“I’ve never heard it mentioned, other than an intended visit next year. Lissy and Steve certainly don’t intend to move elsewhere; they started the migration west. Becky once said Clay had intended to go back, often spoke wistfully about returning, but Garth had finding his uncle’s gold mine on his mind. Colt wanted to be a lawman and came West for that reason; he said the carpetbaggers got all the law-enforcement positions in the South after the war.
“I think calling this Fraser Keep after their ancestral home was the most revealing indication they were here to stay. I’m confident Garth would never leave.”
“I think he would be contented anywhere, Rory, as long as you were there.”
“I think it’s true of all of them, Caroline. I do believe we’ve found our Garden of Eden.”