A Window in Time

by Carolyn Lampman

  Lucas nearly choked. Damn but she was beautiful! He couldn’t have been more surprised if he’d discovered she had green skin. If he’d thought about it at all, he would have expected her skinny body to be bony and unattractive. It wasn’t. She was still thin, but the weeks of decent food had filled out the hollows and added some much-needed weight. Now she was softly rounded in all the right places. Gone was the emaciated waif; there wasn’t a sharp angle or bony protrusion in sight.

  Lucas’s heart hammered in his chest and his ears began to buzz as she turned toward the river once more. With a start, he realized he was holding his breath and released it with a whoosh. It relieved the discomfort in his ears but did nothing to slow the pounding of his heart.

  He couldn’t tear his eyes away as she gingerly waded out into the river. It wasn’t until she took a deep breath and dove beneath the surface that Lucas remembered he wasn’t the only one watching. Filled with righteous indignation, Lucas headed toward the bushes. He never would have pegged Seth for a peeping Tom.

  Lucas had barely entered the thicket when a twig snapped behind him. Before he could turn, his arms were locked behind him in a vise and he could feel the cold metal of a knife against his throat.

  “Don’t move if you want to see sunrise,” a voice whispered menacingly in his ear. “I’d feel real bad if I accidentally slipped.” The razor-sharp edge of the knife pressed warningly against his neck.

  “Not near as bad as I’d feel.”

  He was released as suddenly as he’d been captured. “Lucas! What are you doing here?”

  “Funny, I was coming to ask you the same thing,” Lucas said, rubbing his throat.

  “What do you think I’m doing? I’m guarding Brianna while she takes her bath.”

  “And just how did you know she’d be taking a bath?”

  “She does almost every night.

  “She does?”

  “Yep. The only time she misses is during a new moon or when you come instead.”

  “How long has this been going on?”

  “Almost as long as she’s been here. Billy followed her one night to see what she was up to.”

  “Billy’s in on this, too?”

  “He’s the one who decided we needed to protect her. She doesn’t have any idea the kind of danger she could be in out here alone.”

  Lucas glanced toward the river. Brianna was busily washing her hair, completely oblivious to them. The fact that Seth was right didn’t make Lucas feel any better. “How do you think she’d react if she knew you were spying on her?”

  “Aw heck, Lucas, we don’t watch her get undressed or anything. Well, not much anyway,” he added when Lucas gave him a disbelieving look. “Billy knew if we said anything, you’d tell her not to come, and she’d probably do it anyway just to defy you. We figured this was the best way.”

  “Don’t you think I should be the one to protect her?”

  “No, why?”

  “She is my wife.”

  “Not really, you don’t even like her. Besides, this is one way Billy and I can make it up to her for bringing her all the way out here for nothing.”

  He didn’t like her? Is that the way it seemed to Seth and Billy? To Brianna? Suddenly the way he’d been going about things seemed unfair. He hadn’t really thought about it from Brianna’s point of view. She’d pinned all her hopes on this marriage, so much so that she’d stayed even when it was obvious he didn’t want her to. Seth, Billy and now MacTavish had made her welcome. Only he had remained aloof and distant. Lucas looked back toward the river and found her swimming back and forth across the pool with long sure strokes, clearly enjoying herself.

  “She does that every night,” Seth said admiringly. “sometimes for half an hour or more. I’ve never seen anybody that could swim like she can.”

  “Better go get some sleep. You have to ride tomorrow. I’ll stay here and protect Brianna.”

  “But...”

  “Don’t worry, she’s safe with me.”

  “I don’t know...”

  “Seth, we sleep in the same room every night. If I were going to do something, I’d have done it long ago.”

  “Yes, I guess you would have.” Seth looked back toward the river. “She loves it, you know. I think it’s about all the fun she has.”

  Lucas winced. Seth thought he’d try to take this away from her. Perhaps Seth had reason to think so. Lucas hadn’t been exactly nice to her. “I won’t tell her to stop. As you already pointed out, it wouldn’t do much good anyway.”

  “Do you want my knife?”

  “I suppose, though I don’t know how much good it would do me if I got into trouble.”

  “You should have brought your rifle,” Seth said accusingly as he handed Lucas his knife.

  “I didn’t know I was going to do guard duty.”

  “You’re sure you don’t want me to stay instead?”

  “Good night, Seth. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Right.” He looked toward the river one last time. “Good night, Lucas.”

  After Seth left, Lucas sat down to watch. The younger man had been right. Brianna was enjoying herself. Not content with simple swimming, she floated on her back, dove and even did somersaults. As she cavorted through the water, he was reminded of a family of otters he’d seen playing. Gradually, the notion that it would be fun to join her took hold of his mind.

  Come to think of it, this might be a good way to show her how dangerous coming down here alone could be. Before he had time to think better of the idea, he’d shed his clothes and slipped quietly into the water.

  Brianna floated on her back staring up at the stars. She was pleasantly tired, peaceful. The water felt even better than usual tonight, but she knew it wasn’t going to last much longer. It was already the middle of August. By the end of September, the river would be uncomfortably cold. She’d definitely have to come up with something. A winter of no baths was unthinkable.

  Suddenly, the water right next to her erupted as a huge animal of some sort came up from the bottom of the pool. Brianna screamed and tried to get away, but it grabbed her around the waist. As it pulled her closer, she realized it wasn’t an animal, it was a man.

  Brianna fought with every ounce of strength she had, screaming, kicking, clawing, trying to twist away, but the band of steel around her middle tightened, relentlessly drawing her backward against him.

  “And that’s why you shouldn’t come swimming in the middle of the night by yourself,” a familiar deep voice said in her ear.

  “Lucas?” She stopped thrashing instantly and twisted around so she could see him over her shoulder. “Dammit, what did you do that for? You scared me half to death!”

  “To prove a point. It could just as easily have been Bart Kelly or an Indian.”

  She slapped at the arm that still held her close to his body. “Why didn’t you just tell me instead of scaring me like that?”

  “Would you have believed me? No, of course not.” Lucas answered his own question. “And the next thing I know, you’d have done something stupid to prove a point and might well have gotten hurt. Now we don’t have to go through any of that.”

  Brianna slumped against him in defeat. Though she didn’t think much of his methods, she had to admit he was right. Her heart was still pounding in fright. “All right,” she said sadly. “You win, I won’t go swimming anymore.”

  Something in his middle constricted as he felt the life go out of her and heard the defeated tone in her voice. “It’s all or nothing with you, isn’t it? There is such a thing as compromise, you know.”

  “Look who’s talking, Mr. My-Way-Or-The-Highway himself.”

  Lucas grinned. “I’m not sure what that means, but I assume you’re saying you find me somewhat bull-headed.”

  “A bit.”

  “In this case, I think we can come up with something that will make us both happy.” Lucas released her reluctantly. She felt good in his arms, too good. His body was reacting in rat
her revealing ways in spite of the cold water.

  She swam a few feet away and turned to face him. “All right, Lucas. I’m listening.”

  “I understand you come down here almost every night.”

  “How did you know that?”

  “Seth told me.”

  Brianna’s eyes widened. “Seth?”

  “He and Billy have been following you and standing guard all summer.”

  “They have?” Brianna felt her face go hot.

  “We could come down together. That way you’d get your swim, but you wouldn’t be alone.”

  “Together?”

  “Sure, why not? I like to swim too.”

  “Hmm. That’s not a bad idea. What would we wear?”

  “Wear?”

  “I can’t very well get in the water with you every night if we’re both naked.”

  “Why not? We’re naked now.”

  ‘Because there’s only so much stimulation a girl can take, and I’ve about reached my limit.’ Brianna thought, remembering the feel of that wonderful body pressed against her back. “There are special clothes people wear swimming.”

  “There are?” Lucas was skeptical. He’d never heard of such a thing.

  “I can make you a pair of cut-offs easy enough if you have an old pair of pants,” she said. “I think I have something that will work for me, too. That way we can even go swimming during the day if we have time.”

  “You really like it, don’t you?”

  “I was on the swim team in school.” Brianna could have bitten her tongue the minute the words were out of her mouth. When would she learn to think before she spoke?

  Lucas grinned. “Right, and you raced barrels, too. This school of yours must have been pretty amazing. Not only did you do the most unusual things, they taught you a completely different vocabulary than the rest of us.”

  “It was pretty innovative.”

  “Revolutionary, I’d say. Since I’m in the water I think I’ll go for a swim. Care to join me?”

  Not unless you want the water to boil, she thought to herself. Just a few minutes of being held in his arms made her feel like she could go up in flames any minute. “I think I’ve had enough for tonight. Turn around so I can get out.”

  “All right.” He obediently turned his back and listened to her splash out of the water.

  “You know, Lucas, I never did pay you back for the other day,” she said conversationally.

  “What other day?”

  “When Ian got here.”

  “Oh, you mean the bed? Are you still mad about that?” Lucas grinned to himself. “I really didn’t think you’d take me seriously.”

  “Oh, no, I’m not mad any more. Where I come from the saying is don’t get mad, get even. That’s what I’m about to do, Lucas.”

  “What?” he switched around in the water. Brianna had put on her nightgown and was standing on the bank holding his clothes in her arms.

  “What’s it going to be, Lucas? Are you going to apologize, or do I take them with me?”

  He looked shocked for a minute then relaxed with a smile. “You won’t take my clothes, Brianna. The mosquitoes would eat me alive and you’d feel guilty. Besides, we both know I can’t walk that far barefoot.”

  “I suppose that means you don’t intend to apologize.” She sighed dramatically. “There’s no hope for it then. Have a nice walk home, Lucas.” She turned and headed up the path.

  “Very funny, Brianna,” he called out. “I could almost believe you if I didn’t know better.”

  No answer.

  Lucas shrugged and began swimming. She’d come out when she saw he wasn’t going to fall for her ploy. There was no way she’d pull something like that and not stay around to have a good laugh at his expense. After about fifteen minutes he stood up and called again. “All right, Brianna, I’m finished; you can bring me my clothes now.”

  Silence.

  He sighed. “You win, Brianna. I apologize for teasing you about sharing my bunk.”

  Nothing.

  “And for scaring you tonight.”

  No answer.

  “Brianna, that’s enough. You’ve won.”

  “Brianna?”

  “BRIANNA!”

  CHAPTER 18

  “Oh, come on, Seth. It’s not that tough to learn how to swim,” Brianna coaxed. “I can make you a pair of cut-offs just like Lucas’s and teach you before the weather gets cold.”

  “L-like Lucas’s?”

  “Sure. I owe it to you after the way you taught me how to throw a knife.”

  “Rider coming in, Seth,” Ian said.

  The look of relief that flashed across Seth’s face was almost comical. Gotta go. See you Tuesday, Brianna.”

  “Have a good ride, Seth. You never know when you’ll need to know how to swim,” she called after him. “Give it some thought.”

  Ian grinned as he watched Seth hurry away. “You might have convinced him if you hadn’t mentioned the...uh...cut offs you made for Lucas.”

  “I just don’t see what you men have against those cut-offs.”

  “You mean besides the fact that they’re indecent?”

  “They’re not indecent. They cover everything that needs to be covered.”

  “Except his legs and chest and...”

  “All right, all right so maybe they expose a little more skin than you’re used to. Lucas adjusted quick enough.”

  “Really? He’s never worn them in front of us, you know. After you showed us at supper that night we’ve never seen them again.”

  “That’s only because we go swimming at night.”

  “And you go at night because he’s embarrassed.”

  “That’s silly. He doesn’t mind if I see him.”

  “You’re his wife. It isn’t quite the same thing.”

  “I never saw such prudes in my life!”

  He chuckled. “Lucas was right, you know. You are full of surprises.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I’ve never been called a prude before and certainly not by a woman.”

  Brianna tossed her head. “Maybe I’m just a little less inhibited than the women you know.”

  Ian laughed outright. “That’s true. In fact, you’re less inhibited than most men I know.”

  They forgot all about Lucas and his cut offs as Seth kicked his horse to a run and Billy galloped into the yard. Billy overtook them and passed the mochila to Seth without either of them slowing. It was the first time they’d ever done it that way. Brianna got goose bumps just watching.

  “It looks like about fifty-eight seconds flat!” Lucas announced as soon as Billy came back to them and dismounted. “Good job!” He slapped the younger man on the back.

  “We did it?” Billy asked with a grin.

  “You did it, all right. Less than a minute!”

  Ian pumped Billy’s hand enthusiastically. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it. Damn, you two can ride!

  “Oh, Billy, I’m so proud of you and Seth!” Brianna hugged him tightly. “I’ll never forget it as long as I live!”

  “Blast it, Brianna, you’re choking me!” Billy protested, his face turning bright red with embarrassment. But his grin widened, proving he didn’t mind as much as he pretended to. “It’s just so exciting! Do you realize how few people actually saw what we just saw?”

  Lucas chuckled. “Three. Or maybe we should count Seth and Billy too, that would make five.”

  “Uh...Right, and how many others will ever see it?” Brianna could have kicked herself for speaking in the past tense. These men weren’t watching history unfold before their very eyes the way she was. They couldn’t possibly imagine the romance and mystique that would surround what they were doing out here a hundred and sixty years from now. “It seems a shame somehow,” she finished lamely.

  “Uh oh,” Ian said, as he began to walk the horse around to cool it down. “Better watch out, Billy. The next thing you know she’ll be selling tickets
and you’ll have to fight your way through the crowd to find Seth.”

  “I’ve had enough of that already today.”

  Brianna raised her brows in surprise. “Crowds?”

  “Close enough. There’s a buffalo herd between here and Three Crossings. It took me almost an hour to get through it.”

  “An hour? It must be huge!”

  “About the usual. Anyway, a crowd would be easier to deal with. At least people get out of your way, and you don’t have to worry about starting a stampede.”

  Lucas frowned. “Were they headed this way?”

  “It’s hard to tell. They might pass to the west of us.”

  “It could be trouble if they don’t. Any idea when they might get here?”

  “Probably not until late tomorrow. They’re moving pretty slow.”

  “Do you think we could turn them?”

  Billy shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s a pretty big herd. We could try, I guess, but I don’t know that it would do any good. Not much that will convince a buffalo to change direction.”

  “I don’t understand,” Brianna said, thinking how much she’d like to see one of the legendary herds. “Why don’t you want them coming this way?”

  “After a really big herd moves through, there’s no grass left. We have to depend entirely on the feed we ship in.”

  Brianna was puzzled. “Over-grazing? I thought cattle were responsible for that.”

  Lucas laughed. “I suppose they could be if there were ever enough, but the buffalo would crowd them right off the range just like they do all the other animals. If a herd the size of this one passes through, all the other game will leave because there won’t be anything left to eat.”

  Billy grinned. “On the other hand, we’ll have plenty of buffalo chips to burn this winter.”

  Somehow the thought of cooking over a fire fueled by dried buffalo dung didn’t appeal to Brianna. That was one bit of the old West she’d just as soon not experience first hand. She reached up and wiped the sweat from her face. It would probably be as much fun as living through a Wyoming summer without air conditioning.

  By the time supper was over that evening, Brianna was more than ready to head for the swimming hole. She was hot, tired and felt like all the grime of the prairie had settled on her skin. Instead of changing clothes when Brianna gave him the opportunity, Lucas took his pipe outside and settled down by the door to smoke.