River Lady

by Jude Deveraux

“Just a tiny bit. Not even enough to count. Justin’s father makes this wonderful stuff that relaxed me with one swallow. I’ve just been so nervous and John is hardly speaking to me. Don’t you think Justin looks nice tonight? But then so do all the men. Every man looks good except my husband.”

  “Kimberly, I want you to eat something right away and for heaven’s sake, stop talking!” With some force Leah led Kim toward the food-laden tables.

  “Leah!” Linnet Macalister said, looking at Leah as if she were a ghost. “I didn’t think you were going to be here.”

  “What a pretty dress,” Agnes Emerson said. “Is that a picture of your mother?” she asked, referring to the brooch Leah wore.

  “It was a gift from a friend of mine. Could I get a plate of food for Kim and maybe someone would see that she eats it? I need to talk to Doll Stark for a moment.”

  Agnes took one look at Kim and understood immediately. “I hope you say a few words to Doll for me too,” she called after Leah.

  Doll sat in his usual place before the fireplace, except that now his chair was turned to face the dancing people. Lester Sawrey, sitting next to Doll, punched the older man when he saw Leah coming.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Doll said. “What can I do for you?”

  “I want to ask you not to give Kimberly Hammond any more of whatever you gave her.”

  “That little lady sure can drink,” he said in wonder. “Thought she was gonna drain the jug.”

  Leah glared at him.

  “Where’s that husband of yourn?” Doll asked. “I didn’t think he’d let you come to this shindig.”

  Still refusing to answer, Leah just looked at him.

  “All right,” Doll said heavily. “I won’t let her have no more. Sure seems a shame to me, though. That little lady has capacity.”

  “Mrs. Stanford?”

  Leah turned to look at John Hammond. He was a good-looking man with beautiful gray hair. “May I have this dance?”

  After a quick look to see that Kim was sitting down and eating, Leah took John’s arm.

  Her dancing lessons hadn’t prepared her for the energetic country dances, and when they were finished she was fanning herself with her hand.

  “How about a breath of air?” John suggested, his eyes twinkling.

  “Yes, I need it,” Leah said with a laugh.

  Outside with the stars winking overhead, the cool, fragrant night air about her, Leah was very glad she’d come to the dance. And to think that Wesley had forbidden her to attend.

  “Penny for your thoughts.”

  She smiled at him. “I was just thinking that I’m glad I came.”

  “I am too,” John said seriously. “I’ve wanted to talk to you for a long time. Actually, I wanted to ask your advice. You see, I know Kimberly is very unhappy, but I honestly don’t know why or how to make her happy. I’ve tried my best to be as patient as I know how. When I come in from the fields, supper isn’t ready, and it’s taken me weeks to teach her how to fry eggs for breakfast. I’ve done everything I can to be lenient with her, to understand that she’s not used to so much work, but no matter what I do, she still seems to resent me. You must believe me, Mrs. Stanford, I love my wife, and if I could afford servants for her I’d gladly hire them, but I can’t. I know the two of you are friends and I thought maybe she’d said something to you. Could you please help me?”

  Leah wasn’t sure, but there seemed to be tears in his eyes. Damn Kimberly! she thought. Her laziness was causing this gentle man a great deal of misery. “She hasn’t said much to me,” Leah lied.

  “But anything could help,” John said in desperation. “She won’t talk to me and if I just knew exactly what she complained about maybe I could fix it. I do want to make her happy.”

  “I guess marriage in general is difficult for her,” Leah said slowly. “She’s not exactly in love with work.”

  John smiled. “How kind you are. But there’s nothing…specific about our lives together that she complains about?”

  “John,” Leah said, putting her hand on his arm, “I really wish I could help you. Kimberly is my friend, but I’m aware that she must be difficult to live with. I’ll talk to her and try to find out whatever I can. I want both of you to be happy.”

  “Please try to convince her that I love her,” John pleaded.

  “I will. Now, shall we go inside?”

  With a grin John offered her his arm. “You must have heard this a dozen times already tonight, but you look lovely. That green sets off your eyes. Is the miniature on the brooch of your mother by chance?”

  Leah gave a little grimace as she thought of her mother’s never having worn a silk dress in her life. “Actually, Kimberly gave me the brooch. Perhaps it’s a picture of someone in her family.”

  “Ah yes, perhaps I’ve seen the brooch before and don’t remember it. It was nice of her to give you a gift, wasn’t it? Perhaps she’ll tell you the history of the woman in the painting and you can tell me. It looks like the only way I can find out about my own wife is through a third party.”

  Leah’s heart went out to him and she felt like smacking Kimberly for mistreating this sweet man. “Excuse me,” she said when they were inside, and she went directly to Kim.

  “You were talking to John,” Kim said belligerently before Leah could speak. “Did he ask about me?”

  “Yes he did. That poor man is working very hard to make you happy and you’ve been very unkind to him.”

  “Leah,” Kimberly began, but suddenly John was in front of her, his hand extended.

  “Dance with me?” he asked with longing in his voice.

  Kim’s face lost some of its color. “Yes,” she murmured and took his hand.

  As Leah watched they joined in with the others, but every time Kim came in contact with John, her face fell until by the end of the dance Kim was no longer smiling.

  “You can’t stay here against the wall all night,” Justin said from beside her. “I expect any minute for that husband of yours to come roaring through the door and take you away from all of us.”

  “I’m afraid I expect that too. Do you think we could get some food instead of dancing? I think my dancing mood has fled.”

  “Could it have to do with John and Kim? You’ve been watching them and frowning for minutes.”

  “I don’t guess I like to see anyone unhappy.”

  Justin snorted. “Kim would make anybody unhappy. I pity John for having to live with her. Uh, oh. I think a storm just blew in.”

  Coming toward them with the full force of a gale was Wesley, his cotton work shirt damp with sweat, his hair plastered about his face.

  Chapter 29

  “Come with me,” Wesley said through clenched teeth as his fingers bit into Leah’s upper arm.

  “If you’ll pardon me,” Leah said politely to Justin just before Wesley gave her arm a quick jerk.

  All the way across the floor Leah tried to smile and nod at people, tried to act as if she were merely on her way outside with her husband and he wasn’t half dragging her. But inside her anger was reaching the boiling point.

  “Get on my horse,” Wesley commanded as soon as they were outside.

  “So you can save the rest of your reputation? Let me tell you, Wesley Stanford, it’s too late! Everyone has already seen me, already knows that his majesty, Mr. Stanford of the magnificent Stanford Plantation, has a wife from the swamps of Virginia. And you know what, no one was repulsed, not one person wiped off his hands after touching scum like me.”

  “Have you gone crazy, Leah? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I’m talking about being a Simmons, that’s what. I’m talking about your being ashamed of me and not wanting me to be seen in public.”

  “Not wanting—.” He shook his head at her. “I still don’t understand you, but let’s go home and discuss it.”

  She backed away from him. “Go home and no doubt climb into your bed, is that it?”

  “I wouldn’t mind,�
�� he said with a grin.

  “You—!” She made a fist and punched him in the stomach.

  Wesley didn’t move. “What in the hell’s got into you?”

  “You forbid me to go to a town dance because you think I have to be kept at home chained to your bed and your kitchen and you ask me what’s wrong? You may think only rich people have feelings, but I assure you that I have my pride, even if I am a Simmons.”

  “Women!” Wes said under his breath. “Leah, I’m not ashamed of you. I don’t know where you get such dumb ideas. You’re beautiful and tonight you’re no doubt the prettiest woman here, but right now I just don’t want you around so many people.”

  “Because I don’t know how to behave? Because I might not live up to the Stanford name?”

  “Good God! It’s your name, too. Just one day of my life I’d like to really understand a woman. Just any woman will do. Leah, will you please come home with me right now?”

  “Why?” she asked angrily. “Why do you want to hide me?”

  “I don’t want to hide you…well, maybe I do.” Smiling seductively, he moved closer to her. “I can make our own party at home.”

  “The only way I’ll go with you is if you carry me kicking and screaming, and that could further damage your reputation.”

  Wesley turned away from her for a moment, and when he looked back his face was a study in confusion. “Leah, I honestly don’t have any idea why you’re so upset. I didn’t ask you not to come to this dance because I’m ashamed of you and don’t want to be seen with you. Far from it. I’d like nothing better than having you on my arm. But right now there are reasons why I’d rather have you home where I can be near you.”

  “What reasons?”

  “I can’t tell you and for once you’re going to have to trust me.”

  She gave him a nasty little smile. “I don’t have to guess why you want me to go home with you. I know. You said you hated the whole idea of being married to somebody like me.”

  “I said that?” Wes exclaimed. “When?”

  “You told your brother Travis that, and Regan and I heard you.”

  Just then two overheated dancers came outside, so Wes grabbed Leah’s arm and pulled her into the shadows, imprisoning her between his legs. “All right, you little wildcat, you’re going to listen to me. First of all, I’m sick and tired of your telling me I’m this century’s biggest snob. You are the snob, Leah. You’re much more concerned with where people grew up than I’ve ever been. Yes, I did tell Travis I hated being married to you, but not because I couldn’t bear living with a lowly Simmons.”

  “Hah!” Leah tried to look away but Wes pulled her face back around.

  “I wanted a woman who needed me and as far as I could tell Kimberly needed me worse than any man’s ever been needed. So here I was wanting a woman like Kim and instead I got one who could run a farm, raise kids, deal with a crazy father—you, Leah, didn’t seem to need anybody or anything. You made me feel useless.”

  “Me?” she whispered. “How could you feel useless?”

  He put his nose to hers. “Because you never ask me for a goddamn thing,” he said with feeling. “You join robbers and never even mention the fact to me. Remember last week when the chimney half fell down? You fixed it by yourself. I wouldn’t even have known about it except Oliver saw you hanging onto a ladder and setting stones. You could even take the ugly woman I married and make her into the beauty you are now.”

  Pausing, he smoothed her hair back from her face. “It took me a long time to realize that you need me more than Kimberly ever did. Kim will always land on her feet, but you, my little wife, can get into trouble on your way to the outhouse.”

  Leah was trying to digest this information. “But Kim’s a lady and I’m—.”

  “You’re my wife and as I’ve told you, you’re a Stanford now, so if I’m royalty, you are too.”

  She pulled away from him. “Then if you aren’t ashamed of me, why don’t you want to be seen with me at the dance? Why do you want to keep me hidden on our farm?”

  The last thing Wesley wanted to do was tell Leah about a possible plot against her. No doubt Leah would stay up nights figuring out how to get involved. “You have to trust me. You have to believe that I want what is best for you.”

  Leah walked away into the moonlight. What he said about Kim’s needing him made sense; in fact, Kim had even hinted at that. She sensed that Wesley wanted her to faint, wanted her to be helpless, and Kim had obeyed him. But Leah had just done what had come naturally to her. Could it be possible that she also made other people feel useless?

  Wesley didn’t speak of love, but maybe love wasn’t far away if he didn’t resent her being a Simmons. What was really amusing was that Leah had worked so hard not to be a burden to Wes. When the chimney had fallen, she’d first sat down and cried. Then with determination she’d repaired it herself merely because she didn’t want Wesley to think she was helpless.

  She turned back to him. “If I faint for you, will you sweep me into your arms and carry me to your bed?”

  The look on Wesley’s face was reward enough for her jest. Without a word he came to her, lifted her, and held her close to him. “Sometimes it amazes me how much I’ve come to love you, Leah,” he whispered. “I just wish you wouldn’t yell at me so often.”

  Leah’s impulse was to push away from him because she wanted to see his eyes when he told her, this first time, that he loved her. Instead she snuggled against him. “Maybe now that I know you love me I won’t be angry quite so often.”

  He walked with her to his horse and lifted her into the saddle. “I’ve sure told you often enough. It’s about time it sank in.”

  Above all Leah didn’t want to start another argument. “I guess I just didn’t hear you say it the other times. Oh Wes,” she said when he was mounted behind her. “I have to get my shawl.”

  “I’ll get it tomorrow when I get your horse.”

  “Good heavens, no. That shawl cost Clay a fortune. It came all the way across the ocean. I’ll just be a minute.”

  “You stay right there,” he said down to her. “I’ll go with you.”

  Leah giggled. “Can’t stand me out of your sight?”

  “Something like that,” Wes said seriously.

  Quietly Leah stood outside and waited for her husband. It wasn’t easy for her to think of trusting him, but perhaps he did have a reason for not wanting her to attend the dance. It could be that he was jealous, which gave Leah a little sense of delight. If it were true that he did love her it would make sense that he was jealous. Leah certainly had been jealous of Wes and Kimberly.

  Suddenly she remembered that she’d seen Corinne Stark wearing a shawl very much like hers. Wesley would never find the right one by himself.

  Inside the brightly lit store everyone was dancing and laughing. Kim stood against the wall, her eyes downcast while her husband John stood near her.

  As Leah searched the room, the music stopped and the laughing dancers halted. It was in this comparative silence that the woman screamed, and when Leah turned in the direction of the scream, the woman, whom she’d never seen before, was pointing at her.

  “That’s my aunt’s brooch,” the woman screeched at Leah. “You stole it from her!”

  Aghast, Leah put her hand to her breast. “No,” she whispered. It was like the repeat of a nightmare.

  Instantly Wes was beside his wife, putting his arm about her in a protective gesture and leading her outside. “Leah,” he whispered once they were outside. “Justin’s going to take you home. I’m going to stay and find out what I can about this. Do you understand me?”

  Numbly Leah nodded as Wes handed her up to Justin.

  “Take care of her,” Wes said. “I’ll send word as soon as I can, but right now I want to stop this once and for all.” His head came up sharply as Kimberly came outside with John. Kim was crying softly.

  “Go on, get out of here,” Wes said to Justin.

  Leah did
n’t think much on the way back to the farm and only when Justin pulled her from the horse and led her inside did she realize how cold she was. She began to shiver.

  Justin led her to a chair and then pulled her into his arms. “It’s all right, sweetheart. Wesley will find out what’s going on. No one will believe you stole the brooch.”

  Leah couldn’t cry but just leaned stiffly against Justin.

  “Where did you get the brooch, Leah?” he asked, stroking her arm. “Leah!” he commanded when she didn’t answer. “Where did you get that pin?”

  “Kimberly gave it to me,” Leah whispered.

  “Damn that selfish little bitch!” he said with a growl as he tossed Leah back against the chair and began to pace the room. “I could see her being involved with robbers. She has the morals of a whore. Pardon me, Leah, but she does. She’d sell herself or anybody else to get what she wanted. Do you think John has any idea what he married? Poor man, he probably thought there was a woman inside her pretty frame.

  “Leah,” he said, kneeling before her. “I’m going to see what I can find out from Kimberly. Maybe between John and me we can talk some sense into her. Wes’ll probably be back soon, just as soon as he finishes talking to that woman at the dance. Oliver’s in the barn. Do you think you’ll be all right here by yourself?”

  Absently, Leah nodded. She wanted to be alone; she didn’t want anyone to see her shame.

  He kissed her forehead. “Just stay here and wait for Wes. Don’t go anywhere, promise?”

  Again she nodded and Justin left her alone.

  Leah had no idea how long she sat there because time seemed to have no meaning. Her thoughts wandered to the fact that the fireplace needed cleaning. The sun was beginning to rise when she stiffly got up from the chair and began the filthy task of cleaning it and as much of the chimney as she could reach.

  Behind her the door burst open.

  Slowly, disinterestedly, Leah turned to see Kim, her eyes bright, her hair tumbled about her shoulders, her muslin dress grass-stained.

  “Oh Leah,” Kim said breathlessly. “It was heavenly, absolutely heavenly. It was the most wonderful experience of my life. What in the world are you doing? Leah, look at you! You’ve absolutely ruined that beautiful dress.”