Forbidden Fire

by Bonnie K. Winn

  “The girls are full of complaints,” Katherine agreed. “Daphne and Annette both had a difficult time convincing some of the drovers that they didn’t go upstairs.”

  “This is worse than Abilene or Denver,” Morgan said, and Katherine knew what he referred to. In larger towns the men had plenty of cathouses to frequent when they found out they couldn’t get what they wanted at their saloon. There weren’t that many choices for the cowhands in Browning.

  Katherine nodded her agreement.

  “I’m not sure this is our kind of town.” Morgan lit his cigar, and the smoke wafted into the darkness.

  “What do you mean?”

  “We don’t need all this opposition. We can set up shop anywhere in the West, make the same money, and the do-gooders will leave us alone.” Morgan’s long frock coat rustled in the darkness. “I have a bad feeling about how things will turn out here.”

  “That doesn’t sound like the Morgan Tremaine I know.” Katherine tried to joke with him, but the eyes he turned toward her were darkly serious.

  “I mean it, Katie. I don’t have a good feeling about this place.”

  Katherine was quiet for a moment. “Do you want to shut down and move?” If he said yes, she knew she would have to agree. She glanced at the parsonage. Despite her feelings. It was the kind of partnership they shared.

  “Hell of a waste of money,” Morgan muttered. “And you’ll want Beth to have the biggest wedding in Boston when she settles on a husband. I guess not.”

  Katherine tried to contain her sigh of relief. She wasn’t ready to leave. Yet.

  Morgan glanced at the lit-up church and frowned. “Some doings over there tonight?”

  “Jake said there’s a dance.”

  Morgan noted that her voice lingered over the preacher’s name. Abruptly he stubbed out his cigar. “If you’re all right, I’ll be getting inside.”

  Her hand lowered to graze his arm. “Thank you, I’m fine. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about, Morgan.”

  Biting back a denial, Morgan turned and left her. He’d seen the looks she and Jake exchanged when they thought no one else noticed. He wasn’t sure which he dreaded more—Katherine’s pain when she realized she could never be more than a passing flirtation to a preacher or his own if Jake chose Katherine over his conscience.

  Morgan disappeared into the darkness. When he was gone, Katherine gave in to the music and let her body sway to the tune. Musing as she danced with an imaginary partner, she only laughed when she felt the touch. “Morgan, I thought I told you—” Her words stopped suddenly. The intruder wasn’t Morgan, and the cowboy wasn’t smiling.

  “I’m not Morgan.”

  Stepping back, Katherine composed her features. “I always take a moment to get a breath of fresh air before a performance. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” As she attempted to brush past him, the man stopped her.

  “Not so fast. I had more of a private performance in mind.” His features weren’t terribly ugly, but his tone sounded menacing.

  Katherine called on years of experience of talking herself through trouble. “Have you tried the roulette wheel yet? There have been a lot of winners tonight.”

  “I aim to be one of ’em.” He threw down the whiskey glass in his hand. “But not inside.”

  Panic bubbled, but Katherine forced it down. “I have only to call my partner and—”

  “I been out here awhile. He left thinkin’ you wanted to be alone. He ain’t gonna come lookin’ for some time.” He stepped closer. “That ought to give us just enough time.”

  Knowing Morgan was occupied with the roulette wheel, Katherine thought quickly. Whirling around, she dashed quickly toward the lights of the church. Just as she thought she’d made a clean break, the man’s thick hand crashed down on her shoulder, pulling on the delicate fabric of her dress. As she spun around to face her attacker, Katherine fought him as his rough hands tore at the off-the-shoulder gown, revealing her lacy chemise and nearly exposed breasts. When he reached out to fondle her skin, she shrieked aloud, startling them both.

  Her scream carried through the air, but the cowboy clapped his free hand over her mouth, dragging her back toward the darkness near the saloon. Fighting him desperately, she bit at the repugnant fingers digging into her lips and cheeks. He ignored her, bent on his mission.

  When one of his hands flew first from her face and then the other from around her waist, she fell forward to the ground, released from his crushing hold. Hearing fists connect sickly with flesh, she scrambled to see.

  Jake’s powerful fists destroyed the other man’s face, pummeling his abdomen and kidneys until her attacker slumped over in defeat.

  “Enough, Reverend, enough!” One of the onlookers from the church attempted to drag Jake back, but he shook the man off, determined to finish his opponent.

  Katherine shrank against the darkness, pulling at her ruined dress. “Stop, Jake, please!”

  A collective breath of disbelief caught as the parishioners heard her familiar form of address. Jake seemed to clear his head, turning to look at her directly, seeing both her embarrassment and concern for him. Sadie Browning pushed her way forward, whipping the shawl from her shoulders and draping it around Katherine.

  Wrapping the crocheted garment over her exposed skin, Katherine started to turn back to the saloon.

  “Harlot!” Able Browning’s voice rang out in accusation.

  Katherine turned to flee, stumbling in her haste.

  “Wait one moment, Able Browning!” Sadie’s voice rang out, freezing Katherine’s steps as she turned in disbelief. “You’ve not even asked her how this man came to be attacking her. Not consorting, Able, attacking.”

  Dumbfounded, Able stared at his wife. “Sadie, this is no place for you. That woman obviously brought this on herself, flaunting her…attributes. Now get inside while I deal with this.”

  “I won’t.” Sadie stood stubborn, defiant.

  “At least listen to the preacher if you won’t listen to me.” Able turned his formidable gaze on Jake.

  Jake stared between Able Browning and Katherine, enraged by the vulnerability etched across her stricken features. “I agree with Mrs. Browning. Katherine is the victim here.”

  “Kitty O’Shea, you mean. I’ll not tolerate traitors in my house or my church!” Turning on his heel, Browning paused to deliver one parting shot. “I take it you’ll deal with that woman, Reverend.” He abandoned the startled group, and uncertainly the others departed. Even Sadie trailed away, leaving Jake alone with Katherine.

  Jake stared down at his hands, hands he’d vowed never to use against another man. The sparring with Morgan was one thing, but this…The hot smell of blood and sweat swirled in the night air. Katherine raised her head, her gaze unwavering, and Jake met it without flinching. The gauntlet was thrown, their positions changed irrevocably. No longer preacher and saloon owner, they were simply man and woman. Jake couldn’t turn back what had happened. Staring at Katherine’s luminous eyes, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

  Chapter 10

  Katherine eased closer to the yard connecting the saloon and the church. Hearing the teenaged boy identify himself as David Browning, she couldn’t resist stepping even nearer.

  “I hate to bother you, Reverend.” The boy sounded agitated yet uncertain.

  “That’s why I’m here. What’s on your mind?”

  Katherine could read the concern on Jake’s face as the boy paced the length of the porch. She hadn’t seen Jake up close since that fateful night in the churchyard, other than to tell him she would no longer set foot on his property, and she expected him to keep to his side. She could see that in the week that had passed, his hands had healed, his bruises faded.

  Katherine stared again at the Browning boy. His resemblance to his father was uncanny—tall, lean, with the same fair hair and eyes. She was surprised to see not even a hint of Sadie in the boy.

  When David didn’t answer, Jake stood up, also, and spoke. “Ever wond
er where the clouds go on a hot day like this? Can’t be one for better’n a hundred miles.”

  Distracted, David looked skyward. “I never thought about it, Reverend.”

  “Guess I’ve always been curious.”

  “Me, too,” the boy confided in a rush.

  “Course, I lived in a big city where some answers were easy to come by.”

  “Yeah.” David’s face fell.

  “I still know most of what I learned.”

  David’s face was downcast as he answered, “Yeah.” Awareness dawned as the boy looked up. “Yeah?”

  “How old are you, David?”

  “Seventeen.” He glanced away and added, “Next month.”

  “When I was seventeen, seemed like all I ever thought about was girls.”

  “Really?” David’s voice was ripe with hope.

  “Tall girls, short girls, skinny girls—it didn’t matter.”

  “Did you ever have one special girl?”

  Katherine held her breath along with David, awaiting Jake’s answer.

  “You want to tell me about your girl?” Jake answered instead.

  David obviously was torn, and then suddenly the words spilled out. “Name’s Rebecca Peterson. Her family came out on the last wagon train. I been seeing her a lot since then.”

  Katherine watched Jake’s eyebrows rise. “John Peterson’s daughter?”

  “Yep. She’s not like him, though. No more’n I’m like…”

  “Your father?” Jake supplied.

  “He’s not a bad man. He just doesn’t understand…”

  “That you want to spend time with Rebecca?”

  “Exactly!”

  Katherine wondered what Jake’s sage advice would be, considering the boy’s father.

  “Your father’s not a real young man anymore.”

  “No…” David answered uncertainly.

  “Do you suppose he’s forgotten what it’s like to court a girl?”

  “He married my stepmother about two years ago.”

  Katherine’s ears pricked up in interest. She had assumed that Sadie had been married a great deal longer to the dour church elder. That explained the lack of family resemblance between her and David.

  “Do you ever ask your father for any advice?” Jake continued.

  “Huh?”

  Katherine listened even more closely now.

  “About how he used to court a girl,” Jake explained.

  “Why would I do that?”

  Katherine muffled the laughter that surfaced. Her amusement was forgotten when she heard Jake’s reply.

  “Your father needs to know that you still need him—his advice, his concern.”

  “But he has such dumb ideas.” David’s face filled with disgust.

  Jake clapped a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I didn’t say you have to follow every suggestion. Just ask, listen, and remember.”

  “Remember?”

  “How it feels to be seventeen—that special girl. Your son will thank you someday.”

  “Thanks, Reverend.”

  Jake shook the proffered hand solemnly. “I’m always here, David.”

  Katherine shrank next to the tree as Jake and David walked away from the church and then separated at the front gate. Having seen Jake pummel that cowboy within an inch of his life, Katherine had wondered about his abilities as a minister. But rather than pontificating or avoiding the issue, Jake had offered the boy understanding and insight.

  Wandering back to the garden, she smiled at the rosy red tomatoes that were ready to be picked. Unable to resist, she reached down and plucked one from the vine, inhaling the fresh smell of sunshine that seemed to pour through the skin.

  “You gonna take a bite out of that?”

  Katherine turned in surprise. She thought Jake had left with the Browning boy. “After I wash it, I’m going to make a tomato sandwich.”

  “With some of Hattie’s fresh bread?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t suppose you’ve already had some today?”

  “Yep, but she didn’t make me eat a puny tomato sandwich.”

  Katherine could just imagine the lunch he’d wheedled out of her good-natured cook. “I don’t suppose there’s any use asking where I was when you enjoyed my hospitality.”

  “Nope.”

  She sighed inwardly. Traipsing between the parsonage and the saloon, even to eat an innocent lunch, was not going to help their volatile situation. “I thought we agreed to keep to our own parts of the property.” Jake stared pointedly at the garden plot, and she flushed. “Except for tending the plants.”

  “I never agreed to that nonsense, and I don’t intend to start,” he said bluntly.

  The blaze in his eyes shot through her, and the tomato almost slid from her fingers.

  “Miss Katherine!” Daphne’s voice startled her almost as much as Jake’s words had.

  Katherine watched in dismay as the delicate girl walked toward them. Katherine’s gaze darted between Jake’s surprised but appreciative survey and Daphne’s habitual smile of allure. Katherine’s hand itched to slap the smile from the girl’s face, and then she was instantly ashamed. “Yes, Daphne?”

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “You didn’t.” Katherine deliberately curbed her impatience. “Did you want something, Daphne?” The look in the other woman’s eyes suggested Jake would fill the bill. “Daphne,” Katherine prodded again.

  “Oh, yes.” She turned her china blue eyes away from Jake. “Vance says he needs to talk to you.”

  “I’ll be right in.”

  “I could entertain your friend,” Daphne offered, lifting her brows suggestively.

  “That won’t be necessary. Tell Vance I’ll be there in a moment.”

  Regret colored Daphne’s tone. “If you say so.” Taking advantage of her captive audience, she sashayed away. It was just the sort of behavior that Katherine had always abhorred being associated with.

  When Daphne was out of sight, Katherine turned back to Jake, not quite meeting his eyes. “I think it’s clear why we should do as I suggested.”

  Jake’s fingers gently cupped her drooping chin and lifted it. “Comparisons with other women only favor you, Katherine. They don’t make me think less of you.”

  Pain flared in her eyes. “Perhaps you should.” Stepping back, she escaped his touch and ran to the safety of the saloon, realizing she could not elude the emotions he’d turned upside-down.

  As she sped toward her office, Vance’s voice stopped her. “Miss Katherine?”

  Keeping her back to him for a moment, she fought for composure. Turning slowly, she drew in a deep breath. “Yes?”

  “You got a minute?”

  “Certainly.” Masking her agitation, Katherine turned to him calmly.

  Vance turned and headed toward the bar area. Too upset to be curious, she followed, baffled when he pointed to a few cases of whiskey. “This is it.”

  Resisting the urge to rub at her pounding temples, she asked instead, “This is what?”

  “The whole shipment.” His voice sounded unusually grim.

  “Was there a mistake?”

  Vance pulled out an invoice and shoved it toward her. Studying the bill of sale, she noted that the quantity was fifty cases instead of the five that sat on the floor. “We’ll simply have to straighten this out. Obviously there’s been a mistake.” Katherine wondered why Vance hadn’t seen the solution.

  “This isn’t the first time,” Vance answered.

  “An even better reason to make sure the mistake is corrected.”

  “It’s just that…”

  “Yes?” Wanting this to be over so that she could escape, she wished she could pull the words from him.

  “Well…Mr. Tremaine authorized all the invoices.”

  “But why would Morgan—” Glancing up, she saw Vance’s intense gaze fixed on her. She stopped abruptly. “Another mix-up, no doubt. Thanks for alerting me, Vance.”

  He nodd
ed, his beefy stance unrelenting.

  Turning away, she escaped into her office, shutting the door behind her with shaking fingers. What possible reason could Morgan have for authorizing falsified invoices? A quick mental calculation gave a pretty good monetary reason. But she and Morgan had always shared everything evenly, and the saloon was making an even better profit than they’d anticipated. But, Morgan?

  Chapter 11

  The land that led away from the tiny town surprised Katherine. Meandering valleys, faint lavender mists, and rolling, blurred hills met great plains of waving prairie grasses. Large splashes of color from purple loosestrife and the spidery pink and white of great plains paintbrushes decorated the land. Farther ahead she spotted the golden waist-high seascape of wheat. As her buggy passed the fields, she hung out of the side, fascinated with the seemingly endless acres of corn and grain.

  Jake chuckled. “I had no idea you were so easily amused.”

  She whipped around, straightening her unmussed skirt. “I just hadn’t seen the area.”

  “Even though you planned to build your business here?”

  She disregarded the surprise in his voice. “There’s never any need to. We keep to ourselves.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t today.”

  Glancing away, Katherine fussed unnecessarily with the spotless white gloves covering her hands. “I really shouldn’t have—”

  “Agreed to get some fresh air?”

  Put that away, her protests sounded ridiculous. But the only reason she’d agreed to the ride was because Jake had insisted that Sadie needed her help. Katherine still thought she and Jake needed to stay apart. He couldn’t remain the minister and court her.

  “Does everyone around here grow wheat?” she asked.

  “A lot of people do.” He flicked the reins, and the horse picked up the pace a bit. “But corn’s the biggest crop.”

  “The fields look like they go on forever.”

  Hearing the amazement in her voice, he glanced again at her incredible face. Despite her eye-catching beauty, she seemed happiest among growing things—the garden, these fields. It was then she came alive, shed her cloak of reserve.