She fought to remain in her fantasy, she didn't want to wake, didn't want to leave her place in the sun. "No." The word broke past her parched throat.
Adeline was pulled to a sitting position and pillows were placed behind her back. She dragged her eyes open. An older woman placed a tray on her bed over her lap. "Let's get some of this delicious food into you before it grows cold. The grey haired woman placed the fork firmly in her hand. "Eat up now, Mr. Pruitt needs you strong for the ride back home."
Adeline frowned at the woman. "D -- did you say Mrs. Pruitt? Why are you calling me Mrs. Pruitt?"
Jackson did not want to leave Adeline alone, so he'd hired one of the hotel staff women to stay with her. Although the woman, Mabel, had a stern disposition, her kind eyes put him at ease about going out for a short time. He needed to send a telegram to Heath and ask his brother to wire money to purchase a wagon for the trip to Four Winds. Adeline wouldn't be unable to ride horseback anytime soon. He'd also see about purchasing some clothes and a warm coat for her. Also, he needed to get foodstuffs and some blankets to hopefully make the trip as comfortable as possible for her.
They would remain in town for only two more days, he firmly believed once she arrived in Four Winds, Adeline would flourish and regain her health. The farther away from her memories in this town the better it would be for both of them.
Once she was strong enough to handle the news, he would tell her about the loss of the baby. Afterwards he'd spend as long as needed doing what everything he could to earn her forgiveness for his part in the baby's demise, and for allowing the bastard Billy Johnson to take her.
Once again the same thought repeated. How could he have believed the lies the man told?
The sounds of horse hooves jerked Jackson back from his thoughts. A man stumbled across the street and straight into the path of the team of horses pulling a coach. Without thought Jackson sprinted toward the sad figure and threw himself at the drunken man. They rolled over each other to the side of the road, barely missing being run over by the horses and coach.
"You almost got yourself killed old man," Jackson snapped yanking the shaking man to his feet.
"Get away from me," the drunken man slurred and pushed away from him, batting at Jackson the entire time. "I don't deserve to live." He raised he eyes to Jackson's and they widened.
"You?" Jackson took a step away from the familiar face. "I thought you'd be dead by now."
"I will be soon enough," Jack Pruitt replied.
Chapter Eighteen
The old man jaundiced face sagged further, his bleary eyes sweeping over Jackson. "Look at you, you're quite a sight. All grown, a full man." Jack began to cough; his entire body shook with the effort. "How's Heath?"
Jackson took a step back from the ragged man, who continued to study him with ill concealed curiosity. "Why do you ask about my brother?"
His father continued to watch him with a mixture of interest and caution. "I wonder about my boy is all." At Jackson's silence, Jack shook his head. "I figured you never wanted to see me again so I've kept away from you."
How wrong he was. For years he wanted nothing more than to find his father and beat him to death with his bare hands. Make the man hurt for the long days he'd suffered through. Punish him for all those confusing, emotional days that followed after he'd left them. How he'd wanted Jack Pruitt to hurt for the turmoil in his gut when Jackson had tried to figure out how to run the large farm and raise his brother by himself. How he'd wished he could make his father feel the worry of staying up nights when Heath was sick. The coward abandoned them. They were just kids, forced to fend for themselves. Oh yes, for a long time Jackson prayed and hoped he'd run into the man.
"It would have been best if I never saw you," Jackson eyed the pathetic figure whose worn leather jacket had seen too many years of wear. Jack was right, by his skin's jaundiced coloring it was obvious he wouldn't live much longer. Jackson went to walk away, any desire to make his father pay for the past now gone.
"I had to leave, I would not have been a good father to two young boys." Jack told him taking a sudden interest in his dirty boots. "I did what I thought was best. Left you plenty of money."
Before thinking better of it, Jackson closed the ground between them, grabbed the man's jacket with both hands, and yanked Jack up. "You took the coward's way out. Left two kids to fend for themselves. We were just kids damn it." He ground out. "What you did was what was best for you. You can have your damn money. Every single cent is still there at Four Winds bank. We never touched it, made do without it."
Jack's eyes widened and his mouth went slack, at the loss for words.
Jackson continued yelling, not loosening his white-knuckled hold on the clothing in his hands. "We may have needed you back then Jack, but now neither of us give a damn about you. After Momma died, you were all we had left. So I'll be damned if I'm going to let you walk away thinking you did us a favor by abandoning us. Go to hell Jack Pruitt." He shoved the man away, not caring when Jack stumbled and fell onto the dirt on his rear.
"I see you did good. Like I said, I knew what was best." Jack began to cough again, the barking sound mixed with laughter.
Walking away Jackson ignored the pathetic sound. He kept going not stopping, not looking back.
After he wired the telegram to Heath, Jackson left the mercantile with his purchases in several tightly knotted bundles and headed to the hotel.
He came to where Jack had fallen and relaxed noting the sad figure of the man who fathered him was now gone. Why now? In the midst of the hardest moments of his life, why did his father have to reappear? Although emotionally drained, Jackson couldn't help but replay the dialog with his father. Jack actually thought he'd done them a favor by leaving. No man worth a damn would abandon his children right after they'd lost their mother. There was no doubt Jack was a crazy coward, nothing more.
It surprised him, even with yellowing eyes and sallow skin he'd recognized him after so many years. Blood called to blood he supposed. Jack had asked about Heath, the question had taken Jackson by surprise. A strange flicker of worry had crossed Jack's features when he'd asked about his brother. Perhaps he'd not expected the young boy to survive childhood.
Jackson contemplated the hotel as he neared it. Now to face Adeline and try to get his wife healthy enough to travel back to Texas. The sooner they left, the better.
Especially now.
He had a new reason to get as far away from Memphis as possible.
"It's just no one knows my name here," Adeline explained to the woman who watched her with suspicion. "Why did you call me Mrs. Pruitt?" She repeated.
"Your husband is here, he told me your name was Adeline Pruitt."
Adeline observed her surroundings. Although a basic hotel room, it was plush and luxurious compared to where she'd been living. Was it possible? Jackson was here? It had not been a dream after all? She pulled the blanket off and noted she wore a new dressing gown. With a shaky hand she reached for the ends of her hair and picked it up to sniff the ends. Someone had bathed her and cleaned her up. "Oh God!"
Mabel frowned. "Is something wrong dear?"
"I don't want my husband to see me like this. I don't want him to come near me and see..."
"See what dear?" Mabel took one of her hands and rubbed the back of it. "He seems to be a good man. Mr. Pruitt bathed you and took care of you yesterday."
"Wh--What? " Tears spilled at the thought of Jackson seeing what had become of her. She feared facing him. Would he be able to mask his reaction to her haggard appearance? At the thought of facing him Adeline struggled between elation and hurt. At the moment, she couldn't control the immense hatred bubbling inside of her. Every man who'd ever mattered in her life had betrayed her in the end.
Her father had not taken up for her against Billy, but beat her instead at Billy's words. He'd never asked her if it were true or not, but took a man's word without question. Then there was Billy, her childhood friend and fiancé who took ad
vantage of her and afterwards treated her like a piece of trash. Finally her husband, who also took another man's word over hers. Jackson had not hesitated in turning his back and allowing Billy to drag her away from their home. Because of it, she'd not only lost her baby, but her trust in anyone. No she could not trust Jackson again.
Men were not trustworthy.
Adeline fell back against the pillows and closed her eyes. Why hadn't she just died with the baby? There wasn't anything worth living for now.
"I hate him and every other man who's ever crossed my path," she whispered.
Mabel ignored her remark and made a fuss of cleaning up her dishes. The woman helped her up and led Adeline to sit by the fireplace. After she was settled Mabel poured a fresh cup of tea and watched over her to ensure she drank it. Adeline had to admit the woman's attentions calmed her nerves some.
A few moments later, Mabel took her empty cup and plumped a pillow behind her back; she poked at the embers in the fireplace, her movements both deliberate and graceful.
The woman sat opposite her and studied the fire. Without taking her eyes off the flickering sight, she began to speak. "I don't know what happened to you, but I can imagine it wasn't good. Life is very hard at times Mrs. Pruitt. No one knows it better than I do. As women, we are at the mercy of our fathers and husbands' whims for the most part. It's not always wrong or right. It just is."
Adeline remained silent, but she listened to the older woman who appeared to understand what she went through.
"The best you can do young lady is to lean on God. Pray and ask him to remove any feelings of hatred and mistrust. If you don't, it will eat you from the inside out. Give yourself a second chance to be happy. Each day the lord gives us is a promise, a new start. Do something with your new start and eventually you'll find it."
"Find it? What will I find?" Hot tears spilled down Adeline's face. "I don't know if I have the energy to even care about anything."
"Joy," Mabel replied with a knowing smile. "Allow yourself to find joy young lady."
Footsteps neared, Mabel's serene gaze went to the door as it opened and Jackson stepped in.
She didn't have to turn to know it was him. Jackson's large presence crowded the room. He cleared his throat and greeted the woman.
After giving Adeline an encouraging smile, Mabel stood and went to Jackson. "She ate well."
When his gaze landed on her, Adeline caught it out of the corner of her eye. She maintained her attention on the fireplace, not wanting to see the pity he no doubt felt.
The sound of his deep voice pulsated into her. "Thank you Miss Mabel. Can I ask you to return tomorrow? I have to see about purchasing a wagon and food stuffs for our trip home."
"Yes of course," Mabel replied and left without a sound.
Jackson moved closer, Adeline could not stop from flinching when he reached toward her. He pulled his hand back, yet a tight smile lifted the corners of his mouth; familiar sky blue eyes met hers. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm well. Thank you."
"No you're not," Jackson told her matter-of-factly. "You appear a bit better, and you will get healthier, because I will take care of you Adeline." He crouched down to her level and continued. "I will make it all up to you, even if it takes the rest of my life in doing so."
His words should have moved her, but they did not. They were after all just words. Words that could be taken back and discarded, a lesson she'd learned well.
When she did not reply, Jackson placed a bundle in her lap. "I bought you a dress. It's yellow. I remember you like yellow. It's a pale soft yellow, the color suits you."
He sat on the chair opposite her and watched as she opened the package, an expectant expression on his face. "I got some ribbons too."
The dress was a beautiful golden buttermilk creation, with long sleeves and lace outlining the seams running down the bodice to the waistline. The skirts flared and its cuffs were lined with warm wool. It was much too nice of a dress for traveling. But she didn't say it. "Thank you, it's very nice." Her words came out mechanical without any emotion and she was glad for it.
Jackson cleared his through. "I can leave the room if you wish to put it on."
"No, thank you. I will save it for the trip."
"Fine, that's good." His words were clipped and awkward. "Would you like a book or something to sew on?"
Adeline forced herself to regard him. The beauty of the man still took her breath away, yet she maintained an emotional distance. "I would like to be alone please."
Hurt flickered, but he nodded. "Of course. I'll go downstairs and have my meal. I haven't eaten yet. Have you?"
"Mabel ensured I ate."
He stood and studied her for a few moments. "I am so sorry Adeline. I failed you as a husband."
She blinked away tears, and hoped he'd leave so she wouldn't cry in front of him. Adeline concentrated on the fire without speaking.
When she heard the door close, she took a shaky fortifying breath. She had to be strong, to learn to depend on herself and no one else. Once in Four Winds, she'd be a good wife to Jackson as was her duty. She'd maintain the house and take care of the gardening and meals. Maybe she'd talk Peggy Ann into making something together that they could sell them in town to make extra money. One thing was for certain.
She would never rely solely on a man again.
Chapter Nineteen
The sound of horses approaching permeated through the haze of slumber and Adeline pried her eyes open. She yawned and stretched under the plush blankets. Closing her eyes again, she snuggled deeper not wanting to wake yet.
The gentle swaying of the coach made for a tranquil time for the past couple of days and she'd relished every moment of it.
Jackson provided everything she could possibly need, which made traveling back to Texas a stark opposite to her departure. He'd spared no expense. The well-made coach was exquisite. It was outfitted with lush seats, drink and food as well as books, pens and embroidery fabric with exquisite threads to keep her entertained.
Although Adeline ate plenty to regain her strength, she ignored everything else, disregarding the flashes of hurt that crossed Jackson's face upon noticing her indifference for his gifts. Once when they'd stopped so she could stretch, he'd opened a beautiful leather journal and placed a pen at the center, setting it on the bench next to her.
Adeline held it for a long time, admiring the craftsmanship before replacing it and the pen in the trunk under the seat opposite hers.
It wasn't she sought to make him pay for what happened to her by rebuffing his attempts to make it up to her. Instead she preferred he not make empty declarations or promises when she was sure he'd repeat the treatment to her again if a similar situation to the one with Billy presented itself. Once they settled back in Texas she planned to have a frank discussion with her husband. Other than the bare necessities, she'd insist Jackson save his money and not indulge her.
When the coach slowed to a stop and she sat up and leaned to peer out of the portal just in time to catch a glimpse of two men approaching on horseback. Heath, she recognized the sheriff immediately, the other man was Lucas Folks, Peggy Ann's husband. Jackson must have driven all night for them to be in Texas already.
The men greeted each other and although she could hear the deep grumblings, it was impossible to make out the words. Both Heath and Lucas turned toward where she sat, but other than nods of acknowledgement, neither made to speak to her.
Adeline relaxed under her blankets and tried not to allow her curiosity free reign. The urge to get out and find out what happened was strong but she resisted.
A few moments later, Heath opened the coach's door and peered in. "Hello Adeline," his blue eyes sparkled and he gave her a lopsided smile. "I'm glad you're doing all right."
"Thank you Heath," she replied, relieved he didn't make a big deal about her appearance or ask how she fared.
"It's still a full day's ride to Texas. Figured we'd ride out to meet you and ensure my h
alf-wit brother didn't over do it. By the looks of him, he did. Hasn't slept since you set off has he?" He didn't wait for her reply; instead Heath shook his head and made a crazy sign against his temple.
A pang of guilt threatened, but Adeline pushed it back. "I suppose not."
"I'd do the same in his place," Heath replied good-naturedly. "I'll drive the rest of the way so he can sleep. The durn fool was about ready to fall out of the bench."
A few moments later, Heath's horse was tied to the back of the coach and he clambered onto the bench to guide the horses, while Lucas remained on horseback. Just as she wondered about her husband, Jackson opened the door and climbed in.
Even with dark purple circles under his eyes and ashen face, he still managed a look of annoyance. "My brother has no business riding this long so soon," he mumbled already settling his large frame onto the seat opposite hers. At her questioning expression he responded. "He was shot the day you, er the day I..." he didn't finish the statement but instead sighed and stared out the window.
"The day I left," Adeline finished for him. Jackson didn't turn to her.
"No the day I allowed you to be taken."
He pulled a too small blanket over his broad chest and within a few moments he fell into an exhausted sleep.
Adeline studied the slumbering man. Wearied from travel, with tussled hair and a dirty face, still her husband could only be described as breathtaking. With his eyes closed, his long lashes spanned down over the top of his cheeks, his sensuous lips were slightly parted which made her immediately snatch her gaze away.
His golden hair had gotten long; it was past his shirt collar now. The memory of the day she'd last cut it slipped in. Jackson had sat shirtless on the porch with a towel across his wide shoulders while she'd fretted over cutting it just right. They'd laughed when Buck sat on his haunches and watched as if waiting his turn. It was a lifetime ago she'd been so innocent to think she would be able to remain with him and be happy.
Where The Four Winds Collide Page 13