Restless Heart

by Beth Williamson

  “Come to the parlor with me. Gertrude and Alison are here and would like to meet you.” Jane’s smile seemed a little forced.

  The currents in the house were almost as tiring as walking the length and breadth of it. They arrived at the parlor and the memory of the windows flitted through his mind again. The two women in the room got to their feet, and he noticed their resemblance immediately. They were all tall with the same silver hair.

  Jane smiled and clapped her hands. “Samuel, meet your aunts, Gertrude and Alison. We were curious about your plans.” Jane’s gaze told him it was she who wanted to know.

  He nodded in greeting to the sisters. Neither of them was as overtly friendly as Jane. “Pleasure to meet you ladies.” He looked around the room. “I came here when I was a child. I remember the rainbows the sun made through the windows in the morning.”

  Jane smiled. “You were no more than three. Your father came to visit because our father was ill. They still refused to reconcile and you never returned. I used to sneak you chocolates.”

  Sam’s heart softened at the affection in her voice. “Thank you for welcoming me back, Aunt Jane. However, I don’t think coming here was the best choice.”

  “Oh no!” Jane frowned at him. “You’ve only just arrived.”

  Sam’s heart felt heavy. “I don’t want to give up being a part of the family.” He took his Aunt’s hand. “Both of us grew up with just enough to survive, with not much left for extras. Each day was a gift, and I think it made life that much sweeter for us. While this house is impressive and we’re grateful to know you all, we’d like to go home.”

  Jane eyes grew moist. “Are you sure?”

  Sam nodded. “I’m sure.”

  “What about Carver Industries? It’s your right to be part of the company.” Gertrude sounded concerned.

  “I’ll talk with Mr. Bennington and learn all I can about the company. For now, my only request is a bit of funds to help the newspaper and a few other folks around town.” He felt a hundred pounds lighter just telling her what he felt. “I don’t know enough to make any changes to the leadership. It seems Dominic been doing a good job and he should stay in that position.”

  “Dom is a very good at what he does.” Jane kissed his cheek. “He turns a profit each and every year. Tell me you’ll visit though. I can’t bear to think I’ll not see you again.”

  “We’ll visit as often as we can.”

  “And I shall visit you.” Jane met Sam’s gaze, and he saw his aunt still had questions for him.

  “We’ll stay two more days to spend time with you all and meet with Mr. Bennington. Then we’re headed back to Wyoming. I have a house to build on a lake there.” Sam leaned forward. “I don’t need much to live by, so I’ll only take a hundred dollars a month.”

  “For what?” Gertrude asked. “If it’s for clothing allowance, that’s not nearly enough.”

  “Perhaps it’s for books,” Jane said. “His Angeline loves books.”

  “No, ladies, I mean, for us to live on.” He couldn’t imagine spending a hundred dollars a month on clothes. What could they possibly need to purchase that cost twelve hundred dollars a year?

  “Ridiculous. You should have at least five thousand a month deposited automatically. You can spend it on your wife, on your children, on whatever you want. A hundred dollars won’t buy Gertie’s handkerchiefs.” Jane speared him with a gaze that brooked no argument. “There’s no need to scrimp and save for things, Samuel. You can have whatever you want.”

  “I’ll tell you what I want. I want a house by the lake with lots of bedrooms for my future children. I want to wake up each morning with my Angel and go to sleep with her kiss on my lips. I want to visit my family each summer in Denver. I want to buy a new machine for my father’s newspaper so the woman running it can do more. I’d like to have a bit left over to help my friends in Forestville.” He smiled at Jane. “And I want to find my wife’s sister, so she can visit her family, too.”

  “Ah, I knew there was a story there.” Jane leaned forward. “Tell us what we can do.”

  Angeline woke slowly, stretching on the soft bed until she felt more awake. She sat up and rubbed her eyes until she spotted Sam in a chair by the window watching her.

  He smiled. “Have a good nap?”

  “Yes, it was wonderful.” She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. Suddenly, she knew exactly why she was so tired.

  Angeline made haste to the bathroom, hoping against hope there were rags in there for her to use. She now knew for certain there was no baby to celebrate. It was simply her monthly courses.

  She shut the door before Sam could ask her any questions. After a brief search, she found something suitable in the cabinet in the corner of the bathing room. She got herself situated then went back out in the bedroom. Sam was standing there, watching her with his dark gaze questioning.

  “Everything all right?”

  She smiled sadly. “Yes, everything’s fine. I’m definitely not pregnant though.”

  Sam’s shoulders deflated, and disappointment flashed across his face. “Oh, ah, I guess that’s just the way it is then.” He turned away but not before she saw a deeper emotion in his gaze.

  Angeline took his hand and tugged. “Just because there’s no baby today doesn’t mean we won’t make one in a week or a month.”

  “I know.” He kept his eyes averted until she took hold of his chin and forced him to look at her.

  “I love you, Sam. This is simply a bump in the road, nothing more.”

  “I just wanted, well, I wanted to have a family with you, and when I thought you were pregnant, I was so overjoyed.” He blew out a breath. “It sounds silly, doesn’t it?”

  She pulled him into an embrace, holding him tightly. “No, not silly. I want a family with you too, Sam. When it’s our time, it will happen.”

  He kissed her forehead, her nose, and then her lips. “My Angel.”

  Her stomach picked that moment to rumble noisily. He laughed, and she blushed.

  “Let’s go find something to eat, hm?”

  Downstairs, they made their way to the kitchen and caused a ruckus when they tried to get some food. The cook and somebody with a big ladle chased them out and told them to wait in the dining room. Angeline was embarrassed, and Sam was furious.

  “I want to go home, Sam. I want to be able to eat when I’m hungry and not wait on someone to make it for me.” She fiddled with the pressed and pristine lace tablecloth on the table.

  “We’ve only been here two days.”

  Angeline sighed. “I know.”

  He sat beside her. “Truthfully, I want to go home, too. I have to meet with Mr. Bennington tomorrow to sign some papers, but then we can catch the train the next day.”

  Angeline felt better just making plans to go back to Wyoming. “Really?”

  “Really.” She climbed onto his lap and started kissing him. Soon, their kisses turned heated then molten. She felt his hardness pressing into her hip and wished they could go upstairs and spend the afternoon making love. That, however, wasn’t going to happen for a few days.

  “Ahem.”

  Angeline looked up to see who she presumed were all three aunts all standing in the doorway. She only knew Jane but the others looked like her.

  “Angeline, these are my sisters Gertrude and Alison.” Jane clasped her hands together. “We didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “I heard we were having tea and cake.” Gertrude, the aunt with the blue eyes, glanced around the dining room with her sharp gaze. “I don’t see any though.”

  “Perhaps they ate it all.” Alison was the youngest with apple cheeks and a guarded expression.

  “Or perhaps they were too busy to order some.” Jane raised her brows.

  Angeline extricated herself from Sam’s lap and sat in her own chair. Her cheeks were flushed.

  To her relief, the maid arrived with the coffee, tea, and cakes. It was time to get to know Sam’s family and perhaps
forge bonds with them.

  Sam had an official bank account, cash in his pocket, and signed enough papers to make his hand cramp. He was now legally part of the Carver clan. It felt strange to be connected to them and in time, he would be comfortable with it. For now, he was glad to be going home.

  It was time to leave for the train. They stood at the door saying goodbye to his family. Dominic and Vincent shook his hand although he wasn’t feeling any family affection. They had come to a truce whereby Sam was a silent member of the Carver family and they ran the company. Ty had negotiated it all to everyone’s satisfaction. It wasn’t as though he knew his father’s family was wealthy before recently. He wouldn’t miss what he didn’t have.

  Jane embraced Angeline. “Now, don’t you forget, we’re your family now, too. You come visit us anytime you want to.” The older woman shone in a brilliant blue dress as the sun beamed down on them through the open door.

  “And I hope one day you can visit us. Once we get the house built, that is.” Sam glanced at his father’s pocket watch, running his thumb over the brass cover.

  “That’s Michael’s, isn’t it?” Gertrude noticed Sam’s fiddling.

  “Yes, it is.” He blew out a breath, so glad to have met his aunts, but he still grieved for his father.

  “Father gave that to him on his eighteenth birthday.” Alison eyed the watch. “It was Michael’s prized possession.” Sam was surprised to hear affection in his aunt’s voice. Perhaps there was.

  Jane led Angeline to his side. “Don’t wait another thirty years to come see us.”

  Sam smiled. “Don’t worry. I plan on visiting you enough that you’ll be tired of seeing us.”

  “Never.” Jane squeezed their hands. “Now, be off with you. I don’t like long goodbyes.”

  He and Angeline left the Carver mansion and headed home to Wyoming. Sam took one last glance as they started down the street. The house was bigger than the entire main street in Forestville.

  He knew they’d be back in Denver, but for now, he needed to go back where he belonged. “Let’s go home.”

  Angeline smiled, and his heart grew lighter.

  Chapter Fourteen

  ‡

  October blew in chilly with the promise of a cold winter. Their new house was nearly done. The roof was two stories above the ground, and the interior was simple but beautiful. A huge picture window in the bedroom would bring in the morning sun while a wrap-around porch would allow them to watch the setting sun.

  It was idyllic. It was perfect. It was going to be a wonderful home.

  The leaves were almost off the trees, and Sam could hardly wait to move into the house. It had been a year since his Angel had come to Forestville, and it seemed like a lifetime ago.

  They walked arm in arm to The Blue Plate for dinner. They wanted to celebrate not only the house but the anniversary of Angeline’s arrival. She told him he was being silly, but he insisted.

  No matter how many new clothes she could have, she still wore his mother’s wool coat. It was sturdy and warm, and she told him, “It’s a piece of your mother. Since I never met her, it’s the closest thing I have to a part of her.”

  He didn’t ask her again to buy a new one. To be honest, he was touched by her sentimentality. She was just slightly round, only two months pregnant and very healthy. He could hardly wait to meet their child in the spring.

  They arrived at the restaurant and said hello to everyone. Lettie still worked there because she said she liked to be there. The people in Forestville were one great big family. Marta and Pieter were off visiting family so Lettie was in charge.

  They sat near the center of the room so they could talk to everyone as they passed. Lettie brought them coffee with one brow raised.

  “You gonna tell everyone soon?”

  Sam chuckled at Lettie’s perceptiveness. Angeline opened her mouth to answer when a shot split the air. Someone screamed, and Sam jumped to his feet, putting both women behind him.

  He saw three men in the doorway, two were older with graying hair and black clothes. The third had the gun in his hand, smoke curling from the barrel. He was dark, hard-looking, and had another pistol slung low on his hip. Sam knew he was facing a man who killed for money.

  He whipped around to look at Lettie and saw true fear on her face. Angeline gasped, and that’s when he realized one of the older men must be Josiah. There was no other man in the world who could possibly strike fear into both women’s hearts. Sam’s protective instincts surged forward, and his jaw tightened so hard his teeth almost cracked. It had been a many months since they’d seen Jonathan Morton. Yet somehow the bastard Josiah Brown had found Angeline.

  The taller man, whip-cord thin with dead eyes pointed at Angeline. “This slut is my wife in the eyes of God.”

  “Get out of here.” Sam kept his gaze on the hired gun, but he spoke to the old man. “She is not your wife in the eyes of God. She’s my wife.”

  “She has lain with me, said vows with me, and lived in my house. She is my wife.” Josiah stepped forward, his hands locked behind his back. He had a commanding presence and blazing eyes. He was a man who was used to having the attention of a room.

  Sheriff Booth rose to his feet from the corner table, his hand on his pistol. “Why don’t we step outside and sort this out?”

  Josiah ignored him. “There is nothing to sort out. Her name is Angeline Brown, and she is my wife.”

  “Well, near as I can figure it, she’s Sam’s wife.” Booth tugged his hat down lower and widened his stance. “I saw the wedding myself back in June.”

  “How dare you?” Josiah walked toward Sam and Angeline, his face a mask of rage and hate. “You dare defile our holy union?”

  Angeline rose to her feet and put herself between Sam and the man who claimed her as his wife.

  “How dare you? You are not my husband. You’re not even a man.” She looked more like an avenging angel. “Leave now and never come back.”

  Josiah slapped her so hard, she fell into Sam. Then all hell broke loose. Jessup appeared from somewhere and jumped on the other older man while Booth dealt with the gunslinger. Sam heard a screech of pure fury and a body flew at Josiah.

  Lettie scratched, slapped, and punched him, while Sam held Angeline close. The older woman seemed to have the strength of ten men as she beat the man who had turned her into an animal.

  Sam started to back away toward the kitchen, but Angeline resisted.

  “I won’t leave her like this. I can’t.”

  Sam understood her loyalty, but he didn’t want things to get more violent than they already had. “Please, Angel, I don’t want anything to happen to you. To the baby.”

  “It won’t, not if we stand together.”

  Although Sam’s instincts told him to do all he could to protect his wife and child, he respected her choice. He would stand by her side and fight her battles with her.

  He glanced over and saw the gunfighter punch Booth so hard the sheriff fell like a sack of potatoes onto the floor. With a feral grin, the gunslinger focused his gaze on Angeline and took aim.

  Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Sam ran toward the man with the gun. He shouted at Angeline to run, but the muzzle of the gun flashed in mere seconds. Sam tackled the man, and the gun went flying. He felt was of control and possessed by a black rage he’d never experienced before. Punches, blood, and spittle flew as he knelt on the man’s chest and punched him.

  “Sam!” Angeline’s voice cut through the red haze surrounding him.

  His hands were covered in blood, and his knuckles throbbed. Sam glanced at the unconscious gunslinger on the floor. The sounds of running feet echoed down the wooden sidewalk outside.

  “Angel?”

  “Sam, Jessup’s been shot.” Angeline’s hands shook.

  He rose to his feet as if in a daze, drawn to Angeline’s voice. He saw Jessup lying on the floor in a pool of blood. The world tilted sideways as Sam walked toward him. He heard someone crying and reali
zed it was Lettie. She sat next to Angeline, her face a mass of welts and smears of blood.

  “What happened?” Sam dropped to his knees as his heart began to beat so hard, it actually hurt his head.

  “He saved me.” Angeline had tears running down her face. “He threw himself in front of the bullet.” Her blue eyes were full of grief. “Oh, Sam, I’m so sorry.”

  He ignored her apology and took his friend’s hand in his. “Jessup, what the hell did you do?”

  Jessup’s eyes fluttered open, and he smiled as he focused on Sam. “You know I ain’t never had a son or a nephew. I kinda thought you were a good one to pick.” He coughed, blood spewing from his mouth in a fine mist.

  Sam wiped his eyes and finally looked at the gaping wound in Jessup’s chest. He’d seen too many wounds on the battlefield to hold out even a shred of hope the older man would survive the bullet. Jessup was already dying.

  “You old coot, I don’t know what I’ll do without you.” His voice broke as he allowed himself to face his friend’s death.

  “Sam, you’re a good man, and you have a good woman.” Jessup looked at Angeline. “You have an angel at your side.”

  Before Sam could say anything else, Jessup slipped away, his chest still, his eyes unfocused. Angeline made a soft noise of distress and took Sam’s hand.

  This time, the howl that erupted from within him was the primal sound of a warrior. Angeline jumped back from him as did Lettie.

  “Where is he?”

  The women shook their heads.

  “The bastard you used to call husband. Where is he? And that other man, too?” Sam got to his feet, his friend’s blood staining his hands.

  “He ran like the coward he is.” Lettie’s gaze was as feral as his own. “After I beat him, he proved himself to be as much of a coward as I thought he was.”

  “And that other man, who was he?”

  Angeline glanced at Lettie before she spoke. “My father. They scurried off like rats after Jessup was shot.”

  Sam could hardly fathom the man was her father. He’d accompanied a hired killer and the man who had beat his daughter to Forestville. He’d obviously had no part in the actual shooting, but he hadn’t done a thing to stop it. He was as bad as Sam had feared. Now was not the time to be discussing Mr. Hunter’s obvious flaws to everyone. Now was the time to hunt the son of a bitch down.