Jenny rose from the quilt and pursed her lips, looking down at the pair of them. “Well, the men around here have to pick up the remains and pack the basket while I tend to some private business. We need to be on the road.” She turned from them, hearing their soft laughter as they agreeably did as instructed, her own mouth wide with a satisfied smile. Shay was so good for Marshall, so generous with his attention, so ready to be a father.
Her hand touched the rise of her belly, where even now another child grew. She’d been blessed to have good men in her life, doubly blessed to be given a second chance at happiness. Carl’s memory was still there, his kindness to her a reality, his care of her but a faded remembrance. And he’d sent Shay, she reminded herself. And for that she would be forever grateful.
Shay stood by the side of the buggy when she returned, short moments later. “Marsh went for a walk in the bushes. He’ll be right back,” he told her. “Did you get enough to eat?” His hand curved against her cheek and she was drawn to his warmth.
“I’m fine. Just tired. I’m not used to long rides in the buggy. I’ll be glad to get to the hotel.”
“I’m ready now,” Marshall announced, running from a stand of trees to where they waited. He climbed agilely into the buggy and reached for Jenny’s hand. “I’ll help you up, Mama. We need to find the town where the beds are.”
Shay grinned at the boy’s descriptive phrase. “You told him we’d be sleeping in a hotel,” he said. “And sure enough, that’s where the beds are.”
It was full dark by the time the buggy rolled up to the facade of Riverside’s only hotel. A light glowed from the ceiling, illuminating the lobby, and a man with stiffly starched collar and cuffs stood behind the big desk. Shay stepped into the ornate foyer and looked around.
“Hasn’t changed any,” he said quietly.
“You’ve been here?” Jenny asked, impressed by the high ceiling and the curving stairway that led to the second floor.
“Yeah. Years ago. My pa brought us here for dinner once when we came to town for Sunday church. It was a long way from home, and we didn’t go real often, and that one time was a special occasion.” His eyes were shadowed as he scanned the carpet and heavy draperies. “They let the boys in blue stay here. Saved the place from being burned.”
“Can I help you, sir?” the desk clerk asked, clearly searching Shay’s face. “Seems like I’ve seen you before.”
“Probably,” Shay said, then pulled money from his pocket. “We need a large room for the night, with a cot for the boy.”
“You belong to the Devereaux family?” the clerk asked, watching as Shay wrote his name in bold script across the page of the register. “Yep, I guess you do,” he concluded, turning the large book around. “Never heard of your name, though. There was just the two boys, I thought. Roan and Gaeton. And then the girl. Pity about her, runnin’ off the way she did.”
Jenny’s hand stayed Shay’s involuntary movement, as he would have reached for the hapless clerk. “May we have the key to our room?” she asked politely.
“Sounds like everybody in the parish is gonna be talking about Yvonne.” His growl was low and frustrated as he turned Jenny toward the staircase.
“Probably not,” she said quietly. “I’d have thought it happened long enough ago for folks to have forgotten it.”
“Gossip hangs around a long time,” he grumbled, his feet heavy on the stairs as they climbed the steps in unison.
“Did that man know Mr. Roan?” Marshall asked. He skipped down the hallway before them, turning to walk backward as he queried Shay.
“Turn around before you trip and fall,” Jenny said sharply. “Look for the room with fourteen on the door,” she told him.
He stopped stock-still. “I don’t know what a fourteen is, Mama. I only know to number ten.”
“Look for a four, then,” Shay said. “It’ll have a one in front of it.” The room was next and he slowed Jenny’s progress, giving the boy a chance to use his knowledge. In less than a moment, Marshall pointed his index finger in triumph, standing squarely in front of the designated place.
“He’ll be up all night,” Jenny said quietly. “He’s never been so far from home before.”
“I’m plannin’ on him sleepin’ real sound,” Shay whispered next to her ear. And then laughed aloud as she batted at him with her reticule.
The sound of laughter beneath their window woke Jenny with a start. Voices called back and forth and a horse neighed loudly. So this was life in town, she thought, looking up at the ceiling, where a border of cherubs rimmed the top of the walls. A strong arm tightened around her middle and she tilted her head back to look into dark eyes that glittered with intent.
“Oh, no you don’t,” she whispered, catching hold of his hand before it could move upward.
“Just one little squeeze.” He breathed the words in her ear and she shivered as his warm breath and the impudence of his plea coaxed her to compliance. Her hold relaxed and his fingers circled her breast, cupping the weight in his palm. His groan was heartfelt, and she inhaled sharply.
“Marshall’s looking out the window,” she said quietly, noting the empty cot beside the bed, her quick glance spotting the boy across the room. He turned, as if he’d heard her words, his eyes alight.
“Mama, there’s men out there, and ladies and horses. Everybody’s in town, aren’t they?” He turned back, apparently not needing a reply, leaning on the sill, his head leaning from the open window.
“Don’t fall out,” Jenny said quickly, sitting upright as she watched her son’s actions. She looked down at the man beside her, his face relaxed, his mouth turning up in a teasing grin. That the side of his face responded to the movement of his mouth by drawing up in a grimace no longer seemed to bother him, and she was pleased that he smiled so readily.
“Are you ready to get up?” she asked, sliding her feet from the bed.
“No, but I don’t think I have a choice,” he grumbled from behind her. His hand slid from her body as she moved from him, and then patted carefully at her bottom as she stood.
She stiffened, looking over her shoulder, and again his grin was for her benefit. “I can wait,” he said. “Just barely, but I can wait.”
Chapter Sixteen
The avenue leading to the house was narrower than she’d expected, but it spoke of faded elegance. Overhanging branches of oaks on both sides provided a shady path, gray moss hanging in fragile-seeming tendrils to touch the roof of the buggy. A bend in the road ahead drew her, and Jenny leaned forward in the seat, as if those few inches could improve her view.
“Don’t fall on your nose,” Shay’s voice was gruff, and she glanced at him quickly.
“Are you all right?”
His nod was slight. “About as right as you’d expect.”
And wasn’t that a cryptic answer, she thought. His mouth was drawn into a thin line, his scar showing clearly against dark skin, and his eyes seemed flat and lifeless, as if he expected little from this venture. White knuckles told the tale, she decided, looking down at his hands. They held the reins firmly, drawing the horse to a trot as she would have broken into a canter. From ahead, a whinny announced the mare’s reason for excitement, and Shay cast a knowing look at Jenny.
“She hears a stallion,” he said, then looked ahead to where the mare’s ears twitched and her tail flagged high. “She didn’t pay this much mind to my stud.”
“Maybe she wasn’t ready,” Jennie told him smartly. “Females are allowed to make a choice, you know.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said, a grin touching his lips.
The bend was taken at a faster clip than Jenny had expected and she gripped the buggy seat, leaning toward Marshall, whose attention was attuned to the view before them. His sounds of appreciation were fervent as the journey ended, and Jenny’s thoughts echoed those of her son.
“Just look at that,” Marshall said. “They got a whole lot of horses, Papa.”
“They sure do,” Shay ag
reed. “Roan said Katherine had a string of them. Looks like they’ve got yearlings, too.” Shay drew back on the reins and the mare halted at the hitching rack.
The corral was large, extending from the side of the barn, and beyond it a verdant pasture drew Jenny’s eye. “There must be twenty horses out there. Do you suppose they’re willing to sell any?”
Shay slid from the seat. “Hard to say. But I’m probably thinking the same thing you are, Jen. We couldn’t go wrong buying stock here. That sure is a dandy bunch of horseflesh all in one place.”
“Pa’s been keepin’ them there all morning, just for your benefit,” Roan said, from his perch on the porch. So intent was she on the display in the corral and pasture, Jenny had missed his long form, leaning against an upright post. Now he stepped to the ground and approached the buggy. “Thought you’d come in the front way,” he said. “Pa’s been lookin’ from the parlor windows for the past hour.”
“What made you so sure we’d be here?” Shay asked, tying the reins to the long rack. And even as he spoke, Jenny saw his eyes glance toward the screen door behind his brother.
Roan looked at Jenny, his smile welcoming and warm. “I knew.” Simple and to the point, he offered his thanks to her with a nod, walking to the buggy where Marshall was eagerly climbing in Shay’s wake. Roan’s arm snaked around the boy’s waist and he lifted him against his side. “Hey, there, young’un. There’s some folks inside wantin’ to meet you.”
Marshall’s head turned to the side, his grin flashing. “Me? They wanna meet me, Mr. Roan?”
Roan turned him upright, allowing him to slide to the ground, then gripped his shoulders and squatted before him. “Let’s get this straight, boy. I’m your uncle now, and I want you to remember that. I’m Uncle Roan and here comes your aunt Katherine.”
From the doorway, a woman with chestnut-colored hair stepped onto the porch. Small boned, yet rounded with an advanced pregnancy, she smiled a welcome, her blue eyes brilliant in a tanned face. “Somebody get my new sister off that buggy,” she said.
I’m going to love her. The thought spun in Jenny’s mind, flashing like sunshine, bringing a warmth to her heart that was almost overwhelming. Shay turned back to her, holding up his hands and she bent to him, confident of his strength as he lifted her to the ground. Her footsteps never faltered as she climbed to the porch, ignoring the curious look cast in her direction by Roan, oblivious to Shay’s hands as they released her.
She faced Katherine, only a foot separating them, and held out her hands. With a grin of delight, Katherine grasped her tightly, sliding her arms around Jenny’s slender form, until a sturdy thump against her belly told Jenny that Roan’s son or daughter was protesting close quarters. She laughed aloud, pleased at her welcome, and whispered in Katherine’s ear.
“I hope our babies will be friends.”
“You, too?” Katherine asked, her face wreathed in a wide smile. She leaned back, the better to look down Jenny’s length. “Roan didn’t tell me,” she muttered, a long look of accusation tossed in her husband’s direction.
“I just got back last night,” he complained, “and I’ve been busy.”
Katherine’s mouth firmed. “You’re going to be a new uncle, and you were too busy to tell me?”
“You were busy, too,” he reminded her, his mouth twitching, his eyes glittering with mischief.
She flushed, then turned to Jenny. “Ignore him. He’s hopeless anyway.”
Jenny lifted a brow. “I’m married to his brother. Remember?”
Behind them a woman stood at the screen door, silent and watchful. Jenny met her gaze through the screen and looked long at the wistful expression. “You’re Shay’s mama, aren’t you?” she asked quietly. “He has a look about him…” Her pause was long and then she stepped closer, her fingers gripping the door handle.
“And you’re Jenny.” The woman opened the door wide, holding out a hand to her newest daughter-in-law. “I’m Letitia. Won’t you come in?” A fragile smile touched her lips, and she looked beyond Jenny to where Shay watched from the yard. “I named him Gaeton,” she said softly. “He must have taken Shay from his godfather’s name. Jack Shay was black Irish, and LeRoy’s best friend…years ago,” she said, a note of sadness tinging her words.
Well, that answered one question. Jenny stepped closer, and Letitia touched her face with slender fingers. “You’re a pretty one, aren’t you? I’m so glad our boy found you.” Her gaze swept Jenny’s length and rested on the rounding of her belly. “Four months?” she asked, her eyes bright with hope.
Jenny nodded. “Just about.” And then she bent closer. “He’s worried, you know.”
Letitia smiled eagerly. “No need for that. I’m his mother, after all.” She stepped past Jenny and onto the porch. “Gaeton?” Hesitantly, she halted, her outstretched hand dropping to her side.
“Mother.” Shay’s steps were long, his eyes fastened on the small woman, and he picked her up from the porch, lifting her to eye level. She protested with a squeal, but her lips curved with pleasure. “You haven’t grown any, have you?” he asked, leaning forward to kiss her on either cheek. Lowering her to the ground, he held her steady for a moment, then released her, offering a hand to Jenny. “You met my bride.”
“She’s lovely,” Letitia said, her eyes overflowing with tears. “Your father’s inside, son.”
“You’ve got your mother crying already, I see.” The man at the door growled the words almost in Jenny’s ear and she turned to face him. He aimed dark eyes in her direction. “You’re the woman fool enough to marry him, I suppose.”
Shay muttered a single word and, setting his mother aside, bounded up the step, pulling Jenny against himself. “This is my wife, yes, and you’ll treat her with respect.
“This man is my father, Jenny. His name is LeRoy, and his manners are not fit for pigs.” Nostrils flaring, Shay faced his sire and Jenny drew in a breath, tossed between two men who seemed capable of physical violence. That LeRoy was older and white-haired mattered little. And yet, she saw a tremor in his hand, noted a flicker of unease in his dark eyes, and found her sympathy surging in his direction.
She reached for his hand, holding the gnarled fist between her palms, gaining his attention as she eased between the two men. “I’m glad to meet you, sir,” she said, not allowing him to retrieve his fist. And then he stilled his attempt and met her gaze, his eyes sharp and searching.
“You’re kinda feisty for such a little girl, ain’t you?” he asked. “Sure you’re not related to Katherine?”
Jenny felt a smile bloom on her lips. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am,” she said politely. “She’s my new sister.”
“Cut from the same cloth, if you ask me,” LeRoy muttered, opening his fingers to clasp Jenny’s hand. His other arm touched her shoulder, urging her closer, and he bent to press his lips against her forehead. “Welcome, daughter. I’ll let you bring the boy inside. We’ll talk later.” He released her and turned away, his shoulders seemingly held in place by strength of will as he crossed the wide kitchen floor.
At the doorway, he touched the jamb for balance and she resisted the urge to go to him. “Let him be,” Shay whispered in her ear. “I’ll see him in a while.”
Letitia and Katherine followed them into the kitchen, Roan at their heels. “I think Susanna has dinner almost ready,” Letitia said. “We were lookin’ for y’all to come in the front door. I hate havin’ you to walk through my kitchen this way.” She bustled past them and led the way into the central corridor of the house, down toward the front door and into the parlor.
“Have a seat and I’ll call Susanna. She must be out in the back somewhere, or maybe upstairs.” Letitia turned to leave the room, looking to Katherine in a seeking fashion.
“She’s setting the spare room to rights, Mama,” Katherine told her. “I’ll go get a pot of tea. You stay and talk to Gaeton.”
“I’ll help,” Jenny said, shooting a glance at Shay. “You’ve got a lot of ca
tching up to do,” she told him pointedly, then followed Katherine from the room.
In the hallway, Katherine stood leaning against the wall, one hand over her mouth, tears filling her eyes. Jenny touched her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
Katherine nodded quickly. “Roan told me about his face,” she whispered. “But seeing it for myself just wasn’t the same. It makes me ache for him.”
Jenny was astounded. That the scar should so deeply affect the other woman was beyond her comprehension. “You’ll get used to it,” she said softly, her arm around Katherine’s waist as she turned her toward the kitchen. “I hardly notice it anymore.”
“That’s not it,” Katherine said, once the kitchen was gained. “He reminded me of my brother, Lawson. The last time I saw him, he had a scar like that. Not as long, maybe, but all I could think of…” She gulped back her tears. “No wonder Roan took it so hard, that his brother was scarred. He said I’d understand, better than anyone else.”
“Where’s your brother now?” Jenny asked.
“Dead and buried.” Katherine’s eyes filled with new tears. “I’m just weepy these days,” she said with a choked laugh surfacing. “It was a long time ago, but seeing Gaeton brought it back.”
“I think you’re allowed to be….” Jenny held out her hands with a helpless gesture. “I know how you feel. I’ve shed tears for no reason lately. And I’m a long way from birthing this baby.” She looked at Katherine closely. “Any time now?” she asked.
Katherine nodded, one hand clutching at her back. “I can hardly wait. I can’t even hold Jeremy on my lap anymore.”
“Jeremy?” Jenny looked around.
“He’s napping, upstairs. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised that Susanna went up to get him.” She turned to the stove, lifting the big teakettle with both hands. “Take the cover from the teapot, would you, Jenny?” The hot water splashed on tea leaves and steam rose as the pot was filled. “By the way, you can call me Kate if you’ve a mind to.”
The Seduction of Shay Devereaux Page 25