The Stafford Collection, Historical Western Romances

by Hubbard, Lynn

  They were greeted by a grinning Chase when they returned.

  “He’s awake and lookin’ good!” he announced, happily offering to care for their horses so they could go see.

  When they entered the bedroom they found Jonathan sitting up, sipping on some chicken broth. “They’re trying to starve me,” he explained as he slurped another swallow.

  Brock grinned as he went over and greeted him. Sabrina hung back, a little unsure of his reaction to her since she had yelled at him the last time he was coherent. He noticed her and gave her a reassuring wink. Anna was nearby, smiling happily.

  Feeling a little better, she took a couple of steps closer so that she was next to Brock. Brock reached over, giving her hand a squeeze as his father set his bowl down.

  Jonathan grinned at her. “I know you can talk; you proved that the other day. “

  Sabrina smiled sadly. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things.”

  “Yes, you should have. I knew the leg was bad; I was just too stubborn to admit it. Guess I was scared. Men do get scared sometimes. Not very often, but sometimes,” he said, winking at her.

  “How are you feeling?” Brock asked.

  “Well, feels like my leg has been cut off,” He chuckled and Brock sent Sabrina an apologetic look. Sabrina smiled seeing where Chase got his wry sense of humor. Brock was more serious like his mother and Jaelyn was kind of a combination of the two. “I don’t really remember much of it. Don’t hurt too much unless I move around. But, I gotta say, it’s itching like a dog with fleas.”

  “Well, I’m glad you’re still here. You had all of us worried,” Brock said.

  “I hear there’s gonna be a wedding?”

  “Yes, Sabrina has agreed to be my wife,” Brock said, proudly hugging her to him.

  “Well, I guess you’re a stronger man than me. She seems to be a handful,” he said, impressed with his son’s choice.

  “You have no idea,” Brock murmured as Sabrina blushed and hid her face in Brock’s chest. “We’ll let you get some rest,” he said pulling her from the room.

  “I’m sorry,” said Brock, “He’s always like that.”

  Sabrina laughed aloud. “He’s wonderful. I’m so glad he’s doing well.”

  Brock snorted. “Yeah, too bad his mouth wasn’t injured.” Sabrina bopped him on his head as they joined the others for supper.

  “I was thinking we should leave the day after tomorrow,” Brock said in between bites. Sabrina agreed, although she knew he would miss being with this family. She noticed Jaelyn and Thomas glance at each other.

  “About that,” Thomas began and hesitated as everyone looked at him expectantly. “I’m not going back with you. I’m gonna stay here for a while. With Jaelyn.”

  Brock choked on his food and Sabrina had to pound on his back a few times. “And what, pray tell, should I report to your family?” he asked when he could speak.

  “You don’t have to tell them anything. I’ll write a letter for my father and sister; you just need to give it to them. Jonathan still needs care and Anna needs Jaelyn’s help until he is back on his feet again. I want to be with Jaelyn and when I do leave I hope she chooses to come with me.” For the last part, he turned and addressed only Jaelyn. Her whole face lit up and he kissed her unabashedly.

  Chase looked amused but Brock looked impressed by the younger man. His sister could do far worse, he finally decided. Sabrina stood up to help clean up the dishes, but Chase waved her away. She whispered to Brock that she wanted to check on the horses before heading to bed and he joined her. Wanting to make sure that Thomas’ horse was fully healed, she checked him out first. Justice snorted for lack of attention and she came over to pet him next, and then Troy.

  She was rubbing down Troy when she felt warm hands on her shoulders massaging her neck. To Brock’s surprise, she spun around quickly.

  “What?”

  “Just making sure it was you this time,” she said, turning back around to enjoy the special treatment. Brock stepped forward and wrapped one hand around her abdomen, pressing her back against his hardness.

  She slid his hand lower to massage between her legs. “Are you sure?” he whispered in her ear.

  “Mmmmmm. Oh yes,” she replied, leaning back against him.

  He kissed her ear as he slid his hand up under her skirt and underthings. She had wanted, no, needed, to discuss something with him but as soon as he touched her, her mind went blank. Every neuron in her brain focused in on the wonderful sensations he was causing in her core.

  She still had one hand on Troy to prevent herself from collapsing and turning into a quivering puddle on the floor. Her other hand was covering his hand around her waist. She entwined her fingers through his as she lost herself. Her head thrashed back against his chest as soft cries tore form her throat. Every nerve in her body was in spasm as she cried out and sagged back against his chest, trusting him to hold her. In the past she would have been mortified by her reaction to his touch. Now she was just too tired to care. Chuckling, he lifted her up into his strong arms and carried her back to Chase’s cabin as she curled sleepily against his chest.

  Laying her on the thick bedding, he kissed her cheek and went out to visit with his family. Thomas was inside with Anna, changing out Jonathan’s bandages; but the twins were milling about outside.

  “Where’s your sidekick?” Chase asked, his eyes twinkling.

  “She’s resting,” Brock said, feeling crimson creep into his cheeks. Chase laughed.

  Jaelyn looked at him thoughtfully. “How long have you two been together? Perhaps there’s a reason she’s tired.”

  Brock frowned up at her from his seat on the log. “What do you mean?”

  Jaelyn rolled her eyes; she didn’t know how she put up with her brothers for so long. “I assume you’ve bedded her.”

  Chase snorted. “On a regular basis, I can assure you.” As Brock moved to stand, Jaelyn pushed him back down. “Shut up, Chase.” And she stared him down until he left, chuckling. She turned her attention back to Brock. “Brock, I’m just concerned is all. You do know where babies come from don’t you.”

  “Of course. I’m not ignorant,” Brock spat out angrily as Jaelyn sat patiently waiting for his thick brain to connect the dots. She sighed and repeated her first question.

  “How long have you two been together?”

  “What do you mean together? I’ve known her for months.”

  “You know exactly what I mean.”

  Brock blushed a bit more and shrugged. “About six weeks, I guess.”

  “And how many cycles has she had?”

  Brock shrugged as he thought about it. “She had one before we…” Brock’s voice trailed off and he wondered how on earth he had gotten roped into this discussion with his little sister, of all people.

  “But none since,” Jaelyn prodded.

  “No.”

  “And you would have known if she had, right?” She asked.

  Brock laughed aloud. “Yes, I would have noticed.”

  Jaelyn sighed; still no connection. She had to be more abrupt. “She could be with child.”

  Brock froze as the words sank in. A flurry of emotions ripped through him. Of course he had realized that on some level. It was partly why he had put off being intimate with her in the beginning. Somehow, along the way, his brain had stopped and his body had taken over. He’d become so wrapped up in the wonderment of being with her, all rational thought had left him..

  He looked up to see Jaelyn staring at him. At a loss for words, he stood and walked off into the woods. He took no trail as he tried to sort out the scenarios going through his head. He had not forced himself on her. He gave her every opportunity to choose a different bed. Didn’t he? So why was he feeling guilty. Like he had taken advantage of her.

  She had even agreed to marry him. But was it perhaps out of desperation? He looked at the web of dark shadows crisscrossing through the trees as the sun sank lower. Changing directions, he headed
back toward the cabin. He didn’t want her to worry if she woke up and he wasn’t there. When he returned, he was relieved to see she was still asleep. She looked so young and beautiful. Again, he felt guilty. He sat next to her and stretched out a finger to trace her jaw line. Her skin was like satin. He felt his heart quicken and reluctantly pulled away. He heard a soft noise and turned to find her eyes open sleepily, watching him.

  Suddenly her eyes flew open and she sat up quickly. “Is your dad okay?”

  His brow creased. “He’s fine, why?”

  She took a relieved breath. “You just look so distraught, I thought…” Her voice trailed off as she lay back down, still staring at him. He sat next to her silently as his gaze traveled to the floor.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, turning onto her side and pulling the covers up to her chin to ward off the chill in the room. She had put on her thin nightgown before crawling into bed but it did little for warmth.

  “Nothing. I mean, I don’t think there’s anything wrong.” Brock glanced at her quickly and forced a smile.

  Sabrina frowned as she felt a chill travel through her soul–a chill not caused by the coldness of the room. Something had changed while she slept. Brock had changed and she didn’t like it.

  Taking him off guard, she pushed him onto his back and sat on his stomach. He could not ignore her now.

  “What?” she asked again. She leaned over him, her hands holding his cheeks so he would look into her eyes.

  His eyes desperately wanted to look at the gap in the nightgown created when she leaned over him but he gazed into her eyes.

  “Um.. are you feeling okay?” he asked cautiously, not wanting to upset her any more.

  She sat straight up at that and frowned. He definitely knew she was healed from the long ride, she thought with slight embarrassment. So he was referring to something else. But what?

  “Who have you been talking to?”

  “What makes you think I’ve been talking to someone?” he asked, avoiding her eyes.

  She put her hands on his chest as she leaned over slightly. “Well, you were fine when I went to sleep. So something must have happened during that time. I assume you left. If you left, you probably talked to someone. I just need to know who you talked to and maybe I can figure out why you’re acting different.”

  Brock was surprised. She never ceased to amaze him. “Jaelyn.”

  Sabrina sighed as she released him. She had a pretty good idea what Jaelyn would be discussing with him, and he seemed upset about it and was withdrawing from her. She climbed off him, allowing him to sit up next to her.

  “Well?” he asked, curious to see what she would come up with.

  Sabrina smiled sadly. “Well, I guess Jaelyn was concerned about what most young women are concerned about. Having a baby. “

  “She said you might be pregnant,” he said softly, looking at the ground.

  Sabrina reached out and turned his face toward hers. “And you’re upset.”

  Brock shrugged.

  “At me?”

  His eyes widened. “No, of course not. I just feel..”

  “Like you took advantage of me? Haven’t we gone through this before?” she asked. “Brock, I’m a big girl. I knew from the start what the consequences might be from being with you. And I chose to accept them. We have done nothing wrong. There is nothing wrong with loving someone. And if a baby does come along, well, there are worse things that can happen.”

  “Are you with child?” Brock asked, still concerned.

  She sighed. “Honestly, it is too soon to tell. Remember the times I denied you?” she asked, blushing in spite of herself.

  He nodded; he had been very distraught.

  “Well, I should have just told you then but I was embarrassed. I was trying to prevent getting pregnant by calculating my monthly cycle.”

  “But you haven’t had, um.. bled since we’ve been together.”

  “It doesn’t always work that well,” Sabrina said, reddening again. She was suddenly unsure and Brock pulled her into his arms and held her like he would hold a child.

  “No matter. I will be here for you,” Brock whispered.

  She hugged him back, suddenly feeling safe and content in his arms.

  Chapter 25

  Supper was a somber affair. Sabrina was feeling uncomfortable by Jaelyn’s curious looks and Chase’s sly grins. Eating quickly, she and Brock visited with Anna and Jonathan briefly before heading back to the cabin. Brock, mindful of her uneasiness, lay down and held her until they fell asleep.

  Sometime later Brock awoke, needing her. Moving cautiously, he shifted her onto her back and arranged himself on top of her. Sabrina stirred a bit as he kissed her cheek and she instinctively splayed her legs so he could enter her.

  He moved slowly. It was more like a caress, really. She could feel the prominence along his shaft as he slid in and out of her warmth at such a slow pace it would have normally caused her to go insane. The only thing that increased in speed was his breathing. She reached up, still in a dreamy state, running her hands through his curly hair as she felt him hug her tightly and shudder inside of her. He lay still for a second catching his breath before shifting her so she was again cuddled in his arms. Holding her tightly he kissed her head as they both fell asleep.

  Morning arrived too soon for the pair and Brock grinned as Sabrina reluctantly roused herself. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she sat up.

  “Good morning,” Brock said from beside her in bed. He had been awake for a little while but was reluctant to leave her side to face the cold of the dawn. Sabrina grunted a reply as she sat up. While she waited for the fog to leave her mind, she began to notice wetness between her legs. She turned to look at Brock suspiciously.

  “I guess that wasn’t a dream, after all,” Sabrina stated, moving to the basin in the corner to cleanse herself. She started with her face and worked her way down. Making her first swipe between her legs, she noticed a darkness on the cloth in the dim light. Swiping again, her heart sank. She had just been late.

  She was surprised by the disappointment she felt. This was not the best time for a baby to come. Heck, they weren’t even legally married yet. However, she still felt regret.

  Sensing her mood change, Brock came over to her. Taking in the situation, he hugged her close. “It’s okay; we still have plenty of time. We have the rest of our lives.”

  Sabrina nodded but let out a sob anyway, as he patted her back and held her. Reluctantly pulling away, she moved to her bag to find her wrappings. She now knew why they called it the curse.

  Since this was their last day, they spent most of it with Jonathan, giving the others a break. Jonathan did recall her reading of Rip Van Winkle. He insisted she read it again while he was awake. She obliged, grateful to be able to escape into a book for a little while.

  Jonathan was getting restless from being bed bound. He insisted upon getting up and ‘using the bathroom his own damn self.’ Brock went to get Thomas and he gave the okay. Sabrina left the room while Anna, Brock, and Thomas assisted him. Thomas had advised Chase to make two crutches; he could switch to one crutch later on if he felt more comfortable.

  Jaelyn approached Sabrina as she waited outside. “I’m sorry about upsetting Brock yesterday, it was none of my business.”

  Sabrina looked over at Jaelyn, wondering what it would be like if Lydia had lived. Would she have discussed such intimate things with her? She smiled sadly.

  “No, we needed to talk. However, since you’re so curious. I’m not.” She said the last bit softly and Jaelyn hugged her as Sabrina hugged her back.

  “Do I get a hug?” Chase asked hopefully, coming over to the two women.

  “No!” they both replied, and laughed, and Sabrina’s heart was lighter.

  They heard scuffling inside and could hear the clop, clop, clop of the crutches against the wood floor as Jonathan awkwardly made his way outside. Thomas stayed in front of him and Brock, behind, in case he fell. He sto
od at the doorway blinking at the bright sunlight until his eyes adjusted. Chase moved forward to assist him down the step.

  It was a bittersweet moment for Sabrina. She was so happy that Jonathan would be well, yet she missed her own father desperately. The pain of her parents’ passing had eased some with time but she was beginning to realize that she would miss them forever.

  Since they would be leaving at dawn, they said their goodbyes to everyone that evening. Sabrina received a bear hug from Jonathan (which she thought may have dislocated a rib or two) and Anna called her ‘daughter’ for the first time. That simple statement brought tears to them both. She would miss them all.

  Rising early, she and Brock dressed quietly. There was a knock on the door and Sabrina answered it. Chase had come by to help carry their baggage. She was also pleasantly surprised to see he had readied the horses. Checking the buckles quickly, she turned and hugged him goodbye before mounting. Brock gave him a hug as well and Chase slapped his back. Climbing up on his horse, Brock leaned over and kissed Sabrina before he nudged Troy into motion. Ready to travel, Troy took off in excitement and Justice followed at a trot.

  The pace was more relaxed on the return trip. They talked some but mostly just enjoyed the countryside. Brock was on full alert. Although Indians were not as prevalent these days, there were still outlaws and vagabonds who would not hesitate to attack. Looking over at Sabrina, who was beautiful in her new skirt, he wondered if he should request she change into her male garb while they traveled. She was very wise to do so for protection while she was in hiding. He worried for her safety.

  He was relieved when they arrived in the same town they had stopped in before. They boarded their horses and headed over to the hotel. Sabrina was already tired and crampy. She begged off eating in the dining room to rest. Brock brought her up a plate and she ate hungrily.

  “How’s your bum?” he asked.

  She laughed, the lilt of it filling the small room. “I’m fine. Just some cramps.” She wrinkled her nose, showing her aversion.

  “Sorry.”