by Vivi Holt
He grunted. “Please don’t ever leave again.”
She laughed.
“I mean it,” he protested. “I don’t know how you manage these three on your own. There should really be a whole team involved. We really missed you.”
“Thank you.” She kissed him again, and put an arm around his waist, pulling him close. She gazed into his eyes and saw so much love there it made her throat ache. “I won’t leave you again,” she vowed.
“Did you have a good time?” he asked.
She forced a shaky smile. “I’ll tell you about it later. For now, let’s get these rascals inside. It’s time for their supper.”
“Aw, Ma, can’t we play a while longer?” Will whined.
She laughed. “No, you may not. Tomorrow, you can play all day long, but for now, some of you have dirt behind your ears that needs washing, and I’ve got supper to make and you’ve chores to do. There’s a lot of work before bedtime.”
She walked inside with Penny and Jocelyn while Bill led her horse toward the barn, Will on his heels. They would be doing chores until supper time. Once the children were asleep, she’d tell Bill about Bow Bearer’s threat – better to not frighten the little ones. And for now, there was so much happiness in her heart it fairly ached. She would enjoy being home surrounded by her loved ones.
Sarah entered and surveyed the messy cottage – dust and grime everywhere, dirty clothes on the floor, uneaten oatmeal hardened in bowls like cement. She sighed and ran her hands over her hair, smoothing it back into place. It was good to be home.
Ost hunkered behind a rotting log and peered over it at the ramshackle hut in the distance. They’d finally located the Berger gang, just where the rumors had placed them, holed up in an abandoned miner’s hut. Unfortunately, they’d seen the posse coming.
Another shot resounded from the hut and ricocheted off a tree behind Ost’s head. He ducked lower, then turned onto his back, staring at the full branches of a juniper overhead.
“Ya all right there, deputy?” Stanton called from a dozen yards away.
“Oh yeah, fine. What are we going to do now, Sheriff?”
There was a pause, and suddenly the sheriff was beside him, shuffling in the dirt behind the log. “Didn’t wanna yell it to ya with them varmints listenin’. We’re gonna hafta storm the place. The ones in front’ll lay down coverin’ fire, and those in back can run by ‘em and enter the hut. Sound good?”
“Well, it doesn’t sound great, but we don’t have a better option. Which group am I in?”
The sheriff grinned. “Ya and I are enterin’ the hut.”
Ost chuckled. Of course they were – he’d have been disappointed if he’d had to stay outside while someone else made the arrests. “Berger’s mine,” he growled. That was something he wanted all to himself.
Sheriff Stanton frowned. “Fine with me, deputy. Just be careful, ya hear?”
Ost nodded. “You too, Sheriff.”
They headed for the hut, the men in the front laying down a hail of bullets for them. When they reached the broken-down structure, the first line took up positions around the porch and by the front windows, while the second line approached the doors. Ost stood by the back door, his revolver high. He’d left his rifle behind for this attack – too unwieldy in close quarters. On the sheriff’s signal, he kicked the door. Frank Drotherton from the ranch next to Paradise Ranch nodded to Ost, kicked it next and the door flew open.
Ost peered inside. The front door was open as well, and seemed to have the gang’s attention. Gunfire flew back and forth between the sheriff and Berger’s men on that front, leaving Ost and Frank unchallenged. One member of the gang saw them, thought about taking a shot, then shook his head, stood and raised his hands. With a backward glance at his colleagues, he walked slowly toward Ost and Frank. Ost quietly arrested the man and handed him to Frank to take back to their horses. One down.
He glanced around. The rest of the posse was occupied – maybe he should fall back and gather some help before entering through the rear door. Still, the outlaws were occupied in a firefight with the sheriff and a few others outside the front windows. And the back door was small and set behind a wall, as though that area had been a kitchen. It looked safe for the moment. He stole inside, hid behind the internal wall and pointed his revolver at the ceiling. The bullets slowed, and a quick glance around the wall revealed several outlaws laid out on the floor.
Then Ost spotted movement to his left, and found himself face to face with a middle-aged man sporting a long sandy beard and holding a shotgun pointed at the ground. He leveled his revolver at the man. “Stop or I shoot!” he barked.
The man’s red-rimmed gray eyes sparked with anger. “Drop it, boy, and get outta my way!” he rumbled.
Ost didn’t turn a hair. “No, sir. You’re under arrest.”
The man paused, still scowling, then dropped the shotgun and raised his hands with a sneer. “Fine, lawman. Have it yer way.”
Ost spun the man around, tied his wrists behind him and pushed him through the hut toward the front door. He found Sheriff Stanton handcuffing Kip Weaver, who sat scowling on the floor, blood leaking from his side. Stanton raised his head to nod to Ost as he came by. “Ya got him, eh? Good on ya, boy.”
“Wait.” Ost arched an eyebrow. “This is Berger?”
“Sure is.”
Ost grinned to himself as he shoved Yannick Berger in the back, moving him forward. He’d finally done it – arrested the man who’d killed Angela’s folks and forced her into an unholy marriage. And he’d only fired a few bullets. He shook his head as he walked – it had gone even better than he’d imagined.
14
Back home after riding all night to take the Berger gang to the county lockup, Ost laid down gently beside his sleeping wife on the bed. He kicked off his boots, curled onto his side, then realized he was still in his soiled clothes. She wouldn’t be too pleased to find muddy stains all over the covers come morning, but he was too exhausted to move.
He put his hands behind his head on the pillow as sleep drew close. With a turn of his head he could see her up close, her face right next to his, hands tucked beneath her cheek. Her mouth twitched in a half-smile, and he smiled in response. She was so beautiful he sometimes had to pinch himself, unable to believe she was his wife. All the years stretching ahead of him were more appealing and exciting to him than they’d ever been before. He couldn’t wait to share them with her.
If only she felt the same way. There was something about the way she treated him, reacted to him, that made him sense she was holding back. He understood she’d been traumatized – maybe she wasn’t ready to bare her heart and soul to any man. It wasn’t about him … at least he hoped it wasn’t. He’d just have to give her time and perhaps one day she’d let him in. It was all he could dream of, having Angela by his side – if she was willing.
Ost fell asleep dreaming of staring into her wide blue eyes and finding nothing but love there – no hurt, no pain, no hidden memories or shadows. Only wide-open, full-hearted love.
Angela opened her eyes and sat up, her heart pounding. There was someone beside her! Oh … it was Ost. She still wasn’t used to having a man in bed with her, and when she’d gone to sleep the previous night he hadn’t been there.
She grimaced – was he still wearing his muddy riding clothes? Yes, and the covers were stained with dirt and grime. She shook her head – one more thing to scrub. But lately it seemed like all she wanted to do was scrub, clean, wash and organize their tiny rooms. She’d gotten it spic-and-span in the few days since her friends had visited. So there was the bright side – she’d have something to do that day.
With a quiet grunt, she pushed herself off the bed and waddled toward the stairs. She needed to use the outhouse. It was getting colder these days – at some point, the winter weather would require her to use a chamber pot. She still wasn’t comfortable doing that with Ost in the room – they hadn’t used their marriage bed for anything but sleepin
g.
Hmmm … when would they take that step? It was only natural that they would at some point – they were married, after all. Ost, ever the gentleman, hadn’t pushed her – he was waiting for her to be ready. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be, but she’d decided to give him her heart while he was gone. Perhaps the traditional use of the marriage bed should go along with that. She wished she could be sure – her only experience of marriage had been with a blackguard who used and abused her.
She grimaced, remembering his beatings when she tried to avoid his affections. It wouldn’t be like that with Ost, she knew. But it still gave her pause.
After she’d visited the outhouse, she returned to their room and filled the coffee pot with water, then stoked the fire in the stove. She studied him from across the room. As her friends had pointed out, he really was an attractive man. Just watching him sleep stirred something within her, and she longed to run her fingers along his arms and over his chest. But he was sleeping. He was tired – she really shouldn’t disturb him …
She laughed, scampered over to the bed and lurched herself onto it, making the straw rustle and the entire tick shudder.
Ost’s eyes opened, and he rubbed them with the back of his hand. “Mornin’,” he whispered.
Seated on the edge of the bed beside him, she smiled down at him. “Good morning. I hope you slept well.”
He groaned and rolled onto his side, away from her. “I did, but not long enough. I feel like my eyes just closed. Really happy to see you, though.”
She stood and hurried to the other side of the bed, sitting in front of him again. He opened his eyes again and his forehead creased with a frown. “H’lo.”
“Hello,” she replied, her cheeks burning.
He arched an eyebrow, lifted his head and rested it in the palm of one hand while he studied her. “Help you wi’ somethin’?”
She grinned at him. “Nothing, really. I just missed you.”
His eyes widened. “Really?”
“Is that so difficult to believe?”
“Well, it’s just you didn’t seem … I mean, I’m glad you missed me.”
“I do want to talk to you about something …”
He sat up and leaned against the wall behind the bed. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to say something first.”
“All right, go ahead.” She nodded, though she didn’t know if she’d be able to keep up a brave front if he kept interrupting her this way.
He sighed and rubbed his face, then took her hands in his, massaging them gently. What was wrong? He was acting as though something terrible had happened. She didn’t know if she could stand hearing anything else that might cause her pain. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”
“No, no! It’s good. I promise.”
She swallowed. “I’m ready.”
He smiled and continued to rub her hands, tickling her palm with his thumb. “We caught him.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “Do you mean …?”
“Yep. We arrested Yannick Berger yesterday afternoon. We brought him back to the county jail last night, and then I came home to collapse on the bed beside you.” He laughed softly.
She saw the concern in his eyes. “That’s wonderful news. Thank you, Hank.”
He nodded. “You’re not upset? I mean, usually when I mention his name, you get so agitated. I almost didn’t want to tell you.” His cheeks colored.
Had she really been so transparent? “Hearing his name makes my insides hurt. But knowing he’s behind bars, I feel safer than I have in a long time.”
He smiled and nodded. “I’m glad. He’s going to be behind bars for the rest of his life – a life I’m hoping will be short and end on a rope.”
She sighed. “And I’m glad you’re home safe.” Was he glad to be home as well? Or had she made him uncomfortable? Having him hold her hands this way was making her thoughts whirl. She couldn’t see straight, her pulse raced so fast.
“I’m more than glad to be home.” His eyes sparkled. “Are you feeling well?” he asked softly.
She reached up to trace the line of his jaw, and his pupils dilated. “I feel fine. I went on a wagon ride with Patrice Fitzgerald and Joanna Philpott a few days ago. We even had a lovely picnic.”
He frowned. “I hope you didn’t wear yourself out.”
“Not at all – after speaking with them I felt so much happier and lighter. I’m seeing everything differently.”
His head cocked to one side. “Oh?”
“Yes. They encouraged me to appreciate you more.”
He smiled. “Well, I can get behind that.”
Her laughter filled the room. “Well, I should appreciate you. You’ve done so much to make sure I’m safe and cared for and happy. No one could’ve done more. And all this time I thought you just figured it was the right thing to do. But they helped me to see that there was more to it than that …” Her heart skipped a beat.
He cupped her cheeks in his hands, staring directly into her eyes. “It was the right thing to do, but that’s not why I did it. I married you and took you into my life and my heart because I love you. You’re the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. I knew it from the first moment I met you, but the circumstances kept me from saying it. I didn’t want to rush you into saying something you’re not ready to say. But you make me glad to be alive.”
Her throat tightened and she couldn’t speak. Tears filled her eyes and she leaned forward to kiss him. He put his arms around her, his hands on her back, and lay back on the bed. She leaned over him, deepening the kiss and tangling her fingers in his hair.
Finally she pulled back and stared down at him, her eyes full of love. “I love you too, Hank Oster. I’m so glad you rescued me and gave me a place in your home and your heart. I may not have been ready to open up to you then, but I am now. Because you made me feel loved and safe in a way I didn’t think would be possible again.”
Hank was grinning like the cat that found the cream. “I don’t know what to say …”
“Then don’t.” Angela kissed him again, her entire body buzzing with sparks and burning with the heat of their embrace. And this time, she didn’t pull away.
Sarah pulled the loaf of bread from the oven and set it on the kitchen table with a sigh. She wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, then her hand on her apron. It was hot work laboring over the stove this way. Outside the chill evening air threatened snow, but inside the cottage was warm and snug.
The children played quietly in the corner, which she counted as miraculous after the day they’d had. Every fight and argument seemed to build off the last until finally she’d had a talk with each of them and made them play separately. Now, given a chance to play together again, they’d entered some kind of sibling truce. At least for now.
Bill opened the front door and walked inside, kicked off his boots and set his hat on a peg in the wall. “Good evening, family,” he boomed, his smile lighting up the room. The children ran to him and embraced his legs as he planted a kiss on each head. Sarah was next, and his kiss lingered against her lips as his arms wrapped around her growing girth. “How’s the baby today?”
She smiled. “She’s fine. She kicked up a storm for an hour or so.”
He laughed. “‘She’? You think we’re havin’ a girl, huh?” He grabbed a green bean from a serving plate.
She slapped his hand. “Of course. I told you Penny would be a girl, didn’t I?” With a laugh, she dished spoonfuls of beef stew onto the plates beside the beans. “No stealing beans, mister.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you …” He sat at the kitchen table as Sarah poured him a cup of steaming coffee. “Is there something on your mind? Ever since you got back from the Crow camp, you’ve been distracted.”
Her gut roiled. She still hadn’t told him. She didn’t know how he’d react, and hated the idea of disturbing her family’s happiness with any kind of conflict. Since returning from her trip away, she’d been guarding th
at happiness more closely than ever before. But if she didn’t tell him, she’d be risking it all if Bow Bearer followed through on his threat. She sat across from him and linked her hands in front of her. “Yes, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
“Something happen at the camp?”
“Yes.” She swallowed hard. “It was great to see everyone – you know how much I’d been missing them. But Bow Bearer is the new chief.”
He grunted and nodded, his face clouding over. She knew he didn’t harbor any affection for Bow Bearer.
What she was about to say wouldn’t improve things. “When I saw him, he told me he thought we should’ve married.”
“He’s still holdin’ onto that?”
She nodded. “Yes, but it gets worse. He still thinks we belong together, and said he’s coming for me.”
“What? What does that mean?”
“I’m not sure, but he knows where we live and he told me that one day he’d come when I wasn’t expecting it. That we’d finally be together after all this time, the way he’s always wanted.”
“He didn’t try to keep you there this time, did he?” he asked, his nostrils flared.
“No. Maybe because the Crow treat their guests with honor – since I was a guest of his house, he felt as though he had to let me leave. But once I left, he no longer has to respect that.”
Bill took her hand and squeezed it. “Do you think he’d really do it?”
“Again, I’m not sure. It doesn’t make sense, but he’s always been a little bit mad. I can’t predict what he might do. And I don’t want to wait and find out. I’m sorry, I should never have gone.”
“I don’t like this, not one little bit.” Bill stood, walked across the room, then back to gaze into her eyes, his own clouded with emotion. “What did Ky have to say about it?”
She sighed. “She overheard him and was devastated. I’m her best friend, and he’s her husband. She had to pretend to be angry with me for appearances’ sake, but she knows it wasn’t my fault.” She ran her hands through her hair, the memory making her sweat all over again. “It was horrible.”