by Norah Hess
She forced her gaze away from him and looked at his companions. They both smiled at her and she was quick to smile back. She needed these strangers' warmth to take away the chill of Fletch's stare boring into her.
She knew that he wouldn't introduce her, so she said, holding out her hand to Daniel, "I'm Laura Thomas and this is my daughter, Jolie."
Startled surprise darted across Daniel's and Maida's faces for a split second and then was gone. "I'm Daniel, ma'am," Daniel said, shaking hands. "I'm right pleased to meet you." He pulled Maida to his side. "This is Maida, the little gal I'm fixin' to marry." There was so much love for the young girl in the big man's voice that Laura knew a moment of envy. She would never receive that from a man, thanks to the one who had now averted his face from her.
Not allowing her bitterness to show on her face, Laura held out her hand to Maida. "Congratulations to both of you. I'm sure you'll be very happy."
"Thank you," Maida said, then asked, "May I see your baby? I can't wait to have one of my own."
Always eager to have Jolie admired, Laura lifted the shawl off the little face which immediately broke into a sunny smile.
"Oh, Daniel, look!" Maida exclaimed delightedly. "Did you ever see such a beautiful little thing?"
"She looks like one of them porcelain dolls," Daniel said, tickling Jolie under the chin, making her gurgle with laughter and wave her little arms around. "May I hold her?" Maida looked hopefully at Laura. "Certainly." Laura smiled and handed Jolie over into Maida's arms.
As the transfer was made, curiosity got the better of Fletch and his eyes were drawn to the infant. It was only a fast glance, one that the others didn't see. A strange feeling gripped his heart. It was almost as if this little one belonged to him. He felt a sense of pride toward her.
He knew a stab of hatred for Laura. Why couldn't she have waited until he returned home and let him give her a baby? He ignored the fact that he had never given her any indication of his feelings for her.
All he thought of now was to lash out at her, to hurt her the way he was hurting. "What does Pa think of this fair-haired baby you've presented him with?" he sneered. "The old fool can't possibly think it is his."
Maida gasped at his harsh words, and Daniel growled a low protest. But Fletch continued to flare at Laura with cold, contemptous words.
"You must have discovered right away that Pa wasn't man enough for you in bed, so you didn't waste any time picking up with that whitehaired Beltran. That innocent baby is proof of your cheating."
When Laura only stood staring at Fletch, tears welling up in her beautiful gray eyes, Daniel growled, sharply and decisively, "That's enough, Fletch."
Turning his glaring eyes on Daniel a moment, Fletch struck off on the path that would branch off a few yards away to the preacher's cabin. While Daniel stood helpless against Laura's tears, Maida asked her gently, "Are you all right, Laura? Should Daniel and I walk you home?"
"I'm fine, Maida." Laura scrubbed her eyes with her fists. "Fletch only said what everyone else is saying behind my back." With bitter resentment flashing in her eyes, Laura said through trembling lips, "They are all wrong. I swear before God that my baby is a Thomas. I don't know where my baby got her blue eyes and blond hair, but she certainly didn't get it from Adam Beltran. I've known only one man in my entire life."
Maida believed her and said so as she laid Jolie back in Laura's arms. "Someday, somehow, everyone is going to realize that, and there's going to be a lot of crow eatin' in Big Pine."
"And nobody will eat as much as Fletcher Thomas," Daniel predicted.
"Isn't it ironic that two strangers believe me when the people I've known all my life don't?" Laura heaved a ragged sigh and said lifelessly, "I usually don't care about what is whispered behind my back. I've grown a hard shell, and usually people's cruelty doesn't reach me. But Fletch's words cut too deep. I felt the sting of his every word."
She smiled weakly. "He's had his crack at me now, and I don't think there's anyone else left that hasn't taken a swipe at me one way or the other—except for my friend, Justine." She pulled the shawl back over Jolie's face, as the air had grown colder, and said, "I'd better get back home. It's near Jolie's feeding time."
She looked at Maida. "It would please me if you'd come visit me once in a while. Of course if you're afraid of angering Fletch by doing so, I'll understand."
"Fletch doesn't pick our friends, little lady," Daniel spoke up. "But the thing is, we'll be pullin' out as soon as we get hitched. That's why we come home with Fletch. We're from Canada and it's a far piece from here."
"Oh." Disappointment showed in Laura's eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that, but I wish you both happiness in your marriage and I hope you have lots of babies."
"Me and Daniel wish you happiness, too, Laura, and we hope that Jolie will have a lot of little sisters and brothers to play with."
Laura shook her head. "Jolie will be an only child, I'm afraid." She shook hands again, wishing them good luck on their trip back home, then turned and walked away.
"I wish I knew the whole story there," Maida said when the slim figure moved out of sight and they walked on. "There's some kind of mystery there."
Chapter Six
Daniel and Maida came within sight of Fletch a short distance along the path to Reverend Stiles's cabin, but lagged behind him. They knew by the stiff carnage of his body that his mind was still on his meeting with Laura, and that his mood was dark.
Fletch's mood was actually a brooding one. Why, he wondered, did he still care for this woman who had come between him and his father, had had a child by another man, and then had the gall to pass it off as a Thomas? Why was it that even as he lashed her with insulting words, all he could think of was how soft her inner thighs were when he lay between them?
By the time the preacher's cabin came in sight, Fletch had firmly made up his mind that he would accompany Daniel and Maida back to Canada. He knew beyond a doubt that if he stayed in the vicinity he would do the unforgivable. He would seduce his father's wife.
He pulled his features into a semblance of calm and waited for his companions to catch up with him. As though nothing upsetting had happened, he said, "You're gonna like Preacher Stiles and his wife Ina." He led off down the path, and Maida and Daniel followed him.
A case of nerves gripped Daniel and Maida as Fletch knocked on the wide plank door. Other than having a baby, getting married was the biggest step either would ever take. Even so, they hoped they could say their vows within the next couple days.
They felt at ease immediately when a short, rotund man opened the door and greeted Fletch with a warm, welcoming smile. "Fletch!" he exclaimed. "It's good to see you again. We've all missed you, especially your pa." His gaze drifted to Maida. "Have you stopped by for a visit, or are you on official business?" His eyes twinkled.
"I guess you could say both," Fletch answered, stepping inside when the door was opened wider. "I want you to meet my friends Daniel and Maida. They've come down from Canada to get married."
Before he could control it, a brief flicker of surprise showed in Stiles's eyes. The man Daniel was old enough to be the girl's father. But, he thought, they seemed contented with each other and he shook hands with Daniel, and then with Maida. "They'd like to get married as soon as possible and get started for home before the heavy snow blows in," Fletch explained as they took seats.
Stiles looked thoughtfully at the floor a moment, then looked up and said, "Why don't we do it now? Unless, of course, you're planning on something fancy, all dressed up with a party afterwards."
"No, we ain't got nothin' like that in mind," Daniel denied in a hurry. "We just want to get hitched all legal like so Maida can have her babies she's always yammerin' about."
Stiles smiled at Maida and said, "Then we'll do it now. I'll call my wife Ina in to be the other witness."
A short, plump woman with smiling eyes and gray hair pulled into a bun on top of her head bustled into the room and, after a short pause,
threw herself at Fletch. "I didn't recognize you at first, Fletch." She hugged him. "Why are you hiding that handsome face behind all that brush?"
"I guess I just got too lazy to shave." Fletch grinned down at her. "I'm gonna get rid of it, though. It's scratchy as h… the dickens," he caught himself "Ina," her husband interrupted, "this is Daniel and Maida. They're going to get married now and we need you to witness the ceremony."
After introductions had been made, everyone took their places and the reverend opened his worn Bible.
It was a solemn ceremony, the man of the cloth giving it the same careful attention he would to someone of more importance than the rugged trapper and the thin, young girl. He recognized true love when he saw it. Ina loaned Maida her wedding ring, and it was done.
Fletch shook Daniel's hand and kissed Maida's cheek. When Daniel and Stiles bent over the marriage certificate, the preacher writing down the year and date, taking the newlyweds' names, Fletch thought with a wry grin that he still didn't know his friend's last name.
Maida returned the ring to Ina, and Daniel slipped a bill into her husband's hand. Then, with the preacher's blessing following them, the three left the cozy little cabin.
Maida and Daniel, moving in a happy glow, didn't notice that the air had grown colder and that the sky was darker. But Fletch noticed and spoke about it. "We'd better move out early tomorrow morning. There's a blizzard building up, and when it hits it's gonna be a bastard." Daniel pulled Maida to a halt in the middle of the path. "Did I hear you right, Fletch? You intend going back with us to Canada?" Fletch nodded soberly. "I think it's best I get away from here for a while. There's no telling what I might do if I stay on in Big Pine."
Daniel studied his drawn face a moment, then with a knowing look in his eyes nodded and said, "You're probably right, friend. Me and my missus"—he paused and grinned down at Maida—"will be glad of your company. We'll move out tomorrow mornin' at daybreak."
That evening, after Maida and Daniel had gone to bed, Fletch stepped out on the small porch and leaned against a post. A full moon drifted in and out of dark clouds, lighting up the area, then throwing it into darkness. When one of its illuminations revealed a man slipping through the forest, Fletch jerked erect, swearing under his breath.
That shadowy figure was his father. Surely Pa wasn't still going to visit Butterfly! I'll soon find out, he thought, and stepped off the porch.
He kept a safe distance behind Taylor, stepping quietly. When Taylor turned onto the path leading to the Indian village, Fletch feared his suspicions were right. Then, at the edge of the village, Butterfly stepped out of the forest and Taylor took her into his arms.
Fletch clenched his fists, wanting to go after his father and do him harm. How could he continue to see his Indian lover when he had a young, beautiful wife like Laura waiting for him at home?
The thought came to him that it was Taylor's fault that Laura had gone to another man to get what her husband wasn't giving her. In the end he told himself it was none of his business and turned around and walked back to the cabin. He was more sure than ever that he had made the right decision to leave Big Pine.
After Laura had laid the sleeping Jolie in her cradle, the snow began to fall. It fell silently and straight down, a white curtain that Laura couldn't see a foot beyond. Winter has arrived, she thought as she took up her knitting needles and sat down before the fire. As the needles clicked against each other she worried about Taylor getting home. Surely he wouldn't try to return tonight. He could very easily get lost in the forest. She felt he'd be wise enough to stay with Butterfly until daylight.
Laura refused to let her mind stray to Fletch the way it wanted to. After the things he said to her today she'd be a fool to give him another thought.
When she went to bed, a peek out the window showed that at least a foot of snow had fallen, and more was still falling. She looked around the area and saw only one light burning. The lamps were still lit in the pleasure house. There would be some surprised people when they looked out the window in the morning.
When Fletch awoke, he knew by the silence that it had snowed last night. "Damn," he swore, rolling out of bed. "I hope it was only a light squall." When he opened the door he couldn't believe his eyes. A carpet of snow on the ground reached to the thighs of an average man. Smoke lifted from cabin chimneys, but he saw no one stirring outside.
His first thought, like it or not, was that he and Daniel and the new wife were stuck here until spring.
As he got dressed, preparing to find a shovel and start clearing a path to the post, he told himself that if he was careful he shouldn't run into Laura very often. The weather would keep her inside.
He was debating whether to wake Daniel and give him the bad news when the big man walked out of his bedroom, clad in longjohns and scratching his beard.
"Take a look outside," Fletch said by way of greeting.
Daniel swore long and loud when he saw the snow that reached past the porch floor. "Dammit, Fletch," he raged, "we're stuck here for the winter. How am I supposed to provide for Maida?"
"You're not thinking straight, man," Fletch said. "You'll take care of her the same way you did in Canada. Do you think that's the only place a man can lay his trapline? There's real good trapping around here. The men mostly catch wolverines, but there's otter and mink and silver fox and beaver. And another thing. Maida might like spending a long winter where she can have female company for a change. She's got to have been awfully lonesome while you were out running your traps all day. And the cabin will be weather tight once we do some caulk patching and tightening the window sashes and mending the shutters. You've got to admit it's a hell of a lot bigger than your place in Canada."
"All right!" Daniel held up his hands in surrender. "I get your meanin'. You reckon I can buy traps and a pair of snowshoes at your pa's store?"
"Yes, you can, but I wouldn't be surprised if you can't find all you'll want in that shed back there in that stand of birch. Sam Crock was a trapper."
Daniel rubbed his hands together, excitement building in his eyes. He'd be able to do what he most loved doing. The only difference was that he'd be doing it in a new locale. "Maybe we'll find some shovels in there too so we can start digging out of here."
"I expect so. Every cabin has two or three shovels. The snow is powdery soft, so it won't be too difficult to wade through it."
"I'll get some clothes on and be right with you," Daniel said, rubbing his arms, beginning to feel the chill of the room. "But first I'll roust up the fire in the fireplace and build a fire in the stove. I want it to be warm when Maida gets up."
Fletch's lips twisted in an amused smile as he left the cabin. Daniel sure took good care of his gal.
They found two shovels in the shed and noted the many traps hanging on the walls. Daniel would have to grease them up, but they all seemed in good condition. Three pairs of snowshoes were hanging with the traps. Daniel grinned. He was in business.
Fletch and Daniel had been shoveling but a few minutes when other men and their sons were out doing the same thing. The younger boys were making a game of it, whipping snowballs at each other, wrestling around in the snow.
Greetings were called to each other as shovelsful of snow flew in the air. Fletch kept looking toward the post and the Thomas cabin. Smoke curled from the home place chimney but none showed from the post. Nor was his father out shoveling. Was he still with Butterfly? He wondered then if Taylor had tried to make it home last night and couldn't make it. What if he'd become lost in the storm and lay exhausted and freezing somewhere?
Fletch had made up his mind to make his way to the cabin and find out if everything was all right when through the snow-laden pines back of the post he saw Taylor approaching the post. The snow was only half as deep on the forest floor, and Taylor was moving at a fast clip.
"You'd better hurry, you stupid old man," Fletch muttered. "Someone is going to spot you sneaking along any minute and start asking a lot of embarrassing
questions. Like how did you get to the post without leaving any tracks in the snow from the cabin."
He watched Taylor push his way through the deeper snow of the clearing, and he was reaching for the post's doorknob when suddenly he was slipping and falling awkwardly into the snow. Fletch saw his father clutch his right leg, his face contorted with pain.
Concern in his voice, he called out to Daniel who was shoveling a path to the privy. "Pa just fell—I think he's hurt. Let's go take a look."
Taylor's face was pinched and white when Fletch and Daniel reached him. He looked up at Fletch through pain-clouded eyes. "I think my leg is broken, son," he said, his voice ragged.
"Let me take a look." Fletch knelt down beside him and ran his hands over the twisted leg. After a couple minutes he looked at Taylor and said, "It's fractured just above the knee. There's no bone sticking through the skin, so I think it's a clean break."
"Damn." Taylor grimaced. "Just when I'll be busiest at the post."
The other men who had been shoveling had waded through the snow and now stood looking down at Taylor. In their concern for him they hadn't noticed that the snow was untouched between the post and the cabin.
"Shall we carry you into the back room of the store or get you up to the cabin?" Fletch asked.
"Best put me on the cot in the storage room. I can at least keep an eye on what goes on in the store."
Fletch nodded and lifted Taylor's broad shoulders while Daniel carefully took hold of his legs. One of the watching men jumped forward and supported his back and waist, and Elisha opened the post door. Taylor was carried inside and carefully laid on the narrow cot.
When Fletch straightened up he asked Daniel, "Do you know anything about bone setting?"
"I've set a few." Daniel nodded. "A man has to be able to do a lot of things when he's living in a Canada wilderness. If it's a dean break like you think, there won't be nothin' to it. I'll need two fiat boards about fourteen inches long and about five inches wide. And several strips of cloth around four inches wide."