Both shook their heads.
He looked at Storm. “You got to understand, I have ten of my own. Twelve mouths are a lot to feed. We have nothing to spare. I sure can’t take on three more.”
His wife nodded. “We barely make a go of it as it is. I feel real bad for the mites, but you’ll have to take them elsewhere. Barlow’s might take the boy. All they have is girls and they need help on the farm. Preacher might know of someone who’d take the girls.”
Storm took a sip of his lukewarm coffee and set down his cup. “The kids should stay together. I’ll ask if this preacher knows someone who might want to adopt all three. Where will I find the church?”
Mrs. Pursley shook her head. “You’ll have to go all the way to Seymour. We don’t make it but three or four times a year.” A wistful look came over her face. “They got a nice stone hotel there. ‘Course we don’t stay in the hotel when we go into town, but always camp out near the church.”
Storm felt all his strength sapping away. “I wonder if we can sleep in your barn for the night?”
“Nonsense. Lands sakes, you can have the older girls’ bedroom. There’s a double bed in there. Reckon we can fix pallets for the Hansen kids.”
Storm fought to remain upright. “That’d be real nice. I could sure use a bed about now.”
“Ja.” Rena laid an arm across his shoulders. “Can he go lie down now, please? He is very weak from losing so much blood.”
Mr. Pursley stood and came to Storm’s side. “Let me help you up. Just around the corner and we’ll be there.”
With Rena on one side and their host on the other, Storm dragged himself toward the promise of rest. The room spun around him but he forced himself to remain conscious. Come on, Kincaid, you can buffet this storm.
Ropes supported the bed shoved against a wall. He collapsed onto the mattress barely aware of his surroundings.
Rena didn’t know whether to remove Storm’s pants or not. She tugged off his boots and set them beside the bed. What else should she do to make him comfortable?
Mr. Pursley solved the problem. “You hold on to his waist, and I’ll pull off his britches.” He stripped Storm down to his birthday suit and tossed the sheet over him. “Reckon you’ll want to wash these.” He handed her the blood-soaked trousers.
“Ja, I will. He has another pair in the saddlebags.” Hiding her shock at the sight of Storm’s muscular body presented a problem. She couldn’t let Mr. Pursley know she’d never seen a naked man before, especially not since Storm had introduced her as his wife. Did a wife always see a husband bare? She had no idea.
The man peered at her curiously. “You folks come far?”
“A long ways. We ride after the men who killed the Hansens. My…my husband will arrest them. They also killed my grandfather and the friends of my husband. They are very dangerous.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Odd he’d take you along.”
“I saw them when they killed my grandfather and can identify them. I will be sure the right men pay for what they have done.” She turned her back on the nosey man and smoothed Storm’s hair from his face.
“Looks injun, don’t he?”
She took a deep breath, refusing to answer. Why would the man not leave? “Perhaps we should leave him alone to sleep while I check on the children.”
She shooed the prying man from the bedroom and went in search of the kids. They must be terribly frightened, but she had first needed to insure Storm’s wound received care.
Outside there appeared to be children everywhere, but not the three Hansens. She looked at each child she saw, but none was the right one.
She stopped a girl of about ten. “Do you know where the Hansen children are?”
The girl pointed. “They went thataway around the back of the barn. The crybabies wouldn’t play with us.”
“Thank you.” Rena hurried toward where the children were last seen.
She found them huddled by a tree. All three were sobbing. She went to them and hugged them to her. “Bless you, you will be all right now.”
“We didn’t want to play silly games or feed animals.” Drew wiped his face with his sleeve. “We want Mama and Papa.”
“Ja, I understand how you feel. My mama and papa also have died and I miss them.”
Susie stopped crying enough to appear puzzled. “But you’re a grownup.”
“You don’t stop missing people when you grow up. You just learn to go on with your life.” She took out her handkerchief and wiped each face as she spoke. “I have searched for you. Please come to the house with me. Mrs. Pursley doctored the marshal’s wound, and now he is sleeping. We will find a good place for you.”
Drew stepped in front of his sisters. “You gonna take us to a orph’nage?”
“No, but it’s too early to know exactly what will happen. I promise you will stay together and you will have a safe home.”
Drew narrowed his eyes at her. “You sure? Cross your heart and stick a needle in your eye?”
Rena put her hands on her hips. “What a terrible thing to say. I certainly am not going to stick a needle in my eye.”
Susie pushed Drew aside. “It’s just somethin’ people say when they make a promise. It means if you don’t keep your promise, you’ll stick a needle in your eye.” She looked at her brother. “No one’s ever really done it, have they?”
He shrugged. “Don’t reckon. That’d be dumb.”
Rena shrugged. “Oh. Okay, then I cross my heart and stick a needle in my eye. Now, come with me. We will stay here tonight, but you will have to sleep on a pallet.”
“Pee pee, pee pee.” Lottie reached for her gray enameled potty.
Drew set it down and waited while Lottie pulled down her underwear and relieved herself. He sighed. “She sure has to go a lot.”
When the little girl finished, Drew emptied the cup-shaped basin. “I always pour it on some ants if they’re around. We don’t like ants.”
Susie took Rena’s hand while she pulled Lottie along with her other. “We don’t mind pallets. We’ve slept on them before when we visited here.”
“I mind.” Drew pouted. “Someone always steps on me.”
Rena said, “No one will step on you tonight. You can sleep in the room with my husband and me.” How easily the lie spilled from her lips. With great longing, she wished it were true and that she had a husband like Storm.
Susie peered up at her. “Do we call you Miz Kincaid?”
“You call me Rena. That is easier to remember, is it not?”
Susie asked, “Why do you talk funny?”
“Me?” Rena laughed. “I thought it was you who talk funny.”
Drew shoved his sister. “Hurry. Maybe supper is ready. I’m hungry.”
“Won’t be much. You know how Mrs. Pursley cooks.” Susie tugged on Rena’s arm and whispered, “She’s real stingy with kids. We don’t get much to eat here.”
Rena spoke so only the three children heard. “Just for one night, children. Tomorrow we will ride for a town. I forget the name but it has stores and a hotel and is sure to have a good place to eat. You can eat all you want then.”
Drew skipped ahead. “That’s good. By then I’ll sure be hungry.”
After a meager supper, Rena helped clean the dishes. She excused herself and took the children to the bedroom where Storm slept.
He roused when they came in. “Kids all right?”
Rena felt of his forehead. “Yes, they will sleep here in this room on pallets. I hope you are well enough to leave tomorrow.”
“I’ll be fine by then. Sorry to pass out on you.”
“It was frightening to see you helpless. You will need good food and rest at the next town.”
He whispered, “Better than Mrs. Pursley furnished tonight?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Ja, and more of it. Okay, kids, take off your shoes and outer clothes. You will have to sleep in your underwear.”
The kids did as she asked and she helped them roll out t
he three thin blankets.
“This is not good. We will open them and make one bed with a cover.” She put two blankets on the floor. “Now line up on the quilt and I will cover you.”
“Are you gonna tell us a story and kiss us goodnight like Mama did?”
She knelt on a corner of the top quilt. “I will tell you a story my parents told me. I will have to think how to translate it so you must be patient. It is called Der Froschkönig or der eisene Henrich.”
“What does that mean, what you said?”
“The Frog King. Sometimes it is called The Iron Heinrich. Heinrich is a man’s name similar to Henry. It is about a handsome prince who was turned into a frog. Heinrich was his faithful servant. You remember my promise to you? This is a tale about the importance of keeping promises and of loyalty.”
While she told the story, the children listened quietly. When she finished, she leaned down and kissed each child. Lottie had fallen asleep.
Susie grabbed her neck. “I’m scared.”
She ran her hand across the girl’s hair. “It is all right to be afraid sometimes. But tomorrow we will ride to a town and you will see new and exciting things.”
Drew looked ready to cry. “I’m not scared, but I wish Mama and Papa were here.”
“I know you do, little ones, but they cannot be. You must keep their love a good memory in your heart. Now, go to sleep. You have each other. I will be on that bed very near, so there is no need to feel alone.”
She quickly shed her clothes except for her chemise and drawers and crawled into bed. Storm pulled her close. The mattress was so horrid and prickly and smelled musty. She thought surely the children had a better place to sleep. In spite of that, fatigue dragged at her. She laid her head against Storm’s broad chest and fell asleep.
During the night she awakened to quiet sniffling. “Who is crying?”
“Us,” Drew whispered.
Storm raised on his elbow. “Come up here, you three. Bring a quilt, so we can cover you.”
The children scampered up onto the mattress with her and Storm. They crawled next to the wall and she pulled the thin cover over them. Bed ropes creaked with their wiggling.
“This is a strange bed.” Drew snuggled down next to her.
“This is a strange night.” She gave each child a pat.
Soon, all three kids slept soundly.
Storm turned toward her and cradled her in his arms. “You make a nice mother.” He planted a kiss on her temple.
Did she? Always she wished for a family, but she had not been around many children. She let herself rest against his powerful chest. “Poor little ones, they are good, ja?”
“That they are.” This time he kissed her forehead. “And so are you.”
Och, if he knew her scandalous thoughts of his lip kisses and how they made her feel, what would he think of her then?
Chapter Ten
Early the next morning, Storm prepared to leave the Pursley farm. He limped and his leg pained him fiercely. Sleeping five to a lumpy bed didn’t make for much rest. Still, the coziness created a warm glow in him. He imagined having his own wife and kids.
What are you going to do about these kids? How could he find someone who would take the children and keep them together with love and good care? Unless this preacher came through for them, Storm had no answer.
“Mr. Pursley, I hope you won’t be offended if I offer these coins in payment for our stay. We appreciate your help.”
The man scooped up the money as if afraid the offer would be withdrawn. “Glad to help out, but appreciate the gesture. We’re always short of cash money.”
Mrs. Pursley handed them a bundle. “I put a few things our kids have outgrown for the baby. She’ll need more changes than the other two.”
Rena accepted the gift. “Thank you. I’m sure these will be helpful.”
From what he’d seen of the Pursley children’s threadbare clothes, Storm couldn’t imagine anything left over would be useful. Still, he couldn’t fault the woman for her effort.
They mounted up and rode toward Seymour. “I hope we’ll be in town before lunchtime. We’re out of supplies and we’ll replenish there.”
After an hour, Drew yelled, “We gotta stop. Lottie has to pee.”
They rested in the shade of some cottonwoods. At least a light breeze brushed through the trees. He sure loved the sound the leaves made when they rustled together. Cottonwoods were about his favorite trees.
Rena shooed Drew one direction and Susie another. “Both of you take care of business while we wait for Lottie. Watch for snakes.”
After two more stops, they rode into Seymour at half past one o’clock.
“There’s a place to eat. Let’s feed the kids before we get supplies.”
Rena glanced around. “Are we staying here overnight?”
“Looks like a good spot and our business will likely take the rest of the day. There’s a decent looking hotel and a good sized mercantile. I need to check with the sheriff, too. First, let’s eat.”
The little group entered the dining room and sat at a table near the back. All three kids gawked and Lottie clung to Rena. The waitress rattled off the special, then took their orders.
Drew sniffed. “Smells good in here, don’t it?”
Susie stared at the next table when the waitress delivered plates heaped with meat and vegetables. “There’s no kitchen. Where does the food come from?”
Storm suppressed a laugh. “Sure there’s a kitchen, but you can’t see it. It’s behind the door where the waitress goes.”
Drew tugged at Storm’s sleeve. “What’s a waitress?”
“The woman who asked what we want to eat. In a bit she’ll bring us what we asked for.”
The boy’s eyes widened further. “Just like that? You mean all you have to do is ask and she brings it?”
Storm chuckled. “You have to pay her after you eat. Then the restaurant uses the money to buy more food and pay the people who work here.”
“Ain’t that something?” Drew peered around as if he’d just discovered the Holy Grail.
Storm supposed he had, at least from a small kid’s perspective. Storm rose and lifted the baby from Rena’s lap. “Lottie, kneel on the chair so you can reach the table.”
Rena stared at him in surprise. “How did you know to tell her that?”
“Remember, I have nieces and nephews. I’m used to being around kids. In fact, I enjoy them.”
“I have never been around children before, but I like these three.”
Drew’s face broke into a smile. “You mean you really like us? Does that mean we can stay with you?”
“I wish you could, Drew, but we can’t take kids where we’re headed.” He couldn’t say he’d thought everything out, but he refused to abandon these kids. Storm brushed a hand to ruffle the boy’s hair.
Hope in Drew’s eyes ate at Storm’s heart. “We’d be real good, I promise, and wouldn’t bother you none. I’d take care of the girls for you.”
“You do a good job of that all right, but you’ll be better off with a family. I promise you that all three of you can stay together.”
Drew leaned back in his chair and his little face appeared sad. “I was afeared you’d send us to an orph’nage like our Papa grew up in or give us to folks what didn’t really want us. Dolly Pursley said we’d go to different homes and never see one another again.”
Rena gasped. “What a mean thing to say. That shows you how wrong it is to speak about things you don’t understand.”
Susie chewed on her lip for a second then looked at Storm. “Would there be bad men at the next place that hurt people dead?”
Storm and Rena exchanged knowing glances before he answered, “There are always bad people, Susie. But most people are good.”
He looked at the three grubby children. He and Rena didn’t look much better, especially with her wearing Abram’s britches. “We’ll buy clothes here. After we fill your stomachs with food, that is.
That Mrs. Pursley sure won’t win any prizes for cooking, will she?”
Susie shook her head. “I don’t think she likes kids much, even though she has lots of ‘em.”
Drew smiled. “Maybe she don’t like kids ‘cause she already has too many of ‘em herself.”
Storm smiled at the memory of children running all over the Pursley’s place. “You may have something there, Drew.”
The waitress brought plates heaped with food, coffee for the adults, and milk for the children.
“I never had this much to eat.” Drew shoved a huge bite of potatoes into his mouth. “I sure like this here restaurant.”
At least that’s what Storm thought he said.
Storm touched Drew’s arm. “Slow down or you’ll make yourself sick. We have all the time you need, so you can eat as much as you like. Don’t overstuff yourself or you’ll miss out on some of the other things we have planned.”
Lottie climbed down. “Pee pee.”
Rena sighed and stood. “I’ll take care of this.”
Storm admired the way she calmly picked up the girl’s potty and carried it out the back door as if it were something she did every day.
Drew watched them leave. “Rena’s nice. How come you don’t have kids if you like ‘em?” He shoved some beef into his mouth.
“We haven’t been married long.” As in not at all. He hadn’t even known her long.
Susie made a ball over her stomach with her hands. “Is her stomach gonna get big and then you’ll have a baby?”
Storm shifted in his chair uncomfortably. “That’s not a good subject for the dinner table, especially not in public. Why don’t you two eat and let’s talk about other things. Think about what you want from the mercantile.”
“What’s that?” Drew looked up between bites.
“A general store where you can buy clothes and food and all kinds of supplies. You’ll enjoy looking around.”
Drew swallowed a huge bite. “We never went to a store before. Papa mostly went to town by himself. When Mama and Papa both went, we stayed with them Pursleys.”
Rena and Lottie returned. Rena helped her back up in the chair.
Most Unsuitable Courtship Page 8