He paused as if he wanted to say more, but strode to the door. “I’ll see what I can work out.”
After the door closed behind him, Drew and Susie whispered a few seconds.
Drew took each sister by the hand. “We aim to go with you. Mrs. Wells is real nice, but you said we belong to you now. That means you belong to us, too. We aim to stay together.”
She shook her head. “These men are very bad. They don’t just shoot people, they torture them and take pleasure in causing pain. You have never known anyone as bad as these three. You will be safe with the Preacher and Mrs. Wells.”
Drew shook his head. “We want to go with you. We done lost one set of parents and don’t aim to lose another. We heard Preacher Wells say we could stay with a preacher in that town while you take care of your business.”
“We will see what Storm says, but I think it will be no. Come, I will finish reading the story while we wait.”
Rena took the children down for lunch, and then herded them back upstairs for a rest. How did mothers travel with children? Keeping them entertained in a small space required fast thinking.
Mrs. Wells had taught them a few games to pass the time. Rena knew the same past times. Would she have thought to teach them to the children?
Memories of her own mother set her comparing. Mama meant well, but she had little patience and expected a great deal of help from Rena. Just as well, because that meant she knew how to take care of Papa after Mama’s death.
She intended to be a good mother. Strict but fair and kind. Closing her eyes, she wondered how she would manage. Three children and no experience.
But these were good children. Stubborn, but well behaved for their ages. Drew needed to be less in charge and more a child. Would they respect and come to love her? She hoped so.
“Pee pee.” Lottie tugged at her sleeve.
Drew stood. “I’ll take care of her.”
Rena shook her head. “No, you play. I’ll take her behind the screen.” She waited while the little girl relieved herself.
Lottie stood and righted her clothes. “I pooped.”
Rena emptied the pan into the chamber pot. “I’m glad you did, but from now on why don’t you whisper that to me and not announce it for everyone?”
As they came from behind the screen, Drew looked up. “Rena, can we go back to that mer . . . mer . . . store? I sure would like to look around there some more.”
“We must wait for Storm. Perhaps then we can return to the mercantile. I’ve thought of things that might come in handy.” She would see if they had thread and a packet of needles, perhaps some games for the children. And chalk and a slate.
Och, what was she thinking? They traveled by horseback. She could not purchase all the things she wanted until after they captured or killed the men who murdered Abram.
She had not forgotten her vow, though now her previous life seemed remote and long ago. Sadness for Abram engulfed her. Only days had passed, but so much had happened. More deaths, finding three children, marriage, and still they chased those devils. How could she keep her vow now?
She loved these children. She loved Storm. She loved the idea of the future her marriage promised.
What should she do? Their course had not been set in stone. Perhaps they would be able to kill or capture the men and still survive as a family. No, there were three men against Storm and her.
She had never shot anything living. Could she? She didn’t know.
She settled the children for a rest. Lottie fell asleep immediately and Susie’s eyelids drooped drowsily. She could have napped herself, for she hadn’t slept much the previous night. Oh, my, what a wonderful wedding night.
“Why is your face red?” Drew lay on his side, watching her.
“Is it, Drew? I must have become overheated outside and climbing the stairs.”
A soft rap sounded on the door before Storm entered. His smile sent her heart pounding as it had last night.
Handsome and kind and her husband. A real husband in every way. She longed to unbutton his shirt and shove it from his shoulders.
Run her hands across his muscular chest. Place her cheek against his heart. Hear their hearts beat as one.
She recalled their lovemaking last night. Heat left her face and raced to her feminine places. Knowledge that many nights like that were in store delighted her. As if he sensed her thoughts, his beautiful purple-blue eyes darkened.
He knelt near her chair and glided his hand along her arm to intertwine her fingers with his larger ones. “Talked with the sheriff. He’s loaning us a deputy who can travel with us while he leads a posse after the men.. Wired the Vernon sheriff we think three men plan to rob the bank but didn’t know when. He has their descriptions.”
She pictured them in their home, sitting by the fire while the children slept. Oh, how she prayed that dream materialized. “Then it is his responsibility to capture them, is it not?”
“Have you changed your mind?” He sent her a puzzled stare. “If you have that’s good, but I’m honor bound to arrest them.” He freed his hand and caressed her hair. “Rena, if you will wait here with the kids, I promise I’ll come back for you.”
She covered his hand with hers. “I will stay with you. It’s only that I cannot prevent my fear. There are three of them and only one of you. I can shoot a twig, but that is not a person. What if I fail?”
He pulled her to her feet, then sat and tugged her onto his lap. “You forget the Vernon sheriff. I scouted around some. Found tracks from Pig’s horse. Recognized the nicked shoe on one hoof. He’s headed due north. I figure he’s meeting up with the other two. I hope there aren’t more of them by now.”
She rested her head against his shoulder. How wonderful to be cradled by this fine man. “When are we leaving?”
“Before daybreak, between three and four. We figure if anyone’s watching the town, we’ll be out of here while it’s still dark. I hate to part with the kids so soon. Reckon we’d better go see the Preacher and Mrs. Wells about leaving the kids for a few days.”
“Yes, it will be best. I will miss having the children with us, but they will be safer with the Preacher and his wife. She raised her head and cupped his face. “We will have a hard time, Storm. Drew and Susie have conspired to go with us. I told them you have the final say.”
He chuckled and leaned in to kiss her. “Ha, passing the buck. Well, I guess I’m the father now, or sort of. I’ll go see the Preacher right now.”
She slid from his lap. “They will be much safer here, or I think they will. But they will worry we have abandoned them. They are just now used to us.”
He embraced her in a tight hug. “I’d better speak to the Preacher right away.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead and left.
Ten minutes later, he returned. His expression worried her.
She rushed toward him. “What has happened?”
He plopped onto the chair. “Mrs. Wells has fallen. Broke her leg.”
“No, what happened? Who will care for her?”
“While I was checking on Pig Vann and someone to travel with us, she was baking a pie. Appears she tripped on an apple peel and fell back against the table.”
“Poor woman. Is she at home?”
“Yep. Preacher wired her sister from San Saba to come. A neighbor is helping until the sister arrives.”
“Storm, the children?”
Two lines crinkled his forehead. “Preacher said there’s no one to leave them with. Suggested we take them to the Methodist preacher in Vernon.”
‘Then I suppose there is nothing else we can do. We must be very clever to protect them.”
“You have that right. Having an extra person along will help, but we’ll have to use caution. Maybe the sheriff and his posse will apprehend the killers and we’ll be able to go home.”
“When they wake, could we all go to the mercantile to get your shirt? There a few things I need also.”
Drew raised his head. “Can we quit rest
in’ now?”
Susie sat up and rubbed her eyes. “I want to get up.”
“Pee pee.” Lottie crawled off the bed.
“I’ll help her.” Drew climbed down and took Lottie behind the corner screen.
When the two returned, Lottie tugged on Rena’s sleeve. Rena leaned down to hear what the child said.
“No poop.”
Rena slid off Storm’s lap. “Thank you, Lottie, for remembering to tell me quietly.”
Storm stood. “Would you like to go back to the mercantile, the store?”
Excited squeals answered his question.
“We have to comb your hair.” Rena picked up her brush.
Drew grimaced. “Aw, do we hafta?”
“Yes, and Lottie, you must wear your shoes.”
Storm helped the youngest fasten her shoes and then swung her up and carried her. “We might have to look around the town while we’re at it.”
At the mercantile, Rena picked out a shirt for Storm. Not red, but blue denim. He chose a brown jacket and grey hat. Now that she had children to care for at night, she chose a blue wrapper to cover her nightgown. Or to hide her lack of one.
She selected a pair of britches for Susie and laid them on the counter. “Now, let me see what else was on my list.” She chose some jacks and a ball, some marbles, and a game of checkers. She held up the game to Storm. “Would the dominoes be better than checkers?”
He shrugged. “Why not get them both? Everyone likes them.”
Rena laid them on the counter. “Our saddlebags will be bulging.”
“I’ll get us another valise if we need one.” Storm paid and carried the package as they left the store. “I missed lunch. Anyone hungry?”
“Me.” Drew rubbed his stomach.
“I knew I could count on you, son. Let’s go to the restaurant again, shall we? They had good food yesterday.”
“Hooray!” Drew ran for the door.
Storm smiled at Rena. “Reckon that boy ever eats his fill?”
Chapter Fifteen
Storm watched Rena adjust her britches and felt his body respond to the tempting sight of her shapely hips encased in tight fabric.
“At least I will appear a man from a distance, but it will have to be a long way from me.”
She walked to the bed, her hips swaying provocatively. “I’ll carry Lottie. Maybe she will stay asleep on the first part of our ride.” She scooped up the little girl and her doll.
He had taken everything to the livery before waking the children. By now, Bill McAfee would be waiting with the horses. Having another man on the ride added a measure of security. Still, a sense of foreboding hung on Storm’s shoulders. He prayed this time his instincts proved wrong.
They made their way to the livery. As he’d suspected, Bill awaited them and held his horse’s reins. The tall, lean man looked to be in his late twenties. His ready smile and easy going nature assured he would adjust to travel with children.
After Storm made introductions, he put Susie at the front of his saddle. “Drew, today you ride with Mr. McAfee. We’ll be moving too fast for you to be alone in the saddle.”
Drew opened his mouth as if to protest, but a look from Storm kept the boy silent.
“Today it’s especially important you do everything Rena, Mr. McAfee, and I tell you. It might mean our lives. Do you understand?”
Susie and Drew nodded. Lottie slept in Rena’s arms. He took the child while Rena climbed into the saddle. When she’d found her seat, he passed the still sleeping girl to his wife.
His wife.
The thought still surprised him. How did he feel knowing they were forever linked? Remembering their two nights together, he smiled.
He wondered what his family thought when they’d received his wires. Pearl probably wanted to box his ears because she missed his wedding. He’d bet the rest of the family reacted the same way. He couldn’t worry about that now.
Storm tied the outlaw Lon’s horse to his. They rode slowly out of the city until the sound of their hoof beats would no longer capture attention. Riding due north, they reached the South Wichita at daybreak.
Rena signaled him. “Lottie has to go.”
“Wouldn’t hurt to rest the horses before we ford the river.” Storm guided Thunder to a copse of trees overlooked the sandy waterway.
The breeze kicked up a notch. Gusts whirled dirt devils along the trail they left. At least the air relieved the heat, especially here in the shade.
Bill dismounted. “We’ve covered ten miles. That’s almost a third of the way.”
Storm dug bread and cheese from his saddlebags. “Kids, this is our breakfast. You’ll have to make do with water to drink. Eat quickly.”
“Want eggies.” Lottie pouted and turned away, refusing to take her portion of bread and cheese.
“This is all we have, Lottie. Let us pretend it is cake, all right?” Rena took a bite. “Yum, mine is spice cake with plump raisins and walnuts.” She smacked her lips and pretended to savor her food.
“Mine’s got strawberries on it.” Susie imitated Rena.
Lottie narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She reached for her share. “Mine.”
What a mother Rena made. He wondered how soon other children would follow. They’d certainly made love ample times to start one. His body heated and reacted to the memories of their passion-filled wedding night. They’d even managed quiet lovemaking last night after the children slept.
He turned toward the horses to hide signs of his discomfort. “Let’s get moving. We can finish our food on the trail.” He stopped alongside Rena. “Shall I take the baby until we’re across the river?”
She smiled and nodded. “Maybe we should trade. You hold Lottie and I’ll hold Susie. Lottie wiggles so I’m afraid she might slip out of my grasp.”
They made the exchange and splashed into the water where the trail indicated others had made their crossing. Once on dry land, they urged their mounts into a lope.
Their horses’ pace ate the miles of relatively flat prairie. For once, Lottie didn’t have to stop. At noon, they rode up on the smoldering remains of a farmhouse and barn. Slaughtered stock littered the ground. Storm stopped a hundred feet from the ruins.
He looped Thunder’s reins around a bush and pulled his rifle from the scabbard. “I’ll check the grounds. Expect the killers are gone, but I’ll go easy.”
“I’ll stay with here unless you need me.” Bill dismounted and held his Winchester at the ready.
Rena touched Storm’s arm. “You will be careful.”
“You can count on it.” He zigzagged in a run toward the home. He figured the killers were long gone. Likely the men had waited for Pig to join them yesterday and then rode this way.
He found the bodies of two men, but no others. Both men had been beaten and then shot. Weary at seeing death, he trudged slowly back to the others.
Rena had dismounted and walked toward him. “What did you find?”
“No women this time. Two men like Abram.”
Bill strode toward them. “Looks of your face, it’s bad.”
His hands fisted and he longed to punch something. Someone. “Tired of this. These men have to be stopped.”
“Where’s the posse? Thought they were on their trail.”
Storm opened his saddlebag and retrieved his camp shovel. “If they ever were, they lost them.”
“Is somebody else killed dead?” Susie’s face pinched and tears ran down her cheeks. “I want Mama and Papa.”
“Do not worry, Susie. Your Mama and Papa watch over you and see that you love them. Think how happy that makes them. Perhaps the angels sent Storm and me to take care of you and Lottie and Drew.”
He sent Susie and then the other two a parental glare. “You kids stay right here unless Rena or I tell you otherwise. Got it?”
Rena held Lottie. “I will stay with the children and wait for you.”
“Thanks, Rena. McAfee, if you have a camp shovel, bring it.” He turned a
nd slogged back to the duty that had fallen to him too often this trip.
Bill caught up with him. “How long ago you figure they hit?”
“About daybreak. Still flames in the ruins. When will this nightmare stop?”
They stopped by the bodies. Storm dug his shovel into the earth.
Bill did the same at the other end of what would become the double grave. “How have they evaded capture this long? Have to be five or six posses after them.”
“One in Llano went toward Mexico. No idea where the others headed.”
Two digging made quick work of burying the men.
After tossing dirt aside, Bill dug in again. “Surely there’s someone in a posse who can track.”
When they finished the graves, they laid out the two men. Nothing in their pockets gave their names. He and Bill filled in the burial place and Storm said a prayer. He didn’t want the children reminded of their parents’ funeral, so he kept them out of this one. Fortunately, Rena kept the children occupied.
He signaled to Bill and pointed at tracks. “Picked up a fourth set of hoof prints. Someone has joined our killers.”
Bill looked back at the horse tied to Thunder’s saddle. “Not a led horse.”
“No, this one’s ridden. By a large man. See here where he got off the horse?” He stared into the west. “Came from that direction.”
“West? That’s a bad sign, for sure.” Bill’s expression changed to awe. “Wish I knew how you track so well.”
“Stick around and I’ll teach you. My grandfather started teaching me when I was no older than Drew.”
“Hope you can cram your lifetime’ knowledge into my head. Being a sharpshooter’s not enough. I aim to be an all around good lawman.”
They set off at a gallop to distance themselves from the burned out farm. A breeze kicked up. Storm wondered at the grit in the air. He slowed and peered around.
Bill pulled up and shaded his eyes. “Whew, that’s a bad cloud. Looks like we’re in for a choking dust storm.”
Storm stared at the roiling black cloud. “Don’t see how since we had that flooding rain not long ago.”
Most Unsuitable Courtship Page 12