She listened, her breaths coming ragged and fast. Then he kissed her one last time and moved aside, leaving her there, stunned and edgy with desire. She watched him roll up his sleeves, put on Bobby Joe’s hat and head for the door. “Seems I’m not such a patient man after all, Jenna.”
Jenna stood rooted to the spot, her body trembling, humming out a silent resonating tune created by Blue’s heat and passion. Her scorched finger went to her lips and she closed her eyes, allowing the sweet memory of being in his arms to seep in, burning her as deeply as the fire had moments ago.
He’d said it and he’d been right in his thinking. Blue Montgomery wasn’t a patient man.
That’s one valuable lesson they’d both learned well today.
Jenna caught a glimpse of Ben and Rosalinda riding up in the wagon. She dropped the rolling pin onto the table, deciding the pecan pie could wait. Wiping her hands on her apron, she dashed out of the house and ran over to them before Ben could climb down. “Did you get it?” she asked, knowing full well he had. It was sitting in the back of the wagon.
“Yep, that’s it, Miss Jenna.” He turned to help Rosalinda down and together they went to the back of the wagon.
Jenna stared at the piece of machinery that would save time and allow more planting to be done. Two large wheels to the side of the driver’s seat with a large double bucket to hold the seed in the back made up the bulk of the seeder. Two small wheels for balance just under the seeding device assured a steady ride. Once hitched up to Mac, planting would take no time at all.
“It’s not new. Got us a used one, the last one they had. It saved us a chunk of money, too,” Ben said.
“Long as it works, Ben.”
“Works fine, I tested it.”
Jenna grinned. “Thank you for getting it.”
He nodded.
“How was your trip, Rosalinda? Did you like going into town?”
“Sí, yes. It is a big town. So much bigger than Goodwill.” Rosalinda’s brother had been a vaquero on the same Texas cattle ranch that Ben had worked. Ben and Rosalinda fell in love, marrying young. When the ranch faltered, they decided to move to Oklahoma and earn a living farming the land instead. They’d been with her family for over eighteen years, raised two children, one of whom still worked for Twin Oaks. All through the years the loving couple had been Jenna’s most trusted friends. “I bought pretty fabric for new dresses. One for you and one for me. Such beautiful material, you will see.”
“Oh, thank you, Rosalinda, but where will I wear such a nice dress?” She wore most of her clothes in the fields working the land. Her threadbare dresses had all but lost their vibrancy and life. Many had holes and grass stains that couldn’t be repaired any longer. She made sure they were clean. Her mama had drilled it into her about the virtues of cleanliness and all, but she didn’t think she’d have use for anything new and pretty.
“Perhaps for your new man,” Rosalinda said, her dark eyes twinkling.
Heat rushed up Jenna’s face and she glanced at Ben.
“I’ll get the seeder down. You two ladies have yourself a nice talk now.” He winked at his wife and she grinned.
“But you must be hungry and thirsty, Ben. Come inside. I’ll fix you both something to eat.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m fine for now. I saw your man in the fields. Thought I’d see how he’s doing. I’ll be back later. You feed my wife, though. She’s always hungry.”
“Ben!” Rosalinda feigned embarrassment. Her dark eyes rolled. “He pokes fun, no?”
“Yes, that he does. Come on, I’ve started on a pie, but I’ve got cheese and bread and fresh coffee ready now.”
Ben kissed his wife’s cheek. “See you later, Rosie.”
Jenna walked into the house with her older friend, her mind spinning in circles. She supposed Blue Montgomery was “her man,” but she wasn’t used to others thinking of him that way. “Sit down, Rosalinda, and tell me all about your trip.”
Rosalinda took a seat and shook her head. “That will come later. I want to hear of this man you call Blue.”
Jenna sank down in a chair. How could she explain about Blue? All of her hopes for the future were tied into him, wrapped tight in the letters they’d shared, the hearts that had so unexpectedly come together. They hadn’t seen each other since childhood, yet they’d fallen in love with words written and dreams shared. Blue was everything she’d wanted in a man, and more, it seemed, now that they were actually reacquainted. She’d be truly overjoyed at her good fortune if only his memory would return. “Oh, he’s…he’s—”
“Much handsome, yes?”
“Oh, yes, yes. But he doesn’t remember me or the love we shared through our letters.”
“He is here. Working the land, Jenna. He must care for you.”
Jenna smiled, a tentative lifting of her lips. Yes, he is here. That thought comforted her, to know he worked the land beside her and that they’d be together to witness the wheat rise up toward the sun one day soon. “He asked me to marry him,” she confided.
Rosalinda’s dark eyebrows shot up. “And when is the wedding?”
Jenna chuckled. To Rosalinda, life was simple. You loved, you married, you had children. But for Jenna, it was different. She was a stranger to Blue until his memory returned.
Jenna stood then and cut chunks of cheese. She brought out bread she’d baked yesterday to the table, unfolding the napkin and setting out thick slices. She poured coffee for Rosalinda, then answered her. “I’ve asked him to wait. It wouldn’t be fair to him…or to me. We are like strangers.”
Rosalinda waved away Jenna’s explanation. “You love him, no? He is a good man. You are a good woman. Together you make many babies. I will be a grandmother.”
Jenna had been plagued with doubt since Blue had asked her to marry him. Had she made a mistake in refusing his proposal? “Rosalinda, is it so wrong to want him to remember me?”
“Ah, so that is it. No, querida, it is not wrong, but perhaps not so wise. We must not wait all of our life for something that will not come.”
Rosalinda was right. Blue might never remember her, although Jenna sensed so strongly that he would regain his memory. And it would be soon. She had to cling to that hope. For years now, she’d had her heart set on Blue Montgomery, on the time he’d come to her with love in his heart for her and only her. Jenna wanted so much to be loved, truly loved, by this man. “We agreed to wait until the planting’s done.”
“Then you will marry him?”
“Oh, yes, then I will marry him.”
“And you will make lots of babies.” Rosalinda’s satisfied smile brought moisture to Jenna’s eyes. Children would fill up her house with joy and laughter. Jenna couldn’t wait for that. She wanted Blue’s children more than anything. If her prayers were answered, Jenna would have the family she’d always hoped for. “Yes. We both want lots of children. Blue loves children as much as I do.”
“A man who loves children is worth much,” Rosalinda added, with an approving nod. “You will marry and have your family, Jenna.”
Jenna nodded in agreement. “Yes.”
Because whether his memory returned or not, Jenna wasn’t about to lose Blue Montgomery.
Three days later, dark threatening clouds bunched together, a congregation of dismal gray that blackened the sky and put dread in Jenna’s heart. Wind kicked up, blowing hard enough to make the shutters on the house rattle noisily. Jenna left her garden, deciding the herbs she was about to pick would have to wait. Storms meant trouble and this one promised to be wicked. She ran to the barn and thrust the door open.
Thankfully, either Ben or Blue had groomed and settled Mac in his stall. Larabeth, the big old milk cow, looked peaceful enough. Jenna made sure there was enough feed for both, handing reliable Mac a handful of oats, just as a loud clap of thunder blasted throughout the sky.
Jenna trembled. Storms meant trouble. She closed her eyes, blocking out memories, of fears Jenna needed to put to rest. But the
sounds and the smell of wet earth always brought it back.
She rushed to the door and ran smack into Blue. She tried to get past him to the safety of the house, but with a quick jerk of his arm, he grabbed her. “Whoa, slow down, Jenna. It’s coming down hard out there.”
She blinked and blinked again, coming out of her daze. Blue was drenched. Rivers of water ran down the brim of his hat. His clothes clung to his body.
“I gotta get into the house.” Where it’s safe. “
It’s best we stay in here, sugar. Until the rain lets up.”
“No, no! Not in here, Blue. I don’t like storms.” She didn’t want to stay in the barn. Not with the rain coming down in sheets and night falling. “Take me back to the house,” she pleaded. “Please.”
Blue’s expression changed instantly and she knew she could trust him. “Okay, Jenna. Okay. We’ll get you into the house.”
Thunder boomed overhead. She leapt into his arms.
Blue lifted her, casting her a questioning look, but he didn’t ask. She’d be forever grateful for that. Shutting the door, he took off running. They were hit with hard rain. Blue bent over her, trying his level best to keep her from the brunt of it. But Jenna didn’t mind the rain, the wind or the cold. She was out of the barn. She could breathe again. That was all that mattered.
Once inside the house, he carried her up the stairs and deposited her inside her bedroom. “Get out of those wet clothes. I’ll make sure the windows are closed up tight.”
Jenna nodded, her mind numb.
He slanted her a stern look. “When you’ve dried off some, meet me downstairs, Jenna. We’re gonna have us a talk.”
Again, Jenna nodded. She moved slowly about the room, peeling off her wet clothes. She changed into a cotton skirt, tucking a shirt in, and glanced at herself in the cheval mirror. She looked a sight.
It wouldn’t do.
Jenna sat down on her bed, untangled her hair with her fingers, then brushed the long tresses until they were nearly dry.
Much better, she thought. Well, an improvement, at least. Jenna ambled downstairs. She heard noises in the kitchen, but didn’t join Blue there. Instead, she walked into the parlor and stared out the window.
Once a body was safe and warm inside, rain could be a beautiful thing. It cleaned the air and wiped away thick dust that layered the land. It nurtured new growth, put color on the earth, helped sustain all living things. Yes, rain could be something beautiful, sweeping away all the ugliness in the world, allowing for a new day, allowing for a fresh start.
Jenna took a deep breath. Her sigh was audible and profound. She sensed Blue come up from behind, felt his solid warmth. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her back against his chest. Jenna knew it wasn’t an act of lust this time, but more an act of friendship. She rested back against him, taking in his comfort, the strength he offered.
“What’s got you so scared, Jenna?”
She shrugged, “I don’t like storms. Ever since I was a little girl, I’d curl up in bed and cover myself with my quilt, but after Mama and Papa passed, I couldn’t do that anymore. I couldn’t pretend away the storm. I had responsibilities…the animals, the house. I managed until the last big storm.”
“What happened then?”
Jenna hesitated. Aside from Ben and Rosalinda, she hadn’t spoken of this to anyone. Blue had known because she’d written to him about it, but he didn’t remember anything that had happened to her. Yet, she sensed his compassion now and his need to know. She wouldn’t deny him.
Wrapped in his arms, she leaned more heavily against him. With a resigned sigh, Jenna began. “It was about a year ago. There was a storm just like this one, pounding down on the roof, the wind whipping everything about. I worried over the animals, so I took off running and made my way to the barn. I had to latch it closed so that the wind wouldn’t rip open the doors. Instantly, I knew I wasn’t alone. There was a man inside my barn…a stranger with small eyes and a wicked smile. I screamed when I saw him, but he rushed over to me and covered my mouth, telling me to shut up.”
Blue went tight. She felt the muscles on his arms clench around her. “Did he hurt you?”
“No, but he would have. I believe he would have really hurt me. He was angry and asked me if he was at Twin Oaks. I told him, yes, this was Twin Oaks Farm. I’d never seen a man get so riled up, so fast. His language wasn’t fit for delicate ears, Blue. I’d never in my life heard such foul words. Then he stuck a paper in my face. It was a deed to Twin Oaks. He said he won the farm in a bet from Bobby Joe Duncan.”
“Your brother bet away the farm?”
Jenna stiffened. “He did. I couldn’t believe my brother would dare do something so cruel. He’d bet our farm and sent a vile man to me to collect his due.”
“Jenna, what kind of brother—”
“He’s the worst kind of gambler, Blue. Bobby Joe’s been no good most of his life, but I never thought he’d ever do such a terrible thing. If only—” She stopped, biting her lip.
“If only what?”
“If only you could remember. You had such kind words, Blue. Your letters helped me get through that terrible time.”
“I wish I could remember, sugar. Truly.”
“I know you do.”
“So, if he won the deed to the farm, then how come he didn’t claim it?”
“The deed wasn’t real. Ben and I hold the deed to Twin Oaks now. We made sure of that early on, when my brother took up his gambling ways. He had no claim on our land. But he’d lied to this gambler, told him Twin Oaks was a lucrative ranch. The gambler was expecting horses and cattle, not unplowed land and cornrows. He was plainly furious when I told him the deed was a fake. He wanted to wring Bobby Joe’s neck. I was agreeing with him on that. But then the man got an evil look in his eye, said he might as well take it out on Bobby Joe’s sister, instead. I backed away, as far as I could, but the man came at me.
“I was trembling so hard, my teeth clattered and my legs were ready to crumble. A big boom of thunder distracted the gambler and I reached for the Winchester on the wall. I knew it wasn’t loaded, but he didn’t. I aimed it straight at his heart and told him to get out, to leave and never come back. I remember being so scared but I held that rifle straight and kept my voice steady. When he laughed, a sinful sound that wasn’t really a laugh at all, I could only stare at him. He said he wasn’t no damn dirty sodbuster and didn’t want my broken-down farm. When he got to the barn door, he turned, and told me he might just come back one day, so I should keep my doors locked.”
“Damn. Who the hell was he, Jenna?”
“I never found out his name. When I was sure he was off my property, I ran to my room. I was spitting mad at Bobby Joe. Everything inside me went black with anger. I slumped down on my bed and…wept. It was so strange, I felt such anger boiling up inside me, but all I could do was cry. I cried loud and hard, and then the sobs came in silence until every tear I had in me was shed. There was nothing left. My bones felt like mush and my heart ached with such great pain. I recall feeling so small, so inadequate and so very alone. I’m tired of being alone, Blue.”
Blue tightened his hold on her. His warmth lent her the solace she needed now. “Jenna, you were betrayed by someone who should have been by your side. Hell, if I ever get my hands on your brother…” He let the words trail off then he turned Jenna in his arms. “That’s why you were so frightened in the barn tonight.”
Slowly, she nodded.
“That man won’t come back. There’s nothing for him here. There’s nothing for you to fear. But if I’m wrong and he does come back, I’ll be right here, with you.”
“Oh, Blue.” There was such understanding in the depths of his eyes and so much more. They looked at each other a long time, until Blue finally took her into his arms. She clung mightily to him, feeling his strength, his kindness and for the first time in a long time, Jenna’s fears were put to rest.
Blue spoke in a voice filled with emotion. “
I’m going to marry you, Jenna. As soon as the storm lets up. I don’t want to wait another day.”
Chapter Four
It took three full days for the storm to pass. But Jenna assured Blue that was all right, because it had given her time to get ready for the trip to Goose Creek for their wedding. Ben had gone to Goodwill, when the storm had simmered down some, to telegraph the preacher in Goose Creek and make all the necessary arrangements. Jenna seemed pleased.
He still had doubts.
The void inside him was strong. He had no past. He didn’t know what kind of man he was. Would he make a good husband? Would he be faithful and kind and caring? Would he provide for Jenna sufficiently or would he tire of the farm, finding the monotony too tedious? All manner of doubts crept inside him. The only thing he knew for certain was that he wanted Jenna Duncan and if it took marrying her to have her, to make her happy, he’d do it.
With the wagon all packed up, he turned when Jenna came bustling out of the house. “You ready, sugar?”
She looked beautiful. Rosalinda had insisted on sewing up a new dress for her, soft pink with ribbons and ivory lace. The dress fit her form perfectly. And Jenna had left her hair down just the way he liked it best, flowing in waves down around her shoulders. So pretty, with golden threads blending softly just like the wheat she cherished so much. His chest filled with pride. And with longing. Soon, he’d know her intimately and the need was powerful. He had trouble thinking of much else these past three days but their wedding night.
“I’m ready,” she said, her smile bringing those dimples to life.
“Do not go so fast.” Rosalinda came up quickly, breathing heavy from her fast stride. Ben was steps behind. “We have a gift for you, Jenna.”
Charlene Sands Page 4