The Goose_The Sixth Day

by Peggy L Henderson

  The men at the mine had left him for dead several years ago because his life was worth less than someone who was of pure blood. Most people in town simply tolerated him. There were a few he considered casual friends. Draven for one, and Liam Fulton. Jack Peregrine and Culver Daniels, the livery owner, had always been cordial with him. Zeke Kinnison had saved his life once. He preferred a solitary life in the mountains. He’d spent time with the Indian tribes and understood him, but for many of the other folks in town, he was nothing but a half-breed.

  Why would a woman – other than one who was paid for her services to pretend to be interested in him – be willing to marry him? She had to see that he was of mixed blood, no matter how he’d been raised.

  Storm blew out a long breath. Time to head to the house and figure out what to do about Molly Norris and her . . . chaperone. He’d spent over an hour tending to the horses in the barn and had run out of finding little odd jobs to do in order to avoid going to the cabin. He couldn’t put it off much longer. The day was nearly over and the temperature was dropping. Had it been summer, he might have spent the night in the barn.

  He snapped his fingers at the dog, who barked and ran happily to the house, then stopped dead in his tracks yards away from the door.

  “Don’t tell me a goose has got you tucking your tail?”

  Storm shook his head and opened the door to the cabin. Warm air and the delicious smell of food cooking assaulted him. He stomped the snow off his boots before stepping inside his home. Without any warning, the gander honked loudly and flapped his wings, almost flying across the room toward the door. Storm stumbled back outside, cursing under his breath while trying to avoid the vile creature’s jabs with its beak. Behind him, Wolf barked, but made no move to protect his master.

  “Daniel, stop that.” Molly Norris came rushing to the door. She grabbed the goose by one wing and dragged it back into the cabin. “You go lie back down in the corner.”

  Storm removed his hat and ran a hand over his face. He glanced into the cabin, his eyes on the woman scolding the goose as if she was talking to a disobedient child. Somewhere from inside, Kunu’s laughter cackled through the room.

  “I’m so sorry.” Molly rushed back to the door, this time without the feathered fiend. She motioned with her hand for him to step inside his cabin . . . his cabin!

  “Why is that blasted bird in my house?” Storm growled, jabbing his gaze from Molly to Kunu, who sat in his rocking chair by the hearth, smoking his pipe. Storm’s brows rose. The gander was bedding down on top of Wolf’s blanket near the fire.

  Molly’s eyes widened. Was that a momentary spark of fear in her gaze?

  “Come inside and shut the door before ya let out all the heat, Storm,” Kunu cackled.

  Storm stepped into the house a second time and slammed the door shut behind him. He peeled his coat off and hung it on the hook, then slowly turned to face his grandfather and the woman. Wolf hadn’t moved from his side, glancing toward his place by the fire, which was now occupied by a preening gander.

  “I made coffee if you’d like some,” Molly offered. Her smile was hesitant. Storm avoided making eye contact. The mouth-watering smells in the room suggested she’d been busy making more than coffee.

  “I thought you said you wanted roast goose for Christmas supper, Grandpa? Best get busy plucking that one.” Storm pointed at Daniel.

  Molly’s eyes widened again, but this time they blazed with anger. Storm’s lips twitched in a suppressed grin. She’d reacted exactly the way he’d anticipated. Her next move, however, was unexpected.

  Before he could blink, she stood in front of him, her hands on her hips, glaring into his eyes. Storm met her challenging gaze. His heart beat faster, and he forced his breathing to remain steady.

  “I will have you know that the last man who tried to harm my goose met with buckshot.”

  The slight crack in her voice betrayed her confident demeanor, as did the sudden moisture that pooled in her eyes. Abruptly, she turned away from him and rushed to Kunu’s bedroom. The gander in the corner squawked and followed. The slamming of the door behind them left an awkward silence in its wake.

  Wolf didn’t waste any time and rushed to his vacated blanket, sniffed it, then turned in a circle several times before curling up in his nest.

  “Now why’d ya have to say something like that and upset her?” Kunu groaned and got up out of his rocking chair. He went to the stove and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Ya sure ain’t making a good first impression. Ya do the same with folks in town, always showing off yore bad side instead of letting people see the real you.”

  Storm ran a hand through his hair and stared at the closed bedroom door to his right. He’d expected Molly to jab back at him with a snide comeback, but he certainly hadn’t meant to upset her. He shook his head and cursed under his breath. What the hell did he know about women and how they reacted to things, anyway? His only defense at the moment was to stay annoyed with his grandfather.

  “What I said to her is the truth, Kunu. You did want goose for supper.”

  Ezra cast him a disapproving look. “Changed my mind. Got a shank of venison from the smokehouse, and Molly was in the process of fixin’ a nice Christmas supper for us. The least you could do is make her feel a bit welcome.”

  Storm avoided his grandfather’s stare, and poured his own cup of coffee. He lowered his voice when he spoke again. “She shouldn’t even be here, Kunu. You shouldn’t have told her to come to the ranch.”

  Kunu laughed. “Ya sure didn’t make a fuss and tell her no when I suggested it in town.” He strode up to Storm and stared him in the eye. “I saw the way ya was looking at her last night at the saloon, and again this morning. Ya can deny it all ya want, boy, but I can see yore already taken with her. Why deny it? Stop makin’ things difficult for all of us. She’s had a rough life and is only trying to make a fresh start. Ya oughta stop being so pig-headed and give her a chance.”

  Storm held his cup to his lips. Coffee was better than the whiskey he’d drunk at the saloon yesterday, but if things continued the way they were, he might end up a drinking man, after all. He glanced at the closed door to Kunu’s bedroom again, then shot his grandfather a narrow-eyed look.

  “Where are you sleeping?”

  Kunu walked up to him, and slapped him on the back of the shoulder.

  “Already made myself a pallet in yore room. I’ll be bunkin’ with ya for the time being, until we sort out this mess and ya get around ta marryin’ Molly Norris. Bet she’ll make a much better roommate than me.” The old man smiled brightly and even winked.

  Storm tensed. “Maybe I’ll go bunk with the horses.”

  “Maybe ya oughta go and apologize to her for the mule-headed way yore actin’.” Kunu pointed a finger toward his bedroom. “Then maybe she’ll finish fixin’ supper. She’s a nice gal, Storm. Ya might even like her.”

  “What about that goose of hers? Whoever heard of such a thing? Letting a goose in the house.”

  Kunu laughed. “I’ll admit, that is a bit odd, but she won’t let that critter out of her sight. It’s kinda like you and Wolf.” With that, he returned to his rocking chair.

  Storm stared at the stove. Something was cooking in the oven, and several pots bubbled on top. He gritted his teeth, then headed for the bedroom door. Hesitating, he held his hand up to knock, then took a surprised step back when the door jerked open unexpectedly.

  His eyes connected with Molly’s, and that familiar sensation stirred his insides. Whether it was the determination in her eyes or the vulnerability she tried to hide, it didn’t matter. Storm swallowed.

  “I don’t want supper to burn,” she said, recovering first. She tried to scoot past him.

  Storm blocked her way. “I apologize if I said something inappropriate, Miss Norris.” It was probably not the right moment to ask her to elaborate what she’d meant earlier when she’d said the last person who had tried to harm the goose had met with buckshot. Had she shot some
one over that feathered beast?

  She blinked rapidly, then smiled weakly. “I overreacted a few minutes ago.” She stood straighter and looked him in the eye. “I need to be honest with you, however, and tell you that Daniel has been my companion for some time, and he’s helped me get over the loss of a dear friend. I will protect him with my life, if I have to.”

  Storm’s forehead scrunched. A multitude of questions flooded his mind, but he didn’t voice any of them. Not yet. Her determination to protect a goose, of all things, was as admirable as it was strange, but somehow her quirkiness about the animal made her even more appealing.

  “Your goose is safe here,” he said. His lips even cracked a smile.

  She hesitated, then returned his smile. “You mentioned in your letter that you loved animals. It’s the reason I thought we’d get along. I hope I’m wrong to think that everyone in Noelle misrepresented themselves as the reverend has apparently done when it came to describing the town.”

  Behind him, Kunu coughed loudly. Storm scratched the back of his neck. Never mind her taking a shotgun to him if he harmed her goose. What would she do when she found out that he hadn’t sent the letter she’d received?

  Chapter 6

  The Second Day of Christmas, December 26, 1876

  Molly wrapped her shawl more fully around her shoulders as a shiver raced up her spine. Had anyone bothered to stoke the fire this morning? The flames in the hearth had burned down to glowing coals, and the main room in the cabin was as cold as it had to be outside. She reached for a piece of wood, placed it on the coals, and blew on them to bring them back to life. When flames licked the log, she added a couple more, and held her icy hands to the warmth.

  Everything was quiet in the cabin. Judging by the heat on top of the stove, someone had been up quite a while ago and made a pot of coffee. She glanced toward the closed door leading to Storm Thornton’s bedroom. No doubt he and Ezra were already awake, and probably outside tending to the livestock.

  In an fruitless attempt to figure out what to do, Molly had lingered under the warm covers of her bed even after the sun had come up. She’d gone to bed after clearing away the supper dishes, but hadn’t been able to sleep.

  Storm hadn’t seemed the least bit welcoming. His grandfather had made the excuse that Storm had spent too much time at the saloon on Christmas Eve, and for that reason he’d been in a less-than-agreeable mood.

  “He’ll come ‘round in a day or so, just give him time. He ain’t feelin’ too well at the moment.”

  Molly hadn’t pressed. Why would Storm feel the need to get drunk on the day of her arrival? He didn’t seem like the type of man who would be nervous about anything, so it couldn’t have been butterflies at meeting his new bride.

  “Didn’t think he was the marrying kind.”

  The words from Pearl, the woman from the whorehouse, came back to her now. If Storm wasn’t the marrying kind, why had he asked for a bride? He certainly didn’t seem at all pleased that she was here. Maybe he’d taken one look at her, seen her scar, and decided she was too flawed and unattractive to marry.

  Molly sighed. She’d never considered herself particularly attractive to begin with. Not like Danica Jensen, who had been a beautiful woman, no matter if she dressed in the latest fashions or ran around in her brother’s old britches. Her beauty hadn’t simply come from her physical appearance, but also from deep inside. She’d always had such a love of life, and she’d been fearless.

  Molly, on the other hand, was a coward. Coming to Noelle had been her way to disappear and forget about her problems in Virginia City after losing her good friend. She touched her fingers to her scar. It would always be with her as a reminder of why she’d had to leave Montana. She’d been lucky to get to Colorado without being followed, but if he wanted to, he would find her.

  Molly scoffed. Trent Sloacum was nothing but a slimy weasel. Dani had detested him. He’d been after Dani for years, but right after the news of Dani’s death, Trent had taken a sudden interest in Molly, and nothing good had come of it. Molly glanced at Daniel, who waddled around the room, foraging for food on the ground.

  She reached for some leftover cornbread from last night’s supper that was wrapped in a cloth. She unfolded the cloth and broke off several small pieces, which she placed on the wooden floorboards. Daniel eagerly gobbled them up.

  “We’ll have to get you outside today,” she murmured. “I bet there’s plenty of food for you to find on your own, and it’ll do you some good to be in the fresh air. You’re getting to be quite the fat goose.”

  Her eyes drifted to one of the windows next to the front door. Horses whinnied from somewhere outside. She would prepare breakfast for Storm and Ezra, but for that she needed some fresh eggs and some bacon. She’d have to find out the location of the smokehouse where Ezra had gotten the venison shank she’d cooked for Christmas supper.

  Stepping up to the window, she glanced outside. Her heart sped up the instant her eyes caught sight of Storm a short distance across the yard near the barn. He was standing by one of the corrals, fussing with the gate.

  Dressed in the same buckskin britches he’d worn yesterday, and with his back to her, he looked every bit like an Indian. Without his hat on, his dark hair was even more obvious as it fell past the collar of his heavy coat.

  Molly wrapped her arms around her waist.

  “Is this how it was for you, Dani? You were instantly smitten with Josh Osborne.”

  Like Storm, the man Dani had fancied herself in love with had also been of mixed blood. At first, when Molly had heard that Dani had been killed by Indians, she’d been afraid, then the anger had taken over. Like Dani’s father, she wanted to hate all Indians for what a few of them had done. Even though it was obvious that Storm was part Indian, that part of him didn’t enter her mind when she saw him.

  He was simply a handsome man, he was good with animals - even if he didn’t like Daniel - and he lived on a beautiful piece of land. It was perfect for her. Who would ever come looking for her here? If Trent Sloacum was ever brave enough to follow her, which was highly doubtful, this was the last place he’d look. He’d never trace her to Denver or the Lost Lambs, and certainly not to Noelle.

  Molly turned away from the window and held a hand to her suddenly flushed cheeks. Was she smitten with Storm Thornton? Her reaction intensified each time she saw him. Her heart fluttered and butterflies churned in her belly. Her limbs seemed to turn into pudding.

  “There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to the man who is going to be your husband, Molly Norris.” Chiding herself out loud, Molly shook her head and laughed. “Quite the contrary. It wouldn’t do if you weren’t attracted to him.”

  At her feet, Daniel let out a quiet honk as if he agreed with her. Molly dropped to her knees. The gander waddled up to her and stuck his neck in her skirts.

  “What if he finds me lacking, Daniel?” She petted the goose’s neck. “What if he doesn’t want me because of my scar?”

  She stood and glanced out the window again, admiring her intended husband’s back. Daniel honked again. Molly smiled and waved a finger at the goose.

  “You sure didn’t make a good first impression yesterday, either. You need to stop attacking Storm’s dog, and you definitely can’t attack the master of this house again.”

  The goose glanced up at her and made a soft noise as if he’d understood. It was doubtful he’d listen to her, though. Storm had sat through supper last night, mostly quiet while his grandfather had talked about the ranch and the horse operation. Every time Storm had moved, or gotten up, Daniel had wanted to attack him, and the gander had found it perfectly acceptable to take over Wolf’s blanket near the hearth. The poor dog had tucked tail and hidden under the table at his master’s feet. Molly had ended up locking Daniel in the bedroom, regardless of the gander’s loud objection.

  Molly headed for her room to retrieve her warm cloak. Ezra Thornton had offered her his quarters yesterday after her arrival, despite Molly
’s protests.

  “It’d be best for you to take this room, Miss Molly,” he’d said while rubbing his chin. “It’s the only bedroom besides Storm’s, and I don’t think it’d be right proper for ya to share his room. At least, not quite yet until the two of ya are married proper.”

  Molly’s cheeks had turned red. She hadn’t considered that there wouldn’t be another room for her, and as Ezra had said, it would certainly be highly inappropriate for her to share Storm’s bed before being married to him.

  You might not get married to him.

  Molly sighed. She glanced at Daniel, who waddled beside her as if he’d sensed that they were going outside. It was time to ask where she could find supplies to fix breakfast for the men, and it would be a good opportunity to talk to Storm Thornton. Perhaps they could start fresh after yesterday’s mishaps.

  “I’ve been told there’s a creek nearby, and even a pond. I’m sure you’d love that, wouldn’t you?” She smiled at the goose, which stood by the door as if waiting for her to open it.

  Cold air greeted her when she pulled the door open. Molly sucked in a quick breath as the frigid air pierced the skin on her cheeks. She pulled the cloak fully around herself and stepped outside. Daniel honked and rushed down the porch steps, heading directly for Wolf. The dog stood by the corral fence, sniffing at some of the grasses that were sticking out from under the snowdrifts.

  “Daniel, no.” Molly gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath. Not again! This was definitely not the right way to make amends for yesterday.

  The dog barked, then ran when he saw the goose coming. Daniel flapped his wings and honked even louder. The dozen or so chickens that pecked at the ground by the barn squawked and fluttered for safety as the dog charged through them amid flying feathers.

  Molly’s eyes flew open in horror, darting a quick glance at Storm, who straightened from whatever he was doing at the fence. He tossed a tool on the ground, then turned his head in her direction. Even from across the yard, the thunderous look in his eyes was evident.