by Alix West
“When you’re done,” he said, “you can brush Halston.”
Justine’s expression softened. A smile tugged at her lips. “I’d like that.”
“Halston likes it too.”
The sound of hoofbeats drew his attention away. Seth rode up to the house and dismounted. Nick set his cup on the railing. His brother’s expression was grim and in an instant Nick knew something was terribly wrong.
He went down the steps and crossed the yard to the hitching post.
“There’s been an accident at the Tarrant place.”
“What happened?”
“I sent the foreman over this morning to take some hay. Silas just got back. He says David Tarrant’s dead. Trampled by his bull. The one you sold him.”
Nick stared in disbelief. “C’mon…”
“Silas said it happened last night. Tarrant tried to move the bull out of a holding pen. When the bull refused to budge, Tarrant used the bullwhip on him.”
Nick let out a deep breath. David Tarrant went on about showing animals who was boss. He was heavy-handed, to be sure, but this went beyond anything Nick could imagine.
“His boy got him into the house. But his father was already dead.”
Nick scrubbed his hand over his face. “The kids are okay?”
“None are hurt, if that’s what you mean. I’m on my way over. I thought you’d like to come.”
“Course I do.”
He went to the barn and tacked up his gelding. By the time he trotted past the house on Halston, he’d forgotten all about his promise to Justine. Her startled expression reminded him.
She stood at the porch rail and frowned. “Where are you taking my horsey?”
“I got a little work to do this morning. He’s all yours when I get back.”
Charlotte came to Justine’s side, holding straight pins between her lips and a swath of fabric in her hands. She took the pins from her mouth and jabbed them in a pincushion. “Everything all right?”
“Seth and I need to check on the Tarrant place.” He lowered his voice. “Tell you about it later.”
Charlotte’s eyes widened.
“Let Cora know, will you? She’s in the kitchen, cooking lunch.”
“I’ll tell her now.”
Nick and Seth rode to the Tarrant place in somber silence. This sort of thing could happen to anyone. Bulls could be dangerous and needed to be treated with the utmost respect. Still, it both surprised and troubled Nick that one of his animals had killed a man.
When they arrived at the Tarrant ranch, they trotted past the bullpen.
“Half-expected someone had shot the bastard,” Seth muttered.
Nick dismounted and dropped his reins. Halston knew enough to stay put. The bull stood on the far side of the pen. Nick gave a short whistle and the animal jerked his head to face him.
“Watch it, Nick. If he charges, that fence might not do you much good.”
Nick went to the railing and waited. “Remember the time you helped me deliver a calf with a winch?”
“This him?”
“Yeah. I had to bottle feed him, cause the momma didn’t last more than a few days.”
“I recall.”
The bull crossed the pen and approached Nick, but stopped when he got halfway across. He flared his nostrils and pawed the sand.
“Nick?”
“Quit that, you big dummy.”
The bull stopped and after another moment of considering his options, returned to the other side of the pen. It was then that Nick saw the damage from David Tarrant’s bullwhip. Behind him, Seth drew a sharp breath. Nick had heard of David’s mistreatment of animals and almost hadn’t gone through with the sale of the bull. David convinced him otherwise, however, claiming that only a fool would abuse a 1,400-pound bull.
Nick was so taken aback by the sight of the animal, he didn’t notice Henry Tarrant approach. The boy stopped at the railing and looked up at him with swollen, red eyes. He still wore the shirt Nick had given him.
“He couldn’t get out of the way,” Henry said. “He whipped him. The bull tried to get out of the pen, jumping around and such. Then he charged. Daddy tried to run. Course the bull was faster.”
“I’m sorry, son.” Nick winced at the hollow-sounding words.
Henry put his hands on the railing and stared at the bull for a long moment. “I remember my momma telling me something about my father.”
A tear rolled down his face, but he made no effort to wipe it away. Nick studied the boy’s profile, wishing there were something he could do for the boy. Henry had tended to his dying father last night all on his own, and he was just a kid. Now he and his brothers and sisters were all orphans.
“What did your momma say?”
“Momma said my daddy hated animals almost as much as they hated him.”
Nick recalled the woman. Henry’s mother was a quiet, shy woman. She’d been the reason David Tarrant was able to stay out of the poorhouse. She inherited the ranch from her father, and when she died, she left it to David and Henry. When his second wife died, she only left him a handful of children.
“I suppose you’ve got a ranch to run, now. You and your brothers and sisters.”
Henry shook his head. “Their momma’s family will take them. They’ve got an uncle who always wanted to raise them up.”
“And leave you by yourself?”
The boy squeezed his eyes shut and shook away a wave of misery. “I’m not kin.”
Nick grimaced and turned away. While he and Henry had been talking, Seth had gone inside the house. Silas drove the buckboard down the path with a pine coffin in the back.
As the rest of the day passed, more people arrived. Neighbors. Friends. Pastor Phillips came in a buggy accompanied by his wife. Everyone brought a covered dish or a pie. And everyone inquired about the children’s welfare. In the late afternoon, David was laid to rest beside his two wives.
It wasn’t until later when the house was quiet that Nick offered Henry a bargain. He was about to take his leave and ride home with Seth. He didn’t want to go without leaving Henry something to think about. “I got a bunkhouse that’s not being used. When you’ve had a little time, think it over. If you’d like to stay there, you’re welcome to. I’d appreciate having you around.”
Henry’s shoulders sank. “I dunno what I’m going to do. I don’t have any money. My family still owes you for the bull.”
“Your daddy and I were already square. You don’t need to worry about anything. Unless you’d just as soon not have the bull around. You want me to buy him back?”
“It wasn’t his fault.”
“We can talk it over when you’re ready.”
Henry nodded, but didn’t say anything. Nick swung himself into the saddle. “We’re right up the road, if you need anything. I’ll be by in a few days.”
On the way home Seth and Nick talked about the Tarrant family.
Chapter Fifteen
Cora
It seemed a little untoward to plan a wedding reception within days of a neighbor’s funeral. The rest of the Travis family wouldn’t be deterred. Charlotte and Laura were a flurry of activity. By the time the day arrived, Justine had two new dresses, courtesy of Charlotte.
The girl even deigned to wear the simple muslin dress a few times for the supper meal. Justine was slight, and the dress accentuated her delicate frame. Cora could imagine Justine with long hair and growing into a lovely young woman. The notion filled her with happiness.
Henry joined them for evening meals several times, riding over in the late afternoon. It was clear that Nick enjoyed having a growing number at the dinner table. He insisted that Henry come to the wedding party.
“I’m not your family or anything,” Henry said.
“Right. I have to invite my two brothers, but I want to invite you. See the difference?”
While Cora didn’t possess the sewing skills that Charlotte had, she managed to alter some clothes for Henry. It seemed that everythi
ng the boy owned was frayed or threadbare. The evening of the festivities, Henry looked respectable in Nick’s old clothes, despite Cora’s mediocre handiwork.
Dinner was held in Seth and Laura’s home. Laura and Charlotte had prepared a fine meal and decorated the downstairs with ribbons and garlands of spring daisies. The festivities spilled out to the candlelit porch and terrace.
After dinner, Silas took out his violin and played. Though Cora could hear nothing, she saw how the music made people smile and sway gently as they listened. She took in the sight of happy faces, lit with soft candlelight. Seth and Laura, Will and Charlotte, sat at the table and talked about cattle drives with Nick.
She’d paid attention for a short while, as Will tried to convince Nick that a cattle drive was no place for a woman and child. Nick insisted that if she and Justine wanted to go, he’d watch them like a hawk. He wouldn’t let any harm befall them. They continued to argue as Cora watched some of the Travis ranch hands play horseshoes.
For a short while she watched the match, but her thoughts went to Justine. It had been a while since she’d caught a glimpse of the girl. Scanning the chairs lining the perimeter of the porch, she found Justine sitting near Silas. Cora let out a soft huff. She always felt just a little better when she got her eyes on the girl.
Justine gazed with a rapt expression on her angelic face. Sitting still as a statue, she kept her attention fixed on Silas. When he finished his song, he gestured for her to come near. She shook her head, but he wasn’t deterred. Slowly and with an awkward smile Cora had never seen, Justine approached Silas. He held out the violin, offering it to her, but she shook her head.
After a few moments of back and forth, Silas persuaded the girl to take the instrument. Justine took the violin and held it as if it were made of crystal. For some reason, this made Silas laugh. He leaned back, his belly shaking and slapped his thigh.
Cora couldn’t make out the conversation, but when Silas leaned forward, she was able to see him better.
“It won’t bite you, girl.” he said to Justine.
She smiled and after studying the instrument for a few moments, handed the violin back to him. Silas tucked it under his chin and began to play once more. Justine sat on a nearby chair and watched. Cora had never seen the girl so absorbed or transfixed. Her attention was utterly riveted on Silas.
Nick came to her side and took her hand. “May I have this dance, Mrs. Travis?”
She smiled, half-expecting him to tell her that he joked, but he tugged her to her feet.
“You don’t need to hear the music. Just follow me, Cora.”
He pulled her closer, setting his hand on her lower back, and keeping his gaze on her. She’d danced a hundred times before, but not once since she’d lost her hearing. No one but the two of them danced. A bloom of embarrassment burned inside her.
“I feel silly,” she murmured, looking away. “And I hate feeling silly. Everyone will know that I’m doing something I’m not capable of doing.”
He lifted her chin to direct her gaze back to his. “No one thinks you’re silly.”
“Do they know about me?”
“They do.”
Her face heated. “Because I made a mistake?”
“I told them.”
She let out a breath of relief. Her shoulders sank, and she smiled, feeling foolish.
“Why would anyone think you’re silly, Cora?”
A thousand and one reasons flooded her mind. There had been a time where she’d thought highly of herself, perhaps too highly. She’d been vain and foolish. Her world revolved around dresses and soirees. She lived to go out with her father and mother in the evenings, to see and be seen at all the elegant parties and theater events. The illness had snatched it all away and sometimes she felt the loss so keenly it was as if it had just happened.
He pressed her hand, awaiting an answer.
“First of all, I promised myself to a man I didn’t really know,” she said.
“He lied to you. That’s not your fault.”
She went on, undeterred. “And I hear nothing. I’ll never hear your voice. If we’re blessed with a child, I’ll never hear its cry.”
“There’s nothing silly about that.”
“It doesn’t seem to bother you.”
“And that’s what really troubles you, isn’t it?”
She nodded.
He smiled and tugged her deeper into his embrace. They danced, a two-step to the music she couldn’t hear. As they moved together, she began to feel the cadence.
“There you go, Cora. Now you’re in step with me.”
“One day, you might wish you had a wife that had all her faculties. One that wasn’t broken, or missing pieces of herself.”
He cupped her jaw and brushed a kiss across her lips. “Every day I’ll thank God for blessing me with a miracle.”
She shook her head.
“Don’t you argue with me, Cora. Your Boston boys might put up with a contrary female, but here in Texas, men don’t tolerate sass.”
Her face heated.
“And I expect you in my bed tonight.”
She gave him an innocent look. After one, single night in his bed, she’d retreated to her room.
“That story you gave me about Justine having bad dreams was nothing more than a bunch of hogwash. I know, because I asked her. She claims she hasn’t had a single nightmare since she came to Texas.”
Cora bit her lip, deciding it best to remain silent. Nick shook his head, his eyes darkened with desire.
“Tonight,” he said. “And every night after.” He stopped dancing, pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.
Chapter Sixteen
Nick
Nick finished with the buckboard and horses, then he started his walk home. Henry chose to bed down in the bunkhouse, just as he had several times since his father had passed. The moonless evening was quiet. Stars blanketed the sky.
The evening’s meal and festivities felt like the official start of marriage, or at least it did to him. He hoped Cora felt the same. He’d only had her in his bed one night, and he’d kept things from going too far too fast. He’d rather take his time than rush Cora and risk spooking her, but he couldn’t hold back his need for her anymore.
When he went upstairs, he paused by Justine’s door. The room was dark and quiet. He went on to his room and found Cora inside. A well of pleasure surged through him as he took in the sight of her, dressed in his nightshirt. She brushed her hair and eyed him warily. Did she expect him to pounce on her? As much as he wanted to, he forced himself to refrain.
“You came to my room.” He shut the door and leaned against it, folding his arms.
Her lips quirked. “I did. Is that all right?”
“It’s more than all right.”
“Justine fell asleep almost immediately.”
“Then it’s just you and me.” He pushed off the door and went to her. Coaxing the brush from her hand, he fought the urge to toss her on the bed, tear her gown off and ravish her. Instead he brushed her hair. She tensed but laughed softly.
Her hair was silk. When he scooped a swath into his hand, it tumbled from his fingers like a waterfall. The feel of her soft hair only made his need burn hotter. He’d hoped brushing her hair would serve as a distraction, but it only made his lust flare.
He dimmed the lamps and came back to her, smiling. “I want my nightshirt back.”
Even in the shadowed light he saw the way her face pinked. He took her mouth with his, kissing her, gently at first. She gave a small moan of pleasure and set her hands on his chest. Teasing her lips with his tongue, he growled when she submitted to his kiss. She drew a sharp breath in response.
It slowly dawned on him that she could feel the reverberations of the growl. He broke the kiss, but didn’t move away. He growled again and watched her lips curve into a smile.
“I can feel that,” she said softly.
“I like that,” he said. “Very much. But yo
u still need to give me back my nightshirt.”
Before she could protest, he tugged it up and over her head, tossing it aside. He kissed her again and backed her to the bed. When she could go no further, he lifted her and set her in the middle of his bed. He kissed her neck, lifting his hand to cup her breast. She flinched at his touch. Soothing her with a light touch, he scattered kisses down her neck and across her collarbone.
Her breasts filled his hand. He brushed his thumb across her nipple and lowered to kiss the curve of her breast. The taste of her skin made his body harden to steel. He nipped and licked her breasts while she writhed beneath him.
Crouched over her, he kissed her breasts and down her stomach, noticing the contrast between her pale skin, almost luminous in the lamplight, and his own tanned skin. His hands were roughened with work, hers were softer than anything he’d ever known.
Moving between her thighs, he smiled to see how she looked at him, her gaze lost in a sensual daze. Her eyes told him of her desire. Her parted lips and quickened breath spoke to him of her need. He nudged between her thighs and let his gaze roam down to her sex. She was wet and swollen. He needed to taste her before anything else.
She gave a murmur of surprise and edged away from him. He shook his head, narrowing his eyes as he hauled her back to him. The scent of her arousal almost undid him. He kissed a trail down one silken thigh. Her head fell back to the bedding. She was pliant beneath his hold, giving herself over to him. Slowly he licked her, groaning with pleasure at the taste of her virginal arousal.
Her breathing grew ragged. He kissed and teased her, sensing when her arousal climbed, but not letting her peak, just yet. Soft, needy sounds fell from her lips. She writhed. He tightened his hold, pinning her beneath him.
“Nick, please…”
The yearning in her voice made him relent. Gently, he stroked her with his finger. She was impossibly tight. He’d have to take her slowly, to ease her into lovemaking. But now he wanted to give her what she so desperately needed. He sucked her clit, taking her over the edge.
She arched off the bed and cried out his name as she was overcome with pleasure. He moved over her and took her in his arms. Trembling, she clung to him as her climax faded.