White River Brides

by Frances Devine

  Just then, Mr. Hawkins walked in from the back room. “Well, well. If it isn’t Jack Sullivan and his two daughters.” The man burst out laughing at the look on Jack’s and the twins’ faces.

  “Where’s Miss Rayton?”

  “She headed out ten minutes ago. Heading to your place, I think. I’m surprised you didn’t see her if you came from that direction.”

  “Oh no.” Tuck leaned against a barrel of flour. “We missed her again.”

  “Now, Tuck, it can’t be helped. We’ll have to see her next time.”

  “Can’t we go back? Please, Mr. Jack?” Addy’s pleading eyes added fuel to Jack’s own frustration.

  He frowned then sighed as he looked at the girls’ hopeful faces. “Okay, we’ll go back. But we can’t stay long. We’ll have to get back to the Julia Dawn before dark. Promise you won’t beg to stay.”

  “We promise, Mr. Jack.” There went that chorus again.

  “Then let’s go.”

  The bell rang as the front door flew open. “Mr. Hawkins, I decided it wouldn’t be the proper thing to—” Lexie Rayton cut her words off with a gasp, her face a picture of happy surprise.

  Chapter 11

  Miss Lexie!” the twins screamed.

  Lexie braced herself as two overalls-clad figures made a beeline toward her. If not for the door to lean on, she was pretty sure she’d be flat on the floor.

  “Addy. Tuck.” She threw her arms around them as they hugged her hard. “I’m so happy to see you. I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I missed you, too, Miss Lexie.” Addy proved her words with another squeeze.

  “Me, too.” Tuck gave an emphatic nod. “We went to the farm, but you weren’t there, and we thought we wouldn’t get to see you.”

  “Yep, but Mr. Jack said we’d go back and try again.”

  “Then here you are.” Tuck grinned and gave Lexie a sound pat on the shoulder.

  “Now girls, I know you’re happy to see Miss Lexie, but don’t knock her down.” At the sound of Jack Sullivan’s voice, Lexie inhaled sharply. He leaned against the counter, smiling.

  Oh dear, how could she tell him about the twins’ deception?

  He cleared his throat. “Tuck, Addy, don’t you have something to say to Miss Lexie?”

  Addy ducked her head and Tuck bit her lip. “Yes, sir.” Tuck gave a little cough. “Well, it’s like this, Miss Lexie. And before I tell you, I want you to know I’m awfully sorry and so is Addy, even though it was mostly my fault.”

  Lexie swallowed past the lump that formed in her throat. Should she spare them by admitting she already knew? No. Confession was good for the soul. “I’m listening, Tuck.”

  “Ya see…” Tuck took a deep breath.

  “Mr. Jack isn’t really our pa.” Addy’s hurried interruption brought relief to Tuck’s eyes, and both girls rushed through the explanation then stood silently, dread mixed with hope on their upturned faces.

  “I see.” Lexie nodded and frowned slightly. “I do understand that you were both frightened, but lying is never the right choice. It can cause all sorts of problems. I thought terrible things about Mr. Sullivan and acted badly towards him. But I think you are very sorry and won’t ever do it again. Am I correct?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” they chorused.

  “Very well. I forgive you for deceiving my family and me. And although you need to apologize to Aunt Kate and my brother, as far as I’m concerned it’s over.”

  While the twins smothered her with hugs, Lexie raised a shy glance to the man she had wronged and met a tender smile. “Mr. Sullivan, I wonder if I might have a word with you.”

  “Certainly. Shall we go onto the porch?”

  “Yes.” She looked at Mr. Hawkins, who was pretending to ignore them. “Mr. Hawkins, would you keep an eye on the girls for a moment?”

  “Sure, maybe I’ll put them to work.”

  With screams of assent, the twins rushed to the storekeeper while Mr. Sullivan opened the door and Lexie stepped outside. She started as he placed a hand beneath her elbow to guide her to the rocking chairs at the end of the porch.

  Once seated, Lexie took a deep breath. “First of all, I would like to apologize for my atrocious behavior toward you. I thought, you see—”

  “You thought I was an uncaring, rotten father.” He smiled as he interrupted. “I believe anyone would have thought and acted the same under the circumstances. And your indignation proves how much you care for Addy and Tuck.”

  “I do, very much. Which brings me to the subject at hand.”

  “You want them to stay with you.”

  Lexie nodded. “I know you care for them, too. I thought perhaps they could stay with me while you are away, and then when you come home, they could come to your farm and spend time with you.”

  “You do realize they are orphans and need a real family to be part of?” He hesitated. “I mean a father and a mother.”

  “Yes, of course. And we should continue to search for a suitable, loving family for them.” Lexie blinked back the tears that formed. “But in the meantime, they would be happy at the farm with Aunt Kate and Will and me.”

  “Yes, I believe they would. And I know they would be well taken care of.” A shadow crossed his face.

  “You want them with you, don’t you?”

  He sighed. “Yes, but the men that work for me are a rough bunch. It’s not the best atmosphere for little girls, although the crew tried hard while the twins were on the Julia Dawn.”

  Lexie nodded. He did care. More than he was admitting. “Mr. Sullivan, I promise I’ll treat them like my own, and you can come get them the moment you return.”

  “Yes, of course.” He sat up straighter. “If you don’t mind, I have to get back to my boat right away. I’ll get their things from the wagon.”

  Lexie stood as he did. “Thank you for trusting me.”

  “And thank you for knowing I can be trusted as well.”

  After putting Addy’s and Tuck’s things into Lexie’s buggy, Jack stepped over to her and took her hands in his. As he looked at her, tenderness filled his eyes. “You’re a very special woman, Miss Rayton.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “I want to say good-bye to them before I leave.” He seemed reluctant to let go of her hands, so she gently withdrew them from his.

  Addy’s and Tuck’s faces lit up when they found out they could stay with Lexie, but a moment later Tuck frowned. “What about my fiddle lessons?”

  “You already know a lot, Tuck,” Addy said.

  “That’s right.” Jack tugged at one of the girl’s uneven braids. “And if you need more lessons, I’ll try to find you a teacher when I get back from this run to St. Louis.”

  “Okay.” She reached over and gave him a slap on the back.

  Lexie shook her head. It took so little to please Tuck.

  Lexie and the twins stood on the porch and waved as Jack drove away in the wagon.

  A twinge of sadness clutched Lexie. Now what did she have to be sad about? This was exactly what she’d wanted, wasn’t it? Then why did the sight of Jack Sullivan driving away make her want to cry?

  “Where’s them girls?” Pap frowned as Jack stepped onto the deck. “You didn’t leave them at no orphans’ home, did ye?”

  “Of course not, Pap.” Jack knew his indignation at the accusation was unreasonable. After all, he had threatened to do just that. “Miss Sullivan offered to care for them while I’m away. I thought it was best for them.”

  Indecipherable mutterings spilled forth from Pap’s lips. Then he furtively gave a swipe across his eyes. “I guess yer right. Shucks, I know ye are. A riverboat ain’t no place for sweet little girls.”

  “That’s right, Pap. I know you’ll miss them. They’ll miss you, too. I promise I’ll bring them to see you from time to time.”

  “Reckon that’ll do.” The old man turned and headed for the galley.

  “Everything’s loaded and ready to go.” Thompson leaned against a huge
crate and gave Jack a curious look. “You’re gonna miss them little gals.”

  “Yes, well, let’s get out of here.”

  A few moments later, the whistle blew and the hands loosened the moorings. The Julia Dawn quivered slightly then slid smoothly away from the bank to start another journey up the crystal White River.

  “What? How dare she?” Lexie stood on the porch with fists clenched against her hips and stared at Will in disbelief. “What right does Sarah Jenkins think she has to make demands?”

  Will twisted his hat and gave a slight kick to the railing. “Don’t look at me like that. Can’t you even try to be reasonable?”

  “Me? You want me to be reasonable?”

  “Yes.” A thundercloud replaced her brother’s usually gentle expression. “In the first place, you should have consulted me and Aunt Kate before agreeing to a plan that would affect the whole family.”

  “Sarah isn’t family yet, Will Rayton.”

  “She will be in two months. And she has a right to her say in this. She’s going to be my wife in case you’ve forgotten.”

  “And what if she is? Why would she object to the girls living here part of the time?”

  “Part of the time? Jack Sullivan is away for weeks on end.”

  “I thought you liked Tuck and Addy.”

  “I do. You know I do. I feel almost like they’re my little sisters. But they aren’t, and you can’t expect Sarah to feel that way. The house will be crowded as it is.”

  Lexie gasped, unable to speak at his words. Sarah didn’t want her here either. Frustration and helpless anger rose inside until she felt like she’d explode.

  Will hit the porch rail with his hat. “I’m going to the store to pick up some things for Aunt Kate before I get started in the fields. But this isn’t the end of this discussion, Lexie. When Sullivan gets back, he’ll have to make different arrangements.”

  Lexie clenched her fists against her hips and watched Will ride away. How could he take Sarah’s side against his own sister? No one had ever come between them before. The girl must be utterly selfish and self-centered, only thinking about her own comforts.

  Whirling, she stomped into the house. “Aunt Kate,” she called out, storming into the kitchen, “can you believe that selfish girl?”

  “If you are talking about your brother’s bride-to-be, I don’t think she’s selfish at all.” Aunt Kate wiped her hands on a dishcloth and poured two cups of coffee, placing them on the table. “Sit down, Lexie, and please lower your voice. I’m surprised the girls are still sleeping with your screeching.”

  Lexie dropped into a chair, disbelief washing over her. Was Aunt Kate turning against her, too?

  “But Aunt Kate—”

  “Shhh. Let me talk a minute, Alexandra.” Aunt Kate scooped sugar into both cups then added cream.

  “Sarah comes from a large family, you know. Before her father married Wanda, Sarah took care of her brothers and sisters for years, without a word of complaint. Now she’s about to be a new bride, coming into a new family. She has never said a word about sharing her home with an old aunt and a sister-in-law. In fact, she loves us both and accepted us from the moment she and Will started going around together. But the sudden addition of two rambunctious children must have seemed overwhelming to her.”

  “But—”

  “Let me finish, please.”

  Lexie sighed and leaned back.

  “Becoming a new bride is a wondrous thing, but I should imagine also a little bit frightening under the best of circumstances. Perhaps if Sarah were older she could deal with the situation better. And to be fair, she never once said she wouldn’t move in with the twins here. She simply expressed her doubts and fear. Will loves her and wants her to be happy. You can’t fault him for that.”

  Lexie stirred her coffee. All right, maybe Aunt Kate had a point, but she still thought Sarah was being selfish. And after what Will had said, she knew Sarah felt Lexie was in the way, too. “I don’t know what to do, Aunt Kate.” Lexie bit her bottom lip and looked off into the distance. “I’ve committed to caring for the girls. If they can’t stay here, neither can I. I’ve no idea what to do.”

  “Jesus knows. Let’s try asking Him.”

  Anger began a slow simmer in Lexie’s heart. “I’m not sure He listens.”

  “Alexandra Rayton, what a terrible thing to say.”

  “I know, I know. I’m sorry. But sometimes it seems as though He doesn’t hear me. Or at least He doesn’t bother to answer.”

  “Or perhaps you don’t hear His answer because you don’t take time to listen for it. Or perhaps you refuse to hear because it isn’t the one you want.” Aunt Kate shook her head. “One thing I know, it isn’t God’s fault.”

  Lexie jumped up. “I’m going for a walk.” She slammed out the back door and headed for the creek. Why couldn’t anything ever go the way she planned? This was all Sarah’s fault. No matter what Aunt Kate thought, the girl was plain selfish. And not only that…why didn’t God ever answer when she prayed?

  An image of Jack Sullivan flashed through her mind. Of course, when she prayed about Tuck and Addy she was under a false understanding. God did answer her. It just took some time for her to hear the truth. Was Aunt Kate right? Did she only hear God when His answer was pleasing to her?

  She sighed and bit her lip. To be truthful, Sarah had never been anything but sweet and kind before this. Was Lexie being unfair?

  But God, what can I do? Where can we go?

  Chapter 12

  Darkness had fallen by the time Jack arrived at the farm. The run to St. Louis and back, with several side trips, had been full of problems. For the first time since he’d hired on as a boy on his first boat, Jack was glad to be on land. Maybe he was getting old. He chuckled. Pap still considered him a boy, not quite dry behind the ears.

  He’d planned to go get the twins, but by the time he could make himself presentable and drive over to the Rayton farm, they’d probably be in bed. Better wait until morning.

  After taking care of the horse and wagon, he started hauling water into the house to heat up for a bath.

  He only hoped everything had gone well while he’d been gone. Had the twins behaved themselves? They could be a handful sometimes. But it was only orneriness. They were good kids who didn’t deserve the bad breaks life had handed them. He knew it was only fair to Tuck and Addy to continue looking for a family, but he’d sure miss them. If he were a married man, he wouldn’t think twice about adopting them.

  A chill went through him. What if Miss Rayton had already found someone to take them? Would she have turned them over without talking to him first? He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. She felt the same way he did about the girls. The look in her beautiful blue eyes when they rested on one of the twins was as tender as a mother’s glance.

  Her face had invaded his thoughts as well as his dreams nearly every night since he’d been gone. Her eyes, which had often been stormy with anger in real life, were dancing with teasing laughter in his dreams. And her hair, which in reality was usually pulled back neatly in a bun, fell in a cascade of thick, shiny, black curls.

  The beautiful but volatile Miss Rayton would most likely crack him over the head with a broom handle if she could see into his thoughts and laugh out loud when she did it. She more than likely had a dozen suitors at her door. Besides, what would she want with a river rat like him, even if he was the owner of a rusty old scow?

  A pang of guilt shot through him for calling the Julia Dawn a scow. She was a fine steamboat and had not only made a fair living for him but had given him many a moment of joy on the river.

  Well, what in thunder was the matter with him? You’d think his life on the Julia Dawn was over the way he was thinking. He wasn’t ready to turn in his sea legs yet.

  With a derisive snort, he poured a final bucket of hot water into the old wooden washtub, relieved to see it wasn’t leaking. He really should purchase one of the new galvanized ones on his retu
rn trip.

  “Mr. Jack!” Tuck ran around the side of the house, yelling like an entire war party. One of her braids hung loose in curly tangles from the wind.

  Jack grinned and jumped down from the wagon. “Hey there, Tuck. Miss me that much?”

  She grabbed him around the waist and squeezed, then leaned back and cocked her head. “Naw, just trying to make you feel welcome.”

  He laughed and ruffled her hair, then looked up as the front door swung open.

  Addy flew down the steps and grabbed him in almost as hard a bear hug as her sister’s.

  “Mr. Jack, I’m so glad you’re home.” Addy’s eyes shone with delight.

  “Mr. Sullivan, we weren’t expecting you.”

  Jack glanced toward the porch. Alexandra Rayton stood there with a flustered look on her face, wiping her hands on a splotched apron. In spite of her disheveled appearance, a thrill went through Jack at the sight of her, and he took a deep breath. How could any woman look so enticing in a stained apron and a plain housedress?

  Jack removed himself gently from the twins’ arms and removed his hat as he stepped over to the porch. “I’m sorry if I’ve inconvenienced you. I only have today and tomorrow at home, and I wanted to take the girls right away.”

  “It’s no inconvenience. My aunt and I are making jelly, but it will only take a moment to gather Tuck’s and Addy’s things.”

  “Thanks, I’d appreciate it.” He smiled, taking in her smooth skin and the dark, curly tendrils that had come loose and hung on either side of her face. Enchanting.

  She blushed and turned quickly to the girls. “Tuck, Addy, why don’t you start gathering your things up? I’ll be there in a minute.”

  After the girls had gone inside, she motioned Jack to one of the rocking chairs while she sat in the other. “Mr. Sullivan, I don’t quite know how to say this…” She hesitated and bit her bottom lip.

  Oh no, she was tired of caring for the girls. Not that he minded taking them on the boat if necessary, but he knew it wasn’t the best thing for two little girls.

  She cleared her throat. “You see, my brother is getting married next month, and he and his bride think it will be too crowded with all of us here.”