Love on the Plains

by Knight, Ciara

  “Besides the fact the man’s an animal and that child is mute?” Mrs. Lassiter huffed. “Stupid kids shouldn’t be allowed in school. Their presence slows down the other kids. I’m calling a town meeting, and I’m going to make sure that boy doesn’t come back to school again, ever.”

  “Don’t call my boy stupid.” Dinah fisted her hands.

  “He ain’t your boy.”

  “Whoa, there. What seems to be the problem, ladies?” Colt had abandoned the wagon and was suddenly at Dinah’s side, holding her arms down faster than she thought he could move at this point. Apparently, he had healed well.

  “This gossiping hag is attacking James, saying he doesn’t belong in school.” Dinah struggled against Colt’s grip, but he tightened his fingers around her arms.

  “Relax. This won’t solve anything,” Colt murmured in her ear, soothing her with his words.

  “I’ll behave,” she murmured back. After Colt released her, she turned her attention back to Mrs. Lassiter. “I promise you, my children are excellent students. Kind, well-behaved, and—"

  The school door flew open, and kids raced out cheering and hollering. Sure enough, Paul Lassiter and the McDaniel boys were shoving and pushing and cursing like men in a saloon.

  At least Mrs. McDaniel had the decency to blush.

  James, Anna, and Emma walked out like ladies and a gentleman.

  Dinah grinned. “I think you can see my point. Stay away from my family, or you’ll regret it. Come on, children, let’s head home.” She slid her arm around Colt’s waist and winked at him. “Are you ready to go, dear?”

  Colt grinned from ear to ear, showing more teeth then she knew he had. After they all boarded the wagon, Colt leaned into her. “You know you’ve started a war and given her ammo with which to pin us down.”

  “Something has to be done to keep that woman out of our lives.” Dinah glanced back at James. “He’s a good boy. Smart and capable. I don’t care if he ever speaks again, he’s going to be a great man.”

  “Be careful, Miss McKinnie. You might be getting in too deep.”

  “I don’t care. Someone has to.” She watched James shift, and then Emma moved something around surreptitiously which was hidden under a cover. “What’s that?”

  “None of your business.” Colt flicked the reins, and headed out of town.

  “Is it for me?”

  “Maybe.” Colt scooted closer to her. “Maybe not.”

  “Oh, you. You’re such a tease.” Dinah playfully slapped him with a giggle.

  “You’ll have to wait to find out. Did you mail the letter to Cora?”

  Her body warmed at Colt’s willingness to help her bring her sisters to Sioux City. But as much as she knew he was a good man, Colt needed to believe it, too. “Yes, I did. I’m not sure how long it will be until she gets it, but I’m hopeful she’ll respond quickly.” She shivered at the cooling temperatures. “The weather is so different here. Will the winter be brutal?”

  “If you’re not used to snow, then yes. Don’t worry, though. I’ll keep you warm.” He winked.

  Her face and neck warmed at his display. The thought of James helping with the wood chopping, Anna teaching Dinah to knit, Emma playing next to a roaring fire while Dinah snuggled on the sofa with Colt, all sounded like a fantasy. “You know, Mrs. Lassiter had a point,” she said, her voice low.

  “That we live in sin?”

  “No.” She leaned in close and whispered in his ear, “It’s about James. I want to talk to the doctor again. There must be something else we can do. He does his homework and classwork. According to Miss Putnam, he’s brilliant at math. But he has no friends.”

  Colt shrugged. “He has Emma and Anna.”

  “That’s not enough.” Dinah sighed. “I wish I knew what to do. I’d do anything to help him.”

  Colt guided the horse down the path through the prairie, and she caught sight of the house. Her home, their home. Her heart rose in her chest.

  “You’re a good woman, Dinah McKinnie.”

  His words caressed her self-esteem and inflated her confidence. “Maybe I should go back to homeschooling him. I don’t want him to be run out of school because people are afraid of him. It would hurt him too much.”

  “He’s a boy who will be a man someday. He’ll have to fight his own battles, soon enough.”

  “Maybe so, but he doesn’t need to do it right now. I’m here.”

  Emma scooted closer to them, so they changed to a new topic.

  “Did you have fun today?” Colt asked.

  “Uh, huh,” the little girl answered. “I found a bug. It was big. The other girls screamed and ran, but I picked it up. Miss Putnam says I’m brave.”

  “You are indeed so brave.” Dinah offered her the proudest smile she could form. The little girl was brave. She’d been through so much in her young life.

  They rode the rest of the distance in silence, each thinking about something far away, until they came to the edge of the property. Colt suddenly pulled the horse to a stop. His gaze was fixed on the house.

  “What is it?” Dinah asked.

  Colt narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. “Don’t know. Thought I saw someone.”

  Dinah watched, but didn’t see anything. “Do you know who it is?”

  “Not sure.” He snapped the reins again, and they rolled forward. “Must still be a little on edge from what happened the night you were almost kidnapped. It’s probably nothing. Still, take the kids inside while I check the barn.”

  Colt pulled the wagon to a stop, and Dinah ushered the children inside.

  “James, can you make a fire?” she asked. “We can do our homework out here this evening.” When the boy went to work staging logs in the fireplace, Dinah had Emma sit down at the kitchen table. “Do you think you can help cut up vegetables for the stew while Anna shows me how to properly cook the meat?” she asked Emma.

  “Uh, huh. I’m a good cook,” the little girl responded with a confident smile.

  Dinah laughed. “Good thing, because I’m not.” If Dinah didn’t know better, she could swear she’d heard a snicker from James. For several minutes, Dinah sat between the girls cutting vegetables, happy to work on something that she couldn’t burn.

  “I’m all done.” Emma beamed.

  James swept Emma away to the rug in front of the fire, and gave her Sally to play with, while he worked on homework. They were all working together as a real family, which made Dinah’s heart want to sing.

  The front door opened, and Colt looked inside, finally catching her gaze with his. “May I talk to you for a moment?”

  Dinah wiped her hands and left Anna in the kitchen. “What is it?”

  He pulled the door shut. “Don’t know, but one of our hogs was killed. It doesn’t look like an animal did it, either.”

  “Maybe someone needed it for food?”

  “Not likely. Whoever killed it, left it there.” Colt removed his hat, ran a hand through his thick hair, and then put the hat back on his head. “I’ll take care of the hog—at least it’s crisp at night so the meat will freeze and won’t go to waste by morning—but let’s keep the children inside for the night. I’ll go to town tomorrow and ask around to see if anyone else had this happen.”

  Colt turned to head back to the barn, but Dinah snagged his sleeve. “Be careful.”

  “Why, ma’am, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you cared.”

  Dinah stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. “You’ll have to come back to find out.”

  “Then I’ll be back as fast as I can.”

  “What about the wagon? Do you want me to unload it?”

  Colt made his way down the porch steps. “You don’t go near that wagon, or you won’t get your surprise.”

  “Surprise?” Dinah called after him.

  “I mean it, woman. You don’t go near that wagon.”

  She stomped her foot playfully, and then returned to help Anna. When they finished preparing supper, Dinah went to
fetch Colt, but before she could reach the door, he entered the house with something wrapped in brown paper under his arm. “After dinner, I have something for you.”

  “After dinner? Why not now?” Dinah felt like Emma, each time Santa Claus was mentioned.

  “Nope, not now.” Colt set the parcel on the sofa. The flames cast a warm glow on his skin and made the room feel homey. She scooted closer to the parcel, but Colt blocked her path, so she eyed Anna. “Are you involved in this?”

  Anna dished up a ham steak onto the plate and shrugged, a smile teasing the corners of her mouth. “Maybe.” She set the plate on the table and said, “James, Emma, dinner.”

  The children raced to the table, and when Emma crawled up into her chair and grabbed a piece of ham, Dinah gently chastised her. “Where are your manners, young lady?” Dinah used a friendly tone.

  “Sorry. I’s hungry, though.”

  “Why are you so hungry?”

  Emma stuck out her lip and crossed her arms over her chest. “One of the McDaniel boys, Adam, took my lunch. Said if I told the teacher, they’d beat up James.”

  James slammed his fist against the table, bringing Colt immediately to his side. With a gentle hand on James’s shoulder, Colt said, “It won’t help to get angry. I’ll go speak with the teacher tomorrow. No one is going to take Emma’s lunch again.”

  Dinah wanted to go beat up the little brat, but she only nodded her agreement and placed an extra piece of ham on Emma’s plate before she sat down and took Anna and Emma’s hands. “I thought we should pray together tonight.”

  Colt cleared his throat and took James and Emma’s hands. “God, please bless these thy gifts we are about to eat. Provide for those less fortunate, and keep us safe. Give us guidance in the things we cannot control and wisdom to handle that which we can. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Anna, Emma, and Dinah all echoed. James nodded.

  The room fell quiet except for the croaks of frogs, the clicking of beetles prevalent on the plains, and the sounds of eating. When everyone had their fill, Colt stood and clapped his hands. “Okay, it’s time.”

  Dinah scanned each of their faces, knowing she was about to get her present. All of them smiled at her, glee and pleasure present on their faces.

  “We have something for you.” Colt handed Dinah the wrapped gift.

  From the weight and feel, she instantly knew it was a dress. She unwrapped the paper and found a simple yet elegant green outfit, a beautiful dress perfect for a party, but without the lace and ridiculously full skirt.

  “I want you to go put it on,” Colt said.

  “Now?”

  “Yes, take your time. We’ll clean up out here.”

  Dinah hadn’t ever seen a dress so pretty. It wasn’t the large hoops she used to wear, but it was beautiful, better. And she knew why: because Colt had gotten it for her.

  Colt extended a hand, and guided her to the bedroom, where he nudged her inside and closed the door after her. “And don’t come out until we tell you to.”

  The door shut, and instead of the savory scent of meat and potatoes, Dinah smelled the aroma of freshly bought material. She stood in the center of the room, eyeing the beautiful dress. She wasn’t sure what had come over Colt and the children, but they obviously had something going on, more than giving her this dress. The way they all looked like they were working together, made her want to join in the fun, so she put on the dress and even fixed her hair…and then waited. Waited for such a long time until she couldn’t wait any more.

  She went to the door. “May I come out now?”

  “No!” All but James shouted. Dinah smiled, then saddened slightly. If only she could figure out how to help poor, mute James. She leaned against the edge of the bed and waited for what seemed like another ten minutes before Colt opened the door.

  Colt froze, his gaze fixed on her, sliding from the hem of her skirt to the top of her shoulders. His attention brought heat to her cheeks. He smiled, a cross between want and admiration, before he waved her to follow.

  When she entered the great room, she found the furniture pushed out of the way. Fall flowers and green leaves had been placed around the room. A heady garden scent filled the space, and the low light from the fireplace set the tone, as if she were entering a grand room for a party.

  “They didn’t have magnolias, but I was able to still find some flowers.” Colt’s voice was rough, almost uncertain.

  “We know you couldn’t go back to your home that you had in the past, so we thought we’d bring it to you,” Anna said.

  Dinah’s breath caught. Each of them looked at her expectantly, and she didn’t know what to say. Tears welled in her eyes and her throat tightened, but she knew she had to say something. “This is the best, most generous thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”

  James bowed and walked over, holding out his hand. Colt lifted a fiddle from the side table and began to play. She didn’t know he even knew how to play an instrument, but he did. And he did it well. She danced with James, and Emma spun around giggling, while Anna clapped and laughed.

  Then they all laughed when Emma spun so fast that she fell on her bottom. After a few songs, Colt set the fiddle down and offered his hand. “I’m afraid I haven’t danced in years, but if you’ll do me the honor.”

  As Anna sang, her voice more beautiful than even Elizabeth’s, the most talented of her sisters, Dinah slipped into his arms and glided around the floor. “I don’t think I’ve ever danced with someone as good as you,” she murmured.

  “You’re too kind, ma’am.” Colt spun her and brought her back to him. “You look beautiful. That color brings out the color of your eyes, and your hair.”

  “You have good taste.” Dinah waited, watching him hover over her. For a moment, she thought he’d kiss her on the lips, but instead he bowed and pressed his lips to her hand. His gaze was wanting, but his stance was distant.

  “This is amazing. Thank you.” She hugged each of the children.

  Colt messed James’ hair. “It’s time for bed, children. Go on, and we’ll come tuck you in.”

  They groaned, but shuffled to their room. When Dinah turned, Colt surrounded her with his arms and kissed her. But this wasn’t just any kiss. This was a surprise, toe-curling, heart-thumping, pulse-racing, knee-weakening kind of kiss.

  When he finally released her, they were both panting and clinging to one another.

  “What was that for?” Dinah breathed.

  “To show you how much I care for you. You’ve changed my life. You’ve taught me how to feel again. Dinah, I’m scared. Scared to lose you now. Since you arrived, my life is full and happy. I want all your sisters to move here and for you to spend the rest of your life happy. That is, if you want to stay here.”

  “Of course, I do.”

  Colt pulled her tighter against him. “You don’t understand. Do you want to stay here, with me? As my wife? Not because you accepted a mail-order proposal, but because you accepted my proposal.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Breathless, Colt waited for Dinah’s answer, but before words could pop out of her beautiful mouth, distant shots sounded in the air. Adrenaline surged through Colt, sending him into battle mode. He’d heard three pops from a revolver. No doubt, in his mind. He instinctively moved Dinah behind him and went to the window.

  “What is it?” Dinah asked, her voice breathy with concern.

  “Gunshots.”

  “I know, but where?”

  Colt waited for a moment, listening, but there was nothing else. “The direction of the McDaniel homestead.”

  Dinah gasped. “What do we do?”

  He was surprised at her concern, considering the way they went on in front of the school earlier, but that was Dinah. She could go head on with someone, but that didn’t mean she meant them any harm. “Nothing we can do. It’s dark, and we don’t know if there’s even anything wrong. They could’ve shot an animal that went after their chickens.” After another minute, he
backed away and forced a smile. He wanted to steer the conversation back around to her staying with him.

  Dinah still stood at attention, ready to fight for her neighbors. She was a good woman. The best. She’d cared for him even when he was rude and cruel. She was special. Like no other woman he’d ever met.

  “It was nothing,” he added. “Even so, I think it’s best if you sleep in the room, and I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight. As you can see, I’m almost all healed up.”

  “Don’t be silly. You won’t fit on the sofa.”

  He knew she wouldn’t relent if he argued head-on, so he tried a different tactic. “It’s that, or I’m in the barn.”

  She bit her bottom lip and eyed the door. “Fine, but we switch back tomorrow night.”

  “What if we didn’t have to?” Colt’s pulse quickened like he was a lad walking a girl home from school.

  Dinah cocked her head to the side and lifted a brow at him. After their time together, he knew that was her inquisitive face.

  “What Mrs. Lassiter said was true. We are living in sin,” he said.

  “We are not. You take that back, Colt Hardin or I’ll…I’ll hit you over the head with that pan.” She hot-footed it over to the kitchen, but he scooped her up into his arms. Holding her tight against him, he looked down at her beautiful face, her pale skin that blushed around her cheeks, those green eyes that shone bright with her surprised expression.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice trembling, her body trembling.

  “I had to keep you from beating me with that pan long enough to talk to you.” Colt slid his arm around her back and brushed his thumb across her lips. “We’ve kissed.”

  “That doesn’t mean we’re sinning.” She huffed, and pressed her palms to his chest.

  He moved his thumb to her cheek and enjoyed the tender, flawless flesh. “We live in this house together, but we’re not married.”

  Her mouth fell open and her lids fluttered. She tried to avert her gaze, but he caught her looking at his lips. Only the sounds of the outdoors and her quickened breath surrounded them. He nuzzled her nose, then moved down her chin to her neck, where he pressed a kiss.