Part of him wanted to run after her, but it would only lead to trouble. If people knew she’d been here they were sure to be outraged. She might not have a good reputation but she was still white. He should have let her make and eat breakfast, though. Had Brent had his milk? An ache throbbed in Juan’s heart. He just felt sorry for her. That was all it was.
He sat down and pounded his fist on the table. Why hadn’t he taken her to his parents’ house? They would have known what to do with her.
After a soft knock on the door, it opened and in stepped Mercy, his brother Greg’s wife. She had the blondest hair he’d ever seen, and she could out rope half the men on the ranch.
She smiled. “I baked too many loaves of bread again.” She laid two fresh loaves on the table. “I saw all the horses in the corral. You should have seen how excited Greg was last night when he saw them. I’d best get back, he’s watching Hannah, and I might get back to find he tried to feed her pancakes. I keep telling him he has to wait until her teeth come in.” She stopped talking and stared at Juan. “What’s wrong?”
“I came home to find food missing, and I found Sonia and her baby here.” He shrugged. “I fed them and let them sleep here last night while I slept in the barn. She’s had a hard time of it, and I just let her walk out this morning with nothing more than a blanket to keep the baby warm. I feel bad.” He stood and went to the window and stared out at the swaying long grass. “I wish I could have gone after her.”
“What about her husband?”
“He was shot dead, and then his father moved in. You should have seen the split lip she had and the bruises. Her parents refuse to take her in.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I should have made her stay, but all I could think about was the trouble it would bring if she was found here. I’d be strung up so fast…” He turned and saw the understanding in Mercy’s eyes.
“How long ago did she leave?”
“Not too long before you got here.”
Mercy smiled and shook her head. “What are you waiting for? Go get her. And bring her and the baby to your ma. She’ll figure something out for the two of them.”
He put on his gun belt and smashed his hat on his head. “I’m riding out. Tell Greg I’ll be back in a while. He can have fun looking over the horses. And Mercy, thank you.” He walked to her and kissed her on the cheek before he left.
Sonia hadn’t gotten far. He found her down the dusty dirt road sitting on a rock trying to sooth a screaming Brent. His gut clenched as he got nearer to her. The short curls of her molasses colored hair were blowing back and forth as the wind gusted. Why had she cut it? It was odd, he’d never seen a woman with short hair before.
He reined in Journey, his gelded paint, and then slid off the horse. At the last minute, he remembered his manners and snatched off his hat, and then he smiled at her. It probably wasn’t much of a smile since he didn’t have anything happy to smile about.
“Juan, you caught me resting instead of walking.” She stood, still trying to quiet Brent by rubbing his back as she held him to her.
“I was looking for you. You two can’t be wandering around with nowhere to go. I’m taking you to my ma. She’ll know what to do.”
Sonia shook her head. “She’ll want Brent but not me. I’ve become an undesirable person since my downfall. I can’t taint her reputation by asking for her help.”
In that moment, he felt her pain of rejection. It was a feeling he was well acquainted with. “She can at least tell us where to go.” He tilted his head as he stared at her while she looked out over the landscape of hills and trees.
She sucked on her lip for a minute. Just as he thought she wasn’t going to answer, she spoke. “I’ll go with you, but I want you to ask her permission for me to be there before I talk to her.” Her voice wobbled.
She startled as he picked her up, baby and all, and placed her on the horse. Then he jumped on behind her. Grabbing the reins, he had her in his arms. Before urging Journey to move, he patted Brent on the back and was surprised when the child stopped crying.
This time his smile was real when Sonia gave him a sidelong look. He spurred Journey on and they were at the big house in no time. He was almost reluctant to jump down. It meant he’d have to remove his arms from Sonia and Brent. He carefully lifted them down, and if there hadn’t been an audience he’d have held her a bit longer.
Hunter and Carlos were there to greet them.
“Will you keep Sonia and Brent company while I talk to Ma?” He didn’t wait for their response; he knew they’d do as he asked.
He climbed the few steps to the porch and walked into the house. His ma was sitting in the rocking chair holding Rose.
The sweet smile he’d grown to appreciate lit her face. He remembered that same smile when he and Carlos had just lost their parents and they’d been left at a fort along the Oregon Trail. No one wanted them, and the man who ran the fort, a man named Bridger, was set to put them out. She was like an angel, swooping in and gathering them both into her arms.
The next thing he knew he and Carlos were part of a big family of orphans. Their pa taught them to love one another as siblings should. His pa was a special man who raised three other brothers on his own. The brothers Mike, Eli, and Jed had families now, but they’d all combined land and now they had a huge spread. They didn’t have to give him his own section to raise horses but they had.
“I’d give you a big hug and kiss,” his ma murmured. “But Rose didn’t sleep well last night and well, she’s finally asleep. I’m almost afraid to put her down lest she wake.”
“I need to talk to you. You remember Sonia Wist, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. She claimed that Greg fathered her baby.” She shook her head.
“I have her with me. Please, Ma, listen before you answer.” He waited for her nod before continuing. “She married Roger Plank, and he died a few months back. Now Roger’s father has moved in with her and her son. Ma, she has a split lip and her face is bruised. I can only imagine how many other bruises she may have. She left and went to her parents who told her to go away. She’d been staying at my place while I was rounding up horses. I don’t know what to do with her. She left this morning, but I knew she had nowhere to go, so I went after her and she’s outside. She didn’t want to come in until you gave your permission. She didn’t want to ruin your good name by associating with her. She has her baby with her, Ma.”
“Here, take Rose and put her in the cradle. Don’t wake her,” she whispered.
He gently took Rose and put her into her wooden cradle without her waking.
“Come on,” his ma said as she took his hand in hers. “If she matters to you, she matters to me, Juan. Let’s go and invite her inside.”
Relief coursed through him at her words. He gave her hand a quick squeeze before he let go, and then he held the door open for her when they went outside.
The look of fear in Sonia’s eyes touched him and angered him. He’d like to go beat Wendell Plank, but he’d be sure to be strung up for it. It had taken a lot of practice to learn to remain calm in public.
His ma put her arms around Sonia, and the tears in Sonia’s eyes made him hurt inside.
“I’m Lynn, Sonia. Welcome. I hear you’re having a hard time. Let’s go inside and get you and your boy something to eat, and then we’ll talk. I’m sorry for the way things turned out for the both of you.”
“Oh boy, she’s a crier,” Carlos groaned. Juan chuckled as he went inside. Carlos had a lot to learn.
Chapter Two
Sonia looked around as she entered the large house. It appeared bigger than it looked from outside. There was nothing fancy about it, but it looked homey and inviting, with patterned quilts hanging on the walls. There were numerous chairs circled in front of the massive rock fireplace. Glancing at the kitchen, her jaw almost opened. There were two cook stoves, and the dining table was the longest she’d ever seen.
“Can I get you a cup of tea?” Lynn asked as she gesture
d for Sonia and Brent to sit down in front of the fireplace. “Juan, could you move the coffee table in front of the chair Sonia is going to sit in?”
Without a word Juan lifted the square table and set it so Sonia would have a place to put her tea. When he was done, he laid his hand on her shoulder and gave her an encouraging squeeze. Looking up, she met his gaze and nodded. She could do this despite her stomach filling with butterflies. Lynn would probably give her a few words of wisdom and send her on her way.
Lynn and Smitty Settler had a houseful. There probably wasn’t room for her. She glanced at the baby girl sleeping peacefully and her eyes widened at the sight of two more cradles, both empty.
Sonia swallowed hard as waves of longing washed over her. They wouldn’t want someone with her reputation tainting their good home. She’d enjoy the tea and go on her way.
Lynn came back with a tray holding a teapot and three cups. She placed the tray on the table and handed Juan a cup. “Coffee for you, Juan. I know how much you hate tea.”
There was love in Juan’s eyes as he smiled at his mother. He was a good man. If he cared for his ma that much, imagine how much love he had to give a wife and children.
Brent began to fuss, and he didn’t seem to want to be comforted by her. The heat spreading over her face just made it worse, and her frustration brought on jerky movements as she tried to pat his back. What kind of mother couldn’t quiet her own child?
“What’s his name?” asked Lynn softly.
“Brent. He’s almost seventeen months old.”
“He’s not walking yet? Does he talk at all?” Lynn held out her arms. “Here, let me hold him.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Sonia gave her son over to Lynn and was surprised how quiet he became.
Lynn looked Brent over and then sat in a rocking chair and rubbed his back as she held him against her shoulder. After a short time, she glanced up. “He’s sleeping.” She stood and carried him over to one of the empty cradles and set him down. The she covered him with a baby blanket.
“What’s your trick, Ma?” Juan asked.
“Babies can tell if you’re nervous, and then it’s hard for them to settle down. Happens a lot with new mothers.” Lynn poured the tea and handed Sonia a cup. “Do you want sugar or milk in it?”
“No, thank you this is lovely.”
Lynn sat back down and smiled. “First of all, Brent is adorable, but he should be babbling and perhaps talking by now. Just a word here and there. I’m also concerned he isn’t walking yet. He may be a bit delayed.”
Sonia’s heart squeezed. She didn’t even know when a baby should start walking or talking. “It’s all my fault. I didn’t know…”
“It’s not your fault. Babies teach themselves at first. They crawl then start pulling themselves up and lean against furniture. Soon enough they start to walk. Not all children are the same though. They all learn at a different rate.”
“I…I had to keep him in the bedroom whenever Roger was home. Then at night he’d carry the empty drawer I was using as a cradle into the main room. He wanted nothing to do with him. His father Wendell acted pretty much the same. He’d get so mad when Brent would cry. He thought it was my fault. They were both hateful men.”
Lynn reached over and gave Sonia’s hand a gentle squeeze. “You’re safe now.” She leaned back in the chair and stared at Juan. “I think the best course of action is to have you live here for a while. But you must take care of Brent yourself. I’m always willing to lend a hand but my hands are pretty full. I think you’ll like it here.” Lynn gave her a big smile that warmed Sonia’s heart.
Relief flooded through her. She had a place to stay for now.
The door opened, and a bunch of noisy kids of all ages pushed through, tumbling and stumbling over one another.
“Hush!” admonished Lynn.
They all fell silent as they stopped and stared at Sonia. There were several new faces in the group, but she’d known a few of them. Many used to stop into her parent’s mercantile, but her father had put a stop to it. He’d called them dirty beggars and chased them away. Sonia’s face heated at the memory.
“What’s she doing here?” Will asked, scowling.
“I would have thought she’d be too ashamed to show her face around here,” Scarlett scoffed as she folded her arms in front of herself.
Hunter frowned. “What’s going on? Ma, do I need to escort her off the property?”
“Oh, my!” Scarlett exclaimed, pointing at the cradle. “She’s leaving her baby here. I knew it. I knew you weren’t any good. Greg really got lucky when he didn’t marry you.” Scarlett whirled and glared at Sonia.
Lynn stood up. “Keep your voices down. Rose is finally sleeping and so is little Brent. I suggest we all go outside and have a discussion about how rude my children are. Scoot now.”
Sonia stayed in her chair. They probably didn’t want her out there, and she didn’t want to hear what they had to say.
“Sonia,” Lynn said gently. “Come on, this concerns you.” She waited at the door until Sonia joined her.
Shame and fear filled her, and it took everything she had to follow Lynn outside. Now all the kids were giving her dirty looks.
“I don’t want to cause any trouble,” she said to Lynn. “I think it best I leave.”
“Good idea!” Will shouted.
“Stop it this minute. Sonia needs our help.” Lynn shook her head.
Will glowered. “Hunter, I guess you’ll have to marry her. When is the baby due?”
Sonia took in a loud sharp breath. “I was just on my way.”
Lynn put her arm around Sonia’s waist. “I’ve raised you all better than this. I’m so disappointed in all of you. Sonia needs a place to stay for a while, and I offered to let her stay with us. It’s my decision, and you don’t get a say. Now I want you all to apologize to Sonia, and I expect better behavior from all of you.”
Movement in the corner of her eye caught Sonia’s attention. Smitty was walking toward them, and he didn’t look happy. “What’s this all about?” He stared at Sonia with expressionless eyes.
Lynn let go of Sonia and walked to Smitty’s side. “You remember Sonia, don’t you?”
“Yes I do.” He didn’t sound happy either.
“Roger died, and his father moved in, and she has bruises.”
Smitty’s gaze met Lynn’s. “The baby?”
“He’s here.”
Smitty nodded. “Sonia, come here please.”
She shook as she walked to him. The next thing she knew she was in his arms as he hugged her. It was the most soul-healing hug she’d ever gotten, and it saddened her when it ended.
“You’re more than welcome to stay with us. I see the bruises now. Why don’t you go inside with Lynn so she can doctor you up. Where’s your baby?”
“He’s inside, Mr. Settler,” she answered quietly.
“Call me Smitty. Hunter will do baby duty, Cindy and Mia can cook tonight. Anthony and Jax can do the dishes. Will, I want you to take a walk with me, you too, Scarlett.” Smitty’s orders weren’t questioned.
Sonia was surprised as she watched Cindy and Mia hustle inside while Will and Scarlett walked toward the barn with Smitty. It felt a bit cold without Smitty near. She wouldn’t stay too long.
“Come on, Sonia, it’ll be fine.” Lynn smiled and then she turned and walked into the house.
Sonia hesitated for a moment, but Brent’s cry made her decision for her and she quickly went inside. She picked him up and soothed him. It was a relief when he quieted so fast.
Hunter approached her, and she looked into his blue eyes. He looked dependable. He held out his arms and took the baby. He held Brent against his shoulder while he patted the baby’s back. “It’ll be fine. Go on with, Ma.”
Sonia gave him a grateful smile and went up the stairs with Lynn. She was led into a room with four beds, one against each wall. It was a pleasant enough bedroom with colorful quilts on each bed.
Ly
nn gestured toward the bed against the same wall the door was located in. “This will be yours. We’ll carry the cradle up at night so Brent can sleep near you. Then we’ll bring it back down in the morning. It seems to work out well enough. Now sit and take off that dress while I gather some supplies and a clean dress for you.”
Overwhelmed by Lynn’s kindness, Sonia began to shake. To cover it, she nodded and turned away.
With a soft sigh, Lynn turned and left the room.
Juan’s eyes narrowed as he watched Greg head toward him wearing a big ole grin. That was odd, since his brother saved most of his smiles for Mercy.
Juan turned away and put his foot up on the bottom rung of the wooden fence that made up the horse corral. Greg could grin all he wanted. Juan just didn’t want to know.
Greg stood next to him and put his foot on the rung too. “Guess what!”
Juan wanted to groan out loud. “What?”
“You’re not going to guess?”
“Nope, and I don’t want to know. Unless it has something to do with my niece, Hannah. Otherwise don’t tell me.”
Greg frowned. “You take the fun out of everything. We’ve been summoned for supper tonight. Something about meeting your girlfriend.” Greg stared at him but he couldn’t keep a straight face. “I thought you said you never wanted a girlfriend.”
Juan shook his head and scowled. “It’s your girlfriend. I’m just being nice.”
Greg appeared dumbfounded. “My girlfriend? Those could be considered fightin’ words.”
This time Juan smiled. It was fun to get Greg riled. “It’s Sonia.”
“Sonia Wist?” Greg’s eyebrows rose. “Thought she married that Roger fella. What happened that you had to be nice? I know it goes against your grain.”
Juan grunted. “Roger is six feet under, and his father came to live with Sonia and her baby boy. Seems Wendell can’t keep himself from hitting her.” Juan turned until he faced Greg. “Her parents disowned her, and she’d been staying at my place on and off while I was away catching horses. She didn’t even have a coat to wear.”
Juan Page 2