OUT OF THE DARKNESS (THE PRESCOTT SERIES)

by B. J. McMinn

“Don’t say anything to scare her away. I have plans for her,” Margaret yelled, surprised by Jason’s haste.

  “Well, Sis, I have plans of my own for her,” Jason said. Before Margaret could question him further, he gave John a pointed look and a nod before he stepped out the door.

  Margaret looked at her husband. “What was that all about?”

  “It’s not up to me to say anything. Jason will tell you soon enough.”

  She and John had lain in bed last night and she’d explained her idea of Jason and Jade getting married to provide a home for Emma, Jade, and her child. Jade would be good for her brother and a wonderful mother to her niece, she’d told him.

  They needed to go home, and she was at a loss on how to accomplish this fete in such a short time. It wasn’t often she felt out of her depth as she did now.

  John cupped her cheek and smoothed her brow with his thumb. He leaned over and kissed her. Margaret always enjoyed John’s kisses, but the image in her mind was not one of them thrashing around on the bed as they made love but of Jason making a mess of things with Jade.

  “I better go see what he’s up to. He was acting strange. I don’t want him to hurt her feelings,” Margaret informed him. She started to rise from the table when John took her hand.

  “You know he wouldn’t deliberately hurt Jade,” he smiled. Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed each fingertip. His eyes spoke volumes as he looked into hers with all the love and devotion he’d always shown her. John was her anchor in life. His level headedness always tempered her more pertinacious nature.

  “You’ve got to let them figure this out on their own. Jason wants Jade for his daughter and you want Jade for your brother. But, the question is, what does Jade want?

  CHAPTER 15

  She wanted love, Jade thought, but most of all she wanted a safe place for her child to grow. Maybe the future would bring back the past, and she would be able to conquer the darkness. Jade knew it was Jason’s voice she heard during the night. The voice she followed without fear, into the safety of his presence.

  Would he be willing to marry her knowing she had terrifying nightmares? Would he want his daughter exposed to cries in the night and silence during the day? Now that she had made up her mind to accept his offer, doubts began to arise. What if he didn’t ask? What would she do? Where would she go?

  The backdoor slammed, and the sound vibrated on each of her nerve endings. Jason marched toward her with such a look of determination on his face that Jade felt a moment of trepidation. His confident stride and the masculine length of his body brought a hint of color to her cheeks. She put her foot to the ground to stop the forward motion of the swing, causing dust to curl up around the hem of her dress.

  Jason didn’t halt his hurried pace until he stood precisely before Jade. Jade’s eyes were in a direct line with the top button of his trousers. She slowly lifted her eyes, passed over the flat plane of his stomach, across his well-defined chest to his throat where she could see him swallow hard several times. A hint of dark hair curled out from the vee of his shirt where it was unbuttoned. Her gaze traveled upward. His face had just come into view when it disappeared.

  Stunned, her gaze dropped swiftly to where Jason’s face was now even with hers. He had one knee under him and the other bent with his booted foot planted firmly on the ground. From the expression on his face, she didn’t know if the pose was for balance or a quick start to a fast escape.

  He was going to bungle this, he knew he was, Jason castigated himself. He had never asked Sue Ellen to marry him, they had sort of just drifted into it after her father left town without her. Jason saw Jade’s eyes grow wide and knew he was going to get one chance and one chance only, so he had better do this right.

  He reached up, pulled her hands loose from the rope to rest in her lap, and covered them with his. Slowly, as he had done each night, his thumb created soothing circles on the back of her hands. He watched their hands and felt his tender touch calm her as it always did. Taking a steady breath to gain his composure, he began with deliberate reasoning. Confessing a deep affection for her would only make a mockery of the ‘marriage of convenience’ he was proposing. They had known each other such a short time.

  He couldn’t tell her how she made his blood run hot and heavy. How thoughts of her inflamed his senses, or of the impact her startling green eyes had on him, those were not the things a man told a woman to assure her that he’d adhere to the terms of an unconsummated marriage. He wanted her to feel comfortable enough with him to stay. Not be frightened of something that may have happened in her past.

  “Jade, I realize you may not understand the situation here, but, I would like to explain things to you if you’d listen.” He looked up. No response, just her steady green gaze fastened on his face, so he proceeded. “My wife died when Emma was born. Emma has been living with Margaret and John in town since then. I try to see her as much as possible, but with winter nearly here, I may not see her until next spring.”

  Jason felt her hand tremble slightly. Not good. Swaying her to his way of thinking would take finesse on his part, not the bluntness he used with John. He would play his ace in the hole first then let the rest fall where they may.

  A breeze wafted gently in the treetops. A strand of Jade’s lovely red hair caught in the dampness of her full lower lip she had been worrying with her tongue. The sight of her little pink tongue gliding around the edge of her lips made Jason think of long winter nights and hot passionate love. Desire licked its way up his spine, or, was that down his spine. Either direction, it settled in his groin. Jason expelled a long breath and tapped down on the lust curling its way inside him.

  “The ranch is a good place to raise children. If you have nowhere to go, it would be a good place to raise your child.”

  Jason waited for some indication she understood. Her eyes, which he could not keep himself from drowning in, flickered. Yes, he could see something in their depths to give hope. Either to her or himself, he didn’t know which. With this bit of encouragement, Jason proceeded to outline a life before them.

  He described his duties as a rancher, letting her know he would not be constantly under foot. Of course, she would be responsible for the house and its upkeep. He was not rich, nor was he poor. She would be well taken care of.

  How, Jason wondered, was he going to approach this next subject without sounding like a complete and utter fool? What if she had already made plans for her future? A much different future from what he offered? He tamped down the doubts that assailed him. Nothing would be gained if he became unsure of himself now. He hesitated, took another deep breath, and forged onward.

  “For obvious reasons marriage would be a necessity. We wouldn’t want to be susceptible to ready gossip by the local town’s people. Let me assure you, although you don’t know me well, I would not force myself on you, or give you any reason to fear me.”

  Jade’s cheeks flushed. Jason let out a breath. Yes, she understood what he was saying. It was one burden lifted. Although she spoke no words, Jason knew he would not be taking advantage of her lack of knowledge of the situation. She had not drawn back at his words or gone running to Margaret for protection. Good so far, he took another deep breath and continued.

  “I’ll raise your child as my own, and I hope you do the same for Emma.”

  Everything relied on this pivotal point. The love they felt for their children. He looked straight into those deep green pools and plunged in.

  “Jade, would you marry me?” The expression on her face was not one of surprise, as he expected, but one of acquiescence.

  He had never felt so unsure of himself, or as awkward as he did at this moment. His breath seemed non-existent. His lungs ached. His heart pounded so hard it echoed in his ears. His stomach felt empty even though they had just eaten. Nerves tautened like a bowstring just before the arrow was released. No wonder men dreaded proposing to women if this was the suffering they went through, Jason agonized. This was an ordeal he neve
r wanted to repeat.

  His hands stilled upon hers as he waited for some indication as to what her answer would be. How would he know if she answered? What sign would she give? What if he misinterpreted the answer she gave? His thoughts were as jumbled as his nerves.

  No, Jade realized, Jason had not changed his mind with the light of day, well, she would not change hers, either. She had come to a hard decision. Safety for her and her child, or love. Love existed on some plain she felt familiar with, but, as an unknown entity. She would take the cautious side and settle for safety.

  Jade moved her hand in Jason’s, and felt their strength. His palms were callused, yet not abrasive. They were the hands of a man who worked hard. A man who took pride in his accomplishments. This man of strength with his tender touch was proud, but not too proud to admit his love for his daughter.

  Her hands, which he held, turned to clasp his much larger ones. Her eyes which wavered from his intense stare, softened. There was an almost imperceptible nod of her head, and a small grin played upon her soft, full lips.

  “Are you sure?” Jason couldn’t believe he just asked that. What was he trying to do, give her the opportunity to change her mind?

  Her answer was an intensified nod of her head as her grin widened into a full blown, heart-wrenching smile.

  Jason smiled in return. No mistaking her answer this time. Exhaling for the first time in what could only be hours, he was sure his troubles were over. But, as he looked into Jade’s face with her green eyes alight with…with what he couldn’t quite tell. He couldn’t help but wonder if his troubles hadn’t just begun.

  Standing suddenly, Jason brought Jade to her feet still holding her hand. Before he could step back, her body brushed against his, causing his breath to quicken. If he weren’t careful, she would think he was already going back on his word. Thankfully, she hadn’t looked down to find his wayward body acting like a wild stallion in a herd of unfamiliar mares.

  Turning abruptly, he led Jade across the yard to the backdoor. By the time they were at the door, Jason had himself under control again. Opening it, he waited for her to enter. Control, Jason chastised himself, it would take control. Deep breaths and plenty of cold baths. He could do this. He had to, for Emma’s sake.

  Margaret and John were at the table, the dishes cleaned and put away. John held a cup of coffee to his lips while Margaret’s cup sat on the table cradled in her hands. Jason led Jade to a chair and held it for her to be seated, then took the chair next to her.

  Now, to explain to Margaret the necessity of what he and Jade had agreed to. He and Margaret had always been close, each respecting the other’s decisions, but could he make her see how this would be the best for all concerned. Margaret wouldn’t be burdened with Emma–of course, he knew she didn’t think of Emma as a burden. Jade and her baby would have a home and he would have his daughter on the ranch where she belonged. If his mind just happened to keep stumbling over the fact that Jade, as his wife, would be on the ranch too, well, he would deal with that later.

  Jason looked down and become aware of his hand still clasped to Jade’s. Margaret gave him a pointed look but he ignored her. His gaze sought John’s instead.

  No help coming from that quarter.

  John looked very smug with a touch of amusement sparkling in his dark eyes. Jason felt certain he was on his own as far as Margaret was concerned. John had learned during their courtship that what Margaret set her mind to, she did.

  He took a deep breath. He had been doing that a lot in the last hour. If he kept it up, he was going to be too dizzy–from a lack of oxygen–to explain to Margaret that he and Jade intended to marry. The situation was incredible enough without going ‘round and round and tripping over his tongue. Now. Should he start at the beginning, in the middle or–

  “Jade and I have decided to get married.”

  Margaret’s expression was more shocked than John’s had been. That’s it, get right to the point. Maybe, Margaret’s objections would be too overwhelmed by the abruptness of his announcement, Jason thought hopefully.

  “When?” Margaret asked, making a quick recovery.

  In her no nonsense manner Margaret suggested, “Why not send for Preacher Evans to come to the ranch, we could have the wedding right here, tomorrow?”

  “Well, uh,” Jason stammered.

  Where were all the motherly objections he had readied himself to fend off? His gaze swerved to John where he only received an unassuming shrug of his shoulders. Margaret’s question took him by surprise. He hadn’t gotten past Jade’s acceptance or rejection to plan any further.

  Jason looked at Jade, who looked perplexed but agreeable. His eyes fell on John, who only grinned, then at Margaret, who was waiting impatiently for his answer. Hell, when Margaret got things moving she didn’t let any grass grow under her feet, that’s for sure. But, the sooner the better. He didn’t want anything interfering to change Jade’s mind.

  “If Jade doesn’t object, tomorrow would be fine.”

  He saw Jade’s small nod and felt her hand give his a tiny squeeze. Jason was glad he had not relinquished her hand or he would have missed that minuscule movement. The heat he felt from her fingers was working its way up his arm, and he feared, straight to his heart.

  “Good. Now Jade and I have a lot to do. You men skedaddle. You can keep the children entertained while we women get to work.” Margaret was on her feet and giving instruction to any who would listen.

  He and John grabbed a girl under their arms. With Tyler following close on their heels they made it out the door before she gave them more to do.

  “Jason, send one of the hands to town for Preacher Evans,” she managed to say before the door banged shut behind them.

  CHAPTER 16

  Late that night, Margaret sat making adjustments to a dress for Jade by the light of an oil lamp. She was stunned to think Jason would consider marriage without considerable nudging from her. He had figured out the solution to his and Jade’s problem, long before she thought he would. She was thankful he had taken matters into his own hands. She had exhausted her reservoir of little ploys to throw them together. Becoming desperate, her next maneuvers would not have been quite so subtle.

  Thankfully, he and Jade hadn’t argued about a quick wedding. She wasn’t about to give either one of them time to get cold feet, she thought, as she sewed another stitch.

  Margaret finished hemming the dress she had altered for Jade to wear for her wedding tomorrow. The thread snipped easily as she bit it with the edge of her teeth as her grandmother had taught her. With a snap of her wrist, she shook the wrinkles from the dress.

  Not able to sleep after going to bed, she decided to finish the dress before Jade woke in the morning. Adding lace, to trim around the square neck of the vibrant green gown and matching lace to the edge of the sleeves gave the gown an elegant appearance. All in all, it looked rather nice for a last minute effort. Green might not be the most favored color for a bridal gown, but with Jade’s red hair and coloring, it would be very attractive.

  When she heard a door open, her gaze turned to see Jason discreetly tiptoeing out of Jade’s bedroom. She frowned. His shirt was unbuttoned, half tucked into his trousers, as if, he was either half dressed or half undressed. His stocking feet tread quietly on the floor. He had walked halfway to his room before he noticed her sitting in the chair. In the dim light of the lantern, she could see his face turn a ruddy red. Goodness, even the edge of his ears had turned a bright pink.

  ~~~

  Jason walked slowly to the chair across from Margaret’s to sit down. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, running his hands through his hair.

  “What are you doing up?” Jason asked with a hint of irritability, embarrassed at being caught coming from Jade’s room after midnight.

  “Sewing,” Margaret explained by holding up a dress.

  She gave him one of her ‘I’m waiting for an answer’ looks.

  “I can explain,” Jason apol
ogize.

  “Please do.”

  Margaret sat patiently with her hands folded in her lap and refrained from commenting on his embarrassment and waited for him to explain why he’d come from Jade’s bedroom at this late hour.

  “It’s not what it looks like,” Jason said, his voice strained.

  “I should hope not,” Margaret replied calmly.

  “She has nightmares,” he explained. “Each night I go to her room to talk and soothe her fears. She sleeps better and when the nightmares leave, so do I.” He wanted his sister to think as highly of him as she always had, nor did he want her to think less of Jade.

  Margaret reached over and brushed a stray lock of his hair back from his forehead as she so often did when he was a young boy.

  “You’re a good man Jason, and I love you dearly.”

  Growing up, he and Margaret had shared a special relationship. As adults, they respected each other’s judgment and upon occasion sought each other’s council. Hopefully she wouldn’t judge him out of hand, now.

  “You didn’t say much about us getting married?” Jason queried.

  “I think it’s a fine idea. Emma will be here with you, and John and I won’t have to worry about you being here all alone.” A bittersweet smile tilted her lips upward.

  He scooted to the edge of his seat. “You understand, it’s not that I believe you care less for Emma, or that you haven’t given her the best of care,” he explained.

  “I understand more than you think I do. And I think there is a lot you and Jade don’t understand about yourselves, but you’ll just have to muddle through on your own.”

  Had Margaret noticed how he looked at Jade, or had John discussed his conclusions with her? He decided to skip her last comment.

  “I appreciate all you’ve done for me and Emma. I would never have gotten by without you.”

  Jason hoped Margaret understood how much she meant to him. The day she married John was the happiest and saddest of his life. He was glad she found the happiness she deserved, but he had missed her.