She felt all resolve melting. There had to be a way. “I’ll have to stay long enough to sell the livestock.” She laughed at how grand that sounded. “There’s only the two horses, a cow, and six pigs…but still. I’m sure Mr. Blythe would take them.”
“Maybe he’ll take the house too.”
“He wants to, but Harp may lay claim to the house.”
“I thought he was due back in September. Maybe Mr. Blythe could look after the place until then. It wouldn’t hurt to ask.”
No, it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Except Harp wasn’t coming back, and Mr. Blythe was bound to start making inquiries. And find someone who’d confirm Harp had already returned home. Which would lead to other inquiries.
Her fingers went to her temple and touched the bruised eye, making her flinch. “I’ll have to think on it some more.”
Jake finally released her hand. She missed the warmth. And the strength. “I wish I had a place for you in Nebraska, but the truth is, I don’t have a right to ask you to marry me until I can build a house. The sad thing is, Juliette, I don’t own anything except my horse and clothes.
“I could get a loan from Rhyan, though, and he’d let me have some land if I keep working for him. He’s done that for cowhands when they get married. Lumber’s expensive out there, but I’ve heard you can order a house through the catalog. Soon as I get back, I’m going to see how much they cost.”
“It’s probably best to wait for both of us,” she said, though her words carried no conviction. Somehow, she feared if she let Jake go out of her life, she’d never see him again.
Chapter 12
Dr. Kane brought Jake a pair of crutches and pronounced him out of danger. Miss Lydee and Juliette decided to make a celebration dinner of barbecued ribs, potato salad, and a variety of garden vegetables—a sort of farewell party before he left to return to Nebraska the next day. Along with Thad and Corky.
A festive mood prevailed despite the fact Juliette decided she and Annie would have to stay behind. How she would miss Thad and Corky. But she’d miss Jake more. She’d promised him to come to the little prairie town by September, provided he could convince Mrs. Cason to give her the librarian job.
She’d decided she would risk Harp’s body being discovered. It was possible, even likely, it never would be. If she could make peace with her conscience, she’d live with the secret.
Hopefully, waiting until September would give her enough time to sell the livestock. She had very little in her bank account and could use the money. Thad had already asked Mr. Blythe if he’d watch the house until Harp returned. As far as Juliette was concerned, Mr. Blythe could have the house and the three acres attached to it. Still, it broke her heart to see all that Pa had worked for lost.
Corky monopolized the conversation at dinner, but he was so excited at the prospect of becoming a cowboy she couldn’t chastise him. He already stuck to Mr. Decker like beggar lice to a shaggy dog.
Every now and then the man got a word in. “Here’s one thing you won’t find better in Nebraska, Corky.” He speared a slice of ripe tomato, served with Miss Lydee’s special mayonnaise sauce.
“Don’t they grow tomatoes in Nebraska?” Corky asked, forking the last slice.
“They do at the ranch,” Jake said. “Our bunkhouse cook prepares a lot of Mexican style dishes and uses tomatoes and peppers. But I think your peppers are better too, even the hot ones are sweeter.”
“It’s the longer growing season and the soil,” Miss Lydee said, stirring the remaining sauce. “If anyone wants any more tomatoes to use up this mayonnaise, I can pick some more right out back. They’re hanging off the vine. Peppers loaded down, too.”
Shakes of the head went around the table. “Thank you, ma’am, but I want to leave room for your peach cobbler.” Jake laid his fork on the side of his plate and pushed back. Can’t find peaches sweeter than here either.”
“Maybe we could dig up some of the dirt and take it with us so we could put it in that greenhouse you told us about, Mr. Jake.” Corky’s innocent remark grabbed Juliette by the throat.
She wasn’t able to breathe until Deck said, “Afraid that would be too heavy, Corky. Trains charge by the pound for freight. Besides, we’d have to haul some Nebraska dirt down here to fill in the hole.”
Corky bit his lip and scrunched his tawny brow. “Nah, you’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
Deck laughed. “A little bit.”
“Will I have my own horse, Mr. Decker?” he asked around a mouthful of potatoes.
“Sure, you couldn’t do much on the ranch without a horse.”
Jake’s gaze pulled Juliette to his eyes. A longing showed in their mossy green depths that matched her own. “What will you do with Sweetie Pie?”
She hadn’t thought of selling her horse. So much she hadn’t considered. “I hope to be able to take her with me. My father gave me the horse as a colt for my eighth birthday.”
Jake opened his mouth to reply, but a knocking at the front door stopped him and had all of them looking up.
“Would you go see who it is, Corky?” she asked.
“Sure, Jul.” Corky’s chair scrapped the floor and he dashed out while everyone stared at her.
Juliette’s heart squeezed with an uncomfortable feeling the visitor brought bad news, and the possibilities gathered in her chest, kicking up the pulse.
Before long Corky returned. “It’s Abner Wexman, Harp’s cousin he said. He wants to see you, Jul.” She recalled the man from Harp’s and Grace’s wedding, though she didn’t know how he was related.
“Maybe he has word from Harp,” Miss Lydee said.
Juliette’s mouth went dry, making it hard to swallow. She took a sip of sweetened tea before pressing the napkin to her lips and rising. “Finish your dinner, everyone.” Her controlled tone belied her galloping nerves. “Excuse me, please.”
Corky hadn’t invited Abner in, and Juliette found him on the porch, rocking on his heels, his back to her. He whirled around at the creak of the door hinges. “Good-day, Miss Kendal, may I come in. I won’t take up much of your time.”
Juliette had always thought Abner Wexman looked like a rat. His thinning brown hair, beady eyes, pointed nose and protruding ears confirmed that assessment. All he needed was buck teeth to complete the image. “I’m sorry. I have company. Have a seat.” She gestured to one of the white slatted rockers.
The beady eyes squinted. “No thank you. This won’t take long. Has Harp returned from Louisiana?”
“Not that I know of.” She hadn’t known he went to Louisiana.
He shifted his gaze around the yard. “Why is his horse here?”
He’d been snooping around the barn. She tilted her head back and repeated the story she’d given Thad and Corky regarding the horse. “A stranger brought him about a month ago. Said Harp asked him to bring the horse home since he’d be traveling this way.”
“Who was this stranger?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t say and I didn’t ask.”
Abner suddenly barked a laugh. “That sounds like something Harp would do. Likely hopped a train and didn’t want to pay for the horse.” He sobered. “I don’t expect he told you I staked his gambling trip?”
“No.” She’d thought Harp used the money he got out of the farm land, but it wouldn’t surprise her if he’d gotten a loan on top of it.
“I’m holding an IOU for the house and livestock, past due as of last week.”
She tried to hold her shock in check. Gambling their home was too low-down even for Harp. “That’s something you’ll have to settle with him. Good-day to you.” She reached out for the doorknob.
“Wait a minute. I don’t think you understand. I intend to file my claim today. You and your brothers and sister will have to get out by next Monday.”
She froze, rage flying all over her. As she turned, she spied the curtain move in Annie’s room. Annie watched and listened. Juliette hadn’t told her fragile sister about the possibility of moving
from their home. Getting the news like this might traumatize her even further.
“If you think I’m going to step aside and let you take this house my father built with his own hands and that rightfully belongs to his children, you have another think coming.”
“All right, Miss High and Mighty, I’ll bring the county sheriff back with me.”
A shadow fell across the porch as Deck came around Juliette, his pistol trained on Abner. “You do that, Mister. Back where I come from, the law can’t force a person out of their home without proper notice.”
Abner turned three shades of red. He slammed his battered bowler on his rat-head. “Maybe you’d better go back where you came from and take Miss Kendal and her family with you. Nobody better not steal anything from the premises either. I’ll be back with the sheriff day after tomorrow—with notice.” He stalked off to where his horse was tied to the hitching post.
“Thank you, Mr. Decker.” Juliette proceeded him inside, hands clenched into fists while dread like a swarm of angry bees buzzed her head.
***
Jake swiveled around in his chair, taking care not to bump his bandaged leg.
Juliette hadn’t returned to the table, and Deck’s tight jaw spelled trouble. “Will you help me back to the bed, Deck?”
He didn’t need Deck’s help. He’d learned to use the crutches fairly well. Might even be able to get by with one crutch, but the doctor had insisted he use both until he grew steadier.
As soon as he lowered himself on the bed, he glanced past Deck to make sure the boys hadn’t followed. “What happened out there?”
Deck shut the door and leaned back against it. “Some fellow claims he holds a lien on this property and ordered Miss Kendal out by day after tomorrow. I’m sure you know the lady well enough to know she don’t cotton to being ordered out of her house. But the fellow says he’ll return with the sheriff. That’s all I heard of it.”
Jake felt his muscles tighten. Someone else owned this house that Juliette intended to sell? Didn’t make much sense. He had to talk with her.
Deck crossed his arms. “If you care about the pretty lady as much as I think you do, you better see that she leaves with us. This is too dangerous for Miss Kendal and her sister without some protection, despite how independent she thinks she is.”
Jake nodded. He didn’t intend to leave her alone, even if it meant staying behind himself. “I’ll have to sit down with her in the parlor. Now that I’m not on my deathbed, I don’t want to talk to her in my bedroom.” He rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. “You take the boys outside, take an inventory of the place. Annie will stay hidden.”
“What about Miss Lydee.”
Jake snorted. “Miss Lydee won’t interrupt us. She’s the soul of discretion where romance is concerned.”
Deck’s moustache twitched into a smile. “That surprises me some, but I’ll round up the boys.”
“Surprises you that Miss Lydee will help me with the romance?”
“That you know the meaning of the word,” was Deck’s parting shot.
Miss Lydee was happy to help him. She got him settled on the sofa with his injured leg resting on a pillow atop a low stool and went in search of Juliette who was in the garden with Annie.
Lord, I’m going to need help. Jake couldn’t blame Juliette. He’d want to fight for his land. If he had any land.
He should have saved his money like Rhyan advised. He’d have had enough to buy a parcel by now. “Buy a lot on the ranch,” Carianne had said. “You could built a house suitable to bring a bride.”
He’d laughed at that. There were no suitable brides around the ranch. He could send off for a mail-order bride like some of the fellows, but that didn’t appeal to him. Too iffy. Too many things could go wrong. Just last spring Neal Cantor’s mail-order bride had taken all Neal’s savings one night. Walked all the way to Westerfield and caught a train back east.
Naturally, Neal had been too ashamed to try to get her or his money back.
Jake had to believe God had sent him on this job out of all the men available because He had the woman meant for Jake right here, waiting.
No matter how stubborn Juliette was, God would work things out for them.
But if he had enough faith to believe that, why was he so nervous? He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, drew in a deep breath and lay his head back.
She came in, sending an electric charge through him. Filling the space with her presence. A wide smile on her lovely mouth. “It’s good to see you out of bed, looking fit.” She bent over his leg and stroked it gently, sending a shaft of warmth all the way to his chest. “Are you feeling all right?”
“I’m fine.” His voice cracked as badly as Corky’s, and he cleared his throat. “I’m feeling better than I have in a long time.”
Her smile twisted like she didn’t believe him. She sat on the edge of the adjacent chair. “You’re certainly looking better than I’ve ever seen.”
“Why do you think I sat at the end of this sofa? Get over here beside me.” He lay his arm across the back of the sofa.
Her laughter stirred the air like a caress as she sat beside him. Closer than he’d dare hope. They might as well get the unpleasant topic out of the way. “Who is this scoundrel who’s trying to take your house?”
Her smile faded. “He’s a cousin to Harp Munson, the…the children’s step-father.”
“I know who Munson is. What about this cousin?”
“Abner Wexman is his name, and I believe he’s from Thomasville.”
She was going to make him pull out the details, one by one. “I don’t know Georgia geography well, but that’s a long way from here, isn’t it?”
“Yes, west of here. Harp met up with him on his way to some big gambling event in Louisiana. Abner, the cousin, says he staked Harp’s poker trip, the house being collateral. Actually, he says he holds an IOU. But, as far as I’m concerned, Harp never owned the house.”
“What does the law say? Did your father leave a will?”
“No, and neither did Grace.”
“Well, I guess common law would apply, but I don’t know anything about inheritance laws in Georgia.” He dropped his hand to her shoulder. “I don’t know much about Nebraska law, for that matter.”
“I suppose I’ll have to hire a lawyer. I do have title to Sweetie Pie. Pa gave me the papers on her when I turned eighteen.”
“Then we’ll be sure to take Sweetie Pie with us.”
“Take Sweetie Pie?” She came out from under his arm. “What do you mean?”
“Juliette, you should just pack up your personal items and leave with us. It isn’t safe for you and Annie to live out here in this isolated place, especially not with this polecat stalking you.”
“I’m not just going to walk away without a fight.”
He pulled her back to his side. “Oh, I know you’re a fighter, Juliette. But you can fight through a lawyer from Sollano as well as here. It’ll put you at an advantage.”
“I doubt it’ll be an advantage. He’ll move in, and isn’t nine-tenths of the law possession?”
“Ordinarily, but I guarantee you my boss, Rhyan Cason, can find a lawyer who’ll put him out, and charge him for rent in the meantime.”
“You’re putting a lot of confidence in your boss wanting to help me.”
“Just trust me on this, Juliette. This is the type of case Rhyan likes to champion.” He flicked a stray tendril behind her ear. “Don’t you trust me, Juliette?”
She sank back into position under his shoulder. “You like saying my name, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes. It reminds me of the whippoorwill calling his mate. Ju-li-lette. Ju-li-lette.”
“What foolishness. He’s calling whip-poor-will.”
He grinned, stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers. “Do you like my foolishness?”
She turned her head so they were face-to-face, noses almost touching. “I love it.”
His gaze fell from her ey
es to her slightly parted lips. “Has anyone ever kissed you, Juliette?”
“Yes, my mother, Pa, Grace—even the boys when they were younger.”
“I mean on the lips by someone who desires you as a woman?”
“No.” Her voice caught on the word, as her eyes closed. That was invitation enough. He captured her lips, and they were as soft and tantalizing as he’d imagined. Her arms went around him, and he lengthened the kiss as long as he dared, drawing in the scent of rosewater perfuming her hair.
With a reluctant moan, he broke away. “Come with me as my wife, Juliette.”
“You know I want to.” Her eyes held pleading and doubt as she searched his face for several beats. “How wonderful that would be, but you also know we can’t get married yet.”
“Why not? I’m sure Miss Lydee can take us to a preacher in Abbeville. That’s not even out of the way.”
She patted his chest. “I’m still responsible for my family, and you don’t have a place for us to live. We’ll have to be patient for a while.”
Patience had never been one of his strengths, but she was right. “Yeah, even if we get the kids settled, I don’t reckon we’d both fit on my bunk.”
She laughed and touched his cheek with her fingertips. He clenched her hand and turned it over to kiss her palm. “But that doesn’t negate the fact that you can’t stay here alone. You and Annie should go with us and stay in the ranch house until I can build us a place. Carianne can find a doctor for Annie, and Rhyan can find a lawyer to fight for your property.”
When she started to speak, he pressed a finger to her mouth. “If that doesn’t happen, I’ll return with you, if you wish.”
Astonishment registered on her face. “What about your job?”
“With a bum leg I’m not going to be much good anyway for a while.”
He knew he’d won when her shoulders fell on a sigh. “If we’re to leave tomorrow, I have a lot of packing to do. But I’m taking Sweetie Pie. I’m not leaving her for that—polecat, as you call him.”
They came together in another kiss, long and deep.
Escaped (Intrigue Under Western Skies Book 4) Page 10