“Get that blanket on you,” she heard Will say. She brought the scratchy, wool blanket around her and turned her attention to Jacob. He’d skinned and gutted a rattlesnake and was now wrapping it around a stick.
“Why are we camping like this? Do you know any towns where we could find decent lodging?” Will and Jacob defended themselves by saying they did not have the luxury of spending their money on hotels. Although she knew it may be partially true, she suspected they liked being free in the wild. She did not. “Will we find a train station in Medford?”
Jacob turned from his crouched position. He was trying to keep the snake meat from falling off the stick. “Yes, but how will the horses get to Clermont City?”
Her anxiousness to get home was blunted by her circumstances. She would have to be patient. She needed clothes, money, and perhaps a chaperone if she were to leave without them.
“I thought that it was all settled.” Jacob turned his attentions back to their supper.
“Yes, it is.” The roasting meat made her mouth water. She thought of the meals she cooked for her and Caleb, and their life together. How was he getting along? Was he resigned to her being lost? Her stomach rumbled and she was back to the present. The food she would never have eaten before smelled delicious to her now and she couldn’t wait to taste it. Survival had become the most important thing in her life.
~
Finally, they entered the town of Medford, Oregon, a town with many memories for Jacob. The town he came into with his wounded, unconscious cousin draped over Drake while he maneuvered Otis. The desperation he felt with Doc Middleman being his last hope. They had closed a deal with a group of men when, out of nowhere, came riders with bows and arrows, guns and tomahawks—Indians of the Northwest region of Oregon. He still recalled the urgency to ride as fast as he could to get clear of the small war that had broken out around them. The words “not fast enough” still echoed in him, for a bullet had shot through Will’s arm and another had grazed his left side.
This town held no future for Jacob, yet here he was, back at Doc Middleman’s. Will had begged him to stop here before they went to the bank to get their money and a few stored guns. The place where the doctor stitched up Will, the doctor with the sour-faced wife and pretty, Chinese assistant, Mi Lee, Will’s love and the mother of his child. Guilt rose in him as he recalled Will’s anger for having to leave Mi behind while they made their money. He knew his cousin still blamed him for not taking her along, but Jacob had made it clear that traveling with a pregnant Chinese woman did not fit into their plans. There was no room for remorse today—it had been for the best. How was Jacob to know Mi wouldn’t wait for Will? It seems to be a way with women, he thought sourly. He looked down the middle of the town. Rows of buildings lined the packed-dirt streets. Nothing was different, except now Jessica was with him. How extraordinary was this twist of fate. He set his sights on the hotel across from Doc Middleman’s and was anxious to get off his horse and into a real bed.
~
Jessica remained behind Jacob. She stroked Otis’s backside and promised he would be taken care of soon. Will approached the Middlemans’ home. Sitting on the edge of town, it was a large, white-washed building, two stories high, with little adornment. The porch creaked when he stepped onto it.
Moving restlessly in the saddle, Jessica felt a brisk wind blow through her torn stocking. She felt dirty and ragged and brought her cold legs in closer to the horse’s warm belly. Her brother’s eagerness pricked her heart. She hoped this would go well for him, though her intuition told her it wouldn’t.
A young girl answered the door. She looked to be no more than fifteen, a tall girl with a pretty face and neat attire. “Yes, may I help you?” She surveyed Will, and then beyond to the other travelers. The door closed slightly.
Will removed his cowboy hat. “I’d like to see Doc Middleman.”
“He’s not here!” a strong voice behind the girl called out.
It was Mrs. Middleman. Soon she was in front of them, and the girl was forced to stand aside. “Get back to your work, Sassy,” the robust matriarch instructed.
“So you’ve come back. And who is that?” Mrs. Middleman looked at Jessica.
Jessica became extremely self-conscious in her hodgepodge of skirt and hide, her roughly plaited hair hanging down one side.
“My sister, Jessica. Do you have any news of Mi and my child? Has he been adopted yet? Please, tell me what you know.”
“Yes, she’s in Portland with her new husband.” Mrs. Middleman tilted her head, her hands folded in front of her full skirt. “That’s all I know.”
“Are you sure? I know Mi was close to you. Please, tell me about my child.”
She raised a brow and cleared her throat. “Very well. The baby boy died right after she moved. Caught some nasty bug. She’s got her husband to take care of her. Your part in her life is over. Be on your way now.”
Will staggered backward off the porch. “A son.”
Jessica scrambled to get down, but Jacob stopped her. “Let him be, Jess.”
“Sorry to be the one to tell you,” Mrs. Middleman said with little compassion. “Losing it was all for the best, in my opinion. Heard his complexion was too white for her husband’s liking. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have things to attend to. Doc Middleman is in his office and doesn’t care to be disturbed. Good luck to you.” With that, she closed the door.
“Will, let’s get to the bank and then find a place to stay.” Jacob tried to keep his tone even, but he found himself struggling not to break down the door and corner the bitch.
Will kicked the ground and looked up at his cousin. “This is all your goddamn fault!”
“We couldn’t take her with us.” Jacob’s voice was strong and tight.
Once again, Jessica tried to get down, but he wouldn’t let her. The look on her brother’s face frightened her. “Will, let’s go. We’ll rest and talk.” Will returned to his horse and led it across the street to the hotel—the same hotel where he fell in love with Mi. Jacob followed without a word.
~
The rooms were decent enough for the weary travelers. Jessica closed the door and surveyed the sparse but neat area. A single bed with a thin mattress, one pillow, linens, a wool blanket, and a quilt. The dresser had a mirror above it, and a plain, blue rug covered most of the worn, wooden floor. The cotton curtains framed a small window that looked out onto the street.
Jessica lit the kerosene lamp on the dresser. The face looking back at her from the mirror gave her a start. “Oh, God!” She turned away and began to undress. The skirt was smeared with her own blood, along with patches of grass and dirt stains, and the blouse was no better. Her ripped stockings were weathered beyond recognition, the rips creating large holes. Only her camisole and pantaloons were still somewhat intact.
She looked around for a clean cloth. To her relief, there was a pitcher of water sitting in a basin near the window. She washed herself as best she could and undid her hair, running her fingers through the tangles. Her body was sore, and she ached to be home. She entered the bed, and the springs creaked and squeaked. The feather pillow was luxury in itself, and the blanket and quilt would keep the chill away. She gathered them up to her chin.
Alone and safe, her thoughts swirled around her head. Jacob was with her, his presence unearthing the love for him she had kept so well buried. Her thoughts went to Caleb and desperation undid her. For the first time in a long while, she let her tears flow and cried without restraint into the soft pillow.
~
In the next room, Will and Jacob laid their packs on the floor, and Will threw his body on the bed, his weight causing the mattress to sink into the springs.
Will sat up, his voice tight with emotion. “You were right about Mi. Shit, I knew it all along. I would have moved a mountain for my son. His skin too light? Devil! He brought his legs to the side of the bed. “I want to ride up to Portland and kill her husband.”
“No, you don’t. Y
ou want to hurt Mi and you can’t, even if she was standing in front of you. That’s the shitty part of all of this.”
Will laid back down and shoved the pillow under his head. “I had a son.”
Jacob felt the heaviness of Will’s statement. “I’m sorry, truly I am. I wish … I wish things had turned out differently.”
“Yeah.” Will smirked. “When are we getting back to June’s cooking and a fine bed under us?”
Jacob rolled his eyes at his cousin. “All I know is I’m dog tired. He sat on the edge of his bed. “I think I should check on Jess before I pass out.”
“All right, Jake, but I hope you’ve made up your mind to get her home.”
Jacob went to the door and looked back at Will. “I’ve made up my mind.”
Chapter Forty-two
Startled by the knock on the door, Jessica sat up and pulled the bedding up to her. “It’s Jacob,” she heard from outside her room. She went to the end of the bed and put her skirt on, tucking her blouse into it. “I’ll be right there.”
She slowly opened the door a crack. “I’m fine. Go back to your room.”
He held the door open and gave it a slight push. “Jess, I need you.” She relented. Stepping into the room, he took her in his arms, shutting the door behind him with his foot. His smell filled her head, and she caught her breath as if she were drowning. He moaned and held her tighter. She was pressed up against him and felt his manhood rise, his hands caressing her eager body.
“Jacob,” she whispered. “No.”
He came away from her. The look on his face revealed his anguish.
“Please don’t make me choose, Jacob. Please go back to your room.”
“Don’t make me go. We’ve waited too long to be together … or at least I have.” He stepped away and ran his fingers through his loose mane.
The sting of his words stabbed her heart. She bowed her head. “I waited as long as I could.” Only her eyes rose to meet his. He took her chin and raised her head. The kiss they shared sent her tumbling into the warm waters of their love.
Slowly, he brought her clothes to the floor and removed his own. Standing naked, flesh and heart eager to be satisfied, Jacob laid her on the bed.
~
After many hours of sharing their bodies with each other, Jacob reluctantly returned to his and Will’s room. The love he held for Jessica had drawn the devil out of him, and he cursed the fact that remained—she was married to a man whose life he’d saved. He collapsed into bed, letting the touch of her skin lull him to sleep.
The morning light woke him. He rubbed his eyes and peered out the fogged-up window. Wiping the condensation away, he looked out onto the road. Drake and Otis were still there. He stretched and yawned. Will was standing in front of his bed, dressed in new clothes and clean shaven. He held a cup of coffee in his hand. Gesturing to the dresser, he said, “I brought you up a cup. It’s lukewarm by now.”
Jacob took a deep inhale and exhaled with a moan. “Thanks.” He shivered in his gray long johns as he left the warmth of his bed to retrieve the coffee. He searched his jacket for a cigarette and match. Returning to bed, he sat up with his back against the wooden headboard. Aware of Will’s stare, he took a sip from his cup. After swallowing with a wince, he laid into his cigarette with a long drag. “I see you got the money,” he said, blowing out the smoke in a long stream. “You look almost human. I’ll need some for myself. It’s time I got a shave.”
“Didn’t hear you come in last night.”
“You snore like a den of bears. When do you ever hear anything when you sleep?”
“We’re leaving tomorrow. She’s going back to Caleb where she belongs.” He raised his hand. “Don’t say a word.”
Jacob took another drag and turned back to the window.
~
When Will and Jacob arrived in Jessica’s room at the Medford Hotel, they found her in a highly agitated state.
“I can’t go out like this! It was bad enough standing there in front of the hotel manager yesterday dressed like an Indian … but not out in society! And just look at my hair!” Jacob became self-conscious as she sized him and Will up and down. “Well, I see you two wasted no time in spending money on yourselves.”
Jacob felt his clean chin and grinned. He thought of her mouth enjoying its smoothness. Then it occurred to him that she had been traveling in the same worn and stained garments they had found her in. “We’ll get you some proper clothes, Jess.”
Jessica’s eyes lit up. “Now just get me something simple. I don’t need anything too fancy, but with a little style … something I could ride in as well … or maybe a house dress will have to do. The shopkeeper will know the proper petticoat, and I’ll need a coat, too, and new boots and—”
“Hold on.” Jacob raised his hand. “We’re not going into a lady’s shop.”
Will stood by Jacob, agreeing with him wholeheartedly.
“Well, what am I going to do?” Her panicked voice raised the hair on the back of Jacob’s neck.
Both men pursed their lips and lifted their shoulders.
~
She had been given no choice. Standing in front of the first dress shop she came upon, she peered into the window. The inside of Lorretta’s Women’s Wear looked expensive. She walked in with her head held high. The stares and whispers she had received as she made her way along the boardwalk were nothing compared to the looks of the ladies in the store. Then, from the back, she heard a woman boom, “My Lord! Where did you come from?” The patrons immediately turned to the neatly dressed and coiffed boutique owner, then back at Jessica.
She held her pride. “I need a dress, and one I can ride in, please. Also, a pair of boots and a warm coat.”
“You most certainly do!” The boutique owner came around a display case and then wound her way past a finely outfitted mannequin before coming to stand in front of Jessica. “I’m Loretta. How much do you have to spend, miss?”
Jessica’s chin went back into her neck. No one had ever asked her such a question. How rude. “It’s Mrs.,” she said. Then Jessica whispered, “I have six dollars.” She felt the embarrassment rise to her cheek, hot and uncomfortable.
“Mrs., huh? Well, you had me fooled. You look like some urchin living on the streets.”
The snickers and giggles vibrated around the shop.
Jessica smoothed her patchwork skirt. “I need clothes. I want my husband to see me in something nice when he does see me again.”
Loretta surveyed her with a skillful eye. “I think I have a few things that may work for you. Anything would look better on that pretty figure of yours than that. I’ll be with you shortly. Stand over there, and please refrain from touching the garments.”
Jessica was cast to a corner near the back of the store. She waited anxiously. Once the last customer left, Loretta placed the CLOSED sign in the window. She came to Jessica and stuck out her hand, palm up. After placing the six dollars in it, she was lead to the back. “I think I can do something with that rat’s nest of yours. First of all, you need a bath. You can use the tub outside. Don’t worry, it’s private. I’ll run some hot water for it.”
Tears filled Jessica’s eyes. “Thank you. The hotel only had a privy and wash basin.”
“Yeah, they’ve been meaning to upgrade that place for years. Drape your clothes over the fence, and I’ll burn them for you.”
Jessica couldn’t think of a better way of disposing of them.
Leaving Loretta’s with a spring in her step, she reentered the world with a renewed heart. The walk back to the hotel was much different than earlier. Women smiled at her and men tipped their hats. When Jacob and Will sited her, their broad smiles gave credence to the fact that she was moving closer to the person she once knew. “You look beautiful, Jess,” she heard her brother say, but it was Jacob’s loving expression that held her interest. He nodded in agreement.
After a hearty breakfast, it was time for her to return to Clermont City. It would take them
some twenty days by Will’s account. She mounted Jacob’s horse with the confidence of a seasoned rider. They rode out of Medford, slowly and deliberately, each in their own world. Jessica was full of anticipation, even as her heart was being torn in two directions. Jacob’s back rose and fell deeply, and she knew he was taking in the lavender and chamomile smell of her hair and body. His own scent of cedar soap made her smile. She leaned into his back and he drew her hand around his waist.
Chapter Forty-three
November 1889
Caleb opened the door to Jessica’s uncle. “Burt, come on in. What brings you up here?” He held his breath. It had been three weeks since Will’s telegram.
Sally and Jane sat in the parlor. Burt tipped his head in acknowledgement of them, and Caleb could see he was flustered.
“Burt, you know Mrs. Loggin, and this is her friend, Mrs. Cabot. They came over with a cake. Would you like a slice and some coffee?”
With a wave of his hand, he politely declined. “Caleb, I’ve got some news,” he said soberly, then glanced over at the women. “Can we talk … alone?”
Hearing this, Sally and Jane rose as one and said their good-byes. Leaving, Sally gave Caleb a squeeze to his shoulder. “If you need Ben or me. …”
“Thank you, Sally. It was nice to see you both.” Before Caleb shut the door, Jane gave him a smile. It was generous and caring, her eyes full of compassion. He turned away, hoping he didn’t need it. Returning to the parlor, he blurted, “Tell me she’s coming home. I can’t stand to hear anything else.”
“Yes, yes. I’m not here about that. All is still well as far as I know.” Burt sat down and leaned into the room, his hands clasped together. “This does concern her, though. Thomas died yesterday. The telegram came this morning.”
Caleb puffed a sigh of relief, then took in the news. “Oh, Burt, I’m so sorry to hear that.” He sat in the other chair, feeling the warmth left by Jane. A silence engulfed the room. The wood burning in the stove cracked like a whip and both men came alert.
Sacred Terrain (Traveled Hearts Series Book 2) Page 19