Kentucky Bride

by Norah Hess

  It has to be me he wants, she told herself, for he wasn't half asleep now, and there was no way possible he could mistake her for Raven. Hope flared in her breast that tonight when he came to bed he would pull her into his arms and make love to her the way he had when they were first married.

  It had not happened that way. Kane was still sitting before the fire staring broodingly into the flames when she finally fell asleep. Nor had he turned to her later in the night.

  D'lise sighed and tried to put her attention to what Tom was talking about: "… so I think the best thing for me to do is tell Buck what Jason is up to these days. It would be too embarrassin' for you to come right out and say that his son is humpin' that Davis girl ever' chance he gets."

  It was hard for D'lise to keep a straight face as she answered soberly, "That is true. I doubt if I could say it just like that."

  "Yeah, you're too ladylike to lay it on the line so's Buck would know what was goin' on. He wouldn't know what you wuz talkin' about if you wuz to say real prissy-like, 'Mr. Thomas, your son Jason has been seein' far too much of the Davis girl.' Ole Buck would think you meant the girl didn't have on enough clothes."

  D'lise grinned, wondering if other people saw her as being prissy-like.

  The long rain had washed away every trace of snow, turning paths and trails to ankle-deep mud. The Ohio rose and overflowed its banks, coming within feet of the cabins built lower on the hillsides. But spring had arrived, bringing with it the promise of a new life. The days became longer, the sun warmer, and Kane brought in all his traps. And much to D'lise's delight, he no longer went to the barn after supper. He spent quite a bit of time there in the daytime, though, especially when she returned from school, as though to avoid her.

  D'lise was as happy as her students when the last day of school arrived. The older children were needed at home to help put in crops and plant family gardens. She wondered cynically how Kane would manage to shun her, when she was home all day and he had no traps to run. A big part of his time would be spent with Raven, she imagined, blinking at the wetness that sprang into her eyes.

  "Tom, you're looking mighty smug about something this morning." D'lise tore her thoughts away from Kane and brought Beauty up to ride alongside the old man. "What have you been up to?"

  "Me? I ain't been up to nothin'. Just enjoyin' the sun on my old bones again and thankful that I made it through another winter."

  It made sense, but D'lise wasn't satisfied that being alive and taking pleasure in the sun was the only reason for that half smile that twitched his heavy mustache.

  She hadn't long to wonder about it. As they rode down the mud-mired street and approached the schoolhouse, she saw several horses and two mules tied up under the maple tree that was just putting on new leaf growth.

  Every mother in the area must be here, she thought, recognizing two of the mounts, one belonging to Sarah Patton, the other always ridden by Claudie Bellows. She gave Tom a reproachful look. "You might have warned me."

  "And have them wimmen all over me? I ain't that brave. Anyways, it ain't nothin' for you to get all hetted up about. They just want to show you their appreciation for learnin' their young'uns how to read and such."

  When D'lise entered the schoolhouse, she was greeted with the aroma of brewing coffee and a dozen voices calling, "Surprise!" Tears sprang into her eyes. Imagine skinny little D'lise Alexander being feted this way. How proud Auntie would have been.

  The top of her desk was covered with platters of cookies and small cloth bags. While she wondered what they contained, Sarah Patton broke into a speech, saying how grateful they all were for her putting up with their children, and giving them an education, and they hoped she would return next fall and continue to pound some learnin' in their heads.

  "We hope you don't mind," she went on, "that we took it on ourselves to bring some cookies and make a pot of coffee. But first we'd like for you to open the little gifts we've brought you."

  Sarah picked up one of the bags, about six inches long and four inches wide, and handed it to D'lise. "You can start with mine."

  D'lise swiped at her wet eyes and pulled the drawstring of the bag. She peered inside and gave an exclamation of happy surprise. It was full of mixed flower seeds. How did this practical, no-nonsense woman know how starved she was for some beauty in her life?

  "Thank you, Sarah," she said softly, "thank you for your kindness since I came to Piney Ridge." She retied the string, adding, "I can't wait to get them in the ground."

  D'lise remembered with bitterness that Kane had once promised that he would build them a new cabin come spring. Of course, that was before everything had gone wrong between them. Naturally he wouldn't do it now. He was more apt to send her packing.

  She kept that unhappy thought off her face as, one after another, she untied the other bags. It was clear that the women had gotten together and decided what each woman should bring her. There were no doubles of string beans, butter beans, radishes, peas, corn, squash and pumpkin, lettuce and tomatoes. There was even a sack of tobacco seed for Kane.

  Tears were spilling freely down D'lise's cheeks when all the seed had been exclaimed over and thanked for. The good women of Piney Ridge smiled broadly at her happiness, having no idea that there was also sadness in her tears—sadness at the possibility that she wouldn't have the chance of planting the seeds.

  "Well," said practical Sarah, "let's have our refreshments and get on back home. I don't know about you other ladies, but I've got a heap of work to do. If you don't mind, D'lise, I'll take Becky with me. I want to get the garden planted today."

  The cookies and coffee weren't wolfed down as expected, considering the work that awaited each woman at home. It wasn't every day the neighbors got together in the middle of the week, and a good half hour was spent in catching up on each other, how they had fared during the cold weather when they were housebound for weeks on end.

  And, of course, a great deal of gossiping went on. Elijah Jessup's new wife had lost her baby as had been expected. They had all heard that the oldest Davis girl had finally got herself "bigged," which wasn't surprising, the way she lay down for any man who came along. A lot of the menfolk were uneasy, waiting for her to point a finger. And Amy Davis was going to turn up the same way, she was so man-crazy.

  D'lise grew uneasy at those last words and decided she would urge Tom to speak to Jason's father today. Jason was bright and could make something of himself if he didn't have a wife and child on his young shoulders—a child that might not even he his.

  The ladies were gone then, taking their children with them for the same reason that Sarah took Becky. It would be a busy time for the home-steaders until the snow arrived again.

  D'lise was gathering up the cookies that were left over, putting them in a napkin for Tom to take home with him, when the door opened quietly and Abbey Davis slipped into the room. She approached D'lise shyly, clutching a burlap bag in her hand.

  "Hello, Mrs. Davis." D'lise smiled at the woman her daughters had got their good looks from. "You should have come sooner. Your neighbors just left. There's some cookies and coffee left over. Would you like to join me in having some?" She pulled out a bench for Abbey to sit down on. She figured that since she hadn't heard a horse arrive, the woman must have walked here and would be tired.

  It was evident that Abbey had walked the three miles in the way a soft sigh of relief feathered through her lips as she sat down. "I ain't hungry, Miz Devlin," she said. "I just et breakfast a short time ago." She held the bag out to D'lise. "I brung this to you for bein' so good to my Lillibeth, teachin' her things. She's smart and wants to learn things—not like Amy, who don't care for nothin' but men—her and Rosy."

  She glanced up at D'lise, then quickly looked away. "I guess… you heard about my Rosy gettin' herself caught."

  "Well, yes, I heard." D'lise decided not to lie about it. It seemed that everybody knew. "I was sorry to hear about it. Has she told the father yet?"

  A bleakn
ess came over Abbey Davis's face. "She don't know who the father is. It could be any of a dozen men, and most of them already married. Me and Elton is waitin' for Amy to turn up the same way." The words came out at the end of a heavy sigh. "She's always sneakin' off to meet some man. I used to take a switch to them, but it didn't do any good. They're like their pa in that respect.

  He's hot-blooded too. But he's a good and kind man, she hurried to add. "Never once has he raised a hand to me, and I don't think he's ever laid around with other wimmen."

  D'lise found herself envying this woman despite the fact she had two daughters who had brought shame to her home. Abbey had a good and loving husband who never looked beyond his wife for carnal pleasure. Did she realize and appreciate how lucky she was in that respect?

  "A loving husband is very important, Abbey," she said quietly, "and I'm sure Lillibeth will make you proud of her. As for Rosy and Amy, you've tried your best, so you have nothing to be ashamed of. They're the ones to feel shame. In the meantime, you keep your head up and your chin out, keeping in mind that you're as good as any woman who lives in the area. Maybe even better than some."

  The defeat in Abbey Davis's eyes faded somewhat at D'lise's advice, and unconsciously her shoulders straightened. "I'll tell Elton that. He's feelin' mighty low right now." She gave the burlap bag a push with her foot. "I think you'll like what I brung you."

  "I'm sure I will, Abbey." D'lise bent over and untied the string holding the bag together. "Abbey!" she exclaimed. "A rosebush! My favorite flower."

  Abbey blushed with pleasure. "It's red, and blooms off and on all summer. Roses like a lot of water and manure. It'll start puttin' out leaves and buds in about a month. It has a real strong scent. I got mine underneath the kitchen window so's I can smell it when I'm washin' the dishes."

  "I'll plant this one under my window too." D'lise smiled at the once pretty woman.

  Old Tom broke up their visit.

  "You about ready to leave, D'lise?" he called from the porch. "I wanna get home and start my garden. Half the day is gone already."

  Abbey stood up with a smile. "I expect Elton is waitin' for me to get home and give him a hand. As you probably know, we ain't got no sons to help us." D'lise was about to ask what was wrong with the daughters helping out, then decided not to bring it up. Abbey didn't need to be reminded that her two older daughters were lazy as well as morally loose.

  She and Abbey walked out onto the porch together, D'lise clutching the bag with the rosebush, along with the seeds she'd tossed in with it. Tom said a pleasant "howdy" to Abbey; then she and D'lise said goodbye, each going off in different directions.

  D'lise and Tom were within half a mile of the cabin when, off to their right, there came the ringing sound of an ax biting into wood. D'lise looked at the old man with questioning eyes. "Aren't we on Kane's property?"

  "We sure are. I wonder who's choppin' down his trees." He turned his mount's head in the direction of the sound. "Let's go take a look," he said, leading off.

  Chapter Sixteen

  D'lise pulled Beauty up so sharply, the mare shook her head in protest. "What in the world is Kane up to?"

  Bare-chested, her husband gave one last swing of the ax at a tree about eight inches thick. He stepped back as the young oak creaked, tottered, then went crashing to the ground to join the many others that had succumbed to the sharp bit of his steel.

  Tom, having reined in beside D'lise, shot a stream of tobacco juice at an unfortunate toad that had stuck its head from behind a tree, and he called, "Hey, Kane, you gettin' a head start on next winter's wood supply?"

  Startled, Kane swung around, sweat pouring down his face. He glanced briefly at D'lise, a careful blankness in his eyes, then gave his attention to Tom.

  "I promised D'lise that I'd build her a bigger cabin come spring. I decided to get started on it today." He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped his face.

  D'lise could only gape at Kane. She could not believe what she was hearing. She thought that, if anything, Kane would be more apt to send her away than build her a new cabin.

  She clamped down on the ridiculous joy strumming madly through her body. You fool, she cried silently, do you think a new cabin is going to keep Raven out of his life? He'll probably move her into the old cabin.

  Tom interrupted D'lise's gloomy musing. "Well, folks, I'm gonna get on over the hill and start my garden. When you're ready to start yours, D'lise, let me know if I can help you." He lifted his hand and rode off.

  D'lise turned her attention back to Kane, who, ignoring her, was swinging the ax at another tree. You can't pretend that I'm not here all day, you arrogant devil, she thought. She made up her mind to sit there until he acknowledged her presence, if it took all day. She'd make him tell her exactly what was on his mind, once and for all. She couldn't go on like this, putting up with his cold treatment and cheating.

  The tree came crashing down, and Kane looked surprised when he turned and saw D'lise sitting on the mare, staring at him grimly. "Why are you still here?" The question was almost a growl.

  "I'm still here to get some straight answers to the questions I want to ask you."

  "Like what?" Kane narrowed his eyes at her.

  "For instance, why are you building this cabin?"

  There was a flicker of pain in the slate-colored eyes. Then, his face hard and tight, Kane sank the ax blade into the trunk of the tree he had just felled and said coldly, "I can see where this conversation is headin', so let's go to the cabin and get it over with." He jerked the looped reins off a tree branch and swung onto the stallion's back, sending him into a loping run.

  D'lise slim shoulders sagged as she kept a horse-length behind Kane. In just minutes she was going to hear the words that would rip her heart apart. At last she was going to hear the truth, a truth she dreaded hearing with all her being. Kane was going to tell her that their sham marriage was over, that they would be living apart once the new building had gone up.

  They arrived at the cabin and Kane was off his mount and pushing the door open before D'lise had climbed out of the saddle. When she entered the small room he was standing at the window, staring outside, his body held stiffly. After she closed the door, he turned around and faced her.

  "What did you mean, why am I buildin' the cabin?" He came straight to the point.

  "I meant just what I said. The way things have deteriorated between us, I can't imagine why you'd go to so much trouble. It's plain you want nothing more to do with me—except maybe in the middle of the night when you can't see who you're making love to, can pretend that I am Raven—"

  D'lise got no further. "That's a scabbin' lie!" Kane half shouted.

  D'lise stared at the flaming anger in his eyes. Why was he so angry? She'd given him the perfect opportunity to admit that what she accused him of was true. Why did he continue to pretend?

  Kane took the few steps that separated them. Glaring down at her, he grated out, "Don't ease your own conscience by tellin' yourself that I've broken my marriage vows too."

  "What do you mean, too?" D'lise looked at him in bewilderment. "I've never so much as looked at a man in that way since we married. Come to that, not even before I married you."

  "Hah! Are you tryin' to tell me that nothin' went on between you and Majors all those times he came here, stayin' all day while I was out runnin' my traps?"

  "Staying here all day?" D'lise was blazingly angry. "Who's making up excuses for their behavior now? It's true that Samuel came here a few times to take me to a church doing, but he never set foot inside the cabin. And most of the time, Ellen was with him or we'd pick her up later. They—"

  "Well, I heard different. Someone saw his buggy in front of the cabin almost every day, and it stayed there until shortly before it was time for me to get home."

  Her eyes snapping, D'lise sneered, "Who is this someone? Your ugly-faced Indian lover?"

  She saw the truth of her charge in Kane's eyes before he could look away from her
. Her heart a heavy weight in her chest, and her legs feeling boneless, D'lise walked toward her rocker to sit down.

  She took but one step when her arm was caught and she was spun around. "You haven't said whether it is true or not." There was steel in Kane's eyes.

  "Is it true that you've been sleeping with Raven all winter?" she shot back at him.

  "I haven't slept with that woman since we got married—even longer than that."

  "That's a lie. I've seen her come out of the forest numerous times and sneak up to the barn. Are you trying to tell me that the two of you were just sitting around chatting? That you went there every night just to hold her hand? You must think I'm really ignorant."

  Kane looked at his shouting wife, puzzlement growing on his face. "I admit that Raven came to the barn once, but only to tell me about Majors."

  D'lise shook her head in denial. "I've seen her go to the barn many times. But let's say that your claim is the truth—why would you go sit in a cold barn every night? Is my company so unpleasant?"

  "Damn you!" Kane gritted out, and jerked her toward the door. "I'm gonna show you what took me to the barn every night."

  His angry strides kept D'lise at a half run in order not to fall to her knees and be dragged along. Surprisingly, when they came to the barn, Kane skirted it, coming up behind the building. "There!" He flung her arm away from him. "That's what I've been doin' with my evenin's these past months."

  D'lise stared at the long side of the log building. There wasn't an inch of it that wasn't covered with pegged-down animal pelts. "I don't… don't understand," she finally managed to stammer.

  "What did you think happened to my catch every night?" Kane asked impatiently. "Did you think I just tossed them into a corner until it was time to sell them? Catching them is only the first step. After you get them home, you spend hours fleshing them out, stretching them on proper-sized boards."

  D'lise gazed mutely at Kane, remorse in her eyes. All this time she had falsely accused him in her mind, created a coldness between them, wasted precious months.