by Maggie Ryan
"What makes you think she isn't? Has she said something for you to think she is unhappy?"
"No, but she wouldn't. She spent all that time with… with him, and never said anything about how she felt. She lied…"
"She was protecting you, sweetheart," Wyatt gently corrected.
"It doesn't matter why," Agatha insisted. "She could swear she was content but I'd still wonder how could she be when it seems like the very first man she meets is already bossing her around." Hearing her voice sharpen and feeling a squeeze against a tender flank, she sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just that I'm scared she'll be trapped."
"I promise that won't happen."
"How can you say that? You don't know Ma like I do."
"Aggy, I think you are allowing the past to color the present. Your ma might have felt trapped before but she is an intelligent woman. Even before Wallace's death, she'd already left him—"
"But…"
"I'm not finished," he admonished softly. "She found her own strength, and I don't believe she'll ever again allow anyone to take that from her."
"That's not true. She allowed Wallace to take her happiness and her… her joy from her just to protect my reputation." When his mouth opened, she shook her head. "No. You don't know the hell she went through because of me. Ma works too hard. She has to support herself so she'd have to do whatever he wants if… she should just come to the ranch! You could make her if you tried!"
"I won't do that and even if she did, it would make it a much longer day for your ma. She'd have to get up earlier than she already does in order to prepare breakfast for the restaurant's customers. I know that Ben mentioned how much his business has increased since he hired Catherine. Your ma is a very good cook."
"Then she should remember that," Agatha said. "He's just paying her mind so she doesn't come live on the ranch where she belongs. God forbid he'd have to depend on his two girls to do all the work."
"Agatha, tell me you did not insult Ben by insinuating…"
"No, of course not."
"Sweetheart, your ma knows that she is always welcome to come live with us."
Looking up to find his eyes, she looked for any hesitancy in his gaze but found none. "You told her that?"
"Yes, and though she thanked me and promised to come for a while when our children are born, she told me that she works because she enjoys it, and has found happiness for the first time since your pa died."
"But what if she doesn't even know what happiness is anymore?"
"Aggy, you're going to make yourself sick with this worry. Give her a chance to find her happiness. I think she'll surprise you."
"And if I'm right and she doesn't?"
"Would it make you feel better if I promise to keep my eyes and ears open and be ready to step in if I think there might be a problem brewing?"
She hesitated, sure he didn't truly understand but unable to fault him for trying. Giving a nod, she said, "Thank you. You are a good man, Wyatt Wilcox, and the most wonderful husband in the world." Reaching up, she brought his head down in order to press her lips against his. Pulling back, she smiled. "I am sorry for speaking rudely and accusing you of not caring."
"I'll always care, Aggy, and I'll always listen." His kiss had her squirming for more reasons than her uncomfortable seat. "Now, will you listen to me?" At her nod, he said, "Then take that gown off so that your wonderful husband can make love to the most wonderful wife in the world."
"Even though she is often naughty?"
"Especially then," he said, rolling her to her back the moment she tugged the gown over her head and threw it to the floor.
He alleviated the pain of her weight on her spanked bottom by moving her legs to rest over his shoulders, lifting her hips in his hands as he positioned himself between her thighs. His tongue flicked out to lick along the seam of her sex. "My naughty girl is awfully wet, isn't she?"
Feeling her face heat, she could only nod, her voice stolen the moment he bent his head again, the tip of his tongue pushing her lips apart before delving into her. Her call of, "Wyatt," had him lifting his head for a moment and giving her a grin that had her insides turning to jelly.
"Let's hear that again," he said, bending again. And he did—several times, in fact, until he roared her name after rising to thrust into her while her body was still spasming from multiple times he'd made her come with his lips, tongue and fingers.
A little later, she heard his breathing soften into a steady cadence. She'd spoken both the truth and hidden her intentions. Yes, he was a wonderful husband but that didn't mean that she wouldn't be watching her ma and Ben closely. At the first sign that Ben was demanding more from Catherine than she believed he should, Agatha wouldn't hesitate to step in and give the man a piece of her mind.
***
The church was full the next morning. Despite the rather late night, people were smiling and greeting each other, discussing the fun they'd had the evening before until Reverend Jorgensen moved down the aisle to stand behind the lectern. Giving his congregation a moment to settle, he then welcomed them to the service.
"All right?" Wyatt whispered softly, well remembering how the last time they'd attended a christening it had turned into a chaotic exodus.
"I'm fine," Agatha assured him, giving his hand a squeeze. "Reverend Jorgensen is a true man of God."
Relaxing with her assurance, he sat next to her and listened to her sweet voice singing the note of each hymn and adding a line of thanks to the minister's prayer when they bowed their heads. He thanked God every single day for bringing this woman into his life.
It took quite a while to christen all the children. The event was a solemn one and yet people smiled and even chuckled as some of the older children complained that Reverend Jorgensen had gotten them all wet. When it was their turn, Charity and Anna, along with their husbands, walked to the front, and when her friends couldn't stop a few tears from falling, Wyatt wasn't the least bit surprised to find his wife's cheeks wet as well. Placing his arm around her, he pulled her a bit closer and bent down. "One day, it will be our babe being blessed."
"Oh, I hope so," Agatha said. "Sometimes I feel as if I've used up all the miracles God has planned for me and I'm afraid we won't be so blessed."
Wyatt shook his head. "Even if we aren't, I could never be more blessed. I love you, Agatha."
"I love you, too." He was about to drop a kiss on her cheek when Hope pressed against his knees as she squirmed by him.
"Did you see me get bap-ized, Auntie Agatha? See, my hair is all wet!" She bowed her head onto Agatha's lap. Smiling, Agatha placed her palm on the child's golden curls.
"Yes, my little Hope, you are baptized and I'm so proud of you."
"Can I have a cookie now?"
Laughing, Agatha nodded and reached into her reticule, pulling out a paper wrapped package. "You were so good that you can have one from me and one from Uncle Wyatt."
"I can? I like church!"
The adults laughed as they returned to their seats, hearts lighter knowing that their children had been blessed in a building in which all could find solace.
***
After enjoying lunch at the restaurant, the women stood around Teresa. "Make sure you come out to the ranch soon," Anna said.
"Yes, do. You can visit each of us and will be able to tell Roger what you want in your cabin. I do suggest you add at least another bedroom or maybe a loft. You never know how many children you'll have."
"Oh, um, I hadn't considered that," Teresa said, her eyes a bit wide.
"Well, it's just an idea," Anna said, adjusting Johnny in her arms.
"But a good one," Agatha said. "Even though I don't have children, it's nice to have an extra room for guests."
"Ladies, before we decide on how many rooms, we need to decide on a site," Roger said, joining them as he slipped an arm around his fiancée. "Until then, we can start riding so that by the time the snow melts, you'll feel comfortable on a horse."
"I look forw
ard to that," Teresa said. "I don't look forward to you going home."
"I'll be back before you know it," Roger promised.
The women drifted away after saying goodbye, leaving the couple to their privacy. The group assembled outside to walk back towards the Williams' home.
"Agatha, may I talk to you for a moment?"
Turning, Agatha saw her mother. Before she could answer, Wyatt said, "You have time. We still need to load the wagon. We'll come back and get you."
"I thought Richard wanted to leave soon. It is already growing late."
Wyatt shook his head. "It will be a while before we are in town again. He won't begrudge you a last chat with your ma. Catherine, it was a pleasure to see you again. Please come visit whenever you can."
"Thank you, Wyatt, I'll do that." He tipped his hat and strode down the street to catch up with the others. "Come, let's have a cup of coffee."
Agatha nodded and followed her mother back into the building, turning into the dining room and then through the door into the kitchen. After her mother poured two cups of coffee from the pot on the stove, she moved to the table, placing one before her daughter.
"Why are you angry at me?" Catherine asked.
Surprised, Agatha looked up. "I'm not mad at you, Ma."
"Fine, but you are definitely mad at somebody. Is it Wyatt?"
"No, of course not."
Sighing, Catherine sat back in her chair. "Are you really going to make me list every person you know? This would go a lot faster if you'd just tell me who has taken the smile off my girl's pretty face."
"Ma? I… are you happy?"
"Happy? Yes, I'm very happy, sweetheart."
"You aren't just saying that? I mean, I knew that Wallace wasn't a nice man but… but you never said a word about how horrid he really was."
"Oh, honey, there was no reason to—"
"Yes, Ma, there was. It would have been better to know… know the truth of why you really married him instead of wondering how you could allow someone like him into your—our lives."
Catherine sat forward, reaching out to place her hands over Agatha's. "I didn't want to worry you. It's not a child's job to worry about her parents. I realize now that you had to do so long before Wallace came into town. When your pa died, a part of me died with him. It took seeing you and your Wyatt for me to remember that life was meant to be enjoyed. Yes, there will always be times of grief, of loss, but there is never a time to simply give up." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I should have realized that, together, you and I could overcome whatever happened, but I didn't. I made a mistake but even then, a part of me is glad I did."
"What? How can you say that?"
"Agatha, if I hadn't wed… or thought I had wed Wallace, then we never would have joined the wagon train. If we hadn't, if we'd stayed in Pinefork, you wouldn't have found your Wyatt. You wouldn't have found such friends as you have in Anna and Charity. You wouldn't have built a cabin, a home to share with a wonderful man and my future grandchildren. Do you see? Out of that hell came heaven. So, please, don't fret about me. I am very happy now."
"With… with Mr. Goldman?"
"Ah, is that what this is about?" With Agatha's rather reluctantly given nod, she smiled. "Yes, with Ben. He is a good man. He loved his wife as much as I loved your pa. But we can also love each other, can't we?" When Agatha didn't answer, she sighed. "I made your life miserable by being with Wallace. I won't do that again. If you are so against Ben, then I will tell him that we can be nothing more than employer and employee."
"You could come live with us…" Agatha began but stopped as she really looked at her ma's face. "You really are happy, aren't you? You really like him."
"I do. Very much," Catherine admitted.
"Oh, Ma, I'm so sorry. I don't have the right to dictate what you should do or who you should… should love," Agatha said, removing her hands from beneath her mother's in order to move from her chair and sink down on her knees, burying her head in her ma's lap. "I'm just being selfish. Please, forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive," Catherine said, stroking her hair. "How could there be when you were only protecting me?"
"Like you were protecting me," Agatha said, lifting her face. "Thank you. I'm happy for you and Ben. You deserve to be happy. I love you, Ma. I love you so much."
"Good because I love you more than anything… or anyone." Smiling, she drew her daughter up and the two embraced. It was a few minutes before they separated and each wiped a tear off their cheek as they turned towards the door, both having heard a sound.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," Teresa said.
Agatha couldn't stop the grin as she realized their situations had flipped. "You're not. Ma and I were just saying our goodbyes."
"I'm going to miss you, Agatha," Teresa said.
"I'll be looking for you to visit," Agatha said, walking to the young woman and giving her a hug. "And, when you do, I'll expect to hear all about how my ma and your pa are behaving themselves… or not."
Teresa seemed a bit surprised. "I'll watch them like a hawk, I promise."
"Well, maybe you can look away sometimes," Agatha said, and the two girls giggled.
Catherine just shook her head but the smile now shining on her face said that she didn't mind. When Wyatt walked into the kitchen a few moments later, he found the three around the table, chattering about wedding plans. Agatha stood and gave him a hug.
"Better?" he asked, lifting her chin with two fingers.
"Much," she said, her heart lighter than it had been since they'd arrived in town. It hadn't been the news of Roger's engagement, or the first steps made by Teresa towards a lasting friendship, or even a barn dance. No, it had been seeing her ma's face, looking into her eyes and discovering that she wasn't just surviving… she was happier than she'd been in as long as Agatha could remember.
Chapter Sixteen
Three Months Later…
"You're up awful early," Matthew said, yawning as he sat up on his bunk, stretching his arms above his head.
"Yup, gotta get into town," Roger said, pulling on his boots. "Today's a special day."
"Why, I didn't forget your wedding day, did I?" Matthew teased. "I thought that wasn't for a couple of weeks still."
"It isn't," Roger said, standing and reaching for his hat. "Nope. They finished the school and today is the day that Teresa is going to be introduced as the teacher. She's excited and I wanna be there for her. And, of course, I can't wait to give her her present."
Matthew grinned. "Think she'll like it?"
"Not as much as being surrounded by all her students, but yeah, I'm hoping she likes it. After the announcement, I'm going to take her up to the cabin and have a picnic. Catherine said she'd provide the food. I'll be back before too long…"
"Naw, take your time. We can handle moving the cattle now that we've got that section's fence complete. You just enjoy your day with your gal."
"Thanks, Matt," Roger said. "I know I haven't exactly pulled my weight around here lately, but with building the cabin and the furniture—"
"You do plenty. Now, go on. It's still early and I wanna catch some more winks." Before Roger was even out the bunkhouse door, Matthew was already stretched out on his bunk, his eyes closed.
Mounting his horse, Roger began the ride into town. The snows had finally melted and after a few weeks of traversing muddy trails, it had been nice seeing green shoots sprouting from the previously frozen earth. The herd had not only survived their first winter, they'd thrived. Besides Kratos, the first bull born, they'd had an additional dozen cows drop calves. The birthing shed they'd built had kept the young animals safe from predators and their mothers warm and secure. With the arrival of spring, he'd enjoyed watching the calves kick up their heels a bit as they discovered more open range to explore.
He couldn't help but hope that Teresa would not only like the gift he was bringing her but would be happy with the progress on the cabin. It had gone up f
aster than he had hoped, but only because every man on the ranch pitched in after doing their chores. The women had as well, making sure they remembered to include plenty of shelving, windows and, of course, the porch he'd promised his bride-to-be. He couldn't wait to sit on it with his wife, holding her in his arms as they watched the sun set over the mountains. Thinking of Teresa had his cock twitching and he was honest enough to admit he couldn't wait to have her in his arms in the bed he'd just finished building. It had been the final piece of furniture to finish, as he wanted it to be special. He'd carved the headboard with vines and flowers, ignoring Matthew's constant teasing, because he knew his girl loved plants and all things that grew.
Hearing laughter and squawking, he slowed Buster, his horse, as he approached the Wilcox cabin. Agatha was the source of the laughter, and what appeared to be at least a dozen chickens were doing the squawking. "Get him, Wyatt!" Agatha called, holding her arms out and dancing back and forth.
Roger watched as Wyatt carefully approached from behind what Roger suddenly recognized as the infamous Mr. Rooster. Evidently the couple were attempting to move their chickens from the coop inside the barn back to the one outside.
"Need any help?" he called out, stopping completely to watch the show.
Wyatt stood straighter and shook his head and walked towards him. "Not unless you speak chicken. You'd think these chickens would be grateful to get some fresh air, but it seems every dang one of them thinks they're about to be put into the stew pot. And that cock isn't helping!" Pointing to Mr. Rooster, he said, "If I had any sense, I'd just shoot him…"
"Wyatt! You can't say things like that. He's just protecting his flock," Agatha said. Roger couldn't believe it when she squatted down and began to talk to the rooster who was busy running back and forth, flapping his wings, causing the other hens to cluck, squawk and generally cause a ruckus.
"Going into town?" Wyatt asked, having reached him.
"Yeah, I'll be bringing Teresa back to show her the cabin. I know she wanted to make up a list of things she needs before we move in."
"Bring her by," Wyatt said. "I know that Aggy will want to visit."
