“Charlotte, I been thinkin’, he straightened up as she moved past him. “Why don’t you bundle Jessie up and come with me this time? The hotels in Helena are real nice. I’d make sure you were comfortable.”
Hardening her heart against his closeness, she replied, “No thank you, Eathen. You’ll be very busy with the Legislature and whatever else you had planned to do. We’d just be in the way.”
Out of patience with her stubbornness, he pulled her into his arms. “Damn it! I’m askin’ you to come with me! A woman’s place’s with her husband.”
Pushing against his hard chest, she cried out. “Let go of me, Eathen.”
“Why do you fight me?” He gave her shoulders a slight shake. “You’re my wife, goddamn it!”
“You should have thought of that before you took everything from Miles City to Helena to your bed!” She kicked out at him, her slippered foot catching him in his shin. “Now, let go of me!”
Without another word, he released her. For a brief moment, they stood glaring at each other. Eathen turned away first. Walking over, he scooped his sleeping daughter into his arms.
In silence, Charlotte walked from the room. In no mood to listen to Hattie, she continued on her way down the stairs and out the front door. The fresh air felt good and the slight breeze cooled her fevered cheeks as she made her way across the lush green lawn. As she walked around the back of the house, she spied their new foreman walking towards her. Lifting her hand in greeting, she smiled.
“Good mornin’.” He removed his hat and, pulling a handkerchief from his back pocket, wiped the sweat from his face.
“Were you comin’ to speak to Eathen?”
“Yeah, as a matter of fact, but I must admit, you’re a lot prettier.”
Charlotte felt her cheeks flush at his roguish teasing. “My husband’s gettin’ ready to leave, so if you want to talk to him you better go on in.”
He started to turn away then stopped, his green eyes taking on a jovial gleam. “Do you like to ride, Mrs. Thornton?”
“Why…yes. I haven’t had much chance to since Jessie came though.”
“Then you’re way past due. How ‘bout meetin’ me after lunch? I’ll have a horse all saddled and waitin’.”
The words to tell him she didn’t have time for such foolishness already formed on her tongue when she thought about Eathen’s impending trip and what it might entail. With a recklessness she had never felt before, she declared, “I’ll be glad to go with you, Dave.”
A satisfied smile teased his mouth as his fingers brushed the brim of his hat.
She stood watching him make his way around the house. Grinning at her own boldness, she walked up the back porch steps and into the house to find Hattie waiting for her in the kitchen.
“Is somethin’ wrong, Hattie?” She opened the icebox to remove a pitcher of iced tea.
“Not yet dar ain’.” She turned back to the dishpan full of dishes already soaking in hot soapy water.
“If you have a point to make,” Charlotte took a glass down out of the cupboard, “I wish you’d make it.”
“Doan do it, Miz Charlotte,” she said without turning.
“What are you talkin’ ‘bout?” Charlotte poured the glass full of tea.
“Ah wuz lookin’ out de winder,” Hattie gestured toward the yard, her soapy hand leaving wet droplets on the window, “an Ah seed you laffin’ wid Mist’ Dave.”
“So?”
Hattie turned around, wiping her hands on her apron. “Miz Charlotte, w’en a man bes lookin’ dat good, he kain bes nuthin’ but trouble.”
“Dave Houston’s a very nice man, Hattie. He asked me to go ridin’ with him this afternoon and I told him I would.” She picked up the glass of tea, pleased with the shocked look passing over Hattie’s face. “It’s time I got out of this house for awhile. You said so yourself.” She placed the pitcher back in the icebox and closed the door with a slam.
“Yas’m, Miz Charlotte, Ah did,” Hattie nodded in agreement. “But Ah sho din means fer it ter bes dis way.”
“Is Eathen still upstairs with the baby?” She ignored Hattie’s implications.
“No’m. He bes in de den wid Mist’ Dave.”
“Good. Now I won’t have to talk to him before he leaves.” She scooted past the frowning woman.
“Lawd! Lawd!” Hattie declared, as the door swung shut behind Charlotte. “Mist’ Eathen better hurries home dis time. W’ile he still gots a home ter retuhn ter.”
***
As they rode, Charlotte could feel her spirits lifting. A warm wind blowing across her face gave her a feeling of freedom. She felt like laughing aloud. She had forgotten how beautiful the foothills could be this time of year and how many different wild flowers covered the ground. It looked as though someone had taken a large bag of flower seeds and thrown them to the winds. Turning to the handsome, blond-haired young man riding beside her, she smiled.
“Thank you, Dave. I didn’t realize how closed in I’ve been all these months.”
“We all get in a rut now and then.” He grinned over at her. “You just needed someone to help you out of it.”
“Where are you from?” Charlotte asked, charmed by his slow drawl. “If you don’t mind my askin’.”
“No. I don’t mind tellin’ you. I was born and raised on a small ranch just a little ways outside Abilene, Texas.”
“My,” she laughed, “you are a long way from home.”
“In more ways’n one, ma’am.”
“Why do you say that?”
“If you could see where I grew up, you wouldn’t ask. You got what…five thousand acres or more?” He looked out over the green fertile land, dotted here and there with small streams, and couldn’t help but compare it with the miles of blowing dust and dry creek beds of Abilene.
“Somethin’ like that, I guess. Why?”
“My ole man sired ten kids on a patch of land not fit for the coyotes. He didn’t stop to think about how we’d survive on that land. He just kept on bringin’ us into the world.”
“Your poor mother. It had to be unbearable for her, tryin’ to feed that many mouths.”
“It had to be a challenge. She never gave up tryin’ though.”
Without thinking, Charlotte asked, “Why didn’t your father hire someone to help her?”
His upper lip curled into a disgusted frown. “Hell, my ole man did good to have his liquor and put a few beans on the table to worry ‘bout lendin’ her a hand.”
“I’m sorry.” She turned away, angry with herself for making such a thoughtless blunder. “I guess in a lotta ways I’ve taken wealth for granted.”
“How’s that?” He slowed his horse, gave her his full attention.
Trying to make light of a life he had only heard about, Charlotte told him of her wealthy upbringing in Boston, Massachusetts; of the large house with its fancy furnishings and how, at the tender age of sixteen, she had met and married Eathen.
“And of course with him, you could look forward to more of the same of what you grew up with, just on a different scale. Right?” His voice took on an edge akin to anger. The many years of going to bed on an empty stomach and being kicked around for being one more mouth to feed had him recoiling against anything close to pity. “Don’t get me wrong, Mrs. Thornton, I ain’t whinin’ for sympathy.”
“I know that, Dave,” she told him, a niggling of guilt making her regret she had been so open with him. “There’s one thing you can be thankful for, though,” Charlotte tried to put him at ease.
His brows lifted. “What’s that?”
“At least now you’re in a position to send money back to those still at home. That should make your mother’s life a little easier.”
A look of disgust covered his face as he stared straight ahead. “She’s the one person I ever cared about helpin’, but she don’t need no help now. She died two years ago. Just forty-five-years-old and she looked like she could have been in her seventies.”
“
I’m sorry.” She looked away, her eyes becoming moist.
“I said I don’t want your pity, Charlotte.” He reined in his horse and, dismounting, stooped down to pluck a small purple flower. For a moment he held the flower in his hands, then handed it up to her. “But I do want your friendship.”
“That, you already have, Dave.” She reached to take the flower from his hand. “You see, I’m in need of a friend as much as you are.”
Chapter Seven
Charlotte found herself looking forward to their time together. Dave Houston had a way of making her feel like a young girl again. When she learned about him being three-years younger than her, Charlotte felt all the more anxious to be with him. The knowledge she could keep the younger man interested made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. A feeling her husband had failed to provide for a very long time. She enjoyed brushing her hair until it shone, knowing he would make some comment about how pretty she looked. Or recklessly adding a touch of perfume to her wrists because he would enjoy the scent. Dave Houston gave her a reason to get up in the morning and a fantasy to play out in her dreams at night. Most of all, he kept her from thinking about all the trips her husband made to Helena and what those trips might mean to her marriage.
The day she had been dreading arrived that morning, with Eathen’s return to the ranch.
“Mist’ Eathen bes home now.” Hattie peered at her, a slight smile tugging at her mouth. “So Ah guess dat means Mist’ Dave woan be tekin’ you ridin’ dis affernoon.”
“I don’t know, Hattie,” Charlotte watched the older woman’s eyes widen with alarm; “I haven’t made up my mind.”
“Miz Charlotte, you better not bes cahyin’ on wid dat young man in fronts of Mist’ Eathen.”
“For your information, Hattie, Dave Houston and I are not, carryin’ on! We go ridin’, that’s it!”
“Dat’s how it starts. Lissen, Miz Charlotte,” Hattie placed both hands on Charlotte’s shoulders, “ah knows dis ain’ any of my bizness, an’ Ah doan means ter judge you’n Mist’ Dave. Ah jes’ wants you ter bes careful, dats all. You’s gwing thoo a bad time wid Mist’ Eathen, but Miz Charlotte, one thing you needs ter ‘members. An dat is, two wrongs nebber did meks a right.”
“Hattie, I already told you…” She stopped as Eathen came walking into the kitchen.
“I was wonderin’ where everyone got off to,” he said with a wide grin.
“I’ll be upstairs with Jessie.” Charlotte brushed past him without a backward glance.
“So much for the pleasant morning I had planned.” Eathen smacked his hands, laced his fingers, and flipped them out straight until they popped.
“Effen Ah wuz you, Mist’ Eathen,” Hattie shook a finger at him, “Ah’d march mahseff right up dem stairs an’ has a wud wid dat woman.”
He blew a frustrated breath from his lungs as he shook his head. “Wouldn’t do any good, Hattie. A woman like Charlotte can’t be strong-armed. All I can do is wait for her to come ‘round. I just hope she don’t take too long.”
“You doan knows de half of it,” Hattie whispered, as the swinging door closed behind him.
On her way downstairs with Jessie, Charlotte glanced up to see Eathen waiting for her on the landing. Continuing on her way, she made to go around him, when he took hold of her arm.
“If you don’t mind, Charlotte, I’ll take Jessie for awhile. I’ve missed her.”
“I would never deny Jessie time with her father.” She handed the baby over to him. “Even though he don’t deserve it.” She continued the rest of the way down the stairs.
“That’s only your opinion, Charlotte.” Eathen wrapped a firm arm around his squirming daughter.
“It’s almost time for her nap. I would prefer that you don’t interrupt her schedule.”
“When I’m home, she don’t have a schedule.” Eathen made his way across the room.
“Miz Charlotte, Ah gots Miss Jessie’s bottle wahmin’.” Hattie poked her head around the corner. “Effen you’s ready, Ah’ll gits it.”
“No, Hattie, we’ll wait. Eathen seems to think she can do without it right now.”
“Bring the bottle to me, Hattie,” he called out loudly, startling Jessie into a whimper of alarm. “I can feed her just as well as her mother.”
“All dis cahyin on’s gwing ter sceers her.” Hattie rubbed her apron over the bottle, blotting up any hot water clinging to the sides. “Why doan Ah teks her?” She dropped the bottle in her apron pocket and held out her arms. “Dat way, y’all’ll have yo’ hans free.”
“You seem to forget, Hattie,” Charlotte told her, not bothering to hide the irritation in her voice at Hattie’s boldness; “Jessie’s our daughter.”
“Ah ain’ fergittin’ nuthin’, Miz Charlotte.” Hattie took Jessie into her arms, her deep voice filled with indignation. “Y’all ack lak dis youngin’ bes sumpin’ ter plays wid. Well she ain’!” Hattie’s head snapped forward in her anger. “She bes a pusson, jes’ lak you.”
Unable to argue against such sound logic, they both looked away.
Hattie continued to stare at the embarrassed couple a moment longer, then reached into her pocket to retrieve the bottle.
“I think we both owe you an apology, Hattie. It’s plain to see Jessie’s very contented with you.”
“I’m sorry, too,” Charlotte told her.
“Awright den. Dis bein’ yo’ fust, Ah guess y’all’s boun’ ter meks a few mistakes. Dat’s why it bes best ter has mo’n jes’ one.” Hattie ignored the angry look crossing Charlotte’s face.
“Yes…I…see what you mean,” Eathen stammered, glancing over at Charlotte.
“It appears she isn’t interested in eating right now, Hattie,” Charlotte said through clenched teeth, as she watched the baby move her head from side to side trying to get away from the encroaching nipple. “You can give her back to her father.”
As Eathen reached out to take the baby, he drew back staring at her. “When did she start suckin’ her thumb, Charlotte?”
“She’s been doin’ that for some time now,” Charlotte told him. “I‘m .surprised you never noticed.”
“Well how do you get her to stop? Her hands are covered with germs. I don’t want her stickin’ them in her mouth.”
“Ah knows how ter cures her of it,” Hattie spoke up.
“How?” Eathen gave Hattie his full attention.
“Puts chicken shit on her thumb.”
Eathen felt his stomach recoil. “What the hell you talkin’ `bout? If I ever hear of you doin’ somethin’ like that to her, I’ll fire you so goddamn quick you won’t know what hit you!”
“Awright.” Hattie shrugged her massive shoulders. “But doan comes runnin’ ter me w’en her teeth bucks out lak a rabbit.”
“Charlotte, I want you to get hold of Doc Nebinger and ask him what we can put on Jessie’s thumb to keep it out of her mouth.”
Nodding, Charlotte turned away before Eathen could see her laughter over Hattie’s pronounced cure.
“I never heard of such a thing in my life!” he mumbled, walking away.
“Hattie, I trust you won’t go behind our backs on this.”
“No’m, Miz Charlotte. Ah woan’. Effen you an’ Mist’ Eathen doan wants me ter cures her, den Ah woan’.”
“Thank you,” she said then murmured, “Does that really work?”
“Yas’m, Miz Charlotte, it tru’ly do. My ma put it on me, an’ Ah sho stopped!”
“I can see where you would.”
“Mist’ Eathen, does you wants dis youngin’ or not?” Hattie walked towards him.
“Yes, Hattie. I’ll take her now.” He set the drink he had just poured for himself down on the table.
“Effen y’all doan needs me no mo’, Ah’ll go finish whut Ah wuz doin’ in de kitchen.”
“Go ahead, Hattie, I think we can handle it from here.”
“Eathen, I don’t mean to nag, but Jessie really does need to stick to her schedule. If she s
ees you’ll let her get away with things, before you know it, she’ll be outta control.”
“For Christ’s sake, Charlotte, she’s only six-months-old.”
“That’s true,” Charlotte nodded, “and she’s gettin’ more spoiled every day.”
Holding her in his arms, Eathen drew back his head to gaze into the little girl’s face. “When you’re with your daddy, Jessie, you can do anything you want. I’ll always be here to protect you.”
“You can’t very well protect her all the way from Helena,” Charlotte told him.
“That’s a good point, Charlotte. Maybe I should take her with me sometimes.”
“Over my dead body!” Charlotte moved towards him. “I won’t have my daughter ‘round the trash you associate with!”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear you say that.” He turned, avoiding Charlotte’s outstretched arms. “Jessie’s the most important person in the world to me. I would never endanger her. In any way!”
“Then I suggest you leave her here, where I can keep an eye on her.”
Steeling his anger, Eathen walked over to her. Placing one hand upon her shoulder, he ignored the way her body flinched beneath his touch. “Charlotte, please don’t act this way.” When she refused to acknowledge him, he tipped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I’m sorry for the things I said just after Jessie’s birth. I had no right to hurt you like that. Can’t we start over?” His dark eyes pleaded with her to understand and give in. “At least for her sake?” He glanced down at Jessie as she stared up him.
Charlotte remained rigid, waiting, hoping with all her being he would tell her he had said the things he had out of anger. When he didn’t, she jerked away from him. “You expect me to forget about all your other women?” Her eyes flashed with her ire. “I can’t do that, Eathen!”
“Can’t or won’t?” His steely gaze refused to yield.
“Does it really matter?”
“No,” Eathen breathed a slight, humorless laugh. “I guess not.” He handed Jessie into her arms before walking away.
Fated Memories Page 10
