“Neither am I, thank God. I want you to go.”
“If I dressed you up, you’d look pretty decent,” Cora said, ignoring Letty’s order to leave. “I’m here to take you out of this”—she waved a gloved hand—“pigsty.”
Letty choked back her anger. “Well thank you very much for your generosity, Sister Cora. This pigsty suits me just fine.”
Cora’s mouth opened, then snapped shut. “Sit down,” she ordered. “Sit down and play. I need someone who can tickle the keys, rouse the crowds and put some life into the music. I’ve been told you can make that piano talk. I want to hear it.”
“No, damn you! I’ll not play. I want you to leave.”
“Still the simple-minded fool. You can make as much as fifty dollars a week, travel, stay in the best places, meet . . . interesting men.”
“You have a nerve coming here.” Letty’s voice trembled with anger. “Get out!”
“I’ve come here to give you a chance to redeem yourself. Now hush up, and listen.” Cora spoke in a sharp commanding voice that was trained to give orders.
“Don’t tell me to hush up, you . . . damned hypocrite! The only thing you can say that will interest me in the least is that you’re leaving and I’ll never have to see your face again.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Letty. I have plenty to say that should interest you. Unless you want everyone in Nebraska to know that you were a bitch in heat and that you were serviced by a wild, black-Irish Catholic, you’ll keep a civil tongue in your head.”
Cora’s attack was sudden and vicious. The words hit Letty with the force of a slap in the face.
“You’re evil, Cora. Evil and mean.”
“Did you keep your bastard, sister dear?”
“There is no bastard! Mike and I were married before he left that winter.” The lie came easily to Letty. No way was this creature going to call the child born of her love and Mike’s a bastard!
“Mike Dolan married you?” Cora’s mouth puckered as if she hadn’t thought of the possibility. Then she asked, “Why are you using the name Graham?”
“So Papa and Mike couldn’t find me. I was angry at Mike for leaving me to face Papa alone. You know as well as I that Papa thinks marrying a Catholic is a sin equal to murder.” When Cora didn’t speak, Letty continued, hoping to change the subject. “I don’t know how anyone as evil, greedy, and grasping as you and Papa can fool the decent, hard-working folk like you do.”
“Because they want to be fooled and because I’m so good at fooling them, dear sister. I’ve come a long way during the past six years. My name is known in every town west of the Mississippi. Crowds gather at every whistle-stop to hear me speak. I live very well. People jump when I issue an order. I have two beautiful homes, my own railway car, money in the bank, and millionaires clamoring to marry me. What do you have? You live on a broken-down farm that will someday be Mama’s. Do you think Papa will let you stay here? He’ll throw you out like so much trash.”
Anger was a heaviness in Letty’s chest that threatened to strangle her. Only Cora’s insults about her son shook her. Her threats that her parents would take over the farm did not. Mike would never let it happen. Letty was determined not to give Cora the satisfaction of knowing how much her cruel words hurt. The smug look on her sister’s face reminded her of the way she looked the day at the dinner table when she told their father about her pregnancy.
“I’m supposed to be dead. Remember?”
“Of course, I remember.” Cora’s smile had a hint of secrecy to it. “Papa got enough donations at the memorial service to get us out of town. Brilliant idea. Mine, as a matter of fact.”
“And Mama? She went along with it?”
“You know how Mama is.” Cora shrugged. “She rather enjoyed her grief; being fussed over and all. Mama is dumb as a doorknob and perfect for Papa. She obeys him without question. He still rules the roost. Thank God, I got out from under his thumb or I’d still be preaching under a brush arbor.”
“You’re hard, Cora. They doted on you.”
“Yes, they did, didn’t they?” She preened. “But I’m not here to discuss them. You should be grateful that I’m willing to take you out of this pigsty.”
Anger burst forth in Letty like a red tide. “You call my home a pigsty one more time and I swear to God, I’ll smear your nose all over your lily-white face.”
For an endless moment Cora stared at Letty. “Now. Now. Let’s be civilized. I know it will be difficult for you, but try, will you?” She raised her brows in question. “I heard about the little set-to yesterday. Did you lose your temper? Did your lover make you angry?” Cora lifted her white-gloved hands and folded her face veil back over her hat. “I suppose it gives you a thrill to have men fight over you.”
“You don’t miss a thing, do you?”
“It would have been difficult to miss. Men fighting over a whore is news in any town.”
“At least a whore gives something in return for the money she takes! You give nothing but false hope after you scare the life out of folks with your ‘end of the world’ tales. Get out! You’re not welcome here.” Letty balled her fists. She never wanted to hit anyone so badly in all her life.
“You’re being tiresome.” Cora sighed heavily. “I don’t have much more time to waste here. I want to get this settled before I go. I’ve not found a pianist that can fire up a crowd like you and Mama. I want to hear you play. If you still have the touch, I’ll take you with me.”
“You’re just like Papa,” Letty shouted, her temper flaring anew. “You haven’t heard a thing I’ve said. Can’t you get it through your stupid head that I don’t want anything to do with you. Long before Papa threw me out, I was ashamed of him, ashamed of you, ashamed of the plans you devised, your schemes to get what you wanted from some poor soul who had hardly enough to feed his own family. There’s nothing you can do to me that will hurt me half as much as having my friends know that I’m related to you.”
“Have you finished?”
“With you, yes. Get out of my house.”
“You must keep in mind, dear sister, that I always have an alternate plan to back up each of my . . . ah . . . er . . . proposals. I understand a girl by the name of Helen Weaver is staying here with you. Her father wants her back with him. He grieves for his little girl, the last of a family taken by the epidemic. The young doctor in town is trying to make arrangements for you to adopt the child. I doubt, Letty, that the Child Welfare Department of this state or any other would place a child in the care of a woman who is living apart from her husband under a fictitious name. Think about that.”
Letty shook with disbelief. “Helen has nothing to do with this. Why would you want to hurt that . . . little girl?”
“I don’t want to hurt her but I’ll use whatever means I can to get what I want. When I go into a town, I make it my business to know as much as I can about the people who live there. You’d be surprised at the things I hear and . . . how I can use that information. Right now, down in Boley, I have people—”
“Digging up dirt for you to use against them, huh Cora?” Mike’s voice came from behind Letty. She turned. He was there; big, solid, self-assured and wonderful. She hadn’t heard him come into the house. He was looking at Cora and she at him. Letty was aware that behind his calm mask was lethal hatred.
“As I live and br . . . breathe.” Cora’s voice faltered. “Mike Dolan. Well . . . well—” A half-smile curved her lips.
“In the flesh,” Mike snarled. “Ah . . . So your ferrets failed to report that I was here.”
“I knew it was you. I told Papa you were the one that got into our little Letty’s bloomers.”
“You cooked up that scheme to keep us apart. You never thought I’d find out that Letty was alive, did you?” Mike’s voice was as hard as nails.
“I never thought about it one way or the other.”
“You’re a liar and always have been. I’ve been there in the kitchen listening to you shoot of
f your mouth. You’re the same old sneaking, conniving Cora, working both ends against the middle to get your way.”
“Eavesdropping,” Cora said haughtily. “I’m not surprised considering your background.”
“Get out before I forget you’re a woman and throw you out.” Mike came to Letty and put his arm across her shoulders.
“That won’t be necessary.” Cora lowered the veil back over her face. “I’ll leave, but you’ll be hearing from me.” She walked to the door and turned. “Tell me, Mike. What did you see in a mousy thing like her?”
“Things you wouldn’t understand. She’s beautiful inside as well as outside. Honest, loyal, and compassionate. She’s got more integrity in the tip of her little finger than you have in your whole body. I knew when I was seventeen that she was the one woman in the whole world I wanted to have my babies and share my life. She’s my wife, my friend, my lover. I love her with all my heart and soul.”
Cora laughed nastily. “That’s quite a testimonial. It must be nice to be so perfect.”
“Stay out of our lives, Cora. Interfere and you’ll be sorry.” Mike spoke softly, but there was suppressed rage in every word.
“Are you threatening me? I’d be careful if I were you, Mike. I’m a well-known, very popular person. If I complain of harassment, you’ll be arrested immediately.”
“If that should happen, I have a few tales the newspapers would like to print. Tales of swindle and fraud.”
Cora smiled as if enjoying the game of sparring with Mike.
“Then I suggest we call it a standoff . . . for the time being. By the way, Letty. I forgot to mention that I sent Papa a wire telling him that Grandpa Fletcher is ailing and that he’d better get up here and see about Mama’s inheritance.”
“Grandpa’s not ailing—” Letty protested and stopped when Mike squeezed her shoulder.
“You’ll get your folks up here for nothing. There’s nothing here for your mother to inherit. Jacob sold the farm to me. The deed is recorded at the courthouse.”
On hearing Mike’s words, Letty did her best not to look surprised. Cora was studying them with eyes both intense and probing.
“You think you have things tied up here nice and neat. We’ll see. I usually get what I go after; one way or the other.”
“Not always. You didn’t get me, did you, Cora?” Mike’s voice was cold and wicked. Surprised again by his words, Letty looked up to see his features set in a rock-hard expression, his cold, black eyes boring into Cora’s. “When you discovered I was interested in Letty, you tried every scheme in the book to get me to like you. I’ll tell you now as I told you then, the sight of you lying there by the stream, your bloomers off and your legs spread, sickened me. I couldn’t stand the sight of you then and I can’t stand the sight of you now.”
Cora stood perfectly still, her eyes locked with Mike’s. Then color came up to flood her face, Her hand fumbled blindly for the screen door. She was so shaken that she stumbled over the threshold when she went out. Mike and Letty followed her to the porch. After she went down the steps to the yard she turned and looked back at Mike, pure hatred hardening her features.
“You poor fool. I’ve got more money than you ever dreamed of having. You’ll never be anything but dirt-poor Irish-Catholic trash.”
“And proud of it,” he replied. “In comparison with you and your kind, me and my kind smell like roses. Stay away from my wife, my son, and this farm or you’ll answer to me.”
“I’ve discovered that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. I never let an insult go unrevenged. You’ll soon see who has the most influence with Mrs. Knight of the Child Welfare Department, me or your Doctor Hakes.” Cora took the arm of the man who came from the car. “You really should come to a meeting and be saved, Letty. The Lord works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform. Our Jesus loves even a lowly whore. Who knows, He may let you keep the girl if you ask forgiveness for your sins.”
Mike and Letty stood on the porch and watched her being helped into the automobile. The driver went around to the other side, climbed in, and pressed an automatic starter. The engine sputtered to life and purred like a tamed tiger. The car made a sharp turn and headed back toward Piedmont.
Letty buried her face in Mike’s chest and wrapped her arms about his waist.
“What will we do? How did you know I needed you?”
“The car. You can see the flags on the fenders and the sign on the side of it half a mile away. I cut across the field, got here shortly after she did, and sent Helen out to stay with Jacob and Patrick.”
“Do you think she believed me when I said we were married before you left that winter?”
“Even if she didn’t, it will take her some time to run down all the places we could have been married. We’ve got to figure out a way to be married so it’ll appear to have happened six years ago.”
“Poor little Helen. Just for spite Cora will do everything she can to get her away from us and turned over to that . . . that animal.”
“She’ll try, but we have a few cards to play too.” Mike lifted her face with a gentle finger beneath her chin. “Don’t give up, sweetheart. You were doing a good job of holding your own with Cora. I kept hoping you’d ‘smear her nose all over her lily-white face.’ ” He grinned proudly.
“You heard . . . that?”
“I heard that. Now kiss me. We’ve got plans to make.”
His mouth shaped itself to hers. Letty parted her lips against his and slowly traced the bottom curve of his inner lip with the tip of her tongue before he pressed his mouth to hers in a long, hard kiss. There was a delightful familiarity in the feel of his body, his arms, his mouth, and in the flood of pleasure that washed over her.
Her eyes were cloudy and her mouth half-parted when he moved his head back to look into her face.
“Kiss me again,” he whispered.
She pressed her mouth to his again and kissed him softly, sweetly.
“How many hours until dark?” he asked, his dark eyes twinkling.
“Too many,” she whispered, letting her breath out in a shaky laugh. “Mike . . . I didn’t know you’d bought the farm from Grandpa.”
“I haven’t . . . yet. Jacob thinks your pa will move heaven and earth to get it after he’s gone, claiming your mother the legal heir. He came up with the idea that I buy it for whatever I have and the deed be transferred to my name and yours. That way there’ll be no will to contest. We’ll still use the money to buy the mares and the sheep. The only thing is, we haven’t had time to get the deed recorded.”
“Grandpa wants to do this?”
“He insists on it. He’s been worried about the farm for a long time. I think that’s one of the reasons he decided to take a chance on me. I’m going to ride over to the Watkins place and see if I can get Guy to witness the signatures on the deed and if I can get Harry to take it to the courthouse in Boley. I’d go myself, but I don’t want to leave you here alone.” He bent his head and placed another soft, tender kiss on her lips.
“Mama!” The screen door flew open. “Mama, did you . . . what’er ya doin’ to Mama, Dolan?”
“Kissing her.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to. Do you mind if I kiss your mama?”
“Well . . . ah . . . not if she wants ya to.”
Letty moved out of Mike’s arms. “I want him to, Patrick. Mike and I have known each other for a long, long time.”
“Before you knew me?”
“Before I knew you. He’s going to live here with us. We’ll be a family. You, me, Grandpa, Helen, and Mike.”
“He’ll be my daddy like Mr. Watkins is Jimmy’s daddy?”
“Yes, son. Is . . . that all right with you?” Mike asked with a slight tremor in his voice.
“Yeah! Yeah!” The small face split in a snaggletoothed grin. “I’d rather have you for my daddy than anyone in the whole wide world. I’d rather have you than Mr. Watkins.”
“Then it’s all ri
ght with you?”
“Golly! You’ll be my daddy! Golly-bum! I gotta tell Grandpa and Helen. Whoopee!”
The screen door slammed behind their son. Letty turned her head sharply and looked at Mike. She saw a wet shine to his eyes.
“Did you think Patrick would be unhappy?”
“I was afraid he might resent me. He’s had you to himself for so long.” Mike’s voice was shaky. “Someday I want him to know that I’m his real daddy, but we’ll wait and pick the proper time to tell him.” His hand came up to cradle her head, and he gently touched his lips to hers.
“He’s a smart little boy. I’m glad he didn’t see Cora . . . or her automobile.” Letty laughed. “He’s fascinated with cars.”
“Maybe he’ll be the next Henry Ford.”
“I’m glad you’ll be here to guide him.” Letty wrapped her arms about Mike’s waist. “I was going to get cleaned up before you came in for dinner,” she murmured against his chest.
Mike leaned down and nipped her earlobe. “You already look good enough to eat.”
Letty laughed, lifted her arms to encircle his neck, and scattered kisses over his grinning face.
“Tell me that twenty years from now when my hair is gray and I’m fat from having six of your babies—”
“—Only six?”
They were lost in each other’s eyes when Jacob’s gruff voice boomed from the other side of the screen door.
“Get on in here ‘n’ tell me what’s goin’ on. Beats all how ya can lollygag around out there a huggin’ and a kissin’ and a carryin’ on when I’m waitin’ to know what that chit was up to,” he growled. “ ’Side’s that, there ain’t no dinner on the stove.”
Letty burst out laughing. “When Grandpa’s stomach’s empty, he’s cross as a bear!”
CHAPTER
21
I t was to be a day Letty would never forget.
After the noon meal Mike hitched up the wagon and they all went to the Watkins’ farm. While the children played in the yard, the grown-ups sat at the kitchen table listening to Letty tell them the story of her life before she came to the farm, and explain the reason for her being known as Letty Graham. She felt she owned an explanation to her longest and dearest friends before asking them to witness her grandfather’s signature on a document turning the farm over to her and Mike.
Ribbon in the Sky Page 26
