Buck didn't tell her he'd read her last letter saying she was coming. He knew she'd be in for some surprises and he hoped to soften the blow about some of them. It had been his idea to get them together. He was responsible.
Secretly he felt a little sorry for her. What kind of woman married a man, point blank? It didn't make a lot of sense. Now if she'd been old and ugly, or a real bobcat, he could understand her being unwed. Still, coming all the way out here to start a new life, with a man she didn't know that took guts. But he had to admit, she had more grit than he expected her to.
When he thought about it, it agitated him to think Hershel was getting a prize like her. Hershel didn't really deserve it. He wrote those letters. He poured his heart out in them. Why he wasn't sure. And strangely enough, it was he that carried her picture all this time. But she didn't know it, and she wouldn't. Because right or wrong, she was Hershel's wife now. And he'd respect that.
"Buck," She came down from the top window and put her things away. "I've got to tell you, you made the trip easier than I would have thought. I've enjoyed myself these last few days, and it's all thanks to you."
She leaned down and kissed the top of his head.
Buck held his breath. What in tarnation was she doing? A thank you would have been enough for him.
"I'm glad we got up here before the snows started. But they are coming now." Buck informed her. "Look outside."
She gazed out and her mouth opened in awe. "It's beautiful." She whispered.
"You might not think so after you've spent four or five months with that white stuff." Buck informed her with a chuckle. "Sometimes you don't see the sun for days. Just that dull gray in the sky. Sure does get old. Makes you appreciate the sunshine."
"It's so quiet up here…except for the birds and few animals we saw, so uninhabited."
"Yes ma'am it is. You know, I think Hershel has some cider back of the pantry. Let me take a look. We'll stir up the fire and sit ourselves down to have some. You have been working hard." He got up and went to find it. He found the jug and pulled the cork.
"I found it. It tastes good when it's warmed a little." He handed her the jug.
"Okay, I'll warm it. It is getting a bit chilly." She said going back to the kitchen.
But Buck had made a big mistake, the cider had fermented and after a couple of cups, Rachel was enjoying herself too much.
Buck was feeling no pain either as they sat before the fire. Buck told one yarn after another of his and Hershel's many journeys up and down the mountain. He realized what a good time he was having.
Right or wrong, he figured he deserved to celebrate just a little.
She was laughing and before she realized it, she had leaned on Buck's shoulder, her eyes barely open.
"You're the best friend I have Buck…" She whispered.
"I've come to think the same of you…Rach." He smiled into her hair. "Maybe we should go to bed now, ma'am." He suggested.
But she wasn't budging. She was asleep.
He nudged her several times, but she merely grunted and cuddled closer to him.
Rarely indulging in the female pleasures, Buck wasn't sure what to do with her. So he sat there and sipped more cider until his eyes got heavy. He knew what he wanted to do with her, but the consequences would be intolerable.
They were sprawled on the floor of the cabin the next morning, clutching each other.
When she finally opened her eyes, he was staring at her. "What…what's happened?" She asked.
"We fell asleep on the floor last night." He reminded her, as he peered into her eyes. "I think that cider had been sitting here too long. I think it fermented. But Rach, I swear it wasn't intentional."
"Oh," she raised herself off him. "I'm so sorry…"
But Buck was staring into her eyes and not moving an inch.
Before she knew what his intentions were, he was kissing her.
~*~
Rachel started to protest, but the feel of his lips on hers was shockingly soft and gentle. She should be protesting, she told herself, but somehow she couldn't manage it. His lips began to persuade hers and she responded with a soft moan as he explored the line of her lip. Their breathing became labored and his hands came around her to pull her fully against him.
Her mind floated to the letters and all the sweet things in them. She was lost in a world she didn't want to escape.
She was about to tell him what a mistake she'd made coming here as Hershel's wife, when the door flew open and Hershel burst through, bringing an onslaught of the snow with him, and there was something behind him.
"What the hell…." Hershel boomed.
Buck got up and brought Rachel with him. His arm was still around her as he stared at his friend.
"Hershel, you're back!" Buck shouted.
"Shore am. Now who is this?" He boomed again, his face not quite smiling.
"This? Oh…this is your intended…Rachel. Your wife!"
Hershel's eyes rounded on her like a cannon going off. "My wife? What are you talking about? I don't have no wife, Buck. Least ways, no white wife. I done married me an Indian squaw! This is her right here, Little Feather, ain't she pretty?" Hershel laughed, pulling the woman behind him around to hug her to him.
Rachel's eyes widened. "What?"
The room stood very still for a moment. Had there been a cannon going off, no one would have noticed.
Buck shook himself. He eyed the squaw then Hershel, but he avoided Rachel. "I don't understand."
Hershel took the pack off the Indian girl's back and took her coat off for her. Then he gathered her to him and kissed her long and hard on the lips.
Rachel covered her mouth to prevent a gasp and she was equally sure that her face had turned red.
"This Buck, is my wife, Little Feather." Hershel smiled at his friend. "Ain't she the prettiest little thing. She's the chief's youngest daughter. "
Buck waited to say anything. His mind seemed blank.
"No. Tell me it isn't so…" Buck turned away to control his anger and his embarrassment. He hadn't brought Rachel all the way up the mountain to this. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair. Rachel was his legal wife.
"It is so. I don't need two wives…" Hershel protested, "Although, she is right pretty. Not as young as Little Feather, but pretty."
"This is Rachel…the girl you've been writing to." Buck explained.
"What's she doing here?" Hershel asked.
"Well…she married you by proxy, as we were coming up the mountain, she's your wife…too I guess." Buck glanced from one to the other.
Rachel stood rock still. Her face was emotionless for a minute then she burst out laughing. It was no normal laugh but one of hysteria.
"What's so funny?" Buck asked.
"This whole situation is funny." She cried out hysterically.
"I don't see nothing funny about this, Rach." Buck glanced at her, dismayed because she wasn't shocked at Hershel's announcement.
Rachel plopped on the skins and leaned back. "Well, this is a real mess, isn't it?" She was still laughing.
"Well, now partner looks like you are gonna have to choose which wife you really want." Buck exclaimed. "Cause you can't have them both."
"That ain't no contest. Seeing as how Little Feather and me done…." Buck stopped him. "Well…you know…"
"Don't say it. I don’t' want to hear it." Buck fumed.
"Well, I didn't know she was a coming here. Besides, you said it yourself I should get me an Indian wife, so I did."
"She looks young enough to be your daughter." Buck stared at the Indian girl. "And I said that a long time ago. Not after you started writing to Rachel."
"Writing to her. I didn't write nothing. I can't write. You did all the writing, it is you that should have married her in the first place."
"But…she's just a girl…Hershel." Buck pointed at Little Feather.
"Hell, if she is. She's Black Spider's daughter. He traded her to me. We were married by the chief himsel
f. We're in love, and she's my wife."
"But that's just an Indian marriage, doesn't mean nothing to a white man." Buck protested.
"It does to me. I'm keeping her." Hershel announced. "And I'm right sorry about misleading you, ma'am. But if I were to send her home now, she'd be dishonored among her own people. And I wouldn't hurt her for nothing. Besides, like I said…we done…"
Buck looked from Hershel to Rachel to the Indian girl. "But I brought Rachel up here for you."
"Don't fret Buck. I appreciate what you tried to do for me, but I wouldn't know how to be married to a city gal and you know that. I told you enough times. And Miss," He bent down to look into Rachel's eyes. "I'm sorry…but I'm already married. I can't take you as my wife. That would make things a little illegal."
Buck hunted for the license that the preacher gave him. But he couldn't find it.
"I got a paper here somewhere, showing you as married to Rachel."
"Well, just tear it up…I'm married to Little Feather." Hershel insisted.
"This isn't right!" Buck insisted his face full of fury at his friend. "Just tearing it up won't do a thing. You gotta have it annulled or something like that."
Hershel took his coat off and his hat and told Little Feather to go into the kitchen and make him some lunch. The girl did as he said. As though she were entirely familiar with his kitchen, and being his wife.
"Now look here Buck. I chose my bride. We done had relations. I can't take her back, I don't want to take her back. You were right as rain about me getting an Indian for a wife. She's young, she's beautiful and she loves me." Hershel said as he eyed Rachel with perception. "She waits on me hand and foot, and enjoys doing it. I couldn't ask for better than that."
"What a mess this is!" Buck fumed.
"How could I be married to her, I didn't have no ceremony with her. I didn't go before a preacher with her…?" Hershel insisted.
"No, I stood in your place for you."
"Then she's yours?" He bellowed. "And it's settled."
Buck's face turned red. Rachel ran out into the snow and Buck turned on his friend. "Now look what you've done!"
Chapter Twelve
"Forgive me Rach, I never expected this." Buck ran outside to find her. She was standing near a pine tree, leaning against it. She wasn't crying. She didn't look upset, but he approached her with all the caution of a cougar about to strike.
The snow blanketed the earth, the sun was just peaking over the horizon. An owl hooted somewhere in the distance. A wolf howled. All sounds that Rach had quickly become accustomed to. None of them scared her.
"It's not your fault, Buck. I'm the fool!" She reprimanded herself aloud. "I knew sitting there at the train station, when he didn't show up that things weren't as they seemed. I thought a marriage by proxy would take care of all the problems. That's why I insisted on it. But that can be taken care of. It's not like we…consummated the marriage or anything."
"When he has time to think about this, he'll do the right thing." Buck assured her.
She whirled around to stare at Buck. "The right thing? What is the right thing? He's married to this woman. He's consummated that marriage. It's as holy as any I know of. I respect that. I didn't expect it, but it's the truth. And he is right. She is much more suited for his life than I. Even you can see that, I'm sure. I certainly do. In a way, I'm actually glad it happened. Because when I looked into his face just now for the first time, I saw nothing. Nothing for me, at least."
"But Rach, you are married to him."
She shrugged. "Since it was done by proxy, and since he's consummated this marriage to another, I am sure I can have this annulled."
"You want to do that?"
"It's the only thing to do, Buck. I have no choice, he chose her over me in an instant. I'm afraid you are guilty of being too good a friend to him, and I am presumptuous of thinking a marriage by proxy would solve it all."
"If that's true, why doesn't everyone get an annulment as you call it?"
"Because it can only be done if the marriage is not consummated."
"Oh. But Rach, you came all this way. You've gone through so much, coming up here. Are you sure you want one of those annulments?" He asked narrowing his gaze on her.
"Yes, that's what I want. And if you will be so kind as to take me down the mountain tomorrow, I'll be on my way." She let one tear escape down her cheek. "I should have known better than to come here."
"Don't cry!" He came closer.
"I'm not crying. I'm mad. Mad at myself for being such a fool in the first place. I didn't know Hershel, and I was a fool to think I could come up here and be a wife to a man I don't even know. I was already having regrets when we got here. In a way, a strange way, I'm glad this happened. I'm not suited for Hershel. We all know that. I've suspected it for a while."
"I'll take you back, if it's what you really want."
"It's what I really want," she mumbled.
"I'm sorry…it didn't work out." Buck frowned. "I'll get the paper for you too."
"Yes, I'll need that…" She said lowly.
"What will you do? Where will you go?" He asked.
"I'm not sure, Buck. Right now, I'm not sure of anything. But I have time to decide on the trip back, won't I?"
"Yes, I guess you will. I can't help but feel responsible for all of this…"
"You…what did you have to do with it?" She cried wiping her tears.
"I wrote the letters."
She stared at him for a long moment. Another tear slipped down her cheek. "Yes…you did. They were beautiful letters, Buck. But I was the fool…"
"No ma'am. What you did took guts. I don't know of another woman who would have taken such a chance." Buck assured her. "You were willing to change everything in your life, for Hershel. That speaks well of you, Rach. Even with your doubts, you were going to go through with it. That's something."
"Thank you, Buck, but I'm still leaving." Rachel swallowed her pride. "It's the right thing to do. After all, he doesn't need two women."
"Then we'll get started in the morning if you like. The sooner, the better. If it snows much more, I won't be able to get you down this mountain until spring." Buck informed her.
Rachel looked almost hysterical at his words. "Then let's hope it doesn't snow anymore."
A slow-burning smile lit his lips and he shook his head. "I was wrong about you, Rach."
"What do you mean?"
"When I spotted you at that stage station in that wedding dress, I figured you for all starch and no stamina. I knew then what Hershel meant by 'citified'. But I was wrong. You got pilgrim blood in you, Rach. Nothing seems to scare you."
"Your wrong. Everything scares me. Half way up this mountain I thought I had made a mistake. I was wondering what I would do if I decided I didn't want to be his wife. Now, I know I don't. He's probably a good man, a great man, but he's not for me, Buck. I think I knew that…a while back. But I was wrong about one thing. I had too much pride to admit I was wrong about it. Now the problem has solved itself. And I take the blame for my actions."
"There's no blame to take, except for me writing those letters. That's what started it all. Let's go back inside. Keep your chin up, Rach. There is a purpose for everything." Buck reminded her.
"Your right, of course." She nodded.
Together they walked back inside. Hershel was kissing his wife when they walked in. They broke apart.
"Everything alright?" Hershel asked, looking at Rachel.
"Everything is fine." Rachel managed a smile.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, little lady. It ain't in my nature to hurt a woman."
"I believe that," Rachel said.
"Hershel, we'll be going down the mountain tomorrow." Buck announced. "Before the snow gets deeper."
"Want us to go with you?"
"If you like."
"Then we'll go. It's the least we can do." Hershel nodded and looked at Little Feather, she agreed.
Rachel didn't care, sh
e knew Buck could get her down alone, but she didn't object. In a way, she wanted to know Hershel a little. It would be a shame not to get to know the man she had married.
Pushing the marriage issue to the back of her mind, she tried her best to enjoy the company.
The little cabin had seemed to come alive now that there were more people about.
But Buck stared at her most of the night, as though he expected her to break out in some tantrum, or tears. She didn't.
Hershel saved the night by telling the story about the bear.
Rachel listened and laughed and before long, she forgot that she had married this man. It all seemed like some strange romantic notion. And deep down, Rachel was glad, the way it turned out. The only thing that kept nagging at her was that she had begun to like Buck a little too much.
She closed her eyes that night and all the memories of the last few days came to life again in her mind. But what stuck the most was when Buck kissed her. First as a bride, and then because she knew he wanted to.
Still, that was a physical attraction.
The next morning the four of them geared up for the trek down the mountain.
Buck quickly related the problems they had to come around the ledge of the cliff. Hershel frowned.
"Maybe we shouldn't go that way, the weather is pretty bad, it would be awfully slippery. We can go the long way. We'll take plenty of rope, and I have snow shoes for everyone. We'll make it just fine, Buck." He assured them.
But already the temperature had dropped twenty degrees from the day before, and just staying warm would be a problem.
Little Feather was bundled in animal skins and she offered Rachel some. Rachel accepted and put them on.
At their first campsite, it began to snow and Buck and Hershel were busy trying to keep a fire going and gathering wood. Little Feather helped them while Rachel tried to get a meal prepared.
The men built a shelter for the women and they sat around the fire, keeping warm and telling tales.
The woods were quiet except for the cry of the wolves.
Brides of the West-Part One Page 31
