CantrellsBride

by Suzanne Ferrell

  Her mind made up and her milking finished, she poured her milk into the larger pail filled halfway by Billy.

  “Boys, would you mind carrying the milk to the house when you’re finished here? I need to get bath water from the creek.”

  “We’d be happy to do that for you, Miz Cantrell,” Tom offered.

  She smiled at the boys. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.” Gathering Rachel up once more, she went to the house to put her plan into action.

  She found the metal washtub hidden in the pantry and dragged it out to sit in front of the fireplace. With the poker she urged the banked fire to spark and flame, then added two logs. While the Jones boys carried in enough water to fill the tub, she fed Rachel some stew.

  Before they left, she got out four peppermint sticks she’d purchased earlier in the day, along with an extra four pennies from the small pouch of her own money for each boy.

  If Nathan can pay them to help him with chores, so can I.

  “Boys, here’s some extra money for helping with the water. And could you give a penny and some candy to each of your sisters for watching Rachel this morning for me?”

  They both thanked her and hurried out the door into the night.

  Finished feeding Rachel, she washed her face and hands. She’d love to give her a bath in the tub, but wasn’t sure how the little girl would react. They’d made such headway in such a short period of time, she hated to cause her to backslide in any way. So she tucked her into bed along with her rag doll.

  Downstairs, she set water on the stove to boil, then ventured into the parlor, gathering several sheets off the ugliest velvet upholstered furniture she’d ever seen. She stared at the fragile chairs.

  Who in the world would buy that horrid stuff and hide those fine pieces in the attic?

  Shaking the sheets out first, she strung them up in the kitchen, one over the window and the other across the room to afford herself some privacy. Next she collected her robe, nightgown and book from her bedroom.

  When the water on the stove was hot, she poured it into the cool water in the tub. Soon warm steam filled the makeshift bathing room. She undressed, draping her clothes carefully on the rocker, and stepped into the tub, luxuriating in its warmth. She opened her book to read, but soon her emotional fatigue combined with the water’s heat to make her drowsy. Slowly her eyes drifted closed.

  * * * * *

  Feeling the effects of one too many glasses of whiskey, Nathan rode through the snow-covered path to the barn. Shakily he dismounted from the stallion’s back and slapped the animal on the rump, sending it inside still saddled. After closing the door, he wove his way up to the back door. He stopped and peeked into the window to see if his wife waited on the other side to kosh him over the head the minute he came in.

  What the hell?

  Something white covered the window, obstructing his view. As quietly as he could, he opened the door, stepped inside, then stopped.

  Who the hell hung a sheet in the middle of the room?

  He pulled back the edge of the makeshift curtain to see what was on the other side. The vision before him kicked the breath right out of him.

  There, asleep in the washtub, lay his wife. Her head rested on the rim with her neck arched, showing the long column of creamy flesh, her thick, dark hair brushed against the floor. She’d tucked her left arm between her bent knees, pushing her left breast under the water. The other arm hung over the side of the tub, exposing that breast to his full view. The dusky rose nipple puckered from the water swirling around it.

  Hardening at the sight of her, he sucked in the suddenly thick air around him. Despite the whiskey he’d had earlier in the evening, he was sobering rapidly. If he watched her much longer, he’d end up in the tub with her.

  She licked her lips, stirring enough to bring her hand up to shield her eyes as she slowly opened them. He lowered the curtain and fell into the chair on the other side of the sheet. Willing himself to calm down, he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he groaned.

  The firelight cast the shadow of Laura rising from the water onto the sheet in front of him. As she turned to dry off from her bath, he saw every luscious curve of her silhouette.

  Damn. The woman was round and full in all the right places.

  Suddenly he was harder than he’d been in twenty years. He lunged from his chair and stumbled up the stairs to his room, doubled over with the pain in his groin. Once there, he hurled himself onto his bed and prayed for relief.

  Laura banked the fire for the night, turned out the kitchen lamp and then froze. Nathan’s hat lay on the table. When did he come in? Why didn’t he let her know he was home?

  She hurried up the stairs, past her room to his, where he lay prone on the bed, his face buried against the pillows. A low moan emitted from his body.

  Was he injured or just feeling the results of his night out?

  “Nathan?”

  When he didn’t answer, she approached the bed and gently touched the arm he had thrust beneath him between his legs. “Nathan, are you all right?”

  “No,” he moaned into the pillows, “I’m not all right.”

  “Did you fall off the horse? Did you break something? Should I go for the doctor?” She leaned closer to determine what was causing him such pain.

  “Go away.” He moaned louder, rocking his body back and forth on the bed.

  “I can’t go away and leave you like this. I think you need a doctor.” She brushed the dark hair away from his face.

  He grabbed her hand, turning on to his side. “Do you want to know what’s wrong with me? I’ll tell you what’s wrong. I have a wife who lives in my house, yet isn’t in my bed. She’s soft and inviting, yet has the temper of a bull. She takes a bath, showing me everything she has to offer, but I’m not allowed to touch.”

  Drawing her close to his face, he lowered her hand to the front of his pants so she could feel the stiff, hot bulge there. “I want you so much I’m ready to explode. That’s what’s wrong with me. And if you don’t leave right now, I can’t be responsible for my actions. I don’t want to force you. I want you warm, willing and panting with desire for me. Now get out of here!” With a push he shoved her away and rolled onto his stomach again.

  Laura backed away from the bed and hurried to her own room.

  All her nerve endings tingled from the raw need that had been in his eyes. She’d never known what a man’s desire felt like nor seen how it registered on his face. Just touching his manhood straining at his trousers made her lower belly tighten and this time her nipples tingled—itching for what, she didn’t know.

  Without knowing what she was doing, she climbed into bed and curled into a ball, the vision of Nathan’s passion-filled face etched on her mind. The night air felt hot and thick even though it was the middle of January.

  In the past she’d thought men’s passions crude and repulsive, but seeing Nathan’s desire only heightened her own. She slept fitfully. Images of his powerful body mixed with the aroused state of her own. She awoke from her dreams hot and excited.

  Finally she gave up and went to sit in the kitchen, waiting until it was time to begin the chores. When the sun began to rise, Nathan still hadn’t come downstairs. So she went out and milked the heifers. Remembering how the Jones boys had fed the animals the night before, she emulated their actions until all were fed.

  An hour later, she stood over the stove making oatmeal for Rachel’s breakfast when Nathan finally made his way slowly down the stairs. He looked as if he’d been run over by a team of horses. Without a word he went outside. After a few minutes he returned and washed his face, never looking once at Laura. He poured himself a cup of coffee, sat at the table and quietly sipped the strong brew.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” she tentatively asked.

  “Don’t shout,” he muttered.

  Okay, so civilized conversation is out this morning.

  She set Rachel’s oatmeal in front of him. Adding the
usual butter, milk and sugar, she slowly stirred them in.

  Nathan’s coloring paled. He stood from the table, reached for his coat and hat, then bolted out the door.

  Laura followed him out on the porch. She watched him stumble across the path to the barn. “Where are you going?”

  “Go away, Laura,” he yelled over his shoulder. Standing at the side of the barn, he gulped in deep breaths. “I’ve got chores to do and right now I don’t feel up to a fight with you.” He stepped into the barn, forgetting about the drums in his head and letting the door slam shut.

  “Damn it.” He held his head with both hands so it wouldn’t explode off his shoulders.

  Once the commotion inside his head slowed to a dull thudding, he stumbled over to the cows’ feed trough only to find it half full and the animals working on their breakfast. The same was true for the horses and pigs. The pail was missing and the heifers weren’t bawling to be milked.

  The boys must’ve come back this morning, thinking he’d be too hungover to do the chores himself. Nothing left to do here. He stretched a blanket out on the hay. Lying down on the blanket, he threw an arm over his eyes.

  Might as well enjoy the peace and quiet. Besides, he didn’t have a clue how he was going to look Laura in the eye after the way he treated her yesterday. Even now when he thought about her, he saw her naked in the bath.

  Five years. He wasn’t going to survive another week, let alone five years. He needed to put some distance between them for a while to get this need to touch and hold her under control.

  * * * * *

  “I’ve decided to go trapping up in the mountains for a week or two. The money from the furs will come in useful over the next year, and since I haven’t gone in the past few winters this is a chance for me to go,” Nathan announced at supper that night.

  “You would be gone for a week or two?”

  “I know you’ll be here by yourself, but I’ll get the Jones boys to come by and do the chores like they did last night and today.”

  “They didn’t come today.”

  What was she talking about? “Yes they did. The animals were all fed and the cows milked when I got to the barn this morning.”

  “The Jones boys didn’t do that. I did.” She hadn’t bothered to look at him once throughout the meal. Instead, she’d kept busy pushing her food around with her fork.

  “You fed the animals and milked the cows?”

  “Last night I had Billy show me how to milk the cows. Then I fed the animals just like Tom did. I didn’t think you’d be in any shape to do so today.”

  Nathan bristled at her obvious censure. He was entitled to a drink or two if he wanted one. It wasn’t as though he indulged very often. The woman needed to learn he was the head of his household.

  “Good. Then you can do those chores while I’m gone.” He barely contained his urge to shout at her. “Then we won’t have to spend the extra money for help. Just be sure the animals are fed daily and the barn mucked out every night. The boys showed you how to do that, didn’t they?”

  “Make me a list of what needs to be done, and when. I’m sure I’ll be able to handle things while you’re gone.”

  Her placating attitude tried his patience. He’d discovered one thing about his wife. She seemed to think she could run this farm without him. A couple of weeks in the mountains would cure him of this unexplainable attraction to her and force her to admit she needed his help.

  * * * * *

  The next morning Nathan was packed and ready to leave right after breakfast. He’d made sure there was enough wood chopped for Laura to use for the next two weeks. That was one job he didn’t want her taking on. If he mentioned it to her, he knew she’d try to chop down the forest before asking for help. He left her a list of farm duties and, even though he knew she wouldn’t, he asked her to please go to Sarah or Frank Jensen if she needed any help.

  He’d warned her before he left that he expected her to remain on the farm while he was gone. Never again did he plan to keep a woman who left for town the moment he headed the other direction. “I’m trusting you and my daughter to be here when I get back.”

  “We will be,” she’d replied, and for some reason he knew she meant it.

  Riding west toward the mountains, he stopped before disappearing into the trees. When he looked back at the house, Laura stood on the kitchen porch with Rachel in her arms. She’d be waiting for him in the same way when he returned. Suddenly he was surprised how much the idea pleased him.

  He wove his way through the trees, following the creek as he looked for places to lay his traps. The cabins he and Micah had built lay farther up the mountain, so finding shelter wasn’t an immediate problem. The freedom he hadn’t had since he’d left the South after the Civil War felt exhilarating. As he rode, he whistled a tune, watching the trail and maneuvering the horse through the snow.

  When he stopped in a group of trees for the night he fed Blaze then ate the cold supper Laura sent along with him.

  The woman sure could cook. He didn’t mind the way she did the laundry and kept the house clean either. Having a wife who actually acted like a wife should was something new to him.

  Kirsten had hurt him so badly, he never thought he could trust another woman. Now, in less than a week with Laura, that had changed.

  Here he was leaving everything he had in Laura’s hands, sharing the responsibilities with her. He took another bite of food. Maybe when he got home he’d persuade her to share more things with him.

  * * * * *

  Finished with the evening chores, Laura took Rachel into the house for the night. The responsibility of working the farm weighed heavily on her shoulders. Nathan had entrusted her with this daughter and his farm. She was determined to see that his trust was well deserved. That night, her muscles exhausted from the day’s unusual work, she slept better than she could imagine.

  The next day she repeated the work, making sure nothing on Nathan’s list was left undone. Added to these she had all of her own chores to finish. So it was a surprise when Sarah’s wagon pulled up outside her porch before the realized how the morning had passed so quickly.

  “I’d almost forgotten about our sewing lessons today.” She greeted her friend and held the door for her. “Come in.”

  “Brought all of my old dress patterns from when the girls was Rachel’s size. Thought maybe you might want to use one of ’em.” Sarah looked around. “Where’s that man of yours?”

  “He’s not here.” Laura busily set out the materials she’d purchased on Saturday, avoiding Sarah’s eyes.

  “Don’t tell me he’s out drinkin’ again. One night I can see, but two or three in a row ain’t any good.”

  “No, no.” Laura hurried to correct Sarah’s conclusion. “He’s gone trapping for a week or so. He thought he ought to earn some extra spending cash while I was here to take care of things.”

  Sarah chuckled. “You’re starting to get to him, huh?”

  “Sarah, you really shouldn’t say things like that.” Laura blushed to the roots of her hair.

  “Honey, that man couldn’t keep his eyes off you in the store the other day. Then the next thing I know, he’s drinkin’ in the saloon, which he don’t ever do. You’re startin’ to get to him. Besides, he must trust you or he never would’ve left you here to take care of things for him. That floozy hurt him bad. He don’t trust no one, ’cept Frank and me.”

  “Frank, is it?” Laura smiled mischievously, desperate to change the subject from Nathan’s absence.

  Sarah smiled. “You know that man actually came with his children to Sunday dinner at my house yesterday. Once he’s interested, he goes after somethin’ with a vengeance. I thought he was shy, but turns out he just didn’t want those old crows gossipin’ about me in town.”

  They talked amiably while picking out a pattern and cutting the material for the pink calico dress. Laura listened as the older woman gave her instructions on how to work on the dress when she was gone.
r />   An hour before supper, Sarah’s sons arrived to take her home.

  “You want the boys to come back and help with the chores after they eat, honey?” Sarah asked from her perch on the wagon seat.

  “No, but thank you for the offer. It’s important I do this myself.”

  “Well, I don’t like you out here by yourself. I’ll send one of the boys by each evening to check on you.”

  Laura waved from the porch as the wagon lumbered down the road, then went to bundle up Rachel for their trip to the barn. Since Nathan left, the little girl had a runny nose and Laura was afraid she was coming down with a cold.

  The following days progressed in the same way with Laura working from sunup until well into the night. The work was hard and would have strained even a more experienced farm wife, but Laura wasn’t just any farm wife. She’d been trained to work from early morning to late at night without complaint by her aunt. The ever-present threat of being sent to live at the orphanage or being turned out without a penny to her name had forced her to master any task set before her.

  “Your daddy will be pleased with what a good job we’ve done while he was gone, won’t he, sweetheart?” Laura watched carefully as Rachel brought the spoonful of potatoes to her mouth. “And he’ll really be surprised that you’ve learned to feed yourself.”

  The little girl made no response.

  Her whole life Laura had wanted independence and a quiet life, but she had to confess, as pleased as she was with Rachel’s progress she really missed her nightly conversations with Nathan.

  Finished with their meal, she coaxed Rachel into the bath for the second time since Nathan’s departure.

  “You like to take a bath, don’t you?” Laura handed her two tin cups to play with.

  The little girl nodded as she poured water from one cup into another.

  Careful not to startle her, Laura poured water on her head then soaped the tangled mess into a lather. It took several attempts, but she finally got all the mats washed loose. The water grew cold, so she helped Rachel out of the washtub and toweled her off.