The Bride Series (Omnibus Edition)

by Bittner, Rosanne

  Cap chuckled. “More than once. But in this situation, considerin’ the MacKinders’ tempers, it could be dangerous, not just to you and the woman, but to others. You can’t tell what men like that will do.”

  “I promise to do my best to keep it from getting out of hand.”

  “With the woman, or with her relatives?”

  Josh laughed and puffed on the cigar for a moment. “Both, I guess.” They talked softly because of the quiet night. “I give you my word, Cap. If things get too bad, I’ll do whatever needs to be done, including leaving the train if necessary.”

  “My bet is if anybody ends up leaving the train, it will be the MacKinders, not you. All I can say, Josh, is that from my position, I have to be fair, no matter what my feelin’s. If you start somethin’, you’re the one who goes. If they start it—same thing. Lord knows I can’t stop you from what your heart and other parts of your body are pinin’ after. But you understand my own problem.”

  “I understand. I’m sorry, Cap. I didn’t plan on any of this.”

  “I know that. Just go easy and stay alert. I happen to like you.”

  Josh grinned and rose. “I consider that a compliment. I think I’ll turn in.”

  Cap nodded. “Maybe I should wish you good luck. You’ll need it.”

  “Thanks.”

  Cap watched him walk into the darkness. He shook his head. “Damn fool,” he muttered. He stared at the flames, thinking how they resembled Marybeth MacKinder’s flaming red hair, and the MacKinders’ fiery tempers. There wasn’t a man along who didn’t recognize Marybeth’s beauty, but Cap knew that beautiful women could mean trouble. “Never fails,” he muttered. “This ought to be one hell of a trip, as if it hasn’t been already.”

  “What are you grumblin’ about now,” Trapper asked, approaching from the darkness.

  Cap snickered. “Love…and whatever it is that makes a man do crazy things for a woman.”

  “You in love, Cap?”

  The old man laughed again. “No, sir. I’m too old for that kind of trouble.”

  “Josh Rivers, huh?”

  Cap stared off toward Josh’s tent. “Yeah.” He shook his head and stirred the fire. “I think I’ve got my work cut out for me on this one, Trapper.”

  The wagon train followed the river more closely for the next three days, and whenever they could, Marybeth and other women set up a screen of blankets along the bank so they could bathe. It felt wonderful to feel clean and to wash hair and clothes. Little Danny loved the water, a refreshing break from the heavy heat that had returned.

  Never had Marybeth felt happier or more lighthearted. Even Danny seemed more contented without the MacKinders around. He slept better and smiled more, and Marybeth could not remember the last time she visited so much or laughed so often. She knew that in only a few days she would have to return to her former drudgery, but she would take advantage of every splendid, free moment until then.

  For the first three days after leaving the MacKinders at the river, Josh Rivers had been gone on another hunting expedition. Marybeth was grateful for his intervention on her behalf, but she knew the problems he would have if John or Mac realized her going on ahead was Josh’s doing. Part of her wanted to be able to be with him, to talk to him and ask him all the questions she had wondered about, but another part of her prayed he would not come near her.

  Still, she could not help remembering the concern in his eyes the day he had told her the MacKinders would have to stay behind. The realization that he apparently did not want John to touch her made her feel special. It was a wonderful feeling knowing someone cared about her. When Josh rode into camp in the late afternoon with a deer draped across his pack horse, she realized it was the first time she welcomed the sight of a man, foolish as her feelings might be.

  The sun formed a magnificent golden-red sunset, creating red linings around scattered, blue-tinted clouds as it settled behind huge bluffs in the distance. Marybeth put Danny to sleep inside the Svensson wagon and sat at campfire with Delores and Aaron, watching the sun disappear, bringing to life the countless thousands of insects that started their nightly singing. This night was cooler, and the mosquitoes didn’t seem quite so bad. Marybeth went to the wagon and removed her bonnet, brushing out her hair and humming an Irish song. She wrapped a shawl around herself and walked back to the campfire, looking out toward the river.

  “You seem so much happier, Marybeth,” Delores told her. “I know it sounds sinful, but sometimes I wish those MacKinder men would never come back.”

  “I don’t even want to think about it. I just want to take advantage of this wonderful feeling of being who I want to be and doing what I want to do.”

  Delores walked closer and gave her a light hug. “I’ll keep an eye on Danny. It will give me practice.”

  “Practice?”

  Delores smiled. “I think I am going to have a baby.”

  “Oh, Delores, that’s wonderful!” Marybeth suddenly frowned. “At least I think it is. But…they say the worst is ahead of us—getting over the mountains and all. Aren’t you a little bit afraid, being with child way out here in the middle of nowhere?”

  “A little. But my Aaron is with me. And there are plenty of women along. Besides, we will be in Oregon before I have the baby.”

  “I pray we will be.” She looked past Delores to see Aaron had left the campfire for the moment. “What does Aaron think of it?”

  “Oh, he is very happy. I hope I can give him many children. We will need them to help on the big farm we will build in Oregon.”

  “You look so happy. I’m glad for you, Delores. You are so lucky to have such a good man. I cannot tell you how much it means to me that you agreed to take me along with you. But I feel so bad interfering in your lives this way.”

  “I am glad to do it. You can stay with us the rest of the trip if necessary, Marybeth.”

  “Oh, no, I would never allow it. Just these few days will give me the strength I will need for the rest of the journey. I will be fine until we get to Oregon. Then somehow I will find a way to take care of myself and be free of John and Mac.”

  “You can always count on us.”

  “I know I can. Thank you so much, Delores.” Marybeth breathed deeply of the fresh night air. “It is such a nice night. I think I will walk down by the river for a little while. I won’t be long.”

  “Be careful, Marybeth. We are not supposed to go off alone.”

  “It isn’t far, and it feels so good to just do what I want.”

  Delores smiled sadly. “Yes, I suppose it does. Go on with you then, but stay within calling distance.”

  Marybeth smiled and walked off into the darkness toward the river. She tried to imagine sharing the wonderful news of having a baby with a man who would consider his wife nothing less than a saint for giving him a child. Dan’s only comment had been “It’s about time.” And how sweet and pleasurable it must have been for Delores to share herself with Aaron and get pregnant by him. She wondered if she would ever know that kind of joy with a man.

  She looked up at the stars, feeling suddenly insignificant under the magnificent sky. Its blackness was so full of twinkling lights that some of them seemed to run together. How she wished she could reach one, could take Danny and fly off to some new planet where only kind, happy people existed; where there was an atmosphere of love and joy; where a woman was free to be whoever she wanted to be and never had to answer to people like the MacKinders.

  She walked through soft grass to the edge of the river. A bright moon made it glitter, and she knelt beside it, reaching out and touching the water. She felt almost like a little girl again, able to enjoy simple things, to laugh if she felt like it. She felt like dancing or running. She wanted to be pretty, to feel like a woman instead of an old, unappreciated work horse. Most of all, she wished she would never again have to listen to shouting and bragging and growled orders, or fear physical abuse.

  “Didn’t Cap warn you women not to wander off alone
?”

  Marybeth gasped and jumped up from the river’s edge, startled by the voice. Her frightened heart pounded at first from the unexpected intruder, then beat even faster when she realized it was Joshua Rivers. She put a hand to her chest as he walked closer, and she prayed he couldn’t hear the beating, for it was so strong it almost hurt.

  “I…I forgot. I wanted to…be alone.”

  “Feels good, doesn’t it?”

  “What?”

  “Being away from the MacKinder men.”

  He stepped even closer, and in the moonlight he seemed taller, broader, more handsome than ever. She caught the provocative scent of leather and man. She stepped back a little. “It wasn’t that.”

  “Of course it was.”

  She swallowed. She had half wanted this, yet now she feared those thoughts would show, that she would seem too forward—more than that, she feared for Josh Rivers.

  “I thank you, Josh Rivers, for…for making Cap convince John and Mac that I be allowed to go on. But that doesn’t mean I have to share personal thoughts with you.”

  “You already have. You were the one who begged me to see what I could do about letting you stay with the train. I know what John MacKinder did to you, Marybeth, and I don’t intend to let you be alone with him even once on the rest of this journey.”

  She turned away, confused, grateful. “It isn’t your duty to see about such things. I can take care of my own problems, Mr. Rivers. And I…I don’t recall telling you you could call me by my first name.”

  “You didn’t. It just seemed natural. I’m sorry. I’ll keep it in mind, Mrs. MacKinder.”

  She sighed and smiled a little, turning to face him. “Marybeth is fine.”

  “And you call me Josh.”

  She studied his eyes in the moonlight and suddenly envisioned him going up against John MacKinder. Such a fine, respectable, handsome man he was. Did he really have any idea what talking to her alone like this could mean for him? “You shouldn’t be here. I mean—we shouldn’t be here like this.”

  “Like what? We’re just two people talking.”

  The vision of John beating on the man became suddenly much too vivid. “You know what I mean. Please, leave me alone. That’s why I came out here—to be alone.”

  “Is it? You want to talk to me as badly as I want to talk to you, Marybeth—not want, but need to talk to you.”

  She turned and walked away from him. “I’m a widow in mourning. I shouldn’t be seen alone with any man.”

  “In mourning? You were married to John MacKinder’s brother. Do you think I don’t know the kind of man your husband must have been? What I can’t understand is how someone as sweet and gentle as you ended up with a man like that.”

  “It isn’t your business.” She realized how horribly guilty she would feel if Joshua Rivers suffered John MacKinder’s wrath because of her. Perhaps if she was rude to him, he would go away. And yet another side of her wanted so much for him to stay. He was right. Deep inside she had hoped he would find her here alone, and yet that was so foolish! “And I am in mourning.”

  She heard him sigh, felt him coming closer again. Suddenly gentle hands were on her shoulders, and she could not bring herself to pull away. Yet she knew that if she turned around this moment, she would fall into his strong arms and make a complete fool of herself.

  “Marybeth, you’re trembling like a frightened kitten. What are you so afraid of? No one knows we’re here, and the MacKinder men are nowhere around.”

  She finally stepped away. “Someone might come and see us. It wouldn’t look right. And they might say something to John or Mac.”

  “You can’t live your whole life being afraid of those bastards. Pardon the word, but that’s what they are. And if you’re worried about me, don’t be. I’m not the least bit afraid of either of them.”

  “Well, you should be. I’ve seen John MacKinder fight. He nearly killed a man back in Ireland. He is well known there for his skill with his fists.”

  “And he uses them on defenseless women. He might be strong, Marybeth, but he’s no man in my book, and any man can be beaten. I proved that when I arm wrestled him. I didn’t do it to show off or brag like MacKinder. I only did it because the bastard needed to be put in his place, and by God, if it needs doing again, I’ll do it—with fists or any other way he chooses.” He came closer again. “I want to talk to you, Marybeth, get to know you better. Let’s not waste the few precious days we have. I’ve wanted to really talk to you ever since that day you ran into me at the courthouse back in St. Louis. Don’t you believe in fate, Marybeth—in destiny?”

  “Destiny? You mean…you and me? I don’t understand why you seem so interested in me, Mr. Riv—I mean, Josh. You don’t know anything about me!”

  “I know you’re Marybeth MacKinder. I know your husband is dead and you have a beautiful baby boy. I know you feel trapped into a life with people you hate and that you must feel very alone and afraid—that you must miss Ireland very much. I know you’re a young widow headed for Oregon, and you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever set eyes on. You’re sweet and a good mother, and you’re strong, able to take whatever life hands to you. And I know you deserve much better than what has been handed to you the last few years.”

  She smiled nervously, glad it was too dark for him to see her face redden. His insight into her life was unnerving. His deep awareness of another’s feelings made him seem so much more man than John MacKinder could ever hope to be. This brash young man from a place called Texas confused her, created feelings deep inside she had never felt for any man, certainly not for Dan. Were they the same feelings Delores had for Aaron? She had wanted this moment, yet now she felt awkward and inexperienced. She knew little about men, especially American men. What did Josh Rivers expect of her? Did he really care, or was he making fun of her? Surely he was sincere. He had already stuck his neck out for her more than once.

  “The most beautiful woman I’ve ever set eyes on.” She touched the fading blue muslin dress she wore, thinking how plain she must look. Yet he had told her she was beautiful. No MacKinder man had ever told her that. But just the thought of John and Mac brought back the heavy weight of their threats and abuse so that even in their absence she felt watched.

  “Please do go away,” she told Josh. “I just want to be alone for a while. I don’t want any trouble.”

  “I’m used to trouble. Down in Texas I faced the deaths of my parents; struggled with drought, flooding, tornadoes, Indians, Comancheros; everything I owned was destroyed, my brother murdered in front of my eyes—and I have a brother-in-law who is half Comanche. Believe me, I’ve had my own share of troubles, Marybeth.”

  She wanted to run, knew that would be the best thing to do. As though he sensed her thought, he touched her arm, and a startingly warm sensation pulled at her insides. “I’ve faced a lot worse things than John MacKinder, Marybeth. And right now the man isn’t here. He won’t be for days. We need to talk as much as we can while we have the chance. You know I’m right.”

  She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “I am Catholic, and Irish. Some people do not think much of either.”

  “I don’t judge people by their background. I learned the hard way about that. And down in Texas there are a lot of Catholic missions. Most Mexicans are Catholic so I’m not completely unfamiliar with the religion; and as far as I’m concerned, religion is a personal thing anyway. It doesn’t have much to do with a person’s worth.”

  She struggled to find another excuse for not talking alone, her feelings and desires torn. “Delores…will wonder what happened to me. She’ll send Aaron looking for me.”

  “I already stopped by the Svensson wagon. If anyone asks about you, Delores will tell them you’re asleep in the wagon.”

  She looked up at him in surprise. “You told Delores you were coming out here? What will she think?”

  “When are you going to stop worrying about things like that? Besides, Delores is your friend. She’ll u
nderstand.”

  “Oh, I don’t know! I should go back.”

  He held her arm more tightly. “Marybeth, when are you going to start being your own woman? I’ve seen you come so close, when you take your stand against the MacKinder men. Don’t let other people dictate your life for you. You’re too intelligent and proud for that.”

  She looked up into his eyes, and the soft, night air hung silent for a few provocative seconds. It suddenly seemed as though they were the only two people in the whole world. And he was right. No one but Delores knew they were here, and much as she thought it was wrong, she wanted to be here with Josh Rivers. “All right. I will stay for a few minutes.”

  She could see his bright smile in the moonlight. “Good. So tell me. It does feel good to be away from them, doesn’t it?”

  She smiled too, in resignation. “Yes.” She studied his eyes, which softly glittered in the moonlight. “I hope you know not all Irishmen are like John and Mac. The Irish are a fun-loving, big-hearted people; good people, Josh. They are hard workers. Mac is just…he’s a little soured from the potato famine. They lost so much. Everyone did. It was devastating. Back in Ireland, the MacKinders were once well off. In that respect I have to feel sorry for what happened to them.”

  “Is that why you came to America?”

  She walked away from him and he stood behind her. “Yes. My father had died, and my mother lost his farm. We were destitute. The MacKinders farmed next to us. We moved onto their farm and worked for them, but the potatoes got diseased and the MacKinders couldn’t keep their help. Dan and John both had always been after me to marry me.” She swallowed back tears at the thought of Ireland and her mother. “We were desperate, hungry. At the time the MacKinders had some money left, and Dan MacKinder convinced me how much better off my mother would be if I would marry him. We’d both be taken care of. If I hadn’t married him, my mother and I would have had to leave, and we had no place else to go. By marrying a MacKinder we became part of the family.”