“You better get used to it, if you decide to stay in Baker City, Doreen’s going to be a big part of your lives. This social is important to the women. But don’t put too much onus on Doreen. Adella informed me, Nils’s the one who came up with the big idea. The social is his way of putting his seal of approval on his soon-to-be daughter-in-law.”
Gabe grumbled and started for the doorway from the kitchen which led down the hall and to the stairwell. He stopped. “Van should be here to suffer along with me.”
“I gave him the option to come along. You heard him, he laughed in my face, probably figured it’d turn into a circus.”
“Well, get ready, ’cause the circus is planning to follow us out to the hot spring. Every single one of those clucking hens, and their roosters, and their chicks are planning to attend these weddings.”
Buck rubbed his hands together and grinned. “Well, hot damn. I hadn’t considered that.”
“You better start thinking where you’re gonna put everybody.”
Buck followed Gabe up the stairs to his room and started talking to himself, lining out the logistics. “We could get six or eight people to a cabin. The wagons could camp on the road. We could have the musicians up on the porch and hold a dance in the yard. Musicians?…we need some music. I better ask Doreen what she has planned. Maybe Adella knows, I’ll ask her tonight.”
»»•««
A fine steak dinner and some slow waltzes set Buck’s big plans for a night of seduction right on track. They strolled downtown to the hotel at dusk and meandered home in the moonlight. The evening was soft and warm, and a flirty breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees and played with Adella’s fine, silver wisps of hair around the nape of her neck and forehead. Buck couldn’t resist tucking one of the stray silver feathers behind her ear. Her throat felt warm and soft. In the shadows of the maple tree before Petra’s house, he lowered his head to kiss her temple.
In her ear, he asked, “I’ve been gonna ask you what the hell happened inside the house when those two thugs tried to tie Doreen and Edditha down. I don’t think I’ve heard your side of the story.”
Adella giggled, her head tilted to the side, inviting him to nibble at her neck.
“Stop it,” she said. She put her hands on his chest and gave him a little shove. “Someone will see us.”
“They might, but I don’t care. Besides, you invited me to nibble on your ear tipping your head to the side that way.”
“I did no such thing,” she said but added a little giggle, which confirmed his suspicion. Hooking her arm through his, she tugged on his elbow to get him to move. They entered the yard through the garden gate and stepped onto the front porch. She dragged him over to the porch swing, sat down, and scooted over, gathering up her skirts to make room for him.
“I’d been listening from the kitchen doorway to everything that nasty man was saying. Edditha looked ready to faint, so pale and frightened—I really didn’t know what to do.
“For that matter, I didn’t know if I could do anything. I was in shock. I grabbed the heaviest thing I could find, which turned out to be the cast iron skillet and hid behind the opened front door. I had not a clue what to do with it.”
Buck put his arm around her and pulled her into his side. She put her head on his shoulder, and they leaned back in the swing. He pushed off a little, and the swing began a slow glide back and forth.
“I couldn’t take out both men. I knew that much. And I certainly didn’t want them to discover me. I waited for the one called Patch to go back outside. The other one, Foote, he’d started to molest poor Doreen, his hands going up her legs while he tied her down. She brought her knee up and into his…his…person… He doubled up, and she bit his ear and wrenched his hand. He squeezed his eyes shut, and I snuck up on him and whacked him over the head with the skillet. I remember Edditha slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from squealing. I was proud of her for it.”
Buck chuckled, picturing in his mind’s eye the event. “It gave me, and I’m sure Rafe too, considerable peace of mind to know you ladies had things well in hand inside the house. Made my decision to go on the attack much easier. I admire a woman who isn’t afraid to charge into battle.”
She wriggled in his embrace and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Mr. Buxton, you do say the most flattering things.”
“Warrior woman, I’d like to kiss you silly.”
Her face tilted up, challenging him with her eyes, she said, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll conk you on the head?”
“Nah, I know the skillet’s in the kitchen on the stove, I checked. Let’s go inside where I can give you a thorough going over.”
She balked, staying him with her hand on his thigh. “What about Gabe and Jo?”
“Jo’s staying over at Doreen’s with Birdie. And I suspect Gabe, poor fella, is stuck at the social until the last dog is dead.”
When he started for the front door, she stopped him, her hand going to his chest. “I’d like to stay the night,” she said.
He opened the door, took her hand, and started up the stairs. “Of course you’ll stay the night.”
She stopped at the bottom riser. “But, Gabe will find out, don’t you see?”
Buck hesitated two steps above her. He wagged her hand, stepped down one step, and took her by the elbow. “I see, and I don’t care. He doesn’t get a say in what I do, not in this instance.”
She followed him up the stairs and down the hall but stopped at his opened bedroom door.
He drew her into his chest. “I’m not fooling around here, Adella. I want you to understand. I’m serious. I don’t want to scare you, but I’m falling in love with you. I don’t know how we’re going to work it out, what with you living in Portland and me at the hot spring. I hadn’t planned on saying anything tonight—I was going to wait until we got back.”
She entered the room and put her arms around his middle. “I’m glad you spoke up. I feel the same. As a matter of fact, I’m all a dither. You’ve been courting me, Mr. Buxton. I haven’t been courted in a long while. I feel alive, beautiful, desired. It’s a heady feeling.”
She tipped her head to the side and heaved a weighty sigh. “I suppose I’ll have to get practical eventually, but for now, tonight, I intend to thoroughly enjoy myself.”
“It would please me, ma’am, to see to it you do,” he said, his voice hoarse with desire.
»»•««
“Did you hear all of that?” Birdie asked, standing to the side of Gabe’s opened bedroom door. Gabe didn’t answer but closed the door very, very quietly.
In the dark, his voice was barely above a whisper. “I sure as hell did. My old man is fooling around with Edditha’s mother, for God’s sake. What the hell does he think he’s doing?”
“Sounded to me like she’s fooling around right back,” Birdie answered. “So? What do you think we should do?”
Gabe jerked around to face her. He’d like to go down there to his father’s room and punch him in the nose, that’s what he’d like to do. As if fooling around with Edditha’s mother wasn’t bad enough, he was going to fool around with her in his mother’s bedroom, in the bed where his mother had slept. This house belonged to his mother. Growing up, they’d stayed here many times. They’d never lived here because Buck didn’t want to live in town.
If he and Birdie lived here, Gabe would never be able to look at the bed again; he’d see Buck and Edditha’s mother.
Jesus.
He made his way to his bed and sat down on the edge to think. “I don’t know what to do. I guess we’ll wait a bit and I’ll take you home.” He couldn’t make love to Birdie now, not with Buck down the hall, doing, doing what he was going to do.
Birdie plopped down beside him, her skirts knocking over a picture frame which had been teetering on the edge of the nightstand. It landed with a distinct crash and jangle. Birdie squeaked and slapped her hand over her mouth.
Gabe bounced to his feet and held his breath.
Th
ey both heard the bedroom door open down the hall and then footfalls. The knock on the door caused Birdie to squeak again.
Gabe groaned, hung his head and closed his eyes, his hand on the closed door. “Yeah.”
“That you, Gabe?” Buck asked from the other side.
“Uh, huh,” Gabe answered, his eyes squeezed shut.
“You in there with Birdie-Alice?” Buck asked.
“Uh, huh,” Gabe answered, eyes still shut, pulling his lips in tight between his teeth.
Gabe heard Buck’s deep throated chuckle through the closed door and cringed.
“Good night, Son. Adella and I’ll see you two in the morning at breakfast. We head home in the morning. Got to get up early.”
“Yeah, okay. Goodnight, Dad,” Gabe answered, releasing a big breath.
Behind him, he heard Birdie begin to giggle. Oh, he would have to tickle the daylights out of her, then love her up until she cried uncle.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Buck couldn’t believe the line of wagons following them out to the hot spring. He grumbled and shook his head. “Wish I could be standing next to Van when he sees us coming in. He’s going to have a fit.” The thought brought a smile to his lips.
Jo sat silent beside him, staring straight ahead. Her hands were tightly clasped in her lap and spine erect.
Jo gave him a sideways glance. “You can laugh, you don’t have to feed and clean up after the horde.”
“You don’t have to worry. Doreen swears by Carlitta and her daughter Juana. They’ve commandeered enough cousins, aunts, and uncles—no one should have to do more than point and give orders. You’re not to fret, do you hear? Enjoy yourself and give over the cooking and cleaning to Carlitta. I know I can’t keep you from directing, but it’s time to let go, Jo. You’ll be off to school in a few weeks. You’ll see, we’re going to get along fine.”
She shook her head, eyes down to her folded hands. “I’m not really worried about housekeeping, Dad. Not really.”
He turned to give her his attention and studied her downcast aspect a little closer. “Then what’s the problem? Come on, Jo.”
She brought her head up and looked him square in the eye. “It’s you and Adella, Dad. At the risk of sounding like a prude, I know she spent the night with you at the house. At least Gabe brought Birdie home before sunup.”
Buck tipped his head to the side to look to the mountains, thinking of Petra, asking for her permission. “I hope to make Adella a permanent fixture at the hot spring. I’m sorry if you disapprove of her.”
She huffed and shook her head. “I don’t disapprove of Adella. I admire her. I think she’s lovely and sweet. It’s you I disapprove of.”
Buck jerked to attention, pulling in his chin. “Me? What the hell did I do?”
She shook her head at him. “Her reputation, Dad, you should have a care with her reputation. People will talk. Adella’s a lady, and folks need to have respect for her. We have half the town coming out here.”
He worked his jaw, grinding his hind molars. Silently, he cursed the gossips to perdition. “I take your point. And you’re right. I haven’t been very discreet.”
Jo nodded and pursed her lips. They traveled a ways in silence. Jo finally spoke. “I don’t know where we’re going to put all of these people,” she said, leaning out to look back at the wagons rolling along behind them. “I heard you making deals, first night free, second night half price, some camping, some crammed into cabins. Where are Edditha and Adella going to stay? And Doreen and Rafe? And Cornell and all of his father’s cronies and their families. And then there’s the honeymoon cabins for Gabe and Birdie, and Cornell and Edditha. You promised them honeymoon cabins, Dad. We don’t have enough cabins, enough food—we can’t do this. This isn’t going to work.”
Buck shrugged his shoulders. “You worry too much, Jo. I’ve got it all worked out. Edditha will bunk in with you and Birdie tonight. Rafe and Doreen can have the room they usually take. Nils and Cornell will share a cabin with his sister, her husband, and their kids. The kids will have to sleep on the floor.”
Jo wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips.
“Now, don’t make your sour, school-marmy face. Nils assured me they’d get along fine. Van and Gabe will bunk together in the tack room tonight—nothing new there. Most of those folks back there intend to camp in their wagons. They’re going to camp down by the pool—excited and happy to do so, I might add. We’ll keep two of the cabins free for the honeymooners. See, I’ve got it all worked out,” he said with a satisfied smirk on his face.
“You’re forgetting someone,” Jo said, brows raised, lips tucked up in a disapproving pucker.
Buck put his tongue in his cheek and shook his head. “No, I haven’t forgotten about Adella.”
Jo shook her head at him. “I suppose no one has to know. I certainly won’t say anything. But we’ve got over two dozen people coming, Dad. It’ll be hard to keep a secret with so many people all in one spot.”
Buck heaved a weighty sigh and shook his head. “I’ll talk to Adella. If she doesn’t like it, we’ll make room for her somehow. Maybe Rafe and I can share my room and Adella and Doreen can use their room.”
Jo, her hands in her lap, stared at the road ahead. “Well, I suppose it would make sense. We’ll have four cabins, not counting the two honeymoon cabins. They’re going to be full to overflowing with adults and children.”
Buck reminded her, “Don’t forget some of them are going to camp. I know the Dorans are, and the Bennetts, that’s six wagons. They plan on staying a while. I told them meals would be extra after tomorrow.”
Beside him, he heard Jo mutter something sarcastic. “Come on, Jo. I’m drumming up goodwill here. Promoting. You’ll see, we’ll be booked solid in no time. Stop worrying. Sure the next few days are bound to be hell, what with kids everywhere and too much celebrating.
“I don’t deny I’ll be glad when everyone goes back to town. I enjoy having guests in the cabins, but eighteen wagons full of people and all their truck, it’s a bit overwhelming.”
“I know,” Jo said, a smile replacing her frown. “Van is going to have a cow.”
“Yep,” Buck agreed and burst out laughing. Jo joined him.
»»•««
The clock downstairs chimed midnight. Carlitta and her family had taken over the kitchen like Sherman marching into Atlanta. Jo was summarily relieved of duty. Supper was cooked, served, and cleaned up after, and everyone settled down for the night with full bellies and smiles on their faces. Adella had come to his room in her nightgown. Buck led her over to the bed. “Are you sure about this, Adella? Jo says I need to be careful of your reputation.”
“Oh, pooh,” she said, putting a finger to his lips. “I doubt anyone is paying any attention. My daughter certainly isn’t. She and Cornell have skipped off to who knows where. When I changed into my nightclothes, I was the only one in the room. I think the young people are having a party down at the pool. I don’t even think Doreen and Rafe are in their room.”
Buck drew her into his embrace. She arched her back and put her arms around his neck. His lips on the nape of her neck, he asked her, “Do you want to be at the party?”
She drew back to say, “Good heavens no, I certainly do not.” She lowered her arms and stepped away to remove her wrapper.
She started for the wardrobe where Petra’s clothes still hung and came to a standstill, staring into the cluttered interior. She put out a hand and touched a lace underslip, but quickly withdrew her hand. Buck heard her heavy sigh. She started to hang up her wrapper on the hook on the opened door but stopped and folded the garment over her arm. She turned to him, her eyes filling with unshed tears, lips quivering she cleared her throat to ask, “Petra’s been gone for how long, Buck?”
Buck felt a cold chill skitter down his spine. He shook his head, ignoring the little voice of doom in his head. “Petra passed away three years ago, June third. Jo’d just received her certification. Gabe had graduated
from veterinary school. Petra was very proud, very proud.”
Adella offered him a brave little smile, but her eyes held sadness, and her shoulders caved in. “Yes, your children are fine, productive, beautiful people.”
Unable to shake the notion that he was about to receive bad news, Buck asked, “Why, why do you ask?”
She shrugged her shoulders, her hand going to the portrait of Petra he kept on the bedside table. She didn’t touch it. Instead, she put her hand to her bosom. “Oh, I don’t know. You all miss her. I didn’t know her, of course. I never met her, but looking around this house and walking in her garden, I feel as if I do know her. She was beautiful,” she said, picking up the portrait, her finger tracing Petra’s visage. “I completely understand how a man could worship a woman like this—love her through all eternity.”
Buck picked up the picture, staring at her beautiful face, as he always did. He couldn’t help himself. The sepia-colored portrait didn’t do her justice. Her eyes were deep blue, her complexion smooth, her lips a deep, blood rose. He sighed and set the portrait carefully down in the exact spot where it had rested for years. “She was a beautiful woman. She had her faults. She was afraid of snakes and horses. She promised to never leave me—a promise she couldn’t keep. I’m here, and she’s gone. Life goes on.”
He put his hands on Adella’s shoulders, urging her to come into his embrace. She stood firm, unbending. He put a finger under her chin to see her face and look deep into her eyes. Hoping to see some sign, a spark, anything but this sadness, he asked her, “What is it, Adella? What’s the matter?”
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