Abby felt the strength in the hand gripping her upper arm. He didn’t hurt her, but she couldn’t break his hold without struggling, and probably not even then. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her try.
She met his gaze directly. “Please release me, Mister Blackstone.”
Something flickered in his gray eyes, a flash of respect, she thought. Or maybe it was more personal than that, but it was gone before she could tell. She didn’t want to know anyway. She just wanted to go back to Hollister. Jarrod Blackstone made her nervous. He always had. Not because of his intimidating size. He wasn’t the only man several inches over six feet she’d come across. It wasn’t even because he was handsome as sin.
She was uneasy around him because of the fluttery feeling she always got in her stomach when he was nearby. Her palms grew sweaty and her knees weak. A man who could do that to her was a man to stay away from. Besides, even if Jarrod Blackstone hadn’t made it clear that he had no use for her or any other woman, she had no time for that sort of thing. Knowing his feelings like she did, his insistence that she stay the night came as a surprise.
When he didn’t let her go, she looked at his fingers, then back into his eyes, and lifted a brow.
Amusement flashed across his face as he loosened his grip and dropped his hand.
“Thank you,” she said, resisting the impulse to rub her arm.
Those gray eyes of his, fringed by dark lashes, were piercing, unnerving. It was as if he could tell what she was thinking and found it funny. His jaw was strong, square, with an indentation that made her want to touch it. A high-crowned black hat covered his brown hair, but the collar of his plaid shirt touched long strands that needed trimming. They were wavy, she noticed, and her heart skipped a beat.
“You’re welcome,” he said in a deep voice that caused tingles to skitter up her spine and over her chest. “Now, about staying here for the night. Are you going to argue that some more?”
She wanted to. It annoyed her that she couldn’t. He was right about the danger of traveling at night. It also irritated her that he ordered her to stay, as if she were one of his ranch hands. He seemed accustomed to having his commands obeyed without question. How she would have liked to defy him. But only a fool would travel through that rugged land in the dark, and she was no fool.
“I’d like to—thank you for your invitation.”
“Good.” He started into the house, then turned back to her. “I can see why Gib calls you ‘Firecracker’. And it’s got nothing to do with that red hair.”
“Look, Jarrod, I appreciate your hospitality. But if you think that gives you the right to make fun of me, I’ll just take my chances with the coyotes.”
“That wasn’t a criticism. I was—”
Just then a shriek came from inside the house. Abby turned, but Jarrod was past her in a flash. His boots thumped on the wooden floor as he hurried through the living room. Abby was on his heels as the wailing rose in volume.
In the kitchen, Katie sat on the floor, sobbing. Tom, with his arms crossed over his thin chest, had his back to the pump handle in front of the window. He looked at them with a mixture of guilt and defiance on his face. Oliver and Lily sat in ladder-backed chairs at the oak table, the food on their plates hardly touched. Their eyes were wide as saucers as the adults entered the room.
“What’s going on here?” Jarrod asked, going down on one knee beside the little girl. He picked her up and held her as she struggled to control the crying.
Oliver took his thumb out of his mouth. “Tom socked Katie in the arm and pulled her hair.”
Jarrod looked at his oldest nephew. “Is that true?” When Tom’s only response was a shrug, he asked, “Why did you hit your sister?”
“She’s a baby.”
Jarrod handed the little girl to Abby. “Will you take care of her?”
“Of course. But what—”
He turned back to the boy. “Tom, I’d like to see you in my study.”
Abby felt the child in her arms tense then start to tremble, obviously afraid of what would happen to her brother. What had happened to frighten her so? She had no reason to fear Jarrod. At least not yet. Couldn’t he give Tom a break? They had just met, after all.
“Jarrod, they’re all upset. This hasn’t been easy. Maybe you should—” The words on her lips died at the look he gave her.
“Not five minutes ago you told me these children are my responsibility.”
“That’s true, but—”
“We might as well get a few things straight.” He stared at Tom and said, “Come with me, son.”
The boy straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin, trying to appear brave. But in those gray eyes so like his uncle’s, Abby saw that he was only scared and very young. Jarrod took his thin arm in a firm, but gentle grasp. They left the room, and a moment later a door down the hall closed.
“Wha’s Uncle Jarrod gonna do?” Oliver opened his mouth wide enough to be understood around his thumb.
Abby put Katie in her chair at the table and pulled her plate close. “I’m sure he’s just going to have a talk with Tom.”
She hoped that’s all he was planning to do. She had always thought him to be a fair man, but what if he believed that sparing the rod spoiled the child? These children were tired and cranky. For them, the journey had been heartbreaking and long, not to mention uncertain. Granted, Tom had been a bit hostile and standoffish with her. But that was understandable. He’d been through a lot. They’d all been through enough already. Surely Jarrod would take that into account. Wouldn’t he?
Abby nervously hovered over the three other children, then paced to the kitchen doorway to listen. She’d give anything to know what Jarrod was saying to the boy, and almost wished he would shout so that she could hear something. But in the hall, only silence greeted her.
When Lily and the other two were finished eating, they gathered plates and utensils and took them to the dry sink by the window. As she waited for water to heat on the stove, Abby wandered back to the doorway and stood, listening. Still no sound.
“When’s Tom coming back?” Katie wanted to know.
“Your uncle is just talking to him, sweetie.”
“My brother didn’t hurt me that much,” she said. “Was Uncle Jarrod real mad?”
“I’m sure he wasn’t.” She hoped he wasn’t. She bit her lip and glanced at the doorway.
The more time that passed, the more her curiosity was pricked. For a man who claimed to know nothing about children, he apparently had a good deal to say to Tom. If the two of them didn’t come out of that room soon, Abby figured, she would push her way in. When Katie and Oliver insisted on helping with the dishes, she welcomed the distraction and gave them towels to dry the forks, knives, and spoons.
Finally, she heard the door down the hall open. A few seconds later Tom appeared. The other three children all spoke at once, besieging him with questions. Abby studied him closely. He hadn’t been crying. In fact, he seemed downright cheerful. She was as interested as everyone else about what had taken place.
“What happened?” Katie asked, worry wrinkling her forehead. She seemed to accept some responsibility for what happened.
“Did he wallop you?” Oliver asked.
“Was Uncle Jarrod real mad?” Lily wanted to know.
Abby was near to bursting with curiosity herself. “Tom? Tell us. Say something.”
“If you’ll give me a chance, I will.”
“What did your uncle say? You were in there with him for a long time. He didn’t wallop you, did he?” she asked, repeating Oliver’s question, though she didn’t believe Jarrod would have done so.
“Nah. We just talked.”
“What about?” Abby asked. They all gathered around Tom, who sat down at the table to finish what was left of his dinner.
“I tried to tell him Katie started it, but he said that I mustn’t ever hit girls. No matter what.”
Abby wasn’t sure why that should
have surprised her, but it did. “He said that?”
Tom nodded as he ripped off a bite of bread with his teeth. “When I tried to tell him she’s just my sister, he said that was no excuse. She’s still a girl and you never hit girls, not ever.”
“I think I like Uncle Jarrod,” Lily said, grinning.
“Me too,” Katie chimed in.
“Me too,” Abby added, a little surprised.
Tom glared at the three females. “Don’t go gettin’ ideas. Or I won’t do the other thing he said.”
“What was that, Tom?” Abby asked.
“He said we men have to take care of you women ’cause we’re stronger.”
“Did he say anything else?” Abby stifled a smile at the boy’s serious tone. She wondered if it was the same one Jarrod had used.
“Yeah. He said ’cause we are stronger, we can’t hit back.” He glared at his sisters. “Don’t you go takin’ advantage of this.”
“He didn’t raise his hand to you? Not at all?” Abby asked.
“Nope. I thought he was goin’ to. He said he’d be under-standin’ until I knew what was expected. Once I did, he was sure it wouldn’t be necessary. We just have to learn one another’s ways. ‘Just.”
“Adjust?”
“Yeah. That was it.”
Abby was ashamed it had even crossed her mind that Jarrod would strike the boy. It probably wouldn’t have except she sensed Katie’s fear. Again she wondered what these children had been through. Pushing the thought away, she put her hands on her hips and smiled at them. “Didn’t I tell you everything would work out fine?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Tom stuffed the last of his bread into his mouth. Before chewing and swallowing, he said, “Almost forgot.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Tom,” Lily reminded him.
He sent her a look fit to kill, but didn’t say another word until he’d swallowed his food. When he’d washed it down with a drink of milk, he looked at Abby. “He said for me to tell you he’d like to see you in his study.”
“Me?” She asked.
“Yes’m.”
“What could he possibly want to talk to me about?”
“He didn’t say. But he’s waitin’ in there.”
2
As soon as Abby left the room, Lily raced to the doorway and watched until she disappeared into the study. She hurriedly turned back to the others. “It’s time for a family meeting.”
“How come?” Oliver wanted to know.
“We have some things to decide.”
“Like what?” Tom asked.
“Like what if we don’t want to stay here with Uncle Jarrod?”
“I like him,” Katie piped up.
“Me too,” Oliver added.
“He didn’t even holler at me for hittin’ Kate,” Tom said defensively.
“I like him too. But we just got here. I’m not saying things won’t work out,” Lily said. “I just think we need to think about what to do if they don’t.”
She motioned them all into the farthest corner of the kitchen, away from the door. Her gaze constantly darted in that direction. “We need to have a plan—just in case.”
“In case what?” Katie asked.
“In case Uncle Jarrod isn’t as nice as we all think.” Lily had been scared when Uncle Jarrod had taken Tom into the study. Real scared. Like she used to be when Pa had come home, loud and mean. Lily wasn’t sorry when Mama had told her he’d died and was never coming back. She was only sorry he wasn’t the kind of father she would miss. Mama had said that not all men were like him. She also said her brother Jarrod would be good to them. But Lily was in charge of them now. She wasn’t taking any chances. Uncle Jarrod seemed all right, but what if he got mean, like Pa?
“Tell us the plan, Lily,” Oliver said.
She scratched her nose. “I don’t have one yet. You got any ideas, Tom?”
He shook his head. “He seems all right to me, Lil. Maybe we should hold off on this.”
“We met him less than an hour ago. You can’t tell anything yet.” She thought for a minute. “How about this? If we decide we can’t stay here, we’ll run away.”
Katie’s curls swung from side to side and her eyes widened with fear. Katie hadn’t slept the night through since Mama had died. Oliver was the lucky one. He still thought she was coming back.
“But where will we go?” Katie asked, her lips starting to quiver.
“Yeah. Where?” Oliver asked. Then his eyes lit up. “I know. Abby would take care of us.”
Lily smiled and brushed the hair off his forehead. “I bet you’re right. That settles it. If we don’t like it here, we’ll run away to Abby. Agreed?”
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me,” Tom said. “I’ll just run away and be a cowboy.”
“I like Abby,” Katie said, her curls bobbing up and down now. “I agree.”
“Me too,” Oliver said.
“Take your thumb out of your mouth,” Lily ordered her youngest brother. He shook his head and the hair fell into his eyes again.
She glared at him. “Brat. Never mind. We have more important things to do now.”
“What, Lil?”
“Uncle Jarrod wanted to talk to Abby, and I’d bet anything it’s us they’re gonna talk about.”
“I bet you’re right.” Tom’s eyes narrowed. “When I was in there with him, I saw a window that looks out on the back porch. Betcha if we’re real quiet we could stand outside and hear what they’re sayin’.”
Lily smiled at him, then looked at the two younger children. “You two stay here.”
“No,” Katie said stubbornly. “I wanna hear too.”
“Uh-huh,” Oliver added, shaking his head. “Wanna go too.”
Tom met his older sister’s gaze. “If we don’t let ‘em, they’ll tattle for sure.”
“I know.” Lily sighed. She speared first one then the other with a hard look. “Can you be quiet as mouses?”
“Yes,” Katie said, nodding hard.
Oliver nodded.
“All right. Not one word, not one sound out of anyone. Is that clear?” Lily asked.
“Yes,” they all said.
Abby walked into the room and stood in front of Jarrod’s desk. “Tom said you wanted to see me?”
“That’s right.”
He leaned back and laced his fingers together over his stomach as he looked at her. This was the first time he’d ever been alone with Abby. He’d never realized how pretty she was. Maybe because he was usually mad at her for delivering some item he had no use for or papers he didn’t want to see. Or because she sassed him back whenever she had a mind to. He liked that about her, even though he didn’t want to.
By the time he was not much older than Tom, this land had taught him to heed his instincts. Now, his gut told him to keep his distance from Abby. Under the circumstances, he had to admit he was glad of her company. The truth was, he would rather face a rabid wolf than be alone with these four kids.
“Sit down, Abby,” he said, indicating the spindle chair in front of his big desk.
“Thank you,” she said, gracefully lowering herself into the seat. For some women, that was a learned gesture. For Abby it was just naturally feminine, if for no other reason than she was always too busy to practice being a lady. She folded her hands in her lap and looked around the study. “I’ve always liked this room.”
“You’ve seen it?” he asked, surprised. She’d never been inside while he was there.
She nodded. “When Mrs. Blackstone was here, she invited me in for tea every time I delivered something. Once, she took me on a tour of the house.”
“I think that’s why she was always ordering from catalogs.”
“What do you mean?” Wisps of red hair curled around her face and she tucked a strand behind her ear.
Jarrod realized he’d never seen her hair fixed any way but in a braid that hung down her back. It was that way now except for the strands that had escaped. He wondered
what her hair would look like without being tied back. Would it be as wild as he thought? Wild and free like the land … That was a dangerous direction for his thoughts. He turned his attention back to Abby’s question.
“Dulcy never adjusted to the isolation of the ranch.”
“Blackstone Ranch is the farthest from town.”
Jarrod knew that better than anyone. “She was trying to bring civilization to her.”
“And every time I came out here, she asked me to stay for a bit. You think she ordered things so that she could have company?”
“That was part of it.” He sure as hell hadn’t been enough for her.
She looked down at her hands, then back at him. “I liked her, Jarrod. I’m sorry I was the one who brought you the divorce papers. But even if I hadn’t, the result would have been the same.”
“I know.”
“You never had children.”
“We wanted them—in the beginning. Then she changed her mind.”
Because she’d changed her mind about him. Their dream of having children died when she left. Now all he had was the ranch. It was all he wanted. He glanced up and saw Abby staring at him, an expression on her face that looked a lot like pity.
He frowned. “That’s over and done with,” he said sharply.
She shifted in her chair. “I didn’t mean to bring up the past. What did you want to see me about?”
“The children.”
One auburn brow rose. “Oh? What does that have to do with me?”
“Do you have any suggestions about what I should do with them?”
“Why would I?”
“You’re a woman.”
“So?”
He clamped his teeth together. She was going to make this difficult. He should have expected as much.
“Just because I’m a woman doesn’t make me a mother. I have never had a child, although I practically raised my younger brother. But I don’t understand why you think that the mere fact that I’m a woman means I would know what to do with four motherless children.”
Blackstone's Bride Page 2
