Becky took a spoon, scooped some lard out of the can and let it melt in the skillet. Then she whipped up the ingredients for the cornbread and put it in the skillet, covered it with the lid to the Dutch oven and let it bake on the side of the fire in the coals.
After she was done with that, she put the beans from the noon meal back on the main fire to heat up.
“What if it is the big vein we think is there? What are we going to do?” asked Becky.
“We’ll get men and equipment in here to mine it for us and we’ll reap the reward. We’ll have to work it for a while ourselves before we can buy the equipment but if the gold is as pure as I think it is, we’ll have the money for the mining equipment in no time.”
Becky moved one of the camp stools closer to the fire, so she could keep an eye on their supper. She closed her eyes and said dreamily, “Wouldn’t it be nice to sleep in a real bed and have a real bath not just one in the cold river?”
Jake felt like a heel. They had enough money he could take Becky to the hotel for the night and let her relax. “Let’s do it,” he said.
She cocked her head. “Do what?”
“I’m going to take you to Deadwood and we’ll stay at the hotel for at least one night. Sleep in a real bed and have a real bath. I’ll even get a shave and you’ll be able to see the man you married under all these whiskers.”
She ran her hand over his jaw and tangled her fingers in his long beard. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without your beard. I won’t know who you are.”
“You’re in for a shock then, when you see my ugly face looking back at you when we make love.”
She kissed him softly. “I’m willing to risk it.” Then she rubbed her breasts back and forth on his chest. “Think we can get one in before dinner?”
He grabbed her to him and stopped her merciless teasing. “Who cares about dinner.”
Her tinkling laughter echoed through the gulch as he led her into the tent.
~*~
Liam looked over at his baby brother, Jake, and his new wife, Becky. Jake was still wanted for murder and he knew Jake hated bringing that to their marriage.
As to the murder charge, that was something that Liam was going to try to take care of. He planned on leaving tomorrow to talk to the Governor of Missouri, Charles H. Hardin, who was a friend and could perhaps intercede with Mayor Green.
The fact that the sheriff of Blackwater believed Jake was innocent, would have a lot of weight with Charles. Much more than just the feelings of a distraught father. The sheriff was unbiased.
After that Liam would leave to talk to the commanding general at Fort Leavenworth and find out what could be done about Colonel Jordan. Once the charges of murder against Jake were dropped, the general might see the colonel’s story in a different light and Zach’s roll in it as well. It was what he was hoping for anyway.
“I need to talk to you all,” said Liam to his family. “Even you David, and Hannah as well.”
David and Hannah were his joy. He didn’t know what he would have done without them when he lost Mary. He probably would have died, too. Admittedly, he only lived for his children. He had no use for women now, maybe not ever. If he needed a woman, there was always The Gem. It had women with whom he could slake his lust, if he needed to.
He gazed around at his family. They all sat around the camp fire in front of the tents. They needed better shelter; he should start building a cabin. They had the lean-to for the horses at least which would help them get through the winter, but not a cabin yet. It would have to wait. They could survive in the tents, they were sturdy.
Liam watched his children play naughts and crosses in the dirt. He was going to miss them while he was gone.
“I’m leaving for Missouri tomorrow,” announced Liam.
“What? Why?” asked Jake.
“We need to get this situation with you and Mayor Green settled. I think I can get the governor to intercede on your behalf as long as the sheriff is still willing to vouch for you.”
“As far as I know he is.” Jake squeezed Becky’s hand. “Why do you think the governor will help me?”
“Because he’s a friend and,” he smiled. “He’s leaving office after this term and owes me a favor. I should have thought of it before, but there was no time. Now with you both safe here for the moment, I can take care of this.”
“Good,” said Zach. “The kid needs to start his family with a clean slate.”
“Then,” continued Liam, as if Zach hadn’t spoken. “I’m going to Fort Leavenworth to talk to the general. I intend to tell him the truth about Colonel Jordan and I’ll have the fact that the murder charges have been dropped against Jake to convince him of Jordan’s perfidy.”
“Thanks for doing this, brother,” said Jake. He brought Becky’s hand up and kissed it. “We don’t know what to say. How will we ever repay you?”
“You’ll take care of my kids while I’m gone.” He hugged both his children to him. “I can’t take them with me. I need to make it to Missouri before the really cold weather sets in. It’s early October now and we’ve already had a small snowstorm. If I’m lucky and ride hard, I’ll make it to Jefferson City by January, maybe before. I’d like to be headed back this way by mid February or the first of March at the latest.”
“Don’t you think that’s pushing it? It’s a thousand miles there and a thousand back. It took us six months with the wagon one way,” said Zach from the other side of the fire. He added wood and the flame burst to life.
“Exactly why I can’t take the kids with me. I can ride a lot faster by myself.”
“We’ll be happy to take care of them while you’re gone,” said Becky. “They spend half the day at our place anyway.”
“And it’s the least we can do for you, especially if you’re successful. I’ll owe you my life,” said Jake.
“Our lives,” said Becky.
EPILOGUE
Late June 1877
Jake paced back and forth across the imported Moroccan carpet, a purchase Becky made when they went on their honeymoon trip to San Francisco. Now it looked as if he was going to wear a hole in the carpet and he didn’t give a fig if he did.
He’d bought some land in Deadwood proper and built Becky her dream house. A white two-story wooden house with picket fence and a wide porch on the front with rockers where they could sit and catch up on their day.
He didn’t care about anything as long as Becky was alright.
“It’s been too long,” he said to the room at large.
“Sometimes birthing can take days,” said Liam.
“Days?!” Jake dropped into a chair next to his oldest brother.
Liam clapped him on the back. “Yup, days. Becky is up there now, saying things about you, calling you all kinds of names for doing this to her. But she’ll forgive you everything once that babe is in her arms.”
“Have you heard from Zach?” asked Jake, trying to get his mind off the goings on in the bedroom above him.
“No. He’s still at the mine. He’ll be here soon as he hears Doc is up here.”
Jake popped up out of the chair at the sound of a baby’s cry from overhead. “It’s here,” he shouted and sprinted to the door and up the stairs, two at a time.
He reached his and Becky’s bedroom and carefully opened the door. He didn’t want to startle anyone and have them drop his baby.
Becky was sitting up in their four poster canopy bed. Lizzy, the maid, had changed the linens and was putting Becky in a fresh nightgown. Becky was still sweaty and her hair hung lank around her shoulders. She looked beautiful.
He walked to her and kissed her forehead. “How are you? Are you all right?”
She smiled up at him. “I’m wonderful. Look at her.”
It was then he noticed Becky was holding their baby. He’d been so worried about Becky and so relieved she was well, he’d nearly forgotten the reason they were here.
“A girl?”
“Uh huh,” said Becky
. She opened the swaddling and let him see the baby.
He counted fingers and toes and ran his fingers though the downy red hair on her head. His heart filled to overflowing as he looked at his two girls.
“Do you suppose she’ll keep the red hair?” asked Jake. “I’m kind of partial to redheads.”
Becky laughed. A light tinkling sound that filled the room.
He was so happy to hear her laughter and not her moans of pain he almost didn’t hear when Doc Cochran answered his question.
“No telling,” said Doc from the other side of the room. He was washing up from delivering the baby.
Jake walked over to the doctor. “Thanks, Doc. Thanks very much for my wife and daughter.”
Doc smiled up at him through his round spectacles. “My pleasure. I wish my job entailed more of this and less of…well, what it does. These are happy times for you.”
The doctor wiped his hands on the towel.
Jake held his hand out to the doctor. “If there is ever anything I can do for you, Doc, all you have to do is say so.”
The doctor took Jake’s hand and returned the shake. “No need. I’m just doing my job. The favorite part of my job, so if you want to keep me happy, you’ll be bringing me more of this kind of business.”
Jake grinned, clapped the doctor on the back and returned to Becky’s side.
“What shall we name her?” he said as he sat on the bed by Becky’s head.
“I’ve been thinking. My mother died giving birth to me and I think I’d like to name this little one after her. And I thought, if Liam didn’t mind, we’d also name her after Mary.”
“Jennifer Mary Anderson it is,” said Jake. “Jenny.”
“Jenny,” agreed Becky.
Jake bent down and kissed his daughters forehead. The soft skin and baby smell assaulted him and he was forever changed. He would do anything for this little girl. He put his finger under her hand and her little fingers wound themselves around it.
Smiling he gazed at his beautiful wife as she lay in their bed. “You look tired.”
Becky nodded. “I am. And exhilarated and excited and happy all at once.” She reached up her arms to him. He placed Jenny in them.
Jenny started to fuss and Becky put her to her breast as though she’d been doing it for years rather than the first time. Jenny latched on and Becky made a face.
“Are you all right?”
She smiled. “I’m fine. It’s not quite the same as when you do it.”
He laughed. “No. I don’t suppose it is.”
“Am I interrupting?” asked a deep voice from the doorway.
“I have a daughter,” said Jake jumping up and going to greet Liam.
“Hannah will be thrilled,” said Liam.
“And David will be disappointed,” chuckled Jake. “We named her Jennifer Mary, after Becky’s mother and your Mary. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course, not. Mary would be delighted, if she were here.”
“She’s nursing now but as soon as she’s done, I’ll bring her down for you and the kids to meet.”
“Sounds good.” Liam turned and left.
Jake walked back over to the bed and sat next to Becky where he could see little Jenny nurse. It was amazing. This little person was a part of him. The best part of him and Becky. They’d made her the night they spent at the hotel after Billy’s death.
It was as if to prove that good things can come from bad. His girls were the very best things that ever happened to him.
He would never forget Elizabeth, but nothing could stop his love for Becky and now Jenny. He’d do anything for them. Die for them if he had to and kill to protect them.
Jake bent down, kissed his daughter and then his wife. It was as though he couldn’t get enough of either of them. “Thank you.”
“For what?” asked Becky. “For Jenny?”
“That’s part of it.” He ran his finger over Jenny’s baby cheek. She was trying to go to sleep and her daddy was messing with her.
“And the other part of it?”
“Thank you for being you, for giving me Jenny and most of all, for loving me.”
Becky looked down first at their daughter and then up at him. “I should be thanking you. You saved me and gave me the most wonderful life I could ever have imagined.”
“I think we saved each other. I love you Becky Anderson, my rebel, my redeemer, my wife.”
“And I love you, Jake Anderson. My husband. Forever.”
“Forever.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cynthia Woolf is the author of six historical western romance books and one short story with more books on the way. She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends.
Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.
Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.
Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner.
Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she’s made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.
Connect with Cynthia Online
www.cynthiawoolf.com
Facebook
Twitter
OTHER TITLES AVAILABLE
NELLIE
The Brides of San Francisco 1
ANNIE
The Brides of San Francisco 2
CORA
The Brides of San Francisco 3
JAKE
Book 1, Destiny in Deadwood series
LIAM
Book 2, Destiny in Deadwood series
ZACH
Book 3, Destiny in Deadwood series
CAPITAL BRIDE
Book 1, Matchmaker & Co. series
HEIRESS BRIDE
Book 2, Matchmaker & Co. series
FIERY BRIDE
Book 3, Matchmaker & Co. series
TAME A WILD HEART
Book 1, Tame series
TAME A WILD WIND
Book 2, Tame series
TAME A WILD BRIDE
Book 3, Tame series
TAME A SUMMER HEART
short story, Tame series
TAME A HONEYMOON HEART
short story in the Lost In A Kiss Anthology
WEBSITE – www.cynthiawoolf.com
NEWSLETTER – http://bit.ly/1qBWhFQ
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
About the Author
Other Titles by Cynthia Woolf
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