For a Sister's Love

by Paty Jager

  “And nothing else?” An eyebrow arched, and his hands lowered to the front of her corset.

  “Y-you’re handy for undressing.”

  His fingers made quick work of the corset fastenings, and she soon found herself reclining on the bed naked. Ty shoved his trousers and drawers to the floor and joined her.

  Maggie pulled him on top of her and delighted in kissing him with abandon. His actions revealed how he felt about her. Now, she wanted to make sure he understood her passion for him was more than a fevered body.

  ****

  Maggie reclined on her side watching Ty sleeping in the faint moonlight filtering through the window. Her sated body warmed with new sensations of heaviness and relaxation. She brushed a finger through the curls on his forehead. What he endured as a child tugged at her heart. He had family, yet lived much like her orphaned childhood. She at least had the hope of reuniting with her sister. She had little hope he would ever reconcile with his grandmother.

  What did the woman want with him now? How did he plan to deal with finding Lora Beth and the man sent by his grandmother? How had the man realized Lora Beth was the link to Ty? Was Ty not telling her everything that happened in Timberland?

  Twelve

  Ty stood on the deck next to Maggie watching the ship ease up to the dock in Wallula. The rowdy and raw town didn’t appeal to him. He’d have to get her locked in a hotel room before he could find out about the next stage headed toward Silver City.

  He’d decided against sending a telegram to McDonald in Silver City, surprise would be the better option. Learning what his grandmother wanted before he confronted her gave him the advantage.

  In the middle of the night, he’d watched Maggie sleep and tried to figure out what his grandmother wanted. But try as he might, he couldn’t think like his grandmother. Never had. Like playing cards, he could only gamble what her next move might be.

  “How long will we be here?” Maggie tugged on his arm, capturing his attention.

  “One, possibly two nights. Depends on when the next stage leaves.” He led her down the empty ramp. The other passengers had long since disembarked.

  “How many days will we be on the stage?” Her voice rang with misery.

  He chuckled. “You’ve been on a stage before?”

  “Yes, when Mrs. Freeman and I sold the wagon and oxen at Fort Boise, we took the stage the rest of the way to Portland.” She stepped onto land and faced him. “I’d rather we bought horses and rode by ourselves.”

  “Have you ever ridden a horse?” He wanted to push the wayward curl clinging to her cheek behind her ear, but his hands clutched their bags.

  “Lora Beth and I rode an old mare to school every day.”

  That wasn’t a bad idea. He’d prefer having Maggie all to himself rather than being smashed between strangers in a stage. “Let’s get a hotel room. You can freshen up while I check out our options.”

  Maggie nodded, slipped her arm though his, and they headed down the street in search of a hotel. The Wallula Hotel proved to be a fine establishment. Ty registered them, set Maggie up in their room, and headed in search of the livery and stage office.

  He found the stage office on Main Street. “How much to Boise, and how long does it take?” he asked the man standing behind the counter in the busy office.

  “It’s forty per person, and you’ll get there in four days barring any altercations.” The man pulled out a ticket. “Stage is leavin’ tomorrow if you’re interested.”

  “What altercations might we encounter?” He didn’t want to put Maggie in any danger he could avoid.

  “Springtime you don’t know if flooding might take out a bridge or wash away a portion of the road.” The man poised his pen ready to make a ticket.

  Horseback they could cross a washed out road, but flooding the stage coach would be safer.

  “I’ll take two tickets for the stage tomorrow to Boise.” He handed money over to the man and tucked the tickets into his vest pocket. Maggie wouldn’t like the coach, but it offered the fastest, safest way to travel.

  He hurried back to the hotel. The faint glow of inside lighting splashed onto the shadowed board walkway. Men overflowed from the saloons into the streets. He didn’t want Maggie left alone, even in a locked hotel room.

  ****

  “The stage? Did you even look into horses?” Maggie had hated her one experience riding in the stage. The cramped quarters, unwashed bodies, and loss of sleep didn’t set will with her disposition.

  “It’s the best way to get to Silver City.” Ty put his hand on the doorknob. “Let’s go get dinner.”

  “I don’t think Lora Beth is going anywhere. We don’t have to rush to get there.” She crossed her arms. Even though she’d harped on getting to Lora Beth, she didn’t think a day or two would matter, especially if she didn’t have to be squashed in a small compartment with eight other people.

  “You’re the one who dogged me all over Portland to give you information about your sister. Now, we’re only five days away from her and you’re dragging your feet?” Ty took four strides toward her. “I’m the one who should be dragging my feet. I don’t know what McDonald has to say. But I promised we’d find your sister, and that’s what I’m doing.” He cupped her face in his hands. “I’ll be right there beside you in the coach, shielding you from any miscreants.”

  She lowered her lashes. How could she tell him she didn’t want him seeing her at her worst? When she didn’t sleep well, she was a spitting cat. And she slept poorly in a stage coach.

  “Come on, let’s eat and worry about the other passengers later.”

  ****

  Ty bounced on the seat next to Maggie. If all went well, they’d be in Boise tonight. A hot bath to ease out the kinks of stage travel, clean clothes, and decent food all made him look forward to the pink sky announcing the start of another day. Maggie’s head bounced against his shoulder. The first day she said very little, squashed between him and the side of the coach. She pressed her legs together hugging the wall to avoid the man in front of her from touching her.

  Watching her abhorrence of touching others, he understood her objections to this kind of travel. He did his best to walk her away from the other passengers at stops and seat her first so she had the wall to hug and only one person besides himself to touch.

  The coach tipped forward as they made a descent. He wrapped an arm around Maggie drawing her tight to his side and bracing his feet against the seat in front of them. His legs meshed between those of the man facing him.

  “We’re getting ready to cross the Snake River at Old’s Ferry,” the man across from Maggie informed those awake in the coach.

  Ty had traveled farther north after leaving Colorado. He found this terrain discernibly different. He stared out Maggie’s window and swallowed hard. The decent into the canyon knotted his muscles as they journeyed through the treacherous route.

  “Easy! Easy!” the driver called to the six horses pulling the coach. The man in a drunken stupor on his right flopped forward, nearly landing in the lap of the woman in front of him.

  Ty grabbed the man, pulling him back into his seat. Maggie awoke, her face red on one side from rubbing on his jacket. Her bleary eyed gaze scanned the four bodies in their vicinity, before locking onto his.

  The coach lurched to one side precariously, knocking the drunk into Ty. He tried to keep his body from crushing Maggie.

  Her eyes narrowed, she turned her head, and grabbed the window, peering out. She gasped.

  Ty wrapped an arm around her, pulling her away from the window.

  “Where are we?” Her voice barely registered above a whisper.

  “Don’t worry, ma’am, this is the worst of the trip. Once we cross the Snake the traveling is fairly flat and easy.” The man across from Ty offered Maggie a tobacco-stained smile. She nodded and stared out the window.

  Ty had to hand it to the man. He’d stayed in good spirits the whole trip, even when Maggie laid into him about warni
ng her when he wanted to spit tobacco juice out the window.

  “I take it you’ve traveled this way before?” Conversation might take Maggie’s mind off the descent.

  “Several times.” The man flipped the lapel of his jacket and flashed a U.S. Marshal’s badge. That accounted for the gun and holster he had wedged between him and the side of the coach, and the reason he checked the rifle and saddle on the top of the coach every time they stopped.

  “How much longer until we arrive at a stop?” Maggie asked.

  “We’ll get out an’ stretch our legs at the ferry ’fore crossing the river. Then there’s one more stop ’fore we reach Boise.”

  She nodded and refocused her attention out the window. Ty nodded to the man and hugged Maggie tighter when the coach lurched again.

  “Is it always this rough?” he asked the man.

  “Not always. Rocks and dirt must have fallen on the route. We’ve been teetering more than usual.”

  Maggie’s eyes widened as she stared at the man. Ty ran a hand up and down her arm. She watched him, fear darkening the color in her eyes.

  “We’ll be fine. The driver has been on this route many times.” Ty continued to rub her arm. Hoping his contact would help ease her fears.

  “Axtally, dish ish the driver’s first trip,” the drunk said, flashing a big sloppy grin.

  “Ohh.” Maggie dipped her head into Ty’s chest, and he glared at the drunk. The U.S. Marshal shrugged and shook his head watching the drunken passenger.

  She was already upset with Ty for making her come on the stage and now… He drew a deep breath and hoped nothing happened, hard telling if she’d ever talk to him again.

  The stage leveled out, and the rocking subsided. Ty leaned toward the window, holding Maggie tight against his chest. A grassy basin spanned the area in front of them with a wall of hills on the other side.

  “Maggie, look. We’re at the bottom.” He nudged her face from his shoulder and pointed out the window. She relaxed and peered out the window.

  “It’s beautiful.” Maggie stared at the vast stretch of swaying light green grass. She hated the crush of bodies and foul odors in the full coach. Burrowing her head into Ty’s coat, she’d inhaled his shave soap. She’d spent a good deal of the trip pretending sleep to be close to him and ward off the stench of others. He kept himself shaved and made sure at the longer stops they had water to clean up with.

  The first day, the vibrant scenery had taken her breath away as they drove over the mountain pass. Today, this valley painted another refreshing picture of spring in bloom after the uninviting land they’d crossed the past two days. Deer bound up the side of the hill they’d descended. She leaned out the window farther and caught the glitter of water in the distance. Grass, dust, and fresh air surrounded her. Her hair wiggled in the breeze.

  Hands gripped her waist. “Don’t hang out so far.”

  Ty’s concern wedged a lump of guilt in her throat. He’d been attentive and charming the whole trip, and she’d sniped at everything.

  Maggie eased back into the coach, squeezed into her allotted space and smiled at Ty. “There’s a river up ahead.”

  “The marshal says we get to walk around a bit before we cross.” Ty’s eyes sparkled with merriment.

  “That sounds heavenly.” She wanted to reward Ty with a kiss but refrained and darted a glance at the two men and woman across from them. They pretended to ignore her and Ty, but she’d caught the others watching them many times over the last couple of days. It would be hard not to as close as they all sat.

  The coach slowed.

  “Whoa up!” shouted the driver and the vehicle rocked to a stop.

  She didn’t wait for assistance. Maggie popped the door open and hopped to the ground as quickly as her petticoats and skirt would allow. Ty followed her, and they walked a distance from the coach watching a man prepare the ferry. The wide flat craft wasn’t much larger than the coach and horses.

  “Are the horses and coach all going to fit?” She didn’t know how to swim, but she wasn’t going to ride across the river inside the coach.

  “They cross all the time. Tonight we should be in Boise. Tomorrow night…Silver City.” Ty slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her snug against his front.

  She’d missed this kind of contact with him. Under the watchful eyes of the other passengers, she felt awkward even using his chest and shoulder for a pillow. Their fellow travelers hovered in the distance either walking or relieving themselves as the driver positioned the horses and coach to board the ferry.

  “Mmm… I’m looking forward to just the two of us.”

  “Me too.” His warm breath heated the top of her head. “We better wander down. It looks like they’re thinking about shoving off.”

  His arms opened, and she walked across the grassy bank to the floating stage and horses. Ty held on tight as she walked across the bobbing platform of the floating dock and onto the ferry.

  The marshal held the door of the coach open. “Getting in folks?”

  Maggie shook her head. “I prefer riding out here, thank you.”

  “You’re safer inside the coach. There’s not much room out there.” The marshal turned his gaze to Ty.

  “Don’t you think it’s a good idea to ride inside?” Ty asked, cupping her elbow and moving toward the stage door.

  “If I can enjoy the fresh air and sunshine a while longer that’s what I wish to do. You can ride inside.” She walked away from his touch, keeping one shoulder against the stage coach. She leaned against the wooden spoke wheel.

  “We’ll stay out here,” Ty told the marshal. The man shook his head and climbed into the coach.

  Ty walked over and stood beside her. The ferry shook, and she clutched his hand. Inch by inch the vessel pulled away from the river bank. She focused on the ropes attached to the raft. Two were attached on each side of the ferry and tied to pulleys sliding along the rope spanning the river. The ropes tightened as the current of the river tugged at the vessel. The ferryman at the wheel on the side of the craft steered the ferry into the current as the taut rope from the far side pulled.

  “This is much better than being squished inside.” Maggie tugged on Ty’s hand and led him behind the coach. She glanced around, and seeing no one, stood on her toes and kissed him. She’d missed this intimacy crammed in the stage.

  Ty wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. The strength of his arms and the passion of his kiss weakened her knees. She leaned against him, savoring their time together.

  He spun her in his arms, facing her toward the bank they’d left. His arms circled her waist and held her tight. The weight of his chin resting on her head made her smile. He leaned back against the coach, and she leaned with him. They both sighed and she giggled.

  They stood quietly watching the wake of the ferry. His chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm, his arms loosened. He’d slept little on the trip always tending to her needs. She stood tucked under his chest, helping him stay standing.

  The ferry rocked, and Ty slipped sideways. She eased his sleeping body to a sitting position against the coach wheel, draping one arm though the spokes to help hold him up. A flash of silver alongside the raft caught her attention.

  Maggie stepped to the edge, leaned over the short railing, and stared into the moving water. There it was again. A long fat, snake-like creature. She shifted to ask the ferryman about the fish. The ferry rocked again, sloshing water over the raft. She gasped at the cold water soaking her kid slippers.

  “Maggie, come here.” Ty’s concerned call drew her attention from her feet.

  He reached for the wheel, levering to his feet. The boat lurched again. Her feet slid out from under her, slipping under the railing and dangling in the cold river.

  She struggled to stay on the raft. Her dress pulled and yanked, dragging her off the ferry. Her head hit something and cold wrapped around her as she sunk into the river.

  Thirteen

  Ty clambered from his
hands and knees in time to see Maggie disappear in the water.

  “Maggie!” he shouted and leaped off the vessel into the fast moving river. He spit water and bobbed up, trying to find her on the surface as the current carried him downstream. Where was she? He couldn’t lose her. Wouldn’t lose her.

  Fear clutched his chest, squeezing his heart. He forced his arms to move and keep himself above the water. He had to find her. She had to find Lora Beth. She needed to complete her family. His new family.

  He focused on pale green floating ahead of him. Maggie’s dress. Kicking his feet and moving his arms, he caught up to her limp body.

  Thank goodness her face peeked above the water’s surface. Ty held her as the current towed them downriver. He tried to look back to see how far they’d traveled from the landing, but he couldn’t and keep Maggie’s head above the water. The weight of her soaked skirt fought his ability to help her. He unbuttoned her dress, working it down her arms and off her body. Next he untied the petticoats, letting the water carry them away. Her body floated to the top without the weight of the clothing. Ty rolled to his back, pulled her onto his chest, and kicked toward the shoreline.

  “Wake up, kitten,” he said, his strength waning. He couldn’t see the bank from his necessary position to keep Maggie from drowning. And they would drown if he couldn’t keep them afloat.

  A shout registered through the water slapping at his head. Help! He wanted to change his position, but he couldn’t without sliding Maggie into the water.

  Something bumped into his side. He cast his gaze that direction as Maggie swept from his arms. Ty rolled to grab her. An arm hooked his and dragged him over the shoulders of a horse. Exhaustion took over.

  ****

  Acrid smoke invaded her senses, stinging her nostrils. Her teeth chattered. Rough fabric scraped her skin. Hushed voices talked in gibberish. Maggie slowly opened her eyes.