“You know, when you first told me, I thought, naw…that ain’t no good, he’ll get over her. But Mr. Lee, I can see fer myself, you two belong together.”
“Yeah…now if I can just work something out and her agree to it.”
“After all this time…you still love her?” Joe asked. “It’s real between you and her?”
“More than ever. I can hardly keep my hands off her, Joe.” Lee smiled. “But I’d never take the advantage unless she felt the same. Quit lookin’ at me like that. I’m human. I admit it. She’s beautiful I admit. But I’d never do anything to hurt her, you gotta know that. I’d never force myself on her or take the advantage unless she wanted me to.”
“That’s not the problem. The problem is, she’s black and your white, and even if you do love her, what you gonna do about it? In this state, they’d just about hang you for what you are thinkin’.”
“I know. That’s one reason I can’t tell her. Not yet. Not ‘til I figure out what to do.”
“What’s the other reason?”
“They’d hang her too.”
Joe sat down on the floor with a thump. He glanced up at Luke and sent him a sly smile. “I do know that you wouldn’t intentionally hurt her. Thank the Lord, I do. But you better figure out something pretty fast, because he aims to have that woman, one way or another. He’s mentioned it several times, in front of the kids even. And I do mean have her. He comes around a lot, makin’ lewd remarks, puttin’ his hands where they don’t belong, all in front of her kids too. She’s terrified of him, but short of killin’ him, which she’s been tempted to try, she don’t know what to do. And he don’t care if she wants him or not. She’s gonna be right back where she started from, if we don’t do somethin’. I’m just glad you showed up, because I wasn’t sure I could do enough to help her. And the day is comin’. Mark my words on it.”
“The way you was talkin’ I didn’t think you wanted me to do anything.” Luke joined him.
“Simmer down, boy. I didn’t know all this had happened between you. So you are the one she really loves after all. Well, if that don’t beat all. Oh now look, I was feelin’ you out.” Joe smiled slowly. “Tryin’ to figure just what you felt for the girl. I pretty well guessed by the eyes you been makin’ at her. But I guess truth be known if I was young, I’d probably want her too. She is a beauty. Prettiest thing I ever seen. I was glad to hear her tell about Dil though and the way she told it, as though she respected the man for what he did. Don’t rightly know why she did tell it. Unless maybe…she’s got a feelin’ for you. For Luke Sayers, too. I never seen two people fall so fast though. But it made me feel good knowin’ how well Dil was with dying, knowin’ the Lord as he must have. And I reckon it did you too. And, like you said, she is family. So you and I got to protect her. But Lord, it will start a war all over again and you know it,” Joe said sadly. “And that Frank, once he gets her, he’ll just make a whore out of her, for himself. That’s all. And we cain’t let that happen.”
“Some things are worth fightin’ for Joe; she’s one of them. I’ve known that all along. I didn’t understand it before, but I do now,” Luke said. “The south might have lost the war, Joe. But by fightin’ we made a statement about how we feel. And they got to respect that. If you don’t fight, there is no respect. I walked away from her once, I won’t do it again. I won’t leave her again. She’s mine Joe, she always has been.” Luke glanced up at the house; all the lamps were lit up. “Wonder what he’s doin’ now.”
“Quit your frettin’. He ain’t gonna do nothin’ as long as those kids are there. He cain’t kill ‘em, and they’d be a convincin’ witness. So he will wait. But the first chance he gets, he’ll take her; the first time he catches her alone. He don’t want her for keeps, don’t misunderstand. She raises too much hell, and she is a Negro. But it’s the takin’ he wants. He wants to bring her down; humiliate her. Make a tramp out of her so she loses respect for herself. And that will happen unless you or I stop him. You see it ain’t got a thing to do with love or feelin’s. He wants to break her. Mainly because she ain’t sharin’ the water rights and she came in here and took over what he wanted. Got his daddy all stirred up. Now if ole Frank can take her down, daddy will be happy, and she’ll give him the water to be rid of Frank.”
“When the time comes, Joe, I’m gonna tell her who I am. I’m workin’ on a plan now.”
“That would be good. But unless you move into the house, how you gonna keep an eye on her?”
“I don’t know. I’ll just have to try…”
“That’s my thinkin’ too.” Joe nodded.“Luke, you got to be careful. Don’t want to have to fill that grave out there.”
Luke smiled. “I’ll be careful. With you around, I can’t be nothin’ else. Thanks, Joe. Just watch my back Joe, just watch my back.”
***
“Hattie, Pa’s throwin’ a big party next week.” Frank cast his brothers an arrogant wink. “Will you come?” Frank asked, as he bit into the chicken fried steak.
Hattie looked around the table at her children. The scowl on Violet’s face told her she didn’t like it. Daisy’s bottom lip pouched out, already her temper was flaring. Lily frowned at Frank, but there were tears in her eyes too. How could children know?
“I don’t think the people your Pa invites to his parties would appreciate someone like me showin’ up. And I think you know that as well. I’m surprised you’d ask me, though. I’m sorry, I must refuse. I want to live in this town, not make a spectacle of myself,” Hattie said with as much control as she could muster. Her hands twisted in her lap at the suggestive glances he was giving her. His eyes flew to her clothes. She suddenly noticed the difference in his glance and in Luke’s. Luke eyed her with pure desire; Frank eyed her as though he wanted to own her. She knew exactly what Frank wanted. Even her children knew he was up to no good but what could anyone do?
Violet looked up and excused herself out the back door. “Excuse me, I forgot something.”
She scuttled out the back door and found Luke outside waiting for her. “I saw you starin’ in.”
“Good girl, look, we don’t have time to argue about this, but this man, this Frank, he’s not a good man, Violet. And he wants to harm your mother. We can’t let that happen. So you and the others stay up ‘til he leaves tonight, ya hear?”
“Okay, but what good will that do?” Violet asked, snatching her doll from the ground where she’d dropped it and shrugging.
“Just do it, okay?” Luke asked.
“Okay…”
“And Violet, if he tries to hurt any of you, get word to me, quick,” Luke advised.
Violet nodded, started to turn away, then called his name, “Luke?”
“Yeah, honey…”
“Thank you for helping me. My Mama was scared the other day when they shot at me.”
“I know darlin’.”
Violet wrapped her arms around his neck as he bent down to hold her hands and saw the doll. He hugged her hard for a minute, feeling something deep within himself.
“Good thinking, honey. Don’t worry. I’ll be just outside if you need me.”
“I fergot my doll; don’t want her getting wet, Mama,” Violet said as she passed them at the table, her eyes straying to Frank and then at the floor.
“You could have done that later.” She smiled at her.
“Yes um, but I fergot.” She frowned at her. “I didn’t want to leave it on the porch ‘cause Daisy said it might rain.”
“Frankly Hattie, I wanted to start calling on you. Do you think that’s possible?” Frank asked as his brothers watched the two of them and smirked. Their smiles told her he was baiting her and she cringed. If only she knew how to handle him.
Hattie eyed Frank for a moment. “Why would a man of your stature in the community want to fool with a widow with three kids? A black woman who owns land.” she asked. “It certainly wouldn’t raise your status in the community to be seen with me. It doesn’t make any sense when ther
e are plenty of young girls about. Pretty white girls. What do you want from me, Frank?”
“You happen to be the prettiest lady I’ve ever seen.” Frank smiled and took her hand. “Every man in this town has noticed. Every man. ‘Course, most men wouldn’t act on it since you are black, at least not in public they wouldn't."
She pulled her hand from his gently. “Perhaps you should get to know me before you decide how pretty I am.”
“You certainly fill out them clothes well.”
Daisy stood up from the table. “Why you lettin’ him talk to you like that?”
“Hear, hear now, you don’t know what you’re sayin’ or who your sayin’ it to, young lady. It be best you keep your little mouth shut.”
“Daisy, please go to your room,” Hattie snapped. She was afraid for Daisy, afraid she’d say too much and Frank might take it out on them. He had such a wild temper and she could push Frank into doing something vile.
“Why?” Daisy stared at her with tears in her eyes.
“He’s just talkin’. Talkin’ to hear himself talk,” she said calmly. But by no means was she calm. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might pass out. She felt her heart turn to ice and if she had a knife, she’d kill him now. If he harmed her children she would find a way to kill him, she promised God that, right there in the kitchen. She wanted to throw something at this man, but fear kept her still. She would kill him, but then she’d go to jail and, him being a Jeffries, she’d hang. She’d dealt with violent men before. She knew better than to egg the fight on. She was right back where she started from. Daisy might never understand her actions tonight. But she knew better than to fight this man.
Frank was a weasel of a man; thin, tall, and quite capable of anything. He had harsh features, but a handsome head of brown hair, and a mustache. Handsome, powerful, mean, but he wasn’t a gentleman. And she knew exactly what he wanted.
The problem was: how was she going to prevent him from taking what he wanted?
“Well now Hattie, I like that. An honest woman; how refreshing. In fact, I like a lot about you. So much so I must insist you come to my party.” He laughed.
Hattie stood up. “Gentlemen, supper is over. And I’ve already refused the party. Goodnight.”
Without hesitation, he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to his face, and kissed her in front of her children. The kiss was hard; she felt his teeth grind into her mouth and it was meant to intimidate her. She struggled against him. “Your used goods Hattie, you’ll be at the party, or I’ll come after you. Do you understand…?”
“Mama,” Lily cried and pulled on her skirt.
Daisy started to come at Frank, but Frank slapped Hattie and she hit the floor, as Daisy and Violet flew to her side and she opened her eyes. He glared down at her. “Now, do you understand? I don’t take no for an answer. You’ll soon learn that, Hattie. You’re gonna be my woman now. And unless you want another scar on that pretty cheek, you’ll do as I say from here on out, my backstreet woman. Naturally I’d never marry you, but I don’t mind playin’ around with you. I’ll wear you out and you’ll be nothing but a whore. You’ll be at every party, smiling and liking it. You’ll see. The party is next Saturday. You be there, or I’ll come get you. Oh, and wear something besides those old pants and shirt. I suggest a pretty dress. I’ll even pay for it.”
He dropped the coins on the floor, laughed, and left.
Lily ran out behind them, tears streaming down her cheek. She ran for the barn.
“Mama,” she cried as she ran and nearly fell at Luke and Joe's feet.
Luke bent down to pick her up and took her into his arms. He knew there was trouble. He only hoped it wasn’t something bad. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“Mama,” she cried.
“We’re on the way, baby,” Luke cried.
Hattie was just getting off the floor when they got to her. She was still crouched on the floor. Blood ran down her chin, as she tried to wipe it away, hiding what Frank had done. No use Joe and Luke getting mixed up in this.
Joe went and got a rag from the kitchen and came back to doctor her lip. Luke never left her side. He helped her up and she sat on the edge of the settee.
“Miss Hattie, are you alright?” Luke said, taking her trembling hand in his.
Chapter Eight
After they were sure Hattie was alright, Joe and Luke sat in the parlor with her. Her mouth was swollen, and she claimed a headache. She had put the kids to bed as the men told her it wasn’t for them to hear.
Sam lingered.
Hattie sat quietly on the edge of the settee, she’d almost stop shaking. Her face a mask. “It’s been a rather long night. I really should go to bed.”
Luke closed his eyes to that thought and tried not to look directly at her. The words bed and Hattie conjured up pictures in his head of how she’d look; what she’d wear or wouldn’t wear. And he tried to blank that out of his mind, but he wasn’t succeeding. He wished he didn’t react to her this way, but nothing could stop the image. “Hattie I got somethin’ to tell you and you may or may not like it,” Luke said, eyeing her closely.
Hattie raised a brow. She looked at both men. “It’s best to just say it then.”
“Alright. My name isn’t Luke Sayers,” Lee admitted, his eyes following hers every step of the way.
She breathed a little heavier, but she held his gaze. “You lied to me, after I trusted you?” Her voice sounded almost hurt. “Are you one of their men? Is that what you have to tell me?” She started to stand, but he took her hands in his and had her sit down.
He shook his head. He watched as her eyes widened a little. But she didn’t say anything yet, as though waiting for the full admission. She glanced at their hands and he smiled. He knew he shocked her, but she wasn’t one to jump to any conclusions obviously, and he saw the tremble of her bottom lip as she waited.
“Look at me Hattie,” he encouraged as he faced her, closely. “Look at me real good. I’m older, a little thinner, unshaved, but I’m still Lee Nelson,” he explained, waiting for her reaction.
“But Lee died.” She moved to turn away, looking from Joe to Lee. “I saw to his grave myself. I even said words over him.” She came to stand before him once more, her breathing erratic. She looked from one to the other and Lee found it hard to look into her eyes. He’d deceived her and he hated seeing the hurt in her eyes.
She gazed into his eyes, and came closer, to pound her fist against his chest, but the minute she touched him, she clung to him so hard he didn’t know what hit him. She just stood there holding onto him for a long while. He didn’t mind. Joe stood quietly watching.
Her hands trembled where she clutched him. “When were you planning on telling me?”
She poked a finger into his chest then stopped abruptly.
“Not for a while; I needed to know a few things first, but this changes things. I can’t allow the Jeffries to treat you like this. It will stop. And it will stop now.” She raised her head, her eyes narrowing on him. “I will not stand for a Jeffries to touch you or manhandle you in any way, that much I promise you. You are family now, Hattie. You, Sam, Joe and the kids, you’re all I have left.” Lee’s voice faltered.
His words astonished her as her eyes softened somewhat on him. She stared long and hard, and her voice dropped an octave, “Yes, I guess you are Lee. You talk like him. He’d say the same thing. I thought there was something so familiar about you when I met you, I just didn’t know what it was. I kept getting these feelings. But it’s been so long, I couldn’t be sure. And you were supposed to be dead.”
On his way out, Joe smiled at her. “Lee is a good man, Miss Hattie. A fair man. He came home, but he knew there would be some troubles about. That’s why he was extra careful not to play out his hand right away. You see, the Jeffries don’t know it’s him yet. There will be more trouble when they find out.”
“Trouble?” She looked surprised. “Because of me?”
“No, not you!
I’ve had run-ins with them before,” Lee explained, gathering her hands in his. “No, you were a surprise, but not a trouble. But the Jeffries have wanted this land as long as me and my folks have had it. They want the water that’s on it. My Pa, he never would share it. Had the Jeffries been a nicer bunch, I might have shared it. But it’s too late for that now. They wanted this land at one time. But now they want my family and they especially want you, and you know I won’t let that happen.”
“I know they want the water,” she said calmly. “I never thought it was me they wanted. But why are they so adamant? I can’t pay the taxes anyway. If they wait, we’ll all be out of here.”
“No, we won’t. I’ll pay the back taxes. But it might be best if they don’t know who I am for a while. I’ve got the money to handle that. I came prepared for that. I knew if I still owned the land, I’d need to take care of the taxes too, so I have the money, and then some.”
“But that’s not what they want right now,” Joe spoke up as he turned to look at them both at the door. Then seeing how Hattie squeezed Lee’s hands, he smiled and left.
“I’m sorry I drilled you and your daughters about Dil. But I had to know how he died.”
She bowed her head and her eyes seemed glued to the floor. Then suddenly she clung to him again. “Oh God, I can’t believe you’re alive.”
Just then, Sam walked into the room. “Is it true…you’re our Lee?”
Lee smiled. “It’s true, Sam. And I’m mighty glad to be able to tell you.”
Sam grabbed him too and hugged him. Lee was touched and hugged him back.
While Sam hugged him too, Hattie’s hands squeezed against him, and her breasts pressed into him. Lee reacted, but as Joe left, he took her in his arms. They stood there for a long while, just holding onto each other, the three of them.
When she pulled away, she looked into his eyes. Tears clouded them as she dabbed them. “I guess you’re not the only one that did some lyin’.”
Just One Kiss (The Dream Catcher Series-Book Two) Page 10
