Liam

by Cynthia Woolf

  Tonight, though, things would be different. Tonight he’d start on his plan to get his revenge.

  ~*~

  These past months, Liam watched Eleanor with his children. They adored her and she them. He found himself thinking of her more often than not and found it most disconcerting. He didn’t want to think about her except when he was with her, then it was understandable. But this? He was supposed to be unaffected by her and yet, he wasn’t. How could he be? She loved his children and, if she was being honest, she was beginning to feel affection toward him. Perhaps that’s what he was having…confused, tender feelings.

  He found himself wondering if she thought about him as much as he thought of her. Did she go to sleep with his face the last thing on her mind, like he did hers? Did her heart beat a little faster on those days they were together, like his did? Was she falling for him, like he was her?

  He didn’t want to admit it, but Eleanor had gotten under his skin. She’d invaded his sanctity, his mind, as completely as she was invading his heart. He couldn’t have that. He must remain strong. Loving only brought pain. Look at what happened with Mary. His love hadn’t saved her. She was dead and he was alive and that’s not how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to grow old together. That didn’t happen. She’d died and he was alone.

  He had his children, and he loved them dearly, but it wasn’t the same as having his wife back. Every time he looked at them he saw some part of her in them. In the beginning his heart ached with every little memory. He would look at his son and see Mary’s eyes looking back at him. And it hurt. How could he tell his boy that just looking at him hurt?

  But it was getting easier to remember her without the pain. Remember only the good times. Yet with each passing day her face began to fade from his memory. What had been so sharp and clear was now blurred. Maybe that was why the pain lessened. He was forgetting. Forgetting how he felt when she died and even before that, when she was sick and there was nothing he could do. Forgetting how vulnerable he’d been.

  It was time to stop thinking, wondering, perhaps even fantasizing. It was Saturday and time to go get Eleanor. He would bring her back home, to visit with him and the children, as was his habit. The kids always looked forward to Saturday. Unlike the other days of the week, they didn’t have to share Eleanor with a dozen other children on Saturdays. They looked forward to it more than ever, now that Jake and Becky had moved into their new house in Deadwood. They missed Becky dreadfully. Even more proof, to his way of thinking, that he was moving forward in the right direction by marrying Eleanor.

  Today, Liam was taking David and Hannah with him. They were all expected at Jake and Becky’s for lunch. Eleanor was going to help Becky and would meet them there.

  As he pulled the wagon to a stop and set the brake, Eleanor burst out the door and ran down the porch steps to greet them. She seemed to be as excited to see them as the children were to see her.

  David clamored down off the buckboard and Eleanor reached up to get Hannah.

  This was the first visit the children had made to Jake and Becky’s new house. Liam had been here during the construction. Jake hired someone to build it for him, but the brothers had also helped in order to get the home done sooner. Even as they had moved in, Jake found things that weren’t quite finished the way he wanted.

  The house was a two story, white clapboard with natural wooden shutters. They built a large front porch with a rail around it, done in natural wood to match the shutters. Jake had bought two rocking chairs and put them side by side on the porch. He was in the process of building a swing. Becky was recreating her Grandma Bess’ home. The only place Becky had ever felt safe and been happy, until now.

  Liam remembered the entry was to the foyer with a closet for coats on the left behind the door. The stairs leading to the second floor were also on the left side of the main sitting room. This room had a large fireplace with an overstuffed sofa and two matching chairs in front of it. Becky wanted things comfortable. After living in a tent and sleeping on the ground for so many years, she wanted the chairs and sofa to be soft and cozy.

  Behind the sitting room wall was the kitchen. It was huge with a table and eight chairs, but with room for four more if needed.

  Jake built some of their furniture. The kitchen table was one of his creations. It was made out of a local pine tree, cut into four by four boards and glued together like a butcher’s block. Then Jake had finished it with linseed oil, polishing it to a high sheen. The table was solid and built to last a lifetime. Even Liam had to admit it was beautiful. He never knew his brother has such talent.

  All of the finishing inside the house was natural, unpainted wood. This was not the current style, which included wall paper and/or paint on every surface, but it’s what Becky wanted. Even though she didn’t want to live in a tent, she still wanted the forest around her, hence the natural wood. All of the surfaces had been oiled to the same high sheen as the dining table. The effect was warm and inviting.

  Eleanor met them on the porch and hugged each of the children as though she hadn’t seen them in months rather than just the day before. Liam smiled because the kids hugged her back the same way. He understood that they couldn’t show affection in school and they all liked to make up for that on Saturdays. He wondered if it would be the same when they saw each other and spent time together every night after school.

  “Liam,” she reached up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  “My dear,” he said taking her hand and kissing it.

  It was all they allowed themselves in public, at least while they were courting. Perhaps they would be more affectionate when they were married. He realized it wasn’t the way of the day to show affection at all in public, but then he and Eleanor weren’t exactly a normal couple. They were older and less likely to care what others thought, at least he was. He supposed he ought to ask Eleanor how she felt about it.

  He felt a tug on his pant leg. “Yes, Hannah,” he said without looking down.

  “Can we go into Becky’s house now?”

  He grinned at Eleanor, who grinned back. “Yes, I guess we can.”

  He took his daughter’s hand and she led him into the house. As soon as they got inside, she dropped his hand like it was a hot poker and ran to Becky who stood in front of the fireplace. Since they’d moved to town she’d stopped wearing pants and wore only dresses. There was no need for pants since she didn’t work in the river panning for gold.

  “Should I be jealous?” asked Eleanor easily, watching Hannah and Becky.

  “They have a special bond none of us can break. Becky saved Hannah from drowning back in August.”

  “Oh, my God.” Her hand flew to her mouth. “What happened?”

  “Hannah got too close to the water and then dropped her doll into it. When she reached for it, she fell in. Luckily, Becky was there and was able to pull Hannah to safety.”

  “I’m sure there is more to that story.”

  “Well, suffice it to say, you have the overview.” He changed the subject, not wanting to relive that horror any longer than necessary. “Have you noticed that Becky never wears pants anymore?”

  Eleanor nodded. “She swore that when they moved into the house, she’d never wear pants again. And,” she said almost conspiratorially, “Jake hired a maid to come in and clean the house once a week. He was going to hire a full time maid but Becky said not until after the baby came.”

  Liam was admiring the picture over the fireplace mantel and not really paying much attention. “What do you suppose she’s waiting for?”

  Eleanor smiled at him. “Are you talking about Becky or the girl in the picture?”

  “Both.”

  “Well, Becky wants to get used to her home before she has anyone else living in it. As to the girl in the picture, I like to think she’s waiting for her lover.”

  “Her lover? Very romantic of you,” said Liam.

  “What do you think she’s waiting for?”

>   The girl in the picture stood by the side of the road, her bonnet in her hand, her hair blowing in the breeze. There was an anxious look on her face.

  “I think,” he tucked Eleanor’s arm into his, “I have no idea, but rather than ponder that, you should come and see the upstairs with me.”

  She blushed. “That is a mighty fine offer, kind sir, and one I’m going to take you up on.”

  They walked arm in arm back through the kitchen and parlor to the stairs. Liam followed Eleanor up them.

  “This is the first of four bedrooms,” he said, pointing to the first door on the right. “It will be for a child but not this one. The nursery is next to the master bedroom down the hall.”

  He led her past three more bedrooms, two on the left and one on the right. “The last room on the left is the nursery. Becky has been decorating for both a girl and a boy. She doesn’t care what she has and is ready either way.”

  They halted before the last door on the right. “This is the master bedroom.” He opened the door.

  Eleanor gasped.

  Even he was amazed at the changes Jake had wrought for Becky. There was a huge four poster bed with a canopy. Matching night stands on either side of the giant bed, and a bureau and tall boy dressers made out of a dark wood that Liam guessed was mahogany.

  A beautiful Chinese screen to change behind stood in one corner. A large, colorful braided rug was on each side of the bed, there to protect the owners from the cold floor when they awoke.

  The room was so large that there were two good sized windows on the outside wall and a smaller one on the end wall above the bed, that let in the bright sunshine and made the wood in the room glow invitingly warm.

  Liam watched Eleanor take it all in.

  “It’s all quite grand, isn’t it?” she said after a few moments.

  “Yes, it is. Do you like it?”

  She hesitated. “I suppose…”

  “But?” he urged her.

  She took a deep breath. “But it’s just too big. I’m happy with the bedroom you have already. It’s just the right size, I think.”

  “Well, I’d like to have it a bit bigger. I want to put in one of those big beds that Jake built. It would be nice to be able to stretch out in bed without hanging off the end.”

  She giggled. “That’s what you get for being so darn tall.”

  He cocked an eyebrow and leaned his head toward hers. “I’m not too tall for you. Just the right height, I think.” He claimed her lips, kissing her fiercely, knowing all the while they could be discovered at any minute.

  When he broke the kiss he was gratified to see that her eyes were still closed and she was breathless. He smiled.

  “Shall we return to the rest of the family downstairs?” he asked.

  Eleanor nodded. Her eyes slowly opened and her breathing returned to normal. “I wish you’d warn me when you’re going to kiss me like that. It makes me all discombobulated.”

  He grinned. “I know. I love how you respond to me.” He stroked her cheek with his fingers and she automatically leaned into his hand.

  “I wish I had more control over my responses to you, but I don’t.”

  “Thank goodness.”

  “Oh, you,” she stammered.

  Liam laughed at her irritation and pulled her in for a quick kiss, which made her forget she was exasperated with him.

  He took her hand and led her back downstairs.

  By the time they joined the rest of the family, Becky had finished dinner. David and Hannah were helping to set the table, just as they did when Jake and Becky still lived with them.

  “There you are,” said Becky when they entered the kitchen. “I was afraid I’d have to send a scout after you.”

  Jake grinned at Liam and winked at Eleanor. She turned scarlet and Liam chuckled.

  “That’s enough,” said Becky, her voice so stern he wanted to laugh. But he knew she wouldn’t appreciate his sense of humor just now.

  They all sat and Becky served up her first family dinner in her new home. Liam could tell she was tired, but she was grinning, ear to ear, anyway.

  After they finished eating, Liam and Jake sat on the porch while Becky and Eleanor cleaned up.

  “I’m going to keep the kids overnight tonight,” said Jake. “They miss Becky and she misses them. We’ll bring them home tomorrow. Besides, you and Eleanor could use some alone time.”

  “We get alone time,” said Liam.

  “This would be different. You need time to be together, without kids or fathers or theater, time to just be with each other.”

  “I don’t know what you are thinking, but we spend plenty of time alone. Every Wednesday at dinner we’re alone.”

  “No, you aren’t,” insisted Jake. “You have other diners there to entertain you if you get bored talking to each other.”

  “We’ve never gotten bored.”

  “Take my advice and take Eleanor home with you, spend the evening, cook her supper, play checkers, just be together.”

  “What is the point of that? How often will we be alone?”

  “Probably very rarely, so take advantage of it while you can.”

  Liam thought about it for a moment. He understood where Jake was coming from. He and Becky had spent many nights and days alone together before they married. Even after, they didn’t have children or brothers living with them for the first month or so of their marriage, so they got to know each other very well.

  It was probably a good idea, but it also put temptation in his way. Eleanor was a great temptation for him. He could imagine making love to her and, with no children around to chaperone them, he just might take advantage of that. Then he remembered that Zach would be home, so there would be no lovemaking tonight. Suddenly he was relieved and resentful at the same time. He would wait, could wait, until their wedding night. It wasn’t so far away.

  Maybe Jake was right. What would they do together without the children to interrupt them? Without Hannah constantly asking questions? Without David reading in front of the fire? It didn’t matter, Zach would be there, they wouldn’t be alone.

  Liam took his mind off what the evening could have been.

  “Zach will be there, we won’t be alone,” said Liam.

  “Nope. He’s staying at the mine tonight. Matthew wanted to spend the night with his wife. It’s their anniversary.”

  Liam perked up at this news.

  CHAPTER 11

  Liam and Eleanor arrived at his cabin in the afternoon. He didn’t even hide how he looked forward to an afternoon of teaching Eleanor something of the sensual pleasures to be had.

  He stopped the horses, set the brake and jumped down from the wagon. When he walked around the front of the rig, he gave each of the two horses a pat on the neck and told them what good boys they were. Then he came around and helped her down and gave her his arm to walk to the house.

  Opening the door, he allowed Eleanor to enter before him.

  She gasped and stopped stock still as she went into the house.

  “What?” asked Liam, nearly running into the back of her.

  “The house. Look.”

  He walked in and surveyed the wreckage that was his home. The table and chairs were overturned, books had been pulled off the shelves, cushions from the overstuffed chairs were slit open and the stuffing pulled out.

  “Liam,” said Eleanor, placing her hand on his arm.

  “Shh,” he put his finger to his lips.

  “What happened? What were they looking for?” she whispered.

  “I don’t know. Step outside. I’m going to make sure they’re gone.”

  She stepped out the door and when he was sure she was safe, he walked back to the bedrooms, gun drawn.

  He poked his head in the first room. The mattress was pulled off the bed and slashed, the bed frame upended, the drawers in the bureau had been pulled out and the clothes tossed all over the room. It was the same in each of the other two bedrooms, but he found no one in any of the ro
oms.

  Liam went back out and brought Eleanor inside.

  “They’re gone,” he told her.

  “What were they looking for? Why slash the cushions and pull all the books off the shelves? What could they be hoping to find?”

  “I don’t know. We don’t keep money at the house. We have a safe at the mine. It’s not a secret. Several other miners make use of it, since it’s the only one in the territory.”

  Eleanor looped her arm through his and cuddled close. Liam heard her fear with every anxious breath.

  “What are we going to do?” she asked.

  “We’re going to take you home and, until we find out what is going on, I’m leaving the kids with Jake and Becky. I don’t want them in danger.”

  She nodded, shakily.

  Liam realized how frightened she really was and wrapped his arms around her. “It will be fine. I’ll get this cleaned up. Then Zach and I will keep watch to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

  She nodded her head against his chest. Then she raised her head and looked up at him, unshed tears in her eyes.

  “Oh, honey, don’t cry. It’s going to be fine.” He tightened his arms around her. “There wasn’t anything here for them to find. That’s probably why they were so destructive and tore everything up.”

  She stepped away from him and wrapped her arms around her waist. “I know you’re right, but I can’t help but believe they are looking for something or someone in particular. And that they’ll keep looking until they find it.”

  “You may be right. Let’s get you home. Then I’ll go see Jake and Becky, see what their thoughts are. It could have something to do with Jake and Zach.”

  “Why would they be looking for Jake at your house? He doesn’t live here anymore.”

  “But he did until just recently. Maybe they didn’t know he’d moved. Anyway, don’t worry about it. I’ll talk to him. In the meantime, I want you home and safe.”

  She nodded, turned, and walked back to the wagon. Liam helped her up and then went around the bed and climbed up next to her on the bench seat.