He tried to sound lighthearted about it but she knew he meant it. “That’s a good idea. Could you ask her if I could use a sliver of her pretty smelling soap?”
He kissed the top of her head. “I certainly can. I’ll clean up later.” He checked the hot water reserve and put more water on to heat. He took his hat from the peg. “I’ll get her.”
She swallowed hard. How did she end up with such a loving man? Well, to be honest, she reminded herself that he never mentioned love, but he was certainly caring. There was so much love in her heart for him and it terrified her. He said what people thought didn’t matter but she knew better and it kept her from being wholly happy. She finished the ticking except for one end. She’d sew that closed after Max filled it.
Georgie had a huge smile on her face when she came through the door. She hurried to the sofa and gave Veronica a kiss on the cheek. “I’m so glad you’re safe. I was beyond worried when you were missing and hysterical when I learned you’d been hurt. Next time just ask me and I’ll plan your escape.”
Max cleared his voice loudly. “I don’t think she’ll have a use for your services, Georgie.”
Georgie gave him an impish smile. “Of course not. I just couldn’t take worrying like that again is all.”
“I’m sorry I worried you. Thanks for coming.”
“Not a problem. Max, get the water poured please. I just put Douglas down for a nap but you never know with that baby. There is no set pattern I can figure out with him. Growing up, I seem to remember babies were put on a schedule but not my stubborn boy. I’m hoping when it happens the next one will be as darling and sweet as yours.”
Max poured the steaming water into the tub and set a towel on a chair he’d moved beside to the tub. Then he set a pail of water he’d just pumped next to the tub. “Yes, I agree our daughter is a sweet pea. I’ll be on the porch if you need me.” He started to leave but paused and looked over his shoulder. “Honey, do you need me to lift you into the tub?”
“I can do it.” She blushed, and he grinned.
When he finally left, Veronica slowly walked to the tub. “Georgie, I’m going to need more help then I told Max. I can hardly move, but I buck up when he’s around.”
Georgie’s mouth formed an O. “Let’s get you undressed.” Georgie gasped when she saw all the bruises. Tears filled her eyes. “Are you sure you can get in?”
Veronica clenched her jaw and slowly and painfully got into the bathtub. She eased herself down and nothing had ever felt so wonderful. “Oh, this makes me feel better already. It was foolish of me to run off, Georgie, and I promise I won’t leave again like that. I was—it was—I thought he’d have me and then kill me. They had white hoods and white material over their clothes. If I had come from this area, I might have been able to figure out who they were. The one in charge had an expensive horse and boots. The man who caught me wore old boots covered in dung and his saddle had seen better days.”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through what you did. He didn’t kick you in the ribs did he?”
Veronica winced as she touched her ribs. “Yes, I supposed he must have. He kicked me and it seemed as though he was never going to stop. Why?”
Georgie handed her a cake of scented soap. Veronica put it to her nose and inhaled. “Lavender?”
“Yes and it’s yours to keep.”
“I couldn’t possibly—”
“Veronica, there is little pleasure for women here in Texas, allow me to give you one.”
Georgie’s smile was a smile of a friend, and Veronica’s heart squeezed. “Thank you.”
“The reason I asked about your ribs is with the kind of bruising you have, they are either cracked or broken. But let’s you get clean and then let you soak a bit before you get out and I look you over.”
The lather of the soap was blissful. “I had a sister, but she never once was kind to me. Here you are having only known me a short while, and you’ve been more of a sister than she ever was.”
“Don’t get me to weeping. I think many of us feel the exact same way. Most of us lost our families in the war, and now the friends we make, they become family. Now hush so I can wash your hair.”
A strange sense of relief went through Veronica. She wasn’t alone anymore. Of course she had God and he’d been her only family for a long time but it was nice to have actual people as family too.
“All rinsed. Let’s get you out of there and dried off. I’m going to have to ask Max to lift you. You shouldn’t be moving until those ribs are wrapped. I know you didn’t want him to see exactly how hurt you are. Didn’t he check you last night?”
“Yes, but I only showed him my shoulder and part of my back.”
Georgie gave her hand a quick squeeze. “It’ll be fine.”
Veronica watched as Georgie went outside. She could hear their raised voices, but they quieted before they both came inside. She tensed, waiting for Max to scold her, but he gently lifted her and carried her to their bed.
“Do you want me to move the wee one?”
“She might wake if you move her. I’ll try not to scream.”
Max nodded as Georgie bustled in with a roll of bandages. “I’m not exactly sure…” Georgie whispered.
“I can do it.” Max touched each rib and his frowns were as bad as the pain. “Oh, Veronica, why didn’t you tell me? Putting the bandages on will hurt bad, but in the long run it’ll hurt less than earlier today. Max started wrapping her ribs, and he wrapped them good and tight.
It felt as though all the blood drained from her face. It was hard to breathe, and the pain was bad. She’d suffered more before, though, so she would get through this. Gritting her teeth, she kept her cries in. She thought the worst was over and she planned to lie back on the bed, but Georgie stepped forward and began to rub ointment on her shoulder and back. A sheet had been laid over her bottom half, and the thought of them looking anywhere else for bruises was too much to bear.
Georgie must have sensed something. She bent and kissed Veronica on the cheek. “I need to get back, but I’ll check in with you tomorrow. Feel better.”
Before Veronica had a chance to say thank you, Georgie was already gone. When she turned her gaze to Max she could see he planned to take the sheet off of her, and he was sorry for it. Tears filled her eyes and she bit her bottom lip. He helped her lay back before he uncovered her.
He said something under his breath, and she would bet it was a curse.
“The man kicked me a lot.”
“Why didn’t you say so last night?” There was no patience left in his voice.
“I should have, and I really don’t know why I didn’t, except I didn’t want you to grab your gun and go after those men. I was ashamed that I’d been attacked.”
“Did he?”
“No, he only kicked me down there and it hurts.”
He shook his head and grumbled. “The insides of your thighs are full of bruises.”
Grimacing, she forced herself to meet his gaze. “You didn’t expect me to allow him to open my legs without a fight did you?”
“Maybe he wouldn’t have hurt you so much.”
She widened her eyes. “Do you know how many men kick their wives out of their homes if they are soiled that way? No, I will not allow another man to do that to me ever again. I’d rather be dead then have someone take me by force. I’m a survivor, but that doesn’t mean I can go through it again. It was bad enough I had to suffer the terror of it all.”
With his lips clamped shut, he gently put ointment on her legs. Then he grabbed a clean shirt. “Here, this will be easier to get on you instead of a nightgown. You are an amazing woman, and I’m so sorry this happened to you. Now, get some rest.”
Would he kiss her before he left the room? He was busy gathering up the ointment and bandages, and she didn’t think he would but he stopped, bent over and gave her a long leisurely kiss. Then he sent her a loving smile.
As long as she lived, she’d never figure men out. He had the kindest, mos
t forgiving heart she’d ever known. He hadn’t once said it was her own fault or that she was asking for it. He was more concerned about her than what others might say. No man had ever treated her like a prized treasure the way he did. Most of all, he didn’t want her to leave, and that made her heart sing. She’d stay and build a life with her wonderful husband.
Chapter Eight
The next day, Walter Green and Sondra stayed with Veronica while Max went to see Parker and Georgie. What had Parker learned in town? Had he learned anything that would give them a clue as to who was behind all the violence? Max also needed to remember to thank Georgie for all the care she had given Veronica.
Parker opened the door as soon as Max’s boots hit the porch. “Glad you’re here. We have a lot to talk about. I want Georgie in on the conversation since what we decide might change our lives and it might not be for the better.
Max tipped his hat to Georgie before he took it off.
“Max, come sit down. I just made coffee for us.” She made a sweeping gesture with her arm toward the chairs in front of the fireplace.
He sat and thanked her when she handed him a cup of steaming coffee. Parker did the same. They waited until she had at last taken her seat.
Parker’s mouth formed a straight grim line. “Is Veronica all right?” he asked.
“As well as can be expected. She’ll heal physically, but it’s not the first time it’s happened to her and she’s been through hell.” He sighed, his heart still heavy. “But she finally told me her whole story, so I think we’re on the right path.”
Parker nodded. “Good. There wasn’t a word about what took place. I have a feeling some of our good people of the town are responsible. I felt as though I was being watched. I rode out and went around to the other side of town where some shacks are set up, a kind of shantytown. They named the place Liberty. I don’t know how long they’ll be able to stay there. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone sets fire to the whole place.” He placed his cup on the table and stretched his arms in front of him.
“I talked to many living there, and it’s split down the middle. Some just outright don’t trust me because I’m white. Others are willing to grab hold of the dream of a house to live in and real work to do. Right now, I have ten confirmed new hires who have families. They’d like them to be near enough to the house to have protection but far enough so they can have their own community.”
“They don’t want to have anything to do with us?” Georgie asked. She frowned and her shoulders sagged. “I want to know the families that live here.”
“I knew that, and I asked a man named Darrius, who is their leader, about it. He said as soon as they realize that my wife and the other ladies don’t treat them as servants they’ll be friendly. I understand they are suspicious and think I want free labor. I don’t blame them in many ways. I’m going to order the lumber for their houses if you both agree this whole thing might work out. I have to warn you what Max and I saw the other night was evil and violent. Those men could easily start a war with us.”
Georgie momentarily paled as she sat quietly for a moment. “This is our land and we can do with it what we want. I do think it’s a good idea to train everyone—women included—how to defend ourselves. We’re going to need a whole lot of rifles. I don’t want any harm to come to them. What happens after the ten come and realize we’re good people?”
Parker rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “I think Max might agree that we need as near as even numbers of black cowboys and white cowboys. I don’t want fighting within our ranch. Some of the men have different talents, one is a blacksmith and another’s a carpenter. Some of the women can help to make a huge garden to feed us all. We’d all have to help in all the efforts. I want them to have input along with our people to see what we can come up with. I have a feeling we won’t be welcome in town. What we can’t make for ourselves, we’ll get in Fort Worth.”
Max started to talk but stopped and allowed Georgie to go first.
“Certainly you don’t think that the store owners in town will give us trouble. You made it possible for many of them to keep their businesses open.”
Parker leaned forward. “It’s not the owners, it’s what the hooded men might do to the owners. If I end up ordering the lumber I’ll privately speak to the ones I can trust. If we can figure out a safe delivery system then we will.”
Max sipped the last of his coffee. He put a hand on each knee. “We need to round up the cattle and bring them closer for a while. If we’re less spread out, the easier it’ll be for us to protect one another. If we put the new houses in that pretty valley, we’ll surround them with cattle so it won’t be easy to get to them without someone setting up an alarm. It’ll take a bit of planning, but it’s doable. And like any other ranch, if someone causes trouble they’re escorted off the property. I think it worth it to try to help some of the ex-slaves. We’ve made soldiers out of some pretty questionable material, we can show them how to cowboy.”
“Questionable material?” Georgie’s lip twitched.
Parker chuckled. “We had this scrawny kid who ended up in my company. I don’t think he’d ever seen a horse or a gun before. In fact, he was convinced he was afraid of horses. I was ready to send him to another unit when Max took pity on the kid and made him a first class soldier.”
“What happened to the young man?”
Max laughed. “I do believe you know Walter Green.”
Her jaw dropped. “But he’s quick and strong, and I know he could protect me.”
Max stood up. “He’s come a long way. Though I may have to step in and teach him how to ask a woman to marry him. He’s been courting Sondra for a long while now.”
Laughing, Parker shook Max’s hand. “I already offered. He wants to do it his way.”
“Let me know if you need me. Georgie, thank you for all you did with Veronica yesterday. It was a big help. I’d best get back to my two girls.”
He walked across the yard to his house with a smile. My Girls. They certainly are my girls and one of these days, Veronica would realize it too.
Walter’s face was bright red, and he looked a mite uncomfortable while Sondra was holding Bridey. Veronica’s lips twitched. Good thing he arrived in time to interrupt their torture of Walter.
“What mischief have you two ladies caused?” Max asked with merriment in his voice.
Veronica gave him a wide-eyed innocent look. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She wasn’t as pale as she’d been, and that made his heart smile. “I’ll take my daughter.” He gently took Bridey from Walter. She scrunched up her face, and he was ready for her to wail but she examined him, gazing into his eyes, and smiled.
“You have her practically purring,” Walter teased.
“Looked as though she was plenty content in your arms, Walter,” Sondra said as she gave Walter a pointed look.
Walter stood. “Sorry to have to run off, but I have plenty to keep me busy. Miss Sondra would you like me to escort you back?” he asked in a very formal voice.
Sondra stood and gave Veronica a kiss on the cheek. “Miss Sondra is it?” She walked by Walter holding her skirt so it didn’t touch him at all as she purposely glanced away from him. She was out the door in no time as Walter scrambled to catch up with her.
“It looks as though you had a fine time,” Max commented.
“I’m surprised he hasn’t asked for her hand yet.”
“All in good time, I suppose. Do you need anything?”
She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “All in good time. Is that because he wasn’t part of the bet?”
“Did they like the cradle I made?” He needed her to think of anything but the bet.
She tapped her foot. “I do remember Sandler and Willis mentioning some bet on our wedding day, but I was too nervous about you accepting Bridey to think much of it. Now I find out you never planned to marry. You never wanted a wife, but you did want a house and you did wa
nt to beat out Sandler and Willis. You married me because of a bet?” She looked both mad and anxious.
He sighed and sat down. “You already know. I needed a bride, so I put an ad in the papers. It’s as simple as that. I hoped for the best, and I ended up with the best. End of story.” He smiled down at Bridey and stroked her soft cheek with his finger. She reached out and grabbed his finger and tried to bite it.
“That’s right Bridey, bite that man for his scheming ways. Now I know why you took us both on. You didn’t think you had time to find another wife. I knew it was too good to be true. I’m far from anyone’s idea of a proper woman and bringing you a baby born on the wrong side of the blanket too. I’m sorry you got stuck with us.” She stood and took Bridey in her arms. Veronica stared at the front door, and he knew she was thinking about leaving.
He let out a breath he’d been holding after she went into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Next he heard Bridey cry briefly. As hurt as she was she wasn’t going anywhere for a while.
He put coffee on to boil while he tried to figure out what to do. She’d been abused all her life and told she wasn’t good for anything. Deep down, or actually not too deep, she still believed it. Weren’t they making progress? He could have sworn they were. She had acted as though she trusted him.
He poured himself a cup of coffee. She had no idea she was worthy of love. Stunned by the direction of his thoughts, he put his cup down with a thud. Love? Did he love her? He cared about her and her happiness. Aw, heck, he hadn’t planned to fall in love, but he’d gone and done it.
He sat at the table and took a sip of his coffee. Now what? He ran his fingers through his hair. If he told her he loved her now, she wouldn’t believe him. He made some willow bark tea that Georgie had given him to help with Veronica’s pain. Not once did Veronica bring up how much pain she must be in. She probably got hit for it in the past.
He’d better figure out what he planned to say to her. But where to begin?
* * *
Veronica watched Bridey sleep in her cradle. It had been hard to breast feed her with the tight bandages. She’d been hurt like that before, though. Had she had cracked ribs before? It was more likely than not. The pain of her body was nowhere close to the pain in her heart.
Shattered Trust: Mail Order Brides of Spring Water Book Two Page 8
