Rosie took a deep breath and flicked the reins onto the horses’ butts. “Giddy up.”
To her great surprise they started moving.
She looked over at Tom and a grin split his face. She’d like to see more of those.
He didn’t make her drive the whole trip. Thank goodness. She was so nervous, that by the time he took the reins, her back hurt so badly from holding tension while she drove the buckboard, she could hardly move. A groan escaped her as she relaxed against the back of the bench seat.
“You’re going to have to learn to relax more when you drive or you won’t be able to move when you get to town. You’ll be coming to town on your own sometimes.”
“I expected to at some point but why do you say so?”
“Because when I’m with the cattle, whether during branding season or on a cattle drive, I won’t be able to take you. You need to learn to do things by yourself.”
“I’m surprised you’d let me go anywhere by myself. Aren’t you afraid I’ll leave and never come back?”
“I’m prepared for the day you leave. But I won’t have you be a prisoner just to prevent it. I have to be able to trust you. So I do. Besides, I think you’re getting attached to my children.”
“Of course, I am. They’re wonderful.” I’m getting attached to their father, too.
He laughed. “I knew you would and you’re not the type to go when you’re wanted.”
“So you finally believe I’m going to stay?”
“No. I still figure you’ll leave, just not right away.”
“You’re just crazy. She has made you crazy. I’m not leaving. Not today, tomorrow or anytime. You’re stuck with me, Tom.” She took off her riding gloves and slapped them to her lap. “You better get used to it.”
He just smiled at her little tirade. “We’ll see.”
By the time they got to town, Rosie’s anger had long since burned away. The rest of the trip was enjoyable. She and Tom talked about mundane things. Talked more than they had in the previous twelve days put together.
He pulled up in front of the mercantile.
“You go do what you need to do inside. I’m going to the bank and got some other errands to run. I’ll be back here in about an hour.”
“Good. It will give me a chance to catch up on all the latest gossip from Sadie.”
He walked away shaking his head and muttering, “Women.”
She smiled and went inside.
“Hi, Mrs. Harris. How’re you settling in?”
“First, call me Rosie and second, I’m settling in rather well I think. Once I get my chores down pat I’ll be fine. The kids are wonderful and Tom, well he’s Tom. What else can I say?”
Sadie nodded sagely. “Well, give me your order and we can talk while I fill it.”
“Before we do the regular order, do you have a catalog of ladies clothing that I could look through? Maybe have you order something for me.”
“I’ve got all sorts of catalogs, from Sears & Roebuck to Montgomery Ward to Madam Trousseau’s book of lingerie. Which one you want first?”
“That one,” she pointed at Madam Trousseau’s book, “I want to look at that one.”
Sadie looked at her a little puzzled but gave her the catalogue. It was a thin tome, probably forty or fifty pages.
Rosie started perusing it quickly. She had to have this done long before Tom got back.
“Can you order anything out of here?”
“Sure. What do you have in mind?”
Rosie pointed at the picture of a white negligee.
“Wow! That’s one pretty piece of frew frew. You must have something special coming up.”
“Oh, I do.” It was all she was going to say. Telling Sadie anything was like telegraphing it all over town. She was taking a chance ordering this as it was. “Sadie, you have to promise me you won’t say anything to anyone about this. Please. It’s very important.”
“Alright. You can count on me. But when it comes in, I expect you to let me in on the secret. Deal.”
“Deal.” She hoped by that time she wouldn’t have a secret. Wouldn’t need what she’d just ordered. Wouldn’t have to seduce her husband. She hoped he will already have seduced her.
*****
The next morning, after breakfast, Tom took Rosie aside.
“I have something to teach you.”
“As much as I’d just love to learn something else I have to do, I have to clean upstairs and change all the linens today.”
He shook his head. “That can wait. We’ll sleep on the same sheets for another week. This is important.”
“Alright. What is so important?”
Tom took a deep breath. “You need to learn how to shoot.”
“No, I don’t.” She turned to leave.
He put a hand on her shoulder, halting her escape. “Yes, you do.”
“Why?”
“Because when we drive the cattle to summer pasture and again to the rail head in Creede, you’ll be here alone.”
“Why don’t you leave someone here to protect us, if you’re that worried?”
“It’s the children’s safety I’m worried about and I don’t have any spare men.”
“Really? Is that all? Just the children?”
“Of course. You have to be able to protect them at all times.” He turned away and mumbled under his breath, “and yourself, too.”
She heard him and smiled. By the time he turned back to her, she demurely held her hands together in front of her, no smile on her face.
“Who would teach me?”
“I will, of course.”
“I didn’t think you’d want to take that much time out of your day. After all it might be difficult for me to learn.”
He patted her on the back. “You can do it. You’ve learned everything else easily; this won’t be a problem for you.”
“All right. If you insist.”
“I do. It’s important for a woman out here to protect herself. Take Catherine, for instance. She can use a gun almost as well as Duncan and has had to do it. There was some trouble, years ago before they were married and she had to protect herself from a very bad man. She was able to do it because she could use a gun and they knew it.”
They walked out behind the barn. Tom carried a shot gun and had his pistol in its holster, strapped to his leg. Rosie figured he was going to teach her how to fire both weapons. She smiled.
“Alright,” he said when they were at the targets. He’d set up several cans on the hillside for her to practice on. He took his pistol out of its holster. “This is a Colt .45. It can shoot six times without reloading.” He handed it to her.
She nearly dropped the darn thing and had to grasp it with both hands. “It’s much heavier than it looks.”
“It is.” He came to her side. “Now pull the hammer back to cock it.”
Rosie pulled the hammer back with her thumb.
“That’s right. Now bring the gun back up and use the site at the end of the barrel to aim your bullet. Got it?”
She nodded.
“Now gently squeeze the trigger.”
It seemed to take forever. She squeezed and closed her eyes, opening them in time to see the dirt fly below the targets.
“Rosie, you have to keep your eyes open. Here let me help you.” He came behind her and put his arms around her, holding her hands up. “Now squeeze again and keep your eyes open. You can’t hit a target you can’t see.”
She took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger. The bullet hit to the right of the center can.
“Better. Let’s try that again.”
Tom moved closer to her. She felt his erection press into her back. He really wasn’t immune to her. How long was he going to hold out? Did he really plan on never making love to her? Based on the current state of affairs, she didn’t think he’d be able to hold out much longer. She wiggled her butt against him and corrected her stance. She heard his sharp intake of breath and smiled.
She fired again and
again missed the target. This time to the left of the can.
“I’m getting closer.”
“Yes, you are,” he breathed into her ear. “Very close.”
“Tom I….”
He stepped away and cleared his throat. “You’ve got the idea now. Try it again.”
Rosie fired and this time hit the can. A little low, it went flying into the air. Frustrated, she said “Give me the shotgun.”
“We haven’t gotten there yet.”
“And at this rate we never will. Just give me the shotgun.”
He handed it to her. She grasped it, put it snug against her shoulder and fired at the cans. The one on the left went flying. She cocked it and fired again. This time the right one went flying into the air.
“I thought you couldn’t shoot.”
“I never said that. I’ve never shot a pistol but I’m damn good with a shotgun. We used to shoot clay pigeons at Robert’s club.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why didn’t you ask?”
He shook his head, turned and walked away, muttering, “Women.”
Rosie chuckled to herself. That’ll show him not to take her for granted.
*****
Every day rolled into the other, without much change. She was too tired to even think about seducing Tom. Didn’t have the strength to put any effort into it. She bathed in the evening before going to bed. After her bath, she braided her hair and crawled into bed, always before Tom. By the time he finally came to bed, she was sound asleep.
Tom saw the toll the work took on Rosie, but she never complained. He knew he needed to get her some help. There were several women in town, older ladies who had helped him out before, after Sarah left. And then, when his mother had to leave they helped him again. He’d let them go when he knew for sure Rosie was coming. Now was the time to bring them back. Rosie deserved it. He didn’t want her to be a slave, he wanted her to be able to mother his children, raise them better than he could and she was doing that. Even with all the work she had to do, she still made time for them. It warmed his heart to see them together.
“I’m going to go to town today,” he told Rosie one morning. “I’ll be back before supper.”
He watched the play of emotions on her beautiful face. Excitement, then disappointment at the realization she wasn’t being asked to go.
He was such an ass.
But she’d thank him once he got back. He wasn’t actually going to town, just over to the Walden ranch. John Walden’s spinster sister lived with him, much to the chagrin of his wife. The gossip all over the valley was that the wife and the sister didn’t get along. He’d see if the sister, Agatha, would consider coming to live with him to help out Rosie. When he ran into her in town, she’d hinted that she’d like to come to work for him. That was when Rosie arrived more than a month ago.
Agatha was in her fifties if she was a day. A sturdy woman well used to ranch work. With her help, Rosie would have more time to spend with the children and that was why she was here, why he’d married her. Who was he kidding? He’d married Rosie because he wanted to. The preacher was as surprised as anyone when he’d shown up with Rosie that first day. But as soon as he saw her, Tom knew he couldn’t let her go. She was perfect, even as bedraggled as she’d been.
Her traveling suit showed off her hourglass figure. She’d put her glorious hair in a bun under her hat but tendrils had escaped and formed a halo in the sunlight. Even with the smudges of dirt on her face, she’d been beautiful. He’d planned on getting to know her a little more before marrying her, so his instant decision to wed had taken him by surprise as much as it had her.
He didn’t want a woman, he’d told himself often enough he almost believed it.
But he wanted Rosie.
He wasn’t stupid. He knew he was afraid to get close to anyone again. He put up walls so he wouldn’t get hurt again. It was the natural thing to do after Sarah had taken all he had to give and thrown it back in his face, so why did he want Rosie? Because she was kind, gentle, caring and pretty. She cared about his kids and their futures before she’d even met them. She might even love them. Something their mother hadn’t. He couldn’t risk letting her go. It wasn’t fair to keep her at arm’s length, he knew that. And she was determined not to stay there.
Every night when he got into bed she rolled over and cuddled against him. She did it in her sleep and he was sure she didn’t know. She was too tired to wake. It was just a natural instinct. One he liked very much. He’d wrap his arms around her and hold her softness to him, while she didn’t know. Couldn’t see his weakness.
And smell. She always smelled so good. Just like roses. It was her cream he knew but it didn’t matter. It was also Rosie. Tonight, he held one of her hands in his. It was red and rough despite the cream, the work having taken its toll on her beautiful soft skin. She would still have to do the cooking, gather eggs and milk the cows but he could at least get someone in to do the laundry and clean the house.
Leaving the ranch after breakfast and his morning chores, he took the buggy and wondered if Rosie thought it odd but if she did, she didn’t mention it. He felt sure Agatha would come home with him as he knew how intolerable she found her current situation.
Three hours later he returned to the ranch, a small gray haired lady beside him. She was short, but stout and strong. He’d explained to her that he wanted her for laundry and general housework and that he’d pay her $10 a month plus room and board if she accepted. He had a spare bedroom off the kitchen for just such a purpose. Sarah had insisted that she have help. Help! He’d had several different women come to assist her.
One, Bertha, lived in while others came on a sporadic basis. Sarah did the cooking and taught Ben. She wasn’t very good at either but she did try. He’d have to give her that. Bertha did the laundry which included changing all the linens and the ironing and cleaned the house. Those poor women had done everything for Sarah. All Sarah had to do was cook and watch the children. Even that was too much in the end.
And Rosie had been doing it all. Everything. And doing a damned good job if truth be told. All without a complaint.
Pulling up in front of the house he brought the team to a stop and jumped down. He went and helped Agatha down then got her bags and took them in the house.
“Rosie. Rosie,” he called.
She came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. “Keep your socks on, I’m coming.”
Finally she looked up and came to a stop. Then she came forward with her hand extended and a smile on her face. “I’m sorry. I should have been here to greet you. Tom, would you introduce me to your friend?”
He set Agatha’s bags down. “Rosie, this is Agatha, she’s here to help you with the housework. Agatha, this is my wife, Mrs. Harris.”
Agatha grabbed Rosie’s hand in both of hers and shook it. “Very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Harris. I think we’ll get on fine. You just tell me what you want me to do.”
Rosie looked up at him with tears in her beautiful brown eyes. Then she went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. “Thank you. Thank you for seeing I needed help.”
Tom couldn’t help but put his arms around her. She leaned into him and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her until she begged him to stop and take her to bed. He gave her a small squeeze and set her away from him.
“You’re welcome. I’ll take Agatha’s bags to her room and you can help her settle in.”
Rosie nodded. “Please follow me. I’m so pleased to have you here.”
“As I am to be here, Mrs. Harris.”
“I hope you like it here, Miss Agatha. I’m afraid I’ve been a little overwhelmed. Poor Tom and the children have suffered for my lack of knowledge about doing all the things that need doing.”
“Oh, I’m sure I will. Have you been doing for yourselves and the men, too?” asked Agatha, aghast.
“Well, yes, though I don’t think I do it very well.”
> “Child, you should have had help before now. You’ve been trying to take care of fifteen people by yourself. It can’t be done. You need help and that’s where I come in. You do the cookin’ and teachin’ the kids, I’ll do the laundry and the ironin’. I can’t cook worth beans or I’d help you with that as well. We can clean the house together. That should help you have a little time to relax at the end of the day and not be too much for either of us to handle. Whatcha’ say to that?”
“I say I think you’re an angel.”
Tom followed the women with Agatha’s bags, listening to the conversation and feeling ten times the heel. He should have gotten Rosie help to begin with. He knew it was too much for one person. It would have been different if it was just him and the kids, but with the eleven cow hands included, it was too much for one person. Any one person. Was he hoping to drive her away? Maybe he was. Trying to prove Rosie was no different than Sarah and would leave him. But she hadn’t. She’d taken everything in stride and, other than that second night together, hadn’t tried to get him to touch her. She was too tired.
Now that she had more time and hopefully got more rest, would she go back to trying to seduce him? He had to admit it was flattering to his ego, that she wanted him.
Sarah had never wanted to have sex and once she was pregnant, they didn’t. Ever. She said it wasn’t good for the baby. But he had friends, like Duncan McKenzie, who said they had sex with their wives well into their ninth month. Duncan said Catherine wanted sex more than ever when she was pregnant. So it was just Sarah. Pregnancy was a good excuse for her not to allow sex.
What if he let Rosie seduce him? He wanted to touch her. Feel her shiver and cry out with pleasure. He wanted to bury himself deep inside her and watch her beautiful brown eyes as she came. Was it so wrong to want your wife? He’d just be sure not to fall in love with her, so when she left it wouldn’t hurt.
Yes, he could enjoy his wife while she was here. He was looking forward to what she’d try next. What if she’d quit trying? Maybe she didn’t have any interest anymore. No, he was sure Rosie wanted children. She was an innocent. Didn’t know that he could prevent her getting pregnant by pulling out before he came. Then he could still enjoy his wife without worrying about more children to raise alone.
Tame a Wild Bride, a Western Romance Page 6
