“Then I guess I should tell you the last bit of news.”
“What?” Micah and Noah answered simultaneously.
“Your brother and stepmother weren’t the only ones to survive the skirmish. We only found one of the Gibson brothers floating in the river.”
“Which one?” Micah asked, even though he already knew the answer.
“David.”
“Damn.” He’d had a dream about Jonathan the previous night. It was the first time he’d seen Gibson in one of his dreams. It was foggy and he was holding onto Claudia, threatening her with a knife. He’d hoped it was just sheer exhaustion that had brought on the vision, but in his soul he knew it was another prediction of the future.
One that involved Claudia.
Damn. He stared into the glass at the liquid the same color as his wife’s eyes. I thought it was over for her. He knew what he had to do. No matter what, he had to keep her safe from his family and Gibson.
“Do you have any idea where he’s gone?” He glanced up at Cain.
“My guess is he’s hooked up with Stephen and Julia. Better to run with familiar rats, than learn to trust new ones.”
“Thanks for letting me know.” Micah set the glass on the table, then rose to walk the colonel to the door. Stopping him with a hand on his shoulder, he asked, “Do me a favor, Cain.”
“Whatever you need, Micah.”
“Watch out for her, for all of them.”
“You didn’t have to ask.”
“I might be gone a long time.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Cain grasped Micah’s hand. “You just be careful out there.”
“Same to you. There are still too many loose ends here.”
Micah watched his old friend walk out into the February night, wondering what the future held in store for him. He turned to find Noah watching him from the bottom stair.
“We leave in the morning, Howard. Which direction do we take?”
“West.”
“California?”
“Yes. I’ll fill you in as we go. But be prepared for the mountains.”
“I’ll wake you before sunrise. Good night.”
“What are you going to tell Claudia?”
“That I’m going after Stephen and Gibson.”
“Will she be all right?”
“As soon as I’m gone, she’ll be perfectly safe.”
“But will she be all right?” The younger man studied him a moment, then made the slow ascent to his room.
Noah’s question repeated in his mind. He was glad the younger man hadn’t waited for an answer, because he didn’t have one.
He turned out the lamps in the parlor, checking the windows and locks on the lower level. Henderson had taken the exhausted Joey up to bed hours earlier, when Cain arrived for their meeting. Claudia had finally decided that Adam’s fever was completely gone, and went to take a quiet bath while the men met.
She’d spent every waking minute at her son’s bedside, talking and singing quietly to him as she cared for him. Her gentle touch and patient ministrations kept the frightened boy from fighting the needed care of his arm. The fever broke during the night, and she’d given him a sponge bath and cleaned his linens before lying down next to Micah in near exhaustion. He’d unbuttoned her blouse and skirt, sliding them off of her body and covered her with the quilt without disturbing her sleep.
When they managed to get supper and dinner into Adam and make him comfortable for the night, they’d both stood by his bedside thanking God that He’d chosen not to take him away from them. Micah had held her, her back against his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist just under her breasts, enjoying the feel of her hair under his chin.
He’d miss that. The simple act of holding her whenever she was near. There were many things he’d miss. The sight of her early in the morning, her face buried down into the pillows, her behind curled around and her knees tucked toward her breasts. The smell of her right after a bath—all roses and hyacinth. The smile she gave when the boys told her of their daily adventures or when one of them mastered a special reading lesson.
Wearily, he walked upstairs, stopping to check on Adam in his room. He felt his head with his hand like he’d seen Claudia do a hundred times over the last two days. The child’s skin was cool and dry to his touch. He smiled in relief. A chance remained that Adam could have trouble with his arm from the shooting, but his life had been spared.
That was important to Micah. He couldn’t have stood it if Claudia had lost one of her sons due to him.
Walking into their room, he expected to find her curled up in the blankets. She wasn’t there. The light in the bathing room was still lit, so he went to investigate. He smiled at the sight that greeted him there.
Claudia was asleep in her bath. Her head leaned back against the rim of the porcelain tub, her hair hanging in waves of deep-auburn brown out behind her. Her knees bent up out of the water, which swirled around her thighs and calves, upwards to the tips of her breasts. A small trickle of water escaped to travel down her neck into the valley between them. Even in her exhausted state, she was lovely enough to arouse his passion.
Picking a towel off the chair, he gently shook her awake. He called her name until she opened her whiskey brown eyes to greet him. She smiled when he took her hand to help her stand. As she stepped from the tub, he draped the towel around her shoulders, kissing her parted lips and licking them with the tip of his tongue.
“Mmm…Micah, that feels so good.” Claudia murmured against his lips.
“Shh, little one. Let me dry you off.”
He stilled her hands from taking over the towel. Gently he convinced her to let him take care of her. Moving the towel down her back, he brought it around to rub against her breasts, teasing them into little buds. He held one arm out as he ran the towel slowly across it. Then he repeated the process on the other arm.
Next he went down on one knee, lifting her foot to rest lightly on his other bent knee. He moved the towel down her opposite thigh and calf, removing each drop of water still clinging to her skin. Finally, he brought the towel to her bent leg. He wrapped it around her calf, inching it up over her thigh, gently stroking her skin with the textured material and his callused hand.
Claudia could only stare at the sight of his hands moving the towel closer and closer to her damp feminine core. She knew she should be shocked at the sight of a man kneeling in front of her naked body. The heat of the steam in the small room, coupled with Micah’s sensual movements, rooted her to the spot. He cast an alluring spell over her, caressing her while he cared for her.
His face came closer to the small tangle of hair. Then his lips dipped inside to kiss the small nub of desire he found there. When his tongue darted between the folds, she reached down to grab onto his shoulders to keep from wilting to her knees. Once the small shudder flowed through her, Micah stood and gathered the towel around her. Carrying her back into their bedroom, he placed her in the bed, then went to stoke the fire in the fireplace.
As he walked back toward her, he began removing his own clothes, his eyes catching the desire he had ignited in her own. He wanted to take his time and make the night last as long as possible for both of them. He wanted to memorize every inch of her body, so when he was gone he could close his eyes and remember the feel of her silky skin and the fragrance of her in the throes of passion.
He leaned over her, kissing her parted lips. His hands stroked down her shoulders and over her breasts, caressing them ever so lightly. His lips followed his hands, drawing a line of pleasure to one taut nipple. He licked it with his tongue. Teased it. Caressed it.
Taking it between his lips, he gently pulled on it.
“Yes,” she moaned and arched her back.
He stretched out beside her, continuing to lave first one, then the other, of her nipples until her breath was came in short gasps, her hips thrusting.
Slowly, Micah lowered his hand across her stomach, stopping to dip a fin
ger into her navel, then continued lower. When he finally reached the springy hair that covered her folds, he parted them with his finger, lightly touching the bud of her desire. Another soft moan escaped her as he stroked her passions.
Claudia rocked back and forth against his hand. Suddenly, she cried out as she arched tight, the gentle tremors of her climax overtaking her. “Micah!”
His eyes on her beautiful face as she found her release, he rose over her, entered her. Letting her climax caress him he thrust in and out of her, wanting it to last forever, but finally giving in to his own release. He slumped down upon her, his face resting in the crook of her neck. He held her tight as he waited for his body to relax against hers. Raising his head, he watched her drift slowly into a much-needed sleep, contentment written in the soft lines of her face.
Rolling off to the side, he drew her up against him, cradling her head on his shoulder, her soft, even breaths caressing his chest.
For a long time, he lay awake. His thoughts turned to the last week and a half of his life. He’d never felt so contented being around people as he had Claudia and her makeshift family.
Henderson was as much a father to his wife as anyone could have hoped for. The two men had spent many an hour discussing the political climate of the country, both knowing that a military takeover could set the country back a hundred years. Given time, Micah knew he and the older man would become close friends.
The boys had been an added delight. He found he enjoyed having them follow his every move as they tried to take on the same mannerisms as his. They spent hours asking him about his life in the mountains. They wanted to know about hunting for gold, trapping for furs and his meetings with the Indians. They’d been surprised he’d made friends with several chiefs whose tribes traveled through the land where his cabin sat. He thought again how much they’d thrive in the mountains, away from the bleak city.
And then there was Claudia. Her dammed independence had goaded him into marrying her just to keep her from throwing herself in harm’s way. Her untried body had answered his planned seduction, virtually enslaving him in the backwash of her passion. Her intellect and courage rivaled any man’s, earning her his respect—which few women had ever had.
Damn, he was going to miss her.
He rolled her over onto her back, lowering himself to suckle on the nearest breast. Despite knowing he deprived her of much-needed sleep, he needed to be inside her again, to take the feel of her with him when he left.
* * * * *
Noah was waiting for him when Micah entered the kitchen just before dawn the next morning. The younger man handed him a cup of coffee from the stove as he set his carpetbag on the table. Micah nodded his thanks, taking a sip of the strong brew.
“We’re going to Baltimore from here,” Micah said between sips. “We’ll outfit us with some saddlebags, gear and ammunition there. Then we’ll head west on the first train tomorrow.”
“Why Baltimore?”
“Two reasons. First, I have to see a man there about some important business. Secondly, I want to throw off anyone who might be watching to see if we’re following my bastard brother.” He paused in his speech to eye Noah. “Is my sister safe?”
“For now she is.” Noah set his empty cup in the sink. “I know exactly where she is, but your brother and Gibson don’t. It will take them some time to track her down. A delay of a few days will not place her in their hands any sooner.”
“Good, I want this other matter taken care of before I have to face them.”
A soft knock at the door let them know Kelly waited outside to take them to the train station. Noah headed out, carrying his rifle, grim determination on his face.
Micah stood in the kitchen, trying to absorb all the sights and smells that had become so important to him. Closing the door behind him, he turned the key and tried the knob from the outside to be sure it was locked. Slipping the key into his pocket, he walked to the carriage, never looking back.
* * * * *
Claudia sat reading the letter she’d discovered on Micah’s pillow when she awakened late the next afternoon. Tears coursed down her cheeks to drop onto the pages. She swiped at her eyes, trying to still the flow. His words were painful, even though she knew he had to leave.
My Dearest Little One,
I hate to leave you this way, but I must go. There are too many lives at stake for me to stay. You know as well as I, that Stephen is an evil that must be stopped before he hurts anyone else. I pray that I am not too late to prevent any further harm from happening to my sister.
I have asked Cain to watch over you. Should you or either of the boys need anything, please get in touch with him.
If you aren’t able to reach him, then send word to Nathan in Doverton, Colorado. He’ll be able to find me.
I’ll miss you all very much, but you know this is for the best. Tell the boys to make me proud, and to help you as much as they can.
They both asked me if I thought you would mind them calling you ma. I told them they might as well, since you were already their mother.
Try not to hate me too much for leaving you like this. I’m taking the memories of our last night with me to help keep me warm. You did me a great honor by becoming my wife. And even though we had such a short time together, I feel as if we were together a lifetime.
Micah
She prayed God would watch over him and Noah as they traveled after Stephen and Julia. Knowing firsthand their treachery, she wouldn’t rest until her husband was back, safe and sound. There was little she could do to help them, so her prayers would have to suffice.
Done with her tears, she folded the letter, slipping it under her pillow to read again when she needed to be close to Micah. She climbed out of bed, determined to be productive. First, she’d see to Adam to make sure his fever was indeed under control. Then she planned to see her solicitors. She wanted to be ready to move her family out west as soon as Micah returned.
The idea of being out in the country near Laura put extra spring into her step. She slipped on a white shirtwaist and brown skirt, making a mental list of the things she’d take with her from her room. She wondered how much furniture Micah had and if the cabin had more than one room. If there was a loft, the boys would be delighted to sleep there.
Maybe she could leave things here in Washington, close the house up until she knew exactly what they needed. Then she’d arrange for her solicitors to ship them to her.
Her plan of action decided, she ran the brush through her hair and thought about Micah’s son, Hank. Even though the boy thought of himself as Micah’s half brother, and despite the years of separation, Micah was proud of the young man his son had become. She wondered how tied to the land in Georgia the boy truly was. Perhaps she could extend an invitation to him to travel out west with them.
If they spent some time together perhaps Micah would reveal to Hank their true relationship. Even if he never did, they could still develop a stronger tie. She set the brush aside and headed downstairs. Perhaps she’d ask Robert what he thought about Micah and Hank.
Stopping at Adam’s door, she discovered him sitting up in the bed, playing a one handed game of soldiers with Joey. His face was still pale, but the flush of the fever was gone.
He’d be all right.
She watched the boys play, knowing she would always thank the day they had come to live with her. Having them here had given her life a sense of purpose.
“Mornin’, Ma.” Joey hesitated slightly in his greeting, waiting to see if she approved of their decision to call her their ma.
“Good morning to you both.” Claudia smiled at the new title. She sat on the bed next to her sons. “You’re both up early today.”
“It’s after noon already.” Both boys laughed at her surprise.
“It is? Why didn’t anyone wake me?”
“Because Micah told us to let you sleep as long as you wanted.” Joey went back to attacking Adam’s left flank.
“You saw him be
fore he left?” Claudia tried to hide her jealousy.
“No. He left us notes. He said he had to go find the rest of the crums who shot me. And he asked us to take care of you for him.”
Adam maneuvered half of his center troops around to help protect his flank.
“Then I’m glad you did what he asked. Now, how are you feeling today?”
She felt his head. Cool. Dry.
“Hungry. Henderson only let me eat three bowls of oatmeal this morning.” Adam counterattacked on Joey’s central column. “What’re we having for dinner?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps chicken soup and fresh bread would be in order. What do you think?” She returned their enthusiastic smiles. “Good. I’ll ask Robert to make some for you. Then I think we have some important business to discuss.”
“What kind of business?” Joey finally conceded defeat, concentrating his attention on Claudia, instead.
“The business of moving west with Micah, when he returns.”
“Yippee!”
“Hooray!”
“Don’t get too carried away. It could be months before he gets back.” She left the room in search of Henderson, leaving the boys to dream and plan about their future.
* * * * *
Over the next four weeks the weather started to warm up slightly for late March in the east. Wet streets replaced the layers of snow as days of endless rain consumed the city. The damp gray gloom matched Claudia’s mood. She tried not to worry about Micah and the danger he was in by filling her days with preparations for their future.
She’d arranged for the closing of her house and the shipping of her favorite belongings to Colorado. She had warm coats sewn for the boys, herself and Henderson. Numerous pairs of denim pants were made for both boys and Henderson, who had decided to follow his dream of becoming a rancher in the west. Claudia also had herself fitted for more sturdy dresses and skirts. Many of her city clothes would not suit her new life in the mountains.
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