“Nice,” he said, tucking in with gusto. With his hair ruffled, a dark shadow of beard on his jaw, and dressed in trousers, had he been wearing a holster he could easily have passed for a cowboy. His only weapon was rifle.
They built up the fire even though it was warm, to keep wild animals at bay, then stretched out on their bedrolls. They did not speak, but almost at the same time, moved closer together and George went eagerly into Marcus’ arms.
His mouth claimed hers in a long passionate kiss. His tongue, darting and flicking inside her mouth set her nerve endings on fire. She opened his shirt and rested her palms on his bare chest. Slowly, she moved her hands down his body, and he noisily sucked in his breath when her fingers slipped inside the waist band of his trousers.
“No, Georgina, please.”
“Yes. I want us to make love out here with the grass under our backs.”
The black velvet sky was pin pricked with a million twinkling stars while the fire threw out a comforting glow. Their bodies were seared together by mutual desire. The night birds serenaded them, and Marcus had never experienced anything so sensual.
Chapter Fourteen
The Shannon cabin was small, built from rough logs, with a stone chimney at the back. Marcus was amazed at how people could live in such primitive places.
A tall, bearded young man came out to greet them.
“Is your name Shannon?” Marcus asked him.
“Who wants to know?”
“I’m Marcus Lindquist, this is my wife Georgina.”
“Yes, I’m Michael Shannon. What do you want?”
“We’ve come to collect Johnny’s son,” George interrupted. “I’m his sister.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“I am. Johnny’s dead. He wants me to have his son now his grandmother can’t look after him.”
“Johnny’s dead?”
“Yes, hired guns shot him,” Marcus said.
“Sonofabitch,” Michael spat the word out. “I rode with Johnny for a while, that’s how he met my sister Sarah.” His mouth twisted. “We had a falling out over the way he treated her. Still, I’ll give him his due once he knew she was with child he married her. Took off the day after the wedding, though. Come inside, Danny’s having a sleep. Ma hasn’t got long. There’s no other woman to look after him, that’s why I sent word for Johnny to claim the boy.”
Marcus suppressed a shudder as they entered the cabin. It looked clean, but had a dirt floor and the walls were lined with newspapers. The chairs and table were hewn from tree trunks. It was even more primitive than McGuires, he at least had proper furniture.
A wizened woman with yellow, parchment like skin sat in a rocking chair.
“Johnny bought it for her,” Michael explained, following Georgina’s eyes.
“You’ve brought someone to see me, son?” Georgina picked up the Irish accent straight away.
“Mrs. Shannon, I’m Johnny’s sister.”
“So, you’re George, he mentioned you often.”
“This is my husband, Marcus.”
“How do you do, Mrs. Shannon?”
“You married an Englishman?”
“Ma, don’t get upset, Johnny’s dead. George has come to collect Danny.”
The woman’s eyes filled with tears. “He’s the light of my life is little Danny. Wish to God I were well enough to keep him. He’s all I’ve got left of my poor Sarah.”
“We’ll look after him.” George knelt beside the chair and picked up the woman’s wasted hand. “I’ll love him as if he was my own. He’s all I’ve got left of Johnny.” George’s eyes filled with tears.
“Women,” Michael said., throwing his hands above his head.
“Get them some coffee, son.”
“I’ll do it.” George jumped up. “You’ll have to tell me all Danny’s likes and dislikes, Mrs. Shannon.”
“After I’m gone, Michael is going to leave here, too many sad memories.”
“Yeah, well it was never much of a place anyway, Ma.”
“Do you know anything about horses?” Marcus asked.
“I’m the best horse breaker in these parts, that’s how I met Johnny.”
“Well, I could have a job for you. I intend starting up a horse stud, supplying mounts for the army, I’ve got a few military connections out here,” George heard Marcus say as she poured the coffee into tin mugs.
“There’s a cabin for your mother, too.”
Behind Mrs. Shannon’s back Michael shook his head. “Sounds good, Ma, you’ll be near Danny, too.”
“Yes, son.” Mrs. Shannon gave a wistful smile.
After they finished their coffee, Marcus and Michael walked outside. George forced herself not to dash into where Danny slept and grab him.
“Did Johnny visit here much?”
“A few times before Sarah had the baby, once afterward. Stayed long enough to get her in the family way again, then he was off. After she died, he called in once, said if anything happened to me, you would look out for Danny.”
“Johnny wasn’t a bad person, Mrs. Shannon, he was just a little wild. A rolling stone, McGuire called him. I didn’t even know about Sarah or Danny until a few days ago. Hired guns ambushed Johnny and shot him, with his dying breath he made me promise to look after his son.”
“I don’t blame the boy completely,” Mrs. Shannon went on sadly. “Sarah was sixteen when they met. She fell madly in love with him, threw herself at his head, and you know men.” She shrugged her thin shoulders. “She was a pretty gal, my Sarah.”
“I’m sure she was. How did she die?”
“Miscarried, caught child bed fever and was too weak to fight it off, I suppose. That was about six months back. Michael and I have been struggling along ever since. I haven’t been well for a couple of years, got a growth. It’s eating me away, but I’d have to be dead before I let anyone take Danny to the foundling asylum,” she finished off passionately. “I only hung out this long because of him.”
“How old is Danny?”
“Two.”
The same age as me when my parents were murdered.
* * *
Marcus and Michael had just returned when a noise came from behind the piece of calico dividing this room from the sleeping quarters. A child toddled out, a boy with Johnny’s dark curls and impish smile, but George’s green eyes.
She scooped him up. “Danny, Danny.” She rained kisses all over his face.
The child kicked and screamed. “Ma. Ma.”
“Put him down, Georgina.” Marcus ordered quietly.
“He doesn’t like me,” she whispered brokenly.
“We’re strangers to him,” Marcus said gently, gazing into her stricken face. “Give him time.”
Michael took the boy from Georgina and handed him over to his mother.
“I know it’s stupid, but I wanted him to love me straight away.”
“He’ll love you,” Mrs. Shannon assured as she rocked Danny on her lap. “Who couldn’t love a pretty gal like you? You were just frightened, weren’t you, Danny boy?”
“We had hoped to take the child and leave straight away. I wanted to spend a night in Londrigan before taking the coach to Deadwood,” Marcus said. “There are a few legal matters I must attend to, and Georgina and Danny will need new clothes.”
Danny wriggled off Mrs. Shannon’s lap and headed toward Marcus. “He’s a fine little fellow. You certainly did well by him.”
A chubby baby hand touched the top of Marcus’ boot, then he raised his arms. Marcus picked him up and sat him on his knee. “Is this what you want?” He laughed as he gave the child his fob watch to play with. “You see, Georgina my love, you should have been wearing a colorful bauble to catch his eye.”
“I didn’t think of that.” She edged toward Danny this time. “Don’t shrink from me, darling,” she said softy, putting out her hand to ruffle his curls. “I’m going to be your Ma from now on.”
“I’ll get his things ready. There isn’t much, only a
couple of toys and some papers.” Mrs. Shannon shuffled away. She was bent double and George thought she looked ready to snap in half at any moment.
She came back with an old rag doll, several wooden blocks, a picture book and a few items of clothing. “Not much, the doll and book belonged to Sarah.” She handed the things to George and gave Marcus several sheets of paper. “To do with the marriage and Danny’s birth. Go now, better than prolonging the agony.”
“Thank you, I swear we’ll look after him for you,” George promised.
“I know. I wouldn’t have let you take him otherwise. Goodbye, Danny boy; see them off, Michael.”
George’s eyes were full of tears as she kissed Mrs. Shannon goodbye.
“God be with the three of you,” the woman said. “I can die easy now.”
“Maybe we should stay with you until…”
“No, Michael will see to me. When I’m gone, he’ll join you.”
Marcus still held Danny who played happily with the watch. Michael held him while Marcus mounted then gave the boy back to him.
“I’ll be seeing you in a few weeks I expect. As soon as Ma goes, I’ll leave this cursed place.”
“I’m sorry.” George didn’t know what else to say.
“She’ll die a happy woman knowing Danny’s safe.”
As they rode away, George turned around to give one final wave to Michael Shannon. She glanced at little Danny sitting happily in front of Marcus, still playing with the watch, his chubby baby fingers trying to pick it open.
“Oh, Marcus, I’m so happy, yet sad, too.”
“I know, my darling Georgina, but we’ll have a fine life together all three of us.”
The West promised a golden future, unfettered by the chains of social standing and aristocratic bloodlines.
Life would be good with Marcus, she knew, and with Danny around she would always have a part of Johnny. Her brother’s spirit was now free to roam the Black Hills for all eternity.
EPILOGUE
Twelve months later.
George glanced out the window and saw Marcus striding toward the house with young Danny on his shoulders. Johnny’s son had grown into a sturdy boy with the same high spirits as his father always had.
She still mourned the loss of her brother but remembering the happy times they had spent together helped lessen the desperate pain of his loss, just as Marcus had predicted.
Michael Shannon had joined them about eight months ago after his mother had passed. He was now living with McGuire at the cabin and was courting a girl from a neighboring property. A few new settlers had arrived once the Stanton stranglehold on the district had been removed, and Michael’s girl had been one of them.
George stood and headed for the back door, not wanting Danny’s excited squeals to wake six-week old Johnathon Marcus Lindquist. She couldn’t believe she was a wife and mother living in a large house. Marcus was doing well on the ranch and had recently signed a contract to breed horses for the army.
She mainly wore dresses now. Once she recovered from the birth of the baby and started riding again, she would wear male attire instead of a fancy riding habit, this was the compromise Marcus had agreed to.
“Doggy, doggy.” Danny drummed his heels against Marcus’ chest.
“How are you feeling, Georgina? Should you be up, darling?” He lifted Danny down and the child scuttled over to her and tugged at her skirt. “Doggy. Doggy.”
With a grin Marcus drew a small bundle of black fur from his pocket and held it out to her. “Look familiar?”
“Well….”
“McGuire gave him to us, thinks he’s probably one of Nelson’s descendants.”
“Let me see. Oh, let me see.”
“Only if you give your husband a kiss.”
She was happy to oblige.
He handed the pup over.
“Ooh, he is a sweet little thing, and he does look a bit like Nelson, same eyes I think.”
Marcus draped his arm across her shoulders. “Is the baby asleep?” he asked as they headed inside.
“Yes, I gave him a feed a little while ago and he dozed off.” She laughed. “I’m sure you’ll get a chance to have a nurse before the evening is out.”
“I hope so. He always seems to be sleeping when I’m around.”
“You don’t say that when he wakes up during the night.”
“I know, but we could get a nursemaid in to help…”
“No. I agreed to having the wife of one of your workers come in to do housework, nothing else. Maggie is good and I’m grateful to have her, but I want to look after the baby myself.”
“All right, as long as you promise you’ll bury that stubborn pride of yours and ask for help if you need it.”
“I will, Marcus, I promise. The kettle is boiling, how would you like a cup of English tea?”
“Sounds excellent.”
“Sit down and I’ll get it. I told Maggie to go home early, supper is on cooking and it gives her a chance to get her meal ready. She insisted on coming back after we’ve eaten to clear things up, though.”
“As long as you’re happy with the arrangement.” He glanced around. “What will we put the puppy in?”
“The washing basket. By the looks of him he won’t be able to climb out of it for a while.”
He nodded. “It could work. He’s been weaned McGuire said, even though he doesn’t look it.”
“He must be the runt of the litter,” she said.
“While you get the tea, I’ll take Danny and we’ll make up the puppy’s bed. By the way, McGuire had a letter from Tom. He and Billy have accepted my offer of jobs and they hope to be back here by the end of the year.”
“I’m so glad.” She did a little jig. “Thank you for organizing it.”
“A lot of the credit goes to McGuire who suggested the idea.”
He headed out to the laundry room with Danny clutching the puppy and trotting along behind him. “Pa, I want doggy in my room.”
“I’m afraid your mother wouldn’t allow it. Maybe we can let him sleep in the sitting room until he gets used to the place. She’d probably agree to that.”
George couldn’t wait to see Tom and Billy again. Once the boys arrived, she might be able to talk all three of them into moving over here and leaving the cabin free for Danny’s Uncle Michael. He could ask his girl to marry him because he would have somewhere for them to live. More importantly, she and Marcus would be able to ensure McGuire looked after himself properly. Over the last few months he was starting to show his age and was nowhere near as active as before.
The old man wouldn’t live here in the house with them even though there was plenty of room, she knew that for certain. There was an empty workman’s cabin only a few hundred yards from them and he could live there in comfort with Tom and Billy. Having his sons back might lift the sadness that had dragged down his health.
Things had turned out well for all of them. She had a loving husband and two dear little boys. Happiness and gratitude for the life she now had with Marcus filled her heart to overflowing.
She had been truly blessed.
The End
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About the Author:
Margaret Tanner is an award winning, bestselling Australian author, who mainly writes Historical Romance and Historical Western Romance. She loves delving into the pages of history as she carries out research for her novels. No internet site is too boring, no book is too old or tattered for her to trawl through, no museum too dusty.
Her love of Westerns came about because of the movies and TV shows of her childhood. Som
e of her favorites were Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Wagon Train and Little House on The Prairie.
Many of her novels have been inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and triumphs of her pioneering ancestors. She once spent a couple of hours in an old prison cell so she could feel the chilling cold and fear.
Apart from her family and friends, writing is her passion.
Margaret is married with three grown up sons and two gorgeous little granddaughters.
Western Historical Romance
Rejected Bride
Deceived Mail-Order Bride
Merry’s Mission – Westward Home and Hearts Series.
Logan – Bachelors and Babies – Series - Book 2
A Husband for Christmas – Spinster Mail Order Brides – Book 3
A Niece for Christmas – Spinster Mail Order Brides – Book 10
Rescuing Cain – Christmas Rescue Series
Lily – Guilford Crossing Brides – Book 1
Freddie – Guilford Crossing Brides – Book 2
Alfie – Guilford Crossing Brides – Book 3
Alex – Guilford Crossing Brides – Book 4
Edwina, Bride of Connecticut (American Mail-Order Brides Series)
Cowboy Christmas
The Sheriff’s Outcast Bride
The Cowboy and The Quaker
Savage Possession
His Brother’s Wife
Fiery Possession
Claire, Tess, Flame, Jessica, Scarlett, Sophie (Women Betrayed Series)
Historical Romance
Pearl Harbor and More Anthology
A Rose in No Man’s Land
Reluctant Father
We Never Said I Love You
Daring Masquerade
Allison’s War
Rich Man’s Folly (Sequel to Allison’s War)
Lauren’s Dilemma
Falsely Accused
Contemporary Romance
Baby Maker
Outlaw Girl Page 14
