This man at his feet took pleasure in hurting those weaker than himself. He used his fists, his knives, and his whips to prove he was tougher and stronger. He starved them, beat them and used them up until they had nothing left. Yet when that man was faced with someone he couldn’t so easily control, he folded like a whipped pup and sobbed like a babe.
“What do you want me to say?” Gilliam whimpered as fat tears rolled down his rough cheeks.
Marston glared down at him with pure, unfiltered hatred. “You might as well be honest about what you did to Rose. It won’t save your worthless life, but it might just cause the almighty to take a bit of pity on you.”
“And what about you?” Gilliam whispered, pleading at Marston with his eyes. “Will you have mercy on me? Will you make it quick?”
Marston chuckled. “Not a chance.”
***
Marston joined Kaitlyn at Buck’s side after more than an hour of being away. “Are you ready to go, little one?”
He heard her gasp at the sight of him and he glanced down at himself and saw that he was covered in blood splatter. He could feel those same crimson drops drying upon his face and he realized he should have attempted to clean up at least a little before returning to her.
Marston had been told on more than one occasion that the look in his eyes after he murdered someone was cold enough to freeze hell. He didn’t want to scare the poor girl who already trembled like a leaf. Marston closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then opened again and smiled comfortingly.
“Are you ready to go now, Kaitlyn?”
She spared a glance at the cabin and nodded as she bit her lip. “Is he dead?”
Marston took his revolver from her hand and holstered it before sliding onto Buck’s back. He helped Kaitlyn up behind him and waited as she adjusted the blanket around her shoulders.
Marston glanced over his shoulder and saw her green eyes darting in every direction as she gnawed at her lower lip. “You don’t have to be scared anymore,” he assured her. “He won’t be coming after you ever again.”
She nodded and pressed her cut cheek against the back of his duster coat. Marston urged Buck forward and patted her hand where it rested on his middle. “How old are you, Kaitlyn?”
“Eleven,” came her quiet response.
Marston growled. What was it about little girls that made men like Gilliam want to steal their innocence?
“I have a boy about your age. I’m sure you and him will get along just fine.”
Her head raised. “You’re taking me home with you?” she gasped.
Marston heard that same awe in her voice that had been in Langley’s when they’d first met and it made Marston feel just as damn awkward as it had when Langley had done it. Hell, he didn’t want people looking up to him—he didn’t want them thinking he was something that he wasn’t.
“That’s right. My wife Rose will be happy to have another woman around. She’s always sewing, cooking or cleaning something.”
“Yes, I can help with those things!” Kaitlyn vowed, sounding almost happy about the prospect.
Marston hoped that meant he’d rescued the girl before she’d been damaged too badly. “Good,” he replied with a nod.
His heart swelled when Kaitlyn’s tiny arms tightened around him. It looked like he’d ridden off looking for vengeance and was coming home with a daughter.
***
“Hello, the house!”
Vincent Sharp moaned upon the blood-soaked floorboards of the cabin when he heard the voice calling from outside. He dragged himself several feet to the open door. “Hello…..” he called weakly.
“Holy hell!” a man exclaimed as he jumped from his horse and ran to the shack. Vincent collapsed once again, all his energy spent. “What the hell happened here?”
The man’s eyes went past Vincent and he gagged and covered his mouth with his palm when he saw Gilliam in the corner. Vincent had been doing his best to not look at Gilliam too often. The man was an unrecognizable mess of shredded flesh and blood.
“Get me to a doc…” Vincent pleaded, dragging the man’s attention away from the dead body.
“Who did this to you?” the man asked as he pulled Vincent up and dragged him toward the waiting horse.
Vincent felt hatred burn in his gut. “Marston Jacobs.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Langley had been feeling his worry grow with every day that Marston was gone. It had been over two weeks since Marston had left and the note he’d left Langley had been very clear—he might not be coming back. Langley pulled that worn and folded piece of paper from his pocket for the hundredth and didn’t have to read it to know what it said.
Langley
I have some business to take care of and I’m going to be gone a while. I expect you to keep up with your chores while I’m away and mind your mama.
If something happens while I’m away and I can’t come back to you and your mama, I want you to know how much having you both in my life has meant to me. I didn’t tell your mama that there’s a chance I won’t come back because you know how she worries, but I wanted you to know.
You are a good young man and if I can’t come back then you’ll be the man of the house and you’ll have to keep your mama safe and keep her company because she’ll be sad. You’ll have to be strong for her but I’m not worried because I know you can be.
I should be home in a couple weeks but in case I’m not, thank you for letting me be your pa.
Marston
Langley carefully folded the letter and slipped it back into his pocket. It had been over two weeks….Langley was beginning to think that Marston wasn’t coming back. He wanted to cry. He wanted to scream. He wanted to run out into the world, find his pa and bring him back. But Langley couldn’t do any of those things. Marston had asked him to look after his mama and that’s what he was going to do.
When he heard his mama in the kitchen, Langley stood from his bed and walked out of his room. He studied her closely and wondered what she was thinking. It was clear that she was worried and it was also obvious that she hadn’t been sleeping well while Marston had been away. Her hair was messy, her face paler than usual and there were dark circles surrounding her distracted eyes.
“Good morning, mama,” Langley greeted as he sat down at the table.
Rose barely glanced over her slumped shoulder at him as she kneaded bread dough. “Good morning, baby.”
Langley didn’t remind her that he was no longer a baby. She placed a plate of oatmeal and peaches on the table in front of him and Langley frowned. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
Rose shook her head, avoided his gaze and went back to her bread. “No, I’m not hungry this morning.”
Langley sighed as he picked up his spoon and began to eat. He knew his mama needed to eat but he also knew that she wouldn’t. Arguing would be a waste of time. Lately she hadn’t been doing much other than staring out the window as if hoping to see Marston riding in at any moment.
“Eat your breakfast, Langley. Then we’ll feed the animals and head into town. I need to speak with Doctor Brinkley.”
Langley dropped his spoon into his bowl. “What’s wrong with you?”
His mama met his gaze for the first time and Langley could feel her sadness it was etched so deep into her face. He wanted to help her, to protect her, but he had no idea how. The ghost of a smile curved her mouth. “Nothing,” she promised. “Why would you think something was wrong with me?”
Langley’s eyes narrowed. “If nothing is wrong then why do you need to see Doctor Brinkley?”
Rose gaze wavered slightly. She opened her mouth but before she could speak the sound of a horse approaching reached their ears. “Marston!” Rose exclaimed.
Langley knew it wasn’t safe for her to just run out of the cabin without ensuring it was indeed Marston but before he could shout a warning the woman was gone.
Langley sprang from the table and followed after her just in time to see Marston slip
from Buck’s back and take off at a sprint to meet his mama halfway.
Rose couldn’t believe her eyes and her heart soared as she jumped into the familiar pair of strong arms. She breathed in Marston’s scent and clung to him with fierce desperation as tears slipped down her cheeks.
“God, how I’ve missed you,” Marston growled gruffly against her hair.
“I’ve missed you more,” she vowed and his hold on her tightened.
“I wasn’t sure you’d want to see me again,” Marston admitted.
Rose pulled away just far enough to look up at his face. She stared into the golden depths of his eyes, laid her hand on his stubble covered cheek and offered her softest smile. “Of course I wanted you to come home.”
Marston smiled and kissed her soundly. “Is the business done?” she whispered breathlessly after he’d released her lips.
Marston smoothed her hair from her face. “Yes, it’s done.” His eyes narrowed. “You haven’t been sleeping.”
“No, I haven’t,” Rose agreed, knowing that arguing would be pointless.
“You haven’t been eating either,” he accused.
“No… I’ve.. I’ve been sick to my stomach.” She bit her lip. “There’s something we need to talk about…”
“Pa?” Langley’s voice came from the porch and reminded Rose that they weren’t the only two people in the world.
“What is it, Langley?” Marston replied, his worried gaze was not leaving Rose’s face.
“Who is she?”
Rose followed Langley’s gaze and saw the young girl sitting atop buck. She was skinny, pale, had a scabbed cut on her cheek and appeared frightened and skittish as she watched them closely.
“Yes, who is she?” Rose questioned.
Marston stepped away from Rose and went to Buck. He took the girl by the waist and lifted her from the horses back before setting her on her feet beside him. “Her name is Kaitlyn,” he replied. “She’ll be staying with us now.”
Rose swallowed hard. “Where did you find her?” she whispered, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.
Marston’s voice was tight. “At Gilliam’s.”
Rose and Kaitlyn’s eye met and each felt an instant moment of kinship—of similarity born from a common past. Rose stepped forward, dropped to her knee and wrapped her in a warm motherly embrace. Kaitlyn stiffened momentarily but managed to raise one arm and pat Rose’s back.
“Kaitlyn?” Marston said once Rose was standing once again. The girl looked up at him questioningly. “This is my wife Rose. She’s the lady I was telling you about. Gilliam adopted her too.”
Rose smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Kaitlyn.”
“Hi, Kaitlyn!” Langley bounced off the porch, clearly having come to the end of his patience sitting quietly. “My name is Langley.”
Marston tousled Langley’s red hair. “Langley, why don’t you take Kaitlyn to the barn and get Buck all settled in. He’s wore out.”
Langley nodded. “Okay pa. It sure is good to have you back. We’ve missed you something awful.”
“I missed you too, kid,” Marston replied.
Langley led a wary Kaitlyn away to the barn, his mouth running a mile a minute in true Langley fashion.
“Marston…” Rose whispered, letting the relief of his presence wash over her.
Marston pulled her into his arms again and held her tight. “It’s okay, Rose. I’m back. I told you I would be.”
“I’m not stupid, Marston. I knew you could get killed going after Gilliam. He has been living that kind of life for a lot of years and he could have killed you just as easily as he had countless other men.”
Marston feigned insult. “That hurts. Gilliam wasn’t any threat to me. He only likes to hit little girls.”
“Does she have family?” Rose asked, tilting her head toward the barn. She didn’t loosen her hold on Marston—she was afraid that if she let go of him he would disappear right before her eyes.
“No,” Marston replied. “Gilliam took her out of the orphanage. I told her she can live with us… Are you okay with that?”
“Of course that’s fine,” Rose assured him. “That poor girl. How old is she?”
Marston let out a slow, even breath as he gazed down at her. “Eleven.”
Rose hissed in a breath through her teeth. “That bastard!”
Marston shrugged. “Well, he’s a dead bastard now and the almighty is sorting him out.” Marston kissed her brow. “I’m sorry it took longer than I thought it would for me to get back. Kaitlyn was in bad shape when I found her and needed a few days to rest.”
Rose shivered. “I understand.”
Anger flashed in Marston’s gold eyes and she saw him close those eyes and take a deep steadying breath before stooping low and pressing a kiss to her forehead that was so achingly tender it made her heart hurt.
“I love you, Marston. Please don’t leave us again to go chasing vengeance.”
Marston nodded. “I’ll never leave again. Strange how I lived my entire life without needing anyone and never being tied down.. since I met you and Langley, there is nowhere else I want to be other than right here and I need you both… I need you like air.”
Rose stood there in his arms a moment longer and then her stomach rolled and reminded her that they needed to talk. “Can we go in and talk?” she asked, her teeth grazing her bottom lip.
Marston frowned and led her inside. As she sat at the table he removed his rifle and gun belt and put them both by the door. He grabbed a biscuit from the counter and sat down across from her. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Rose clasped her hands and stared down at the table top, chewing her lip furiously. Marston simply munched his biscuit and waited patiently for her to speak. Patience wasn’t normally his strongest attribute, but just now he was too thankful to be home to be short tempered.
“It’s nothing wrong exactly,” she muttered before falling silent again.
Marston frowned. “Rose, what is it? I can tell you haven’t been sleeping or eating much…” His heart froze. “Are you sick?”
Rose shook her head quickly. “No. No, I’m not sick. I’ve just been very worried about you, that’s all.”
Marston leaned back in his chair. “Is this a guilt trip? Because I hardly ever bother with that emotion.”
Rose’s nostrils flared as she whooshed out a breath and finally looked up at his face. “No, it’s not a guilt trip. Marston, you’ve been.. you’ve been a wonderful father to Langley. And, well, it’s clear that Kaitlyn already adores you…” Her voice trailed off as if she couldn’t quite figure out how to continue.
Marston brushed biscuit crumbs from his chest and leaned forward, folding his arms on the table. “Is this about Kaitlyn being here? I know it’ll be crowded for a while but we can add a room on over the summer.”
“I know that,” Rose waved her hand. “I’m not worried about space.”
Marston felt his patience waning. “What is it then?” he snapped. “I’m tired and don’t want to waste energy beating around the bush.”
Rose’s eyes filled with tears. Marston confusion tripled. He reached across the table and took her hands. “Rose, honey, tell me what’s wrong.. I can’t fix it if you don’t talk to me.”
“There’s nothing you can fix,” Rose sniffed. “I just don’t know how you’re going to feel…”
“Well to figure that out, you’ll have to tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’ve just... I’ve been thinking a lot about babies…”
“Babies?” Marston grimaced. “Why in the hell are you thinking about babies?”
“No reason..” she squeaked before leaping from her chair and rushing into their bedroom, closing and locking the door behind her.
Marston stared at her empty chair with shock.
“What’s wrong with mama?” Langley asked as he and Kaitlyn entered the cabin.
“Those damn mood swings she’s so good at,” Marston grumbled as he tossed
his half eaten biscuit into the scrap bucket. “Do you know what might be wrong with her?” he demanded.
“No,” Langley shook his head but his attention was on Kaitlyn as the girl glanced around the cabin, taking it all in. “She’s just been real tired since you’ve been gone and she’s always saying her stomach is upset. Sometimes she just stares out the window with her hand on her belly and doesn’t say a word. You know, normal confusing woman stuff.”
Suddenly the pieces tumbled into place and Marston fell down hard in the kitchen chair nearly collapsing the poor thing with his sudden weight. “Shit…” he grumbled.
Langley and Kaitlyn merely shrugged and Langley went about showing her where his room was and talking about storybooks.
Marston’s mind wasn’t on them. It was on Rose… and the child that must be growing inside of her. His child. Was he ready for a baby?
Hell no.
He wasn’t ready for something so small, fragile and innocent. Surely a man like him would only hurt, damage or possibly kill the little thing!
‘If we’re going to have a pity party, can we at least get some whiskey?’ that voice in his head, which had been dormant for a long time spoke up.
Marston glowered. He most certainly was not having a pity part.
‘Yes you are,’ the voice countered. ‘You knew how babies were made when you laid with Rose and you didn’t do a thing to prevent it.’
Marston wanted to tell the voice to go to hell but how could he when it was right? He had known what spending himself inside of Rose could cause and yet he’d done it anyway. Dammit, he just lost all control when it came to that woman.
“I’m going for a walk,” Marston grumbled, getting slowly to his feet.
“But you just got back!” Langley countered, poking his head out of his room.
Marston nodded. “I’ll only be a few minutes.” He needed a bit of time to himself to think.
***
Rose saw Marston leave through her bedroom window and he disappeared into the woods. She folded her body upon the bed and cried. Normally, Rose did not cry so easily but her emotions had been all over the map in the last few weeks. She had suspected that she was with child before Marston had left, but she was certain now. Her cycle had never been late any other time and she was showing all the signs and symptoms.
Give My Love to Rose Page 23
