Rebecca Atkins: Attorney At Love (Lonely Cowboy Series)

by Susan Leigh Carlton

  “Are you Aunt Becky’s boyfriend?”

  “Well, I like to think she’s my friend and I’m a boy, so I guess I’m her boyfriend.”

  Rebecca smiled at his answer.

  “Okay,” said the boy.

  Thomas and his family were the next to arrive. The introductions were pretty much the same. Thomas and Josh were both tall and robust men. From the way they hugged Rebecca, Charles could see the caring and love between them.

  Josh said, “Charles, if she gives you as much trouble as she gave Tom and me, you’d better run, because you can’t win. She gets her way every time.”

  “That is so not true, Joshua Bartlett. You used to pull my hair and chase me.”

  “Yes, and you’d tell Pa and we’d get a hiding. You were spoiled.”

  “I was not. Pa, make Josh leave me alone.”

  “Joshua, leave your sister alone. My strop is in the bedroom. Don’t make me get it,” said Trace.

  Rebecca stuck her tongue out at Josh.

  Charles stayed close to Rebecca all evening. True to form, he was teased with taunts of, “Charles’s got a girl. Charles has a girl and I know who it is.”

  Three of the ranch hands came in carrying a guitar, a banjo, and a harmonica. The men pushed the furniture against the wall and the floor was ready for dancing. Everyone was all partnered up for the first dance. The feeling of holding Rebecca in his arms was a defining moment for Charles. Her breasts felt as if they were burning through his shirt. He was flushed in his face. Rebecca snuggled her chin into the hollow of his head and neck. “This is so nice,” she whispered.

  She danced with each of her brothers and her father. Josh’s sons danced with their cousin. It was a picture of a loving family such as Charles had never seen. Rebecca whispered to Charles, “Ask Mother to dance.”

  “I had intended to,” Charles said. He walked to where Sarah was sitting with Trace. He bowed slightly, and said in his southern voice, “Mrs. Atkins, would you do me the honor of sharing this dance.”

  “I would love to, Charles.” It was a slow dance and made for a chance to talk. “You and Rebecca seem to be getting along well.”

  “We are. I’m not going to mess this one up. You have raised such a beautiful daughter in so many ways. She is going to make someone a wonderful wife. I pray it’s me.”

  “Remember my advice. You have to ask.”

  Charles replied, “I intend to when the time is right. I don’t want to rush and spoil it.”

  The dance was over. Charles escorted her back to her chair. He bowed again, “Thank you for the dance, Mrs. Atkins.” He turned to Trace and said, “Thank you for allowing me to dance with your lovely wife, Mr. Atkins.”

  He turned and walked back to Rebecca. “I enjoyed that,” he said.

  “Ma’s a good dancer, but so is Pa. I think they make a lovely couple.”

  “So do I.”

  After an appetizing dinner, standup style from a table laden with beef, ham, and several kinds of vegetable, they adjourned to the living room and talked. After a short time, the gathering had evolved into three groups, the children in the parlor; the men, and the women.

  The men talked about cattle, and oil. They drew Charles into the conversation by asking about his family business. They began asking questions about how much cotton was planted, and how much water it needed. There was talk of shipping it out of Galveston. It was an engaging conversation.

  The women talked mostly about fashion. All of them occasionally made it to San Antonio and its many shops.

  Tom’s wife asked, “What’s happening with you and Charles? Are you engaged, have any plans?”

  “Well, right now we’re just friends. I don’t know about the future.”

  “How friendly are you?” asked Josh’s wife.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” She colored in the face and said, “Oh… No, just friends.”

  The evening came to an end. The kids were put to bed, and the adults sat around talking.

  Rebecca said, “Charles, I’m going to let Bandit out. Would you like to walk with me?”

  “Yes, I would love to.”

  “Becky’s got a sweetheart. Becky’s got a sweetheart” came the chorus from her brothers.

  Possessively, she took Charles’s arm and said, “Yes I do and if you don’t leave us alone, I’ll tell Pa.”

  “Boys, leave your sister alone,” said Trace. “Anyway, it’s about time, don’t you think?”

  Rebecca got Bandit and she and Charles went out into the night air with their dog running ahead, marking his territory.

  “I think I may finally be getting your father’s approval, don’t you think?”

  “Pa’s a big teddy bear. His heart is soft, especially where his family is concerned.”

  Rebecca stopped, as did Charles. He took her in his arms in a strong embrace. Rebecca tilted her head upward and pulled his head down and kissed him. Hard. His lips came down on the soft skin of her lips. Rebecca parted her lips, allowing his tongue entry. It explored the tip of her tongue and the contours of her mouth. A low moan came from deep within her. The touch of her breasts seared his chest. Her core moistened. It had been a very long time since she had such feelings. Charles’s manhood was pressing against her thigh. They broke apart. Breathless, Rebecca said, “Oh my. I have never been kissed like that before. It was wonderful. Now I think we had best be going back inside.”

  They walked back inside. There were no hoots and guffaws this time, just smiles. Charles felt as if he was a welcome part of the group. He still held Rebecca’s hand as they sat on the sofa.

  CHAPTER 15: AN ENGAGEMENT

  Rebecca and Charles spent most of their time together from then on. For such a clear, crisp fall day, Rebecca had the cook fix them a picnic basket. She and Charles took out the carriage and with Rebecca giving directions, they cut across the countryside heading slightly northwest. In time they came to a road. Rebecca directed Charles to turn west on the road. “That’s to your left,” she said with a smile.

  Shortly after, they came to a road branching off the main road. It led to a stone ranch house. When they pulled up into the yard, a woman came out of the house, drying her hands on her apron. Rebecca said, “Mrs. Williams, do you remember me?”

  The woman squinted in the bright light. “Rebecca?” she asked. “Land sakes child I would never have recognized you if we had met on the street. You’re all growed up into a lovely, pretty lady.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Williams. This is Charles Wilson, a friend of mine from Washington. Would you mind if I showed him around? We won’t be coming into the house.”

  “Of course not. You’re welcome to come into the house if you want.”

  “No, that won’t be necessary. Does the old spring still flow?”

  “Oh yes, and as good as ever.”

  “Thank you. We’ll just get some water and then go up on the hill. Nice seeing you again, Mrs. Wilson,” said Rebecca.

  She directed Charles to move the carriage to a small building on a slight hill above the front of the barn, There was a watering trough in front of the building and they tied the horses so they could drink freely. Then she opened the door of the building and led Charles inside. She found two tin cups hanging above a bubbling spring. They each filled their cups and drank the water. It was cold and sweet.

  “This is the old Rocking A Ranch. It’s where Pa was living when he met Ma.

  When the land grabbers started shooting at the house, Pa was hiding in the hayloft of that same barn. He had a rifle he had won in a shooting match and he shot three of them before they burned the house and rode off.”

  Pa rebuilt the house with some help from the people in the church. He gathered the rocks himself from all over the ranch and hauled them here and built the house using them. When he proposed to Ma, they were going to live here in order to prove up the homestead. He didn’t know Ma was from a wealthy family and owned a ranch. In the end, they hired the Williams to live here and take care
of the Rocking A. After they got married, Pa had brought Mr. Williams out here to see the place, he was going back through Cimmaron and was ambushed and left bleeding in the road. When he didn’t come home, Ma got the buckboard and went looking for him. She found him, almost dead lying in the road.”

  She directed him up a hill with a copse of trees at the top. “This is where Pa buried his first wife, Clara. She died about four months after he returned from the war. He lived here alone for two years before the preacher introduced him to Ma, who was a widow with two young boys. I was their first and only child. Now, you know our history and how I came to be.

  “What a wonderful story, Rebecca. I’m glad you shared it with me.” She started unpacking the picnic basket. Charles noticed her eyes were moist. “What’s the matter? You’re crying.”

  “No, I’m not crying. I always get teary eyed when I think of all the horrible things my parents went through and what a wonderful couple they turned out to be.”

  “You have a right to be extremely proud of them. I thought the story you told me back in Washington about him killing three men was a tall tale but it was true.”

  “It certainly was. We Atkins come from a hardy stock. If you don’t kiss me pretty soon, I’ll show you just how hardy we are.”

  Charles kissed her slowly and with great tenderness. She had stopped unpacking the basket and turned to him. They wound their arms around each other and kissed each other passionately. Charles kissed her forehead, her neck and her ear. He moved his hand to her breast. She stopped him. “What’s wrong.”

  “It’s the way I was brought up Charles. I am a virgin and am saving myself for my husband. I don’t let anyone touch me in the intimate places. Mind you, I’m not apologizing for this. It’s something I believe in and will stick to until I marry.”

  “It is an admirable trait, one I respect you for and will not try to change your mind about. I hope someday to convince you I am that man.”

  The moment passed and they ate the lunch of cold chicken and apples. Rebecca wandered around picking wild flowers and put them in a jar she had brought with her and put them under the stone marking Clara Atkin’s last resting place.

  Following Rebecca’s directions, Charles drove the carriage back to the Bar S Ranch. It was a quiet trip with no conversation between them. Charles took care of the horses and the carriage while Rebecca took the basket and went into the house.

  “We went to the Rocking A and saw Mrs. Williams, then we had lunch by Mrs. Clara’s grave. I told Charles about our history. When I told him about you and Pa and how you were going to live there, he said some very nice things about you. Ma, I was sure he was going to ask me to marry him but he didn’t. He didn’t say anything all the way back.”

  “Honey, our story is enough to intimidate almost anyone and you know how fragile his feeling of self is. Give him time.”

  “Maybe you’re right, but I’m not going to wait forever. If he wants me, he’s going to have to act like it. I don’t want someone who’s afraid to talk to me.”

  “Honey, that is exactly the way your Pa was. He didn’t think he was worthy and I told him to move on until he became the man I had met and had asked me to marry him.”

  “All the same, Ma…”

  * * *

  Charles came into the kitchen. “Mrs. Atkins. Did you see where Rebecca went?”

  “I believe she went out the front door. She may be on the porch.”

  The house had a large porch all across the front and down one side. Charles went out and found Rebecca in a rocker on the side porch. He sat in a chair across from her. “Is everything all right? You were quiet all of the way back. Did I do something to upset you?”

  “Charles, why are you so afraid you’ve done something to upset me? Do you think I am that shallow? If I get mad, you’ll know it. If I get upset I’ll get over it. I don’t understand it at all.”

  “Rebecca, Honey, it’s just that I love you and after the way I hurt you, I’m afraid of ruining us.”

  “If our relationship is so thin it can be ruined that easily then maybe it isn’t worth keeping,” she said.

  “I’m sorry…”

  “See, you’re doing it again. If you want to say something, then say it. I don’t want to have you around apologizing all of the time. If that is the best you can do, then maybe you should go back to Washington or Atlanta or wherever it is you want to go.”

  Sarah came onto the porch. “Is everything all right?”

  “Yes Ma. Charles and I are just talking.”

  Charles stood up, took her into his arms, kissed her, and then in a strong, forceful voice said, “Rebecca Atkins, I love you and want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”

  In a quiet voice, she said, “Yes Charles, I love you and would be honored to be your wife. It took you long enough to ask.”

  All smiles, Sarah came over and embraced them both. “I am so happy for you both. My little girl is going to get married. Wait until your Pa hears the good news. We were talking about it last night.”

  “You were?” Charles asked.

  “Yes we were. Rebecca and I were talking this morning after you got back.”

  “I guess I’m the last one to know,” Charles said. “Mrs. Atkins, did you know your daughter is just like you.”

  “Why Charles, that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Sarah said.

  “That goes for me too. It’s the nicest thing anyone has said about me. Thank you Charles.” Still in his arms, Rebecca unabashedly kissed him again, in front of her mother.

  Later that afternoon, Trace had returned home from Cimmaron and was sitting in the living room. Charles walked into the room and sat in a chair.

  “Mr. Atkins, I love Rebecca and I would like to have your blessing for our marriage.”

  “Charles, I appreciate your asking. If Rebecca loves you, then you must be a fine man and you have my blessing. What would you have done if I had said no?”

  “We would have gotten married anyway but I would prefer to have it,” Charles said.

  “Well said, Charles, Well said. Remember one thing though. If you hurt my little girl, I’ll kill you.”

  This time he said it with a smile and a handshake.

  CHAPTER 16: PLANNING THE WEDDING

  There was going to be a wedding at the Bar S Ranch! Rebecca and Charles and Sarah sat at the dining room table to talk about plans for the wedding.

  “Charles, when would you like for our wedding to be?”

  “The sooner the better. Can we have it today?”

  “I like the sooner the better idea,” Rebecca said. There is one thing I would really like and that is for the preacher to conduct the ceremony.” Turning to Charles, she said, “Honey, the preacher introduced Ma to Pa and he was the one who performed their ceremony. If you have no objections, I would like for him to do ours.”

  “Sounds fine to me,” said Charles. “Would you rather have it in the church? Wasn’t that where your parents were married?”

  Sarah said, “Same place, different church. The old building has been replaced by a bigger one.”

  “Charles, what about your family? Wouldn’t you like to wait until they could come?” asked Rebecca.

  “I doubt it, We’re not a close family like yours. Besides, it’s cotton picking time in Georgia. This is the time of year my father makes his money. You couldn’t drag him away and Mother wouldn’t come without him. No, let’s have it here, in the church.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure. I’m willing to wait and have it in Washington. My brothers and their wives would still come. I still have five days until the first and since the first is on Saturday, that would make it seven,” Rebecca said.

  “No, I’m sure,” said Charles.

  The next day, Rebecca, Charles, Sarah and Trace took the carriage into Cimmaron. The first order of business was the preacher. They went by the church and talked with the preacher. “I would be most pleased to perform the ceremony,” he said. “When w
ould you like it.”

  “Could we do it after church on Sunday?” asked Rebecca.

  “If that will get your Pa back in church, it would be perfect. I’ve been marrying a lot of second generations lately. Charles, are you a Christian?”

  “Yes I am. Good old Southern Baptist,” said Charles.

  “That’s all right, I’ll still do the ceremony.”

  “Is everyone a comic in Texas?” asked Charles.

  “No, everyone thinks he’s a comic. Few of us are,” said the preacher.

  “We’ll see you Sunday, Preacher. Josh and Tom and their families will be here also.