Mary Connealy - [Kincaid Brides 03]

by Over the Edge

  “Then I’d say of the three parents in these families, she’s the only one who’s worth a lick of salt. Sittin’ around cryin’ like your ma did, Seth, or running off like your pa did to all of you is just plain worthless.” Callie’s eyes flashed, and then the flash changed and she clamped her mouth shut.

  But Seth knew she had more to say. “What is it?” he asked.

  “Nothing. I’ve said my piece. Let’s get finished eating and—”

  “Callie!” He realized it was the first time he’d snapped at her. For some reason it felt good. He pictured another time, a memory of being married. He’d been wrestling with her and her temper flared, then it flipped into passion. Oh, he had a nice vivid memory of that. At last.

  Her eyes narrowed in a way that should have been threatening, but instead he wanted to grab her and drag her into his arms and calm her all the way down.

  “I’m . . . I’m just wondering.” Callie’s eyes slid around the room. “How many other wives and children he had.”

  All Gavin Kincaid’s children fell silent. And since they’d been doing most of the talking, it left a big, old quiet room.

  Finally Seth pushed his chair back. “I’m going with Julia to hide those diamonds. And I want to show Callie the cave. We’ll ride over to the new shack around midday.”

  He turned and looked at Julia and then Callie. Julia smiled and began pulling on her coat. She moved quick enough that Seth was sure she wanted to get away before Rafe found something else to fuss about.

  Callie went to Connor and picked him up. “I’ll change his diapers first.”

  “No, you go on,” Audra said, reaching for the boy. “Changing diapers is something I’ve had a lot of practice at.”

  “I don’t like you going down there without me.” Rafe glared at Julia and tapped his fingers impatiently on the table. But he didn’t demand that she stay out of the cave. He turned to Callie, still tapping. “Seth’s obsessed with that cavern. Every time he goes in it, I’m afraid he won’t ever come back out.”

  “I’m coming back, Rafe. I’ve got a son now to take care of.” It was a good reason, but it struck Seth as strange that he actually needed a reason. Like coming back out wasn’t real obvious.

  “So long as you don’t forget you’ve got him,” Ethan said.

  Seth turned to Connor and stared at him. It wouldn’t hurt to spend some time memorizing that he existed.

  Connor grinned at him and waved his arms wildly. The tyke’s blue eyes flashed mischief and recklessness. Seth had a stab of fear to realize the boy might be just like him. He wondered how old Connor had to be before Callie’d let Seth and Connor go down in the cavern exploring.

  “And Julia finds the place so interesting,” Rafe went on as if no one had interrupted him, “that I swear she doesn’t use much sense when she’s in there.”

  “That is such a lie, Rafe Kincaid.” For the crankiness of her words, she didn’t sound that upset. “I am very careful in that cavern and you know it.”

  “So,” Rafe said, his eyes on Callie, “since you seem like a sensible young woman—and marrying Seth gives me some doubts about that—”

  “Hey!” Seth scowled.

  “Hush, Rafe has a point.” Callie patted Seth on the shoulder.

  “—I’m counting on you to stay calm in there.” Rafe held her gaze. “Pay attention to the passing time. Come back to the surface and bring both of them with you.”

  “We’ll come back.” Callie sounded so sure that Seth was sure, too. He watched his wife strap her six-shooter onto her neat little hip.

  Julia thrust Callie’s coat impatiently into her hands. “Let’s get going. We have to make a short day of it.”

  While Callie put on her coat, Julia said, “So you like to draw, then?”

  Callie whipped her Colt out so fast, Seth blinked and Julia backed up a step.

  Ethan and Rafe sprang up from the table, their chairs scraping loudly on the floor.

  “Uh . . . ahem.” Julia cleared her throat and stepped forward again. Callie was aiming at the ceiling after all. “I meant you . . . you like to draw pictures.”

  His wife surely knew how to handle a gun. Seth felt a smile replace the fear, and his chest puffed right up with pride. Neither Julia nor Audra were even close to gunslingers.

  “You said you liked my maps yesterday. Surely that’s enough pictures for one hole in the ground.” Callie holstered her weapon with ease.

  Watching her, Seth was impressed all over again. He then realized what she’d said. “Pictures? You can draw?”

  “Oh, yes, she’s quite good. And we enjoyed ourselves creating those pictures, didn’t we, Callie?” A smile spread across Julia’s face.

  “You seemed to be having a good time.” Callie flipped the thong on her pistol so it wouldn’t fall out of its holster.

  Rafe sank back into his chair. “So she can draw pictures. Well, say goodbye to your wife, Seth.”

  “What difference does it make if I can make a horse look like a horse?” Callie said. She glanced between Julia and Rafe.

  “I need someone who can draw.”

  “I already finished your map.”

  “But there’s so much more. I want pictures of the fossils in the cavern.” Julia already had a lantern, a canteen, and a sack with biscuits in hand. She dropped a chunk of charcoal in her pocket.

  “You said that word yesterday. What’d you say a fossil is again?”

  “I told you yesterday.”

  Callie shrugged. “Truth is, you’re kinda boring when you start talking about that cavern, Julia. I missed a good chunk of what you said.”

  “Near to put a man to sleep with that cavern talk,” Ethan muttered.

  “I’ve often lost track of what you’re saying,” Audra admitted.

  “I know what that’s like.” Seth picked up two more lanterns.

  Rafe shook his head. “Happens to me all the time.”

  “Then I’ll just have to try harder to get you all to understand,” Julia said.

  Most everyone in the room groaned, though it didn’t slow Julia down one bit. “Fossils are the bones of long-dead animals. Extinct animals.”

  “You want me to draw fish bones like that’ve been left after someone ate lunch?”

  Rafe snickered.

  Seth couldn’t help but really like his surprise wife.

  “I can teach you so much.” Julia swung open the door. It was a crisp fall morning, a good day for building. “And I don’t mind if you ignore me some. I’m happy to repeat myself when I’m talking about the cavern.”

  “That is the pure and honest truth,” Audra said.

  “I already know how to catch, clean, and cook a fish. I suppose I know how to draw one, too. What more is there?”

  Beaming at Callie, Julia said, “Have you ever wanted to see something of your very own, printed in a book?” Julia rested her hand on Callie’s back and gently but firmly shoved her outside.

  “No. Never.” Callie looked over her shoulder to give Seth a worried look.

  “Well, that’s all right. We don’t have to put your name on it, then.”

  Seth didn’t have time to think on Julia’s alarming ambition because he had to hurry to keep up with the womenfolk. “How much time are you going to want her to spend drawing, Julia? She’s got a baby to raise and our cabin is a long ride from here.”

  Julia was busy talking to Callie and they ignored him like he was a buzzing gnat. Good thing he was far enough back to not be swatted.

  For the first time ever, Seth was afraid he might have to spend a little too much time in that cavern.

  “Wait!” Rafe hollered from behind them.

  Rafe had a voice that commanded obedience and they all turned around.

  “What?” Seth knew Rafe didn’t like them going without him.

  “At least pretend like you’ve got some brains in your heads.” Rafe sounded exhausted. “You’re supposed to go down there and hide the diamonds.”

  �
��Don’t worry, we will.” Seth thought of the cavern entrance, suddenly eager to get going.

  “Then don’t you think you oughta take them with you?”

  Ethan came up behind Rafe, the little cylinder of diamonds in his hand. He held it up, and Seth went back and grabbed it.

  “Try and hide it somewhere we can have a hope of finding it again, please,” Rafe said.

  It struck Seth that he was being treated like he was somewhat trustworthy—or maybe Callie was just too far ahead for Rafe to talk with her. It wasn’t a common feeling when he was dealing with his brother.

  It suited him right down to the ground.

  He turned and ran after the women, who were now about halfway across the meadow, heading toward the cavern he adored.

  Chapter

  21

  Callie followed Julia into the cavern and itched to get out. The cavern was interesting enough, but she wanted to get on with important things like settling into her own cabin, checking over the cattle herd, figuring out how to get some chickens, taking care of her baby, and reminding her husband she existed.

  As she traipsed along in a big old useless hole in the ground, she wondered if Ethan had enough chickens to share. Or if there was time to ride to Colorado City to buy a few. Chickens were mighty handy to have in the West. Eggs were a good, steady source of food.

  Julia pointed at some bones stuck in the rock wall. “I want a drawing of that.”

  “Now?” Callie was pulled out of her thoughts of building a hen house. She wondered how long this was going to take.

  “Well, maybe not now. But soon. I want to show you something else first.” Julia proceeded farther into the tunnel.

  Callie recognized a mistake when she made it. She should have acted eager to draw. Maybe that would keep Julia from going in deeper.

  Seth caught up behind Callie and handed her a lantern, so now they each carried one. She took it. He didn’t let go. They had a brief tug-of-war until Callie looked at him and he kissed her.

  Her heart warmed and her stomach tingled, and she wished she could trust him, wished it bad, because she had a feeling her insistence that they not risk making any more babies was going to be hard to live with.

  “And this is . . .” Julia blathered on about something while she left them behind. Callie hurried after her brand-new sister. She couldn’t quite understand what Julia was saying due to the echoing and Julia leading and talking while facing forward, and Seth being a powerful distraction and Julia not making much sense even when Callie could hear the words.

  Callie didn’t figure it mattered much what the woman was saying. Julia loved caves. Strange preference, but harmless. No doubt that love of caves was the bulk of what the woman was yammering about.

  The tunnel had such a steep cant, Callie was afraid she’d end up sliding down this tunnel on her backside, but she managed to stay upright.

  They’d been walking for quite some time when Julia said, “Careful, here’s the hole.” Julia’s voice echoed back to Callie, who stopped dead in her tracks. Seth came up beside her. The tunnel widened out a bit, and Julia went to the side of the hole and stepped out on a ledge, then pulled back.

  She took out a sheaf of papers. “I grabbed this stack of papers with the map already drawn.” She turned to Seth, her eyes gleaming with frustration. “I forgot to bring blank paper for sketching.” She looked between Callie and Seth. “I’ve got to run back and get it. Can you wait for me here?”

  “No,” Seth said. “Catch up with us in the big room with the towers.”

  “Towers? Down here?” Callie looked around the tunnel with the hole in the floor. Not much chance of any towers.

  “Wait for me. I don’t want us to get separated.” Julia hesitated and gave Callie one of the most worried looks she’d ever gotten. Which made no sense. What was there to worry about?

  “Fine then, go on.” Seth slid his arm around Callie. “But make it quick. I want to get to showing Callie around.”

  Callie had the strangest feeling that she shouldn’t be alone with him. Alone with her husband. What could possibly be wrong with that?

  “You’re okay?” Julia rested her hand on Seth’s arm. “You could come back with me.”

  “I’m fine down here; you know that, Jules.” Seth shrugged her hand off as if she was hanging on too tight.

  “I do know, but maybe not right here.” Julia looked past them to the hole in the ground. “Maybe you should come back partway.”

  Seth gave an impatient huff. “Get on with fetching your paper. We’re fine.”

  “You’d better wait to hide the diamonds, too. I think several of us should know where they are. Just in case.”

  “Just in case what?” Callie asked.

  “I’ll wait.” Seth spoke over the top of Callie. “Hurry up and get your drawing paper. We don’t have that long.”

  With one last uncertain look, Julia hurried away, her lantern fading in the distance. Seth set his on the rocky floor, took Callie’s and put it beside his, then pulled her into his arms.

  Seth had been dying for a moment alone with his wife since he’d figured out he had one. He hadn’t managed to get too many such moments. He kissed her so thoroughly, and she responded so willingly that he wished maybe Julia would linger back at the cabin. But this was Julia; she’d be right back.

  So Seth got on with holding his beautiful black-eyed wife with no hope he could do more than kiss her. He planned on enjoying it fully.

  “Seth.” Callie slid her arms around his neck. He kissed her eyes and along her jaw. He slid his hands deep into her radiant black hair and felt the braid give way. He loved setting her riotous curls free. He remembered that. Her hair smelled faintly of the soap he had at his cabin, and it made her seem like she was truly his. The dank air of the tunnel cut with the acrid smell of burning kerosene faded as he concentrated on Callie.

  “Did you remember me last night, when you were dreaming?”

  Seth wished he’d kept her mouth fully occupied. He heard the hurt and confusion in her voice. “For a woman who can hold off four stage robbers, you sure do worry a lot.”

  He covered her lips, but she turned her head aside. “That’s not an answer.”

  Instead of kissing her, he held her close, hugging her, feeling how alive and warm she was. And he thought of his nightmares. They’d been driven back by memories of . . . “I did.”

  He lifted his head to look down at her. She wasn’t a little woman. She had strength and curves. Her eyes were at the level of his mouth, and she was looking right at his lips. “If you want me to talk, you need to quit looking like you wish I was using my mouth to kiss you.”

  A tiny smile curved her lips and her eyes closed. With a deep breath she opened them again and looked up into his eyes.

  “That’s not helping.”

  “What did you remember?”

  Most of his dream was wiped away as soon as he was awake. But he still had a glimmer of it and he thought, he hoped, that was because it was a real memory, not a dream with all its twisted-upness.

  “I remember . . . you taking something away from me. You snatched something out of my hands and I grabbed for it and we ended up sort of tangled up, falling down, and you got real mad at me.”

  “It was a diary I kept.” Her voice gentled and he could see it pleased her that he remembered. He’d have to tell her every single time he had the least flash of remembering. “I wrote about my trip back East and how sick my brother was and it had a few things in it about you.”

  Seth shook his head, wishing it’d rattle loose more buried memories and they’d float to the surface. “I can’t remember about the diary. I just remember you got mad and I sort of dragged you down onto the floor.”

  “You wouldn’t stop and you still had stitches in your back. You could have broken them open.”

  “I didn’t, though. I was fine.” More than fine. He’d felt great. Seth swallowed hard. “This was after we were married, right?” It’d sure bet
ter be.

  “Yes, we were married.”

  “And all that fire. Your eyes were blazing, and I wouldn’t quit my teasing. I threw the book and wouldn’t let you go get it. You took a swing at me.” Seth smiled to think of the way he’d caught that little flying fist and hung on. Everything about that wrestling match had gone wild.

  “You were tickling me. You wouldn’t let up.”

  “I remember that. You’re ticklish.” Seth dragged her back into his arms. “I can’t believe I managed to wait two weeks to marry you.”

  “You spent most of that time out of your head with fever.”

  “I reckon that slowed me down some.” When the next kiss ended, Seth knew he had to stop or . . . not stop. And with Julia coming back soon, he had to stop.

  He relaxed his grip.

  She ran one finger down his cheek in a way so sweet it hurt.

  “You need to behave yourself.”

  “I sure enough do.” Seth stole another kiss.

  “We need to talk about something else.” Her finger continued on down to his neck and traced a path under his collar to caress his scars. “Tell me what we’re looking for down here. This is the cavern where you got those terrible burns, right?”

  Her hands caressed his shoulders. Seth fought down the urge to apologize for how ugly he was. “Right here. Right at this spot.”

  “Here?” Callie’s eyes widened, and she quit looking at him and looked around. “How’d you get burned down here?”

  “I fell right there.” Seth tipped his head toward the hole in the tunnel floor.

  “But what catches fire in a place made of pure stone?” Then Callie’s eyes went to the flickering light of the lantern.

  “I fell in. When Rafe and Ethan came to pull me out, they almost fell. They almost died because of me. I’d run off, left them behind, then, look . . .” Seth put a hand on her arm, picked up his lantern, and guided her to the edge of the hole. He knelt beside it and she came along.