Trailing Home: Liam's Bride (The McKenzie Series #3)
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Selena nodded quickly, “Oh, yes sir. I don’t have much to pack, just a small bag. I promise you won’t regret taking me with you. Where and when should I meet you?”
Liam sighed with resignation. “Meet me at the docks at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon. I plan on taking the steamship Arabia as far as Independence and traveling overland from there.” He pinned her with a glare. “The boat starts loading passengers at three thirty and leaves at four o’clock sharp. If you’re late, I won’t wait for you.”
“I won’t be late,” she said with a beaming smile. She shocked him when she reached over the table to grasp one of his large hands in both of hers. “Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!” She gave his hand a squeeze and started to turn away. “Oh!” she said, stopping in her tracks. “I don’t know your name.”
Liam stood, gave her a slight bow and stated simply, “Liam McKenzie.”
Selena had to tilt her head well back to meet his eye, and she surmised that he was several inches over six feet tall. “Well, thank you, Mr. McKenzie. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon then. I promise you won't regret this.” Selena gave him another quick smile and then hurried back to her duties.
Liam watched her go, and he scowled sharply as he resumed his seat. His hand tingled from the soft touch of her fingers, and his imagination was inspired to wonder what the rest of her felt like. His practiced eye and his masculine instincts were enough to tell him that underneath her ugly clothes, she was pure, tempting woman!
“Damn!” he swore for the third time that evening.
What the hell was he thinking? He had spent only a few minutes in the girl’s company, and already he was as restless as a tomcat in spring. How did he expect to travel with her for the next five or six months and not lose his mind? He quaffed the last of his ale, snatched his hat and exited the establishment without a backward glance.
The hour was late, and a brisk evening breeze helped to cool Liam’s blood as he walked to his campsite. He busied himself getting ready for bed, knowing that tomorrow he would have his hands full. When he finally settled into his pallet on the ground, Liam stared for a long time up at the dark, star-filled sky.
His mind was too busy for sleep, and his thoughts flitted back over the past several years. Along with his older brothers Aidan and Brian, Liam had set out for Oregon six years before. Their parents had stayed behind, content with their life in Kentucky, but they had well understood their sons’ desire for adventure. The young McKenzie men had felt a natural urge to prove their worth and carve out a destiny for themselves in the untamed west. They had said fond farewells and set out on the grueling cross-country trek.
While their trip had not been easy, the three brothers had enjoyed their time together, and they reached Oregon to find a wealth of land, theirs for the taking. They settled in the Willamette Valley, an area of rich farming land nestled between the Coastal and Cascade mountain ranges.
It was the Promised Land they had envisioned, and the McKenzie brothers staked their claim. They worked diligently side by side, building a comfortable home, clearing the land, and planting crops, and Liam’s heart swelled with pride as he thought about their success.
While they worked as a team, each of the three brothers brought their own set of specialized skills to their farm. Aidan, the eldest brother, had excellent instincts for farming, and he invariably knew which crops would do the best in which fields, and when and how to plant the seeds. His talents ensured that they were able to make sizable profits.
The middle brother, Brian, was the best builder of the three. He designed their home, the large barn, and the other various buildings they needed. Because of him, they and their livestock were kept warm and snug through the long winters. He was also responsible for the upkeep of the fences and dams on their farm.
Liam’s talent was with animals. He had a knack for breeding and raising animals, and under his guidance, their livestock had grown to include fine horses, cattle, pigs, a few sheep and a barn full of excellent laying hens. They had more than enough food for themselves, and had begun to profit from selling their excess meat, milk and eggs. Liam had had so much success that they were now able to offer fine breeding stock, and demand was quickly growing among other local farmers to acquire animals from him.
His eldest brother, Aidan, had met and married Naomi Tisdale, a newcomer to the area. Not long after, Brian had followed his brother’s example, taking Sarah Martin as his bride.
The brothers had pitched in to build two more sturdy cabins so that the newlyweds could each establish their own homes. Liam had remained in the original house, and though he sometimes felt lonely, he wasn’t ready to take a wife. He had yet to find a woman that could hold his interest. Until he did, he was content to stay single.
When the McKenzie brothers received word that their father had passed away, they elected Liam to travel back to Kentucky to fetch their mother out to join them. However, when Liam had arrived at his childhood home, he found his mother in very poor health. She had been heartbroken over her dear husband’s death.
Bridget McKenzie had been happy to see her youngest son, but within a month of him returning home, she had passed away. Liam oversaw her burial and the sale of their farm in Kentucky, but he had been forced to wait out the remainder of the winter before he could make the crossing back to Oregon. Now that spring had finally arrived, Liam was anxious to get home.
He heaved a sigh, thinking of what would await him back in Oregon. The McKenzie’s success had made Liam a very eligible bachelor, but none of the local young ladies held any appeal for him. Many of them were pretty enough, but their heads seemed to be filled with nonsense.
Anytime he had tried to talk with one of them, Liam found his mind wandering from their inane chatter. He had no interest in hearing about the latest styles of clothing to arrive from back east or being apprised of all the local gossip. Even worse were their attempts to entice him with simpering smiles and fluttering eyelashes. While Liam sometimes wished for feminine companionship, he simply couldn’t picture himself choosing any of those ladies for a wife.
Liam needed more. He wanted someone who would be not only a lover but a partner, someone to share his joys and sorrows, someone he could protect and love. His brothers had been fortunate enough to find women like that, and they were both completely content. Liam had recently begun to doubt that he would be so lucky, but he wasn’t yet ready to settle for something less.
Without conscious effort, his thoughts returned to Selena Darcy, and he wondered whether she was the woman he had been dreaming of finding. Even dressed as she had been tonight, she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met. He wondered once more what she would look like in more suitable clothes, or better yet, in no clothes at all.
He remembered the feel of her soft breast beneath his fingers, and he felt a familiar stirring in his loins. Realizing where his thoughts had strayed, Liam wiped the leering grin off his face and gave himself a mental shake.
He was getting way ahead of himself. He didn’t know anything about Selena. She had proven to be intelligent, and she had certainly held his interest throughout the evening. However, for all he knew, she could be nothing but trouble.
The thought of getting to know her better tantalized him though, and he grinned again. What better way to find out more about her than by traveling together? Liam was not a man to carelessly waste an opportunity, and he decided to see what time would reveal about Selena. If she proved to be even half as appealing as his first impression of her had been, he could propose marriage when the time was right. If not, they could part company once they reached Oregon, and he could feel good knowing that he had helped her out of a difficult situation.
Feeling a sense of peace from his resolution, Liam fell into restful sleep. However, his last thought before drifting off was that the part of the sky that was the deepest blue, the part where it was turning purple, reminded him of Selena Darcy’s eyes.
*****
It had been eight months since her mother's death, but she could still remember it like it was yesterday. Eleanor had lain on her deathbed and clutched her daughter’s hand with surprising strength.
Two years after Selena's father died, her mother had married Jeb Hawkins. Eleanor had married him somewhat reluctantly after he had courted her for nearly a year. During that time, Jeb was unfailingly charming, diligently wooing her even though she told him she was not interested in remarrying.
Selena had never liked him much, but she had dismissed her doubts, wanting only to see her mother happy. Eleanor had finally agreed to marry Jeb, despite the fact that she didn’t love him in the way she had her late husband. Still, Eleanor had felt some fondness for Jeb, and the thought of having a strong man around the house to help in the running of their small farm had swayed her to finally accept his repeated proposals.
Almost as soon as the wedding vows had been spoken, Jeb began to reveal his true nature. He was far more interested in having a woman cook and clean for him than in contributing anything to the family’s upkeep. The only useful thing he ever did was an occasional bit of hunting. He enjoyed being out in the woods, and he usually brought home a deer or some other small game to replenish their food stores.
The majority of the time, Jeb just drank, and his penchant for alcohol was astounding. He liked nothing better than to laze around, sipping from a bottle of whatever liquor was handy, though he showed a definite preference for whiskey.
The more he drank, the meaner he got. Barely a week after their marriage, Jeb came home drunk and spoiling for a fight. Selena had been out for the evening visiting with friends. When she returned, she found her mother bruised and bleeding from a vicious beating. Selena had been tempted to take a pitchfork to her stepfather while he was passed out on the bed, but Eleanor pleaded with her not to do anything that might anger him.
It wasn't long before Jeb began to show an interest in Selena. His lustful gaze made her skin crawl. Selena tried to hide her contempt, for any snide remarks she made usually resulted in her mother getting another beating.
Selena began barring her bedroom door out of fear of being raped, and she was careful not to be caught alone in the barn or the smokehouse. However, the more caution she used, the more Jeb’s interest was heightened, and Selena was often aware of his eyes roaming over her while she moved about the cabin.
Selena and her mother decided that their best option was to leave, and they began to secretly make plans to travel to Oregon to join Selena’s sister, Diana. They had no choice but to stay until they could save enough money for the trip. They estimated it would cost them nearly a thousand dollars for the necessary supplies and equipment.
As it happened, Eleanor’s hopes for an escape from her miserable marriage ended one fateful afternoon when Selena went down to the creek to do the laundry. Jeb was gone on a hunting trip. In his absence, Selena relaxed her guard. She was bent over the wash board when she heard his hated voice from directly behind her.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” he drawled.
Selena whipped around to see him standing only a few feet away. His beady eyes roamed her body, finally settling on her bodice. Selena had unbuttoned several buttons to combat the August heat. Jeb’s grin grew wider still, and he devoured her with his eyes.
Selena looked down and saw that the bodice of her dress was thoroughly soaked and clung to her breasts like a second skin. The outline of her nipples was clearly visible through the wet fabric, and she groaned and crossed an arm protectively over her bosom to shield herself from his gaze. She flung her other arm out toward Jeb and pinned him with a heated glare.
“Don’t you dare come near me,” she ground out through clenched teeth.
She was inwardly trembling, but dared not show any weakness. She felt trapped and vulnerable, since he stood blocking her only means of escape from the clearing by the river. The woods were too dense to walk in except on the path, and Selena knew if she tried to run into them, Jeb would quickly catch her.
“You know, I’m getting mighty tired of you being so uppity.” Jeb began to stalk toward her, and Selena took several cautious steps backward, searching for a way around the man. Jeb gave a low laugh, seeing her predicament. “Now, now. There ain’t no need to get all riled up. I’m just gonna enjoy you for a little while and then I’ll let you go. I ain’t gonna hurt you.” He lunged toward Selena and caught her by the arm.
“Let me go, you filthy vermin!” she shrieked as she yanked desperately on her arm.
Jeb pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her and pinning her own arms against her sides. His chest was against Selena’s back, and he laughed again as he began kissing the side of her neck.
“You always thought you were too good for me didn’t you, missy? Well, I’m gonna give you a taste of the pleasure a real man can give you. You’re gonna like it, just like your Ma does.” As he said the words, he began slobbering on her ear and neck, licking and kissing with his awful lips.
Selena struggled wildly, trying to win her release, but her strength was no match for his. The stench of stale whisky and foul breath almost made her vomit, and she tried desperately to keep his filthy mouth from touching her. The more she struggled, the more excited he became, and she fought a rising sense of panic.
“Get your hands off me,” she screamed. “I’ll kill you for this, I swear it.”
Jeb merely laughed again, as he tightened one arm around her until she could barely breathe and her ribs felt like they would crack beneath the pressure. With his free hand, he began to grope her breasts, roughly assessing her curves.
“You’re even prettier than your Ma. Ain’t nobody ever had you before huh? You’re so tender and sweet, and ripe for the picking.”
As he said the last, he gripped the neckline of her dress and gave a vicious yank, rending the bodice down to her waist. Selena screamed and redoubled her efforts, kicking and squirming to get free. Jeb held her easily as he groped her breasts through her thin chemise. Selena managed to bite his hand, breaking the skin and wringing a scream of pain from Jeb.
“You little bitch,” he yelped, jerking his hand away from her. Selena’s relief was short lived. “You’ll pay for that!”
Jeb punched Selena in the side of her jaw, making her knees buckle beneath her as she sagged in his arms. Her head was spinning, and before she could recover from her dizziness, he jerked her around and slapped her hard across the face with the back of his hand.
“I’m gonna teach you a lesson. Before I’m finished with you, you’re gonna be begging me for it.”
He flung Selena to the ground and fell on top of her. Through a haze of pain and nausea, Selena tried to fight him, but her efforts were pitifully weak. As if from a distance, she heard the sound of ripping cloth again, as Jeb tore her chemise down the front, baring her breasts entirely. Selena screamed and thrashed as Jeb mauled her. She shuddered with revulsion as he licked, pinched and squeezed her tender flesh.
When Jeb tried to kiss her on the mouth, Selena jerked her head to the side, trying to avoid his vile breath. This earned her another back handed slap that nearly knocked her senseless. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, trying to blot out the whole experience.
Selena could feel her skirts being hiked up to her waist, and Jeb clawed at her pantalets until he managed to pull them down around her knees. She sobbed and thrashed helplessly. Jeb was obviously enjoying her torment, and he took his time telling her all the lewd, horrible things he was going to do to her.
Her breath locked in her throat as he forced her legs apart with his knee and knelt between them. Selena was helpless to stop him, and she knew rape was imminent when Jeb suddenly froze, his hand poised to open his breeches. Selena opened her eyes and saw her mother standing nearby with a pistol pointed at Jeb. She sobbed with reli
ef.
“Get off her,” Eleanor said in ominously low tones. She was normally a gentle woman, but there was a murderous light in her eyes.
Jeb groaned with frustration and gave Eleanor a narrowed eyed glare. His voice, when he spoke, was full of contempt.
“Now Ellie, you and I both know you ain’t capable of shooting me, so you might as well put that gun down.”
Eleanor’s response was to cock the pistol and place a trembling finger on the trigger. “Get off her this instant, or I’ll shoot you through the head, you no good son of a bitch.”
Sensing that she meant business, Jeb slowly stood up, ignoring Selena as she scrambled away from him. Jeb was focused only on Eleanor, and he began to walk slowly toward her, his eyes never leaving the bore of the pistol.
“Now Ellie, give me the gun. I promise I won’t hurt you.”
Eleanor’s hands were trembling, but she kept the pistol aimed at Jeb’s chest. “Go away and leave us alone. I don’t want to ever see you around here again.”
“Ellie, you don’t mean that. You know I love you.” Jeb continued to step closer as he spoke in a low voice. “Come on now, give me the gun.”
“Stop right there, don’t come any closer,” Eleanor whispered. She was trembling violently from shock and anger. She had never pointed a gun at anyone before, but she was determined to defend herself and Selena.
Seeing her distress, Jeb took another cautious step toward Eleanor and lunged for the gun. The gun barked and both women screamed as Jeb jerked back, grunting with pain. A large red stain appeared near his shoulder and he roared with fury, lashing out with his arm to knock Eleanor to the ground. Her head struck a large rock with a sickening thud, and she lay dazed at his feet. Jeb began beating her, kicking her repeatedly in the ribs as he vented his rage.