Trailing Home: Liam's Bride (The McKenzie Series #3)

by Lynn Coppersmith

  “Stop it!” Selena screamed.

  She had scrambled to get the gun, and she stood facing her stepfather. Tears and blood were dripping down her face, and her hands were trembling even more than her mother’s had been as she clutched the gun in both outstretched hands.

  “You heard Mama. You get out of here! Now!”

  Jeb stood glaring at Selena for a few moments. He didn’t bother to try and talk to her. He knew she had always hated him and wouldn’t trust anything he said. He sneered and spat on the ground, narrowly missing her feet.

  “I’ll go, but you can bet I’ll be coming back.” His eyes raked her, seeing glimpses of naked flesh through the tatters of her gown. “And when I do, I’m gonna finish what I started.”

  He stumbled to his horse and scrambled into the saddle. Selena stood with the pistol pointed at him until he had disappeared from sight, then she ran to kneel beside her mother.

  “Mama, are you alright? Mama!”

  Eleanor’s hair was matted with blood from a cut on her head, and her breathing was ragged and gurgling. She could only manage a whisper. “I think my ribs are broken. I can’t breathe. It feels like I’m drowning.”

  Selena’s heart constricted with fear, and she cast a panicked look around. She was afraid to leave her mother to go for help, and she didn’t know what to do. A small sob of despair escaped, and Selena’s tears began to fall in earnest, dripping onto her mother’s face.

  Eleanor knew that she was likely dying, and her main concern was to try and protect her daughter. “It’s alright honey. Help me up, and let’s get back to the house.”

  It took every ounce of Eleanor’s strength combined with Selena’s to get her on her feet. Selena supported her weight as much as she could, but she still had to practically drag her poor mother to the house.

  By the time, Selena laid Eleanor gently on the bed, her mother was coughing up blood, and her breath was making a horrible gurgling sound. Eleanor clutched Selena’s hand and made her to promise to go to Oregon to live with her sister, where she would be safe. Eleanor was growing weaker by the minute, but she was determined to help her daughter.

  “Selena, the money we saved up . . .,” she had to stop to cough up more foamy blood. When she managed to catch a shallow breath, she went on in halting snatches, gasping in between. “Hid it from Jeb . . . money’s in a jar . . . in the flour bin. Take it . . . get away from here . . . quick as you can.”

  Selena could barely see through her tears, but she smoothed the hair lovingly back from her mother’s brow. “I promise Mama. Don’t worry, I’ll be just fine.”

  Eleanor managed a weak smile. “I love you . . . so proud of you.”

  “I love you too Mama! Oh, please don’t leave me.” Selena watched in horror, as her mother’s eyes turned glassy, and her breathing stopped. “No! No please!”

  Selena hugged her mother fiercely and sobbed out her despair, feeling very alone in the world. Her tears finally stopped from pure exhaustion, and Selena sat back on her heels. Her eyes traveled around the house, the origin of her happiest memories and the place where she had spent most of her eighteen years.

  In her mind’s eye, Selena could picture her mother bustling around in the kitchen, humming a cheerful tune. She remembered her father sitting at the table, exchanging laughing comments with his wife as he worked on cleaning his tools. Selena imagined herself and Diana, playing with their dolls or begging for cookies, fresh out of the oven. This had once been a happy, loving home, but now it was nothing but an empty shell.

  Selena felt a desperate need to get away. She had no way of knowing how soon her stepfather might return, but she was sure he would. She changed into an old dress and lovingly washed her mother, removing all traces of blood and dirt. Her tears fell unheeded as she brushed her mother’s lovely black hair into a neat queue and tied it with a bright ribbon. Then, she dressed her mother in her best Sunday finery, and placed a bible in her hands.

  Selena felt utterly fatigued, but she forced herself to get the shovel and dig a grave for her mother, beside the spot where her father was already buried. It took Selena most of the afternoon and evening to complete the dreadful chore. When she was finally done, she stood over the grave and said a small prayer of blessing. She felt hollow inside, as if she would never find any joy or wonder in life again.

  It was too late to leave that night, so Selena went inside and barred the door in case her stepfather chose to return. She closed and latched all the shutters, even though the cabin was stifling in the August heat. She heated water over the stove, and scrubbed her skin with strong lye soap until it was raw, trying to remove all traces of Jeb’s filth from her body.

  Once she was garbed in a clean nightgown, Selena packed her most prized possessions into a cloth suitcase. She was able to fit only four dresses, a change of undergarments, a nightgown, a small picture of her parents, her hairbrush, soap, toothbrush and a cameo brooch that had belonged to her mother.

  Selena went to the flour bin and uncovered the small jar of money her mother had hidden. She dumped the contents onto the table. There was one hundred and fifty dollars, and Selena sighed because she knew she would have to use some of it just to reach St. Louis. She would have to find some way to make some more money. She tied the money into a napkin and stashed it between her clothes in the suitcase.

  Taking a pillowcase, Selena stuffed it with food. There were several loaves of bread her mother had baked that morning, and she hugged them to her breast before putting them into the makeshift bag. She blinked away tears at the thought that this would be the last bread she would ever eat that had been made by her mother’s hands. Selena sliced a large chunk of salt pork and added it, along with a piece of cheese to the bag.

  She sat down and wrote a statement telling the events that had happened that day and accusing Jeb of her mother’s murder. She signed it and folded it neatly, placing it in her suitcase. Realizing that there was nothing else she could do before morning, she collapsed onto her bed and stared at the flickering light of the lantern. She got very little sleep that night, and what little she did manage was haunted by nightmares of Jeb.

  Selena left before dawn the next morning. She saddled their horse, tied her bags along with two warm blankets rolled together behind the saddle and set out toward St. Louis. She stopped at the sheriff’s office on her way through town and slipped her statement under the door. It was the only thing she could do that might bring some justice for her mother.

  It took Selena two weeks to get to the city, traveling by backwoods roads and trying to stay out of sight as much as possible. She didn’t feel safe, being a woman alone, so she slept in the woods, wherever she could find a dry spot. She was constantly frightened, and got very little rest.

  By the time she reached St. Louis, Selena was ready to collapse. It took her another week to find the job as a barmaid, and she had been working there ever since, saving every penny she could. Her salary was meager, and some of her earnings had to be spent for room and board, but she had managed to save up almost two hundred dollars.

  She was desperate to get away from the saloon, because the owner, Sam, had begun to show an unhealthy amount of interest in her. Selena was beginning to have the same fears she had experienced with Jeb around, constantly feeling watched. She was as careful as she could be, but somehow, Sam always found some pretext or other to put his hands on her, and Selena was beginning to fear for her safety.

  She had begun to despair of ever finding someone who would let her travel with them to Oregon. Selena wasn’t foolish enough to attempt the trip on her own, and anytime she had encountered a family going that way, they didn’t have room for another person. Their wagons were always packed to the brim with barely enough supplies to see them through the long journey without another mouth to feed.

  The only other travelers Selena had met had been men, either traveling singly or in a group. She was understandably nervous about approaching any of them and inviting possible rape. Her ex
perience with Jeb had taught her to be especially cautious.

  Even with her looks disguised by the hideous grey dress, it was fairly common for men to make lewd advances toward her, and Selena would invariably cringe with dread whenever one of them tried to touch her. She had virtually given up any plans to marry. She couldn’t imagine ever trusting a man again after what Jeb had done to her.

  That was why she had been so surprised by her reaction to Liam McKenzie. When he had casually put an arm around her waist and pulled her down onto his lap, Selena hadn’t cringed. In fact, her skin had fairly tingled with awareness. His fingers brushing lightly along the outside curve of her breast had inspired feelings of lust rather than fear.

  For the first time since Jeb had attacked her, Selena had actually looked at a man with a woman’s interest, and she had been far from disappointed. Liam McKenzie was incredibly handsome, with his tawny hair and hazel eyes. His face was finely sculpted, with a broad forehead, high cheekbones and a firm jaw. There were laugh lines at the corners of his eyes and mouth, hinting that he had a cheerful disposition.

  Selena had developed keen instincts about men, and she could sense which ones should be handled with caution. She hadn’t felt any trepidation dealing with Liam. For some reason, she knew she could trust him. That was the reason she had asked him to let her travel with him. She felt safe with him.

  But there was more to it than that. She had actually felt an attraction to Liam. With that realization, Selena stilled, recalling the feeling of being in his arms. Her pulse quickened at the remembered sensation. What might it feel like to have him kiss her?

  She nibbled her lip thoughtfully as she realized that the notion didn’t provoke any fear. In fact, she found herself growing more and more imaginative. Could Liam be the one man capable of breaking through her reserve and igniting her womanly desires? Only time would tell. Even if the attraction she felt for him proved to be temporary, at least he would get her to Oregon.

  As Selena snuggled into her bed that night, she smiled to herself. Her bag was packed and ready to go. She would leave tomorrow afternoon and start a new life. For the first time since her mother’s death, she felt optimistic about her future.

  Chapter Two

  Selena reached the docks the following afternoon to find them in a state of near pandemonium. It took longer to locate the Arabia among the various vessels that were anchored nearby than she had anticipated. She was somewhat surprised that it wasn’t a larger boat.

  The Arabia was twenty nine feet wide by one hundred and seventy feet long. She was built of wood and painted white, with two full decks and a pilot house perched on top. The lower deck accommodated the cargo, and there was a large paddle wheel at the rear that was powered by a wood burning engine. Black smoke from the engine was channeled through the two large smokestacks at the front of the craft. The upper deck was surrounded by a wooden rail, and the interior of that deck consisted of a kitchen, dining room and a handful of small cabins for the wealthier passengers.

  A throng of people and animals were clustered around the steamship, waiting for their turn to load themselves or their cargo on board. Priority was given to loading the precious goods that would be sold for profit in the various frontier towns such as Independence, Westport, St. Joseph, Omaha and Council Bluff. Steamships such as the Arabia carried all manner of goods including foodstuffs, textiles, furniture, farming equipment, seed, lumber, and even fine china and crystal to those remote communities.

  Selena arrived early and was glad she did, for she began to despair of ever finding Liam McKenzie in the crowd. She made her way through the noisy mob, jostling and stumbling as she was buffeted about by humans and beasts alike. She wondered ruefully how many bruises she would incur before she managed to find her escort.

  Standing barely five feet in height, it was impossible for Selena to see over the broad shoulders and backs that seemed to pen her in on all sides. Out of desperation, she climbed onto a stack of wooden crates, finally managing to win a clearer view of the scene around her. She scanned the sea of faces, looking for the tawny head that was so fresh in her memory from the night before.

  Unfortunately, her position provided more than just a vantage point for Selena. A group of rowdy young men nearby took notice of the dark haired beauty, and one of them elbowed his companions.

  “Look at her!” His tone was full of awe. He had never viewed a woman so fair of face or form. “She looks like she could use a little male assistance, and I’m just the man to offer it.”

  “Ha! You ain’t got what the lady needs. She looks like she could use a real man.” This bolder youth thrust his thumbs into his belt loops and puffed out his chest, making his friends guffaw in humor. “Stand aside boys.”

  “Now wait just a minute, I saw her first!”

  “Yeah, well I’m gonna get to her first!”

  His buddies were not to be outdone, and as a group, they began to elbow their way through the crowd to get a closer look at the girl.

  Liam McKenzie was bent over near his trunks examining a crack in the wood that needed sealing when he heard their exchanged comments. Curious to see what had drawn their attention, he stood and watched them making their way through the horde. When he spied Selena standing on some crates looking around, he felt a sick sense of dread settle in the pit of his belly.

  “Damn!”

  For a man who was normally articulate, his vocabulary had quickly been reduced to that single word, and he knew the cause could be attributed to one Selena Darcy. Liam expelled a low growl of frustration and set out in pursuit of the lustful young men.

  Selena had been scanning the people around her for several minutes, but she hadn’t spotted Liam among them. She was about to climb down and move farther along when she felt a hand grip her calf and massage its length with bold familiarity. She gasped and looked down into the leering face of a dark-haired man.

  “Hello there, little lady,” he grinned. The man leered at her, making Selena inwardly cringe as he ogled her bosom. “Are you all alone here, ‘cause I’d be happy to provide you with some company?”

  Selena raised a haughty brow and jerked her leg away from his offending hand. “No thank you,” she replied coldly. “I’m looking for someone, but I don’t need any help from you.”

  Her rebuff caused several nearby men to snicker, and Selena felt the hairs rise on the back of her neck. The last thing she wanted was to draw the attention of a bunch of men.

  The dark-haired man frowned sharply, not wanting to be embarrassed in front of his friends. “Hey now, darlin’. There ain’t no need to be rude.”

  He reached up without warning and grasped Selena’s hand, giving it a sharp yank. She squealed with horrified surprise as she toppled and landed in the lout’s outstretched arms.

  “That’s better,” he laughed, crushing her against his chest while his hand boldly cupped Selena’s bottom. “Say, you’re even softer than I thought you’d be.” His friends roared with laughter.

  “Take your hands off me!” Selena cried. The overwhelming smell of whiskey nearly made her gag, and she struggled in the stranger’s arms as a familiar sense of panic began to rise within her. “Let me go!”

  The randy youth was about to refuse when a steely voice intruded from behind him. “You heard the lady. Let her go.”

  The words were spoken softly, but their tone brooked no refusal. Selena was relieved to find herself abruptly released, and she sidestepped her assailant to scramble behind Liam’s broad back. Her relief was instant.

  Recovering from his momentary surprise, the dark-haired man squared off to face Liam. His friends rallied around him, boosting his confidence even more than the whiskey he had imbibed.

  “Mind your own business, mister. I was just talking with the lady.”

  “She is my business. She’s my sister,” Liam stated evenly. “Now you boys go on about your business and leave us in peace.”

  It was obvious that the young man didn’t appreciate bein
g called a boy, especially in front of Selena, and he frowned harshly as he drew himself up to his full height. He was almost as tall as Liam and a good deal heavier.

  “I was just trying to get to know her better.” He winked suggestively to his friends before continuing. “I think she likes me.”

  Liam was not amused. He gave the other man one last stern look before turning away and grasping Selena’s elbow.

  “Come on,” he growled near her ear.

  They had only gone a few steps when Liam was tackled from behind. He landed on the ground with the dark-haired man on top of his back, and Selena clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her scream. Liam rolled over and slammed a fist into the younger man’s jaw. The scuffle was over in a matter of moments. The ruffian was no match for Liam, and with a few well aimed punches, Liam had reduced him to an unconscious heap. The boy’s friends stood slack-jawed. They had never seen their leader bested in a fistfight.

  Liam pinned each one of them with a glare before asking quietly, “Anyone else want to try?” The boys were quick to give a negative shake of their heads but remained mute. “Good.”

  Liam bent to retrieve his hat before taking Selena’s suitcase from her hand. Once again, he grasped her elbow and turned her toward his trunks.

  “Come on,” he muttered grimly.

  As they were walking away, Selena leaned toward him and whispered, “Are you alright Mr. McKenzie?”

  Liam gave her an irritated frown, but he bent to whisper in her ear. “If you are expecting other people to believe that you’re my sister, you’d better start calling me Liam.”

  Selena swallowed hard. His husky voice and warm breath on her neck caused a shiver of feminine awareness to run up her spine. “Fine . . . Liam. Are you alright? Did that man hurt you?”

  Liam looked even more annoyed, and he fixed her with a condescending glare. “I am the youngest of three brothers, Selena. I learned to defend myself in a fight at a very young age. Of course I’m alright.”