“You may stay,” Leah said and was rewarded with Kim’s arms about her neck.
“Thank you so much, Leah. It’s so good to have a friend.”
They spent the day together, Kim chattering constantly about her former life of dances and handsome young men while slowly doing the chores Leah gave her. She didn’t complain anymore about Leah’s “taking” Wesley from her, nor did she again mention her husband John.
Surprisingly for Leah, Kim turned out to be good company. She was slow at doing things, but once she understood what was to be done she was willing enough, and in the afternoon they laughed a lot together while Leah washed Kim’s thick blonde hair.
Toward evening when Kim had to leave there were tears in her eyes. “No other woman has ever been nice to me,” she cried softly. “They were all like Regan, so unkind, always mean to me.”
Leah was silent, accepting the compliment but not trying to explain exactly why women disliked Kim so much. Perhaps it was the way she treated women, as if they didn’t or shouldn’t exist. “Please come again,” she said sincerely when Kim left. “I enjoyed myself.”
At supper Wesley calmly announced that in the morning Leah, Bud, and Cal were going into Sweetbriar with him.
Three faces suddenly showed fear.
“It’s just a quiet little town,” Wes said with some disgust. “Nothing’s going to hurt you. Except for what Abe’s told people, no one knows what happened in the mountains. Neither Justin nor Oliver nor John has said a word so you’re all safe.”
“What about the woman who Revis shot?” Leah asked quietly. “He told all those people who I was and where I lived. I’ve had one safe day here, but it won’t last if I go into town.”
“That’s absurd, Leah!” Wes said explosively, then clenched his jaw. “And what about you two?”
Bud looked at Cal. “We will stay here with Leah,” Cal said softly.
“Damn all of you!” Wes shouted, jumping up and knocking over his chair. “I’ll not live with a bunch of cowards. You’re going with me in the morning even if I have to drag you.”
No one laughed at the idea of Wes or any man trying to drag Bud or Cal someplace, but the three of them looked into their coffee cups and nodded.
“That’s better,” Wes said. “I have to see to the cows.” He left the cabin, obviously still angry.
“We did not like Revis,” Cal said, “but we liked staying away from people. People are afraid of us.”
Leah didn’t want to think of all the things that could happen tomorrow. Wesley could cause trouble with this man who Revis had said was the Dancer—Devon Macalister; Bud and Cal could be laughed at and get their feelings hurt, and she…she didn’t want to think of that.
Her head came up and she really looked at Bud and Cal. She was used to seeing them bare-chested, wearing sheepskin and leather, but perhaps if they wore shirts people wouldn’t be as likely to laugh at them.
“Do you own any shirts?”
“Shirts do not fit us,” Bud answered.
“Of course,” Leah said, rising and looking at the kitchen yet to be cleaned. “If you’ll help me tonight, I’ll make both of you shirts. I think I can have them ready by tomorrow morning.”
Slowly it began to seep into the young men what Leah planned to do, and their eyes started to shine.
“Do you think you can wash dishes without breaking them?”
Bud gave her an indignant look. “We have repaired robins’ broken legs; we can do your dishes.”
Wesley returned to see Bud and Cal doing women’s chores and Leah cutting huge pieces from yards of heavy blue cotton. With a smile, because he knew something had happened, he asked if he could help.
Leah didn’t get to bed until three in the morning. The shirts were done except for the buttonholes, but she figured the boys could wear them unsewn for one day. Tired, she crawled into bed beside Wesley and he sleepily pulled her to him.
“All done?”
Yawning, she nodded.
“Next time you adopt somebody I hope they’re smaller than those two. I have to work three hours longer every day just to feed them. Couldn’t you adopt stray cats instead of stray people?”
Leah wasn’t listening to him because she was already asleep.
With a smile he pulled her closer and went back to sleep.
For Leah, daylight came much too early. She was so nervous she cracked an egg directly into the fire, completely forgetting to use a skillet, and Bud and Cal, who’d come for breakfast, were so jittery they each ate only four pork chops, six eggs, half a loaf of bread, three fried apples, and a partridge. A pittance.
“Hope neither of you faints from hunger today,” Wesley said as Leah cleared the table, but no one responded. Oliver, Cord, and Slade went to work while Wesley packed the wagon with food for the noon meal. He was determined to spend the whole day in Sweetbriar and show the three of them that things weren’t as bad as they thought.
Leah and Wes sat on the wagon seat on the ride into town while Bud and Cal sat stiffly in the back, their eyes glum.
Sweetbriar wasn’t very large; a few houses, a livery stable, a general store, a ladies’ clothing store, a blacksmith shop, a few more shops here and there. Nothing that looked especially frightening, but the eyes of the people milling about were all on the newcomers.
“They’re watching us,” Leah whispered.
“Of course they are,” Wes snapped. “They’ve never seen you before.”
As they stepped down from the wagon a woman in her fifties came toward them and Leah drew back, but Wesley pushed her forward.
“You must be Leah Stanford,” the woman said, smiling. “I’ve heard so much about you from Abe.”
“Abe?” Leah said stupidly.
“I’m Wilma Tucker and maybe you haven’t heard, but my daughter Caroline is engaged to your brother. We’re all going to be family. My son Jessie—he’s a senator now,” she said proudly, “he’s coming back for the wedding. Floyd and me are real proud of your brother and you don’t look a thing like him.”
Leah began to smile and at the same time she started to relax. “I haven’t seen my brother for a while but Wesley told me about the wedding. May I introduce some friends of mine?”
Bud and Cal were still sitting on the edge of the wagon. With a glare Leah motioned for them to rise.
“My goodness,” Wilma said, looking up at them. “How nice and big you are.”
“This is Bud and Cal…” Leah had no idea what their last names were, but as she looked at them they were smiling down at Wilma. Obviously they liked the woman because she wasn’t afraid of them.
“Haran, ma’am,” Cal said softly.
Wilma smiled. “Oh yes, you bought the land near Wesley’s. Abe was saying—. Oh, here’s my daughter now.”
Leah was glad she was prepared for the sight of Caroline Tucker. Caroline seemed at least as wide as she was tall, with a pretty, freckled face. Perhaps she appeared outrageous, but Leah found herself liking Caroline right away.
“You’re Leah,” Caroline said, holding out a fat little hand. “Abe said you were the prettiest woman in the world.”
“Did he?” Leah was genuinely pleased.
“I was supposed to meet him today, but I haven’t seen him anywhere.”
With a jolt, Leah realized she was imagining Caroline and skinny, angular Abe in bed together. She really hoped Caroline didn’t get on top. Leah straightened herself. “I haven’t seen him since we arrived.”
“I just saw him,” Wes said as he was looking over the leather harness. “He was going into that white house at the end of town.”
“That’s where Lincoln Stark is living!” Caroline said angrily, stamping her surprisingly small foot. “Abe is gambling again. He promised he wouldn’t. Oh Ma!”
Before Wilma could say a word of caution, Caroline was hurrying down the street toward the white house.
Obviously Wilma was embarrassed. “Abe really did promise,” she said meekly. “And C
aroline does have a mind of her own, and I think she really does love Abe and—.”
She stopped because the loud slamming of a door was like a shot fired, and seconds later came the muffled sounds of shouts from the little house. The five of them were silent as they heard what sounded like furniture being tossed about, and then a stool came flying through the window.
“I guess I’d better go see what’s happening,” Wesley said, looking at Wilma, who was beginning to look frightened.
“I hope Caroline isn’t hurt,” Wilma whispered, and all of them began to follow Wesley as he advanced on the house.
Just as they reached it the door flew open and a deck of cards came flying out, catching the wind and fluttering like big snowflakes.
“Ain’t no woman gonna tell me—,” came Abe’s voice. “Here! You watch out! Don’t you hurt Lincoln again! Caroline, I’m warnin’ you!”
Wesley tore up the two porch steps to the open door, looked inside for a moment, his mouth open in astonishment, then began backing down as his face split into a grin.
“She all right?” Wilma asked.
With the beginnings of some deeply felt laughs, Wesley just nodded toward the door.
Within seconds, Caroline Tucker emerged with Abe’s thin body slung across her left shoulder.
“Put me down, you goddamn, overgrown horse!” Abe bellowed into her back.
“Hush up, Abe, my ma’s lookin’.”
Immediately Abe quieted, and as Caroline walked down the stairs she paused before her mother. “He’ll never gamble again, Ma,” she said solemnly.
“That’s true, Miz Tucker,” Abe said. “Caroline done showed me the light. Leah! That you just standin’ there?” he hissed from his upside-down position. “You fergit I’m your brother? You oughta help me.”
Leah was trying very hard not to laugh. “Hello, Abe. Fine day, isn’t it?”
After giving his sister a dirty look, he began caressing Caroline’s backside. “Caroline, honey,” he said sweetly, “you oughta have more respect for me than this.”
“I think I’ll take Abe home now, Ma,” Caroline said. “And I’m going to have a word with Doll Stark about that boy of his leading my man into sin.”
“Me?” came a voice from behind them. Standing on the porch leaning heavily against the rail, was a pleasant-looking young man—or had been. Now one eye was about to turn black, and blood was pouring from his nose. Holding an already soaked handkerchief to his nose, he glared at Caroline. “That precious Abe of yours started this game. It weren’t my fault.”
“Hah!” Caroline snorted, her nose in the air as she walked away regally, bearing Abe across her shoulder.
Abe’s words floated to them on the wind. “You sure were pretty in there, Caroline. I sure liked the way you punched Lincoln all them times. You sure we gotta wait for the weddin’ ’fore we—?”
“Hush, Abe,” Caroline commanded. “Don’t talk dirty.”
“Yes, sweetheart,” Abe said, his hands moving up and down the backside of her.
Wesley was the first to erupt as he removed his hat, slapped it across his knee, and broke down with laughter.
Leah wanted to stop him for fear of offending Wilma, but Wilma put her arms out and fell against Wesley, the two of them barely able to stand for laughing so hard.
“They been like that ever since they met,” Wilma said between gasps. “Abe seems thrilled she wants him.”
“And Caroline’s wild happy ’cause somebody wants her,” Wesley finished. “They are a pair.”
“I’m bleedin’ to death and you two are fallin’ apart laughin’,” Lincoln Stark accused.
Leah, still so shocked by the whole scene she couldn’t yet laugh, looked at Bud and Cal and saw they were grinning from ear to ear, so she went to Lincoln. “Let’s go in the house and I’ll see if I can get the bleeding stopped.”
It was sometime later when Wesley came into the house, still smiling. “There are some people out here I want you to meet. They’re the twins’ parents, Linnet and Devon Macalister.”
The Dancer, Leah thought, washing out the bloody cloth she’d been holding to Lincoln’s nose. Now was when she’d be exposed as a thief.
Chapter 26
As Leah left the little house she prayed that Wesley wouldn’t let his temper show, that he’d be cautious and not blurt out what he felt about a man who’d planned robberies for years. But what greeted Leah was not what she expected.
Wesley was talking to the man as if they were the best of friends, smiling at him, his eyes alive. Macalister was tall, lean, dark-skinned, and very handsome. His black hair had bits of gray in it and his eyes crinkled against the sun, all of which added to his sharp good looks. Beside him was a pretty little woman with a delicate-featured face, big eyes, dark blonde hair and a curvy little body. She didn’t look a day over twenty-five, but she had to be quite a bit older if she was the mother of Slade and Cord.
“You must be Mrs. Stanford,” said the woman in a pretty, crisp accent. “I’m Linnet Macalister. And this—,” she pulled a little girl from behind her skirts, “this is my youngest daughter, Georgina. I believe you’ve met my sons.”
Instantly Leah liked this lovely woman and she wondered how much Linnet knew about her husband’s illegal activities.
The little girl gave Leah a shy smile, then ran to her father, tugging on his pants leg until he picked her up.
“Leah, honey,” Wesley said, “come here. I want you to meet Mac.”
Right away Leah knew it was going to be difficult to dislike Devon Macalister. “How do you do, Mr. Macalister.”
The man looked at his wife as if sharing some private joke. “Mac will do,” he said in a deep, pleasant voice. “Wes says you like to weave. Lynna has some patterns for weavin’, and Miranda spins wool.”
“Miranda’s our eldest daughter,” Linnet explained. “This morning she was visiting Corinne Tucker’s eldest daughter and she should be back fairly soon. Perhaps you and I could leave the men to their talk and I could show you Sweetbriar.”
“That’s very kind of you, but I’d hate to take so much of your time.” Truthfully Leah wanted to sit in the back of the wagon with a blanket over her head. That way she’d be sure no one recognized her.
“Go ahead,” Wesley said. “Linnet knows everybody a lot better than I do.” He gave her a hard look of warning that only she could see.
“What about Bud and Cal?” she asked quietly. She felt much safer with the men near her, as if they could protect each other.
With a sigh Wes looked down at her. “The boys will go with us, and Mac and I will protect them with our lives. If any children hurt your boys we’ll string the kids up right there. No trial or nothin’. And if any—.”
“Stop it!” she hissed, but she was smiling. “They’re just…you know.”
“Delicate,” Wesley said seriously. He leaned back toward Mac. “She’s talking about those two bulls over there. Leah’s afraid somebody will laugh at them and hurt their feelings.”
Mac gave a snort of disbelief.
“You just go with Linnet,” Wesley said, “and I’ll meet you at Mac’s store about noon.” Bending, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “And we’ll take care of your boys.”
Leah felt a little lost when Wesley and Mac, followed by the towering Bud and Cal, walked away, but Linnet soon put her at ease.
“Everyone in town is dying to meet Wesley’s new wife. We’ve known Wes for years and seen him work hard on his farm, so of course everyone is curious about who he was doing all the work for,” Linnet said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if nearly everyone in Sweetbriar came to town today just to see you.”
With a laugh at Leah’s grimace, Linnet continued. “You’ll have to get used to this town. There’s no such thing as a secret to them. It’s not that they’re nosy, just that they’re…concerned, I guess. When I first came here twenty years ago—.”
“Twenty years!” Leah said in disbelief. “You don’t look much
over twenty now.”
“How kind you are. My eldest daughter is nineteen. Here comes Agnes Emerson. Her husband died a few years ago and now her son Doyle runs their farm.”
What followed for Leah was a confusing array of names and faces. There were people who’d only been in Sweetbriar for a year or two, but that special light in Linnet’s eyes was reserved for the parents and children of people who, Linnet said, had been in the town for years. Leah found it impossible to keep all the people straight. She met Nettie and Maxwell Rowe and was told their youngest daughter, Vaida, was the town schoolteacher and their eldest, Rebekah, was married to Jessie Tucker who was now a state senator.
“Everyone seems to be very proud of this Jessie Tucker,” Leah said.
Linnet smiled. “Jessie would inspire pride in the people around him no matter what he did. How many of the Starks have you met?”
“Quite a few,” Leah said with a laugh. “How many are there?”
“New ones every year. Gaylon Jr. went to Boston last year to attend school. He’s a very intelligent young man and we all hope he’ll become governor or even president.”
As they walked through the town, stopping in stores and meeting people, Leah became aware of the strong sense of community. In Virginia, no matter how many times she reminded herself that she had become a Stanford, she still thought of herself as a Simmons. The swamp seemed to pull her toward it, and Regan and Nicole, for all their kindness, always seemed as if they’d been created in another world that was far removed from Leah’s.
But here in this little town with all the people wearing clothes of homespun cotton or wool, often patched garments, she began to feel as if she belonged. In spite of what Wesley had accused her of, of wanting Stanford Plantation, Leah had never wanted to be rich. Her dreams had been about safety, a place where she was sure she wasn’t going to be beaten. Stanford Plantation had been safe, but the delicate dishes, the silk clothes that made her constantly worry about tearing them, the manners she had to memorize, all the things that came naturally to Regan and Nicole, all made Leah nervous.
This town was safe and it wasn’t formal. Most of the people she met slurred their words and made no pretense at talking in the way Nicole had taught Leah, a way that was sometimes difficult for Leah to remember. Linnet, for all her plain cotton dress, seemed to exude a ladylike air that reminded Leah of Nicole.