Cheyenne's Lady, page 28
“Ours? Why did you not tell me you had a home like this?”
Luke answered cautiously. “Would it have mattered?”
Maria looked at him in surprise. “To whom? For all I knew, our first child would be born in a cave. You’re not prone to talking much about your home.”
“Idiot child. I wouldn’t have married you if I couldn’t keep you in the same manner to which you’re accustomed. I would have sent you away with your uncles.”
A shadow passed across Maria’s happiness at these words. She knew he had married her because of the child, but it had not occurred to her that he might have sent her away altogether. She tried not to let him see her pain and disappointment.
“Will we stay?” she inquired, looking out the window to the tall trees edging the yard.
“I think it would be best, don’t you? The child doesn’t seem to like traveling. I’ve sent for Sean to bring your boxes.” Luke touched her shoulder. “You should lie down and rest some more. You have been very ill.”
Maria scooted down between the sheets. She watched as Luke removed empty dishes from the table. Giving her a smile, he walked out the door. He had not even kissed her. Was that the wretched Caroline’s doing? Had seeing her brought back the old feelings, making it impossible to look upon his plain, dark wife? Caroline had to be one of the lovely golden girls with white and pink complexions and rosy smiles. How could she possibly compete with that?
But she would not give up without a fight. She was a Connolly. She had been born fighting. Caroline would have to watch her pretty blond curls.
Chapter 2
With the freedom to roam the upstairs under dire threats should she tire herself, Maria explored this part of the house that was now her home.
There seemed more than enough room for everything they could possibly need. Maria smiled at the lone piece of furniture in the small room next to hers. Touching her finger to the well-worn, polished wood of the old cradle, she made it rock. Luke had appropriated it from his father’s attic, she knew. She and Rosa, the new maid, had scrubbed and waxed it until it shone like new. She would have to remember the rudiments of sewing Pieta had taught her so she could provide it with linens and coverlets and maybe a ruffle or two.
Hearing voices in the garden below, she looked to see who was visiting. After her long confinement it seemed heaven to be able to simply look out a window. She chafed at not being able to see the rest of the house, but Luke had promised he would carry her down tonight so she could eat at the table. Perhaps afterward he would carry her up again, and she could persuade him to stay.
The branches of a white oak nearly obscured her vision of the ground, but the tree was young enough that she could catch glimpses through the leaves.
Throwing open the window, she heard the low, sultry voice of a woman and identified the speaker at once. Caroline!
Setting her teeth, Maria attempted to see who accompanied her. Her sister-in-law seldom bothered to visit after Maria had taken the fun out of her verbal torments. Only when she had nothing better to do did Caroline accompany Letitia or Luke’s sister Sara.
Maria wanted to hear if it might be Sara with her. She wanted news of Sean as badly as she suspected Luke’s sister did. All her household goods were in that wagon, and their new home sadly needed the bright colors and familiar surroundings of her old one. Luke had apparently followed his fiancée’s instructions in decorating his home, but Caroline’s cold taste leaned toward pale, light fabrics and delicate, wobbly pieces of furniture. That wasn’t the kind of house a man like Luke would be comfortable in, nor would it be practical for a house with children.
Caroline’s yellow skirts swept into view. For some reason the fool was wearing silk and heavy crinolines. The heat must be unbearable out there in the sun. Perhaps she changed clothes and took cool baths every hour. She did not seem much occupied elsewise. Letitia appeared to be the one running the big house on the Walker ranch.
Maria tried to determine the identity of the male visitor, but he said little. Sean perhaps? Although Luke’s brother had been out of town these last few weeks. He could be back.
Maria’s hand instantly flew to her hair, and she almost left her post to check her mirror when the male voice spoke again and her breathing stopped. Luke! Why was Luke here at this time of day? He was supposed to be buying supplies to put the ranch in operation, hiring hands, inspecting long neglected buildings, planning buildings he had not finished when he had left last time. He came home exhausted but proud every evening. He had said nothing of coming home early today.
Through the leaves of the tree Maria could just make out the lower part of Luke’s legs clad in an old pair of twill trousers. Caroline was tall, and she knew they would be standing face to face, and her fingers bit into her palms. They were standing much too close for her comfort.
Stifling fury, Maria watched as the yellow skirt encompassed the blue trousers, bringing soft feminine hips against Luke’s hard masculine ones. She was kissing him, and from the length of time they remained there, he was kissing her back!
My God, she would have to kill them both! She would find Luke’s shotgun and blow them together into the next world reserved for adulterers.
Maria reached to slam the window, but a cold, calculating fury made her cautious. The two figures separated, probably whispering sweet farewells. How long had they been meeting like this? All these nights Luke had stayed away, it had not been for her sake. He had been meeting with Caroline!
But her fury did not center on Luke’s betrayal. She had known Luke loved Caroline. She had hoped to convince him otherwise with time, but unless he shared her bed there would never be the opportunity. No, her fury found its object in Caroline, the adulteress, the wanton who had ruined Luke’s life and now meant to ruin hers. A woman like that deserved to be taught a lesson. Why give her advance warning of retribution?
Underneath the tree shading Maria’s window, Luke cursed and shoved Caroline away. “Hell, Caroline, Matt’s only been gone a few weeks. You can’t be that desperate yet. Why don’t you take a long hard horseback ride and then take a cold bath? They say abstinence is good for the soul.”
He started to walk away, but Caroline’s strident voice carried after him.
“There was a time when you would have begged for one of my kisses!”
Luke turned to gaze sardonically upon Caroline’s voluptuous golden beauty. There had been a time when those brilliant blue eyes had made his heart stop and his lungs collapse. The thought of possessing those full lips had made his loins ache for days. Now he had only to think of the honesty of Maria’s smile, the eagerness of her caress, and Caroline’s appeal faded to nothingness. Even the grim set of Maria’s lips when she was angry was more seductive than the malleable pout of Caroline’s deceptive mouth. At the moment he really could not remember why he had ever thought Caroline was an innocent.
“There was a time when I was loco enough to ask you to be my wife, too,” Luke replied. “I only thank God that I was saved from such a fate. Good day, Caroline.” He tipped his hat and walked away.
Now that Caroline’s message had brought him this far, Luke decided to drop in and surprise Maria. The little witch had been remarkably well behaved of late. Her illness must have scared her as much as it had him.
Entering the front door, he slipped up the stairs, hoping to catch her alone. He needed the reassurance of her lively wit and smiling welcome after his ugly encounter with Caroline. He always knew where he stood with Maria, whether it was at gunpoint or in her arms. Anticipating the glow of happiness that lit her face whenever he entered the room, he hastened his pace.
Only, when he reached her room, she was not there. Frowning but remembering she had said something about planning the nursery, Luke checked the next room. And the next. He searched the entire upstairs and came back to Maria’s room to be certain he hadn’t missed her there. She was not to be found.
Not knowing whether to be furious or afraid, Luke clattered back down the stairs to question the women in the kitchen. His pulse pounded with trepidation as slammed open the door to the kitchen.
Three women looked up at his abrupt entrance. Standing over the massive black iron cook stove was the tall Irish woman he had hired just last week. In her mid-thirties, she looked older, her too-thin features drawn tight across the skeleton of her face. The effect was emphasized by thin black hair pulled into a tight bun at her nape. Had the years not worn her out, she might have been an attractive woman. As it was, only her eyes kept her appearance from total harshness. Wide and gray, they watched Luke in surprise.
Rosa, the little half-Indian maid, dropped the kindling she had been about to add to the fire. Her startled gaze flew to Luke, then back to the third figure in this tableau.
Maria sat on a high stool, a pencil and notebook in her hand. The pencil was poised high in expectation, but she lowered it as Luke entered, sending him a cool look he could not fathom.
“What in hell!” Her temerity at defying him, risking her health and the child’s, ignited an uncharacteristic rage. “What are you doing out here?”
“Planning a menu,” she answered coolly.
“You’d risk your damn health to plan a menu?” Incredulous, Luke stalked across the room, not certain whether to heave her over his shoulder and haul her back to bed or beat the living tar out of her.
“Balderdash.” Maria arched an eyebrow in cold rebuke. “I am perfectly healthy. It’s past time that I was of some use around here.”
The heat in the kitchen had returned color to her cheeks, and beads of perspiration shimmered on her tawny skin. Remembering his earlier thoughts, Luke tightened his lips in an ironic smile. Even the frosty look from behind that fringe of black lashes had the power to stir desire, and his body responded hungrily. Their wedding night had been weeks ago, and his need for her was so great he dared not touch her unless she was strong again. Looking at her perched on the stool, her slim hips just within reach of his hands, her rounded bosom breathing in and out, he could easily forget her illness.
“In that case,” he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her from the stool, “I know the perfect use to put you to.”
Maria shrieked as Luke swung her into his arms. Her pencil and paper fell to the floor, and she caught a glimpse of the other women grinning as he carried her out. She pounded his back and shoulders, but Luke merely strode out of the kitchen.
Her heart quailed as he headed for the stairs. Surely he would not tie her to the bed as he had once threatened? He must know she would never risk the child. He had no right to do this!
She gave another cry as Luke dropped her upon the bed. When she tried to scramble up, he fell down beside her, throwing his leg over her thighs to keep her pinned while his hand sought her breast.
“If you’re well, then prove it,” he taunted, unfastening her bodice.
Maria’s body responded all too well to his touch, but her fury prevented her from succumbing. How dare he! How could he go from the arms of that slut to hers? She could not bear it. Caroline’s smell still clung to him. Lips that had just touched Caroline would not touch hers.
She fought with all the fervor of which she was capable. She kicked. She brought up her knee, seeking a painful target. She bit Luke’s hand and shoulder and tried to scratch his face. He could not come close enough to kiss her, and she smiled triumphantly as she finally freed one trapped hand to smack it across his jaw. His look of surprise was sweet revenge.
“What in hell has got into you?” he roared.
“Not you!” Maria shoved against his shoulders. He gave way, not from the force of her shove but in bewilderment. She ignored his pained expression as she tried to scramble out from under him. “Get off me, Luke, I’m warning you!”
Luke’s fury ebbed, replaced by a tired puzzlement. The ache in his loins demanded attention, but even in his need for her he would never take Maria against her will. He had not meant to take her at all, but things seemed to have gotten a little out of hand.
Maria was wearing her hair tied in a bow at her nape, and the long silken tendrils splayed across the bed as she glared back at him. “Who in hell do you think you are, Luke Walker?” Without waiting for an answer, she climbed from the bed, brushing indignantly at her rumpled calico.
“Your husband, unfortunately. Are you going to tell me what’s got into you or do I just resort to the beating you once told me disobedient wives deserved?”
Maria sent him an alarmed look. “You wouldn’t! It would hurt the babe.” Even as she said it, she knew he wouldn’t. The child meant too much to him.
“Why, Maria? I told you I would take you downstairs tonight. Why couldn’t you wait for me?”
“Because I feel fine. Because I’m tired of being treated as a china ornament. Because I’m bored out of my mind. Do you want me to continue?” Placing her hands on her hips, she met his glare defiantly.
“No, I want you to rest. I want you to stay out of that kitchen; the heat could kill you. If you want to plan menus, have Mrs. Donleavy come to you. When I come home, I want to find you sitting demurely in that chair reading a book or sewing a seam. Do you understand me?”
Maria answered haughtily to hide her pain. “I understand, but I only obey when I choose to. My patience is at an end. You had best grow accustomed to having a wife about. You can’t hide me away forever.”
He shook his head in confusion. “I’ve given you fair warning, Maria. Whatever happens is on your head.”
He walked out. Maria had to fight back tears at the sight of his broad shoulders disappearing from her view. Oh, Lord, how she wanted to have him hold her again, to whisper sweet words in her ears, to touch her in love and not just anger. The weary, strained look of contempt she had just seen broke her heart into little pieces. She hated herself for causing it. She hated Caroline more.
That evening when he came home, Luke went straight through the house to the kitchen. A sound in the room to the right caused him to change course, and he slid back the door of the unused dining room.
Garbed in her rose and white gown, her hair neatly arranged in loose swirls that softened her aquiline features, Maria looked up from arranging the flowers in the center of the neatly set table. Even in his amazement Luke noticed there were four places set.
“Rosa is heating your bath water now,” Maria told him. “I’ll send her up. Your clothes are laid upon the bed. I hope you do not mind, but I wanted everything to be perfect for this first meal.”
Luke crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. “Whom are we expecting?”
“Your mother and father, of course.” She looked at him in surprise. “Who else do I know around here?”
“Oh, shit.” Without another word he stalked out.
The luxury of coming home to a prepared bath sapped whatever anger Luke had left. The little witch was up to something. He had the intelligence to divine that much, but not enough experience to surmise what. The sight of her dressed to please, overseeing a gracious table he had never used, smote him with a longing he could not name.
Actually, he would like it even better if she were here to scrub his back, but a man couldn’t have everything. He scrubbed it himself, then submerged his head in the water to wash it. He didn’t know what Maria had planned for the night, but he could do a little planning of his own.
Maria looked up expectantly as Luke returned downstairs. He wore the brown coat and a black silk scarf above his leather waistcoat she’d laid out for him, but had chosen not to wear the cravat or formal trousers in the heat. His buckskins suited him better.
“Thank you, Luke. I feared you would be angry.” She arranged the scarf against his stiff collar. The scent of roses wafted to him, providing a torment Luke couldn’t resist. He wrapped his hands around her waist. She tilted her chin upward to watch his expression suspiciously.
“I am angry, carina, but we will discuss ways of rectifying that later. Now will you tell me what this is all about?”
Maria shied from his grasp. “It is not about anything. I want to thank your parents for their kindness. I thought you would like it if I invited them.”
Not in the least fooled by this explanation, Luke bided his time. Sooner or later it would come out. Maria had an explosive temper and an expressive face that made it impossible for her to keep a secret. He grinned and caught her chin between his fingers, tilting it back up so he could see her eyes again.
“Whatever you say, Maria. Just don’t overtire yourself, comprende?”
Maria nodded reluctantly. The physical tension between them strained her nerves, and if he chose to kiss her then, she would most likely shatter. To her relief, a knock sounded at the door, and she was given a reprieve.
The evening progressed splendidly. Maria had had little opportunity to get to know the gruff but amiable Joshua Walker, and she was delighted to learn he and Luke had much the same humor and opinions. Luke favored his mother in looks, but his father in personality. It made her feel more secure to know these things. Luke was becoming less a stranger and more a husband with every passing day.
The subject eventually turned to children, and Maria listened with interest as Luke’s father bewailed the fact that Matthew and Caroline had not seen fit to produce any sons. Letitia berated him, complaining even a girl would be welcome. They both clucked over Maria, admonishing her to be careful and giving lists of improbable instructions of what she should do to keep the baby healthy. Maria caught Luke’s laughing look and summoned a tactful smile. She had no ear for more commandments, but the knowledge of Caroline’s childless state gave her a point to ponder.
From what she had learned from Sean, Matthew and Caroline must have been married six or seven years ago. Luke was twenty-seven now. He had only been twenty or so when he left home. It seemed odd that Caroline had not conceived in all that time. No mention had been made of any miscarriage, so that could not be the problem. If Matthew was anything like Luke, the opportunity certainly had to be there. If she understood rightly, Caroline and Matthew had been lovers even before they married, which set Maria’s devious mind to thinking.
