Ana Leigh - [The Frasers 4 - Jed] - One Night with a Sweet Talking Man (12 page)

Cassie waved the rolling pin in the air as if it were a saber. “‘The greatest cavalry leader in the whole damn war—Reb or Yankee alike.’ To quote Captain Colt Fraser, that is.”

Smiling, Cassie lowered her arm. “Maybe General Stuart was as great as he said, but I wouldn’t know. Living out here in the West, the war didn’t really affect my life that much. We had to wage our own wars against Nature and marauding Indians. These men all have their heroes, but they don’t realize how much greater heroes they themselves are—to the women who love them.” She paused in deep thought.

“What are you thinking about right this minute, Cassie?”

Cassie’s lips curled in a soft smile. “Colt.”

“How did you meet?”

“He was heading out here to California when he was wounded during a stagecoach holdup. He had to spend a week in Arena Roja, waiting for the next stage to come through. Oh, that man was big and beautiful, and so cocky! He openly declared to me that by the time he left town, he’d have me in the hayloft.” She laughed in remembrance. “And he did. Lord, how I love that man!”

“If I remember, Garth said your son Jeb was two years old,” Caroline said.

“Yes, just last week. And Sam was two months old. They have identical birthdays except for the years.”

“So you have two sons? I thought Garth said you had a son and daughter.”

“We do, our daughter Samantha. But Garth’s already hung the name Sam on her. Caroline, since the wedding’s not until the day after tomorrow, your father wanted to take all of us to town for dinner tomorrow as an engagement celebration. But since poor Rory isn’t feeling well, we thought it better to just spend a quiet day here.”

“You mean a calm-before-the-storm kind of day?” Caroline teased.

“There’s no such thing around here,” Cassic said. “But I told him it would be easier on us if we stay here and celebrate. It’s too difficult to bundle up all the children and take them to town, so we’re going to have a barbecue here.”

“That sounds like work, too,” Caroline said.

“We have to eat anyway, and when we eat outside, the men do all the cooking. Becky and I are making pies, and Garth’s ridden out to invite a few of the neighbors. I know Maggie Palmer will bring her specialty potato salad, and Helena Garson will bring her baked beans. Wait until you meet the Garsons; you’ll love them. They came West on the same wagon train as Clay, Garth, and Becky.

“The rest of the cooking is up to the men, and based on past experience, it will be beef roasted on a spit and potatoes roasted in the fire, apple pies, and Paddy will churn up some ice cream.

“We women will just sit around tomorrow and watch the men do all the work. I can’t wait! So let’s get those apples peeled, Miz Caroline.”

That evening, long after Garrett had fallen asleep beside her, Caroline lay thinking about the Fraser family. If she were to believe them, in the beginning, Becky and Cassie had not liked the men they had ended up marrying. Yet they worshipped their husbands now. Could that happen to her and Jed, too? She couldn’t imagine it; their bitterness toward each other went far beyond an initial wrong impression.

Tomorrow, she would find out what Rory had to say about her first meeting with Garth. She couldn’t imagine not liking Garth; the man was so genuinely charming that it would be impossible not to. In truth, all the Fraser men were.

But unlike the other Fraser women, she wouldn’t allow herself to fall victim to Jed’s charm. It would only complicate the relationship between them even more.

C
aroline awoke to a deserted house. No adults, no infants—even Garrett and Buffer were gone. Bewildered, she went outside and saw a turkey and a ham roasting on a spit. Then she saw Rory sitting in front of her house surrounded by net-covered cribs.

“Good morning!” Rory called out.

“Good morning. Where is everyone?”

“Picking grapes.” Rory pointed to the distant rows of grapes.

Everyone was down there, including the three older men. Becky’s three-year-old and Lissy’s four-and three-year-olds trailed at their mothers’ feet as their mothers picked.

“How are you feeling this morning, Rory? Cassie said your back was bothering you yesterday?”

“If I sit quietly, I’m fine. But if I try to move around too much, it starts aching. So unfortunately I can’t help this time because of my condition. And you, my dear, have been designated to watch me, just in case the baby decides to join us today. Since she’s held off introducing herself this long, I prefer she continues to do so until after the wedding.”

“Are you that certain the baby’s a girl?” Caroline teased.

“No, I’m just hoping. I’d like to have a girl with dark hair that I can twist into long curls, and her daddy’s brown eyes and thick lashes.”

“Her mother’s blond hair and blue eyes wouldn’t be so bad, either.”

Rory chuckled. “Now you sound just like Garth.”

“So he’s hoping for a girl, too?”

“He’ll be happy with whatever it is. Garth loves children. He’ll pick up any infant when it cries, just to be holding a little one in his arms. What about Jed? Will you be having children right away?”

So Jed hadn’t spread the truth of their marriage among them. She was glad. She couldn’t believe that any of them would be able to understand the arrangement they had.

“With Jed going back to sea in three weeks, I wouldn’t want to consider it at this time. But he and Garrett get along famously, and Garrett adores him.”

“It looks like the feeling’s pretty mutual, honey.”

Caroline glanced back down to the vineyard, where Garrett was picking the grapes off the lower growth of the bush, while Jed stood over him and picked from the higher vines. “They’ve become quite attached.”

“I’ll be honest with you, Caroline. We all figured because of the resemblance between them that Jed
was
Garrett’s father. Garth told me the truth last night. The only thing we were aware of until then was that they had a brother Andy who was killed in the war.”

“That’s my fault, I’m afraid. I didn’t know the Frasers had moved to California, much less the Napa Valley. We’re practically neighbors.”

She went over to a cradle and picked up one of the infants who had started to cry. “Now, which one is this little darling?”

“That’s Sam, Cassie’s and Colt’s daughter. She’s just a couple of months old.”

“I’ll never be able to remember all these little faces and names.”

“Oh, it will come in time. I hope when Jed’s at sea, you’ll come and visit us often. The door’s always open at Fraser Keep. Even though I was an only child, I feel the same as the rest of them do. We want to have our children grow up together. It creates a bond that will remain throughout their lives.”

“So you were an only child, the same as I,” Caroline said. “What about Cassie and Becky? I know Cassie has a brother. Any sisters?”

“She has a twin sister who lives in New Mexico with her father and brother. Becky has a married brother who lives in Sacramento.”

“Do any of the Frasers ever talk of returning to Virginia?”

“I’ve never heard it mentioned, other than an intended visit next year. Lissy and Steve certainly don’t intend to move elsewhere; they started the migration west. Becky once said Clay had intended to go back, often spoke wistfully about returning, but Garth had finding his uncle’s gold mine on his mind. Colt wanted to be a lawman and came West for that reason; he said the carpetbaggers got all the law-enforcement positions in the South after the war.

“I think calling this Fraser Keep after their ancestral home was the most revealing indication they were here to stay. I’m confident Garth would never leave.”

“I think he would be contented anywhere, Rory, as long as you were there.”

“I think it’s true of all of them, Caroline. I do believe we’ve found our Garden of Eden.”

“Looks like they’re all headed back,” Caroline said. She saw Garrett was straddled on Jed’s shoulders.

“They’ve got to start thinking about setting up for the barbecue. Guess what? Becky’s convinced Clay to let the women stomp the first load of the grapes as soon as the Garsons arrive. Their daughter, Etta, and her husband, Tom Davis, are coming with them, and Garth promised Etta we’d wait for her. Etta and Tom were on the same wagon train as Clay and Garth. Talk about interesting courtships! Have Becky tell you about Etta’s and Tom’s; it’s fascinating.”

The sound of Nathan’s laughter carried to her ears, and Caroline smiled to see the three grandfathers putting their baskets of grapes onto a wagon.

“My father is certainly enjoying himself.”

“So is mine…and Cassie’s for that matter. I just spoke of the children growing up together, but it’s also good for our fathers to have the companionship of men their own ages, as well as that of their young grandchildren.”

“I guess I’ve never thought about that. But I can see the wisdom of it.” Caroline changed the subject. “I’ve heard Cassie’s and Becky’s stories about their courtships, and I’m eager to hear how you and Garth came to meet.”

“In a hole-in-the-wall saloon in Buckman, right here in California. From the moment that big, beautiful man walked in the door, I was in love.”

“I remember you said you stole his gold map,” Caroline said as she rocked the infant in her arms.

Rory chuckled. “Well, I didn’t actually steal it. Pop picked it up when it fell from Garth’s pocket during a fight. He just neglected to give it back,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “So of course Garth followed us.” She smiled in remembrance. “It proved to be quite an adventure for us to tell our children one day.”

Garrett ran up to Caroline as soon as Jed lifted him off his shoulders. “Mama, I helped pick the grapes! It was fun.”

“I saw you, sweetheart. It looked to me like you were doing a good job.”

“Couldn’t have done it without him,” Jed said with a familiar rumple to the boy’s hair. He walked over and kissed her on the cheek. “Good morning, Caroline.”

The rest of the Frasers all offered her a cheerful greeting, then Colt said, “That cry sounds familiar.”

He came over and took the infant out of Caroline’s arms, and the baby stopped crying immediately. He winked at Caroline. “Her father’s touch. You missed your daddy, didn’t you, pudding?” he cooed to the infant.

“I think she missed her mama more; she’s hungry.” Cassie took the baby out of his arms and headed for her home.

Colt lifted his toddler son into his arms. “Come on, Tiger, you can help your daddy get the barbecue started.”

As quickly as they had all descended on the spot, infants and parents disappeared in one direction or the other. Even the three grandfathers left, and Garrett ran off to join the two dogs, who had stretched out under a shade tree after an exhausting morning of overseeing the activity. Only Jed remained.

“Why didn’t you wake me, Jed? You’ve all been working so hard, and I feel utterly useless.”

“I figure you could use the sleep.”

“Jed, if there’s any hope for us to have a compatible relationship, don’t try to do my thinking for me.”

“My apologies. I know the stress you’ve been under leading up to this visit and I only had your interests at heart. So is this as bad as you anticipated?”

She felt contrite. “On the contrary. Your family has been so nice to me. It’s not them I have a problem with; it’s you.”

“What have I done now?”

“Must you continuously subject me to demonstrations of affection in front of them?”

Jed appeared to be the soul of innocence. “What demonstrations are you talking about?”

“You’re constantly touching or kissing me. Hovering over me protectively. Truly, Jed, it’s not necessary, and you’re wasting your time if you think you can break down my resistance.”

“I’m only trying to act like an expectant groom.”

“I wonder if you’re fooling anyone.”

“Maybe you’re right. I’m acting too restrained.”

He glanced into the open door of the barn and pulled her inside. Crushing her to him, his kiss was slow and sensuous as he explored her lips and recess of her mouth with an expertise that sent sensation spiraling through her and shivers running down her spine.

She was too breathless to resist when he swept her up and lowered her into a nearby pile of hay. He licked her lips and moved his hand to her breast.

“I’m
up
to a roll in the hay. What about you?” he murmured in her ear.

“Get off me, you big oaf!” She shoved him away, and he lay back, laughing as she adjusted her clothing and pulled strands of hay out of her hair.

“You aren’t amusing, Jed.”

“Relax, Cinderella,” he said, getting to his feet and brushing himself off. “It was only a joke; you know I had no intention of making love.”

“Anyone could have walked through that door. Did you stop to think about that?”

“So what? It would only have been one of my brothers. They don’t shock that easy.”

“See, that’s the very thing I’m talking about. Nobody’s watching us, so it’s not necessary for you to kiss me.”

His grin was roguish. “Now who’s trying to do the thinking for the other one?” He pulled a piece of the hay out of her hair, then bent his head and kissed her lightly on the lips.

The man was hopeless. Utterly, incurably hopeless!

The butterflies were still fluttering in her stomach when she returned to the house on trembling legs.

Becky was feeding the twins, so she pressed out her blue gown to wear at the wedding, then pressed Jed’s pants and shirt as well.

She had just finished when she heard Cassie call out, “The Garsons have arrived.”

Becky had told her at great length about Howard and Helena Garson and their two sons and a daughter. Farmers from Ohio, the family had been on the same California-bound wagon train in ’65. Despite the fact that the men had fought on opposite sides during the war, the Frasers and Garsons had formed a lasting friendship on that arduous and often treacherous journey.

Helena Garson greeted Caroline with a hearty bear hug and a booming greeting from the depths of her small stature. Howard doffed his hat and shyly offered his congratulations.

Then a dark-haired young lady carrying a babe in arms stepped forward. “Hi, Caroline, I’m their daughter Etta.” Her bright blue eyes were as warm as her greeting. “And this is my husband, Tom,” she said of the tall, redheaded man at her side. Neither one looked old enough to be married, much less have a baby. “And this little bundle in my arms is our daughter Melinda, whom I’m planning on marrying off someday to one of these handsome Frasers.”

“You’re a lucky little girl, sweetheart,” Caroline said to the tiny infant. “You’ll have quite a number to choose from.”

Several other families arrived in buckboards and wagons, and she soon lost track of names and who was married to whom. Bowls of salad and beans, baskets of fruits, breads, pies, and cakes were pulled from wagons and buckboards.

The barbecue had officially begun.

“Time to crush the grapes,” Clay announced.

All of the younger women tied up their skirts, removed their shoes and stockings, then washed their feet in a bucket of hot, soapy water before being allowed to climb into the vat, whose bottom was covered several feet high with grapes. Jed lifted Garrett over the rim of the tub so he could join them.

At first Caroline slipped-slopped along and held cautiously to the side of the tub to keep from slipping, but soon she was stomping and laughing like the rest of the women.

She grabbed Garrett’s hands and they hopped, skipped, and jumped together as the men whistled and clapped. Amid the cheering and shouts, the women linked elbows and danced around Garrett in the center of their circle.

“Granddad, look at us! We’re squashing grapes!” Garrett yelled to Nathan. Caroline waved to her father, clapping and cheering among the men. She couldn’t remember a time seeing him having such a good time.

Laughing, Caroline looked up and saw that Jed was grinning as he watched her and Garrett. Smiling, she waded over to him.

“Hey, sailor, I dare you to come in here,” she said.

“Not on your life, lady.”

“Well then, will you help me out of here?” she asked, extending her hand.

“I know what you’ve got in mind, and I’m not going to fall for it. Or should I say, fall
in
it?”

“Spoilsport.” She laughed and sloshed away.

Finally, tired and splattered, the women climbed out to the cheers of a job well done from the spectators. They hosed off their legs and feet, then went inside the houses to change their splattered gowns.

Caroline finished cleaning up Garrett and sent him back outside, changed her own clothing, and went out to join the others. Long sheets of wood were being laid on sawhorses to be used as tables to hold the food.

A half dozen white tablecloths appeared from various houses to cover the tables, which within minutes were spread with food.

As Cassie had said, from the time the barbecue officially began, the men took over the tasks and the women sat in the shade, chatting and enjoying themselves.

The afternoon passed swiftly. The kind of afternoon Caroline had longed for: talking, laughing, and giggling with other women about recipes, children, and life in general—everything that had been missing for so long. She ate it up as hungrily as she did the food.

The men started playing “base ball,” a game whose popularity was spreading rapidly across the nation. This time it was the women cheering and applauding the men. Cassie even emitted several whistles she had mastered from herding cattle.

The day turned into night, and soon a makeshift band had formed, and the dancing began. The air rang with clapping and foot-stomping to the rhythm of a fiddle, guitar, harmonica, and piano that had been wheeled out of the house. Caroline was whirled and twirled from partner to partner until she was exhausted and couldn’t dance another step.