Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine (16 page)

“
Get,
”
he growled to the horse.

Caleb
’
s mount galloped down the road to return to the Turner place.

Johnny was thirsty
;
his head felt heavy
;
there seemed to be a fog drifting over his tired eyes.
He had to make it back—had to hide the box—just in case he didn
’
t survive the night.
He was nearly sure he would—but only nearly.

As he rode, the scent of night flowers filled his lungs
,
the sound of bug noises echoing in his ears.
What in tarnation was he doing in
Alabama
?
He should
’
ve seen Justin home and kept walking—walked all the way to Texas or until he dropped dead.
That
’
s what he should
’
ve done.

Gripping his and Justin
’
s packs in one hand, he rode on.
The sun was setting fast now, but he could see the Turners gathered out in front of the house.
He
’
d made it!
He
’
d fetched his box
,
and he
’
d hide it somewhere quick until morning.
His secrets were safe.
Johnny Tabor knew he could die now—and his terrible secrets could die with him.



“
Here he comes!
”
Willy panted, jabbing one final elbow to Nate
’
s ribs.
“
Here comes that Johnny Tabor!
”

Vivianna gasped
and
covered her mouth with one hand as Johnny Tabor reined in and slid from Captain
’
s back.
He looked so wild!
His eyes were aflame with some sort of feral determination she
’
d never seen before.
It rather frightened her
,
and she wondered for a moment if Justin
’
s friend w
ere
truly just weak and weary
. O
r was he indeed somewhat mad?

“
I got
’
em, Justin,
”
Johnny Tabor panted.
“
I got
’
em.
”

Vivianna watched as the weathered man panted with the strain of too much exertion.
He held out one ragged bundle
,
and Justin accepted it.

“
I thank ya, Johnny,
”
Justin said.
“
But I wish ya woulda waited
’
til mornin
’
.
Ya look like the devil.
”

“
I might be just that,
”
Johnny mumbled.

Vivianna trembled slightly as Johnny Tabor
’
s wild, narrowed gaze lingered on her for a moment.
His brown eyes pierced her sense of ease
;
the strong features of his face purely intimidated her!
Somehow, he frightened her, and for a moment, she pitied any enemy who had at any time endeavored to stand against him.

“
Oh, nonsense, boy!
”
Savannah
scolded.
“
Now you get on into that house and get to bed.
”
She nodded to the bundle Johnny held in one arm.
“
You
’
ve got your things now
,
so I will see both you and Justin put to bed.
I want to hear some snorin
’
in under fifteen minutes…do ya hear me?
”

Vivianna was momentarily mesmerized by the manner in which Johnny Tabor
’
s expression softened.
An amused, grateful smile curved his mouth, transforming his countenance!

“
Yes, ma
’
am,
”
he said.
“
Though…though I don
’
t want ya to think for a moment that I
’
m gonna linger in your way, Mrs. Turner.
”

“
Linger in my way?
”
Savannah
exclaimed.
“
Nonsense, boy!
I
’
ve already got a day of chores planned out for you and Justin tomorrow.
So ya best see yourself to bed.
”

“
Yes, ma
’
am,
”
the man chuckled.
He looked to Caleb, nodding as he handed him the bridle reins.
“
Thank ya for the loan of your horse, Caleb.
I wouldn
’
t have rested easy at all if I hadn
’
t fetched this.
”
He patted the bundle under his arm—squeezed it closer to his body.

“
You
’
re welcome, Johnny,
”
Caleb said.
“
Now, if ya know what
’
s good for ya, you
’
ll do what Mama says and get on into bed.
”

Vivianna watched as Johnny weakly climbed the steps up to the front porch.
Pausing, he lowered his head almost ashamedly and said,
“
I do thank you for your kindness to me, Mrs. Turner
.
I promise you that I most certainly do not deserve it.
”

Mrs. Turner smiled
and
took Johnny
’
s face in her hands, raising it to meet hers.
“
Your kindness to me in bringin
’
my boy home far outweighs anything I could ever do for you, Mr. Tabor.
”
She stood on the tips of her toes and placed a kiss on Johnny
’
s face.
“
Now you run along to bed, Johnny.
”
She looked to Vivianna.
“
Viv, you best get your things out of the room before Mr. Tabor retires.
”

“
Yes, ma
’
am,
”
Vivianna said.

As she passed Justin on the porch, he smiled and winked at her.
Her heart fluttered
,
her stomach twisting with delight
.
She thought of their moments beneath the honeysuckle vine—the moments before Nate had interrupted them.
What heavenly moments they had been!
What bliss-filled breaths of spring and dreamy kisses!
She wanted nothing more than to take Justin by the hand and lead him to the arbor once more.
She wanted to hear him speak love to her—feel his arms around her again.
Yet she knew all things must have their time
,
and this included rest and healing.
Justin was yet weak—needed time to regain his strength.

Therefore, Vivianna entered the house, stepping in front of Johnny Tabor as he stepped aside, gesturing with one hand and
a
nod that she should precede him.

“
Thank you,
”
she said to him as she started down the short hallway to her room.

“
I don
’
t feel right about puttin
’
you out, Miss Vivianna,
”
Johnny said, stepping into the bedroom behind her.

“
Then you
’
re a gentleman,
”
Vivianna said as she went to the chest of drawers to retrieve her nightclothes.

“
No, ma
’
am,
”
Johnny mumbled.

She felt his gaze on her—for the back of her body fairly burned with the knowledge it lingered there.
“
Do…do you have everything ya need, Mr. Tabor?
”
she asked, retrieving a few other items she would need.

“
Yes, ma
’
am,
”
he replied.

She turned to face him and was astonished by the somehow defeated expression on his face—the overall weakness about him.
He opened his mouth slightly
,
as if he
’
d meant to speak but changed his mind.

“
What is it, Mr. Tabor?
”
Vivianna asked.
“
Is there somethin
’
I can fetch for ya?
”

He dropped his gaze to the floor a moment
,
as if he were somehow ashamed—or even frightened.
“
You seem an honest woman, Miss Vivianna,
”
he said in a lowered voice.

“
I…I hope so, Mr. Tabor,
”
she said.

“
If…if a person was to ask a favor of you…ask for your help and complete secrecy of confidence…would you be willin
’
to do somethin
’
for them, ma
’
am?
”
he asked.

Strangely, Vivianna was not afraid—though she thought that perhaps she should be.
Still, she was not
afraid
—only curious
,
with a sudden, unexpected desire to assist the poor man.
“
Of course, Mr. Tabor,
”
she told him.
“
What is this favor you wish to ask of me?
”

He brushed a hand over his forehead
,
as if he estimated beads of perspiration would be lingering there.

“
My…my pack here,
”
he said, patting the bundle he still held.
“
I want to ask you to give me your word
that if I finally fly to heaven to meet my maker durin
’
the night…I want ya to promise me
you
’
ll take this pack and without ever openin
’
it…promise me you
’
ll sink it in the river.
Promise me you
’
ll never open it…no matter how curious your mind may be
. P
romise me that…and promise me you
’
ll never tell a soul it ever existed or where ya sank it.
”

Vivianna smiled.
She didn
’
t know why she smiled
,
for it was an ominous request.
Still, she realized it was the thought of Nate that made her smile, and she said,
“
Nate thinks you
’
re hi
din
’
gold and jewels in that pack of yours.
”

Mr. Tabor
’
s eyes narrowed.
“
If I am…would ya still be able to keep a promise to never open it…to sink it in the river?
”

“
Of course, Mr. Tabor,
”
Vivianna told him
,
rather insulted that he should doubt her character.
“
Of course!
You could have Mr. Booth
’
s written confession of assassination in there
,
and I wouldn
’
t care.
”
He frowned and looked down to the bundle he held under his arm.
She thought she
’
d somehow offended him with
the
suggestion of what might be in the box but said nothing more.

“
Then you
’
ll sink it if I die?
”
he asked.
“
Unopened…in secret…and never tell a soul?
”

“
You
’
re not gonna die, Mr. Tabor,
”
she told him.
“
Things won
’
t seem quite so harsh and wearin
’
in the mornin
’
.
I promise.
”