The Devil's Daughter (28 page)

“I can’t.”

“But--”

“No.” No buts. Lucy swallowed the fear creeping up her throat. “I won’t do it.”

“Lucy.” Berta’s sobs became increasingly louder. If she didn’t hush, she’d wake up Maggie and then the wailing would really begin.

“Berta.” When the other woman didn’t respond, Lucy took her hands. “Mother. Remember how you felt when you gave me to him.”

A harsh snort.

“Can you really do that to another mother? Can you put Maggie through that kind of pain?”

Berta hesitated a long time. Finally, she shook her head slowly.

A sense of urgency crept through Lucy. This was right. This was good.

“I need you to do something for me.”

The other woman grunted and sniffed.

“I want you to take Maggie into town. Take her straight to the church and leave her with Reverend Conroy. He’s her only hope.”

Lucy’s gaze bore into Berta, until she finally looked up. “You can’t be here when I tell Jed.”

“And what are you going to tell him?” Berta choked on another sniff. “That you were born from the Devil’s seed and you came here to claim his soul? Or that you came to steal the soul of an innocent newborn? No man in his right mind is going to believe that.”

“It doesn’t matter if he believes it or not. All that matters is he’ll be safe.”

Lucy frowned. Regardless of what happened, Jed was going to hate Lucy by the time this was over. Her only hope was that if she told him the truth – every ugly detail – he might not hate her as much as he would if he heard it from someone else; someone like Deacon.

“There is no good answer for any of this,” she muttered. “All I know for certain is I have to do this before Deacon comes back.”

“Deacon is no threat to you.” Berta sniffed, her voice stronger. “He doesn’t know what it means to love another soul. You do. That’s a strength no son of Satan can ever imagine.”

A lone tear slipped down Lucy’s face. “Deacon will do anything to please Father, especially if it means bringing me down again.”

“But he’s your brother.”

“It doesn’t matter.” She stared blankly at the table. “My fear is that he’ll go after Jed’s soul, too, unless I can find a way to protect him somehow.” Her voice lowered. “The only way we can protect Maggie and the baby is to get her to the church. If this goes the way I hope, Deacon will be so focused on me, he’ll forget about Jed long enough for him to get away, too.”

Hope? Is that what Lucy was left with? She’d seen enough in her life to know hope meant nothing.

“We should all go to the church,” Berta said. “We’ll all be safe there.”

Lucy shook her head. “The preacher will never let me inside. And Jed will never leave me without an explanation, and even then. . .” She sighed. “We need to protect that baby first and foremost.”

Berta’s chin fell to her chest again. “I don’t understand any of this.”

“I know,” Lucy said. “It’s impossible to understand because there are no rules. My father will do whatever he must to get what – or who – he wants. I can only hope Jed’s strong enough to get through this.”

“There must be some way to stop him.”

Lucy shook her head slowly, blinking back more tears. “Nothing that will work here.” There was only one thing her father feared, only one thing that might stop him: love.

He recoiled at the mere idea of love, and if anyone dared show the slightest hint of it near him, his wrath was unbearable.

But Lucy didn’t have to worry about that. Once Jed knew the truth, he’d feel nothing but anger and hatred toward her. He’d been mad enough when she’d lied about being able to cook, but this – this couldn’t even compare.

If he could forgive her, if he could hold on to his love for her, then maybe. . .

No. No human could forgive a betrayal like this. It was too much to ask. She knew it, Berta knew it, and pretty soon, Jed would know it, too. All Lucy could do was hope her love would be enough to save him.

As the minutes ticked by, the pain in Lucy’s heart sliced deeper. Sitting with Berta, she’d been able to focus on what needed to be done without giving in to her anguish. But now, as the time to tell Jed grew nearer, she was overcome by surges of fear, helplessness and nausea. She no longer feared Hell, no longer feared the wrath of her father when she returned.

Her greatest fear was the way Jed would look at her when he learned the truth.

He’d be furious, repulsed, and maybe a little frightened. She’d never again see those deep, dark eyes full of love turned her way. He’d never send tingles over her skin with the simple touch of his finger. And he’d never love her as he did last night.

She would never actually hear him say he loved her.

An eternity seemed to pass in each second, and yet suddenly, it was time.

 o0o

They finished stacking the lumber, and Dwight was ready to head back to town. All they needed to do was get Maggie into the wagon.

“Jedidiah,” she cried, clutching her stomach. “They’re going to take your soul! Don’t make me go!”

“Maggie,” Jed said soothingly. “Miss Blake is taking you in to see the doctor. We just want to make sure the baby is okay, and then you’ll come right back.”

“No,” she pleaded, groping for his hands, but Berta continued moving her forward, toward Dwight and the waiting wagon. “They’re after your soul! If you make me leave, they’ll kill all of us!”

“Maggie--” Lucy stepped forward, but Maggie screeched and jumped behind Dwight.

“Stay back,” she warned. “Devil woman.”

“Come now, Mrs. Caine.” Dwight took her arm gently and steered her toward the wagon. “It ain’t good for you or that baby to get all worked up like this.”

“No.” She continued to sob, but her strength was visibly draining.

“Are you sure she’ll be okay?” Jed asked Berta. “It’s a long ride into town, and in her condition. . .”

Berta glanced at Lucy before answering. “Let me get her into town and she’ll be fine.”

Jed took Maggie’s other arm as he and Dwight helped the distraught woman up to the bench.

“It’s fine, Maggie,” he said, trying his best to offer even a little bit of comfort. She wouldn’t look at him, but sat in her spot, shoulders sagging, as she continued to sob.

He considered giving in and letting her stay; what could the doctor do for her at this point that Berta wasn’t already doing?

As Lucy’s hand slid into his, he knew he had to let Maggie go. She was working herself up into a lather, and getting worse by the moment. Maybe the doctor could get her to calm down a bit.

“If Doc decides to keep you in town,” he said, “we’ll drive in every day to check on you. I promise.”

Lucy kept looking at Berta with a strange, strained plea, but the other woman seemed to be avoiding her. Jed scratched his head. Women were too confusing.

“Thank you.” Lucy pulled Berta into a tight hug and whispered something too low for Jed to hear.

Berta sobbed against her shoulder, but whatever she was trying to say kept getting stuck on sobs and sniffles.

Enough already – if Jed didn’t get Berta and her sobs loaded into the wagon, she’d flood the whole damn place with all those tears.

“It’ll be fine.” Lucy smoothed her hand over Berta’s hair and forced a smile. “Don’t worry.”

She caught Jed’s eye and motioned for him to help. He eased the women apart and helped Berta up into the wagon beside Maggie.

“We sure appreciate all your help, Berta.” He draped his arm casually around Lucy’s shoulders. Instead of snuggling into his embrace as he’d grown used to, Lucy seemed to stiffen.

He was going to enjoy making her relax.

What the hell was taking Dwight so long to leave? All he had to do was take hold of the reins and turn the horses around. He fussed with his hat, took his sweet damn time putting his gloves on, then he sat there for what felt like four days just smiling down at Jed and Lucy.

Didn’t he know Jed had work to do? He had a barn to build for cryin’ out loud. ‘Course he also had a wife who needed tending, and that would have to come first.

With a final salute, Dwight clicked to the horses and turned toward the road. As they pulled away, Berta twisted around in her seat and waved.

“Good-bye, Lucy,” she called out. It looked as though she had more to say but didn’t. The wagon bumped and rocked, knocking Berta sideways. She righted herself, waved and yelled even louder. “She loves you, Jedidiah. Believe in that!”

Lucy stiffened. So did Jed. The way Berta carried on, you’d think she wasn’t coming back in a few short hours, hours Jed would much rather spend exploring his wife than wondering about his mother-in-law.

“So my wife loves me.” He turned Lucy in his arms and gazed down into her amazing green eyes. “That’s good because I l--”

“Don’t say it.” Lucy slapped her hand over his mouth.

Her hand was warm. Her hands were never warm. Even when the sun pounded down as it did then, she’d never been warm.

“Okay.” Jed murmured against her palm. After a long moment, he eased her hand away and bent to nuzzle her neck. Lucy released a slow sigh as she tipped her head to the side, giving him better access to that soft sensitive spot behind her ear.

“I reckon the new barn can wait a while longer, don’t you?”

“The barn?” She tried to pull away, but he held her fast.

“Oh, no you don’t.” He slid his fingers through her hair, then down its length. “I’ve finally got you alone for a few hours and we’re going to make good use of it.”

Lucy didn’t move. She stared back at him intently, almost as if she was putting his face to memory.

He tucked her hands between his and pressed them against his chest. “It’s true, isn’t it?” he asked.

“True?”

“What Berta said.” He lifted her hands to his lips and pressed slow kisses against each knuckle. “Do you love me?”

The clouds lifted from her eyes, until all that was left was the same love Jed felt for her. He tipped her chin up and gazed down at her. “Say it. Tell me you love me.”

Two tears slid out the corners of her eyes. What the hell? Hadn’t she run out of them by now? His mother had never been a crier. A yeller, yes, but never a crier.

If it was the last thing he did, he’d have to prove to Lucy that she had nothing to cry about. Their life was going to be perfect.

“No need for these,” he murmured as he caught the tears on his finger. “Everything’s going to be fine, Lucy. You love me and I lo--”

“Stop.” She pushed against him, but there was no strength behind it.

“Why?” He frowned. Why couldn’t she just say it? Why did she have to be so damned stubborn? “Just say it.”

“Not yet.” She clamped her mouth shut and swiped the tears from her cheeks. “I need to tell you something first.”

“Tell me you love me. Nothing else matters.”

“No, Jed, please, you have to hear this.” Lucy licked her lips and hesitated. That was her first mistake.

“What?” He watched her mouth, the way her lips trembled, the way she moistened them with the tip of her tongue.

Hot damn, but he wanted to kiss her. And he would – after she told him she loved him.

“Tell me, Lucy.” He leaned closer until his cheek brushed hers; his kisses grazed her jaw, then the tip of her nose. “Tell me you love me.”

She turned her face, searching for his lips, but instead of kissing her, he covered her mouth with his left hand, while holding her fast around the waist with his other arm.

She struggled against him, her eyes wide, panicked. She didn’t think he’d harm her, did she?

“I love you, Lucy.” For a second, he thought he might cry, too, but that was ridiculous. Instead, he grinned what must have been the stupidest looking grin, and kissed her nose again. “Plain and simple, I just love you.”

She sagged against his hand, her hot tears searing his skin where they landed. After a moment, he lowered his hand and stepped back, waiting.

Lucy shook her head slowly, as her tears continued to fall. A giant knot twisted in Jed’s gut. Maybe she
didn’t
love him. Maybe he’d been wrong about what he felt – about what he thought
she
felt.

She continued to shake her head. “I’m sorry,” she croaked. “I love you, too, and I’m so, so sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” he cried, pulling her into his arms, relief washing over him like a giant wave. “God, Lucy, you scared the hell out of me.”

She pushed away again, and stepped out of his reach. “You have to listen to me, Jed.”

“I’m done listening, and you’re done talking.” He grinned as he reached for her. She ducked out of the way, then held up a hand to ward him off.

“No!” She moved around the big rock by the fire pit and crossed her arms over her chest. Then she let them fall to her sides. Twice more she crossed them, then let them fall. “You have to listen, to try and understand what I’ve done.”

Jed stepped closer, every inch of him aching to touch her again; to slide his fingers through her silky hair, to feel the warmth of her bare skin against his, and to taste every inch of her.