The Heavenly Surrender (17 page)

“
Brenna,” Genieva began timidly. “Brenna, it is Brian’s baby that Lita carries, isn’t it?”

Brenna’s mouth gaped open in astonishment. She dropped the potato she’d been peeling.

“Genieva McLean! What a thing to say! How could ya even…” But Brenna stopped her scolding when Genieva turned toward her, tears streaming down her freckled cheeks. “Why would ya even think to ask a question like that, Genieva?”

“There’s some sort of…some sort of unspoken agreement between Brevan and Lita, Brenna. And don’t tell me you don’t sense it! I’ll know you’re lying. They harbor a secret that I’m ignorant of. I saw them last night…” she whispered, heartbroken at the remembrance, “in the barn…together. It was not the usual conversation or affections exchanged between in-laws, Brenna. I think…I suspect…”

“Don’t speak it, Genieva. It’s not true, and ya know it!” Brenna interrupted.

“But they were there…in the barn, Brenna. He held her to him so tenderly and kissed her forehead…the actions of two people who are…who are…” She couldn’t finish her thought, and the tears flooded her cheeks more heavily.

“Of two people who are tortured by a secret, Genieva,” Brenna finished guiltily. “And ya’re right. There is somethin’ they hide from ya…but only you. Brian and I know of it already.”

“It’s a bit clearer now, you know,” Genieva sobbed. “The reason he hasn’t a shred of interest in me…other than as his farmhand. And she is very beautiful.”

“Oh, no, no, no! Ya’re thinkin’ completely wrong, Genieva,” Brenna exclaimed, gathering her sobbing friend into her embrace. “Lita and Brian love only each other, Genieva…completely and only each other. But Brevan and Lita do share a bond, a knowledge that the rest of us cannot pretend to understand. For ya see, it was Brevan
Lita came here to marry.”

Chapter Eight

Genieva could only stare at Brenna. Lita had wanted to marry Brevan? Is that what Brenna meant? If so, then Genieva’s worst fears had been amply realized. Had it been arranged—had Lita been the first woman who was supposed to have been his bride?

“Genieva, the pink is completely lost from yar face, it is!” Brenna noted aloud. Carefully she put a consoling hand over Genieva’s. “It’s not at all what ya must be thinkin’,” she assured her. “Not at all. Lita only came last night to confess to Brevan about meeting Joaquin in the orchard yesterday. I guess you had already told him of it, and he pitied her, for it is sad that her family…” Sighing heavily, she began again, “I must tell ya the whole of it, Genieva…if ya’re to understand everythin’. Ya see…Lita’s family owned part of the orchards Brian and Lita own now. In fact, the Archuletas owned nearly all of that land. Her father raises cattle as well to sell for beef. Lita’s mother was a dear soul…simply an angel. But her father…well, let me begin with our own father’s death two years back.”

Brenna led Genieva to the table where they sat down, and Genieva listened as Brenna began her tale.

“Dad was out in one of the fields plowin’ one evenin’. I remember a storm was rollin’ in from the mountains, but he wanted to finish the field. He was such a hard worker. Just like Brevan, he was. Anyway, mother went out toward the field as Brevan, Brian, and I watched her from the porch. Halfway between the house and the field where Dad was, she stopped and turned. We had all heard it, but it was unfamiliar to us, ya see. We thought it was just the thunder from the storm that was comin’ our way. But then we saw them…an enormous, angry herd of cattle runnin’ right toward our place. Somethin’ about the storm had scared them when Mr. Archuleta and his sons were bringin’ them in, and the stampede was fearful and headed right for us. Dad must’ve seen it from the field, for before Brevan was even close to mother, Dad reached her and pushed her out of the way, he did. The cattle were headed for the new orchards where Dad had just planted some young trees. He thought he could beat the herd to the orchards and close the gates so that the cattle would turn. But the cattle were fast, and the ground shook with the mad poundin’ of their hooves. And Dad…Dad was in the way. They trampled him to death while Brian and I held Brevan from jumping into their midst as well.”

Brenna paused and brushed the tears from her cheeks with her apron. Genieva shook her head, astonished and horrified. “How terrible! How absolutely unbearable,” she whispered.

Brenna sniffled and continued, “Mother fainted and was feverish for several days. Even when we buried our Dad, I’m not sure her mind was with us entirely. Mr. Archuleta and his family, includin’ Lita, attended the small service we held, and Mr. Archuleta apologized. Lita’s mother was a sympathetic and very proud woman, and she insisted that Mr. Archuleta give our family his best orchards as compensation for the new trees the cattle trampled and as an offering of their sorrow for Dad’s death. Mother was too ill to deny the gift, and Brevan—ya see, he was the head of the family now—Brevan was too angry and hurt to refuse it. He accepted the offer, though it was so obvious to all of us that Mr. Archuleta did not want to give us the land and orchards. The look on his face frightened me. I remember it, I do. But Lita’s mother insisted on it, and the land became part of our property.

“Mother never did get well, Genieva. She blamed herself for Dad’s death, and she fell very ill with a terrible cough and fever. She died only four months after Dad. Some time passed, and we learned from the people in town that Mrs. Archuleta had died as well. Consumption, it was. Mr. Archuleta knew he couldn’t demand his lands back. Legally they were ours. Brian and Travis even went to the land offices awhile back to make sure. And they are ours still. But Juan Miguel wanted them back, he did. He coveted them. And he sent his only daughter to get them back for him.”

“Brenna,” Genieva began, “I’m so sorry.”

Brenna nodded. “It’s all right.” She swallowed and seemed to force the tears in her eyes to keep from escaping as she continued, “I’ll explain the rest now. Juan Miguel rode over to the house one day, and he brought Lita with him. She’s very beautiful, I’m sure ya’ve noticed, and he intended to use her beauty to his own advantage. We all went out onto the porch to meet them, and Brevan greeted him pleasantly enough. ‘I’m here to give you mí hija, McLean…my daughter. She will be your esposa,’ he told Brevan. I remember Brevan laughed out loud and asked Lita’s father what he meant. Mr. Archuleta explained that he felt responsible for the loss of our parents. He was lyin’, he was, and well Brevan knew it. Brevan told him he could have his lands and orchards back, but Mr. Archuleta had gotten greedy. He wanted Lita to marry Brevan, the head of our family, so that he could gain power over all our lands. Brevan knew what he meant to do, he did, and he refused. Mr. Archuleta made Lita get down from her horse, and he told Brevan that he must accept his gesture of friendship or there would be dangerous consequences. Then he simply rode away, leavin’ his daughter like an abandoned pup on the doorstep. And poor Lita…I felt so sorry for her. I remember she walked up to Brevan and said, ‘Mí papá has given me to you, señor. I am yours.’ She reached up and kissed him right on the mouth, she did. Such a kiss I had never seen meself. ’Twas long and very intimate in nature.”

Genieva was suddenly uncomfortably hot and irritable. She squirmed uneasily in her chair as Brenna continued. “Brevan was kind to her, of course. He did not scold her or push her away, but when she had finished…when she had finished…”

“Offering herself to him,” Genieva spat out, completing Brenna’s sentence.

“Yes, that’s it. When she had finished offerin’ herself to him, he simply said, ‘Yar father is wantin’ me lands, he is. And he’ll not have them. I’ve offered to give him his own back, but he’s a greedy man, Miss Archuleta. I’ll not marry ya and fall into a trap that will take everythin’ me father worked for away from his children.’“

“So Brevan didn’t marry her simply because he didn’t want her father to order him around and gain control over the farm and the rest of you,” Genieva surmised.

“
Brevan didn’t marry her because he had not the desire to do so, Genieva,” Brenna corrected. “Lita told us, then, that her father had threatened to beat her if she returned to his home without securin’ Brevan as her husband. We all felt sorry for her. Brevan told her she was welcome to stay with us until somethin’ could be worked out.” Brenna dropped her gaze to the floor and lowered her voice as she spoke next. “I won’t be lyin’ to ya, Genieva. Lita did not give up on Brevan. After all, it was her father’s wish that she marry him, and she is a loyal sort. But all the time, Brevan and I could see the spark in Brian’s eyes when he looked at her, and the twinkle in hers when she looked at him. And one day, Lita went into the barn where Brevan was milkin’ the cows. I walked in the moment she bent over him, her arms wrapped snugly about his chest as he sat milkin’. She began kissin’ his cheeks and neck, but he stood and pushed her away. ‘If ya be wishin’ to marry me brother, Lita,’ he told her, ‘then ya best be forgettin’ what yar father wants and start workin’ on what you want of it, lass!’”

Genieva closed her eyes tightly against the vision forming before her—the vision of Lita and Brevan involved in an intimate moment. But the darkness only helped make the picture more vivid and hurtful.

“I think it was Brevan’s strength that finally helped Lita to find her own, and she went directly to Brian and confessed her feelin’s for him. They were married soon after, and I will tell ya now, Genieva, that Juan Miguel Archuleta, Lita’s father, was as angry as the devil. He carries a bull whip with him, he does…and just after the weddin’ he rode into the church yard like the screamin’ banshee and cracked his whip on the ground like a madman as he began shoutin’ at Lita. He called her a traitor to her family. Lita’s brothers rode up behind him and began ridin’ in a great circle around Lita, Brian, and Brevan, shoutin’ at the top of their lungs. All of her brothers except one. Joaquin is Lita’s twin brother, he is, and he’s loyal to her. But he’s loyal to his father as well, so he does nothin’. He is a friend to Lita but works his father’s land too. Now her brother, Cruz...he is his father’s image in face and spirit, he is. To tell the truth of it, he’s far worse than even his father. For he has a deep streak of cruelty that I think even Juan Miguel lacks
.
He frightens me. Anyway, after they finished shoutin’, Lita’s brothers left, but before he followed them, Mr. Archuleta told Brevan that all the McLean lands would be his…that he would have them anyway.”

Brenna was silent for a moment, and Genieva was thoughtful. When Brenna did speak again, it was with a smile and a comforting arm about Genieva’s shoulders. “So ya see, Genieva…Lita loves Brian. And Brevan…well, I think Lita still fears for him. Brevan becomes furious when Joaquin visits because he doesn’t trust him. Do ya understand it all now? Do ya see now why he was angry with her for meetin’ Joaquin? And, Genieva, do ya see that Lita and Brian love only each other? Brevan is not in love with Lita, Genieva.”



“So,” Brevan began, as he sat down to supper that evening, “Brenna’s told ya about the Archuletas, she has.”

“Yes,” Genieva affirmed. She had known Brenna would confide in Brevan about the conversation the two women had held earlier in the day. Brenna and Brevan were too close to hide things from each other. “And I don’t know why you felt you had to keep such a thing from me.”

“Lita doesn’t want the world to know about it, lass. I’m sure you can understand that.”

“
I’m not the world!” Genieva cried. “I’m her sister-in-law and your wife! I should be told such things! I thought you and she…I thought you were…”

“Her lover?” Brevan finished.

“How dare you use such vulgar terms! But…but yes,” she stammered. “Then I walk out to the barn last night and see you and her…the two of you…I see…”

“Ya saw nothin’, lass,” Brevan confirmed casually.

“
Nothing?” Genieva exclaimed. “Put yourself in my shoes for a moment, Brevan. I did not know you and she shared all these little secrets! My natural assumption was…”

“I know what yar assumption was, Genieva,” he growled, rising from the table and leaning forward to glare at her. “Ya’ve a filthy mind, ya have…interrogatin’ Brenna all evenin’ and askin’ her whose baby it is that Lita’s carryin’! I ought to turn ya over me knee and paddle yar bum, I should! What a thing to even think of, Genieva!”

“Well, I-I…”

“She came last night to confess to me that she’d been meetin’ with Joaquin in the orchards. ’Twas her conscience that brought her here, and if ya had any conscience yarself, ya wouldn’t be so suspicious of yar family.” He sighed heavily and continued, “Ya spent too much time in the city, ya did. He’s me brother, and she’s his wife, and I’m happy for them, I am. And even if I was the scum it takes to do such a thing as ya’re implyin’, I wouldn’t do it to me own brother!” He slammed his fist on the table, walked to where Genieva sat, and, taking her arm, pulled her to her feet. “Brenna says yar problem is jealousy, it is.”

“What?” Genieva gasped as he glared down at her.

“Brenna says ya wouldn’t even conjure up such ideas if I did me duty as a husband and made ya certain I’m faithful to ya.”

“Brevan, I’m sorry,” Genieva said as she tried to pull her arm from his grip. “I didn’t know the situation. Naturally I assumed…I’m sorry. I understand now. If you had just told me, I wouldn’t have…”

Her words were choked into silence as his free hand took hold of her chin firmly, forcing her to look up at him.

“It bothers ya, doesn’t it?” he asked. “It eats at ya that before Brian and Lita were married I had me fill of her kisses. Well, I’ll have ya know, Genieva, I never once asked for her attentions. I never once kissed her first.”

“But you let her kiss you. You didn’t…”

“Would ya rather that I humiliated her all the more? More than her own family had already done?”

“No. No of course not,” Genieva sighed as tears fell from her eyes, streaking her cheeks in salty streams. She pushed at his hand holding her chin, and he released her.