The Stafford Collection, Historical Western Romances (24 page)

She had even agreed to marry him. But was it perhaps out of desperation? He looked at the web of dark shadows crisscrossing through the trees as the sun sank lower. Changing directions, he headed back toward the cabin. He didn’t want her to worry if she woke up and he wasn’t there. When he returned, he was relieved to see she was still asleep. She looked so young and beautiful. Again, he felt guilty. He sat next to her and stretched out a finger to trace her jaw line. Her skin was like satin. He felt his heart quicken and reluctantly pulled away. He heard a soft noise and turned to find her eyes open sleepily, watching him.

Suddenly her eyes flew open and she sat up quickly. “Is your dad okay?”

His brow creased. “He’s fine, why?”

She took a relieved breath. “You just look so distraught, I thought...” Her voice trailed off as she lay back down, still staring at him. He sat next to her silently as his gaze traveled to the floor.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, turning onto her side and pulling the covers up to her chin to ward off the chill in the room. She had put on her thin nightgown before crawling into bed but it did little for warmth.

“Nothing. I mean, I don’t think there’s anything wrong.” Brock glanced at her quickly and forced a smile.

Sabrina frowned as she felt a chill travel through her soul---a chill not caused by the coldness of the room. Something had changed while she slept. Brock had changed and she didn’t like it.

Taking him off guard, she pushed him onto his back and sat on his stomach. He could not ignore her now.

“What?” she asked again. She leaned over him, her hands holding his cheeks so he would look into her eyes.

His
eyes desperately wanted to look at the gap in the nightgown created when she leaned over him but he gazed into her eyes.

“Um.. are you feeling okay?” he asked cautiously, not wanting to upset her any more.

She sat straight up at that and frowned. He definitely knew she was healed from the long ride, she thought with slight embarrassment. So he was referring to something else. But what?

“Who have you been talking to?”

“What makes you think I’ve been talking to someone?” he asked, avoiding her eyes.

She put her hands on his chest as she leaned over slightly. “Well, you were fine when I went to sleep. So something must have happened during that time. I assume you left. If you left, you probably talked to someone. I just need to know who you talked to
and maybe I can figure out why you’re acting different.”

Brock was surprised. She never ceased to amaze him. “Jaelyn.”

Sabrina sighed as she released him. She had a pretty good idea what Jaelyn would be discussing with him, and he seemed upset about it and was withdrawing from her. She climbed off him, allowing him to sit up next to her.

“Well?”  he asked, curious to see what she would come up with.

Sabrina smiled sadly. “Well, I guess Jaelyn was concerned about what most young women are concerned about. Having a baby. “

“She said you might be pregnant,” he said softly, looking at the ground.

Sabrina reached out and turned his face toward hers. “And you’re upset.”

Brock shrugged.

“At me?”

His eyes widened. “No, of course not. I just feel..”

“Like you took advantage of me? Haven’t we gone through this before?” she asked. “Brock, I’m a big girl. I knew from the start what the consequences might be from being with you. And I chose to accept them. We have done nothing wrong. There is nothing wrong with loving someone. And if a baby does come along, well, there are worse things that can happen.”

“Are you with child?” Brock asked, still concerned.

She sighed. “Honestly, it is too soon to tell. Remember the times I denied you?” she asked, blushing in spite of herself.

He nodded; he had been very distraught.

“Well, I should have just told you then but I was embarrassed. I was trying to prevent getting pregnant by calculating my monthly cycle.” 

“But you haven’t had, um.. bled since we’ve been together.”

“It doesn’t always work that well,” Sabrina said, reddening again. She was suddenly unsure and Brock pulled her into his arms and held her like he would hold a child.

“No matter. I will be here for you,” Brock whispered.

She hugged him back, suddenly feeling safe and content in his arms.

Chapte
r
25

S
upper was a somber affair. Sabrina was feeling uncomfortable by Jaelyn’s curious looks and Chase’s sly grins. Eating quickly, she and Brock visited with Anna and Jonathan briefly before heading back to the cabin. Brock, mindful of her uneasiness, lay down and held her until they fell asleep.

Sometime later Brock awoke, needing her. Moving cautiously, he shifted her onto her back and arranged himself on top of her. Sabrina stirred a bit as he kissed her cheek and she instinctively splayed her legs so he could enter her.

He moved slowly. It was more like a caress, really. She could feel the prominence along his shaft as he slid in and out of her warmth at such a slow pace it would have normally caused her to go insane. The only thing that increased in speed was his breathing. She reached up, still in a dreamy state, running her hands through his curly hair as she felt him hug her tightly and shudder inside of her.  He lay still for a second catching his breath before shifting her so she was again cuddled in his arms. Holding her tightly he kissed her head as they both fell asleep.

Morning arrived too soon for the pair and Brock grinned as Sabrina reluctantly roused herself. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she sat up.

“Good morning,” Brock said from beside her in bed. He had been awake for a little while but was reluctant to leave her side to face the cold of the dawn. Sabrina grunted a reply as she sat up. While she waited for the fog to leave her mind, she began to notice wetness between her legs. She turned to look at Brock suspiciously.

“I guess that wasn’t a dream, after all,” Sabrina stated, moving to the basin in the corner to cleanse herself. She started with her face and worked her way down. Making her first swipe between her legs, she noticed a darkness on the cloth in the dim light. Swiping again, her heart sank. She had just been late.

She was surprised by the disappointment she felt. This was not the best time for a baby to come. Heck, they weren’t even legally married yet. However, she still felt regret.

Sensing her mood change, Brock came over to her. Taking in the situation, he hugged her close. “It’s okay; we still have plenty of time. We have the rest of our lives.”

Sabrina nodded but let out a sob anyway, as he patted her back and held her. Reluctantly pulling away, she moved to her bag to find her wrappings. She now knew why they called it the curse.

Since this was their last day, they spent most of it with Jonathan, giving the others a break. Jonathan did recall her reading of Rip Van Winkle.  He insisted she read it again while he was awake. She obliged, grateful to be able to escape into a book for a little while.

Jonathan was getting restless from being bed bound. He insisted upon getting up and ‘using the bathroom his own damn self.’ Brock went to get Thomas and he gave the okay. Sabrina left the room while Anna, Brock, and Thomas assisted him. Thomas had advised Chase to make two crutches; he could switch to one crutch later on if he felt more comfortable.

Jaelyn approached Sabrina as she waited outside. “I’m sorry
about upsetting Brock yesterday, it was none of my business.”

Sabrina looked over at Jaelyn, wondering what it would be like if Lydia had lived. Would she have discussed such intimate things with her? She smiled sadly.

“No, we needed to talk. However, since you’re so curious. I’m not.” She said the last bit softly and Jaelyn hugged her as Sabrina hugged her back.

“Do I get a hug?” Chase asked hopefully, coming over to the two women.

“No!” they both replied, and laughed, and Sabrina’s heart was lighter.

They heard scuffling inside and could hear the clop, clop, clop of the crutches against the wood floor as Jonathan awkwardly made his way outside. Thomas stayed in front of him and Brock, behind, in case he fell. He stood at the doorway blinking at the bright sunlight until his eyes adjusted. Chase moved forward to assist him down the step.

It was a bittersweet moment for Sabrina. She was so happy that Jonathan would be well, yet she missed her own father desperately. The pain of her parents’ passing had eased some with time but she was beginning to realize that she would miss them forever.

Since they would be leaving at dawn, they said their goodbyes to everyone that evening. Sabrina received a bear hug from Jonathan (which she thought may have dislocated a rib or two) and Anna called her ‘daughter’ for the first time. That simple
statement brought tears to them both. She would miss them all.

Rising early, she and Brock dressed quietly. There was a knock on the door and Sabrina answered it. Chase had come by to help carry their baggage. She was also pleasantly surprised to see he had readied the horses. Checking the buckles quickly, she turned and hugged him goodbye before mounting. Brock gave him a hug as well and Chase slapped his back. Climbing up on his horse, Brock leaned over and kissed Sabrina before he nudged Troy into motion. Ready to travel, Troy took off in excitement and Justice followed at a trot.

The pace was more relaxed on the return trip. They talked some but mostly just enjoyed the countryside. Brock was on full alert. Although Indians were not as prevalent these days, there were still outlaws and vagabonds who would not hesitate to attack. Looking over at Sabrina, who was beautiful in her new skirt, he wondered if he should request she change into her male garb while they traveled. She was very wise to do so for protection while she was in hiding. He worried for her safety.

He was relieved when they arrived in the same town they had stopped in before. They boarded their horses and headed over to the hotel. Sabrina was already tired and crampy.  She begged off eating in the dining room to rest. Brock brought her up a plate and she ate hungrily.

“How’s your bum?” he asked.

She laughed, the lilt of it filling the small room. “I’m fine. Just some cramps.” She wrinkled her nose, showing her aversion.

“Sorry.”

“Not your fault.”

Brock smiled a bit. “I was thinking it may be safer for travel if you wore..um Will’s clothes. “

Sabrina frowned a bit. “You think there may be trouble? We were safe enough on the way here.”

“On the way here, there were four of us. Now, bandits would consider their odds better. Your safety is foremost in my mind.”

Sabrina took her last bite of chicken and chewed thoughtfully. Brock was no fool. He was not
Sheriff for nothing. If it was safer for her, it was safer for him. And his safety was
her
utmost concern.

“Whatever’s best.”

Finishing their meal they climbed into bed and rested. Tomorrow would come soon enough.

They slept soundly, but Brock cursed upon waking. It was raining. Sabrina patted him on his back as she dressed again in her pants. She headed out to relieve herself. Returning, she found Brock staring out the window at the cloudy sky.

The clouds were dark and heavy and blanketed the sky. A soft drizzle fell. The weather matched Brock’s mood. Bleak. She placed her hand on his shoulder as he turned and kissed her.

“We need to go.”

He nodded silently and they headed out to the stables. Back in boy mode, Sabrina insisted on saddling Justice by herself. She buttoned her coat tightly to ward off the cold rain and set off, with Brock following behind her.

The horses didn’t like the rain either and all were pleased when it slacked off and then stopped completely around noon. The sun fought its way out of the clouds but the damage was already done. Instead of packed earth they were traveling through wet, soppy mud.

The mud sucked down the horses’ hoofs and tired them out faster than usual. They were all weary by the time they stopped for supper. Sabrina spent a long time cleaning the mud and small rocks from the horses’ hooves and rubbing their coats dry while Brock tried his best to start a fire with damp wood. Due to his skill and perseverance, he finally had a small flame going. He fed it leaves, one at a time, as he held them close trying to steam out the dampness.  He slowly added some small sticks and then, finally, larger pieces. The fire hissed at the wet wood and Sabrina sat down close to Brock for warmth.

She leaned her cold nose against his warm neck and he turned, kissing her temple. After they ate he wrapped a blanket around them and they slept sitting up, leaning against a tree.

Their spirits were brighter the following day. The sun rose and they sat watching the most spectacular sunrise that Sabrina had ever seen. As the sky turned from red to purple to blue, Sabrina watched, feeling renewed. Standing up and mounting the horses, they headed out.

When they arrived at home two days later, Sabrina was tired and sore. Brock shooed her off to the house to rest but she stubbornly refused as she struggled to lift Justice’s saddle. Brock, seeing her plight, came over and took it from her wobbling arms, laying it over the side of the stall. He fed and watered the horses and rubbed down Troy. He helped Sabrina with Justice and then steered her to the house. Sabrina fell asleep instantly.

Brock removed her boots and covered her up. Then he returned to carry their bags in from the barn. Finished with his task, he lay down next to her and slept.

When she awakened, she felt Brock’s strong arms around her and she smiled sleepily. Looking around the room she noticed it was now dark outside. She had no idea of the time but she needed to go to the loo and reluctantly slipped from the warmth and tended to her needs. When she climbed back over Brock, he grunted slightly as she settled back into her spot and closing her eyes she slept ‘til dawn.

The next time she awoke, the sun was already in the sky. She yawned and stretched, still reluctant to leave the warm bed. She did not see Brock but could hear something bubbling on the stove. It smelled wonderful.

Rising, she stiffly made her way over to the pot to look in. Taking a spoon, she dipped in and tasted it. Her stomach growled for more.

“Ah! Cinderella’s awake,”  Brock said, grinning as he came in through the door. His hair was wet where he had bathed in the creek and the curls clung damply to his face.

“You bathed?”

“Sorry, I was gonna wait for you but I smelled like a mule.”

Sabrina frowned at that. She looked down at the dusty trail clothes she still wore and sniffed herself. Ugh. Brock noticed and pulled her into his arms, kissing her cheek as he chuckled at her.

“Eat first,” he insisted as he read her mind. He scooped out the hot stew onto two plates and handed her one. They both ate hungrily. When she was done, Sabrina headed to the stream to bathe. She banned Brock from the area and he pouted. Ignoring him, she turned to her baggage. She hesitated as she debated on the overalls or the green skirt. Making a decision, she wrapped up the bundle of clean clothes in a towel and set off on her way.

She moved to squat by the cold water and quickly lathered her body.
She was pleased to notice no her ‘curse’ had ended for now. Her teeth chattered as she moved to stand in the stream and wash her hair and rinse. Shaking from the cold, she climbed onto the bank and dried herself, dressing quickly. Towel drying her hair, she made her way back to the warmth of the cabin.

Brock stopped when he saw her. She was wearing her new green skirt and beige blouse. He wanted to rip it off and devour her, but he had much to do today. Later, he thought with a smile.

“Feel better?”

“Mu
ch.”

“I have to go into town and deliver the letters that Thomas gave me and check back in. Do you want to come with me?”

Sabrina hesitated, looking down at her new clothing. She was not mentally prepared for facing the town yet.

“I think I’ll pass for now.”

“Let me know when you’re ready and I’ll go with you.”

She nodded gratefully and walked him to the barn. She watched as he saddled Troy and rode out. Justice snorted and she walked over to the horse.

“Sorry, boy, we’re staying here.” Since she was exhausted the night before, she gave him a full exam and brush down. Once done, she led him to the door and released him into the corral. She then thoroughly cleaned her saddle and tack.

Heading back to the house she set about unpacking their bags from the trip. She frowned, glancing at the pile of dirty clothes from the trip home. Wash time.

Two hours later, she hung the now clean clothes on a line, and stared at the needy garden.  The small patch she had cleared earlier was barely discernible in the mess.

“It ain’t gonna hoe itself,” she murmured as she began the arduous task.

Brock’s first stop was to meet with Dr. Reynold.  He figured it was his duty to inform him why his son did not return. Not finding him at his office, he rode Troy over to his home on the edge of the town. Walking up to the large house, he took a breath before knocking briskly on the door. It was soon opened by Sally. Her face lit up when she saw him.

“Why Brock! Did you come to visit me?” she batted her eyes coyly.

“I came to speak with your father. About Thomas.”

“Thomas?” she asked. “Where is he?” She sidestepped and peered behind Brock.

“He is quite well. Is your father in?”