A Walk In Heaven (Volume 1) (The Grayson Brothers) Page 8

  “Oh, definitely,” Gage said before shoveling a forkful of potatoes in his mouth.

  From that point until dinner was over, she noticed the two younger brothers acted like proud peacocks, especially in front of Joshua. The older brother didn’t say much after that, and if he did, he grumbled. She received the distinct impression that the brothers might have made a bet between them to see if she’d go. Now she was extremely curious to know more about it. If that were so, she’d gladly give in just to put Joshua in his place. Apparently, he didn’t think she could handle it. He might be right, but she’d make sure she could handle it just to show him!

  The men left the room, and she helped Elizabeth and one of the servants clean the table. When Careen volunteered to help with the dishes, the servant shooed her out of the kitchen and told her to visit with the family. Although she wanted to, she needed to be by herself for a moment. If she was seriously considering going on this cattle drive, she had to roll it around in her head a few times before making any rash decisions.

  She walked out the front door and onto the porch. At the end of the porch was a two-seated swing. Not like the one in the tree the twins had been on earlier, but one that fastened to the base and to the porch. The craftsmanship of the swing reminded her of the baby toys the girls had shown her earlier. Careen wouldn’t be surprised if Joshua had made it as well.

  She tested the swing before putting all her weight on the seat. It startled her when the swing moved with such ease. Leaning back, she relaxed and enjoyed the rhythm.

  Slowly, the sun set in the horizon, highlighting orange and yellow clouds in the sky. A small wind brushed against her face and teased the curls by her ears. The chilly air had her gathering her shawl around her shoulders tighter. The bun she’d fashioned earlier today loosened, so she reached back and pulled out the pins, letting the bulk of her hair hang down her back and over her shoulders.

  Closing her eyes, she listened to the night’s insects starting their lullaby. Off in the distance, a coyote howled. At first, she blinked her eyes open, her heart pounding with fear, but then she realized this was normal out here in Montana. If there were any danger, the Grayson brothers would keep her out of harm’s way. Strange, how she felt so protected being here.

  The front door opened before Joshua sauntered out. He didn’t notice her, but continued toward the porch railing before stopping. Leaning on the rail, he gazed across the acres of Grayson land toward the purple and red sunset.

  She should say something to him to make him aware of her presence, but then the quiet evening was too peaceful to interrupt. Not only that, she didn’t want to say anything that would make him irate. From what she could tell by his profile, he wasn’t upset at anything. Not yet, anyway.

  Continuing to stare, she hadn’t realized she relaxed again and had started swinging. Not until the chains squeaked. Joshua straightened and spun toward her. Silently, she scolded herself for not thinking.

  “I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I didn’t know anyone was out here.”

  She stopped swinging and sat up, folding her hands in her lap. “There’s no need to apologize. You didn’t disturb me. I should be the one apologizing for disturbing you. You appeared so peaceful a moment ago.”

  His shoulders relaxed and he stepped toward her. “I’ve always enjoyed watching the sunset.”

  “Wouldn’t you know, that’s exactly what I was doing.” She smiled. “Would you care to join me?” She pointed to the empty space next to her on the swing.

  “No, that’s all right.”

  “I won’t bite, Joshua.”

  Chuckling, he walked closer. “I know, but I just don’t feel like swinging.” He sat on the edge of the railing. “So tell me, what are sunsets like in Charleston?”

  She shrugged and leaned back again. “You know, it’s been so long, I’ve forgotten.”

  “What about in Iowa?”

  “They were all right, but just not the same. I had nobody to share them with.”

  “Weren’t you staying with your aunt?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t you have any cousins?”

  Bitterness gathered in her mouth just thinking about that cousin. “Yes, but not anyone close to me.” She moved her legs and started swinging again. “Joshua, can you answer a question for me?”

  “Sure.”

  “Well, I was thinking about the conversation at the table tonight and wondering why it was directed toward me?”

  He folded his arms across his wide chest. The pleasant expression from a moment ago disappeared. “Do you really want to know?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”

  “Earlier today my brothers and I were talking about the drive, and they were thinking about asking you to join us. I tried to talk them out of it.”

  “Really? Why would you want to do that?”

  “Because I don’t think you can handle riding with rugged cowboys on a dusty and grueling trip. I tried to reason with them by explaining that you aren’t used to our way of life, therefore you wouldn’t go. They thought differently.”

  “So you honestly don’t want me to go?” she asked.

  “It’s not that, Careen.” He moved away from the porch and stepped closer. “I don’t think you’re up to riding with us. You’ve been raised a lady and so would not want to get your hands dirty, so-to-speak.”

  He was right but it bothered her that he would say that. The tone in his voice wasn’t rude, yet something about his comment upset her.

  Stubbornly, she lifted her chin. “What if I want to go?”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Well, I’d think it would be my duty to try and talk you out of it.”

  Oooh, now he was really making her mad! “Don’t you believe I can do this? Don’t you think I would like to be given the chance?” She raised her voice as irritation built inside her.

  He straightened and planted his hands on his hips. “If you really want to know the truth, I don’t want to have to watch you the whole time. I don’t want a female slowing us down.”

  “Ah!” She jumped to her feet and stood right in front of him. Because he was so tall, she had to tilt her head to meet his eyes. “How dare you presume you’ll have to watch me like a child. I’ll have you know I can take care of myself.”

  Even though his eyes narrowed in anger, his mouth turned up in a smirk. “Oh, so you meant to smoke everyone out of the house this morning in attempt to burn the place down?”

  For the nerve! She hissed, and without thinking, brought up her hand to slap his face, but he was too quick and grabbed her wrist before she could hit her target.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said in a low voice.

  She would never react so violently, but with this man, all her good sense seemed to disappear like the last rays of the setting sun. “Then take back what you said.”

  “I will if you’ll admit you can’t take care of yourself.”

  “How dare you say that! Of course I can.”

  “Careen,” he warned, but didn’t say anymore.

  His words hurt like a knife in the chest, yet… Being this close stirred butterflies in her stomach. The longer he held her wrist, the more his expression softened. Even his gaze dropped to her mouth.

  Her throat dried quickly as if cotton from the old south grew there. Slowly her anger disappeared, and a different emotion filled her – one that she wished wouldn’t have invaded her very being. It was as if this she’d never realized how ruggedly handsome he was until now. And when had his deep blue eyes become so hypnotizing? The longer she stared, the quicker her heart hammered out of control.

  Oh good heavens! She recognized this emotion. She was…attracted to him! Under no circumstances could she let that happen.

  Inhaling deeply, she breathed in his scent of leather and spice. He smelled good, and she had the sudden urge to bury her nose in the curve of his neck and take in his scent.

  She dropped her attention to his mo
uth. Instead of the thin line of irritation she was used to seeing, his lips were relaxed and parted slightly. The improper thought of kissing him crept inside of her, awakening all of her senses.

  Unwanted memories of when he held and comforted her in Matthew’s room snuck upon her. Joshua was strong, and oh, so very masculine. Although she still seemed to upset him, at this moment, it didn’t matter. Images of her lips rubbing against his flashed through her mind, turning her insides to warm honey.

  Her body swayed toward his, but suddenly, his face hardened and he pushed away from her. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown on her face, chilling her completely. What in heavens name had she been thinking? Definitely something she must never think again!

  Joshua raked his finger through his hair and glanced down at his boots. “Careen, forgive me for saying what I did. If you want to go on the cattle drive, I won’t try to stop you. However, I strongly suggest you ask my mother to go with you. It isn’t good for a young widow, such as yourself, to be with single men that long without another woman present. Good night.”

  He turned quickly and slammed back into the house, leaving her standing in the shadows alone. Yet now she had the memory of his smile, his laugh, and his knee-melting scent to keep her company tonight. None of which were a blessing.

  Chapter Five

  Luther leaned against the telegraph office as he waited to hear from his contact. Eyes darted up and down the street as he scanned for anyone scrutinizing him as if he didn’t belong. He pulled the Stetson forward on his forehead, trying to hide his identity.

  Leaving Pierre had been tricky. Not only did he have to hide in the worst smelling spots imaginable, he had to walk around dressed like an every-day cowboy. Luckily, he fit well with the rest of the town. It didn’t take him long before he escaped that town and hurried as fast as he could to the next…and the next…and the next.

  He couldn’t remember all the names of the towns he passed through, but he’d been holed at Elm Springs for two days waiting to hear from his contact in Charleston. As soon as he received the telegraph, he’d leave on the next train out of this god-forsaken hole.

  He didn’t dare get his hopes up, only because lately nothing had been going according to his plans. Irritation grew inside him like a weed. This was unacceptable! Luther always got his way. He always made it happen. After all, he hadn’t become powerful by sitting by and waiting for others.

  Biding his time gnawed on his nerves. He balled his hands into fists. If he didn’t receive some good news soon, he’d have to release his frustration on something – or someone. His sneaky cousin needed to be caught and brought back to Iowa soon! He didn’t want anyone else. Careen had always been the woman he wanted, he wouldn’t settle for anything less.

  “Mr. Kennedy?”

  Luther jumped away from the wall and aimed his gaze on the man sitting behind the window. “Yes.”

  The balding clerk adjusted his string tie and held out a piece of paper. The small room he occupied hummed with the constant tick of the machine. “The telegraph you have been waiting for finally arrived.”

  Luther yanked the paper away. Finally! If he had to wait another day… No, he couldn’t think that way. He would not wait another day!

  Contact in Ireland is impatient. STOP Wants to finish deal soon. STOP Advise next course of action. STOP

  Anger throbbed in his head and moved throughout his body. He could not make the Ireland unhappy. But Luther needed to put him off, at the same time, ease his mind.

  Using his fingernail, he picked the food out of his teeth. If he could continue to dodge the posse who were looking for him, he’d get to Virginia City within a few days. Snatching her would be easy. He’d threaten to shoot another Grayson and his sweet cousin would come with him to save the Grayson’s lives. Time was of the essence, and as each day slipped by, so did the deal with the Ireland bloke.

  Crumbling the telegraph, he mentally mapped out his schedule. It would take four, maybe five days to get to Virginia City, no more than a day to find her, then less than two weeks before they could make it back to Iowa to be married. With any luck, he’d make it just in time.

  The men in Charleston would be livid to think Luther had waited this long, but there was no other choice. He needed money for the shipment from Ireland, and without Careen’s inheritance, Luther couldn’t purchase the supplies needed.

  He turned back to the man in the telegraph office, and leaned on the windowsill as he poked his head inside the shack-size structure.

  “Can I help you sir,” the man inside asked.

  “I need to send a message to Charleston, South Carolina,” he grumbled. His men needed to know Luther’s whereabouts before everything fell through.

  Trip delayed. STOP Will arrive in a couple of weeks. STOP Let Ireland know the delivery will continue as promised. STOP

  Luther grinned, rubbing his palms together. Within thirty days, everything would be in place. And if Careen didn’t obey him like a good wife, he’d see she was sent to heaven like her dearly departed Matthew Grayson.

  * * * *

  Joshua kicked his heels into the horse’s belly, urging the animal faster toward the church. The morning sun was awake as were the rest of his family who trailed behind in the wagon, but Joshua didn’t get a wink of sleep. Images of Careen filled his head every time he closed his eyes.

  Since the time on the porch, he’d not been able to focus. Try as he might, he couldn’t avoid that woman. If he wasn’t staring at her during the day, he dreamed about her when he closed his eyes at night.

  When Joshua and his brother were younger, Matthew’s eye was turned easily when a pretty girl walked by, but for some reason, those girls had only wanted to capture Joshua’s attention. He figured it was because he was the eldest, but whatever the reason, this had always caused arguments between the two brothers.

  It worried Joshua that when he’d spoken to Careen on the porch, he’d detected a different attitude about her. Even the way her gaze skimmed over him was different than it’d been before. He knew that certain gleam in a woman’s eyes when she was interested, and she had gazed that way at him for a brief moment – long enough to worry him. He didn’t want one of Matthew’s girlfriends. Joshua had never wanted them.

  Yet Careen wasn’t just another girl. She was Matthew’s bride…widow. Matthew wasn’t here to accuse Joshua of trying to steal his ladylove. And Joshua certainly couldn’t tell his brother he had no intention of wanting this one.

  Unfortunately, his brain wouldn’t work properly because he couldn’t stop thinking about how pretty she’d been that night on the porch. He enjoyed her stubborn banter about the cattle drive. And the way her gaze darkened when she studied his face made his heart soften. For the first time in a long time, he actually enjoyed the way a woman stared at him as if he were a piece of artwork. Heaven help me!

  Joshua glanced over his shoulder at the wagon. His father held the reins as his mother sat beside him talking, her happy face energized with a smile. In the back of the wagon, Careen sat with the twins. Jessica perched on her aunt’s lap while the three of them played a game of patty-cake. When Frances missed patting a hand, they laughed with merriment.

  Joshua’s daughters’ joyous voices brought a smile to his face. It’d been too long since he’d seen them like this. Frances leaned over and hugged Careen, then Jessica followed suit. The happiness on Careen’s face pulled at his heart. Then she laughed and started tickling the girls, which made them laugh harder.

  Confusion swam in his head. Was it wrong to blame Careen for enticing Matthew to meet her in South Dakota? Yet Joshua couldn’t help the way he felt. And no matter how much he wanted to dislike her, he found himself watching her too much…and smiling. Especially when she played with his daughters.

  He pushed his horse faster, reaching the church before the rest of the family, so he tied his horse and moseyed inside. Mrs. Baker played the expensive organ his family had helped buy. The beautiful music
rang through the church and brought peace to his heart.

  Joshua selected his normal pew and waited for the family. Slowly, other church members arrived, and he greeted them with a smile and polite nod. Laura Checketts, the mayor’s daughter who Joshua had known since school, arrived with another woman about her age. The stranger was quite lovely. Joshua knew he wouldn’t be the only single man wondering who this woman was in their midst.

  Laura saw him and smiled, then sashayed his way. For years, he’d known the girl was sweet on him, but he could never bring himself to have strong feelings for her. Several times during their adult years, he overheard her backbiting some of his friends – and some of her own. Joshua couldn’t tolerate vicious gossipmongers.

  “Good morning, Joshua. It’s so good to see you.” Laura smiled and her freckled cheeks bloomed with color.

  He rose to his feet. “Mornin’, Laura.” He switched his gaze to the woman beside the mayor’s daughter. Auburn ringlets hung from underneath her bonnet and bobbed when she moved. Her eyes were as green as Montana’s summer grass. “Who is your friend?” he asked.

  The sparkle in Laura’s eyes dimmed as her smile waned. “Um, this is Miss Natalie Jones.”

  Joshua put forth his right hand. “Nice to meet you, Miss Jones. What brings you to Virginia City?”

  “My father has recently purchased the Mercantile. We’re from the Great Falls area.”

  “Well, Ma’am, it’s a pleasure to have you here.” He poured on the sweetness. “Are your parents with you?”

  “No, unfortunately. They don’t attend church regularly.”

  “Sorry to hear that,” Joshua said.

  More people spilled in through the double doors of the building, his family amongst them. His daughters ran to him and clung to his side. “Miss Jones, these are my daughters, Jessica and Frances.”

  She smiled and bent to their level. “Nice to meet you.” She looked up at Joshua. “They’re absolutely adorable.”

  Chuckling, he nodded. “I happen to think so.”