Read Beverly Jenkins Online

Authors: Destiny's Surrender

Beverly Jenkins (11 page)

Chapter 12

B
illie sat in the grass and watched her son chase a butterfly. It didn’t matter to Tonio that his little legs were too short or that the butterfly had wings and could easily drift out of reach, he just seemed happy to be out of his mother’s arms and playing in the sunshine. Their unannounced arrival at the ranch was akin to a brigantine crashing into a dock for canoes, and the peripheral damage was still unfolding. Logan Yates hadn’t been pleased with her or his mother’s actions, but she had no idea where his wife, Mariah, stood. Billie was just glad Tonio was too young to understand the whirlwind swirling around his life.

When she saw Mariah coming towards her and carrying her daughter, Billie wondered what she wanted. She hoped it wasn’t payment for the dress she’d borrowed for the wedding. As she drew nearer there was a tentative smile on her face, but Billie kept her face impassive.

“I—thought since the babies are cousins—it’d be nice if they played together.”

“Your husband probably wouldn’t approve of that.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. I love him fiercely, but we don’t always agree. Do you mind if I sit with you a spell?”

Again, Billie wondered what she wanted, but gestured an invitation. “Have a seat.”

She set the baby on her feet and her daughter immediately toddled off to join Tonio. When she reached him the cousins simply stared at each other. “She doesn’t have anyone her age to play with,” Mariah explained as she joined Billie on the grass.

“He doesn’t either.”

They were both watching the children when Mariah remarked, “Alanza said they’re born on the same day.”

“Apparently.”

“That’s quite the coincidence.”

“Yes, it is.”

Billie surveyed Mariah’s fancy nut-brown traveling ensemble with the snow-white lace blouse underneath and asked, “Not trying to be rude, but why’d you come out here?”

She shrugged. “To try and get to know you I suppose.”

“Why?”

“My, you are the blunt one, aren’t you?”

Billie waited.

“We’re family—sisters-in-law. Just thought you might like to have a friend here. Alanza is obviously championing you and since she’s very dear to me . . .”

“You thought you’d come out and see why?”

“Frankly, yes.”

“At least you’re honest.”

“Too honest sometimes, according to Logan.”

Billie studied her for another long moment. “Women like you aren’t supposed to be friends with women like me, you are aware of that.”

“I am.”

A born skeptic, Billie wasn’t convinced the gold-eyed, elegantly dressed Mariah came out just to offer her hand in friendship. “Are you thinking I’m here taking advantage of Mrs. Yates?”

“Believe me, no one takes advantage of Alanza Maria Vallejo Yates, so the answer to that, my blunt sister-in-law, is no.”

Billie let a small smile curve her lips. “You’re a lot tougher than you look.”

“Thanks.”

“Why would you want to be friends with me? You must have friends of your own.”

“There’s nothing wrong with having more.”

“I’ve never had friends. All the girls I know are competition. Doesn’t pay to get close when we’re all going after the same prize—if you get my meaning.”

“I think I do.”

Billie rolled her eyes because she was sure Mariah had no idea of the competitiveness of whores.

“You’re all jockeying for customers, is that what you mean?”

That surprised her. “What do you know about that sort of thing?”

“Nothing really. Just a deduction.”

“Well, that’s pretty good.”

The children had discovered a small depression in the ground holding remnants of last night’s rainfall. They were happily slapping their hands in the hole and both were covered with splotches of the flying mud.

Billie said, “Maria’s getting pretty dirty.”

“It’s okay. She’s just about grown out of that dress anyway, and besides, I don’t mind the mud.”

Billie had trouble masking her skepticism.

“My mother used to beat me for getting my clothing dirty. When Maria was born I swore I’d let her get as dirty as she wanted as often as she wanted.”

Billie viewed her in a whole new light. It never occurred to her that the beautiful, fashionable woman had been raised by someone reminiscent of her own parent. “Where are you from?”

Little Maria was now smoothing mud on her cheeks as if it were a night cream. Tonio was doing the same. They looked like tiny little mud people.

“Philadelphia,” Mariah replied. “I came out here to be Logan’s housekeeper. We were married a week later.”

“You’re pulling my leg.”

“No. Seven days. Most overwhelming week of my life. His too, I might add.”

Billie chuckled. In spite of everything, she found herself warming to Mariah Yates. It was the first time she’d ever sat and talked with a
good
woman.

“So,” Mariah asked. “What’s it going to be? Shall we try and get to know each other?”

Billie eyed her. “You sure you’re going to be able to stand the heat? The kitchen may get very hot.”

“I have no idea, but I’ll never turn my back on you, or deny you’re my sister.”

No one had ever pledged such loyalty to her before. The honesty in Mariah’s tone made tears sting the corners of her eyes, but she silently cursed them back to their source. Taking in the woman beside her for a long silent moment, she finally stuck out her hand. The smiling Mariah latched onto it and they shook like businessmen. “Welcome to Destiny.”

“Thanks.”

“Now, let me find my husband and get Little Miss Mudling home and in a bath. We’ve been on trains for the past two days and I’m badly in need of a soak myself.”

A
fter Mariah’s departure, Billie gave Tonio a bath of his own and put him down for his nap. He fought her every step of the way but finally gave in and drifted off.

Downstairs, she went in search of Alanza.

“She’s out in the rose garden,” Bonnie told her, and gave her directions.

As she walked up, Alanza didn’t appear pleased.

“What’s the matter?” Billie asked.

“In my mother’s day, this whole area was alive with roses. There were pinks and whites and mauves, but for the past few years they haven’t bloomed.”

The wild overgrown tangle of brown canes and thorns appeared to be dead. Billie surveyed the carpet of small brown leaves littering the ground, then the large trees shading the area. “Do you have a gardener?”

“Some of the hands take care of the grounds but they don’t know anything about roses and, frankly, neither do I. I’ve been more concerned with the plants that add to my ledgers, like the orchards and vegetables.”

Billie bent to pick up some of the leaves. “For one, you have black spot.” She held out her hand so that Alanza could see the tiny black spots staining the leaves. “And secondly, all these trees are blocking the sun. Roses need lots of sunshine and lots of water.”

The utter surprise on her mother-in-law’s face made Billie smile. “I used to work at a place called Rose’s, owned by a woman named Rose. Guess what kind of flowers she grew.”

Alanza laughed.

Billie moved closer to the bare canes and began a slow visual inspection. “Rose taught a few of us girls how to tend them. I helped out in the beginning because it got me outdoors during the day and away from all the bickering and cattiness inside, then I came to really enjoy it.” She turned and asked, “Would it be okay if I tended yours?”

“Of course.”

Billie dusted her hands off on her dress. “Since I’m pretty sure you don’t want to cut down all the trees, the roses should be moved to a sunnier place. You might also think about getting new stock because of this black spot. Sometimes it gets into the soil.”

“You decide. They’re yours now. Move them, buy new plants, do whatever is needed. I simply want to bask in the beauty and fragrance. Oh, and I want to have the best-looking roses in the valley.”

Billie laughed. “You don’t ask for much do you?”

“Me? Never.”

Billie couldn’t wait to get started.

T
hat evening, after putting her son to bed, she sat out on her verandah and let the tension and weariness of the day slide away like the sun slipping beneath the horizon. For the first time in what felt like years, she was relaxed—relatively carefree as well, as long she didn’t count having to look over her shoulder for Prince DuChance, or being married to a man who’d given up a fairy princess so his son could have a name. But still, she felt good. There was a peace at the Destiny ranch she’d never experienced before. Were she still working at the Black Pearl she’d be getting dressed, making up her face, and pulling on her cheap stockings. Instead, she was sitting in the silence, thinking back on this new life she’d fallen into. That she’d found a way to be useful added to her peace. Tomorrow she planned to drive around to see if there were any wild roses growing on the property. Alanza assured her there were and Billie looked forward to turning Destiny’s roses into the best around. She’d also gained a sister-in-law. Mariah Yates. Billie had been expecting . . . she wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting. It certainly wasn’t a woman whose pledge of friendship still filled her with amazement and awe. Her brother-in-law Logan left much to be desired, but his wife . . . Billie could only shake her head at what a surprise Mariah turned out to be.

The late evening turned to dusk and dusk into night, and soon she was sitting beneath the stars. The moon peeped out, bringing with it a shooting star, but she didn’t make a wish. For once in her life she wasn’t holding the short end of the stick. There was no need to ask for more.

The next morning, while Tonio sat in the high chair making a mess of his breakfast of oatmeal, she and Alanza discussed the day’s agenda. Billie would be getting her first look at the storage barns to search out items needed to make her suite of rooms more comfortable, and then she’d go rose hunting.

Alanza brought her mind back to the furnishings. “There should be rugs and furniture you might wish to use, along with lamps.”

“And I can just take them?”

Alanza sighed in reply. “Yes, Billie. You’re a member of the family. Whatever the ranch has to offer is yours.”

Billie nodded.

“May I ask you something that I hope you won’t find offensive?”

“Sure.”

“What do you think you need to learn to be the new woman you want to become?”

Not offended in the least, Billie mulled over the question for a moment or two before replying, “I need to learn all the things a
good
woman needs to know, like how to run a household and set a proper table—what to do when guests come calling. I know Drew and I are at odds, but when we have to go out together I don’t want him to be shamed because my manners aren’t up to snuff or I said something wrong.”

“Mariah and I can help with that. Anything else come to mind?”

“I know I need to be able to read better, too. Drew used to help. When we first met, all I could do was write my name. He’d read me the newspapers and books, and didn’t seem to mind answering all my questions. I learned a lot from him.”

Alanza was watching her so intently, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Should I not have told you that?”

The question was waved away. “It’s okay. Hearing about your times with Drew is fascinating to me: the opera, and flowers and clothing. Now to learn he helped you with your reading? You did more together than many married couples.”

Billie shrugged. Having not met many married couples she didn’t know what they did.

“Drew’s been an avid reader all his life—much more so than his brothers. He has a very extensive library. I’m sure he won’t mind you borrowing from it.”

Billie didn’t know if Alanza was right, but she planned to at least look over the books when she had the chance. She doubted she’d ever be as poised or elegant as his fairy princess but was determined to be the best Billie she could be.

When Tonio placed the bowl on his head and the oatmeal began slowly trickling down his face, Billie shook her head and chuckled. She wiped him clean as best she could. “You are going to spend the rest of your life in a bathtub, little man.”

She was still mopping up when a man she’d not met before walked up.

“Morning, ladies.”

Alanza did the introductions. “Max Rudd, this is Drew’s wife, Billie, and their son, Antonio.”

Billie took Tonio from the high chair and put him in her lap. “Nice to meet you.”

Max leaned down to greet Tonio. “Hey there, fella.”

Tonio immediately threw his arms up, and a smiling Max picked him up. The baby began discussing lord knew what, complete with hand gestures. Max laughed. “You’re not real shy, are you?”

While this was going on, Billie watched Alanza’s face and noted she only had eyes for Max. Were the two lovers? she wondered.

Max handed Tonio back. “Welcome to Destiny, Billie.”

“Thanks.”

“And since you’re now family, you may as well know that I’m trying to get your hardheaded mother-in-law to marry me, so any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.”

“Max!”

Billie was so surprised she wasn’t sure if she should respond or not.

“Don’t pay him a bit of attention,” Alanza scolded.

The mischief in his eyes showed Billie how much he was enjoying vexing Alanza and there was genuine affection in them as well. She made a note to talk to Mariah about this because she wanted to know if he was serious about his suit or just pulling her leg.

Alanza asked him, “Did you come by for a reason or just to bedevil me?”

“Came to see if you wanted to go riding with me.”

“Yes, I do, if only so I can box your ears.”

“You’re on,” he replied.

Billie stood. “I’m going to take him in and clean him up.” She took the towel and wiped at the oatmeal stains on Max’s chest. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. Looking forward to watching him grow up.”

His kindness earned him a smile.

Alanza said, “Billie, we’ll look in the barns when I return.”

Billie nodded and went inside.

Alanza eyed the man who wanted to be her
novio.
“It wasn’t necessary to tell her that, you know?”

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