Compromised Cowgirl (26 page)

“As soon as I get Beth home, I’ll take care of it.”

Trace met Ace’s steady gaze. They were the same age, almost the same size, and wanted Jessie to be happy.

“I did what I thought was best. I hope she can forgive me.”

“Water under the bridge. Getting her horse back will make a big difference.”

“Should I be jealous?” Ace cracked a bit of a smile.

“What’s the harm in her riding her mare? Once she’s carrying your child she won’t be able to ride. Let her have some fun.” Trace motioned to Baldy to bring whiskey to Ace. “Anything you need, let us know. We’re family.”

“I need Jessie back, but that’s my problem to solve.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Trace and Beth had heard Fin’s news and instantly dismissed it. Anyone who believed Jessie would marry Fin MacDougal had spent too much time at the bottom of a bottle. But, just in case Fin grabbed her and hauled her in front of a priest, they wanted her safe on Elliott land.

Jessie, riding between Beth and Trace, felt surrounded by love. They stopped by the Double Diamond so Jessie could change. She scrambled out of her work clothes, washed quickly, and changed into the blouse and divided dress, pantalettes, drawers, and bonnet Amelia had given her. The blouse wouldn’t have fit without the corset to hold her chest in, and the skirt was a bit long, but it would do. She climbed back into the wagon and settled beside Beth.

Fin’s threat made her think again about what marriage to the Double Diamond meant. She wouldn’t have to fear for her life, but she’d have a lifetime of drudgery. Cooking, cleaning, mending, making butter, growing vegetables, putting them up for the winter... She got exhausted thinking about it.

Put her on a horse in the heat of summer, snow of winter, or rain the other two seasons, and she was happy. Well, not necessarily happy, but at least fulfilled. Doing what she was good at, what filled her heart. She couldn’t live like Sunbird, quietly meeting the needs of everyone but herself. Sunbird’s husband and sons listened to her as much as they did the shadows on the walls.

She wasn’t Sunbird, and Ace wasn’t The MacDougal. When he stormed at her that morning, she’d forgotten it in her panic. Ace wouldn’t beat her. Fin would.

But what did Ace mean about punishing her? MacDougals used fists, belts, and boots. She’d have to ask Amelia and Beth what their husbands did. She couldn’t imagine Trace, Ross, or the others hitting a woman, or a child.

She, on the other hand, could retaliate physically. She could flay Ace alive or fill him like a pincushion from ten paces with her knives. She could trample him to death with her horse. No, she couldn’t use Nightwind to hurt him. It might upset her baby girl. And her baby girl might already be growing a colt. If her mare had one from Emperor, and she was Ace’s widow, she would own both animals. She smiled in satisfaction.

Poison would also work on Ace, and she was also a very good shot, with both pistol and rifle. And then there was roping. She could catch him outside and tie him up somewhere. Maybe to a post in the barn. She’d cut off his clothing and do whatever she wanted with him.

Amelia met them in the yard, smiling widely. Trace dropped the women off and continued on his way, saying he had chores to do but would be back later.

“Too bad Auntie took Daniel to the forest. He loves meeting new relatives, now that he’s a MacDougal. Hope will sleep for another few hours, so it’s just us,” said Amelia. She smiled at Jessie. “You’re wearing the riding dress I gave you.”

“It’s lovely, but I hate dresses and bonnets,” declared Jessie. “I’d rather wear pants and a brimmed hat. But Ace says I have to act as a ‘proper’ wife, or he’ll punish me.”

“Ross says Ace is a stubborn fool to try and turn a hawk into a pigeon.”

Jessie stood a little straighter. “He called me a hawk?”

Amelia nodded. “I forget what type.”

A warm feeling cracked a bit of the ice around Jessie’s heart. “Ross is one of my favorite brothers. He taught me all I know about knives.” She frowned. “I’ll need a couple small throwing knives that I can strap to my thigh under my dress. The ones I have are for outside.”

“You’ll have to teach us how to do that,” said Beth. “Ross won’t.”

“And in return, tell Patsy to put it on my tab,” said Amelia. “I brought lots of dresses that are no use to me, so I sell them to Patsy. You, me, and Beth can buy anything we like and our men don’t need to know.”

“I have money,” said Jessie with a shrug. “Loads of it. But it’s staying in a certain bank back East. My husband isn’t getting a penny of it.”

Beth and Amelia looked at each other, then away.

“I pulled out a few dresses from my trunks in the bunkhouse,” said Amelia brightly. “I thought one of them might suit you for a wedding dress. Shall we go see?”

Though Jessie hated the thought of spending time on something so trivial, Amelia and Beth looked so eager she couldn’t say no. After all, what else did Jessie have to do? She’d let her sisters-in-law figure out the wedding details. Right now she felt like wearing a black sack as a wedding dress.

After Jessie tried on far too many dresses as the other two women told her to turn around and lift up her arms, Amelia finally led them into the house. Jessie stopped to look at a colored picture of mountains hanging on the wall. She peered closer.

“That’s one of my sister’s quilt pictures,” said Amelia. “She wasn’t strong enough to make big quilts, so she pieced together pictures.”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” said Jessie. “It’s beautiful.”

“Amelia’s also an artist,” said Beth. “Wait until you see the beautiful pencil drawing she made of Trace holding James.”

“I just sketch,” said Amelia. “So, did you order that lamp you wanted?” asked Amelia as they entered the kitchen. Beth nodded, eyes shining. “What punishment did it cost you this time?”

“Two days without clothes, a batch of apple fritters, and a spanking.”

“Spanking?” Jessie squeaked the word. “You’ll let my brother
spank
you?”

Beth nodded with a wide smile. “And then I let him make it all better.” She and Amelia exchanged winks. Both laughed.

“You don’t wear clothes for two whole days?”

“I wear an apron when I’m cooking, of course, and cover myself when necessary so I don’t get injured. But the rest of the time, nothing but boots and a hat.”

“Outside?”

“Mmm,” sighed Beth. “I remember that first time, the morning after our wedding.”

Jessie looked from one sister-in-law to the other. Both had dreamy looks on their faces. Both rubbed their swelling bellies. Jessie wanted to look like that, but it wouldn’t happen with Ace. Sin, certainly, and maybe Henry, but not the man who would be her legal husband.

No, Ace would punish her far worse. The way he’d looked that morning, and again in the sheriff’s office, she’d be living almost the same way as in
Texas
. No, Ace would never be as bad as Fin, and she had the protection of her brothers here. Some protection, forcing her to do something she’d sworn would never happen!

What was the worst Ace could do to her? She sat straighter. If he hurt her, the Elliotts and MacDougals would hurt him worse. He’d watched her cut the bull calves, turning them into steers with the flick of a wrist. A husband’s balls wouldn’t be much different, and Ace knew it.

“I’m going to get Nightwind,” said Jessie, “and I don’t care what happens. After all, anything Ace does to me will set my brothers after him.”

“He could spank you,” said Beth and Amelia together. They looked at each other and laughed.

“I don’t understand why you think it’s funny.”

Amelia sobered. She walked over and put her arm around Jessie.

“Do you know why Ace is behaving like this? I don’t know how things are done in
England
, but I remember my father. He believed if he wasn’t in total control of his wife and daughters, he wouldn’t be respected. Without respect, he couldn’t do business.”

“How can I respect Ace when he can’t do
half
the things I can? He can’t rope as well, or push cattle, or—”

“Can he make you scream his name when you come? Is he working hard to learn more, to take care of you and your family?”

“Well, yes, but—” Jessie jumped when the kitchen door opened. She thought it was Ace, tracking her down again, but it was Trace. She hadn’t heard the rattle of the wagon. Had he listened through the open window?

“Give Ace a chance, Jessie,” Trace said, confirming her worry that he’d heard. He caught Beth and gave her a quick kiss. He massaged her bottom with his hand. She waggled it against his hand, encouraging him.

“Ace chose to leave everyone but two friends behind and come to this new land,” said Trace. “But he brought his past with him. Just like you did.”

“What do you mean?” Jessie bristled at his accusatory look.

“You are neither Louisa nor Sunbird. You are Jessamine Bonham Elliott, soon to be Langford. And right now you are making everyone miserable.”

“Me! He’s the one who—”

“Who’s trying to be the best husband he knows how.”

“By making me marry him just because we got naked, or to get my horse back? He wants to keep me like Sunbird!”

Trace crouched on his haunches beside her. He stared her in the face. She hadn’t been this close to him since she left for
Texas
. Before he was roped and dragged, his beautiful voice broken. Before Beth. But he was still her oldest brother, the one who stayed behind and kept Simon and Jack alive when the rest of them were forced to leave with the MacDougals.

“Where Ace comes from, if a wife speaks back to her husband in public, he would beat her to make sure he had the respect of other men. Ace doesn’t want to hurt you, but he also needs the ranch to work. He thought making you obey him will protect you from him having to beat you.”

“What?” gasped Beth.

“That’s ridiculous!” said Jessie.

“Is it?” Trace raised an eyebrow. “What if you married Finan MacDougal and you even thought of saying no to him?”

Chills raced through her body. She gulped. “He’d kill me,” she whispered.

“Not until he and Hugh got tired of raping and beating you.”

“Oh, my Godfathers!” cried Amelia. She staggered. Trace quickly stood, catching her before she fell. She rested a hand on her belly. “Unless I have a son before their father dies, Finan will own our ranch!” cried Amelia. “And if he’d do that to you—”

“Shh,” soothed Trace. “No way that son of a bitch is throwing you off your land. With the Double Diamond in the family, once Ben gets here, there’ll be twelve of us to stop him. Ben’s a lawyer now, so maybe he counts double.” He patted her hand. “That makes at least fifteen good men if the Circle C helps out, and I expect they will. Add the other ranches, Miss Lily,
Rosa
, Sophia McLeod, and Frank Chambers…” Trace cracked a smile at Amelia. “If we need more, there’s lots of other single men who’ll do dang near anything for your and Beth’s home cooking. And speaking of cooking, someone owes me some apple fritters.” He turned his head toward Beth

“I haven’t forgotten,” she said, rolling her eyes at Trace.

Trace made sure Amelia was settled. He turned back to Jessie. “Come here, Punkin.” He hauled her into his arms and hugged her like a bear. She clung to him as if she was still a child, eager for her big brother’s love.

“Give the man another chance, Jess. He thought he was protecting you the only way he knew how. I had a talk with him and explained a few things.”

“I’ll give him twenty-four hours,” she said. She knew she pouted, but she didn’t care. “After that, I’m coming for Nightwind.”

Trace set her on her feet. He curled his finger to her and pointed out the window. She remembered that look from long, long ago. Christmas morning and there was a present under the tree for her.

“What is it?”

“I guess this is Ace’s first apology. He says she’s all yours. And her foal.”

Jessie looked out the window. A regal black horse, white star between her ears, waited in the yard.

“Nightwind?”

The horse pricked her ears. She tossed her head, knowing the voice. Jessie left everything behind and ran out the house.

“Nightwind! Oh, my baby girl!”

She threw her arms around the glossy black neck, tears flowing. The horse nudged her shoulder, making her laugh. Jessie stuck her left foot into the stirrup and landed in the saddle. Not bothering to shorten the stirrups, she pressed her knees. The two of them raced away.

“That horse means a lot to Jessie,” said Beth, watching them ride as one.

“Ranger says Nightwind is the only thing that kept Jessie sane. She helped birth the colt and fought to keep it alive the first night. The MacDougal let her keep it because the colt was a runt, and he thought she’d die. Jessie hid her away so he wouldn’t know any different. She raised Nightwind, spending a part of every day with her. When she was forced to go to
Virginia
, she gave her to Ranger. I think that, deep down, Jessie thinks that horse is the only one who really loves her.”