Authors: Teresa Greene
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Nick and Abby were in the barn feeding the animals when Cord opened the huge door and entered. As soon as Pepper saw him, he began stomping his hooves and shaking his head. “Have you missed me, boy?” Taking the curry comb, Cord began to rub his coat. “You have taken good care of him, Abby. He looks great.”
Not bothering to an
swer, Abby pretended she didn’t hear him. He glanced at her beautiful face, and she quickly averted her eyes. Without a doubt she was remembering how they almost made love in the garden.
Her cheeks, red as a beet Abby hurried to the barn door. “I still have dishes to wash. I’ll see you at the house, Nick.” She didn’t even bother telling him goodnight. Not wanting Nick to become suspicious, he returned his attention to Pepper.
Ambling toward Cord, Nick asked, “What did you do to upset Abby?”
The curry comb stopped in mid-air for a second before he continued to brush Pepper. “What makes you think I have done something to Abby?”
“You and Abby didn’t say two words to each other tonight. You usually compliment her on the wonderful meal she prepares each night. You sat there sullen moving your food around on your plate as if you have lost your best friend. I tried to draw you both into conversation. I demand to know what is going on.”
Cord ran his fingers through his hair. “Nothing is going on.”
“Don’t act all innocent with me. I see the way you look at Abby. She is not one of the saloon girls that you can dally with. My sister is a lady, and you will treat her like one.”
Cord knew he needed to choose his words carefully. It would be easy to deny his feelings for Abby, but he knew Nick would see through his lies. He would protect Abby at any cost. “I have to admit I am attracted to Abby. She is a wonderful woman. I promise the moment I am strong enough, I am out of here. Your sister’s virtue is safe.”
“We owe you a lot, Cord. You saved our lives. However, Abby is promised to another and I would hate for you to ruin her chances at a good marriage.”
Cord’s eyes bore into Nick. “Abby has not mentioned she is to get married. Who is the lucky man?”
“Andrew Matthews. His father owns the land that joins ours. They would have already been married, but Abby asked for a year to mourn our mother.”
Surely, Abby didn’t
have strong feelings for her intended because she had not mentioned him once. Thoughts of Abby marrying a man she did not love tore at his heart strings. A woman like her deserved love.
Chapter Four
Cord needed to talk to Abby. He tossed and turned trying to go to sleep, but finally gave in and slipped out of bed. The house was quiet as he tiptoed to her room. Afraid Jacob or Nick would hear him if he knocked, he slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open to her room. Standing in the middle of the room stark naked, Abby was bathing. A pan of water sat on the bureau. Cord held his breath as she wrung the water out of the cloth and moved it across her breasts. The lantern turned low, gave off enough light to make her look almost angelic. Her hair piled loosely on top of head made her look even more seductive. Transfixed on the beauty before him, he became thick and hard with a need to have her. Her breasts so bountiful, her waist so narrow, and the roundest derriere he had ever beheld. Magnificent was the way he would describe her. Mesmerized as the cloth inched toward the juncture between her legs, he didn’t know she was looking at him. He noticed she was no longer bathing so he peered into her face. Their eyes locked for what seemed an eternity before Cord slowly backed out and went back to his room.
Now Cord knew he would not be able to sleep. Abby was too much of a temptation. He closed his eyes and he could see her luscious body in his mind. He didn’t have time for these feelings he was having for a woman promised to another man. All he could think about was the beauty marrying ano
ther. A man with whom she would sleep each night, to whom she would bear children, and to whom she would give her heart and soul.
His strength increased each day. H
e would be leaving in a few days, leaving to track down Bart Langley. He could not afford to let Abby come between him and the revenge he had pursued for so long.
****
Abby’s bottom lip trembled. Cord had her so confused she did not know what he expected from her. It was evident the man was attracted to her. If he would not have stopped her that morning, she would have made love to him in the middle of her spring garden. Her father would skin her alive if he knew she had been rolling around on the ground with a man that only felt lust for her. God would strike her down for acting like a whore.
Did Cord not know if he took her virginity he would have to marry her? Surely, he would not sleep with her, and then go about his life as if nothing happened between them. Tomorrow she would tell him if his intentions were not honorable, he would have to keep his distance from her.
****
Voices woke Cord. It was morning before he dozed off to sleep and now it must be noon, because the sun streamed brightly through the open window. Dressing quickly, he entered the kitchen to find visitors sitting at the table eating lunch. Jacob stood when he saw Cord.
“Cord, this is Jonah Matthews and his son Andrew.” Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best so they must have come from church.
Jonah shook hands with Cord. “Jacob has told us how you saved them from the evil killers. They were lucky to have taken you in.” Several inches shorter than Cord, but husky, Jonah smiled. Immediately, he knew Jonah disliked him as much as Jac
ob did. Neither man knew anything about him, but had decided he was no more than a sinner because he carried a gun.
“I was only repaying their kindness since they also saved me. I would have bled to death by the side of the road if not for them.”
When Andrew stood, Cord shook his hand. A man of average height and weight with mousy brown hair, he was thin for a farmer. Most were muscular from the hard work of running a farm. His hands didn’t have the calluses like Nick’s and Jacob’s, or even Abby’s for that matter. They almost seemed soft like a woman’s hands.
“Nice to meet you.” Cord saw the jealousy in his eyes. Andrew did not like the fact he was under the same roof with his intended. Not that he blamed him. If Abby was his intended, he would not want her spending time with another man.
Abby stood to get him a plate. “I’ll get it, Abby. You visit with your friends.”
Color faded from her cheeks, and Cord knew she was remembering last night when he saw her naked. He sat at the end of the table as far from Abby as he could. He
knew she was nervous and didn’t need to add to her discomfort.
The moment Cord took his seat Jonah confronted Jacob with the real reason for their visit. “Now that Abigail’s year of mourning is over, Andrew is anxious to plan their wedding. We were thinking after the fall harvest we could celebrate with the joining of the two families.”
Why didn’t Andrew speak for himself? It was obvious he had feelings for Abby because he had not taken his eyes off her. Is the man not bold enough to ask for the woman he loves? Peering at her, Cord could tell she was a jumble of nerves. She was pale as a sheet and trembling.
“I don’t see why not. Nick is courting Amy Collins and will probably ask for her hand in marriage shortly. Amy can step in and take over Abby’s chores. Without Martha we will need a woman’s touch around here.”
Shocked, Cord glared at Jacob. Did the man only think of Abby as someone to do the cooking, cleaning, and gardening? She was his daughter. He was talking as if she were a piece of livestock.
Cord looked at Nick. Not once had he heard Nick speak of Amy. Their father was making a lot of plans for the two of them. It was doubtful he even asked Abby if she wanted to marry Andrew. Obviously, everything had been planned for her. Abby’s eyes locked with his. He saw the pain and humiliation on her face.
Her cheeks flushed, she whispered softly, “Please excuse me.” All eyes were on Abby as she ran from the room.
Pure rage showed on Andrew’s face. If the man had a weapon, Cord knew he would be dead. Andrew feared he would steal his betrothed from him. Surely, the man knew he would be leaving soon. Of course he shouldn’t care who Abby married. But there was something about Andrew that seemed unworthy of the woman he had greatly come to admire. He had always prided himself as a good judge of character, and felt Andrew was a sniveling, weakling.
****
Cord handed his pistol to Nick. Several cans sat on the fence post as Nick tried to pick them off one by one. After he missed the first two, Cord instructed, “Squeeze the trigger, Nick. Don’t jerk.”
Both men swung toward Jacob’s angry voice. “I thought I told you to keep those guns in the bureau while you were under my roof.”
Nick’s fingers tightened around the handle of the pistol until they turned white. “Father, I asked Cord to teach me to shoot. I felt helpless the other night, unable to defend Abby when those men attacked her. I am going to buy a gun so we can at least fend for ourselves if evil shows up again.”
“The old musket over the fireplace will suffice for hunting. We have no other reason to have a gun. Guns are the devil’s tools. I will not have one in my house. God will protect us.” Jacob’s voice grew with his temper.
Cord could not tolerate Jacob’s attitude any longer. He had refrained from speaking his mind because he was a guest in the man’s home. But the man’s overbearing ways grated on his last nerve. “Like he protected the family in Dobson! God kills true believers and kind souls everyday. Sometimes we have to take evil on ourselves.”
“God saved us.”
Infuriated, Cord spat, “I saved you with the help of this six shooter.” Cord jerked the pistol away from Nick and held it in the air. “You would have let those men rape Abby. You would have done nothing to save her. At least Nick would have died trying to protect her.”
Jacob put his fist into the air and shook it as he sputtered with outrage, “God decides who lives or dies. If it had been God’s will, we would have died that night. God allowed you to save us.”
Nick stepped between his father and Cord. “Enough! Go back in the house, Father. I have made up my mind. I will not feel that defenseless again.”
Cord saw the shock on Jacob’s face. It was obvious Nick had never defied his father.
After Jacob stomped away, Cord
faced Nick. “Just because you have a gun in your hand does not mean you should not fear danger. I was scared to death when I killed those men. You think because I wear these six shooters, it is something I do with ease. It is not easy to take a life.” Cord loaded the empty pistol and handed it to Nick. “The only reason I am teaching you to shoot is to protect yourself and your family.” He wanted to say to protect Abby. That was the real reason he chose to help Nick learn to shoot. After he left, what would happen to Abby? As long as she was with Nick she would be safe.
But then she would not always be here with Nick. Thoughts of her marrying Andrew and moving in with him caused a terrible pain in his gut. He had to keep telling himself it was none of his business. Abby was a grown woman and could make her own decisions. It caused him even more anguish knowing she would do exactly what her father asked of her. Not once had he heard her defy her father. No matter what he asked of her, she complied. Her devotion to her father and Nick was strong. Yes, she would marry Andrew and be miserable the rest of her life.
****
Needing to stay away from Abby, Cord rode Pepper out to the field to watch Jacob and Nick plow. Their plow was so primitive it took many hours to break the dirt up for planting. The old Belgian strained under the grueling task while Nick held to the wood handles keeping the plow in the ground. Sweat poured from his face as he struggled with the reins wrapped around his back. Jacob followed behind Nick as he picked up several large rocks and carried them to the end of the field. There were better, more modern tools to make their lives easier. It was a shame they could not afford more up to date farm equipment.
Pain shot through his chest when he dismounted. Even after ten days, he was still having a lot of discomfort. Determined to leave in another week, he was a long way from recovery. Slowly, Cord moved to a crop of trees near the bank of the creek and sat down in the shade.
The Henley’s owned a beautiful
farm. The creek wove itself around making water accessible throughout most of the one hundred acres. Cord stretched out on the soft grass and listened to the water run over the rocks. It was a peaceful scene. Exhausted from the short ride, he closed his eyes and almost dozed off to sleep.
In the distance he heard a horse approaching. Struggling to sit, Cord squinted because of the bright sun at the rider’s back. It was Abby astride the other old Belgian, Jess. As the horse lumbered closer, Cord could not take his eyes off Abby because all her wild chestnut curls had
come loose from her bun and were blowing in the wind. He got a good view of her calves and ankles before she dismounted and shook out her dress. He felt an uncomfortable feeling of lust and longing when she gave him a dazzling smile.
“Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving.” Cord rose, took the basket from her, and placed it under the tree he had been relaxing beneath. Without saying a word, she handed him the quilt she brought with her and he helped her spread it over the soft green grass. Wonderful smells wafted around him as she began to unpack the basket. “Something smells good, Abby.”
“Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and biscuits.”
The aroma caused his stomach to growl loudly. “I believe your fried chicken is my favorite of all the meals you have prepared since my arrival.”
“Thank you, Cord.” Abby brushed a wisp of hair back from her face with one graceful motion. It would feel wonderful to rake his fingers through her hair. Full and thick it cascaded around her shoulders and back. A fat curl lay across her breast and he wanted to touch it to see if it felt like silk. This was the way he would remember her; sitting under the tree, sun shining on her gorgeous russet hair. Her smile so beautiful it made his heart flutter.
****
Jacob and Nick joined them and they had a pleasant picnic under the shade of the trees. Abby listened as the conversation turned toward farming. She stretched out on the quilt and let her gaze wander over Cord. He did have a way of making her feel special; always quick with a compliment or a helping hand. She began to daydream what it would be like if he settled down and helped her father and Nick on the farm. It would be wonderful to wake every morning to a man like Cord, a man that could steal her breath away. She would love to prepare his meals, to have his children; children with dark hair and eyes. She fantasized what it would be like to make love with him each night. Would he give up his guns and be happy with a quiet life with her?
Depression settled over Abby. He had only been here a little over a week, but she had come to enjoy his company so much. It would leave a void in her life when he decided to leave, and leave he would. She fantasized about him staying. Reality struck her with enough force as if someone slapped her in the face. Cord would never stay with someone as boring and plain as she. It was impossible. Nothing could ever develop between a man like him and an insignificant farm girl. Still she could enjoy the last few days she had with him.
Nick helped Abby mount Jess to ride back to the house. “Wait
, Abby, and I’ll ride back with you.” When Cord swung into the saddle, Abby saw the pain on his face. He shouldn’t be riding when he wasn’t completely healed.
Reining Pepper next to Jess, Cord stared at Abby’s shapely calves.
“You better watch where you are going. The road is full of potholes.”
Cord laughed. “I’m sorry. You must think I am a scoundrel. I can’t keep my eyes from all your beauty.”