Prairie Wife (22 page)

"No, he's not dead. But he's out cold. What did you give
him?"

Relieved, she retained her place of comfort in his embrace and
raised her head to look at her father. "I found that bottle of medicine we
used to give Mama. I poured the rest of it into his food."

Sam stepped toward them and Amy moved to give him a hug.
"That was mighty quick thinkin', daughter."

Then she returned to Jesse's embrace, and he held her protectively
against his side.

She gave Sam a weary smile and glanced around at the shambles of
his home. "Sorry about your house, Daddy."

He nudged a tin funnel with the toe of his boot. "Place
needed sprucin' up a bit anyhow." His gaze rose to hers. "If you'd
have been hurt, it woulda been my fault. I brought that appallin' woman
here."

"I won't tell you again, it's not your fault." She
remembered George Gray's motive. "Did you see the jewelry?"

Jesse pulled the velvet pouch from his pocket. "Must be worth
a fortune."

He opened the bag to show her the gems.

Amy picked up an earring and held it so the facets glittered in
the late afternoon light. "Where would somebody wear a thing this
fancy?"

Jesse held the other one up to her lobe. "On her ear."

She smiled at his teasing reply and put the one she held back in
his palm. "What's going to happen now?"

"Deezer, Pitch and Hermie are seein' that Gray gets locked up
in Liscom's root cellar behind the mercantile until the marshal arrives.
They'll send a wire to that Price fellow while they're there. I'll lock these
up 'til someone comes for them."

"How did you know to come out here to look for us?"

"Deezer saw the broken jars inside the door." Jesse
dropped the gems back in the bag, drew it shut and tucked it inside his jacket.
"Your coat was gone, but not Rachel's. Sam found Mrs. Barnes tied up
behind the shed."

"Oh no! Is she hurt?"

"She has a lump on her noggin and a whopping headache,"
her father replied. "But she's fine. She'll be worried sick about the two
of you by the time we get back, though."

"What about Biscuit?"

"He was with Cay as usual," Sam replied.

"Pitch told us you'd taken a wagon," Jesse continued.
"And the tracks heading toward Sam's were the freshest."

"Rachel would like to see you," Jack said from behind
them. "You men are welcome to come see the baby."

Jesse and Sam doffed their hats and followed Amy to stand at the
foot of the bed. Rachel lay propped on the pillows, looking tired but happy.
The baby lay sleeping in her arms. Amy deliberately didn't look at the child.

Tears glistened in Rachel's eyes before she spoke. "You're
the bravest woman I know, Amy Shelby."

"You're very brave, too."

"You didn't fall apart or cry or lose your head. I'll never
be able to repay you for staying and helping me." Rachel glanced at Jack,
then at the other men. "There were several times she could have escaped
alone, but she didn't—once, when Deezer was right outside this window, and she
spoke to him. But she stayed for me."

Jack's eyes glistened, too. "Thank you, Miz Shelby."

"No more fussing about it—I did what needed to be done."

As she always does,
Jesse thought. He observed
his wife's obvious discomfort with their thanks. From the moment Deezer had run
from the house to alert him of the broken jars and the missing women, Jesse had
been distressed over what his wife was going through, worried that she was
afraid or that she'd be harmed.

She had been a bulwark of strength and courage, however,
quick-witted enough to talk with her father as he hid behind the well, clever
enough to keep Rachel and herself safe, and bold enough to drug their captor,
aiding their release.

Jesse felt inept and helpless in the face of all she'd done. He'd
been frustrated and angry, hiding in the yard, unable to risk shooting or
storming the house for fear of risking the women's safety. He was glad to be able
to handle matters now.

"Can Rachel travel, or should she stay here?"

Amy looked at her young friend. "I think as long as she's
carried and we make a bed for her in the wagon, she'll be fine. We'll send for
Leda to come look over the two of them." She moved around to the side of
the bed. "Rachel, let's get you home."

***

There wasn't much left of the day, but Jesse stuck close to Amy
for the remaining hours. He drove the wagon with her seated at his side and the
Douglases in the bed. He stood nearby as she greeted the hands and heard their
mumbled words in response to their pleasure in seeing her safe.

Cay came forward hesitantly, stepping from the edge of the
gathering of men who were returning one by one back to their chores. The boy
wore an uncertain expression, his blue eyes filled with apprehension. Jesse
hadn't allowed him to accompany them to Sam's. Cay hadn't challenged his
decision, but he'd clearly been unhappy.

By the way his throat was working, Cay wanted to say something
that refused to come out. Finally, he cleared his voice and spoke. "I had
to stay here in case a stage came."

"That's a big responsibility," Amy told him. "Did a
stage arrive?"

He nodded, and glanced at Jesse as he explained. "Driver was
Pearly, so he helped me with the fresh team. He did grumble a might about no
hot meal."

Amy smiled. "Now, that's a man for you. I'm toted off as a
hostage and he's thinking about his belly."

Cay didn't share her amusement. He looked aside in embarrassment.
"I'm, uh, I sure am glad you're back, Amy."

"Me, too, buddy."

The boy looked so forlorn and lost that Jesse nearly shoved him
toward Amy, but the day's astounding events hadn't ended yet. Amy took a step
forward, arms outstretched, and Cay moved right into her embrace to press his
cheek against her breast.

Amy's hand trembled as she smoothed Cay's sandy hair and held him
close. She pressed her cheek to the top of his head. Seeing the two of them
like that brought a lump to Jesse's throat and he glanced away.

"Thanks for helping Jesse today," she said softly.

Cay pulled away and glanced around selfconsciously, wiping his
nose on his shirtsleeve.

Amy ruffled his hair. "Why don't you join us inside after we
get Mrs. Douglas settled?"

In the soddy, Jesse started a fire in the fireplace. Jack carried in
his wife and baby and placed them on the bed.

After making sure Rachel was comfortable, Amy said, "I'll be
back to check on you later. Send Jack for me if you need anything."

At their place, Jesse watched Elthea Barnes grab Amy and hug her
soundly, then step back to wipe tears from her eyes. "Why aren't you home
resting?" Amy asked.

"They tried to get me to go, but I had to see you home safe
first." Sam stayed in the kitchen as though he, too, didn't want to get
far away. Cay joined them as well. It was obvious that everyone had been
terrified for Amy's safety and was relieved to have her back in their midst.

"It's late." Amy looked to Mrs. Barnes. "Have the
other men eaten?"

"You're not to worry about feeding us," Jesse said,
going into the other room and returning with the rocker. "Sit and rest
while Sam and I put somethin' together. After supper, I'll ready a bath for
you."

Either she knew better than to object or she'd been more shaken
than she let on, because Amy seated herself in the chair and eased back.
"What happened to you this morning, Mrs. Barnes?"

The woman explained that she'd been struck over the head while
dumping ashes behind the shed, and had come to gagged, with her feet and hands
bound. The poor woman had lain there for hours until Sam discovered her.

"I hope you rested this afternoon," Amy told her.

"Much as I could, what with knowing you and Rachel and that
precious baby were in danger."

Sam asked his daughter several questions about what had happened.
Jesse worked and simply listened to her replies. Sometime later, when he looked
over, Amy's eyes were closed.

"Here, darlin'." Holding a plate, Jesse knelt before
her.

Her eyes fluttered open. "I'm not very hungry."

"You need to eat anyway. Try a little something."

The roast Amy had started that morning had cooked down to scraps.
He had fried potatoes to go with it, and Sam had opened jars of green beans.
Amy ate more than he had hoped she would, and drank a glass of milk besides.

"Did you save the drippings?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Good. I'll make gravy for flapjacks in the morning."

"Or you can stay in bed and be pampered for a day or
so."

"Jesse, I'm not sick."

"And I don't want you to be." The thought of what might
have happened today was like a dull knife in his chest. George Gray was a man
with no conscience, as he'd proven by trying to use two innocent women for his
own gain. Jesse had no doubt the man wouldn't have stopped short of injuring or
killing both of them if he'd thought the deed would earn his freedom.

Thank God Amy possessed a level head, had used her wit and kept
them alive.

The other men who'd been at Sam's all day came to eat, then one by
one headed back to their chores, Cay joining them.

"Deezer, put a couple o' kettles of water on the stove in the
bathhouse, will ya, please?"

The young man settled his hat with a nod. "Sure thing,
boss."

Sam insisted Mrs. Barnes take a seat while he took care of the
dishes. Sam seemed extremely attentive to the woman, finally offering to take
her home so she could rest.

Jesse gathered clothing for Amy and walked her to the bathhouse,
where he lit a lantern and filled the tub. Amy unbuttoned her shirtwaist and
removed it, as well as her skirts and petticoats. She glanced at him shyly,
then pulled her chemise over her head and skimmed off her drawers.

Her skin glowed golden in the lamplight, her alluring curves a
delight to behold. Amy's tummy was rounded and her breasts plump. The impact of
what that meant hit him with full force.
Amy was pregnant.

She hadn't said a word to him.

He wanted to cry.

He wanted to laugh.

He wanted to go find Gray and kill him with his bare hands for
endangering his wife and unborn child.

Amy must have noticed the swift rush of realization and anger that
swept over him, because she settled herself in the water and gave him a puzzled
look. "Jesse?"

He busied himself finding her fancy-smelling soap and a soft
cloth. "Here you are."

She accepted the items. "Is something wrong?"

He knelt beside the tub, studied her lovely oval face and tenderly
cupped her cheek. "Everything's fine now. You're home and you're
safe."

She gave him one of those sweet smiles that made him feel all soft
inside. He loved her with every fiber of his being. Slowly, things between them
were working out. There was a lot left unspoken yet, and Tim was still a
barrier. But she no longer shut Jesse completely out. She had accepted Cay. And
they were going to have another child.

Why hadn't she told him as soon as she suspected?

Jesse leaned over the edge of the tub to kiss her.

Maybe she wanted him to notice.

He ended the kiss and found a chair so he could sit nearby while
she bathed. He didn't want to let her out of his sight. She slid down in the
water and closed her eyes.

Jesse glanced around the room. The fire in the stove kept the
bathing person warm, but the heat made it uncomfortable for those who were
clothed. The laundry area was in the back of the building, and both sides used
the same stove.

"I have a new appreciation for Adele, working in here most of
the day."

Amy stood and lathered her body. "What about me? I used to do
most of the laundry and heat the water for baths."

He hoped she was enjoying her bath as much as he. "I've
always
had an appreciation for you, Mrs. Shelby." He used a pail to rinse off
the suds. "A
deep
appreciation."

He held her hand and she stepped from the tub to the absorbent
padding he'd spread on the floor. Using soft toweling, he dried her shoulders
and back, then knelt and rubbed the fabric up the length of her legs and over
her bottom.

He couldn't resist kissing the places he dried, tasting her warm
moist skin and inhaling her feminine scent. Amy locked her fingers in his hair,
and he pressed his face to her belly and kneaded her hips, ran his palms down
her silky thighs and up.

She gasped when he touched her intimately, her body jerking as he
explored and teased with his tongue. In minutes her knees buckled and she
lowered herself to the floor, lying back and inviting his caresses.