Sweetwater (39 page)

Havelshell reached home unaware that his thinking process had gone awry, that his mind was no longer functioning normally. The logical part of it had shut down. In an almost joyous mood, he pulled out a leather satchel and began to pack the things he wanted to take with him: money that he hadn’t wanted the banker and Longfellow to know he had, his certificate from law school, a set of clean clothes.

He made a quick trip to his law office and brought back to the house the contents of his file cabinet and his safe, took out what papers he wanted and strewed the rest over the dining-room table. He didn’t want Longfellow to get his hands on a single piece of his correspondence that might tie
him
to the theft of the reservation cattle.

In the stable at the back of the house, he saddled the thoroughbred mare he had planned to ride in a parade down through the center of town when he was officially made mayor of Sweetwater. He brought the horse to the front of the house and tied the leather satchel on behind the saddle.

Back in the house he went through it and methodically opened all the windows. When he was satisfied that he had created a sufficient draft, he splashed lamp oil onto the papers on the table, the floors and walls.

At the front door he looked back at the disarray that had once been his tidy home, and without a pang of regret, tossed a lighted match to the floor. He waited until the ribbon of fire had traveled to a large pool of oil and begun creeping up the dining-room table legs before he calmly walked off the porch, down the path and mounted his horse.

At the edge of town, he turned the horse to look back. All the downstairs windows of his house were alight with the fire growing within. He felt strong, relaxed, content, and almost unbearably pleased with himself. There was a special exhilaration in seeing the results of his actions.

He licked his lips and rode recklessly through the night toward Stoney Creek.

This was to be washday.

The dark clouds that rolled in from the southwest held a strong promise of rain. Colleen, her blue eyes dark-circled from worry about Travor and lack of sleep, went about preparing to wash regardless, saying the clothes could be dried later. Knowing that Colleen needed the work to help her through the day, Granny agreed.

Ike set up the iron washpot beneath the shelter of the shed overhang and built a fire under it. When finished, he announced that he was going to the river to catch a mess of fish for supper.

At daylight Jenny took breakfast to Trell. She found him sitting on the edge of the bed, his splint-encased leg stuck out in front of him. He was rubbing his knee.

“Morning,” she said softly. “Are you hurting?”

“Morning, sweetheart. Set that coffeepot down before you burn yourself.”

She placed the pot and the plate of food on the extra chair.

“Are you hurting?” she asked again.

“No more than usual. I could get up and hop around if it wasn’t for these damn ribs.”

“McGriff said he’d be back as soon as possible with the crutches. Maybe he’ll come today.” She pulled the chair with the plate of fried meat, biscuits and gravy closer to the bed. “Granny said this would give you strength.”

“I’ve not got much of an appetite, honey.”

“I know. You’re worried about Travor. We all are. Colleen looks like she’s been dragged through a knothole. You said that he was capable of taking care of himself. We’ve got to hold on to that until he comes back.”

“Travor takes chances … sometimes.”

“He’ll be all right, Trell.” She knelt beside him, leaned over and kissed him on his good cheek. “Do you need more salve on your cheek? Granny said that if it started feeling tight we should keep the skin soft with the salve.”

“I’ll put some on later. You’re so pretty, honey. How can you stand to look at me?”

“I stand it very well because I love you. I didn’t fall in love with just your face, Trellis McCall. I fell in love with all of you. You make me angry, Trell, when you think I would be put off by a little scar.”

“It isn’t little, sweetheart. But I’ll say no more about it.” He put his arms around her and placed his good cheek next to hers.

“I wish I could stay here with you.”

“So do I. Kiss me. It’ll have to do until you come back.” They kissed, gently, sweetly.

She sighed and leaned against him. He pulled her hair aside and kissed her neck, made a chain of kisses along the smooth, sweet skin. Against his lips he felt one of her arteries throb, a strong pulse, a rapid pulse, faster now and faster still.

She seemed to melt back against him. Nothing had ever felt this soft, this warm, this achingly wonderful to him.

She murmured wordlessly, a feline sound.

He slid a palm up and over her breasts, cupping and squeezing.

She drew back only inches. Their eyes met; hers were a fiercely bright shade of green and his were dark with longing.

Another kiss. This one was harder and hungrier than the first.

She moved out of his arms and stood. Both knew there would be other times when they would come together, when there would be no obligation to put a curb on their passions.

“Go to your students. I’ll be all right.”

At the door, she glanced back at him, smiled and lifted her hand.

The picture books Jenny carried to the school were meant to stir the curiosity of the children and inspire them to want to know what the pictures were about. She also carried the alphabet cards. If she taught them a letter each day it would take more than a month for them to learn the alphabet. It seemed an overwhelming task.

She wished that she’d been able to talk to someone who had been through this before. Cassandra was a great help. Her further education and Whit’s would have to be put off a while.

Jenny was thinking these thoughts as she opened the door, entered the school and walked across the plank floor to the table that served as a desk. She had set the books down and stooped to pick up a cylinder of chalk when she saw him. She made no sound, but her heart almost stopped, and her skin tingled with fear.

“I’m sorry if I frightened you, Virginia.” Alvin Havelshell moved out of the corner and came toward her.

“You just surprised me,” she said calmly, despite her splintered nerves. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you come to the house?”

“Because I didn’t want anyone to see me. I’m leaving the country. I came here at considerable risk to myself to tell you that you and your sisters are in great danger.”

“Danger? From whom?” Jenny was baffled by his statement.

“From a source you would never suspect. It’s important that I talk to you … privately.” His anxious eyes shifted about the room, then looked into hers.

“It’s private here.”

“Someone could come in.”

“It would only be my sister or one of my students.”

“No one must know that I’m here! It would mean … my life!” He paused, then said, “You went to the bunkhouse this morning … carrying the coffeepot.”

“Ike is sick.” Jenny was grateful the lie came so fast.

“We can go out back, Miss Gray. Just out of sight … in case—”

It was the respectful way he had said
Miss Gray
that chipped away at her suspicion and began to make her think that he was sincere. That … and the way he constantly kept watch out the window toward the homestead to see if anyone was coming.

“I would like to be on my way. I’d hoped to be away from the reservation by now.”

“Why are you leaving? Who will be the agent?”

“I’m leaving because I’ll be killed if I stay.” He went to the small door in the back of the building, opened it and peered out, then retraced his steps to the window. “Your sister is coming!” He hurried back to the small door. “Please. Let me help you. It’s the least I can do to make up for the inconvenience I’ve caused you.”

Jenny went to the door and stepped out into a light drizzle. Alvin closed the door behind them and took her elbow to urge her into the wooded area behind the school building. She shrugged loose from his hand and would have stopped as soon as they were behind a screen of dense brush, but his pressure on her back urged her on.

“I’ve got some papers in my saddlebag you should have. My horse is just a little way from here.”

“I don’t understand any of this—”

“You will. We’re almost there.”

Jenny had no idea how far they were from the school. They had been walking rapidly for several minutes and had gone so deep into the woods that only small patches of sky were visible. She had begun to feel a twinge of doubt when she saw a saddled horse behind a screen of scrub and brush.

“Here we are.”

Alvin opened a leather bag tied behind the saddle and took out a handful of papers. He looked at them intently, then shoved them back into the bag.

“What do you have to tell me? I must be getting back to the school.”

“Before I give you the papers, I’ve got to explain a few things.”

Jenny waited for him to say more. He took his hat off and hung it over the saddlehorn. It was a cool morning, yet there was a sheen of perspiration on his forehead. He wiped a hand over his face and took several deep breaths. He went on, then, trying to keep his voice calm, but only half-succeeding.

“Longfellow will send men to kill you if you don’t give up the ranch and go back East. I came to warn you.”

“The preach … er?” Jenny exclaimed. So Ike’s suspicions were warranted!

“I’ll take you away from here and keep you safe. We can send for your sisters … later.”

She became aware of an evil glitter when she looked into the man’s eyes. She had been wrong to come out here with him.

“I don’t believe a word of this.” She turned to leave.

“Wait! Here’s proof!” He put his hand in the satchel again. “Of the five thousand head of cattle coming in to feed the Indians, he will take three thousand. I wouldn’t go along with it, and now he’s planning to have me killed. That’s why I’m leaving behind everything I’ve worked for. He’s going to kill you and the girls so that you can’t fulfill your contract. He’ll buy up Stoney Creek land for a song. He’s an evil, greedy man.”

“But … aren’t you married to his daughter?”

“He forced me to marry that fat cow!” His voice rose angrily. “She has nothing to do with us.”

“There is no …
us
! Give me the papers and you can be on your way.”

“I know why you came to the territory, Jenny. I can help you.” Alvin felt terribly clever bringing that up. He had not heard from the Pinkerton Agency, but he could tell by the quick way she turned her head that his words had struck home. “I’ve not told anyone, and I won’t. You can trust me. I’ll help you through this.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I must go. The children will be at the school.”

“They won’t come until you go for them. The heathens have no sense of time.” He pretended to scan the papers he held in his hand.

“That may be. I thank you for your concern, but I must get back. If you give me the papers, I’ll get in touch with the proper authorities.”

Jenny took a step toward him and held out her hand for the documents. Suddenly his hand shot out and gripped her wrist, pulling her up so close that she could feel his hot breath on her face.

“I’m … trying to … help you,” he snarled. Then his voice softened into a whine. “I love you, Jenny. Can’t you see that? Come away with me. We’ll build a house in San Francisco. You’ll be the belle of Nob Hill society. Together we’ll make the snobs sit up and take notice. I’ve got plans—we’ll be rich. Folks will look up to Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Havelshell. They’ll compete for an invitation to our home.” His eyes had taken on a fevered light.

He’s crazy!
Fear traveled down Jenny’s spine like a writhing serpent.

“Let go of me, you stupid fool. I’ll not go anywhere with you!”

He shoved the papers down in the bag and, quick as a wink, he twisted her arm behind her back, clamped a hand over her mouth and pulled her back against him.

“You’ll go where I tell you to go and be damned glad of it.” His lips were against her ear, his voice loud, his words came so fast that they ran together. She humped her back in an effort to move her hips away from his sex, which nestled against her buttocks. He let go of her wrist and wrapped an arm about her waist, holding her tightly to him.

One part of Jenny responded in anger, one part in panic and the rest of her in utter terror. The anger was chiefly at herself for not tucking the derringer in her pocket that morning when she dressed.
Keep calm. Don’t give him a reason to hurt you.
She couldn’t speak with his hand over her mouth, so she made little grunting noises in her throat.

“You lying bitch!” he snarled, as if he understood what she had said. “You’re just trying to get away. You won’t! You won’t!”

Jenny shook her head and made more sounds in her throat.

“Yes, you would!” he said in answer to the sounds. “You prissy-assed, arrogant old maid! Think you’re better than me, don’t you?”

He’s crazy. Insane!
Why hadn’t she seen it? Jenny made more sounds and tried to butt him with her head.

“Be still!”

Suddenly his hand was gone from her mouth. When she opened it, to take a deep breath to scream, a cloth was shoved inside so deep she gagged. Rendering her helpless with choking and gagging, he was able to tie a silk scarf over her mouth so she couldn’t spit out the gag.

He dragged her backwards toward the horse. She dug in her heels, but her strength was no match for his. He tried to throw her across the saddle. The horse shied. The eyes that looked down into hers were so bright they appeared to be tear-wet. His mouth was loose, his laugh was high-pitched, almost hysterical.

“I’m taking you with me, Jenny, Jenny, Jenny.” He repeated her name in a childish taunting tone. “High-toned Miss Virginia Gray will be Mrs. Alvin Havelshell. You’ll not stop me with your haughty stare this time,
Your Prissyness.
”

Jenny’s heart was whamming, but it didn’t seem to be pumping enough air into her lungs. Her eyes moved wildly about. There was no doubt in her mind what he intended to do. If she didn’t go with him, he would kill her.
I love you, Trell. I wanted us to grow together
—