The Payment (4 page)

He took deep slow breathes trying to keep
his temper under control, and slowly approached her. When he stood
directly in front of her, he let her see just how furious he was
over her nasty irresponsible actions.

“
Now I’m waiting for you to explain to
me why you have acted so childishly and spitefully.”

India backed up another step; she could feel
the waves of his anger wash hotly over her. She didn’t have an
answer to his question. Well, she did but she definitely could not
tell him why she did what she did. This might be her only chance to
get away and she intended to take it no matter the
consequences.

When she refused to answer his question,
Dane grasped her tightly by the shoulder and shook her slightly.
“You’re a damn malicious, nasty little bitch. I thought I married a
woman not a damn spoiled little brat, but it seems I’m wrong.”

He stopped shaking her and removed his hand
from her shoulder. As he did, he watched her fall backwards and
land on her bottom in the dirt. He ignored the hot glare she threw
him and walked over to Tuff and Jasper, who they hired to drive the
other wagon. “Is there anything left?”

Tuff sent a fermenting look at the gal
sitting in the dirt. With a sniff of contempt, he turned back to
Dane. “Yeah there’s a few cans of beans, that’s all.”

“
Damn little bitch, they’ll have to do
tonight. First thing in the morning, we’ll detour to Denton and get
more supplies. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours of our
trip.” Dane turned to glare angrily back at his wife and noticed
that she still sat in the dirt with her head bowed. At this point,
he did not care how she felt.

“
Since she tossed our food away let
her go hungry tonight. Call me when it’s ready.” Turning away, he
headed back to the river. He needed time away from his wife. Not
only to cool down his anger but also to think of what he would have
to do about her and their marriage.

Even though she still sat in the dirt with
her head bowed, India knew the moment her husband left and sighed
with relief. She jumped to her feet, dusted off the back of her
pants and hurried over to the wagon she slept in.

She sat down on the pallet and started to
shake. Never could she ever remembering witnessing such blazing
anger before. She felt so sure her husband came close to striking
her. She almost sagged in relief when he didn’t.

Dear God, the man frightened her so much. At
least he held enough control over himself not to lash out at her.
She bought up her knees, rested her arms on them and laid her brow
on her folded arms.

Well at least her plan worked, and they were
going to Denton. Now all she needed to do is find some way to sneak
away.

Dane remained at the river until the sun
started to set. He headed back to camp, and sitting down on his
bedroll took the plate of bean's Tuff handed him. His gaze remained
fixed on the wagon his wife slept in.

He wondered if she felt any guilt or regret
over what she had done. He doubted it. She seemed the type of woman
who would do just about anything to get what she wanted. Again, he
wondered if he might have made the biggest mistake in his life.

What was it about the woman that made him
lose all his common sense? The thought continued to plague him.
Something needed to be done though; neither of them could continue
to live with this animosity between them.

He would never ask his brothers to live with
a woman that he slowly started to think might be just like Irene.
Just the thought of such a thing made him shudder in disgust and
dread started to creep through his blood stream and into his
heart.

No, he could not ask his brothers to live in
that hell again. When they reached home, he would have to make a
decision. He would have to let her go if things didn’t change
between them, no matter how much he wanted her. He would not let
his brothers pay for his mistake.

Jeff, his adoptive brother, probably knew
how to end the marriage. He might not like it but he would end the
marriage if things didn’t improve between them.

Tuff finished cleaning up, went over, and
sat down on a rock next to Dane. He noticed how the boy seemed to
be struggling with his thoughts. “Don’t make any rash decisions
again son. I can see what yah thinking and I think yah wrong. She
is frightened and angry and who would blame her? She was forced to
marry a stranger because her brother owed yah money.”

He sighed heavily over the fact. “Yah can’t
blame it all on her. You and her brother should be the ones takin
the blame. Son the gal ain’t like yah Ma so get that thought out of
yah head and just give the gal some time. I’m sure she’ll come
around.” Once he finished, he stood up and left Dane to his
thoughts.

After Tuff left, long into the night Dane
thought over the old man’s words and decided he would take his
advice and wait. Hopefully in a day or two his wife’s attitude
might change. What other choice did he have and for now, all he
could do is pray his marriage will work out.

SEVEN

They arrived in Denton early the next
morning. Pulling up at the livery, Dane arranged to leave their
horses and wagons there while they were collecting supplies. “Tuff,
you and Jasper go and buy what we need, and I’ll meet you back here
in an hour.”

When they left, he turned to his wife, took
her hand and led her to the back of the wagons. “Collect some clean
clothes.” He let go of her hand and waited. India wondered what he
planned for her but when he told her to gather clean clothes, she
quickly understood. She reached in and picked up a small satchel
she packed the night before in case she managed to somehow
escape.

After taking the small bag from his wife,
Dane grasped her arm gently and led her down the street to the
hotel. Booking a room and ordering a bath, he took the key and led
her up stair to the room. Once they were inside, he placed her bag
on the floor.

“
I’ll leave you to bathe and be back
in half an hour. For once just do as I ask and be ready and waiting
when I come back.” He gave her a studied look. When she continued
to look stubborn, he sighed with dissatisfaction, turned, and
left.

Once the door closed behind her husband,
India took out her traveling suit and shook out the wrinkles as
best she could. She laid it on the bed. When someone knocked on the
door, she rushed over to open it. She stepped back and let the man
and the boys in with her hot water and the tub.

When they left, she locked the door and
stripped off her clothes, knowing she would have very little time.
She could not afford to waste a moment. No matter how much she
might like to soak in the hot water the risk would be too
great.

She washed quickly, then hurriedly dried
herself and rushed to dress. She wound up her hair and pinned it in
place before she put on the little black hat. Gathering up her
dirty clothes, she stuffed them in the bag. Taking one more look
around the room to make sure she left nothing behind, she hurried
out of the room.

Warily, she peeked over the railing and
sighed in relief when she didn’t spot her husband in the foyer
below. Hurrying down the stairs, she sailed out of the hotel. With
her heart pounding, she rushed along the street hoping she would
not run into her husband, Tuff, or Jasper.

Relieved when she reached the wagons, she
quickly gathered up her other bag. Untying Lightening, she kept
behind the buildings keeping out of sight of the main street. She
only let herself relax slightly when she finally reached the train
station.

Hurriedly tying up her horse, she went
inside the building hoping that a train would be along soon. After
speaking to the stationmaster, she nearly jumped for joy when he
told her one would be along in ten minutes.

She bought a ticket and paid for her horse
to be put on the train. Her heart still pounded hard in her chest
while she waited fearfully for the train to arrive. She prayed that
her husband wouldn’t come after her.

After leaving his wife, Dane headed for the
telegraph office. He thought to wire his brothers and let them know
when to expect him home. When he finished, the half hour had passed
and it was time for him to collect his wife. He headed back to the
hotel.

As he walked along, somehow he sensed in his
gut that his wife wouldn’t be waiting for him. Even though he
didn’t understand it, he started walking more briskly. When he
reached the hotel and stepped inside, he took the stairs two at a
time.

When he reached the room, he didn’t bother
to knock. He threw the door open and stared at the empty room.
“Damn it to hell. What was wrong with the woman? I tried to do
something nice for her and this is how she thanks me? Well, by damn
this time she’s pushed me too far.” He spat out angrily.

His temper riled, he slammed the door shut
and headed down stairs. “If I get my hands on the damn woman I’m
either going to strangle her or beat her.” He paid for the room and
bath before he headed back to the livery.

As soon as he arrived back at the livery, he
noticed her horse missing. Looking up and down the street, he
growled and went to find the liveryman, but the man said he never
saw her. Just as he stepped outside, only then did he hear the
train whistle. He hurried to the station and made enquiries. With
grim determination, he headed back to the livery.

While he waited for Tuff and Jasper to
return, he contemplated what he should do about his runaway wife.
Damn it. If the woman thinks she could just up and run from away
from their marriage, well she has another thing coming. Damn it,
she is my wife.

Even if the marriage isn’t consummated, it
will only be him who would decide the fate of their marriage. He
intended going after her and he would drag her back by the hair if
he needed to.

Nervously, India waited for the train. When
it finally arrived, she saw her horse put safely aboard and with
the conductors help, boarded the train. Not until the train pulled
away from the station did she finally let herself relax.

Now all she needed to worry about is if her
husband would realize that she left by train and come after her.
No, she slowly shook her head, her brow puckered. No, she didn’t
think he would come, he is probably grateful that she left.

He has surely come to the realization by now
that she is just too much trouble and will just go home without
her. God she hoped he would. She might not have any idea where she
will go or where she might stay for the next few months until she
thought it safe enough to return home but now she didn’t care.

She doubted her husband would bother coming
after her, or even want her back after defying him again. Surely,
he must realize by now that she will do whatever is necessary to
escape this marriage.

Her shoulders sagging slightly, she could
not help feeling a smidgeon of guilt over leaving as she did.
Especially after he treated her so considerately by taking her to
the hotel and ordering a bath. She now started to realize her first
impression of him was wrong.

She remembered when someone introduced him
to her at the ball. She noticed at once the hot lust shining in his
eyes and knew what his only interest and intentions were. It
disgusted her, but now she slowly started to realize there were
other sides to the man as well.

Lord knew he could have beaten her many
times over the course of their traveling but no matter how angry he
became, he never raised a hand to her. She started to think it now
seemed a pity things could never work out between them, or that
they came together in such a horrible way.

Well, it is much too late now for regrets.
What is done is done. Once she arrived back home and her life
settled down, she would contact a lawyer and find out how she could
dissolve their marriage.

There must be some way, since they never
consummated the marriage and lived apart. Well, she would worry
about it when the time came, now though she realized she has more
important things to think about and that is where to she would live
for the next few months.

EIGHT

Dane finished packing the things he would
need into his saddlebags. He was now ready to ride out as soon as
Tuff and Jasper arrived. When he finally spotted them, he swung up
onto the saddle. Still in a furious lather, he growled out when
they reached him. “The damn woman snuck off and caught the train.
You two start for home, and we’ll catch up with you in a few
days.”

“
God damn it boy, if the gal has gone,
let her go and save yah self all this heart ache.” Tuff tried to
reason with him but he shook his head when he saw the cold
determination glittering in Dane’s eyes.

“
I can’t, I have to go after her.” He
turned his horse away and rode out of town. As he did, he wondered
if he might just be acting foolishly in wanting her back. No, he
needed to at least make one more effort, since he insisted on the
marriage in the first place. It would up to him to try once last
time.

Tuff watched Dane ride away and sighed
worriedly. He just hoped the gal would be worth all this trouble.
He sure hated to see another woman destroy the boy or his brothers
again. That bitch Irene already inflicted enough damage on them and
he would not let another woman hurt his boys again.

Dane rode late into the night. Only when he
finally admitted that not only is his horse tired, but so was he,
did he finally decide stop. He quickly and efficiently made camp.
After eating a hasty meal, he lay on his bedroll with his hands
stacked behind his head and stared up at the star filled sky.