Chasing Clovers (25 page)

"
Damn it," he shouted.

Clive rode up beside him.
"Think he's hidin' up there somewhere?"

He
searched the rocky landscape for any sign that Boyd was near. "Don't know."

"
He could be long gone by now."

"
I was thinkin' the same thing," John said, angry that the bastard had gotten this far.

His men looked ragged and sleep-deprived. In the two days they had been searching,
he had been relentless, never stopping. He'd finally let the men rest for a few hours last night before they continued to search for Boyd. When they reached the fork in the river, he had separated the men into two groups, telling half to go left, while he and Clive and a few others headed right.

He didn
't know if Boyd was smart enough to backtrack and leave them following a cold trail. The bastard had a full day on them, and John was growing more nervous the longer he was away from the ranch.

A cool wind blew down from the mountains and the dar
k clouds over top of them were ominous. He inhaled and could smell rain. He pulled the collar up on his coat and turned his horse to face his men.

"
Let's head back. It's too risky to go further." The rocky landscape wasn't any place for a horse, and he knew that by taking his men up there, he'd be endangering them all―a risk too great to take. "Go and find the others," he told Clive, "then head back to the ranch."

Clive gave him a quick nod before he kicked his horse and took off with the rest of the men following him.

Disappointed that the search had come to an end,
he dug his heels into Midnight's sides and cantered away. He had left Ezekiel at the house, armed with a shotgun and strict instructions not to let anyone in or near the place. Ben and Emily had been told to stay inside with the cook, and Livy hadn't come out of her room. He doubted she would, for a while anyway.

His gut clenched at the thought of telling her about Boyd and how he
'd become suspicious of him the previous week. Would she be able to forgive him for putting her and his children in danger?

He
hoped she'd understand and not want to leave the ranch. How would he explain her leaving to Ben and Emily? They'd be crushed, and it would be his fault.

Leaning over his saddle,
he urged his horse to go faster. The winds picked up, almost blowing his hat from his head, and his duster flapped open. The thunder's loud crash echoed over the prairies, followed by the crackle of lightning behind him. Trying to outrun the storm, he kicked Midnight to go faster.

The sky opened up dumping its heavy load onto the fields. The rain came down in sheets, pelting him, and making it hard for him to see. Looking for shelter, he spotted a nest of trees about twenty yards away. The yellow and green fields became a bl
ur as he headed toward the dense forest, frustrated that he'd have to wait out the storm before he could get home.

Livy sat up in her bed. Three days had passed since her run in with Boyd, and she was tired of staying in her room. John checked on her before he left to search for Boyd, but when she heard him come up the stairs, she pretended to sleep. She was too afraid he'd want to talk about what had happened. She'd have to tell him about Boyd, and that included Emma. She shuddered. What would he say? Would he understand? She didn't know, and that scared her more than anything.

She went to her armoire and took out the only dress she had left. Sliding the heavy material over her body, she flinched as it rubbed against her bruises. She brushed out the knots in her hair, her scalp still tender from when Boyd had grabbed her there.
The brush ran along the brown tresses until they crackled and shone. Deciding to leave it down, she tossed it behind her back and gazed in the mirror.

The swelling had gone down around her eye. A light shadow of blues and greens were smudged there, marring her fine features and making her look deformed. Her lips had healed, and the bruise on her cheek was outlined wi
th yellow.

She looked like hell.
She knew she couldn't hide in her room any longer. For the last two days she replayed the horrible incident over and over again, leaving her exhausted. She was tired of seeing Boyd's face every time she closed her eyes, tired of the way her skin crawled whenever she thought of what he'd done. She didn't want to remember. She didn't want to talk about it. All she wanted to do was go on as if it had never happened.

She
thought of Emma and how she'd been conceived. Her arms ached and she yearned to hold her baby close one more time. It was the one thing that would heal her, mending the pieces that lay jagged and broken inside of her.

She
took a deep breath and headed for the door. Her knee still throbbed from time to time, today being one of those times. She grasped the railing, limped down the stairs, and eased into the kitchen. The house was quiet. Desperate for a hot cup of tea she pumped some water into the kettle and placed it on the stove to heat.

"
Miss Livy?" Ezekiel stood behind her, shotgun in hand.

She
turned and smiled at her friend. "Hello Ezekiel."

"
Ma'am, you sure you should be up?" His brown eyes were full of pity.

She
didn't want to see the sadness in his dark depths. "I'm okay. I'm making a cup of tea. Would you like one?"

Ezekiel sat down at the table, and rested the long gun against his leg. "Thank you, ma'am."

The kettle whistled. She took a cloth from the counter, lifted the hot pot from the stove, and poured the steaming water into two cups. She brought him his cup and sat down across from him, her hands instinctively wrapping around the warm mug.

"
How are the children?"

Ben came rushing into the kitchen and ran straight into her arms, hugging her tight and crying.

"
Ben, honey, it's okay," she tried to reassure him, rubbing his back as he shook with sobs.

"
I'm sorry, Miss Livy," he cried. "I'm real sorry."

She
ignored the sharp pain in her side as she pulled him onto her lap and rocked him in her arms until his crying ceased. Lifting his chin, she wiped the tears from his chubby cheeks.

"
There, there, everything will be all right, Ben."

"
But you're hurt."

"
I am fine. See?"

She
smiled down at him.

Ben
wouldn't leave her lap, and she was in no hurry to have him gone. She rocked back and forth until his eyes closed and he fell asleep.

"
Ezekiel, where is Emily?"

"
The two of them were takin' a nap in the sitting room," he said. "He must've woken when you came downstairs."

Livy could tell she made him uncomfortable. Ezekiel
's dark eyes stared at his cup, and his leg shook under the table. She laid her hand across his. "Ezekiel, I am okay."

"
I'm sorry that happened to you," he whispered.

"
I haven't died," she said, squeezing his hand. "I'll be fine." She wouldn't tell him about Emma or how she knew Boyd. Those things needed to be said to John, and she knew she'd have to tell him when he got back. As much as she dreaded the outcome, she would be relieved to finally speak the truth, to come clean with all of it.

Ezekiel took a
sip of his tea and smiled. Livy shuffled Ben on her lap. Ignoring the pain in her sides, she reached behind her to open the drawer and pull out a deck of cards. "How about a game?" she said, placing the cards in front of him.

"
Well, now that's a grand idea." Ezekiel grabbed the tattered deck, shuffling them noisily in his hands.

For the rest of the hour
she held Ben while she and Ezekiel played gin and chatted about the children and the ranch. She relished the easy flow of conversation between two friends, and more importantly the laughter they shared.

When John entered the house he was shocked to see Livy sitting at the kitchen table helping Ben sound out words from a book. Emily was perched on a chair beside her, her blonde head resting on Livy's shoulder. Livy smiled up at John, who stood speechless at the door. How could she be sitting here after what had happened? If it wasn't for her black eye and bruised cheek, John would've thought it was a normal day.

The three of them sat nestled together. He removed his hat, and hung
it on the peg by the door. He wandered around the kitchen for a while, unsure of what to say, or do. He wasn't expecting to see her up, and wasn't sure what to say to her.

"
Would you like a cup of coffee?" Livy asked her voice light and soft.

Not wanting her to get up, John held out his hands. "I can get it," he said, quickly moving to the pot on the stove before she could get out of her chair.

He held the mug in his hand as he sat down across from her, listening while she slowly repeated each word for Ben. When he sounded out a word on his own, Livy congratulated him with a hug and a smile that stretched from ear to ear. Ben beamed with pride
.

She was amazing. H
e gazed at her. He couldn't think of anyone that was even comparable to Livy. John admired her for the courage she was showing. Hell, most women would've still been in shock. He shook his head. Not Livy, she was here at his kitchen table cuddling his children.

"
I'm hungwey," Emily said.

She finished the book with Ben, and went to the stove to begin making dinner.

"
Are you sure you're up to that, Livy?" John asked.

Her long brown hair was loose from its usual braid, and hung to her waist. "I'm fine, and the children are hungry."

He couldn
't argue with her. "What can I do to help?"

Her green eyes scanned
the room. "Well, you can cut up those carrots and potatoes Ezekiel brought in for me." She pointed to the stack on the counter.

Remembering that he had asked the man to stand guard, John asked, "Where is Ezekiel?"

"
He's out on the front porch—keeping watch," she answered.

Satisfied that the man hadn't deserted Livy and the kids, John went over to the counter beside her and began peeling the vegetables. Livy bent over the cookstove to check on the ham roasting inside. When she grabbed her side and inhaled a sharp breath, John was quick to place his hands on her and help her stand up.

"
Are you okay?"

"
I'm fine."

"
You're sure?" he asked, his hands still around her.

"
I'm fine, John."

He eyed her.

She lifted her head and smiled.

Reluctant to let her go, John let his hands remain where they were. He was surprised when she didn't back away, but instead relaxed against him. His arms closed around her, and John pulled her close. "I'm glad you're okay, darlin'," he whispered into her hair.

It felt good to hold her, and John hoped she could feel his remorse for the things she
'd gone through. Damn, he didn't want to let her go. He placed a light kiss on the top of her head. They stayed that way for some time, each taking solace in the other.

"
I'm hungry," Ben groaned, interrupting them.

"
We're gettin' at it," John said, releasing Livy.

They finished supper preparations a short time later with the vegetables boiling on the sto
ve.

"
Would you like to help me set the table?" Livy asked Emily.

Jumping off of her chair, Emily ran to where Livy stood waiting, and held out her hands. Livy laid four forks in them. John stood back and watched―the scene pulled at his heart―as the table was dressed for dinner. His daughter and son treated Livy like their mother. This is what he'd wanted. This is what he'd strived for.

Overwhelmed with emotions,
he went outside to dismiss Ezekiel and to tell him he'd keep watch for the rest of the night. Then he went back inside and settled down to a quiet dinner with his family.

Clive showed up in the middle of their supper, and Livy dished him up a plate, smiling and carrying on as if nothing had happened. Nobody mentioned the unpleasant incident that occu
rred a few days before. Instead they made small talk about the weather or when they'd be mating the heifers with the bull.

This relieved John. He had waited all day to talk to Livy
―to tell her about Boyd―and he didn't want it brought up until they were alone. He tried to go into her room several times and tell her, but she was always asleep. He made excuses. He didn't want to wake her. He should wait until she felt better. But he couldn't put off telling her much longer.

Clive thanked Livy for the fine meal and left shortly after dinner. John noticed Emily's head lull to one side and her eyes begin to droop. Ben yawned loudly, and rested his chin on his hand, while the other hand rubbed his eyes. He decided to put the children to bed. He knew they were still scared, so he let them sleep in his room for the night while he slept on the sofa to keep watch. Livy hadn't joined them, but gave the children hugs and kisses before they went upstairs.