Just One Kiss (The Dream Catcher Series-Book Two) (12 page)

Hattie looked from one to the other. She could see that Luke was bristled and ready for a skirmish as was Frank. She pulled on Luke’s one arm. “Please…just for tonight…go eat in the barn.”

“Well now, that’s not the way to tell hired help anything, Hattie. You gotta be firm and set them straight. Somethin’ like, ‘You know your place, don’t you, white boy? In the barn with the rest of the riff-raff.’ I don’t know if I want them eatin’ with you Hattie. After all, you done hired you a white boy, and he might get ideas that you like him or somethin’. And we shore can’t have that now, can we?”

The others snickered.

“What happened to your shed, Hattie?” Frank looked about the place for a minute. “Looks like it went up in cinders.”

More snickers from his brothers followed them.

“I had visitors…not very polite visitors…” She frowned and stepped ahead of him again.

Luke watched, barely controlling his anger.

Luke gave Frank a warning glare then he and Joe went to the barn as the three men laughed at them. “Dumb farmers, gotta keep ‘em in their places. You let them get the upper hand, then you’ll never get nothin’ done around here.”

When Hattie didn’t comment, he laughed.

“Where’d you pick up that white trash?” Frank laughed, looking over his shoulder at Luke.

“He needed a job, I gave him one. You don’t frown on someone that is down on their luck,” Hattie replied. “Said his place burned during the war. But I don’t think I owe you an explanation as to who I hire…”

“Ooh, hear that boys? She’s sassy tonight, ain’t she? I like sassy women. They don’t bore you to death.” Frank laughed, his hand going to the round of her hips and patting her there. She removed his hand quickly.

She moved away again.

The kids followed her, all of them frowning and speechless.

“So, tell me Hattie, where you been keepin’ yourself…lately…” Frank asked as he waltzed up to her again, this time hurting her arm ‘til she relented and let him put his arm around her waist...and just under her breast. Hattie’s breath hitched like a snake.

Hattie glanced back at Luke, but didn’t say a word.

They went inside and closed the door.

Chapter Seven

“The damn Jeffries, what are they doin’ here?” Luke demanded as soon as they were in the barn and Luke began to pace. His fist was doubled, his pacing impatient and his brow furrowed.

“I told ya they’ve been comin’ around.” Joe glanced at Luke’s fisted hands. “You better settle down, boy. We gotta think our moves through. Those boys will kill us sure if we don’t. And we can’t save Hattie if we’re dead.”

“What do they want?” Luke paced up and down as Joe lit the lantern.

Joe shook his head. “Now you ain’t that dumb, you knows what they want. You still ready to fight them no matter what, ain’t you?”

“Joe,” Luke loomed at him with a frown, “they’ve been tryin’ to get this land for a long time. You know that. Now they are messin’ with family.”

“Luke, I love ya like my own…but have you thought this through…lovin’ a Negro woman here in Alabama, it don’t mean nothin’ but sorrow…”

Luke studied him for a moment. “She hasn’t said one thing about my arm, not one thing. Acts like it ain’t even gone. How many other women you figure would act that way?”

“Yes sir…she didn’t make no fuss about you not havin’ an arm when you asked for work, did she? But you know there’s gonna be a heap of trouble because of the two of you.”

“Yeah, I know all that, but we could leave Alabama.”

“Leave Alabama? Where you gonna go?”

“I got an idea. If it works out, everything will be alright, Joe.”

“Do you love her that much?”

“I think I’ve loved her ever since I laid eyes on her. I kept telling myself I was a fool, but in my heart, I couldn’t change the feelings.”

“Good Lord…”

After a long silence, Joe smiled and scratched his head.

“Well, I’m glad you set me straight on that, so I know how it is. You’re in love with her. Ain’t the land the Jeffries want so much now. They figure they can get that as soon as the sheriff forecloses on her for back taxes. Which’ll be next month. Frank wants
her
,” Joe said solemnly. “He’s made it pretty clear. Aww he don’t love her, he jest wants to take her down a notch; maybe two notches.”

“Has she ever encouraged his attention?” Luke asked, his frown still marring his better features.

“Does it matter?” Joe suddenly asked, watching Luke’s reaction carefully.

“Hell yes, it matters. If she wants him too, then I’ll stay out of it, as long as it don’t involve the farm. But if she don’t…then I’ll stand beside her all the way,” Luke hollered. “I may not be able to tell her how I feel, but I can damn sure show her.”

“You know, when you first told me, I thought, naw…that ain’t no good, he’ll get over her. But Mr. Lee, I can see fer myself, you two belong together.”

“Yeah…now if I can just work something out and her agree to it.”

“After all this time…you still love her?” Joe asked. “It’s real between you and her?”

“More than ever. I can hardly keep my hands off her, Joe.” Lee smiled. “But I’d never take the advantage unless she felt the same. Quit lookin’ at me like that. I’m human. I admit it. She’s beautiful I admit. But I’d never do anything to hurt her, you gotta know that. I’d never force myself on her or take the advantage unless she wanted me to.”

“That’s not the problem. The problem is, she’s black and your white, and even if you do love her, what you gonna do about it? In this state, they’d just about hang you for what you are thinkin’.”

“I know. That’s one reason I can’t tell her. Not yet. Not ‘til I figure out what to do.”

“What’s the other reason?”

“They’d hang her too.”

Joe sat down on the floor with a thump. He glanced up at Luke and sent him a sly smile. “I do know that you wouldn’t intentionally hurt her. Thank the Lord, I do. But you better figure out something pretty fast, because he aims to have that woman, one way or another. He’s mentioned it several times, in front of the kids even. And I do mean
have
her. He comes around a lot, makin’ lewd remarks, puttin’ his hands where they don’t belong, all in front of her kids too. She’s terrified of him, but short of killin’ him, which she’s been tempted to try, she don’t know what to do. And he don’t care if she wants him or not. She’s gonna be right back where she started from, if we don’t do somethin’. I’m just glad you showed up, because I wasn’t sure I could do enough to help her. And the day is comin’. Mark my words on it.”

“The way you was talkin’ I didn’t think you wanted me to do anything.” Luke joined him.

“Simmer down, boy. I didn’t know all this had happened between you. So you are the one she really loves after all. Well, if that don’t beat all. Oh now look, I was feelin’ you out.” Joe smiled slowly. “Tryin’ to figure just what you felt for the girl. I pretty well guessed by the eyes you been makin’ at her. But I guess truth be known if I was young, I’d probably want her too. She is a beauty. Prettiest thing I ever seen. I was glad to hear her tell about Dil though and the way she told it, as though she respected the man for what he did. Don’t rightly know why she did tell it. Unless maybe…she’s got a feelin’ for you. For Luke Sayers, too. I never seen two people fall so fast though. But it made me feel good knowin’ how well Dil was with dying, knowin’ the Lord as he must have. And I reckon it did you too. And, like you said, she
is
family. So you and I got to protect her. But Lord, it will start a war all over again and you know it,” Joe said sadly. “And that Frank, once he gets her, he’ll just make a whore out of her, for himself. That’s all. And we cain’t let that happen.”

“Some things are worth fightin’ for Joe; she’s one of them. I’ve known that all along. I didn’t understand it before, but I do now,” Luke said. “The south might have lost the war, Joe. But by fightin’ we made a statement about how we feel. And they got to respect that. If you don’t fight, there is no respect. I walked away from her once, I won’t do it again. I won’t leave her again. She’s mine Joe, she always has been.” Luke glanced up at the house; all the lamps were lit up. “Wonder what he’s doin’ now.”

“Quit your frettin’. He ain’t gonna do nothin’ as long as those kids are there. He cain’t kill ‘em, and they’d be a convincin’ witness. So he will wait. But the first chance he gets, he’ll take her; the first time he catches her alone. He don’t want her for keeps, don’t misunderstand. She raises too much hell, and she is a Negro. But it’s the takin’ he wants. He wants to bring her down; humiliate her. Make a tramp out of her so she loses respect for herself. And that will happen unless you or I stop him. You see it ain’t got a thing to do with love or feelin’s. He wants to break her. Mainly because she ain’t sharin’ the water rights and she came in here and took over what he wanted. Got his daddy all stirred up. Now if ole Frank can take her down, daddy will be happy, and she’ll give him the water to be rid of Frank.”

“When the time comes, Joe, I’m gonna tell her who I am. I’m workin’ on a plan now.”

“That would be good. But unless you move into the house, how you gonna keep an eye on her?”

“I don’t know. I’ll just have to try…”

“That’s my thinkin’ too.” Joe nodded.“Luke, you got to be careful. Don’t want to have to fill that grave out there.”

Luke smiled. “I’ll be careful. With you around, I can’t be nothin’ else. Thanks, Joe. Just watch my back Joe, just watch my back.”

***

“Hattie, Pa’s throwin’ a big party next week.” Frank cast his brothers an arrogant wink. “Will you come?” Frank asked, as he bit into the chicken fried steak.

Hattie looked around the table at her children. The scowl on Violet’s face told her she didn’t like it. Daisy’s bottom lip pouched out, already her temper was flaring. Lily frowned at Frank, but there were tears in her eyes too. How could children know?

“I don’t think the people your Pa invites to his parties would appreciate someone like me showin’ up. And I think you know that as well. I’m surprised you’d ask me, though. I’m sorry, I must refuse. I want to live in this town, not make a spectacle of myself,” Hattie said with as much control as she could muster. Her hands twisted in her lap at the suggestive glances he was giving her. His eyes flew to her clothes. She suddenly noticed the difference in his glance and in Luke’s. Luke eyed her with pure desire; Frank eyed her as though he wanted to own her. She knew exactly what Frank wanted. Even her children knew he was up to no good but what could anyone do?

Violet looked up and excused herself out the back door. “Excuse me, I forgot something.”

She scuttled out the back door and found Luke outside waiting for her. “I saw you starin’ in.”

“Good girl, look, we don’t have time to argue about this, but this man, this Frank, he’s not a good man, Violet. And he wants to harm your mother. We can’t let that happen. So you and the others stay up ‘til he leaves tonight, ya hear?”

“Okay, but what good will that do?” Violet asked, snatching her doll from the ground where she’d dropped it and shrugging.

“Just do it, okay?” Luke asked.

“Okay…”

“And Violet, if he tries to hurt any of you, get word to me, quick,” Luke advised.

Violet nodded, started to turn away, then called his name, “Luke?”

“Yeah, honey…”

“Thank you for helping me. My Mama was scared the other day when they shot at me.”

“I know darlin’.”

Violet wrapped her arms around his neck as he bent down to hold her hands and saw the doll. He hugged her hard for a minute, feeling something deep within himself.

“Good thinking, honey. Don’t worry. I’ll be just outside if you need me.”

“I fergot my doll; don’t want her getting wet, Mama,” Violet said as she passed them at the table, her eyes straying to Frank and then at the floor.

“You could have done that later.” She smiled at her.

“Yes um, but I fergot.” She frowned at her. “I didn’t want to leave it on the porch ‘cause Daisy said it might rain.”

“Frankly Hattie, I wanted to start calling on you. Do you think that’s possible?” Frank asked as his brothers watched the two of them and smirked. Their smiles told her he was baiting her and she cringed. If only she knew how to handle him.

Hattie eyed Frank for a moment. “Why would a man of your stature in the community want to fool with a widow with three kids? A black woman who owns land.” she asked. “It certainly wouldn’t raise your status in the community to be seen with me. It doesn’t make any sense when there are plenty of young girls about. Pretty white girls. What do you want from me, Frank?”

“You happen to be the prettiest lady I’ve ever seen.” Frank smiled and took her hand. “Every man in this town has noticed. Every man. ‘Course, most men wouldn’t act on it since you are black, at least not in public they wouldn't."

She pulled her hand from his gently. “Perhaps you should get to know me before you decide how pretty I am.”

“You certainly fill out them clothes well.”

Daisy stood up from the table. “Why you lettin’ him talk to you like that?”

“Hear, hear now, you don’t know what you’re sayin’ or who your sayin’ it to, young lady. It be best you keep your little mouth shut.”

“Daisy, please go to your room,” Hattie snapped. She was afraid for Daisy, afraid she’d say too much and Frank might take it out on them. He had such a wild temper and she could push Frank into doing something vile.

“Why?” Daisy stared at her with tears in her eyes.

“He’s just talkin’. Talkin’ to hear himself talk,” she said calmly. But by no means was she calm. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might pass out. She felt her heart turn to ice and if she had a knife, she’d kill him now. If he harmed her children she would find a way to kill him, she promised God that, right there in the kitchen. She wanted to throw something at this man, but fear kept her still. She would kill him, but then she’d go to jail and, him being a Jeffries, she’d hang. She’d dealt with violent men before. She knew better than to egg the fight on.  She was right back where she started from. Daisy might never understand her actions tonight. But she knew better than to fight this man.