Mail Order Misfortune (11 page)

When Anna stood to go to bed that night, Jesse kissed her cheek softly.  "Good night," he whispered.

A few minutes later, Anna climbed into bed, her hand tracing her cheek where his lips had brushed against it.  It was the first time he'd shown her any real affection when he wasn't angry.  It was amazing to her that he would do such a thing.

*****

Saturday night, after similar treatment by Jesse all evening, Anna got up and walked down the stairs.  She couldn't sleep, but she'd always had warm milk when she couldn't sleep as a child, and she was sure it would work. Something had to.

When she got to the kitchen, she quietly built the fire, and set the pan of milk on it, hoping she wouldn't wake anyone.  She hadn't bothered dressing before coming downstairs, because she hadn't expected to see anyone in the kitchen.

She stood at the stove, stirring her milk before carefully pouring it into a cup and turning to carry it to the table.  She was startled to see Jesse, dressed in just his work pants, leaning against the wall watching her. 

She immediately felt that she should cover herself, but he was her husband.  He had a right to see her if he wanted to.  She rushed to the table and sat down with her milk.  "What are you doing up?" she asked softly.

"I heard you wake up and came to check on you."  He pushed away from the wall and got himself a cup of the warm milk from the stove.  "Are you having trouble sleeping?"

She nodded.  "Yes, and I thought warm milk would help, but I forgot just how much I hate warm milk."  She took another small sip and made a face, wondering what had made her think she would be able to tolerate it now when she never had been able to as a child.

He moved to the table and took the seat beside hers, which surprised her.  He didn't usually sit so close to her, but he'd been touching her a lot more the past couple of days, making her nervous.  "I've never much liked warm milk either, but if it will help me sleep, then I need the sleep."

She sighed.  "Church is going to be difficult in the morning.  It's never easy to stay awake with our preacher anyway."

Jesse laughed.  "I've often thought if we could find a way to store his words and listen to them later, he would be a great cure for sleeplessness."

Anna giggled softly.  "That's not very nice of you."

He sighed.  "Sometimes, I'm just not a nice person."

Anna's eyes met his, and she found herself more attracted to him than ever.  She wanted to shout at herself to stop looking at him, because he was too handsome for her to be around comfortably without falling for, but she enjoyed looking at him.  "I think you're a very nice person...most of the time."

He moved closer to her, his hand reaching out to stroke her cheek.  "Anna, you're going to be the death of me.  I try to be a gentleman, and you run around in the middle of the night with only your nightgown on."

She blushed.  "I didn't know you'd be up, or I would have been more careful to add a robe."

He leaned toward her, his lips gently brushing against hers.  "I didn't say I didn't like it."

She gasped as his lips took hers, his tongue gently invading her mouth and stroking inside to mate with hers.  It was the first time he'd kissed her in tenderness, and she liked it more than she should have.  Her hands moved to his shoulders and she clung to them, as she kissed him back. 

After a moment, he caught her hips and pulled her to her feet toward him and down onto his lap, his lips never once leaving hers.  He held her close, his hands roaming over her back and shoulders. 

Anna squirmed a bit on his lap, feeling suddenly surprised that he would hold her so closely.  She knew it would take a moment or two, but he would suddenly be angry with her for 'tempting him' that way. 

She carefully drew her mouth from his and got to her feet. 
She took both of their cups to the sink and quickly washed them, fully aware the entire time of his eyes on her.  What was he thinking kissing her that way in the middle of the night?  "Good night, Jesse."  She walked from the room to the stairs, priding herself on how calm her voice sounded.  She would sleep now, and he would forget all about this by morning.  She was sure of it.

Chapter Ten

Monday afternoon, Anna was taking dinner out of the oven and putting it on the table when there was a knock on the door.  Anna sighed, not knowing who it could be at the dinner hour.  She hoped whoever it was wasn't hungry, because she'd made something new for supper, and every time she did that, Jesse and Ernie devoured every morsel as if they were afraid she'd never make it again.

She rushed to the door, and opened it wide, expecting to see one of the cowhands or even Julia standing on the other side. 

When she saw that it was Mr. Hanson, she wanted to slam it again, right in his face, but she didn't.  She didn't invite him inside however, preferring to stand with him outside to discuss whatever he was there for.  She walked outside and stepped down off the porch, turning to him.  "How can I help you, Mr. Hanson?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his long nose at her.  "Well, Mrs. Hoover, by acting the harlot, you have deprived my school district and the children of this community of a school teacher.  I've finally managed to find another, but she won't be able to arrive until
January.  That's too long for the children to go without a teacher.  I need you to resume your old position of teacher through the end of December until we take our winter break."

Anna blinked a few times, trying to determine if the man was serious.  He was calling her a harlot in one breath and asking her to do a favor for him in the next?  "No, thank you.  I'm happy cooking and cleaning for my family.  It's very kind of you to offer, though."

She turned to go back into the house, but he caught her arm, turning her back around to face him.  "I wasn't asking you to teach.  I was telling you what you would do for our community.  We need you, and you will therefore, do the right thing and teach them."

Anna took a deep breath, really not believing the man had the gall to come out there an
d call her a harlot and demand she teach.  "I don't think you understand, Mr. Hanson.  I'm a married woman now.  I have a husband and a son who need me home during the day so I can take care of them.  Maybe Mrs. Harding will agree to do it for you."

"I wouldn't take her back.  You've done a better job than she did."  He shuddered.  "She was kissing Mr. H
arding in the street knowing she'd come here to teach.  She married another woman's fiancé. No, as much as I hate it, you'll have to come back and do the work."

"I'm afraid you didn't hear me when I answered you, Mr. Hanson.  I will not return to teaching.  I'm happy where I am.  I wish you luck in finding a new teacher who can be here sooner.  I'll pray for you, Mr. Hanson."  She turned to go back into the house, but he grabbed her arm once again.

This time his face was red as he leaned over her, obviously trying to intimidate her.  "You will do as you're told!"

One moment he was gripping her arm and hurting her, and the next he was flying across the yard.  Jesse was standing over him, both fists clenched at his sides.  "Ernie, take your mother into the house."

Anna shook her head, taking a step down toward them.  "No, Jesse.  He's not worth it.  I won't go teach for him again."  She knew Jesse didn't want her to teach, but even more, she knew he wanted to hurt Mr. Hanson, and she wanted to distract him from it.

"Go into the house, Anna.  I'll take care of this."

"No, I won't go.  Please, just let it drop.  Mr. Hanson, you're not wanted here.  Please go home."

Mr. Hanson got to his feet, warily watching Jesse the entire time.  Ernie stood beside Anna, clinging to her hand.  "I'll go.  That harlot of yours would probably teach all the girls the wrong things about chastity anyway."  He turned his back on Jesse, who took quick advantage of the situation by firmly planting his boot in the middle of the other man's backside.

"Get off my land, Mr. Hanson, and if you ever come back, I will introduce you to the barrel of my gun just like I would any other trespasser."  Jesse was shaking as he watched the older man climb into his buggy and drive away without another word.

Jesse walked over to Anna, looking at her arm where Mr. Hanson had gripped it so tightly.  "Are you all right?" he asked.

Anna nodded, feeling the relief coursing through her veins.  Never before had she had a man treat her as lovingly as Jesse was at that moment.  "I'm fine.  I'm startled by just how nasty he is every time I see him, and I'm not even certain why any longer."

Jesse pulled her to him, and Ernie disappeared into the house.  "I'll just go wash my hands," he called over his shoulder.
  He obviously liked the idea of his father hugging his new wife.

Jesse held her tightly, kissing the top of her head.  "I'm so sorry he treated you like that.  I never should have left you he
re alone.  I'm going to have one of the cowboys start watching the house during the day."

Anna sighed, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder, enjoying having someone to lean on for once.  "I don't know if that's necessary.  I'll just be more careful about who I'm opening the door to."

"Promise?"

She nodded.  "I promise."

"I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you.  Losing my first love was heartbreaking.  I don't think I could lose another."

"If you loved me that would mean something to me."  Suddenly, Anna felt anger coursing through her.  How dare he compare her to his first wife when he'd made it very clear he had no feelings for her at all?  She pulled away from him and walked into the house, finishing putting dinner on the table, refusing to look at him at all.

Jesse watched her go into the house, knowing that he deserved the way she'd talked to him.  There was no doubt about it.  He hadn't been much of a husband to her.  He needed to tell her how he felt, but he couldn't do it with Ernie watching.  He hated to leave her angry with him for that long, but he didn't know what else to do.

As soon as the dishes were finished, Jesse sent Ernie up to bed, catching Anna's hand when she made to follow Ernie up the stairs.
  "You're going to stay down here and talk to me for a minute."

Anna looked down at him, the fire flashing in her eyes.  "No, I'm not."  She refused to listen to another word of his drivel.  Pulling her hand away, she ran through the house and up the stairs, closing her bedroom door loudly.  She was not going to put up with his nonsense for another minute.

Jesse watched her go and heard the door close behind her.  He gave her a few minutes before following, knowing she would be even angrier if he walked into her room while she was changing.  He was going to have this out with her immediately though.  She needed to know he loved her and wanted her to be his real wife once and for all.

Anna had just climbed between the cove
rs when her bedroom door opened, and Jesse walked into her room, closing it firmly behind him.  She sat up in bed and gasped, holding the covers over her chest.  "What are you doing in my bedroom?  Get out!"

Instead of getting out of her room, he walked around to the other side of her bed and climbed in beside her, clothes and all.  He'd removed his boots in the kitchen, but other than that he was still fully dressed.  "We're going to talk.  I wanted to do it downstairs, but you refused, so we'll do it here."

Anna stared at him in shock.  "You can't just climb into my bed.  We don't have that kind of marriage!  You need to go!"  What on earth was he thinking?  He'd made the rules between them, and she expected him to obey them.

"Calm down for a minute and listen to me!"  He shook his head at her, not believing that she was so angry with him when he was just trying to tell her that he loved her.  What was her problem now?

"I don't want to calm down.  Do you realize that every time you touch me, you end up rejecting me?  I'm not letting that happen even one more time.  I'm tired of you telling me I'm not good enough because you're still in love with your first wife.  Do you hear me?  No more!"

He sighed.  "If you'll hear me out for a minute, I want to tell you that I love you, you irrational annoying woman!"

She glared at him for a moment at being called irrational, and then she slowly smiled.  "What did you say?"  Surely he couldn't have said he loved her and called her irrational all in one sentence.  Even Jesse wouldn't do that.

"I said I love you.  I've been trying to figure out how to tell you I love you for days, and you just kept turning away from me."  He sighed, reaching out to stroke her cheek now that he had her full attention.  "I've thought long and hard about what you said to me, and you were right.  Deborah would hate it if she thought I wouldn't let myself love again just because I'd lost her.  She would have loved you, everything about you.  I think you would have been very close."

"And it's only how you think she would have felt about me that makes you love me?" she asked.

"Of course not!  I've been falling in love with you since that day at the schoolhouse when I kissed you.  Before that day, I'd kissed one woman in my life
, and that was Deborah.  Suddenly, I found myself wanting to kiss another woman constantly, and you were it."

Anna stared at him by the light of the moon streaming in through her curtained window.  "I...I don't know what to say.  I've felt like you didn't love me for so long that I have been angry with you for a while.  Well, I've been angry since you started being nice.  I was starting to feel as if you wanted me to fall in love with you just so you could tell me that my feelings were worthless."

His lips brushed against hers softly.  "I never would have done that to you.  I love you, Anna.  Would you be my real wife and let me spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you?"

Anna sighed and moved closer to him, her arms sliding around his back and hugging him to her.  "I'd love to be your real wife.  I...I love you too, Jesse."

He smiled, his face transformed by it.  "Then why don't we get out of this tiny bed that was made for children and go down the hall to my bedroom?  I have a nice big bed that's made for adults to share."

Anna blushed, but she followed him from the room.  "I don't know what to do..."

He took her hand and brought it to his lips.  "I will show you everything you need to know."  He had a moment's worry about her getting pregnant, but he knew that what had happened to Deborah wasn't normal.  She was a strong woman in many ways, and she would be a good wife for him.  He would never let her go.  He couldn't.