Shelter in Seattle (4 page)

“You two go on. I’ll take care of this little boy.” Maggie held a bottle to Jonathan’s mouth.

Caleb led Julianne out the side door and into a grove of trees. They walked a bit, Julianne focusing on the dirt tracks beneath her feet. They were smooth as glass and it was obvious something heavy moved across them regularly, but the tracks were not the same as those that carriage or buggy wheels made.

Curiosity got the better of her. “What are these tracks called?”

“They’re skid tracks. We use skids to haul the timber to the sawmill. Folks round here call this Skid Road.” They continued walking until they came to a small clearing.

Pink, purple and white flowers grew all around them. Julianne sat down on a large stump. She inhaled fresh air as she waited for Caleb to speak.

“We need each other.” He blurted.

Julianne didn’t need him. She didn’t need anyone. And she definitely didn’t need a baby.

You needed him a few minutes ago
, her inner voice reminded her. She decided to do the polite thing and hear him out. When he finished, she would explain to him that she was willing to reimburse him for paying off Sloan, and then she’d go back to Seattle and find a place to live. The thought that she had no money to pay for a home, tugged at her exhausted mind, but she ignored it.

When she didn’t argue, Caleb continued. “You need someone to protect you, and I need a mother for Jonathan.”

He knelt down in front of her. “Julianne, I will make you a good husband.”

Husband
? Who said anything about him becoming her husband? All he competed for was to pay off her debt to Sloan. What was it with men? First Marcus had thought he owned her, and now so did Caleb.

“I don’t want nor do I need a husband, Mr. Hansen.” She looked into his green eyes. “I’ll pay you back, if you will pay Sloan off for me, but I’m not going to marry you.” She watched the soft eyes turned to hard emeralds.

He stood to his feet and looked down on her. “Didn’t you come here to marry Sloan?”

“Yes, but I was ...”

Caleb cut off her words. “What? Were you or were you not going to marry him when you got here?”

Julianne jumped to her feet at the anger in his voice. Could she make it back to the cook shack before he lost his temper and did who knows what? “That doesn’t matter now. He’s already married.” She stood her ground even though her brain told her to flee.

He tilted his head to the side. “Are you afraid of me, Julianne?”

She knew he’d seen her fear. What should she say? Yes all men scare me? Or deny the truth?

“A little.”

Chapter 4

Caleb watched her bottom lip quiver. He didn’t want this. Fear in the eyes of any woman wasn’t something he enjoyed seeing. “I’m sorry.” He sat down on the grass in front of her. “I won’t hurt you.” Caleb stretched his legs out in front of him.

Julianne sat back down on the stump. “It’s not your fault. I ...” her voice trailed away, and she bit her bottom lip.

“It’s okay, Julianne. The last two days have been hard on you.”

He watched her swipe at her eyes as she nodded her head. His stomach clenched, and he wondered how she would take his suggestion. If she was this afraid of him now, what might she say when she heard him out?

“Julianne, if you don’t marry me then you need to prepare yourself for the reaction of the men. There are more men in these parts like Marcus. Unfortunately, this land and the men in it aren’t tame. They are a rough bunch looking for female companionship and not necessarily the marrying kind.” He stopped to let his words seep in.

Lord please let her understand I’m trying to help her not scare her.

He stared intently at her face, willing her to accept the truth of his words. Her skin appeared transparent. Caleb wondered if it was from the knife wound or if his words had further terrified her.

“You could always return home.”

“I can’t.”

The raw sounding whisper tore at his heart.

“If it’s money, I’ll help you.” It would take all the money he had saved, but he’d rather see her home safe than in Washington where things were still too rough for a single woman, especially a single frightened woman.

Her tear-filled eyes met his. “No, I can never go back.” She whispered, “I’ll marry you.”

Caleb stood to his feet.
Why couldn’t she go back?
“Are you sure?”
What had she done?
He took both her hands in his. Again, the thought occurred to him that he knew nothing about the woman in front of him. Yet, he felt the need to protect her from her present and her past.

“Julianne, whatever you are running from will probably find you.”

Her head snapped up and her mouth shot open.

Caleb witnessed wild terror fill her eyes. “With that in mind, do you still want to marry me?”

His gaze followed the line of her throat. He saw her swallow hard.

“More than ever.”

“How about today?” He searched her sapphire blue eyes.

“Do you think we can today?” Again her voice sounded barely above a whisper.

“I’m pretty sure the preacher is still in town.” At her quizzical look he explained. “The Mercer women came in on the ship when you did, and some of them planned on getting married today.” He could have kicked himself at the hurt look she shot him under soot-colored lashes.

He gently squeezed her hands. “I’m sorry. It seems I keep saying the wrong thing, doesn’t it?”

She attempted a watery smile. “I guess we better get the baby and go to the church.”

Caleb admired the way she squared her shoulders. She was a game little thing. Approval warmed his insides.

“We don’t have to take Jonathan with us, if you don’t want to. I’m sure Maggie won’t mind watching him.”

Julianne pulled her hands from his and settled her shawl more securely about her shoulders then looked at him.

“Mr. Hansen, if we are going to become a family, we might as well start acting like one now.” She didn’t dare tell him that little Jonathan would be her shield. With the baby along, perhaps there would be an excuse not to fulfill her wifely duties this night.

He walked beside her. “In that case, Julianne, maybe you could start calling me Caleb again.”

She followed him back to camp, masking her inner turmoil with a deceptive calmness. A faint thread of hysteria threatened to defeat her. She wanted to scream and to beat her fist against his wide shoulders at the injustice of it all. She hadn’t even had time to think through each decision. It was a matter of do this, or else. What kind of choice was that?

He seemed very alert to the woods around them and Julianne wondered if he was as worried about Marcus as she was.

He could protect her from bullies like Marcus. But what kind of life would she have without love? When she’d escaped New York, she’d thought there would be the opportunity to fall in love with her new husband—The very thing she craved more than anything else in the world. Caleb never promised to love her. He just needed a mother for baby Jonathan. Her throat ached with defeat.

“So you two are back.” Maggie stood in the small clearing by the kitchen. She held Jonathan in her arms. “I hope you’ve come to your senses and decided to marry each other.”

Julianne watched Caleb take his nephew and cuddle him in his big arms. His eyes gentled as he looked down on the baby.

“We have. Can you gather up Jonathan’s things, Maggie?

Maggie let out a whoop. “I’ll keep the baby. You two go on.” She reached for Jonathan.

“No!” both Julianne and Caleb shouted at the same time.

The baby let out a squall, and Caleb pressed him to his chest and jiggled him up and down.

Julianne wondered why Caleb didn’t want to leave the baby with Maggie. Moments earlier, he’d offered to. Her gaze moved to the man who would soon be her husband. His voice was low, reminding her of warm honey as he soothed the baby.

 Jonathan settled against Caleb’s shoulder. In the same soothing voice he told Maggie. “We decided to take the baby with us. We’ll feel more like a family.”

“Won’t help much with the honeymoon.” Maggie grumbled.

Julianne felt her whole body flush. She averted her gaze and studied the mass of trees to her right. Fresh heat filled her being. Would he expect her to perform her wifely duties tonight?

“Here’s his bag and a fresh blanket, but I really think you should leave the little tyke with me.” Julianne turned just in time to have the baby’s things thrust into her arms.

Caleb laughed. “We’ll be home tomorrow, Maggie.” He moved the baby from his right shoulder to his left.

Maggie moved to his side and kissed the baby on the cheek. She turned around and crossed her arms. “Have you ever watched a baby by yourself?”

Julianne pulled her shoulders back and held her head high. “As a matter of fact, I have. I have four nieces and two of those are twins. The twins were newborns when I started taking care of them.”

Caleb draped his right arm around Maggie’s shoulder and gave her a little hug. “We’ll do fine, Maggie. Can we borrow the supply wagon?”

Her wrinkled face melted into smiles of pleasure. “Yeah, take the wagon.”

He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you, Maggie. I’ll take good care of it.”

She playfully slapped him away. “Stop that, you’re almost a married man.”

Julianne watched the exchange and envied their friendship.

Caleb handed her the baby. “I’m going to go hook up the wagon. I’ll be right back for you and little Jonathan.”

His gaze searched her face. She wasn’t sure what he was looking for. Was he asking himself if they were doing the right thing? Was he worried she would be a bad wife?

He nodded, and then turned away. Julianne gaze followed him as he left.

“He’s a good man, Julianne. You’ll see.” Maggie touched the baby’s head one last time then returned to the cook shack.

Julianne prayed Maggie was right.

She took a deep breath and gathered the baby closer. In a few hours she would be Mrs. Caleb Hansen and little Jonathan’s mother. Julianne knew that when she took those vows they would be bonded for life.

Julianne pushed the fear of the future to the back of her mind. She held her head high, picked up her skirts, and went in search of Caleb.

Chapter 5

Julianne still couldn’t believe she was Mrs. Caleb Hansen. She looked down at the little ring that circled the finger on her left hand. It was a simple ring. A heart rested in the center surrounded by vines. Yet, it was the most beautiful piece of jewelry she’d ever seen.

She finished changing Jonathan’s diaper. The baby cooed up at her and she gently picked him up. “Well, it looks like you and I are a family.” He grabbed a strand of her hair and gave it a tug.

Untangling his fingers, she made her way back to Caleb and the wagon. “We’re ready now.” She watched as he took the baby’s things and placed them under the seat of the wagon.

“Good, we’ll get to the cabin a little before nightfall.” Caleb turned and helped her up.

Shades of green turned the forest into an enchanting wonderland. The sound of various birdcalls and the creaking of the wagon filled the stillness. Julianne smiled and concentrated on the beautiful scenery around her.

They passed beneath a canopy of branches. She felt safe and protected within its shade. For the first time since she’d arrived, she really enjoyed the sea of green that surrounded her.

“I hope you will be comfortable in the cabin. It’s isolated, and you’ll be spending your days alone. Or, I could take you and Jonathan to camp with me each morning. You could spend time with Maggie.”

She kept her gaze trained on his strong hands. They guided the team with gentle strength. “Thanks, I’d like to try a few days alone. I’ll enjoy the quiet.” Julianne gasped in surprise as he guided the wagon out into a clear area.

They passed a garden that was fenced in with peeled post and some sort of wire. On the opposite side of the garden stood a two story barn, and as Caleb drove the wagon between the two, Julianne’s breath caught in her throat. A two story log house with intricately carved gables and shutters, gleamed in the evening sun. A door centered the front of the house. The new logs smelled of freshly cut lumber and they promised warmth and protection. Something Julianne welcomed.

He pulled the wagon to a stop and jumped down. “Here, hand me the baby.”

Julianne did as he asked, then began to climb down. She felt his hand on the small of her back. When she turned around her eyes met his. In their depths was an expression she didn’t quite recognize. It quickened her heartbeat.