The Cowboy's Baby Bond (10 page)

Because God had a hand in it? That was what Johnny would say, but she wasn't prepared to decide at this point.

She stepped up and sat on the bench.

Johnny climbed up beside her, Adam on his knee, and they all looked at Celia.

She crossed her arms and didn't budge.

They waited. Willow wasn't going anywhere without her sister. She didn't need to tell Johnny. He understood.

“Oh, very well. What difference does it make?” Celia climbed up beside Sarah and bounced down on the mattress.

Johnny flicked the reins. They waved to the couple and were on their way.

Willow bent over Adam and kissed his head. “This is not how I pictured it,” she murmured to Johnny.

He squeezed her hand. “Give her time.”

She turned her palm to his and held on, finding comfort and strength in his grasp and his words.

“It doesn't seem like God is doing what I asked.” She spoke softly so the girls wouldn't overhear.

“Trust Him.”

Trust? A simple, yet difficult, task.

“What are you two whispering about?” Celia demanded. “I suppose it's about me.”

Willow pressed back a sigh and turned toward her sisters. “Actually, we were talking about God.”

Celia harrumphed.

Sarah smiled sweetly. “God is with us all the time and protects us. I remember Mama saying that.”

Willow stared at her baby sister. “You were so young.” Just eight when their parents died.

Sarah nodded solemnly. “But I remember. She read us Bible stories every night and listened to our prayers. Then she tucked us in.” Her smile filled her eyes. “She always tucked the covers right to my chin so I'd be warm and safe.”

Willow swallowed hard. “She did the same for me. And you, too, Celia.”

Sarah got a dreamy look on her face and then grew serious. “I prayed God would keep us safe and help you find us and He did.” She planted her hands one on top of the other and looked satisfied.

Johnny nudged Willow. “The faith of a child.”

Willow almost hated to look at Celia, and her caution was warranted. Her sister scowled. If the girl wasn't careful, she was going to develop a permanent furrow in her forehead before she reached marrying age.

“Could be I had something to do with it,” Celia said.

“What happened to make you leave the train?” Willow knew about the two men, but she wanted more details. Especially, she wanted to know the girls hadn't been hurt.

Sarah knelt behind the bench, so close Willow could feel the warmth of her body and smell the dusty scent of her clothes. And something more. A familiar smell that brought forth a flood of memories of times she'd held her little sister.

“A nice old lady sat with us on the train,” Sarah said. “She asked where we were going.”

“And Sarah told her everything.” Celia made her displeasure plain. But then, she'd made everything she thought and felt quite obvious.

“She was nice.” Sarah seemed unaffected by her sister's criticism.

“Yeah, and so were the two men seated behind her. Nice and nosy.”

Sarah hung her head. “I didn't think about them listening.”

“Oh, they listened all right, especially when you said Willow had been living in Wolf Hollow. They started to ask questions. Did you have a gold mine? Did Bertie's death leave you well off? I told them we were poor as street paupers, but I don't think they believed us.”

“They tried to make us go with them when we got off at Martens,” Sarah whispered. “That's when Celia said we had to run away.”

Willow met Celia's defiant gaze. “Good for you for your quick thinking.”

Gratitude flickered through Celia's eyes and was gone almost before Willow saw it. “I've been looking after Sarah since you left.” Her voice rang with accusation.

Willow wasn't going to point out that Mr. and Mrs. Reames were the girls' guardians. She blinked back tears. They would never know how hard it had been to leave them, nor that it had been to protect them and the baby inside her. They must never know. “I'm glad you are both safe.” The words caught in her tight throat.

“'Cause God takes care of us just like He said He would.” Sarah had such sweet trust. She fixed her golden eyes on Willow. “Isn't that right?”

“I do believe it is.” It was much easier for Willow to believe, now that she had been reunited with her sisters.

Adam squirmed and fussed.

“He's tired of sitting still. Sarah, if I put him in the little space there, would you like to play with him?”

“Oh yes!”

Soon her son and her little sister were laughing together as Sarah played peekaboo.

Celia watched.

Willow could only guess at what she thought, but from the furrow between her eyes her thoughts weren't sweet or pleasant.

Realizing Willow watched her, Celia stretched out on the mattress, her back to the others.

Willow faced forward, blinking back the threatening tears.

Johnny again took her hand.

She turned her palm to his, grateful for someone to understand and to share her disappointment. It would get better. At least they were safe and together, and Sarah seemed happy for it and enjoyed Adam.

They continued westward, toward Granite Creek. The hours passed in drowsy heat.

Willow jerked awake at the sound of Adam crying. “I fell asleep again.” And again against Johnny's arm. She was discovering it to be a very comfortable pillow. But a most unsuitable one, and she sat up and reached around for Adam. “He's hungry,” she assured the anxious Sarah.

Celia hadn't moved. Perhaps she, too, had slept.

“There's a place up there with trees for shelter.” Johnny drove the wagon off the trail and they all scrambled down, glad of a chance to stretch their legs and move about.

Celia grabbed Sarah's hand and they immediately headed for the trees to explore.

Willow watched them go. She wished they would stay and keep her company, tell her every detail of what they'd done since she'd last seen them. Their letters had offered little news. But she understood it would take time for them to see her as part of their lives again.

Understanding didn't make it any easier. She stared after them, tears filling her eyes.

Johnny came to her side. “Give it time.”

His gentle words opened the floodgates and she sobbed.

He took Adam in one arm and pulled her to his chest with the other. She went willingly, Adam cradled between them. She pressed her head to Johnny's shoulder and let all her worries and regrets wash from her until she felt cleansed within. Her tears ended, but she didn't pull back. Her problems faded and she felt safe in his arms. The moisture beneath her cheek made her aware she had soaked the front of his shirt.

She lifted her face to him. “Your shirt is a little damp.”

“So is your face.” With gentle fingertips, he wiped the last of the tears away. A smile softened his lips and his gaze came to her...his bottomless, kind, inviting eyes.

She couldn't look away. Didn't want to.

His fingertips stilled and then trailed to her jaw and stopped. His gaze lowered to her mouth.

Her breath stalled. Her heart galloped. She leaned into him, lifting her face toward his.

His dark eyes examined her features and came back to her lips.

She knew his intent and welcomed it.

But he only smiled and released her. “Time to get this bunch fed, don't you agree? Life always looks better with a full tummy.”

“That's true.” All she wanted was a bit of comfort. More than he'd offered, though he'd given more than she had any right to expect. He was right about one thing, though. It was time to turn her attention to setting out lunch. She spread the quilt, opened the grub box and brought out hard cheese and equally hard biscuits. Wouldn't it be nice to get Adam and the girls home and cook them a meal in their new quarters? A new family for them all.

“Girls,” she called. “Dinner is ready. Let's eat.”

The two came from the trees. Celia looked defiant and Sarah upset, even a little frightened.

What had happened in those few minutes? Willow wouldn't find out from Celia. Sarah might tell her if not for her sister's threatening looks. Whatever it was, Willow hoped it wouldn't mean more trouble.

They ate quickly, though Adam couldn't be rushed. When he tried to get Sarah to give him a bite, the girl laughed. Celia jabbed Sarah and her laugh choked off.

The two exchanged scowls.

Deep inside, Willow sighed. This was not the happy family reunion she had pictured. She looked to Johnny, grateful for his encouraging smile.

Give it time
, he mouthed.

She nodded.

“I'm done.” Celia jumped to her feet and nudged Sarah with her toes.

“Me, too.” The younger girl got to her feet and stood by her.

Willow and Johnny quickly put things back in the wagon. Both girls sat at the back, so Willow held Adam. He soon fell asleep.

She shifted him to his little nest, where he could rest easy. When she turned forward again, her shoulders slumped.

Johnny drew her to his side.

Willingly, even knowing it revealed weakness on her part, she rested her head against his chest and let her breath ease out.

She appreciated his comfort more than she knew to be wise, but her disappointment swirled through her, making her weepy and needy.

Strength and determination would return in a short while. She counted on it. There was no way she could continue to turn to Johnny for support and encouragement. No matter how much she might yearn to do so.

Chapter Ten

J
ohnny held Willow gently, his arm light on her shoulders. It took a great deal of effort not to pull her closer, wrap both arms about her and say a hundred encouraging words. He could see and feel how Celia's attitude hurt Willow. He could tell her things would work out—and he believed they would—but she'd had so many disappointments, she'd become wary and uncertain.

Father God, comfort her. Protect her
.

The two men who had bothered the girls must have decided Willow had gold. After all, she came from Wolf Hollow—the gold-mining town of northwest Montana. The men would see Willow and her sisters as easy prey. Likely still did. Johnny was doubtful they had given up so easily. Not that he'd say so to Willow and alarm her. For now, he would be keeping a sharp lookout for them, and also the pair that had hung about the wagon yesterday. But who would protect them once they were back in Granite Creek and he left for the cabin?

He'd be sure to warn the sheriff and maybe tell Mr. Marsh and a few other men in town of his concerns. They could keep their eyes open for trouble.

In the meantime, he meant to get them safely back to town and their new home. But he wished he could do something to ease the tension between Celia and Willow.

He glanced over his shoulder. Sarah and Celia sat side by side, swinging their legs over the back of the wagon. Adam slept peacefully. For now, all was well.

Willow stirred. He kept his arm about her shoulder, not willing to let go at the moment. She shifted slightly to look into his face.

“Is this God's way of answering my prayer?” Her intense gaze challenged him.

He dared not blink. Dared not show the least discomfort or even doubt. He spoke the only words that came to mind. “It's the beginning of a long journey.”

“Will the end be happy?”

How could he say? He wasn't God. He couldn't even guess how his future would be. He'd made plans and thought he knew what he wanted, but suddenly the plans seemed sketchy and uncertain. “The Bible says ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.'”

Johnny couldn't explain why he'd spoken those words. And he wasn't surprised when Willow's eyes widened.

“What does that mean?”

He considered his response. “Maybe that God sees a bigger picture than we do, so things that happen now, things that to us seem random, are part of an overall plan.”

She nodded slowly. “I guess that makes sense.”

For a few minutes they rode on in silence, lost in their own thoughts, then she turned to confront him again. “How do you know that verse?”

A happy smile widened his mouth. “Maisie is a teacher. She came to civilize a trio of wild half-breed boys and was faced with teaching them the three R's and so much more. Like how to eat like gentlemen. She loves her Bible and had us memorize many verses.”

“She seems such a sweet lady.”

“She is. We couldn't have asked for a better step-mother. I think my ma would have approved.”

“That's nice.” Willow studied her hands, deep in thought. He'd noticed this reaction before when Maisie was mentioned, as if Willow found talk of his stepmother upsetting, and perhaps even painful.

He pulled her a little closer, resisting the urge to plant a kiss on the top of her head. Just as he'd managed to resist kissing her a short time ago. He knew Celia had again hurt Willow's feelings. His hug had begun as an offer of comfort, but something inside him had shifted at the sight of her teary face. An urge as deep as the ocean had pulled at his heart, a need to offer more than temporary comfort. It had taken a great effort to remind himself she was in mourning and he had promised Thad things that made it impossible to court a young woman in town.

Johnny allowed himself a thread of hope. Perhaps a time would come when he and Thad could go their separate ways and things would change for him.

Until then he would not allow himself to hope for more. Not that Willow had given him any reason for hope. In fact, quite the opposite. She'd stated she would not marry again. He had no reason to doubt her. Nor even, for that matter, to trust her wholly. And yet no reason existed not to trust her.

Realizing his thoughts had wandered from the path he'd chosen, heading down a trail he wasn't ready to travel, he lowered his arm from Willow's shoulder and turned around to check on the passengers in the back of the wagon. “What?” He pulled up on the reins.

The surprise in his voice jerked Willow around and they stared at the place where the two girls had been seated.

Johnny squeezed his eyes shut, but when he opened them, the girls still were not there. They weren't anywhere in the wagon.

He scanned the surrounding countryside. Not a sign of them.

“What happened to them?” Willow's voice cracked with worry. “Did they fall off? Did someone snatch them away?”

Johnny squinted down the trail, but saw no sign of anything lying in the dust. “We would have heard if anyone approached.” Wouldn't they? Was it possible a man—two men—could have sneaked up behind them and taken the girls? They'd have had to cover their mouths to keep them from calling out. And Celia wouldn't go without a fight. No, surely they would have heard.

He could think of no explanation for their disappearance.

He brought the wagon around. “You drive. I'm going to get off and look at the tracks.” He went ahead of the horse, his head bent over the trail. His spine crackled with tension, which wasn't helped by Willow's worried words.

“Are they that unhappy to see me? Are they angry at me? I thought I was doing what was best for all of us. Now I'm not so sure. Seems like it isn't what they want. Or at least not what Celia wants, and she has been telling Sarah what to do for a long time now. Poor little Sarah, she just wants to please people, so she'll go along with Celia even if she doesn't like it.”

Johnny tried to shut his mind to Willow's restless chatter as he concentrated on clues in the dust.

She continued, “Are they that unhappy about leaving the Reames? Don't they know they didn't have a choice? Mr. Reames said they couldn't stay after Bertie's death. He said—”

Suddenly she grew silent and Johnny paused to look at her. She clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes. When their gazes connected, she gave a slight shake of her head.

He could not think what it meant. Except there was something she didn't wish to tell him. A secret. His insides hardened. He did not care for secrets.

He shifted his attention back to the trail and continued walking, then drew up with a shout. “They got off here. Their steps go that way.” He straightened and pointed toward the trees that crowded the trail at this spot.

Willow pulled the wagon to a halt and jumped down. She raced toward the grove.

He caught her and stopped her flight. “Wait until I make sure it's safe. Stay here with Adam.” He considered the risks. “Best get back in the wagon and have your pistol handy.”

The color drained from her face. “You think—”

“I don't know what to think, but I'm not taking any chances.” He waited as she scrambled into the wagon and grabbed her little bag, where he knew she kept her gun. Then he followed the tracks into the trees, moving silently as his ma had taught him and listening for any unusual sounds.

The leaves to his right rustled and he grew motionless, but it was only a breeze that stirred them. He edged forward, pausing at another sound. A giggle? Sarah?

He broke through the trees to the edge of the river and his tension eased. Celia and Sarah, in their undergarments, sat in the water, which was up to Sarah's chin and Celia's shoulders. They seemed happy and safe, but to be certain, he studied the trees on both sides of the river and then slipped back into the shadows and made his silent way up and down the bank for several yards in either direction.

Satisfied no immediate threat existed, he moved into the open. “So this is where you disappeared to.”

Sarah squealed and her eyes widened.

Celia jerked about to stare at him, her expression hard. “We decided to have a swim.”

“Not a bad idea, but you might have let us know.”

Celia tossed her head. “Didn't see the need.”

He wasn't about to argue with the girl. “You all done here?”

Sarah headed for shore, but Celia grabbed her arm and stopped her. “No, we aren't.”

“Okay. Well, I'll just go let your sister know you're safe.” And to ensure Celia didn't decide to run away while he was gone, he scooped up their shoes and dresses. He doubted the girl would want to wander away barefoot and in her undergarments.

He trotted back to the wagon, ever alert for any other dangers lurking in the trees. “I found them,” he called as soon as she was in sight.

“Are they safe?”

He was at the wagon by the time she reached the ground, and he caught her as she stumbled forward. His arms tightened and he would have held her, but she pushed away, intent on getting to her sisters.

“They're fine. They're playing in the river.” He put their shoes and dresses into the wagon and glanced at Adam, assuring himself the little boy was still sleeping safely in his little nest.

Willow ground to a halt before Johnny and stared at him. “They're what?” She didn't wait for him to repeat it. “While I sit with a gun in my hand, imagining all sorts of horrible things. Why would they do that?” Her words ended in a wail and she started to cry again.

This time she came readily into his arms and he held her, rubbing his hand up and down her back, wishing he could do more. Make her world safe. Make her sisters cooperative, though it was only Celia who resisted Willow.

She sobbed once more, then shuddered. Still she leaned her head on his shoulder, as if she didn't have the strength to move away.

He cupped his hand to her head, content to hold her.

With a sigh that seemed to come from deep inside, she straightened. “Are they coming?”

“Celia said they weren't done.”

“What?” Willow took two strides toward the trees, then spun around. “Do you mind staying with Adam?”

“I'll watch him,” he said, though he longed to see how she would handle this situation. He checked on Adam and got a friendly grin as the baby pushed himself to his feet and held out his arms.

“Up.”

Johnny took the baby. “You and I aren't going to miss this.” He followed Willow.

* * *

Willow's breath steamed in and out. What was wrong with Celia to do such a foolish thing as disappearing without letting them know, and then stripping down and getting into the water? What if someone had come along, such as Chester and Luke? Or the men who had frightened the girls? Willow might not have seen the end of either pair.

But for now the girls were safe. Her tension eased and she smiled. And they were with her. Or were they? Celia certainly didn't seem grateful for the reunion.
Give it time. Give it time.
Willow clung to the hope that things would get better.

She reached the river's edge and jammed her fists to her hips. “Sarah. Celia. Come on out. It's time to head home.”

Sarah looked from one to the other, uncertain who to obey, then edged toward the shore, glancing over her shoulder to see if Celia would stop her.

Celia crossed her arms and stared at Willow. “I'm not done here.”

Johnny stood nearby, Adam in his arms, and dropped the dresses and shoes to the grass.

Sarah shivered as she stepped from the water.

Willow met Celia look for look, not wanting her sister to think she could outstare her. “Aren't you getting cold?”

“Cold don't bother me none.”

“Humph. I recall a time you said otherwise. When we were caught in a cold rain on the walk home from school and you cried in misery. I took off my jacket and hung it over your head to help keep you dry.”

Celia didn't show any relenting. “I'm not interested in ancient history.”

“Five years is hardly ancient.”

“It is to me.”

How was she to get Celia out of the water? She couldn't order her out. Celia would scoff at obeying. Willow had no intention of wading into the water and trying to physically force her out. Celia would put up a fight. With anyone else, she might pretend to drive away, but Celia wouldn't object. She might even think it was exactly what she wanted.

Willow glanced toward Johnny, silently asking what he would do.

He lifted one shoulder.

Not very helpful.

Sarah, now dressed, sidled up to Willow. “I didn't want to do it, but she gets really mad if I don't do what she says.”

Willow drew Sarah to her side. “It's okay. I don't blame you.”

“Don't blame her, either. She can't help being angry.”

The comment gave Willow pause. Why was Celia so irate? Would her sister ever confide to her the cause?

Johnny set Adam on the grass and Sarah ran over to play with him. Then Johnny sat nearby, his back to a tree as if he had no worries and all the time in the world, while Willow's thoughts whirled and twisted like a summer storm. They needed to go. The sooner she got her family settled, the sooner she could enjoy them.

But all the fretting in the world was not going to bring Celia out of the water, so with a frustrated lift of her hands she sat beside Johnny, her shoulder against his. She blew out a calming breath. If he wasn't concerned, then neither was she.

A cool breeze came off the water. The trees provided shade. Birds chattered in the branches. Sarah and Adam laughed together.

“It's nice here,” Willow said after a bit.

“Some things can't be rushed.”

“Do you mean with Celia or getting home?”

“Yes, and maybe life in general. That's something my ma taught me, besides don't hate. Don't rush through life. She would say, ‘If you go fast you miss the little things and the little things are so often what guide us.'”