Tracie Peterson (7 page)

She knew he’d follow her, but when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, Daughtry jumped back in fear.

“Don’t,” she said between chattering teeth.

She could see the pain in his face. Pain of rejection and fear of loss. “I’m sorry, Daughtry. I didn’t mean to lose my temper.”

She said nothing, wondering at the strained apology. Did he think that was enough? Just an “I’m sorry?”
What do you want him to say?
Daughtry asked herself and could think of no answer.

Nicholas reached out to her again, and this time Daughtry didn’t push away. “I really am sorry,” he whispered against her ear. “It’s just that the whole episode with those men unnerved me. I can’t help but worry that we aren’t safe here anymore. I can’t help but worry that I’ve exposed you to something harmful and ugly. Before, when it was just me, I didn’t have to worry about things like that. I prayed and asked God to ride with me, watch over me, and take me home when the time came. But now, there’s so much more. There’s you and. . .” He fell silent. What was the use? He couldn’t explain it.

Daughtry’s heart softened toward him. His worry for their safety concerned her more than she wanted to admit but, right now, all she wanted to do was comfort him.

“It’s all right, Nicholas. I’m sorry to have pressed the matter, and I’m sorry that I spied on you. I do love you and I trust you, so from now on, I’ll leave the matter be.”

Chapter 11

T
hanksgiving drew near and with it the haunting reminder of Julie’s death. Daughtry found herself thinking about her sister, even when she didn’t want to. Julie would have been eighteen. Thoughts of her naturally turned Daughtry’s mind to her father. She was both worried and relieved that he’d done nothing to interfere in her life. Was he so angry that he no longer cared?

“It’s a beautiful day out here, Daughtry!” Nicholas called from just outside the back door.

Daughtry made her way outside, wearing only her dark green wool skirt and long-sleeved calico blouse. “Yes,” she murmured, relishing the reminder of summer. “I think I’ll do the wash outside today.”

Nicholas mounted his horse and gave her an admonishing look. “Don’t overdo it and don’t stay outside if it turns cold. I don’t want you getting sick.”

Daughtry grinned at his fatherly words. “I’m surprised you’re willing to leave me here alone.”

“I’m not very happy about the idea,” Nicholas said, “but you’re insistent on having fresh turkey for Thanksgiving, and since the Shaunasseys offered to sell me one of their birds, I guess I’ll just have to overlook my discomfort.”

“Oh, go on with you, now,” Daughtry said and reached out to smack the horse on the rump. Instead, Nicholas caught her hand and lowered his lips to her fingers.

“Please stay out of trouble,” he whispered. “I’ve grown very fond of you, Mrs. Dawson.”

Daughtry’s heart warmed to his words. “And I, you, Mr. Dawson.”

With nothing more said, Nicholas took off for his five-mile ride to the Shaunasseys, while Daughtry went back inside to ready her laundry.

With most of the wash done by noon, Daughtry was just putting away her wash tub and scrub board when the unmistakable sound of a wagon caught her attention. Peering around the house, Daughtry was pleased to see the freighter, Tom O’Toole, making his way up the long Dawson drive.

She quickly hurried inside to put on coffee and arrange a plate of cookies, while Tom completed the trip to the barn. He was bringing in the last of their ordered supplies for winter, and Daughtry was hopeful that he might have thought to bring the mail as well.

“Afternoon, Mrs. Dawson,” the man said, jumping to the ground.

“Afternoon, Tom,” Daughtry replied. “When you finish there, I’ve got hot coffee and cinnamon cookies for you.”

“That ought to make my work pass quicklike,” he announced. Pulling down a heavy crate, Tom motioned. “This here is a bunch of them canned goods you asked for last time. It just came in from Denver.”

“Oh, good,” Daughtry replied. “You can bring that on up to the house, and I’ll get to work putting it away.”

Tom nodded and followed Daughtry into the house, where he deposited the crate, requested a hammer, and pulled the nailed lid off. Daughtry immediately went to work, while Tom made his way back outside.

Humming to herself, Daughtry felt good about their filled pantry. There was more than enough food to tide them over for a great many months, if necessary. Nicholas, however, seemed to think that even if heavy snows buried them, a good strong prairie wind would most likely clear a path to town. With that in mind, Daughtry didn’t worry much about the distance.

She was nearly finished when Tom gave a heavy knock on the door and bounded into the room. “All done out there,” he said, and Daughtry poured him a mug of coffee and pointed him to the chair.

“You just rest awhile and help yourself to those cookies. Nicholas has gone over to the Shaunasseys’ to get our Thanksgiving turkey.”

“Me and the missus are planning on heading up to Raton for Thanksgiving. She’s got a sister there and nieces and nephews, and since it wasn’t that far by train, we thought it might make a nice trip before the snows set in.”

“It does sound like fun,” Daughtry said half-heartedly, for, in truth, she loved her little hideaway home and didn’t desire to travel away from it, even to visit her family.

“You got kin nearby?” Tom asked, draining his coffee and reaching for a third cookie. Daughtry started to refill his cup but he waved her off. “I still have two more deliveries to make, so I’d best be on my way.” He got to his feet, and Daughtry followed him out of the house.

“This weather is sure enough pleasant,” Tom said, making his way to the wagon. “I could do without the snow for awhile.”

“Me too,” Daughtry replied. “Well, take care, Tom.” She waited while he climbed up into the worn wooden seat of his freight wagon.

“Oh, I plum forgot,” he said, reaching under the seat. “I brought the mail for you.”

Daughtry’s face lit up, hoping that maybe a newspaper or magazine might be included in his delivery. Nicholas had ordered several magazines for her when they were last in town, and Daughtry was beginning to think they’d never arrive. To her disappointment, though, Tom handed down only a single envelope.

“This one’s for you,” he said and picked up the reins. “I’ll be seeing you, Mrs. Dawson.” He snapped the reins and took off on his route while Daughtry stared at the unmistakable handwriting of her father.

With shaking hands, Daughtry forced herself to open the letter. She waited until she made it back to the kitchen table, however, to read it. She was feeling weak in the knees and almost green with anxiety by the time she unfolded the single page.

Daughtry stared down at the words in disbelief. Her father was coming! She read the brief statement of when he planned to arrive and found that the date in his letter matched the one on the calendar. Her father planned to arrive today!

Daughtry dropped the letter on the table. If her father showed up and Nicholas were not there to prevent him from taking her back, what would she do? Feeling sick inside, Daughtry got up from the table and began to pace.

“Dear Lord,” she whispered, “I know that sinful nature got me here. I know that I was out and out disobedient, but, Father, I love Nicholas and I don’t want my father to take me back to Piñon Canyon. I want to stay here and be Nicholas’s wife.” She paused and realized her prayer was more the uncontrollable babblings of a rebellious child. She folded her hands together and took a deep breath.

“Show me what I need to do, Father. Show me how to make this right. Please forgive me for going against my father’s wishes, and help my father to understand why I did what I did and to forgive me for hurting him. Amen.”

Daughtry felt only marginally better. She knew that God was in charge and would take care of everything. She even knew that He’d already forgiven her for her willful disobedience. Daughtry couldn’t wash away the feelings of helplessness, however.

A quick glance at the clock on the wall started Daughtry panicking again.
He plans to arrive today,
she thought,
but when?
Finally, Daughtry decided she’d ride over to the Shaunasseys’ and get Nicholas. She could face anything with Nicholas at her side.

Despite the nice weather, she put on heavy wool stockings and a wool, split skirt. She pulled on her riding boots and grabbed a warm, fitted jacket to throw in her saddle bag in case the weather turned cool. Then suddenly, without really knowing that she was packing, Daughtry found herself throwing together gloves, a bonnet, her jeans, and one of Nicholas’s thick flannel shirts. When she’d gathered these things, Daughtry took two wool blankets and rolled all of it together into a pack that would fit behind her saddle.

Somewhere in the midst of her worry, Daughtry knew she was running away again, but her mind wouldn’t let her reason out the truth.

“I can’t go to Nicholas,” she said aloud, “or I might pass Daddy on the way.” The thought of being already en route when her father caught up with her made Daughtry believe he’d have just that much easier of a time forcing her home.

Running with the pack into the kitchen, Daughtry laid out provisions for herself, including matches, a small pot, and a generous amount of food. She stuffed as much as she could into her saddle bags, then leaving the kitchen in complete disarray, she grabbed her things and ran for the barn.

❧

Nicholas was in a good mood as he made his way home that afternoon. He had a nice fat turkey confined in a crate on the back of his rather skeptical horse and two warm loaves of pumpkin bread in the saddle bags behind him. His mood was founded on more than the food, however. He was going home to her. Home to his wife. Daughtry!

He hadn’t realized how much he’d come to love her until he spent time
away from her. This was the first time since she’d arrived that he’d spent near
ly an entire day without her by his side. Even the time he’d had to take the outlaws into the sheriff hadn’t amounted to more than a couple of hours.

Anxious to hold her in his arms and see her pleasure at the turkey,
Nicholas urged his horse into a gallop and hurried for home.

Nicholas approached the house without giving much thought to the cloud of dust that rose to his right. He was preoccupied with his thoughts and didn’t even see the riders until he was bringing his horse to a stop just outside the barn.

Nicholas thought to dismount but sat instead with his eyes fixed on the riders. Without being told, he knew they were Daughtry’s father and three of her brothers.

“Well, Lord,” he whispered against the silence, “I guess this is it. I’m about to answer for what I’ve done with this man’s daughter. I could sure use some direction in how to come under my father-in-law’s good graces.”

The riders approached, slowing to a slow walk until they were directly in front of Nicholas. The older of the three pressed his horse forward until he was nearly nose to nose with Nicholas.

“You Nicholas Dawson?” Garrett Lucas asked from between clenched teeth.

“I am,” Nicholas replied softly. “You must be. . .” He never got the words out, because Garrett flew across the saddle and knocked Nicholas off of his horse and to the ground.

Chapter 12

A
fter two well-placed blows against
Nicholas’s
face, Garrett’s sons managed to pull their father off the stunned man. Nicholas refused to fight back and got to his feet slowly. Knocking the dust from his backside, he moved away a step, while Garrett strained at the resistance of his sons.

“You have to answer for what you’ve done!” Garrett declared. His face was reddened with anger.

Nicholas rubbed his jaw and a hint of a smile played at his bloodied lip. “I think I just did.”

Garrett was livid and refused to be humored. “Where’s my daughter? Where’s Daughtry?”

“I would imagine in the house. As you can see for yourself, I just got back,” Nicholas replied gingerly. He didn’t believe his jaw was broken, but it hurt nevertheless.

“Dad, you promised to be levelheaded about this,” one of the boys was saying. Nicholas watched as the other two nodded in agreement. Maybe Daughtry’s brothers were able to see that their sister had a right to make her own choices.

“Don’t tell me what I said, Joseph!”

“He’s right, Dad. Daughtry told us in the letter that she’s happy. Why don’t we let her tell us otherwise.”

Garrett seemed to relax a bit, and Nicholas’s took the opportunity to speak. “I’m sorry, I truly am. Not for having married your daughter, but for the way we went about it. I know what Daughtry put in her letter, so I know that you realize I was completely unaware of your existence when she married me. It’s a poor excuse, I know, but I hope in time you will forgive me.”

Garrett stared at Nicholas for several minutes.

“I’m Garrett Lucas,” he finally said. “These are my sons, Gavin, Dolan, and Joseph.”

“Pleased to meet all of you,” Nicholas responded. He didn’t offer his hand, feeling if he did he might be forcing the issue a bit. Instead, he motioned to the horses. “What say we tie these fellows up and you let me put my turkey in the barn, and we’ll go inside and talk this out with Daughtry.”

The other men nodded. Nicholas could see the boys speaking in low whispers to Garrett, while they tied the horses to the corral fence and waited for their host. They seemed like good men, he thought to himself, and he smiled. Of course they were good men; they were Daughtry’s family.

Making his way to where they awaited him, Nicholas took the lead. “Come on inside.”

Nicholas immediately sensed that all was not right when he entered the kitchen. Things were strewn about in a haphazard way that was not indicative of his wife’s normal sense of order. For a minute he stood in the silence, while Garrett and the boys glanced around the room.

“Daughtry!” he called out, but in his heart, Nicholas knew she wouldn’t answer.

He rushed from one room to the next, and when he saw the same disarray in the bedroom that had greeted him in the kitchen, Nicholas knew that she was gone. Panic filled his soul. Had friends of the men he’d jailed come for him and taken her instead?

The fear was clear in Nicholas’s eyes as he returned to the kitchen. “She’s not here. I’m going to check the barn and see if her horse is gone. You wait here,” he instructed and ran out the back door.

Nicholas began to pray as he’d never done before. “Dear God, keep her safe. Please don’t let any harm come to her. Oh, God, please help me find her.”

When Nicholas realized the horse was indeed missing, he made his way back to the house with a heavy heart. Where was she? The light was fading and the wind was picking up, causing a chill to fill the air. Where was Daughtry?

The defeat on his face made it clear to Garrett that Nicholas was more than a little upset at finding Daughtry gone. “Where do you suppose she got off to?” Garrett asked, trying to keep his voice even.

Just then, Nicholas spied the letter on the table. He picked it up, praying that it might be some note of explanation from Daughtry.

“She’s run away again,” Nicholas muttered and handed the letter to Garrett. “She found out you were due to be here and, what with me gone, she was afraid.”

“Afraid? Of me?” Garrett nearly growled in disbelief.

Nicholas nodded his head. “She’s been in a real stew since we married. Always looking over her shoulder, wondering when you were going to come and take her by force.”

“She was afraid of me,” Garrett stated sadly as if all the wind had gone out from him. “I don’t know why she thought I would try to make her unhappy.”

“It’s not important now. What is important is that we find her,” Gavin offered, and Nicholas nodded.

“I just wanted her to make good choices,” Garrett said, trying to explain himself.

“She’s a good woman,” Nicholas responded without hesitancy. “She makes good choices.”

“Ha,” Garrett sounded. “She doesn’t seem to have made a very good one this time. She’s out there somewhere, only God knows where, and she’s alone. It’s getting colder and. . .”

“I’m going after her,” Nicholas said and turned to leave. “You make yourselves comfortable here, in case she comes back.”

“No,” Garrett replied, “I’m going after her. She’s my daughter, and if I caused this like you said, then I’ll find her.”

“She’s my responsibility now,” Nicholas said a bit more forcefully than he’d intended.

“And I say she’s still under my authority and protection,” Garrett replied, coming to stand only inches from Nicholas. “I was there when she came into this world, and God gave me charge over her.”

“But I married her, and that authority now falls to me,” Nicholas replied softly. “I love her as much as you do.”

“You may love her,” Garrett answered, “but she’s still my daughter. Flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood.”

Nicholas nodded. “I know. But she’s my wife, and she’s carrying our child.”

Garrett’s mouth dropped open at this sudden declaration. A part of him wanted to fight Nicholas all over again, while another part of him stood in awed amazement.

“A baby?” he questioned in disbelief.

“Yes,” Nicholas replied.

“Why don’t we stop this nonsense,” Gavin finally spoke up. “We should go together. With all of us looking, we’re bound to find her sooner.”

“He’s right,” Nicholas said, seeing the change in Garrett. “Let’s all go. I’ve a feeling she won’t be all that far.”

“Yeah, but we’re talking about my sister,” Dolan joked. “She’s very stubborn, and who knows where that’ll take her.”

Nicholas grinned. “She’s had good training, though. I know Daughtry can take care of herself.” Grabbing his coat, he added, “I’ll tell you about her fixing the roof while we ride.”

❧

Daughtry had found the perfect place to make camp for the night. She had ridden for several hours before coming to a rocky wall barrier. As she paralleled it for a short time, the sky began to grow dark, and Daughtry realized she’d have to stop and take shelter. She also noticed that the air was getting cold.

At the first sound of water, Daughtry felt a bit of contentment wash over her. She’d have a good camp for both Nutmeg and herself. Bringing the horse to a stop by the stream, Daughtry quickly went to work, and before the last few glimmers of late autumn sun had faded behind the mountain peaks, she had a nice fire going.

She thought how beautiful the night was and how the tiny pinpricks of light that were millions of stars in the sky seemed to keep her company through the loneliness of her vigil. “I know I’ve brought this on myself, Father,” she prayed. “But I just didn’t know what else to do. I wanted to trust You to work it out. I wanted to have faith that everything would be all right, but I was so frightened.”

The wind picked up a bit, and Daughtry hugged a blanket close to her. Foolish or not, she was out here alone and had to make the most of it. Garrett Lucas had raised his children to be capable of caring for themselves outdoors, and Daughtry was certainly no exception to that rule. As the fire began to die down, she tossed several large logs on the coals and settled down for the night.

“Oh, Nicholas,” she sighed against the haunting sounds of the canyon winds. “I need you.”