To Wed In Texas

TWENTY

DANIEL TOOK HER WORDS LIKE A BLOW. “I DON'T think I ever asked you to love me.”

“I know, I just decided to.” Karlee's smile flashed shorter than a wink.

“Well, stop it. I told you from the beginning I could never love you. People don't go around loving folks who don't love them back.”

“I do.”

“I don't want your love, Karlee. I'm happy with how it is between us. I don't want to love anyone else or have anyone love me.”

“Too late, I've made up my mind.” Karlee crossed into the hallway. “Good night, Daniel. I love you.”

“Don't say that,” he yelled after her.

Karlee closed the door as she left but she could still hear him grumbling about her, calling her every name he could think of. She smiled. Despite everything, he was a man worth the loving, and she planned to do so even if he never spoke to her again.

He could close himself off from the world if he wanted to, but not her. She planned to love him even if it drove him mad.

Crawling into her bed, Karlee shut her eyes. It felt so good to love someone.

She reached for the pen and paper in the bottom of her letter box and began, ‘My darling husband…”

“She's crazy,” Daniel swore beneath his breath. “I've given her no reason to love me. Hell, I don't even like the woman.” He opened and closed his hand. “All right. I like the way she feels. But that doesn't mean I want to love her, and I sure don't want her to love me. Can't she see that? Hasn't she heard a word I've said since the day I let her out of the trunk?”

Daniel rubbed his forehead. She had him talking to himself. The insanity was spreading. In no time he'd be yelling “clear the decks” and running outside every time he needed to use the privy.

He closed his eyes, trying not to think about the way she'd looked standing at the end of his bed while she changed clothes. Her skin seemed made of cream, and her breasts were high and pointed-and full. They were so full and rounded, made for a man to rest his head on.

Daniel slapped his forehead so hard stars danced in his eyes. He was going mad! Here he was thinking of a woman in a way he was sure wasn't proper for a man to think of someone he never planned to bed. He was a preacher, a reasonable man, not some lovesick cowhand who hadn't seen a woman in months.

But she was his wife. She was his! He'd about talked himself into believing that he could keep his hands off her. This morning had been a mistake. He told himself he could never make love to a woman he didn't love. It wasn't fair to her. But then she'd gone and said she loved him. Didn't he have any say about the matter?

Daniel dressed an hour before dawn. He might as well get up. He decided he'd probably never sleep again. He'd spent half the night thinking about her and the other half praying for forgiveness for his thoughts.

Limping to the kitchen, he made himself a pot of coffee. By the time Karlee came down, he was on his third cup.

“Morning.”

She looked at him as though she'd had a full night's sleep, which infuriated him.

“Morning,” Daniel grumbled. He was turning into a bear. He'd always thought of himself as even-tempered, but Karlee had managed to destroy that lifetime myth. She seemed determined to aggravate him. She'd worn a proper dress, but she must know how its snugness outlined her body. When she moved close, he had to fight the urge to reach out and touch her. She was driving him nuts on purpose.

Wolf stumbled in from his all-night outing, relieving them of the need to say more to one another. The hairy giant downed half a cup of coffee and sobered enough to fill Daniel in on details in town.

“We've got to get Jesse Blair's brother out of the stockade,” Wolf said between swallows of his second cup. “I heard word Logan is worried about the man dying before the hanging.”

Daniel glanced at Karlee, but she showed no sign of listening as she carefully burned eggs to match the bacon she'd already charred for breakfast.

“Some of Jesse's friends want to break in, but the place is too well guarded. There would be soldiers killed plus no telling how many prisoners.” Wolf scratched his beard. “We have to think of another way.”

“As a minister, I could go into the stockade,” Daniel volunteered.

Wolf shook his head. “You're barely walking.”

“I can handle it. Get me to the gate. I'll make it the rest of the way. Once I talk with Blair, we can come up with a plan to get him out. There has to be a way besides force.”

“Jesse says he'll come in as a trade to save his brother.”

Daniel rubbed his forehead. “They think Jesse's dead. They'd never agree to it. Not after Logan saw the body. We'd be no better off with Jesse in jail than his brother. Both the Blair brothers have to disappear.”

Wolf laughed without humor. “Funny thing is the brother, Altus Blair, didn't even fight in the war. He managed to stay home and safe for four years, then got caught up in the aftermath. He's a carpenter by trade, with thick glasses and a cough that's been with him since he was a kid. Jesse told me Altus wasn't expected to live to adulthood, much less long enough to be hung as a traitor.”

Daniel nodded. “He helped build the church and this house. I've heard a few folks mention that he was a good friend to the first preacher and his mother who owned this place.”

“You think he knows about the guns?”

Daniel glanced at Karlee and shook his head. “If he did, why wouldn't he have picked them up? The house was empty for a month before I got here.”

“Maybe he was afraid of Baker. If Cullen Baker and his men stashed them, Altus might have been afraid they'd come back.”

“I'll find a way to talk to him,” Daniel promised. “We'll see if he knows anything that might help us.”

“Can't hurt to try.” Wolf downed the rest of his coffee. “But I doubt the man will tell us much. Whoever knew about those guns is long gone, or long dead by now.”

“Can you hitch the team for Karlee to go after the twins and the buggy for me to drive to the stockade?”

“I can do better than that. I'll tell the settlement of Germans living in your barn that you need a driver and a wagon. They can get you to the stockade.”

Wolf excused himself as Karlee put breakfast on the table. The giant professed how sorry he was that he wouldn't have time to stay and eat.

Daniel picked at his food. Halfway through the meal, he broke the silence. “I want you to go after the twins and stay out at the farm as long as you can without stirring up questions.”

“All right.” Karlee didn't pretend not to understand why. She knew there could be trouble in town. “If you like, I could drive over and visit with AmyAnn today.”

“No.” Daniel looked up at her for the first time. “I don't want you anywhere near the Blair place. I'll meet you back here just before sunset.”

Karlee stood and moved close to his chair. “Be careful.”

Daniel smiled up at her. “You should have warned me about that before I ate breakfast.”

Karlee did as he'd instructed, staying to visit with Willow late into the afternoon. She pretended a great interest in learning to make pies, so it was easy to spend the hours in the kitchen. Granny had a habit of telling Karlee everything to leave out of a recipe as well as what to put in. Finally, loaded down with pies, Karlee pulled away from the Buchanans' farm.

When she neared home, she was surprised to find the house dark. She'd never have guessed Daniel would be gone so long.

She put the twins to bed and waited, thinking up places he might have stopped. His leg was not that strong, he must be exhausted, wherever he was.

To pass the time, she sewed another doll for the growing collection on the kitchen windowsill. The German widow, who lived in the barn, stopped by to visit. Karlee gave her two of the pies Granny had made and assured her she could stay as long as she needed.

It was after midnight when Karlee finally crawled into bed. She'd spent the evening listening for every sound, waiting for Daniel. But in vain.

At breakfast the next morning, she felt as if she'd slept on a bed of nails. The twins were happy to be home. They excitedly helped her make cinnamon toast and then were delighted when she said they could eat it in their tent.

While Karlee washed the dishes, she glanced out the window and saw Wolf approaching with his head low. Something was wrong!

She was out the door and onto the porch before he reached the first step. “What is it?”

Wolf's frown made his lips disappear into his beard.

“Daniel didn't come home last night.” Karlee tried to keep her voice calm. “I know something's wrong. What's happened?”

The big man pressed his lips together as though he could keep from telling her.

Karlee waited.

“He's all right,” Wolf finally began. “At least as far as I know. When he went to the stockade yesterday morning, Logan detained him. At first, we thought it was just for a few hours. But when he didn't come out with the midnight shift change of guards, I knew it would be longer.”

“How long? Why?”

“I don't know how long. There are men who've been in there for months for no reason. As for why, my guess is Logan knows Daniel's been helping some of the Rebs around these parts but can't prove it. To make matters worse, the guard said Daniel refuses to talk to anyone.”

“But he's hurt. He hasn't done anything.”

Wolf raised an eyebrow. “He's done more than you think, but that's for him to tell you. I've seen him risk his life more than once to fight the injustice going on. It's almost as if he places no value on his life, only that of others. And if I know him, he won't leave that stockade until he can get Altus Blair out.”

Karlee paced across the porch. “What can we do to help?”

Wolf rubbed his beard. “I don't know; I've spent my life trying to stay out of jail, not get in. The only way we're going to get Danny boy out is by smuggling him a gun, and there's not much chance of that. I can't get near the place. As a Ranger, the Army hasn't made up its mind which side I'm on.”

“Would they let me see him?”

“Maybe,” Wolf shrugged. “I've seen wives pass pretty freely through the gate. They'll check you for weapons, make you empty your pockets, that kind of thing. I've even seen them check the hem of a woman's skirt. Course, they don't do anything improper, but a lady might find it embarrassing.”

“That doesn't matter.” Karlee whirled. “I have to bake some fresh pies, then I'll be ready.”

Two hours later, she was dressed in her most proper Sunday dress of black with a black cape hanging off her shoulders to her waist. Her bonnet bore no lace. Her only jewelry was a tiny cross. She looked very much a preacher's wife.

The twins were playing in the kitchen with Valerie on watch. Karlee wrapped two hot pies in clean linen towels and started out for the stockade.

Ten minutes later, she was arguing with the guard at the gate. Thirty minutes later, she'd been stuffed into a small room and the guard had taken her pies. Karlee straightened her clothes. They'd patted on her shoulder pads and pressed her hem to make sure she wasn't concealing something, just as Wolf had predicted.

She glanced up as Daniel stumbled through the door-way, almost falling. The guard slammed the door closed, leaving them alone in the tiny dust-filled room with not even a chair in sight.

Karlee straightened, bracing herself for his anger. He'd tell her she shouldn't have come. He'd think her plan was crazy. She wouldn't have been surprised if he'd refused to see her.

But Daniel didn't say a word. He raised his handcuffs and encircled her with his arms. For a long while, he just held her.

“I…”

“Shhh,” he whispered against her ear. “They're listening at the door.”

He rubbed his face against her hair. “You smell so good. It's been a long night without my bride. I'm so glad you're here, Darling.”

Karlee knew he was talking for the guard's benefit. She needed to ask him about Altus but she didn't dare. “I brought you pie.” She played along with his conversation. “You know I promised you I'd bake you a pie every day of our marriage.”

Daniel chuckled and slipped his arms over her head so they could stand apart a little. Without a word, they moved to the furthermost corner. “I know.” He watched the door as he spoke. “I saw the guards eating it when I came in. They were fine-looking pies. I didn't know you knew how to bake.”

“I don't, but I'll bring you another tomorrow.” Karlee put her arms around his neck. “I promise, my love.”

Daniel rubbed his scratchy chin along her cheek. “I'm sure I'll be allowed to keep the next offering.” He leaned close. “You really do smell good, Karlee. I can almost taste the spices you cooked with.”

Karlee turned her head and their lips met. “Then taste me,” she whispered against his mouth for no one to hear but him.

He hesitated a moment, surprised at her boldness. Then, he joined in the pretend game she played. Kissing her like any newly married man would kiss his wife.

“Can they see us?” she whispered.

“Only through the bars at the door.” He continued to brush her lips with his as he spoke. “But you can bet they're hearing every word.”

Karlee turned her back to the door. “I don't care,” she raised her voice slightly. “I had to see you and have you kiss me and touch me. I'd die without your touch.”

Daniel's surprise at her boldness turned to shock. He knew her words would be repeated among the guards. A proper lady, a proper wife, didn't behave so wantonly.

Before he could answer, she cupped his hands in hers and placed them on her breasts.

When he would have objected, she closed her mouth over his and kissed him as he never thought she'd kiss. Boldly, wildly, passionately.

Daniel's control shattered. His fingers closed around her breasts as the memory of her standing nude before him flashed through his mind. If she wanted so desperately to be touched, he'd touch her.

He moved his hands over her breasts, suddenly wanting more. She was like some kind of wild creature, behaving so.

“Is this what you wanted?” he whispered.

“More,” she answered.

His fingers spread wide to please her, knowing that the guard would see nothing in the shadowy room. As his hand crossed over the valley between her breasts, he felt metal block his path. He widened his hand and brushed the outline of a derringer.

She'd smuggled him a weapon!

“I missed you so much, Darling,” she said as her hand moved alongside his and began unbuttoning her blouse. “The days and nights are torture without you near.” She unbuttoned enough for his fingers to slip into the dress.

“I feel the same.” He kissed her lightly as his hand sliced beneath the cotton. “I promise I'll be home as soon as I can.” He moved across the thin camisole and found the pink ribbon he remembered. “We have our lives to spend together.” He tugged at the ribbon pulling the thin garment low. The small gun slipped into his palm as he felt her bare flesh on either side of his hand. For a moment, he paused, loving the feel of her warm skin.

“Hold me, my love,” she cried. “Hold me once more before I go.”

She pressed against him as he slipped the derringer into his vest pocket.

He kissed her then in earnest as she buttoned her blouse. With a sigh, he walked her to the door. He didn't know how this trouble would end, or how long it would take him to get out of this prison. But one thing Daniel knew without doubt. He would touch the valley of bare flesh between her breasts again. And soon.