BECCA Season of Willows (10 page)

He was most assuredly Sioux Indian. She had thought about the breaking of the rule about do not marry Indians but…look at him! He had the high cheekbones and the wide full kissable lips. Nola blushed at the thought of kissing him but well…she couldn’t help it.
He IS a huge man with lots of muscle. Yes. He was a ‘real’ man!

“I’m very pleased to meet you Still River. Thank you for welcoming me.”

River nodded and put his hat on. Turning to the nearest pony, took the blanket off and brought it to Nola smiling.

“This blanket…a ‘wedding blanket’ of the people. My mother, she made for you before she died. I also give three of my finest ponies to you.”

Becca was almost in tears. She knew just what this meant to him to give the blanket and the three ponies.
She sighed turning to Nola wiping her eyes.

“Nola? River’s mother was a white woman named Mary Carter. Her name became Mary Three Horses because that is what River’s father gave for her to be his wife. He fell in love with her at first sight and they were happy for many years. River now he gives three horses for you.”
Nola bit her lip getting the connection. She looked into his very expressive eyes.
He is a romantic!
“Thank you, Still River. I am honored. Your gifts are beautiful. Thank you. I will cherish them.”

He ginned big and stepped up on the porch in front of Nola as she stared up at him.
Lord almighty, he is tall and so big!

Becca smirked and whispered in her ear.
“Okay Nola, you accepted his gifts. You are now courting him. He is supposed to be able to kiss you now.”
River looked at Becca and winked. He touch Nola’s chin and lifted her face to him as he brushed the softest of kisses on her lips. Nola felt like she would melt into her shoes.
He smelled of fresh air, man and mint. He didn’t smell bad at all. She wondered why all the men she had talked to said Indians smelled bad. River smelled better than the white men!
 

Nola smiled openly at him and brushed his cheek with her palm. River grinned at her and winked as he chuckled.
Nola couldn’t ever remember hearing a man laugh so seductively like that. She was already attracted to his deep voice that rumbled through his chest. Nola blushed as he took her hand.

Becca smiled and clapped her hands and wiped her hands on her apron.
“Okay! Ceremony is over! Come on in River and sit and eat. You are bound to be hungry with all this romancing your doing. Come on Nola…or are you able to walk on those wobbly legs of yours.”
Nola glared at Becca as she walked into the house with River following her like a puppy. Becca laughed the whole way to the kitchen.

Supper was hilarious with Mac sniggering and Mazie asking embarrassing questions. River was nervous and paid little attention to what was going on. He was barely eating. Becca was wondering if he was sick or if he was just scared to death he had made a mistake.
Nola finally placed a hand on his forearm and his head snapped to see her.

Nola smiled. “I wish you were more comfortable. I can tell you’re not.”
She reached over and unbuttoned the first two buttons around his neck and he breathed a sigh of relief. Nola smirked as she rolled his sleeves up more.

Nola sat back and nodded. “I wondered if you would do something about that shirt that is too small for you? Anything else uncomfortable?”

River smiled and shrugged.
“I do not wear my hair like this. I though it would make me more…acceptable.”

Nola stood and untied the red cloth and unbraided his hair. She raked her hands through it and it was soft, silky, straight and wonderful.

“There. Is that better?”
River shook out his tense muscles and grunted. “Good. Ugh…thank you.”
He held out his bowl for more corn pudding. Soon he was his old self packing his cheeks.
The days turned into a weeks and still no Harrison. No letters and no message at all. River said not to worry but she saw the look on his face when he thought she wasn’t looking. He was worried and disappointed in his friend.

Nola and River were appearing to move into a close friendship. At church they all sat together but after the service Seth Henderson was at Nola’s side talking to her.

Becca noticed the look of extreme interest in Nola’s eyes, perhaps even love when she looked at Seth. That was a little disturbing for Becca. She was hoping Nola and River would find love. But you never know when or how love will raise its head up. Maybe Seth and Nola had a real love brewing. River would come and stand by her and the children as Nola chatted with Seth. Becca couldn’t figure it out and looked at River. She could already see that he knew. He knew that Nolla preferred Seth.

But each night, Nola still walked with River down by the huge Willows by the stream after the dinner dishes were done. River would always be sitting on the porch patiently waiting for her so they could have their walk.

Becca would sit on the porch and watch them walk off whispering to each other. No kissing or hand holding, just talking. Curiosity was eating Becca alive. She had the devil of a time keeping Mac and Mazie from following them when she herself wanted to snoop too.

Mac was sitting watching them walk off with his arms crossed. He scowled at Becca and she smirked.

“I know you want to go keep an eye on them Mac, but you have to leave them alone. You and Mazie got plenty to look at with your Pa and I, so let them be. They are just learning about each other.”
Mac barked a laugh and leaned against the railing looking every inch of his Daddy.

“Uncle River never showed no signs of wanting a wife till you came along, Mama. He loved reading your letters. He read them over and over again. If Pa hadn’t married yuh that day I know River would have. He loves yuh too.”
Becca looked shocked at Mac and he shrugged.

“You can’t be serious Mac. River has never said or done anything to say that’s true.”
Mac smirked and pushed away from the rail.

“And he won’t either! You belong to my Pa and River knows it. He would never dishonor Pa or you by makin’ a move on yah. That’s just the way he is.”
Becca bit her lip.

“Well, I hope Nola makes some sort of ‘move’ herself…and soon. I think he thinks Seth is Nola’s choice.”

Mac sniggered and shrugged.

“Anyway! I sure ain’t gonna get married. Especially not to a girl!”

Becca tried not to laugh and it came out a snort. Becca almost laughed out loud.

“Well, be that as it may, River is now courting my sister for marriage. And I dare say that one day it WILL be YOU handholding and running down to the stream with your sweetheart to steal kisses in the dark.
“Is that what you think he’s down there doing? He ain’t doin’ that! They just yakkin’.”
Mac sat back and shook his head in unbelief.

“I bet she won’t marry River. She’ll marry Seth.”
Becca pursed her lips and gave him a side look.

“I know you’ve been spying! What makes you say that?”
Mac rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Oh well, they meet just about every other day now out by their fence line when she goes ‘riding’. The last time I spotted them, they were really kissing up a storm. I even saw him get down on his knee and give her something. She started cryin’.”
Mac and Becca stared at each other and frowned. Becca closed her eyes feeling sorry for River. “Seth has asked her to marry him…”
Mac nodded. “I would say that’s a ‘yes’.
Becca shook her head.

“Oh poor River…my heart goes out to him. He’s so good and so…lonely.”

Mac looked sad too. “Yeah…”
River and Nola watched the small waterfall and felt the cooling breeze through the Willow trees. Nola slipped her arm around his and hugged his bicep.
He was so strong. She had watched him chop wood that first morning and couldn’t believe her eyes as he took off his shirt to chop wood. He stacked it up against the house and continued his chores shirtless. Nola mooned over him a good portion of the day.

He was beautiful and his muscles were just perfect. She had never seen a man so fit so masculine. All the men back in Virginia would be huffing and puffing but River carried the wood like they were twigs.

She wrapped her arms around him and turned her face to him knowing it was attraction, but attraction only. Her heart was swayed to Seth Henderson, the eldest son of the ranch to the west of them.
River moved his arms to embrace her and his lips found hers. They kissed very wary at first and then River licked the seam of her mouth and she opened to him. River swept into her like a fire but she could tell his heart belonged to Becca. River wanted her sister. She had seen the looks he gave Becca and they were looks of love and devotion.
Nola felt her control slipping and she pulled away.

“River? We have to talk about us.”

River sighed and nodded looking very sad.
“I saw Seth ask for you. You said yes.”

Nola gasped and then nodded.

“I’m in love with him. He gave me a ring. I told him I would marry him.”

River looked into her eyes and nodded.
Nola steeled herself. “I know you are in love too. With Becca.”

River’s head snapped up and he looked stricken.
“She is my brother’s woman. I can not…”

Nola took his face in her hands.

“You can deny it all you want River. But I know how you look at her, You love her and there is no changing that.”

River finally had to accept the bitter truth. He was in love with his best friend’s wife.

Nola watched his ears burn with humiliation and she felt sorry for both of them. They were trying so hard to be a couple. Too hard. There would be no connection between them for they both loved another.

Nola knew River would be a generous lover! She just knew it! And there was certainly was no disguising the iron hardness between his legs. She had felt that part of a man grow and grind into her thigh before. Men bodies couldn’t betray them like a woman’s could. It didn’t mean they were in love. Nola kissed him again still loving his flavor. Nola groaned and released him feeling like a hussy hearing him unconsciously whisper her sister’s name.

“No! I will not dishonor you River or betray myself. You are a good man, but I know who you really love and it is not me. I will never be Becca.”
River’s head lifted up to stare at her. Nola nodded as River sighed and nodded.
“You are right, Nola. But she is Harrison’s woman. That is why I sent for you.”

River watched her face and his heart showed its sadness in his eyes.

Nola smiled wanting so badly to love this man but…her heart said otherwise. The choice had been made for weeks now.
River softly smiled and nodded acknowledging defeat.
“Seth is a good man. I know you care for him. You love him.”
Nola stood up feeling a wanting like she had never experienced. Nola was surprised that her desire for River was so strong when he truly wanted her sister and she wanted Seth. Yes, yes, she wanted Seth. That was a forever love.
River stood and brushed her cheek with his fingers.
“When you are ready, will you marry Seth? If…or do you still wish to marry me?”

Nola brushed a tear from her eye.

“I’m sorry Still River. You are a wonderful man but Seth…Seth stole my heart. I will marry him.”

River nodded and released her.
“He is a very good man. Bring back the blanket to me and we will stop courting. The ponies are yours to keep.”
Nola smiled and nodded as she brushed off her dress and apron starting back to the ranch house. She knew she couldn’t marry Still River when she loved Seth. And she wasn’t about to tell him about her meeting Seth yesterday in the forest and him asking to marry her. But he knew anyway. Her heart felt guilt and a deep sadness for Still River.
This is such a mess!
She was feeling real deep feelings for Seth since they met at church and she knew he truly loved her. She also knew she felt only desire for River. Not the deeper affection she was feeling for Seth. Her guilt crashed on her and she started to cry.
She increased her speed to the front door.

And now? River had finally admitted it. He was in love with Becca. Poor, poor man.
Becca watched her sister run to her room and slam the door. Becca wiped her hands and knew the ax had fallen. River would not marry Nola. Seth apparently had won her sister.

Becca felt like she wanted to run to River and hold him. Let him know that everything would work out. But she couldn’t do that! She was a married woman. It didn’t matter she was married to a man that wasn’t there.

Becca bit her lip knowing her husband no longer was in her dreams at night. They just slept together for two weeks. Two weeks! Never talking…never making future plans. They really didn’t know each other. Becca dreamed at night. She only dreamed of the ranch, the children and…Still River.
 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

River woke up a week later with a spirit wary of the day. Something was in the air and he didn’t like it. He rose putting on his deerskins and a billowy shirt. He tied his beaded belt around his waist carrying his pouch. He slid his knife in his knee high moccasins and one in the sheath at his belt. The cloth used as his head band was clean and he tied his hair back. Looking on the mirror, he was sure he was looking more like his father every day and grunted.
He slid down the ladder to the loft and got busy watering and feeding the horses waiting for the dark clouds in the southwest. They were rolling and churning looking like an upside down boiling pot of gray blues, gray greens and dark grays. River hoped Father Sky would not be too angry.