Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine (61 page)

EPILOGUE

Vivianna closed her eyes.
Inhaling the sweet scent of the crisp autumn air
,
she smiled.
Johnny had been right
;
there was nothing like
Texas
!
She opened her eyes, gazing out across the landscape to the cattle grazing on the hillside—reveling in the feel of the fresh
,
fragrant breeze weaving through her loose hair.

She wondered if she would ever miss the balmy feel of Alabama.
She was certain she would
;
she must.
One day she might miss it
,
for she was born there
,
had known her family there.
Yet she felt it would be a far
-
off day.
More than Alabama
,
she missed Savannah and the boys—Nate, Willy, Caleb
,
and Lowell.
Even at times she missed Justin—the Justin she
’
d known as a child.
Yet she did not miss
Alabama
,
for the dryer, fresher air of
Texas
—the unimpaired vision of the far-reaching landscape—it gifted her very soul a sense of freedom.

She heard the drumming of horse hooves and turned, smiling as she saw Johnny riding toward her.
T
hough it seemed quite impossible
,
each time she saw him
,
her heart swelled for knowing his handsome countenance.
He sat tall and straight in the saddle—a very commanding vision indeed.
Oh, how she loved him!
As her heart began to beat madly—as butterflies took flight in her stomach—she smiled and waved as he rode toward her.

She thought of the moment earlier that morning
when she
’
d awakened in the warmth and power of his arms
,
just as she had every morning since they
’
d wed a month before.
There was nothing in the world so wonderful to Vivianna Tabor as waking up in Johnny
’
s arms—knowing his kiss as her first pleasure of the day.
She thought of the nights spent in his arms as well
,
blushing with delight in thinking of the passion the moonlight ever led them to sharing.

Johnny reined in
,
dismounted
,
and gathered Vivianna into his arms.
“
It
’
s a bit chilly out here, darlin
’
,
”
he said, pressing his warm mouth to hers.
“
Let me warm ya up a bit.
”
He kissed her again, and Vivianna
’
s arms encircled his neck as she bathed in the sweet, moist flavor of his mouth.

He broke the seal of their lips, smiling as he raked a strong hand through her hair.
His dark eyes smoldered with the love he owned for her.
Vivianna could see her own reflection in them
,
and she could not resist kissing him once again.

“
I
’
ve got somethin
’
for ya, Vivi,
”
Johnny said.

“
What?
”
she asked.

He looped the bridle reins to a nearby post.
Reaching into the back pocket of his trousers, he smiled as he produced a letter.

“
I think we are about to be thoroughly entertained, my angel,
”
he chuckled.

Vivianna smiled—bit her lip with delighted anticipation.

“
From Lowell?
”
she asked.

Johnny nodded and handed her the letter.

Vivianna giggled with delighted anticipation
.
Taking Johnny
’
s hand, she led
him to one of the large logs si
tting around the firepit.
They were some ways away from the house
,
and Johnny
’
s parents were due to arrive any time to help bring in the cattle.
Still, Vivianna knew Johnny would hear them coming
,
so she figured there was no harm in taking a moment to read
Lowell
’
s letter.

She felt excitement rising in her as she opened the envelope
and
removed the pages of the letter. Lowell
’
s letters were always amusing—and informative.

“
Are you ready, darlin
’
?
”
Vivianna asked Johnny.

Johnny smiled
,
nodded
,
and stretched his long legs out before him.

“
This will be good.
It always is,
”
he chuckled.

Vivianna cleared her throat and looked at Lowell
’
s letter.

“
Dear Johnny and Vivianna
,
”
she began reading,
“
I am sitting here in the cemetery.
I have just been watching Miss Savannah and Mister Maggee sparking in the old arbor.
Mister Maggee does not need any lessons in kissing women.
I think that is good for Miss Savannah.
I hope Johnny is still doing fine with kissing you, Vivianna.
I tried to teach him well.
Please write to me if he needs my advice.
”

Instantly, Johnny and Vivianna burst into laughter
.
Such a hard laughter made continuing to read difficult
,
for Vivianna could not catch her breath
.
Johnny doubled over with laughing so hard!
Still, at last they were able to sigh, wipe the moisture from their eyes
,
and continue.

Vivianna sighed and read
.

Miss Savannah is very happy that no one wanted to hang Mister Maggee for knocking that Reb
’
s head on his son
’
s tombstone.
The sheriff has said that it was an accident and that Mister Maggee is fine to go about his life.
I think Nate and Willy will have a new daddy soon.

The sheriff wrote a letter to that dead Reb
’
s mama.
I think that is a kind thing.
I do not know if I would have wrote a letter to her.
Still I think it is the right thing to do.
So I will not hate the sheriff for writing it.

Justin and that loose woman Tilly Winder married one another.
I heard Miss Savannah tell Mister Maggee that Tilly Winder
’
s father demanded that Justin marry her.
I hope they will be happy.
Well…that is a lie.
I am still angry with Justin for almost causing Johnny to hang.
I will try to feel better about that someday.

I have seen many things of late.
I have seen Caleb sparking with a pretty girl with dark hair.
Her name is Emily.
She is pretty, but I do not care for her name.
I knew a girl with that name, Emily, before and she was a mean girl.
She once put a snake down my back
,
and I hate snakes.
So I do not like girls named Emily.
I will never kiss one.
The only one I may kiss is Caleb
’
s Emily if she wants me to kiss her
.

Again Johnny
’
s laughter caused Vivianna to giggle.
Still, biting her lip she continued—determined to finish Lowell
’
s sweet letter.

I am well.
I miss you both.
Sometimes I think I should have gone with you to Texas as you asked me to.
But most times I am glad I am here with Nate and Willy and Caleb and Miss Savannah.
Miss Savannah loves me and tells me I am her son as much as Nate and Willy.
Also, me and Nate and Willy have great fun.
We are still finding bones.
We found a dead skunk.
We skinned it and boiled it.
Miss Savannah made us sleep in our fort for a week.
She said we smelled bad.
Still, the skunk boiled up good, and we have his bones in our collection.
So, even though I miss you, Mister Johnny, and you, Miss Vivianna, I am happy.

I must go now.
Nate has found a dead bull snake.
We are going to skin it.
I will write to you again.
Please write to me.
I love you both and will remain yours forever, Lowell.

Vivianna folded the letter—sighed with both gladness and melancholy.

“
I miss him,
”
Johnny mumbled.

Vivianna looked to her handsome husband—saw the moisture in his eyes as he gazed out to the horizon.
“
Me too,
”
she whispered, feeling tears in her own eyes.

“
Vivi?
”
he said then—and she glanced back to him.

“
What, darlin
’
?
”

Johnny
’
s brow drew into a frown
,
and he slowly stood—his attention still fixed to the horizon.

“
I need my gun,
”
he mumbled.

Vivianna followed Johnny
’
s gaze. As he hurried to his horse, pulling his rifle from the rifle sheath of his saddle, she raised one hand to shade her eyes from the bright Texas sun.

Two riders were approaching.
They were already close enough that Vivianna could see they were not Indians.
She and Johnny had been so enchanted by Lowell
’
s letter they had not heard the riders approach.
Vivianna
’
s heart began to beat with fear.
Of late, there had been no incidents in or around Gainesville that should cause worry.
Still, renegade soldiers, still angry over the war, yet appeared now and again.

Johnny stepped in front of her—readied his rifle as Vivianna watched the men ride closer.
Closer they came—closer—and as they became more easily visible, Vivianna
’
s eyes widened.
She thought certain her heart would beat from her breast—for each man sat tall in his saddle.
Each man had a distinct manner of riding—a manner
that
Vivianna recognized.
Yet it couldn
’
t be!
It couldn
’
t!

“
Samuel!
”
Vivianna breathed.
“
Augie!
”

“
What?
”
Johnny asked, frowning to her—still aiming his
rifle at the approaching men.

“
It
’
s Sam and Augie!
”
Vivianna cried.
“
It
’
s them, Johnny!
I swear it!
”

“
Vivi,
”
Johnny began.
Yet he
lowered his rifle as the two me
n reined in before him.

“
Vivianna?
”
one of the men asked.

Vivianna
’
s heart hammered wildly
, and
tears misted her eyes
,
yet she recognized her own violet eyes looking back at her—her mother
’
s beautiful blue-violet eyes!

“
Samuel!
”
Vivianna cried, racing forward as the men quickly dismounted.

At once, Sam caught her in a powerful embrace
.
“
Viv!
”
he breathed
,
his voice breaking with emotion.

Vivianna looked beyond Samuel—left his arms to enter those of Augustus.
“
Augie!
”
she cried.
“
Oh, Augie!
’