Bushedwhacked Bride (15 page)
Dubious silence greeted this pronouncement.
Jessica flipped a page. “Here we have Chapter One,
where Winifred and
Clyde
will meet. Luke, will you
begin?”
“Yes, ma’am. Only I have a question. Is this Whinny-
furd a man or a woman?”
Gabe punched him. “Why she’s a female, a’course,
idjut. You think old
Clyde
would be adventurin’ with an
other fella?”
“Well, I didn’t know,” Luke said defensively.
“Yes, Winifred is a woman,” Jessica confirmed. “A
lady.”
“And what’s
Clyde
?” asked a deep voice from across
the room.
At the sound of the new voice, everyone glanced up to
see Cole standing in the doorway, eyes gleaming with
merriment.
Jessica smiled back brightly. “Why, Mr. Reklaw, how
kind of you to join us. To answer your question,
Clyde
is
a scoundrel.”
“Oh, is he?”
“Yes, he’s a stage robber.”
“Like us?” cried Billy.
Jessica didn’t take her eyes off Cole. “Precisely. Just
like you.”
A cynical smile curving his mouth, Cole stepped in
side, seating himself on a bench nearby. “Then this is one
story I’ve got to hear.”
“Yes, ma’am!” agreed Gabe. “Let’s read.”
Through the laborious efforts of all four men, they
were able to make out the words on Jessica’s first page: “Once upon a time in the old West . . .”
Then Jessica turned a page, revealing the first of many
illustrations, and that was when pandemonium erupted.
“Well, lookie there!” declared Billy, pointing at the
first picture. “There’s Miss Whinny-furd in a stagecoach. You can see her pretty face in the winder. Why, ma’am,
she looks just like you on the day we met.”
“Doesn’t she now?” Jessica agreed smugly.
Gabe pointed at the next illustration. “And that there
must be
Clyde
chasing the stage, a’firin’ away! Hot
damn, if he don’t look like Cole.”
“Correct once again.” Jessica glanced at Cole to see
him scowling now. She flashed him a brilliant smile.
Wes reached out and flipped the next page. “There’s
Clyde
stopping the stage!”
Luke howled with laughter. “And there’s Miss
Whinny-furd a’ boxin’
Clyde
’s ears!”
“And
Clyde
crawling away like a clobbered snake,” de
clared Gabe.
“Boys!” Jessica protested. “You’re supposed to
read,
not just look at the pictures and guess. Why, you’ve al
ready come to the end of Chapter One.”
But her admonition came too late, as Billy flipped another page. “And there’s Miss Whinny-furd.. Heck, now
the stagecoach is gone and so is
Clyde
. Looks like she’s
a’prayin’.”
“She’s in church,” Jessica explained.
“And here comes old
Clyde
,” put in Luke. “Why, he’s
a’kissin’ Miss Whinny-furd’s hand. And sharing her
hymnal.”
“Now they’re eatin’ fried chicken together,” pro
nounced Billy.
“Ma’am, what does all this mean?” asked Wes.
Jessica sighed. “Well, you were supposed to read about
it, but—”
“Please, ma’am, tell us!” implored Luke.
“Very well.” Again glancing straight at Cole, whose ex
pression now smoldered, Jessica spoke vehemently.
“What it means is, if you want to meet a proper lady, don’t
kidnap her off a stagecoach, but meet her at church.”
At this pronouncement, Cole smiled slightly, a nasty smile. The boys fell silent and exchanged guilty looks.
Jessica flipped back to the first page. “Now that you’ve
had your fun, boys, we’re going to go back and learn to
read
every single word.
Is that clear?”
“Yes, ma’am,” replied four subdued voices in unison.
***
Cole left long before Jessica’s “lesson” was completed.
But as she was leaving the kitchen after finally dismiss
ing the boys, she felt her arm being grabbed. Before she
could protest, Cole wordlessly pulled her across the
porch and around to the back of the house. Grabbing her
by the shoulders, he pressed her body against the cool
stone and stared down at her forbiddingly. From his dark
and brooding expression, Jessica was sure she was in
trouble, but she refused to cringe from him.
“What do you want?” she asked irritably.
“Seems to me the teacher is telling tales out of school,”
he remarked with deliberate menace.
“So what if I am?” she countered recklessly. “If it gets
the message across to your brothers, so be it.”
“Well, maybe I say the teacher needs to be punished for breaking the rules.”
“And I say, why don’t you just go choke and die?”
Cole shook his head. “You sure are feisty for a woman
who’s cornered.”
“Cornered?” she mocked. “That’s a laugh. One false
move, mister, and I’m screaming bloody murder. We’ll see
how ‘cornered’ I am when Ma comes running with her
broom.”
Cole backed away slightly, anger tightening his fea
tures. “Do it, Jessie, and I’ll make you sorry.”
“For heaven’s sake! What do you want?”
He regarded her belligerently. “You made fun of me in
there, Jessie, and after I shared things with you. I want
you to take your medicine.”
“Be serious!”
“I am serious.” He edged closer, until she could feel his hot breath on her cheek. “Now, just how do we punish the
teacher? Maybe rap her knuckles?” As Jessica gasped,
Cole lifted one of her hands, his dark gaze burning into hers as he slowly kissed each knuckle. “Naw, they’re too pretty.”
“Cole!” Jessica snatched her hand away.
Abruptly he pushed her back into the wall with his hard body. His soft voice sent chills down her spine.
“How ‘bout we give her a spanking?”
“Stop it!”
“A tempting notion, but I think I have a better idea.”
“You can take your idea and—”
But the rest of her comment was smothered as Cole
kissed her passionately. She tried to resist, turning her
head, but Cole seized her face in his hands, forcing her to
yield to his demanding lips and tongue. He
continued to kiss her ruthlessly until she quit fighting and
her lips softened against his own. To her horror, she felt
herself responding, softening deep inside.
At last, breathless, she shoved him away. “Cole, stop it.
You’re violating me against my will—”
“I’m what?”
“Kissing me without my consent.”
“And you ridiculed me without mine,” he shot back.
“So now we’re even. How’s it feel, honey?”
Jessica was fuming. “Lord, I can’t believe how arro
gant and conceited you are! Not to mention, touchy as hell. You need to quit taking your
self so damn seriously.”
“Oh, do I?”
“Yes! Furthermore, as far as the lessons go, you know
I’m performing a valuable function—”
“You were mocking me,” he cut in darkly, “and you do
so at your peril.”
“My God, you’re unbelievable. Cole, your brothers
need to learn that if they want to meet a lady they can
marry, they should do so at church, not by bushwhacking
her off a stage.”
“Are you so sure?”
“I’m sure you’re a man with anything but marriage on
his
mind.”
Surprising her, Cole grinned. “Oh, yeah? Then maybe
you still don’t know how tempting I find you.”
Jessica was totally caught off-guard by his comment,
and her mouth fell open. Cole took advantage of the situ
ation by kissing her again.
***
After Cole released Jessica, he watched her go running
back inside the house without a backward glance. Lord,
this woman had his head in a spin. After tasting her again,
he was burning with frustrated passion.
Was Jessie just a tease? The other night he had shared
with her, risked his feelings with her; then today she had
mocked him, needling his pride. It made him wonder if her motives were so upstanding, after all.
Hell. Through it all he just wanted her. Wanted to un
ravel her mysteries and level her pride. Wanted her in his
bed, wanted to set her in her place.
Or did he? Truth to tell, maybe it was the challenge of
her he craved most of all . . .
***
Safe in her room, Jessica leaned against the wall, breathing
hard, trembling. The nerve of that man, taking her to task
for trying to educate his brothers, brazenly kissing her,
even hinting he was willing to marry her to get her in his
bed. Again she was angry at herself for allowing Cole
Reklaw to rattle her.
Yet wasn’t his behavior also proof that she was getting under his skin? She smiled. Yes, it seemed she was pene
trating his defenses, chafing his pride, even forcing him to
think.
Cole might have power over her, but she also had con
trol over him—perhaps even the means to make this hard
ened outlaw change.
Chapter Fourteen
Over the next few days, Jessica continued to tutor her
four charges, with great success, even as Ma busied her
self with Jessica’s new wardrobe. Soon, Jessica had two
new dresses, one of purple gingham and one of yellow
muslin. Ma was quite a skilled seamstress, and when Jes
sica wore her frocks, she caught appreciative looks from all the men, Cole included. She often wore her hair down or tied with a ribbon at her nape, and began to feel decidedly old-fashioned.
She faithfully recorded all her experiences in her jour
nal, often taking a few moments to jot down the day’s im
pressions as the boys were practicing their penmanship.
And while she continued to miss her family in the present,
she became more accepting of her fate, and her existence in the nineteenth century. After all, there was nothing she
could do to change things—at least, not as far as she knew.
Her greatest achievement was in teaching the “boys.”
Enchanted by “The Adventures of Winifred and
Clyde
,”
the four younger brothers were soon able to read simple
sentences. Jessica also corrected their grammar—and
their manners—at every juncture, trying to shape them
into polished young gentlemen..
Cole occasionally stopped by to monitor the lessons,
but soon lost interest. Then one morning just as Jessica
was ready to begin class, he strode into the kitchen.
Dressed for the trail in chaps, jacket, and a western hat, he
assumed an arrogant stance, hands shoved in his trouser
pockets. He appeared all daunting outlaw, especially with
the shadow of whiskers along his handsome jaw.
“I need Billy today,” he announced.
“But we’re just beginning the day’s lessons,” she
protested.
“Yeah, and Miss Jessie says I get to read first today,”
put in Billy with obvious disappointment.
Cole made a sound of contempt. “You want to learn
your ABC’s like a baby or come with me to
Colorado
City
to take care of business?”
Billy lit up. “
Colorado
City
? Well, why didn’t you just say so in the first place, big brother? Will we get to visit
the dancing parlors, too?”
“And can the rest of us come along?” asked Luke.
“Nope, you men know the rules,” Cole replied firmly.
“Never more than two of us can go to
Colorado
City
or the Springs, not since the incident. If all five of us show up together we might be recognized.”
The other brothers fell glumly silent.
“So, you coming, Billy?” he asked.
Billy popped up. “You betcha. The rest of you boys
have fun readin’ to Miss Jessie. Cole and me—”
“I,”
Jessica corrected. “Cole and I.”
Billy grinned. “Cole and I may just go find us a
real
Whinny-furd!”
At this, the men broke up laughing. Jessica regarded Cole coolly; he raised an eyebrow arrogantly.
Jessica rose and cleared her throat. “Mr. Reklaw, may I have a word with you before you leave?”
He dipped into a mocking bow. “Why, of course,
ma’am.” He gestured for her to precede him outside.
On the back porch, he took a moment to eye her appreciatively. ‘That’s a mighty pretty dress, sugar.”
Though annoyed with him, she couldn’t insult his
mother. “Thank you. You’re mother’s a marvel with a
needle and thread.”
“So she is.” His voice dipped to husky note. “I espe
cially like that low, lace-trimmed bodice and tight waist.”
She defensively crossed her arms over her bosom.
“You an expert on ladies’ fashions now?”
He chuckled. “So what’s on your mind, sugar?”
“I don’t like you taking my student away from class.”
“You jealous?”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
“Not even curious?” he teased.
“As a matter of fact, I am curious. Why are you and
Billy bound for
Colorado
City
? And what was the ‘inci
dent’ you mentioned? Were you referring to the time you
were arrested?”
He rocked on his boot heels. “Sorry, sugar, it’s gang
business.”
“Gang business, my butt,” she retorted.
He laughed. “You
are
jealous.”
She slanted him a chiding glance. “Try disappointed. Es
pecially that you’re so blatantly undermining my efforts.”
He slowly shook his head. “Jessie, you know what I am.”
“Yes, I know.”
The two were regarding each other tensely when Billy
stepped out onto the porch, fastening on his gun belt. “So,
big brother, you ready to hightail it yet? Or are you gonna
spend the whole day sparkin’ Miss Jessie?”
Cole winked at Jessica. “Later, sugar.”
She didn’t reply, her expression turbulent.
***
Jessica hated to admit it, but, over the next day and a half,
she did a slow burn at the thought of Cole and Billy being
off in “sinful”
Colorado
City
. After lessons with the boys,
she sat on the front porch, petting her kitten, trying to tell
herself she was angry because Cole had disrupted her les
son and was thwarting her efforts to reform his brothers.
But she also couldn’t help remembering his fiery kisses
and sexy words, and she finally had to admit the real rea
son she was upset. She
was
jealous—jealous as hell at the
thought of him spending the night in bed with some
Jezebel, while she sat here fuming. How could he tease her and woo her, then brazenly ride off to consort with
some whore?
Cole and Billy didn’t arrive home until supper time the
following day, both appearing tired and subdued when
they joined the family at the dinner table. Gabe, Wes, and
Luke made up for their reticence.
“Billy, you got no idear what you missed today,” Gabe
related. “Do you know there ain’t no such word as ain’t?”
“Yeah, ain’t that a hoot!” seconded Wes.
“And today old
Clyde
tried to steal a kiss from Miss Whinny-furd behind the barn,” added Luke.
“And Miss Whinny-furd lit poor old
Clyde
’s britches
on fire!” finished Gabe. “Why, it was almost more carry
ing on than the three of us could abide.”
Cole glanced sharply at Jessica. “Yep, sounds like
Miss Winifred could light a fire in just about any man.”
Jessica flashed him a long-suffering look.
Ma spoke up. “So, what sin was you and Billy into
over at
Colorado
City
? Did you feather some hurty-gurty
gal’s nest?”
Cole chuckled. “Not quite. But we found out some interesting information.”
“Yeah?” Ma prompted.
Cole glanced at Jessica. “Perhaps we should discuss
this later.”
While Jessica regarded Cole coolly, Ma snorted. “Are
you thinkin’ you’ll be keeping your little secrets from
Jessie here? You think she’s so plumb ignorant she won’t
figure it out? ‘Sides, you know your brothers’ll spill the
beans to her.”
He sighed. “I just thought it might be in Jessie’s best
interests not to know—”
“This from the man who has my best interests at heart,” Jes
sica finished cynically, prompting laughter from Cole’s
brothers.
“Very well,” he said wearily. “I’ll tell you. You’ll find out soon enough, anyway. Billy and I learned that Elijah
Miser and his cronies are coming out tomorrow to inspect the mines.”
“Who’s Elijah Miser?” Jessica asked.
“He and his associates from
Colorado Springs
make up
the Aspen Gulch Consortium that owns the mines. Miser is president.”
“And he and his den of snakes suck up the lifeblood of
the menfolks in these parts,” Ma put in, eyes gleaming
vengefully. “That bastard sent two husbands of mine to
the grave.”
Flashing Ma a sympathetic smile, Jessica still felt nee
dles of suspicion. “How did you get this information
about Elijah Miser? Don’t tell me he hangs out in
Sin
City
?”
“No, but his secretary, Calvin Stickles, likes to visit a little line gal over on
Colorado Avenue
,” Billy replied.
Ma gasped. “Why, you two heathens! So you was vis
itin’ the red light district!”
“Only to get information, Ma,” Cole protested.
“I’ll believe that when a weasel sprouts wings,” Ma spat.
Jessica was tempted to add “amen,” but restrained her
self and glowered at the two prodigals instead.
Ignoring his mother’s outburst and Jessica’s harsh
look, Cole continued. “Anyway, boys, the entire consortium is visiting the mines tomorrow, and I say we give
them a welcoming party.”
“Yeah!” seconded Gabe. “We’ll set
their
britches on
fire!”
“I say we string ‘em up!” put in Wes.
But Cole held up a hand. “Boys, you know we draw the
line at murder. But I think we can get our message across
to those jackals that they’re not welcome in these parts.”
“Yeah!” agreed Gabe, pounding a fist.
While the men exuberantly plotted their exploits, Jessica glanced at Ma, who ruefully shook her head. Jessica
excused herself, set her dishes on the sideboard, grabbed
a shawl, and strolled outside onto the front porch. Stand
ing by the railing, she noted the day had cooled down and
the wind had picked up slightly. The red-gold sunset was
spectacular and the sinking sun painted the misty white
mountain peaks in soft rosy pastels. She watched an eagle
soar in the distance above the trees.
Despite the awe-inspiring setting, she felt down. She
didn’t know why she was here—but it was certain that
she wasn’t doing this family a bit of good.
“Sugar?” called a familiar voice.
She turned to frown at Cole, who stepped out to join
her. If anything, the time on the trail had only made him
look more handsome and rugged. Tempting though he
was, Jessica remained miffed.
“Do you mind? I came out here for a moment of soli
tude.”
He whistled. “How come you got your feathers in such
a ruffle? I thought you set great store by your manners.”
“And I thought you set great store by your word.”
“What word?”
“See what I mean? Just days ago, you admitted to me that you haven’t been a good example for your brothers.
Now you go off carousing in
Colorado
City
, and planning
God knows what else.”
“Jessie, you know I never promised you anything.”
“That’s right,” she rejoined bitterly. “You sure haven’t.”
“Sugar, what do you expect? We still gotta earn a living.”
“Look, why don’t you go? I’m tired of your lame ex
cuses.”
He eyed her thoughtfully. “You look melancholy,
sugar.”
“And not because I’ve been pining away for you, so
don’t get any ideas.”
He raised a hand. “All right. I won’t. Guess I was a bit hard on you a few days ago.”
Surprised, she muttered, “Yes, you were.”
“A man doesn’t take kindly to being mocked by his
woman.”
“I’m not your woman.”
He edged closer. “Wanna kiss and make up?”
“Cole—”
Surprising her, he said, “Come on, let’s go for a ride.”
“What?” she asked, taken aback.
“Well, why should you just stand here feeling sorry for yourself? You need to take your mind off your troubles.”
“Cole, it’s much too late in the day for a ride.”