My Savage Heart (The MacQuaid Brothers) (13 page)

“You promised to only supervise.” Caroline came into the kitchen yard carrying a windsor-style chair in front of her. “This is so you can sit in the shade.”

Mary glanced around and smiled as Caroline placed the chair out of the sun. “I’ll just be a minute more.”

“Actually, you’re finished.” Caroline came up behind her and took the rod from her hand, motioning with a jerk of her head for the other woman to get away from the heat.

“We told her to take it easy,” a woman named Sadayi said. “But you know Mary.”

“Yes,” Caroline said with a chuckle. “We all do. And if she doesn’t start listening to us, we shall have to tie her to her bed until the babe comes.”

“You make too much of this,” Mary said as she settled heavily onto the chair. As she wiped perspiration from her brow with a linen handkerchief, Caroline simply rolled her eyes heavenward, causing Sadayi and her daughter Walini to laugh.

The work was hot; and by the time they’d finished, Caroline’s back ached and droplets of moisture inched down the valley between her breasts. But it was a good feeling knowing there would be candles to light the house through the winter and that it was partially because of her.

Life at Seven Pines wasn’t all bad. When she could escape—which unfortunately is how she felt about it—Robert’s presence, there was much to see and do. The Indian women who worked in the house were interesting to talk with. At first, knowing she was to be Robert’s wife, they offered little but civility. But as summer turned to autumn, they seemed to accept her more.

They came to Seven Pines trading their labor for goods their families needed. “It used to be the men who came,” Sadayi told her one morning as they kneaded bread.

“Why has it changed?” Caroline gave the dough a forceful push with the heel of her hand, then another. Baking bread was becoming one of her favorite tasks, though Mary told her to refrain from pounding the dough so hard. “You act as if you’re punishing it, and the poor lump of flour and water did nothing to you,” she told Caroline the first time she helped with the chore. Caroline didn’t care. And it wasn’t simple dough she imagined when her hands hammered away.

Caroline forced her mind away from painful memories of Wolf to concentrate on Sadayi’s answer. Sadayi was a handsome woman, taller and more strongly built than Caroline. She wore her long black hair pulled smoothly away from her brow and folded into a thick knot at the back of her head. She liked pretty things and wore an abundance of silver and bead bracelets that made a musical sound as she worked.

“Our men are no longer welcome. The Great Father Across the Water is punishing us,” she said, her words fraught with sarcasm.

“Because Cherokee warriors attacked settlers?”

“I do not know. But they want our men to go fight their enemies, and then they refuse to trade.”

“Our men are fighting the French, too,” Mary said.

Caroline wiped her floury hands down the front of her apron and reached for her friend. “Logan will be all right. I just know he will.”

Mary’s smile was sad. “You’re right, of course. I just wish he could be here when the baby comes.” Mary touched her stomach lovingly.

“Perhaps he will.”

“Humph.” Sadayi covered a mound of dough with a clean cloth. “The English and French are not yet ready to exchange the peace belt.” Though Caroline shot her a warning look, she continued. “I fear things will be worse before they are better.”

“You can’t know that, Sadayi.”

“Caroline, you needn’t try to protect me. My stomach may be large, but I still hear things.”

“Wa`ya warns us to prepare for battle.”

Caroline’s jaw tightened. “What does he know?” Since her arrival at Seven Pines, Wolf’s name had been mentioned several times. Despite her desire to accept what happened as a lesson, Caroline couldn’t help the agitation that the sound of his name brought. If only he didn’t invade her dreams every night...

“Raff is very knowledgeable about such matters. I realize Robert never listens to him, but Logan believes he should. And so do I.”

“What is it that Robert should do?”

“The
inadu
, the snake, should not cheat.”

Sadayi’s words were so full of hatred that Caroline was speechless. It did not help to know that she was not alone in her dislike of Robert MacQuaid.

“There, bend forward so I can arrange this better.” Mary backed up and tilted her head to admire her handiwork. “’Tis lovely you look.”

Caroline smiled her thanks. But she didn’t care how she looked. She felt nauseated. The only reason she’d embraced the idea of dressing up for this day was to please Mary. The other woman insisted upon viewing this occasion as a celebration. Caroline certainly didn’t share her assessment. “Are you sure the flowers in my hair aren’t... well, a bit, too much?”

“Oh no. I wore roses entwined in my hair when I married Logan, and he complimented me on them.”

Caroline made no comment, but it was painfully clear that one wedding had naught to do with the other. Mary obviously loved her husband. She spoke of him often, her tone soft and gentle. Caroline knew better than to hope for anything like that.

“Are you... frightened?”

“Of what?” Caroline glanced in the oval looking glass, and tried not to scowl.

“Of... of you know. The marriage bed. Because I can assure you ’tis not as bad as some might tell you.” Her thin cheeks turned a vivid red. “If truth be known, I find it quite enjoyable.”

Mary busied herself arranging the folds of brocaded overskirt. Caroline imagined her friend’s sudden industry was to hide her embarrassment, but she was glad Mary’s preoccupation kept her eyes lowered. For she wouldn’t have wanted Mary to see her distressed expression.

Caroline quickly masked her countenance, but she couldn’t suppress the emotions that throbbed within her. She knew of the marriage bed—though before man nor God could she use the term with a clear conscience. But that didn’t stop her from remembering.
Enjoyable
Mary called it. Caroline would go further.

Wondrous.

Celestial.

Heartbreaking.

Caroline’s skirts swayed as she stepped away from Mary and faced the window. “Thank you for telling me.” She took a deep breath. “But you needn’t worry. I will get through it all right.”

She had to. Caroline closed her eyes a moment, reminding herself she had no choice. When she looked around at Mary, her smile was in place. “I imagine it is time we go down.”

Caroline’s back was straight, her chin high as she entered the parlor. It was a quarter of an hour past the time set for the nuptials, but it appeared no one was especially interested in rushing the ceremony.

“Ah, there she is, my blue-blooded bride.” Robert lifted a glass, spilling rum down the front of his silk waistcoat as he gave a mock salute to Caroline. “She’s a pretty little sacrificial lamb, don’t you think?”

His question was for the reverend, Mr. Appleby, who seemed to find nothing offensive about the remark. He laughed loudly and took another slurping swig from his own glass.

Reverend Appleby was nothing like Caroline remembered a clergyman as being. She didn’t know exactly what denomination Reverend Appleby represented, and at this point didn’t care. What did it matter if her bridegroom and the minister were deep in their cups?

Mary alone seemed anxious to make this wedding festive. She stepped into the room, a scowl darkening her face. “Shame on you, Robert, and you Reverend Appleby. This is no time for strong drink.”

“And why not? ’Tis the only pleasure I’ll derive from the day, thanks to this banged up leg.” Robert gave his splinted thigh a slap, grimacing at the pain. He lifted bloodshot eyes to Caroline and his expression turned lecherous. “Unless Her Ladyship can be persuaded to ease my heated blood in other ways.”

Mary’s gasp interrupted the cool stare Caroline gave him. “She will await you in her bed like any other decent young woman,” Mary said. Her hands were planted on her widened hips, and she reminded Caroline of a mother chicken protecting one of her brood. But then Caroline wasn’t an innocent chick, nor a pure virginal girl. Still, thoughts of submitting to Robert MacQuaid’s lust made her ill.

The ceremony was blessedly short, due in part to Robert’s inability to stand for prolonged periods... and the minister’s lack of sobriety.

When the final words were spoken, Caroline felt as if a trap had closed around her, but that was ridiculous. Now she and Edward were safe or at least secure financially.

Little was eaten of the wedding feast Mary had prepared. The ham tasted like dust in Caroline’s mouth and Robert and Reverend Appleby quickly retired to the parlor to partake of more liquid refreshment.

“I don’t think he meant it.” Mary put down her fork, forgoing all pretense of eating. “He can’t even make it up the stairs.”

“’Tis his right.” Caroline sipped water to calm her stomach distress.

“Yes, but not tonight. Not till his leg heals.” The grey eyes were filled with sympathy as she stared across the mahogany table.

“Whenever,” Caroline answered, folding her napkin and placing it beside her plate. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to lie down.”

“Are you ill? Your cheeks are so pale.”

“No. Just tired.” Caroline pushed back her chair and rose, ashamed at her lack of bravery. But she couldn’t seem to help herself as she nearly ran from the room.

Darkness added a new dimension to the worst day of her life. Caroline lay beneath the quilt, her limbs stiff, and listened to each creak of the floorboards. He’d said that he was coming to her tonight.

“Hell and damnation, you’re my wife and I’ll have you whenever and however I please.”
His words as he left the wedding meal echoed through her head. Caroline twisted to the side, grabbing the pillow and jamming it over her ears. She didn’t want to hear him thump up the stairs. She didn’t want him to come.

When she finally fell asleep amid tousled and tangled sheets her erotic dreams of Wolf were polluted with grotesque images of his father... her husband. She woke the next morning, thankfully alone, her head aching, her stomach rebelling. It was mere luck, but Robert had passed out in his own bed the night before. It was luck again that helped her make it to the chamber pot before sickness overwhelmed her.

“The bleeding is not that bad.”

“Then stay abed to please me.” Caroline gave Mary’s shoulders a firm push onto the down pillow. “Besides, there is no need for you to rise today.”

“The garden...”

“Is being picked. And as soon as I assure myself that you are going to do as Sadayi suggested, I shall go outside and help.”

“But—”

“Mary.” Caroline pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down. “You don’t want to do anything to hurt yourself or the baby. What would Logan do if... Well, you must simply take better care of yourself.”

“I do love him so.”

Caroline clasped her hand. “I know you do.” She knew from the way Mary’s eyes shone when she spoke of her husband, or the way she clutched the only letter she’d received since Caroline’s arrival.

“If only he loved me as much.”

“What are you talking about? I’m sure he adores you.” Actually Caroline knew very little about Wolf’s older brother. Mary, of course, spoke of him with great affection. Robert said next to nothing about any of his sons. But then he spent so much of his time a prisoner of rum that he seemed to care about little else.

“Oh, he cares for me.” Mary turned her face away. “And I probably shouldn’t even say this but, well, a woman can tell.”

“Tell what?” Caroline fluffed the comforter. “I think worry has turned your mind to corn mush.”

That statement brought the smile she wanted, but it didn’t deflect the train of Mary’s thoughts. “It was Robert’s idea that we wed. He wished an heir for his name.” She twisted her head to look at Caroline. “I heard them talking, yelling actually, about it one night. Logan wasn’t happy here trading with the Indians. He and Robert fought constantly.”

“About trading unfairly?” Caroline had learned much from Sadayi about the way the Cherokee felt about Robert.

“Yes. Logan despised some of his father’s practices. He and Raff discussed it, and together they went to Charles Town to lay the truth before the governor.” She brushed a lock of hair off her face.