Small Treasures (13 page)
Standing up, Samuel shouted, slapped the reins over the horses' backs, and charged the team right at the shadowy form. As the wagon careened across the yard, the intruder started to run toward the cabin. But he didn't take more than a few steps. As the charging horses drew nearer, Samuel leapt from the driver's seat and grabbed at his fleeing target.
His huge arms wrapped around the shadowy form, and even as they fell together, Samuel recognized his mistake. He'd attacked a child! Shocked out of the protective rage that drove him, Samuel loosened his hold on the squirming captive. Right away he realized he'd made another mistake.
Luke twisted in the big man's suddenly slack arms and took complete advantage of his opponent's momentary distraction. Without hesitation, Luke drew his thin arm back, clenched his fist, and struck the man beneath him full on the nose.
Samuel bellowed like a wounded bear, but Luke paid no attention. Between punches, the boy shouted angry curses, his high-pitched voice in direct contrast to Samuel's deep roars.
Still flat on his back, Samuel tried desperately to get ahold of the boy's arms, but the kid was just too fast for him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, though, Samuel was filled with admiration for the scrawny child who wasn't the least bit intimidated by his opponent's size.
"Dammit, boy!" Samuel grunted when the child's pointy elbow landed in his midsection, "I don't want to hurt you! Now stop it!"
A short, harsh laugh shot from the boy's throat just before he brought his fist down on Samuel's right eye. "I heard that before, mister!" When the big man's hand finally caught one of Luke's flailing fists, the boy didn't hesitate. He leaned over and sunk his teeth into the restraining flesh.
"Goddammit!"
The cabin door flew open, bathing the yard in the yellow glow of lamplight. Harry and Maverick bolted from the cabin and raced across the yard to the two thrashing combat ants. Harry reached them first and leapt at Luke, eager to join the game. The boy brushed the little dog aside and resumed the attack. When Maverick limped alongside, he lay down across Samuel's face, muffling the man's colorful curses.
Finally, with Harry jumping at Luke, Samuel had enough time to dislodge the bigger dog gently, grab the boy, and carefully toss him to one side. It was surely the only way to escape the little fiend's fists. In the soft light Samuel pushed himself to all fours, keeping a watchful eye on the child's furious features.
The two dogs stood uncertainly nearby waiting for the game to begin again. "Luke!" Abby called out as she ran from the cabin. "Stop!"
Samuel took his attention from the boy for a split second. That was all Luke had been waiting for. Living on his own and fending for himself in a world of adults had taught the boy to use whatever he had to in his own defense. Now he didn't hesitate. He drew his leg back and kicked out at the big man, aiming his blow where he knew it would do the most good.
Samuel's outraged howl of pain splintered the night. Abby winced but kept on moving. She ignored the two dogs, who'd tossed their heads back to add their mournful yowling to their master's. She reached Luke just as Samuel toppled over onto his side. She saw him curl up into a ball and heard his tight-lipped groans as Luke continued his assault.
Abby grabbed the frenzied child and pulled him off the fallen man. But the boy didn't even seem to recognize her. He immediately turned his fists on her.
"Luke!" she called as she tried to capture his hands in her own. "Luke! It's me! Abby!" She shouted to be heard over Maverick and Harry. But there was no answer from the boy. Only the harsh sound of the child's ragged breathing. Then one of his small fists connected with her cheekbone, and Abby cried out in surprise and pain.
A low, guttural snarl erupted from close by. Abby's eyes widened as Samuel slowly pushed himself to his feet. The dogs beat a hasty re treat, and Luke staggered back a step or two, surprised that the man was moving again.
"Samuel," Abby said urgently, one hand on her bruised cheek, "Samuel, I'm all right… "
Luke's gaze was fixed on the halting giant.
Samuel took another slow, heavy step toward the boy, oblivious to Abby's words. Just as Luke turned to make a run for it, Samuel's big hand came down on his shoulder. Quickly then, he curled his fingers around the loose material of the boy's shirt and lifted. Like a mother cat moving her kittens from place to place, Samuel effortlessly carried the wriggling child to the nearby watering trough and dropped him in.
The boy bobbed up like a cork, sputtering and cursing wildly. Samuel reached out one hand and pushed him back down. "Cool off some, boy… then you can get out!"
Luke's head popped up out of the dark water, and he shook himself violently, spraying Samuel with drops of the icy water. Maverick leaned over the edge of the trough and licked the boy's face, determined to remain in the game. Harry leapt straight up and down, trying to see what he was missing.
Abby tried to step around Samuel to reach Luke.
"Leave him be, Abby," Samuel warned.
"That water must be freezing, Samuel." She glared at him. "The boy'll catch his death."
From his hunched over position, Samuel glanced up at her in disbelief. Here he stood, hardly able to draw a breath, and she was worried about the damn kid who'd nearly killed him! He scowled at her and wasn't surprised that it didn't bother her in the least. So he turned his temper on the dog, whose yapping was shooting through his head like a railroad spike.
"Dammit, Harry! Enough!"
Immediately the little dog sat down on his haunches, tilted his head, and stared at his master. Samuel took a tentatively deep breath and frowned down at the impossibly homely hound.
"You, too, Maverick!" Luke yelled and pushed the big dog away from him. "Don't you shove my dog around, you little… " Samuel snapped.
"Who the hell are you anyway, mister?" Luke's forearms were propped on the sides of the trough. His dirty, wet hair was plastered down over his forehead, completely obliterating his eyes, and his lips were twisted into a nasty frown.
"Who the hell am I?" Samuel shouted. "For godsake!"
"You both know very well how I feel about swearing," Abby interrupted.
Both males turned to stare at her.
"Luke, this is Samuel Hart, the man who… shares this cabin with me." She turned to look up at Samuel. "Samuel, this is Luke Daley. He lives here, too."
"What!" Samuel's bellow startled both dogs who quickly ran for the cabin.
Chapter Nine
Stunned into silence, Samuel stared at the skinny boy hauling himself out of the water trough. Sodden, threadbare clothing clung to the child's body, and it was easy to see that he hadn't been eating regular meals for a long time. An unwanted flash of pity stung Samuel, and he forced himself to look away from the now shivering child.
It wasn't any of his business how long it had been since the kid had eaten. Nor was it his business to find out why the foulmouthed pup wasn't wearing shoes or why his clothes were falling apart.
Samuel rubbed his hand over his clean shaven jaw and began to mumble the alphabet.
"What's he sayin'?" Luke asked Abby, who was herself straining to hear.
Samuel abruptly stopped and turned his gaze on Abby. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.
"Why, Samuel!" She smiled and stepped aside, letting the light from the cabin spill over him. Abby couldn't help staring. She'd had no idea that underneath all of his hair, Samuel Hart was a very handsome man. Well, she acknowledged silently, not storybook-prince handsome. His features were too strong for that. But his deep-set green eyes, no longer hidden by stray locks of hair, square jaw, and well-defined lips struck a chord with Abby. She remembered suddenly that kiss they'd shared before he'd left for Wolf River. His beard had scratched at her skin, and she'd had to push his blond hair aside just to reach him. Now she'd like to try that kiss again. "You look so handsome!" The words burst out before she could hold them back.
The big man shifted uncomfortably under her watchful gaze. A wellspring of pleasure poured through him, and he could feel himself flushing with embarrassment. He hadn't wanted to admit to himself just how much he'd wanted her approval. Still, his reaction to her compliment flustered him. Samuel reached up to smooth back a short lock of hair from his forehead, then said more gruffly than he'd intended, "Now, what's all this about him" — he jerked his head at Luke — "livin' here?"
"Weren't my idea, mister." Luke sneered at him. "This here's a right pushy woman!"
"Pushy!" Abby's brows rose dangerously.
"Here, now," Samuel warned, "that's no way to talk to a lady… " "Wasn't talkin' to her. Talkin' to you." Samuel noticed that Luke didn't back up an inch. His size didn't seem to bother the boy any more than it did Abby. And the kid obviously wasn't goin' to admit to bein' cold, either, he told himself. The skinny little runt stood straight and tall in his soaking wet clothes, shivering so hard Samuel was surprised he couldn't hear the kid's teeth rattle.
Hell! What had happened to his nice, quiet, peaceful life? He'd only been gone a couple days, and Abby'd quickly moved somebody else into the already too crowded cabin! He couldn't leave that woman alone for a damned minute!
Turning suddenly, he stomped across the yard, snatched his hat off the dirt, and walked toward the wagon. The racing horses had continued to run long after he'd jumped off to attack the child. Lord! he thought. He'd almost hurt a kid!
The heavily loaded wagon was sitting under a clump of aspen a hundred yards away. Sullenly he kept walking. Then he heard Abby.
"Luke, you go on in the house and dry off. Take those wet things and put them in front of the fire and put your new clothes on."
New clothes? Samuel thought disgustedly. Wonder where he got 'em?
"Aw, Abby… " Luke said.
"Now."
Samuel stifled the smile that threatened. He knew that tone of hers. It meant, you've already lost. Best do what she wants.
"I'm going to help Samuel," she called out to the boy.
Samuel groaned and all thought of smiling fled. Just what he needed. More of her help. She'd already helped herself to his life, his home… what was left? His sanity? This wasn't exactly the kind of welcome he'd been imagining. But then, hoping for anything else would have been a waste of time anyway.
When he reached the horses, he grabbed the hanging reins and tugged, turning the team around for the barn. Quietly Abby came alongside him and matched him step for step.
"Now, Samuel, I think that —"
"Abby," he cut her off, "I had a hard ride. I'm hungry. Tired. And just a little sore." She cringed at that last remark. "I don't want to talk about it now," he finished. Halting the team in front of the barn, Samuel quickly unhitched the horses and walked them into their stalls. Abby followed, clearly not intending to leave him alone.
"Samuel," she said softly, "he's just a little boy… "
"Hmmph!" "You scared him. Jumping at him like that from out of nowhere… "
"He didn't seem scared to me!" He threw a hostile glance at her, then went on with his work.
"Abby." Samuel straightened up after draping a worn blanket over the back of one of the horses. He'd already rubbed both animals down in record time. "You had no right."
"Whatever do you mean?" She took a step closer.
"I mean this is my cabin. My land."
"Our cabin, Samuel." Abby shook her head and smiled at him calmly. "At least until the judge hears our case."
"Dammit, Abby!" He stepped around the shying horse and walked to the next stall. There he draped a blanket over the other horse and turned back to face the tiny woman opposite him. "Even if that’s so, don't it mean that I at least get a vote on who lives here or not?"
"Certainly." Abby gave him a brilliant smile. "But you weren't here. And I knew you'd feel exactly as I did about Luke. Why, he was practically starving, poor little thing."
"Oh, you knew how I'd feel, did you?" He stepped out of the stall and crossed to stand before her. "Did you know that I don't like kids? That they don't like me? That they're scared of me?" He loomed over her, trying to intimidate her. It didn't work. "They're noisy, bothersome pests! All of 'em!"
Abby laid her hand on his arm and chuckled softly. "Nonsense. Children are not pests! And this child hardly says a word unless you ask him a direct question." Then she added, "Luke wasn't frightened of you, Samuel. You just said so yourself. For that matter, why would any child be afraid of you?"
His head fell back on his neck and he stared sightlessly at the barn's rafters. "And how do you know you don't like children? Have you ever been around them?"
"No." He threw his arms wide and looked back down at her. "That's what I'm sayin'! I don't want to be around 'em." He was losing. Samuel felt the tide of the argument swing to her favor, just as it had every other time. Of course he'd never been around children! Why, he'd spent the better part of his life avoiding all people. Especially kids! Usually they took one look at his monstrous size and ran home screamin' for mama.
Samuel fought down a smile. But dammit, he reminded himself, he didn't have any notion of how to talk to young'uns. And why the hell should he have to worry about it in his own home! Nope, no matter what she said, it wasn't right. And by God, Samuel wasn't gonna stand for it! The kid could stay the night, but tomorrow morning he'd be on the road.
"No, Abby," Samuel said as calmly as he could manage. "You stay here. Me and Luke'll go to town to get the paint."