Tupelo Gold: Sweeter than Honey (Eclipse Heat Book 4) (3 page)

“It’s a long trip from Wichita children. I expect you’re tired and hungry.  Let’s take care of the first and then we’ll see about the second.”

Except for the slight flush that stained her cheeks pink as she spoke to the children, no one would ever have suspected that Comfort was upset. Her welcome to Hamilton though, was the polite greeting of an innkeeper to a guest for the night.

After her initial glance, Comfort focused all of her attention on the two children, leaving Hamilton to pour his own coffee which turned out to be hot chocolate. He set his cup aside and reached for a plate.

While he’d been assessing the situation, the kids consumed the contents on the platter. There was one sandwich left by the time he reached for it. Jacob reached at the same time.

“Hamilton,” Comfort said sharply. He dropped his hand and watched Jacob retrieve the prize and stuff it into his mouth.  

As the kid gobbled down the sandwich, Hamilton read his son’s smug expression well. He’d seen the same look of satisfaction in the mirror often enough to recognize it.

  He avoided Comfort’s gaze. Talk would come later when there was no audience. He poured the cup of chocolate back into the urn and went in search of a different brew in the kitchen.

“Marta, could a man find a fresh cup of coffee out here?” he asked hopefully.

“Reckon a man might. But there ain’t none of those to be had around here. Low down skunks, now. We’ve got them a plenty.”

Normally when he came home from a trip to Wichita, even if Comfort was still at the store, Mrs. Carmichael went out of her way to see that he was pampered. He had a sinking feeling those days were gone. Hamilton could see the coffee pot on the stove, but he saved combat for later and withdrew.

When the women shifted their focus from loathing him on sight, to accepting the children, he breathed easier.

While Comfort and Mrs. Carmichael planned bedrooms for each, he studied the kids. Physically there was little resemblance but it was their night and day personalities that fascinated him. The boy radiated suspicious aggression, hovering protectively near his sister like a wolf guarding his pack.

Hamilton grimly contemplated what horrors these two might have faced in the past. The boy seemed closer to sixteen than six, but the girl appeared even younger than the five years she claimed. She barely spoke, and when she did, her words were delivered in a whisper.

Sally. Hamilton had a difficult time even remembering her name. It was if she’d learned to minimize herself. Her pale curls and shy demeanor made her almost invisible.

* * * * *

Hamilton had plenty of time to consider things over the next few days. Comfort mothered the kids from the first day forward. Both his wife and the housekeeper worked tirelessly to make the children feel at home. Comfort’s ready welcome, didn’t extend to him.

After Comfort’s friends began to stop by, bringing gifts for Jacob and Sally, Ham escaped. Secure in the knowledge that Comfort would let no harm come to the kids, he left them with her and spent long days on the Double-Q doing ranch work.

He thanked God when he learned he’d missed the visit from his brother’s wife, Lucy Quince. No doubt Lucifer had gnashed her teeth at the lost opportunity to lay a few choice words on him. The thought almost made him smile. Quincy’s woman didn’t hold back on her opinions.

Hamilton lost his smile when he considered that Brody might have accompanied his sister-in-law. He’d considered how to introduce the cousins. Nothing seemed right but he knew he’d better figure something out because his reprieve wouldn’t last long.

By the end of the first week, Comfort had claimed both kids as hers, and they’d been accepted by anyone who mattered. Once she’d invited them into the house, he’d never doubted that outcome.

Comfort wielded a lot of influence among the females in Eclipse, Texas. Hamilton figured they were ashamed, as he was, of allowing the abuse she’d suffered at the hands of Owen Bailey.

But the truth of the matter was that Comfort didn’t call forth pity. The women of Eclipse admired Comfort Parker Bailey Quince. She’d come out of a nightmare marriage widowed and owning a store, a boardinghouse, and a sizeable bank account.

And if that wasn’t enough to make them like her, her generosity never ceased. She’d helped more than a few women get shut of violent men, aiding their escape, and providing a grubstake for their transition to a new place.

Hamilton knew his wife didn’t need him. He didn’t know how she thought of him now or how he’d fit into her life in the future.

After he’d tried to explain the circumstance of Jacob’s birth to her more than once, only to have her evade his conversation by leaving the room, he gave up trying.  Comfort seemed indifferent to where he spent his time so he spent most days on the ranch.

As late summer turned to fall, Hamilton’s claim on her affections seemed precarious at best. Helplessly, he felt her warmth toward him plummet to sub-zero temperatures.

Comfort repressed her anger and refused to give into her chaotic emotions. As always, she attempted to put the best face on things. Though the existence of two unknown Quince children could be manipulated for the general public, she knew the truth. Hamilton, the only man she’d ever trusted, had been unfaithful.

Even Owen Bailey’s brutality hadn’t hurt so much. The life of peaceful harmony she’d envisioned with Hamilton now seemed ludicrous. She felt bereft. After lulling her into feeling cherished, he’d blasted away her illusions and revealed the truth. His pledge to love her always had been a sham.

How did I not see this happening?
He betrayed me.
His son looked so very much like his father she couldn’t doubt his paternity.  Her husband’s progeny now resided with them. More with her, actually, since the house belonged to her.

Part of her wanted to sharpen her nails and rake them over Hamilton’s face. Maybe even write
Thief
on his forehead in his own blood. He’d stolen her heart and smashed it.

After her shocked numbness wore off, she still didn’t know what direction to take. She wouldn’t blacken the Quince name. She owed the family too much. Hamilton hadn’t held the gun that killed Owen Bailey, only because he’d been with Comfort, fighting to save her life.

Though two Texas lawmen had claimed responsibility, it had been a Quince family member who’d freed Comfort from the rotten, thieving, murderer she’d been tied to.

Nor could she find it in her heart to turn away the children. Comfort and her sister had been older when orphaned. Even so, they’d barely survived.  She would never put these children through that horror. Nor would she denounce them as bastards.

No, as far as the citizens of Eclipse were concerned, the children were the product of a brief marriage. Comfort and Lucy Quince devised the story during her sister-in-law’s visit.

“Unfair but true, the gossips will be ready with their own story if we don’t give them one. So, we’ll give them one.” Lucy had spoken decisively, calming Comfort just by her presence.

Accordingly, they sent Mrs. Carmichael, out to spread the word. The housekeeper knew both women well, loved both the Quince men like sons, and knew how to tell a good story.

With the housekeeper feeding the gossip, it soon became common knowledge in Eclipse that Hamilton had been wed to the children’s mother. The poor woman had had their two children too close together. She’d died.

It was in ’78, a year when everyone in Eclipse knew that all hell had broken loose on the Double-Q Ranch. Quincy had almost been hanged and the Quince brothers had almost lost their place. Ranch business had dictated Hamilton leave the kids with their grandmother, a woman who’d recently passed.

Mrs. Carmichael continued to deliver the dramatic tale to anyone within hearing distance. Partly because of the women’s devised plan, and mostly because no one in Eclipse could imagine Hamilton Quince being anything but faithful to Comfort, the people in town accepted this version of the children’s parentage.

The kids wouldn’t suffer ugly insults as they grew older and Hamilton had his son. There could be no doubt that he’d fathered Jacob. Under other circumstances Comfort would have rejoiced that the boy so greatly resembled his father.

She suspected that Hamilton harbored the conviction that she’d consider this a momentary lapse, something to be endured and gotten over. Men were such fools.

Since he’d returned with his son, Jacob, and the second child, Sally, Comfort’s relationship with Hamilton could only be described as frosty. Thank God work claimed both of their days, and kept them busy, avoiding the issue that lay between them like a dead skunk.

She curled on her side of the bed each night and listened to his restless tossing on the other half of the mattress. Part of her wanted to turn to him and reclaim the intimacy they’d once enjoyed. Instead, she clung to her side, silently devising plans to go on without him.

At first, he’d tried to talk to her. “Comfort, I lost my head, got drunk, and was careless.”

“And Sally?”

“She’s my son’s sister. I brought her along. That’s the sum total of it.” 

The sum total of it? Really?
His cavalier attitude toward the situation left her speechless. She found ways and reasons to avoid all conversations with him after that.

Others had plenty to say though. Comfort took the children to the store with her from the first day of their arrival forward. Business had increased as the curious came to stare and the gossips sought stories to tell.

Comfort pandered to all, offering the version she and Lucy had concocted, wishing she could believe it herself since it was so much more palatable than the real truth. 

Hamilton tended to his ever-pressing ranch duties. It did not escape her notice that he was bone tired when he came in at night, and his soiled, sweaty clothes indicated hard dirty work. She worried about him in spite of herself.

Comfort evidently looked too concerned when Hamilton took his place at the supper table on a chilly October evening. He attempted to speak with her after the meal, but she joined Mrs. Carmichael in the kitchen and avoided him that way.

But unlike previous evasions, he didn’t abandon his pursuit this time. The moment after the housekeeper had gone and the children were already asleep for the night, Hamilton cornered her in the living room, a place not designed for uninterrupted privacy.

She hugged herself as much for warmth as a shield between her and Hamilton. Since she’d gotten the information from Sam McCallister, she’d been chilled through.

“We need to talk, sweetheart. I should have told you as soon as I found out I had a son. I’m sorry I didn’t.”

“Conversation isn’t necessary. I understand.” She tried to brush him aside. After all, she always understood. It was a lifetime habit, learned by enduring and surviving disasters.

“We need to get this out in the open.” Hamilton blocked her exit and stood before her.

Comfort sighed. She’d hoped to avoid this confrontation.

“All right. Since you insist. You had an affair with another woman. The irony of that doesn’t escape me since I’d already committed adultery to be with you.”

“Dammit, Comfort. It wasn’t an affair. It was a one night fling that meant nothing.”

“When…?” She swallowed and licked her suddenly dry lips. “When did your fling that meant nothing, occur?”

Comfort had been looking at her hands, but now lifted her gaze to study the stern features of her husband. She didn’t know why she wanted the details. The thought of Hamilton making love to another woman sickened her.

“Abilene, when we sold our cattle in ‘77. Ambrose had just gotten Lucy back, and we were in town from the cattle drive, celebrating that we’d saved the ranch.”

“Oh,” the soft word was a sigh. She remembered too. Owen Bailey had dragged her to the town on his business. She’d been unable to do more than say hello to Hamilton. 

“You were with that crazy sonofabitch, Bailey, and I couldn’t get near enough to you for as much as a kiss.”

“Of course, I understand.” Comfort wasn’t lying. It was impossible to not understand the jealousy that had consumed Hamilton. She experienced it now.

“Is she beautiful?”

“Comfort, I’m ashamed to admit it, but I don’t even remember what she looked like.”

“But you’ve been seeing her…”

“I haven’t been seeing anyone but my son. I only learned of his existence six months ago. I haven’t seen Jacob’s mother since the night I bought time in her bed. That woman died eight months ago.”

He closed his eyes and sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. “A friend of hers in Wichita contacted me two months after the death and wanted money to take care of the kids. Tried to pass the girl off as mine too, but I knew better. I lay down with Jacob’s mother once. The night in Abilene I was desperate for you. That was the only time.”

Comfort wanted to believe him. Hamilton had never lied to her before, at least, not that she’d discovered. She changed the subject to something less controversial.

I will smother this hurt and not let it end our marriage.
“I’m decorating bedrooms for the children. Sally and I will have fun.”

“That’d be a waste. That’s what we need to talk about.” Hamilton’s look was determined and shrewd. “I’m taking the kids to the ranch with me. I want my son learning Quince ways of ranching. Someday…”

“But we live here, in Eclipse.” Her words stuttered to a stop. She lived in her boarding house and ran the CQ Mercantile while Hamilton rode to the Double-Q each day to take care of business there.

“You’re leaving me?” She had to clear her throat to get the words out. Even so she could only speak in a whisper.

“Nope,” he crossed his arms and took on that Quince belligerence she knew too well.

“We’re all moving to the ranch at the same time. I’ve got too much work now that Ambrose and Lucy are spending so much time in Austin. I can’t ride into town each day, as I have in the past. I’d been going to broach the subject with you, but now, the issue is already on the table.”

“I don’t think, telling me what I’m going to do and where I’m going to live, is exactly, broaching the subject.” Comfort’s emotions pivoted from rage at his arrogance to fear that he’d leave her behind.

 “For better or worse, Comfort,” Hamilton said gruffly. “We made vows that didn’t get real specific, but I’d say they cover this situation.”

“You presented yourself as truthful and my vows were pledged to that man. Having discovered he doesn't exist, I feel no compulsion to 'honor or obey' the real Hamilton Quince.”

It wasn’t the tepid response Comfort had planned but her thoughts formed into heated words, escaping before she could stop them.

“Wasn’t sure what I’d do, and wasn’t looking forward to this,” he answered, pausing long enough for her to understand that
this
referred to their current conversation. “It’s time to iron this thing out.”

“Telling me that you’re moving us to the ranch is not ‘ironing things out’; I’m not a wrinkled dress to be pressed into tidy accord, Hamilton.”

“Make up your mind to this, Comfort. The kids are moving with me to the ranch— and I hope you’re coming as well.”

Comfort should have known he'd save his most powerful argument for last.

“The children need a mama,” he growled, “and when we got married, you said you wanted to be a mother, too.”

* * * * *

“Dammit, a man is the head of the family.” Hamilton wanted to punch something. Quincy’s face looked like a good target.  “Comfort needs to respect that,” he fumed out loud. Feeling more than a little self-righteous, he explained how he’d laid down the law to Comfort. “I told her—“

“You’d think you’d understand that after being married to an abusive sonofabitch like Owen Bailey, Comfort needs coddled, not ordered around.” Quincy’s expression didn’t offer sympathy. 

“She won’t even speak to me. I’m lucky to have ten heart beats in a room with her since…”

“Since you brought a ready-made family into her house.”

“And that’s part of the problem. It’s her house. I’d like to live with her in
our
house. I can’t make her go, but I can move the kids out there with me.”

“You remember trying to take care of Brody when my little girl was five and Lucy was missing?”

Hamilton remembered. It had been hell. But he didn’t think this move would end Comfort’s need to mother the kids. In fact he was banking on that need.

“If I have my way, Comfort will be in that wagon when the rest of the stuff is carted out to the ranch. If not, I don’t know what the hell I’ll do.”

“Seems to me brother, you’re using this development to push more than a family on Comfort.”

“Maybe I am. I’ve got a ranch house I built just for her. We got as far as picking out the stone for the fireplace, hanging the doors and setting the windows in. The decorating was supposed to be her job.”

“A woman invests herself in her nest.” Ambrose added, “Comfort’s nest is in Eclipse.”

“Well her goddamned nest is moving to the ranch and by God I want some furniture too.” It was such a petulant remark he was glad Ambrose let it pass.

“She okay with the young’uns?” Ambrose changed the subject but it didn’t sweeten the conversation any.

“Yes. She’s real good to them. She takes them to the store with her and plays with ‘em the whole day.”

Ambrose opened his mouth to comment, but Hamilton plowed on, full of grievances.

“She’s spoiling them. I won’t be able to get a lick of sense into Jacob by the time she stops cosseting him. As for Sally, I’m surprised the kid’s got skin left, Comfort cuddles her so much.”

“Guess that means she’s not cuddlin’ on you,” Ambrose said shrewdly.

“She’s hurt. I know that. But, Comfort was married to Owen Bailey when it happened. I got drunk and made a mistake. It meant nothing.” Hamilton glared at him.

Ambrose frowned at him and shook his head. “Considering the situation right now, I’d say it ended up meaning a whole lot. And as far as one time goes, I suspect Comfort’s wondering about that right now too.”