Wild Kat (10 page)

Thomas
led her up the stairs to their room at dusk.  The rain had stopped and the sun
set in a rosy sky.  Kat pulled the covers up to her chin and squeezed her eyes
closed tightly while he got ready for bed.  He climbed in beside her, her heart
pounded with anticipation while her belly twisted with what she perceived as
fear.

“You
better get some sleep.  You have an early day tomorrow.”  He cleared his throat
and waited for her to open her eyes.   “I know you are frightened.  This is all
new to you.  I will not hurt you and I will not do anything against your will,
but I must insist on a kiss goodnight.”  Her lashes fluttered with surprise.  

“Do
you mean it?  You will not make me consummate our marriage?”

“Yes,
I want you to enjoy this and you will not until you are ready.  I insist on the
kiss though, good night and good morning and for no good reason at all.”  Kat
smiled.  “My mother always said to never go to bed angry and never without a
kiss.”  He leaned over her and kissed her deeply.  Her arms found their way
around his neck and she returned his kiss she arched her back to press her
breasts against his chest.  She was disappointed when he pulled away and turned
to his side not facing her. How he would ever survive the night with this temptress
beside him, he thought of cornfields and slopping hogs to calm his
midsection.   She spent most of the night lying awake thinking while Thomas
snored softly.  He was not losing sleep over her silliness, why should she?  It
was her last thought before she finally drifted off.

The
smell of bacon woke her and the thought of coffee got her out of bed.  She put
her buckskins and knee boot moccasins on for Mister Lawson.  He hated them so
much and she loved to irritate him.  She also loved the way his nose snarled
when she entered his bank in her heathen clothes.  She lived to annoy the
horrid little curmudgeon.  She laughed when she saw Thomas in her mother’s apron
frying eggs.

“I
thought pink was my color.”  He chuckled.  “How did you sleep?”  He put her
plate in front of her as he kissed her cheek. 

“Not
very well, it is a nice bed but it just ain’t hay.”  She laughed at her own
joke.

“We
can move to the loft if you like.”  He grinned at her and brought his own plate
to the table.  “Put your mind at ease Kat, we have the rest of our lives for
those things.  I will not hurry you.”  She nodded stuffing egg in her mouth.

“Is
the wagon hitched?  I have to go get Julie and get to town.”

“It
is right outside.  I am going to ride with you I have a few things I need to
tend to and I want to check on those nut trees you mentioned.”

“I
will wash these later.  We need to get on the road.”  She got up still chewing.

Thomas
helped her up onto the seat and climbed up behind her, his hands ached to keep
a hold on her, to smooth the round firmness of her behind, but let her go
remembering the stupid promise he made her, he would think promises through in
the future.   She pointed out pretty flowers and places she and Great Bear had
adventures.  She told him which road led to Doug’s house and showed him where
Doug’s money came from.  The fields were full of horses and cattle.  She told
him how Crenshaw livestock always took first place at the fair.  Thomas
listened to his wife chatter about the area and the people in it.  His own
hometown was not much different.  Thomas came here to start over, to forget. 
His parents were both killed long ago and the girl he wanted to marry ran off with
a salesman.  He could not bear the pity in people’s eyes so he sold his land,
house and livestock.  He packed his clothes, a few personal items and moved
here.  He had only decided on this town when he happened on the Whitley farm by
accident.  He saw the sign saying it was for sale and knew he was home.  The
Whitley farm was nothing like his home but the Crenshaw ranch reminded him more
of his home place than he cared to remember.  The smell of manure and sound of
cows and horses crashed into his senses.  If this was the last time he visited
this ranch it would help to keep old memories at bay.  He preferred corn to
cows.  You just plant and watch it grow until harvest time.  Kat was waving at
her sister who stood on the porch waiting.  Thomas jumped down to help Julie
onto the wagon seat.  Julie and Kat were discussing the money most of the way
to town.  Julie could not wait to spend her money on frivolous things for
herself and the twins.  Kat tried to stress to her sister how important it was
to save for a rainy day.  Doug would not work forever.  Julie cared little
about what Kat had to say.  She was so young what could she know? 

Kat
walked silently to Mister Lawson’s desk where he sat staring out a window.  She
startled him when she spoke.  “Mister Lawson, my sister would like to see our
account please.”  He jumped, almost falling out of his chair.  Kat feigned
laughter.

“I
do not need to see it.  I want my half though.”

“I
want you to see it so you know you got your half.”  Kat curled her legs under
her in her chair next to Julie.

“You
are going to withdraw half?”  Mister Lawson trembled slightly and he swallowed
hard.  The giant Adam's apple in his skinny neck bounced making Kat smile.  It
was the satisfaction of knowing she had irritated him.

“Yes
we are.  You do have it do you not?”  She purred.  He pulled their book from
his cabinet and handed it to Julie.

“Surely
you do not want this in cash.”  He hoped out loud.

“No,”
He sighed, relieved.  “I want it transferred to my account in New York.”

“That
could take a month, you understand of course.”

“Of
course.”

“Now
the other half,” Kat broke in to their polite conversation.  “I want that half
put into mine and my husband’s name” Kat told him.

“You
got married?  To whom?”  He stifled laughter.

“To
Mister Thomas Woods, I believe you know him.”  She replied coolly.

“How
convenient that will be for the pair of you.”  Lawson’s popped eyes rolled
around in his head.

“Mister
Lawson, I do not appreciate your insinuation, if you continue, I will make the drive
to Ashe County to do my banking from now on.”  Kat got increasingly loud making
other customers turn to see the confrontation.  “As you well know I have plenty
of money in this bank and I can take every penny to Ashe County, would you like
that?” He sank in his chair, his face paled more ashen than usual.  “It is not
too far to the next county to satisfy my pride.  I got married because I love
Thomas Woods.  He married me for the same reason.  Not that it is any of your
concern.  If you so much as blink wrong in my direction I will shut this bank
down.” She hissed through a tight snarled smile.

“Missus
Woods will you please lower your voice?”  His eyes rolled about seeing the
other customers gawking.

“How
is this Mister Lawson?”  Her voice barely a whisper as she now leaned across
the desk glowering down at him.  “For less than a pittance I would wring your
chicken neck right now.  You will treat me with respect.  You will not giggle,
roll your eyes or comment about me to another person or I will pull every last
cent from this bank.  I will then convince the Crenshaw family and Jacob to do
the same.  Do you understand each and every word I have said?”  She hissed cool
as ice while Julie examined her fingernails.

“Yes
ma’am Misses Woods.  I understand completely and I apologize for any
misunderstanding we may have had.  I will not let it happen in the future.”

“Have
a good day Mister Lawson.”  She sang as she glided out the door on silent
feet.  Julie followed echoing her sister as if her behavior were perfectly
acceptable and natural.

“I
hate that pretentious, ornery little bitch.”  He muttered to the closed door.

Thomas
met Kat outside.  “Are you all finished?”

“Yes,
but I am afraid he is not going to be in a very good mood.”

“I
will do my best to brighten his day.”  Thomas laughed.  “Your fruit trees are
in the wagon as well as the mail.  Jacob is ready to order your nut trees but
you need to choose the variety.  I could not decide.”  Kat watched Julie go
into the dressmaker’s shop a few doors away.

“Tell
Lawson to pay your bills from my account.”  Kat offered.

“That
is not necessary.  I can pay them.”  He tipped his hat to her making her smile.

“Whatever
you want, I should not be long, but Julie may take hours.”  Thomas grinned and
went inside the bank.      

“Thomas,
I hear congratulations are in order.”  Lawson stood up to shake Thomas’ hand.

“Thank
you, yes.”

“I
will pay your credit off with your wife’s account.”  He opened the leather
bound book again.

“She
put my name on it then?”  Thomas glanced down at his name at the top of the
page next to Kat’s.

“It
is all taken care of.”  Lawson put his finger where Thomas’ eyes were focused.

“That
is fine.  This is a check from Ashe County bank, I want it to be added to our
account and I want a statement when it is finished.”  He handed the paper to
the petulant banker.

“This
check is for...” His eyes bulged.

“I
know what it is for.  I wrote it.”  Thomas sat back and laced his fingers on
his belly.

“Will
this close this account Thomas?”  Lawson’s hand trembled slightly as he re-read
the numbers.

“No
it will not, is that a problem?” Thomas grinned.

“None
at all, I will need a few minutes to calculate all of it.”  He rubbed his
arthritic gnarled hands together.  They reminded Thomas of dead leaves in an
autumn breeze.

“Take
your time, I am in no hurry.”  Thomas sank lower in the leather armchair Kat
had occupied only Moments before.  Her scent still lingered and filled his
pleased nostrils. 

“This
will take a couple of days to clear Mister Woods, but here is your wife’s
current statement with your deposit added on after her sister’s share is
deducted.  If you want a copy of it, I will need a week or so.”  He said after
a short pause, finally looking up at Thomas.

“Just
give me the final figure on a separate piece of paper.  I can keep track of it
at home.”  Thomas thanked him and left to find his wife.

“I
had no idea he was
that
Mister Woods.”  Mister Lawson leaned back and
put his feet up on his massive desk, he only did this when the bank was empty
of customers and when he was exceptionally pleased with himself.    He clasped
his hands under his smooth chin like he was going to say a prayer.

“Pardon,
Mister Lawson?”  His young teller asked when he looked up.

“Thomas
Woods is from Ashe County.  I never put the two together before.”

“That’s
a nice place, I went there during my vacation last year and stayed in their
hotel.  It was very nice.”  The teller smiled, his boss did not usually
socialize. 

“He
is Henry Woods’ son, also Ida Ashe’s son.  As in Ashe County...” One sleek
black eyebrow rose.

“He
is
that
Thomas Woods?  I never thought of that when I met him, he seemed
like a simple farmer.  I wonder why he is here and why he is living at the
Whitley place?  Surely he could have the finest mansion with servants.” 

“He
just wrote me this check.”  Lawson showed it to Todd the teller.

“I
have never seen that much money at one time, except in our vault.”  Todd’s
knees grew weak.

“And
he just married Wild Kat Whitley, between them they are worth a King’s
ransom.”  Lawson cracked his large knobby knuckles painfully.  “And all of that
money is in my bank.”  He cackled like an old woman.  The sound gave Todd the
chills.  He hurried back to his work; he did not want to socialize with Mister
Lawson after all.

“I
will take walnuts and pecans Jacob.  That is my decision.” 

“What
kind of walnut Kat, I have four English walnut trees in the back that Bessie
Bowman ordered.  She could not afford them when they came in, her twins have
been ill.”

“Are
they?  I am sorry to hear that.  I hope everything is okay.”  She chewed her
lip thoughtfully.   “I want to see the trees first Jacob, how long have you had
them?” 

“I
have had them almost a week now, if you will take them I will give them to you
at a bargain.  What do you say Kat?”

“I
want to see them.”  She answered.

“Are
you sure you can afford them?  You have not sold many jugs lately.”  He licked
his lips.  If she ever found out he had not sold the jugs but instead drank
them, she would never barter with another.  He knew Kat did not approve of
imbibing, even though her own father nearly supported the town’s bad habit
alone, she still made it very clear that she considered it a weakness.

“I
have not sold any except to you and Crenshaw.  I can afford the trees.  You do
not need to be concerned over it.  How are you on canning supplies, do you have
enough for me to fill my cellar?”

“I
ordered extra when Thomas said you doubled the garden.  What has he done with
the old cans?  He has not bought any I know, and I figured he has been living
off of your mother’s goodies all this time.”