A Heart Renewed (6 page)

Julia made no movement or sound.

“Reuben?”

Still no sound.

“I knew it.  Is this because of what happened at church last Sunday?”

Adam glanced over and saw tears welling in Julia’s frightened eyes.

“Please, I can’t talk about it.”

“Can’t or won’t?”  Leave it to his sister to be so subtle.

“Won’t.  Can’t.  Does it make any difference?  I don’t want to relive that day.”  Julia glanced in Adam’s direction and he caught her gaze.  What was that look?  Was she pleading with him to get her away from here?  He didn’t understand and she looked away before he could make sense of it.

“I am free of Hiram, but I am afraid I made an enemy of my brother in the process.  I will say no more.  Just pray for me.  Don’t come back here for a while…especially not alone.”

The fear in Julia’s voice was evident.  Caroline picked up on it too.  “You’re scaring me.  If you’re in danger, I want you to come with us.  We can protect you.”

“Just go.”

Caroline looked confused and hurt and motherly all at the same time.  She was fiercely loyal to her friend and would not want to leave if she thought Julia was in danger.

Standing, Adam took charge, “Caroline, we best be going.”  Giving her a gentle tap, he pointed to the horses.  After Caroline was out of earshot, he whispered to Julia, “Remember what I said last week.  Don’t hesitate to take us up on our offer.”

Then he mounted his horse.  Touching the brim of his hat, he locked gazes with her.  “Miss Colter,” he said nodding.  She waved as they turned to leave.  Lord, Adam prayed, please let her have the good sense to leave before it is too late.

Chapter 4

Star C Ranch, Texas

August 30, 1864

More than two weeks passed since Caroline and Adam visited her.  Julia felt like a prisoner in her own home.  While she avoided Reuben as much as possible, she still had to endure meals three times a day with him.  Then, this morning at breakfast, he asked to speak to her in his office. 

Her hand shook as she reached for the door knob.  She opened the door and stepped into the room that had once been her father’s office.  The large walnut desk still sat in the same place.  Only, instead of her kindly father sitting on the other side welcoming her with a grin, it was her brother instilling fear.  He looked up and pointed to the chair across from the desk.  At least the large piece of furniture sat between them and she would have time to flee, should he become violent again.

Once she took the offered chair, he began, “I am extremely disappointed in your behavior of late.  Breaking the engagement with Hiram Norton was a foolish mistake.  But, given your age, I am willing to overlook the error in your judgment.  I have taken it upon myself to see you wed to a wealthy man, so you will have all that you need.”

Julia swallowed, not trusting him one bit.  Reuben never looked out for anyone’s interest besides his own.  He’d already proven that point the first day he hit her.

“Therefore, I expect you to be on your best behavior this evening when Mr. Lewis Jamison joins us for dinner this evening.  He is a suitable match.  He has wealth enough to lavish you with gifts.  You will live a life of ease as his wife.”

“Have I no say in the matter?” she asked frowning.  “Have you already offered my hand this time as well?”

Fire shot from Reuben’s golden brown eyes.  “If I say you will wed, then you shall wed.  I have not forgotten, nor forgiven your foolishness.  Do not dare to cross me a second time!” he shouted, slamming his fist down on the desk.

She wanted to speak out against the whole notion of him arranging her marriage.  But, even though the physical scars healed, she remained afraid of her brother.  Seeing compliance would serve better, she changed her approach.  “I will do as you ask, brother.  I will treat Mr. Jamison kindly at dinner this evening.” 
But, I will not marry him.

Mr. Jamison was not quite as old as Hiram—he was perhaps a year or two younger.   Unlike Hiram, Mr. Jamison was at least pleasant looking.  At first, Julia thought she would completely abhor the man, given his association with Reuben.  However, throughout the evening meal he seemed rather attentive.  He asked her questions to draw her out.  She did her best to answer with the minimal amount of information, enough to satisfy Reuben, but not enough to really encourage Mr. Jamison.

Following the meal, Mr. Jamison asked Julia to join him for a walk.  While she was more than ready to have him leave but one look from Reuben told her she better agree.  Taking his offered arm, she followed him outside.

As soon as they were alone, Mr. Jamison turned toward her.  “You are quite attractive, Julia.”

She blushed at the inappropriate comment and the familiarity, maintaining an air of indifference.

At her continued silence, he pressed further.  “I think I shall like bedding you very much.”

The nerve!
  She raised her hand to slap him, but he caught her wrist.

“Yes, a woman with much spirit definitely needs broken.  I shall very much enjoy the challenge.”

He pinned her arms behind her back and kissed her hard on the mouth.  His possessiveness repulsed her.  When he restrained her against the wall and took liberties with his hands, she had enough.  She would not be molested by this two-faced man.  Bringing her foot down hard on his, she made contact.  He let out a yelp of pain.  Making sure he got the message, she kicked him hard in the shin.  While he was distracted, she turned and ran inside the house to her room.

Julia heard the muffled sound of a heated exchange between Reuben and Mr. Jamison.  Then horse hoof beats thudded down the drive.  At first she thought Reuben would confront her immediately and she almost wished he had, preferring not to prolong the anticipation of his punishment—however severe it might prove to be.  He never came.  Instead, the sound of another horse riding fast away from the ranch faded in the distance.  Then, all was calm.  Sneaking a peek out her door, she heard no sounds.  Reuben was gone.

Sighing in relief, Julia donned her nightdress.  Somehow she managed to dodge that situation.  Hopefully tomorrow morning she would not have to pay.  When she finished brushing her hair, she turned down the lantern and went to sleep.

“I wouldn’t marry that shrew if she were the last woman on earth!”  Jamison shouted.  “You have taught her nothing about the ways of men.  Deal’s off.”

Reuben swallowed hard, trying to rein in his anger before he alienated Jamison more.  “Look, she’s been coddled far too much by her father.  It’s going to take some time to undo that.”

“Do you suppose she’ll go along for a while then make a spectacle of me like she did Hiram Norton?  I will not stand for that,” Jamison said as he untied his horse from the hitching post.

Desperate, Reuben tried to think of something to say to change the course of this conversation.  “You thought she was beautiful, didn’t you?” he asked in a diplomatic tone.  “Why don’t you take her to the preacher tonight?  There’s no need to wait a month or more.”

“Ha!  You’d like that wouldn’t you.  Pawn your headstrong sister off on me—laughing all the way to pay your creditors.  What kind of fool do you take me for?”

Panic rose.  How did Jamison know why he needed the money?  Were his creditors so angry that they had been talking?

“Don’t look so surprised.  Whenever any man comes looking for a piece of my fortune, I do some careful digging.  I think it’s quite important to understand a man’s motivation.  Let me know just exactly what his frame of mind is.”

As Jamison mounted his horse, Reuben knew he lost this battle.

“Make no mistake, Colter, I never enter into a business arrangement that is not more profitable for me than my associate.  In your case, you really have nothing to offer.”  Kicking his horse’s side, Jamison took off down the lane.

Rage overtook Reuben as he pounded his fist into the outside wall of the ranch house.  The rough wood chewed his knuckles, leaving a bloody mess behind—just like Julia had done to his last hope for keeping the ranch.

Anger and fear mixed in his heart, a lethal combination.  He would punish Julia.  But first, he had to figure out how—how to break her, to mold her into what a man like him would want.

Storming towards the stable, he selected a docile mount.  If only his sister could take a lesson from this beast.  Once saddled, he took off towards town.

Stopping in front of the saloon, he dismounted and tossed the reins over the hitching post out front.  Shoving the doors open with the force of his anger still brewing, he made his way to the bar.  He was in no mood to deal with the poor wretches gathered around the poker tables.

A scowl in the bartender’s direction was all that was needed for a glass of whiskey to appear.  Tossing his head back, he let the liquid burn down his throat in one gulp.  Slamming the empty glass down on the table, he waited but a few seconds for it to be refilled.  The second round found a similar fate.  By the third whiskey, he calmed just enough to savor its affects.

“Sumthin’ ailin’ ya, hon?”  The silvery voice belonging to Jasmine sounded close in his ear.  “Cuz, ya know I can make most anythin’ better.”

As she slid her hand over his chest, Reuben tensed.  Normally, he’d welcome her advances, but not tonight.  “I’m not in the mood.”

“Hmm.  Sumthin’ shore is wrong,” she said, shaking her head.  “Is it what that spitfire sister of yourn done to Mr. Jamison that got you all in a hissy?”

Grabbing her hand, he spun in his seat to face the soiled dove.  Through gritted teeth, he asked, “How’d you know about that?”

“I had the pleasure of relieving Mr. Jamison’s frustrations for him.”  She nodded her head to where a much more sedate Jamison sat, engaged in a game of chance.

How many other people already knew?  Downing the rest of his whiskey, he nodded for more.  Downing it in a flash, he tapped his fingers agitatedly, waiting for more.

“Hon, that ain’t gonna solve nuthin’ with yourn prissy sister,” Jasmine cooed, placing her hand on his arm to keep him from chugging the next drink.  “What you need to do is tame that prissy gal.”

Rolling his eyes, Reuben’s patience was wearing thin.  He already knew that’s what he needed to do.  He just wasn’t sure how.  “How do you propose I do such a thing?”

Jasmine’s crooked yellow teeth were unveiled with a smile.  “Hon, ya done it more than once here.  Ain’t no different way to be taming a wild woman.”

His heart beat faster as the meaning behind her words sunk in.  “Leave me,” he ordered as he considered her idea.  The men he sought to pair Julia with wouldn’t care much about her state, as long as she was submissive.

Downing the rest of his drink, he stumbled to the door and pulled himself up on his horse, with one goal in mind.  Surely this would be the thing that would save him.

“Julia!  You w-w-wench.”

Julia shot upright in bed at the sound of her brother’s drunken slur.  The door to her room flew open with such force the window rattled in its frame.  Reuben came toward her.  She could not see much in the dark, as very little moonlight shown through the window.

“You wench.  That is twice you have cost me.”  He smacked her hard across the face before holding her down.  “I told you not to cross me again.”