Teton Splendor (5 page)

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Joseph had kept his word and let her off his horse just before they reached town. He hadn’t followed her, at least not that she was aware. She’d hailed a cab, and gave the driver directions to the Preston residence. If she acted quickly, she could ask for Andrew’s forgiveness today. He was leaving tomorrow, and she didn’t want to part ways with him without knowing he was all right.

When the driver pulled the buggy to a stop in front of the Preston’s Boston residence, she asked him to wait for her. She quickly made her way around the side of the house to the stables in the back. He would have had to drop his horse and buggy off before entering the house, and she hoped she could talk to him outside, rather than face the rest of the household, which would no doubt be full of questions.

Loud male voices reached her from inside the barn when she approached. The buggy was parked in front of the stable, and the horse had been unhitched. Glancing around, no one else seemed to be around. Sophia followed the sound of the men, and stopped just before entering the barn.

“How the hell should I know who that was,” Andrew’s loud and angry voice drifted from inside one of the stalls. “You know how Yancey loves to talk about the west. He looked like some backwoodsman you’d find there.”

“Keep that cloth over your nose to stop the bleeding.” Sophia recognized Andrew’s father’s voice. He didn’t sound at all pleased, as well he shouldn’t.

Guilt at eavesdropping rushed through her, and she wanted to round the corner into the barn aisle and make her presence known, when Andrew’s next words stopped her in her tracks.

“I don’t know why I agreed to your scheme to marry Sophia in the first place. For all I care, that woodsman can have her for his squaw.”

Sophia’s hand shot to her mouth to cover up her gasp. Tears blurred her vision. 

“You’re marrying her because of your obligation to this family. We’ve been over this already. As her husband, you’ll be heir to Yancey Enterprises. Just think of the wealth and power that will bring.”

“Maybe I’m not as ambitious as you, Father.”

Lloyd Preston laughed. “You can still carouse with your women, son. No one is expecting you to bed that half-breed.”

Sophia’s knees went weak. She leaned against the barn wall, and sucked in a deep breath. On shaky legs, she stumbled up the path toward the street. The world spun dizzily around her, and her pulse throbbed in her ears. Thankfully she had asked the cab driver to wait for her.

“Take me to the Yancey residence.” Her voice cracked. The driver assisted her into the buggy, then climbed into the driver’s seat. Seconds later, the coach lurched forward. The tears streamed freely down her cheeks, and Sophia closed her eyes. Her chest tightened almost painfully. In a matter of one day, the world she thought she knew had collapsed around her.

Joseph Walker’s face flashed before her eyes.
Aren’t you curious about your real parents? Your grandfather wants to meet you
.

Sophia inhaled deeply. Perhaps Boston or New York wasn’t where she was meant to be. Hadn’t she always felt like an outsider? Always trying to prove to everyone that she was just as good as anyone else? Maybe it was time to step outside the comfortable realm of her father’s – her adoptive father’s – protective world and find out where she truly belonged. 

Chapter Five

Joseph clenched his hand around a piece of burlap he picked up off the barn floor. With vigorous circular strokes, he ran the rough material over his horse’s back and withers. The soft rhythmic crunching sounds as his gelding munched on some grain in the feed trough did little to ease the turmoil raging within him. He leaned against his horse and filled his lungs with the aroma of straw, hay, and horse sweat; smells which had always been a source of comfort for him. Not this time. Nothing compared to the sweet flowery scent of Raven’s hair and skin.

A wave of heat seared through his body, and his forehead beaded with perspiration. He swiped his hand across his face as if it would erase the memory of her soft body pressed so close to him while he guided his horse back toward Boston. Joseph cursed silently. He couldn’t remember ever having such a response to Feather in the Wind, and she was his . . . He shook his head. That was a long time ago, and a memory he didn’t need to dwell on. She’d made her choice, just as Raven had made hers.

Raven . . . Damn. He needed to start thinking of her as Sophia Yancey, because that’s who she was. She’d made it clear enough that she wanted nothing to do with the life she was born to; the kind of life she would have had if her parents were alive.

Joseph flexed his hand. His knuckles still stung from when he’d hit that bastard, Preston. He’d gone out for a ride earlier to clear his head to try and figure out a way to convince Yancey and Sophie that she should meet her grandfather. He’d almost passed by the buggy parked off the road, but the scene of a man taking liberties with a woman against her will had spurred him into action.  His blood had nearly boiled over with rage when he recognized Sophie.

If he hadn’t shown up, Preston would have violated her in the worst way possible. Joseph was sure of that. That bastard deserved more than a broken nose. The only thing that stopped him from doing more damage to that son of a bitch was Sophie’s pleas for him to stop. Why she defended that scum was a mystery to him. His father had taught both him and his brother, Lucas, that a woman was to be respected, and never hit or otherwise mistreated. He didn’t have a single memory of his father even so much as raising his voice to his mother. There’d been plenty of arguments and differences of opinion between his parents, but they shared a deep love and admiration for each other.

Joseph gave his horse a final pat on the neck, then left the stall. Coming to Boston had obviously been a big mistake. It was too late in the day to leave the city. He’d get an early start in the morning. The sooner he was away from here, the better. He wasn’t going back to that fancy house, either. After what happened this afternoon, he had most likely worn out his welcome.  Miss High and Mighty Society Princess wanted nothing to do with him or knowing more about where she came from.

Joseph scoffed. Hell, she wouldn’t last a day in the wilderness. The pampered way she’d been raised had spoiled her for the kind of life she would have had among her mother’s people. He couldn’t possibly present her to Two Bears looking and acting like the white woman she so obviously chose to be.

He cursed again and climbed the ladder to the hayloft. What he needed was a good night’s sleep. He unbuckled the belt at his waist, and dropped it at his feet, then pulled his cotton shirt off over his head. Spreading out his bedroll over a pile of straw, he eased himself onto his back. With both hands clasped behind his head, he stared up at the wooden rafters. Daylight still streamed through the cracks in the walls, and a slight breeze made the countless spider webs hanging from the ceiling sway lazily back and forth.

He closed his eyes, wishing for sleep to come. Joseph focused on the relaxing sound of horses rustling in their stalls below. Outside, people chattered as they went about their late afternoon business, and the constant clopping of hooves on the cobblestone and the creaking of buggy wheels were a testament to the hectic life in the city. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry.

A sudden yearning for the mountains that had been his home all his life seeped through him. He missed the crisp morning air, the smell of sage and pine, and the quiet that surrounded the valley at the base of the mountain range the Indians called the teewinots. Joseph imagined hearing the screech of an eagle as it soared high above the clouds and the bugle of a bull elk in an attempt to drown out the harsh grating sounds of the city.

His efforts were hindered by the prattle of two women arguing. Joseph raised his head. One of the voices sounded familiar, and a jolt of recognition hit him. His heart rate increased. Sophie? What was she doing in this part of town? Joseph tuned out the other sounds and focused on the women’s voices. Judging by the increase in volume, they were headed for the livery.

“I still can’t believe you’d want to come here, Miss Sophia. Of all your foolish schemes in the past, this one takes the cake. A lady doesn’t belong in this shady neighborhood. I should have informed your father of this.”

Joseph raised his upper body off the blanket and sat up. The woman sounded almost like his mother when she used to scold him as a child. Yancey wasn’t married, and she’d addressed Sophie formally, so she couldn’t be a family member.

“We’ve been over this already, Lucy,” Sophie said, a note of exasperation in her voice. “I have to find Mr. Walker.”

Joseph’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at hearing her mention his name. He couldn’t think of one good reason why she’d be looking for him. The older-sounding woman huffed audibly.

“I don’t like that man. He’s dirty, and looks like a savage.”

“I don’t like him much either, but I need to speak to him.”

The corners of Joseph’s lips raised in a grin. Yeah, she definitely hadn’t changed her mind about him.

“What will Mr. Yancey say?” the woman raised her voice. “Or Mr. Preston? You have his reputation to consider now, too.”

Sophie laughed. “Lucy, you have been trying to dissuade me from coming here since we left Beacon Hill. Besides, I don’t give a . . . a damn about Andrew’s reputation.”

The woman named Lucy gasped. “Miss Sophia! Watch your language. Your father raised you better than that. What has come over you all of a sudden? Ever since that westerner showed up, you’ve not acted yourself. If you were my daughter, I’d wash your mouth out with soap.”

Joseph chuckled. He left his makeshift bed and climbed down the ladder. It was time to satisfy his curiosity about why Sophie wanted to see him. No sooner had he stepped foot on solid ground, when the barn door creaked open. Sunlight streamed into the dim interior.

“Mr. Walker? Are you in here?” Sophie called, and Joseph turned toward the door. The light cast the two women in shadow, but Sophie’s slight form was easy to distinguish from her much wider companion. Another loud gasp escaped the older woman’s mouth, and she quickly maneuvered herself in front of Sophie.

“Isn’t this a surprise?” Joseph asked, and strode casually toward his visitors, hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his breeches. His horse neighed a greeting from its stall as he passed by. “Your friend is right, Sophie. You shouldn’t be in this part of town.” He ignored the disapproving glare the older woman shot at him.

Sophie moved out from behind her companion, and her eyes widened. Her gaze lingered on his bare torso before her chin snapped up and she made eye contact with him, fidgeting with her gloved hands in front of her. She wore a different dress than the flowery one she’d had on this afternoon. The high-collared long-sleeved green garb she wore looked very unbecoming on her. Her hair was pulled back and pinned up behind her head, and she wore a frilly hat to match the dress. If the intended look of her outfit was to make her appear older and less attractive, it fell short by a mile.

“Lucy, would you please wait outside by the carriage? I have something I wish to discuss with Mr. Walker.” She spoke without taking her eyes off of him. The slight hitch in her voice didn’t go unnoticed. Joseph gave her credit for attempting to sound confident.

Lucy’s jaw dropped open, and her glare toward him turned menacing. With a hand on her wide hip, she advanced on him like a ruffled turkey.

“I will be right outside this barn, Mr. Walker,” she said sternly. “Just as soon as you make yourself more presentable to be in the company of a lady.” She stared point blank at his nude chest.

Joseph grinned, and ran his hand along the back of his neck. He shot a look over the woman’s shoulder toward Sophie, who quickly lowered her gaze to the ground.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Why don’t you two wait outside, and I’ll be out shortly. Then the . . . lady can tell me why she’s here, and her reputation won’t be sullied for being in the barn alone with me.”

Tight-lipped, Lucy nodded and turned, her grey skirts swished around her legs. She grabbed hold of Sophie’s arm and pushed her toward the barn door. Sophie’s eyes lingered on his torso for a moment before she turned, and Joseph couldn’t help but grin some more. Shaking his head, he headed toward the ladder to the hayloft to retrieve his shirt, eager to find out what she wanted to talk to him about. 

****

Joseph stepped outside the barn, and glanced around the livery yard. Hansen, the livery owner, was nowhere to be seen. More than likely he’d gone to the tavern for an early nightcap. A fancy black rig with a matching team of bay horses stood parked just beyond the corral. The driver stood by his team, and Sophie and her companion conversed animatedly near the back. Lucy had one hand on her hip, wagging a finger at Sophie’s face. Her arm  shot in the direction of the barn.

Inhaling a deep breath, Joseph strapped his belt around his waist and headed toward the two women. Lucy’s back straightened when she spotted him, and she cut short whatever else she was about to say to Sophie.

“I hope I’m decent enough now to be in the company of you two ladies,” he said with a grin, and walked up to them. Lucy eyed him critically.

“Your appearance could hardly be considered decent, Mr. Walker,” Lucy answered in disapproval. “But for some ridiculous reason Miss Yancey feels a need to speak with you.”

“Well, let’s hear it, then.” His eyebrows raised expectantly. Sophie stood by quietly. It seemed she had lost the confidence she tried to show earlier.

“I’d prefer to talk with you in private,” she said, finally meeting his gaze. “Could we take a walk?”

Joseph flashed a smug smile at Lucy, then stepped up and offered his arm to Sophie. “Right this way, Princess,” he said, and motioned toward the street. Sophie clasped her hands in front of her, and stepped around him.

“I’ll only be a few minutes, Lucy,” she called to the older woman.

“The nerve of that man,” Lucy huffed under her breath, and glared at him when he followed Sophie.

Joseph caught up to her after two long strides, and fell in step beside her. Her spine was as stiff as it had been this afternoon when she sat on his horse. She held her chin high and looked straight ahead.

“All right. I’m dying to know what you want to talk to me about,” he said after they’d walked well past the livery. The mercantile owner pulled the last of his produce carts into his shop to close up for the evening. Two women emerged from the shop, a look of surprise and confusion, and possibly disapproval on their faces as they passed by. Sophie walked past them with the haughty grace of a lady from a higher social standing than the other two women, but Joseph clearly recognized the insecure look on her face. Whether she was uncomfortable in his presence or because of something else, he didn’t know.

Once out of earshot of the two women, she  stopped and faced him. She raised her head to look up at him. Uncertainty mixed with a hint of fear passed through her eyes.

“First, I would like to apologize for my behavior this afternoon,” she said. “I’m sorry for sounding so ungrateful to you for coming to my aid, and I wish to thank you.”

An apology was the last thing he expected. Joseph’s forehead wrinkled, and he leaned toward her. She had to have an ulterior motive for her words.

“Did Andrew accept your apology?” he asked. He couldn’t keep the contempt out of his voice.

Sophie dropped her gaze. She studied her hands that she held clasped firmly in front of her. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked tiny and fragile all of a sudden.