To Wed a Wanton Woman (23 page)

Train ran his hands down his face. “She
tells me she spends her afternoons with you, does she?”

Allison returned to the stove unwilling to
look him in the eye. She flipped the steak. The sizzle filled the heavy silence
between them. “I’ll only answer if you promise not to jump to conclusions.” She
glanced over her shoulder. “She likes spending time in the shack.”

Train stood from the table, clenching his
hands into fists. “To be with Jack?”

“No! It isn’t what you think.”

“I think it is.” He was out the door, across
the yard, and heading down the path before Allison could stop him.

“TJ!”

Panic in Allison’s voice spurred his
movements.

“Joseph is after Jack,” she said when he appeared
at the top of the stairs.

TJ flew down the stairs, vaulting past Allison,
and rushing out the front door.

A loud ruckus erupted inside the shack. TJ
flung open the door in time to see Train launch himself into Jack, pinning him
up against the wall.

“Go near my wife again,” he said, applying
more pressure to Jack’s throat with his forearm. “And you won’t recognize your
pretty face in the mirror.” He released Jack.

“There are a dozen men in here who have
fucked your wife,” Jack said, rubbing the front of his neck.

“Shut up,” TJ said, stepping between the two
men. “Go home, Train.” He pointed to the door.

“Not until I’m finished--”

“You are finished. Go home.” Train released
his clenched hands. “This isn’t over.”

“For today it is.”

Chapter Fourteen

Marion
watched Train ride toward the house from the window. Changing quickly into her
maroon dress, she went out and stood on the porch in her bare feet, indifferent
to the cold, and waited.

With slumped shoulders, Train dismounted.
“We can talk inside,” he said, moving toward Marion. He gently touched her arm,
sending warning bells straight to her brain.

She took a step backward, then turned and
went into the house. “Coffee?”

Train put his hat on the peg by the door and
led her to a chair. “I’ll get the coffee. Sit down.”

He paced across the floor. Her heart sank
into her stomach. She must be at the center of whatever bothered him. He wouldn’t
look at her. The muscle ticked in his jaw. Even angry, he sent shivers of
desire over her skin. However, beyond the longing to be a good wife, she feared
she failed. One day he’d come home and tell her she wasn’t enough. It had
happened before and the uneasiness around Train told her it was happening again
today. “Just tell me, Train. Obviously you’re upset. What did I do?”

“The shack.”

The statement was explanation enough. She
stood and went to the window.

“I threatened to kill Jack if he ever
touched you again.”

“You had another fight?”

Train went to the fire and threw on a log.
“He didn’t put up much of a fight. Jack’s mostly talk.” He looked over his
shoulder.

“Mostly?”

“Was he telling the truth?”

Marion
sat down on the edge of the bed. “It’ll never be enough,” she solemnly stated.
“I’ll never be enough. It won’t matter what I do or what I say, you’ll believe
the worst while claiming you want the best for me.” A cold sinking feeling
filled her chest. “I was right all along.” She shrugged. “You don’t love me.
You wanted to rescue a whore.

“I’m going to stay with Allison and TJ until
I decide what I want to do with my life. I know I don’t want this.”

“Please don’t leave. You’re wrong. I do love
you.” He slid his hands into his front pockets. “I doubt your love for me.”

“Not only do you not trust me, but you’re so
intent on catching me with another man that you’ve imagined relationships that
don’t exist.” She took her dress from the peg on the wall beside their bed and
rolled it into a ball. Then she tossed her make-up into her carpetbag with the dress
and hurried to the door. “Good luck with your horses, Train.” She closed the
door and began the long walk to the homestead.

* * *

Marion
spent the next two weeks avoiding Train. He’d come to the house to speak with
her, but Marion slipped outside when she could escape and hid in her room
feigning sleep when she couldn’t. 

Days were spent helping Allison prepare the
nursery. Michael moved to a room near his sister. The house was full of
laughter, but in the evenings, Marion went to her room alone and pined for what
she couldn’t have. She harbored some regret that she most likely wouldn’t be
around to see the baby born. Allison needed a midwife, not a reformed whore who
didn’t know the first thing about caring for children.

Yet, Allison trusted her. TJ seemed to have
found away to overlook her past. Why couldn’t Train? Her husband.

Marion
put her hands on her stomach to quiet the rioting emotions. It wasn’t fair. Life
on the Bester Ranch was the closest she’d ever been to having a real family.
Her entire life had been a battle for what she wanted and she didn’t know if
she had any fight left.

Marion
found Allison playing with Michael on the floor in front of the fireplace.
Sissy read her a story.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Marion said
dejectedly. “I’m miserable.”

“Have you talked to Joseph? You need to know
what happened.”

“I don’t need the details,” Marion said, then sat on the couch. “It’s all the rumors about Jack again. More talk.”

“Jack has told anyone who will listen that
you’re sleeping with him. All Joseph knows is that you’ve been sneaking around
and spending most of your time in the shack. What conclusion would you jump to
if you were in his shoes given your history?”

“You know what I’ve been doing! All I’ve
done is try to fit into the mold of a good wife.” She threw up her hands.

“But you haven’t told your husband! You’ve
learned to cook, sew, and clean. He’d be proud. Tell him.”

“I want it to be a surprise.” She leaned her
head back and closed her eyes.

Allison raised her eyebrows. “Then deal with
his suspicions. Play out your hand and hope you come out on top.”

Marion
’s
lips rose into a quirky smile.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Allison rolled
her eyes and rubbed her hand across her distended belly.

“How’re you feeling?”

“TJ went for the doctor. I still can’t feel
the baby. It’s been days.”

“Are you worried?”

Allison blinked several times, but kept the
tears in check because Sissy and Michael were watching her closely. “No, I’m
sure the baby is fine.” She took Sissy by the toe and gave her foot a shake.

“I have something for you.” Marion disappeared upstairs and returned with a long boa of died red feathers. “How would
you like to play with this?”

Sissy sucked in her breath and rushed to
take the boa from Marion. “It’s beautiful.” She draped the feathers around her
neck and rubbed her cheek against the soft down.

“TJ is going to kill you,” Allison whispered
when Marion sat back down. “He hasn’t seen half of what you’ve given that child
to play with, but this--” She shook her head. “This Sissy will parade in front
of him with glee.” They both laughed.

“I’m not ready to leave. Can I stay with you
a bit longer?”

“That depends on whether you’re biding your
time until you leave or if you’re giving Joseph time to come for you.”

“I need him to see me as a woman, not
remember I was a whore.”

Allison looked at the dress Marion wore. “Maybe it’s time you stop looking like one. I don’t want to be hurtful, but sometimes
the truth is hard to hear.”

“Allison, I’m willing to concede many
things, but I will not give up my burgundy dress.” She stood and flipped her
hair. “I feel much better.” She took a deep breath. “I guess I’m learning another
lesson in marriage. I need to consider his feelings.” She straightened her
dress, smoothing the folds. “No one has ever wanted me the way Train does. I’m
going to make it right. Don’t worry.”

“Good.”

Later that afternoon, TJ returned with the
doctor. Marion waited in the living room with Sissy and Michael while TJ stayed
with Allison for the doctor’s examination. Whether the doctor felt it
inappropriate or not, he wouldn’t have dared reprimand Mr. Bester.

“Hi.” Train stood in the doorway with his
cowboy hat in his hand.

“Hi.” Marion’s breath caught in her throat. 
She was unprepared for his sudden appearance.

“What did the doctor say?” He came into the
house with his jeans covered with black sticky mud. He tracked mud across the
floor and stood at the bottom of the stairs. “They’re still up there?”

Concerned about bigger events than their
argument, Marion pretended she hadn’t walked away from her marriage. She needed
time to fit all the facets of their relationship together. Because he also
seemed willing to set aside their differences and put pressing matters first,
she said, “It’s been quiet. Do you think we need to be worried? It’s taking a
long time.”

Train shrugged. “I know less than you do
about babies. At least you’ve seen a few born in the brothel.” He squatted in
front of her. He momentarily rested his hand on her knee, then as if realizing
he touched her, he moved away and took a few steps back.

“I’m worried.”

“Don’t put the cart before the horse. First,
we find out if anything is wrong and then we worry. Allison is young and
strong. Both her and the baby are going to be fine.”

Marion
glanced anxiously at the stairs. “I hope you’re right.”

“How are you?”

Tightness constricted her throat. She
swallowed hard trying to force down the lump. “Scared.”

He tapped his hat against his thigh. “I’ve
got to get back to the branding. I’ll stop by and check on Sugar later. If the
news isn’t good--” He looked at Sissy watching him intently. “I’m sure
everything is fine.” He ruffled Sissy’s hair.

“I’ll find you,” Marion finished. Train gave
her a nod. “If I’m not here, I’ll be with Cake.”

He gave her a quirky smile. “Perhaps I’ve
been jealous of the wrong man. I’m going to have a talk with the cook.”

Marion
stood and put her hands on her hips. “You don’t talk. You fight.” Her eyes
narrowed although her face still expressed the humorous bantering in her words.
“Don’t you touch one greasy hair on his head!”

 He tipped his hat in lieu of saying
goodbye. Sissy giggled as he bowed out the door. “I like Train.” She turned and
looked at Marion. “I was going to marry him until you did.”

“He would have been lucky to have you.” She
took Sissy by the hand. “What do you say we get you and your brother cookies
and a glass of milk?”

Sissy ran into the kitchen with Michael
desperately trying to keep up on his chubby, toddler legs.

A few minutes later TJ found them. The color
had gone from his face, his cheeks hollow. He swallowed hard. “Will you take
the children to Betty?” His eyes slowly rose to meet hers. He didn’t hide the
moisture glistening on his lashes. “Tell her I don’t know for how long.”

“Train and I will keep them.” She put her
hand on Sissy’s shoulder.

“Marion…” A tear spilled onto his cheek.
“She needs you.” He went to the cupboard and took a bottle of whiskey from the
shelf.

Marion
scooted the children through the kitchen door. “I’ll be out in a minute to take
you to Betty,” she said to Sissy. “Keep an eye on Michael.” She closed the door
and turned to TJ.

“What is it?” She folded her hands across
her chest.

“He can’t find the heartbeat.” TJ drank from
the bottle as if it were water. “He says he’s going to take the baby out of
her.”

“Oh no!” Marion covered her mouth with her
hands.

“Doc told me to get out. Said a husband
shouldn’t see what he’s about to do.” His eyes were bloodshot when he looked at
her. “She doesn’t want to be alone.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Marion
went out the back door and took the children to the shack. The tables were
deserted. Men who had sons were showing them the finer points of castration and
branding. B.R. burned into the flanks of the cattle not going to auction.
“Cake, TJ would like Betty to keep Sissy and Michael.”

“Sunshine, what’s wrong?” He came around the
stove wiping his hands on his belly.

Marion
started to cry. “It’s not good. It’s the baby,” she whispered. “I need to tell
Train.”

Marion
went around the shack and headed in the directions of loud voices and screaming
animals. She hadn’t really wanted the image of castrating bulls in her mind.
The air smelled of charred hair and flesh.