To Wed a Wanton Woman (24 page)

Dozens of men circled the paddock where the
branding took place. Children hung on the rails of the fence watching in
wide-eyed fascination as the work of a rancher passed on to the next
generation. In the middle of all the commotion, her husband directed the
procession of livestock. Engrossed in his work, he didn’t see her approach.

“Can’t let you in,” Charlie said, keeping
her from Train. “One of those bulls gets fired up and you’ll never outrun him
in that dress.” His eyes scanned the swell of her breasts.

“I’m not here to disrupt his work, but I do
need to speak with him. It’s important.”

Charlie put his pinkies in his mouth and
whistled above the noise. “Train, your wife.”

Train had his knee in the neck of a feisty,
little calf. The branding only took a couple of seconds before the calf ran
down a shoot and into the adjacent pasture. He wiped his hand on a bandana as
he approached her.

“Don’t get her all dirty,” one of the hands
heckled. He acknowledged the comment with a wave.

“They don’t know you’re already dirty,” he said,
leading Marion away from the group. How she wished communication between them
could always be easy. In front of the men, he played the attentive husband.
Dare she venture into the shack, he’d be full of accusations again.

“Can you leave someone else in charge here?
TJ didn’t ask me to come, but he needs you. Allison lost the baby. Her body
should have miscarried. The baby is still inside her. The doctor is going to
remove it. He won’t let TJ stay in the room so I’m going to be with her. I
think you should help TJ finish off the bottle he’s already started.”

Marion
waited for Train while he apprised Charlie of the situation. Then they quickly
returned to the house. Marion went straight up the stairs to find Allison and
the doctor while Train went to TJ to offer emotional support.

* * *

Train jumped onto the kitchen counter and
rolled a cigarette. Words weren’t necessary. The simple fact that he could sit
quietly and get a little corned said there was more between them than
friendship.

TJ poured a glass of amber colored liquid
for Train. “Did Marion go upstairs?”

Train nodded as he took the glass. “Dropped
the kids off with Cake, then came and got me from the branding. Charlie took
over.”

“Charlie’s a good man.” TJ looked out the
window. “You and Marion seemed to have found middle ground.”

“Might seem that way.”

“No?”

“Nope.” He took another hefty swallow of
whiskey.

Allison’s scream cut through the still air
of the kitchen. Neither TJ nor Train took a breath.

“Stay here,” Train said as TJ made a move
toward the hall.

“She’s my wife!”

“And she’ll need you in a few minutes. Wait
for Doc.”

TJ bowed his head attempting to hide the
tears filling his eyes. Train realized there was a good chance the next time TJ
saw his wife, she might not be alive.

* * *

The doctor ordered Marion to hold Allison
down. He had given her a small amount of Ether but she was beginning to break
free of the induced sleep.

“I’m scared!” Marion screamed when Allison’s
blood soaked the sheets.

The doctor finally had the baby and placed
it in a blanket next to him. “Hold her, I’m almost done.” His fingers were
sewing as quickly as an expert seamstress stitches a hemline. Taking a deep
breath, he wiped his hands on a sheet. “She’ll need to stay in bed until the
stitches heal.”

Perspiration dotted Marion’s lip as she
released the pressure she had on Allison’s shoulders. Her face was wet with
tears she hadn’t realized she was crying. “Will she be able to have another
child?”

“Maybe. If she does conceive, she’ll need to
rest for the entirety. Her body is damaged.”

Allison stirred, her face contorted with
pain. Clammy and pale from the loss of blood and the trauma of surgery, she
looked much older than her years.

The doctor quickly covered the baby with a
sheet. “I’ll give her morphine for the pain. She’ll need a pinch mixed with
water every couple of hours. Morphine can only do so much.”

Marion
wiped Allison’s brow with a cool cloth. “Can you tell how long ago the baby
died?”

“Several weeks. She never would’ve gone into
labor on her own. Sometimes the body makes its own rules. Mr. Bester is
worried,” he said heading for the door.

“Before you get TJ, help me change these
sheets. So much blood,” she said shaking her head. “Are you sure she’s going to
recover?”
Please, don’t let her die.

“Physically she’ll recover quickly. It’ll be
up to you and her husband to see she doesn’t let sadness take over.”

“She desperately wants children,” Marion said.

“And she will. Stay with her while I get TJ.”

Marion
nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. “What are you going to do with the baby?
You can’t leave him in here.”

The doctor picked up the tiny bundle. “I’ll
put him in the other room.” The doctor left and Marion worked a clean sheet
under Allison.

“I’m sorry,” Marion whispered to Allison
when she saw tears start to trickle from the corner of her eyes. “I’m trying
not to hurt you.”

“What did TJ say?” Allison’s voice was low
and scratchy. “Is he angry?”

“Never. He didn’t say much. He’s worried
about you.” She wiped Allison’s cheek with the cool cloth. “He knows the baby is
gone.”

Allison’s whole body jerked as a fresh wave
of tears flowed down her cheeks.

The door opened and TJ cautiously entered
the room. Allison tried to turn away from him. She cried out in pain with the
movement. Marion held the side of her face with her hand. “It’s his loss, too.
Lean on each other.” She kissed Allison on the lips and stood from the bed.

She stopped in front of TJ and wrapped her
arms around his neck. “She’s afraid you’re angry,” she whispered.

Marion
stepped from the room and closed the door behind her. She leaned her head
against the wall. Never had she been so afraid in her life. Allison had been
close to dying. The doctor hadn’t had to say anything. Blood pooled on the bed
so quickly that he hadn’t been prepared. His fingers had slipped several times
while trying to remove the baby.

“Marion,” Train stood at the top of the
stairs. He came looking for her when she didn’t return. After sharing the
entire bottle with TJ, he was feeling unstable and didn’t want to be left alone
in the kitchen. “Do you want to sit on the porch? I could use the fresh air.”

She put her hand on his arm. “I don’t know
what to do. Right now Allison needs me and TJ needs you, so lets put our
differences aside for a few more days.”

“And then what?” Not even the alcohol numbed
the ache in his gut when he considered life without Marion. He couldn’t let her
go back to Copper City any more than he could watch her consort with the men on
the ranch.

“I don’t know.”

He followed her outside. As they sat on the
swing and overlooked the property, Train used the heel of his foot to rock them
back and forth. Men smoked and talked outside of the shack after a evening meal
prepared by Cake. It had been a long afternoon, and now that it was quitting
time, the din of the day was setting with the sun. Even the crisp late fall
air, didn’t keep everyone from wanting to know about Allison and the baby. News
spread like wildfire.

“All Allison ever wanted was to be a wife
and mother,” Marion sadly said.

“The doctor told TJ she could still have
children.”

Marion
leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “I didn’t realize how much I wanted
her to have the baby.”

Train waved as Charlie and a couple of the
men passed close to the house. Charlie gave Marion a nod of acknowledgement.
“Evening, ma’am,” the other gentleman said.

“How’s Sugar?” Charlie asked.

Marion
squeezed Train’s fingers. “She lost the baby,” she said. “TJ is with her. The
doctor says she’ll be fine in a few weeks.”

They nodded and kept walking.

“Why can’t living be easy?” She turned to
Train. “Allison works so hard. It doesn’t seem fair.”

“Never does.”

Chapter Fifteen

Marion
spent the next few days by Allison’s side making it possible for TJ to assume
some of his duties to the ranch. Train stopped by, but she found a reason to
leave the house while he visited. Until she made a decision, she couldn’t be
near him. The sadness in his eyes was enough to make her come undone. What kind
of life would they have if she had to prove her fidelity daily? She needed
distance to think clearly.

The wind blew through the canyons bringing
with it the taste of winter, the hollow sound reminiscent of the emptiness
inside. She needed to reach some sort of resolution. Maybe it was time to talk
to Train.

“Go home,” Allison said, gingerly moving to
the kitchen table. “You’re both miserable. I’m capable of taking care of myself
and TJ is close. Betty has the children. TJ is doing the housework. Actually, Marion, you’re underfoot. I want to rest, but I can’t because I know you’re here.”

Marion
laughed. “I know you’re right. I’ll go home.”

“Is home with Train?”

“I hope so. I think I’ll go to the shack for
lunch.” Marion went to find Train.

“Sunshine.” Cake came around the corner of
the shack and stopped her before she went in. “It’s not a good day. Your
husband doesn’t appreciate you out here all the time.” He wrapped his arm
around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

“That’s only because he doesn’t know what I’m
doing.”

“Then tell him.” He followed her into the
shack.

“I will, soon,” she promised.

“It’s already been too long.” He gave her a
smile with his criticism.

Marion
saw Jack the moment she entered the building. Their eyes locked across the
tables. “You look lovely today,” he said, approaching. He took her hand and
brought it to his lips.

“You are a brave man, Jack,” she said with a
sultry voice. “I believe my husband issued you a threat.” She pulled her
fingers from his hand. “I wouldn’t take his threats too lightly.”

“Perhaps he misunderstood.” He nervously plucked
the edge of his mustache.

She spoke so low he had to strain to hear
her. “I’d rather bed Cake than be with you.” She turned her most charming smile
to the man who had shown her nothing but kindness. Sweat stains under the arms
and food stains across his belly from where he either dropped his lunch or
wiped his hands, made him the perfect example of filthy. He usually reeked of
body odor and his breath smelled like garlic and onion. Cake was unique.

“If you don’t repair my reputation,” she
continued, eyes raking downward, “I’ll embellish your story.” She held up her
finger and thumb indicating the rumor she’d spread about him and his
inadequacies. “How would you like to be known as Jack rabbit, fastest man on
the ranch?”

Jack’s eyes darkened and narrowed. “You’d
cut off your nose to spite your face? I don’t think so. You’re too eager to
dispel the rumors.”

“The damage has already been done. Tell the
truth, Jack.” She stepped closer. “I’m sure in your arrogance you think Train
is blowing smoke. I assure you, I am not.”

She turned away. A few men in the group
gathered around Jack. She heard their laughter when she walked away.

“You’re playing a rough game, sunshine.”

“I know, Cake. But if I win, I get
everything I want.” She tied on an apron. “What are we cooking today?”

“I thought it was time you tried fixing your
husband’s favorite.” He pointed his pudgy finger at her. “On one condition. You
take it out to him this afternoon. No more sneaking around. I’ve loved that boy
my whole life and I can’t stand the thought of him out there sulking all
afternoon.”

She gave him a salute. “I don’t want to see
him hurting either.”

Later in the day, Marion approached the
house without a sound. She watched Train drive a post into the ground to form a
paddock for him to work the new horses. His shirt was hanging on one of the
completed posts. She shivered. It was too cold, yet Train didn’t appear
bothered. Beads of perspiration trickled down his back as he lifted the giant
hammer and gave the stump a resounding whack.

She pulled her coat tight and sat beside the
picnic basket on the porch. Her lips twitched while her breath created a fog in
front of her face in the chilled air. He was ignoring her and she knew it.
There was no way he couldn’t smell the mouth-watering aroma of Cake’s fried
chicken. Actually, her fried chicken. Cake had shown her how to make the
breading and the trick to keeping the chicken from becoming too oily, another
recipe for her notebook.