White Dawn (27 page)

Emily sat with her back against a tree in her favorite spot: her glade. The sky was still gray, the air cold. She glanced around. Finding the log that was still there, though decayed and rotting into the soil, she sighed. So much had begun here. Pain. And joy. Everything.

Across the way, her husband and Ben chased little Sarah in the early dawn. The sun hadn’t risen completely yet, but as this was their favorite time of day, and the three-year-old was often up before dawn they often came here to start their day.

Yawning, Emily wondered how her daughter could wake with so much energy. The child was a bundle of energy from the moment she opened her eyes until she fell into an exhausted sleep each night. So curious and eager to explore, the girl hated to sleep. It was as if she was afraid she’d miss something new and exciting.

Childish giggles floated on the breeze. Emily shook her head at the sight of the two men giving her their undivided attention. Sarah loved the attention and was hopelessly spoiled; John and Ben didn’t care. Barking when Sarah ran toward the woods, Fang ran after and blocked her. The wolf protected and watched the child. Sarah pouted and protested, looking like a tiny angel with her white-blond curls and bright blue eyes. Ben managed to distract her by pointing out bugs in the rotting log.

John ran over to his wife. “Whew. I swear she’s going to wear me out.”

Emily grinned. “You love it, and you know it.”

Scooting next to her, he put his arms around her and drew her to him. “Yeah. I sure do.” His eyes followed his daughter’s movements.

“You happy, Sunshine?”

“Very,” she said without hesitation. Not once had she regretted coming back here to live.

She and John had gone to Kentucky, where Sarah had been born. To her surprise, Millicente had offered to go with them, and then had married Matthew. She and Emily’s father were now very happy together on his farm, and Emily was glad. Her father deserved a second chance at love.

When Sarah had been three months old, Emily, Sarah and John had traveled to St. Louis to meet up with John’s grandfather. From other trappers returning to the city, they’d learned that Gascon hadn’t been well enough to travel downriver. They’d returned to the shack immediately. John had been afraid his grandfather would be gone, but he’d still been alive. And the minute he’d seen them—and his great-granddaughter—he’d gotten a new lease on life. He’d only passed away this year.

John, as usual, seemed to know what she was thinking. “You know, we can leave and return to the city. With Gramps gone, there’s no reason why we have to live out here.”

Emily leaned her head against her husband. “After all the work you and Ben did to build our new home?”

“Sunshine, it’s not much. I can buy you a much grander place in St. Louis—or anywhere.”

“But it wouldn’t be the same. I
love
our home.” She glanced up at him. “I have what I need out here.” And she did. She’d found living back in civilization confining. She wanted freedom for herself, and for her daughter. She wanted Sarah to grow up without the strictures of society. She wanted her child to experience all that life had to offer. Between their yearly trips back to city life, and the schooling Emily provided, Sarah, when she became an adult, would be able to choose her own path.

“Have you heard anything from your cousin?” she asked. John had sent word downriver about his grandfather’s passing that winter.

“Not yet. I expect that we’ll see him in St. Louis. Now that Gramps is gone, he’ll want his inheritance.” Sadness laced John’s voice.

Emily put her palm on his jaw. “You can’t change him. At least he seems to be doing reasonably well.” And he was.

To John’s surprise, after that initial confrontation when they first saw Willy in St. Louis, he’d seemed to have come around. He’d accepted the fact that John and Emily were married.

To protect the truth of Sarah’s parentage from Willy—whom they couldn’t trust to keep it a secret—they had let him believe John was the father. With the baby’s pale hair and blue eyes, Willy hadn’t had any reason to doubt it.

At first he’d been furious, but John had been prepared. Peace in his family was more important than what belonged to whom. He’d given Willy what he wanted most: money. He’d withdrawn a large portion of his funds from the bank—enough to placate the man.

John had no need for all of it. He’d kept enough to purchase a home for his family, and to have enough left over to live on until he found work or started his own business. Now things seemed to have calmed between the two cousins. Emily still didn’t trust Willy, but at least there was peace between him and John.

Sarah’s cry had them both turning their heads. Ben held the little girl, who was rubbing her eyes. Then the child made a hungry face.

Emily went to stand but Ben waved her away. “I’ll take her back. No need for you two to come. Enjoy the sunrise. Mary’ll have the morning meal ready. We’ll feed the little tyke and watch her for a bit.”

As soon as they were gone, John pulled Emily onto his lap so she faced him. “Alone at last. Be a shame to waste it just sitting here doing nothing.”

“A real shame,” Emily said, feeling him growing hard beneath her. “But shouldn’t we watch the sunrise first? That is why you dragged me out of bed so early on the one day Sarah didn’t.”

John slid his fingers into her hair. He lifted the strands and let them drift over them. “I’m watching my Lady Dawn right now. No one is more beautiful than you.” With practiced ease, he undid his breeches, lifted her skirts from beneath her and slid her down onto him.

For a long moment they sat there staring at each other, their bodies joined as well as their hearts and souls. “I love you, Sunshine,” he said.

“I love you, too, John. Now, can we stop talking and start kissing?” After all those years, she still yearned for his kisses.

“Whatever you want, Sunshine.” John slid the top of her dress down her arms and palmed her breasts.

“I want,” Emily said, her lips meeting his.

The sun rose and gentle light bathed them, but neither noticed.

Torn between love and duty; conflicted by passion and a thirst for revenge; choosing independence or succumbing to the lure of an all-consuming love. Don’t miss the next three titles from Susan Edward’s
White
Series, available now.

White Dusk (Book 2 of 12)

White Shadows (Book 3 of 12)

White Wind (Book 4 of 12)

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