The ceremony took all of five minutes. The Reverend completed the session by saying, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." With a nod at the man sitting beside her, he continued, "You may now kiss the bride." Kid Quinter tried to lean her way, but his bindings prevented any movement. All eyes were on them. Jessie had never kissed a man, nor had she ever been kissed, and had no idea what to do.
The Reverend cleared his throat. She looked up. His whitewhiskered face and balding head tilted sideways as he stared down at her. Was he telling her to lean over so Kid could kiss her? Was that proper? The Reverend tilted his head again and pulled his eyes wide.
Without looking toward her new husband, she leaned sideways. Warm lips brush against her cheek, blistering the spot they touched. Gasping for breath, Jessie quickly pulled away and pressed a hand to the burning skin.
"This is just a suggestion, Kid, but I think Russell, should stay here at your Ma's place for a few days. He could start working for you the first part of next week. Give everyone time to adjust to the new situation," the sheriff said.
"Is there anything else you'd like to suggest, Turley?" Kid Quinter's eyes were little more than slits as he glared at the lawman.
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"No, no, I think that about covers it." Sheriff Turley shook his head. "The Reverend and I are going to head home now." He looked toward the brothers. "Go get a wagon hitched up, we'll ride as far as Kid's house with you." The brothers scrambled out the door in such a flurry they left it wide open. Cool, night air filled the room. Jessie took a deep breath, hoping it would clear her confused mind and calm her jumbled nerves. Was she really married? That's all it took—a few words from a preacher and a kiss on the cheek?
She'd never dreamed of falling in love and living happily ever after, knew that wasn't a reality in the harsh, vast land of the west, but she'd always held a slight longing of finding someone she could care for, some one who'd care for her as they fought to survive their lot in life.
"There's no need for you to ride over to my place. It's out of your way. I assure you, I'm not going to harm them," Kid Quinter said.
The sheriff let out a low chuckle and walked across the room. "You must be forgetting how well I know you." He tipped the brim of his wide hat her way, then pulled the door shut as he walked out.
Blood pounded in her ears. She'd hoped Kid was the good brother, while Skeeter was the bad. But from what the sheriff implied, it appeared to be the other way around. Her gaze went to Russell. Eyes closed, his head rested on the back of the chair. He didn't appear to be at all concerned for her welfare. Many times over the past ten years she'd felt alone, but she'd never felt as lonely as she did at this moment. Tears pricked at her eyes again. She tried to buck up, to face 44
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this new adversity with courage, but her shoulders drooped, even valor had deserted her.
The door behind her flew open. Skeeter and Hog, or maybe it was Snake, the two looked a lot a like, walked in.
"Ma, we'll bring your chair back," Skeeter said as they picked Kid up, chair and all, and carried him through the open door. Stephanie Quinter walked over to the table. "You don't have anything to worry about, sweetie. Kid will be good to you. He's a good man, the best of the bunch." The woman's voice sounded soft and sincere.
Jessie didn't know how to respond. He may be the best of the bunch, but it was a very rough bunch. Stephanie reached out and grasped her elbows, helping her rise. "You'll see," she said. At that moment, Jessie wanted to lay her head on Stephanie Quinter's shoulder and cry her eyes out, but she couldn't. It would do little more than show how very vulnerable she felt. She blinked, hoping the woman didn't see the tears, and forced her head to nod in agreement.
"If you need anything, you just holler, and I'll be right there. I always wanted a daughter and feel right proud to be your ma," Stephanie said as she fluffed the long, tangled tresses falling over Jessie's shoulders. "Come on now, they're waiting for you."
Jessie told her feet to move, and with Stephanie's arm around her shoulder, she walked to the door. She wanted to turn to Russell and beg him to stand up for her, make it all go away, but that wasn't about to happen either. He didn't so much as whisper a good-bye as she left the house. 45
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The rains had ended, leaving the air fresh and clean and the darkness of the night had lifted a touch. Faint streaks of light shimmered on the distant horizon. If only hope could rise with the morning sun, she might have something to look forward to.
Stephanie helped her climb into the back of the wagon. Kid, tied in the chair, sat near the front of the bed. The brothers had once again been thinking, not wanting him to tip over, they'd tied the chair to the seat of the wagon with another rope. Jessie sat down, then scooted a touch closer to his feet as Bug and either Hog or Snake, climbed in after her. Even tied up, his big frame oozed with authority and gave her a small safety net, which she gladly accepted. At this point, she'd take any protection she could get. Skeeter and the other brother sat in the driver's seat. Jessie swallowed and pressed a hand to the churning in her stomach.
"You boys come right home now, I'll be timing ya," Stephanie hollered as the wagon began to roll. The sheriff made small talk from his horse beside the wagon as they began to ramble along. Jessie didn't try to listen. Too many thoughts already roamed her tired mind. Using every ounce of his weight, Kid tried to keep the chair from bouncing. The loose ropes holding the chair legs to the wagon seat had him rocking in every direction. His brothers couldn't even tie right. There had to be a good hundred and fifty feet of rope wound around him, yet his wrists and ankles were the only things tied tight. He'd lost feeling in them some time ago.
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Turley continued to rattle on. Kid made a comment in answer now and again, not really paying attention to the man. His eyes stayed focused on the woman huddled in front of him. He didn't want a chair leg to come down on one of her tiny feet. It wouldn't do any good to tell Skeeter to slow down; the ride was rough either way.
Thin arms wrapped around the bent knees pulled tight against her chest. Her chin bounced across her kneecaps as the wagon bounded over the rough terrain. An unbelievable amount of hair fluttered around her face and shoulders like the boughs of a weeping willow tree. He'd never seen so much hair and imagined it to be as soft as rabbit fur. He leaned his head back and tried to gather his wandering thoughts. Streaks of morning light filtered the sky. A full day of work lie ahead sorting the cattle he'd brought back from Dodge. He sighed and brought his gaze back to the tiny creature. One cheek rested on the knees covered by the faded blue dress. The wind flipped the hair off the other, twisting the long tendrils as it blew past. Would she be safe at the house without him? The main reason he'd married her was because he knew if he didn't, one of his brothers would have, and no one deserved that type of torture. Her clothes alone made it apparent the poor thing had been neglected the better part of her life. If only he could have stalled the ceremony, at least long enough to assure her everything would all be all right. But he damn sure couldn't do it in front of his brothers or Turley, no reason on earth would make him display that kind of compassion in front of them. They'd use it against him. Letting them all think he was 47
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a hard ass was much better, normally it guaranteed he had the upper hand.
The wagon slowed a mite, taking the corner around calving pens and down the road to the house. Kid sat up straight and pressed his weight onto the chair, preparing for the sudden halt. As usual, Skeeter brought the wagon to a stop so abrupt everyone bounded about. The girl fell against his legs. Jessie, he had to try and think of her as Jessie instead of the girl.
"Sorry," she murmured and righted her body.
"Couldn't be helped. Skeeter hasn't learned how to drive yet," he said. "If this chair wasn't tied down I'd have flown out."
There was enough light to see a slight smile cross her face. It was a delightful sight, one that tugged at his heart. Poor little thing, she'd probably had a nastier night than he. He knew first hand how frightening his brothers and mother could be when they set their minds to it. The boys tugged, twisted, and pulled to the point Kid seriously considered doing each of them bodily harm when he was finally cut loose. Jarred until even his teeth ached; they eventually sat his bound frame onto the top step of the front porch. He squirmed against the ropes, and keeping his balance by planting his boots on the wood of the stairs below, glared at the boys.
"None of this was my idea, Kid. Please don't be mad at me," Bug said.
"I'm disappointed in you, Bug. You have to start thinking for yourself," Kid said, keeping his voice low so only the youngest brother could hear it.
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Bug hung his head and kicked at the dirt as he followed the other three to the wagon. Regret made Kid lower his head. He hadn't meant to make Bug feel bad, but someone had to give the boy direction.
"Ma'am." The scratchy sound of Turley's voice made his head snapped back up. From the back of his horse, the joke of a sheriff instructed, "I think it would be best if you waited half an hour or so before you untie him. Give the boys here a head start."
Jessie stood at the base of the steps, a worried frown on her lips. Her eyes flashed nervously between him and the sheriff.
"I think it would be best if you all stayed away from my place for at least a week," Kid growled. Let them all think he wanted to murder them. He could use the peace and quiet after tonight.
Sammy's non-stop barking filtered through the door behind him. Turley turned to Jessie again. "Please don't let that dog out until we're out of sight either." Her eyes grew wide. Damn it. The man was trying to scare her. "Get the hell out of here, all of you!" Kid shouted. Turley's chuckle echoed in the morning air as he, the Reverend, and the wagon full of his brothers turned to leave the yard.
Kid waited until the dust behind them began to settle before he said, "He's just trying to frighten you. Sammy wouldn't hurt anyone. Well, he won't hurt you. Can't say what he might do to some of the boys. A couple of them picked on him when he was a pup, and he's never forgotten it." 49
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"I-I've never been around dogs. I've seen them here and there, but..." She shuffled her feet, her voice so low he could barely hear it.
He smiled and said, "Come here."
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Kid half expected her to turn and run, fleeing as far from the ranch as she could. Instead, tiny and cautious steps climbed the five stairs to where he sat on the porch. "Untie me and I'll introduce you to Sammy. He's a good dog," he said when she stopped to stand beside him, trembling from head to toe.
"The, um, um, sheriff said I was supposed to wait." Her tiny fingers twisted about until they were wrung together.
"I know what Turley said, but I'm not going to go after them." She reminded him of a tiny, orphan calf—afraid, alone, and in need of care.
Weary, pale blue eyes looked at him. "You're not?"
"No." He shook his head and hoping to ease her fears, explained, "First off, my legs have been tied together for so long it's going to hurt like hell to walk. Second, I'm tired, and my head hurts too bad to confront the boys right now. And third, they aren't worth it."
Those eyes, the color of a robin's egg, squinted, causing tiny lines to track across her forehead. "They aren't worth it?" she asked, disbelief lacing her voice.
Kid let out a loud sigh. "As awful as this may seem to you, this is nothing compared to some of the other stunts the boys have pulled. And Turley's just trying to scare you. He makes a good sheriff because he's a bully. Always has been." She crouched near his feet and began to tug on the knots.
"Really?"
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"Yeah, really. He likes bullying people around."
"No, I mean your brothers have done things worse than they did tonight?"
"Believe it or not, yes." He nodded and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Lift up my left pant leg. There's a knife on the side of my boot, use it to cut the ropes. One of the only things Skeeter can do is tie a good knot." Jessie did as instructed. He twisted his ankles against the sting as the ropes fell away. She moved to his back and released the ropes on his wrists, then started to cut the many strands around his arms and chest. The bindings fell away.
"Ah, it feels like I've just been sprung from jail. Here, give me the knife, I'll get the ones around my knees." When the last rope fell away, he slipped the knife back into its leather holder, rose to his feet, and stepped away from the mass of jute. No wonder he thought of her as a girl, the top of her head didn't even come up to his shoulders. He smiled down at the cherub face looking up. Not quite sure what else to do, he held out a hand. "Hello Jessie, I'm Kid Quinter, nice to meet you."
A guarded smile touched her cheeks as a tiny giggle escaped her lips. She put her hand in his. "Hello, Kid Quinter, I'm happy to meet you, too."
His large hand engulfed her tiny one. The little fingertips were ice cold. Kid tightened his hold, hoping his warm palm would send heat into hers. "Happy are you?" Her face pulled into a grimace. "Considering the rest of your brothers, yes, I'm happy to meet you." 52