BECCA Season of Willows (7 page)

“You’re pale Becca. Has somethin’ happened? Are you okay?”

A playful Mac bounced in with a sleepy Mazie in tow dressed and rubbing her eyes.
“I gathered the eggs for her this morning Pa. I wasn’t payin’ attention and Big Red spurred me good on the leg. Mama took care of it for me. She was real brave too. She didn’t cry or yell at me or nothin’ like Ma used to.”

Harrison smirked and pulled Becca to him kissing her.
“Thank you Becca.”

Becca smiled and brushed his cheek.
“I bet y’all are hungry. Sit and eat.”

Harrison patted her behind as she poured him coffee. Mac and Mazie giggled at each other.

Their Pa smirked at his laughing children at the breakfast table.
“Now you two youngins know that when a man and woman marry they get real close so you can wipe those giggles off your faces.”
He chuckled letting them know he was teasing them.
Mac barked a laugh.

“You never did that with Ma. She would have swatted yah back.”

Harrison got silent and then sighed. A perturbed scowl darkened his face.

“That’s right, Mac. Your Ma didn’t like me touchin’ her but Becca likes me huggin’ and kissin’ on her. In this marriage I’m tryin’ to start off on the right foot by makin’ sure Becca and I see eye to eye. And if she’s happy…I’m happy. And you will be happy too. So there!”
 

Becca bit her lip trying not to laugh at their father’s explanation and matter of fact attitude to love.
Love? Did I just say love? Is that what I feel for this man? No. I’m not in love with him. But I will care for him I’m sure.

She looked up to see him smiling at her, his face beaming with something akin to admiration that melted her heart.
Yeah! I guess that’s what this strong feeling I have for him is. It IS a caring.
It’s not just that I like the feel of him against me or what we did in bed last night. It’s the hope of a happy future I see now in his beautiful gray eyes.
Becca moved to his side like a magnet had pulled her there. He took her hand and she wrapped her free arm around his neck and bent to kiss him.
He grinned like he had just received the biggest, brightest gift for Christmas. Becca looked at Mac and he giggled and hugged himself making kissing smacking noises. Becca chuckled.
“Well Mr. Mac, you know your Pa and I just married yesterday. But I have no doubt that in no time at all, I’m gonna care for your Pa so much, he’ll never get rid of me.”
She kissed Harrison’s cheek running her hands through his thick waves of hair still damp from his washing.

Harrison felt on top of the world. He swelled with pride at her open honesty and his sparkling eyes showed what he was thinking. Becca giggled and trotted into the kitchen to get more biscuits. Mac watched his Pa beaming and felt like crying. He had found a jewel.
He was so glad he had sent off that letter for a new Ma hoping against all hope that he would find the right one and sure ‘nuff, he had.

CHAPTER NINE
“What do you mean you have to go on a cattle drive? For how long?”
Becca looked down right pissed but more scared than pissed! Harrison sighed trying to explain.
“That’s right Becca. I need to drive the cattle with the hands to meet up with my cousin’s herd in Kansas and herd them east to Kansas City to send east to all those beef eaters. That’s mostly how we make our living.”
Becca sighed and fell into the chair across from his desk.
“But Harrison, We just got married. I still don’t know very much that goes on here. I’ve only lived with you three weeks!”
McGann sat back and studied his new wife.
“Becca? Now that you’re here with the children, I can resume my duties to provide for y’all. That WAS our agreement after all.

I’ve had to cut back the herd for years to tend the children. Now that you are here, I need to start meeting with buyers again. I lost a big contract when…when my…when she left me and I think I may be able to get it back. I would like your support in this.”

Becca sighed but didn’t hesitate. He was right. She had agreed to these terms. She rose and went to his side putting her arm around his shoulder. Becca felt like she was being put to the test and she would show him she was ready for the challenge.

“I’ll do my best to keep everyone safe till you get home.”

She bent to kiss his cheek and he gave her a sweet smile.

Harrison stood and brushed her cheek with his thumb. He felt like a big ass for pushing her. Pushing is all he had been doing since he married her, even before he married her. Then he pushed her into a wild wedding night and she had met the challenge with grace and enthusiasm.
Then he pushed again by just dumping everything for the house on her at once. Cooking, cleaning, washing, the children. She had no honeymoon. No adjustment period. She was immediately put to work. There had been no special nights. No walks hand in hand. No time spent together talking, except in bed. What few talks they had there was short because passion took over. Becca was doing everything she could to fit into his life and Harrison knew he was just making more demands of her.
 

Harrison pulled her to him and held her. Becca was grateful for these now brief displays she hoped were affection. She needed him now. And he needed to know she would support his decisions.

Sometimes she wondered if all he ever needed was a servant because all he did was give orders. Then he would do something generous or sweet. Just like now, by pulling her in his arms comforting her.

Since he had shown her the wonderful glory of the marriage bed, she craved that intimacy with him. After their wedding night, the truth of her attraction and desire for him was no problem for Becca. She could fully admit to herself that she wanted his big body close to her every night. His heat, his scent of soap and man was something she enjoyed and it made her feel safe. She couldn’t say she loved him because she didn’t really know him but she was trying her best to get to that place of feeling comfortable in talking with him.
 

That’s why Becca was very nervous about him leaving so soon. She would be alone and in charge till he returned. She felt a brief moment of panic when she thought of him being injured out there somewhere in route to meet his cousin’s herd and shook it off. She mustn’t think like that! The life of a rancher’s wife is what she chose and she would face it.
She knew he wanted to get back into the everyday running of the ranch so she would just have to raise her chin and be the wife he needs. It was high time she got a solid backbone.
Harrison felt her stiffen as she pulled back.

“You can depend on me to do what must be done Harrison. I won’t let you down.”

Harrison was smiling at her bravery but worried about the distant look in her eyes. Mac had certainly chosen well for a mother and he thought she was enjoying being his wife. But he knew she was holding back. She was beautiful and brave but she was hiding a part of herself he still couldn’t touch. She would not give him her heart.
“You won’t be alone, Becca. I asked Still River to be with you to help. He has the best overall knowledge of keeping the livestock and ranch in order while I’m gone. He has done it many times before. He will protect you.”
Becca frowned not being able to place him. Still River was talked about often and knew he was loved by the children and was Harrison’s best friend. She was hoping to meet him soon. She had never met this man and Harrison was leaving her in his care? She got a little frightened.
“But I’ve never met this man Harrison. But I guess since you trust him…I will trust him too.”
Harrison laughed.

“No! You haven’t met River. If you had…you’d remember him. He is my neighbor to the south of my ranch and he’s my very best friend. We’ve been brothers for years.

He farms and raises a few cattle but he mostly breeds and breaks horses. I see him everyday out in the pastureland but he only comes to the house when he needs to talk.
He is a good man, Becca. I wouldn’t leave you in anyone else’s hands. He’s saved my hide more than once. We have depended on each other out here in the wilderness. I trust him with my family. I wanted to make sure I got my claim on yah in first though before he met yah. He was a little too interested in you for my liking.”
Becca nodded and relaxed her stance.
“Alright Harrison…we’ll be fine. It’s you who need to take care of yourself and come back to us.” He laughed and patted her behind.

“You got that right, Becca! Don’t you worry. Nothin’ will happen that shouldn’t be happenin’. I’ll come home.”

The next two weeks were a blur getting ready to drive the cattle southeast to meet up with his cousin’s herd in Kansas. It was constant washing and packing for Becca as Harrison made sure everything was taken care of legally and the route they were taking mapped out.
So it was a big surprise two days before the drive that she saw an Indian ride in on a spotted horse.
His saddle was highly tooled and he rode using what Harrison called a hackamore instead of a bridle. The horse was a kind she had never seen before. It had spots all over it and mostly on the rump of the huge animal.
Becca stared in awe at the size of the horse and then…the size of its rider.

He was most definitely Indian but had piercing blue eyes. So blue they almost glowed. Taller than Harrison, if that was possible, he was a giant. Raven black hair hung long down his back and braided at the sides.
His red/copper skin was striking in contrast to his hair. He wore a red headband to hold his hair back and had on deerskin leggings and a loincloth for God’s sake! His holster carrying two pistols was low on his hips making him look somewhat comical with his other dress. He wore a linen shirt and it was bound at the waist with a colorful beaded belt. A large deadly looking knife was attached to the belt by an open sheath. His moccasins were knee high of deer skin. She just knew there were other weapons on him hidden somewhere on that huge muscled body. Becca had certainly never seen anything like him before.
He slid off the horse and embraced Harrison as a big smile broke over his handsome face.
“Hau Kola! Are you ready for the drive? The cattle are fat and are good this year, yes?”
Harrison took off his hat and raked his hand through his longish black hair grinning at River.

“Yep! Just about ready. I really appreciate you stayin’ around and lookin’ after things. My new wife Becca is still a little gun shy and she will need some advice on things. We’ve only been married three weeks yah know. She and the youngins will need to be protected if need be.”
Becca saw River nod and grunt like he wasn’t in the least interested. Becca took that moment to walk out on the porch smiling, trying to look brave and nonchalant.
River’s eyes lit up as he looked at Becca and immediately honed in on her eyes and stared. Harrison nudged his elbow.”She is a pretty one. Isn’t she?”
River gave Harrison narrowed eyes and nodded.
“You are a sly one, brother! Sly as the fox! You did not tell me you had married. You are hiding the sun in your house, keeping its light all to yourself.”

Harrison chuckled and waved to Becca.
“Come here Becca! Meet my best friend, Still River…a finer man you’ll never meet.”
Becca skipped down the steps and gracefully walked to her husband. River looked over her generous curves and the beauty of her face and thought Harrison a lucky man indeed to have to love of such a woman. But her eyes held a different story.

“Becca McGann this is Still River. He is the man that will be protecting you and the children while I’m gone.”

Becca reached out and shook his hand and felt an immediate attraction and pull to him. Becca quietly gasped and looked into the eyes of the handsome Indian. Becca looked away and cleared her throat.
“I’m very pleased to meet you, Still River. Harrison speaks very highly of you.”
River snorted and shrugged.
“He is my brother! I will do this for him as he would do for me. I will treat you as my own.”

He nodded to her. Harrison lifted his brows.
“I hope not too much like your own. She’s mine till I die!”
River laughed and gripped Harrison’s shoulder.

“I mean as family, Kola. She is your woman…I know this. You are very lucky man. She shines like the Sun.”
Harrison laughed and pointed him towards the ranch house.
“Come in and let’s talk. I got a lot to do in two days.”

CHAPTER TEN

It was a tearful goodbye with shouts to be careful as their cowboys herded the cattle out of the pastureland. Harrison kissed Becca and held her close remembering he hadn’t made love to her for over a week. Every night he had fallen into bed asleep before his head hit the pillow he been so dogged tired.
As guilt slammed into him he promised himself to make up for it when he returned. Show her a little more sweetness. He had been very hard on all of them to get ready for the drive.

Harrison kissed Mazie and hugged Mac making them promise to behave and to obey River and Becca. Turning to River he clasped his arm and hugged him.

“I leave you my family, brother. You take my place while I am gone.”
River grinned and nodded his head.