Wild Kat (9 page)

“You
may kiss your bride.”  Thomas bent over and lightly brushed her lips.

“I
love you, Missus Woods.”

“I
love you, Mister Woods.”  Julie clapped and threw daisy petals at them as they
left the church.

Kat
stared at the thin gold band encrusted with diamonds all the way home.

“Do
you like it?  He glanced down at the ring.

“It
is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.  How could you afford it?”

“It
was my grandmother’s.  She wanted me to have it to give to my wife.  She gave
it to me when I was just a little fellow and she was on her deathbed.” He
grimaced

“You
have kept it all this time?”

“Who
was I going to give it to?  I had not met you yet.  I hoped it would fit.  It
is tiny so, I guess it was meant to be.”

“It
really is lovely.  I have nothing to give you though Thomas.”

“You
are all I ever wanted.”   He grinned at her.  Butterfly wings tickled her
ribs.  What now? Her mind questioned.  Do we go straight home to bed or do we
eat lunch first?  How will it be?  Will he be gentle with me? Or mount me like
a bull mounts a cow? 

“I
have to go to the bank in the morning.  Julie wants her half.”

“I
bet Lawson gets his knickers in a bunch over that.”  Thomas laughed.  I have
heard him boast his bank has more money than any other does in the area.”

“If
there were another bank in town I would move my account.  I really do not like
that man.”

“Is
Julie taking your father’s still with her?”

“No,
she wants me to do the work.”  Kat sighed.

“That
is good.  She would have a time getting that contraption out of the cellar.”

“You
know where it is?”

“Of
course, I have lived in that house for a long time now.”

“Why
did you not use it?  You could have sold your crop without a problem at all. 
Everyone in town wants at least one jug and Jacob will take all he can get.  It
sells fast and at a good profit.”

“It
does me no good without the recipe.  I have only seen one work once in my
entire life I was not even sure that‘s what it was.”       

“Is
that what you want to do with your corn?”

“If
that is what sells the corn then that is what I will have to do.  Is that okay
with you?”

“We
will see.  We may not need to grow corn at all.  We may be able to give the
fields a rest and grow cows or horses.”  A memory of his father tending
livestock flashed through his mind and his heart nearly broke knowing he could
no longer laugh with him.

Thomas
hopped down from the wagon and tied the horse to the porch post.  Kat started
to climb down herself but Thomas grabbed her and carried her to the doorway. 

“Welcome
home Misses Woods.”  He crossed the threshold and put her down.  “I am going to
tend the horse, what is there to eat?”

“I
will have to see about it and let you know.”  She was tying her mama’s apron
around her waist.

Kat
was pulling her cornbread from the oven when he came in from the barn. 

“That smells like heaven.” 
She had green beans, ham steaks and glazed carrots in bowls on the table. 
Thomas sat down to eat.  Kat pulled a butcher knife from the drawer and threw
it in Thomas’ direction.  He jumped from his seat, seeing it coming this time.

“What in the hell is wrong
with you?”  He shouted.  His plate skittered across the table.

“I
am sorry Thomas I did not mean to scare you.”  She walked over beside him and
bent over to retrieve her knife.  She held it up.  “Mouse, I cannot stand the
little vermin, they multiply like the dickens.”  The impaled critter still
quivered.  She wiped the few drops of blood from the floor with a rag. 

“Missus
Woods after you have disposed of that thing we need to discuss the rules in
this house.”

Kat
returned and sat down beside him with her plate.  “I threw it in the woods for
the animals to eat.  You were saying the rules in this house needed to be
discussed?”

“The
rules are no knife throwing in the house.  No butcher knives, hunting knives or
any other kind you have up your sleeve.”

“Any
other rules I should know about?” She smiled that lopsided grin at him and his
heart wrenched.

“Nope,
that is the only one.  I am sure your mother did not allow it and neither do
I.”

“You
would prefer mice?”  Her brow rose slightly.

“I
would prefer to keep my head and all other parts of myself that could be
disconnected with the knife.” He pointed at it with his fork.

“No
knife throwing near Thomas, I will keep that in mind.”  She giggled.

“That
is a lovely sound.”  He reached over to squeeze her hand.

Kat
cleared the dishes and put the ham in the oven to keep warm for supper.  She
kicked her shoes off and went out to her garden to pull weeds.   Thomas stood
behind her blocking the sun’s glare.

“How
is it coming?”  He kept his hands in his pockets to keep them off of her.

“If
you could eat weeds, we would get as fat as hogs.  I hope the vegetables hurry
up or we are going to starve.  You did not put nearly enough away last fall. 
The cellar is nearly empty and we have less than a dozen cans left.

“That
is why you doubled my garden?”  He squatted beside her.

“That
is why.”  She threw a handful of weeds out of her garden.  “Mama always said
more than enough is better than running out.  You should keep enough canned to
get you through two winters just in case there is a bad season.  If bugs or
disease ruin your garden or your garden does not grow.  You certainly do not
want to go looking for food in January.”

“I
have not canned anything since I came here.  There was enough to last forever,
or it seemed that way.”

“That
is why I wanted all those jars when I got here. The mercantile will be out of
them when it comes time to can.  My fruit trees will come soon.”

“Are
not they expensive to buy so large?”  He sounded worried but she ignored it.

“Yes,
but they are less expensive than starving to death.  They will bear fruit next
season perhaps, if they do not die.  We have lost a lot of trees, probably to
storms.  I would like to get the nut trees planted too.  Mama never wanted to
fool with them.  I sure do love them though.”

She
washed her hands under the pump.  Thomas followed her in the house to the
kitchen.  She checked her ham and was caught in his arms when she turned
around.  “I am sorry I did not know...” His lips captured hers.

Kat’s
mind raced.  Now that they were married she would have to make love with her
husband.  Now that she had to, the thought terrified her.  He was so big.  What
if Julie was right and he squashed her?  What if he was as big all over?  She
had to break free of his steely embrace, but he was kissing her and it felt so
wonderful to be held so tight and kissed so thoroughly.  Still, her heart
pounded with only survival she had to break free.  Kat ducked out of his arms
and darted across the kitchen.

“I
have chores to finish.”  She offered lamely and sprinted out the back door.

“Toby
what is wrong with that girl?  First she throws knives, and then she shows up
at my bedside naked.  We get married and can be together and she runs off.  I
do not understand Toby I just do not understand.”  Toby wagged his tail and sat
at his master’s feet. “Oh what do you know anyway?”

Kat
hurried to the smokehouse looking for something to do.  She needed a good
excuse for running away like she had.  She played with the tiny gold band on
her finger; the diamonds caught the light.  The smokehouse was clean, in order
and full.  Thomas watched her cross to the barn.  “She must need time to think,
we will stay out of her way Toby.”  The dog yapped his reply.

Thomas
pulled out his book keeping.  He figured his bills and what he had or would
make.  He watched the numbers swim around on the paper, his mind on his wife. 
Rain tinkling on the windows pulled him from his thoughts.  Where was she?   If
it stormed, she would be alone and scared.  Thomas looked outside, not seeing
her.  He hurried to the barn.  She was sitting on a milking stool in the middle
of the floor.  Her chin propped on her fist, which rested on her knee.  Her
eyes were closed.

“I
thought you had chores?” He shook her shoulder.  “Come inside before it
storms.”   He saw the fear in her eyes.  She looked like a trapped rabbit.  “If
you need time to think about everything I understand Kat but I will not let you
sit out here in this weather.”  This seemed to satisfy her and her eyes
softened.  She took his hand and they hurried into the house together.

Kat
basted her ham steaks and tried to look busy.  Thomas sat down to his book
keeping again and watched her when she could not see him.  He looked back to
his figures each time she turned his way or if he thought she might.  “Would
you like to take a bath to help you relax?  You seem to be jumpy Kathleen.  It
would help I am sure, it has been a long day for both of us.  Your sister left
her fancy bath oils in her room.  I will help you carry the water in and fill
the tub.”  He offered.  That sounded wonderful to Kat.  It would give her time
to think and put him off for a while.

“I
would like that.”  She finally answered.  Thomas got up and fetched the tub for
her and put it in front of the fireplace.  He started to haul the water into
the kitchen so she could heat it.  He carried two pails at a time and smiled at
her every chance he got.  Kat gathered Julie’s oils her own new nightgown and clean
towels.

“I will
be right outside if you need anything.  You just give me a shout, okay?”  He
kissed her cheek.  He hoped she would ask him to stay.  She simply nodded. 
Thomas watched the rain while his wife bathed. His gaze lost on the small
puddles forming in the dirt, watched as it turned muddy in places and as drops
grew fatter and then smaller dancing on the pools that were already formed. 
Thomas thought he could smell it, like she’d said before.  The rain or weather
did have a certain scent, a must or mineral smell that he never noticed
before.  He wondered if all of her wilderness skills were simply the art of
noticing or paying attention to one’s surroundings, and perhaps she tracked so
well because she never failed to notice the simplest things around her.  The
way a patch of dirt was smeared or scattered, the way leaves turned in one
direction different than the others around them, the way certain smells drifted
when the wind shifted.   He waited for what seemed like an eternity and stepped
back into the house rubbing his arms against the chill. It was darker now and
she had lit many candles, their scent heavy and waxen, like smoke and grease
all at the same time.   Her head was leaned back, long ebony waves cascading to
the floor and she had her eyes closed.  The lines that sometimes wrinkled her
forehead were gone and she seemed as if she slept except that her nose twitched
when he entered, she was ‘noticing’ Thomas grinned.

“Can
I wash your back for you?”  He touched her shoulder with his fingertip letting
it glide over the smoothness, the silkiness that was her skin.  It was enough
to drive a man mad.  Kat’s belly twisted and her breast filled with
butterflies, her skin tingled where he touched her, electrified.    She handed
him her wash cloth and leaned forward over her knees.   Thomas lovingly stroked
her back and neck.  A hollow in her very core ached yet she knew not how to
fill it or satisfy it, although she was sure it would come to her, perhaps he
knew things she did not.  She thought him to be a silly man with useless
knowledge before, she felt he would never survive out here without her but
perhaps it was the other way around, perhaps her very existence did depend on
Thomas Woods.

“I
am sorry I ran away like a child, I know you will not hurt me.”  Her eyes
remained closed and he felt a great love for this beautiful creature he
stroked, he was awed by her body and soul.  He was mesmerized by the light in
her eyes and by the wisdom he found there.

“I
understand.”  He rinsed the soap away.  He nuzzled her neck and ear gently
placing soft kisses on the nape of her neck.  “I will check dinner while you
dress.  It smells like it may be time to come out of the oven, we don‘t want it
burned or dried out.”  Kat dried and dressed herself quickly before he returned. 
She padded to the kitchen in her new white gown and robe.  Her hair hung loose
around her to dry before she would braid the long heavy mass of black curls. 
Thomas dragged the tub outside and drained the water.  He had to leave to
control himself. Hard physical labor usually cured that particular ache,
usually.  Kat waited for him before she started to eat.  The longer it took the
better.  It would be dark soon.   She was frightened by him, and she knew not
how to take him, how to trust him.

They
ate in silence.  Kat chewed slowly lost in thought.  Thomas watched her.  Her
eyes never left the plate but they seemed heavy.  She would have to share his
bed tonight they were married now.  How could she keep it from happening with
him beside her all night?  How could he encourage his wife to enjoy herself in
their bed without it scaring her out of her wits?