Winter Love Part 5

"Oh, I surely have, Fletch." Milly crushed his arm against her full, soft breast. "Shame on you for going off and leaving me for such a long time."

Fletch flicked a playful finger across the tip of her nose. "Were you true to me all that time?"

Daniel snorted his disgust when Milly answered sweetly, "You know I was, Fletch." He hoped that Fletch hadn't swallowed that lie.

All three looked at the cabin when Maida called from the door, "You men come wash up. I'm putting lunch on the table."

d.a.m.n, Fletch thought, Milly will expect to eat with us, and I don't think Daniel will want her around Maida. When Maida added with a smile, "Bring your company in with you," he looked at Daniel, and his big friend lifted a helpless shoulder as if to say, "What could I do?"

A short time later Daniel was sorry he hadn't done something.

Everything had gone well enough at first even though Milly had adopted a condescending att.i.tude toward Maida within minutes. "I'll come over and show you how to pretty up the place," she said, gazing around the room. "And we must get you some nice dresses and put some curls in your hair; get you fancied up a little."

While Fletch held his breath at Milly's rudeness, Daniel grew stiff with indignation. "I don't want her fancied up like some wh.o.r.e," he said in a voice that Fletch and Maida knew came from a building anger. "I like her just the way she is."

Milly was smart enough to drop the subject of Maida's looks and switched to another topic. "I notice you don't have any young'uns runnin' around." She slid belittling eyes over Maida's slender, boyish figure. "Ain't you able to get bigged?"

"Oh, I'm sure I can." Maida laughed. n.o.body knew better than she that her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were almost nonexistent and that she didn't have any curves to speak of But Daniel didn't care, so she didn't either.

She looked at Milly and answered innocently, "As soon as me and Daniel get married we plan to have a large family." She laid an affectionate hand on her man's arm. "What with Daniel being so much older than me, he wants a son who will take care of me after he's gone."

"You mean you ain't married?" Milly pretended to be scandalized. "How long have you been livin' together? He can't have much respect for you." She nodded toward Daniel.

"Don't be too surprised if some mornin' you wake up and he's gone."

Daniel put an arm around Maida's shoulders when her face turned pale at Milly's harsh words. His black brows drawn together and his voice as cold as ice, he bit out, "You b.i.t.c.h. Don't you look down your nose at my little gal. She's only ever known one man. Can you say the same?"

When Milly only gazed at Daniel, knowing she had gone too far, he said through tight lips, "I want you out of our home right now. You're not fit to sit at the same table with this little lady."

Milly's face took on an angry red and she looked at Fletch for support. He was occupied with was.h.i.+ng his face and hands. When he reached for a towel, completely ignoring her, she wheeled and stormed out of the cabin, a wide hip b.u.mping into the table in her haste, making the plates and flatware jiggle.

"I'm sorry if I've offended you, Fletch, by ordering that woman away," Daniel said when the door slammed. "But I couldn't let the likes of her insult my little gal."

"Think nothing of it," Fletch said, pulling a chair away from the table and sitting down. "You beat me by a heartbeat telling her the same thing." Daniel breathed a relieved sigh. "I'm sure grateful you feel that way. For however long me and Maida stay, this is your home. I'd sure hate for our friends.h.i.+p to break up over a s.l.u.t like that one."

Fletch nodded that he had the same sentiments. Then, reaching for a hot biscuit, he said, "I don't want you and Maida upset, however, when I pretend to court the b.i.t.c.h."

Daniel studied his friend's face a minute, noted the bitterness on it, and said soberly, "Revenge is no good, Fletch. It can turn to ashes in your mouth."

"Not in this case, Daniel. It will taste as sweet as honey."

Maida nudged Daniel, cautioning him to let the matter drop. She changed the subject by saying, "I'd like to visit your preacher today, Fletch, and make arrangements for me and Daniel to get married as soon as possible. We can't waste much time if we're to get back home before all the pa.s.ses are blocked with snow. I'm sure Canada has had some snow already."

"We'll go see him as soon as we're finished eating." Fletch smiled at her. "His place is only a scant mile from here."

Laura laid out everything she'd need for Jolie's bath on the kitchen table. When she finished bathing her daughter, she intended to take her outside for their daily walk. Once winter set in, the little one would seldom leave the cabin.

When she gently lowered the plump little body into the warm water, Laura was rewarded with a wide, toothless smile. Jolie loved her bath. Laura talked softly to her daughter as she lathered the soft skin and the blond hair that had grown long enough to twist into tight little curls.

When she had rinsed all the soap off the tiny body and curly hair, she lifted Jolie onto a towel that had been warmed and began to pat her dry. She had just powdered and dressed the little one when Taylor entered the room. "I forgot to take that loaf of bread you promised Elisha," he said. "He's waiting for it. Hunter hinted that he'd like a loaf too, if you can spare it."

Laura smiled. She liked Hunter, Pa's bartender. He was a quiet, handsome man who went about minding his own business. "The bread is over there." She nodded at the work bench next to the stove. "Take a loaf for Hunter too. But before you leave, will you hold Jolie while I get my jacket on?"

"Going for your morning walk, are you?" Taylor held out his arms for the baby.

Laura nodded, then smiled to herself as he started talking baby gibberish to the little one. When she had drawn on her jacket and taken Jolie from him, Taylor said musingly, "This little scutter reminds me of someone and I can't figure out who. It's the expression in her eyes and the way her lips curl up when she smiles."

Laura made no response. Little Miss Thomas didn't look like anyone she knew. It was decidedly cool when Laura opened the door and walked outside. An upward glance showed her a gray, threatening sky. Bad weather was on the way. When the baby caught her breath from the sharp air, Laura covered the small face with the end of her shawl.

Laura had no destination in mind when she started out and she was at first surprised, and then disgusted when she found herself walking along the path that led to the old Crock place. She never walked this way because it was a lonely stretch through the woods. She asked herself crossly if she had unconsciously hoped to run into Fletch.

Her lips firmed tightly. Surely that wasn't so. Not after the cruel and uncaring way he had treated her. She was about to turn around and retrace her steps when she heard the deep laughter of a man mingled with that of a woman. Almost at the same time two men and a woman appeared from around a bend in the path.

Her feet felt as if they were frozen to the ground as Fletch and his friends came toward her. When they were abreast, her eyes looked straight into Fletch's, and everything and everybody faded away.

He looks different, she thought, and not because of the beard he now wears. There's a hardness on his face that wasn't there before, and threads of gray at his temples. She s.h.i.+vered at the cold contempt that looked out of his eyes.

She forced her gaze away from him and looked at his companions. They both smiled at her and she was quick to smile back. She needed these strangers' warmth to take away the chill of Fletch's stare boring into her.

She knew that he wouldn't introduce her, so she said, holding out her hand to Daniel, "I'm Laura Thomas and this is my daughter, Jolie."

Startled surprise darted across Daniel's and Maida's faces for a split second and then was gone. "I'm Daniel, ma'am," Daniel said, shaking hands. "I'm right pleased to meet you." He pulled Maida to his side. "This is Maida, the little gal I'm fixin' to marry." There was so much love for the young girl in the big man's voice that Laura knew a moment of envy. She would never receive that from a man, thanks to the one who had now averted his face from her.

Not allowing her bitterness to show on her face, Laura held out her hand to Maida. "Congratulations to both of you. I'm sure you'll be very happy."

"Thank you," Maida said, then asked, "May I see your baby? I can't wait to have one of my own."

Always eager to have Jolie admired, Laura lifted the shawl off the little face which immediately broke into a sunny smile.

"Oh, Daniel, look!" Maida exclaimed delightedly. "Did you ever see such a beautiful little thing?"

"She looks like one of them porcelain dolls," Daniel said, tickling Jolie under the chin, making her gurgle with laughter and wave her little arms around. "May I hold her?" Maida looked hopefully at Laura. "Certainly." Laura smiled and handed Jolie over into Maida's arms.

As the transfer was made, curiosity got the better of Fletch and his eyes were drawn to the infant. It was only a fast glance, one that the others didn't see. A strange feeling gripped his heart. It was almost as if this little one belonged to him. He felt a sense of pride toward her.

He knew a stab of hatred for Laura. Why couldn't she have waited until he returned home and let him give her a baby? He ignored the fact that he had never given her any indication of his feelings for her.

All he thought of now was to lash out at her, to hurt her the way he was hurting. "What does Pa think of this fair-haired baby you've presented him with?" he sneered. "The old fool can't possibly think it is his."

Maida gasped at his harsh words, and Daniel growled a low protest. But Fletch continued to flare at Laura with cold, contemptous words.

"You must have discovered right away that Pa wasn't man enough for you in bed, so you didn't waste any time picking up with that whitehaired Beltran. That innocent baby is proof of your cheating."

When Laura only stood staring at Fletch, tears welling up in her beautiful gray eyes, Daniel growled, sharply and decisively, "That's enough, Fletch."

Turning his glaring eyes on Daniel a moment, Fletch struck off on the path that would branch off a few yards away to the preacher's cabin. While Daniel stood helpless against Laura's tears, Maida asked her gently, "Are you all right, Laura? Should Daniel and I walk you home?"

"I'm fine, Maida." Laura scrubbed her eyes with her fists. "Fletch only said what everyone else is saying behind my back." With bitter resentment flas.h.i.+ng in her eyes, Laura said through trembling lips, "They are all wrong. I swear before G.o.d that my baby is a Thomas. I don't know where my baby got her blue eyes and blond hair, but she certainly didn't get it from Adam Beltran. I've known only one man in my entire life."

Maida believed her and said so as she laid Jolie back in Laura's arms. "Someday, somehow, everyone is going to realize that, and there's going to be a lot of crow eatin' in Big Pine."

"And n.o.body will eat as much as Fletcher Thomas," Daniel predicted.

"Isn't it ironic that two strangers believe me when the people I've known all my life don't?" Laura heaved a ragged sigh and said lifelessly, "I usually don't care about what is whispered behind my back. I've grown a hard sh.e.l.l, and usually people's cruelty doesn't reach me. But Fletch's words cut too deep. I felt the sting of his every word."

She smiled weakly. "He's had his crack at me now, and I don't think there's anyone else left that hasn't taken a swipe at me one way or the other-except for my friend, Justine." She pulled the shawl back over Jolie's face, as the air had grown colder, and said, "I'd better get back home. It's near Jolie's feeding time."

She looked at Maida. "It would please me if you'd come visit me once in a while. Of course if you're afraid of angering Fletch by doing so, I'll understand."

"Fletch doesn't pick our friends, little lady," Daniel spoke up. "But the thing is, we'll be pullin' out as soon as we get hitched. That's why we come home with Fletch. We're from Canada and it's a far piece from here."

"Oh." Disappointment showed in Laura's eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that, but I wish you both happiness in your marriage and I hope you have lots of babies."

"Me and Daniel wish you happiness, too, Laura, and we hope that Jolie will have a lot of little sisters and brothers to play with."

Laura shook her head. "Jolie will be an only child, I'm afraid." She shook hands again, wis.h.i.+ng them good luck on their trip back home, then turned and walked away.

"I wish I knew the whole story there," Maida said when the slim figure moved out of sight and they walked on. "There's some kind of mystery there."

Chapter Six.

Daniel and Maida came within sight of Fletch a short distance along the path to Reverend Stiles's cabin, but lagged behind him. They knew by the stiff carnage of his body that his mind was still on his meeting with Laura, and that his mood was dark.

Fletch's mood was actually a brooding one. Why, he wondered, did he still care for this woman who had come between him and his father, had had a child by another man, and then had the gall to pa.s.s it off as a Thomas? Why was it that even as he lashed her with insulting words, all he could think of was how soft her inner thighs were when he lay between them?

By the time the preacher's cabin came in sight, Fletch had firmly made up his mind that he would accompany Daniel and Maida back to Canada. He knew beyond a doubt that if he stayed in the vicinity he would do the unforgivable. He would seduce his father's wife.

He pulled his features into a semblance of calm and waited for his companions to catch up with him. As though nothing upsetting had happened, he said, "You're gonna like Preacher Stiles and his wife Ina." He led off down the path, and Maida and Daniel followed him.

A case of nerves gripped Daniel and Maida as Fletch knocked on the wide plank door. Other than having a baby, getting married was the biggest step either would ever take. Even so, they hoped they could say their vows within the next couple days.

They felt at ease immediately when a short, rotund man opened the door and greeted Fletch with a warm, welcoming smile. "Fletch!" he exclaimed. "It's good to see you again. We've all missed you, especially your pa." His gaze drifted to Maida. "Have you stopped by for a visit, or are you on official business?" His eyes twinkled.

"I guess you could say both," Fletch answered, stepping inside when the door was opened wider. "I want you to meet my friends Daniel and Maida. They've come down from Canada to get married."

Before he could control it, a brief flicker of surprise showed in Stiles's eyes. The man Daniel was old enough to be the girl's father. But, he thought, they seemed contented with each other and he shook hands with Daniel, and then with Maida. "They'd like to get married as soon as possible and get started for home before the heavy snow blows in," Fletch explained as they took seats.

Stiles looked thoughtfully at the floor a moment, then looked up and said, "Why don't we do it now? Unless, of course, you're planning on something fancy, all dressed up with a party afterwards."

"No, we ain't got nothin' like that in mind," Daniel denied in a hurry. "We just want to get hitched all legal like so Maida can have her babies she's always yammerin' about."

Stiles smiled at Maida and said, "Then we'll do it now. I'll call my wife Ina in to be the other witness."

A short, plump woman with smiling eyes and gray hair pulled into a bun on top of her head bustled into the room and, after a short pause, threw herself at Fletch. "I didn't recognize you at first, Fletch." She hugged him. "Why are you hiding that handsome face behind all that brush?"

"I guess I just got too lazy to shave." Fletch grinned down at her. "I'm gonna get rid of it, though. It's scratchy as h... the d.i.c.kens," he caught himself "Ina," her husband interrupted, "this is Daniel and Maida. They're going to get married now and we need you to witness the ceremony."

After introductions had been made, everyone took their places and the reverend opened his worn Bible.

It was a solemn ceremony, the man of the cloth giving it the same careful attention he would to someone of more importance than the rugged trapper and the thin, young girl. He recognized true love when he saw it. Ina loaned Maida her wedding ring, and it was done.

Fletch shook Daniel's hand and kissed Maida's cheek. When Daniel and Stiles bent over the marriage certificate, the preacher writing down the year and date, taking the newlyweds' names, Fletch thought with a wry grin that he still didn't know his friend's last name.

Maida returned the ring to Ina, and Daniel slipped a bill into her husband's hand. Then, with the preacher's blessing following them, the three left the cozy little cabin.

Maida and Daniel, moving in a happy glow, didn't notice that the air had grown colder and that the sky was darker. But Fletch noticed and spoke about it. "We'd better move out early tomorrow morning. There's a blizzard building up, and when it hits it's gonna be a b.a.s.t.a.r.d." Daniel pulled Maida to a halt in the middle of the path. "Did I hear you right, Fletch? You intend going back with us to Canada?" Fletch nodded soberly. "I think it's best I get away from here for a while. There's no telling what I might do if I stay on in Big Pine."

Daniel studied his drawn face a moment, then with a knowing look in his eyes nodded and said, "You're probably right, friend. Me and my missus"-he paused and grinned down at Maida-"will be glad of your company. We'll move out tomorrow mornin' at daybreak."

That evening, after Maida and Daniel had gone to bed, Fletch stepped out on the small porch and leaned against a post. A full moon drifted in and out of dark clouds, lighting up the area, then throwing it into darkness. When one of its illuminations revealed a man slipping through the forest, Fletch jerked erect, swearing under his breath.

That shadowy figure was his father. Surely Pa wasn't still going to visit b.u.t.terfly! I'll soon find out, he thought, and stepped off the porch.

He kept a safe distance behind Taylor, stepping quietly. When Taylor turned onto the path leading to the Indian village, Fletch feared his suspicions were right. Then, at the edge of the village, b.u.t.terfly stepped out of the forest and Taylor took her into his arms.

Fletch clenched his fists, wanting to go after his father and do him harm. How could he continue to see his Indian lover when he had a young, beautiful wife like Laura waiting for him at home?

The thought came to him that it was Taylor's fault that Laura had gone to another man to get what her husband wasn't giving her. In the end he told himself it was none of his business and turned around and walked back to the cabin. He was more sure than ever that he had made the right decision to leave Big Pine.

After Laura had laid the sleeping Jolie in her cradle, the snow began to fall. It fell silently and straight down, a white curtain that Laura couldn't see a foot beyond. Winter has arrived, she thought as she took up her knitting needles and sat down before the fire. As the needles clicked against each other she worried about Taylor getting home. Surely he wouldn't try to return tonight. He could very easily get lost in the forest. She felt he'd be wise enough to stay with b.u.t.terfly until daylight.

Laura refused to let her mind stray to Fletch the way it wanted to. After the things he said to her today she'd be a fool to give him another thought.

When she went to bed, a peek out the window showed that at least a foot of snow had fallen, and more was still falling. She looked around the area and saw only one light burning. The lamps were still lit in the pleasure house. There would be some surprised people when they looked out the window in the morning.

When Fletch awoke, he knew by the silence that it had snowed last night. "d.a.m.n," he swore, rolling out of bed. "I hope it was only a light squall." When he opened the door he couldn't believe his eyes. A carpet of snow on the ground reached to the thighs of an average man. Smoke lifted from cabin chimneys, but he saw no one stirring outside.

His first thought, like it or not, was that he and Daniel and the new wife were stuck here until spring.

As he got dressed, preparing to find a shovel and start clearing a path to the post, he told himself that if he was careful he shouldn't run into Laura very often. The weather would keep her inside.

He was debating whether to wake Daniel and give him the bad news when the big man walked out of his bedroom, clad in longjohns and scratching his beard.

"Take a look outside," Fletch said by way of greeting.