Brides Along the Chisholm Trail Boxset Page 15

  “I have been doing my best, Mr. Kennedy, but he’s an old dog and has yet to master a few commands.” Abby joked, her voice light and airy, maybe a bit too airy for her own liking. She’d never earn Gabe’s respect if she sounded like an empty-headed schoolgirl. Or worse, a domineering old woman.

  “I have no doubt you have a handle on that task. You’re the only one who’s been able to tie him down.” Cyrus laughed, pulling his hat down on his head. “We’re looking to father the herd soon. Is there a place up ahead where we might do that?”

  “About two hours up the trail is a grove with plenty of shade and grass. There’s a river low enough to cross but plenty of water for the herd.” Gabe took up the reins, adjusting them in his hands.

  “Thanks, Hawkins. Ma’am, it’s been a pleasure. That trading post you are heading for is up ahead. You’ll be out of that wagon in a few hours.” Cyrus Kennedy turned then spurred his horse toward the dust cloud rising again in the east.

  “Now that was interesting!” Abby exclaimed, settling back onto the seat as the team lurched the wagon ahead.

  Gabe eased slow and steady along the stage road leading to Fred. “We’re almost there, Abby.”

  He was in no hurry to hand over his privacy with Abby yet. The first several weeks being married made him realize how much he’d needed a woman in his life. How much he actually needed Abby to keep him honest with himself. No woman had ever been able to do that.

  “Thank goodness! I have grown tired of this jostling about. I’m afraid I may have permanent bruising on my—” Abby stopped short, and Gabe laughed out loud.

  “Believe me, you do not have permanent damage on any part of your body.” Gabe glanced over, smiling at the rush of color spreading on his wife’s cheeks. After three weeks on the trail, their intimacies, he’d wondered at how she still blushed like a young woman. Abby was a widow, not unaware of the goings on between a man and his wife. Yet she acted like a young bride new to the ways of marriage.

  Gabe found he loved that part of her beyond belief.

  “You are truly insufferable!” She kidded, adjusting her sweet little bottom on the wooden bench. “These past weeks I have found how much I enjoy that side of you. You keep me on guard, sir. Don’t change. Ever!”

  “I will do my best to abide by your wishes.” Gabe winked at Abby and reined in the mules. The need to hold her overwhelmed his senses.

  “Is something wrong, Gabe? Why are we stopping?” Abby looked around them, her eyes full of questions.

  Gabe jumped from the wagon then extended a hand. “There will be if you don’t get down from there.”

  His blood burned like wildfire through his veins as her hand slipped perfectly into his. Her light girlish laughter filled his heart as she fell into his arms. Gabe gazed into her eyes, falling deeper under their spell. He held her against him to ease the pain of needing her next to him. He pushed a stray lock of hair from her face then covered her mouth with his, completely devouring her. He groaned as his body reacted to her melting against him. This may truly be one of the last uninterrupted private moments they’d have for a while once he took up as marshal in Fred.

  “I couldn’t wait for nightfall, Abby.” Gabe kept her close, her heart pounding against him. “Once we get to Fred, we won’t have much time alone with each other. You’ll have the homestead to make feel like home. I’ll have to see Colonel Frank Fred. I’ll need to get word to Deputy U.S. Marshal Reeves and present my official papers to him, although I’m sure Judge Parker has already made him aware of my arrival. There’s much to be done once we arrive.”

  Abby gazed up at him, her doe eyes sparkling with the same need he felt. “I will be waiting when you are done, Gabe. The cold, empty house will be warm and inviting by the time you find your way home.”

  “I was wrong in not telling you about the move when you arrived in Dodge. There will be many more things that I will do wrong. Promise me that you’ll never let those indiscretions drive you from me.” Gabe held her hand in his, watching his finger trace the lines of her soft palm. “These past four weeks I have grown to love you, Abigail. You are as much a part of me as breathing the air.”

  He looked up into her eyes, surprised to see tears trailing down her cheeks. “What have I done?” He pulled her next to him, kissing the top of her head. “Please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you cry, Abby.”

  She laughed into his shirt, then looked at him. “You haven’t done anything wrong, Gabe. You’ve said exactly what I needed to hear. What I’ve longed to hear so many nights lying in your arms. I have grown to love you as well, and after Robert’s death I wouldn’t allow myself to dream of loving another man again. You have given me that dream, Gabe Hawkins.”

  “You never did tell me the full story of what happened to your first husband.” Gabe’s heart broke when she looked away to a place he’d never understand. A place where the love of her mate was lost and would never return. A place he hoped he’d never see. “I hope you share that with me one day.”

  “As I said, he was in the battle at Manassas with the Union Army. The letter was sketchy at best. We were told the Confederate Army attacked and killed the entire camp. Even the men who didn’t have any way to defend themselves perished.” New tears fell down Abby’s face. Gabe wrapped her in his arms. “The letter said they were defenseless. Robert was there only to dispatch news to Washington; he wasn’t supposed to be out in the field where the fighting took place.”

  Gabe’s heart pounded against his chest, and his blood turned ice cold. He was at that battle. He was part of the 5th Virginia Infantry that marched upon Henry Hill that day.

  “I’m so sorry, Abby. I’m so sorry that I’ve caused you so much pain.”

  She looked at him, her beautiful face devoid of color. “What do you mean, Gabe? What could you possibly have to do with Robert’s death?”

  “I was part of a unit that fought on Henry Hill that day. There were men wearing similar uniforms on both sides of the lines. It was difficult to tell where the enemy stood that day. So much blood was shed.” Gabe looked away, fearing she’d see the terror in his eyes.

  The pain of seeing his parents become cold and unloving when he returned home without his brother had broken him. The vow he’d made to never put himself or the woman he loved into that same painful situation. It was the reason he turned to becoming a lawman; it was a way of keeping his promise to himself.

  “You? You killed my Robert?” Abby stared at him, disbelief replacing the love of moments ago.

  “No.” Gabe ran his hands through his hair, hoping for a memory, but found none. “I don’t know, Abby. There were a number of lives lost that day. Chaos ran rampant that day on the fields. The southern politicians were so sure the war would end in that battle. Seemed like everyone was there watching. I was dispatched to Henry Hill. I’d heard there was a Union field hospital nearby. Lives were taken on both sides. I’m not sure if Robert was one of them. How could I be when there was gunfire all around me? How was I to know your husband would be there? Tell me, Abby.”

  Abby raised her hand, and he didn’t move as it hit his jaw hard. “I hate you, Gabriel Hawkins!”

  Gabe reached out and grabbed her as she turned from him. He pulled her shaking body next to his. Her tears soaked a spot near his heart. Gabe all too well understood. He’d lost his only brother to that damnable war. He had to make her understand there was no way of knowing he’d one day marry the widow of a man he may or may not have killed in the line of duty.

  “Lives changed, starting that day—many will never be the same on both sides. I lost my brother. I lost friends I grew up with through the years of fighting.” Gabe released Abby just enough to gaze into her tear-swollen eyes. “So you see, Abby. I understand what it feels like. To feel your heart break. To know your entire world is crumbling and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it.”

  Abby stepped away from him and climbed into the wagon. “That may be so, Gabe, but forgiveness is something
you’ll find hard to come by for some time.”

  Abby sat as far from Gabe as she could, making sure even their clothing didn’t touch. If not for the barely tolerable heat, she’d have gone straight into the back of the wagon as far as she possible could. She knew she wasn’t being fair to Gabe. It was her heart that wouldn’t let her openly admit he really had no part in Robert’s death. She’d never expected that after all these years she carried the grief as strong as she did. The intensity of the feeling had taken her by surprise.

  Not only had the war taken her first husband before his time, now it managed to put a wedge between her and Gabe.

  Sooner or later she’d have to talk to him, for her own sanity if not his. For now, she’d leave the brick wall of silence between them standing. He’d have to start and break it down before she did.

  Abby stole a sideways glance at Gabe. Hidden under the Stetson, his gaze appeared to be focused on the mules and the road ahead. His lips were flat and the expression on his face tight. His jaw, strong and angular, was set in stone. A vein popping from his neck pulsed every few seconds.

  Just say it, Gabe. Say what is on your mind and let’s get it all out in the open. Abby clinched her churning stomach when they bounced over yet another hole in the trail. Her mouth felt like she’d eaten a mud pie; she needed a drink of water. The road in front of her began to pitch. Abby closed her eyes for moment, praying her mind would stop swirling.

  Reaching out, she grabbed Gabe’s arm. “Stop, please stop. I think I’m going to be sick, Gabe.”

  “Whoa.” Gabe reined in the mules, jumped from the wagon, and lifted her out of the jockey box. The concern on his face when he looked at her shook her resolve. “Abby, what’s wrong? You look gray and green all at the same time.”

  Her feet landed on the ground, and she tested their stability for a moment before slumping against him. “I just need to sit out of the sun for a bit. Can you get me some peppermint out of the provision box? It might help sooth my stomach.”

  Gabe scooped her up and then gently set her down on the ground against a wagon wheel on the east side of the wagon. The bit of shade felt a little cooler than sitting in the box of the wagon had been. At least the world had stopped shifting before her eyes.

  Maybe she was only overheated. That was it, too much time in the heat.

  She heard Gabe clamoring around in the wagon then felt it sway seconds before his boots came into sight. Abby looked up as he knelt in front of her, a canteen of water in one hand and two peppermint sticks in the other. “I know you didn’t ask for it, but you probably need some water.”

  “Thank you, my mouth does feel a little dry.” Abby took a swig from the canteen, then leaned her head against the wheel. “How much further do we have to go? I’m so tired.”

  “Not much further now.” Gabe drew lines in the dirt with a twig, looked up at her then dropped the twig in the dirt. Hands clasped and brows drawn together, he cleared his throat. “Abby, I…damn it, woman, how can I make things better between us? I don’t think I can take much more of us not speaking. I miss hearing your endless questions. I miss the sound of you humming a forgotten tune now and again.”

  “Give me time, Gabe, please. I need to ponder it over in my head and come to terms with Robert’s death all over again.” She popped the peppermint stick into her mouth then passed the water over to him. Sparks tingled through her when his hand briefly covered hers. “I know you don’t understand. Neither do I frankly. I thought after all these years my broken heart had mended. That I’d come to terms with his death. I don’t know why that part of me opened up again. It’s as if my heart won’t let go. I hope you can understand.”

  Gabe slid down beside her, placing his arm around her shoulders pulling her to him, protecting her from something but not knowing what. He held her next to him, smoothing her hair in the blowing wind. “I understand more than you think. My younger brother was killed at Antietam. My parents never forgave me for not protecting him. They didn’t care that we weren’t in the same unit. Hell, we weren’t even in the same area. All they cared about was their oldest son didn’t protect his baby brother. In their eyes, they lost two sons on the battlefield instead of only one. And I lost my entire family when I rode west.”

  Abby swiped at the tears sweeping over her cheek. “I’m sorry. For your parents. For you. For Robert. For all the families who lost loved ones. It still doesn’t make the hurt go away. It still doesn’t keep old wounds from reopening.”

  “No, it doesn’t.” Gabe kissed the top of her head, then rose. “I’m gonna check the wagon and mules before we move on. Think you’ll be able to travel then?”

  Abby nodded her head, “I think so. If not, I’ll manage. Maybe I should lay down in the back the rest of the way.”

  “If that’s what you want.” Gabe walked away, the heel of his boots raising dust as he made his way to the mules.

  5

  “Whoa!” Gabe guided the team and wagon around the trading post, glancing up at the cracked wooden sign hanging above the door before the wagon came to a stop. Cook’s General Store was written in faded red paint across the board. He twisted around and gazed into the back of the wagon. Abby stirred a bit from her nest on their bed of crates.

  Relief flooded his being. She hadn’t become ill.

  He’d been worried about her since they’d set out after the brief rest. Abby had looked a bit splotchy and shaken when she asked him to stop. Her pretty little mouth didn’t hold the smile he’d grown to love, and she hadn’t really glanced at him in a favorable way. The ease that had grown between them seemed dangerously close to disappearing. The sparkle in her eye had been replaced by something else he couldn’t define. Certainly, the fact that he and Robert were on the same battlefield hadn’t caused her distance from him. She really didn’t believe he had a hand in his first husband’s death, did she?

  Don’t be half-witted. She has more sense than that.

  “We’re here, Abby. I’ll go find someone and report in.” The team securely tied off, Gabe jumped down. The wagon rocked slightly; Abby was moving about.

  Thank you, Lord. Gabe sighed with relief. He’d grown more and more worried about his wife since they’d had the heated discussion about the war and Robert’s death. Abby didn’t seem the type to take to getting the vapors, so when they’d stopped, he’d begun to think the worst. Why was she looking ill? Had she contracted a deadly sickness? Where was the nearest doctor in these parts if she needed one?

  Gabe stepped through the door of Cook’s General Store, glancing quickly around the small space. There wasn’t much compared to the fuller shelves of Collar’s in Dodge City. Abby was going to have to make do with what was readily available and what fresh meat he could bring home from a hunt now and again. A man came out from behind a ragged cloth covering a doorway, wiping his hands with a dingy rag.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for Colonel Fred. Is he here?” Gabe inspected the man from his worn boots to his scruffy face. The man’s slicked back hair hung to his collar in greasy strands. He looked to be a bit older than Gabe by a few years, but the lines on his weathered face said he was much older. Gabe wondered when the man had last had a proper bath.

  “No sir, Colonel Fred doesn’t come this way much. I’m Walter Cook. My brother and I own this place. Can I be of assistance?”

  “I was to report to the Colonel upon my arrival. He’s been expecting me.” Gabe walked slowly around the small room. Animal hides hung on the wall, with sacks of flour, sugar, and cornmeal lining the shelves. A few bolts of cloth, but nothing fancy. There wasn’t much in the way of specialty provisions or do-dads like those found in Dodge City. Abby wasn’t going to be overly pleased and Gabe knew it.

  I hope Abby can make do, Gabe chuckled to himself. She’s pretty resourceful; don’t forget it for a minute, Gabe, ol’ man.

  “You must be the Dodge City lawman.” Cook harrumphed, thumbs hitched in his belt. “The Colonel said you was comin�
�. Not sure why we need a tin star in these parts, but the Colonel would skin me alive if I didn’t welcome you.”

  I’ve been wondering the same thing. A lot of nothing going on around here.

  “Yes, sir, Marshal Hawkins.” Gabe understood how Cook felt; he didn’t want to be in this godforsaken country either. “Well, then, I was told of accommodations, so if you’d point me in the direction of my home, I’d be much obliged. I’m anxious to get settled. My mules need a good rest after this journey.”

  “There’s a three-room cabin just down the road on the right along the riverbank. It’s not much and needs a woman’s touch, so if you’re in need we can find one to fix it up for ya.” Cook gave him a wink and a toothy grin. “Been empty for nearly a year now. Tenderfoots trying to make it in these parts don’t last long. There’s a lean-to shed for yer mules out back of the place. Our place is the big house up the road a piece.”

  “No, thanks. I don’t think my wife would take kindly to another woman setting up house for her. I’ll go take my wagon on down there and come back as soon as I’ve got it unloaded. I’ll need to send word to Judge Parker that I’ve arrived, as well as Bass Reeves.” Gabe quickly scanned the shelves once more. “Where do you get your flour and fresh meat from?”

  “I trade some with the Chickasaw. The Moncrief ranch is up on the hill, might work something out with him on beef,” Walter said, suspicion settling in his tired eyes. “Otherwise it comes on the wagon like most places around here. Ain’t had no complaints Marshal, if that’s what yer thinkin’.”

  “Thank you, I’ll be back.” Gabe left and stood just outside the door on the hard dirt. Abby is not going to like this one bit, and I can’t say as I blame her. Hell, I don’t like it.