Thirty-one

“It’s time to get down to business, Miss Jessie. I need to know the details about the night Jeremiah Foltry lost his life.”

The horrifying scenes that she’d tried to forget came tumbling back.

I’ll make you sorry you were ever born! Jeremiah had told her that often enough. The man had always made her feel cheap and used and—yes, sorry for the day she’d drawn her first breath.

Jessie glanced from the stern, no-nonsense face of Tom Parker to her husband’s rock-solid profile. Duel squeezed her hand, letting her know he meant to stay by her side, through the thick and the thin of it.

Yes, she’d been sorry for being born until she met her tall Texan. He’d shown her a compassion and love she’d never known before. Still, in the dead of night, her fears of being unworthy of her good fortune came calling.

“It’s all right, Jess. I know it’s hard, but Tom has to know so he can defend you.”

She took a deep, steadying breath, and over the course of the next two hours, painted a picture of her purgatory—except about the brand. The pain of that ordeal prevented the telling.

They were concluding the session when Phoebe Sutton marched into the jail and up to Sheriff Daniels. Jessie’s heart slammed against her ribs.

“I came to see my daughter, and I won’t take no for an answer,” Mrs. Sutton declared.

“Yes, ma’am. I wouldn’t dare,” Bart mumbled.

Why had Phoebe persisted despite her request? Didn’t she know it’d accomplish nothing good? Knots tightened in Jessie’s stomach. She struggled to turn her attention back to the judge and their discussion of her chances.

Tom Parker rose. “Well, madam, I’ll be truthful with you.” Her hand got lost somewhere between the two of his. “It isn’t going to be the easiest case I ever fought.”

Her tongue worked in a suddenly dry mouth.

“Do you think we stand a chance, Jud…Tom?” Duel’s voice wavered a trifle. Not so much that she should’ve noticed. Still, in the months of living by his side, she’d grown accustomed to his moods and each variation in his tone.

“Course we do, son. We have right on our side.” He dropped her hand and lifted his derby off the back of the chair. “Get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll see you tomorrow, Miss Jessie. Try not to worry.”

Phoebe Sutton stood silent, waiting for Parker to take his leave. Narrow, pursed lips gave the woman who’d given birth to her a stern demeanor. Dread filled Jessie, for her mother appeared forbidding. Had she come to chastise?

Duel cast Jessie a questioning look. She slipped her arm around his as much for support as to send a message.

“Mama, I’d like you to meet my husband. Duel, this is Phoebe Sutton, my mother.”

“Oh, Jessie. Forgive me, but I had to come.” Phoebe’s unforgiving frown crumbled. She threw her arms around her daughter, a sob welling up.

Jessie released her grip on Duel and held her mother close.

For a full minute she bit back the tears that threatened, savoring the warm embrace for which she’d yearned one last time. Words refused to take form.

After several heartbeats, they drew apart. Only then did Jessie trust her voice. “When I sent Luke to convey my wishes, it wasn’t for selfish reasons. Please understand. I wanted you to stay away for your own good, Mama. The good folks of El Paso can be petty and mean. Never would I want to cause you suffering on my account.”

Phoebe touched her cheek ever so gently. “You’re my flesh an’ blood. When you hurt, I hurt. I don’t give a hoot what anyone thinks of me.”

Childish giggling drew their attention. Luke stepped into the jail with Marley Rose in tow. He wasn’t taking any chances. This time, the small girl walked by his side, holding her uncle’s hand.

Marley hurried on her chubby legs. “Mama. See?”

“What is it, darlin’?” Jessie swung her up into her arms.

“See?” Marley held forth a handful of gumdrops.

“I see. Uncle Luke bought you candy.”

“Wuncle Wuke.” The girl nodded. She popped an orange morsel into her mouth, then pushed a green one toward Jessie.

“Mama, eat.”

Proud to see Marley sharing instead of calling everything “mine,” Jessie allowed the small fingers to push the treat inside her mouth. “Ummm. Good.”

Chewing on the candy, Jessie realized she hadn’t introduced Marley to her mother. “Mama, meet my daughter, Marley Rose.”

The glare Phoebe cast toward Luke could’ve withered a fence post. “You didn’t see fit to mention that I have a granddaughter.”

“Knew there was something my pea brain skipped. Pardon my mistake, Mrs. Sutton.”

Over the top of Marley’s head, Jessie caught Duel’s loving gaze. The look told her how much he enjoyed the entire scene.

“Two Bit, this is your Grandma Sutton.”

The child stopped poking the sweets into her mouth and gave Phoebe a large brown stare. “G’anma?”

“Yes, dear, your grandma.” With a tightness in her chest, she watched Marley reach for the woman.

Phoebe held her stiffly at first, apparently unaccustomed to the strange feeling.

But Marley wriggled until she found a comfortable place, put her small arms around the woman’s neck, and announced, “Mine g’anma.”

That did the trick. Phoebe softened and kissed Marley, sticky gumdrops and all.

* * *

Darkness had settled over the town when Duel insisted on staying the night with her. Phoebe had taken Marley under her wing to give the two of them time to be alone. Her mother’s caring touched Jessie.

No one had to voice the fear painted in the deep purple twilight. This might be the last night she’d spend with her beloved for, true to the telegram, Judge Warner had arrived on the noon stage.

Tom Parker had called Warner a hard but fair man. Though known by reputation only, the circuit judge aroused a certain disquiet in Parker’s demeanor.

The underlying pall Jessie sensed earlier descended upon her.

“That night…” She stared at her hands. When she raised her head, she met his gaze with steady determination. “All those months ago, when I rode into your camp. I’ve never regretted it.” Jessie leaned into the circle of her husband’s arms, enjoying the warmth of his nearness. “I only wish our time hadn’t been so short.”

“Don’t say that, Jess. We have to hope for the best. I won’t let you give up, not now.”

She twisted around until she could peer into the familiar face that occupied her dreams. “You, my dear sodbuster, taught me how to love, and gave my life meaning. You took away the ugliness and made me smile again. When we were apart and I wondered if I’d ever see you again, I thought I’d surely die from the pain.”

Duel’s eyes blazed with amber heat. “I know. Me too. But it won’t happen again. I’m gonna make sure you spend the next forty years lying next to me in our bed. That’s just at night. In the day, you’ll make me sweet-potato pies and practice on being a mother.”

“You sound like we’ll have more than Marley Rose. I told you I’m unable to bear children.”

“I’m not forgetting. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something. Pop told me about a passel of kids who lost their parents. They need a home real bad. I was thinking we might offer for ’em when we get this behind us.”

Jessie stared at him in amazement. How strange that they’d both had the same idea.

“Duel, the Butler children! Vicky told me about them, and before I could speak to you, Luke appeared on our doorstep. Would you truly take the children to raise?”

“Yep. Would take a lot of hard work, but I reckon neither of us shies away from that.”

“You’ll have two sons,” she said, remembering that there had been two boys and one girl. “And Marley will have a sister.”

Their sweet little girl who never complained, who took whatever happened in stride, would be tickled pink.

“The more the merrier, I always say.”

“Did I tell you today how much I love you?”

A smile sneaked across his face like a naughty child coming out of hiding. Her chest swelled with the magnitude of her good fortune. If only it’d last a little bit longer.

“Yep, but my lady can never tell me too often.” He swooped down and captured her mouth.

His kiss carried her to dizzying heights where the thin air made breathing darn near impossible.

If they hadn’t been in her cell, with Luke and Sheriff Daniels trying to keep their eyes on other things, she had no doubt where their passion would’ve led. As it was, circumstances shackled his wanton desires.

Unlike Jeremiah, Duel would move heaven and earth to preserve her dignity. Unlike Jeremiah, her Texan had compassion and kindness for all living things. And, unlike Jeremiah, her knight—on a black horse called Preacher—would never hurt her. Indeed, he loved her more than life itself.

How unfair that she should find this completeness in her life last instead of first—before Jeremiah Foltry had ruined her chances for bearing children. Strange that she’d had to go through the worst to get to the best.

“Duel, when I was a little girl, I used to throw rocks in the Rio Grande and watch the ripples spread. It’s like that now. With each widening ring, my life is encompassing more and better things. From a small wave, which was you, I now have Marley Rose, all of your family, my mother, and Tom Parker, and if we’re lucky, three more children. I feel truly blessed.”

“No, darlin’, I’ve been favored since the first time I saw you. Think the word is ‘moonstruck.’”

There went that warm molasses feeling, turning her bones to jelly again.

* * *

Soft, pink rays of dawn woke Duel the next morning. His arm and neck ached. Sometime in the wee hours, he had finally dozed off with Jessie asleep in the hollow of his shoulder. And with the blankets firmly drawn across the metal bars, they were in their own small world.

The fresh smell of vanilla and spice flooded his senses. Strange. It’d been so long since she’d baked, yet the aromas still lingered in Jessie’s hair and on her skin.

When he inhaled, silky tendrils playfully teased his nose. She looked so peaceful lying on his chest. Heaviness grew until it consumed every corner of his heart.

Dear God, he’d gladly take her place if they’d let him. A delicate, sensitive woman like her seemed ill-equipped to fight for her life.

Jess had said last evening that he’d taught her to love and given her life meaning. Small in comparison to what he’d learned from her.

Damnation! He wished he’d had enough foresight to have seen the toll this trial was taking on her. Wished he had faith that wrongs would get righted. Wished he was good at waiting.

Shoot, he reckoned putting a hole in a wanted man’s forehead at four hundred feet—four hundred yards with a rifle—was the only skill he had. He sure wasn’t good at much else.

The greatest fear of all, the one that made him break out in a cold sweat each time it entered his head, was that Jess would stop loving him. Heaven help him if that ever came to pass.

She stirred. The panic in her blue gaze as it caught his slammed a fist into his gut. For two cents he’d bust her out of this jail and light out for parts unknown.

The thought vanished as soon as it appeared, for he knew she’d not allow it. Still, her obvious terror did things to him he didn’t like.

“Why didn’t you wake me? I don’t want to spend the precious little time we have sleeping.”

“You needed the peace you could find only in your dreams. Besides, I enjoyed watching you sleep.” He tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear and let his hand glide down the long column of her neck. “You’re so beautiful. I’m awfully glad we became familiar, ’cause I’m in love with you, Mrs. McClain.”

Wetness turned her eyes a watery blue. “I feel unworthy.”

“I keep remembering how patient you were with me. It took me way too long to put my demons to rest.”

“At least they’re gone now. We have each other and our love to make sure they don’t return.”

“The rest of our lives, darlin’.”

“That may not be long enough. Strange that my fate depends on a handful of citizens and a judge.” Her hand shook as she pushed back a lock of wayward hair. “I’m scared, Duel. Real scared.”

“I’ll be right beside you. I’m putting my money on Tom Parker to straighten out this mess.”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Anything for you, darlin’. Want me to lasso the moon, shoot Judge Warner, or something a tad more dangerous?”

She brushed aside his attempt at lighthearted banter. “If my punishment is hanging, promise me you’ll take Marley Rose and leave. Right away.”

His gut twisted worse than a bucking bronc. The picture of her twitching at the end of a rope, of her lovely neck snapping at the sudden fall, released a rush of cold sweat.

“It’s not gonna happen, Jess.” Not even if he had to lay the whole town to waste. He’d never let them have his beautiful Jess, who’d already suffered more than any human should.

“Promise, Duel.” Her voice took on a sharp edge he’d not heard before.

“All right. But, I’m telling you, it’s not gonna come to that.”

“Good to have a plan—just in case.” Her bottom lip trembled, and she held it between her teeth to still it.