Godsend (Hell Yeah! Heritage), page 17
“Thank you, my friend.” Antonio nodded. “This situation is complicated. Egos and ambitions have muddied the waters. Edwards traveled to Mexico with Stephen F. Austin to gain the empresario, but he thinks he wasn’t given as good of a deal. He’s jealous of Stephen and his power. To Stephen’s face, Edwards is a friend, to his back, he plots for his own gain. Mexico will intervene but the distance makes any response slow.”
“People are going to get killed over this,” Austin mused, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I just don’t want it to be me and you.”
“I agree, Amigo, I agree.” Antonio held up his drink in salute. “What else is on your mind? The eyes are the mirror to our souls and yours look very sad.”
Austin smiled. “No, I’m very happy. I’m just worried.” He leaned back in his chair to survey his host properly. “I am in love.”
“Excelente!” Antonio smiled. “Who is the lucky senorita?”
Austin proceeded to tell him everything, unburdening his fears. “When I found out she was a slave, I wanted to scream the injustice to the heavens. I don’t know how to tell Jolie that Father Jose Antonio de Leon refused to marry us.”
“Slavery is never just. Fate has brought Jolie to you. You must not despair. Saying your vows in front of a priest will not increase your devotion to her one ounce.” He raised the bottle again. “Be happy and the rest be damned!”
“I don’t know, sometimes I’m afraid to hope for happiness.” He remembered how his father treated him, how he chose his new wife over his only son. “Coming to this wild land has been an ordeal, but I’ve met you and I have Jolie now. In fact,” he stood, “I need to get on the trail for home. I’m anxious to return to her.”
“I understand.” Antonio began gathering food to send with his friend. “For the journey,” he smiled as he assembled a bundle for the road.
“I just wanted to stop by and tell you my troubles, also offer my gun if the need arises. You stood up for me once, and I’ll always stand up for you.”
“Thank you, Austin McCoy.”
Antonio followed him out, seeing all of the supplies he’d bought at Thorn Frost’s store. “Frost is another man to watch, he’s in cahoots with Edwards, you know.”
“I realize he is.” Austin placed his food in the wagon and untied the horses. “I can’t afford to cut off relations with him. He’s our only source of supplies. He’s buying hides from the Indians, trading land, selling whiskey, the man will end up being the first millionaire in the territory of Texas.”
“I agree. This is the land of opportunity. You and I will make our mark also. One day Chireno will be a bustling town and the name of McCoy will be well-known and respected.”
Austin took hold of the reins. “I hope you are right, my friend, I hope you are right.”
* * *
Before the sun began to go down, Jolie had gathered more herbs, replenishing her supply, in case the Indians returned or…if one of them became sick. Jolie remembered asking her grandmere where the disease came from. She’d pointed out at the swamp. The fever comes with the rains, the swamps overflow, pestilence multiples. The explanation hadn’t been clear, but the conditions they faced now fit the old woman’s description.
Since the Indians had departed, Jolie took precautions and scrubbed the place from top to bottom, changing the bed linens and heating water to scald the mug and other items that had touched the little girl. She did not know how it spread, but Jolie wanted to take no risk with Austin’s health. Her grandmere had told her that their people were protected from the disease, for some reason their bodies weren’t as susceptible. She’d said Yellow Fever was a white man’s malady. But the Indians weren’t white and they were sick.
This whole idea of color seemed to define the world around her. How could a disease discern the color of a person’s skin? Letting out a weary breath, she rested her head in her hands, wondering if Tsula was improved, praying that the medicine she’d sent would help.
Now, Jolie sat on the stoop of the cabin, staring out into the darkness. Sandy sat beside her, just inside the door, their eyes both seeking to see a familiar figure in the shadows, looking vainly in the direction that they’d last seen Austin go. She knew it was too early to hope for his return, he’d be gone another day at the least. Still, her heart longed for him, praying for his safety. So many dreams of the future had been filling her head. Images of a two story cabin, visions of small chubby-cheeked children – one with her darker hair, one with golden locks like her daddy. Jolie didn’t know if these were products of her gift or just wishes from her heart.
Hopefully, they were both.
“Come back here,” she cautioned the dog who’d risen to bark at the edge of the house. “What’s wrong with you?” For the past day and a half, every chance Sandy had gotten, he’d barked as if something had crawled under the house. “You’d better be careful, you’ll stir up another skunk,” she cautioned him.
With some coaxing, the dog returned to her side. She let out a long, exhausted sigh.
“Are you hungry?” Jolie asked the dog, who gave her a whine for an answer.
“Come on, I’ll feed you.”
They rose and went inside, shutting and barring the door. The glow of the lamp seemed weak against the encroaching darkness. She’d tried not to think about it, but Jolie dreaded for night to come. The scream of the panther she’d heard the night before still rang in her ears. When Austin was here, there was no fear in her heart. Alone, her imagination ran wild and she imagined predatory creatures making their way stealthily out of the deep woods, all intent on devouring her whole.
“We’ll be fine.” She tried to reassure herself by reassuring the dog. “Maybe if we built up the… Oh, no!” Jolie exclaimed. “I didn’t bring in firewood!” With the excitement of the day, this essential chore had escaped her attention. The woodpile was a good distance from the house. Oh well, she didn’t have a choice. The fire would die down soon. Going to the corner, she retrieved a small hatchet. While she was there, she might as well get some more kindling. “You stay here,” she told Sandy. “I’ll be right back.” The last thing she needed was the dog taking off into the woods after a possum.
Jolie had no more than put her hand on the door handle before a spine-tingling scream rent the air. She gasped, covering her mouth. “The panther’s back!” Why was it coming around? Jolie didn’t understand. There was no dearth of game in the woods. Maybe the penned animals provided an easier way to get a meal, maybe it was old and toothless. This thought made Jolie smile weakly. “Yea, it’s an old decrepit pussy cat.” Her tone wasn’t convincing, especially to herself. She leaned against the door, trying to weigh the wisdom of going out after the wood or staying in the cabin with no fire on this cold winter’s night.
Another ear-splitting scream made up her mind.
Jolie hugged herself. “It sounded closer this time, didn’t it?” Sandy whimpered and went to crawl under the bed. “Some help you are,” she chided him.
The house was well-built, the cracks between the logs were chinked with clay and moss, small holes had been left open for ventilation and cooling purposes. Walking around the room, she made sure the shutters were secure. After one full revolution, Jolie came back and sat in the straight back chair, staring at the chess game. When Austin returned, she’d be so glad to see him, she might even let him win. A smile played about her lips.
Unable to sit still, she got up and went to the wardrobe, finding a book she’d seen earlier. Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. Taking the book in her hands, she sought the light. Jolie sat at the table, opening the leather bound volume and began to read. She’d gone no more than two or three pages before her eyes widened and she slammed the book shut. This wasn’t the type of story one should read when all alone.
Being very still, she waited. Hopefully, the big cat had returned to wherever it had come from.
But no – she felt her blood run cold when a scream rent the air…just on the other side of the wall. Jumping up, she began to pace. “Go away!” she screamed.
A deep, bone-chilling guttural growl sounded right at the door.
Running to the door, she made triple sure it was secure. “Get out of here! I have nothing for you!” she cried, beating her fist against the wood. Almost as if she could see through the solid wall, Jolie was aware of the cat’s movements. Her senses seemed hyperaware, she could even imagine hearing the soft footfalls of the panther’s padded feet on the ground. As one, she moved with the beast as he made his way around the cabin. Jolie could hear his growls, his occasional snarls. What was it doing?
Scratch! Scratch!
She jumped back. The huge animal was clawing the outside wall. Why? Afraid, she glanced around, the fire had completely died down. She was afraid to breathe. Being very still, she listened. Then, she heard something strange – a soft mewling. Jolie frowned. What was that? Suddenly, she knew what it was…a panther cub!
Fear dawned anew.
The big cat thought its cub was in the cabin. “It’s not inside, its underneath!” she screamed. Beneath the bed, Sandy barked and there was an answering growl from the other side of the wall.
The panther was moving, searching for an opening to come inside. Jolie knew there was no place that big, no crack in the wall. The shutters were secure, she hoped, she ran to the windows to make sure of that fact. As she did, she heard another noise. A bump. “What was that?” she looked wildly around. Jolie’s heart was racing, she felt like an animal in a cage herself. Her eyes stared at the back wall where she’d heard the noise, and that was when she saw it. The panther’s toes and claws were showing through the chink between the logs. To her shock, they disappeared and reappeared a log higher. The panther was climbing the wall!
Jolie’s mind froze, she couldn’t think clearly. Her heart cried out for Austin, she didn’t know what to do. Underneath the floor, the cub cried out and the panther answered, a snarling warning that caused Jolie to tremble. Soon, the panther would be on the roof. And then…the truth hit her like a sledge hammer.
The animal would come down the chimney.
Frantically, she weighed her options - she could run out into the night, having nowhere else to go – or she could stop the big cat. Looking madly around, she saw a chair. Running to it, Jolie began to hack at it, trying to chop it into pieces small enough for her to put on the fire.
Another growl caused her blood to run cold.
There was no time!
Desperate, Jolie rose and went to the wall. Seeing the long, sharp claws of the panther sticking through the crack, she took aim and brought the hatchet down on the claws. A howl erupted and the dagger sharp claws disappeared. Jolie jumped back, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Was it gone?
Hearing another whimper from the cub under the floor, she ran to the noise and knelt down, beating the floor with the end of the handle, trying to make the small animal leave, go out the way it came in.
She jumped when the panther screamed again. This time is seemed like it was from farther away.
Bowing her head, Jolie began to pray that morning would come soon.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
As the sun rose, it’s first rays breaking through the trees, Austin strained to see the trail. He’d traveled all night, aiming to get home as soon as possible. With every revolution of the wagon wheels, his thoughts kept turning over in his head. Was Jolie all right? What if something had happened to her? Would she be waiting for him? Doubts and fears plagued him. He was tempted to jump from the wagon and run through the thicker forest, cutting off a bit of the distance he still had to go. But leaving his horse and belongings behind wouldn’t be smart. Austin let out a harsh breath. He was overreacting.
At the cabin, Jolie jerked awake when Sandy licked her neck. She’d finally fallen asleep during the night, sitting on the floor next to the bed. Rising to her feet, she stretched the stiffness from her limbs and went to the door. Closing her eyes to garner strength, she opened the door a crack and peered out. The animals needed to be fed, chores needed to be done. She couldn’t cower indoors all day.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside. “Come, Sandy!”
The dog bounded out behind her. She let her eyes scan the surroundings, the yard, and the nearby woods. Nothing seemed amiss. Stepping gingerly, she made her way to the outhouse. When she was finished, she headed down to the animal pens to start doling out breakfast. Afterward, she’d stake the horses and cows out so they could graze and meander about.
A short distance away, Austin cocked his head. Was that Jolie’s voice he’d heard? He listened, desperate for any inkling of her presence. He popped the reins, urging the horse to go faster. Hell, it might have been a distant bird. He kept his eyes focused ahead, knowing the clearing where his cabin stood lay just up ahead.
Jolie worked steadily, her mind going back to the night before. She hoped to high heaven that the panther and her cub were far, far away.
Bark! Bark!
Turning to the dog, Jolie saw him looking into the woods.
“What is it, boy? Do you hear something?”
She stilled too, straining to hear. When she heard the distant whinny of a horse, Jolie froze. “Austin?” When she saw Sandy’s tail wag and him began to run, she took off after him, heading to the edge of the clearing.
Austin’s face broke out in a smile. He saw her coming. “Jolie!” he yelled. Coming to a stop, he jumped from the wagon and ran to meet her. When they were just a few feet apart, she launched herself into his arms and he caught her close. “God, I’m glad to see you, baby.”
“Oh, Austin, Austin.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and began kissing him anywhere she could reach. He chuckled, finally capturing her lips, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. Picking her up, he spun in a circle, swinging her around, his heart soaring with joy at being with her once more.
Once their mouths parted to take a breath, he whispered, “I missed you so much. How’s my baby?”
“Better now that you’re here.” She clung to him, clutching him close. Jolie wanted to crawl inside his skin. “I missed you so much too.”
Austin kept pressing tender kisses to her face. As he did, he became aware her cheeks were damp. “Are you crying?”
“No!” she blubbered, as a sob tore from her lips. “I’m fine. I was afraid for you; I was afraid I’d never see you again. I want you so much.” He kissed her tears away. “And then there was the pig, the Indians, and the panther.”
“What are you talking about?” He held her close, aware that she was trembling.
“I want to hold you,” was all she could say.
Austin wanted nothing more. “Let me see to the horse and get the supplies unloaded. Then, I’ll hold you as long as you want me to.” He grabbed the horse’s halter and began to walk, one arm holding her body to his. “I have some surprises for you. Christmas presents.”
“Christmas?” She brightened. “I can’t wait, I’m sure I’ll love whatever you picked out for me.” She buried her face in his shoulder. “Mostly, I just want you.”
Austin felt his heart contract. “I love you, Jolie.”
“I love you too, Austin McCoy.”
She never left his side while he unloaded the wagon, then saw to his horse. Once everything was in out of the weather, he enfolded her in his arms. “I want to know everything that happened to you, and I want to tell you everything that happened to me. But first…there’s something much more important we need to do.”
“What?” she asked breathlessly.
“Guess.” As soon as they were inside, he began to undress her, pulling her dress over her head. She sought to divest him of his clothing also. Their fingers fumbled, voices low, intimate. The outside world might be full of uncertainties and threats, but here – this was their place, their time. “I can’t believe you’re here with me.” Austin breathed the words like a prayer. “How can I want for anything more when I have you?”
Jolie gave herself over to him, meeting his kisses, touching his body with near reverence. “Show me how to please you.”
“Oh, you please me very much,” he answered, picking her up like a bride and carrying her to the bed. As he was about to lay her down, he noticed Sandy already on top of the covers. “Now, who told you that you were allowed on the bed?”
Jolie giggled. “I got lonely.”
“Down. Scoot!” Austin shooed him to the floor. “You won’t be lonely now, I’m here.”
Truer words were never spoken. She opened her arms to him and he came to her, covering her, blanketing her body with warmth and desire. His lips and hands feathered over her skin, kissing her neck, rubbing her breasts, reacquainting himself with the joy that was his for the taking.
Jolie reveled in his love, her body writhing beneath his touch. When his mouth closed over her nipple and he began to suckle, love welled up inside her like a spring. Her legs opened of their own volition, her yearning for him so intense that she couldn’t hold back. “I need you, Austin McCoy. I need you in every way a woman can.” She lifted her hips.
He needed no further invitation. Being away from her had only sharpened his longing. His manhood ached to be enveloped in her body. “Are you ready for me?” He let his hand slide between them, testing her arousal. When he found her creamy wet, he groaned. “After this, I’m going to love every inch of you. Now…I can’t wait.” Holding up, he guided himself into her, his eyes closing in bliss as he felt her walls close around him – welcoming, squeezing him. “Now, that I have you, tasted this…” He brought his mouth to hers, drinking deeply. “Don’t ever ask me to do without. I couldn’t bear it.”
“Never,” she whimpered, her arms wrapping around his back, her hips bucking, meeting every thrust. She held on as he took her, pounding hard, his breathing harsh, his face contorted with ecstasy. Jolie watched in amazement, taking it all in – the thrill of his possession, the wonder of his love and the blessing that was hers to be chosen by this man.
