Westward Moon Page 4

  “I’m so sorry, Jack. I didn’t want to,” Sparrow said.

  Jack said, “What are you sorry about?”

  “About being married to someone else. About doing something with him that I only ever wanted to do with you,” she said. Her face was hot with tears and embarrassment and she hid her face in his chest.

  Jack couldn’t deny that he was insanely jealous of Panther and furious that her father had forced her to marry someone she didn’t love. He knew it happened, but he had never pictured it happening to Sparrow. To him. However, none of it was Sparrow’s fault and he didn’t blame her one bit.

  “Sparrow, you don’t have anything to be sorry about. You didn’t have a choice about any of it. It’s my fault for not saying the hell with it and eloping with you or something,” Jack said.

  Sparrow raised her head and said, “But I am no longer pure.”

  Jack wiped away her tears and said, “You are to me. It doesn’t change my feelings for you, Sparrow.”

  She shook her head. “But I’m not and you can’t pretend I am.”

  “Did he make you feel anything like I do?” Jack asked.

  “No.”

  Jack asked, “Did you want him?”

  “No! It was a chore that I wanted over as quickly as possible. Nothing more,” Sparrow insisted.

  Her answers made Jack happy and helped ease a little of his jealousy. “Then you’ve still never made love.”

  Sparrow thought about that a moment and saw what Jack was getting at. “No. I haven’t.”

  “See? Nothing to be sorry about,” Jack said and smiled at her.

  “Have you?” she asked.

  “Nope. Not yet,” Jack answered.

  She smiled and then frowned. Sparrow liked his answer but still felt guilty. Jack made her look him in the eyes as he said firmly, “You have nothing to feel guilty about, my little bird. Nothing. So knock it off.”

  Sparrow heard the love in his voice and smiled. “Ok. I’ll try.”

  “Ok. Guess what?” Jack said.

  “What?”

  “I have my own place now,” Jack said.

  Sparrow propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at him. “Where?”

  “Uncle Marcus’ old place. They moved into town and gave it to me. So when we get-‘”

  Sparrow put her hand over his mouth. “No! Don’t say it,” she said and smiled.

  Jack frowned and said, “Why not?” behind her hand.

  “Shh!” she demanded and took her hand away from his mouth.

  Sparrow sat up and pulled her amulet from under her dress and opened it. She pulled out his ring and held it out to him. Jack’s eyes grew big as he saw the shine of a diamond catch the dim moonlight. He sat up instantly.

  “You still have it?” Jack said.

  “Yes. I knew that it would be safe in my amulet and that I could always have it close to my heart. It helped me feel close to you,” Sparrow said.

  Jack took the ring from her and moved into a kneeling position. “Sparrow, I know we’ve been apart for three years, but I’ve never stopped loving you. It hurt so bad when I found out that your family had left and I hated myself for not marrying you while I had the chance. I’m not going to let that happen again. I love you and my heart will always belong to you. Will you please marry me?”

  “Yes! Yes! I will marry you!” Sparrow said.

  Jack put the ring on her finger and squeezed her hand a little as he said, “No more hiding this. I want everyone to know that you belong to me now and always.”

  “No more hiding it. I am proud to be yours,” Sparrow said.

  Jack kissed Sparrow and then began covering them up with the blankets he’d brought with him. They spent the next few hours talking as Jack tried to catch her up with all that had happened in Dawson and the Lakota camp the past few years. She was very interested in the new medical clinic in town and wanted to know who among her friends had had babies.

  It was the wee hours of the morning before they fell asleep. They cuddled together under the blankets, drawing warmth from one another. Their slumber was deep and peaceful as they took comfort in being able to hold one another again.

  Chapter Six

  Jack was roused by someone kicking his boot. He groaned in protest and struck back.

  “Ow! Hey, Jack. Get up. Both of you.”

  Jack was instantly awake as he recognized his father’s voice. He opened his eyes and saw Dean’s disapproving expression. Jack looked down at Sparrow and smiled.

  “Pa, it ain’t like that. We just wanted to be able to talk in private. Plus, you snore like a freight train,” he said.

  “I do not,” Dean said.

  Jack gently shook Sparrow. “Sparrow, time to get up,” he said.

  Sparrow stirred and sat up. She saw Dean and became fearful. Her future father-in-law could be short-tempered and she didn’t want him to be angry with her.

  Dean smiled and said, “It’s ok, Sparrow. C’mon you two. Get some breakfast and get ready. I want to get on the road soon.”

  “Ok,” Jack said.

  He helped Sparrow up as Dean left the hayloft. They brushed hay from each other’s clothes and Jack picked it out of Sparrow’s hair. When they were finished, Jack cupped Sparrow’s face and kissed her good morning.

  “That’s better,” he said and smiled.

  “Yes, it is,” she said as she hugged him. Then she sighed and said, “We better go or your father will get angry.”

  “Yeah. You’re right,” Jack said.

  They washed up and changed before joining the others in the dining room. As they sat down at the table, Sasha noticed Sparrow’s ring.

  “Is that what I think it is?” she asked as she took Sparrow’s hand.

  Sparrow beamed as she said, “Yes. Jack proposed to me again last night and I said yes.”

  Dean looked at Jack and said, “That was sort of fast.”

  Jack returned Dean’s look. Determination set his face into serious lines. “We’re not wastin’ any more time, Pa. Three years was three years too many. I’m not gonna let it happen again.”

  Dean could see his point, but he didn’t think Jack should rush into anything until they fully understood Sparrow’s situation. He didn’t want to upset Sparrow, however.

  He smiled at the happy couple and said, “I don’t blame you. Congratulations to you both. Sparrow, welcome to the family…again.”

  Reckless and Sasha also offered their congratulations.

  Dean said, “Sasha, I can’t believe your husband let you come all this way on your own.”

  “I am a widow, so I don’t need any permission,” Sasha said.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just assumed. I’m sorry for your loss,” Dean said.

  Sasha played with her wedding band and said, “Thank you.”

  “Do you have family back home?” Dean asked.

  Sasha gave him a tight smile and said, “I’m afraid not.”

  Dean nodded and remained silent as he finished his breakfast. It was bad enough that the two women had had to travel alone, but he really did not like the idea of Sasha being completely alone on the road. Also, it sounded as though she’d be alone for the holidays and he thought that no one should be alone at Christmastime.

  “Sasha, is there anything at home that needs attention right away?” he asked.

  It was an odd question, but Sasha thought about it. She had no other animals besides the horses and no one to look after but herself. She worked from home making quilts to sell and taking in laundry, so she didn’t have a job to worry about.

  “No. Nothing urgent. Why?” she asked.

  “Well, it’s close to Christmas and I don’t like the thought of you travelling alone. Why don’t you come along home with us until after New Year’s? You’ll be safe with us and you won’t be alone at holiday time,” Dean said.

  Sparrow’s face lit up. “Please say yes! You will like everyone and I would really like for everyone to meet the woman wh
o rescued me.”

  Jack nodded. “I owe you, Sasha. Pa’s right. The weather might turn bad again and you won’t be able to dig that carriage out by yourself. Come with us, Sasha.”

  Reckless also encouraged her to join them.

  Sasha didn’t know what to think. “I couldn’t impose like that,” she said.

  Jack said, “It’s not imposing if you’re invited.”

  Sasha looked around at each of their expectant faces. She admitted that she didn’t relish the idea of setting out on her own. Jack’s statement was a wise one. If she were to get stuck on the road, she might freeze or starve to death before someone came along. What did she have to lose by going to Dawson for a while?

  “Where would I stay?” she asked.

  “She could stay in my old room,” Jack said.

  “Where’s Sparrow going to stay?” Dean asked.

  Jack said, “With me.”

  “Jack,” Dean said, “She can’t.”

  “Why not? Mama stayed with us when she first came here. She didn’t have a chaperone, did she?” Jack said in a challenging manner.

  Dean kept a tight hold on his temper. “I think we should discuss this later on. Sasha, don’t worry; you’ll have a place to stay.”

  Sasha said, “All right. I’ll come with you. I really would like to meet all of your friends and family, Sparrow.”

  “You won’t be sorry,” Sparrow said.

  Her bright smile made Jack’s heart pump faster and he wanted to kiss her. He settled for holding her hand.

  Dean said, “Ok. It’s decided, then. Jack, let’s get that team hitched up so we can leave.”

  Jack gave his father an irritated glance and said, “Sure, Pa.” Though his words were agreeable, there was an edge to his voice.

  Father and son walked out to the barn. They waved off the help of the stable hand and began their task.

  Jack said, “Ok, Pa. Let’s have it.”

  Dean pursed his lips and then said, “Jack, the circumstances were different when Tessa came to Dawson. There was no hotel and Charlie and Lydia had no more room for anyone. All of the bunkhouses were full and she sure couldn’t stay with Marcus. Her staying in the spare room was the only logical choice. Nothing happened between us other than some kissing.”

  Jack came to stand before Dean. “What makes you think it’s any different with Sparrow and I? Hell, Pa, we used to sneak out all the time and spend half the night together in the summers. We’ve never been intimate with each other that way and we don’t plan to until we’re married.”

  Dean said, “Jack, she’s been married for three years. She’s used to—‘”

  Jack pushed his father back against the carriage and said, “Be very careful with what you’re about to say, Pa.” The thought of anyone, including Dean, saying anything derogatory about Sparrow or her virtue got Jack’s dander up.

  Dean was proud of Jack for defending Sparrow’s honor. It spoke to his character as a man. It shouldn’t have, but it made him smile.

  Jack’s brows puckered. “What are you smiling about?”

  “You. You reminded me of Seth when you said that,” Dean said.

  Despite his best efforts not to, Jack smiled. He let Dean go and laughed. “Pa, not that it’s any of your business, but Sparrow didn’t want anything to do with Panther. At all. It was like doing a chore, like scrubbing a floor or beating the rugs. Nothing more. So she’s not going to attack me or anything. We made a vow and we intend to keep it.”

  Dean nodded. “Jack, I don’t doubt it, but a lot of other people will. You’re a deputy, a public servant, and you’re held to a different standard than other people.”

  Jack’s smiled was sardonic. “Yeah, and you’re a councilman. You’re worried about your own reputation. It wouldn’t look good for the son of a councilman to be living with his fiancée, would it?”

  “I hadn’t really thought about that, but no, I guess it wouldn’t,” Dean said.

  “Mitch and Sammi lived together for a few weeks before their wedding. He’s the sheriff and no one said anything to him or demanded that he step down, did they?” Jack said.

  “What about the tribe? What are they going to think?” Dean asked.

  “Aunt Hannah and Uncle Owl stayed together in camp and so did Uncle Marcus and Aunt Claire,” Jack said. “I’ll bet you didn’t know that. I don’t know what they did or didn’t do, but I don’t much care. That’s their business not mine.”

  Dean smiled and said, “Ok. You talk to your mother about it then and see how far you get.” He clapped Jack on the shoulder and went back to securing the harness on one of the horses.

  Jack sighed and looked heavenward. Tessa had been the one he’d always been more afraid of disappointing than his father. He hated that Dean knew it and wasn’t afraid to use it against him. Angrily he started working on his horse and began rehearsing what he was going to tell Tessa.

  It was a good thing that Dean had insisted that Sasha came with them. Another snow storm came through as they were on the return trip and the road became impassable at one point.

  “Sasha, how attached are you to that carriage?” Dean asked.

  “Why?” she asked.

  Dean said, “Because we’re not going to get it through these drifts before we freeze out here. We can unhitch the horses and lead them while you and Sparrow ride them. That’s our best option right now.”

  The wind drove the snow that had mixed with sleet in the last hour.

  Reckless said, “He’s right. The nearest town is about two hours from here and that’s without a carriage. It’ll take twice as long with a carriage we have to keep digging out.”

  Sasha sighed. She saw their point and knew that survival was the more important thing at the moment. “All right. Let’s leave it then.”

  Jack was already off his horse and unhitching the team. Reckless joined him. Sasha and Sparrow gathered their belonging together. Neither of them had packed very much. Dean teased them about it.

  “I think that’s the lightest I’ve ever seen a woman travel before,” he said.

  “That is only because we did not have a man to take care of,” Sparrow shot back. “They always want us to carry the things they do not want to.”

  Jack laughed. “She’s got you there, Pa.”

  “So she does,” Dean said.

  Dean helped Sasha up on one of the Morgans and wondered why Jack didn’t help Sparrow. This was answered when Sparrow ran a few steps, grabbed her horse’s mane and hauled herself astride. She took the reins Jack handed her and turned the horse in the direction they were travelling.

  Reckless said, “Boss man didn’t know that Lakota women are taught how to mount and ride without anything on their horses. Look at his face.”

  “Shut up, Reckless,” Dean groused as he mounted up and they started out.

  Some of the drifts were very high and Sparrow reached down at one point to scoop up a handful of snow. She packed a tight snowball and took aim at her target. She threw hard and her snowball flew straight and smacked Dean’s upper back.

  Dean grunted as he felt the blow between his shoulder blades. It hurt and he turned around to see who had thrown it. Though Sparrow didn’t smile, Dean saw the humor in her dark eyes.

  “You threw that?” he asked.

  “Threw what?” she said sweetly.

  Dean pulled his horse around to ride back to her. “You know what,” he said as he picked up a handful of snow and made his own snow ball. Instead of throwing it at her, as he pretended he was going to, he threw it past her and beaned Reckless in the side of his head.

  Sparrow laughed as Reckless shook his head. The brave smiled and said, “I’ll get you when you least expect it.”

  “I look forward to it,” Dean said just as a snowball hit his chest. “Hey!” he shouted as he saw Jack laughing.

  Soon an all-out snowball fight ensued as they travelled and even Sasha was brought into it. It stopped when the drifts lowered and they were breathless. Soon
they reached Albrightsville, Wyoming, not far from the Montana border. Eagerly they all left their horses in the care of the stable hands and checked into the hotel there.

  Chapter Seven

  Tessa left the post office with a worried expression on her face. Her beloved travellers weren’t back yet and it was the 20th of December. Though she desperately wanted them home for Christmas, their safety was much more important and she was deeply afraid that some horrible fate had impeded their progress home.

  She heard children playing and knew that Claire had let school out early for the day due to the cold temperatures. The snow wasn’t too deep since the storm had stayed mainly to the south. While this was good for Dawson, Tessa knew it spelled trouble for Dean and company.

  Jack had pleaded with her to understand why he had to go get Sparrow. He assured her that if it hadn’t been so urgent, he wouldn’t have gone. She’d known he was going to go whether she wanted him to or not, so she’d finally given him her blessing. He was a man now and really didn’t need it, but she appreciated his consideration of her.

  “Mama!”

  She recognized D.J.’s voice and smiled as she saw her nine-year-old son running at her. At the last minute, Mikey came from another direction and mowed his brother down. The two of them laughed and rolled around in the snow. Tessa startled as two strong arms embraced her from behind and someone kissed her cheek.

  “Hello, Aunt Tessa,” Raven said.

  She swatted his arm. “Shame on you, Raven! You scared me to death! You’re too much like your uncle.”

  Raven came to walk beside her. “Which one? I have many.” At seventeen, Raven wasn’t too much shorter than his father now and his voice had deepened.

  Tessa laughed and said, “It could be any one of them.”

  Raven turned and walked backwards so he could face her. “Except Boss Man.”

  “Yes, even him.”

  A snowball hit Raven’s neck and Tessa heard Katie’s giggle. Raven ran after D.J.’s twin sister and Tessa turned to watch him catch her. He held her and tickled her. She chuckled as she watched because Tessa knew that Katie was completely safe with her big cousin.