“Why does she hate you, Rachel?” he asked quietly.
She looked away, saying evasively, “I told you. Her father taught her to.”
“But why?”
“I used to live here, you know. Oh, not in this house. There was only a small, three-room—”
“I know. Jessie told me her father built this house just because you could never live in it.”
“Did he? Well, I don’t doubt it.” She was silent for a long time before she went on. “I came home here one night, and he beat me, then threw me out.”
“Why?”
“He accused me of being unfaithful. Called me a whore,” she added distastefully. “But he never gave me a chance to defend myself. He beat me so badly I nearly died. I would have if old Jeb hadn’t found me and taken me to the doctor at Ft. Laramie.”
“Does Jessie know that?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t think so. I gather that she feels I deserted her. Thomas might have told her that. I wouldn’t put anything past a man who would make his daughter believe her mother was a whore!
He was so spiteful over the years, never allowing me to see her. Yes, I don’t doubt that he told her I deserted her.”
“When Ewing found you, you had just come from here?” Chase asked thoughtfully.
“Yes.”
Chase whistled softly. “The boy is his, isn’t he? Billy is Thomas Blair’s son!” Rachel wouldn’t answer or look at him, but Chase pressed her. “You never told him, did you?”
“Thomas had already taken one child from me,” Rachel said defensively. “I wasn’t going to let him have Billy, too. Besides, he never would have believed Billy was his.”
“But why haven’t you told Jessie?”
“She wouldn’t believe me, either, Chase. She doesn’t believe anything I tell her. I think she would rather hate me. It’s easier for her that way. She’s afraid to care about me, afraid she’ll be hurt again. When I think of how she must have been hurt by all of this, my heart bleeds for her. But I can’t reach her if she won’t let me.”
Chase was thoughtful. What Thomas had done to Jessie was unnatural. It was an outrage. But damn it, it just wasn’t his concern—it wasn’t!
“I’m not going to get involved in this, Rachel. This is between you and Jessie.”
“I know.” She smiled in understanding. “And don’t worry about it. I’ll work it out somehow. I’ve involved you in my daughter’s affairs enough as it is.”
God, if she only knew how involved he’d become, he thought.
Chapter 22
RACHEL waited for Jessie in the kitchen that night. Kate had gone to sleep. Chase had gone to his room after dinner, and Rachel had put Billy to bed.
Jessie came in late. She had washed up at the stable, but her clothes were filthy. She used her hat to whack some of the dust off before she entered the kitchen. When she saw Rachel sitting at the table, she scowled.
“I’ve kept your dinner warm,” Rachel said casually.
Jessie stared at her. “I’m not hungry.”
“Have you eaten already?”
“No.”
“Then sit down and eat.” Rachel’s voice was firmer. “I want to talk to you, anyway.”
Rachel got up to make Jessie a plate, and Jessie didn’t say anything more. She was hungry, after all, and too tired to argue.
She pulled out a chair and plopped down at the table, her legs spread on each side of the chair as though in a saddle. She leaned back, one arm hooked over the back of the chair.
“Do you do that just to annoy me?” Rachel asked quietly as she put the plate in front of Jessie.
“What?”
“Sit like that.”
“What’s wrong with the way I sit?” Jessie demanded belligerently.
“If you can ask that, then you would benefit from a few lessons in feminine deportment.”
“From who? You?”
There was such derision in Jessie’s voice that Rachel gasped. “Do you think this is acceptable behavior for a young woman?”
“What the hell is the difference?” Jessie countered. “I live in my own world. I’m not exactly a social butterfly, now am I?”
“You’re not alone here, however,” Rachel pointed out. “You have a guest. What do you think a man of Mr. Summers’s sophistication thinks of such uncouth behavior?”
“I don’t give a good God—”
“Jessica!”
“Well, I don’t,” Jessie insisted. Then she acquiesced. “I haven’t forgotten the first eight years of my life, Rachel. I can conduct myself fittingly if the situation warrants it.”
“Then for heaven’s sake, why don’t you?” Rachel asked in exasperation.
“To impress a gambler? Why should I?”
“For my sake.”
Jessie didn’t respond.
“This is not what I wanted to talk to you about, though,” Rachel continued.
Jessie sat up to start eating. “I’m all talked out.”
“You will spare me a few more minutes.”
Jessie raised her brow at the firm tone. She was surprised, and a bit curious.
“I’m here. Talk. I just hope this isn’t going to be boring.”
“I promise you will not be bored with what I have to say. You may disagree perhaps, but—”
“Get to it, Rachel.”
The older woman drew herself up. “Very well, I will come directly to the point. You are not to go off on your own to visit your Indian friends again.”
Rachel braced herself for an explosion, but there wasn’t one. Jessie stared blankly at her, as though waiting to hear more.
At last Jessie asked, “Is that all you have to say?”
Rachel was amazed. She wasn’t putting up a fight. “Well, actually, I had my reasons for insisting on this if you wanted to hear them. But since you are going to be reasonable, I suppose it won’t be necessary to get into all that.”
“Wouldn’t matter, anyway,” Jessie said offhandedly. “You can give all the orders you like, Rachel. I do what I want.”
Rachel sat back, her face hot. She should have known better. “This time you will do as I say, Jessica.”
Jessie grinned, unconcerned. “Will I?”
“Yes, you will, if you want to keep on running this ranch.”
“Don’t mess with me, Rachel,” she warned softly. “You know nothing about ranching. And the men wouldn’t listen to you, anyway.”
“I didn’t think they would, but I’m in a position to bring in outside help if I deem it necessary.”
“My men take orders from me!”
Rachel’s voice rose, too. “Your men can be fired and new ones hired.”
“You have no right!”
“But I do, Jessica,” Rachel said more gently. “I am your guardian.”
Jessie was furious. “When will you get it through your silly head that my father only made you my guardian so you could see what a proper young lady he’d made of me? He brought you here to spite us both. He knew I didn’t really need you. He raised me to stand on my own—like any man!”
“Whatever the reason,” Rachel said stiffly, “I am here, and I do have the authority to do exactly as I said.”
“Why, damn you?” Jessie shouted, losing control. “What is really behind this?”
“Twice this last month you have left the ranch and gone off where you couldn’t be reached for days. That is totally irresponsible behavior, Jessica.”
“That won’t wash and you know it,” Jessie hissed. “Mitch Faber was left in charge, and Jeb could handle anything else that might have come up. So you’d damn well better have a better reason than that!”
“Where you went is reason enough,” Rachel said obdurately. “It is unthinkable that you should venture into an area forbidden to whites. I thought your Indians were friendly. If I had known they were not, I would have put my foot down sooner.”