California. So we saved enough to get to Galveston and from there to Houston, then Bryan. We planned to work our way across the West.
‘‘But Dan got sick a year ago, and the doctor’s fee put us in debt. I started working at the mercantile, and Jamie ran the mail.’’
Win shifted. ‘‘What does this have to do with Andrew Adams?’’ He had the feeling she was stalling.
‘‘Everything,’’ she whispered. ‘‘A woman who picked up her mail at the mercantile started writing him and agreed to marry him by mail. But she found another a few days before he arrived and tossed his letters in the trash. Just out of curiosity, I read them and decided to meet the stage, wondering what such a man would look like.
‘‘The stage was late. When it came in, all were dead but Adams. He had four bullet holes in him and the doctor said he’d never live the night. I’d read the letters, I knew he had no relatives, and he’d already signed the proxy. All I had to do was sign the paper, and I’d be a widow with a farm somewhere northwest.’’
‘‘So you lied.’’ Win’s words were hard. ‘‘About him and then to me.’’
‘‘The lie to him only moved us to another place to starve.’’
‘‘But you thought the lie to me would get you to your sunshine in California,’’ Win snapped as he stood.
‘‘That’s right,’’ Kora whispered without looking up.
‘‘If the paper is legal, there’s not much you can do. The law wouldn’t step between a man and wife.’’
‘‘And if it’s not?’’
‘‘Then you stay till full summer with me. I’ll see that you don’t break this agreement.’’ He looked away from her. ‘‘When the six months is over, I want you gone.’’
The sound of him walking away was all she heard.
TWELVE
‘‘HOW ABOUT I KILL THEM BOTH?’’ JAMIE OFFERED AS she leaned against the counter watching Kora cut out the morning’s biscuits. ‘‘Then you’d have no husbands and we could start over fresh.’’
Kora smiled, thankful that her sister was speaking to her once more. She had all the problems she could handle without Jamie’s anger. ‘‘I’ll think about it.’’
‘‘It wouldn’t be that much trouble. We’ve already paid for Andrew’s funeral, and Win’s got enough land around for burying. After what he did to Wyatt and me last night, I’d slit his throat without a second thought.’’ Her eyes danced with excitement. ‘‘Then, of course, I’d have to become an outlaw. I could branch off into bank robbery and be a gun-for-hire, that kind of thing. And I’d still see Wyatt, of course. We’d be the gambler and the outlaw everyone makes up legends about.’’
Kora smiled at her sister’s outrageous daydream. ‘‘You’ll not start your life of crime on one of my husbands. But as for the gambler, what did happen between you two last night?’’
Jamie raised her eyebrows up and down, then shook her head. ‘‘You wouldn’t understand.’’
‘‘Is he interested in marriage?’’ Kora asked as she agreed with Jamie about not understanding. Except for the kiss she’d shared with Win in the barn, she’d never found men as fascinating to be around as Jamie seemed to.
‘‘He’s interested in me,’’ Jamie offered. ‘‘As for marriage, I think he feels about like I do concerning that black curse.’’
‘‘It’s not a curse.’’
Jamie laughed. ‘‘It’s a curse by which you’ve been doubly blessed, dear sister. I’d call that witchin’ luck for sure.’’
Both women grew silent as Winter entered the kitchen. He was dressed in the clean clothes Kora laid out, but he didn’t look as if he’d slept at all. His hair was still damp from the washing, and a touch of shaving soap brushed the corner of his mustache.
‘‘Mornin’,’’ he mumbled as he pulled a cup from the rack. ‘‘Any coffee yet?’’
‘‘I’m not speaking to you!’’ Jamie shouted as she folded her arms.
Kora wrapped a towel around the pot handle and filled his cup. Her hand shook slightly, but if he wanted to pretend nothing was wrong, she would, also.
Only a foot stood between them as she poured. He leaned a little closer. ‘‘How about you?’’ he whispered. ‘‘Are you speaking to me?’’
‘‘I’m not angry with you,’’ Kora said as she turned and put the pot down. ‘‘None of this mess was your fault.’’ Lightly she brushed the soap from his face as she spoke. ‘‘I wouldn’t wish the man dead, but I’m thankful I was with you when he appeared last night.’’
Win’s gaze watched her closely as though bracing himself for another lie. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly at her action. A crack so small in the granite that no one but Kora saw it. She touched the edge of his lip again even though the shaving soap was gone.
‘‘Well, I’m angry,’’ Jamie said from behind him. ‘‘What makes you think you have any right to ruin my life?’’
‘‘I thought you weren’t speaking to me.’’ Win looked over his shoulder at Jamie. In the few days Kora and he had been married, he’d seen Jamie undressed more often then he’d ever see his wife.
‘‘I’m not as soon as I finish yelling at you! You’re not my kin or husband. You’re probably not even my brother-in-law!’’
Winter looked over the brim of his coffee at his almost sister-in-law. ‘‘Talking to me or not, the gambler goes,’’ he said between sips of coffee.
‘‘Brother-in-law or not, the gambler stays!’’ Jamie answered.
‘‘But he’s nothing but a low-down-’’
‘‘You won’t speak ill of the man I may decide to love.’’
Winter sat his cup down. ‘‘You don’t know the first thing about love and marriage.’’
‘‘And you do?’’ Jamie shot back. ‘‘You’re the one who married a woman already married. That’s at least one rule I know.’’ Jamie smiled at the anger building in his face. ‘‘And you didn’t even love her, so I guess that really makes you an expert on love and marriage.’’
They both ignored Kora as though she weren’t in the room as they squared off to take their anger out on each other.
‘‘I know that love is more than what you were doing in the grass last night.’’ Winter’s voice was low and cold.
‘‘I wasn’t doing anything you wouldn’t like to be doing to Kora,’’ Jamie said loud and hot tempered. ‘‘I’ve seen the way you look at her. But you can forget any fantasies you have because, despite her marrying habit, Kora is too frightened of men to enjoy loving one.’’
‘‘You don’t know her as well as you think, she-’’
A loud pounding on the door ended his planned threat.
‘‘I’ve come for my wife!’’ Andrew Adams yelled from the back porch. ‘‘She damn well better be ready to leave this morning, or I’ll drag her home screaming.’’
Winter glared at Jamie. ‘‘We’ll finish this later.’’ He turned to Kora. ‘‘Have you changed your mind since last night about going with him?’’
‘‘No,’’ Kora answered. ‘‘I’ll never go with the man. No matter what his paper proves, please don’t make me go with him.’’
Winter gave a nod. ‘‘Then stay here. I’ll be back for breakfast in a few minutes.’’
He opened the back door and stepped out before Andrew had a chance to poke his head inside.
Kora could hear their voices but couldn’t make out what they were saying. They moved from the porch to the hitching post in the yard. Andrew Adams sounded angry, but Winter’s tone was low, almost calm.
Glancing out the window, she saw Andrew Adams waving a sheet of paper at Winter’s face. Win took the paper and looked at it a long moment while Andrew pointed over and over again to the house. Then, to her shock, she saw Winter reach in his pocket and pull out a roll of bills. He peeled off a few and handed them to Adams. The little man took the money greedily. Winter turned slowly and headed back to the house, dismissing Adams with his action.