Chapter 17
The evening sun left streaks of red, pink and orange splattered across a purple sky as Wyatt pulled the wagon up in front of the house. Edwina sat in her favorite rocking chair with a sleeping Adam in her arms. She looked serene and happy when she gave him a wide smile. “Hello,” she mouthed to him, so not to wake the baby.
He nodded and forced himself to smile back at her. As he looked at the woman who claimed to be his wife, he couldn’t see any doubt or greed in her eyes. She looked at him with as much love as she had when he’d left for town. Could he have been so wrong about her? Wyatt was always good at judging people. He didn’t think there was any way she could fool him by pretending the feelings of love she showed him last night. And what about Adam? If she didn’t really love the child, could she spend most of her days cooing and playing with him? Tonight, wouldn’t she have put him to bed ages ago instead of sitting here and holding him as if he were the most important child in the world to her? Something didn’t add up, but sooner or later he would get to the bottom of it. He was sure of that.
He leaned down and whispered, “I’ll get Juan to help me set up Adam’s new furniture, then you can put him down.”
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“I’ll eat later. I want to get this done.”
“All right.”
He kissed the top of her head quickly and headed into the house to find Juan.
When he came out to get the furniture from the wagon, Edwina and Adam were nowhere in sight. He shrugged and moved to the wagon.
It didn’t take long for them to put the furniture in place. Rosalinda appeared and wiped away all the dust. “It matches your crib perfectly, Wyatt.”
“Does, doesn’t it?” Wyatt looked at her. “Where’s Adam?”
“Miz Edwina took him to her old room. She was afraid all the moving around and slamming things together would wake him in here.”
“If you’ll tell her everything is ready, I’ll clean up and get ready to go get a bite to eat if you’ll warm it up for me.”
“What about your wife?”
“What do you mean?”
“She hasn’t eaten, either. She wanted to wait so she could eat with you.”
He frowned. Again he wondered why she’d do such a thing. She could’ve already eaten and he wouldn’t have thought any thing about it. Now, he learned she’d been waiting. Why didn’t she say something when he told her on the porch he’d wait to eat?
“If you’ll get our plates ready, I’ll tell her to put Adam down.” He left the room behind Rosalinda. Three doors down the hall, he started to knock. Seeing it was ajar, he eased it open and glanced inside.
Edwina was on the bed with her back to him. He figured Adam had awakened because she was talking to him. “Yes, baby, your daddy went to town and bought you your very own wardrobe. Can you believe that? You no longer have to put your clothes in a trunk under Mama’s window and you don’t have to sleep with Mama or in a box like you did at Uncle Hezekiah’s house.”
Wyatt heard the baby say, “Da. Horsie.”
“Yes, honey, Daddy took the horse to town. He loves you very much and I think he loves Mama, too. Isn’t it wonderful? We are so lucky, Adam. Mama will never be able to repay him for all his kindnesses.”
Wyatt couldn’t move. He knew Edwina was unaware of his presence, so she had no reason to talk like this unless she meant it.
She continued her one-sided conversation with Adam. “I’m so glad we were able to find your daddy and your grandpa.”
“Gapa.”
“Yes, Gapa. He loves you, too, Adam. If we hadn’t found them I would have lost you. Uncle Hezekiah would’ve given you to the Clarks and he would have made my life more miserable than it already was. I don’t know if I could’ve survived without you, my precious son. The thoughts of what could have happened make me shake inside.”
Wyatt was confused, but he was sure now Edwina wasn’t pulling any kind of scam on him. She was only a pawn in her uncle’s scheme, whatever that was.
He decided it was time to make his presence known. He knocked on the door. “Hope I didn’t wake you and Adam.”
She turned. There was laughter in her eyes. “I’m afraid I’m the one who woke Adam. When we came into the house, I hit my elbow on the banister and jarred him. When we got upstairs, I started to bring him and see how the furniture was coming, but I was afraid we’d bother you.”
“You wouldn’t have, but it’s too late to worry about that now.” He reached down and picked up Adam.
“Da.”
“Yeah, big fellow. Are you ready to go try out your new bed in your new room?”
“Mama.”
“Yes, Mama can come, too.”
They went through his bedroom to the small adjoining room. He slid the door aside and Edwina gasped. “It’s wonderful, Wyatt. Everything fits perfectly and he’ll be close by us.”
“I had this rocking chair put in here in case we have to get up with him at times, but as I told you earlier, I’m leaving the rest of the decorating up to you and Rosalinda.”
“I think it looks wonderful. We’ve never had anything so nice.”
“Adam, I’m going to give you to Mama and let her rock you back to sleep. I’ll go get cleaned up for supper.”
In twenty minutes, Adam was tucked in his bed and Edwina and Wyatt were seated at the dining room table. Rosalinda served them and Wyatt told her to go home with her husband.
Edwina insisted she listen to him. “I’ll wash the dishes,” she said.
“Don’t you dare. Stack them on the sideboard. I’ll wash them while I cook breakfast.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Good night to you two. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Rosalinda,” they said together.
They ate for several minutes in silence. Wyatt broke it. “I ran into Thourgood Reeson in town today.”
“Do I know who he is?”
“He’s Cora Sue Reeson’s father.”
“The other woman who thinks you’re a good kisser?”
He couldn’t help smiling. “She’s the one.”
“I bet her father isn’t very fond of me, either.”
“Probably isn’t. He wanted me to marry his daughter.”
She smiled at him. “I hope you aren’t sorry you chose to marry me instead of her.”
“I’m not sorry at all.” He started to tell her what Reeson had told him today, but he changed his mind. He’d wait until they were through supper.
After they finished their meal, Edwina insisted on washing their plates. “Rosalinda works hard. I don’t want to make any extra jobs for her.”
Wyatt agreed and he helped her clear the table.
When they were finished, he told her to go ahead and get ready for bed and he’d be up soon. She gave him a funny look, but did as he asked.
At first, Wyatt thought he’d go to his study and give her time to go to sleep before he went to the room. Then he changed his mind. He knew he was putting off confronting her and he decided he didn’t want to do that any longer.
Extinguishing the lamps and locking the doors, he took a deep breath and headed upstairs. When he pushed open the bedroom door he saw Edwina sitting at the dressing table wearing the night clothes he’d bought her in Santa Fe and brushing her long blonde hair. She was so beautiful it almost took his breath away.
She turned and his heart fluttered. This woman wasn’t a fake. He knew it in his heart. Nothing else mattered. He’d not let what Thourgood Reeson or anyone else said make him think differently. He couldn’t change his feelings. He was in love with Edwina and he’d defend her against any rumors the man or anyone else started.
He walked over to the dressing table, put his hands on her shoulders, bent over her from the back and kissed the top of her head. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She leaned back against him. “Do you like the outfit this handsome man I know bought for me to wear to bed?”
“I like it very much. I’m sure he thought you’d look lovely in it.”
“I admit it’s prettier than the old muslin night gowns I’ve been sleeping in.”
“You don’t have to sleep in them any longer.”
Edwina put her brush on the table and stood. Turning to him, she said, “You’re so good to me, Wyatt. I don’t deserve a man as good as you.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Why would you say that?”
“I’m not special like you are.”
“I’m not special, Edwina. I’m only a cowboy who happens to own a large ranch.”
“But I’m a nobody. Uncle Hezekiah says I’m the product of a couple who had no right to have children. He says the world would’ve been better off if I’d never been born. He—”
“That’s enough. I don’t give a damn what Uncle Hezekiah says. You’re a wonderful mother and wife. Any man would feel blessed to have a woman like you at his side.”
“I love you, Wyatt. I’m so happy to be your wife.”
He took her in his arms and kissed her. Without breaking their kiss, he swooped her up in his arms and carried her to their bed. He decided this would be their bed for the rest of their lives. It didn’t matter what anyone else said or did.