“What happened? How badly are the horses hurt? How much can be saved?” Leah asked all at once as she started to help Oliver with the horses.
“Damn you!” Wesley hissed, then the next second he caught her in his arms and kissed her so hard he hurt her.
“Wesley!” She gasped, pushing at him. “People are watching.” She looked at Justin, who was scowling furiously, and John, who was watching them with great interest.
Wesley set her down and, for the first time in weeks, his face showed happiness. “Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my wife, Leah Stanford.”
Only John saw Kim faint, and he was quickly up the hill after her.
Leah’s knees gave way and Wes swept her off the ground. “Don’t you have anything to say, honey?” Wes asked her.
Chapter 13
It took hours to clean up the mess of the wagon. One horse had to be destroyed and the other three were badly scraped and cut, but they’d heal in time. Some sacks of seed had burst open and most of the contents were lost, but few other goods were really hurt.
At the top of the hill, Kimberly was crying loudly while John Hammond tried his best to comfort her. Justin was very angry and threw goods about with force, never once looking at Leah or Wes. Oliver kept looking from one person to another while Leah, with shaking hands, tried to help sort the misplaced wagon contents.
But Wesley acted as if nothing at all was unusual. He was smiling, even humming at times, and telling everyone what to do.
“Leah, honey,” Wes said, “hand me that little hatbox.”
Obediently Leah picked it up, but as she looked at him smiling at her she threw it at his face, turned, and ran toward the stream, tears in her eyes.
Wesley caught up with her, took her shoulders and turned her to face him. “What’s wrong, honey? I thought you’d be happy when I told everyone the truth about us. It’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”
She moved away from him and tried to calm herself. “I knew it had to happen sometime, but when I heard you say it…You ought to tell your friends about the divorce and for heaven’s sake, stop calling me ‘honey.’”
“Divorce?” He looked puzzled. “Oh no, you don’t understand. I’ve decided we should stay married. There won’t be any divorce.”
“I think I’ll sit down,” Leah said quietly before she almost collapsed onto the damp ground. “Could you explain all this to me?”
He grinned down at her confidently. “It’s just that I’ve come to like you, Leah. I was pretty mad at first. Well, all right, more than a little mad and maybe I didn’t give you much of a chance, but you’d ruined all my plans and all I could think of was losing Kim.”
He hunkered down in front of her. “But on this trip I’ve come to know you. I thought I wanted a woman like Kim who needed me, but Kim needs a maid more than she needs a man. And besides, you need me, too. You’re always trying to take on too much, always trying to do everything for everyone else.”
“So you decided I needed you, too,” Leah said softly.
“Yes. And besides, you’re
more fun than Kim. It took me a long time to make the decision but I decided we’ll stay married. It just makes sense anyway and it’ll cause a lot less trouble.”
“And Kim?” Leah asked.
Wes looked down at his feet. “I used to think I loved her but I’m not sure I ever did. I’m not sure I’ve ever loved any woman. And I think Kim may be more interested in my money than in me,” he said, his jaw clenched. “I’ve worked things out with her. She’ll receive a handsome sum from me every month until she marries. She’s pretty so I’m sure she’ll have no trouble finding a husband.”
He was quiet for a moment. “Aren’t you going to say anything? I thought you wanted to marry me. That’s why you seduced me that first time, isn’t it?”
Leah stood and walked away from him. “I want to make sure I’ve heard you correctly. You don’t love me and you’ve never loved Kim, but between the two of us you’ve chosen me because it’s easier than a divorce and remarriage, and besides, I’m more fun and I need you to protect me from myself. Is that about it?”
He frowned up at her. “I guess so, but you make it sound awfully cold. I think we’ll make a good team, Leah. Between the two of us we’ll build a place bigger than my brother’s and I know you’re fertile so we’ll have lots of children.”
“And would you like to check my teeth also?”
He stood. “I think you’re getting mad. Here I am giving you what you wanted and you’re getting mad. Do you expect me to go down on one knee and declare undying love for you? I’m not sure I know what love is. I thought I loved Kim but now all I know is I’ve had enough of her tears and helplessness and I want something different.”
She was breathing deeply to try to calm her fury. “And what happens to me when you decide you want more than just fun and my needing you? Will you go back to Kim or perhaps choose another woman?”
“Are you accusing me of…of being fickle?” he said.