Julie Garwood - Come the Spring

It's just that there's so little time to decide, and I . . . " She

couldn't go on. She'd start crying if she tried to explain. She took

several deep breaths in an effort to control her emotions before she

started questioning Josey once again.

Josey was watching her closely. She noticed how pale Jessica was and

how sad her eyes looked. She wanted to ask her if she was in trouble

and if so, if there was anything that she and Tom could do to help, but

Jessica spoke before she could get the words out.

"Do you consider yourself patient? " "I beg your pardon? " "Are you

patient? " "Tom seems to think I am, " she answered.

"What do you do when you get angry? " Josey leaned back in her

chair.

She was thoroughly perplexed by her guest's peculiar questions.

"I clean."

"I'm sorry? " Jessica asked, not understanding.

"I clean, " Josey repeated. "When I get into a lather about something

or other, I scrub my floors and wash my walls and do whatever else I

need to do until I've gotten rid of my anger. Then I talk it out with

Tom.

Are you going to tell me why you're asking me these questions? " Tears

sprang into Jessica's eyes. "Yes, I'll explain just as soon as Cole

finishes talking to your husband. Do you keep lye under your

counter?

" "Do I what? " "Keep lye under your counter."

"Good heavens, no, " Josey answered. "Like I told you before, I'm used

to watching my nieces and nephews. A couple of them are about your

baby's age. They can walk and get into mischief, but they don't have a

lick of sense yet. Lye could kill them, so I keep it up where they

can't get to it.

You're in trouble, aren't you, Jessica? " "Yes, " she whispered. "I'm

sorry I've been so. . . suspicious, but I needed to know."

"Know what? " Josey asked.

"Cole will explain, " she replied. "But I promise I won't hound you

with any more questions." Josey reached over to pat Jessica's hand.

"You're with a good, strong man to help you through this trouble. "

"Cole's a marshal and he's part of my problem. If it weren't for him,

I wouldn't be on my way to Texas." Josey's frown deepened. "I guess

I'm just gonna have to wait until Tom tells me what's going on, then.

That baby's been trying to get to his cookie for a good five minutes

now, " she added, deliberately changing the subject because Jessica

looked on the verge of tears again. "Why don't you lessen your grip on

him and let him have one. Can he drink out of a glass yet? " Jessica

turned her attention to her son. She moved the glass toward him and

told him to show Josey how he could manage a glass. She was bragging

about his ability when he spilled the milk.

Josey chuckled. "It's usually my Tom who does that, " she commented.

She mopped up the milk with a dishcloth and then held Jessica's glass

while Caleb took a drink.

Caleb was finally ready to get down and explore the kitchen. Jessica

followed him and held the drawers closed so he couldn't empty them.

"Sit back down and let him play, " Josey suggested.

"He'll destroy your kitchen, " she warned. "Caleb's a very curious

child." Josey opened the doors under the counters. "My nieces and

nephews like to play with my pots and pans. That's the way, " she said

when Caleb squatted down and reached for one of the wooden spoons.

Jessica sat down next to Josey once again, and while they got to know

one another, Caleb made a fine mess banging on the pots and pans.

Within ten minutes he had warmed up to Josey enough to let her pick him

up and kiss him.

Cole and Tom came back into the kitchen then, and Cole gave Jessica a

quick nod.

"Josey, you and I are going to be keeping this little boy a spell, "

Tom announced.

Josey patted the baby and looked at Jessica. "No wonder you were

asking those questions. I'll be proud to watch him for you, " she

added. "And Tom and I won't let anything happen to him."

"Jessica's a witness, and she's got to go to Texas to testify, " Tom

said. "Cole doesn't think it's a good idea to take the baby with

them."

"When do you think you'll be back? " Josey asked Cole.

"I don't know, " he answered. "Maybe two weeks . . . or longer. "

"He won't remember me." Every one turned to Jessica.

"Of course he'll remember you, " Josey said. "We won't let him

forget.

" Tom suggested Jessica and Cole spend the night with them so that the

adjustment for Caleb would be easier on him. Jessica let Josey bathe

Caleb but hovered over her like a mother hen. Josey did know her way

around babies. She filled a basin in the sink and let Caleb splash

water everywhere while she lathered him up.

"You're very good with him, " Jessica told her.

She followed Josey up the stairs to the guest room. Caleb, wrapped in

a thick towel, was peeking at his mother over Josey's shoulder.

"He always sleeps with a rag doll. It's in his valise, " Jessica

said.

"Oh, and he hates carrots. He'll spit them out if you try to force

them on him."

"I wouldn't do that, " Josey said. "I hate carrots too. I know you're

gonna worry, no matter what assurances I give you, but I promise you

I'm gonna love this boy like he was my own. Why don't you go on

downstairs for a bit and let Caleb get used to me.

I'll call out if I need help."

"Yes, that's a good idea, " Jessica said. It was also a test. Putting

Caleb to bed required stamina and patience. Every once in a while, if

he was overly tired, Caleb would throw a tantrum. The baby was all

wound up now, and that was a sure indication that trouble was coming.

Jessica left the valise on the bed and closed the door behind her.

When she came downstairs, she found Cole in the living room standing by

the window, looking out. She glared at him before turning her back on

him.

"What was that all about? " She began to pace. "This is all your

fault, " she whispered. "Can't you see that this is breaking my

heart?

" He started toward her, but she put her hand out to keep him at bay.

"I can't leave him. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. He'll be

lost without me, and he'll be afraid and he'll be miserable and . .

.

" As if to mock her, Caleb's peal of laughter echoed down the stairs.

Cole shook his head. "He sure doesn't sound miserable."

"I'm not going to go through with this. My mind's made up, " she

whispered.

She turned to go back up the stairs, but Cole grabbed hold of her hand

and pulled her up against him.

"Tom? " he called out. "Jessica and I are going for a walk." The way

he was squeezing her hand told her not to argue. She let him drag her

out the back door and into the yard. He didn't stop pulling her along

until he reached a cluster of trees that shielded them from the street

and gave them privacy.

"Now you listen to meţ" he began.

She cut him off. "Don't you dare take that tone of voice with me. I

will not leave my baby with strangers. I'm sorry, Cole, but that's the

way it's going to be." She tried to jerk her hand away, but he

tightened his hold and pulled her close until she was pressed against

his chest. His face was inches away from hers. He was going to give

her a hard lecture because she was being so stubborn, but then he saw

her tears and relented. Now wasn't the time to lecture.

"I know how hard this is . . . " "No, you don't know. You aren't a

mother."

"No, I'm not, " he agreed. "You're going to have to be sensible. I

know Tom Norton, and I'm telling you he's trustworthy.

When Luke MacFarland and his wife were killed, Tom and Josey wanted to

raise their children."

"Why didn't they? " "Luke's relatives wouldn't let them. They farmed

the children out among them."

"They separated brothers? " she whispered.

"Yes, but Tom tried to keep them all together. I'm telling you he's a

good man. So is his wife. Josey took care of me when I got sick. I

was a stranger to her, but she still nursed me back to health. The

Nortons aren't going to let anything bad happen to your baby. They'll

love him, Jessie, and we can't take Caleb with us. You know that,

don't you? " "I'm not going to go to Texas."

"Must you be so stubborn about this? It's out of your hands. You have

to go, and Caleb has to stay."

"I hate this, " she cried out.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "I know you do. "

"I'm beginning to hate you too, Cole Clayborne. This is all your

fault."

"All right. It's all my fault, " he whispered. His chin dropped down

on top of her head, and he continued to hold her and stroke her back

for several minutes until she had calmed down. He couldn't help but

notice how good she felt in his arms.

She couldn't stop thinking about the danger Caleb had been in when that

monster had killed her guard. Her son could have been killed too.

The Nortons would keep him safe. In her heart she knew that to be