Chapter Twenty-Five
"Chase, you seem quieter than normal." Leah stated as her families house came into view. "What's wrong?" Chase sighed and pointed up toward lookout hill.
"I need to show you something." he replied.
"You're scaring me." Leah said slowly and he stopped Blaze and dismounted, signaling for Leah to do the same. He hitched their horses to the post and then wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her toward the hill.
"Tobias and his men came here and you already know they hurt your mother." he said quietly and Leah nodded.
"Yes, you told me that. Chase, what is going on?!" she exclaimed.
"Benjamin was here when they attacked and he did not get away in time. He's buried up here on the hill." Leah stopped walking suddenly and stared up at Chase. With pleading green eyes she silently begged him to admit that he was lying or telling a terrible joke but his black eyes just gazed back down at her, full of regret and pain that she knew was for her and not over the loss of Benjamin.
"Chase, it can't be true...." she gasped as she shook her head and covered her mouth. "Why would someone kill a helpless man?"
"For the same reason that they would kidnap and torture a helpless woman. They are cowards." Chase replied. Leah sniffled and then she began to cry and Chase wrapped her tight in his arms.
As she cried he guided her up on the hill and the freshly made grave was easy to find. Chase stood still and silent as Leah pulled from his arms and dropped to her knees beside the small wooden cross with Benjamin's name etched across it.
Chase could hear her whispering to the grave, speaking final words to her first love and Chase took several steps away and turned his back to give her the proper privacy.
It was a long time that Chase waited patiently and finally he heard her moving behind him and then her hands were on his back.
"Thank you for bringing me here." she whispered. He turned and watched her swipe her arm across her face, clearing the tears.
"I knew you would want to mourn without so many eyes watching you." Chase replied with a half shrug as he took her by the elbow and pulled her into him. "These are the last sad tears you will cry for a long time." he vowed with certainty.
"You can't promise that." Leah countered and Chase nodded.
"I can and I do." Leah lost herself in his arms as he laid his chin on her head and simply held her.
"Benjamin is probably much happier now. He hated being the way he was in that chair."
"And now he can see you always and share in your happiness." Chase added.
"I'm ready to go." she whispered as she pulled away and stood proudly in front of him. Chase raised his brow and nodded.
"You're sure?" he asked. "I'll wait for as long as you need." Leah smiled at him. Leave it to Chase to be so understanding and caring toward her. He always put her before himself. Always. It was one of the things she loved most about him.
"I know you would but I'm sure. I want to go to the house and get a change of clothes before we go to town." Chase nodded and slipped his arm around her shoulders before leading her down the hill.
***
"Leah! Leah, help me!" Jane exclaimed as Leah and Chase dismounted beside the doctors office. She was running from the direction of the hotel and looked scared to death. Leah had no idea what could possibly scare the tough talking woman so bad and she walked toward her with concern.
"What's wrong?" she asked gently. Jane pulled her gun and began cocking and uncocking it quickly. Leah saw Chase stiffen and go for his own gun but when she laid her hand gently on his arm he calmed down and gave her an apologetic tilt of the head.
"Why I'm nervouser than a long tailed cat in a room chalk full of rockin' chairs." Jane exclaimed. Leah hid a smile behind her hand.
"Okay. And what has you nervouser than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs?" she asked as Chase rolled his shoulders. She could tell he was already tired of town but doing his best to just stand there patiently.
"That woman!" Jane hissed and then she holstered her gun and smiled apologetically as she wiped her hands on her thighs. "Sorry, I mean your mama."
"What happened?" Leah asked. Jane threw her hands in the air.
"I made the mistake a walkin' in there with Chance and she let me know right quick that I sure ain't wanted 'round."
"My mother said that?" Leah asked with a frown. Sarah was normally not the type to say things like that. She might turn up her nose or wring her hands but she was hardly ever vocal.
"Naw, not to my face, but she didn't have to." Jane mumbled as she kicked the ground with her scuffed up boot. "Now I ain't never wanted no man but truth of it is, I kinda like your brother and believe it or not that crazy man seems to like me too." Jane's blue eyes took on a faraway look before she shook her head and snapped back to the present. "Anywho, she sure don't want me around. And just as soon as I walked out of the doctors I heard her telling Chance so."
"I'll go talk to her." Leah promised as she began to turn around. She knew what it was like to have Sarah and Paul Gordon to go up against and she was going to make sure she had Chance and Jane's back even if Chance hadn't had hers until recently.
"No. No. No." Jane called out quickly as she grabbed Leah's arm. Leah was faintly aware of Chase shifting his feet and knew that her Indian was getting restless. She also knew why. There were more than a few dirty looks coming their way and people crossing the street to avoid him.
"I don't wanna fight with the woman." Jane added matter of factly.
"Then what do you want?" Leah asked, feeling her own patience waning.
'I need your help." Jane admitted. "I wanna impress her."
"Impress her?"
"Yeah." Jane said with an enthusiastic nod. "I wanna get all gussied up and look more like a proper lady is 'spose to look. Maybe then she'll like me."
"Why do you need my help?" Jane flushed red, beneath the streaks of dirt on her face and began twirling some of her dirty, knotted hair around her finger.
"Cuz I ain't never gotten gussied up a single time in my life. I don't even know how to do it!" Leah sighed and glanced at Chase.
"I could use a bath too, I suppose." she said. "Chase, will you be okay by yourself for a while?" He raised his brow and looked down at her as if her question made him wonder about her sanity. She smiled. "Of course you will be, you're Chase Caldwell after all."
"So you'll help me?" Jane asked happily.
"Of course." Leah replied as she took her bag full of clothes from Chase and put her arm around Jane's shoulders. "First things first, we have to get you a dress."
Chase shook his head as he watched them walk away. It was going to take more than a dress to turn Jane into a 'proper' lady. And why the devil would a woman want to be a proper lady anyhow? As far as Chase was concerned there wasn't a more attractive sight in the world than Leah in a pair of buckskin pants and a thin cotton shirt.
Chase's attention turned toward the doctors when Chance came storming out, his dirty boots stomping across the dusty boardwalk and kicking the dirt as he stepped out onto the road. Chance looked up and his mumbling ceased when he saw Chase watching him.
"I'm damn sorry I ever said a damn thing about you not being good enough for Leah. I swear to God and everything in the heavens that I don't know what kept Leah from punching those people, and me, right in the mouth!"
"Are you going to take their advice?" Chase asked as he searched his pockets for a cigarette.
"Hell no!" Chance exclaimed passionately. "I don't care if they like her or not, it ain't them that'll be putting up with her, it'll be me." Chase simply nodded and then his hand closed around what he was searching for. He placed the cigarette between his lips and struck his match. As he was lighting the rolled tobacco and paper he realized Chance was staring at him and seemed to want to ask him a question.
Chase sighed and walked over to the porch post in front of the doctors. He leaned his back against it, pulled his hat low over his eyes and stuck his thumbs through the belt loops of his buckskin pants.
"What?" he asked, while looking down at the dirt in front of his boots. Chance crossed his arms over his chest and cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Well.. Uh.. How long... Uh.. When did you know that Leah was the one for you? I mean is there a certain amount of time it should take or should it happen quick or...." Chase used the tip of his finger to push his hat up and raised his brow at Chance.
"You think Jane is the one?"
"I don't know." Chance replied as he uncrossed and crossed his arms several times. "That depends on your answer."
"I knew right away." Chase replied simply as he pulled his hat back down and resumed his relaxed posture. "My father always said that if it is your life mate that your heart will tell you instantly. It is the rest of our bodies and minds that sometimes fight against it."
"Okay then." Chance said as he put his shoulders back and raised his chin. "Did you see where Jane went? And where's Leah?"
"The dressmakers and then the hotel after that. Apparently Jane wants to be 'gussied up' and impress your mother." Chance let out a long breath and ran his hand over his face.
"Oh dear."
"Oh dear is right." Chase replied before blowing out a rolling ball of smoke from his nose and mouth. As it swirled around his head he flicked some ashes and sighed. "I hate towns."
***
"Ouch!" Jane exclaimed, swatting at Leah's arm for the tenth time as Leah tried desperately to brush through her dirty and tangled hair. Leah fought the urge to swat her with the brush and instead let out a slow breath.
"How long has it been exactly since you've brushed your hair?" she asked calmly as the brush became entangled in yet another knot. Jane winced and shrugged as she looked at Leah's bruised face in the mirror.
"I dunno. My mama used to brush it now and again but she died when I was eight." Leah's eyes widened as she stared dumbfounded at Jane's reflection.
"How old are you now?"
"Nineteen!" Jane exclaimed with pain as Leah tore through the knot.
"Eleven years?!" Leah demanded. "It's been eleven years?!"
"I guess so." Jane replied as she swatted at Leah's hand yet again. Leah pulled away from her and laid the brush on the vanity. "What are you doing?" Jane asked, turning to look up at her.
"I say we just cut it all off and say to hell with it." she replied, crossing her arms over her chest and raising her brow as she looked down at Jane. Jane's eyes widened with horror.
"Ya can't do that!" she exclaimed. "I'll never impress that woman if'n ya cut me bald!" Leah shrugged, feigning indifference.
"If you swat me one more time then that's exactly what's going to happen." she warned. Jane glared at her and then threw herself back against the chair with a harumph.
"Fine." she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "You sure are mean." Leah just smiled as she went back to brushing out Jane's hair, this time without the constant swatting.