The Western Chronicles
by B L Miller and Vada Foster
38: Preparations
The routine they had established varied little as the days went by. Each morning it was harder for Josie to pull herself away from the sleeping form next to her. Instead of separating herself from Rebecca, she found her arms snaking around her to draw her even closer. And even in her sleep, Rebecca returned the embrace, snugging her own arm around Josie’s middle and draping her leg over Josie’s thigh. Josie had never felt such contentment. She would wait until she heard Charles puttering around in the house and finally with a soft kiss to Rebecca’s lips she would drag herself out of bed.
Before Josie climbed up on the roof, both she and Charles trooped to the flower garden to pick a handful of flowers. With a wave, Charles would then make his way to the cottonwoods to visit with his wife, and Josie would put the fresh flowers in the vase for Rebecca.
On the fifth morning before he walked away, Charles called out to Josie who stopped and turned around. "Been meaning to ask you, you know Rebecca’s birthday is coming up in a few days…" he began, but stopped when the look on her face made it clear she had not known.
"No, she didn’t tell me," she said. She was hurt that Rebecca had told Charles about her birthday, but did not share it with her. She squared her shoulders and tried to act like it didn’t matter. "What day is it?"
"The twenty-first. I want to do something special for her, but I don’t know her well enough to know what she’d like. Maybe you could give me some ideas?"
Josie thought about it for a few moments and then said, "Well, she loves to read. A book would be nice. Or some fabric and embroidery thread," she added, remembering how much Rebecca had enjoyed embroidery once she finally caught on.
Charles’ face lit up; he had the perfect gift for her.
"Thanks, Josie. Oh, and not a word to Rebecca, all right?"
"Count on it," she said as she watched him walk off with lightness in his step she had not seen before. She only wished she had an idea of what she could give her. And then it came to her. The piece of wood she had been half-heartedly whittling on for several days had gradually resolved itself into a fairly decent looking totem. If she could finish it in time she was certain Rebecca would like it, fascinated as she was with all things Cherokee. It would mean stopping work on the roof earlier in the day so she would have more daylight hours to work on it. Rebecca had been occupied with her own tasks and didn’t seem to notice what the gunslinger was up to, so she figured she could accomplish it without her being any the wiser. Josie hummed as she went about her work on the roof, and thought of things she could do to make Rebecca’s birthday a very special day.
Horace arrived two days before Rebecca’s birthday. From her vantage point on the roof Josie could see the dust of his wagon even before the wagon itself was visible. She was fairly certain it must be Charles’ brother coming down the road, but to be on the safe side she climbed down from the roof and strapped on a gun. When he pulled into the door yard with a jangling of harness and was met by a tall woman dressed in black with her hand lightly resting on the handle of her gun, he pulled up short with a look of confusion on his face that changed to fear. "Has something happened to my brother?" He asked, his voice tinged with hysteria. Josie removed her hand from her gun and held both hands in front of her as a sign of peace.
"No, he’s fine," she said quickly to relieve his anxiety. "He’s out in the grove yonder," she said gesturing toward the cottonwoods, and Horace nodded in understanding. He often found his brother out there when he came to visit. "My friend and I have been helping him around the place in exchange for an axle for our wagon."
Horace visibly relaxed when he realized his brother was in no danger. He looked around then and it was obvious that a lot of work had been done to the place since the last time he was there. The roof was almost completely replaced and the yard was neatly trimmed and the rubbish that had accumulated over the years was gone. Even the flowerbeds, which had been overrun with weeds when last he noticed, were neat looking and colorful. It did not look like the same place at all, but instead looked as it had when Ruth was alive. He shook his head, incredulous. "I wouldn’t a recognized the place," he said, smiling and stepping forward with his hand outstretched. "I’m Horace, Charles’ younger brother," he said as he pumped her hand vigorously.
"Josie…" She nearly blurted out her last name, but realized that Horace was more a man of the world than his brother, and might be inclined to turn her in for the reward if he knew who she was.
"Purely pleased to make your acquaintance," he said brightly. "You have surely done wonders here. My brother is lucky to have found you."
"Oh, I only did the roof. Charles and my friend Rebecca have been working on the rest of the place. And speaking of Rebecca, I have a favor to ask of you…" she added conspiratorially.
When Rebecca walked through the door that evening with a bucket of wild blackberries she had picked down by the creek, Josie and Charles abruptly fell silent. It seemed that every time she came upon them unawares these days they were in the middle of a heated discussion that ended the moment she appeared. Since she had never in her life had anything special done for her birthday, it did not occur to her that they were planning something pleasant. Rather she feared that Josie might be softening her up with flowers and kindness every day because she was conspiring with Charles to leave her there when she departed. Certainly Josie was not acting like she wanted to leave her, and in fact, the opposite seemed to be true. And Josie had promised never to leave her behind as long as she wanted to stay with her, so Rebecca was truly confused about what was going on.
The one thing she was not confused about was the way she felt every time Josie brushed her finger over her lips, or whispered into her ear, or twined her fingers together with her own. Josie’s smile made her weak in the knees, and when she spooned her body around Rebecca’s in bed at night, Rebecca could feel the wetness bloom between her legs. She had never realized that it was possible for two women to love each other as a man and a woman did, but when Josie told her about Genie, it was obvious from the pain in her voice that Josie had been in love with Genie. Dare she hope that Josie’s actions were those of a woman in love? It seemed so, but Rebecca’s lack of experience made her uncertain. She promised herself that she would pluck up her courage and ask the beautiful outlaw outright.
But she didn’t. Josie excused herself right after supper and went out to the barn to "work on something." Rebecca cleaned up the kitchen as fast as she could, and was putting a shawl around her shoulders to go out and speak to Josie when Charles practically pounced on her.
"Where you off to?" He asked innocently enough, but it appeared to Rebecca that he was more than simply curious.
"Thought I’d go see if I could help Josie with whatever she’s working on," she replied. She continued toward the door, and Charles bounded in front of her and hooked his arm through hers.
"Aw, I kinda hoped you might want to play some card games with me. Josie’s about finished with that roof and you folks’ll be movin’ on. There’s still lots of games I need to teach you before you go."
He sounded almost desperate to the girl, and she realized that when they did leave – and she was determined Josie would not leave her behind – Charles would be even lonelier than he was before they came, having become used to the presence of other people. With a sigh she took off her shawl and draped it back on the peg by the door, and smiling at the old man, she took a seat at the table. "OK, Charles, what can I beat you out of today?" She said with a grin. She would talk to Josie later.
"Gin," Rebecca said triumphantly, lying her cards out on the table with a flourish. Charles groaned and threw his cards down on the table and scowled playfully at his young protégé.
"Upon my soul girl, if I hadn’t dealt those cards myself, I’d have to wonder if you weren’t pulling a fast one on old Charlie."
"Beginners luck. Again," she said with a laugh as she gathered up the cards. When she had finished putting the cards together, she stood up and stretched. They had been playing for at least an hour or more, and the hard wooden chairs were less than comfortable. She stifled a yawn. "Excuse me. I’m about done in," she said apologetically. "Think I’ll just go see if…"
"You can’t quit without letting me have a chance to get even," Charles said quickly. "How about best three out of five? You already have two to my one, so it shouldn’t take long." He started shuffling the cards, and dealt out the hands without waiting for a response from the little blonde. She shook her head as if to say there was no winning an argument with this stubborn old man, gave another stretch and started to sit down. At that moment the door opened and Josie stepped through, surprised to see Rebecca still up. The young woman normally went to bed shortly after finishing her chores in the kitchen. There was a silent conversation between Josie’s eyes and Charles’, and the gunslinger realized that he had been keeping the little blonde from going out to see what Josie was up to. She mouthed "thank you" at him as she walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.
"Your little friend whupped my tail at gin all night," Charles grumbled lightly as he gathered up the cards. Turning to Rebecca he smiled and said, "Think you got the right idea, punkin’. I’m plumb wore out my self. Suppose we have us a grudge match tomorrow, what do you say?"
"Sounds good to me," Rebecca agreed quickly, glad he had abandoned the notion of playing another game. "I’m just going to make a little trip to the uh…" she nodded in the general direction of the back of the house where the outhouse was located then continued, "and then I’m going to bed. How about you, Josie?"
Josie laughed. "I think I’ll let you go to the "uh" by yourself, and I’ll be along to bed directly." Rebecca gave her a big smile as she threw her shawl around her shoulders once again and, picking up a lantern, she headed out into the night. Taking advantage of her absence, Josie filled Charles in on the errand she had sent Horace on for the next day, which relieved his mind. His brother was seldom late, and he had been concerned when Horace had not shown up that day as he said he would.
Her hands were red-brown from the stain she used on the totem. As she wiped at them with a rag dabbed in coal oil, they were talking animatedly about how surprised Rebecca was going to be the next day, when the object of their conversation walked back through the door, and they fell silent. Josie smiled at her warmly, and Charles gave her a wink. He rose and took the lamp from Rebecca’s hand and darted out the door to relieve his bladder, which had begun to pain him after sitting for so long. He had been afraid to excuse himself while they were playing their game for fear she would go in search of Josie.
Pumping water into the sink, Josie washed her hands several times until she was satisfied that the smell of the coal oil was gone. She turned from the sink to find Rebecca standing virtually right behind her, a look of concern on her face. Josie blinked a few times in surprise to find that her self defense mechanism had allowed the young girl to get so close without her even realizing she was there.
"What is it, Rebecca? What’s wrong?" Josie reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Rebecca’s forehead, then she lightly caressed her cheek. Running her hand down the adored face, she lightly touched Rebecca’s lips with her fingertips. Rebecca trembled at the touch, and her eyes fluttered shut. Josie put her arms around Rebecca’s waist, and the smaller woman allowed herself to be pulled into those strong arms. She laid her head on Josie’s chest, listening to the sound of Josie’s heart thundering like an avalanche down a mountain.
Rebecca’s plan to calmly talk to Josie dissolved as she blurted out, "Don’t leave me here. Please take me with you; I c-couldn’t s-stand it if you left me…" She burrowed into Josie’s chest, her head resting just below the taller woman’s chin.
"Whoa, whoa," Josie said, pulling back so she could see Rebecca’s face. "What makes you think I’m going to leave you? I said you could stay with me as long as you wanted to, and I meant it. Of course you’ll come with me." She tilted Rebecca’s chin up so she could look into her eyes. "Rebecca, I’d be lost without you. Now come on, let me see a smile." Josie put her finger by the corner of Rebecca’s mouth and gently pushed up, creating a lop-sided smile. "Kinda crooked but better than nothing," she said softly, which made Rebecca smile genuinely.
"OK, if you’re not planning to leave me here, then what is it that you and Charles are cooking up that you both shut up every time I come into the room? I thought at first it was my imagination, but when it continued for days, I couldn’t pretend it wasn’t happening any more. I was scared, Josie."
"Oh sprite, it’s…nothing to be scared about," she said quickly. She almost blurted out their plans for her birthday and bit the words back just in time. "In fact, I think you’ll be pleased when you find out what it is." Rebecca still had a look of confusion on her face, but Josie shook her head and smiled. "I’ve said too much already. You’ll find out everything soon enough. Be patient, and trust me, will you?"
"Yes of course, but…"
"No buts. It’s time for bed. Come on." She grasped Rebecca’s hand and led her toward the little bedroom they shared. Rebecca twined her fingers together with Josie’s and followed willingly, still curious but no longer worried. She trusted Josie completely.
Josie cupped her hand behind the flame of the candle and leaned forward to blow it out so that Rebecca could get undressed in the dark, as was her habit. The gunslinger hoped that one day soon her precious young friend would no longer feel the shame and embarrassment she had carried for so long because of her abusive father, and would allow Josie to see all of her.
"Wait," Rebecca said from behind her, and she turned to once again find the little blonde close enough to kill her, if that had been her plan. Josie’s razor sharp instincts had been dulled by the safe life she had been living lately. Once they left this haven behind, she would need to hone them again for her own safety, as well as for Rebecca’s. "I…want to talk a while, and I want to see your face," Rebecca said softly.
"Fine with me," Josie said with a grin. "Do you mind if I get undressed while we talk?"
"Not at all," Rebecca replied softly, sinking down to the edge of the bed and watching as the gunslinger’s fingers methodically unfastened the buttons of her black shirt. When she peeled it off to reveal her shoulders and her creamy breasts, Rebecca was unable to take her eyes away from the beautiful spectacle. Josie’s breasts fairly glowed in the dancing candle flame, and Rebecca ached to reach out and touch them. Transfixed by the tantalizing beauty in front of her, Rebecca suddenly found herself tongue-tied and blushing. She couldn’t even think of what it was she wanted to say, and she simply sat like a schoolgirl admiring her first real crush.
Josie couldn’t help but notice where Rebecca’s eyes were fastened, and she smiled at the mix of emotions revealed in that simple look. If she had ever wondered whether there was a chance the little blonde was attracted to her, she wondered no more. Blatant desire was written on Rebecca’s young face, but there was uncertainty as well. Josie knew she must be patient with Rebecca and give her all the time she needed to sort out her feelings without her influence. Much as she wanted to take the smaller woman in her arms and smother her with kisses, she knew that Rebecca was not ready for that. She would allow Rebecca to set the pace, taking her cues from her.
Rebecca suddenly realized that she was staring at Josie’s breasts, and she had no concept of how much time had passed while she did so. She blushed as she wondered what Josie must be thinking. Reluctantly she dragged her eyes off Josie’s glorious body and brought them to her beautiful face. Josie was watching her, a smile tipping up the corners of her mouth. Casually Josie turned away, pouring water from the pitcher on the wash stand into the wash basin. She figured Rebecca would have time to compose herself while she washed up a little. She soaked a cloth in the cool water and scrubbed it over her face, gooseflesh rising on her skin at the contact with the water. She wished she had thought to warm up some water before retiring to the bedroom, but it was a bit late for that now.
The smooth planes of Josie’s back were appealing to Rebecca, but were not the magnet for her eyes that her chest had been. Rebecca was able to remember what it was she wanted to talk to Josie about, and she cleared her throat and began. "Josie…I wanted to ask you about…I mean, I’ve been wondering if…that is, if you…did you love Genie? I mean, romantically love her. Like a man and a woman do?" She could feel her cheeks flaming, but once she started speaking, it suddenly became very important that she got her question out before she lost her nerve completely. Josie’s back stiffened at the question, and she laid down her washcloth and turned around again to face the furiously blushing girl.
"Are you asking me if I was in love with Genie?" She asked, and Rebecca nodded mutely. "Yes. Yes, I was. But like a man and a woman?" She shook her head and seemed to contemplate her answer. "It was very different. More intense, more…I don’t know, fulfilling. I couldn’t imagine having those kinds of feelings for a man. We didn’t…make love. Perhaps we would have if she had lived…I don’t know, but…we didn’t even discuss it. I thought we had all the time in the world…." Her voice trailed off as she choked back a sob. This was not what she wanted to be doing; grieving for her lost love in front of the woman with whom she was now very much in love. She gulped a couple of times and took a deep breath to regain her composure.
"Have you ever made love with other women since then?" Rebecca asked breathlessly. Josie took a few moments to frame her answer, and Rebecca wished she could bite out her tongue for having even asked. In her mind she kicked herself for starting this train of thought, but she had to see it through. She needed to know if Josie was still attracted to women, or if that was simply the crush of a teenaged girl.
"You ask hard questions," Josie said sincerely. She sat on the edge of the bed and began to pull her boots off while considering how to reply.
"Let me help," Rebecca said, dropping to the floor in front of the gunslinger. Lifting each foot in turn she pulled off her boots followed by the socks. She sat cross-legged on the floor and, drawing Josie’s right foot into her lap she began to massage it. Josie’s eyes drifted shut and she gave a little sigh. "What’s the answer?" Rebecca persisted.
"I’ve had sex with a few," Josie replied, and Rebecca looked at her questioningly with her eyebrow raised. "All right, more than a few," she amended with a wry smile. "But in my heart I never made love with any of them. It was just a pleasant way to relieve tension. Meant nothing to me…emotionally." Rebecca’s thumbs pressed convulsively on the bridge of Josie’s foot as she took in the meaning of her words.
"Easy love," Josie said with a chuckle. "I have to walk on those feet, and that won’t be easy if you crush my instep."
"Oh, sorry," Rebecca said, hastily letting go of Josie’s foot.
Josie laughed lightly. "Feast or famine with you, isn’t it sprite? I didn’t say you had to stop; just don’t break my foot." Rebecca blushed again and averted her eyes, but she did pick up Josie’s foot and begin massaging it again. "OK, now it’s my turn to ask a question. Why all the questions about making love with women?"
Once again Rebecca’s gift with words deserted her, and she found herself unable to speak in coherent sentences. "It’s the way you’ve been acting for the last few days, more attentive than usual…not that you’re not attentive other times," she stammered. "I’m not saying this right…what I mean is, I thought you were just being nice to me because you were going to ditch me, but now I know you weren’t, and I…it seemed like you were courting me. Like…well, like a man would. And I never thought about…that with a woman before, and I wasn’t sure if I was right. Were you? Courting me, I mean?"
"Yes. But that wasn’t fair; it was my turn to ask the questions. Now don’t think about these questions, just answer from your heart. Do you love me?"
"Yes," she answered without hesitation.
"Are you in love with me?"
"I don’t know…yes, I think so. How can I know? I was never in love before."
"Do you find yourself attracted to me, sexually?"
Rebecca took a deep breath and then let it out in a shudder. "Oh God, yes. But Josie I’m afraid… I don’t know what you want from me. What if I can’t…what if I’m not…enough for you?"
"Oh, Rebecca…whatever you are, whatever you want to be, is enough for me. I want you to be happy. I would love nothing better than to make love with you for the rest of my life, but if all you want is to travel with me and be my friend, I can live with that. If anything happens between us, it will be because you say you want it to. I will never push you or try to make you do something you don’t want to." She reached down and clasped Rebecca by her wrists and pulled her up to where she could place a kiss on her forehead. Then she whirled her around and sat her down on the edge of the bed facing the other side of the room, and at the same time she rose and unbuckled her belt and dropped her pants to the floor. "Don’t turn around. I’m naked," she said as she grabbed her longjohns from the back of a chair and quickly stepped into them. By the time Rebecca did turn around, Josie was slipping her arms into the sleeves and all but covered up. "I’m going to blow out this candle now so you can get undressed. Unless you want to tease me by getting naked in front of me," Josie said with a raised eyebrow and a sly smile.
"Blow it out," Rebecca said shyly. She really had wanted to see Josie stripped, and the thought of taking off her clothes in front of the gunslinger excited her more than she could say. But it was too soon. Her mind was whirling like a cyclone, and what she wanted kept getting hopelessly tangled with what she thought she should do. "Can we sleep on this tonight and talk about it again tomorrow?" She asked hopefully.
Josie puffed out the candle, and returned to the bed. "Of course we can. Tomorrow will be a perfect day to talk about it," she said, knowing what surprises the next day would bring to the pretty little blonde. She vowed to stay on her side of the bed as much as possible, and to keep her hands to herself. When the time was right, she knew Rebecca would let her know.
39: A Birthday to Remember
Rebecca dreamed that she was a prisoner in the turret of a castle in a foreign land. She could not speak the language of the natives, and had no idea why she was being held, but she sensed that days had passed since she had been captured. She watched from the parapet as the people came and went in the courtyard below, but was too far away for her voice to be heard if she cried out. Her strength was ebbing from lack of food and water; it seemed she had been forgotten in her lonely tower. When she thought she could not hold on any longer, she saw a knight dressed in black ride into the courtyard on a golden steed. Her heart leapt with joy at the sight, as she knew this was her knight come to rescue her. With what little strength she had left, she called "Sir Knight!" and dropped her handkerchief over the parapet. The knight looked up as if he had heard her voice, and saw the handkerchief fluttering in the wind. He vaulted from the back of his horse and drawing his sword he fought his way through the castle guard. She could no longer see him, but she knew he was making his way toward her and that rescue was at hand. Even as that thought flitted through her mind, she heard the sound of swords clashing outside her door, and then silence. The bolt was thrown back, and the door was opened. The black knight stood outside the door as if awaiting her invitation to enter. She made a gesture to indicate he should enter, certain that he would not understand her language, and immediately he strode into the room. His chain mail was red with the blood of her captors but he was unhurt. She watched as he crossed the room to where she stood, but before he got there, her legs gave out and she started to crumple. In an instant the knight was there, his strong arms around her, gathering her up and holding her against his chest. Rebecca reached up and grasped the helmet that covered his head and tugged it off. Long black hair tumbled free, and Josie’s piercing blue eyes were fixed on her own. The knight bent to press her lips gently against Rebecca’s. "Oh, Josie…" Rebecca murmured when Josie broke off the kiss, and her heart started to pound….
"Yes sprite, I’m here," Josie’s voice said softly, but the dream knight’s lips had not moved. Rebecca’s dream self was still trying to figure out how the knight had accomplished that feat when Josie continued, "Wake up, Mary Sunshine. It’s your birthday."
Rebecca tried to pull the voice into the dream, but the smell of something cooking contributed to the allure of the waking reality. She opened her eyes to see the gunslinger sitting on the side of the bed holding a tray laden down with food. There was a mountain of crisp bacon, fried eggs, biscuits, a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. A vase full of bright flowers stood on a corner of the tray. Rebecca’s mouth dropped open in surprise and she simply stared. She thought of pinching herself to see if she had just moved from one dream into another, when a very real Josie leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Breakfast in bed for the birthday girl," she said brightly. "Now sit up higher so I can fit this tray over your lap." Rebecca did as she asked and Josie put the sumptuous breakfast in front of her. Rebecca just continued to stare first at the food and then at Josie, and the gunslinger laughed. The facial expressions alone made Josie determined to surprise the pretty blonde more often.
When Rebecca finally found her voice she asked incredulously, "You didn’t make this, did you?"
"God no. You don’t think I’d do that to you on your birthday, do you? Charles and Horace made it."
"Horace?" Rebecca asked around a mouthful of food.
"Charles’ brother. He got here this morning bright and early. We got tired of waiting for you to grace us with your presence, and I figured the smell of food would do the trick. Worked, too. Oh, by the way, what were you dreaming about when I came in? You called out my name and I thought for a moment you had seen me, but you were still sound asleep."
Rebecca’s cheeks flushed a bright red as she remembered her
dream about the dashing knight. "I don’t remember," she lied softly, and
Josie raised her eyebrow and looked at her questioningly. "All right, well…I was
locked up in a castle and you were dressed as a knight and came to rescue me. Happy
now?"
"Not as happy as that knight was, I think," she answered, causing Rebecca’s
checks to color again. "Mmm, that must have been some dream," Josie said with a
wicked grin.
Rebecca slapped Josie playfully on the arm. "Stop it," she said.
"As you wish, m’lady," Josie said bowing from the waist. "Sorry," she said in response to the glare she got from Rebecca, who was too busy eating to take time for a verbal retort. Josie got up from the bed and pulled the curtains to allow the morning sun to stream into the room. It was then that Rebecca noticed the bathtub in the corner. Josie followed her eyes and said, "I know how much you enjoy soaking in a hot tub. I’ve already got water heating, and you can stay in there until you turn into a human pickle. After that…well, we have plenty of surprises for you after that."
"But I have chores to do…" Rebecca started, and Josie cut her off.
"Not today, you don’t. It’s your birthday, and the only thing you have to do today is enjoy yourself." Tears brimmed in Rebecca’s eyes, and her lip trembled. Josie rushed to the side of the bed and took her hand. "Didn’t anyone ever do anything special for you on your birthday?"
Rebecca shook her head. "Pa didn’t believe in such foolishness, and Mother would never do anything against his wishes."
"Your father is one hard-hearted son-of-a-bitch," Josie hissed. She promised herself again that if she ever met up with the man she would make sure he got to experience a taste of the agony his daughter had suffered at his hands. But she smiled to lighten the mood and added, "Well, we’ll just have to make it even more special to make up for it. How many birthdays will it be we’re making up for?"
"Twenty."
Josie’s eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I would have said you were maybe seventeen, eighteen. Why, you’re practically an old maid," she said with a light laugh.
"Josie Hunter, if this is the way you make me feel special I have to say it needs work," Rebecca grumbled, but she was barely hiding a smile.
"Sorry, sprite. I’ll try harder. Now finish up your breakfast so we can get a start on the celebration." Rebecca sopped up the last of her egg-yolk with a bit of biscuit and popped it in her mouth. She gulped the coffee, which thankfully was not so hot any longer that it would burn her mouth. She chased that down with the rest of the orange juice, and then gave a satisfied burp.
"Excuse me," she said, covering her mouth with her hand. "Guess that was about the best breakfast I ever had in my life."
"You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. I’m going to go get the hot water; be right back." Rebecca nodded, and climbing out of bed she began to unfasten the buttons of her nightgown.
Josie was back and forth several times with buckets full of steaming water until it seemed to Rebecca that the tub was full enough. Josie then pulled a vial out of her pocket and she poured the contents into the water and swirled it around with her hand. A light lavender scent filled the air, and bubbles blossomed on top of the water. She inhaled the heady aroma and for a moment wished that it was she who would be climbing in the tub. But then she imagined the way Rebecca’s skin would feel, warm from the bath and lavender scented, and she was glad it was the other way around. "Your bath awaits you, m’lady."
Rebecca had removed her nightgown, and stood with it demurely held in front of her body. "Turn around," she said softly, and Josie did. A light splash told the gunslinger that Rebecca was in the bath, and she turned back to see just her head and shoulders above the water. "Perfect," Rebecca said with a sigh. "Oh Josie, thank you. This feels marvelous."
"I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’ve got a few more things I need to take care of, so you just sing out when you need some more hot water, or if you want me to wash your back." Reluctantly she pulled her eyes away from the vision floating in the water and started for the door. She would have loved to stay and just watch her bathe, but she knew it would embarrass Rebecca.
Josie was helping the two brothers drape colorful ribbon on the walls just beneath the ceiling when she heard Rebecca call out for her. "Be back shortly, boys," she said with a smile. Since neither of them could reach as high as she could, she suggested they go pick some more flowers until she was able to continue with the ribbon. They happily agreed, and the two men darted out the door like schoolboys when recess is called.
Josie knocked lightly on the bedroom door, and Rebecca said "Enter." When she walked in Rebecca opened her eyes and looked up at her; she had been nearly dozing in the warm water. "Could you bring me more hot water, please? It’s starting to cool off."
"Your wish is my command," she replied with a smile. "But I’ll need to bail out some of this water first so there will be room." She picked up a bucket and dipped it in the tub and then did the same with the second bucket. The water level had dropped so that it was not quite covering Rebecca’s breasts, and Josie’s eyes were drawn to the creamy orbs. Josie’s sharp intake of breath made Rebecca notice what she was looking at, and she almost responded by covering her chest with her washcloth. But sometime between their conversation the previous night and that morning when she stepped in the tub something had finally fallen into place in her mind. And she realized that she wanted Josie to look at her and to desire her, in the same way that she desired Josie. Starting now, she thought to herself, no more covering up, no more undressing in the dark.
"And when you come back with the water, I’d love it if you’d wash my back," she said blushing just a little in spite of her new resolve to stop hiding herself from Josie. A lifetime of modesty was not easily overcome.
"Water’s on the stove. I’ll be back in a few minutes." Josie retreated with the buckets and true to her word was back within five minutes with two steaming buckets of water. She carefully spread each bucket full evenly in the water to avoid burning Rebecca, and then took the washcloth from her hands and knelt behind the tub. "Lean forward a little," she said softly, and Rebecca complied, wrapping her arms around her knees. Josie soaped the cloth with the sweet smelling French soap she had Horace buy for her in town along with the bubble bath and a few other surprises Rebecca had not yet seen. She rubbed the cloth gently over the planes of Rebecca’s back and shoulders, resisting the impulse to reach around and caress her breasts.
"You can scrub harder than that," Rebecca said, turning so that Josie could see her profile, "I’m not made of glass." Josie chuckled. She really was treating Rebecca as if she were a priceless porcelain figurine, but now she bore down a bit harder with the cloth. "Ohhhh, that feels so good," Rebecca said with a sigh. "I could stay here all day."
"Ah, but then you’d miss all the other surprises we have for your birthday."
"Oh, Josie, this is too much already…I feel like a pampered princess."
"There’s no such thing as too much; not on your birthday. Now, why don’t you get up on your knees so I can reach the lower part of your back?" Rebecca hesitated only a moment before shifting around in the tub to get her knees under her and rising up. Her hips were completely out of the water, as well as the rounded globes of her behind. Josie’s breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard several times before she reached out to continue washing her beautiful friend. She ran the cloth over her hips and down both sides, and then over the soft mounds. Rebecca gasped slightly when the cloth parted the smooth cheeks. "Is this all right? Should I stop?" Josie asked in a husky voice.
"It’s…fine. No, please don’t stop." Josie didn’t fail to notice the expectant quiver in Rebecca’s voice. She resumed her ministrations, paying special attention to the fleshy mounds. When it seemed that she must go further or go mad she finally stopped and took a step back from the tub.
"Would you like me to wash your hair for you?"
"I…uh…yes," Rebecca answered, sinking back into the concealing bubbles. She tilted her head back as far as she could without totally immersing herself and then sat up. Josie remembered Rebecca’s fear of putting her head underwater and determined to be especially careful this time. She worked the French soap into a lather with her hands and then applied it to the golden tresses. She kneaded her scalp with her strong fingers, and watched as Rebecca’s eyes fluttered shut. Josie wanted to kiss her eyelids, her nose, her lips. Never in her life had she so desired anything as much as she desired this woman. The love she felt for Genie seemed almost sisterly by comparison, and she would never have believed that was possible.
"We need to rinse you off now," Josie said, and Rebecca nodded without opening her eyes. "I’m going to tip your head back and rinse off most of it in the tub. Then I’ll get some fresh water to finish with. Ready?" Rebecca nodded again, and Josie lowered her head until just her face was out of the water. She rinsed as best she could and then sat her up in the tub. "OK, relax a minute. I’ll be right back." Rebecca watched the tall woman walk out of the room, and the moment the door was closed she expelled the breath she did not realize she had been holding.
"Oh, God," she said through clenched teeth. "Josie, what you do to me…" she murmured just as Josie came back in the room.
"What was that? Did you want something?"
"Yes. No. Yes…but later." Josie smiled and raised her eyebrow in a way that Rebecca found completely disarming. The little blonde blushed, and Josie found herself thinking she would never get through this day without making love with her.
"Stand up now so I can pour this water over you." Rebecca did as she asked, fighting her natural impulse to shield her private parts from view. She could tell by the look on Josie’s face that the tall woman was thoroughly enjoying the display of flesh before her. She stood for several moments until her wet skin began to shiver in the morning chill.
"Uh, Josie. I’m freezing," she said through chattering teeth.
"Oh, baby I’m sorry," Josie said as she snapped out of her reverie. "Shut your eyes," she ordered, and as soon as Rebecca did, she poured one bucket of warm water over her. "One more…don’t move," she added as she upended the second bucket over her head, making sure all the soap was gone from her hair. "OK, I’m getting the towel now. You can open your eyes." Josie fetched the towel from the washstand and wrapped it around the slender body, rubbing against the towel to help dry her. "Let me help you out of the tub," she said, putting one hand behind her shoulders and the other against the back of her thighs and effortlessly scooping her out of the tub. She stood for a moment with Rebecca in her arms, just breathing in the exotic scent of her, then reluctantly she set her on her feet. "I almost forgot…I brought another towel for your hair." She fetched the second towel and wrapped it around the golden hair, twisting it up on top of Rebecca’s head. The smaller woman was completely amazed; the extravagance of two towels for one bath was something she had never heard of.
"Thank you, Josie. You’re just…the sweetest person I’ve ever known."
"And so are you," Josie said sincerely. "I’m going to go help Charles and Horace finish up out there and let you get dressed. There’s something in the dresser for you to put on. Come on out when you’re ready." She kissed Rebecca lightly on the lips and turned and strode from the room.
When Josie had gone, Rebecca crossed to the dresser and opened the door. Hanging inside was a gingham dress the color of the summer sky with white tatting around the collar and sleeves. The buttons looked like pearls, and a blue silk scarf peeked out of a pocket above the left breast. White shoes that looked like they were made of soft kidskin sat in the bottom of the closet. Rebecca’s mouth dropped open as she looked at these beautiful items, and tears began to course down her cheeks. "Oh Josie…" she murmured as she gulped down her tears.
Josie inspected the room again just to make sure everything met with her approval. The walls were gaily draped in multi-colored ribbons and every available surface space had a vase or bowl full of flowers. In the center of the dining table was a cake, slightly off center from the trip from town, but Josie had put it back together so that it looked almost as good as new. It was covered with white butter frosting and decorated with pink flowers and green vines. "Happy Birthday Rebecca" was written in pink frosting across it. Horace had come through like a champ; he had fetched everything she had asked for, and a little extra besides. It had not occurred to her to serve Rebecca breakfast in bed until Horace produced a rasher of fresh bacon and told her he could whip up a mean biscuit.
"Calm down, gal," Charles admonished her. "You’re gonna wear a hole in my floor with all your pacin’. She’ll be out directly."
"Oh, I know, I just…."
"Sit," he said sharply, cutting her off in mid sentence. So shocked was she to be given an order from him that she simply sat. "Deal her in," he said to his brother who was shuffling the cards for a new hand of poker. She picked up the cards and arranged them without truly seeing what they were, and almost threw away a natural straight.
"How many do you want," Horace asked.
"I’ll play these." At that moment the bedroom door opened, and Rebecca emerged, her eyes taking in the transformation the room had undergone and growing wider by the second. She was a vision in the blue dress and all three people at the table gaped at her, none more than Josie. Embarrassed to be the object of so much attention, she shyly glanced toward the floor.
Josie tossed in her hand of cards and rose to greet her. Both men stood up also, as gentlemen should when a lady enters a room. Josie walked to her and took both of her hands in her own, and leaning forward she placed a kiss on each cheek. She paused for a moment before she straightened up and whispered in her ear, "You are breathtakingly beautiful, Rebecca. I hope you won’t mind if I stare at you all day."
"Josie I…I don’t know what to say…."
"Say that you love me," Josie whispered so softly that only Rebecca could hear.
"I love you," she whispered back. Josie smiled from ear to ear and took Rebecca’s hand to present her to Horace.
"Horace, this is my dearest friend, Rebecca…"
Horace took Rebecca’s hand in his and lightly kissed it. "Purely pleasured to meetcha, little gal. To hear these two talk, I was expecting to see wings and a halo on you. But you look plumb pretty even without ‘em. Oh, and happy birthday," he added almost as an afterthought.
"Thank you, Horace," she said dropping a little curtsy. "I heard so much about you from Charles, I felt like I knew you already."
"Don’t be hoggin’ the pretty gal’s all to yourself, you old fool," Charles said jokingly as he elbowed past Horace to take Rebecca’s hand and kiss it as well. Rebecca laughed as the two old men took good-natured pot shots at each other. She also noticed that Charles was wearing his Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, and had his hair neatly combed instead of flying off in all directions as usual.
"You’re pretty spruced up yourself, Charles. You could sure turn a girl’s head."
"Ain’t I just? Your big tall friend over there wouldn’t have it but that we all had to get dressed up like the President hisself was coming to call." He winked at Josie, and Rebecca knew that it was at least as much his idea as hers. Clearly both brothers were enjoying having a woman to fuss over again. They pulled out a chair for her and had her sit at the table. It was then that she noticed the cake with her name on it, and her eyes widened in surprise and her mouth opened in a big "O."
"Hurry up and give her your…you know," Josie said with a nod in the direction of the kitchen where Charles and Horace had stashed their gifts for her. "I want to see her open them, and I need to get cleaned up myself."
"Keep your drawers on," Charles muttered, but he did walk briskly to the kitchen and return a few moments later with two bundles wrapped in brown paper. "Sorry I didn’t have no fancy wrappin’ paper, but I guess it’s what’s inside that counts." He laid the two bundles in front of the astounded woman, who simply sat and stared at them. "Well, open ‘em up, f’gosh sakes. They ain’t gonna open themselves. This one first; it’s from me."
Rebecca carefully peeled back the layer of brown paper on the first package, and gasped in surprise when she saw "Little Women", by Louisa May Alcott. "Oh, Charles! I love it! I’ve wanted to read this book ever since I saw it in the mercantile in Chancetown!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him until his face turned bright red from embarrassment.
"Open the other one," Horace said brightly. Rebecca could scarcely believe what was happening to her that morning, and all because it was the anniversary of her birth. She untied the string holding the paper on the other package to reveal a small wooden box with an intricate design carved in the top. Imbedded between the designs were brightly colored pieces of mother-of-pearl. She lifted the lid on the box, and within she saw gears and springs. Even as she looked, the gears started to turn and she heard the strains of "Beautiful Dreamer" coming from the box.
"Horace, I…this is so beautiful. How can I thank you? I…"
"Oh, don’t thank me. All I did was fetch it. Josie is the one that asked me to pick it up. This is from me." Horace reached into his pocket and pulled out a flat parcel and placed it in her hand. Rebecca unwrapped it without taking her eyes off Josie. It contained a handkerchief with an "R" daintily embroidered in one corner. The edges were scalloped with the same tatting that decorated the dress; clearly both items came from the same seamstress.
Rebecca hugged Horace and kissed him on the cheek. "This is beautiful also. You have excellent taste in handkerchiefs as well as music boxes." Horace beamed at her and puffed out his chest like a little banty rooster. Rebecca tucked the handkerchief in her pocket and stood up. She walked to where Josie leaned against the bedroom doorjamb her arms crossed over her chest, and came to a stop in front of her. A sheen of moisture glistened in Rebecca’s eyes as she stood on tiptoe and placed a kiss on Josie’s lips. The gunslinger’s breath caught in her throat, and she felt a jolt that reached to the very core of her. "How did you…" Rebecca began, but Josie stopped her with a finger to her lips.
"I’ll tell you everything later. Right now, just enjoy. Read your new book, or play games with the old codgers…"
"Hey, I heard that! Old codgers, indeed," Horace grumbled.
"Oh, yes, and remember, Horace’s hearing is much better than Charles’." She smiled at Charles, who stuck out his tongue at her. "I’m going to go clean up a bit myself. Be back soon. And no work – don’t you lift a finger today, you understand me? We’ll take care of everything."
"Yes, ma’am," Rebecca said, giving her a little salute. She walked back to the table with a huge grin on her face. "Get out the beans and deal the cards, boys. We’re playing poker!"
Almost an hour later the door to the bedroom opened and Josie emerged. The trio at the table heard her splashing and even singing snatches from songs now and then, but they were so wrapped up in their playing they failed to notice how much time had passed. Rebecca looked up when the door opened, and did a double take when she saw the beautiful woman standing there. Her cards and the other people in the room forgotten, Rebecca stared openly at Josie. This was the first time she had seen her in anything but her longjohns or her customary black shirt and pants. She wore a blue satin looking shirt with the top several snaps unfastened to reveal more cleavage than would be considered proper. Instead of her bandanna, she had a white silk scarf tied around her neck. Her pants were blue denim, tucked into her cleaned and polished boots. She wore her hair in a long braid down her back with a thong of leather braided into it. A hawk feather was attached to the leather thong and hung beside her right ear. Rebecca had never seen anyone more stunning. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she found that she was holding her breath. She let it out in a rush.
"You clean up real good for a roofer," Charles said appreciatively. Horace nodded vigorously in agreement.
Josie laughed. "Thanks, old man. You sure know how to disguise a complement. And you’re awfully quiet there, Rebecca. What do you think? The duds suit me?"
"I-I…oh," she swallowed and took a deep breath and started again. "My God Josie, you-you take my breath away."
"Well, Horace I’d say you did pretty damned well with what little I gave you to work with." She grasped his hand and shook it vigorously, and then pulled him into her arms and gave him a solid hug. "Thank you…both of you, for making Rebecca’s birthday so special. We’ll never forget this day."
"Never," Rebecca agreed.
"Now if you boys can do without this pretty little gal for a while, I’d like to take her for a walk. Would you do me the honor, Rebecca?" She bowed and held out her hand, and Rebecca placed hers in it and allowed Josie to pull her to her feet.
"I’d be delighted," she said sincerely.
"Be back by noon time, ladies. Horace has a real special meal planned."
"We wouldn’t miss it," Josie said breezily as they sailed out the door. It was a beautiful fall morning, the colors on the trees a hundred shades of red and orange and gold. Soon they would be dropping, but at that moment they were surrounded by a riot of fall colors. Hand in hand they walked past the flower garden, now nearly bare both from the shortening days and from the regular picking that had been going on for the past week. Josie led Rebecca into the work shed where she had been toiling on the totem, and sat her down on a stool. "Close your eyes," she said, and Rebecca did ask she asked. "Now hold out your hands." When she did, Josie placed an object in her hands she could not identify by touch. "Open your eyes."
The object she held was a totem, but it was unlike any she had seen in books. Just over a foot long and about two inches around, at the base stood a bear, and on its shoulders was a wolf. On the back of the wolf stood two women. They were entwined so that you could not readily see where one began and the other left off. One was considerably taller, her long hair flowing over her shoulders. The smaller one nestled against the tall one, but she did not appear to be diminutive despite her smaller size. Atop the totem was a phoenix, its wings spread to enclose the two women, keeping them safe. The piece was stained a rich red-brown, and was sanded as smooth as glass. Rebecca did not realize she was crying until a tear splashed on the totem and brought her back to the moment. She put her arms around Josie’s neck still clutching the totem tightly in her hand, and for several moments she stayed that way, unable to speak, tears coursing down her cheeks.
"I love you," Josie whispered as she lowered her head and buried her face in the warm fragrance of Rebecca’s hair.
"And I love you…with all of my being." She pulled away from Josie so that she could look into her face, cradling the totem against her chest. "And this is the most beautiful thing anybody has ever done for me. I will cherish it for as long as I live." She raised up on her tiptoes and touched her lips lightly to Josie’s, and felt an unmistakable quiver in the lips that returned her soft kiss.
"Do you? I was afraid to hope…"
"So was I. If only we had talked like this long ago."
Josie shrugged. "Things happen when they’re meant to. We might have said the wrong things and ruined whatever chance we had." She wrapped her arms around Rebecca’s waist and pulled the smaller woman close to her, their bodies tingling at each point of contact. "I want to make love with you," Josie said huskily. "I want to touch and taste you, to memorize every inch of you with my eyes."
Rebecca’s breath caught in her throat and an intense stab of desire that pierced her center and radiated outward rocked her, causing her knees to threaten to buckle. She pressed her body even closer to Josie’s and allowed the taller woman to hold her up, delighting in the feel of her warm flesh even through the layers of clothes that separated them. "I hope I don’t…disappoint you," she said softly, her lips only a breath removed from the tantalizing V of Josie’s shirt. When Josie inhaled Rebecca felt the softness of her breast touch her lips and cheek, and she kissed the smooth flesh. She knew she had never felt anything more soft and at the same time exciting.
"Ohhh," Josie sighed, burying her fingers in the golden tresses and tilting Rebecca’s head back until she was looking into her eyes. "You couldn’t possibly disappoint me. The mere touch of your lips is enough to make me lightheaded. Anything more than that will be pure heaven."
Emboldened by those words, Rebecca put her hand on the back of Josie’s head and brought Josie’s lips down to where she could reach without standing on her toes. She kissed the gunslinger more passionately than she had the first time, and felt Josie’s lips parting slightly. Rebecca had never participated in such a kiss and was uncertain what to do next. The gunslinger, sensing her hesitation, took the lead and played her tongue along Rebecca’s lips until they parted, which Josie took as an invitation to explore. Rebecca’s tongue met her own, shyly at first and then more forcefully. Josie clasped the smaller woman’s body tightly to her own, and felt Rebecca’s moan as a tremble against her lips.
Josie wanted nothing more than to tear the clothes from Rebecca’s body and make love to her then and there, but common sense told her they were in a dirty work shed in the middle of a day of celebration. Not only did she not want their first time to be in such surroundings, but also there was the possibility that the brothers would come looking for them if they were gone too long, and she did not want to be interrupted. When they made love for the first time it had to be perfect…or as close to perfect as Josie had the power to make it. She broke off the kiss and pulled back slightly, reluctant to completely release the warm, soft body in her arms. "We have to stop…" Rebecca’s look of disappointment pierced her and she paused momentarily, then continued, "Oh, please don’t look at me like that. You must know that I am dying inside from wanting you. It’s just…this isn’t the time or the place. Later tonight in our room I promise we’ll make up for lost time." She kissed her again lightly on the lips and whispered into her ear, "It’ll be worth waiting for…I guarantee it."
The sound of Josie’s honeyed voice and the promise it carried made Rebecca weak. Never had she felt such emotional highs and physical stimulation. Her mind was on overload trying to sort all the new feelings. She knew only one thing with certainty; she had never wanted anything in her life as badly as she wanted Josie. Before reluctantly pulling her body away from Josie’s, Rebecca kissed her back, and briefly darted her tongue inside the outlaw’s mouth, and then quickly backed away. Josie groaned when Rebecca said softly, "That’s so you don’t forget your promise." Hand in hand they emerged into the bright sunlight and returned to the house where their friends waited.
Rebecca sat in Charles’ most comfortable chair. Her feet rested on a pillow that was placed on a stool. She was not allowed to do any work at all, but was told to sit and relax and read her book. The three other inhabitants of the house revolved around her as if she were the sun, her slightest fancy answered by one of the three without hesitation. Horace cooked and Josie and Charles cleaned up, and any offer to help from Rebecca was stifled with a menacing look. When they sat down to supper, the two women barely picked at the generous spread of food in front of them, so preoccupied were they with thoughts of what the end of the day would hold. Every time their eyes would meet across the table, they would quickly lower their gaze, certain that the men would be able to tell what was in their minds from the looks on their faces.
When the meal was finally finished and the dishes washed and put away, the last of Rebecca’s surprises was presented to her. Charles and Horace rummaged in a closet and brought out a fiddle and an accordion, and with Rebecca once again deposited in Charles’ favorite chair, the two men began to play. Josie sat on the arm of the chair, her thigh touching Rebecca’s arm, the graceful curve of her hip pressed against Rebecca’s shoulder. Rebecca was thrilled by the touch and delighted by the music, unable to decide what gave her greater pleasure. The old men played a lot of old songs that neither of the women knew by heart, but when a familiar melody started they both sang along at the top of their lungs. Rebecca had never heard Josie sing before, and her rich alto voice was like warm honey pouring over Rebecca, causing her to tingle all over.
"This here’s dancin’ music," Charles said as they began to play a lively tune. "You gals get on up and dance; shame to waste the music just because there ain’t no fellers around."
Josie glanced down at Rebecca, who shook her head and shrugged. "I…never learned to dance," she admitted ruefully.
"Doesn’t matter. I’ll teach you," Josie said standing up and holding out her hand for Rebecca. The younger woman shook her head again, but when Josie gave her an imploring look, she put her hand in Josie’s and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Josie took Rebecca’s left hand in hers and placed her left hand in the small of Rebecca’s back. "Put your other hand on my shoulder," she instructed, and Rebecca did as she asked. "Now when I press on your back like this," she demonstrated, "It means I’m going to turn you, like so." She executed a neat half turn, and Rebecca managed to stay with her. "Good. Now when I do this," and she pressed a different way on Rebecca’s back, "It means I am going to lead off with my right foot, so you go back or forward with your left foot depending on which way I’m turning you. Got that?"
"No," Rebecca said with a laugh. "But I’ll try to keep up."
"OK, here we go. One, two, three." The next thing Rebecca knew, they were whirling around the room, and to her utter amazement, she was able to follow the subtle motions Josie made with a minimum of toe stomping. By the end of the song she was following almost flawlessly, and Josie began to throw in a few new moves such as dipping Rebecca almost to the floor and then pulling her back into her arms. They were both breathless when the song ended, not entirely due to the exertion of the dance. Charles and Horace launched into a song with a similar beat, and without even catching their breath the women were whirling around the floor again, smiles wreathing their faces.
When that song ended, Josie gave Charles a little nod, and Charles tapped Horace with his bow. They began playing a slow ballad that Rebecca was not familiar with, and as Josie pulled her closer to her body she whispered in her ear, "I hope you like this song. I heard it somewhere along the line, and it makes me think of you." And as she slowly moved Rebecca around the room in time to the music she began to sing.
Believe me if all those endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly today
Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms
Like fairy gifts fading away
Thou would still be adored
As this moment thou art
Let thy loveliness fade as it will
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Will entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear
That the fervor and faith of a soul shall be known
To which time has but made thee more dear
For the heart that has truly loved never forgets
But as truly loves on to the close
As the sunflower turns on her God when He sets
The same look that she gave when He rose.
As the music came to an end and Josie’s voice grew silent, the two women came to a stop in the middle of the room. Josie’s arms still held Rebecca tightly, for which the smaller woman was grateful, as she was not certain she could trust her legs to hold her up without assistance. She looked up at Josie and the sheen of tears that sparkled in her eyes tugged at the gunslinger’s heart. Not trusting herself to speak, nor wishing to be overheard by the brothers, Rebecca mouthed the words "I love you," and then lightly touched her lips to Josie’s cheek.
"And I love you," Josie whispered back, and then added conspiratorially, "Why don’t we excuse ourselves from this party?" She didn’t need to add that the unfinished business of that afternoon had been on her mind so much that day that she was not certain how she was able to get through the hours without dragging the little blonde away and ravishing her. That message was conveyed quite clearly in the ardent glow in her eyes. Rebecca nodded shyly and lowered her gaze; her cheeks suffused with a bright pink that left no misunderstanding as to her own desires.
Charles and Horace had already launched themselves into another spirited song, and hadn’t even noticed that the women did not start to dance. Josie waved to catch Charles’ eye and he lifted his bow from the old fiddle and once again tapped his brother to get his attention. Josie smiled as she walked to where they sat, and then she thought perhaps a yawn might be in order so she stretched and yawned as she said, "We’re pretty tuckered out after all the excitement today. Think we’re going to turn in early."
"Shucks. We was just gettin’ warmed up. Sure you can’t do a few more jigs?"
Taking her cue from the gunslinger, Rebecca scrubbed at her eyes with her knuckles and tried her best to yawn. "You boys wore us out with all that dancing. I can hardly keep my eyes open."
"Well…we’d sure like to keep playing, unless you ladies think the noise will keep you awake," Horace said.
"We could go out on the porch and play," Charles added. "Shouldn’t be too loud from out there."
"Oh, there’s no need to…" Rebecca began, and Josie cut her off quickly.
"Out on the porch. That’d be good," she said emphatically. Rebecca looked at her quizzically, and Josie tried her best to convey that Rebecca should simply trust her, she knew what she was doing.
"Maybe that would be best. Josie hates to miss her sleep."
"Right, then," Charles said rising from his chair and tapping his brother on the shoulder. "Come on, old fool. Let’s us leave these beautiful ladies to their selves." The old men shuffled out, closing the door quietly behind them. A moment later the strains of "Tenting on the Old Camp Ground" wafted through the window. Satisfied that they would be out there for some time and that the music would mask any unusual sounds that might come from their room, Josie took Rebecca by the elbow and together they walked toward their future.