Part 23 (1/2)
”You belong to me, little one. From now on you will leave Thunder alone. If you make a fool of yourself over another man again I will beat you. Do you hear me!”
Mutely, Laughing Brook nodded, shocked and enthralled by the change in Soars-Like-An-Eagle. Her eyes grew round as saucers as he swept her up in his arms and carried her to an empty stall, where they would be hidden from view. She gasped aloud when he lowered her to the mound of sweet-smelling hay he had placed there just this morning and dropped to his knees beside her.
Chapter Nineteen.
Grady left the stable in a rage, his expression thunderous. How dare Storm keep something as important as having a child from him! he fumed angrily. She'd had plenty of time to tell him he was going to be a father since his arrival. What made his anger even more profound was the fact that she had said nothing when he asked her pointedly if she wanted children. Her silence had led him to believe she didn't want his children. He tried to bring his temper under control before he entered the house, but his jerky steps and murderous expression gave him away.
Shannon took one look at him as he strode through the parlor and felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. She hurried after him.
”Grady, wait! Has something upset you?”
”Where's Storm, Mother?”
”I sent her upstairs to rest a few minutes ago. Can't it wait?”
”I think not.” His face was set in grim lines, his mouth taut.
”Has Storm done something to displease you?”
”You could say that, Mother. Why am I the last to know my wife is carrying my child? You did know, did you not? And I imagine Father knows too.”
Shannon blanched. She knew it was wrong of Storm to keep her state of impending motherhood from Grady, but she had expected Storm to inform Grady in her own good time. Obviously Grady had stumbled across the information on his own and was in a rage over being kept deliberately uninformed.
”We knew, son, and Storm would have told you very soon, I'm sure of it. Don't go to her now. Give yourself time to calm down before confronting her.”
”I'm sorry, Mother. This can't wait.” Turning on his heel, he mounted the stairs.
”If you hurt Storm, I'll never forgive you,” Shannon called after him.
Suddenly Grady went still. He turned slowly and faced his mother. ”I've given you little reason to be proud of me these last few years, Mother, but I would never stoop to abusing a woman.” Then he turned and continued up the stairs.
Alone in her room, Storm had taken off her dress and petticoat and stretched out on the bed. She did seem to tire more easily these days, and the afternoon heat was oppressive. The sheets were cool against her cheek and she closed her eyes. But no matter how hard she tried to drift off to sleep, thoughts of Grady kept intruding. If he continued to avoid her, she would have to track him down and tell him about their child. Soon no one would be able to mistake her condition.
Her stomach was no longer flat. A little bulge protruded where once she had been slightly concave. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were larger than she could ever remember them being, and somewhat tender to the touch. But it was her narrow waist where the most noticeable difference lay. It was at least two inches thicker than it had been before her pregnancy, and she had already let out the seams in her dresses. She knew if she and Grady had been on intimate terms these past days he would have noticed the changes immediately.
As if just thinking of him had conjured him up, the door flew open and Grady stepped into the room. She didn't notice his glowering expression as she cried out his name in joyful welcome. It wasn't until he slammed the door behind him and stomped toward the bed that she knew something was amiss.
”What is it, Grady? Are you angry about something?”
”You could say that.”
”Do you want to tell me about it?”
”Oh, I'll tell you, all right. But first, take off your clothes.”
”What?”
”You heard me. Take off your clothes-all of them.”
Storm's mouth went dry. ”If you want to make love, you have only to ask. What's wrong? I've never seen you like this before.”
”I've never been this angry before. Are you going to take off your clothes or must I do it for you?”
A tremor of fear snaked down Storm's spine. She had a good idea what had angered Grady. She took her time removing her underwear, stockings, and s.h.i.+ft. When she lay naked and vulnerable to his penetrating gaze she glanced up at Grady, taking heart when she saw something flicker in his eyes. But it quickly pa.s.sed, replaced by simmering anger. She started violently when he bent down and placed a large callused hand on the swelling beneath her ribcage.
”Why didn't you tell me? Hearing that I'm to become a father in a roundabout way makes me furious.”
”I wanted to tell you. I truly intended to tell you.”
”When? After I discovered it for myself?”
”If you hadn't been avoiding me, I would have told you days ago.” Her voice was rising steadily. How dare he direct his anger at her when she was guilty of nothing. She would have told him in her own good time.
”When am I to be a father?” he asked in a voice far too calm for her liking. She feared his icy contempt more than she feared his anger.
”In six months.”
”I see. And what would you have done if I had gone back to Oklahoma alone as you insisted?”
Storm's chin jutted out at a stubborn angle. ”I would have survived.” Suddenly she flung his hand aside and jerked upright. ”And get your hands off me. I won't let you intimidate me. You might frighten big bad gunslingers, but you don't frighten me.”
Grady rocked back on his heels, shaken by Storm's words. Good Lord, had he sunken so low that he resorted to intimidating pregnant women? ”I'm not trying to frighten you, Storm,” he said more reasonably. ”I just want to know why you saw fit to keep your pregnancy a secret from me. Did you think I wouldn't want our child?”
”I didn't know what to think,” Storm admitted shakily. ”I told you before, I thought you no longer wanted me in your life. When you showed up at Peaceful Valley with Laughing Brook I a.s.sumed you preferred her to me. Telling you about our baby would have only complicated matters.”
”For the last time, I never told you to leave. What you thought you heard wasn't what I said. I was wounded and helpless when you left. Laughing Brook stayed to care for me and Tim. I've always wanted you, Storm. Grandfather Spirit predicted long before I knew you that I must meet and conquer the Storm before I would find peace. I believe the Storm he spoke of was you. He also said Thunder can exist only in the bosom of Storm.”
”I don't understand,” Storm said softly. A glimmer of hope soared in her heart, but she desperately wanted to hear Grady say the words. She had waited so long.
”I think you do, lady,” Grady admitted in a rare moment of confidence. He dropped to the bed beside her, his voice harsh with emotion. ”I know I can never take the place of Buddy, but dammit, Storm, I love you. I know your first husband was special to you, just as Summer Sky was special to me. But since I met you I've come to realize that Summer Sky was the love of my youth. You're the love of my life.”
Storm was so shocked by Grady's admission, her voice froze in her throat. Grady loved her! Truly loved her.
”You don't know how sorry I am that I had a hand in Buddy's death. If I could bring him back I would.”
”Stop!” Getting to her knees, Storm threw herself at Grady. He opened his arms and brought her against his heart. ”What's done is done. Of course I loved Buddy. He was the only man I ever really knew, the friend and companion of my childhood. But we had such a short time together as man and wife that I never really had a chance to know him as a lover.”
”I want to be everything to you, lady. Husband, friend, lover.”
”Are you sure, Grady, absolutely certain it's me you want and not the baby I carry?”
”I've never been more certain of anything in my life.”
”What about the violence? Can you give up the violence you've lived with these past years? I couldn't bear to lose you, Grady. I love you too much.”
Grady's heart nearly burst with happiness. It was the first time Storm had admitted she loved him. ”If I wanted a life filled with violence, I wouldn't have made the run for land in Guthrie. I can't help what other men do, but I promise I'll not instigate another violent act. Just tell me you're happy about the baby.”