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Chapter Six
One need not be a chamber to be haunted. ? Emily Dickinson
Cole watched his men assemble in front of him.
“And what do we do with the woman and baby?” Justice said, a lip curling, glaring at Cole as if somehow he was responsible for their larger party. “She got a name?”
“Patricia,” Cole said.
Justice frowned. “We’ve no time for this bullshit, and another woman and a baby in our group’ll complicate things.” Justice had no use for those weaker than himself, unless it was to use a whore to his advantage. He was brief, he was cruel, and he moved on. To him, expending effort protecting them was a preposterous notion.
“Drop ‘em by the river and let them fend for themselves,” Junior said, his lips pursed with sarcasm. “Is that what you’d have us do?” Junior’s penchant for pretty ladies would harm them one day, Cole was sure of it. His brother’s ruthless nature was far more useful in their line of work.
Justice made a move to advance on Junior and Junior turned to face him. Cole held out a hand, prepared to pull them off each other and beat the tar out of both of them if they fought.
“Enough.” They knew not to push him. Both men froze, glaring at each other.
“She said her family’s nearby, no?” Preach said. All eyes turned to him. “She’s got kin just over the river,” he said. “We’ll be behind in our plans if we all go deliver her, but I can escort her. Won’t be but a half day’s journey. I’ll meet y’all up at Lawson’s mornin’ after next.”
Cole shook his head. “Not sure it’s right to split,” he said, removing his tobacco pouch from his pocket.
“What other choice do we have?” Preach asked. “Leave a woman with a baby? You know me, Cole. I’ll bust the nose of any man I need to, and just as soon pump iron into a man deservin’ of it as I would pick my teeth after dinner, but I won’t be party to abandonin’ a woman and child.”
Justice glared at him and spat on the ground furiously. God, Cole had to get him hooked up with a woman of the line the next town up. He had to calm the hell down.
Cole gave a curt nod. “We can’t all go together,” he said. “That much is true. Seems there’s one bad choice and a worse one on the table here.” He cursed, kicking the toe of his boot in the dirt while he took a tug on his cigarette. Slowly exhaling the smoke in wispy tendrils, he narrowed his eyes on Aida and Patricia. The women spoke to one another in hushed whispers. Cole frowned. It wouldn’t do to have Aida telling her anything about their group. He’d allowed them to stay together to keep them quiet, but now he wondered. If Patricia knew she’d been kidnapped… But before he met with his men, he’d threatened Aida with another whipping, warning her not to tell Patricia the truth. If she responded to fear, then fear would be his ally. And she knew he was a man of his word. As he glanced over at her, she tucked in a blanket around the sleeping baby. After the commotion, the infant squalled loud enough to wake the dead, but Patricia had quickly hushed him with feeding and rocking. Now the two women and baby sat at a distance while the men convened.
If Aida obeyed, now would be the time to turn on his charm. Fear, then feigned kindness, would ensure her submission. He might even earn her loyalty, if played right.
He glanced back over at Patricia. Preach was offering to take her to her family, but Preach was an integral part of his play. The timing could work out well. He ran a finger along the stubble on his jaw as he mulled everything over.
Cole scowled. “All right, Preach,” he said. “You take the woman and baby. You leave her with her kin, and you hightail it back to where we’re supposed to meet.” He paused before continuing. “You know what’s at stake if you don’t meet us at Lawson’s.”
Junior swore. Doc scowled, and Justice looked ready to spit nails. Preach knew exactly where they were supposed to meet. The plans had been in place for months. Preach nodded his assent, though, and the men disassembled as Cole and Preach finalized plans.
As night began to fall, Cole instructed Doc to get dinner going. “You be sure you cook those beans as well, yeah?” he asked. He wanted Doc to cook foods Aida didn’t like. He would train her. She would hate him in the end, but he was going to give it his best shot. The woman would learn to obey.
* * *
As night fell, Cole instructed his men to quit their jobs and get some rest. They spread out their bedrolls, the woman and baby at the furthest end of their company, Junior on one side and Doc the other. Preach stood sentry for the first night watch. Justice would be up next, and Cole would take the shift at daybreak. It was time for Cole to put the next part of his plan into action.
Aida was sitting apart from the rest, righting her hair and frowning, clearly uncomfortable with the thought of another night sleeping on the hard ground, removed from her vanity mirror and precious pampering tools. Cole’s lips twitched. She certainly had been jolted out of what was comfortable and familiar. He hoped her being uncomfortable would make his next plans work well. He ambled over to her and crouched down.
“How you doin’, darlin’?” he asked, trying his best to appear truly concerned for her. She shifted and looked up at him, shrugging, but didn’t answer.
Lowering his voice and raising his eyebrows slightly, he leaned in. “Aida, when I ask you a question, I expect an answer.”
Her eyes glanced side to side before she whispered, “Fine.” She turned away from him. This wouldn’t do at all.
“Night’s growin’ cold, darlin’,” he murmured. “You’ll share a bedroll with me tonight.”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed in anger. “I wouldn’t share a bedroll with you if I were freezing to death!”
Leaning closer to her, he took her chin in his hand. “I didn’t ask you, sweetheart. Now you go right yourself for bed and strip to your chemise. I’ll prepare our bed, and you’ll join me.”
“I will not,” she hissed.
Cole was unmoved. Leaning in close, he whispered in her ear, “I don’t care who’s in our company or if it’s night or day. You defy me and I’ll whip you. Is that what you want Daddy to do? Strip you and paddle your bare bottom? What will the others say?”
