Page 7 of Earning Tia’s Trust

SEVEN

Robert decided to stay at the cabin for a couple more days to rest the horses and give Tia’s blistered feet time to heal. He ripped one of his shirts into strips to use as bandages and wrapped her feet. He wouldn’t allow her to walk around and even carried her to the outhouse, although all that was left was one wall and a seat.

The tornado had damaged the barn, and he tried to make it sound for the horses, but whoever had abandoned the property had left no tools behind. He spent most of his day letting the horses graze. He also caught fish in a nearby creek as their food supplies were dwindling fast.

Tia was told to stay off her feet as much as possible. The firm order was accompanied by several stinging whacks across her bottom when she didn’t listen because one of the blisters bled through the shirt. So, Tia rested in the cabin, feeling useless, while Robert did who knew what outside. It hurt to walk, and it was strange to be catered to. She didn’t mind spending her time reading one of her new books. She’d never been allowed to read without recriminations of wasting her time. She’d been hiding her interest in learning, reading, and writing for years. She shared that interest with Francine.

She also gave considerable thought to how her life was rapidly changing. Robert had made it clear that he didn’t expect her to labor on the ranch. She was to be the decision-maker. It was Hank and the hired men who would do the actual work on the ranch. He’d also asked her to consider renaming the ranch, as all the ties to the Kingstons were now broken. It was possible to even have Sammy’s last name changed, but that decision had to be made by the boy.

The suggestions came from Robert, but she and Sammy would make the final decisions. She also agreed every time her new husband wanted to make love to her. After so many years of being browbeaten, feeling protected and desired by a man who only wanted the best for her was strange. Until a few days earlier, she’d thought only the made-up heroines in her stories had been treated so nicely.

On the third day at the cabin, Tia was awakened by chopping sounds outside. She walked gingerly to the door to see Robert chopping on a thick branch with a small hatchet he’d found. He looked up from what he was doing and frowned, so she sat on the only chair in the cabin and watched him through the open door.

A few minutes later, he came in with an armful of glass jars and a small wooden crate of potatoes. “I found an underground cellar built by whoever homesteaded here.”

“Why would they leave canned goods behind?” Tia asked.

Robert shrugged. “Maybe they didn’t have room to take them. The barn has a broken wagon wheel left behind. They left in a small wagon, and it wouldn’t hold much. We can’t guess their reasons for leaving, but we can be thankful because their efforts here saved our lives. How are your feet today?”

“Getting better,” Tia said. “They’re not bleeding now, and we can move on.”

“I’ll see for myself,” Robert said, and he did later and agreed they would continue their trip the following day. Hitching the horses to the buggy, he repacked what few things they brought into the cabin and wrapped the glass jars in straw from the barn so they wouldn’t rattle or break. They still had a two or three-day trip ahead of them.

Robert drove on the dirt road, but it was evident that the tornado had traveled far. Sometimes, the twister would steer into the wooded areas, uprooting trees and bushes that had to be removed so they could continue. Tia pulled on the larger-sized boots and added her strength to her husband’s.

The path of the tornado changed directions several times, and it must have retreated into the sky at one point because there was no damage at all. They drove on the road that ran through hilly cattle land. They could see the destruction from the rubble left behind. The twister had sucked the grasslands into its vortex and left nothing behind but bare dirt.

Then, the road turned downward, heading across a treeless mountain. Surprisingly the mountain road was mostly clear, except for areas where the twister had sucked in water and tossed it back, making long stretches of muddy road.

Robert was driving carefully, eyes on the road, holding the horses back on a dangerous downward path. Suddenly, Tia grabbed his arm and pointed.

“What?” he shouted, not daring to take his eyes off the road.

“There’s a wagon down there!” Tia yelled.

“I can’t stop!”

“You must! I saw little children down there and a broken wagon!”

Robert gritted his teeth but continued until he reached a place where it was safe to pull over and stop. He wrapped the reins around the brake and tethered the horses.

“Stay here,” he ordered, but Tia wasn’t listening. She followed him up the steep road they’d come down and stopped when she pointed down the steep embankment. They could see the remains of a small wagon.

They began to slip and slide downward as there wasn’t anything to stop their downward slide. Finally, they reached the bottom. A small traveling wagon was turned over, and the wheels crushed. When they reached the wagon, there was a strong smell of death.

“Stay back!” Robert ordered, and he climbed into the back of the wagon.

“Children!” Tia yelled. “We are here to help, not hurt you! You don’t have to hide!”

A little boy of about five stepped from behind a bush. He was holding hands with a small girl of about three. Their faces and clothing were filthy, and their eyes were swollen red from crying.

“Are there any more children?” Tia asked.

The little boy pointed to the wagon. “Our baby brother is with Mama.”

Robert walked around the crashed wagon, shook his head at Tia, and motioned for her to stay back. When he reached her, he whispered, “Their parents are dead, and they’ve been that way for a couple of days. I’ll help you get the children up to the road. Take them to our wagon. The bodies have been here for a couple of days. I have to bury them.”

“Look for a baby,” Tia said. “The boy said there was a baby brother.”

Robert nodded. “I’ll salvage what I can. Both horses are dead, and the vultures have found them.”

Tia nodded, and they helped the crying children up the steep embankment to the road. It took a while as they kept sliding back down, but they finally reached the road.

“See if you can get more information from them,” Robert whispered in Tia’s ear. “I’ve got to try to bury them.”

“Be careful,” Tia said, turning her attention back to the children.”

“Hello, my name is Tia, and that was my husband, Robert. Can you tell me your names?”

The little girl turned her face to her brother, and he hugged her. “My name is Billy Broday, and my little sister is Jenny.”

“That’s our buggy down the road, and we need to walk down there.”

The children didn’t argue, and it didn’t take them long to reach the buggy. “Are you hungry?” Tia asked.

Both children nodded their heads, and Tia removed a box from the buggy. She pulled out a half loaf of bread. It was stale, but the children snatched it and stuffed it into their mouths.”

“Slow down, and don’t eat so fast. There is more,” Tia told them.

Billy shook his head and kept stuffing his mouth full, as did Jenny.

“Please slow down. We will feed you,” Tia urged. “She dug into the box and pulled out several hard-boiled eggs, left over from what the hotel had packed for their trip. She peeled them and gave them to the children, giving them a cup of water that they shared and emptied.

Jenny pulled on her brother’s arm. “I have to pee-pee!”

Tia watched as the little boy took his sister’s hand and led her behind a bush. Both children were filthy and bruised but alive. They had survived the wagon falling several hundred feet down the embankment. She didn’t know what to do until Robert returned and finally decided to wash the children as best she could. She moved several boxes from the buggy seat and gave the children a blanket to sleep on behind the buggy seat.

It was several hours before Robert returned. He was carrying a large sack, and he sat down wearily. “Where are the children?”

“Asleep in the buggy. I fed and washed them, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

“I buried their parents together, along with a baby that was only a few months old. The vultures were circling, but they hadn’t got to the bodies yet. I searched the wagon and found a box with some papers and a Bible among their belongings.

“I said some good words over them. It was the best I could do. It was a two-hundred-foot drop off that cliff. It’s a miracle the children survived,” Robert said abruptly. “I went through what was left of the wagon and gathered some of their clothing. They didn’t have much. If we go through the papers, we might be able to locate relatives. Dear God, I wish I could have done more.”

“You did what you could,” Tia said, hugging him. “Are we safe here?”

“No,” Robert said, shaking his head. “We need to get off this mountain before dark. We’ll set up camp for the night when we reach the flatlands again. We should be back at the ranch by mid-day tomorrow. At least the horses have had a rest. How are your feet?”

“They are okay and nothing compared to what these children have been through! Both of them are covered with bruises and scratches.”

Robert pulled Tia to him in a hug and kissed the top of her head. “Let’s get started.”

Driving slowly on the steep, downward road, it was a relief when the terrain leveled. There were no longer any signs of the violent storm. Robert found a flat green area next to a small creek. He pulled the buggy into the space and stopped. He unhitched the horses and tethered them in a grassy field to graze.

“We’ll have to sleep under the buggy tonight,” he said with a hug and a smile. “Not exactly what I expected on my honeymoon.”

“I never had any expectations,” Tia said, smiling. “I’ve slept under many a chuckwagon.”

“So have I, but it’s been a while. I was hoping that part of your life was over,” Robert said, and he turned his head when he heard a child crying.

Jenny was crying, and Billy was trying to quiet her.

“You can come out,” Tia said, climbing down from the buggy seat and lifting the children to the ground.

“I want Momma and Papa,” Jenny cried.

Tia looked stricken, and Robert squatted down to the children’s level. “Momma and Papa have gone to heaven, along with your baby brother.”

“Tell them to come back,” Billy cried. “We’ll be good!”

“I’m sure you and Jenny are good children, but when a person goes to heaven, they can’t come back,” Robert said gently. He turned to the boy. “Billy, you’ve been a hero caring for your little sister. Did your parents ever talk about grandparents or aunts and uncles?”

The boy shook his head.

“Well, we’ll see what we can do,” Robert said. “Right now, we’ll round up something for supper.”

The children ate again as if they were starving. Exchanging looks, Tia and Robert ate very little and set aside enough food for Billy and Jenny to eat in the morning.

As the skies darkened, the children were bedded down in the buggy.

Robert entwined his fingers around Tia’s smaller hands. “We should reach the ranch by mid-day tomorrow. I drove over that mountain on my way to Brownsborough and never gave it a thought of how steep and dangerous it is.”

“Then what?” Tia asked.

“I’ll go through that box of papers. If the children don’t have any relatives, we have three options. The closest orphanage is well over a hundred miles away. The next option is finding someone wanting to adopt them, and the third is keeping them.”

“I vote for the third option, “Tia said.

“I’ll discuss the possibilities with William,” Robert said. “It might be best if you don’t get too attached. If they have relatives, surely someone will claim them.”

“And, if they don’t?” Tia demanded.

“Then we’ll consider options two and three,” Robert said. When we get home, I’ll hire the undertaker to move the bodies to the church cemetery.

When the buggy stopped in front of the house, both children looked scared looking upward at the large house.”

“I don’t think they’ve ever seen a house this big,” Robert whispered.

“This is where we live,” Tia told the children as Robert lifted them from the buggy. She turned when Mrs. Putney opened the front door.

“Where did you get the young’uns?” the housekeeper asked.

“It’s a story we’ll tell later,” Tia said firmly. “What’s more important is they need to be fed, washed, and put down for a nap.”

“Bring’um into the kitchen,” Mrs. Putney ordered, and Tia took each child’s hand and followed the housekeeper to the kitchen.

Later, when Billy and Jenny had eaten a hearty late breakfast, both looked like they were about to drop off to sleep. They were taken upstairs to a bedroom and put to bed in a spare room. Tia told them they could leave the door open, so all they had to do was call out if they needed help. She sat with them, telling them a story until they fell asleep. When she returned to the kitchen, she poured herself another cup of coffee and explained to Mrs. Putney what had happened.

“What will you do with them?” the housekeeper asked.

“We don’t know yet,” Tia answered. “Where did Robert go?”

“He didn’t say, but the office door is open.”

Tia poured another cup of coffee but didn’t have to carry it far. Robert was in the office. He was sitting with his hands covering his face. Hank came in carrying their luggage.

“By the looks of that buggy, you didn’t have an easy trip,” Hank said.

“We dodged a tornado by a hair and gained two children when their parents’ wagon went over a cliff. It’s been a rough couple of days,” Robert admitted.

“Sounds like it,” Hank agreed. “Well, nothing important happened around here except Miss Mason, the school teacher came visiting. She took Sammy back with her. I let him go because Mrs. Putney was about to string him up by his ears!”

Robert chuckled. “I’m sure Miss Mason can handle him! She has a corner with his name on it in the schoolroom.”

Hank laughed and tipped his hat. “I’ll take care of the buggy and the horses. I’m glad you made it back safe.”

“What are you looking for?” Tia asked Robert when he started rummaging through the luggage.

“The sack with a Bible and other papers,” Robert said. He picked up a sack, opened it, and nodded. “Yes, this is it.”

Tia separated the boxes as most of them were her new clothes. The things that had been salvaged belonged to the children.

Mrs. Putney looked at the sacks and wrinkled her nose. “I’ll take these. They need a good scrubbing before they can be worn again.”

“Thank you,” Tia said, nodding, and she followed Robert into what used to be Hayward’s office. Looking around, she realized that Mrs. Putney had been cleaning the room in their absence. The smell of whiskey and cigars was gone, and the windows weren’t fogged with cigar smoke. Hayward had not allowed anyone to enter his office for years, even for cleaning. Now, all the furniture had the glow of a recent polishing.

Robert searched through the letters and documents and returned them to the sack. He rubbed his hands over his face. “The only thing that identifies the deceased is their marriage license. They were married in Missouri, but it doesn’t state what town. There are no letters from family members or any indication of where they came from. We need to go to town tomorrow and talk to William. Maybe he’ll have some ideas on locating family members.”

“You can pick up Sammy while you’re there,” Tia said. “It’s only been eleven days since we left, but it feels much longer.”

“A lot has happened in those days,” Robert agreed, pulling her into his lap. “You left as my runaway bride, but we’ve returned as a married couple.”

“I know you a lot better,” Tia agreed. “I know you as a decent, honest man, and I’ve grown to care for you.”

“What I feel is love, and I hope it’s reciprocated,” Robert admitted. He smiled and gave her a light spank on her bottom. “I think we know each other much better now.”

There was a sound of a bell in the distance.

“That’s Mrs. Putney’s way of saying she’s done for the day,” Tia said. “She lives in the small cabin behind the house.”

“I wondered what that building was used for,” Robert said. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “We need to call it a night. We’re going to be busy for the next couple of days. We’ll stop by the bank tomorrow. Rainer needs to explain what he did to protect your finances.”

They checked the doors, and discovered two small stacks of folded clothing, washed and ironed on the kitchen table.

“That’s Mrs. Putney,” Tia said with a smile. “She always goes above and beyond.”

They each took a stack of clothing and carried them upstairs to the room where the children were sleeping. The children were tangled together on the bed and sound asleep.

Entering the room Tia had always called her own, they undressed. Robert pulled Tia to him and kissed her. Then he sat her in his lap, massaging her back and stiff shoulders.

“I bought a book at the bookstore that was interesting reading. It was written by a doctor of women’s studies. He’s of the opinion that young women need leadership from their husbands. Women who don’t have guidance will sometimes show symptoms of what they call nervous anxiety and require medications that are detrimental to their health.

“Physicians have agreed with his studies, and their solution to this malady is for husbands to spank their wives regularly. A spanking will release a woman from their anxiety.”

“What?” Tia exclaimed, trying to rise, but he held her in place. “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“It’s not a punitive spanking,” Robert said. “I’ve only seen you cry a few times, and those tears were because of chastisement spanking. If a spanking will let you cry and release your anxieties, don’t you think it’s worth a try? This is not me wanting to discipline you. I simply want to do what is best for you. Noted doctors agree with these theories.”

Tia jerked away from Robert. “ I disagree with their stupid theories! And if you smack me without a legitimate reason, you’ll get an iron skillet upside your head!”

Robert gave a sigh. “Will you at least read the book?”

“No!” Tia exclaimed. “It’s just another man trying to justify beating his wife!” She scooted over to the far side of the bed and tossed the blankets back, but Robert was faster and caught her around the waist.

“Will you please calm down,” he said quietly. “I have never beaten you. I have spanked you a few times, but you deserved it.”

“Spanking is spanking!” Tia exclaimed. “It hurts, and I will not be abused.”

“Spanking is not abusive.”

“Call it what you want. Give it a fancy name, but you’re not on the receiving end!” Tia exclaimed, and she jumped out of the bed and stormed out of the bedroom.

Robert followed her back to the office, and she flounced into a chair facing the fireplace’s glowing embers of the previous fire. He walked over to the desk, picked up a book, and tossed it in the embers, watching it burst into flames.

Tia still wouldn’t look at him, and he sat in a leather chair across from her. “I’ve spanked you before, and you earned it. I’ve also smacked your bottom as part of enjoying intimacy. I accept I was wrong to suggest taking Dr. Grimfield’s advice. That doesn’t mean I don’t believe it’s my right as your husband to spank you when I believe you deserve it. A husband spanking his wife makes her remember who is the head of the house!”

Tia was silent at his words. His words were both the truth and a warning.

“Can we forget what I said upstairs and start this evening over?”

Robert pulled his chair over until their knees were touching. “Men can make mistakes, too.”

Tia watched the book burn, finally giving Robert a long look before nodding her head.

He held out his hand, scooted his chair out of the way, and pulled Tia to her feet. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. He led her to the stairs, and then, with a swoop of his arms, she was cradled in his grasp, and he carried her back to her room.

Robert kissed her until he thought she would be receptive to his advances again. Then, he gently caressed her mouth with kisses and moved down to her neck, to her breasts and nipples. Tia had been shy at first, but now, over her anger, she responded to every touch and need.

“I love you, Tia. I thought I was only marrying to help you, but once I was honest with myself, I realized that I was captivated at first glance, even if you did swear at me,” Robert said and groaned. “I’ve been spoiled now, and I’m used to having you as my wife when I’m aroused.”

“I read a story once where the heroine was forced into a marriage against her will. She was ravished by her husband, and she hated him at first. But, as she spent more time with him, they grew to love each other. I feel that way when you make love to me,” Tia whispered.

Robert’s need was unmistakable as he hardened and grew at her invitation. He entered her with a deep thrust, and he couldn’t stop as they rocked together. Tia gasped as her private parts tightened around him. Robert rammed his body into her deeper, and Tia bit into a pillow to silence her cries of enjoyment.

Wanting even more, Robert turned her over, parted her legs, and pulled her to her knees. She was confused at first when she felt his manhood was pushing deeper into her.

“What?” Tia exclaimed, surprised, but suddenly, his invasion wasn’t painful. She felt every inch of Robert’s manhood. Her insides were shivering, and goosebumps were rising inside and out. Suddenly, Tia knew what was coming. When her body shook and tightened, Robert never stopped thrusting, and she didn’t want him to stop. She did suck in her breath when he smacked her across her bottom. The swats weren’t painful; strangely, they added to the vibrations.

Robert didn’t allow himself to release until he couldn’t control his body a second longer. Then, releasing his seed, he continued thrusting until Tia stopped quivering. Sex, so far, had been good between them, but this time it had been glorious.

When Robert withdrew from her body, Tia didn’t want him to separate. They had become one giving and taking. But he did leave her body. He gave her a smack on the bottom, left the bed, and returned with two wet cloths to clean themselves.

“I didn’t know you could do it that way,” Tia said. “I’ve seen dogs do it that way!”

“Did you like doing it that way?” Robert asked.

“It hurt a little bit at first, but then it was amazing. Am I supposed to like it?”

“Only you can tell me,” Robert said. “If you like it, we’ll do it that way. If you don’t, we won’t.”

“I liked it,” Tia whispered. “But you still spanked me!”

“You’re going to have to get used to feeling some sting on your bottom during sex,” Robert warned. “I like spanking your bottom. You have a beautiful bottom, and I like the feel of it under my hand.”

Tia wasn’t sure she understood, but Robert was her husband. She’d grown to trust him in a very short time. But why did having sex with him always give her a sore bottom?

“By the way,” Robert asked, “who authored the story?”

Tia was silent for a long minute, and Robert leaned over, thinking she might not have heard him. Then, quietly, she answered, “I did.”