She would have asked which crops they were, but looking at Jake's silhouette, she felt it better to keep her silence. Jenny thought back to when she saw him first. Her legs had almost given way, and she had groaned inwardly. In her mind, she had thought Jake a regular man, but he was anything but regular.
He was slim and muscular with wide shoulders which strained against his shirt. It was his face that caught her attention. Framed by black, shiny hair, he had a face that was almost too handsome. Chiseled features with penetrating eyes, which seemed to see right through you. Looking at him, she had felt small and insignificant by comparison.
What melted her heart was how gently he spoke to James and with such kindness. After her deceit, she expected him to be harsh to both of them. He had thrown her a few glares, and she knew he was sending her a message. At the station, Jenny had prayed fervently. Please Father; help him not to send us back.
The Lord had answered her prayers in a big way. Jake had married her despite everything. Her heart was bursting with gratitude, and joy for her new life. Her worries had dissipated, and she could taste the excitement in her mouth of seeing her new home.
Now she looked up sleepily and whispered a short prayer of gratitude. Thank you Lord, thank you Father. Overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the last few hours and days, Jenny felt herself nodding off, like James had.
She gave in to the sleep and let the sounds of the wagon wheels against the ground lull her to sleep. She woke up to find that the wagon had stopped. It was dusk and she could make out a large looming building on her left. James was still asleep and by the time Jake came round, she had woken him up.
They hopped out of the wagon and stood shell shocked, at the house that stood before them. It was double story, with huge windows that seemed to occupy a whole side of the walls.
‘Is this your home Mister?' James said.
‘It is your home too James. And call me Jake, after all we're now family.' Jake said. ‘Shall we say a quick prayer of Thanksgiving for a safe journey and you're getting her safely?'
Jenny's eyes filled with tears, which she could not hold in in the absence of blinking, and bowed her head. Indeed, this was her new home. Thank you Father. When God did something, he did it in a way that one could not even imagine. She closed her eyes and listened to Jake's deep voice as he prayed. When they chorused amen, James spoke up.
‘Can I see the horses?' he said.
They both laughed, tears of relief falling from Jenny's eyes, which melted Jake's heart in silent compassion. Her prayers were answered.
‘I don't see the harm in that. Go this way, they are in the barn and you can see the cows being milked.'
Before Jake finished, James had shot off, round the house and to the barn. Jenny licked her dry lips, nervous as she had never been. Jake held her shoulders so that she was forced to look into his face.
‘You're my wife and I your husband. We should start this union the way we aim to continue. With honesty.'
‘I apologize for not telling you about James, I was afraid you would not let me come with him, and I couldn't bear to leave him behind.' Jenny cried out.
‘I know all that. I had a younger brother too once, and I know how protective you feel. But Jenny what upset me the most was the risk you took. What if I was a mean man and had sent you back, without any fare? What would have happened to you or James? He's merely a boy, and cannot be exposed to such risks. ‘
Jenny felt a huge shame. All along, even on the train, she had known how wrong she was not to have told Jake.
‘I believe in complete honesty with those we love.' Jake said.
Jenny's eyes popped open at the word ‘love.' Thinking about it, she realized that she felt the stirrings of something akin to love inside her heart. How could one not love a man as kind hearted as Jake? He seemed unaware of the effect he had on people. Jenny had seen women openly stare at him in town, yet he retained his humility.
‘I'm a Christian Jenny, and I know you are too. The scriptures tell us to trust in the Lord, with all hearts, all our minds and our soul.'
Jenny nodded. She knew all that but somehow, in her desperation to leave, she had chosen to lie.
‘I will be honest from now henceforth. I believe in honesty and openness too. Please forgive me, I beg you.' Jenny said.
He did something totally unexpected. He bent his head and his lips met hers. The kiss caught Jenny by surprise and her arms went round his neck. It seemed so right and natural to hold him. Her husband. He groaned and gently removed her hands.
‘You don't know how much I want more of you, but I promised myself to give you time to get used to the ranch and me.'
Jenny wept with joy, and could not keep herself from launching into a full hug. The muscles on this man chest pressed into hers made her knees week, almost buckling from desire. There was no limit to the kindness that Jake possessed, and it seemed no limit to his physical appeal also.
‘Now, we've stood here long enough, and you must be tired, come on in.'
The front door opened to a wide hallway and from there, she could see wooden stairs that went to the upper floor. He led her through a door, which was the front room. Jenny had never seen a home so grand and neat. On the walls were pictures of animals and one of the landscape, so green one could lose herself in it.
‘This is your home now Mrs. Harper and you can make any changes you wish.' Jake said.
Jenny could have died in pure delight. Yes, she was now Mrs. Harper. He took her arm and guided her to the kitchen. Delicious smells wafted in, reminding Jenny that it was almost dinner time. Next he took her upstairs and showed her room, as well as James's.
‘I can't tell you how grateful I am for such a warm welcome. I surely don't deserve it.' Jenny said.
He came to stand close to her, so close she could smell his masculine scent.
‘Listen to me, my new love, if I could I would give you everything you've every wished for, and I will try. But do not ever say that you don't deserve it. Every child of God deserves all the good things that life has to offer.'
He tipped her chin and kissed her mouth. Jenny clung to him, and then stepped back in embarrassment. Why did he have this effect on her? When he touched or kissed her, she felt as though a fire had been lit in her belly.
‘The bathroom is right next door. I implored my ranch hand's wife to get everything ready including dinner, so when you clean up, please come for dinner. Meanwhile, let me get James.'
When he left, Jenny looked about the room. It consisted of a comfortable looking bed, and a chest of drawers, and next to it a wooden washbasin. She laid out clean clothes on the bed and went to the bathroom. As Jake had promised everything was ready, a towel was neatly folded next to a drum, and a stone bath was half filled with steaming water.
She eagerly removed her clothes and cooled down the water, fetching from a drum on the side of the wall. When Jenny immersed her whole body in the water, she gently gasped with relief of from the soothing warmth of the water. Her exhaustion left and she took a cake of soap and a wash cloth and scrubbed herself from her head to her toes.
Dinner was tasty, chicken stew with dumplings and biscuits smeared with honey for a sweetener. James was nodding off by the time dinner was finished.
‘I'll take him up. You can retire too; I know it's been a long day.' Jake said.
He carried James in his arms and when he returned Jenny had already cleaned up.
‘Oh you didn't have to do that.' Jake protested.
Jenny smiled in response. Her mind was racing with her plans for the evening. She did not want to wait for a month to share Jake's bed.
‘I'll go up now.' Jenny said shyly. ‘Goodnight.'
‘Goodnight my dear. See you in the morning.' He said and kissed her chastely on the cheek.
Jenny went up the stairs, took a quick peek at James. He was sleeping heavily a gentle snore coming from him. She closed the door and went to her bedroom. She removed her dress and put on her night dress. She stood on the middle of the room in her flimsy night wear and prayed for courage.
Finally, she padded out of the room and went to Jake's which was the last one on the hallway. She opened it silently and softly shut the door behind her. The moon was out and was bringing a shadowy light into the room.
Jenny pulled down the cover and slipped in. She closed her eyes and inhaled Jake's scent on the sheets. Was this the right thing to do, or was the proper thing to wait for the man to make the first move?
The longer she stayed, the more she convinced herself that it was a foolish thing to do. She sat up and prepared to return to her room, when she heard Jake's heavy steps walk up the stairs. He stopped in James's room, and after a few minutes proceeded down the hallway. Jenny froze. She watched as the bedroom door opened.
He did not notice her at first, and she watched as he removed his boots. He saw her then.
‘Jenny?' he said, his voice so low that she barely heard her name.