Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2011 13:16:54 -0800 (PST)
From: Daniel Running-water <danielrunningwater@yahoo.com>
Subject: A Heart's Legacy / Chapter Two / Interracial and Beginnings

A Heart's Legacy

Sequel to Captured Heart

By

Daniel Running Water

Chapter Two

Previously in chapter one:

 "Excuse me Mr. Bennett, but there is a gentleman here to see you,"
George's butler, Hubert said, interrupting George from his thoughts.

"Well who the hell is it Hubert," he barked at the man.

"He refused to give me his name, but said that he had information that you
would find quite valuable."

Wondering what this man wanted, he stormed past Hubert and into the
foyer. When he saw who it was, George froze momentarily before he regained
enough composure to speak.

"Well Shawn Murphy, you're the last person that I ever expected to see
again," a shocked George said, remembering how Shawn stiffed him, knowing
that his sister Jenny was not waiting for him in the cabin.

"I've got some information that might just be of interest to you."

Now chapter two:

Shawn Murphy was a devious man, who looked out only for himself and didn't
care for anyone else, not even Jenny, his sister. He was now down on his
luck and broke, but he had hatched a plan to gain money from George Bennett
by telling him about a son that he fathered with Jenny many years ago.

"I highly doubt that anything that you have got to say could benefit me,
Murphy, not get out of my house before I have you shot for trespassing,"
George snarled and turned to walk away.

"What if it concerned my sister Jenny and..." he looked about him, not
wanting to say what he was about to, in front of someone that might tell
the concerned party. "How about we take this into your study, George," he
suggested.

"Very well, but so help me if you are playing games with me, I won't
hesitate to shoot you myself for trespassing," George promised as he led
the man to his study, pausing only when Emily stepped from the kitchen and
into the hall.

"Father!" she gasped, surprised at the sudden appearance of him, but more
so Shawn.

She gave Shawn a questionable glare, before turning her attention back to
her father. Her father, over the years, had always seemed to be dragging in
varmints from his shady dealings, but Shawn went beyond shady, he was
downright evil looking.

Shawn's back bowed and he had a hump along his shoulders that gave him the
appearance of something evil. His stringy grey hair hung like Spanish moss,
most of it covering his pock marked face and falling down his back. But
when he smiled at Emily, his teeth, those that he had, were yellow and
pitted, causing a shiver in Emily.

"Emily, go to your room," George ordered, shoving Shawn into his office and
then closing the door shut behind him...locking it to ensure privacy.

As Emily began to go, her curiosity got the better of her. Leaning close to
the door, she listened as Shawn and her father talked.

"Now what is so damn important that you have crawled from whatever hole you
have been living in causing you to come to torment me," George asked. "And
what is this about Jenny," he further inquired.

"What would you be willing to pay me for information concerning your son,"
Shawn asked and snickered wildly at a shocked George.

"Son...you of all people know that I have only daughters, so what is this
about a son," he questioned.

"A son, what have you been doing father," Emily whispered to herself and
pressed her ear closer to the door.

"Jenny got pregnant with your child and gave birth to a son and that is why
she disappeared all those years ago. He'd still be living with her if'n it
hadn't been for you finding her."

"I had wondered why she seemed to vanish from my life, but she never told
me about a child."

"She wouldn't, she never wanted you to know," Shawn said smirking at how
his plan to milk George of his money was working. "She even made me promise
never to tell you who your son is and she even promised to continue with
her whoring for me if'n I kept her secret."

"Then why are you telling me now," George scoffed at how reliable Shawn's
word was and wasn't to sure if he believed him.

"Because she's too damn sick now to make me any money, so I figured that
you would pay to know who your son is." Shawn smiled sadistically and
stepped a bit closer, placing his filthy hand on George's shoulder. "I will
go as far to say that you, that you already know him, but just never knew
that he was your son."

Shawn laughed heartily, he loved playing games with George, and this was
the best one that he had ever devised.

"How much do you want Shawn, tell me and it's yours," George said eager to
know who his son was.

George had always wanted a son, but fate had given him just daughters. Even
his two married daughters were not giving him grandsons, but his oldest had
four girls and his middle daughter, two, so knowing that someone that he
knew was his son perked his interest.

"Ten thousands dollars and I will not only tell you who yours son is, but I
will also tell you where you can find Jenny," he said, laughing louder now
because he was finally going to have money.

"I don't have that kind of money here in my house, I keep it in the bank,"
George said.

"Then get it together and I'll be back tomorrow," he said and walked over
to the door.

Outside in the hallway, Jenny gasped when she heard that she had a brother
and wondered who it could be. Jenny hearing that the conversation was over,
stepped across the hall and into the closet and closed the door
securely. She barely breathed when she heard her father's study door open
and shuddered when they paused to talk beside the door.

"Like I said...I'll be back tomorrow night and you had better have the
money, George," Shawn warned and turned to walk away but paused when he
noticed a piece of a blue satin sticking out from the closet door.

He instantly remembered it was the dress that Emily was wearing when she
had come across them earlier. A smug smile crossed his face before he
walked off, wondering if she had been eavesdropping on their
conversation. Shrugging his shoulders slightly, Shawn moved on, figuring
that she was George's problem more than his, but he wouldn't mind having
her sweet body working as his whore, earning him money like Jenny use to
do.

"Don't you worry about my end of the bargain, you just be here tomorrow
with the information," George demanded, oblivious to the dress that stuck
out from the door as he walked Shawn to the front door.

Knowing that Shawn and her father had left the hall; Emily quickly exited
the closet and hurried upstairs, using the servant's staircase.

"I've got a brother...I wonder who he is," she whispered to herself once
she was inside her bedroom.

***

Spotted Wolf paused on the outskirts of Hawk's village, it was the first
time since he and Jonas had been together that Jonas was not there with him
to share his blankets. Tears flowed from his eyes and rolled down his face
as he thought back on the events that led up to him now being at Hawk's
village. He remembered the words that he and Jonas had, concerning his son
Caleb's arrival and how it would affect their relationship.

"What do you mean, you're taking Caleb to dinner, and just what was I
suppose to do, while you and Caleb had a nice dinner?" he snarled as his
anger grew.

"Now sweetheart, Caleb doesn't know about us yet and I need time to gently
ease him into our relationship, because I don't know how he's going to take
it."

"I understand that Jonas, but what happens when you tell him and he is
horrified because you and I are lovers. Do you throw me out like some old
piece of clothing that you no longer want, or do you tell him that I am
your life and he needs to accept it?"

Jonas went quiet far too long to suit Spotted Wolf, all the while Jonas
kept glancing back at the house.

"I see Jonas, your silence is answer enough," Spotted Wolf said, turned and
mounted his horse, glaring down at Jonas as he said...

"And here I was, thinking all this time that you loved me, when all along
you were ashamed of our love." He added.

Spotted Wolf looked at Jonas a moment longer with tears streaming down his
face and then rode off, feeling rejected.

Now wiping his eyes with the back of his hands, he took a deep breath and
continued into the village, stopping outside Hawk and Red Sun's lodge.

"Spotted Wolf, what are you doing here at this hour, where is Jonas," Hawk
asked, standing at the door to his lodge.

"Can I stay with you and Red Sun," he asked before he dismounted.

"Ay-uh...but why, what is wrong," Hawk asked and glanced over his shoulder
when Seth came up behind him, resting his hands on Hawk's shoulders. "Where
is Jonas?" he asked when Spotted Wolf stood before him.

Noticing that Spotted Wolf had been crying, Seth moved around Hawk to stand
in front of Spotted Wolf, looking into his reddening eyes.

"What is wrong my friend, has something happened to Jonas?" he asked,
taking Spotted Wolf by the arm and leading him into the lodge.

"Gah-ween, not to Jonas...but to us," he said softly, fighting back the
tears that threatened his composure. "He is ashamed to love me because of
his son, Caleb," he blurted out and fell into Seth's arms, crying. "Maybe
it's because our skin is so different also," he added as he stepped into
Seth's embrace.

Seth glanced over Spotted Wolf's shoulder to Hawk and he could see that his
husband was also feeling pain for Spotted Wolf.

"You can stay with Red Sun and Hawk as long as you wish," Hawk said,
running his hand gently across Spotted Wolf's shoulders.

"Thank you my chief, your generosity is too kind," Spotted Wolf said and
wiped away his tears. "As soon as I can, I will build me a lodge of my
own," he promised.

"Gah-ween Spotted Wolf, you can have Brave Bull's lodge. We were going to
come see you tomorrow and tell you that the counsel has named you Shaman
for our people," Hawk said, causing a smile to come to Spotted Wolf's face.

"I have studied quite long under Brave Bull to learn the ways of healing of
our people as well as attending the university to gain the knowledge of
their white medicine. I will make you proud of me, my chief," Spotted Wolf
said, stepping into Hawk's embrace and hugging him also.

"Ay-uh my friend, now come, eat and tell us all about that which ended your
love with Jonas." Hawk said, ushering him down to the floor beside the
fire.

Seth set a platter of venison and bear's meat, along with corn and pumpkin
slices before them. He brought a container of honey water to wash down the
meal also, before sitting down with them. They ate and talked late into the
night, Spotted Wolf telling them about Jonas and his son's arrival, until
all were yawning.

"We shall talk more when the sun rises," Hawk said as he stood, helping
Seth to rise beside him.

Spotted Wolf looked around the lodge and noticed that there was only one
pallet for sleeping. Red Sun noticed his eyes searching for a place to
sleep and turned to Hawk.

"Can we make room in our blankets for Spotted Wolf," Seth whispered to his
husband, remembering how Hawk was once enticed by the warrior. "I shall
take the right side by my husband and Spotted Wolf can sleep to your left,"
he suggested.

"Ay-uh?" Hawk questioned, a little too excitedly for Red Sun.

"Ay-uh, but remember this my husband, that Red Sun always sleeps with one
eye opened," he mused, needing to say no more and then turned back to
Spotted Wolf.

"Come our friend, share our blankets with us tonight," Seth said and
extended his hand down to Spotted Wolf.

"Truly," Spotted Wolf asked, looking from Seth to Hawk and then back to
Seth.

"Ay-uh my friend," Seth said and then hugged Spotted Wolf and noticed that
when their bodies pressed together, Spotted Wolf was hard. "Does the
thought of sharing our blankets excite you," Seth asked and looked over at
Hawk, noticing that he too was hard. "Come my husband and let us counsel
together," Seth said, taking Hawk's hand and quickly leading him outside.

"Why do you seek counsel now with your husband?" Hawk asked, knowing quite
well why Seth needed to talk to him.

"I am not blind and cannot see that the very thought of lying beside
Spotted Wolf has excited you," Seth said and ran his hand along the
hardness of Hawk's heat.

"Ay-uh, but does it not also excite my man to sleep beside Spotted Wolf,
noticing that Seth was also hard when Hawk placed his hand on Seth's
manhood.

"Tonight we shall share our love with our friend Spotted Wolf," Seth said
and noticed how the very thought put a large smile on Hawk's face. "But it
will be for tonight only my husband, because I will not share you," he
added and then led him back into the lodge where Spotted Wolf stood with
questioning eyes.

"Tonight shall be special for you Spotted Wolf, because we shall share our
love with you," Seth said and noticed the excitement on his face.

Seth and Hawk walked over to Spotted Wolf and Seth began to undress him,
with Hawk running his hands along the smoothness of his copper colored skin
as Seth uncovered it.

"I do not wish to do this if it will cause harsh feelings between my chief
and his man," Spotted Wolf said, but before he could say more, Hawk
captured his mouth with his own.

"You may not want to Spotted Wolf, but I sure as hell do," Hawk thought as
his mouth took possession of his in a heated kiss.

Hawk kissed Spotted Wolf long and hard, while Seth lowered Spotted Wolf's
breeches down to the floor, exposing his swollen, throbbing manhood. Seth
looked up at his husband kissing Spotted Wolf and then lowered his mouth
down and around Spotted Wolf's swollen member.

"Aiiiiieeeeee," he gasped when felt his balls resting against Seth's
chin. "Your mouth knows how to pleasure a man," Spotted Wolf said as Seth
glided his mouth up and down the thick shaft.

"Ay-uh, Red Sun knows how to pleasure his husband very well," Hawk said his
voice thick and his breathing labored when Seth moved from Spotted Wolf's
cock to Hawk's and began sucking him.

Hawk kissed Spotted Wolf passionately, all the while Seth labored hard on
his throbbing manhood.

"Enough my man, I have need of Spotted Wolf's heat for my seed," Hawk
gasped, pulling his cock from Seth's mouth and laying Spotted Wolf down on
their bed.

Spotted Wolf grabbed his legs and pulled them upward when Hawk knelt
between his legs. Hawk could see the tension rising in Spotted Wolf's eye
when he noticed how endowed his chief was.

"I fear your size my chief," Spotted Wolf whispered, his eyes still fixated
on Hawk's thick member. "Jonas was not half the size of you, so I fear that
you may injure me."

"Do not fear my husband's size, for he is always gentle," Seth whispered
into Spotted Wolf's ear.

Seth lowered his mouth down to Spotted Wolf's and kissed him heatedly and
long, slipping his tongue into Spotted Wolf's mouth as Hawk slowly thrust
his cock into Spotted Wolf.

Spotted Wolf gasped when he felt the thickness of Hawk penetrating where
only Jonas has been. When Hawk was fully in Spotted Wolf's velvet sheath,
he began with slow rhythmic strokes until Spotted Wolf became adjusted to
his size and began thrusting his hips upward, meeting each thrust that Hawk
gave him.

"Straddle my chest and give me your hardness," Spotted Wolf said as he
wrapped his legs around Hawk's waist and began to feverishly thrust upward.

Seth knelt over Spotted Wolf, placing a knee on each side of Spotted Wolf's
arms. Seth lowered his manhood down to Spotted Wolf's mouth, thrusting it
slowly into the wet warmness.

"Aiiiiieeeeee Spotted Wolf...your mouth is so warm," Seth said as Spotted
Wolf continued to suck Seth's cock into his throat, not stopping until
Seth's balls were resting on his chin.

Falling forward and now on to all fours over Spotted Wolf's face, Seth made
long slow strokes downward into Spotted Wolf's warm, wet mouth. Groaning
throatily over what he was watching, Hawk lowered his mouth down to Seth's
rosebud which was before him and began teasing it with his tongue.

"Mmmmm," Seth moaned, being pleasured by two men would quickly draw him to
his edge and push him over.

After several long minutes of Hawk's tongue making love to his ass and
Spotted Wolf's mouth sucking heatedly on his cock, Seth threw back his head
and groaned deeply as he spewed his seed into Spotted Wolf's mouth.

Thrusting hard and fast downward, Seth shot his seed across Spotted Wolf's
tongue and down his throat, all the while Hawk's thrusts became harder,
deeper and faster into Spotted Wolf's ass. Seth pulled his spent cock from
the warmth of Spotted Wolf's mouth and turned quickly, moving his mouth
down to his cock.

"Aaaagggggghhh," Hawk howled and thrust his cock fully into Spotted Wolf's
sheath, stopped, and then shot several hard blasts of his seed, before
resuming his frantic thrusts.

"Red Sun...I'm...gonna shoot," Spotted Wolf gasped out to his friend who
was fervently sucking on his swollen manhood.

"Mmmhmmm," Seth moaned as he swallowed each drop of seed that Spotted Wolf
fed him until he had none left to give Seth.

Exhausted and panting frantically, they gasped for normalcy as they lay
side by side, their bodies pressing against each other as they rode out the
tide of their sexual afterglow.

"Jonas...could never do this...for me," Spotted Wolf said between gasping
breaths.

"It is always this good for Red Sun and Hawk," Hawk said and then kissed
his husband hard, long and with much feeling.

"Ay-uh...always," Seth agreed, drained and tired, but smiling widely.

***

Early the next morning, Emily rode hard and fast as she hurried to see Abe,
who would waiting for her beside the river. She was excited this morning to
share with Abe the news that she overheard the previous evening. As she
came to the top of a rise, she saw the tall physique of Abe standing and
watching as a paddle boat made its way up the river.

Hearing the pounding of hooves, Abe quickly turned to see Emily pull her
stallion to a stop. Hurrying to her side, Abe reached up and lifted her
from the saddle and into his waiting arms.

"It felt like an eternity as I waited for you to arrive," Abe said softly
and then pressed his mouth to hers, crushing her lips with his as he kissed
her.

"I'm so excited this morning Abe," she gasped, still swooning from his kiss
and fanning herself with her hands. "I overheard my father and this man
talking last night in his study. Well not overheard, I was eavesdropping on
them with my ear pressed to the door."

"Alright, and that has you excited why?" he asked, noticing the sparkle
that accented her eyes. "Do you have any idea just how beautiful you are
Em?" he asked, completely oblivious to what she wanted to tell him.

"Abe please, I want to share this with you," she said, frustrated that he
wasn't listening to her.

"I have something to share with you also," he seductively said, before he
lowered his mouth to her neck, sucking and kissing it.

"ABRAHAM!" she shouted and stepped back from him. "Will you just calm
yourself and let me tell you this," she demanded as she fought off his
reaching hands.

Frustrated and knowing that until she tells him he would not be able to
make love to her, Abe behaved and sat down on the cool grass that still had
the morning dew clinging to its soft blades. Reaching up and pulling her
down beside him, Abe looked deep into her eyes, smiling.

"You have my undivided attention Em," he said, fighting the urge to just
grab her and kiss her.

"Thank you Abe, now just sit there and listen," she said softly, a blush
flooding her cheeks as he laid her onto her back and cuddled to her
side. "You can't really expect me to talk to you when you are trying so
hard to seduce me, now behave yourself or else I'm going home," she said.

Sitting up beside her with his knees pulled to his chest and his arms
surrounding them, Abe smiled and waited for her to begin.

"Now that's better Abraham," she happily said. "As I tried to say earlier,
I listened in my father's conversation with this man, Shawn Murphy. He
sounded like he was coercing my father into giving him money for some
information that he had. It seems that somewhere in my father's past, he
fathered a son with some woman," she told him. "And from what it sounded
like, she was a whore he was seeing when my father was governor."

"Damn...I'm sorry Em, I didn't mean to curse, but damn," he cursed again,
"your father cheated on your mother with a whore and got her pregnant?" Abe
asked Emily, who was definitely receiving his undivided attention.

"Did you actually hear what I said, Abraham?" she asked.

"Yes Em I did, you said that you have a brother that your father fathered
him with some whore while he was governor," he told her and again she
blushed.

"Thank God my mother is dead; this would have broken her heart to know of
my father's infidelities...and with a whore at that."

"So what's his name, this man that is your brother?"

"I truly don't know yet, because he refused to tell my father until father
gave him ten thousand dollars," she confided. "He is supposed to return
tonight and when my father pays him, he'll then reveal the man's name to
him."

"I bet that made your old man furious," he said and then regretted having
referred to him so disrespectfully.

"I know that you don't like my father Abe, but he is my father," she
scolded, her face showing her hurt.

"I'm sorry sweetie...will you forgive me for being so crude and
disrespectful?" he asked while sporting a pouting lip.

"You know that I do handsome, now kiss me," she said and Abe lowered her
back to the grass, crushing her mouth with his.

His kiss was hard and long and while their tongues danced together, Abe
worked his hand inside her blouse, softly caressing her breast.

"Abraham, I am not that kind of woman," she scolded, slapped his face, and
got up abruptly, walking heatedly to her stallion. "If you can't show me
proper respect, than you can just forget about us ever being together," she
snapped and got on her horse.

"I'm sorry Em, but being around you just leaves my insides swimming with
emotions," he said, holding her reins so she couldn't ride away. "Won't you
just sit with me, if I promise that I'll behave," he asked, staring into
her eyes.

"Well...as long as you promise to behave, I guess I can spend a few minutes
with you."

Emily dismounted and fell right into Abe's arms, locking their mouths
together in another heated kiss. Once they broke their kiss, they strolled
hand in hand along the river, talking about the news that she just shared
with him.

Just being this close to her had Abe flustered sexually, he wanted nothing
more than to make sweet love to her, but he knew that she was a lady, and
ladies like Emily didn't do those kind of things before marrying.

***

"Have you noticed our son lately, he's acting rather strange wouldn't you
say," James asked, looking across the dining room table at Shane.

"He's in love, James," Shane said rather calmly, pulling his eyes away from
the paper that he was reading and gazing into James' eyes.

"In love...with whom," he asked, surprised by the declaration.

"Do I have time to follow our son around day and night," Shane asked. "I
have all I can do keeping up with your cute ass," Shane mused, raising his
eyebrows rapidly up and down.

"Do you really think that my ass is cute, Shane," James asked.

"How about we go upstairs and let me take a closer look before I give you a
second opinion?" he asked as he stood and came around the table to lay a
kiss on James' neck.

James tilted his head to the side to give Shane better access, moaning with
delight as his husband licked, sucked and nibbled along the length of it.

"I would love to Shane, but as soon as Abe arrives back home from his ride,
we are heading into town for supplies. Mammy wants me to pick up a few
things from the mercantile for her."

Shane was still involved with his affections to James' neck when Abe
strolled into the room. Abe gave his fathers a glaring look as he sat down
at the table and reached for the platter of pancakes.

"Do you two really have to do that at the dinner table?" Abe asked as he
slid five pancakes onto his plate from the platter.

"Just wait until you are in love son, then you just try to keep your mouth
off of your lover," Shane said and then tilted James' head back and covered
his mouth with his.

"At least I will use discretion and take her to the privacy of a bedroom,"
he said and shoveled a large fork full of pancakes into his mouth.

"Her?" they both questioned and looked at each other.

"Don't ask because I ain't telling," he said with a mouthful, knowing that
his dads would go crazy with wanting to know who held his heart.

"Now son, what is wrong with telling us who this young lady is that has
your heart?" James asked, because his curiosity was driving him crazy.

"I ain't saying just yet dad, so please let it rest," he said and washed
his pancakes down with a mouthful of coffee. "By the way dads, have either
of you ever heard of a man name Shawn Murphy?" he asked and then wiped his
hand with a linen napkin.

Shane and James looked at each other, shocked to hear the man's name. It
had been years since that name had been mentioned and they both thought the
man dead.

"Where did you hear that name son," a curious Shane asked.

"Just did pa, so do you know him?"

"Not really know him, but I have heard of him before...why?" Shane asked,
glancing quickly at James.

"Someone mentioned him to me and about some scam that he was involved in."

James got up from the table and motioned to Shane to meet him upstairs, and
as soon as they were in the privacy of their bedroom, James' eyes filled
with tears.

"We are going to lose our son...I just know it," he said to Shane, whose
arms were wrapped tightly around James. "If he ever puts Shawn and Jenny
together, there'll be hell to pay."

"I never in a million years would have thought that Shawn would come back
into our lives," a shocked Shane said to James, pulling away and turning to
look out of the window.

It was a hot, sunny day and Shane watched as Abe hooked up the wagon,
preparing to go into town.

"You'd better get going, Abe had the wagon hooked up and you know how he
hates waiting, especially when he's going into town."

"Are you alright baby, I can send Abe into town without me," James asked,
concerned over Shane's sudden silence.

"I'm fine sweetheart," he said turning to face James. "Besides, I'd rather
not take the chance of Abe running into Shawn without one of us there with
him."

"I just hope that we don't run into Shawn...whatever would I say or do?"
James asked looking for guidance from Shane.

"Don't say or do anything, just pretend that you don't see him and go about
your business," Shane offered.

"Well it's not like we ever kept it a secret, that Abe was adopted."

"No, but we did lie about his mother having died though, even though she
should be dead by now, seeing how she had consumption," James said.

"Not necessarily, people have lived for some years with it. Look at her
when she brought Abe to us, she looked healthy and vibrant, and even I
would have never suspected that she was sick."

"True, but that brother of hers still scares me, what if he tells Bennett
that he's Abe's father. You know how evil that man is, he'll never stop
until he has Abe at his side, teaching him all of his evil ways."

"You could give our son some credit; we did raise him to be caring and
loving. Besides, Abe hates George Bennett as much as we both do," Shane
said, offering James a bit of relief. "I can't see him siding up beside
George and acting all father and son like. Especially after George hit him
the other day at Sam's mercantile," he added, feeling better about things.

"Abe is a good man isn't he sweetie, and he really does hate that man
deeply now that you mentioned it."

Shane and James went downstairs and out to an impatiently waiting Abe.

"It's about time, what took you so long?" he asked and then smirked, when a
picture of his dads getting it on together came to his mind's eye. "Never
mind, I really don't want to know," he said as James climbed up into the
buckboard.

Abe nodded to Shane and clicked the reins over the backs of the horses,
causing them to take off hurriedly.

***

Shawn Murphy leaned against the wall outside of Sam's mercantile store,
just watching the customers as they came and went. When he saw George and
Emily Bennett pull up, his eyes took in her beauty as she climbed down from
the wagon with the help of her father and walked deliberately toward the
store.

"I've got some business at the bank so I'll meet you back here Emily, now
don't go walking off until I return," he ordered and Emily cringed.

Although she was old enough to go to town on her own, her father still
treated her as if she was still a child. It had taken her months...years,
to convince him that she was old enough and capable of going riding on her
own. And she especially hated it whenever he insisted on accompanying her
whenever she went into town.

"Howdy ma'am," Shawn said, tipping his hat to her and breaking her train of
thought.

Emily gave him a quick glance, noticing that he was just as disheveled as
when he had visited her father the night before. As the stink of body odor
and stale cigar smoke wafted her way, she covered her nose and mouth with
her gloved hand and hurried into the store. Shawn sneered to himself when
she ignored him and without as much as a nod, she entered the store.

"You may think you are all high and mighty missy in that fancy dress of
yours, but just wait until I dress you in a more revealing outfit,
something that will entice the men to take you into their arms and bed
you," he chuckled as he walked away, heading for the bank right behind
George.

Emily was thankful that Shawn had left and hadn't followed her into the
store. Once her eyes were accustomed to the dim light of the store, she
began searching for Abe.

"You don't have to come in with me," James said as he climbed down from the
buckboard. "I am quite capable of handling things," he added but Abe jumped
down and waited for James to join him.

"I'll just poke around while you get the things that you need," he said,
knowing that he was going to meet Emily there.

Abe, being tall, glanced over the shelves and soon found Emily, back in the
corner where Sam kept the yard goods. He hurried over to where she was
standing, working her hands through the bolts of calico materials. Abe
paused and looked around for James before making his presence known to
Emily.

"Abraham, I was beginning to think that you weren't coming," she scoffed
and returned her attention to the material, knowing how it frustrated him
when she acted cool towards him.

"Why do you do that to me Em, you know very well that I was gonna meet you
here," he said, glanced around and placed his arms around her waist and
turned her to face him, lowering his mouth down to hers in a kiss.

James came around the corner and stopped when he saw Abe kissing Emily. He
wanted to yell at him and say that what he was doing was immoral. But he
couldn't, because neither he nor Emily yet knew that they were brother and
sister.

Abe jumped, dropped his arms to his side and blushed, when he heard James
clear his throat

"How long have you been standing there pa?" Abe asked, shooting James a
harried look, his cheeks still heated with embarrassment.

"Long enough to know that what you two were doing is not proper," James
said and stood there, apparent to Abe that he was not going to just walk
away and leave him and Emily alone.

"Pa, I believe you know Miss Emily Bennett," he said softly as he
introduced her to his father.

"Of course I know who she is, and if her father had come upon you two
kissing, I doubt that he would have been as cordial about it as I was,"
James said, causing Emily to blush now. "I'll be about my business son, so
why don't you say your goodbyes to the young lady," he advised and moved
around the corner, to give them some privacy, but not far enough that he
could not keep his eyes on them.

"I'm sorry about that Em," Abe whispered, pulling her back into his arms.

"Don't worry about it Abraham, because eventually we have got to tell him
that we are planning to marry," she said and glanced both ways before she
pulled his mouth down to hers.

"God damn it boy...how many times have I got to tell you to keep away from
my daughter," George yelled and came after Abe, with a glare of hatred in
his eyes.

Pulling Abe from the arms of Emily, George sent a right fist hard into
Abe's jaw, knocking him again to the floor.

"That's my son that you just hit," James said as he placed his hand hard on
George's shoulder, turned him quickly around, and gave him a solid right
hook, sending him crashing into the shelf, knocking its contents flying.

"Listen you robin, you're as good as dead now," George said and quickly
rose to his feet but Abe grabbed him by the arm and turned him around,
returning his own fist to George's jaw, knocking him out as he crashed to
the floor at James' feet.

Abe turned to look at Emily who was still standing there in shock. She had
her hand to her throat, gazing at her father that was now lying on the
floor unconscious, to Abe who was now walking toward her.

"That was my father that you struck...how could you Abraham," she asked,
crying profusely as she knelt beside her father. "Leave...just leave me
alone," she snapped, her eyes looking up at Abe.

"But Em, he hit me first and..."

"I said to just leave," she shouted in tears as Sam came running around the
corner and found his merchandize scattered about, with George lying
unconscious in the middle of the mess.

"Always a day late and a dollar short," he muttered, upset that he missed
George getting what was coming to him. "Yes sir-re bob, always to late for
the fun."

James grabbed Abe away and pulled him to the front of the store, where he
offered to pay Sam for the damages.

"I'll just bill that son of a bitch for damages, I just wish I could have
seen him get his," Sam said, shaking his head. "Always a day late and a
dollar short I am," he said walking away as James and Abe left the store.

"Just wait till you know that he's your pa," Shawn snickered as he looked
through the window, witnessing the disturbance and easing himself around
the corner, out of sight from James. "So that's who has been raising your
boy, Jenny," he whispered as he watched James and Abe climb into the
wagon. "I could sure use a fine looking boy like him for them there fellas
that tend to like the men folk," he added as he noticed how handsome Abe
was.

***

He watched as they rode away and then stepped into the store, moving
through it until he found George and Emily.

"Can I offer you a hand with your pa, ma'am?" he asked, and as much as she
found Shawn disgusting to be around, she did need help getting her father
into the wagon.

Along with Sam's help, Shawn got George into the back of the wagon and
climbed up into the seat.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked sharply.

"If'n I know your father, he wouldn't want you driving alone back to the
ranch," he said, knowing that he just needed to get her out of town and
then he'd snatch her away.

Shawn wanted Emily, and this was the perfect chance for him to snatch her,
while her father was out for the count. She knew that she would need help
with her father once she got home, so reluctantly she climbed up into the
wagon, her handkerchief now covering her mouth and nose, she nearly fell
backwards when Shawn urged the horses on.

To be continued...

Chapter two is done and let me know what you think at about this next
generation at: danielrunningwater@yahoo.com

Thanks guys and gals.

Daniel